U.S. arms to Gulf allies hint of strategy

The largest infusion of U.S. arms ever for Persian Gulf allies has shifted more toward offensive weapons at the same time that President Obama’s military strategy says it will rely more on allied firepower in any future war.

The only war on the horizon for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and four other Gulf coalition partners would be with nearby Iran.
Noting U.S. sales of air defense-penetrating F-16s and F-15s, satellite-guided bombs and a pending order for ordnance that can burrow deep and then explode, analysts say Gulf nations could participate in a U.S. air campaign to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.
These American-armed nations could either be part of an overall war plan or be forced to enter the battle once Iran counterattacks, as expected, with missile launches.
“The thinking certainly is that Iran would retaliate against the Gulf states, or at least against the facilities in the Gulf that we use,” said Kenneth Katzman, a Middle East analyst at the Congressional Research Service. “That would certainly draw the Gulf states into any conflict that went on. The Gulf might become embroiled in this conflict, and I think they’ve calculated it’s best to be prepared.”
There has been public focus on the U.S. military buildup in the Gulf — more aircraft carriers, warplanes and strike groups studded with Tomahawk cruise missiles; more minesweeping ships; a visit by Air Force F-22 stealth jets; and thousands of Army soldiers positioned in Kuwait.
But just as methodically, the George W. Bush and Obama administrations have approved a series of large arms sales that are giving some oil-rich Gulf states offensive capabilities that would make Iran think twice about an attack.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta underscored the alliance Dec. 11 when he landed in Kuwait, a staunch Gulf ally, for consultations. He also spoke to some of the 13,500 U.S. troops stationed there.
“Our presence in Kuwait and throughout the Gulf helps advance the capabilities of partnering nations, deters aggression and helps ensure we’re better able to respond to crisis in the region,” Mr. Panetta told reporters beforehand.
At a Kuwait air base, he said America has 50,000 troops and an armada of warships in the region.

Desert Falcons
Mr. Obama’s strategic guidance in January enabled cuts in U.S. troop strength in part by saying that allies would be tasked with providing more firepower in future wars. To observers, that seems to mean the Gulf states would be asked to do more.
The Congressional Research Service, which tracks global arms sales, took special note in its latest report on U.S. weapons pouring into the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
“The U.S. arms agreements with Saudi Arabia were extraordinary, and represent, by far, the largest share of U.S. agreements with the world or developing world in 2011,” the Congressional Research Service said.
Of $56 billion in total U.S. arms sales in 2011 to developing nations, more than half — $33 billion — were inked with the Saudi kingdom. U.S. defense contractors have seen a sales increase from $14 billion in contracts in 2010 to $56 billion in 2011, mostly thanks to oil-rich Gulf states.

