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☆ Russia's military has been preparing for a drone-filled battlefield, and even its cooks are being trained to shoot them down
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Counter-drone training has also become common throughout the Russian military. Having used drones and seen drones used with increasing frequency, the Russian military has also expanded its counter-drone training. The threat is now considered so widespread that most Russian troops, regardless of military specialty, are getting instruction in spotting and dealing with drones. Ukraine's military has been bolstering its drone defenses throughout the war, as shown in the Western military aid being sent to Kyiv. Despite having kinetic and electronic-warfare countermeasures to take out Russian drones, Ukraine still faces a difficult challenge.

☆ Russia is using a new delivery of Iran's Shahed drones to strike Ukraine to make up for a lack of precision munitions, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia used Iranian Shahed exploding drones to strike Ukraine, an ISW report said. It is aiming to "offset the degradation" of its precision munition supply, the think tank said. The Russian military used drones to target Kyiv for the first time in 25 days. Iran is becoming a global leader in the production of deadly and effective drones, the Guardian reported in February, despite the country previously denying involvement in Ukraine. Iran's Shahed-136, and its smaller cousin, the Shahed-131, which Russia is also using, are loitering munitions that are a cross between a drone and a missile.

☆ A 1960s-era cannon is 'kicking ass' against Russia's drones, but the country that makes ammo for it won't send more to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But Switzerland, where Gepard ammo is made, is not allowing more of that ammo to be sent to Ukraine. The Gepard SPAAGA German Gepard anti-aircraft tank during an exercise near Munster in June 2007. German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann built 570 Gepards between 1963 and 1980 — 420 for the German Bundeswehr, 95 for the Dutch army, and 55 for the Belgian army. Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty ImagesAfter being criticized for its reluctance to send heavy weaponry to Ukraine, the German government promised some 50 Gepards to Ukraine in April 2022. In February, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that German firm Rheinmetall would restart ammo production for the Gepard.

☆ Peering Into Volcanoes at Tanzania’s Crater Highlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Patrick Scott | Photographs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Cloud shadows darkened sections of the leafless rim and the tan crater floor. A silvery green lake spread out on the left, and a patch of emerald woodlands near a stream stretched out on the right. In the rainy seasons, the expansive floor is lush and teeming with animals, including massive herds of migrating wildebeests. And because nearly all of the inhabitants are herbivores, we saw no chasing and fleeing. Instead, the wildebeests milled about or rested in acacia shade, and the zebras did a lot of standing around, motionless, like they were trying to remember something they’d just forgotten.

☆ A fighter plane designed for the US Navy during World War II was still taking down jet fighters over Vietnam 20 years later
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was designed for the US Navy in the final years of World War II. The US Air Force and its South Vietnamese counterpart also began operating the plane that year. Navy Skyraider pilots even managed to down MiG-17 fighter jets on two occasions. By the end of the war, Air Force Skyraiders conducted more than 90,000 combat sorties, including more than 1,000 a month during the peak of the fighting. The last Air Force Skyraider mission was on November 7, 1972, and all of the service's remaining Skyraiders were transferred to the South Vietnamese air force in 1973.

☆ A composer of classical music blasted in the LA metro to force unhoused people out of a station demanded the system stop using his work, saying 'no form of art should be used to discourage or limit fr
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The LA Metro blasted classical music in one of its stations to deter people from hanging out there. But the composer said he wasn't informed his music was being used and demanded Metro stop using it. But that came to an end when one composer was informed his work was being used as a deterrent. But it faced pushback when news outlets reported that it was blasting music, including Barcelona-based composer Adrián Berenguer's four-minute piece "Immaterial", which it played on loop. The Westlake/MacArthur Park station played different classical music by long-dead composers, including Beethoven and Bach, at lower volumes on Thursday, L.A. Taco reported.

