MOSCOU, 7 mai - RIA Novosti

La Russie continue le rétablissement du système de divisions aboli dans le cadre de la réforme militaire lancée par l'ancien ministre de la Défense Anatoli Serdioukov, a annoncé mardi un porte-parole du ministère russe de la Défense.

"Plusieurs unités et groupements du district militaire de l'Ouest formeront prochainement des divisions", a indiqué le porte-parole.

Le ministre russe de la Défense Sergueï Choïgou a déjà rétabli la division d'infanterie motorisée de la garde de Taman et la division blindée Kantemirov transformées en brigades en 2009. Ces deux divisions réunissent des unités cantonnées dans la région de Moscou.

En 2009, la Russie a lancé la réforme militaire la plus radicale de toute la période postsoviétique qui prévoyait notamment la réduction de moitié des états-majors et l'abolition de la structure par armées, divisions et régiments héritée de l'époque soviétique.

A présent, la Russie souhaite faire renaître les plus célèbres unités militaires de son histoire, selon le porte-parole. Le 154e régiment autonome et la 130e brigade d'infanterie motorisée autonome ont récemment reçu les noms glorieux des régiments Preobrajenski et Semenovski sur décision du président russe Vladimir Poutine. Créés au XVIIe siècle par l'empereur Pierre le Grand, les régiments Preobrajenski et Semenovski ont été les plus anciens régiments d'infanterie de la Garde impériale russe.

L'armée de la Russie post-soviétique célèbre mardi son 21e anniversaire. "Le 7 mai 1992, le premier président russe a signé le Décret sur la création des Forces armées de la Fédération de Russie", a rappelé le porte-parole.

April 25, 2013 defense-update.com

The Danish Army has received five Armadillo type armored infantry fighting vehicles for testing. The vehicle is based on the CV90 chassis was configured by BAE Systems Sweden for protected infantry transport. Earlier in April BAE shipped the five vehicles to the Danish army Oksbol base for competitive evaluation. The tests, which begin in April and continue through September, will evaluate the new vehicle’s ability to meet Denmark’s armored personnel carrier requirement. BAE Systems is also offering the vehicle to other countries, among them Canada.

Armadillo is a turretless version of CV90 with ballistic and mine protection which exceed Stanag 4a/b. Removal of the turret gives six tonnes of “spare” payload for further protection or other purposes on top of its “fighting configuration” while its state-of-the-art electronic architecture allows “plug and play” of new systems.

The CV90 was originally designed by Hagglunds and was fitted with a Bofors gun turret. It came into service in 1993. The light tank variant of the vehicle, designated CV9035 MkIII infantry fighting vehicle is operational with the Danish Army since 2007. Denmark plans to replace its existing fleet of M113s and BAE Sweden is one of four contender for the program. Other options considered are the Piranha V from GDLS Europe and G5, yet another upgrade of the M-113, proposed by FFG, which will bring this old design to a new APC status. Denmark is expected to select its future APC variant in 10 months, around February 2014. First deliveries will commence in 2015.

According to BAE Systems, Armadillo offers class-leading protection and optimum mission flexibility. Unlike the G5 or Piranha V, it will be produced on a ‘hot’ production line, with CV90 tanks built for Norway, therefore offer the benefit of production scale and shared costs. Moreover, CV90 platforms are currently operational with six existing operators, adding to the platform’s attractiveness as a low-risk solution, both for initial purchase and long-term sustainment and upgrade. The Danish contract requires the supplier to bind to support the fleet over a period of 15 years.

25/04/2013 Armée de Terre

Du lundi 22 avril au mercredi 24 avril 2013, des officiers du génie de l’armée Russe (6 PAX), sous la direction de général major Stavitsky, à la tête des troupes du génie des forces armées russes, étaient en visite au quartier Gallieni du  13e régiment du génie (13eRG) de Valdahon dans le cadre du plan de coopération 2013 avec la Russie.

Une occasion pour les deux pays d’échanger sur la coopération en matière de lutte contre les engins explosifs improvisés  (EEI). Les officiers russes ont donc pu recueillir l’expérience des unités françaises sur ce sujet, axe prioritaire de la coopération Terre. A terme, cette relation pourrait déboucher sur des échanges d’unités du niveau section de combat. Une visite fructueuse qui prolonge donc les échanges déjà initiés entre les deux pays.

