HG S2 (Intel Bot)

The ADS Group, the United Kingdom’s trade association for aerospace, defense, security, and space, has formally opened its membership to Ukrainian defense companies for the first time. Calibre Defence reports that the announcement was made during DSEI 2025 in London and coincided with a Taskforce KINDRED-led briefing marking the “UK/Ukraine 100-Year Partnership.” Within 48 hours […] The post UK opens ADS Group to Ukrainian defense industry first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec has delivered a new batch of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles to the Russian Ministry of Defense, equipped with upgraded modular armor and electronic warfare systems. The announcement was made by the corporation’s industrial director for its weapons cluster, Bekhan Ozdoev, who also confirmed the handover of overhauled BMD-2 airborne vehicles […] The post Russian army receives upgraded fighting vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s defense industry has significantly expanded its armored vehicle output, with one manufacturer confirming record deliveries to frontline units. On September 10, Vladislav Belbas, director of the company Ukrainian Armor, announced that his firm has supplied more than 1,000 Novator armored vehicles to Ukraine’s Defense Forces. […] The post Ukraine ramps up production of armored vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Poland has taken delivery of another shipment of American-made Abrams tanks. According to Defence24, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the arrival of 52 armored vehicles purchased from the United States. The shipment includes 38 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks and 14 M88A2 HERCULES armored recovery vehicles. The latest […] The post Poland receives new batch of Abrams tanks first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Azerbaijan is moving to expand its long-range strike capabilities with interest in acquiring Slovakia’s AM-120 automated mortar system and the 155 mm EVA self-propelled artillery system, according to Baku-based policy analyst Fuad Shahbazov. “In 2024, Azerbaijan and Slovakia agreed to establish joint manufacturing facilities with investments,” Shahbazov said, noting that cooperation has advanced beyond purchases […] The post Azerbaijan looks to buy Slovak rapid-fire mortar first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Amid heightened tensions in Eastern Europe and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus on September 12 launched their strategic exercise Zapad-2025. The drills, billed as a test of the Union State’s ability to “repel possible aggression,” are taking place across training grounds in both countries and extending into the Baltic and Barents Seas. […] The post Russia, Belarus begin large-scale drills near NATO first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

I just finished with Xenophon's Anabasis on audio. Wow ... just wow. Almost 2,400 years old and its lessons on leadership are timeless. There is really nothing new under the sun. This book is a perfect example of the critical importance of a classical education. We wouldn't have to learn the hard way if we realized the truth that has been there from the dawn of history ... not to mention the lessons of 20 years ago ... move the decimal place two spots over. Here is just one bit. Rely upon this then, all you who are here assembled, now is your great opportunity. The soldiers outside have their eyes fixed upon you; if they think that you are faint-hearted, they will turn cowards; but if you show them that you are making your own preparations to attack the enemy, and setting an example to the rest--follow you, be assured, they will: imitate you they will. May be, it is but right and fair that you should somewhat excel them, for you are generals, you are commanders of brigades or regiments; and if, while it was peace, you had the advantage in wealth and position, so now, when it is war, you are expected to rise superior to the common herd--to think for them, to toil for them, whenever there be need. "At this very moment you would confer a great boon on the army, if you made it your business to appoint generals and officers to fill the places of those that are lost. For without leaders nothing good or noble, to put it concisely, was ever wrought anywhere; and in military matters this is absolutely true; for if discipline is held to be of saving virtue, the want of it has been the ruin of many ere now. Well, then! when you have appointed all the commanders necessary, it would only be opportune, I take it, if you were to summon the rest of the soldiers and speak some words of encouragement. Even now, I daresay you noticed yourselves the crestfallen air with which they came into camp, the despondency with which they fell to picket duty, so that, unless there is a change for the better, I do not know for what service they will be fit; whether by night, if need were, or even by day. The thing is to get them to turn their thoughts to what they mean to do, instead of to what they are likely to suffer. Do that, and their spirits will soon revive wonderfully. You know, I need hardly remind you, it is not numbers or strength that gives victory in war; but, heaven helping them, to one or other of two combatants it is 42 given to dash with stouter hearts to meet the foe, and such onset, in nine cases out of ten, those others refuse to meet. This observation, also, I have laid to heart, that they, who in matters of war seek in all ways to save their lives, are just they who, as a rule, die dishonourably; whereas they who, recognising that death is the common lot and destiny of all men, strive hard to die nobly: these more frequently, as I observe, do after all attain to old age, or, at any rate, while life lasts, they spend their days more happily. This lesson let all lay to heart this day, for we are just at such a crisis of our fate. Now is the season to be brave ourselves, and to stimulate the rest by our example." The March of the 10,000, or if you wish - Anabasis: The March Up Country. Nothing but hardcore. If you don't know the story - buy the book or read it online here. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Share Leave a comment View the full article

Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardiya) has been observed operating new armored vehicles manufactured by the UAE-based Streit Group, confirming deliveries of foreign-built platforms to Moscow despite ongoing sanctions and export restrictions. During recent training exercises, Rosgvardiya units fielded multiple Spartan SUT armored vehicles, some of which were fitted with additional protection systems designed to counter drone […] The post Russia receives UAE-made armored vehicles first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

In what has become and will remain a yearly tradition. As I saw it, that afternoon in the C5F AOR, morning in America.. Share Leave a comment This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of three Rafale fighter jets to Poland in response to recent Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace. The move is part of a broader effort to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank and demonstrate unity among European allies. “I have decided to deploy three Rafale fighters to help protect Polish […] The post France sends Rafale fighters to Poland first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russia’s military has unveiled its updated Courier robotic combat platform. According to Russian state media, an uncrewed ground vehicle, or UGV, is being tested at a rear-area training ground where operators are practicing target engagement with several mounted weapons, including an automatic grenade launcher, a heavy “Kord” machine gun, and a Kalashnikov tank machine gun. […] The post Robot gunner joins Russian assault units first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

At the DSEI 2025 defense exhibition in London, Moog and General Dynamics Land Systems UK (GDLSUK) unveiled a new short-range air defense (SHORAD) configuration of the British Army’s Foxhound 4×4 patrol vehicle. The vehicle now features Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP), a modular system already in U.S. Army service for counter-UAS and SHORAD missions. The […] The post British Foxhound transforms into mobile air defense platform first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Czech Republic will deploy a special operations helicopter unit to Poland to help counter the growing threat of Russian drone incursions near NATO’s eastern flank. The decision follows a direct request from Poland after a phone call between Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová and her Polish counterpart, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. According to a statement released […] The post Czech Forces to aid Poland in drone defense operations first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Pratt & Whitney, a business unit of RTX, has been awarded an $18 million engine sustainment contract from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the company announced. The agreement covers continued maintenance and support for the TF33 engines powering NATO’s fleet of E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft. The three-year contract […] The post Pratt & Whitney to support NATO’s AWACS fleet first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

