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☆ UK says attacks on Russian bomber bases could be 'most strategically significant' force protection failure of the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian air bases have faced deadly drone attacks thought to be carried out by Ukraine. The drones involved in attacks on two Russian bases on Monday were launched from Ukrainian territory, the New York Times reported, citing a senior Ukrainian. "Ukrainian forces likely sought to disrupt Russian strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure and demonstrate Ukraine's ability to target Russian strategic assets," ISW added. The attacks on Russian air bases seemingly mark a new chapter in the conflict. "Why didn't Russian air defenses track and identify the targets so deep inside the country?"

☆ Drone strikes deep in Russia seen as Ukrainian rebuff to missile barrages
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Military analysts saw the attacks as Kyiv's response to Russia on the same day that Moscow conducted another wave of missile strikes on critical infrastructure in Ukraine. wrote Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. Musiyenko added: "It's a moment for Russia to wonder about continuing to conduct missile strikes on Ukrainian territory. It was not the first time Russia accused Ukraine of using such drones for attacks inside its borders. In an opinion piece on Nov. 29, Ukroboronprom's general director Yuriy Gusev called for an "asymmetrical response" by the Ukrainian army to Russian missile volleys.

CNN —Moscow’s accusation that Ukrainian drones struck two airbases deep inside Russia has once again raised the febrile question of escalation nine months into the war. Footage on Russian media shows the aftermath of an alleged drone strike Tuesday at an airfield in Kursk, Russia. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the blasts, in keeping with Kyiv’s policy of official silence around attacks inside Russia or in Russian-occupied Crimea. But it is hard to know what else Russia could do to Ukraine that it has not already done. Let us first quickly discuss why a Russian nuclear strike seems off the table, at least for now.

☆ Attacks on Russian air bases will have psychological impact- Western officials
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Attacks on airfields deep inside Russia will have struck a powerful psychological blow, senior Western officials said on Tuesday, saying it meant Moscow would have to think much more carefully about how to keep its long-range bombers safe. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attacks but has celebrated them, and Russia retaliated with a "massive strike on Ukraine's military control system". The senior Western officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strikes were the deepest inside Russia since its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. PARTNERSHIP WITH IRANRussia has used the bombers in its campaign since October to destroy Ukraine's energy grid, attacks that the Western officials said reflected Russian President Vladimir Putin's growing desperation. Military analysts see the drone strikes on Russia as a response to its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

☆ Explosions rock Russian military airbases; new strikes hit Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Explosions rocked two Russian military airbases hundreds of miles from the border with Ukraine on Monday, according to local officials and state media. Russian authorities said they were investigating the media reports about the explosions on the base. A Tu-95 strategic bomber from the Russian air force prepares to take off from an air base in Engels, Russia on Jan. 24, 2022. AP“Engels airfield is one of the most important bases of Russian air forces,” said Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko in a tweet. Analysts said it was unclear that the new wave of Russian strikes were in any way retaliation for the blasts at the airbases.

☆ Belgium begins trial over 2016 Brussels bombings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS — Belgium begins proceedings on Monday in its largest-ever trial to determine whether 10 men played a part in the Islamist suicide bombings in Brussels in 2016 that killed 32 people and injured over 300. The Brussels bombings trial has clear links to the French trial over the November 2015 Paris attacks. Six of the Brussels accused were sentenced to jail terms of between 10 years and life in France in June, but the Belgian trial will be different in that it will be settled by a jury not judges. Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris trial, is also an accused, along with others prosecutors say hosted or helped certain attackers. In accordance with Belgium court procedure, the defendants have not declared whether they are innocent or guilty.

☆ Blasts reported at two Russian airbases far from Ukraine, three killed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

State-owned RIA news agency said six others were injured in the tanker explosion in Ryazan, 185 km (115 miles) southeast of Moscow. The Engels base is about 730 km (455 miles) southeast of Moscow. It is one of two strategic bomber bases housing Russia's air-delivered nuclear capability, the other being in Amur region in the Russian Far East. Ukraine has previously demonstrated the ability to strike strategic Russian targets far beyond the 1,100 km-long front line in south and eastern Ukraine. In August, at least seven Russian warplanes were destroyed by explosions at a Russian airbase on the southwest coast of Russian-annexed Crimea.

☆ Russia's story on the mysterious explosions that rocked bases housing strategic bombers acknowledges a glaring weakness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Monday, Russia blamed Ukraine for explosions at two air bases home to strategic bombers. The attacks were carried out with "Soviet-era" drones, per Russia's Ministry of Defense. If true, that is a "baffling" admission, military expert Samuel Bendett told Insider. "Baffling," Samuel Bendett, a military expert with the Center for Naval Analysis, a Washington think tank, said in an interview. Neither Ukraine nor Russia claimed it was theirs, but the incident showed the craft is still being used today.