In addition, some of the offensive hardware that the Gulf states have received from the U.S. is as good or in some cases better than the U.S. military‘s.
Lockheed Martin has been selling the United Arab Emirates an F-16 “Desert Falcon” version known as “Block 60,” for which the country bankrolled the $3 billion development costs. According to DefenseIndustryDaily.com, it is a notch better than the latest Fighting Falcons flown by U.S. pilots.
The Desert Falcons boast extended range, new radars and targeting pods that clearly make the jet an offensive threat against Iran directly across Gulf waters.
The United Arab Emirates has been buying and flying Block 60s since the previous decade. It plans at some point to add other weapons — 2,000-pound bunker-busting bombs used against buried, cemented targets. Obama administration officials said a year ago that they were working to complete the sale.
“It’s perfectly possible the UAE could be asked to try to bomb aircraft shelters, hardened aircraft hangars’ stockpiles, coastal missile sites that are hardened,” Mr. Katzman said. “There are a range of targets that coalition partners like UAE could be asked to take out as part of strike package, if it comes to that.”
The Saudi stockpile
The United Arab Emirates‘ Sunni Arab neighbor Saudi Arabia also is buying more aggressive weapons.
It signed a deal last year to buy 2,000 joint direct attack munitions — a weapon system that turns unguided bombs into guided missiles, and has been used extensively by the Navy and Air Force to destroy targets in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Saudi Arabia also signed a deal to buy 84 F-15SAs and to upgrade its fleet of 70 warplanes.
The F-15s can unleash a wide array of ordnance, including the satellite-guided joint direct attack munitions, Harpoon ship-blasting missiles and anti-tank bombs called the Sensor-Fuzed Weapon.
Such offensive weapons are increasing in importance to the Gulf, given Israel’s reported plans to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if the West does not stop the Islamic republic’s pursuit of atomic weapons.
The Gulf states “also see the Shiite-dominated Iran as a general destabilizing force in their neighborhood,” said retired Air ForceLt. Gen. Thomas McInerney, who advocates military action against Tehran.
“Clearly, the Sunni Arabs are very concerned about [Shiites] sweeping across the Arabian Peninsula into Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, fueled by Iran’s leadership and resources,” Gen. McInerney said. “The U.S. sale of modern aircraft and weapons is designed to help them cope with this threat.”
He said the Gulf nations also are banking on assistance to which they would never admit publicly. “Covertly, they are supporting the Israelis’ counter [to the Shiites],” he said.
From Iran’s vantage point, the Persian Gulf looks like this: The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, constantly patrols the waterway. To the west and south on land, the Gulf nations are acquiring an increasingly potent arsenal of planes, missiles and bombs.
“We have been selling these countries weapons of varying sophistication for 20-plus years as part of our overall approach to ensuring regional security and stability,” said James Russell, an instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.
“We really ramped up our entire defense relationships with these countries after we ejected [Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein from Kuwait,” said Mr. Russell, a former Pentagon official involved in foreign arms sales. “We went around the region concluding Defense Cooperation Agreements with each of these states, except Saudi Arabia, which provided a framework for arms sales, prepositioned equipment, forward deployed forces, and training and exercises.
“We want these countries to be able to defend themselves and be able to operate and train with us, since we are the ones ultimately guaranteeing the security of the region,” Mr. Russell said.

