Backfire; How sanctions Reshape the World Against U.S. Interests

Agathe Demarais schreef met Backfire; How sanctions Reshape the World Against U.S. Interests een kritische evaluatie van het Amerikaanse sanctiebeleid. Ze stelt dat het boek zich niet voor of tegen sancties uitspreekt. Echter alleen de titel lijkt al op kritiek. De tekst zelf werkt toe naar het negatieve boemerang effect van de Amerikaanse sancties op terreinen als internationale samenwerking, veiligheid en economie. Het is ook een onderzoek naar hoe de Amerikaanse keuze voor sancties wereldwijd de strategie van bedrijven, bondgenoten en vijanden beïnvloed. Voor de Nederlandse lezer is het boek een aanrader bij het bieden van context. Een van de belangrijkere technologie bedrijven van het land, ASML uit Veldhoven, is doelwit van extraterritoriale maatregelen vanuit Washington.

De carrière van de schrijfster komt haar uitstekend van pas. Ze werkte voor de Franse overheid in Rusland en later in Libanon, daar met een wijdere blik op het Midden-Oosten ten tijde van de opmaat naar de nucleaire deal met Iran, formeel de Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Sancties en andere financiële aangelegenheden waren op beide posten haar werkterrein. Momenteel werkt ze op de Economist Intelligence Unit.

Hip
“Sancties zijn trendy geworden,” dat zijn de eerste vier woorden van hoofdstuk 1. Die sancties bestrijken een breed gebied. Het kan gaan om exportcontrole, handelsembargo's, sector straffen (bijvoorbeeld gericht tegen oliebedrijven), tariefbeleid, maar het kan ook draaien om financiële sancties. Ze zijn een voornaam bestanddeel geworden in de buitenlandse politiek van de Verenigde Staten en ze ontwikkelen zich nog steeds. De VS hebben in de afgelopen twintig jaar meer sancties toegepast dan de Europese Unie, de Verenigde Naties en Canada samen.

Twee delen
Deze sancties bestaan grofweg uit twee delen: extraterritoriale straffen, die overal in de wereld gelden; en bijkomende strafmaatregelen (secondary sanctions) waarbij buitenlandse bedrijven die zich niet aan Amerikaanse sancties houden op de Special Designated Nations (DSN) lijst worden geplaatst. Deze lijst wordt bijgehouden door een afdeling van het Amerikaanse Ministerie van Financiën die buitenlandse bezittingen moet controleren (OFAC). Indien opgenomen is er geen toegang meer tot de dollar en kunnen er geen zaken meer gedaan worden met Amerikaanse bedrijven of personen. Voor veel bedrijven een aanzienlijke en/of niet te overkomen tegenslag. De Verenigde Staten zijn het enige land in de wereld dat zo'n vorm hanteert.

IJkpunten
Voor een effectief sanctiebeleid zijn vier ijkpunten van belang: een beperkte duur, de breedte ervan, het voordien al bestaan van handelsrelaties, en of er andere landen (bondgenoten) meedoen. Je kan stellen dat effectieve sancties kort duren, een beperkte focus hebben, gericht zijn op een democratisch land met uitgebreide banden met de VS en de maatregelen worden gesteund door bondgenoten. Dat is het ideaal, aldus de schrijfster, maar ook precies het tegenovergestelde beeld van het merendeel van de sancties. Het falen is dan ook te verwachten. Het boek beschrijft het succes van sancties, maar ook de nadelen ervan. Soms worden door strafmaatregelen wereldwijd hele sectoren getroffen, waardoor er bijvoorbeeld te weinig aluminium is voor het produceren van conservenblikken tot auto's aan toe. Steeds meer bedrijven zagen bij het aluminium gebrek China als alternatief. Dat was ook weer niet de bedoeling. Soms verdwijnen door sancties bestaande relaties buiten beeld en daarmee het zicht op ontwikkelingen in landen (Pakistan als bron van informatie over Afghanistan wordt als voorbeeld gegeven).

Iran
In een boek over sancties kom je niet om Iran heen. Dat land werkte aan de ontwikkeling van nucleaire energie en dat zeer vermoedelijk met het doel om kernwapens te ontwikkelen. Het kreeg daarom te maken met sancties. Teheran werd door de druk ervan gedwongen een nucleaire deal te sluiten. Vervolgens zouden de Verenigde Staten, een van de betrokken partijen, zich al snel weer terugtrekken en weer sancties instellen. Waardoor ook bedrijven uit andere landen gingen twijfelen of ze het risico wel durfden te nemen. Maar Washington zelf zou hierdoor een beeld vestigen van een onbetrouwbare partij. Of dat verstandig sanctiebeleid is? Het gevolg is het ontstaan van de gedachte dat of de opgelegde voorwaarden wel of niet gevolgd worden, er kan altijd toch weer nieuwe strafmaatregelen worden ingesteld. Het heeft dan weinig zin er aan te voldoen. Als verlichting van de effecten van sancties zo matig is, of zelfs niet bestaand, dan verliezen ze hun functie van druk op het getroffen land, stelt Demarais. Betrouwbaarheid is ook een voorwaarde voor effectieve sancties. Die bepaling ging hier onderuit.

Dodelijk
Los van deze functionele fout, zo vervolgt ze, kan je sancties ook als een wapen zien en dan is het de vraag of een wapen dat geen onderscheid maakt tussen burgers en strijdende partijen wel aanvaardbaar is met het ook op de Conventie van Geneve. Het probleem met sancties is dat er geen internationale regels bestaan. In Golfoorlog van 1990-91 werd Irak onder sancties gesteld. De Verenigde Naties berekende dat een half miljoen kinderen door de maatregelen omkwamen zo wordt in medisch tijdschrift de Lancet beschreven. Deze cijfers zijn omstreden; anderen houden het op duizenden, maar het nog steeds een enorm ellendig gevolg voor de bevolking en de kinderen die gestraft werden voor de daden van hun autocratische leider. Maar sancties kunnen zeer velen treffen, al is het maar door de schaarsheid van voeding of de hoogte van de voedselprijzen.

Kernwapens
Iran wordt al sinds 1979 door de VS geboykot, maar als het land ook nog kernwapens zou krijgen dan zou het niet uit te sluiten zijn dat landen in het Midden-Oosten als Egypte, Saudi Arabië en Turkije die ook zouden willen verwerven, stelt de schrijfster. Maar in Turkije liggen al kernwapens, die van de Verenigde Staten, ze worden niet genoemd. De schrijfster vermeld ook niet dat er een land is dat er al tussen de 75 en 400 heeft, Israël. Libië worden dan weer wel kernwapens toegerekend; ze werden ontmanteld, aldus de tekst over de onbestaande kernwapens. Libië werkte er aan, dat wel (Nederlandse technologie speelde ook in daarbij een voorname rol), maar had ze niet. Dus daar waar de bestaande voorraden kernwapens van Israël niet worden genoemd, wordt voor Libië juist een nucleair arsenaal gefantaseerd. Dat is meer dan een detailfout. Het boek is informatief en vol interessante gedachten, maar het opvoeren van feiten of juist het weglaten ervan kleurt de tekst wel. Dat moet je bij het lezen zeker in het oog houden.

Concurrenten
Als unilateraal beleid uit Washington de bondgenoten treft moeten die, net als andere landen, opzoek naar middelen ze te omzeilen. Het is altijd al zo geweest dat landen die onder sancties vallen zich aanpasten. Een deel van mijn jongensboeken ging bijvoorbeeld over het smokkelen naar Engeland toen Nederland onder het Franse gezag viel en tegen het land aan de andere kant van de Noordzee een Franse boykot van kracht was. Hoe langer de strafmaatregelen duurden, hoe meer dat gebeurt. Soms wordt vermoed dat sanctiemaatregelen ingesteld zijn om Amerikaanse bedrijven te steunen en concurrenten op de markt te treffen of juist losgelaten wegens de schade voor de Amerikaanse bedrijven en boeren. In ieder geval worden niet Amerikaanse bedrijven bij een vergelijkbare omvang van overtredingen harder getroffen. Dat is niet alleen een vermoeden, maar het wordt ook gestaafd met cijfers, zo laat Backfire zien.

Halfgeleiders
Het laatste deel van het boek gaat over exportcontrole van hightech en dat is waar halfgeleiders van ontwerp, tot productie, inclusief de productie apparatuur aan de orde komen en waar ook ASML opduikt. Exportcontroles en het ontvlechten van de Amerikaanse economie van China zal er toe leiden dat het het voor China moeilijker wordt een eigen hoogwaardige industrie op te bouwen. Aangezien dat zonder halfgeleiders niet kan, wordt Beijing wel gedwongen daar fors in te investeren om zo de gevolgen van deze economische oorlog te weerstaan. Er zijn al miljarden programma's gaande. Als die maar een beetje slagen dan zal dat al resultaat opleveren, zo haalt de schrijfster uit een onderzoek. Uiteindelijke zullen parallelle productie systemen ontstaan in verschillende delen van de wereld. Dat leidt dan uiteindelijk weer tot minder overleg en beperktere mogelijkheden van beïnvloeding. De kloof tussen China en het Westen zal er door verdiepen. In December 2023 merkt Alan Estevez (de Staatssecretaris voor het Bureau van Industry en Security) op dat de Chinese ontwikkeling op dit gebied vertraagd kan worden, maar nooit gestopt, maar hetzeflde nivo zal bereiken.* Kort daarop bereikte Huawei een verrassende doorbraak in de ontwikkeling van chips.

Chips zitten in vrijwel alle producten: van kinderspeelgoed tot geavanceerde wapens. Volgens Michael Griffin, een Amerikaanse staatssecretaris voor Defensie, zijn geavanceerde chips de sleuteltechnologie om oorlogen te winnen. Het land dat deze technologie controleert heeft enorm veel economische en politieke macht. Het is daarmee ook een Achilleshiel van de Chinese militaire sterkte. Maar ze zijn ook essentieel in de economische ontwikkeling. Doordat de Verenigde Staten nogal wat van de stappen in de productie controleert van ontwerp, tot productie en bondgenoten, Japan, Taiwan, Zuid-Korea, Nederland en het VK een ander deel van de productieketen in handen hebben, kan Washington hier fors uitpakken in zijn economische oorlog tegen China. Kortom de VS heeft een kans de Chinese technologische ontwikkeling een klap toe te brengen. Niet alleen defensie-industrieel, maar over een veel breder gebied. Agathe Demarais stelt dat de huidige exportcontrole gaat lijkenop die gedurende de Koude Oorlog. De kans bestaat ook dat er paralelle productie plaats gaat vinden, met en zonder technologie uit de Verenigde Staten. Korea en Taiwan investeren daar beiden in. Hoe de overeenkomst tussen ASML en het Koreaanse Samsung in dit licht moet worden gezien, waarbij beiden afspraken € 700 miljoen onderzoek voor nieuwe productietechnologie te investeren, wordt niet vermeld. Samsung heeft al wel afzonderlijke investeringen in China en de Verenigde Staten lopen.

