Raw Intel

Wait .... let me put that in better context. From our buddy over at ELP. On another note, this from insidedefense.com (subscription). LCS - the gift that keeps giving. Roll in the fail. I guess putting Sailors in combat not knowing the ability of their "warship" to actually do that "overseas contingency operation" thingy is asking too much. Making sure you can explain to the family members of those killed in combat why their sons and daughters are at the bottom of the sea is "unreasonably expensive" and "impractical." I'll let you answer that question in front of a Senate investigation committee sometime later this decade or next. View …

TOW family (click to view full) Despite modernization that has led to advanced anti-armor weapons like the Javelin and Hellfire fire and forget guided missiles, the wire-guided, operator-controlled BGM-71 TOW missile family remains a mainstay thanks to modernization, specialization, improved sighting systems, and pre-existing compatibility with a wide range of ground vehicles. TOW remains the US Army and Marine Corps’ primary heavy anti-tank/ precision assault weapon deployed on more than 4,000 TOW launch platforms including HMMWV jeeps, the Army’s M1134 Stryker ATGM variant and M2/M3 Bradley IFVs; the Marines’ LAV-AT wheeled APC and SuperCobra attack helicopters; and n…

Americas Honeywell International won a contract worth $476.1 million for the procurement of CH-47 aircraft T55 engines, CH-47 aircraft T55 engine electronic control units, and CH-47 aircraft T55 engine installation kits. The Honeywell T55 is a Family of military turboshaft engines. The most prominent aircraft application is the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and MH-47 helicopters. The new CH-47F uses more powerful Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines that improve fuel efficiency and enhance lift performance. The higher powerful Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines are fitted with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and have a thrust of 3,529kW (4,733shp). The operating range was increa…

It all has to do with the Salamander Deterrence Space. Details and extended commentary over at USNBlog. Come on by. 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=kCkNoAgSzMA:IX7y7tX9BZI:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=kCkNoAgSzMA:IX7y7tX9BZI:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=kCkNoAgSzMA:IX7y7tX9BZI:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=kCkNoAgSzMA:IX7y7tX9BZI:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/kCkNoAgSzMAView the full article

The BONHOMME RICHARD fire report has the Surface Force in the news again, and one of our favorite ex-SWOs Bryan McGrath gave a speech to the Surface Navy Association's Washington DC chapter earlier today. He had a few things to get off his chest, and the things he said are worth a broader audience. Bryan has been kind enough to send along the text of his remarks for publication here - well worth your time. Bryan, over to you! Speech to the DC Chapter of the Surface Navy Association 21 October 2021“Three Rants”As Prepared for Delivery Thank you for the introduction, Captain Bryans. It was an honor to be asked to be here, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I hope t…

Your commander matters. The best commanders know when to take the advice of their staff and when to brush it off. The worst commanders are those who lack the knowledge or personality to know when to do one of the other. As told by Douglas Sterling; “Great Army of the Sea” On May 16, the English royal council met and pushed back the deadline for gathering the ships until June 12, which would mean a sailing date around the 20th. When Edward met with his council again on June 4, it was clear that earlier delays had not been resolved. The only way to even attempt to keep up with the timetable previously set, which was being relied upon by the allies, was to send at least …

P-8A Poseidon (click to view full) Maritime surveillance and patrol is becoming more and more important, but the USA’s P-3 Orion turboprop fleet is falling apart. The P-7 Long Range Air ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Capable Aircraft program to create an improved P-3 began in 1988, but cost overruns, slow progress, and interest in opening the […]View the full article

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $32.6 million modification, which exercises option years two and three for continued fabrication and installation support to retrofit the Delta System Software Configuration 4.0 (DSSC4) capabilities, to include Tactical Targeting Network Technology and the Beyond Line of Sight for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Melbourne, […]View the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $280.4 million for combat systems engineering efforts of the planned modernization and new combat system capabilities selection for international partner Canadian Royal Navy ships operating AEGIS. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey and is expected to be completed by January 2028. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC is the contracting activity. Mustang Advanced Engineering won an $11.3 million contract for a test stand capable of testing both left-hand and right-hand V-22 PropRotor Gearbox Input Quill assemblies for the V-22 aircraft. This includes all mechanical, electrical, software, and control systems, as well as ancil…

