Russian military advisors and equipment, including an air defense system, have arrived in Niger’s capital city of Niamey on Friday, April 12, according to state-owned media. The deployment reflects deepening ties between Moscow and the Nigerien junta, which in March revoked its existing military agreement with the U. S. Once installed, the Russian air defense system may complicate ongoing U. S. and French drone operations above the country’s ..read more

On Saturday, April 13, Iran launched an attack of approximately 300 drones and missiles at Israel, in the first-ever direct attack on the country from Iranian soil. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles were fired at the country. Israeli air defenses supported by U. S. and other allied forces intercepted the majority of the projectiles. The attack came as Tehran vowed retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria earlier this month which killed seven, including two generals. The Israeli war cabin ..read more

Following a meeting between U. S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday April 10, the Pentagon announced plans to deepen the existing alliance between the two countries. The decision will see the upgrading of joint command and control, networking of shared air defense and deepening of defense industry cooperation. The Pentagon announcement also stated the countries would incorporate future capabilities with ..read more

A wave of heavy air strikes in north-west Syria targeting Iranian-affiliated Hezbollah militants and Syrian soldiers has killed at least 42 people on Friday, according to the BBC. The Syrian government accused Israel, which has targeted Iranian-linked sites in the country before, of conducting the attacks. Hours after the strikes, the Israeli Defense Forces announced it had killed a ranking Hezbollah figure in an air strike in neighboring ..read more

South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announced it had been selected as a partner to Peru’s state-owned SIMA shipyard to support the procurement of several naval vessels for a total cost of $462. 9 million. The contract covers a 3, 400-ton frigate, one 2, 200-ton offshore patrol vessel (OPV) and two 1, 500-ton landing crafts, utility (LCUs). HHI will be responsible for the design, equipment & material package and technical support, while SIMA will construct the vessels. Delivery is planned by ..read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the order for the country’s routine spring conscription drive, according to documents released on the Kremlin website on Sunday, March 31. The drive will call up 150, 000 citizens for mandatory service, rising from last autumn’s drive for 130, 000 and the previous spring’s planned 147, 000. While not legally allowed to be deployed outside Russia’s borders, conscripted soldiers have been confirmed to be involved in Moscow’s war in ..read more

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The Air Force plans to acquire five EA-37B Compass Call electronic-attack aircraft in the upcoming fiscal year, replacing the aging EC-130H fleet with modern airborne jammers. The first of these new jets was delivered for testing last year and is expected to be mission-ready in 2024. The Compass Call' s primary function is to jam enemy signals, including communications, radar, and navigation systems, while also possessing capabilities to disrupt enemy air defenses and perform electronic warfare ..read more

The U. S. State Department has approved Morocco' s request to purchase FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles from RTX and Lockheed Martin. The request includes 612 Javelin missiles, missile simulation rounds, support equipment, training, and logistics services, with an estimated cost of US$260 million. Morocco intends to use the Javelins alongside its existing Red Arrow 9A anti-tank ..read more

The U. S. Navy (USN) is planning to decommission 19 vessels in fiscal year (FY) 2025, including 10 ships before reaching their planned end of expected service lives (ESLs), according to the Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2025. Among the vessels slated for decommissioning are two guided-missile cruisers (CGs), USS SHILOH (CG 67) and USS LAKE ERIE (CG 70), which have served for 33 and 32 years respectively, with ESLs of 35 years each. Additionally, USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CG 58) and USS NORMANDY (CG 60), both exceeding their 35-year ..read more