Defense

BANGKOK — The United States and the Philippines have announced the creation of a joint task force aimed at further deterring what U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Beijing’s “coercion” in the South China Sea. It is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, where not only the Philippines but also Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have overlapping claims with China in the sea…

JERUSALEM — Elbit Systems will upgrade the Israel Defense Forces’ Markava main battle tanks under a $210 million contract, the company said this week. The announcement comes amid a ceasefire currently in place on Israel’s northern and southern fronts with Gaza and Lebanon, respectively, and the public criticism by reservists regarding the operational capabilities of various armored vehicles…

New Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach on Tuesday pledged to focus on modernizing the service’s fleet, improving the readiness of both its aircraft and airmen and strengthening how well it works with other services and allies. “Being able to deliver [airpower] when called upon demands a constant focus on readiness,” Wilsbach said during the assumption of responsibilities ceremony…

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Despite U.S. interest in deeper military ties with Vietnam, the Nov. 2 visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during which he met Communist Party leader To Lam and Defense Minister Phan Van Giang, did not yield an expected announcement on arms sales. “Deeper [military] cooperation will benefit both of our countries,” Hegseth said ahead of his meeting with…