Latest news with #ChristopherCavoli
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Russia's standing amongst global rivalries after its last aircraft carrier discontinues
In a historic and symbolic move, Russia is set to scrap its only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov , making it the only permanent member of the United Nations Security Council without an operational aircraft carrier. This decision marks a significant decline in Russia's naval aviation capabilities and reshapes the global balance of maritime power. Western adversaries: Commanding the seas The United States continues to dominate naval aviation with an impressive fleet of 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, including the technologically advanced Ford-class equipped with electromagnetic catapults (EMALS), cutting-edge radar, and integrated drone operations. Complemented by nine amphibious assault ships capable of deploying stealth F-35B fighters, the U.S. Navy maintains unparalleled global reach and strike capability. NATO allies further strengthen this dominance. The United Kingdom fields two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers operating F-35B stealth jets, while France operates the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle with Rafale M fighters and catapult launch systems. Italy and Spain also contribute with smaller carriers integrating advanced aircraft like the F-35B and Harrier jets. Collectively, NATO navies operate over 16 aircraft carriers, maintaining high interoperability and readiness through frequent joint exercises. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo Ammunition production: Russia surges ahead In 2024 and 2025, Russia's defense industry has shifted to a full "war economy," allowing it to produce about 3 million artillery shells per year, nearly three times the combined output of the United States and Europe. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and U.S. General Christopher Cavoli have both confirmed that Russia now manufactures in just three months what all NATO countries produce in a year. Russia's monthly output of artillery shells stands at around 250,000, while the U.S. currently produces about 40,000 shells per month and aims to reach 90,000 monthly by 2026. The European Union, meanwhile, is racing to catch up, with plans to reach 2.5 million shells annually by 2025. This explosive growth is backed by major investments in new facilities, such as a massive explosives plant in Siberia, which is expected to produce enough RDX to fill over a million 152 mm shells annually. Russia's production costs are also drastically lower, about 10 times less per shell than NATO equivalents, thanks to state subsidies and a managed economy. Live Events Defence budgets: Russia vs NATO This naval gap is mirrored in defense spending. NATO's combined military expenditure reached a staggering $1.5 trillion in 2024, with the United States alone accounting for nearly $997 billion, more than six times Russia's entire military budget. By comparison, Russia's military spending was estimated at $149 billion in 2024, even after a dramatic 38% increase over the previous year. NATO's new target of 5% of GDP for defense could push these numbers even higher by 2035, further widening the gap. In sheer numbers, NATO also outpaces Russia in active personnel, aircraft, and naval vessels by wide margins. While new aircraft carriers are not on the immediate agenda due to financial and industrial constraints, Russia is building large amphibious assault ships ( Project 23900 Ivan Rogov-class ). These vessels can carry helicopters, landing craft, armored vehicles, and troops, providing flexibility for littoral operations, disaster relief, and potentially even supporting short takeoff and landing aircraft in the future. Limited carrier presence among other partners Other Russian partners, including Iran and North Korea, lack aircraft carriers, relying instead on submarines and missile craft. Countries like Brazil, Egypt, and Thailand maintain single, older carriers primarily for regional defense and helicopter operations. The scrapping of the Admiral Kuznetsov highlights a growing technological and strategic divide. Western carriers boast stealth aircraft, EMALS, and integrated drone fleets, while China and India continue to develop but remain behind. Russia's exit from carrier aviation signals a shift in focus toward submarines, hypersonic missiles, and unmanned naval platforms, reducing its ability to project air power at sea.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US General Alexus Grynkewich to take top NATO command
Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich has been nominated as NATO's new supreme allied commander in Europe (SACEUR), the US announced on Thursday. Grynkewich will take over the top alliance role from US Army General Christopher Cavoli in a ceremony in Mons, Belgium, later in the year. The role will make Grynkewich primarily responsible for planning and executing military measures to defend the alliance. He also commands US forces during any conflict in Europe. Currently the Joint Staff's director for operations, Grynkewich is the principal military advisor to US President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He has also served as an instructor pilot, weapons officer and operational test pilot. NATO's first SACEUR was Dwight Eisenhower, appointed in 1950, before he became US president.
