On April 26, Russia announced it had successfully test fired an anti-ballistic missile interceptor. The test took place at the Sary-Shagan test site in Kazakhstan. While Russia’s Ministry of Defense declined to name the missile, the weapon appeared to be a 53T6M, a replacement for the 53T6 “Gazelle” interceptors used in Moscow’s A-135 missile defense...
On March 24, North Korea test-launched two new short-range ballistic missiles. The state-run KCNA stated the missiles, which appear to be a variant of the KN-23, flew 600 km before striking a target in the Sea of Japan. Japanese and South Korean reports, however, say the missiles ranged about 430 km. Earlier on March 21,...
On April 5, the U.S. Air Force conducted a rocket booster test of its hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). According to a USAF release, “the test missile was not able to complete its launch sequence” and was not fired. The ARRW is a boost glide hypersonic weapon. The USAF has previously conducted seven...
On April 1, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration plans to remove at least three Patriot air defense batteries from the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia. The removal is part of U.S. plans to recalibrate its global force posture and dedicate fewer resources to the Middle East. Patriot defenses have been pulled...
On March 31, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced plans to acquire Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors. The weapons are scheduled to be delivered between 2025-2026 and deployed in 2026. Reports on the potential purchase surfaced as early as December 2020. Related Links: Taiwan to buy new U.S. air defence...
On February 26, Israel completed development of a ground-launched variant of the I-Derby ER air-to-air missile. In a press release, Israeli contractor Rafael stated it conducted a series of flight tests in southern Israel earlier in the week. The I-Derby ER is a radar-guided air-to-air missile with an estimated range of 100 km. The surface-to-air...
On February 23, the U.S. Air Force test launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. In a press release, the Air Force stated the launch demonstrated the United States’ “ability to provide safe, secure range operations…while maintaining a continuous state of readiness.” The United States previously tested...
On February 18, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) announced it was developing a new ballistic missile interceptor, the Arrow 4, with the United States’ Missile Defense Agency (MDA). In a statement, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced that the Arrow 4 will operate in the “endo-exoatmospheric” regime and complement existing Arrow 2 and –3...
On February 16, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missiles to Egypt. The approval, with an estimated sale cost of $197 million, includes 168 missiles, shipping and storage containers, and technical and logistical support. The Rolling Airframe Missile is a tactical missile employed for terminal air and cruise...
On February 11, Pakistan flight tested a Babur IA cruise missile in a routine training operation. In a press release, Pakistan’s military stated that the test met “all laid down training parameters” and that the missile variant could range up to 450 km. Pakistan first tested the Babur missile in August 2005. Related Links: Pakistan...
