23 avril 2013 Guysen News International

Des soldats tchadiens et nigériens ont participé à l’attaque menée la semaine dernière par l’armée nigériane contre des combattants islamistes de la secte Boko Haram dans la ville nigériane de Baga, sur les rives du lac Tchad, a-t-on appris mardi de sources militaires dans les trois pays. Le porte-parole des forces de défense nigérianes, le général Chris Olukolade, a toutefois affirmé que les soldats tchadiens et nigériens n’avaient pas été directement engagés dans les combats.

MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti)

The Russian Navy will take delivery of two Project 955 Borey-class ballistic-missile submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, and one Yasen-class attack submarine, the Severodvinsk, by the end of the year, a Defense Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Everything is going according to plan and there will be "no delays," said Andrei Vernigora, director of the ministry’s state defense contracts department, refuting reports the Alexander Nevsky would only be put into service only in 2014.

Alexander Nevsky is due to be commissioned with the Navy in September, he added. The boat has been undergoing trials at the Sevmash shipyard since 2012. A Bulava ballistic missile will be test-launched from the submarine in the summer, a Navy official told RIA Novosti in late March.

Alexander Nevsky is the second Borey-class submarine. The first, the Yury Dolgoruky, entered service with the Northern Fleet in January, and the third, the Vladimir Monomakh, was floated out last December and will start trials in the White Sea in June, United Shipbuilding Corporation President Andrei Dyachkov said earlier this month.

The Sevmash shipyard will start construction this year of two more Borey-class Project 955A submarines - the Alexander Suvorov and the Mikhail Kutuzov.

April 24th, 2013 By SingaporeMoD - defencetalk.com

BERGEN, Germany: One-up, two-up, echelon left, echelon right and bounding-over-watch. These are fighting formations that the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armored Regiment (48 SAR) has executed with Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) at Exercise Panzer Strike in Germany.

Held on the undulating plains of Bergen-NATO training area – whose live-firing ranges provide three times the maximum firing distance of ranges in Singapore – the armour troopers’ progressive training will conclude with a company live-firing exercise involving 13 Leopard 2SG MBTs operating together and providing fire support for one another.

The fifth in the series since it started in 2009, Exercise Panzer Strike is being held from 8 Apr to 21 May this year. “Panzer” is German for armour.

From this year, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will be able to train in Germany twice a year as part of a recent agreement between Singapore and Germany.

During his introductory visit to Germany from 22 to 24 Apr, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen met with his counterpart Dr Thomas de Maizière in Berlin. Both parties reaffirmed the warm and growing bilateral relations between Singapore and Germany, and expressed commitment to further strengthen and expand bilateral defence cooperation. Dr Ng also conveyed Singapore’s appreciation of the German government’s support for the SAF’s armour training in Germany.

Singapore and Germany signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in September 2005 to formalise their defence interactions. Both countries interact regularly in a range of defence interactions, such as visits, military exchanges, professional courses, policy dialogues and technology collaboration. Dr de Maizière will also be participating in this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, which will be held in June in Singapore.

As part of his visit to Germany, Dr Ng will visit the SAF troops at Exercise Panzer Strike later today.

For 48 SAR’s 2nd Company, this annual exercise is an important milestone in ensuring that they are ready to perform operational duties, said the battalion’s commanding officer Major (MAJ) Lim Han Yong. “In Singapore, 800m is the maximum range at which we can engage the targets. Over here, we can engage targets that are as far as 2,500m away.”

Another benefit of the large training area in Germany is being able to have moving tanks fire at moving targets, a configuration that is not possible in Singapore because of space limitations. “This enhances the realism (of the exercise) and the training competencies of our crewmen,” added MAJ Lim.

Another highlight of training there is the opportunity to fire the 120mm live round from the Leopard 2SG MBT. Lance Corporal (LCP) Chad Augustin, who is in charge of loading these rounds, described his experience as “fantastic”.

