weapons

Spain wants to show that it can live without nuclear weapons. The problem is that he is still testing how

by

Spain is experiencing a decisive moment in its energy policy. While the Government defends an orderly closure of nuclear power plants and relies on an experimental digital system to stabilize the grid, large electricity companies warn that the transition It is being faster than safe. At the epicenter of this tension is Almaraz, the Extremaduran power plant that refuses to turn off its reactors and that has once again divided technicians, politicians and neighbors. The nuclear dilemma. The closure of the Almaraz nuclear power plant in Cáceres is officially set for 2027 and 2028, but the debate over its future has returned with force. Iberdrola, Endesa and Naturgy agreed to present to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition a formal request to extend their activity until 2030. They will do so, they say, out of “responsibility with the supply” after the voltage failures recorded in recent weeks that “they reactivated the risk of blackout”. Companies have, for the moment, given up asking for tax reductions. Their message is different: Spain, they argue, is not prepared to disconnect from the atom. “Nuclear is the system’s anti-blackout shield,” says the CEO of Iberdrola Spain. However, the Government does not move. The Minister for the Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, has reiterated the commitment to the closure calendar agreed in 2019, which foresees the nuclear blackout between 2027 and 2035. Only if three conditions are not met: security, guarantee of supply and zero cost for the taxpayer, will the Executive would reconsider his position. A model in testing. The core of the controversy is not only political, but technical. The Executive’s plan involves replacing the stability offered by nuclear and thermal plants with a digital voltage and frequency control system based on renewables. In theory, wind and solar farms will be able to simulate electrical inertia —the ability to resist sudden changes in frequency— through advanced electronics. In practice, the model is still in the testing phase. According to Energy NewsRed Eléctrica (REE) is developing new control tools to integrate non-synchronous generation, but still without complete validation. Additionally, new digital control algorithms have not been tested on a national scaleand its reliability at high power has not yet been demonstrated. Sources from the Ministry of Ecological Transition cited by El Periódico They admit that full stability of the system “will only be possible when all renewable plants are digitally synchronized with the operator”, a process that – they acknowledge – “will still take time.” The network under surveillance. Aware of these risks, the CNMC approved an emergency modification of the operating procedures (OP 3.1, 3.2, 7.2 and 7.4) to reinforce the stability of the system. In practice, they are standards that determine how Red Eléctrica must react to variations in voltage and frequency, and allow it to act with more flexibility in times of risk. However, not everything went as planned. As energy expert Joaquín Coronado explains on his networksthe CNMC stopped the complete approval of OP 7.4 when it detected that the new model required responses that were impossible for many conventional plants to comply with. Several generators alleged that too rapid a reaction could damage the machines or generate additional oscillations, something the CNMC acknowledged in its resolution. The regulator asked Red Eléctrica to “intensify coordination and temporarily make the requirements more flexible”, making it clear that the problem was not one of inertia, but rather speed of response. A pulse of time. The electricity companies’ proposal to extend the first Almaraz reactor until 2030 and the second until 2029, would give three additional years to the current calendar. However, the Nuclear Safety Council requires that documentation be submitted before November 1 to begin the decommissioning process. In parallel, the Government of Extremadura has announced that it will reduce the regional “ecotax” by half if the plant remains operational, a gesture that the central Executive views with suspicion. “Taxpayers cannot pay more to maintain a plant that had to close,” recalled the Government delegate in Extremadura, José Luis Quintana, in statements to Canal Extremadura. Mobilization in the streets. While the technical and political debate becomes entangled, the residents of Almaraz took to the streets. Last Marchhundreds of people marched under the slogan “Yes to Almaraz, yes to the future,” in a protest supported by mayors of nearby municipalities and nuclear sector associations. In their arguments they defend their position in favor of nuclear power for fear of job loss, a population exodus and the fall of the local economy. But not everyone shares that enthusiasm. Ecologists in Action criticized the presence of local authorities at the protest and asked to accelerate a “just transition” that generates employment alternatives. “You cannot continue tying the future of a region to an industry that promotes environmental and health risks,” the organization said in a statement. Europe looks at Spain. While France and Belgium extend the life of their reactors until 2060, Spain remains firm in its nuclear closure. The Enresa fund to dismantle the plants drags a deficit of 11.6 billion euros. The electricity companies cite this as proof that closing early makes the system more expensive; The Government replies that extending it would jeopardize the ecological transition. The peninsula remains an “energy island” with only 3% interconnection with France, which amplifies any failure. And more and more experts repeat the same thing: the problem is not the speed of the transition, but that the network and the rules They are not getting stronger at the same rate.. A still uncertain future. Almaraz has become much more than a power plant: it is a symbol of the tension between climate urgency and energy security. The Executive insists that Spain will be able to sustain its network with renewable technology and digital control; Technicians and electrical companies ask for caution. Meanwhile, Red Eléctrica engineers fine-tune algorithms, the CNMC approves regulatory patches and the residents of Almaraz prepare for a future that, for now, continues to depend on its two reactors. Spain wants to turn on … Read more

