CV32

That's a payload code, Rene, not a DP value. It identifies the Mk 46 Mod 2 torpedo as the payload for the Ikara missile. But thanks for watching so closely. Brad

From BBC News 11 March 1985: Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader There is a new man in charge at the Kremlin - Mikhail Gorbachev has taken over following the death of Konstantin Chernenko. Chernenko, 73, died yesterday after a long illness - but his death was only announced to the Soviet people this morning. Sombre music preceded the news on radio and television and scheduled programmes were cancelled. The speed of naming of his successor - at 54 the youngest man to take over as general secretary of the Soviet communist party - has taken people by surprise. More here

From Defence Aerospace Franco-Italian Horizon Program: Launch of the First French Frigate Source: DCN; issued March 10, 2005 LORIENT, France --- An official ceremony was held today at the DCN shipyards in Lorient to mark the launching of the Forbin, the first Horizon class French frigate. This industrial operation marks an important milestone for the cooperative Franco-Italian naval program. DGA and NAVARM, the two procurement agencies for the Horizon program, have awarded the overall project management for this cooperative program to HORIZON SAS, a joint subsidiary of Armaris (a DCN/Thales joint venture) and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a Fincantieri/Finmeccanica joint venture). The anti-air frigates were designed to control the airspace over the battle zone to support military operations, provide command for air defense, or directly protect special units. Their missions could include anti-air cover for an aero-naval convoy, or for a group of vessels unequipped for attack and defense. They could also be used to intervene in the aero-maritime theater of action, or participate in public service civil operations. Horizon frigates will be equipped with the main PAAMS anti-air missile system, developed by France, Italy and Great Britain. Horizon SAS, the prime contactor for this Franco-Italian program awarded DCN, in France, and Fincantieri, in Italy, responsibility for the design and construction of the warships. Prime contracting for the combat system was entrusted to EUROSYSNAV, a joint venture of Armaris/Finmeccanica, which draws its industrial capacities from DCN, Finmeccanica and Thales. The Horizon contract includes the development and construction of four state-of-the-art anti-air frigates, as well as their associated logistics: -- Two French frigates, Forbin and Chevalier Paul, to replace the Suffren and Duquesne frigates; -- Two Italian frigates to replace the Ardito and Audace frigates The planning schedule signed in October 2000 by the French and Italian governments and HORIZON SAS is right on time: --8 April 2002: “first cut” ceremony for the first French frigate --19 July 2002: “first cut” ceremony for the first Italian frigate --19 September 2003: “first cut” ceremony for the second Italian frigate --1st December 2003: “first cut” ceremony for the second French frigate --10 March 2005: launching of the first French frigate --Summer 2005: launching of the first Italian frigate --End of 2006: delivery of the first French frigate --Mid-2007: delivery of the first Italian frigate --Spring 2008: delivery of the second French frigate --Beginning of 2009: delivery of the second Italian frigate This program underscores the close cooperation between the French and Italian naval industries. Together, these two countries are developing and building warships which are among the most sophisticated in their fleets. Moreover, a new profile of the European naval industry is emerging: strong industrial cooperation, ranged around the major players. This cooperative trend was confirmed by the launching of the European Multi-Mission Frigate (FREMM) program by the French and Italian Ministries of Defense in Paris last October. Within this framework, Armaris and its Italian partner, Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, will jointly share prime-contracting responsibilities for the FREMM program.

From Navy Times Fallon seeks quick agreement on Kitty Hawk replacement Associated Press (Kyodo) The commander of U.S armed forces in the Pacific told Congress on Wednesday he wants to reach an early agreement with Japan on a replacement of the retiring Japan-based aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. ”I’d like to have some agreement on the issue with Japan,” Adm. William Fallon, commander of the Hawaii-based Pacific Command, told a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing. With the Kitty Hawk slated for retirement in 2008, Congress is urging the military to quickly set out an overall naval deployment plan to offset China’s growing naval power in the Pacific. The Navy wants to replace the Kitty Hawk with a nuclear-powered carrier, a move opposed by some local communities in Japan concerned about hosting nuclear-powered vessels. Commissioned in 1961, the 83,960-ton Kitty Hawk is the oldest U.S. active aircraft carrier and has been based at Yokosuka Naval Fleet Activities since July 1998.

