The United Kingdom’s 2026 Defence Investment Plan has cancelled of the planned Mid-Life Upgrade for the Meteor radar guided air-to-air missile, diverting investment away from plans to. extend the missile’s service life and upgrading its electronics and seeker, and towards replacing the missile entirely with a new air-to-air missile type. This future missile is currently being developed under the Future Air Superiority Effectors (FASE) program.
Author: Michael
The Republic of China Navy has officially formed the Coastal Combat Command, which currently controls the Haifeng Brigade equipped with both mobile and fixed-position anti-ship missile systems. The command was formed by integrating three squadrons: the Naval Vanguard Flotilla, the Maritime Surveillance Command, and the Kuang Hua 6 missile boat squadron from the 131st Naval Fleet.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defence had agreed to purchase S-400 long range air defence systems under a trilateral deal with Russia and Turkey, according to reports from multiple Middle Eastern sources. This followed reports that Turkey had agreed to sell its S-400 systems to an Arab state in the Gulf region under a U.S.-approved agreement that would allow the country to resume procurements of F-35 fifth generation fighter aircraft, the delivery of which had been suspended to pressure Ankara not to procure them.
The U.S. Air Force has begun exploring a major upgrade to the infrared sensing capabilities of its F-15 fleet, issuing a request to industry for proposals to develop a next-generation Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system for the fighters. The initiative reflects growing concern that existing F-15 infrared sensors no longer provide the performance needed to compete against increasingly sophisticated Chinese fighters in highly contested air combat environments, and to a lesser extent newer Russian fighters.
A new batch of Su-34M strike fighters delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces are confirmed to have benefitted from a new modification, with their newdorsal antenna fairing appearing to be intended to improve connectivity, mission flexibility, and responsiveness, which is critical for precision strikes. The antenna is thought to integrate satellite communications, advanced datalinks, or electronic mission systems, with its location on the aircraft indicating that communications and positioning systems are most likely.
As Ukraine prepares to bolster its air defenses with new deliveries of interceptors from its Western allies, Russia launched its latest barrage of missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight into Saturday, July 11. Reports describe how a missile strike in Odesa killed two people and wounded another, while a drone strike also injured seven when it struck a civilian building.
Russian forces launched a combination of drone swarms and ballistic missiles across the nation’s capital city, Kyiv, causing major damage for yet another night.
Europe Considers Hormuz Navigation Fees: Oman has presented Iran with a proposal, drafted with the assistance of the United Kingdom, that would allow shipping companies to make voluntary payments for navigation and emergency services in the Strait of Hormuz. Under the proposal, compulsory tolls would be prohibited – a measure that suits demands from Washington and recent comments from Oman.
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Ukraine Is Wrecking Russia’s Oil Refineries. How Much Damage Has It Done, and How Might Putin Respond?: Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign has hit all 11 of Russia’s largest oil refineries and triggered the worst fuel crisis of the war, though how much capacity is truly offline is fiercely disputed, with Kyiv claiming 43 percent and independent analysts estimating closer to a third.
The damage is real and mounting, but Russia has proven able to absorb it.
MSTA-S Russian Army. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Msta-S Russian Army. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
For the crew of a fishing vessel, time was the enemy. A fisherman onboard the Azteca 5, a Mexican-flagged ship sailing in the Pacific, had suffered “traumatic injuries” on Monday, July 6. The Azteca 5 and its sister ship the Franz were out at sea, roughly 700 nautical miles from Cabo San Lucas in Mexico and hundreds of miles from the closest hospital or transport to one.
That day, Coast Guard District 11 picked up their distress call and alerted members of the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing. A team of aircraft crewmen and pararescuemen or PJs quickly organized.