The nations of the Collective Security Trade Organization—Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan—are considering establishing a collective air force, reported the Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS on Monday. Discussions on this topic were expected to take place during the gathering of CSTO foreign and defense ministers and secretaries of the organization’s security councils in Moscow this week. “A plan of joint events in operational and combat training for 2015 is expected to be approved,” stated the Russian defense ministry. CSTO is meant to promote regional security in Russia’s sphere of influence and to protect member-states’ independence and territorial integrity through collective defense.?
The U.S. is moving to surge firepower over Iran, including its capital of Tehran, defense officials leading the campaign said March 5 at U.S. Central Command headquarters. Bomber strikes are being stepped up and additional fighter squadrons are being deployed.