On June 11, IMI Systems (formerly Israeli Military Industries) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) issued a joint press release announcing that Israeli F-35 fighter jets will be fitted with the companies’ co-developed air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), Rampage. The Rampage is a precision-guided, stand-off weapon designed to penetrate air defenses and overcome anti access and areal...
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 16, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video showing a recent test launch of the short-range 9K720 Iskander-M ballistic missile. The video shows the missile successfully leaving the launcher but does not follow its entire trajectory. The Iskander is a road-mobile, solid-fueled tactical missile system designed to be used in theater level conflicts....
On June 13, Houthi militants struck a naval vessel belonging to the United Arab Emirates with two missiles in the Red Sea. The strike occurred as Houthi forces attempted to deter an amphibious assault by Saudi-led coalition forces moving on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. Reports about the missile strike conflict, as pro-coalition sources...
On June 13, Saudi Air Defense forces intercepted a Badr-1 SRBM fired from the Saada province in Yemen towards the Saudi city of Jizan. No casualties were reported, but the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition stated that the missile was intended to target civilians. Official Houthi media sources say the missile targeted the Faisal Military...
On June 12, Estonia signed a contract with European defense firm MBDA to procure additional air defense capabilities, including the Mistral short-range surface-to-air missile, beginning in 2020. The Mistral is man-portable and has a 6 km range. The €50 million contract builds on two initial contracts to procure the Mistral in 2007 and 2015. Related...
On June 12, President Donald Trump of the United States and Chairman Kim Jong Un of North Korea signed a statement at the Singapore summit which committed both countries to four main objectives: To reset the countries’ bilateral relations To build a peaceful regime on the Korean Peninsula To continue the April 2018 Panmunjom Declaration...
On June 9, a Houthi-fired missile killed three people in a residential area of the Saudi Arabian city of Jizan. Pro-Houthi news sources report the missile launched was a Badr-1 short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). Spokesman for the Arab Coalition Colonel Turki Al-Malki made a statement implying the coalition may escalate conflict with the Houthis in...
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 June 3, the Israeli geospatial intelligence firm ImageSat International (ISI) captured imagery of the contested Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, showing that Chinese deployed HQ-9 medium- to long-range active radar homing surface-to-air missile systems have been moved from their positions on the island’s beach. The missiles...
