Latest news with #JustinBronk
Metro
15-07-2025
- Science
- Metro
China's new secret weapon is a flying ship dubbed 'the sea monster'
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or even a ship? No – it is something much more sinister. Roaring just feet above the sea, a sprawling shadow has emerged from the Bohai Sea, off the northern coast of China. This is the experimental resurrection of the Soviet Era 'ekranoplan', a hybrid between an aircraft and a ship, which can cruise over water at 340 mph. Pulling from the pages of the history of the Cold War, China has presented its own ekranoplan nicknamed – quite predictably – the Bohai Sea Monster. The dramatic reveal – part demonstration and part warning to its enemies – marks a bold escalation in the country's military expansion. Aviation expert Justin Bronk explained that China's apparent development of the experimental vessel highlights its willingness to try almost anything in the pursuit of tactical advantages over its rivals. He told RFE/RL about the plans: 'China is notable in its willingness to fund and test large numbers of different technical and technological solutions for military problem sets.' Bronk stressed that even designs with a low chance of success are being developed by the Chinese. He added: 'Presumably based on the logic that a few at least will prove to be unexpectedly useful and successful.' The 'ekranoplan' fits this profile perfectly. Historically, the Soviets were the main producer, building the infamous 'Caspian Sea Monster' in the 1960s. Some Soviet types were ginormous, but other types globally have always been much smaller. Until now. An image shared on Chinese social media shows the unique grey-painted aircraft in the background. Flying just above the surface, this Soviet engineering marvel was known for evading radar detection and is large enough to transport soldiers and missiles. 'Ekranoplans' utilize the ground effect – a cushion of air trapped between the wings and the water surface, to gain lift and maintain flight at low altitudes (typically a few meters above the water). This low-altitude operation makes them challenging to track and intercept. China has not yet revealed the name, manufacturer and price of its secret weapon – nor what it plans to use it for. Securing a strategic edge is vital to the country, particularly as all signs point to a possible invasion of Taiwan in the next couple of years. For years, China has poured billions into modernizing its armed forces – from investing in advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles, and expanding its nuclear arsenal. Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington earlier this year that the Indo-Pacific command faces a confluence of challenges, mainly China. More Trending He said: 'Foremost among them is China's increasingly aggressive and assertive behavior. 'Their unprecedented military modernization encompassing advancements in artificial intelligence, [hypersonic missiles], space-based capabilities, among others, poses a real and serious threat to our homeland, to our allies and to our partners.' Last year, China's military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) boasted itsgrowing capabilities through persistent operations against Taiwan. Paparo stressed that they have escalated by a whooping 300%, adding: 'Its aggressive military actions near Taiwan are not just exercises – they are rehearsals.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: More than 200 kids poisoned with lead at Chinese school after chef added paint to their food MORE: Woman bombarded with hundreds of Amazon packages she never ordered MORE: Incredible Pacific Sleeper Sharks footage captures feeding scenes over 3,000ft deep
News18
06-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
China Ran Campaign To Damage Rafale's Image After India-Pakistan Conflict: Report
Last Updated: India used Rafales during the May conflict with Pakistan, which was one of the most serious military exchanges between the two nuclear neighbours in years China orchestrated a campaign, using its embassies, to damage the reputation and sales of the French-made Rafale fighter jet following its combat debut during India's May clashes with Pakistan, according to French intelligence officials. As per the findings from a French intelligence service seen by the Associated Press, defence attaches at various Chinese embassies actively cast doubt upon the Rafale's combat performance. Their goal, officials say, was to convince existing buyers, such as Indonesia, not to buy more, and to persuade other potential customers to choose Chinese-made alternatives The Rafale, built by Dassault Aviation, is a key part of France's defence exports. It has been sold to eight countries and plays a major role in France's military partnerships, especially in Asia, where China is growing in influence. India used Rafales during the May conflict with Pakistan, which was one of the most serious military exchanges between the two nuclear neighbours in years. Pakistan later claimed it had downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. India acknowledged losses but didn't confirm the numbers. French Air Force Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said available evidence shows three Indian aircraft were lost: one Rafale, one Russian Sukhoi and one Mirage 2000, another French jet. It marked the first known combat loss