25 April 2008 14:07
Iranian defence firms have been ejected from the Defence Services Asia trade show in Malaysia for exhibiting "lethal and offensive equipment" in violation of UN Security Council sanctions.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak says the Iranian firms had been informed they could take part provided they did not contravene UN resolutions, which includes a ban on arms exports, AFP reports.
"Unfortunately ... they displayed equipment that clearly contravenes the UN resolution such as missiles and missile systems," Najib says.
"We were left in a situation that we did not have any option - since Malaysia is committed to respecting and adhering to the UN resolution - but to terminate their participation."
By Elizabeth Clifford-Marsh
http://www.army-technology.com/news/news4624.html
Saturday, April 26, 2008
M1A1 / M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, USA
The M1A1/2 Abrams main battle tank is manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS). The first M1 tank was produced in 1978, the M1A1 in 1985 and the M1A2 in 1986.
"An M1 tank's main armament is the 120mm M256 smoothbore gun."
3,273 M1 tanks were produced for the US Army. 4,796 M1A1 tanks were built for the US Army, 221 for the US Marines and 880 co-produced with Egypt.
77 M1A2 tanks have been built for the US Army, 315 for Saudi Arabia and 218 for Kuwait. For the M1A2 upgrade programme, over 600 M1 Abrams tanks are being upgraded to M1A2 configuration. Deliveries began in 1998.
In March 2004, the Australian Army announced the purchase of 59 US Army M1A1 tanks to enter service from 2007. The contract was signed in November 2005 and the first five were handed over in February 2006 at GDLS in Lima, Ohio. The first 18 tanks were delivered to the Australian Army at the School of Armour in Victoria in September 2006. The remaining 41, to be based in Darwin, were delivered in March 2007.
In June 2006, Saudi Arabia requested the foreign military sale of 58 M1A1 tanks and the upgrade of these and the 315 M1A2 already in the Saudi inventory to M1A2S configuration. The upgrade involves rebuilding to a 'like new' condition, similar to the US Army Abrams Integrated Management Program (AIM).
In August 2007, Egypt requested the foreign military sale of an additional 125 M1A1 tanks, which would bring the country’s fleet to 1,005 M1A1 tanks.
M1A2 SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT PACKAGE (SEP)
In February 2001, GDLS were contracted to supply 240 M1A2 tanks with a System Enhancement Package (SEP) by 2004. The M1A2 SEP contains an embedded version of the US Army's Force XXI command and control architecture; new Raytheon Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV) with second generation thermal imager; commander's display for digital colour terrain maps; DRS Techologies second generation GEN II TIS thermal imaging gunner's sight with increased range; driver's integrated display and thermal management system.
The US Army decided to cancel future production of the M1A2 SEP from FY2004, but in June 2005 ordered the upgraded of a further 60 M1A2 tanks to SEP configuration. A further 60 were ordered in August 2006, and 180 in November 2006.
Under the Firepower Enhancement Package (FEP), DRS Techologies has also been awarded a contract for the GEN II TIS to upgrade US Marine Corps M1A1 tanks. GEN II TIS is based on the 480 x 4 SADA (Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly) detector.
The FEP also includes an eyesafe laser rangefinder, north-finding module and precision lightweight global positioning receiver which provide targeting solutions for the new Far Target Locate (FTL) function. FTL gives accurate targeting data to a range of 8,000m with a CEP (Circular Error of Probability) of less than 35m.
In November 2007, General Dynamics was awarded a contract for the upgrade of 240 M1A2 SEP version one tanks to the version two configuration which has improved sights, displays and a tank-infantry phone. Work is to be completed by September 2009.
In February 2008, General Dynamics was awarded a multi-year contract to upgrade to SEP Version Two (V2) configuration the remaining 435 M1A1 tanks in the US Army inventory.
FBCB2
In June 2004, DRS Technologies was awarded a contract to provide systems including rugged appliqué computers for the M1A2 Abrams tanks (and M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicles) as part of the US Army's Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade and Below (FBCB2) program.
FBCB2 is a digital battle command information system which provides enhanced interoperability and situation awareness from brigade to individual soldier that will be used in conjunction with the Army's Tactical Internet.
M1 ABRAMS ARMAMENT
The main armament is the 120mm M256 smoothbore gun, developed by Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH of Germany. The 120mm gun fires the following ammunition: the M865 TPCSDS-T and M831 TP-T training rounds, the M8300 HEAT-MP-T and the M829 APFSDS-T which includes a depleted uranium penetrator. Textron Systems provides the Cadillac Gage gun turret drive stabilisation system.
