In hun streven naar een Europese wapenindustrie willen Duitsland en Frankrijk meer samenwerken op het gebied van wapenproductie en daarvoor bedenken ze nieuwe regels. De relatief strikte Duitse uitleg van de wapenexportrichtlijnen dreigt daarmee op een hellend vlak te komen. En in het kielzog van beide grote landen dreigt dit ook te gaan gelden voor het wapenexportbeleid van andere Europese landen.
Eind 2019 had de European Round Table, een lobbyvereniging waar ook de bazen van de grote Europese wapenindustrieën deel van uitmaken, een speciale bijeenkomst in Toulouse, Frankrijk. Ze kregen daar gezelschap van Angela Merkel en Francois Macron. Op de agenda stond “een ambitieuzer Europees industrie- en innovatiebeleid.”
Eerder in 2019 presenteerden de Duitse bondskanselier en de Franse president al het Verdrag van Aken, waarmee hun militaire samenwerking werd geformaliseerd. Er waren daarna nog wel enkele hordes te nemen. Frankrijk wilde de mogelijkheid hebben gezamenlijk geproduceerde militaire goederen naar Saoedi-Arabië te exporteren, terwijl Duitsland een wapenembargo tegen het Saoedische koninkrijk heeft. In aanwezigheid van de top van de Europese militaire industrie hebben Merkel en Macron in de verklaring van Toulouse hun meningsverschillen over wapenexportcontrole bijgelegd. Deze verklaring versoepelt de industriële samenwerking op defensiegebied tussen Frankrijk en Duitsland, met name voor het toekomstige ambitieuze luchtwapensysteem (het Future Combat Air System, FCAS of Next Generation Weapon System, NGWS) en de gevechtstank European Main Battle Tank (de European Main Battle Tank, EMBT of Main Ground Combat System, MGCS), twee van de belangrijkste Europese wapensystemen die momenteel ontwikkeld worden. Daarnaast bevat de verklaring een bijlage van twee pagina's met wapensystemen die van deze samenwerking worden uitgezonderd. Dat zijn handvuurwapens, artillerie, munitie, projectielen en luchtframes en motoren voor militaire vliegtuigen, tankkoepels en chassis.
Kern van 'Toulouse' is informatie-uitwisseling in een vroeg stadium van een project, om onenigheid in een later stadium te voorkomen. Gewoonlijk wordt wapenexport gereguleerd door het Gemeenschappelijk Standpunt van de EU ( 2008/944 / GBVB) en het VN-Wapenhandelsverdrag (ATT). De belangrijkste verandering is dat wanneer er problemen ontstaan over de interpretatie van deze wapenexportregels, er in 'Toulouse' wordt gedefinieerd dat een zogenaamde de-minimisverklaring leidend is. Dit betekent dat wanneer subsystemen en componenten minder dan 20 procent van het wapensysteem uitmaken, het land waar het systeem wordt geassembleerd de exportbeslissing kan nemen (een vergelijkbare de-minimis wordt gevolgd in geval van reparatie, opleiding en revisie). Een specifieke export kan worden stopgezet wanneer de nationale veiligheid van Frankrijk of Duitsland in het geding is.
Nederlandse pleitbezorgers van wapenhandel
Net voor de Nederlandse verkiezingen gebruikten de (inmiddels afgetreden) parlementariërs Van Helvert (CDA) en Bosman (VVD) de uitkomst van Toulouse om een bijna volledige afbraak van de Nederlandse wapenexportcontrole voor te stellen. Ze schreven een notitie over het Nederlandse wapenexportbeleid waarin ze beweerden dat exportcontrole de Nederlandse militaire industrie ondermijnt door een te strikte en grillige interpretatie van het Europese Gemeenschappelijk Standpunt betreffende wapenexport. Volgens de Nederlandse centrumrechtse parlementariërs is Nederland de padvinder onder volwassen wapenexporterende EU-landen. Ze constateren dat sommige EU-landen streng zijn bij het toepassen van wapenexportcontrole, en andere flexibel. Van Helvert en Bosman categoriseren Duitsland, Zweden en Zwitserland in één groep met Nederland als landen die een strikte uitleg volgen. Frankrijk is de grote boosdoener op het gebied van wapenexport en beperkt deze nauwelijks. Volgens de Nederlandse parlementariërs faalt het Nederlandse wapenindustriebeleid door een te strikte en grillige wapenexportcontrole die deals met conflictregio's en mensenrechtenschenders beperkt.
De toenmalige parlementariërs onderstrepen het belang van de Nederlandse militaire industrie met cijfers en analyses. De militaire industrie genereert 0,7 procent van het bbp en levert tienduizenden banen op, maar geeft ook toegang tot de technologie van wapensystemen, de potentie om samen te werken bij ontwikkeling van wapens (waardoor Nederlandse militaire eisen kunnen worden meegenomen). Een sterke Nederlandse militaire industriële basis versterkt zelfs de Europese Unie, aldus de parlementariërs. Met zoveel Europees patriottisme kan men zich afvragen waarom CDA en VVD de aankoop van bijna de gehele vloot van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht in de VS steunden. Het kopen van Apache-gevechtshelikopters, F-35-gevechtsvliegtuigen, C-130-transportvliegtuigen, Chinook-heli's) en Patriot-raketten versterkt de Amerikaanse wapenindustrie, niet een Europese defensie-industriële capaciteit. Niet alleen in de lucht, maar ook op zee heeft de VS een sterke invloed; projectielen voor Nederlandse marineschepen worden voornamelijk aan de andere kant van de Atlantische Oceaan gekocht. Steun voor Europese productie lijkt slechts als gelegenheidsargument te worden gebruikt.