Hi, Akula ! Welcome to HarpGamer. The ATA and DATA values are taken from the Harpoon 4 paper rules, and are essentially intended to model an aircraft's "unloaded" and "loaded" performance, particularly in terms of agility or maneuverability. They are used in calculating the outcome of missile engagements. I don't have my H4 rule book in front of me today, but if you're unfamiliar with these rules, I can try a more detailed explanation. Regarding an FAQ for database values, there's definitely a need for one. Maybe someone will get around to producing it.

From Defense News Georgian Parliament To Vote on Russian Military Bases By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, TBILISI Georgia’s parliament will vote March 10 on whether to outlaw Russian military bases on the former Soviet republic’s territory, unless Moscow and Tbilisi can agree on their withdrawal by January 2006. However, Moscow responded that such a timeline was impossible to meet, setting up another confrontation with the former Soviet republic, which currently houses two Russian military bases. Relations between the two countries had been severely strained in recent years, following the election of pro-Western reformer Mikhail Saakashvili as Georgian president. “Russian military bases must be withdrawn from Georgia by January 2006, after that their presence in our country would be illegal,” said a Georgian text due for submission to parliament. According to the text, Tbilisi and Moscow have only until May 1 to work out a suitable deadline for the withdrawal of the bases, which have been one of several strains in relations between Russia and Georgia. Parliament’s planned vote has raised alarm among Georgian government officials. Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili called for the issue to be considered at a later date, saying “there is a certain plan for the Russian withdrawal,” though she admitted she was not certain “we would get the results we expect.” The statement also outraged parliament speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, who tried to strike it off the assembly’s agenda. “We have an agreement with the Russian side — we are waiting for their concrete proposals (until May 1). I do not think we should prompt anyone to say this issue is being pressed in our parliament, or provoke any inadequate reaction,” Burdzhanadze said. The Russian foreign ministry also called the move “counterproductive,” as Moscow and Tbilisi were due to hold intensive talks on the issue in March or April. “It is understood that if the atmosphere is heated, negotiators would find it harder to seek compromise,” the ministry’s spokesman said late March 10. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov denied last month at a security conference in Munich that Russia had pledged to close all four of its bases in Georgia at a 1999 summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It has withdrawn from two of them but negotiations over the timetable for the removal of the other two, in the western town of Batumi and the southern town of Akhalkalaki, have long been stalled. Russia had said that it would need up to 10 or more years to close the sites, and is pressing either Georgia or the United States to help finance the project. An unnamed Russian defense ministry official told ITAR-TASS that Moscow may be able to withdraw its troops from Georgia by 2009. “After carefully examining the situation we have come to the conclusion that we will need three to four years at the minimum,” the unnamed Russian defense ministry official said. A Russian proposal last year to set up joint “anti-terrorist centers” is seen in Tbilisi as a means to keep the Russian bases under another guise, a Georgian lawmaker who was in the talks, Guiga Bokeria, told Agence France-Presse. [For a Harpoon Classic Gold scenario that focuses on Georgia, try my scenario Tsetskli ! Brad]

From Army Times March 09, 2005 Base in Korea closes Associated Press CAMP PAGE, South Korea — Thumping helicopters streamed out of the U.S. military base Camp Page Wednesday, as soldiers packed trucks with equipment to prepare for moving as part of Washington’s plan to reduce its forces in South Korea. The base is to be closed and turned over to South Korea by the end of March in line with U.S. plans to restructure its deployment of overseas forces in order to focus more on anti-terrorism operations. Some 12,500 troops will depart by 2008, leaving 24,500 soldiers in this country as part of the military presence that the United States has maintained here since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. About 3,600 U.S. troops have already been redeployed from South Korea to Iraq. The 120 soldiers from the Army’s 542nd Medical Evacuation Company are to move next week to Fort Campbell, Ky., said Capt. Wesley Pickens. On Wednesday, helicopters from Camp Page — located in Chuncheon, about 50 miles northeast of Seoul — moved to another nearby U.S. base, Camp Eagle. Soldiers loaded trucks and containers with equipment to be shipped to the United States. Bustling soldiers pulled down signs and carried empty drawers from rooms. Washington has insisted that — despite the reduction in forces — the U.S. military could turn back a North Korean attack with the aid of new weapons technology. “Everything is being considered by the higher commands and there is no detriment to the amount of defenses for South Korea,” Pickens said.

