Russia wants to hide its most sophisticated air defense missiles from U.S. spy satellites and spy planes by using containers that block the emission of electromagnetic pulses caused when operating electronic equipment, a Russian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Citing an anonymous Ministry of Defense source, the Russian newspaper Izvestia said the S-400 Triumf (NATO designation: SA-21Growler) and the newly developed S-500 Promethey will receive special containers designed to the block side electromagnetic interference (EMI). The missiles, their launchers, radar units, command vehicles, and other vehicles essential to the weapons systems will be placed in the containers.

The article also described “booths” that could house personnel. All of the containers would be in different lengths and weights sufficient to hold vehicles and men.

They could be installed on the launcher’s chassis or transported by trucks and trains. Some of the containers have already entered mass production, while other types are currently being tested, according to the article.

“This year we plan to obtain containers intended particularly for the latest anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems including the S-500,” the anonymous source said. Izvestia described him as a Ministry of Defense specialist involved in creating electronic warfare systems.

Russian officials say that once deployed, the S-500 will be capable destroying aerial targets including hypersonic cruise missiles as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles and near-space targets such as nuclear warheads.

The S-400 is currently one of the most sophisticated surface-to-air missiles in the world, capable of targeting multiple threats hundreds of miles away. The Russian military first deployed S-400 in 2007; last year in November, the Russian government sent S-400 batteries to Khmeimim Air Base in Syria in response to the shoot-down of a Su-24M bomber by a Turkish F-16 fighter.

Russian propaganda sources such as the on-line magazine Sputnik and the Kremlin’s Instagram newsfeed tout the news as a way for the missiles to become “invisible.”

The article is vague about the technical details behind the containers. It says the containers have special coatings and sophisticated equipment that prevents the escape of EMI.

If it works, the containers could thwart the five super-secret Orion spy satellites which are designed to collect signals intelligence for the U.S. government from geosynchronous orbits above the Earth. Also, the U-2 spy plane is known to carry highly sensitive SIGINT gear capable of detecting EMI.

But “invisible”? That’s a stretch.

Both missile systems are big and they require support vehicles and personnel. Even in containers, it might still be possible for drones, spy planes, and satellites to photograph them –  even if the containers are disguised in some way – because they’ll stand out like a sore thumb because of sheer size alone.

Heat from the containers might also give their presence and contents away to the right equipment.

That said, there is historical precedent for concern about this development at Pentagon and in the intelligence community.

In 1962, the Soviets deployed intermediate-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and approximately 80 nuclear warheads to Cuba during Operation Anadyr. The discovery of the launch sites for some of those weapons led to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the closest the Cold War superpowers ever came to actual nuclear war.

One of the methods employed by the Soviets was the use of shipping containers and metal sheeting to mask the weapons transfer from the Soviet Union to Cuba while on board cargo vessels. The containers blocked the missiles from view; the metal sheets blocked infra-red surveillance that could have revealed the missiles.

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With a multitude of potential threats radiating over the border from North Korea, South Korea cannot be lax when it comes to security. 

As such, Seoul places a premium on the training and capabilities of its military and police forces. This is clearly illustrated through the paramilitary capabilities of the South Korean National Police (KNP) SWAT teams.

A 2014 video from LiveLeak shows the incredible training in small-arms maneuvers that these SWAT members go through.

The KNP is responsible for most security operations within the country, including counterterrorism measures, riot control, and hostage negotiations. The KNP also, on occasion, carries out join exercises with the Korean Coast Guard and Army.

The highlights of the KNP training video are in the following GIFs:

SEE ALSO: Incredible photos of the military drill that freaked out North Korea

A trainee practices strafing while alternating fire between a pistol and a submachine gun.

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Trainees practice disarming, and counter-disarming, techniques.

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A prospective SWAT team works in a pair, coordinating movement and cover fire.

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If you listen to administration spokesmen, from the president on down, you will hear all about the astounding progress being made in the battle against the Islamic State. As President Obama said on Tuesday: “Our coalition continues to be on offense. ISIL is on defense and it has now been a full year since ISIL has been able to mount a major successful offensive operation on either Syria or Iraq.” 

That may be true, but let’s unpack that innocuous phrase “our coalition” a little bit. Just who is in the coalition that the US is claiming credit for? What Obama refuses to acknowledge is that at the forefront of the anti-ISIS offensive in Iraq are Shiite militias that serve Iran’s interest, not America’s.

The Wall Street Journal has a horrifying report on what these militias were up to during the siege of Fallujah: “Anbar’s governor said an investigation by local officials into reports of abuses allegedly carried out by the Shiite militias since last month had found evidence that 49 Sunni men fleeing the area were detained and executed by Shiite fighters, and 643 men were missing or unaccounted for. Freed Sunnis told the officials that militiamen routinely tortured and beat detainees—revenge, they said, for atrocities carried out by Islamic State militants against Shiites.”

This is not how the Iraqi forces should behave if they are interested in winning “hearts and minds” among members of the Sunni community. But that’s not what the militias are interested in–they want revenge for various wrongs done to Shiites by groups such as ISIS and they see all Sunnis, no matter how innocent, as equally guilty. Such behavior will make it impossible for the government in Baghdad to pacify the country. Sunnis will resist this kind of oppression long after ISIS is defeated.

This type of sectarian violence does not serve Iraq’s interests, but it is very much in the interests of Iran, which has become America’s de facto partner in the anti-ISIS campaign. Former Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who visited Iraq in March, wrote that Iran is pursuing an agenda to permanently weaken Iraq:

The Iranian agenda in Iraq is shaped by the horrific Iran-Iraq war of 1980 to 1988. Few Americans remember it; no Iranian or Iraqi will ever forget. [Qassem] Sulaimani [commander of Iran’s Quds Force], for example, was commissioned as an infantry officer shortly before Saddam Hussein invaded his country, and was in combat for most of it. Imagine the impact on a British subaltern of enduring the Western Front not for four years, but eight. The 1988 truce was for Iran a “poisoned chalice,” as the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini called it. Now, more than a quarter of a century later, Iran sees the opportunity to achieve the victory that eluded it then: an Iraq that is permanently divided, permanently unstable, and never again able to threaten Tehran.

