Russia Reduces List Of Arms Subject To Export Control

Russia Reduces List Of Arms Subject To Export Control

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - March 24, 2009: The Russian government has adopted a resolution reducing the list of arms and military equipment subject to export control, the government press service said on Monday. The resolution was adopted on March 17. The new list only includes four categories of weapons: portable surface-to-air missile systems, portable antitank missile launchers, portable anti-tank rocket grenade launchers, and portable flamethrowers. The previous list consisted of 12 categories, including revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, sub-machineguns, automatic rifles, light machineguns, antiaircraft machineguns, antitank guns, and mortars with a caliber of less than 100 mm.

No Problems In Ongoing Turkish-Israeli Military Cooperation: Official

No Problems In Ongoing Turkish-Israeli Military Cooperation: Official (NSI News Source Info) February 25, 2009: There were no problems in Turkish-Israeli relations and in the ongoing projects carried out by the two countries, Turkey's undersecretary for the defense industry said on Monday. Recent media reports suggested some military projects between Israel and its main regional ally Turkey could be cancelled after ties between the two countries became strained over the latest Gaza operation. Turkey and Israel carried out several "long-term projects" and no last-minute changes could be made in any of them, Turkish Undersecretary for Defense Industry Murad Bayar was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX-2009) in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. "Turkey and Israel have mutual benefits in these projects. The projects are carried out within such framework," Bayar said. Relations between Turkey and Israel, who have close diplomatic and military ties, have been strained over Turkish and Israeli officials' remarks following the Jewish state's 22-day Gaza offensive. In the latest incident, Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrahi said earlier this month that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who severely criticized Israel's military campaign in Gaza, "should first look in the mirror", and accused Turkey of "committing a massacre of Armenians, as well as suppression of the Kurds". After Mizrahi's remarks, Turkey summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and handed a note of protest demanding clarification, while the military denounced them as "excessive, unfortunate and unacceptable". The Israeli army chief telephoned last week his Turkish counterpart to apologize for Mizrahi's harsh remarks in an effort to prevent a deterioration in military relations with Turkey. Israel's Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi also sent an official letter to the Turkish General Staff regarding the issue. Turkey and Israel conduct joint military exercises and have a strong partnership in military equipment and arms. Trade volume between Turkey and Israel was $2.6 billion in 2007 and some suggest $1.8 billion of this is attributed to military equipment trade.

China Equipping Defence Forces With Modern Weapons

China Equipping Defence Forces With Modern Weapons

(NSI News Source Info) January 8, 2009: China is equipping its mechanized infantry units to a modern standard, in terms of equipment, weapons and training. Each infantry fighting vehicle carries a nine man squad, armed with six Type 95 assault rifles, one machine-gun (gunner armed a pistol crew) and one RPG gunner (also with a pistol as a secondary weapon).

The troops wear camouflage uniforms (a green pattern), helmets similar those used by American troops, and protective vests (not the ones with the bullet proof ceramic plates, but the older ones that mainly protect against shell fragments and pistol bullets.)

The dismounted squad has two walkie-talkie radios, while the vehicle has a longer range radio and intercom system. Non-mechanized infantry uses a 12 man squad organization, with an extra RPG and light machine-gun.

The mechanized infantry squad has to be smaller because you can't get twelve troops into the vehicles available to the mech infantry. For example, the Type 92 infantry vehicle was developed in the 1990s, and is similar to the U.S. Stryker or Canadian LAV. It is an 18 ton, 6x6 armored vehicle that is most frequently used to transport infantry. These vehicles carry a crew of three, plus nine infantry.

Most vehicles are the APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) model and armed only with a 12.7mm machine-gun. The older Type 86 vehicle is a 13 ton clone of the Russian BMP 1. It is armed with a 73mm cannon, or a 30mm autocannon. The three man crew includes the commander of the eight infantry carried in the back. All nine men of the infantry squad usually dismount, leaving the driver and gunner to operate the vehicle under the general supervision of the squad leader. China has some other types of armored infantry vehicles, most of them based on Russian types. But the Type 86 and Type 92 are the most commonly used. China organized its first mechanized infantry brigades in the late 1950s, and now has about 30 of them. Some are experimental.