US ready to act on Syria outside UN?

The US has hinted at taking actions against the Syrian regime bypassing the authority of the UN Security Council. This comes as pressure is piling up on Damascus following massacre in Houla that claimed over 100 lives.

US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice has said that if the council does not take swift action to pressure Syrian authorities to end 14-month crackdown on the anti-government uprising, the Security Council members may have no choice but to consider acting outside the UN.

“Members of the international community are left with the option only of having to consider whether they are prepared to take actions outside of the Annan plan and the authority of this council,” Rice said on Wednesday after the 15-member council met in a closed door session to discuss last week’s massacre.

The United Nations is conducting its own investigation of who exactly is responsible for the bloodshed in the town of Houla. However the US and its allies seem to have come to their own conclusion, saying that the Assad government is solely responsible for the violence.

Rice did not specify what “actions” she meant. However the US and European countries had earlier imposed their own sanction on Syria outside the UN. So there are fears that her words could mean the threat of military action.

The US envoy said the worst but most probable scenario in Syria is a failure of Annan's peace plan and a spreading conflict that could create a major crisis not only in Syria but also in the entire region.

"The Syrian government has made commitments. It has blatantly violated those commitments, and, I think it's quite clear, as we have said for many weeks if they continue to do so there should be consequences," Rice said.

Meanwhile, Syria’s Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari has stated Wednesday that the massacre in the town of Houla was carried out by “professional terrorists” who were seeking to ignite a sectarian conflict in the country.

“Many Syrian innocents got killed because of this misbehavior of these outsiders. The Syrian people need one clear-cut message that the international community, if there is an international community, is there to help settling the conflict in Syria," he said referring to last Friday's violence.

Russia’s envoy tot the UN Vitaly Churkin stated that both the authorities and opposition leaders should understand that the current situation in Syria is unacceptable.

Kosovo pattern in Syria?

Susan Rice’s comment became a disturbing reminder of what happened in 1999 when the US and NATO intervened in the former Yugoslavia without a UN Security Council mandate.

“The precedent is already there – we’ve mentioned Kosovo. It’s exactly what happened – you had an allegation of a massacre, which was the village of Racak; you had a UN decree that was severely bullied by the US ambassador who was leading the observation mission on the ground; you had claims that it was brutal unprovoked massacre of innocent civilians by government troops. Serbia was blamed, presented with the ultimatum and then bombed,” historian and author Nebojsa Malic told RT.

“We have the same pattern repeating itself in Syria.”

Blogger Rick Rozoff believes that the US has warned Russia and China that it will push forward military action no matter what.

“Ambassador Rice is basically telling Russia and China and other members of the Security Council that if they do not go along with Western plans for more stringent sanctions and other actions against Syria, the US and its NATO allies reserve a right to act outside the Security Council as they did with Yugoslavia 13 years ago and launch military actions against Syria,” Rozoff told RT.

By rt.com

Soviet discovery of lunar water ignored by West

Clear evidence of water on the moon would have created tremendous opportunities for mankind. And yet, the results of the last Soviet lunar mission, which returned in 1976 with water-rich rocks from beneath the moon’s surface, remained unnoticed.

­Talks of lunar bases are becoming increasingly common in some leading space powers, such as Russia or China. With these plans in mind, solid evidence of water presence on the moon would be more than topical. And it seems that the evidence has begun to mount in recent years, says a report on TechnologyReview.com.

It began, perhaps, with NASA’s Clementine mission in 1994, which searched for water by bouncing radio waves off the lunar surface – the returning waves indicated that there was enough water in the moon’s polar craters. However, some doubted the interpretation of the results.

Lunar Prospector – another NASA’s mission – kicked off in 1998 and was in part aimed at finding possible polar ice deposits by measuring the amount of neutrons emitted from the surface. Some evidence later came from Galileo's fly-by of the moon on its way to Jupiter. In 2009, the Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-I used an infrared camera to search for water in lunar rocks.

These missions have clearly demonstrated that the moon is not as dry as once thought. All samples delivered by Apollo expeditions did have traces of water, but those were believed to be the result of contamination.

But what remained unnoticed in the West is the Soviet discovery of water in moon rocks as early as the 1970s.

The Soviet Luna-24 sample-return mission landed on the surface of Earth’s moon in August 1976. The spacecraft extracted 300 grams of rock from the depth of two meters and delivered it to Earth. Soviet scientists then analyzed the sample and reported that water made up 0.1 per cent of its mass. They published their results in 1978 in the Soviet scientific journal Geokhimiya, which also has an English version, but it not widely read in the West.

“No other author has ever cited the Luna 24 work,” says Arlin Crotts of the Columbia University in New York City. The settled value for the lunar bulk water content, as of 2006, was below one part per billion. The present view, Crotts went on to explain, is that the proportion well exceeds one part per million.

If Western science, built on the dominance of the English language, had been less dismissive of other scientific schools, this and many other discoveries might have found their way into practical use a little sooner.

By rt.com

Enrichment 'not a step towards a bomb': Ahmadinejad

Iran's enrichment of uranium to 20 percent "is our right" and "is not a step towards a bomb," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday in an interview with the satellite television network France 24.

The enrichment activity, which world powers are trying to curb in fraught talks with Iran, "is one of our rights in terms of international law," Ahmadinejad said.

"There have been lies about our programme... Enriching uranium to 20 percent is not a step towards a bomb," he said, speaking Farsi through translators.

Ahmadinejad added that the heads of the UN nuclear watchdog should make world powers "provide us with uranium at a 20 percent enrichment level, but so far they have not done so."

As a result, he said, Iran "decided to move forward on our own" with enrichment.

His remark in Farsi on Iran being supplied with 20 percent enriched uranium was rendered differently when translated into English for the channel.

Ahmadinejad hinted, however, that Iran could be open to stopping 20 percent enrichment -- if world powers offered significant concessions.

"If others do not wish for us to fully benefit from this right, they need to explain to us why. And also they have to say what they are willing to give to the Iranian people in exchange."

The UN Security Council has issued six resolutions demanding Iran suspend all uranium enrichment. It has also imposed four sets of sanctions on Iran, which Western powers have hardened with their own harsh economic sanctions.

The five permanent UN Security Council member nations plus Germany -- the so-called P5+1 group -- are especially intent on getting Iran to stop enrichment to 20 percent as it is just a few technical steps short of bomb-grade 90-percent uranium.

The West suspects Tehran is developing nuclear weapon capability.

Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, enriches uranium to 3.5 percent for its Bushehr atomic energy plant in the south of the country, and says it needs 20 percent uranium to create medical isotopes in its Tehran research reactor.

"Why should the 20 percent enrichment create doubt? The Western powers have nuclear bombs. Should we trust them? Which is more dangerous: an atomic bomb or the 20 percent (enrichment)?" Ahmadinejad asked.

The 20 percent enrichment issue is at the heart of the talks with the P5+1 that are to resume June 18-19 in Moscow.

Ahmadinejad said that, as much as Iran would like to see the nuclear dispute resolved, "we do not expect to see a miracle" in Moscow.

"We have solid proposals that will be presented at the right time," he said. "Iran deserves a change in behaviour (by the West). The language used against us is not the right language to use."

The last round of talks, in Baghdad last week, nearly collapsed as it became clear that there was a gulf between the two sides.

While Ahmadinejad often asserts Iran's position in the nuclear dispute, all decisions on the matter are ultimately up to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has in recent years put limits on the president's authority.

Khamenei will on Sunday commemorate the death of the Islamic republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, with a closely watched speech that could give insight into his view on the developing showdown between Iran and the West.

The United States and its ally Israel -- the sole, if undeclared, nuclear weapons power in the Middle East -- have warned that military action against Iran was an option if diplomacy fails.

