Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧

ATACMS. What is it? Why does it matter so much? How many are there? How many will Ukraine get? Every question you could possibly have, answered. It's the thread you've all been waiting for... 🧵 (1/72)

AIM-120C-8 production likely ranges between 300 and 600 units annually, out of the total annual AIM-120 output (currently around 1,200). However, about half of that or more is likely allocated to equipping aircraft, which means the number of AIM-120C-8s available for NASAMS is…

Germany's Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius spoke out at a press conference today and confirmed my reporting from yesterday about the Patriot situation. I have translated his entire statement for you and summarised all important points mentioned here. ➡️ As already mentioned…

In Q2 Earnings Presentation, Raytheon announces a "significantly increase output on GEM-T, Coyote, and AMRAAM this year". Last year GEM-T production stood at 240/y, moving to 420/y by 2027. Unclear if that increase is inclusive of COMLOG in Germany. Coyote production capacity…

Czechia purchases SAAB's MSHORAD solution | Written by @Drecas_2000 defensearchives.com/news/czechia-p…

Another thing Ukraine and Israel have in common - even during a war that has everyone especially united, the government is still capable of pissing EVERYONE off.

🇨🇭🇩🇪 Switzerland has awarded a contract to Diehl Defence through the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support for the procurement of 5 IRIS-T SLM systems and related equipment. diehl.com/defence/en/pre…

🇺🇸🇺🇦 Small, but significant The Trump Admin has made what appears to be their first commitment and obligation of new security assistance funds to Ukraine. $9 million in FY 2025 Security Assistance Initiative funds were awarded to BAE to refurbish Bradley fighting vehicles. A…

🇺🇸🇷🇴 In possibly related news: Northrop Grumman & ROMARM have signed a MoU concerning the co-production of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) for the Romanian Air Force. G/ATOR is the sensor for the USMC's Medium-Range Intercept Capability, which uses…

🇷🇴🇮🇱 Romania has signed a ~$2.4 billion, 7 year framework agreement with Rafael for "six integrated SHORAD-VSHORAD anti-aircraft systems [Iron Dome]". The first 2 systems will be delivered within 3 years of the signing of the first implementation contract.

🇺🇸🇳🇴🇧🇬 The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bulgaria of a Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System, plus associated equipment and services for an estimated cost of $620 million. The prime contractor would be Kongsberg. "The description and…

🇺🇸🇩🇪🇺🇦 Remains to be seen where these 5 PATRIOTs will be sourced from and when they might be delivered.

An underappreciated problem is the scale of the Alabuga production halls makes them inherently resilient to damage. Completely destroying the facility would likely require one or two dozen 2,000 lb weapons or several dozen 1,000 lb weapons.

🇺🇸🇨🇭🇩🇪🇺🇦 "the first Patriot fire unit, which was supposed to go to Switzerland, will be delivered to Ukraine instead —financed by Germany" This is complicated by Raytheon's offset agreement with the Swiss. The Engagement Control Stations and Antenna Mast Groups are locally…

Dresden. Every building pictured dates from the last twenty years, the result of a 2002 municipal referendum in which the city decisively voted in favour of reconstructing its historic centre.

🇺🇸🇧🇪 Belgium is not high on the list of countries that I would expect Raytheon to select to establish the first overseas All Up Round production facility for AMRAAM C-8. Norway makes a lot more sense for obvious reasons. Regardless, this indicates that FMS demand for AMRAAM…

I have a hard time not remembering this part

The devil is always in the details, especially as it concerns additional authorities and appropriations from Congress to commit further security assistance. But a framework along these lines would have a truly hilarious relative value proposition for Ukraine.

What does US aid to Ukraine look like? It looks like Ukrainian aid to the U.S. 🔥 In an interesting deal that is still being worked out, the U.S. would purchase combat-tested drone systems, supporting the Ukrainian industrial base, in exchange for more deliveries of…

Witkoff down, Kellogg and Rubio up, per the Telegraph:

🇺🇸🇩🇪🇺🇦 Germany currently operates 9 PATRIOT Fire Units and has 8 more on order via Direct Commercial Sale with Raytheon. Deliveries of those could begin sooner than initially planned now that the Swiss FMS order has been pushed back in the queue.