Thursday defense links:
India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier is nearing completion, Aviation Week reports. The IAC could be put into the water as soon as next month, while sea trials will begin in about ten months.
According to The Indian Express, India may lease another nuclear submarine from Russia. If an agreement is reached, it would be the third nuclear submarine Delhi has leased from Moscow.
In an interview with Russia Today, outgoing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that nuclear weapons are useless and so 20th Century. “This is something that I said many times before. It is not of any use to us to have nukes. Where can we use nuclear weapons? They are useless, nobody can use them,” Ahmadinejad said. He added that having nuclear weapons “is so 20th century, even the people of the U.S. are not going to allow the government to make use of them.”
Xinhua reports that China’s first group of five pilots received their certifications to operate J-15s on China’s aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. The certifications were awarded at the end of a 25-day test and training mission that wrapped up on Wednesday.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Japan and China tensions have flared once again over Beijing’s decision to construct a natural gas drilling rig in disputed waters.
Tomorrow the U.S. will attempt its first missile intercept since 2008, Stars & Stripes reports.