Two Powers, Qatar And Iran, Try To Sway Hamas

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--The courtship of Hamas between rivals Iran and Qatar has been one of the Middle East's intriguing subplots of the Arab Spring. The bloodshed in Gaza has now sharpened their competition for influence with the Palestinian militant group and the direction it takes in the future.
Qatar has sought to use its vast wealth to win over Hamas with investments and humanitarian aid and encouraging Arab partners to do the same — part of the hyper-rich U.S. allied nation's broader campaign to bring under its wing Islamist movements that have risen to power in the region the past two years. Qatar's influence with Hamas could edge it away from armed action toward diplomacy.
Iran, meanwhile, is invigorating its longtime role as the builder of the rocket arsenal for Hamas' military wing.
For Hamas, there are benefits in both directions — and it's happy to play both sides. During a celebration rally in Gaza City after an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire came into place ending fighting between Israel and Hamas, Gazans wildly waved flags of Qatar, along with those of Egypt and Turkey, in gratitude for those countries' diplomatic support.
At the same time, Hamas' leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal, who is based out of Qatar, gave a very public thanks to Iran for standing by Gaza with crucial military assistance. Fighters in Gaza also hailed the new reach of their arsenal, with Iranian-designed Fajr-5 rattling Israel by reaching the outskirts of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Visiting the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday, Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani, who is close to the country's supreme leader, promised leaders of Palestinian militant groups that his country would continue to boost "the resistance's capabilities in confronting the Zionist arrogance and aggression," according to Palestinian official Khaled Abdul-Hamid, who attended the meeting.
The reminder of Hamas' reliance on Iran for weapons could help smooth a relationship that has been running through a rough patch because of the civil war in Syria, Iran's top ally.
Embarrassed by the Syrian regime's crackdown on a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising, Hamas leaders based in Damascus for years broke with Syria and left for Qatar and Egypt. Though Iran continued to send weapons to Hamas, the break undermined the "Axis of Resistance" grouping Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas that Iran has assembled in the Arab world.
It's doubtful Iran can fully reclaim its position as the main big brother for Hamas. But Tehran's image is certain to receive some lingering boost in Gaza.
For Hamas, hyper-rich Qatar is a political and economic lifeline, a key part of the militant group's attempts to bolster its ties with the Western-backed Gulf states in efforts gain more international legitimacy. Last month, Qatar's emir became the first head of state to visit the Gaza Strip since Hamas took control five years ago. The Gulf state pledged nearly $500 million in aid and a song called "Thank you, Qatar" played on Gaza radio and TV as the emir was given a hero's welcome.
During the heat of the Gaza battle the past week, Qatar's prime minister gave a blistering dressing down to the Arab League during an emergency meeting, saying Arab nations had to do more to fight Gaza's poverty and isolation than just pass resolutions.
"We can't give hope without delivering," Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani told the gathering last week in Cairo.
Two days after his outburst at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, Sheik Hamad suggested that his country would be willing to open dialogue with Israel on a long-term Gaza truce if it leads to lifting the blockade. The Arab Spring, he added, has made Israel feel more vulnerable, but also perhaps more ready to make deals.
"We need to talk with everyone to reach a comprehensive peace," he told CNN on Monday.
For Qatar, the outreach to Gaza also is part of far wider ambitions to become a major policy-shaper in the Middle East. The tiny Gulf nation has emerged as a strong backer of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has risen to power in Tunisia and Egypt after the fall of those countries' autocratic leaders in early 2011.
In February, Qatar brokered talks between Hamas' Mashaal and his longtime rival, internationally backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Qatar has also sought to influence Syria's rebels. This month, it hosted Syrian opposition groups in a breakthrough effort to unite rebel factions under one coalition, which has opened the way for greater international recognition and promises of aid. Qatar had led calls to supply Syrian rebels with heavy weapons to counter air and tank attacks by Bashar Assad's forces. Qatar also was a key backer of the Libyan uprising.
On Thursday, Qatar also invited the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition to appoint its ambassador to the Gulf state, the Qatari news agency reported.
Salman Shaikh, director of The Brookings Doha Center in Qatar, said it's not a matter of "having to go all for Iran or all for Qatar.'
"What Qatar is trying to do is change the reality. They are trying to blaze a trail that will weaken the international isolation of Gaza from the Israeli blockade," he said.
Qatar has so far stopped short of offering any kind of military support for Gaza to avoid a rift with Washington, Israel's most powerful ally.
Iran takes a very different view.
Officials in Tehran boasted this week about its longtime arms support for Hamas militants — part of Iran's bookend strategy to equip anti-Israel factions in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon on Israel's northern border.
Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of the Revolutionary Guard, said Iran supplied fighters in Gaza with the technology to "quickly" produce the Fajr-5 missiles. The statement fits with previous Iranian denials that it is not directly sending missiles to Gaza, but suggests close coordination on construction and movement of supplies, presumably through the smugglers' tunnels linking Gaza and Egypt.
The Gaza fighting, at the least, bought Iran some restored street credibility as its image was battered by its backing for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"The war with Israel reminded Hamas that Israel is the main issue not Syria," said Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a professor in politics in Tehran's Allameh University.
But Hamid Reza Shokouhi, editor of Iran's independent Mardomsalari daily, said the bump in Iran's popularity with Gazans could be only "short-term." He questioned whether Iran could sustain its influence in Gaza against the almost unlimited resources of Qatar and its Gulf partners.
Iran's Foreign Ministry and a parliamentary committee have applied for permission to visit Gaza in the coming weeks via the border crossing with Egypt, said Hasan Qashqavi, deputy foreign minister in charge of consular affairs.
Qatar's prime minister said the competition for influence is Gaza only likely to intensify as other nations such as Turkey and Egypt reach out.
"We are not trying to take Hamas from anybody else, from Iran or others," he said in the CNN interview. "Hamas, they have to decide for themselves. I think they are pretty mature to decide for themselves."

UAE, Qatar seek advanced US missile defense system

Pentagon confirms request of up to $7.6 billion in Lockheed missile-defense system to counter growing regional threats.

