On October 29, the U.S. Air Force test launched a Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California. In a press release, the Air Force stated that the test “verifi[ed] the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system,” which travelled 6,700 km to Kawajalein Atoll in the South Pacific. The Air...
On October 21, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and 135 AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missiles to Taiwan. On October 26, the United States also approved the sale to Taiwan of up to 400 RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II missiles. The sales are...
On October 13, the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) completed its first test launch of its MK 57 vertical launch system (VLS), firing an SM-2 surface-to-air missile in waters near California. The MK 57 system, which was first delivered with the Zumwalt in 2020, can accommodate larger and heavier missiles than the MK 41 systems employed on most...
On October 28, France successfully fired a Missile de Croisière Naval (MdCN) submarine-launched cruise missile near Biscarrosse in the country’s southwest. In a press release, France’s Minister of Defense hailed the test as a milestone in sea trials for Suffren (Q284), the lead boat in a new class of attack submarines launched in 2019. The...
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 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...
