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A Florida-based advanced air mobility company, AIR, on Monday announced the public debut of the DrN-600, a sub-600 kg maximum takeoff weight uncrewed electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, developed in partnership with ST Engineering, marking a new step toward regulated electric cargo operations in Europe and Asia. The announcement was made through a company […]View the full article

U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing has confirmed it is no longer pursuing the F-15 fighter jet program for Indonesia, effectively ending a high-profile procurement effort that had been central to Jakarta’s military modernization plans. The decision was disclosed on February 3 during the Singapore Airshow, according to comments made by a senior Boeing defense executive. Speaking […]View the full article

When we started talking about the cost of the new proposed battleship with CBO’s Eric Labs on the latest Midrats Podcast, I knew the topic I wanted to start this week with. First of all, let’s look back at the marker I put down right before the announcement. For planning purposes (and budgeting), assume it will wind up costing at least 2/3 of a Ford CVN w/o her CVW. OK, let’s look at the costs of the Ford Class CVN. Some of the sources I see include the $5 billion of development cost added on to the cost of a bit more than $13 billion for a total of $18 billion for Hull-1 of the Ford CVN, with the follow-on Kennedy, Miller, etc coming in at $14/15 billion. Let’s call it $15 billion for the follow-on ships. So, my ‘2/3’ cocktail swag would put the BBG-1 cost at $12 billion and BBG-2 and on at $10 billion per hull. The latest Flight III Arleigh Burke DDG are running about $2.7 billion a hull. The question that needs to be asked is: would a BBG-1 be worth 4.4 Flight III Arleigh Burkes? Would each follow-on ship be worth 3.7 Flight III Arleigh Burkes? Would it be worth 3-3.5 DDG(X) (whenever that shows up and we can estimate the cost. I’ll assume it is significantly more)? Well, hold on there. Before you get carried away, what does the CBO think BBG will cost? The initial specs are saying that the displacement with be north of 35,000, so think between that and the 40K in the graph above. It looks like my estimates were a bit below CBO’s, but not too much, considering. Gold Star Happy Face to me. One cost or another, there is the core question about the investment. Is the squeeze worth the juice? The opportunity cost is a valid topic of conversation…and one I think well-meaning people can take both sides of. Me? As I really want to get as many conventional prompt strike warheads as possible at sea as soon as possible…and that does not even start to review the railgun possibilities. The Zumwalts are just technology demonstrators. In theory, you can modify DDG(X) to carry CPS, but not as many and there are other tradeoffs and additional costs. As I prefer diverse fleets and spreading program risk around, I’m still leaning towards full-throated support for BBG if we can get the sustained funding for it. (there are other concerns that I may discuss tomorrow) I won’t think you’re an idiot for opposing BBG. Buy me a few drinks, and I can make the anti-battleship argument with vigor as I’ve had that argument with myself a few times. Pro usually wins, but not every argument with myself. The case still needs to be made. 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

South Korea has begun fielding anti-drone protective nets on frontline armored vehicles after publishing official photos showing K2 Black Panther main battle tanks and K21 infantry fighting vehicles fitted with lightweight foldable screens during a January 2026 force-on-force exercise. The images, released following training by the ROK Army’s 8th Maneuver Division, show both platforms operating […]View the full article

Taiwan has confirmed that the third batch of its ordered M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks has been completed in the United States and will be shipped to the island, as the military moves closer to fielding the new armored units into its operational force structure. The third batch of 28 M1A2T tanks has finished production […]View the full article

Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that a Russian Navy Steregushchiy III–class corvette, identified as Gremyashchiy (hull number 337), transited eastward through the Tsugaru Strait on Sunday and proceeded into the Pacific Ocean, according to an official release from the Joint Staff. The ministry said the vessel was first detected around 8:00 a.m. local time approximately […]View the full article

Hanwha Aerospace confirmed on February 2, 2026, that it has signed a contract with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency to supply the Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher System to the Norwegian Armed Forces. According to the company, the agreement is valued at approximately $922 million and covers the delivery of 16 Chunmoo launch vehicles, a package […]View the full article

The United States Air Force conducted a live-warhead test of its Extended Range Attack Munition during a demonstration at the Eglin Test and Training Range in Florida, marking a major milestone for the program less than 16 months after the initial contract award. According to the service, the test met all primary objectives, including a […]View the full article

Lithuanian defense units equipped with unmanned aerial systems from Granta Autonomy demonstrated their capabilities during a high-level visit attended by Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark, alongside Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė, according to a statement released by the Vilnius-based company. The visit took place at formations of the National Defence Volunteers […]View the full article

The UK government has formally rejected calls to develop a second sovereign method for delivering nuclear weapons, reaffirming that its submarine-based deterrent will remain the country’s only independent nuclear delivery system as global nuclear risks rise. According to reporting by UK Defence Journal on Monday, the decision follows scrutiny by the Defence Committee, which said […]View the full article

The Swiss government has approved the procurement of Black Hornet 4 nano-drones for integration with its Piranha 8×8 armored engineering vehicles, following a newly awarded defense contract announced on February 2, 2026. Teledyne FLIR Defense said it received a $17.5 million contract from armasuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of Defence Procurement, to supply a large […]View the full article

