November 10, 2015: Strategy Page

In late 2015 U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) two more MC-130J all-weather transports. SOCOM has already received most of the 37 on order and deliveries are supposed to be complete by 2017. This is part of a major program to upgrade and expand the SOCOM fleet of specialized aircraft. Despite cuts in the American defense budget since 2010 SOCOM gets money for its aircraft program because SOCOM personnel are still in big demand worldwide.

Since 2009 SOCOM  has been devoting the largest chunk of its procurement budget to aircraft and most of that is going for one type of aircraft; the C-130J. SOCOM wants to buy about a hundred C-130Js and use them as commando transports (MC-130J) or gunships (AC-130J). In addition several hundred million dollars is being spent on sensors and weapons that can be quickly installed in MC-130Js to turn them into temporary gunships.

All this spending on aircraft is because the SOCOM air force has been worked hard since September 11, 2001 and has been constantly short of aircraft and qualified pilots. Back in 2009 SOCOM looked at their air force (some 300 MC-130s MH-53s AC-130s MH-6s MH-60s CV-22s and a few other types) and drew up a plan to shrink and update this overworked and aging collection of transports and helicopters. Having fewer, but more capable aircraft was seen as the only way out of the chronic shortages of aircraft and pilots. There was also the problem of aircraft worn out from heavy use and combat damage. So in addition to replacing the elderly C-130s SOCOM also sought to take the 31 MH-47Ds and E helicopters  (which have additional navigation gear) and upgraded them to MH-47F standards while the fleet was expanded to 61 helicopters. Most other SOCOM aircraft were also to be upgraded or refurbished.

Meanwhile the expansion and refurbishment program could not keep up with the demand in Afghanistan. Worse, there was never been enough logistics support to service all the jobs SOCOM is called on to do. In response, SOCOM improvised as much as they could. They borrowed aircraft and logistics support from other units. SOCOM is a high priority outfit, and can often get some of what they need. When SOCOM is providing specialized support for the combat units they borrow resources from they don't have a problem.

However when it's a pure SOCOM mission the army and air force are not as eager to part with scarce resources. What it means is that troops are operating at less than peak efficiency because they don't have all the tools they need to get the job done. Missions get cancelled, and opportunities are lost. SOCOM is a flexible outfit, and adaptations are often made. More commando operations were carried out using ground transportation. More troops, and equipment, were parachuted in. SOCOM is even obtained UAVs that can carry supplies. SOCOM is all about innovation, and a helicopter shortage is just seen as another opportunity to be creative. But there was always an ultimate solution for a lot of the air transportation and it was the new C-130J.

Back in 2011 SOCOM received its first MC-130J. This was part of a larger U.S. Air Force effort to replace 200 worn out C-130Es. The C-130J transport proved to be more than just another model in the fifty year old C-130 design. This is mainly because it's cheaper and easier to use. Like most new commercial transports, the C-130J emphasizes saving money. The new engines generate 29 percent more thrust while using 15 percent less fuel. Increased automation reduced crew size from four to three. The rear ramp door can now be opened in flight when the aircraft is going as fast as 450 kilometers an hour, versus the current 270 kilometers an hour.

The SOCOM MC-130s are all-weather aircraft used for everything from moving SOCOM personnel and equipment around the combat zone, to parachuting supplies, refueling helicopters in the air, dropping bombs and propaganda leaflets, or loading a pallet or two of electronic gear for special reconnaissance or psychological warfare missions. MC-130s are particularly useful because they have terrain following radar that enables them to fly at low altitude, especially at night or during bad weather. MC-130s have several additional navigation and communication systems, which allow them to fly in all weather, especially low enough to avoid radar detection.

C-130Js have cost nearly twenty percent less per hour than previous models. The most common version of the C-130 still in service is the C-130H. It has a range of 8,368 kilometers, a top speed of 601 kilometers per hour, and can carry up to 18 tons of cargo, 92 troops, or 64 paratroopers. The latest version, the C-130J, has a top speed of 644 kilometers, 40 percent more range than the C-130H, and can carry 20 tons of cargo. The stretched C-130J-30 can carry more bulky cargo, and goes for about $100 million each. The C-130J has a top speed of 644 kilometers, 40 percent more range than the C130H. The C-130 has been in service for over half a century, and has been flying for over 50 countries.

