The Dutch government has issued a permit
for the sale of military technology for corvettes to the Istanbul Naval
Shipyard* with final destination Pakistan. The deal is worth € 46.7
million, which is 5% of average Dutch annual arms exports over the past
decade.
The Thales technology includes advanced Smart-S radar
(optimised for target designation) and will be assembled onto a
corvette sold by Turkey to Pakistan. According to Dutch assesement there
are no risks for regional security (criteria 4) and non-proliferation
(criteria 6) nor for any of the other criteria of the EU arms export regulation.
The sale was announced on the same day that Turkey was beating the anti-French drums and
calling on the islamic world to boykot French products. Dutch Thales is
part of the French Thales concern. The ships are outfitted with a range
of Turkish developed weapon systems, but also with naval guns from Leonardo/OTO Melara (Italy).A company from the
same Italy which asked
the EU in October to take a tougher step on Ankara.
Turkey
The military technology is sold to Pakistan, but goes first to Turkish Aselsan,
one of Turkish largest military tech industries. The corvettes are its
first major shipbuilding program, so the deal is strengthening the
capabilities of the Turkish defence industry. Considering Erdogan's
Turkey is sending Turkish made drones to Azerbaijan
and trying to derail the Libyan peace agreement the wisom of this Dutch
contribution can be doubted. But the restrictive policy on Turkey is
limited to arms export, not to cooperation with military industry, even if this has more far reaching effects on the long run.
Karachi bought four corvettes
in Turkey of the Ada-class. The deal has been called the single highest
value contract signed by the Turkish defence industry so far under
ASFAT, the Turkish state-owned defense contractor. Two of the corvettes
will be build in Turkey, the other two at the Karachi Shipyard &
Engineering Works (KS&EW).
Pakistan
The next part of the journey for the naval equipment will be transfer
to Pakistan. "The country is involved in a territorial conflict with
India on Kashmir. Pakistan also has a complicated relationship with
Afghanistan," the Dutch government writes in a letter to the parliament,
but quickly reassures: "Both regions are landlocked, reason the
Pakistani navy, the end-user, plays no role in these conflicts." For
those who are not convinced by the Kashmir argument, the Dutch Ministers
for Foreign Relations adds that Pakistan already has more capable ships
and the new ships will not alter the balance of power. The ships
however attract widespread attention in military circles, included a Pakistan Navy press release:"Induction
of these ship in Pakistan Navy would significantly add to the lethality
of Pakistan Navy's capabilities and contribute in maintaining peace,
security and balance of power in Indian Ocean Region."
Naval News reports on its website
on Pakistani naval acquisitions: "The Pakistan Navy is currently
undertaking an important renewal of its fleet, with the procurement of
several modern platforms: In addition to these corvettes from Turkey,
Pakistan will also commission new frigates from China and OPV from the
Netherlands. It is also modernizing its submarine force." Three
countries are mentioned here: Turkey, China and the Netherlands.
Pakistan is well connected to Turkey. "Turkey has always stood by its
Pakistani brothers on the issue of Kashmir,"writes Turkish Defence Magazine.
The close relations between Karachi and Beijing are no secret. They
have a common enemy in India. The Netherlands seems to be the strange
duck in the pond.
Currently the acquisition of more of these ships is considered in the
context of Pakistani plans for a 50 warship expansion of the navy.
Former Pakistani chief-of-staff statements suggest the Pakistani Navy
could expand its order from Damen Shipyards with 6 additional Yarmook-class covettes.
Exports
Author, analyst and former Australian defense attache to Islamabad, Brian Cloughley claims
that in the event of a conflict involving India's Navy, Pakistan "would
deploy all its assets to destroy it, and although the [Indian Navy]
would suffer major losses, the attrition factor would be the decider."
The retired Director Naval Ops, Indian Navy and Director Naval
Intelligence, Cmde Ranjit B Rai stated recently
that Pakistan partners with the Chinese navy to jointly deny India
access to the Indian Ocean. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
prefers to close its eyes to the full picture of the conflict.
European Union member states continue to export weaponry
to Karachi. Is that to counter Chinese influence? Is that to keep some
level of military relations with such a crucial country in the region?
