Latest on top (updated
regularly):
(https://twitter.com/martinbroek)
February
28
Damen built vessel for UAE naval forces. The Shujaa is a show of the quality of national defence - here with Dutch tech - products and will join the national maritime fleet, enhancing the UAE Navy’s capabilities.
https://toysmatrix.com/emirates-news-agency-khaled-bin-mohamed-bin-zayed-launches-vessel-shujaa-at-navdex/
(Retweet: مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي
@admediaoffice)
Addition: Who knows more about this vessel penant number 5004. It seems to be unarmed, but I have not seen pictures of the foredeck. There are some video's: https://youtu.be/i8CIYbVvGrM And see here: https://twitter.com/alain_4u/status/1364907205640785921
***
Dutch companies fear closed
doors (Nederlandse bedrijven vrezen dichte deur bij bouw duikboten).
Haarlems Dagblad, 26 februari 2021. Article Follows view as forwarded
by
https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Kamervragen-over-Nederlandse-industrie-op-onderzeeboten-240221.html
that to involve three potential builders creates high development
costs for suppliers.
***
Diplomacy and Defence are
separated worlds?
D66 (liberals) & SGP (Christian fundamentalists) want the next Government to move fast forward with acquisition of submarines as Dutch as possible. 'French contractors I hardly trust,' said SGP MP Stoffer. https://www.nd.nl/nieuws/politiek/1022180/d66-en-sgp-maak-haast-met-de-aanschaf-van-nieuwe-onderzeeboten-
***
Global military spending reached
record levels in 2020 despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic &
economic contraction, the UK based International Institute for
Strategic Studies #IISS said. ME reached €1.5 trillion euros last
year, a 3.9% increase.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/global-military-spending-hit-record-levels-in-2020-amid-covid-19-pandemic-says-think
***
French Aubert & Duval (part
of Eramet) for sale. A&D designs alloy parts used on Airbus
planes, the Rafale fighter and French nuclear submarines. An offer
involving Safran, Airbus and the ACE Management fund (Tikehau) is in
preparation.
https://www.challenges.fr/politique/la-tension-monte-en-nouvelle-caledonie-autour-de-l-usine-de-nickel-de-vale_741386
***
GKN
Aerospace has been a global supplier to GA-ASI's drone MQ-9 program
since 2010. Today, GKN produces a range of products including the
lightweight landing gear system, which it produces in the
Netherlands.
https://www.gknaerospace.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/2021/general-atomics-aeronautical-systems-inc-and-gkn-aerospace-expand-strategic-partnership/
See also: https://broekstukken.blogspot.com/2018/10/reaper-drones-dutch-air-force-and-fokker.html
***
Even
The Times: Now that President Joe Biden has released the US
intelligence report naming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as
complicit in the Washington Post columnist’s death, Britain is
under pressure to rethink its relationship with Riyadh.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-murder-of-jamal-khashoggi-leaves-britain-torn-between-its-ally-and-its-arms-trade-mtz8ckhzq
February
27
***
Italian state
shipyard Fincantieri has signed a €1.35 billion contract to build
the first two of four (for an overall cost of € 2.68 billion)
planned U212 NFS submarines for the Italian navy.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/02/26/fincantieri-to-build-two-new-german-design-submarines-for-the-italian-navy/
***
Wow the UAE is
violating the UK arms embargo on Libya and the UK Foreign Secretary
discussed this with his Emirati counterpart, Shaikh Abdullah Bin
Zayed, on 21 January. That will help. la la la
https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/question/18613/libya-arms-trade
Clear report on: Capitalizing on conflict: How defense contractors and foreign nations lobby for arms sales. The map shows the Netherlands is 2nd largest buyer after the UK, but before France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. Look and read for yourself: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/capitalizing-on-conflict
And when you click to 'Foreign Lobbying Spending', you will see the Netherlands doesn't need much persuasion to buy American.
***
Retweet
@codepink: In the 38 days @JoeBidenhas been
president, he has:
failed to return to the Iran Nuclear Deal
bombed Syria
refused to penalize MBS for Khashoggi's murder
given $$$ to weapons manufacturers
We need #PeaceWithIran https://www.codepink.org/50iranexperts?recruiter_id=686775
***
Beijing
tightens purse strings for Chinese military. An official budget
figure won't be announced at next month’s meetings; experts
forecast small increase.
Spending will balance between China’s
modernisation plans & recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3122814/china-military-may-face-tough-year-ahead-beijing-tightens-purse
Addition: Opposite view from Tokyo: China is expected to reveal a robust increase in defense spending at March 5 annual opening of its parliament, as its economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic & military tensions rise, Chinese and Western security experts said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/28/asia-pacific/china-defense-budget-us/
***
Indian PM
Modi claimed that small countries are currently pinning their hopes
on India. India can not only provide high-quality weapons, but also
has the advantage of low prices. Modi reiterated India's ambition to
become the world's major arms exporter.
https://inf.news/en/world/6d922cbe7d0a8ecdfbcf0e655e4bc665.html
***
Tijdschrift
Elsevier en actiegroep 'Ministerie van Defensie' pleiten samen voor
meer geld voor wapens. Alle middelen om de boodschap te verspreiden
worden uit de kast gehaald. Vraag me af of GroenLinks en/of SP niet
een woordje hadden kunnen doen voor de schijn van objectiviteit.
Retweet @landmacht: Zit je er al
klaar voor? 10.30u begint het Elsevier #defensiedebat21. Met o.a.
@pvalstar (VVD), @SalimaBelhaj (D66), @Martijncda (CDA) en
@attjekuiken (PvdA). We zijn benieuwd naar de standpunten en hopen op
een stevig debat. Debat ook te volgen op TV op NPO Politiek 24.
***
The Israel
and German MoD's signed a government-to-government agreement to
supply Rafael’s TROPHY active protection system to the German
military, for their fleet of LEOPARD 2 tanks. The program was led by
Isr. MoD #MAFAT & Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/innovativeisrael/economy/pages/israel-and-germany-sign-agreement-to-equip-the-german-military-with-the-trophy-aps-22-february-2021.aspx
***
BAE Systems
Hägglunds has chosen Israeli Elbit Systems to provide the Dutch army
with the Iron Fist system for CV90 armoured vehicles under an $82m
contract announced this week.
https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2021/02/11/elbit-to-export-iron-fist-system-to-the-netherlands/
Deal was protested by two former Dutch Ministers. https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/opinie-nederland-moet-stoppen-met-aankopen-bij-de-israelische-wapenindustrie~b09cebc0/
***
Moving troops
between Africa & Europe during a crisis is expected to be
streamlined after US Army command bridging the regions combined into
a 4-star headquarters late last year. "the security situation
between the two continents is 'inextricably linked'.”
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/02/24/new-four-star-command-allows-us-general-to-coordinate-closely-with-nato-allies-in-africa/
***
Amnesty
protests France’s arms sales to Saudi, UAE
Activists hold demonstration in capital Paris, call on France to ban arms export to Saudi Arabia, UAE. The demonstration, which will continue every Thursday until March 25. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/amnesty-protests-france-s-arms-sales-to-saudi-uae/2156998
***
Retweet
@andrewfeinstein: How UK’s next king
bolsters autocratic Gulf regimes:Prince Charles held 95 meetings w
repressive monarchies in the Mid East since the Arab Spring
threatened their power.He played a key role in promoting £14.5bn of
UK arms exports to them in the last decade.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-02-24-charles-of-arabia-how-britains-next-king-bolsters-autocratic-gulf-regimes/
***
Saudi Arabian
Military Industries is the official strategic partner for the World
Defense Show, a defense conference scheduled for an inaugural launch
in March 2022 in Saudi Arabia, event organizers announced Monday.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/24/the-first-ever-world-defense-show-in-saudi-arabia-is-a-year-away-are-event-planners-ready/
Now see who will go to sell.
***
SAMI
head Walid Abukhaled on Biden policy towards Saudi Arabia: I’m not
seeing any difficulty in securing joint ventures with U.S. companies.
I’m continuing to stick with my partners, and we are going to grow
together in the region, hand in hand.
On cooperation with Thales: We've a joint venture with Thales for air defense contracts, and part of that deal involves localization. We’re working closely with Thales to ensure that we bring in capability and build it within SAMI through the joint venture. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/25/top-sami-executive-talks-joint-ventures-acquisitions-and-the-biden-administration/
February
25
***
Men
gaat er van uit dat in geval van leveringen marineschepen geen
mensenrechten in het geding zijn. Deze visie is al jaren dominant is
in het Nederlandse wapenexportbeleid.
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
De SP kaartte dit nadrukkelijk aan in
het schriftelijk overleg wapenexportbeleid.
Retweet @PILPNJCM: Het PILP-NJCM is een procedure gestart tegen de minister van #BHOS over het recht op toegang tot informatie omtrent een wapenexport naar Egypte. #wob #woo #zondagmetlubach https://pilpnjcm.nl/pilp-njcm-start-procedure-over-toegang-tot-informatie-over-wapenexport/
***
Drones &
counter-drones, an profitable arms race.
The Sky Warden system of MBDA manages the full C-UAS "kill chain" from detection to neutralisation & can be operated both as an component in a layered air defence architecture or stand-alone configuration. https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-releases/mbda-launches-sky-warden-c-uas-system/
***
US Coast
Guard #USCG has announced a ceremony at Portsmouth to bring the
#armed Sentinel-class Charles Moulthrope to the Southwest Asia Patrol
Force #PATFORSWA (USCG formation based in Bahrain). The Sentinel
class is based on the #Damen Stan Patrol 4708.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/387358/us-coast-guard-commissions-first-patforswa-sentinel-class-cutter
***
General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems and GKN Aerospace have signed a contract
for GKN Aerospace to manufacture the advanced composite V-tails for
GA-ASI's new MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones (#RPAS) from their Cowes
facility in the UK.
https://www.gknaerospace.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/2021/general-atomics-aeronautical-systems-inc-and-gkn-aerospace-expand-strategic-partnership/
***
Der Spiegel
notes that besides aid, "arms exports worth billions also go to
the region. For Egypt alone, German export licenses for arms and
military equipment worth €763.8m were allowed in 2020. Armaments
worth € 306.2m can also be delivered to Qatar.
https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/arabischer-fruehling-was-wurde-aus-guido-westerwelles-tahrir-moment-a-92c089a0-0008-49fd-91dc-c73b0ad318de
***
After Mr.
