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☆ A traditional Russian ally snubbed Moscow's latest fighter jets for competitors from Pakistan and Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Azerbaijan's biggest arms supplier has been Russia but it will likely acquire jets from elsewhere. AdvertisementThe small, oil-rich South Caucasus country of Azerbaijan has big plans to upgrade its modest fleet of fighter jets over the next decade. However, rather than turn to Russia, its traditional arms supplier for decades, Baku will likely acquire modern fighters from Pakistan and Turkey. "Neither Russia nor Western democracies are ideal suppliers, even though Russia has historically sold arms to Azerbaijan," Roblin told Insider. Turkey provided training and arms that enabled Azerbaijan to defeat Armenia's armed forces in the 2020 war over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Persons: —, Frederico Borsari, Borsari, Sebastien Roblin, Roblin, Armenia's, Sukhoi Su, Tatyana Makeyeva Azerbaijan's, China's, Armenian Su Organizations: Service, Thunder, Turkey's TF, Center for, Business, Azerbaijan, Russian, Pakistan Aeronautical, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, REUTERS, Armenia, Azerbaijan's MiG Locations: Russia, Moscow, Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Baku, Pakistan, Turkey, Pakistani, Ukraine, China, Armenia, Ankara, Nagorno, Karabakh, Zhukovsky, Soviet

☆ Opinion: Musk, McCarthy and Romney are three kinds of leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. A vain and ambitious cigar-smoking bully who wore riding breeches, a polished helmet and boots and carried ivory-handled revolvers, he led troops on successful lightning strikes through German-held territory near the end of World War II. Musk has repeatedly been criticized for enabling and boosting antisemitic content on the platform.”“Isaacson tries to square these two Musks. During Trump’s first impeachment, Romney became the first senator in US history to vote to remove a president of his own party from office. He has been willing to do what he believes to be right — consequences be damned.”The differences between Romney and Trump were many.

Persons: CNN — “ Troy, Hadrian, …, ”, George S, Patton, “, Stephen D, Clay Jones, Elon Musks, Elon, Nicole Hemmer’s, Walter Isaacson, Musk “, Musk, ” “ Isaacson, Isaacson, ” Hemmer, Walt Handelsman, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, McCarthy, Joe Biden, “ Trump, impeaching Biden, Norman Eisen, Trump, ” Eisen, Biden, James Antle III, ’, Hunter, McCarthy “, John Avlon, Dennis Aftergut, Lindsey Graham wasn’t, Michelle Lujan Grisham, she’s, Hunter Biden, Robert J, Spitzer, It’s, ” Vladimir, Kim, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Frida Ghitis, Putin, vaingloriously, Peter the Great, Sébastien Roblin, Don’t, Romney Francis Chung, AP Sen, Mitt Romney, Romney, Sen, John McCain, Trump’s, Lanhee J, Chen, Lisa Benson, Kate Bahn, ’ I’m, —, Dana Peterson, Erik Lundh, ” Dana Summers, Kunis Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson, Jill Filipovic, “ Kutcher, Kunis, Kutcher, Masterson, Danilo Cavalcante, Arick, Scott Stantis, Jeff Yang, Jets Phil Hands, Julian Zelizer, Aaron Rodgers ’, ” Don’t, Nick Anderson, Tess Taylor, Tommy Tuberville, Mahnaz, Roxanne Jones, Coco Gauff, Amanda Tyler, Lara Setrakian, Paul Hockenos, Don Lincoln, Sophia Nelson, Tim Scott, Kenneth Branagh, Agatha Christie’s, Hercule Poirot, Noah Berlatsky, Poirot, Branagh, Sara Stewart, Winona Ryder Organizations: CNN, US, Marine Corps, Third Army, Vostochny, Twitter, Defamation League, Agency, Caucus, Republicans, Democrats, White, North, Putin, AP, Senate, Hollywood, Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Peugeot, United Auto Workers, UAW, “, Federal Reserve, Conference Board, Ninth, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, REUTERS, Reuters, Apple, European Union, Jets, Boston Red Sox, The Chicago Cubs, The New York Jets, New York Jets, MetLife, Tribune, Studios Locations: China, Washington, New Mexico, Detroit, Russia’s, South Africa, Hunter Biden’s, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Russia, Ukraine, ”, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Aude, Pennsylvania, Brazil, Cupertino , California, Iran, New Texas, Venice

☆ Opinion: Ukraine is fighting Russia and making progress. Don’t give up on Kyiv.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Hilary Krieger | Opinion Sébastien Roblin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It’s true that the Ukrainian counteroffensive debuted with conspicuous setbacks and hasn’t advanced as much as hoped. Moreover, land seized by Russia earlier has been used to strike ever deeper into Ukraine, making restoring defensible borders an existential concern. But Kyiv got the ammunition needed to sustain the counteroffensive longer while awaiting expanded factory production of conventional shells in 2024. Putin miscalculated disastrously when he invaded in Ukraine, so he’s now hoping to outlast Western support for Ukraine to rescue what spoils he can. But failing to do so now could entail the US, Europe and Ukraine paying a much higher price later.

