Russia’s Su-57 next generation fighter saw its its first combat deployment in February 2018, when the aircraft were briefly dispatched to Syria to test their capabilities under combat conditions for the very first time. The aircraft deployed were notably prototypes rather than serial production fighters, and had only a very limited initial operating capability, although […]
Day: October 17, 2021
‘Chinese Avangard’: New Intercontinental Range Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Revolutionises Strike Capabilities
China reportedly carried out its first successful test launch of an intercontinental range hypersonic glide vehicle in August, with the Financial Times reporting that the previously unknown test “caught the U.S. government by surprise” as the Pentagon refused to make any specific comment on the incident. Russia was previously the […]
Iran’s Ship Hunting Phantoms: Using Chinese Missiles to Turn F-4s Into Maritime Strike Fighters
For over 40 years the F-4 Phantom third generation fighter has formed the backbone of the Iranian Air Force, with the Vietnam War era twin engine jets relied on to perform a number of roles for the Islamic Republic’s defence ranging from air superiority to reconnaissance and in recent years even […]
Reports of Chinese S-400s on India’s Borders Deemed ‘Grave Threat’
Amid signs of a stalemate in talks between China and India over their dispute at the Ladakh border area, India’s main federal opposition Congress Party warned that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) reported deployment of Russian-made S-400 air defences systems at the border seriously challenged Indian security interests. “This […]
U.S. Sources Claim China Could Have Over 150 J-20 Stealth Fighters in Service as Production Expands — Is It Possible?
Since entry into service in March 2017, when it became the first non-U.S. fifth generation fighter operational anywhere in the world, China’s J-20 heavyweight stealth jet has been surrounded by considerable speculation in Japan and the Western world in particular. Estimates for the number of J-20 is in service have […]
K2 Black Panther: How South Korea Developed a World Leading Battle Tank
South Korea has increasingly emerged in the post Cold War years as one of the world’s leading producers of NATO-compatible armaments, and among U.S. allies has consistently produced highly competitive products ranging from its Sejong the Great Class destroyer, which is considered the most capable to use the American AEGIS system, […]
Dire Warnings For Taipei and Washington After U.S. Troops Reportedly Deployed to Taiwan
Following reports that the U.S. deployed personnel to Taiwan to train local forces, the editorial of the Chinese Global Times state media outlet warned that the development could make conflict across the Taiwan Strait more likely. Taipei and Beijing have been technically at war for over 70 years, and both […]
China’s Deployment of New J-16D Electronic Attack Jets Places Taiwanese Air Defences in Crosshairs
After unveiling the J-16D electronic attack jet at the Zhuhai Airshow, China’s People’s Liberation Army has reportedly deployed the new aircraft to an eastern airbase near the Taiwan Strait which remains a leading site of potential conflict amid rising tensions with Taipei and its Western backers. The new aircraft is […]
Russian Space Chief Warns Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Network Could Hijack Cruise Missiles
Director of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, has warned that the Starlink space program being pursued by Elon Musk’s SpaceX could pose a threat to Russian security. This was in the context of the U.S. government having provided SpaceX with $900 million dollars for Starlink so far, with […]
Russia’s Su-57 Fighter is Only as Dangerous as its Best Missile: Why the K-77M Will be a Game Changer
The Russian Air Force inducted its first Su-57 next generation fighter into service in December 2020, and is expected to field 76 of the aircraft by 2027 when the current State Armaments Plan reaches its conclusion. The Su-57 is currently considered a fifth generation fighter, but its airframe has been […]