Trump, Americans must not be content for their country to do bad
things for better reasons. America is not “back,” and we should
not want it to be.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/opinion/biden-foreign-policy.html
***
Tass:
military capabilities of the UAE & the ability to project their
own military power in the region at the end of the 2nd decade of this
century are the result of many years of cooperation with the US,
leading Western countries, as well as Russia.
http://status-arms.ru/novosti/voenno-tekhnicheskoe-sotrudnichestvo-oae-orientiro/
***
US policies
in the Middle East are built on outdated "legacy" aid
packages, massive arms sales & a disproportionate focus on the
Iranian threat that fail to advance American interests and need to be
rethought, according to a new RAND Corporation report.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA958-2.html
***
Charles of
Arabia: How Britain’s next king bolsters autocratic Gulf regimes
By Phil Miller and Mark Curtis
***
Extreme right
MEP Julie Lechanteux adressed the deafening silence on the
possibility of imposing an arms embargo to Turkey by Commissioner
Josep Borrell.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-006717_EN.html
Now Borrell has clearly answered. It is Member States policy. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-006717-ASW_EN.pdf
***
Nearly 140
NGOs from 31 countries signed an open letter yesterday calling for
the United Nations Security Council to urgently impose an arms
embargo on Myanmar after the military coup there earlier this month.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2021/02/25/nearly-140-ngos-from-31-countries-ask-un-for-myanmar-arms-embargo/1952741
***
One
of the most enduring questions of business executives & export
professionals is how does the government learn about export
violations? If my company has a possible violation, what are the
chances that the government will discover it? Law firm sums up.
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/how-does-the-government-learn-about-5171831/
February 24
***
The German and Israeli defense
ministries have signed an agreement for the purchase of the
Rafael-made Trophy active protection system for the Bundeswehr’s
Leopard 2 tanks, the two governments announced Feb. 23. Value $ 48
million.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/02/23/germany-orders-israels-trophy-active-protection-system-for-its-leopard-2-tanks
***
Peculiar question by Aviation
Week:
Are There Enough European Requirements For Two Sixth-Gen Fighters?
No there isn 't, but what is more. Many Europeans prefer to buy in de US, so the choice involves more fighters. Making it an even bigger waste. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/are-there-enough-european-requirements-two-sixth-gen-fighters
***
It is unlikely that Indian
state-owned firms will stop arms sales to the Tatmadaw because of the
coup. For New Delhi, Myanmar is still a regional asset under its Act
East Policy and Neighborhood First Policy. "at the cost of
abetting war crimes"
https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/india-needs-to-take-action-on-the-myanmar-coup/
***
While encouraging, Biden's
announcement raised as many questions as it answered. What
constitutes "offensive operations," and which arms sales
are "relevant"? At a minimum, the new policy should block
all major arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and...
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/biden-military-yemen-war/
***
UN experts: UAE firms violated
Libya sanctions (Is that why so many help them building a military
industry and even buy weapons in the Emirates? Doesn't bring a
peaceful world closer, but earns money and closer allies. Who cares.)
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-libya-tripoli-khalifa-hifter-united-nations-00616a9a949726d8ed593f9a07dc53a3
***
More than 130 rights
organizations are calling for a global arms embargo on Myanmar in
response to the military coup and detention of the country's elected
leaders that sparked ongoing protests.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/24/un-security-council-impose-arms-embargo-myanmar
***
Europe in space. Asked to spell
out the funding options, Commissioner Thierry Breton said ESA could
help pay for the communications satellite project. France had already
backed the scheme. A consortium led by Airbus will deliver a
feasibility study later.
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-looks-to-steer-industrial-innovation/
***
Despite the UAE's ongoing
dependencies on defense imports, the country's investment in research
and development is expected to accelerate its transformation as a
formidable defense supplier.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/15/can-the-uae-emerge-as-a-leading-global-defense-supplier/
***
Why would Russia’s Kalashnikov
make a NATO-friendly assault rifle? Defense News spoke with the
Russian company’s CEO about why it would design a NATO-friendly
rifle when there are measures in place that prevent alliance members
from buying it.
https://defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/23/why-would-russias-kalashnikov-make-a-nato-friendly-assault-rifle
***
The UAE said it will supply its
first locally manufactured air defense missiles to German Rheinmetall
AG, as the Gulf state expands the production and export of military
technology. It concerns the SkyKnight missile by Halcon (of the Edge
Group).
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-23/uae-to-supply-first-air-missile-defense-to-germany-s-rheinmetall
February
23
***
Egypt becomes the 1st
international export destination for MBDA's surface to air
fire-and-forget missile.
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-releases/egypt-becomes-the-first-international-customer-for-mbdas-vl-mica-new-generation-surface-to-air-system/
***
Retweet @ASDEurope: ASD
welcomes the @EU_Commission's Action Plan on synergies between civil,
defence and space industries
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_651
https://asd-europe.org/asd-welcomes-the-action-plan-on-synergies-between-civil-defence-and-space-industries
***
Gisteren in NRC: Nu vinden ook
de VS de Joint Strike Fighter te duur:
https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/02/22/nu-vinden-ook-de-vs-de-joint-strike-fighter-ineens-te-duur-a4032728
“I don’t think that everybody’s
going to exactly agree with what I say, but I want to actually have a
… dialogue of what is that best force mix,” Brown said in
AW&ST.
Retweet: U.S. Air Force Entertains New
Design To Replace F-16. Surprising and no wonder the first reaction
to article is: "And so, F-35 makes even less sense. Half a
trillion later, it turned out to be a little more than a corporate
welfare handout."
https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/us-air-force-entertains-new-design-replace-f-16
***
In the Netherlands former
Ministers Jan Pronk and Laurens Jan Brinkhorst and former ambassador
Koos van Dam call for an end to buy weapons at Israeli arms industry,
included Elbit: "It's products are tested in the occupied
Palestine territories."
https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/opinie-nederland-moet-stoppen-met-aankopen-bij-de-israelische-wapenindustrie~b09cebc0/
Nederlandse leger heeft onlangs wapens gekocht bij Elbit. Nederland moet stoppen met aankopen bij de Israëlische wapenindustrie. Die producten zijn uitgetest in de bezette Palestijnse gebieden, schrijven oud-min Pronk, Brinkhorst & voorm ambass Van Dam. https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/opinie-nederland-moet-stoppen-met-aankopen-bij-de-israelische-wapenindustrie~b09cebc0/
***
The almost endless corruption
case against Zuma and French military company Thales was next
expected in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Tuesday, February 23.
But it seems will be May 17th (although you never know).
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-02-21-zuma-wants-corruption-trial-struck-off-as-he-again-takes-aim-at-the-state/
***
One of the many articles on the
Abu Dhabi IDEX arms fair. Here most attention goes to German
presence, pointing out that the Emirati Edge Group also includes
Thuringia-based arms manufacturer C.G. Haenel competing to deliver
the next German assault rifle.
https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article226869929/Ruestungsmesse-Idex-Diese-Kamikaze-Drohnen-sorgen-fuer-einen-Umbruch-in-der-Kriegsfuehrung.html
Addition:
See on Edge/C.G. Haenel also:
https://uaenews.medium.com/uae-edge-germany-mbz-lobbying-efforts-981d5d-9ab677981d5d
***
Jaarlijkse uitstoot van
broeikasgassen door militaire activiteiten EU-landen gekijk aan 14
miljoen auto's. Ondanks een geschatte uitstoot van bijna 25 megaton
CO2 maakt de vervuiling door militaire activiteiten geen deel uit van
't EU-vergroeningsbeleid.
https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/02/22/verduurzaming-uitstoot-door-europese-legers-gelijk-aan-die-van-14-miljoen-autos-a4032826
***
De
vorige Vlaamse regering gaf een vergunning voor de uitvoer van
vizieren, geschikt voor mitrailleurs, geweren en antitank-geschut.
Bestemming Saudi-Arabië. ‘Onze Vlaamse vizieren zijn bestemd voor
civiel-gebruik’, pruttelde ze.
https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20210222_98000718
***
Congo-Brazzaville’s
repressive government has quietly bought an arsenal from Azerbaijan.
Opponents of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso say one recent cache is
designed to tighten his grip on the nation.
https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/congo-brazzaville-strongman-buys-secret-weapons-haul-from-azerbaijan
***
According
to the report “Exports of Defence Materiel and Dual Use of the
Secretary of State for Commerce” in Jan-July 2020, the PSOE-Podemos
government authorised weapons sales worth a record €22.5bn. Higher
than 2018 and 2019 sales combined.
Spain’s 5th-largest
buyer and 2nd outside NATO/EU was Saudi Arabia, with €32.4m. It is
set to receive mortar shells of different calibres, advanced
observation equipment with laser rangefinders, and targeting systems.
Corvettes of Navantia worth €1.8bn for KSA not included.
In
addition, more than half of the 60 million in category-3 weapons
(ammunition and explosive devices) in the first half of 2020 went to
Saudi Arabia (€21.9 million) and United Arab Emirates (€8.2
million). https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/23/spai-f23.html
February
22
***
To
protect what? Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 visits Haifa, trains
with Israel forces
https://mc.nato.int/media-centre/news/2021/standing-nato-maritime-group-2-visits-haifa--trains-with-israel-forces
***
Deze video is niet echt, de feiten zijn dat wel. De Vlaamse wapenhandel kost mensenlevens.
Radars in Saudische gevechtsvliegtuigen
Beeldschermen in Emirati oorlogsschepen
Onderdelen in Turkse militaire vliegtuigen
Lees meer op http://weareopenforbusiness.be
***
War in
#Yemen, has to do with weapons? Really? UAE's military firms like
#EDGE will be "more than capable" to grow their presence on
a global scale, said Patrice Caine, CEO of Thales. #Thales partnered
with EDGE in 2019 through its local entity.
https://gulfnews.com/business/idex-2021-uaes-defense-firms-are-well-positioned-for-global-expansion-says-thales-ceo-1.77348981
***
Indonesia
to arm up with Rafale, F-15 fighter jets
Jakarta backs away from previous plan to buy Russian Su-35 air defense fighters under threat of US sanctions
https://asiatimes.com/2021/02/indonesia-to-arm-up-with-rafale-f-15-fighter-jets/
***
France,
human rights, power and the petro-dollars: During the high military
committee between France and the UAE held on January 28, 160 projects
were identified in the annual cooperation plans. "It's quite
massive," observed a MoD spokesperson."
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/armement-les-enjeux-de-la-france-aux-emirats-arabes-unis-878216.html
***
EU
#CSDP has become an elite preserve of high-politics, technocratic
expertise, & industry interests, that undermines the energy
needed 4 continued democratic legitimacy & public buy-in, writes
Raluca Chernatoni.
