Taiwan's East China Sea peace deal workable: naval official

An ad published by Taiwan's government in the LA Times to promote the East China Sea Peace Initiative. (Photo/CNA)

President Ma Ying-jeou's proposed initiative to deal with the East China Sea disputes is workable, but Taiwan should be careful about its connection with China on the issue, former naval officials said Saturday.
Lan Ning-li, a retired vice admiral, said in a written statement published at the launch of a book on maritime law that the more Taiwan contributes to regional peace, the less likely it is to be marginalized in an emergency situation.

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Netherlands requests AIM-9X-2 missile sale from US

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II all-up-round missiles to the Netherlands.
Under the estimated $60m FMS programme, Netherlands has requested supply of a total of 28 Sidewinder missiles along with 20 CATM-9X-2 captive air training missiles, two AIM-9X-2 NATM special air training missiles and two CATM-9X-2 Block II missile guidance units.
Also delivered will be two AIM-9X-2 Block II tactical guidance units, two dummy air training missiles, containers, missile support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment and logistics support services.
The AIM-9X missiles are expected to enhance the Royal Netherlands Air Force's (RNLAF) ability to carry out self defence and regional security missions, and increase its interoperability with the US and other Nato nations.

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Thousands gather for Beirut funeral of slain security chief

Thousands of mourners gathered in central Beirut on Sunday for the funeral of slain internal security chief Wissam al-Hassan, a ceremony likely to become a rally against Syrian authorities.

General al-Hassan, a prominent figure opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, died when a powerful bomb exploded in an upmarket Beirut suburb on Friday, sparking angry calls for Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his government to quit.

(Photo courtesy Al Arabiya)

The slain police intelligence chief is to be buried late afternoon in Beirut alongside the grave of his mentor, former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, whose 2005 assassination sparked an outcry that forced Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon after three decades of occupation.

Lebanese politicians have accused Syria's leadership of having a role in the assassination, which deepened fears the civil war there is spreading beyond its borders.

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French Air Force's Rafale completes Meteor missile test firing

The French Air Force's Rafale fighter aircraft has successfully test fired the Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) at the French defence procurement agency's (DGA) Flight Test Center in Cazaux, south-western France.
Known as the B301, the aircraft underwent two successful test firings of the new-generation missile on the 4th and 10th October 2012 respectively.
A total of 200 Meteor missiles were ordered by the DGA from MBDA UK under an undisclosed deal in January 2011, for integration into French Rafale fighters to help enhance air-to-air and air-to-surface attack capabilities.


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Russia may build rocket to destroy Earth-threatening asteroids

Russia could start building a space rocket capable of destroying asteroids threatening the Earth, chief of rocket and space corporation Energia said Friday.
"There are three large asteroids, including Apophis, whose orbits cross the Earth's orbit and which could hit the Earth in the next several decades," Vitaly Lopota told the state newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
To change the orbit of a small planet of Apophis' size, a 70-ton rocket was needed to "tow" an asteroid away from Earth or to destroy it with a thermonuclear blast, Lopota said.


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Boeing set to begin USAF's KC-46 refuelling boom production

Boeing is set to commence production of the first refuelling boom for the US Air Force's (USAF) KC-46 aerial refuelling tanker aircraft at its newly opened Boom Assembly Center in Seattle, US.
US Air Force Tanker Program executive officer and KC-46 programme director major general, John Thompson, said the facility opening represents a significant milestone for the KC-46 Tanker Program and the USAF.
"Boeing continues to make good progress toward delivering the KC-46 Tanker on schedule," Thompson added.
Boeing KC-46 vice president and programme manager, Maureen Dougherty, said: "The KC-46A will feature a modernised fly-by-wire boom based on the proven system on the US Air Force's KC-10 tanker, which will give it advanced refuelling capabilities, allowing it to refuel any fixed-wing receiver aircraft anytime and on any mission."
Following completion, the first boom will undergo evaluations at a System Integration Lab (SIL) during the third quarter of 2013.

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Second UK F-35 And Marine Corps F-35B Delivered To Eglin

illustration only

The second United Kingdom Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II takes off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base Friday for delivery to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Eglin's eleventh U.S. Marine Corps F-35B ferried to the Emerald Coast with the U.K. jet.
The aircraft, known as ZM136 and BF-16, departed at approximately 8:06 a.m. CDT with U.K. Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. Jim Schofield and Marine Corps Maj. Adam Levine at the controls, respectively, for the 90-minute ferry flight to Eglin.

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New radar for Israeli ships

Sa'ar 4.5-class missile ships of the Israeli navy are receiving new Advanced Lightweight Phased Array Radar systems.
The Alpha units -- developed and produced by Elbit Systems Ltd. -- will be key components of the ships' weapon system, capable of simultaneously performing multiple tasks.
Among those tasks are the identification and tracking multiple airborne targets and threats and providing munitions guidance.


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Iraq PM Calls On U.S. To Speed Up Arms Deliveries

BAGHDAD— Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Oct. 18 called for Washington to speed up its delivery of weapons for Baghdad’s forces, barely a week after Iraq signed $4.2 billion in arms deals with Moscow.
Maliki’s remarks, published in a statement released by his office, came as he met U.S. Deputy Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in Baghdad and spoke of the “need for the Iraqi army to develop its defensive abilities to protect Iraq’s security and national sovereignty.”
He urged the United States to “speed up the arming of the Iraqi army with what they need in terms of defensive weapons that can protect the sovereignty of Iraq and its independence, and provide a deterrent towards any assault,” his office said.

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War between Japan, China over isles called unlikely

A senior adviser to the Taiwanese government on Wednesday downplayed the likelihood that a war will erupt in the festering dispute between Taiwan, China and Japan over a chain of tiny islands in the East China Sea.
“Nobody’s going to war over this few rocks, over these tracts of barren land,” said Stephen S.F. Chen, a former top Taiwanese diplomat in Washington, to editors and reporters at The Washington Times.
China and Taiwan agree that the islands are Chinese, though they differ on exactly what that means, said Mr. Chen, who is a senior adviser to Taiwan’s Beijing-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou.