Le général major Stavitsky a notamment pu simuler un commandement à bord du SPRAT, le nouveau matériel de franchissement de l’armée de terre, une capacité unique du 13e RG, et s’essayer à la conduite télécommandée du robot MiniROGEN. Selon le régiment, « le général a témoigné toute sa reconnaissance aux sapeurs de Leclerc pour ces 2 jours. Il a également renouvelé sa volonté de poursuivre la coopération franco-russe. »

April 24, 2013: Strategy Page

Four years ago China revealed an assault gun version of its ZBL 09 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle. This version has a small turret containing a 105mm gun, for providing direct fire support for troops. There was already an artillery version, carrying a 122mm howitzer in a larger turret. There are several other versions, and apparently more on the way.

The Chinese Army has been recently referring to this vehicle as a wheeled light tank. It’s unclear if this means a new doctrine about how the ZBL 09/105mm is to be used, or if the vehicle remains assigned to infantry support work with some extra training for shooting up other armored vehicles. The 105mm gun carried is not powerful enough to destroy most modern tanks, but could knock out most other armored vehicles.

The basic ZBL 09 is a 21 ton vehicle that has a crew of three and carries seven passengers. The vehicle is 8 meters (25 feet) long, three meters (9.2 feet) wide and 2.1 meters (6.5 feet, to the hull roof) high. It's amphibious, and has a top water speed of 8 kilometers an hour. On roads, top speed is 100 kilometers an hour, and max road range on internal fuel is 800 kilometers. The infantry carrier version has a turret with a 30mm autocannon. There are also artillery versions carrying either a 105mm or 122mm howitzer.

The ZBL 09 entered service in 2009, and some combat brigades are being equipped with it, to operate somewhat like the American Stryker brigades. China has been developing new wheeled armored vehicles for over a decade. Until recently, these were all based on Russian designs. The ZBL 09, however, borrows more ideas from the West. Still, some of the more recent (five years ago) Russian type designs were interesting, and instructive.

April 24th, 2013 By German Radio - defencetalk.com

German arms manufacturer Kraus-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has just closed a billion dollar deal with Qatar that was five years in the making. On Thursday (18.04.2013), the Munich-based company announced that it signed a contract to deliver 62 Leopard 2 tanks and 24 self-propelled howitzers to the emirate. The price for the arms: roughly 1.9 billion euros ($2.48 billion).

Before the deal, Qatar owned old tanks and artillery from France and South Africa, according to KMW. Now the country wants to scrap the old weapons and modernize its 8,500-man army with the German manufacturer’s new weapon systems. As reported vaguely by news agencies, armament experts say Qatar wants to be prepared for a possible conflict with Iran. That sounds convincing to political scientist and Middle East expert Werner Ruf.

“One reason is definitely that Qatar is among the nations in the Gulf who consider Iran a real threat, and who want to arm themselves against that threat,” he told DW.

What is the armament for?

But one of the most important factors in such large weapons deals is money, Ruf said.

“Weapons are the goods that elicit the highest sums of bribery,” he said. “That makes for great earnings on the side for the person in charge of choosing the weapons.”

Qatar expert and political scientist Hamadi El-Aouni from the University of Berlin said he thinks the Gulf state wants the tanks to support friendly groups in other countries.

“It’s not impossible that that these weapons will be shipped off somewhere,” he told DW. “I assume toward Syria, via Turkey. Or possibly Lebanon.”

El-Aouni said he not believe Qatar is purchasing the weapons to protect itself from Iran. Home to a large US Air Force base, he said the United States would protect Qatar if it came to a confrontation with Iran.

Limited rights

The opposition parties in Germany heavily criticize the arms deal with Qatar. They point to the country’s autocratic government and lack of respect for human rights. Ruf and El-Aouni agreed with this assessment. The Arab news channel Al Jazeera in Qatar once stood for independent reporting and free access to news, but today its broadcasts are mostly filled with foreign propaganda, Ruf added.

There is also no opposition allowed in Qatar, El-Aouni said: “With very few exceptions, there is no freedom of expression. The emir and his family, as well as Qatar’s government, remain off-limits.” Qatar might not be a visible police state, but there are always secret observers watching you, El-Aouni added.

