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06 May 21. Quickly Moving Forces Across Borders Is Vital to Europe’s Defense, Official Says. The National Security Strategy emphasizes the importance of working with allies and partners such as NATO. Part of that commitment is being able to move formations quickly across Europe, a Defense Department official said today.
Gregory M. Kausner, performing the duties of deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, spoke virtually to the European Defence Agency about movement and logistics.
The continuation of exercises involving multimodal movements of troops, equipment and transport elements from the U.S. and across Europe provides valuable logistical insights and highlights areas of cooperation with NATO nations, he said.
During these movements where speed is of the essence, the focus is on improved streamlining of border crossing procedures, he noted.
“Our ability to rapidly move forces ensures a credible deterrent in today’s increasingly competitive environment,” he said.
Kausner also mentioned the importance of U.S. participation in the European Union’s Permanent Structured Cooperation — dubbed PESCO — Military Mobility Project, which is strengthening NATO. PESCO is part of the European Union’s security and defense policy, which includes most NATO nations. Easing military mobility across Europe is one of PESCO’s aims.
“Mobility is an area that is not exclusive to one nation or one organization. It requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, including thorough national plans with cross-government cooperation,” he said.
The Russian buildup of troops on its western border is a growing concern. “We will closely monitor their activity. The United States will continue to consult with our partners while calling upon Russia to be transparent about its movements.”
“The United States is committed to the security of our European allies and partners,” he said, noting that the collective strength of the alliance has protected Europe since the end of World War II.
“The United States’ commitment to the alliance is ironclad,” Kausner added. (Source: US DoD)
05 May 21. U.S. among first foreign countries to join EU defence project, diplomats say. The European Union will allow the United States, Norway and Canada to join a project to overcome delays in moving troops across Europe, diplomats said on Wednesday, which NATO sees as vital in the event of a conflict with Russia.
While NATO has spearheaded efforts to reduce conflicting regulations across 27 EU countries for transfers of U.S. troops, the EU has a budget to back the reconstruction of bridges too weak for tanks and has more power over changing bloc-wide rules.
The decision, to be formally taken by EU defence ministers on Thursday, means NATO members Norway, Canada and the United States also become the first foreign countries to collaborate in the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) pact, which aims to deepen defence ties.
The pact was agreed by EU leaders in December 2017 after Britain’s decision to leave the Union and Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
The bloc has since earmarked 1.7bn euros ($2bn) from its joint budget until 2028 to improve so-called military mobility in support of NATO, and the Dutch-led project brings together 25 EU states – all but Malta and Denmark. The NATO alliance has 30 allies, many of whom are also EU members.
Military mobility aims at improving the exchange of information between EU countries and cutting red tape at borders, including harmonising customs rules to allow for swift deployments and easier transport of military equipment, diplomats said.
While there have been no specific talks with Britain, which along with France used to be among the EU’s biggest military powers, more foreign countries can seek to join, they added.
“It is also very important for transatlantic cooperation, good cooperation between EU members and NATO allies,” said one of the diplomats, who spoke under condition of anonymity.
Plans for an EU defence pact gained momentum as the former U.S. president, Donald Trump, lambasted European NATO allies for not spending enough on their own security. That prompted the bloc to call for “strategic autonomy”.
U.S. and NATO security guarantees remain the cornerstone of national security for many EU countries, however, especially for those on the eastern flank of the bloc worried about Russia.
While the EU’s flagship defence pact aims to help the bloc fund, develop and deploy armed forces together, it would not amount to joint military force. ($1 = 0.8337 euros) (Source: glstrade.com/Reuters)
05 May 21. Germany, France, Spain reach general agreement over fighter jet – source. France, Germany and Spain have reached a general agreement on the next steps in developing a joint fighter jet and hope to hammer out all the details by mid-May, a German defence source told Reuters.