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Fidel Castro reportedly suffers stroke, cannot recognize people

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has reportedly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and is having trouble eating, speaking and recognizing people.
A Venezuelan physician who told El Nuevo Herald he has access to firsthand sources regarding the 86-year-old Castro, who was last seen in public in March.
“He suffered an embolic stroke and recognizes absolutely no one,” José Marquina told the newspaper. “The people with a condition of this nature have difficulty eating and, of course, they end up with total deficit in their neurologic capacities.”

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Obama is responsible for the mess in Libya

How many times have you heard the truism that in modern-day America the cover-up is often as troubling as the crime? That is becoming quite apparent in the case of the death of J. Christopher Stevens, the former U.S. ambassador to Libya.
Stevens and three State Department employees were murdered in the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, last month, on September 11th. About an hour before the murders, the ambassador, who usually resides in the U.S. embassy in Tripoli but was visiting local officials and staying at the consulate in Benghazi, had just completed dinner there with a colleague, whom he personally walked to the front gate of the compound. In the next three hours, hundreds of persons assaulted the virtually defenseless compound and set it afire.

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A Syrian air force pilot explains why he bombed civilians

Since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces began massacring civilians more than a year ago, a baffling question has hung over the conflict: How do they bring themselves to do it? There is probably no single answer. Some observers have suggested that members of Assad’s Alawite minority sect fear a mass revenge if they lose, for example. But one possibility may be that some rank-and-file Syrians don’t believe they’re killing civilians at all.
Syrian Air Force Capt. Roni Ibrahim’s MiG went down just outside the rebel-held northern Syrian town of al-Bab, where he’d released his bombs over the already-battered civilian neighborhoods as ordered. Rebels captured him and later brought him, black-eyed and terrified, to Al Jazeera’s Anita McNaught, who asked the obvious question in the video embedded above: Why did you do it?

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India, Australia weigh uranium deal during Gillard visit

(Reuters) - The Australian and Indian prime ministers held talks on Wednesday that could pave the way for Australia to sell uranium to energy-hungry India, after Canberra lifted a long-standing export ban that had strained bilateral relations.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard met Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on her first official visit to the country. The talks set the stage for negotiations to begin on a set of safeguards needed before uranium trade can start. Both sides played down the prospect of a quick deal.
India needs the uranium for its expanding civil nuclear power programme. The world's most populous democracy, which also has nuclear weapons, suffers chronic electricity shortages that hobble its economic growth, raise business costs and leave hundreds of millions of its people without daily power.

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Tokyo's Missing Muscle

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara waves the Japanese flag as he inspects Okinotori Island. (Issei Kato / Courtesy Reuters)
Recent rhetoric concerning the East China Sea and the Senkaku Islands, which the Chinese call the Diaoyu Islands, makes it appear that the Japanese government is taking a tougher approach on foreign policy and military affairs. Its decision to purchase the disputed islands in September triggered outrage from China and spawned observations that Japan is veering toward the right.
But this move is not as aggressive as it might seem. In fact, it was designed to be anti-inflammatory -- keeping matters from going from bad to worse. It comes in response to the plans of hawkish Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, who sought to purchase the islands by collecting public donations. Given Ishihara's aggressive nationalistic views, that purchase would have undoubtedly further escalated the dispute. The federal government's purchase, which blocked the efforts of the Tokyo metropolitan government, thus signals a conflict-averse approach.

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Rebels forcing Syrian jets to bomb from high altitude: France

(Reuters) - Syrian rebels have acquired heavy weapons that have forced the government's air force to bomb rebel-held zones indiscriminately from high altitude, France's foreign minister said before meeting rebel groups on Wednesday.
Laurent Fabius, one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's harshest critics, made his comments ahead of a closed door conference in Paris with civilian members of rebel councils that run areas seized from central government control.
They included representatives from Maarat al-Numan, a town whose seizure last week cut the main route from Damascus to Aleppo.

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Who’s fighting whom in Syria?

Bill Webster/The Washington Post

The Alawites (12 percent of Syria’s population)


Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is struggling to maintain power as many of the country’s Sunnis have joined the rebellion and even as some members of his own Alawite sect are turning against him, as the Washington Post’s Liz Sly reported.
How many religious sects are there in Syria, and what do they all want?

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14 troops, 12 militants die in Yemen fight

SANAA, Yemen, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Suicide bombers attacked a military base in south Yemen Friday, killing at least 14 soldiers and 12 al-Qaida operatives, military officials said.
Military officials said two of the five suicide bombers who breached the military facility in the southern province of Abyan blew themselves up and the three others were killed during fighting with government forces, The New York Times reported.

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Piracy in west Africa reaching dangerous proportions, says watchdog

The Bourbon Liberty 249 boat from which pirates kidnapped seven crew off the coast of Nigeria. Photograph: TOMASZ MOROZ / BOURBON HANDOUT/EPA

Piracy in west Africa is reaching dangerous proportions, the global piracy watchdog has said, with the increase in attacks fuelled by Nigerian criminals.
As efforts continue to rescue seven foreign workers kidnapped from a vessel off the coast of Nigeria earlier this week, the director of the international maritime bureau (IMB) warned that the region was now a major focal point for armed robberies at sea, and criticised the lack of efforts by governments in the region to tackle the problem.
While Somalia has recorded a decline in hijackings in recent months, incidents are on the rise in west Africa, with 32 reported by July this year. There were 25 in 2011. In Nigeria alone there were 17 reports, compared with six in 2011, with particularly high levels of violence against crew members by pirates armed with guns.

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Satellite photos of Iran military site bring questions of explosives testing

New satellite imagery released by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) shows some changes at a military site of great interest to the UN nuclear watchdog.
The watchdog, or IAEA, suspects that Iran carried out explosives tests at the Parchin site back in the early part of the decade, tests consistent with the construction of a nuclear weapon. Iran denies that its nuclear program has a military dimension, but it will not let inspectors into Parchin.
In a satellite photo from August released by ISIS, visible is the structure where the explosives tests were believed to have been carried out, covered by a tarpaulin. In a September photograph, released today, the tarpaulin is off. The photograph is not evidence of an explosives test, but it is suspicious, given the IAEA has been asking for access to Parchin, and Iran will not let its inspectors in.