Nov 8, 2015 ASDNews Source : Raytheon

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has successfully completed the flight test phase of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program.

PCAS is a package of technologies designed to speed close air support to soldiers on the battlefield, enabling ground troops, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) and combat aircrews to share real-time situational awareness and weapons systems data. Executed in three phases, the four-and-a-half year program included flight testing during the first six months of 2015.

"The PCAS program was able to reduce close air support response times from nearly one hour to less than six minutes," said Tom Bussing , Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missile Systems. "By speeding critical information to decision makers, PCAS could save lives in the battlespace."

During the U.S. Marine Corps' Talon Reach V exercise in March, the program demonstrated end-to-end, fully digital weapons release of a Griffin missile from a modified MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. In May, an A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft and a joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) on the ground, both using PCAS' real-time digital communications and situational awareness capabilities, successfully employed 10 GPS- and laser-guided weapons in a second series of flight tests.

The PCAS system is designed to be platform-, digital radio-, sensor-, and weapons-class agnostic, and to be portable from platform to platform. The two main parts of the system are PCAS-Air, which consists of smart launcher electronics and a pilot tablet, and PCAS-Ground, which comprises the equipment used by the JTAC.

Raytheon is the systems integrator for PCAS. The company leads an industry team comprised of Rockwell Collins, General Electric, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and 5-D Systems. Raytheon brings its expertise in overall systems integration, weapons, aircraft integration and unmanned aircraft system ground control stations to PCAS.

As part of its conclusion of the program, DARPA is now focusing on transitioning PCAS technology demonstrated on both the A-10C and the MV-22 to different military platforms. DARPA is also working with the Army on other PCAS transition activity relevant to ground forces and manned and unmanned aircraft.

11/11 Les Echos (Reuters)

Selon des sources du secteur de la défense, les Emirats souhaitent acquérir 60 avions de chasse.

Les négociations au sujet de l'achat d'avions Rafale par les Emirats arabes unis sont entrées dans leur phase finale, a déclaré mercredi à Reuters le chef de l'armée de l'air de ce pays du Golfe. Selon des sources du secteur de la défense, les Emirats souhaitent acquérir 60 avions de chasse et ils examinent avec attention la possibilité d'acheter ces appareils à Dassault Aviation, après s'être intéressés dans un premier temps à l'Eurofighter.

"Je pense que nous sommes dans la dernière phase des négociations", a dit le général Ibrahim Nasser al Alaoui, commandant des forces aériennes des Emirats, interrogé sur la perspective d'un accord pour acheter des Rafale à Dassault.

Il a néanmoins souligné qu'aucune décision définitive n'avait été prise. Il n'a pas été possible dans l'immédiat de joindre Dassault Aviation. Le ministère français de la Défense a refusé de s'exprimer sur le sujet.

November 10, 2015: Strategy Page

In eastern Ukraine (Donbas) Russia is pulling a lot of its best troops out and sending them to Syria. At the same time more Russian troops are refusing to serve in Donbas. This is a tricky situation because officially Russia denies having any troops in Donbas. In fact (and Ukraine has plenty of evidence) there are thousands of Russian troops in Donbas and without them the rebellion there would collapse. A growing number of Russian soldiers are opening defying their government and refusing orders to “volunteer” for service in Donbas. Over a hundred are being prosecuted. The reason for all this is unexpected Ukrainian resistance and massive international outrage (and sanctions). Ukraine tripled its defense spending since early 2014, greatly reduced the corruption in defense procurement and within a year had 500 operational tanks and were building 40 new ones a year. When Russia invaded in early 2014 Ukraine officially had over 2,000 modern tanks (T-72 types) but none were operational. That was because the money for maintaining them had regularly been stolen. Ukraine still has major problems with corruption and foreign donors insist that aid will be limited until more progress is made eliminating corrupt practices.