To depolitise critics to military programs? https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/opinion/new-eu-defence-initiatives-for-old-political-problems/
***
A
54-year old former marine commando (elite unit French Navy) appeared
at the Caen Court of Appeal 4 having sold, between 2014-16, assault
rifles, magazines, ammo to Mauritania, Morocco, Congo. He saw his
sentence significantly reduced by the magistrates.
https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/caen-14000/normandie-vente-d-armes-de-guerre-peine-de-prison-reduite-en-appel-7160233
***
Three
reasons made Israel accept F-35 export to UAE:
- US will guarantee Israel's military edge over Arab countries (see Israeli shopping list),
- strategy of "containment" to Iran; and
- the opening of the Arab arms bazaar for the Israeli arms industry.
***
Saudi
Arabia signs deal with Lockheed Martin to enhance kingdom's defense
and weapons manufacturing capabilities - weeks after Biden announced
temporary freeze on arms sales to Middle East.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9283775/Saudis-SAMI-signs-defense-venture-deal-U-S-Lockheed-Martin.html
***
Retweet
@CTWnl: This year the €8 billion European Defence
Fund (EDF) for military R&D will take off. €590 million was
handed out under preparatory programmes (2017-2020). Research
institute TNO, which heavily lobbied for the EDF, has been the main
Dutch beneficiary. https://stopwapenhandel.org/node/2466
Protesters urge France, European countries to stop arms sales to Saudi regime https://en.abna24.com/news//protesters-urge-france-european-countries-to-stop-arms-sales-to-saudi-regime_1117619.html
***
The US
Egypt Human Rights Caucus was disappointed that the sale of 168
missiles to the Egyptian military, valued $197m, was not preceded by
outlines of how the Biden administration plans to elevate human
rights in the US relationship with the Egypt.
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5058
***
Pakistan
news agency states that "at least one third of India’s
military are used internally to suppress people’s dissatisfaction
with the government and suppress the surging independence movement of
ethnic minorities throughout the country."
https://www.app.com.pk/global/pakistan-achieved-great-diplomatic-victory-by-exposing-indias-human-rights-violations-in-kashmir/
***
A UN
investigation found that Blackwater violated the UN-arms embargo on
Libya by furnishing weapons to the Libyan National Army in 2019.
Blackwater provided Haftar with a mercenary force of attack aircraft,
gunboats & hackers as part of an $80m deal.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/19/world/middleeast/erik-prince-libya-embargo.html
Addition: Erik Prince, Trump Ally, Denies Role in Libya Mercenary Operation. In an interview, the contractor pushed back against a United Nations report accusing him of breaching a decade-old arms embargo on Libya. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/21/world/middleeast/Erik-Prince-Libya-interview.html
To be continued
Addition: UN Final report of the
Panel of Experts on Libya shows Netherlands played a role in the
covert Ops of Prince. An Pilatus aircraft was undergoing maintenance
work at Cycloon Holland B.V. (http://cycloonholland.nl)
facility in Maastricht-Aachen Airport.
Addition: On
27/06/2019, the Netherlands authorities were informed that ownership of the aircraft
had changed to L-6 FZE. The aircraft was deregistered by the Netherlands authorities on 3/7/2019
purportedly on transfer to the UAE Civil Aviation Authority registry.
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N21/037/72/PDF/N2103772.pdf
Addition: Plane was equipped with Thales I-Master lightweight surveillance synthetic aperture radar for detection of ground targets & a FLIR Ultraforce 350 High Definition sensor surveillance system (classified under EC/428/2009175 as 6A003.b.4) manufactured in Sweden.
***
Dubai
The United Arab Emirates armed forces on Sunday signed $1.36 billion
in defence contracts with local and international firms at the Idex
defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Reuters reported quoting spokesman
Staff Brigadier General Mohammed al-Hassani.
Global defence
majors such as Boeing, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin,
France’s Thales and Naval Group big presence at the exhibition this
year.
https://gulfnews.com/business/idex-2021-uae-armed-forces-signs-136b-in-defence-contracts-1.1613908080724
Top Emirati officials, including Abu
Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, were on
hand, wandering between displays of rifles, rockets and bombs.
https://www.startribune.com/uae-weapons-show-draws-major-deals-traders-amid-pandemic/600025735/
February 21
***
Why Dutch
companies are selling their products at the IDEX arms fair in Abu
Dhabi? Or are small drones and uniforms no problem?
Belgium has 12 particpants, included FN Herstal and Cockerill.
Easy to find for other countries by search engine at site.
https://idexuae.ae/exhibitor/exhibitor-list/
***
France is
often pointed out for its arms sales to Saudi's and the Emirates,
engaged in Yemen in a conflict which has left tens of thousands of
deaths since 2015, including many civilians. No doubt this is why
this contract was not announced on the Naval Group website.
Retweet
@obsarm: While a maritime
blockade is starving the Yemenis. In addition, the Emirates, Saudi's,
with France, want to control ports in the Red Sea and access to rives
and lakes in East Africa. The massive purchase of ships must be seen
in this context.
Alors qu'un blocus
maritime affame les yéménites. De +, les Emirats, l'AS, avec la
France, veulent contrôler des ports de la mer Rouge et prendre des
accès fluviaux, lacs de l'Est Africain. L'achat massif de navires
doit être replacé dans ce contexte.
https://www.leparisien.fr/economie/armement-la-france-vend-deux-corvettes-aux-emirats-pour-750-millions-d-euros-07-06-2019-8088372.php
***
Saudi
Arabia’s armed forces in Yemen use armoured vehicles, missiles,
anti-tank rockets and warplane targeting systems made in Scotland,
according to new research.
https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/yemen-made-in-scotland/
***
Countries
mentioned in overview of countries still exporting to #KSA:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK.
Retweet @keesamok:
Saudi Arabia arms sales: Which countries are still
exporting? - Since Washington’s decision, pressure has mounted on
other Western countries that sell arms to Riyadh and its allies.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/saudi-uae-coalition-arms-sales-country-breakdown
***
***
Authorities
in Saffron Walden agree to bankroll facility for company that makes
weapons of war. Opponents of investment point out that Moog, which
specialises in missile and fighter jets, has sold products to
countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/essex-uttlesford-arms-base-saffron-walden-b1804492.html
***
Czech arms
company denies selling weapons to Hong Kong police. To be continued?
https://uk.granthshala.com/czech-arms-company-denies-selling-weapons-to-hong-kong-police/
***
Most of a
recent uncovered illegal German arms trade group involved in
right-wing extremist scene, some have connections with the AfD, as
members, employees or pullers on the right wing of the party - with
contacts as far as the Bundestag to AfD MP Höcke.
https://taz.de/Waffenhandelsring-in-Bayern/!5749931&s=Bj%C3%B6rn+H%C3%B6cke/
***
New
Zealand's Green Party unhappy with launch of military satellite by
Rocket Lab. Teanau Tuiono, the Security and Intelligence spokesperson
in an interview with Heather, highlighted their discomfort in the
matter.
https://testmeasurement.com.au/space/223/greens-party-is-unhappy-that-the-next-rocket-lab-launch-will-include-u-s-defence-satellite/
***
IDEX
2021: Saudi Arabia to invest more than $20b in its military industry
over next decade.
Kingdom wants to develop and manufacture more weapons and military systems domestically.
With the help of whom?
***
Germany
has declined license to two firms planning export of small arms to
India due to Indian army’s poor human rights record in Indian
Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. A Belgian arms maker also
walked out recently
https://radio.gov.pk/21-02-2021/germany-declines-arms-export-to-india-over-iiojk-atrocities
February
19
***
US Defence
Secretary Lloyd Austin called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
on Thursday to reaffirm the "strategic defense partnership"
between the two nations and discuss recent changes to US policy on
Yemen, the Pentagon said.
https://www.axios.com/austin-mbs-biden-pentagon-saudi-arabia-92e6f908-9338-4058-bb83-61b956b62b1b.html
***
The Northern
part of Germany profits from war. With a turnover of over one billion
euro's Schleswig-Holstein is number one of the arms manufacturers
regions of Germany. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are for example at the
receiving end.
https://www.mopo.de/im-norden/schleswig-holstein/milliarden-umsatz-mit-waffen-der-norden-macht-kasse-mit-dem-krieg-38078914
***
The revelation that Air New Zealand had been silently contracting services to the Saudi navy apparently wasn't the only instance of New Zealand's connection to the war in Yemen. An independent review of NZ's military links with Riyad is needed. https://menafn.com/1101624710/The-crisis-in-Yemen-demands-an-independent-review-of-NZs-military-links-with-Saudi-Arabia&source=19
***
When the
meaning of words changing tos suite military ends. To stay ahead of
rapidly moving threats in the information space, 1st Special Forces
Command is building an Information Warfare Center that will
specialize in “influence artillery rounds.”
https://www.c4isrnet.com/information-warfare/2021/02/18/special-forces-to-build-influence-artillery-for-online-campaigns/
***
US drones to
prepare for anti-submarine warfare #ASW.
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/02/17/with-the-submarine-threat-on-the-rise-the-us-navy-looks-to-autonomous-water-sensor-drones/
***
The Romanian
state-owned Romanian bank CEC Bank granted 60 million RON (€ 12.3
million) loan to the Damen shipyard in Mangalia.
https://www.thediplomat.ro/2021/02/18/cec-bank-granted-60-million-ron-loan-to-the-damen-shipyard-in-mangalia/
***
U.S. Air
Force Entertains New Design To Replace F-16.
Surprising and no wonder the first reaction to article is: "And so, F-35 makes even less sense. Half a trillion later, it turned out to be a little more than a corporate welfare handout."
***
The
US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is
taking immediate action to limit exports and reexports of sensitive
goods to Burma's military and security services.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/18/2021-03350/burma-implementation-of-sanctions
February
18
***
Hear hear,
GKN Netherlands (Fokker) proud to be involved in a weapon system not
only
- paid by large chunks of government budgets,
- burning ltrs of fuel leading to enormous CO2 emissions, but also
- to drop bombs on innocent citizens in the wars to come, history learns.
Proud?
Proud to be on board
@thef35! Drag chute fairing assembly made by @GKNAero @Fokkerin
Hoogeveen, NL.
https://www.f35.com/f35/news-and-features/the-f35a-drag-chute-system.html
***
Greenpeace-Research:
Armed forces of Myanmar uses German military technology: MTU-engines
and MG3 machine guns from Rheinmetall are fitted on patrol vessels
delivered by Israel.
https://www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de/pr/presseportal/greenpeace-recherche-militaer-in-myanmar-setzt-deutsche-ruestungsgueter-ein-mtu-motoren-und-maschinengewehre-von-rheinmetall-in-patrouillenbooten_aid-56325157
***
Third party
states also continue to hinder accountability In Libya. E.g. Turkey,
Russia, UAE and Egypt have all been involved in violating the UN arms
embargo on Libya.
https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/libya-ten-years-after-uprising-abusive-militias-evade-justice-and-instead-reap-rewards
***
Myanmar:
steps "in the direction of democracy before the coup took place
were a direct result of economic pressure, sanctions being applied on
the generals." Imposing sanctions on the generals & an arms
embargo "would be terrific" rapporteur Andrews said.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/myanmar-troops-said-to-be-moving-to-cities-un-investigator-1.5313794
***
Who will
build the new fritates for the Greek navy? US, France, Germans, Spain
or UK.
