HG S2 (Intel Bot)

The USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, arrived at the Port of Ponce in Puerto Rico during the morning hours of November 8, 2025. The ship was seen mooring at Muelle de Ponce between 7:39 and 7:59 a.m., according to local observation of the vessel’s movement. The USS Fort Lauderdale is […]View the full article

United States Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft are conducting routine flying operations in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, according to an official communication from U.S. Southern Command. The command stated that U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the SOUTHCOM mission, Department of War–directed operations, and the President’s […]View the full article

B-52 aircraft from the United States Air Force have arrived at Morón Air Base in Spain as part of Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1, according to information provided by the service. The bombers deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, on November 8, 2025, and will conduct multilateral training missions with Finland, Lithuania and Sweden, […]View the full article

During a presentation for members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Defense and Security Committee, solutions developed by the WITPiS and Chema DS consortium were demonstrated, according to a statement posted by Chema DS. Among the systems shown, the reconnaissance variant of the KUNA Unmanned Ground Weapon System drew attention. The company said the platform is […]View the full article

Italian Centauro B1 wheeled tank destroyers have been spotted on Ukrainian frontlines, the press service of the 78th Separate Assault Airborne Regiment said, offering the first visual confirmation of the vehicles’ presence despite reports that surfaced earlier. The footage, released to mark Airborne Forces Day, shows Centauro B1s fitted with an array of improvised protective […]View the full article

A mobilized Russian tank crew member fighting in Ukraine has given a candid account of the T-80BVM main battle tank, sharply criticizing its quality, reliability, and battlefield performance. The remarks were published by the outlet Vault8 in an interview with a tanker identifying himself by the callsign “Tim.” The T-80BVM is one of the Russian […]View the full article

The Department of War is evaluating a reform concept that would sharply reduce or halt the purchase of new piloted helicopters for the U.S. Army beginning in the second half of the decade, according to individuals familiar with internal discussions. The concept under review focuses on maintaining and upgrading the current helicopter fleet while transitioning […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has issued a request for white papers to support the development of a new Counter-Air Missile Program, known as CAMP, seeking industry input to help shape a future acquisition plan. The announcement was posted by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Armament Directorate and is described as a planning […]View the full article

Over 800 soldiers from the British Army’s 19th Light Brigade have completed what the Army describes as the largest overseas deployment of a reserve formation since the 1980s. The unit took part in Exercise Rhino Heart in Sennelager, Germany, training alongside Canadian and Estonian forces to test rapid deployment, combined operations, and NATO interoperability. According […]View the full article

The Portuguese Marine Corps recently completed a series of operational field tests on the Mosphera electric scooter to evaluate its suitability for reconnaissance and special operations missions. The update was shared by Romans Baumanis, Director of Export and Government Relations at Mosphera. In a statement, Baumanis said the trials included a wide range of terrain […]View the full article

Lockheed Martin says it has delivered the 750th HIMARS launcher, marking what the company describes as a milestone in the program’s history and an indicator of increasing demand among the U.S. Army and partner nations. “From the battlefields of today to the evolving threats of tomorrow, HIMARS has consistently delivered precision and readiness to the […]View the full article

Boeing and the Defense Logistics Agency have begun testing a new contract-and-delivery approach intended to shorten the time it takes for military aircraft parts to move from request to arrival. The model, known as Rapid Delivery Release, or RDR, is designed to cut the proposal and award cycle and enable immediate action once demand appears. […]View the full article

Discussions between the United States and Egypt over a potential sale of F-15 fighter jets have entered a renewed phase, but no agreement has been finalized, according to a report describing the status of ongoing negotiations. The talks, which regained attention in November 2025, follow months of delays and uncertainty about whether the deal will […]View the full article

China’s Ministry of National Defense issued a sharp warning to Taiwan after the island’s army held a ceremony to induct newly delivered U.S.-made M1A2T main battle tanks. The comments were delivered by Senior Colonel Jiao Bin, spokesperson for the ministry, during a press briefing on November 7. The question referred to remarks by Taiwan’s leader […]View the full article

United States Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said the Army plans to acquire at least one million drones within the next two to three years, with the potential to purchase between half a million and one million drones annually afterward. He detailed the plan in an interview with Reuters, describing it as a major expansion of […]View the full article