The three nations are trying to resolve differences over access to know-how, or intellectual property rights (IPR), after arms firms struck a deal on industrial workshare. Pressure for a quick deal is mounting ahead of a September election in Germany. Disagreements over IPRs meant the countries missed an end-April deadline previously set by Germany and France to broker a deal that would secure the next phase in Europe’s biggest defence project, whose total cost is estimated at 100bn euros ($120bn).
Participants will put together a list of IPRs by mid-May, spelling out what can be shared by all partners and what must be kept confidential for specific companies, the source said.
France’s Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA), Airbus (AVMD.PA) and Indra (IDR.MC) – the latter two representing Germany and Spain respectively – are involved in the scheme to start replacing French Rafale and German and Spanish Eurofighters from 2040.
The next step of development is expected to cost 2.5bn euros ($3.00bn) in total.
Two other sources said an agreement was close but more discussions were needed, with IPRs the biggest remaining hurdle.
A French government source said there was no deal yet.
Even if a final agreement is reached by mid-May, Berlin may not have time to secure the approval of Germany’s powerful parliamentary budget committee ahead of September’s federal election. Approval is needed before funds can be spent.
Typically that process takes several months but the last realistic date at which the budget committee can make a decision is June 24, two sources said.
Although German political parties have starkly different views on defence spending, analysts say the deal is likely to be presented as an anchor for Franco-German ties lying at the heart of European co-operation, which have cross-party German support.
Previously, a source with knowledge of the issue told Reuters the German defence ministry must refer the budget proposal to the finance ministry by May 19. (Source: Reuters)
04 May 21. UK prosecutor ends investigation into Airbus individuals – sources. Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has ended a criminal investigation into individuals associated with Airbus (AIR.PA), the European planemaker that agreed to a record $4.0bn global settlement 16 months ago, sources said on Tuesday.
Three sources familiar with the investigation said the SFO had written to former suspects to say it would take no further action. Overseas prosecutors could, however, take a different view in cases where suspects face more than one inquiry.
Airbus and the SFO, which along with French and U.S. prosecutors agreed to a ground-breaking deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the company in January 2020, declined to comment.
But the SFO updated its website on April 22 to state that its case would remain open until the end of the DPA – a settlement that allows companies to avoid criminal prosecution in a court-approved deal that often includes a fine and compliance monitoring – in January 2023.
It previously stated that the inquiry remained active and the position in relation to individuals was being considered.
Airbus was accused of a “pervasive and pernicious” bribery scheme by a U.S. district judge last year after a four-year inquiry into sales across more than a dozen overseas markets culminated a corporate settlement.
Last week, the company drew a final line under British criminal investigations when former subsidiary GPT Special Project Management pleaded guilty to corruption over military contracts for Saudi Arabia.
Successfully prosecuting white collar crime is notoriously tricky, time-consuming and costly, especially if prosecutors rely on overseas authorities to share documentary evidence.
But the SFO, which has yet to successfully prosecute individuals following a DPA, has faced criticisms of serious failings after the collapse of high-profile trials against former executives at Serco, over prisoner-tagging, and at retailer Tesco (TSCO.L) after corporate settlements.
It also abandoned investigations into suspects associated with aero engine maker Rolls-Royce (RR.L) and drugs company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) in 2019, raising the ire of anti corruption groups that say it is absurd for companies to settle allegations of wrongdoing when individuals cannot be held to account.
But Sarah Wallace, a lawyer at Constantine Law, noted it was inherently more difficult to prosecute and secure convictions against individuals than agreeing a DPA with a company. (Source: Reuters)
04 May 21. British military aircraft must hit net-zero carbon target by 2040, says Air Force chief. The United Kingdom has set a requirement that its Royal Air Force have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But according to Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, the service needs to work under the assumption that it has to hit that target a decade earlier — and accept that other budget priorities will be cut to make it happen.
Speaking to Defense News during a recent visit to Washington, Wigston said the push toward net zero — where the overall carbon footprint is either reduced to zero or balanced out by other efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere — will also be something he discusses with other air chiefs throughout this year, with a hope of finding agreements on how to move forward as a military aviation community.
