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Daily News
by Gail Helmer
Jane's News Briefs
Friday, October 26, 2001Jane's Defence Weekly
US media battle takes on added importance As the US military campaign in Afghanistan proceeds without significant resistance, the propaganda battle between the USA and Al-Qaeda and the Taliban is heating up.
India vows to strike Kashmiri militants
Within a day of his reinstatement as Indian defence minister, seven months after he quit office over an arms bribery scandal, George Fernandes indicated that the Indian government was considering military strikes against Islamic separatists groups based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Putin pledges to supply equipment to UF
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Moscow intends to establish official military-technical collaboration with the anti-Taliban United Front (UF) in Afghanistan.
Russia uses air show to court South Korean business
Russian arms manufacturers' vigorous pursuit of the South Korean arms market was evident at the Seoul Air Show 15-21 October, where they are competing for the next-generation F-X fighter programme as well as a number of other programmes from missiles to attack helicopters to torpedoes.
Singapore crisis shelters to calm public fears
Singapore has released data on its extensive public bomb-shelter programme in an apparent effort to reassure residents concerned after the 11 September terrorist attacks against the USA.
Norwegian defence budget falls 10% short
The Norwegian government's defence budget 2002 proposal of NKr27.66 billion ($3.18 billion) falls some 10% short of meeting the requirements of the new defence structure approved by parliament only four months ago.
JFCOM seeks faster acquisition of anti-terrorist 'tools'
The US Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) has proposed the Department of Defense accelerate the acquisition and fielding of various network systems and analysis tools that it says will enhance the ability of commanders and joint taskforces to fight terrorists.
Saudi G6 artillery delayed
South African Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe confirmed on 12 October that the deal to sell an artillery system to Saudi Arabia has been postponed "at the request of the Saudi government".
Jane's Defence Upgrades
Anti-terrorist response prompts 'going-to-war' upgrades for US forces
The US military response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September, initiated on 7 October, has put a new emphasis on near-term 'going-to-war' upgrades of equipment and capabilities. Prior to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC, the trend had been to invest in "transformational capabilities", often at the expense of upgrades to "legacy systems". All this changed on 11 September. The US military is now looking to upgrades to boost near-term capabilities to deal with the elusive terrorist threat. This includes improving the capabilities of current systems and bringing some prototype and developmental systems to an interim operational status.
Type 23 SLEP is option for Royal Navy's ICF
Work is continuing in the UK Ministry of Defence's Director Equipment Capability (Above Water Battlespace) to examine options for an Interim Capability Frigate (ICF) to bridge the gap between the current out-of-service date of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates and the introduction of the projected Future Surface Combatant (FSC). The proposed Type 23 Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) is now being considered against a range of alternative options for the ICF.
Cummins bids to power Australian M113AS3
Continuing the stop-start nature that has bedevilled the Australian Army's M113 Upgrade programme (Project Land 106) so far, another likely change for the project is pending. It now appears that the original M113AS3 powerpack - the Daewoo six-cylinder diesel coupled to a ZF automatic transmission - has been dropped from consideration. JDU has learned that the Cummins Engine Company is likely to receive a request to supply its 370hp (276kW) QSC370 six-cylinder in-line diesel engine, as an alternative.
Japan eyes further F-15 upgrades
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is considering a further upgrade of its McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15J/DJ Eagle fighters. Including the US-built prototypes, 213 aircraft were built under licence by Mitsubishi and procured in 17 production lots between Japanese Fiscal Years (JFY) 1978-1996, of which 203 remain in service. There is already considerable variation in standard not only between the sub-versions but also between those that have already been through the Japanese Multistage Improvement Program (MSIP) programme - equivalent of the US Air Force F-15 MSIP programme.
THE JDU INTERVIEW: David Spong of Boeing MAS
The announcement that the US Air Force (USAF) has contracted the Boeing Company to conduct the Avionics Modernisation Programme (AMP) for its fleet of early-model C-130E and C-130H Hercules transport and special mission aircraft has thrown Boeing's military aerospace support organisation into the limelight. Michael J Gething talks to David Spong, President of Boeing Military Aerospace Support (MAS).
TECHNOLOGY INSERTION: Ukrainian upgrade technology on parade
A significant number of indigenous Ukrainian upgrades were presented in public for the first time at the Kiev military parade to celebrate the former-Soviet republic's 10 years of independence on 24 August 2001. Among the 300+ military vehicles taking part, many were new or extensively modified designs. Jim Kinnear reports.
