Showing posts with label Jerusalem Post. Show all posts

Saturday, April 20, 2013

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ~ UAE, Saudi Arms Deal An 'Advance For Israel'

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ~ UAE, Saudi Arms Deal An 'Advance For Israel'

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Jerusalem Post & Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 20, 2013: A complex $10 billion arms deal in its final stages would strengthen two key Arab allies – the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia - while maintaining Israel's military edge, US defense officials said Friday.

"This not only sustains but augments Israel's qualitative military edge in the region," one of the officials said, ahead of a trip to the Middle East by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. "This package is a significant advance for Israel. ... This is about giving all three partners in the region added capacity to address key threats that they may face down the road."

The announcement comes amid mounting concerns over Iran's nuclear program, with little progress reported at talks this month between Iran and world powers. US officials concede that crippling sanctions have so far failed to force concessions from Tehran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful.

Israel has renewed warnings it reserves the right to resort to military action to stop what it says is Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Hagel is preparing for his first trip to Middle East since taking office in February, planning to visit Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE; he was expected to continue discussions about the arms sale at stops along the way.

The deal, more than a year in the making through a series of coordinated bilateral negotiations, would result in the sale of V-22 Osprey aircraft, advanced refueling tankers and anti-air defense missiles to Israel and 25 F-16 Desert Falcon jets worth nearly $5 billion to the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia also would be allowed to purchase weapons with "stand-off" capabilities - those that can be used to engage the enemy with precision at a greater distance, defense officials said.

The deal marks the first time the United States has offered to sell tilt-rotor Ospreys to another country, and the "stand-off" weapons would give Saudi Arabia and the UAE a more advanced capability than they have had in the past, said the defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"This is one of the most complex and carefully orchestrated arms sale packages in American history," one of the officials said. "That's not just because of the kinds of equipment that we're providing to Israel and Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. It's also a reflection of intensive defense shuttle diplomacy."

Defense officials touted the arms deals as the culmination of US President Barack Obama's effort to find a way to boost the military capabilities of key Arab allies in light of the threats in the region while still fulfilling the US policy of maintaining Israel's military superiority.

Officials said the Congress had not been formally notified of the arms sale as part of the approval process. That will come once the different countries finalize their purchase decisions and submit formal letters of request.

While the arms negotiations with the different countries were carried out bilaterally, defense officials said they had been transparent with all sides about the effort to boost the military capacities of all sides to address regional threats.

Sources familiar with the arms sales plans said Israel had asked to buy five or six V-22 Ospreys, built by Boeing Co and Textron Inc's Bell Helicopter unit, at an estimated price of about $70 million apiece.

The UAE also is interested in purchasing the tilt-rotor aircraft, which takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies like a plane, the sources said. But that sale is likely to be included in a separate deal.

The United States sold Saudi Arabia 84 F-15 jets for $29 billion in 2010, planes that are now beginning to roll off the assembly line and undergo testing, officials said.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Jerusalem Post & Reuters
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: IDF Launches Surprise Live-Fire Drill In Golan

DTN News - ISRAEL DEFENSE NEWS: IDF Launches Surprise Live-Fire Drill In Golan
*Exercise in Golan Heights aims to test army readiness and fitness in North and Central Commands, Artillery Corps

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Yaakov Lappin - Jerusalem Post

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 19, 2012: The IDF launched a surprise drill early Wednesday morning on the Golan Heights.

Units were scrambled to the North without warning following an order was given by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.

The exercise is aimed at testing the fitness and readiness of several IDF units, with the Artillery Corps taking up center stage.

The Air Force has joined units from the IDF's Northern and Central Commands to take part in the drill. Other military forces are also taking part.

The exercise will end with a live fire exercise on Wednesday afternoon.

"This drill is part of a routine program of checks and surprise exercises held throughout the year by the IDF Comptroller. It is being held under the command of Brig.-Gen. Roee Riptin, who is the chief artillery officer," the IDF Spokesman's Unit said.

Sources in the IDF said the drill was planned ahead of time, and that it should not be seen as a sign of a change in the level of alert.

It comes on the heels of a major Golani Brigade infantry and Armored Corps drill, which was was jointly held in the Golan Heights over recent weeks.