On September 3, 2025, during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II, China’s state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) reported the successful deployment of its laser-based counter-drone systems in central Beijing. The company said in a statement […] The post China unleashes laser defenses over capital first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Beretta Defence Technologies UK (BDT UK) has launched its Land Industrial Strategy for Project GRAYBURN, presenting a proposal to replace the British Armed Forces’ aging SA80 rifle. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London. According to the strategy, BDT UK aims to create a long-term strategic partnership with the […] The post Beretta proposes UK-based rifle production to replace SA80 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Army’s next-generation battlefield sensor system, known as Launched Effects, is one step closer to entering service after a live demonstration involving active-duty forces at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in August 2025. Launched Effects is a term the Army uses to describe a class of compact systems—such as the Atlas 600 from AEVEX Aerospace—that […] The post U.S. Forces simulate strike on Russian howitzer during trials first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Washington Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be restructured into a Mobile Brigade as part of the U.S. Army’s broader transformation effort, officials confirmed. The shift reflects a major doctrinal update aimed at increasing speed, agility, and operational flexibility across the force. In a statement, Brig. Gen. Paul Sellars, commanding general […] The post Light vehicles to replace Strykers in Washington National Guard first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter crews from the 1st Armored Division conducted deep strike live-fire exercises in Lithuania on September 9, just miles from the Belarusian border where Russia and Belarus have launched a joint military drill known as Zapad 2025. The training involved AH-64 helicopters assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st […] The post U.S. Army gunships drill near Belarus border first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Japanese Ministry of Defense is moving forward with plans to deploy upgraded land-based Type 12 anti-ship missiles in Kyushu by 2026, drawing immediate and direct criticism from China’s Ministry of National Defense. According to media reports, the new missile variant will have extended range capabilities, placing parts of China’s coastal areas within striking distance. […] The post China condemns Japan’s extended-range missile program first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A multinational engine consortium developing the next-generation fighter engine for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has taken a key step toward integration, aligning more closely with the program’s aircraft developers as preparations advance for first flight. The consortium—comprised of Japan’s IHI, the UK’s Rolls-Royce, and Italy’s Avio Aero—announced a new cooperation agreement with Edge […] The post Japan, UK, Italy tighten engine pact for sixth-gen fighter first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Here’s Subic Bay back in its US Navy heyday. Here she is today. That isn’t the real change. Look at what is happening on the western side of the bay. 19 years ago in 2006, just some undeveloped bayside. Today? Why is it important? Subic Bay, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of Manila, sits within striking distance of China. It is roughly 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) from Shenzhen and Taipei, 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) from Shanghai, and 2,800 kilometers (1,740 miles) from Beijing, putting it well within the range of China’s intermediate-range ballistic missiles. …and the world is a very different place than it was in the Duterte era. Big things are happening. The United States is moving forward with plans to establish what could become the world’s largest weapons manufacturing hub in the Philippines’ Subic Bay, once home to the biggest US naval base in Asia, to counter China’s expanding military presence in the region. The plans got a real push when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines’ new shipyard at the former Hanjin complex, now renamed Agila Subic by American investment firm Cerberus Capital Management. The move signals a shift from rotational training to a permanent US military presence in the Philippines. Backed by US and South Korean investment, the facility is expected to double the Philippines’ shipbuilding capacity to 2.5 million deadweight tons annually and employ more than 4,000 workers by 2030. While Monday’s ceremony highlighted commercial shipping, officials noted the yard could also affect the country’s naval modernization. HD Hyundai has already supplied the Philippine Navy with frigates and offshore patrol vessels and is positioning Subic as a regional hub for warship production. South Korea’s ambassador to Manila described the shipyard as a “tripartite partnership” of Korean technology, US financing, and Philippine labor and geography. “This represents the most significant US defense investment in the Philippines since the Cold War,” the US Naval Research Laboratory said in a report. Yes, there is good news happening in WESTPAC, and this is in the top 5. More. Better. Faster. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Share Leave a comment View the full article

Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) has announced the successful completion of offshore firing trials using an electromagnetic railgun. The announcement was made via ATLA’s official X account on September 10. According to the statement, the tests were conducted from June through early July aboard the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s test vessel Asuka. ATLA confirmed […] The post Japan successfully tests ship-based railgun first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Australian Navy has awarded Anduril Australia a A$1.7 billion (US$1.12 billion) contract to deliver a fleet of Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous submarines. The Royal Australian Navy opted to bypass conventional procurement processes and instead partnered directly with Anduril on development. The Ghost Shark program was co-developed and co-funded, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and […] The post Australian Navy buys Ghost Shark autonomous submarines first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

South Korea is pushing forward with sweeping enhancements to its KF-21 Boramae fighter program, aiming to transform the domestically built aircraft into a full fifth-generation stealth platform. The plan includes internal weapons bays, advanced radar-evading materials, and a next-generation engine developed entirely in-country. According to South Korea’s 2026 defense budget proposal, the government is allocating […] The post South Korea to turn KF-21 into 5th-gen stealth jet first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article