RAND REPORT QUESTIONS NUCLEAR ROLE IN DEFENDING BALTIC STATES

By Hans M. Kristensen FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS The RAND Corporation has published an interesting new report on how NATO would defend the Baltic States against a Russian attack. Without spending much time explaining why Russia would launch a military attack against the Baltic States in the first place – the report simply declares “the… Continue reading RAND REPORT QUESTIONS NUCLEAR ROLE IN DEFENDING BALTIC STATES

U.S DOD REQUESTING 3,000-5,000 MORE TROOPS FOR EUROPE IN FY2017 BUDGET

By Tara Copp Stars and Stripes The Pentagon plans to sharply increase the number of troops, tanks and artillery positioned in Europe under a budget proposal that calls for a $2.6 billion spending increase aimed at strengthening the military’s posture across eastern Europe. The $3.4 billion request for the European Reassurance Initiative is about four… Continue reading U.S DOD REQUESTING 3,000-5,000 MORE TROOPS FOR EUROPE IN FY2017 BUDGET

FIRST SAILORS JOIN NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN SCOTLAND

Twelve Royal Navy personnel have become the first crew to join the UK’s second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, currently being built by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance in Rosyth. As the first Ship’s Company, the team will work alongside their Industry partners over the coming years to learn about the ship, the equipment and… Continue reading FIRST SAILORS JOIN NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN SCOTLAND

“ASIA 21st CENTURY NAVAL ARMS RACE” PRESENTED BY PHILIP D. GROVE

Japanese military planes have intruded on the airspace of China-Russia naval exercises and carried out dangerous actions, seriously violating international laws, China's Ministry of National Defense said Sunday. Two Japanese airplanes, OP3C and YS11EB, intruded into the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday morning to scout and interfere with the China-Russia naval drills. Chinese warplanes took off instantly to take necessary identification and preventive measures to ensure the safety of the warships and aircraft in the drills, said the ministry. Japan's actions could have easily caused a misunderstanding and even led to a mid-air incident, a ministry statement said, in response to Japanese media reports that Chinese military airplanes had been "unusually close" to the jets of Japan's Self-Defense Forces. The exercises in the designated waters and airspace was a routine drill held by China and Russia. "No fly" and "no sail" notices in relevant waters and airspace had been issued ahead of the exercises according to international practice, the ministry said. Chinese warplanes have the right to safeguard China's air safety and take necessary identification and preventive measures in case foreign jets enter the identification zone, it said. China has demanded Japan to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese and Russian navies, restrain the personnel concerned and stop all reconnaissance and interference activities. "Otherwise, Japan shall be responsible for all the consequences," the statement said. Photo: China's Harbin missile destroyer fires at a target during the China-Russia joint naval drill on East China Sea, May 24, 2014. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

The Devon & Cornwall Joint Branch RINA and IMarEST are pleased to announce the presentation of Philip D. Grove’s study “Asia’s 21st Century Naval Arms Race”. The presentation will take place on Wednesday the 10th of February 2016, at the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club, Plymouth.  Mr. Grove’s presentation will start at 7:15 pm and… Continue reading “ASIA 21st CENTURY NAVAL ARMS RACE” PRESENTED BY PHILIP D. GROVE

RUSSIA AND USA ARE ESTABLISHING AIR BASES IN NORTH-EAST SYRIA

Russia and the USA have deployed troops in two air bases in north-eastern Syria and are working on the improvement of these facilities. The first step in the deployment of these troops took place last October when the U.S Army decided to send a team of soldiers to the village of Rmelan al-Basha in the… Continue reading RUSSIA AND USA ARE ESTABLISHING AIR BASES IN NORTH-EAST SYRIA

NEW 63.4 MILLION DOLLARS EXPORT CONTRACT TO INTRACOM DEFENSE ELECTRONICS FROM RAYTHEON

Press Release, Koropi, Jan 18, 2016 IDE (INTRACOM Defense Electronics), the leading defense electronics and communications systems manufacturer in Greece, extends its cooperation with Raytheon by signing a new contract worth $ 63.4 million to manufacture subsystems for the PATRIOT air defense system. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed in March 2018. It is worth… Continue reading NEW 63.4 MILLION DOLLARS EXPORT CONTRACT TO INTRACOM DEFENSE ELECTRONICS FROM RAYTHEON

TURKEY PLANS TO BUILD MILITARY BASES IN QATAR AND SOMALIA

Turkey plans to build two military bases abroad, one in Qatar and a second one in Somalia. The new bases will serve as training centres for the military forces of Qatar and Somalia respectively. The construction of the base in Qatar was announced three weeks ago. It will host 3,000 Turkish troops and probably 8… Continue reading TURKEY PLANS TO BUILD MILITARY BASES IN QATAR AND SOMALIA

GAS FINDS MAY LEAD TO ISRAELI ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT, GREECE

epa03010742 epa03010733 An aerial view from a helicopter of the Homer Ferrington rig operated by Noble Energy in the east Mediterranean, drilling in an offshore block on concession from the Cypriot government, 21 November 2011. Houston-based Noble started drilling for gas off Cyprus in September, in the island's first attempt to tap speculated offshore hydrocarbons deposits. Cypriot President Demetris Christofias visited the rig, which started drilling for gas on 21 November. EPA/STR EPA/STR

Experts: Discovery of huge reserves in Mediterranean could lead to cooperation between Israel, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus. By Gil Ronen The discovery of huge reserves of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean will likely give birth to new alliances in the region, possibly even leading regional powers to “bury old differences and develop unprecedented security,… Continue reading GAS FINDS MAY LEAD TO ISRAELI ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT, GREECE

RUSSIAN AIRSPACE FORCES DEPLOY A BERIEV A-50 MAINSTAY AEW&C AIRCRAFT IN SYRIA

The Russian Airspace Forces detachment in Syria has started to use a Beriev A-50 Mainstay AEW&C aircraft to support the operations of the air task force deployed there. The aircraft was sent to Syria in late December 2015, one month after the downing of the Russian Su-24M from a F-16 of the Turkish Air Force.… Continue reading RUSSIAN AIRSPACE FORCES DEPLOY A BERIEV A-50 MAINSTAY AEW&C AIRCRAFT IN SYRIA

GREEK-UK CONFERENCE ON THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SECURITY ISSUES

The Dartmouth Centre for Sea Power & Strategy (DCSS) is pleased to announce the success of the international conference “Managing Complex Regional Security Issues: The Case of Eastern Mediterranean Region” which was organized in Piraeus Greece last Friday on the 11th of December. The conference was organized by the Hellenic National Defence College (HNDC) &… Continue reading GREEK-UK CONFERENCE ON THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SECURITY ISSUES