zaterdag 14 april 2018

Week 15 in #wapenhandel25tweets

(Gaarne 'liken' of delen als je het nuttig of interessant vindt.)

Onder de volgende tekst – waarin één of meer tweets zijn verwerkt –
staan de 25 tweets van deze week.

In 2001 president Bush found out that an offer to export submarine technology to Taiwan was largely symbolic because the US did not possess the knowledge to build, assemble and integrate diesel submarines.

Dutch originated blue prints in American hands on Dutch Moray-class subs – subsidized by the Dutch government for € 21,5 million - were prohibited to be used, because of the Dutch China policy not to sell weaponry to Taiwan. A policy established after the Netherlands sold the Sea Dragon submarines to Tapei.

The two boats are still in Tapei's service since 1987 and the Netherlands still exports equipment for them, in 2017 alone for € 32 million (see table). This may fit the context of the ongoing life-extension program.

Early April 2018 the US again came with an offer. This time on technology which can be used for a domestic Taiwanese submarine program which is not very succesful. Again annalists wondered where should the tech come from.

Government licenses for Dutch Sea Dragon submarine exports, Taiwan, 2017
Date of issue
Description
waarde (€)
11-01-17
Parts for radar and C3 systems
718.474
13-01-17
Parts for radar and C3 systems
2.299.640
02-02-17
Part of a periscope of a Sea Dragon submarine
272.499
21-04-17
Parts for Sea Dragon submarines
8.920.000
24-05-17
Technology for Sea Dragon Project
8.000.000
27-09-17
Technologie for Sea Dragon submarines
11.694.500
09-10-17
Parts for Sea Dragon submarines
99.450
27-11-17
Parts for Sea Dragon submarines
15.848
Source: Dutch Government https://bit.ly/2qjMgDn
32.020.411

Nederland

1 – 080418: Lockheed, Boeing land $117m award for Dutch Apache laser rangefinder tech https://www.govconwire.com/2018/04/lockheed-lands-117m-award-for-dutch-apache-laser-rangefinder-tech/


2 – 120418: Die-in in front of annual shareholders meeting of Airbus in Amsterdam 11-04-18, because the company sells arms for wars and equipment to control the borders to stop people fleeing them. http://nieuwsredactie.fhj.nl/index.php/2018/04/12/demonstranten-protesteren-tegen-wapenhandel/

EUROPA

3 – 130418: Forget Yemen for a moment, but how does all this European arms trade to the GCC powder keg relate to criterion 4 (Preservation of regional peace, security and stability) of the Common Position on arms exports? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/gulf-cooperation-council-arms-race-sells-180412125953374.html

Duitsland

4 – 080418: German Boxer armoured vehicle exports through the UK backdoor? Der Speigel. http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/boxer-deal-panzerexporte-durch-die-britische-hintertuer-a-1201553.html

5 – 090418: Many questions by Linke [in German] Egypt on Rheinmetall armoured vehicle plant, sale of submarines and cars to police. Algeria on establishing shipbuilding capacity and sale of frigates. South Africa what is sold by Rheinmetall Denel Munition and more http://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/19/014/1901405.pdf

6 – 100418: The US Marines just switched their main sniper rifle. The M110 is replaced by the CSASS, a 7.62 mm Heckler & Koch-made rifle https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/04/09/the-marines-just-switched-their-main-sniper-rifle-look-whats-next/

7 – 130418: German weapons manufacturer Sig Sauer has been accused of illegally exporting tens of thousands of pistols to Colombia. Authorities have charged managers with violating Germany's foreign trade regulations. http://www.dw.com/en/germanys-sig-sauer-accused-of-illegally-sending-weapons-to-colombia/a-43360307

Frankrijk

8 – 100418: "France is a primary seller of arms to Saudi Arabia (after the US and UK). For decades, it provided us with tanks, armored vehicles, munitions and artillery and navy ships. Defense firms, including Dassault and Thales, have major contracts here." http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/532351

Spanje

9 – 100418: This makes Royals useful in a modern economy: Spanish king charms Saudis for $2.2 billion arms deal https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spain-in-2bn-arms-deal-with-saudi-arabia-vhxmdz0kg

Turkije (zie ook 11)

10 – 100418: Turkish group (Aselsan and Havelsan) to modernize Barbaros-class frigates. What will be updated, modernised, replaced not reported. Thales Nederland Stacos combat Mod III FD system e.g. what will happen with it? https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2018/04/10/turkish-group-to-modernize-barbaros-class-frigates/

VK

11 – 100418: "I visited #Kobanî and saw how UK-armed #Turkey is trying to destroy our ally against Islamic State" Powerful article by @lloyd_rm - whose work here & less about the damage the #UK arms trade does deserves plaudits. @CAATuk @STWuk https://evolvepolitics.com/i-visited-kobani-and-saw-how-uk-armed-turkey-is-trying-to-destroy-our-ally-against-islamic-state-labour-mp-lloyd-russell-moyle-for-evolve-politics/