Ukraine has opened Russia’s cruise and ballistic missiles. War is impossible if your allies make weapons for you

by

He fed up with Ukraine with the hole that exists around international sanctions it is palpable and numeric. kyiv intelligence has hundreds of reports in your possession that reveal that Russian drones have passed those sanctions for the lining. And not just drones, even in the tanks. The latest: Ukraine has begun analyzing parts of Moscow’s latest cruise and ballistic missiles. And what they found is a deja vu. Clandestine circuit. Three and a half years after the start of the invasion, Ukraine continues to dismantle the last Russian missiles and drones and find tens of thousands of parts inside made in the westthe majority of his “allies” (microcontrollers, sensors, connectors, converters) from countries that have theoretically embargoed the supply: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan. Of course also, Moscow’s allies like china. In fact, Zelensky put in more than 100,000 the foreign components found only among 550 vectors used in a single recent bombing, confirming that the sanctions have not turned off the tap: if anything they have made it more expensive and slowed down, but not dried up. The escape mechanism. It we have counted before. The mode of entry does not require sophisticated espionage, but rather exploiting loopholes in global trade: pieces “dual use” sold to civil actors who then they deviatecomponents placed on the market before sanctions, networks of shell companies and brokers in lax jurisdictions, and triangulated purchases via third countries that do not apply or execute controls. The sanctions gave the West three years to close the gaps, but they also gave Russia (and those who traffic for it) the same time to learn to get around them. In practice, it is a market: if you pay more, there is always someone willing to move the merchandise with layers of opacity sufficient to break traceability. Iran and North Korea. Moscow relies on two veterans of the sanctioning regime: Iran (which has spent decades refining the engineering of commercial border hopping) and North Korea (capable of moving components and complete systems despite being formally embargoed). Cooperation with both not only transfers material: it transfers method. Both logistical routes and corporate and financial camouflage techniques now migrate to the Russian military supply chain. What is possible and what is not. They remembered on Insider that the West hardens the perimeter: compliance guides for companies, “catch-all” to block sensitive exports (even if they are not listed), border inspections, criminal threat to repeat offenders, closures of loopholes when Ukraine identifies specific pieces. But even so, the regime is not airtight: global trade in components is massive, triangulation via third countries It is structural and already exists “pirate” production replacement that replicates or falsifies sanctioned parts. By design, control is reactive: it is as if each new closure encourages Moscow to seek an alternative route. Partial effectiveness. Plus: just because embargoes haven’t cut off the flow doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant. London estimates that the sanctions have deprived Russia of at least 450,000 million of dollars and have multiplied by up to six the price of dual pieces, draining war liquidity and adding temporary friction to the Russian military chain. This, a priori, penalizes rhythms, quality, scaling and maintenance, even if it does not prevent the material from arriving. The structural limit. If you want, the export control It is an instrument of soft power: its real power depends on what the rest of the world is willing to do and tolerate. It can raise the cost, strangle necks, penalize intensities, but it can hardly seal an economy-state Russian size connected to global intermediaries willing to charge for the risk. The result is an industrial war where the blockade is never binary (flows / does not flow), but rather marginal: raising the cost per Russian shot, reducing the cadence, pushing failures due to logistical stress and buy time, but hardly prevent a chip made for a laptop I ended up controlling the guidance of a kamikaze drone over a Ukrainian city. Image | Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation In Xataka | After Cubans and North Koreans fighting alongside Russian troops, new guests have appeared in Ukraine: Chinese In Xataka | In 2023, a pilot from Ukraine had an idea for Star Wars. Not only did it go well: his kamikaze plan has rewritten the war manual

China showed the world an indecent amount of unpublished artillery. But the most advanced weapons remained hidden