The commander has a 12.7mm Browning M2 machine gun and the loader has a 7.62mm M240 machine gun. A 7.62mm M240 machine gun is also mounted coaxially on the right hand side of the main armament.
DEPLETED URANIUM ARMOUR
"The M1A1 tank incorporates steel-encased depleted uranium armour."
The M1A1 tank incorporates steel-encased depleted uranium armour. Armour bulkheads separate the crew compartment from the fuel tanks.
The top panels of the tank are designed to blow outwards in the event of penetration by a HEAT projectile. The tank is protected against Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare.
One L8A1 six-barrelled smoke grenade discharger is fitted on each side of the turret. A smoke screen can also be laid by an engine-operated system.
In August 2006, General Dynamics Land Systems was awarded a contract to produce 505 Tank Urban Survivability Kits (TUSK) for the US Army Abrams tanks. TUSK includes add-on reactive armour tiles, a Loader's Armour Gun Shield (LAGS), a Tank Infantry Phone (TIP), remote thermal sight and BAE Systems thermal Drivers Rear-View Camera (DRVC). TUSK entered service on M1A1/M1A2 tanks in late 2007 and has been deployed in Iraq.
FIRE CONTROL AND OBSERVATION
The commander's station is equipped with six periscopes, providing a 360° view. The Raytheon Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV) provides the commander with independent stabilised day and night vision with a 360° view, automatic sector scanning, automatic target cueing of the gunner's sight and back-up fire control.
The M1A2 Abrams tank has a two-axis Raytheon Gunner's Primary Sight- Line of Sight (GPS-LOS) which increases the first round hit probability by providing faster target acquisition and improved gun pointing. The Thermal Imaging System (TIS) has magnification x10 narrow field of view and x3 wide field of view. The thermal image is displayed in the eyepiece of the gunner's sight together with the range measurement from a laser rangefinder.
The Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) Laser Systems Eyesafe Laser Rangefinder (ELRF) has a range accuracy to within 10m and target discrimination of 20m. The gunner also has a Kollmorgen Model 939 auxiliary sight with magnification x8 and field of view 8°.
"The commander's station is equipped with six periscopes, providing a 360° view."
The digital fire control computer is supplied by General Dynamics - Canada (formerly Computing Devices Canada). The fire control computer automatically calculates the fire control solution based on: lead angle measurement; bend of the gun measured by the muzzle reference system; velocity measurement from a wind sensor on the roof of the turret; data from a pendulum static cant sensor located at the centre of the turret roof. The operator manually inputs data on ammunition type, temperature, and barometric pressure.
The driver has either three observation periscopes or two periscopes on either side and a central image intensifying periscope for night vision. The periscopes provide 120° field of view. The DRS Technologies Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE), AN/VSS-5, is based on a 328 x 245 element uncooled infrared detector array, operating in the 7.5 to 13 micron waveband. A Raytheon Driver's Thermal Viewer, AN/VAS-3, is installed on the M1A2 Abrams tanks for Kuwait.
PROPULSION
The M1 is equipped with a Honeywell AGT 1500 gas turbine engine. The Allison X-1100-3B transmission provides four forward and two reverse gears.
The US Army has selected Honeywell International Engines and Systems and General Electric to develop a new LV100-5 gas turbine engine for the M1A2. The new engine is lighter and smaller with rapid acceleration, quieter running and no visible exhaust.
Mullen: Nuclear Project Reaffirms Proliferation Dangers
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2008 – Syria’s building of a secret nuclear facility with North Korean help reinforces the need to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
“It should serve as a reminder to us all of the very real dangers of proliferation and need to rededicate ourselves to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, particularly into the hands of a state or a group with terrorist connections,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a Pentagon briefing.
The reactor, destroyed by Israel in September before it became operational, was being built to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, and “not intended for peaceful purposes,” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a statement issued yesterday.
The reactor was “carefully hidden from view,” in the eastern Syrian desert and not configured for peaceful uses, the statement noted. In addition, it was being built in defiance of international obligations, without notification to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
But even more damning, the statement noted, was the fact that Syria scrambled to “bury evidence of its existence” after Israeli aircraft bombed it Sept. 6. “This cover-up only served to reinforce our confidence that this reactor was not intended for peaceful activities,” the statement said.
The White House pointed a finger directly at North Korea for helping Syria build the facility. “We are convinced, based on a variety of information, that North Korea assisted Syria's covert nuclear activities,” the statement said.
“We have long been seriously concerned about North Korea's nuclear weapons program and its proliferation activities,” it continued. “North Korea's clandestine nuclear cooperation with Syria is a dangerous manifestation of those activities.”
