Depuis 2005, le ministère de la Défense a très largement augmenté ses achats en provenance des Etats-Unis via le système FMS (Foreign military sales)

17/01/2014 Michel Cabirol – La Tribune.fr

Paris fait ses emplettes de plus en plus outre Atlantique. La France a signé des contrats d'une valeur de 1,3 milliard de dollars entre 2005 et 2012. Soit une augmentation de près de 50 % par rapport à 2004.

La France a notamment commandé en 2010 un lot de missiles américain Javelin. Le contrat portait sur l'acquisition de 260 missiles et 76 postes de tir dans le cadre du dispostif FMS, le tout, pour près de 70 millions de dollars.

L'État-major des armées (EMA) avait également décidé l'acquisition de cinq engins d'intervention et de protection américains Buffalo de fabrication américaine, selon la procédure d'achat d'urgence opérationnelle en 2008. Ce véhicule constitue une première capacité de lutte contre les engins explosifs improvisés (EEI).

Outre les urgences opérationnelles, la France a également passé en 2010 avec l'administration américaine un contrat de modernisation de ses quatre AWACS E-3F (Airbone Warning and Control System) pour un montant de 324 millions de dollars.

The Joint Communication on the EU’s ‘comprehensive approach’ to external conflict and crises issued on 11 December 2013 argues that this approach ‘has already been successfully applied as the organising principle for EU action in many cases in recent years, for example, in the Horn of Africa […]’. In Africa the European Union has notably been heavily involved in Somalia, in particular in supporting the country’s security and stability. Media attention has primarily focused on the success of the EU’s first naval CSDP operation Atalanta in combating piracy off the coast of Somalia, complemented in July 2012 by a regional EU maritime capacity-building mission, EUCAP Nestor. Furthermore, this year the EU takes over the chairmanship of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.

These efforts have been conducted in parallel with the EU’s continued engagement in support of Somali security on land through its financing (since 2007) of the salaries of the AU Mission (AMISOM) troops fighting Al-Shabaab (AS) and through its training (since 2010) of one third of the Somali National Army (SNA) with the Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia) – not to mention the Instrument for Stability (IfS) and other development-related programmes.

Download document

16 January 2014 by Guy Martin - defenceWeb

The Nigerian government is planning to cut its defence budget after a decade of increases, but security continues to receive the most funding as the Boko Haram insurgency continues and the armed forces continue to expand.

Nigeria’s defence budget will drop from N364.2 billion ($2.3 billion) last year to N340.3 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2014 according to the Nigerian Budget Office – a 6.5% reduction in funding. Furthermore, the proposed budget drops defence from 12.1% of overall government spending to 7.8% between 2013 and 2014, according to IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly.

Under the proposed 2014 budget, the Nigerian Army will receive N132.7 billion ($830 million), the Navy N70.1 billion ($440 million) and the Air Force N73.2 billion ($460 million). Another N64.3 billion ($400 million) will be allocated across the board, including for missions and deployments.

The Nigerian Navy has been allocated N5.2 billion ($32 million) for the two new offshore patrol vessels being procured from China while the Nigerian Army was allocated N100 million ($600 000) for the ongoing production of armoured personnel carriers by the Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (this almost certainly refers to the locally produced Igirigi). The Nigerian Air Force has been allocated N1.8 billion ($11.2 million) for the acquisition of six Mi-35M attack helicopters. In addition, N1.3 million ($8 000) has been allocated for the reactivation of L-39ZA jet trainers, many of which are grounded.

The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has been allocated N1.9 billion ($11.9 million) for 2014, including N450 million ($2.8 million) for the installation, procurement and operation of a new 7.62x39 mm ammunition production line as Nigeria seeks to grow its domestic defence industry.

In total, N845 billion ($5.29 billion) was provided for recurrent and service-wide votes for the security sector, including the armed forces (N306 billion/$1.92 billion), police (N286 billion/$1.79 billion), National Security Advisor’s office (N67 billion/$420 million) and paramilitary services. In total, the security cluster received the lion’s share of the national budget, followed by education.

Once approved, the 2014 defence budget will mark the first decrease in defence spending since around 2006, as between 2007 and 2013 Nigerian defence expenditure grew by 20.6%, according to IHS Jane’s, which points out the new budget will result in a 12.7% reduction of spending in real terms.

