Latest on top (updated
regularly):
(https://twitter.com/martinbroek)
January
29
***
Die Linke
questions on German arms exports and answers by the Federal
Government. https://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/19/260/1926098.pdf
***
Suspension of
the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates will not
undermine the peace deal with Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said on Thursday.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/pm-peace-with-uae-wont-be-harmed-by-f-35-freeze-657104
***
Saudi hires
16 firms to restore influence in US: report
Riyadh seeks to shore up reputation tarnished by brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Yemen campaign https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/saudi-hires-16-firms-to-restore-influence-in-us-report-3559668
***
Is India’s
Russian S-400 Missile Deal Comparable To Turkey’s Troubled
Procurement? India and the US "will likely seek to avoid making
S-400 an issue that threatens or derails this progress,” said Greg
Chaffin of the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/01/27/how-analogous-is-indias-russian-s-400-missile-deal-with-turkeys-troubled-procurement/
***
The Pentagon
reports that service members from the UAE Presidential Guard and a US
Marine Corp Task Force participated in live-fire training which
included 60 mm mortar systems, snipers, and small unit tactics.
https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2483934/uae-armed-forces-and-us-marines-complete-defense-training-in-uae/
***
Washington is
looking at ways of speeding up procedures to supply Cyprus with
non-lethal weapons after the lifting of a US arms embargo last year.
https://www.financialmirror.com/2021/01/28/us-to-accelerate-non-lethal-arms-sales-to-cyprus/
***
Boeing
gets US government nod to offer F-15EX jet to India.
In April 2019, the IAF issued a request for information to acquire 114 jets at a cost of around $18bn, which is billed as one of the world’s biggest military procurements in recent years
January 28
***
Retweet @Pwezeman:
Preliminary assessment report: despite human and
economic costs and needs caused by pandemic, Euro arms industry
revenues seem not to be affected much and may well increase in coming
years.
https://www.irsem.fr/media/5-publications/notes-de-recherche-research-papers/rp-irsem-111-b-raud-sudreau.pdf
***
Lockheed Overtakes Boeing as
Largest US Aerospace and Defense Firm. (LM was for a long time
already the largest military company.)
Boeing, which saw no defense revenue growth last year, takes another financial hit from the tanker program.
***
Pakistan has received five Cai
Hong 4 (Rainbow 4, or CH-4) multirole medium-altitude long-endurance
(MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles from China, according to
export-import (EXIM) logs on the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/27-Jan-2021/pakistan-receives-five-ch-4-drones-from-china
***
Law
enforcement equipment supplied by France to Lebanon might have been
unlawfully used by the Lebanese security forces to crack down on
peaceful rallies, Amnesty International revealed on Thursday
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/ngo-says-frances-military-equipment-used-by-1153579.html
***
Foreign firms chant Make-in-India mantra, but participation dips 53% in Aereo India. Firms from 13 countries, including Ukraine, Taiwan, Japan, Austria, Belarus and Bulgaria, will take part. https://aeroindia.gov.in/Home/exhibitorlist
Indian Fokker Elmo (part of GKN structures) e.g. participates.
***
Édouard
Balladur, the former French PM, denies his involvement in corruption
case in connection to arms sales to Pakistan and Saudi's.
https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/926579/article/2021-01-27/affaire-karachi-edouard-balladur-evacue-les-accusations-loin-au-dessus-des
***
Retweet @_ENAAT:
***
The
revelation Jan 19 that the British Labour Party recently appointed a
former Israeli military spy to work in its headquarters, reporting to
the office of leader Keir Starmer, is truly extraordinary in many
different regards.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/former-israeli-army-spy-recruited-labour-will-feel-right-home
***
Although
the heading uses the word 'stops', the following text defines 'has
paused arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE' as it conducts a wider
review of agreements worth billions of dollars made by the Trump
administration. (See also previous tweet)
https://www.9news.com.au/world/joe-biden-pauses-us-arms-trade-with-saudi-arabia-uae/c2a7846b-df99-47be-bfec-d2b2f19795d4
***
Angela
Merkel says she agrees with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the need
to avoid a new cold war amid calls for a transatlantic alliance
between US & Europe to counter China, but says she will continue
to press Beijing on human rights and transparency.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3119481/merkel-backs-xi-need-avoid-new-cold-war-presses-china-human
***
Under Biden?
The US military is exploring the possibility of using a Red
Sea port in Saudi Arabia and an additional two airfields in the
kingdom amid heightened tensions with Iran, the military said
Tuesday.
***
As
part of changing climate change policies in the US, the Pentagon will
begin incorporating climate analysis into its war-gaming and analysis
efforts as well as featuring the issue as part of its future National
Defense Strategy.
https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/01/27/climate-change-is-now-a-national-security-priority-for-the-pentagon/
***
Kenya
orders 118 armored vehicles from Turkey
Kenya’s military will primarily deploy the Hizir vehicles for counterterror operations against the al-Shabab militant group.
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/01/27/kenya-orders-118-armored-vehicles-from-turkey/
***
'Open
Source' journalism and investigating the UK arms trade.
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMzI4NzI0Ni9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk/episode/aHR0cHM6Ly9hcGkuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL2VwaXNvZGUvNDE0MjEyODQ?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi77sbjib3uAhX4ioQIHdnOCZYQkfYCegQIARAG
January 27
***
Raytheon
Expects Biden to Block $500M Bomb Sale to Saudi Arabia
Yet industry executives believe foreign arms sales will remain a priority of the new administration.
***
Many Western
governments are at least sympathetic to the thought the Arab world
isn't ready for democracy. They embrace autocrats and theories of
authoritarian stability, while financing and arming many of the worst
violators."
https://www.bloombergquint.com/gadfly/arab-spring-showed-autocracy-is-anything-but-stable
***
The US
military medicine prescribed to Tokyo: A functioning arms export
industry may be just what Japan needs to make more friends abroad,
enhance its security and the security of other like-minded
Indo-Pacific nations, and provide boost to its economy.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/japans-arms-exports-a-prudent-possibility-amid-enduring-challenges/
***
During a live
demonstration of combat vehicles that was held at the Turkish company
BMC factory on January 23, 2021, Turkey has unveiled a new modernized
version of Leopard 2A4 German-made main battle tank (MBT) fitted with
an Altay MBT turret.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/turkey_unveils_new_leopard_2a4_main_battle_tank_upgrade_fitted_with_altay_tank_turret.html
***
Amazing
to see this small Dutch anti arms trade organisation doing research
in after refugee policies in Dunkirk. "The humanitarian
association Care4Calais conducted a survey of 139 migrants living in
Calais & Dunkirk with the Dutch campaign group @CTWnl."
https://www.marseillenews.net/news/la-majorite-des-refugies-de-calais-pensent-que-le-brexit-facilitera-lobtention-de-lasile-au-royaume-uni-selon-un-sondage-130855.html
Addition:
Same message in English: Majority of Calais refugees believe Brexit
will make getting UK asylum easier, poll shows.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/calais-refugees-brexit-uk-asylum-easier-poll-b901263.html
***
January
26
***
UK sells arms
to nearly 80% of countries under restrictions, says report
Exporting to countries under sanctions and embargos is ‘systematic failure to consider human rights records’
***
Arms
companies are supplying branded fairytale stories for nine-year-olds
as part of a "dystopian" marketing drive in primary
schools. Peace campaigners criticised the "bizarre" move by
BAE Systems.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/arms-companies-fairy-tale-stories-bae-b1780982.html
***
Jürgen
Schulz, Germany’s Ambassador to Ankara on Berlin' arms export
policy concerning Turkey: "Of course, we take into account the
fact that Turkey is our NATO ally." But what else is considered
seen "mutual interest in positive agenda"?
