U.S. Army Wants To Redirect Funding for Humvees

The U.S. Army still plans to launch a competitive program to upgrade its Humvee fleet, according to the final draft of the service's Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Strategy, released Jan. 27. But the service has been unsuccessful so far at securing funding for the effort.

A U.S. Army Humvee is shown traveling through the mountains of Kapisa province, Afghanistan, in April 2008. The service still hopes to upgrade the existing fleet. (Army)

The Army would like to start the Humvee recap effort this fiscal year, Maj. Gen. Thomas Spoehr, who directs force development in the Army's G-8, told reporters Jan. 27.

Getting the effort started will require the Army to submit a second reprogramming request to Congress.
Last spring, the Army asked permission from Congress to shift money away from procuring new Humvees toward a Humvee recap program. That request was denied.
Since then, the Army has done a lot of talking to members of Congress and their staff, Spoehr said. The service also has continued to refine its acquisition strategy and explore what industry can offer.
The Army first released a request for information for the recap program in January 2010.
Most vehicle makers had an improved Humvee on display at their booths at the annual Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference in October. The improved Humvee designs featured everything from double-V hulls to advanced armor solutions to structural blast chimneys.
The service plans to release a second request for information before issuing a formal request for proposals, said Col. David Bassett, project manager for tactical vehicles.
In the near term, the Army plans to reset its Humvees used in Iraq and Afghanistan in its depots.
The Army does not plan to buy any new Humvees beyond 2012. However, the service is working with Humvee maker AM General to keep the production line running as long as it makes sense, Bassett said. There are other services' requirements to fill as well as requests from other countries, he said.
The Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Strategy represents a "paradigm shift" for the Army, Spoehr said. Rather than look out five to 10 years as previous documents have, this strategy lays out a plan for how to manage the service's fleet of trucks for the next 30 years, he said.
The Army plans to reduce its overall fleet of 260,000 trucks by 15 percent by fiscal 2017, Spoehr said. In doing so, the Army will reduce what it spends on procurement for tactical wheeled vehicles from $4.4 billion a year to $2.5 billion a year.
Part of this divestiture could include some of the Army's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.
The Army would like to divest around 1,500 of the roughly 20,000 MRAPs in its inventory, Spoehr said. The two models the Army would prefer to divest are the earlier version of the RG-33, built by BAE Systems, and Force Protection's Cougar.
The Army owns later, more capable versions of the RG-33, and to upgrade the older models is not cost-effective, officials said. The Army does not own many Cougars, and therefore, resourcing the maintenance and training for them also is not cost-effective.
The Army does not intend to throw either vehicle out, but if there is an opportunity for "someone else to use them," the Army would prefer to divest them, Army officials said.
The Army released a draft of the strategy at the AUSA conference in October, but then pulled it back, saying it needed to circulate the document internally a bit longer.
According to Spoehr, the document released Jan. 27 is the same one the Army was ready to distribute in October.

Level-Field' Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate

Two U.S. senators are introducing legislation that would require the Pentagon to take into account illegal foreign subsidies in the U.S. Air Force's ongoing tanker procurement saga.
The two senators, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said they are proposing the legislation because the World Trade Organization found that EADS, which is the prime contractor for one of the two competing tanker designs, received government subsidies to help fund the development of the Airbus A330. The A330 is the basis of the EADS bid.

"I am proud to introduce this legislation as my first bill in the Senate because I believe when American workers are given a fair chance, they will succeed and produce the best tanker for our men and women in uniform," Moran said in a news release.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation in December, 325-23. Moran sponsored that bill before taking office as a senator.
In the Senate, the proposed legislation is co-sponsored by Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Roy Blunt, R- Mo.; Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., - a bipartisan group who all represent states where tanker hopeful Boeing has manufacturing plants.
Those factories might help build Boeing's 767-based tanker aircraft should the company emerge as the winner.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., speaking at Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, said that Boeing too has been found to accept illegal government subsidies by the World Trade Organization. Sessions' district in Alabama would benefit from jobs created by an EADS victory in the tanker contest.

