Current Events in Mideast-Africa

Three services to have BrahMos missiles The Hindu Arunkumar Bhatt The Navy has started inducting the missile, the Army and the Air Force to follow suit MUMBAI: While the Navy has started inducting multi-role, supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, in a big way, the Army and the Air Force are poised to follow suit to be able to `destabilise' critical targets with pinpoint accuracy. "Army is very keen to have the missile and we are working on the `land to land' version of it for the Army," said Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, chief controller of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Dr. Pillai is also the managing director of BrahMos Aerosp…

From Jane's US and Israel differ on Iranian nuclear ambitions By Alon Ben-David 12 March 2009 United States and Israeli assessments of Iran's nuclear aspirations appear again to be at odds, following a new assertion by Tel Aviv that Tehran has "crossed the technological threshold" in its bid to produce a nuclear weapon. In testimony to the Israeli cabinet on 8 March, Major General Amos Yadlin, head of military intelligence, said that for Iran, from this point on, "reaching a military-grade nuclear capability is a question of synchronising strategy with production of a nuclear bomb". While acknowledging that Iran is keeping its options open, such predicti…

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From The Atlantic [excerpt]

From Defence Aerospace Rice Says No Agreements on F-16 Sales to Pakistan, India (Source: Voice of America news; issued March 16, 2005) NEW DELHI --- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's talks with India's foreign minister covered regional defense issues, including the possible sale of U.S. fighter jets to India's long-standing rival, Pakistan. India is the first stop on Ms. Rice's six-nation tour of Asia - her first trip to the region since becoming secretary of state. Secretary of State Rice says she discussed the potential sale of F-16 fighter-jets to Pakistan with Indian officials, who have long opposed the plan. She also talked about selling the …

From DefenseNews Iran Navy Equipped With Four New Submarines AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 8 Aug 2010 14:11 TEHRAN, - Iran's navy on Aug. 8 took delivery of four new mini submarines of the home-produced Ghadir class, media reports said. The navy already owns seven submarines of this type which weigh 120 tons and were first launched in 2007. Iran has described the Ghadir as stealth submarines, hardly detectable by sonar and aimed at coastal operations in shallow waters, notably in the Gulf. The vessel is based on North Korean models of the Yono class and can shoot torpedoes, but their main tasks appear to be moving commandos, laying mines and reconn…

From DefenseNews New Succession Structure to Emerge in Saudi Arabia By RIAD KAHWAJI, DUBAI The death of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz on Aug. 1 has set in motion a succession process believed to be in place ever since the late monarch’s health started deteriorating following his 1995 stroke. Crown Prince Abdullah was immediately named as the new monarch while his half-brother, Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, was named as the new crown prince. “King Fahd’s death, and Crown Prince Abdullah’s accession to the throne, is unlikely to have any negative impact on Saudi stability and may well help the kingdom move forward in dealing with a number of major…

From DefenseNews Posted 04/17/07 15:40 Iranian Navy Says It Will Launch Iran-Built Destroyer By REUTERS, TEHRAN Iran’s navy plans to launch the first Iranian-built destroyer soon, the official IRNA news agency quoted a naval commander as saying on April 17. The announcement in the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas comes at a time of growing tension between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear program, which Washington and others suspect is a cover for making atom bombs. Tehran denies the charge. "Soon the first Iranian-made destroyer will be launched ... and will surprise the world’s military community with its facilities, equipment, capabilities and technology," c…

Israels Deadliest Submarines Are Nearly Ready (DefenseNews)

By Jonathan Saul JERUSALEM, April 1 (Reuters) - Iran is making defensive preparations for what it fears will be a U.S. military attack this summer, Israel's military intelligence chief said on Sunday. Major-General Amos Yadlin also told the Israeli cabinet that Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas and Syria believed they could be targeted in any U.S.-initiated war against Iran, an Israeli government official said, briefing reporters on his remarks. "What we are seeing is their preparation for the possibility of war in the summer. My assessment is that they are defensive preparations for war," Yadlin was quoted as saying, referring to Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. T…

Tales From The A-6 Intruder Cockpit: AGM-84 Harpoon vs Libyan Patrol Craft (Aviationist)

From Flight International Libya 'to order 13-18 Dassault Rafale fighter jets', rejecting Eurofighter, French press reports By Justin Wastnage Libyan leader Col Muammar al-Gaddafi has reportedly selected the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jet to re-equip the country's air force ahead of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Libya is reportedly close to finalising an order for between 13 and 18 Rafales in a deal worth as much as €2.5 billion ($3.24 billion), French Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche says. The newspaper cites industry sources and government insiders as saying Gaddafi chose the French offer over a refurbishing of and unspecified number of the count…

U.S. winds up biggest war games in Gulf since 2003 Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:52AM EDT MANAMA (Reuters) - The U.S. navy said on Thursday it had ordered an aircraft carrier to the Gulf to replace one of two patrolling the region, as the United States winds down naval war games on Iran's doorstep. The Nimitz carrier strike group will sail from San Diego for the Gulf on Monday, a navy spokesman told Reuters, to replace the Dwight D. Eisenhower, as tensions mount between Iran and the West over captured British troops and Iran's nuclear program. "She (the Nimitz) will deploy to the Gulf region. She is the relief for Eisenhower, who leaves and she replaces her," Lieutenant Co…

From Flight International DATE: 11/03/08 SOURCE: Flightglobal.com Boeing's P-8I Poseidon close to India deal By Siva Govindasamy Boeing's P-8I Poseidon is close to winning India's competition for eight maritime patrol aircraft, providing further evidence of the country's growing defence ties with the USA. New Delhi has been in price negotiations with Boeing for the $2 billion, eight-aircraft requirement since December, while officials from EADS Casa - which is leading a rival bid based on the Airbus A319 - have not heard from Indian officials. With the bids due to expire on 31 March, sources close to the defence ministry expect a deal with Boeing to …

While Biden gives a green light? ... From Navy Times Mullen cautions against strike on Iran Vice President Biden says U.S. wouldn’t stop Israeli attack The Associated Press Posted : Sunday Jul 5, 2009 14:10:22 EDT WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden seemed to give Israel a green light for military action to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, saying the U.S. “cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do.” Israel considers Iran its most dangerous adversary and is wary of hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who just won a disputed re-election. He repeatedly has called for Israel to be wiped off the map and contends th…

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Pakistan seems to be REALLY stepping it up! Raytheon Announces AMRAAM Sale to Pakistan By WENDELL MINNICK, TAIPEI DefenseNews Pakistan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance to procure 500 AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 200 AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles from Raytheon. According to a Jan. 15 Raytheon press release, this is the first AMRAAM missile procurement between Raytheon and Pakistan. “The combined $284 million procurement augments Pakistan’s established inventory and will provide the bulk of the air-to-air fire power of the Pakistan Air Force,” said the release. “This is the largest single purchase of AMRAAM …

From Defense Aerospace Defeating al-Qaeda's Air Force: Pakistan's F-16 Program in the Fight Against Terrorism (edited) (Source: U.S. Department of State; issued September 16, 2008) Statement Before the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South Asia by Donald Camp, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs Washington, DC, September 16, 2008 Chairman Ackerman, Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to address you today on Pakistan’s F-16 program. …/… During Prime Minister Gillani’s visit to Washington in late July, you saw the United States and Pakistan committed to maintaini…