Overblog
Suivre ce blog Administration + Créer mon blog
4 octobre 2015 7 04 /10 /octobre /2015 07:45
Des armes made in Morocco

 

3 Octobre 2015 T. Mourad – Libe.ma

 

Le Royaume en pourparlers avec l’Espagne, les Etats-Unis et la France pour la création d’usines mixtes

 

Une étude réalisée par l’entreprise américaine Frost and Sullivan a estimé que le Royaume est considéré comme l’un des cinq pays (Colombie, Koweït, Malaisie, Singapour et Maroc) où l’industrie de défense émergera au cours de la prochaine décennie.

La même étude relayée par l’agence espagnole EFE a précisé que, vu les dangers grandissants dans la région et notamment le terrorisme jihadiste, les dépenses militaires du Royaume croîtront de 3,6 % durant les 10 prochaines années. Et de prévoir que les budgets de défense du Maroc et des quatre pays de référence passeront de 38,73 billions de dollars en 2015 à 55,51 billions de dollars en 2025, soit une croissance annuelle de 3,7 %.

« Contrairement aux principales économies émergentes comme l’Inde, la Corée du Sud, la Turquie, les Emirats arabes unis et le Brésil, les cinq pays sélectionnés pour cette étude tentent de développer une base industrielle locale et de diminuer le recours à l'équipement étranger », a souligné l’étude américaine.

Dans ce sens, le Maroc mène des négociations avec les Etats-Unis, la France et l’Espagne pour mettre en place une industrie locale d’armement par la création d’entreprises mixtes, d’après EFE.

Il y a quelques semaines, le site web «Infodefensa.com» avait publié une déclaration du directeur général de l’armement et du matériel de l’armée espagnole, le général de corps d’armée Juan Manuel Garcia Montana, en marge du dernier salon de l’armement DSEI 2015 à Londres, soulignant que «le Maroc a officiellement demandé aux autorités militaires espagnoles de participer à la création d’une industrie militaire locale, avec l’aide des entreprises ibériques opérant dans l’industrie de l’armement».

« Le Royaume veut suivre l’exemple de son voisin et rival l’Algérie qui a conclu d’importants accords militaires avec des entreprises allemandes », a souligné EFE en rappelant l’accord signé entre les deux pays pour un montant de 2,7 milliards de dollars avec le géant de l’industrie militaire allemande, Rheinmetall, pour l’installation d’une usine de fabrication de blindés près de Constantine qui  permettra de produire un millier d’unités de transport de troupes Fuchs2. Par ailleurs, « Alger s’est engagé à ne pas vendre à un Etat tiers les 120 chars qui sortiront annuellement de sa future usine vu que Berlin ne vend pas de matériel de guerre à des pays tiers », a souligné la presse algérienne.

Il convient de souligner que le Maroc a signé un contrat de 358 millions de dollars avec la société américaine spécialisée dans la fabrication de véhicules blindés « General Dynamics Land Systems » pour la livraison en 2018 de 150 chars « M1A1 Abrams » complètement rénovés. Une rénovation s’effectuera dans les locaux de Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC), entreprise publique, appartenant au ministère de la Défense, située dans la ville de Lima dans l’Etat de l’Ohio.

Partager cet article
Repost0
1 octobre 2015 4 01 /10 /octobre /2015 16:45
photo General Dynamics Land Systems

photo General Dynamics Land Systems

 

01.10.2015 General Dynamics - army-guide.com

 

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. -- The U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $358 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to refurbish and upgrade 150 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to the M1A1 SA (situational awareness) configuration for sale to the Kingdom of Morocco. General Dynamics Land Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics.

 

Under the M1A1 SA program, the main battle tanks are completely disassembled and overhauled to a like-new, zero-mile condition. Refurbished tanks incur lower operational and support costs and report higher operational readiness rates. M1A1s are configured with armor upgrades and additional mission-critical technologies to bolster crew situational awareness.

 

Deliveries will begin in January 2017 and the estimated completion date is February 2018. Work will be performed by existing employees in Anniston, Ala. and Lima, Ohio.

Partager cet article
Repost0
15 septembre 2015 2 15 /09 /septembre /2015 16:45
Morocco says breaks up another ISIS militant cell

 

15 September 2015 defenceWeb (Reuters)

 

Morocco has broken up another Islamic State terrorist cell.Moroccan authorities said on Monday they had dismantled a militant cell planning to create an Islamic State affiliate, seizing weapons and bomb-making materials in raids on their hideouts. The cell is the latest in a series of radical groups Morocco says it has uncovered. The group was operating in the southern city of Essaouira and the central town of Sidi Allal Al-Bahraoui. At the offices of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ), reporters were shown weapons, ammunition, tasers, swords and bomb materials seized from hideouts. BCIJ is the judicial part of the Moroccan domestic intelligence service.

 

Read more

Partager cet article
Repost0
22 mars 2015 7 22 /03 /mars /2015 20:45
Une cellule terroriste démantelée au Maroc

 

22-03-2015 Par RFI

 

Le Maroc a annoncé ce dimanche 22 mars le démantèlement d'une vaste cellule terroriste. Active sur une large partie du territoire, elle s’apprêtait selon Rabat à perpétrer des attaques contre des personnalités politiques et militaires, pour le compte de l'organisation Etat islamique.

 

On ignore encore le nombre de personnes interpellées et la date de cette vaste opération de démantèlement. Ce que l’on sait, en revanche, c’est que les membres du groupe étaient répartis dans de nombreuses villes du pays : de Tanger, au nord, à Layoune, dans l’extrême sud, en passant par Casablanca. Une cache d’armes contenant une grande quantité de munitions a également été découverte à Agadir.

 

Suite de l’article

Partager cet article
Repost0
18 mars 2015 3 18 /03 /mars /2015 17:45
An Ottokar Cobra

An Ottokar Cobra

 

18 March 2015 by defenceWeb

 

African arms imports increased by 45 per cent between the periods 2005–2009 to 2010–14, with Algeria importing the most during this period, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has revealed in an analysis of the global arms trade.

 

Between 2010 and 2014, Africa accounted for 9 per cent of all arms exports, measured by volume. The three largest importers in Africa in 2010–14 were Algeria (30 per cent of imports), Morocco (26 per cent) and Sudan (6 per cent).

 

States in sub-Saharan Africa received 42 per cent of imports by African states. Sudan was the largest and Uganda the second largest importer in the subregion, accounting for, respectively, 15 per cent and 14 per cent of the subregional total, according to SIPRI.

 

Between 2005–2009 and 2010–14 imports by Algeria increased by 3 per cent; imports by its regional rival Morocco increased elevenfold. In 2014, major deliveries to Algeria included a helicopter carrier from Italy, the last batch of 48 air defence systems from Russia and an estimated 50 self-propelled guns from China; meanwhile, Morocco received a frigate from France. Algeria, unlike Morocco, has several major outstanding arms orders. These include orders placed in 2014 for two Kilo submarines and 42 Mi-28/Mi-26 helicopters from Russia and 926 Fuchs APCs from Germany. The orders for helicopters and APCs appear partly related to the Algerian Government’s conflict with rebel groups.

 

Nigeria and Cameroon received weapons from several suppliers to fulfil their urgent demand for weapons to fight against the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Taken together, in 2014, both countries ordered and received helicopters from China and Russia, and armoured vehicles from China, Czech Republic, South Africa and Ukraine. Canadian companies also supplied armoured vehicles from production lines based in Nigeria and the UAE, SIPRI reports.

 

Elsewhere in the world, SIPRI noted that arms imports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states increased by 71 per cent from 2005–2009 to 2010–14, accounting for 54 per cent of imports to the Middle East in the latter period. Saudi Arabia rose to become the second largest importer of major weapons worldwide in 2010–14, increasing the volume of its arms imports four times compared to 2005–2009. The top six importers are India, Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE, Pakistan and Australia.

 

“Mainly with arms from the USA and Europe, the GCC states have rapidly expanded and modernized their militaries”, said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme. “The GCC states, along with Egypt, Iraq, Israel and Turkey in the wider Middle East, are scheduled to receive further large orders of major arms in the coming years.”