Since the Donbas fighting began nearly two years ago nearly 8,000 have died. The local rebels (largely ethnic Russians) believed Russian military might would quickly make Donbas part of Russia and that would be the end of it. It did not work out that way and now the rebels are spending a second Winter in a bombed out and shot up Donbas. The rebels in Donbas have lost a lot. The economy is a shambles and many have seen their families flee to exile in Russia or Ukraine.

The Russian supported Syrian government forces went on the offensive in October and for a week or so seemed to make some progress but then stalled. Russians in Syria noted that the rebels quickly responded to the Russian air power and become less aggressive and mobile. Instead the rebels concentrated on defense. Thus the Russian intervention appears to have stopped most rebel advances. Russia has largely left ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) forces alone and ISIL has taken advantage of this and increased its attacks on Syrian rebels who oppose ISIL (who believes it should command all rebels). The Russians are willing to leave ISIL alone as it attacks other rebels but everyone understands that once ISIL becomes the primary rebel threat to the Assad government ISIL will be the main target of Russian air attacks.

The Russian air strikes, guided by Syrian ground controllers has killed about 600 people so far, 70 percent of them rebels. The rest were civilians. Over a year of American and allied air strikes have killed about 3,700 and 94 percent of them have been rebels. The American have more restrictive ROE (Rules of Engagement) that seek to keep civilian deaths to a minimum. Thus ISIL (and some other Islamic terrorist groups) use a lot of human shields, often quite blatantly (like putting them in metal cages and posting pictures on the Internet). The Russians ignore human shields and that means the rebels are more cautious when Russian warplanes are about. 

Russia has sent hundreds of special operations personnel to Syria. Iran has some special operations troops in Syria and they appear to serve mainly for collecting intelligence and attacking key rebel leaders (not always successfully). Iran is providing a lot of trainers, combat advisors and, judging from the number of dead Iranian officers (whose families back in Iran do not hide their grief or keep it out of the media) the Iranians are deeply involved in supervising these offensive operations.  Russia would like Iran to be more secretive about Iranian generals getting killed in Syria. Ten have died there since 2013 and most of those deaths were recent. Syria is a much more dangerous place for Iranian military advisors as only one Iranian general has been killed in Iraq so far.

Russia is also learning the hard way how difficult it is to maintain modern warplanes in the sand and dust of the Middle East. Russia knew about this problem because for decades it had sold military aircraft to countries (including Syria) in the region. But it turned out that there were a lot of (often minor) modifications Syrian maintainers made to their Russian aircraft to keep them operational in this environment. Russian maintainers are working overtime to adapt to all this. Despite that Russia is still getting several sorties a day out of many of the fifty or so warplanes it has in Syria. On some days there are nearly a hundred air strikes. The 50 or so Russian aircraft in Syria consist of Su-34 and Su-30 fighter-bombers, Su-24M bombers and Su-25 ground attack aircraft as well as about a dozen armed helicopters. There are also many transport helicopters. The Russians have also brought in UAVs and electronic monitoring equipment and have a lot better sense of where the best targets are. This has caused a lot of damage to the rebels who find their supply facilities and other support operations being bombed.

November 9, 2015: A Russian official revealed that the long delayed (since 2007) S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems Iran had purchased were now being prepared for shipment. The new contract was recently signed and Russia now expects to be the major supplier of weapons to Iran once the sanctions are lifted. Russia and Iran have already settled disputes over the 2007 S-300 contracts. After the 2007 S-300 purchase was stalled Iran said it would create its own clone (Bavar-373) of the Russian S-300. Iran began work on the Bavar-373 in 2010, after Russia refused to deliver S-300 systems Iran had ordered. International sanctions, plus pressure from the United States and Israel led Russia to cancel the Iranian order. Iran has issued progress reports ever since and Bavar-373 is supposed to be ready for final testing in 2016. The actual Iranian missile for the Bavar-373 is called the Sayyad 3 and it appears to be the same size and shape as the S-300 missile and carried in similar canisters. Iran insists that Bavar-373 is superior to the S-300. Now that Russia has agreed to deliver S-300s Iran will have to reveal if it believes its own propaganda about which system is superior. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil states have ordered nearly $20 billion worth of American weapons so far this year.