"Why does no one in the Western governments protest when they (Israel) threaten us?" Ahmadinejad protested in the interview.

"We are not afraid of their threats. The Iranian people have shown they know how to deal with such situations," he said.

by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) May 30, 2012

China nukes no 'direct threat,' says US commander

China's nuclear weapons do not pose a "direct threat" to the United States, the man in charge of America's arsenal said Wednesday in calling for greater dialogue with the Chinese.

"We would like to have routine contact and conversations with China's military," General Robert Kehler, head of Strategic Command, which oversees US nuclear deterrence, told the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

"We think there would be tremendous benefit to that in both China and the United States, in particular to help us avoid some misunderstanding or some tension in the future."

The STRATCOM commander said that although the United States and Russia account for roughly 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, dealing with the Chinese on the matter would become increasingly important.

"I do not see the Chinese strategic deterrent as a direct threat to the United States. We are not enemies," he said.

"Could it be (a threat)? I suppose if we were enemies it could be and therefore we at least have to be aware of that."

Kehler admitted concerns over the 2013 budget as the Pentagon tightens its belt following the global economic downturn, saying he was most worried about investment in the actual nuclear weapons, not their delivery systems.

"There is investment money there for long-range strike aircraft, there's investment there for a follow on to the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine," he said.

"I am most concerned that we make sure that we have the appropriate investment in place for the weapons complexes."

Fiscal pressure has forced US military chiefs to scale back projected spending by $487 billion over the next decade, a task they have described as tough but manageable.

But a threat of even more dramatic defense cuts also looms on the political horizon.

If Congress fails to agree by January 2013 on how to slash the ballooning deficit, dramatic defense reductions of about $500 billion would be automatically triggered under a law adopted last year.

by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) May 30, 2012

Boeing EA-18G Growler To Get BEL Produced Cockpit Sub-Assembly

India’s Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd will deliver the indigenously produced cockpit sub-assembly for the Boeing’s EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.

Boeing delivered its first EA-18G to the US Navy earlier this month. The aircraft’s cockpit will receive floodlighting that is compatible with the onboard Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS).

BEL has produced other parts for the EA-18G which include a complex-machined stowage panel for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System connector cable, and an avionics cooling system fan test switch panel with an NVIS-compatible floodlight assembly.

The BEL-made cockpit subassemblies will also be installed on Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The initial contract was awarded to BEL in March 2011 with the option to renew annually for up to four years. Boeing has recently exercised that option and has renewed the contract for another year.

“BEL continues to demonstrate its capabilities and its position as a valued partner to Boeing,” said Dennis Swanson, Vice President of International Business Development for Boeing Defense, Space & Security in India. “BEL’s work on P-8I, Super Hornets and Growlers is another example of how Indian companies are becoming a part of the global supply chain while Boeing helps them expand their opportunities across the global aerospace industry”.

Headquartered in Bangalore, BEL also provides Identification Friend or Foe interrogators and Data Link II communications systems for the Indian Navy’s fleet of P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft.


By defensenews

Severnaya Verf Shipyard Put Corvette Stoiky Afloat

30.05.2012

Text: RusNavy.com
Photo: Lead ship of the series, corvette Stereguschiy. wikipedia.org

Solemn launching ceremony of corvette Stoiky was held at JSC Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg. The ceremony was attended by Baltic Fleet (BF) Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Sergei Farkov.

Recall that corvette Stoiky is the third multirole littoral zone ship built in series of Project 20380 (lead ship is corvette Stereguschiy). Such ships are designed for antiship/antisubmarine/antiaircraft warfare and gunfire support of landing operations. To lower radar signature, stealth technology was applied in the project design.

Full displacement of the corvette is over 2,000 tons; length is about 110 meters; full speed is 27 knots; cruising range at 14 knots is 4,000 nautical miles; complement (with air wing personnel) is about 100 men including 14 officers.

Corvette Stoiky will be commissioned in Nov 2013 upon termination of all shipyard's and state acceptance trials.


By Russian navy

Royal Netherlands Navy Divers Clear WWII Mine Off Coast of Estonia

Royal Netherlands Navy divers cleared a Second World War mine off the coast of Estonia. The German-made mine weighed in at 1,000 kilograms.

This so-called GN influence mine is one of the most infamous explosives of the Second World War. Not only was the monster equipped with acoustic and magnetic fuses, it was also fitted with booby traps. The Defence Diving Group’s very shallow water team, trained to carry out mine countermeasures operations unobserved, succeeded in detonating the mine at a safe location.

By http://navaltoday.com

U.S. Military Denies Parachuting into North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. military on May 29 vehemently denied a media report that special forces had parachuted into North Korea on intelligence-gathering missions and said a source had been misquoted.

Current affairs magazine The Diplomat quoted Brig. Gen. Neil Tolley, commander of special forces in South Korea, as saying soldiers from the U.S. and South Korea had been dropped across the border for “special reconnaissance” missions.

But Col. Jonathan Withington, public affairs officer for U.S. Forces Korea, said some reporting of the conference had taken Tolley “completely out of context.”

“Quotes have been made up and attributed to him,” he said. He denied that any U.S. or South Korean forces had parachuted into the North.

“Though special reconnaissance is a core special operations force (SOF) mission, at no time have SOF forces been sent to the North to conduct special reconnaissance,” he said in a statement.

The Diplomat quoted Tolley as saying that North Korea had built thousands of tunnels since the 1950-53 Korean War.

“The entire tunnel infrastructure is hidden from our satellites,” the magazine reported him as saying at a press conference in Florida last week. “So we send (South Korean) soldiers and U.S. soldiers to the North to do special reconnaissance.”

According to the magazine, he said commandos parachute in with minimal supplies to watch the tunnels undetected.

At least four of the tunnels built by Pyongyang go under the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, Tolley was reported as saying. “We don’t know how many we don’t know about.”

May. 29, 2012 - 10:41AM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

S. Korea Shortlists 3 for Attack Helo Contest

ANKARA — South Korea has narrowed the field of contenders for its multibillion-dollar attack helicopter contest to three, a South Korean government official said May 29 during a visit here — Boeing, Bell Helicopter Textron and an AgustaWestland-Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) team.

Chicago-based Boeing builds the U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter; Bell Helicopter Textron, Fort Worth, Texas, makes the U.S. Marine Corps’ Cobra family; and AgustaWestland and TAI are teaming on the T-129, a Turkish version of the Italian company’s A-129 Mangusta International, the South Korean official said.

Boeing and Bell have sold gunships to scores of countries, while AgustaWestland and TAI will deliver nine of 59 T-129s to Turkey this year.

A Turkish procurement official confirmed that a South Korean team will attend performance tests in July for the T-129.

Seoul is expected to select a winner to build its 50 helicopters in October. The exact cost of the South Korean program will depend on the helicopter chosen, the configuration and the number bought.

South Korea is expected to use the attack helicopters mainly against fast gunboats deployed by North Korea in the Yellow Sea, west of the two countries.

May. 30, 2012 - 05:18PM |

By UMIT ENGINSOY and BURAK EGE BEKDIL

Iran: Submarine Fixed Without Russian Help

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said on May 29 it has managed to overhaul one of the three Russian-made submarines it has in its fleet, despite Moscow rejecting requests for plans and parts.

“At first it was a very difficult task. But with perseverance and determination, our navy proved that it was a doable task,” the commander of the Iranian navy, Adm. Habibollah Sayari, was quoted as saying by the state television website.

The three Kilo class diesel-electric submarines were bought from Russia two decades ago as centerpieces of a navy that relies on them and a half-dozen frigates or destroyers, most of which were bought before Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.