 

Asian arms imports continue to increase and of the top 10 largest importers of major weapons during the 5-year period 2010–14, five are in Asia: India (15 per cent of global arms imports), China (5 per cent), Pakistan (4 per cent), South Korea (3 per cent) and Singapore (3 per cent). These five countries accounted for 30 per cent of the total volume of arms imports worldwide. India accounted for 34 per cent of the volume of arms imports to Asia, more than three times as much as China. China’s arms imports actually decreased by 42 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14, SIPRI data reveals.

 

“Enabled by continued economic growth and driven by high threat perceptions, Asian countries continue to expand their military capabilities with an emphasis on maritime assets”, said Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme. “Asian countries generally still depend on imports of major weapons, which have strongly increased and will remain high in the near future.”

 

Other notable developments highlighted by SIPRI are that European arms imports decreased by 36 per cent between 2005–2009 to 2010–14, although the Institute cautioned that developments in Ukraine and Russia may counter this trend after 2014 with several states bordering Russia increasing their arms imports.

 

SIPRI also pointed out that arms imports by Azerbaijan increased by 249 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14; to fight ISIS, Iraq received arms from countries as diverse as Iran, Russia and the USA in 2014; and deliveries and orders for ballistic missile defence systems increased significantly in 2010–14, notably in the Gulf and North East Asia.

 

Exporters

 

The United States remains the lead global arms exporter, followed by Russia, China, Germany and France. Together, they accounted for 74 per cent of the volume of arms exports. Overall, the volume of international transfers of major conventional weapons grew by 16 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14, SIPRI said.

 

The volume of US exports of major weapons rose by 23 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14. The USA’s share of the volume of international arms exports was 31 per cent in 2010–14, compared with 27 per cent for Russia.

 

“The USA has long seen arms exports as a major foreign policy and security tool, but in recent years exports are increasingly needed to help the US arms industry maintain production levels at a time of decreasing US military expenditure”, said Dr Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

 

Russian exports of major weapons increased by 37 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14. During the same period, Chinese exports of major arms increased by 143 per cent, making it the third largest supplier in 2010–14, displacing Germany in the number three spot, however still significantly behind the USA and Russia.

 

China supplied major arms to 35 states in 2010–14. A significant percentage (just over 68 per cent) of Chinese exports went to three countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. China also exported major arms to 18 African states. Examples of China’s increasing global presence as an arms supplier in 2010–14 included deals with Venezuela for armoured vehicles and transport and trainer aircraft, with Algeria for three frigates, with Indonesia for the supply of hundreds of anti-ship missiles and with Nigeria for the supply of a number of unmanned combat aerial vehicles, according to SIPRI.

 

Germany’s share of the global arms market has been decreasing (by 43 per cent between 2005–2009 and 2010–14) according to SIPRI, but nevertheless the country has received some major contracts. African orders in 2014 included two Type 209 submarines for Egypt and 926 Fuchs armoured personnel carriers for Algeria.

 

France exported a substantial amount of hardware to Africa – between 2010 and 2014 21 per cent of its exports went to the continent. French eff orts to increase arms exports were boosted by a deal negotiated in 2014 and signed in early 2015 with Egypt for the delivery of 24 Rafale combat aircraft and one FREMM frigate.

Partager cet article
Repost0
18 mars 2015 3 18 /03 /mars /2015 08:45
Armement: le Maroc prévoit un budget de 221 MMDH entre 2015 et 2019

 

17/03/15 Par Anas Bougataya - leseco.ma

 

Strategic Defence Intelligence, le site spécialisé dans les informations actualisées sur le marché de l’armement militaire, rapporte que la taille des investissements marocains dans le secteur de la défense et de l'armement vont augmenter. Ainsi, l'analyse prévisionnelle détaillée de la défense marocaine durant la période 2015-2019 porte sur les points saillants de la demande et des stimulateurs de croissance pour l'industrie de la défense. Ainsi le budget du Maroc pour l'armement durant les quatre années à venir est estimé à près de 221 MMDH.

 

Lire l’article

Partager cet article
Repost0
16 mars 2015 1 16 /03 /mars /2015 17:20
Photo US Air Force

Photo US Air Force

 

March 16, 2015 Dave Majumdar - nationalinterest.org

 

America has an opportunity to export its expertise.

 

Last month, the U.S. State Department unveiled new export guidelines for commercial and military unmanned aircraft—colloquially known as drones. While ostensibly holding firm to the U.S. government’s adherence to the voluntary Missile Control Technology Regime, the new policy would allow the export of drones with ranges greater than 300 kilometers and a payload of more than 500 kilograms on “rare occasions.”

The new policy formalizes the de facto arrangement that already existed, which allows the U.S. government to currently export machines like the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk. But perhaps more significantly, it sets up a standard for the export of commercial drones—imposing restrictions on the sale of those machines.

With the door more or less open to a wide range of sales to foreign operators—here are five countries that might benefit from U.S. drone technology.

 

Read more

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 12:45
Algeria: The Peaceful Solution Soaked In Blood

 

March 13, 2015: Strategy Page

 

Algeria has offered to host peace talks for the mess in Libya, as has neighboring Morocco. So far this year Libyan factions have held negotiating sessions in both countries, but no peace deal has yet been agreed to. Despite the appearance of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in Libya Algeria and most Western nations (especially the EU) still see a negotiated settlement as the best way to deal with the Libya civil war. The Libyan Tobruk (officially recognized by the UN) government goes along with this, mainly because they cannot afford to annoy the UN and risk losing international recognition as the legitimate government.

 

While the government continues to call for an “Algerian solution” to the chaos in Libya, less well publicized are the details of how Algeria achieved that solution. Algeria finally got a political deal with its surviving Islamic terrorists only after a decade of horrific violence. Because of all that slaughter Islamic radicalism lost most of its popular appeal by the late 1990s. This came after Islamic terrorists organized a rebellion earlier in the 1990s and murdered over 100,000 civilians who did not agree with them (or enthusiastically aid them). That bloodbath ended in 2005 with an amnesty deal that attracted most of the remaining Islamic terrorists. Some of the Islamic terrorists still operating in Algeria seem to acknowledge that connection and avoid further antagonizing civilians with the kind of mayhem still popular in places like Libya, Iraq and Syria. Despite the 2005 peace deal there still about a hundred armed Islamic terrorists killed in Algeria during 2014. So far this year it appears that number will be lower for 2015.

 

The increased Algerian border security, especially on the Mali and Libyan borders has led to more arrests, but almost all of those caught are smugglers, not Islamic terrorists. Most of the smugglers are moving consumer goods (cheap fuel, expensive alcohol, gadgets and low level drugs like cannabis, for use in Algeria) and illegal migrants headed for Europe. More valuable shipments like drugs headed for Europe (cocaine and heroin), precious metals (usually gold), illegal weapons (especially large quantities of explosives, RPGs and assault rifles), illegal migrants (who can afford to pay high fees) and known Islamic terrorists are rarely caught. This shows that these cargoes are relatively rare compared to food, fuel, consumer goods  and people smuggling and that many of the high-end smugglers who move these expensive items still have their arrangements with border security commanders to allow those who can pay large bribes to get through without interference. The border guards have incentives to catch smugglers as they get some of the value of the seized vehicles (usually expensive all-terrain models) and cargo as well as bribes from smugglers carrying items (like cocaine or hashish headed for Europe) that will not cause a unwanted publicity (about lax border security) inside Algeria.  Weapons are often carried by smugglers for self-defense against bandits, but the border guards make a big deal out of each arrested smuggler caught with self-defense weapons as being an “arms smuggler.” The increased border security effort has become a major problem for the low-end smugglers who have had to find new smuggling routes as the traditional ones (some used for centuries) are now patrolled by aircraft and troops on the ground. Because of the Islamic terror threat the government has made it more difficult for the smugglers to bribe their way past the security forces, which has simply led to higher bribes being paid by those (like Islamic terrorist groups that dominate drug smuggling in the region) who can afford it. The low value smugglers still get through, but in fewer numbers and via more difficult routes. The security forces are still detecting or arresting Islamic terrorists in the south and north who got smuggled in successfully or were recruited locally. Most of the smugglers arrested are not Algerians although Algerians tend to be the most common nationality found to be involved.

