THERE IS NO ‘MR BIG’ by Brian Johnson-Thomas
Hush – Terrorists get their weapons from governments……
Every so often one or other of us gets a phone call from some excited TV documentary producer or magazine journalist wanting to do a really big number on the, presumably, secretive villain who supplies the guns and ammunition to the likes of the Islamic State and Al Quaida wherever they happen to be operating in the world.
Alas for a good story, we have to send them away chewing on the unpalatable truth which is that the vast majority of the weapons used by terrorists throughout the world have been supplied by a national government to some group which that government clearly thought was going to use the guns in a way which would further that government’s objectives.
After all, one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist and what was completely unacceptable yesterday is the truth of today – the life of the late Nelson Mandela is a prime example of that paradigm. Amnesty International never adopted him as a Prisoner of Conscience because he advocated the violent overthrow of South African society but the world idolised him when he became in time President of a new South Africa.
In the meantime nation States continue, with varying degrees of success, to arm and equip ‘opposition groups’ fighting for control of their neighbours, or other States who they happen not to approve of.
Unfortunately, in the real world, neither the fighters nor the weapons stay where they were first delivered. The author, whilst negotiating with ‘rebels’ in the Sudan, subsequently observed the same men operating the same truck-borne MLRS in neighbouring Chad and the fighters readily admitted that they had been loaned by one Sudanese opposition group to their ideological brothers across the border in Chad.
It is, as one might expect, difficult for an observer to attempt to quantify the amount of war material which is diverted from one bunch of fighters to another, but the examples which follow will, one hopes, give some idea of the surprising scale of such deliveries before suggesting in conclusion some lessons which might be learned.
Whilst in the Balkans a decade ago, seeking to find the ultimate destination of the vast quantities of arms and ammunition which had been disposed of by the Bosnian government, we were at first concerned at what seemed on the face of it to be large-scale diversion of such equipment to unauthorised and undesirable recipients. For example, a travel agency in Zagreb seemed – from the paper trail – to have taken delivery of tens of thousands of Kalashnikov assault rifles whilst a small arms shop in the Swiss town of Laufen had, on paper, bought several million rounds of ammunition.
The chagrin, however, was undeserved. What we had in fact unearthed was a discreet attempt by Pentagon contractors to source material for lucrative contracts to re-arm military and Police forces post-conflict in both Afghanistan and Iraq. So all the little ‘Mr Big’s were, on this occasion, merely acting as proxies for Uncle Sam.
This also formed the pattern for the next occasion on which we saw weapons ending up in quite the wrong hands, when the Pentagon – quite inadvertently – succeeded in arming part of Al Shabaab, an Al Quaida affiliate operating in Somalia.
The problem for US foreign policy at that time was that until 2009 there was a total United Nations arms embargo on Somalia. Period. Therefore it was not possible to arm the ‘friendly’ Transitional Government without applying to and getting the public approval of the UN, which might have been seen as a step too far for public opinion.
The solution adopted, therefore, was to promise the Ugandan government, which was providing peacekeeping troops to the African Union stabilisation force in Somalia, that the US would replace any weapons which the Ugandans cared to send to Somalia. It should not, frankly, have been a surprise when quite a few of those weapons later turned up in the hands of terrorists.
It’s not just the US who make these mistakes, of course. God alone knows what the French were thinking of when they parachuted weapons to ‘rebels’ in Libya during the 2011 uprising against Colonel Ghaddafi….but those guns are still somewhere in the Maghreb in the hands of various groups of unfriendly folks.
Currently, to bring this sorry saga bang up to date, various governments are arming various ‘moderate’ rebels in and around Syria, despite the unfortunate fact that nobody seems able to state with any degree of certainty exactly how many such people there are, nor how they are organised or even what their ultimate objectives might be. Certainly it does not need much common sense to realise that the desires of the Kurds for their own homeland might not sit comfortably with the foreign policy objectives of some of the governments who are currently supporting them.
To digress slightly, I recall a conversation over coffee with a person representing what the UN calls an ‘armed opposition group’ and what the US would call a ‘terrorist’ who bluntly put the whole blame for the current Middle East mess back on a shady deal cut exactly a century ago.
The British diplomat and dilettante Sir Mark Sykes was ambushed over a (long and liquid ?) lunch by the former French Consul General in Damascus M. Francois Georges Picot and they, famously, came to an agreement to delineate which parts of the Ottoman Empire would go to which European power when the Central Powers had been defeated. That agreement, alas, may have been to the advantage of France and the UK but it unfortunately left large swathes of the region with built-in minorities, either of Shia or Sunni, and thus sowed the seeds for the current conflicts.
That agreement may be one for the history books but it is unfortunately the case that outside governments are still arguably putting their own interests ahead of the interests of the inhabitants of many parts of the globe and that, far from seeing a thriving black market in the munitions of war, what we are actually observing is the clandestine supply by governments of these munitions to their current clients – notwithstanding the undoubted fact that this year’s clients will be next year’s enemies…
There is, of course, a simple and probably effective solution. Governments should sign up to the new, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty, which gives detailed and specific information on when to – and when not to – supply munitions of war to anyone, anywhere.
General Arms Trade
Weltweiter Handel mit Kriegsmaterial auf Rekordhoch | 8 June 2016 | finanzen.ch
Global defence trade reaches a record breaking $65 billion in 2015 | 15 June 2016 | DefenceWeb
Der weltweite Handel mit Kriegsmaterial floriert mehr denn je. Wie der Branchendienst “Jane’s” in seinem jährlichen Rüstungsbericht feststellt, wurde 2015 Kriegsmaterial im Wert von 65 Milliarden Dollar gehandelt – das ist Rekord.
Africa
Nigeria’s vice president says $15 bln stolen in arms procurement fraud | 3 May 2016 | Reuters
Nigeria Arrests Senior Officials on Corrupt Procurement of Arms Charges to Tune of $15 Billion | 5 May 2016 | Public Spend Forum
Around $15 billion – equal to about half the country’s foreign currency reserves – was stolen from Nigeria’s public purse under the previous government through fraudulent arms procurement deals, the vice president said on Monday.
Kiowa Warrior helicopter sale to Tunisia approved | 3 May 2016 | Defense Security Cooperation Agency
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Tunisia for OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Aircraft equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $100.8 million.
Nigeria’s DICON pushes R&D reform, investment | 4 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has embarked on a series of reforms designed to boost its research and development (R&D) capabilities, the organisation’s director general revealed on 2 May.
EU fördert Projekt gegen die Verbreitung von Kleinwaffen in Westafrika | 4 May 2016 | EurActiv.de
Die EU finanziert in Westafrika ein 5,6 Millionen Euro schweres Programm, bei dem Zivilbürger freiwillig kleine oder leichte Waffen gegen soziale Einrichtungen und Entwicklungsaktivitäten eintauschen können.
Egypt unveils new self-propelled guns | 5 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The Egyptian Ministry of Defence and Military Production released a video on 3 May that revealed it has developed two new types of wheeled self-propelled artillery systems by mounting old guns on 6×6 trucks.
DR Congo launches probe into use of US mercenaries | 5 May 2016 | presstv.ir
The Democratic Republic of Congo has ordered an investigation into the alleged use of foreign mercenaries by the country’s opposition leader and potential presidential candidate Moise Katumbi.
US now ready to sell attack helicopters to Nigeria | 6 May 2016 | PM News Nigeria
The United States administration is seeking to approve a sale of as many as 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria to aid its battle against the extremist group Boko Haram, U.S. officials say, in a vote of confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive to reform the country’s corruption-tainted military.
Super Tucano Counter-Insurgency Plane Makes Inroads in Africa | 9 May 2016 | Defense Industry Daily
Ghana is set to increase external link external link it’s fleet of Embraer Super Tucanos in 2016. The order of four more of the aircraft will see a previous contract increase to nine in total.
Sri Lankan Navy wins Nigerian export contract | 9 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) has won an export order from Nigeria to supply nine inshore patrol craft (IPC) for USD4.2 million, it was announced on 7 May.
Contracts Release No: CR-087-16 | 9 May 2016 | U.S. Department of Defense
L-3 Communications Corporation and North American Surveillance Systems have been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract to modify and integrate intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities into Cessna 208B aircraft for pseudo foreign military sales to Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Philippines.