Europese Unie en Verenigde Staten
Dat de VS in de notitie ontbreekt is ook opmerkelijk aangezien de VS is al decennia lang de grootste importeur van Nederlandse componenten zijn. Er zijn nauwelijks politieke problemen geweest bij die leveringen. Nederlandse politici gaan ervan uit dat bondgenoten hun eigen wapenexportcontroles uitvoeren en eindbestemmingen voor onderdelen worden daarom niet gecontroleerd voor Nederlandse export naar de VS, Duitsland en andere EU / NAVO+-landen (behalve Turkije).Het probleem ligt niet op het gebied van de export van componenten. Het probleem voor de Nederlandse militaire industrie en hun spreekbuizen in het parlement zijn grotere subsystemen die worden ingebouwd in grote wapensystemen (vooral marineschepen) die bij export aan het parlement moeten worden gemeld. Bijna nooit zijn die meldingen een reden voor discussie en controverse, wel in het geval van Saoedi-Arabië en Egypte.
Sinds de Amerikaanse verkiezingen ligt het 'zachte' Nederlandse beleid ten aanzien van wapenexport naar Saoedi-Arabië in lijn met het standpunt van de VS. Verbazingwekkend hoe snel het buitenlands beleid kan veranderen. Al in de eerste maand ging het beleid van Biden rechtstreeks in tegen het beleid van zijn voorgangers Obama en Trump, die beiden Saoedi-Arabië steunden. De VS lijken op dit moment een meer op mensenrechten gericht wapenexportbeleid toe te willen passen.
Flexibel wapenhandelsbeleid
De Nederlandse parlementariërs stellen in hun memo voor om bij Europees Defensiefonds (EDF) gefinancierde projecten een algemene vergunning te verlenen nog voordat een wapensysteem is ontwikkeld. Hiermee moet worden voorkomen dat Nederlandse bedrijven buiten de boot vallen omdat potentiële partners vrezen dat de Nederlandse overheid uiteindelijk geen exportvergunning zal verlenen. (p. 11) In door het EDF gefinancierde programma's spelen verschillende Nederlandse bedrijven zoals TNO en Damen een grote rol en er is een groeiend spectrum aan wapens die binnen het programma gesteund worden. Het voorstel opent bijvoorbeeld de deur voor ongebreidelde medewerking aan ontwikkeling, productie en export van drones – dit is namelijk een van de sleuteltechnologieën waarop de EU zich richt – als Nederlandse bedrijven meedoen in met EU-financiering door het EDF.
Andere voorstellen van de twee inmiddels afgezwaaide parlementariërs zijn: - deelnemer worden aan de Duitse Franse verklaring van Toulouse (of als dit niet lukt het gelijkaardige bilaterale overeenkomst aangaan met een van hen of andere lidstaten van de Europese Unie en Noorwegen) - de 20 procent 'de minimis'-regel gebruiken als standaard bij de verkoop van subsystemen en componenten voor belangrijke wapensystemen die door de EU en Noorwegen worden geproduceerd. - ruimte creëren voor meer inbreng van het Ministerie van Economische Zaken ten opzichte van het Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken als het gaat om wapenexportbeslissingen.
Componenten en subsystemen
Componenten vormen het grootste deel (rond 80%) van de Nederlandse wapenexport en worden bij export naar een EU / NAVO + -land niet vaak als problematisch ervaren, ook niet als de eindbestemming van de wapensystemen in Nederland controversieel zou zijn. Ze vallen zelfs onder de Algemene en Globale exportvergunningen*. Daardoor is er voor wapenindustrieën nauwelijks een belemmering om hiermee internationaal samen te werken en onderdelen tussen bedrijven uit te wisselen.
Ook grotere subsystemen voor grote wapensystemen zijn zelden controversieel. Subsystemen kunnen gevechtsdatasystemen en vuurleidingsradar zijn. Thales levert momenteel subsystemen voor Duitse fregatten die naar Egypte worden geëxporteerd. Het is een van de grootste vergunningen die in 2020 zijn afgegeven. De schepen kosten € 5-600 miljoen, de systemen € 114 miljoen. De 20 procent de-minimisregel is misschien net genoeg om zelfs deze grote export buiten controle van het Nederlands parlement te houden.
Hoge standaard
Bij nadere beschouwing van de Duits-Franse samenwerking wordt wel duidelijk dat Bosman en Van Helvert enkele cruciale punten hebben gemist:
– de Duits-Franse band is niet zo sterk als het memorandum suggereert. In de media zijn de moeilijkheden tussen Duitsland en Frankrijk bij de ontwikkeling van het Future Air Combat System (het belangrijkste onderdeel van de militaire industriële samenwerking) breed uitgemeten. Na weken van moeizame onderhandelingen werden slechts minieme resultaten bereikt en er is nog steeds een reële dreiging van een veto over het programma. Ook de gevechtstank lijkt vast te lopen. Franse defensiedeskundigen schreven onlangs in een gezamenlijk ingezonden artikel dat Duitsland “een partner is die niets gemeen heeft met Frankrijk.” – Bosman en Van Helvert suggereren ten onrechte dat de overeenkomst alle militaire componenten omvat. De bijlage sluit een breed scala aan wapensystemen uit, waaronder houwitsers zoals de PzH2000 (door hen juist als voorbeeld genoemd van een wapen dat baat kan hebben bij een dergelijke overeenkomst). – De ontwikkelingen in het wapenexportbeleid van de Verenigde Staten hebben een dynamiek die richting het Nederlandse beleid gaat. In Frankrijk zelf worden de ontwikkelingen in het wapenexportbeleid ook steeds meer in twijfel getrokken, dat blijkt bijvoorbeeld uit het Franse parlementaire Maire-Tabarot rapport over wapenexportcontroles. Franse politici en ngo's maken zich steeds meer zorgen over wapenexport. Nederland wordt in dat debat naar voren gebracht als voorbeeld.
