China looking for U.S. bomber missing for 59 years

China has begun looking for the remains of a U.S. Air Force bomber and its crew that crashed over the southern part of the country some six decades ago during the Korean War, state media reported.The B-29 "Superfortress" caught fire and came down in Raoping county, Guangdong province, on November 5, 1950, Xinhua news agency said in a report late Monday. Villagers found 15 bodies, four of which were buried on the site of the crash.

The reported crash site is hundreds of miles from the combat zone in Korea, but en route to the U.S. bases in Japan from which the bombers operated during the war.Chinese military archivists are now looking through old documents and "could very likely discover the remains of personnel on the U.S. B-29 bomber," Xinhua said.

"Primary research of the archives has found more than 100 documents relating to missing U.S. servicemen," Xinhua added.The U.S. Department of Defense says more than 8,100 U.S. personnel are still officially listed as missing from the Korean War, in which U.S.-led forces faced off against the North Koreans and their Chinese allies.

China agreed with the United States last year that it would search though its archives to look for clues of the whereabouts of missing U.S. personnel, many of whom went missing during the 1950-53 Korean war.Military relations between China and the United States have been strained of late, due to several naval confrontations.Beijing has repeatedly called on the United States to reduce and eventually stop air and sea surveillance close to its shores.But Monday, a top Chinese general said in Washington that he backed better military-to-military relations with the United States.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Ken Wills)

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Japanese warship will try for missile shootdown off Kauai

A Japanese navy ship with a state-of-the-art, American-built, missile-defense system will attempt to shoot a target missile out of the sky this afternoon.

Dubbed JFTM-3 (for Japanese Flight Test Mission 3) Stellar Raicho, with "raicho" being the name of a mythical Japanese thunderbird, the test was originally scheduled for tomorrow in air and sea off the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands near Kekaha. The test was moved up to today due to weather concerns, said Ralph H. Scott III, a public affairs officer with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Myoko (DDG 175) will attempt to detect and track a target missile fired from PMRF sometime this afternoon or early evening, and launch a missile to destroy the target in the hit-to-kill technology, according to Scott and an MDA press release.

The JS Myoko is the fourth ship in the Japanese navy to be equipped with the Aegis missile-defense system, and this is the first "no-notice," real-time firing test of that ship's system and crew, Scott said.An earlier test was to check the ship's ability to detect, track and kill a simulated anti-air warfare target also launched from PMRF, according to the press release.

Another earlier test, JFTM-2, also at PMRF involving another Japanese destroyer, was unsuccessful, though the cause of failure has not yet been determined, according to an MDA fact sheet.A fourth test is tentatively scheduled for next year.During today's test, the U.S. Navy ships USS Paul Hamilton and USS Lake Erie, both out of Pearl Harbor, will detect and track the target as a training exercise.

Before returning to Japan, the JS Myoko will be loaded with additional SM-3 (standard missile 3) Block IA missiles, ensuring the ship's arrival in Japan ready to provide additional ballistic missile defense capability against the increasing ballistic missile threat present in that region, according to the press release.Overall, the Ballistic Missile Defense System has had success in 40 of 51 hit-to-kill intercepts since 2001, and 16 of 19 since 2007.

The expansive open-ocean range at PMRF, with sensors from the bottom of the ocean into outer space, not only provides a secure test facility, but also offers a "realistic, excellent location" for the cooperative tests with the Japanese navy, Scott said.

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Nine NATO countries want to upgrade Russian helicopters

Slovakia, the Czech Republic and another seven NATO countries want to cooperate in the upgrading of the Russian Mi transport helicopters, according to the declaration their representatives signed in Bratislava Friday.

They pledged in the document to upgrade their helicopters to enable their use in NATO operations, including the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

The Czech Republic has assumed the leading role in the cooperation.

"The goal of the cooperation is to achieve the most effective use of the Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-171 helicopters and to improve the training of their crews," Czech Defence Minister Martin Bartak told journalists.

In ensues from the declaration that NATO has had a shortage of helicopters suitable for use in difficult conditions for a long time.

Czech Defence Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek said that although many new NATO member states had enough helicopters, their deck handling systems required upgrading.

"The initiative is designed to resolve the problem of the shortage of helicopters in NATO and coordinate their upgrading on the NATO level," Cirtek said, adding that the initiative was preceded by the establishment of a financial fund.

The Czech Republic is the leading partner in the initiative. According to Bartak, the Czech Republic has experience with helicopter upgrading thanks to the state-controlled LOM Praha military repair company.

The company owned by the Defence Ministry specialises on overhaul of transport and combat helicopters.

"We have something to offer and it is not only LOM company," Bartak said.

LOM has recently completed the upgrading of five Mi-17 helicopters. Three of them are to be sent to the ISAF operation in Afghanistan at the turn of the year.

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At old British base, US and India train for new wars

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China to mark 60th founding anniversary of airforce

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force will put its most advanced warplanes on display in the suburbs of Beijing in November, to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the PLA air force, an air force officer said here Monday.

All the aircraft, including Kongjing-2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft, J-11 fighters, H-6 bomber jets, and HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles, were made by China, said He Weirong, deputy commander of the PLA air force.

Most of them were included in the aircraft fly past during the National Day military parade on Oct. 1 this year in Beijing, he said.Four J-10 fighters and six J-7 fighters from the air force's performance team are scheduled to have a fly past on the founding anniversary and paratroopers from the air force will perform skydiving as part of the celebration programs.

This year marks the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, its naval forces on April 23, and its air force on Nov. 11.An international military forum themed "harmonious skies" will also be held in Beijing in November. More than 300 senior air force officers from China and more than 30 other countries are expected to attend the forum to mark PLA air force's 60th founding anniversary, He said.