Or is it just a way to export military products for the profit of weapon
manufacturers and support the domestic industrial base? Whatever the
reasons: strengthening Turkish military capabilities and fueling the
fire is taken as part of the dealings. It is not because there are no
rules to control this trade. It is because there is no willingness to
end the exports, even to severe regions of tension.
* The Dutch government letter is not specific on weapon technology,
involved industries and ship class. Transparency has its limits.
Specifics had to be deducted by the author.
*** Retweet
@GKNAeroNEWS
RELEASE: NH90 helicopter sale to Germany strengthens @GKNAero’s
defence portfolio. Long-term partnership in @NHIndustriesSAS.
Involvement in #NH90 ranges from tail to landing gear and
after-market. More here:
https://www.gknaerospace.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/2020/nh90-helicopter-sale-to-germany-strengthens-gkn-aerospaces-defence-portfolio/
*** Launch of the
Russian Soyuz carrier rocket with UAE Falcon Eye satellite is
delayed. Falcon Eye is an European manufactured optical-electronic
earth observation spacecraft produced for the #UAE MoD by #Airbus.
Handy to know who and where to target Yemen.
https://ria.ru/20201130/zapusk-1586888679.html
Addition: Soyuz
rocket’s launch with UAE’s satellite postponed to Dec. 2 -
Arianespace
*** Chinese
Norinco was recently cleared to deliver its made-for-export
helicopter drone system, which can conduct missions including
reconnaissance, communication relay etc. and partner with tanks,
infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1208402.shtml
*** The US
welcomed the GCC efforts to extend the UN arms embargo on Iran. The
US and Kuwait stand together against the destabilising influence of
the Iranian regime across the Middle East.
A majority of 57.45%
of Swiss voters rejected a ban on major investors funding any
companies that generate more than 5% of their revenues from combat
weapons and weapons parts.
*** BBC World
reported a Libyan news website has said that Turkey has opened up air
corridors to multiple sites in western Libya in order to transport
weapons and military equipment. BBC World 29/11/20
*** Question
by Filip De Man (ID): Airbus has
violated the arms embargo imposed against Libya by carrying out
maintenance on Turkish A400M freight aircraft, in Munich and in
Turkey. These aircraft are likely to have been used to transport
weapons to Libya. Embargo? Measures?
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-004973_EN.html
Answer by Joseph
Borell: Turkish state & private
businesses are major customers of component suppliers in civil and
military aviation. Unless specific legislation prohibits it, Airbus
can fulfil ... contracts concluded with clients, including Turkish
ones.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-004973-ASW_EN.pdf
*** Greece
blasts Berlin for shunning plea for Turkey arms embargo
*** If
Ethiopia commits grave war crimes, the UN & AU should impose an
arms embargo. This would not stop the killing entirely—the region
is awash with weapons. But halting the flow of artillery shells and
bombs would dampen it and send a clear signal.
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/11/26/the-world-needs-to-stop-war-crimes-in-
*** Fife arms
firm profits from border walls contracts and ‘state repression’,
is reported. The report was co-published by the TNI, Stop
Wapenhandel, Delàs Center, and the Palestinian grassroots
Anti-Apartheid Wall campaign.
https://theferret.scot/fife-arms-firm-profits-from-border-walls/
*** Retweet
@CAATuk Once again, the government is
arguing that the additional £16bn spend on the arms industry creates
jobs and is good for the economy Check out our handy mythbusters to
de-bunk this https://caat.org.uk/alternatives/mythbusting
*** NATO
secretary-general Stoltenberg considers EDF as a tool to overcome
fragmented EU arms production and lower the cost per weapon system
(as long as it is in the framework of NATO). Has a price comparison
ever made eg between the cost of a US & EU
frigate?https://www.nato.int/cps/fr/natohq/opinions_179665.html
*** Taiwan starts
building submarine fleet amid military threats from Beijing
Domestically developed vessels will
have US combat systems, with the first to be delivered to the navy by
2025
Addition:
The MIC got €223 billion in 2018. A
single year rise of 3%.
https://www.eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/brochures/eda-defence-data-2017-2018
But still complains it is insufficient. Clean your own mess first: If
fragmentation is the problem why 2 European future fighter planes are
currently developed while most Europeans buy in the US?
