HG S2 (Intel Bot)

For the first time in history, the United States Air Force has selected a NATO partner nation to provide pilot training. On August 22, the Italian Air Force and the U.S. Air Force signed an agreement that will bring American pilot trainees to the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, Sardinia. The “Concept of […] The post U.S. Air Force pilots set for training in Italy first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Polish defense company Mesko, in partnership with France’s Eurenco, has announced the start of production of modular propelling charges for 155 mm artillery. The new assembly line is located in Pionki, Poland, and is expected to produce up to 100,000 charges annually. The development was reported by Adam Swierkowski of Defence24. The project began in […] The post Poland begins 155mm artillery charge production first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian forces are adopting a new infantry doctrine that places greater reliance on drones and robotic systems due to manpower challenges, according to an analysis by the DeepState OSINT project in cooperation with the Telegram channel Mannerheims son. The report said the Russian military is increasingly turning to unmanned ground systems, loitering munitions, and heavy […] The post Russia adopts new infantry doctrine amid manpower strain first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Satellite images have confirmed the destruction of Russian helicopters at an airbase in occupied Crimea following a Ukrainian drone strike. The attack targeted the airport near Simferopol on August 30, Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi reported. According to the report, satellite photos published by the AviaVector community showed two helicopters destroyed on the airfield. The images, comparing […] The post Satellite photos show Russian helicopters destroyed in Crimea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Raytheon Missiles and Defense has received a $1.7 billion contract modification to continue production of the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), the Pentagon announced. According to the Department of Defense, the $1,700,200,000 modification to contract W31P4Q-24-C-0024 will support the low-rate initial production of the LTAMDS program. The award raises the […] The post Raytheon to expand production of LTAMDS radars first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Warfare Systems, based in Hudson, New Hampshire, has been awarded a $1,7 billion contract for the production and delivery of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS) rounds, the Pentagon announced. According to the Department of Defense, the contract covers up to 55,000 APKWS units under Full Rate Production Lots […] The post Pentagon awards $1.74B contract for APKWS rockets first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft conducted a surveillance mission near Russia’s northern region on August 28, according to a report from the defense outlet Militarnyi. The Boeing RC-135V Rivet Joint was detected on the online flight tracking platform Flightradar24 as it operated close to the Murmansk area. The aircraft, equipped with advanced sensors and […] The post U.S. Air Force spy plane tracked off Russia’s northern coast first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

"Like who?" That is a tough question; it seems easy, but it isn't. What defines a leader and what qualities should a young leader emulate? Books have been and will be written about such things - but often it is better just to point at a man and say, "This." A dozen or so years ago when I first published this story, friend to the blog who sneaks into comments now and then, URR, reminded me that we lost one of "them." Someone who inspired people throughout his life. The core of his character is perhaps best discovered in one of his best-known acts. For the full story of The Warriors of Hill 881S, spend some time here. Like many of his generation - proper recognition of his actions took a while - in this case 37-years, but at last he was rewarded with his much-deserved Navy Cross in 2005. For us here at least - I think that citation should do. The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to: William H. Dabney (0-80399), Colonel [then Captain], U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Commanding Officer of two heavily reinforced rifle companies of the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam from 21 January to 14 April 1968. During the entire period, Colonel Dabney’s force stubbornly defended Hill 881S, a regional outpost vital to the defense of the Khe Sanh Combat Base. Following his bold spoiling attack on 20 January 1968, shattering a much larger North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force deploying to attack Hill 881S, Colonel Dabney’s force was surrounded and cut off from all outside ground supply for the entire 77 day Siege of Khe Sanh. Enemy snipers, machine guns, artillery, and 120-millimeter mortars responded to any daylight movement on his position. In spite of deep entrenchments, his total casualties during the siege were close to 100 percent. Helicopters were his only source of re-supply, and each such mission brought down a cauldron of fire on his landing zones. On numerous occasions Colonel Dabney raced into the landing zone under heavy hostile fire to direct debarkation of personnel and to carry wounded Marines to evacuation helicopters. The extreme difficulty of re-supply resulted in conditions of hardship and deprivation seldom experienced by American forces. Nevertheless, Colonel Dabney’s indomitable spirit was truly an inspiration to his troops. He organized his defenses with masterful skill and his preplanned fires shattered every enemy probe on his positions. He also devised an early warning system whereby NVA artillery and rocket firings from the west were immediately reported by lookouts to the Khe Sanh Combat Base, giving exposed personnel a few life saving seconds to take cover, saving countless lives, and facilitating the targeting of enemy firing positions. Colonel Dabney repeatedly set an incredible example of calm courage under fire, gallantly exposing himself at the center of every action without concern for his own safety. Colonel Dabney contributed decisively to ultimate victory in the Battle of Khe Sanh, and ranks among the most heroic stands of any American force in history. By his valiant combat leadership, exceptional bravery, and selfless devotion to duty, Colonel Dabney reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. Fullbore. He was laid to rest in 2012. Thanks to General Caulfield, we are informed that a memorial service will be held for Colonel Dabney at Robert E. Lee Memorial Episcopal Church, 123 West Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450 at 1400 on Sunday, 26 February, with a reception afterward at Virginia Military Institute. Col. Dabney has been cremated and internment will occur at a later time. As a final note, the more I read about what our Marines and others did in Vietnam, the more I think of the injustice our popular culture from DC to Hollywood did to them. It truly is a national disgrace. I noted back in 2012 when I first published this FbF that the same people who smeared them are trying to do the same to our generation of vets - but they are having trouble getting traction. In the intervening years, that has been shown to be true. If anything, the invective is, properly, being directed at the civilian leaders and institutions who failed those in uniform time and time again. As I did then, today I firmly believe that the reason this hasn’t taken place is that the Vietnam generation has this generation's back. They are helping make sure that what happened to them will not happen to us. For that, we owe them another debt of gratitude. As a reminder to new readers, if you want to give credit to the person who started the move to tell the truth about the Vietnam veterans, which in a large measure is why there is a better pushback this time against the moonbats - get a copy of B.G. Burkett's 1998 book, Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History. 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