by

Yesterday We enumerate And we draw the Route of China in the field of military arsenal during the parade that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan and the end of World War II. As We countthe message was quite clear and forceful, showing a part of the power achieved by the popular liberation army in its accelerated modernization. However, more than one AS was left in the sleeve. The hidden power. Some of those developments that have not already showed them here, others not so muchbut everyone has something in common: they are the most advanced weapons of the nation, hence their concealment in public light. Many of them remain in secret because they are still in the development phase, for their strategic sensitivity or because they cannot be exhibited in an event of these characteristics. What was seen in the Tiananmén Square was just a fraction of the real capacity of the Chinese Armed Forces, which in parallel develop disruptive technologies with deep implications for the future war. Aviation and “the” electromagnetic. We have treated it. China is testing site generation fighters, provisionally known as J-36 and J-50that after their inaugural flights they have continued in the trial phase, and whose level of sophistication remains under strict secrecy. Similarly, prototypes of Riel and coil cannonscapable of intercepting hypersonic and ballistic missiles at low cost, they are too limited in size and are restricted to large ships, making it impossible for their deployment in a terrestrial parade. The reusable space vehicle is also hidden, in Tests since 2020an analogous platform to the American X-37b which can remain months in orbit and meet classified military missions. Furtive hunt J36 What we did not see of naval power. Naval modernization has been central since the last parade of 2019, with the launch of the Fujian aircraft carriersthe construction of Future Type 004and the amphibious assault ships Type 075 and Type 076. To these is added the development of Strategic Submarine Type 096which will reinforce maritime nuclear deterrence in the next decade. None of these platforms can roll through Tiananmén, although some of its weapons and aircraft systems could be shown. Tests with an electromagnetic rail cannon Cyberdefense and Digital War. The PL considers cyberdefense one of the pillars of its national security. Since the creation in 2015 of the Strategic Support Force and, in 2024, of the new Cyberspace ForceChina has centralized intelligence, cyber attack operations and critical infrastructure defense. Although the parade It included winks To these “new forms of combat”, the authentic arsenal of cyber -cyberms and offensive capabilities, what is doubtful, will remain hidden, leaving in the shadow the true magnitude of Chinese digital operations. New furtive combat apparatus in the test phase in China AI and autonomous systems. Artificial intelligence integration is a strategic priority. The Pla Work in algorithms To process real -time combat data, optimize logistics and maintenance, and generate training scenarios. Attack and recognition drones as the GJ-11the Wing Loong and The Rainbow They already incorporate autonomous navigation, recognition of objectives and coordination with other platforms. Although some of these devices will be shown, their algorithmic “brain” will remain invisible to the public. Drone Rainbow prototype Nuclear deterrence. China deployed Intercontinental Balistic missiles and strategic bombers as a gesture of strength, but the true pillars of their nuclear deterrence did not come to light. The command, control and communications systems, designed to resist a first blow, the reinforced silos of the northwest, the vast network of underground tunnels known as known as The “Great Underground Wall” and nuclear submarines armed with ballistic missiles, both the TYPE-094A assets and The future Type-096. South China Sea, where elements of the Great Submarine Wall System are installed Early alert and antimisile defense. China currently has a strategic network that combines infrared alert satellites capable of detecting ballistic releases anywhere in the world and huge fixed matrix radars, capable of tracking missiles and furtive aircraft in full flight. These systems are vital for strategic defense And they have already overcome multiple interception tests since 2010, but their static and highly classified nature keeps them out of the parade. Fujian, the biggest war boat with China’s leading technology The “great underground wall.” As we said before, in parallel, China builds a underwater surveillance system With hydrophones, sensor nodes and autonomous vehicles to monitor enemy submarines in the Eastern and South China Sea. This framework, known as the “Great Underwater Wall”, is essential to guarantee the safety of its nuclear submarine fleet and reinforce its anti -submarine capacity. Its existence is intuited, but its location and operation remain in the strictest secret. And space. With more than 500 satellites military and double useChina is trying to achieve independence in navigation with Beidou, recognition capabilities with the Yaogan series and safe communications for command and control. It also develops antisatellite weapons, from direct ascent missiles tested in 2007 even orbital proximity maneuvers and possible directed energy weapons. None of these systems appeared in the parade, but represent a key vector of their “computerized” war strategy. The industrial force. It We comment yesterday. China’s greatest hidden trick is not only technological but industrial. The ability to produce in its own territory from rifles to aircraft carriers, through reaction engines and hypersonic missiles, ensures independenceresilience and speed of production. The Military-Civil Fusion Strategy allows civil advances in defense, as occurs in aeronautical engines, where the experience of the CJ-1000A Commercial feeds the development of The WS-10 and WS-15 that drive the J-20 furtive fighters. In short, the parade showed the world a Power showcasebut the most lethal and transformer of the Chinese armed forces was hidden. Under the surface, in tunnels, in satellites, in monitored seas and in high -tech factories, there is a framework of capacities that seeks to redefine global military balance in the next decades. Image | Planet Labs Inc, @WZZJWZ, Office of Naval Research (Flickr), X, Infinty 0 , Ministry of National Defense The People’s Republic … Read more

China has just told the world the place it wants to occupy. And he has done it with a parade of weapons that seem like science fiction

