13-03-2015 par Jérôme Bastion correspondant à Istanbul - RFI

L'émir du Qatar aurait rendu une visite inopinée, ce jeudi, au président Erdogan en Turquie, mais cette information n'a pas été confirmée - une telle visite n'était d'ailleurs pas inscrite sur le programme officiel de la présidence turque. A la veille de la visite à Ankara du chef du Centcom américain, John Allen, qui supervise les opérations de la coalition internationale contre le groupe Etat islamique, les deux hommes auraient évoqué un renforcement de la coopération militaire entre les deux pays, mais sans lien direct avec la situation actuelle en Syrie et en Irak.

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11 March 2015 airforce-technology.com

The Czech Republic Government has authorised Aero Vodochody to sell 15 surplus L-159 advanced light combat aircraft (ALCA) to Iraq.

Czech Republic Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky was quoted by Middle East Online? as saying: "We are looking at a total of 15 warplanes, four of which come from the Czech Air Force, while 11 others come from surplus stock.

"The total cost is CZK750m (€27.5m; $30m)."

Iraq will reportedly receive ten single-seater and two two-seater L-159s, along with a complete aircraft package, including ground equipment, spare parts, training and supply of arms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, the remaining three aircraft are scheduled to be dismantled into spare parts.

Aero Vodochody and the Czech Ministry of Defence signed an agreement for the sale of redundant L-159s to the Iraqi Air Force in August 2014.

Iraq will reportedly receive ten single-seater and two two-seater L-159s, along with a complete aircraft package,

Under the terms of agreement, the company will initially purchase the aircraft from the Czech Air Force, and then resell them to Iraq, which is currently engaged in a fight with the Islamic State militants.

The company will outfit the planes with additional equipment and ammunition prior to delivery to Iraq, in addition to ensuring the training of pilots and the ground stuff, as reported by the Czech News Agency.

Despite acquiring 72 L-159s from Aero Vodochody in the 1990s, the Czech Air Force currently uses only one third of them, and has been attempting to sell the redundant planes for several years.

The L159 ALCA is a derivative of the Aero L-39 Albatros, designed to perform close air support, tactical reconnaissance, air defence, counter insurgency, border patrol and lead-in fighter and weapons training missions.

The contract is subject to the Italian, UK, and US Governments, due to use of foreign technology onboard the aircraft, and deliveries are scheduled to take place over the next three years.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and U.K. Defense Secretary Michael C. Fallon walk through an honor cordon at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. March 11, 2015.- (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)

11 March 2015 Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has become the first defence minister to be hosted by his US opposite number since Defense Secretary Ash Carter was sworn in.

March 9, 2015 By Paul McLeary – Defense News

Civilian advisers, contracted helicopters, on the Pentagon's shopping list to help in Iraq

WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense only has about 250 civilian contractors in Iraq supporting the 2,700 US troops deployed there; but a handful of new solicitations and potential contracts may soon add to that number, according to items posted to a federal contracting Web site.

For the past two decades, the resource-heavy American way of war has dictated that where US troops go, civilian contractors follow. It's a way of doing business that has become ingrained in the Pentagon's culture as end strength has slowly been whittled away while global commitments show no sign of slackening.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have doubled down on the practice, with the number of contractors more than doubling the number of uniformed personnel on the ground at various points over the past decade.

And it's a trend that continues in Afghanistan, where the 10,000 US troops there are dwarfed by the 39,600 contractors supporting their training and advising mission, 14,200 of which are American citizens.

In Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said in an email, DoD contractors are tightly focused in their activities, "primarily performing translator/interpreter, communications, logistics, and maintenance functions."

Overall, there are about 5,000 mainly State Department contractors in Iraq which represents a relatively modest footprint as compared to previous years, where there were over 160,000 during the height of the fighting. There are also 54,000 civilian contractors working across the Middle East for US Central Command.

But more could be on their way to Iraq.

