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Page 1 Daily News
by Gail Helmer
Friday, January 26, 2001
Jane's Defence Weekly
Turkey writes off offsets to save helicopter deal.
Turkey's Defence Industries Undersecretariat has offered to write off about $220 million in United Technologies-Sikorsky offset pledges for ongoing projects in return for securing the purchase of eight S-80E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters.
Russian arms exports soar 22%
Russia exported military equipment worth an estimated $4.15 billion in 2000, slightly below the target of $4.3 billion but up 22% from 1999's exports of $3.4 billion, an informed military official told Jane's Defence Weekly. While falling short of the target, Russia's share of the world arms market grew by 50%.
South Africa destroys redundant small arms
South Africa, the largest arms producer in the African continent, has destroyed some 262,667 surplus and obsolete small arms since July 2000.
UN seeks aircraft for UNMEE mission
The UN is seeking a fleet of nine helicopters and seven fixed-wing aircraft for its latest peacekeeping operation, the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).
Taiwan-USA link up on SIGINT
The Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) is operating a major signals intelligence (SIGINT) facility in co-ordination with the US National Security Agency (NSA) on Yangmingshan Mountain, just north of Taipei, Jane's Defence Weekly has learned.
USA donates K-MAX helicopters for Peru's drug war
The US State Department has signed a $21 million contract with Kaman Aerospace for five K-MAX external heavy lift helicopters for Peru. The five helicopters will be used to support the Peruvian National Police force during Andean and riverine counter-drug operations.
USA identifies mobility needs
The USA will need from 126 to 176 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to meet its mobility requirements in 2005.
AMI's fighter decision awaited
France's Dassault Aviation is waiting to receive a response from the Italian Ministry of Defence regarding its proposal late last year to lease more than 20 new Mirage 2000-5 multirole fighters to the Italian Air Force (AMI).
S-300 to undergo tests on Crete soon
Greece is preparing to conduct the first test launches of the S-300PMU-1 (NATO reporting name SA-10d 'Grumble') low-to-high-altitude air-defence missile system on Crete over the next few weeks.
UAE suspends delivery of Leclerc MBTs in dispute over contract
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has refused to accept delivery of any more Giat Industries Leclerc main battle tanks (MBTs) until a dispute over conditions of the 1993 contract governing the initial sale of 390 Leclercs and 46 recovery vehicles is resolved, it was learned last week.
Jane's Defence Upgrades
UK MoD examines Tornado MLU progress
The UK Ministry of Defence has launched an urgent review of the Royal Air Force's Panavia Tornado GR.4/4A mid-life upgrade programme. Later this month, it is expected to draw up recommendations intended to ensure the continuation of commitments currently met by the service's baseline Tornado GR.1/1A ground attack aircraft.
Greece to acquire more frigates
The Supreme Naval Council of the Hellenic Navy, has approved the purchase from the Netherlands of another S-type, Kortenear-class frigate, ex HrMs Pieter Florisz, when it decommissions at the end of this month (January). Greece already has six ships of this class.
Long-tube tank gun development nears end
The system-level demonstration of an L55 120mm smoothbore cannon integrated aboard a US Army M1A2 Abrams tank was due to terminate by the end of this month (January), following completion of firing trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Two L55 cannon were evaluated: one from Rheinmetall of Germany and the M256E1 from the US Army's Watervliet Arsenal.
USAF push to reduce F-16 parts costs
Increasing operating costs of the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon have given the US Air Force additional impetus to it's goal of upgrading the aircraft's systems - especially the engines and the cockpits - with more reliable parts. At the same time, the US Congress has provided additional funds to re-engine three squadrons of Air National Guard F-16s, which will also increase their reliability.
INDUSTRY INITIATIVE: Russian avionics targets upgrade market
The formation of the Kronshtadt company last year marked a new determination to bring Russian avionics technology to a wider market. Established to manufacture and promote Russian high-technology products worldwide, Kronshtadt combines the expertise of Transas Aviation, Rosvoorouzhenie and Evrofinanse. Brian Walters reports on the application of the company's new AMMS (Advanced Moving Map System) to upgrades.
US Navy looks at pod options for Air Wing sensors upgrades
Lessons learnt from air strikes on Iraq during Operation 'Desert Fox ' in 1998 have boosted the US Navy's interest in improving its Carrier Air Wings' information gathering capabilities. It is now looking at a number of mission pod options in order to upgrade the CVW's sensor equipment. David C Isby reports.
Jane's Foreign Report
Israel-Syria tension
The Damascus government expects an attack
ISRAEL sent a secret message recently to the Syrian government saying it will not attack Syria before Israel's election day on February 6th, when voters pick a prime minister. The message was sent through the good offices of the American ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk. In the message, the current prime minister, Ehud Barak, insists he has no intention whatever of attacking Syria, presumably with a view to winning votes among the more bellicose Israelis. Barak sent the message after being told by Israel's military intelligence service (Aman) that the Syrians were making extensive preparations to try to fend off an Israeli attack - and to fight a war.
Why Israel cannot win
ONCE, Israel could fight and win short wars and life would go on as normal. Now there is the prospect of endless bombings by Palestinians, which will inevitably devastate Israel's economy and ruin the Palestinians.
Breeze of change in Egypt
The results of the recent parliamentary elections in Egypt show a decisive victory for the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) with 388 of the 444 available seats. This would be enough to make most governments feel comfortable. In Egypt, however, this is a major coup for the opposition, which is likely to make its presence felt in the 454-seat chamber for the first time.
An India-Vietnam alliance?
WHY did India recently sign an agreement to provide Vietnam with equipment for a nuclear science laboratory, following the earlier one for enhancing bilateral military co-operation and assistance in overhauling Hanoi's ageing Soviet MiG fighter aircraft? The answer, rarely discussed, is that India wants to bolster the growing number of Asian countries wary of China.
India and China eye Burma
IS INDIA trying to blunt Chinese influence in Burma? It certainly looks that way. Just before Christmas, General Maung Aye, the number two in the country's military junta, recently renamed the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), and one of the men responsible for crushing its pro-democracy movement, arrived in India for a week long trip. His visit followed one by the country's interior minister, Tin Hlaing, and was the first exchange at the higher political level between the two neighbours since 1987, when the late Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, went to Rangoon. Maung, in an attempt to allay fears about growing Chinese military influence in Burma, said at the time: "My country will not be used as a military base by any power against India." There have been many changes since then.
Timing the UK euro-referendum
NO ANNOUNCEMENT has been made but British politicians expect a general election in early May. Nor is the result in doubt: although the majority which the Labour Party may enjoy after May cannot be predicted, it is taken for granted that Tony Blair will remain the country's prime minister, and with a comfortable number of parliamentary seats. The biggest British surprise will not be the parliamentary elections; instead, it will come in the shape of a snap referendum over Britain's membership in the European Monetary Union, which we predict may be held as early as September. This is denied in some quarters. It is nonetheless what party strategists are planning and recommending to Blair. The logic is overwhelming.
The western hemisphere unites
Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has been angered by the United States' recent policies of divide-and-rule in Latin America. Free from dictatorships for the first time in its troubled history, the region is heading towards economic integration; the biggest such project is the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). But concluding the FTAA is easier said than done; for the last few months, a diplomatic game has been played in Latin America, with the United States calling most of the shots. FOREIGN REPORT has learnt what is going on.
Jane's Intelligence Digest
US Dilemmas: Iran and Iraq
With US President George W. Bush having taken office, there are likely to be a number of key decisions taken on foreign policy objectives. Jane's Intelligence Digest analyses some of the critical issues which will confront the new administration in Washington in the coming months and reviews probable developments in relations with Iran and Iraq.
Jane's Intelligence Watch Report and Jane's Terrorism Watch Report
Czech Republic - Federal Security and Information Service (BIS)
The "watchdog" for BIS in the Chamber of Deputies or lower house of parliament said that classified information and other data are "badly protected" at Czech government offices, the CTK press agency reported on 19 January. BIS watchdog chairman Jan Klas told journalists that he ascribed the situation to the fact that the Czech Republic together with Poland and Hungary were the youngest NATO members and "that a lot of work was still to be done." Klas noted that intelligence services of "foreign powers" are largely interested in the classified data because the Czech Republic already has information from the "alliance countries."
Turkey
- Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu announced on 23 January that Turkey has cancelled a $149-million deal with a French firm to launch a spy satellite in retaliation for France's recognition of the Turkish Ottoman Empire's killing of Armenians between 1915 and 1923 as genocide, AP reported. The cancellation of the project was the first major step taken in reaction to last week's declaration by the lower house of France's National Assembly to recognise the killings as genocide. The French firm Alcatel had signed an agreement in principle to build and launch Turkey's first remote sensing satellite by 2003, but had yet to sign a final deal.
France
- A bomb explosion blew out windows and caused other damage to the law courts building as well as several nearby ones in the Alpine town of Annecy, Reuters reported on 23 January. The blast took place at night and there was only one casualty, a person cut by flying glass. According to French radio, eyewitnesses reported a motorcycle with two men speeding away from the building a short time before the bomb went off. No group claimed responsibility, but police suspect Corsican separatists, who have threatened to carry out attacks twice since December.
India - United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA)
- Unidentified assailants, suspected by police of belonging to the ULFA, attacked the village of Chankuchi in western Nalbari district, killing five people and wounding nine others, BBC reported on 22 January. The attackers stormed the village and opened fire on the residents. All of those killed were Bengali Muslims. The ULFA, which has denied charges of killing more than 120 people in the state in the past three months, has recently rejected offers to start negotiations with the Indian government.
Macedonia
- Unidentified attackers fired automatic weapons and two rocket-propelled grenades at a police station in the ethnic-Albanian village of Tearce, 30 miles (48 km) west of the capital Skopje, killing one officer and wounding three others, AP reported on 22 January. The casualties were caused by one of the grenades, which passed through a window and exploded inside the building. The assailants then fired several bursts of machine-gun fire at the station before fleeing.
Yemen
- The flight engineer of a Yemeni Boeing 727 was slightly injured as crew members overpowered a man who hijacked the plane, which landed in Djibouti after being ordered to fly to Baghdad, Iraq, Reuters reported on 23 January. The aircraft was carrying 91 passengers, including US Ambassador Barbara Bodine and the US political and military attaches to Yemen as well as a protocol officer from the office of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on a flight from Sana'a, the capital, to Taiz. About 10 minutes into the flight, the hijacker, a Yemeni in his 40's who claimed to be a supporter of Saddam Hussein, got up and threatened to blow the plane up unless it was diverted to Baghdad. However, the crew persuaded him to let the plane refuel in Djibouti, where he agreed to release the passengers but kept four crew members, including the pilot, hostage. While negotiations were taking place, the four managed to subdue the unidentified hijacker, who was armed with a pen-shaped pistol and fired at least two shots.
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