March 13, 2015: Strategy Page

The UAE (United Arab Emirates) recently confirmed a 2013 order for half a billion dollars’ worth of Al Tariq smart bombs from a UAE company (Tawazun Dynamics). There is more to this than meets the eye. The UAE has been working for over a decade on creating weapons manufacturers in Arabia. While the Tawazun Dynamics Al Tariq GPS guided bombs (similar to the U.S. JDAM) deal sounds like a success, it is something quite different. The Al Tariq smart bombs are actually the Umbani series of smart bombs developed and produced by South African firm Denel. The Al Tariq include wings that allow a dumb bomb to glide up to 100 kilometers. It’s got a good reputation, but costs more than JDAM. But for some customers the fact that is “Made In Arabia” makes it more attractive than the cheaper brands.

Tawazun Dynamics is the invention of a UAE investment company (UAE) which is seeking to create an industrial capability for the UAE. While Tawazun has plenty of cash and skilled UAE investment managers, there are few UAE engineers and skilled production workers to actually run such companies in the UAE. Instead, Tawazun hires foreigners and makes deals with foreign firms to handle the actual development and manufacturing of weapons and military equipment. When possible, actual production is given to companies in the region, usually in countries that have no oil. This is because few UAE citizens want to work as engineers or production workers. The UAE has foreigners occupying 99 percent of the non-government jobs. The unemployment rate is over 20 percent but only a tenth of those are actually looking for a job. Surveys indicate that most of the unemployed are idle by choice. Kuwait is more entrepreneurial, with only 80 percent of the non-government jobs taken by foreigners. The other Gulf Arab states (which have less oil) have a similar situation.

The UAE employment situation is not unique. In Saudi Arabia the official government attitude is that most (over 80 percent) of the jobs done by the eight million foreign workers in the country are not suitable for Saudis. This includes many sanitation and personal service jobs. But that’s six million jobs and expatriates, especially those from the West, commented (among themselves, not to Saudis) that most of these jobs were done, in the West, by Westerners. Some of the expats noted that Westerners doing their own dirty work were usually well paid for it but in some countries legal or illegal migrants were let in to do the unpleasant jobs for lower wages. This is what the oil rich Gulf Arabs do, and they then take some of the money saved to pay for the generous unemployment benefits for citizens who cannot find suitable work. The resulting high unemployment rate worries government officials, especially in the case of the foreigners doing highly technical jobs in the oil industry, defense, or handling finances.

For the last 30 years this has led to programs aimed at getting rid of many foreigners and making jobs available for locals. This effort has had little success for several reasons. First, businesses are allowed to pay foreigners less than what Saudis will work for and don’t want the hassle of paying more for difficult to handle Saudi employees. Second, there are a lot of “dirty” jobs that Saudis will not or cannot (because they are women) take. Third, not a lot of Saudis are qualified for the high-skill jobs where the government is particularly anxious to have locals replace foreigners.

The lack of skills has to do with the education system, which is largely controlled by Islamic conservatives, especially in Saudi Arabia where technical subjects are downplayed and religious studies emphasized. Young Saudis are encouraged to concentrate in religious studies in college. Many students go along with this, in part because it’s a lot easier than majoring in science or engineering. While the wealthy oil states produce a lot of doctors, scientists, and highly trained professionals, they don’t do so at the rate of Western countries and, more importantly, produce even fewer skilled workers to actually produce things and support the high-end professionals.

Then there’s the work ethic, which is not nearly as good as seen in the foreign workers. This is in part a self-inflicted problem. Since all of the oil states in Arabia are monarchies, the rulers quickly found that the most effective way to remain in power was to keep their subjects pampered and happy. In other words, spread the oil money around and pay attention to public opinion. Most of the public backs the use of foreigners and the continued use of oil money to make life easy for the locals.

For example, foreign workers are brought in to handle most jobs (like training pilots and maintaining weapons) that require high skill levels, a lot of effort, and lots of experience. This importation of foreign experts for piloting warplanes and maintaining them is very common in the Arab oil nations because the locals tend to avoid heavy physical or mental labor. While many Arab men see being a fighter pilot as glamorous and worthy of some effort, the training required discourages most who attempt it. Some Gulf Arab states insist that Arabs occupy those fighter plane cockpits no matter what so the foreign trainers and maintainers are ordered to do what has to be done to keep the pilots alive and the planes in one piece. Pilot skill and capability has a lower priority.

