The delivery of 18 extra HIMARS rocket systems Taiwan ordered, will be completed in 2026, two years earlier than initially assumed.

An Earlier order of 11 platforms to arrive in 2024, 2025.

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According to the New York Times, Biden has decided who will replace Mark Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The new chairman will be Air Force General Charles Brown Jr. Millie's term ends this fall.

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NORWAY – The US destroyer "Scott Austin" arrived in Grøtsund on Thursday morning.

The destroyer coming in from the north had the AIS switched on. The ship is part of the large naval exercise that starts on Monday.

13 nations will practice together. Some of the ships will be moored in Tromsø ahead of the exercise Formidable Shield 23

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In mid-May, the first US-made M142 HIMARS launchers will go to the Polish Armed Forces. The deliveries of other elements for the first squadron fire module, including combat assets, are also successively carried out. Also, the crews have already completed training in the USA.

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Russian forces continue to dig in across occupied regions of Ukraine. This trench line near the city of Donetsk is one of several constructed or expanded in the past few months.

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Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have encircled Taiwan twice in a one-week period.

The flights suggest that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is expanding the scope of its incursions into Taiwan's air-defence identification zone (ADIZ).

The PLA has earlier conducted encircling flights around Taiwan, using XAC H-6 bombers, according to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND). However, the latest UAV flights are unique. They are the first recorded PLA circumnavigation flights since the MND began disclosing ADIZ incursions in September 2020. They are also the first to involve UAVs.

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UKRAINE – Russian occupation regime in Zaporizhzhia announced the forced relocation:

Tokmak, Vasilivka, Enerhodar, Pologi, Timoshivka, Smyrnove, Tarasivka, Orlinivskr, Molochansk, Kaminka, Prishib, Malo Bilozerka, Velyka Belozerka, Dniprorudne, Mikhailivka, Kamenka-Dniprovska, Rozivka

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Poland has reportedly pledged 60 PT-91 Twardy tanks to Ukraine. Reportedly Some have been already delivered

The tank was modified with Kontakt-1 ERA on a part of the sideskirts, placed in mount similar to those previously seen on M-55S.

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BREAKING – Russia's DM Shoigu has instructed deputy ministers to ensure troops fighting 'special military operation' have all weapons and equipment they need — RIA

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NEW – The United States will provide Apache combat helicopters to Poland, which will be deployed in the east of the country - Polish Ministry of Defense

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Estonia launches defense readiness exercise Okas (Quill) for land defense units

On the advice of the commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF), up to 607 reservists from Tartu, Põlva, Võrumaa, Valgamaa and Sakala districts of the Estonian Defence League's Territorial Defense Region South have been ordered by the government to participate in the additional exercise.

In addition, up to 300 members of the Defense League will participate in the training event as part of the supporting activities. The snap exercise (SNAPEX) Okas 2023 (Quill 2023) will be held from May 5 to May 7.

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FINLAND – The Arctic Challenge Exercise 23 flight exercise will take place from May 29 to June 9. About 3,000 soldiers and about 150 aircraft from the armed forces of 14 different countries will participate in the exercise.

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Yesterday, the frigate of the Romanian Navy ROS Regele Ferdinand F221, passing through the Bosphorus Strait, set off for the coast of Libya to participate in the IRINI mission, organized by NATO since March 2020 to prevent arms smuggling.

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The US is planning more "sea robots" in the Middle East to fight Iran

According to Bloomberg, the US Navy plans to deploy 100 unmanned vehicles to patrol the seas.

Iran has seized two oil tankers over the past week as its influence grows.

In addition to Iran, the US is concerned about China's efforts to expand military and security ties with Gulf Arab states that have historically relied on the US for defense.

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From May 8 to May 26, the Formidable Sheild 2023 exercise will be held in the waters of the Norwegian Sea, in which 20 NATO surface ships, 35 combat aircraft and about 4 thousand people will take part from 13 countries

It is possible that B-1B Lancer missile carriers, whose arrival in England is expected on May 11, will also visit the exercise.

As for the ships, the USS Porter DDG78 and USS Oscar Austin DDG79 destroyers will take part in the exercise from the United States.

This event is a kind of exhibition of the achievements of the NATO missile defense / air defense system with an emphasis on its maritime component, where practical shooting will be carried out at targets that imitate ballistic, cruise missiles, moving, including supersonic, and which represents the General Staff of Russia for the GRU tremendous interest in the organization of command and control, communications, tactics and strategies for the use of the most advanced NATO air defense / missile defense systems.

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IRAN – The commander of the IRGC Navy announced that the destroyers of the Navy have been equipped with Abu Mahdi cruise missiles.

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Militants of the 53rd OMBr shared a video of the attack on the Russian ammunition depot in Vodyannoy.

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Russian Navy Project 22800 Karakurt-class corvette RFS Sovetsk (577) southbound under the Storebaelt Bridge in Denmark - May 6, 2023

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