Dzirhan Mahadzir

Petaling Jaya

Defense Journalist at Freelance

Defence journalist, former guest lecturer on military history & strategy, Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College, don't @ me on twitter to say I know nothing :D

Featured in: Favicon

yahoo.com

flipboard.com Favicon

flightglobal.com Favicon

ainonline.com Favicon

janes.com

usni.org (+1) Favicon

defence.pk Favicon

newsbreak.com Favicon

realcleardefense.com Favicon

defense-aerospace.com + 6 more

Articles

Russian Incursions Drive Increase in Japanese Fighter Scrambles, Officials Say

2 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

Japan carried out a total of 704 fighter aircraft scrambles from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, an increase from 669 in the same period the year before. Japan saw scrambles against Russian aircraft significantly increase while scrambles against Chinese aircraft saw a small downturn, according to a Japan Joint Staff Office release on Thursday.
U.K. Carrier HMS Price of Wales Set for Pacific Deployment

2 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

HMS Prince of Wales (R09) will depart its homeport in Portsmouth on April 22 and deploy as the lead ship in the U.K. Carrier Strike Group 2025 to the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday. The last time the U.K. deployed a carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific was in 2021, which was led by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08).
Japan Stands Up Amphib Unit to Surge Forces to Southwest Islands

2 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

Japan formally activated on Sunday a new joint maritime transport unit geared towards improving troop deployment capabilities in Japan’s southwest islands. The Maritime Transport Group of the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) was formally stood up on Sunday in a ceremony overseen by Japan Defense Minister Gen Nakatani at the unit’s current and temporary base at Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Kure naval base, located in Hiroshima Prefecture on the main island of Honshu.
USS Carl Vinson Sails Through Malacca Strait, Chinese Carrier Operating in the South China Sea After Taiwan Intimidation Drills

3 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group sailed through the Malacca Strait on Friday as it makes its way to U.S. Central Command. Meanwhile, Japan’s Joint Staff Office reported the People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong CSG sailed back into the South China Sea on Thursday after participating in PLA drills against Taiwan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Navy, Marines Deploy Amphibious Warship USS Comstock, 11th MEU to Pacific

3 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

Amphibious warship USS Comstock (LSD-45) is now deployed in the Indo-Pacific with elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, embarked. Comstock is the first West Coast-based amphibious ship to be deployed in the Indo-Pacific this year. In other developments, Marine Rotational Force-South East Asia (MRF-SEA) has wrapped up its six-month deployment with the completion of Exercise Valiant Mark with the Singapore Army.
Chinese Military Wraps Intimidation Drills Off Taiwan

3 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command announced Wednesday that it wrapped up two days of drills around Taiwan, vowing to maintain combat readiness and prevent any attempts of Taiwanese independence from China. The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command completed all joint exercise tasks and tested the integrated joint capabilities of the troops between Tuesday and Wednesday, Snr. Col. Shi Yi said in a release.
China Deploys Aircraft Carrier for Military Drills to Intimidate Taiwan

3 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17) has made its first deployment to the Western Pacific for 2025 and was a major unit in Tuesday’s military drill targeted at intimidating Taiwan on Tuesday, according to Beijing officials. The drills were presented as a “stern warning” from China to leaders in Taipei with foreign ministry officials calling reunification an “unstoppable trend,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in a press conference on Tuesday.
Pentagon Set to Upgrade U.S. Forces Japan Headquarters

3 weeks ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

The Pentagon has begun the first phase of upgrading U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters, announced Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday during a joint press conference with Japan Defense Minister Gen Nakatani. The two defense chiefs held their first in-person meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, during which they agreed to accelerate efforts to strengthen the deterrence posture of the U.S.–Japan alliance.
Japan Stands Up New Joint Operations Command Planned to Work with Local U.S. Forces

1 month ago | news.usni.org | Dzirhan Mahadzir

Japan activated its Japan Self-Defense Force Joint Operations Command (JJOC) Monday, allowing its military to better conduct integrated and joint operations. Japan outlined the intention to establish the JJOC in its Defense Buildup Program (DBP), one of three national security and defense documents issued in December 2022.
USS Carl Vinson Drills with Japanese, South Korean Forces

1 month ago | realcleardefense.com | Dzirhan Mahadzir

USS Carl Vinson Drills with Japanese, South Korean Forces The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group carried out trilateral naval drills from this week in the East China Sea Read Full Article »