30 Sep 16. Egypt receives another MRAP consignment. Egypt has received a second consignment of mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles from the United States, the Egyptian Ministry of Defence announced on 29 September.
The delivery of the first consignment was announced in May. The numbers of vehicles in the two deliveries have not been revealed.
The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency’s (DSCA’s) Excess Defense Articles (EDA) database shows the transfer of 762 MRAPs to Egypt has been approved: 400 Caiman MRAPs, 260 RG-33 MRAPs, 90 RG-33L armoured ambulances, and 12 Maxxpro MRAP recovery vehicles. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
30 Sep 16. ADAS 2016: Israel seeks to deepen defence relationship with the Philippines in light of ‘common challenges.’ Key Points:
• Israel wants to enhance its defence relationships with the Philippines by offering technology transfer arrangements
• Israeli-designed military platforms might be produced in the Philippines through the initiatives
The Israeli government is taking steps to deepen its defence relationship with the Philippines by offering military-industrial collaborations to meet various requirements of the Philippine Armed Forces (PAF).
Speaking to IHS Jane’s at ADAS 2016 in Manila, an official from the Israel Ministry of Defence’s International Defence Co-operation Directorate (SIBAT) said this commitment is demonstrated by the country’s presence at the defence exhibition.
“We are the biggest exhibitor here at ADAS 2016, and this is a signal that we are seriously looking to enhance defence co-operation between the Philippines and Israel,” said the official. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
30 Sep 16. Why China Will Fly Drones Over South China Sea. China is capable of flying drones over the disputed South China Sea to keep a watch over the contested waters spread over 3.5 million sq km. These indigenous drones will hover over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea claimed by both China and Japan, an official said.
“Many of the islands and reefs in the South China Sea have much larger underwater portions than what is visible above water, making them harder to survey and map,” Li Yingcheng, general manager of China TopRS Technology Co. Ltd said.
“In response to this challenge, China has designed drones to handle such complicated surveying, including the ZC-5B and Zc-10 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The ZC-5B has a maximum flight distance of 1,400 km, and can stay in the air for up to 30 consecutive hours,” Li was quoted as saying by Chinese media.
“Its design makes it especially stealthy, which comes in handy for open sea reef surveying and mapping” Li added.
These drones will use the Beidou (Chinese equivalent to Google) navigation system.
Last month, China had launched a high-resolution satellite for the protection of its maritime rights amid disputes with maritime neighbours over the South China Sea.
In July, an international court rejected China’s claims over the South China Sea in a case brought by the Philippines. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan have overlapping claims over the world’s most important waterway through which trade worth $5 trillion passes every year.
Beijing has rejected the ruling as illegal.
Experts say it is difficult for one single power to control and keep a watch over such a large waterbody which is believed to have oil reserves of seven billion barrels.
“Reefs and islands are important parts of our national territory. Precise information of their geology is crucial evidence for the demarcation of territorial waters and for safeguarding national maritime interests and security,” Li said. (Source: UAS VISION/NDTV)
29 Sep 16. Brazil is reviewing its procedures for controlling arms exports, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said on Thursday, when asked about an investigation into a sale of guns by Forjas Taurus SA that allegedly violated U.N. sanctions.
“We are updating the regulations in this area, seeking objectivity