It’s not just the Gulf Arab states that are having these problems. In late 2011, in the wake of the rebellion that overthrew the Kaddafi dictatorship, a lot of Libyans found themselves out of work. The unemployment rate was believed to be about 30 percent. Yet there are over a million foreign workers in Libya at the start of the fighting and a million government employees. The foreigners comprise 20 percent of the population and nearly half the workforce. Most of the foreigners fled during the fighting and, despite the high unemployment caused by the fighting, the government was unable to find qualified locals to replace most of the foreign workers (who were invited to return). There were plenty of jobs for Libyans but most of the jobs require work most Libyans will not do. As a result, most of the jobs are held by foreigners, often illegal immigrants from Egypt and other African nations to the south. The revolution is unlikely to change this.

This is not an unusual situation in the Arab oil states. In Saudi Arabia the unemployment rate is 12 percent but many of those men are unemployed by choice. Arabs tend to have a very high opinion of themselves and most jobs available to poorly educated young men do not satisfy. Thus most Saudis, and Libyans, prefer a government job where the work is easy, the pay is good, the title is flattering, and life is boring. In the non-government sector of the economy 90 percent of the Saudi jobs are taken by foreigners. These foreigners comprise 27 percent of the Saudi population, mostly to staff all the non-government jobs. This means most young Saudi men have few challenges. One might say that many of them are desperate for some test of their worth and a job in the competitive civilian economy does not do it. Thus al Qaeda and ISIL appealed to this by urging Saudi men to come to Iraq or Syria and fight for Islam. Since few of the volunteers have any fighting skills, most arrived and were talked into being suicide bombers.

This problem is recognized by Arabian leaders, who realize that the oil will eventually run out and if there are no other economic activities providing jobs, it will be a social and political disaster. The governments are trying to change attitudes and change education policy but are running into a lot of resistance from Islamic conservatives and indolent young people who do not want to give up the good life for hard work and responsibility. Many women would like to take some of those job opportunities but most Arab states abide by relatively recent customs that prohibit women from working outside the home. Before the oil wealth became a factor 60 years ago, women were very active in the economy. Even the early growth of Islam was financed by a wealthy female merchant, who was also the wife of the prophet Mohammed. Despite all that, the conservative clergy insist that the women stay home. It’s a mess that is proving very resistant to a cure.

Mar 13, 2015 ASDNews Source : US Navy

Five E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 will make their maiden deployment as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is set to replace the E-2C Hawkeye in its primary mission to provide airborne early warning and command and control capabilities for all aircraft-carrier battle groups. While the primary mission for the E-2 has not changed, the Advanced Hawkeye is able to gather and process data more precisely and efficiently thanks to state-of-the-art radar and communication equipment.

Read more

12/03/2015 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

Le ministère de la Défense a lancé la modernisation du char de combat Leclerc (Nexter). Une opération d'un montant de 330 millions d'euros environ.

10 March 2015 by Rostec

Russian experts will create a 2-ton multi-purpose aircraft with air-cushion support. The 750-kilogram Chirok drone designed by the United Engineering Corporation is used as a prototype for the new machine.

As of now, theoretical study of elements and nodes of the machine weighing more than two tons, which was designed on the basis of the existing 750-kilogram Chirok drone, was implemented. It uses the same technology, but the large apparatus must surpass its "little" counterpart with regards to a number of characteristics. According to TASS, the development initiative project is ready to be implemented, and it is quite possible that the prototype will be manufactured.

Interestingly, the new machine will be able to operate in both unmanned and manned modes. In particular, it will be capable of transporting people to hard-to-reach areas.

According to TASS, the prototype is designed using foreign engines, but in the future, they can be replaced by the domestic counterparts. The prototype will be designed following the flight testing of the "little" Chirok, if the project receives the necessary financial support.

So far, the first full-size Chirok model weighing 750 kilograms was built. It will be presented at the MAKS air show in 2015.   The same year, Chirok aircraft with air-cushion support will make its first flight.

Chirok was designed by the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Radio Engineering. It can take off without a runway, almost from any surface, including sand, loose snow, or soil. The drone is designed to monitor the ground or water surface, as well as for transportation of various cargo.

The drone can go up to 6 thousand meters in the air, and the range of its flight is 2,500 km. After the necessary modifications, Chirok will be capable of carrying bombs, missiles and precision-guided missiles. It is planned that the military will be able to use the drone for reconnaissance and attacks.

13 March 2015 Pacific Sentinel
 

China is working hard to prevent the deployment in South Korea of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense also known as THAAD, a highly effective anti-missile system to intercept North Korean and Chinese missiles, Bill Gertz, senior editor of the Washington Free Beacon, wrote on March 9.

