What Can A Risk Consultant Do For You?
Business can always take surprisingly dark turns. When complex organizations are up against external and internal threats, even the combined powers of management and human resources may not be enough against the huge risks that threaten bottom lines and hard-earned reputations. While it’s always sensible to have legal representation on call for smoothing over certain tangles, sometimes the job is best left with certified risk consultants.
What makes risk consultants indispensable for businesses are their backgrounds in law enforcement and specialist qualifications. When up against the insidious white collar crimes that can sink even the most powerful enterprises, risk consultants are best equipped to help their embattled clients.
Highlights Of OEWatch For October 2018
Each month the US Army’s think tank the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) publishes its open source OEWatch magazine as a free download on the APAN Community Network. The October 2018 issue is 76 pages long and divided into just five sections. The cover of this latest OEWatch depicts Russian soldiers fussing over drones. Below them, VOSTOK-2018 MANEUVERS is spelled out in all caps. The usual editorial team (Wilhelm, Stein, and Winter) and their contributors are responsible for the content inside.
China Finally Built Its Own Long-Range Bomber
Early this week state-owned media broke the news of an upcoming “stealth bomber” that will soon begin its “trial flight.” The Global Times even shared its official designation–the “Hong-20” or H-20. Though details were sparse, the H-20 is a recent project begun ten years ago to provide the PLAAF with a long-range strike platform better than the H-6K. If the H-20 is finally shown for all the world to see it’s another breakthrough in China’s golden decade for aerospace that spans homegrown attack helicopters, long endurance drones, medium and heavy transports, sea planes, and stealth fighters. But no single authoritative source can vouch for the critical details surrounding the H-20. Read more…
The UAE Is Letting Ukraine Help With Its Arms Industry
An Emirati Mirage 2000. Via Wikimedia Commons.
An Emirati delegation were among the foreign guests at this week’s Arms and Security 2018 in Kyiv. The annual event is held at the International Exhibition Center where both global and local companies participate and show off their products. But the stalemate in Donbas lends a sense of urgency to the proceedings even as Kyiv is still looking for contracts abroad.
Ukraine and the UAE have enjoyed smooth bilateral ties since the early 1990s that extended to limited military exports. But in 2017 a cooperation agreement was signed for specific technology transfers by the former to the latter.
When Do You Hire A Risk Consultant?
Via Wikimedia Commons.
Organizations that enter unpredictable business environments are ill-served by complacent leadership and zero foresight. While the size of some emerging markets is reason enough for executives to dive in, it’s always better if well-scripted plans are ready for what can go wrong. Among the worst any business can go through are physical harm on employees and the theft of its assets.
If either these have a good chance of happening, a risk consultant is a good investment. Especially ones who have decades of experience behind them. One seasoned firm in Southeast Asia is Adsum Risk Consulting (ARC). Not only do they know the region well but their input can help streamline business processes to avoid unwanted outcomes.
Exhibitors Are Invited To Join Protect 2019
The next installment of the yearly Protect security conference is taking place from March 27 to 28 at the New World Hotel in Makati. The event organized by Leverage International is the largest of its kind in the Philippines and draws visitors from government and the private sector. Protect 2019 will also have companies exhibiting the latest in enterprise security and emergency equipment.
But the highlight of Protect 2019 are its scheduled conferences for discussing the various risks large organizations face today, hence next year’s theme of Business Resiliency: The Next Evolutionary Phase of Business Continuity. 21st Century Asian Arms Race (21AAR) is a media partner for Protect 2019.
The Philippine Army Is Buying Precision Artillery From Israel
An earlier variant of the ATMOS wheeled self-propelled howitzer. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Israel is poised to become one of the Philippine military’s largest suppliers in the coming years as new arms deals are signed between Manila and Tel Aviv. But these transactions are often unannounced and unacknowledged by the parties involved. At the ADAS 2018 arms show held from September 26 to 28 Israeli companies enjoyed unequaled floor space for their commodious booths.