Korea Herald
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Iran to send Russia launchers for short-range missiles, sources say
WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) -- Iran was preparing to deliver in the near future launchers for short-range ballistic missiles that the United States said Tehran sent to Russia last year for use against Ukraine, according to two Western security officials and a regional official. Iran denied it had such plans and dismissed the idea as "utterly absurd." The delivery of the Fath-360 launchers -- if it occurs -- would help support Russia's grinding assault on its neighbor and reaffirm the deepening security ties between Moscow and Tehran. With a 120-kilometer range, the Fath-360 would give Moscow's forces a new weapon to fire at Ukrainian frontline troops, nearby military targets, and population centers close to the border with Russia, analysts said. The US last September said that Iran delivered the missiles to Russia on nine Russian-flagged ships -- which it sanctioned -- and three sources told Reuters at that time that the launchers were not included. The Western security officials and the regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the delivery of the Fath-360 launchers was imminent. They declined to provide further details of the pending transfer, including why they thought the launchers were not delivered with the missiles. Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations dismissed what it called "baseless allegations" against Tehran. "So long as conflict persists between the parties, Iran will abstain from rendering any form of military assistance to either side," it said in an emailed statement. Russia's Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The US National Security Council referred inquiries to the State Department, which did not respond immediately. The CIA declined comment. Russia and Iran have previously denied that Tehran had shipped the missiles or any other arms to aid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Moscow launched in February 2022. US, Ukrainian and European officials say Iran has provided Russia thousands of drones and artillery shells. In an apparent reference to the Fath-360s, US Army General Christopher Cavoli, the commander of US Central Command, last month told US lawmakers that Iran had donated to Russia more than 400 short-range ballistic missiles. There have been no public reports of Iran transferring any other kinds of short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow or of Russian forces using the Fath-360. Russia's deployment of the missiles could complicate US President Donald Trump's efforts to arrange a ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and to strike a separate deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program. The regional official said that the indirect US-Iran nuclear talks mediated by Oman are among "several reasons" for the delayed delivery of the launchers. The talks have encountered turbulence, although Iran on Friday said it agreed to hold a fourth round in Oman on Sunday. Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said that Iranian officials would consider the issue of sending arms to Russia as separate from the nuclear talks. "That the Iranians are negotiating on nuclear issues with the US will not be seen as connected to what they might do in collaboration with the Russians," he said. Analysts said there could have been another complication: Iran had to modify European-made commercial trucks on which to mount the launchers for its own Fath-360 arsenal, and it may have had to do the same for Russia given its massive losses of vehicles in Ukraine. With the launchers, Russia will be able to increase pressure on Ukraine, said the experts. "It would be much easier (for Russian forces) to launch a strike much faster ... against high-value targets," said Fabian Hinz, a research fellow with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "They (Fath-360s) don't need a lot of launch preparations. Their flight time is incredibly short." Deploying the Fath-360 could allow Russia to reserve its more advanced missiles, like the Iskander, for longer-range strikes at critical infrastructure, including the power grid, straining Ukraine's precious missile defenses, the analysts said. The Fath-360 "is designed to be handled and operated by people with relatively little training," said Ralph Savelsberg, an associate professor at the Netherlands Defense Academy. "Why would they (Russia) buy inferior Iranian missiles? The only reason I could think of is that they cannot produce a sufficient number of their own missiles," he said. "They're not super accurate and they don't carry a very large payload. But it just adds to Ukraine's headaches."