of a Rafale. Following the clash, countries that operate Rafales began raising questions about the jet's combat performance. French officials say that a disinformation campaign—linked to both China and Pakistan—spread quickly online. This included fake videos, AI-generated content, and even video game footage made to look like real combat. Thousands of new social media accounts pushed the message that Chinese military technology was superior. French officials have not directly linked the online efforts to the Chinese government. However, French intelligence says Chinese embassy staff echoed the same narrative during meetings with defence officials in other countries, including those considering Rafale purchases. Beijing denied the allegations. China's defence ministry said the claims were 'groundless rumours and slander," insisting it maintains a responsible policy on arms exports. France's Defence Ministry responded by saying that Rafale was the target of a 'vast campaign of disinformation." The ministry added that the attack was not just against an aircraft but aimed at undermining France's defence credibility and industrial strength. Dassault has sold 533 Rafales globally, with 323 of them going to countries such as Egypt, India, the UAE, Greece, and Indonesia. Indonesia, which has already ordered 42 jets, is reportedly considering more. Experts say China's goal may be to weaken France's growing security ties in Asia. According to Justin Bronk, a military analyst at the Royal United Services Institute in London, the campaign was likely designed to limit Western influence in the Indo-Pacific and promote China's defence industry instead. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region," Bronk said. (With inputs from AP) Location : France First Published:
Business Insider
06-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
NATO is pouring new spending into much-needed air defenses. Money alone won't fix the West's problems.
NATO plans to invest money from soaring alliance defense spending into a fivefold increase in air defenses, but revitalizing capabilities ignored since the end of the Cold War is easier said than done. NATO sorely needs air defenses. Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europe does "not have enough," outlining "clear gaps" in command and control, long-range weapons, and sensor systems, all while Russia's military growth is "really threatening." The way Russia is fighting in Ukraine and the reconstitution of its military have led to greater urgency in NATO. Defense experts say higher spending is warranted, especially on ground-based air defenses, but the alliance can't expect a quick fix from money alone. The West needs air defenses and big missile stocks Russia's invasion, specifically its relentless attacks on Ukrainian cities, shows air defenses are needed in a major conflict. For the West, worried about Russia and China, it's a wake-up call. The West scaled back air defenses in recent decades as it battled weaker adversaries that posed no major air threat. However, Russia's bombardments, sometimes using hundreds of missiles and drones, show the West must be ready for the same. It's not yet. "NATO faces a significant shortfall in ground-based air defense systems," both with the number of systems and ammunition supplies for them, Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said. NATO is acting, but investments don't mean weaponry can actually be made quickly. Bronk said fixing the issue "is much more a question of building production capacity at every stage in the supply chain as rapidly as possible as part of a crisis response rather than just spending more money." "Currently, there just isn't enough production capacity in the world of Patriot interceptors, SAMP/T interceptors," he said, referring to surface-to-air missiles for eliminating air threats. Struggling with production woes not easily fixed Following the Cold War, the West's defense manufacturing and industrial prowess atrophied. Companies consolidated, specialized production lines closed, workforces shrank, and inventories decreased — all crippling the ability to surge weapons. Work is underway to boost production. For instance, Lockheed Martin expanded PAC-3 interceptor production for the Patriot system to 500 missiles in 2024, then a new production high, with plans to grow production further. Boeing upped seeker production, and Raytheon is boosting PAC-2 interceptor output, though it grapples with massive backlogs. Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin plan to establish a European missile production hub, including the PAC-3 used by Patriots. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told German newspaper Hartpunkt that Europe has struggled getting missiles from the US because of production shortfalls there. He said the wait could sometimes be 10 years, describing that as far too long. It won't start full missile production until 2027, and Papperger said he expects its engine producing capacity will be quickly used up. For the Patriots, demand pretty consistently outpaces supply. And clearing backlogs isn't quick. European defense company MBDA, which makes ASTER air defense missiles and other products, saw orders double since Russia's invasion. In April, Fortune reported that its backlog was projected to take up to seven years at current capacity. The Financial Times reported the company's plans to double the number of hours worked and hire more, but CEO Éric Béranger also wants more action. He called this a "moment of truth" for Europe and said: "We need to be much more industrial." Decreased production capacity has been "a tremendous problem in the United States," said Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "You can sign all the contracts you want, but the production capability is lacking." It takes time to make top-of-the-line interceptors Even if more companies boost production, manufacturing sophisticated weaponry simply is not quick. Thomas Laliberty, Raytheon's president of land and air defense systems, told Politico last year that it takes 12 months to build a Patriot radar, just one part of an operational battery. Sophistication is a key issue. Bronk said missiles designed to attack are easier to build: "It's much, much cheaper to build offensive missiles than it is to build defensive interceptor coverage." The price reflects that sophistication: Naval interceptors, like the SM-series, can cost up to almost $30 million a missile. Defense systems are "some of the most sophisticated bits of hardware that militaries have, and producing them takes time with pretty skilled labor," former Australian Army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan, a warfare strategist, explained. Increasing production enough "will be a challenge," he said. There are steps forward, but challenges remain The alliance is taking steps in the right direction. Retired Air Commodore Andrew Curtis, an airfare expert with a 35-year career in the Royal Air Force, said countries speaking confidently gives the industry the reassurance it wants to invest. "Governments are now talking the right language," he said. The industry saw investing in production facilities during the Cold War as "a sound business," as demand was there. But that changed. He said the industry would not invest long-term in expensive facilities that require skilled workers "with no guaranteed orders at the end of it." Increased cooperation is also needed. NATO has cultural problems, with countries working separately. Jan Kallberg, a security expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said "the major challenge in NATO is not money, it's coordination." Multiple companies working on similar systems means doubling up on some expenses, and makes scaling up harder, Kallberg said. Fixing that "would free up a tremendous lot of resources." Military officials want greater collaboration. A US general last month urged defense firms to coordinate more and "stop selling us pieces of the puzzle." Progress is happening: More companies and countries are working together. The Nordic countries are integrating their air defenses to act as one, and with joint air defense planning. Changes are taking place at the top level. The European Commission is proposing new measures to cut red tape, encourage joint purchases, and facilitate billions of investments. But challenges remain. Kallberg warned: "Culture takes far more time to change than just buying hardware."
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Israel showed that seizing air superiority isn't gone from modern warfare, but Iran isn't China or Russia
Military officials and experts warn that air superiority may not be possible in modern warfare. Israel, however, was able to quickly achieve it against Iran. Iran, though capable, isn't bringing the same fight that a foe like Russia or China could. Israel swiftly seized air superiority over parts of Iran during the latest fight, showing that it's still possible in modern, higher-end warfare to heavily dominate an enemy's skies. But there's a risk in taking the wrong lesson from that win. Iran isn't Russia or China, and as the West readies for potential near-peer conflict, it really can't afford to forget that, officials and experts have cautioned. Western military officials and warfare experts have repeatedly warned in recent years that achieving air superiority against those countries would be a daunting task. Russia and China, especially the latter, boast sophisticated, integrated air defense networks with ground-based interceptors well supported by capable air forces, electronic warfare, and reliable space-based and airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Air superiority in a limited theater is not the same as breaking through a complex anti-access, area-denial setup. Israel's victory in the air war over Iran shows that air superiority is "not impossible" in modern warfare, former Australian Army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan, a warfare strategist, explained. That said, he continued, a Western conflict with Russia or China would be "very different." A victory in the air for Israel Israel attacked nuclear and military sites in Iran in bombing runs and eliminated dozens of Iranian air defense batteries. Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said it "highlights what you can do with a modern air force against some, on paper, fairly impressive defenses." Iran maintained a capable layered air defense network featuring domestic systems, foreign-supplied defenses, and some modernized older systems. Though only semi-integrated compared to fully networked air defenses, it presented an obstacle. Israel dismantled Iranian defenses over multiple engagements through extensive planning, detailed intelligence, and the employment of combat-proven airpower, specifically fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters built for penetration and suppression of enemy air defenses and fourth-generation F-15s and F-16s, which can also support that mission. Important to Israel's success in the latest fight with Iran were the engagements last year that substantially weakened Iranian air defense capabilities, as well as Israel's skills in this mission. Failures and aircraft losses in the 1973 Yom Kippur War led it to reevaluate how it approached enemy air defenses, in many ways leading to the emergence of the kind of missions used against Iran. Ed Arnold, a security expert at RUSI, said that Israel reporting no aircraft losses "was significant, and it just showed that, yeah, you can get air supremacy very quickly." The caveat there is that doing so requires the right tactics, weapons, and intelligence, but even then, it is not guaranteed. Retired Air Commodore Andrew Curtis, an airfare expert with a 35-year career in the Royal Air Force, told BI "the situation that everybody's been used to over the last 30 years is air supremacy," but when it comes to high-intensity war against a near-peer adverary, realistically, "those days are long gone." Russia and China Iran had air defenses, but not airpower. It's air force is largely made up of obsolete Western, Soviet, and Chinese aircraft. The ground-based surface-to-air missile batteries are more capable, but that's only one part of the defensive picture. Curtis explained that Iran has "very little in the way of air defense aircraft, whereas of course Russia, and especially China, has stacks of them." Both Russia and China field fourth-generation-plus aircraft, as well as fifth-generation fighters. China, in particular, has multiple fifth-gen fighters in various stages of development, and there are indications it's working on sixth-generation prototypes. By comparison, Iran's air force looks a lot like a plane museum. But they also boast more advanced and more effective air defenses. Bronk said Russia's defenses are "better networked, more capable, more numerous, and more densely layered than Iran's." He said that if the West rolled back the SAM threat, it would likely be able to overcome Russia's air force, but China is a different story. China has a complex integrated air defense network supported by ground-based air defenses, naval air defenses, and what Bronk characterized as "an increasingly very capable modern air force," among other capabilities. And China also has a "far greater and more sophisticated missile arsenal for striking bases" to hamstring an enemy's airpower. Additionally, it holds a strong economic position with an industrial base that is turning out high-end weapons. China has also been tremendously increasing its number of interceptors without really expending any, unlike the US, which has been burning through interceptors in Middle Eastern conflicts. Not all of China has the same protections, but breaking through defenses would likely represent a substantial challenge in a conflict, especially in something like a Taiwan contingency. A conflict between the West and China could look like "a more traditional air war" — something not seen in a long time, Curtis said, explaining that air-to-air combat could make a comeback, with pilots again shooting down enemy planes. "In a peer-on-peer conflict, certainly with China, you would see a lot of that, because China has got a lot of air assets." Future air battles Achieving air superiority, as Israel did recently and as the US did in the Gulf War in the 1990s and in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s, has been crucial to the Western way of war, often serving as a tool to enable ground maneuvers. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which failed to knock out Ukraine's air defenses, now far more robust than at the start of the war, has shown what a conflict looks like when it isn't achieved. Aircraft are shot out of the sky, and ground forces are locked in grinding slogs. Devastating long-range attacks are still possible, but quick victory is generally not. It has resulted in some stark warnings for future warfare. Speaking on air superiority, Gen. James Hecker, the commander of NATO's air command, warned last year that "it's not a given." He added that "if we can't get air superiority, we're going to be doing the fight that's going on in Russia and Ukraine right now." Other military leaders have said that air superiority may only be achieved in short bursts. War is full of surprises, but evidence indicates that's a real possibility. Achieving Curtis said air planners now have to focus on specific priorities, like protecting air bases, and figuring out how to achieve a "localized time-bound air superiority or air supremacy in support of a short-term mission or operation." "It's a different mindset," he said. The key in future wars will be to seize control of as much of the aerial battlespace as possible to do what's necessary in the moment, all while holding firm defensively, as Israel did against Iran's retaliatory ballistic missile strikes, experts said. That means maintaining a strong air force and strong air defenses. "Nothing in Ukraine or Israel has shown that air superiority isn't needed in the future," Ryan shared. "I think they've both shown that having air superiority is an extraordinarily important part of warfare and remains so.