Elbit Systems, for example, had a towering booth and then some. Behind it was an M113 APC armed with an M2 Browning on a remote weapon station, the same kind used in the Battle of Marawi, as not-so-subtle advertising. A 120mm CARDOM mortar was also left nearby for visitors to ogle.
Iranian Small Arms Manufacturing Is Bigger Than You Think
This 12.7mm machine gun features a redesigned barrel assembly on a receiver copied from the Soviet DShK. Via Mehr News.
The variety of weapons shown at the recent IPAS 2018, a security exhibition in Tehran that took place from October 2 until 4, surpassed anyone’s expectations. While the show was meant to draw prospective suppliers for the Iranian government, local companies participated as well. Foremost was the Defense Industries Organization (DIO) that put up a spacious exhibit to display its small arms. Examining these sheds slight on a crucial aspect of the Iranian state. No matter how difficult the economic sanctions it faces the country will keep arming itself.
While coverage of IPAS 2018 was limited, video clips from Iranian media revealed the DIO’s faultless approach to enhancing its capabilities.
The World Forgot About This Security Exhibition In Tehran
Via Mehr News.
While most countries in the Middle East organize lavish arms shows Iran is unable to do the same because of sanctions. To compensate, the defense ministry has a regular schedule of product launches for new equipment and weapon systems made by state-owned factories. But an exception is the International Police, Safety, and Security Equipment Exhibition or IPAS that’s held each year in Tehran.
IPAS 2018 was the 17th installment of a annual event and spanned three days, from October 2 until 4. Because of the creeping trade barriers imposed on the Islamic Republic the exhibitors were either local companies or Chinese OEMs. But a particular highlight in each IPAS is the presence of the Defense Industries Organization (DIO), the state-owned conglomerate responsible for military products.
The Philippine Military Is Still Looking For SAMs
Via Wikimedia Commons.
As the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ramps up its modernization there’s ample proof its laborious search for a mobile air defense system is far from over. During the recent ADAS 2018 arms show held in Manila from September 26 until 28 at least a handful of prospective suppliers displayed their surface to air missiles (SAMs) but nothing was decided. Even one of the more persistent big companies jostling for the lingering SAM contract, Israel’s Elbit Systems, couldn’t close a deal for its bestselling SPYDER.
The AFP wanted a shore-based SAM since at least 2012 and the tender was quickly snapped up by a local company on behalf of Israel’s largest military contractors. But the order for SAMs was never finalized and a decades old capability gap remained.
Iran Just Showed Off Its Cutting Edge Combat Drone
The Saegheh on display. Via Fars News/Wikimedia Commons.
On October 1 Iranian media vigorously promoted the launch of ballistic missiles at a terrorist base outside the country. It was soon revealed the target was the town of Albu Kamal, also known as “Al Bukamal,” where alleged takfiris serving the Islamic State were hiding out after orchestrating the terrorist attacks in Ahvaz on September 22.
The incident in Ahvaz, where gunmen killed 25 bystanders at a parade ground, happened during commemorative activities to mark the Sacred Defense or the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq War that was fought from 1980 until 1988. The missile launches two weeks later were meant as Tehran’s official retribution and billed as “Muharram Strike.”
The Philippines Is Planning To Make Its Own Assault Rifles
President Duterte inspecting a CQ carbine from an arms package delivered by China in 2017. Via PCOO.
One of the minor revelations at last week’s ADAS 2018, which is the largest tri-service arms show in the Philippines, was the Government Arsenal’s plans for localized small arms and protective equipment manufacturing. This is being undertaken with assistance from South Korean partners. The two programs are among the lesser known joint ventures tucked inside the defense cooperation agreement between Manila and Seoul from late 2013.
The strong participation by South Korean exhibitors at ADAS 2018 is proof the Philippine military isn’t turning away from its favorite supplier. In fact, bigger transactions are in the works as manufacturing processes will be transferred to the Philippines little by little.
