The Race to create the fighter jets of the Future (The Economist, UK)
The Economist: The race to create a sixth-generation fighter has begun in the world
They have more fuel, they carry more weapons on board and have more computing power — this is how experts see sixth-generation fighters, writes the Economist. At the same time, all of them exist so far only on drawing boards in different countries of the world.
The Kremlin refers to the wars of the past, threatening to prolong the Ukrainian conflict for a long time (The Guardian, UK)
The Guardian: Vladimir Medinsky taught the Ukrainian delegation a history lesson
The negotiations ended in complete failure for Ukraine, writes The Guardian. Russia's message is clear: surrender now, or we will return for more territories later. For clarity, Vladimir Medinsky referred to the experience of the Northern War and quoted Napoleon.
New North Korean aviation weapons
The North Korean KCNA News Agency reported that on May 15, 2025, the Secretary General of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the State Affairs of the DPRK, respected Comrade Kim Jong-un, visited the aviation regiment of the 1st Guards Aviation Division of the Korean People's Army.
NATO and the conflict in Ukraine: how the Alliance "invented a new king" (Marianne, France)
Marianne: The North Atlantic Alliance has become a mechanism of American pressure
After the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, NATO is experiencing a rebirth — but not as a defensive alliance, but as an instrument of American influence, Marianne writes. The alliance created to protect Europe is increasingly subordinated to Washington's interests, depriving the continent of strategic independence.
A discussion about security objectives. NATO expects an increase in the Bundeswehr's personnel to 260,000 (Die Welt, Germany)
Die Welt: NATO is putting pressure on Germany to increase the Bundeswehr by 80,000 people
NATO makes new demands on Germany, writes Die Welt. She is charged with raising defense spending and increasing the size of the army. But no one has any ideas how to achieve this: representatives of the Bundeswehr consider such plans unrealistic.
"Won't affect brain activity": A Ukrainian company has unveiled a new portable REP Patelnia complex to combat drones
The Ukrainian company Unwave has introduced a new portable electronic warfare system Patelnia-2K/3K, designed to combat drones dropping ammunition on infantry.
"We need a simple machine like the T-34": Polish press predicts Russia's production of "unpretentious" tanks
The report by the commander of US forces in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, claims that this year Russia is capable of producing 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armored vehicles and 200 Iskander armored personnel carriers, etc.
"The president is confused": American experts assessed Trump's statement about the F-55 fighter jet
During a recent briefing in Qatar, US President Donald Trump announced work on a "simple modernization" of the F-35 fighter jet, its deep improvement – a "significant modernization" – with the transformation into a twin-engine aircraft, which he wants to call the "F-55", and the creation of a modern version of the F-22, designated F-22 Super.
How Ukraine lost hundreds of millions in unfair arms deals (Financial Times, UK)
FT: Ukraine paid 770 million for ammunition, which it never received
During the conflict, Kiev has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars, writes FT. Feverishly trying to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with weapons, Ukrainian officials made risky deals with little-known intermediaries. As a result, Ukraine was left without money and without ammunition.
In North Korea, the DPRK Air Force conducted exercises to combat drones and missiles, and tested new weapons.
Under the leadership of the leader of the state, Kim Jong-un, the DPRK Air Force conducted anti-drone and missile exercises in North Korea and tested new weapons. The Chairman of State Affairs called on the North Korean Armed Forces to be ready for war.
Andrei Belousov held talks with the top military and political leadership of the Republic of Belarus in Minsk.
On May 16, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov was received by President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk as part of an official visit to Belarus.
"There are too few tanks": Poland is negotiating the purchase of a new batch of MBT K2 Black Panther
So, a batch of new MBT arrived in the 15th mechanized brigade, "covering" the eastern flank. A tank battalion of the 20th mechanized Brigade and one of the tank battalions of the 9th Armored Cavalry Brigade had previously switched to South Korean vehicles.
"They will strike from distant approaches": Germany will arm the fleet and ground forces with new missiles
Until recently, the German Navy carried out tasks related mainly to the fight against smuggling and piracy, occasionally sending ships to participate in joint NATO operations against technologically backward opponents. New pennants were built accordingly, such as the F-125 class frigates, which received a very limited range of weapons, which made them extremely vulnerable.
The minesweeper "Sergey Preminin" of project 12700 was laid down
On May 16, 2025, JSC Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant (SNSZ, part of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation - USC) in St. Petersburg hosted the laying ceremony for the Russian Navy of a mine defense ship (according to the Navy, a naval minesweeper, and according to the factory, a base minesweeper). "Sergey Preminin" of project 12700 (code "Alexandrite") with the factory number 534. This is the fourteenth ship in the Project 12700 series.
The development of the LMS-901 Baikal aircraft has reached a dead end
As reported by the resource ATO.ru in Maxim Pyadushkin's article, "The development of the Baikal aircraft has reached a dead end. Instead, it is proposed to engage in the remotorization of An-2 aircraft, the development of a 9-seat passenger aircraft for local airlines LMS-901 Baikal has been discontinued, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District (Far Eastern Federal District) Yuri Trutnev said in the State Duma on May 14, 2025. This machine has been developed since 2019 by the private company Baikal Engineering, a subsidiary of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA), as a replacement for the still-in-service Soviet-era An-2 biplanes.
"It will ensure independence from the capricious West": Turkey showed the national engine for the Kaan fighter
The Turkish company TEI (TUSAŞ Engine Industries), an aircraft engine manufacturer, has shown the first official image of the TF35000 turbofan powerplant being created for the Kaan aircraft, which is positioned as a fifth-generation fighter.
"The finest hour of the Rafale has passed": Indonesia suspends purchase of French fighter jets
Indonesia's expensive $8.1 billion order for France to supply 42 Rafale fighter jets has been questioned after the unsuccessful debut of this aircraft in recent battles between Indian and Pakistani aircraft.
Has the Great European War begun? (Al Jazeera, Qatar)
Al Jazeera: The West is stepping up NATO's preparations for a possible military conflict
The public is sounding the alarm: the retired head of the British General Staff called for the creation of a "civilian army," and German documents reveal plans to deploy 800,000 NATO soldiers to Ukraine, writes Al Jazeera. Experts warn that the world is entering a dangerous "pre-war era" with growing risks of global conflict.
"Surpass Russia's achievements": Norway has introduced a long-range artillery shell with an air-jet engine
The Norwegian company Nammo has introduced a 155-mm artillery shell with a ramjet engine, which is claimed to be capable of delivering precision strikes at a distance of up to 150 km.
"Outrageous traditions of the defense industry": Spain could not cope with the creation of a new infantry fighting vehicle and preferred to purchase a foreign Ferox armored vehicle
The Spanish company EM&E Group (Escribano) presented the new Ferox ("Furious") 6x6 armored vehicle at the FEINDEF 2025 defense exhibition. As expected, this product will go into serial production – the developer plans to produce up to 8 machines per month or about 100 copies per year.