Russia May Consider Supplying Arms to Somalia, Libya If Situation Improves | 11 May 2016 | Sputnik News
Russia is ready to supply arms equipment to Libya, Somalia and South Sudan should if the domestic situation will improve in these countries, Valery Varlamov, the head of Rosoboronexport’s security department, said Wednesday.
US delivers MRAPs to Egypt | 12 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Egypt has received the first of 762 surplus mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles from the United States, the US Embassy in Cairo announced on 12 May.
US approves sub Harpoon sale to Egypt | 13 May 2016 | Defense Security Cooperation Agency
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt for UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles and equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $143 million.
US State Department Knows Arms Given to Egypt Are Used Against Civilians | 13 May 2016 | Sputnik News
U.S. Government Should Strengthen End-Use Monitoring and Human Rights Vetting for Egypt | 12 May 2016 | U.S. Government Accountability Office
A strongly-worded Government Accountability Office report shows that America’s diplomatic branch rubber-stamps approvals of military aid to Cairo, despite ongoing human-rights atrocities.
Arms sales to Libya draw congressional skepticism | 17 May 2016 | al-Monitor
The United Nations’ readiness to lift the international arms embargo on Libya landed with a thud in Congress, where lawmakers were either blindsided by the announcement or downright skeptical.
UNO-Waffenembargo gegen Libyen soll aufgehoben werden | 17 May 2016 | Basler Zeitung
21 Mitglieder der Vereinten Nationen unterstützen den Beschluss, Libyen im Kampf gegen den Terror, künftig wieder mit Waffen zu beliefern.
US-Italy to Send More Arms to Libya to ‘Bolster’ Failed State | 18 May 2016 | Sputnik News
The West aims to prop up a government of less-violent extremists in a country ‘shattered into dozens of pieces’ following the 2011 killing of Muammar Gaddafi.
Botswana lines up major defence acquisitions | 19 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Botswana is in negotiations for Saab Gripen multirole fighters and has ordered General Dynamics Piranha armoured vehicles and MBDA air defence systems, according to recent reports.
The US Wants to Send More Guns to Libya. No, Seriously | 20 May 2016 | Mother Jones
In 2015, the United Nations Security Council expressed concern over the unchecked spread of weapons to militant groups plaguing Libya following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. Fast-forward a year: The country has descended further into chaos, as dozens of militias, Al Qaeda and ISIS, and two rival governments backed by armed groups vie for power. So, naturally, the United States is ready to ease the UN arms embargo that was put in place in 2011.
South African prosecutors to appeal ruling on Zuma 800 corruption charges | 23 May 2016 | Mail and Guardian
South African state prosecutors said Monday they would appeal against a court ruling that President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges, setting up a legal battle that could threaten his hold on power.
Arms deal inquiry cost SA nearly R140m | 23 May 2016 | IOL
Arms Commision Report, vol. 1 (pdf)
Arms Commision Report, vol. 2 (pdf)
Arms Commision Report, vol. 3 (pdf)
South Africa’s Seriti Commission of Inquiry, which was set up to investigate allegations of corruption and bribery in the 1999 arms-procurement deal, cost almost R140 million.
EU-Staaten ignorieren Waffen-Lieferstopp nach Ägypten | 25 May 2016 | FAZ – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Eigentlich sind Waffenexporte nach Ägypten verboten, seit das dortige Militär bei Protesten 2013 Hunderte Demonstranten getötet hat. Viele EU-Staaten ignorieren allerdings offenbar das Verbot — auch Deutschland.
How G8 Countries & China Proliferate Nigeria With Small Arms & Light Weapons – Part 1 | 26 May 2016 | InterSociety | Nigeria Master Web
Following intensification of regime malfunctioning of the APC and Buhari led Presidency in Nigeria and ahead of this week’s G-7 Meeting in the Japanese City of Ise-Shima, we have considered it upper most important to expose the double standards of the named developed countries with respect to Nigeria and its affairs particularly under the present Buhari administration.
Mauritania commissions two patrol boats | 31 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The president of Mauritania commissioned two Chinese-made patrol boats in Nouadhibou on 25 May.
Frankreich übergibt am 2. Juni einst für Russland produzierten Hubschrauberträger Mistral an Ägypten | 1 June 2016 | RT Deutsch
Eine Delegation der ägyptischen Marine ist am heutigen Mittwoch nach Paris geflogen, um an der feierlichen Übergabe eines der beiden Mistral-Hubschrauberträger teilzunehmen. Frankreich hatte ursprünglich den Hubschrauberträger im Auftrag Russlands gebaut, musste diesen Deal aber im Zuge der Russland-Sanktionen aufkündigen und verkaufte den Mistral in Folge an Ägypten.
Egypt Buys Mistrals | 3 June 2016 | Defense Industry Daily
Egypt has taken over the first of its new Mistral-class helicopter carriers in a ceremony in the French city of Toulouse.
Paramount rolls out Mbombe 8 IFV | 3 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
South Africa’s Paramount Group displayed its Mbombe 8 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the first time at the Kazakhstan Defence Expo (KADEX 2016) that opened on 2 June.
Armement: le Maroc au Top 10 des plus grands clients de la France | 3 June 2016 | H24info
Si le royaume est 1e au niveau du Maghreb, il figure en 5e place dans le monde arabe derrière l’Arabie Saoudite, le Qatar, l’Egypte et les Emirats Arabes Unis.
How the Gripen fighter deal cost a commander his job | 5 June 2016 | The Business Weekly and Review
This is the story of how a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Commander who attempted to wage war on middlemen of the arms trade fell on his own sword. Staff writer TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA narrates the story of how the refusal of Commander Gaolathe Galebotswe to cooperate with the current defence splurge cost the outspoken military man his job.
Ventes d’armes a la Libye : l’ONU demande des garanties | 5 June 2016 | El Moudjahid
Le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU a réclamé au gouvernement d’union libyen (GNA) de garantir que les armes ne tomberont pas entre de mauvaises mains, si l’embargo sur les ventes d’armes est assoupli dans le pays, ont rapporté des diplomates, vendredi.
Egypt was world’s fourth largest arms buyer in 2015 | 14 June 2016 | Middle East Monitor
Egypt was the world’s fourth largest purchaser of weapons in 2015, a new report revealed on Sunday. The Global Defence Trade Report said the arms trade was worth $65 billion in 2015, up $6.6 billion from the previous year, the largest annual increase in a decade.
Les secrets d’un deal proposé à la Russie pour surarmer l’Algérie contre le Maroc | 15 June 2016 | Le360.ma
Des révélations tonitruantes filtrent sur la visite le 27 avril dernier en Russie du Premier ministre algérien, Abdelmalek Sellal, qui a demandé à son homologue russe d’importants armements, dont des systèmes antiaériens S-400.
Egypt seeks Russian Tiger APCs | 17 June 2016 | DefenceWeb
Russia’s Military Industrial Company (VPK) chief executive officer Alexander Krasovitsky has said the company may soon deliver an unspecified number of Tiger Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the Egyptian Army amid soaring North African demand for Russian-made military equipment.
Maroc-Algérie: La course à l’armement en mode pause durant les cinq années à venir | 20 June 2016 | Le360.ma
Face à l’assèchement de ses caisses publiques, dû à la chute historique des cours de pétrole, Alger envisage de geler ses commandes d’armes durant les cinq années à venir stoppant ainsi cette course effrénée à l’armement dans laquelle elle a entraîné le Maroc.
Israeli arms deals in Africa reveal defeat of moral judgment | 26 June 2016 | The National
When people think of Israel’s foreign policy, small African countries don’t normally come to mind. But for the first decade of Israel’s existence, its diplomats invested a great deal of time on the continent. After Israel’s founding in 1948, there was a battle inside the foreign policy establishment about geopolitical alliances. The battle continues today.
Nigerian Air Force confirms new helicopter acquisitions | 28 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced on 24 June that it will soon be deploying Eurocopter EC135 (now Airbus Helicopters H135) and AS365 Dauphin helicopters in northwest Nigeria to support Operation ‘Sharan Daji’.