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Korea to Boost Naval Capacity Amid Regional Arms Race

The Navy plans to build nine 3,000-ton class KSS-III submarines for deployment in 2020, it said Thursday. The government has set aside W2.7 trillion (US$1=W1,104) for the project.

"Submarines have to be at least 3,000 tons if they are to execute seaborne operations efficiently," said a Navy officer. "We decided to boost our submarine capacities to strengthen strategic deterrence and mobility."

The Navy also plans to boost its procurement target for 1,800-ton class subs to nine by 2018 in order to protect cargo ships and assist in naval operations. At present, Korea has 10 submarines in the 1,200-ton and 1,800-ton class.


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IDF tank battalion practices racing to war

Photo: IDF Spokesman An IDF tank battalion stationed in the Jordan Valley held a major drill this week to practice racing to a war front during a simulated outbreak of hostilities. The drill involved reserve army companies for the first time.

The reserves joined conscripted solders on the field in an exercise not held by the battalion in a long time on such a large scale.

“We understand we will be among the first forces that respond at a war front. That’s why we’re preparing,” Col. Yohai Benhur, commander of Battalion 9, part of the IDF’s Armored Corps 401 Brigade, told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. During the drill, held at the large Nabi Musa base near the Dead Sea, Merkava 4 tanks fitted with the Wind Jacket anti-rocket shield fired live ammunition.

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CIA seeks to expand its drone fleet: report

CIA Director David H. Petraeus (center), encouraged the White House to approve a significant expansion of the CIA’s fleet of armed drones, U.S. officials said. (AP)

The CIA is urging the White House to approve an expansion of the agency’s armed drones’ fleet, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The proposal by CIA Director David Petraeus would allow the agency to sustain its campaign of lethal air strikes in Pakistan and Yemen as well as enabling it to shift operations and target the emerging al-Qaeda threat in North Africa.

If approved, the CIA could receive up to ten new drones, adding to an inventory that has ranged between 30 to 35 drones over recent years.

One U.S. official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said the request reflects the issue of political turmoil across the Middle East and North Africa and new openings for al-Qaeda and its affiliates to operate in the region.

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Russia to increase military export

On October 17th the Russian leader summed up the preliminary results of the military technology cooperation between Russia and its partners for 2012, saying that it is absolutely legitimate in character. Moscow has been accused more than once in recent times of offering military support to the regimes that, as some countries believe, have lost their legitimacy. Vladimir Putin put a particular emphasis on the fact that nobody could dictate to Russia what policy it should implement in the field of military technology cooperation. Only sanctions of the UN Security Council can serve as sufficient substantiation for limiting supplies that can be used for military purposes.

"In all other cases nobody and under no pretext can dictate to Russia or to any other state with whom and how it should trade. Unilateral or collective restrictions and bans outside the framework of the UN Security Council, especially, if they are politically motivated are not regarded as within international law. With all ensuing consequences."

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Asian Defense Spending, 2000–2011

Asia is growing in geostrategic importance. Despite the financial crisis that began in 2008, many Asian countries experienced relatively less fiscal distress and increased their level of involvement in global affairs. Indicative of the region’s elevated global role is the United States’ pivot toward the Asia-Pacific region as outlined in the Strategic Guidance recently released by the Department of Defense. With Asian defense spending projected to overtake that of Europe by the end of 2012, the United States’ posture rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific region is likely to continue.

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Iran-UAE Island Dispute Could Escalate

Disputed Persian Gulf Islands

WASHINGTON, DC — Together, Abu Musa, Greater Tunbs and Lesser Tunbs amount to fewer than 26 square kilometers of sand and scrub.  But their location in the middle of Persian Gulf shipping and tanker lanes near the Strait of Hormuz gives the islands huge strategic importance.

And this importance extends not only to the United Arab Emirates and Iran – both of which claim the islands -- but far beyond.  The dispute over who has sovereignty over the islands dates back more than a century.  Until recently, the debate was a regional matter. Now, in the light of rising tension over Iran’s nuclear plans and Israel’s threats to attack Iran, the dispute could heat up quickly.
 
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Russia to deploy S-400 missiles in Southern Military District

Russia's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to deploy advanced S-400 Triumph air defence missile systems in the country's Southern Military District by the end of 2012, Southern Military District spokesman colonel Igor Gorbul has revealed.
Gorbul was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that the S-400 systems will replace the existing S-300 PM systems, and are being fielded as part of the district's extensive modernisation programme.
The district has so far received 16 units of military equipment, including the Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) combined short-range gun and missile air defence systems, according to the spokesman.
An additional 60 anti-aircraft and tactical radio communication systems are also expected to be deployed by the end of 2012, as part of the district's rearmament plans.
Developed by design bureau Almaz, the S-400 Triumph is a long to medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, designed to intercept a wide range of ground-based and airborne targets, such as stealth aircraft, strategic carriers and cruise and ballistic missiles.


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Fidel Castro hired ex-SS officers to train Cuban army

FIDEL Castro, the former Cuban leader, hired veterans of Hitler's notorious Waffen SS and bought arms from neo-Nazis to boost the strength of his army.

The disclosures come from the archives of the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), the German secret service, which has been analysing the role of West German intelligence in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

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Friendly Foes: U.S.-Russia military relations soaring

As the final two presidential debates turn toward foreign policy, starting tonight, one major divergent point between President Obama and Mitt Romney still not fully explored by the candidates is Romney’s claim that Russia is America’s “number one geopolitical foe.”

So the E-Ring reached out to the top U.S. military officer in charge of the vast majority of U.S.-Russian military interactions, Rear Admiral Mark C. Montgomery, deputy director for plans, policy, and strategy at U.S. European Command (EUCOM), to see what he thinks.

