MOSCOW, March 7 (RIA Novosti)

The Indian Defense Ministry has barred six companies, including a small Russian defense firm, from bidding for defense contracts for the next 10 years, Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported citing Indian media.

The Corporation Zashchita (Protection), which Indian officials identify as Corporation Defense Russia, has been put on the Indian “black list” in connection with a corruption case involving former Director General of Ordnance Factory Board Sudipta Ghosh that came into the spotlight three years ago.

The list also includes Israel Military Industries, Singapore Technologies Kinetics, Germany’s Rheinmetall Air Defense (RAD), and India’s T S Kisan and Co Pvt Ltd и R K Machine Tools Ltd.

Corporation Zashchita, founded in 1993, specializes in the development and manufacturing of armored protection for civilian and military vehicles. The company has not yet commented on the Indian move.

A criminal case against Sudipta Ghosh and 11 other officials was filed in 2009 on charges of bribery and “preferential treatment” of certain suppliers.

AMX International - strike aircraft (photo : Malcolm Clarke)

07.03.2012 DEFENSE STUDIES

March 7, 2012: STRATEGY PAGE

China is increasing its military budget 11.2 percent this year, compared to a 12.7 percent bump last year and 7.5 percent the year before. This means that the official defense budget is $105 billion. Like other communist nations, the Chinese keep a lot of military stuff outside the defense budget, so their actual defense spending is closer to $165 billion. Chinese defense spending has more than doubled in the last decade. This has triggered an arms race with its neighbors. Russia just announced a new military upgrade program that would increase defense spending by a third, and devote over 700 billion dollars in the next decade to buying new equipment. Japan, already possessing the most modern armed forces in the region, is increasing spending to maintain their qualitative edge. A decade ago, China and Japan spent about the same on defense, but now China spends more than three times as much. Even India is alarmed. Spending only a quarter of what China does, the Indian generals and admirals are demanding more money to cope. India and China are actually devoting a lot of their additional spending to just bringing their troops up to date. Both nations have lots of gear that was new in the 1960s and 1970s. They don't expect to be as up-to-date as the U.S., which spends over $700 billion a year, but there's plenty of newer, much better, and often quite inexpensive equipment to be had.

Meanwhile, the big mystery is figuring out what the Chinese military is up to with all this spending? This question's been rattling around inside intelligence agencies, and among diplomats, for the last decade. Once this sort of thing hits the mass media, however, things get a bit distorted. For example, what alarms Americans most frequently is how the U.S. is being demonized by the Chinese military leadership. Chinese politicians speak in more friendly terms, while tolerating the bellicose attitudes of their generals and admirals. The politicians refuse to rein in the aggressive attitudes of their military commanders. China experts counsel that the rants from the military are mainly to build morale within the ranks, and make it easier for the politicians to reduce corruption in the armed forces. This corruption is an old, old problem in China. It's been reduced in the last two decades, but is still there, in a big way. By whipping up this fervor for dealing with a major war, it becomes unpatriotic (for many, but not all, officers) to steal and connive.

To outsiders, it looks like the Chinese are preparing for something ominous. This is reinforced by the increasingly aggressive Chinese attitudes towards its neighbors over ownership of uninhabited islands (often just rock outcroppings that are barely visible at low tide). Outright possession of these islets gives the owner possession of nearby oil or natural gas deposits. Something worth fighting for and that's what worries neighbors when it comes to China's growing naval strength. Yet the Chinese aren't really all that active, given the size of their forces. In reality, a lot of the budget still disappears into questionable projects or non-military activities. Corruption remains a major problem in the military, as it has for thousands of years. China does not like to give this much publicity, and foreign media tend to ignore it. Corruption in the Chinese military is not as sexy a media event as, say, Chinese warships moving past Okinawa.

Inside China, military analysts decry the sorry state of military leadership, training and doctrine. It's easier to build new weapons than it is to train and maintain troops capable of using them effectively. The Chinese are more concerned with that, but not having a lot of success. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense wants to portray China as a formidable foe, in order to justify a large defense budget. This is a pattern that developed during the Cold War, and continues. China has replaced Russia as the arch-foe. While the U.S. still pays attention to the defense of Taiwan, Chinese military power is seen expanding farther and farther into the Pacific and Asia.

