U.S. SCRAMBLES TO CONTAIN GROWING ISIS THREAT IN LIBYA

By Eric Scmitt The New York Times The Islamic State’s branch in Libya is deepening its reach across a wide area of Africa, attracting new recruits from countries like Senegal that had been largely immune to the jihadist propaganda — and forcing the African authorities and their Western allies to increase efforts to combat the… Continue reading U.S. SCRAMBLES TO CONTAIN GROWING ISIS THREAT IN LIBYA

RUSSIA’S KIROV CLASS BATTLE CRUISERS ARE GETTING 3M22 ZIRCON HYPERSONIC ANTI-SHIP MISSILES

The Russian Navy will upgrade its two nuclear-powered Project 11442 Kirov-class battle cruisers, Pyotr Velikyi and its sister ship Admiral Nakhimov, with a new under development hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile. The new Mach 5-capable ramjet engine equipped 3M22 missile of the 3K22 Zircon missile system would replace the ship’s existing 390-mile range P-700 Granit supersonic… Continue reading RUSSIA’S KIROV CLASS BATTLE CRUISERS ARE GETTING 3M22 ZIRCON HYPERSONIC ANTI-SHIP MISSILES

LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS

By RAMI MUSA Associated Press French special forces have been helping Libyan troops fight Islamic State militants in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi for two months, two Libyan military officials said Wednesday. The French combat squad, consisting of 15 special forces, carried out four military operations against IS and other militant groups in Benghazi,… Continue reading LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS

CHINA’S PUTTING ANT-STEALTH RADAR IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

By Kyle Mizokami Source : Popular Mechanics China appears to be building an anti-stealth radar system on an artificial island in the middle of the South China Sea, where a military-grade system would be useful in detecting stealth aircraft in the contentious and contested area. Satellite imagery obtained by the Center for Strategic and International… Continue reading CHINA’S PUTTING ANT-STEALTH RADAR IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

FIRST SEA LORD FELLOWSHIP/DARTMOUTH CENTRE FOR SEAPOWER AND STRATEGY ‘HYBRID WARFARE CONFERENCE’

CTCRM and Dartmouth Centre for Seapower and Strategy (DCSS) will host on the 15th of March 2016 a First Sea Lord Fellowship (1SLF)/DCSS conference on hybrid warfare. Whilst the primary aim of this event is to examine the challenges and opportunities that hybrid warfare presents to the Naval Service, it will also contribute to the… Continue reading FIRST SEA LORD FELLOWSHIP/DARTMOUTH CENTRE FOR SEAPOWER AND STRATEGY ‘HYBRID WARFARE CONFERENCE’

NATO DEFENCE MINISTERS AGREE ON NATO SUPPORT TO ASSIST WITH THE REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CRISIS

SNMG2 had extensive training with Turkish Navy

NATO Defence Ministers agreed that NATO will provide support to assist with the refugee and migrant crisis on Thursday (11 February 2016). “The goal is to participate in the international efforts to stem the illegal trafficking and illegal migration in the Aegean,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 is currently deployed… Continue reading NATO DEFENCE MINISTERS AGREE ON NATO SUPPORT TO ASSIST WITH THE REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CRISIS

SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

Turkish army tanks take up position on the Turkish-Syrian border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province September 29, 2014. Turkish tanks and armoured vehicles took up positions on hills overlooking the besieged Syrian border town of Kobani on Monday as shelling by Islamic State insurgents intensified and stray fire hit Turkish soil, a Reuters correspondent said. At least 30 tanks and armoured vehicles, some with their guns pointed towards Syrian territory, were positioned near a Turkish military base just northwest of Kobani. Plumes of smoke rose up as shells hit the eastern and western sides of Kobani and sporadic bursts of machinegun fire rang out. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT MILITARY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

By Roy Gutman Foreign Policy Secretary of State John Kerry’s agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, billed as an opening to the cessation of hostilities in Syria, turned out to be the starting shot for more intensive Russian bombing of cities and towns, hospitals, and schools in the north of the country. And Russia’s… Continue reading SYRIA CEASE-FIRE BRINGS TURKEY CLOSER TO WAR

LM AWARDED 141,9 MILLION DOLLARS CONTRACT FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF 4+1 HELLENIC NAVY’S P-3B ORION AIRCRAFT

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $141,936,871 value firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract action for the modernization program of the 4+1 Hellenic Navy’s P-3B Orion Maritime Patrol (MP)/Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)/Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) aircraft. The contract provides for the reactivation of one P-3B Orion aircraft and the procurement of hardware kits for the upgrade/modernization… Continue reading LM AWARDED 141,9 MILLION DOLLARS CONTRACT FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF 4+1 HELLENIC NAVY’S P-3B ORION AIRCRAFT

CIA: ISIS HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

The director of the Central Intelligence Agency said Islamic State fighters in Syria have used chemical weapons. John Brennan said there are a number of instances where the terrorist group has used “chemical munitions on the battlefield.” His comments were featured in excerpts from the television news show 60 Minutes. The full interview with Brennan… Continue reading CIA: ISIS HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

SAUDI’S DECISION TO SEND TROOPS IN SYRIA “FINAL”

Saudi’s decision to send troops to Syria in an attempt to bolster and toughen efforts against militants is “final” and “irreversible,” the Saudi military spokesman announced on Thursday. Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Assiri, said that Riyadh is “ready” and will fight with its U.S.-led coalition allies to defeatISIS militants in Syria, however, he said Washington is… Continue reading SAUDI’S DECISION TO SEND TROOPS IN SYRIA “FINAL”