Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Defence

Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Tauranga cityscape and beaches viewed from Mount Maunganui in, Tauranga, New Zealand. File photo: via Getty Images
New Zealand

‘We depend on sea’: NZ to invest in drones, ships for maritime security

The oceans are not a barrier to danger, but a vital national interest that must be actively secured, said Defence Minister Chris Penk.

South China Sea

Why the largest-ever US-Philippine drill, and Japan’s role, makes China uneasy

videocam
16
Russia

Bordering Russia, Norway adopts ‘total defence’ mode, focuses on civil readiness

The Philippines

Why Sara Duterte is altering tone on South China Sea dispute

The vice-president’s calls to ‘defend sovereignty’ are an attempt to please voters at home while not alienating Beijing, experts say.

videocam
4
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte delivers a statement following her impeachment on February 7. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Israel thrusts a reluctant UAE into the open over defence ties

Disclosures about Iron Dome batteries and secret meetings have exposed ties analysts say the UAE would rather handle ‘more discreetly’.

videocam
6
Malaysia

US denies role in Norway’s cancelled missile sale to Malaysia

Washington said it supported the deal after the row raised questions over US influence on weapons with American-made parts.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Japan

US to send powerful missile systems to Japan for drills amid China tensions

After the joint exercises, the systems will move to a US military base in Japan for storage.

videocam
5
The Typhon missile launcher is stationed at an airbase in Iwakuni, western Japan, last year. Photo: Reuters
Singapore

How Singapore’s weaponised drone trials could fuel Southeast Asian tensions

As Southeast Asian militaries adopt cheap, lethal systems, experts warn a lack of established rules could prove dangerous.

Greenland

US needs to ‘put its footprint back on Greenland’, Trump envoy says

Jeff Landry was on his first visit to the Arctic island – despite not being officially invited – since his appointment six months ago.

videocam
European Union

EU picks tungsten, rare earths, gallium for first critical mineral stockpile

The move marks one of the bloc’s most concrete steps to reduce reliance on China for elements vital to defence and tech.

Labourers work at a tungsten mining factory at Zhongshan, China. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Did US restrictions sink Malaysia’s US$147 million Norway missile deal?

Analysts say US-controlled parts may have been a factor in Norway’s revoked export licences, underscoring risks for Asian defence buyers.

7
US President Donald Trump speaks to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store at a peace summit on Gaza in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in October last year. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan plans island drone deployment to monitor Chinese naval activity

Tokyo hopes deploying US-built SeaGuardians on Iwo Jima and Chichijima will eliminate a Pacific surveillance ‘blind spot’.

The Philippines

More than a missile? Why the Philippines wants Japan’s old Type 88

Manila’s military already operates superior weapons, but analysts say Tokyo’s Cold War-era hardware still has something to offer.

videocam
4
China’s military drills

Can PLA training catch up with China’s rapid weapon development?

‘No matter how advanced the equipment is, if people cannot effectively operate it, it remains nothing more than cold steel’: PLA Daily.

videocam
A PLA Daily article says some Chinese military units have not done enough personnel-equipment integration and some have not devoted enough effort to cultivating specialised talent. Photo: Xinhua
Ukraine war

Belarus begins nuclear weapons drills with Russia

Minsk claims drills pose no security threats ⁠in the region, but Kyiv urges tightened sanctions in response.

videocam
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Reuters
Science

China’s northeast, poor in rare earths, scores big find

A new type of deposit in Heilongjiang and Jilin promises easier, cheaper mining than in southern clay-rich areas, say scientists.

videocam
7
North Korea

North Korea to turn southern border into ‘impregnable fortress’

Experts say the plans reflect awareness of drone and other types of hi-tech warfare amid the Russia-Ukraine and Iran conflicts.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
United States

Trump-backed mass prayer rally draws thousands to Washington

Worshippers flock to the National Mall for an America-themed jubilee featuring Trump reading from the Bible in a video.

People watch a recorded video message from President Donald Trump. Photo: AP
The Philippines

Western powers ramp up support for Philippines’ Luzon economic hub

Eight more countries will invest in the project as they accelerate regional trade diversification in sectors ranging from AI to energy.

videocam
Ukraine war

‘Stay inside’: Finland warns of drone scare near capital Helsinki

The early hours warning – the first for the capital city – said a drone could be heading towards an area on the south coast.

videocam
Japan

Why Japan’s ruling party is pushing for 5% military spending

The ruling party is expected to debate raising outlays to as much as 5 per cent of GDP, in line with that of many Nato members.

videocam
5
Japan Ground Self-Defence Force soldiers fold a US flag during a Balikatan drill in the Philippines on May 6. Photo: Reuters
Science

Does China’s Jiuzhang 4.0 computer herald the age of quantum supremacy?

New programmable photonic quantum computing prototype completed a complex calculation in microseconds, developers say.

A partial view of China’s new photonic quantum computing prototype, Jiuzhang 4.0. Photo: Xinhua
The Philippines

Why airport at former US naval base in Philippines has Washington’s backing

The trend in defence is for civilian infrastructure that can be rapidly adapted for military use during contingencies, experts say.

Diplomacy

Opinion | North Korea is not Iran. The same pressure tactics won’t work

North Korea’s nuclear reality and the overlapping interests of the US, China and Russia make tension reduction a prerequisite.

videocam
US-China relations

US Senate warns of China’s nuclear capabilities hours before Xi-Trump summit

Beijing engaged in ‘unprecedented nuclear expansion’ in recent years that includes ‘hundreds of new missile silos’, senator tells hearing.

videocam
10
DF-5C nuclear missiles are displayed during a military parade in Beijing in September 2025. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

UAE denies Israel’s Netanyahu made secret visit during Iran war

Netanyahu’s office claims a ‘historic breakthrough’, but Abu Dhabi dismisses reports of any clandestine meeting.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during an event in Jerusalem in April. Photo: Reuters
2026 Xi-Trump summit

What does Pete Hegseth’s presence in China say about Trump’s military agenda?

US arms sales to Taiwan, nuclear weapons and military-to-military communication will be among topics discussed, experts say.

videocam
18
Malaysia

Malaysia weighs legal action after Norway blocks missile exports

The missiles are central to Malaysia’s troubled littoral combat ship programme as Putrajaya says it will seek an explanation from Oslo.

4
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement