World military today (April 15): China develops bomb...

* Will Germany supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine?

According to the Financial Times, on April 14, German Chancellor -elect Friedrich Merz publicly expressed his desire to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. This statement was made one day after Russia's missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.

Designed for precision strikes on fortified and strategic targets, the Taurus cruise missile has a range of more than 500km. Photo: Army Recognition

Merz also alluded to the transfer of long-range cruise missiles such as the French Storm Shadow/SCALP EG and the US ATACMS, stressing that Western military support would help Ukraine regain the initiative on the battlefield.

The Taurus KEPD 350, a joint product of Germany's MBDA Deutschland and Sweden's Saab Dynamics, is an air-launched cruise missile with a range of more than 500km. Equipped with a GPS-independent guidance system, an infrared seeker and a precision-piercing warhead, the missile is designed to destroy hardened targets such as bunkers, bridges and runways. The missile can be integrated into a variety of aircraft platforms, including the Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, F/A-18 Hornet and F-15K. The missile's stealth design and terrain-hugging flight capabilities make it difficult for enemy air defense systems to detect. The missile is powered by a Williams F121-WR-100 turbofan engine and can be launched from altitudes of 30-16,000m.

The Taurus carries a 481kg MEPHISTO warhead, which allows it to detonate at optimal times. The missile's guidance system ensures high-precision targeting even in GPS-free environments. These features make the Taurus a powerful system.

* China develops UAV-launched glide bombs

China has recently developed a new modular glide and control system for the HuoShi 1-130 glide bomb. The system was designed by Henan Unmanned Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. and can be deployed on unmanned aerial vehicles. Depending on the release speed and altitude, the bomb can glide for a distance of 6-65km.

The modular glide and modifier kit for glide bombs offers a cost-effective solution that enhances air-to-ground attack capabilities on multiple platforms, including drones. Photo: Telegram

The HuoShi 1-130 is equipped with an electronic fuse that can be detonated in the air and has a data link that allows automatic target coordinate updates from small reconnaissance drones. The guidance system is equipped with the Beidou satellite navigation system with geomagnetic and inertial positioning.

China's development of this correction kit has similarities with Russia's universal glide and correction module UMPK, which has been used since early 2023 to convert traditional unguided bombs into precision-guided bombs. The UMPK module includes foldable wings and tail fins, allowing the bomb to glide over long distances, combined with the GLONASS satellite navigation system to guide the bomb to its target accurately.

* Belgium to produce F-35 fighter jets in Italy

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has formally proposed that future F-35 fighter jets ordered by Belgium be assembled in Cameria, Italy, instead of Lockheed Martin's main plant in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Francken stressed that this initiative could create jobs within Europe and help align Belgian defense investments with broader European industrial and strategic goals, ensuring that Belgium remains a reliable NATO ally.

Although specific production rates are not publicly disclosed, Cameri FACO has demonstrated its capabilities by delivering the first F-35A assembled in Italy in 2015 and the first F-35B in 2018. Photo: Lockheed Martin

The proposal is prompted by a recent US decision to allow European buyers to request assembly in Cameri. However, it is unclear whether F-35s assembled in Italy would be considered European under EU rules, a requirement to qualify for spending under EU-backed lending mechanisms.

As of early 2025, Belgium has received eight F-35As built at Lockheed Martin’s main production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. They are currently being transferred to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, USA, for pilot and technician training. They are expected to be delivered to Belgium this fall to participate in NATO operations, including air patrols on the alliance’s eastern flank.

Concerns about dependence on the United States have been widespread across Europe. Germany and Portugal, in particular, have expressed hesitation about F-35 orders due to concerns about over-reliance on American operating systems and software. Francken confirmed on March 10 that Belgium’s F-35A can operate independently even without full US support.

QUYNH OANH (synthesis)

* Today's World Military column on the People's Army Electronic Newspaper sends readers the latest information on world military security and defense activities in the past 24 hours.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/quan-su-the-gioi-hom-nay-15-4-trung-quoc-phat-trien-bom-luon-phong-tu-uav-249389.html