Crocker has no doubt that Fallujah will fall before long, and Mosul will eventually fall, too. But he is worried that “the consequences are likely to be worse.” Worse than the Islamic State? That’s what he suggests. And what are those consequences? He submitted: “Many Shia fear that once Islamic State is defeated in Iraq, the militias will turn on each other and a Shia civil war will ensue, much as happened with the Afghan mujahidin factions after the Soviet defeat.”

Thus, like Syria, Iraq may be consigned to a semi-permanent state of civil war. That is terrible news for that country’s interests and our own, but it will suit Iran just fine. It will also be just fine for Sunni extremists, whether aligned with ISIS, the al-Nusra Front, or some other organization. Extremists thrive on turmoil.

It is tragic that the Obama administration is so narrowly focused on the goal of defeating ISIS that it is missing the bigger picture. As I’ve said before we shouldn’t make the mistake of defeating one Islamic state simply to make way for another one.

SEE ALSO: Iran Supreme Leader: 'We will not cooperate with America' or 'evil' Britain

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The Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg has floated out a new nuclear-powered icebreaker, said to be the world's biggest and most powerful.

Arktika, ordered by Russia's state nuclear company Rosatom, is expected to be ready to use by the end of next year.

"There are no icebreakers like it in the world," said Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko at the June 16 ceremony, according to a company statement. "The Arktika icebreaker presents truly new opportunities for our country."

Arktika is the first vessel in a project aimed at allowing year-round navigation in the Northeast Passage -- a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, traversing the Arctic following Russia's coasts.

Kiriyenko said contracts had already been signed for the Arktika to accompany shipments from the Yamal liquefied natural gas terminal in northwestern Siberia.

The Arktika is the "biggest and most powerful" nuclear icebreaker in the world, according to Rosatom. 

Based on reporting by AFP, Interfax, and TASS

SEE ALSO: The only map you need to see to know the Arctic is the next major frontier

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NOW WATCH: Watch a US Navy submarine rise through the ice in the Arctic Circle

The United States needs to bear down on a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS globally in the aftermath of the terrible June 12 tragedy in Orlando, Florida.

To be sure, no such effort can reliably prevent all such future attacks. But moments like these require that we reassess and reinvigorate our strategy against a serious, global threat to our nation and our allies.

Some will say that ISIS overachieved here, or that Omar Mateen was more a deranged individual than an ISIS operative, or that recent battlefield progress by the United States and its partners against ISIS in Iraq and Syria will soon lead to the group’s demise.

None of these arguments is compelling as a case for complacency. What Mateen did, even if the bloodiest single shooting spree in U.S. history, is entirely repeatable by well-trained individuals with access to weapons like the AR-15.

Mateen was perhaps deranged, but he also was apparently pushed over the edge by the allure of joining a broader ISIS-inspired movement that finds legitimacy in doctrines of hate, and takes purpose from creating mass-casualty events in the name of some perverted interpretation of Islam. It could, and probably will, happen again.

Yes, a combination of Iraqi forces, U.S. and coalition airpower, Kurdish fighters, Sunni tribesmen, and Shiite militias has taken back perhaps 40 percent of Iraqi territory and 20 percent of Syrian territory previously held by ISIS. ISIS may have lost up to half its revenue in those two countries as well. But the cities of Raqqa and Mosul remain firmly in ISIS hands.

Over the last year or two, moreover, ISIS has deepened its roots from the Sinai Peninsula to Libya, established tentacles from Azerbaijan to Afghanistan and into Southeast Asia, and gained a powerful affiliate in the form of the Boko Haram movement in Nigeria. It may be down, but it is hardly out. 

Mapping the threat

Several crucial aspects of the anti-ISIS campaign are lagging. Country by country, an agenda to address them might be summarized as follows:

Iraq. Here, government-led forces are making headway, but the pace is slow, and most worrisome of all, there is little reason to think that Mosul in particular will be well-governed once it is retaken from ISIS. We need to find a way to increase U.S. leverage in Baghdad to create the kinds of “hold” forces that can lead to a stable peace—as much a political problem as a military one.

That may require a larger aid and assistance package from the United States—especially relevant given how much Iraq depends on oil revenue and how much oil prices have fallen.

Syria. Here, the political strategy does not really hold water. Peace talks are moribund; Bashar Assad is on the march, with Russian help. We need to lower our political goals—confederation, with protection of minority rights, may be a more appropriate standard for success. But regardless, we need to step up our game at helping not only Kurdish forces, but moderate Arab forces too.

Quite likely, we will need to relax modestly our vetting standards on whom we help, and increase several-fold the number of Americans involved in the training and equipping efforts. Certain types of retaliatory measures against Syrian government aircraft that bomb declared no-go zones may be appropriate as well. Only by moving towards solving the civil war can we properly target the ISIS menace there.

Libya. With the unity government perhaps taking shape, the West now needs to be preparing an intensified aid and training program for a Libyan government force that can gain the strength needed to consolidate control, at least in ISIS-occupied areas in the country’s central coastal regions. This will require perhaps hundreds of Western advisors in the country when the moment is right.

Nigeria. With President Muhammadu Buhari making progress against corruption, it is time for an expanded American assistance program that may even, if Nigerians so request, involve deployment of small mentoring teams to the field to help the army in its fight against Boko Haram.

Afghanistan. President Obama should not make any further reductions in U.S. troop levels for the rest of his presidency, and should allow U.S. commanders considerable flexibility in how they employ airpower there against the Taliban.

