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Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
The American missiles that could change course of Ukraine war
President Trump is said to be considering supplying joint air-to-surface standoff missiles to Ukraine. If approved the radar-evading cruise missiles would most likely be fired from Ukraine's fleet of F-16 fighter jets, representing a significant escalation of American support. The standard 'JASSM', which has a range of 230 miles, is the version to be sent to Ukraine, according to unconfirmed reports by Military Watch, a defence news website. It was used by US fighter jets for the assassination of Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi, the leader of Isis, in 2019. Armed with a 450kg warhead, the missile was originally designed to evade Russian S-300 air defences and can fly at low altitudes to avoid enemy radar. Ukraine has only one other air-launched cruise missile in its arsenal — the Anglo-French Stormshadow, which has a range of 155 miles. It also has Atacms, ground-launched ballistic missiles, with a range of 190 miles, at its disposal. However, judging by Russia's advances in recent months and the increasing rarity with which Ukraine is able to launch large strikes on enemy supply lines, Kyiv's supply of missiles is running low. • Trump announces Patriots for Ukraine and threatens Putin with 100% tariffs President Zelensky had unsuccessfully lobbied for Germany to give Taurus missiles with a range of 310 missiles. A donation of these would be significant because the distance from the Ukrainian border to Moscow is about 280 miles, meaning that Taurus missiles could allow Zelensky to strike the Russian capital. Although it is unlikely that JASSMs could reach Moscow, they would put at least 30 Russian airbases within range. This would complicate Russian efforts to launch frequent airstrikes on Ukraine even though the Kremlin has moved many of its most valuable jets away from the border to protect them from airstrikes. Armed with JASSMs, Ukrainian pilots could risk flying into Russian airspace to get closer to their targets, but this would expose Kyiv's precious F-16s to Russian air defences. The JASSMs would be most probably used to launch strikes on Russian ammunition dumps and command headquarters in the hope that Ukraine can stretch Moscow's supply lines and slow the recent advances.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
America burned over $1 billion in defending Israel — for a war it wasn't in. Can it afford the next one?
The United States may have used up between 15 to 20 per cent of its globally deployed arsenal of advanced THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) interceptors during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, a rate of consumption that experts warn is unsustainable in the event of prolonged or multi-front conflicts. According to Military Watch Magazine, an estimated 60–80 THAAD interceptors were fired between June 13 – June 24 as part of the US-led defence effort against Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities and nuclear sites. While only 39 launches were captured on video, wartime censorship likely prevented many more from being filmed. Analysts believe these launches accounted for just over half the total number used. Each THAAD interceptor costs between $12 million and $15 million, meaning the operation likely cost US taxpayers between $810 million and $1.215 billion. That figure dwarfs the cost of Iran's offensive, underlining the long-standing problem of asymmetric costs in missile defence warfare. The Pentagon currently fields seven THAAD systems across five air defence regiments, with an eighth set to be operational by the end of 2025. Given that the US produces only 50–60 interceptors annually, the 12-day war wiped out more than a year's worth of production — raising alarm bells in Washington, especially with THAAD batteries also deployed in South Korea, Guam, and Hawaii to deter other adversaries such as North Korea and China. Military Watch noted that Iran fired its missiles at a 'modest' rate, well below its full capabilities, possibly to avoid escalation or preserve capacity in case of deeper US involvement. Tehran also refrained from deploying missiles with multiple warheads. Despite this, US interceptor stockpiles took a heavy hit, even with significant support from Israel's Arrow, Barak 8, and US Navy Aegis destroyers equipped with SM-3 missiles. Experts say if Iran had chosen to escalate or sustain its bombardment beyond 12 days, the THAAD battery would likely have been overwhelmed or rendered ineffective, even in a setting as fortified as Israel. That has grave implications for future large-scale wars, particularly in the Indo-Pacific where the US expects to confront far more advanced and numerous missile threats from China or North Korea. THAAD was first deployed abroad in 2009 to Hawaii, followed by Guam in 2013 and South Korea in 2016. With Russia's fielding of the Oreshnik IRBM and its reported sharing of North Korean-made missiles with Belarus, calls are growing for THAAD to be deployed in Europe as well.
Egypt Independent
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Why didn't Iran use its Fakour 90 missile to attack Israel?
Israel's latest war saw it using its most important and expensive weapon to inflict the greatest damage on Iran: the F-35, which costs approximately $120 million per aircraft, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This was evident in the inability of Iranian air defenses to withstand heavy attacks and bombing on several areas, including known uranium enrichment sites. However, Iran did not use all of its known weapons. According to Military Watch, a military sciences organization, there was no significant participation by the Iranian Air Force, particularly F-14s equipped with the long-range Fakour 90 missile. The Fakour 90 is considered a locally developed version of the American AIM-54 missile, which the US supplied to Iran in the 1970s. It is believed to have a range of approximately 300 kilometers, compared to the original missile's 190 kilometers. It also has a 60-kilogram warhead and active radar tracking capabilities. While it doesn't match the range of modern Russian or Chinese missiles, it is the longest-range missile in the Middle East and was intended to give Iran a significant offensive capability against long-range Israeli fighters. According to Military Watch, Iran yet to use this type of missile due to the ease with which the AN/AWG-9 radar of Iranian F-14 fighters can be jammed. Israel's tendency to attack from abroad using fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and the F-35 stealth fighter poses a double challenge, as their stealth technologies exceed the capabilities of Iran's outdated radars. Iran needs to mobilize all its forces in the war it is waging against Israel, which has air superiority, according to the World Guide to Modern Military Aircraft – Tactical Military Equipment website. The website points to Israel's clear air superiority, according to 2025 data, which shows that the Israeli Air Force possesses an active fleet of 605 aircraft, distributed among fighters, helicopters, transport, training, refueling, and special mission aircraft. According to the TruVal global ranking, the Israeli Air Force received a rating of 56.3 points, ranking ninth among 129 air forces worldwide, relying primarily on suppliers from the United States, Germany, France, and Italy. In contrast, the global TruVal ranking stated that the Iranian Air Force received a rating of only 25.8 points, placing it 42nd out of 129 air forces worldwide. According to the World Guide to Modern Military Aircraft – Tactical Military Equipment website, the Iranian Air Force's fleet is divided into 231 combat and attack units, 78 general support units, and 91 units dedicated to training pilots and aircrew.
Egypt Independent
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Massive US air bridge sparks speculation of direct involvement in Israel-Iran conflict
Early Monday morning, flight tracking website FlightRadar data revealed an unprecedented US air bridge across the Atlantic. This operation involved a significant number of KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers departing from their mainland US bases, fueling widespread speculation about Washington's potential direct involvement in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. According to the specialized military website Military Watch, the number of US military aircraft exceeded 30. Military sources suggest that aircraft from several other Western countries are already supporting Israeli Air Force refueling operations to facilitate strikes on Iran. This strengthens the hypothesis that the new US deployment could aim to provide similar support, or to prepare for refueling American fighter jets and bombers should Washington decide on direct military participation. Previously, the US Department of Defense announced it was supplying Israel with THAAD air defense systems and Aegis destroyers for intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles. Additionally, it confirmed providing intelligence support and satellite guidance for Israeli weaponry. Neither Israel nor the United States has yet commented on the air bridge of US military aircraft or the extent of its involvement in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
