Raw Intel

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has authenticated the keel of the US Navy’s Virginia class submarine Arkansas (SSN 800). The Arkansas is the 27th fast-attack submarine of its class, being constructed as part of the navy program with General Dynamics Electric Boat. The Virginia class fleet will eventually replace the aging Los Angeles-class submarines first commissioned in 1976. The ceremony was sponsored by members of the Little Rock Nine, the first African-American students to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, during desegregation in the US. Northrop Grumman Systems won a $99.4 million deal by the Air Force Life Cycle for Ac…

Americas The United States and the Philippines vowed Friday to “invigorate” defense cooperation to address shared security concerns including disputes over the South China Sea. Manila hosted a high-level security dialogue with its top defense ally as part of efforts by President Ferdinand Marcos to restore a seven-decade partnership that was unsettled by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. The […]View the full article

Americas Sikorsky won a $98.9 million deal for UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft. UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission helicopter developed by Sikorsky that has been operational in the US Army since 1978. The export version of the UH-60 Black Hawk is designated as S-70A. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2027. The US Navy is seeking proposals to build a low-cost unmanned vessel capable of towing and launching many unmanned vessels into contested environments. A design and construction contract could be awarded by mid-2026, with expected vessel delivery beginning within two years. Middle East & Africa The Israeli government is asking …

It can take awhile sometimes, but at last Master Chief Slabinski is recognized appropriately. During the early morning on March 4, 2002, then-Senior Chief Slabinski led a SEAL reconnaissance team to the top of the 10,000-foot, snow-covered Takur Ghar mountain in Afghanistan. The team’s insertion helicopter was attacked by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade attack, causing Petty Officer Neil Roberts to fall out of the aircraft and onto the enemy-infested mountaintop, and the helicopter to crash-land in the valley below, according to the Navy. “Fully aware of the risks, a numerically superior and well-entrenched enemy force, and approaching daylight, without hesitation Seni…

Listen to this story and think ... today's challenges are not really that great ... are they? We posted this shortly after Jim's death nine years ago. I think he deserves a replay. You can get some nice visuals to the above interview at the 7:34 point in the video below. First posed Feb 2013.View the full article

Americas According to Jane’s, the Pentagon’s intelligence directorate is investing heavily in systems and programmes specifically designed to knock down barriers to collaboration between US armed forces, allies, and partner countries across all strata of command. Increasing capabilities to foster increased collaboration between the Pentagon and its allies, from an information-sharing and technology perspective, has emerged as a priority for the department’s intelligence directorate. The Brazilian Navy commissioned its first-of-class Riachuelo Class diesel-electric attack submarine, S Riachuelo (S-40), on September 1. The general director of the Directorate-General for Nu…

Japan is moving forward with live trials of its new 100-kilowatt-class laser weapon system aboard a military test ship. The high-energy laser was recently installed on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) testbed vessel Asuka and is now being readied for sea-based testing at Japan Marine United’s shipyard. The newly fitted laser system—developed by the […]View the full article

The news does not stop on the national security front, and as we approach the end of 1QCY23, a couple of weeks without a Midrats can only add to everyone's confusion. For the full hour we're going to cover the waterfront from the Sea of Azov to the parking lots of San Diego's waterfront. As with all our free-for-all formats, we have open topic and the switchboard phone line is open. If you have a topic you would like to discussed or want to call in with a question for the hosts ... join us live from 5-6pm Eastern. No guests, no set agenda, just open phones, open minds, and open chat room for those who are with us live Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern. Join us live if you can, bu…

While researching yesterday's post I came across a 2011 post of mine that, in a way, read like an OG FbF ... and figured, let's bring the story of HMS Liverpool (D92) a little more than a year before her decommissioning to the Front Porch so we can see the proper use of a main gun. Often here we have comments about how, "nAvAl GunZ uR oBSolEt3" ... well, of course they are not. Let's head off the coast of Libya ... and do so with a 2011 mindset; Repeat after me: "There is no more important weapon on a warship than its main gun battery." Translate that in to Latin and we'll put it in to Autotune for 'ya and make it a Gregorian Chant. Heck, we'll put it on t-shirts and se…

