India to boost defense spending 13%, with billions for new weapons

NEW DELHI – India set aside 1.62 trillion rupees ($19.87 billion) for procurement of new weapons and platforms to be sourced mainly through domestic defense contractors in fiscal year 2023-24. The country’s annual budget, released Feb. 1 ,envisages a total outlay INR...

British air chief eyes return to five-strong Wedgetail buy

LONDON — Britain’s top airman says he wants the Royal Air Force to restore the number of airborne early warning aircraft it originally planned to acquire before the number of platforms was reduced to save money in a government defense review. Officials reduced an...

Ukraine plans to spend $540 million on drones this year

WARSAW, Poland — Ukraine plans to spend about 20 billion hryvnia (U.S. $540 million) on new drones this year, according to the country’s defense minister. The UAVs are meant to support the Ukrainian military as it continues to combat Russia’s invasion. “In 2023, we...

Turkey’s STM to modernize NATO’s intelligence infrastructure

MERSIN, Turkey — The Turkish engineering firm STM has won two tenders to modernize NATO’s intelligence infrastructure, which is maintained by the NATO Communications and Information Agency, the company announced Jan. 28. The work is meant to benefit the gathering,...

US accuses Russia of endangering nuclear arms control treaty

WASHINGTON — Russia’s refusal to allow the resumption of on-the-ground inspections is endangering the New START nuclear treaty and U.S.-Russian arms control overall, the Biden administration charged on Tuesday. The finding was delivered to Congress and summarized in a...