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-eu-have-mutual-interest-in-positive-agenda-german-envoy-161911
***
EU Amends
Regulation 147/2003 Concerning Restrictive Measures Against Somalia,
included financial assistance and technical assistance related to
military activities in relation to goods and technology included in
the Common Military List.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.023.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A023%3ATOC
***
ANTI-ARMS
campaigners demanded that the British government stop arming
repressive forces in Egypt today, 10 years on from the so-called Arab
Spring uprising.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/government-must-stop-arming-egypt-campaigners-demand-on-arab-spring-anniversary
***
Giulio
Regeni: Family of murdered academic complain over Italy selling arms
to Egypt
https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/25/giulio-regeni-family-of-murdered-academic-complain-over-italy-selling-arms-to-egypt
***
Activists
in the Canadian province of Ontario have staged a protest at the site
of a transport company they say is involved in transporting
Canadian-made, light armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia.
https://dnyuz.com/2021/01/25/canada-protesters-renew-push-to-end-arms-exports-to-saudi-arabia/
#YemenCantWait #WorldSaysNo #StopArmingSaudi
January
25
***
Creating an
image of EU arms trade in one picture. Three Indian (½ of World's
poor) Air Force Rafale (by Dassault) fighters flying home from France
this month will have tanker support from a #UAE (Human rights?) A330
MRTT (Airbus, delivered Getafe, Spain).
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-a-first-3-rafales-reaching-india-to-be-refuelled-mid-air-by-uae-air-force-101611209885564.html
***
£30m
injection for UK's first uncrewed fighter aircraft. It will be
designed to fly at high-speed alongside fighter jets, armed with
missiles, surveillance and electronic warfare technology to provide a
battle-winning advantage over hostile forces.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/30m-injection-for-uks-first-uncrewed-fighter-aircraft
***
On the murky
business of arms contracts, court cases & secrecy especially
about H&K/CG Haenel riffle acquisition for the German MoD. As an
example of using court to settle contrasting interests Damen/Kiel
shipyard German Naval Yards trial on the MKS180.
https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus224917513/Ruestungsgeschaefte-Ein-Ministerium-vor-Gericht.html
***
Military
aeronautic companies named in report on charge in Indonesian bribe
scandal against former of PT Garuda, technology director Soedigno:
Airbus/EADS, Roll-Royce & Bombardier Canada.
They are largely financed with tax payers to protect, not to harm. https://nasional.sindonews.com/read/313074/13/eks-dirtek-garuda-indonesia-didakwa-terima-suap-usd23-juta-dan-eur477-ribu-1611558063
***
Bragging
about exports of the Rafale fighter. With the Greek order 114 Rafale
were therefore sold for export. The Rafale is competing in
Switzerland (36-40 planes), Finland (up to 64), Croatia (12), a plan
to sell Indonesia 36 is near, Florence Parly said.
https://www.epicos.com/article/674176/le-rafale-fleuron-de-laeronautique-francaise-qui-confirme-son-succes-lexport
***
Retweet @londoncaat: The #DayofAction4Yemen is finally here! There are many actions taking place - you can check them out here https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/world-says-no-to-war-on-yemen-25-jan-2021 But the most important thing to do is take action! Check out the toolkit with actions to take https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBqRslDSqzMyVcxu1nxo9dIRdXuKGPm_JqoZXVkdP_g/edit #YemenCantWait #WorldSaysNo
***
Retweet
@SadetKarabulut: De oorlog in
#Jemen duurt na bijna zes jaar nog voort. Waarom? Het Westen verkoopt
flink veel wapens aan Saudi-Arabië, dat ze inzet tegen Jemenieten.
Raytheon bijvoorbeeld, een Amerikaans bedrijf, gevestigd op de
Zuidas. NL belastingparadijs ook voor Amerikaanse wapenbedrijven.
***
NATO has
selected Thales to provide the 1st certified defence cloud solution
that can be deployed in the theatre of operations in less than 24
hours. As military operations become increasingly data-driven, access
to critical data & applications is crucial.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210125005006/en/
***
Turkish
President Erdoğan called his NATO allies “bad neighbors” over
what he said their refusal to sell Turkey cameras used in unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs). “We want cameras, but they are not giving
them. Aren't we together in NATO?” Erdoğan asked.
https://www.duvarenglish.com/turkeys-erdogan-furious-at-nato-allies-for-not-selling-turkey-drone-cameras-news-55977
January
24
***
Germany as
seen abroad: Germany breaks its own limits on arms exports during the
pandemic.
https://www.eldiario.es/economia/pandemia-no-frena-exportaciones-armas-alemanas_1_7036664.html
***
Nigerian MOD
Emergency Procurement of two x 40m Fast Patrol Boat by DAMEN is also
awaiting delivery.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/01/19/five-years-of-bridging-maritime-security-gaps/
***
Goed van mij
hoeft Nederland ook geen onderzeeboten te kopen bij de Naval Group,
maar om het Franse concern een broos bedrijf te noemen
(https://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/cnt/DMF20210120_20471573)
dat gaat toch de kant op van journalistiek om een bedrijf uit te
schakelen.
https://www.naval-group.com/en/naval-defence-5
Aanvulling:
Voor wie naast deze opinie uit Noord-Holland ook een visie uit
Australië wil lezen met interessante puntjes (zoals unmanned, de
kosten van een Zweedse A26 en mogelijke redenen voor de commotie):
Buyer's remorse on Attack-class subs? We should be so lucky.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7097642/buyers-remorse-on-attack-class-subs-we-should-be-so-lucky/
***
Rare-earths
mining company Lynas closer to becoming supplier to the US military
industry (amid ongoing tensions with China) after it agreed to build
a $US60m processing plant to produce for US strategic stockpiles,
with US MoD to pay for ½ of the facility.
https://www.mining.com/lynas-shares-jumps-on-deal-for-us-rare-earth-plant/
***
Turkey
launches indigenous frigate in show of navy power.
https://www.trtworld.com/turkey/turkey-launches-indigenous-frigate-in-show-of-navy-power-43518
This week Dutch government answered questions on naval sales to Turkey(/Pakistan). To summarize: Sales are NO problem.
https://twitter.com/martinbroek/status/1352233353332871175
***
BAE Systems
today announced in a press release the appointment of Ravi Nirgudkar
as managing director for India. "India is a key strategic market
for BAE Systems." Nirgudkar previously worked as country
president at Raytheon, a major US military company.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/bae-systems-appoints-ravi-nirgudkar-managing-director-for-india/articleshow/80404795.cms
***
The
Commissioner for Human Rights of the German Government, Bärbel
Kofler #SPD, criticizes the German arms exports to Egypt.
Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Menschenrechte, Bärbel Kofler SPD, kritisiert die deutschen Rüstungsexporte nach Ägypten.
***
Call
to suspend export licenses for any equipment which might be used for
internal repression (in line with CP 2008/944/CFSP) & halt all
exports to #Egypt of arms, surveillance technology, & other
security equipment that can facilitate attacks on human ...
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/21/open-letter-european-union-and-its-member-states-egypt
January 23
***
It
isn't yet clear how far Biden will go in halting arms sales to
Saudi's. US campaigners, like Codepink & Win Without War could
have real influence here. It is important others support their calls
and put pressure on their government to act too.
https://caat.org.uk/news/will-president-biden-end-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia/
***
Joint
statement by France, Germany, Italy, UK and US on the 24 December
2021 Libyan elections, affirming the demands of the Libyan people for
a change and stresses the full respect for the UN arms embargo, and
ending the toxic foreign interference.
https://www.libyaherald.com/2021/01/22/joint-statement-by-france-germany-italy-uk-and-u-s/
***
Abu Dhabi has spent millions of dollars bankrolling Haftar, breaching an UN arms embargo on Libya to provide Haftar with Chinese, Russian, & South African weapons & drones, & paying the salaries of Russian mercenaries, Sudanese militias, & Chadian rebels. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/analysis/analysis-new-balances-in-libya-crisis/2119185
***
The
Security Council members took note of the request of the CAR
authorities to lift the arms embargo. They reiterated their readiness
to review the arms embargo measures, through suspension or
progressive lifting, in the light of progress achieved.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/23/c_139690793.htm
***
Outside
Powers Are Making the Conflict in the Central African Republic Worse
Proxy wars pitting FRANCE and Chad against Russia and Rwanda threaten to destabilize the entire region while subjecting Central Africans to more violence and instability. https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/22/outside-powers-are-making-the-conflict-in-the-central-african-republic-worse/
***
Russia
is set to supply Myanmar with Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and
gun systems, Orlan-10E surveillance drones and radars. The deal was
signed during Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu’s visit to the
country on Thursday.
https://www.rt.com/russia/513296-russia-myanmar-missiles-drones/
January
22
***
French
arms company Thales has failed to overturn the charges against it in
the Thales-Zuma bribery & corruption case. They may still appeal
this decision, but we are a step closer to seeing Zuma & Thales
facing a criminal trial in April.
Addition: Procès Zuma : la justice rejette la demande du groupe français Thales
22 janv. 2021 Par Agence France-Presse http://www.paradisfj.info/spip.php
***
The EU has
threatened Ankara with sanctions, including on arms exports. There is
a wide range of reasons for that.
Greece, Cyprus, & France, want to punish Turkey, but EU member states like Germany & Italy are reluctant to go ahead with sanctions. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/21/eu-turkey-press-for-improved-relations-after-tumultuous-2020
***
Retweet @CAATuk 250+ organisations from 17 countries have signed a call to action against the war on Yemen. On Jan 25th they'll be joining the #WorldSaysNo to War on #Yemen Global Online Rally. Be part of it: http://bit.ly/StopTheWarYemenCantWait #DayofAction4Yemen #YemenCantWait
***
Retweet @ArmsTradeCT
Toward A More Responsible US Arms Trade Policy:
Recommendations for the Biden-Harris Administration
https://justsecurity.org/74254/toward-a-more-responsible-us-arms-trade-policy-recommendations-for-the-biden-harris-administration/
via @just_security
***
Under
contract to Kership – a joint venture of Naval Group & Piriou
Group - Thales Nederland is to supply its NS50 dual-axis multibeam
active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the
Belgium/Netherlands future mine countermeasures (MCM) programme.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/ns50-radars-to-equip-benl-mcm-mother-ships
***
China
rises from Russian customer to competitor in arms industry
Beijing's ability to package guns and economic deals threatens Moscow's revenue
January
21
***
Daniel Cornet
can't believe it, ING bank no longer wants him. The problem is his
job.
“The ING group no longer accepts clients involved in the production or sale of small arms #SAWL to the private sector," ”says Joëlle Neeb, spokesperson for ING Belgium.
***
Green MP
Tobias Lindner asked the German government to clarify how Turkey
could modernize its Leopard tanks. A spokesman for the Ministry of
Economics said it isn't easy. What is behind the new Turkish armor
concepts is "kept secret by the Turkish side."
https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/neue-indizien-fuer-panzerdeal-im-fall-deniz-yuecel-30006334.html
Laut
dem für Rüstungsexporte zuständigen Wirtschaftsministerium wird
die Technologie hinter der neuen Zusatzpanzerung bisher "von
türkischer Seite geheim gehalten".
***
Dutch
Ministers of FA are of the opinion recent sales of naval technology
to Turkey to be asembled on warships for Pakistan and the deliverance
of warships to Pakistan by Damen is in conformity with the arms
export criteria.
***
The
UAE on Jan. 20 signed off on a deal to purchase up to 50 F-35 fighter
aircraft & 18 MQ-9 Reaper drones from the United States. The
agreement was a final act of the Trump administration, occurred just
an hour before President Joe Biden was inaugurated.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2021/01/20/just-hours-before-bidens-inauguration-the-uae-and-us-come-to-a-deal-on-f-35-sales/
January
20
***
What is the
Karachi affair?
https://www.lejdd.fr/Societe/Justice/quest-ce-que-laffaire-karachi-4019539
***
German
questions on a wide range of arms exports.
https://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/19/259/1925913.pdf
***
A
call for action. 14 years are gone since the 21-year-old Alex died in
Basra. The mother notices the world has moved on but it has learned
nothing, since. UK is the 2nd-biggest global arms dealer. "Vast
fortunes are made, where does all that money go?"
https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics/viewpoint-i-lost-my-son-iraq-we-all-need-question-arms-sales-3104413
***
Two
high-ranking French politicians (former PM Balladur and former MoD
Leotard) stood trial on on charges of "complicity in the misuse
of corporate assets" over the sale of submarines to Pakistan and
frigates to Saudi Arabia between 1993 and 1995.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/19/ex-french-prime-minister-edouard-balladur-trial-kickbacks-arms/
***
Secretary of
state nominee Blinken said the Biden administration would cease arms
sales & support to Saudi's for its war in Yemen & promised
that it would immediately review Trump’s recent designation of
Yemen’s Houthi's as foreign terrorist organization.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-blinken-secretary-state-confirmation/2021/01/19/fa657ade-5aa4-11eb-a976-bad6431e03e2_story.html
***
MOTION
4 A RESOLUTION on Human rights situation in Turkey. 14 Calls on the
Council to agree on an EU-wide arms embargo on Turkey; also calls on
the EU & its Member States to ensure that no jobs will be lost as
a result of the implementation of this embargo
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2021-0072_EN.html
***
A
shipment of 100 armored patrol vehicles sailed from the U.K. on
Tuesday as a donation from the British government to the Lebanese
Armed Forces to secure the northern and eastern borders.
https://defensenews.com/land/2021/01/19/lebanese-military-to-receive-100-armored-vehicles-from-uk-to-secure-borders/
https://www.facebook.com/ukinlebanon/posts/3725549010821438
January
19
***
Saudi
Arabia makes artificial intelligence a cornerstone of its 2030 vision
Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority #SDAIA is helping during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the economic and defense sectors, by tracking data. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2021/01/15/saudi-arabia-makes-artificial-intelligence-a-cornerstone-of-its-2030-vision/
***
The
Indian Ministry of Defense announced that the Indian Army and the
Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have jointly
developed India’s first indigenous 9 mm machine pistol.
