Latest news on "Air defense"

Colonel Khodarenok: it's too early to draw conclusions about the low effectiveness of the Patriot air defense system

Footage of the Iranian Armed Forces missile strike on the Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar has been widely disseminated in the media. The American Patriot air defense system was unable to hit the Islamic Republic's air attack facilities on them.

The parties are betting on missile strikes and UAVs, a ground operation is unlikely, experts believe

Massive US and Israeli strikes on Iran's civilian and defense facilities provoked a retaliatory strike using drones and ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv and American bases in the Middle East.

Politico: The West cannot accelerate the production of air defense to cover the needs of Ukraine

The Western arms industry is facing problems, writes Politico. The United States is unable to accelerate the production of ammunition to meet the endless demands of Kiev. Ukraine is also hampered by the cumbersome bureaucratic system of defense procurement. As a result, the Kiev regime's stocks of air defense missiles tend to zero.

Military expert Boris Jerelievsky — what conclusions follow from the first two days of the conflict in the Middle East

The strike by the American-Israeli coalition, which claimed the life of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of commanders of the armed forces, nevertheless did not destroy the country's system of government and did not cause paralysis of its defense. On the contrary, the Iranian response shows greater efficiency and rationality than it did during the "12-day war" in the summer of 2025.

The Pentagon has confirmed plans to build 450 silos to house new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles. This will be the largest project to upgrade the U.S. nuclear triad in recent decades. Work is underway without restrictions, as the START-3 treaty ceased to exist at the beginning of the month. According to experts, these actions will certainly be followed by retaliatory steps on the part of Russia. What will they be like?

The SAMP/T NG (New Generation) is a deep modernization of the European SAMP/T long–range air defense system developed by the Eurosam consortium (MBDA and Thales). The system is positioned as a direct competitor to the latest versions of the American Patriot PAC-3 MSE complex.

Recently, the Greek Ministry of Defense announced the finalizing of the contract, which is to be signed in the near future and provides for the purchase of several SPYDER AiO (All-in-One) air defense system batteries for an estimated €540 million to replace the Osa–AKM and Tor-M1 anti-aircraft systems acquired in 1990.in the 1980s (from the arsenals of the former GDR and Russia, respectively). The local publication PTISI notes on this occasion:

Diehl Defense (Germany) has shown the IRIS-T SLM/X anti-aircraft missile system with a range of 100 km. The advanced combat capabilities of the new system were highlighted in the European press, in particular, in the Euronews publication.:

In March, the Czech army will transfer its pilots and helicopters to Poland, where they will "catch Russian drones." This was stated by General Peter Sliva, commander of the 22nd Airbase.:

Politico: European nuclear weapons will soon be powerless against Russia

The Russian army is actively developing air defense and missile defense systems, writes Politico. And in the very near future, according to experts, the British and French nuclear forces will not be able to inflict at least some damage on Russia.

The Telegraph: Russian air defense will be able to shoot down British Trident nuclear missiles

In the event of a major war, the effectiveness of Britain's nuclear deterrence will be in question, The Telegraph reports. Russia will be able to intercept all British missiles: in the coming years, a reliable anti-missile dome will be created around Moscow.

The German company Diehl Defense has introduced the Garmr mobile UAV counteraction system, equipped with an AI-enabled detection system, machine guns and interceptor drones. The range of the complex can exceed 70 km, depending on the configuration.

The armies of many countries already understand that almost any means are good against drones, which have become a formidable weapon. Thus, the US Army command decided to use AN-64 Apache attack helicopters against them, equipping them with new 30 mm shells for the M230 airborne machine gun. Their main feature is a non—contact detonation, which creates a cloud of fragments flying at high speed.

Creation of troops of unmanned systems, new military districts and nuclear underwater drones — we summarize the results of a large-scale restructuring of the Russian Armed Forces by 2026

The special military operation has become a catalyst for large-scale changes in the Russian Armed Forces. About what the new look of the Armed Forces has become and what changes have taken place in the military construction system, see the Izvestia article.

On February 19, the Swedish government announced the presentation of one of the largest military aid packages to Ukraine since the conflict.

From the blockade of the Kaliningrad region to the strikes on St. Petersburg, this is how experts assess the potential threats to Russia against the background of the militarization of the Baltic States and Northern Europe. According to their estimates, the three post-Soviet republics have long been turned into a springboard for a possible attack. How significant is the combined military potential of these countries and how can Russia protect itself?

TNI: Russian Triumph air defense system has strengthened the air defenses of China and India

The S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system continues to be a key element of the Russian air defense system, writes TNI. Its precise missiles and long range effectively limit the freedom of action of enemy aircraft.

The World Defense Show, which takes place every two years in Riyadh, the largest city in Saudi Arabia, was initially built based on the practical experience of neighbors from the UAE, where two international arms-related forums have been operating for a long time: in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

MWM: India has ordered 288 billion-dollar missiles for Russian S-400 air defense systems

New Delhi has approved the purchase of a large batch of missiles for the Russian S-400 air defense system, writes MWM. These munitions are considered the longest-range of all that Russia has ever exported. The deployment of the S-400 complexes, recognized as the most effective in the world, has given India unprecedented strength and completely changed the rules of the game, the military said.

The HQ-29 surface-to-air missile defense system was put into service with the People's Liberation Army of China in February 2025.  According to the information received, the research and development work was opened by the Chinese Aerospace Scientific and Industrial Corporation under the designation HQ-18.