DefenceTalkThe US Air Force gave a nuclear missile unit an “unsatisfactory” rating, according to a statement released Tuesday, in a setback for strategic forces after a similar incident in May. An inspection conducted August 5-13 assessed the 341st Missile Wing’s “ability to execute operations while complying with nuclear surety standards.” The Air Force said the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-nuclear-missile-unit-deemed-unsatisfactory-48758/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Navy completed the first fleet firing of Raytheon’s Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 as part of its ongoing developmental and operational testing (DT/OT). In an at-sea test conducted from the USS Arlington (LPD 24), two RAM Block 2 missiles engaged a subsonic target in a scenario designed to demonstrate the advanced missile’s defensive […]https://www.defencetalk.com/rolling-airframe-missile-block-2-completes-initial-fleet-firing-48701/

DefenceTalkRussia has not delivered advanced S-300 missile systems ordered by Syria although several have been built and Damascus has paid a multi-million deposit, Vedomosti daily reported Friday, citing arms industry sources. A batch of the systems was due to be sent to Syria this spring, according to the Russian arms export agency’s contract with Damascus, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-has-not-delivered-syria-s-300s-report-48710/

DefenceTalkIran has developed a second rocket-launching facility which will likely be used to test ballistic missiles, a London-based defence analysis group said Thursday. IHS Jane’s said it had pinpointed the site outside the city of Shahrud, around 350 kilometres (220 miles) east of Tehran, near the Caspian Sea and the Turkmenistan border. By analysing satellite […]https://www.defencetalk.com/new-iran-launchpad-for-ballistic-missile-tests-experts-48703/

DefenceTalkRussia’s deputy defense minister has suggested updating the agreements on conventional weapons control, which no longer match the political situation and the effectiveness of modern high-precision arms. Speaking at a session of the Russia-NATO council, Anatoly Antonov said that the new ideas could be used when the European countries start building a new space of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-calls-on-nato-to-review-cold-war-methods-of-arms-control-48647/

DefenceTalkThe Burke Chair is issuing a fully updated version of the second volume in a new series of reports on the Gulf Military Balance. The new volume is called The Gulf Military Balance, Volume Two: The Nuclear and Missile Dimensions. Volume Two builds on, updates, and expands previous Burke Chair reports on the military balance […]https://www.defencetalk.com/the-gulf-military-balance-volume-two-the-nuclear-and-missile-dimensions-48533/

DefenceTalkRussia will continue to increase its potential in air-space forces and other parts of its nuclear deterrence strategy, Chief of Staff said Tuesday. “(Russia) will beef up its air-space defense capabilities through modernization of its informational and first-strike parts,” Valery Gerasimov told reporters. He added that such modernization would guarantee early warning about launch of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-beef-up-strategic-deterrence-potential-48477/

DefenceTalkA new report by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center warns that China is trying to expand its offensive missile forces and solidify its first-strike advantage in the Western Pacific. According to the report, China “is developing and testing offensive missiles, forming additional missile units, qualitatively upgrading missile systems, and developing methods to counter […]https://www.defencetalk.com/growing-chinese-missile-threat-argues-for-investment-in-long-range-strike-48460/

DefenceTalkAnalysis reveals a newly identified surface-to-surface missile base deep in the Saudi desert, capable of targeting Israel and Iran, according to IHS Inc. (IHS), the leading global source of information and analytics. As fears of a nuclear-armed Iran continue to stoke tensions in the Middle East, there are questions over whether Saudi Arabia might also […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ihs-reveals-saudi-arabias-undisclosed-missile-site-48425/

DefenceTalkThe US military will go ahead with the deployment of a missile defense system in Alaska despite the recent test failure of an interceptor missile, officials said Tuesday. Pentagon spokesman George Little said the unsuccessful test on Friday of a Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) was no reason to scrap deployment of the weapons in Alaska. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/missile-plan-to-go-ahead-despite-test-failure-us-48348/