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1688547
***
SIPRI
essay Joe Biden’s arms control ambitions are welcome—but
delivering on them will not be easy
https://sipri.org/commentary/essay/2021/joe-bidens-arms-control-ambitions-are-welcome-delivering-them-will-not-be-easy
***
Don't
expect anything from Germany when it comes to a tight arms embargo to
Turkey. FA Minister "Maas said in Ankara that there had been "so
many positive signals" from Turkey in the past few weeks that he
wanted to take up "this ball" right away. "
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/maas-in-der-tuerkei-die-zeichen-stehen-auf-wiederannaeherung-17152368.html
***
Roemeense
Romania Libera verwijt Mark Rutte hypocrisie, aan de ene kant
protesteren tegen corruptie. Aan de andere kant Damen bijspringen in
Roemenië.
Rutte face trafic de influență pentru DAMEN, dar la ieșire se declară nemulțumit de lupta anticorupție
https://romanialibera.ro/opinii/liviu-dragnea-n-are-sapca-maga-836097
***
Turkey
is increasing its role in the evolution of the Tunisian military by
seeking to deepen defense industry ties and step up its military
equipment exports to Tunis. Recently Tunisia became customer of
Turkeys Anka-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
https://nordicmonitor.com/2021/01/turkish-defense-industry-increases-its-role-in-modernization-of-tunisian-military/
***
US
Teledyne Technologies had almost discreetly taken French optronics
with Flir Systems & Photonis. The acquisition of the SME by
Teledyne would then have been dangerous for France's strategic
industrial interests and French veto against it is legitimised.
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/rachat-de-photonis-par-teledyne-la-france-a-vraiment-evite-une-catastrophe-industrielle-872693.html
***
Airbus-built
CSO-2 (Composante spatiale optique) Earth observation satellites for
the French Armed Forces, has been successfully launched on a Soyuz
launcher from the Kourou European Spaceport in French Guyana.
https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/12/airbusbuilt-cso2-french-military-earth-observation-satellite-launched-successfully.html
***
Retweet
@FrontierMM The Tatmadaw has
resumed its old ways, killing civilians and destroying villages,
despite the early promise of peace initiatives backed by Norway and
other Western countries. How will these same donor countries respond?
ask Charles Petrie and Ashley South.
https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/peace-is-broken-in-the-karen-hills-how-will-donors-respond/
***
Webinar:
Resisting the arms trade - Frontex & Militarization of Borders,
dinsdag, 19 januari, 2021 - 20:00.
https://www.mo.be/webinar-resisting-arms-trade-frontex-militarization-borders
https://vredesactie.be/node/14131
***
Approval of
Australian military exports to Saudi Arabia and UAE condemned by
human rights groups
Military goods to Turkey were also approved despite Syrian incursions ‘causing great civilian suffering’ https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jan/19/approval-of-australian-military-exports-to-saudi-arabia-and-uae-condemned-by-human-rights-groups
***
EU will soon
have a more uniform approach to the export of small arms and light
weapons #SALW & their ammunition. The Council established a set
of common features that end-user certificates for the export of SALW
and their ammunition will have to respect.
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/01/18/arms-exports-control-council-establishes-a-eu-approach-on-end-user-certificates/
***
A
GROUP of peace campaigners is calling for a controversial defence
industry event in Malvern, UK, to be cancelled. They called for the
Three Counties Defence and Security Expo #3CDSE to be cancelled. An
“arms fair” is “totally inappropriate” for the area.
https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19019976.group-says-totally-inappropriate-malvern-defence-expo-cancelled/
***
UK arms sales
were promoted at a trade event organised by the UK government for
companies selling weapons to police in Brazil, even as police
killings soared across the country.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3gqaj/the-uk-sold-weapons-to-police-in-brazil-as-killings-soared
***
UK
trained military of 15 countries with poor human rights records
Campaigners seek inquiry into whether skills gained in UK were used to commit abuses in countries such as Bahrain, China and Saudi Arabia
January
18
***
Egypt’s
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reviewed cooperation frameworks
between Egypt and the German shipbuilding company Lürssen, as he met
on Wednesday with the company’s CEO Peter Lürssen, presidential
spokesman Bassam Radi said.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/398794.aspx
***
Retweet @CentreDelas: “Never or almost never have changes in Government meant a change in the strategy of the [Spanish] State regarding the defence industry,” reasoned Jordi Calvo, from the Delàs Center, an NGO based in Barcelona. https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20210118/6184205/espana-septimo-exportador-armas-mundo.html
***
1/...
An Indonesian blog notes CN235 aircraft have been produced to meet
export demand from countries such as Venezuela, Senegal, Burkina
Faso, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea,
Thailand, Nepal, and Brunei Darussalam. ../2
https://tekno.harianjogja.com/read/2021/01/17/503/1061029/pesawat-cn235-buatan-indonesia-ternyata-punya-pasar-di-mancanegara
Addition: The sale of the military CN-235 was opposed by research based activism from Spain in the nineties. See e.g. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8nHmbT0qNjWOWRscFpKb0xpQXM/edit pp. 68-71.
***
Boeing
failing on many fronts. Military and space revenue of $19.5 billion
in the first nine months of last year eclipsed its commercial unit's
$11.4 billion in sales, but aren't smoothly running.
https://ih.advfn.com/stock-market/NYSE/boeing-BA/stock-news/84108194/boeings-other-big-problem-fixing-its-space-progra
***
If
the proposed US arms sale of F-35 fighters & Reaper drones to the
UAE initiated by the outgoing Trump administration survives the
incoming Biden admin then it would seem that there are few, if any,
weapons systems Washington won’t sell Abu Dhabi.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/01/17/what-weapons-systems-wont-the-us-sell-the-uae/
January
17
***
Dutch
navy will replace close in weapon system #CIWS Goalkeeper. According
to the Dutch acquisition agency #DMO, the replacement capability –
will cost at between EUR100–250 million (USD120–300 million).
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/netherlands-sets-out-plans-for-goalkeeper-ciws-replacement
January
16
***
BAE Systems
receives $500 million contract to provide new turret for Netherlands'
CV90s.
https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-receives-contract-to-provide-new-turret-for-netherlands-cv90s
***
Naz Shah,
Labour MP for Bradford West criticised the British Government for its
arms sales to India, which she argued "contribute to shedding
the blood of the Kashmiri people."