There is no greater partner for the US Navy than the Royal Navy. I wish they had more units, but more often than not, they will sail with us into harm’s way. Great to see this. The Portsmouth-based warship came under sustained missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea over a six-month period from December 2023 until June last year as she strove to protect merchant shipping and allied warships targeted at random by Houthi rebels in Yemen. In response, her Sea Viper missile system and 30mm gun destroyed a string of drones, even one ballistic missile. For their actions, HMS Diamond has been awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation by the US Navy. Her Commanding Officer during Operation Prosperity Guardian, Commander Peter Evans, was invited to Washington DC to formally receive the commendation in person on behalf of the 200 men and women he led. Awarding Diamond a Meritorious Unit Commendation, US Secretary of the Navy John C Phelan said: “By their truly distinctive accomplishments, unrelenting perseverance, and unfailing devotion to duty, the officers and enlisted personnel of HMS Diamond reflected credit upon themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.” … Throughout the Type 45 destroyer was operating with the US Fifth Fleet which directed the overarching security mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, and whose vessels – such as the USS Gravely – worked side-by-side with Diamond to engage the incoming swarms of robot aircraft. ..,. In the most dramatic action on January 9 2024, Diamond downed seven drones aimed at merchant shipping – the highest number of aerial threats neutralised by a Royal Navy warship in modern times in one day. Diamond conducted 12 ‘opposed transits’ of the narrows – escorting seven high-value merchant ships in the process. Just for good measure, she joined the international fight against the illegal narcotics trade, seizing (and destroying) 2.4 tonnes of drugs. Always be prepared to take your ship into battle. If your job is to equip those who go into battle, give them what they need to win and come home. A series of videos below tell the rest of the story. Some interviews with the Skipper and discussions with the crew in this short BBC clip from the time…but mostly I want to post this so we can behold the battle-beards. A bigger picture from Sky News. One editorial note about a mention in the Sky News video. Have they upgraded the 4.5” gun to bring back its anti-air capability? 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

Ukraine’s drive to field indigenous medium- and long-range ballistic missiles has run into hard technical and industrial limits, according to a detailed critique published by Defense Express and interviews with former experts in the field. What once was presented as a project nearing operational status in 2021 now faces problems that go well beyond design: […]View the full article

The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan reported that 38 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and 9 naval vessels operated around the island in a 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. (UTC+8) on November 7. According to the ministry, 31 out of the 38 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered […]View the full article

China has formally commissioned its first aircraft carrier equipped with an electromagnetic catapult launch system, the Fujian, during a ceremony held at a naval base in Sanya, Hainan. General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping presided over the commissioning and presented the unit […]View the full article

The Philippine Marine Corps publicly revealed its first operational BrahMos shore-based missile battery during a ceremony marking the service’s 75th anniversary, underscoring Manila’s continued effort to strengthen coastal defense as tensions persist in the South China Sea. The system, positioned in Zambales, is located within range of Scarborough Shoal. The location was shown in footage […]View the full article

The United States military has moved a step closer to fielding a new short-range counter-drone capability, conducting evaluations of Anduril Industries’ Anvil interceptor and its integrated Launch Box during a recent exercise at Minot Air Force Base. Officials and company materials describe the system as an autonomous, on-demand response for small unmanned aircraft threats that […]View the full article

A French military radar aircraft was tracked conducting a flight through the Caribbean on Thursday, drawing attention after aviation observers linked the aircraft’s route to ongoing radar activity detected from Puerto Rico. Open-source aviation monitor Aviation and Naval Assets highlighted the flight, noting that a Beechcraft Super King Air B350, registered under the French military […]View the full article

A prominent Russian military analyst says Russia continues to face major technical obstacles in developing and fielding an effective active protection system (APS) for its armored vehicles, despite decades of effort and the growing use of drones on the battlefield. In a detailed technical commentary, Russian defense expert Viktor Murakhovsky described ongoing difficulties with the […]View the full article

Two United States Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers carried out another long-range patrol along the coast of Venezuela this week, maintaining a pattern of sustained American bomber activity in the southern Caribbean. The flight, tracked in real time by open-source aviation observers, took place at a distance of roughly 80 kilometers from Venezuelan airspace. The […]View the full article

A major reshuffle is underway at Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s largest tank manufacturer, after the company announced plans to sharply reduce staffing levels in the coming months. The facility, a core supplier of armored vehicles to the Russian military, is preparing to cut up to 10 percent of its workforce by February 2026 and suspend new hiring, […]View the full article