Current Events in Europe

Writing with the Blackberry, is better to read the news report: http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119157

From DefenseNews MiG-29 Flights Suspended By LYUBOV PRONINA, MOSCOW Gen. Vladimir Mikhailov, commander of the Russian Air Force, on May 12 temporarily suspended flights by MiG-29 Fulcrums following a MiG-29 crash earlier in the day. The jet crashed at 11:51 a.m. Moscow time near the Andreapol airfield, 350 kilometers west of Tver, northwest of Moscow, killing the pilot, Interfax news agency quoted an Air Force spokesman as saying. The MiG-29 was descending from an altitude of 900 meters to 600 meters when it suddenly slammed into the ground and exploded, 800 meters from the runway. It was the first crash of a Russian Air Force aircraft this year. The …

From Ares Alligator On Board Posted by Robert Wall at 12/1/2009 6:49 AM CST The Franco-Russian defense and aerospace relationship was underscored not just by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to France last week -- during which several industrial agreements were inked -- but also with the recent landing of a Ka-52 attack helicopter on the French Mistral helicopter landing ship. The Mistral was deployed to St. Petersburg when the Ka-52 landing took place as part of a broader cross decking exercise. The event is significant, in part, because the Ka-52 isn't even operational yet, French officials note. It wasn’t just the Ka-52 that land…

Russia receives its first ordered MiG-29SMTs (Jane's)

Apache reign begins for Ark 28.11.06 09:00 NavyNews IN KEEPING with HMS Ark Royal’s new role as a commando assault ship, helicopter trials have been the order of the day as the carrier emerges from refit. Ark returned to Portsmouth from Rosyth after being out of action for two and a half years with a fresh mission for the last decade of her proud career. HMS Illustrious will serve as the nation’s ‘strike carrier’ and Ark as a ‘second HMS Ocean’, ferrying Royal Marines into battle (she can still perform the traditional carrier role). Central to the commando carrier role envisioned for the flat-top is the ability to operate the helicopters which will…

Russian Sierra II SSN returns to the fleet (Jane's)

From Defence Talk Putin warns he will point missiles at Europe Reuters | Jun 4, 2007 MOSCOW (Reuters): President Vladimir Putin said Russia would go back to its Cold War stance of aiming its missiles at Europe if Washington went ahead with a plan to build a missile defence shield near Russia's borders. In an interview released late on Sunday, Putin acknowledged that Russia's response risked reviving an arms race in Europe but said Moscow would not be responsible for the consequences because Washington had started the escalation. Putin made the tough statement before what is likely to be a frosty Group of Eight summit in Germany on June 6 where, among othe…

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

Russia to Scrap Worlds Biggest Nuclear Subs (RIA Novosti)

Russia May Scrap U.S. Arms Control Treaty Reuters DefenseNews MOSCOW -- Russia warned the United States on Thursday it might pull out of a Cold War nuclear arms reduction treaty because of plans by Washington to build a missile shield in Eastern Europe. General Yuri Baluyevsky, head of the Russian general staff, said Russia could unilaterally withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), Russian news agencies reported. When asked whether Russia would pull out of the agreement, Baluyevsky, said: "We will see how our American partners are going to act," Interfax news agency reported. "What they are doing at the moment -- creating…

CV32: Potentially useful scenario fodder here, folks. See US Dept of State news release/fact sheet [excerpt]

Origin of the Separatists Buk: A Bellingcat Investigation (Bellingcat)

Fort Worth Star-Telegram December 13, 2005 Greece Buying 30 More Lockheed-Made F-16s By Bob Cox, Star-Telegram Staff Writer Greece has reached agreement with the U.S. government to buy 30 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. with an option to purchase an additional 10 aircraft. The sale, which is contingent on Greece and Lockheed signing the contract, would extend F-16 production and hundreds of jobs at Lockheed’s Fort Worth plant through 2009. But it won’t save the jobs of hundreds of other F-16 workers due to be laid off in 2006. Greece's order comes just in the nick of time for Lockheed, which had said it needed a firm sale befor…

From DefenseNews Greek, Turk Ships Avoid Row over Territorial Waters By KAROLOS GROHMANN, REUTERS, ATHENS Greece and Turkey avoided on May 30 a repeat of a 1996 standoff that led them to the brink of war, when a Turkish navy ship left a disputed area in the Aegean sea following the arrival of the Greek coastguard. The Greek vessel had rushed to help a Greek fishing boat that had been ordered by the Turkish ship to leave the area near an uninhabited island in the eastern Aegean. It was over that same island, known as Imia in Greece and Kardak in Turkey, that the two NATO allies almost clashed 10 years ago. War was averted after U.S. intervention. "The Turkish s…

In Navy Recognition: http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis/naval-technology/5119-in-details-french-navy-aircraft-carrier-charles-de-gaulle-mid-life-refit.html

Something as seven hours and a half by each mine: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/nato-warships-destroy-16-historical-sea-mines-near-estonia/

From Ares [excerpt]

Russia developing new aircraft carrier MOSCOW. May 15 (Interfax) - The Russian Navy is launching a project to develop a new aircraft carrier, the navy's commander Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov told Interfax. "We are beginning work to develop a new aircraft carrier in 2005. Construction is to begin after 2010," Kuroyedov said. "We are launching this development project and will involve leading experts to find out which materials and weapons we'll need and how many aircraft carriers should be built," he said. Kuroyedov earlier told journalists that the navy is planning to put the new carrier into service in the Northern Fleet by 2016-17. Another carrier will…

From Defense Aerospace Lord Drayson Announces Financial Solution for New RAF Tanker and Transport Aircraft Programme (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued June 6, 2007) The Royal Air Force will have total operational control of 14 Airbus A330-200 tanker aircraft, which will be owned and supported by AirTanker Ltd. (AirTanker artist’s impression) Defence Minister Lord Drayson has announced today, 6 June 2007, that the Government has approved a PFI solution as the most cost-effective way of replacing the RAF's fleet of VC10 and TriStar aircraft. The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) PFI deal, as it is known, has been made with AirTanker Ltd., Lord Dr…