Business Insider
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Israel's one-of-a-kind F-35 stealth jet is flying into a higher level of combat in fights with Iran
Israel's unique F-35I lends a critical capability to its air force and has been involved in strikes on Iran. Actions against Iran are the "most challenging" F-35s have flown, an airpower expert said. The F-35's success is showcasing the jet's capabilities and ability to fight higher-level battles. Israel's unique version of the F-35 stealth fighter is showing the jet's readiness for a higher level of combat in its fights with Iran, a difficult adversary that until recently fielded a challenging arsenal of air defense weapons. Over 200 Israeli fighter jets took part in the opening strikes last Friday, and Israeli Air Force photos from the operation confirm the involvement of the F-35I "Adir." Additional strikes have since followed. The latest attacks, which have targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, military leaders, and critical defensive capabilities, coupled with the attack last year on Iranian defenses mark the most difficult operations the jet has ever flown in, showcasing its strengths and adaptability across weapons and roles in a way previous engagements against non-state actors or nations with far weaker defenses did not. 200 מטוסי קרב, מעל 330 חימושים שונים: תיעודים מפעילות חיל-האוויר במבצע "עם כלביא" — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 Israel's F-35s, along with fourth-generation aircraft like the F-16 and F-15, have been targeting Iran for days, and Israel's military said Monday that the bombing runs had given them air superiority over sections of Iran, including Tehran, its capital. "עם כלביא": תיעודים מרגעי ההמראות והנחיתות של מטוסי הקרב של חיל-האוויר, במבצע לפגיעה בתוכנית הגרעין האיראנית — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 The intense, ongoing Israeli combat operation is aimed at destroying Iran's nuclear program and also severely degrading military capabilities, including its ballistic missile programs and air defenses. Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told Business Insider that the strength of Iranian defenses at the time made the combat operations that Israel conducted last October and the most recent strikes on Iran "the most challenging kinetic campaign that F-35s have flown in." The Israeli military has not discussed specific F-35 actions against Iran, but the jet's capabilities and the nature of the targets suggest the aircraft could be playing a central role. Bronk said that based on the publicly available information from Israeli Air Force officials, every indication is that "the F-35I has been a critical and highly successful leading edge capability in the overall Israeli air campaign at every stage." The jet's involvement isn't necessarily surprising as penetrating contested airspace and suppressing enemy defenses is what the F-35 is designed to do and what Israel bought it for, he said. That said, this moment is an opportunity to showcase the jet's prowess. The jet, Bronk said, "offers a combination of stealth, capability to rapidly detect, identify, and geolocate radar-emitting threats like air defense systems, pass those targets to other aircraft or strike them itself, and conduct electronic warfare attacks to suppress said targets to protect other aircraft and get weapons through to targets." The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a single-engine, multi-role stealth aircraft made by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin and employed by countries around the world. The US military operates three variants of the jet, the A for conventional take-off, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for carrier operations. Most allied and partner nations operate one of the three variants, but Israel flies a unique F-35 variant. Israel's F-35I is its only fifth-generation aircraft. It was the first military to use the F-35 in combat in 2018. It currently operates just under 40 of them but is acquiring more. Israel's specific model is a subvariant of the F-35A the US Air Force flies. What makes the F-35I "Adir" unique is that Israel can modify the mission data and programming of the jets and integrate domestically developed systems, from electronic warfare to data links and cybersecurity, without relying on US-directed software update cycles. Those unique features, which allow the jet to be more tailored to Israeli needs, exclude it from US-provided updates for other F-35 customers. Israeli attacks on Iran have put the jet and the larger Israeli Air Force to the test. In the latest strikes, Israeli fighter jets struck over 100 targets across Iran, including key military sites and the main Iranian uranium enrichment site. The mission is aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. The Israeli Defense Force has said that the Iranian nuclear program has "accelerated significantly" in recent months and called it "clear evidence the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon." Iran has said its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, but enrichment levels and secretive nuclear activity have raised concerns about its intentions. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. American officials have said the US isn't involved in the strikes and warned Iran against retaliating against US forces in the region. The US Navy has warships, including an aircraft carrier and several surface ships, stationed in and around the Middle East, and some of these assets have provided air defense for Israel, helping shield it from retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. The US has been adjusting its force posture in the area recently, but it remains unclear if the US will become more involved or keep its distance from the ongoing fight.
