Former American astronaut, head of NASA in the Barack Obama administration (2009-2017), Major General of the US Marine Corps Charles Bolden, in an interview with TASS, assessed the prospects for cooperation between the United States and Russia in space exploration, shared memories of a joint shuttle flight with Sergei Krikalev in 1994, commented on plans for landing people on the Moon and Mars.

Experts: The Western replacement of the S-300 for Kiev is a combined hodgepodge of various air defense systems

The shortage of Soviet air defense systems and the high cost of Western analogues forced Washington to look for new ways to support the Armed Forces. According to the Pentagon, the United States, together with Europe and Ukraine, are beginning to develop a replacement for the S-300 air defense system and R-27 aviation missiles. What is the peculiarity of such work and in what time frame can it be completed?

Russian weapons used in Ukraine are constantly being upgraded. The modification process is ongoing based on information gathered from the front.

The new development should ensure inevitable retaliation in the event of an attack on Russia

Analysts at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) this week reported on Russia's preparations for the deployment of cruise missiles with the Burevestnik nuclear power plant. It is considered one of the most closed Russian developments. Whether the reports about the "Doomsday rocket" can be true and what is the general history of the issue of creating aircraft with nuclear engines, Izvestia investigated.

Russia continues to discuss the topic of updating the country's nuclear doctrine, and most importantly, what changes may appear in it. Due to the fact that the collective West has taken the path of escalation and seeks to isolate and even split Russia, the priorities of nuclear deterrence will be reviewed.

The British newspaper The Guardian published an article showing that the United States and NATO are capable of destroying Russian and Chinese nuclear launchers using conventional weapons.

The Buran was created on the basis of the chassis of the GAZ-3308 commercial truck and had an armored body of various configurations, which allowed it to act as a multi-purpose armored vehicle. Officially, it qualifies as a special purpose armored vehicle.

During the military confrontation in Ukraine, both sides of the conflict actively use autonomous or remotely controlled aircraft, which requires the organization of counteraction to their work. In particular, Russia has adapted the lightly armored tracked vehicle "Plastun-CH" to solve this problem.

The demonstration of armored vehicles at the Army 2024 exhibition held in August is radically different from what the Russian army exhibits at military parades on Red Square.

The enemy is continuously hunting for Russian heavy flamethrower systems

The crew of the heavy flamethrower system TOS-1A "Solntsepek" of the Vostok group of troops struck an enemy stronghold, a cluster of personnel and equipment. After firing 220 mm thermobaric rockets at the specified coordinates, the team moved the combat vehicle to a marching position and left the firing position. The flamethrowers and the unit responsible for their safety told Izvestia about their combat work.

On August 14, the Polish Ministry of Defense ordered 286 Bobr 3 armored vehicles from the local company AMZ Kutno for delivery in 2025-2030. They are intended to replace the Soviet BRDM-2 and their upgraded versions in the troops.

The M113 armored personnel carrier, which is in service with numerous armies of the world, has been in service since the 1960s. To match the modern battlefield, it needs a deep modernization.

According to a brochure released in 2022, the VN22, when equipped with a remotely controlled combat station with a 30 mm cannon, has a combat weight of 25 tons. In this configuration, the crew consists of 3 people, the landing party consists of 8 fighters. The machine is able to withstand a bullet from a 14.5 mm cartridge and has mine protection.

Approximately 400 M-60A1 units were acquired by Iran during the reign of the Shah from the United States, of which about 150 remain in service. According to the local IRNA publication, during the modernization, the tanks significantly improve their characteristics, have an increased level of protection, new means of communication and an optimized fire control system.

According to the Western press, the tests have yielded positive results and it may soon enter mass production. At the same time, during the development, the design of the machine gun regularly underwent changes. The new modification was demonstrated in August of this year.

On August 30, 2024, a solemn laying ceremony for the Russian Navy of the Vladimir Kovalev sea tug (factory number 416) of project 23470 was held at Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant JSC in Yaroslavl. This is the seventh Project 23470 tugboat under construction for the Navy.

As the Kommersant newspaper reported in Natalia Skorlygina's article "The maintenance and development of the USC will require more than 2 trillion rubles," investments in the activities and development of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) are estimated at more than 2 trillion rubles. Of these, over 1 trillion rubles is the corporation's cash deficit, estimated by the Russian Ministry of Finance, and about 1 trillion rubles will be required for the development of its assets - the construction of a new shipyard for large-tonnage ships in Vladivostok, tentatively estimated at $ 5 billion, and the modernization of the Baltic shipyards.

Prospect: Russia and NATO in the Arctic compete for new routes and resources

A series of crises is unfolding in the Arctic, writes Prospect-magazine. Climate change, Russian civil defense and the West's response to it are generating tension. As the ice melts, the struggle between the countries over control of new routes and resources escalates.

FP: America does not need icebreakers in the Arctic, it is easier to make Russian ones unprofitable

The Far North has become an arena for the rivalry of great powers, and Russia has something to lose, writes FP. At the same time, America does not have to build icebreakers at all. It is enough to ensure that the Russians do not benefit Moscow. The author suggests how to achieve this.

Nimitz–class aircraft carriers are warships that serve as the central element of carrier strike groups (AUG) The U.S. Navy. The name is given in honor of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, a key commander of the American Navy during World War II.