Les projets militaires du Maroc | 29 June 2016 | Plan de paix au Sahara Occidental
Il s’agirait, selon ce document, d’une association entre le fabricant britannique Chemring et Belge (aujourd’hui détenu par le français Nexter) Mecar, afin de monter une usine de fabrication de munitions en tout genre au Maroc. La joint-venture marocaine qui a pour nom MCR Technologies, se chargera de fabriquer et distribuer une large gamme de munitions et garantira un transfert de technologies au profit des marocains.
Americas
Foreign Military Sales Remains Strong for First Half of FY16 | 2 May 2016 | Defense News | Guggenheim Securities, LLC (pdf)
More than halfway through the U.S. government’s fiscal year 2016, foreign military sales of U.S. platforms and weapons appear on track to equal or top last year’s $43 billion.
US Judge Shira Scheindlin, Punishment for Russian Viktor Bout ‘Excessive, Inappropriate’ | 3 May 2016 | Sputnik News
Departing Judge Offers Blunt Defense of Ruling in Stop-and-Frisk Case | 2 May 2016 | New York Times
US Judge Shira Scheindlin, who sentenced Russian businessman Viktor Bout to 25 years in prison in 2012 over allegedly conspiring to kill US citizens, believes the punishment to be excessive.
Arms Trade Treaty won’t stop controversial arms deals, says UN disarmament chief | 3 May 2016 | The Globe and Mail
The Arms Trade Treaty won’t mean an immediate end to controversial arms deals like Canada’s $15-billion sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, says the United Nations disarmament chief.
(A human rights assessment released by Dion’s office acknowledged that Saudi Arabia has a poor human rights record, including cracking down on dissent and subjugating women. But it concluded there is no evidence the armed military vehicles would be used by the Saudi government against its people.)
Lawmakers to Obama. Don’t Supply Syrian Rebels with Stingers | 4 May 2016 | DoDBuzz
More than two dozen U.S. lawmakers are urging President Barack Obama to refrain from supplying Syrian rebels with American-made shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.
Nicaragua acquires Russian T-72 tanks | 4 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Nicaragua has acquired 50 T-72B tanks from the Russian Federation in a deal worth USD80 million. According to Congressman Edwin Castro, the tanks will be used to combat drug trafficking.
“Viel zu hart”: US-Ex-Bundesrichterin rügt ihr Urteil gegen russischen Waffenbaron | 4 May 2016 | Sputnik Deutschland
Die frühere New Yorker Bundesrichterin Shira Scheindlin, die 2012 im Prozess gegen den russischen Geschäftsmann und angeblichen „Waffenbaron“ Viktor Bout den Vorsitz führte, ist mit ihrem eigenen Urteil heute unzufrieden, wie die New York Times berichtete.
US contracts C208B ISR aircraft for FMS customers | 10 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded contracts valued at USD54.1 million for the delivery of Cessna C208B Grand Caravan intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to a number of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers.
Betting scandal exposes Chile’s billion-dollar secret arms fund | 11 May 2016 | Buenos Aires Herald
Chile’s military manages an undisclosed fund for weapons — few know how many billions of dollars it contains, or where it is invested or exactly what it is spent on. Now, a scandal involving a local casino looks set to change all that.
Corruption in Military Aid Undermines Global Security | 12 May 2016 | LobeLog
This week the government of the United Kingdom is hosting a conference of leaders in business, government, and civil society aimed at tackling the urgent problem of global corruption. The conference’s stated goals are ambitious: to “expose corruption so there is nowhere to hide,” “punish the perpetrators and support those affected by corruption,” and “drive out the culture of corruption wherever it exists.”
Canada’s sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia hypocritical — but still defensible | 13 May 2016 | therebel.media
The Liberals decision to sell Canadian built light armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia after all demonstrates the moral hypocrisy of the self appointed protectors of human rights who clamor for attention in our sympathetic national media. According to their world view, it is morally wrong to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia, but apparently morally acceptable to purchase oil from them (instead of from Alberta). It is proper to chide Saudi Arabia for clinging to a pre-medieval misogynistic view of women, but improper to prevent Salafism/Wahhabism from entering Canada under the guise of multiculturalism. Trade with our second and fifth largest trading partners, China or Mexico, is not an issue, either, despite both nations ranking lower than Saudi Arabia on some indices.
Bolivian Air Force to acquire Zlin Z242L aircraft | 13 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Bolivian Minister of Defense Reymi Ferreira announced on 12 May the acquisition of a fleet of nine Zlin Z242L ‘Guru’ airplanes at a total cost of USD2.7 million.
Panama Papers reveal George Soros’ deep money ties to secretive weapons, intel investment firm | 16 May 2016 | Fox News
Billionaire George Soros, who has spent millions of dollars financing Democrats and left-wing causes, used a controversial Panamanian law firm to establish a web of offshore investment partnerships that operate around the world and out of the scrutiny of U.S. regulators, according to leaked documents.
Why Canada’s Defense Contractors Are Courting Energy Firms | 16 May 2016 | Alberta Oil Magazine
Partnerships between energy firms and defense contractors are nothing new in many parts of the world. In Canada, however, the two industries just found each other.
Contracts Release No: CR-095-16 | 19 May 2016 | U.S. Department of Defense
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control was awarded a $331,760,390 foreign military sales contract (Israel, Finland, Jordan, Singapore) for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) alternative warhead rocket pods (quantity: 290); unitary rocket pods (quantity: 34); and reduced range practice rocket pods (quantity: 529).
El fabricante ruso de camiones Kamaz abrirá plantas de ensamblaje en Cuba | 20 May 2016 | InfoDefensa.com
Kamaz, el mayor fabricante de camiones de Rusia, anunció, mediante un comunicado, que se prepara para abrir varias plantas de ensamblaje en Cuba.
La empresa chilena Famae obtuvo ingresos por 50,9 millones de dólares en 2015 | 23 May 2016 | InfoDefensa.com
Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército de Chile (Famae) finalizó el año 2015 con ingresos ordinarios por 50,9 millones de dólares y utilidades por 2,2 millones.
EEUU pide cuentas a Nicaragua por la compra de equipo militar ruso | 23 May 2016 | InfoDefensa.com
Estados Unidos no tiene muy claro el propósito nicaragüense al comprar 50 carros de combate rusos. Según ha informado la embajadora estadounidense en Managua, Laura F. Dogu, EEUU quiere saber cuál es el propósito que tiene el Gobierno de Nicaragua al comprar armamento a Rusia.
Colombia ya suma 3.000 millones de dólares en créditos ‘offset’ de defensa desde 2008 | 24 May 2016 | InfoDefensa.com
El gobierno de Bogotá quiere reforzar la política de compensaciones industriales (offset) para extraer un mayor rendimiento a sus compras de material militar. La directora de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de su Ministerio de Defensa, Catalina Puerta Hoyos (en la imagen), ha expuesto en Toledo (España) los cambios que el país va a implementar en una fórmula que ya viene utilizando desde 2008. Infodefensa.com ha conversado con ella durante la Conferencia Mundial sobre Cooperación Industrial (GICC´16), que tiene lugar hasta este miércoles en la capital castellano-manchega.
Saving weight for agility | 26 May 2016 | CANSEC 2016 | Janes.com
Colt Canada has introduced a family of infantry weapons that offers lighter weight and better performance. The new Modular Rail Rifle (MRR) is based on the C8 carbine in 5.56mm calibre, but offers a new means of mounting accessories.
Latin America’s Fatal Gun Addiction | 27 May 2016 | Foreign Affairs
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S.-issued military hardware in the Western Hemisphere. All manner of weaponry—including over 32,500 M-16s and 270,000 grenades—seeped into the country from 1980 to 1993. Most of it was destined for the military-led government so that it could wage a vicious war against the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMNL. Although the armed conflict officially ended in 1992, the guns, grenades, and bullets linger. Officials estimate that at least half of the weapons turning up in crime scenes in the country can be traced back to the United States. And that is a lot of crime scenes; El Salvador has the highest murder rate in the world.
Canada’s arms trade dilemma | 29 May 2016 | Radio Canada International
This is CANSEC, Canada’s largest defence and security industry trade show, organized by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security industries (CADSI). It brings together small and big arms manufacturers.
