By Gillian Rich, Investor's Business Daily: “Lockheed Martin expects more international orders for its F-35 fighter aircraft and the company's missile-defense system, as global tensions spur demand for U.S. military hardware. Raytheon's Patriot air-defense system has also been in demand in the Mideast and Asia. After the company landed big orders from Saudi Arabia in 2015, South Korea and Japan now plan to upgrade their Patriot systems, and a contract topping $7 billion is expected soon from Poland. Lockheed makes the PAC-3 missile for the Patriot system.”
While North Korea threatens to shoot and sink American aircraft carriers and launch nuclear weapons, Pacific Command is running short of precision-guided munitions. And Pacific Command does not have enough surface ships, submarines and antimissile radars to keep up with current and emerging threats, its commander Adm. Harry Harris told the House Armed Services Committee today. – Breaking Defense
Implications for US Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense
By Mark B. Schneider, RealClearDefense: “Unlike the U.S., nuclear forces are Russia’s highest military priority. In December 2016, President Putin declared Russia is “stronger than any potential aggressor,” has modernized almost 60% of its strategic forces and directed that Russia further strengthen its nuclear Triad. In March 2017, he said that modernizing Russian military forces “concerns the strategic nuclear forces, above all.” In January 2017, Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu stated that development of the strategic nuclear force was Russia’s first priority, noting Russia will “continue a massive program of nuclear rearmament, deploying modern ICBMs on land and sea, [and] modernizing the strategic bomber force.””