Just how real is Chinese military power? Technically, a lot of Chinese gear is well built. This we know by observing how China has absorbed Western (including Russian) technology over the last sixty years. They can build good stuff. If you have an iPhone or iPod, you are using Chinese built, or at least assembled, tech. China is still learning how to invent, design and build many of the iPhone/iPod components. And attempts to design competitive products have, so far, produced very poor results. Chinese have the talent and persistence to acquire the needed management and technical skills. It takes time, and Chinese leaders like to take the long view. That means realizing that current Chinese armed forces are not so good.

Peacetime soldiers in general and Chinese ones in particular, develop a lot of bad habits that translates into defeats early in a war. But in a world with nuclear weapons, the old Chinese strategy of fighting a long war and grinding down a superior (man-for-man) force, no longer works. If you use conventional forces, you strike first and fast, then call for peace talks before the nukes are employed. This situation does not work to China's advantage. Chinese generals are going through the motions of creating a well-trained and led army, like many Western nations have, but are making very slow progress. Meanwhile, the Americans are particularly admired, with all their practical training methods and combat proven NCOs and officers. China still has far too much corruption in their military establishment, and too little initiative and original thinking, to create a force that can match the Americans. Going through the motions may work in peace time, but not once the shooting starts.

China insists that its growing military power is for defense only. That makes sense, as a lot of money is going into the navy, which protects the imports (mainly of food and raw materials) and exports (of manufactured goods) that are driving the unprecedented economic growth. The Chinese try to explain away the military buildup opposite Taiwan as political theater. This may be true, for a failed attempt to take Taiwan by force would not only disrupt the economy (and create a lot of unhappy Chinese), but would be a major failure by the government. Dictatorships cannot survive too many such failures, or too many angry citizens. So it makes sense that the Chinese military growth is largely for defense. But those large defensive forces can also be used to bully or intimidate neighbors, which is what the neighbors are worried about.

HMAS Anzac frigate will be equipped with a 127mm main gun, Sea Sparrow surface to air missiles.

7 March 2012 naval-technology.com

Babcock and UGL joint venture Naval Ship Management Australia has been selected as preferred bidder for Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) Group Maintenance Contract (GMC) for its eight Anzac-class frigates.

The new GMC is expected to be valued at A$300m for the first five year period and has an option to extend for a further five years.

The final contract is likely to be awarded and signed by the end of June 2012 and will become operational following a transitional phase on 1 January 2013.

Babcock chief executive Peter Rogers said the selection has reinforced its growth prospects in the Australian naval support market.

"We look forward to working with the Australian Government and developing a long-term relationship as we support its plans to deliver a new, cost-efficient, integrated naval support solution," Rogers added.

Each Anzac-class frigate is equipped with a 127mm main gun, Sea Sparrow surface to air missiles and can embark an anti-submarine helicopter.

Based on the Blohm + Voss Meko 200 modular design, the frigate has been developed at Tenix's Williamstown yard in Victoria, Australia to provide command and control, weapons, equipment and sensors flexibility.

Powered by combined diesel or gas turbine system, the 118m-long vessel has a displacement capacity of 3,600t, speed of 27kt, a maximum range of 11,000km and can accommodate a crew of 163.

The frigate incorporates Sceptre A radar warner, a decoy system which includes an SLQ-25A towed torpedo and Nulka anti-missile hovering offboard decoy to provide radio frequency seeker anti-ship missiles protection.

The team has also been selected for the amphibious and afloat support ships' GMC tender, which is expected to be released by mid 2013.

06 mars 2012 Romandie News(AFP)

JERUSALEM - Israël a exprimé mardi sa surprise après la décision de l'Inde de placer l'entreprise israélienne publique IMI (Israel Military Industries) sur liste noire pendant dix ans dans le cadre d'un scandale de corruption.