From Defense News China To Have 800 Missiles Aimed at Taiwan in 2006: Defense Minister By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, TAIPEI The number of Chinese ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan is expected to reach at least 800 next year, the island’s defense minister Lee Jye said March 9. The People’s Liberation Army currently has 700 ballistic missiles deployed opposite Taiwan, Lee said in his first report to the new session of parliament. “The number is estimated to increase to 800 next year,” Lee warned, in a call for support of a new 480 billion Taiwan dollar ($15.24 billion) arms package aimed at deterring China. His report came one day after Taipei lodged what one senior Taiwanese official called “the strongest protest” against “threats resorting to violent means” by China, which on March 8 outlined an anti-secession law aimed at Taiwan. Beijing reiterated it was prepared to use force to bring the island to heel but only after all other avenues are exhausted. The alternative to force was peaceful reunification using the one country, two systems model adopted by Hong Kong, according to Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the National People’s Congress, or parliament. Beijing on March 4 announced it would boost military spending 12.6 percent this year to 247.7 billion yuan ($29.9 billion). Taiwan’s special arms budget calls for the purchase of six U.S.-made Pac-3 anti-missile systems, eight conventional submarines and a fleet of submarine-hunting P-3C aircraft from the United States over 15 years beginning this year. Since pro-independence president Chen Shui-bian was re-elected in March, Beijing has stressed its long-standing vow to take Taiwan by force should it declare formal independence. Taiwan has already put into service three U.S.-made PAC-2 anti-missile systems to protect the greater Taipei area. The defense ministry and Chen have said China would increase the deployment of missiles targeting Taiwan at a speed of 75 per year. Lee said land-based cruise missiles being developed by China could also be used “to launch a long-distance strike blitz on Taiwan.” Military analysts say Taiwan’s military commands, communications, airports and sea ports would be vulnerable to surprise Chinese missile attacks. Should war break out, China’s elite combat troops and marines could attack Taiwan’s airports and harbors while its “Fifth Column,” or agents, could strike from within, Lee said. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be unified since their split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Taipei’s cabinet last year approved a special weapons budget of 610.8 billion Taiwan dollars but the opposition called it excessive and demanded a cutback to 300 billion dollars. In a bid to win parliament’s approval, the government last month slashed by almost a quarter the cost of the package. Washington has warned there would be “repercussions” if Taiwan fails to approve the budget, officials have said. Some critics say Taiwan cannot afford the spending while others say the weaponry will not be delivered in time to fend off any attack from China in coming years. Others say it could fuel an arms race with Beijing, which regards the island as a renegade province. The United States remains the leading arms supplier to Taiwan despite its switching of diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979. Under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the United States is obliged to provide arms “of a defensive nature” to the island.

Hey, Jan, check out the news about Israel's planned development of a new radar satellite in the Current Events section. I think this could be tied in to your scenario idea about a potential conflict between Iran and France after an Israeli strike against an Iranian nuclear powerplant (shades of Osirak). You could suppose some French technical assistance in the design and development of the Israeli TecSAR radar satellite, which is then instrumental in confirming Israeli concerns about Iranian WMD intentions. Then, after the Israeli pre-emptive strike, Iran has some more overt reasons to be angry with France. Just some brainstorming to help (hopefully) you along.

