The next generation destroyer stretches 610 feet at the waterline, with a unique angular design that makes it 50 times more difficult for radar to detect its presence at sea

The destroyer not only can avoid detection on the high seas, but it is also arguably the most deadly battleship in the US fleet. The USS Zumwalt comes with firing cannons that can hit sea or land targets over 100 miles away. The high speed destroyer is powered by turbines inspired by the Boeing 777 airplane and is claimed to be able to top 35 mph

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new destroyer is that its functions are largely automated, and the ship requires a crew of only 140

Iraqi security forces and allied fighters launched an operation on Monday to retake the town of Rutba from the Islamic State (IS) group, the military said.

Special forces, soldiers, police, border guards and pro-government paramilitaries are involved in the operation to retake the Anbar province town, Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement.

Tanks and artillery are taking part in the operation, which is also backed by air support from Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition against IS, it said.

Rutba, located in western Anbar province along the main road to Jordan, has been held by the group since 2014.

The town was previously in the headlines when it was revealed that IS fighters fleeing Rutba had drugged and stolen 7,000 gazelles from a nature reserve in the area.

"Rutba's important to the enemy because it's another support zone for them," said Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for the US-led operation against IS.

IS uses it "to stage and prepare forces for operations in... the main battle area," Warren told journalists in Baghdad last week.

"It's not heavily defended as is Fallujah or as was Ramadi," he said, referring to the capital of Anbar, which has been retaken, and its second city, which IS still holds.

Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, claimed that the report "made unfounded accusations against the development of Chinese national defense." He claimed it was "full of prejudice against China," and that the U.S.—not China—was responsible for militarizing the South China Sea

The report has considerable details on China's island-building efforts in the South China Sea. China, which claims approximately 90 percent of the South China Sea, has created approximately 3,200 acres of dry land in the South China Sea by dredging the waters around uninhabitable islets and reefs, turning them into artificial islands. The islands are then used to bolster claims of Chinese ownership of the sea—despite calls by neighbors and others in the international community that Chinese claims infringe on their own or essentially privatize what was previously considered international waters

Radar stations, airfields, harbors, the HQ-9 surface to air missile system, and the YJ-62 anti-ship cruise missile have all been spotted on the islands, and many are being equipped with 9,800 foot-long runaways capable of supporting military aircraft

The Pentagon estimates China's submarine force of 62 attack and ballistic missile submarines will grow to between 69 and 78 submarines by 2020. Among those will be the Type 093 Shang-class attack submarine, which has been fitted with vertical launch missile silos much like the American Virginia-class, a new nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine (SSGN), and a new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the Type 096. A new guided missile destroyer, the Type 055, is in development and a new aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, is under construction at the Dalian shipyards

China is making significant strides in catching up to western air forces, particularly in regards to command and control, airborne early warning, and electronic warfare aircraft. China is currently developing a heavy transport, the Xian Y-20

Beijing is also making significant progress in contesting what it calls "the commanding height in international strategic competition"—space. China continues to advocate the peaceful use of space, while emulating the United States in launching communications, navigation, and spy satellites to support its fighting forces

Finally, Beijing is upgrading its nuclear forces. The Rocket Force, formerly known as the Second Artillery Corps, has an estimated 75 to 100 ICBMs capable of reaching the United States. A road-mobile ICBM is under development, as is the ability to pack multiple warheads into a single ICBM, a system known as MIRV. China also has four Jin-class ballistic missile submarines, with a fifth under construction. While all of this sounds formidable, it must be kept in mind that China has only produced an estimated 200 to 300 nuclear bombs—fifty of which have already been used—and that many of the MIRV warheads will likely be decoys

As of April 2015, the Army had constructed five different made-up states — complete with elaborate back-stories — for its soldiers to defend, invade, occupy and rebuild during high-intensity war games at U.S. training ranges

Iran’s increasing belligerence and Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region further compelled the Army to expand the DATE’s made-up world in order to accommodate a wider range of simulated conflicts. Version 2.2 of the DATE expands the boundaries of the fictionalized geography to incorporate more of Russia and all of Iran

Ariana — clearly filling in for Iran — is a theocracy ruled by a clerical caste. “A brutally efficient military ensures the continuation of the current power structure,” the guide explains. “A sham representative government appeases or distracts Western interests.”

Atropia and Limaria substitute for Azerbaijan and Armenia, respectively. The Army describes the first as a “classic dictatorship” and the second simply as an “autocracy.”