As it turns out, the U.S. military interacts almost daily with Russian forces -- in training, exercising, building personal relationships, and performing real-world national security missions side-by-side. According to Montgomery, things have never been better between the old Cold War foes.

“We did about 50 events last year, and this year we’ve already accomplished more than that. I imagine we’ll be somewhere north of 70 events by the end of the year. So, a very robust, cooperative effort between our militaries,” Montgomery said.

Beyond those specific events, Montgomery said Russia is cooperating extensively with the U.S. in other tangible ways that benefit U.S. security, including allowing war supplies into Afghanistan via the Northern Distribution Network and joining counterterrorism efforts and counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.
  

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Civilian Brigades Are Helping Syrian Army Control Territory

At the western entrance to Jaramana [a southern suburb of Damascus], Wissam says goodbye to another visiting journalist, before — as he does every day — taking his position at a checkpoint made of sandbags piled haphazardly on the side of the road.

He is a young man, large and bearded. A few young men carrying Russian rifles had called him over. They had just finished their daytime duties and were spreading out under the orange trees — remnants of Damascus' fertile Ghouta valley — as night approached.
The trees were now surrounded by slum housing that resembled a cohesive cement jungle. This area was a hub for those emigrating from the countryside, inhabited by Christians and thousands of Druze citizens from Sweida. The city had been transformed into an unofficial barracks for minority groups, ranging from Alawites, Christians and Druze, to refugees from Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

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Hezbollah drone reportedly manufactured in Germany

The drone that penetrated deep into Israeli airspace nearly two weeks ago was manufactured in Germany by Siemens and Bockstiegel, and purchased by a fictitious Iranian company that was a front for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Lebanese newspaper Al-Jumhuriya reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, Siemens manufactured the drone’s camera and remote control parts while Bockstiegel, which produces ships, provided light metal parts.

Last week, Hezbollah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah confirmed responsibility for launching the aircraft, which he claimed was made in Iran.

The Lebanese newspaper’s report also stated that Hezbollah possessed a large arsenal of similar UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) whose main purpose was to spy, not attack.

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HAL and UAC-TA sign MTA preliminary design phase contract

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a preliminary design phase (PDP) contract with United Aircraft Corporation - Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA) and JV-Multirole Transport Aircraft Limited (MTAL) for a proposed Il-214 multirole transport aircraft (MTA) project.
The contract is a follow-on deal to a general contrac previously signed by the three companies in May 2012.
HAL chairman RK Tyagi said the companies will immediately commence the preliminary design work at Moscow, with 30 HAL designers will be based at UAC-TA.
A detail design phase (DDP) contract is expected to be signed to start work on the MTA, following the completion of HAL's PDP contract.

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PLA warships enter waters close to Diaoyutais

The Chinese destroyer Harbin is one of the seven ships that drew close to the islands on Tuesday. (Photo/Xinhua)

Seven PLA naval vessels entered waters around the disputed Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands in the East China Sea on Oct. 16 for the first time since three of the islands were nationalized by the Japanese government on Sept. 11.
The ships included two destroyers, two frigates, two frigates, two submarine rescue ships and a refueling tanker. They were detected by a Japanese surviliance aircraft between the Okinawa islands of Yonaguni and Iriomoto on Tuesday morning. The ships are from the PLA's North and East Sea fleets.
Japan's defense minister, Satoshi Morimoto, said the Japan Maritime Defense Force is paying close attention to the movements of the Chinese fleet in its territorial waters.

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U.S., Japan troops consider joint-drill to retake captured island

The United States and Japanese militaries are said to be discussing the idea of a joint-drill that would simulate recapturing a remote island from hostile forces. The exercise would be part of already planned joint maneuvers to begin in November, and Japanese media says they would use an inhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture. It’s not a big stretch of the imagination to guess that such a drill would be preparation for a conflict with China over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.
Sources indicated to Kyodo News that U.S. and Japanese troops would use boats and helicopters to make amphibious and airborne landings in order to retake the island. Although tensions between China and Japan are seen as slightly calmed now, with both governments agreeing to meet for peaceful talks, the last several weeks have seen a near-constant presence of Chinese patrol ships in the waters surrounding the disputed territory.

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Pentagon Fears Syrian Rebel Weapons Pose Proliferation Risk

A screenshot from a video showing a Free Syrian Army soldier on a rooftop in Zabadani. The Pentagon fears that the weapons pipeline flowing from Persian Gulf states could pose a proliferation risk. Photo: Flickr/SyriaFreedom

The Pentagon insists that it’s not arming the Syrian rebels, merely helping out with the U.S. policy of providing humanitarian aid. But the weapons pipeline that Persian Gulf states have opened to the rebels, with U.S. assistance, could end up flooding the volatile Mideast with small arms, the Pentagon fears.
“We have broad-based concerns about the conflict in Syria, period,” said George Little, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, during a Monday briefing. “We have concerns about weapons proliferation inside Syria and yes, we do have concerns that some of those weapons could fall into the wrong hands.”
That may not be a hypothetical fear. Islamic militant factions within the Syrian rebel coalition appear to be benefiting from the arms pipeline, which runs principally from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. “The opposition groups that are receiving the most of the lethal aid are exactly the ones we don’t want to have it,” an anonymous official told The New York Times on Monday.

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Russia asks Afghanistan for help with Soviet MIAs

KABUL — Russia is appealing to the Afghan authorities and the public to provide information on over 200 Soviet troops — including 30-40 who may still be alive — listed as missing since Soviet forces ended their occupation of Afghanistan in 1989.
Russian ambassador Andrey Avetisyan said Monday the two countries are preparing an agreement that would regulate efforts to recover the servicemen. He noted that it was difficult to access some locations where the soldiers' graves are believed to be located due security concerns stemming from the current war.


