Latest news with #armsrace
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Putin's nuke secrets EXPOSED: Blueprints for Russian bases where warheads are primed to lay waste to Europe are leaked
MAD Vladimir Putin's top secret nuclear sites have been exposed, where city-flattening warheads that can reach European capitals within minutes are launched. The Russian dictator made a chilling announcement in 2018 on the development of a series of new nuclear weapon systems that could put Moscow ahead in the arms race against the West - warning "nobody wanted to listen to us - so listen now". 5 5 5 Now a terrifying, gargantuan upgrade of the military infrastructure at Russia's most protected facilities has been exposed. Shielded strategically behind the southernmost tip of the Russian Ural Mountains sits one of the globe's most secured military complexes. And surrounding the tiny Russian town of Yasny - just one of the 11 existing nuclear site locations - mad Vlad can launch land-based, long-range missiles carrying some of the biggest nuclear weapons ever. Buried missile silos across the bare landscape are ready at any given moment to strike European countries in under just 10 minutes - leaving cities completely decimated. Images from a decade ago show just one silo lid and a few buildings fenced off. But now, bases have been expanded, with hundreds of new barracks, watchtowers, control centres and storage buildings created and miles-long underground tunnels excavated. Since 2019, the Yasny bases have been equipped with Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle which is Russia's new nuclear delivery systems that plays up to Putin's desire to have Moscow at the front of the arms race. One shocking video allegedly shows missiles equipped with the glide vehicle launching from a Yasny missile site for flight tests in 2018. There was previously only access to aerial images of the sites. Britain will be wiped off the map with nukes unless it stops helping Ukraine, warns Putin's guru 'Professor Doomsday' But now, Danwatch and German Der Spiegel has accessed over two million leaked documents relating to Russian military procurement, revealing entire massive bases have been rebuilt. The discovery of the new systems marks a "whole new chapter" on the development of nuclear powers' arsenals, with blueprints left unseen since the 1970s, nuclear information expert Hans M. Kristensen said. He added that as there hasn't been any on-site inspection of nuclear sites between the US and Russia since April 2020, the exposed documents are crucial in understanding what Russia's intentions are with their program. NUKE MODERNISATION Documents have revealed that deliveries of gargantuan quantities of steel, sand, cement, bricks and insulation have been made over the years. Alongside this, other chilling items like IT systems, electrical installations and water, heating and ventilation routing were deployed at the sites. These materials were presumably put towards Russia's new security systems. The bases boast three layers of electric fences along its outer perimeter, equipped with sensors for seismic and radioactivity. Unbreakable, explosion-proof doors and windows have also been developed alongside concrete buildings for optimum protection. And to ward off any potential intruders, alarm systems with magnetic contacts are in place with infrared sensors. Extensive electronic surveillance have also been installed, with remote-controlled machine guns and automatic grenade launchers. A modern air defense is also in place. Meanwhile on the inside, documents describe in heavy detail where soldiers reside and what facilities they use to ensure ultimate protection of the top-secret base. Soldiers play peak cognitive performance games like checkers and chess, and work out using strengthening equipment like weights and running machines. Signs on the wall of the base also read "Stop! Turn around! Forbidden zone!" or "The Military Oath". The chilling signals are written to ward off those who wander near the control rooms, as well as to signpost which buildings connect to one another through underground tunnels. 5 5 RUSSIA'S STRATEGIC MISSILE FORCES Documents have exposed how Russia's Strategic Missile Forces are able to launch heft nuclear bombs from buried silos or vehicles. Air and sea-based nuclear weapons are also able to get launched from special bomber aircraft or submarines. But the extreme nuclear weaponry has even been dubbed by the Forces as being a 'last resort'. There are close to a whopping 900 operational nuclear warheads at the missile bases, with the intercontinental missiles able to launch them and decimate anywhere they reach. Although the weapons can be used, experts say that Russia understand that they would not be used lightly, and only in a global war scenario. But the official motto of the Forces serves as a harrowing warning to the West: "After us - silence." Mad Vlad has said previously that Russia wouldn't be the first to use nuclear weapons and that the country is merely preparing in case of attack. He explained: "Yes, it looks like we are sitting on our hands and waiting until someone uses nuclear weapons against us. "Well, yes, this is what it is. But then any aggressor should know that retaliation is inevitable and they will be annihilated." PROCEDURES EXPOSED Russia's modernisation of its nuclear capabilities is something that Western intelligence agencies have consistently followed, sources told Danwatch and Der Spiegel. As Putin's puppets continue to threatened nuclear Armageddon on the West, European countries have increased defence spending, with one expert arguing that it's within public interest to know what is occurring at Russian nuclear bases. Tom Roseth told the Danish and German news sites: "It's important that we have a correct understanding of the situation, because there are still many who don't fully recognise the situation Europe is in now, which is a fundamental shift in security policy. "Therefore it's important to show that Russia has modernized its nuclear arsenal. "They have, after all, threatened with nuclear weapons regularly during the Ukraine war. "It has public relevance that Russia is capable – and it's even more important because they have adjusted their nuclear doctrine and now have a lower threshold for the use of nuclear weapons." Despite the two bases in Yasny now on active combat alert, documents being leaked could now mean Russian authorities are forced to investigate whether changes must be made, Tom added. He explained: "They will certainly evaluate whether they can reduce the vulnerabilities that has been revealed. That could for example be new laying new cable routes, or reinforcing certain places with concrete. The problem is that it costs a lot of money to change the infrastructure at these facilities."