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/19015245.bradford-district-mps-call-freedom-kashmir-amid-human-rights-abuses/
***
Russia told
the United Nations this week it plans to withdraw the 300 "military
instructors" it sent to the Central African Republic at the end
of 2020 for the presidential election, diplomats told AFP Friday.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210115-russia-pulling-military-instructor-out-of-central-african-republic-diplomats
***
French
fighters included fire and forget missiles for India. IAF bigwigs
headed last week to the Dassault Aviation plant near
Bordeaux–Mérignac to check on them.
https://asiatimes.com/2021/01/china-calculation-more-rafale-fighters-bound-for-ladakh/
Article remembers me to watch: China not our enemy by CODEPINK. (That is however on Okinawa or Lewchew. And I think the repressive and occupational behaviour of the US and Japan are not directly related to the US-China Cold War.) https://youtu.be/HRvWkEcr16o
This was much more interesting concerning China and war, especially the Bello and Klare part:
***
Will Safran's
Patroller drone finally take off in 2021? Safran, which had tried to
sell the Patroller to Egypt a few months ago, will try to surf in the
countries using Sperwer: in addition to Greece, Saudi Arabia, Canada,
Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden.
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/2021-enfin-l-annee-du-drone-tactique-patroller-safran-871680.html
***
European Commission selected major European launcher & satellite manufacturers, operators & service providers, policy & legal institutes to study & provide guidelines & recommendations on Space Traffic Management. #IIASL at Leiden University is one of them https://universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2021/01/iiasl-to-study-space-traffic-management
Addition:
Other members are: Airbus, Arianegroup, Deimos Engineering and
Systems, European Space Policy Institute, Fondation pour la Recherche
Strategique, Indra Sistemas, Istituto Affari Internazionali, Leuven
Centre for Global Governance Studies at KUL, OHB System, EU Satellite
Centre, Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio. Arianespace and Deimos Space
are also involved as third parties to this project.
January
15
***
A New
Estimate of China’s Military Expenditure by SIPRI
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates in a report published Jan 15, that Chinese military expenditures for 2019 were 1,803 billion yuan or $261 billion.
https://www.sipri.org/publications/2021/other-publications/new-estimate-chinas-military-expenditure
***
US DoD weapon
tester wants to improve how Pentagon assesses tools &
capabilities for offensive cyber ops that disrupt or destroy enemy
data systems.
They grow in importance & testing that involves simulating realistic ops is not routine or rigorous enough. https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/2021/01/14/pentagons-weapon-tester-pushes-for-better-assessments-of-offensive-cyber-tools
***
As long as
they are not held accountable for their actions, arms-exporting
States will simply accept the risk that their arms could be used for
human rights abuses. https://cbap.cz/archiv/4626
***
There is one
sector of international trade which has been give a major boost by
Brexit – “defence and security”, also known as the British arms
trade.
https://bylinetimes.com/2021/01/14/brexit-boost-for-arms-industry-and-human-rights-abusers-as-global-britain-gets-underway/
***
Rights
groups have called on UK companies to stop providing parts for
Turkish drones, following an announcement earlier this week by UK
company Andair that it would no longer export to Ankara after its
tech was found in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/arms-trade-group-calls-british-companies-stop-supplying-parts-turkish-drones
January
14
***
Koop
schone wapens voor minder CO2 uitstoot?
https://www.nidv.eu/nidv-ondersteunt-de-oproep-aan-het-kabinet-investeer-extra-in-rd/
***
First 100
days to reverse Trump policy? President Trump has signed an executive
order aimed at pushing the DoD toward quickly developing and
producing small nuclear reactors for military use — and to see if
they could be used by military space vehicles.
https://www.defensenews.com/smr/nuclear-arsenal/2021/01/13/trump-orders-dod-to-explore-use-of-nuclear-power-for-space-systems/
***
WJ-700 takes
to the skies at an undisclosed location two years after appearing as
a prototype at Airshow China. With a top speed of 700km/h, the
unmanned aircraft is capable of carrying out a range of missions,
including strikes on land and sea targets.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3117569/chinas-high-speed-armed-reconnaissance-drone-completes-maiden
***
The idea of a
NATO-bank to be established in London to support continued alliance
investment seems far from reality. The authors however shortly &
clearly sum up (finance of) export policies of major arms
producers/exporters (US France UK Germany Sweden).
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/reports/2021/01/13/494605/natos-financing-gap/
***
UK
anti-arms campaign group calls for an investigation into UK’s
training of police forces that 've been accused of torture and other
human rights abuses. Since its founding in 2012, the College of
Policing provided training and assistance to 78 countries.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/campaigners-demand-investigation-into-training-of-international-police-forces-accused-of-torture
***
Dutch Damen
frigate for Indonesia filmed at PT Pal ship wharf.
https://www.vlix.id/video/news/86739-gagahnya-kri-raden-eddy-martadinata-331-bantu-cari-sj-182
***
Naval Group
propels Andromeda mine hunter with 3D printed propeller. Not first,
but larger as the one Dutch Damen produced. After Airbus planes &
space industry (Ariane 6 rocket), military shipbuilding is entering
era of “3D Manufacturing” Le Figaro notes.
https://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/naval-group-propulse-un-navire-militaire-avec-une-helice-fabriquee-par-impression-3d-une-premiere-mondiale-20210113
***
Kenneth
Roth, HRW, in Foreign Policy: "Biden should insist that, absent
major improvements, he will curb military aid or arms sales to
abusive friendly governments such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United
Arab Emirates, and Israel."
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/13/biden-human-rights-washington-trump/
***
Turkish
Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said it would be “very problematic”
for Ankara to turn back on its purchase of Russian S-400 defence
systems but expressed hope that a dispute with the United States on
the issue could be resolved through dialogue.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-usa-defence/turkey-says-turning-back-on-s-400s-problematic-seeks-u-s-dialogue-idUSKBN29J0JV
***
EP
Greens/ALE insists on the need of a truly EU defence industrial base
through collaboration projects on R&D, acquisition &
maintenance that include EU strategic autonomy, allowing the EU to
promote a more integrated internal market for defence equipment.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2020-0266-AM-001-005_EN.pdf
January
13
Retweet @GKNAero DYK @GKNAero holds the military type certificate for the remarkable RM12 engine? RM12 has powered the JAS 39 Gripen throughout the 310,000 flight hours this aircraft has achieved. The RM12 delivers the highest operational effectiveness with the most favourable life-cycle cost.
***
On-site
inspections of exported military materiel enables an exporting
country to verify that the materiel is still present in the country
of destination & at the authorized end user. An increasing number
of EU countries are conducting on-site inspections.
https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/bp_2012_post-shipment_controls.pdf
***
German arms
exports by region:
Schleswig-Holstein leads nationwide (https://www.n-tv.de/regionales/hamburg-und-schleswig-holstein/Ruestungsexporte-Schleswig-Holstein-bundesweit-vorn-article22287613.html)
Lower Saxony ranks 2nd https://www.n-tv.de/regionales/hamburg-und-schleswig-holstein/Ruestungsexporte-Schleswig-Holstein-bundesweit-vorn-article22287613.html
Bavaria 3rd? with just under € 1.14 billion
Baden-Württemberg in 4th place https://www.n-tv.de/regionales/baden-wuerttemberg/Ruestungsexporte-Baden-Wuerttemberg-bundesweit-auf-Platz-vier-article22287612.html
***
Hyper irony.