The Homefront. ISIS is in fact a three-headed monster—with its core in Iraq and Syria, its various provinces and affiliates (or wilayats) around the broader region, and the global network that binds the pieces together. It is against this global network, both domestically and internationally, that we must double down, for it will be this network that will generate the attacks upon our homelands.

Encrypted smart phones have complicated this effort when cells of extremists are actively plotting attacks. But the net effect of technology can still probably help us—if we intensify our pressure on the network through vigilance, rigorous investigations that blend law enforcement and intelligence, and disruptive, timely actions against suspects. New York City, London, and increasingly Paris have done this, but the methods are not yet generalized. This requires aggressive and unequivocal American leadership.

These efforts would be significant. Yet none would be enormous. The overseas components, taken together, would involve no more than several thousand additional U.S. personnel and several billion dollars a year in additional aid of various types to groups that are doing the real fighting and dying in common cause with us. We must strike all three heads of this horrific creature, simultaneously and relentlessly.

The United States and its coalition partners have made a modest amount of progress against ISIS, but now is a moment to intensify the effort before the next, possibly much worse, attack occurs.

SEE ALSO: CIA director: There are more ISIS fighters now than Al Qaeda had at its peak

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NOW WATCH: The US Army is sending Apache attack helicopters to fight ISIS in Iraq

Since the A-10 Warthog, recently seemingly destined for the scrap yard, is now engaging enemy Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Taliban forces in Afghanistan in the form of a new weapon with a badass name — the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System.

Manufactured by BAE Systems, the APKWS is equipped with laser-guided rockets, giving A-10 aircraft in Afghanistan a “deep magazine of high-precision weapons,” according to Popular Mechanics.

One of the biggest advantages to using this system is the minimal collateral damage left when fired, which is a result of its tiny warhead.

In addition, it’s lighter — which means that the A-10 can carry 38 of these, instead of the two 500-pound bombs it carried before.

According to a statement from BAE, the new kit transforms a standard unguided munition into a precision laser-guided rocket.

Though this is the first time the system has been employed on one of the Air Force’s fixed-wing craft, “it has proven highly successful for the Navy and Marine Corps since 2012, and has also been used by U.S. Army Apache helicopters in combat.”

The Marine Corps started fielding the APKWS on AV-8B Harriers while the Army outfitted the AH-64 Apaches with it.

The upgrade also fits the Pentagon’s desire for more plug-and-play systems, which can be retrofitted to already-existing craft and technology. In order to install the APKWS on a Warthog, all you have to do is remove the rocket’s nose cone, attach the new guidance section, and screw the nose cone back on.

SEE ALSO: These photos of the Air Force at night are breathtaking

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If you believe that the current political climate in Afghanistan is inconceivably complicated, imagine what the clandestine operatives behind the scenes during the onset of the war endured. Consisting of  11 members, Special Forces A-Team  ODA 574 was one of these groups.

Having deployed with a mission to escort the future Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, this elite team, specializing in free-fall operations, neared Kandahar, the country’s second-largest city. Karzai, who was at the time an exile, had been raising a Pashtun militia to overtake the Taliban while ODA 574 provided protection by calling in precision airstrikes.

One day, disaster struck when a 2,000 pound joint direct attack munition (JDAM) accidentally struck the team. Amidst the chaos, ODA 574 Captain Jason Amerine sent a mass casualty evacuation request which was acknowledged by the nearest base, Camp Rhino — a 45 minute flight by helicopter.

Besides the Marines located at Camp Rhino, the closest support that 574 had was in Uzbekistan and Pakistan, some three hours away. A Special Forces liaison informed General Mattis, commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, of the situation.

Author Eric Blehm describes the tense scene in his New York Times bestseller, “The Only Thing Worth Dying For”:

Mattis asked if they were still in contact and wanted more specifics, which Cairnes did not have.

“Well, if they’ve taken fire,” said the general, “and you can’t tell me definitively how they got all scuffed up, I’m not going to send anything until you can assure me that the situation on the ground is secure.” Mattis went on to explain that there were nearly a thousand Marines at Camp Rhino for him to worry about, and he was not willing to dilute base security and risk sending his air squadron on a dangerous daylight mission just to assist an unknown number of casualties.

Later, members of the Special Forces team discussed the situation amongst themselves:

They could understand why Mattis wouldn’t send all of his helicopters, but no one in the tent could fathom why he wouldn’t do something to help their guys. “Where’s the love from the Marines?” said another member of the team. “They’re supposed to be frothing at the mouth for this kind of s***.”

“These helicopters outside would be airborne already if it were Marines that were bleeding,” said the B-team’s communications sergeant.

“You know what,” said Lee, who had watched the Marines endure abysmal conditions at the base since they’d arrived. “It’s not the Marines. It’s Mattis.”

Twenty minutes after being denied by Mattis and hearing that there was at least one confirmed American KIA, the soldiers decided that the situation was dire and the Marine general needed to be persuaded for the second time:

Inside, the expressions on the faces of Mattis’ staff showed their frustration and embarrassment. One Marine glanced away as they walked past, unable to meet their eyes.

Mattis greeted the two Green Berets at the heavy wood door that led into his spartan concrete-floored office. He held a military-issue canteen cup filled with coffee in his left hand and gestured them inside with the other. After closing the door to a crack, he sat down at a small writing desk where a map was laid out.

“Let’s hear it,” said Mattis

“Sir,” said Lee, “we’ve got reports of mass casualties, and word is they expect the numbers to continue to rise. You are the closest American with the ability to respond.”

“Do you have an update on how they got all scuffed up? Are they still in contact?”

“With all due respect,” said Leithead, “we think that’s irrelevant.”

“I hear you, but no, I’m not sending a rescue mission,” Mattis said. “We. Don’t. Know. The situation.”

“The situation, sir,” said Lee, “is that Americans are dying. And they need your help.”