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Armed and automated: India and Pakistan turn to drones in strategic shift on border security
NEW DELHI, May 28 — A little after 8pm on May 8, red flares streaked through the night sky over the northern Indian city of Jammu as its air-defence systems opened fire on drones from neighbouring Pakistan. The Indian and Pakistani militaries have deployed high-end fighter jets, conventional missiles and artillery during decades of clashes, but the four days of fighting in May marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilized unmanned aerial vehicles at scale against each other. The fighting halted after the US announced it brokered a ceasefire but the South Asian powers, which spent more than US$96 billion (RM405.1 billion) on defence last year, are now locked in a drones arms race, according to Reuters' interviews with 15 people, including security officials, industry executives and analysts in the two countries. Two of them said they expect increased use of UAVs by the nuclear-armed neighbours because small-scale drone attacks can strike targets without risking personnel or provoking uncontrollable escalation. India plans to invest heavily in local industry and could spend as much as US$470 million on UAVs over the next 12 to 24 months, roughly three times pre-conflict levels, said Smit Shah of Drone Federation India, which represents over 550 companies and regularly interacts with the government. The previously unreported forecast, which came as India this month approved roughly US$4.6 billion in emergency military procurement funds, was corroborated by two other industry executives. The Indian military plans to use some of that additional funding on combat and surveillance drones, according to two Indian officials familiar with the matter. Defence procurement in India tends to involve years of bureaucratic processes but officials are now calling drone makers in for trials and demonstrations at an unprecedented pace, said Vishal Saxena, a vice president at Indian UAV firm ideaForge Technology. The Pakistan Air Force, meanwhile, is pushing to acquire more UAVs as it seeks to avoid risking its high-end aircraft, said a Pakistani source familiar with the matter. Pakistan and India both deployed cutting-edge generation 4.5 fighter jets during the latest clashes but cash-strapped Islamabad only has about 20 high-end Chinese-made J-10 fighters compared to the three dozen Rafales that Delhi can muster. Pakistan is likely to build on existing relationships to intensify collaboration with China and Turkey to advance domestic drone research and production capabilities, said Oishee Majumdar of defence intelligence firm Janes. Islamabad is relying on a collaboration between Pakistan's National Aerospace Science and Technology Park and Turkish defence contractor Baykar that locally assembles the YIHA-III drone, the Pakistani source said, adding a unit could be produced domestically in between two to three days. Pakistan's military declined to respond to Reuters' questions. The Indian defence ministry and Baykar did not return requests for comment. India and Pakistan 'appear to view drone strikes as a way to apply military pressure without immediately provoking large-scale escalation,' said King's College London political scientist Walter Ladwig III. 'UAVs allow leaders to demonstrate resolve, achieve visible effects, and manage domestic expectations — all without exposing expensive aircraft or pilots to danger,' he added. But such skirmishes are not entirely risk-free, and Ladwig noted that countries could also send UAVs to attack contested or densely populated areas where they might not previously have used manned platforms. Drone swarms and vintage guns The fighting in May, which was the fiercest in this century between the neighbours, came after an April 22 militant attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. Delhi blamed the killings on 'terrorists' backed by Islamabad, which denied the charge. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed revenge and Delhi on May 7 launched air strikes on what it described as 'terrorist infrastructure' in Pakistan. The next night, Pakistan sent hordes of drones along a 1,700km front with India, with between 300 and 400 of them pushing in along 36 locations to probe Indian air defences, Indian officials have said. Pakistan depended on Turkish-origin YIHA-III and Asisguard Songar drones, as well as the Shahpar-II UAV produced domestically by the state-owned Global Industrial & Defence Solutions conglomerate, according to two Pakistani sources. But much of this drone deployment was cut down by Cold War-era Indian anti-aircraft guns that were rigged to modern military radar and communication networks developed by state-run Bharat Electronics according to two Indian officials. A Pakistan source denied that large numbers of its drones were shot down on May 8, but India did not appear to sustain significant damage from that drone raid. India's use of the anti-aircraft guns, which had not been designed for anti-drone-warfare, turned out to be surprisingly effective, said retired Indian Brig. Anshuman Narang, now an UAV expert at Delhi's Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. 