AH-1W test firing Roketsan Cirit

September 13, 2011 defpro.com

IMU technology enables smaller, smarter guided weapons

CHARLOTTE, N.C. | Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has received its first production order for the SiIMU02 inertial measurement unit (IMU) from Turkey's Roketsan Missiles Industries Inc. The IMU is used to facilitate precision guidance of Roketsan's new CIRIT 70 mm (2.75 in.) laser guided missile for attack helicopters. The IMUs will be produced at Goodrich's facility in Plymouth, UK.

CIRIT is one of the first missiles in its class to incorporate the SiIMU02 inertial sensing unit package. The production order follows successful customization and qualification of the SiIMU02 package for CIRIT in 2011. At a fraction the size of legacy IMUs, the SiIMU02 package offered the flexibility for adaptation to Roketsan's mechanical and electrical interface needs.

Alan Hull, director of business development for Goodrich's Sensors and Integrated Systems business said, "This order from Roketsan marks the beginning of what we expect to be a successful long-term program, with opportunities for CIRIT sales in Turkey and the export market. The SiIMU02 was originally selected for CIRIT due to its proven capability to meet strict performance criteria. As we enter low-rate initial production, we look forward to supporting Roketsan with dependable technology, products and service."

Proven in operational service, SiIMU02 IMU offers highly accurate motion sensing in an extremely small, lightweight flexible package suitable for a broad range of missiles and rockets. Using the latest micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), SiIMU02 provides precise inertial measurement, yet is one-tenth the size of legacy IMUs. Through this technology Goodrich customers can create smaller, smarter weapons with a significant increase in delivery accuracy.

September 13, 2011 defpro.com

DSEi Exhibition, London, England | Elbit Systems Ltd. today introduced the MSR-3000, a unique advanced portable man-pack satellite communication (SATCOM) solution especially suited for Special Forces.

The MSR-3000 integrates all components necessary for military broadband satellite communication into a single, compact, transportable unit, enabling rapid and reliable deployment, especially suitable for Special Forces and the rapid deployment missions of today's modern battlefield.

Boasting full integration with Elbit Systems' wide range of C4I military applications and solutions, and packaged in a single-handed carry case or backpack, the system is suitable for emergency response and in-theater communications.

MSR-3000 offers highly efficient satellite space segment utilization and delivers higher bandwidth, using less satellite resources, providing reliable communications in any climate and under any environmental conditions. With low power consumption and the required ruggedness for operation in harsh military environments, MSR-3000 offers highly advanced scalable performance that establishes it as a cutting-edge BLOS (beyond line-of-sight) communication solution for all command levels. Available as a manual pointing or auto-acquiring man-pack VSAT system, the MSR-3000 is comprised of an antenna outdoor unit (ODU) and a ruggedized MIL-STD base-band unit.

The integrated satellite router features advanced protocol acceleration and optimization combined with robust encryption capabilities and includes an interface to an external encryption unit.

Leveraging Elbit Systems’ extensive experience in delivering world-class, field-proven military communications solutions, the compact MSR-3000 can be utilized in a wide range of applications including C4I, internet, VPN connectivity, video transmission, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

The MSR-3000 is a part of the InterSKY 4M SATCOM platform, introduced by Elbit Systems in March 2011. The InterSKY 4M is a tactical broadband satellite communication (SATCOM) platform, designed specifically for government and military Beyond-Line-Of-Sight (BLOS) applications. The end-to-end InterSKY 4M platform delivers highly reliable broadband multi-service triple-play (voice, video and data) capabilities for static, deployed and maneuvering On-The-Move (OTM) needs.

InterSKY 4M is a comprehensive platform encompassing all elements for the design, deployment and management of an entire satellite network. It is fully integrated in Elbit C4I military systems, providing support for both OTH (Over The Horizon) and BLOS two-way broadband communications.

12.09.2011 DEFENSETECH

So, Iran’s second locally-grown fighter jet, the Saeqeh has officially become operational with the Iranian air force at the squadron level.