In eastern Ukraine (Donbas) Russian supported rebels fired on Ukrainian troops near the Donetsk airport. The 90 minutes of cannon and machine-gun fire produced no casualties nor did three other firing incidents in Donbas in the last 24 hours, wounding at least five Ukrainian soldiers. It is unclear why the rebels broke the ceasefire. Today is when both sides announced they had withdrawn heavy weapons from a 30 kilometers wide buffer zone in Donbas. This had been agreed to in the September ceasefire document but the rebels delayed for a long time.

A UN report on performance enhancing drugs in international sports (particularly the Olympics) was finally issued and it was very bad news for Russia. The report documented many cases of Russian athletes using performance enhancing drugs and the Russia secret police (FSB) threatening Russian lab personnel processing drug tests for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. The illegal activity was so widespread that there is talk of banning Russian athletes from international (including the next Olympics) competition. Russia denies everything but the sheer mass of evidence in the report is going to be hard to suppress. 

November 1, 2015: In the south (Ingushetia) police spotted two wanted Islamic terrorist leaders, who had switched to ISIL earlier this year, in a market and after a gun battle killed both men. In addition to firearms police seized five kg (11 pounds) of explosives. So far this year counter-terror operations in the Caucasus (which includes Ingushetia) have led to some 450 Islamic terrorists being killed or arrested. To do this the security forces down there carried out over 1,300 counter-terror operations (raids, patrols, stakeouts).

October 31, 2015:  A Russian airliner carrying 224 people (mostly Russian tourists returning home from Egypt) blew up over the Sinai Peninsula. There were no survivors. It soon became obvious that a bomb brought down the aircraft and many foreign airlines halted or restricted their flights to the Sinai (especially the Egyptian airport at the Red Sea resort complex). Russia resisted admitting that it was a terror attack because ISIL had quickly taken credit for the downed aircraft and said it was payback to Russian intervention in Syria. Egypt also resisted the ISIL claims but within ten days both Russia and Egypt acknowledged it was ISIL and took action. One local ISIL leader was then killed in Sinai and another identified. Egypt is a popular vacation spot for Russians and there were 80,000 Russians in the Red Sea resorts when the aircraft went down.

October 30, 2015: For the first time Iran was invited to meet with American and EU (European Union) diplomats for ongoing discussions in Europe about how to deal with the mess in Syria. Also attending are officials from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. Iran has long complained loudly openly about being excluded from these talks and got an invite because of intense Russian pressure and by promising to make a useful contribution. Few of these negotiators expect a deal to be made. The Arab Sunnis want no part of Assad but the Iranians need to maintain Shia (as in Assad or a Shia replacement) rule in Syria. The racial and religious animosities between Arabs and Iranians is a major obstacle. This is made worse by the popular belief in the Moslem world that ISIL and al Qaeda are inventions of Israel and the West to damage Islam. The West (and a growing number of Moslems) see the main problem as the Arab refusal to take responsibility for their actions. ISIL comes out of the Sunni radicalism tolerated (and subsidized) in Saudi Arabia for decades. Iran, Syria and Russia all have a history of supporting and promoting terrorist groups. Getting past all these bad habits, many of them not the sort of thing the perpetrators are willing to even acknowledge publicly, makes negotiating a peace deal in Syria extremely difficult.

October 28, 2015: Russia denied that it is illegally flying Iranian weapons and ammo to Syria using Russian transports. This would be in violation of international sanctions against Iran. The flights apparently are taking place and Iraqi officials are looking the other way.

October 26, 2015: Russia is now accused of preparing for war in space. An American firm, Intelsat, is the largest operator of communications satellites (75 at the moment) in the world and fears some of its satellites are being targeted by the Russians for a possible attack on Western communications satellites. All this came about in early 2015 when it was noted that a Russian military satellite was being moved into orbits very close (as in ten kilometers) of two Intelsat satellites. These incidents, which took place over a period of five months were reported to the U.S. Department of Defense which revealed that it had noted two other Russian military satellites carrying out similar maneuvers, but not as close to American satellites. All of these maneuvers were representative of what an attack satellite would do when preparing to damage or destroy other satellites. When the Department of Defense asked the Russians what was going on they received no answer. This is ironic because a lot of Intelsat satellites were placed in orbit by Russian rockets.

