14 Oct 16. DoD/DSCA Notifies Congress of Possible FMS of Radar Field System to KuwaitThe U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified the Congress that the Government of Kuwait has requested a possible total sale of six (6) Short Range Radars, otherwise known as Gap Filler Radars, one (1) Long Range Radar with Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) and Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) arrays, upgrades to existing AN/FPS 117 (V) 3 Long Range Radar, upgrades to airfield radome and communications systems, upgrade to secure Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, site surveys, installation and checkout, site acceptance testing, interim contractor support, construction, contractor logistics support, spares, support equipment, and training. The total estimated value of this sale is $194m. The prime contractor will be determined by competition between Lockheed Martin, Bethesda Maryland, Northrop Grumman, Falls Church, Virginia, and the Raytheon Company, Waltham, Massachusetts. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. (Source: glstrade.com)
04 Oct 16. NZ Govt Investigates North Korea’s NZ-Made Plane. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is investigating how a plane produced by Hamilton company Pacific Aerospace ended up in the hands of North Korea. The P-750 XSTOL was seen flying at the inaugural Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival last week, among fighter jets and helicopters. Its tail was emblazoned with the isolated communist nation’s flag. In a statement, MFAT says it’s working with Pacific Aerospace to find out how the plane ended up there, and it’s also evaluating if it breaches any international trade sanctions. “In terms of exports to North Korea, New Zealand has sanctions in place prohibiting the export of specified goods. We take our international law obligations seriously,” a spokesperson says. “We understand that no aircraft have been exported to North Korea from New Zealand.” The plane was sold to Chinese company Free Sky earlier this year, and is part of a blossoming aviation relationship between New Zealand and China. (Source: glstrade.com/NewsHub.com NZ)
14 Oct 16. Putin ratifies deal for Russia to use Syria base indefinitely. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified an agreement with the Syrian government that allows Russia to use the Hmeimim air base in Syria indefinitely, the Kremlin said on Friday. Russia’s air force has launched air strikes in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from the Hmeimim base. Russia also this week announced plans to build a permanent naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus. The Kremlin said costs associated with the agreement ratified by Putin will fall within normal defence spending in each year’s federal budget. (Source: Reuters)
14 Oct 16. Report: UAE’s cumulative defence expenditure to reach $140.8bn by 2021. Efforts to modernise the military and improve defence will increase UAE’s defence expenditure from the average of $22.4bn during 2012-2016 to $28.2bn during 2017-2021, according to a report by Strategic Defence Intelligence (SDI).
Titled ‘Future of the UAE Defense Industry – Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2021’, the report states that the UAE’s cumulative defence expenditure during 2017-2021 will grow to reach $140.8bn by the end of the forecast period.
“Defence spending will be driven by UAE’s efforts to protect crucial infrastructure, its territorial dispute with Iran, and initiatives to expand the domestic defence industry.”
UAE is estimated to spend $53.1bn on defence procurements on a cumulative basis during the forecast period. Defence spending will be driven by UAE’s efforts to protect crucial infrastructure, its territorial dispute with Iran, and initiatives to expand the domestic defence industry.
SDI also estimates the UAE’s defence expenditure as a proportion of its GDP to stand at 6.7%, with an ave