Gescheiden circuits
Het produceren van Amerikaanse microchips voor Huawei is door de VS verboden; niet alleen direct door Amerikaanse bedrijven maar ook buiten de States, met andere woorden het is een extraterritoriaal verbod. Samsung en het Taiwanese TSMC hebben om hier op in te spelen productielijnen in de VS opgezet, kosten samen bijna dertig miljard dollar. Samsung zette ook een lijn op in China, nog eens 17 miljard dollar. Zo kan uitsluitend voor de Amerikaanse markt worden geproduceerd. En in China voor de Chinese zonder Amerikaanse kennis. Het betekent niet alleen hogere kosten, maar ook dat gescheiden circuits ontstaan. Dat is zeker op een markt waar afspraken over producten om ze in staat te stellen met elkaar te communiceren essentieel zijn een groot nadeel. Straks kan je met de ene telefoon hier en met de andere daar bellen. Ook op veiligheidsgebied is er een nadeel. De ontrafeling van twee productie ketens betekent dat exportcontrole juist verzwakt. Chinese producten zijn immers steeds meer VS-product vrij (EAR, zonder Amerikaanse technologie) en daarmee verkleint de invloed. Deze ontwikkeling zou juist wel eens in het belang van China kunnen zijn.

Mineralen
China neemt ook tegenmaatregelen, zoals het het beperken van export van zeldzame grondstoffen. China controleert vier vijfde van de metalen die gebruikt worden bij de productie van halfgeleiders. Op de laatste halfgeleider beperkingen door de VS reageerde het door grafietexport te limiteren. Dat is slecht nieuws voor een aantal industrieën, zoals de auto-industrie. De zeldzame metalen waar China over beschikt worden tevens gebruikt in de productie van mobieltjes, televisies, elektrische voertuigen, computerschermen en windmolens. Maar ook een F-35 gevechtsvliegtuig bevat bijvoorbeeld 417 kilogram zeldzame grondstoffen. Deng Xiaoping zei al eens: “Het Midden-Oosten heeft olie en China zeldzame grondstoffen.” In cijfers is dat 40 procent van de wereldwijde voorraden van cruciale mineralen. Ter vergelijking de VS heeft daarvan een procent. Naast de stoffen zelf beschikt China over 85 procent van raffinage capaciteit. In 2020 werd de export ervan al aan restricties onderhevig. Om de afhankelijkheid van China te bestrijden probeert de VS om Australië, Burundi en Myanmar zover te krijgen meer te produceren, zo stelt ze op grond van een bron uit 2019 (Burundi en Myanmar komen echter in het artikel niet voor. Het Zuidoost Aziatische is juist een belangrijke leverancier voor China al stagneert de winning dit door de burgeroorlog na de coup in 2022.)

Ontvlechten
Het ontvlechten van de chipproductie gaat geen winst opleveren, maar juist hoge kosten. Er is een berekening dat het een biljoen dollar in vijf jaar zal kosten. Zo zal economisch en militair-industrieel beleid een kostenpost voor de burger worden. Dat zegt niet een linkse radicaal, maar een medewerkster van de onderzoeksafdeling van de neoliberale Economist. Voor de Amerikaanse industrie zal het tot omzetverlies leiden, gevolgd door dalende investeringen in Onderzoek en Ontwikkeling en zo zal een neerwaartse spiraal in deze sector beginnen. Het is “een slecht idee en armzalige politiek,” aldus de schrijfster. De ontvlechting van China en de VS heeft ook een ander nadeel. Samenwerking tussen de VS en China wordt er door bemoeilijkt ook daar waar die nodig is zoals rond klimaatverandering, nucleaire proliferatie, of het gevecht tegen de pandemieën van morgen. Amerika krijgt er bovendien een sanctiewapen door dat niet meer werkt. Het hoofdstuk rond de ontvlechting wordt dan ook afgesloten met de opmerking: “Een militair conflict tussen de Verenigde Staten en China zou een wereldwijde catastrofe zijn. In plaats van de de veiligheid in de VS te beschermen maken de plannen in Washington om het land los te maken van China de wereld een minder veilige plek.”

ITAR
In het laatste hoofdstuk begint Demarais met de Amerikaanse International Traffic in Arms Regulation (doorgaans vermeld onder de afkorting ITAR). Het is volgens haar verrassend dat vrijwel alle Amerikaanse militaire fabrikanten schade constateren door deze regelgeving. Verrassend? Nooit anders gehoord in wapenexportbeleidsdebatten. Demarais gebruikt deze reactie erop echter om een volgende stap in de redenering te zetten. De strenge Amerikaanse regelgeving leidt er toe dat anderen met de buit op de loop kunnen gaan. De beperkingen sluiten de sluis in de VS om hem in Europa open te zetten. Sterker nog het zou zonder ITAR ondenkbaar zijn geweest dat de Europese ruimtevaart-industrie zo snel zou zijn gegroeid, citeert ze de woorden van een respondent in een onderzoek naar de visie van de industrie op ITAR (zie p. 36). Een eenvoudig rekensommetje moet dat duidelijk maken. In 1998 had de Verenigde Staten driekwart van de ruimtevaartmarkt in handen. Binnen tien jaar nam dat af naar de helft. Dat er in die periode ook een flinke reorganisatie van de Westerse militaire industrie plaatsvond, zowel in de VS als Europa (met name in Duitsland, Frankrijk en Spanje waar ondanks de Brits/Amerikaanse tegenwerking EADS ontstond als afzonderlijk deel van het nieuwe Europese Airbus, en later Airbus Defence & Space werd) blijft buiten beeld. Onlangs werd beschreven dat de Turkse Bayraktar drone meer dan tien maal zo goedkoop is als een Amerikaanse. De keus is dan niet moeilijk. Het is gemakkelijk om alleen naar beperkende regelgeving te kijken. Maar haar stellingname is onmiskenbaar: hoe minder hekken, hoe meer kansen. Toch staan die hekken er ook in Europa. En naar mijn mening is dat maar goed ook; ze zouden voor militaire producten hoger mogen en meer moeten gaan omsluiten. Stringente controle daarop is wenselijk.

Zwakker
Het klinkt goed dat Europa geen extraterritoriaal sanctiebeleid of bijkomende strafmaatregelen heeft. Maar het is de vraag of dit niet ook nadelen heeft. Als Europa een gezamenlijk sanctiebeleid uitvaardigt, wat geen sinecure is binnen een organisatie met 27 lidstaten, dan is een omweg via een dochter buiten de EU mogelijk. De schrijfster is vooral gericht op de nadelen van een sanctiebeleid, maar er kunnen ook kwesties zijn waar sancties in een bepaalde vorm meer dan gerechtvaardigd zijn. Geen wapens naar landen die de mensenrechten grof schenden, illegale kernwapens hebben of oorlog voeren of mogelijk maken tegen andere landen, bijvoorbeeld. Die sancties zijn zwakker als een vestiging buiten de EU gebruikt kan worden om die te omzeilen. Een vorm van bijkomende sancties zou mogelijk juist een voordeel zijn. Voor internationale sancties zijn de Verenigde Naties toegerust. De wapenembargo's die deze organisatie instelt behoren tot de meest omvattende in de wereld. Maar krijg ze maar eens van de grond. Twee politicologes wijdden onlangs een beschouwing aan hoe dit beter zou kunnen: Global Governance From Below: Regional Sanctions as Drivers of UN Sanctions.

Militaire goederen
Eind oktober 2023 besluit Bangkok de aankoop van een onderzeeboot in China af te bestellen en in te ruilen voor de bestelling van een fregat. China krijgt de productie van de onderzeeër niet rond, omdat Duitsland vanwege een EU-wapenembargo tegen het land geen vergunning voor een diesel motor ervoor wil verstrekken. Ook hier is sprake van sanctiebeleid, maar wel direct gericht tegen de Chinese militaire macht. Dergelijke sancties treffen niet de burgers, nauwelijks de economie en zorgen voor aandacht in de leverande landen voor hun al dan neit bijdragen aan militaire misstanden elders. Backfire staat echteer nauwelijks stil bij militaire producten en sanctiebeleid.

Er wordt eens een keer over bijvoorbeeld de CoCom-regeling uit de Koude Oorlog geschreven, zonder er dieper op in te gaan, maar er is een heel scala aan nationale en internationale regimes om verkopen van strategische goederen (dat zijn militaire producten en producten voor tweeërlei gebruik (dual use) voor zowel civiele als militaire toepassingen) aan voorwaarden te binden. Deze mechanismen worden al vele decennia gebruikten aangekleed met werkwijzen en lijsten met de betreffende goederen. Waarom valt dit beleid buiten het blikveld van de schrijfster? Met halfgeleiders en de productieapparatuur ervoor komen we er wel terecht. Ze zijn immers een dual useproduct. ITAR wordt uitsluitend in dit licht even aangestipt. Het is te begrijpen dat je de handel erin voor militaire doeleinden naar landen die niet aan de voorwaarden voldoen wilt voorkomen, net zoals de export van onderzeebootmotoren, raketten en tanks. Maar bij halfgeleiders gaat het om producten voor civiele én militaire doeleinden. Exportcontrole moet de toepassing in de overweging meenemen, want anders ga je op grond van wetgeving rond strategische goederen de export van producten met een civiele bestemming stoppen en dat lijkt dan meer op economische oorlogsvoering.

Bestaande regelgeving en een jarenlange nationale en internationale praktijk op dit gebied hadden door de schrijfster gebruikt kunnen worden om te evalueren wat waarom wel en niet werkte, en waar de knelpunten zaten. Nu komt uit de tekst het beeld naar voren dat sancties niet werken, terwijl een groot deel ervan niet besproken of geëvalueerd is.

Repliek
Doordat de VS vanwege zijn technologie, machtspolitieke en financiële positie de sterktste is bepaalt dit land ook wat er gebeurt. Nog even terug naar ASML. In het Fiancieele Dagblad rapporteerde journaliste Sandra Olsthoorn dat het Nederlandse bedrijf voortaan exportvergunningen moet aanvragen in de VS en niet in Den Haag voor export naar China. “Daardoor is ASML voortaan afhankelijk van de grillen van Washington,” stelt de schrijfster. De VS behoudt zich zelfs het recht voor een levering goed of af te keuren. Eerder was nog minimaal 25 procent Amerikaanse onderdelen nodig voor dergelijke stappen, de zogenaamde ‘de minimisregel’, maar dit is teruggebracht tot 0 procent. Hiermee wordt Den Haag in zijn hemd gezet als een overheid die zijn eigen ondernemingen niet kan beschermen en is Nederland speelbal gemaakt in Chinees-Amerikaanse tech-oorlog. Het zal de relaties met Washington misschien wat versterken, maar met Beijing zeker verslechteren. Hoe de dwang uit de VS zich verhoud tot het Europese beleid dat bedrijven gedwongen kunnen worden zich niets van de Amerikaanse strafmaatregelen aan te trekken (waar het boek verschillende malen bij stil staat) en of die nog actief is, vertelt het verhaal nog niet. Die Europese regelgeving werd juist ingevoerd om de VS van repliek te dienen bij het unilateraal opleggen van sancties aan de wereld.

Kleinigheden

Tenslotte zijn er nog wat kleinere punten. De schrijfster zou vaker een tijdsaanduiding mogen geven wanneer een kwestie speelt of over welke periode gegevens worden gegeven. Nu is het soms nodig het eindnotenapparaat te raadplegen of zelfs nodig de bron op te zoeken op het internet, als dit al kan. Het maakt in de wereld van sancties soms een groot verschil over welke periode je het hebt. Rusland van 2007 of 2013, is anders dan dat van 2014 en nog weer anders dan vanaf maart 2022.

Los hiervan is het een zeer prettig geschreven boek met veel feiten en op die feiten gebaseerde analyses. Bijna een derde van het boek bestaat uit eindnoten, bronnen en index. Elk hoofdstuk begint met een anekdote die je meteen het onderwerp ervan intrekt. Elk hoofdstuk sluit bovendien af met een verwijzing naar het volgende waarin kort wordt geduid waar dat over zal gaan. Zware kost kan je lichter verteerbaar opdienen. Ook daarom is het boek een aanrader.

Noot:
* “BIS Official Says Chip Controls Will Delay, Not Stop, China’s Tech Development” https://exportcompliancedaily.com/ [Paywall]


Samenvatting van Backfire in het Nederlands.

Who stops the decline of arms export transparency?

In September 2023, the European Union published a Statementon Transparency and Reporting in the context of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). It includes the offer to assist nations to develop mechanisms for timely and transparent reporting on arms exports: “The EU stands ready to assist in such efforts by seeking synergies with activities under EU-financed outreach projects.”

Transparency on arms exports was a major issue for the wide range of organisations campaigning against arms trade in the late nineties. Their call to improve reporting did not fall on deaf ears. The Swedish government was first in European government that published a national annual report on the export of arms and military equipment.^I This good example was soon followed by others (see herefor an extensive but still incomplete list).

Transparency forced by FoI
The Netherlands went a step further after introduction of an annual report, and started to publish monthly spreadsheets showing individual licenses for military and dual use exports and the consents for transit of military items through Dutch harbours and airfields. These spreadsheets were publicly available although hard to read for non-experts. This far-reaching transparency was the result of a common project of Stop Wapenhandel together with Dutch national radio programme Argos, who got information on individual export licenses after a Freedom of Information request (in the the Netherlands Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur, WOB). The information provided turned out to be far more than given to Dutch members of parliament who were supposed to control the arms export policy of the government. The Parliamentarians were obviously not amused to discover this and demanded a structural and more accessible level of transparency. The spreadsheets became a crucial part of this transparency and soon other EU member states, like Belgium, followed the Dutch example.^II

Detailed reporting diminishing
Because reporting differs from one EU country to another the Dutch individual reporting will be briefly explained here. To make it complicated, the Dutch reports on transit, military and dual use licenses each have a different format, because each has its own characteristics. In the table below you will find the heading of the table in the spreadsheet and the most recent entry line from each of them as an example.

Since the start of the reporting in 2004, thousands of license have been listed in tables (mid-September 2023: military: 27,396; dual use: 12,548; transit: 24,661) on the website of the Dutch government. The reports were very useful to reveal more specific data on what was delivered to whom. It also laid bare aspects of transparency in the Netherlands which were not very well developed. The most striking omission is in the reporting of components (between 70 and 80 per cent of Dutch licenses) exported often to be assembled into complete weapon systems. F-16 parts are a good example. They went to the United States, most probably to be assembled and re-exported to parties unknown to the Dutch government. The further diminishing of component export control through the Trilateral (France, Germany and Spain) Treaty on export control in the military domain (mentioned in a Dutch-French Joint declaration) will make this part of military trade even more intransparent.

How important good information is illustrates the column on numbers and calibres in the transit table. One rifle and a small amount of small calibre bullets is mostly for hunting. In the recent reporting, information on bullet calibres that has been published for decades is now missing. In the past it was easy to distinguish between small calibre (<12.7mm) and ammunition of larger calibre which is military relevant. Small calibre ammunition - especially in large quantities - might ring alarm bells on human rights implications. So let it return into the report!
 
War in Ukraine no excuse
Support from Brussels to break the walls of secrecy around the export of military products elsewhere in the world is more than welcome. But when member states at the same time break down their own transparency we have a problem. In the Netherlands, transparency on arms export is not a given fact any more. The monthly reports are no longer published regularly. Although the government promised to publish information two months after export licenses are given, this target is missed, as as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said in December 2022. This was not the first time, but never has it been missed like the past year: reporting stopped almost completely. According to the Minister this is due to: “The heavy burden of the export controls following the war in Ukraine and the sanctions targetting Russia.”

At the bottom of the overdue government reports a line now says: “After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government decided, with a view to (operational) security, to communicate less openly about military goods supplied to Ukraine. During deliveries, the degree of openness that can be observed is always assessed on a case-by-case basis.” That exports to Ukraine are given as ***** in the reporting is understandable, moreover there is separate, more general kind of reporting on this. But it seems the Russian war in Ukraine made an end not only on reporting exports to Kyiv, but to the whole world.

The Dutch minister added in December 2022: “We are catching up concerning the reports.” But only two single months of military product licences got published – more than nine Months later. Only up to December 2022. In September 2023 some new information on transit consents has been provided. Reporting on dual use slowly continues. But instead of catching up the backlog is growing.

What is happening to arms export control?
The system of detailed information, much more useful to the global figures of the annual report to the parliament, made it possible to distinguish between normal and controversial arms exports. This system seems to be on hold at best, at a time that the arms industry and military exports is rapidly growing.

What is happening to arms export control? Are human rights and security in other countries no longer of relevance, now that the EU has clearly chosen to stimulate European arms production? Is this just a Dutch problem or do other European Union member states also erode their information on arms exports? In Germany alarm was raised on the change of control on a range of arms exports which fall since September 1 under a new general export license. With this new rule, arms can be brought into more countries than before without individual case-by-case assessment, and re-exports of German products may be uncontrollable^III, just as with Dutch F-16 parts to the US. Is the horrible war in Ukraine abused as an argument to go back to Cold Ware levels of transparency? Is the Dutch Ministry too understaffed to provide the level of information the public and parliament has been promised? Maybe there is some EU financial outreach support available for the The Hague to overcome this.

Notes:
I The EU itself has an extensive but rudimentary and slowly published annualreport on arms exports and a web based search system (2021 included). One of the more important flaws is that not all countries provide all data (especially concerning exports and licenses. Some provide the first others the second, some do both) or use licenses the same way; France e.g. provides far more licenses as the amount of exports). The European Network Against Arms Trade has its own more user friendly version the EU Export Data Browser (currently runs from 2008 to 2020).

II The Dutch example was used by Vredesaktie to lobby the Flemish (arms trade is policy in Belgium is not a federal responsibility but controlled by the Regions) officials on this issue. Since then the reporting in Flanders developed into a somewhat different format. See for current reporting here.

III Pitt von Bebenburg, 'Rüstungexport ohne Kontrolle', FrankfurtherRundschau 19 september 2023.

My tweets (or X's) for September

/

Latest on top (updated regularly):
(https://twitter.com/martinbroek)

September 30

***
Will Sweden's ascension to NATO lead to heavy military exports to the Turkey of Erdogan? The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's new chairman said (28-9) he would look at Turkey's $20 bn Lockheed F-16 deal and the possibility to lift his predecessor's (Senator Bob Menendez) longstanding hold. https://www.reuters.com/world/new-us-senate-foreign-relations-chair-will-look-turkish-f-16-deal-2023-09-28/
See also: https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/new-us-senate-foreign-relations-chair-will-look-at-turkish-f-16-deal/

***
Push against Japanese military export #constraints, here in The Diplomat.

Japan’s Defense Industry Is Hindered by Self-Imposed Constraints. Nearly a decade ago #Japan widened the scope for #arms exports, but there is little to show for the policy change.

https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/japans-defense-industry-is-hindered-by-self-imposed-constraints/

***
While Talking Peace, UAE Fuels Sudan Fight

From a remote air base in Chad, the Emirates is giving arms and medical treatment to fighters on one side in Sudan's worsening war, officials say.

Emirati cargo planes began to stream into Amdjarass, a tiny oasis town with few inhabitants but an unusually long airstrip.Many of the cargo planes landing at Amdjarass had previously transported weapons for the Emirates to other conflict zones. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/29/world/africa/sudan-war-united-arab-emirates-chad.html

***
ADF retires #Airbus #helicopters early after years of issues and deadly crash

The grounded fleet of #Australian Defence Force MRH-90 #Taipan helicopters will be immediately scrapped from -service, 14 years ahead of initial schedule.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/09/29/australia-to-retire-taipan-helicopter-fleet-early-after-crash/93468

***
EU aims to put its military industry on to a war footing. Joint procurement of weapons has been introduced for the 1st time.

No turning back possible? Nonsense! But it will become more difficult and will confront entrenched interests of the arms industry. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/30/ukraine-russia-war-changed-eu

***
One of the newcomers at the Belgrade Partner 23 defense fair was Taharqa Technologies, a #Kazakhstan-based company that has purposely kept a low profile over the last year while developing a new explosive #drone for the country’s armed forces. #Turkey https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2023/09/28/kazakh-startup-pushes-into-local-market-for-explosive-drones/

***
In July 2023, the #Turkish & #UAE presidents signed a series of defence deals & MoUs estimated at $50 bn. They included licence production for drones, short-range air defenses, cooperation on the KAAN 5th gen. fighter, cyberdefence, & electronic warfare. https://www.tacticalreport.com/in-depth/62213

***
Students seize Arts Tower to protest Sheffield University links with arms manufacturers.

Data reveals the institution has received more investment from weapons manufacturers than any other university in the UK.

https://nowthenmagazine.com/articles/students-seize-arts-tower-to-protest-sheffield-university-links-with-arms-manufacturers-rolls-royce-bae-systems

***
Wapens en militarisering van het buitenlands beleid.

Deze tekst sprak Wendela de Vries uit op een vredesweek-bijeenkomst in Vlaardingen.

https://www.globalinfo.nl/achtergrond/wapens-en-militarisering-van-het-buitenlands-beleid/

September 29

***
#Saudi Arabia is interested in developing domestic production capabilities for Multiple Launch Rocket System #MLRS launcher platforms.

For this aim #Raytheon (RTX) is said to be aiming to establish a strategic partnership with Saudi military industries. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62211

***
“The F-35’s growing presence across Europe is a powerful example of alliance-based deterrence and is setting the foundation for NATO and allied nation’s next-generation air power capability,” Lockheed said in a statement. Especially the USA part of it. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/czech-government-green-lights-controversial-f-35-purchase

***
During his visit to Kyiv, #French Armed Forces Minister Lecornu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed further supplies of French #arms to #Ukraine and potential joint weapon manufacturing ventures, Zelenskyy’s office said on Sept. 28. https://english.nv.ua/nation/zelenskyy-discusses-joint-arms-production-with-french-defense-minister-ukraine-war-news-50356991.html

***
Krijgsmacht olieslurpers, #DPO. Tussen Lopikerkapel en Best wordt maar liefst 67 kilometer aan pijpleiding vervangen. Defensie pompt hier 24/7 duizenden liters kerosine doorheen naar militaire vliegbases, Schiphol en opslagpunten in binnen- en buitenland. https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2023/37/01_pijpleidingen-vervangen_37

September 28

***
#Israel's $3.5-billion sale of its #Arrow 3 missile defence system to #Germany, sparked by security fears after Russia's Ukraine invasion, is the biggest yet for the small country's outsized arms sector. https://www.barrons.com/news/3-5-bn-germany-deal-the-biggest-yet-for-israeli-arms-sector-3ae4f54b

***
New F-127 ferigates for the German navy, Thyssenkrupp #TKMS was joined by another company that would like to build them at the Marineworkshop in Linstow: Dutch #Damen - the shipping company that is currently producing the F126 for the #German Navy. https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/mecklenburgvorpommern/ndr-marine-werft-in-wismar-will-milliardenprojekt-an-land-ziehen-100.html

***
Mijn korte bespreking van 'De gelaagde oorlog in Oekraïne' door Guido van Leemput. https://broekstukken.blogspot.com/2023/09/de-gelaagde-oorlog-in-oekraine-en-de.html

De uitgave is op het internet te vinden (https://soc21.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/De-gelaagde-oorlog-web.pdf) of te koop voor €20,- (incl. €25,-) bij de uitgeverij SOC21 (https://soc21.nl/alle-publicaties/de-gelaagde-oorlog-in-oekraine-en-de-botsing-van-grootmachten-guido-van-leemput/).

***
UAE President Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) is looking to expand strategic defense relations with France in several fields, included AI. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62208

***
US Special Ops Command has issued a call for a new class of Air-launched Loiter Munitions #ALMs to arm its fixed-wing aircraft. #SOF https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/special-forces-want-equip-aircraft-loiter-munitions

Wiki: Loitering munition (also known as a suicide drone, #kamikaze drone, or exploding drone). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loitering_munition

***
Swiss parliament approves resale of Leopard 2 tanks to Germany. German Ministers of Economy & Defence provided assurances to neutral #Switzerland that the tanks wouldn't be transferred to Kyiv, thereby addressing concerns related to international security. https://menafn.com/1107150685/Swiss-parliament-approves-resale-of-leopard-2-tanks-to-Germany

***
Thompson Hine: “U.S., UK and EU Announce Updated List of Controlled ‘High-Priority’ Items Restricted for Export to Russia” [Some text with Audio podcast] https://mondoweiss.net/2023/09/antony-loewenstein-on-how-israel-exports-weapons-and-surveillance-around-the-world/

***
Thompson Hine: “U.S., UK and EU Announce Updated List of Controlled ‘High-Priority’ Items Restricted for Export to Russia” https://www.thompsonhinesmartrade.com/2023/09/u-s-uk-and-eu-announce-updated-list-of-controlled-high-priority-items-restricted-for-export-to-russia/

***
The UAE considers to introduce export licenses for a no. of items incl. chips and other parts sanctioned by the US & EU and used by Russia's military in Ukraine. If implemented, licenses could be withheld for dual-use goods used in the battlefield, potentially hurting the Kremlin's ability to "feed its war machine," the report added.

https://www.reuters.com/world/uae-mulls-export-controls-items-sanctioned-by-us-eu-bloomberg-2023-09-21/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-21/russia-s-war-in-ukraine-uae-considers-trade-licenses-for-sanctioned-tech

***
#Dutch #Damen has awarded #Spakenburg-based Heinen & Hopman a contract to supply the climate & filtration systems as well as a chemical, biological, radiological & nuclear #CBRN filtration system for 4 ASW frigates on order for the Dutch & #Belgian navies. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/heinen-hopman-to-supply-hvac-r-and-cbrn-filter-systems-for-dutchbelgian-asw-frigates

***
Turkey deputy minister of foreign affairs says Ankara still wants Canada to drop its arms embargo. Canada halted new export permits to Turkey in October 2019 after its military incursion into Syria, and renewed the embargo in 2020 citing evidence Canadian drones sent to ...
Turkey ended up being used by Azerbaijan.

Ottawa might lift its arms embargo if Ankara supports Sweden's bid to join NATO, and if it agrees to restrictions on where Canadian drones can be used.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/turkiye-senior-diplomat-disappointed-by-canada-s-ongoing-arms-export-embargo-1.6579760

To make it a bit more complicated Ankara will support Sweden's bid when the US provides it with F-16's. https://www.reuters.com/world/turkey-will-back-swedens-nato-bid-if-us-keeps-promise-f-16-sale-erdogan-2023-09-26/

***
In the main hall of the Belgrade Partner 23 Arms Fair, an unusual display of drone technologies captured the attention of visitors. Swarm of loitering munitions (killer #drones) made by #Serbian PR-DC draws attention. #Saudi Arabia may be a first customer. https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2023/09/26/swarm-of-loitering-munitions-draws-attention-at-serbian-defense-show/

***
The notorious firm #Palantir wins $250 million US Army #AI research contract to research and experiment with artificial intelligence and machine learning. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2023/09/27/palantir-wins-250-million-us-army-ai-research-contract/

***
A #Japanese official will be the first chief of a joint project with #Britain and #Italy to develop a next-generation #fighter jet, according to Japanese government sources. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15015408

***
#Dutch shipbuilding group Damen is pitching its Enforcer #amphibious ship family as the basis for a potential joint #UK/Netherlands amphibious ship acquisition. https://www.7-star.net/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news_global&wr_id=51364

***
According to a 47-page document submitted by #Ukraine’s government to the G7 governments, 52 electrical components made by #western companies were found in #Russian used #drones, like the Shahed-136 model (flight range 2,000km & cruising speed 180kmh). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/27/revealed-europes-role-in-the-making-of-russia-killer-drones

Western parts found in Russian drones as Putin dodges sanctions and Ukraine plots strike on Iran’s factories.
‘There is a whack-a-mole dynamic in that as soon as you block or blacklist or sanction one entity, another will take its place,’ an arms trade researcher told i
https://inews.co.uk/news/world/western-parts-found-russian-drones-sanction-ukraine-strike-iran-factories-2646676

September 27

***
Singapore fined Hydronav Services $ 1 mln for violating Singapore’s export controls. Hydronav procured a echosounder from a company in Norway after falsely informing Oslo that they were being exported to Indonesia.
Press release: https://www.customs.gov.sg/files/2023-9-21-media-release.pdf

https://www.europeansanctions.com/2023/09/singapore-fines-company-for-myanmar-export-control-violations/

***
Uit praatje afgelopen zondag op 't Spui, Amsterdam: "Oorlog is iets vreselijks. Vrede is heel kostbaar. We moeten het gesprek blijven voeren en aandacht blijven vragen voor andere middelen dan geweld om tot vrede te komen.

Vredesactie op het Spui elke 24ste van de maand om 18 uur." https://stopwapenhandel.org/stop-de-oorlog-amsterdam/

***
#UK PM Sunak urges #Germany to approve £5bn #Eurofighter sale to #Saudis. He pressures Olaf Scholz to lift veto on Typhoon combat jets. In the interest of Human Rights or Pound Sterling? https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sunak-urges-germany-to-approve-5bn-eurofighter-sale-to-saudis-qmtprbskb

UK urges Germany to approve fighter jet delivery to Saudi Arabia, threatens to cut it out of program. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230927-uk-urges-germany-to-approve-fighter-jet-delivery-to-saudi-arabia-threatens-to-cut-it-out-of-program/

September 26

***
Massacres of migrants and asylum seekers by US-trained Saudi border guards.

The answer?

Far from holding the Saudi government accountable, the Biden administration announced last week the first proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia in over a year. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/congress-war-powers/

***
Petitie tegen herrie vluchten van #F35 F-35.  https://straalvliegtuigen.petities.nlArtikel in Udens Weekblad: https://www.kliknieuwsuden.nl/nieuws/algemeen/212834/veghelaar-wil-f35ers-verbannen-uit-luchtruim-en-start-petitie

***
Northrop nabs $705M Air Force award for new F-35 air-to-ground missile.

The Air Force's $705 million award for Phase 2 of the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) is targeting initial operational capability by 2026, Northrop Grumman says.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/northrop-nabs-705m-air-force-award-for-new-f-35-air-to-ground-missile/

***
The US State Department has approved a possible sale to replenish Saudi Arabia’s stocks of spare and repair parts for the country’s fleet of combat vehicles, at an estimated price tag of $500 million. https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/saudi-arabia-cooperative-logistics-supply-support-arrangement-clssa

***
On Saturday 23rd September 2023 hundreds of protesters descended on more than 25 Barclays branches across Britain to demand the bank divests from arms companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its attacks on Palestinians. https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/657587384/hundreds-protest-at-barclays-links-to-israeli-arms-companies

***
The Biden administration announced it is offering a $2 billion #loan to #Poland to support the ally's defence modernisation. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/09/25/us-offers-poland-rare-loan-of-2-billion-to-modernize-its-military/

Poland has a few major industry headlines as it beefs up its defenses amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLjr4XKxKiA

***
India plans to extend fence along Myanmar border. Rights groups & Burmese refugees say the move will keep civilians from seeking safety.

“Drug & arms trade ... have become more frequent lately during tough situations like there is now,” said Chin general.https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/india-border-fence-09252023181910.html

September 25

***
A man in Dnipropetrovsk Region sold weapons to criminals. The SBU exposed 2 channels of underground arms sales in Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions, through which Russian automatic weapons & explosives reached the criminal world.Dnipro Operatyvnyy website, 7 Sep 23

***
#Pakistani Navy configured both the #Damen OPV 1900 & OPV 2600 for conventional warfare roles, such as anti-ship/anti-surface warfare, that would typically belong to corvettes and frigates. They are part of the PN’s vision to build a 50-ship surface fleet. https://quwa.org/2023/09/24/pakistan-navy-makes-gains-in-surface-combatant-programs-2/

September 24

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UK pledges 'tens of thousands' more 155mm artillery shells for #Ukraine. The UK Government contracted #BAE for more artillery shells and other ammunition. The contract will facilitate an additional #155mm artillery shell line in Washington, Tyne & Wear. https://www.army-technology.com/news/as-ukraine-advances-uk-pledges-tens-of-thousands-more-155mm-artillery-shells/

***
Germany's questionable arms exports and the unresolved conflict in Yemen, German politics and the past and developing relations with Saudi Arabia.

SWR Aktuel Radio program in German.

MP3: https://avdlswr-a.akamaihd.net/swr/swraktuell/radio/swr-aktuell-kontext-podcast/deutschlands-fragwuerdige-ruestungsexporte-und-der-ungeloeste-konflikt-im-jemen.m.mp3

Website: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/radio/deutschlands-fragwuerdige-ruestungsexporte-und-der-ungeloeste-konflikt-im-jemen-100.html

***
Germany's questionable arms exports and the unresolved conflict in Yemen. SWR Aktuel Video in German. https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/radio/deutschlands-fragwuerdige-ruestungsexporte-und-der-ungeloeste-konflikt-im-jemen-100.html

***
#MoD of Taiwan signed a contract with UK #Flyby Technology to procure 160 Jackal #drones. The agreement was formalized in Taipei. https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_september_2023_global_security_army_industry/taiwan_buys_160_flyby_technology_jackal_drones_from_uk.html

#JACKAL is a multi-role attack drone capable of firing multiple missiles. https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/jackal-vertical-take-off-and-landing-vtol-drone-uk/

***
#Tata Advanced Systems #TASL, the group's aerospace & military unit, will scale up the group's defence business & organises to become India's first private manufacturer of a military aircraft. TASL has allready partnered with Airbus to make 40 #Airbus C295 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/banmali-agrawala-new-chairman-of-tata-advanced-systems-group-aims-to-scale-up-defence-business/articleshow/103874819.cms

***
Saga of the Romanian corvettes contract. It is not sure if Naval Group signed the contract &...The law allows the authorities, under certain conditions, when the French company refuses to sign, to give the contract to the company that ranked second, Damen. https://www.cotidianul.ro/romania-renunta-la-corvete/

However: "The cancellation of the corvette contract with Naval Group caused the Army to pivot to a new plan. ... At least in the foreseeable future, #Romania will no longer launch any procedure for the purchase of '#corvettes'," sources told Hotnews. https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-defense-26548257-romania-renunta-mai-cumpere-corvete-reorienteaza-urgenta-catre-alte-tipuri-nave-cum-arata-planul-pentru-fortele-navale-pentru-urmatorul-deceniu.htm

September 23

***
#Sudan’s eastern tribes showed hundreds of its members weapons in hand. The price of a Kalashnikov jumped to “$1,500 per rifle, up from $850 before the war”. More sophisticated arms are even more expensive. A US M16 rifle goes for $8,500, and a Israeli for up to $10,000. Asked where his weapons come from “machine guns and assault rifles … come from the Red Sea”. #Traffickers take advantage of “a weak security presence” there, using “isolated ports and the rugged terrain” that others can’t navigate. #SALW https://kuwaittimes.com/in-sudans-east-murky-arms-trade-thrives-as-war-rages/

***
Gold bars, sniper rifles and a Mercedes-Benz: US senator indicted on #Egypt #corruption charges.

Prosecutors allege that #Senator_Robert_Menendez took #bribes in exchange for approving arms sales and leaking sensitive information to Egyptian government.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gold-bars-mercedes-benz-and-sniper-rifles-us-senator-indicted-egypt-corruption-charges

Prosecutors: Menendez deleted evidence and advised wife, ‘You should not text or email’. https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4218443-prosecutors-menendez-deleted-evidence-advised-wife/

Even as US Senator #Menendez accused the Trump administration of being lax when it came to #Egypt, prosecutors say he was doing favors for Egyptian officials — signing off on arms sales and secretly helping it lobby Washington to release funding. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/23/world/middleeast/egypt-robert-menendez-indictment.html

***
Germany, France eye new partners for next-gen tank in 2024. Italy, the #Netherlands and “many others” expressed an interest in joining the project to develop the Main Ground Combat System, or #MGCS. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/09/22/germany-france-eye-new-partners-for-next-gen-tank-in-2024/

***
Kaag said that the EU needs to assert on a international playing field that has become more complex, because of:
- tech such as artificial intelligence
- the declining importance of the West
- a retrenchment of globalization, spurred by public backlash.
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/financing-ukraines-defense-is-a-down-payment-for-peace-in-europe-says-dutch-deputy-prime-minister/

September 22

***
US approves $500m sale for #Saudi Arabia’s combat vehicle upkeep.

The gross human rights violator Riyadh is slated to get the equipment through a longstanding support program that transfers standard maintenance parts to allied nations from #US stocks.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2023/09/22/us-approves-500-million-sale-for-saudi-arabias-combat-vehicle-upkeep/

***
The #Estonian army will soon stand up a unit solely dedicated to #kamikaze #drones (euphemistically also called loitering munitions) drawing on lessons from the Ukrainian war. https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/in-a-first-uaes-loitering-munitions-integrated-on-a-european-unmanned-ground-vehicle/

***
The trillion+ dollar fighter aircraft

("life cycle costs ... exceeding $1.7 trillion"):

Only 55% of F-35s mission capable, putting depot work in spotlight: GAO (https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105341.pdf).

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/only-55-percent-of-f-35s-mission-capable-putting-depot-work-in-spotlight-gao/

And the winner is #Lockheed Martin. #F35
GAO blasts contractor-led F-35 maintenance as costly, slow

Without key technical data from F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin, GAO said military maintainers can't fix some parts — or even learn how to fix them. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/09/22/gao-blasts-contractor-led-f-35-maintenance-as-costly-slow/

***
#Denmark’s defense establishment is embroiled in a growing scandal over arms purchases from the #Israeli weapons manufacturer #Elbit Systems. The deal worth some $250 million with Elbit was to replace 19 howitzers Copehagen had given to Ukraine’s military. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/omar-karmi/murky-israel-deal-embroils-denmark-scandal

***
Will Indian weapons be used in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict? Armenia is the second-largest recipient of Indian military assistance after the Philippines.https://www.news9live.com/world/will-indian-weapons-be-used-in-the-armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-2294730

***
Two persons have been arrested in Arnhem (#Netherlands) for supplying #airplane parts to #Russia in defiance of international sanctions – one of whom worked for the Dutch MoD. https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/09/defence-worker-arrested-for-selling-plane-parts-to-russia/

Fiscal Intell & Investigation Service [Dutch] https://www.fiod.nl/twee-aanhoudingen-in-onderzoek-naar-omzeiling-sanctiewetgeving/

September 21

***
France & Germany remain committed to jointly developing a next-generation tank in the framework of the Main Ground Combat System project, French Armed Forces Minister Lecornu & German Defence Minister Pistorius told newspaper Le Monde in a joint interview. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/09/20/france-germany-remain-committed-to-new-tank-defense-ministers-say/

***
Poland says it is ending its supply of weapons to Ukraine amid a dispute about a grain import ban with Kyiv. https://www.dw.com/en/poland-says-it-will-no-longer-supply-ukraine-with-weapons/a-66879743

One of Ukraine's staunchest allies, Poland, has said it is no longer supplying weapons to its neighbour, amid a diplomatic dispute over Kyiv's grain exports. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66873495

***
Poland says it is ending its supply of weapons to Ukraine amid a dispute about a grain import ban with Kyiv.

***
The #UAE MoD received several offers from US, European, Chinese, and South Korean defense companies for air defense systems, triggering intense competition. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62192

***
A #French journalist has been detained for reporting on leaked documents that claimed French #intelligence was used to #target #civilians in #Egypt, sparking accusations of an "unacceptable" attack on press freedom. https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230920-french-journalist-arrested-for-reporting-on-egypt-spy-operation

***
TechTech War ExclusiveTech war: China’s top memory chip maker YMTC forges closer ties with domestic supplier to replace US parts, sources say. https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3235074/tech-war-chinas-top-memory-chip-maker-ymtc-forges-closer-ties-domestic-supplier-replace-us-parts

***
According to a open letter by a group of 21 technology industry leaders (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jacob-helberg-issues-an-open-letter-to-the-us-government-co-signed-by-leading-defense-technology-companies-301929140.html#20230918) the US government should additionally incentivize private investments in research and development of dual-use technologies, implement the National Security Commission on #AI’s recommendation to boost DOD’s investment in artificial intelligence and other science and technology areas. https://executivegov.com/2023/09/tech-industry-executives-urge-us-government-for-systemic-reforms/

***
A #German-made #shell production machine is currently en route from #Turkey to #Russia and will reportedly be used at the Serov Mechanical Plant to manufacture shells for Russia’s war against #Ukraine, the Ukrainian Trap Aggressor project reported. https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/09/20/statewatch-german-made-shell-production-machine-on-its-way-to-russia/  

***
What's wrong with a fighter plane which ejects the pilot out of the cockpit while it is still able to fly for 60 miles? Untill now that remains an unanswered question. #F35 https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/20/what-we-know-about-the-marine-corps-f-35-crash-in-south-carolina/

September 20

***
De defensie uitgaven 2024 gaan naar €21,2 miljard, aldus de nw. #Defensiebegroting. Vorig jaar, 2023, was 't €15 miljard. Dus +41%.

De defensielobby schakelt gelijk weer 'n tandje bij. ‘Voor schut, internationale aanfluiting’, dat zijn hun woorden om voor nog meer te pleiten.

***
German protests from peace activists: Habeck is expanding the possibility of sensitive arms exports. https://www.fr.de/politik/ruestungsexport-ohne-kontrolle-92529662.html

***
#US & #Saudi officials are discussing the terms of a mutual defence #treaty that would resemble military pacts that the US has with allies such as Japan & South Korea—in a bid to get Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel. https://www.dawn.com/news/1776798 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/19/us/politics/biden-saudi-defense-treaty.html.

***
#Saudi #border killings: #German police #training under scrutiny. German policemen who have participated in the training missions in Saudi Arabia have confirmed the programme is ongoing, and that training was being provided at the Saudi-#Yemeni border. https://www.newarab.com/analysis/saudi-border-killings-german-police-training-under-scrutiny

***
Israeli #Elbit sells #SkyStriker (https://elbitsystems.com/product/skystriker/) loitering munition (kamikaze drones) to mystery #European #customer

SkyStriker is an autonomous loitering munition that can locate, acquire and engage operator-designated targets. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2023/09/19/elbit-sells-skystriker-loitering-munition-to-mystery-european-customer/

***
#Israel’s armed #drones are heralding an era of automated killing. The army's use of UAVs has led to soaring exports and a mounting #Palestinian death toll, yet there is no public debate over their legality or morality. https://www.972mag.com/armed-drones-automated-killing-palestinians/

***
“New Dutch Export Controls on Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment” https://www.engage.hoganlovells.com/knowledgeservices/news/new-dutch-export-controls-on-advanced-semiconductor-manufacturing-equipment

Regulation on Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment (Regeling van 23 juni 2023, nr. MinBuza.2023.15246-27) https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2023-18212.html

***
Japan's new jet fighter alliance pushes limits of defense policy.Collaboration with U.K. and Italy forces Tokyo to reconsider constitutional restrictions on arms exports. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Japan-s-new-jet-fighter-alliance-pushes-limits-of-defense-policy

September 19

***
French cooperation with undemocratic regimes violating human rights:

1 French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Colonna met the Egyptian President El-Sisi in Cairo to discuss military cooperation. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62190

2 Saudi Arabia officially submitted its application to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh, with the support of French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite European pressure, Macron has not shown any signs of withdrawing his support for the Saudi's hosting of World Expo 2030 in Riyadh. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62191

***
France & Germany for years worked on a new land combat system with a shared tank and on an air combat system with a fighters. But differences are increasing. The tank alliance is now even on the verge of collapse - also due to two German armaments giants. https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/plus247380178/Streit-um-Superpanzer-Europas-groesstes-Ruestungsprojekt-steht-vor-dem-Aus.html

September 18

***
Study on public attitude towards arms exports in France and Germany also concludes that the Germen policy is more strict "which could make a Franco-German or European defence policy more difficult in the near future." https://idw-online.de/de/news820773

***
Ukraine’s Hunger for Howitzers Transforms an Arms Industry.

Hanwha Aerospace is doubling its howitzer production capacity as South Korea becomes the world’s fastest-growing weapons exporter.

Guess what will happen after the war...

https://www.wsj.com/world/ukraines-hunger-for-howitzers-transforms-an-arms-industry-a1b907c4

***
The #arms_trade is likely to become increasingly attractive for entrepreneurs. For the arms industry, the war in #Ukraine is a gift that keeps giving. https://inews.co.uk/news/world/inside-arms-deals-worth-billions-ukraine-war-2620665

***
#Pakistan's secret arms sales to #US linked with IMF bailout. The arms sales were made for the purpose of supplying the #Ukrainian military, signaling Pakistani involvement in a conflict it had faced US pressure to take sides on. https://www.livemint.com/news/world/pakistans-secret-arms-sales-to-us-linked-with-imf-bailout-report-11695019184917.html

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry dismissed a report claiming that the country sold its weapons to Ukraine to secure an emergency bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). https://www.dawn.com/news/amp/1776567

***
NATO made vehicles fitted with #Belarus missiles launchers. #Azerbaijan operates a fleet of #Turkish-made #Otokar Cobra 44's (based on AM General Humvee) armed with Ukrainian-Belarusian AT- missile launchers. (a photo conforms its the #Belarusian version.) https://21stcenturyasianarmsrace.com/2023/09/17/more-anti-tank-missiles-appear-in-azerbaijan/

***
#Eurosam (a Franco-Italian European joint venture) contracted four #Thales' SMART-L Multi-Mission / N (Naval) long-range radars for #French and #Italian Horizon class air defence #frigates. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/defence/news/thales-smart-l-multi-mission-radar-selected-eurosam-french-and-italian-air

***
Rafale scam: "the biggest and most brazen defence scandal in India’s history". The communist party of India on the Modi policy on acquiring French Rafale fighters: less (36 instead of 126), against a higher price and the anti-corruption clause waived. https://cpim.org/views/bjp%E2%80%99s-doublespeak-corruption

***
All in the interest of peace, security and human rights:

#Saudi Arabia, Under Fire For Civilian Killings, Is Largest Buyer Of US Arms.

It imports nearly 80 percent of its arms from the United States. https://www.eurasiareview.com/16092023-saudi-arabia-under-fire-for-civilian-killings-is-largest-buyer-of-us-arms-oped/

***
Lt. admiral Bauer of the Netherlands , chair of the NATO military committee, noted:
→ Production capacity of the arms industry is to small;
→ Liberal economies aren't apt prioritising what is needed, arms production;
→ Military budgets are not sufficient any more because of the rising prices of arms.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-invites-arms-manufacturers-kyiv-053503824.html

Production of #155mm artillery rounds crucial to the war in Ukraine is years ahead of schedule, according to Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante. The was aim was 85,000 per month by fiscal year 2028. Currently reaching 100,000 p.m. by FY25. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/09/15/production-of-key-munition-years-ahead-of-schedule-pentagon-says/

***
The consequences of war and climate change have been demonstrated with the Libyan flood disaster. The Nato-led bombing in 2011 plunged the country into chaos. The following destruction of infrastructure and the descent of the country into civil war laid the basis for the destruction of the two dams and the horrors we are now witnessing, said Lindsey German convenor of the UK Stop the War coalition. https://www.counterfire.org/article/afghanistan-iraq-libya-thhttps://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1703535078822076416/tNfpd9vj?format=jpg&name=smalle-result-in-ukraine-wont-be-any-different-weekly-briefing/

***
Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is looming large. A vague concern becomes a real risk. Arms trade with North Korea however goes against resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230917000223

The UN bans North #Korea from making any arms trade. Russia agreed on the adoption of the #UN sanctions as one of the few permanent members of the Security Council. Now the country is trying to flout the principles and norms of the international community. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230918000500320

***
EU extends arms embargo on Iran, accuses it of violating nuclear deal. Iran states the embargo is irrelevant because the country has Iits own domestic production of most weapons and military supplies. https://en.trend.az/iran/nuclearp/3798212.html

September 16

***
Activiteiten vredesweek: Stop Wapenhandel.https://vredessite.nl/nieuws/vredesweek_2145.html

***
The climate can't afford the cost of war

This week, London is hosting an exhibition of #weapons of war. Phil Laurie from Quaker Roots reflects on the contradiction of spending money on the military when we need to be responding to the #climate emergency. https://www.quaker.org.uk/blog/the-climate-can-t-afford-the-cost-of-war

***

Lulkoek: Stssec Defensie Van der Maat: "Europa heeft 16 soorten gevechtsvliegtuigen... niet ideaal,” zo herkauwde hij de woorden van de Europese wapenlobby op de DSEI wapenbeurs. Welke 16 en hoeveel zijn er Amerikaans en Russisch? Hoeveel heeft de VS er?https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2023/35/06_globaal_35

***
State Department diverting $85m in Egyptian military financing towards Taiwan and Lebanon.

$55 million would be bound for Taiwan and $30 million for Lebanon. https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/state-department-diverting-85m-in-egyptian-military-financing-towards-taiwan-and-lebanon/

***
Reuters: At London arms fair, global war fears good for business

As one defence [= military manufacturer] executive put it: "War is good for business". https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/london-arms-fair-global-war-fears-good-business-2023-09-15/

***
How the UK’s arms trade funnels public cash into private pockets,

The Ministry of Defence’s leading suppliers have paid shareholders billions from a cruel industry beset by failures.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dsei-arms-fair-london-excel-common-wealth-weapons-bae-boeing-qinetiq/

September 15

***
#Ukrainian arms importer prioritizes howitzers, drones, ammo. Oleksii Petrov, the acting director of #SpetsTechnoExport, told Defense News the company is holding talks with various Western partners during this year’s #DSEI industry show. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/09/13/ukrainian-arms-importer-prioritizes-howitzers-drones-ammo

***
“Efforts to Evade Russia Export Controls Highlighted in New Report”

The federal government says it has identified nearly $1 billion in trade activity suspected of being associated with efforts to evade Russia-related export controls.

https://www.strtrade.com/trade-news-resources/str-trade-report/trade-report/september/efforts-to-evade-russia-export-controls-highlighted-in-new-report

Companies in mainly in China and Hong Kong but also in #Belgium, #Germany, Singapore, Turkey, the UAE, and the #UK – appear to be purchasing U.S.-origin goods on behalf of Russian end-users.

The majority of companies identified are connected to the electronics industry

***
In July 2023, the French General Directorate for Enterprise published its 2nd Annual Report (French) to Parliament on dual-use goods exports, outlining:

→ the number of authorisations and denials;
→ the legislative and regulatory control framework;
→ the role of the departments which implement export controls
→ industry and stakeholder awareness.

Report: https://medias.vie-publique.fr/data_storage_s3/rapport/pdf/290900.pdf
https://www.europeansanctions.com/2023/09/french-government-publishes-report-on-dual-use-goods-exports/

***
#KNDS, a #Amsterdam-based joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann #KMW & #Nexter together with #Israel’s #Elbit to produce a rocket artillery kit.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/09/14/knds-israels-elbit-to-produce-european-rocket-artillery-kit/

Will the weapons not be exported to a war somewhere or a dictatorship elsewhere as Israel recently did?

September 14

***
#Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khaled Bin Salman met with his #French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Riyadh on 7/9/2023.

The two ministers are said to have touched on the #Rafale matter. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62178

***
Pakistan Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel Launching Ceremony Held In Romania.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/pakistan-navys-offshore-patrol-vessel-launch-1749074.html

Daar gaat weer een groot Damen wapenplatform naar Pakistan.

The OPV 2600 will be armed with the main 76mm gun on the bow deck and two 20mm guns as secondary weapons. In Romanian https://adevarul.ro/stiri-interne/evenimente/in-romania-se-construiesc-nave-de-lupta-dar-2299871.html

***
Chair of York's Green Party sentenced after #protest at #UAV_systems. He was accused of damaging the forecourt by spraying red paint on it. UAV systems is part of #Elbit Systems which makes drones for Israel which are used to kill and maim Palestinians. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/tom-franklin-chair-of-yorks-green-party-sentenced-after-protest-at-drone-manufacturing-site-4333733

***
Export of German engines for Indian battle tanks approved. German companies are allowed to participate in the construction of Indian battle tanks. India and Germany had recently agreed to expand arms cooperation. https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/ruestungsexporte-export-deutscher-motoren-fuer-indische-kampfpanzer-genehmigt/29388932.html

***
Again Israel arms exports are immoral.

#Azerbaijan tests advanced Israeli missile, as Nagorno-Karabakh tensions mount.

Azeri cargo flights to #Israeli base - used for arms exports - spike in recent weeks, as tensions with #Armenia run high.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2023-09-13/ty-article/azerbaijan-tests-israeli-missile-cargo-flights-spike-as-nagorno-karabakh-tensions-mount/0000018a-8dc7-dd09-a3ba-fde7093e0000

***
Elizabeth Beavers and William Hartung, "Why Are We Still Arming Saudi Arabia? | Opinion," Newsweek, September 7, 2023. https://www.newsweek.com/why-are-we-still-arming-saudi-arabia-opinion-1824773 Riyadh "is more likely to embroil the United States in conflict than stabilize the Middle East."

***
Biden administration will track civilian deaths from U.S.-supplied arms.

New program will have officials investigate reports of foreign governments using American-made weapons against non-combatants.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/09/13/state-department-chirg-civilian-deaths/

September 13

***
At past DSEI fairs a variety of illegal #torture equipment was advertised for sale - including electro-shock stun guns, leg-irons, and body- and gang-chains.

Amnesty has identified 9 companies that have violated UK law at #DSEI events between 2005 and 2013 https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-police-must-allow-peaceful-protesters-demonstrate-global-arms-fair-london

***
Britain wants to loosen rules and boost its arms exports

The UK is already a large weapons seller; it wants to get even bigger.

https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-wants-to-loosen-rules-and-boost-its-arms-exports/

***
Nederlandse overheid cq. #marine neemt deel aan omstreden #DSEI-wapenbeurs in Londen. https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2023/september/13559-dsei-2023-royal-netherlands-navy-showcases-hmnls-de-ryuter.html

Dutch Navy improves radar, adds Tomahawk cruise missile (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile)) to fleet. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/09/13/dutch-navy-improves-radar-adds-tomahawk-missile-to-fleet/

For decades already the Tomahawk is the weapon used in the early stages of a military involvement of the US in a international conflict.

September 12

***
#MBDA offered the #UAE Navy Anti Ship #Missiles under a tender to arm the Gowind corvettes being built by Naval Group. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62170

***
Joe Biden’s administration is linking #F16 fighter jet sales to #Turkey with Turkish ratification of #Sweden’s #NATO membership bid and this “seriously upsets” Ankara. https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/news-analysis/distrust-disrupts-progress-in-turkish-us-ties

***
#France inks deal to aid #Bangladesh launch second satellite to orbit. The low-Earth orbit observation satellite is also for defence purposes. Involved are state-run Bangladesh #Satellite Company Limited and France's #Airbus Defence and Space company. https://www.qatar-tribune.com/article/82629/world/france-inks-deal-to-aid-bangladesh-launching-2nd-satellite-to-orbit

***
In a Campaign Against Arms Trade #CAAT said the companies taking part in Londen held Defence and Security Equipment Int. #DSEI arms fair read as a "who's who of the world's worst arms dealers".

Activists promise two-week 'resistance' campaign against it. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/dsei-israel-companies-worst-arms-dealers

September 11

***
In a dangerous world, Japan sharpens its foreign policy weapon. https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/in-a-dangerous-world-japan-sharpens-its-foreign-policy-weapon

***
German MEP for the CDU David McAllister states German French tank troubles “of course also brings the cooperation on the #FCAS multi-purpose combat aircraft back into focus”. https://www.hna.de/wirtschaft/david-mc-allister-panzer-projekt-mgcs-europa-knds-nexter-rheinmetall-krauss-maffei-wegmann-muenchen-zr-92511876.html

----
Europe's largest arms project is in jeopardy because differences between its partners France and Germany are increasing.

Europas größtes Rüstungsprojekt steht auf der Kippe, weil die Differenzen zwischen den Partnern Frankreich und Deutschland zunehmen

WELT AM SONNTAG 10/09/23

***
Washinton and Hanoi the upgrade growth "in critical industries from semiconductors to defense, even as #Vietnam reportedly looks to buy arms from Russia secretly despite Western sanctions over the #Ukraine war." #US #China https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/U.S.-upgrades-Vietnam-ties-as-Biden-blasts-China-for-changing-rules

September 10

***
Stop Shopping Choir today at 14.00 hour at DSEI arms fair. Antother good reason to go to the protest.

***
On Thursday, UK Pax Christi joined the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Quakers, Columbans and others for the 'No Faith in War Day' protest at the #DSEI Arms Fair, the ExCeL Centre, London. https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/47970

***
The Department of Defense #DoD has paid about $1 billion to an arms dealer who was once indicted for allegedly #bribing foreign officials to supply equipment to Ukraine, The New York Times reported Saturday. https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/09/pentagon-indicted-arms-dealer-supply-ammo-ukraine/

NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/world/europe/ukraine-military-arms-dealer-pentagon.html

September 9

***
7 questions to the #OCCAR (https://www.occar.int/) director. OCCAR is a multi-national organisation managing 18 programs (like: A400M airlifter, FREMM frigate & the MAST-F tactical missile) with a total operational budget this year of about €6 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/09/08/seven-questions-with-the-head-of-international-arms-manager-occar/

September 8

***
The Chief of Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces met with the Head of the Joint Chinese-Saudi military work team Major Gen Fan Jianjun in Riyadh.

During this meeting 3 projects related to the production of arial & naval #drones are said to have been finalised. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62161

***
The #Indonesian MoD & Navy have reached an impasse over the ‘Red White' frigate programme's combat systems. The defence ministry insist that the frigates be equipped with a #Turkish combat management system instead of a #Thales-supplied one as planned. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval-weapons/latest/indonesian-defence-ministry-navy-at-impasse-over-red-white-frigates-combat-systems

***
The @CAATuk #UK arms exports browser has been updated to include data up to March 2023.

Unfortunately, this quarter the data is only partial as licences held by many exporters are absent from official government figures.https://caat.org.uk/data/exports-uk/overview

***
Behind the scenes

See how private #ammo sales from #US are fueling the war in #Ukraine.

“War is bad,” weapons dealer Brown said. “Loss of life is bad. But at the end of the day, it’s very profitable and injects revenue into this military industrial base.” https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/09/07/war-in-ukraine-private-ammunition-sales/70708811007/

***
Rather than clarifying details of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the docking of the #Russian cargo vessel, the #SA executive summary of the #Lady_R report leaves questions open on what happened. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-07-uae-role-in-lady-r-saga-doesnt-make-sense-say-experts/

E.g. what has the #UAE to do with the shipment?

***
Rather than clarifying details of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the docking of the Russian cargo vessel, the #SouthAfrican executive summary of the #Lady_R report leaves several questions open what was really ongoing. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-07-uae-role-in-lady-r-saga-doesnt-make-sense-say-experts/

What has the #UAE to do with the shipment?

***
#Qatar may opt to purchase an additional 24 #Rafale from Dassault, which would bring the country’s fleet to 60, having acquired an initial batch of 24 in 2015 and another 12 in 2017. Analysts have told Defense News such a sale appears likely. #France https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/09/07/rafales-on-the-upswing-french-fighter-eyes-additional-mideast-sales/

***
Swedish military company #Saab AB acquired #AI firm CrowdAI, again expanding its footprint in the fast-growing sector.

