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India.com
7 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Bayraktar, PL-15 Burnout: How India Turned Deadly Turkish Drone, Deadly Chinese Missiles Into Global Exhibit
New Delhi: Once a weapon fails to create its impact, its value drops to dust in the world of warfare. And that is exactly what happened when Pakistan deployed two of its most powerful foreign weapons against India only to watch them fail catastrophically. During its latest clash with India, Pakistan launched China's cutting-edge PL-15 missile and Turkey's hyped Bayraktar TB2 drones. But India did not only defend itself, it flipped the script. Touted as one of the most advanced in Beijing's arsenal, PL-15 air-to-air missile was intercepted intact by Indian forces. That wreckage is now a geopolitical prize. Countries like the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan and Australia are reportedly lining up to study the missile's tech. Sources suggest India may have already handed it over to Japan for analysis, effectively exposing China's deadliest missile to the world. In what can only be described as a humiliating defeat for Turkish defense exports, Pakistan's use of Bayraktar TB2 drones during 'Operation Sindoor' turned into a disaster. India's indigenous 'Akashtir' air defense system shot down every single drone with 100% accuracy, including Bayraktar TB2s, Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones, Songatri and eYatri loitering munitions. 'Not a single drone reached its target,' confirmed a senior Indian Air Force officer to The Times of India. Developed by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), Akashtir is being hailed as India's version of Israel's Iron Dome but potentially even better suited for low-altitude drone warfare. It integrates seamlessly with India's existing radar and weapons systems, detects threats autonomously and assigns weapons in real time. Against Pakistan's swarm drone strategy, it proved deadly effective. A defense official said, 'Akashtir did not roar or flash, it simply calculated, executed and destroyed. Quiet precision was its loudest weapon.' The failure of Turkish drones has shaken the foundations of President Erdogan's defense ambitions. For years, he touted the Bayraktar as a symbol of Islamic military resurgence and Turkish innovation. But India's clean takedown has now put Turkey's global drone deals – from Africa to the Middle East – in jeopardy. Reports suggest Pakistan may cancel future orders, and countries fearing Turkish drones may now turn to India's Akashtir instead. Even Turkish defense insiders are rattled. Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute bluntly stated, 'Erdogan can sell anything – religion, weapons or dreams – to enrich his family. But the product is junk now. Baykar stopped innovating the moment it felt safe under government backing.' Pakistan had banked on hundreds of Turkish drones to breach Indian air defenses. But after this spectacular failure, the Islamabad-Ankara arms axis is in crisis. Sources say Turkey's aim was to use these drones to cover artillery and fighter jets, but India's integrated air defense systems, including L70 guns and Akashtir radars, ensured the drones never even got close. The skies over the LoC are now littered with the wreckage of over 400 Turkish drones – a dramatic symbol of India's superiority in air defense. What's Next for India and Turkey? Turkey is scrambling to save face. Meanwhile, India is planning to triple its investment in drone technology over the next two years. Akashtir's success is being closely watched by nations facing drone threats, and new export deals could soon be on the table for India. Back in Pakistan, the military is rebuilding its airfields, but the damage is done. The defeat is too big to hide and too costly to ignore. India did not just win a battle. It exposed China's missile secrets, destroyed Turkey's drone credibility and put Pakistan's war doctrine in disarray. In the world of defense tech, perception is power and right now, India holds the high ground.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bayraktar busted: Pakistan's drone fiasco-How Indian radars exposed Turkish tech
Turkey's much-hyped Bayraktar TB2 drones, hailed as revolutionary weapons in conflicts from Ukraine to Libya, have suffered a devastating reputational blow after Pakistan's Turkish-origin drone fleet failed spectacularly during Operation Sindoor. Indian forces, using indigenous Akashteer air defense systems, shot down every single Turkish-origin drone in the May conflict, leaving the Turkish defense industry scrambling to defend its once-prized exports. Why it matters Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long touted Turkish-made drones as a symbol of his 'Islamist vision' and a centerpiece of Turkey's defense ambitions. The drones were not only instruments of hard power but also a diplomatic tool for Turkish influence in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. But as India's Akashteer system intercepted Pakistani drones with 100% accuracy, Turkey's arms export ambitions took a direct hit. Also read: Turkish drones to Chinese missiles, India beat them all This collapse of performance-described by a senior Indian officer as 'not a single drone achieving its objective'-has raised fresh doubts about Turkish drones' battlefield credibility and the broader promise of Turkey's defense industry. The big picture Pakistan's military imported hundreds of Turkish drones, hoping to overwhelm Indian air defenses and showcase Turkish technology as a regional power equalizer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Todos