The fact that Qatar supported the rebels during many of the Arab Spring conflicts doesn’t mean that the country whole-heartedly supports democracy. They saw their own interests at stake, according to El-Aouni.

“Qatar hasn’t support the young people’s revolution so that democracies could rise in countries like Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. Qatar just assumed that the revolution would eventually lead to Islamist states and an Islamist community,” he said, adding that the country only held up a smoke screen of democracy.

That pseudo-democracy became visible in Qatar’s approach to foreign policy, Ruf said.

“The way they reacted to the uprising in Bahrain definitely gave them away,” he said. “While Al Jazeera praised the Arab Spring movement, the government sent tanks to Bahrain to support Saudi Arabia’s course of action: smothering the Bahrain uprising in blood.”

The West looks the other way

Ruf said political and strategic reasons were behind the West’s decision not to criticize the situation in Qatar more openly.

“I believe that there’s a trend toward a new international order behind all this,” he said. “The US can’t do everything they want anymore. They are moving their military power to the Pacific and are putting together a new security power in the Gulf region.”

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, are the new powers, according to Ruf.These countries in turn work to secure their power by trying to make Arab nations, specifically those of the Arab Spring, more Islamist.

“You can see this in Egypt, and also in Tunisia, where huge amounts of money are spent to help the Islamists, and where this money is used to recruit thousands of fighters for the conflicts in Syria and Mali,” Ruf said, adding that human rights and democracy don’t have roles to play.

He added that Germany’s behavior is hypocritical, too: when Islamists march into Mali, everyone condemns it. “But at the root of all that, where human rights are abused systematically, every day, such as in Qatar and Saudi Arabia above all, the West just looks the other way.”

Ruf quoted German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle as proof for legitimization of authoritarian Gulf states. He said Westerwelle said that Saudi Arabia was an anchor of stability and that Qatar helped hold that anchor down.

April 21, 2013: Strategy Page

After several years of testing and negotiation the Indian Army had recently decided on a supplier for new anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) for its 356 infantry battalions. The deal was worth nearly a billion dollars and was about to be awarded to an Israeli firm (for its Spike ATGM) when the entire process was cancelled over fears that corruption may have been involved. No one was accused of taking a bribe, but so much of that has occurred in India that the politicians overruled the generals and ordered them to run the search again and come up with at least two finalists. This will not guarantee there will be no bribery, but the politicians are under a lot of pressure to curb corruption and this move at least makes it look like someone is making an effort

The Indian army had originally wanted to buy the U.S. Javelin ATGM and the Americans were willing to allow production to take place in India. That deal fell apart because Indian procurement officials were unwilling to guarantee that U.S. technology would not be stolen. Israel pitched its similar Spike missile and did not consider potential technology theft to be a deal breaker.

The army was not happy with this last minute cancellation as they need a replacement for the French Milan ATGMs. India has been building Milans for over three decades. There is no suitable local candidate, despite over two decades of effort trying to develop an effective ATGM to replace Milan. While the Milan design has been updated several times since it first appeared in 1972, there are several other more recent designs that are more effective.

The most effective of these is the Javelin. Introduced in 2002, it weighs 22.3 kg (49 pounds, with disposable launch tube and battery/seeker coolant unit) and is fired from a 6.4 kg (14 pound) CLU (command launch unit). The CLU contains a 4x day sight and a 9x heat sensing night sight. The missile has a tandem (two warheads, to blast through reactive armor) that can hit a target straight on or from the top. This latter capability enables the Javelin to use its 8.2 kg (18 pound) warhead to destroy any existing tank (including the U.S. M1). Maximum range is 2,500 meters. Best of all, the seeker on the missile is "fire and forget." That is, once the operator gets the target in the CLU crosshairs and fires the missile the computer and seeker in the missile warhead memorizes the target and homes in on it. The infantry love this because it allows them to take cover once the missile is fired.

Meanwhile some 30,000 Milans have already been produced in India, under license from European firm MBDA. They have also produced nearly 3,000 launchers. India believes that against Pakistan (the most likely enemy that is likely to use a lot of armored vehicles) Milan still gets the job done. But more modern ATGMs get the job done better and at the loss of fewer Indian infantrymen. This is a popular attitude and the army is not happy about being ordered to start the search for a Milan replacement all over again.

