DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Denies Obama Promised Bunker Busters To Netanyahu

DTN News - ISRAELI DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Denies Obama Promised Bunker Busters To Netanyahu

*White House statement comes after Israeli media reports claim U.S. President agreed to give Israel the GBU-28 bombs; Netanyahu: Strike on Iran could be matter of weeks or years.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Reuters and Haaretz
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 8, 2012: President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not discuss in their meetings this week a reported Israeli request for advanced U.S. military technology that could be used against Iran, the White House said on Thursday.

"In meetings the president had there was no such agreement proposed or reached," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. Obama and Netanyahu meet in the Oval office for two hours on Monday and then had lunch together.

Carney's comment came after an Israeli official quoted by the Maariv newspaper earlier on Thursday indicated that Israel has asked the United States for advanced "bunker-buster" bombs and refueling planes that could improve its ability to attack Iran's underground nuclear sites.

On Tuesday, Haaretz quoted a U.S. official as indicating that Netanyahu had asked Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for the GBU-28 bunker busting bombs as well as for advanced refueling aircraft.

The source added that Obama then instructed Panetta to start work on a request to work directly with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on the matter, indicating that the U.S. administration was inclined to look favorably upon the request as soon as possible.

Referring to the prospect of a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, Netanyahu told Channel 10 earlier Thursday that a strike of Iran's nuclear facilities could be a matter of years, saying:" If I don't make the right call [on Iran] maybe there won't be anyone to explain to."

"Who will I explain it to? The next generations? The ones that will not come?" the PM asked.


 
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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Reuters and Haaretz
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DTN News: South Korea Could Swiftly Hit North Korea Nuke Bases Says General Lee Sang-Eui

DTN News: South Korea Could Swiftly Hit North Korea Nuke Bases Says General Lee Sang-Eui *Source: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - September 26, 2009: South Korea could mount swift and precise attacks on North Korea's nuclear bases should war break out on the peninsula, Seoul's incoming top military officer said Thursday. The North has about 600 Scud missiles capable of hitting targets in South Korea, and possibly also of reaching Japanese territory in some cases. There are another 200 Rodong-1 missiles which could reach Tokyo. In addition the North has three times test-launched long-range Taepodong missiles, most recently in April.* General Lee Sang-Eui, named as next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Seoul had a list of major targets its forces would strike first should a conflict erupt. Nuclear weaponry would pose the greatest threat, he told a parliamentary confirmation hearing, pledging to "mobilise all means available to precisely and swiftly strike" such bases. New Defence Minister Kim Tae-Young told his own confirmation hearing last week that Seoul knew where the North was storing its nuclear arsenal. Kim said Seoul could strike the sites through quick consultations with Washington if North Korea tried to fire a nuclear weapon at the South. Lee, quoted by Yonhap news agency, said the North was believed to have up to 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of plutonium, enough to build at least six nuclear bombs. After months of hostility including missile and nuclear tests, Pyongyang began making peace noises to Washington and Seoul in August. South Korean officials have expressed scepticism about the overtures, saying the hardline communist state has not changed its fundamental attitude. Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan accused the North last week of developing nuclear weapons to launch an attack on the South and "communise" the peninsula. Lee in Friday's parliamentary hearing said Seoul should seek longer-range missiles to deter threats from its neighbour. "As North Korea is threatening us with various missiles such as Rodongs and Scuds, we also need to upgrade our missile capability," Lee said. "We will study, over the long term, ways to bolster missile capability while taking into account our security needs." Under an agreement with the United States, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea, Seoul restricts its missiles to a maximum range of 300 kilometres (187 miles). There have been calls to end the pact since North Korea launched a long-range rocket in April and staged its second nuclear test in May. But in July General Walter Sharp, commander of US forces in South Korea, said he saw no immediate need for South Korea to develop longer-range missiles. The North has about 600 Scud missiles capable of hitting targets in South Korea, and possibly also of reaching Japanese territory in some cases. There are another 200 Rodong-1 missiles which could reach Tokyo. In addition the North has three times test-launched long-range Taepodong missiles, most recently in April. The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-1953 war ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.

DTN News: Russian State Defense Order For 2010 Planned At $35 Billion

DTN News: Russian State Defense Order For 2010 Planned At $35 Billion

*Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - August 21, 2009: Russia's military-industrial commission has submitted to the Finance Ministry a draft 2010 state defense order for 1.109 trillion rubles ($35 bln), a deputy premier said on Thursday. "The total sum in the 2010 draft is 1.109 trillion rubles, which exceeds the state defense order for this year," Sergei Ivanov said. Defense orders in 2009 are expected to amount to 1 trillion rubles ($31.6 bln), with 332 billion ($10.7 bln) being spent on purchases and maintenance of military equipment. Ivanov said the draft document stipulates a sharp increase in expenditures on housing for military personnel, up to 104 billion rubles ($3.3 bln). Russia will spend 470 billion rubles ($15 bln) on arms, equipment and maintenance of its Armed Forces in 2010, Ivanov added. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin earlier identified the priorities for the financing of the Armed Forces as "Maintenance and development of the nuclear capability and missile and space defense forces, providing troops with modern offensive weapons, as well as command and control, communication and intelligence systems, and strengthening military infrastructure in key strategic sectors."