Speaking with a newfound confidence after having successfully completed several platoon-level live-firing exercises on the Leopard 2SG MBT as part of a four-man crew, the 19-year-old noted: “Training in Singapore is about honing your drills whereas here, it’s about experiencing the live-firing. If you’d asked me just two weeks ago, I’d probably tell you I’ll never make it (as a loader). But now, I feel like I can do anything.”

Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Lim Siang Yam, Wing Commander of the School of Armour’s Specialist Training Wing, was also at Exercise Panzer Strike with 158 Armour Infantry (AI) instructors and trainees, a large majority of whom had just graduated from the 05/12 Specialist Cadet Course.

This is the first time AI troopers are at Exercise Panzer Strike, and the three-week live-firing exercise in Germany will cap off their training as specialists in the armour formation.

Back home, AI troopers practise their skills on the Armour Gunnery Training Simulator. While the simulator helps the troopers sharpen their gunnery skills, MWO Lim pointed out that it required a lot more to accurately take down both stationary and moving targets during a live-firing exercise.

“The fatigue level and mental stress is very different as they have a lot more preparation prior to the live-firing,” said the 48-year-old.

AI trainee 3SG Jeevan S/O Mahendran said that after his live-firing exercise, he was more confident of the voice procedures when operating the BIONIX Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) as well as of the different roles that being a vehicle commander, a gunner and a trooper entailed. “I feel more confident to take care of and lead my men in the future.”

Apr. 23, 2013 Defense News

RIYADH — US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday to seal a major arms deal that will provide the Saudi kingdom with sophisticated missiles for its American-made fighter jets.

Hagel flew in from Jordan after a three-day visit to Israel in his first tour of the region since he took office two months ago.

He was scheduled to hold a working dinner Tuesday evening with Crown Prince and Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz. The talks will touch on the weapons agreement as well as the Syrian war and the disputed nuclear program of Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran, officials said.

Hagel had originally planned to meet former deputy defense minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, but the official was sacked by a royal decree Saturday. He was replaced by Prince Fahd bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, who has been commander of Saudi naval forces since 2002.

Prince Khaled commanded Arab and Muslim armies in a US-led coalition that evicted Iraqi occupation forces from Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War. He had played a major role in sealing several arms deals with the United States, including a groundbreaking agreement in 2010 to sell Saudi Arabia 84 F-15 fighter jets, 70 Apache attack helicopters, 72 tactical Black Hawk helicopters and 36 light helicopters, as well as upgrades for 70 used F-15s.

The delivery of the weapons to the oil-rich kingdom, thought to be the largest ever single US arms sale, would be spread across 15 to 20 years. The long-term nature of that arms deal carried special symbolism for the US-Saudi relationship, as it ensures cooperation over years that will likely see a change in the kingdom’s aging leadership.

The two countries share a common concern over Iran’s role in the region and the threat posed by al-Qaida militants, officials say.

Hagel’s visit comes as the United States unveiled plans last week to sell $10 billion worth of advanced missiles and aircraft to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in a bid to counter Iran.

Under the package, which is still being finalized, the US government will sell 26 F-16 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates as well as sophisticated missiles for the warplanes, which officials would not specify.

The UAE part of the arms deal comes to nearly $5 billion, officials said.

Saudi Arabia would purchase the same advanced missiles provided to the UAE, allowing Saudi fighters to strike ground targets at a safe distance.

Hagel will next travel to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Apr 23, 2013 Spacewar.com  (UPI)

Rio De Janeiro - Brazilian tactical transport jet KC-390 is about to enter the market as the main challenger to Lockheed Martin's C-130J Super Hercules but global domination is far from certain, analysts said.

One of the chief reasons may be that the KC-390 cannot always reach areas that the hardier C-130 Hercules and its current upgrade C-130J Super Hercules can with its four-engine turboprop configuration.

Brazilian aviation manufacturer Embraer opted for jets instead of turboprop engines for its KC-390, contender for an estimated 700 potential replacements for ageing C-130s worldwide but that strategy means the KC-390 may be limited in landing and taking off in rough terrain, analysts said.