Dutch Damen offered December 2020 the Sigma 11515 HN, a relatively flexible offer both in shipbuilding (length, weapons systems, etc.) and in financing from Dutch banks. https://www.makeleio.gr/%CE%B5%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%91%CF%85%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%82-%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%82-%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%B3%CE%AC%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%82-%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%B9%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%B8%CE%B1-%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%82-%CF%86%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%AC%CE%BE%CE%B5/
***
Equatorial
Guinea, a New market for Dutch Damen?
https://embajada-guinea-ecuatorial.com/en/european-companies-bet-on-the-gulf-of-guinea-market/
***
Meeting on
the #FCAS started Wednesday behind closed doors. Participants? The
bosses of the main European defense groups (Dassault, Airbus, Safran,
MTU) and the general delegate for armaments, Joël Barre, accompanied
by his German and Spanish counterparts.
https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/air-defense/exclusif-reunion-de-la-derniere-chance-pour-le-futur-avion-de-chasse-europeen-1291157
Addition: The stumbling block relates to intellectual property rights, with Berlin seeking to obtain concessions from Paris in order to be able to use technologies developed under FCAS for its own weapons programs. France is very reluctant to do so. https://www.latribune.fr/depeches/reuters/KBN2AH2J5/defense-paris-et-berlin-tentent-de-surmonter-leur-divergences-sur-le-scaf.html
***
Just posted a
series of tweets based on Dutch #arms export policy debate of
20/01/21. Attention for sales to #Egypt, #Indonesia, #Pakistan, and
#Turkey, and for components (to #UAE) and transit to #Chili and
#Somalia. Answers by Min of FA. Report in Dutch:
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
De
PvdA-fractie wil een toelichting op de afgegeven vergunning voor de
doorvoer van traangasgranaten naar Chili ter waarde van €115.000,
afkomstig uit Macedonië. Voor welk leger- of politieonderdeel zijn
deze bedoeld?
Antw: politie, nationale orde. https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
De SP-kritiek
wordt onderlijnend met antwoord op vragen export van militaire
componenten (¾ Nl export) voor wapensystemen die anderen exporteren,
zoals bijv. F-35 voor VAE. Nederland verschuilt zich hier achter de
brede rug van derden (bijv. VS Duitsland).
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
De SP
onderstreept haar constatering met vragen naar export van militaire
producten voor de marines van Pakistan, Turkije, Indonesië en Egypte
en ziet in die leveringen wel een probleem, daar waar de Nederlandse
overheid die niet ziet.
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
SP krijgt
oorwassing van Ministers. De SP schopte met de constatering dat de
belangen van m.n. de grote Nederlandse wapenproducerenten het zwaarst
wegen bij de afgifte van een vergunning tegen het zere been.
"Bovenstaande aannames zijn pertinent onjuis..."
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
GroenLinks,
SGP & PvdA vragen naar de doorvoer 12miljoen Bulgaarse kogels
naar Somalië via Rotterdam. De Regering trok na of Bulgarije het de
VN had gemeld. Bulgarije 'zal' dat doen. Zo kon de munitie naar een
land waartegen een wapenembargo geldt.
https://tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
(see feb 16 for facts)
***
GroenLinks
vroeg of de Regering kon motiveren waarom wapenexportbeleid geen
sanctiebeleid is en wat de ideologische gedachte achter dit standpunt
is. - voorkomen ongewenste inzet - daarvoor zijn andere instrumenten
Zie 5. Antwoord van het kabinet:
https://tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=48b59edd-da52-4d08-a974-db97a276de9b&title=Verslag%20van%20een%20schriftelijk%20overleg%20over%20het%20wapenexportbeleid%20%28Kamerstuk%2022054-334%29.docx
***
Niet wij zouden meer moeten uitgeven aan bewapening maar de Amerikanen minder. https://sp.nl/opinie/sadet-karabulut/2020/investeer-in-dialoog-niet-in-nog-meer-wapentuig
***
Retweet
@FrankSlijper: Regardless of use in
#Yemen conflict, “Saab is committed to work with local partners to
create world-class Emirati defense and security solutions for
national needs and for the global market.”
https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2021/02/17/saab-reveals-first-product-made-in-uae/
***
Israeli
Defense Ministry Delays Giving State Prosecutor Info on Guatemala
Arms Sales
The state prosecutor is conducting a probe of the possible role of Israeli officials in aiding crimes against humanity and genocide in Guatemala's civil war decades ago
***
Buying,
selling, looking weapons during the pandemic at IDEX arms fair in Abu
Dhabi. The deadly show must continue. IDEX opens its doors Feb.
21-25, with more than 1,300 vendors as well as five countries
participating for the first time.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/17/what-to-expect-at-idex-2021-a-defense-show-held-in-person-amid-a-pandemic/
February
17
***
Seems that
buckets full of lira's are going to a uncertain military project by
Ankara. The TF-X program, or MMU in its Turkish acronym, has been
crawling over the past years due to technological failures and
know-how transfer.
https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2021/02/16/turkey-hopes-new-engine-deal-will-power-future-tf-x-fighter-jet/
***
No substance
(often the problem with cyber attacks) in short article, but:
Algerian Minister of Communication and government spokesman, Ammar
Belhimer, said a "cyber war led by Israel and Morocco" was
being waged against his country.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210217-algeria-israel-morocco-waged-cyber-war-against-us/
***
A defence-technology partnership is emerging between Japan & the UK. The cooperation is mostly preliminary but not at all basic: the 2 countries are working together on some of the most challenging systems used in combat aircraft and there's more to come. https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/japan-and-uk-move-towards-partnership-to-develop-combat-aircraft-systems
***
Israeli
ministers approved arms purchases worth $9 billion with the US on
Sunday, the New Arab reported. The acquisition includes another
squadron’s worth of F-35 fighter jets, as well as four Boeing KC-46
refueling planes and advanced missiles and bombs.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210214-israel-ministers-seal-deal-with-us-for-9bn-worth-of-arms-purchases/
***
The Biden
administration announced Tuesday that it has approved plans for a
$197 million missile sale to Egypt.
Why it matters: The decision comes despite concerns about Egypt's human rights record. https://www.axios.com/biden-approve-egypt-arms-sale-human-rights-concerns-c7e2a6b8-8d05-43ca-92f9-9818134960e6.html
***
Securing
the 1st Asian customer for its latest product, Czech aircraft maker
Aero Vodochody has signed a contract to sell 12 L-39NG jet trainers
to Vietnam’s MoD. Czech arms exporter Omnipol is acting as an
intermediary for the deal.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/02/16/czech-aircraft-maker-boosts-asian-presence-with-vietnam-jet-trainer-deal/
February
16
***
Overview
Arabian military powers: personnel, strength, major weapons.
***
Defense News Pic of the Months shows transport of armoured patrol vehicles to Lebanese Armed Forces from the UK.
An overview
of militarised US aid to Israel. (See full report:
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf)
***
Hong Kong
police buy firearms from Czech supplier after US order blocked by
sanctions
https://hongkongfp.com/2021/02/16/hong-kong-police-buy-firearms-from-czech-supplier-after-us-order-blocked-by-sanctions-report/
Addition:
Czech arms company denies selling weapons to
Hong Kong police. To be continued?
https://uk.granthshala.com/czech-arms-company-denies-selling-weapons-to-hong-kong-police/
***
Project MLU
Fennek is opgezet om 322 Fennek-voertuigen op te lappen. Het is een
samenwerking tussen DMO, het Materieel Logistiek Commando van de
landmacht, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann #KMW uit Duitsland en de Nederlandse
subleverancier Van Halteren Metaal.
https://magazines.defensie.nl/materieelgezien/2021/01/08_fennek
***
Can the UAE
emerge as a leading global defense supplier? Proceeding with the IDEX
and NAVDEX 2021 defense trade exhibitions despite the coronavirus
pandemic underlines the defense-industrial intent of the United Arab
Emirates.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/15/can-the-uae-emerge-as-a-leading-global-defense-supplier/
***
To end the
Forever Wars, rein in the drones. An important and necessary step,
but also one of the needed steps. Read about the special function of
drones in the Endless War.
https://www.justsecurity.org/74690/to-end-the-forever-wars-rein-in-the-drones/
***
CZ BUYS COLT:
An Exclusive Interview with Lubomír Kovařík – President CZG. CZ
(Česká zbrojovka) is the main operating company of the Group,
located in Uherský Brod, Czechia. ČZs firearms are used by law
enforcement agencies & armed forces in 40+ countries.
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2021/02/15/cz-buys-colt/
***
Radio's
(5A001b3a) for Pakistan border guard (country with one of the most
militarised borders in the world as a result of India-Pak conflict)
were licensed Dec 23, 2020. Valued €15,989.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/exportcontrole-strategische-goederen/documenten/rapporten/2016/10/01/overzicht-dual-use-vergunningen
***
Dutch
license (Dec 12, 2020) for the export of image intensifiers to South
Africa (6A002a2a) dual use for military purposes. Value € 461,250.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/exportcontrole-strategische-goederen/documenten/rapporten/2016/10/01/overzicht-dual-use-vergunningen
***
Transit
of small arms ammo November and December 2020 to Turkey, Tanzania,
Somalia or Canada passing either Schiphol (plane) or Rotterdam (ship)
in the Netherlands. See:
https://rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2016/10/01/overzicht-doorvoer-militaire-goederen
***
Retweet
@sarahleah1: “People now know
quite well that nobody is going to help them, that they have to help
themselves, and that those countries that they used to look to for
change are part of the problem"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/14/world/middleeast/arab-spring-mideast-autocrats.html
***
European
Defence Agency has approved a list of 10 topics to be assessed ‘Key
Strategic Activities’ for the EU. All relate to either the EU
Capability Development Priorities or defence research priorities
agreed in #EDA.