This may be a big deal for Iran but not so much for us. As you can see in the grainy photo above, the Saeqeh is in many ways a reverse-engineered F-5 Freedom Fighter. You know, Northrop’s 50-year old design for a cheap and easy to fly light-fighter that the U.S. could sell to its Third World allies during the height of the Cold War. One of those (then) allies was pre-revolutionary Iran, which bought about 125 of them in the 1960s and 1970s. The Saeqeh is based on the F-5 body with Russian weapons and canted tails, among other “upgrades.” Tehran insists that the Saeqeh is on par with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18  Hornet. One thing’s for sure, Russia and China probably don’t need to worry about the Saeqeh competing with their latest fighter designs.

Here’s Iran’s semiofficial FARS news agency’s announcement of the plane’s entry into operational service.

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 12 (UPI)

The Israeli air force is expanding its wing of unmanned aerial vehicles built by Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems, some to be used as missile-armed gunships.

Meantime, The Jerusalem Post reports that state-run IAI, Israel's leading defense contractor, is working with Rheinmetall Defense of Germany to develop a new weapons system for aerial drones to cope with proliferating threats facing the Jewish state.

The air force plans to form a new squadron of medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs consisting of Elbit's Hermes 900 and IAI's Heron 1 to enhance its drone capabilities.

The Israeli air force bought three Hermes 900s for evaluation in May 2010 and is waiting for final approval from the General Staff of the Israeli armed forces to purchase new platforms under a five-year procurement plan currently being finalized.

The 900 is based on the smaller Hermes 450, which has been in service for several years. It has been widely used to carry out assassination missions against Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Gaza Strip using missiles.

The 900 variant can carry double the equipment payload of the 450. These include electro-optic cameras, laser designators, radar systems, electronic intelligence and electronic warfare suites.

The Israeli military's moves to reinforce its UAV capabilities comes amid new security threats in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula following deadly clashes in early August in which Palestinian extremists killed eight Israelis.

A senior military official disclosed Friday that the air force has deployed a special UAV unit along Israel's porous 150-mile border with Sinai north of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has had to bolster its forces on that frontier, which has been dormant since the country's March 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.

Al-Qaida operatives have infiltrated into Sinai amid the unrest that followed the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Feb. 11. They have apparently recruited disgruntled Bedouin tribesmen. More attacks are expected.

The Israelis are also preparing for possible conflict with Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as unrest linked to the Palestinians' plans to declare statehood later this month.

All these fronts will require UAVs for surveillance, reconnaissance and combat missions.

The IAI-Rheinmetall joint venture to develop a loitering weapons system for UAVs would appear to fit into this conflict scenario.

The Post reported that the system is known as WABEP, the German acronym for "weapons system for standoff engagement of individual and point targets."

The newspaper's military correspondent, Yaakov Katz, said WABEP "is a combination of Rheinmetall's KZO drone and IAI's Harop attack drone." It is understood the Harop is already in service with Turkey and India.

The propeller-driven Harop, based on the earlier Harp craft, was designed to suppress radar systems linked to surface-to-air missile systems or similar high-value targets.

It "can fly to a designated loitering position where it searches for electromagnetic signals from surface-to-air missile batteries and then dives in to destroy them," Katz reported.

Such high-risk missions have in the past largely been carried out by manned "Wild Weasel" F-4 or F-16 aircraft.

"Loitering weapons systems is considered a highly classified topic in Israel, which is believed to have developed a number of systems over the years capable of loitering over battlefields and engaging static and mobile targets," Katz wrote.

"Such systems are believed to be critical ahead of a future conflict with an enemy like Hezbollah, which has deployed tens of thousands of missiles and launchers throughout Lebanon."

Harop was unveiled by IAI at the Paris Air Show in July 2009.

Jane's Missiles and Rockets monthly reported that it has an undernose turret with optical systems that include a thermal imager and color CCD camera.

"The vehicle can attack from any direction and from any angle between the horizontal and the vertical," JMR noted. "It is armed with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead."

source defense-update.com

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 12 (UPI)

Israel Aerospace Industries is introducing a small 4x4 robotic platform to support infantry teams in dismounted operations.

Called the Rex, the platform employs a simplified method to recognize the path of its leading soldier, following the team's path with high accuracy using virtual "bread crumbs" the leading soldier leaves behind him.

Rex's dimensions and shape were determined to enable the robot efficient integration with common infantry tasks, such as entry into a building or jumping from helicopters.