"The forum is aimed to build a platform for air forces of different countries to enhance mutual understanding and exchanges, to discuss how to maintain safety in the skies, and to know about China and its PLA air force better," He said.Celebrations will also include an exhibition of weapons and equipment of the air force at the China Aviation Museum on the outskirts of Beijing, according to the officer.

Galas, TV series and documentaries themed with the development of the air force will be put on show in state broadcaster to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the PLA air force, he said.

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DEA agents among 14 Americans dead in Afghanistan

A U.S. military helicopter crashed Monday while returning from the scene of a firefight with suspected Taliban drug traffickers in western Afghanistan, killing 10 Americans including three DEA agents in a not-so-noticed war within a war.Four more troops were killed when two helicopters collided over southern Afghanistan, making it the deadliest day for U.S. forces in this country in more than four years.

U.S. military officials insisted neither crash was believed a result of hostile fire, although the Taliban claimed they shot down a U.S. helicopter in the western province of Badghis. The U.S. did not say where in western Afghanistan its helicopter went down, and no other aircraft were reported missing.The second crash took place when two U.S. Marine helicopters — a UH-1 and an AH-1 Cobra — collided in flight before sunrise over the southern province of Helmand, killing four American troops and wounding two more, Marine spokesman Maj. Bill Pelletier said.

The casualties marked the Drug Enforcement Administration's first deaths since it began operations here in 2005. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium — the raw ingredient in heroin — and the illicit drug trade is a major source of funding for insurgent groups.The U.S. has decided to target production and distribution networks after programs to destroy poppy fields did little except turn farmers against the American-led NATO mission.NATO said the helicopter containing the DEA agents was returning from a joint operation that targeted a compound used by insurgents involved in "narcotics trafficking in western Afghanistan."

"During the operation, insurgent forces engaged the joint force and more than a dozen enemy fighters were killed in the ensuing firefight," a NATO statement said.Eleven Americans, including another DEA agent, and 14 Afghan security troops were wounded in the crash, NATO said.Military spokeswoman Elizabeth Mathias said hostile fire was unlikely because the troops were not receiving fire when the helicopter took off. She said troops had been rushed to the crash site to determine the cause.

The crash came less than a week after a U.N. report found that the drug trade is enabling the Taliban to make more money now than when they ruled Afghanistan before the U.S. invasion in 2001. The DEA sent more agents to Afghanistan this year to take part in military operations against insurgents who use drug smuggling to raise funds for their war against NATO and its Afghan allies.It was the heaviest single-day loss of life since June 28, 2005, when 19 U.S. troops died, 16 of them aboard a Special Forces MH-47 Chinook helicopter that was shot down by insurgents.U.S. forces also reported the deaths of two other American service members Sunday: one in a bomb attack in the east, and another who died of wounds sustained in an insurgent attack in the same region. The deaths bring to at least 47 the number of U.S. service members who have been killed in October.

This has been the deadliest year for international and U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban. Fighting spiked around the presidential vote in August, when 51 U.S. soldiers died that month — the deadliest for American forces in the eight-year war.President Barack Obama mourned 14 Americans killed Monday and told a military audience he will not be hurried as he evaluates whether to alter U.S. strategy in the war."I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way. I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," Obama said during a visit to Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida.

Obama is debating whether to send tens of thousands more troops to the country to curb the burgeoning Taliban-led insurgency. Doubts about bolstering the U.S. force grew after widespread fraud marred the Aug. 20 presidential election, raising doubt whether the U.S. and its NATO allies had a reliable partner in the fight against the militants.Afghan officials scheduled a runoff election Nov. 7 between President Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah after U.N.-backed auditors threw out nearly a third of the incumbent's votes, dropping him below the 50 percent threshold required for a first-round win in the 36-candidate field.Abdullah complained Monday that there were no assurances that the November vote would be fairer than the first balloting. He called for the head of the government's Karzai-appointed election commission chairman, Azizullah Lodin, to be replaced within five days, saying he has "no credibility."

Lodin has denied allegations of bias in favor of Karzai, and the election commission's spokesman has already said Lodin cannot be replaced by either side.Another flawed election would cast doubt on the wisdom of sending in more U.S. troops.With less than two weeks to go until the vote, disagreements have emerged between the U.N. and the Afghans on how to conduct the balloting.Lodin said the commission hopes to open all 23,960 polling stations from the first round. The U.N. wants to open only 16,000 stations to cut down on the number of "ghost polling stations" that never opened but were used to stuff ballot boxes.

Meanwhile, security forces in Kabul fired automatic rifles into the air for a second day Monday to contain hundreds of stone-throwing university students angered over the alleged desecration of Islam's holy book, the Quran, by U.S. troops during an operation two weeks ago in Wardak province. Fire trucks were also brought in to push back protesters with water cannons. Police said several officers were injured in the mayhem.

U.S. and Afghan authorities have denied any such desecration and insist that the Taliban are spreading the rumor to stir up public anger. The rumor has sparked similar protests in Wardak and Khost provinces.

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Faulty steering system to blame for Bulava's latest flop

The latest failure of the Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) was caused by a defective steering system in its first stage, a defense industry source said on Monday.The troubled Bulava was test-fired from the Dmitry Donskoi submarine in the North Sea on July 15, but self-destructed soon after launch.

The Russian military expects the Bulava, along with Topol-M land-based ballistic missiles, to become the core of Russia's nuclear triad.

However, the Bulava's development has been dogged by a series of setbacks, which has officially suffered six failures in 11 tests.But some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures has been considerably greater. According to Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer, of the Bulava's 11 test launches, only one was entirely successful.

The future development of the Bulava has been questioned by some lawmakers and defense industry officials, who have suggested that all efforts should be focused on the existing Sineva SLBM.But the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative to the Bulava and pledged to continue testing the missile until it is ready to be put in service with the Navy.The Bulava (SS-NX-30) SLBM carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage ballistic missile is designed for deployment on Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines.