Colombia y Ecuador buscan mecanismos para que las fronteras no favorezcan a los criminales | 3 June 2016 | InfoDefensa.com
Altos mandos de las Fuerzas Militares y de Policía de Colombia y el Ecuador han celebrado una reunión de Mandos Regionales de la frontera binacional mediante videoconferencia para intentar eliminar los trámites fronterizos que puedan favorecer a los criminales.
El Salvador wants to investigate ambassador for arms sales | 3 June 2016 | Reuters
El Salvador prosecutors on Thursday asked Congress to allow the government to investigate the country’s ambassador to Germany for illegal arms sales during his time in the Defense Ministry.
Canada still has leverage in Saudi LAV deal | 6 June 2016 | The Star
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion insists Canada still has leverage over the controversial contract to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia despite the Star’s revelation that the federal government could be on the hook for a multibillion cancellation penalty.
Rosoboronexport se postula para suministrar material para el fortalecimiento militar de Guyana | 7 June 2016 | InfoDefensa
Guyana y Rusia han concretado una serie de reuniones formales a fin de concertar acuerdos en materia de cooperación técnico-militar y en el área de seguridad. Los rusos se han posicionado para participar, entre otras cosas, en el programa nacional de reequipamiento y fortalecimiento de su estructura de defensa y en la implementación del proyecto Ciudad Segura Georgetown, que se iniciará en 2017.
Special Operations Command looks to U.S. companies for homemade AK-47s | 10 June 2016 | The Washington Post
U.S. Special Operations Command, which oversees some of America’s most elite forces, is exploring the possibility of having American companies manufacture Russian-designed weapons, such as the AK-47, that are ubiquitous in war zones.
Le Canada au 2e rang des pays exportateurs d’armes au Moyen-Orient | 18 June 2016 | ICI.Radio-Canada.ca
La vente de blindés à l’Arabie saoudite en avril 2016 a permis au Canada de se tailler une place parmi les plus importants vendeurs d’armes et d’équipement militaire dans le monde.
World’s Largest Arms Dealers Lecture Americans on ‘Assault Weapons’ | 18 June 2016 | Antiwar.com
Almost immediately after the latest mass shooting incident in Orlando, Fla. last Sunday, the typical hue and cry regarding weapons bans has again crept out from the White House and state lawmakers.
Canada to accede to UN Arms Trade Treaty | 30 June 2016 | Radio Canada International
The Liberal government plans to introduce legislation for Canada to finally accede to the United Nations’ Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion announced Thursday.
Asia
Arms procurement still corrupt | 2 May 2016 | Lanka News Web
Reports reaching us confirm that Lanka Logistics Company who was involved as a mediator and indulged in large corruption during the imports of arms in the period of the former regime is still continuing to do so in the current new government.
Arms and the middleman | 3 May 2016 | The Hindu
India keeps learning the wrong lessons from defence scams. It must first stop being the world’s largest importer of arms and take a strategic turn towards indigenous procurement.
Türkei: Mehrjährige Haftstrafe für kritische Journalisten | 6 May 2016 | DiePresse.com
Ein Gericht in Istanbul hat Can Dündar der Veröffentlichung geheimer Dokumente für schuldig befunden. Auch Hauptstadtbüroleiter Gül wurde verurteilt.
Fire from afar | 10 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
Turkish weapons manufacturer and defence contractor Roketsan is promoting its long-range anti-tank missiles UMTAS, and the laser-guided L-UMTAS, both designed to enable attack helicopters to defeat modern main battle tanks with heavy armour penetration. The systems are said to be capable of operating in all weather and day/night conditions with ‘fire and forget’ and ‘fire and update’ modes with a maximum range of 8km.
A family of UAVs | 10 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
KADDB has developed a number of UAVs for surveillance duties, and is exhibiting three of its latest vehicles here at SOFEX. Known as Fixed-wing UAV II, the largest of the three is a short-range autonomous system with wheeled undercarriage. It can be powered by either an electric motor for a low acoustic signature, or by a gasoline engine, giving a longer endurance. It weighs 20kg and has a 3m wing span.
Local build for Mbombe | 10 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
Paramount Group outlines industrial plan for Jordanian Mbombes | 11 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
Paramount Group of South Africa and Jordan Manufacturing Services Solutions (JMSS) have signed a new contract for the local production and assembly of the Paramount Mbombe (6×6) armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) at a dedicated facility in the Dulail – King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) Industrial Park.
AgustaWestland bribery inquiry could further delay Indian modernisation | 10 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
India’s military modernisation may face further delay as decision-making in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is poised to falter following the recent revival of investigations into the 2010 purchase of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters, official sources said.
Al-Wahsh ready for production | 11 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) is launching its latest Al-Wahsh (4×4) armoured personnel carrier (APC).
China pushes SAM for export | 12 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
China Aerospace Long-March International is marketing its FN-16 man-portable surface-to-air missile (SAM) as a standalone low-level air defence system, or as part of a layered system to engage air targets from low to high altitude.
Indonesian export drive | 12 May 2016 | Sofex 2016 | Janes.com
With the rapid expansion of the Indonesian defence industrial base, especially in the key area of equipment for land forces, Indonesia has now started to try to export some of its equipment.
JADARA refines Quad Nashshab launcher | 12 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Jordan’s JADARA Equipment and Defence Systems Company displayed two new versions of its quadruple RPG-32 Nashshab (Nash-Shab) launcher during the SOFEX show held in Amman 10-12 May.
KADDB unveils light ATV | 12 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s International Defence Review
The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) of Jordan has developed a new light all-terrain vehicle (ATV) called the Al Washaq.
KADDB rolls out heavy APC | 13 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s International Defence Review
The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) unveiled the latest version of its heavy armoured personnel carrier (APC), the Al-Dawsar, at SOFEX 2016 in Jordan.
US approves sale of Hellfire missiles to UAE | 13 May 2016 | Defense Security Cooperation Agency
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Arab Emirates for AGM-114 R/K Hellfire Category III Missiles and equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $476 million.
Thailand to procure MBT-3000 tanks from China | 16 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has signed an agreement with China to procure the MBT-3000 main battle tank (MBT) produced by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), RTA officials confirmed to IHS Jane’s on 16 May.
Erdoğan – We know which states supply arms to terror | 17 May 2016 | Hurriyet Daily News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused states with powerful arms industries of providing weapons to terror groups while criticizing Western countries of adopting a “hypocritical approach” in their responses to attacks in different parts of the world.
Arms purchases: Scam, ban and rhetoric | 17 May 2016 | The Tribune (India)
India’s 58-year-old Defence Research and Development Organisation has 50 laboratories, eight defence public sector units and 40 ordnance factories. However, India’s armed forces are still dependent on imports for 70 per cent of their defence equipment .
Russia has no intention to sell tanks to Iran | 18 May 2016 | TASS
Russia has no intention of selling tanks to Iran, the chief of the federal service for military-technical cooperation Alexander Fomin has said.
l’Arabie saoudite fera-t-elle un geste pour la France ? | 18 June 2016 | La Tribune.fr
La visite du vice-prince héritier et ministre de la Défense saoudien, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz le 27 juin pourrait débloquer et faire avancer plusieurs dossiers d’armement en suspens entre les deux pays.
Likud et Meretz s’associent pour stopper les ventes d’armes aux contrevenants aux droits de l’homme | 18 June 2016 | The Times of Israël
Des politiciens de presque tous les partis ont rejoint Tamar Zandberg et Yehuda Glick pour limiter les exports militaires.
Dans les coulisses du transfert d’armes au Moyen-Orient | 18 June 2016 | L’Orient-Le Jour
L’Arabie saoudite et les Émirats arabes unis figurent parmi les pays les moins transparents du monde en matière d’exportations d’armes légères, selon le programme onusien Small Arms Survey.
So kommt der islamische Staat an deutsche Waffen | 18 May 2016 | NEOpresse
Seit Oktober 2014 hat Deutschland Irakisch-Kurdistan mit Waffen beliefert. Dies war ein entscheidender Zeitpunkt, der den weiteren Verlauf der deutschen Außenpolitik bestimmte.
Rheinmetall ist Zulieferer fuer Munitionsfabrik in Saudi-Arabien | 18 May 2016 | Presseportal.de
Der Düsseldorfer Rheinmetall-Konzern hilft dem Militär des Königreichs Saudi-Arabien bei der Produktion von Munition. Wie das Hamburger Magazin stern in seiner am Donnerstag erscheinenden Ausgabe berichtet, hat Rheinmetall erstmals eingeräumt, bei einer neuen Fabrik der Military Industries Corporation nahe Riad über eine südafrikanische Tochter “als Zulieferer eingebunden” zu sein.
