In 1980 Europe manufactured 700 aircraft to fumigate crops. Now they carry guided air-air missiles to “fumigate” Russian drones

After more than three years since the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the war has transformed many of the conceptions that had modern battles. We do not speak just about technological advanceswhere The drones and the AI They have become fundamental pieces that the rest of the powers will apply to their defenses, but also from that artillery mixture of the past where The ingenuity (Due to lack of resources) it has been equally key. The latestfarm planes. Another improvised defense. Yes, Ukraine has incorporated a new piece into its arsenal of improvised solutions against drones: an agricultural plane ZLIN Z-137 AGRO TURBO MODIFIED To carry missiles Aire-Aire R-73one under each wing. This apparatus, normally used for crop fumigation, retains its civil aircraft silhouette, but It has been repainted With a military gray scheme and white stripes in the rear fuselage to reduce the risk of friendly fire. The video which shows its flush flight over a Ukrainian cornless does not require date or place, but confirms that the country continues to take advantage of resources available to reinforce its air defense. Designed in Czechoslovakia as a turboproproproprobous evolution of the Z-37 čmelák, the Z-137 entered into service in the 1980s and were manufactured More than 700 unitswidely used in the eastern block. The exact amount that could be available for Ukraine is uncertain, as well as the operational state of this armed specimen. The R-73 missile and its role in hybrid systems. He R-73called AA-11 Archer by NATO, is a short-range missile with high maneuverability infrared search engine and ability to hook whites up to 75 ° outside the front axle with the help of hull viewers. His Maximum range It is about 30 km against front and 14 km targets against whites in pursuit. Ukraine has reused him in multiple improvised platforms known Like Frankensamincluding land systems such as The serioushawkvehicles Osa antiacera Modified and Naval Drones Be dragon. The integration in the Z-137 seems to use APU-73, although no external sensors are observed, which suggests that the pilot would have to maneuver to place the objective within the field of vision of the missile, or that the installation of a flir system for day and night operations is contemplated. The connection of the plane to the National Surveillance Network, with radars, observers and acoustic sensors, would allow to receive Radio or Digital Link data For interception. Additional loads and future adaptations. In addition to missiles, the device shows cylindrical deposits or containers In internal supports whose function is not clear. They could be remains of their agricultural function, supplementary fuel tanks, weapons pods or auxiliary equipment. Its structure could adapt to other missiles already delivered to Ukraine, such as British Asraam, Sidewinder Americans or even AIM-9X latest generation. This versatility makes it a test bench to integrate weapons into platforms not originally designed for air combat, maintaining a low cost and a quick deployment. Tactical function and limitations. A plane of this type, although much slower than a hunt or an attack helicopter, could serve as “air picket” In specific areas, patrolling sectors where drone activity is foreseen and reacting to low -cost incursions for the enemy. Its limited speed reduces the ability to intercept multiple objectives at a great distance, but in delimited areas its presence It could be decisive. Operations of this type would be complemented with other media, from mobile equipment with machine guns and spotlights to complexes Patriot systemsusing each resource according to the threat detected. Strategic context and value in the wear war. Plus: the adaptation of Z-137 reflects the constant pressure that Ukraine suffers to defend against a high volume of Russian drones, especially The Shahedand the need to allocate the most advanced anti -aircraft systems to threats of greater entity. Faced with the shortage of modern batteries, these improvised solutions serve as a containment force, maintaining a balance between cost and effectiveness. The ability to build civil platforms with military missiles demonstrates a high degree of operational and technical flexibility, and emphasizes that in a prolonged war the war Inventiveness and speed of adaptation can be as decisive as technological sophistication. International precedents and parallels. Finally, we must remember that the use of agricultural aircraft for military functions is not exclusive to Ukraine. The United States Air Force recently introduced The OA-1K Skyraider IIa militarized version of Air Tractor at-802although with a different role and even in definition. Both in this case and in the Z-137 Ukrainianthe central idea is to take advantage of simple and resistant platforms as armament vectors, something that Russia has also tested with rudimentary solutions such as fixed weapons under slow aircraft wings. A trend that reflects A global pattern: In a scenario where drone threats proliferate, even aircraft designed for agricultural tasks can become armed hunters. Image | X, VITALY V. KUZMIN In Xataka | Russia has had an idea to make your kamikaze drones more lethal: launch them on Ukraine at 500 km/h In Xataka | Russia’s most advanced nuclear submarine was a secret. Until Ukraine has revealed everything, even his failures

Spain studies the viability of its first conventional aircraft carrier. We can expect sitting

