Russia’s top military officer May 22 voiced skepticism about deeper nuclear arms cuts, saying they should require parallel reductions in non-nuclear precision weapons. The statement by chief of Russia’s military General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, appeared to signal the Kremlin’s reluctance to negotiate a new nuclear arms deal with Washington. President Barack Obama, who signed…

Britain’s Ministry of Defence has taken an over-optimistic approach to its equipment budget, an influential committee of lawmakers warned May 14, expressing doubts that the department plagued by cost overruns and late delivery of projects has properly planned for potential pitfalls over the next decade. Britain’s military is shrinking from 102,000 troops to around 80,000…

Three members of the International Space Station Expedition 35 crew undocked from the orbiting laboratory and returned safely to Earth May 13, wrapping up a mission lasting almost five months. The departure marks the beginning of Expedition 36. Space station Commander Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency, Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko of the Russian…

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has irked Washington with his frequent criticism of American military operations in his country, said May 9 that his government is now ready to let the U.S. have nine bases across Afghanistan after most foreign troops withdraw in 2014. A border spat with Pakistan and a desire to test public…

Taking one more step to becoming Ministry of Defense accredited, Afghan air force leaders at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee “Air University” signed six newly developed training decrees May 4 at Kabul International Airport here. The implementation of these decrees marks the first time†the†school had†standard operating procedures for the teaching of the students. “I have been waiting for this…

Australia said May 3 it would buy 12 Boeing EA-18G Growler advanced electronic warfare technology aircraft because it can’t risk delivery delays in their replacement, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. The government announced last year that its air force will equip 12 of Australia’s F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighters with Growler radar-jamming equipment…

– NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned May 6 that further cuts in defense spending by European nations risk reducing the continent’s defense and security to “hot air,” turning the alliance into what he called a “global spectator” rather than a real force on the world stage. “The only way to avoid this is…

A civilian cargo aircraft crashed at Bagram Air Field, north of the Afghan capital, soon after takeoff April 29, killing all seven people aboard, the U.S.-led military coalition said. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the crash, but the coalition said in a statement to The Associated Press: “Taliban’s claims are false.” It said the…

After weeks of warlike rhetoric, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gathered legislators April 1 for an annual spring parliamentary session that followed a ruling party declaration that nuclear bomb building and a stronger economy were the nation’s top priorities. The meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly follows near-daily threats from Pyongyang, including vows of…

Facing a shortage of recruits, Peru’s government has reinstated selective, obligatory military service. But it can be avoided by paying a $700 fine, prompting accusations that what is really being imposed is a draft for the poor. Military service had been voluntary since 1998, but meager wages, scant job training and a lack of other…