“I recognize that sounds crazy to some, that we’ve got an Air Force Chief talking about being net zero,” Wigston said. “But I think the imperative is clear: our politicians will demand it of us, are demanding of us. Our public demands it of us. And the young people in the Royal Air Force today demand it of me and the leadership, that we should be taking a lead in this.”
The Air Chief’s comments came just days after the Biden administration hosted a world climate summit, during which U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the threat of climate change as an “existential” national security issue, and roughly a month after the MoD released a document on adopting a new strategic approach to enhancing sustainability and reducing armed forces emission levels in order to meet wider government environmental targets.
The MoD review argued that defense will be stronger if it keeps up with new, adaptable and efficient options for reducing fuel consumption.
“We are already at the forefront of the new and growing green military agenda, trialing new types of vehicles, fuels standards, energy storage and much more. Done right, this will improve how we meet the defense and security challenges of the future,” the review states.
That effort will fall particularly on military aviation if the MoD is to meet its mandated net-zero emissions target by 2050. Two-thirds of defense fuel is consumed by military aviation, while the MoD itself accounts for half of all British government emissions.
While the 2050 target is the official deadline, Wigston has ordered his team to aim for 2040 instead, based in part on what he called a “hunch” that as the climate crisis expands, both the public and politicians will begin pushing for net zero sooner, and it is best for the RAF to be prepared.
“That will require additional investment. It will require me diverting investment from equipment and platforms into infrastructure and into how we operate,” Wigston said. “But I think that’s a price that we’re going to have to accept that we’re going to have to pay, and I see a leading role for the Royal Air Force in that.”
All of the RAF’s planes are now certified to use 50 percent synthetic fuels, Wigston said. But for the service to take advantage of that capability requires getting suppliers and industry on board, while also changing the military infrastructure to accommodate new fuel sources.
The easiest part may be the first, thanks to a push on the commercial aviation side to pursue net-zero efforts. Wigston noted that the U.K. has set up a Jet Zero Council, which is focused primarily on non-military aviation. “A large part of that is about commercializing synthetic fuel production and making sure that it’s available at the pumps around the civil airspace infrastructure,” he said. “So military air forces can take advantage of that.”
The second part is harder, and it requires coordination among ally and partner air forces to make a reality. The U.K. using alternative fuels for its jets doesn’t matter if the planes are operating out of a U.S. base without that fuel on hand, after all. To that end, Wigston hopes to have serious conversations with his counterparts in 2021 about developing universal standards.
That’s “something that we are proposing to our fellow air chiefs over the next few months, so that by the end of the year, I would like to hope — and I’m certainly aiming for a common declaration amongst global air chiefs — that these are the steps that we’re going to take collectively, because this is the only way that I think we’re going to achieve this, to get to a position where we are consuming far less hydrocarbons in fuel terms.”
“The way we power our aircraft, the way we power our bases, the way we talk to our supply chain, [to] our industrial suppliers about their carbon and sustainable practices, are all going to be things that are important for all Air Forces,” Wigston added. “And it’s something that I want the Royal Air Force to take a lead in, and it’s something that I will be coming back to with my fellow air chiefs around the world to reach a common understanding of what we’ve got to do. And then declare a common ambition of how we will get there.” (Source: Defense News)
05 May 21. India, UK agree on technology collaboration for combat aircraft. India, UK agree on co-production of military hardware; technology collaboration for combat aircraft. In a major move, India and the UK on Tuesday vowed to expand bilateral defence cooperation, including through technology collaboration in developing combat aircraft and complex weapons, during a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson.
A 10-year roadmap unveiled at the summit for boosting overall India-UK ties mentioned that the two countries will strengthen cooperation to take “decisive and concerted actions” against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities.
In the talks, the two sides also agreed to increase maritime co-operation while India invited the UK’s liaison officer to the Indian Navy’s information fusion centre, a key facility that keeps a hawk-eyed vigil on developments and movement of ships in the Indian Ocean region.