From C4ISR Journal Israel Building New Radar Satellite BY BARBARA OPALL-ROME March 04, 2005 Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Elta Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of government-owned Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), unveiled details of the TecSAR satellite, a low-earth orbiting synthetic aperture radar technology demonstrator planned for launch by the first half of 2006. According to specifications displayed along with a mockup of the satellite during a Feb. 22 seminar at Elta’s headquarters in Ashdod, the satellite will weigh 300 kilograms, including the 100-kilogram SAR payload. The multimode payload employs electronic beam steering, which can be operated in strip-imaging mode, whereby synthetic apertures are targeted on wide geographical swaths; in spot-imaging mode which focuses on a specific, pre-assigned target; or in so-called mosaic mode, where the radar imager slews its focus on a number of spots in the same general target area. The TecSAR — like Israel’s Ofeq series of spy satellites — will pass over specific target areas once every 90 minutes or so. But because the satellite’s SAR payload is capable of providing high-resolution imagery during the day, at night and in all weather conditions, it will provide double the amount of usable intelligence within a 24-hour, since the Ofeq’s electro-optical camera cannot capture imagery at night or through clouds and other climatic obstacles. In a Feb. 22 announcement, Elta noted that a powerful ground station is already deployed to task new missions via a high speed data link, which also downloads images for further exploitation and interpretation. The data link is capable of storing 240 giga-bytes of memory. Technology incorporated in TechSAR is based on more than two decades of development work at Elta, Israel’s radar development house. Operational SAR systems developed by Elta include the EL/M-2060P reconnaissance pod for fighters, which captures 50,000 kilometers of territory per hour at standoff ranges of up to 150 kilometers, and the EL/M-2055 for unmanned aerial vehicles and light aircraft, both of which are capable of detecting and tracking moving ground targets. IAI President and Chief Executive Moshe Keret said Elta, through its development and production of TechSAR, joins IAI’s other business units that contribute to Israel’s space-related capabilities. IAI’s MBT Division is prime contractor for four Israeli satellites currently in orbit: the military Ofeq-5, the commercial Earth Remote Observation Satellite (Eros-A), the Amos-1 and Amos-2 telecommunications satellites. Additionally, IAI’s MLM Division is prime contractor for the Shavit, three-stage rocket, which is expected to loft TechSAR into orbit. Although the Shavit failed to launch Israel’s Ofeq-6 into orbit last August due to a faulty electronic component, defense and industry sources here said Israel’s MoD is sticking with the indigenous system for upcoming launches of the Ofeq-7 as well as TechSAR. “Our ability to integrate SAR systems and similar technologies will enable our company to advance future business opportunities also in the sector of civilian space,” Keret told government and industry executives at the Elta seminar in late February. While security classifications prevented IAI and MoD officials from discussing the intended resolution for the planned TechSAR, sources here said the spacecraft should be capable of detecting objects as small as one-meter across. An expert at Israel’s Asher Space Research Institute, part of the Technion technical university of Haifa, noted that resolution of SAR satellites is usually determined by the size of the radar’s antennae when measured in the direction of movement, meaning that a SAR satellite with a two-meter antennae should generate imagery of about one meter, depending on orbiting altitude and other technical variables.

From Defence Aerospace First B-2s Deploy to Andersen Source: US Air Force; issued March 4, 2005 ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --- B-2 Spirit bombers have deployed here for the first time to support Pacific Command’s security efforts in the Western Pacific. More than 270 Airmen of the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron deployed from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., currently the only B-2 unit in the Air Force. They replaced the 93rd EBS from Barksdale AFB, La. The 393rd EBS is the first B-2 squadron to deploy here supporting Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The bombers enhance regional security and the U.S. commitment to the area, Pacific Air Forces officials said. This rotation provides training to integrate bombers into PACAF's joint and coalition exercises from a forward-deployed location, they said. “We feel that we have some great training opportunities out here,” said Col. Curtiss Petrek, 36th Expeditionary Operations Group commander. “One of the things we do a lot with the B-2 is fly missions that tend to be a bit longer than the average sorties that most of the aircraft fly. We'll get an opportunity to fly those types of missions and to really practice some of the command-and-control communication links.” Besides training missions, the Whiteman bombers need to acclimate themselves to the differences of flying around here, Colonel Petrek said. “The distances are so much further apart here, and if you are going to fly a mission, you need good command and control. It's important that everyone knows the systems you have, how they are to be used, and that they are used properly,” he said. Although the 393rd EBS is the first B-2 squadron to deploy to Andersen, the pathway has been cleared for them by three previous B-52 Stratofortress squadrons, Colonel Petrek said. “The transition here has been pretty easy primarily because the prior B-52 unit deployed here worked with us well in advance to make our transition go (smoothly),” he said. The bomber squadron consists of a variety of maintainers to keep the B-2 up and flying. “A large majority of us are maintenance specialists,” the commander said. “We have quite a few systems that require unique specialties so we have quite a few Airmen with some very specialized skills.” The B-2 is distinguished from other bombers and fighters by its stealth capabilities and high aerodynamic efficiency, he said. “Probably one of the key things that differentiate us from other aircraft is the low-observable characteristics of the airplane,” the colonel said. “(They give) the combatant commander an airplane to use in instances that other aircraft can't be used. This comes at some price, however, because it takes quite a bit of work to maintain those (characteristics).” The B-2 commander said he expects the Airmen to make the most of their time here and to complete their mission as they have been trained to do. “One of the things we put a lot of focus on is to be able to put the airplane over a target when we are told to do it,” Colonel Petrek said. “We practice and train to do those things (at Whiteman and now here) so if we are ever called to do it, we can do it and do it well.” [insert shameless plug for my latest scenario, "Resolve", here ... which stages B-2 bombers at Guam for a precision strike mission against WMD targets in the PRC ... Brad].