Gates, Canadian Defense Minister Defend F-35

OTTAWA - U.S. and Canadian defense chiefs on Jan. 27 vigorously defended the F-35 fighter jet program, despite criticism over costs and technical delays.
Amid a partisan feud in Canada over the government's plans to buy the stealth warplanes, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the continued support of Ottawa and seven other international partners for the project was "very important."

"My hope is that for all of our sakes that all of the partners cooperate to move forward with us on this program," Gates told a joint press conference with his Canadian counterpart, Defense Minister Peter MacKay.
The Pentagon sees foreign partners as crucial to keeping costs under control for the radar-evading fighter, which has been dogged by rising costs and technical glitches.
Gates cited steps taken last year to rectify problems with the F-35 and said he was now satisfied with the program's progress, saying there were no cost increases for the program this year.
MacKay accused critics of the plane of playing a political "game" and warned that scrapping the purchase of 65 F-35 fighter jets could mean grounding Canada's air force in 2020.
The F-35 fighter, billed as the backbone of the future U.S. combat air fleet, has become the most expensive weapons program ever and is now expected to cost the United States $382 billion, for 2,443 aircraft.
The two defense chiefs also discussed the war in Afghanistan, where Canada plans to withdraw combat forces from the south in July.
MacKay said Canada was scouting locations near Kabul to host 950 military trainers, as it continues talks with Washington and NATO about what sort of training is required.
Canada plans to send the military trainers to a base in Kabul until 2014 in a non-combat role to advise Afghan soldiers.
Canadian troops have spent nearly nine years fighting insurgents as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, a mission that has claimed the lives of more than 150 Canadian soldiers.
The two also said they discussed expanding Canada-U.S. military cooperation in the Arctic and offering joint maritime security assistance to Caribbean allies.
Gates was due to meet both his Canadian and Mexican counterparts but Mexico's secretary of national defense, Gen. Guillermo Galvan Galvan, could not attend due to illness.
An earlier attempt at a three-way meeting of the defense chiefs in July had to be called off because of violence in Mexico.

Italian Air Force Receives 1st Tanker From Boeing

ROME - The Italian Air Force took delivery on Jan. 27 of the first of four Boeing KC767-A tanker aircraft it has acquired.
The aircraft, MM 62229, flew from Boeing's Wichita, Kan., facility to the Italian Air Force's Pratica di Mare base south of Rome for a hand-over ceremony, the Air Force said in a statement.

The aircraft will now "undergo a series of tests and activities" before entering service, the statement said.
"The second aircraft, which should be delivered in the coming months, is now undergoing tests at Boeing," added the statement.
Boeing has previously said that the last two of the four aircraft would feature "enhanced capabilities," without giving details.
The KC767-A replaces the B-707T/T tanker previously flown by the Italian Air Force. It is configured for troop and cargo transport, as well as refueling from a rear boom and three hose and drogues - one under each wing and one under the main fuselage.
Three crew are required for transport flights and four for refueling missions.
After first promising delivery of the tanker in 2005, Boeing's schedule slipped as it sought to fix a vibration problem with a wing pylon, and then tackle a stability problem on the centerline hose and drogue.

USAF: Disclosing Tanker Bid Info Did No Harm

The inadvertent release of confidential information in the competition to build the next aerial refueling tanker didn't hurt the $35 billion project, U.S. Air Force officials told a Senate panel Jan. 27.
The two companies competing to build the KC-X tanker, European Aeronautic Defence and Space and The Boeing Co., received computer discs Nov. 1 from the Air Force containing the military's confidential evaluation of each company's proposal.