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Two helicopters collided Monday in southern Afghanistan

Two helicopters collided Monday in southern Afghanistan, killing four American troops and injuring two, the military said.A third U.S. helicopter crashed in a separate incident in the west, leaving "some dead," U.S. military spokeswoman Elizabeth Mathias said. She did not have details on how many or their nationalities.

It was unclear what caused the collision in the south. U.S. military spokesman Col. Wayne Shanks said the military had ruled out hostile fire but he did not have any other details. He said the injured had been evacuated to hospitals inside Afghanistan.

The third helicopter went down during an operation by Afghan and international forces in which a dozen militants were killed, the military said. It said the crash happened in western Afghanistan without giving a more precise location.

Mathias said hostile fire or other insurgent activity was not believed to be the cause, but they were still looking into all possibilities. Troops from the U.S., other NATO countries and Afghanistan were on board the helicopter, she said, adding that a recovery operation was under way.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmedi claimed Taliban forces shot down the helicopter in Badghis province's Darabam district. Badghis is in the northwest of the country. It was impossible to verify the claim.This has been the deadliest year for international and U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban. Fighting spiked around the presidential vote in August, and 51 U.S. soldiers died that month — the deadliest for American forces in the eight-year war.

More than 30 American troops have died so far in October.The deaths come as U.S. officials debate whether to send tens of thousands more troops to the country and the Afghan government scrambles to organize a Nov. 7 runoff election between President Hamid Karzai and his top challenger from an August vote that was sullied by massive ballot-rigging.

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Washington agrees to sell AH-1W Super Cobra to Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey said on Friday that the US has agreed to sell Turkey AH-1W Super Cobra (“Whiskey Cobra”) attack helicopters, currently in the inventory of the US Marines.

Jeffrey confirmed the sale during a press conference held with a group of Turkish journalists in Ankara.However, Jeffrey declined to elaborate on the number, price and delivery dates of the attack helicopters. In response to a question Jeffrey said the US has not yet decided on the sale of two Predator unmanned aerial vehicles to Turkey.

Early this year Turkey sought the purchase of about 10 Cobra helicopters estimated to cost about $1.5 billion from the US to meet its stop-gap measures in the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Upon the US decision to sell an unidentified number of Cobras to Turkey, Sunday's Zaman learned that Turkey has abandoned talks with Russia on the purchase of several Mi-28 helicopters.

Turkey has six AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters ready for combat from its original 12, while the remaining six either crashed or are no longer in service.

Until the attack helicopters that Turkey will produce in cooperation with Italian Agusta Westland over the next five years begin to enter service, the Cobras are planned to be used as an interim measure.

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Gulf Air Forces In Review

By Mohammed Ahmedullah

Air power has played a major part in recent and past conflicts in the Middle East, and remains a key element of the strategic balance in peacetime. As such, political decision-makers in the region are acutely aware of the importance of air assets and the need to upgrade them with better firepower and/or expanded numbers whenever required.

The two gulf wars in Iraq, besides Israel’s war against the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the recurring demonstrations of its overwhelming air power over Gaza and the West Bank in Palestine, have further helped to emphasize the importance of a well-equipped air force amongst Middle Eastern nations. Acquisition of the best air assets as politically and economically feasible - be these fighter aircraft, helicopters, transports or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - has thus become a priority in the Middle East. The number of contract announcements concerning such assets at major exhibitions in the region, such as the Dubai Air Show, is a testimony to the importance attached to air force procurement.

In particular, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar), which boast both the financial clout and political leverage to acquire the latest and the best products on offer, have made a string of procurement of air assets in the recent past, moving resolutely towards the creation of well-equipped and trained air forces, capable of meeting any and every challenge.

Some analysts fear that the economic downturn of 2008-09, which has affected the Gulf economies with the construction boom coming to an abrupt halt and reports of companies winding up businesses along with attendant job losses, may affect the defence procurement cycle in the coming years. Other experts, however, feel that defence spending will not see a significant dip. This is because the spurt in income from energy in the years prior to the 2008 recession, has given the GCC countries considerable spending power, and they had started defence procurement projects over the past 2-3 years which are still in the process of being implemented. “Not a single defence procurement project has been cancelled in the UAE”, a senior UAE defence official told this correspondent.

Fixed-Wing Aircraft Procurement

Military aircraft procurement continues to be strong in the GCC region, going by procurements initiated over the past couple of years and current negotiations and pitches being made various fighter aircraft manufacturers. Unlike many other countries in the world, the GCC countries don’t follow a strict tendering system in all cases of procurement. In some cases, procurement announcements are made after commercial negotiations with only one bidder.

• Saudi Arabia

The Royal Saudi Air Force’s order, signed in 2007 for 72 Eurofighter TYPHOONs under the £8 billion Project “Salaam” is by far the biggest fighter aircraft purchase in recent times. The first 24 aircraft, to the Tranche 2 Block 8 configuration have been diverted from the RAF Tranche 2 order and are being manufactured by BAE Systems in Warton, while the remaining 48 will be assembled locally at a facility yet to be designated. The first aircraft in the 24-aircraft initial batch flew for the first time on 22 October 2008, and two aircraft were officially delivered in a ceremony at Warton on 11 June 2009. There are no indications so far as to the range of weapons that are to equip the RSAF TYPHOONs, but for a recent order for an unspecified number of IRIS-T short-range IR-guided air-to-air missiles.