Embraer sought buyers for the aircraft at Rio de Janeiro's LAAD defense and security exhibition this month but didn't say if it secured any contracts.

Teal Group defense analysts see the KC-390 as more of a straight cargo plane than the C-130, with higher load capacity, modern features like fly-by-wire and a faster cruising speed, Defense Industry News said, citing Flight International.

However, the C-130's use of turboprops is better for avoiding foreign object damage from unimproved landing strips and for low altitude operation, which makes them better suited to roles like Special Forces support, Flight International said.

The KC-390's first flight is scheduled for next year, which will determine its production and delivery timeline. The KC-390 is likely to be about $12 million cheaper than the C-130J, which comes with a price tag of about $62 million.

Despite being more expensive the C-130J has secured more than 300 orders worldwide. More than 60 countries would still use the old workhorse and some have opted for avionics and hardware upgrades on the old planes rather than turning to alternatives. The Hercules aircraft family claims the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft.

Embraer says it can compete against most rivals including the C-130J. The Brazilian planemaker has been recruiting international partners as part of a strategy to boost the competitive edge for its contender KC-390.

The old C-130 beat competition from Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Soviet/Russian Tupolev Tu-95 and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Lockheed Martin's updated C-130J Super Hercules can perform in-flight refueling, air-to-refueling and tanking. Embraer says it hopes to give its KC-390 all those features plus more.

Embraer says its aircraft will command a lift of 23 tons against 20 tons for most competitors, which include the larger Airbus A400M and Russian and Chinese aircraft.

Embraer is extending its efforts and markets by crafting a jet-powered medium transport with a cargo capacity of around 23 tons, that can be refueled in the air, and can provide refueling services to other aircraft by adding dedicated pods, the Defense Industry Daily said on its website.

"The KC-390 has now become a multinational effort, and may be shaping up as the C-130?s most formidable future competitor," Defense Industry Daily said.

The Boeing Co. and Embraer announced an agreement to collaborate on the KC-390 aircraft program.

Boeing says it can bring to Embraer its experience in military transport and air refueling aircraft, as well as knowledge of potential markets for the KC-390.

Some of the transport plane's structural parts will come from Portuguese companies after an agreement signed by Embraer and OGMA, or Industria Aeronautica de Portugal, and Empresa de Engenharia Aeronautica.

The Brazilian company AEL Sistemas, based in Porto Alegre, is another partner supplying components for the KC-390.

Apr. 23, 2013 - By JOHN T. BENNETT – Defense News

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s use of unmanned aircraft to kill members of some Islamic extremist groups appears to violate the measure that authorized the US war on al-Qaida, experts said Tuesday.

Several legal and defense analysts told a Senate Judiciary Committee subpanel that the use of drone strikes by the US military and CIA against groups loosely affiliated with al-Qaida in places like Yemen and Somalia pushes the 2001 congressional authorization for military force to its legal breaking point.

What’s more, former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. James Cartwright, now retired, endorsed the use of the remotely piloted aircraft. But in a blunt moment he added this: “I’m concerned we might have ceded some of our moral high ground.”

At issue is the covert and clandestine drone war program, which has become the Obama administration’s preferred tool in the fight against al-Qaida. Lawmakers in both parties in recent months have been ramping up their scrutiny of the controversial program.

Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University Law Center professor, told the Senate Judiciary Constitution, civil rights and human rights subcommittee that “current practices might undermine the rule of law.”

Brooks and other legal experts called for changes to both the 2001 use of force authorization and the administration’s process for picking targets. That’s because, Brooks said, she has concluded the administration believes “they can kill anyone at any time anywhere” through a process that is completely “secret.”

Retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally told the panel that during her time with US Africa Command, American officials emphasized ensuring that all drone strikes in North Africa adhered to the 2001 resolution.

Brooks said it would be “absolutely possible” to build a legal case for “every” U.S. drone strike.

