June 2018 – Page 7

FRANCE IS DEPLOYING FORCES TO THE INDO-PACIFIC FOR MORE THAN JUST A DRILL

Source: Defense News By: Mike Yeo France will be deploying a detachment of combat aircraft to the Indo-Pacific region for a major air exercise in Australia and for additional interactions with Asian air forces, as France seeks to increase its presence in the region. According to an announcement by the French Air Force, three Dassault… Continue reading FRANCE IS DEPLOYING FORCES TO THE INDO-PACIFIC FOR MORE THAN JUST A DRILL

SENATE BILL TO BLOCK F-35 TO TURKEY REVEALED

Source: Ahval news By Ilhan Tanir Turkey will be hit by U.S. sanctions and blocked from purchasing the new generation F-35 fighter aircraft if a bill passed by the Committee on Armed Services last May, passes also a Senate vote, expected before the Jul. 4 holiday. The bill calls for sanctions on Turkey for the… Continue reading SENATE BILL TO BLOCK F-35 TO TURKEY REVEALED

HMS ALBION & HMS BULWARK “ARE SAFE” FROM CUTS

Source: Ukdefencejournal By George Allison Speaking during a debate called by Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, Guto Bebb confirmed that the two Albion class assault ships would be safe from cuts. Mr Bebb told MPs: “HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark are safe until 2033 and 2034, which is the current situation.… Continue reading HMS ALBION & HMS BULWARK “ARE SAFE” FROM CUTS

US SENATE PANEL SETS SIGHTS ON RUSSIA CHINA MAJOR DEFENCE BILL

Source: Defence News By: Joe Gould The U.S. Senate began debate on the Armed Services Committee’s $716 billion annual defense policy bill Wednesday, which highlights the threats from Russia and China. The panel’s 2019 National Defense Authorization Act expresses a “sense of the Senate” for a broad, long-term strategy that includes helping European allies, “backed… Continue reading US SENATE PANEL SETS SIGHTS ON RUSSIA CHINA MAJOR DEFENCE BILL

US OFFICIAL: TURKEY’S S-400 PURCHASE COULD HURT F-35 AND OTHER JOINT PRODUCTION PROJECTS

Source: Defence World A senior State Department official has warned that Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles could reflect negatively on several U.S. military-industrial projects in cooperation with Ankara – including the production of the F-35 fighters. The potential consequences of the Turkish decision will have a “ripple effect” on other joint production projects, A.… Continue reading US OFFICIAL: TURKEY’S S-400 PURCHASE COULD HURT F-35 AND OTHER JOINT PRODUCTION PROJECTS

BEIJING MAY HAVE REMOVED MISSILES FROM DISPUTED SOUTH CHINA SEA ISLAND

Source: CNN By James Griffiths, Beijing may have removed missile systems from a disputed island in the South China Sea even as it accused the US of sending “attacking weapons” to the region. The deployment of a number of missile systems to the Spratly and Paracel Islands in May sparked an angry rebuke from Washington… Continue reading BEIJING MAY HAVE REMOVED MISSILES FROM DISPUTED SOUTH CHINA SEA ISLAND

BEIJING’S THREATS AGAINST TAIWAN ARE DEADLY SERIOUS

(121125) -- LIAONING AIRCRAFT CARRIER, Nov. 25, 2012 (Xinhua) -- This undated photo shows China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, sailing on the sea. China has successfully conducted flight landing on its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. After its delivery to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Sept. 25, the aircraft carrier has undergone a series of sailing and technological tests, including the flight of the carrier-borne J-15. Capabilities of the carrier platform and the J-15 have been tested, meeting all requirements and achieving good compatibility, the PLA Navy said. Designed by and made in China, the J-15 is able to carry multi-type anti-ship, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs. The J-15 has comprehensive capabilities comparable to those of the Russian Su-33 jet and the U.S. F-18, military experts estimated. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

Source: Rand By Derek Grossman Just hours after staging the largest display of naval forces in its history in the South China Sea on April 12, China announced that it would abruptly pivot to conducting live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait six days later. The bombastic exercises went ahead—and Beijing followed up with several… Continue reading BEIJING’S THREATS AGAINST TAIWAN ARE DEADLY SERIOUS

GREECE, TURKEY LOCK HORNS OVER SOVEREIGNTY IN THE AEGEAN SEA

Source: Ekathimerini Turkey and Greece exchanged tense statements on Wednesday concerning their sovereignty over protected ecosystems in the Aegean, following a speech by Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Monday who argued that all Natura 2000 regions in Greece, irrespective of their size or whether they were inhabited, are within Greek and EU borders. Turkey said… Continue reading GREECE, TURKEY LOCK HORNS OVER SOVEREIGNTY IN THE AEGEAN SEA

NORTH KOREA RAZING KEY MISSILE TEST STAND

Source: 38 North New commercial satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is razing the missile test stand at the Iha-ri Driver Training and Test Facility north of the city of Kusong in the wake of Kim Jong Un’s April statement announcing a unilateral suspension of ballistic missile and nuclear tests. The stand is the only… Continue reading NORTH KOREA RAZING KEY MISSILE TEST STAND

FRANCE BRITAIN TO SAIL WARSHIPS IN CONTESTED SOUTH CHINA SEA TO CHALLENGE BEIJING

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset is pictured during counter piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.

Source: SCMP By Liu Zhen The two countries, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, made the remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, echoing the latest US plan to ramp up its freedom of navigation operations to counter Beijing’s militarisation in the region and its stance that territorial disputes should be a… Continue reading FRANCE BRITAIN TO SAIL WARSHIPS IN CONTESTED SOUTH CHINA SEA TO CHALLENGE BEIJING