Project “Salaam”, massive as it is appears to be but the first step in a wider effort. Indications are emerging about another order for 72 new-generation combat aircraft being in the pipeline, with the likely contenders being the TYPHOON and a Boeing offer for either the new proposed F-15 SILENT EAGLE or a configuration equivalent to the latest F-15SG for the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

In the meantime, the entire fleet of TORNADO IDS strike aircraft are being upgraded to a standard corresponding to the GR.4 in RAF’s service, while the F-15S are receiving AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER targeting pods. Data Link Solutions, a joint venture of BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins, has won a $35 million contract to supply 16 multifunctional information systems for the F-15s, while a $49.2 million deal signed with Boeing in August 2009 calls for Link 16 data links to be installed aboard five E-3 AWACS aircraft.

Moving to support assets, the RSAF has doubled its order for Airbus Military A330 MRTT transport/tankers, signed in 2008 from three aircraft to six. The first plane will be converted from a standard A330-200 airliner at Airbus Military’s facility in Getafe near Madrid for delivery in 2011, while aircraft #2 to #6 will be converted locally in a facility yet to be selected (either in Ryhad or Gedda).

• United Arab Emirates

Having just accepted the last aircraft in a programme for the procurement of 80 F-16E/F Block 60 DESERT FALCON fighter/strike aircraft (55 F-16Es and 25 F-16Fs), the UAE is apparently pondering moving immediately forward with a follow-on programme.

Following the official visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the UAE in early 2009, when he reportedly opened talks for the possible purchase of 60 RAFALE fighters, considerable forward moment has taken place with the sides holding several rounds of discussions on the issue. An important step was achieved in mid-September 2009, when the Emirates reportedly submitted a detailed list of the technical specifications they would need to see satisfied for the RAFALE deal to proceed. While the original proposal, as tabled by President Sarkozy reportedly involved aircraft (arguably to the F.2 standard) being diverted from the French Air Force’s production line, the UAE now wants not only a complete technology transfer for local assembly, but also the right to further export the aircraft to third countries in the region - i.e., the same package as being offered to Brazil.

It remains to be seen, though, whether the French Government and Dassault Aviation would be willing to accept these conditions, and whether the infant aerospace industry in the UAE would actually be able to tackle a programme of this magnitude. Another major stumbling block is represented by the UAE’s insistence for any deal to also involve France taking back the 62 MIRAGE 2000-9 currently in service. This, however, is being strongly resisted by both Dassault Aviation and the French Air Force.

An adequate air refuelling capability is being established through the acquisition of three A330 MRTTs. Conversion of the first aircraft for the UAE Air Force will start at Airbus Military’s plant in Getafe in January 2010 for delivery in 2011, and unlike the approach being requested for the RAFALEs even the two follow-on aircraft will be converted in Spain.

Another new capability being created involves maritime patrol. Two DASH 8-315s were acquired on the second-hand market during 2007, and these are to be converted for maritime surveillance roles by Thales and Provincial Aerospace Ltd. (PAL) under a AED 1.071 billion (some €206 million) contract. The conversion package includes most notably a comprehensive mission system based on the Thales AMASCOS series.

The UAE Air Force is also to significantly expand its currently modest tactical airlift capability, and create a new strategic airlift capability through the planned purchase of twelve Lockheed Martin C-130J and four Boeing C-17 transport aircraft, at an estimated total value of AED 5.9 + 4.3 billion (some $2.8 billion). In a very innovative procedure for the UAE, this programme will run as a PFI (Private Financed Initiative) scheme, whereby Waha Capital PJSC holding company is expected to raise the required money for the purchase, acquire the aircraft and manage the fleet on behalf of the UAE Air Force. Deliveries are scheduled to start in three to four year’s time. The planned order is officially described as being intended to allow participation by UAE forces to humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping operations all around the world.

The only major remaining gap in the UAE Air Force’s coherent expansion plan, and one whose adverse impact is becoming more and more important in parallel to the acquisition of advanced combat aircraft, is the lack of AEW&C assets. Several subsequent programmes were formulated in this regard in the past, but for one reason or another they all failed to materialise. A renewed competition for up to eight aircraft is currently underway, and is reported to involve the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced HAWKEYE, the Boeing 767 AEW&C and the Saab ERIEYE.

[The UAE Air Force training aircraft programmes are covered by a separate article elsewhere in this issue - Ed.].

• Kuwait

Some years ago, the Kuwaiti Air Force officially announced the intention to procure an unspecified number of F/A-18E/F Super HORNETs. No further developments were reported, however, and Kuwait is now understood to be toying with the idea of buying the French RAFALE. A batch of 14 (but possibly up to 28) RAFALEs could be delivered by 2012, in a package deal that would also include an unspecified French-made air defence system (most probably the SAMP-T) as well as naval vessels for the Kuwaiti Navy.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuwait City on 12 February 2009, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that within the framework of a friendship agreement between the two countries, the respective defence ministers would hold talks to conclude a deal for the delivery of RAFALE frigates, and an anti-missile defence system that would "all contribute to Kuwait's security." A tentative deadline has been established, for the proposed deal to the formalised before the end of 2009.

Confirming the developments, the Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Mnister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah later said in a statement quoted by Kuwaiti news agency, "on the RAFALE deal, the issue will be looked at, as the French aircraft's high quality and advanced technology demands serious consideration with regard to buying them". Following the Minister’s visit to Paris in early March, a committee of high-ranking Air Force officers has been set up to assess the details of the French offer.However, there are reports that the US administration is not too happy with this proposed deal, and is applying some pressure on Kuwait to rather implement the original plan for the purchase of the F/A-18E/F. Also, a number of members in Kuwait’s National Assembly are reportedly of the view that with the threat from Iraq effectively neutralised, military procurement needs to be toned down, not intensified. They see little use for a squadron or two of advanced fighters which will spend most of their service life either in training sorties or on the ground.

Moving to airlift, in July 2009 Kuwait requested the sale of eight KC-130K multi-mission cargo/refuelling aircraft, at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion. In a different sector, an aerostat-based surveillance system is on order, including the 71M LASS (Low Altitude Surveillance System) blimp carrying both the AN/TPS-63 radar and AR-900 ELINT system.