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Solving the Okinawa Problem

In recent weeks the U.S. Marine Corps has begun to deploy the V-22 Osprey to Okinawa, Japan. The Osprey flies like a propeller plane but can take off and land like a helicopter, providing more speed than the latter but more tactical flexibility than the former. It has also reignited the long-standing debate between Japan and the United States over the future of the Marines' presence on Okinawa. Critics have called the airplane unsafe and demanded its redeployment back to the United States. While flight data do not confirm this specific allegation, policymakers in Tokyo and Washington do need to realize they have an even bigger problem -- and search for a new, less intrusive way of basing Marines on this small island at the southern end of the Japanese archipelago.

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Yemeni MiG-21 Fighter Crash Kills Pilot, Injures Trainee, Military Sources

A Yemeni pilot died and a trainee was hurt after a MiG-21 jet fighter crashed on takeoff in the Anad military base in south Yemen on Monday, military sources in Sanaa said.
"The fighter crashed minutes after its takeoff. It was on training and a technical problem was to blame for the crash," the sources said.
General Ateeq Al-Akhali was killed and the trainee Sidqi Al-Marrani was injured in the crash, they added.
The US is currently using the Yemeni military base, Al-Anad, in Lahj province for its operations against the militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP. 

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Vulcan bomber to make final flight in 2013

The last airworthy Vulcan bomber is set to make its final flight in 2013 as a result of the excessive technical and financial demands involved in keeping it operational, it has been announced.

Vulcan XH558, operated by the Vulcan to the Sky trust, has flown at more than 60 outdoor events, including the Queen's jubilee celebrations, and has been seen in flight by an estimated 10 million people since its refurbishment in 2007.

By the end of the 2013 display season, XH558's post-restoration flying life will be almost at an end, Trust chief executive Dr Robert Pleming said.

"We are sure you are aware that all Vulcans have a finite safe flying life and that XH558 is already well beyond the hours flown by any other aircraft of her type," he wrote on the trust's website.


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Asian Powers Increase Military Spending

A new study shows that over the past decade, five Asian powers have increased military spending to levels among the highest in the world, with China leading the way.
The study released Monday by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says China has quadrupled its defense budget since 2000. It also says India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have dramatically increased their military spending.
That trend is in contrast with the United States and European Union, whose defense budgets have been declining in recent years.
Defense spending in the five analyzed Asian powers still trails that of the United States, but the CSIS study says it will surpass Europe's military expenditures this year.


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U.S. to Help Create an Elite Libyan Force to Combat Islamic Extremists

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and State Department are speeding up efforts to help the Libyan government create a commando force to combat Islamic extremists like the ones who killed the American ambassador in Libya last month and to help counter the country’s fractious militias, according to internal government documents.
The Obama administration quietly won Congress’s approval last month to shift about $8 million from Pentagon operations and counterterrorism aid budgeted for Pakistan to begin building an elite Libyan force over the next year that could ultimately number about 500 troops. American Special Operations forces could conduct much of the training, as they have with counterterrorism forces in Pakistan and Yemen, American officials said. 

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Putin Says 313 Terrorists 'Eliminated' In Recent Months

A Russian soldier photographs the bodies of four alleged militants killed in clashes in Daghestan. (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said security operations "in recent months" have killed 313 "terrorists" who refused to surrender, including 43 leaders of terrorist groups.

The Russian president also said 479 "bandits" have been apprehended in those operations but provided no further details.

Putin speaking at a meeting with security chiefs said Russia's security agencies have been more effective in the last several years.

But he exhorted those agencies to battle terrorists relentlessly and "audaciously."


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FM Lavrov Denies Use of Russian-made Cluster Bombs in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied information from the leading human rights organization that Syrian authorities used Russian-made cluster bombs against rebels.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said earlier that during the ongoing conflict in Syria Russian-made RBK-250 series cluster bomb canisters with AO-1SCh fragmentation bomblets were used by the government troops against the rebel forces.
“There is no confirmation to this… There are loads of weapons in this region, including in Syria and other countries of the region, and arms are supplied there in large quantities and illegally,” Lavrov said.


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Egypt Is Prepared To Bomb All Of Ethiopia's Nile Dams

Wikimedia Commons

The Nile begins in the mountains of eastern Africa and flows north into the Mediterranean Sea.

In 2010 Egypt discussed taking military action in cooperation with Sudan against Ethiopia to protect their stake in Nile River, according to internal emails from the U.S. private-security firm Stratfor.

Egypt and Sudan currently receive 90 percent of the river’s water under colonial-era accords while upstream countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia have been clamoring for a new deal during more than a decade of talks.

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Hezbollah’s CFO flees to Israel carrying stolen money, classified documents say amid Israeli denial

Hezbollah’s CFO has fled to Israel taking with him large sum of stolen money, classified documents, maps and local news media reported on Friday.

The news website, Now Lebanon, cited Hezbollah officials saying that the 29-year old telecommunication engineer, Hussein Fahs, has crossed to Israel carrying with him $5 million in embezzled money from the group. Fahs is also head of Hezbollah’s operational communications network.

However, Jerusalem Post said that Israeli officials have denied the reports on Saturday. According to Israel Radio, Israeli officials said that the report was false. It said that the Israeli denial was followed by a similar denial by Hezbollah

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Japan navy showcases warships amid spat with China

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ship "Kurama" leads other vessels during a fleet review in water off Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, on Oct. 14, 2012.

ABOARD THE JS YUDACHI (AP) -- Japan's navy marked its 60th anniversary with a major exercise intended to show off its maritime strength. The display comes amid a tense territorial dispute with China.
About 40 ships - including state-of-the-art destroyers, hovercraft able to launch assaults on rough coastlines and new conventionally powered submarines - took part in Fleet Review 2012, the maritime equivalent of a military parade. About 30 naval aircraft, mostly helicopters, also participated Sunday.