The sub that was overhauled, “Tareq,” had various parts changed, including engine components and the diving system, and the ailerons, propellers, pumps and electronic units, with replacements all made in Iran, Sayari said.

The Russians, he added, had refused to supply plans of parts. “They insisted that the submarine’s repair be carried out in their country’s shipyard,” he said.

Iran declined that offer because it wanted independence militarily — and also because “if we had returned this submarine to its manufacturer, perhaps we would not have had Tareq returned,” the admiral said.

Iran’s relationship with Russia is largely based on military purchases.

However, disputes between the two nations have been occurring since 2006, when Moscow signed on to U.N. resolutions calling for Tehran to curb its disputed nuclear program.

In 2010, Russia backed out of a commitment to sell an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to the Islamic republic.

May. 29, 2012 - 10:51AM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Norway: NATO Begins New Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise

Between 29 May and 06 June 2012, NATO will conduct a new Anti-Submarine Warfare exercise. DYNAMIC MONGOOSE 12, as the exercise is called, will take place off the coast of Norway and involve four submarines, 11 aircrafts and four surface ships provided by seven NATO nations.

The objective is to provide the best anti-submarine warfare training to NATO naval forces and to guarantee their interoperability in a multi-national environment.

Four submarines from Germany, the Netherlands and Norway are scheduled to join the exercise. Each submarine will have the opportunity to conduct a variety of submarine operations either in a ‘hunting’ or in a ‘hunted’ situation. Four surface warships from France, Germany and Norway will participate in the exercise under the tactical command of the Norwegian Warship HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen. Maritime Patrol Aircrafts (Canadian, French, German and Norwegian) and Anti-Submarine Helicopters (Polish, French and British) will operate from air bases in Sola, Norway and Nordholz, Germany. These two air bases will also ensure control of air operations.

The exercise will be directed from the NATO Maritime Headquarter in Northwood, United Kingdom by Commander Submarines North (COMSUBNORTH) and Commander Maritime Air (COMMARAIR).

By http://navaltoday.com

Iran's Fajr 1 Delayed...... Again

by Robert Christy FBIS
Scarborough, UK (SPX) May 30, 2012

Fajr 1 was originally mentioned by Iran as "ready to launch" early in August 2010 when an Iranian government minister said the lift off was scheduled for the period Aug 24-30. Then, on Aug 16, came an announcement referring to launch of both Fajr 1 and Rasad (another satellite) by the "end of the current Iranian year", March 20, 2011, and mentioning delays due to testing.

At the start of February 2011, Iran said the launch of both Fajr and Rasad could come in the second week of that month, hinting at a dual launch. When the date came round, a new announcement said "early in the new (Iranian) year" - ie after March. Delays in testing Fajr were again mentioned.

At about the same time, some Iranian news sources reported that Fajr had been handed over to the launching agency to go into orbit during April.

April passed and, in May, a further pronouncement said Fajr 1 would be in orbit "by September" but nothing transpired and it simply disappeared from public view. It reappeared ten months later, in February 2012, when a planned launch attempt was again postponed for three months.

On May 13, Iranian Defence MinisterBrigadier GeneralAhmad Vahidi was simultaneously quoted by different Iranian news agencies as saying launch would occur both "between May 23 and May 30", and "during June".

Mehdi Farahi, head of Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization confirmed the May 23 date. It is possible there was some confusion converting from the Iranian calendar as the months overlap those of the conventional calendar.

Either way, the launch will not be taking place for a while. As of May 29, Iran is saying only that it will occur sometime before the end of the current Iranian year - ie March 2013.

Fajr 1 would have been Iran's fourth satellite in five launch attempts starting in 2008. It was to have used the same Safir rocket. This, together with previous references to 'testing delays' indicates that the problem is with the satellite and not the launch vehicle.

Fajr is Iran's most complex satellite to date. It has a mass of about 50 kilogrammes and is based on Iran's first satellite, Omid. An advance over Omid is its extensive use of solar cells rather than simple batteries.

It is also reported as being equipped with a cold-gas thruster to maintain the orbit but it is likely to be experimental rather than essential to the mission. Like Omid, it is equipped with a GPS receiver to help in orbit measurement.

Its purpose is imaging, though little has been said about the hoped-for resolution that will depend to a degree on how well it is stabilised. Omid was not stabilised and tumbled in orbit. There is no obvious stabilisation system in photographs of Fajr but it may use magnets to interact with the Earth's magnetic field.

Previous Iranian satellites have functioned for only short periods of time although Iran has a habit of not announcing mission-end until re-entry after 2-3 months, giving the impression of much longer operating lives.

By virtue of a 300-450 kilometre orbit, some 50-100 kilometres higher than its predecessors, it will stay up for about 18 months. Iran is saying it will operate for all of that period but this is probably in line with the way it described the lifetime of the earlier satellites.

We now wait to see how long it takes Iran to resolve the issues, that might be with stabilisation and the thruster system, and whether the next time we hear it mentioned will be as it goes into orbit.

Robert Christy has been analysing and documenting space events since the early 1960s and currently provides information via his web site.

Poland Eyes Light Strike Vehicles for Spec Ops in Afghanistan

WARSAW — The Polish Ministry of Defense has announced it is inviting offers from manufacturers to supply the Polish armed forces with 118 Light Strike Vehicles (LSVs).

The four-wheel-drive vehicles are expected to carry a crew of at least three and weigh a maximum of 1.7 tons, the ministry’s Armament Inspectorate said in a statement.

The new LSVs are intended to be supplied to the country’s Special Operations Forces, which are currently deployed to the Afghan province of Ghazni.

Under the ministry’s preliminary requirements, the vehicles must have a minimum range of 497 miles, a maximum speed of at least 63 mph on-road, and an off-road maximum speed of at least 38 mph. The LSVs are also to be equipped with blast-absorbing seats and four-point seat belts.

Offers, including the vehicles’ technical specification, eventual delivery schedule, price tag and utilization costs, are to be submitted to the Armament Inspectorate by June 6, 2012, at the latest, the statement said.

The LSVs are to be fitted with 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns, and 40mm automatic grenade launchers, according to the Polish ministry.

May. 29, 2012 - 05:16PM |

By JAROSLAW ADAMOWSKI

Panetta To Discuss New U.S. Asia Policy, Indian Ties During Trip

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta plans to give two major policy speeches in Asia in the coming days that will address a greater Pentagon emphasis on the Pacific and the broadening of a partnership with India, according to senior defense officials.

“We just see India as a partner with whom we have a lot of common interests and a lot of things we can achieve together — a lot of areas we can work well together,” a senior defense official said May 29.

Panetta plans to discuss the new U.S. strategic military guidance, announced in January, that puts a greater emphasis on the Pacific region and makes mention of India as a strategic partner.

“We’re really shifting to a point at which our defense interactions with India are becoming routine,” the official said. “We expect cooperation, and we’re moving to an era in which we think defense cooperation with India is just going to be on a steady roll. [Panetta is] going to be really focusing on how we continue to move forward that partnership.”

The U.S. wants to expand the relationship beyond weapon purchases to a point where interaction is routine, the official noted.

“We’re trying to have a relationship with India that is broad, strategic and continual, that is not focused on a given transaction for a given trip,” the official said.

The Pentagon is working with India on a “host of things” that will “enable technology cooperation,” and “work better with the Indians in terms of overall aligning our systems.”

The visit to India is part of Panetta’s nine-day trip, his second to the region and first visit since the Pentagon released the new military strategy. Panetta is also scheduled to give a major policy speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of global defense leaders in Singapore.

The speech at the Shangri-La summit will “give a comprehensive account to partners and everyone in the region about what the rebalance to the Asia Pacific will mean in practice,” the official said.