Corruption in Iraq – Where Did All the Money Go? | 19 May 2016 | The National Interest
Once again, the subject of illicit financial flows from kleptocratic regimes is in the international spotlight, this time in the form of the “Panama Papers.” What is surprising is the level of shock at something that should have been obvious. For a long time, many financial institutions turned a blind eye to nefarious PEPs (politically exposed persons) and not just in Switzerland, as we see now with big names such as HSBC, once again deflecting allegations.
About one battalion of Russian S-300 air defense systems supplied to Iran | 19 May 2016 | TASS
The first batch of S-300 air defense systems – about one battalion – has already been supplied to Iran, presidential aide for military-technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin has said, adding that the other launchers due under the effective contract would be delivered by the end of the year.
Japan’s disappointing entrée into the global arms market | 20 May 2016 | Asia Times
In the baseball film, “The Natural,” there is a scene in which the hero, an aging rookie ballplayer by the name of Roy Hobbs, gets his first at-bat in a major league game; to his surprise, he quickly takes two strikes, at which point a sportscaster mockingly pronounces, “welcome to the big leagues, Mr. Hobbs.” Japan’s defense industry got a similar humbling a few weeks ago when Australia announced it would sign a $38.7 billion deal with France for 12 new submarines.
German Arms Supplied to Turkey Used in Ankara’s Fight Against Kurds | 20 May 2016 | Sputnik News
The weapons that Germany sells to Turkey are used in Ankara’s military campaign against the Kurds in the southeast of the country, lawmaker from Germany’s Left Party Sevim Dagdelen told Sputnik Turkey.
Major British defence deal with Oman comes under fire | 20 May 2016 | Middle East Eye
Human rights campaigners have condemned the British government after it announced it would significantly boost its military support to Oman as part of a continued drive to increase Britain’s military footprint in the Gulf region.
British-made cluster bomb found in Yemeni village targeted by Saudi-led coalition | 22 May 2016 | The Independent
A British-manufactured cluster bomb has been found in a Yemeni village, all but confirming the banned weapons are being used by Saudi-led coalition forces in the Yemeni civil war.
China Odd Man Out in U.S.-Vietnam Arms Trade | 23 May 2016 | U.S. News & World Report
China mostly managed to put on a good face after news broke that the Obama administration planned to scrap a decades-old arms embargo to Vietnam – a move that will expand the communist country’s growing weapons stockpiles while complicating both parties’ relationships with Beijing.
Russian Helicopters to repair Laotian Mi-17s | 23 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Russian Helicopters, part of state corporation Rostec, has signed a contract with the Laotian Ministry of National Defence for the repair of “military products”.
Iranian Defense Minister Opens New Arms Plant | 23 May 2016 | Sputnik News
Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan inaugurated on Monday a new plant to manufacture advanced personal weapons, local media reported.
ISIS/Daesh: the military response in Iraq and Syria | 24 May 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN06995 | House of Commons Library (pdf)
US-led air strikes against ISIS continue in Iraq and Syria, alongside a training programme to build the capacity of Iraqi security forces and local fighters. The UK has been conducting airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq since September 2014 and has been providing training assistance to Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga. Following a vote in Parliament in December 2015 the UK expanded its air campaign into Syria. How is the campaign progressing?
Thailand takes delivery of more Oplot MBTs | 26 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
Thailand has taken delivery of another batch of BM Oplot main battle tanks (MBTs) from Ukraine, according to media reports on 26 May.
US approves more Javelins for Qatar | 26 May 2016 | Defense Security Cooperation Agency
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar for Javelin Guided Missiles and associated equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $20 million.
US Blocks Cluster-Bomb Sales To Saudis | 29 May 2016 | Defense News
The Obama administration has moved to block sales of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen, amid reports of mounting civilian casualties there.
Saudi-Arabien will deutsche Leopard-Panzer nicht mehr | 31 May 2016 | ZEIT ONLINE
Der saudische Botschafter hat die deutsche Debatte über Rüstungsexporte kritisiert. Sein Land könnte deshalb bei Waffengeschäften mit Deutschland zurückhaltender sein.
India confirms partial ban on Finmeccanica | 31 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said the Indian government has cancelled plans to enter any defence contracts with Finmeccanica as it initiates a process of blacklisting the Italian corporation.
The rise and fall of arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari over alleged property links with Robert Vadra | 2 June 2016 | The Times of India
Arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari, who is in the eye of a storm over alleged property links with Robert Vadra, has risen swiftly in the industry over the past few years, with insiders saying his boast around town was his strong connections with political leaders and a knack to get contracts moving in the system.
Russia Points to Rise in Trucks Heading From Turkish Border to Syria | 3 June 2016 | Sputnik News
The flow of trucks from the Turkish-Syrian border heading towards the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib in Syria has increased in the past 72 hours, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation at the Hmeimim airbase said in a daily bulletin posted by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Baghdad to Seek Russia’s Support in Purchasing Arms | 3 June 2016 | Sputnik News
Iraq endorses Russia’s support in provisions and purchase of arms that are essential for battling Daesh terrorist group, Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Lukman Faily told Sputnik.
IS seizes Saudi weapons from Syrian rebels | 7 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The Islamic State (IS) has released evidence that weapons bought from Bulgaria by the Saudi Ministry of Defence have been diverted to Syrian rebel groups.
Qatar signs for Apache attack helos | 8 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Qatar has signed for 24 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters to be delivered by 31 May 2020. The contract, which was announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 7 June, is valued at USD667.5 million and includes a crew trainer, ground support equipment, and Thales radio sets.
CIA and Pentagon Bicker While Russia Wipes Out U.S.-Backed Rebels | 9 June 2016 | The Daily Beast
Pentagon and CIA at Odds Over Syria | 10 June 2016 | Sputnik News
Two Department of Defense officials told The Daily Beast that they are not eager to support the rebels in the city of Aleppo because they’re seen as being affiliated with al Qaeda in Syria, or Jabhat al Nusra. The CIA, which supports those rebel groups, rejects that claim, saying alliances of convenience in the face of a mounting Russian-led offensive have created marriages of battlefield necessity, not ideology.
Yemen at war | 10 June 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7184 | House of Commons Library (pdf)
The conflict in Yemen is causing massive suffering to Yemenis. It has recently ground to a halt, with neither side able to achieve decisive gains, but a political settlement remains elusive. Questions have been raised about the use of UK-supplied armaments.
PT Pindad launches new SS assault rifles | 14 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Indonesian state-owned arms manufacturer, PT Pindad, has launched the latest models in its series of SS (Senapan Serbu) assault rifles – the SS3 and the SS2 Subsonic.
PT Pindad targets major growth in sales | 15 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
State-owned Indonesian defence company PT Pindad has outlined a sales target of IDR3 trillion (USD224 million) for fiscal year 2016: a 43% increase over recorded revenues last year.
Israel, Like Other Countries, Exports Arms Not Only to Democracies | 20 June 2016 | Haaretz
Israel does not transfer arms to countries in which genocide is taking place, head of the defense export control agency says. ‘We take human rights very seriously.’
Israeli defence export licenses up 17% | 21 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
Arms exports license requests in Israel for 2015 climbed 17% compared with the year before, according to figures released by Israel’s Defense Export Controls Agency and reported by Israeli publication Globes.
Israel debates changes to export control regulations | 22 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Industry
Members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, are to debate a proposed new arms control bill that would see the country restrict exports of defence equipment to countries whose armed forces have committed major human rights violations.
Obama Wants to Stop Subsidizing Israel’s Defense Industry | 22 June 2016 | Bloomberg
If you want to understand just how special the U.S.-Israel relationship really is, look no further than the annual aid package. Israel is not only the greatest beneficiary of U.S. defense assistance, but also the only one allowed to spend a portion of that assistance on weapons and equipment from its own industry. Everyone else has to buy American.
Qatar orders Super Mushshak trainers | 27 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MODP) announced on 23 June that the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) had signed an agreement to sell an unspecified number of its Super Mushshak basic trainers to Qatar. A Ministry of Defence official told IHS Jane’s that his understanding was that Qatar will buy ten trainers.
