The US State Department has approved the sale of some 220 cruise missiles to Australia in a deal valued at $895m. The proposed sale, which requires sign-off from Congress, includes Tomahawk missiles and technical support. The missiles will be used by the Virginia-class submarines Australia will acquire from the US under the Aukus defence pact. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said the missiles would provide “a really important capability”. The deal would enable the country “to reach out beyond our shores further and that’s ultimately how we are able to keep Australia safe” the minister told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation … Continue reading Australia plans to buy 220 cruise missiles from US

China will increase military spending by more than 7% this year, while warning of “escalating” threats. It was announced at the National People’s Congress (NPC), a rubber-stamp parliament, which is due to confirm President Xi Jinping’s third term. Beijing’s military budget – around $225bn – is still dwarfed by that of the United States, which is four times greater. But analysts believe China downplays how much it spends on defence. Outgoing Premier Li Keqiang told the NPC that “external attempts to suppress and contain China are escalating”. “The armed forces should intensify military training and preparedness across the board,” he … Continue reading China boosts military budget while warning of escalating threats

Canada’s military has said it recently discovered evidence of Chinese surveillance efforts in the Arctic. The discovery, first reported by Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, has raised questions about China’s activities in the far north. It comes after a suspected Chinese spy balloon floated through US and Canadian airspace before it was shot down by the US military. China has also been recently accused of interfering with Canadian elections. Monitoring buoys were discovered and retrieved last fall as part of Operation Limpid, an ongoing mission by the Canadian military tasked with identifying threats to the country’s security by surveilling … Continue reading Canada’s military tracked Chinese surveillance in the Arctic

One pilot has died after two Indian Air Force fighter jets crashed in a mid-air collision in central India. The planes were on a routine “operational flying training mission” when the incident happened, the air force said in a statement. Both aircraft had taken off from the Gwailor air base in Madhya Pradesh, about 50km (30m) east of where they came down. The air force has ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. The crash involved a Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 carrying two pilots, and a French-build Mirage 2000, flown by one pilot. Local media reports said wreckage … Continue reading Pilot dies in Indian army jet mid-air collision

Germany has snubbed British-backed Eurofighter jets in favour of a €10bn deal for US-made F-35 aircraft as it orders a fleet capable of carrying a nuclear arsenal. The 35 planes will carry American atomic weapons based in Germany, replacing ageing Tornado warplanes. It will be seen as a blow for the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is made by British manufacturer BAE Systems in partnership with Airbus and Italian company Leonardo. The German parliament’s budget committee signed off the F-35 deal on Wednesday as part of a broader €100bn package of defence spending Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised in the wake of Russia’s invasion … Continue reading Germany snubs British-backed Eurofighter jets with €10bn order of rival US war-planes

The UK is set to announce a collaboration between the UK, Italy and Japan to develop a new fighter jet that uses artificial intelligence. Prime minister Rishii Sunak says the joint venture aims to create thousands of UK jobs and strengthen security ties. The nations will develop a next generation fighter – due to enter service in the mid-2030s – that will eventually replace the Typhoon jet. It is hoped the new Tempest jet will carry the latest weapons. Work on developing it is already under way – with the aim to create a combat aircraft that will provide speed … Continue reading UK, Italy and Japan team up for mind-reading jet

The US Air Force has unveiled its newest nuclear stealth bomber, the B-21, which will gradually replace aircraft first flown in the Cold War. The first new bomber in 30 years could cost nearly $700m each and can carry nuclear and conventional weapons. As expected, specific details of the aircraft remain shrouded in secrecy. But US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said it was “a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation”. The B-21 Raider was unveiled during a ceremony on Friday at manufacturer Northrop Grumman’s facility in California. Mr Austin said the plane would offer significant advances over … Continue reading US Air Force unveils new B-21 Raider nuclear stealth bomber

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has named the country’s former spy chief as head of the military, the information minister said Thursday, ending months of speculation about the new appointment. The army has historically wielded huge political influence in Pakistan, ruling it for half of its 75-year history, and also oversees the country’s nuclear program. Like neighboring China and India, Pakistan has nuclear arsenals and a missile system, which is mainly aimed at India. Lt. Gen. Syed Asim Munir replaces Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, who completes his six-year extended term on Nov. 29. Munir begins his new role amid bitter feuding … Continue reading Pakistani PM names ex-spy master to be new army chief

Former US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, who served in the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, has died aged 68. He suffered a sudden cardiac event in Boston on Monday, his family said. As the country’s 25th defence secretary, he oversaw the military strategy that pushed back the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria and Iraq. Mr Carter is also credited with lifting the ban on transgender people serving in the US military. The policy change in 2016 allowed troops to transition gender while serving. It also set standards for medical care and prevented service members from being discharged … Continue reading Former US defence secretary Ash Carter dies at 68

A Russian military plane has crashed into a residential area in southern Siberia, local authorities have said. The Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft landed on a two-storey house in the city of Irkutsk, regional governor Igor Kobzev posted on Telegram. The governor said he was at the scene and both pilots had been killed, but no residents were hurt. According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the jet was on a test flight when it came down. Footage on social media showed the plane diving almost vertically before crashing in a fireball, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Another … Continue reading Russian fighter plane crashes in Siberian city of Irkutsk

South Korea and the US military have fired a volley of missiles into the sea, Seoul says, in response to North Korea’s launch of a missile over Japan. The missiles were fired into the East Sea – also known as the Sea of Japan – between the Korean peninsula and Japan. Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday, sending it over Japan for the first time since 2017. In response, the US, Japan and South Korea have been conducting military drills in a show of force. On Wednesday South Korea and the US each fired a pair of US-made Army … Continue reading South Korea and US fire missiles into sea in response to North Korea

British troops have taken part in a military exercise with Swedish and Finnish armed forces as the war in Ukraine continues. The Ministry of Defence said Exercise Vigilant Knife would help all three nations’ forces be effective in battle. Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this year signed a mutual security deal with Sweden and Finland. Mr Johnson travelled to both Sweden and Finland to sign the mutual security deals in May. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also repeated the UK’s support for the two nations’ bid to join Nato. “Whilst there is war in Europe, it is more important than ever to strengthen … Continue reading British army trains with Swedish and Finnish forces