But, as lawmakers and administration officials mull potential changes to existing laws and drone-strike procedures, the Georgetown professor urged them to mull this question: “Do we want to live in a world where” the administration’s legal basis for the strikes “is so infinitely malleable”?

Ilya Somin, a George Mason University School of Law professor, told the panel he has concluded the “targeted killings of U.S. citizens are legal” if those individuals have become “enemy combatants.”

Several of the other legal scholars that testified before the panel Tuesday answered similarly under questioning from Republican lawmakers such as subcommittee ranking member Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Such concerns spawned the headline-grabbing Senate floor filibuster conducted by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., of President Barack Obama’s then-CIA director nominee, John Brennan. Cruz joined in that lengthy filibuster, which succeeded in forcing Attorney General Eric Holder to answer that the administration does not believe the Constitution would allow it to use a drone to strike a US citizen on US soil.

Senators expressed an interest in making changes to the drone-strike targeting process, and called for the administration to explain how it has determined its drone policy is legal.

Somin called for a revised system that allows missions to go forward, but provides “a check on executive power.” Any revised force authorization also needs to better define which groups and in which nations the US could legally carry out drone strikes and targeted killings, he and the other experts said.

Members of both parties asked about the notion of setting up a special court to approve strikes before they are carried out or their legality reviewed afterward.

Cartwright endorsed the notion, and Brooks later added that such a court could be set up without hindering the president’s constitutional powers as commander in chief.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., however, said he is concerned such steps would turn “a war” into “a crime,” and hinder crucial operations against al-Qaida and other US foes.

Due in part to lawmakers’ mounting concerns, reports surfaced in recent weeks that the White House is considering shifting most or all of the CIA’s drone program to the control of the Pentagon. A turf battle already is playing out among the military and intelligence oversight panels, and sources expect a years-long fight before the matter is settled.

Cartwright said if the drone strike is a “covert operation,” the intelligence community should run it. If a specific strike mission is a “clandestine” one, then the military should carry it out, the retired Marine four-star general added.

He noted that two American administrations have used a range of military tools, from bomber aircraft to cruise missiles to commando raids, to capture and take out al-Qaida operatives and leaders. But, he said candidly, armed drones are “the best available” option.

Apr. 23, 2013 - By PAUL McLEARY – Defense News

WASHINGTON — Top US Army leadership told lawmakers Tuesday that they’ll need three more years of supplemental war funding after the final US troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan to pay for massive postwar equipment reset activities.

Of course, we don’t know how much the Pentagon will receive in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding next year, but Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has said it should be close to the $88 billion it received in 2013.

With the majority of the remaining 60,000 US troops set to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, however, it remains to be seen how much stomach Congress and the White House will have to spend billions more once the shooting stops.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno explained to the Senate Armed Services Committee that it will take three more years of supplemental funding requests due to “the load we have in our organic industrial base,” which can only handle so much work at any given time.

“If it does not get funded,” he continued, “that means it comes out of our base budget, which it has not been budgeted for, and it’ll take money away from the daily readiness that we need in order to be prepared to meet any operational missions that we have.”

As Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh made their plea, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., issued the service a friendly warning about the political mood on the increasingly cash-strapped Hill.

“Everyone around this place seems to have their eyes on OCO funding for some other purpose,” she said. But Ayotte, a member of the pro-defense Three Amigos along with fellow Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham, added “I think it’s very important for people to understand that if we don’t [continue to fund the Army] we’ll have a hollow Army and we won’t be able to reset.”

Odierno said that while the Army has already done the math on how much money it will need to ship $21 billion worth of equipment out of Afghanistan, he wasn’t prepared to share it with the Senate panel. While sure to be steep, he assured Congress that bringing the gear home and repairing would cost “far less than the cost of new equipment.”

The number should be available later this week, an Army spokesperson told Defense News.