De Duitse wapenindustrie wil het lakse Franse beleid gebruiken om de Duitse strikte wapenexportcontrole te omzeilen. Er is geen enkele reden om in Nederland dit idee te omarmen. Het huidige wapenexportregime biedt meer dan voldoende ruimte voor industrieën om samen te werken. En slechts in enkele gevallen wordt een levering een halt toegeroepen. Maar dat is nou precies het doel van het wapenexportbeleid. Misschien is het waar dat als Nederlanders geen wapens levert, en andere landen wel, het resultaat nihil is. Maar als Nederland anderen gaat volgt in die laksheid, dan is het resultaat ook duidelijk: dan zal de controle op wapenexporten verzwakken of zelfs verdwijnen. . Martin Broek, april 2021
* Zie voor een recentere User Guide in het Nederlands: HANDBOEK STRATEGISCHE GOEDEREN EN DIENSTEN; Geschreven voor bedrijven en andere belangstellenden (Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, maart 2018)
In
their aspirations towards a European arms industry, Germany and
France want to cooperate more in arms production and invent new
rules. As a consequence, the humanitarian position of Germany is on a
slippery slope. And so are the arms export policies of other European
countries.
Earlier
that year the German Chancellor and the French President had
presented the Treaty of Aachen, to confirm continued defence
friendship although France wanted to export jointly produced military
goods to Saudi Arabia while Germany has an arms embargo to the Saudi
kingdom. Supported by the presence of top European military industry
leaders, Merkel and Macron solved their differences in the
Toulouse declaration
on arms export control.
This declaration smoothens
defence industrial cooperation between
France and Germany on the Future Air Combat System (FCAS or Next
Generation Weapon System, NGWS) and the European Main Battle Tank
(EMBT or Main Ground Combat System, MGCS), two of the major
European weapon development programs.
The declaration includes a two page long annex listing weapon systems
not covered by it. Which are small arms, artillery, ammunition,
projectiles and air frames and engines for military planes, tank
turrets and chassis.
Key element of 'Toulouse' is information
exchange in the early stages of a project, to prevent disagreement in
a later stage. In general arms export is regulated by the EU Common
Position (2008/944/CFSP)
and the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
The major change is that when problems arise about interpretation of
the arms control regulations, it is defined in 'Toulouse' that a
so-called de-minimis declaration is leading. Meaning that when
subsystems and components making up less than 20 per cent of the
weapon system the supplying countries of the subsystems follows the
decisions of the country of final assemblage (a simililar de-minimis
is followed in case of repair, education, and overhaul). A specific
export can be stopped when the national security of France or Germany
is at stake.
Dutch
arms trade proponents
Just
before the Dutch elections, parliamentarians Van Helvert of the
Christian Democrats (CDA) and Bosman of the Liberal Party (VVD) used
the outcome of the Toulouse high-level lobby event to propose a
nearly full demolition of Dutch arms export control. They wrote
a memorandum
on Dutch arms export policy claiming
that export control is undermining the Dutch military industry, due
to a too strict and capricious interpretation of the European Common
Position on Arms Export. According to the Dutch center right
parliamentarians the Netherlands is boyscout among grownups in arms
exporting EU. Some EU countries are strict when applying arms export
control, others are flexible. Van Helvert and Bosman categorize
Germany, Sweden and Switzerland in one group with the Netherlands as
countries applying strict implementation. France is the proverbial
black kettle on arms exports, hardly restricting it at all. According
to the Dutch parliamentarians, a strict arms export control which
limits deals with conflict regions and human rights violators is a
failing arms industry policy.
According to the parliamentarians,
the military industry is important for the Netherlands, contributing
0.7 per cent of GDP and tens of thousands of jobs, but also giving
direct access to weapon systems, the potential to co-develop
(providing possibility to include Dutch military requirements). A
strong Dutch military industrial base strengthens the European Union,
according to the parliamentarians. With so much patriotism one can
wonder why CDA and VVD were backing the acquisition of almost all
Royal Dutch Air Force assets in the US. Buying Apache attack
helicopters, F-35 fighter aircraft, C-130 transport planes, Chinook
heli's, and Patriot missiles is contributing to American not to European arms
industrial base. Not only in the air, but also at sea the US has a
strong influence; naval projectiles for Dutch naval vessels are
mainly bought on the other side of the Atlantic. Support for European
production seem to be used just as an occasional argument.
European
Union and United States
That
the US is absent in the memorandum is remarkable, because the US
is the largest importer of Dutch components for
decades and only seldom there have been obstacles with those
deliveries. Dutch politicians assume that allies do their own arms
export controls and thus final destinations for components are not
controlled for Dutch exports to the US, Germany, and other EU/NATO+
countries (except Turkey). Apparently the problem is not the export
of components. The problem for the military industry and their
mouthpieces in parliament is bigger subsystems for major weapon
systems which have to be reported to Parliament when exported. Hardly
ever a case for discussion and controversy, but in the case of Saudi
Arabia it is.
Since
the US elections the 'soft' Dutch policy on arms export to Saudi
Arabia is in line with the US position. Amazing how quickly
foreign policy can change. In its first month at the center stage Biden
mirrored
the policy of his predecessors Obama and Trump, both supporting
Saudi Arabia. Change is part of foreign policy, some parts are more
stable than other parts, but change is inevitable and also arms trade
policy adapts to new realities on power balances and geopolitical
change. That is reason the arms export criteria are kept
multi-interpretable. Now the US
seems to adapt
a more human rights focused arms export policy. The Dutch position
is not weaker, as both argue, but stronger.
