Author: Defenceline Webdesk

Around 8:40 on the morning of August 26, a section of glacier collapsed on the north side of the Langtang range, near Nepal’s border with Tibet, three minutes after a magnitude 4.4 earthquake on the Chinese side. The impact registered as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event, which the U.S. Geological Survey initially logged as a separate earthquake before concluding it was the landslide itself. Scientists say warming likely helped trigger the glacier’s collapse.  The debris entered the Lhende Khola, a small river that crosses into Nepal. It blocked the river roughly 20 kilometers upstream from the China-Nepal border crossing at…

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy.  This conversation with Steve Tsang – professor of China studies and director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London and co-author with Olivia Cheung of “China’s Global Strategy Under Xi Jinping” (Oxford 2026) – is the 524th in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.” What is China’s global strategy under Xi Jinping and specifically its two primary pivots? China’s global strategy under Xi Jinping has a double pivot. Its primary pivot is to engage…

In late August 2026, the Turkish state-owned defence contractor ASFAT Inc. (Military Factory and Shipyard Management Inc) revealed the official specifications of the MİLDEN (National Submarine) platform. According to ASFAT, the MİLDEN will have a surfaced displacement of approximately 2,700 tons, a length of 80+ m, a beam of 7+ m, and a draught of 6.8 m (the submerged displacement and diving depth were withheld). In terms of armament, the MİLDEN will have eight 533 mm torpedo tubes capable of carrying heavyweight torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles as well as an undisclosed number of MİDLAS vertical-launch system (VLS) cells. The…

U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced the launch of an extensive new sanctions campaign against Iran. The U.S. government has described “Operation Economic Outcast” as an “economic D-Day” against Iran. On August 24, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the move an unprecedented effort to sever every remaining economic lifeline that is sustaining the Iranian government. The newly announced sanctions are set to target key sectors, including digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping. Another part of these sanctions is aimed at warning countries and companies that continue to deal with Iran that they risk exclusion from the U.S.…

WASHINGTON — The Army today announced it has awarded AeroVironment (AV) a contract for the Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program of record, marking what the service calls its first-ever production contract for a high-energy laser weapon. “This first of its kind directed energy program will enable our formations to defeat unmanned systems and dominate from the outset. Pairing human ingenuity with advanced technology is what ensures our Army will continue to outpace America’s adversaries,” Gen. Christopher LaNeve, acting chief of staff of the service, said in the announcement. Prior to today’s announcement, executives from AV informed reporters of the award,…

The House approved a continuing resolution on Tuesday that funds federal agencies through Dec. 11 and extends key federal cybersecurity authorities and tech programs past their Sept. 30 expiration date, including the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015.The legislation, part of a broader package that President Donald Trump is expected to soon sign to avert a fiscal year 2027 government shutdown before the midterm elections, temporarily prevents the cyber information-sharing law from sunsetting at the end of the month when the federal budget resets.That law provides liability protections to private sector companies that voluntarily share cyber threat intelligence with agencies…

Born into a family with a passion for the arts, 68-year-old Thanh spent her younger years enjoying stage dramas at Hanoi’s theaters in the 1980s. Such entertainment was a luxury in post-war Vietnam – theater tickets were scarce, accessible only to families with wealth or political connections. Thanh was among the fortunate few. Today, however, she views the imminent $520 million Pearl Theater with bitterness. The megaproject – covering a total floor area of 40,980 square meters and potentially accommodating 2,000 people – is slated for completion by 2030. But the giant theater’s construction displaced her whole neighborhood.  “I lost…

LYNN, Mass. and WASHINGTON — The Pentagon awarded engine maker GE Aerospace a contract worth up to nearly $2.9 billion to supply parts for the company’s F414 engine that powers the Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter and EA-18G Growler electronic attack jet, according to a Defense Department announcement posted Tuesday.  The deal was awarded as a performance-based logistics contract, which essentially pays a vendor based on outcomes. The contract runs to August 2031 with no option periods, according to the notice. GE did not respond by press time when asked to comment on the contract. The award comes as GE…

The defense industry would likely struggle to rebuild the U.S. military’s crucial space capabilities during a war with China or Russia because it will have too few skilled engineers to do the work, according to a new report from RAND.Today, the country’s space-focused defense companies employ roughly 3 percent of its engineers, and competition for skilled personnel means many jobs go unfilled. If an adversary destroys space-based intelligence, targeting, and communications assets, that shortfall would likely keep the military from getting them back online quickly.“Modern warfare relies on space-based capabilities; therefore, a key question is how quickly then United States…

On August 28, at the end of the 25th round of special representative level talks between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, both sides separately issued an eight-point list of outcomes and consensus that promises to advance the future dialogue on the vexed boundary issue. Regardless of ultimate resolution, the outcome laid the groundwork for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anticipated visit to New Delhi to attend the 18th BRICS summit on September 12 and 13. India is currently the BRICS chair. Although still unconfirmed, this would be Xi’s first visit to India…