by

During September 3, Beijing has become the stage of one of the Chinese military parades more elaborate that are remembered, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. An event that China has used to Promote nationalism through a parade where to show the world the place he wants to occupy. And according to the artillery that has seen the lightThere are no limits. Artillery as support. As we said, the imposing military parade in Beijing was conceived as An unequivocal message: Xi Jinping’s vision of a new world order with China in the center has a warlike vanguard apparatus that begins to be at the height, and even ahead, of its rivals. Among the protagonists highlighted the new intercontinental ballistic missile DF-61successor of DF-41together with missiles with hypersonic plankers capable of exceeding the speed of sound five times and complicating any antimile defense. The demonstration included a broad Drones repertoire (aerial, terrestrial and submarines) with functions ranging from direct combat to logistics, some designed to act as “faithful squires” of Chinese furtive fighters, consolidating the EPL’s commitment to the Autonomous War. DF-61 Directed energy weapons. Beyond the missiles, the true revolution was on the exhibition of Laser and energy weapons directed, in naval and land versions, capable of neutralizing sensory and drones enemy at ridiculous costs compared to conventional ammunition. If these systems are deployed in number, such as They hinted Official sources could suppose an unprecedented challenge for any force that tries to stop Chinese military movements in their region of influence. This technological turn, supported by an enormous industrial capacity, points to a strategy where the quantity and sophistication They combine to cement China’s strategic ascent. Set of laser weapons during the military parade Two versions. They appeared Two laser systems Air defense: a large one, intended for its installation in warships, and another mounted on an eight -wheeled vehicle, capable of hosting the necessary electrical power to overcome the limitations of previous versions. These systems, which do not depend on kinetic projectiles but on Electromagnetic energy To destroy objectives through heat, electrical interference or sensor blindness, they mark a turning point in the anti -aircraft and anti -anton defense. In front of them, high -power microwave systems (also in development) offer the ability to neutralize whole swarms of drones with simultaneous bursts. The logistics and economic advantage is evident: each shot costs a fraction of a missile and does not require transporting heavy ammunition, only energy. Submarine drone AJX002 The debut of underwater drones. China also showed for the first time Two submarine vehicles not large -sized (Xluuv), consolidating their leadership in a field where at least five different programs in the test phase already operate. One of the exhibited models, identified as AJX002measures between 18 and 20 meters long with a reduced diameter of up to 1.5 meters, while the second shares length but is considerably wider, between 2 and 3 meters, and carries two masts. Although their specific missions have not been revealed, analysts consider carry torpedoes or mineseither fulfill recognition functions in prolonged and high autonomy operations. With this presentation, the Chinese Navy confirms its intention to integrate underwater platforms Autonomous on a large scaleexpanding the unmanned war options in a domain traditionally reserved for conventional submarines. Some of the hypersonic missiles shown The YJ-17: hypersonic and “nuclear.” Among the most strategic revelations The YJ-17 wasa missile that combines the naval denomination of the YJ family with the technological inheritance of DF-17the first medium -range ballistic missile with a hypersonic planner (HGV) developed by China. If the DF-17 already demonstrated extreme precision in tests (capable of impacting a few meters from its target after performing evasive maneuvers), the YJ-17 supposes the adaptation of that system For vertical pitchers of warships. Although it is believed that it can carry conventional eyelets, its nuclear capacity cannot be ruled out, which reinforces its deterrent value. Non -manned wing aircraft of the Plaaf. Two different configurations were seen but no designation details have been provided The industrial muscle as an advantage. No doubt, the parade was also proof of the volume of production that China can sustain. According to analysts Like Malcolm Davisthe country demonstrates the ability to develop, manufacture and deploy faster and higher advanced systems than the West. In other words: it is a reminder that, while in World War II the American industry inclined the global balance, today is Beijing who You can manufacture in mass Military teams with efficiency that Washington can hardly match. The CSIS data They confirm this trend: Chinese military expenditure has multiplied by thirteen in 30 years and already exceeds its immediate neighbors, quintupllica that of Japan and septuming that of South Korea. Anti-Enlambre Training (MENGSHI Laser “OW5-A10”, “PLB-625” cannon of 6 x 25 mm, 30 mm cannon, “Mini dome CUAV FK-3000”, Laser HMV3 “OW5-A50”) The naval dimension. Already We count yesterday. The biggest difference with the United States is perceived in the sea: by 2030, the Chinese Navy could have a 48% more ships of war that the American, which revives the historical maxim that the largest fleet usually imposes itself. While in the West it is confident that technological superiority, such as drone swarms with artificial intelligence, maintain balance, the parade showed that China already has Advanced autonomous systems in active duty and in operational quantities. In addition, the introduction of laser defenses against drones and missiles reinforces Beijing’s narrative about an “intelligent war”, where autonomy and systems network dominate the battlefield. JY-17 The Arsenal per sea. The YJ-17 did not appear alone: ​​it was accompanied by anti-man- YJ-15, YJ-19 and YJ-20all conceived to be deployed from the largest surface fleet in the world, composed of destroyers and frigates with vertical pitchers. Here the strategic message seems clear: the American aircraft carriers, the cornerstone of Washington’s naval power in the Pacific, could be vulnerable at any point in the region before a coordinated rain Hypersonic missiles and cruise released from multiple platforms. With … Read more

Russia is beginning to run out of the weapons inherited from the USSR. So he is pulling those of North Korea

by

The vast Soviet arsenals that Russia used at the beginning of her invasion of Ukraine They are running out. According to An analysis From the Institute of the kyiv Economy School, shipments from the main Russian military stores have plummeted: from 242,000 tons in 2022 to about 119,000 tons planned by 2025, practically the levels prior to the conflict. The context of the problem. For decades, Russia maintained huge armament deposits Inherited from the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Moscow handed off these stocks to quickly equip their forces. T-72 and T-80 tanks of the 70s were reconditioned and sent to the front. Even some T-54, who entered production in the late 40s, have seen fight in Ukrainian territory. The current reality. He analysis It reveals that the best quality equipment and easier restoration was the first to be mobilized. Pavlo Shkurenko, an institute analyst, explains that now “Russia is sending less material for reconditioning and repair than we know they can handle repair stations.” This fall would suggest that the reserves have dropped the level significantly. The desperate solution. To compensate for this shortage, the Kremlin He has massively resorted to his Asian allies. The data show that 52% of the shipments marked as “explosive materials” towards the Russian arsenales in 2024 came from Nakhodka, a port in the sea of Japan used by North Korea. These shipments went from zero before the war to 250,000 tons in 2024. According to Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, 40% of all Russian ammunition now comes from Pyongyang. Beyond North Korea. He analysis It also identifies about 13,000 tons of explosive material that, due to its entrance point near the Caspian Sea, probably come from Iran. Meanwhile, China has become the key supplier of the Russian defense industry, even if it does not send direct military aid. Shipments from the Eastern Border Regions of Russia towards military production centers have almost doubled since 2021, exceeding 3 million tons. The strategic dilemma. A priori, it seems a lie that Russia depends both on its external partners, especially considering that they want to breastfeed their self -sufficient image. Franz-Stefan Gady, Viennese military analyst, suggests that Moscow is using North Korean ammunition to maintain the rhythm of fire on the front while reserving higher quality Russian ammunition for possible future conflicts with NATO. What is coming. Russia plans to invest huge sums In rearme futurebut its current situation exposes the limitations of its local military capacity. The war that Putin imagined as a demonstration of force has become a resistance test in which he has ended up depending on allies and an increasing economic cost. Cover image | Kremlin In Xataka | We already know what Russia’s trick is to multiply its drones: it is called “cooling units” and comes direct from China