Panetta is also expected to meet with a number of his counterparts from the region, including defense officials from Singapore and Thailand. There is also the possibility for trilateral meetings as DoD officials finalize the secretary’s schedule.

The Pentagon’s delegation to the meetings also will include Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

Panetta also has a meeting scheduled with Locklear at Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii on the way to Shangri-La.

Panetta will spend two days in Vietnam where he will discuss several areas of cooperation with defense officials there. The senior defense official said the U.S. has a “very robust relationship” and “very healthy” military-to-military relationship with Vietnam.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will travel to India during his nine-day trip to meet with Pacific leaders. (File photo / Agence France-Presse)

May. 30, 2012 - 10:15AM |

By MARCUS WEISGERBER

Israeli army soldiers to be equipped with miniature Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system.

GOC Ground Forces Maj. Gen. Shlomo (Sami) Turgeman of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) spoke at the Conference on Air and Land Jointness in a Complex Environment yesterday (Wednesday, May 23), presenting the IDF Ground Force's plans for improving its firepower. Among other topics, he discussed a future project to supply soldiers in the field with equipment capable of intercepting rockets, similar to the successful anti-rocket defense system, the Iron Dome. (Author: Iddan Sonsino - IDF Israel Defense Forces)

The Israeli Iron Dome is an effective and innovative mobile defense solution for countering short range rockets and 155 mm artillery shell threats with ranges of up to 70 km.

"Our vision is to utilize soldiers in order to combat the threat of high-trajectory missiles," Maj. Gen. Turgeman explained. "We can use our maneuvering power at the front for advanced interception of rockets, as a sort of small Iron Dome." He elaborated that the new system, which soldiers can carry with them, will enable rocket interception on enemy territory and will provide a quick method of accurately locating launch sites. "In addition to preventing injuries among civilians and soldiers, the new system will provide information telling us in real time what the enemy is firing and from where. This way of locating rockets will let us close the fire circle in seconds." Additionally, Maj. Gen. Turgeman discussed a new organizational method establishing a firepower headquarters."In order to accommodate our growing fire capabilities to the crowded, urban battle environment, we must take the same weapons that so far have been concentrated at the division level and move them to a firepower headquarters in each brigade. The brigade firepower headquarters will know how to utilize the advanced capabilities that we have built over the course of decades, while harnessing comprehensive intelligence that will reach the fire headquarters. This will be a very effective body - a shrunken and efficient command." GOC Ground Forces also discussed the threat of anti-tank missiles posed by terrorist, which he said is "the challenge that most influences our maneuvering tactics." In coping with this threat, he said, "the forward battle crews, which so far have been relatively visible on the battlefield, will receive new capabilities. We will greatly expand the intelligence power of the combat soldiers. In real time, they will receive information from all levels - visual intelligence, field intelligence, intelligence from wiretaps, and information assembled everyday will all reach the soldiers in the field."

By http://www.armyrecognition.com

USC to Deliver Five Borey Class Nuke Subs to Russian MoD

Reportedly, no further details are known about the contract signing, which was brought to a question in the aftermath of failed talks on agreeing on pricing conditions.

The talks have been back on track after Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened, urging his Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to come to terms with USC and agree on the final price.

Under the contract, the Russian Navy should renew its fleet with additional 10 new Borey class strategic nuclear submarines by 2020, outfitted with Bulava ballistic missiles.

Just a few hours upon Vladimir Putin’s inauguration ceremony in Kremlin, the newly elected Russian President passed his first decisions as the country’s leader, putting a focus on defense and foreign policy strategies, followed by modernization of weaponry and intelligence improvement.

The move stems from a desire to protect Russia’s strategic interests and strengthen its position as military super power. Having that in mind, the Russian government has allocated five trillion rubles ($156 bln) or a quarter of the entire armament procurement budget until 2020 for the purpose.

A contract for delivery of a set consisting of five Borey class nuclear submarines has been signed on Friday by the Russia’s Defense Ministry and United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Alexei Kravchenko confirmed to RIA NOVOSTI on May 28.

By Nevaltoday

3-fold hike in financial powers of service headquarters

NEW DELHI (PTI): Aiming to accelerate procurement process in the Indian armed forces, Defence Minister A K Antony has approved a three-fold hike-from Rs 50 crore to Rs 150 crore-in the financial powers of Service headquarters.

The decision was taken on Monday during a security review meeting with the three Service chiefs--Admiral Nirmal Verma, General V K Singh and Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne--during which the Defence Minister also had a detailed review of the current security situation.

Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma was also present in the meeting.

"To accelerate the process of procurement for the armed forces, the Defence Minister on Monday gave his in-principle approval to a three-fold hike in the delegation of financial powers to Service headquarters--from the current Rs 50 crore to Rs 150 crore," a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

Antony had agreed to provide more financial powers to the three services during the meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in April for speedier acquisition of arms and equipment.

Antony had also directed the three services to streamline their acquisition process and fix accountability in case of delays in procurement of critical equipment.

Recently, the Ministry has approved the 15-year Long Term Integrated Perspective Planning (LTIPP) and the 12th Defence Plan which would project requirements of the armed forces to be met through indigenisation and robust involvement of private sector.

By brahmand.com

Zvezdochka Shipyard to Deliver Two SSBN (Projet 667BDRM Delfin – Delta-IV) and One SSK (Kilo) to Russian Navy

Zvezdochka Shipyard plans to deliver to the Russian Navy two nuclear-powered submarines and one diesel-electric submarine undergoing overhaul and upgrade at the shipyards by the end of 2012. Zvezdochka Shipyard will hand over this year two Delta class submarines IV-class SSBN Verkhoturye (K-51), SSBN Novomoskovsk (K-407) and diesel-electric KILO-class SS Kaluga (B-800). Besides, the shipbuilder plans to deliver to India the submarine "Sindurakshak" by the end of this year, undergoing maintainance and upgrade at the shipyards.

Refited Verkhoturye SSBN (Project 667BDRM Delfin) during the ceremony at Zvezdochka shipyard (Picture: http://kuleshovoleg.livejournal.com/34689.html)

Severodvinsk-based Shipbuilding Center ‘Zvezdochka’ is a diversified shipbuilding enterprise. It has two covered slipways with 7 shipbuilding sites which are designed for overhaul and construction of vessels with a launching weight of up to 18,000 tons. The firm is majority owned by Northern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center, part of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation. Project 667BDRM Delfin nuclear-powered subs are basic assets of Russia’s maritime nuclear deterrence force. Their construction was started in 1981 at Sevmash shipyard. In total, the Russian Navy received seven submarines of the class between 1984 till 1990. Presently, Russian Navy operates six of them. Zvezdochka shipyard has repaired and modernized all of them from 1999 to 2012. Verkhoturye SSBN – lead sub of the class– was laid down at Sevmash shipyard in February 1981.

By http://www.navyrecognition.com

Al-Qaida’s No. 2 leader killed in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida's second-highest leader in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar province, the coalition said Tuesday.

Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim, was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents in Afghanistan and directing attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, the alliance said. He frequently traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, carrying out commands from senior al-Qaida leadership and ferrying in weapons and fighters.

The airstrike that killed al-Taifi and another al-Qaida militant took place Sunday in Kunar's Watahpur district, the coalition said. A follow-on assessment of the area determined that no civilians were harmed, it said.

The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan was carried out because al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden used the country as his base to plan the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington.

Most of al-Qaida's senior leaders are now believed to be based in Pakistan, where they fled following the U.S. invasion. The terrorist organization is believed to have only a nominal presence in Afghanistan.

Many senior al-Qaida commanders have died in U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan's northwest tribal region, and bin Laden was killed by U.S. commandos in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad last May.