In Atropia, “every national success or failure reflects directly on the ruling family,” the handbook says — a clear reference to Heydar Aliyev, who governed the province of Azerbaijan under Soviet rule between 1969 and 1982, and then, in 1993, became the third president of independent Azerbaijan

Then there’s Limaria. Its “key political goal is the survival and advancement of the Limarian ethnicity,” according to the DATE. “Any argument for action between Limarians can be won by the side offering better protection for the local and diaspora population.”

Atropia and Limaria don’t get along in the Army’s war-gaming universe, either. The two countries are locked in conflict over a region called “Lower Janga,” with each supporting various militant factions such as the Free Lower Janga Movement and the Limarian Liberation Front

Donovia and Gorgas — stand-ins for Russia’s autonomous Caucasus republics and the independent Republic of Georgia, respectively — have a similarly tense relationship in the game world. The Army gives its most positive description to the residents of Gorgas

This fake country covers the part of Russia occupied by the semi-autonomous and nominally Muslim provinces of Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and North Ossetia. In the real world, local and international media and humanitarian groups regularly describe Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov as a gangster

“In order to portray Syria in a training environment, Ariana’s military would need to include additional irregular forces,” the document recommends

In the tests done by researchers at Beihang University, a second drone was used as a fuel tanker and approached the receiver until it was about five meters away.

It used cameras and its on-board computer to detect the distance and pose of the receiver.
The binocular visual system on the tanker was able to locate the red-painted markers on the receiver.

Israeli defense tech outfit General Robotics has created a tactical combat robot named “Dogo” that basically looks like a rolling VCR, or something out of Star Wars. Just don’t let it catch you laughing; it’s packing heat.

Remember the innocuous little Mouse Droids that scurried around the Death Star floor and fled in terror when somebody screamed? This little guy reminds me of that! Except instead of uselessly mopping Imperial linoleum and running from loud noises, the Dogo is built to endure and exploit situations that might be too tight or dangerous for an actual person.


Dogo is written in all General Robotics’ marketing material as “DOGO” but DefenseNews explains it’s not an acronym. The name refers to an enormous hunter dog also knows as an Argentine Mastiff.

Dogo the robot is is designed to roll with SWAT teams, or really any government agency the kicks down doors and drops people on a regular basis.

The body is just about 15 inches wide and 19 inches long, and weighs a little over 25 pounds. Those dimensions help it sneak into places personnel cannot, and its treads help it get over obstacles at close to 4 mph.

Dogo is capable of climbing stairs and slopes up to 45 degrees, as well as cross a plane with a 30 degree pitch.

It communicates with a Panasonic touch-screen remote over a 2.4 Ghz WiFi network or a military COFDM frequency, feeding the operator 360º views via eight cameras that work in all full range of light and dark.

The remote has a simple literal “point and shoot” firing system that makes firing its weapon as easy as focusing on a face for an Instagram picture.

Dogo’s standard weapon is a Glock 26 9mm pistol with a 14 round magazine, and the brochure says it can also be fitted with pepper spray or a “dazzling light” attachment to engage hostiles less lethally.

The robot can run for 2 to 5 hours on lithium ion batteries depending on its fitment, and can charge in 3.

Japan-Southeast Asia security relations began in the colonial period, when Japan implemented its Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere, which in fact was a cover for Japanese expansionism aimed at exploiting natural resources in Southeast Asia

As part of the U.S. Cold War strategy to contain Communism, Japan became an industrial hub

This resulted in Japan’s restoration of economic relations with Southeast Asia as well as turning the region into a shield against Chinese Communism

The 1975-1989 period witnessed a fundamental change in Japan’s policy to Southeast Asia. Japan began considering relations with ASEAN countries as of vital significance to its foreign policy in Southeast Asia

ASEAN also played a vital role in the regional balance of power because the organization’s members at the time (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) were anti-Communist

In 1977, Japan initiated the Fukuda doctrine that confirmed Tokyo’s willingness to act as a mediator between ASEAN and Indochina

One of the outstanding contributions Japan made to regional security in the 1990s was its support for ASEAN to establish the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1994

Japan has become an active participant in multilateral security affairs in Southeast Asia

Japan played the role of a mediator in the territorial disputes over the South China Sea as far back as 1995

This includes providing financial assistance in the aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis to stabilize the regional economies and restore social and political stability, peacemaking operations in Cambodia and Aceh, and peace building in Timor-Leste, Aceh, and Mindanao

Japan’s proactive role in joint training, information-sharing, fact-finding, and joint patrolling with Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore to combat piracy in the Malacca Strait

China’s relations with Southeast Asian nations before 1990 were characterized by instability and distrust because of China’s support for insurgencies in Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos

In fact, fears of Communist China helped led to the creation of ASEAN in 1967

China has actively maintained bilateral security cooperation with many ASEAN nations (e.g. Chinese and Thai special forces hold joint exercises; annual China-Singapore defense policy dialogue, etc.). In 2002, China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to ease fears about Beijing’s unilateral actions from ASEAN states that have competing claims in the South China Sea

Since 1988, China has continuously increased its defense budget, by double-digits in most years. The money has gone to vigorous modernization of China’s armed forces, especially the navy, air force, and missile forces. In addition, China established a new naval base on Hainan Island, which is close to Southeast Asia

in addition to enhancing military ties with the United States, the Philippine government is considering Japan as a strong security partner

More than 80 percent of the crude oil and 60 percent of the energy supplied to Japan go through this sea lane

Japan has also provided defense technology, offering 10 multi-role response vessels to improve the Philippines’ surveillance capacity along with high-tech communication system for maritime safety. Likewise, Japan is providing six maritime patrol vessels to Vietnam

By contrast, China is viewed threat to stability and security for Southeast Asia due to its military build-up and ambitious sovereignty claims, which have been strongly opposed by many ASEAN states

The military wing of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has been instructed by Iran to suspend operations against Israel and to target Saudi Arabia instead

The instruction comes in the wake of widespread anger at the apparent assassination of Mustafa Badreddine, its military commander in Syria and head of the movement's military wing, which Hezbollah blamed on “takfiri” forces supported by Riyadh

the order was conveyed in person by Qasim Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)

Soleimani also named Badreddine’s successor and his two deputies, which is believed to be an unprecedented move in the relationship between Iran and the Lebanese movement

Badreddine’s replacement is Fuad Shukr, whose nom de guerre is al-Hajj Mohsen

Aged 55 and from the village al-Nabi Sheeth in the Bekaa Valley, Shukr comes from the core group which started Hezbollah along with Imad Mughniyeh, Badreddine, and Mustafa Sahadah

Shukr came to prominence as a military man, responsible for operations against Israel, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers

the instruction Iran gave was to initiate actions against Saudi Arabia before the beginning of the Hajj in September. Shukr's task is to co-ordinate military actions with an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, and a shia group in Bahrain Saraya al-Mukhtar

This isn't the first time U.S. Army tankers have found themselves in an embarrassing situation. North Carolina National Guard tankers beat their Regular Army counterparts—and crews from the U.S. Marine Corps and Canadian Army—at the U.S. Army's 2016 Sullivan Cup. A tank crew consisting of an insurance adjustor, Pepsi truck driver, college student, and aspiring police officer beat fifteen other reserve and active duty tank crews to place first

For decades, the U.S. Army's Armor Corps was a pillar of land power expected to fight the tank forces of Soviet Union on the European battlefield. After 9/11, with the exception of the invasion of Iraq, fighting so-called "high intensity conflict" took a back seat to fighting insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. While most of the countries involved in the Strong Tank Challenge also sent ground forces to both countries, their commitments largely allowed their tankers to stay oriented on training and operation related to more traditional tank missions—i.e. fighting in big wars against other tanks

"Today, a major in the Army knows nothing but fighting terrorists and guerrillas, because he came into the Army after 9/11. But as we get into the higher-end threats, our skills have atrophied over 15 years."

China is not the only nation building islands in the South China Sea — although the scope of its construction is unparalleled.

Along with Beijing, Vietnam has also started projects mostly within the past two years of constructing islands. Altogether, the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative have documented 10 sites of Vietnamese construction throughout the region. Taken together, Vietnam has constructed slightly over 120 acres of land in the area.

By comparison, China has created over 3,000 acres of land in the Spratly Islands, far overshadowing Vietnam’s efforts. However, Vietnam’s construction gives China cover for its activities as the US has called on all sides to cease construction in the region.

Below are before and after photos showcasing Vietnam’s island building efforts

According to Defensetech, Battelle Labs is selling its DroneDefender portable drone jammer to the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. The jammer, which looks like a cross between an old-school TV antenna and an assault rifle, can stop drones more than 400 yards away.

The DroneDefender works by directing radio energy at the drone, disrupting the remote control link between the drone and the operator. The jammer operates at common industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequency bands. 2.4 GHz, one of the most common drone control frequencies, is part of the ISM band.

The jammer can also disrupt GPS signals, an important feature as self-guiding drones rely on satellite navigation guidance. Once jammed, the drone can then be directed to hover in place.