os idosos deveriam ter um desse no banheiro! Veja só! Evite quedas e escorregões Saiba Mais Undo Instead, the attack ended in humiliating defeat. Indian Air Defence officers confirmed that 300-400 Turkish drones, including Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones and Turkish-origin micro-drones like Songatri and eYatri, were neutralized in mid-air before they could even scratch Indian defenses. A Pakistani source told Reuters that Turkish drones were meant to provide cover for manned aircraft and artillery strikes, but 'the drones failed to reach targets' as India's integrated air defenses, from legacy L70 guns to cutting-edge Akashteer radars, kicked in. What they are saying Michael Rubin, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, minced no words: 'Erdogan may offer a hard sale to promote his Islamist vision or simply to enrich his family, but the product he is selling is now subpar. Just as socialism stymies development as bureaucrats fail to adjust for competition, so too does nepotism ruin industries. Baykar, knowing it had full state support, simply stopped innovating effectively. ' Pakistani officials have tried to downplay the losses, insisting they are re-evaluating drone deployment strategies. But the magnitude of the failure is hard to hide: Indian Air Defence sources say they recovered hundreds of drone parts along the border-clear evidence of Turkey's failure to deliver. Zoom in The real star of this clash? India's homegrown Akashteer system. Developed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Akashteer integrates seamlessly with Indian Army and Air Force radars. It automates threat detection, tracks targets, and assigns weapons in real time-a feature that proved decisive in the face of Pakistan's drone swarm. 'It didn't roar or flash - it listened, calculated and struck with precision,' an official told PTI. 'Every threat was intercepted, every target neutralised.' This level of precision is no fluke. Indian officers compared Akashteer's performance to Israel's Iron Dome, noting that while Iron Dome specializes in missile defense, Akashteer has shown exceptional versatility against low-flying drones and loitering munitions. Between the lines For Turkey, the reputational hit goes beyond this one conflict. The Bayraktar TB2 had become the face of Turkish defense sales, with celebrated success stories in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and early phases of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But cracks were already showing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted last year that 'those or other drones can help, but do not affect the result,' as Russia's electronic warfare systems jammed Bayraktar drones. The India-Pakistan clash has underscored these vulnerabilities, exposing Turkish drones as poorly adapted to modern electronic and radar-dense battlefields. Historical echoes This is not the first time that battlefield performance has shattered weapons myths. In 1982, Israeli Air Force F-15s and F-16s downed over 80 Soviet-built Syrian MiGs without losing a single plane-an outcome that punctured the myth of Soviet invincibility in Arab states. Analysts say Turkey is facing a similar reckoning now. 'Any African despot or Central Asian country still purchasing Turkish hardware should recognize they risk wasting hundreds of millions of dollars,' Rubin warned. What's at stake for Turkey For President Erdogan and his son-in-law's company Baykar, the India-Pakistan conflict is more than just a marketing setback. It's a blow to Turkey's entire narrative of self-sufficiency and regional influence. Analysts are already warning that countries in Africa and Central Asia that relied on Turkish drones may now look elsewhere. China and the US remain key players in the global drone market, and Turkey's stumble has opened the door for rivals to push their systems as more reliable and battle-proven. What's next As Pakistan rebuilds its airfields and grapples with the aftermath of this clash, Turkey's defense industry is facing questions that go well beyond the battlefield. In Africa, Somali and Libyan leaders had turned to Turkish drones to prop up their regimes. In Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed used Bayraktar drones to devastating effect against Tigray forces. But after this fiasco, prospective buyers may pause-fearing that the Turkish drones they once saw as cost-effective alternatives to Western systems may be little more than paper tigers. Meanwhile, India's success with Akashteer has emboldened its push for indigenous defense technology. Smit Shah of the Drone Federation India said that India plans to triple its drone investments in the next two years-leveraging the lessons of Operation Sindoor to build a robust domestic drone and counter-drone ecosystem.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SGA wins big...by gifting Rollies before tariff hike
