A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
The recent military coups in West Africa have severely impacted U.S. and French counterterrorism and intelligence operations in the region. Niger, a key ally in the fight against Islamist extremism, …
AFRICOM Scrambles To Sustain Intel Operations In West Africa Read More
In June, the Nigerian Army achieved a significant milestone by acquiring two UH-1H “Huey” helicopters, formally establishing its new Aviation Wing. This move is part of a broader strategy to …
Nigeria Expands Army Aviation Amid Regional Security Read More
On June 1, 2024, the Netherlands made history, becoming the first country to officially assign its F-35A stealth fighters to the nuclear strike role, a significant milestone for NATO’s military …
Netherlands Enhances Nuclear Arsenal with F-35A: A New Era in NATO-Russia Tensions Read More
In January, the archipelago nation of Nauru severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of formal relations with China, reducing the number of countries recognizing Taipei’s sovereignty to eleven. Nauru’s …
Nauru’s Diplomatic Shift Signals Increasing Chinese Dominance in the Indo-Pacific Read More
Tension flared following a visit by a U.S. delegation to Niger in March, prompting Niger’s military junta to swiftly terminate a pivotal military agreement with the U.S. This decision follows …
Russia Exploits Western Vacuum in Africa’s Sahel Region Read More
Switchblade 300 is a back-packable and rapidly deployable loitering munition system for use against beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) targets. Image – AeroVironment, Inc.Loitering munitions, often dubbed “kamikaze” or “suicide drones,” are a …
The Evolving Landscape of Loitering Munitions Read More
On Oct. 13, 2022, Germany and 14 NATO allies signed a non-binding letter of intent to pursue the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), an integrated air-defense and anti-missile system. The …
Germany Forges Path To Leadership Through The European Sky Shield Initiative Read More
In the complex landscape of Taiwanese defense politics, a stark divide has emerged between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of the Tsai administration, particularly concerning the …
Internal Politics Cause Chasm in Taiwan’s Defense Posture Read More
In May 2023, the U.S. rejected Thailand’s bid to procure Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft, citing production constraints and inadequate existing infrastructure on the receiving end. While partially true, other evidence …
F-35 – A Litmus Test for U.S. Alliance Strength Read More
The U.S. military plans to accelerate its fielding of hypersonic weapons despite a series of test issues. On September 6, the Department of Defense postponed a planned test-firing of the …
Army Aims To Field New Hypersonic Weapon This Year Despite Test Failures Read More