'Ten times better than what I'd expected,' he said. India also sent Israeli HAROP, Polish WARMATE and domestically-produced UAVs into Pakistani airspace, according to one Indian and two Pakistan sources. Some of them were also used for precision attacks on what two Indian officials described as military and militant infrastructure. The two Pakistani security sources confirmed that India deployed a large number of the HAROPs - a long-range loitering munition drone manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. Such UAVs, also known as suicide drones, stay over a target before crashing down and detonating on impact. Pakistan set up decoy radars in some areas to draw in the HAROPs, or waited for their flight time to come towards its end, so that they fell below 3,000 feet and could be shot down, a third Pakistani source said. Both sides claim to have notched victories in their use of UAVs. India successfully targeted infrastructure within Pakistan with minimal risk to personnel or major platforms, said KCL's Ladwig. For Pakistan's military, which claimed to have struck Indian defence facilities with UAVs, drone attacks allow it to signal action while drawing less international scrutiny than conventional methods, he noted. Cheap but with an Achilles heel Despite the loss of many drones, both sides are doubling down. 'We're talking about relatively cheap technology,' said Washington-based South Asia expert Michael Kugelman. 'And while UAVs don't have the shock and awe effect of missiles and fighter jets, they can still convey a sense of power and purpose for those that launch them.' Indian defence planners are likely to expand domestic development of loitering munitions UAVs, according to an Indian security source and Sameer Joshi of Indian UAV maker NewSpace, which is deepening its research and development on such drones. 'Their ability to loiter, evade detection, and strike with precision marked a shift toward high-value, low-cost warfare with mass produced drones,' said Joshi, whose firm supplies the Indian military. And firms like ideaForge, which has supplied over 2,000 UAVs to the Indian security forces, are also investing on enhancing the ability of its drones to be less vulnerable to electronic warfare, said Saxena. Another vulnerability that is harder to address is the Indian drone program's reliance on hard-to-replace components from China, an established military partner of Pakistan, four Indian drone makers and officials said. India continues to depend on China-made magnets and lithium for UAV batteries, said Drone Federation India's Shah. 'Weaponization of the supply chain is also an issue,' said ideaForge's Saxena on the possibility of Beijing shutting the tap on components in certain situations. For instance, Chinese restrictions on the sale of drones and components to Ukraine have weakened Kyiv's ability to produce critical combat drones, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think-tank. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said in response to Reuters' questions that Beijing has always implemented export controls on dual-use items in accordance with domestic laws and regulations as well as its international obligations. 'Diversification of supply chain is a medium to long term problem,' said Shah. 'You can't solve it in short term.' — Reuters
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
India approves stealth fighter programme amid tensions with Pakistan
India's defence minister has approved a framework for building the country's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the defence ministry said on Tuesday, amid a new arms race with Pakistan weeks after a military conflict between the neighbours. Indian state-run Aeronautical Development Agency, which is executing the programme, will shortly invite initial interest from defence firms for developing a prototype of the warplane, envisaged as a twin-engine 5th generation fighter, the ministry said. The project is crucial for the Indian Air Force, whose squadrons of mainly Russian and ex-Soviet aircraft have fallen to 31 from an approved strength of 42 at a time when rival China is expanding its air force rapidly. Pakistan has one of China's most advanced warplanes, the J-10, in its arsenal. Militaries of nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan faced-off in four days of fighting this month, which saw use of fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery by both sides before a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump. It was the first time both sides utilised drones at scale and the South Asian powers are now locked in a drones arms race, according to Reuters' interviews with 15 people, including security officials, industry executives and analysts in the two countries. India will partner with a domestic firm for the stealth fighter programme, and companies can bid independently or as a joint venture, the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that the bids would be open for both private and state-owned firms. In March, an Indian defence committee had recommended including the private sector in military aircraft manufacturing to shore up the capabilities of the Indian Air Force and reduce the burden on state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which makes most of India's military aircraft. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has previously criticised Hindustan Aeronautics for slow delivery of light combat Tejas aircraft, a 4.5 generation fighter, which the firm blamed on slow delivery of engines from General Electric due to supply chain issues faced by the US firm.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
