Raw Intel

Americas Sikorsky won a $73.2 million modification, which adds scope to procure 362 spare parts and support required for the repair and maintenance of the CH-53K low rate initial production configuration aircraft. The CH-53K is the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E. The Super Stallion can be fielded from amphibious assault ships for the transportation of personnel and equipment. It will also be used to carry external cargo loads. Work will take place in Connecticut, Canada, Washington, Pennsylvania, the UK, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Iowa, Texas and Massachusetts. Estimated completion date will be in December 2026. Raytheon won a $17 m…

Barely six-weeks old, our retreat and national humiliation in Afghanistan for many of us has been I wrote the below almost exactly six years ago when we left a base that in my professional swan song, I had a lot invested in. Yep, that's my picture to here put as a reference point in time in late '08/early '09. Intersting to read how my feelings were in 2014 almost a warm-up for the feelings I continue to have about what we did to the effort as a whole in AFG. I'm still not fully settled on the issue. Anyway, if you are so inclined, join me in a quick return to OCT 2014. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErLLFCOOnLU/VFNtzLmfaCI/AAAAAAAAI0k/dH0yHFqt6Vk/s320/IMGP1114.JPGI will be,…

If you recall, the "Arab Spring" started with increases in food prices going in to winter. The Kazakh government seems to have collapses due to civil disorder resulting from increasing LPG prices gong in to winter. Don't think inflation and supply chain issues are a national security issue? You're wrong. I'm pondering over at USNBlog. Come on by and bring a wheelbarrow of Papiermarks. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vsbpjpYdZoU:aDOK3unvZrA:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vsbpjpYdZoU:aDOK3unvZrA:-BTjWOF_D…

Americas General Dynamics Land Systems won a $99.8 million deal for M1 Abrams tank sight units with containers. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. The M1A1/2 Abrams main battle tank is manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems. Work will take place in Alabama. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2029. The US Navy has carried out a demonstration of the MQ-8C Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept during Exercise Resolute Hunter. The exercise took place at San Clemente Island from June 21 to July 1. HSC-23 flew the unmanned rotorcraft for 23 hours during this period. It had taken off from Point Mugu and flown to San Clem…

Americas Bell Textron won a $48.3 million deal, which provides for the installation of Structural Improvements and Electrical Power Upgrades Phase II Part 3 kits, as well as ground and flight test for one AH-1Z and one UH-1Y aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland; Fort Worth, Texas; and Amarillo, Texas, and is expected to be completed in August 2025. The AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the AH-1W SuperCobra that features a four-blade rotor system, uprated transmission, and a new target sighting system. It has upgraded avionics, weapons, and electro-optical sensors designed to find targets at long ranges and attack …

US Army HH-60Ms (click to view full) In July 2012, the US military signed another huge contract with Sikorsky. With production of the Army’s HH/UH-60M, and the Navy’s MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters, all in full swing, there’s no question about the need for future orders. In that environment, multi-year contracts allow efficiencies in purchasing, and […]View the full article

Americas Raytheon won a $333.2 million contract for Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) full rate production requirements, spares, and round design agent. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $908,144,803. Work will will continue through September 2030. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. General Dynamics won a $188 million modification for Construction Spares associated with the Virginia Class …

Thailand has captured a contested hill along its border with Cambodia amid intensifying fighting between the two countries, Thai media reported on Saturday. Thai troops took control of Phu Makkhuea hill, a ridge in the long-disputed frontier zone near the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple. The operation reportedly took place early on July 26, with […] The post Thailand captures strategic ridge in border clash first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s General Staff said on August 31 that radiation reconnaissance units of the Armed Forces are operating inside the Chernobyl (Chornobyl – Ukrainian transliteration) Exclusion Zone to monitor safety conditions near the damaged sarcophagus covering Reactor No. 4. Specialists from the 704th Separate Brigade of Radiation, Chemical, and Biological (RCB) Defense are conducting detailed inspections […] The post Ukrainian troops monitor Chernobyl site first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

For decades, while the rest of the world’s powers have distracted and tangled themselves with wars of choice and blunder, the People’s Republic of China has been watching, learning, and building. To what end? Returning to Midrats to discuss this and more will be Dean Cheng. You can listen live here, today from 5-6 pm Eastern. If you are reading this after the show, refresh the Substack page later Sunday evening for all the podcast links. Dean Cheng, Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace; Non-resident Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies; Non-resident Fellow, George Washington University Space Policy Institute. He recently retired after 13 years …

At the 2025 Army Presentation event (Présentation de l’armée de Terre 2025), held on October 15 and 16 at the École Militaire in Paris, the French Army’s 40th Artillery Regiment highlighted its evolving capabilities, focusing on new-generation unmanned aerial systems. The event, referred to as PAT25, is a major outreach initiative by the French Army, […] The post French artillery showcases new drones at Paris defense event first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The United States Army has reopened its effort to identify companies capable of developing ground-based counter surveillance and reconnaissance systems designed to address space-based threats, issuing a new Sources Sought Notice under number W58SFN-25-R-0001-1. The notice was reposted on November 21 and remains open until December 5. According to the Army Contracting Command at Redstone […]View the full article

Hanwha Aerospace has expanded its defense cooperation with Estonia through a new memorandum of understanding with local firm GoCraft OÜ, as additional details emerged about Estonia’s acquisition of South Korean Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher systems and related industrial investments. According to a press release dated Dec. 22, 2025, Hanwha Aerospace signed an MOU with GoCraft […]View the full article

Ukrainian defense advisor Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov has published technical details of a little-known Russian interceptor drone known as “Yolka.” According to Beskrestnov, the Yolka interceptor operates only during daylight and cannot be used in rainy conditions. Its effective range is approximately 3 kilometers, with a stated speed of up to 200 km/h. The system is […]View the full article

A powerful explosion was reported at the Samara Kommunar plant in Samara, Russia, a defense-industrial facility directly involved in the production of explosives and the filling of munitions, according to local sources and open-source intelligence communities monitoring activity in the region. The blast was reported at the Federal State Enterprise Samarsky Zavod Kommunar, a plant […]View the full article

Saab UK has completed its 100th Giraffe 1X radar at its Fareham facility and opened a new Integration and Verification testing facility at the same site, the company announced. The Fareham site in Hampshire serves as Saab’s UK centre of excellence for radar engineering, supporting production of the Giraffe 1X alongside the Giraffe AMB and […]View the full article

An Israeli defense firm is preparing to show off a laser weapon at Eurosatory later this month that can burn through a drone in under two seconds while drawing only a fraction of the power that comparable directed-energy systems require. Esh-Tech, a laser-focused defense technology company based in Omer, Israel, announced DroneLight on June 3, […]View the full article

The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Virginia awarded Seattle-based Overland AI a $20 million contract to supply unmanned ground vehicles and accompanying software in direct support of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, the Corps’ primary mobile air defense capability, with deliveries required by October 2027. The Marine Air Defense Integrated System, known […]View the full article

Somewhere in a Chinese factory right now, a machine is stamping out a rare earth magnet that could end up inside a U.S. missile, and until this week, the Pentagon had no reliable way to force American weapons makers to stop that from happening. President Trump signed an executive order on July 20, 2026 aimed […]View the full article

Supacat has opened a new production facility at its headquarters in Devon, England, naming the building after company co-founder Nick Jones. The British vehicle manufacturer said Maj. Gen. Chris King cut the ribbon at the opening, which the company described as marking the launch of a facility expansion. Supacat did not disclose the size of […]View the full article