DefenceTalkThe Philippines and the United States announced they would sign an agreement on Monday to allow a greater US military presence on Filipino soil for the next decade. The deal will be signed in Manila a few hours before US President Barack Obama is due to arrive for a two-day visit to the Philippines, one […]https://www.defencetalk.com/philippines-us-to-sign-defense-pact-59423/

DefenceTalkEcuador’s President Rafael Correa has ordered all US military officers to leave the country by the end of month and canceled a security cooperation program with the Pentagon, US officials said on Friday. “At the request of the government of Ecuador, our bilateral security cooperation programs in Ecuador are currently coming to a close,” Pentagon […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ecuador-expels-us-officers-cancels-military-program-59418/

DefenceTalkRussia has the world’s second-ranked military after former Cold War foe the United States. The armed forces in Ukraine, a former republic in the ex-Soviet Union, are much, much smaller. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Other factors come into play in weighing which side might get the upper hand should war break out […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-vs-russia-military-mismatch-but-does-that-mean-no-contest-59408/

DefenceTalkHaving effectively annexed Crimea, Russia now threatens the territorial integrity of the rest of Ukraine. How are Ukraine’s ground forces configured to deal with the challenge? This map is the closest approximation of Ukrainian ground force (along with airborne and air-mobile units) deployments based on research of Ukrainian armed forces until February 2014. Readers will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/current-status-of-ukraines-ground-forces-59171/

DefenceTalkQatar will buy 22 NH90 military helicopters from European aerospace group Airbus worth nearly two billion euros ($2.8 billion), the French defense ministry said Thursday. It said 12 of these would be transport helicopters and the other 10 would be the frigate version. Qatar will also acquire two Airbus-made refueling tankers. The decision was conveyed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/qatar-to-buy-french-nh90-military-helicopters-59159/

DefenceTalkAll military units stationed in Crimea are now under the control of the Russian military, and remaining Ukrainian servicemen are departing the peninsula, the region’s first deputy prime minister, Rustam Temirgaliyev, said on Monday. As Crimea’s reunification process began last week, a total of 147 military units in the predominantly Russian-ethnic region have replaced Ukrainian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/no-ukrainian-military-units-left-in-crimea-59124/

DefenceTalkA total of 72 military units in Crimea have hoisted Russian flags instead of Ukrainian and applied to join the Russian armed forces, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday. “Yesterday, 72 military units almost in full strength decided to join the Russian armed forces. We are now dealing with service and citizenship issues of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/72-crimean-military-units-request-joining-russia-59122/

DefenceTalkChief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno said a military training relationship with China is possible as the U.S. strengthens its presence in the Asia-Pacific theater. Odierno met with leaders of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army last week to discuss mil-to-mil opportunities and said some guidelines were outlined. Speaking at the Center for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-considers-military-relationships-with-china-59072/

DefenceTalkEgyptian military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates, a strong supporter of his July ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Field Marshal Sisi, who is Egypt’s defence minister and deputy premier, traveled to the UAE to attend the closure of joint military exercises there. He was met by UAE deputy […]https://www.defencetalk.com/egypts-sisi-in-uae-for-joint-military-exercises-58987/

DefenceTalkThe United States will bolster military cooperation with Poland and Baltic states to show solidarity with its allies after Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel said Wednesday. The mostly symbolic steps to expand aviation training in Poland and step up the US role in NATO’s air patrols over Baltic countries were clearly designed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-expands-military-support-to-poland-baltic-states-58952/