Pakistan could create a company for defence exports | 30 June 2016 | Quwa Defence News & Analysis Group
Speaking to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Production (MoDP) recommended that the country establish a company committed to driving defence exports.
Europe
Darum scheiterte der U-Boot-Deal mit Australien | 1 May 2016 | FOCUS Online
Nach dem gescheiterten U-Boot-Verkauf an Australien kritisieren Experten das Verhalten der Bundesregierung.
Ermittlungen gegen Manager von Thyssenkrupp und Airbus | 2 May 2016 | NOZ – Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
Die Bremer Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen möglicher Schmiergeldzahlungen bei Waffengeschäften auch gegen Manager von Thyssenkrupp und Airbus. – Schmiergeldzahlungen: Ermittlungen gegen Manager von Thyssenkrupp und Airbus.
Jurist unter Verdacht der Bestechung | 3 May 2016 | Stuttgarter Zeitung
Dem Rottweiler Ex-Landgerichtspräsidenten droht wegen seiner Tätigkeit für Heckler & Koch weiterer Ärger mit der Justiz: neben einer Anklage wegen illegaler Waffenexporte nach Mexiko wird auch wegen Bestechung gegen ihn ermittelt.
Arms Delivery Process From Moscow to Yerevan Underway | 3 May 2016 | Sputnik News
Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said that the process of arms delivery from Russia to Armenia under a credit agreement in the amount of $200 million is underway.
Members of Parliament demand inquiry into suspected breaches of international humanitarian law by both sides | 3 May 2016 | The Independent
MPs have called for an “immediate and independent” investigation into suspected breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by both sides during the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen’s civil war.
New BMP-1 upgrade developed in Ukraine | 3 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s International Defence Review
Ukrainian industry has developed to the prototype stage a major upgrade package for the Russian BMP-1 tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV).
Tatra to supply trucks chassis to Jordan and Egypt | 4 May 2016 | defence-blog.com
Tatra Trucks has signed an agreement with Jordan and Egypt to supply truck chassis.
Britain’s biggest arms dealer tells peace activists selling weapons ‘encourages peace’ | 5 May 2016 | The Independent
Sir Roger Carr says his belief that providing a ‘big stick’ helps countries bring about peace ‘allows us to do this work in a proud and positive way, rather than with a sense of shame’
Lieber gegen Journalisten als gegen Waffenhändler | 5 May 2016 | ZEIT ONLINE
„Warum braucht ein Staatsanwalt einerseits fünfeinhalb Jahre, um Anklage gegen ein Rüstungsunternehmen zu erheben, und versucht andererseits, innerhalb kürzester Zeit mit enormem Aufwand ein Strafverfahren wegen eines Filmes herbeizuziehen?“ – diese Frage stellt zu Recht der Anwalt des Rüstungsforschers und Friedensaktivisten Jürgen Grässlin, der gemeinsam mit anderen in der preisgekrönten Dokumentation Meister des Todes die illegale Ausfuhr von Heckler-&-Koch-Sturmgewehren nach Mexiko aufdeckte.
UralVagonZavod releases 2015 earnings | 5 May 2016 | IHS Janes Defence Industry
One of Russia’s giant defence industry enterprises, UralVagonZavod (UVZ), reported record losses for 2015, according to a financial report published on 29 April.
Is Britain’s part in the Saudi campaign in Yemen clouded by a ‘white saviour’ complex? | 6 May 2016 | Middle East Monitor
Since the start of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, there has been much attention in the British media about the UK’s arms deals with Riyadh. After the United States, Britain is the second largest supplier of weapons to Saudi Arabia, making it a matter of grave concern to the British public. There have been numerous campaigns by NGOs such as Oxfam and Amnesty International, in an attempt to reverse this worrying trend. To their frustration, they have proven to be futile.
Die G36-Bande – Wie deutsche Sturmgewehre in Mexiko landeten | 6 May 2016 | STERN
Deutsche G36-Gewehre landeten in Mexiko – illegal, vermutet die Staatsanwaltschaft. Dem stern liegt die Anklageschrift vor. Die Vorwürfe sind drastisch.
Enthüller im Visier | 7 May 2016 | taz.de
Als Daniel Harrich vor rund einem Monat bei der Verleihung des Grimme-Preises auf der Bühne in Marl stand, ließ er sich wenig Zeit für üblichen Dankesfloskeln. Der Mann, den die Grimme-Jury Information & Kultur für Recherchen zu illegalen Waffenexporten ausgezeichnet hatte, wedelte dramatisch mit ein paar Blättern Papier, er hatte Wichtiges zu sagen.
Wer Waffen sät, wird Flüchtlinge ernten | 7 May 2016 | Badische Zeitung
Jürgen Grässlin, Rüstungsgegner und Autor, über die dramatischen Folgen deutscher Waffenlieferungen in Krisen-und Kriegsgebiete.
Russia shows firepower | 10 May 2016 | SOFEX 2016 | Janes.com
Rosoboronexport Joint Stock Company is showing some of the wide range of indirect fire mortar systems available from the Russian defence industry.
Rheinmetall Hauptversammlung – Umsatzplus dank Rüstungsgeschäft | 10 May 2016 | Deutschlandfunk
Rheinmetall-Vorstandschef Armin Papperger zeigte sich “überaus zufrieden”, angesichts der Bilanz des Unternehmens. Der Düsseldorfer Rüstungskonzerns und Autozulieferer verzeichnete im vergangenen Jahr einen Gesamtumsatz von knapp 5,2 Milliarden Euro. Ein Grund für das deutliche Umsatzplus von rund zehn Prozent waren die prall gefüllten Bücher im Rüstungsgeschäft.
More firepower from Belarus | 12 May 2016 | SOFEX 2016 | Janes.com
The Republic of Belarus had developed and placed in production an upgrade package for the widely deployed Russian BM-21A 122mm (40-round) artillery rocket system (ARS).
Russia to encourage defense industry enterprises | 12 May 2016 | TASS
Russia will stimulate enterprises of the military-industrial complex, develop capacity and increase cooperation level, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting on developing the sector on Thursday.
Ukraine develops BTR-3 120 mm mortar system | 12 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s International Defence Review
Ukrainian industry has developed and placed in production the BTR-3M2 120 mm self-propelled mortar (SPM) based on a modified 8×8 BTR-3E1 amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC) platform.
Accuracy of Italian Defense Exports Report up for Debate | 17 May 2016 | Defense News
An Italian government document has sparked a debate over the use of bewilderingly bureaucratic and potentially confusing figures to describe armaments sales.
Operation in Syria was “good advertising” of Russian military equipment | 18 May 2016 | TASS
Head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin said on Wednesday that the Russian anti-terrorist operation in Syria was “good advertising” of Russian military equipment.
Russia to receive $14 bln from miltary hardware export in 2016 | 18 May 2016 | TASS
Russia plans to receive $14 billion from export of military hardware in 2016, the chief of the federal service for military-technical cooperation, Alexander Fomin has said.
As Canada faces heat over Saudi deal, Sweden looks to restrict arms exports | 20 May 2016 | The Globe and Mail
While successive Canadian governments have come under fire for selling light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, Sweden is looking at changing the way it exports weapons, including restricting shipments to non-democratic countries.
Russian Helicopters signs contract for Mi-8 repair with Czech Defense Ministry | 20 May 2016 | TASS
Russian Helicopters and Czech state company Lom Praha have signed contract for repairing Mi-8 helicopter components for the defense ministry of the Czech Republic, the Russian holding told TASS on Friday.
Heckler & Koch will Waffenexporte erzwingen | 20 May 2016 | ZEIT ONLINE
Im Streit um Exporte erhöht der Waffenhersteller den Druck: Per Gerichtsentscheid will er die Bundesregierung zur Ausfuhr von Bauteilen des Sturmgewehrs G36 bringen.
Sprengstoff für die Koalition | 20 May 2016 | Süddeutsche.de
Die Waffenexporte von Deutschland nach Saudi-Arabien sorgt für Konflikte innerhalb der Bundesregierung.
