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The Chengdu Aircraft Corporation has for the first time been confirmed to have flown its two known very heavy ultra long range sixth generation fighter flight prototypes in formation, as the program approaches one year since its unveiling to the world. The first prototype was unveiled on December 26, 2024, making it the first fighter of its generation confirmed to be in flight testing worldwide. This was followed hours later by the release of footage of a lighter sixth generation fighter prototype developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence plan to increase the production of ‘Horoshok’ anti-drone ammunition to 400,000 rounds per month.

U.S. Army has confirmed plans to develop a new variant of the MIM-104 Patriot long range surface-to-air missile system, which appears intended to address many of the system’s shortcomings that became clear during its recent deployments by the Ukrainian Army.Details regarding the new variant, which appears poised to be the most revolutionary since the Patriot first entered service in 1981, were provided Product Manager for Lower Tier Interceptors Army Lieutenant Colonel Steven Moebes, who discussed its planned capabilities with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Since the release of the U.S. 28-point draft peace plan in late November, many officials and observers have suggested that a ceasefire in Ukraine may be on the horizon. Undergirding this view is a growing consensus that Ukraine is losing the war as its troops cede territory and its economy and political order come under increasing strain. Indeed, as the war approaches its fourth year, Kyiv faces mounting attacks on critical infrastructure, recruiting challenges, and a corruption scandal that already forced the resignation of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff.

there is danger in simplicity

Today, let’s pick up where we left off yesterday and return to a discussion of the Western Pacific.
More often than not, things devolve into a discussion of island chains. They are easy to draw and explain—and the First and Second Island Chains have become an expected understanding of the geography of the area.

The U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Gerald Ford and its strike group have repositioned to approximately around 600 kilometres south-southwest of Puerto Rico, placing them within much closer proximity to Venezuela, amid speculation that Washington could initiate attacks on its southern neighbour. Hours after the ships were repositioned, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the initiation of U.S. ground operations targeting transnational drug cartels operating from within Venezuelan territory.

New footage has confirmed that an entirely new type of Chinese medium weight military transport aircraft, the Y-30, has conducted its first flight on December 16. The aircraft is widely reported by Chinese sources to have been developed to fill a gap between the lighter Y-9, which is also a turboprop aircraft, and the heavier jet powered Y-20 which is currently the world’s largest transport in production worldwide.

The South Korean K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer has emerged as a frontrunner for the Swedish Defence Ministry’s selection of a new artillery system to modernise its ground force capabilities.Swedish defence planners studying options for acquiring tracked self-propelled artillery are expected to select the system to complement the indigenous Archer wheeled 155mm howitzer, providing an ability to operate in deep snow and other difficult terrain in ways the Archer cannot.

Following the Pentagon’s provision of new insight into how the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is expected to utilise its missile, anti-space and cyber assets to engage and destroy the most advanced U.S. Navy carrier groups, the capabilities of China’s most advanced anti-ship ballistic missile assets have gained growing attention from analysts. The leaked Overmatch Brief concluded based on simulations of multiple engagement scenarios that Chinese forces could, under a wide range of scenarios, successfully sink the Navy’s newest Gerald Ford class supercarriers and their strike groups.

The U.S. Army has announced that a new variant of the MIM-104 Patriot long range surface-to-air missile system will be able to engage targets that are not directly in front of its launchers, with the lack of such a capability having previously been a leading shortcoming of the system compared to its rivals developed abroad. This capability will be facilitated by the development of both new launchers and new missiles, allowing threats behind a system to be fired on, including ballistic or cruise missiles which have already passed overhead.