The United States Navy will deploy reconnaissance drones on submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs)

AeroVironment’s so-called Blackwing miniature tube-launched drone can be launched from fully submerged attack and guided missile submarines, as well as UUVs

The Blackwing drone is specifically designed to operate in Anti-Access/Aerial Denial (A2/AD) environments

“Blackwing employs an advanced, miniature electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payload, Selective Availability Anti-spoofing Module (SASSM) GPS and AeroVironment’s secure Digital Data Link (DDL), all packaged into a vehicle that launches from manned and unmanned submarines,”

The new UAV’s primary mission will be to conduct aerial reconnaissance for submarines, special forces, and provide targeting information to strike aircraft

“Blackwing can also be integrated with and deployed from a wide variety of surface vessels and mobile ground vehicles to provide rapid response reconnaissance capabilities that help our customers operate more safely and effectively,”

The U.S. Navy is slated to acquire 150 Blackwing drones

We need helicopters to replace outdated US CH-47 Chinook that are used as main military transport helicopters. We do not have money to buy new Chinooks, our budget is very limited and Russia's helicopters meet our requirements both in their characteristics and prices," Nakwanich said in an interview with Fifth National TV channel of Thailand, commenting on the recent statements of the prime minister.

​Thailand was expected to use Russia's Mi-17V5 helicopters for tackling natural disasters and emergencies, for evacuation and landing missions, he added.

Mi-17V5 is one of the most advanced modifications of the Mi-17 family. It is produced by JSC Kazan Helicopters and sold through Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

The devil is in the details, as some say. Indeed, a closer examination of facts on the ground reveals an entirely different picture. The SAA and NDF are nearly extinct

Not one of around 20 divisions it used to have has ever managed to deploy more than one-third of its nominal strength on the battlefield

The resulting 20 brigade-size task forces — each between 2,000- and 4,000-strong — were then further hit by several waves of mass defections

advisers from the Qods Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps concluded that units organized along religious and political lines had proven more effective in combat

Officially, the NDF is a pro-government militia acting as a part-time volunteer reserve component of the military

Envisioned by its Iranian creators as an equivalent to the IRGC’s Basiji Corps

NDF’s stand-up resulted in the addition of a 100,000-strong auxiliary to Syria’s force-structure

These actors included the Ba’ath Party, the Syrian Socialist National Party (SSNP), groups of Palestinian refugees living in Syria for decades — such the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — the General Command and the Palestine Liberation Army and even the Gozarto Protection Force, the latter made up of local Christian Assyrian/Syriac and some Armenian communities

the regime then went a step farther and authorized a number of businessmen and shadowy figures from Syria’s Alawite minority to create their own, private militias

A majority of the battalions of resulting militias each usually total around 400 combatants

Leaning upon the command structure of the former 3rd and 4th Divisions of the SAA, this headquarter is exercising control over the 103rd Republican Guards Brigade and six brigades of Alawite militia, all of which are private military companies administrated by the Republican Guards

The 4th Assault Corps also includes the Nusr Az Zawba’a Brigade of the SSNP and two brigades of the Ba’ath Party Militia, or BPM. Because these units lacked in firepower, they were reinforced by Russian army artillery batteries drawn from the 8th Artillery Regiment, the 120th Artillery Brigade, the 439th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade and the 20th Rocket Regiment — the latter equipped with the TOS-1A

four battalion-size task forces — drawn from the Russian 28th, 32nd, and the 34th Motor Rifle Brigades and the 810th Marines Brigade — secured the secondary lines and supply depots

Although the regime can still fall back on at least five brigades of the Republican Guards Division deployed there, these units are incapable of running offensive operations

major assaults on insurgent-held pockets in Damascus and eastern Ghouta are overseen by two brigades from the Lebanese Hezbollah, three brigades of the PLA and various of local IRGC surrogates, including the Syrian branch of Hezbollah

Units of Iraqi Shi’a militias are not only securing the Sayyida Zaynab District of southern Homs, but have also deployed to fight Syrian insurgents

Iraq’s Hezbollah branch, Hezbollah-Syria, the PFLP-GC and the PLA played a crucial role during the offensive that resulted in the capture of Sheikh Mishkin in January 2016

Currently, Homs and Hama appear to be the last two governorates with any kind of significant concentration of the SAA

The latter played a prominent role in the creation of several “special forces” units renown for their offensive operations in eastern Homs and southern Aleppo. These include the “Tiger Force” and the “Leopard Force.”

all are private military companies, financed by businessmen close to Al Assad. Their operations in the eastern Homs and Palmyra areas are supported by battalion-size elements of the Russian 61st Marine Brigade and the 74th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade

