US News and World Report: WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia poses the world’s greatest threat to U.S. national security, President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff declared on Thursday. The White House quickly distanced the president from that blunt assessment. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford told senators at his confirmation hearing, “If… read more
Sputnik International: Russia plans to expand its nascent high-end submarine fleet with two new fifth generation nuclear-powered watercraft, known only as an “aircraft carrier killer” and an “underwater interceptor” at the moment. The “aircraft carrier killer” equipped with cruise missiles will be used for defeating coastal and surface targets, specifically aircraft carriers, the head of Russia’s United Shipbuilding… read more
Reuters: Iran and major powers gave themselves at least until Friday to negotiate an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, but a source from one of the powers said on Tuesday they had to wrap up in the next 48 hours. “We are continuing to negotiate for the next couple of days,” EU foreign policy… read more
The Diplomat: Russia will continue building Borei-class fourth generation SSBN (Ship, Submersible, Ballistic, Nuclear) submarines past 2020 the Russian Navy’s Commander in Chief, Admiral Viktor Chirkov recently told TASS in an interview. “Our shipbuilding program is devised in a way that does not envisage a stop to the construction of Borei-class submarines after 2020,” Chirkov… read more
Sputnik International: Russian Pacific Fleet ship groups will hold missile firing drills in the Pacific Ocean, Eastern Military District spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said Monday. “During the air defense exercises, the destroyers Moroz, Inej, and Smerch will carry out launches of Malachite cruise missiles, they will simulate low-altitude, high-speed targets of the Maritime flotilla led by the guided… read more
Sputnik International: General Sergei Babakov told Russian News Service radio that, together with the S-300PM1/2, the S-400 Triumf (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) had all but phased out the now outdated S-300PS missile system protecting Moscow airspace. General Babakov said that crews operating the new missile system were now being trained at military academies, retraining centers and test ranges. He… read more
i24 News: The less-than-idyllic vistas of the Middle Eastern shores has been part of the operational routine of the outgoing commander of the Navy’s Missile Boats Flotilla (Shayetet 3), Israeli Col. Eyal Harel, and his fighters, over the past three years. After nine years as a commander at sea, Harel has turned into one of… read more
The Moscow Times: Russia is negotiating with Armenia to supply the latter with advanced Iskander-M missiles, a potentially substantial boost to Armenian defenses against a potential Azeri attack. News about the ongoing negotiations was leaked to both the Armenian and Russian press, and the timing of the leak suggests an effort to tamp down anti-Russian sentiment in ongoing street protests in Yerevan. “The contract isn’t signed yet, negotiations are still… read more
Reuters: A dispute over U.N. sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and a broader arms embargo were among issues holding up a nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers on Monday, the day before their latest self-imposed deadline. “The Iranians want the ballistic missile sanctions lifted. They say there is no reason to connect… read more
Want China Times: After a visit by a Chinese Type 039A Yuan-class diesel-electric submarine to the port of Karachi in Pakistan on May 22, the Times of India has said that the People’s Liberation Army Navy will eventually put five Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines equipped with JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) into service.… read more