“Look, when I have fighters over the scene so that I’ve got air superiority, then I’ll send choppers. That, or we wait till nightfall.”

Exchanging a look with Leithead, Lee said, “That’s not good enough, sir.”

Standing up, the general cleared his throat. “Sergeant,” Mattis called to his sergeant at arms, positioned outside the office. “We’re done. Escort these men out of here.”

Without another word, Lee and Leithead walked out of the office toward the door to the command post, again passing Marines who wouldn’t make eye contact. Behind them, they heard Mattis say, “Nobody gets into my office.”

Eventually, the teams in the far away regions of Uzbekistan and Pakistan launched rescue efforts in broad daylight. When the dust finally settled, three members of 574 were killed, along with several of Karzai’s forces.

Blehm explained to Business Insider that after several attempts, Mattis agreed to be interviewed about the incident, however, by the time he did, the book had already been published.  

“As far as ... those guys were concerned, it didn't matter. Americans were wounded, dead, or dying and Mattis was the closest with the ability to respond — and they refused,” Blehm said.

Just like the developing situation in Afghanistan, an answer of exactly who was at fault here would be, at best, complicated. As a career Marine educated in the art of war, Mattis would have undoubtedly recounted the harrowing events that unfolded during the ‘Black Hawk Down’ Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, where several members of a rescue team were killed.

Conversely, leaving any servicemember unattended for would not only be against policy, but would tarnish the reputation of the US military. This is even confirmed by the resounding mottos of the military, such as the 9th Cavalry Regiment’s, “We can, We will”. Perhaps more importantly, however, is that a delay in rescue operations may lower the chance of survival for injured servicemembers.

As most veterans know, a general rule of thumb in the military is to expect the unexpected, and to develop a contingency plan for the worst. However, when time is of the essence and lives are on the line, there may be instances where years of military training cannot prepare oneself, or indoctrinated protocols may have to be compromised.

In any case, the only thing permanent is that that the fateful day will probably be analyzed by military tacticians for years to come, and that the lives of Master Sergeant Jefferson Davis, Sergeant First Class Daniel Petithory, and Staff Sergeant Brian Prosser were abruptly cut short.

SEE ALSO: These are the favorite weapons of the Army Special Operations Forces

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DETMOLD, Germany (AP) — A 94-year-old former SS sergeant who served as a guard at Auschwitz has been found guilty of more than 170,000 counts of accessory to murder for helping kill 1.1 million Jews and others at the Nazi death camp.

The Detmold state court sentenced Reinhold Hanning to five years in prison, though he will remain free while any appeals are heard.

Hanning showed no reaction as the judge, Anke Grudda, read her justification for the verdict and sentence.

"You were in Auschwitz for two and a half years, performed an important function. ... You were part of a criminal organization and took part in criminal activity in Auschwitz," she said.

Several elderly Auschwitz survivors testified at the trial about their own experiences, and were among 58 survivors or their families who joined the process as co-plaintiffs as allowed under German law.

"It is a just verdict, but he should say more, tell the truth for the young people," said Leon Schwarzbaum, a 95-year-old Auschwitz survivor from Berlin.

"He is an old man and probably won't have to go to jail, but he should say what happened at Auschwitz. Auschwitz was like something the world has never seen. "

Schwarzbaum said he does not want Hanning to go to prison and is happy that he apologized, but had hoped that he would provide more details about his time in Auschwitz for the sake of educating younger generations.

During his four-month trial, Hanning admitted serving as an Auschwitz guard. He said he was ashamed that he was aware Jews were being killed but did nothing to try to stop it.

He had faced a maximum of 15 years. Hanning's defense had called for an acquittal, saying there is no evidence he killed or beat anyone, while prosecutors sought a six-year sentence.

Hanning said during his trial that he volunteered for the SS at age 18 and served in Auschwitz from January 1942 to June 1944 but said he was not involved in the killings in the camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.

"It disturbs me deeply that I was part of such a criminal organization," he told the court in April. "I am ashamed that I saw injustice and never did anything about it and I apologize for my actions."

Despite his age, Hanning has seemed alert during the four-month trial, paying attention to testimony and occasionally walking into the courtroom on his own, though usually using a wheelchair.

Hanning joined the Hitler Youth with his class in 1935 at age 13, then volunteered at 18 for the Waffen SS in 1940 at the urging of his stepmother. He fought in several battles in World War II before being hit by grenade splinters in his head and leg during close combat in Kiev in 1941.

He told the court that as he was recovering from his wounds he asked to be sent back but his commander decided he was no longer fit for front-line duty, and so sent him to Auschwitz, without his knowing what it was.

Though there is no evidence Hanning was responsible for a specific crime, he was tried under new legal reasoning that as a guard he helped the death camp operate, and thus could be tried for accessory to murder. The indictment against Hanning is focused on a period between January 1943 and June 1944 for legal reasons, but the court has said it would consider the full time he served there.

The same argumentation being used in Hanning's case was used successfully last year against SS sergeant Oskar Groening, to convict him of 300,000 counts of accessory to murder for serving in Auschwitz. Germany's highest appeals court is expected to rule on the validity of the Groening verdict sometime this summer.

Groening, 95, was sentenced to four years in prison but will remain free while his case goes through the lengthy appeals process, and he is unlikely to spend any time behind bars, given his age.

The precedent for both the Groening and Hanning cases was set in 2011, with the conviction in Munich of former Ohio autoworker John Demjanjuk on allegations he served as a Sobibor death camp guard. Although Demjanjuk always denied serving at the death camp and died before his appeal could be heard, it opened a wave of new investigations by the special prosecutor's office in Ludwigsburg responsible for Nazi war crime probes.

The head of the office, Jens Rommel, said two other Auschwitz cases from that renewed effort are still pending trial — another guard and also the commandant's radio operator, contingent on the defendants' health, which is currently being assessed — and a third is still being investigated by Frankfurt prosecutors.