Nous sommes surpris par la décision du ministère indien de la Défense contre IMI, car les auditions sur ces sanctions contre IMI ne sont pas terminées, a indiqué un communiqué du ministère de la Défense.

Le ministère indien de la Défense a placé lundi sur liste noire six entreprises d'armement pour leur rôle présumé dans un scandale de corruption en 2009.

Les entreprises étrangères concernées par le boycott, outre IMI, sont: Technologies Kinetics Ltd (Singapour), Rheinmetall Air Defence (Suisse) et Corporation Defence (Russie).

Deux autres entreprises placées sur liste noire sont indiennes: RK Machine Tools Ltd et TS Kisan and Co Private Ltd.

Le bureau central des enquêtes a recommandé de placer les entreprises sur liste noire au regard des preuves fournies contre elles, a déclaré lundi le ministère indien de la Défense dans un communiqué.

La décision de les sanctionner a été prise aujourd'hui après que leurs réponses ont été prises en considération, selon le texte.

Selon le ministère israélien de la Défense, cette décision est prématurée et inattendue, notamment en raison du fait que IMI a de bonnes raisons de s'opposer à cette mesure. Le ministère a ajouté vouloir consulter IMI sur la réaction appropriée après la décision du ministère indien de la Défense.

L'Inde a gelé les actifs de sept entreprises en 2009, pour une valeur de 1,5 milliards de dollars (1,14 milliards d'euros) après l'arrestation d'un haut fonctionnaire du ministère de la Défense soupçonné d'avoir accepté des pots-de-vin des entreprises.

L'Inde et Israël ont établi des relations diplomatiques en 1992. Les rapports n'ont cessé de se réchauffer depuis.

La coopération militaire entre les deux pays couvre un vaste éventail de produits de défense, notamment des missiles, des drones, des radars, des systèmes électroniques et de sécurité terrestre.

Mar 7, 2012by Dan Martin (AFP) - ASDNews

North Korea has increased the number of anti-aircraft missiles deployed near the capital in preparation for potential attacks by US and South Korean planes, a report said Wednesday.

The number of SA-5 surface-to-air missiles with a maximum range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) sited near Pyongyang rose from two in 2000 to 40 in 2010, Yonhap news agency said, quoting a Seoul military source.

During the same period, the number of SA-3 missiles, which offer a short-range defence against low-flying aircraft, jumped to 140 from seven, it said.

The number of SA-2 missiles with a range of 48 kilometres increased to some 180 from 45 in 2000, Yonhap said, adding the North also had about 12,000 portable anti-aircraft missiles.

"In case of contingency, we could hit deep into the enemy territory only if we neutralise the North's surface-to-air missiles, radar systems and long-range rocket launchers," the source was quoted as saying.

"Our top priority is to introduce combat capabilities to secure command of the air."

The South's defence ministry declined to confirm the report.

The communist country has developed various types of missiles targeted at locations in South Korea as well as medium-range missiles capable of travelling more than 3,000 kilometres.

It has also test-fired intercontinental ballistic missiles, most recently in April 2009.

Bell 412 EP  source thejakartapost.com

Mar. 7, 2012 by Greg Waldron – Flight Global

Indonesia's military has taken delivery of three Bell 412 EP (enhanced performance) utility helicopters following modifications performed at PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI).

The three helicopters will serve in the troop transport role, said PTDI in a statement. Two are going to the Indonesian army and one to the navy.

The three helicopters are part of an order for seven Bell 412s that were delivered to PTDI in a green condition - with no interior fittings - during late 2011 and early 2012.

Bell originally announced an order for five aircraft in early December 2011 and subsequently Indonesia executed an option for two more. Of the seven aircraft, four will go to the army and three to the navy.

The work done by PTDI is believed to include the addition of tactical radios and weather radars.

06/03/2012 lalsace.fr

Davantage d’argent pour la police que pour la défense : la Chine verrouille la sécurité intérieure.