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Indians Frustrated by Delay in Delivery of Carrier

India cannot enforce a penalty for the delay of the much-needed former Admiral Gorshkov, nor can it get out of the deal. (Alexey Popov via Wikimedia Commons)

NEW DELHI — Despite paying more than $1.7 billion more than the contract amount for a used Russian aircraft carrier, India is in a bind: It cannot enforce a penalty for the delay of the much-needed former Admiral Gorshkov, nor can it get out of the deal.
The carrier — renamed Vikramaditya and first scheduled to arrive in 2008, then postponed until this year — will not arrive until the end of 2013, as it is having problems with its boilers and engine.
The admissions came during an Oct. 10 meeting between Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony and his Russian counterpart, Anatoly Serdyukov. According to Indian Ministry of Defence sources, Antony was unable to convince Serdyukov to enforce a penalty on the carrier delay.

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'Hezbollah drone photographed secret IDF bases'

Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office
The Hezbollah drone that infiltrated the Negev last week beamed back live images of secret Israeli military bases, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.
According to the report, the drone was airborne for three hours before being intercepted by an F-16I jet. It is believed to have transmitted pictures of preparations for Israel's joint military exercise with the US, as well as ballistic missile sites, airfields and, perhaps, the nuclear reactor in Dimona, the Sunday Times reported.


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Philippines Signs Framework Peace Agreement with Muslim Rebels

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Navy nuclear submarine, cruiser collide off East Coast; no injuries reported

Mc2 Aaron Chase / US Navy

The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) returns to Naval Station Norfolk recently after a routine six-month deployment.

No one aboard either the USS Montpelier or the USS San Jacinto was injured, Pentagon officials told NBC News. Both vessels continued to operate under their own power.
The Montpelier is a nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class fast attack sub launched in 1991. The San Jacinto is an Aegis-class missile cruiser commissioned in 1988.

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US Air Force changes acquisitions strategy for F-16 radar modernization

  

The US Air Force is changing its acquisitions strategy for the F-16 Radar Modernization Program, which it is running as part of its F-16 Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (CAPES) effort to modernize the venerable single-engine fighter.
"The USAF is contracting with Lockheed Martin to develop an AESA [active electronically scanned array] fire control radar as a CFE (Contractor Furnished Equipment) item for the F-16 platform," says Dawn Sutton, deputy director of the USAF's F-16 System Program Office (SPO). "We defer to Lockheed Martin as to their plans on how to most appropriately meet the subject requirement. However, it's our expectation that Lockheed Martin will conduct a source selection to choose a radar vendor to meet the Air Force requirements."

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Indian Army to get its own attack helicopters

New Delhi: In a move that is likely to raise hackles within the Indian Air Force (IAF), the government has decided to allow the Indian Army to acquire its own fleet of attack helicopters.

The decision comes days after IAF chief Air Marshal N A K Browne told reporters on October 5 that it was not possible to have "little air forces". Days later, on October 9, Defence Minister A K Antony, had termed the fight between the IAF and Army over the attack helicopters as a 'family problem'.

National Security Advisor Shiv Shanker Menon had to intervene on behalf of Defence Minister A K Antony in the three year row between the Air Force and the Army over who would own the attack helicopters.


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Islamic militants help seize missile base in Syria

BEIRUT — Fighters from a shadowy militant group with suspected links to al-Qaeda joined Syrian rebels in seizing a government missile-defense base in northern Syria on Friday, according to activists and amateur video.
It was unclear whether the rebels were able to hold the base after the attack, and analysts questioned whether they would be able to make use of any of the missiles they might have taken.
Nevertheless, the assault underscored fears of advanced weaponry falling into the hands of extremists, whose role in Syria’s civil war appears to be increasing.

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South Korean Official Warns of ‘Existential Threat’ From North

SEOUL, South Korea — A senior South Korean policy maker on North Korea said on Friday that it must be assumed that the North has the capacity to mount a nuclear device on a ballistic missile, adding that such a capability would pose “an existential threat” to South Korea.
The official, who spoke to a group of journalists on condition of anonymity, stressed that reliable information about the North’s capabilities is scarce, and he cautioned that he was not confirming that the North had built an operational nuclear weapon. But his comment, which was one of the most explicitly worded assessments of the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities by a senior official, reflected growing concern in the South Korean government that the North may have more advanced technology than previously believed. 

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Laptop built to protect classified docs

General Dynamics C4 Systems recently unveiled a new laptop that’s supposed to keep classified information safer when you’re at home or on travel.
GD officials maintain that the new TACLANE MultiBook laptop is certified by the National Security Agency to secure network communications to the secret level, allowing secret-squirrel government types to operate on unclassified and classified networks simultaneously.

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Some U.S. Lawmakers Push For Iron Dome Coproduction

Airbus News

October 08, 2012

Amy Butler Washington
Israel's new “Iron Dome” counter-rocket, artillery and mortar system has racked up a success rate above 80% since being fielded last year, but its weak link—as with most missile defense systems—is too few interceptors.
Israel plans to solve this problem in the short term by doubling the Rafael's Tamir interceptor manufacturing capacity. But some U.S. lawmakers are pushing the Pentagon to step in and coproduce the missile on U.S. soil, not only as a backstop for the Israel Defense Forces' supply but as a domestic capability that could protect deployed soldiers.
Iron Dome is the newest layer of Israel's budding air and missile defense capability. The Arrow-2 covers intermediate-range missiles. The PAC-3 and “David's Sling” systems handle the range between Arrow-2 and Iron Dome, which is designed to counter threats launched from 4-70 km (2.5-45 mi.).

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China's aircraft carrier air operations have started on "Liaoning" (ex-Varyag)

A Chinese Navy Shenyang J-15 carrier based fighter aircraft performs a "touch and go" on Liaoning aircraft carrier (ex-Varyag)

Shortly after its official delivery and commissioning to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy last month, China's first aircraft carrier has already started training for air operations with helicopters and naval jets.

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A U.S. platoon awaits the end of Afghan war

View Photo Gallery — A war ends in a remote Afghan outpost: Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are in the final months of their mission in Combat Outpost Jaghatu, which will likely close later this year.

