DefenceTalkUnless it is stopped, North Korea will eventually acquire intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, the four-star general selected to lead US forces in South Korea told lawmakers Tuesday. Speaking at his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Vincent Brooks warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was determined to build rockets that could […]https://www.defencetalk.com/north-korea-on-path-to-develop-inter-continental-missiles-67290/

DefenceTalkAs part of its role in the ongoing rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, the Defense Department is making new investments in the region and linking its bilateral relationships there to bilateral and trilateral arrangements, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today. The secretary is on a two-week trip to visit with leaders in India, the Philippines, the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/carter-dod-takes-next-step-in-sustaining-asia-pacific-rebalance-67270/

DefenceTalkUS forces will gain access to more military bases in the Philippines than the five already announced, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday as he began a visit to the longstanding Asian ally. Manila announced this year it would allow US forces to use five of its installations, including an air base close to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-forces-to-gain-access-to-more-philippine-bases-carter-67248/

DefenceTalkIn a sign of Indonesia’s increased focus on its economic interests in the country’s Natuna Islands region, the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara, or TNI-AU) is readying the deployment of four units of its Korps Pasukan Khas (PASKHAS) special forces ground corps to the largest of the island cluster, Pulau Natuna […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indonesia-shifting-more-defense-resources-to-south-china-sea-67240/

DefenceTalkUS Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will meet Indian leaders in New Delhi later Tuesday, seeking to bolster a strategic relationship Washington sees as crucial in the face of China’s growing military ambitions. Carter will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit, aimed at shoring up […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-courts-india-to-balance-chinas-military-ambitions-67235/

DefenceTalkUS Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter headed Saturday to India and the Philippines for talks on increasing regional defense cooperation, after calling off a planned trip to China amid tensions over Beijing’s expansionist ambitions in the South China Sea. Carter will fly out of Washington and travel to India and the Philippines for his Asian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-tensions-top-agenda-as-pentagon-chief-heads-to-asia-67203/

DefenceTalkA report examining nuclear security worldwide suggests India’s “nuclear security measures may be weaker than those of Pakistan”, but says the risk “appears to be moderate”, while claiming risk of nuclear theft in Pakistan “appears to be high”. The Harvard Kennedy School report, “Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: Continuous Improvement or Dangerous Decline?”, says it is difficult […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indian-nuclear-security-measures-weaker-than-pakistans-report-67139/

DefenceTalkAt a time when the PLA Navy has become an indispensable force in safeguarding China’s interests, the nation should further strengthen its maritime capabilities, a senior naval officer said. “A strong maritime force is one of the decisive factors in whether the country will be fully capable of protecting its interests,” said Rear Admiral Du […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pla-officer-navy-needs-more-punch-67126/

DefenceTalkNorth Korea on Monday fired five short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast — the latest in a series of launches ordered by leader Kim Jong-Un amid rising military tensions. They came just days after the North test-fired two medium-range missiles in what the UN Security Council described as an “unacceptable” violation of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/north-korea-fires-five-short-range-missiles-into-sea-67121/

DefenceTalkThe Philippines on Sunday hailed a new accord giving the US military access to five of its bases, saying this would strengthen its defensive capabilities and maritime security. The agreement between the two close allies comes as the Philippines and other countries are embroiled in a tense dispute with China over conflicting territorial claims in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/philippines-says-defense-strengthened-under-us-rotational-deal-67100/