*** A few days
ago a Korean missile fell on farm land. Yangpyeong County Council
strongly condemns the crash and explosion of the Hyeongung anti tank
missile near Okcheon-myeon near Seoul. Activists protest, in Korean
but with pictures. http://www.breaknews.com/sub_read.html?uid=769105
*** Veel
Mexicanen beschuldigen de VS van hypocrisie. Als het gaat om de
smokkel van drugs, komt de VS woorden te kort om de schuld bij Mexico
te leggen. Als het gaat om de smokkel van wapens is het ineens
doodstil, luidt het verwijt.
https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1487343609/50-favoriete-wapen-mexicaanse-drugskartels
/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13255249/mexico-sniper-rifles-helicopters-cartels/
Addition:
Viewpoint underlined: An EU operation that stopped a
Turkish ship on Sunday supposedly to enforce a UN arms embargo was
flawed from the start, according to Turkey's MoD. "Operation
Irini was stillborn. It has lacked a solid basis in terms of
internati..."
https://apa.az/en/europe/Turkey-EU-arms-embargo-operation-flawed-from-start-336235
*** Russia feels
the effect of the sanction on its military industry. In the States
nothing high-tech can be bought, with France it is not much easier,
Germany is tightening the screws, Israel has raised prices 5 times,
and you cannot buy with them either.
http://www.business-gazeta.ru/article/489555
*** France, Germany,
Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom announced the launch of a
multinational project on Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities on
19 November 2020. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_178952.htm
*** Arrests in
Egypt raise human rights concerns, but are unlikely to trigger
sanctions, given consensus within EU on the importance of Cairo's
role in regional security & the depth of the commitment of major
EU states supplying arms & development projects. PW
https://country.eiu.com/egypt
*** EU
High Representative Joseph Borrell stated the Irini operation
improved greatly since its establishment in March of this year to
enforce the UN’s arms embargo in Libya
*** The German
Left Party and the Green Party have submitted a bill to the
Bundestag, proposing to impose an arms embargo on Turkey for its
militaristic policy and human rights violations in the Eastern
Mediterranean, Nagorno Karabakh, Libya and Syria.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1035559/
China Has Made Drone Warfare Global;
The US Must Join the Market or Be Left Behind.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2020-11-20/china-has-made-drone-warfare-global
*** New
figures from the UN and the SIPRI show that since the war in Yemen
began, the US has sold over $13 billion in high-tech weapons to Saudi
Arabia, making the Kingdom a cash cow for US weapons makers.
*** Retweet
@navalgroup_NL One of the contestants for
the Dutch submarine acquisition program, the French Naval Group
advertises itself by incorporating 30 Dutch companies for supplies.
Sinds onze selectie voor de volgende fase in het Walrus
vervangingsprogramma is de samenwerking met industriële
partners verder uitgebreid. Meer dan 30 extra bedrijven zijn
gekwalificeerd als Tier 1 & 2 leveranciers in @navalgroup's
supply chain.
*** Retweet
@StopTheArmsFair The folks at
@londoncaat created a virtual tour of arms
companies whose weapons have been used against #BLM protesters. These
companies are complicit in the violence against protesters - watch
this video to find out more
*** Airbus and
the Federal Republic of Germany submitted their official offer to the
Swiss Federal Office of Armaments armasuisse for the sale of
Eurofighter aircraft to Switzerland seeking 36 combat aircraft and
ground-based defenses for $8.1 billion.
https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28351#.X7ZEvWj0mUk
*** The Belarus
People's Anti-Crisis Administration proposes sals to the countries of
the EU are the following: to impose an embargo on the export and
import of weapons according to a statement on its official Telegram
channel on Wednesday. https://belarus-nau.org/news_en_18
60% wereldbevolking leeft
in land met grensmuren, militaire industrie profiteert – 63
grensmuren gebouwd in de laatste vijftig jaar (1968-2018) –
Amerikaanse, Europese en Israëlische militaire en security-bedrijven
profiteren het meest
*** Kazach
Parliament amendment (to prevent arms trafficking to Libya) requires
presence of equipment that transmits data on the status and location
of the plane, and also the duty of the local air companies to provide
more than 50% of flights in Kazakhstan.
