Taliban Warn Afghan Neighbours (Pakistan) against Allowing US Bases
The Taliban warned Afghanistan's neighbours Wednesday against allowing the United States to operate military bases on their soil.
Washington is in the final stages of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, and a flurry of diplomatic calls between the United States and Pakistan in recent days has fuelled speculation the Pentagon is scouting for new bases to use against the Taliban.
Several of Afghanistan's neighbours allowed the US military limited use of air bases in the early 2000s after the overthrow of the Taliban.
Such overt physical support has largely ended, however, although some countries do allow their airspace to be used for military flights.
The Taliban and Washington entered into a landmark deal last year that paved the way for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan.
In return, the Taliban said it would not allow Afghanistan to be a base for jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
May 26, 2021
Baltic States Vow to Tighten Defense Ties
The governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have agreed to tighten their defense cooperation, vowing to explore the joint acquisition of new rocket launchers amid fears of Russian military moves in their neighborhood, the countries said in a joint declaration.
The announcement follows a May 21 meeting of the three defense ministers in Siauliai, Lithuania, meant as a stepping stone toward the June 14 NATO summit in Brussels.
US Lifts Missile Restrictions on South Korea
South Korea can now develop ballistic missiles capable of reaching targets far beyond the Korean Peninsula, following the United States' approval to lift a 42-year-old restriction on its ally's missile development program.
South Korean and U.S. leaders announced the termination of missile guidelines imposed on Seoul in 1979. At the time, South Korea wanted to acquire American technology to develop its own missiles, and in return, the Asian nation agreed to limit the range of its missiles to 180 kilometers with a maximum payload of 500 kg.
In the face of increasing threats from North Korea, the guidelines have been revised four times. A 1997 revision allowed Seoul to develop a ballistic missile carrying a 500-kilogram warhead with a maximum range of 300 kilometers. Another revision was made in 2012 that extended the ballistic missile range to 800 kilometers with a 500-kilogram warhead.
May 25, 2021
Pakistani Air Force to Cooperate with Turkish Paramilitary Group
The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) has agreed to cooperate with a notorious Turkish paramilitary group that has been accused by the United Nations of deploying fighters from Syrian armed groups to take part in military operations in Libya.
The Pakistani Air Force's policy thinks tank, the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), has become a partner of the Islamic Union Congress, organised by the Association of Justice Defenders Strategic Studies Center (ASSAM), a front organization run by private military contractor SADAT, which many believe is a de facto paramilitary force loyal to the Islamist president of Turkey.
In 2020, the United Nations (UN) revealed how the Turkish government used its paramilitary contractor SADAT in Libya and requested an explanation from Turkish authorities in a letter signed by a group of senior rapporteurs.
May 24, 2021
Aashritha V. Olety is India's First Woman Flight Test Engineer
In yet another first for women in the Indian military, an officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School as the country's first woman flight test engineer.
Squadron Leader Aashritha V. Olety is the first and only woman in the IAF qualified for the role, and as a flight test engineer, she evaluates aircraft and airborne systems before their induction into the armed forces. Olety, a native of Karnataka, has graduated as part of the 43rd Flight Test Course after completing a one-year course at the pilot school.
Test pilots, test engineers and test instrumentation engineers form an important team in test flying. It's a challenging avenue that requires theoretical and practical experience to test aircraft.
Solar Industries India Ltd to Deliver First Lot of 40,000 Grenades to Indian Army
Union Government's bold decision to open up the ammunition manufacturing sector for private agencies is paying rich dividends as the Indian Army is all set to receive the first consignment of high quality grenades manufactured by Nagpur-based Economic Explosives Limited, said Anmol Rathi, Deputy General Manager of the company.
It is for the first time in the Indian history a private company is manufacturing ammunition for the Armed Forces.
Economic Explosives Limited, a subsidiary of Solar Industries India Limited, was recently awarded the contract of manufacturing 10 lakh grenades worth Rs. 400 crore for the Indian Army.
May 22, 2021
Pakistan Hands over 3 Fighter Jets to Nigeria
Pakistan handed over three domestically-made JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, manufactured in collaboration with China, to the Nigerian Air Force.
The fighter aircraft manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex were inducted at a ceremony held at the Nigerian Air Force base in Makurdi, Nigeria, to mark the 57th anniversary of the country's air force.
JF-17 Thunder is a light weight, multi-role fighter aircraft. China has developed the technology for the jet.
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