Thanx to @_ENAAT
***
A Qatari
cyber research center has selected Leonardo to provide a cyber range
and training system to support security operations, the Italian firm
announced Feb. 3.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/2021/02/03/qatari-research-center-chooses-leonardo-for-cyber-range/
***
Reason for
attention is not the seize of the sale € 60,000, but the product
the M-113 armoured vehicle and the end user of components first going
to Spain to end up in Morocco fighting an illegal war in Western
Sahara. (7 Oct 2020, ML6a)
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2016/10/01/overzicht-doorvoer-militaire-goederen
***
#Ukraine Gulf
countries are increasingly producing and procuring military equipment
locally. Tech transfers & commitments to produce & buy
equipment locally 've become key factors in determining which
companies secure major arms sales orders in the region.
https://gulfbusiness.com/uaes-edge-group-signs-1bn-defence-agreements-with-ukrainian-state-owned-companies/
***
On Sunday,
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Turkey prepares to
send new Syrian mercenaries to Libya amid intern. calls for
withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the country. Turkey said its
troop presence in Libya will remain in place.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1809991/middle-east
***
The dominant
German priority in arms procurement seems to be national industrial
policy. In the year before Bundestag elections, major orders that
will be largely processed at German locations (frigate with Damen,
Airbus: Eurofighter & naval helicopter).
http://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/plus226372959/Hans-Peter-Bartels-Die-richtigen-Investitionen-fuer-die-Bundeswehr.html
***
According to
confirmed sources, Spain no longer has a budget in 2021 for the
European MALE drone, the #Eurodrone, developed by Germany, Spain,
France and Italy. Madrid re-allocated its budget in favor of the
Future Air Combat System #FACS - € 2bn.
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/l-eurodrone-torpillee-par-l-espagne-877684.html
***
Israeli
defence companies will not take part in next week's International
Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi due to
coronavirus-related restrictions on air travel, Reuters reported
Monday, citing Israeli officials.
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202102151082081487-israel-decides-to-skip-participation-in-uae-defence-expo-cites-covid-air-travel-restrictions/
***
Overzicht
wapenindustrie en kernwapens in Nederland
https://www.laka.org/tag/stop-wapenhandel
***
Suspect
in arms sale to Asian country was previously entangled in similar
case more than a decade ago.
Attempts, which both involved technology underpinning loitering munitions, expose holes in Israel’s defense export oversight mechanism. https://www.timesofisrael.com/suspect-in-arms-sale-to-asian-country-was-previously-entangled-in-similar-case/
February
15
***
Guess
which country is number 1 since 2008. Retweet @CaatData UK
arms export data for 2020Q3 have been added to the CAAT UK exports
browser: https://caat.org.uk/data/exports-uk/dashboard
***
That is
militarisation: Brussels' preferred solution is to scrap long-running
Airbus subsidies known as "launch aid" and shift the EU
model of funding innovation in the aviation sector toward military
spending, as part of EU's broader industrial strategy.
https://www.politico.eu/article/airbus-boeing-eu-new-subsidy-model-appease-joe-biden-trade/
***
Retweet
@lvandenassum The military was never
interested in peace or a democratic transition—and neither was Aung
San Suu Kyi, writes David Scott Mathieson.
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/myanmar-burma-coup-rohingya/
February
14
***
A revolving
door closed. A BID to appoint a former senior RAF officer as the
defence industry's top lobbyist only months after he left the
military has been shot down by public standards watchdogs. Trade
group ADS had selected Air Marshal Sir Julian Young.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/02/13/watchdog-blocks-lobby-job-former-top-raf-officer/
***
To date,
since 1948, the US has provided Israel $146 billion (current, or
noninflation-adjusted, dollars) in bilateral assistance & missile
defence funding. At present, almost all US bilateral aid to Israel is
in the form of military assistance.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf
CRS-report
***
The
Committees on Arms Export Controls launches an inquiry into the
Government’s 2019 Strategic Export Controls Annual Report
(published in November 2020), with a focus on enforcement and
compliance matters.
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/15/committees-on-arms-export-controls/news/139111/uk-arms-exports-in-2019-inquiry-launched/
***
S.Sudan urges
EU to support lifting of arms embargo.
https://www.independent.co.ug/south-sudan-urges-eu-to-support-lifting-of-arms-embargo/
***
Nowadays the
UAE is more active in Eritrea and perhaps Ethiopia. It has provided
weapons to Eritrea's army in defiance of a UN arms embargo. And it
has used an air and naval base in the port city of Assab to launch
air strikes in Yemen.
https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/02/13/gulf-rivalries-are-spilling-into-africas-horn
***
@RogerVleugels
en @keesamok ik kan niet overzien wat deze AIVD operaties in Roemenië
(erger dan de BND en VS) betekent, maar zie het verhaal ook niet
terug in de Nederlandse pers. Hoop dat jullie Roemeens beter is dan
het mijne, anders google vertaal.
https://www.national.ro/dezvaluiri/kgb-ul-olandez-aivd-atac-raider-asupra-romaniei-711383.html
***
The new Dutch
naval Combat Support Ship, Zr Ms Den Helder
(https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zr.Ms._Den_Helder), will be build in
Romania.
https://romanialibera.ro/economie/santierul-din-galati-construieste-o-nava-de-lupta-pentru-olanda-837015
***
Vakbondsman
CNV'er Piet Verburg vindt "het noodzakelijk dat Damen de order
voor de bouw van onderzeeboten in de wacht sleept."
Geen verbeelding, maar het militair apparaat als uitgangspunt? Alsof met € 3-4 miljard niet iets nuttigers gedaan kan worden. https://www.pzc.nl/zeeuws-nieuws/vakbondsman-piet-verburg-ze-zeggen-weleens-een-cao-regel-je-bij-de-pisbak~adcc185d/
***
Air New
Zealand’s contract with the Saudi military is an unacceptable
breach of obligations. The $3m contract, signed in 2019 to repair
critical engine components for Saudi naval vessels, is 2x the value
of NZ’s humanitarian assistance in 2019 to Yemen.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2102/S00103/air-nz-bought-share-of-the-blame-for-yemen-humanitarian-catastrophe-with-saudi-contract-oxfam.htm
***
A
twisted tale — involving secretive weapons deals — unravelled as
a result of social media, when Jerusalem-based human rights lawyer
Eitay Mack spotted evidence of shady arms sales between Israel and
Uganda on Twitter.
https://mg.co.za/africa/2021-02-12-unconscionable-the-race-to-stop-israel-from-selling-weapons-to-uganda/
February
13
***
Reaction:
Proud? This is the system Thales
Netherlands exported to Saudi Arabia to enable them to communicate
between tanks and vehicles in the war in Yemen.
https://broekstukken.blogspot.com/2018/01/shoot-on-yemen.html
***
Retweet
@ElluinA "Concernant l’activité de
Naval Group, La #CGT sera toujours opposée à la vente d’armes à
l’Arabie Saoudite, Les administrateurs salariés CGT voteront
toujours « contre » en conseil d’administration à toute remise
d’offre vers ce pays" :
https://fnte.cgt.fr/sites/default/files/2021-02/20210205%20Tract%20Naval%20Group%20sur%20Arabie%20Saoudite.pdf
***
Naval Base
Durban, home to the patrol squadron of the South African, is on track
to welcome the first Multi Mission inshore patrol vessel #MMIPV come
mid-year. They will be joined by a new hull currently under
construction at Damen Shipyards in Cape Town.
https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/naval-base-durban-shipshape-for-first-mmipv/
***
SAAB Kockums
is looking to upgrade for Sweden’s possible sale of used submarines
to Poland. In the competition to replace the Netherlands’
Walrus-class submarines, the Saab business is teamed with Dutch Damen
Shipyards to offer a vessel based on the A26.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/saab-seeks-to-diversify-naval-business
***
The US Army
wants to protect Special Forces operators from unmanned aerial
systems—better known as drones—by shooting them out of the sky
with high-energy weapons—better known as lasers.
https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2021/02/army-special-forces-wants-lasers-shoot-down-drones/171990/
***
French and
Spanish liberal MEPs have refused to endorse calls to end the sale of
European security equipment that fuel conflict in Yemen and demand
accountablity for member states that violate EU arms export rules.
https://euobserver.com/foreign/150908
***
EP reiterates
its call for an EU-wide ban on the export, sale, update and
maintenance of any form of security equipment to members of the
coalition, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, given the serious
breaches of humanitarian & human rights law in Yemen.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0053_EN.html
***
Addressing an
open session of the European Parliament (EP) on Tuesday, several
Members of the European Parliament strongly condemned continuing
violence in Yemen, calling for an end to EU arms exports to Saudi
Arabia and the UAE.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/02/12/645142/MEPs-condemn-war-on-Yemen,-demand-end-to-EU-arms-exports-to-Saudi-Arabia--UAE
***
10 years on:
what role did UK arms sales play? 2021 marks 10 years of citizens’
revolt against autocratic regimes in the Middle East and the latest
phase in a long history of UK manoeuvring in the region to further
its own economic and military interests.
https://caat.org.uk/news/the-arab-uprisings-10-years-on-what-role-did-uk-arms-sales-play/
***
President
Biden was not the most hawkish member of Obama’s Cabinet—that
distinction belongs to Hillary Clinton. But the militarized
“counterterrorism” policy that Biden explicitly supported is
precisely what keeps these conflicts raging.
https://progressive.org/magazine/war-machine-new-management-davies-benjamin/
February 12
Reaction on:
-@GKNAero in the Netherlands switches to 100% Wind power
-Accelerating #NetZero journey with 8% CO2 reduction per year
#sustainability #renewableelectricity #MakingThingsFly More here:
http://ow.ly/nNJl50Dyu7m (url
does not work) Photos Jens Van Hecke
Next point of attention. I read this week in a report by Transparency International: GKN Aerospace scores very low on commitment to tackle corruption. https://ti-defence.org/dci/
***
What is this child doing? Stealing the € 13 billion or giving it to the EU-soldier?
February
11
***
AI is
redefining the "defence & security" landscape and so is
the military industry. AI startups are seeking new commercial
opportunities for their technology in defence contracting. Three of
them pictured: Improbable Defence; Rebellion Defense; Adarga.
https://www.information-age.com/the-3-ai-startups-revolutionising-the-defence-sector-123493776/
***
Database
exposing decades of Israel’s shady arms deals. Israel has been
exporting arms to the world’s most repressive governments.
https://www.972mag.com/israel-arms-exports-database/
The database US Quaker American Friends Service Committee itself: https://www.dimse.info/
February
10
***
The
details on the Sa'ar 6 corvettes build by TKMS in Germany for the
Israeli navy. Remember similar ships were used during Israeli wars on
Gaza.
Sa’ar 6 Missile Corvette Joins Israel’s Navy, Eric Wertheim https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/february/saar-6-missile-corvette-joins-israels-navy
***
PSST:
BAE Systems has been selected to supply 12 Bofors 40 Mk4 naval guns to the Belgian & Dutch navies as part of the Mine Counter Measures Vessels (MCMV) program.