Turkish defense company Uludoğan has completed development of a new nano-class unmanned aerial system, the NanoAlp, designed to deliver close-range reconnaissance in contested environments. With an overall length of just 25 centimeters, the helicopter-type micro drone is scheduled to enter serial production in the third quarter of 2025, the company confirmed. According to Uludoğan, the […] The post Turkish firm develops micro recon drone first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Dutch Ministry of Defense announced that Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s landed in Poland today to begin a three-month deployment securing NATO airspace over Eastern Europe. Starting Sunday, the Dutch jets will operate alongside Norwegian F-35s, carrying out round-the-clock patrols under NATO command. The aircraft departed this morning from Volkel Air Base in the […] The post Dutch F-35s arrive in Poland for NATO air policing mission first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Saab Inc. has been awarded a $46 million contract to deliver its Giraffe 1X radar systems to the U.S. Army. According to a Pentagon announcement, the contract was awarded to Saab Inc., based in East Syracuse, New York, for the procurement and delivery of Giraffe 1X radars. Bids were solicited online, with one received. Work […] The post U.S. Army buys lightweight surveillance radars from Saab first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Commander, Task Force 72 (CTF 72) has joined an Indian Navy P-8I aircraft for a bilateral detachment and training near Diego Garcia and the broader Indian Ocean region from October 22 to 28, 2025. According to the U.S. Navy, the deployment featured joint operations […] The post U.S., India fly joint patrols near Diego Garcia first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Japan scrambled fighter jets on Monday after a Chinese high-altitude surveillance drone passed between Yonaguni Island and Taiwan, prompting a response from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) Southwest Air Defense sector. According to the official statement from the Joint Staff Office of Japan’s Ministry of Defense, “On Monday, November 24, a presumed Chinese unmanned […]View the full article

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a nearly $60 million research and development contract to advance secure semiconductor technology for digital beamforming applications, according to a U.S. government contract announcement. The cost-plus-fixed-fee award totals $59,978,362 and supports research and development for the VEYRON effort. As noted in the contract description, the work will develop, fabricate, and […]View the full article

China has launched an investigation into two of its most senior military officials, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law, the Chinese government announced on Saturday, in a move that reaches the highest levels of the People’s Liberation Army command structure. According to the official announcement, Zhang Youxia, […]View the full article

New video footage circulating online appears to show a Sukhoi Su-57 Felon stealth fighter operating in Algerian Air Force service during a flight over Algeria, providing what observers describe as another visual indication of Russia’s export delivery of the fifth-generation aircraft. The emergence of the footage comes as reports continue to surface regarding Algeria’s acquisition […]View the full article

Oshkosh Defense will use the AUSA Global Force Symposium & Exposition, set for March 24-26, to present two of its latest mobility-focused systems: the L-MAV autonomous vehicle and the Mobile Artillery Platform that serves as the vehicle base for Elbit America’s SIGMA artillery system. The company said its exhibit will focus on integrated mobility solutions […]View the full article

Ukrainian air defense personnel engaged in intercepting Russian Shahed series of long-range one-way attack drones have published footage showing multiple examples of the weapons literally disintegrating in the air before reaching their targets — a visible sign of deepening manufacturing failures at Russia’s Alabuga drone production complex. The video, published by Ukrainian Wild Hornets drone […]View the full article

Slovenia’s Valhalla Turrets unveiled the MANGART 25 AD short-range air defense turret in its most operationally significant configuration yet, presenting the system integrated on a Patria 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle during a ceremony marking the Slovenian Armed Forces Air Defence Regiment’s 35th anniversary. The company announced the milestone on Friday, describing it as the first […]View the full article