• Qatar

The Qatar Emiri Air Force’s development plans are heavily conditioned by the country’s position as the host to the US CENTCOM Forward Headquarters, with pre-positioned materiel to equip two armoured brigades (the largest such pre-positioning of US Army materiel outside the US). The overall protective umbrella by US forces that stems from this situation tends to reduce the need for very capable own forces, but on the other hand it also has a certain impact on the type of aircraft Qatar would wish to procure and from whom.

Qatar is still trying to sell its fleet of twelve MIRAGE 2000-5 fighters, which were withdrawn into storage after a very short service period (thus leaving the Air Force without first line combat planes) reportedly because it was not felt appropriate to have French technical assistance personnel and advisors on the very same base that houses the CENTCOM forward HQs. A tentative deal with India collapsed in mid-2009 as the price offered by India ($375 million) proved to be less than half the Qatar’s request.

On the other hand, the Air Force is implementing a very significant programme for the expansion of its airlift capabilities. A direct purchase agreement (i.e., outside FMS channels) was signed with Boeing in July 2008 for two C-17 GLOBEMASTER III strategic transport aircraft and associated equipment and services, with an option for two additional aircraft. The two C-17s were delivered in August and September 2009, respectively. Another direct purchase contract with Lockheed Martin covers four C-130Js, with deliveries to begin in 2011.

• Oman

The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) has a requirement for a new generation multi-role combat aircraft to replace its JAGUARs. This is not known having taken the form of an official competition, but as already indicated, by the region’s standards, this does not necessarily mean that no activities are underway.Reports in mid-2008 suggested that Oman is in talks to buy up to 24 TYPHOONs from BAE Systems in a deal worth at least $2 billion. Other reports said that Oman is rather considering the purchase of additional F-16s fitted with phased array radar, but this seems to be a separate programme that would replace the older F-16s or add to the fleet. Latest indications are that France is also making a strong pitch for the RAFALE.

Airlift capabilities are being expanded with a order, signed in June 2009 for three C-130J-30 (stretched airframe). It is not immediately known whether these aircraft, to be delivered by mid-2012, will replace the C-130Hs in the current inventory or rather supplement them.

Recent Helicopter Procurements

• Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) placed an order in July 2004 for 20 NH90 tactical transport helicopters, thus becoming the first Middle East country to purchase the type. Deliveries started in 2008, and the NH90 is progressively replacing the bulk of the RAFO’s helicopter fleet but for the Royal Flight and the Super LYNX 300s.

• Qatar Armed Forces signed a contract for 18 AW139 helicopters in early 2009. The contract value is in excess of $260 million and includes crews training and initial spares package. The helicopters will be used for troop transport, SAR, border patrol and homeland security roles.

• Saudi Arabia: Reports surfaced in mid-September 2009 about Saudi Arabia having signed, or being negotiating a $2 billion deal with Moscow to purchase 30 attack helicopters (arguably Mi-35s, but perhaps the new Mi-28s) and 120 transport helicopters from Rosoboronexport. However there is no official confirmation from the Saudis or the Russians as to the specifics of the deal. The Russian media has interpreted a statement by Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Andrei Nesterenko "We are working in this direction, we can confirm this," to mean confirmation of the deal. Nesterenko also spoke of a military-technical cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia similar to what Russia has with India, with among other things gives preferential access to Moscow in certain types of defence procurement in exchange for local manufacturing and technology transfer.

Earlier reports spoke of Saudi Arabia talking to Russia for the purchase of 30 Mi-171B helicopters, with the deal being tentatively planned for signature before the end of 2009.

• The UAE has 14 UH-60M BLACKHAWK helicopters on order, to be modified for combat roles with HELLFIRE missile (390 AGM-114N HELLFIRE missiles on order).

Recent UAV Developments

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are understood to be evaluating the possible procurement of UAVs both for reconnaissance/surveillance and attack roles. However, while buying reconnaissance UAVs might be easy, getting their hands on attack platforms will not as the US considers this a front-line technology. Indeed, back in 2002 the US Government turned down a UAE request for the sale of ten PREDATORs. Be this as it may, BAE Systems is understood to have made a number of presentations to defence officials in the Gulf regarding its UAV family.

The UAE has identified UAVs as an area it can build a manufacturing base in and export its products to other Middle Eastern countries. A research centre under the name of Air Force UAV Research and Technology Centre at the Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, was established in February 2007 and has been working on two models with the help of two European companies. The first model is in partnership with Schiebel of Austria. It is based on the S-100 design and has been branded the AL SABER UAV by the Air Force, which has placed an order for a first batch of 40 systems. The second model is being built in partnership with CybAero of Sweden based on their APID 55 design. In a more ambitious effort, a joint venture between Finmeccanica unit Alenia Aeronautica and Abu Dhabi Autonomous System Investments (ADASI) to design and develop a MALE (medium altitude long endurance) UAV was announced at the Paris Air Show 2009.

Recent GBAD/Anti-missile Procurements

Recent developments in ground-based air defence procurement in the Gulf are heavily focused on anti-missile capabilities, which is quite obviously in reference to a perceived Iranian missile threat. This trend is being spearheaded by the UAE, which is building an entire nation-wide ATBM (Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile) network. The programme includes the purchase of both the THAAD system (three fire units with a total of nine launchers, six fire control and communication stations, four radar sets and 147 THAAD missiles) as well as the PATRIOT PAC-3 system (nine fire units with a total of ten radar sets, ten engagement control stations and 37 launchers). The contract for the PATRIOT systems is already operational, while the $6.9 billion THAAD deal has been cleared by the US Congress and its commercial aspects are currently being negotiated. The purchase of the SL-AMRAAM system is also being negotiated.

In Kuwait, the existing PATRIOT systems are being upgraded with ATBM capabilities through the purchase of 80 PAC-3 missiles and 60 upgrade kits for PAC-3 missiles to the GEM-T standard, while the radars will receive the REP III upgrade. As regards anti-aircraft assets, the ASPIDE systems are being upgraded to the SPADA 2000 configuration.

In a move that if confirmed will have far-reaching strategic implications, Saudi Arabia is reported to be negotiating the purchase of the Russian S-400 TRIUMF anti-aircraft/anti-missile system. Opinions vary as to whether Riyadh is implementing a deliberate policy of moving away from too close a dependence on Western and most particularly US suppliers for its defence needs, or rather it tried to obtain a similar package as the UAE but met with a Washington’s refusal. Another alternative possible explanation is that Saudi Arabia is offering to buy an expensive arrays of Russian weapons, in exchange for Moscow taking a commitment towards stopping deliveries to Iran and most particularly cancelling the deal for the supply of the S-300 system.

Be this as it may, it would be interesting to see whether or not Washington would try and derail the proposed deal by using the same argument that was successfully employed against the UAE’s earlier tentative interest towards the S-300 - namely, the threat that with a Russian-built SAM system deployed, US aircraft would not intervene to defend the country in case it is attacked.

Oman is understood to be the first export customer for the ground-based version of the MBDA VL MICA surface-to-air missile system. The deal was announced at the Bourget Air Show in June 2009 (minus the name of the customer), but no details were unveiled.

The article contains additional notes and comments by Dr. Ezio Bonsignore.

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Pakistan Army captures Pakistani Taliban leader's hometown

By Asif Shahzad

The army captured the strategically located hometown of Pakistan's Taliban chief today after fierce fighting, officials said, snagging its first big prize in a major US-backed offensive along the Afghan border.Elsewhere in the northwest, a suspected US missile killed 14 people, but apparently missed a top Taliban figure.

Pakistan's 8-day-old offensive in the Taliban and al-Qa'ida stronghold of South Waziristan is considered its most critical test yet in the campaign to stop the spread of violent extremism in this nuclear-armed country. The army operation has prompted a wave of retaliatory attacks by militants this month that have killed some 200 people.

The battle for Kotkai town took days, and involved aerial bombardment as soldiers captured heights around the town. The final fight killed 13 militants and two soldiers, said an army officer and an intelligence official. The military has begun to clear the town of land mines and roadside bombs planted by the insurgents.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media on the record.

Kotkai is symbolically important because it is the hometown of Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud and one of his top deputies, Qari Hussain. It also lies along the way to the major militant base of Sararogha, making it a strategically helpful catch.

South Waziristan is part of Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt, a rugged stretch of land along the Afghan frontier where al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden is rumored to be hiding. Pakistan is under intense international pressure to clear its tribal areas of insurgents, many of whom are blamed for attacks on US and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

The US has launched scores of missile strikes in the region over the past year, killing several top militants including former Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud.The latest strike hit Chuhatra village in the tribal region of Bajur, local government official Mohammad Jamil said.

The missile hit a hide-out of the militants that included a tunnel, Jamil said. The target appeared to be Faqir Mohammad, a prominent Taliban leader, but he is believed to have escaped, Jamil said.Pakistan formally protests the strikes, saying they violate its sovereignty and raise sympathy for the Taliban, while the US rarely discusses the attacks. Analysts believe the two sides have a secret deal allowing the strikes.

Access to the tribal belt is severely restricted, meaning independently verifying the information is all but impossible.Pakistan's government says it is committed to the fight in South Waziristan, despite a wave of violence that has killed scores and put the population on edge. Bombings yesterday alone killed 24 people, including 17 headed to a wedding.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani declared that "failure is not an option despite the ferocity of these attacks," according to a statement released last night after a meeting of top government and military officials.The army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, told participants that the offensive is proceeding successfully and that troops are trying to keep civilian casualties low, the statement said. Some 155,000 civilians have fled the region, the United Nations says.The latest official military figures — released yesterday — put the death toll for militants at 142 and that of army soldiers at 20.

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Xu visit puts spotlight on China-US military ties

By Olivia Hampton

China's second-highest ranking officer kicks off Saturday a week-long visit to the United States amid signs that testy military relations between the superpowers are thawing.The trip by General Xu Caihou, the most high-profile Chinese military official to travel to the United States in years, is poised to ease tensions that flared earlier this year amid naval standoffs off China's coast.

Xu will meet US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday and tour a string of American bases and installations as the two militaries look to ensure dangerous past miscommunications are not repeated.The high-profile trip comes ahead of President Barack Obama's first visit to China next month since taking office.

Obama is expected to discuss US-China military ties on top of seeking Beijing's help in stemming the global financial crisis, combating climate change and bridling nuclear drives by North Korea and Iran.Experts say military relations have long lagged behind political and economic ties and note that Xu's visit comes months after a US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue that failed to address military issues.

Washington has expressed concern at China's military build-up and modernization, pressing for more transparency from the Asian giant on its intentions amid double-digit increases in Beijing's armed forces budget.The Pentagon chief said last month that China's increasingly advanced weaponry could undermine US military power in the Pacific, as American aircraft carriers and short-range fighter jets faced potential threats from missiles and anti-ship and anti-satellite systems.

China has boosted its conventional missile capabilities to such an extent that an attack involving Chinese short-range ballistic missiles "could cut every runway at Taiwan's fighter bases and destroy any aircraft parked in the open," a RAND Corporation report concluded in August."The problem at heart is that China's leaders are still uncomfortable with a leadership position because of what that entails in terms of responsibility," Abraham Denmark of the Center for a New American Security told AFP.

Beijing and Washington have established a military hotline but "the real test of communication is whether they will pick up the phone," noted Denmark, a former country director for China affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.Although this year's incidents between Chinese vessels and US Navy ships in the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea were resolved peacefully, "setbacks in the relationship could come at anytime," warned Bonnie Glaser of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"There is a real gap of communication."In order to allay each other's concerns, the two countries could discuss ways to provide each other with greater "strategic reassurance," Glaser said, repeating US calls for China to reassure the world of its peaceful intentions as it positions itself on the global stage.

A long-standing Chinese demand that Washington stop selling weapons to Taiwan -- which China claims is part of its territory -- is sure to loom large during Xu's talks with Gates.Beijing cut military exchanges with Washington for months last year over a proposed 6.5-billion-dollar US arms package to Taiwan, but agreed to resume them in February.

On Monday, Xu, a vice chairman of China's central military commission, will visit the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.During his stay ending October 31, he will also tour the US Army's Fort Benning in Georgia, US Strategic Command in Nebraska, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego and US Pacific Command in Hawaii.

His trip also comes amid US worries over China's deployment of Jin-class submarines.According to Pentagon estimates, China will deploy by next year five of the submarines, which can each hold 12 nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles.

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Australia To Buy BAE Howitzers

By ANDREW CHUTER

The Australian government will purchase 35 lightweight towed 155mm howitzers as the first element of a program to re-equip the Army with new artillery.Defence Minister John Faulkner said in a statement that the Army will acquire four batteries of BAE System's M777A2 howitzers as part of a $493 million artillery replacement project known as Land 17. Purchase of an associated digital terminal control system for the howitzer will be considered by the Australian government in the second half of next year, he said.

The M777 is used by U.S. and Canadian forces. To date, BAE has received orders for 862 of the Chinook helicopter-transportable weapons. Six hundred have been delivered.Faulkner said the second phase of the artillery enhancement package will include procurement of a self-propelled artillery system that will be capable of providing fire support to highly mobile mechanized forces.

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Australia Seeks Quick Withdrawal from Afghanistan

By TALEK HARRIS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Australia on Oct. 21 said it wanted to bring its military involvement in Afghanistan to a quick end, despite U.S. and NATO calls for more troops to shore up the campaign against a resurgent Taliban.Defense Minister John Faulkner said Australia was studying how to complete the mission in the "shortest time-frame possible." Australia has about 1,550 troops in Afghanistan with no date set for their withdrawal."I've certainly asked the Australian Defence Force for any recommendations they have about ensuring we do complete that important role and responsibility both effectively, but in the shortest time-frame possible," he told ABC radio.

Faulkner admitted Australia's move would affect the push by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, for an Iraq-style troop "surge" against the increasingly powerful Taliban militia."I've been discussing these issues with the chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and obviously it's a critically important matter for me," he said."I'm not going to talk specifically about the approaches we'll take but I do acknowledge that there will be impacts on the approach that NATO and ISAF partners will be taking as a result of General McChrystal's 60-day assessment."

McChrystal warned last month that the war could be lost within a year without extra resources to fight the Islamists, who were driven from power by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.President Barack Obama is currently considering boosting U.S. troops by 40,000 to about 100,000, in the face of growing public opposition in the United States.Concern over the campaign's legitimacy was heightened by U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai's fraud-tainted performance in August polls. Karzai will now fight a run-off vote with rival Abdullah Abdullah.

However, Faulkner said Australia was not about to start drawing down its troop numbers, while Prime Minister Kevin Rudd insisted the country would "stay the course"."We cannot afford for that country to lurch back into the circumstances that prevailed in 2001," Rudd told parliament. "We do not want that country to become a training ground for terrorists."

Australia, which provides the ninth-biggest contingent of foreign troops, has lost 11 soldiers in Afghanistan. Rudd said its commitment was "rock-solid" after the latest death in July but also admitted the war was "unpopular".Armed forces chief Angus Houston has expressed hope that international troops could hand over to Afghan forces in three to four years, although he warned against the dangers of an early withdrawal.

Defense analyst Clive Williams said Australia may be trying to head off any request for more troops rather than stir debate as Obama ponders the dramatic U.S. increase."We can't leave before the Americans do, therefore we're pretty much locked into an American timetable," said Williams, adjunct professor at Macquarie University's Centre for Policing Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism.

"If we started to draw down prematurely, they wouldn't appreciate that."Australia's previous government, under John Howard, first committed the troops to Afghanistan but opinion polls have shown public opinion is turning against the conflict.On Oct. 21, defense officials said an Afghan-bound soldier had died during a training exercise, while last week they admitted Australian troops had shot a uniformed Afghan policeman as he approached a checkpoint.About 100,000 international troops are currently based in Afghanistan, including a U.S. contingent which will hit 68,000 by year-end and another 9,500 from Britain.

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Indian Army could take 20 years to bridge officers shortage

Bogged down by shortage of 11,500 officers due to low intake at military academies and a high rate of premature retirements, the army has indicated to its leadership that it will take 20 years of best efforts to fill up the vacancies.

In an internal study, the army has said the projection was conditional and the vacancies could be filled up in two decades only if training capacities in the academies are increased and the exit rate of officers wanting to retire prematurely is kept low. On the basis of the study, the army headquarters has suggested to the commanders that the intake of recruits at the Dehradun-based Indian Military Academy (IMA) and the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai be increased by improving training capacities of the two institutes, an officer said.

The Commanders have been discussing the issue of officer shortage for quite sometime now and it was again debated at the recently concluded conference of senior offices, he said. The 1.2-million strong army has a sanctioned strength of over 46,000 officers. The data, compiled through a study, showed that army faced the prospect of an average of 1,500 premature retirements (PMRs) of officers every year. The current annual average number of officers commissioned in the army from its academies stood at 1,700, around 300 less than the required average number of nearly 2,000 recruits.