The basic Milan is a 1.2 meter long, 125mm diameter, 7.1 kg (16 pound) missile. It has a minimum range of 400 meters and maximum range of 2,000 meters. At max range the missile takes about 13 seconds to reach its target. The missile is guided to the target by the operator via a thin wire. The launcher weighs 21 kg (46 pounds). The missile can penetrate about a meter of armor, making it effective against all but the most modern tanks (M-1, Challenger, Leopard II). That means Milan will still destroy all the tanks Pakistan has aimed at India.

The Indians pay about $30,000 per Milan missile and have had good success with them in combat. The Javelins cost more than twice as much but are much more effective. Since the 1970s, over 350,000 Milan missiles and 30,000 launchers have been built worldwide. More modern ATGM are wireless and require much less effort on the part of the operator but they are more expensive.

The Israeli missile closest to the Javelin is the Spike MR. This missile, in a container, weighs 14 kg (30.8 pounds) while the CLU (with thermal sight and battery) weighs 12.8 kg (28.3 pounds). Like Javelin, Spike MR has a range of 2,500 meters and is "fire and forget." France recently went looking for a MILAN replacement and the two finalists were Javelin and Spike MR. Javelin won.

Since ATGMs first saw action three decades ago, operators quickly discovered that in the time it took (up to 15 seconds) for the missile to reach its target, enemy troops would often shower them with machine-gun fire, and the most recent ATGM designs seek to deal with that. Another Javelin feature is "soft launch", where the missile is popped out of the launch tube by a small explosive charge, small enough to allow the Javelin to be fired from inside a building. Once the missile is about eight meters out the main rocket motor ignites. The minimum range is, however, 75 meters. It takes about 20 seconds to reload a CLU after a missile has been fired, while Spike MR needs only 15 seconds. Indian troops got a chance to fire Javelins three years ago and were very impressed. Not just because of its ease of use and accuracy but because the missile is combat proven and is known to be very effective at non-vehicle targets. The CLU also performs well as a night vision device, which is how many American troops use it in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Spike was tested as well and was considered a satisfactory alternative to the Javelin. India already has a lot of Israeli military gear and Indian users are pleased with it.

22 April 2013 by Guy Martin - defenceWeb

Benin has become the launch customer for Mechem’s new armoured truck cabs, following their recent purchase of ten Casspir NG mine-protected vehicles from the specialist de-mining company.

Denel Group business unit Mechem told defenceWeb that Benin bought an undisclosed number of military trucks with the new cabs fitted in numerous variants.

Mechem, which specialises in de-mining activities and manufacturing mine-protected vehicles, launched the armoured cab project and design in late 2011, “after many requirements for such protection solutions to be fitted on military logistical trucks with the aim to protect crews during vital logistical support tasks in high risk environments,” the company said.

The armoured cabs were unveiled at the September 2012 edition of the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition held outside Pretoria.

The cabs can be offered as a single product or as a full turnkey solution on most makes of military and civilian trucks. Mechem is offering a complete multi-purpose truck based on a Powerstar drive train and fitted with the strengthened mine-protected cab. In addition to the Powerstar version, the cabs can also be modified to fit most others makes and models of trucks and heavy-duty vehicles, including 4x4, 6x6, 8x4 and 8x8 models in different variants i.e. Cargo, Fuel, Water, Construction, special applications.

Jack Geldenhuys, Mechem’s Manager for Vehicle Systems, said the armoured protection on the new cabs have been significantly upgraded to STANAG Level 4A, providing protection to crews against landmines, roadside bombs and 7.62x51 mm automatic rifle fire.

Ashley Williams, the General Manager of Denel Mechem, said the new cab systems are primarily aimed at clients in Africa who render humanitarian assistance in post-conflict zones as their trucks are vulnerable to landmines and roadside bombs.

Williams said that Mechem identified a clear need for a strengthened cab that can be fitted on all makes and models of 4x4 or 6x6 supply trucks. The new cab was designed and developed at Denel Mechem and the conversions are done at its facilities in Lyttelton.