CNN —Russian forces unleashed a new round of missiles towards Ukraine on Monday, ramping up attacks on the central and southeastern regions of the country. “We see that strategic bombers have taken off and the first wave of missiles was already launched,” said Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Forces, adding that there may be several more assaults. Citizens sheltered in the metro in Kyiv on Monday, as Russia released another missile attack towards Ukraine. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesMost of the Russian missiles were intercepted: KyivThe Ukrainian Air Force said they had intercepted more than 60 Russian missiles on Monday, repelling further attacks on power facilities. Air defense intercepted most of the missiles.

☆ Belgium starts trial into Brussels bombings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Belgium begins proceedings on Monday in its largest ever trial to determine whether 10 men played a part in the Islamist suicide bombings in Brussels in 2016 that killed 32 people and injured over 300. The Brussels bombings' trial has clear links to the French trial over the November 2015 Paris attacks. Six of the Brussels accused were sentenced to jail terms of between 10 years and life in France in June, but the Belgian trial will be different in that it will be settled by a jury not judges. Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris trial, is also an accused, along with others prosecutors say hosted or helped certain attackers. In accordance with Belgium court procedure, the defendants have not declared whether they are innocent or guilty.

☆ Belgium’s biggest ever trial begins over Brussels bombings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Brussels Reuters —Belgium began proceedings on Monday in its largest ever trial to determine whether 10 men played a part in the Islamist suicide bombings in Brussels in 2016 that killed 32 people and injured over 300. The Brussels bombings’ trial has clear links to the French trial over the November 2015 Paris attacks. Six of the Brussels accused were sentenced to jail terms of between 10 years and life in France in June, but the Belgian trial will be different in that it will be settled by a jury not judges. Olivier Matthys/ReutersPieces of evidence are on display at the start of the trial. Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris trial, is also an accused, along with others prosecutors say hosted or helped certain attackers.

☆ Blasts reported at Russian air base where satellite images showed an 'unusual' amount of activity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Explosions were reported Monday at a military air base inside Russia. Last week, Der Spiegel reported that an "unusual" amount of activity was occurring at the base. The Russian Ministry of Defense later issued a statement attributing the blasts a Ukrainian attack. Images posted Monday by the commercial satellite firm Maxar shows the base hosting the Tu-160 as well as the Tu-95, or Bear, strategic bomber. The base is also home to strategic bombers.

☆ Pentagon debuts its new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft in more than 30 years. Both the Air Force and Northrop also point to the Raider's relatively quick development: The bomber went from contract award to debut in seven years. And we will build the bomber force in numbers suited to the strategic environment ahead," Austin said. The B-21 Raider, which takes its name from the 1942 Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, will be slightly smaller than the B-2 to increase its range, Warden said. Northrop Grumman has also incorporated maintenance lessons learned from the B-2, Warden said.

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.

☆ Northrop Grumman unveils B-21 nuclear bomber for U.S. Air Force
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Northrop Grumman unveils the B-21 Raider, a new high-tech stealth bomber developed for the U.S. Air Force, during an event in Palmdale, California, U.S., December 2, 2022. REUTERS/David SwansonWASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N) on Friday rolled out its new B-21 "Raider" jet, the first of a new fleet of long-range stealth nuclear bombers for the United States Air Force. The B-21 was unveiled during a dramatic ceremony at Northrop's Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, offering members of the public the first look at the new bomber. The Air Force planned to buy at least 100 of the planes and begin to replace B-1 and B-2 bombers. More than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners and the Air Force currently work on the program.

☆ U.S. preparing more sanctions on North Korea, Sullivan says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sullivan, who spoke via live video link, did not elaborate but said Washington was committed to using pressure and diplomacy to entice North Korea into giving up its nuclear arsenal. He pointed to increased cooperation between the United States, South Korea, and Japan, which have increased joint military drills. North Korea has said denuclearisation is off the table, and accused the United States and its allies of pursing "hostile" policies, including sanctions, that have left it no choice but to expand its military. Sullivan said Washington had no ill intent toward North Korea and is open to talks without preconditions. Sullivan said the administration has no illusions about the challenges, but that the United States remained committed to holding North Korea accountable.

☆ A US plan to drop bombs from cargo planes hit another milestone, but the Air Force is still figuring out how it would use it in a war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

US Air Force special operators launched a cruise missile from a cargo plane over Norway this month. The Air Force wants to have more planes that can launch long-range strikes, but there are logistical hurdles. US Air Force personnel load a Rapid Dragon deployment system on an MC-130J before a test in November 2021. Air Force Research Laboratory"The beauty of that capability is it doesn't require any aircraft modifications. We are intentionally trying to be provocative without being escalatory," said Melnicoff, Special Operations Command Europe's lead officer for Operation Atreus.