Figures obtained via parliamentary questions reveal the UK spent
£2.4m over the last 4 years to help Saudi’s military comply with
international humanitarian law while it was indiscriminately bombing
and killing Yemeni civilians.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/13/uk-spent-24m-to-help-saudi-arabia-comply-with-international-law
***
The
incoming Biden administration should cancel President Donald Trump's
arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after it
takes power on January 20, Democratic House Representative Ilhan Omar
said at a forum hosted by the Stimson Center.
https://sputniknews.com/us/202101131081747427-us-congresswoman-omar-urges-biden-administration-to-cancel-arms-sale-to-saudi-arabia/
***
UN
ferries aid to Libya on plane experts believe broke its own arms
embargo
The aid flights took place earlier this month
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/un-libya-embargo-arms-aid-b1786173.html
***
On
January 10, the Swiss French language daily Le Courrier published an
article entitled “The Israeli-Swiss Weapon of Azerbaijan”,
referring to the Israeli UAVs, outfitted with Swiss electric motors,
used by Azerbaijan in the recent war against Artsakh.
https://hetq.am/en/article/126189
***
A
small, 2-year-old nonprofit think tank - the New York Center For
Foreign Policy Affairs - has taken a step that most advocacy
organizations never dare try: It has sued the U.S. State Department
to derail a $23bn arms sale to the United Arab Emirates.
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/01/12/lawsuit-threatens-23b-weapons-sale-to-uae/
***
Speech
by Commissioner Thierry Breton at the 13th European Space Conference.
He wants to create an European alliance for space tech. The words
defence and military weren't mentioned, but space tech and military
applications are tightly connected.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2019-2024/breton/announcements/speech-commissioner-thierry-breton-13th-european-space-conference_en
Addition:
Funding could come from the GovSatCom
https://www.eda.europa.eu/what-we-do/activities/activities-search/governmental-satellite-communications-(govsatcom)
program, the European Defence Fund or even quantum research programs,
according to one of the European sources to AFP.
https://www.notretemps.com/high-tech/actualites/l-europe-veut-sa-propre-constellation-de-afp-202101,i235250
***
Tussen
2014 en 2020 investeerde de EU €12 mrd in haar
ruimtevaartactiviteiten. Voor de periode 2021-2027 moet daar nog eens
€15 mrd bij. Die begroting moet overigens nog worden goedgekeurd
door de lidstaten en het Europarlement.
https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1370172/agressieve-ruimtevaartstrategie-eu-moet-amerikaanse-en-chinese-ambities-pareren
January
12
***
The UK
Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded European missile producer MBDA
in the United Kingdom a seven-year demonstration and manufacture
contract for production of the SPEAR network-enabled stand-off
air-to-surface weapon system.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/update-uk-orders-production-of-spear3-for-f-35
***
Israel's
Elbit Systems stated that its UK daughter, was awarded a contract
valued at +/- $166m from the UK MoD for the navy Future Naval
Training Program (incl establishment of the Future Submarine School)
as part of a consortium led by UK company Capita.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3887059,00.html
***
US ambassador
in the Netherlands, Hoekstra, hosted Taiwan’s representative at US
embassy in The Hague. It was 1st publicly announced visit to a US
government office since the secretary of state lifted restrictions on
interactions.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-usa/u-s-hosts-taiwan-in-netherlands-in-first-visit-since-restrictions-lifted-idUSKBN29H04C
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4100198
Addition: Why is the Netherlands chosen as foreign pivot for this major shift in US foreign policy on China and Taiwan?
***
Iranian press
TV looks into the French ties to the emirates.
Despite public outrage, French arms deals to UAE have been getting bigger over the past decade between Paris and Abu Dhabi, according to the 2020 report to parliament on arms exports. https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/11/642753/France-silent-on-secret-UAE-prison-Yemen-Total-oil-and-gas
***
EP questions
(021020) by Özlem Demirel (GUE/NGL, Die Linke) on supplies of arms
to Libya and the military in Libya.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-005413_EN.html
Answers (110121) given by EU High Representative Borrell https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-005413-ASW_EN.pdf
***
Airbus
crushed its competitors in 2020 in the civil military satellite
business, according to French La Tribune.
It mentions launches of:
Australian Optus-11,
UAE's Thuraya NGS 4,
Arabsat's BADR-8,
two satellites for Intelsat, &
UK MoD's Skynet 6A
***
Weapons for
peace? What to expect in 2021 from the EU’s new ‘peace facility’?
Major conclusion: it seems it will fall to civil society to hold
member states to account.
https://www.forumarmstrade.org/blog/weapons-for-peace-what-to-expect-in-2021-from-the-eus-new-peace-facility
***
US Sen.
Menendez, who clashed with Trump administration over its arms sales
to the Mideast, its rejection of Cold War arms control treaties and
withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal, is poised to become the chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/01/11/incoming-foreign-relations-chairman-is-foe-of-trumps-massive-mideast-arms-sales/
***
Morocco has
officialized the purchase of an Avante-class patrol vessel (OPV),
from Navantia, a Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company. The
warship reportedly cost around $183 million (MAD 1.6 billion).
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2021/01/331542/navy-morocco-to-commission-first-ship-from-spain-in-over-three-decades/
Retweet
@dansabbagh: British
fuel pump maker Andair confirmed today it has stopped supplying
Turkey's Baykar Makina after it realised its components were being
used in TB2 drones during the autumn Nagoro-Karabakh war
http://andair.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cessation-of-supply-to-Baykar-Makina.pdf
See also: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/29/uk-defence-secretary-hails-azerbaijans-use-of-drones-in-conflict
January
11
***
Do
all (European) participants delivering components agree? Or do they
just follow Trump?
Contract for the sale of F-35 fighters to the UAE is likely to be inked before the end of the Trump administration, according to a top US State Department official.
***
Why the Dutch
government gives an export permission for a major naval arms export
to Egypt, €114m. Navy protects sea lanes, fight terrorists & is
doing nothing wrong. (Letter July 2020, but issue of naval exports to
Sisi regime surfaces time and again.)
