Russia delivers Su-30SM2 to Belarus and France delivers SAMP/T NG missile system.
Belarus has received additional modern Su-30SM2 fighter jets from Russia, while France has completed testing of the new generation SAMP/T NG air defense system.
Belarus has just received another batch of Russian-made Su-30SM2 multirole fighter jets, marking a new step in expanding its air force capabilities. According to Belarusian state media on December 26, these aircraft will undergo technical inspections before being officially put into air defense service.
Russia is strengthening Belarus's air force.
The Belarusian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the handover is part of a long-term military-technical cooperation program between the two countries. Since 2012, Belarus and Russia have established a joint regional air defense system through the Union State mechanism. The new batch of Su-30SM2s is expected to help accelerate the integration of bilateral defense capabilities.
Although the exact number of aircraft in this batch has not been released, images show at least two Su-30SM2s have appeared. Belarus's Su-30 program began with a 2017 contract with a projected 12 aircraft. The Su-30SM2 is a significantly upgraded version in terms of engines, radar, and electronics, approaching the standards of the modern Su-35 series.
Technical advantages of the Su-30SM2 variant
Compared to the standard Su-30SM, the Su-30SM2 uses more powerful engines and an improved radar, allowing for better compatibility with new-generation precision weapons. With its two-seat design, the crew can effectively divide tasks during patrol, interception, or attack missions targeting ground and sea targets. For a country with a limited air force like Belarus, the versatility of the Su-30SM2 optimizes operational resources along NATO's eastern flank.
France successfully tests the SAMP/T NG air defense system.
In other developments in Europe, France has completed its first live-fire test of the SAMP/T NG air defense system. Thales announced that the test, which took place on December 22nd at the Biscarrosse test range of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), focused on the coordination between the combat module and the new Ground Fire radar.
The SAMP/T NG is designed to protect urban areas and critical infrastructure with high mobility. A standard system can control up to 6 vertical launch systems, each carrying 8 Aster 30 missiles. At the heart of the system is the fully digital Ground Fire radar, providing a surveillance range of up to 400km and 360-degree coverage, enabling early detection of threats ranging from UAVs to ballistic missiles.
Suspicions arise that Chinese J-10 fighter jets are carrying hypersonic missiles.
Chinese military media recently released images of a J-10 fighter jet carrying an unusually sized weapon under its fuselage. Analysts believe this could be a variant of the YJ-21E hypersonic anti-ship missile, which is typically only found on heavy platforms such as bombers or destroyers.
The YJ-21E is said to have a range of 1,500km, reaching a cruising speed of Mach 6 and accelerating to Mach 10 in the final phase, posing a significant challenge to naval defense systems. Integrating this weapon onto the J-10C multirole fighter indicates China's desire to diversify its deterrence options within its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy in the Western Pacific region.