Ba’ath Commando Brigade, the city and province of Aleppo are largely controlled by Iranians, foremost the IRGC

the IRGC’s fire brigade in this part of Syria is the Al Qods of the PLA Brigade. These units are supported by Russian army troops, too, including those from the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade and the 7th Guards Assault Division and several artillery batteries

contingents of Iraqi Shi’a, including nine brigade-size formations of Badhr and Sadrist movements, seven brigades of the Assaib Ahl Al Haq movement, five brigades of the Abu Fadhl Al Abbas movement, two brigades of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units and nine brigades staffed by Iraqi Sh’ia

Finally, even the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is present in Syria, in the form of the 65th Airborne Brigade

It’s unlikely that Al Assad has more than 70,000 troops left under his command

Iranians are said to have about 18,000 troops in Syria, considering the average size of the brigades they and Iraqi Shi’a are deploying there, they more likely to oversee at least 40,000 combatants

Moscow’s forces include elements of no fewer than four Spetsnaz brigades — the 3rd, 16th, 22nd and 24th, primarily responsible for the Hmemmem and Sanobar air bases near Latakia and Shayrat air base in southeastern Homs

Russians have at least 10,000 — and more likely up to 15,000 — troops in Syria.

“The reason is primarily that the airframe of the Joint Strike Fighter is designed to be capable of flying 8,000 hours, whereas the Eurofighter and the Super Hornet are both designed to fly 6,000 hours.”

Thus, “in order to perform the required portfolio of tasks over a period of 30 years, fewer Joint Strike Fighter airframes are therefore required compared to the Eurofighter or the Super Hornet. The calculations in the economic model have identified a need for 28 Joint Strike Fighter airframes, 34 Eurofighter airframes and 38 Super Hornet airframes, respectively, in order to perform the same portfolio of tasks.”

But airframe life estimates are mostly meaningless. For starters, the Super Hornet is primarily a carrier-based fighter. Its main user, after all, is the U.S. Navy. Catapult-launches and arrested landings strain an airframe. So yes, the Americans have slapped a relatively low service-life rating on the Super Hornet

But the U.S. Navy still expects to blow right past the 6,000-hour mark with its hundreds of F/A-18E/Fs. The Navy and Boeing and working on upgrade and maintenance schemes to see the Super Hornets through to 10,000 hours in order to — surprise! — compensate for delays with the Navy’s F-35Cs, stemming in part from the Joint Strike Fighter’s unexpectedly high cost and complexity

“Another reason [for choosing the F-35] is that the Super Hornet is a two-seat aircraft, which implies a greater need for flight instruction hours and training of crews than the Eurofighter and the Joint Strike Fighter,” the Danish experts claimed, conveniently forgetting that there are two Super Hornet variants. The F/A-18E is a single-seat plane

The Danes believe they can acquire and operate 27 F-35s — a number adequate to deploy four jets to a war zone for a year at a time every three years — for just $300 million per plane over the fleet’s whole lifetime

But that’s a hopelessly optimistic number. The Pentagon’s own internal assessment estimates that the life-cycle cost for a single F-35 is $460 million

The Danes also claimed that the F-35 is more heavily-armed than it actually is. “Up to six air-to-air missiles can be placed on the plane,” the experts wrote. That’s true, provided you’re talking about the stealth fighter’s external pylons. But to remain stealthy, the F-35 must carry its weapons in its internal bays. And at present, those bays can only accommodate two air-to-air missiles

China’s about to join an exclusive club for nuclear powers. After decades of development, 2016 could be the year the Chinese navy finally sends its ballistic-missile submarines—“SSBN” is the Pentagon’s designation—to sea for the first time for operational patrols with live, nuclear-tipped rockets

“China will probably conduct its first SSBN nuclear deterrence patrol sometime in 2016,” the Pentagon warned in the latest edition of its annual report on the Chinese military, published in mid-May. Once the Jins set sail, Beijing will command a nuclear “triad” composed of ground-, air- and sea-launched nuclear weapons

The Chinese military’s rocket branch maintains around a hundred long-range rockets in land-based silos. The Chinese air force’s H-6 bombers first dropped atomic bombs back in the 1970s—and modern versions of the bombers can fire cruise missiles that are compatible with nuclear warheads. When the Jins are finally war-ready, they will complete Beijing’s land-air-sea atomic triad

Expensive, too. China has not disclosed the cost of the Jins, but consider that the U.S. Navy plans to spend $97 billion replacing its 14 Ohios with a dozen new submarines. Missile subs are big and complex—and their rockets are, too. Training reliable crews and designing an effective command-and-control system are equally difficult to do. Chinese subs have been plagued with quality-control problems