 

March 12, 2015: A court sentenced a blogger to six months in jail for posting a 2012 comment that the army considered insulting. The prosecutor wanted a ten year sentence and the accused was released after the trial because he had already been in jail awaiting trial for seven months. The blogger showed no regret for what he had done and the trial divided the country with many Algerians believing the government had gone too far in this case.

 

March 11, 2015: In the capital two days of UN sponsored peace talks between the major factions in the Libyan civil war ended with sweet words and eagerness to keep talking, but nothing that would end the fighting. The Libyan factions did admit that these talks are not just an effort to bring back peace and prosperity but also a matter of survival. The appearance of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in Libya has caused thousands of the more fanatic Islamic terrorists to sign in as affiliates of this highly destructive and uncompromising group. This has not created a united ISIL force and ISIL appears to spend most of its time raiding and looting just to get fed and resupplied with fuel and ammo. There are still organized Islamic terrorists groups fighting government (both Tripoli and Tobruk) forces but there is less of that because of the need to find something to eat.

 

March 10, 2015: Three Islamic terrorists were killed (and weapons and ammo seized) in a clash with soldiers 145 kilometers west of the capital.

 

March 4, 2015: In neighboring Tunisia police killed two Islamic terrorists near the Algerian border in the Chaambi Mountains. This came in the midst of another major sweep of the area to find hidden Islamic terrorist camps. Algeria moved more troops to the border area opposite the Chaambi Mountains in 2014 to prevent Islamic terrorists from entering Algeria. These big sweeps in the Chaambi Mountains have been going on since 2013 when, for the first time since 2007, Tunisa had to deal with organized groups of Islamic terrorists. The recent sweeps have found more weapons and other supplies hidden by Islamic terrorists for later user. Unoccupied camps have also been uncovered but there appear to be fewer and fewer Islamic terrorists up in the hills. The terrorists are often found to have moved, sometimes across the border, because they detected the approaching troops. Tunisia believes the Islamic terrorists in these mountains are sustained by supporters in cities and towns who get supplies and new recruits to them. Thus Tunisia is now paying more attention to the Islamic terrorist support network in the cities and towns. Not surprisingly there’s a lot more Islamic terrorist activity on the Libyan border, where the same types of sweeps are conducted but more frequently.

 

March 1, 2015: Troops ambushed Islamic terrorists near Beni Douala (95 kilometers east of the capital) and killed one of them.

 

February 28, 2015: In the south (near Tamanrasset, 2,000 kilometers south of the capital) 40 policemen were injured while dealing with hundreds of young Tuareg men violently demonstrating against government attempts to drill exploratory shale oil wells in the desert area. The Tuareg (the southern branch of the Berbers) are the majority in this thinly populated area and fear that the fracking process required to recover the oil trapped in shale rock will pollute the limited local water supply. In addition to fighting with police the protestors burned down the home of the local mayor. The Tuareg are nomads and their language and genetic makeup are similar to the Berbers. Most Algerians are genetically Berber but only about 20 percent of Algerians are culturally Berber and about 15 percent of these Berbers are Tuareg living down south. Although the Berbers are largely farmers and urban dwellers living along the coast most Tuareg are still nomads (or consider themselves such). Over two thousand years of invasions and conquests by foreigners has resulted in most Algerians becoming culturally Arab. These cultural differences are often a source of conflict. Genetic studies have shown the Tuareg to be more Berber than those in the north, apparently because there was less intercourse with invaders. During the ice age (and until a few thousand years ago) the Sahara was a well-watered plain where the ancestors of the Berbers and Tuareg were dominant. As the area turned to desert after the last ice age ended 12,000 years ago many of these people fled to the Nile River and became the ancient Egyptians. 

 

February 24, 2015: In Tunisia security forces arrested over a hundred Islamic terrorism suspects after uncovering an ISIL plot to launch numerous attacks inside Tunisia. That sort of violence has few fans in Tunisia and many locals willing to call the police with reports of suspicious behavior.

 

February 18, 2015: In neighboring Tunisia four policemen were ambushed and killed by Islamic terrorists near the Algerian border in the Chaambi Mountains. This was the first such Islamic terrorist activity in this area this year. Police assured the public that they would hunt down and find the attackers.

 

February 16, 2015: The fifth round of peace talks began in Algeria between the Mali government and an alliance of six northern rebel groups. This round of talks featured the personal participation of the Mali prime minister for the first time. These talks have been making slow progress because of the reluctance of the majority of Malians (black Africans in the south) to grant the degree of autonomy the lighter skinned Arab and Tuareg minority in the north want. Getting the Mali prime minister personally involved is seen as a step forward but there is still no final agreement.  After three days of negotiations there was still deadlock but the Tuareg rebels agreed to an immediate ceasefire to halt the fighting that has been going on for weeks.

 

February 14, 2015: In the northeast troops killed an Islamic terrorists near the Tunisian border.

 

February 13, 2015: Soldiers searching for terrorists about 100 kilometers southeast of the capital found and destroyed twelve structures (some of them fortified) along with twenty bombs and grenades as well as some electronic equipment. Also found was the decomposing body of a man later identified as a wanted Islamic terrorist leader.

Partager cet article
Repost0
12 février 2015 4 12 /02 /février /2015 18:45
US studying special operations airlift needs in Africa

 

12 February 2015 by Oscar Nkala/defenceWeb

 

The United States military is seeking to identify companies able to provide fixed wing air transport services on behalf of US Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in countries in Africa.

 

On February 4 the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) register issued a notice saying Special Operations Command Africa was “conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in, and the resources to support, an emerging requirement for mobile fixed wing air transport services to move personnel and cargo within the northern regions of Africa and surrounding countries”.

 

SOCOM said the airlift services will cover the African nations of Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal. Jordan, which is likely to the base for the Africa operations, is the only Middle Eastern country covered by the airlift requirement.

 

The fixed wing aircraft involved must be capable of transporting a minimum of 1 000 pounds and maximum of 4 500 pounds to include a mix of a maximum of 12 passengers and/or cargo. It must also be capable of taking off/landing on improved and unimproved dirt airfields of a minimum of 1 800 feet in length to support supply and personnel transportation requirements.

 

"The primary operation area where the air transportation support could be provided include, but are not be limited to, Libya, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal, and Morocco. Other locations within northern Africa may be dictated by operational requirements and timely coordination will ensure contractor support," the notice stated.

 

Responses are called for by February 23.

 

The notice comes amid calls for the Pentagon to prepare for a large-scale counter-insurgency campaign to destroy West African-based terrorist groups like Boko Haram and several other Islamist militant groups operating in Mali, Niger, Algeria, Mauritania and other 'safe havens' in the Sahel and Lake Chad sub-regions.

 

In remarks made during an address at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, last week, Africa Command (Africom) head General David Rodriguez said a US-led counter-insurgency campaign was necessary to eliminate the threat posed by new terrorist groups based in West Africa.

 

He said Africom is already preparing a response which will include operations that will target 'forces affiliated to Boko Haram' in four West African countries neighbouring Nigeria.

 

Presenting a lecture to students at the US Army's West Point academy early this month, Special Operations Command (SOCOM) commander General Joseph Votel said US Army commando teams must start preparing now for new deployments against Boko Haram and the Islamic State in north and west Africa.

 

“Boko Haram is creating fertile ground for (terrorist) expansion into other areas. While it is not yet a direct threat to the (US) homeland, it is impacting indirectly our interests in this particular area (West Africa) and creating another area of instability,” General Votel said.

 

So far, US special operations forces operating in the Africa and Middle Eastern regions have conducted a number of raids against al Shabaab in Somalia, Islamist militants in Libya and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 février 2015 3 11 /02 /février /2015 17:45
Le général Bouchaïb Arroub avec son homologue US, Martin Dempsey

Le général Bouchaïb Arroub avec son homologue US, Martin Dempsey

 

11/02/2015 Par Ziad Alami - le360.ma

 

Des officiers marocains bénéficient, dans le cadre des 7ème manœuvres militaires maroco-américaines, African Lion, en cours à Agadir, d’une intense formation visant à renforcer les capacités du renseignement militaire.