A 10-year roadmap unveiled at the summit for boosting overall India-UK ties mentioned broadening dialogue on “combat air collaboration to determine how the UK can support India’s ambitions for their light combat air MK2 programme”.
“Both prime ministers agreed to deepen their defence and security cooperation through the India-UK defence and international security partnership framework and welcomed the finalisation of the new logistics MoU,” said a joint statement on Modi-Johnson talks.
It said the two leaders agreed that there is a promising new era ahead for India-UK collaboration on key military technologies including combat aircraft, maritime propulsion system and complex weapons, harnessing the strengths of Indian and British industries, government laboratories and academia.
The statement said such collaborations will help in delivering the next generation defence and security capabilities through co-development and co-production.
Joint Secretary in the Europe West division in the Ministry of External Affairs Sandeep Chakravorty said at a media briefing that the two sides discussed co-development and co-production of military hardware.
“They agreed to increase maritime co-operation, inviting the UK’s Liaison Officer to India’s information fusion centre, establishing an annual India-UK maritime dialogue and strengthening operational coordination,” the statement said.
“During the deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean Region in 2021, they agreed to hold joint exercises that will deepen cooperation in a region of critical strategic importance to both countries,” it said.
The 10-year roadmap said India and the UK will work in a strategic partnership to strengthen efforts to tackle cyber, space, crime and terrorist threats and develop a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region.
“Our shared interests will underpin greater cooperation in multilateral fora where a strengthened UK India relationship will build understanding among diverse partners on international security and will help set global rules for cybersecurity and space taking into account their respective interests,” it said.
It also mentioned that the two sides will aim to further enhance cooperation to promote international security and stability in cyberspace including through bilateral cooperation on critical national infrastructure, healthcare and vaccines.
The joint statement said both leaders reiterated their full support to a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace and agreed to strengthen cooperation through an enhanced India-UK cyber security partnership to tackle growing cyber threats.
“They affirmed their shared vision of an open, free, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation and overflight in the international seas, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes,” it said. (Source: News Now/https://www.hindustantimes.com/)
04 May 21. Trial of two soldiers over murder of IRA commander collapses after five days. The former paratroopers, both in their 70s, walked free from court after more than a decade under investigation.
The landmark trial of two soldiers for the murder of an IRA commander almost 50 years ago has collapsed after just five days.
The former paratroopers, both in their 70s, walked free from court after more than a decade under investigation.
Three separate inquiries since 2009 will have cost the taxpayers millions of pounds in a case that has caused a scandal.
The soldiers were first cleared of any wrongdoing in 1972, five months after Joe McCann was shot in the back as he evaded arrest.
McCann, 24, a father-of-four, was on the run and wanted for questioning over the murders of at least two British soldiers.
Following the fatal shooting on April 15 1972, the Official IRA boasted that he was responsible for the deaths of 15 British soldiers.
The veterans – who can be identified only as Soldier A and Soldier C – are the first to go on trial over so-called legacy killings during the Troubles.
As many as 200 military veterans of the Troubles still face criminal investigation although authorities will now come under intense pressure to scrap the pursuit of military veterans through the court.
The trial at Belfast Crown Court – just 500 yards from where McCann was shot – had originally been scheduled to last four weeks.
But it collapsed on the fifth day when the trial judge Mr Justice O’Hara ruled that interviews given by the men to investigators were inadmissible.
The soldiers had been compelled to give statements to their warrant officer back at barracks in the hours after McCann was shot and then gave second interviews to a specially formed team – the Historical Enquiries Team (HET), which was an independent branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
McCann’s family, including his widow Anne, who had sat through the trial, had made an appeal to the soldiers through HET to answer questions. The family had said they sought “truth not retribution”.
But on Thursday the judge said it was “remarkable” that the PSNI had not conducted its own interviews prior to the men being charged with McCann’s murder.