Business Recorder
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Iran to send Russia launchers for short-range missiles
WASHINGTON/LONDON: Iran is preparing to deliver in the near future launchers for short-range ballistic missiles that the US said Tehran sent to Russia last year for use against Ukraine, according to two Western security officials and a regional official. Iran denied it had such plans and dismissed the idea as 'utterly absurd'. The delivery of the Fath-360 launchers - if it occurs - would help support Russia's grinding assault on its neighbor and reaffirm the deepening security ties between Moscow and Tehran. With a 75-mile (120-km) range, the Fath-360 would give Moscow's forces a new weapon to fire at Ukrainian frontline troops, nearby military targets, and population centers close to the border with Russia, analysts said. The US last September said that Iran delivered the missiles to Russia on nine Russian-flagged ships - which it sanctioned - and three sources told Reuters at that time that the launchers were not included. The Western security officials and the regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the delivery of the Fath-360 launchers was imminent. They declined to provide further details of the pending transfer, including why they thought the launchers were not delivered with the missiles. Iran's permanent mission to the United States dismissed what it called 'baseless allegations' against Tehran. 'So long as conflict persists between the parties, Iran will abstain from rendering any form of military assistance to either side,' it said in an emailed statement. Russia's defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The US National Security Council referred inquiries to the State Department, which did not respond immediately. The CIA declined comment. Russia and Iran have previously denied that Tehran had shipped the missiles or any other arms to aid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Moscow launched in February 2022. US, Ukrainian and European officials say Iran has provided Russia thousands of drones and artillery shells. In an apparent reference to the Fath-360s, US Army General Christopher Cavoli, the commander of US Central Command, last month told US lawmakers that Iran had donated to Russia more than 400 short-range ballistic missiles. There have been no public reports of Iran transferring any other kinds of short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow or of Russian forces using the Fath-360. Russia's deployment of the missiles could complicate US President Donald Trump's efforts to arrange a ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and to strike a separate deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program. The regional official said that the indirect US-Iran nuclear talks mediated by Oman are among 'several reasons' for the delayed delivery of the launchers. The talks have encountered turbulence, although Iran on Friday said it agreed to hold a fourth round in Oman on Sunday. Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said that Iranian officials would consider the issue of sending arms to Russia as separate from the nuclear talks. 'That the Iranians are negotiating on nuclear issues with the US will not be seen as connected to what they might do in collaboration with the Russians,' he said. Analysts said there could have been another complication: Iran had to modify European-made commercial trucks on which to mount the launchers for its own Fath-360 arsenal, and it may have had to do the same for Russia given its massive losses of vehicles in Ukraine. With the launchers, Russia will be able to increase pressure on Ukraine, said the experts. 'It would be much easier (for Russian forces) to launch a strike much faster ... against high-value targets,' said Fabian Hinz, a research fellow with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. 'They (Fath-360s) don't need a lot of launch preparations. Their flight time is incredibly short.' Deploying the Fath-360 could allow Russia to reserve its more advanced missiles, like the Iskander, for longer-range strikes at critical infrastructure, including the power grid, straining Ukraine's precious missile defenses, the analysts said. The Fath-360 'is designed to be handled and operated by people with relatively little training,' said Ralph Savelsberg, an associate professor at the Netherlands Defense Academy. 'Why would they (Russia) buy inferior Iranian missiles? The only reason I could think of is that they cannot produce a sufficient number of their own missiles,' he said. 'They're not super accurate and they don't carry a very large payload. But it just adds to Ukraine's headaches.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran preparing to transfer ballistic missile launchers to Russia
Iran is planning to deliver launchers for its short-range Fath-360 ballistic missiles to Russia soon, which Moscow may use in the war against Ukraine. Source: Reuters, citing two Western security officials and one regional official Details: According to the sources, the transfer of Iranian launchers is "imminent". These are launchers for Fath-360 missiles with a range of up to 120 km, which would allow Russian forces to conduct tactical strikes on Ukrainian positions, military facilities and settlements near the line of contact. Iran delivered missiles to Russia via nine vessels sailing under the Russian flag in September 2024. Three Reuters sources said at the time that the launchers had not been included in that shipment. According to experts, the delivery of Fath-360 launchers would indicate a deepening of military cooperation between Iran and Russia. Earlier, US Army General Christopher Cavoli informed the US Congress that Iran had supplied Russia with over 400 short-range ballistic missiles. These were likely Fath-360s. Meanwhile, there is no public evidence that Iran has supplied Russia with other types of such missiles or that Russian forces have used the Fath-360. Analysts believe that the deployment of the Fath-360 would allow Russia to reserve more advanced missiles, like the Iskander, for long-range strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, including the energy sector, further burdening the air defence system. "It would be much easier [for Russian forces] to launch a strike much faster ... against high-value targets. They [Fath-360s] don't need a lot of launch preparations. Their flight time is incredibly short," said Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "The Fath-360 is designed to be handled and operated by people with relatively little training," explained Ralph Savelsberg, associate professor at the Netherlands Defence Academy. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