Les forces de maintien de l’ordre en Chine vont bénéficier d’une hausse de 11,5 % de leur financement en 2012 et disposer, cette année encore, d’un budget plus important que celui de la Défense, a annoncé le gouvernement.

Le budget consacré aux forces de police a été relevé à 701,7 milliards de yuans (84,3 milliards d’euros), a précisé le ministère des Finances. Cette hausse est légèrement supérieure à celle du budget chinois de la Défense, qui est officiellement de 11,2 % cette année, à 670,27 milliards de yuans (80,6 milliards d’euros).

Lors de son traditionnel discours de politique générale, le Premier ministre chinois Wen Jiabao a souligné l’importance du maintien de la paix sociale, notamment dans les campagnes, secouées par des révoltes contre les expropriations.

Ces derniers mois, la Chine a été le théâtre de conflits sociaux et de manifestations violentes, durement réprimées par les forces de l’ordre, notamment dans la province manufacturière du Guang-dong.

Parmi les causes de la grogne figuraient notamment des pollutions industrielles, des saisies de terres et expropriations de logements, des récriminations salariales ou encore de mauvais traitements infligés à des ouvriers migrants.

Ces troubles mettent à mal le thème central de « société harmonieuse » que tente de promouvoir le régime communiste.

Mar 5, 2012 timesofindia.indiatimes.com (AFP)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Monday that it had successfully test fired a short-range ballistic missile capable of carrying atomic warheads.

The Hatf II (Abdali) has a range of 180 kilometres (113 miles) and carries nuclear as well as conventional warheads with "high accuracy", the military said in a statement.

"It provides an operational level capability to Pakistan's strategic forces, additional to the strategic and tactical level capability which Pakistan already possesses," the statement said.

South Asian rivals 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.

Pakistan's arsenal includes short-, medium- and long-range missiles named after Muslim conquerors.

The neighbours were on the brink of nuclear conflict in 2002 over the disputed territory of Kashmir, but a slow-moving peace dialogue resumed last March after a three-year suspension following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

India and the United States blamed the attacks on Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and Islamabad later admitted that the assault was at least partly planned in Pakistan.

MOSCOW, March 5 (RIA Novosti)

Russian companies will show more than 70 models of arms and military equipment at the international Defense & Security - 2012 exhibition in Bangkok, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said on Monday.

The exhibition, which opened on Monday, will last through March 8 with more than 250 companies from 30 countries taking part.

The Izhmash arms maker will present advanced sniper rifles SVD, SV-98 and SVDS, AN-94 assault rifles, the Bizon submachine gun and a variety of Saiga carbine modifications.

Other items will include Krasnopol and Kitolov-2m precision guided artillery shells, as well as an assortment of their models.

5.03.2012 Source: le Quotidien du Peuple en ligne

Lors de la conférence de presse tenue le 4 mars à l'occasion de la cinquième session de l'Assemblée populaire nationale (APN, Parlement chinois), Li Zhaoxing porte-parole de la session annuelle de l'APN a déclaré que la Chine augmenterait son budget de la défense nationale à 670,274 milliards de yuans (106,4 milliards de dollars) en 2012, soit une croissance de 11,2% par rapport à l'année dernière. Tout comme les années passées au cours desquelles à chaque publication par la Chine de son budget annuel de la défense nationale, le monde extérieur en prêtait une vive attention et toutes sortes d'explications, d'interprétations, de remarques et de commentaires fusaient de partout, si bien que Li Zhaoxing a cité un dicton occidental pour se moquer des médias étrangers qui, selon lui, s'inquiétaient à l'excessif des dépenses militaires chinoises.

En réalité dans la plupart des cas, les interprétations des médias occidentaux au sujet du budget militaire chinois ne répondent en fait pas à la situation réelle du pays. Car, pour ce qui est des dépenses militaires de la Chine, et surtout en ce qui concerne leur emploi, leur gestion, leur contrôle et leur surveillance, il existe tout un processus et des principes propres à la Chine elle-même.