Even with the $88 billion earmarked for the war effort this year, sequestration cuts along with the higher-than-expected costs of bringing troops and their equipment home will cause the service to run as much as $7.8 billion short of what it needs to operate in Afghanistan this year, Odierno said.

As part of its envisioned postwar realignment, McHugh said that the Army will release a blueprint for how it will manage the loss of 80,000 soldiers while shifting units between domestic installations this June, around the same time that a long-awaited Army ground vehicle industrial base report is briefed to service leadership.

The Army contracted with AT Kearney to do the study in 2012, and leadership hopes that it will help shed more light on which defense companies are most at risk from the coming reductions in available work.

“What we owe to the country, to our industry and to the Army is to really analyze inside our systems where we think we have vulnerabilities,” Scott Davis, program executive officer for the Army’s Ground Combat Systems, told Defense News last fall. The Army is undertaking the study “to understand where [industry’s] challenges are and what it would take for them to make a decision to leave the military vehicle sector,” he said.

19.04.2013 Northrop Grumman - army-guide.com

LONDON, -- Northrop Grumman Corporation has launched CUTLASS, its latest generation unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), expanding its range of industry-leading capabilities in unmanned systems for the remote handling and surveillance of hazardous threats.

CUTLASS has been designed, developed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman in the U.K., and includes significant advances in technology and performance and a range of features that provides state-of-the-art capabilities for national security and resilience applications.

"Our CUTLASS vehicle is setting new standards in the UGV market and significantly enhancing the ability of users to handle hazardous threats safely. It is more dexterous, cost effective and, as a package, four times faster than any other UGV," said Greg Roberts, managing director, defence and security, Northrop Grumman Information Systems Europe. "The vehicle is already in service across the U.K. and has proven itself to be robust and capable in the most demanding environments. We look forward to exploiting the potential opportunities for exporting this capability into international markets."

CUTLASS will be on display in Northrop Grumman's exhibit at the Counter Terror Expo, where it will also show its range of capabilities in daily live scenario-based demonstrations. The international exhibition and conference Counter Terror Expo takes place at the National Hall, Olympia, London, April 24-25.

CUTLASS offers the latest technology in a modular design, enabling the user to deal safely with the full range of hazardous threats from a distance, including the detection and disposal of explosive ordnance. Its highly versatile design means that it is capable of accommodating a wide range of payloads, sensors and tools. It carries all of the tools and sensors it needs to perform the full range of operations required for explosive ordnance disposal and other applications, avoiding the need to deploy two standard UGVs. CUTLASS saves up to 50 percent on the through-life costs when compared to owning and operating two standard UGVs.

The manipulator arm is equipped with a three-fingered, state-of-the-art gripper and has nine degrees of freedom for greater movement and agility inside limited spaces. With a specialised sensing system it provides a high level of control and dexterity to minimize damage to property and preserve forensic evidence.

Using CUTLASS, a hazardous situation can be restored to normal up to four times more quickly than with any other UGV. The combination of the speed of the wheeled platform, which can reach speeds of up to 12 kph, and the ability of CUTLASS to carry multiple tools and sensors negates the need to return to the incident control point, thus saving considerable time. The robot is able to creep along at deliberately slow speeds for delicate operations and may accelerate to high speeds to enable rapid travel. The six-wheeled design offers mobility on all types of hard and soft terrain and in all weather conditions.

Northrop Grumman's unmanned ground vehicle business has been established in Coventry, U.K., for more than 20 years. Today, the company designs, develops and manufactures in the U.K. some of the most capable and reliable unmanned ground vehicles available, from the Wheelbarrow bomb disposal robot to the latest vehicle, CUTLASS.

Northrop Grumman has more than 2,000 unmanned ground vehicle systems in operation around the world.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide.

23/04 Les.Echos.fr (AFP)

Paris veut exclure le secteur de la défense des négociations de libre-échange entre l'Union européenne et les Etats-Unis, a déclaré lundi à Chicago Nicole Bricq, ministre française du Commerce extérieur, dans un entretien avec l'AFP.