DTN News: Iran Proposes Measure Against Nuclear Facility Attacks

DTN News: Iran Proposes Measure Against Nuclear Facility Attacks *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) TEHRAN, Iran - August 14, 2009: Iran's IAEA envoy says Tehran has asked the UN to hold a conference of 150 countries to vote on a proposal which bans attacks on nuclear installations. According to Fars news agency, the request was made on Wednesday through a letter which was sent to the UN Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei. "In that letter, Iran formally requested that the proposal be presented at the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) general conference in September," the agency quoted Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh as saying. (Photo: Iran's Ambassador to IAEA, Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh) "The protection of such installations is of great importance," he added. Soltaniyeh further pointed out that in September 1990, the IAEA general conference passed a resolution, proposed by Iran, entitled "Prohibition of All Armed Attacks Against Nuclear Installations Devoted to Peaceful Purposes Whether Under Construction or in Operation." "It is necessary to protect such facilities as the number of nuclear installations has increased since then," he said. "It is undoubtedly a matter of concern for all countries.” "The proposal will surely be supported by other countries and will pave the way for discussing and approving a resolution in this regard at the IAEA general conference to be held on September 14," Soltaniyeh concluded.

DTN News: North Korea Says It Won't Return To Six-Nation Nuclear Talks

DTN News: North Korea Says It Won't Return To Six-Nation Nuclear Talks

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - July 28, 2009: North Korea has reiterated that it would not return to the six-party talks, aimed at disabling Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

North Korean soldiers look towards the south as the U.S. soldiers stand guard at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, about 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul, July 27, 2009, while Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission holds the 56th anniversary of armistice between the two Koreas after the 1950-53 Korean War. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that major powers wanted North Korea to return to negotiations over its nuclear program but would not reward any provocative actions.

However a Foreign Ministry statement suggested on Monday that the North was not shutting the door completely on some form of dialogue.

"There is a specific and reserved form of dialogue that can address the current situation," state media quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying, without further elaboration.

Earlier on Friday North Korea's UN envoy, Sin Son-Ho, had also hinted on the issue, saying that Pyongyang was not opposed to negotiations with the US, but that it would not return to the six-party format.

North Korea abandoned the Six-party talks -- involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan -- in April, after the UN condemned its long-range rocket launch.

Since then Pyongyang has conducted several nuclear and missile tests, which have also been met with tougher UN sanctions.

The sanctions include an expanded arms embargo and strict inspections of all shipments going to and from North Korea.

A travel ban has also been imposed on Pyongyang officials suspected of being involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs.

The United States has meanwhile urged the international community to continue to pressure North Korea to return to the six-party talks.

DTN News: Russia To Have Balanced Nuclear Missile Navy By 2050 - Navy Chief

DTN News: Russia To Have Balanced Nuclear Missile Navy By 2050 - Navy Chief *Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) SEVASTOPOL, Russia - July 27, 2009: The Russian Navy is developing a concept of building a balanced nuclear missile force by 2050, the Russian Navy commander said on Sunday. "In our understanding, it is important to know exactly what the Navy should be by the year 2050, proceeding from two things: it must be a balanced nuclear missile force and, secondly, it must comply with the state's national interests and economic possibilities," Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said on the occasion of Russia's Navy Day being celebrated on Sunday. Vysotsky said the Russian Navy should develop harmoniously without any preference given to the construction of surface ships or submarines. "We will be building combat systems in addition to warships. I call this the construction of the Navy with open architecture, which will feature combat systems, complexes, ships, aircraft, anti-missile defense, outer space and the submarine environment," he said. Vysotsky said that failures with the tests of Russia's new Bulava sea-launched intercontinental ballistic missile manifested a crisis in the development of technologies in Russia. The missile, which is being developed by the Moscow-based Institute of Thermal Technology (MITT), has had six failures in 11 tests, and the general director of the institute resigned on Tuesday over what is believed to be a serious setback in the development of Russia's nuclear deterrent. At the same time, the Navy chief said that Russia's modern Project 955 Borey nuclear-powered strategic submarines were not intended to be equipped with Sineva ballistic missiles instead of Bulava. Under the Russian State Arms Procurement Program for 2007-2015, the Navy is expected to receive at least five Project 955 Borey nuclear-powered strategic submarines equipped with new Bulava ballistic missiles and two Project 885 Yasen nuclear multipurpose attack submarines. The RSM-54 Sineva (SS-N-23 Skiff) is a third-generation liquid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) that entered service with the Russian Navy in July 2007. It can carry four or 10 nuclear warheads, depending on the modification, and has a maximum range of over 11,500 kilometers (about 7,100 miles). The Bulava (SS-NX-30) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has an estimated range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles).