DefenceTalkGlobal nuclear weapons in early 2016 saw a slight decrease from 2015, with China ranking fourth with 260 nuclear weapons, which is about 3.7 percent of that of the U.S., an annual nuclear forces data report said. As of January, the total number of nuclear weapons possessed by nine states – the U.S., Russia, the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-has-260-nuclear-weapons-fewer-than-4-of-us-67678/

DefenceTalkChinese construction on a South China Sea islet claimed by the Philippines would prompt “actions being taken” by the United States and other nations, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter warned Saturday. Speaking at a security summit in Singapore, Carter said Beijing risks building a “Great Wall of self-isolation” with its military expansion in the contested […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-vows-action-if-china-builds-new-south-china-sea-structures-67601/

DefenceTalkToday, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a staff research report entitled China’s Expanding Ability to Conduct Conventional Missile Strikes on Guam. The report highlights how China’s ability to conduct conventional cruise and ballistic missile strikes on Guam is growing, even as the island’s strategic importance to the United States is increasing. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-expanding-ability-to-conduct-conventional-missile-strikes-on-guam-67457/

DefenceTalkMoscow seeks legally binding guarantees that the United States’ plans to deploy missile defense technologies in Eastern Asia are not directed against Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday. The United States has been in dialogue with South Korea over the proposed deployment of the THAAD system over the past year. THAAD is capable of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/moscow-us-missiles-in-asia-not-to-target-russia-67428/

DefenceTalkChina will take part in a regular US-led naval exercise starting next month, a top US commander said Friday, despite tensions over Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. The United States will host multinational naval drills called the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) — billed as the world’s largest — off Hawaii […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-to-join-us-led-naval-exercise-us-official-67419/

DefenceTalkA top U.S. official says Washington still hopes to hold a dialogue with Beijing on the possible deployment of an advanced missile defense system, known as THAAD, in South Korea. At an Air Force Association policy seminar Thursday in Washington’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Assistant Secretary of State Frank Rose reiterated the assertion that THAAD would […]https://www.defencetalk.com/top-us-official-washington-seeking-thaad-dialogue-with-beijing-67408/

DefenceTalkChina has denied the US aircraft carrier USS Stennis and accompanying naval vessels permission to make a port call in Hong Kong, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. It was not immediately known what prompted the Chinese action, but it comes amid growing tension between the two countries over Beijing’s moves to assert its claims to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-rejects-hong-kong-port-call-by-us-aircraft-carrier-pentagon-67376/

DefenceTalkA Pacific Surface Action Group (PAC SAG) departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam April 27 following a port visit en route to the Western Pacific. The PAC SAG is comprised of the embarked staff of Destroyer Squadron 31, guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111), USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Momsen (DDG 92) and embarked “Devil […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-deploys-3-more-destroyers-to-western-pacific-67362/

DefenceTalkA U.S. Pacific Command air contingent began flying operations at Clark Air Base on April 19 with the successful launch of four A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and two HH-60G Pave Hawks. The aircraft are part of the newly stood up air contingent here conducting operations ranging from air and maritime domain awareness, personnel recovery, combating piracy, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pacaf-a-10s-hh-60s-fly-first-air-contingent-missions-in-philippines-67325/

DefenceTalkNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hailed a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test as an “eye-opening success”, state media said Sunday, declaring Pyongyang has the ability to strike Seoul and the US whenever it pleases. Saturday’s launch came amid growing concern that Pyongyang is preparing a fifth nuclear test. But it was followed just hours later […]https://www.defencetalk.com/north-koreas-kim-hails-successful-submarine-missile-test-67320/