Show LinksThe Congress, the Golden Fleet, and the Shipbuilding Industrial Base in 2026 You can listen at this link, subscribe to the podcast, or via the Spotify widget below. SummaryIn this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark engage with Eric Labs, a senior analyst at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to discuss the complexities of shipbuilding costs, the role of the CBO in providing independent estimates, and the challenges faced by the U.S. Navy in maintaining and expanding its fleet. Eric shares insights on the differences between CBO and Navy cost estimates, the impact of maintenance on overall ship costs, and the importance of a skilled labor force in shipbuilding. The conversation also touches on the historical context of shipbuilding budgets, congressional appropriations, and the future of naval forces in the face of evolving defense needs. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Dr. Eric Labs is Senior Analyst for Naval Forces and Weapons at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C. He specializes in issues related to the procurement, budgeting, and sizing of the forces for the Department of the Navy. He received his doctorate in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from Tufts University, summa cum laude, in 1988. He has worked for the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, from 1994 to 1995, as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for International Security Studies at the University of Maryland. Dr. Labs has been with the Congressional Budget Office since 1995. Chapters00:00: Introduction to the CBO and Eric Labs 03:01: Understanding the Role of the CBO 06:01: Cost Estimation Approaches in Shipbuilding 08:54: Historical Context of CBO Estimates vs Navy Estimates 12:04: Challenges in Shipbuilding Cost Estimates 15:09: The Impact of Maintenance on Ship Costs 18:00: Congressional Budgeting and Shipbuilding Appropriations 20:48: Labor Force Challenges in Shipbuilding 23:58: Future of the U.S. Navy Fleet and Shipbuilding 27:05: Conclusion and Future Considerations 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

An Israeli drone manufacturer has secured a new foothold in Central Asia after Aero-Sentinel confirmed an exclusive distribution agreement in Kazakhstan, expanding its access to one of the region’s most established security and defense markets. The announcement was made on Sunday by Ofir Avram, chief marketing officer at Aero-Sentinel, who said the company had finalized […]View the full article

Russian combat aviation dropped a record 5,717 aerial bombs on Ukrainian territory in January 2026, marking the highest monthly figure since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to calculations published by Militarnyi. Data compiled by the OSINT experts show that Russian forces increased the use of aerial bombs by 26 percent compared with December […]View the full article

The United States Army has awarded Overland AI a $2 million contract following the xTechOverwatch competition to deliver autonomous ground vehicles to troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division, the company confirmed in a public statement posted three days ago. The award follows a series of soldier-run operational missions conducted under xTechOverwatch, a competitive Army program […]View the full article

India has selected Shield AI to supply V-BAT unmanned aircraft and autonomy software to the Indian Army, confirming a new defense procurement focused on autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. According to Shield AI, the agreement includes delivery of V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing drones along with licenses for the company’s Hivemind autonomy software, which […]View the full article

Russia delivered military products to more than 30 countries in 2025 and earned over $15 billion in foreign currency revenue from arms exports, President Vladimir Putin said on January 30 during a meeting of the Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation with foreign states. Speaking at the session, Putin said Russia’s system of military-technical cooperation continued to […]View the full article

The United States has deployed six EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft to the Middle East as part of a new force movement linked to preparations for a possible strike on Iran, according to open-source flight tracking data and regional air activity observed this week. The U.S. Navy Growlers departed from Naval Air Station Oceana in […]View the full article

According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian forces in recent weeks began using attack drones equipped with Starlink terminals to conduct strikes against military targets inside Ukraine. The issue was raised urgently with SpaceX after Russian drones using satellite connectivity were detected operating over Ukrainian cities. Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov said the defense team contacted […]View the full article

The United States has approved a possible $9.0 billion Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency formally notifying Congress on January 30. According to the State Department determination, Saudi Arabia has requested the purchase of 730 PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles along with […]View the full article

The United States has awarded Boeing a contract valued at up to $2.81 billion to upgrade F-15K fighter aircraft operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force, according to a contract announcement released this week. The undefinitized contract was issued to Boeing in St. Louis, Missouri, and covers the design and development of an integrated […]View the full article

The United States State Department has approved a possible $1.98 billion Foreign Military Sale to Israel for Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and related equipment, with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency formally notifying Congress on January 30. According to the notification, Israel has requested to purchase 3,250 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) in multiple variants, including […]View the full article

The United States Navy’s first operational MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aircraft has completed its first autonomous taxi test, Boeing Defense confirmed on January 30. According to the company, the MQ-25A taxied from Boeing’s new production facility in Mascoutah, Illinois, to the taxiway at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport after air vehicle pilots initiated the movement from the […]View the full article

The United States Air Force has begun moving combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircraft from the United States toward Europe and the Middle East, according to flight activity reported by intelligence analyst Oliver Alexander. Alexander reported that two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft departed from Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, while a C-17 Globemaster […]View the full article

NATO conducted coordinated aerial surveillance flights over the Black Sea near the coast of Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region on January 28, with U.S. and British reconnaissance aircraft operating in international airspace, according to open flight-tracking data and publicly available monitoring imagery. The activity involved a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and a […]View the full article