Les dépenses de la défense militaire chinoise tiennent compte tout particulièrement des besoins et du planning de développement de celle-ci et il n'existe aucune comparaison ni aucune rivalité avec n'importe quel autre pays du monde. Le budget militaire tient compte principalement des principes suivants : les besoins de dépenses, le degré d'urgence et l'ordre de priorité ainsi que la croissance graduelle et limitée.

Les besoins de dépenses. Les besoins du développement de la Défense nationale et de l'Armée dépendent des facteurs suivants : l'environnement sécuritaire du pays, le courant de la modernisation des affaires militaires internationales, les nouvelles tâches assignées à l'Armée dans les nouvelles conditions historiques, l'amélioration des conditions de la vie matérielle et culturelle des militaires …… etc.

Pour ce qui est de l'environnement sécuritaire de la Chine, il est confronté actuellement toutes sortes de défis et à une situation qui se complique de jour en jour. Certains pays intensifient et renforcent dans le voisinage de la Chine leurs relations d'alliance tout en accélérant la réorganisation de leur disposition militaire visant celle-ci ; certains autres pays, et surtout une superpuissance mondiale, interviennent et s'ingèrent ouvertement dans les conflits de droits territoriaux maritimes entre la Chine et des pays voisins et tentent par tous les moyens de compliquer, d'exagérer, d'amplifier et d'étendre ce genre de contradictions. Il y a également des forces internationales qui accordent leur soutien et leur appui aux forces séparatistes à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la Chine et les encouragent à créer des problèmes et des incidents terroristes afin de porter atteinte à la paix et à la stabilité de notre pays. D'autre part, il est apparu de façon sensible ces dernières années en Chine des menaces de sécurité non traditionnelles, telles que celles qui mettent en danger la sécurité de nos ressources énergétiques ou bien la sécurité de nos voies stratégiques ; alors que les calamités naturelles, dont la sécheresse, l'inondation et le séisme, deviennent de plus en plus fréquentes et ont tendance à s'étendre et à s'élargir ; Quant à la Chine qui a pour principale mission de préserver et de protéger la paix mondiale, elle s'aperçoit qu'elle d'autres tâches importantes à accomplir. La situation sécuritaire internationale qui devient de jour en jour plus complexe et plus agitée complique et diversifie chaque jour davantage les tâches assignées à l'Armée chinoise dont la responsabilité s'alourdit sans cesse.

Le degré d'urgence et l'ordre de priorité. A l'heure actuelle, les tâches les plus urgentes pour l'Armée chinoise ce sont les suivantes : Primo, amélioration de ses équipements d'informatisation, renforcement de la valorisation de ses ressources humaines afin de pouvoir stocker du personnel qualifié et talentueux et rehaussement de sa capacité d'informatisation ; Secundo, intensification de l'entraînement combiné, dans diverses conditions, des trois armes de la terre, de l'air et de la mer, car l'élévation de la capacité de combat combiné constitue pour notre armée une tâche ardue ; Tertio, amélioration des conditions de travail et de vie de certaines de nos troupes armées, et surtout celles cantonnées dans des régions reculées frontalières et maritimes ainsi que dans des régions économiquement arriérées, et cela est une mission urgente et importante assignée à l'Armée chinoise ; Quarto, raffermissement de la direction des opérations outre-mer et de la participations aux activités des forces internationales de maintien de la paix et cela ressort également de nos dépenses militaires, bien que ces opérations et ces activités soient du ressort de l'ONU.

La croissance graduelle et limitée. Le maintien de la croissance modérée et dans une mesure appropriée des dépenses militaires constitue pour notre armée la garantie fondamentale de la réalisation de son but de modernisation. Depuis l'éclatement fin 2008 de la crise financière internationale, le PIB (Produit intérieur brut) chinois a connu une croissance annuelle de 14,5% et les dépenses financières nationales ont augmenté annuellement chaque année de 20,3%, alors que les dépenses de la défense nationale se sont accrues annuellement de 13%, ce qui fait que la part de ces dernières dans le PIB et celle des dépenses financières nationales également dans le PIB ont diminué respectivement de 1,33% et de 6,68% en 2008 à 1,28% et à 5,53% en 2011. La plupart des organisations internationales d'études stratégiques pensent qu'en ce qui concerne le niveau de modernisation, il existe actuellement un écart de vingt à trente ans entre l'Armée chinoise et les armées des pays développés. De toute évidence, la modernisation constitue pour celle-ci une tâche ardue et difficile à laquelle elle est obligée de faire face.