 

De hauts officiers américains supervisent actuellement à Agadir une opération à grande échelle visant à renforcer les capacités du renseignement militaire marocain, révèle Al Massae, dans son édition de ce mercredi 11 février. Cette opération, souligne le quotidien, s’inscrit dans le cadre de la 7ème édition des manœuvres militaires maroco-américaines, les plus grandes jamais organisées en Afrique, comme cela avait été annoncé par le Haut commandement US en Afrique, Africom, basé à Stuttgart, en Allemagne.

« Des données, livrées à Al Massae, révèlent que la formation dispensée par les officiers US à leurs homologues marocains consiste dans l’anticipation et la gestion des situations de crise, notamment en Afrique du Nord et dans la région sahélo-saharienne, sur lesquels pèsent de sérieuses menaces terroristes provenant de groupes extrémistes implantés en Algérie et au Sahel », dévoile le quotidien.

«La coopération dans le domaine du renseignement intervient suite à la signature d’un accord entre le Maroc et les Etats-Unis », rapporte Al Massa, en expliquant que cet accord stipule l’échange de renseignements et d’expertises touchant à la gestion des situations de crise, la sécurité des frontières, les investigations sur les affaires de terrorisme et le renforcement des capacités des renseignements pour mieux lutter contre les groupes extrémistes.

En rapport avec les manœuvres en cours dans la région d’Agadir, Al Massae, indique que la deuxième partie des ces manœuvres, -auxquelles prennent part également des pays alliés dont le Sénégal, la Grande-Bretagne et l’Allemagne-, sera consacrée à des opérations de simulation de situations de crises militaires, à la manière d’y faire face et porter secours aux populations affectées par des conflits armés.

Autre atout de l’édition 2015 de l’African Lion, les entraînements qui seront conjointement effectués par les armées de l’air marocaine (Forces royales Air, FRA) et son homologue US, rapporte Al Massae, en indiquant que ces entraînements concerneront notamment l’approvisionnement dans l’air des F16 marocains en kérosène, ce qui annonce que ces avions de chasse ultramodernes acquis dernièrement par l’armée marocaine seront appelés à effectuer prochainement desinterventions au-delà du territoire national.   

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 février 2015 3 11 /02 /février /2015 13:45
An M1 firing during African Lion

An M1 firing during African Lion

 

10 February 2015 by defenceWeb

 

The annual African Lion exercise between the United States and Morocco is currently underway, with 350 US service members and 150 soldiers of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces being joined by military contingents from Germany, England, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Senegal.

 

The first phase of the exercise kicked off earlier this month in Agadir and is focusing on intelligence capacity building, to be followed by the standing up of a Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) and plan for a simulated international crisis toward the overall goal of building combined military capabilities to strengthen cooperation and operational proficiency. Scenarios that focus on humanitarian aid, disaster relief, command and control etc. will be enacted, the US Marine Corps said.

 

The main phase of the exercise is scheduled to take place in mid-May, and will involve around 2 500 personnel and contingents from the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as a simultaneous exercise with the US-Moroccan Air Force Joint Exercise “Majestic Eagle,” which will focus on aerial refuelling and close air support training missions.

 

African Lion is an annually scheduled, bilateral U.S. and Moroccan sponsored exercise designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures. It is the largest annual US military exercise on the continent.

 

“The foundation of how our international community responds to a crisis in any region will be established during theatre security cooperation exercises such as African Lion,” said Maj. Gen. Richard L. Simcock, commander of the CJTF. “This exercise allows the U.S., allies and partner nations to strengthen our relationships with our Moroccan hosts and improve how we will work together in the future.”

Partager cet article
Repost0
14 août 2014 4 14 /08 /août /2014 16:45
Spain and Morocco break up suspected jihadist recruitment network

 

14 August 2014 defenceWeb (Reuters)

 

Spanish police detain an Islamist militant.Moroccan police, working in collaboration with Spanish authorities, have broken up a network suspected of recruiting fighters for the Iraqi-Syrian jihadist group Islamic State, and arrested nine people, Spain said on Thursday.

All those arrested were Moroccan citizens, some with strong ties to Spain, and they were suspected of running operations out of the cities of Fnideq, Tetouan and Fez, the Spanish Interior Ministry said in a statement. It said plans for attacks within Morocco has also been found.

"The dismantled network was dedicated to the recruitment, financial support and dispatch of jihadists for the terrorist organisation 'Islamic State'," it said.

 

Read more

 

 

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 16:45
Counter-Terrorism: Morocco Had A Plan And It Worked

 

August 5, 2014: Strategy Page

 

Of all the Arab countries Morocco has had the least problems with Islamic terrorism. There are several reasons for this. First there is geography. Morocco is the westernmost (from Arabia) Moslem country and like the easternmost nation (Indonesia) is least affected by the Islamic radicalism that arose in Arabia in the 7th century and has survived there ever since. Then there is the ethnic factor. While Morocco is nominally an Arab country most of the people were originally Berber, the people native to North Africa for over 40,000 years. Many Moroccans are aware of their Berber ancestry and take pride in it. Berbers resisted, often successfully, the initial advance by Arab Moslem armies and while most eventually converted to Islam, they tend to wear their religion lightly and are not considered the best recruits for Islamic terrorist groups. Yet Islamic radicalism and Arab nationalism still appeals to some young Moroccans but not nearly as many as in other Arab countries. At least a thousand Moroccans are fighting with rebel groups in Syria and since September 11, 2001 thousands of local Islamic radicals have been arrested in Morocco. Most of these were freed largely because they had decided to abandon and avoid Islamic radicalism and actually did so.

 

The main Moroccan antidote to Islamic terrorism is an ancient monarchy that follows the moderate Malikite form of Sunni Islam. Most North Africans are nominally Malikite but outside of Morocco a greater number are tempted to sample the much more radical Wahhabism from Saudi Arabia. In Morocco the ancient monarchy was always at the center of Malikite worship. The last two kings (Hasan II 1961-99 and Mohammed VI from 1999 to the present) have encouraged democracy and good government as well as adherence to the moderate Malikite Islam. For example the current king has had over 1,600 Malikite religious teachers trained since 2006 and sent them to the 50,000 mosques throughout the country to show local clergy how to better serve their congregations and resist the temptations of Islamic radicalism. This program was in response to radical missionaries sent to Morocco by Saudi Arabia and Iran in the last decade as well as the radical propaganda spread by the Internet and Arab language satellite news channels.

 

Islamic terrorist groups have tried to establish themselves in Morocco since the 1990s but have found the going very difficult. There have been few Islamic terrorist attacks and those that do occur are swiftly dealt with. For example, in April 2011 a terrorist bomb went off a popular tourist café in Marrakech killing 16 people. Most of the dead were foreign tourists and it was the worst terror attack in eight years. The bomber was sloppy however and police were able to track him down along with two accomplices. What they found was a determined al Qaeda admirer who was unable to connect with al Qaeda central or travel to current terrorist hotspots (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Chechnya) because the Moroccan police were monitoring anyone going to those places. But the arrested man was able to get a workable bomb design on the Internet, and was able to get bomb making materials locally. There is a lot of official al Qaeda "how to be a terrorist" stuff on the Internet, but wannabes tend to pay insufficient attention to the need for security. The incident also demonstrated that as long as there is a lot of pro-terrorist propaganda out there some small percentage (often less than one percent) of the population will buy into to it, and seek to carry out terror attacks. Since there are so few terror attacks in places like Morocco, each one that does occur is a big deal. But it's not much of a trend.

 

A year earlier Morocco announced it had destroyed a 24 man terrorist cell. Four of those arrested had previously been in jail for terrorist activities. This cell was not only planning attacks, but had also been active in recruiting Moroccans for terrorist groups in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Since 2003, when Islamic radicals throughout the Arab world became enraged by the American invasion of Iraq, Morocco shut down 60 Islamic terrorist cells. In early 2010 there were over a thousand Islamic radicals jailed in Morocco. Despite all this, Morocco was having a peculiar problem with Islamic radicalism. Iran sent missionaries for a while. These fanatics were armed with lots of cash and engaged in aggressive attempts to convert Moroccans to the militant brand of Shia Islam favored in Iran. This so angered Morocco that diplomatic relations with Iran were cut in 2009. Morocco also cracked down on Wahhabi missionaries from Saudi Arabia, and Islamic radicals in general. The king had an advantage in that he is a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed (important for any Moslem leader) and is generally popular. The Moroccan government is not as corrupt and inept as others in the Arab world, but is not a whole lot better either.