Oops. OK, will fix. Brad

Not the only way, but heckuva lot better than passive, especially in the cluttered coastal environment in which you're likely to find that SSK. The problem is, active sonar is typically short ranged, and its gonna let the other guy know you are there in a big way.

A new version of the Harpoon Classic Gold Database (HCDB-050305) is available. The download is available from the DB Share section of the HarpGamer website (www.harpgamer.com). New additions to the HCDB include: Canterbury (Leander) FF – New Zealand Emer OPV – Ireland Guangzhou Type 052B DDG – China Lanzhou Type 052C DDG – China Maanshan Type 054 FFG – China SS-26 Iskander-E TEL – Russia SS-26 Iskander-M TEL – Russia CV-22A Osprey – USA J-10 - China Super Lynx 300 – INTL Daphne (Spain) SS – Spain Galerna (Agosta) SS – Spain Klasse 206 SS – FRG Mistral (Agosta) SS – Spain PLEASE NOTE that we are now just including the commondb.res file to reduce the size of the download and simplify things. Just rename your current commondb.res file (such as commondb_original.res, for example) and copy the new one into the HCG root directory. Keeping the old file will permit you to easily switch back and forth between databases. You do not need to import to play the sim using the new HCDB. You will need to import if you want to use it in the Platform Editor. More details can be found in the FAQ at our website. You will need this latest version to play my new scenario "Resolve". Enjoy. Brad

Why the need to encase it in concrete ? Environmental concerns ?

From http://www.defensenews.com United States, Europe Consider Penalties Against Syria By ADAM ENTOUS, REUTERS The United States and European allies are considering joint measures to punish Syria if it fails to take concrete steps to withdraw from Lebanon, officials said March 3, as President George W. Bush renewed his demand that Damascus get out now. Stepping up public pressure on Syria for a second day in a row, Bush said, "The message is loud and clear -- from the United States and France and many other nations -- that Syria must withdraw not only her troops, but her secret service forces out of Lebanon now." The president said he would discuss the issue later in the day with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and was seeking an "amplification on her visit with our allies overseas" on their views on Lebanon. "I look forward to not only hearing their words, I want to hear about their body language, I want to hear about their enthusiasm for the project. I think I'm going to find it was quite high because people now understand that if you believe in democracy, why not let the democracy in Lebanon flourish and grow," Bush said. A senior Bush administration official said the United States and its allies were now assessing "what additional steps the international community can take to assert or seek compliance." "We're looking for a way forward in the event that Syria doesn't live up" to a U.S.- and French-sponsored Security Council resolution calling for foreign troops to leave Lebanon, the official said of the discussions. Washington's goal, according to administration and congressional officials, is to be ready to act quickly in conjunction with Europe, possibly with joint sanctions and a tougher new U.N. resolution. "In the event Syria does not comply, other measures have to be explored," an administration official said. "We're looking ahead at how to respond to any of the contingencies that may arise." Officials said it was unclear what specific economic and diplomatic measures would be included in any trans-Atlantic package to penalize Syria. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was quoted in a “Time” magazine interview as saying he expected Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon in a few months. Washington, while setting no deadlines, has reacted with skepticism. But after meeting with Bush at the White House this week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said Syria must pull its troops from Lebanon faster than the timetable suggested by Assad. Any trans-Atlantic punitive measures would come on top of new unilateral sanctions Washington is considering imposing on its own. Those include freezing Syrian assets to further isolating its banking system.

