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☆ Russia says strategic bombers flew over Pacific, Bering and Okhotsk seas
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 18 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday that two of its Tu-95MS strategic bombers had conducted a flight of more than 12 hours over the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. The aircraft were escorted by MiG-31 fighter planes, and refuelled while in the air, the ministry said. NATO is conducting nuclear preparedness exercises this week and has said it expects Russia to hold its own nuclear drills imminently. U.S. officials have said they expect the Russian exercises to include the test launch of ballistic missiles. Western officials are concerned about the timing of the Russian exercises but have expressed confidence in their ability to discern the difference between a Russian drill and any move by Putin to make good on his threats.

☆ The Russian pilots who ejected from a military plane moments before it crashed into an apartment building and killed 13 people could face charges, Russia says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian Su-34 aircraft crashed into an apartment building in western Russia, killing 13 people. Now, a Russian committee is investigating to see if the pilots could faces charges for the incident. Debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen on the damaged building in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. AP PhotoA burnt bus and debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. Yeysk, which is home to around 80,000 people and a Russian military air base, is located along the Sea of Azov and is a short distance from the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

☆ U.S. Pushes to Keep B-52 Bombers Going as Pressure From China Grows
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Doug Cameron | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. will rely on existing B-52 jets, like this one landing at England’s RAF Fairford station, until the made-over versions debut. The U.S. is pushing to upgrade its 60-year-old fleet of strategic bombers to keep them flying into the second half of the 21st century in an effort to deter potential adversaries such as China and Russia. Air Force officials and military experts have said the refresh of the B-52 bomber—a long-range jet built by Boeing that can carry large loads of conventional and nuclear weapons—is crucial to providing an effective deterrent. The B-52 revamp could cost $11.8 billion, according to Pentagon budget documents in the spring.

☆ A fighter pilot's promotion shows how China's navy is learning from the US as its aircraft carrier fleet grows
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Minnie Chan | South China Morning Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The promotion of flying officers to command positions on China's carriers mirrors the US approach. A CCTV documentary highlights another similarity, with the Chinese navy now training its own pilots. "As a user of ship-borne weapons, I would share my [naval flight experiences] with comrades working in the equipment department and try efforts to improve our operational system, finding a better way to help China's aircraft carrier undertaking," Xu told a documentary on CCTV. The launch in June of China's third and most advanced carrier, the Fujian, has increased the demand for more outstanding carrier-based pilots like Xu. The new aircraft combat platform's electromagnetic catapults — similar to those on the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier — means the PLA Navy will have to master a new launch and recovery system.

☆ Videos capture a Russian strike fighter on fire moments before it crashed into an apartment building
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian Su-34 warplane crashed into an apartment building in western Russia on Monday. One of the fighter-bomber's engines caught fire, and the two pilots ejected, according to reports. Yeysk is located along the Sea of Azov, a short distance across the water from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian port city Mariupol. Screengrab/Google MapsAccording to an open-source intelligence analysis by Oryx, Russian forces have lost at least 16 Su-34 fighter-bombers throughout the nearly 8-month invasion of Ukraine. Monday's accident marks the 10th non-combat crash of a Russian warplane, CBS News reported.

☆ Analysis: What is Russia's policy on tactical nuclear weapons?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

WHAT ARE TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS? Academics and arms control negotiators have spent years arguing about how to define tactical nuclear weapons (TNW). The clue is in the name: they are nuclear weapons used for specific tactical gains on the battlefield, rather than, say, destroying the biggest cities of the United States or Russia. The atomic bomb dropped by the United States on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945 was about 15 kilotons. The president is the ultimate decision maker when it comes to using Russian nuclear weapons, both strategic and non-strategic, according to Russia's nuclear doctrine.

☆ NATO to kick off nuclear drills involving B-52 bombers on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The nuclear drills - which do not involve live bombs - are taking place amid heightened tensions after Russia repeatedly threatened nuclear strikes in Ukraine following major military setbacks on the battlefield there. "Steadfast Noon" is likely to coincide with Moscow's own annual nuclear drills, dubbed "Grom", which are normally conducted in late October and in which Russia tests its nuclear-capable bombers, submarines and missiles. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNATO said the Western drills were not prompted by the latest tensions with Russia. "This exercise helps ensure that the alliance's nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective," said NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu. On Tuesday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg made clear that the alliance would proceed with its drills despite the tense international situation.

☆ Russian roulette: Is Putin serious about nuclear war, or bluffing?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Jason Corcoran | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

On Oct. 26, President Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian state television overseeing a practice run of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence forces. The conflict has revived Cold War-era fears of nuclear war across the region. In August, a Ukrainian official said that 9,000 Ukrainian military personnel had been killed, though another source said the number could be far higher. (President Zelensky previously estimated that 30% of Ukraine's power stations have been damaged or destroyed, although the figure is now likely to be greater.) In a wide-ranging answer, Putin had offered, almost as an aside, that Russian victims of nuclear war "will go to heaven as martyrs" while Western citizens would perish without having "time to repent."