UK trains soldiers for majority of regimes on its own human rights abuse watchlist | 21 May 2016 | The Independent
Britain is providing military training and support to the majority of the countries named on its own human rights abusers watchlist, The Independent can reveal.
Ukraine markets MBT powerpack | 23 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s International Defence Review
The State Enterprise Malyshev Plant in Ukraine is marketing its latest 1,500 hp diesel powerpack as a potential upgrade for existing main battle tanks (MBTs) or installation in newly built MBTs.
Why is the government so close to BAE Systems? | 24 May 2016 | Open Democracy
In the title of his book “Perpetual war for perpetual peace”, the great novelist Gore Vidal took five words to describe the bizarre foreign policy mantra of modern Western elites. There was more than a hint of this dark, harsh and dystopian logic in the air earlier this month as Roger Carr, Chair of BAE Systems, proudly told shareholders that the sale of arms is an important step in promoting and securing lasting peace.
Judge rejects Crown Prosecution Service attempt to overturn arms fair acquittals | 25 May 2016 | ekklesia.co.uk
A District Judge has refused to allow the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to appeal against the acquittal of eight anti-arms trade activists who were charged with blockading the DSEI arms fair in London last September. The CPS application to appeal was refused on the basis it was “frivolous” and “misconceived”.
UK Trains or Arms Half the Countries on Its List of Human Rights Abusers | 24 May 2016 | Global Research
New research has shown the U.K. is providing military training and support to over half the countries named on its own watchlist of human rights abusers. An investigation by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and The Independent has revealed U.K. armed forces have trained security and armed forces personnel from 16 of 30 regimes who are on a Foreign Office (FCO) watch list for use of torture and violence.
Bulgaria’s 2015 Arms Exports Top EUR 640 M, Up 50% | 25 May 2016 | Novinite
Bulgarian exports of military hardware increased by more than 50% last year compared with 2014, a government official has said.
HEDP-RF munition on show | 25 May 2016 | CANSEC 2016 | Janes.com
Nammo is displaying the latest addition to its family of high explosive munitions for 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) systems.
Massaker mit deutschen Waffen – was wusste die Regierung? | 25 May 2016 | DIE WELT
Ex-Mitarbeiter von Heckler & Koch müssen wegen illegaler Mexiko-Geschäfte vor Gericht. Es könnte ein spektakulärer Fall werden. Die Bundesregierung muss sich eine entscheidende Frage gefallen lassen.
Russia’s defense industry showed 13% production growth in 2015 | 27 May 2016 | TASS
Production volume in Russia’s military industrial sector in 2015 grew by13%, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said after meeting of the board of Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade on Friday.
Poland buys 26,000 Beryl rifles | 27 May 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
The Polish Armed Forces has placed its largest ever order for small arms, ordering over 26,000 Beryl rifles from Fabryka Broni Lucznik Radom.
Illegale Waffen überschwemmen Europa | 29 May 2016 | ORF.at
Der europäische Raum werde mit „vielen, vielen Waffen beliefert“. Das berichtet Siegbert Denz von Europol. Die Waffen stammen zum Teil aus Ex-Jugoslawien. Der illegale Waffenhandel stelle die Polizei vor große Herausforderungen. Zunehmend würden die Spuren entdeckt.
KMW/Nexter will neuen Panzer entwickeln | 31 May 2016 | n-tv.de
Die Leopard-2-Schmiede KMW/Nexter ist auf der Suche nach weiteren Partnern. Zusammen soll ein neuer europäischer Kampfpanzer entwickelt werden. KMW-Chef Haun kritisiert, die Effizienz europäischer Systeme sei andernorts abgehängt.
UK’s £4.6bn arms trade with death penalty countries | 1 June 2016 | iNews
The UK licensed the sale of more than £4.6bn worth of arms to countries which still carry out the death penalty last year, according to an analysis of official Government figures provided exclusively to i.
Montenegro Tightens Arms Exports Laws to Meet EU Rules | 1 June 2016 | BIRN | BalkanInsight
Montenegro has tightened restrictions on the arms trade to comply with tough EU demands – and to prevent sold weapons from ending up in conflict zones around the world.
Tax evasion and weapon production. Mailbox arms companies in the Netherlands | 2 June 2016 | Transnational Institute (pdf)
Six of the top ten world’s biggest arms dealers are based in the Netherlands in order to benefit from its favourable tax and trade system.
Paris livre son premier Mistral à l’Egypte | 2 June 2016 | La Croix
L’armée égyptienne a pris possession ce jeudi 2 juin à Saint-Nazaire de son premier navire « Mistral », racheté après l’annulation du contrat avec la Russie. Le second bâtiment devrait être livré en septembre prochain.
France and Germany Aim for Export Agreement | 3 June 2016 | Defense News
Seeking an intergovernmental agreement on arms exports, France and Germany are discussing the level of national content in weapons as well as countries mutually acceptable for foreign sales, said Louis Gautier, head of the Secrétariat Général de la Defense and Sécurité Nationale.
La Russie ne fournira pas d’armes offensives à l’Iran | 3 June 2016 | Quotidien du Peuple
La Russie ne fournira pas à l’Iran d’armes offensives telles que des chars d’assaut ou des bombardiers, en accord avec les sanction du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU contre l’Iran, a déclaré vendredi Sergueï Chemizov, PDG de Rostec State Corporation.
Russian arms exporter’s order portfolio stands at $48 billion | 3 June 2016 | TASS
The order portfolio of Russia’s arms exporting company Rosoboronexport has reached $48 billion, Director General of the State Corporation Rostec Sergey Chemezov said in an interview published by the Kommersant daily on Friday.
Ukraine Looking to Sell Weapons to the United States | 3 June 2016 | Sputnik News
Washington and Kiev have agreed to bilateral arms trade, Valery Chaly, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, told Voice of America.
How Ukraine Sells Its Weapons | 5 June 2016 | Sputnik News
The world is witnessing yet another arms scandal unfold, after Syrian forces seized a Daesh supply of Ukrainian-made explosives and armor plates used by the terrorists to reinforce their vehicles.
Register of Arms Brokers Bill | 6 June 2016 | Lords In Focus LIF-2016-0031 | House of Lords Library (pdf)
Second reading, Register of Arms Brokers Bill | 10 June 2016 | House of Lords Hansard
This House of Lords Library briefing provides background information in advance of the second reading of the Register of Arms Brokers Bill in the House of Lords on Friday 10 June 2016.
German court likely to clear G36 | 6 June 2016 | IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
A German court has disclosed it is likely to back Heckler & Koch (HK) in its legal action to prove that the G36 assault rifle is not deficient, as has been claimed by the German Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Kämpfe in der Türkei – Bundesregierung verschärft Vorschriften für Waffenexport nicht | 8 June 2016 | Berliner Zeitung
Trotz der massiven Gewalt türkischer Soldaten und Polizisten in den Kurdengebieten hat die Bundesregierung nicht vor, die Exportvorschriften für deutsche Waffen in die Türkei zu verschärfen. Das geht aus einer Antwort des Auswärtigen Amtes auf eine Anfrage der Linksfraktion im Bundestag hervor, die dieser Zeitung vorliegt.
Nicht tödliche Waffen | 8 June 2016 | SWR Nachrichten
Mikrowellengewehre und Druckluftkanonen, Irritationsgranaten und Elektrotaser, Betäubungsgase und Gummigeschosse gehören zu den sogenannten “Nicht tödlichen Waffen”. Diese Waffenart soll einen dritten Weg eröffnen zwischen ohnmächtigem Zuschauen und dem Einsatz schwerer Waffen – etwa bei Kämpfen zwischen ethnischen Gruppen. Sie sollen auch verhindern helfen, dass unbeteiligte Zivilisten zu Tode kommen. Jedoch werden sie von Kritikern stattdessen “Selten tödliche Waffen” genannt.
La FN Herstal distribue un dividende de 10 millions d’euros | 9 June 2016 | RTBF
Le Groupe Herstal poursuit sa croissance pour la quatrième année consécutive avec 10 millions d’euros de dividende. Cette somme va être distribuée à son actionnaire qui est la Région Wallonne. Elle détient la société à 100%.
Airbus versilbert Restanteile an Kampfjet-Bauer Dassault | 10 June 2016 | Reuters Deutschland
Der Flugzeugbauer Airbus hat sich von seinem letzten verbliebenen Anteil am französischen Kampfjet-Hersteller Dassault Aviation getrennt.