Bah. Don't let a philosophy of enforced "realism" in scenarios prevent you from designing what could be a really great premise for your scenario. Realism and credibility, like beauty, are in the eye of the beholder. In 1985, would you have guessed that twenty years later, the USSR had crumbled and its Warsaw Pact allies had joined NATO ? Would you have guessed that the US had fought two wars in Iraq and that the country was (hopefully) on its way to becoming a democracy ? It doesn't take much imagination to see what I mean. Sure, whatever works for the scenario you have in mind. Its been my experience that people will play scenarios - and enjoy them - based on what forces are matched up, what the objectives are, and what challenges face them. The story or background, while a great addition, is NOT the determinative factor. Btw, we should probably move this discussion to the Scenario Design forum, but I'm glad that the news report about Iran provoked your thought processes.

Sounds like the makings of an interesting scenario, Jan. Anytime you put a naval task force into confined waters, with a hostile force situate in very close proximity, it can be made into a challenging mission. This is especially true when you substitute the typical US Navy carrier battle group with something a little less powerful. Toss in some sea mines, and maybe the limited assistance of a small friendly Gulf nation like Qatar, Bahrain or the UAE, and that French task force is going to have an action packed trip making its way out of the Gulf.

From http://www.defensenews.com Singapore Navy To Escort Passing Merchant Ships By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, SINGAPORE Armed escorts from the Singapore Navy will guard selected merchant ships and cruise liners plying the city-state’s busy waters as part of efforts to prevent terrorism, the defense ministry said Feb. 28. The Accompanying Sea Security Teams scheme will be launched sometime in March, a ministry spokesperson said. The Straits Times newspaper reported Feb. 28 that up to eight navy personnel capable of running a commercial vessel in an emergency will board selected ships that might be threatened because of their cargo. The team will include a seaman, an engineering specialist and a radio operator. They will don bullet-proof vests and carry weapons like carbines and pistols but have no powers of arrest, which will rest with the Police Coast Guard. “We don’t call them sea marshals, which is more aggressive,” Col. Chng Teow Hiang, commander of the navy’s coastal command, told the daily. “This is a team giving you added security while transiting, not going on board to search and turn tables,” he said. The report noted that about 1,000 vessels transit the Singapore Strait daily, ranging from massive tankers and container ships to ferries and barter trading boats linking Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. According to a study published by Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, the global maritime industry is vulnerable to a major terrorist attack. Singapore is one of the world’s busiest port cities. Terrorists could use ships to transport operatives, equipment or weapons, raise money through legal or illicit trade, and attack larger vessels like the U.S. destroyer Cole, which was hit in Yemen’s Aden harbor in October 2000, it said. Oil and chemical tankers could be rigged as floating bombs, the report said. It also said the exposure of a black market in nuclear weapons technology has heightened fears that terrorist groups like al-Qaida could get their hands on weapons of mass destruction and move them by sea to attack major cities.

From http://www.defensenews.com Estonia To Probe Arms Transport on Sunken Ferry By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, TALLINN The Estonian government has set up a commission to investigate reports that the doomed passenger ferry that sunk in 1994 had transported military equipment, the government announced March 3. “The aim of the expert commission is to look into the possible transport of weapons, which a Swedish inquiry has established,” a government spokesman said, adding that it would present a final report by Sept. 1. The panel is headed by a state prosecutor and includes representatives of other law-enforcement agencies. Swedish reports in January claimed radar and listening equipment left behind in the Baltic states by departing Soviet forces had been seized by Swedish intelligence and secretly taken to Sweden aboard the Estonia in the weeks preceding the calamity, although there was none on board when the ferry sank in the Baltic Sea in heavy storms, taking the lives of 852 passengers. In 1997, a mixed Swedish, Finnish and Estonian enquiry committee concluded that the catastrophe was due to a forward ramp not having been properly secured, so that the car deck was flooded. Meanwhile the Estonian parliament is debating a draft resolution on setting up a parliamentary commission to investigate the allegations over military equipment. According to the opposition Centre Party, which proposed the bill, there was “public information that the Swedish defense forces and one Estonian company secretly transported Russian battle equipment and military electronics at least twice in 1994 out of Estonia to Sweden on board the Estonia ferry.” “Parliamentary scrutiny is required to establish the truth about the events 10 years ago,” a party spokesman said.