You can hardly know what is in these boxes. The US has built the perfect hiding place for its nuclear weapons

by

A company in the United States came to nuclear proportions, literally. The Pentagon had been going around an idea for a while. In a war scenario every time more changing and asymmetricthe permanent bases have stopped making sense to save, for example, atomic weapons. Where to hide such arsenal? The solution is in a container. Store the unthinkable. Yes, the United States has developed an innovative storage technology to transform the way their nuclear weapons are deployed: a Mobile vault system hidden within standard six -meter containers, capable of protecting atomic pumps or highly sensitive materials even in remote and temporary bases. The project, led By Sandia National Laboratories Within the energy department, it responds to an urgent request from the National Nuclear Safety Administration (Nsa) and is being executed in collaboration with the Department of Defense. The purpose: to provide American commanders with an unprecedented logistics and tactical capacity to protect strategic assets outside the immediate reach of permanent infrastructure. Accelerated and double use. The development of the first prototype was carried out in just six months, through a design process that prioritized speed and performance within volumetric and weight restrictions. For this I know They used 3D modelsadditive manufacturing, reusable components and commercial development plates. The available images They show a container with a reinforced door with double combination lock, although it is presumed that it includes multiple unleashed advanced safety systems. Sandia has experience in this field: he already developed specialized trucks To transport nuclear weapons, equipped with defense mechanisms such as adhesive foam to immobilize intruders, explosive bolts to disable tear gas axes and systems. Sandia employees make a 3D scan of a container prototype Containers that hint. Although for obvious reasons the official statement avoids explicitly mentioning nuclear weapons, Sandia has distributed models at 1:14 of these mobile vaults with miniature aftershocks of b61 bombs Clearly identifiable destined to illustrate its functionality before the high controls of the Pentagon, the strategic command and the combat commands. This type of device could be revolutionary for the projection of the nuclear arsenal, since it would allow flexible displaysdiscreet and fast in areas without fixed infrastructure, in line with current doctrines of Agile Fuat Employment (Ace) of the Air Force and the Expeditional Advanced Base Operations (Eabo) of the Marines body. In both strategies, dispersion, unpredictability and mobility are key to survive in a modern combat environment. A look at the 1:14 scale model of the mobile vault and the “miniature model” of the B61 The logic of the new B61-13. Plus: doctrinal change also coincides with the production of the new Model B61-13an improved variant of the B61-12 with greater explosive performance. Although the B61-12 already incorporated precision guidance, not all NATO platforms are trained to use that technology, which limits its operation. The B61-13, due to their greater capacity to attack reinforced and distributed targets, could be better used in mobile and flexible display. Also and As we countB61 are already part of the nuclear arsenal advanced in Europestored in underground fixed vaults in bases such as The RAF Lakenheathin the United Kingdom. The incorporation of are Mobile Vaults It now expands the tactical fan to more unpredictable and scattered environments, reducing the dependence of bases that would be a priority white in a high intensity conflict. A trailer loaded with B61 test models, as well as B83 nuclear bombs, (the latter are seen at the right end) “Mobile” advantages and risks. The use of standard containers to hide these vaults has evident advantages Logistics: They can be transported by air, sea or land using existing means. But that same mobility entails new challenges. Namely: structures offer Less physical protection That a bunker, and any increase in peripheral security measures could give away its content. They pointed to them Twz analysts which will be required, quite possibly, a completely new operational doctrine for use in nuclear deployments, which includes camouflage, dispersion, remote control and active safety measures. Of the test field to the nuclear deployment. The first prototypes will be evaluated in the exercise Gray Flag 2025where the Department of Defense and Sandia will prove its usefulness in a simulated operational context. In fact, this series of maneuvers has been the advanced armament exhibition scenario, such as long-range air-air missile AIM-174B (version released from airplanes SM-6 missile), still classified. The presence of nuclear weapons (or their fictional equivalents) in these trials suggests that Mobile Vaults They could quickly integrate into New forms of deterrenceespecially in mixed missions with closely linked conventional and nuclear abilities, as the recent anticipates Pentagon doctrine. Logistics Revolution As a last point, the initiative It also contemplates the future transition from this technology to the private sector, possibly for its industrial production and use in other areas that require ultraseguro storage. Be that as it may, its immediate function points to the heart of the current strategic debate: How to maintain the credibility of American nuclear arsenal in a multipolar world, full of mobile threats (as seen in conflicts of Ukraine and Iran), Access denial areas and potential conflicts in remote scenarios. In that new theater, it will not only be the weapons that move with agility. They will also do it, these mobile vaults apparently nuclear. Image | Sandia National Laboratories In Xataka | A simple drawing in a currency has revealed something more important: the return of nuclear bombs to Europe In Xataka | Satellite images leave no doubt: Russia is expanding up to five secret nuclear bases

The United Kingdom was waiting for an invincible hunt. Today, the F-35 flies little and cannot shoot its own weapons