On March 3, the US Army issued a solicitation for Security Assistance Mentors & Advisors to support the Iraqi Ministry of Defense "with designing, implementing, and sustaining systems that increase its institutional capabilities."

Asked about the document, the Pentagon's Mark Wright explained that while the contract does not specify any particular number of advisers, "it is not anticipated to be greater than a half dozen ministry advisors. These persons are not required to be armed and are not intended to directly support combat operations, but to provide administrative assistance."

And its not only civilian personnel that are being tapped to support the uniformed personnel in Iraq. On Feb. 27, the US Transportation Command issued a Request for Information looking for a contractor to provide eight "heavy Rotary Wing aircraft."

While not an official solicitation just yet, the US government said that it is looking to identify contractors who can provide birds that can each ferry a minimum of 12 passengers and move a load of at least 5,000 pounds. The aircraft and their civilian crews would be positioned at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, and "missions may involve destinations throughout Iraq" transporting troops, food and water, fuel, and ammunition.

The Diplomatic Support Center is a 350-acre facility run by the State Department next to the Baghdad International Airport, which is also thought to house the US Army Apache helicopters sent to Baghdad last year.

While their numbers are still relatively small in Iraq, the use of contractors in American military deployments in recent years has stirred plenty of controversy—particularly the use of security contractors. Critics have charged that the use of civilians to perform so many non-combat functions has served to downplay the true size of the American commitment.

There have also been plenty of issues revolving around poor contract oversight, human rights issues revolving around contractors from third-world countries, and plenty of waste, fraud, and abuse. In fact, the Commission on Wartime Contracting has reported that as much as $60 billion was lost to waste or fraud in Iraq, as contractors often subcontracted out to other contractors and the trail of money went wobbly.

US Air Force aircraft of the 4th Fighter Wing (F-16A, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

March 9, 2015 By Gen. John Michael Loh (Ret.) – Defense News

Feb. 28 marked the 24th anniversary of the end of the first Gulf War, Desert Storm, the only major war since World War II that ended in victory for the US, with all objectives met. Desert Storm is also notable for its remarkably short duration, only 42 days.

These facts stand in sharp contrast to our two major wars waged since then in Iraq and Afghanistan, both lasting more than a decade after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which initiated them, and both marked by unclear military objectives and endless nation-building.

Now, we are engaged in an adjunct of the Iraq war against the Islamic State group, a war also notable for its lack of clear objectives and seemingly endless duration. To defeat this enemy, the US needs to adopt the same kind of strategy and mindset used so effectively in 1991.

What made Desert Storm so short and so effective were the clear military objectives laid down by President George H.W. Bush, the military strategy put together in the Pentagon leading with massive air power, and the leadership of Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and Air Force Gen. Chuck Horner in directing the plan with relentless pounding by airpower, day and night for a month, allowing "boots on the ground" to finish the job in just four days.

The result of this intense application of airpower followed by swift ground action was total victory; quickly, decisively, with overwhelming force and few casualties. This is the way modern wars should be fought.

Islamic State forces are deployed differently and are more scattered than were the Iraqi forces in Desert Storm. They control a larger area than the Kuwaiti theater. But the principles of applying intense air attacks and swift ground offensives are the same. Yet, we are fighting Islamic State with a misapplication of airpower, dribbling a few air attacks here and there with no clear objective other than to "degrade" the enemy.

The contrast between Desert Storm and the war against the Islamic State group could not be more stark. President Bush clearly enunciated the military objectives for Desert Storm: Evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait, incapacitate Iraq's leadership and military capability, and defend Saudi Arabia from Iraqi invasion. In short, get in, win and get out, leaving no occupation forces.

He left the military strategy and campaign plan to the generals and did not interfere. They put together a massive around-the-clock air campaign simultaneously attacking military targets in and around Baghdad and air attacks against Iraqi forces in Kuwait. And the plan deployed overwhelming ground forces to ensure they could quickly destroy the remaining "elite" Iraqi Republican Guard forces, free Kuwait and set the Iraqi military back for at least 10 years.

