Raw Intel

U.S. Army armor officers argue that armored formations remain viable on the modern battlefield despite the spread of drones and precision-guided weapons, according to an essay published by the Modern War Institute at West Point. The piece, written by Lt. Col. Alan Hastings, Maj. James Casey and Capt. Elijah Leroux, responds to years of debate […]View the full article

Ethiopia’s military appears to have gained a new shield for its drone fleet: Chinese-made FK-2000 air defense systems, most likely delivered through the United Arab Emirates. Video shared on TikTok reportedly shows at least two of the truck-mounted systems on the road to Amhara, the northern region where government troops have been fighting Fano militias […]View the full article

Aurelius Systems is showing its Archimedes autonomous laser weapon mounted on an American Rheinmetall unmanned ground vehicle at the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting in Washington this week, where the two companies are pitching mobile laser defense against small drones to U.S. Army buyers. The San Francisco-based startup said in a post on […]View the full article

Do you feel lucky…? (click to view full) The T-45 Training System includes T-45 Goshawk aircraft, advanced flight simulators, computer-assisted instructional programs, a computerized training integration system, and a contractor logistics support package. The integration of all 5 elements is designed to produce a superior pilot in less time and at lower cost than previous training systems. The US Navy uses the Hawk-based T-45TS system to train its pilots for the transition from T-6A Texan II/ JPATS aircraft to modern jet fighters – and carrier landings. This is not a risk-free assignment, by any means. Nevertheless, it is a critical link in the naval aviation chain. Th…

Americas During a virtual Navy League event, Rear Adm. Gregory Harris, who heads the Air Warfare Division, said the service is unlikely to adopt the small aircraft carrier concept. “I believe the L Class ships operating with the F-35B fit that bill,” Harris was quoted as saying. L-class ships include the Wasp- and America-class amphibious assault ships (LHDs and LHAs). The Navy is preparing to launch a formal review — called an analysis of alternatives — that will look at options for a light aircraft carrier and the type of ship that replaced the Ford Class. The USS Gabrielle Giffords successfully launched the Naval Strike Missile earlier this month, the Navy announced o…

Are we really using the right numbers when it comes to the PLAN"s amphibious capabilities? Are we paying attention to not-so-subtle capabilities? I'm pondering the topic over at USNIBlog. Come on by and join me. 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=yn6zH4CQkls:bHcijtQDbmw:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=yn6zH4CQkls:bHcijtQDbmw:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=yn6zH4CQkls:bHcijtQDbmw:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=yn6zH4CQkls:bHcijtQDbmw:F7zBnMyn0Lo http:/…

The only logical question for us is, "What are we going to do about it?" On Sunday, H.I. Sutton and Sam LaGrone over at USNINews brought a few visuals that should grab your attention; The Chinese military has built targets in the shape of an American aircraft carrier and other U.S. warships in the Taklamakan desert as part of a new target range complex, according to photos provided to USNI News by satellite imagery company Maxar. The full-scale outline of a U.S. carrier and at least two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are part of the target range that has been built in the Ruoqiang region in central China. The site is near a former target range China used to test early v…

Americas Sikorsky won a $40 million modification, which adds scope to provide production and installation of a VH-92A Flight Training Device (FTD) and updates to a previously delivered VH-92A FTD for the Marine Corps. The new Marine One, also referred to as VH-92A, is the next-generation presidential transport helicopter being developed for the US Marine Corps (USMC). Work will take place in New York, Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah and various locations within the continental US. Expected completion will be in March 2024. The US Air Force Research Laboratory recently carried out an in-flight vapor purge test in a F-15E last month. The objective of the test by the 7…

The whole World Economic Forum/Davos experience is one part Bond villain parody, one part clout seeking billionaires, one part megalomania, a heaping cup of greed, and a dash of rent seeking. In 2023 things have reached the point where any association with Davos should put an individual or organization under notice of suspicion. Amazing to see people who claim to be American conservatives or lovers of liberty attending in an non-ironic, non-protesting capacity. This wannabee gaggle of quasi-oligarchs and autocrat throne sniffers represents everything that is wrong with the human desire for control, power, and to crush the individual for fun and profit. They pretend to be…

