Raw Intel

It has long been a dirty little secret that we made a decision to “accept risk” in defending our bases from attack. That momentary bet became a habit…and then part of the environment. The Army, especially during GWOT, didn’t just underfund air defense in general and treat it as a secondary career field—it never even considered what was needed to defend bases. The USAF? No better…and they relied on the Army for air defense. It was only 18 months or so ago they started to experiment with base defense. In the halls of the Pentagon, the military historians and Red Teams lost the argument to the accountants and the pet theories of The Smartest People in the Room™. When things …

Ukrainian drone manufacturer General Chereshnya and U.S.-based Wilcox Industries have announced the creation of a joint venture to produce FPV drones and interceptor drones in the United States, according to Militarnyi. The partnership centers on establishing localized drone production on U.S. soil, with an initial focus on the American defense market and Pentagon orders, while […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said on March 28 that the Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter aircraft after a Chinese military patrol aircraft flew over the East China Sea. The ministry said one aircraft was detected flying southwest of Okinawa and that Air Self-Defense Force fighters were urgently scrambled in response. The flight path, released in […]View the full article

Taiwan’s Army is preparing to establish dedicated JUMP 20 unmanned aerial vehicle units within its aviation brigades as part of a force restructuring plan that would gradually replace the long-serving OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet, according to a report by United Daily News. The report states that the 601st, 602nd, and 603rd Aviation Brigades are each […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said early Friday that the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kongo-class guided-missile destroyer JS Chokai has formally acquired the ability to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. The announcement was released by the Ministry of Defense and the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency on March 27, and provides the most detailed official account to date […]View the full article

The Ecuadorian Army launched a military operation near the Colombian border targeting an illegal mining complex tied to organized criminal groups, deploying AMX-13 light tanks, mortars, and armed helicopters in a coordinated ground-and-air assault. The operation took place in the El Chical area of Carchi province in northern Ecuador, a region close to the Colombian […]View the full article

Having trouble keeping up with the world around you? Head swirling with too much? You’re not alone. Good news…we’ll get you all caught up and set right. Returning to the Midrats Podcast this Sunday LIVE from 5-6 PM Eastern will be Blake Herzinger. You can listen live at this link. If you’re reading this after the show, refresh the Substack page later Sunday evening and the podcast will be uploaded and linked. Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

Ukrainian forces destroyed a unit of Russian heavy multiple launch rocket systems in occupied Crimea using a long-range one-way strike drone, according to Militarnyi. The strike targeted Russian rocket artillery systems before they could be employed against Ukrainian positions. According to Militarnyi, the attack took place near the settlement of Karakul in Russian-occupied Crimea and […]View the full article

The United States Navy commissioned the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) during a ceremony held on March 28 in Boston Harbor. According to the Navy, USS Massachusetts is the seventh Block IV Virginia-class submarine and was built under a teaming agreement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding. The submarine was […]View the full article

The United States Navy has issued a request for proposals for its Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS), seeking a new jet trainer aircraft and associated training systems for Navy and Marine Corps aviators, according to a March 26 solicitation from the U.S. Department of War. Proposals are due by June 29, 2026. The program is […]View the full article

The United States Army has launched a new effort to improve how it produces and manages ammunition, issuing a contract notice on March 27 for engineering support services worth up to $44.6 million. The work will focus on upgrading and supporting the country’s Ammunition Industrial Base, with proposals due by April 20, 2026. Demand for […]View the full article

The United States Navy has safely undocked the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Albany (SSN 753) on March 26 at Naval Submarine Base New London. According to the Navy, USS Albany arrived at Submarine Base New London in the summer of 2025 and has since undergone a range of repairs, structural inspections, and upgrades to […]View the full article

F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 13th Fighter Squadron arrived at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on March 28. According to the U.S. Air Force, the arrival of the F-35A supports efforts to upgrade Misawa Air Base into a fighter integration wing and expand operational capabilities in the region. The aircraft will replace legacy platforms […]View the full article

A senior Russian lawmaker and general claimed that the United States military lacks the operational experience and planning capabilities demonstrated by Russia’s armed forces, according to public remarks made by Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee. In his remarks, Kartapolov said: “Today, the leaders in the military sphere, without a doubt, […]View the full article

The United States Air Force, in partnership with Northrop Grumman and Bechtel, is accelerating development of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system by prototyping a new launch silo tube, the companies announced on Friday. According to Northrop Grumman, the launch silo tube serves as the central element of a new modular infrastructure concept that is […]View the full article

An Iranian missile and drone attack on March 27 struck Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, wounding multiple United States service members and damaging several aircraft, including an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft and aerial refueling planes. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, citing people familiar with the matter, […]View the full article

Polish defense technology company FlyFocus has developed the KURIER unmanned helicopter, a 600-kilogram-class logistics platform. The heavy drone system is designed to deliver cargo autonomously to units operating beyond conventional resupply reach. According to the company, KURIER is capable of carrying more than 200 kilograms of cargo and is intended primarily to support special forces […]View the full article

Ukraine’s 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released footage showing a strike on Russian drone operators and launch systems identified as “Gerbera.” The unit said the attack was conducted before the drones could be launched toward Ukrainian cities. The strike appears aimed at intercepting drone attacks at […]View the full article

Ukrainian forces carried out a strike overnight on March 28 against a Russian explosives production facility in the city of Chapayevsk. The target was identified as the JSC “Promsintez” plant, a site involved in producing explosive materials used in ammunition and aerial weapons. The strike appears aimed at disrupting Russia’s ability to manufacture explosive compounds […]View the full article

Yesterday’s mention of the USS Tennessee (BB 43) had me thinking of other survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor. That was when I remembered a FbF from a long time ago whose photo I like so much. There she is above, USS Pennsylvania (BB 38). Well worth an encore FbF. This is more of a reading assignment than anything else - this “summary” describes a ship’s life in full. When most people think of her, they think of her at her lowest point. At 0755 on the morning of December 7, 1941, the USS PENNSYLVANIA was sitting in dry-dock in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Her screws had been removed from their shafts and were resting on the bottom of the dock. She had been scheduled …