From http://www.defensenews.com N. Korea Slams U.S., Threatens To Hold Missile Tests By JON HERSKOVITZ, REUTERS, SEOUL North Korea threatened to resume long-range missile testing and demanded the United States apologize for calling the country "an outpost of tyranny", official media reported late March 2. The Korean-language version of a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report quoted a Foreign Ministry statement as saying Pyongyang threatened to test-fire a long-range missile. The statement said North Korea did not feel bound by a 1999 moratorium on missile testing, reached when Pyongyang was in non-proliferation talks with the administration of then-U.S. President Bill Clinton. "There is now no binding force for us on the moratorium on missile testing," the Korean-language report said. "We are not legally bound by an international treaty, or anything else on the missile issue." The North said its dialogue with the United States ended with the start of the Bush administration in 2001 and that meant it now had the right to resume missile testing. Pyongyang slammed the Bush administration for first branding North Korea part of an "axis of evil" and more recently describing it as an outpost of tyranny. It called on Washington to apologize, asking, “How can we sit at the negotiating table with the U.S. given that the U.S. has rejected the government of the DPRK (North Korea)?" KCNA reported. On Feb. 10, North Korea officially announced for the first time that it had nuclear weapons and said it was pulling out of six-party talks aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions. It cited Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s designation of North Korea as one of the "outposts of tyranny" during her Senate confirmation in January. The North said that statement was evidence that Washington had not abandoned its "hostile" policy toward North Korea, first made manifest when President George W. Bush famously grouped North Korea, Iran and prewar Iraq in an "axis of evil." The English-language version of the KCNA report, however, did not contain the missile-testing threat and held out the possibility of a return to six-party disarmament talks "if the U.S. takes a trustworthy and sincere attitude." That was similar to language it used on Feb. 22 when North Korean leader Kim Jong-il hinted he might be willing to return to the talks. North Korea sent shockwaves through Asia in 1998 when it fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean. The Taepodong 1 missile is believed to have a range of up to 2,500 km (1,550 miles). It has also tested and deployed the Rodong 1 missile with a range of about 1,000 km. The North is also thought to be developing missiles capable of reaching the western United States. North Korea’s official media on Feb. 22 quoted leader Kim Jong-il as telling a high-powered envoy from the North’s main benefactor, China, his nation could return to the six-way talks if the conditions were right and Washington showed sincerity. The top Chinese negotiator to the North Korean nuclear talks met his U.S. counterpart on Thursday in Seoul in a bid to restart the stalled negotiations. Wu Dawei, who met South Korean officials on Wednesday, held discussions with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Christopher Hill for talks that were closed to reporters. No details of the discussions were made available. South and North Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia met for three inconclusive rounds of the talks. A fourth round planned for late last year never materialized.

From http://www.defensenews.com China To Increase Military Spending in 2005 By ROBERT J. SAIGET, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BEIJING China is expected to increase its military expenditure by 12.6 percent this year, while boosting its capability of using force to reunify rival Taiwan, sources said March 3. The rise in spending comes with Washington voicing concern that China’s military build-up could tilt the strategic balance with Taiwan and also threaten U.S. forces in Asia. In his budget report to the upcoming annual session of the National People’s Congress, Finance Minister Jin Renqing is expected to propose raising military spending in 2005 to 244.65 billion yuan ($29.5 billion), sources said. China’s stated military budget has increased by double digits over most of the last 15 years, with defense spending rising by more than 17 percent in 2001 and 2002. It fell to a 9.6 percent clip in 2003 before rising again to 11.6 percent last year. According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, China’s publicized military budget is “less than half of China’s actual defense spending.” Other military analysts say China’s actual defense spending could be up to three times more than its stated figure as Beijing does not include new arms purchases and weapons’ research and development in the figures. By comparison, the U.S. defense budget is about $400 billion this year. The rise in spending comes as the European Union considers the lifting of an arms embargo on China put in place following the 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen democracy protests in central Beijing. The United States adamantly opposes the ban being lifted. In a white paper on defense published in December, China said its ongoing military modernization was aimed at squashing “Taiwan independence forces” and made clear any attempt at independence would be dealt with harshly. “Should the Taiwan authorities go so far as to make a reckless attempt that constitutes a major incident of Taiwan independence, the Chinese people and armed forces will resolutely and thoroughly crush it at any cost,” the policy paper said. The document said it was the “sacred responsibility” of the Chinese armed forces to stop Taiwan independence forces from splitting the country. China already has 600 missiles pointed at the island, from which it split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Such rhetoric has worried both Washington and Taiwan, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in January voicing concerns over China’s growing naval capabilities. Meanwhile, CIA chief Porter Goss last month warned of China’s missile buildup on its coast facing Taiwan. “Beijing’s military modernization and military buildup could tilt the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait,” said Goss. “Improved Chinese capabilities threaten U.S. forces in the region,” he told a congressional committee assessing the main security threats to the United States. Goss said China was stepping up efforts to “develop robust, survivable nuclear armed missiles as well as conventional capability for use in regional conflicts”. According to Taiwan’s 2004 National Defense Report, the military balance across the Taiwan Straits would shift in Beijing’s favor within the next four years if Taipei does not respond to China’s defense modernization. Taiwan’s defense spending rose slightly to 264.1 billion Taiwan dollars ($8.15 billion) in 2004 from 252.3 billion 10 years ago. The U.S. is required by its 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to help maintain the island’s defense against any eventual attack from China.