Persons: Sébastien Roblin, CNN —, Ukraine’s, Sebastien Roblin, wail, Vladimir Putin, hasn’t, Ukraine didn’t, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Biden, Bradley, Abrams, Putin miscalculated, he’s, Donald Trump, George McClellan, McClellan Organizations: Georgetown University, Peace Corps, CNN, Kremlin, GOP, Ukrainian, Engineers, British Royal United Services Institute, Defense, US, Lincoln Locations: China, Ukraine, Washington, Russia, Kherson, Ukrainian, Crimea, India, Robotyne, Verbove, Tokmak, Melitopol, NATO, British, Europe, Appomattox

☆ A potential first-of-its-kind fighter jet purchase could be a sign Saudi Arabia isn't happy with what it's getting from the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering a large number of French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets. In July, Germany announced it would not allow additional Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to be delivered Saudi Arabia. The Saudi air force's 72 Eurofighters are its second most numerous fighter type behind its US-made F-15s. Bandar Algaloud/ReutersIn the near-term, Saudi Arabia may find Rafales more burdensome than beneficial, given its extensive investment in US and British aircraft. A Saudi Air Force F-15 taxis for takeoff at King Faisal Air Base in February 2021.

Persons: France's, Toni Anne Barson, Sebastien Roblin, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Roblin, Salman, FAYEZ NURELDINE, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Rafales, Jamal Khashoggi, Bohl, Justin Bronk, Katherine Walters, Paul Iddon Organizations: Dassault Rafale, Saudi, Service, Privacy Policy, France's La Tribune, Eurofighter Typhoon, United Arab, La Tribune, French Dassault Rafale, Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon, Getty, East, NATO, Bandar Algaloud, Reuters, British, Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Saudi Air Force, King Faisal Air Base, US Air Force, Staff, Rafale, Washington Locations: Saudi Arabia, British, Riyadh, Wall, Silicon, Privacy Policy Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, French, Provence, Washington, Yemen, Iran, China, France, AFP, London, Russia, North Africa, NATO, United States, Bandar, Croatia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Greece

☆ The US's biggest arms buyers are looking elsewhere for a next-generation fighter jet, but it won't be easy to find
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But Washington has proved to be wary of selling those countries US-made stealth fighter jets. That leaves the Gulf states with various non-US options, which don't look all that promising — at least not any time soon. A prototype of Russia's Su-75 fighter jet at the MAKS-2021 air show outside Moscow in July 2021. AP Photo/Alexander ZemlianichenkoIn 2021, shortly after unveiling its Su-75 fighter, Russia offered to co-produce the jet, which is still in development, with the UAE. While China may eventually offer its FC-31/J-35 stealth fighter for export, it must first demonstrate the jet's effectiveness to attract serious buyers.

Persons: —, Sebastien Roblin, Chris Thornbury, Abraham, Abu Dhabi, FCAS, Roblin, Russia's Su, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Abu Dhabi's, Emily Hawthorne, RANE, Hawthorne, isn't, JOHANNES EISELE, Paul Iddon Organizations: Qatar —, Service, United Arab, —, US Air Force, Al Dhafra, Base, Staff, Abraham Accords, Reuters, AP, East, Korea's KF, Yonhap, Cooperation Council, KF, FC, Getty Locations: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Washington, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Chris Thornbury But Washington, Israel, Riyadh, British, France, Germany, Turkey, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Abu Dhabi, Russian, North Africa, Sacheon, South Korea, Seoul, Korea, Zhuhai, AFP, China

☆ Opinion: Trump, the hoarder in chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. Photos included in the 38-count indictment of former President Donald Trump and his aide Walt Nauta show bankers boxes stacked in a bathroom and other parts of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. Trump has always hung onto news clippings, documents and other mementos,” The New York Times reported. “Trump is chaotic and unpredictable in a way that could lead other Republicans to believe that there is a chance he won’t make it to the convention. As Zelizer noted, “Trump has denied wrongdoing, claiming he is being unfairly targeted.”But “given this unusual context, Republicans have legitimate reasons to think that there could be an upset.

