DefenceTalkWashington is once again considering military aid to Ukraine after fierce offensive by Kremlin-backed rebels, but defense experts fear it will only justify Russian conspiracy theories and drive East and West closer to full-blown war. The recent rebel assaults across crucial parts of the frontline in eastern Ukraine may have been timed precisely out of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-military-aid-to-ukraine-would-be-dangerous-move-62550/

DefenceTalkChina’s military training this year will focus on “improving fighting capacity” to win “local wars”, the defence ministry said Thursday, with Beijing embroiled in several territorial disputes. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been tasked with improving its ability to “win battles” by President Xi Jinping, its commander-in-chief, who has also pushed a high-profile campaign […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-2015-military-drills-to-focus-on-winning-local-wars-62346/

DefenceTalkThe United States is concerned about Russia’s emerging strategic capabilities in nuclear, space, cyber security spheres, Commander of US Strategic Command Adm. Cecil Haney said on Thursday. “Russia has had more than a decade of investments in modernization across their strategic nuclear forces. This is not about the continuation of the cold war This is […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-concerned-about-russias-emerging-strategic-military-capabilities-61988/

DefenceTalkWith the new year comes the annual dread of tax-filing season and the confusion and stress that can go along with it, especially for military families whose tax returns can be further complicated by frequent relocations, involvement of rental properties and other aspects of military life. To ease the burden, the Defense Department, through Military […]https://www.defencetalk.com/free-tax-preparation-advice-available-to-us-military-families-61863/

DefenceTalkIndia’s defence ministry cleared Wednesday proposals worth nearly $700 million to buy military equipment but deferred a key multi-billion dollar decision on replacing the country’s aging air transport fleet. India, the world’s largest buyer of weapons, is in the midst of revamping its aging military equipment and recently lifted a cap on foreign investment in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/india-clears-700-million-defence-purchase-61183/

DefenceTalkWith an assertive Russia next door, Sweden has started to beef up its military after a decade of downsizing, but a credible deterrent may take years to achieve, analysts warn. In one of Sweden’s most dramatic steps since the end of the Cold War, it has brought back the option of using reservists to boost […]https://www.defencetalk.com/assertive-russia-causes-military-rethink-in-sweden-61133/

DefenceTalkChina’s defence minister on Friday sought to soothe concerns over the country’s growing armed forces, saying its military modernization is rooted in both past humiliations and a present need to combat threats including terrorism. “The remarkable growth of China’s comprehensive national power, and the continued progress in national defence modernization, have become a focus of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-defence-minister-brushes-off-fears-over-military-growth-61053/

DefenceTalkChina intends to improve efficiency in military spending through tighter monitoring of how funds are used, state media reported Sunday. Under the new “results-based management system” set to be fully operational by 2020, individuals and military units will be held accountable for inefficiency, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. It cited what it described as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-to-keep-closer-eye-on-military-spending-60878/

DefenceTalkUS military advisors are likely to take a more direct role in the ground campaign against jihadists in Iraq once Iraqi forces are ready to go on the offensive, the top US officer said in comments aired Sunday. General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he had not yet encountered […]https://www.defencetalk.com/future-ground-role-for-us-military-advisors-in-iraq-likely-dempsey-60745/

DefenceTalkThe US military had to detonate a hypersonic weapon seconds after lift-off Monday due to a technical problem, cutting short a flight test for the experimental project, officials said. “Less than four seconds into the lift-off phase, we terminated the flight,” Pentagon spokeswoman Maureen Schumann told AFP. The decision to abort the flight test in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hypersonic-weapon-detonated-after-lift-off-us-military-60434/