Last Monday, the USS Higgins and USS Howard arrived in their new forward-deployed location: Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. The arrival of the two guided missile destroyers serve as a direct contribution to enduring national security in the Indo-Pacific region.
On Tuesday, it was reported that China has intruded upon Taiwanese air space more times this year than ever before, according to Taiwan's defense officials. Since the beginning of the year, Taiwan's air force radars have sensed nearly 400 Chinese planes inside of the island's air defense identification zone.
On Wednesday, South Korean officials announced that the country would begin mass production of a newly-upgraded interceptor missile, that some consider the Korean version of the U.S. Patriot missile defense system. The decision to begin with mass production comes after two successful tests in July and August.
On Saturday, a Chinese state-run media outlet reported that the Chinese People's Liberation Army Rocket Force has successfully tested two new types of conventional missile warheads. Both missiles were able to penetrate through multi layered "enemy defenses."
On Monday, Israel's Defense Ministry announced that U.S. Army Soldiers had conducted the first test of the Iron Dome system in June at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Since the U.S. agreed to purchase two Iron Dome batteries in 2019, the U.S. military has been working to integrate Israel's champion system with existing air and missile defense systems.