BKA: Schwarzmarkt für Waffen verlagert sich ins Darknet | 13 June 2016 | Heise Newsticker
Nicht nur der Drogenhandel sondern auch der illegale Waffenhandel findet laut BKA immer mehr auf Online-Schwarzmärkten im sogenannten “Darknet” statt.
Deutschlands Waffenexporte – Ein Mordsgeschäft | 13 June 2016 | taz.de
Der Kreis der Kunden ist pikant: Die meisten Lieferungen gingen nach Saudi-Arabien, Algerien und Ägypten. Nur die USA und Russland exportieren mehr Rüstungsgüter.
EU-Staaten gehen Kompromisse bei verschärftem Waffenrecht ein | 13 June 2016 | EurActiv.de
Nach den Anschlägen von Paris und Brüssel verschärft die EU das Waffenrecht. Auf Druck von Jägern und Sportschützen gingen sie dabei eine Reihe von Kompromissen ein. Auch für Sturmgewehre ehemaliger Armeeangehöriger in der Schweiz gibt es eine Sonderregelung.
Conflicts fire up Bulgaria arms trade | 15 June 2016 | AFP | Hurriyet daily news
Spiraling conflicts in Syria and the Middle East have sparked a flurry of activity in Bulgarian arms factories not seen since communism collapsed. The small EU member specializes in the production of affordable, lightweight Soviet-style weapons.
Le Credit Suisse dans “la galerie de la honte” | 16 June 2016 | 24heures.ch
Le Credit Suisse est ciblé par Handicap International en raison de fonds qui ne sont pas gérés de manière active.
Année record pour les exportations d’armes “Made in France” | 17 June 2016 | France Soir
L’année 2015 a été exceptionnelle pour les vendeurs d’armes français. L’Hexagone va devenir le deuxième exportateur mondial en 2018.
Armes : le difficile controle parlementaire | 17 June 2016 | Amnesty International France
En matière de transparence sur les ventes d’armes, la France semble être à la traîne. Transmis depuis 2000 au Parlement le rapport sur les ventes se réduit comme peau de chagrin.
Bundesregierung erlaubt Investitionen in Streumunition | 18 June 2016 | ZEIT ONLINE
Die für Zivilisten hochgefährliche Munition darf in Deutschland nicht produziert werden. In Herstellerfirmen investieren dürfen deutsche Banken jedoch – und tun es auch.
Deux livraisons d’armes françaises aux Peshmergas au cours de cette semaine | 18 June 2016 | Ouest-France
Selon le consulat de France à Erbil, “une première livraison d’armes et de matériels a été réceptionnéé, le 14 juin, par le Ministère des Peshmergas. Cette livraison s’est faite en parfaite coordination avec le gouvernement irakien. Une deuxième livraison, aura lieu le 17 juin”.
Eurosatory, le salon des mitraillettes et des chars d’assaut | 18 June 2016 | Le Monde
Parc des expositions de Villepinte (Seine-Saint-Denis), au nord de Paris. Au 25e salon Eurosatory, qui s’est tenu du 13 au 17 juin, les industriels de l’armement s’exposent : 56 pays représentés, plus de 1 500 exposants et une centaine de délégations nationales présents sur plus de 174 000 m2…
Waffenindustrie und Ethik – ein Workshop von Pressenza beim Global Media Forum | 18 June 2016 | Pressenza – Internationale Nachrichtenagentur
Die große Relevanz des Workshops „Arms industry and Ethics: How to enforce ethics in highly profitable business“ von Pressenza beim Global Media Forum der Deutschen Welle zeigte sich noch an demselben und schon am vorherigen Tag in den Nachrichten: martialische Bilder von NATO Manövern in Osteuropa, von Kindern mit Maschinengewehren bei einer Bundeswehr-Werbeveranstaltung, dann die Neuigkeit von SIPRI: Deutschland ist wieder auf die dritte Position der Waffen-exportierenden Länder aufgerückt.
Renault and DCI ink truck training deal | 21 June 2016 | shephardmedia.com
The French Government owned Défense Conseil International (DCI) has built a strong reputation in providing training for equipment manufactured by France’s defence industry.
Waffenregister soll europaweit vernetzt werden | 21 June 2016 | ZEIT ONLINE
Informationen über den Handel von Waffen sollen in der EU besser ausgetauscht werden. Diesem Vorschlag vom Bundesinnenminister sind laut Medienbericht die Länder gefolgt.
SIG Sauer ambitionne d’armer la police d’Israël | 22 June 2016 | Le Temps
Le fabricant d’armes germano-suisse SIG Sauer s’estime lésé de ne pas avoir été retenu pour un contrat destiné à la police israélienne. Il a fait appel.
Gericht verpflichtet Politik zur G36-Entscheidung | 23 June 2016 | tagesschau.de
Die Bundesregierung muss bald entscheiden, ob der Waffenhersteller Heckler & Koch Teile seines Sturmgewehrs G36 nach Saudi-Arabien liefern darf. Seit zweieinhalb Jahren liegt der Antrag auf Eis. Die Freude bei Heckler & Koch über das Gerichtsurteil dürfte aber kurz sein.
Court orders Germany to decide on gun exports to Saudi Arabia | 23 June 2016 | Reuters
A German court on Thursday ordered the government to decide whether to allow gunmaker Heckler & Koch to export parts to Saudi Arabia, handing a partial victory to the arms manufacturer.
Heckler & Koch: “Ein Skandal im Skandal” | 24 June 2016 | Abendzeitung München
Claudia Stamm (Grüne) kritisiert Ermittlungen gegen Journalisten im Zusammenhang mit den illegalen Waffenexporten der Rüstungsschmiede Heckler & Koch.
Litauen erhält erste zwei Panzerhaubitzen aus Deutschland | 24 June 2016 | Europe Online Magazin
Litauen hat im Zuge eines Rüstungsgeschäfts mit Deutschland die ersten zwei Panzerhaubitzen 2000 erhalten. Die beiden Artilleriegeschütze seien am Freitag auf dem Militärstützpunkt Rukla eingetroffen, teilte das Verteidigungsministerium in Vilnius mit.
Korruptionsermittlungen gegen 19 Verdächtige | 27 June 2016 | Radio Bremen Online
Die Staatsanwaltschaft Bremen hat neue Einzelheiten zu den Ermittlungen gegen das Bremer Rüstungsunternehmen Atlas Elektronik vorgelegt. Demnach wird wegen des Verdachts auf Schmiergeldzahlungen im Zusammenhang mit Geschäften in der Türkei gegen insgesamt 19 Beschuldigte ermittelt. Zwischen 1998 und 2014 sollen sogenannte Provisionen an Mitarbeiter der türkischen Regierung geflossen sein.
Les ventes d’armes norvégiennes augmentent | 27 June 2016 | Norvege-fr.com
L’Arabie Saoudite, les Émirats Arabes Unis, Le Qatar et le Koweit sont parties prenantes du conflit au Yemen. Entre 2014 et 2015, la Norvège a pourtant doublé ses exportations d’armes vers ces États.
La France annonce avoir détruit tous ses stocks d’armes à sous-munitions | 27 June 2016 | Les Échos
Avec deux ans d’avance sur le calendrier, Paris respecte la Convention internationale sur l’interdiction de ce type d’armes. Une annonce sensible alors que leur usage est dénoncé en Syrie et au Yémen.
Tschechische Rüstungsindustrie steigert Exporte auf 555 Millionen Euro | 28 June 2016 | Radio Praha
Der tschechische Export von Waffen und Verteidigungsmaterial hat im vergangenen Jahr einen Rekordwert von über 15 Milliarden Kronen (555 Millionen Euro) erreicht. Im Jahr davor (2014) wurde militärisches Gerät im Wert von 11,8 Milliarden Kronen (437 Millionen Euro) ausgeführt. Dies gab der Verband der Rüstungs- und Verteidigungsindustrie am Dienstag in Prag bekannt.
British arms exports to Saudi Arabia to be scrutinised in high court | 28 June 2016 | The Guardian
Anti-arms trade campaigners have won the first round of a legal attempt to prevent the government from selling weapons to Saudi Arabia because of allegations of widespread civilian deaths in Yemen.
