Raw Intel

Ukraine has received and fielded RapidRanger short-range air defense systems, with at least one unit observed during a recent visit by Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov alongside Lithuania’s Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas to positions of mobile air defense groups. The system, previously announced as part of United Kingdom military assistance in 2025, was seen […]View the full article

The United States Air Force will keep the A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the “Warthog,” in service until around 2030, extending the lifespan of a close air support aircraft that has been slated for retirement for years. The decision was announced by the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, which confirmed the move […]View the full article

Ukrainian drone interceptor manufacturer Wild Hornets announced Thursday that its STING interceptor drone downed more than 300 targets in a single day and overnight period, with three units responsible for over 200 of those kills and one crew alone accounting for 120 intercepts. The announcement came directly from Wild Hornets’ official account on X, posted […]View the full article

A still image pulled from a newly released Russian Ministry of Defense video on Su-34 strike aircraft operations against Ukraine has provided what Israeli defense analyst Guy Plopsky described as “the clearest view yet” of what appears to be a new dorsal antenna hump fitted aft of the cockpit on at least one variant of […]View the full article

A warship that needs less than half the crew of Japan’s older destroyers has joined the fleet, and it represents the tenth proof that a country facing a shrinking population can still build a modern navy fast. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries handed over the frigate JS Nagara to Japan’s Ministry of Defense on June 29, 2026, […]View the full article

The U.S. military has signed on for its first-ever bilateral artificial intelligence unit with a Middle Eastern partner, a Tampa-based command confirmed Tuesday, betting that shared access to AI tools can speed up how fast American and Emirati forces detect threats across one of the world’s most volatile regions. U.S. Central Command announced an agreement […]View the full article

Lockheed Martin fired multiple training rockets from a HIMARS launcher during a second flight test of its new Joint Reduced Range Rocket at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, the company said Friday. The test measured range, trajectory, accuracy and the performance of the rocket’s marking payload, which allows crews to see where a round would have […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman up to $123.8 million to buy long-lead parts for 67 AN/APG-85 radars, the new radar meant for the F-35 fighter, as brand-new jets continue to reach U.S. squadrons with ballast in their noses instead of radars. The contract, announced Sept. 24 by the U.S. Department of War, covers […]View the full article

The British Army has dropped plans for armored mortar, repair and recovery, and anti-tank overwatch versions of its Boxer wheeled armored vehicle, and has ruled out using Boxer in the armored cavalry role, Defence Minister Luke Pollard told Parliament. Pollard, the minister for defence readiness and industry, gave the answers in response to written questions […]View the full article

One of the most dangerous yet commonly held beliefs about a future conflict with China is that we could somehow hold China back by convincing them we could defeat them in 72-hrs. Another is that, for some reason, the US Army should have a role - somehow - in significant numbers. That would imply action on mainland Asia. Even though WWII has mostly faded out of living memory, the Korean War is still inside that fading line. One would think - especially with all the belated focus of the last few years - we would have a greater understanding of the Chinese military history and tradition that, at least to them, goes back thousands of years. Many will make comments about t…

Americas Raytheon won a $79.4 million deal for Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) lot integration and test. This contract effort will deliver all-up round (AUR) test vehicles, perform AUR-level assembly, checkout, testing and systems integration testing; and prepare for production cut-in and fielding for the multiple engineering changes needed, including National Security Agency (NSA) cryptographic modernization, Global Positioning System (GPS) military code, mitigation of part obsolescence, and design changes evolving from production and/or operations. SDB II’s capabilities include the ability for the weapon to be employed in three primary attack modes, each with …

Of course we lost you nitwits. We've designed a palace of glass as our our fortress; In a fake battle for Taiwan, U.S. forces lost network access almost immediately. Hyten has issued four directives to help change that. An aggressive red team that had been studying the United States for the last 20 years just ran rings around us. They knew exactly what we're going to do before we did it,” Hyten told an audience Monday at the launch of the Emerging Technologies Institute, an effort by the National Defense Industrial Association industry group to speed military modernization. The Pentagon would not provide the name of the wargame, which was classified, but a defens…

Americas Boeing won a $21.6 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure 104 proprotor hub spring and drive link kits for the V-22 Osprey aircraft, to include 60 for the MV-22 aircraft; 10 for the CV-22 aircraft; 29 spare kits for the MV-22 aircraft; and five spare kits for the CV-22 in support of proprotor hub spring and drive link improvement efforts to improve safety, reliability, and maintainability of MV and CV V-22 Osprey aircraft. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. …

The People's Liberation Army Navy has her capital ships underway and under construction. The Japanese Navy continues her plans to grow in a way not seen in a century, and the lessons on the other side of the Eurasian landmass in Ukraine are shuffling long held assumptions concerning food, fuel, demographics, and economics. We're going to cover this and more Sunday from noon to 1pm Eastern with returning guest Dean Cheng. Dean is the Senior Research Fellow for Chinese political and security affairs at the Asia Studies Center of The Heritage Foundation. He specializes in Chinese military and foreign policy, and has written extensively on Chinese military doctrine, technolog…

The Navy's tale of woe in trying to force the acquisition system to actually produce something besides process is almost too painful to recall, especially on the surface side of the house. We have the walking wounded of LCS, the squib DDG-1000, the gilded promise Ford CVN, and the never-was-has-been CG(X). We have hope that we can't screw up the existing Franco-Italian FREMM in the upcoming modified to American requirements Constellation Class FFG, but we shall see if our optimism is well placed. As we all wait with bated breath and gritted teeth on what may be with DDG(X), we should look around to see if there is a benchmark recently that did work. On the surface side o…

Americas General Electric Aviation won a $683.7 deal for the production and delivery of 169 T408-GE-400 (T408) turboshaft engines, to include 65 full rate production Lot 8 (54: Navy, 11: government of Israel); 51 full rate production Lot 7 (39: Navy, 12: government of Israel); and 53 low rate initial production Lot 6 (36: Navy, […]View the full article

Americas The US military is looking for new ways to navigate without using GPS. A company called Xona might have a good solution. Xona just got $4.6 million from the Air Force to show how their navigation system could help the military. Xona’s system, called PULSAR, uses small satellites that orbit close to Earth. It can help with navigation when GPS doesn’t work or when someone is trying to block GPS signals. Saab has secured a contract to equip the Colombian Navy’s new frigate with advanced systems. The deal includes Saab’s 9LV Combat Management System, 9LV Fire Control System, and cutting-edge sensors and radars like the Ceros 200 radar and Sea Giraffe 4A radars. The f…

The Australian Army is moving closer to fielding its new AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, with the first four units currently in final assembly at Boeing’s production facility in Mesa, Arizona. The helicopters are part of a broader acquisition program that will see 29 Apaches delivered to Australia, replacing the Army’s aging fleet of Eurocopter Tiger […] The post Australia prepares to receive first Apache gunships first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s air defense forces are facing mounting challenges as Russia modifies its ballistic missiles to evade Western-made Patriot systems, a senior Ukrainian Air Force official said on Sunday. Yurii Ihnat, chief of communications for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, confirmed during a national television broadcast that intercepting Russian ballistic missiles has become more difficult. The change, […] The post Ukraine: Russian ballistic missiles now harder for Patriot to hit first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has conducted new trials with an unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Hårsfjärden, south of Stockholm, as part of a three-year research and technology program commissioned by the Swedish Armed Forces. According to FMV, the tests focused on the vessel’s software, range, maneuvering, and emergency stop systems. “We have purchased […]View the full article