 JAGHATU, Afghanistan — The platoon sergeant poses a simple question to the men of 3rd Platoon: “What do you consider success on a mission?”
There is an uneasy silence in the dark chow tent. In a few months, the U.S. Army will bulldoze its portion of the base, part of America’s slow withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan. All that will remain here in this isolated place is a small Afghan army camp and a mostly empty government building with a mortar hole in its roof, the sum total of 11 years of U.S. counterinsurgency efforts in this district 65 miles south of Kabul.

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Syrian Rebels Capture 256 Government Soldiers in Idlib

Grainy video footage uploaded to YouTube on Oct. 9 shows purported Syrian rebel fighters with captured army tanks and guns in Khirbet al-Jouz. On Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 256 regime soldiers (not pictured) were captured. (YouTube.com)

Syrian rebel forces on Friday captured nearly 260 government soldiers in the restive northern part of the country after clashes in several towns in the area, said a pro-opposition group.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that rebels captured 256 regime soldiers throughout the week in the towns of Khirbet al-Jouz and Reef Jisr al-Shughour, both in Idlib province—one of the most hard-hit areas during the 19-month-long conflict.

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Iraq to Buy Czech Military Planes for $1 Billion

AP

Iraq has agreed to buy 28 Czech-made military airplanes in a deal worth $1 billion (€775 million), part of a broader effort by Baghdad to rebuild military capabilities destroyed during the U.S.-led invasion of the country, officials said Friday.
Iraq only has a few planes and is unable to defend its air space. The government has bought billions of dollars in tanks, fighter jets, ships and other weapons from the U.S. in recent years, but is now looking to forge military ties with other allies and nations, including Russia.

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HMS Conqueror’s biggest secret: a raid on Russia

It was dark, in the early hours, and the sea was freezing as Her Majesty’s Submarine Conqueror came to periscope depth. Her captain, Christopher Wreford-Brown, had been stalking his target methodically, a hunter in pursuit of wary prey. There she was, 1,000 yards ahead, slow-moving, seemingly unaware of the submarine coming up on her tail. Gathered around Commander Wreford-Brown in the darkened operations room, officers and men waited in silence, inner tension masked by outward calm. It was 1982 and this was the real thing.

HMS Conqueror is famous, some would say notorious, for sinking the Argentinian cruiser General Belgrano. The nuclear-powered attack submarine, a type also known menacingly as a hunter-killer, that year became the first of her kind to fire in anger. The Belgrano was sent to bottom in short order, her ancient hull rent by two torpedoes: 323 men, many of them young conscripts, died. The Falklands war began in earnest that day, May 2 1982.

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Britain's Prince Harry fighting in Afghanistan had fire on Taliban

Britain's Prince Harry

Sahit Muja: New reports today show Britain's Prince Harry is "fighting in Afghanistan against Taliban and has had "multiple engagements" with the Taliban during his time in the war zone, according to a new report in the UK's The Sun.

Britain's Prince Harry, 28, is on NATO tour of duty as a chopper pilot in Afghanistan.
Britain's Prince Harry is part of a four-man team on standby 24 hours a day to take to the air and either destroy the enemy or provide cover for other aircraft, including the workhorse Chinook or American Pedro rescue chopper.

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This is Stealth?

DDG 1000's composite deckhouse was revealed this week down in Gulfport. The uniquely angled 48.8m long, by 21.3m wide, by 19.8m high balsa-wood core carbon fiber super-structure is designed to provide the Navy's newest guided-missile destroyer a low radar and infrared signature.  The deckhouse, combined with a low-profile tumblehome hull will likely achieve this goal, but is it truly fair to say that this design is "stealthy?"  Today's enemies will not operate long range maritime patrol aircraft and radar satellites like the Soviet Union did to locate U.S. fleets on the open ocean 30 years ago.  They will, however, use a network of tattletale fishing dhows equipped with satellite phones, cheap tactical UAVs, and HUMINT networks in nearby logistics ports with twitter accounts and smart phones to find ships operating in narrow seas such as the Arabian Gulf.  A singulary-unique profile 14,000 ton combatant is not likely to be able to hide from these intelligence platforms, no matter how innovative her design may be.  One hopes that the three staggeringly expensive DDG-1000 destroyers will validate many new naval technologies, but how to hide a ship in the littorals during 21st Century irregular warfare will not likely be one of them.

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US offers 245 Stinger missiles to India

The US is offering 245 Stinger missiles to India as part of a weapons package for the Apache attack choppers being acquired by the Air Force.
"245 air-to-air Stinger missiles and 56 launchers are included in the weapons package for the Apache helicopters," officials of Raytheon, which manufactures the missiles, said.
"The Stinger compliments the advanced performance of the Apache by providing the IAF with the critical air-to-air defence capability," they said.
India has selected the American Apache helicopter for its requirement of 22 attack helicopters which will have both air-to-ground and air-to-air roles in the service.

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Russian Air Force Gets The Good Stuff

October 11, 2012: On September 21st the first Russian Su-30SM two-seat fighter flew. Thirty of this model were ordered back in April and deliveries to the Russian Air Force are to begin in six months. The Su-30SM is a Russian Air Force version of the Su-30MKI that has long been exported (to India, Algeria and Malaysia). For the last two decades Russian defense manufacturers have survived on exports. The Russian military halted most procurement spending after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 (largely from financial mismanagement). 

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Russia to Salvage Sunken Nuclear Subs - Media

Barents sea


The Russian Defense Ministry is planning to raise and scrap two sunken nuclear submarines in the northern Barents and Kara seas in order to prevent potential radioactive pollution of the area, the Izvestia newspaper said on Thursday.
The ministry will announce an international tender, which may include companies from the France, the Netherlands, South Korea and United States, as the Russian Navy does not have the necessary equipment to carry out deep-sea salvage operations, Izvestia said, citing a military source.

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US and Israel to launch massive air defense drill

The U.S. and Israeli militaries are engaged in final preparations for the largest-ever joint missile defense drill in the allies’ history.
The three-week exercise, dubbed Austere Challenge 12 (AC12), will start on Oct. 21, The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday, citing an army source.
American officers are reportedly already in Israel to supervise the arrival of hundreds of troops and hi-tech weapon platforms on Oct. 14, according to local media.