"Nous savons que les marchés publics américains sont très fermés donc nous n'accepterons pas d'ouvrir le nôtre alors que le marché américain de la défense est fermé", a déclaré Mme Bricq.

Le groupe européen d'aéronautique et de défense EADS a perdu en février 2011 un appel d'offres pour le renouvellement de la flotte d'avions ravitailleurs de l'armée de l'Air américaine a l'issue d'une procédure émaillée de scandales et d'irrégularités, et maintes fois retardée.

"Nous avons la volonté avec d'autres Etats membres d'exclure de la négociation tout ce qui traite de la défense", a ajouté Mme Bricq, qui s'exprimait en marge d'une conférence sur la biotechnique à la veille de rencontres prévues à Washington avec des représentants du gouvernement américain.

"Le terme de partenariat, pour nous Français, a une signification très précise. Il veut dire que nous négocions d'égal à égal avec des projets et des objectifs communs", a encore dit Mme Bricq. "Je viens vérifier la volonté américaine de s'engager dans cette discussion" avec cet esprit-là.

L'Union européenne a donné son feu vert en mars au lancement de négociations de libre-échange avec les Etats-Unis. Le commissaire européen au Commerce extérieur, Karel De Gucht, avait alors exhorté les pays membres de l'UE à donner rapidement leur aval à ce projet de sorte que "les négociations puissent commencer avant l'été".

Répondant aux objections de la France, qui menace de bloquer le projet de partenariat transatlantique, la Commission européenne a assuré lundi que l'exception culturelle ne ferait pas partie de ces négociations.

Evoquée depuis plusieurs années, la perspective d'un accord de libre-échange américano-européen a trouvé un nouvel élan depuis l'échec, fin 2011, des négociations internationales menées sous l'égide de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC).

April 22, 2013 RT.com

A Jordanian military official has refuted the reports that Jordan has opened two air corridors for Israeli drones to monitor the Syrian conflict. The official told RT Arabic that an earlier report by Le Figaro was “inaccurate and groundless.”

Citing a Western military source, the French daily said the decision to open Jordanian airspace to the Israelis had been reached in March following a visit by President Barack Obama to the country.

"The Syrians have Russian air defense assets, but Israeli aircraft are difficult to detect and therefore virtually immune to anti-aircraft measures," said the unnamed source to Le Figaro. The military craft will fly at night to minimize the risk of detection and are capable of striking a target “anywhere in Syria.”

The report follows an alleged Israeli strike at targets inside the Syrian border in acts branded as a violation of the UN charter. The new aerial corridors through Jordan will allow Israeli aircraft to avoid flying over southern Lebanon and inciting a possible aggressive response from Hezbollah.

Israel has repeatedly voiced its concern over stockpiles of chemical weapons in Syria and the possibility they may fall into the wrong hands. In late January the Israeli government issued a number of warnings to Syria before reports of an air strike on what Damascus claimed was a “scientific research center" emerged. Israel did not take direct responsibility for the strike, but Defense Minister Ehud Barak implied Israeli involvement.

“I keep telling you frankly that ... when we say something we mean it. We say that we don’t think [Hezbollah should be allowed] to bring advanced weapons systems into Lebanon,” he told journalists in Germany a week after the attacks.

The US got behind Israel, stating that Washington had been informed prior to the strike on what was also said to be a weapons convoy heading to Lebanon.

The attack on a Syrian target drew widespread condemnation internationally, with Lebanon decrying the strike as “barbaric aggression,” while Russia said it was deeply concerned by the move that was in breach of the UN charter.

Israel has taken steps to beef up its military defenses along its borders with Syria and Lebanon. Iron Dome missile defense components were deployed along Israel’s northern borders along with a US-made Patriot missile unit in February, security sources told Reuters. The anonymous military spokesperson maintained that the deployment was purely routine.