October 25, 2015: Ukraine cut direct commercial air traffic with Russia. That means airlines in both countries can no longer sell direct flight tickets to about 1.2 million passengers a year. Now passengers will have to fly to a third country before continuing on to Russia or Ukraine.  This is another aspect of the continued deadlock in Donbas where Russian backed rebels still have control over most of one province.

October 21, 2015: Russian intervention in Syria is portrayed to Russians as part of an effort to curb Islamic terrorism inside Russia and appears to have helped. Some 2,000 radicalized Russian Moslems have gone to Syria to join ISIL but local officials in areas where most of these Russian recruits come from (the Caucasus, especially Chechnya) point out that Islamic terrorist activity in the Caucasus has declined this year and reports they have received from local informants indicates that most of those who went off to join ISIL have been killed.

11.11.2015 par FORFUSCO

Le capitaine vaisseau François Rebour, commandant la force maritime des fusiliers marins et commandos et commandant la marine à Lorient, était ce matin à la cérémonie de commémoration de l'armistice de 1918 à Lorient. Aux côtés du maire de Lorient, M. Métairie, du député de la cinquième circonscription du Morbihan, M. Rouillard, et du sous-préfet du Morbihan M. Treffel, ALFUSCO a rendu hommage à l'engagement des militaires français dans la Première Guerre Mondiale.
Les jeunes stagiaires de la Préparation militaire Marine de Lorient étaient sur les rangs de cette cérémonie.

Reportage photos

François Hollande, président de la République, dépose une gerbe lors de la cérémonie du 11 novembre, à l'Arc de Triomphe.

11/11/2015 DICOD

Mercredi 11 novembre 2015, la France a commémoré le 97e anniversaire de l’Armistice de 1918. De nombreux événements se sont tenus pendant cette journée pour rendre hommage à l'ensemble des Morts pour la France tombés pendant et depuis la Grande Guerre.

97 ans après l’Armistice de 1918, de nombreux événements se sont tenus ce mercredi 11 novembre afin de rendre hommage aux morts pour la France tombés pendant et depuis la Première Guerre mondiale. En début de matinée, sur les Champs-Elysées, Jean-Marc Todeschini, secrétaire d’État auprès du ministre de la Défense, chargé des Anciens combattants et de la Mémoire, a commémoré avec Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, ministre de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, la manifestation des étudiants du 11 novembre 1940, qui constitua l’un des premiers actes de Résistance en France occupée (voir encadré).

Après la traditionnelle cérémonie à l’Arc de Triomphe aux côtés du président de la République, François Hollande et du Gouvernement, Jean-Yves Le Drian, ministre de la Défense, et Jean-Marc Todeschini ont reçu à l’hôtel de Brienne les familles des militaires décédés en service dans l’année. Depuis 2012, la journée du 11 Novembre commémore en effet non seulement les morts de la Grande Guerre mais aussi ceux morts au service de la France depuis, notamment en opérations extérieures.

L’après-midi enfin s’est déroulée la cérémonie organisée chaque année à la forêt de Rethondes (Compiègne, Oise), où fut signée l’Armistice.

En marge de ces cérémonies commémoratives, le secrétaire d’État Jean-Marc Todeschini a rencontré son homologue australien, Stuart Robert, en visite officielle en France. Ils ont déposé notamment une gerbe à l’Arc de Triomphe en reconnaissance de la mémoire partagée entre les deux pays et de la contribution des forces australiennes à la Grande Guerre.

Rappel : La manifestation du 11 novembre 1940 est une manifestation de lycéens et d'étudiants ayant eu lieu sur les Champs-Élysées et devant l'Arc de Triomphe en commémoration de l'Armistice du 11 novembre 1918. Rassemblant plusieurs milliers de personnes, elle est durement réprimée par les occupants nazis.

11.11.2015 source EMA

« Lorsque la force avance, la violence recule. Et lorsque le dialogue progresse, comme aujourd’hui ici à Dakar, la paix avance.»