☆ Ukraine's getting new gun trucks and rockets to fight off Russia's exploding drones, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kyiv is slated to get several 30 mm gun trucks and mobile laser-guided rocket systems. These weapons are part of a new $2.6 billion security package announced by the Pentagon. Though the gun trucks are new, truck-mounted weaponry will not be a ground-breaking addition to Ukraine's arsenal of American weapon systems. Ukraine's military said in a daily update on Wednesday that Russian forces launched 17 Shahed-136 drones in an attack and that 14 of them were shot down by Kyiv's air defenses. The US official said that this week's new security package "includes important capabilities for air defense and to counter Russian unmanned aerial systems."

☆ A key air defense system wasn't working right when a drone killed an American in Syria, pushing the US to retaliate with force
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The main air defense system at a coalition airbase was "not fully operational" when the attack unfolded, The New York Times reported on Friday. One US official told the Times that the Avenger defense system could have been suffering from a maintenance problem. The drone, which the US intelligence community suspects is of Iranian origin, killed a US contractor and wounded five American service members and an additional contractor. The three injured service members and the contractor were transported to a coalition medical facility in Iraq, while the other two injured service members were treated on site. Austin said his thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the contractor who was killed and also with the wounded service members.

[1/6] A view shows Cardinal III UAV on display as Taiwan's Defence Ministry showcases its domestically developed drones to the press in Taichung, Taiwan March 14, 2023. The war in Ukraine has lent new urgency to Taiwan military's efforts to bolster defence including a push to develop drones. NCSIST head Art Chang said the war in Ukraine had focused attention on drones, and his institution had teamed up with Taiwan companies to build a "national team" to develop military drones. President Tsai Ing-wen has championed the idea of "asymmetric warfare" to make Taiwan's forces more mobile and harder to attack. China has sent its drones to areas close to Taiwan to test its responses, the island's defence ministry has said.

☆ Japan is ditching its attack helicopters in another sign that one of the most important modern military weapons is losing its luster
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Japan's attack helicopter fleet currently comprises 12 AH-64 Apaches and 50 AH-1 Cobras, as well as an observation helicopter fleet of 37 Kawasaki OH-1s. Nonetheless, Japan's decision to junk its attack helicopters has other nations thinking what to do with theirs. "Now we have the judgement of Japan, a close friend, that attack helicopters are not worthwhile even for its capability requirements, which include land fighting to defend territory." Christopher BroomeJust as helicopters replaced many of the functions once performed by aircraft, now drones may replace helicopters for attack and scouting missions. Rather than attack helicopters being replaced by drones, it seems more likely they will team up with drones.

☆ Over the South China Sea, dispute simmers via radios and rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Eloisa Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, in the contested Spratly Islands, South China Sea, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezABOARD PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD PLANE, South China Sea, March 10 (Reuters) - As a Philippine coast guard aircraft flew over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, a message came in over the radio telling it to immediately leave "Chinese territory". "Calling China coast guard vessel. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Beijing insists its coast guard is defending its territory. China's coast guard challenged the plane again as it flew over the shoal, located inside the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

☆ A German company is offering Ukraine the benefit — and burden — of being the first military to get its brand-new tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Prominent German defense firm Rheinmetall is offering Ukraine its new Panther Kf51 tank. Rheinmetall DefenceRheinmetall is reportedly negotiating with Ukraine to build a tank factory there, though it's not clear whether it would produce the Panther or the older Leopard 2 tank. The Kf51 Panther is a new tank with some old features. A German Leopard 2 tank in Munster in May 2019. Like the next-generation Abrams tank, the Panther's turret can be unmanned, with its crew operating the vehicle behind the thicker armor of the tank's hull.