 

Meanwhile Morocco helps other North African and Sahel countries deal with Islamic terrorism. Morocco sends religious teachers and is always ready to discuss specific problems that Morocco had already taken care of at home. One problem Morocco has handled well is economics. Without oil Morocco has prospered by making it easy to start and operate businesses and resisted the temptation to nationalize sectors of the economy. While Morocco does not have the highest per-capita GDP in North Africa it recognized as having the best quality of life.

Partager cet article
Repost0
16 juillet 2014 3 16 /07 /juillet /2014 07:45
Morocco goes on high alert over terror threats

 

14 July 2014 defenceWeb

 

Morocco has put its security services on high alert after intelligence reports revealed a "serious terror threat" from Islamist militants returning home after fighting in Iraq and Syria, the government said.

 

Hundreds of fighters from Morocco and other Maghreb states like Tunisia and Algeria have joined Islamist-dominated fighters in Syria's civil war and the insurgency in Iraq, and North African governments fear they will perpetrate attacks once they return.

 

"The threats are linked to the increasing numbers of Moroccans belonging to organisations in Syria and Iraq," said a statement issued after the weekly cabinet meeting. "Many of these fighters, including some who are leading those organisations, don't hide their willingness to perpetrate terrorist attacks against our country."

 

An al Qaeda offshoot now calling itself the Islamic State has proclaimed a "caliphate" on territory it has seized in Iraq and Syria after a lightning advance last month.

 

Moroccans fighting with the group have posted videos on social media showing their weapons and promising they will return to create an Islamic state in Morocco.

 

"We will bring this back to you in the kingdom of Mohammed VI," one militant with a northern Moroccan accent said in a video posted last week, referring to the Moroccan king.

 

Moroccan authorities say they have dismantled dozens of Islamist militant cells that sent fighters to Syria and Iraq.

 

"Authorities have arrested around 160 members who returned home," said Abderrahim Ghazali, spokesman for an association of families and former detainees that defends the rights of jailed Islamists. "Most of them have been arrested when their plane landed at Moroccan airports."

 

The North African kingdom has suffered numerous bomb attacks by suspected Islamist militants, most recently in 2011 in Marrakesh, when a blast in a cafe killed 15 people including 10 foreigners. It was the worst attack in Morocco since 2003, when suicide bombings killed more than 45 people in Casablanca.

Partager cet article
Repost0
19 mars 2014 3 19 /03 /mars /2014 17:51
Morocco, Spain break up militant cell sending fighters abroad

 

 

18 March 2014 defenceWeb (Reuters)

 

Morocco and Spain made seven arrests and dismantled an Islamist militant cell led by a Spanish citizen that sent fighters to "hotbeds of tension" such as Syria, officials from both countries said on Friday.

 

Hundreds of fighters from Morocco and other Maghreb states like Tunisia and Algeria have joined Islamist-dominated rebel forces in Syria's civil war and North African governments fear they will pose security threats once they return home.

 

Spain's interior ministry said the group's leader, Mustafa Maya Amaya, a nationalized Spaniard born in Belgium, was arrested in Melilla along with two French citizens. Melilla is a Spanish enclave on the Mediterranean, surrounded by Morocco.

 

Also arrested was a Tunisian man based in Malaga, Spain and three Moroccans arrested in their own country.

 

Spanish Interior Minister Interior Jorge Fernandez said it was the biggest group in Europe recruiting jihadists for Syria. Some of its members had returned to Spain from conflict zones where they were involved with al Qaeda-linked organizations.

 

He said the cell was now completely broken up because all of its elements, including document forgers, logistics organizers and jihadists had been arrested.

 

"The cell was dismantled in coordination with Spanish security forces," the Moroccan interior ministry said in a statement carried by official news agency MAP.

 

"Three Moroccans were arrested at the same time as the (Spanish) head of the cell and his acolytes have been arrested by the Spanish security services," it said.

 

The Moroccan statement said Amaya, the Spanish head of the cell just broken up, had had close ties with another cell that was linked to al Qaeda's North African wing, known as AQIM. That cell was dismantled last year as it planned to send militants to fight in Mali and Syria.

 

Spain said Maya Amaya used the internet to recruit jihadists and helped them join movements such as the Al Qaeda splinter group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (IDIL), al Qaeda's Nusra Front branch in Syria, and AQIM.

 

Morocco, a Western ally against Islamist militancy, often says it has broken up radical cells accused of plotting inside and outside the kingdom.

 

It has suffered numerous bomb attacks by suspected Islamist guerrillas, most recently in 2011 in Marrakesh, but militant groups have so far failed to gain any foothold in the kingdom.

 

Tuesday was the tenth anniversary of the Atocha train bombing in Spain, carried out by an Islamist cell, in which 191 people died.

Partager cet article
Repost0
3 décembre 2013 2 03 /12 /décembre /2013 17:45
A Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon

A Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon

 

 

29 November 2013 by Oscar Nkala - defenceWeb

 

Moroccan defence spending will rise from US$3.8 billion in 2014 to US$4.5 billion in 2018 driven by the procurement of military aircraft, armoured vehicles, radar systems, diesel-electric submarines and patrol ships to boost border security and fight trans-national terrorism.

 

In a new report entitled "The Future of the Moroccan Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2018", Strategic Defense Intelligence (SDI) said Moroccan defence spending will grow at an annual rate of 4.4% between 2014 and 2018.

 

"This growth is primarily due to the government's steps to combat internal and external terrorist attacks, strengthen border security and procure new defense systems. Per-capita defense expenditure is expected to grow during the forecast period from US$113.7 million in 2014 to US$130.1 million in 2018.

 

"The capital expenditure budget is forecast to increase from US$1.1 billion in 2014 to US$1.4 billion in 2018, recording a CAGR of 5.62%, due to the government's (defence) modernization plans," the report read.

 

The report also projects that the country's budget for homeland security will increase over the forecast period driven by increasing problems of human trafficking, transnational arms and drug smuggling and internal security demands.

 

"Demand for equipment over the forecast period is mainly expected to revolve around fighter aircraft, diesel electric submarine, surveillance and monitoring equipment and patrol ships."

 

The rise in defence spending will also be spurred by external security threats which include the high risk of attacks from internal and external terrorist groups and ongoing border conflict with Algeria. The high risk of future conflict between Casablanca and the Polisario Front guerrilla movement in the stand-off over the Western Sahara also pushes Morocco to keep its armed forces well-equipped.

 

However, the country does not have a local defence industry and the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) partners are expected to capitalise on existing military ties to remain favourites in providing the defence procurement and maintenance needs of the Moroccan arsenal.

 

"Morocco also remains highly dependent on US companies for the maintenance and support of its equipment and weapons. Furthermore, being an associated country of the European Union (EU), Morocco gives preference to EU nations, particularly France, in terms of trade.

 

"Therefore, as long as these (bilateral and trade) relationships persist, the US and France are set to dominate the Moroccan defense market in the forecast period, creating an obstacle for the suppliers of the Chinese and Russian territories," the report says.

 

However, the report expresses fears that because Morocco is classified as a ‘highly corrupt’ country by the international transparency watchdog Transparency International, defence procurement deals may also be tainted with corruption.

 

"The lack of transparency in the matters of national defence and security policy and the absence of internal audit (systems) for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has aggravated the level of corruption within the (defence) sector," the report says.

Partager cet article
Repost0
19 novembre 2013 2 19 /11 /novembre /2013 17:45
Sniper training during Exercise Jebel Sahara [Picture: Corporal Scott Robertson RAF, Crown copyright]

Sniper training during Exercise Jebel Sahara [Picture: Corporal Scott Robertson RAF, Crown copyright]

18 November 2013 Ministry of Defence

 

Soldiers from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment are strengthening ties with the Moroccan Army by taking part in Exercise Jebel Sahara.

