DefenceTalkNATO member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on its border with Syria on Tuesday, raising concerns over the potential for a further escalation in the more-than- four-year Syrian conflict. Ankara says the plane violated Turkish airspace, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted the jet was over Syria at the time of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/what-are-the-implications-of-turkey-downing-russian-jet-65899/

DefenceTalkPresident Vladimir Putin warned Ankara on Tuesday that Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border would have “serious consequences” for ties. Speaking at a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a tense-looking Putin branded the shooting down of the aircraft a “stab in the back […]https://www.defencetalk.com/putin-warns-turkey-after-russian-jet-downed-65894/

DefenceTalkNATO member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on the Syrian border on Tuesday, threatening a major spike in tensions between two key protagonists in the four-year Syria civil war. The Turkish army said the plane was shot down by two Turkish F-16s after violating Turkish airspace 10 times within a five-minute period. With […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-shoots-down-russian-war-plane-on-syria-border-65897/

DefenceTalkMoscow: A map shown by the Russian military on state television appears to show that some Russian artillery contingents could be operating on the ground in central Syria’s Homs region. Russia has servicemen at bases in government-held Syria helping to conduct an air campaign in support of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad but denies […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-army-map-shown-by-tv-suggests-ground-forces-in-syria-65877/

DefenceTalkBrussels: European Union nations on Tuesday unanimously backed a French request for support with military missions in the wake of the Paris attacks, after France invoked a previously unused part of the bloc’s treaties to seek help. France, which launched new airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria after Friday’s bloodshed, used a little-known article […]https://www.defencetalk.com/french-military-aid-request-backed-by-eu-after-paris-attacks-65873/

DefenceTalkWashington: Russian warplanes battered the Islamic State stronghold of Raqa in Syria on Tuesday, after giving the United States a “professional” warning of an imminent strike, US officials said. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said it was the first time Russia had shared information on “some of their operations” since Moscow began its bombing campaign […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-strikes-is-stronghold-raqa-after-warning-us-65870/

DefenceTalkRAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany: Six F-15C Eagles arrived at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Nov. 6, 2015 in a demonstration of the United States unwavering support for Turkish sovereignty and the collective security of the region. The USAFE-AFAFRICA F-15s were deployed after the Government of Turkey requested support in securing the sovereignty of Turkish airspace. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/six-us-air-force-f-15cs-arrive-at-turkish-air-base-65786/

DefenceTalkWashington: More US troops could “absolutely” be deployed to Syria if Washington identifies more “capable local forces” as partners in the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in an interview aired Sunday. Carter’s comments to ABC News came about a week after the White House announced the deployment of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/more-us-troops-possible-in-syria-pentagon-chief-65781/

DefenceTalkA top U.S. State Department official says Russia has deployed heavy artillery near the battlefield cities of Homs and Hama, as Moscow deepens its on-the-ground support of the Syrian armed forces’ offensive against rebels. Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, also said Moscow’s air campaign in Syria was costing between […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-russia-deploys-heavy-artillery-syrian-battles-65770/

DefenceTalkLondon: Britain should not join air strikes on Syria until there is a clear strategy to defeat the Islamic State group and bring peace to the country, an influential committee of MPs said Tuesday. Prime Minister David Cameron’s government wants to extend Britain’s current involvement in US-led air strikes on targets in Iraq into Syria […]https://www.defencetalk.com/britains-cameron-warned-off-air-strikes-in-syria-65738/