Red Sea ballistic missile attacks trigger Asian interest in defences

The use of anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) in the Red Sea has spurred interest in Asia about the systems used to shoot them down, experts and industry officials say – although China, with its huge ASBM arsenal, presents a tougher challenge. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) media releases from Nov. 27 – the world's first documented use of an ASBM in combat – to Feb. 20 mention a total of 48 ASBMs and 12 interceptions in the Red Sea. On the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow this week, a senior executive at a U.S. defence contractor said the air defence activity in the Red Sea and in Ukraine had caught the attention of potential customers in Asia.