MH-60Rs fire Hellfire (click to view full) Australia’s AIR 9000, Phase 8 project aimed to buy 24 modern naval helicopters to 16 existing S-70B-2 Seahawks, along with the disastrous A$1.1 billion, 11-helicopter SH-2G “Super Seasprite” acquisition attempt. With a total sales and support value of over A$ 3 billion, it was a highly coveted award. […]View the full article

Americas The US Navy has accepted the 72nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer from Bath Iron Works as part of a deal awarded in 2013. The USS John Basilone is a Flight IIA guided missile destroyer incorporating an advanced mine countermeasure solution, helicopter hangars, blast-hardened bulkheads, and additional electronic and networked systems. A keel-laying ceremony for the ship was held in 2020, followed by its christening two years later. In June 2024, during a joint training exercise at RAAF Base Tindal, Australia, two United States Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B pilots from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214 successfully flew Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A air…

South Korea’s Army has conducted a live demonstration of an airborne FPV kamikaze drone launch from a KUH-1 Surion helicopter, testing its ability to intercept aerial targets in flight. The drill involved ejecting an FPV (First-Person View) drone, equipped with a live explosive charge, from a Surion utility helicopter. Once airborne, the drone was remotely […] The post South Korea tests kamikaze drone launch from helicopter first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Amid ongoing instability in Europe and the war in Ukraine, naval forces from the United States, Germany, and Norway conducted joint anti-submarine warfare drills in the Barents Sea, an area marked by increased Russian undersea activity. According to the Royal Norwegian Navy, the frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl (F314) joined the German Navy Sachsen-class frigate FGS […] The post NATO warships hunt Russian subs in Arctic first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army is moving quickly to modernize its heavy-lift aviation fleet, authorizing rapid procurement and fielding of the CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopter beginning in fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The decision will deliver the upgraded aircraft to two Combat Aviation Brigades, enhancing operational reach and readiness for large-scale combat operations. The CH-47F Block […] The post U.S. Army speeds up CH-47F Block II fielding first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Open-source intelligence analysts have noted unusual flight activity involving several Brazilian military and government aircraft, with multiple air assets tracked heading north toward areas closer to Venezuela’s border, according to data from Flightradar24 and posts by the monitoring group Aviation and Naval Assets. The observed movement, which includes Brazilian Air Force transport and patrol aircraft, […]View the full article

China has developed a new “Meyu Arrow” high-altitude unmanned helicopter and confirmed that the aircraft recently completed its first live-fire missile trial at an altitude of above 4,000 meters. According to China Central Television (CCTV), the “Meyu Arrow” high-altitude unmanned helicopter, developed by Sichuan-based Tengden Technology, is now entering a new phase of flight-test expansion […]View the full article

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team conducted a week of day and night live-fire gunnery at Yakima Training Center, Washington, using an experimental Stryker vehicle equipped with a 30mm autocannon, the U.S. Army confirmed. The training event, held in a full operational environment, focused on live-fire qualification with the Stryker-mounted 30mm […]View the full article

The United States Navy’s first operational MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aircraft has completed its first autonomous taxi test, Boeing Defense confirmed on January 30. According to the company, the MQ-25A taxied from Boeing’s new production facility in Mascoutah, Illinois, to the taxiway at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport after air vehicle pilots initiated the movement from the […]View the full article

A debate among Russian military commentators intensified this week after a widely circulated analytical study by defense researcher Jarold McWilliams prompted public responses from prominent Russian military expert Viktor Murakhovsky regarding the future of armored warfare in Ukraine. The discussion emerged following renewed attention to McWilliams’ 2025 analytical paper, “The Future of Armored Assault Operations,” […]View the full article

Mexico has selected the Canadian-made Roshel Senator MRAP armored vehicle following successful trials conducted by its armed forces and federal police at the end of last year. The decision reflects Mexico’s growing need for protected mobility platforms as security forces confront escalating threats from organized criminal groups. Authorities are seeking armored vehicles capable of operating […]View the full article