NATO Air Command said on August 28 that two Italian F-35 fighter jets scrambled from Amari Air Base in Estonia to intercept a Russian military aircraft operating near Alliance airspace. According to the command, the jets were deployed under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission after radar systems detected the approach of a Russian An-124 Condor […] The post Italian F-35s intercept Russian An-124 heavy transport aircraft first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

At U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico last week, Global Military Products and Polaris Government and Defense joined a live-fire event showcasing the Scorpion Light mobile mortar system, also known internationally as the Alakran. The demonstration took place during the Marine Gunners Symposium and was observed by a group of Marine gunners. The Scorpion Light system, […] The post U.S. Marine Corps tests Scorpion light mortar system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Ukraine’s defense technology incubator Brave1 has launched a renewed grant program aimed at accelerating the development of advanced weapons, including ballistic and surface-to-air missiles. The initiative, announced at the recent event “Decisive Innovations: Ukraine’s Next Steps in the Technological War”, provides up to 150 million hryvnias ($3.6 million) for projects focused on explosives, missile systems, […] The post Ukraine targets new HIMARS-style weapons with $3.6M grants first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has released new images of its OA-1K Skyraider II in training, highlighting progress by the 492nd Special Operations Wing as the aircraft continues to log flying hours in formal instruction. The OA-1K Skyraider II serves as a cost-effective, crewed platform designed to support special operations personnel in austere and geographically isolated […] The post U.S. Air Force showcases OA-1K in special ops training first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A second B-21 Raider nuclear-armed stealth bomber could fly before the end of the year, according to a Defense One report. “I believe it will happen before the end of the year, but we’re not going to ever give them an artificial date that they have to make if it doesn’t bring the test program […] The post Second B-21 stealth bomber poised for test flight in 2025 first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

In less than two years since launching its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, the U.S. Department of the Air Force has flown a prototype platform, underscoring a shift in how the service develops and fields new weapon systems. The unmanned aircraft, designated YFQ-42A, was developed with General Atomics and conducted its first flight at a California […] The post U.S. Air Force prototype uncrewed fighter jet takes flight first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

A tragic accident struck Thursday evening when a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet from the Tiger Demo Team crashed during rehearsals for Air Show 2025, killing the team’s commander. The crash occurred at approximately 7:25 p.m. local time at Radom Airport. Witnesses described the jet suddenly nosediving over the runway and striking the ground […] The post F-16 fighter jet crashes in Poland, pilot killed first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Russian forces have claimed their successful strike against a launcher of Ukraine’s Neptune coastal defense missile system. According to reports, Russian reconnaissance drones operating near the village of Liubytske in the Zaporizhzhia region identified a Neptune launcher as it prepared to fire. Within minutes, Russian forces directed a 9M723 Iskander-M ballistic missile with a fragmentation […] The post Russia hits Ukraine’s Neptune missile launcher first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