Bin Laden advised al-Qaida militants to leave Pakistan's North and South Waziristan tribal areas because of the threat of drone attacks, according to letters seized from the compound where he was killed. The documents were later released by the U.S.

In one of the letters, bin Laden recommended they go to Afghanistan's Kunar province because of "its rougher terrain; too many mountains, rivers, and trees that can accommodate hundreds of brothers without being spotted by the enemy," according to the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, which published the documents.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, two would-be suicide bombers riding in a vehicle packed with explosives in eastern Nangarhar province were killed when the vehicle exploded prematurely, said a local government official, Shakrulla. Three others in the vehicle were severely wounded. The explosion occurred on the main highway between Jalalabad city and Torkham, a town on the Pakistani border.

By Sebastian Abbot - The Associated Press

Russia Condemns Ally Syria for Massacre

BEIRUT - A weekend massacre of more than 100 people emerged as a potential turning point in the Syrian crisis Monday, galvanizing even staunch ally Russia to take an unusually hard line against President Bashar Assad's government.

Analysts said Russia may be warning Assad that he needs to change course or lose Moscow's support, which has been a key layer of protection for the Syrian government during the uprising that began in March 2011.

Russia has grown increasingly critical of Damascus in recent months, but Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's latest comments were unusually strong. Although he said opposition forces have terrorists among them, he put the blame for 15 months of carnage primarily on Assad's government.

"The government bears the main responsibility for what is going on," Lavrov said in Moscow following a meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague. "Any government in any country bears responsibility for the security of its citizens."

Alexei Malashenko, a Middle East expert with the Carnegie Moscow Center, said Lavrov's comments suggest Russia may be backing away from its long-standing support for Damascus.

"Bashar Assad is driving himself and Russia into a corner," Malashenko said. "Bashar has definitely gotten the sense that he may lose Russia's sympathy, and he may step back a bit."

It is not clear whether Assad's forces were exclusively to blame for the slaughter of 108 people Friday in Houla, a collection of poor farming villages in Homs province. The United Nations said 49 children and 34 women were among the dead; some had bullet holes through their heads.

The U.N. Security Council blamed Syrian forces for artillery and tank shelling of residential areas, but it did not clearly state who was responsible for the close-range shooting deaths and "severe physical abuse" of civilians.

Activists from the area said the army pounded the villages with artillery and clashed with local rebels. They said pro-government gunmen later stormed the area, doing the bulk of the killing by gunning down men in the streets and stabbing women and children in their homes.

The Syrian government rejected that account entirely, saying soldiers were attacked in their bases and fought back in self-defense without leaving their bases.

Russia blamed both the government and the rebels for the Houla massacre.

"Both sides have obviously had a hand in the deaths of innocent people, including several dozen women and children," Lavrov said. "This area is controlled by the rebels, but it is also surrounded by the government troops."

He said Russia has no interest in propping up Assad but wants Syria to guide its own transition under a plan brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan.

"We don't support the Syrian government; we support Kofi Annan's plan," Lavrov said.

Moscow's pro-Syria stance has been motivated in part by its strategic and defense ties to Damascus, including weapons sales. Russia also rejects what it sees as a world order dominated by the U.S.

Losing Russian support could be disastrous for Assad because his crackdown has left him almost completely isolated internationally. Russia and China have stood by him so far, using their veto power to block U.N. resolutions against him.

Hilal Khashan, a political science professor at the American University of Beirut, said the Houla massacre appears to be ushering in a change in Russia's position.

"There is a shift and the momentum against the regime is gathering," Khashan said. "The momentum is building and the Russians are not blocking the rising momentum."

The Syrian conflict is among the most explosive of the Arab Spring, in part because of Syria's allegiances to powerful forces, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Shiite powerhouse Iran.

Activists say as many as 12,000 people have been killed since the uprising began. The U.N. put the toll as of March, a year into the uprising, at 9,000, but many hundreds more have died since.

Annan's peace plan, which calls for a cease-fire and dialogue, has been faltering for weeks. But Western leaders have pinned their hopes on his diplomatic pressure, since the U.S. and others are unwilling to get deeply involved in another Arab nation in turmoil.

Annan arrived in Damascus on Monday for talks with Assad and other officials and called on "every individual with a gun" in Syria to lay down arms, saying he was horrified by the Houla massacre.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Holland spoke on the phone and expressed their desire to work with Russia to resolve the crisis in Syria. A British spokeswoman said Cameron and Hollande agreed to act together to "bring an end to the bloody suppression of the Syrian people."

Activists reported fresh violence Monday, saying troops shelled several neighborhoods in Hama, killing at least 24 people.

Associated Press| by Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Lynn Berry

French Foreign Minister rules out ground invasion of Syria

© Flickr.com/hounddog32/cc-by-nc-sa 3.0

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has ruled out the possibility of a ground invasion of Syria since the risk of spreading the conflict to other regions is very high.

“There is no state in the world today that would be ready to consider the possibility of a ground invasion of Syria at the moment.

The risk of spreading the conflict to the whole region would be very high, Fabius said in an interview with the French newspaper “Le Monde”.

All the steps regarding Syria that have been taken before ran into two obstacles.

The first is the lack of consensus in the UN Security Council, and the second is that Syria has a powerful army, the minister added. France has announced the expulsion of the Syrian diplomats.

Germany, the USA, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Australia have taken a similar step. Britain which the Syrian ambassador left earlier expels the Syrian charge d’affaires in London.

May 29, 2012 18:52 Moscow Time

'Allah's enemy!' Radio host slash-attacked for anti-Islam rant on air

Photo from www.radiomayak.ru

TAGS: Crime, Health, Religion, Scandal, Russia, Mass media, Police

A radio host has been hospitalized after being cut 15 times by an unidentified criminal. Two weeks ago the journalist ventured to criticize the founder of Islam, the Prophet Mohammed, on air.

­Sergey Aslanyan, 46, was brought to Moscow’s hospital with numerous non-penetrating knife wounds to the chest, neck and arm.

According to the police report, on late Monday evening an unknown man called to Aslanyan’s flat over the building intercom and called him outside for a talk. When the journalist stepped out of the entranceway he was knocked over the head with a heavy object, after which the assailant brought the knife into play.

Aslanyan claimed that the attacker was shouting “you are Allah's enemy!” while slashing at the victim.

Police say the abuser was a slim man of about 30, while according to some witnesses there were several attackers.

As of now the journalist is conscious and his condition is stable. His relatives and friends are free to visit him in his flat, which is guarded by police. Investigators say they do not have a primary lead, but hope to identify the perpetrator using porch surveillance camera data.

Still, Izvestia newspaper made a guess that the attack could be linked to recent statements made by the journalist in a radio show. While discussing religion in general he made some “from zero to hero” remarks towards the Prophet Mohammed.

“The Prophet Mohammed, as we know, was not a religious figure. He was a businessman, but after getting considerable financial support built plans as to how to get to the top,” Aslanyan disclosed. He also said that the Prophet “rewrote the Bible” so that “now everyone would know the Prophet Mohammed was not a market shopkeeper, but an outstanding political figure.”

According to Aslanyan, the idea of Islam was a “business project from the very beginning,” and turned out to be successful due to “handsome financing.” Besides that, the journalist, who was an external expert at this radio show, speculated that the Prophet had some sort of sexual disorder.

Reportedly, the journalist later apologized on air for the harsh statements he had made, but that did not change public opinion much.

Such statements could not but stir the Muslim community. There was a widespread angry reaction on the Islamic internet forums.

Muslims from the Republic of Tatarstan, where Islam is the dominant religion, wrote a letter to the Prosecutor General’s office saying Aslanyan’s statements had insulted them.