*** MoD magazine
gives attention for past arms exports in article on Dutch military
air defence system, Flycather. Flycathers were sold to India (license
prod); Thailand, 18-22; Turkey, 22; Venezuela, 18 with 40mm-art &
Israeli Rafael Barak-1 sam; & Germany.
https://magazines.defensie.nl/materieelgezien/2020/09/06_flycatche
*** NGOs
Urge France to give parliament control over arms sales." Article
full of links and statements, like by @t_fortin: "We must seize
the opportunity provided by the Maire-Tabarot report to (finally!)
make progress" with civil society control on arms expor
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ngo-demand-france-parliament-control-190622035.html
*** Whatever you think of the
amendment on European arms exports adopted by the European
Parliament, to expose French complicity by stelling in Yemen and
Libya is much needed. https://euobserver.com/investigations/150097
*** Jammu
& Kashmir president Masood Khan called upon the UN to take action
against India after evidence of its involvement in terrorist
activities in parts of Pakistan and it should consider measures
including assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1590647/naked-aggression-at-loc-has-exposed-india-masood
*** Retweet
@CTWnlStop
Wapenhandel contributed a chapter on the European arms industry and
border security to this important new book 'Asylum for Sale: Profit
and Protest in the Migration Industry'.
https://www.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1097
*** Retweet
@tekaldasAppalling.
EIPR is one of Egypt’s most important independent rights groups.
Their tireless professional work is vital for maintaining a record of
rights abuses. The countless govts & orgs that depend on their
reporting must use all at their disposal to protect them now.
*** More
is needed ("maintain an ambitious budget") for European
Defence Fund states European Parliament draft report on the
implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy - annual
report 2020.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFET-PR-657487_EN.pdf
Addition:
This adopted text of the EP "calls for increased funding for
the European Defence Fund in order to fully foster an innovative and
competitive defence industrial base that will contribute to the
much-needed strategic autonomy of the Union."
*** Armenian
refugee in Germany asks German government to end arms exports to
Turkey.
Krieg aus der Ferne; Armenien &
Aserbaidschan im Kampf um Bergkarabach. Angelika Esajan "appelliert
an die deutsche Regierung, die Rüstungsexporte in die Türkei zu
stoppen."
*** Author
of the American Trap, Frédéric Pierucci accused the US of the
misuse of moral policy like in the corruption case involving French
Alstom. Because the weakened position after paying the fines Alstom
was sold to General Electric, its US competitor. La Libre Belgique
141120
Addition: Future
of UK's £800m Advanced Research Projects Agency (Arpa) has been
thrown into doubt with the departure of Cummings industry officials
have warned. "His leaving may reduce government interest and
spend in this area, which would be hugely negative."
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph/20201114/282514366065866
*** European
Commission (EC) initiated a pilot procedure against Romania targeting
the acquisition of 227 "Piranha V" 8x8 armoured vehicles
(by way of derogation from Article 346) worth € 868m from US
General Dynamics, News.ro reported.
https://www.romania-insider.com/ec-romania-armoured-vehicles-acquisition
*** British
government gives arms industry extra tens of millions of pounds
during Covid-19 pandemic
Joshua Stein in Byline Times reveals
how arms monopolies are booming while the rest of the British economy
suffers from the impact of the Coronavirus crisis
*** Israel
received a Lockheed Martin F-35I combat aircraft to be used for
in-country development testing of specific national capabilities, the
Israeli Air Force announced.
https://www.iaf.org.il/9291-52545-en/IAF.aspx
During fiscal
2020, the U.S. State Department approved $83.5 billion in potential
foreign military sales, a record during the Trump administration. FMS
notification figures represent potential arms sales that the State
Department internally clears.
*** What fun it
is to be a military industrial. Paid by the Government, at the cost
of the tax payer who is told Europe is in danger and military
backward (while it only the United States running far ahead). Here it
is Rome doing the trick
*** Israeli company Elta Systems
has partnered with German firm Hensoldt to develop a single piece of
technology for submarine masts that combines optics, communications
and other sensors
*** Dutch
submarine acquisition saga continues. The fact that the knowledge in
the Netherlands disappeared in the past 25 years becomes more common
viewpoint.
*** Boeing said
that it has received three foreign military sales contracts with the
US Air Force for training services and support in the Middle East
valued at more than $800 million.
*** Boeing
won a $9.8 billion deal for F-15 support for Saudi Arabia. This
contract provides for modernization and sustainment of the F-15 Saudi
fleet like installation of future modifications and enhancements to
the F-15 Saudi weapon system.