 

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have requested the sale of up to $7.6 billion in Lockheed Martin Corp missile-defense systems to counter perceived threats and lower their dependence on US forces, the Pentagon announced on Monday.

The sale is part of Washington's ongoing effort to deepen its cooperation with Gulf nations on missile defense and increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which oversees foreign arms sales, formally notified lawmakers on Friday that it had approved the possible sales, which come against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Iran.
Lawmakers now have 30 days to block the potential sales although such action is rare since deals are carefully vetted with lawmakers weeks before the notifications are posted.
Lockheed told reporters in August that Saudi Arabia and its closest regional partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council had shown interest in the company's Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon systems.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met GCC officials in September and US officials said initial missile-defense sales could be announced soon.
The GCC is a political and economic alliance linking Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Washington has been working with Gulf states on a bilateral basis, not as a group, to boost the range of radar coverage and related capabilities across the Gulf for the earliest possible defense against any missiles fired by Iran.
The United States and its allies say Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability under the cover of a civil program. Iran denies this, but has been hit with a series of international sanctions over its nuclear work.
US goal is development of "regional shield"
On Monday, the Pentagon said Qatar had requested the possible sale of two THAAD fire units, 12 launchers, 150 interceptors, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $6.5 billion.
The UAE, which signed an initial order for $1.96 billion of THAAD weapons systems in December, requested an additional 48 THAAD missiles, 9 launchers and other equipment valued at $1.135 billion, according to a DSCA notification.
It said the proposed sale would contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping two countries that have been and remain key forces "for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East."
Raytheon Co is another key contractor on the program.
THAAD is a US Army system designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles with an interceptor that slams into its target.
It can accept cues from Lockheed's Aegis weapons system, satellites and other external sensors, and works in tandem with the PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 terminal air-defense missile. THAAD includes its own radar along with interceptors and communications and fire control units.
US officials have said their ultimate goal is a regional shield that can be coordinated with US systems, a system similar to Washington's drive to expand missile defense to protect NATO's European territory against ballistic missiles that could be fired by Iran.
THAAD is part of a layered missile shield being built to defend the United States and its friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges and in all phases of flight. The system is being optimized against Iran and North Korea.

 

UAE Halts Talks to Buy French Rafale Fighter Jets -Report

The United Arab Emirates has halted negotiations with France to buy Rafale fighter jets, which are manufactured by French aerospace firm Dassault Aviation (AM.FR), French newspaper Le Parisien said, citing the country's defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
"I didn't go to the United Arab Emirates for the Rafales. The Rafales will wait. This discussion will come later," Le Drian said, according to the newspaper. The minister traveled to the UAE last weekend.
He said the Gulf country has decided to reduce the share of its military spending on French equipment to 10% from a previous level of 70%, Le Parisien reported. The renewal of the UAE air force's fleet would be worth close to 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion), the newspaper said.

Last year, Le Drian's predecessor, Gerard Longuet, had said there was a high probability that France could sell as many as 60 Rafales to the UAE. Dassault, which supplies the French airforce with Rafale jets, hasn't found a customer outside France yet.

The Drian the UAE to discuss the Rafale, among other

The defense minister travels to Abu Dhabi this weekend. The movement has a political connotation in the first place, even if export issues will be discussed.

After his European tour, Jean-Yves Le Drian takes the high seas. The defense minister went on Sunday for two days in the UAE, one of the few countries with which France has established a strategic bilateral defense. Meanwhile Brazil in early November, and India, in principle next year, he will discuss with his counterparts all major geopolitical issues of the moment, but also those related to exports.What revive speculation about the Rafale?

Jean-Yves Le Drian is the first member of the government Ayrault to visit the UAE. His first move has a political connotation. "France and the UAE are aligned on all the hot topics of the moment, such as Iran or Syria, but we need to strengthen political dialogue," says one in his entourage. The Defence Minister will then visit the three permanent French military bases located on-site implementation of the agreement of self-defense that binds the two countries.

