On Wednesday, September 13, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern seas. The launch coincided with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. The missiles were detected by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, with the weapons flying cross-country towards the country's eastern seas. The exact distance the missiles traveled was not immediately disclosed. Japan's Coast Guard warned vessels around its coasts to be cautious of falling objects. The launch comes amid concerns of a potential arms deal between North Korea and Russia, which could impact the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Also on Wednesday, September 13, European missile manufacturer MBDA and Polish defense company PGZ announced a joint development project to create a medium-range surface-to-air missile for the Polish armed forces. This initiative follows a letter of intent signed by the UK and Poland to develop a future common missile based on the CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile). The CAMM-medium-range (MR) missile will meet Poland's advanced ground and naval air defense needs at a medium range. The missile is expected to have a range of 80 kilometers (50 miles), making it twice as capable as the CAMM-ER (extended range) missile. The collaboration between MBDA and PGZ marks an important step in the development of European defense solutions.

On Sunday, September 17, Canada stated that they will contribute C$33 million to a British-led partnership that aims to buy air defense equipment for Ukraine, in an effort to help Ukraine defend against Russian missile and drone attacks. This contribution is part of the C$500 million worth of military aid that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier. Canada has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022 and has committed over C$8 billion in aid, including around C$1.8 billion in military assistance. The partnership, which includes the United States, the Netherlands, and Denmark, plans to acquire hundreds of short- and medium-range air defense missiles and associated systems.

On Monday, September 18, China sent a record-breaking 103 military planes toward Taiwan, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. This marks a new high in the level of activity and is seen as harassment by the island. The Chinese government has been conducting large military drills near Taiwan as tensions between the two countries and with the United States have risen. China prefers Taiwan to come under its control voluntarily but has also been using a carrot and stick approach. The recent military activity may be an attempt to influence Taiwan's upcoming presidential election. Taiwan's Defense Ministry has called on China to stop these destructive military activities.

Click here to read all of this week's headlines.