The combined use of drones, artillery, and missiles in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh offers critical insight into the conduct of future wars.
On December 1, Russia announced it had deployed S-300V4 air defense systems to disputed islands claimed by Japan. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the S-300s were positioned on the island of Iturup, part of what Russia calls the Southern Kuril Islands and what Japan calls the Northern Territories. Russia seized the island chain towards the...
On November 26, Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced it had conducted a successful test launch of its A-135 anti-ballistic missile (ABM) interceptor. The launch took place at Kazakhstan’s Sary Shagan test range. The A-135 system entered service in the 1990s to replace the Soviet-era A-35 anti-missile system, and is designed to intercept an ICBM strike...
On October 18, India successfully test launched a BrahMos cruise missile from a destroyer, striking a target in the Arabian Sea. In a release, India’s Ministry of Defence stated that the missile performed “extremely complex manoeuvres” in flight. India previously tested an extended-range variant of the BrahMos missile on September 30. Related Links: BrahMos Supersonic...
On October 16, Turkey conducted the first live-fire test of its S-400 air defense system from Sinop in the country’s northern region. According to a defense industry source, Turkish forces fired three missiles from the system, all of which “successfully hit the designated targets.” Turkey agreed to purchase the S-400 system from Russia in 2017...
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...
On April 15, Russia test fired a ground-based, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile. U.S. officials did not say where the weapon was aimed but it does not appear that the test missile struck a satellite. The weapon employed was likely the PL-19 “Nudol,” which Russia has tested since 2014 and last flew in November 2019. The Nudol...
On April 2, Ukraine’s Luch Design Bureau successfully test fired its Neptune antiship missile at Alibey Training Ground in the country’s Odessa region. In a statement, Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council said the test verified “the tactical and technical characteristics” of the weapon, which entered Ukrainian service in early 2019. The Neptune cruise missile...
Russia test fired its Tsirkon hypersonic missile from a ship for the first time, Russia’s TASS news agency has reported. According to defense industry sources, Russia launched the missile from the frigate Admiral Gorshkov in early January, striking a ground target over 500 km away. The Tsirkon missile has a claimed range over 1,000 km and...
On February 22, Serbia’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had received delivery of two Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense systems from Russia. In a statement, Serbia’s Defense Ministry announced the successful outcome of the sale, which will include six Pantsir-S1 units in total. Russia and Serbia first publicly announced the Pantsir-S1 deal in late 2019. Related Links:...