China's president, Xi Jinping, is understood to have offered South Korea more trade and business opportunities in return for the Park Geun-hye administration relinquishing the idea of allowing the US to deploy the THAAD system to the Korean peninsula. In addition, Beijing is pressuring the Park administration to allow Chinese telecom equipment supplier Huawei to bid for telecom infrastructure projects in South Korea. Huawei has been blocked from securing contracts in the United States over fears that its network equipment could be used for espionage, fears the company says are unfounded.

Kim Min-seok, spokesperson for the South Korean defense ministry, openly declared that the nation has no plan to acquire the THAAD system from the United States during a press conference held on March 9. "Basically, the system would be good to better defend the country from missiles from North Korea, but we will make a judgment by putting the national interest as our top priority," Kim was quoted as saying by the Sputnik News based in Moscow. "We will establish an MD system of our own against North Korea's ballistic missiles by developing L-SAM and M-SAM surface-to-air missiles," Kim said.

Read the full story at Want China Times

12/03/2015 Armée de l'air

Des équipages navigants de l’escadron de chasse 2/3 « Champagne » ont participé à un entraînement avant-projection en compagnie du commando parachutiste de l’air n°20 (CPA 20). Cet aguerrissement s’est déroulé les 11 et 12 mars 2015 sur la base aérienne 102 de Dijon.

Au total, une vingtaine de pilotes et de navigateurs officiers systèmes d’armes (NOSA) nancéens se préparaient dans l’optique d’un prochain déploiement en opérations extérieures.

Cette séance d’entraînement était articulée autour de la Personnel Recovery, procédure opérationnelle consistant à récupérer et évacuer un personnel en détresse par des commandos spécialisés. Du fait de leur proximité géographique, les commandos du CPA 20 et les équipages nancéens ont développé au fil des ans des liens opérationnels nourris, notamment lors d’exercices réguliers au Close Air Support (CAS – appui aérien rapproché). Ce module spécifique vient complémenter la préparation opérationnelle du combattant dispensée par l’école de formation des commandos de l’air (EFCA) à chaque aviateur projeté en opérations extérieures.

Au programme de cette préparation figuraient de nombreuses activités : séances de tir tactique ; sensibilisation au danger des mines anti-personnel ; secourisme au combat ; révision des procédures dites de CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue – recherche et sauvetage au combat). Ce dernier volet était dispensé par des cadres du centre de formation à la survie et au sauvetage (CFSS), unité spécialisée stationnée sur la base aérienne 120 de Cazaux.

13 mars 2015 Romandie.com (AFP)

Tokyo - France et Japon ont fait un pas de plus vendredi dans leur partenariat d'exception en signant à Tokyo un accord de développement conjoint d'équipements de défense, un volet militaire qui s'ajoute à un renforcement de leur coopération politico-diplomatique, notamment en matière de lutte contre le terrorisme.

Ces avancées ont eu lieu lors d'une réunion dite 2+2 dans la capitale nippone, rencontre au cours de laquelle le ministre français des Affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, et son homologue japonais, Fumio Kishida, ainsi que leurs collègues de la Défense, Jean-Yves Le Drian et Gen Nakatani, ont validé plusieurs angles de collaboration.

C'est le seul pays asiatique avec lequel nous avons cette formule, a précisé M. Fabius lors d'un entretien avec l'AFP.

Un des points-clefs de la rencontre a été la signature d'un accord intergouvernemental sur le transfert des équipements et technologies de défense.

Le Japon a déjà paraphé ce type d'entente avec trois autres nations (Etats-Unis, Grande-Bretagne, Australie) après avoir levé les restrictions qu'il s'était précédemment imposées.

Cela fixera le cadre de notre collaboration avec un certain nombre de perspectives, a précisé M. Fabius, citant des projets dans les systèmes de drones, les hélicoptères ou l'espace notamment, tandis que M. Le Drian a souligné une avancée considérable.

Tokyo a aussi à coeur de prouver le bien-fondé de son action dite de pacifisme actif cher au Premier ministre conservateur Shinzo Abe, que M. Fabius a aussi rencontré vendredi.

Nous soutenons la volonté du Japon de s'engager plus fortement dans le monde et cela rend possible des coopérations nouvelles entre nos deux pays comme stabilisateurs de paix, a déclaré M. Fabius au début de ce dialogue 2+2.

Le Japon et la France ont ainsi décidé de mieux partager leurs connaissances et pratiques pour faire face à la menace que représentent des groupes terroristes dont les ministres ont condamné avec les mots les plus forts les actes lâches qui ont frappé les deux pays en ce début d'année.

