LONDON, March 19 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

Additional pylons for BAE Systems' Hawk advanced jet aircraft trainer are to be manufactured in Malaysia by SME Aerospace.

BAE Systems, which did not disclose the value of the award, said the award is for 16 inboard and 16 outboard pylons for a key export customer.

"This is a further example of the excellent work being carried out in Malaysia's aerospace industry," said John Brosnan, managing director, South East Asia, BAE Systems. "SME Aerospace has an excellent track record in manufacturing pylons for Hawk aircraft and we are pleased with the continued manufacture and export of this key component by Malaysian industry.

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March 20, 2015: Strategy Page

The United States recently sent Lebanon 72 M198 155mm howitzers and 25 million rounds of ammunition (mostly for rifles, but also thousands of mortar and 155mm shells). The U.S. valued the shipment at $25 million but that was being generous. The Americans began replacing their 1980s vintage M198s with M777s in 2007. Thus the United States has lots of M198s that were going to be scrapped or put in storage (and eventually scrapped). Artillery is much less in demand since the 1990s because of the development of cheaper and more accurate guided rockets and artillery shells. That said, the Lebanese were grateful for the American howitzers since these are still useful and Lebanon received them as a gift.

Until recently the M198 was the standard towed 155mm howitzer for the United States and many NATO counties. Each one weighs eight tons, and can fire conventional rounds as far as 22.4 kilometers. For rocket-assisted projectiles the range is 30 kilometers. These unguided shells land anywhere within a 200 meter circle. That's at 25 kilometers range. Accuracy gets worse at longer ranges. It takes 12 minutes for the M198 to be ready to fire after the truck towing it stops. It can pack up and move again in about 4 minutes. Using GPS the M198 can be in position to fire in less than ten minutes and shift to another target in about 8 minutes.

The M198 has been replaced by the M777A1 lightweight 155mm howitzers. The M777s cost $1.9 million each and the U.S. has bought 800 of them so far, for use by the army and marines (who are getting 377 of them). The manufacturer, BAE, has also received a contract to refurbish 33 M777s that returned from service in Afghanistan. This cost $91,000 per howitzer. The British designed howitzer is also used by Canada and Britain. The U.S. Army uses M777s in airborne and Stryker brigades. A five ton truck is used to tow the guns, but a special, 4.5 ton LWPM (Lightweight Prime Mover) is available to do that as well.

The five ton M777A1 is 40 percent lighter than the weapon it replaces, the M198. This is because the M777A1 makes extensive use of titanium, and new design techniques. It fires shells with a maximum range of 40 kilometers (using RAP, or rocket assisted projectile, ammo). A crew of five operates the gun, which can be ready to fire in under three minutes, and ready to move in under two minutes. The M777A1 is light enough to be moved (via a sling) by CH-53E and CH-47D helicopters. Its sustained rate of fire is two rounds a minute, with four rounds a minute for short periods.

What will really makes the M77A1 (and the M198) useful is the new GPS guided Excalibur shell which entered service in 2007. The Excalibur shell falls within a ten meter circle (the middle of that circle being the "aim point") at any range compared to the unguided shell that lands within a 200 meter (or larger) circle depending on range. The Excalibur shell is essential, because ten 155mm shells (of any type, with their propellant and packaging) weigh about a ton. Ammo supply has always been a major problem with artillery, and Excalibur is the solution making one shell where previously ten or more unguided ones were needed.

For users like Lebanon ammo supply is less of a problem because the howitsers will be operating within tiny Lebanon and never that far from a port or airbase were new supplies of ammo will arrive. Besides the U.S. isn’t giving any of the expensive Excalibur shells away.

March 19, 2015 by JOSEPH TREVITHICK – War is boring

Eventually, the U.S. Air Force wants to replace the low and slow-flying A-10 Warthog with the fast-moving F-35 stealth fighter. But it’ll take years before the troubled jet fighters are ready for duty. In the meantime, the Air Force still needs a plane for dedicated close air support missions — something the A-10 excels at. So what does the flying branch propose? Not keeping the Warthog. Instead, the Air Force wants to replace the Warthog with a modified F-16 fighter jet — an old concept that failed to live up to expectations decades ago. The F-16s would fill in temporarily until the F-35s can take over. We have a hard time believing it — but yes, this is a serious proposal.

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19/03/2015 Sources : Etat-major des armées

Le général de Villiers a réuni pour la première fois ses principaux adjoints à Balard, jeudi 19 mars 2015, leur donnant ainsi un avant-goût de ce qui sera bientôt leur quotidien.

Précédant de quelques semaines la bascule de l’EMA dans ses nouveaux locaux, cette réunion a permis de faire le point sur ce déménagement qui sera un des événements marquants de l’année 2015.