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Syria: 106 soldiers killed by rebels

Beirut - Syrian rebels killed 14 soldiers in an attack on an army post in Daraa province on Friday, a watchdog said, a day after the army suffered 92 losses, its highest daily total in the conflict.

Six rebels were also killed in the attack on the army checkpoint at Khirba in the southern province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that fighting also raged in the northern provinces of Idlib and Aleppo.

The Britain-based watchdog said on Thursday had marked one of the deadliest days since an anti-regime revolt erupted in March last year, with at least 240 people killed across Syria, including the 92 soldiers, 67 rebels and 81 civilians.

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Japanese React With Fear, Anger Over China Islands Dispute

TOKYO — The dispute between Japan and China over the ownership of a chain of islands in the East China Sea continues to escalate, with China boycotting a meeting of the IMF being held in Tokyo. A growing sense of fear over China's increasing strength is being reported in the Japanese capital.

In August a fleet of Japanese boats headed for the disputed islands, called the Senkaku by Japan, and the Diaoyu by China. After a journey of several hours, some of the activists - including Japanese lawmakers - swim out to the uninhabited rocks.


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BrahMos to Test Submarine-Launch Missile by Year-End

© RIA Novosti.

The Russian-Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

BrahMos, the Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missile joint venture, is to test-fire their anti-ship missile from a submarine platform by year-end, the  Russian partner NPO Mashninostroyenie said Friday.

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Mali Islamists 'buying child soldiers for £375'

Malian soldiers patrol near Kati military camp Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Rebel fighters, among them extremists with links to al-Qaeda, are "buying loyalty" among the local population by abolishing taxes and paying for fighters and wives in a country where more than half the people live on less than 80p a day.

Women bought as wives from their families for as little as £620 are frequently resold in a form of "enforced prostitution", said Ivan Simonovic, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, said after a fact-finding visit to the country.

There have been three public executions, eight amputations and two floggings, he added, and as well as bans on smoking and listening to music, women are now expected to cover their heads and their ability to work has been restricted.

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No More Bad Commanding Officers?

Navy photo / MCS 1st Class Hana'lei Shimana

Commanding any of the Navy's fleet of nearly 300 ships is the most challenging assignment the sea service has to offer.

The headline in the June 18 Navy Times that arrived in my mailbox screamed NO MORE BULLIES, DRUNKS, & PLAYBOYS. It went on to detail Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert’s “tough new rules” for screening for command.
In addition to mandatory attendance at the two-week Command Leadership School, the screening includes passing a written test, sitting through an oral board, and receiving an informal evaluation (360-degree assessment) from peers and subordinates. The command qualification and screening will be required of all new command officers (COs), both ashore and at sea, by June 4, 2013.
This mandate comes as a result of an increase in the number of commanding officers being relieved for cause, thus the “bullies, drunks, and playboys” reference in the headline. I guess those folks just never got around to reading Navy Regulations, 1990, which states:

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China-Japan Tensions Concern South Korea

SEOUL—South Korea's economy won't benefit from a prolonged breakdown in relations between Japan and China because it would damage increasingly interlinked trade in the region, Seoul's trade minister said.
A simmering diplomatic feud between Beijing and Tokyo heated up on Wednesday when top Chinese financial officials canceled plans to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Japan. The dispute, over contested islands, has also hurt sales of Japanese cars in China.
South Korea's auto makers have in turn benefited from a jump in sales in China, but Trade Minister Bark Tae-ho said Seoul was not "sitting there and feeling happy."

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Islamists and activists clash in Egypt's Tahrir Square

CAIRO -- Critics and supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi clashed in Tahrir Square on Friday in a small but potent rally that sharpened the nation’s tensions over its political direction and the failure to bring loyalists of the former government to justice.
Followers of the Muslim Brotherhood and others supporting Morsi, the country’s first Islamist president, chided liberals and ransacked a stage set up by activists. Stones, bottles and gasoline bombs were hurled and two buses caught fire in the most intense hostilities between Islamists and secular activists in months.
The Health Ministry said that at least 110 people had been injured. The fighting cast a spotlight on a divided Egypt and highlighted the frustrations Islamists and liberals harbor over how little the Arab world’s most populous nation has improved since last year’s uprising that overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

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Suspected U.S. drone strike kills 16 in Pakistan

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suspected U.S. drone strike killed 16 people and wounded six Thursday in one of Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal regions, two officials said.

The attack, which included four missiles, targeted a compound on the border of Orakzai Agency and North Waziristan, a local government official and a military official said.

The compound belonged to Maulvi Shakirullah, a militant affiliated with the Haqqani network, the officials said.

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Russian Navy gets carbon fibre frigate

The Admiral Gorshkov (not to be confused with the INS Vikramaditya) frigate is the lead ship of Project 22350. Source: Nordsy.spb

The Russian navy’s first large ship made of carbon fibre will begin trials in the Barents Sea by the end of November. The Admiral Gorshkov (not to be confused with the INS Vikramaditya) frigate is the lead ship of Project 22350. A Russian Naval Command source told Izvestia that following the trials, the frigate would join the 14^th ASW Brigade of Russia’s Northern Fleet. The frigate has been built using stealth technology, with its superstructures made entirely of composite materials that absorb or semi-conduct radio waves to ensure invisibility to radars.

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BAE Systems, EADS End Merger Talks

Aerospace and defense giants BAE Systems BA.LN -1.38% PLC and European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. EAD.FR +5.29% on Wednesday called off their planned merger after the U.K., France and Germany failed to agree on how much influence they should have over the combined entity. The companies made no mention of any plans to revive the merger project at a later stage.
The decision brings to an end several months of increasingly frenetic negotiations on plans by the companies to create the world's biggest defense group by sales.
With BAE Systems and EADS quick to blame politicians for the deal's collapse, singling out intransigence in Berlin in particular, the merger's failure raises fresh questions on European governments' ability to set aside national interests regarding cross-border projects.

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