Rommel's office, which has no power to bring charges itself, has also recommended charges in three Majdanek death camp cases, and has sent them on to prosecutors who are now investigating.

Meantime, the office is still poring through documents for both death camps, and is also looking into former members of the so-called Einsatzgruppen mobile death squads, and guards at several concentration camps.

Rommel said even though every trial is widely dubbed "the last" by the media, his office still plans on giving more cases to prosecutors, and politicians have pledged to keep his office open until 2025.

"That seems to me to be the outside boundary," said Rommel, who's not related to the famous German general of the same surname. "If the cases will make it to trial, that's hard to say. You can't really look into the future — but we have the mandate to keep investigating as long as there's still the possibility of finding someone."

SEE ALSO: PHOTO: The moment Hitler declared war on the US

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A recent report from the US Congressional Research Service details how China's navy, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has undergone a stunning modernization push that puts it near parity with the US.

In fact, China's military posture and prowess in the Western Pacific presents the US with a challenge unseen since the end of the Cold War. 

By perfecting deadly ballistic and cruise missiles, by buying and designing submarines, planes, and surface ships, by cracking down on corruption and improving internal organization and logistics, the PLAN presents US naval planners with plenty to think about going forward.

Though few expect a military conflict to emerge between the world's two biggest economies, China's brinkmanship in the South China Sea has lead observers to describe their strategy of escalation as a kind of "salami-slicing," or steadily taking small steps to militarize the region without taking any one step that could be viewed as a cause to go to war.

However, the US military, with its global network of allies, doesn't have the luxury of choosing which conflicts to get involved in, and therefore must take every threat seriously.

In the slides below, see how the PLAN has shaped into a world-class navy capable of dominating the South China Sea, and even the entire Western Pacific, if left unchecked.

SEE ALSO: A Hong Kong bookseller revealed explosive details about his 8-month detention in mainland China

China's naval mission

Those who observe China's specific modernization goals, as well as their expressed intents in their actions, have determined that the PLAN's mission most likely focuses on the following goals:

1. To possibly curb Taiwan's continued attempts at independence militarily.

2.  Asserting or defending China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea and generally exercising more control over the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars of trade passes every year.

3.  Enforcing China's assertion that it has a legal right to regulate foreign military activities in its 200-mile maritime exclusive economic zone, despite the protestations of their neighbors in the region.

4. Defending China's commercial sea lines of communication with military and trading partners.

5. Usurping the US as the dominant regional power in the Western Pacific, and promoting China as a major world power.

Source: Congressional Research Service

Ballistic missiles

China's DF-21D "Carrier Killer" ballistic missile is the cause of much concern for US naval planners. The missile has a tremendous range of about 810 nautical miles, far beyond the range of a US aircraft carriers' highest-endurance planes, effectively denying them the luxury of lurking off China's coast in the Western Pacific while in striking range.

The DF-21D uses a range of sensors to adjust its course during firing. This means that it can hit a moving target at sea in sub-optimal conditions and presents difficulties to any missile trying to intercept it. The DF-21D can deliver a high-explosive, radio-frequency, or even cluster warheads, which all but guarantee a kill, even against a formidable target such as a US aircraft carrier.

Source: Congressional Research Service 

Submarines

The PLAN's submarine fleet continues to undergo a modernization push that focuses on "counter-intervention" tactics against a modern adversary. The force has acquired 12 of Russia's Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines and launched no fewer than four new classes of indigenously made submarines, all of which are vastly more capable than the Cold-War era vessels they're replacing.

The PLAN has launched two diesel-electric (Song and Yuan class), and two nuclear classes (Jin and Shang class). But the Shang class was stopped after only two hulls were produced, which led the DOD to speculate that the PLAN may be exploring an updated version of this class.

As the DOD states:

Over the next decade, China may construct a new Type 095 nuclear powered, guided-missile attack submarine (SSBN), which not only would improve the PLA Navy’s anti-surface warfare capability, but might also provide it with a more clandestine, land-attack option.

Additionally, the Jin class can be armed with 12 JL-2 nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missiles, which, given the submarine's range, could potentially hit any of the 50 states in the US from locations in the Pacific. 

Source: Congressional Research Service

A selection of photos from some of the biggest news that you might have missed this week.

SEE ALSO: The craziest small-arms maneuvers by South Korean SWAT, in 9 GIFs

Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius walks across the courtroom without his prosthetic legs during the third day of the resentencing hearing for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, at Pretoria High Court, South Africa June 15, 2016.

Flags at the Washington Monument fly at half staff to honor those killed in last weekend's shootings at a gay club in Orlando, Florida, in Washington, DC.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden visit a memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.

Recent footage released from the Combined Joint Task Force's Operation Inherent Resolve shows precise airstrikes obliterating ISIS vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, assault vehicles, and munitions depots.

Together, these explosives and vehicles represent some of ISIS' deadliest weapons, which they've used to terrorize civilians and governments alike.  

The precision airstrikes shown in the clips below show just one of the multiple ways that the US-led coalition against ISIS is taking the fight to the terror group from the air and land in Iraq and Syria.

Here an airstrike destroys an ISIS bulldozer VBIED near Fallujah, Iraq:

Here an airstrike destroys an ISIS "technical" or an improvised fighting vehicle near Hit, Iraq:

Here an airstrike destroys an ISIS rocket depot near Mar'a Syria:

SEE ALSO: Iraqi forces have entered Falluja — and are encountering little resistance from ISIS

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NOW WATCH: FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: If Trump gave this order, the military wouldn't listen

The Russian-made Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter is affectionately called the “flying tank” for its ability to take hits and keep flying. The nickname is also an homage to the World War II-era Soviet Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft, which was equally hard to knock out of the sky.

Its fuselage is surrounded by thick armor plates capable of taking .50 cal rounds from all angles. The cockpit sits on a titanium tub—much like the A-10 Thunderbolt‘s design—and protected by bullet-proof windshields.