Le CEMA s’est fait présenter l’état d’avancement des travaux ainsi qui les mesures qui doivent lui garantir la continuité de la conduite des opérations.

19/03/2015 Sources : Etat-major des armées

Le 16 mars 2015, dans le cadre de sa mission opérationnelle en méditerranée orientale, la frégate La Fayette a effectué un exercice commun avec l’armée chypriote.

Les marins du bâtiment français  ont pu effectuer un exercice en coopération avec l’escadron 460 des garde-côtes chypriotes, spécialisé dans les opérations de recherche et de sauvetage en mer.

Peu après avoir appareillé de Limassol au sud de Chypre pour une courte relâche opérationnelle, le La Fayette a accueilli un hélicoptère de type AW-139 de l’armée chypriote pour une séance de treuillages sur sa plateforme hélicoptère. Deux présentations ont également eu lieu dans des conditions climatiques idéales, au cours desquelles un membre de l’escadron chypriote et une civière ont été treuillés.

Cette opération, coordonnée par le Joint Rescue coordination Center de Larnaca, plus au sud-est de l’île, s’est déroulée dans d’excellentes conditions de sécurité, et a permis de renforcer l’interopérabilité entre les forces chypriotes et françaises.

La frégate La Fayette est déployée depuis fin janvier 2015 en Méditerranée orientale afin de recueillir du renseignement sur cette zone au cœur de l’actualité, dans le cadre des fonctions stratégiques de prévention et de connaissance-anticipation. Au terme de cet entraînement bilatéral,  le La Fayette a repris sa patrouille, son déploiement se poursuivant jusqu’au mois d’avril.

Au cours de leurs missions en Méditerranée orientale, les bâtiments de guerre français conduisent régulièrement des entrainements avec les pays riverains, mais également avec des navires alliés présents dans la zone afin d’améliorer notre interopérabilité et d’être en mesure d’effectuer des opérations conjointes ou en coalition.

19 March 2015 by Kim Helfrich – defenceWeb

The decrease in pirate activity off Africa’s east coast has probably contributed to an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations decision to withdraw air operations from Pemba in support of the anti-piracy Operation Copper.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) counter-piracy tasking is now in its fifth year of operation with South Africa as the major contributor of both personnel and equipment. Mozambique and Tanzania are the other two SADC nations who have committed to the operation in the Mozambique Channel since its inception in 2011.

The first Operation Copper deployment was early in 2011 following the hijacking of a Mozambican fishing vessel by Somali pirates in the northern reaches of the Mozambique Channel. Lindiwe Sisulu, at the time Defence and Military Veterans Minister, said South African warships were deployed to northern Mozambique along with a C-47TP maritime patrol aircraft from 35 Squadron and a 22 Squadron Super Lynx maritime helicopter. This hardware was supported by a total of 377 uniformed personnel from the air force, military health services and the navy.

Captain (SAN) Jaco Theunissen, Joint Operations spokesman, confirmed this week that Pemba and hence 35 Squadron would no longer be a part of Operation Copper.

“Maritime operations will continue from an SA Navy platform,” he said, declining to answer questions on whether the SAAF would still be part of Op Copper.

At present the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) SAS Galeshewe is on station in the Mozambique Channel having replaced one of her sister ships, SAS Isaac Dyobha.

At various times since the deployment started the Navy has put Valour Class frigates and the supply ship SAS Drakensberg into the seas off the lower east African coast as a piracy deterrent. More recently this task has been the exclusive preserve of the serving OPVs, all converted Warrior Class strikecraft.

The normal OPV crew requirement for an Operation Copper deployment is around the 60 mark including a Maritime Reaction Squadron component, divers, an ops medic and two Mozambican sea riders.

The only South African platform to have been an active part of a counter-piracy operation was Drakensberg. She acted as southern stopper for the EU Naval Force to prevent a suspected pirate ship from escaping the multi-national task force based off the Horn of Africa.

It is not known at present if the term of Operation Copper will be extended. It was last extended for 12 months by President Jacob Zuma, in his capacity as SANDF Commander-in-Chief, until the end of March this year.

19 March 2015 by Peter Fabricius, Foreign Editor, Independent Newspapers, South Africa - defenceWeb

In the early hours of 28 July 2012, three people, one of them an 82-year-old nun named Megan Rice, broke into the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex near the city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Y-12 is where all of America’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) – for making nuclear weapons – is made or stored: about 400 000 kg of it, according to The New Yorker magazine.

Rice and two others from the Plowshare anti-nuclear activist group managed to cut through three fences, paint slogans and splash blood on the football-field-sized building housing the Y-12 arsenal before a few of the 500-odd security guards finally arrived to arrest them. This demonstration by Plowshare – one of many over the last 35 years – was designed in part to show that America’s nuclear weapons were not secure from theft by terrorists. Which it did.

