On Monday, it was announced that Australia is planning to increase development work in guided weapons systems under its Navy’s Project Sea 1300 program. The project will invest in anti-ship weapons and improved surface-to-air missiles, as well as further development in the SM-2 Block IIC and SM-6 Block I missiles.
On Thursday, it was reported that the Russian Western Military District began a drill that saw over 3,500 servicemen and 600 vehicles practicing alarms and deployment. The vehicles included Tornado-G artillery and Iskander-M missile systems as well as the Buk-M3 missile air defense systems.
Also on Thursday, it was reported that Russia deployed its Bastion anti-ship missile launcher to its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. The launcher was made combat-ready and is set to be tested in an upcoming joint exercise with the Black Sea Fleet’s Frigate.
On Friday, it was reported that China had deployed 16 Dong Feng-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile launchers to its Qingzhou training site in Shandong province. This development comes less than a week after 26 PLA aircraft simulated missile attacks on a nearby U.S. aircraft carrier during an incursion in the south-western corner of Taiwan’s air defense zone over the course of two days.
On Monday, it was announced that the Israel Missile Defense Organization and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems had successfully completed a series of flight tests of its upgraded Iron Dome air-defense system. The tests, which involved both the Israeli Navy and Air Force tested the system’s responses to a series of potential land and sea threats prior to the system’s slated deployment this year.
Also on Monday, it was reported Iran conducted a test launch of its new three-stage Zoljanah hybrid solid-liquid fueled space launch vehicle (SLV). The Zoljanah is reportedly designed to put a 220 kg payload into a 500 km orbit and can be launched from a mobile launcher.
