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☆ China is reportedly developing military drones that can split into 6 to overwhelm enemy defenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The multiplying drones could expand into swarms that would confuse air defense systems, experts told Business Insider. But even when separated into single units, these drones' flight efficiency remains 40% higher than most small drones. Advertisement"When drones are detected, defense systems deploy a certain amount of resources proportional to the threat. If that threat suddenly multiplies, it provides an opportunity to overwhelm the air defense resources being deployed," Shumate said. Small, affordable drones are reshaping the modern battlefield in unprecedented ways, and forcing militaries to rapidly modernize their defense systems.

Persons: —, Getty, Will Shumate, Shumate, Huang, Sean Gallup, Admiral John Aquilino, Admiral Aquilino Organizations: Service, China Morning Post, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Astronautics, Acta Aeronautica, Army, RAND, Getty, US Army, Pacific Command, Armed Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine

[1/2] Admiral John C. Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command speaks at the IISS Special Lecture in Singapore March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline Chia/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The United States may seek access to more military bases in the Philippines under a joint defence agreement between the two countries, the chief of the U.S. Indo-Pacific command said on Thursday. Admiral John Aquilino said he and the Philippines' military chief, Romeo Brawner, had discussed further expanding the number of bases U.S. forces could access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The United States says it intends to bolster an already strong alliance and improve the defence capability of the Philippines. Aquilino also said the two countries were seeking to complete an agreement on boosting their intelligence sharing.

Persons: John C, Aquilino, Caroline Chia, Admiral John Aquilino, Romeo Brawner, Brawner, there's, Karen Lema, Mikhail Flores, Martin Petty, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Pacific Command, REUTERS, Rights, Enhanced, Thomson Locations: United States, Singapore, Rights MANILA, States, Philippines, U.S, China, Washington, Taiwan

Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions, imposed in 2018, dropped to facilitate discussions. This scuppered planned talks between theatre-level commands, regular defence policy co-ordination and military maritime consultations, which included operational safety issues. Diplomats and Chinese analysts say military attaches at embassies Beijing and Washington are still able to meet officials - an important element of routine communication. Senior Chinese military intelligence officials also participated in a secret meeting of regional spies in Singapore earlier this month - a session that included U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. The official said some lower-level interactions with the Chinese military had continued.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Li, Nancy Pelosi's, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Austin, Zhou Bo, Yang Tao, Admiral John Aquilino, General Lin Xiangyang, Greg Torode, Tian, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle Organizations: . Defence, China's Defence, Taiwan, Pentagon, Diplomats, National Intelligence, PLA, Beijing's Tsinghua University . Senior, Reuters, U.S, Pacific Command, Eastern Theatre, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, East Asia, China, United States, Beijing, Singapore, U.S, Taiwan, Washington, Hong Kong

[1/3] Admiral John C. Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command speaks at the IISS Special Lecture in Singapore March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline ChiaSINGAPORE, March 16 (Reuters) - The current friction in the Indo Pacific is alarming and "trending in the wrong direction", but the U.S. presence was not an effort to contain or invite conflict with China, a senior U.S. admiral said on Thursday. Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said an "AUKUS" partnership between Australia, Britain and the United States to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines was to boost its defence capability. Aquilino said the United States, with its exercises and patrols in the region, was not seeking conflict or to contain China, and would not support Taiwan's independence. "There's a place for China in this world to adhere and follow the rules like all the rest of us do," he said.

☆ Thailand hosts thousands of US troops for annual 'Cobra Gold' drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kwang Jirapornkuhakan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RAYONG, Thailand, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Thailand and the United States kicked off on Tuesday military exercises involving more than 7,000 personnel and forces from 30 countries, with the annual drills including a component focused on space exercises for the first time. "Cobra Gold", launched in 1982, is one of the world's longest-running multilateral military exercises and the biggest in Southeast Asia, serving as a key platform for Washington to shore up alliances in Asia at a time of increasing competition with China. After the drills were scaled back during the pandemic, nearly 6,000 U.S. troops will take part this year, Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, said, the highest number in a decade. Tensions have increased in the region between the United States and China over Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and over self-ruled Taiwan. Military and civilian space agencies from Thailand, the United States and Japan will take part, it said.

The White House said earlier in the week that China had not asked the United States for vaccines. One U.S. official told Reuters there was "no expectation at present" that China would approve western vaccines. "It seems fairly far-fetched that China would greenlight Western vaccines at this point. Amid a record year for missile tests, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said last week his country intends to have the world's most powerful nuclear force. He said China had considerable leverage to press North Korea over its weapons tests, but that he was not optimistic about Beijing "doing anything helpful to stabilize the region."

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