AUKUS Forum’s Post

North Korea has fired its most advanced long-range missile, drawing immediate condemnation from the West. The solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile landed west of Hokkaido in Japa, covering about 1,000 km in 73 minutes. This marks North Korea’s fifth successful ICBM launch this year, escalating tensions in the region. The launch comes after South Korean and US defense officials updated plans to respond to a potential nuclear attack from the North. As North Korea continues to refine its arsenal, South Korea and the US are stepping up their defense measures. The situation underscores the ongoing geopolitical challenges in the region and the need for continued vigilance. Stay tuned for further developments. #northkorea #icbm #missiles #ballisticmissile #japan #deterrance #defense #geopolitics #unsanctions #thesocialtalks

The escalating tensions within the U.S.-Japan alliance, driven by a more assertive defense posture and strategic adjustments in response to regional threats, raise concerns reminiscent of a world war scenario. Japan's significant military spending increase, acquisition of advanced capabilities, and deepening cooperation with the United States reflect a shift towards proactive defense measures. This transformation, coupled with geopolitical dynamics such as China's assertiveness, North Korea's nuclear threat, and Russia's actions, creates a volatile environment. While efforts are made to counter regional challenges, lingering issues like cost-sharing and the presence of U.S. military bases in Okinawa add to tensions. Amidst these developments, the alliance stands at a critical juncture, signaling a global landscape fraught with potential conflict triggers. We may be leading into a world war 3.

Two despots cover their A_ses with a nucular fig-leaf 🫣 President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, revived a Cold War-era mutual defense pledge between their nations on Wednesday, signing a new agreement that calls for them to assist each other in the event of “aggression” against either country. The Russian president, in a briefing after the two leaders signed the document, did not clarify whether such assistance would require immediate and full-fledged military intervention in the event of an attack, as the now-defunct 1961 treaty specified. But he said that Russia “does not exclude the development of military-technical cooperation” with North Korea in accordance with the new agreement. The pact was one of the most visible rewards Mr. Kim has extracted from Moscow in return for the dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 shipping containers of munitions that Washington has said North Korea has provided in recent months to help support Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine. It also represented the farthest the Kremlin has gone in throwing its weight behind North Korea, after years of cooperating with the United States at the United Nations in curbing Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program — a change that accelerated after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin and Kim Sign Pact Pledging Mutual Support Against ‘Aggression’ https://lnkd.in/gc6yvHvj

In commentary, RAND's Andrew Radin writes: Russia has gained on the battlefield in recent weeks, but Ukraine’s cause is far from hopeless. The United States and its allies can give Kyiv the training and technological advantage it needs, but the Biden administration has failed to provide the necessary U.S. military involvement for fears of Russia using nuclear weapons against Ukraine or taking action against U.S. forces. Such fears are overblown: such escalation would be dangerous and undesirable for Russia. The Biden administration should increase the intensity of its military activities and thereby enable a Ukrainian victory. Read the oped: https://lnkd.in/geQdTPY5 #ukraine #russia #ukraineaid #pentagon #bidenadministration

North Korea Launches Cruise Missiles Off West Coast, Heightening Tensions North Korea's recent launch of multiple cruise missiles off its west coast has further escalated tensions in the region, marking the fourth such missile test in just over a week. South Korea's military confirmed the launch, which occurred around 11 a.m. local time, but provided limited details regarding the incident. These missile tests follow North Korea's claims of testing "strategic" cruise missiles, hinting at their potential to carry nuclear warheads. Earlier this week, state media reported the testing of new submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM), with leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the launch personally The missile tests come amidst heightened tensions, with North Korea accusing the United States and South Korea of provocation through large-scale military drills. The U.S. Special Operations Command's recent training with South Korea's special forces adds to the complexities of the situation. #NorthKorea #MissileLaunch #Geopolitics #RegionalTensions

The 2022 National Security Strategy states "the PRC is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it." Beijing is building an enhanced sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and clearly states their intent to become the world’s leading power. As the world's attention (rightly) turns back to the Middle East and remains in Ukraine, we must remember that The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the "pacing challenge" for the U.S. Department of Defense. The unprecedented levels of cooperation in Multi-Domain operations across the region serves as a key indicator of the concerns of our partners and allies in the Pacific.

North Korea condemns joint military drills by US, Japan, and South Korea, calling them an "Asian version of NATO" and warns of "fatal consequences." The drills were conducted as a sign of unity in response to North Korea's nuclear threats and China's regional influence. Pyongyang denounces the exercises as provocative and vows to oppose efforts to strengthen the military bloc led by the US. The joint drills involved an aircraft carrier, a guided-missile destroyer, and a fighter jet. North Korea has always viewed such exercises as preparations for invasion. Relations between the two Koreas have been strained, with recent tit-for-tat balloon campaigns and growing concerns over North Korea's ties with Russia. North Korea is accused of arming Russia for its conflict in Ukraine, and a summit between Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sparked further apprehension. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #India Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/g_6sy3_j

#StatecraftInTheNews: On Friday, the Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korea had tested the "Haeil-5-23" underwater nuclear weapon system off the country's east coast. The testing was done in response to the recent joint naval drills conducted by South Korea, Japan and the US, with North Korea claiming that the US and its allies were destabilising the regional situation. Pyongyang stated that its army is further solidifying its underwater nuke-based countering posture, and its various maritime and underwater responsive actions will continue to deter the hostile military manoeuvres of the US and its allies. Further, North Korea warned of "catastrophic consequences" to the US and its "followers." The US, Japan, and South Korea conducted maritime drills in international waters off the South Korean Jeju islands, with the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson participating. The training comes amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, with Kim Jong Un rolling back efforts to reconcile with South Korea. #NorthKorea #US #SouthKorea #Japan

An eye-opening Asia Sentinel report. Responding to China's militarisation of the south Pacific, the US military is returning to the tiny island of Tinian, from which the B-29 Superfortress lifted off in August 1945 for its nuclear visit to the Japanese city of Hiroshima. In a bid to mitigate Chinese missile threats against its airbases in the Pacific Hemisphere, the return of a significant US military presence not only mirrors Chinese efforts in the South China Sea, but has the potential to call into scrutiny existing Chinese influence on US Pacific territories such as Tinian, Saipan and Guam where, US espionage officials suspect, behind casinos lurk surveillance capability. https://lnkd.in/eGQ9tEmG

North Korean Military Proliferation in the Middle East and Africa: Enabling Violence and Instability  By Bruce Bechtol North Korea has posed a threat to stability in Northeast Asia for decades. Since Kim Jong-un assumed power, this threat has both increased and broadened. Since 2011, the small, isolated nation has detonated nuclear weapons multiple times, tested a wide variety of ballistic missiles, expanded naval and ground systems that threaten South Korea, and routinely employs hostile rhetoric. Another threat it poses: North Korea presents a risk to American interests by exporting its weapons systems to other volatile regions worldwide. In this book, Prof. Bechtol analyzes relevant North Korean military capabilities, what arms the nation provides, and to whom, how it skirts its sanctions, and how North Korea's activities can best be contained. He traces illicit networks that lead to state and nonstate actors in the Middle East, including Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, and throughout Africa, including at least a dozen nations. The potential proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons technology and the vehicles that carry it, including ballistic missiles and artillery, represent a broader threat than the leadership in Pyongyang. Including training and infrastructure support, North Korea's profits may range into the billions of dollars, all concealed in illicit networks and front companies so complex that the nation struggles to track and control them. Bechtol presents a picture of the current North Korean threat, and outlines methodologies that the US and the international community should consider in order to contain North Korea. https://lnkd.in/ejsT7dYf