"Stand-by"

Beyond purely military matters, this movement will also be the opportunity to speak exports at a time when the flow of orders from Emirates French manufacturers are at their lowest. The first case, of course, is that the Rafale. Despite (because of that) his strong personal involvement, Nicolas Sarkozy failed to wrest a contract. Launched in June 2008, negotiations have had their ups and downs. Since the change of government in France, they are in "standby".

The visit of Jean-Yves Le Drian will she revive them? Not sure, because Emirati are in no hurry to replace their 60 Mirage 2000-9 that give them satisfaction (as well as 80 F-16s, also at the top of the technology). Moreover, Abu Dhabi must find one or more countries able to take before going to the generation Rafale. No representative of Dassault is also provided in the French delegation.

Jean-Yves Le Drian evoke perhaps another very important issue because it concerns Nexter. The Emirates have studied the modernization of their fleet of armored hoping for the former Giat Industries to place hundreds of VBCI. The figure covers 700 copies circulated. Local authorities have even asked that consideration be given to establishing a joint venture with Tawazun the local arms industry. To cut short in September any negotiations, according to our information, without knowing whether the Finnish Patria, the competitor vying for this market, suffered the same fate. "There has been a turnaround which we do not know the cause," says a source close to the matter.

BAE Systems to Team with UAE-Based International Golden Group

2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition
 PRETORIA, South Africa | BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa recently signed a teaming agreement with International Golden Group (IGG) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This agreement testifies to the strength of the ongoing relationship between the two companies.

The company secured a contract with IGG in 2011 for the RG31 Agrab Mk2 Mobile Mortar Platform (MMP) mine protected vehicles.

“The Middle East is an important region for us and working with local industry and assisting the UAE defence industry to grow, is our goal,” said Johan Steyn, managing director, Land Systems South Africa. “We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship, serving the UAE and other customers to ensure safety and security for their soldiers.”

This is not the first contract Land Systems South Africa has secured in the UAE. The Special Operations Command operates RG31 Mk5 command vehicles. Also, security forces in Dubai have several RG12 vehicles in service.

International Golden Group is the first UAE-based private joint stock company primarily focused on supplying advanced technology-driven solutions to major security and defence organisations such as the UAE Armed Forces, the Presidential Guard Command, the UAE Ministry of Interior, and Abu Dhabi’s Critical National Infrastructure Authority. It has extensive experience supporting government agencies in systems integration projects and providing turnkey integrated products and system infrastructures. IGG also has the capability of in-service support within the UAE and in theatre.

“We have worked with BAE Systems’ Land Systems South Africa business for many years as a prime contractor for, most recently, the MMP contract. We are looking forward to a long and successful future providing combat proven mine and armoured protected systems to forces in the Middle East,” said Fadel Al Kaabi, chief executive officer of IGG.

Bahrain, UAE Probe Shipments Headed To Iran

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have confiscated a number of items Iran may have sought for its nuclear program, a development that diplomats said showed how enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Tehran is steadily improving.

The diplomats told Reuters that one of the items heading to Iran, but confiscated by Bahrain, was carbon fiber, a dual-use material that U.N. experts have said would be crucial if Iran was to develop more-advanced nuclear enrichment centrifuge technology.

Bahrain's and the UAE's confidential reports to the U.N. Security Council's Iran sanctions committee are politically significant, envoys said, because they highlight how more and more states are enforcing the sanctions.


Dubai, part of the UAE, has long been one of Iran's main transit hubs because of its busy port and position as a key financial center.

Aselsan to produce STAMP & STOP systems in UAE

Turkey’s defence electronics giant Aselsan has signed a $2.7 million contract with IGG of the United Arab Emirates.

The contract aims to build and upgrade IGG’s facilities for the production of Aselsan’s proprietary STAMP and STOP stabilized remote weapon systems. STAMP features a two-axis gyro stabilized 12.7mm machine gun, remote command and control systems and a sensor suite complete with daylight TV, laser range finder and high-resolution infrared cameras. STOP is a similar platform that has adopted the 40mm grenade launcher as its primary weapon.

The project will last through 2013.

United Arab Emirates seeks to recruit 3000 Colombian soldiers

The United Arab Emirates is seeking to enlist 3,000 Colombian soldiers in the oil-rich Arab country's armed forces, weekly Semana reported.

According to the weekly, 842 Colombian soldiers and retired soldiers have already joined the UAE army which is paying salaries up to ten times what the Colombian state pays the members of its armed forces. The transfer of soldiers to the foreign army is causing unease among Colombia's military commanders because the military fears the higher salaries abroad are draining the army of its best men and women.

"They have recruited soldiers with a lot of combat experience, valuable men with years of service in which the Army invested a lot in terms of training," an anonymous general told Semana.
"Without a doubt, this is a loss for the army, but there isn't much we can do because it is by no means illegal," the military official added. According to the weekly, the Colombians are making in between $2,800 and $18,000 in the UAE depending on the rank. In Colombia, a soldier earns $530 a month on average.

The New York Times reported in May 2011 that the UAE hired Colombian soldiers as mercenaries through a company led by Erik Prince, the founder of controversial private security company Blackwater.
According to a Colombian former colonel -- now in charge of recruiting compatriots for the UAE Army -- the 800 Colombians currently active in the Arab peninsula are not part of a mercenary army, but hired directly by the armed forces.

"What is happening now is different than before. We are no mercenaries. The contract of the people who travel is directly with the government of the [United] Arab Emirates," the anonymous colonel said.
The Colombian ex-official said the UAE are investing in their military defense because the government "noticed that several threats have made them vulnerable."
According to the former colonel, the Colombians' responsibilities "range from urban defense against terrorist attacks to the control of civil uprisings and even be prepared for a possible border conflict with Iran."Asian Defence News

United Arab Emirates Requests Sale of F117-PW-100 Engines for its C-17 Aircraft

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress July 31 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for two F117-PW-100 engines for an estimated cost of $35 million.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested a proposed sale of 2 spare F117-PW-100 engines in support of the UAE C-17 GLOBEMASTER III aircraft. The estimated cost is $35 million.

The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

The proposed sale will improve the UAE’s readiness and capability to meet current and future strategic airlift requirements. The UAE will use its C-17s to provide humanitarian aid in the Middle East and Africa region and to support its troops in coalition operations. The C-17 will provide a heavy airlift capability and complement day-to-day operations of the UAE’s existing C-130H fleet.


The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Pratt and Whitney in East Hartford, Connecticut. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.


Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.
  Asian Defence News

Typhoon's bid to UAE will include new radar technology

The UAE will get the benefits of a new technology development in the Eurofighter Typhoon if it selects the aircraft for its multi-role combat type, the European partnership said today.

 On behalf of the four core nations in the Eurofighter programme, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, a Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) to Eurofighter GmbH for the development of an Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (E-Scan).

Eurofighter Chief Executive Officer, Enzo Casolini said: “The timescale is to answer the RFP by October this year and to have an agreement with the nations by the end of the year. The target is to have a contract by the middle of next year and to have an E-Scan entering into service by 2015.”

Work to develop an E-Scan capability for Typhoon has been taking place between the industrial partners of Eurofighter Typhoon for some time. Receiving this RFP is a significant step to having the capability enter into service.

On the opening day of the Farnborough Air Show, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The four partner nations have agreed to take the next step towards exploiting the growth potential of Typhoon
.  That potential is huge and the integration of the meteor missile, an AESA radar, enhancements to the defensive aids systems, further development of the air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities and integration of new weapons would all boost the world-beating capabilities of this fantastic aircraft. This progress is good for industry, export customers and the RAF.”

Saudi Arabia is already operating Typhoons and the type is being considered by the UAE and Oman.

Asian Defence News

United Arab Emirates Orders MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles from Oshkosh Corporation

High Performance Off-Road Vehicles to Enhance UAE Ground Operations


Oshkosh Corporation announced today that the Company’s Defense segment has been awarded a contract to provide the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces with 750 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs). The Oshkosh M-ATVs will enhance the UAE’s ground operations by providing greater off-road mobility and crew protection to support national security, as well as critical missions related to the security of the Middle East and the broader community of nations.