“These insults wound our religious feelings and come into conflict with Russian legislature, because they unleash ethnic discord and interreligious hatred,” insists Imam Seijarfar Lutfullin.

Despite being disappointed with the journalist’s position, representatives of the Muslim clergy of Tatarstan refused to have anything to do with the assault on the journalist.

“Islam does not recognize the resort to force – for this there are authorities and courts,” the spokesperson of the Clerical Administration of the Republic of Tatarstan told Izvestia.

The radio host’s colleagues say Sergey Aslanyan was always extremely cautious about what he was saying and, despite being a well-known agitator, had never got into trouble and had even won several cases against him in court – only because of his close attention to the facts he was voicing.

by rt.com

Stuxnet x20: Massive cyber spy virus 'Flame' hits Iran, Israel

A powerful data-snatching virus targeting computers in Iran, Israel and other Middle Eastern countries has been discovered by Russian experts. The worm has been used for years for what seems to be state-sponsored cyber espionage.

­Russian cyber-security company Kaspersky Lab says the malware, codenamed Flame, is the largest and one of the most complex cyber-attacks ever discovered. It reports that the most severely affected computers are in Iran – but Israel, Syria and other countries across the Middle East have also been infected.

Kaspersky's first recorded instance of Flame dates back to August 2010, although the firm admits the worm could have been stealing data for years before that. The virus may also have been built on behalf of the same nation or nations that commissioned the Stuxnet virus that affected the Iranian nuclear program in 2010.

The Moscow-based company said on Monday that its researchers had yet to determine whether Flame had a specific mission, like Stuxnet or Duqu – another massive cyber-attack that had sought to infiltrate networks and steal data.

Flame’s code appears to be twenty times the size of Stuxnet’s. The malware is able to gather data files, remotely change settings on computers, turn on PC microphones or webcams in order to record conversations and video, take screen shots – and eventually send the data back to the attackers.

“This is one of the biggest and most sophisticated viruses of our age,” Kaspersky's chief malware expert Vitaly Kamlyuk told RT. “It is unique in the way it steals different types of information. It can record audio if a microphone is attached to the infected system. It can do screen captures and transmit visual data. It can also steal information from the input boxes, for example intercepting the keyboard or Bluetooth devices. This is a real cyber weapon that can physically destroy infrastructure.”

The complexity of the virus and the targets that have been hit led Kaspersky Lab to believe that this a government is behind the cyber attacks. At the same time, the experts are not sure of its exact origins and have yet to determine whether Flame had a specific mission, like Stuxnet, whose attack Iran blamed on the United States and Israel.

US: 'No comment’

­Many experts believe Iran’s suspicions toward the US and Israel are not without merit. In January 2011, The New York Times came out with a report stating that both attacks originated from a joint program in 2004 aimed at undermining Iran's alleged efforts to build a nuclear bomb. The article said the program was authorized by US President George W. Bush, and later accelerated by his successor, Barack Obama.

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense, David Oten, declined to comment on Flame on Monday, Reuters reports. The CIA, State Department, National Security Agency, and US Cyber Command declined to comment as well.

Kaspersky Lab said it discovered Flame after a UN telecommunications body asked it to analyze data on malicious software across the Middle East in search of the data-wiping virus reported by Iran.

By rt.com

Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan said May 29 it had successfully test fired a short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile.

The Hatf IX has a range of only 60 kilometers (37 miles) and can carry conventional warheads, the military said.

“This quick response system addresses the need to deter evolving threats, especially at shorter ranges,” it added in a statement.

It was the third time Pakistan has test fired a ballistic missile since archrival India last month launched its new long-range Agni V, capable of hitting targets anywhere in China.

India and Pakistan — which have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947 — have routinely carried out missile tests since both demonstrated nuclear weapons capability in 1998.

Defense analysts say India’s strategic priorities are moving away from Pakistan to focus more on China, while Pakistan is still concerned about its eastern neighbor.

May. 29, 2012 - 10:35AM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

DoD’s Next Crisis: Excess Inventory

With billions of dollars in excess inventory stuffed in warehouses, and a flood of items expected to return from Afghanistan in the near future, the U.S. Defense Department is facing an inventory crisis without an easy way to eliminate extra items, a former director of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) said.

That could translate to yet another cost that Pentagon planners have failed to foresee, and one they’ll have to address as the department tries to cut expenses.

Keith Lippert, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral who stepped down as DLA director in 2006, told an audience May 23 at the Defense Logistics and Materiel Readiness Summit in Alexandria, Va., that the inventory problem facing DoD is troubling given current fiscal pressures, and certain to get worse.

“There is a need to dispose of material,” he said. “We have to free up this warehouse space, and in terms of priorities of all the things that they do at DLA and the services ... if there are 25 things that have to be done, disposal is probably number 26.”

The excess inventory is all-encompassing: parts and supplies for vehicles, gear, weapons — everything the U.S. military has needed over a decade of fighting two wars.

“You add to this everyone coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq, all the material coming in, it’s just going to compound the problem,” Lippert said.

Beyond the issue of priority, Lippert said, excess inventory is also a practical problem. Many of the items must either be sold for pennies on the dollar, marketed for a higher value through foreign military sales, or destroyed, simply because the U.S. lacks enough space to store all the items once they return from overseas. All three solutions require manpower that is already stretched thin trying to keep track of needed parts in warehouses with too many items.

Lack of Metrics

Recognizing its growing stockpiles that include more than $9 billion of excess in an inventory valued at roughly $100 billion, according 2010 figures released by DoD, the department launched the Comprehensive Inventory Management Program in to 2010.

A Government Accountability Office report on the program, released in May, found that DoD has likely avoided $1 billion in cost, but that a lack of metrics could seriously harm its efforts to cut inventory.

“As part of the plan, DoD is developing metrics to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of its inventory management, but it has not determined if it will incorporate these metrics into guidance,” the report said. “This may hamper its ability to assess inventory management performance and sustain management attention on improvement.”

The report, however, did cite the systemic inventory issues that have plagued the Pentagon for years.

“Since 1990, we have identified DoD supply chain management as a high-risk area due in part to ineffective and inefficient inventory management practices and procedures, weaknesses in accurately forecasting the demand for spare parts, and challenges in achieving widespread implementation of key technologies aimed at improving asset visibility,” it said. “These factors have contributed to the accumulation of billions of dollars in spare parts that are excess to current requirements.”

Concerned about the pace at which the DoD is eliminating inventory, Lippert, who is the chief strategy officer at Accenture National Security Services, said that without action, the Pentagon will be overwhelmed.

“All the reduction that may happen will be offset because here comes this other stuff,” he said. “And if you think disposal is a challenge now, just wait till all this comes back, because inventory is going to grow and it’s going to become a bigger challenge.”

Although the GAO report points to concerns about DoD’s ability to reduce its existing stockpiles, Lippert said that stronger action, possibly in the form of congressional hearings, is likely needed to cause real change.

“It’s probably going to take some kind of burning platform to get everyone’s attention other than a new GAO report,” he said.

Analyzing Data

Part of what has made the process so difficult has been the lack of data on inventory, but that has changed in recent years, experts said.

“There’s a lot of data that’s being generated, automated data,” said Col. Edward Mays, assistant commander for acquisition, logistics and product support at Marine Corps Systems Command. “It exists, but we haven’t had the time to think about how to use it.”

Now, with usable data, the armed forces are starting to use statistical analysis to more intelligently manage inventory and service schedules, although on only a small scale.

Mays leads a small group at his command that is attempting to find inefficiencies and savings. In the year it has been operating, the group identified nearly $50 million in mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle servicing and parts savings, among other areas.