Jane's Foreign Report
Speak loudly, carry a small stick
Germany's world view is changing THE German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, surprised everyone by the swiftness of his expression of support for the American intervention in Afghanistan. Not only did Schroeder proclaim that his country stands shoulder-to-shoulder with America in its war against terrorism but, remarkably, he also pledged troops, if these are required. And, as if to underline this point, Schroeder also told his country's parliament that the old days of "cheque-book diplomacy", when Germany declined to participate with its forces in the solution of any crisis but offered cash instead, are now truly over: Germany is at long last assuming its proper role in the world, as a big country with big international responsibilities. FOREIGN REPORT considers the implications off this significant shift.
Peres on the verge
ISRAEL'S 78-year-old foreign minister, Shimon Peres, is on the verge of resigning from the cabinet of Ariel Sharon, FOREIGN REPORT has learned. If he does indeed resign, he will take with him other Labour party ministers in Sharon's national coalition government. The coalition will fall and Sharon will hold new elections. We predict the result.
Politician without power
Peres was powerless. The Oslo peace pact between Israel and the Palestinians was in tatters. The loss of life on both sides remains purposeless and wretched. The Nobel peace prize, awarded to Peres, Yasser Arafat and the late Yitzhak Rabin, was for their agreeing to the Oslo pact. It can be done: it almost was done. We doubt that it will be done. All that Peres can do is try to limit the bloodletting.
A glimmer of hope for Kashmir
IT IS "the most dangerous place in the world", says Richard Armitage, American deputy secretary of state. "Two Third World powers armed with nuclear weapons are shooting, shouting and glaring at each other." Armitage was referring to the possibility, still remote but nonetheless real, that Pakistan and India might fight a nuclear war over Kashmir. The Bush administration is giving high priority to preventing this happening. One idea is to solve the 54-year-old dispute by sub-dividing Kashmir. FOREIGN REPORT has the details.
For this relief, much thanks
The United Nations is about to become a major beneficiary of the United States' born-again multilateralism, to the tune of an estimated $1.67 billion in payments of current American dues and arrears. It's not certain that a transfer of $582m, the largest tranche of a $926m package authorised by the American Congress, will have been completed by the time President Bush makes his debut in the UN General Assembly in early November, but there's no doubt now that the money will be delivered. Bush signed the authorisation on October 5th.
Numbered accounts are probed
LAWS against money laundering are being introduced in Eastern Europe. They are part of a global response to the recent assaults on New York and Washington, intended to deprive terrorists of financial support. New financial disclosure laws are being designed to reveal secret assets and money-laundering operations of terrorist organisations throughout Eastern Europe as well as corruption in high places. The latest moves are a sign of concern among western bankers that the new independent financial industry in some East European countries is vulnerable to pressures by organised crime syndicates.
A Russian link to Opec?
FOR the past 18 months, Russia's economy has boomed on the back of high oil prices. Russian oil companies have been enjoying prices of $29 per barrel without having to observe any constraints on output, thanks to the policy of non-co-operation with Opec. Many oil companies have huge cash stockpiles: Yukos, by no means the largest, has $4 billion in its coffers. The collapse in oil prices since September 11th to levels below the $22 floor set by Opec earlier this year spoilt the party. When will it resume?
Jane's Intelligence Watch Report and Jane's Terrorism Watch Report
Saudi Arabia
- Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdal Aziz said at a news conference that Saudi Arabia had found no evidence that any of its citizens were connected to the 11 September terrorist attacks in the US, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TV1 reported on 20 October. The minister stated that a number of people in the kingdom had been arrested for acting suspiciously. As for reports of calls for jihad, the minister said that such incidents had been very limited, and blown out of proportion by the Western media.
Tanzania - Zanzibar
- Nipashe newspaper reported on 22 October that authorities in Zanzibar have begun investigating allegations of people leaving to join the Taliban in Afghanistan to fight US forces there. Zanzibar's assistant commissioner of police, Juma Mtumwa Abdallah, said that investigations were ongoing, "but we have not yet found any person." Police were also seeking individuals urging Muslims to demonstrate against the US actions, a situation that Abdallah said would not be tolerated because it jeopardized public security.
Colombia
- The Independent newspaper reported on 22 October that guerrillas killed a policeman, his wife and son when a bomb exploded at a hot dog stand outside their home in El Penol in Antioquia province, north of the capital Bogota. Two others were killed and at least two others injured in the attack. A spokesman for the military stated, "This was a demented act. All indications are that the guerillas did this."
India - Jammu and Kashmir - Lashkar-e Tayyaba [(LeT) Army of the Pure]
- The BBC reported on 22 October that LeT claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in which at least six people were killed. An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said that four militants opened fire at the main gate of a military airport south of the state capital Srinagar. Airbase border guards returned fire, killing all four militants. A gate security guard and a civilian were killed in the crossfire. Security has been tightened at the airbase.
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