Jordan has been dramatically affected by the escalating violence in neighboring Syria. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have flooded into Jordan since the conflict began over two years ago, leading to the creation of vast camps to house them. On Sunday the Jordanian authorities detained eight Syrians in a camp along the border for inciting riots, fueling fears the conflict could spark violence in Jordan.

Jordanian King Abdullah reportedly met with embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad in secret in March with a view to curb the influx of Syrian into Jordan. Assad, for his part, issued a warning to the Jordanian government last week, stating that thousands of fighters had crossed into Jordan to fight government forces.

"The fire will not stop at our border and everybody knows that Jordan is exposed as Syria is," Assad said in an interview broadcast on Al-Ikhbariya television.

The Syrian conflict has been raging for over two years and has shown no signs of abating. Opposition support group, the so-called Friends of Syria, met over the weekend to discuss monetary aid to rebel forces attempting to oust President Assad. The group granted $123 million in ‘non-lethal’ aid to the Syrian opposition.

23 April 2013 by Kim Helfrich - defenceWeb

A report stating the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) affirmative action policy will result in nothing more than higher aircraft crash statistics has been trashed by sections of the wider community of aviation enthusiasts, writers and observers.

“While it is right to acknowledge problems in the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), sensationalist and unsourced reports are not at all useful in furthering the debate,” Johannesburg-based aviation observer and writer Darren Olivier said in response to a Strategypage report.

The website said that a decade of corruption, shrinking budgets and political pressure to recruit more black flight and technical personnel were the main reasons the SAAF faced severe problems.

“Most experienced pilots, especially fighter pilots, have left the SAAF simply because they weren’t flying enough,” the website reportedly said, adding that “many pilots who remained are there because they were given their wings under the affirmative action quota system.”

Digging into Strategypage, Olivier found it wasn’t a think-tank, as some local reports quoted, but an informal military news site.

“While some of its articles and posts are well-sourced, many, especially those on foreign militaries, are not. The one referring to the SAAF is based only on some dubious news stories, lacks any direct sourcing, has no data newer than 2009 and has dubious figures,” he said.

As examples he pointed out that the site claimed 50 transport aircraft in SAAF service in 2009.

“The actual figure is around 34, including the Cessna C-208s.

“Similarly the claimed number of Cheetahs doesn’t match any known figure as the SAAF had 38 Cheetah Cs, 16 Cheetah B/D/D2s and 16 Cheetah Es, with the latter type retired in 1992.

“It also repeats the oft erroneous pilot figure, which excludes pilots seconded to other squadrons, other duties, on course or in the Reserves and asserts without any evidence the majority of pilots are black.

“At the same time it also claims the best pilots are being excluded from the fighter line for being white, yet that was based on a single rumoured event and there's no evidence this is ongoing SAAF policy. Nor is a move to other lines permanent in any case, as Major Catherine “Siren” Labuschagne proved by transferring from transports to the fighter line.”

He also takes exception to Strategypage’s reference to the “decrepit state of aging buildings, runways and aircraft”.

“Last I checked both AFB Waterkloof and Makhado had new runways. Waterkloof has new hangars and the aircraft look fine,” Olivier notes.

In terms of questions that should be asked around the current situation in all four arms of service of the SANDF, he maintains the “completely and dangerously inadequate defence budget, the misguided culture of secrecy the SANDF has cultivated, political interference at Central Flying School in Langebaanweg, the complete inadequacy of the Department of Public Works and the need for a Department of Defence/SANDF replacement, the flawed disciplinary processes within the SANDF, the related mishandling of labour disputes and unions and the usually awful SANDF public relations” are top of the list.

Another regular poster on aviation and military aviation sites in South Africa pointed out in response to the Strategypage report that “things are not all well in the SAAF and it isn’t the organisation we served years ago”.

In terms of accidents he notes the transport and helicopter lines have borne the brunt of tragic accidents since the Strategic Defence Package acquisitions were delivered.

This has seen no less than four Agusta A-109 light utility helicopters declared category five with two C-47TPs suffering the same fate.