Il est à noter que pour la Chine qui applique résolument et sans faille la politique de développement pacifique, l'augmentation adéquate et appropriée de son budget militaire est tout à fait compréhensible, car celle-ci vise seulement à assurer et à améliorer sa capacité d'autodéfense et aucunement à pratiquer l'expansion militaire ou bien à agresser ou à envahir un quelconque pays.

Certains spécialistes étrangers et certains organismes d'études étrangers en la matière ignorent intentionnellement et ne tiennent aucunement compte de la tradition historique et culturelle chinoise cinq fois millénaire caractérisée par le développement pacifique ni de l'environnement sécuritaire complexe auquel est confronté la Chine, ce qui les intéresse c'est de noircir et de dénigrer celle-ci en menant à chaque fois grand tapage autour du problème de la croissance du budget militaire chinois et en altérant la vérité au sujet de la modernisation militaire chinoise, laquelle est complètement normale et compréhensible. Ce qu'il faut insister c'est que la modernisation de l'Armée chinoise est tout à fait normale, tout à fait naturelle, tout à fait juste, tout à fait justifiée, tout à fait bien fondée et tout à fait légitime, et que surtout qu'il n'y a aucune intrique et aucune machination à ce sujet-là. Quant à cette tâche-là, les armées des pays occidentaux l'ont accomplie il y a déjà une trentaine à une quarantaine d'années, ce qui signifie qu'elles ont devancé l'Armée chinoise qui a certainement le droit de faire des efforts pour les rattraper.

March 5, 2012 by Richard Dudley – Defense Update

Media sources are reporting that Japan and Britain may soon begin negotiations to create a joint project for the development of weapons to reinforce each nation’s domestic weapon’s industries. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan is anxious to form lucrative partnerships with foreign nations to offset the decline in Japan’s domestic defense manufacturing sector.

International defense firms have placed increasing pressure on Japanese manufacturers, hogtied by Japan’s decades-old ban on arm’s exports, as they have raced far ahead of Japan’s capability to remain competitive in a market dominated by multinational firms.

Now that Japan has decided to rescind portions of its ban on arm’s exports, the way ahead is open for a resurrection of Japan’s ailing arms industry. Prime Minister Noda is hopeful that removing the export ban will help to ease Japan’s burgeoning spending on defense, spending that has contributed to increasing Japan’s huge national debt.

By lifting portions of the arm’s export ban, Japan hopes to establish partnerships with the United States and European nations leading to the development and production of military goods that may be exported to customers engaged in UN peacekeeping operations and similar activities. Such partnerships are expected to boost Japan’s economic posture.

Prime Minister Noda is scheduled to meet with Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, in April to discuss partnership proposals already presented by the British. Britain previously proposed the two nations collaborate in the development of an autoloading mechanism for 155-milimeter howitzers and three other defense systems.

The strength of multinational arm’s producers has placed Japanese firms in a decidedly weak position, a trend the Japanese fervently hope they can reverse through an aggressive plan of partnership building.

March 4, 2012, OneIndia News

New Delhi, Mar 4: Army Chief General V K Singh on Sunday, Mar 4 wrote a letter to Defence Minister AK Antony saying Indian army is seriously short of ammunition and in the event of war, it may run out of stocks in two days, reports The Indian Express.

Report further claim that Indian Army also running short of artillery and air defence ammunition.

Moreover, same situation likely to continue as government hinting at cuts in defence spending in the next budget.

But, neighbouring country China on Sunday, Mar 4 announced to increase in their military spending by 11.2 percent this year. According to Chines official, country will spend nearly 106.4 billion dollars on defence in 2012.