16 January 2014 by defenceWeb

Ghana will send 850 troops to South Sudan in order to help restore peace and stability and prevent the country from sliding into civil war, President John Dramani Mahama has announced.

Mahama on Tuesday said the deployment followed a request from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Ghana to help in keeping the peace and assist with humanitarian efforts, reports the Ghana News Agency. The National Security Council met on Monday to ratify the troop deployment.

“When I received the request from the UN Secretary-General, I did not hesitate to give my provisional approval,” he said. “Ghana will deploy as quickly as possible to secure the lines for humanitarian assistance to come through.

Mahama said a decision had been taken to mobilise the 330 Ghanaian soldiers currently deployed as part of peacekeeping duties in Cote d’Ivoire to South Sudan but on request from the UN for a fully-fledged battalion, 520 fresh troops and equipment were being mobilised to complement the 330 troops, reports the Ghana News Agency.

The UN has said it is working to get 5 500 extra UN peacekeepers sent to South Sudan to protect civilians. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said 300 000 civilians have been displaced by fighting that began in December, with 60 000 sheltering at UN compounds. Tens of thousands of civilians have meanwhile sought refuge in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The UN has had to fire warning shots to keep fighting out of its compounds.

Ladsous said the deadline for the extra deployment was between four and eight weeks. The time-frame is longer than Ladsous outlined on December 30 when he said it was hoped all reinforcements for the UN peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) that the Council authorised to protect civilians – almost doubling the force to nearly 14 000, including utility and tactical helicopters – would be on the ground within three weeks.

South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011 after seceding from Sudan, erupted in fighting on December 15 when President Salva Kiir said soldiers loyal to former deputy president Riek Machar, dismissed last July, reportedly launched an attempted coup.

16/01/2014 Armée de l'air

À l’invitation du général Serge Soulet, commandant les forces aériennes (CFA) et le soutien des forces aériennes (CSFA), son homologue allemand, le lieutenant général Martin Schelleis, a été accueilli sur la base aérienne (BA) 133 de Nancy-Ochey, les 13 et 14 janvier 2014. L’occasion d’échanger sur les différents volets de coopération des forces aériennes entre la France et l’Allemagne, tels que l’appui aérien et l’A400M.

La délégation s’est naturellement rendue au centre de formation de l’appui aérien (CFAA), unité franco-allemande. Centre interarmées et international, le CFAA délivre une formation labellisée par l’Otan. Les militaires des trois armées et des forces spéciales sont formés aux techniques de guidage en utilisant les moyens les plus modernes (liaisons de données tactiques, liaison 16, transmissions satellitaires cryptées, etc.). Leur contribution sur des théâtres d’opérations, tels que le Mali et l’Afghanistan, a été déterminante pour la réussite des missions des troupes au sol ou pour soutenir les forces alliées en situations délicates. Depuis quelques mois, le centre forme ses stagiaires avec un outil révolutionnaire, le SIMFAC, simulateur immersif très réaliste, qui a l'avantage d'économiser de nombreuses heures de vol.

Cette visite fut également l’occasion de présenter la montée en puissance de l’A400M  dans l’armée de l’air française, appareil dont l’Allemagne commencera à être équipée en 2014. Le 29 décembre 2013, l’A400M a réalisé sa première mission en opérations extérieures entre la BA 123 d’Orléans-Bricy et l’aéroport de Bamako, au Mali. Les commandeurs des forces aériennes allemandes et françaises ont également partagé leurs retours d’expériences sur l’utilisation et l’engagement des drones MALE (longue endurance et moyenne altitude) en opérations. L’Allemagne met en œuvre des drones HERON en Afghanistan, tandis que côté français, les drones Harfang sont déployés au Sahel. Depuis peu, deux drones Reaper les ont rejoints pour renforcer la capacité de surveillance et de renseignement.

14 January 2014 defenceWeb (Reuters)

Amid talk of M23 rebels regrouping, the United Nations has warned that its Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in the DRC is ready to take “robust action at any time”.

Briefing the UN Security Council this week, UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) head Martin Kobler said the review of UN military deployment across eastern DRC would be finalised in the coming weeks.

“We will then have a more flexible force. We need it to be more agile, ready to deploy when needed and where civilians are threatened to take on the threat.