The plan worked as designed. The one-two punch of intense airpower followed by overwhelming ground forces, then withdrawal from occupied territory, was the right strategy.

What followed the conclusion of hostilities was not an attempt at regime change and nation-building, but rather the imposition of effective "no-fly" zones throughout Iraq; Southern Watch from bases in Saudi Arabia, and Northern Watch from bases in Turkey.

Around-the-clock surveillance detected any military flights, movement of ground military vehicles and tracking of US aircraft by ground radars. Any movement or tracking was met with immediate, lethal attacks. The no-fly zones were effective, low-cost and without casualties for the 10 years they were in effect.

Since Desert Storm, we have lost sight of the importance of clearly defined military objectives and building a campaign strategy to win quickly and decisively with airmen and soldiers working together. It is not too late to put together the same combination to win against the Islamic State group. The scenario is different, but the principles of warfare remain the same. The result may well be not just winning quickly and decisively, but the basis for deterring future IS-like movements. But the current approach against the Islamic State group will lead to neither victory nor deterrence, just endless, piecemeal warfare.

We should change course now, apply the lessons of Desert Storm, go on offense, and take the lead in the air and on the ground in the fight against the Islamic State group — to win.

* Gen. John Michael Loh, retired, is a former US Air Force vice chief of staff and former commander of Air Combat Command. He consults for several defense contractors.

March 06, 2015 CJTF - Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve delivered precise and effective airstrikes on enemy positions in and around Al Baghdadi, in support of the Iraqi Government's fight against ISIL. Iraqi Security Forces and Tribal Fighters from the Anbar region have successfully cleared Al Baghdadi of ISIL, retaking both the police station and three Euphrates River bridges. The bridges have been held by ISIL since last September. Furthermore, the Iraqi Security Forces with Coalition support, succeeded in pushing ISIL from seven villages northwest of Al Baghdadi on the road to Hadithah.

From Feb. 22 - March 6, in support of the Government of Iraq's (GOI) campaign to defeat ISIL, the Coalition executed 26 airstrikes to facilitate the maneuver of the Iraqi Security Forces and their successful attacks. In addition to airstrikes, the Coalition supported the operation with surveillance assets and Advise and Assist teams who provided operational and intelligence assistance to Iraqi Security Force Headquarters Elements, which helped to enable them to successfully conduct the offensive operation.

The CJTF-OIR Coalition will continue supporting efforts on behalf of all Iraqi Security Forces and the GoI, to attack and defeat ISIL. Iraqi Security Forces now hold the gains they have made and are postured to retake additional territory from ISIL in the Anbar region.

February 25, 2015 David Pugliese

Insurgents have used a variety of ways to “deliver” improvised explosive devices against targets. In Iraq, IEDs were sometimes hidden inside dead animals on the sides of roads. In Afghanistan they were strapped onto donkeys. And of course in both wars, IEDs could be outfitted in cars and motorcycles.

In Iraq, members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant took things a step further. They outfitted a captured Iraq Army M113 armoured troop carrier as a rolling IED.

U.S. officers were pointing to that battlefield improvisation as an example of what might wait Iraqi forces when they are ready to take Mosul.

4 Mars 2015 par ileridefense

BAGHDAD — Tensions between Iraq and the United States over how to battle the Islamic State broke into the open on Tuesday, as Iraqi officials declared that they would fight on their own timetable with or without American help, and as United States warplanes conspicuously sat out the biggest Iraqi counteroffensive yet amid concerns over Iran’s prominent role.

On Monday, Iraq launched a politically sensitive operation to oust Islamic State militants from Tikrit, the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, without seeking American approval, officials said. Even as Iraq was taking a first step into a bigger battle to oust the Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul, it was also signaling that its alliance with the United States might be more fraught than officials had let on.

