The Indian Army Wants A Brand New Sniper Rifle
The French PGM338 is an example of a bolt action 8.6 mm rifle that matches the RFI’s description. This photo is not meant as an endorsement of the firearm. Via PGM Precision.
A request for information (RFI) published by the Indian Army this month is inviting gun manufacturers and their agents to compete for a sniper rifle tender. The firearms presented should match the characteristics listed in the RFI for a .338 caliber or 8.6 x 70 mm rifle with an effective range of 1.2 kilometers and a telescopic sight on Picatinny rails. The RFI states 1,800 rifles are needed along with 2.7 million rounds of the appropriate ammunition.
The 16 page RFI can be downloaded from the Indian Army’s website and includes appendices to be filled by the manufacturers or agents who want to participate. Applications for security clearances are to be submitted by November 20 and a vendor interaction is scheduled for November 29 at the defense ministry. The RFI expires on December 13.
Asia Pacific Maritime 2020 Will Feature Disruptive Tech
Via Wikimedia Commons.
The biennial exhibition for the world’s shipbuilders is taking place at the prestigious Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from March 18 until 20. The latest installment of Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) promises to deliver a memorable event for exhibitors and visitors alike. A particular draw are discussion panels on new technologies that will be adopted in the coming decade. These are standardized digitalization, maritime 5G, and autonomous piloting. The organizers shared an exclusive preview of these trends with its chosen media partner, 21st Century Asian Arms Race (21AAR). Registration is still open for APM 2020.
India Was A Superpower Of The Ancient World
Via Wikimedia Commons.
In January 2019 the multinational bank Standard Chartered published a list of the world’s strongest economies by the year 2030. China grabs the top spot with an awe-inspiring gross domestic product (GDP) four times its current size. Behind it is a resurgent India whose economic heft leaves the USA trailing behind at third place. The figures might seem ridiculous at present but they do serve as confirmation bias for anyone who’s betting on Asia’s growth story: China and India, having suffered five centuries of systematic decline, are assuming their historic roles in the world stage.
This expectation was given life when the late British economist Angus Maddison published an estimate for historical GDP that revealed China and India’s importance to global trade.
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.
Can ASEAN Stand Up To China?
Via Wikimedia Commons.
For nearly three decades the Chinese navy was unmatched wherever it went. No other great empire at the time could rival its economic might nor did any maritime kingdom dare to ignore its emissaries. This achievement, spanning the years 1405 until 1433, is remembered today as a rare period when Chinese prestige was such that it almost controlled the world’s busiest trade routes. Almost.
None of this would have been possible if the Yongle Emperor, a princely general who brought the Ming Dynasty to the height of its power, hadn’t entrusted a favored eunuch and secretary named Zeng He with carrying out an unprecedented mission. Over years and decades across entire oceans he led armed expeditions to faraway lands, demanding fealty to Beijing wherever he went.
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.
