Kim Jong Un’s Latest Ballistic Missile Can Strike Almost Anywhere in America
After a months-long lull in activity, North Korea test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on what appears to have been a lofted trajectory. According to the Pentagon, the weapon flew for a distance of 1,000 kilometers before splashing down near Japan. Very few details were immediately available. “Initial assessment... Read more
Russia Is Nearly Halting Stealth Fighter Production for a Decade
The Kremlin’s new state armament plan, which will run from 2018-2027, will continue modernization of the Russian Aerospace Forces. However, while Russia will continue to buy modern combat aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E air superiority fighter and the Su-34 Fullback bomber, Moscow is not likely to make... Read more
Russia’s New Version of the Backfire Bomber Has a Problem
Russia is planning to upgrade its fleet of Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire intermediate range bombers with new engines and avionics. The first of 30 modernized supersonic bombers will make its first flight next year if all goes as planned. “The first heavily upgraded Tu-22M3 will take to the skies in 2018,” Tupolev... Read more
Russia Is Improving the Biggest Bomber Ever
Early next year in February, the first of Russia’s new production Tupolev Tu-160M2 Blackjack supersonic strategic bombers will take to the air. The new bomber is essentially a prototype of a next generation variant of the venerable Blackjack, the first generation of which was built during the 1980s in the last... Read more
China’s Early Steps Toward a Global Air Force
China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force is starting to make headway in developing an expeditionary capability as Beijing continues its rise as a great power, according to a new RAND Corporation study. While initially focusing on “non-war” operations involving airlifters, it is likely that the PLAAF will eventually develop... Read more
El mayor riesgo de una guerra en Europa se encuentra en los Países Bálticos
Desde 2014, la Alianza Atlántica (OTAN) ha reforzado sus posiciones en su flanco oriental en múltiples ocasiones para disuadir a Rusia. El objetivo de la Alianza consiste principalmente en cambiar el comportamiento de Rusia, pero ¿cómo mide uno los cambios de política de Moscú? La RAND Corporation publicó recientemente... Read more
The U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes Watch for Chinese Stealth Fighters
The Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye completed its first aerial refueling earlier this summer. The new capability, which will be eventually be retrofitted onto the U.S. Navy’s entire E-2D fleet, will greatly increase the range and endurance of the Advanced Hawkeye. That is particularly important as the United States... Read more
Europe’s Greatest War-Risk Is in the Baltics
Since 2014, the NATO alliance has made numerous posture changes on its eastern flank to deter Russia. Essentially, the alliance’s goal is to change Russian behavior, but how does one measure such policy modifications in Moscow? The RAND Corporation recently released a new report that attempts to build an analytical... Read more
Why the U.S. Navy Loves Big Aircraft Carriers
A new RAND Corporation study has concluded that bigger aircraft carriers such as the Gerald R. Ford-class are more effective and more survivable than smaller carriers. While a slightly smaller 70,000-ton design would be cheaper to operate, such a vessel would be more vulnerable while costing extra money to develop and... Read more
Despite the Fearmongering, Russia Is Actually Relying Less on Nuclear Weapons
In recent months there has much hysteria in Washington about Russia allegedly lowering its nuclear threshold and particularly about Moscow’s arsenal of non-strategic nuclear weapons. However, there is little evidence that Moscow has lowered its nuclear threshold — nor are there concrete figures available for how many non-strategic nuclear... Read more