Related News from Haaretz

*IDF Launches Surprise Live-Fire Drill In Golan Heights

The drill, to include Northern Command, Central Command, and Air Force troops, is meant to test the IDF’s readiness for an ‘emergency situation.

The Israel Defense Forces General Staff launched a comprehensive surprise drill on Wednesday, which will include the airlifting of forces to the Golan Heights and a live fire exercise, set to take place later in the evening.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz notified the units involved in the drill overnight, as the drill is meant to test the level of preparation of various units, including the Northern Command, Central Command, Air Force, and others.

The units involved specialize in offensive firepower, and for this reason they were chosen to participate in the drill, meant to test their readiness for an emergency situation.

The drill itself is expected to end in the evening, and is being overseen by the IDF’s Chief Artillery Officer, Brig. Gen. Roei Riftin, and is part of IDF efforts to examine the quality of operations, led by the IDF comptroller.

The drill was planned ahead of time and does not suggest the IDF has raised its level of preparation. However, such a test of the IDF’s ability to move a large number of forces from the Central Command to the Golan Heights, by way of helicopters, and to hold a comprehensive live-fire drill, examines the IDF’s ability to launch a serious military operation or even go to war.

A similar surprise drill was held on Yom Kippur Eve last year, involving two IDF divisions, which focused on testing the level of preparation for reserve units for emergency call-ups. Last year’s drill involved the emergency call-up of two reserve combat companies from the Central Command. Then, an IDF official said that holding the drill right before Yom Kippur was “more than a coincidence.”

Last week, the IDF began work on reinforcing the fence on the Israel-Syria border in the Golan Heights. Plans drafted by the IDF Northern Command call for placing dozens of new information-gathering sensors along the fence, electrifying parts of it so that it will warn of intruders, and laying mines along parts of the border.

Over the years, severe weather in the Golan Heights has battered the fence to the point where in certain places, it barely exists.

The Northern Command's main concern is the possibility that terrorists will try to launch a cross-border attack on IDF soldiers or on Israeli communities in the Golan. The army's assumption is that the deteriorating situation in Syria is liable to lead to an increase in terrorist activity near the border. Army sources said the volume of attempts to penetrate the border has already increased.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Yaakov Lappin - Jerusalem Post
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - IRAN NUCLEAR FACTORS: Israel Makes Missile UAV To Reach Iran

DTN News - IRAN NUCLEAR FACTORS: Israel Makes Missile UAV To Reach Iran

Source: DTN News

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - November 15, 2011: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) plans to begin operating an unmanned intelligence-gathering aerial vehicle with the ability to launch missiles that could 'fly as far as Iran', a report says.

Manufacturing the Heron TP, which in Israel is often referred to as the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) “that can reach Iran,” began in 2010 by Israel Aerospace Industries, the Jerusalem Post reported on Monday.

The IAF's largest UAV can fly for up to 45 hours, carry 1,000 kg payload and has the ability to launch missiles.

Amid the West's standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, both Tel Aviv and Washington have repeatedly threatened Tehran with the "option" of a military strike.

During a visit to the US in 2010, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded Washington launch a military attack against Tehran's nuclear program, saying that a “credible military threat by the United States is the only way to deter Iran.”

Netanyahu's call, however, was rejected by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

In May, a source close to prominent Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Israeli jet fighters had conducted drills at a military base in Iraq in order to strike targets inside Iran.

According to the report, a considerable number of Israeli warplanes, including F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, and KC-10 jet fighters, were seen at al-Asad Airbase -- the second largest US military airbase in Iraq located in Anbar Province.

The report said that Iraqi officials had not been notified about the drills conducted in collaboration with the US military.

Iranian officials have stressed that any act of aggression by the US and Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities would meet a crushing response. They have repeatedly warned that any such measure could result in a war that would spread beyond the Middle East.

Iran is accusing Israel of running a covert campaign against its military and nuclear power (weapons, according to the UN) program. Iran has admitted that it is under attack by another powerful Internet weapon (similar to Stuxnet). Many Iranians are blaming Israel for the recent deaths of senior researchers and officials in the Iranian missile and nuclear programs. Israel says nothing.