Flexible
arms trade policy
The
proposals of the Dutch politicians might be copied by arms trade
proponents in other countries so a close look is necessary. The Dutch
politicians propose in their memo that for European Defence Fund
(EDF) financed projects a general license should be granted even
before a weapon systems is developed. This should prevent that Dutch
companies are left out because potential partners fear the Dutch
government might not grant an export license in the end. (p. 11) In
EDF funded programs several Dutch companies like TNO and Damen play
a major role and there is a growing universe of weapons involved. The
proposal opens the door for example for drones – one of the
key technologies
the EU focuses on to be exported freely because of EU-funding.
Other
proposals by the parliamentarians are:
to become participant in the German French Toulouse declaration (or
if this fails starting a similar bilateral agreement with one of them
and other European Union Member states and Norway).
use the 20 per cent 'de minimis' rule as standard when selling
subsystems and components for major weapon systems produced by EU and
Norway.
Create space for more input on arms export decisions from the
Ministry of Economics relative to Foreign Affairs.
Components
and subsystems
Components
are the main part of Dutch arms exports and not often seen as
problematic when exported to a EU/NATO+ country, even when the final
destination for the weapon systems would be controversial in the
Netherlands itself. They even are subject to Global
transfer and export licenses and General transmission licenses*.
There is hardly any obstacle for arms industries to work together
here and exchange components between companies.
Also larger
subsystems for major weapon systems are very seldom controversial.
Subsystems may be combat data systems and fire control radar.
Currently Thales is delivering subsystems for German frigates build
to be exported to Egypt. It is one of the largest licenses given in
2020. The ships cost € 5-600 million, the systems cost € 114
million. The 20 per cent de-minimis rule may be just enough to push
even this large export out of Parliamentary control.
High
standard
When
looking more closely into the German French cooperation it become
clear Bosman and Van Helvert missed some crucial parts of it:
Bosman
and Van Helvert suggest wrongly that the agreement covers all
military components. The annex excludes a wide array of weapon
systems, including howitzers like the PzH2000 (mentioned by them).
Developments
in the United States arms export policy have dynamics relating to the
Dutch policy. In France itself arms export policy developments are
also becoming more questioned as e.g. the French parliamentary
Maire-Tabarot report
on arms export controls sows.
French politicians and NGO increasingly raise arms export concerns.
They bring the Netherlands
forward as the example to
follow.
The
German arms industry wants to use the lax French policies to break
the German strong human rights orientation in arms export. There is
no reason to embrace this idea. The present arms export regime
provides more than enough mechanisms for industries to work together.
And in some cases, an export is stopped. But that is exactly the aim
of the policy. It might be sort of true that when the Dutch do not
sell arms while others do, the result is nihil. But when the
Netherlands follows others in more lax policies, there is a clear
result: it becomes worse.
*
See for more recent User Guide in Dutch: HANDBOEK
STRATEGISCHE GOEDEREN EN DIENSTEN;
Geschreven voor bedrijven en andere belangstellenden (Ministerie van
Buitenlandse Zaken , March 2018).
*** Europees
Netwerk tegen Wapenhandel Persbericht - Vandaag brengt 't Europees
Parlement een beslissende stem uit over het Europees Defensiefonds
#EDF, waarmee € 8 miljard uit de EU-begroting 2021-27 wordt toekend
aan R&D van wapens en militaire technologie.
https://stopwapenhandel.org/EDFvoteEP
Addition: A
majority in @Europarl_EN end of European Union #peace project. All
changes proposed by @Left_EU & @GreensEFA to stop
#EuropeanDefenceFund or at least improve transparency, parliamentary
oversight, ethical control or prohibition of weapons of mass
destruction were rejected.
4 - Who knows how many
European components and parts are assembled in those F-35's, from
which countries and how this relates to the European arms export
policies?
*** Hiding behind
a leap forward? Brussels should look into the issue of private
entrepreneurs being involved in ammo depots in the Czech Republic and
Bulgaria, Russian FA Minister Lavrov said, commenting on the
accusations of Bulgaria against Russia.
https://tass.com/politics/1284279
***
Retweet
@keesamok: European police developed a
manual of crowd control techniques for the Myamar police as part of
the EU support scheme Mypol - "the [Myanmar] police took the
draft [manual] and added the ‘offensive’ chapters themselves"
*** Report by the
ATT expert group convened by Saferworld on ATT Article
7(1)(b)(iii–iv) relating to terrorism and transnational organised
crime (TNOC).
*** Corruption in
military business shows how they despise what they say to protect
(and are paid for by all): the values, human rights and democracy,
let alone the peoples. Maybe that's the biggest fraught.
*** Want to know
which weapons #EU is funding?
http://enaat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Flyer_WhoProfitsEDF_210416EN.pdf
Today @ecrgroup should vote against #EuropeanDefenceFund and promote
a new human- and climate-centred security paradigm. #noEUmoney4arms
#MoveTheMoney #HealthcareNotWarfare #EarthCareNotWarfare
#EuropeanDefence
*** Retweet @_ENAAT: Want to know which
weapons #EU is funding?
http://enaat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Flyer_WhoProfitsEDF_210416EN.pdf
Today @ecrgroup should vote against #EuropeanDefenceFund and promote
a new human- and climate-centred security paradigm. #noEUmoney4arms
#MoveTheMoney #HealthcareNotWarfare #EarthCareNotWarfare
#EuropeanDefence
Today
@Europarl_EN should stop it and #MoveTheMoney to human security and
peaceful resolution of conflicts. #noEUmoney4arms #EuropeanDefence
#EarthCareNotWarfare
*** Italy’s
armed affairs with al-Sisi’s Egypt (in spite of Zaki and Regeni)
Rete Italiana Pace e Disarmo has been saying for some time: for the
2nd consecutive year, Egypt is the main buyer of weapon systems
exported by Italian military production companies.
https://www.italy24news.com/News/30344.html
*** @letysedou"how,
where and when should the EU act militarily". When @_ENAAT was
denouncing rampant #EU militarisation since 2016 we were not taken
seriously... #noEUmoney4arms #EuropeanDefence #MoveTheMoney
Original
tweet Daniel Fiott: Today, we keep
the dialogue on the #StrategicCompass going. This time with a special
focus on the operational dimension! How, where and when should the EU
act militarily? Thanks to our partners @Clingendaelorg @minbuza
@Defensie Thanks to our speakers @DGEUMS @Nic_Koenig!