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/binaries/rijksoverheid/documenten/kamerstukken/2020/07/10/kamerbrief-inzake-afgifte-vergunning-voor-export-militair-materieel-naar-egypte/kamerbrief-inzake-afgifte-vergunning-voor-export-militair-materieel-naar-egypte.pdf
Addition: By the way in answer to questions on the deal, Dutch Minister of FA Kaag stated that the 'Report on Arms export: implementation of Common Position' (aka the Hannah Neumann report) refutes claims the Egyptian is involved in Human Rights violations in Yemen. https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/kamervragen/detail?id=2020Z14089&did=2020D31774
***
Sri Lanka Air
Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana has disclosed that
his service is in talks with Israel to overhaul five Kfir fighters.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/front_page/Several-AF-fighter-jets-combat-helicopters-to-be-overhauled-to-boost-air-power/238-203357
***
How to turn
around the story line? Ivor Ichikowitz CEO of South African Paramount
Group tells that arms producers are those who are willing - without
subsidies and local contract - helping African governments to protect
its citizens.
https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/2021/01/11/paramount-group-chairman-africas-defense-industry-is-more-than-a-weapons-business/
***
According to
reports in the Indian media, India will sign an agreement with Israel
in the early part of this year for the supply of an additional amount
of Harop loitering munitions manufactured by Israel Aerospace
Industries (IAI). https://israeldefense.co.il/en/node/47634
***
Egypt’s
TIBA-1 Military Communication Satellite
(https://africanews.space/egypts-tiba-1-military-communication-satellite-ready-for-launch/)
is manufactured by the consortium of French companies Thales Alenia
Space and Airbus Defense & Space, some of the largest
international companies in the field.
https://egyptindependent.com/president-sisi-discusses-future-usage-of-tiba-1-satellite/
***
If
you'll make a documentary on the murder of Khashoggi don't be
surprised streamers such as Netflix do not buy the product. They will
not be foolish with Kingdom with its petrodollars.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andymeek/2021/01/10/you-need-to-watch-the-dissident-a-film-about-slain-washington-post-journalist-jamal-khashoggi-that-streamers-were-too-scared-to-touch/
***
Will
India be next to face sanctions for buying Russian S-400 air defence
missile system?
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/as-us-sanctions-loom-over-russia-deal-india-says-we-follow-an-independent-foreign-policy/articleshow/80180861.cms
Januaruy
10
***
The
European Commission approved €9.7m to finance the Low Observable
Tactical Unmanned System #LOTUS project, which is a new European
Tactical drone designed for the effective border surveillance and
reconnaissance of threats & high value targets.
https://www.embention.com/news/lotus-program-a-step-forward-in-the-uav-formation-flight/
Addition:
Involved are:
Intracom Defense #IDE
Aristotle Uni of Thessaloniki
Altus LSA Commercial & Manufacturing
CFT Carbon Fiber Technologies PC
Uni of Patras
Hellenic Air Force Telecommunications & Electronics
Signal Generix Ltd
CYRIC Cyprus Research & Innovation Center ltd
Geoimaging Ltd
January
9
***
Helin Evrim Sommer, an MP for Die Linke, said that her party has called for sanctions on Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), but rejected general economic sanctions that would affect the people as well.
“If the EU does not want to completely lose its political credibility, it should apply sanctions,” she said. https://ahvalnews.com/eu-turkey/german-kurdish-mp-says-erdogan-government-serious-threat-eu-calls-sanctions
***
Recent peace
accords (also w Israel) in Middle East often seem to prepare for war
on Iran. Embracing Qatar’s ruler, Saudi Crown Prince pushed a deal
to end a row with Doha at a Gulf summit on Tuesday to try to
strengthen an Arab alliance against Iran.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-summit/from-embargo-to-embrace-saudi-arabia-pushes-gulf-detente-idUSKBN29A0K
***
India
deal for Airbus transport aircraft will bring relief not only for
European aerospace, which has seen its campaigns for lucrative
defence contracts in India fail over the last few years, but also for
the Indian Air Force and defence industry.
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/how-the-c295-aircraft-deal-with-airbus-will-bring-relief-for-iaf-and-indian-defence-industry
January
7
***
Has someone
already questioned what a temporarily Dutch export permission of
Turkish teargas from the Netherlands to end user Chili in May 2020
meant.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/exportcontrole-strategische-goederen/documenten/rapporten/2016/10/01/overzicht-uitvoer-militaire-goederen
This was at a time protests over food shortages erupted in Chile
***
NHIndustries
(#Airbus Helicopters, #Leonardo Helicopters & #Fokker) has flown
the first of 22 new NH90 helicopters for #Qatar, with the consortium
announcing in late December 2020 that both variants ordered by the
Gulf state had made their maiden flights.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/12/qatars-new-nh90-nfh-helicopter-makes-first-flight/
***
UK's
Government's £550m splurge on supersonic missiles during the
pandemic is an ‘insult’
Peace campaigners say money should have
been used to support the NHS, patients and key workers.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/governments-550m-splurge-on-supersonic-missiles-during-the-pandemic-is-an-insult
Addition:
The job argument is so worn out. When you invest £550m (€609m)
it may be better spend on education, health care, renewable energy to
create more jobs and more security as well instead of embarking on
the next arms race.
https://www.thecomet.net/news/jobs-at-stevenage-mbda-following-missile-contract-6887424
January
6
***
A directory
of Dutch space technology related industries, knowledge centers and
universities. https://www.nlspace.nl/en/spacedirectory/
***
India - with
its hundreds of millions under the poverty line - buys 56 C-295
Airbus transport aircraft, valued $2.5bn. #Airbus and #Tata Advanced
Systems Limited #TASL will jointly execute the project under the Make
In India initiative.
https://www.indiandefencetimes.com/india-to-sign-2-5-billion-contract-for-56-transport-planes-for-iaf/
***
The German
government was allowed to refuse the export of submachine guns to
South Korea. This has been decided by the Berlin Administrative
Court. The lawsuit brought by the manufacturer Heckler & Koch,
failed the small arms producer.
https://taz.de/Verwaltungsgericht-zu-Ruestungsexporten/!5742206/
***
Italy, Sweden & UK agreed to an equal cooperation for R&D & joint concepting of the Tempest fighter ahead of the full development phase from 2025. This fighter will compete with a Spanish, French & German variant. Both wil drain tight governmental budgets. https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/05/italy-united-kingdom-and-sweden-sign-tempest-fcas-cooperation-memorandum-of-understanding/
***
Star Wars
back! European MBDA has its own take on it with a space based
endo-atmospheric interceptor against maneuvering ballistic missiles
with intermediate ranges, hypersonic gliders, anti-ship missiles &
conventional targets such as fighter aircraft.
https://asiatimes.com/2021/01/race-is-on-for-hypersonic-weapon-supremacy/
***
Spanish
Universidad Publica de Navarra
Dutch TNO
German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung...