“With the FIB and our unmanned aerial vehicles, all armed groups are aware we have the will and the means to take robust action at any time,” he said.

South Africa, one of three troop contributing countries to the FIB under the command of Tanzanian Brigadier James Mwakibolwa, has actively contributed to the withdrawal of the M23 from eastern DRC. This was, among others, via Rooivalk combat support helicopters and the skills of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) snipers deployed to the FIB, the first UN peacekeeping force ever to have an offensive mandate.

The M23 appears to be regrouping only two months after the Tutsi-led insurgency was defeated by Congolese troops and UN peacekeepers, Kobler told Reuters.

“There are credible reports to emerging M23 activities in Ituri in north-eastern Congo,” he said, adding the Congolese government has been asked to speed up disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of ex-M23 fighters who ended a 20 month revolt in November.

“I am also calling on the governments of Uganda and Rwanda to do everything possible to prevent M23 elements from sheltering or training troops on their territory. We should tolerate no military re-emergence of M23.”

U.N. experts - who monitor violations of UN sanctions on Congo - have long accused neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda of backing the M23, claims both governments have rejected.

In a report to the Security Council's Congo sanctions committee in December, the experts said they had credible information blacklisted M23 leaders were moving freely in Uganda and the group was still recruiting fighters in Rwanda.

M23 is one of dozens of rebel groups in eastern Congo. Millions of people have died from violence, disease and hunger since the 1990s as armed groups fight for control of the area's deposits of gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt and uranium.

Regional Peace Deal

Mary Robinson, UN special envoy to the Great Lakes charged with implementing a regional peace deal, told the 15-member Security Council that the DRC and neighbouring countries needed to take some confidence-building steps.

These included showing “none is harbouring individuals responsible for grave human rights violations, none is giving any kind of support or assistance to armed groups and none is interfering in the affairs of a neighbouring country”.

“There is worrying evidence these commitments are not yet being fully implemented by Rwanda and Uganda,” she said.

Kobler said following the defeat of M23, Congolese troops and UN peacekeepers had turned their attention to tackling the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda).

“First operations against FDLR saw some positions cleared,” he said adding only joint operations would be successful.

“I encourage Congolese forces to do more and intensify joint planning and execution of operations against FDLR.”

He also said military action could be expected soon against the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group that “continues to spread terror and horror” in the Ituri region of Congo's north-eastern Orientale province.

He supported this by saying: “On December 13, in an ADF controlled areas, 21 bodies, including eight babies, very young children and pregnant woman, were found dead and mutilated with some beheaded. Three of the children were reportedly raped before they were murdered”.

Toyota Land Cruisers donated by the US to Djibouti

15 January 2014 by Oscar Nkala - defenceWeb

The Djibouti Armed Forces (DJAF) have taken delivery of 26 new Toyota Land Cruiser 4X4 vehicles from the United States through the Foreign Military Assistance Programme as logistical and operational support to for the deployment of an additional 1 000 DJAF troops to reinforce the African Union (AU) soldiers battling Al Shabaab insurgents in the Beledweyne region of Somalia.

According to the United States embassy in Djibouti, the consignment (which consists of 14 Toyota Land Cruiser 2x4 pick-up trucks and 12 Toyota Land 4x4 pick-up trucks) was handed over to Djiboutian defence minister Hassan Darar Houffaneh and armed forces chief General Zakaria Cheikh Ibrahim by US ambassador Geeta Pasi in the capital Djibouti City on December 30.

The DJAF will this week deploy the first 100 of a full strength contingent of 1 000 men to support African Union troops battling the Al Shabaab insurgency in the Hiran area of the Beledweyne region in terms of the security mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The new deployment will bring the number of DJAF troops in Somalia to 1 980. The troop surge was approved by the United Nations Security Council on November 12 last year and allows for the temporary deployment of an additional 4 400 AU troops in Somalia to maintain security.

The additional troops will also form a rapid reaction force capable of responding to the increased security threats posed by Al Shabaab, Hizbul Islam and their smaller Islamic militia affiliates operating in the central, southern and coastal areas of Somalia.

The resolution, which also extended the AMISOM mandate in Somalia to October 31 this year, will bring the total number of AU troops in Somalia to 22 126. The UN said the deployments will only be scaled back after a period of 18-24 months as part of a final exit strategy for AU troops in Somalia.