The contract awarded to Oshkosh Corporation allows for additional vehicles to be ordered at the discretion of the customer. Oshkosh is scheduled to deliver M-ATVs to the UAE between January and August 2013, pending standard regulatory requirements.


“The UAE continues to expand its role, in partnership with its allies including the United States, in regional security and peace-keeping operations,” said John Urias, executive vice president, Oshkosh Corporation and president, Oshkosh Defense. “The UAE is central to our international growth strategy, and we are honored that they have selected the Oshkosh M-ATV to support their missions.”

“The M-ATV provides the industry’s highest levels of protection and performance,” said Serge Buchakjian, senior vice president and general manager of International Programs, Oshkosh Defense. “No vehicle has been more effective in supporting ground operations – from urban security patrols to combat in harsh desert and mountainous terrain. As we produce and deliver this exceptional vehicle to the UAE Armed Forces, we are equally committed to providing long-term service and to supporting those who rely on our M-ATVs to achieve their missions.”

To date, Oshkosh has received delivery orders for more than 9,500 M-ATVs.

Prior to this M-ATV order, the Company also produced the Oshkosh Global Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) and Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4 for international customers. The Global HET features a powerful 700-horsepower engine and is able to transport a main battle tank, armored vehicles, construction equipment and more, reducing the wear on equipment and crew fatigue that typically occurs over long distances. The Oshkosh HEMTT A4 variants including the Patriot tractor, wrecker, and guided missile transporter are also part of the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 missile system.

Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches First Indigenously-Built Ghannatha Missile Boat for the UAE Navy

ABU DHABI --- Abu Dhabi Ship Building, the leading shipbuilder and naval support services provider in the Gulf region, has today launched its first Ghannatha Missile Boat at its Mussafah shipyard facilities.

The Ghannatha Phase II program was awarded to ADSB in 2009. ADSB was commissioned to construct 12 new Missile Boats and retrofit the existing ADSB-built Ghannatha Phase I troop carriers into gun boats and mortar boats.

As with the previous Phase I program, ADSB’s strategic partner involved in the project is Swedeship Marine from Sweden, which is constructing three of the 12 missile vessels with the remaining nine vessels built at ADSB. Abu Dhabi Systems Integration (ADSI) is responsible for all integration activities, including the complex combat equipment fitted into the vessel.

The Ghannatha Phase 2 program for the UAE Navy is one of the most significant programs currently under construction in the region. The vessel’s outfit includes the latest propulsion/auxiliary systems and also the latest state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and combat management system making it one of the most compact small-size naval fighting platforms available.

The vessels carry a surface-to-surface missile system, and are also fitted with a main gun forward and small gun located aft. The vessels, each measuring 27 metres, are manufactured using marine-grade aluminium alloy and are powered by twin MTU marine diesel engines coupled to Rolls Royce waterjets, allowing the vessels to travel at speeds in excess of 35 knots.

Marking yet another launch day at ADSB, CEO Mohamed Salem Al Junaibi commented: “We are again delighted to be able to launch another vessel for the UAE Navy. This project has potentially redefined inshore naval capability concepts. We believe that having a vessel under 30 metres fitted with two guns and a missile system will undoubtedly gain popularity for other regional operators. We would also like to thank the UAE Navy for giving us the opportunity to build this potentially new concept and also thank them for their support and co-operation on the project.”

All 12 vessels will be completed and delivered to the UAEN in a rolling programme with final delivery of the last Missile Boat scheduled for 2014.

Abu Dhabi Ship Building, a UAE Public Joint Stock Company, was established in 1996 and operates the most modern naval shipyard in the Arabian Gulf. ADSB is the only shipyard in the region with the capability to build, refit, repair and upgrade complex naval warships. ADSB is listed in the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and its current shareholding is 40% by Mubadala Development Company, 10% by the Abu Dhabi Government and 50% by several thousand individual UAE National shareholders. ADSB employs more than 1200 people.