Five years earlier, in November 2007, two groups of intruders cut through the security fences surrounding South Africa’s 118-acre Pelindaba Nuclear Research Centre, west of Pretoria. They got as far as the emergency operations centre before a barking dog alerted a stand-in security officer, who called for back up. The intruders fled after shooting a security officer’s boyfriend, though not fatally.

Read full article here.

19/03/2015 Sources : Etat-major des armées

Le lundi 16 mars, le marché de la ville de Bambari, en République centrafricaine, a rouvert ses portes, sous la protection de Sangaris en appui des forces de la MINUSCA et des forces de sécurité centrafricaines.

Cette ouverture est l’un des signes d’un progressif retour « à la normale » dans cette zone sensible du pays. L’Etat et l’administration locale ont repris le contrôle des institutions de la ville, après que la force Sangaris et les forces de la MINUSCA leur ont restitué les bâtiments de la gendarmerie et de la cour d’appel occupées par des opposants. Les forces de sécurité centrafricaines, les forces de la MINUSCA et la force Sangaris continuent d’assurer la sécurité et la protection de la population.

Le maire de Bambari, M. Matchipata, et la municipalité portent leurs efforts sur la reconstruction de la ville, en lien avec les forces internationales qui patrouillent jour et nuit afin de garantir la sécurité des habitants. Les résultats escomptés sont la libre circulation de la population ; l’activité normale du marché central ; le retour progressif d’une véritable vie économique.

Grâce à l’appui de la communauté internationale, les autorités locales entretiennent un dialogue d’apaisement envers toutes les communautés afin de recréer un tissu social. Cette réconciliation repose sur les trois principes indispensables : retour du pouvoir de l’Etat ; développement de la vie économique et sécurité de tous.

Environ 1 700 militaires français sont actuellement déployés dans l’opération Sangaris, aux côtés des 9 500 hommes de la MINUSCA. Lancée le 5 décembre 2013 par le président de la République, l’opération Sangaris vise à rétablir un niveau de sécurité minimale en République centrafricaine et à accompagner la montée en puissance progressive de la mission de l’ONU.

19 March 2015 by defenceWeb

The European Union on 16 March launched a military advisory mission in the Central African Republic (EUMAM RCA), after its establishment on 19 January. The mission supports the Central African authorities in preparing the reform of the security sector with respect to the armed forces of the Central African Republic.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, said: "The EU continues its comprehensive support for stability and security in the Central African Republic. EU experts will now support preparations for security sector reform. This will help the Central Africa Republic turn the corner after this security crisis."

In close cooperation with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), this mission will play a critical role in strengthening the security sector. Concurrently, EUMAM RCA will advise the military authorities of the Central African Republic (CAR) on the reforms necessary to transform the CAR armed forces into a professional, democratically controlled and ethnically representative army, the EU said. EUMAM RCA will also support the MINUSCA in achieving its mandate in the area of security sector reform and the vetting process.

EUMAM RCA is located in the country's capital Bangui. Brigadier General Dominique Laugel from France has been appointed EU Mission Commander for a team of up to 60 staff. The common costs of the operation are estimated at €7.9 million for 12 months.

EUMAM RCA takes over from EUFOR RCA, which completed its mission in Bangui on March 15 after 11 months of operations. Initially agreed for a period of 6 months after achieving full operational capability of the force, the mandate of EUFOR RCA actually lasted 9 months, after the Central African authorities and the United Nations requested an extension, deploying on the ground about 750 soldiers from 14 European Countries.

The EU said that during the last 11 months, the level of security in Bangui has significantly improved with internally displaced persons going back to their homes while the first refugees are beginning to return to Central African Republic.

Le SNMG2 est composé du NCSM Fredericton, du navire-amiral américain, le USS Vicksburg (CG 69), du navire turc TCG Turgutreis (F 241), du pétrolier allemand FGS Spessart (A 1442), du navire italien ITS Aliseo (F 574) et du navire roumain ROS Regina Maria (F 222). (OTAN)

19 mars 2015 par Bastien Duhamel – 45eNord.ca

Le 2e Groupe de la Force navale permanente de réaction de l’OTAN (SNMG2) dont fait partie le navire canadien NCSM Fredericton a terminé ses manœuvres en mer Noire et va reprendre les patrouilles dans la méditerranée.

Rappelons que le SNMG2  est un groupe militaire multinational composé du NCSM Fredericton canadien, du navire-amiral américain, le USS Vicksburg (CG 69), du navire turc TCG Turgutreis (F 241), du pétrolier allemand FGS Spessart (A 1442), du navire italien ITS Aliseo (F 574) et du navire roumain ROS Regina Maria (F 222).