Retweet
@gppacnea: Civil society in #Seoul join
the #GDAMS Global Day of Action on #MilitarySpending @DemilitarizeDay
calling for a stop to increased defense spending for progress of the
Korean Peninsula peace process, and responding to #COVID19 - see
their declaration here! http://peoplepower21.org/English/1787824
The Times
Higher Education Supplement 290421 noted in its review of Genius
Makers by Cade Metz: "the interest of the military in the
development of autonomous weapon systems is a worry...some tech
companies that formerly espoused a firm ethical stance have
seen...principles slip.
*** Light tanks,
fighter jets and more: India 3rd largest military spender in world
In the pandemic year, the
Stockholm-based SIPRI noted, US accounted for 39% of the money spent
on military globally, China accounted for 13%, and India 3.7% of the
global share
In the early
phase of the covid crisis people hoped money would be shifted from
military budgets towards expenditures on threats to safety like
health, climate, poverty etc. It seems military lobbies were
stronger. And they expect even more for this year. Arms don't stop
covid-19
*** Israel's
Rafael is reportedly on the verge of acquiring Bavarian drone
producer Firma EMT Ingenieurgesellschaft Dipl.-Ing. Hartmut Euer mbH,
which is in the process of bankruptcy.
*** Swedish SAAB
on its rosy future: “There is no sign of any less market activity
or less demand,” he said. “On the contrary, many countries have
the feeling that they need to protect societies. There is a little
bit more nationalist sentiment.”
https://www.ft.com/content/9b0cbae4-77b3-465c-a8d4-6166ef7addeb
*** Illegal
occupation backed by a strong military. "Maintaining a modern
and well-supplied army has become a key aspect of Morocco's strategy
for Western Sahara," wrote Economist in Intelligence Unit report
of 26/04/21. Rabat+Algiers took 70% of Africa's major arms imports,
2016-20.
*** This citicism on
arms control sounds familiar & pops up regularly in several
countries. "Significant delays in reviewing applications for
arms exports are hurting Canada's defence industry and could cost
this country jobs, business groups and experts say." Globe &
Mail 27/4/21
*** Dutch
frigate goes to Asia alongside British aircraft carrier HMS Queen
Elisabeth - "a floating trade center" - to protect British
hard and soft power.
@BBCBreakfast: Aircraft
carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will depart for it’s first operational
deployment next month. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace spoke to
#BBCBreakfast alongside the warship in Portsmouth. He explained what
it will be used for.
https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1386580572416446465
Addition:Demo in Hamburg: "Stop
arms exports!" The TATORT Kurdistan campaign organized an
anti-militarist demonstration. Signatures were collected for the
"People's Initiative against the Transport and Transshipment of
Armaments via the Hamburg Port." Url 'anfenglish' impossible to
tweet.
https://anfenglish.com/news/demo-in-hamburg-stop-arms-exports-51627
*** It sounds as a 19th Century -
when steel was central in military production - outburst with a pun.
STEELING OUR JOBS Industry fury as
imported steel used for Britain’s new fleet of warships.
*** Yolcu,
the research assistant in the Middle East Institute at Sakarya
University, notes that "Western powers symbolize the first ring
of arms production enjoying the innovative superiority for almost
over three centuries."
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/460121/Iran-and-Turkey-reject-band-wagoning-strategies-researcher
*** Nederlandse
marine wil nieuwe schepen, maar: "op dit moment [is] geen enkel
marineschip robuust gevuld. Ofwel, in staat om met een volledige
bemanning 24/7 alle taken uit te voeren die worden opgedragen."
https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2021/15/03_vanspeijk_15
*** Retweet
@nukestrat: @GAO report concludes
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s current sustainment costs make the
aircraft unaffordable. And mission capable rates are well below
requirement: In 2020, full mission capable rate was 54%, nearly 20%
below 72% goal. https://gao.gov/assets/gao-21-505t.pdf#F35
*** BAE faces
growing investor revolt over chief executive’s pay
Shareholder unrest increases over plans
to hand extra £2m to head of UK’s largest defence contractor
*** How to produce more
Dutch parts of weaponry for international Original Equipment
Manufacturers? Dutch military industry lobby organisation NIDV
bridges gap between OEMs and Dutch small and middle seized tech
producers.
*** Opzij, opzij,
opzij. Militairen hebben ongelofelijke haast. Defensie volgt de
tijdlijn voor nieuwe onderzeeboten op de voet, maar bij de marine in
Den Helder groeit de twijfel. ’Komen die boten nog wel?’
https://m.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/cnt/DMF20210421_4359772
*** Greek
newspaper Proto Thema says Athens could buy another six Rafale
fighters from France to increase the fleet size from 18 to 24. The
jets will be assigned to 332 Squadron which is now flying the Mirage
2000 at Tanagra air base.
https://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/1116373/pame-gia-alla-exi-rafale/
*** The Advanced
Electronics won a contract modification for the F-15 Royal Saudi Air
Force (RSAF) Electronic System Test Set (ESTS). Services acquired
under this effort are to provide the RSAF with an upgraded ESTS.
