Latest Articles about Military/Security
Violence in Dagestan Shows No Sign of Letting Up
Violence continued in Dagestan over the last several days, following the militant attacks in the republican capital of Makhachkala on November 11, in which eleven people – seven policemen and four militants – were killed.Unidentified attackers fired grenade launchers early today (November 19) at a... MORE
Capabilities and Implications of China’s Jiaolong Submersible
In late August the Ministry of Science and Technology and State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of China announced that on July 13 the Jiaolong manned deep-water submersible, which is named for a mythical sea dragon, had successfully completed a test dive to a depth of 3,759... MORE
Hambantota, Chittagong, and the Maldives – Unlikely Pearls for the Chinese Navy
Much of the discussion regarding China’s maritime ambitions in the Indian Ocean has revolved around the so-called “String of Pearls” strategy that Beijing is alleged to be pursuing. As part of this strategic construct it is claimed that Beijing is building a comprehensive network of... MORE
China Eyes “Dual Use” Applications for its Supercomputers
As of November 15, the world’s fastest supercomputer officially belongs to China, according to the most recent listing of the world’s Top 500 computers [1]. China has pushed the United States out of the top spot as well as putting a third machine into the... MORE
China Unveils Sea Defense System to Counter Aircraft Carrier
The modernization of China’s aerospace capabilities was prominently on display at the Eighth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (2010 Zhuhai Air Show). The biannual air show, which is taking place from November 16-21 in the southeastern province of Guangdong, involves more than 600 domestic... MORE
The Halt of S-300 Missile System in the Context of Iranian-Russian Military Relations
The Kremlin suspended the planned delivery of the S-300 PMU-2 long-range surface-to-air missile system and other military technologies to Iran on September 22 in compliance with the fourth round of UN-led sanctions against Tehran’s controversial nuclear program (al-Jazeera, September 22; Press TV, September 22). The... MORE
Additional Buildup of Military Forces in Dagestan Proceeds with Caution
On November 14, Russian Deputy Interior Minister, Nikolai Rogozhkin, who is commander of the ministry’s internal troops, announced the first native Dagestani military detachment formation. The new unit is comprised of 300 people and eventually will grow to 700 servicemen. Rogozhkin concisely expressed Moscow’s hopes:... MORE
Moscow’s Approach to the North Caucasus Looks Increasingly Deluded
Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliev had to admit recently that 454 terrorist acts and 510 offenses of extremist nature were committed in Russia in the first nine months of 2010. It would have been odd if the minister had blamed the Russian authorities for the... MORE
Moscow Shows Anxiety Over Passing the New START Treaty
Even before the US midterm elections, the Russian government and media expressed concern that the New START treaty, signed in Prague in April of 2010, might not obtain ratification (ITAR-TASS, October 18, 28; Novaya Gazeta, October 25). There is no doubt that the Russian government... MORE
Rewarding Merit in the Russian Officer Corps
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Russian defense reform initiated in October of 2008 was its aim to transform the Russian officer corps. Many reform critics and analysts focused upon the planned downsizing of the corps to 150,000 serving officers. However, downsizing alone does... MORE