Raw Intel

Five companies posted the top scores in the close-quarters battle category of Gauntlet II, the latest round of testing under the U.S. Department of War’s $1 billion Drone Dominance Program, according to results the program released and companies confirmed this week. Neros topped that category with a score of 88.1, followed by ORQA US LLC […]View the full article

The U.S. Army has given its new wheeled howitzer an official name, the XM1776 Mobile Tactical Cannon, and has raised its prototype order from Hanwha Defense USA to nine systems, with an option for nine more. The Army and Hanwha unveiled the designation at a naming ceremony at the company’s booth at the Association of […]View the full article

Interesting. OPNAV NOTICE 5400 (PDF) from August 1st is worth a few comments. 1. Purpose. To approve the change in permanent duty station (PDS) for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) NINE per reference (a). 2. Background. Per POM-12 guidance, Navy will resource and align CSG staffs equal to the number of operational CVNs. CSG-9 will change PDS from Everett, WA to San Diego, CA and will change carrier assignment from USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) to USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76). LINCOLN will shift homeport from Everett, WA to Newport News, VA for Refueling and Complex Overhaul in August 2012. CSG-9 will be reassigned to REAGAN, homeported in San Diego, replacing CSG-7 due …

What is duty, duty to yourself, those who work for you, your mission, those who gave you your mission, and the purpose the mission was created? How do you rack and stack these priorities? Once again, my mind went to the story of T.E. Lawrence; The next morning, 23 May, the party left Khabra` Abu Ajaj and rode northeast by north to a group of wells of `Arfajah, whereby they aimed at entering the lower Wadi Sirhan, passing over a vast, flat, empty, no-man’s land which was called Bisayt [Biseita] meaning a carpet. In the evening they came to the top of a sand ridge named Ja`ala [Jaala] and slept there peacefully. According to the maps to be mentioned later, this is exactly …

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $38 million contract modification, which increases the contract ceiling to procure an additional 173 Tech Refresh Mission Computers (TRMC) and an additional 173 TRMC trays in support of the Army’s domestic production UH-60V aircraft. The UH-60V is an upgraded version of the current UH-60L aircraft. Instead of the UH-60L’s legacy cockpit, the newer version features a fully open, digital and integrated avionics suite. The changes increase the life and mission capabilities of the UH-60 platform. Work will take place in Utah and California. Expected completion date is December 2023. The US Navy has disclosed its plan to deactivate five expedit…

Americas Rolls-Royce won a $1 billion deal, which provides intermediate, depot-level maintenance and related logistics support for approximately 210 in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines in support of the US Navy. Work will take place in. Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Maryland. Estimated completion will be in July 2027. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has successfully integrated the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 E-Series turboprop engine on the MQ-9B. “Integrating their PT6 E-Series engine onto our MQ-9B SkyGuardian® aircraft offers an alternate option for future customers that includes a 33 percent increase in power, dual channel electronic pr…

The United States' Secretary of State, Tony Blinken - again the Secretary of State - is so out of his lane right here it is hard to tell if he even knows what his lane is as our chief diplomat. This opinion of his - which in this venue is now American policy because he said it - is so firmly in the Secretary of Defense's lane that it almost defines it. Once again, where is Secretary of Defense Austin? His ongoing silence and supine posture as the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor continue to steal his lunch money and girlfriends out in the open is not just professionally embarrassing - it endangers the nation and our allies. Give it a listen. In essence he …

Americas Raytheon won a $38 million modification to previously awarded contract for an option exercise and the award of a technical refresh of DDG-1000 Class Total Ship Computing Environment Hardware in support of Zumwalt Test Facility Ship Mission Center, peripherals and spares hardware. Work will be performed in Manchester, New Hampshire; Nashua, New Hampshire; Portsmouth, […]View the full article

Iron Dome concept (click to view full) On August 16, 2011, Rafael and Raytheon announced a partnership to market the Iron Dome system in the United States. This rocket interception system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has an all-weather range of up to 70 km (43.5 miles). To make the system mobile, the detection/tracking radar and battle management/control parts of the system are carried on trucks, while the missile firing unit is mounted on a trailer. Then in November 2011 the Jerusalem Post reported that the US Army had expressed interest to protest its bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. South Korea is also reportedly interested. While exports remain tentative…

The U.S. Air Force’s long-serving T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft completed its final operational flight on July 28, departing from Naval Air Station Pensacola and arriving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The aircraft’s destination was the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), where it will be used for parts reclamation to support other […] The post U.S. Air Force retires T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A formation of UH-1N Iroquois helicopters flew over Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, in August 2025, underscoring the enduring presence of the Vietnam-era aircraft in one of America’s most sensitive nuclear missions. According to the U.S. Air Force, the UH-1N’s primary missions include airlifting emergency security forces, conducting surveillance of off-base nuclear weapons convoys, […] The post Legendary UH-1s continue to guard America’s nuclear arsenal first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have introduced a new logistics unit designed to deliver supplies, transport equipment, and even detonate enemy infrastructure — all without putting soldiers in harm’s way. The unit, named “Taltan,” integrates drones, robotic vehicles, and autonomous platforms into its operations to support troops in challenging environments. Created just four months ago, […] The post Israel deploys drone unit to supply frontline forces first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Sentrycs, an established developer of protocol manipulation-based counter-drone technology, and Omnisys, a specialist in mission optimization systems for defense and homeland security, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at improving how sensors are deployed across complex operational environments. According to a joint statement, the collaboration brings together Sentrycs’ passive drone detection and mitigation capabilities with […]View the full article

Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out a nighttime strike on Tuesday that hit a rare Russian Beriev A-60 airborne laser aircraft stationed in Taganrog, according to a report from the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi. The aircraft, a laser-armed flying laboratory built from the Il-76MD platform, was developed to test directed-energy systems for the Russian military. Militarnyi reported […]View the full article

A Turkish technology company developed a compact anti-jam satellite navigation system designed to operate in contested signal environments, as electronic warfare and GPS jamming become more common in modern conflicts. In a message shared with Defence Blog, Sena Yiğit, representing EDGE Microwave, said the company was established about 1.5 years ago and is focused on […]View the full article

Israel’s Ministry of Defense has signed a multi-year contract worth approximately $183 million to procure air munitions from Elbit Systems, the ministry announced this week. The order was issued by the Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) and formally signed by Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram. The agreement covers the supply of air-delivered munitions […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has released the first official image showing Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury collaborative combat aircraft carrying an inert AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), confirming the program has entered the next phase of developmental testing focused on weapons integration and captive carry evaluations. The image accompanied a recent Air Force press […]View the full article

Canada’s Defence Investment Agency has awarded Colt Canada a contract to deliver up to 65,402 assault rifle systems under the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) program. The rifles will replace the Canadian Armed Forces’ current C7 and C8 service weapons, which have been in use for more than 35 years. The CMAR program is part […]View the full article

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that allies remain committed to keeping military aid flowing to Ukraine, voicing confidence that additional support can be funded through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL, before the end of the year. Speaking after a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Berlin on April 15, […]View the full article

Satellite imagery published by the open-source intelligence community Exilenova+ has confirmed a successful Ukrainian strike on the research and production branch of the NTC Radar scientific center in Rostov, struck overnight between May 7 and 8. According to Exilenova+, the main building was completely destroyed, while a second structure partially burned out. Two additional drone […]View the full article