MCMV program valued almost one billion (€923,2m), Dutch alone. https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-naval-guns-selected-for-belgian-and-dutch-navies
***
Despite a suspension by the Court, the Wallonian government gave export permissions for Saudi Arabia again.
This export is not only immoral, but also illegal.
#StopArmingSaudi
Tweet has illustrated thread in Dutch.
Retweet @Vredesactie: BREAKING
Ondanks een schorsing door de rechtbank, exporteert de Waalse
overheid toch opnieuw wapens naar Saudi-Arabië. Deze export is niet
alleen immoreel, ze is ook illegaal. #StopArmingSaudi
***
Yemen may be
far away but ... there is a keen interest in Scotland in the conflict
- & a deep shame at our role in perpetuating it. If the Tories &
their "Global Britain is a force for good" mantra want to
be taken seriously, they should change policy now.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19077711.alyn-smith-global-britain-will-not-force-good-selling-arms/
***
Turkey is
undergoing extensive upgrades of its fleet of F-16 fighter jets, its
air force’s backbone. Such efforts are undoubtedly essential
because Ankara is unlikely to procure any fifth-generation
replacements for a long time to come.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/02/09/f-16s-for-the-foreseeable-future-how-fate-of-turkeys-air-force-could-resemble-irans-experience/
***
A UN report
in December accuses several countries of breaching a 2011 arms
embargo by supplying both camps.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210210-libya-s-decade-of-turmoil-since-kadhafi-s-fall
See also Final report of the Panel of Experts on Yemen, 25/01/21: https://undocs.org/S/2021/79
***
Retweet @HneumannMEP (Feb 8): Germany can stop arms exports to Turkey - if it wants to. But while it backs Greece e.g. in the Foreign Affairs Council, on the other hand it keeps delivering weapons to Turkey, including submarines that may be used against Greece. This is hypocritical! @skaigr
***
UK
authorised £1.4bn of arms sales to Saudi Arabia after exports
resumed
Campaigners accuse ministers of ‘putting profit before Yemeni lives’ as figures revealed
February
9
***
GKN
Aerospace, mother company of Fokker, scores very low on commitment to
tackle corruption. Thales, mother of major Dutch defence company
Thales Netherlands has a limited commitment as has Damen. Another
part of Dutch economy not to be proud on. https://ti-defence.org/dci/
***
They are paid
for products sold to governments, paid by taxes of all. But nearly
three-quarters of the world’s largest defence companies show little
to no commitment to tackling corruption, new research from
Transparency International reveals.
https://ti-defence.org/defence-companies-index-on-anti-corruption-and-corporate-transparency/
***
Turkey will
propose only partially activating its Russian S-400s in negotiations
with the United States, which sanctioned Ankara over the air defence
systems late last year, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar was cited as
saying on Tuesday.`https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2A9237
***
Retweet
@DMRKMexiko: Heckler & Koch
vor dem höchsten deutschen Strafgericht - Am 11. Februar 2021
verhandelt der Bundesgerichtshof die Revision im Fall der illegalen
#Rüstungsexporte von H&K nach #Mexiko. Pressemitteilung von
@ECCHRBerlin, @AktionAufschrei und @DMRKMexiko
***
We zien een
toenemend militair-industrieel complex aan onze grenzen', zegt Mark
Akkermans van @CTWnl. Hij onderzoekt al jaren de defensie-uitgaven
aan de buitengrenzen. 'De grootste Europese exporteurs van wapentuig
naar conflicten in het Midden-Oos ...'
https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20210205_98020768
***
Een recent
verschenen rapport over Frontex geeft een ontluisterend beeld van het
Europees Grens- en Kustwachtagentschap. Het laat zich belobbyen door
de wapenindustrie, houdt zich niet aan het EU-lobbyregister en
onttrekt zich aan democratische controle.
https://www.groene.nl/artikel/de-europese-grenswacht-heeft-zich-ontwikkeld-tot-een-oncontroleerbaar-beest
***
A Qatari
cyber research center has selected Leonardo to provide a cyber range
and training system to support security operations, the Italian firm
announced Feb. 3.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/2021/02/03/qatari-research-center-chooses-leonardo-for-cyber-range/
***
The LongShot
program wants to build a drone to be shot from a plane before firing
missiles itself, said the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
#DARPA running it. General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, & Northrop
Grumman are funded for design work.
https://www.airforcemag.com/design-gets-underway-on-darpas-longshot-drone/
***
The latest
edition of the annual exercises between the Indian and US armies
kicked off on February 8 at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in
Rajasthan, a western Indian state bordering Pakistan.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/indo-us-joint-military-exercise-yudh-abhyas-to-begin-in-rajasthan-on-february-8/article33739938.ece
***
Jerusalem
Post reports Israel’s security cabinet has approved the Defense
Ministry’s proposal to buy new aircraft and helicopters from the
US. This ends a three-year long dispute between the Defense and
Finance ministries over how to pay for the purchase.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/cabinet-okays-massive-us-israel-aircraft-deal-658176
***
French arms
trade corruption. One thing is certain: the settling of accounts,
against a background of unpaid commissions, remains the most serious
explanation for the attack committed on 8/5/02 in Karachi ... result:
15 dead, including 11 French employees.
https://www.letemps.ch/monde/armes-largent-republique-lecons-proces-karachi
***
German
refused 79 licenses for arms exports in 2020. The total value of the
applications was around € 55.46 million, the German government
replied to questions by Die Linke.
https://www.bundestag.de/presse/hib/820694-820694
***
Nederland
belangrijkste afnemer Duitse wapens in 2020 met 823 deals ter waarde
van een kleine €108 miljoen.
https://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/19/262/1926290.pdf
***
Q&A
on German arms exports to Thailand worth a total of € 52.4 million
between 2006 and October 2020.
https://www.bundestag.de/presse/hib/821144-821144
***
Burma
Campaign UK welcomed news that the EU has suspended its controversial
#Mypol training programme, training & equipping the Myanmar
Police Force. The police force took part in the genocide of the
Rohingya and has helped implement the new military coup.
https://burmacampaign.org.uk/eu-suspends-training-of-military-controlled-myanmar-police-force/
***
Bad post-war
policies in former Yugoslav republics one of the reasons organised
crime still strong. Because of arms embargo payments 4 purchased
weapons were usually made from uncontrolled budget funds. The
specialised groups illegally operate until today.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/08022021-factors-of-organized-crime-presence-in-western-balkans-oped/
***
French
company Thales announced last week that the French Army placed an
order for 3,000 additional O-NYX night vision goggles part of the
French government's project to replace small equipment like handguns,
helmets and bulletproof vests.
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/group/journalist/press-release/france-places-additional-order-thaless-o-nyx-night-vision-goggles
***
How do you
keep your Dutch business afloat? Damen built Russian yacht
(https://www.damenyachting.com/yacht/sx-75-01/) illegally in
Indonesian waters controlled by Damen vessel dominated Indonesian
navy.
https://www.tribunnews.com/regional/2021/02/08/ditpolairud-dan-tni-al-periksa-kapal-rusia-yang-lego-jangkar-di-pulau-rusa-aceh
***
British
ministers have refused to join the US in suspending arms sales to
Saudi Arabia for offensive use in war-torn Yemen, saying the UK makes
its own decisions about selling weapons.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/08/uk-declines-to-follow-us-in-suspending-saudi-arms-sales-over-yemen
***
As
a lawyer who advised the Government on the export of arms to the
Middle East, I worked with Boris Johnson – when he was Foreign
Secretary – on support for Saudi Arabia’s military action in
Yemen and saw first-hand his casual attitude to Yemeni life.
https://bylinetimes.com/2021/02/08/boris-johnsons-disregard-yemen-saudi-arabia/
February
8
***
@thef35: Did you know? The F-35 program supports hundreds of thousands of quality jobs across the U.S. and the world. Click the link below to explore the F-35’s economic impact. Replying to @thef35
Reply: Did you know?
F-35 total acquisition and sustainment costs for the 3 US military services who fly the aircraft estimated at over $1.6 trillion from the government budget. (See https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/708308.pdf)
With such an amount for renewals a
larger number of people would get a job.
***
Retweet
@MilitaryMonitor Exclusive -
Saudi soldiers trained on the simulator of the Swiss armaments
company #Ruag . Saudi Arabia is responsible for the state of Yemen.
Desert state fighters fuel the conflict. @FlorianIrminger @beretta_g
https://blick.ch/schweiz/ausbildung-zum-toeten-saudische-soldaten-trainierten-an-ruag-simulator-id16333692.html
Aanvulling :
Dutch export of components:
Date: February 14, 2019
ML14, B10
Description: components for simulation systems
destination: ZWITSERLAND
final destination: SAUDI-ARABIA
from: Netherlands.
***
Kazakhstan
has unveiled an indigenous unmanned air vehicle (UAV) dubbed Chagall.
The drone is developed by the National University of Defense of
Kazakhstan. It has a range of 30 kilometers and an endurance of 2.5
hours.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mod/press/news/details/156718?lang=ru
 |
| Foto bij Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, VK, begin februari 2021 |
***
Maltese
Labour MEP Alfred Sant has abstained on a European Parliament report
on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy as it
may imply support for further militarisation of Europe.
https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-02-06/local-news/Alfred-Sant-objects-to-further-militarisation-of-Europe-6736230776
***
Overestimation
is endemic in Indian defence circles, but: military industry in India
is eyeing a possible +/- $80bn of MoD orders over the next 7-8 years,
says D Patil, who heads the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers
(with 400 members).
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/defence-industry-eyes-orders-worth-80-bn-208556
***
Space Norway
HEOSAT SA Wins EU Contract worth € 1.5 million
https://tenderwolf.com/fr-BE/marches-publics/vehicules/C0jqy+G+rNMWoo94iwd1Hw==/acquisition-of-right-to-use-space-radiation-data-from-a-norwegian-highly-elliptical-orbit-satellite
an arctic broadband system that has military and
civil applications.
https://spacenews.com/space-norway-in-final-procurement-for-two-highly-elliptical-orbit-satellites/
***
Tom Andrews,
the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar, specifically called for targeted sanctions to be imposed on
the generals, those who are responsible for this for this coup, and
an international arms embargo.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/andrews-02052021170622.html
Biden is making Saudi Arabia a pariah now, it’s a pariah with benefits. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pariah-with-benefits-us-aiding-saudi-defense-despite-chill/2021/02/05/c15798b6-6775-11eb-bab8-707f8769d785_story.html
February
7
***
Question of
August 2020 by Jordi Solé/Diana Riba i Giner (both Verts/ALE)
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-004680_EN.html
on European collaboration with Turkish flights to the civil war in
Libya were finally answered by EU High Representative Borrell.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-004680-ASW_EN.pdf
He said Turkey has commi ...
