* Russia builds new amphibious vehicles
Sputnik News reported that the Russian company Argo LLC is assembling a prototype all-terrain amphibious vehicle called Triton and may participate in the conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian army practices river crossings using the PMM-2M self-propelled ferry. Photo: Sputnik News
According to company representatives, this vehicle will be used by both the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Russian civil sector. One of the most promising areas for using Triton is to overcome water obstacles, then undertake the construction of bridgeheads in the area where Russia is conducting a special military operation in Ukraine.
Talking about the importance of this project, Argo LLC commented that today many sections of the defense line of the Russian armed forces in the special military operation area in Ukraine run along many rivers and lakes, which are natural obstacle to military operations. Therefore, it is necessary to create a bridgehead to the opposite bank through which to transport heavier equipment. “The Russian army needs a special vehicle. That is why Triton was born,” Sputnik News quoted Director of Argo LLC Konstantin Bagdasarov.
Currently, the technical specifications and structure of Triton have not been revealed. However, the manufacturer said it will conduct testing from May to July 2024. Before that, the prototype of this vehicle will be introduced at the Expotechnoguard-2024 exhibition in St. Petersburg in April and the launch of the finished product is expected at the Army-2024 International Military-Technical Forum in Kubinka this coming August.
* Singapore buys more F-35 fighters
Theo The Straits Timesthe Singapore Air Force will order 8 more fifth-generation stealth fighters of the F-35A standard version, expected to be delivered around 2030.
This is an order in addition to the previous contract of 12 F-35B fighters (capable of taking off on short runways and landing vertically), expected to be received from 2028. With the addition of 8 more F- 35A, the fleet of fifth generation F-35 fighter aircraft that the Singapore Air Force owns will increase to 20 aircraft.
In the future, Singapore will have 20 F35s. Photo: Defense Security Asia
Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen assessed that the two F-35 aircraft variants have different strengths, helping to enhance the combat capabilities of this country’s air force in the future.
Although Singapore does not announce the amount of money it must spend to own an F-35 fighter, data released by the US government shows that in the country’s latest production batch, each F-35A will have an average price. The average cost is about 82.5 million USD, while an F-35B costs 109 million USD.
With the goal of possessing the region’s leading advanced air force, Singapore is one of four countries in the Indo-Pacific region to purchase F-35 aircraft, along with Australia, Japan and South Korea. Singapore’s Ministry of National Defense spending will reach $15 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year, up 2.5% from the previous year.