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2411921/
Addition:
Dutch SP asked in parliament to control
F-35 components which will be assembled into F-35's produced for UAE.
The Dutch Government thought last week (November 4) it was to early
to take a position on this. (See: Q&A 28, in Dutch)
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-953645.pdf
*** The German
arms industry has exported warships or parts for them worth 9.8
billion euros since 2004. This emerges from a response from the
Federal Ministry of Economics to a request from Die Linke expert
Sevim Dagdelen, which is available to the DPA.
https://www.de24.news/2020/11/german-arms-exports-in-the-billions-for-warships.html
*** Germany concludes
major naval arms package to Egypt, despite opposition
Egypt boosts its naval
power after Germany agrees to sell naval equipment to Cairo amid
tensions in the eastern Mediterranean that is rich in oil and gas
resources.
Obama’s administration has offered
Saudi' s more than $115 billion in weapons, other military equipment
and training, the most of any US administration in the 71-year
US-Saudi alliance, a report seen by Reuters has found.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-security-idUSKCN11D2JQ
***
Retweet
@
etan009 ETAN
condemns Indonesian military murder in West Papua, urges end of U.S.
security assistance https://bit.ly/32rC2ou We urge the US gov't to
end any cooperation w the Indonesian security forces ( military and
police) due to their sustained record of violence against Papuans.
*** European
Union officials in Brussels are setting up a labyrinth of rules for
non-bloc countries (read mainly UK & US) and their companies to
join defense-cooperation projects under the PESCO framework.
The agreement is the product of efforts
by Germany.
My
reply 3: Euroactiv wrote this. "It
[the third country] must not contravene the security and defence
interests of the Union and its member states," the draft states.
*** Retweet
@CTWnl Dutch military naval
technology to Ankara, ends in Karachi. The Dutch government has
issued a permit for the sale of military technology for corvettes to
the Istanbul Naval Shipyard with final destination Pakistan. The deal
is worth € 46.7 million. https://stopwapenhandel.org/pakblog
*** Retweet
@DemilitarizeDayOn December 3
(14hCET) we'll be hosting with @_AEPFa webinar on Military Spending &
Global (In)Security, to discuss how current levels of milex condition
our response to global emergencies.W/ @michaelklare1 @tarjacronberg
@WaldenBello @BinaNepramPlease share & save the date!
*** In artikel 4
van de Regeling algemene doorvoervergunning NL007 wordt ‘of Jemen,
Saoedi-Arabië, de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten of Egypte’
vervangen door ‘of Jemen, Saoedi-Arabië, de Verenigde Arabische
Emiraten, Egypte, Turkije of OEKRAÏNE’.
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2020-55420.html
Aanvulling:
In artikel 4 van de Regeling algemene
doorvoervergunning NL008 wordt ‘of de Noord-Atlantische
Verdragsorganisatie’ vervangen door ‘of de Noord-Atlantische
Verdragsorganisatie met uitzondering van Turkije’ .
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2020-55420.html
*** SIPRI
has calculated that up to 60% of all Azerbaijani arms imports come
from Israel.
Jetzt dürfte die
(Israel-Aserbaidschan) Partnerschaft dem Land im Kaukasus einen
entscheidenden Vorteil im Krieg mit Armenien verschaffen
*** Could
Israeli-Arab peace deals spark an arms race, a question raised in an
article on the BBC website. It focusses on F-35 sales by the US. The
F-35 is asembled with components from the UK and others, like a few
EU-countries. Maybe time to raise that also.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54737029
November 1
*** So called
Israel-Emirati peace accord good for selling arms. Rafael Advanced
Defense Systems to take part in IDEX 2021
*** German
delivery of components for 6 class 214 submarines,, and a
billion-dollar Hermes guarantee are still ongoing. Voting for a stop
in the Bundestag isn't entirely hopeless, since the Greens, Left &
parts of the SPD also reject arms deliveries to Turkey.
https://magazin.spiegel.de/SP/2020/45/173743549/index.html
*** Covid-19
crisis highlighted Safran's, theFrench engine builder, dependence on
the civilian market. However, the military production (16% of sales)
is growing. Safran wishes to strengthen this military part.
