Video released by Russian state media to publicize Russia’s recent air-launched cruise missile attack on Syria seem to show a new and stealthy weapon. The video shows six stealthy-looking shapes being loaded on a rotary launcher; presumably in the belly of a Tu-160 Blackjack bomber. The weapon has a flattened nose, what appear to be three fold-out tailfins, and an unusual ventral air inlet, covered in some images and open in others. While some Russian military experts say the missile is the KH-101, long in development, others say the images don’t agree with others showing KH-101s loaded on the pylons of a Bear bomber, also appearing in State media. The munitions in the weapons bay don’t appear to be live rounds, and are unlikely to have actually been used in the raids, meaning Russia wanted them seen and to suggest they are operational. Still further clips on the video show what appear to be cellphone footage of a Russian KH-55 flying overhead. The Air Force declined to comment on the video.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.