The Security Council also recommended that the Somali National Army (SNA) be provided with a package of non-lethal support which includes transport, food, fuel, shelter and medical assistance through a trust fund to help expand its scope and area of its security operations.

Djibouti has been a recipient of US military aid before – for instance, in April last year the US Department of State provided the Djiboutian navy with two Metal Shark 28 Defiant high-speed aluminium coastal security boats to protect its borders and combat piracy, smuggling and terrorist threats. Djibouti is also home to a US military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) base at Chabelley airfield and hosts foreign aircraft used for anti-piracy operations at Camp Lemonnier.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan [Picture: Corporal Ross Fernie RLC, Crown copyright]

16 January 2014 Ministry of Defence

Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford spent 2 days meeting personnel at Camp Bastion and Kandahar Airfield.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the head of the Royal Air Force, praised the armed forces during his visit which included meeting the Tornado detachment at 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Kandahar, currently manned by the ‘Dambusters’, No 617 Squadron.

He also visited Task Force Helmand at Camp Bastion, the unit responsible for the UK’s combat operations across Helmand province, as well as 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, which runs the camp’s busy airfield.

During his visit he spoke about the UK’s mission in 2014:

This year will be another year of hard work, another year of commitment, another year of being in harm’s way; we will need to maintain our focus and effort right through to the end of combat operations.

I continue to be hugely impressed by the contribution being made by all elements of the Royal Air Force to Op Herrick, from the RAF Regiment providing vital force protection on the ground in Helmand to the Reaper and C-130 crews providing support to the ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) and ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) across the whole of Afghanistan.

CAS was able to see the Royal Air Force’s new Voyager transport aircraft, which has now started flying routinely into Afghanistan to support the airbridge to and from the UK.

Voyager is a state-of-the-art passenger aircraft and air-to-air refueller with the reliability and capacity of a modern airliner.

During his visit to the Tornado detachment at 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Kandahar, CAS met Royal Air Force personnel of all ranks.

He said:

The Tornado is the mainstay of the Royal Air Force’s air combat force and has been a fundamental part of air operations across Afghanistan. It has provided close air support to both ANSF and ISAF alike since its first deployment to Afghanistan.

CAS also visited the Joint Aviation Group at Bastion, where pilots from all 3 services fly the UK’s helicopters on operations in Afghanistan.

He said:

The Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force, the Apaches and Lynx of the Army Air Corps, and of course the Royal Air Force’s Chinook and Merlin forces have committed themselves fully over many years in Afghanistan.

The Rotary Wing Force and the medical emergency response teams have day-in day-out provided life-saving care which has directly saved many hundreds of Afghan and ISAF lives.

16/01/2014 Armée de l'Air

Breveté pilote de chasse en 1981, le général Maire a pris part à de nombreuses opérations extérieures en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient. Ancien auditeur de l'institut des hautes études de la défense nationale, il occupe depuis 2004 différentes fonctions au plus haut niveau de l'administration centrale, dont celles d'adjoint "air" au cabinet militaire du Premier ministre ou d'attaché de défense près l'ambassade de France aux États-Unis pendant trois ans.

Depuis septembre 2012, il œuvre au sein de l'état-major des armées en tant que sous-chef d'État-major relations internationales.

Toulon, le 16 janvier 2014 ECA

ECA annonce la vente à l’export, au travers de sa filiale ECA FAROS, de simulateurs d’entraînement pour véhicules terrestres de défense. Cette commande d’un montant significatif pour le groupe sera comptabilisée sur plusieurs exercices. Ajoutée aux autres commandes du mois, elle permet à ECA d’afficher sa meilleure prise de commande historique mensuelle en simulation.

Ces simulateurs 6 axes haut de gamme sont mis en réseau et permettent d’entraîner les personnels pour des missions collaboratives sur un théâtre d’opération, une supervision permettant de vérifier le bon déroulement de la mission simulée.

ECA était déjà présent dans la simulation de défense pour le domaine naval. Une commande de plusieurs millions d’euros a d’ailleurs déjà été enregistrée en Asie dans ce secteur mi-2013.

Cette nouvelle commande de simulateurs pour la défense terrestre a été obtenue en combinant les compétences en simulation de conduite de véhicules d’ECA FAROS et les compétences Défense du groupe.