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2577890/
***
Q&A on Dutch sales of
1.275 Glock pistols, 9 M2.50 Browning .50 caliber machine guns en 800
Heckler & Koch MP5s to Malta. Most remarkable is:
the search for a new policy on the sale
of surplus military materiel for SALW which excludes private
customers except for the producers or licensed
producers.
In Dutch (see answer on
question 4)
opdracht gegeven om een nieuw
afwegingskader op te stellen voor het afstoten van overtollig
Defensiematerieel, waarin het beleid wordt aangescherpt door de
verkoop van handvuurwapens aan private partijen,
niet zijnde de fabrikant of een licentiehouder van de fabrikant, uit
te sluiten.
Questions by Van Dame and Van Helvert
(Christen Democrats, CDA).
*** Selçuk
Bayraktar, top executive with Turkish drone producer #Baykar &
president Erdo's son in law, claims #Turkey no longer needs Canadian
military #drone tech. Military experts say they're skeptical of
Turkish claims related to domestic drone technology.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/turkey-drone-armenian-nagorno-karabakh-1.5996570
April
21
*** Turkey is one
of the most important markets for the Italian military industry. Such
military cooperation was not interrupted during diplomatic crises.
When Foreign Minister Di Maio announced that he would block arms
exports to Turkey they increased.
https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/04/20/erdogan-risks-losing-italy/
*** Lost in the
fanfare around the Korean fighter jet was any criticism of an arms
industry known for runaway budgets and arms trade contributing to
destabilising regions or to states in conflict.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/20/south-korea-3
*** Thales is one
of the richest weapons corporations in the world. From their
factories in Bendigo and Benalla, Thales has exported killing
machinery, aka weaponised vehicles, to Indonesia's notorious Special
Forces Kopassus.
https://www.facebook.com/338217390201017/videos/429536498279116
***
Millions of
bullets passing the harbour of Rotterdam in Jan-Feb 2021. Thailand
and Philippines most remarkable destinations.
*** How slashing
oil prices by Riyadh eroded the Saudi position among Republicans. How
lobbying firm Larson Shannahan Slifka #LS2 operates to regain the
close relations between the US and the desert Kingdom.
https://www.alternet.org/2021/04/saudi-lobby/
*** Russia tries
to ease arms embargo on CAR. "We've already managed to reach
some targets, 14.5mm calibre weapons are now imported not by permit,
but by notification...it isn't just Russia. The French are following
the matter very intensely," Ilichyov said. Interfax 190421
*** Retweet with
comment @AirbusDefence: Expands
military use of helicopters in combat missions and thus the
implications of A400M sales to countries using them for internal war.
*** Authorities
in Prague have said they believe a 2014 blast at an ammunition depot
was accidental, but doubled down on previous claims that Russian
special services were involved as part of a plot to destroy arms
exports to Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/russia/521488-czech-officials-explosion-accident/
The warehouse which exploded belonged
to a company specialising in the arms trade. At that time, the firm was stocking
weapons intended for the purchase of a Bulgarian arms dealer, who was
then expected to sell these to Ukraine.
The
bomb in arms delivery for Ukraine probably should have exploded in
Bulgaria so that the Ukrainians would see that they chose an
unreliable supplier. But as the blast prepared by Russian agents
occurred in Czechia, violation of Czech sovereignty is at stake. CTK
190421 argues.
*** The
wonderful world of fighter jet contracts. Here it is on the Rafale to
India. "The Modi regime succumbed to French pressure and deleted
anti-corruption clauses in the contract."
*** On German
arms exports in 1st qrt of 2021: with €31.4m Qatar is number one
among the Gulf-recipients of arms . Licenses for Saudi Arabia were
vallued at €806,995 despite an arms export ban, primarily because
of its participation in the Yemen war. Schwarzwälder Bote 15/4/21
*** Uruguay
received an offer to get US military equipment. The countries are
negotiating the transfer of 3 Marin Protector patrol boats from the
US Coast Guard to Uruguay, built by Bollinger Shipyards on the basis
of Damen's Stan 2600 project.
https://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2021/0416/160062478/detail.shtml
*** Retweet @npanagioto (Greek Minister of Defence): "I
received today at my office, at the Greek MoD @Hellenic_MOD the
Ambassador of the Netherlands @StellaRonner and company who presented
to me their proposal for the acquisition of new multi-role frigates
for @NavyGR"
*** "Canada’s
export ban on crucial imaging technology will damage Turkey’s armed
drone capability, Dr Chris Kilford, a retired Canadian Air Force
officer and former defence attaché to Turkey and Azerbaijan, told
Ahval on Thursday." (Source not aloud by twitter, easy to
google)
*** German
Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said she will continue to
push for armed drones in the military, after lawmakers this week
insisted on keeping the Franco-German Eurodrone weaponless for now.
Isn't
it possible to send a letter of support by MP's and MEP's of nations
(European wide) participating in the F-35 fighter program?
*** Rivalry
between Greece & Turkey helped enrich the Western defence
industries — lately Russia too. Greece has become a battleground
for competing NATO allies who have rushed to sell new frigates and
capitalize on the country’s massive modernization program
https://greekreporter.com/2021/04/16/greece-turkey-dispute-arms-sales-mediterranean/
*** French Naval
Group formally delivered a 2nd Bouchard Class multimission offshore
patrol vessel to the Argentine Navy. Piedrabuena (P 52) is the second
of four Gowind OPVs ordered by Argentina under a $380 million
contract signed with Naval Group in 2018.
https://www.navaltoday.com/2021/04/13/naval-group-delivers-new-opv-to-argentine-navy/
***
Extreem right
wing president, violence against indigenous people & poor in the
favelas, Covid-19 disaster, replaced military top,
destruction/conflict Amazon basin, Brazil.