Déployé en mer noire dans la cadre de l’opération REASSURANCE pour soutenir les alliés de l’OTAN dans la région et améliorer leur interopérabilité,  le SNMG2 a pris part à des exercices complets incluant des entraînements de lutte anti-aérien, l’élaboration de tactiques de combats de surface ou encore des simulations de tirs d’artillerie entre autres manœuvres militaires.

C’est par un exercice mené conjointement avec la marine roumaine que le 2^e Groupe de la Force navale permanente de la réaction de l’OTAN a terminé hier sa tournée militaire en mer Noire et s’apprête maintenant à retourner en Méditerranée.

Enthousiaste, le capitaine de corvette Matthew Hamm a déclaré que «cet exercice était une opportunité unique de travailler au côté de nos alliés roumains.», avant de rappeler «ces exercices nous donnent une chance de renforcer notre interopérabilité et de s’assurer que nous sommes capable d’assurer n’importe quelle mission que l’OTAN pourrait nous demander d’accomplir dans le futur.»

L’OTAN a accru sa présence en mer Noire depuis l’annexion russe de la Crimée en mars 2014 allant jusqu’à déployer neuf vaisseaux soutenus par des patrouilles aériennes dans la zone. Pour leur part, les autorités russes ne cessent de répéter que la présence militaire américaine en mer noire est contraire aux engagements américains  pour une résolution pacifique de la question ukrainienne.

L’entrée en mer Noire du Frederiction avait d’ailleurs fait l’objet d’une provocation de la part de la marine russe qui était venue à la rencontre du vaissaux canadien.

Mar 18, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Airbus Defence and Space; issued Mar 17, 2015)

Prime Minister of Malaysia Witnesses Official Handover of First Airbus A400M to Royal Malaysian Air Force

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) today officially received its first of four Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, ordered from Airbus Defense and Space.

Chief of RMAF, General Dato' Sri Roslan Saad officially took over the aircraft from Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. The ceremony took place at the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) 2015 in the presence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato' Seri Najib Razak and Minister of Defence Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Malaysia is the first export customer of the A400M outside of the original launch nations.

The occasion also marked the debut of the A400M at LIMA 2015. The technologically-advanced airlifter had earlier performed a special fly-past at the Show's opening ceremony.

The RMAF A400M will be on static display throughout the LIMA 2015 from March 17-21, 2015 before returning to its new home base Subang in Kuala Lumpur.

"As a new generation multi-role transport aircraft, the A400M will strengthen RMAF's tactical and strategic capabilities. It will enable us to undertake an extraordinary range of military and humanitarian operations within the country and regionally," said Chief of RMAF, General Dato' Sri Roslan Saad.

Bernhard Gerwert, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: "We are extremely proud to deliver the first A400M to our first export customer and we want to congratulate Malaysia on its foresight and vision. The A400M is the ideal aircraft for a region like Asia-Pacific and we are sure that Malaysia will show the way here on how beneficial the A400M can be."

Following the official ceremony, the Prime Minister of Malaysia met with the RMAF crew who had flown the A400M all the way from Seville, Spain, to its new home at RMAF Subang, with an overnight stop at Abu Dhabi. The same crew also flew this morning's fly-past demonstration.

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense then visited the airlifter spending time at the cockpit with the crew.

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2015 – By Nick Simeone DoD News

Pentagon officials are preparing to unveil the latest version of Better Buying Power, a multibillion-dollar equipment and service-buying program aimed at improving the acquisition process while maintaining the nation’s significant technological edge on the battlefield, the department’s chief acquisition officer said here yesterday.

Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told a defense conference that Better Buying Power 3.0 will be largely about innovation, excellence and maintaining technological superiority -- “the things we can do that will make a substantial difference and give us a significant edge for a decade or more on future battlefields.”

More Capability, More Value

The Defense Department introduced Better Buying Power in 2010 to extract more capability for the warfighter and more value for the taxpayer. “This is largely about efficiency and productivity,” Kendall said.

The new version, which will roll out in the weeks ahead, will bring the intelligence community further into the acquisition process, Kendall said. It also will be more responsive and agile to threats while taking full advantage of quickly advancing technologies, including countering what he said is a growing threat of anti-satellite technology posed by Russia and China.

 “We are starting to do something about this, but we really haven’t made a great deal of progress yet,” he said. “We rely on a small number of very capable and very expensive satellites that are increasingly at risk, and that trend is going to continue to get worse.”

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2015 – By Jim Garamone - DoD News

Thirteen months after Russia began its occupation of Crimea, the United States and its European allies must remain steadfast against the threat such actions pose, the commander of U.S. Army Europe said here this week.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges told the Defense Writers Group at a March 17 breakfast that the Russian action of illegally annexing Crimea from Ukraine and its continuing threat to the eastern part of Ukraine is a game-changer on the continent.

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