The Philippine Navy Will Soon Receive Brand New Warships
Via DND.
Long burdened with obsolescent vessels and a lack of advanced weapons, the Philippine Navy (PN) is now on track for a historic revival. The second frigate from Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) was launched at its shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, on November 8. In attendance were the navy’s top brass and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana who were guests of HHI’s executives also present at the ceremony. The launch was used to mark the completion of the frigate and it may take another year until it arrives in the Philippines and is formally commissioned as the BRP Anonio Luna after a celebrated military figure.
Together with its sibling the BRP Jose Rizal, named after the national hero, the two frigates are the most advanced surface combatants ever deployed by the PN.
The Iranian Karrar Tank Is The Real Deal
Via Iranian media.
Each year Iran marks the anniversary of its dreadful conflict with Iraq from 1980 until 1988. Military parades involving the Artesh and the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) are held in all major cities for “Sacred Defense Week” and the ceremonies at the center of Tehran in late September were predictably the largest. Yet Iranian military parades are often shambolic affairs where long convoys of trucks haul various equipment across a driveway while local TV broadcasts the proceedings. But even gratuitous news coverage misses crucial details.
It turns out this year’s Sacred Defense parade in Tehran featured the army’s brand new tank.
This Russian Tech Show Wants You To Join In
Via All-over-IP.
One of the best known technology exhibitions in Russia is happening this month. All-over-IP 2019 takes place from November 20 until 22 in Moscow and gathers some of the biggest names involved with protecting businesses. Each installment of the show is dedicated to improving business processes for Russia’s diverse private sector where advanced tools and products enjoy strong demand. This week the organizers Groteck Business Media are inviting prospective visitors to attend opening day at the Sokolniki Expo’s Pavilion 4. Groteck CEO Andrey Miroshkin will be there in person to moderate and share his experience working inside the Russian security market.
21st Century Asian Arms Race (21AAR) is a recognized media partner for All-over-IP 2019.
The Chinese HQ-22 SAM Is Wrapped In Mystery
Via Chinese media.
The October 1 military parade in Beijing was historic not just for its importance–commemorating seven decades of Communist rule in China–but the awesome hardware it advertised. The PLA’s extra-territorial ambitions are far from secret but the extent its arsenal has grown is unprecedented. Many analysts and experts were surprised by the advanced technology shown at the parade. But even back-to-back coverage by Chinese media neglected some of the equipment. When the anti-aircraft systems rolled by, for example, the HQ-22’s were almost excised from the official broadcast. In fact, compared to the dozens of missiles being rolled out it barely received a few seconds onscreen.
What is the HQ-22, anyway?
With VIAexpo 2019 Vietnam Ups Its Aviation Game
The upcoming Vietnam Aviation Expo or VIAexpo 2019 gathers some of the world’s leading companies in aerospace for three days at the Tan Son Nhat Pavilion Convention Center. Spanning three days from November 20 until 22 the show organized by Phoenix Trade Fairs is further proof of the Southeast Asian country’s attractiveness for high tech manufacturing. Exhibitors from ASEAN, EU, Japan, and the USA are already booked and the event aspires to serve as “a perfect place for cooperation between businesses and investors…where trade promotion and economic development blooms.”
Whether it’s civilian or military end users, the world’s aerospace companies should remain bullish on Southeast Asia, a region boasting two prominent air shows in Singapore and Langkawi, Malaysia. As neighbors (Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam) join in with their own prestigious exhibitions the scene can expect to be very busy in the foreseeable future.
The War In Yemen Is A Total Bloodbath
Via Wikimedia Commons.
As the lopsided struggle to dominate Yemen enters its fifth year new findings by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reveals a horrifying body count: the war has now killed “over 100,000” people and 1/10th of them are civilians. ACLED makes it clear the civilian fatalities are a result of a pitiless bombing campaign by an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Based on its research since the war began 67% of civilian deaths are “caused by coalition airstrikes.”
The ongoing conflict began in late 2015 when Ansar Allah, who are better known as the “Houthis,” seized the capital and overthrew President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The combined strength of the GCC and other Arab states have since been trying to restore the Hadi government.
Afghanistan And Pakistan Have A Nasty Border Feud
Via Wikimedia Commons.
An intense exchange of mortars and rockets between Afghan and Pakistani soldiers took place in a border crossing this week. The October 28 incident is the latest clash between the two countries over the so-called “Durand Line” whose length stretches from 2,200 until 2,600 kilometers, much of it over rugged terrain. To this day, the contours of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border are undecided despite numerous attempts at creating formal boundaries. The latest confrontation happened in a valley of Kunar Province in northeast Afghanistan. Kunar Province is next to Nangarhar Province, which is a safe haven for ISIS fighters.
The Upcoming CYDES 2020 Is A Really Big Deal
Spread over three days at a renowned venue in Malaysia’s scenic Langkawi Island, the very first CYDES 2020 promises to become the region’s largest and most prominent security conference for the IT sector. The main selling point for CYDES 2020 is its “integrated” layout where participants from government and the private sector intermingle under one commodious roof; the venue being the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre from March 24 until 26. The organizers Alpine Services Group expect as many as 300 exhibitors and visitor turnout in the high five digit range. 21st Century Asian Arms Race (21AAR) is a media partner for CYDES 2020.
India Is Still Sending Arms To Afghanistan
Via Indian Embassy in Kabul.
Last week saw the handover of two Mi-24V Hind gunships to the Afghan defense ministry. During the October 15 event the Indian ambassador signed a memorandum and shook hands with Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid. The transfer of these Hinds follows a previous delivery in May, giving the Afghan military four refurbished gunships. The Indian embassy did mention in its Twitter account how these helicopters are replacements for an earlier batch “gifted” to the defense ministry between 2015 and 2016. It’s unclear if Afghanistan’s fledgling air force can now boast eight gunships or just four, since it’s implied the other half are out of commission.
Iran Has A New Long-Range Drone In The Works
Via Iranian media.
Photos of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni at a recent exhibition in Tehran this month revealed how fast the domestic aerospace sector is developing. The visit on October 8, a Tuesday, was meant to publicize an event for “Knowledge-based Enterprises and Advanced Technologies” but was overshadowed by an intense news cycle. In fact, the next day marked the beginning of Turkey’s assault on the Kurds in northeast Syria, a very unwelcome development condemned by Iran.
During the exhibition, however, Khameni was treated to a briefing on a mysterious new twin-engine drone.
Highlights Of OEWatch For October 2019
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 issue runs a hefty 81 pages with very robust coverage on three of its five sections; Eurasia, the Indo-Pacific, and MENA. Editorial duties are shared among Tom Wilhelm, Karen Kaya, and Thomas Tolare with broad input by a large pool of contributing writers.
Armored Cars: Denel Casspir
The Casspir Mk I. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Proving that military innovation stems from improvisation, the Casspir is the granddaddy of all mine-resistant trucks that have appeared since. While it’s true US-made vehicles such as the Navistar MaxxPro and the Oshkosh M-ATV are spectacular success stories (totaling more than 20,000 built in the last 14 years) the Casspir enjoys an incomparable lineage. Its origins date to an obscure program greenlit by South Africa’s police in the 1970s. At the time a civil war in neighboring Rhodesia pitted a white supremacist government against a determined Communist rebellion. With South Africa sworn to uphold the former the resulting combat was intense and landmines were a recurring headache .