Its flexible design allows the helicopter to perform fire support and infantry transport missions. Depending on the variant, the flying tank is armed with an incredible arsenal, including:

• anti-tank guided missiles
• rocket pods
• machine gun pods
• munitions dispenser pods
• mine dispenser pods
• conventional bomb pods
• and more

The gunship entered the Soviet Air Force in 1972 and continues to serve in more than 30 nations around the world as the Mi-25 and Mi-35 export versions. This video perfectly shows why this weapons system is still relevant on today’s battlefields.

Watch the entire video below:

SEE ALSO: These are the 4 most savage attack helicopters of all time

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NOW WATCH: The military is building a plane that can fly vertically like a helicopter and doesn't need a pilot

When Marine Lt. Col. William Henry Rankin ejected at 40,000 feet after his F-8 Crusader malfunctioned, things didn’t seem like they could get much worse. Then he fell through a raging thunderstorm.

On July 26, 1959, Rankin was on a high-altitude flight along the Carolina Coast with his wingman, Navy Lt. Herbert Nolan. The pair of F-8 Crusaders — called “candy stripers” for their distinctive silver-grey and orange coloring — cruised along at an altitude of 47,000 feet.

It was a smooth flight. The only potential problem was the storm beneath them, one they would have to fly through before landing at the Marine air station in Beaufort, South Carolina.

They were nine miles up and minutes away from the air station when things took a turn.

Rankin’s engine quit with a jolt. He tried in vain to keep his aircraft from nosing downward and gaining speed, but it didn’t work. Instincts honed over more than 100 combat missions during World War II and the Korean War told Rankin what he had to do.

He radioed Nolan: “Power failure. May have to eject.”

It was going to be rough. Rankin pulled the overhead handles to trigger the ejection sequence, and moments later he was in the air as his plane descended into the clouds below.

Rankin was now free falling from 40,000 feet. The air was -65 degrees Fahrenheit and the effect of the altitude led to severe decompression.

“I had a terrible feeling like my abdomen was bloated twice its size. My nose seemed to explode. For 30 seconds I thought the decompression had me,” Rankin told Time Magazine in an August 1959 article about the ordeal. “It was a shocking cold all over. My ankles and wrists began to burn as though somebody had put dry ice on my skin. My left hand went numb. I had lost that glove when I went out.”

Rankin’s parachute was set to deploy automatically at 10,000 feet and though he wanted to open it earlier, he knew he couldn’t. The combination of freezing temperatures, decompression, and lack of oxygen would likely kill him before he reached the ground.

Falling through the air, Rankin plunged into the storm — the same one he was soaring over just minutes earlier.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt as his chute opened prematurely. He was now stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm. The muscular 39-year-old fighter pilot and weightlifter was tossed about like a rag doll as lightning crackled and snapped around him.

“I’d see lightning. Boy, do I remember that lightning,” Rankin told Time Magazine. “I never exactly heard the thunder; I felt it. I remember falling through hail, and that worried me; I was afraid the hail would tear the chute. Sometimes I was falling through heavy water — I’d take a breath and breathe in a mouthful of water. Sometimes I had the sensation I was looping the chute. I was blown up and down as much as 6,000 feet at a time. It went on for a long time, like being on a very fast elevator, with strong blasts of compressed air hitting you.”

Again and again, Rankin was thrown around by the wind and came dangerously close to being tangled in his chute several times. He was bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth from the decompression. At one point, he became nauseous and threw up.

Finally, after what must have felt like ages, Rankin descended through the storm toward safety. All he had to do now was stick the landing.

Swept by fast winds, Rankin’s chute became tangled in branches and he slammed headfirst into the trunk of a tree. Staggering to his feet, he was able to get his bearings and after searching for a few minutes found a back country road. He waved down a passing car and was taken to a nearby store where an ambulance was called.

The whole ordeal lasted 40 minutes.

Amazingly, Rankin’s injuries were minor considering what he went through. Rankin went on to write a book about the experience. In 1964, he retired from the Marine Corps and in 2009, passed away in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, but his legacy endures.

Lt. Col. William Rankin fell through a nightmarish storm and rode the lightning to safety.

SEE ALSO: 'Do not fear failure': The best pieces of life advice from General George S. Patton

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NOW WATCH: See if you can find the camouflaged Marine hiding in all of these pictures

The US administration sought on Friday to contain fallout from a leaked internal memo critical of its Syria policy, but showed no sign it was willing to consider military strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces called for in the letter signed by dozens of US diplomats.

Several US officials said that while the White House is prepared to hear the diplomats’ dissenting viewpoint, it is not expected to spur any changes in President Barack Obama’s approach to Syria in his final seven months in office.

One senior official said that the test for whether these proposals for more aggressive action are given high-level consideration will be whether they “fall in line with our contention that there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria.”

The document -- sent through the State Department’s “dissent channel,” a conduit for voicing contrary opinions meant to be classified -- underscored long-standing divisions and frustrations among Obama’s aides over his response to Syria’s five-year-old civil war.

Obama's Syria policy has been predicated on the goal of avoiding deeper military entanglements in the chaotic Middle East, and has been widely criticized as hesitant and risk-averse. Obama's limited intervention has focused on fighting the Islamic State group that controls a swathe of Syria and Iraq and which has inspired attacks on US soil.

A draft of the cable, signed by 51 State Department officers, calls for "targeted military strikes" against Assad’s government -- something Obama has long opposed -- to stop its persistent violations of a ceasefire with US-backed anti-government rebels that is largely ignored by Syria and its Russian supporters.

Obama’s critics quickly seized upon the letter, which also calls for a political transition that would usher out Assad.

“Even President Obama's own State Department believes the administration's Syria policy is failing,” said Ed Royce, Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee. “Iran, Russia and Assad call the shots in Syria, ignoring the ceasefire and allowing Assad to continue war crimes against his own people."