Persons: Harry Fellowes, Fellowes, Harry Fellowes couldn’t, Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, Trump, Kim Jong, Mr, Jack Smith’s, Peter Bergen, ” Bergen, Nick Anderson, David Zurawik, “, ” Zurawik, ” Clay Jones, ” Trump, Jill Filipovic, ” Dana Summers, John Avlon, MAGA hasn’t, Gautham Rao, Donald Trump’s, Dean Obeidallah, Hillary Clinton, Phil Hands, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Julian Zelizer, “ Trump, ”, Facebook Trump, Zelizer, Republican Alice Stewart, Joe Biden, Mike, Pence, Agency Stewart, I’m, that’s, Chris Christie, Christie, Cupp, ’, Frida Ghitis, Mucutuy, –, Cristin, Tien Ranoque, ” Ghitis, David Andelman, Ruth Ben Ghiat, Brett Bruen, Sébastien Roblin, Michael Bociurkiw, Father’s, Edward S, Feldman, Harrison Ford, David G, Allan, Tom Hanks, ” Allan, I’ve, Ford, Indiana Jones, Steve Majors, Young, Joyce M, Davis, Pete Buttigieg, ” Davis, Buttigieg, Don’t, Tom Stiglich, Syndicate David Culver, Opal Lee, Dion Sims, Black, Juneteenth Scott Hodge, Roxanne Jones, LeBron James, NBA Joshua Douglas, Samuel Huneke, Jere Hester, they’re, Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon’s, Yoko Ono, Lennon’s, McCartney Organizations: CNN, White, The New York Times, West Wing, Tribune, Agency, US, Trump, Miami Mayor, Republican, Twitter, Facebook, intel, New, New Jersey Gov, Paramount Pictures, “, Syndicate, NBA, Central Press, Hulton, Beatles, BBC Locations: Trump’s, Mar, Miami, New Jersey, China, Philadelphia, Atlanta , Georgia, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Jamaica

☆ Opinion: In Ukraine, the Russian military response to the counteroffensive shows how it’s improved – and how it hasn’t
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Opinion Sébastien Roblin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The beginning of the much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russia seems not to have been a resounding success for Kyiv. But they don’t mean that all is lost for Ukraine – or even that Ukraine is now losing. Russia’s artillery ammunition, missile stockpiles and most-modern ground combat vehicles were gravely depleted, so 60-year-old tanks have been withdrawn from storage. It was while attempting to breach a path through one such fortified minefield that the 47th Brigade’s vehicles bogged down last week. Notably, a parallel drive toward Mariupol at the same time as the 47th’s failed attack last week has made fast gains, compelling Russian forces to withdraw from several settlements.

Persons: Sébastien Roblin, Bradley, ” Sebastien Roblin, Sebastien Roblin, Putin, Biden, —, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Organizations: Popular Mechanics, NBC, Forbes.com, Georgetown University, Peace Corps, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine’s 47th Brigade, Ukraine, Red Army, 47th Brigade, NATO, Twitter, Facebook Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Kursk, Kherson, Normandy, Berdyansk, Crimea

☆ Opinion: The ultimate ‘Succession’ lesson
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. Walt Handlesman/Tribune Content AgencyIn a much more ominous vein, the theme of survival dominates the HBO show “Succession,” which is coming to an end Sunday. She’s so caught up in beating her brothers at the succession game that she can’t see this baby as anything but an obstacle.”“Ultimately, this storyline is a perfect encapsulation of the larger tragedy that is ‘Succession,’” Bodenheimer added. The contest for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination heated up last week with the official entry of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former President Donald Trump’s strongest challenger in the polls.

☆ How unusually mild weather prevented what could've been the first aircraft carrier battle since World War II
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Argentine jets were poised to strike when the usually turbulent South Atlantic winds took a mild turn. Few of the half-dozen Argentine aviators expected to survive the attack, dubbed "Banzai Night" after the famous Japanese battle cry. Government of ArgentinaIronically, the Veinticinco de Mayo was originally a British carrier named the HMS Venerable launched by the Cammell Laird shipyard near the end of World War II. After a damaging boiler-room fire, the Karel was sold in 1969 to the Argentine Navy which extensively modernized and rebuilt the 25-year-old vessel. The Harrier and the Sea DartSea Harrier jump jets aboard HMS Hermes in the South Atlantic on May 1, 1982.