☆ Philippines says Chinese navy ship spotted near disputed island
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, March 4 (Reuters) - The Philippines said on Saturday it had spotted a Chinese navy ship and dozens of militia vessels around a contested Philippine-occupied island in the South China Sea, as territorial tensions mount in the area. The Philippine Coast Guard said 42 vessels believed to be crewed by Chinese maritime militia personnel were seen in the vicinity of Thitu island, while a Chinese navy vessel and coast guard ship were observed "slowly loitering" in the surrounding waters. "Their continuing unauthorised presence is clearly inconsistent with the right of innocent passage and a blatant violation of the Philippines' territorial integrity," the coast guard said in a statement. Marcos last month summoned the Chinese ambassador to complain about the intensity and frequency of China's actions in the South China Sea. The Philippines has filed 77 complaints against China's activities in the sea, including a claim that a Chinese coast guard ship on Feb. 6 directed a "military-grade laser" at one a Philippine coast guard ship on a supply mission.

☆ West gains advantage as it vies with Russia for influence in Serbia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Aleksandar Vasovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

T-shirts with the letter Z, a symbol of Russia's campaign, are sold as souvenirs while far-right groups openly tout support for Russia. Last month, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that while Serbia had made progress in EU accession negotiations, Brussels required more. A separate CRTA poll found 61% felt Belgrade should preserve good relations with Moscow even at the cost of EU ties. U.S. and EU sanctions mean Serbia can no longer send its fighter jets or helicopters, based on ex-Soviet technology, to Russia for overhauls, nor purchase new weapons from Russia. Cedomir Stojkovic, a Belgrade-based lawyer and activist whose October Group publishes lists of prominent Serbs who are outspoken supporters of Russia, said Serbia was under Russia's "hybrid occupation".

☆ Russia will emerge from the Ukraine war a 'shattered military power,' top Pentagon official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia will emerge from war in Ukraine a "shattered military power," a senior Pentagon official said. Colin Kahl told lawmakers that Russia lost the war — echoing a similar remark by the top US general. He added that US military support for Kyiv has been, and will continue to be, flexible and dynamic. "They intended for Russia to emerge out of this war a great power in a multi-polar world — they will emerge from this conflict a shattered military power," he added. His remarks in November, and again on Tuesday, echo what other top US officials and generals have said in stating that Russia has already lost and failed in Ukraine.

☆ Russia has been able to keep its most effective drone flying over Ukraine thanks to Western-made parts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ukraine and Russia have employed an array of drones since Moscow attacked in February 2022. Despite sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, Russia has been able to keep its most effective drone flying over Ukraine thanks to Western-made parts. The Orlan-10's specifications and characteristics in a graphic published by the Royal United Services Institute in December 2022. Russian intelligence services are likely involved in sourcing this technology through contacts and front companies around the world. Western-made components found in the Orlan-10, according to the Royal United Services Institute.

☆ Serbia to buy loitering munitions from UAE, invest in military industry -president
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Within the next 48 hours, we will sign the contract (for the munitions)," President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday while visiting a defence exhibition in the UAE's Abu Dhabi. "These are suicide drones and they will be in Serbia, and we are hoping to have the first domestic suicide drones in the Serbian army within five or six months," he told reporters in remarks carried live by Serbian television. Vucic did not specify how many loitering munitions Belgrade would obtain from the UAE, their price, or the manufacturer. Vucic said on Monday Serbia wants to bolster its military and defence industry by investing an additional 700 million euros ($746.62 million) through 2023. Last year, Vucic said Serbia wanted to purchase Rafale multipurpose fighter jets from France.

☆ Estonia to order munitions in one of its largest military purchases
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VILNIUS, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Estonia is set to order a "significant quantity" of so-called loitering munitions, to be delivered in 2024 to increase the distance of its attacks, defence ministry said on Saturday. The loitering munitions, also called "kamikaze drones", cruise towards their target before plummeting at velocity and detonating on impact. The purchase of an unspecified number, set to be one of the largest in Estonia's history, is expected to be concluded this quarter. It is being made "in order to significantly increase (Estonian) indirect fire capability as a consequence of Russian aggression", the defence ministry said. Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The explosive warheads in the suicide drones Russia is using against Ukraine are built to shred targets for maximum damage: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The explosive warheads in suicide drones the used by Russia are designed to shred targets apart. The warheads have been fitted with small metal fragments, according to a new investigation. Russia has used these Iranian-made drones to wreak havoc on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The report said that the warhead's overall construction appeared to be well done, but added that the metal fragments appeared to be a "later addition" and were poorly fitted. Iran has provided Russia with hundreds of drones, including many suicide drones, a kind of loitering munition, and the Biden administration has warned that the two are forming a "full-fledged defense partnership."