Currently in final integration phases at IAI's robotics department, part of the LAHAV division, Rex has been presented to potential customers.

IAI said Rex, designed to carry troop supplies, was first unveiled in South Korea in 2009 but since then the unit has been made smaller.

Rex, powered by a piston engine, weighing about 330 pounds and can carry a 550-pound load. It also carries enough fuel to move more than 61 miles.

IAI said the robot follows simple commands similar to those used in dog training. The operator can instruct the robot to stay or move behind the force at a certain distance or close in. He can also transfer control to another team member at a press of a button.

The vehicle uses ultrasonic sensors to move forward, keeping clearing off obstacles along its way. Its movement path is determined by electronic "bread crumbs" automatically placed by the advancing infantry along the way. Multiple sensors are used to determine the vehicle's position relative to the supported team, both in open area, urban terrain or in Global Positioning Systems-denied conditions.

In situations where a vehicle should move on a different path, it can be driven by tele-operated by remote control unit.

REX, a Robotic K9 from IAI is designed to offload the warfighter from excessive loads carried on dismounted missions. It is trained to follow simple commands, like a trained dog and follow the team's advanced tracking 'virtual bread crumbs' left behind by the advancing force. Photo: Noam Eshel

09.09.2011 Defense Update

IAI is introducing a small robotic platform called REX, designed to support infantry teams in dismounted operations. The robotic platform employs a simplified, specially developed method to recognize the path of its leading soldier, following the team’s path with high accuracy using ‘virtual bread crumbs’ the leading soldier leaves behind him.

REX’s dimensions and shape were determined to enable the robot efficient integration with common infantry tasks, such as entry into a building (narrow enough to move through doors) or jump from helicopters (the REX fits nicely inside a Blackhawk). Currently in final integration phases at IAI’s robotics department, part of the LAHAV division, REX has already been presented to potential customers and have raised considerable interest. Offloaded from its cargo, REX can be quickly reconfigured to evacuate a wounded soldier on a stretcher. The vehicle’s flatbed already has the attachments to secure the stretcher in place for such mission.

SInce the first introduction of REX in Korea, in 2009 the vehicle evolved, and shrinked in size to enable operations in enclosed spaces and urban terrain. It is narrow enough to pass through doors and fits comfortably inside a Blackhawk helicopter on air mobile operations, flying along with the squad. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense Update

 

According to program manager Uri Paz-Meidan, the small and compact robot was designed to support dismounted infantrymen by carrying various combat loads and supplies, offloading the warfighter from excess, non-combat loads currently carried on a mission. Such load generally includes food and water for extended mission, additional ammunition and many spare batteries of various types, to last the entire mission, as well as relatively heavy mission equipment such as man portable rockets and missiles, observation systems etc. In fact, the small robot is designed to support the modern infantry system, which adds much functionality to the warfighter’s mission but also increases the load weight. To sustain long operations REX will also be configured with battery storage bay and on-board charger feeding on the vehicle’s generated power to maintain a supply of fully charged batteries, reducing man-portable and consumption of spare batteries.

 

REX is designed as an all terrain 4×4 vehicle powered by a piston engine. The platform weighing about 150 kg can carry 250 kg load, enough to support an infantry squad on a 72 our mission. REX carries enough fuel to move over 100 km. Part of its load can include extra fuel to further extend operational endurance.

 

Designed as an affordable robotic platform, REX is positioned to be fielded as an organic asset supporting the infantry squad. Photo: Noam Eshel, defense update

 

The compact robot follows simple commands similar to those used in dog training. The operator can instruct the robot to stay or move behind the force at a certain distance, or close in. He can also transfer control to another team member at a press of a button. The vehicle uses ultrasonic sensors to move forward, keeping clearing off obstacles along its way. Its movement path is determined by electronic ‘breadcrumbs’ automatically placed by the advancing infantry along the way. Multiple sensors are used to determine the vehicle’s position relative to the supported team, both in open area, urban terrain or in GPS denied conditions. REX was designed as a simple and reliable vehicle, responding to five basic commands. The robot is instructed to keep a short or long distance from the team it supports, ordered to ‘stay’ in its place or dash forward to link with the force Alternatively, in situations where a vehicle should move on a different path, it can be driven by tele-operated by remote control unit.