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, left, presents the Michael Jordan Most Valuable Player trophy to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prior to Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series between against the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Collectors! We're less than a month away from Fanatics Fest and news is starting to trickle out about what collectors can expect. Last week Michael Rubin + team announced Fanatics Games , a competition (think pitching accuracy and 'closest to the pin'-type challenges) pitting regular Janes and Joes against celebrities like Tom Brady, Druski, Logan Paul and Kevin Hart, with the winner taking home $1M. And just yesterday LeBron James announced that he'll be hosting his podcast, 'The Shop', from the Fanatics Fest show floor, with special guests like the aforementioned Brady, Victor Wembanyama and Kai Cenat. Advertisement If you're planning to be in NYC June 16-23 for the festivities, make sure to come hang with the Mantel team at Bleecker Trading, where we'll be throwing trade nights and more every night after the show closes down. The Baseball Hall of Fame has debuted 'Getting the Nod', a new bobblehead exhibit showcasing highlights from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's personal collection. The exhibit features hundreds of nodding likenesses, from legends like Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige to modern stars like Clayton Kershaw and Giancarlo Stanton. A human-sized Willie Mays bobblehead anchors the display, paying homage to the 1999 giveaway that helped reignite the bobblehead craze. A lineup of Hall of Famers are slated to attend the opening, which celebrates the evolution of bobbleheads from kitschy souvenirs to collectible snapshots of baseball history. The Baseball Hall of Fame has debuted 'Getting the Nod', a new bobblehead exhibit showcasing highlights from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's personal collection. (Sports Collectors Daily) To fight patch swapping fraud, Upper Deck is introducing tamper-proof encased rookie patch auto cards in its upcoming 'The Cup' NHL set, releasing next week. Each card will be sealed, serial numbered, and linked to a QR code that displays multi-angle images of the original patch for verification. This new verification system, dubbed 'The Authority Authenticator', aims to restore confidence in relic cards, which are sometimes altered with more desirable patches to boost resale value. While grading complications may pop up, the company hopes its 'U' (uncirculated) designation on the sealed cards becomes a value marker. If successful, this approach could reshape collector expectations and fraud prevention across the hobby. Speaking of patches! Topps is expanding its Debut Patch program to include the UFC, with the first patch appearing at ESPN FN 189 this weekend, featuring Andreas Gustafsson. The Debut Patch cards have resonated with collectors by offering a true one-of-one tied to a specific debut moment, something increasingly rare in a market oversaturated with 'one-of-one' variants. After Gustafsson's fight, the patch from his walkout jersey will be embedded into a signed card for a future UFC x Topps release. This move continues Fanatics' strategy of anchoring physical collectibles to verifiable, culturally significant moments in real time. Swiss watch exports surged 18% year-over-year in April, hitting $3B, with the U.S. accounting for a 33% of that total. The spike was largely fueled by new tariffs on Swiss imports, prompting retailers and collectors to stockpile before a potential 10–41% price hike. High-end models made from precious metals and bimetallic materials led the charge. However, outside the U.S., global exports dropped 6.4%, with sharp declines in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The buying frenzy appears to be more about avoiding tariffs than a surge in organic demand. One watch collector who benefitted from buying his Rolexes in April? Newly minted NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who celebrated his award by showering Thunder teammates with expensive gifts. Spotted among the boxes was a two-tone Sea-Dweller, multiple Datejust 36s, a Sky-Dweller, and a Submariner. The rollout, shared on IG by teammate Jaylin Williams, also included iPhones, Beats headphones, and custom Canada Goose jackets celebrating the team's 68–14 season. As usual, Rolex takes center stage as the timepiece of choice for sports icons looking to mark greatness with something tangible… and timeless. Advertisement via The New Yorker A worthy long-read for the music fans among us. A secretive, decades-long quest to preserve America's most iconic guitars has culminated in the donation of nearly 600 vintage axes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Long whispered about in collector circles, the trove includes legendary models like the 1959 Les Paul 'Brock Burst' and a prototype from Leo Fender. This unprecedented collection, built on obsessive curation and deep provenance, will have a permanent place at The Met starting in 2027. Your collection deserves a community. Download Mantel and subscribe to the Above the Mantel newsletter today.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fanatics Launches Athletes vs. Celebs vs. Fans Event With $1M Prize
Fanatics is the latest company to try its hand at what's become a growing trend: competitions that pit athletes, celebrities and fans against each other. Michael Rubin's company on Tuesday announced the launch of Fanatics Games. To be played over three days at Fanatics Fest in New York City next month, the competition will feature 100 competitors—50 athletes and celebrities, and 50 fans—in non-contact competitions like golf shot accuracy, basketball shooting and soccer scoring. Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Tiffany Haddish, Druski, Liv Morgan and Logan Paul are among those already committed to participating. Advertisement More from The strategy is leaning partially on the popularity of Pros vs. Joes, which matched fans against famous athletes, and also on the success of MrBeast, who made mass competition a staple of his rise to YouTube stardom. These unofficial celebrity-driven sporting events have drawn the attention of both fans and new-age sports streamers. Netflix's first live sporting event wasn't NFL or even WWE, it was a gimmick featuring pro golfers and F1 drivers playing eight holes in souped-up carts. There's no broader media plan for Fanatics Games, at least not yet. Clips will appear on Fanatics social media accounts and will likely get aggregated by other sports profiles thereafter, but there is no tie-up with a major streamer. The winner will receive $1 million, with other prizes including a Ferrari and a LeBron James trading card valued at $250,000. If no fan finishes in the top three, the highest finishing fan will win $100,000. Michael Rubin's company is trying to become a one-stop shop for anything a sports fan might want to buy, from jerseys and trading cards to wagers and tickets. More recently, the company has been folding as many Fanatics verticals on top of each other as possible—utilizing the company's relationships with athletes and influencers to further promote the web of Fanatics product and IP. Advertisement Fanatics Fest was itself a child of that strategy. The event, which the company said drew 70,000 people to New York City's Javits Center last year, was the first major endeavor by the group's events arm, which launched in 2023 with IMG as a minority partner. Fanatics Fest was modeled after Comic Con, with Fanatics product for sale, experiential booths for fans and an appearance list that included Brady, Durant and Morgan. All three of them will compete in the first Fanatics Games. Others committed right now include Hart, IShowSpeed, KSI, Russell Wilson, Rob Gronkowski, C.J. Stroud, Druski, Micah Parsons, Alex Rodriguez, Odell Beckham Jr., Tyreek Hill, Jayden Daniels, Draymond Green, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley and Jordan Chiles. Joining them will be 50 fans who buy a Fanatics Fest ticket and submit a video application via—what else—the Fanatics app. There are other overlaps between the famous competitors and the greater Fanatics ecosystem, either via partnerships or the celebrities' appearances at Rubin's 'white parties.' Last year Rubin posted a video of a beach football game prior to one of those parties featuring Brady, Beckham, Parsons and Stroud. Fanatics revenue was $8.1 billion in 2024, up 15% from 2023, Sportico reported earlier this year. The apparel and merchandise business is the biggest of its three main units ($6.2 billion in revenue), followed by trading cards ($1.6 billion) and gambling ($300 million). Advertisement To put on the games, Fanatics is partnering with OBB Media and Cheat Code Studios. Last year, MrBeast (AKA Jimmy Donaldson) released a video featuring amateurs competing against Brady, Noah Lyles, Bryce Harper, Bryson DeChambeau and Cristiano Ronaldo. The video now has 274.4 million views. MrBeast also organized a 3-point contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend that featured Damian Lillard and a college student. Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Times of Oman
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Ex-Pentagon official Rubin takes a jibe at Trump's claims on cessation of hostilities
Washington DC: Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, took a jibe at US President Donald Trump's tendency to claim credit for almost every achievement, saying that Trump might as well have "invented the Internet" and "cured cancer." His remarks came in response to Trump's statements on the India-Pakistan cessation of hostilities, where Rubin pointed out that Indians should not take the US President's claims literally. In an interview with ANI, Rubin said, "Donald Trump likes to claim credit for everything. If you ask Donald Trump, he single-handedly won the World Cup. He invented the Internet. He cured cancer. Indians should be more like Americans in this regard and not take Donald Trump literally" Rubin also addressed the role of the United States in the India-Pakistan conflict, emphasising that Washington's diplomatic efforts are crucial to preventing escalation, especially given the potential for nuclear exchange between the two nations. He also said, "Whenever Pakistan and India come into conflict, the United States tries to mediate behind the scenes, and this is reasonable because the United States is trying diplomatically to provide an off-ramp to prevent unrestricted warfare and also, in a worst case scenario, prevent an escalation to any sort of nuclear exchange. So, the fact that the United States would be in touch with both New Delhi and Islamabad is obvious, and the fact that both New Delhi and Islamabad would use Washington to pass messages is also obvious." Trump on Monday had said that his administration played a crucial role in brokering an immediate cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, following escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. "We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed. I also want to thank VP JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their work. On Saturday, my administration helped broker an immediate cessation of hostilities, I think a permanent one between India and Pakistan the countries having a lot of nuclear weapons," Trump had told the media. "I'm very proud to let you know that the leadership of India and Pakistan was unwavering and powerful... And we helped a lot, and we also helped with trade. I said, 'Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let's stop it, let's stop it. If you stop it, we're doing trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade," he added. India launched Operation Sindoor in response to last month's Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. India's precision strikes in Pakistan and PoJK on May 7 killed over 100 terrorists.