 

Now in its thirteenth year, the month-long exercise is based a few miles north of Marrakech and involves 161 members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) augmented by 49 soldiers from the UK and 200 from the Moroccan Deuxieme Brigade d’Infanterie Parachutiste (2BIP).

The embassy in Rabat recently celebrated the 800th anniversary of diplomatic contacts between the UK and Morocco, and the importance of the relationship was underlined with a visit to the exercise by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr Clive Alderton, and Defence Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Simon Barnett.

Lieutenant Colonel Barnett said:

The bond between the 2 militaries is obviously strong at all levels, and at the very highest levels of the Moroccan armed forces they are keen to deepen this bond with the United Kingdom.

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment understands how the Moroccan military work, which is why their input is central to negotiations for any exercise planning in the region.

The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, also visited the exercise for a tour of a mock-up of a forward operating base, followed by a trip to the training ground, where he took part in some sniper training and witnessed a joint training demonstration.

The Commander British Forces Gibraltar joins soldiers in a lookout tower
Commodore John Clink, Commander British Forces Gibraltar, joins soldiers in a lookout tower during Exercise Jebel Sahara [Picture: Corporal Scott Robertson RAF, Crown copyright]

He was impressed with the obvious depth of planning that had gone into the exercise and how well the 2 nations worked together to achieve their training objectives.

Another visitor, the Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore John Clink, witnessed the RG defending a patrol base. Afterwards, he said:

Jebel Sahara is a fantastic opportunity for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment to be able to exercise in wider areas than what is obviously available in Gibraltar.

This essential training opportunity is only achieved because of the excellent relationship the RG have with 2BIP which stretches over 13 years.

I am struck by the enthusiasm of the soldiers from both countries and the way in which those in the regiment with operational experience were sharing their knowledge with their colleagues and Moroccan counterparts; a great team effort.

Commodore John Clink with Lieutenant Colonel Ivor Lopez
Commodore John Clink joins Lieutenant Colonel Ivor Lopez, Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, in the exercise headquarters [Picture: Corporal Scott Robertson RAF, Crown copyright]

The relationship is nourished by even the most inexperienced soldiers; Private Karim Atto has only been with the RG for a couple of months and is straight out of infantry training at Catterick.

Private Atto was born and raised in Gibraltar and both his parents are Moroccan, so he not only speaks fluent Arabic but also understands the culture well and can translate between junior soldiers.

He said:

It’s great to be in Morocco for this exercise and, having always wanted to join the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the training has exceeded my expectations. It has been exciting, especially the live firing, and I’ve enjoyed working with the Moroccan Army.

Partager cet article
Repost0
18 septembre 2013 3 18 /09 /septembre /2013 17:45
Spain arrests Ceuta man accused of sending fighters to Syria

17 September 2013 defenceWeb (Reuters)

 

Spain arrested a man in its North African enclave of Ceuta on Monday accused of recruiting fighters for rebel groups in Syria's civil war, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

 

Spanish authorities said the man led a group that has sent dozens of people to Syria, including minors, from Ceuta and cities around Morocco.

 

"His name is Yassin Ahmed Laarbi, who was a fugitive and wanted by the High Court for belonging to a terrorist organization," the statement said.

 

Spain arrested eight members of the group in June in Ceuta. Laarbi eluded capture at the time.

 

Spanish officials accused the group of sending fighters to an arm of al Qaeda in Syria and said some of the recruits took part in suicide attacks and others had joined training camps.

 

The United Nations says more than 100,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict since March 2011.

 

Islamist fighters, including veterans of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and Libya, have joined the rebels with the aim of toppling President Bashar al-Assad.

Partager cet article
Repost0
28 août 2013 3 28 /08 /août /2013 07:45
Africa Sahara trafficking routes source BBCAfrica

Africa Sahara trafficking routes source BBCAfrica

August 24, 2013: Strategy Page

 

Border police in Western Algeria are intercepting more drug smugglers bringing in hashish and cocaine via Morocco. This indicates that the al Qaeda controlled drug smuggling operation from tropical Africa (south of the Sahara desert) is recovering from the disruption inflicted by the French-led intervention in northern Mali last January. This operation led to increased security on all of Mali’s borders and the entire southern Algeria frontier. Al Qaeda lost a lot of people in Mali this year and this hurt the drug smuggling operation al Qaeda was running via Mali.

 

August 22, 2013: There was a rare terrorist attack in the mountains of Western Algeria, which left three of four hunters dead and beheaded. Police are seeking the killers, who may not be Islamic terrorists but probably are.

 

August 21, 2013: A notorious Algerian Islamic terrorist (Mokhtar Belmokhtar) has merged his al Qaeda splinter group with a Mauritanian Islamic terror group to form a new group: Al Mourabitoun. The Mauritanian component of Al Mourabitoun is the MOJWA (Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, largely composed of black African Islamic radicals and led by Mauritanians). MOJWA is unique among Islamic terrorist groups because its leadership is black African. Mauritanian security forces have made it very difficult for MOJWA to operate in Mauritania, and that’s why so many MOJWA members moved to Mali in the last year. Since France intervened in Mali this year, MOJWA and the Belmokhtar group have moved. The new group has already been operating, largely in Niger where it recently carried out several daring attacks (including a prison break in June and twin bombings in May).

 

Mokhtar Belmokhtar was also the planner of the January natural gas facility attack in southern Algeria that got 37 workers killed. Belmokhtar has a reputation for always escaping the many efforts to kill or capture him, and the U.S. is offering a $5 million reward for him dead or alive. Belmokhtar was number two or three in the North African al Qaeda organization (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb or AQIM) but formed his own splinter group in late 2012. AQIM and the Belmokhtar splinter group had members from all over North Africa but mostly from Algeria, and while defeated in Mali, it was not destroyed there. Al Mourabitoun has announced that it is planning attacks against French citizens and businesses in Africa, as well as targets in Egypt (to support the recently deposed Moslem Brotherhood government there). Al Mourabitoun will probably not try to carry out more attacks in Algeria, where the security forces are eager to nail Belmokhtar for the many attacks he has previously carried out in his homeland. Belmokhtar appears to be moving around in Niger and southern Libya.

 

August 19, 2013: In the far south, around the town of Bordj Badji Mokhtar on the Mali border, the government is trying to quell growing violence between armed members of the Arab Brabiche and Tuareg Idnan tribes. This is all about tribal politics and long-standing tribal feuds, not Islamic radicalism. In the last week at least 23 people have died in a series of skirmishes. The conflict area is 2,200 kilometers from the coast and the government is also sending 1,500 elite army troops to help restore order.

 

August 12, 2013: Tunisian warplanes attacked a terrorist base in the Atlas Mountains just across the Tunisian border. Tunisian police and soldiers have spent over four months hunting for up to fifty Islamic terrorists who are operating near the Kasserine Pass and Mount Chaambi area . Tunisian security personnel have been searching a hundred square kilometers of sparsely populated forests and mountains without much success. A few terrorists have been killed or captured and cell phones captured containing videos of attacks on soldiers and police. The fleeing terrorists are having a hard time sustaining themselves but they are armed and not inclined to surrender. Algeria has reinforced its border security with Tunisia and blocked several attempts by the Tunisian terrorists to slip into Algeria. This is the first time Tunisia has had to deal with armed Islamic terrorists since 2007. These armed men have been active in the area since January. Some of these terrorists recently fled Mali and others are from Algeria. These were joined by a smaller group (a dozen or so) of Tunisian Islamic terrorists who had apparently not been active until joined by all these new men and a few additional local recruits. There has been a lot of evidence that Tunisia is providing more Islamic radicals for terrorist groups. Eleven of the 32 terrorists killed in the attack on an Algerian natural gas field in January were Tunisian, which provided a hint that there were a lot more Islamic terrorists in Tunisia than the government wants to admit.

Partager cet article
Repost0
12 juillet 2013 5 12 /07 /juillet /2013 16:40
Amur diesel submarines (photo Rubin)

Amur diesel submarines (photo Rubin)

11 July 2013 by defenceWeb

 

Russian state arms export company Rosoboronexport will offer its Amur 1650 submarine to Morocco if the North African country announces a tender, the company has announced. Morocco is reportedly shopping for new submarines.