 

IAI unveiled the REX concept two years ago in 2009, introducing a larger model, configured as a 6×6 platform. Since then the concept evolved into the 4×4 version unveiled at the Latrun Land Warfare conference in 2011. The international debut is planned next month, at the AUSA exhibition in Washington DC.

EL/M 2084 Multi Mission Radar. (Photo: IAI)

September 9, 2011 Avihai Chiim / Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – defpro.com

Othello system will allow IDF to respond immediately to rocket fire

This week, Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled the Othello system, which is an advanced optical system that detects launches (of rockets, anti-tank missiles and artillery) by identifying the optical signature during launches.

The system is able in real-time to determine the launch site, which will allow the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to respond immediately.

The system is currently in advanced stages of testing.

The system can be installed on armored combat vehicles, light tactical vehicles and airborne platforms.

Also this week, the Rex system was unveiled. Rex is a small robotic platform capable of carrying 200 kilograms while accompanying soldiers operating in the field. Rex is intended to accompany groups of 3-10 soldiers during missions and can operate for 72 hours without refueling.

An aerospace industry official told IDF Website that "the future is unmanned robotic and aerial vehicles. We have a lot of work to do but we are advancing unmanned technologies in order to reduce casualties."

source israel-chronique-en-ligne.over-blog.com

11 septembre 2011 Par IsraelValley Desk

Une clôture « virtuelle » de haute technologie est édifiée le long de la frontière avec l’Egypte pour protéger Israël de l’infiltration et pour détecter les terroristes. La clôture “virtuelle” complétera la clôture matérielle dont la construction en cours est accélérée depuis les attentats terroristes meurtriers au Nord d’Eilat du mois dernier.

Les avantages de la barrière virtuelle sont ses capacités à identifier des objets d’une manière ciblée et détaillée et de réduire les fausses alarmes. Les détecteurs radar seront placés sur de hauts pylônes, permettant l’observation d’objets éloignés. Magna Technologies, une société de systèmes de défense, édifie la clôture virtuelle de plusieurs millions de dollars.

« Un tel système aurait sûrement empêché les attentats dans le sud », a déclaré Monsieur Chaim, PDG de Magna Siboni. «Je crois que les récents événements vont accélérer le processus de construction de la clôture, mais il y a eu un long processus de tests et de vérifications au cours des sept dernières années ». La clôture matérielle est prévue pour être achevée d’ici la fin de l’année prochaine, et 45 kilomètres (environ 25 miles) de clôture ont déjà été construits.

Par Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu sur Arutz Sheva - Adaptation française: Hanna pour Israël-Chroniques-En-Ligne

ISRAELVALLEY PLUS LE 10 SEPT

TEMOIGNAGE – Cette nuit aura été historique car elle marquera probablement la date du début de la fin de la paix froide entre l’Egypte et Israël. L’’ambassade israélienne au Caire, située en haut d’un immeuble d’une vingtaine d’étages, a été envahie vendredi soir par des manifestants

Ce matin, Benjamin Nétanyahou a condamné cette attaque, dénonçant un incident grave et une violation flagrante des conventions internationales. Le Premier ministre israélien a remercié les autorités égyptiennes d’être intervenues, tout en soulignant que l’attaque en elle-même était un coup grave porté au tissu de la paix.

Fait rarissime, Ehoud Barak, a téléphoné au Secrétaire Américain à la Défense Leon Panetta, et lui a demandé une aide pour aider à protéger l’ambassade. Six israéliens ont été sauvés par des commandos Egyptiens. Ils étaient bloqués dans l’Ambassade. Leur mort aurait entraîné une accélération de l’histoire entre Israël et l’Egypte. Le Ministre Egyptien de la Santé, a indiqué que trois personnes avaient trouvé la mort et que 1.093 personnes avaient été blessées lors de ces violences.

L’Ambassadeur et son entourage sont donc obligés de quitter le pays dans la précipitation. La fin de l’ère Moubarak entraîne à présent la chute de la Paix Froide entre les deux pays. Nous n’en sommes qu’au début. Le reste viendra très vite. Un véritable effet domino.