Maj. Gen. Wendy Masiello, who works for the assistant secretary of acquisition, told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee the error was unintentional and didn't violate procurement law.
"The Air Force has been and remains committed to a fair, open and transparent KC-X source selection," Masiello said.
But with the Air Force expected to choose the winner in February, lawmakers worried the error could still hurt the selection process.
"This is a case study of incompetence," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
Information on each computer disc graded each company on how its tanker might perform. The Air Force was supposed to send each company only that company's evaluations but inadvertently sent the competitor's evaluations, too.
An EADS staffer opened a page evaluating the Boeing plane for an estimated 15 seconds, according to Sean O'Keefe, EADS' CEO. The page didn't include pricing or proprietary information.
The worker alerted security officers and the discs were returned to the Pentagon. The file remained open for three minutes and the computer remained on for 20 minutes, according to Steven Shirley, executive director of the Defense Department's cybercrime center.
"The screen might have been open, but he was the only person in the room and he left the room," Masiello said of the EADS staffer.
O'Keefe disputed reports that EADS held the disc for a month.
"EADS North America acted correctly, quickly and responsibly in addressing an incident that was not of our making," O'Keefe said in a statement to the committee.
Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's CEO for defense, space and security, said a Boeing staffer noticed a reference to the EADS version of the tanker while opening the disc he received and reported it to security officers without opening the disc.
"Boeing's behavior in this instance is emblematic of our conduct throughout this competition," Muilenburg said in a statement to the committee.
On Nov. 22, Air Force officials decided to make sure the playing field was level and sent each company a page - corresponding to the page the EADS staffer had reported looking at - of the other company's evaluation.
"What kind of actions have been taken against the person who made the mistake?" McCaskill asked Masiello at one point.
Masiello said the two Aeronautical Systems Center workers who sent out the wrong discs were transferred and two others were counseled, but she said she didn't know where the transferred workers are now, whether they earn the same salary or whether they would ever be in a position to deal with contracting again.
Masiello said the company that loses the competition for the tanker contract could use the mistake involving the computer discs as a basis for a formal protest.
Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., noted that neither company has protested yet.
"It's really important on this committee for us not to politicize this process," Sessions said.

France Offers To Sell Iraq Mirage Fighter Jets

BAGHDAD - France has proposed to sell 18 Mirage fighters to Iraq, which is already negotiating a deal for U.S. F-16s to protect its skies after American forces pull out at the end of this year, the French ambassador said.

France has proposed selling 18 Mirage fighter jets to Iraq. Above, a Mirage 2000 jet fighter takes off from Nancy-Ochey, France. (File photo / Agence France-Presse)

"France has proposed to sell 18 Mirage F1 retrofitted aircraft that can be delivered from late 2011 and immediately operational because many Iraqi pilots were trained in the past on this type of plane," Boris Boillon told Agence France-Presse on Jan. 27.

He said France was offering the multi-role planes for $1 billion (733 million euros).
Baghdad has been negotiating to buy 18 U.S.-made F-16s, and the cabinet on Jan. 26 authorized Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to negotiate the terms of the first payment on the contract, a statement said.
Boillon said that, because of the price tag, the Mirage offer would not affect the F-16 deal.
"This [Mirage] sale is in the context of a proposal on a comprehensive military air program that France has submitted to this country," Boillon said.
Iraq's government spokesman said that Baghdad welcomed any offer.
"Iraq needs to build up its Air Force and that needs tens of fighters to protect its sovereignty," Ali-al Dabbagh said.
"Any origin of high quality with good offer will be welcomed taking in consideration that we need to unify the source of arming if they fulfill Iraq's requirements," he said, without disclosing the cost of the F-16 deal.
The Iraqi government "has submitted a letter of request for 18 F-16s and packages composed of spare parts, support equipment, weapons, logistics support and training," said U.S. Army Capt. Dan Churchill, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq.
"The delivery and cost of the aircraft will be dependent upon a finalized purchase, which has not yet happened."
In early September, U.S. Army Gen. Michael Barbero, then deputy commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said the absence of a multi-role fighter limited Iraq's air capabilities.
"They will not have the capability to provide air sovereignty, to fully protect the skies over Iraq, because they will lack a multi-role fighter," he said.
Iraq's air force was destroyed during and after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Bulgaria To Sell Off Defense Firm VMZ Sopot

SOFIA, Bulgaria - The Bulgarian government on Jan. 27 said it had agreed to a strategy for the full privatization of defense giant VMZ Sopot.
According to a statement, there will be a public tender of 100 percent of VMZ's capital, with potential buyers required to have previous experience in defense production and management.