BIDEN'S GULF ARMS BAN PUTS PRESSURE ON BORIS https://pressreader.com/uk/daily-mail/20210206/282089164457123
***
The director
of the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs, said his team is
“cautiously optimistic” that the Biden administration will follow
through on “ending US support for UAE's actions and relevant arm
sales.”
https://thehill.com/policy/international/537618-five-things-to-know-about-bidens-yemen-move
***
Ankara
intervened in 4 countries: 3x in Syria, Libya, northern Iraq &
Nagorno-Karabakh. This would hardly've been possible without drones.
The success of Ankara's expansionist foreign policy, which aims to
establish a neo-Ottoman empire, is based on them.
https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/plus225754371/Praesident-Erdogan-Tuerkei-setzt-im-Krieg-auf-militaerische-Drohnen.html
***
Merkel and
Macron have sought to give new impetus to the European aircraft of
the future #FCAS and to other military industrial cooperation
projects which are still in a delicate start-up phase.
https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/europe/securite-merkel-et-macron-poussent-leurs-projets-militaro-industriels-1287986
***
1)
No country with as much people living below poverty threshold as
India.
2) India 2nd arms importer (only after KSA). (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us-china-dominated-arms-market-in-2019-all-you-need-to-know-in-5-charts/articleshow/79607686.cms)
3) France made proposals to India as part of Dheli's "Make in India" policy in the field of armaments.
***
European
Court of Justice #EJC in Luxembourg suspended the signing of the
€1.47bn Galileo contracts with Thales Alenia Space & Airbus
following a protest filed by OHB, the losing bidder. The complaint
based on “allegations of theft of trade secrets.“
https://spacewatch.global/2021/02/eu-court-suspends-galileo-signing-with-thales-and-airbus-report/
SEA Defence is a feasibility study, within the European Defense Industrial Development Programme #EDIDP2019, to provide a roadmap of technologies to be included in the next generation of naval platforms & pursued in further European development programmes.
Companies & institutions:
Damen, NlFincantieri (supported by subsidiaries Cetena & Seastema), It
Naval Group, Fr
Navantia, Sp
SAAB Kockums, Sw
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Ge
Lürssen Defence, Ge
TNO, Nl
MARIN, Nl
Odense Maritime Technology, De
CTN, Sp
https://www.portseurope.com/fincantieri-officially-takes-part-in-the-sea-defence-project/
February 6
***
Maltese
Labour MEP Sant said that about half of the grants allocated under
the Fund happen to go to the biggest EU arms producers and exporters,
which leaves arms suppliers from other EU Member States with limited
funding on which to draw.
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/107527/alfred_sant_says_eu_security_and_defence_policy_text_ignores_maltas_constitutional_neutrality
***
Boris Johnson
under pressure to end support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen
US president Joe Biden reverses longstanding US support, branding war 'humantarian and strategic catastrophe'
***
The Biden
administration has paused indefinitely two precision guided munition
sales to Saudi Arabia, worth as much as $760 million, as part of a
new policy aimed at curtailing violence in Yemen, Defense News has
learned.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2021/02/05/boeing-raytheon-missile-sales-to-saudi-arabia-canceled-by-biden-administration/
***
UK urged to
follow US in restricting arms sales to Saudi Arabia
Tory former defence minister, Labour and charities call for rethink over Yemen conflict. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/05/uk-urged-to-follow-us-in-restricting-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia
***
@hmtillack"European
defence companies Airbus and Leonardo were awarded the most access,
with five meetings each." Terrific work on #Frontex by
@corporateeurope and @zdfmagazin #frontexfiles
https://corporateeurope.org/en/lobbying-fortress-europe
***
Biden
reiterates US support for Saudi Arabia, ends role in Yemen offensive
Saudi Arabia welcomed Biden’s “commitment to cooperate with the kingdom to defend its sovereignty and counter threats against it.”
https://thearabweekly.com/biden-reiterates-us-support-saudi-arabia-ends-role-yemen-offensive
***
Joe
Biden speech transcript 4/2: On arms sales to Saudi's: "we’re
ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in
Yemen, including relevant arm sale," but "We’re going to
continue to support and help Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty."
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/joe-biden-speech-on-foreign-policy-transcript-february-4-america-is-back
February
5
***
The
three-ship Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, the 2,500 Marines of
the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and F-35B's have taken position in
U.S. 5th Fleet in the North Arabian sea and are an easy sail to the
Strait of Hormuz, USNI News has learned.
https://news.usni.org/2021/02/04/f-35s-3-amphib-warships-2500-marines-operating-closer-to-iran-nimitz-reaches-edge-of-the-south-china-sea
***
India's
adversaries, especially Pakistan, should be military hit back
following terrorist attacks. Drones can help in low-intensity
retaliation by inflicting damage on distant targets, said retired
Indian general.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/drone-technology-critical-to-ward-off-threats-208104
***
Biden
Says He’s Ending the Yemen War—But It's Too Soon to Celebrate The
details of Biden’s Yemen war announcement are what matter. Those
are still not clear.
https://inthesetimes.com/article/yemen-war-end-saudi-arabia-biden-sullivan-trump
***
Staatssecretaris
Visser geeft aan de Kamervragen over de verkoop van Nederlandse MP5’s
in een Maltese wapenhandel niet op tijd te kunnen beantwoorden.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/kamerstukken/2021/02/02/uitstelbrief-beantwoording-kamervragen-over-de-verkoop-van-nederlandse-mp5s-in-een-maltese-wapenhande
***
UK
military delegation to Egypt seeks to strengthen ties as rights
abuses worsen
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210204-uk-military-delegation-to-egypt-seeks-to-strengthen-ties-as-rights-abuses-worsen/
***
While
Biden announced Thursday he was making good on his campaign
commitment to end US support for a 5-year Saudi-led bombing campaign
in Yemen, Biden is making clear not to abandon military assistance &
plans to help Saudi's strengthen its own defenses.
https://www.whio.com/news/politics/pariah-with-benefits/6U2TCP53MCUMZNJKAFVEIZO6AE/
***
US
military will no longer assist the bloody Saudi-led coalition
attacking Yemen, President Joe Biden will announce today, according
to Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
We must see what the real contents are, but its the right direction. https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2021/02/04/us-ends-support-for-saudi-led-war-in-yemen/
February 4
***
Retweet
@ElluinA: Australia: Freeze Arms
Sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/04/australia-freeze-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-uae
***
Why does
French continue to provide operational support to the Saudi's -
against public opinion, the media and NGOs - without demanding
industrial compensation, in the form of arms sales, for its
commitment, Michel Cabirol asks in La Tribune.
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/armement-l-arabie-saoudite-une-terre-devenue-inamicale-pour-la-france-840917.html
***
Retweet @NIDVnews:
State Secretary for Defence @Barbara_Visser1 joins
the Dutch-German Industry Day and stresses the importance of both
industries meeting each other even more frequently. She also notes
that the German Dutch cooperation is unique in Europe.
***
The ongoing
race for drones in the upper atmosphere. Thales Alenia Space &
Thales e.g. signed a contract with French DGA in 2021 for a study of
intelligence, surveillance, & reconnaissance applications using a
Stratobus. The first flight will be in 2023.
https://it-online.co.za/2021/02/04/the-ongoing-race-for-drones-in-the-upper-atmosphere/
***
EP
Amendments on EU Guidelines for the 2022 Budget:
Some are power hungry in Brussels, at the cost of human security: Defence Fund "requires a large sum of money to be allocated quickly."
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ITRE-AM-680881_EN.pdf
***
Whether
the UK eventually joins some projects in the EU’s PESCO on defense
remains to be seen. One test will be whether it seeks an
administrative arrangement to collaborate with the European Defence
Agency, as non-EU Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine & Serbia.
https://www.politico.eu/article/brexit-britain-eu-uk-trade-smells-like-teen-spirit/
***
Halt on arms
sales to UAE, but next exports are prepared. Global industry leaders
& specialists will attend the International Defence Conference
2021 in Abu Dhabi, Feb 20. Arms fairs IDEX 2021 and NAVDEX 2021, will
open the following day until the Feb 25.
https://wam.ae/en/details/1395302906841
***
Raytheon
isn't blameless in Yemen's civil war crisis.
Villagers of Arhab were in a celebratory mood before the bomb exploded. The small Yemeni town had just struck water on a new well when a precision-guided munition crashed into the site, killing 31.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-arizona-republic/20210203/281784221773971
***
Japan as arms
exporter. Having learnt from their early stumbles, the Japanese are
having a go again with tech on offer
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/japan-as-arms-exporter-is-an-idea-thatll-take-some-getting-used-to
***
Fortify
Rights, a Southeast Asian group, called on the UN Security Council to
impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar and refer the situation in
the country to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/expel-02022021174602.html
EU still has one: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/04/29/myanmar-burma-council-prolongs-sanctions/
***
Politieke
druk op de Westerse regeringen om wapenleveranties en militaire
samenwerking te stoppen totdat een werkende vredesregeling van kracht
is, dat zou onze bijdrage moeten zijn tegen de oorlog in Jemen.
https://broekstukken.blogspot.com/2021/02/is-een-wapenembargo-het-antwoord.html
***
Turkey
and Germany are set to take concrete steps in bilateral defence and
security policy, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said.
https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-germany/turkey-and-germany-take-concrete-steps-defence-security-akar-says
***
UK
urged to follow US and stop arms sales contributing to ‘humanitarian
catastrophe’.
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2021/02/03/uk-urged-to-follow-us-and-stop-arms-sales-contributing-to-humanitarian-catastrophe/
February
3
***
The evident
realpolitik that forms the tacit conceptual framework for the
continued cooperation by European governments - included arms sales -
with the Egyptian regime is increasingly becoming an unrealpolitik.
https://en.qantara.de/content/five-years-after-the-murder-of-giulio-regeni-europes-dangerous-egypt-policy?page=0%2C1
***
Retweet
@AnneSofieLB: Norway is supplying
arms to several dictators and countries at war. NGOs been talking
about this for years. Now the Norwegian Auditor General delivers a
stinging criticism of the government's strategic arms export control.