The deal’s closing was announced Sept. 7. No financial details were shared. Saab ranked No. 33 of the world’s largest defense companies.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2023/09/07/swedens-saab-snags-silicon-valley-based-crowdai/

September 7

***
A new RUSI analysis calls on partners of Ukraine to “ensure” the proposed artillery park is developed, while also working to cut down an existing supply of 17 artillery systems to focus on “maintaining a more limited range of guns at greater scale.” https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/ukraine-counteroffensive-analysis-west-needs-to-help-kyiv-outrange-russians-protect-own-artillery/

For RUSI report see here: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/special-resources/stormbreak-fighting-through-russian-defences-ukraines-2023-offensive

***

The European Defence Agency (#EDA) on Tuesday (5 September) signed eight contracts with European industry for the joint procurement of #155mm ammunition for #Ukraine in the first-ever move to use the bloc to purchase weapons collectively.

https://eda.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/2023/09/05/eda-signs-framework-contracts-for-joint-procurement-of-155mm-ammunition

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/eu-defence-agency-signs-first-joint-procurement-ammunition-deals-for-ukraine/

***
#Germany starts new attempt for main battle #tank alliance - WITHOUT #France.

Germany, Italy, Sweden and Spain want to develop a new main battle tank. The project competes with the ongoing cooperation between Berlin and Paris. https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/leopard-nachfolger-dem-neuen-deutsch-franzoesischen-kampfpanzer-droht-das-aus-/29368146.html

***

Without proper political/diplomatic context, a surge towards capabilities like swarms of drones that can destroy 1000s of targets in China on short notice are more likely to accelerate a dangerous arms race than deter a potentially catastrophic conflict. https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2023/08/beware-pentagon-techno-enthusiasm/389885/

***
#JPO (F-35 Joint Program Office) spokesman Russ Goemaere wrote that it has continued to update US military leaders, int. partners and foreign governments purchasing the F-35 “about the progress and challenges observed in testing TR-3 software in flight.”

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/09/06/upgraded-f-35-deliveries-could-slip-to-june-2024/

But, Goemaere added, the TR-3 program still has risks.

***
The Pentagon announced Sept. 6 it will send depleted uranium #DU rounds to Ukraine in its latest military assistance package to the embattled country. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/09/06/us-to-send-depleted-uranium-rounds-to-ukraine/

Iraq has some experience with its use as did deployed US military in the country. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2013/3/15/iraq-wars-legacy-of-cancer

***
“Our [NATO's] job is to send the message that we can out-manufacture,” Russia, said defence official Salm. “Our defence has been a self-inducing spiral of declining defense budgets, especially in Europe,” he added “Our job is to turn this around.” https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2023/09/06/us-considering-long-range-fires-for-ukraine-state-dept-official-says/

***

Old (July 19, 2023) but missed: The Netherlands lifts arms embargo against Turkey, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Dutch government changes policy following Turkish support for Sweden's Nato membership bid, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE also benefitting. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/netherlands-turkey-arms-embargo-lifted

September 6

***
iO Associates, the only recruitment company for Elbit Sys UK removed all the 22 jobs for Elbit from its online platforms. Elbit Systems UK also removed their online job vacancies. This happened soon after an occupation of iO’s Manchester offices. https://freedomnews.org.uk/2023/09/05/israeli-arms-firm-jobs-delisted-after-recruiters-targeted/

***
#Saudi #EDGE Group & Israeli #Rafael talk to establish a strategic partnership for the development of an air defence system.

The #UAE is in talks with Israel for the acquisition of the Spyder air defence system and the Iron Beam directed-energy system. https://www.tacticalreport.com/daily/62155

***
News from the Brussels' Bubble, newsletter by @ENAAT avaliable here: https://enaat.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ENAAT-NBB-2023-06_04.09.2023.pdf.

Five pages with nformation on:

* ENAAT activities

* EU funding for the arms industry

* Other aspects of EU militarisation

* EU Peace Facility & related news

***
#Israel sold arms to #Myanmar even after the 2021 military coup.

Shipping records show #IAI and #Elbit arming Myanmar’s junta, which bombs civilian targets in the country.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2023-09-05/ty-article/.premium/israel-sold-arms-to-myanmar-even-after-the-2021-military-coup/0000018a-6000-d339-a3af-f5b673e90000

Do you know these pictures, see link: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=562993306&rlz=1C1GCEA_enNL925NL925&q=ravage+Myanmar+bombing+2023&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQ_df4sZWBAxUsg_0HHeNgDJEQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1920&bih=923&dpr=1

See also https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-sold-arms-myanmar-coup-despite-high-court-ban

September 5

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#Finland’s #Patria weighs making combat vehicles in Ukraine. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/09/04/finlands-patria-weighs-making-combat-vehicles-in-ukraine/

Next EU weapon manufacturer which seems to consider #Ukraine a place to produce arms. If true Ukraine's notorious arms export policies must improve. Otherwise new problems will be created.

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The Algerian Air Force has agreed to acquire 4 Russian-made Beriev Be-200ES Altair multirole amphibious #aircraft, so-called water bombers. This procurement decision comes in response to the #wildfires that have plagued several regions of #Algeria. https://www.military.africa/2023/09/algeria-receives-beriev-be-200es-altair-amphibious-aircraft-for-firefighting/

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And the winner is?

EUROPEAN defence stocks rallied as analysts predicted an increase in shareholder returns and deal making across the industry next year.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-12479625/MARKET-REPORT-European-defence-stocks-surge-deal-making-set-grow.html

Who are the losers?

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Arianespace VV23 Vega carried the #Airbus built #THEOS-2 #satellite. https://spaceflightnow.com/launchschedule/vega-theos-2-formosat-7r-triton/ The satellite is part of a cooperation between #Thai Space Tech Development Agency #GISTDA & the military to enhance national security & support military missions. https://asianews.network/thai-military-teams-up-with-space-agency-for-eyes-in-the-sky/

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Militarisation of the EU policy:

The European Commission plans to propose a new 'European Defence Production Act' to boost the bloc's military industrial base. https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/european-commission-mulls-new-european-defence-act-before-end-of-year/

The Commision states that is to help EU member states better face future crises.

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Human rights? Peace? Democacy? Security? People?

Or just power and profit?

Australia’s rise in military export approvals to Saudi Arabia labelled ‘disturbing’

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/05/australias-rise-in-military-export-approvals-to-saudi-arabia-labelled-disturbing

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The #ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum (ACSC/APF) has declared #Myanmar’s military regime a terrorist organization and called on regional leaders gathering in Jakarta for this week’s ASEAN summit to cut ties with the junta. https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/asean-must-cut-ties-with-terrorist-regime-in-myanmar-civil-society.html

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Sinds het begin van de oorlog in #Oekraïne geeft Europa meer geld aan zijn #wapenindustrie. Maar hoe profiteert die daar van, en zijn daar ook kritische noten bij te kraken? Daarover Mark Akkerman @CTWnl en schrijver voor 't @TNI.

LUISTERUH mensen, hier https://www.nporadio1.nl/podcasts/europa-draait-door/95349/36-hoe-profiteert-de-wapenindustrie-van-de-oorlog-in-oekraine-s05

Wil je nog meer podcast met Stop Wapenhandel? Nieuwe aflevering van Onderstroom, over wapenhandel, militair-industrieel complex, wapenlobby, zogenaamd groene oorlogvoering en meer. https://onderstroom.red/alle-afleveringen/podcast-over-wapenhandel/

September 4

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"There is no such thing as #tactical nuclear weapons; any #nuclear employment for tactical purposes imposes #strategic consequences and engages an #escalation path down which few wish to tread." part from letter by Lieutenant commander Matt Hipple, https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/september/comment-discussion

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Commander of the US Coast Guard Steve Hulse advises US navy to acquire #Sentinel-class vessels to be used as a missile armed patrol boat. They are built by Bollinger for the USCG, used in Bahrain & developped by Dutch #Damen. The ships cost $ 65 million. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/september/navy-should-use-fast-response-cutter-patrol-boat

September 3

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#Airbus Helicopters and #Korea Aerospace Industries (#KAI) have agreed to initiate their series production of the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) as well as deepening their commitment to the joint production of the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH). https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-08-airbus-and-korea-aerospace-industries-to-launch-light-armed

September 2

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#Netherlands, #Romania and #Lockheed agree to open F-16 training center (located at Romania’s Air Base in Borcea, Călărași).

The letter of intent comes after the Biden administration approved the re-export of the fourth generation jets to Ukraine.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/netherlands-romania-and-lockheed-agree-to-open-f-16-training-center/

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Chinese chip makers can import critical #ASML tools until 2024, as new Netherlands rules restrict access to DUV systems.

World’s leading maker of #lithography systems said it will not be able to ship its most advanced DUV tools to #China after January 1. https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3233052/chinese-chip-makers-can-import-critical-asml-tools-until-2024-new-netherlands-rules-restrict-access

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#Ukraine has the power to deny Russia air ops over its territory an article in a military magazine states. https://usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/september/air-denial-lessons-ukraine… But “we need a total of around 160 combat jets,’’ Zelensky said. This to prevent Russia from dominating Ukrainian #airspace. https://dailynigerian.com/ukraine-seeks-combat-jets/

September 1

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#Djibouti asserts maritime dominance with a naval garage. Central in the effort is a naval repair boat ('aquatic garage') build by #Damen and financed by Dutch based Invest International Capital #IIC and #Atradius Dutch State Business #DSB. https://www.capitalethiopia.com/2023/08/07/djibouti-asserts-maritime-dominance-with-a-naval-garage/

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Constitutional Court decides on referendum if Hamburg has the right thalt arms shipment through its harbour. Despite the sentence in the preamble to the Hamburg constitution states: Hamburg "as a world port city has to fulfill a special task towards the German people assigned to it by history and location. In the spirit of peace, it wants to be a mediator between all continents and peoples of the world," Die Welt forcasts a refusal by the Court to give Hamburg the right to prevent the shipments.

Verdict 1/9/23, at 10 a.m. https://www.welt.de/regionales/hamburg/article247104630/Entscheidung-ueber-Volksbegehren-gegen-Ruestungsgueter.html

The refendum demands were put aside on several grounds. The issue is a Federal responsibility and representaives of Senate/Parliament cannot be forced to install a law against the shipments. This is incompatible with freedom of the parliamentary mandate. https://www.welt.de/regionales/hamburg/article247236692/Volksbegehren-gegen-Ruestungstransporte-unzulaessig.html

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The Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine & BAE Systems signed a Cooperation Agreement on arms production in Ukraine.

Ukraine & BAE Systems also signed a Framework Agreement on cooperation in the repair, spare parts & production of L119 light guns. https://defence-industry.eu/bae-systems-to-localize-arms-production-in-ukraine/

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Dutch military supplies to Ukraine nears € 2 billion.

De totale waarde van de geleverde militaire steun aan Oekraïne nadert de € 2 miljard. De vervangingswaarde van het geleverde materieel is wel iets naar beneden bijgesteld. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2023/08/31/bijna-2-miljard-euro-aan-militaire-steun-naar-oekraine-onder-meer-brugleggende-tanks