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They must also present a three-year business plan for the firm's development under the sale proposal, which still has to be approved by parliament.
Bulgaria's biggest defense firm and the last of the country's communist-era defense giants to have remained state-owned, VMZ Sopot produces a large range of missiles and artillery ammunition, as well as civil-use machinery and household appliances.
A lack of strategic investors in previous defense company tenders has led other state-owned firms to morph into joint-stock companies, owned primarily by their managers and staff.
Bulgaria's defense industry exports stood at 145 million euros ($200 million) in 2009, according to economy ministry data.

German Move Does Not Hurt A400M Program: French MoD

PARIS - The German parliament's decision to back a purchase of 53 A400M aircraft but sell 13 units into the export market keeps the military aircraft program on track but needs to be confirmed by the government, the French Ministry of Defense spokesman said Jan. 27.
"For the time being, this is an internal parliamentary process," spokesman Laurent Teisseire told journalists here. "This is a step, but we are waiting for the formalization by the German executive," he said.

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"What seems very clear is that whatever the expression of the final requirement by the Bundeswehr, seemingly a reduction, the Federal Republic maintains a volume of orders that is coherent, compatible with the volumes agreed with Airbus in the agreement reached last year," Teisseire said.
The German parliamentary budget committee agreed Jan. 26 the government should buy the 53 A400M units, keep 40 and sell on 13 to third parties. This would ease strain on the defense budget and better reflected the real needs of the Bundeswehr armed forces, said Juergen Koppelin, budget expert for the Free Democrat (FDP) junior coalition partners to Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Britain has used a similar approach to buy Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and sell those no longer required by the Royal Air Force.
The German order of 53 aircraft is "important for the existence of the program" as it maintains the total A400M orders at 180 units, with a margin of 10 cancellations, Teisseire said.
That was the framework deal reached in March by Airbus and the seven anchor clients - Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey.
Asked whether there was concern over the sale of the 13 German aircraft into export markets, Teisseire referred to the welcome given by Airbus to the parliamentary decision.
Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said Jan. 26, "The decisive point for us is that Germany has agreed on an order of 53 planes, and therefore will take on the additional financing costs of 3.5 billion euros," Reuters reported.
Teisseire also referred to the estimated export market of 400 A400M units cited by the EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois. EADS is the parent company of Airbus, which builds the A400M.
Thirteen aircraft "does not undermine the fundamentals of the market," Teisseire said, pointing to the long-term prospects for foreign sales.
French Defense Minister Alain Juppé fully supports the A400M program, just as his predecessor Hervé Morin did, Teisseire said. France maintains its order for 50 units, he said.
The A400M is of structural importance to French forces, an industrial project which federates European capacity and provides the capability to project power, Teisseire said. France is one of the first customers of the airlifter.
Germany had previously ordered 60 A400M units but cut that to 53 in November due to costs.
The March agreement, worth 3.5 billion euros ($4.8 billion), was needed because the A400M is three years late and Airbus demanded extra funds to cover the 5.25 billion euros of overrun.
The A400M, dubbed Grizzly, is in test flight, with four prototypes flying. First delivery is due in the first half of 2013. The plane is intended to contest the market for military transport planes held by Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Estonian MoD Proposes Cyber Defense Unit

HELSINKI - Estonia's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has proposed presented a new proposal to establishing a national cyber defense unit (NCDU) of computer experts drawn mostly from the ranks of the Baltic country's electronics and computer communities.
The NCDU will operate as part of the Total Defense League, the all-volunteer paramilitary force that operates as part of Estonia's national defense infrastructure and which is partly financed by the MoD.