by

He F-35b Lightning It is one of the most advanced fighters in the world. It has low observability when radar can take off in short distances and land vertically, and is designed to operate from Terrestrial Bases and Bases. You can execute Aire-Aire, air-surface, electronic warfare and intelligence in parallel missions. On paper, the United Kingdom was going to turn it into the cornerstone of its aerial power, With 138 planned units and a service horizon until 2069. But reality goes behind that ambition. A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) He has just documented in detail a series of problems that drag the program: from sustained delays to capabilities yet to be integrated. The result is a much less solid photograph than expected a decade ago. And that opens uncomfortable questions about costs, efficacy and planning. F-35b, promises and delays As we said, the F-35B Lightning is the short take-off version and vertical landing of hunting by the United States The Joint Strike Fighter program. United Kingdom chose this variant To replace your Harrier and operate from the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. You can fly to more than Mach 1.6, reach 50,000 feet of altitude and execute multiple types of mission. A Harrier plane landing Its strong point is in the fusion of sensors and in the ability to share data in real time with other platforms. Unlike previous generations, the F-35B not only acts as an attack vector, but as a network intelligence node. In 2012 the first units arrived in the country, with Raf Marham as the main base. United Kingdom has invested at least 11,000 million pounds (about 12.6 billion euros) until March 2025, According to the National Audit Office. And yet, the level of operational capacity reached is lower than the ministry expected in 2013. The postponement of the total operational capacity (FOC) of 2023 at the end of 2025 implies that the F -35b have not yet reached the degree of maturity necessary to operate with full capacity. According to the NAO, the flight hours accumulated in 2024 were lower than those required, which limits the preparation of crews and the real availability of the fleet for intensive missions. In addition, the plane is currently limited in armament. Today only the guided pump Paveway IV and the Air-Aire Amraam AIM-13D, According to the RAF technical file. NAO confirms that the integration of British Meteor and Spear 3 missiles It has been postponed until the early 2030. In practice, this means that the F -35B cannot yet execute attacks from long distance with state -of -the -art weapons, such as its original strategic purpose. An F-35 landing There are also structural limitations. As The Register has pointed outthe short take -off design and vertical landing (Stovl) imposes significant restrictions on the payload and at the operational reach of the plane, something that conditions its effectiveness in demanding combat scenarios. This assessment is not part of the official NAO report, but it does reflect a usual concern among several specialists. To all this, the cost of full life cycle could reach 71,000 million pounds (about 81.9 billion euros). The problems are not alone Although the F-35B is already in operational use, the figures reveal a compromised capacity. In 2024, only around one third of the fleet was available to execute all the expected missions. Part of the problem is structural: the United Kingdom has failed to cover all the necessary positions to operate and maintain the system. Engineers are scarceand prolonged displays in aircraft carrier make many fate F-35 as unattractive. A F-35B of the United Kingdom The supply of pieces is not guaranteed either. The global logistics system, managed from the United States, has not grown at the same pace as the international fleet. That has generated bottlenecks, delays in deliveries and an excessive dependence on temporary solutions. Although during the deployment of Carrier Strike Group of 2025 the availability rates were improved, everything indicates that these levels may not be maintained once the operation is finished. Despite delays, costs and availability problems, the United Kingdom retains an outstanding role within the International F-35 program. He was the only level 1 partner to join the United States -led program and maintains 38 members of the Ministry of Defense Integrated in the central team of the project in Washington, more than any other country. This implication has given tangible results: British companies manufacture at least 15 % of the value of each unit produced. An eye on the future While the F-35 still faces limitations, the United Kingdom already promotes its own next generation project: The Tempest huntintegrated since December 2022 in the multinational program Global Combat Air Program (GCAP)together with Italy and Japan. Conceptual image of the future hunting of the Tempest program This effort, led by BAE Systems (United Kingdom), Leonardo (Italy) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), aims to develop a Sixth generation furtive plane for 2035with prototypes flying before 2028. The headquarters of the program is based in the United Kingdom. Since its origin, it has been raised as an open architecture platform, with engines, plane, sensors and weapons developed under national control, seeking greater technological autonomy with respect to the US. Despite optimism, there are still tensions. Italy has expressed concern about the lack of transparency in the technological transfer from the United Kingdom. Images | Raf (1, 2), | Adrian Pingstone | BAE Systems In Xataka | There are those who ask why airplanes have no parachute. This manufacturer decided to stop asking him and putting one

The US and Spacex wanted to revolutionize the delivery of weapons anywhere in the world. A tropical bird had other plans

by

Starship is called to be the ship-cohete that Put humanity on Marsbut years ago he caught the attention of Pentagon For something much more earthly: transport military merchandise from one point to another on earth. But what they expected from Spacex And the Pentagon was an enemy who put those plans in check. Tropical birds. Revolutionizing military logistics. After a series of incidents, in 2024 we witnessed something unprecedented. He Starship propeller rocket was intercepted with millimeter accuracy by a mechanical arm. This, which seems little thing, is the starting gun for the revolution of space missions because it promises to reduce costs and shorten times because the rockets are no longer disposable between missions. Long before achievement, in 2021, the Pentagon already showed interest in these capabilities. The United States Air Force had an internal program called ‘Rocket Cargo‘With an ambitious objective, but easy to explain: transport huge amounts of military load from one point to another on the planet in a matter of minutes. Suspense. We are talking about the ability to deliver up to 150 tons of load anywhere on Earth in a maximum time of 90 minutes, which would imply an unprecedented and unprecedented deployment, as well as A tremendous strategic advantage. However, something like this requires evidence beyond those that Spacex itself is doing with its ship-cohete, and the idea of the Air Force was to start trying these rockets in a Pacific Atolón. It is not going to be. How can we read in Reuterson that remote island at 1,300 kilometers southwest of Hawaii, at least 14 species of tropical birds live. And, according to biologists, Spacex and Air Force tests would damage these species that nest in the area. Atoll location And relocation. This atoll, called Johnstonhas only 2.6 square kilometers and is part of the National Marine Monument of the remote Pacific Islands, so, as a source of the Air Force confirmed to the American military magazine ‘Stars and Stripes’, they will have to look for a new ‘patio’ of testing. According to the FFAA spokesman to the American magazine, they are already “exploring alternative places to develop the program”. Mistreating atolls. It is not the first time That the activities of the Musk company damages the flora and fauna of a place. It happened in Boca Chica, Texas, in 2023, when an explosion ended both with nests and coastal bird eggs, which caused legal problems to the company. Problems that Musk reacted with his particular and curious sense of humor, stating that he would stop eating tortillas for a week to compensate. And the truth is that this is a small victory for the tropical birds of the Johnson atolion, since the atolls of the quadrant and their fauna did not have so much luck in the pastwhen they were chosen as Objective for nuclear tests During the cold war, ending with entire islands of a plumazo and causing the Fear of nuclear radiation long before the Chernobyl accident. Images | United States Army Chemical Materials Agency, Steve Jurvetson, Tubs In Xataka | The US is leaving Ukraine without help, so Ukraine has proposed something to Europe: you give me the money, I manufacture my arms