In what other officials called an attempt to limit any damage to the president's policies, one senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that it is only natural that “on a subject as complex and complicated as Syria that we have a diversity of views.”

White House spokeswoman Jen Friedman said Obama is open to a “robust discussion” on Syria but she insisted that deliberations by Obama’s national security team have already taken a very close look at a range of options.

A former senior US official said the unauthorized disclosure of a confidential cable of this type “corrodes the trust between the president and those who serve him."

But those who leaked the memo may have been looking past Obama's tenure. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, for instance, was among senior aides who urged Obama early in the Syrian conflict to take a stronger stand militarily against Assad. 

Obama's "red line"

Other US officials pointed out that the cable does not carry the signatures of any senior State Department officials, such as assistant or deputy secretaries or ambassadors.

Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Copenhagen, told Reuters: "It's an important statement and I respect the process, very, very much. I will ... have a chance to meet with people when I get back (to Washington)." Kerry has himself pressed with little success for Obama to take tougher action against Assad.

The senior official said that since the letter was directed to Kerry, he would deal with it for now, and it would be up to him whether to “elevate it” to Obama's attention.

The internal dissent has been brewing at least since August 2013, when Obama stunned Kerry, then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other senior aides by abruptly calling off air strikes he had vowed to order if Assad's forces crossed a "red line" against the use of chemical weapons. Nine days earlier, a Sarin gas attack killed as many as 1,400 Syrians.

“That decision destroyed any credibility the administration had with Russia, Iran or Assad himself,” said a former Defense Department official involved in Syria policy.

One US official, who did not sign the cable but has read it, told Reuters the White House remains opposed to deeper American military involvement in Syria’s civil war.

The official said the cable was unlikely to alter that, or shift Obama's focus on Islamic State.

Aides also have acknowledged privately that even if Obama did decide to take a more aggressive stance against Assad, that would be much riskier now that Russian forces are directly supporting their Syrian ally and bombing anti-government rebels.

US strikes could put Washington on a collision course with Moscow. In the meantime, Assad’s position has strengthened.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had only seen media reports about the memo, but asserted: "Calls for the violent overthrow of authorities in another country are unlikely to be accepted in Moscow.”

When asked about the leaked memo during a visit to Washington, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir told reporters: “We have been arguing from the beginning of the Syrian crisis that there should be more robust intervention in Syria.”

Emile Hokayem, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the White House has put too much faith in a Syria diplomatic process that he called a "sideshow.""The White House looks down on critics of its Syria policy," he added.

SEE ALSO: An 'embarrassing' break: Dozens of State Department officials just revolted against Obama's Syria policy

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NOW WATCH: 'When does this stop?': Obama slams Trump's Muslim ban

As the varieties and utilities of drones quickly multiply, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has quickly mounted throughout the US Armed Forces. 

From reconnaissance roles within the US Army to attack roles within the US Air Force, and with squadrons within both the Navy and the Marines, the proliferation of drones has touched every element of the US Armed Forces. 

The following graphic, from CI Geography, shows just how widespread the use of drones is within the US. You can see a larger version of the poster here: 

Currently, the US Air Force has the highest number of drone squadrons. The Air Force uses drones in reconnaissance, special operations, attack, and electronic squadrons. 

 The Navy, conversely, only fields the MQ-8B Fire Scout in two squadrons. The MQ-8B is a helicopter drone that is primarily used for reconnaissance, situational awareness, and to provide fire control. 

Altogether, according to the graphic, the US Armed Forces has 50 units that make use of UAVs in some capacity. 

SEE ALSO: These 3 charts show just how enormous the US Air Force really is

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NOW WATCH: The US Navy's last line of defense is this ultimate gun

Navy SEALs, Green Berets, Army Rangers and many other elite soldiers in the US military go through SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training, which simulates what it's like if you're captured by the enemy. Former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb, who is the Founder of SOFREP.com, explains what the experience is like. 

Produced by Eames Yates

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Syrian President Bashar al Assad met Russia's defense minister during a visit to the Syrian capital and discussed military cooperation, state television said on Saturday.

State media did not disclose any details of the previously unannounced visit by Sergei Shoigu, who said he was sent to Damascus by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the visit and said Shoigu discussed military-technical cooperation between the two countries and the fight against insurgents.

Russia's military intervention in Syria in September helped to turn the tide of war in Assad's favor after months of gains in western Syria by rebel fighters, who were aided by foreign military supplies including U.S.-made anti-tank missiles.

Russia, which has been intensively bombing opposition-held areas in Syria since the intervention, is blamed by the opposition and rights activists for causing hundreds of civilian deaths and targeting hospitals, schools and infrastructure in what they say are indiscriminate attacks.

Washington and some other Western countries that have called on Assad to step down accuse Russia of focusing mostly on strikes against the moderate so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and less on attacking hardline Islamic State militants.

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NOW WATCH: Here’s why flights take longer than they did 50 years ago

On Thursday, Gen. David Goldfein, the US Air Force's nominee for chief of staff to replace Gen. Mark Welsh, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on a variety of topics, including the shortcomings of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the aircraft also known as the "Warthog."

"The Air Force seems to have at least temporarily adjusted to keeping it but, longer term, this debate is going to come up again and again: How do you develop the same capabilities if the A-10 is retired?" the highest-ranking Democrat on the committee, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, asked.

Goldfein began his response by committing to retain the same close-air-support, or CAS, capabilities the A-10 provides and giving high praise to the Air Force's A-10 operators.

"I'm as concerned about the A-10 community as I am the A-10 platform," Goldfein said. He referred to the A-10 community as the "Ph.D. force when it comes to CAS."

Goldfein did seem focused on the need for discussion of the future of CAS beyond the A-10, but one that includes the important lessons learned by the A-10 crews.