Ce samedi matin des heurts entre les manifestants et la police ont repris dans le quartier de Giza, au Caire, où se situe l’ambassade, rapporte la chaîne satellitaire égyptienne Nile TV. Les manifestants exigent de rompre les relations diplomatiques avec l’Etat hébreu.

Au Moyen-Orient tout peut arriver en un jour. La situation est toujours très volatile. Ce n’est pas par hasard si des milliers de personnes surveillent avec une très grande vigilance les frontières de l’Etat Hébreu. Un 11 Septembre version Tel-Aviv est toujours possible. J’ai des souvenirs inoubliables depuis 1983 sur le Moyen-Orient en mouvement.

Ma première expérience d’un brusque changement d’atmosphère a eu lieu il y a vingt ans. En 1991, des scuds sont tombés pas très loin de chez moi. Tout avait changé au Moyen-Orient après ce premier tir ordonné par Saddam. (Plus tard j’ai eu l’une des plus grande revanches de ma vie. Preuves à l’appui, j’ai été le premier à annoncer très tôt le matin d’un samedi dans IsraelValley et en langue française la mort de Saddam. Sur internet mon nom est depuis associé à la mort brutale de ce tyran sanguinaire).

Je me suis donc levé vers 3 heures du matin pour savoir ce qui se passe dans le monde. L’Egypte est en première page de Ynet. Sur internet déjà tout était dit au milieu de la nuit : l’Ambassade d’Israël au Caire est occupée et ravagée par des manifestants. Après un bref appel de trois minutes auprès d’amis du Ministère des Affaires étrangères à Jérusalem, j’ai compris.

Les israéliens sont en train d’entendre en Egypte le mot : “dégage!”. La culture de la haine des juifs et d’Israël est plus forte que tout. Pour parvenir au pouvoir les tyrans arabes n’hésitent jamais à annoncer qu’un “ennemi est aux portes”. Le “Printemps arabe” est un bluff médiatique pour les israéliens.

Hier, après un cours de trois heures que j’ai donné à IDC Business School (Hertzlya) au MBA, je me suis rendu à un mariage. Plus de 350 personnes (très grande majorité des jeunes de 25 ans) ont fêté dans une joie indescriptible cet évènement. En retournant chez moi je parle de cette fête exhubérante avec mon entourage. Et là j’apprends au détour d’une phrase que le frère adoré du marié a été récemment tué à la guerre. Tout le monde le savait, sauf moi. Le choc.

Les jeunes israéliens font la fête toujours éphémère et salutaire. Ils savent bien, pour nombre d’entre-eux, qu’ils vont replonger sans aucun doute dans la prochaîne bataille d’Israël. Ils n’en parlent jamais de manière explicite. Vivre à fond et à toute vitesse est une obligation ici.

9 septembre 2011 par Nicolas Gros-Verheyde (BRUXELLES2)

La Royal Navy d’Oman est intervenue de façon offensive pour libérer un navire indien, le Tiba-2 Halima, qui avait été capturé par les pirates le 1er septembre. Lors de l’opération menée par le RNO Musandam, un pirate somalien a été blessé mortellement ainsi que deux des otages : le capitaine et un marin, tous deux Indiens du Gujarat, pris sous des tirs croisés. Parmi les 10 autres marins retenus en otage, l’un d’entre eux a été gravement atteint et sept autres souffrent de blessures légères selon des sources hospitalières qui se sont confiées au Times of Oman ; deux autres ont pu s’échapper sains et saufs. « Les pirates nous ont utilisé comme un bouclier humain quand ils ont vu le navire se porter à notre secours » témoigne un des survivants. Mais, apparemment, dès l’intervention des militaires, les pirates se sont rendus et ont été incarcérés par les gardes-côtes. La marine d’Oman était déjà intervenue, la semaine précédente, pour déjouer une attaque sur un navire battant pavillon libérien à seulement 34 milles nautiques de Salalah.

September 08, 2011 KUWAIT TIMES

KUWAIT: Kuwait's Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah yesterday met with United States Air Force (USAF) Secretary Michael Donley to discuss military cooperation between Kuwait and the US.