 

Rosoboronexport Vice-President Viktor Komardin at the International Maritime Defence Show on July 4 said that the company was “actively promoting” the Amur 1650 on the world market. He said Rosoboronexport "plans to offer it to Morocco should the kingdom announce a tender".

 

ITAR-TASS quoted Komardin as saying that "if Morocco announces a tender for a submarine, we will take part and offer the Amur-1650.” He added that Rosoboronexport aims to improve military cooperation with Morocco, developing on an economic cooperation agreement. In terms of military cooperation, he noted that Russia has recently delivered Msta-S self-propelled howitzers to the North African country. “Morocco is showing an active interest in weapons for air defence and ground troops. The choice is now theirs to make,” said Komardin.

 

The Amur 1650, designed by the Rubin Naval Design Bureau in St Petersburg, can carry 18 missiles, torpedoes or mines (including anti-ship and cruise missiles) and can dive to 300 metres. It is an export model of the Lada class diesel-electric submarine, a modernised version of the Kilo class, featuring better acoustic stealth and new combat systems.

 

Provision has been made for the submarine to be fitted with an air-independent propulsion system, which would allow it to remain submerged for more than 25 days.

 

The Amur 1650 has been offered to meet the Indian Navy’s requirements for six submarines and is competing against France’s Scorpene, Germany’s Type 214 and Spain’s S-80, amongst others.

 

Morocco is enlarging its navy, having recently received three new Sigma class frigates from Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding. It will soon take delivery of a FREMM frigate from DCNS. The current Moroccan fleet includes two Floréal-class frigates and a Descubierta-class corvette in addition to some 21 patrol craft and a number of other ships and vessels.

Partager cet article
Repost0
12 juillet 2013 5 12 /07 /juillet /2013 12:45
Moroccan Navy's FREMM ship undergoing sea trials. Photo DCNS

Moroccan Navy's FREMM ship undergoing sea trials. Photo DCNS

12 July 2013 naval-technology.com

 

The Royal Moroccan Navy's DCNS-built frégate Européen multi-mission (FREMM) vessel, to be named Mohammed VI, has successfully completed the third series of sea trials off the Brittany coast, France.

 

During testing, the ship demonstrated its combat system's main sensors performance capabilities by maintaining consistency of the data analysed and displayed, with the results obtained during shore-based simulations.

 

Scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2013, the ship has validated its target engagement sequences using Aster anti-air and MM40 anti-ship missiles, as well as undergoing fire-control tests for the 76mm main gun and exhaustive testing of the multifunction radar.

 

Additional capability trials for the vessel involved helicopter approach control and the various towed devices deployment.

 

DCNS Morocco FREMM programme manager Gilles Raybaud said the recent sea trials have marked a major milestone for the overall FREMM programme, particularly for the vessel's combat system.

 

"Our crews thoroughly tested the full suite of combat system hardware and software that makes FREMM frigates among the most versatile and advanced on the world market," Raybaud said.

 

DCNS is currently under contract to build 11 FREMM ships for the French Navy and one for the Moroccan Navy.

 

The French Navy received the first FREMM vessel, Aquitaine, in November 2012, while the third ship of the class, named Normandie, is scheduled to be commissioned in May 2014.

 

FREMM vessel Provence, the fourth ship of the class, is due to be rolled out of building dock later this year for the French Navy, while the fifth and sixth of type are undergoing construction.

 

The 142m-long FREMM ships have a displacement capacity of 6,000t, a range of 15k, can cruise at a speed of 27k and are each capable of accommodating a crew of 145.

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 juillet 2013 4 11 /07 /juillet /2013 19:45
FREMM Mohammed VI photo DCNS

FREMM Mohammed VI photo DCNS

July 10, 2013 Source: DCNS

 

DCNS Pursues Sea Trials with FREMM Frigate for Royal Moroccan Navy

 

LORIENT, France --- The FREMM multi-mission frigate on order for the Royal Moroccan Navy is pursuing sea trials off the French coast in preparation for delivery later this year. In June, French naval shipbuilder DCNS successfully completed a third series of trials to test the performance of the ship’s combat system.

 

The crew and DCNS specialists completed the latest trials off the Brittany coast. This series of tests was designed to check the performance of the combat system’s main sensors.

 

Operational scenarios were executed to check the consistency of the data analysed and displayed by the combat system sensors with the results obtained during shore-based simulations. Specific tests included target engagement sequences using Aster anti-air missiles and MM40 anti-ship missiles, fire control tests for the 76-mm main gun and exhaustive testing of the multifunction radar. Other vessel capability tests involved helicopter approach control and the deployment of various towed devices.

 

“This third series of sea trials represents a major milestone for the overall programme and more particularly for the ship’s combat system. Our crews thoroughly tested the full suite of combat system hardware and software that makes FREMM frigates among the most versatile and advanced on the world market”, says Gilles Raybaud, DCNS's FREMM programme manager for Morocco.

 

To acquaint them with shipboard operations, members of the crew that will take over once the vessel enters service with the Royal Moroccan Navy participated in the trials. Working in tandem with the French Navy crew, they took part in activities ranging from bridge and propulsion watchkeeping to safety exercises and platform management. The Moroccan crew members had previously completed simulation-based training at DCNS’s Lorient and Le Mourillon centres to familiarise them with the FREMM platform management systems.

 

Vice-Admiral Laghmari, inspector-general of the Royal Moroccan Navy, toured the future Mohamed VI FREMM at Lorient, meeting members of the Moroccan crew assigned to the trials and congratulating them on the tasks already completed. He encouraged them to continue to familiarise themselves with the new ship prior to delivery, and indicated that he was fully satisfied with the programme’s progress and the results of the sea trials.

 

The first series of sea trials, conducted in April, demonstrated the full compliance of the ship’s propulsion and navigation systems with the relevant performance requirements.

 

FREMM, a major programme for DCNS and partners

 

The French FREMM programme calls for 12 ships – 11 for the French Navy and one for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

 

DCNS delivered the Aquitaine, the first FREMM multimission frigate, to the French Navy in November 2012.

 

In accordance the contractual provisions, the second-of-type is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Moroccan Navy by the end of this year. The ship will be named the Mohammed VI.

 

DCNS is currently working on four FREMM frigates at different stages of completion:

- third-of-type FREMM frigate Normandie will begin sea trials later this year and is scheduled for delivery to the French Navy in 2014

- fourth-of-type FREMM frigate Provence is approaching completion and scheduled to be floated out of her building dock later this year

- the fifth and sixth of type are at earlier stages of construction.

 

FREMM technical data

 

These heavily armed warships are being built under DCNS prime contractorship to deploy state-of-the-art weapon systems and sensors including the Herakles multifunction radar, MdCN cruise missiles, Aster anti-air missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes.

•Length overall: 142 m

•Beam: 20 m

•Displacement (approx.): 6,000 tonnes

•Max. speed: 27 knots

•Complement: 108 (including helicopter crew)

•Accommodation:145 men and women

•Range: 6,000 nm (at 15 knots)

 

 

DCNS designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The Group has also expanded its focus into civil nuclear engineering and marine renewable energy. The DCNS Group employs 13,200 people and generates annual revenues of €2.9 billion

Partager cet article
Repost0
26 avril 2013 5 26 /04 /avril /2013 07:45
An M1 Abrams firing during African Lion 2011

An M1 Abrams firing during African Lion 2011

 

25 April 2013 by defenceWeb

 

The United States and Morocco yesterday resumed their annual African Lion military exercise, but on a much smaller scale following its earlier cancellation due to a spat over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

 

US embassy spokesman Rodney Ford told Agence France Presse that the Moroccan government had asked the United States to resume African Lion. "Most of our forces had already redeployed. But some elements are still on the ground. So we are conducting modified limited military engagements," he said yesterday.

 

Some of the activities taking place as part of African Lion include aerial refuelling, aerial training and various workshops.

