Pavel Felgenhauer, RCD/Eurasia Daily Monitor: A Renewed Nuclear Arms Race Between Russia and U.S.
A last-ditch attempt by Russia and the United States to salvage the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty at a consultation meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 15, ended in mutual acrimony. Washington has accused Moscow of deploying a modified Iskander land-mobile missile launcher fitted with a 9М729 (NATO designation: SSC-8) long-range cruise missile, in blatant violation of the INF. Moscow has adamantly denied any wrongdoing, since the 9М729 allegedly has not been test-fired at ranges longer than 500 kilometers. In turn, Russia has lobbed multiple accusations at the United States: First, the U.S. has allegedly been violating the INF by using dummy rockets with properties similar to Iranian or Korean middle-range missiles to test its ballistic missile defense (BMD) interceptors. Second, the U.S. has been deploying long-range attack drones, which, the Russians argue, should be classified as “missiles” under the treaty. And third, it has been building batteries of SM-3 Aegis Ashore BMD interceptors in Poland and Romania using standard МK-41 launch tubes; on U.S. warships, the MK-41 tubes are also used to launch different types of offensive projectiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles (see EDM, December 6, 2018).
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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 21, 2019
Moscow Calls New Pentagon Report 'Relaunch of Reagan-Era Star Wars Programme' -- Sputnik
US says Russia must destroy missile system -- The Hill
US calls on Russia to destroy new missile system -- NBC/Reuters
Trump's missile defense plan faces reality check -- The Hill
The military is looking at ways to intercept nukes from space — but experts say it’s not feasible -- Loren Grush, The Verge
DARPA Builds Advanced Interceptor Weapon to Destroy Hypersonic Missile Attacks -- Warrior Maven
Airbus Receives DARPA Blackjack Contract -- Air Force Magazine
Marines Want Missiles To Sink Ships From Shores, And They Want Them Fast -- Breaking Defense
The U.S. Navy's Second Fleet Is Becoming Operational -- Navy Times
Navy Secretary Says Change Needed in Wake of Audit -- National Defense
Trump still poised for a drawdown in Afghanistan after the deadliest year for US troops since 2014 -- Military Times
Trump Travels To Dover Air Base To Honor 4 Americans Who Died In Syria -- Task & Purpose/Reuters
That WSJ 'Women In Combat' Op-Ed Is A Complete Disaster — But It Still Presents A Threat -- Kate Germano, Task & Purpose
Missile Defense Plan: U.S. Unprotected From Russian Nuclear Attack -- Loren Thompson, Forbes
U.S. Could Ask Australia to Host Nuclear Missiles -- Hugh White, RCD/The Strategist
Spy satellite launched after repeated delays -- UPI
Ex-US envoy in ISIS fight: 'There's no plan for what's coming' after US troop withdrawal in Syria -- The Hill
Time to Use China's A2/AD Military Strategy Against Them -- James Holmes, National Interest
The Chinese Trojan Horse in American Universities -- Michael Krull, American Military News
Aircraft Carriers, Stealth Bombers and Nuclear Weapons: How China's Military Is Rising -- Sebastien Roblin, National Interest
Russia to supply seven Mi-35, three Mi-17 helicopters to Serbia -- TASS
Russian Navy escorts US destroyers that entered Baltic Sea -- TASS
Russian Navy Monitoring US Destroyer in Black Sea – Control Center -- Sputnik
Japan Intercepts 2 Russian Nuclear-Capable Fighter-Bombers -- The Diplomat
Norway Beefs Up Arctic Defences at Russia's Doorstep -- Sputnik
German Gov't Faces Suit for Banning Arms Export to Saudi Arabia – Reports -- Sputnik
Report finds another undisclosed North Korea missile site, says there are 19 more -- NBC
North Korea’s bio weapons ‘more of a threat than nuclear arsenal’ -- The Telegraph
Singapore wants the F-35 to replace its F-16s -- Defense News