The White House called the construction of the reactor “a dangerous and potentially destabilizing development for the region and the world.” It also shows that often “the same regimes that sponsor proliferation also sponsor terrorism and foster instability, and cooperate with one another in doing so,” the statement said.
The United States will continue working with its partners in the Six Party framework to ensure North Korea stops its nuclear activities, the White House said.
It also pressed Syria to “come clean before the world” about its illicit nuclear activities.
“The Syrian regime supports terrorism, takes action that destabilizes Lebanon, allows the transit of some foreign fighters into Iraq and represses its own people,” it said. “If Syria wants better relations with the international community, it should put an end to these activities.”
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49692
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2008 – Syria’s building of a secret nuclear facility with North Korean help reinforces the need to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
“It should serve as a reminder to us all of the very real dangers of proliferation and need to rededicate ourselves to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, particularly into the hands of a state or a group with terrorist connections,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a Pentagon briefing.
The reactor, destroyed by Israel in September before it became operational, was being built to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, and “not intended for peaceful purposes,” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a statement issued yesterday.
The reactor was “carefully hidden from view,” in the eastern Syrian desert and not configured for peaceful uses, the statement noted. In addition, it was being built in defiance of international obligations, without notification to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
But even more damning, the statement noted, was the fact that Syria scrambled to “bury evidence of its existence” after Israeli aircraft bombed it Sept. 6. “This cover-up only served to reinforce our confidence that this reactor was not intended for peaceful activities,” the statement said.
The White House pointed a finger directly at North Korea for helping Syria build the facility. “We are convinced, based on a variety of information, that North Korea assisted Syria's covert nuclear activities,” the statement said.
“We have long been seriously concerned about North Korea's nuclear weapons program and its proliferation activities,” it continued. “North Korea's clandestine nuclear cooperation with Syria is a dangerous manifestation of those activities.”
The White House called the construction of the reactor “a dangerous and potentially destabilizing development for the region and the world.” It also shows that often “the same regimes that sponsor proliferation also sponsor terrorism and foster instability, and cooperate with one another in doing so,” the statement said.
The United States will continue working with its partners in the Six Party framework to ensure North Korea stops its nuclear activities, the White House said.
It also pressed Syria to “come clean before the world” about its illicit nuclear activities.
“The Syrian regime supports terrorism, takes action that destabilizes Lebanon, allows the transit of some foreign fighters into Iraq and represses its own people,” it said. “If Syria wants better relations with the international community, it should put an end to these activities.”
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49692
U.S. May Send More Troops to Afghanistan in 2009, Gates Says
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
EN ROUTE TO MUSCAT, Oman, April 4, 2008 – The United States may send more troops to Afghanistan in 2009, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates confirmed today.
President Bush said during the NATO summit conference that ended today that he expects the United States would make a significant additional contribution to the Afghanistan mission next year, Gates said.
But Gates backed off any specific commitment, saying the United States first wants to see how much support comes from other allies and how security efforts progress in 2008.
“I don’t want to make significant long-term commitments of additional U.S. forces before giving the allies the opportunity to see what they’re going to do,” Gates said.
The French announced a battalion’s worth of troops -- about 700 -- would take on part of the mission. Gates also said other nations made commitments for troops and special teams. A U.S. official at the summit said about a dozen or so countries have made commitments, but it would be a few weeks before final numbers could be tallied.
Gates said the 3,500 U.S. Marines deploying to Afghanistan this month through November will be able handle the 2008 fighting season, and that there is no reason to push sending more U.S. troops.
“Given explicit recognition by the alliance that this is a long-term project, I think waiting a while before committing additional forces of any consequence from the United States makes sense in a number of different areas,” Gates said.
Also, because the mission there is an alliance undertaking, one of the considerations is how large a role the United States should play, as opposed to other allies being involved up front as well, he said.
The secretary did not say how many troops would be sent, but it likely will not be the 3,500 additional combat troops commanders on the ground have requested. He also did not say where the troops would be deployed, saying that decision likely would be made by the new International Security Assistance Force commander scheduled to be selected this summer.
Gates said progress in 2007 showed the Taliban they cannot win a conventional fight against NATO troops. The Taliban also now control no territory in the country, leading them to resort to terrorist tactics.
Successes in the country in 2008 will determine how many, if any, and what types of troops would be deployed, Gates said. Still, because of the importance of the mission there, Gates said, the United States is prepared to commit “substantial” troops. But he added that no specific plans to send additional troops are in the works.