There was a time when Spain was one of the great powers of the sea. Gone are those times when even The US feared, for various reasons, the Spanish Navybut these last times have resurfaced interest in strengthening security in this environment. Projects like him New Bac II Combat Ship They are ours and, now, Navantia has a new commission: studying the viability of the first conventional aircraft of Spain. It will not be easy, but the project is tremendously ambitious. Studying possibilities. A few weeks ago, and how we read in The countrythe Navy commissioned the public shipyard Navantia a viability study on the construction of an aircraft carrier. The shipyard must specify the technical characteristics of the ship and pass budget data that, subsequently, the Government must approve, but although all the details to be specified, as we read in The debatethere are already those who point to the modern French carrier Charles de Gaulle as inspiration. What Spain wants. Unlike the French flagship, the new Spanish carrier would not be a nuclear aircraft carrier, but it would have similar dimensions, with more than 260 meters in length and about 40,000 tons. What is clear is that, as we say, it will be the first pure aircraft carrier that the Navy will have, and this must be clarified. In 67, the US ceded the Labyrinth To the Navy, then Navantia built The ruinous prince of Asturias And, currently, we have the Juan Carlos i. The three have space for both helicopters and airplanes, but although they have a ramp, they have an important limitation: the airplanes that can land and deploy are the Stovl, which start the movement in vertical. And what is the problem? That limits the model that you can operate, and with current AV-8B Harrier II That they ask for the time, it is urgent to have an aircraft carrier that is able to house more modern fighters and without so much dependence on the United States. For example, the FCAS Developed together by France, Spain and Germany. If in the end it has a naval version, of course. According to EFEthe intention of the Navy is that it has a cover with capacity for up to 30 state -of -the -art aircraft. Officially, Juan Carlos I is a “Ampibio assault ship” India comes into play. As they point in Infodefensethe development of a traditional aircraft carrier (without being electromagnetic Like those who already operate China and USA) or with nuclear propulsion as the aforementioned Charles de Gaulle, it should not be a challenge for Navantia. “Simply” will be expensive, it will take time and will have a lot of steel, but the technology is more than settled. And here Navantia can have an advantage as “training”: Türkiye. Navantia has already made some designs for Türkiye, such as TCG Anadolu which became the jewel of the Turkish Navy crown and, as we read in Infodefensethe Spanish company would also be developing with Türkiye a traditional aircraft carrier of more than 300 meters. It will be something that serves to acquire even more experience in this type of vehicles. Strategic strength. Having a “pure” aircraft carrier is necessary for Spain in the current context of geopolitical tensions, even with allies that we considered as close as the United States. Within the European Rearme Processit is also something that makes sense, as much as countries and France and the United Kingdom have collaborated to “Add” your nuclear arsenals. An aircraft carrier, even A vehicle with a very expensive maintenanceit is an important element of deterrence due to its implications, something that we have recently seen in the Tensions in the South China Sea. To Japan, that for years It was a demilitarized nationalready started moving in this regard and has already presented its First aircraft carrier since World War II. For long. On the other hand, there is no hurry for this first Spanish aircraft carrier. Those hurries will arrive when the Harrier are retired, because the F35B Americans, but as we said, there is on its way to go. If everything is fulfilled, we would be talking about the first aircraft carrier for about fifteen years, but to reach that point the Navantia report must convince the government and he authorize its construction. Image In Xataka | The size of the armies of the main powers, summarized in this interesting graphic

Japan has discovered rare earth tons on its most remote island. Casually, a Chinese aircraft carrier has just approached

