For 70 years, the paradigm of missile defense has been kinetic: “Hitting a bullet with a bullet.” We launch a million-dollar interceptor to hit a million-dollar incoming missile. But this paradigm is breaking. 1. Cost: Enemies are building cheap drones ($20,000) and cheap rockets. We cannot afford to shoot them down with $3 million Patriot […]
“Hypersonic” has become the buzzword of the decade. Every time a new missile is tested—be it by Russia, China, or North Korea—the headlines scream “Hypersonic Missile Threat!” This often leads to confusion. After all, the V-2 rocket in World War II was hypersonic (Mach 5). Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) fly at Mach 23. So, haven’t
In every arms bazaar from New Delhi to Riyadh, two names dominate the conversation: Patriot and S-400. They are the Coke and Pepsi of the missile defense world—the two reigning heavyweights of ground-based air defense. Yet, unlike soda, choosing one over the other is a decision that defines national alliances, triggers sanctions, and fundamentally alters
For decades, the phrase “Western Air Defense” was synonymous with one name: Patriot. But in the 21st century, a European challenger has emerged, one that some experts argue is technologically superior to its American cousin. This is the SAMP/T (Surface-to-Air Missile Platform/Terrain), nicknamed “Mamba” in French service. Armed with the ferocious Aster 30 missile, the
In the grey skies over Ukraine, a pair of Su-24 Fencer jets glide low over the treetops. Under their wings hang missiles with a distinctively boxy, angular shape. They pitch up, release the weapons, and bank away. The missiles drop, deploy wings, and vanish—hugging the terrain at 500 mph, invisible to radar, on their way
In the treacherous waters of the Indian Ocean and the volatile borders of the Middle East, the threat comes from all directions. Supersonic cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, and swarming aircraft. To survive, a navy needs a shield that is 360-degree, rapid, and deadly accurate. That shield is the Barak-8. also known as the LRSAM (Long
On a calm morning in March 2024, the skies over Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha roared to life. The event was coded “Mission Divyastra” (Divine Weapon). It was the first flight test of the Agni-V equipped with Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. With this test, India officially kicked down the door
In the world of cruise missiles, there are the slow and steady (like the US Tomahawk), and then there is the BrahMos. Named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia, the BrahMos is a symbol of one of the most successful military partnerships in modern history. It is widely acknowledged
While Iron Dome is the celebrity of Israel’s missile defense, appearing on nightly news whenever rockets fly from Gaza, it is only the first line of defense. Above it sits a more powerful, more sophisticated, and far more lethal big brother: David’s Sling (Hebrew: Kela David), formerly known as “Magic Wand.” If Iron Dome is
In the scorched skies over southern Israel, white smoke trails zig-zag like angry serpents, followed by thunderous booms. It is a scene that has become grimly familiar in the 21st century. But amidst the chaos of rocket fire from Gaza or Lebanon, a technological miracle often occurs: The rockets dissolve into clouds of grey shrapnel