☆ North Korea's antique fighter jets are still keeping the US and South Korea on their toes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Even with an aging fleet, Pyongyang has been able to catch the attention of South Korea and the US. On October 6, 12 North Korean jets were detected practicing air-to-ground attacks near the DMZ, prompting South Korea to scramble 30 of its fighters. On November 4, 80 South Korean fighters were scrambled after 180 North Korean planes were detected on South Korean radar. The activity and scale is unusual given North Korea's air force is widely regarded as the weakest branch of North Korea's military. South Korean troops guard a MiG-19 used by a North Korean pilot to defect to South Korea in May 1996.

The United States operates a military base and nuclear missile silos in Montana, a state bordering Idaho. Military officials developed a plan to shoot down the balloon on Wednesday as it flew over Montana. BALLOON MANEUVERSThe U.S. government has declined to say which sites the Chinese balloon surveyed. On Friday, the Pentagon said it expected the balloon to keep flying over the United States for several more days. "That will make it fairly easy, actually," a military official said of the recovery operation in the Atlantic.

☆ Kanye West's ex-lawyers finally found him after months of trying to tell him they quit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lawyers who represented Ye — aka Kanye West — finally found him after months of trying. After months of searching, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig LLP, the firm that represented West for everything from contract disputes to employment lawsuits, tracked Ye down and told him they quit. He was found at a location "primarily used by persons and entities not affiliated with Ye or his businesses," according to lawyers for Greenberg Traurig. He stopped responding to texts from Greenberg Traurig, the lawyers wrote in a series of court filings, asking for repeated extensions for the deadline to track him down. While the service may mark the end for Greenberg Traurig, it's only the beginning for Ye, whose legal risks couldn't get much higher.

☆ Blinken Trip to China Postponed After Spy Balloon Spotted Over U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Vivian Salama | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The State Department has indefinitely postponed Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing after what U.S. officials identified as a Chinese reconnaissance balloon was detected loitering above the continental U.S., a U.S. official said. U.S. officials on Thursday said the craft was loitering over Montana having earlier crossed Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Canada. The Pentagon scrambled jets and at one point considered shooting down the balloon, the officials said, though didn’t over concerns that the debris posed a risk to people on the ground.

☆ A US weapons maker is offering Ukraine a pair of deadly combat drones for $1, 'no strings attached,' but it's not that simple
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US weapons maker General Atomics offered two lethal drones for Ukraine for just $1. However, General Atomics acknowledged that preparing these drones for combat use come with additional costs that are outside the company's control. "Factoring in hardware and training that is essentially free, the offer is a remarkable deal with no strings attached," General Atomics said. The US has so far avoided providing Ukraine with larger and more lethal drones such as the Reaper and Gray Eagle. "There are limits to what an American defense company can do to support a situation such as this," General Atomics wrote.

LONDON/SINGAPORE, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The dollar ticked higher on Tuesday ahead of a raft of central bank decisions but remained on track for its fourth consecutive monthly loss. The Federal Reserve will set interest rates on Wednesday, followed by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday. That meant it was set for its fourth monthly drop, having fallen around 11% since hitting a 20-year peak in late September. Investors then expect the ECB and BoE to raise their main interest rates by 50 bps each on Thursday. Sterling was last 0.29% lower at $1.231, but was on track for its fourth monthly increase.

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