"Anyone who does close air support tries to reach the level that the A-10 community has achieved," he said. Goldfein suggested that the US "go back to the doctors of CAS and say, 'What is the future of close air support?'"

Goldfein was clear that the A-10 shouldn't be retired until another platform could take over those duties, but he did point some of the limitations of the Cold War-era platform, and there were a few:

"Why is it I only get a minute and a half of trigger pull on a 30mm bullet — why don't I get 10 minutes?" Goldfein said. "Why is every bullet not precision-guided? Why do I spend so much time in having to figure out who's actually friend and foe on the ground when we have technology to be able to help us do that?

"Why is it that I have to do all the work on collateral-damage estimates when I have a machine that can help me do that?"

The A-10 provides key air support in "dynamic" situations, where targets have not been deliberately selected beforehand. In these moments, A-10 pilots need to make consequential situations about whom to fire on, how long and what to fire, and at what risk.

So while the A-10 is a capable and durable platform that is beloved by its operators, it leaves a few things to be desired for "the future of CAS."

SEE ALSO: There's one reason the A-10 Warthog is irreplaceable

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NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains why he’ll never go skydiving as a civilian again

The US Navy scrambled fighter jets last Thursday in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Russian jets from bombing American-backed rebels in Syria, a development that will likely contribute to increasingly frosty relations between Washington and Moscow.

The close encounter occurred on June 16 near Syria’s southern border with Jordan when multiple Russian Su-34 aircraft struck the At Tanf garrison, which housed roughly 200 US-backed rebels fighting ISIS, the Daily Beast reported.

The strike, which occurred in an area where Russian jets had not previously been active, led the Navy to scramble F/A-18 fighter jets from one of the two US aircraft carriers currently stationed in the Mediterranean Sea to support operations against ISIS.

Russia, an ally to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, began its air campaign in Syria last September with the goal of fighting ISIS. However, Russian air strikes have appeared to target rebels fighting the Assad regime.

The Daily Beast reported:

"Arriving over At Tanf, the American pilots apparently spoke directly to the Russian aviators. “Pilots CAN communicate with one another on a communications channel set up to avoid air accidents,” Central Command confirmed in a statement to The Daily Beast. … With the American jets flying close enough to visually identify the Su-34s, the Russians departed the air space over At Tanf. Some time shortly thereafter, the F/A-18s ran low on fuel and left the area in order to link up with an aerial tanker. That’s when the Su-34s reportedly returned to At Tanf —and bombed the rebels again."

The second bombing killed several Syrian rebels trying to deliver medical aid to individuals wounded in the initial strike, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Pentagon officials expressed strong concerns over the Russian airstrikes during a video conference with their Russian Defense Ministry counterparts on Saturday, the Defense Department said in a release over the weekend.

“Department officials expressed strong concerns about the attack on the coalition-supported counter-ISIL forces at the At-Tanf garrison, which included forces that are participants in the cessation of hostilities in Syria, and emphasized that those concerns would be addressed through ongoing diplomatic discussions on the cessation of hostilities,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement.

“Regarding safety, department officials conveyed that Russia’s continued strikes at At-Tanf, even after US attempts to inform Russian forces through proper channels of on-going coalition air support to the counter-ISIL forces, created safety concerns for US and coalition forces.”

“The two sides reiterated the need to adhere to measures to enhance operational safety and avoid accidents and misunderstandings in the air space over Syria,” Cook added.

The hotline used by American pilots to communicate with the Russians was established under the “Safety of Flight Memorandum of Understanding,” an air safety pact agreed upon by Russia and the United States in October in order to avoid confrontations in the airspace over Syria.

Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed in a statement over the weekend that Russian jets did not bomb US-backed rebels near the border with Jordan.

“The object which had suffered bombardment was located more than 300 km far from borders of territories claimed by the American party as ones controlled by the opposition joined the ceasefire regime,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday, according to CNN.

The Kremlin also said that Russian forces “forewarned member states of the US-led coalition about the ground targets to strike on.”

SEE ALSO: Assad discusses military cooperation with Russian defense minister

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NOW WATCH: A Russian orchestra threw a surprise concert in the ancient city of Palmyra

Russia said on Sunday it had reached an agreement with the United States to improve coordination between their military operations in Syria, where they are backing opposing sides of a civil war and launching air strikes.

Russia's defense ministry said it was pushing Washington to help produce a shared map of the positions of fighting forces to avoid incidents, a day after Washington accused Moscow of attacking US-backed insurgents there.

Moscow's intervention on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, alongside Western backing for rebel groups opposing him, has raised fears of a wider international confrontation in the war.

Russia's defense ministry said military officials from both countries had agreed on the need to improve coordination during a video conference. There was no immediate confirmation from Washington.

"The exchange of views about the incident was carried out in a constructive way with the both sides aiming to improve the coordination on fighting the terrorist organizations in Syria and in order to avert any incidents during military operations in this country," Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

The Pentagon said on Saturday it had questioned Moscow over Russian air strikes conducted against US-backed Syrian opposition forces last week, accusing Moscow of failing to heed US warnings.

Konashenkov dismissed the allegation, saying the Russian strikes hit about 300 km (190 miles) away from territory where the United States had said opposition forces were operating.

He said Russia had notified the US-led coalition about the targets it was planning to strike.

"The Russian defense ministry for the past few months has been proposing to its American colleagues to draw a unified map, which would containing information about the location of the forces which were active in Syria. However, no material progress has been made on this issue," the spokesman said.

Russia, which has been bombing opposition-held areas, is blamed by the opposition and rights activists for causing hundreds of civilian deaths and targeting hospitals, schools and infrastructure in what they say are indiscriminate attacks.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the allegations.

SEE ALSO: Russian and US jets had a worrying confrontation above Syria

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NOW WATCH: 11 facts that show how different Russia is from the rest of the world