Americas The US has agreed to co-produce the Stryker armored fighting vehicle with India in an effort to enhance New Delhi’s deterrence against China. New Delhi recently submitted a letter of intent for the deal to Washington, Nikkei reported citing a US defense official. The US Air Force has announced that its B-21 Raider stealth bomber completed […]View the full article

BAMS Operation Concept (click to view full) The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service […]View the full article

Americas The US Air Force has started phasing out one of its oldest and most reliable assets, the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. This move comes as the Air Force’s 55th RQS (Rescue Squadron) has just returned from a successful deployment, during which the Pave Hawk fleet played a crucial role in a variety of missions, […]View the full article

Americas Boeing won a $106 million delivery order for the repair of flight control surfaces used on the F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircraft. The US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet maritime strike attack aircraft are twin-engine, carrier-capable multirole fighter. The Growler is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy’s maritime strike aircraft. The primary missions of the aircraft are electronic attack (EA) and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), particularly at the start and ongoing early stages of hostilities. Work will take place in Florida and Missouri. Estimated completion will be by March 2024. Raytheon won a $66.2 million deal for p…

A nation’s foreign policy is driven by more than just the whims and desires of the Chief Executive. Through government, academia, institutions, and individuals of influence there are a variety of different schools of thought on what should underpin the decision making process. Well known general descriptors of these schools include “interventionist,” “isolationist,” “internationalist,” and even well known sub-species of the major schools who are known by the actions they wish to take - usually that involve the use of military power - “Responsibility to Protect,” to “Nation Building” to the old saw from over a century ago, “Make the World Safe for Democracy.” One long-stan…

Americas Raytheon won a $13.6 million deal, which provides test, evaluation and systems engineering support, to include mission planning, test plans and procedures, mission conduct and data collection, real-time range safety mission support, mission data analyses and reporting, operations research support, and technical management support for the Missile Defense Agency/AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Program. Work will take place in California, Hawaii, New Mexico. Expected completion date is in March 2026. A Mirage F1 from Airborne Tactical Advantage Company crashed near Luke Air Force Base on February 10 after having low fuel pressure, according to a preliminary report …

Americas Raytheon Technologies won a $220.9 million deal, which provides material and support equipment, program administrative, labor, supplies, services, planning, and unit level support equipment for F135 propulsion depot maintenance, non-recurring sustainment activities, and depot activations in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Military Sealift Command, […]View the full article

Here and on Midrats over the years we've discussed the embarrassingly dangerous maladministration of the US merchant fleet, but we're not alone. We are putting a lot of emphasis on our growing partnership in security with Australia. How are things down under? Australia faces a “national emergency” unless it re-establishes a sovereign commercial shipping fleet to ensure critical goods flow during times of war and economic sanctions. The war in Ukraine, alongside Canberra’s geopolitical tensions with Beijing, has highlighted the vulnerability of Australia’s security and economy given its supply chain is almost completely reliant on ships registered to other countries. The …

Egypt has reportedly signed a contract worth about $400 million to acquire 10 Chinese-made WJ-700 unmanned combat aerial vehicles. According to information circulating in Chinese and Arabic defense reporting, the agreement was signed in June 2025. If the deal is fully implemented, Egypt would become the second operator of the WJ-700 following Algeria, marking another […]View the full article

Americas BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems won a $13.5 million order, which provides for the ALR-56M radar warning receiver, C-130J Block Cycle F, Operational Flight Program and Mission Data File Generation updates and system services. Work will be performed in Totowa, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed August 9, 2024. Boeing won a $278 million ordering agreement for the procurement of F/A-18 aircraft consumable parts. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. The performance completion date is August 8, 2027. Using military service is the Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2027 defense working capital funds…

RENK Systems won a $49 million deal, which is for the design, development, fabrication, and testing of three test stands to include: one for testing the main gearbox assembly, one for testing the tail/intermediate gearbox assemblies, and one for testing the nose gearbox assemblies, as well as associated logistics, calibration, maintenance, and sustainment support; equipment […]View the full article