Williams said the new truck and cab design can also be an ideal future replacement for the South African Defence Force’s range of Samil trucks that are now reaching the end of their working lives.

17 Apr , 2013 Lt Gen Prakash Katoch; former Lt Gen Special Forces, Indian Army - indiandefencereview.com

A study released by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, USA on 14 Jan 2013 has totaled the direct spending by the US on the war in Afghanistan for the period FY2001 to FY2013 as $641.7 billion. Of this, $198.2 billion (over 30 per cent) will be spent in FY2012 and FY2013.Bulk of the total spending and aid has been allocated since FY2009 – after insurgency reached high levels – clear case of too much, too late.

More significantly, it states that vast majority of aid went to the ANSF and ‘not’ on development. This indicates a US priority weighted on military expenditure and not on economic development. The emerging overall US doctrine implies US will not take primary responsibility for events but allow regional crises to play out until a new regional balance is reached.

However, US will continue controlled engagement in accordance with its national interests. This is how the game will play out in Afghanistan, Syria and other conflict areas including Asia-Pacific. This matches Obama’s January 2013 speech of “a decade of war having ended and time having come for reviving economy”. Barry Cooper, Senior Fellow, Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute, wrote thus on 8th January 2013 in Calgary Herald…“Most important are our own interests: we are willing to let Pakistan (and even Iran) establish spheres of influence in Afghanistan because at the end of the day, we really don’t care how Afghans govern themselves”.

A run up to future instability and chaos in Afghanistan has already commenced. John M Gillete wrote in Small Wars Journal on 05 Feb, 2013, “ANSF has committed extraordinary assets to road clearing/ security… over large parts of the country offensive operations have ceased entirely and, in cases even resulted in a withdrawal of security forces from key terrain… without adequate supplies and effective communications large portions of the east, south and west are effectively isolated from Kabul… abandonment of key terrain have caused increasing numbers of security force personnel to become disillusioned and normally high attrition rates have swelled to epidemic levels that greatly exceed the rate at which new recruits are being added.”

Earlier, in December 2012, John Glaser writing in AntiWar.com had reported that   around 50,000 Afghan soldiers (about 26 per cent)  quit the army annually, so do eight per cent of Afghan police officers every year quite contrary to the “rosy picture” Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and top US military officials have been painting.

As per Chris Sands (Global Post, Kabul – 20 Feb 2013), parts of Afghanistan have already descended into ethnic violence and civil conflict. In the southern province of Urugzan, a militia headed by a Hazara (ostensibly backed by US) is accused of deliberately destroying houses, raping women and murdering dozens of civilians. Up north, Northern Alliance is remobilising in case internationally supported talks with the Taliban see them return to power. Then there also have been reports of extremists from CAR, particularly from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) fighting alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The US will be content if Northern Afghanistan holds as a buffer between Taliban and CAR. The power vacuum in southern and eastern Afghanistan may not be addressed if the US decides to restrict itself to training role and the ANSF resorts to fortress defence in face of mounting Taliban pressure. SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) will likely have increased influence in Afghanistan but China will unlikely commit any troops unless Chinese interests are directly threatened.

However, there is possibility of increased NATO-CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) cooperation since China cannot provide security for her investments in the region and Russia understands the adverse effect of Taliban reaching Kabul. There has been some speculation of another international force like that from OIC countries but this remains speculative. A force under the UN flag too is unlikely as it comes into being only when both parties agree. So who is the other party besides Afghanistan; Taliban will not agree and Pakistan will say it was never involved. Can a UN force thus be deployed only on Afghanistan’s request to fight terror?

In the evolving situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan will continue to exert its influence to keep Afghanistan within its sphere of influence. Michael Hughes, geopolitical journalist spoke thus of Kayani in July 2010… “Kayani was brazen enough to try and inveigle Afghanistan to strike a power-sharing arrangement with the Haqqanis. And Kayani, apparently the spokesperson for the Haqqani group, said they’d be willing to split from and denounce Al Qaeda, which is President Obama’s primary rationale for the war. However, there is a higher probability of General Kayani converting to Hinduism than there is of the Haqqani Network ever being decoupled from Al Qaeda… Nine years, nearly $300 billion dollars and 1900 dead coalition soldiers later, the US has officially verified that the entire war effort has been focused on the wrong side of the mountains”.