 

African Lion was originally scheduled to begin on April 17 and conclude on April 27, but was cancelled on the 16th because of Moroccan anger with the Obama administration over its support for having the United Nations monitor human rights in a territorial dispute over the territory of Western Sahara.

 

“The Moroccan government has deferred the exercise to a later date,” said Tom Saunders, an Africom spokesman, in a statement last week. “The US and Moroccan militaries remain long-standing partners. We hope to continue to build our partnership through future military engagements with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, as directed by US Africa Command and the United States Government.”

 

This week the US dropped its demand that rights monitoring be included in the mandate of the UN mission in the Western Sahara, with the resolution merely to encourage stronger efforts on human rights, AFP said.

 

Morocco occupied the desert region in 1976 unleashing a decades-long guerrilla struggle by the indigenous Polisario Front group, which ended with a UN ceasefire agreement in 1991. Since then talks between the two sides have remained stalemated, with Polisario insisting on an independence referendum and Morocco proposing autonomy for the mineral-rich former Spanish colony.

 

African Lion 2013 was set to involve 1 400 US personnel, 900 Moroccan troops and foreign observers. Earlier this month, the US Military Sealift Command’s USNS Dahl, a cargo transport vessel, pulled into a Moroccan port to deliver more than 250 short tons of equipment for the exercise. Marines disembarked everything from 7-ton trucks, Humvees and howitzers to Meals, Ready to Eat. Much of that equipment was reloaded and redeployed.

 

African Lion usually involves live-fire and manoeuvring exercises, amphibious operations and aerial refuelling and low-level flight training.

Partager cet article
Repost0
25 avril 2013 4 25 /04 /avril /2013 07:45
Marines from Task Force African Lion 13 and servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Port Opening, U.S. Transportation Command, begin the offload of vehicles and equipment to support Exercise African Lion 13 in the Port of Agadir, Morocco, on April 6. (Sgt. Tatum Vayavananda / Marine Corps)

Marines from Task Force African Lion 13 and servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Port Opening, U.S. Transportation Command, begin the offload of vehicles and equipment to support Exercise African Lion 13 in the Port of Agadir, Morocco, on April 6. (Sgt. Tatum Vayavananda / Marine Corps)

Apr. 24, 2013 – Defense News (AFP)

 

RABAT — US-Morocco war games, cancelled by Rabat over a Washington-backed plan for the UN's Western Sahara mission, have resumed on a smaller scale after a compromise was reached, the US embassy said Wednesday.

 

"The Moroccan government did ask us (in the past 48 hours) if we could resume African Lion," embassy spokesman Rodney Ford told AFP.

 

"Most of our forces had already redeployed. But some elements are still on the ground. So we are conducting modified limited military engagements," he said.

 

Aerial training, refuelling and workshops were among the resumed activities, he added.

 

The US army was to conduct the "African Lion 2013" joint military exercises with Morocco from April 7-27, involving 1,400 personnel from US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and 900 members of the Moroccan armed forces.

 

But it began withdrawing troops and equipment last week amid disagreement over a plan to broaden the Western Sahara peacekeeping force's mandate to include rights monitoring in the disputed territory and in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria.

 

The US proposal triggered a furious lobbying campaign by Morocco, which called off the war games in a clear sign of Rabat's displeasure.

 

Washington this week dropped its demand that rights monitoring be included in the mandate of the UN mission in the Western Sahara, diplomats said, with the resolution merely to encourage stronger efforts on human rights.

 

The Security Council resolution on the UN peacekeeping force is to be voted on Thursday.

 

Giving the force a rights monitoring role is something human rights groups and the pro-independence Polisario Front have been advocating for years in the face of repeated allegations of torture of Sahrawi activists by Moroccan forces.

 

Morocco annexed the former Spanish colony in the 1970s in a move never recognised by the international community, and proposes broad autonomy for the phosphate-rich region under its sovereignty.

 

But this is rejected by the Polisario, which insists on the right of Sahrawis to decide in a UN-monitored referendum whether or not they want independence.

Partager cet article
Repost0
18 avril 2013 4 18 /04 /avril /2013 16:09
FREMM Morocco

FREMM Morocco

18 April 2013 by defenceWeb

The Royal Moroccan Navy’s FREMM frigate yesterday began sea trials off the coast of Brittany in preparation for delivery to the North African country later this year.

Its builder DCNS said that after putting to sea for the first time yesterday, the frigate will begin several weeks of sea trials. During this first period at sea, the crew ( made up of French Navy personnel, Moroccan Navy representatives and DCNS employees) will focus primarily on the performance of the ship's propulsion system and navigation system.

"This milestone is the culmination of a remarkable team effort by DCNS, our partners and suppliers, the trials crew and customer representatives," said Anne Bianchi, director of FREMM frigate programmes at DCNS.

"The FREMM frigates are designed and built by DCNS to meet the needs of many navies around the world, as demonstrated by this first export sale to Morocco. They are among the most technologically advanced and competitively priced vessels on the world market, and are inherently versatile to provide a response to all types of threats. They offer a range of innovative features and unparalleled levels of interoperability and operational readiness."

The teams on board the Royal Moroccan Navy’s vessel will work day and night to conduct a series of tests. The first three days of the campaign, known as the 'familiarisation' phase, will be used to test the vessel's safety systems and equipment, including fire-fighting, flood control and emergency response systems and evacuation procedures as well as manoeuvrability and mooring performance.

The second phase will focus on the propulsion system. The FREMM's hybrid CODLOG (COmbined Diesel eLectric Or Gas) power package combines electric motors for low-speed silent-mode propulsion and a gas turbine for high-speed mechanical propulsion, with a maximum speed in excess of 27 knots. This gives a range of 6 000 nm at 15 knots.

In addition, the DCNS teams will also test the ship's navigation systems (log, position, heading) and its inertial platforms for precise positioning anywhere in the world.

In the next few weeks, over 150 people, including 60 French Navy personnel, will spend time on this second FREMM frigate. To save the ship returning to port, people will be ferried out and back on a daily basis.

On completing these preliminary trials, the frigate will return to DCNS's Lorient shipyard for several days of quayside work. A few weeks later, it will put to sea for a second campaign of trials focusing on the combat system.

While these first sea trials are taking place, some of the Royal Moroccan Navy personnel who will crew the new vessel are beginning simulator-based training at DCNS's Lorient facility to familiarise themselves with the vessel and its systems. This training programme will be ramped up over the next few months as further members of the future crew arrive, DCNS said.

“The exceptional seakeeping qualities of the FREMM frigates have already been demonstrated by the first-of-class Aquitaine, delivered to the French Navy in November 2012,” DCNS said. Aquitaine, the lead ship of the FREMM class, is undergoing an extended deployment to further test its capabilities.

The FREMM programme includes 12 ships, 11 for the French Navy and one for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

Morocco’s US$676 million contract for the frigate was finalised with DCNS in April 2008 and construction began at Lorient in December 2008. It will be delivered to the Royal Moroccan Navy before the end of 2013 and will be named Mohammed VI.

The current Moroccan fleet includes two Floréal-class frigates and a Descubierta-class corvette in addition to some 21 patrol craft and a number of other ships and vessels. Four more patrol craft are also on order.

Four other FREMM multimission frigates are at various stages of completion at DCNS's Lorient shipyard: Normandie, the third in the series, will begin sea trials at the end of the year and will be delivered to the French Navy in 2014; Provence is now fully built and will be floated out of the building dock in the fourth quarter of 2013, while the fifth and sixth of the series are under construction.

The multirole FREMM frigates have been designed for several roles, including anti-air, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. They feature Herakles multifunction radar, Aster anti-air missiles, MdCN cruise missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, MU90 torpedoes and an Otobreda 76 mm gun. Each vessel is 142 metres long, has a beam of 20 metres and displaces 6 000 tonnes.

Although there is accommodation for 145 personnel, the standard complement is 108 including the helicopter crew. The frigate has an aft helicopter hangar and deck able to accommodate medium helicopters like the NH90, EH101 and Cougar.

Partager cet article
Repost0

Présentation

  • : RP Defense
  • : Web review defence industry - Revue du web industrie de défense - company information - news in France, Europe and elsewhere ...
  • Contact

Recherche

Articles Récents

Categories