On July 23, Congress released the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Fiscal Year 2019 Conference Report, which could permit the United States to exempt states from sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). If entered into law, this would allow the United States not to sanction India for (and others in the...
On July 21, Russian Ambassador to Qatar Nurmakhmad Kholov told Russian news agency TASS that Qatar and Russia had been discussing the sale of the S-400 Triumf missile system. In October 2017, Russia and Qatar signed a small arms agreement, with contract agreements following. In the interview, Kholov stated, “As for air defense systems, S-400...
On July 19, the Russian Ministry of Defence released a video of a MiG-31K firing a KH-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM). The interceptor aircraft was flying with “a Tu-22M3 bomber with a new missile,” according to Russian news agency TASS. The Kinzhal is nuclear-capable, and on July 18 TASS reported that Russia plans to...
On July 13, Indian Minister of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman announced that India will continue pursuing its deal with Russia to procure the S-400 Triumf air defense system. The decision comes even with the possibility of sanctions imposed by the United States via the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and follows the price agreement...
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 July 3, Russian news source TASS stated that “Russia has completed the state trials of the 40N6E long-range missile for the S-400 air defense system,” according to “a source in the domestic defense industry.” The 40N6E is an extended-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) that may be able to intercept ballistic missiles and has a reported...
On July 2, Russian news source TASS reported that Russia plans to test the KH-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) “aboard the Tu-22M3 strategic bomber.” Quoted in TASS, General Mikhail Operin stated, “‘The tests are needed to see whether it [the bomber] will be capable of accelerating the missile and to get the results.’” The...
On June 29, Russian media outlet TASS reported, “The D-30 missile system including R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile, has been accepted for service by the Russian Navy following successful tests,” according to “a source in the Russian military-industrial complex.” This decision follows the salvo launch of four Bulava SLBMs in May 2018. The Bulava (NATO: SS-N-32)...
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 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....