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"The Total Defense League is tasked with bringing together specialists in cyber defense who work in the private sector, as well as in different government agencies. The new unit will conduct regular exercises and engage in activities and projects to better prepare this country for possible cyber contingencies," said Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo.
The initiative is one of a number of improvements to the government's national cyber defense strategy, Phase 1 of which was implemented after a wave of cyber attacks - orchestrated by unknown groups in Russia - disabled key segments of the country's government administration, defense, banking and media infrastructure in 2007.
The Estonian economy, in contrast to other European Union nations, is seen as particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks because most standard services offered to the public by government agencies, banks and others are primarily accessed online.
NATO, responding to an Estonian government request for help, agreed to fund and organize the establishment of the Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCD-COE), Europe's first dedicated cyber defense center. The CCD-COE opened in Tallinn in May 2008. NATO uses the center to enhance its own cyber defense capability while providing support to Estonia's cyber defense agencies and systems.
Primary funding for the CCD-COE is provided by Estonia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia and Italy. These countries also supply the center with most of its specialist cyber defense staff. The new NCDU initiative will see the Total Defense League form a special liaison group to correlate its activities and intelligence with the CCD-COE.

Scrapping Nimrod Planes 'Puts Britain At Risk'

LONDON - Former British military chiefs said Jan. 27 the scrapping of a fleet of Nimrod surveillance aircraft will create a "massive security gap" and leave Britain's Trident nuclear submarines vulnerable.
In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, they said the decision to shelve the program for nine MRA4 Nimrods to save money is "perverse" and could inflict serious long-term damage to Britain's interests.

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Ministers took the decision last year to scrap the 4 billion pound ($6.4 billion, 4.6 billion euro) fleet of planes, the latest version of the veteran sub-hunter, as part of deep defense cuts.
The Nimrods can detect and sink submarines and play a key role in drug-smuggling and counter-terrorism operations.
The ex-military chiefs said: "Machine tools have been destroyed; several millions of pounds have been saved but a massive gap in British security has opened.
"Vulnerability of sea lanes, unpredictable overseas crises and traditional surface and submarine opposition will continue to demand versatile responsive aircraft.
"Nimrod would have continued to provide long-range maritime and overland reconnaissance - including over the UK - anti-submarine surveillance, air-sea rescue coordination, and perhaps most importantly, reconnaissance support to the Navy's Trident submarines."
The signatories of the letter included David Craig, a former chief of the defense staff who now sits in the House of Lords, and Major General Patrick Cordingley, the commander of the Desert Rats in the Gulf War.
Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman denied that scrapping Nimrod undermined Britain's defenses.
The spokesman said: "The role of maritime patrol will continue to be carried out and we will use a range of other military assets to do that."
He said the defense cuts were made against the backdrop of Britain's record budget deficit and "a significant black hole" in the defense ministry's budget.
"This particular project was overspent, it had been delayed and none of the aircraft were actually operational," he added.
Gen. David Richards, the current chief of the defense staff, said in a statement that "severe financial pressures" led to the decision to ax Nimrod.
"This project was delayed and overspent; canceling it will save £2 billion over 10 years. None of these nine aircraft were operational; only one was built, and it had not passed flight tests," he said.

U.S. Pledges Help For Philippine Navy

MANILA - The United States said Jan. 27 it would help boost the Philippines' capacity to patrol its waters as part of a larger goal of keeping vital Asian sea lanes open amid the rise of China.
The pledge came from U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell on the first day of an inaugural security dialogue between the two allies.