Year 2022. Japan Make a decision That he was going to be fruit months later. The Japanese nation did not want to depend so much on China in a matter of rare earths, so decides to start a series of projects to search for them even at the bottom of the ocean. In the summer of 2024 they give a treasure in that seabed: a site of 230 million tons Of those “precious” lands, a swag that are under the easternmost island of the nation. Chance or not, something unprecedented has just happened in front of the enclave: a Chinese fleet With an aircraft carrier. An unpublished maneuver. For the first timea combat group headed by the Chinese liaoning carriers He has entered the exclusive economic zone (ZEE) of Japan, marking a new phase in Beijing’s naval projection and awakening immediate concern In Tokyo and Washington. The group, composed of the aircraft carriers, two destroyers with guided missiles and a supply ship, penetrated waters to about 300 kilometers to the southwest of the Japanese Minamitori Islandthe easternmost point of the archipelago, before leaving the area to perform aircraft takeoff and landing exercises. Although Japan He avoided confirming If he presented a formal protest, he said he had transmitted an “appropriate” message to the Chinese authorities: he displayed the Haguro destroyer To follow the activity of the Naval Group. Minamitori and his treasures. As We explained at the beginningthe incident is not just symbolic: Minamitori It is not inhabited by civilians, but houses facilities of the Japanese weather agency, self -defense forces and coastguards. Beyond its isolation (about 1,900 km from Tokyo), this remote island has become a point of Geoeconomic interest Due to the vast submarine deposits of rare metals, especially manganese nodules. In fact, recent studies estimate that nearby seabed contain More than 200 million of tons of these resources, fundamental to Strategic technologies and high capacity batteries. The passage of Liaoning so close to the enclave adds a warning dimension on Chinese interest not only territorial, but also economic in areas where Japanese sovereignty is not in dispute. Minamitori Island Leave Vú. Although this has been the first documented incursion of a Chinese aircraft carrier in this part of the Japanese ZEE, the truth is that it is not An isolated fact. Liaoning himself had already sailed Last month Between two Japanese southern islands, also within another region of the Japanese ZEE. In September 2024, he crossed between Yonaguni and Iriomote, two islands near Taiwan, even entering into adjacent watersthat extend to 24 nautical miles from their coast. In each of these movements, Beijing has rehearsed navigation patterns that expand the operational scope of its navy, reinforcing its ability to operate far from its coastline and projecting power in sensitive areas. Tactical climbing. We have gone counting. These incursions occur in a context of Regional tensions persistent. Japan and China keep years ago A dispute over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese), uninhabited, but strategically located in the Eastern China Sea. Beijing has not stopped pressing its claim with regular naval patrols (even with buoys), while strengthening its presence in the Western Pacific through demonstrations of force such as Liaoning. The repetition of these maneuvers suggests A deliberate campaign to expand the regional tolerance threshold in the Chinese presence in areas traditionally dominated by the United States and its allies. Contained response. The spokesman for the Japanese Ministry of Defense has been clear when interpreting the maneuver as An effort from China For “improving its operational capacity in distant areas”, a reading that coincides with the recent evolution of Chinese military doctrine, more ambitious and less disguised. Although Tokyo has opted for a rather mesurated response, focused on intensive surveillance instead of direct confrontation, the underlying message It seems unequivocal: Japan is not willing to normalize Chinese military traffic in its maritime influence areas, especially in areas close to resources strategic However, the lack of a formal diplomatic protest could be interpreted as an attempt to avoid an immediate escalation while alliances are consolidated and countermeasures are evaluated. A red line. What just a few years ago would have been unthinkable, that a Chinese combat fleet with an aircraft carrier would navigate so close to the Japanese eastern end, today is an operational reality with lasting implications. As China strengthens its fleet and displays your assets With greater confidence, the Pacific maritime border becomes a board increasingly unstablewhere the strategy of the consummate threatens with redefining the rules of the game. If you want also, the Liaoning transit Together with the Japanese island, not only defies the regional balance, but also rehearses the normalization of a Chinese military presence in key areas for the energy, territorial and technological security of Japan. A Key Chess Chart Oceanicone where each movement is a reaction test. Image | BaycrestUS Air Force In Xataka | China has been claiming as its islands from Japan 130 years. So he has made a decision: surround them with buoys In Xataka | Yonaguni’s Japanese island was known for its beauty and Bad Bunny. Now it is a military strength because of Taiwan

satellite images show what aim to be their next great aircraft carrier

The satellite images of the Shipyard of Dalian, in the province of Liaoning, point to a key advance in China’s naval strategy: the possible construction of their fourth carrier. Known as Type 004, this ship would stand out for integrating an electromagnetic catapult system to launch airplanes and drones, in addition to having a greater displacement than the previous models. It is also speculated with the incorporation of nuclear propulsion, which would mark a significant leap in the operational capacity of the Chinese Navy. As The War Zone points outthe images obtained by Airbus and accessible on Google Earth correspond to last year, although they have recently earned attention. The satellite view suggests that the aircraft carriers continues at an early construction phase, with structures that seem to fit with the catapult system. In addition, models of a J-15 Flanker hunting and a naval helicopter from the Z-8 series have been identified. These types of elements are not accidental: they are usually used in the tests and the development of new aircraft carriers. A project that has been spinning for years Speculation about this aircraft carriers began almost a decade ago and gained strength in 2017, when a porch crane was installed in the Jiangnan shipyard. However, that project did not prosper and the rumors continued to emerge sporadically. It was not until March 2024 when the Admiral and political commissioner of the Chinese Navy, Yuan Huazhi, officially confirmed its existence. He assured that they did not face inconveniences and said that it would soon be announced if the aircraft carrier will have Nuclear propulsion. As we mentioned before, one of the greatest advantages of this aircraft carriers will be its catapult system, which would allow it to be at the level of the American R. Ford in this aspect. This offers key benefits, such as the ability to launch heavier planes. For the Chinese Navy, this means more flight autonomy thanks to a greater fuel load and more weapons capacity. If the nuclear propulsion is confirmed, the ship could operate without geographical restrictions, with a practically unlimited range. The models in Dalian’s shipyard You may ask what kind of aircraft will launch the TyPE 004. For now, there is no official confirmation, but analysts believe they will operate with KJ-600 aircraft, biturbohélice and comparable to the E-2 Hawkeye of the US Navy. These are aircraft of Early Warning and Airborne Controldesigned to provide surveillance, recognition and air space management. Equipped with a long -range radar, they can detect and track both aircraft and enemy vessels at large distances. Although there is no official confirmation, analysts suggest that Type 004 will operate with the furtive hunting J-35, optimized for missions in aircraft carriers and with advanced stealth technology. This would be supported by improved versions of J-15, a versatile hunting adapted to electromagnetic catapults. In addition, the incorporation of unmanned aircraft is expected, expanding their tactical capacities. With this combination, the Chinese Navy would reinforce its air domain in the open sea, integrating manned airplanes and drones in joint operations. Images | Google Earth screen capture In Xataka | China is already sailing its last amphibious beast. It has a huge cover for drones and points to three missions

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