Current Events in Mideast-Africa

Putin Confirms Sale of Short-Range Missiles to Syria By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW President Vladimir Putin said April 22 that the controversial sale of Russian short-range missiles to Syria would go ahead as planned. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon voiced fears April 21 that the anti-aircraft missiles being sold by Russia to Syria could find their way into the hands of “terrorist organizations.” “With respect to the sale which was signed with Syria and which will be finalized, it involves short-range air defense systems,” Putin said in an interview with Israeli television aired by Russian networks a few days before his visit to Israel. “These s…

From DefenseNews EU3 Mull Compromise in Iran Nuke Talks, Diplomats Say By LOUIS CHARBONNEAU, REUTERS, VIENNA France, Britain and Germany are considering letting Iran keep nuclear technology that could be used to make bombs, an apparent move towards a compromise with Tehran, diplomats said March 30. However, they said such a step would lead to a clash with Washington, which has backed European Union talks with Iran on condition Tehran permanently renounce all activities that could produce nuclear fuel. Sharing U.S. suspicions that Tehran may be planning to develop nuclear arms, the EU trio has offered Iran political and economic incentives to scrap its ura…

From DefenseNews Posted 09/07/07 09:48 Report: BAE to Seal $40B Eurofighter Deal With Saudis Next Week AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, LONDON British defense firm BAE Systems will next week clinch a 20-billion-pound ($40.4 billion) deal to supply 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia, a report said Sept. 7. "It is understood that the British government sent the Typhoon contract to King Abdullah two days ago," The Times newspaper in London wrote. "The king is expected to sign the contract next week, sealing one of the largest export orders ever won by the UK.” A spokeswoman for BAE told the newspaper, "This is a government-to-government negotiation and we are unabl…

For a related HCCE scenario, check out "My Love is Vengeance" for the EC2003 IOPG battleset at the Harpgamer Scenarios page. From Navy Times June 06, 2006 Deployment could take Cole to area of 2000 attack By William H. McMichael Times staff writer NORFOLK NAVAL STATION, Va. — The crew of the destroyer Cole is getting ready to deploy once again. But this time, its sailors could end up operating in the vicinity of the October 2000 terrorist attack that crippled and nearly sank the ship. It would be natural to assume that everyone on board would love to sail to Yemen and the waters off east Africa to somehow “get back” at al-Qaida — which investigators say…

From Jane's [excerpt] CV32: I see a premise for a whole series of scenarios here, in multiple theaters.

From DEW Line blog [excerpt] (ignore the title)

Source INDIADEFENCE 29/07/2008 The INS Sindhuvijay diesel-electric submarine will set sail for India on August 5 to rejoin the Indian navy after an extensive overhaul at a shipyard in northern Russia, the company said on Tuesday. The Project 877EKM Kilo-class submarine had been undergoing a refit at the Zvezdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk since 2005. The overhaul was delayed for six months due to the unacceptable performance of its new SS-N-27 Club-S cruise missiles. In six consecutive pre-delivery test firings in September - November 2007, the Club missiles failed to find their targets and India refused to accept the delivery until all the problems had been fixe…

http://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Is-Turkey-setting-up-a-naval-base-on-the-Red-Sea-532904

India to induct BrahMos into Navy ThePakistaniNewspaper.com NEW DELHI, May 04: Following a series of successful flight trials, the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has proved its efficacy against ship targets and is ready for induction in the Indian Navy. Giving this information in the Rajya Sabha today, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said a Letter of Interest had been placed on BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited for installation of the missiles on certain ships of the Navy. The BrahMos cruise missile -- believed to be the first supersonic anti-ship missile -- is designed to be able to attack surface targets from a low alt…

From Defence Talk Iran warns it can fire 11,000 rockets in one minute if attacked RIA Novosti | Oct 22, 2007 TEHRAN: Iran has the capability to fire 11,000 rockets at enemy bases within one minute if the country is attacked, a top commander in the Revolutionary Guards Corps said on Saturday. "Within the first minute of any attack by enemies against our country, the missile and artillery unit of the ground force is capable of firing 11,000 missiles and shells at targets that are known to us," Gen. Mahmoud Chaharbaghi, the top missile commander of the Revolutionary Guards, said on national TV. Iran has precise data on the deployment of potential attackers' …