During the meeting at Bayan Palace, the friendly discussions between Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, who is also First Deputy Prime Minister, and the senior American official touched on a number of subjects of mutual interest.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Khalid Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah and the Commander of the Kuwaiti Air Force, Lieutenant General Abdulaziz Al-Jassem. - KUNA

8 Sep 2011 By MOHAMMAD DAVARI, DefenseNews AFP

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran toughened Sept. 8 its criticism of Turkey over its plan to host an early warning radar as part of NATO's missile defense system, saying it will create tension and lead to "complicated consequences."

"We expect friendly countries and neighbors ... not to promote policies that create tension, which will definitely have complicated consequences," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in remarks carried by the state television website.

"We believe that the installation of some parts of the NATO missile system in Turkey will not help the security and stability of the region at all, nor that of the host country," Mehmanparast said.

Iran "condemns any action that creates an arms race in the world and region," he added.

On Sept. 5, Tehran criticized Ankara in a more subtle tone, with a deputy foreign minister saying the missile shield radar would not "improve security in the region."

"Iran and Turkey are two friendly neighboring nations ... and have the ability to fully preserve their own security without any foreign intervention," said Hassan Ghashghavi, deputy minister for consular affairs.

The remarks came after Ankara announced that technical negotiations on the deployment of the radar had "reached a final stage."

"It is foreseen that the early warning radar system dedicated by the United States to NATO will be deployed in our country," Selcuk Unal, spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry, said on Sept. 2.

Leaders of the 28-member NATO alliance gave their backing last year for the Europe-wide ballistic missile shield, which US officials say is aimed at thwarting missile threats from the Middle East, particularly Iran.

Since Sept. 5, there has been a growing chorus of military officials and lawmakers criticizing Turkey. This is a rarity, as Tehran has made maintaining good relations with Ankara a priority in recent years and has considered Turkey an ally for its refusal to implement Western sanctions against Tehran over its controversial nuclear program.

Iranian leaders have also publicly applauded Turkey for its falling out with Tehran's regional arch-foe Israel. "American and Western presence in Muslim countries is troublesome and harmful to these countries," said Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi.

"The West ... should be aware that we will not tolerate any aggression against our national interests by any country," he added.

Esmaeel Kosari, an influential Iranian lawmaker and member of the foreign policy committee, on Sept. 7 accused Turkey of adopting an "ambiguous dual approach" in its recent decisions.

"While Turkey's past stances used to raise hope amongst Muslim nations, its recent decisions are giving rise to doubt and uncertainty," Kosari was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.

"Regional nations cannot tolerate contradictions in Turkey's behavior," he said, while advising Ankara to reconsider its decision on the missile shield.

Another top Iranian lawmaker, Mohammad Dehghani, who sits on parliament's presiding board, said the decision to host NATO radars showed Turkey's "naivete" and its "behind-the-scenes collusion" with the West.

He also regretted Turkey's recent decision to toughen its stance on the popular revolt in Syria being repressed by President Bashar al-Assad, Iran's main regional ally.

"Turkey has recently joined efforts by America and the Zionist regime in delivering a blow to the resistance front in Syria," Dehghani said.

September 6, 2011 İPEK YEZDANİ – Hürriyet Daily News - TRDEFENCE

A US lobbyist says the early warning radar that will be deployed in Turkey is specifically designed to pinpoint missiles fired from Iran toward the US and Europe

The early warning radar system designed by United States that will be installed in Turkey is specifically designed to pinpoint missiles fired from Iran toward the U.S. and Europe, according to the chairman and founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, or MDAA, in the U.S.

“The AN/TPY-2 radar system is there only for Iran,” missile defense lobbyist Riki Ellison told the Hürriyet Daily News in an interview on Monday. “It will work with the missiles on U.S. ships outside of Turkey and on the new site in Romania that will be in place in 2015,” Ellison said.

Iran’s defense minister on Tuesday criticized NATO for the pending deployment of an early-warning radar system in Turkey, saying Tehran would not tolerate any aggression against its national interests, Reuters news agency reported.

The Turkish and U.S. governments said Friday that the radar system will help spot missile threats coming from outside Europe, including potentially from Iran.

Minister Ahmad Vahidi warned Turkey about the radar system, which Ankara says is not aimed at any specific country.

“The West claims the radar system [in Turkey] is not meant to confront Iranian missiles, but they should be aware that we will not tolerate any aggression against our national interests,” Vahidi was quoted by state TV as saying.