The emphasis on analysis comes as the focus on war fighting begins to decline and fiscal restraint enters regular parlance.

“We supported the war fighter, but many things fell to the side,” Mays said. “As we went off to war, we haven’t really thought much about policy. We’ve been running really hard, we’ve been doing a lot of things, but we haven’t thought about policy.”

Mays said that his work is being considered by the chain of command, but that the magnitude of the problem makes solutions difficult to implement. The use of the statistical analysis that and others are doing can be a boon in the new age of efficiency, Lippert said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that there are all kinds of savings here,” he said.

Rows of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles are staged in the port yard of the Charleston, S.C., seaport prior to shipment to U.S. Central Command. (U.S. Army)

May. 28, 2012 - 11:48AM |

By ZACHARY FRYER-BIGGS

Taiwan Deploys Anti-China Missiles: Report

TAIPEI — Taiwan has for the first time deployed cruise missiles capable of striking key military bases along the southeast coast of the Chinese mainland, local media reported May 28.

Mass production of the Taiwan-made “Hsiungfeng” (Brave Wind) 2E, which have a range of 300 miles, has been completed and the missiles have come into service, the Liberty Times said, citing an unnamed military source.

The defense ministry declined to comment on the report, but the paper said the project, codenamed “Chichun” (Lance Hawk), had cost the military around Tw$30 billion ($1.02 billion).

Taiwanese experts estimate that China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army, has more than 1,600 missiles aimed at the island.

“To some extent, the weaponry can serve as a deterrent,” Kevin Cheng, the editor-in-chief of the Taipei-based Asia-Pacific Defense Magazine, told AFP.

“In case of war in the Taiwan Strait, the missiles could be used to attack the airports and other military bases of the People’s Liberation Army.”

He estimated that there were more than 100 of the Hsiungfeng 2E missiles pointing at China.

Song Jaw Wen, a member of a panel of experts invited by the military to screen Taiwan’s 2011 National Defence Report, said it was the first time cruise missiles had been aimed at China.

Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have eased since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang came to power in 2008 on a platform of beefing up trade links and allowing in more Chinese tourists.

Ma was re-elected in January for his second and last four-year term.

However, China still refuses to renounce the possible use of force against the island in its long-stated goal of re-taking Taiwan.

May. 28, 2012 - 12:25PM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

NASA Hosting $1.5 Million Autonomous Rover Contest

The competition will be held June 16, where NASA will award prize money based on how well the robots complete phase two

NASA is holding a competition for the creation of autonomous rovers in Massachusetts next month, which will ideally be used for planetary missions in the future.

The competition, called the Sample Return Robot Challenge, will allow private and public teams to compete in a contest for the best autonomous robot for future space missions. NASA is spending $1.5 million total on the contest, which will be held at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.

NASA is looking for a team that can create an unmanned, smaller robot that is approximately 1.5 cubic meters and 175 pounds. The winning robot must be able to explore many types of environments, search for specific items and collect them. However, the robot cannot use GPS or an internet connection because these kinds of systems are restricted to Earth. It also cannot use air-cooling or ultrasonic rangefinders because of the lack of air in other planetary environments.

Phase one of the challenge is to have each of the competing robots collect a sample within a quarter of an hour. When this task is successfully completed, robots can move on to phase two, where they are expected to collect 10 separate samples in just two hours and return them to a certain area.

There are currently 11 final teams that will compete. Some of the contenders include the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Waterloo, SpacePRIDE, and True Vision. All teams are U.S. and Canada-based.

NASA is ultimately looking for an autonomous rover that can be sent on planetary missions in the future to collect certain items in varied terrains.

Last May, NASA bid farewell to its Mars rover named Spirit, which spent six years exploring Mars before falling silent for an entire year and finally being put to rest. Later, in November 2011, NASA launched a new Mars rover called Curiosity to the Red Planet in an effort to continue exploring the Martian surface.

NASA rover Curiosity is a $2.5 billion nuclear-powered machine meant for the exploration of Mars in hopes of finding evidence of microscopic life. It is the size of a Mini Cooper, and about four times as heavy as the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Curiosity has a large robot arm, a weather station, a laser that can vaporize rocks at seven meters, a percussive drill, and 4.8kg of plutonium-238.

The competition will be held June 16, where NASA will award prize money based on how well the robots complete phase two.

Source: MSNBC

NASA Mars Rover Curiosity (Source: tamutimes.tamu.edu)

Source: MSNBC

HAL And UAC Sign Multirole Transport Aircraft Development Deal

Tue, May 29, 2012 11:12 CET

HAL and UAC will jointly develop the MTA program in Bangalore and Kanpur, India.India

India’s aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has signed the tripartite General Contract for the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) project with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation -Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA) and partner JV-Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd.

HAL will carry out the design & development of the project at its Aircraft R&D Centre in Bangalore, while the Transport Aircraft Division (TAD) in Kanpur will manufacture the prototypes.

Manufacturing and flight testing will be conducted with the Russian team in Moscow and India. India’s objective will be to achieve self-reliance and indigenously develop the design and production of aircrafts.

Cargo and troop transport will be the priority while structuring the aircraft, it will be designed to para or air drop of supplies including Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES) and is to be co-developed by HAL and UAC & Rosoboronexport of Russia through a Joint Venture Company (JVC).

The current requirement is at 205, the Russian Air Force needs 100 aircraft while the Indian Air Force will receive 45 and the remaining 60 will be sold to other countries.

By defenceworld.net

Finish Army to Field Israeli Soldier Systems

The Finnish Army has selected the Israeli company Elbit Systems to supply ‘soldier systems’ equipping Finnish infantry commanders to function command, control and communications in dismounted operations. This acquisition is the first phase of a comprehensive ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) program known as STAR. The solution offered by Elbit Systems includes the compact MARS handheld targeting device, coupled with a computer systems loaded with situation awareness software, connected through the man-portable PNR1000 wearable soldier radio. The system is intended to enhance the operational capabilities of the Finnish Army in the areas of reconnaissance, terrain dominance and dismounted operations. The new system will also support the Finnish Army in developing new combat doctrines, and as a basis for developing its future forward observation program.

Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, General Manager of Elbit Systems’ Land and C4I Division, commented: “We are proud that Finland, a NATO Partner of Peace, has selected our systems following a rigorous competition, including field testing in Lapland. This win affirms yet again our leadership as a supplier of advanced solutions for soldier systems.”

The ‘future soldier’ program for the Finnish Army known as ‘Warrior 2020′ is currently conducted on a parallel path, under the Technology Programme 2010 (TP2010) framework spanning four years of evaluation and development of advanced soldier systems for the Finnish Army, scheduled to be fielded by 2017. The Finnish Army is seeking three different versions of the suite, designed for the Regular forces, Territorial Army, and Special Operations. Prime contractor of the TP2010 program is the British company Savox, with Finnish EO manufacturer Millog, network expert Nethawk and Instra acting as subcontractors.

By defence-update.com

Afghanistan crash, attack kills 3 NATO troops

KABUL, Afghanistan — A helicopter crash killed two NATO service members in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, while a third died in an insurgent attack in the south, the U.S.-led coalition said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, but initial reports indicate there was no enemy activity in the area at the time the helicopter went down, the coalition said.

No further details about the crash in the east or the insurgent attack in the south were released.

The deaths raised the number of NATO troops who have been killed in Afghanistan this year to 172.

Also Monday, a second coalition aircraft crashed in eastern Afghanistan, but no fatalities were reported. The coalition said this incident was not related to the helicopter crash that also occurred in the east.