Intervenant sur le thème des « défis du terrorisme en Afrique », le général Pierre de Villiers a insisté sur trois éléments structurants qui, à ses yeux, permettent de surmonter les difficultés du quotidien des opérations :
• inscrire son action dans la durée, en se gardant de la pression pour une réponse immédiate ;
• respecter le droit international, sans jamais céder à la violence ;
• établir une stratégie globale dont l’action militaire ne constitue qu’un des volets. « Gagner la guerre ne suffit pas, il faut aussi gagner la paix ».

Réunissant plusieurs centaines de personnalités politiques, de militaires, de diplomates et d’experts, la deuxième édition du Forum international sur la Paix et la Sécurité s’est déroulée à Dakar lundi 9 et mardi 10 novembre 2015.

En séance plénière, le CEMA est intervenu aux côtés de M. Tiéman Hubert Coulibaly, ministre de la Défense du Mali, de M. Mohammed Babagana Monguno, de la sécurité nationale du Nigeria, de M. Masakazu Hamachi, vice-ministre parlementaire pour les Affaires étrangères du Japon, de Mme Elissa Slotkin, assistante à la sécurité au département de la Défense des États-Unis, et de M. Mongi Hamdi, Représentant spécial et Chef de la MINUSMA.

novembre 11, 2015 Par Boubacar Diallo - conakrylemag.com

Débuté le lundi 09 novembre, le forum international de Dakar sur la paix et la sécurité en Afrique s’est terminé ce mardi 10 novembre 2015 a Dakar.

Face à la menace terroriste  que connait l’Afrique et surtout celui de l’état islamique ex-Boko Haram qui sévit au Nord du Nigeria et aux pays voisins, la France par l’intermédiaire du général Pierre de Villiers chef d’état-major des armées françaises   vient de rappeler une nouvelle fois à l’état major des pays africains leurs responsabilités sur la questions sécuritaire de la région.

Les africains doivent prendre leur sécurité en main leur propre sécurité.  Les partenaires internationaux ne sont là que pour aider. Pour illustrer cette logique, Jean-Yves Le Drian donne quelques informations sur une opération militaire en cours dans le nord du Mali: les militaires français de Barkhane et leurs collègues maliens y ont, selon le ministre, saisi des stocks «significatifs» d’armes. «Ce genre de choses se passe tout le temps, assure-t-il avant d’ajouter, on n’en parle pas tous les matins».

En Afrique, la France est presque sur tous les fronts et cherche à mobiliser au maximum les forces locales. Elle a déjà bénéficié des apports en renseignement de Paris. Un haut responsable militaire français assure ainsi que des informations d’une rare qualité, notamment sous la forme d’images satellitaires, ont été remises aussi bien aux Nigérians, qu’aux Tchadiens. Ici aussi, la collaboration est le mot d’ordre: «Les Africains apportent du renseignement humain et nous apportons du renseignement technique, explique un autre militaire français puis de préciser, ce n’est pas du renseignement de même nature». Le mode  opérationnelle consiste en général pour les Africains à identifier un lieu qui les intéresse et à demander aux Français ce qu’ils y voient et ce qu’ils y entendent, grâce à des équipements particulièrement sophistiqués (satellites, interceptions…)

11.11.2015 par Fauteuil de Colbert

" Il y a aussi l'immensité de notre espace maritime. Et les Outre-mer ont un rôle primordial – sur les 5 continents – pour notre présence dans le monde. Tout comme l'ensemble de nos compatriotes qui sont établis et travaillent à l'étranger. " Le Premier Ministre Manuel Valls, discours de politique générale (8 avril 2014).

Depuis son entrée en fonction, le Premier ministre Manuel Valls multiplie les références aux espaces maritimes français et affirmait nourrir une ambition maritime. C'est ce qu'il énonçait dans un discours d'ouverture des 10e assises de l'économie de la mer à Nantes le 2 décembre 2014 quand il annonçait que la France allait se doter d'une stratégie nationale de sûreté des espaces maritimes, complétant celle de l'Union européenne. Et le moins que nous puissions relever à travers la publication de cette stratégie nationale de sûreté des espaces maritimes, c'est que le Premier ministre a tenu parole, et ce document est même plus ambitieux que le livre blanc sur la défense et la sécurité nationale de 2013 sur quelques points !