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Michael Fallon speaks to UK military personnel during a trip to RAF Akrotiri [Picture: Corporal Lee Goddard RAF, Crown copyright]

1 March 2015 Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today thanked UK personnel directly involved in the fight against ISIL during a trip to RAF Akrotiri.

2 mars 2015 45eNord.ca (AFP)

Les forces gouvernementales irakiennes bombardaient lundi des positions djihadistes dans et autour de Tikrit, un bastion du groupe armé État islamique au nord de Bagdad où une offensive d’envergure impliquant quelque 30 000 hommes était en cours, a indiqué l’armée.

«Les forces de sécurité avancent depuis trois directions vers Tikrit, Ad-Dawr (au sud) et Al-Alam (au nord)», a déclaré par téléphone à l’AFP un colonel de l’armée irakienne.

«Des chasseurs-bombardiers, des hélicoptères et l’artillerie visent Tikrit pour assurer la progression (des forces progouvernementales) et couper les voies de ravitaillement», a-t-il précisé.

Des sources militaires ont fait état d’avions irakiens participant à l’opération, mais il n’était pas clair dans l’immédiat si l’offensive pouvait aussi compter sur un soutien aérien étranger, iranien ou de la coalition internationale antidjihadistes conduite par les États-Unis.

Selon le colonel, les forces progouvernementales «progressent également sur les routes secondaires afin d’empêcher la fuite de Daech (un acronyme du groupe djihadiste en arabe)», qui contrôle Tikrit depuis neuf mois.

Le groupe armé État islamique (EI) s’était emparé de cette ville en juin à la faveur d’une percée fulgurante dans le nord et l’ouest de l’Irak, où ce groupe extrémiste sunnite impose sa loi et multiplie les atrocités, comme sur les territoires qu’il contrôle en Syrie voisine.

L’opération militaire en cours à Tikrit est l’une des plus ambitieuses entreprises par Bagdad à ce jour pour faire reculer les djihadistes.

Elle a débuté tôt lundi, après avoir été annoncée la veille par le premier ministre Haider al-Abadi.

D’après le colonel irakien interrogé par l’AFP, les forces impliquées dans la bataille de Tikrit appartiennent à l’armée, à la police, à des unités antiterroristes, à des groupes de volontaires progouvernementaux connus sous le nom d’Unités de mobilisation populaire et à des tribus locales sunnites hostiles à l’EI.

«Venger Speicher»

Depuis Samarra, l’autre grande ville de la province de Salaheddine, le premier ministre irakien a appelé dimanche les forces progouvernementales à épargner la population civile lors de cette offensive majeure.

«La priorité que nous avons fixée à l’armée et aux forces qui l’aideront est de préserver la sécurité des citoyens», a indiqué M.Abadi, semblant vouloir rassurer la population de Tikrit, principalement sunnite, qui craint des représailles de la part des forces de sécurité si les djihadistes sont chassés de la région.

Le premier ministre a martelé ce message sur les réseaux sociaux, appelant «à protéger les civils et les propriétés avec le plus grand soin».

L’armée irakienne resserre l’étau depuis plusieurs semaines sur Tikrit, une ville qu’elle a plusieurs fois échoué à reprendre même si elle a enregistré quelques succès dans d’autres secteurs de l’Irak depuis le début des frappes de la coalition internationale contre les djihadistes.

Hadi al-Ameri, commandant des Unités de mobilisation populaire et figure centrale de la lutte en Irak contre l’EI, avait appelé samedi la population de Tikrit à quitter la ville dans les «48 heures», «pour venger Speicher».

Speicher est une base militaire proche de Tikrit où plusieurs centaines de nouvelles recrues, essentiellement chiites, avaient été enlevées avant d’être exécutées lors des premiers jours de l’offensive de l’EI en Irak.

