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[Connaught Ranger]

NGO urges caution over plan to deploy Irish Naval vessel to Libya

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has raised ‘serious concerns’ about the mission due to involvement of Libyan coastguard

www.irishtimes.com

 

[Picanha]

Germany to probe report of Chinese pilot training – DW – 06/02/2023

Several former German air force officers have been training Chinese pilots for years via companies in the Seychelles, German media reported. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius promised a full investigation.

www.dw.com

 

[Picanha]

Now also German pilots. They must be punished accordingly.

When the "ware" you are selling high priced stems from the exclusivity of your jobs nature which is in turn only obtainable through an oath then it doesn't equal studying somewhere and working somewhere else afterwards. (As I read many comments of the well known autocrat fan section)

They have to make an example. Long prison time, confiscation of the money received and expulsion to China afterwards. If they're such fans and don't see the problem

Ah and life long flying ban.

Next time Russian pilots show up in the China summer camp or what?

 

[Picanha]

Deutsche trainieren Chinas Kampfpiloten - Pistorius weicht aus

Medien wittern einen Skandal, weil frühere Fluglehrer der Bundeswehr in China Militärpiloten ausbilden. Der zuständige Minister reagiert einsilbig und floskelhaft. Dafür gibt es Gründe, über die er möglicherweise lieber nicht reden will.

www.nzz.ch

This article downplays it and the reasons are:

UK Pilots train Saudi Pilots on Typhoons for BAE...(which sold them the planes)

Frenchs Pilots fly the Mirage for UAE..(which sold them the planes)

German Pilots train China Air Force to fly Chengdu and are employed in South Africa and paid over the Seychelles Account


Same same.... of course..

Man what basic flying should they teach for hundreds of thousands of €s on planes they don't know?

My ass StgB paragraph 94 part 2 should be applied.

Only the BND using them to siphon off info could be accepted but how retarded is that?

 

[Picanha]

I found this article regarding the pilots.

Alexander H. moved to China in 2013 with His American gf neighbours were astonished as they thought they moved to the US.

He worked for the company Lode Tech founded by Su Bin son of a PLA officer.

In Qiqihar, H. is said to have joined a handful of other former German fighter pilots in a job that usually involves salaries at the level of professional athletes or managers. They are to train Chinese fighter pilots and help improve the capabilities of the Chinese air force. This would have both military and political implications as China boosts its military presence and international profile.
Most explosively, the company's founder, Su Bin, had already come to the attention of U.S. authorities for espionage. Su Bin previously lived in Canada and operated an aviation company there. Bin ran a company in China that was active in aerospace. At the same time, he spied for the Chinese state, according to Der Spiegel. He was arrested in 2014 and confessed to collecting classified information for China for nearly six years. According to the U.S. Justice Department, he was part of a conspiratorial network focused on stealing confidential information from U.S. companies. He allegedly used his aerospace knowledge to understand, identify, and acquire the data.

Lets see what comes out of this anything under 15 years and an Interpol warrant will be a further invitation.

 

[Mike1976]

New Dutch investments:

- Three ammunition storage sites earmarked for sale will be retained;
- AARGM-ER (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile- Extended Range) missiles for F-35;
- 14 H225M Caracal helicopters for a new SOF squadron;
-Two additional AD batteries, one focussing on drones and the other on short and medium range. Also more Patriots, organizational structure for these still unknown;
- Replacement of short and medium range AD systems;
- Intent to increase number of military sattelites.

 

[Redav]

In an echo of the recent HMS Glasgow incident, French frigate Amiral Ronarc'h under construction in Lorient had cables cut in act of sabotage.

https://t.co/bYRSuDXyy1

 

[Redav]

French Parliament Approves € 413 Billion Defense Budget for 2024-30

PARIS --- The French Parliament's lower house formally approved June 7 a military budget bill for 2024-30, with a headline figure of €413.3 billion ($450...

www.defense-aerospace.com

 

[Fish&Chips]

In an echo of the recent HMS Glasgow incident, French frigate Amiral Ronarc'h under construction in Lorient had cables cut in act of sabotage.

https://t.co/bYRSuDXyy1

Inverted bows seem to become more and more popular again in recent years. The "retro" trend may have started with the Zumwalt class and it appears to get copied by naval yards around the world.

 

[Redav]

Inverted bows seem to become more and more popular again in recent years. The "retro" trend may have started with the Zumwalt class and it appears to get copied by naval yards around the world.

Seems to be more eficient in terms of fuel consumption

 

[Redav]

SA Navy tours Portuguese submarine and patrol vessel - defenceWeb

Members of the South African Navy (SAN), including Flag Officer Fleet, Rear Admiral Musawenkosi Nkomonde, have toured the Portuguese Navy’s submarine NRP Arpao and patrol vessel NRP Setubal during their recent visit to Cape Town. The vessels were in Cape Town harbour between 4 and 11 June to...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[BravoZulu]

Denmark announced its plan to triple its defense spending to nearly €20 billion ($21.4 billion) over the next decade, local media reported.