Diplomatic sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry told the Daily News on Tuesday that the radar system in Turkey would not be aimed at any specific country, including Iran.

The ministry said deploying the early-warning radar system in Turkey was part of a new NATO policy that included a new defensive concept of preventative deterrence.

Foreign Ministry sources said that within this new concept, geographically the best role for Turkey to play with minimum risk and maximum benefit would be to be one of the countries where a preventative radar system is deployed.

‘Part of Obama’s defense policy’

Ellison gave details of the radar defense system designed by the U.S. that will be installed in Turkey, saying that it will be a very highly defined radar system.

According to Ellison, the radar system in Turkey will work with the missiles on U.S. ships outside of Turkey and also on the new site in Romania that will be in place in 2015. “The system will have the capability to protect all of Turkey and Southern Europe with the missiles we have in the Mediterranean against Iranian short- and medium-range missiles,” Ellison said.

He said the system was not for Israel, adding that the area is too far north for Israel and Israel already has its own systems. “Deployment of this radar in Turkey is the last part of President Obama’s defense policy statement,” Allison said.

“In Phase 1 of Obama’s defense policy statement, until the end of this year, the radar will be deployed in Turkey with a U.S. ship in the Mediterranean right now with the SM-3 block IA missiles. There will also be a fire control solution in Germany. Those are all being deployed. So this is the last piece of the Obama’s specific plan,” Ellison said.

‘Closest point to Iran’

Allison said the location for the radar system would be selected by Turkey and the U.S., and that it would most probably be in the area closest to Iran.

“I don’t think it will be deployed on a U.S.-operated naval base such as the base in Adana for technical reasons. Because the closer it is to the Iranian border, the better it is,” Ellison said.

According to Ellison, there will be mostly U.S. civilians in charge of the radar system but very few U.S. troops around it, with Turkish soldiers in charge of protecting the area where the radar is located instead.

The information from the radar system will go directly to Ramstein Airforce Base in Germany and then it will be shared by all of NATO, Ellison said.

“That radar will be able to pick up anything that comes across Turkish airspace from anywhere. So for instance if Pakistan fires missiles in that direction, it can pick them up. It can cover anything flying over Turkish airspace,” Ellison said.

“The radar will stay as long as there is a legitimate threat from Iran,” he said. “They are there so that Iran will not have any missiles. They are now building new long-range missiles. So as long as Iran has missiles, this system will be there and defend America. If Iran gets a long-range ballistic missile, they can attack the U.S. and the radar will be protect from that. The radar will also have the first opportunity to look at them and be able to track them and give targeting information. It is mainly a tracking radar,” Ellison said.

Ellison said there was a similar radar deployed in Japan that protects the U.S. from possible North Korean long-range missiles.

September 7, 2011 Daniella Bokor – defpro.com

Head Logistics Officer speaks of recent advancements at the Fifth Annual Latrun Conference

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Logistics Corps will soon implement unmanned vehicles used for supply transport and enhance soldier durability, according to Head Logistics Officer, Brig. Gen. Mofid Ganem who spoke at the Fifth Annual Latrun Conference today, Tuesday (September 6).

Brig. Gen. Ganem addressed supply transfer challenges in complex warzones and future logistics solutions.

A 'supply chain' refers to transfer of supplies such as food, medical equipment, fuel, ammunitions and other, to combat soldiers in the field during an emergency. The equipment is transported in a variety of ways that require securing of routes.

"We've improved supply transportation since the Second Lebanon War," said Brig. Gen. Ganem. "We train the forces to create better suited routes."

Since logistics soldiers are many times required to enter warzones, they will now be trained accordingly.

"We teach our logistics officesr to approach the forces in spite of the dangers," explained Brig. Gen. Ganem. "In enemy presence we will be able to employ logistics soldiers as security forces as well, trained to fight and better understand the situation."

Brig. Gen. Ganem discussed technological advancements in command and control systems as well as incorporating the use of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

The vehicles will transport supplies to infantry forces without risking human life. "These will definitely be taken into consideration in the upcoming IDF's multi-annual plan," he said to IDF Website.

Lighter and longer-lasting supply carriers are being developed as well.

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