North Korea’s ballistic missile buildup and Japan’s interceptor missile production plan with the US might fuel a missile war of attrition in Ukraine. This month, Reuters reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the delivery of 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers to Korean People’s Army (KPA) units stationed along the border […]

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Japan is bolstering its maritime capabilities with Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USV) in response to China’s aggressive actions in the East China Sea, marking a strategic shift in defense technology and the US-Japan alliance. This month, the Indo-Pacific Defense Forum (IPDF) reported that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is advancing its maritime capabilities by prioritizing […]

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The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) aircraft carrier has stolen the show at the RIMPAC 2024, flexing a powerhouse air wing and cutting-edge naval capabilities. Naval News reported that the USS Carl Vinson showcased its advanced air wing, known as CVW-2, during July’s biannual Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. […]

The post US flaunts the future of naval airpower appeared first on Asia Times.

The US Army’s recent Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) report warns that near-peer adversaries China and Russia are gearing up for unprecedented hybrid warfare tactics targeting the US homeland. The report says the US homeland, traditionally considered a sanctuary, is now vulnerable to its near-peer adversaries’ conventional, hybrid and irregular warfare tactics. The TRADOC report […]

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Kamikaze drones have been widely touted as a modern warfare “game-changer” but questions abound whether the new-age weapons are really revolutionary enough to reshape European and Asian battlefields of the future. Last month, The War Zone reported that the US is considering the potential of kamikaze drones in its military strategy. In a recent virtual […]

The post US kamikaze drones: war game-changer or buzzing boondoggle? appeared first on Asia Times.

A newly spotted Chinese submarine with an advanced rudder design signals China’s rapid advancements in submarine technology, potentially shifting the balance of power in underwater warfare vis-à-vis the US. Last month, The War Zone reported that a Chinese submarine featuring an innovative X-form rudder has been identified at the Wuchang Shipyard in central Wuhan. The […]

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On July 29, 2024, a follow-up quadrilateral ministerial meeting was held in Tokyo. The Quad gathering of Japanese, American, Australian and Indian foreign ministers was overshadowed in media coverage by the more stimulating US-Japan 2+2 meeting and trilateral meeting of US, Japanese and South Korean defense ministers a day earlier. Still, in diplomacy, even a […]

The post Why the Quad still matters appeared first on Asia Times.

The US has signaled a potential strategic pivot from legacy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems to more advanced platforms leveraging new technologies like space-based assets and stealth drones. This month, The War Zone reported that US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall hinted at a new ISR platform during a roundtable discussion before the Farnborough […]

The post US hints new stealth drone tech built to beat China appeared first on Asia Times.

The UK has started building its first sixth-generation fighter demonstrator, aiming to field a next-gen combat aircraft by 2035. The UK is steaming ahead with the program despite cost issues with similar fighter projects and questions of strategic value in the evolving air power space.  This month, the UK Defense Journal reported that the UK’s […]

The post UK pulls the throttle on Tempest next-gen fighter appeared first on Asia Times.

The US has upgraded its legacy B-2 Spirit stealth bombers with cutting-edge software, slashing update times and supercharging combat readiness against near-peer adversaries. The move comes amid potential production shortfalls in the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber program under development for the US Air Force by private contractor Northrop Grumman. This month, Air & Space […]

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Chinese scientists have proposed developing laser-equipped submarines to kill satellites stealthily from underwater, potentially revolutionizing anti-satellite (ASAT) warfare. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that People’s Liberation Army (PLA) scientists, led by Professor Wang Dan of the Naval Submarine Academy, have suggested that Chinese submarines could be equipped with megawatt-class, solid-state laser weapons capable […]

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The US Navy’s new budget-friendly maritime strike weapon program aims to replenish dangerously depleted stockpiles of long-range strike munitions in a potential Taiwan conflict by leveraging the production capabilities of crucial allies including Japan and Australia. This month, Breaking Defense reported that the US Navy has initiated a search for industry input on a novel […]

The post US scrambling to restock missiles for possible Taiwan war appeared first on Asia Times.

China’s cutting-edge electronic warfare (EW) capabilities are transforming the balance of power in the South China Sea, as shown by a recent encounter between US and Chinese forces. This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on China’s enhanced EW capabilities by shedding light on a December 2023 incident between a US EA-18 Growler […]

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China has developed a new algorithm to use low-resolution satellite images to track US warships globally, marking a significant development in maritime surveillance capabilities and military strategy. This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a team from the Dalian Naval Academy, led by Hong Jun, has developed a method to identify and […]

The post New China algorithm puts US warships in clearer view appeared first on Asia Times.

After a series of major maritime standoffs, the Philippines is in hot pursuit of more India-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to point at China in the contested South China Sea. The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) plans to bolster its coastal defenses with two additional batteries of the shore-based supersonic anti-ship missile by 2026, WION reported […]

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In response to escalating tensions and recent North Korean drone incursions, South Korea announced this month its plans to deploy laser weapons to counter drone infiltrations. This month, multiple news sources reported that South Korea announced plans to deploy laser weapons to counter North Korean drones as part of a broader strategy to bolster its […]

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China’s cutting-edge missile defense radar and Japan’s hypersonic missile test may spark a new East Asian arms race, potentially escalating regional tensions. The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese scientists from Tsinghua University have made an innovative radar that can track 10 missiles at Mach 20 with a mere 28-centimeter error in distance estimation […]

The post China and Japan ignite Asian hypersonic arms race appeared first on Asia Times.

China is on a roll with its rapid deployment of advanced fifth-generation fighters, potentially revolutionizing its airpower versus potential adversaries such as the US and India. This month, Nikkei reported that China’s new stealth combat aircraft, the J-31B, is expected to be deployed on its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian. Nikkei mentions that the fifth-generation […]

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The US Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program’s skyrocketing costs threaten the crucial weapon’s future just as the US faces growing nuclear competition from China and Russia. This month, the US Air Force’s (USAF) Sentinel ICBM program, managed by Northrop Grumman, has seen its cost estimate soar to approximately US$160 billion, up from $95.8 billion, […]

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The US has unveiled a US$10 billion strategy to upgrade military aircraft in Japan, a bid to bolster its defense posture amid rising tensions with China over Taiwan. However, aging aircraft, production problems and China’s fast-growing air force may mean the plan is too little, too late to significantly shift the region’s balance of air […]

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