Suite de l'article

9 nov. 2015 Quelle: Redaktion der Bundeswehr 11/2015 15E36301

10.11.2015 army-guide.com

Denel Vehicle Systems has concluded a contract of more than R900-million with NIMR in the United Arab Emirates for the development and supply of advanced mine-protected vehicles.

This contract for N35 is one of the largest received by Denel Vehicle Systems (DVS) in recent years and will provide work for two of the company’s major divisions for the next 24 months.

Zwelakhe Ntshepe, Group Executive Business Development says the new contract confirms Denel’s leadership role in landward mobility and mine-protected vehicles. It is one of several contracts awarded to DVS since it joined the Denel Group earlier this year.

“We are delighted to work with NIMR, one of world’s leading manufacturers of wheeled armoured vehicles,” says Ntshepe. “There is a strong synergy between our companies and products and we are confident that we can, together, develop and improve the N35 to be among the best in its class.”

The N35 – formerly known as the RG-35 – is an armoured vehicle with superior mine protection and combat capabilities and can be used in command, ambulance and recovery roles.

Ntshepe says the contract with NIMR follows on the awarding of several other contracts to Denel’s landward defence business in recent months amounting to over R1 500m in total. These are

- The OMC division, within Denel Vehicle Systems specialises in wheeled armoured and mine-protected vehicles, received a development contract for the N35 from NIMR.

- A production contract for 24 RG-31 mobile mortar platform (MMP) vehicles.. The contract includes vehicle manufacture and technical support and will be delivered in the next 12 months.

- Contracts from Armscor for maintenance of - and the supply of spares for both combat and support vehicles.

- The Gear Ratio division, within Denel Vehicle Systems is working on a contract from NIMR for the assembly of driveline components.

- A contract was also concluded with Steloy Castings for components used in the new Transnet electric locomotives.

The new SRSS for the UAE uses the Global 6000 aircraft from Bombardier as a platform. The Swing Role Surveillance System is capable of simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple targets in the air, on land and at sea. It is the latest evolution of the Erieye system that incorporates Saab’s many decades of radar capabilities across all domains.

“The new version of Erieye is without a doubt the most capable airborne early warning and control system on the market. Saab’s capability to develop high technology solutions for customers shows that our focus on research and development is the right way to ensure continued competitiveness on the defence market,” says Håkan Buskhe, President and CEO of Saab.

"Saab understands the vital importance of advanced airborne surveillance and we have a family of products that play a key role in defence and civil security. The UAE’s selection of Saab’s solution confirms our strong position regarding airborne surveillance and systems integration,” says Micael Johansson, head of Saab Business Area Electronic Defence Systems. 

The work will be carried out at Saab's facilities in Gothenburg, Linköping, Järfälla, Arboga, Luleå and Centurion (South Africa).

November 11, 2015 by CJTF-OIR Release # 20151111-01

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA- On Nov. 10, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes using bomber, fighter, attack, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using bomber, fighter, attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Al Hasakah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and an ISIL staging area.

• Near Al Hawl, five strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL building, and an ISIL VBIED.

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes struck an ISIL gas oil separation plant and destroyed three ISIL front end loaders and damaged two ISIL cranes.

• Near Mar’a, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

• Near Palmyra, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle and damaged a separate ISIL vehicle.

Iraq

• Near Kisik, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Mosul, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Ramadi, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL excavator, two ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL buildings, and an ISIL 23mm anti-aircraft artillery piece.

• Near Sinjar, six strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL command and control nodes, three ISIL vehicles, and 18 ISIL staging areas.

• Near Sultan Abdallah, one strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Al Huwayjah, four strikes struck an ISIL headquarters, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL logistical facility, and an ISIL security headquarters.

• Near Albu Hayat, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit, and destroyed two ISIL buildings, three ISIL weapons caches, and three ISIL fighting positions.

Strike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community.

The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States. Coalition nations which have conducted strikes in Syria include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.