On July 19, Saudi air defense forces intercepted a Houthi-launched Badr-1 ballistic missile targeting the city of Jizan. No casualties were reported. Houthi media, however, reports that the missile successfully struck the Jizan airport and also suggests a second missile was fired at Saudi troops operating by Hodeidah in western Yemen. These sources did not state...
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has deployed more Iron Dome defense systems in central and southern Israel, according to an IDF announcement on June 15. The deployment follows significant clashes between Israel and Hamas militants over the past weekend. After Palestinian protests on Friday, during which an IDF officer was injured, Israeli Air Forces bombed Hamas...
On July 10, news sources reported that South Korea will develop its own air-to-ground cruise missile, with a potential initial operating capability (IOC) in the next several years. The missile will outfit the KF-X fighter jet, which is expected to enter service around 2026, according to a South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) official...
On July 12, Russia laid the keel on Stavropol, a Project 21631 Kalibr cruise missile-equipped Buyan-M-class missile corvette, according to Russian news agency TASS. This development follows the June 2018 commissioning of Vyshny Volochyok, another Project 21631 Buyan-M-class corvette carrying carrying 3M-14 Kalibr cruise missiles (SS-N-30A), according to a Russian Ministry of Defense news release. TASS...
On June 22, “in the Barents Sea…the missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov…fired the main Bazalt missile system on the target position, simulating a detachment of ships of the conventional enemy,” according to the Press Service of the Northern Fleet. In the exercise, “[t]he cruise missile ‘Vulkan’ launched from the ship overcame more than one hundred and...
On June 21, Japan will cancel missile evacuation drills in nine prefectures, citing the reduced threat from North Korea following the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12. According to Time, “Japan’s government started missile-specific evacuation drills last March,” and stated that it would not hold the drills provided the current threat from North Korea...
On June 12, speaking at the U.S. Naval War College, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson advocated for a transition from regular naval ballistic missile defense patrols to land-based BMD with systems like Aegis Ashore. Reflecting on the Navy’s BMD, Richardson said “It’s a pretty good capability and if there is an emergent need...
On June 1, the Pakistan Navy concluded a second agreement to buy two Type 054A Jiangkai II-class guided missile frigates from the China Shipbuilding Trading Co Ltd. (CSTC). This follows the initial 2017 agreement to procure two frigates. The Type 054A frigate weighs 4,000 tons and features stealth capabilities and a 32-cell vertical launching system...
On April 18, MBDA successfully conducted its second development test fire of its Sea Venom/ANL missile. The missile was tested from a Panther test helicopter at Ile Du Levant in southeast France. The Sea Venom/ANL is a joint venture by French and British navies designed for use against smaller, lighter ships such as fast attack vessels and corvettes....
On May 30, India and Russia finalized a price agreement for Indian procurement of the S-400 Triumf (NATO: SA-21 Growler). No public announcement of the price agreement has been made, but an Indian official suggested it could be disclosed at the Russia-India summit in October 2018. The price agreement comes despite the United States’ Countering...