If you haven’t had a chance to read the new Chief of Naval Operations’ (CNO) opening comments upon taking the job earlier this week, take a moment to give it a read. We all like bulleted lists, so let me pull this out of the middle By the time my tenure ends, I want to be judged by the results we achieve together, plain and simple. Platforms delivered and repaired on time. Fully manned and combat ready ships. Ordnance production meeting contracted demand. Backlogs in repair parts eliminated. Sailors trained to the highest levels of mastery. I’d like to focus on the second bullet, “Fully manned and combat ready ships“. The CNO’s duties are defined in 10 U.S. Code § 8032 - Chief of Naval Operations. Specifically, look to para (b)(1) of the above. (b) Under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Navy, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations shall— (1) subject to subsections (c) and (d) of section 8014 of this title, prepare for such employment of the Navy, and for such recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping (including those aspects of research and development assigned by the Secretary of the Navy), training, servicing, mobilizing, demobilizing, administering, and maintaining of the Navy, as will assist in the execution of any power, duty, or function of the Secretary or the Chief of Naval Operations; So, yes, the buck on “fully manned …” falls squarely in his lap. Let’s be clear and honest with each other—the events of the summer of 2017 were just one example, but we have accepted poorly manned ships—really institutional Sailor abuse—for the entire time I’ve been associated with the US Navy—roughly four decades. The LCS Manning CONOPS. “Optimal Manning.” 100-hour work weeks. etc, etc. We all know the drill of the little tricks we play with each other and ourselves to explain away why we refuse to man our ships so they cannot just take care of themselves and not be a danger to themselves and others, but also not degenerate into eyesores and floating retention issues. Can we properly man our Navy? Sure. It just takes honesty and will. I had a great exchange with a reader I’ve been exchanging notes with for a VERY long time, and much of the below, with his permission, came from him. He is a much more efficient writer and knows the manpower wrinkles better than anyone. If the CNO and those on his staff want to attack “fully manned”, they should digest the below…as should we all. A lot of entities, both inside OPNAV (N1, N8 and N9) and outside OPNAV (OSD Comptroller, CAPE (hissss…booooo), SECNAV, and Fleet Forces Command) have significant influence on the funding of the Military Personnel, Navy (MPN) account. In theory, the CNO should have heft inside the OPNAV lifelines. Outside, notsomuch. What about the final number of what our ships, squadrons, submarines, and other misc commands need to properly serve their nation? The Navy Manpower Analysis Center (NAVMAC) has an excellent process for determining the manpower requirements—a precise number by rate, rating, and NECs driven by the Required Operational Capability and Projected Operational Environment (ROC/POE) as issued by SECNAV. So, what it takes to fully man a ship, squadron or submarine is KNOWN. This isn’t a secret. This isn’t something we need a commission and a POM cycle to research. CNO said one of his metrics for success is "fully manned and combat ready ships." Well, we can get there if, again, we have the easy part, the will. The hard part will be honesty. Honesty about how we had been doing manning in the past, and why. Yes, that is needed. Just “moving on” will not do. If not exposed to fresh air and light, the bad habits of old will only bloom again when a new leader comes on the scene who desires to rise on the backs of institutional Sailor abuse, as was once, “The way we’ve always done things.” He’s the CNO. He can rise no further. This is his run. If I may Admiral Caudle, “Go Pack Go!” First, define our terms. What's needed is CNO's definition of "fully manned". Is it: Fully funding the known requirement? Fully funding what is necessary to meet the current FIT/FILL goals by deployment (which add up to significantly less than fully manned to the NAVMAC determined requirement)? Can we find a case in the last 30 years when OPNAV submitted a budget that fully funded the MPN account (total #s by paygrade - Top 6) to reflect the NAVMAC determined afloat manpower requirement? I don't believe we have. Ever. When a ship gets their "fair share" (# by rate and rating) of the available pool of Sailors, many will say that the ship is fully manned - after all, they got their fair share of what's available; that is, of what's been funded. A key factor is that NAVMAC's ship manning documents are UNCLAS and available to all. If I'm a Work Center Supervisor on a Flight II DDG, I can, in effect, read in great detail what the Navy has stated is the right number of Sailors who should be assigned to my ship and what skill sets/experience they should have. You know what you actually have, but you also know what you should have...and yet you are being told you are “fully manned.” Is that a mistake, spin, or a lie? We say that people are our #1 asset—our comparative advantage—and they are, but are we putting our money where our PR is? If not, why? If you do the math, to fully fund the MPN requirement in a Navy budget with a fixed topline, you will likely have to fund a great deal less of many other requirements out there which seem to be higher ranked in importance than “our #1” (or to be fair, #2 on the CNO’s list above). CNO stated on Day 1 that he wants fully manned ships; the OPNAV budget does not currently reflect CNO's metric for success if fully manned means manned to the Ship Manpower Document (SMD)-determined requirement. How, and defined by what, will the CNO and his staff—with the top-cover from the SECNAV one would hope—focus money and effort towards “fully manned?” We will find out in the next few months. 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