Israel is speeding up equipping its airliners with anti-missile systems. The recent collapse of the Kaddafi dictatorship in Libya allowed several Libyan arms depots to be looted, and Israel believes arms smugglers have moved shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles to Gaza and sold them to Hamas (who would use them against Israeli aircraft). Military aircraft already have anti-missile defenses (which detect the launch of the missile, then blind its guidance system with a laser.)

Israeli forces are becoming more successful in detecting and attacking Islamic terrorists in northern Gaza while rockets are moved and set up for firing. The use of UAVs and constant helicopter and aircraft patrols, plus intel on terrorist plans, has made it more dangerous to launch rockets.

In Gaza, Hamas is enjoying a jump in popularity because of the recent prisoner exchange (one Israeli soldier for over a thousand Palestinians), but there have also been more calls in Gaza for Hamas to release some of the hundreds of political prisoners it holds. Those who openly oppose Hamas in Gaza end up in jail, or worse. Hamas has been declining in popularity over the last few years, and is believed that it would lose another election. For that reason, Hamas has no plans to allow any more elections until it can get its poll numbers up.

November 8, 2011: The UN released a report accusing Iran of developing nuclear weapons. This is the first time the UN went that far. Israel has long been expected to attack Iran (as they did Iraq and Syria) if they felt their foe was getting too close to having nuclear weapons. But Israel refused to respond to the report.

November 6, 2011: Over the last few days, Israeli government websites have been attacked, and some were unavailable for hours. This was believed to be retaliation for recent attacks on Palestinian web sites. There was also leftist anger at the Israeli seizure of two ships that tried to break the Gaza blockade.

November 5, 2011: Israeli warplanes attacked Islamic terrorists in Gaza, in retaliation for rocket attacks on Israel.

November 3, 2011: Israeli warplanes attacked Islamic terrorists in Gaza, in retaliation for sniper attacks on Israeli troops along the border.

November 2, 2011: Israel test fired another of its Jericho 3 ballistic missiles (with a range of up to 5,000 kilometers).

November 1, 2011: The Israeli government has told its armed forces commanders to do whatever is necessary to halt the rockets being fired from Gaza into southern Israel. This would include another ground offensive. This order was given largely because the Islamic terrorists in Gaza are using longer range (up to 20 kilometers) rockets that can hit a larger number of more thickly populated areas.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Strategy Page & PressTV

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News
Contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: IDF Doesn’t View Rocket Attacks As Real Escalation

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: IDF Doesn’t View Rocket Attacks As Real Escalation

**Analysis: Intelligence estimates that Hamas, Islamic Jihad have more than 10,000 rockets, missiles, a large stockpile that can reach Tel Aviv.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Yaakov Katz - Jerusalem Post

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 19, 2011: Despite the continued rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, the IDF does not appear to be preparing for a large-scale operation, such as Operation Cast Lead in 2009.

The understanding in the defense establishment is that the approximately 20 rockets that landed in Israel since last week have been fired by radical Islamic groups affiliated with al-Qaida and global jihad, made up of former Hamas operatives.

“The groups are blowing off steam,” one defense official said on Sunday after three more rockets hit Israel on Saturday night. “We are not viewing this as a real escalation.”

This can be understood by reviewing the IDF’s response so far to the rocket fire. While 20 rockets in a week is definitely a significant increase compared to the usual drizzle – in June for example four were fired into Israel and in May just one - the IDF is not responding the way it did during the last escalation in April.

There are three main reasons.

First, Hamas is not directly involved in the rocket fire like it was in April, when in one weekend it fired more than 120 rockets into Israel. This, however, does not clear Hamas of responsibility since Israel believes that if the terror group wanted to, it could stop the other factions from firing.

The second reason is that no one has been hurt from the rocket attacks, unlike the escalation in April, which started with the anti-tank missile attack on a school bus that killed 16-year-old Daniel Viflic.

The third reason is that, for the time being, neither Israel nor Hamas appear to be interested in a new large-scale operation. Hamas prefers the quiet so it can continue its unprecedented military buildup, and Israel, like in previous cases, is doing what it can to postpone the conflict for as long as possible and until there is no longer an alternative.

