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 DefenseNews Posted 04/17/07 15:40 Iranian Navy Says It Will Launch Iran-Built Destroyer By REUTERS, TEHRAN Iran’s navy plans to launch the first Iranian-built destroyer soon, the official IRNA news agency quoted a naval commander as saying on April 17. The announcement in the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas comes at a time of growing tension between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear program, which Washington and others suspect is a cover for making atom bombs. Tehran denies the charge. "Soon the first Iranian-made destroyer will be launched ... and will surprise the world’s military community with its facilities, equipment, capabilities and technology," c…

From Navy Times Kitty Hawk leaves Japan By Eric Talmadge - The Associated Press Posted : Wednesday May 28, 2008 14:39:04 EDT YOKOSUKA, Japan — The oldest active ship in the Navy, the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, made its final departure from Japan on Wednesday to be decommissioned after nearly a half-century of service. The Kitty Hawk, with sailors lining its decks, pulled away from Yokosuka port just south of Tokyo to the cheers of hundreds of schoolchildren and the sounds of brass bands. It flew the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, which designates it as the oldest ship in the Navy. The Kitty Hawk, the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier in the N…

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…

Part 1 (War is Boring) Part 2 (War is Boring) Part 3 (War is Boring) Part 4 (War is Boring)

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

Source: Tactical Reports http://www.tacticalreport.com/view_news/Li...rocurement/2442 Recently appointed Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces Major-General Yusef Al-Manqoush is said to have no intention of putting any obstacles before any European country trying to place offers with the Libyan Air Force (LAF) for fighter jets. He provided his views regarding the Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Mirage 2000-9. (rmks: It looks like the reconstituted LAF will court EU aircraft suppliers - almost a no-brainer in defense circles. These procurments will likely act a shot-in-the-arm for European aircraft companies). What are the thoughts of the forum? FWFS, …

Russia Confirms Sale of Missiles to Iran By HENRY MEYER Associated Press Writer MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia has struck a deal to sell short-range, surface-to-air missiles to Iran, the defense minister said Monday, confirming reports that have raised concern in the United States and Israel. Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov didn't give details. But Russian media have said that Moscow agreed in November to sell $1 billion worth of weapons to Iran, including up to 30 Tor-M1 missile systems over the next two years. "A contract for the delivery of air defense Tor missiles to Iran has indeed been signed," Ivanov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "This…

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

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 …

Interesting site finded researching for the Kill bin Laden scenario, with nice photos, probably tomorrow in the news http://www.bagram.afcent.af.mil/photos/med...?galleryID=6178

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

From Reuters [excerpt]

From Times Online From The Sunday Times July 5, 2009 Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran Uzi Mahnaimi in Tel Aviv and Sarah Baxter The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility. The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with…

From DefenseNews India To Build Aircraft Carrier to Own Design By ELIZABETH ROCHE, NEW DELHI India next month will begin building an indigenously designed aircraft carrier that will tap Italian expertise and take eight years to complete, a senior naval officer announced March 22. The carrier is designed to operate a mix of Russian MiG-29K and Kamov 31 anti-submarine helicopters and the naval variant of India’s light combat aircraft, said Vice Admiral Yashwant Prasad, the vice chief of naval staff. Construction of the 37,500-ton ship which would carry a maximum of 30 fighter aircraft will start April 11 at Cochin Shipyard in the southern state of Kerala. I…

Could al-Qaida take over Pakistan? Terrorists would inherit nuclear arsenal, delivery system This excerpt is from the latest issue of Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin. Asia Times and the Times of India both report today the Taliban and al-Qaida already have taken "virtual control" of the entire North Waziristan province of Pakistan and "declared" the establishment of an "Islamic state" in the area, gaining a major base for their operations against the U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden may be the most popular figure in the nation. Just one man's life is preventing bin Laden or his allies from getting their hands not on nuclear weapons, which th…

Source: http://navaltoday.com/2012/01/25/fincantie...l-for-uae-navy/ Fincantieri shipyard at Muggiano recently launched the “Ganthoot”, the first of two stealth patrol vessels included in the “Falaj 2” program in progress for the United Arab Emirates Navy who ordered them in 2010. The ship, whose name comes from a geographical area in the Emirates in the neighbourhood of Abu Dhabi, will be delivered in the last half of 2012. A second will be built with an option for an additional two (which is likely to be acted upon). Specs are sketchy at this time, but they tout it will be a multi-mission platform. This will be something interesting to follow.

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…

Marines join counter-piracy mission Find Marine Corps Times article here. By Trista Talton - Staff writer Posted : Friday Jan 23, 2009 13:30:36 EST Members of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are participating in counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, a spokesman for Marine Corps headquarters said Thursday. Amphibious transport dock San Antonio, the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, is carrying a reinforced Marine platoon, said 2nd Lt. Josh Diddams. Officials will not say how many Marines are on the ship, which left Camp Lejeune, N.C., in late August with the Norfolk, Va.-based Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group. A typical Marine infan…

From Aviation Week New Israeli Recon Sat Targets Iran Jun 25, 2010 By Michael A. Taverna Israel’s newest reconnaissance satellite is seen as boosting the country’s intelligence capabilities against Iran. With the observation satellite Ofeq-9 placed in low Earth orbit June 22, Israel now has six operational remote sensing satellites in space: the Ofeq-5 and 7 military observation satellites; ImageSat’s commercial/military EROS-A and EROS-B1, and Israel Aerospace Industries’ (AIA) TechSAR day/night all-weather synthetic aperture radar satellite, now designated Ofeq-8. “From now on, no country in the region will be able to conduct clandestine activities at …