Russia has carried out a naval drone attack against Ukraine’s Simferopol reconnaissance ship in the Danube delta. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the strike was carried out by naval drones believed to have been launched from occupied Crimea or pre-positioned at the mouth of the river. The ministry did not release further details on […] The post Russian naval drones strike Ukraine’s recon ship first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles and related equipment to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on behalf of Belgium, Italy, and Romania. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible $103.9 million deal on Tuesday. According to […] The post U.S. clears $104M Sidewinder sale to NATO allies first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The first CV90 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) built for the Czech Army has rolled off the production line in Sweden. Representatives of BAE Systems Hägglunds formally presented the vehicle in Örnsköldsvik to Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová and Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson. The Czech acquisition of the CV9030CZ Mk.IV, widely used by NATO allies, […] The post First Czech CV90 rolls out of Swedish plant first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Footage released by Russia shows a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flying over the Black Sea equipped with a rarely seen intelligence-gathering system. The video, filmed from the cockpit of a Russian Su-35S fighter, highlights the Poseidon carrying the AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS), one of the Navy’s most secretive radar pods. The […] The post Russian fighter intercepts U.S. spy plane with secret sensor first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is continuing its evaluation process before making a final decision on whether to acquire surplus F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets from Kuwait, despite reports claiming the deal had been abandoned. RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Muhammad Norazlan Aris, in comments to the New Straits Times, rejected speculation that the plan […] The post Deal not dead: Malaysia still assessing Kuwaiti F/A-18s first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

On August 28, 2025, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine confirmed that its special operations forces carried out a coordinated drone attack against a Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M small missile ship. The vessel, a known Kalibr cruise missile carrier, was operating near the Temryuk Bay area off the coast of temporarily occupied Crimea. According […] The post Ukraine hits Russian Kalibr carrier in Azov Sea first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

As Ukraine continues to use low-cost homemade drones to ignite Russian oil refineries, Moscow unleashed one of its most destructive missile and drone barrages on Kyiv in months, striking civilian neighborhoods in the heart of the capital. In the overnight assault of August 28, Russia fired hundreds of weapons — including ballistic and cruise missiles […] The post Ukraine’s cheap drones hit refineries, Russia bombs Kyiv first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

There was something in the air about JCIDS in the spring. I’d encourage you to review my Substack from March then come back. I’ll do one of my favorite things and quote myself from the above post. The process has become the product. It is no longer fit for purpose, if it ever was. As we have often discussed, the accretions encumbered acquisition process that has become the greatest impediment to a military prepared to face the world’s threats. No serious person without a stake in the current system supports keeping it. It stifles innovation, is comically bureaucratic, and is intentionally designed to get between those who have to fight our wars and the equipment they need to fight them. I had no idea what I was going to write about until this came through my scan last night via Anastasia Obis over at FNN. Amid a push to streamline and accelerate acquisition, the Defense Department is dismantling its decades-old Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process and overhauling how the DoD sets and validates military requirements. In an Aug. 20 memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg directed the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to immediately start the “disestablishment” of JCIDS and ordered the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC), which oversees the process, to stop validating service-level requirements to the “maximum extent permitted by law.” Instead of the JROC validating service-level requirements through the JCIDS process, the services will now be responsible for determining and validating its own requirements. I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. …the services will now be responsible for determining and validating its own requirements. For over two decades here and over at the Midrats Podcast, we have begged for something to be done about the dead hand of Goldwater-Nichols and the Cult of the Joint on our military in general, but our Navy specifically. You cannot overstate how much of a groundbreaking development this is. To make it stick, Congress will need to act, but this is unquestionably a step in the right direction of reform. From shortening timelines, decreasing bureaucratic bloat, and even more importantly—increasing accountability—this is superb. This doesn’t mean the nomenklatura and rent seekers whose rice bowls are being overturned and cheese is being moved won’t resist and try to warp reform in their favor, but that is a fight worth having. A good fight. BZ to all who brought us here, and best of luck in fighting for a better system. Many more steps to take, but the journey has started. Behold what we are trying to leave behind. Just look at this slide from a little under a decade ago. Heck, review the entire slide deck. No sane person can defend this. Good riddance. Next, CAPE. 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