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Final Tests of First Saab-2000 Erieye AEW&C for PAF Have Started

In a ceremony in Linköping Saab and the Pakistan Air Force celebrated the start of the final tests of the new Erieye AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft.

The aircraft is currently undergoing system tests in Sweden and will continue with follow on testing in Pakistan later this year. The tests aim is to evaluate the complete system including aircraft, radar, C2 system, communication and live situation picture including integration into the Pakistan Air Force’s Command & Control Ground Environment.

Saab signed a contract in October 2005 to supply an airborne surveillance system for Pakistan. The contract came into effect in June 2006. The system consists of three parts; an airborne segment, a ground based segment and logistics and support service. The airborne segment includes Saab 2000 aircraft equipped with the airborne early warning radar system Erieye.

Pakistan has had a long standing requirement for an airborne system to perform continuous surveillance of air territory, borders and the sea. The new airborne surveillance system will, together with existing ground based radars, provide a more detailed picture to decision makers in order to conduct more efficient rescue operations as well as to counter potential threats to national security.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defence to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs.

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Saudi Royal Navy interested in six P-8s

Ivan Gale

Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in buying six P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from Boeing worth a reported US$1.3 billion (Dh4.8bn), the US aerospace firm says.The plans for the P-8, which releases sonar buoys to identify submarines and destroys them by dropping torpedoes, are part of a wider naval modernisation programme reportedly worth as much as $20bn.

“They took the steps to say to the US Navy that they are interested,” Ray Figueras, the director of strategic development for the P-8 Poseidon at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), said of the Saudi Royal Navy. “We’ve been told there is a need for six.”

The kingdom has asked the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency to assist it to procure new ships and maritime assets such as the P-8, which is also armed with anti-ship missiles.Saudi Arabia is leading a charge by Gulf states to modernise their defences following a five–year spike in oil prices and continuing regional tension over Iran’s nuclear programme. The kingdom’s defence spending totalled $36bn by the end of last year, according to the consulting firm Frost and Sullivan.

Details of the naval overhaul were announced last December when US defence officials said Saudi Arabia wanted to buy the P-8 along with the H-60R Seahawk multimission helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft, unmanned Fire Scout helicopters built by Northrop Grumman, and smaller combat ships either from Lockheed Martin or General Dynamics. Neither the Saudis nor Boeing had said how many P-8 aeroplanes might be part of the sale.

The aircraft are said to cost $220 million each and come with advanced radar and sensing equipment from Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.“We’re trying to help the Saudis with their naval expansion programme,” the US Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa told Reuters in December. The US helped Saudi Arabia upgrade its fleet 30 years ago and those ships were now “mature” and needed to be replaced, he said.

The P–8 Poseidon is a new maritime patrol aircraft derived from the Boeing 737 passenger aeroplane, one of several military variants the company is developing as part of efforts to use its commercial aircraft to create new defence platforms. The aircraft also uses sensors to identify fuel vapours from diesel submarines and other ships.

The US Navy intends to buy 117 of the aircraft as it replaces its older P-3 Orion maritime patrol planes, with entry into service around 2014. Boeing is also promoting the aircraft internationally to boost sales. Its first overseas deal came last year when the Indian Navy said it would buy eight P-8 aircraft in an agreement worth a reported $2.1bn. First deliveries are expected in 2014.

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Pakistan Army helicopter crash kills three

A military helicopter crashed in a restive Pakistani tribal area bordering Afghanistan on Saturday, killing three army officials and wounding two others, officials said.The MI-17 helicopter was returning from a routine supply mission to the border areas of Bajaur tribal district when it crashed near Charmung village, a senior military official told.

‘Two pilots — a major and a captain — and a junior officer embraced martyrdom and two others were injured,’ the official said, adding that the aircraft was returning after dropping fuel and rations at a remote military post.Another senior military official said that the crash was caused by a ‘technical fault’ and the chopper came down in an area controlled by security forces.

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MiG-27 crashes, ninth IAF mishap in '09

It's turning out to be one of the worst years for IAF in terms of aircraft crashes in recent times. In the ninth mishap this year, a MiG-27 `medium strike' fighter jet went down near New Jalpaiguri, about 16 km west of the Hashimara airbase in West Bengal, on Friday afternoon.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Gautam, fortunately, managed to eject safely before the jet crashed in a tea garden at about 1.10 pm. "He was on a routine training sortie when the mishap took place. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the reason for the crash," said an official.

This is the second `swing wing' MiG-27 to crash this year. Incidentally, the over 100 MiG-27MLs in IAF combat fleet were hardly flown in 2005-2006 after it was found that their R-29 engines were causing a large number of accidents. With the MiG-27 fleet undergoing an upgrade since then, IAF actually plans to operate these fighters well into the next decade, even though they are ageing, because they constitute an important element of its strike fleet.

The number of IAF fighter squadrons is down to just 32-33 from the `authorised strength' of 39.5 squadrons. IAF will achieve its desired squadron strength of 42 only after 2020. From 1971-72 to 2003-04, IAF's consolidated average rate stood at 1.09 accidents per 10,000 hours of flying, roughly translating into the loss of 23 aircraft and the death of 10-14 pilots every year.

The crash rate did come down dramatically to around 0.27 accidents per 10,000 hours of flying, with an over 50% reduction in crashes after 2003-04. But the number of crashes seems to be going up once again now. The aging MiG variants, which constitute the bulk of India's combat fleet, have been the main culprits. The `highly-demanding' MiG-21s, in particular, have a horrifying track-record.

Of the 793 single-engined MiG-21s inducted into IAF since 1963, well over 330 have been lost in accidents. The problem has been compounded by shoddy maintenance, poor quality control of spares and inadequate training to rookie pilots.

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