(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction The Red Sea Crisis, escalating since October 2023, has spotlighted the Houthi movement’s drone swarm tactics as a transformative force in asymmetric warfare. By deploying Houthi drone attacks against commercial and naval vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for $1 trillion in annual global supply chains, the…
(By Khalid Masood) In a bold move to deepen defence ties, Russia has proposed supplying India with its fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57E stealth fighter and the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in a Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) configuration, announced in early July 2025. This offer, presented by Russia’s state-owned Rostec and Sukhoi, aligns with…
(By Khalid Masood) In the rugged terrain of Kashmir on 11 May 2025, a Bayraktar TB2 drone, cruising at 18,000 feet, pinpointed four Indian Bofors howitzers targeting Pakistani positions. Within minutes, laser-guided MAM-L munitions delivered surgical strikes, neutralising the threat. Simultaneously, a Wing Loong II, orbiting at 30,000 feet, streamed real-time imagery to the Air…
(By Khalid Masood) In an era where regional conflicts can rapidly escalate into global crises, the 2025 Iran-Israel conflict stands out as a stark reminder of modern warfare’s evolving nature. The brief but intense clash—marked by missile barrages, drone strikes, and covert operations—has fundamentally reshaped strategic thinking within military and diplomatic circles. Triggered by escalating…
(By Khalid Masood) In June 2025, at the NATO summit in The Hague, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the procurement of 12 x F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, capable of carrying B61-12 nuclear bombs, marking a significant strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture. This move, supporting 20,000 UK jobs, underscores the F-35A’s role in…
(By Khalid Masood) In June 2025, Chinese scientists unveiled a groundbreaking 6G-powered electronic warfare system, a technological leap that has sent shockwaves through global defence circles. Capable of jamming the radars of advanced stealth fighters like the US F-35 and generating over 3,600 false targets, this system, developed by Professor Deng Lei’s team at Huazhong…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction Modern warfare is no longer fought solely on the battlefield with tanks, guns, and boots on the ground. Today, war is also waged in cyberspace, through autonomous drones, deepfake propaganda, and intelligent systems that make decisions faster than any human general could. At the heart of this transformation is Artificial Intelligence…
(By Khalid Masood) In a blazing testament to its resolve, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has thrust the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile into the global spotlight, claiming its deployment against Israel in the escalating conflict of June 2025. Dubbed the “Israel-striker” by the IRGC, this missile—unveiled in June 2023 under the gaze of Supreme Leader…
(By Khalid Masood) China’s rapid advancements in laser-based directed-energy weapons (DEWs) have positioned the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the forefront of modern warfare innovation. From countering drone swarms to enhancing anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies, China’s laser arsenal—developed primarily by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) and other state-owned enterprises—offers precision, cost-effectiveness, and scalability….
(Khalid Masood) On June 14, 2025, Washington, D.C., pulsed with patriotic fervor as the United States commemorated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army’s founding. Established by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, the Army—born as the Continental Army—has stood as the nation’s “sword and shield,” defending liberty through centuries of valor and…
