Sunday 18 December 2016

A Chinese navy fleet left a port in Zhanjiang in southern China's Guangdong Province for an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday. This is the 25th convoy fleet sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy for the missions since 2008. The fleet is composed of two missile frigates, a supply ship, two ship-borne helicopters, dozens of special combat soldiers, and more than 700 seamen and officers. Chinese fleets have escorted more than 6,000 ships and successfully rescued or aided more than 60 Chinese and foreign ships. They have carried out humanitarian rescue and safeguarded sea lane security.

http://eng.mod.gov.cn/DefenseNews/2016-12/18/content_4767102.htm

Thursday 15 December 2016

US: Deployments To Poland, Romania, Baltic States Accelerated

The United States will speed up the deployment of troops to Poland, Romania and the Baltic states, Polish and U.S. defense officials said Dec. 14, AP reported. An armored Brigade Combat Team from Fort Carson in Colorado will deploy to western Poland in early January. The deployment was originally set to take place toward the middle or end of the month. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the commander of U.S. land troops in Europe, said troops will arrive Jan. 6 in Germany's port of Bremerhaven and quickly deploy to Poland, Romania and the Baltic states. The move to accelerate the deployment – which will now take place before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump – appears to be a signal of continuing U.S. support for countries in Europe's borderlands. It comes at a time when many in the region are concerned about the possibility of weakening support from the new administration.

Source: https://www.stratfor.com/situation-report/us-deployments-poland-romania-baltic-states-accelerated

Wednesday 14 December 2016

The United States military on Wednesday grounded its tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey aircraft in Japan after Tokyo called for a halt to flights following a crash southwest of Okinawa island, the first accident involving the aircraft in the Asian nation. The aircraft has become a lightning rod for opposition to the U.S. military presence in Okinawa, with local groups seeking the closure of American bases saying it is prone to crash and poses a danger to residents.

Read more: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN14302J
The Central MD motorized rifle brigade, which had been formed in the Samara Region, has received more than 40 newest BTR-82A APCs The vehicles are equipped with communication and orientation systems; armed with 30mm automated 2A72 gun and coaxial 7.62mm PKTM machine gun. The brigade was formed in the Roshinsky garrison on November 30

Source: http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12106215@egNews

Saturday 10 December 2016

US deploys addictonal Abrams tanks in Romania, Bulgaria.

Info: The M1 Abrams is an American third-generation main battle tank. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army chief of staff and commander of United States military forces in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. Highly mobile, designed for modern armored ground warfare, the M1 is well armed and heavily armored. Notable features include the use of a powerful multifuel turbine engine, the adoption of sophisticated composite armor, and separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment for crew safety. Weighing nearly 68 short tons (almost 62 metric tons), it is one of the heaviest main battle tanks in service. The M1 Abrams entered U.S. service in 1980, replacing the M60 tank. The M1 remains the principal main battle tank of the United States Army and Marine Corps, and the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Iraq. Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection, and electronics. These improvements and other upgrades to in-service tanks have allowed this long-serving vehicle to remain in front-line service. In addition, development for the improved M1A3 version was reported in 2009.

Friday 9 December 2016

Confirmed: Turkish Leopard 2A4 tanks active in Syrian territory near Al-Bab - #Syria #Turkey. The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and 12 other European countries, as well as several non-European nations. The Leopard 2 was used in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force. There are two main development batches of the tank, the original models up to Leopard 2A4, which have vertically faced turret armour, and the "improved" batch, namely the Leopard 2A5 and newer versions, which have angled arrow-shaped turret appliquΓ© armour together with other improvements. All models feature digital fire control systems with laser rangefinders, a fully stabilized main gun and coaxial machine gun, and advanced night vision and sighting equipment (first vehicles used a low-light level TV system or LLLTV; thermal imaging was introduced later on). The tank has the ability to engage moving targets while moving over rough terrain.
UAE Military Base in Assab – Eritrea