Published: 3/11/06, 6:25 PM EDT BOSTON (AP) - Former Nixon adviser Alexander Haig said military leaders in Iraq are repeating a mistake made in Vietnam by not applying the full force of the military to win the war Full Story

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The "little crappy ship" is so 'crappy' the Israelis want to study it ... hmmm From DefenseNews The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $5.2 million contract to study adapting the company’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) design for the Israeli Navy. During the nine-month feasibility study, Lockheed Martin will examine its LCS for hull, mechanical and electrical system compatibility with the Israeli Navy’s combat systems and other requirements, according to a company press release. The study could lead to contracts to design and build one or two ships for the Israeli Navy, the company said. The Lockheed single-hull design is one of two LCS versions being built…

France Says Egypt to Buy Mistral Warships (DefenseNews)

From Aviation Week Japan Wants Electronic Attack In Next Fighter Jun 3, 2008 David A. Fulghum/Aerospace Daily & Defense Report TOKYO – Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor still appeals to Japan’s leadership, but there’s an implacable demand for Japan’s industrial participation in any aircraft it operates, which appears to be diminishing demand for the Raptor. “We must have the capabilities within Japan for technical support, maintenance and upgrading to meet changing circumstances during the F-X’s lifetime,” says Maj. Gen. Hidetoshi Hirata, director of the Defense Planning and Policy Department in Japan’s Defense Ministry air staff. As far as F-X capabilities,…

Original article, reprinted here in its entirety, can be viewed at: Sunday Times of London Online Revealed: Israel plans strike on Iranian nuclear plant by Uzi Mahnaimi ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans for a combined air and ground attack on targets in Iran if diplomacy fails to halt the Iranian nuclear programme. The inner cabinet of Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, gave “initial authorisation” for an attack at a private meeting last month on his ranch in the Negev desert. Israeli forces have used a mock-up of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant in the desert to practise destroying it. Their tactics include raids by Israel’s elite Shaldag (…

From Aviation Week Israel Wants JSF As Soon As Possible Dec 16, 2007 David A. Fulghum, Robert Wall and Douglas Barrie Israel plans to keep its aerial domination of the Middle East intact, and that includes buying Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, accelerating its first deliveries, and deciding whose advanced equipment will be packed into the stealthy strike aircraft. A senior Israeli air force (IAF) official says those major areas of concern appear to be on the right track because of an “understanding” with the U.S. officials. Washington’s representatives are more ambiguous, saying that there has been no official change to Israel’s F-35 program. …

Did someone said "Casus Belli"? PS: doesn't the GWB quote sound like a circonstancial "i told you"?

U.S., Iran do Persian Gulf squeeze The stakes are big and the waterway is small, so communication between the two sides is a must to keep a lid on tensions. By Borzou Daragahi Times Staff Writer July 11, 2007 ABOARD THE USS JOHN C. STENNIS — Iran and the United States remain so far apart on so many issues that they refuse to talk about them. But in the cramped sea routes of the Persian Gulf, U.S. and Iranian warship sailors and fighter pilots speak to each other daily. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR THE RECORD: U.S. warship: A photo caption accompanying an article in Wednesday's Section A about U.S. …

From Navy Times Enterprise departs for deployment to Mideast Group just returned in November By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer Posted : Saturday Jul 7, 2007 17:14:21 EDT NORFOLK, Va. — As the towering aircraft carrier Enterprise slowly pulled away from the pier for at least a six-month deployment to the Middle East, Lori Kaiser, 18, was not happy about her high school sweetheart going away for so long. Somewhere on board was her boyfriend, Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Dexter Ledbetter, but the ship is huge, and when it leaves the pier, she can only see a handful of sailors manning the rails. “I don’t know what to think,” she said. “He kind of got me prepare…