Defence Security Asia

In a significant leap forward for bilateral defence ties, senior military officials from South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a milestone agreement to bolster comprehensive collaboration on Seoul’s flagship next-generation fighter aircraft, the KF-21 Boramae — a move that brings the Gulf nation closer to a possible acquisition of the advanced multi-role platform.

Iran’s indigenously engineered Bavar-373 long-range air defence system may now stand among the world’s few platforms theoretically capable of detecting and tracking the United States’ fifth-generation stealth fighter, the F-35 Lightning II, according to recently surfaced performance data from Iranian military exercises.

In what could mark a significant turning point in regional military dynamics, Indonesia has reportedly received an official request from the Russian government to deploy long-range military aircraft, including nuclear-capable strategic bombers, on Indonesian territory.

The unexpected arrival of six Chinese Xian Y-20 strategic airlifters in Egypt has ignited intense speculation regarding the classified nature of their cargo, which remains undisclosed by either party.

In a significant shift that signals a recalibration of Russian naval priorities, Moscow has officially scrapped plans to modernize and upgrade the nuclear-powered battlecruiser Pyotr Veliky, once hailed by Russian authorities as “the most powerful surface warship in the world.”

Türkiye’s donation of a Dogan-class fast attack missile boat, the TCG Volkan (P-343), to the Maldives has sent ripples across the Indian Ocean’s strategic landscape, drawing sharp attention from India as it watches Malé deepen its military cooperation with both Ankara and Beijing.

The unveiling of China’s latest nuclear-powered attack submarine, the Type 09IIIB—referred to in NATO reporting nomenclature as the Shang-III class—underscores Beijing’s intensifying pursuit of full-spectrum maritime superiority beneath the waves.

In a marked escalation of regional defence posturing, Israel is reportedly ramping up diplomatic pressure on Washington to block any reconsideration of the ban on the sale of fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters to Türkiye, amid rising geopolitical turbulence across the Middle East.

In a calculated move that underscores the enduring relevance of legacy airpower, the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace, AAE) has officially reinducted a deeply upgraded variant of the Mirage 2000D into frontline service, now rebranded as the Mirage 2000DRMV.

In a bold affirmation of Türkiye’s growing influence in global arms exports, defence conglomerate ROKETSAN has signed a landmark agreement with Indonesia to jointly produce an array of advanced weapon systems, including anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, and various forms of smart munitions, signalling a deeper strategic alignment between Ankara and Jakarta in the Indo-Pacific defence landscape.

A Ukrainian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon was shot down in combat over the weekend in what analysts describe as a potentially pivotal moment in the intensifying aerial warfare over Eastern Europe.

In his open assessment of China’s second fifth-generation stealth fighter, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin offered a pointed critique of the recently unveiled J-35A, which made its debut at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai last November.

In a striking development amid long-standing concerns over production setbacks, the Russian Aerospace Forces have reportedly taken delivery of two newly built Su-57 Felon stealth fighter —an indication that the Kremlin is still pushing ahead with its fifth-generation ambitions despite formidable headwinds.

Long seen as the underdog of Russia’s military establishment, particularly when compared to its land and air forces—and even more so when benchmarked against the overwhelming global reach of the United States Navy—the Russian Navy is now on the brink of a generational transformation.

Russian analysts have described Turkey’s planned deployment of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system to Syria as a strategic “trap” specifically designed to counter the escalating Israeli airstrikes against targets within the Arab nation.