Current Events in Mideast-Africa

Pakistan's Dream Navy? (DefenseNews)

From Jane's Iran will be major concern for Israel's new leadership By Alon Ben-David 13 February 2009 Israel's inconclusive parliamentary election risks extending political instability at a critical moment for the country. Whoever is eventually installed as prime minister will look to the defence minister to play a pivotal role on a number of contentious issues - not the least of which is the threat posed by Iran's continued pursuit of nuclear technology. Operating under the premise that Iran will have enough fissile material to become a nuclear power by the end of 2009, whichever Israeli government is eventually installed will watch with great interest …

From Defense Aerospace Pakistan to Buy German Submarines (Source: Deutsche Welle German radio; issued November 26, 2008) Pakistan, which has relied on French defense suppliers, is buying German-made submarines for the first time, but is still technologically behind its nuclear rival India. Pakistan has formally agreed to buy three Type 214 German submarines under deal worth more than $1 billion (773.7 million euros) that the two countries are expected to sign within the next few months, according to a media report on Wednesday. The German shipbuilding company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) will construct the diesel-electric submarines in a shipya…

A story that has been catching a lot of attention in recent days. Egypt Looks Beyond the USA for New Arms (Defense Industry Daily)

Improved and enlarged San Giorgio (in French, from Mer et Marine): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-nouveau-batiment-de-projection-algerien

From Navy Times Winter visits as Big E wraps Gulf mission By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer Posted : Monday Nov 26, 2007 14:36:55 EST ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ENTERPRISE, IN THE PERSIAN GULF — Jets launching from the Navy’s oldest nuclear flattop in service wrapped up combat operations after a gusty day on the water Saturday, flying their final missions into Iraq. The carrier simultaneously launched combat operations into Afghanistan and Iraq beginning in August. About 20 percent of F/A-18 Hornets taking off on the final day of combat operations were flying into Iraq, while the rest were performing maritime security missions over the Persian Gulf, acc…

Caracals and Tigers from Mistral (Escorted by Chevalier Paul)employed in the failed operation of hostage rescue: From Mer et Marine (in French, now also English version): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-mistral-au-coeur-de-la-tentative-de-liberation-de-denis-allex-en-somalie

From DefenseNews Posted 06/29/07 08:08 India to Announce Huge Fighter Jet Contract AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NEW DELHI Indian defense officials were meeting June 29 before handing out a contract for 126 war planes potentially worth up to $9 billion, officials said. Indian defense ministry officials and industry sources said the choice appeared to have narrowed down to Russian-built MiG-35 and MiG-29, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Boeing’s F-18. The contract, described as the world’s biggest arms purchase in 15 years, will be the first time India’s huge defense establishment has bought fighters after evaluating rival bids through a global tender. “Defence Minister A.…

Hizbullah takes delivery of advanced Syrian weapons (Jane's)

4,817 Targets: How Six Months Of Airstrikes Have Hurt ISIL (Or Not) (Breaking Defense)

From Defence Talk Iraq Warns Turkey Against Any Military Incursions Reuters Fri, 7 Jul 2006, 00:49 Iraq warned neighboring Turkey on July 6 to refrain from any military incursions into its northern border region to fight Kurdish guerrillas based there. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, on a visit to Athens, noted no Turkish incursions had taken place so far. "But if this does happen in the future, then our position will be different," he said after meeting Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyanni. "Iraq will demand its borders are not violated and that no country is involved in its domestic matters." Ankara has kept around 1,500 special operations for…

From ARES After Georgia: Russia Takes Over Syria's Tartus Port Posted by David Eshel at 8/21/2008 9:32 AM CDT Moscow is flexing it's muscles again in the eastern Mediterranean and aims to reactivate old cold war naval installations with it's allies Syria. President Bashar Assad is on his way to the Kremlin to finalize what looks to become a high profile feature. With not a moment to lose, the Russian aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” is under orders to head from Murmansk towards the Mediterranean and the Syrian port of Tartus. The mission comes after Syrian President Bashar Assad said he is open to a Russian base in the area. The “Admiral Kuznetsov”, part of …

BBC News

Looks like maybe a Yakhont storage site got hit. Syria naval base blast points to Israeli raid (Reuters, via Yahoo)

IAF Jaguars ‘sink’ USS Nimitz, F-18s return the favour to INS Viraat Manu Pubby IndianExpress Posted online: Saturday, September 08, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email Malabar Exercise: From tracking nuclear submarines to managing 200 aircraft and taking on deep-sea terror threat, five Navies cover sweeping range of maritime operations ON BOARD USS Kitty Hawk (150 miles west of Port Blair), September 7: As the small green dots approached closer on the radar screen, the Indian officer sitting deep inside USS Nimitz knew it was too late to save the ship. Jaguar maritime fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF), operating from the Car Nicobar air base, had managed to come…

From Flight International DATE: 29/11/07 SOURCE: Flightglobal.com India to extend Sea Harrier by 15 years By Radhakrishna Rao The Indian navy is to go ahead with a "limited upgrade" of its carrier-borne BAE Systems Sea Harrier fighters. This is to be completed in 2008 and will extend their lives by 15 years. The upgrade, to be performed by Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics, will include more advanced sensors, radars and avionics. According to defence minister A K Antony, half of India's Harrier fleet has been lost in accidents.

Little boys and their toys I tell ya. http://thenextweb.com/me/2012/01/18/everyt...acker-struggle/?

Two old foes unite against Tehran (Sunday Times)

From http://www.defensenews.com Israeli Air Force Training for Long-Range Bombing Missions By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, JERUSALEM The Israeli air force is training its crews for long-range bombing missions, the wing commander of an F-16I fighter-bomber group said Feb. 28. “Israel and the air force have understood for a fairly long time now that the threats that surround us are constantly growing and that’s why steps have been taken to extend our range of action,” the officer, identified only as Wing Commander D., told Israel’s privately run second television channel. “That is to say that we are training for medium- and long-range missions.” The televisio…

From Navy Times NATO planning new anti-piracy mission The Associated Press Posted : Thursday Feb 19, 2009 11:38:49 EST KRAKOW, Poland — NATO is planning to deploy a new naval flotilla in the coming months to combat piracy off Somalia, a spokesman for the alliance said Thursday. “Based on discussions, you can expect to see another NATO naval operation off the lawless coastline of Somalia next spring in the general effort to combat piracy,” NATO spokesman James Appathurai told reporters at a meeting of defense ministers. In November, NATO sent four warships to the waters off the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden to stem a surge of pirate attacks against me…