Current Events in Asia-Pacific

US institute: NKorea launch site upgrade complete (AP)

China practices Taiwan invasion with civilian ferries, bomber flights in Bashi Channel (Jane's)

Its that time of year again ... for air shows and sourcing DB relevant info. Sino-Pakistani FC-1/JF-17 Thunder showcased at Le Bourget (Jane's)

How China Is Building the Biggest Commercial-Military Empire in History (Defense One) This one is chock full of scenario fodder.

Why China’s Air Force Needs Russia's Su-35 (The Diplomat)

China Warns of ‘Inevitable’ War with US Over South China Sea (Defense One)

China's first defence white paper China's Military Strategy (PRC Ministry of National Defense)

India's New Aircraft Carrier May Face Further Delays (The Diplomat)

China's Navy Makes Strides, Work Remains To Be Done (DefenseNews) Chris Carlson, of the Admiralty Trilogy Group (and Harpoon fame), gets a quote in there.

China Making Some Missiles More Powerful (New York Times)

Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015 (pdf, US DOD)

A First: North Korea Tests 'Polaris-1' SLBM (The Diplomat) Appears to be legit. I may throw this into the DB for more scary 'what if' scenario making.

India launches first-of-class Project 15B destroyer (Jane's)

The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century (ONI)

India floats out first Scorpene submarine (Jane's)

NORAD Chief: North Korea Has Ability to Reach U.S. With Nuclear Warhead on Mobile ICBM (USNI News)

'Type 093T' sub design breaks cover (Jane's)

Maybe interesting? Until last week, when the billionaire Paul Allen began tweeting images of deep-sea wreckage — a coral-encrusted anchor, a green valve hairy with algae — the annals of vanished ships contained no entry more mysterious than that of the Musashi, a massive Japanese battleship sunk off the Philippines toward the end of World War II. To call Musashi massive, actually, doesn’t begin to do it justice. It was, and remains, one of the largest battleships ever launched — 70,000 tons of water displaced, with a crew of more than two thousand. Its nine 18.1-inch guns, the largest caliber ever mounted on a ship, were designed to fire 3,000-pound shells at a rang…

China working on second carrier (Jane's) Chinese Admirals Spill the Beans on New Aircraft Carrier (The Diplomat)

Before and After: The South China Sea Transformed (CSIS) The environmental damage alone is terrible.