*** Given
the strong Saudi presence in both countries, the Malaysian and
Indonesian governments follow Riyadhs recently as in support for the
Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen in 2015, its blockade of Qatar
during
The opportunities
identified for the Dutch Defense sector lie within aviation (F-35 and
all existing legacy systems), maritime (purchase new ships and
upgrades current fleet), ground-based systems (vehicles and
simulators) and ICT (cyber security).
***
This essay by Bill Arkin was advised to
me as: a must read for everyone who wants to understand US change of
warfare, the mentality & fabric of the endless war.
What should the implications be for
those acting to limit arms trade and military production?
***
1/.. #Airbus’ HForce initiative has
turned the company’s H145M twin-engine light #helicopter into a
successful aerial scout that has been adopted by Serbia and Hungary
and is being offered to Romania. ../2
2. Trials to launch
guided missiles, such as the #Israeli Rafael Spike, from the H145M
are expected to take place shortly. Leonardo is developing an armed
capability for its AW149 twin-engine medium utility platform ordered
by #Egypt.
*** Activists
have returned to the UK Oldham subsidiary of Elbit Systems occupying
the roof & entering the building where they covered computers
with blood red paint. At the same time, the roof of the Bristol
offices of Elbit was occupied by another group.
https://realmedia.press/two-elbit-sites-occupied/
*** The United
States as a mass-killing machine. Article not only providing strong
opinion, but also a wide array of figures and facts to underline it.
https://tomdispatch.com/slaughter-central/
Addition:
Deliverances of components by Dutch
industry for the F-35 fighter are an important part of Dutch military
exports. Although the Netherlands has a sound policy on arms trade
and Yemen, these sales will continue, without being seen, without
being debated.
Retweet @jgstugent:
Nu donderdag organiseren wij een zeer interessante
webinar met @StefanieDeBock_(@Vredesactie). Belgische wapens duiken
nog steeds op in conflictgebieden. Naast de Waalse regering, doet de
Vlaamse regering ook nog steeds aan wapenhandel:
https://fb.me/e/2rvjI63in
*** Italy
& EU could focus on space-based elements of missile defense:
“Constellations of satellites will be
more and more needed to detect missiles since their launch, mainly
through thermal infrared sensors,” IAI paper argued.
*** Psst
Nederlandse mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen krijgen - tegen meerprijs -
radar die meer kan dan geëist. Met de NS50-radar kun je bij wijze
van spreken vanuit Zeebrugge het luchtruim boven Zaventem in de gaten
houden, maar ook dat van Heathrow en Schiphol.
https://magazines.defensie.nl/allehens/2021/04/07_nieuwe-radar-mbvs
Fighter jets to
used on Yemen, military transport planes delivered to Turkey, heli's
operated with deadly force by the Brazilian police, & closing
borders, all made possible by @Airbus. Today a dossier on the company
was published by @tdh_de, @urgewald, @Krit_Aktionaere & @CTWnl.
*** The pandemic
could've been a chance to reverse high military spending globally.
Instead, we could be heading towards a new Cold War-style arms race.
*** Warmonger
Grant Newsham wants to reign in Wall Street, not because of the
impacts of investments on climate, social justice, peace & human
rights, but to limit Chinese economic activities; combined with a
proposal to strengthen US militarily in Asia.
https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/us-commander-needs-more-money-to-counter-china/
*** Retweet with
quote @AirbusHeli: Check out the latest
Rotor Magazine online! Learn more about the #NH90, the new Caïman
Standard 2 & the plan to transform the support & services
related to this. Read also the stories: Eliance & SUMMA 112 in
Spain, Mercy Air in Mozambique, & much more.
https://fly.airbus.com/2RgCkvF
A
magazine on the NH90 helicopter, produced by Airbus Helicopters,
Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) and Fokker Aerostructures (now
part of GKN).
The helicopter is used (by the
military) for civil tasks (ending wild fires), and for interventions,
in casu Mali and Afghanistan.
*** No
bombs, but health.
"Instead of selling weapons of
war, the US should make global public health our No. 1 priority. It
is by far the most effective way to enhance our national security,"
states Amy Goodman of @democracynow !, an TV/radio news hour.
https://www.democracynow.org/2021/4/8/the_united_states_should_send_vaccines
*** EU foreign
policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday it was "no surprise"
that Moscow and Beijing were blocking efforts at the UNSC to impose
an arms embargo.
*** Retweet
with quote: @CAATuk Check out this new film
from @thejetline about living under a F-35 fighter jet flight path -
yet another way the arms trade intrudes on everyday life. Premieres
on Thursday, April 15th at 7PM EST: https://jetlinefilm.com
De
F-35, the most expensive weapon ever, is notorious for its cost and
failures. Jet Line will report how the fighter yet is harming lives
of the people living in regions it is exercising with enormous levels
of noise.
*** The US
ambassador to the UN urged the international community to take
"concrete action" against the military in Myanmar including
an arms embargo & sanctions against its holding companies and
those who profit from them.
Addition:
South Korea soars into elite group with K-21 fighter
President Moon hails homegrown [but
with essential US components] next-gen prototype as a 'new era of
independent defence'
https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/kf-21-jet-fighter-puts-south-korea-in-elite-group/
April
10
*** Blog:
German Companies Export Products Found in Turkish Armed Drones Used
in Nagorno-Karabakh War https://hetq.am/en/article/129514
Is dat
het project waarbij tussen Nijmegen en Kampen een zo groot mogelijke
overstroming werd gepland? 5% van de bevolking, zo'n 200.000 mensen,
en hun vee had, totaal onverwacht en op stel en sprong, moeten
evacueren. Leve het militaire veiligheidsidee!