One of the main problems with Gaza today is that any future Israeli operation would likely have to be dramatically different than it was in 2009.

Then, the main strategy was to separate the southern part of the Gaza Strip from the North, to cut off arms supplies to northern Gaza – the location of most of the rocket launchers – and to hit Hamas infrastructure hard from the air throughout the Strip.

Today, Military Intelligence estimates Hamas and Islamic Jihad have obtained more than 10,000 rockets and missiles – including a large stockpile of Iranian Fajr-5 rockets that can reach Tel Aviv – close to what Hezbollah had on the eve of the Second Lebanon War in 2006. A year ago, the terror groups were believed to have just a few thousands rockets, but the revolution in Egypt has completely altered the balance of power between Israel and Gaza.

Practically speaking, this buildup has major operational ramifications for the IDF and means Palestinian terror groups now store their rockets and launchers throughout the region. In order to effectively stop rocket fire into Beersheba, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Tel Aviv, the IDF will have to operate throughout the entire Strip.

Israel is extremely concerned by the major increase in weapons and explosives smuggling into Gaza since Hosni Mubarak’s downfall in February. Already in April, The Jerusalem Post reported one of the first results of the revolution was the interim government’s decision to stop construction of a steel barrier that Egypt had been building along its border with Gaza in an effort to curb smuggling.

Instead, since the revolution, the IDF believes Hamas has smuggled in three times the amount of explosives it brought into Gaza in all of 2010. This is in addition to unprecedented amounts of anti-aircraft missiles and guided anti-tank missiles, like the Russian-made Kornet that hit the school bus three months ago.

Israel understands Egypt’s relationship with Hamas has changed since Mubarak’s departure and that the military rule is turning a blind eye to the increase in smuggling, and at the same time has also lost control over Sinai and the Beduin tribes there. The closer ties between Egypt and Hamas are understood by Israel as possibly connected to the upcoming elections in Egypt and a desire by the current leadership to align itself with the Muslim Brotherhood, which it understands will gain power in the vote.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Yaakov Katz - Jerusalem Post

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News
Contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Thursday, July 07, 2011

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: American Picks IDF Service Over Elite US Army Rangers

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: American Picks IDF Service Over Elite US Army Rangers

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Yaakov Katz - Jerusalem Post

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 7, 2011: “People fight here for a reason: To keep Israel alive. And for me, the US army did not have as much meaning as the Israeli army," Dabush says.

Becor Dabush always knew he wanted to serve in the military.

It took him a while, though, to realize that it was supposed to be in the IDF.

Born in Los Angeles to an Israeli father and American mother, and raised in North Miami Beach, Dabush was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) – a federal program aimed at motivating teenagers to serve in the military – throughout high school. He subsequently signed a contract committing himself to enlisting in the US Army Rangers upon graduation.

The summer before his draft, though, Dabush flew to Israel to visit family for the last time before his scheduled deployment at Fort Benning in Georgia for basic training.

“During the vacation I traveled around and met soldiers on buses and trains and started talking to them, and they said that while the military is tough, it’s a brotherhood since we are all Jewish,” Dabush said on Wednesday. “People fight here for a reason: To keep Israel alive. And for me, the US army did not have as much meaning as the Israeli army.”

He returned to the US and fought to get out of his contract to serve in the Rangers. After it was annulled, Dabush boarded a plane back to Israel where he immediately enlisted in the IDF.

He was drafted in February and is currently serving in the Nahal Brigade’s elite Reconnaissance Battalion.

“I always wanted to join the army as a kid,” he said. “I really loved how the army works, how it is serious, there is a framework and how it teaches you to be a leader.”

Not all of Dabush’s friends from JROTC approved of his decision to join the IDF. “I have a lot of friends in the US military, and they do not see things like I do. They don’t see the same point of view that I have,” he said.

Nevertheless, Dabush said he does not regret his decision for a minute, and plans to try-out to become an IDF officer.

“The other soldiers in my unit looked at me a little strange in the beginning and they didn’t understand why I came here, but slowly they began to understand that we are all here for a larger purpose – to defend our country,” he said.