From http://www.defence-aerospace.com V-22 Cleared to Begin Operational Evaluation Source: Bell Helicopter; issued March 2, 2005 FORT WORTH, Texas --- The Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) testing program for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey has now been approved. On February 24, Tom Laux, the Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault, and Special Mission Programs, certified that the V-22 Osprey aircraft is ready for operational testing and evaluation. "This is great news signifying a crucial step forward in reaching our goal of getting this tremendous aircraft to our customers," declared Robert Kenney, Bell Helicopter vice president and director of the V-22 Joint Program Office. The actual start date for OPEVAL will be determined by Marine Corps Col. Glenn Walters, commanding officer of VMX-22, the squadron based at MCAS New River, NC, which has the mission of performing the V-22 OPEVAL. However, OPEVAL is expected to begin within two weeks. Two Ospreys were delivered in February from Bell Helicopter's Amarillo, Texas, manufacturing facility bringing the calendar year delivery total to three aircraft so far. February deliveries included the CV-22 Additional Test Asset (ATA) to Edwards AFB, Calif., and Osprey No. 48 was delivered to VMX-22 at MCAS New River, NC. The V-22 program calls for a total of 458 aircraft to be delivered to US Government customers. Bell Helicopter, a subsidiary of Textron Inc. is a $1.6 billion, leading producer of commercial and military helicopters, and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce of over 7,500 employees serves customers flying Bell aircraft in over 120 countries. Textron Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company with 44,000 employees in nearly 40 countries. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services.

From Air Force Magazine, March 2005 issue Rolling Thunder By John T. Correll Rolling Thunder, the air war against North Vietnam, began on March 2, 1965. The first mission was an indication of things to come. The targets, timing of the attack, and other details of the operation were all decided in Washington, D.C. There were only two targets. Both were relatively minor, located just north of the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Vietnam. The enemy’s real strength around Hanoi and Haiphong was not touched, not even threatened. It was a strange way to begin a war. more here: http://www.afa.org/magazine/march2005/0305thunder.asp

From http://www.defensenews.com Indonesia Sends Warships to Waters Claimed by Malaysia By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, JAKARTA Indonesia has dispatched three warships to a maritime border area also claimed by Malaysia amid rising tensions in the Sulawesi Sea, a navy spokesman said March 2. The warships were now in the disputed area off the coast of Malaysia’s Sabah state and the Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province, Navy Spokesman First Admiral Abdul Maliki Yusuf told Agence France-Presse. A fourth ship will leave for the area later March 2, Yusuf said, adding the navy also was considering sending a submarine to the area. “It is normal for the Indonesian navy to conduct routine patrols at its borders but following the tension there, it is imperative that we also enforce our presence and sovereignty there,” Yusuf said. Tensions had risen between the countries since Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas granted energy giant Shell a concession in the area on Feb. 16. Jakarta says the area is part of its territorial waters and some of the concession granted by Malaysia overlaps with one granted by the Indonesian government to Italy’s ENI and the U.S. company Unocal in the 1960s. Yusuf also said he has received a report that a Malaysian military plane flew over Indonesia’s territory. The Indonesian government has sent a formal protest to Malaysia over the matter but Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi maintains that the concession is within his country’s waters. Indonesia and Malaysia previously disputed the ownership of two small islands in the Sulawesi Sea. But in December 2002, the International Court of Justice concluded that the islands — Ligitan and Sipadan off Borneo island — belong to Malaysia.