Le marché annuel mondial pour des simulateurs terrestres de défense comparables est supérieur à 50 millions d’euros. ECA vise à devenir un acteur majeur de ce marché.

A propos d’ECA

Leader dans la protection des vies humaines par la robotique, la simulation et les systèmes de contrôle et de sécurité, le Groupe ECA a acquis des positions de leader dans des applications dédiées aux «milieux hostiles et contraints », des marchés de niche à fort contenu technologique et aux cycles complémentaires tels que la défense, la Sécurité Intérieure, le Nucléaire, l’Offshore ou l’Aéronautique. A la pointe de l’innovation, ECA est le N°1 mondial dans la robotique de déminage sous -marin avec 70% du parc installé et le N°1 français pour la robotique terrestre et les systèmes d’assemblage (aéronautique).

En 2012, le groupe a réalisé un chiffre d’affaires de 98,8 M€ qui se répartit ainsi :

Défense/Robotique (50,3%): robots d’identification et de destruction de mines, robots autonomes de détection/cartographie, drones de surface, simulateurs navals, robots terrestres, systèmes de contrôle pour les navires, etc. ;

Civil/Aéronautique (49,7%): Systèmes de contrôle/sécurité et simulateurs d’entraînement pour l’Aéronautique, simulateurs terrestres, etc.

Retrouvez l’ensemble de notre communication financière sur www.ecagroup.com

18 déc. 2013  European Defence Agency

15/01/2014 Michel Cabirol  - laTribune.fr

La filiale hélicoptériste d'Airbus Group a décroché une commande de six Super Puma en Bolivie pour plus de 100 millions d'euros six mois après la brouille entre Paris et La Paz autour de l'affaire Snowden. Airbus Helicopters a vendu sa dernière version AS332 C1e à l'armée de l'air bolivienne.

15 janvier 2014 Murray Brewster La Presse Canadienne

En juillet 2012, le programme était considéré comme une «priorité urgente», alors que la flotte de camions de l'armée, datant des années 1980, pouvait comporter des risques d'utilisation.

Ottawa - Plus il faudra de temps au gouvernement fédéral pour se décider sur l'achat de 1500 camions pour l'armée, plus le prix d'achat sera élevé, avertissait le ministère de la Défense nationale dès 2012.

Ce rappel est contenu dans un mémo, obtenu par La Presse Canadienne grâce à la Loi d'accès à l'information, concernant le programme «système de véhicule de soutien moyen».

Il était adressé au sous-ministre de la défense de l'époque, Robert Fonberg, alors que le ministère venait de mettre sur la glace le programme pour une seconde fois depuis 2006 en raison de coupes budgétaires à la Défense nationale.

M. Fonberg, qui a depuis changé de poste au sein du gouvernement, s'était fait indiquer par des fonctionnaires que les 800 millions $ mis de côté par le gouvernement conservateur pour le programme se faisait gruger chaque année à hauteur de 2 pour cent en raison de l'inflation.

Chaque année de retard dans l'application du programme se concrétise par une diminution du pouvoir d'achat, peut-on apprendre dans une note datée du 27 novembre 2012.

La même note révèle qu'il en coûtait 10,5 millions $ par année pour conservait le bureau responsable du programme.

Le programme «système de véhicule de soutien moyen» a été réanimé l'an dernier. Les enchères pour l'achat de nouveaux camions ont d'ailleurs été clôturées la semaine dernière.

Aucun contrat ne sera cependant accordé avant l'été 2015, tout juste quelques semaines avant la prochaine élection fédérale.

Ce délai pourrait ainsi amputer le programme d'un pouvoir d'achat de 48 millions $.

Le porte-parole néo-démocrate en matière de défense, Jack Harris, a dénoncé qu'un achat relativement simple de camions a été détourné à des fins politiques.

En juillet 2012, le programme était considéré comme une «priorité urgente», alors que la flotte de camions de l'armée, datant des années 1980, pouvait comporter des risques d'utilisation.

Le porte-parole du NPD a affirmé que la réelle priorité du gouvernement aura été de balancer le budget, plutôt que de se préoccuper des questions de sécurité relatives à l'utilisation des anciens véhicules de l'armée.