☆ South Korea scrambles jets as China, Russia warplanes enter air defence zone
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Nov 30 (Reuters) - South Korea's military said it scrambled fighter jets as two Chinese and six Russian warplanes entered its air defence zone on Wednesday. The planes did not violate South Korea's airspace, it said. An air defence zone is an area where countries demand that foreign aircraft take special steps to identify themselves. Unlike a country's airspace - the air above its territory and territorial waters - there are no international rules governing air defence zones. Moscow does not recognise Korea's air defence zone.

☆ After flying another joint patrol, Russian and Chinese bombers landed at each other's bases for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian and Chinese strategic bombers flew a joint patrol over the Western Pacific on Wednesday. During this patrol, the Russian bombers landed in China and the Chinese bombers flew to a Russian base. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Tu-95 bombers of the Russian air force and the Chinese H-6K bombers flew over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea during an eight-hour mission. As part of the drills, the Russian bombers for the first time landed in China and the Chinese bombers flew to an air base in Russia, the ministry said in a statement. A Russian Tu-95 bomber and Chinese H-6 bombers on a joint patrol over the East China Sea on May 24.

☆ Russian and Chinese strategic bombers conduct joint patrols in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Russian and Chinese strategic warplanes, including Tupolev-95 long-range "Bear" bombers, conducted joint patrols over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea, the Russian defence ministry said on Wednesday. South Korea's military said earlier that it scrambled fighter jets as two Chinese and six Russian warplanes entered its air defence zone. Russia's defence ministry said that "at certain stages of the route, strategic missile carriers were accompanied by fighters of foreign states." "An air group consisting of Tu-95MC strategic missile carriers of the Russian Aerospace Forces and strategic bombers XIAN H-6K of the PLA Air Force carried out air patrols over the waters of the Japanese and East China Seas," the ministry said. It said Russian and Chinese aircraft "acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law" and that no foreign airspace was violated.

It was in China's interest to make its "best efforts" to induce North Korea to denuclearise, he said. North Korea's tests overshadowed multiple gatherings this month of international leaders, including the Group of 20 conference in Bali, where Yoon pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, as well as a close partner of North Korea. South Korea, Japan, and the United States have agreed to share real time information for tracking North Korean ballistic missile tests. Now Japan faced more and more threats from North Korea’s missile programme, including tests that overfly Japanese islands, Yoon said.

☆ Ancient anti-aircraft guns are taking on a new mission amid Russia's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia and Ukraine have both turned to older anti-aircraft guns to bolster their air defenses. During World War II, half of the Allied bombers shot down over Germany may have victims of "flak" — a shortened version of a German word for 1930s-era anti-aircraft guns. SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty ImagesRussia and Ukraine are both using Soviet-made S-60 anti-aircraft guns that date to the 1940s. Older anti-aircraft guns also offer a political advantage. Even as more sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons have been deployed, anti-aircraft guns have remained useful, albeit in more limited roles.

☆ The scramble to rearm Ukraine is transforming NATO in a way that would've been hard without Putin's help
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NATO countries have scrambled to rearm and resupply Ukraine as it fights off Russia's invasion. Troops from six NATO countries during a joint terminal attack controller training in Latvia on April 6. Germany has agreed to send some older hardware to countries that send their Soviet-made tanks and armored vehicles to Ukraine. Interoperability with weapons and alignment on tactics will also make it "veritably impossible for these countries to leave NATO," Banerjee added. "The weapons are from NATO, they're going to be from NATO, they will be back-built, and these components will be from NATO countries."

☆ Russian forces were suffering from 'electronic fratricide' within days of attacking Ukraine, a new report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Early in Russia's attack on Ukraine, Russian forces used electronic warfare to great effect. The problem for Russian forces is that their electronic warfare also jammed their own communications. Initially, Russia's jamming offensive was devastating and validated Moscow's heavy investment in electronic warfare. Not surprisingly, Russia cut back on electronic warfare after the first two days of the war. A Russian Su-35 downed by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region in April.

☆ Kim Jong Un reveals daughter at North Korea ballistic missile test
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Leila Sackur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A new ballistic missile with the range to hit all of the United States is a hard thing to upstage. But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did just that with a surprise guest at the test-launch: his little-known daughter. Kim revealed his daughter to the world for the first time Saturday in images showing the pair hand-in-hand at the missile launch site, an unexpected appearance that raises the prospect of a fourth generation of Kims taking leadership of the secretive state — and its growing nuclear arsenal. North Korean state media said Saturday that Kim had observed the launch of the state’s new type of intercontinental ballistic missile with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, other officials, and his “beloved daughter” the previous day. Kim said the launch of the nuclear-capable Hwasong-17 missile proved he has a reliable weapon to contain U.S-led military threats, and the U.S. responded by flying supersonic bombers in a show of force.

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