#armscontrol @ChangemakerNor
https://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/i/GaB7X6/sterk-kritikk-av-uds-kontroll-med-norsk-vaapeneksport-en-skandale
***
Don Heflin,
Charge d'Affaires of the US in India said the American defence
industry demonstrated its commitment to partner with India to provide
high-quality, advanced defence equipment widely considered the most
operationally reliable in the world.
https://www.expresscomputer.in/news/us-actively-exploring-ways-to-bring-advanced-tech-to-india-charge-daffaires/72544/
***
UAE
ambassador to Washington says he is confident the sale of F-35 jets
will go through after review by Biden administration.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/2/uae-confident-f-35-jets-sale-will-go-through-says-ambassador
***
The
director-general of the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center (YEMAC)
said the Saudi-led coalition has dropped 3,179 cluster bombs (made in
US, UK and Brazil) on Yemen since the beginning of its aggression
against the defenseless Yemeni people in 2015.
https://parstoday.com/en/news/west_asia-i133444-saudis_allies_dropped_over_3_000_cluster_bombs_on_yemen_since_2015_official
***
President
Biden delegates to the Secretary of State the authority to determine
whether it is vital to the national security interests of the US to
make up to $6.8m in sales of cluster munitions technology under the
Arms Export Control Act to South Korea.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/02/2021-02250/delegation-of-authority-under-section-614a2-of-the-foreign-assistance-act-of-1961
***
Lord Judd ask
Hr Ms Government what plans they have to suspend: the granting of
arms export licences; 2 military support, to Saudi Arabia & its
coalition partners involved in operations in Yemen. Answer: The UK
has an ongoing defence relationship with KSA.
https://members.parliament.uk/member/1660/writtenquestions?page=1#expand-1279794
***
Airbus will showcase a wide selection of its military technology at 'Aero India 2021' an aeronautic fair in India 3-5, Feb. 2021. It involves the C295 transport A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, the combat-proven multi-role helicopter & the AS565MBe Panther etc. https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2021/01/airbus-prepares-for-a-strong-presence-at-aero-india-2021.html
***
With a
feeling for understatement, the Greek Minster of Defence said
"financial capacities aren't inexhaustible." A comment made
in the context of acquiring more fighter jets: Rafales or the "main
fifth generation aircraft" in NATO, Lockheed's F-35.
https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/grece-f-35-ou-et-rafale-supplementaires-876185.html
***
Why arms
trade isn't always just trade, but has more to do with geopolitics
than with the quality & price of the products; as in the recent
case of anti-submarine warfare helicopters for South Korea. A deal
the US, rolling its muscles won, & Leonardo lost.
https://www.ft.com/content/29b720e5-c9f0-4ff2-92b6-fa9b942b150f
***
Israel
Aerospace Industries on Monday announced more than $100 million in
contracts for loitering munitions in three deals that include the
Rotem VTOL and the Harop drones. The latter was sold in its land and
naval versions. Customers were not disclosed.
https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2021/02/02/israeli-firm-sells-harop-rotem-kamikaze-drones-to-several-asian-countries/
***
Turkey
launches F-16 life-extension program amid lack of replacement
aircraft. The indigenous fighter program, dubbed TF-X (or MMU Turkish
acronym), has been crawling over the past years due to technological
failures and issues with know-how transfers.
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/turkey-launches-f-16-life-extension-program-amid-lack-of-replacement-aircraft/
February
2
Retweet
@FrankSlijper:
UN Panel of Experts on #Yemen is "investigating chain of custody
of components of the surface-to-air missiles, which were seized from
the dhows Al-Raheeb and Al-Qanas-1".
"The main
engine of the missile is a Titan gas turbine manufactured by AMT
Netherlands. The Panel learned that the engines were part of two
shipments in 2017 and 2019 that were received by companies in Hong
Kong, China." "
The export licence for the engines
issued by the Netherlands explicitly states that they should not be
sold or re-exported. China has informed the Panel that the company
whose name was used to import the engines ceased to exist in 2014"
https://undocs.org/S/2021/79
***
Damen Marine
Components (Hardinxveld-Giessendam) will provide rudders &
components for the control system of 4 French naval vessels build by
French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique. They will be used to
deliver troops & supplies to combat ships at sea.
https://www.ad.nl/rivierenland/bedrijf-uit-hardinxveld-levert-roeren-en-onderdelen-voor-vier-franse-marineschepen~a8a3c3ab/
***
Turkey, China
prepare Pakistan for future wars.
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=797461
(Dutch technology included, no problem The Hague stated
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/document?id=f04dff03-f93d-44e8-8d90-310058165b0a&title=Lijst%20van%20vragen%20en%20antwoorden%20over%20de%20afgifte%20vergunning%20voor%20export%20militair%20materieel%20naar%20Pakistan%20via%20Turkije.doc)
***
De minimaal
€3½ miljard kostende onderzeeboten blijven gemoederen beroeren.
https://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/cnt/dmf20210201_3466798
Niet verwonderlijk. Nu de gevolgen van Covid-19 voor de langere
termijn nog niet duidelijk zijn, een forse uitgave post.
Merwede grijs bestaat wel: https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/navy/capability/hmsnzs-canterbury-l421/
***
The US Coast
Guard has announced a ceremony at Portsmouth Base to introduce the
Sentinel-class Charles Moulthrope. The Sentinel class boat was
developed on the basis of the Damen Stan Patrol 4708 to counter
illegal migration and smuggling, control fishi...
https://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-commissions-first-patforswa-sentinel-class-cutter/2021/01/22/
***
Artikel over
materieelprojecten in #Roemenië. Het lijkt een vriendjespolitiek
bende als ik mijn vertaal programma er op los laat. Maar is er iemand
in Nederland wapenprogramma's van dit land waar #Damen zo'n voorname
militaire producent is kritisch volgt?
https://www.national.ro/dezvaluiri/efectul-bals-ciuca-inca-3-miliarde-pentru-lockheed-martin-710354.html
***
Boeing
awarded a $20 million modification to a contract for long lead
integrated logistics support, initial spares package and peculiar
ground support equipment for the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2487798/
***
Retweet
@LaurieTreffers: Jip van Dort
(@UtrechtUni) in @Trouw: "Alles is erop gericht de zwarte
bladzijden van Nederlandse oorlogvoering, en het menselijke leed dat
daarachter schuilgaat, uit beeld te houden, opdat de mythe van de
schone oorlog in stand gehouden wordt."
https://www.trouw.nl/opinie/nederland-probeert-de-mythe-van-de-schone-oorlog-in-stand-te-houden~bc63e9e7/
***
Spain based
GMV Aerospace and Defence S.A.U has secured contract from European
Defence Agency for Artificial Intelligence in Guidance, Navigation
and Control for Aerial Applications (AI-GNCAIR).
https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:35192-2021:TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0
***
On Friday,
January 29, 2021, the German Bundestag discussed motions from Bündnis
90/Die Grünen and Die Linke for an arms embargo against Turkey for
half an hour.
https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2021/kw04-de-u-boote-tuerkei-817450
***
The Greek
Defense Minister Panagiotopoulos wanted his German counterpart
Kramp-Karrenbauer to stop the German submarine deliveries to Turkey.
He got a rejection.
https://www.heise.de/tp/features/Deutsche-U-Boote-Waffenhilfe-fuer-Erdogan-5042079.html
***
German
comedian Evers: "you can say that I'm raising my daughter like
the Min. of Economics executes arms export controls. Strict,
according to all guidelines. But when someone wants to buy, then
you've to examine the individual case & both always give in.
https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/kultur/comedy-die-deutschen-koennen-ja-doch-selbstironie-also-zumindest-horst-evers-kann-das-ld.2093354
***
When it comes to
the latest Eritrean war preparations, the most important goal in the
rehabilitating mission was to convince the UN to lift the sanctions
it had imposed on Eritrea, specifically the arms embargo.
https://www.ethiopia-insight.com/2021/01/23/the-peace-that-delivered-total-war-against-tigray/
See for background: https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/01/02/evidence-mounts-that-eritrean-forces-are-in-ethiopia
***
Retweet:
@hmasson_FRS: Selles-Saint-Denis:
the MBDA missile does not know the crisis / Selles-Saint-Denis : le
missilier MBDA ne connaît pas la crise
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/commune/selles-saint-denis/selles-saint-denis-mbda-investit-et-recrute
***
"Decisive
action is imperative, including the imposition of strong targeted
sanctions, and an arms embargo until such time as democracy is
restored," said Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the
situation of human rights in Myanmar.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26706&LangID=E
***
Overzicht:
Nederland en de NAVO-kernwapenstrategie. Welke Nederlandse bedrijven
zijn betrokken bij wapenproductie? Welke onderzoeksinstituten? Welke
militaire installaties zijn betrokken bij de kernbewapening? En waar
kan je zelf informatie vinden?
https://stopwapenhandel.org/sites/stopwapenhandel.org/files/wapenindustrie%20kernwapens.pdf
***
First Dutch
military satellite BRIK II will be launched in March by Virgin Orbit.
[ in Dutch]
De eerste Nederlandse militaire satelliet wordt in de ruimte gebracht door de Amerikaanse firma Virgin Orbit. https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2021/03/06_satelliet_03
***
Elbit:
Activists stage protest at Oldham weapons factory
The protest comes weeks after the Ministry of Defence confirmed Elbit had won a contract for new "sensor to shoot" system. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-55891683
***
Turkish
armoured vehicle manufacturer Katmerciler is negotiating a $30m
contract to supply 50 Hizir armoured personnel carriers to the Kenyan
police as the Kenyan army prepares to take delivery of 100 others.
[pay wall]
https://www.africaintelligence.com/eastern-and-southern-africa_business/2021/02/01/katmerciler-s-armoured-vehicles-take-the-police-and-army-by-storm-with-erdogan-s-backing,109639095-ar1
***
Earlier this
week, Italy blocked arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates after concerns were raised that the weapons could be used to
kill civilians in Yemen, in a decision that campaign groups described
as "historic".
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-arabia-matteo-renzi-mbs-renaissance-labour-costs
Addition: Italy blocks arms exports to Saudi Arabia and UAE
Campaigners said the decision would block 12,700 bombs bound for Riyadh and Abu Dhabi https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-arabia-uae-italy-blocks-arms-exports
Addition: Italy permanently blocks arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE over Yemen https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/italy-permanently-blocks-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia-uae-over-yemen
***
Pakistan
daily the Nation signals: France is arming India to teeth
Europe is far more stable than South Asia but for France, South Asian instability appears to be a business opportunity to sell its arms
https://nation.com.pk/01-Feb-2021/france-arming-india-to-teeth
***
Activists
petition against Israeli arms export to Uganda. On Jan. Defense
Minister Benny Gantz called to halt the sale of Israeli arms to a
private militia, the Special Forces Command (SFC), associated with
Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni.
https://pressnewsagency.org/activists-petition-against-israeli-arms-export-to-uganda/