Officials are trying to determine why the aircraft went down, but initial reports indicate there was no enemy activity in the area. There were no reports of civilians being harmed or property damaged during the incident. The coalition transported the aircraft’s crew and passengers to a nearby base for evaluation


The Associated Press
Posted : Monday May 28, 2012 9:31:37 EDT

Afghans ‘Concerned’ Over Air Force as NATO Pulls Out

KABUL — Afghanistan’s defense ministry has expressed concern over the slow pace of developing its air force ahead of a scheduled withdrawal of NATO troops and equipment, the government said May 27.

More than a dozen transport aircraft provided to the Afghan air force by the United States have been grounded because of age, a lack of spares and safety problems, President Hamid Karzai’s office said in a statement.

The issue was raised at a security meeting which was told that the defense ministry was “concerned over the slow pace of reviving the country’s air force” and wanted the U.S. to “intensify its efforts for that end”.

As part of its exit strategy from the Afghan war, the U.S. is helping Kabul build its air force before most air support from NATO forces is withdrawn along with 130,000 troops by the end of 2014.

Fifteen C-27 transport aircraft supposed to provide support to the Afghan army and deliver humanitarian aid had been grounded for two years, defense ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi told AFP.

“The planes were made in Italy, they are old and were out of the Italian fleet before they were given to Afghanistan,” Azimi said.

Air transport is critical in Afghanistan, where the road network is underdeveloped and targeted by insurgent bombings, while strike aircraft are a vital part of the war against Taliban insurgents.

The U.S. Air Force announced last month that it was reopening a contest for a contract to build 20 light attack aircraft for Afghanistan after the cancellation of an award to Brazil’s Embraer two months earlier.

But a final decision for the contract will not be made before early 2013, the Air Force said in a statement, with the first planes due to be delivered in the second half of 2014.

The new schedule will mean “a delay of about 15 months” from original plans, before the Air Force called off the award, the statement said.

Last year, an Afghan air force officer shot dead nine U.S. service members at a training center at Kabul International Airport, one of the deadliest attacks on coalition troops in recent years.

It was one of an increasing number of attacks in which Afghans being trained by NATO troops have turned their weapons on their mentors.

May. 27, 2012 - 11:19AM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Two Tibetans self-immolate in Lhasa

May 28, 2012 14:58 Moscow Time

Photo: EPA

Two young Tibetan men set fire to themselves in the centre of Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, reports said on Monday.

Police smothered the flames and took away the two men minutes after their protest on Sunday afternoon outside Lhasa's Jokhang temple, one of the holiest sites for Tibetan Buddhists, US-based Radio Free Asia and China's official Xinhua news agency reported.

"Some who tried to go close to the site were also detained and taken away while mobile phones of those who were close to the site were confiscated," Radio Free Asia quoted a witness as saying.

Xinhua quoted local officials as saying one of the men died and the other suffered serious injuries.

It named them as Dargye from the restive Ngaba Tibetan area of China's Sichuan province, and Tobgye Tseten from Xiahe county in neighbouring Gansu province.

The Chinese government has tightened security in most Tibetan areas this year after an escalation of anti-government protests and more than 30 self-immolations, many of them by monks.

By Moscowtimes.com

U.S. Navy to Deploy 4G LTE Network on Three Ships

Tiffany Kaiser - May 24, 2012 3:10 PM
In addition to the WWAN, the sailors will receive Android smartphones to deliver the critical information over the network

The U.S. Navy is stepping into the 21^st century with the first-ever 4G LTE wireless network being placed on three ships.

Currently, the Navy uses satellites for connectivity across large oceans. Bandwidth is an expensive and scarce asset, and when sailors use recreational computers, it's usually limited to dial-up type speeds.

However, this is all about to change as the Navy plans to deploy a microwave-based wireless wide area network (WWAN) on three different ships. The 4G LTE network will be placed on the U.S.S. Kearsarge, which is an amphibious assault ship; U.S.S. San Antonio, an amphibious transport dock; and U.S.S. Whidbey Island, a dock landing ship.

The network will allow sailors to send real-time data like text, photos and videos easily. While the network is faster at 300 megabits of data per second, it can't replace satellites because it only works from distances of up to 20 nautical miles. While this can't keep a fleet connected, it can keep a naval task force connected.

The network is being provided by Indiana-based BATS Wireless along with Oceus and Cambium. The idea behind the network is to allow sailors to board an ersatz vessel hijacked by pirates and send real-time data back to the "mothership."

"What we've collectively developed is a ruggedized, ocean-going LTE network similar to what you'd find with telecom providers like Verizon or AT&T," said Phillip Cramer, a vice president at BATS wireless. "The biggest difference being that it can expand, contract, and move seamlessly; delivering critical data and communications to the soldiers who need it most."

In addition to the WWAN, the sailors will receive Android smartphones to deliver the critical information over the network. The Navy went with Google's Android-powered devices because they are cheaper than other options and can be secured to transfer classified information. The U.S. Army uses Android devices as well.

This is the Navy's first dip into the mobile world. There will be a sea trial for the new network at an undisclosed time.

U.S.S. Kearsarge (Source: ubergizmo.com)

by dailytech.com

Top Israeli officials have refused to meet the US envoy to the P5+1 group, who arrived in Jerusalem with a report on recent talks with Iran. The diplo

Published: 26 May, 2012, 20:24

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) speaks with Defence Minister Ehud Barak (Reuters / Ronen Zvulun)

Top Israeli officials have refused to meet the US envoy to the P5+1 group, who arrived in Jerusalem with a report on recent talks with Iran. The diplomatic démarche comes as relations between the two countries strain over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

­Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman arrived in Israel on May 25, a day after the group of six (Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States plus Germany) ended their unsuccessful negotiations in Baghdad.

She had intended to brief Israeli officials about negotiations between Iran and the P5+1. But both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak became unexpectedly unavailable to meet her.

Sherman then delivered her report about the fruitless talks to National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror and Foreign Ministry Director-General Rafi Barak instead, the Debka news agency reported.

No agreement was reached between the world powers and Iran during the talks in Baghdad on May 23-24 because Tehran refused to meet their demands. The P5+1 wanted Iran to suspend its 20 percent uranium enrichment program, which the group sees as vital to the negotiations process.

Tehran labelled the Western proposal ‘unbalanced’, rejecting it over what it called "unfair demands" which offer little in return.

Even though both sides still hope to hammer out the agreement at a newly-scheduled round of talks in Moscow next month, Israel remains less optimistic about the negotiations.

On the first day of discussions in Baghdad, on May, 23, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the negotiations only allow Iran to buy time and drive a wedge between Washington and Tel Aviv.

Relations between Israel and United States have become more tense lately, with both countries having different solutions to the conflict with Iran.

While the US prefers warnings and sanctions to pressure Iran away from any suspected atomic weapon development, Israel threatens military action.

On the talks’ opening day, Ehud Barak reaffirmed Israel’s position, saying a military strike against Iranian facilities is not out of the question.

What’s more, a day later, a source in Washington DC said the Israeli leadership had backtracked on a promise not to attack Iran before America’s November presidential election, according to the Debka report.

The possible use of force against Iran has been discussed by Israel and its western allies for months. Israel insists on the right to strike if and when it sees fit, saying it will not seek anyone’s consent.

There is a fear that, if such an attack happens, Iran would retaliate against any forces it sees as enemies, which could result in a major regional war, dragging in other countries as well.

Israel will only accept Iran developing its civilian nuclear industry is if it shuts down all its uranium enrichment sites and uses imported fuel, Barak said. Essentially, that is what the P5+1 group offered Iran this time. But Tehran still insisted it did not intend to create a nuclear bomb and, as "proof", agreed on the eve of negotiations to the resumption of UN nuclear monitoring at Iran’s sites, including Parchin.

by rt.com