DefenceTalkRussia’s Air Force is set to receive new aircraft and anti-missile defense systems, as well as to stage large-scale drills by the end of 2014, a Russian Defense Ministry’s Air Force spokesman said. “By the end of the year, the Air Force is to procure planes, helicopters, modern radar stations… It is also being reequipped […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-air-force-unveils-arms-procurement-plan-59748/

DefenceTalkIt’s been a long time since a German vice-chancellor has defied his chancellor – especially over Germany’s booming weapons exports. In Angela Merkel’s previous government, the vice chancellor and economy minister was Philipp Rösler of her “preferred” coalition partner, the neo-liberal Free Democratic Party, a party that rarely stood in the way of lucrative business […]https://www.defencetalk.com/germanys-arms-exports-turn-into-gamesmanship-59323/

DefenceTalkPARIS: India remains the biggest buyer of arms in the world, importing nearly three times as many weapons as its nearest competitors China and Pakistan over the last five years, a Swedish think tank said on Monday. The total volume of arms sales was up 14 per cent in 2009-13 compared to the previous five […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indian-arms-imports-almost-triple-china-pakistan-study-59044/

DefenceTalkRussia is considering halting foreign inspections of its strategic weapons arsenal, including nuclear-capable missiles, in response to “threats” from the West over the Ukraine crisis, the defence ministry said Saturday. “The unfounded threats towards Russia from the United States and NATO over its policy on Ukraine are seen by us as an unfriendly gesture that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-warns-could-halt-foreign-arms-checks-58964/

DefenceTalkPakistan on Thursday strongly denied it had any plans to send weapons to Syrian rebels, following reports that Saudi Arabia was holding talks with it about arming the opposition. Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam said at a regular briefing that Islamabad did not supply arms to “entities”, meaning rebel groups, and respected Syria’s sovereignty. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pakistan-denies-plans-to-arm-syrian-rebels-58883/

DefenceTalkThe EU has put on hold arms shipments to Egypt, while the US continues to support the Egyptian military. Defense contractors in the US stand to profit. It seemed to be a difficult answer for Barack Obama. The US president appeared to weigh every word when he was asked during a TV interview in August […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-arms-industry-profits-from-aid-funds-to-egypt-49308/

DefenceTalkItaly’s parliament on Wednesday ratified the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty, which is intended to stop arms supplies to countries at war or that abuse human rights. The treaty was adopted by the United Nations in April to regulate the $80 billion (59 billion euros) annual trade in conventional arms and stop supplies to states where […]https://www.defencetalk.com/italy-becomes-first-eu-state-to-ratify-un-arms-treaty-49214/

DefenceTalkDefence budgets in the Asia Pacific region will overtake the United States and Canada by 2021, according to a study by respected analysts IHS Jane’s published on Tuesday. Weapons spending in China and other Asia Pacific countries is expected to rise 35 percent above its 2013 level to $501 billion (383 billion euros) by 2021, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/asia-pacific-defence-budgets-to-outstrip-north-america-by-2021-48269/

DefenceTalkThe European Union’s decision to lift its arms embargo on the Syrian opposition has provided Russia with a new defence of its controversial weapons deliveries to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Russia reacted with fury to the EU’s decision Monday — advocated primarily by Britain and France — to lift its arms embargo on the rebels […]https://www.defencetalk.com/eu-embargo-move-boosts-russia-plan-to-arm-syria-47961/

DefenceTalkUS Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Riyadh Tuesday to seal a major arms deal that will provide the Saudi kingdom with sophisticated missiles for its American-made fighter jets. Hagel flew in from Jordan after a three-day visit to Israel in his first tour of the region since he took office two months ago. He […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hagel-in-riyadh-as-saudi-us-plan-arms-deal-47567/