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10 Jan 12. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. From 1 Jan 06 to 15 Dec 11, 1,849 personnel were Wounded in Action and 5,289 were aeromedically evacuated. (DASA, 10 Jan 12.) From 1 to 15 Dec 11 the figures were 15 and 24.
The 39 Squadron Reaper detachment, operating from Kandahar Airfield, began 2012 with the continued provision of detailed imagery and intelligence: over 150 hours of full motion video were delivered in the past week. (RAF Ops, 7 Jan 12.)
The Afghan National Army’s counter-improvised explosive device team demonstrated its proficiency to senior Officers. The team has been trained by Royal Engineers. (MoD, 9 Jan 12.)
Spokesmen in both Houses of Parliament stated that: “Drone strikes are a matter for the US and Pakistan.” (Written Answers, 10 Jan 12.)
Comment: A Written Answer in the House of Lords (11 Jan 12) indicated that plans for the long-term financing of both security and development in Afghanistan is to be discussed by the international community at the Chicago and Tokyo conferences planned for later in 2012. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 12/03, 16 Jan 12)
10 Jan 12. Libya: ‘Frozen’ Assets. A Foreign Office Minister said (10 Jan 12) that the UK has led the way in securing the removal of UN sanctions from the Central Bank of Libya and the Libya Arab Foreign Bank. The UK continues to work for the removal of the remaining sanctions.
Comment: The UK is seeking to release some £6,500m of ‘frozen’ Libyan assets but is, apparently, having difficulty with European Union bureaucracy. It is UK policy that Libya’s assets should be “used for the benefit of its people”.(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 12/03, 16 Jan 12)
13 Jan 12. Somalia: Piracy. The RN released details (13 Jan 12) of the capture of a suspected pirate dhow in the Indian Ocean. At dawn on 13 Jan 12, RFA Fort Victoria joined USS CARNEY to intercept the dhow. Royal Marines from the RFA eventually boarded the dhow and apprehended 13 Somali pirates, together with a selection of weapons.
Comment: USS CARNEY is an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer (DDG 64), with a crew of 346. RFA Fort Victoria had earlier (10 Jan 12) blocked an attempt by pirates to sail the hijacked tanker MV Liquid Velvet from the Somali cost into the Gulf of Aden. The House of Lords had a short discussion on piracy and Somalia on 11 Jan 12 (which is, of course, recorded in Hansard for the day). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 12/03, 16 Jan 12)
09 Jan 12. Cubewano, a Midland defence manufacturer, warned the government that the Ministry of Defence must purchase more from SMEs, or risk intellectual property developed in the UK being sold to foreign-owned defence conglomerates in order to secure a route to market. The award-winning company, which has 11 patents for its innovative engine and
military generator technologies, met with its MP Andrew Mitchell and asked him to encourage the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology to provide more backing to firms who are looking to supply to the MoD. Last year Cubewano completed a multi-million dollar contract supplying its engines to the US Army, and has since then adapted its core technology to create a new portable generator which runs on military-standard heavy fuel and can be carried into theatre by just one soldier. But the company must now gain an initial order from either the MoD or a foreign military in order to secure the capital to take its Hornet generator range from prototype to production.
12 Jan 12. Bulgaria’s defense industry has escaped unscathed from the general economic crisis, with its exports hitting $380m in 2011, Press a newspaper reported Jan. 12. It cited figures by the Bulgarian Defense Industry Association (BDIA). Such statistics are usually kept secret. The organization, which groups Bulgaria’s majo