Even with the war in Iraq extending troop deployments there and dwindling “dwell time” at home for troops between deployments, there is strong political and public support for sending additional troops to Afghanistan, Gates said.
The secretary said a “big piece” of any decision on troop levels in Afghanistan depends on whether deployments to Iraq can be shortened. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, is slated to report to Bush and Congress next week on progress and the way ahead in Iraq.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49475
American Forces Press Service
EN ROUTE TO MUSCAT, Oman, April 4, 2008 – The United States may send more troops to Afghanistan in 2009, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates confirmed today.
President Bush said during the NATO summit conference that ended today that he expects the United States would make a significant additional contribution to the Afghanistan mission next year, Gates said.
But Gates backed off any specific commitment, saying the United States first wants to see how much support comes from other allies and how security efforts progress in 2008.
“I don’t want to make significant long-term commitments of additional U.S. forces before giving the allies the opportunity to see what they’re going to do,” Gates said.
The French announced a battalion’s worth of troops -- about 700 -- would take on part of the mission. Gates also said other nations made commitments for troops and special teams. A U.S. official at the summit said about a dozen or so countries have made commitments, but it would be a few weeks before final numbers could be tallied.
Gates said the 3,500 U.S. Marines deploying to Afghanistan this month through November will be able handle the 2008 fighting season, and that there is no reason to push sending more U.S. troops.
“Given explicit recognition by the alliance that this is a long-term project, I think waiting a while before committing additional forces of any consequence from the United States makes sense in a number of different areas,” Gates said.
Also, because the mission there is an alliance undertaking, one of the considerations is how large a role the United States should play, as opposed to other allies being involved up front as well, he said.
The secretary did not say how many troops would be sent, but it likely will not be the 3,500 additional combat troops commanders on the ground have requested. He also did not say where the troops would be deployed, saying that decision likely would be made by the new International Security Assistance Force commander scheduled to be selected this summer.
Gates said progress in 2007 showed the Taliban they cannot win a conventional fight against NATO troops. The Taliban also now control no territory in the country, leading them to resort to terrorist tactics.
Successes in the country in 2008 will determine how many, if any, and what types of troops would be deployed, Gates said. Still, because of the importance of the mission there, Gates said, the United States is prepared to commit “substantial” troops. But he added that no specific plans to send additional troops are in the works.
Even with the war in Iraq extending troop deployments there and dwindling “dwell time” at home for troops between deployments, there is strong political and public support for sending additional troops to Afghanistan, Gates said.
The secretary said a “big piece” of any decision on troop levels in Afghanistan depends on whether deployments to Iraq can be shortened. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, is slated to report to Bush and Congress next week on progress and the way ahead in Iraq.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49475
German Scientist Exposes Chemtrails As Military Operations
(NaturalNews) A TV news report from Germany available at: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVc9GX5K_As) confirmed that the German Military is manipulating the climate in Germany. As a result scientists have filed a lawsuit against the government for climate manipulation.
The video concludes, “We can state with a 97% certainty that we have on our hands chemical trails (chemtrails) comprised by fine dust containing polymers and metals, used to disrupt radar signals.”
The purpose of chemtrails, which are well documented over the United State and other parts of the world, according to researchers, is to manipulate the weather. Karsten Brandt, German meteorologist states, "The Federal Army is Manipulating the Meteorological maps."
The disruption of radar signals is the main purpose theorizes Mr. Brandt in the interview. “I was surprised that this artificial cloud was so wide-spread. The radar images are stunning considering the needed tons of dispersed elements - although, the federal army claims that only small amounts of material were propagated. The military heads claim that the substances used are not harmful.”
Johannes Remmel, German Green party representative states, "The government must provide explanations to the unsuspecting population." While radar is tracking suspicious aircraft, the Germany Military then uses counterfeit satellite imagery to hide their operations.
In Germany, weather manipulation is prohibited, and I would likewise believe that it is prohibited in the U.S. as well.
Since Chemtrails are so widespread, I would rule out the idea that this is just military performing operations to disrupt radar signals as part of some sort of drill.
The forefront of these operations in the United States appears to be the US Navy, as detailed in “Death in the Air: Globalism, Terrorism & Toxic Warfare,” by Dr. Len Horowitz. Many government watchdogs claim global depopulation, the targeted reduction of the world’s population by two-thirds, is secretly the reason behind chemtrail spraying.
An alternative theory to explain Chemtrails, would be that a new weapon related to controlling the weather is being deployed. By creating droughts and thus famines, large populations could be easily controlled or eliminated. Other countries could be easily controlled and brought to their knees by a global power if the weather could be controlled or altered.