*** Het
rapport 'Financing Border Wars: The border industry, its financiers
and human rights' van Stop Wapenhandel en TNI onderzoekt de
anti-migratie-industrie en de grootste investeerders in de 23
belangrijkste betrokken bedrijven uit Europa, Australië & VS.
https://stopwapenhandel.org/financingborderwars
Addition:
MPs Van Helvert of the #CDA and Bosman of the #VVD used the
outcome of the Toulouse lobby event to propose a nearly full
demolition of Dutch arms export control. They wrote a memorandum on
arms export policy claiming that export control is undermining the
Dutch military industry.
*** The US State
Department has notified #CAATSA sanctions against Turkey’s
Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and its senior leadership for
Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems.https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29281#.YG7mX-j7SUl
*** Panamese
Ministry of public security posted a tender notice for "Purchase
Genuine Spare Parts, for Preventive Maintenance of Damen interceptors
1102 (3616, 3617, 3618, 3619, 3621, 3622, 3623, 3624) ordered in
2017. Reference price: 49950.85. Link to boats.
https://www.damen.com/en/news/2017/03/eight_damen_interceptors_for_panama
*** Did
Russians violate the Wassenaar Agreement by delivering #Iskader-M
missiles to Armenia & were they used during the 2000 war against
Azerbaijan? Azerbaijan said it found parts of this longer range
variant. War is over, but the fallout hasn't stopped yet.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/07042021-iskander-missiles-dilemma-in-karabakh-oped/
April
7
*** "Pleitbezorgers
voor het enorme VS-defensiebudget beweren dat het banen oplevert.
Academische studies tonen aan dat het minder efficiënt is dan
overheidsinvesteringen in onderwijs, schone energie, transport en
gezondheidszorg," staat in de New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/opinion/biden-defense-budget.html
*** Is it a game?
Who is worse delivering arms to the Middle East: France or the UK?
*** In een brief
aan de nieuwe Tweede Kamer hebben maatschappelijke organisaties hun
grote zorgen geuit over een voorstel dat de deur wijd open zet voor
wapenexporten naar ongewenste bestemmingen.
https://stopwapenhandel.org/brief%20vvdcda%20nota
*** Indonesia
paid just $22 million, about 13 percent of what it is owed for the
Korean fighter project. Now it wants to half its commitment. The
local economy, now reeling from COVID-19 fallout, is reportedly among
the reasons. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210406001101
*** “Who should
really be charged with criminal damage? The activists that spilled
paint? Or the war criminals that spill blood and destroy entire
communities? We look forward to seeing Elbit Systems in court and
exposing the criminal damage ... committed.”
https://realmedia.press/not-guilty-plea-over-elbit-protest/
Addition: By
the way in 2020 exporteerde Nederland voor € 8,7 miljoen dual use
technologie naar China en daarbij komt export ter waarde van €
168,9 miljoen naar Hong Kong. Dat blijkt uit het overzicht dual-use
exporten dat de Overheid mdet enige regelmaat publiceert.
He also mentions the
coalition's naval blockade of Yemen, which has led to a shortage of
almost all goods in Yemen. This operation is still denied in the
Netherlands.
*** A former MIT
research student married to the younger daughter of President
Erdogan, Bayraktar has been central to Turkey’s production of armed
drones. In 2020, his TB2 drones were used with devastating effect in
Tripoli and Baku, both Turkish allies.
*** What is also
called the "rat hole" by members of US Congres is
advertised in a sponsored link by its producer Lockheed Martin the
centerpiece of 21st century global security.
https://www.f35.com/f35/global-enterprise.html
Addition:
Although small in comparison, Dutch component for one of
the Canadian exports to Saudi Arabia have never been questioned or
isn't even mentioned as far as I know. In a longer piece on
Rheinmetaal Nederland I made a small note on the exports.
https://broekstukken.blogspot.com/2021/03/rheinmetall-german-dutch-connection.html
*** BAE Systems
L&A (Minnesota), is awarded a $77m modification to a FMS $868m
contract (N00024-20-C-5380) for MK 41 Vertical Launching System
canisters & ancillary hardware for the US, South Korea, Japan,
the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Australia, and Turkey.
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2557357/
Maar hoe zit dat met
de Nl vliegtuigen bij de luchtmacht van Myanmar? Niets aan te doen.
"Het leasen van civiele toestellen aan de luchtmacht van Myanmar valt ook bij strikte lezing
echter niet onder dit wapenembargo."
*** #Myanmar’s
National Assembly who formed a committee known by its initials CRPH
asked for an arms embargo. China opposed it loud and clear - with
hollow words - by stating it opposes “one-sided pressure and
calling for sanctions or other coercive measures."
https://globalnews.ca/news/7732615/myanmar-civil-war-un-envoy/
*** Heckler &
Koch; Illegale Waffenexporte: Was das Mexiko-Urteil des BGH für die
Rüstungsbranche bedeutet
What the German Federal Court of
Justice judgment on Mexico means for the arms industry
*** Czech
president Zeman met with the Israeli state arms manufacturer Rafael
Advanced Defense Systems and the Czechoslovak Group, March 31. They
discussed cooperation between the Israeli firm and Czechia, including
the planned purchase of an air defence system. CTK March 31, 2021.
In hun streven naar een Europese wapenindustrie willen Duitsland en Frankrijk meer samenwerken op het gebied van wapenproductie en daarvoor bedenken ze nieuwe regels. De relatief strikte Duitse uitleg van de wapenexportrichtlijnen dreigt daarmee op een hellend vlak te komen. En in het kielzog van beide grote landen dreigt dit ook te gaan gelden voor het wapenexportbeleid van andere Europese landen.