Et les échanges de porter aussi sur les multiples crises internationales (Irak, Syrie, Iran), les quatre hommes rappelant notamment l'importance du règlement de la question ukrainienne dans le respect de la souveraineté et l'intégrité du territoire de ce pays.

Je veux rappeler la solidarité de la France avec le Japon sur le dossier nord-coréen, a aussi souligné M. Fabius, les deux pays s'inquiétant du programme nucléaire de Pyongyang.

Tokyo et Paris souhaitent en outre une intensification des échanges d'informations relatifs à l'Afrique, continent que les Japonais veulent mieux appréhender grâce aux Français, a souligné un fonctionnaire nippon.

Nous avons déjà des actions communes en Afrique et dans le Pacifique Sud mais nous pouvons et nous voulons aller plus loin, a insisté M. Fabius.

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.

March 13th, 2015 defencetalk.com (AFP)

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday argued against arming Ukraine during a trip to Washington where support is growing for delivering weapons to help Kiev battle pro-Russian separatists.

“I understand that many of you are calling for a more rapid, therefore determined, therefore military-based solution,” Steinmeier said at an event organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think-tank.

But providing Kiev with lethal military aid could “catapult the conflict into a next phase” and trigger a “dangerous permanent escalation” between Ukraine and Russia, he warned.

“This can be in nobody’s interest.”

His visit comes as US President Barack Obama is under pressure not just from hawks in Congress but also from within his own administration to supply the outmatched Ukrainian army with weapons to shore up its faltering defenses.

Obama’s new defense secretary Ashton Carter told the Senate in his confirmation hearing last month that he was “very much inclined” towards providing weapons to Kiev.

The US military’s top-ranking officer, General Martin Dempsey, said last week that “we should absolutely consider lethal aid and it ought to be in the context of NATO allies.”

Germany and many European nations believe Western arms would not offset the military advantage enjoyed by pro-Russian forces allegedly backed by Moscow, and instead would simply fuel a conflict that has claimed an estimated 6,000 lives.

The White House on Wednesday also played down the idea of sending lethal military assistance, stressing that this would “lead to greater bloodshed.”

11 March 2015 by aseanmildef.com

SINGAPORE, -- The vessels, RSS Centurion and RSS Challenger were originally in service with the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) as HMS Sjöormen and HMS Sjöbjörnen and re-launched in May 1999 and September 1997 respectively. Singapore acquired four Type A 12 Sjöormen-class submarines in the mid-1990s to give the RSN its first experience of submarine operations.

The 51 m vessels, which can reach a top speed of 20 kt while submerged, are equipped with four 533 mm and two 400 mm torpedo tubes, according to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships.

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

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

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10.03.2015 Vered Talala & Eilon Tohar – Israel Air Force

Aircrew members from various combat squadrons participated in a first-of-its-kind training exercise, during which they faced Surface-to-Air missile batteries launched from unknown locations

Combat Squadrons took part this week in a unique workshop during which they simulating sudden ambushes of Surface-to-Air missiles (SAM). The aircrew members dealt with SAM's launched from unknown locations and practiced intense combat against other squadrons standing in as the "red enemy". "One of the goals of the workshop is to create a new instructional platform for training squadrons in dangerous zones", said Major Shai from the "First Combat" squadron who led the workshop. "We created a special platform which we want to use in the future".

"This is a type of training never experienced before in the IAF", added Major Shai. "We gave the aircrew members a free reign, from flying low altitudes to ascending to 50,000 feet. The aircrew members were instructed to do whatever they think is right in order to deal with SAM's. That was never done before".

Among the participating squadrons was the "Red Dragon" squadron which simulated the enemy force for the duration of the drill. "The advantage of the high number of squadrons is the variety of platforms available, each with its own advantage", he said. "When we have F-16Is, F-15Is and F-16C/Ds it gives us different ways of dealing with the threats".

Uncertainties Resolved

Uncertainty is a challenge for the aircrew members from the different platforms of the IAF. "Unlike normal training, we didn't know where the SAM's are exactly", explained Major Shai. "For example yesterday, as part of the exercise, I flew in a relatively safe area and out of nowhere a missile was fired toward me. This is how you learn to deal with such situations and find solutions".

Flying in a dangerous zone also requires the aircrew members to deal with severs mental pressure. "It demands a high mental readiness", said Major Shai. "The workshop approached both aircrew members and other soldiers in the squadron. "We can safely say that our air crews are significantly more prepared for a case of warfare in the Northern region".