Les milices chiites en particulier ont toujours promis de venger les exécutions de Speicher, suscitant des craintes de massacres visant la population sunnite dans le cas d’une reprise de Tikrit, région d’origine de l’ancien président irakien Saddam Hussein.

D’autant que certaines tribus sunnites de la région ont été accusées d’être impliquées dans le massacre de Speicher.

Dimanche, M. Abadi s’est également adressé aux habitants de Tikrit pour leur demander de se retourner contre les djihadistes.

«J’appelle tous ceux qui ont été trompés et ont commis des erreurs à déposer les armes aujourd’hui. Celle-ci pourrait être leur dernière chance», a-t-il dit, suggérant la possibilité d’une amnistie pour certains habitants qui avaient choisi le camp de l’EI.

2 mars 2015 par Bastien Duhamel - 45eNord.ca

«Votre guerre virtuelle contre nous va provoquer une guerre réelle contre vous» ; telle est la menace mise en ligne en Arabe par l’organisation de l’Etat Islamique à l’intention du co-fondateur de Twitter Jack Dorsey.  Cette menace fait suite à une campagne de suppression de plusieurs messages et comptes affiliés au groupe djihadiste sur Twitter.

Déclarant que «nous vous avons prévenu que ce n’était pas votre guerre. Mais vous n’avez pas compris et vous avez continuez à supprimer nos comptes Twitter, nous reviendrons toujours». L’EI a lancé un appel à ses sympathisants à travers le monde pour s’en prendre directement aux employés de Twitter.

Cette menace s’explique par l’importance qu’accorde l’organisation islamique aux média sociaux dont elle se sert comme vecteurs de diffusion de sa propagande ou encore à des fins de recrutement essentiellement à destination des jeunes occidentaux.

Après avoir rappelé que Twitter tout comme les autres médias sociaux interdisent formellement toute publication comportant des menaces à l’égard d’autrui ou à toutes autres fins ou activités illégales, La direction du réseau social par l’intermédiaire de Jim Prosser a réagi brièvement en affirmant que ses «équipes de sécurité enquêtaient sur la véracité de la menace en collaboration avec les autorités officielles compétentes».

2/03/15 7sur7.be

Les 35 militaires que le gouvernement a décidé vendredi de dépêcher en Irak pour assurer durant six mois la formation de l'armée irakienne dans le cadre de la coalition contre le groupe terroriste Etat islamique (EI) dirigée par les Etats-Unis sont arrivés sans encombre dimanche à Bagdad, a-t-on appris lundi de source militaire.

"Oui (ils sont arrivés) dimanche en fin d'après-midi" en Irak, a laconiquement indiqué un porte-parole militaire à l'agence BELGA deux jours après le départ du détachement belge dans la plus grande discrétion.

Il s'est refusé à tout détail supplémentaire en raison du caractère délicat de la mission, qui se déroulera sur l'aéroport de Bagdad, un lieu fortement gardé depuis l'invasion de l'Irak par les Etats-Unis en 2003 - à laquelle la Belgique s'était opposée - et considéré comme vital par les Américains mais vulnérable aux actions des djihadistes.

En janvier dernier, un Boeing 737 de la compagnie Flydubai avait été touché par trois balles de petit calibre avant son atterrissage sur l'aéroport international de Bagdad.

Le vol entre Bruxelles et Bagdad n'a sans doute pas été direct puisqu'il a fallu deux jours aux militaires belges pour gagner l'Irak.

Offensive contre l'EI

L'arrivée du détachement belge intervient alors que les forces de sécurité irakiennes, soutenues par des milices et des combattants tribaux, ont lancé lundi une offensive d'envergure en vue de reprendre la ville de Tikrit et d'autres régions du nord de Bagdad aux djihadistes de l'EI.

L'envoi de ces militaires (vingt instructeurs et quinze hommes pour le support et la sécurité) se fait dans le cadre du second volet de l'engagement - et le premier au sol - après le déploiement de chasseurs-bombardiers F-16 en Jordanie en octobre dernier pour combattre depuis les airs les djihadistes de l'EI (alias Daesch en arabe) dans le cadre de l'opération américaine "Inherent Resolve".

Il n'est toutefois pas question d'une mission de combat, mais de participer au programme "Building Partner Capacity" développé par la coalition afin de permettre à terme aux forces militaires irakiennes d'assurer la souveraineté du pays. Les Etats-Unis avaient sollicité la Belgique dès septembre dernier.

Formation de l'armée irakienne

La mission de formation doit commencer dans les prochains jours. Il s'agira d'aider à la sélection du personnel militaire irakien, d'entraîner des soldats irakiens à des techniques commandos, au tir ainsi qu'aux soins médicaux, avec comme objectif également de former des instructeurs selon le principe "Train the Trainers". Son coût estimé est de 1,815 million d'euros pour six mois, selon la Défense.

Cet engagement terrestre - mais le gouvernement récuse l'expression de "troupes au sol" car les instructeurs ne participeront pas à la reconquête du territoire irakien aux mains de l'EI - vient compléter celui des six chasseurs F-16 opérant depuis la Jordanie et servis par quelque 110 personnes pour mener des raids aériens contre les positions des djihadistes, à raison de quelque 400 heures de vol mensuelles. Cette mission devrait toutefois se terminer fin juin, après neuf mois, selon des sources militaires, en l'absence de crédits pour la prolonger au-delà.

23 February 2015 by defenceWeb

The Iraqi Ministry of Defence has purchased Husky 2G route clearance vehicles from DCD Protected Mobility in a deal worth more than R200 million, DCD has announced.

DCD Protected Mobility told defenceWeb that the contract will be completed by the end of March this year. It was awarded to Critical Solutions International (CSI), DCD Protected Mobility’s marketing partner responsible for selling, distributing and supporting DCD’s product worldwide.

“This procurement represents a critical enhancement of Iraq's route clearance mission and its ability to maintain freedom of manoeuvre and oppose ISIS and other forces within Iraq,” said Andrew Mears, DCD Protected Mobility Business Executive: Defence. "We are honoured to have been awarded this contract and are looking forward to working with the Iraqi Ministry of Defence to fully support this programme and any future requirements. The Iraqi government has determined that the Husky 2G is essential to defeating IED and mine threats and represents a noteworthy investment in saving lives and enhancing the capability of this significant new customer, the Iraqi military."

Over the past decade, the Husky family of vehicles has saved countless lives around the globe. Responding to the need for longer mission duration and enhanced detection capability, the Husky 2G two-operator variant was originally developed and delivered to the US Army. The addition of a second operator allows the Husky driver to focus on vehicle control and situational awareness, while the second operator monitors and analyses the advanced sensor systems and operational environment. The US Army recognised this life-saving vehicle design with an Innovation of the Year Award for 2010.

The Husky 2G is equipped with the NIITEK MMDS Ground Penetrating Radar and the FASCAN interrogation arm used to interrogate suspected mines and IEDs. It is also equipped with the TORC Robotics 360 Situational Awareness camera system and QinetiQ North Americas QNET, which provides the vehicle with lightweight protection from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The upgraded Husky 2G features additional power and has the capability for future integration of additional sensors and enhancements, according to DCD.

The Husky vehicle-mounted mine detection system (VMMD), previously known as the Chubby system, was developed in the 1970s for the South African Defence Force to clear roads of mines in Namibia and Angola. The system comprises of two Husky vehicles: the first acts as a Mine Detection Vehicle (MDV) (previously a Meerkat). The second vehicle (a Husky) tows a mine-detonating trailer.

The South African Army uses the Meerkat while the Husky system is being used by Canada, the USA, UK, France, Australia, Angola, Kenya, Uganda, Spain and Turkey. The Husky system had taken 7 000 hits in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, with no mine or improvised explosive device fatalities.