12 – 110418: CAAT is asking for permission to appeal against a judgment by the High Court on 10 July 2017 which did not find the granting of licences for the export of arms from the UK to Saudi Arabia unlawful http://oneworld.org/2018/04/10/uk-arms-to-saudi-arabia-legal-battle-goes-to-court-of-appeal/

Zwitserland

13 – 090418: Assault rifles are the main item of Swiss export denials after sondages in 2017: 21 of 48. Eight of these 21 related to exports to Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Mexico. A grenade launcher was planned to be delivered to Djibouti. https://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/seco-lehnte-48-voranfragen-fuer-ruestungsexporte-ab-id8222649.html

REST VAN DE WERELD

Algerije (zie 5)
Australië (zie 28)
Egypte (zie 5)

India
14 – 110418: India to showcase its defence manufacturing might at DefExpo beginning tomorrow. http://www.uniindia.com/india-to-showcase-its-defence-manufacturing-might-at-defexpo-beginning-tomorrow/states/news/1195143.html No Dutch and Belgian companies, but there are from Czech, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, UK etc. http://defexpoindia.in/Country-Wise-Search

15 – 110418: Airbus, Lockheed rush to tap India's $620 billion defense market. India isn't a market but a beautiful country, full of conflicts, were 642 million living in poverty and don't need your weaponry. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-10/airbus-lockheed-rush-to-tap-india-s-620-billion-defense-market

16 – 110418: MKU Limited, an Indian defence company and Thales have signed two MoUs for strategic co-operation in the development and production of optronic devices and F90 close quarter battle (CQB) rifles for the Indian Army. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110418/strategic-tie-up-to-develop-optronic-devices-close-quarter-battle-rif.html

Indonesië (zie ook 13)

17 – 110418: Indonesia reorganises surface combatants, prepares for establishment of third fleet | Jane's 360 #Damen http://www.janes.com/article/79220/indonesia-reorganises-surface-combatants-prepares-for-establishment-of-third-fleet#.Ws9BcIMF3SM.twitter

Filipijnen (zie 13)
Japan (zie 27)
Jemen (zie Saudie-Arabië)

Mexico (zie ook 13)

18 – 120418: More attention for this part of the US small arms tragedy needed. The Other Border Problem: American Guns Going to Mexico https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/opinion/american-guns-mexico.html

Saoedi-Arabië (zie 8, 9, 13)
Taiwan (zie 23-24)
Thailand (zie 25)
Zuid-Afrika (zie 5)

DEFENSIE-INDUSTRIE

Airbus (zie 2)
Damen (zie 17)
Thales (zie 10, 16)

WAPENS

AI-weapons

19 – 090418: Killer robots: pressure builds for ban as governments meet https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/09/killer-robots-pressure-builds-for-ban-as-governments-meet

20 – 110418: As the United States, Russia and China continue to push forward in their development of unmanned autonomous weapon systems new international law for autonomous weapons is needed?

And let me add, more refusal to cooperate by scientist.


Drones

21 – 100418: The Pentagon’s enthusiasm for drones has never been greater. The DoD is asking for 3x as many uncrewed vehicles for 2019 as it did in 2018. That’s 3,447 new drones, to be exact, but don’t expect the skies to go dark with Reapers anytime soon. https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2018/04/09/the-pentagon-is-asking-for-3-times-as-many-drones-for-2019/


Kleine wapens (zie 6, 7, 13, 18)
Observatie technologie (IT) (zie 26)
Onderzeeboten (zie ook 22)

23 – 090418: US approves licence for Taiwan submarine plan. But the main question stays where will the technology come from. (The US itself can't build diesel submarines). They tried Dutch tech in the past. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/us-approves-licence-taiwan-submarine-plan-053703585--finance.html

24 – 090418: US approval of submarine tech license for Taiwan "may prove largely symbolic". It needs technical backing, experts say. But didn't Bush found out in 2001-2 already http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/04/09/2003690975

25 – 090418: Chinese arms producers are sharing military hardware and knowledge with overseas buyers, and improving after-sales services as the manufacturers try to hang on to market share in an increasingly competitive arms market. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2140734/free-gifts-arms-sales-china-dangles-hi-tech-offers

Wapenbeurzen (zie ook 14-15)

26 – 090418: connect:ID conference on the future of identity solutions. The role of biometrics, digital ID, and next-generation secure credentials will be front and center, with vertical markets such as fintech and border management playing critical roles. http://www.connectidexpo.com/program/

OVERIG

Onderzoek en activisme (zie ook 20)

27 – 090418: The debate on research, science and the revolution of war? The Japan Times argues scientists have a role to play in defending the country together with the US against unnamed neighbours. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2018/04/09/editorials/moral-dilemmas-japans-high-tech-researchers/

28 – 100418: Integrating knowledge seamless into the military-industry-complex: Australian universities integrated into military build-up - World Socialist Web Site: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/04/10/univ-a10.html

29 – 120418: Risk Assessment for Arms Export Controls: an overview of Indicators and Risk Factors [in French] http://www.grip.org/fr/node/2541 

This is a selection from a larger amount of tweets. Tweets with a relation the Netherlands, arms trade and defence-industry weight heavier in the selection. If you want to have them daily see http://twitter.com/martinbroek