For a while I was confused between chemtrails, and contrails. Contrails are the exhaust of an air craft, it leaves a trail in the sky and the trail rapidly dissipates. With chemtrails, they initially look identical to contrails, but rather than the trail dissipating, the trail expands and then starts to look like a cloud. Over the Silicon Valley where I live, I daily witness these chemtrails starting and stopping from airplanes. In other words, the plane has control over the chemicals it is releasing. Also, I have noticed on some days the area is filled with a gray hazy muck, and the mountains almost disappear. This is highly unusual especially when just one day before, the mountains were totally clear.
Part of the undercurrents, at least in the United States, is the concept being marketing through radio, television and schools, that the earth is overpopulated. The idea of overpopulation, as the cause of our problems, was something that I had believed in for a time.
I believed in that idea until I realized the abundance of nature. Just seeing the amount of food produced by one healthy tree, and the millions of acres of unused land in central California, helped me understand Nature's abundance.
The creator did not put humans on earth to suffer, to starve and to die. The creator of life gave us vast resources from which to be healthy. Humans are grossly misusing earth's delicate resources, and thus we have created an experience of lack and deprivation. The lack we experience is not natural, but a reflection of our disconnection from the source of life.
Every action, thought, and feeling has a cause and an effect. Evil never will win, it cannot. But we all need to work together to bring more awareness to the dreaded reality - that our government seems bent on making this planet a military war zone.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022838.html
The video concludes, “We can state with a 97% certainty that we have on our hands chemical trails (chemtrails) comprised by fine dust containing polymers and metals, used to disrupt radar signals.”
The purpose of chemtrails, which are well documented over the United State and other parts of the world, according to researchers, is to manipulate the weather. Karsten Brandt, German meteorologist states, "The Federal Army is Manipulating the Meteorological maps."
The disruption of radar signals is the main purpose theorizes Mr. Brandt in the interview. “I was surprised that this artificial cloud was so wide-spread. The radar images are stunning considering the needed tons of dispersed elements - although, the federal army claims that only small amounts of material were propagated. The military heads claim that the substances used are not harmful.”
Johannes Remmel, German Green party representative states, "The government must provide explanations to the unsuspecting population." While radar is tracking suspicious aircraft, the Germany Military then uses counterfeit satellite imagery to hide their operations.
In Germany, weather manipulation is prohibited, and I would likewise believe that it is prohibited in the U.S. as well.
Since Chemtrails are so widespread, I would rule out the idea that this is just military performing operations to disrupt radar signals as part of some sort of drill.
The forefront of these operations in the United States appears to be the US Navy, as detailed in “Death in the Air: Globalism, Terrorism & Toxic Warfare,” by Dr. Len Horowitz. Many government watchdogs claim global depopulation, the targeted reduction of the world’s population by two-thirds, is secretly the reason behind chemtrail spraying.
An alternative theory to explain Chemtrails, would be that a new weapon related to controlling the weather is being deployed. By creating droughts and thus famines, large populations could be easily controlled or eliminated. Other countries could be easily controlled and brought to their knees by a global power if the weather could be controlled or altered.
For a while I was confused between chemtrails, and contrails. Contrails are the exhaust of an air craft, it leaves a trail in the sky and the trail rapidly dissipates. With chemtrails, they initially look identical to contrails, but rather than the trail dissipating, the trail expands and then starts to look like a cloud. Over the Silicon Valley where I live, I daily witness these chemtrails starting and stopping from airplanes. In other words, the plane has control over the chemicals it is releasing. Also, I have noticed on some days the area is filled with a gray hazy muck, and the mountains almost disappear. This is highly unusual especially when just one day before, the mountains were totally clear.
Part of the undercurrents, at least in the United States, is the concept being marketing through radio, television and schools, that the earth is overpopulated. The idea of overpopulation, as the cause of our problems, was something that I had believed in for a time.
I believed in that idea until I realized the abundance of nature. Just seeing the amount of food produced by one healthy tree, and the millions of acres of unused land in central California, helped me understand Nature's abundance.
The creator did not put humans on earth to suffer, to starve and to die. The creator of life gave us vast resources from which to be healthy. Humans are grossly misusing earth's delicate resources, and thus we have created an experience of lack and deprivation. The lack we experience is not natural, but a reflection of our disconnection from the source of life.
Every action, thought, and feeling has a cause and an effect. Evil never will win, it cannot. But we all need to work together to bring more awareness to the dreaded reality - that our government seems bent on making this planet a military war zone.
http://www.naturalnews.com/022838.html
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