Agha H Amin, a defence analyst and a former Pakistan army officer reinforces this by saying, “Utopians in India are jubilant that Pakistan has made peace with India. Nothing in reality can be farther from the truth… the real picture of true intentions of the Pakistani military will emerge when the US withdraws from Afghanistan. This will be the time when the Russians, Iranians and Indians will have no choice but to support the Northern Alliance against Pakistan sponsored Taliban who regard all Shias, Ismailis, non-Pashtuns, moderate Pashtuns as infidels who deserve to be massacred”.

Calls being raised for Indian military deployment in Afghanistan post 2014 are grossly unwise being out of sync with ground realities. In the first place, there has been no request from Afghanistan for the same. Secondly, supply lines would perforce have to pass through Pakistan which would make the move a non-starter.

In any event, sending Indian troops to Afghanistan when Karzai seeks the removal of all foreign troops is certainly not an option. India should however provide militarily assistance to Afghanistan. This could take the form of assisting Afghanistan in establishing country wide Industrial Security Force, reducing unemployment and providing security for mining, infrastructure and development projects to boost economy.

In addition, besides assisting in the training of Afghanistan’s young officers, India could assist ANSF set up Afghan National Army Officers Academy (ANOA) and provide instructors (as required by ANSF) to facilitate modulate US/NATO concepts of war fighting to Afghan requirements. India could also supply military equipment to Afghanistan consistent with envisaged Taliban/Al Qaeda threat – in conjunction/consultation with other countries. It could also look into having joint military exercises both in India and Afghanistan for counter terrorism,  operations under UN and special operations and regular exchange of intelligence teams as part of ‘Security Cooperation’ under the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement 2011.

19/04/2013 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

Le groupe allemand Krauss-Maffei a annoncé jeudi avoir signé un contrat avec le Qatar d'un montant de 1,89 milliard d'euros portant notamment sur la livraison de 86 chars Leopard-2

Et le Leopard remporta la bataille de chars de combat de Doha face au Leclerc. Ce qui n'est pas une surprise, la proposition française de vendre une quarantaine de Leclerc d'occasion fabriqués par Nexter n'était pas la solution privilégiée par le Qatar, qui préférait le Leopard-2 fabriqué par Krauss-Maffei. Le groupe allemand a annoncé jeudi avoir signé un contrat avec le Qatar d'un montant de 1,89 milliard d'euros portant notamment sur la livraison de 86 chars. Outre le Leopard-2, le groupe basé à Munich a indiqué qu'il allait également fournir des services et matériels annexes, qui permettront à l'armée qatarie de se moderniser. Soixante-deux des blindés qui vont être livrés sont des véhicules de type Léopard-2, principaux chars d'assaut allemands. Les 24 restants sont des obusiers blindés PzH 2000, a précisé l'entreprise dans son communiqué.

Nexter a d'autres prospects au Qatar

Ce contrat était dans les tuyaux depuis plusieurs mois. En juillet 2012, la presse allemande s'était fait l'écho de l'intérêt du Qatar pour 200 chars allemands. Mardi, la chancelière Angela Merkel avait reçu à Berlin le Premier ministre du Qatar, Hamad ben Jassem al-Thani. Les chars livrés par Krauss-Maffei doivent progressivement remplacer les blindés français AMX-30 et AMX-10P et sud-africains que possède actuellement le Qatar, a précisé le groupe allemand.

Pour aurtant, Nexter veut également une part du gâteau au Qatar. Le groupe public propose peu ou prou l'ensemble de sa gamme : le véhicule blindé hautement protégé, l'Aravis, le canon autotracté Caesar, le véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie (VBCI). Le tout pour équiper une brigade qatarie.

#KraussMaffeiWegmann Supports #Qatar ’s #Army Modernization - #Germany #Defence #Industry #MBT #Défense http://t.co/Y4uNm9scgu

RP Defense (@RPDefense)April 18, 2013

#Hagel: #US sending #Army planning unit #1stArmoredDiv to #Jordan; will enhance effort on #Syria border -... http://t.co/jEDxhXCffY

RP Defense (@RPDefense)April 17, 2013