France based Thales; Tematys; Ultimetas; & Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches
are contracted by EDA on Hybrid Multifunctional Metamaterials for Defence Applications #HiMMODA
***
Early 2021 a
contract between Fincantieri and the Italian Navy will be finalized
for 4 U-212 NFS submarines deriving from the Todaro class under
license from the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The total value
of the order is €2.3 billion.
https://www.ilcittadinoonline.it/finanza-e-mercati/fincantieri-in-arrivo-contratto-da-23-mld-con-la-marina-militare-italiana/
***
As
part of a $1.68bn deal between Israel & Greece — the
largest-ever defense agreement between both — the Hellenic Air
Force will acquire 10 M-346 aircraft and Israel’s Elbit Systems
will establish a flight school and maintain training aircraft.
https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2021/01/05/israel-greece-sign-17-billion-deal-for-air-force-training
January
5
***
Where The
Most Journalists Are Imprisoned Worldwide
https://www.statista.com/chart/3310/china-incarcerates-more-journalists-than-anywhere-else/
Saudi Arabia and Egypt respectively number 2 and 5 for EU arms exports in 2019. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/eeasqap/sense/app/75fd8e6e-68ac-42dd-a078-f616633118bb/sheet/24ca368f-a36e-4cdb-94c6-00596b50c5ba/state/analysis
***
Italy based
National Research Council secured a contract from European Defence
Agency #EDA for Service Framework Contract for the Provision of
Services in the Area of 'Quantum Technologies for Defence with
Application to Optronics- #Quando. The amount of contract isn't
disclosed.
Addition: Netherlands
based Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research #TNO
has secured contract from #EDA for Service Framework Contract for the
Provision of Services in the Area of 'Quantum Technologies for
Defence with Application to Optronics. Amount of isn't disclosed.
Addition: France
based Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales secured
a contract from European Defence Agency for Service Framework
Contract for the Provision of Services in the Area of Quantum
Technologies for Defence with Application to Optronics. Amount isn't
disclosed.
Addition: France
based #Thales has secured contract from EDA for Service Framework
Contract for the Provision of Services in the Area of 'Quantum
Technologies for Defence with Application to Optronics'. The contract
is valued approximately € 500 000.00.
As is Spain based #Tecnobit Sl
***
Arguing as if decades of debates
on German, EU and global arms export policy did not happen.
***
Not even the
pandemic stops them. Beretta doubled its exports to Mexico. The
weapons have ended up in the hands of criminals and non-military
police forces, who have also been accused of serious human rights
violations.
https://www.proceso.com.mx/reportajes/2021/1/4/ni-la-pandemia-detiene-la-importacion-de-armas-italianas-255594.html
***
Libyans on
Monday commemorated the victims of a drone strike by the United Arab
Emirates (UAE https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53917791)
a year ago on a military academy that killed 26 unarmed cadets and
left many more wounded.
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/africa/libya-commemorates-victims-of-deadly-uae-drone-strike-on-tripoli-military-academy
***
How you can
answer a question on arms embargo to Turkey. (Question by Georgios
Kyrtsos (PPE)
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2020-005495_EN.html)
High Representative/Vice-President Borrell is mastering the art to do so fact free and almost without saying anything. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2020-005495-ASW_EN.pdf
***
How
deescalating. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar warned on Sunday
that the forces of Khalifa Haftar and their supporters based in
eastern Libya would be viewed as "legitimate targets" if
they attempted to attack Turkish forces in the region.
https://www.defenceweb.co.za/joint/diplomacy-a-peace/turkey-warns-libyas-haftar-and-supporters-against-attacking-its-forces/
***
France has
not been able to hatch civil drone champions, despite the pioneering
regulations of 2012, and has hardly distinguished itself in terms of
military drone exports. But the time for a counterattack may have
come... comments French L'Usine Nouvelle.
https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/civils-et-militaires-les-drones-francais-contre-attaquent.N1042309
***
Built by
#Airbus D&S with significant Turkish contributions, the Turkish
5A satellite will provide Ku-band television broadcast services over
Turkey, the Middle East, Europe and Africa."
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=82538
It will be used for military communications.
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/spacex-to-launch-a-turkish-satellite-by-2020-39616
***
‘In
2020 werden kernwapens illegaal. Weet onze regering dat?’
De vraag wordt hier aan Brussel gesteld, maar kan evengoed naar Den Haag doorgespeeld worden. https://www.mo.be/commentaar/ban-de-bom
***
The UK is no
longer implementing EU sanctions (the Brexit transition period has
ended). This means:
https://www.europeansanctions.com/2021/01/new-uk-sanctions-regimes-now-in-force/
Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation #OFSI notice here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949055/Notice_Consolidated_List_Changes__31_December_2020.pdf
***
World human
rights champion Sweden? Yemen? Sweden’s Saab has received a
much-anticipated order, worth $1 billion, for two additional
GlobalEye spy planes from the United Arab Emirates, the company
announced Monday.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/01/04/saab-nabs-1-billion-deal-for-two-more-global-eye-planes-to-the-united-arab-emirates/
***
How
did an Australian-made transponder, a key part of drone technology,
end up in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan where human
rights abuses are prolific? Michelle Fahy investigates the murky
trail of the drone bit.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/australian-weapons-part-on-armenian-battlefield/
***
Easy for China to counter US
argument it is endangering international global peace and stability.
"On arms control and non-proliferation, [the US] pulled out of
the JCPOA and the INF Treaty, unsigned the Arms Trade Treaty,
announced its withdrawal from..."
https://fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/t1844368.shtml
January
4
***
Oorlogsmisdadiger
Guus Kouwenhoven (wapenhandel en medeplichtigheid aan
oorlogsmisdrijven in Liberia tussen 1999 en 2003) komt toch nog niet
naar Nederland om zijn straf uit te zitten. Dat stelde zijn
Nederlandse advocate Inez Weski. Bericht van 24/12/20
https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/zuid-afrika-wil-hem-kwijt-maar-wanneer-komt-oorlogsboef-guus-kouwenhoven-ooit-naar-nederland~af25c075/
***
***
In a letter
to member states, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, called
for regional blocs to nominate monitors to oversee the ceasefire and
a UN #arms #embargo that has been flouted, principally by #Turkey and
the United Arab Emirates #UAE.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/01/un-to-bring-in-monitors-to-observe-libya-flouted-ceasefire-national-unity-government
***
Arianespace
launches French militaryCSO-2 spy satellite on Soyuz rocket to cap
2020 for the French CNES space agency and DGA military procurement
agency (Direction generale de l'armement), on behalf of the French
MoD.
https://www.space.com/arianespace-soyuz-rocket-launches-cso-2-satellite
***
Global
space industry at dawn of a decade of upheaval. Growth of tiny
satellite launches will lead to a paradigm shift in sector,
especially on data collection & processing. The military is
expected to remain a major customer and contribute to the growth.
https://theconversation.com/lindustrie-spatiale-mondiale-a-laube-dune-decennie-de-bouleversements-majeurs-152338
January
3
***
The German
government has approved arms exports worth about 1.6 billion euros in
2020 to countries involved in the conflicts in Yemen and Libya.
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/germany-approved-arms-exports-worth-over-1b-euros-to-middle-east-in-2020
***
The
UK’s new deal with Turkey ignores appalling human rights abuses and
should have been scrutinised by parliament. According to Campaign
Against the Arms Trade, Britain has exported £1.3bn worth of arms to
Turkey since the 2013 Gezi Park popular uprising.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/03/global-britain-is-willing-to-trade-away-everything-including-scruples
***
The UK government is under
pressure to explain why a series of air strikes in Yemen, many
involving civilian casualties, have not been recorded in its
confidential log of alleged breaches of international humanitarian
law (IHL).
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/03/lethal-airstrikes-in-yemen-left-off-confidential-uk-record