☆ A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's air force remains in the fight almost a year after Russia's shambolic invasion. Sooner or later, Ukraine must induct new jet fighters into service — and they sure aren't buying them from Russia. JAS-39 Gripen: background and capabilitiesA Swedish JAS 39 Gripen at Bobo, Norway in October 2018. A Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 Gripen in August 2010. JAS-39 Gripen vs. F-16A US Air Force F-16 takes off from Aviano Air Base in Italy in June 2020.

☆ The US's powerful Abrams tanks are heading to Ukraine, but generals disagree over how hard it'll be to use them on the battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

The US has pledged to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, joining a bevy of Western-made tanks. Here comes the M1 Abrams for UkraineA M1A2 Abrams tank fires at a target during an exercise. The same day, word spread that US President Joe Biden would announce he was sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. But Hertling disagreed that withholding the M1 Abrams was a "political decision" and didn't find the examples of non-US Abrams operators persuasive. M1 Abrams: training and sustainmentAn M1A2 Abrams drives into the woods during an exercise in Hohenfels, Germany.

The debate centers on the precise form and function of the new fighting vehicles — but it misses the point. (The guns on the Bradley and Marder are smaller-caliber, while the AMX is wheeled rather than tracked.) And despite the downsides of providing these more sophisticated vehicles, armored vehicles can help capture ground whereas artillery, even if more lethal and at least as important, by itself can’t. A Marder infantry fighting vehicle of the German armed forces participates in the NATO Iron Wolf military exercises on Oct. 26, 2022, in Pabrade, Lithuania. Nonetheless, supplying new, tougher armored vehicles will improve Ukraine’s ability to liberate territory.

In the mid-1990s, revelations that Israel may have shared U.S. fighter technology with China led Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wisc., to sponsor an amendment banning the not-yet-in-service F-22 stealth fighter from being exported. Unfortunately, this contributed to a negative outcome for the U.S. as well as its potential foreign partners. It’s true some U.S. defense partners maintain significant partnerships with potential military adversaries or may use U.S. arms in objectionable ways. If that happens, it could become impossible to rebuild domestic fighter production capacity fast enough to respond to a crisis. But it’s good for U.S. national security when our allies and partners retain an independent defense technology base rather than allowing their indigenous industries to atrophy.

Each new B-21 is pegged at roughly $729.25 million, and the U.S. Air Force expects to procure at least 100 of them. Factoring in inflation, it’s half the price of the exorbitantly expensive B-2 stealth bomber it’s meant to replace. Factoring in inflation, it’s half the price of the exorbitantly expensive B-2 stealth bomber it’s meant to replace. (China’s military grasps the benefit of long-range stealth bombers in the Pacific context and is developing its own Raider-like stealth bomber intended to expand its strike range.) That isn’t to say the Raider program should be written a blank check.

☆ How a tank the Soviets tried to keep secret became an icon of Ukraine's resistance against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Sebastian Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

An Afghan soldier fighting for the Soviets sits on a Soviet-made T-64 tank near the Salang Pass on August 17, 1989. However, these systems were mostly exported, and it's unclear whether either is currently operational on Ukrainian tanks. Defending Ukraine, 2014-2015A Ukrainian tank in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk in July 2014. A burned Ukrainian tank in Uglegorsk, on the frontline near Debaltseve, in February 2015. A pro-Russian separatist stands guard near a T-64 tank in Donetsk in July 2014.

After Fox News host Tucker Carlson took to the airwaves to ridicule female service members, an Army general defended the tens of thousands of women in the ranks in a social media post. That includes reviews of how active-duty officers engage on public social media platforms, where they are rightly held to stricter standards than typical users. This is evident in the war in Ukraine, where social media has greatly influenced the global public’s perception of the war. It’s true that just 4% of Russian military personnel were women in 2020, compared to 16.5% in the U.S. armed forces. And Russian female military personnel aren’t permitted to serve in combat roles.

☆ 2 of Russia's most modern multi-role fighters are leading Putin's air war over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Sebastian Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Two of Russia's most modern fighters have led its air war over Ukraine: the Su-30SM and the Su-35S. Two of Russia's most modern multi-role fighters have spearheaded Moscow's air war over Ukraine: the two-seat Sukhoi Su-30SM (code-named Flanker-H by NATO) and its successor, the single-seat Su-35S Flanker-E. Su-35S units active in UkraineSu-35S jet fighter of the Russian Air Force taking off, Kubinka, Russia. Artyom Anikeev/Stocktrek Images via Getty ImagesThe Russian Air Force (VKS) is currently receiving the last of 128 Su-35s ordered, most now committed to the war in Ukraine. Russia evidently lacks enough longer-range/endurance surveillance and combat drones to hunt Ukrainian air defense assets through laborious optical scanning.

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