The National Interest: Russia is developing a host of new strategic nuclear weapons designed to defeat American missile defenses. According to the Kremlin, Russia was spurred into action by U.S. President George W. Bush’s December 13, 2001 decision to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. However, while the Russians are developing a host of new weapons,… read more
The National Interest: Russia’s much-feared Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire is getting a new upgrade and is adding a new long-range supersonic missile called the Kh-32. The upgrade will allow the massive jet to once again hit allied targets across the North Atlantic region just as the Backfire once did during the Cold War. The bomber and… read more
The Tower: The intelligence agency of the German state of Baden-Württemberg found that Iran is still trying to obtain technology for weapons of mass destruction and to advance its ballistic missile program, Benjamin Weinthal reported Saturday in The Jerusalem Post. The report, which was reviewed by the Post, stated that “Iran continued to undertake, as… read more
Popular Mechanics: Recent photos from a shipyard in China sum up the news about Beijing’s navy: it’s growing, and fast. The sight of five brand-new guided missile destroyers shows China’s determination to field a fully modern navy to rival—or perhaps someday best—the U.S. Navy. The photos, posted online by China Defense Blog, were taken at… read more
UNIAN: Russian military exercises launched in the occupied Crimea, involving over a hundred helicopters and warplanes. Air defense units and the Black Sea Fleet will also take part in maneuvers in Rostov region and Krasnodar Territory, Interfax reports. “Crews of the reconnaissance aircraft of the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation successfully coped with the task… read more
TASS: ROSTOV-ON-DON, June 5. /TASS/. An air defense formation in Crimea will get a battalion of Pantsyr-S1 short-to medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, Commander of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army of Russia’s Southern Military District Victor Sevostyanov said on Tuesday. “All the surface-to-air missile regiments of the Air Force and Air Defense Army… read more
The Diplomat: The carrier strike group led by the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) sole operational aircraft carrier, the 60,000-ton Liaoning, a retrofitted Soviet-era Admiral Kuznetsov-class multirole aircraft carrier, has achieved initial operational capability, according to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense. “The carrier group’s exercises have been deepened to include combat operations in the… read more
Reuters: ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s top leader said on Monday he had ordered preparations to increase uranium enrichment capacity if a nuclear deal with world powers falls apart after the U.S. withdrawal, and he vowed never to accept limits on Tehran’s ballistic missile program. Tensions between Iran and the West have resurged since President Donald… read more
The National Interest: Many Russia experts such as Olya Oliker have cast doubt upon the notion that Moscow has lowered its nuclear threshold. Oliker notes that Russian military strategy documents from 2010 actually tighten the Kremlin’s policies on the use of nuclear weapons. Indeed, most experts on Russian nuclear weapons such a Nikolai Sokov—a former… read more
TASS: MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Aerospace Force started receiving cutting edge training simulators to master operation of S-400 air defense missile systems, combat helicopters Mi-28N and Ka-52, as well as of Su-34 fighter-bombers, Aerospace Force Commander-in-Chief Sergei Surovikin told journalists on Monday. “Military detachments of the Aerospace Force are being equipped with modern training… read more