An investigator for HET had previously told the trial that his inquiries had found no compelling or new evidence that could justify a trial and Soldier A and Soldier B had been informed in 2010 that the investigation would go no further.
But it was revived four years later and in 2016 the men were told they would be charged over McCann’s alleged ‘unlawful killing’.
The court heard that McCann was the commander of the Official IRA’s 1st Battalion and presided over the staunchly Republican Markets area, close to the city centre.
On the day he was shot he was wearing a disguise of dark glasses and dyed hair. He had been spotted by two Special Branch police officers, who called in the paratroopers to apprehend him.
Three soldiers shot at McCann, wounding him fatally.
The initial police inquiry in 1972 cleared all three soldiers of wrongdoing. It is thought that the third soldier – known only as Soldier B – fired four of the six shots. He has since died.
Soldiers A and C were accused of firing one shot each at McCann although no forensic or ballistics evidence exists to show which bullets hit him and fired from which weapon. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
03 May 21. With F-35 expulsion, Turkey’s top weapons buyer prioritizes TF-X work. Turkey’s top defense procurement official, Ismail Demir, said in an April 30 TV interview that the government will prioritize the production of its indigenous TF-X fighter jet amid an estimated loss of $1.4bn for local industry following the country’s expulsion from the American-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
The U.S. decided to exclude Turkey from the multinational program in response to Ankara’s decision to acquire and deploy the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Turkish aerospace officials said domestic companies associated with the F-35 production effort are to fulfill commitments to manufacturing thousands of parts until next year, but the aircraft will not be delivered to the Turkish Air Force.
Turkish Aerospace Industries is designing, developing and will build the TF-X, aiming to fly the aircraft around the 2025-2026 time frame.
TAI CEO Temel Kotil said in an April 27 TV interview that “the government has earmarked an additional $1.3bn to Phase 1 of the TF-X program. A total of 6,000 engineers are working on this program.”
He added his company will soon build the first hangar for the TF-X as well as what he called Europe’s second-best wind tunnel for testing the aircraft.
“My [top priority] is the TF-X program. It definitely has to be done,” Kotil said. (Source: Defense News)
30 Apr 21. UK F-35B Fighter Jets operating from HMS Queen Elizabeth will join Operation Shader in the fight against Daesh. F-35B Lightning fast jets will be the cutting edge of the Carrier Strike Group’s (CSG21) formidable power in the air. These are next generation multi-role combat aircraft equipped with advanced sensors, mission systems and stealth technology, enabling them to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks. This will be the first time UK fighter aircraft are embarked on an operational aircraft carrier deployment since 2010, and will be the largest number of F-35Bs ever to sail the seas. The renowned 617 Squadron RAF (‘The Dambusters’) will operate the jets to provide tangible and impactful support to counter-Daesh operations in Iraq and Syria.
Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey MP said, “The F-35B Lightning jets will pack a potent punch against Daesh and help prevent them from regaining a foothold in Iraq. This is a prime example of the UK Armed Forces stepping forward with our allies to confront persistent threats around the world. It is Global Britain in action.”
CSG21, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, is the largest concentration of maritime and air power to leave the UK in a generation and will set sail next month on its first operational deployment. This is a joint Royal Air Force and Royal Navy deployment which is committed to confronting persistent threats around the world and make a meaningful contribution to global security. The F-35B Lightning jets, which will operate from HMS Queen Elizabeth throughout the deployment, will make a significant contribution in degrading Daesh.
Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key said, “This deployment represents the embodiment of the UK’s Joint Expeditionary Capability and utilising the F-35Bs in the fight against Daesh will further demonstrate our commitment to securing their global defeat.”
March 2021 saw the second anniversary of Daesh’s final and total loss of territory in Syria. However, there remain significant numbers of Daesh terrorists in Iraq and Syria.
The UK remains committed to defeating Daesh and enhancing security in the region, alongside the Iraqi Security Forces and our NATO allies.
Operation Shader is the UK’s contribution to the Global Coalition against Daesh. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
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