It is one thing to spend 5% of GDP to rearm and a very different one is to sell weapons to Europe. Spain that has it very clear

by

The “pacifist” Spain, which has faced the United States alone by questioning the “unit” of NATO compared to that 5% defense expense pursued by Washington, lives a paradox. Because While he refuses of the rearma, or at least the figures that are handled, has the opportunity to accompany a national company in the epicenter of that Dispension in artillery and military resources for the old continent. It We count A few days ago. The first track Morgan Stanley gave it: Indra had raised its target price by 118%. A crossroads. Of all this did an analysis The Financial Times. In the epicenter of a continent that accelerates Your rearmeSpain is presented as the more particular case Of all: The country historically more reluctant to military spending in NATO now tries Turn Indraa company of civil roots and computer tradition, in a kind of European defense champion. Partially supported by the State, which It has 28% of its capital, Indra is undertaking an ambitious (and risky) transformation with the aim of rivaling with consecrated names such as Bae Systems, the Almighty Rheinmetall or Thales. New DNA. Its new president, Angel Escribanoentrepreneur with industrial DNA forged in the manufacture of turrets for combat cars in the Middle East, has placed the reconquest of manufacturing capabilities as cornerstone of this new stage. “There has never been an opportunity like this in three decades of defense in Spain,” has declaredaware that the Expenditure supercycle European military, triggered by war in Ukraine, represents an unrepeatable occasion for the company. From radar to armored ones. Until recently, Indra It was synonym of air traffic control systems or military missions management software. His presence in defense was important but discreet, focused on digital solutions rather than tangible product. However, in the middle of a war where drones, artillery and armored scenethe company now seeks to occupy the physical space of The military industry: Also manufacture the “metal”, not just electronics. In June, he raised his participation in Tess defends 51%taking control of the consortium that produces The VCR Dragon For the Spanish army. The step was not exempt from friction: Indra faced Santa Barbara Systems (controlled by the American General Dynamics) for the course of the company, even suggesting its purchase. Although this was rejected, interest persists and the company explores other acquisitions, including the defense division from Iveco In Italy. Indra Buy and buy. The Financial Times counted That to reach 10,000 million euros of billing in 2028 (a two -year advanced target compared to the original plan), the road map includes more than 20 possible purchase operations in Europe. On the horizon even an option as delicate as tempting appears: acquire Mechanical & Engineering notary (EM & E), the armament firm founded by the president himself, which, a priori, would create an obvious conflict of interest, but also a technical synergy difficult to match. The civil DNA dilemma. Despite of the turn Towards the defense, Indra remains a mostly civil company: its IT unit, MINSAIT, represents 62% of your income, compared to 21% of the military area. Minsait competes in the corporate world with giants such as Capgemini or Infosys, providing technological services to banks, health systems and public administrations. Some analysts and former director see in this duality a Structural contradiction: defense and services are “water and oil”, Explain the FT. In fact, when in 2024 the company announced that the defense It would be his priority And that Minsait would become “not strategic”, the market reacted positively Given the possible sale of your business not related to war. The company failed to close any agreement and now notary states that it only wants burn off the branch of payments, while it begins to revalue the rest of the unit as a source of dual use technologies (AI, cybersecurity or cloud solutions) that can adapt to the military environment. This reconsideration, although pragmatic, keeps alive the tension between what the market desires (a purely defensive company) and what the management is willing to offer. Reputation and influence. It is the last of the legs that was analyzed in the Times report. Although their actions have quadrupled since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and its market value already exceeds 6,000 million In euros, Indra continues to quote with a strong discount regarding its European counterparts. While Bae is valued at 25 times its planned benefits, and Rheinmetall touches 60 times, Indra stays in just 18. Reasons? According to analysts As Beatriz Rodríguez de Bestinver, the growing interference of the Spanish government in the corporate strategy, which generates uncertainty about economic logic behind some decisions. It is also pointed out that, despite its turn, Indra is not yet perceived as a defense company in its purest form. Nor does the perception of improvisation in the transition from software to military hardware or doubt about whether the State be willing to firmly support the qualitative leap. The put by war. No doubt, the Spanish case tests the European model of rearme: Can a historically pacifist country lead a robust defense industry without sacrificing its institutional culture? The scribe plan It seems clear: cover all dimensions of the Modern combat. In the sea, Indra supplies Radars and Sónar for the submarines of Navantia, and in the air, leads Spanish participation in the Future Fuat Air System (FCAS), together with Airbus and Dassault. Plus: in space bought 90% of the Hispasat satellite operator for 725 million euros, and on land, already controls part of armored production, with a view to incorporating armament and sensors. It even has a participation In ITP AeroManufacturer of aeronautical components. Yes or no. In summary, the concept of “total war” seems to have penetrated the Indra strategywhich is no longer raised as a party supplier, but as a Comprehensive actor of the European war ecosystem. Notary summarize His vision with a phrase that contains both urgency and ambition: “We would not forgive if we were not able to transform this company into what … Read more

The US attack on Iran was a forceful message to the development of nuclear weapons. Less for North Korea

by

It is very possible that a nation has been stuck to television by observing everything that happened in Iran. About 20 years ago, North Korea began Send engineers Specialized in the excavation of deep tunnels to Tehran. Two decades later, what was learned was tested through the greater furtive attack of the United States against Iranian underground nuclear facilities. A nuclear lesson. They had several analysts In the CNN than the recent ones United States bombings by deployment of b-2 bombersThey have caused an immediate shock not only in the Middle East, but also in Eastern Asia. For experts, this act of force launches a clear (and dangerous) message to North Korea: without nuclear weapons, You are vulnerable. For Kim Jong Un, which has been reinforcing for years Your atomic program As the Central Survival Pilar of the regime, the US attack confirms a long sustained narrative: nuclear deterrence is the only reliable shield against a regime change from the outside. Thus, far from determining proliferation, military action against Iran could accelerate Pyongyang’s arms expansion, in addition to strengthening its Strategic Alliance With Russia, which has become A military lifeguardtechnological and vital economy For the North Korean regime since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The Moscow-Pyongyang axis. We have gone counting. Since 2024, North Korea and Russia have Institutionalized your cooperation in a strategic agreement of broad scope. According to A report of the multilateral sanctions monitoring team, Pyongyang has sent More than 14,000 soldiers and millions of ammunition, including missiles and rockets, to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In return, has received Air defense systems, anti -aircraft missiles, electronic warfters, critical military technology and refined fuel. Plus: the ability to Build Shaheds. This exchange not only finances the North Korean military program, but allows you to access to advanced technologiesdirect experience in modern war and an alternative source of resources to Western sanctions. In the eyes of the North Korean regime, the pact is not only pragmatic but necessary in the face of international isolation, and the attack on Iran makes it even more indispensable. Examples feeding the paranoia. From that perspective, the strategic message could not be clearer to Kim: countries that do not have nuclear weapons are exposed to American intervention. Iraq was invaded without having weapons of mass destruction. Libya left his nuclear program in exchange for diplomatic normalization, just to see Gaddafi overthrown years later. Iran signed the nuclear agreement and maintained its enrichment below the arms threshold, According to the OIEAbut it was still attacked. Two certainties. In contrast, North Korea has already done Six nuclear testshe owns between 40 and 50 active heads and has developed ballistic missiles Intercontinental capable of reaching the United States. Its arsenal, which includes multiple launch vectors, makes Pyongyang an actor with real deterrence and radically differentiates it from Iran. For Victor Cha, from CSIS, American bombings to Iran reinforce in Kim two certainties: The United States does not have a viable military option against the North Korean nuclear program, and its decision to maintain and expand its nuclear arsenal was correct. First nuclear submarine of North Korea Tripartite deterrence. In addition, there is a difference against Iran: North Korea has a Triple Defense System that complicates any American military option. First, its own nuclear arsenal, second, the defensive alliance with Russia, which allows Moscow to intervene automatically in case of attack, and third, the legal and political need of Prior consultation With South Korea, required by the bilateral treaty with Washington, which converts any action into a regional and diplomatic high voltage issue. In this regard, Professor Lim Eul-Chul warnedfrom the Kyungam University, which attacking North Korea could detonate a Total nuclear wargiven your ability to respond. “It’s not Iran,” LEIF-AMER EASLEY emphasizesby Ewha Womans University. Pyongyang can Attack directly To the United States and, in addition, Seoul is shot from most of its weapons systems. Deterrence when rearma. The foreseeable consequence of the attack on Iran is a hardening of the North Korean position. The regime could Accelerate your tests Ballistics, advance in new eyes, experiment with long -range propulsion and expand your attack vectors. I would also do it under the mantle Russia protector and in open indifference to the resolutions of the UN Security Council, whose coercive effects have been reduced to a diplomatic formality. In strategic terms, North Korea’s reaction will probably not be defensive but expansive: Technological cooperation with Moscow, joint military exercises, transfer of ballistic knowledge and new forms of economic and military interdependence. The TNP. They remembered In The Conversation That the non -proliferation treaty, adopted in 1968, was a commitment between the five recognized nuclear powers (United States, Soviet Union, France, United Kingdom and China) to not transfer nuclear weapons and commit, at least formally, to disarmament. In return, other countries promised not to develop atomic weapons. The treaty, then reinforced with the additional protocol of the OIEA, endowed the nuclear inspection agency for broad powers for Verify peaceful use of atomic energy. It was the Oiea who first warned in 2003 about the suspicious enrichment of Uranium in Iran. And it was also this organization that, weeks before the recent bombings, denounced the Iranian breach for the first time in twenty years. A fragile pact. However, effectiveness of the TNP It has been undermined for decades. The nuclear powers never fulfilled their disarmament commitments. In the case of North Korea, He withdrew from the treaty In 2003, he performed his first nuclear test in 2006 and today could possess up to 50 eyelets. Israel, meanwhile, never formally joined, and maintains a unpacked arsenal. India, Pakistan and North Korea have stayed out or have been disconnected. In other words, the covenant has weakened by its own architecture that, although universal, is structurally vulnerable. Iran and North Korea. To all this, the professor of economics underlined Anthony Burke that Iran now has Two roads. The first would be to reconstruct its uranium enrichment capacity and acquire … Read more

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.