On October 10, North Korea showcased a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM), and other weapons at a military parade in Pyongyang. The new liquid-fueled ICBM, displayed on an 11-axle truck, was significantly larger than North Korea’s existing Hwasong-15 ICBM, first demonstrated in 2017. The new solid-fueled SLBM, labelled the Pukguksong-4,...
On October 7, Russia successfully test-fired a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile from a warship in the Barents Sea. According to the Russian armed forces, the missile traveled 450 km and reached a maximum speed of Mach 8 before striking a floating target. The scramjet-powered Tsirkon missile reportedly began development in the early 2010s and...
Between September 30 and October 11, India fired two cruise missiles, a ballistic missile, and a anti-submarine missile in a series of tests. A fifth launch—of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile—will reportedly occur in the next 15 months. In the first test on September 30, Indian forces successfully launched an extended-range variant of the BrahMos...
On October 1, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced a test of the Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Consisting of two launch events on February 20 and October 1, the test (FTP-27) verified the interoperability of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptor...
On September 30, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to five Patriot air and missile defense systems to Switzerland. Under the sale’s terms, Switzerland could purchase up to five Patriot radar sets, 17 launchers, and 70 GEM-T interceptors. The total cost of the systems is estimated to be $2.2 billion. Related Links:...
On September 27, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Division displayed a new antiship ballistic missile (ASBM) in an exhibition of aerospace weapons. Featuring an enlarged booster, Iran claims the Zolfaghar Basir missile ranges 700 km, over doubles Iran’s earlier antiship missiles. Related Links: Iran unveils enhanced ballistic missile as tensions rise with US,...
On September 24, the U.S. State Department approved a potential $241 million sale of Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors to the Netherlands. The deal comprises 34 PAC-3 MSE interceptors and other related parts, training, and equipment. The Netherlands previously took delivery of recapitalized Patriot fire units in July 2019. Related Links:...
On September 3, the U.S. Army successfully test-fired its National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), downing a cruise missile target in the lowest-altitude intercept ever demonstrated for the system. The intercept was part of a testing series designated Vermillion Stallion. Used to defend Washington, D.C. airspace, NASAMS adapts a Sentinel radar and modified...
On September 23, the Indian Army successfully launched a Prithvi-II short range ballistic missile (SRBM) in a routine test near Chandipur on the country’s east coast. In the nighttime test, Army and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) personnel fired a randomly-selected missile from a mobile launcher and tracked its flight until impact in the...
On September 16, Romania received its first battery of Patriot surface-to-air-missiles from the United States. In an agreement valued at roughly $4 billion, Romania will take delivery of seven Patriot batteries, including 56 PAC-2 GEM-T and 168 PAC-3 MSE interceptors. Romania is expected to receive an additional three batteries in the coming year and its...
