Current Events in Mideast-Africa

I thought everyone would get a good laugh out of this one - - - Link [CV32: Edited to add link - you must always add the link when quoting a source - and to remove the bulk of the article. We don't want to bring a copyright MIRV down on our own heads. Please take note for further reference.]

From the Center for Strategic and International Studies (pdf) Vol I: The Conventional and Asymmetric Dimensions Vol II: The Missile and Nuclear Dimensions Vol III: The Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula

Precision and Purpose: Airpower in the Libyan Civil War (pdf, RAND)

From Defense Aerospace Reports Citing Imminent Attack on Iran Are Wrong, Official Says (Source: US Department of Defense; issued April 17, 2006) WASHINGTON --- Recent news reports citing an imminent U.S. military attack against Iran are flat wrong, a senior Defense Department official said here today. Such reports constitute "wild speculation," DoD spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters, reiterating previous policy remarks President Bush has made on the Iran issue. The president has chosen diplomacy in concert with the international community as the preferred approach in persuading the Iranian government to jettison its nuclear programs, Whit…

From Flight Global DATE: 05/11/09 SOURCE: Flight International South Africa cancels order for eight A400M transports By Craig Hoyle The EADS-led A400M airlifter has suffered its first orders blow since the programme ran into development difficulties, with South Africa having cancelled its order for eight of the aircraft. Confirmed on 5 November, South Africa's decision comes after deliveries of the Airbus Military product have fallen around three years behind schedule. The South African government says the decision was taken during a meeting in Cape Town on 4 November, and that its action was informed by an extensive review into the troubled acquisit…

From DefenseNews Bush Declines To Exclude Nuclear Strike on Iran By EDMUND BLAIR, REUTERS, TEHRAN U.S. President George W. Bush refused on April 18 to rule out nuclear strikes against Iran if diplomacy fails to curb the Islamic Republic’s atomic ambitions. Iran, which says its nuclear program is purely peaceful, told world powers it would pursue atomic technology, whatever they decide at a meeting in Moscow later in the day. Bush said in Washington he would discuss Iran’s nuclear activities with China’s President Hu Jintao this week and avoided ruling out nuclear retaliation if diplomatic efforts fail. Asked if options included planning for a nuclear strike, B…

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz is said to have intention to reactivate a project to buy submarines for the Saudi Navy. Source: Tactical Reports http://www.tacticalreport.com/view_news/Sa..._programme/2408 Here's a nugget to get the juices flowing on some potential "what-if" scenarios. Wow, the RSNF with submarines! FWFS, Greg Emerson, DM1(SW), USN-Retired Renton, WA, USA

BBC News report So, I guess Mursi isn't as Islamist as some people feared...

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 Stratfor Pakistan, Bhutto and the U.S.-Jihadist Endgame January 2, 2008 | 2205 GMT By George Friedman The endgame of the U.S.-jihadist war always had to be played out in Pakistan. There are two reasons that could account for this. The first is simple: Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda command cell are located in Pakistan. The war cannot end while the command cell functions or has a chance of regenerating. The second reason is more complicated. The United States and NATO are engaged in a war in Afghanistan. Where the Soviets lost with 300,000 troops, the Americans and NATO are fighting with less than 50,000. Any hope of defeating the Taliban, or of reaching s…

Here Are All The Details The Pentagon Just Released Regarding Its Missile Attack On Syria (Updated) (The War Zone)

From Air Force Times New small bomb dropped in Afghanistan Staff reports Posted : Thursday Feb 1, 2007 9:54:57 EST The Air Force’s newest operational bomb, the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, was dropped in Afghanistan for the first time Saturday. Getting the honors of using the bomb in combat was the 391st Fighter Squadron deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The decision to drop the weapon came when Army soldiers were under mortar fire from a ridgeline, according to an Air Force account. An Air Force joint terminal air controller with the Army unit requested the F-15E Strike Eagle drop the GBU-39 and told the …

From Flight Global [excerpt]

Iran, UAE Close to Deal on Hormuz Islands (DefenseNews)

CV32: It occurs to me that the utility of a hot line is probably proportional to the expectation of logic and rational thought on the other end of the line. From DefenseNews [excerpt]

New Iranian sub seen for the first time (Jane's)

Israel and Iran: A Dangerous Rivalry (pdf)

From eDefense Indian Navy Looking to Orion Alternative by Pulkit Singh Apr. 25, 2005 The Indian Navy is now focused on buying Falcon 900 maritime-patrol aircraft (MPA) from Dassault Aviation of France, as over two years of negotiations over the acquisition of P-3 Orions from the US have not borne fruit. The Indian government has been negotiating the purchase of eight used US Navy P-3Bs Orions, which would be upgraded to the C model prior to delivery to India. However, an Indian Navy official said, with only three Il-38 maritime-surveillance aircraft (two crashed in October 2002) and the service's aging Il-142 surveillance aircraft long overdue for upgrades, …

This almost certainly warrants its own thread.

From Defence Aerospace Israel – Guided Bomb Units (GBU-28) (Source: US Defense Security Cooperation Agency; issued April 26, 2005) On 26 April 2005, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Israel of 100 GBU-28s as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $30 million. The Government of Israel has requested a possible sale of 100 GBU-28s that include: BLU-113A/B penetration warhead, WGU-36A/B guidance control unit, FMU-143H/B bomb fuze, and BSG-92/B airfoil group guide. Also included are: support equipment; testing, spare and repair …