☆ NATO to keep close eye on Russia's upcoming nuclear exercise - Stoltenberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - NATO will monitor an expected upcoming Russian nuclear exercise very closely, the alliance's chief said on Thursday, in particular in light of Moscow's latest nuclear threats related to its conflict in Ukraine. "We have monitored Russian nuclear forces for decades and of course we will continue to monitor them very closely and we will stay vigilant - also when they now start a new exercise," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. "What I can say is that this exercise, the Russian exercise, is an annual exercise. It's an exercise where they test and exercise their nuclear forces," he added, apparently referring to Russia's annual Grom exercise that normally takes place in late October and in which Russia tests its nuclear-capable bombers, submarines and missiles. And of course we will remain vigilant, not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous rhetoric we have seen from the Russian side," Stoltenberg said.

☆ North Korea flies warplanes near border and tests another ballistic missile
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The 10 aircraft from the North flew as close as 7 miles from the inter-Korean border, according to South Korea's military. It marks the second time in the past week that North Korea flew military aircraft near the border. The Pentagon said it was aware of the latest North Korean ballistic missile launch and that it would continue monitoring the situation. The State Department condemned the latest ballistic missile launch and cited that any tests conducted by North Korea are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions. So far this year, North Korea has fired more than 35 ballistic missile tests.

☆ Upcoming Russian nuclear exercises a challenge for the West
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Phil Stewart | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Russia typically holds major annual nuclear exercises around this time of year, and U.S. and Western officials expect them perhaps in just days. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg assured a news conference in Brussels that the alliance would monitor Russia's annual nuclear drills very closely, as it has for decades. "We believe that Russian nuclear rhetoric and its decision to proceed with this exercise while at war with Ukraine is irresponsible," the official told Reuters. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. "While we will continue routine activities to sustain our (nuclear) deterrent, there will be no special messaging around our exercises," the U.S. defense official said.

☆ Is this a drill? Upcoming Russian nuclear exercises a challenge for the West
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Phil Stewart | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

☆ A rout by the US in an air battle around Taiwan led Japan to adopt desperate tactics in World War II's final months
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Their goal was to destroy as much of Japan's air and naval strength before US troops landed on the Philippine island of Leyte. A diversionA Japanese heavy cruiser after being bombed by US Navy aircraft during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. But Japan's air and naval power were still major threats, and to ensure the Philippines could be liberated, they had to be degraded, if not eliminated. By 1944, Japanese military leaders recognized their situation and devised a plan to prepare for US invasions of Japanese-held territory. Japanese attempts to attack the carriers were fruitless, with 42 more Japanese planes shot down trying to conduct attack runs.

Flags of United Arab Emirates and Israel flutter during Israel's National Day ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 31, 2022. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/DUBAI/NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Israel has agreed to sell an advanced air defence system to the United Arab Emirates, two sources familiar with the matter said, in the first such known deal between them since they forged ties in 2020. The deal reinforces how, for some Arab states, resolving the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict has now been overshadowed by national priorities, such as security and the economy. President Isaac Herzog, visiting the UAE in January when an intercepted strike took place, said Israel supported the UAE's security needs. Israel and the UAE this year signed a free trade deal; Israel's first with an Arab state.

☆ The B-52 was designed in a hotel room over a weekend in 1948, and it may still be flying 100 years later
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

That design emerged from a hastily arranged work session in a Dayton hotel over a weekend in 1948. The B-52 started flying when America was still relying on P-51 MustangsUS Air Force F-51D Mustang fighters during the Korean War. Spanning wars and altitudesA US Air Force B-52F dropping 750-pound bombs over Vietnam in the 1960s. US Air ForceIn July 1948, Boeing received a contract from the still-new US Air Force to design and build a new heavy bomber. By late Friday night, the new B-52 bomber was already coming into focus.

☆ 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.

☆ US Air Force special operators turned cargo planes into bombers. Now they're showing other militaries how it's done.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One effort involving Air Force Special Operations Command is modifying cargo planes to drop bombs. Other air forces could easily deploy those weapons from their cargo planes, the head of AFSOC said. A major part of that effort has been repurposing its largest aircraft, cargo planes and tankers, for other missions. Brandon EsauThe Air Force has been contemplating how to deploy more firepower with its existing fleet for nearly a decade. US Air Force Special Operations CommandAFSOC is looking to add other capabilities to its MC-130s as well.

☆ US nuclear forces are controlled by this shockingly obsolete tech
▼ + stars: | 2016-05-26 | by ( Dave Mosher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new government report paints a disquieting picture of the computer systems used to run the United States. But perhaps the most alarming information touches on the Department of Defense (DoD), which controls the nation's stockpile of 7,100 nuclear and thermonuclear warheads. The GAO found that the Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS) — a computer system that "coordinates the operational functions of the United States' nuclear forces, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear bombers, and tanker support aircrafts" — still runs on 8-inch floppy disks. Per the GAO report:[T]he system's primary function is to send and receive emergency action messages to nuclear forces. But US command and control systems aren't the only pieces of nuclear strike infrastructure that are dated: The nuclear weapons themselves are not getting any younger.

☆ The 10 most bizarre weapons of World War II
▼ + stars: | 2015-07-22 | by ( Alex Lockie | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

World War II brought many successful innovations in technology including weapons. From explosive rats to a 155-foot-long gun, here are some of the most bizarre weapons from WWII. During World War II, the world's major powers set their sights on advancing technology, medicine, and communications in order to be efficient and fearsome in battle. PanjandrumThe Panjandrum, a rocket-propelled explosive cart, was one of the more curious weapons to have come out of World War II. Explosive ratsDogs were not the only unfortunate animal victims of experimental war weapons.

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