By Stratfor,
Over the past 15 months, the United Arab Emirates has been building up its military infrastructure in Eritrea. As a member of the Saudi-led coalition engaged in the Yemeni conflict, the United Arab Emirates has conducted operations from the Eritrean port of Assab.
The Emirati military is currently working to complete a military facility northwest of the city, the size of which is clearly evident in satellite photos Stratfor has obtained from AllSource Analysis. Beyond supporting ongoing activities in Yemen, the establishment of bases outside Emirati borders reveals the ambitions of Abu Dhabi and its Gulf allies to step up their military presence in the region.
uae-assab-base-1
As construction on the base progresses, UAE vessels such as the HSV-2 Swift, which was damaged in an Oct. 1 attack off Yemen’s coast, have continued to use the Assab port. Since the base’s development started around September 2015, extensive work has been done on the site.
uae-assab-base-2
The new facility, centered on the runway of a disused Eritrean airport, now features aircraft shelters and housing for personnel. A naval docking facility is also being built next to the runway on the coastline, where dredging ships are cutting a new channel. The scale of the undertaking suggests that the UAE military is in Eritrea for more than just a short-term logistical mission supporting operations across the Red Sea.
uae-assab-port-construction
Instead, the base is part of Abu Dhabi’s longer-term strategy, which also includes military assets stationed at a base in eastern Libya, near Egypt. The bases not only enable the United Arab Emirates to operate effectively on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula and in East Africa, but they also play a role in the Gulf Cooperation Council’s effort to forge diplomatic alliances.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have approached Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea over the past few years, offering them financial perks in the hope of drawing on their resources within the context of a military alliance. Sudanese troops, for example, have taken part in Riyadh’s Yemeni operations. Gaining permission to establish bases in those countries, such as the Saudi base in Djibouti, shows the immediate benefit of those relationships. The bases themselves then bolster longer-term connections with the nations hosting them while allowing Gulf powers to support those states’ military capabilities.
uae-eritrea-fighters
uae-assab-transport
uae-assab-helicopters
In addition to the air assets the United Arab Emirates has stationed at the Assab base, there is also a large ground contingent that includes what seems to be at least a battalion-sized armored element equipped with French-built Leclerc main battle tanks. The air assets are the most rapidly deployable, however, and the French-built Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft at the base give Abu Dhabi the ability not only to conduct operations over Yemen with ease but also to project power elsewhere around the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden.
uae-assab-tanks-vehicles
The United Arab Emirates will probably continue to strengthen its military ties to countries throughout the region, but its own capacity to project power will grow along with them. The base near Assab marks a significant shift in the United Arab Emirates’ military policy as it becomes part of the small group of countries that maintain bases abroad.

Wednesday 7 December 2016

(Unknown aircraft?) Video allegedly shows explosions that rocked #Damascus Mazzeh Military Airport this night, #Syria.

Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1835217400030348&id=1713340505551372&_rdr

An Arab news outlet identified with the Syrian government said on Wednesday morning that Israeli jets struck targets at a Damascus airport. According to the pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen television channel, the jets targeted the Mezzeh Military Airport in Damascus, which neighbors President Bashar Assad's palace. Loud explosions in the Mezzeh neighborhood were also reported on social media. Al-Arabiya, meanwhile, reported that fires broke out at the airport and that emergency vehicle sirens were heard in the area.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/wwwMobileSite/israel-news/1.757422?v=20977B248AA5BF812A44C4D321ABEF44