This plan aims to align Denmark with NATO's spending target of 2% of GDP by 2030.

Speaking at a news conference, Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmark’s acting defense minister, said that the country is at a “historic turning point” in defense and security policy.

“There is war in Europe and we can no longer take peace for granted," he said.

 

[BravoZulu]

After a 54-year run, the Royal Norwegian Air Force is set to bid farewell to its trusted workhorse, Lockheed Martins’ P-3 Orion.

The final flight ceremony will take place on June 30, symbolizing a retirement for the aircraft that has been operating from Andøya for decades.

The Norwegian Armed Forces are switching over to the Boeing-built P-8 Poseidon, the first of which arrived in the country in February last year. Operating out of Evenes Air Station, where most of the personnel currently involved with P-3 operations at Andøya will move, the new platform will be taking over tasks from their predecessors this year. A total of five P-8As will replace the current fleet of six P-3 Orions and two DA-20 Jet Falcons.

 

[BravoZulu]

The Finnish Defence Forces purchased Patria 6x6 armoured vehicles as a part of the multinational Finland-led CAVS (Common Armoured Vehicle Systems) programme that also features Latvia, Sweden, and Germany.

Patria signed the agreement for 91 vehicles with the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command. In addition to the vehicles, the purchase also includes spare parts, tools as well as operation and maintenance training, in addition to a purchase option for 70 vehicles.

Deliveries of the vehicles will begin during 2023.

 

[BravoZulu]

The Netherlands has procured 14 new H225M Caracal long-range tactical transport military rotorcraft from Airbus Helicopters.

The fleet will replace the country’s aging AS532 Cougar medium-weight multipurpose helicopter, in service for almost 30 years.

It will be deployed for special operations under the Royal Netherlands Air Force Defence Helicopter Command.

 

[BravoZulu]

The first of two Airbus C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft has arrived at Casement Aerodrome, marking a significant milestone in Ireland’s efforts to bolster its defense capabilities.

The arrival of these new aircraft, awarded to Airbus Defence and Space through an open tender competition, signifies a major investment by the Irish Government, with a total cost of $251 million.

This contract, the largest equipment acquisition project ever undertaken by the Defense Forces, will replace the existing CASA CN235-100 Maritime Patrol Aircraft purchased in 1994.

 

[BravoZulu]

The Danish government is considering purchasing military submarines again after retiring its entire fleet in 2004.

The move reportedly aims to bolster the country’s maritime capabilities and deter Russian expeditions in the Baltic Sea.

According to Copenhagen foreign policy committee chairman Michael Aastrup Jensen, Danish lawmakers are assessing whether the Scandinavian nation needs to procure new submarines or rely on international allies to secure the sea.

 

[Mike1976]

Netherlands and UK looking at building amphibious ships together, Dutch navy want 6 LPX vessels to replace 2 LPDs and 4 OPVs for new joint Marine concept.

"Leaner, faster and more dispersed"

(Page has a Google translate function)

LPX: Nederland wil zes nieuwe marineschepen, liefst met de Britten

Intentieverklaring getekend

marineschepen.nl

The one problem I see right away is that the navy is doing away with transport capacity without an obvious replacement. These vessels might be great for small landing operations by (SOC) marines, but they can't transport follow-up forces.

Using civilian ships for troop transport is a recipe for disaster as these ships have zero ability to defend themselves and having them escorted by a frigate defeats the point imo and there aren't enough hulls for that.

OPVs are an outdated concept and really were never relevant imo. Just a typical way to cut budgets without cutting the number of hulls.

 

[Mike1976]

Signed last week was an order for four ASWF frigates as a replacement for the M-Class, two for the Dutch navy and two for the Belgians.

Displacement of the M-Class "frigates" is 3,500 tons, the new vessels will be around 6,000.

Another round of building destroyers but pinky swearing that they're frigates. At the "request" of parliament he two Dutch vessels will be named after women who played an important role in the navy (???). I'm thinking the first official female sailor and the first woman to command a ship.

Because naming ships after people who actually won anything will trigger the enemy and make them retreat into their safe space or something ...

 

[Fluff]

Netherlands and UK looking at building amphibious ships together, Dutch navy want 6 LPX vessels to replace 2 LPDs and 4 OPVs for new joint Marine concept.

"Leaner, faster and more dispersed"

(Page has a Google translate function)

LPX: Nederland wil zes nieuwe marineschepen, liefst met de Britten

Intentieverklaring getekend

marineschepen.nl

The one problem I see right away is that the navy is doing away with transport capacity without an obvious replacement. These vessels might be great for small landing operations by (SOC) marines, but they can't transport follow-up forces.

Using civilian ships for troop transport is a recipe for disaster as these ships have zero ability to defend themselves and having them escorted by a frigate defeats the point imo and there aren't enough hulls for that.

OPVs are an outdated concept and really were never relevant imo. Just a typical way to cut budgets without cutting the number of hulls.

UK is buying at least 3 good sized ferries at the moment, 2 for scotland, and 1 for the Isle of Man, joined up thinking would design them for military use, so if needed we just fit the CIWS etc, and paint them grey.