India and Pakistan's drone battles mark new arms race in Asia
A little after 8.00pm on May 8, red flares streaked through the night sky over the northern Indian city of Jammu as its air-defence systems opened fire on drones from neighbouring Pakistan. The Indian and Pakistani militaries have deployed high-end fighter jets, conventional missiles and artillery during decades of clashes, but the four days of fighting in May marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilised unmanned aerial vehicles at scale against each other. The fighting halted after the US announced it brokered a ceasefire but the South Asian powers, which spent more than $96 billion on defence last year, are now locked in a drones arms race, according to Reuters' interviews with 15 people, including security officials, industry executives and analysts in the two countries. Two of them said they expect increased use of UAVs by the nuclear-armed neighbours because small-scale drone attacks can strike targets without risking personnel or provoking uncontrollable escalation. India plans to invest heavily in local industry and could spend as much as $470 million on UAVs over the next 12 to 24 months, roughly three times pre-conflict levels, said Smit Shah of Drone Federation India, which represents over 550 companies and regularly interacts with the government. The previously unreported forecast, which came as India this month approved roughly $4.6 billion in emergency military procurement funds, was corroborated by two other industry executives. The Indian military plans to use some of that additional funding on combat and surveillance drones, according to two Indian officials familiar with the matter. Defence procurement in India tends to involve years of bureaucratic processes but officials are now calling drone makers in for trials and demonstrations at an unprecedented pace, said Vishal Saxena, a vice president at Indian UAV firm ideaForge Technology. The Pakistan Air Force, meanwhile, is pushing to acquire more UAVs as it seeks to avoid risking its high-end aircraft, said a Pakistani source familiar with the matter. Pakistan and India both deployed cutting-edge generation 4.5 fighter jets during the latest clashes but cash-strapped Islamabad only has about 20 high-end Chinese-made J-10 fighters compared to the three dozen Rafales that Delhi can muster. Pakistan is likely to build on existing relationships to intensify collaboration with China and Turkey to advance domestic drone research and production capabilities, said Oishee Majumdar of defence intelligence firm Janes. Islamabad is relying on a collaboration between Pakistan's National Aerospace Science and Technology Park and Turkish defence contractor Baykar that locally assembles the YIHA-III drone, the Pakistani source said, adding a unit could be produced domestically in between two to three days. Pakistan's military declined to respond to Reuters' questions. The Indian defence ministry and Baykar did not return requests for comment. India and Pakistan "appear to view drone strikes as a way to apply military pressure without immediately provoking large-scale escalation," said King's College London political scientist Walter Ladwig III. "UAVs allow leaders to demonstrate resolve, achieve visible effects, and manage domestic expectations — all without exposing expensive aircraft or pilots to danger," he added. But such skirmishes are not entirely risk-free, and Ladwig noted that countries could also send UAVs to attack contested or densely populated areas where they might not previously have used manned platforms. Drone swarms and vintage guns The fighting in May, which was the fiercest in this century between the neighbours, came after an April 22 militant attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. Delhi blamed the killings on "terrorists" backed by Islamabad, which denied the charge. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed revenge and Delhi on May 7 launched air strikes on what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan. The next night, Pakistan sent hordes of drones along a 1,700-kilometer (772-mile) front with India, with between 300 and 400 of them pushing in along 36 locations to probe Indian air defences, Indian officials have said. Pakistan depended on Turkish-origin YIHA-III and Asisguard Songar drones, as well as the Shahpar-II UAV produced domestically by the state-owned Global Industrial Defence Solutions conglomerate, according to two Pakistani sources. But much of this drone deployment was cut down by Cold War-era Indian anti-aircraft guns that were rigged to modern military radar and communication networks developed by state-run Bharat Electronics, according to two Indian officials. A Pakistan source denied that large numbers of its drones were shot down on May 8, but India did not appear to sustain significant damage from that drone raid. India's use of the anti-aircraft guns, which had not been designed for anti-drone-warfare, turned out to be surprisingly effective, said retired Indian Brig. Anshuman Narang, now an UAV expert at Delhi's Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. "Ten times better than what I'd expected," he said. India also sent Israeli HAROP, Polish WARMATE and domestically-produced UAVs into Pakistani airspace, according to one Indian and two Pakistan sources. Some of them were also used for precision attacks on what two Indian officials described as military and militant infrastructure. The two Pakistani security sources confirmed that India deployed a large number of the HAROPs - a long-range loitering munition drone manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. Such UAVs, also known as suicide drones, stay over a target before crashing down and detonating on impact. Pakistan set up decoy radars in some areas to draw in the HAROPs, or waited for their flight time to come towards its end, so that they fell below 3,000 feet and could be shot down, a third Pakistani source said. Both sides claim to have notched victories in their use of UAVs. India successfully targeted infrastructure within Pakistan with minimal risk to personnel or major platforms, said KCL's Ladwig. For Pakistan's military, which claimed to have struck Indian defence facilities with UAVs, drone attacks allow it to signal action while drawing less international scrutiny than conventional methods, he noted. Cheap but with an achilles heel Despite the loss of many drones, both sides are doubling down. "We're talking about relatively cheap technology," said Washington-based South Asia expert Michael Kugelman. "And while UAVs don't have the shock and awe effect of missiles and fighter jets, they can still convey a sense of power and purpose for those that launch them." Indian defence planners are likely to expand domestic development of loitering munitions UAVs, according to an Indian security source and Sameer Joshi of Indian UAV maker NewSpace, which is deepening its research and development on such drones. "Their ability to loiter, evade detection, and strike with precision marked a shift toward high-value, low-cost warfare with mass produced drones," said Joshi, whose firm supplies the Indian military. And firms like ideaForge, which has supplied over 2,000 UAVs to the Indian security forces, are also investing on enhancing the ability of its drones to be less vulnerable to electronic warfare, said Saxena. Another vulnerability that is harder to address is the Indian drone program's reliance on hard-to-replace components from China, an established military partner of Pakistan, four Indian dronemakers and officials said. India continues to depend on China-made magnets and lithium for UAV batteries, said Drone Federation India's Shah. "Weaponization of the supply chain is also an issue," said ideaForge's Saxena on the possibility of Beijing shutting the tap on components in certain situations. For instance, Chinese restrictions on the sale of drones and components to Ukraine have weakened Kyiv's ability to produce critical combat drones, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said in response to Reuters' questions that Beijing has always implemented export controls on dual-use items in accordance with domestic laws and regulations as well as its international obligations. "Diversification of supply chain is a medium to long term problem," said Shah. "You can't solve it in short term."
Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
India approves stealth fighter program amid tensions with Pakistan
NEW DELHI: India's defense minister has approved a framework for building the country's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the defense ministry said on Tuesday, amid a new arms race with Pakistan weeks after a military conflict between the neighbors. Indian state-run Aeronautical Development Agency, which is executing the program, will shortly invite initial interest from defense firms for developing a prototype of the warplane, envisaged as a twin-engine 5th generation fighter, the ministry said. The project is crucial for the Indian Air Force, whose squadrons of mainly Russian and ex-Soviet aircraft have fallen to 31 from an approved strength of 42 at a time when rival China is expanding its air force rapidly. Pakistan has one of China's most advanced warplanes, the J-10, in its arsenal. Militaries of nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan faced-off in four days of fighting this month, which saw use of fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery by both sides before a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump. It was the first time both sides utilized drones at scale and the South Asian powers are now locked in a drones arms race, according to Reuters' interviews with 15 people, including security officials, industry executives and analysts in the two countries. India will partner with a domestic firm for the stealth fighter program, and companies can bid independently or as a joint venture, the defense ministry said in a statement, adding that the bids would be open for both private and state-owned firms. In March, an Indian defense committee had recommended including the private sector in military aircraft manufacturing to shore up the capabilities of the Indian Air Force and reduce the burden on state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which makes most of India's military aircraft. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has previously criticized Hindustan Aeronautics for slow delivery of light combat Tejas aircraft, a 4.5 generation fighter, which the firm blamed on slow delivery of engines from General Electric due to supply chain issues faced by the US firm.