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Hifter visited Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov, seeking a potential arms deal. In return, rumor has it that Moscow would receive permission to build a military base in Libya, granting it greater leverage to exert political influence on the country. A deal would also likely be a game changer for Hifter, who seeks to take back the country from Islamist militants. Moscow thus far has denied allegations of going forward with any deal. Libya has been split into two rival governments: one based in Tripoli and the other based in the eastern city of Tobruk. The government in Tripoli is backed by the United Nations, while the government in Tobruk supports Hifter. In December 2015, a unity government, called the Government of National Accord (GNA) was founded. The GNA is the latest political solution promoted by the UN to end the civil war which began in 2014. Many believe Hifter aspires to be a leader that can unite Libya, as his Libyan National Army (LNA) clears out Islamists in cities such as Benghazi. Others dislike Hifter, due to his military experience under longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi - some see him as a remnant of the old regime. Gadhafi was killed in a NATO-led intervention in 2011. Hifter enjoys the power he holds and is unlikely to relinquish any of his political leverage as head of the LNA for a position in the GNA. He's emboldened by his military victories against the Islamists in cities like Benghazi and does not want to merge his Libyan National Army with the new unity government in Tripoli. However, Hifter's army is not the only force that seeks to fight against the Islamists in Libya. On Tuesday, the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) was driven out of their last stronghold in the country, the coastal city of Sirte, by militias aligned with the GNA. This is a major blow to IS in Libya. The militant group had controlled Sirte since early 2015. Russian strategy Mattia Toaldo, a Libya expert and Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in London, sees Libya as part of a greater Middle East strategy on behalf of the Kremlin. President Vladimir Putin seeks to improve his country's stake in Libya as a means to bolster alliances with other Arab countries such as Egypt, which is led by President Abdel Fatah El-Sissi. Moskau - Wladimir Putin und Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi im Kreml (picture-alliance/dpa/M. Metzel) Putin and his fledgling ally, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. "Libya is important first of all as a 'proof of friendship' from Putin to Sissi," Toaldo told DW. "Libya is important for Sissi, Sissi is important for Putin and therefore Putin will do what he can to strengthen Sissi's hand in Libya. This means supporting Hifter while paying lip service to UN resolutions." It's clear why Putin would like Hifter in the same way he supports El-Sissi. The Egyptian leader and Hifter both come from military backgrounds, and show a disdain for proponents of political Islam such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Although there are no confirmed reports that Russia is going to go through with a deal, Toaldo agrees with the notion that a Russian military base in Libya could help cement Moscow's power in the Middle East. "Russia could get a foothold in Libya that could be helpful in strengthening its overall position in the Mediterranean," he said. "There is increasing talk of a Russian base or even just docking rights in Benghazi. Coupled with Syria and in view of the rising ties with Egypt, this would allow Russia to have a much stronger position in this part of the world." Libyen-Reise Putin bei Gadhafi (AP) Putin with deposed Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi - Russia and Libya have traditionally had strong political relations The UN proposed an arms embargo on Libya in 2011, an obstacle that Russia would have to contend with if it wants to do business with Hifter. Parallels with Syria Russian support for Hifter draws parallels between Putin's intervention on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Toaldo finds this comparison to be mostly fair: "Same logic, yes. A military strongman coming from an institution traditionally close to the USSR and then to Russia, fighting against Islamist terrorists as seen from Moscow. But I doubt that Putin will ever commit to Libya the same amount of forces he committed to Syria." Russian support to Hifter would be mostly weapons sales. Syria, on the other hand, has seen the Russian air force bombing rebel positions in support of Assad for over a year now. In any case, Russia hopes to expand its influence over a rapidly changing Middle East and become the region's dominant player.

Source: http://m.dw.com/en/russia-seeks-to-influence-in-libya/a-36663867
RC-135V/W is the USAF's standard airborne SIGINT platform. Its sensor suite allows the mission crew to detect, identify and geolocate signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. The mission crew can then forward gathered information in a variety of formats to a wide range of consumers via Rivet Joint's extensive communications suite. The crew consists of the cockpit crew, electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators, and airborne systems maintenance personnel. The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft. United States Air Force (USAF) F-15E Strike Eagles can be distinguished from other U.S. Eagle variants by darker aircraft camouflage and conformal fuel tanks mounted along the engine intake ramps.
Turkey launched its second military surveillance satellite -- the Gokturk 1 -- from the Kourou Launch Center in the French Guiana on Monday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan along with several other top Turkish officials witnessed the launch of the communication satellite during a ceremony at the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) in Ankara. The satellite put into orbit is a high-resolution optical earth observation satellite for civilian and military applications, which has a capability of scanning high-resolution images (up to 0.8 meters) and an onboard X-band digital imaging system to handle data compression, storage, and downloading, according to the Turkish Armed Forces. Addressing the ceremony, Erdogan said developing and manufacturing more advanced satellites than Gokturk 1 was the next target for Turkey. “With a scanning capability up to 0.5-meter (1.64-foot) resolution, we will benefit from the satellite in wide areas ranging from damage assessment after natural disasters to harvest forecasts,” the president said in televised comments. “Today, Turkey’s external dependence in the defense industry is half the amount of what it used to be 14 years ago. Domestic participation rate in this satellite [industry] is 20 percent,” he added, highlighting that Turkey remains committed to ending its foreign dependency in the defense and space sectors. Apart from its military applications, the satellite’s imaging capabilities could be used to monitor forest control, illegal construction, crop management, and casualty assessment after natural disasters. Television broadcasts and satellite communication signals of the satellite would be able to cover the entire Africa continent.

Source: http://aa.com.tr/en/science-technology/turkey-launches-second-military-surveillance-satellite-/699730