Current Events in Mideast-Africa

Indian communists protest U.S. naval exercises By Ashok Sharma - The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Sep 4, 2007 7:19:35 EDT NEW DELHI — Dozens of communists chanted anti-U.S. slogans as they left an eastern Indian city Tuesday for the site of a naval exercise involving India, the U.S. and three other countries, a party official said. “The fight against imperialism will continue,” about 80 party workers in Calcutta shouted as they boarded buses for Vishakhapatnam, a southern port city near the venue of the exercise, set to begin hours later. Twenty-five warships from India, the U.S., Australia, Japan and Singapore are participating in the four-day drill…

From Navy Times War with Iran would be Navy, Air Force show Some point to buildup in Persian Gulf region as precursor to attack By William H. McMichael - Staff writer Posted : Wednesday Feb 21, 2007 20:45:23 EST The attack would probably come by air. Waves of U.S. cruise missiles and warplanes loaded with smart weapons would swoop into Iran from the sea and land bases to destroy key Iranian nuclear facilities. Out in the Persian Gulf, the Navy would wipe out Iran’s navy in a matter of days. Iran’s air defenses could possibly take out a few higher-flying Navy and Air Force tactical jets before being located and destroyed. In short, the first round would …

From Foreign Affairs [excerpt]

From Defense Aerospace Syria Boosting Arsenal Since War (Source: ddi Indian Government news; issued Feb. 22, 2007) Syria has embarked on an "unprecedented" effort to bolster its armed forces with Iranian and Russian help since Damascus has large numbers of surface-based missiles including the Scud-D, capable of reaching any target in Israel, [israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.] Haaretz also said Russia was about to sell Syria thousands of advanced anti-tank missiles, despite Israeli charges that in the past Syria has transferred those missiles to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Syrian officials did not immediately comment on the Israeli reports, but…

From BBC News Taleban 'getting Chinese weapons' By Paul Danahar BBC Asia bureau chief, Beijing Britain has privately complained to Beijing that Chinese-made weapons are being used by the Taleban to attack British troops in Afghanistan. The BBC has been told that on several occasions Chinese arms have been recovered after attacks on British and American troops by Afghan insurgents. The authorities in Beijing have promised to carry out an investigation. This appears to be the first time Britain has asked China how its arms are ending up with the Taleban. Boasting At a meeting held recently at the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing, a British …

NATO hunting at least one Russian Navy Oscar II Class submarine that is chasing aircraft carriers in the Med (Aviationist)

INDIA TO ASSEMBLE RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS 12:16 Novosti MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - Indian President Abdul Kalam has arrived in Russia and visited the Sukhoi aircraft corporation in the forerun to India's assembly of 140 Su-30-MKI fighters under a Russian license, Izvestia, a daily, reported. Kalam and Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan discussed New Delhi's participation in developing the fifth generation fighter and the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) medium-range airliner. India is ready to channel $100 million into the RRJ program. In 2004, Sukhoi won a state tender for developing the fighter, which is to phase out current Sukhoi and Mikoyan-Gurevich warplanes…

From Defense Talk Pakistan successfully tests nuclear-capable missile Agence France-Presse | Feb 23, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Friday test-fired its longest range nuclear-capable ballistic missile, two days after signing a deal with rival India to cut the risk of atomic weapons accidents, the military said. The Shaheen II, or Hatf VI, missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) was launched from an undisclosed location, military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP. "The test was very successful. It was carried out to validate technical parameters and it hit the target with 100 percent accuracy," Sultan said. "It is a two-stage so…

From Jane's India prepares for significant delay on Phalcon programme 21 November 2007 India's USD1.5 billion contract to mount Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-made Phalcon airborne early warning radars on three Ilyushin IL-76 A-50 heavy transport aircraft has been significantly delayed, official sources said. Defence officials conceded that a delay in the delivery of the first Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by nearly a year to September 2008 was another example of Russia's growing list of delays in supplying military equipment to India. Consequently, the induction of the remaining two AEW&a…

Strategic Depth & Israel's Maritime Strategy (Real Clear Defense)

Gulf States Prepare for Blockage of Hormuz Strait By REUTERS, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates DefenseNews Oil-exporting Gulf states adopted a contingency plan on June 14 in case of a blockage of shipping through the mouths of the Gulf and the Red Sea, the United Arab Emirates’ official news agency WAM reported. The move came amid tension between the United States and Iran over its nuclear program, and a warning this month by Iran’s supreme leader that world energy flows could be endangered by any U.S. "wrong move" against Tehran. WAM said transport ministers of the six Gulf countries "adopted an emergency plan to be implemented on (Gulf Arab) seaports if Hor…

Afghanistan/U.S.: 'Strategic Partnership' Seen As Move Toward De Facto Rights For U.S. Bases By Ron Synovitz GlobalSecurity The strategic partnership agreed to at the White House on 23 May by U.S. President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai seeks to ensure long-term cooperation between the two governments. In their memorandum of understanding, Bush pledged continued help to strengthen security forces, democracy, and the Afghan economy. Karzai agreed that U.S. forces will continue to have access to the Bagram Air Field north of Kabul and other strategic military installations. Prague, 25 May 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the s…

From Reuters [excerpt]

From http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09/25/party-appears-to-be-ending-for-somali-pirates/?test=latestnews [excerpt]

Details on the late 2023 incidents, drone attacks, SRBM attacks and others: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/12/several-new-major-incidents-in-the-red-sea/

From Reuters [excerpt]

Pakistan admits defense role of China-built Gwadar port Special to World Tribune.com EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM Thursday, May 26, 2005 The Chinese-built port facility at Gwadar, on the Indian Ocean in western Pakistan, will be used for defense purposes, a Pakistani admiral said. Gwadar is seen as part of Beijing's 'string of pearls' strategy to secure sea routes for oil from the Middle East. Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Shahid Karimullah said at a conference on April 26 that while the port is also a commercial facility it will also be used by warships. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said last year that the port would be strictly a commercial facility …

From http://www.cnn.com/2....html?hpt=hp_t1 [excerpt]

Russian Planes Sold To Syria JERUSALEM — Israel is concerned about reported Russian deliveries of advanced MiG-31 fighter planes to its enemy Syria as part of an armaments drive, the topselling Hebrew daily reported yesterday. The MiG-31, considered one of the best fighters in the world, can carry guided missiles with a range of more than 125 miles and is capable of striking 24 targets simultaneously, Yediot Aharonot said. A Russian newspaper reported yesterday that Russia has begun delivering five MiG-31E interceptors to Syria and that Moscow also plans to sell Damascus its MiG-29M/M2 dual-role fighters.

France Carries Out Airstrikes In Mali France Loses Gazelle, Soldier in Air Raid (from Aviation Week, Ares blog)