Current Events in Mideast-Africa

From Defense Update Mystery Shrouds Air Strike in Sudan A convoy of trucks carrying weapons destined for the Hamas in Gaza through Sudan was attacked and destroyed January 2009 but no country has assumed responsibility on this attack. Sudanese State Minister for Highways, Mabrouk Mubarak Saleem confirmed that a "major power bombed small trucks carrying arms, burning all of them. According to Sudan-Tribune the attack launched from a US base in Djibouti took place in a desert area northwest of Port Sudan city, near Mount al-Sha'anun and destroyed all 17 trucks in the convoy killing 39 people, among them Sudanese, Eritreans and Ethiopians. The totality of the att…

Details emerge of Israeli air strikes on Syria (Flight Global)

From Defense Aerospace NATO Shifts to Civilian-Friendly Tactics in Afghanistan (Source: Deutsche Welle German radio; issued July 30, 2007) NATO soldiers fighting Islamist Taliban rebels will deploy smaller bombs in the future to cut down on civilian casualties after Afghan leaders criticized the military alliance for a rise in collateral damage. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), acknowledged on Monday that efforts in Afghanistan had been hurt because of a recent rise in civilian casualties. Afghan President Hamid Karzai had accused the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) …

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

From Australian ABC news service https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-10/australia-to-provide-military-support-to-gulf-states/106435248?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

Find it here. Harriers Complete Combat Runs in Afghanistan Marine Corps News | Capt. David E. Nevers | September 25, 2006 Aboard USS Iwo Jima - The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s AV-8B Harriers flew the last of 136 combat missions over the skies of Afghanistan Sept. 21, ending a short but productive stint in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Using just four of its jump jets per day, the MEU’s Harrier detachment dropped a total of 17 precision-guided bombs over 13 days on behalf of NATO forces battling a resurgent Taliban in southern Afghanistan. With the MEU and the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group positioned in the Arabian Sea, and with NATO…

From Defence Talk France in talks to sell Rafale jets to Morocco Reuters | Apr 26, 2007 PARIS: France is negotiating to sell Rafale combat aircraft to Morocco, constructor Dassault Aviation said on Wednesday. The planemaker, which has until now declined to confirm the talks, is seeking the first export customer for the multi-role aircraft, which made its combat debut in Afghanistan this month. "I can't answer your question because the matter is being discussed the governments of (France and Morocco)," Edelstenne told LCI television, asked whether a sale could happen after the next round of French presidential elections on May 6. France was reported la…

From Defense Aerospace Morocco - F-16C/D Block 50/52 Aircraft (Source: US Defense Security Cooperation Agency; dated Dec. 18, web-posted Dec. 19, 2007) (See note at bottom) WASHINGTON --- The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Morocco of F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.4 billion. The Government of Morocco has requested a possible sale of Major Defense Equipment (MDE): -- 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft with either the F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engines (IPE)…

Very widely reported this - which would make it the first US downing of a manned aircraft since 1999. Pilot of the Su-22 is apparently missing.

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 Defence Talk Iran can make 'nowhere safe' for US Agence France-Presse | Apr 27, 2007 TEHRAN: Iran has the capacity to fire tens of thousands of missiles at American targets and make "nowhere safe" for the United States, a top security official said on Wednesday. "Iran has long-range missiles that can make nowhere safe for America," said Mohammad Baqer Zolqader, deputy interior minister for security affairs and former deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards, according to the official IRNA news agency. "Iran is able to fire tens of thousands of missiles per day at American targets on a daily basis and, with its long-range missiles, can threaten Israel …

From Flight International Lockheed tempts India with F-35 access By Siva Govindasamy Lockheed Martin is dangling the carrot of future access to its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme to India, with industry observers saying that the strategy could be a way of enticing New Delhi to choose the company's F-16 for its ongoing F-X competition. The company has long eyed a potential market for the F-35 in India from 2015, possibly to replace its British Aerospace Harriers and some land-based fighters, says Tom Burbage, F-35 vice-president. The F-16 and F-35 will not be formally linked in a package deal, but Lockheed officials are emphasising that the former ser…

From Flight International DATE: 20/12/07 SOURCE: Flightglobal.com Turkish air force in major attack on Kurdish camps By Tolga Ozbek The Turkish air force launched one of its largest ever strike missions on 16 December, sending more than 50 aircraft to take part in an attack on Kurdish rebel camps 150km (81nm) inside northern Iraq. Flown from Diyarbakir and Malatya air bases, the night-time mission involved 30 Lockheed Martin F-16s equipped with Lockheed Lantirn targeting pods and 20 modernised McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom. Inflight refuelling support was provided by two Boeing KC-135 tankers. Ankara says its fighters deployed 453kg (1,000lb) Mk82 a…

http://www.janes.com/article/71519/iran-says-it-hit-targets-in-syria-with-zolfaghar-ballistic-missiles

From RIA Novosti Admiral Gorshkov contract in jeopardy over lack of funds - paper 14:18 01/ 08/ 2007 MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - The overhaul of a Russian-made aircraft carrier sold to India under a 2004 contract will be delayed indefinitely due to insufficient financing and poor management of the project, a Russian daily said Wednesday. The contract to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier to India, which state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed with the Indian Navy in January 2004, covers the modernization of the ship and equipping it with modern weaponry, including the MiG-29K Fulcrum aircraft and Ka-27 Helix-A and Ka-31 Helix-B anti-su…

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Russia Threatens To Derail Iran Talks Over Ukraine (Breaking Defense)

From DefenseNews Posted 09/27/07 14:15 Israel again scrambles warplanes over ‘false alert’ By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, JERUSALEM Israeli fighter pilots scrambled warplanes on Sept. 27 for the third time in a week after concern was raised about activity over Syrian airspace, a military official said. The alarm was raised after assault helicopters were spotted on Israeli radar before eventually landing. ”This was a routine measure,” the official said. “The planes returned to base after it was determined the flight did not have aggressive intentions.” Last Saturday, an alert was sparked after a blip from an aircraft over Syria disappeared from radar screens, public…

From CTV [excerpt]

Solución de última hora de la Armada: Angola compra el Príncipe de Asturias (El Confidencial Digital, in Spanish) Google translate if need be.