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"One of the subjects for discussions tomorrow will be the bilateral steps that (we) can take to increase the Philippines' maritime capacity," Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell said.
This would enhance the Philippine navy's capacity to police its waters, he told a joint news conference.
"We think this is a critical component of our partnership. Much of this work is already underway, and we seek to intensify it in the months and years ahead," he said without giving details.
The U.S. had key air and naval bases in the Philippines until 1992, when the Philippine senate rejected a new treaty.
The U.S. ruled the Philippines as colonial power from 1901 to 1946 and the two countries remain linked by a 1951 mutual defense pact.
In recent years, as China's economic influence grew in the region, its new-found political assertiveness saw it come in dispute with its neighbors over claims to areas of the South China Sea.
China, Taiwan and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam all claim the potentially oil-rich Spratly chain of islands in the South China Sea.
The area is also one of the world's most important shipping lanes.
"I think there's a broad recognition that this is a critical waterway, and its criticality will likely increase in the times ahead," Campbell said.
While China has asserted that the disputes must be settled directly between itself and rival claimants, Campbell repeated the U.S. position that a broader framework was better.
"We think maritime issues should be addressed in larger settings as well, and we think that's important in order to develop confidence on these issues and the larger Asia-Pacific region," he said.

Airbus: FSTA Tests Succeed, Boom Tests on Hold

LONDON - Airbus Military said it successfully tested the final hose-and-drogue system destined for Britain's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) program by refueling two Spanish Air Force F/A-18 fighter jets while in flight on Jan. 21.
A company spokeswoman also confirmed that Airbus has, for the time being, ceased test flying using its new flight refueling system. Part of the equipment broke off during contact with a Portuguese Air Force F-16 during Jan. 19 tests on an aerial refueling plane built for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

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On Jan. 21, the Cobham-designed fuselage-hose-and-drogue refueling unit was tested in a series of "wet contacts" with the F/A-18s during a three-plus-hour sortie by the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, Airbus said.
Situated on the fuselage, the system is similar to the Cobham units fitted under the wings of the British-bound refueling plane, but with a higher rate of fuel transfer. The wing systems have already been tested.
Airbus parent EADS is leading a consortium to supply 14 A330 tanker planes for use by the U.K. Royal Air Force as part of a private finance initiative.
The first aircraft is to be handed over at year's end.
Meanwhile, investigations continue into the loss of part of the new Airbus-designed aerial refueling boom system during testing on the A330 destined for the RAAF.
The spokeswoman said Airbus could not give any details of the incident at this time. She said it was not unusual for aircraft equipped with boom flight refueling systems to suffer a break.
The first of the RAAF jets is earmarked for handing over next month, and discussions are underway between Airbus and its customer as to whether the delivery will go-ahead on schedule.
Australia has purchased five A330 MRTT planes and will become the first operator of the airliner-based system, which also has been sold to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K.
The A330 and boom system is currently embroiled in a competition with Boeing to supply the U.S. Air Force with a new tanker plane.

Canada Signs Deal For New Radar Systems

OTTAWA - Canada on Jan. 25 announced a C$55.6 million ($55.7 million) contract to modernize two military radar systems said to play a major role in defending North American airspace.
The deal, announced by Defense Minister Peter MacKay, is part of a major effort by Canada to upgrade its Air Force, a drive that includes the acquisition of new F-35 fighter jets.

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The radars will replace aging systems in Alberta and Quebec, providing "long-range air surveillance and aerospace control capability" in support of military operations in Canada and abroad, a statement said.
They will be delivered starting in February 2013.
MacKay also announced the purchase of 14 aircraft cargo loaders for C$5.6 million ($5.6 million) from TLD America.

Russia's Mistral Deal Worries Scandinavians

HELSINKI - Russia's decision to purchase four Mistral assault ships from France has raised fears in Sweden that at least one of the vessels could be deployed in the Barents Sea. Swedish Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors warned that such a deployment would heighten security tensions in the High North at a time when relations between Russia and its Nordic neighbors were improving.
"Mistral will add to the development of Russian military capability and we will need to take note of this as well. A stronger Swedish Air Force with sea-targeting capabilities, together with the modernization of our submarine fleet, are some of the decisions that I see as relevant when the effect of the Mistral is discussed," Tolgfors told the Society and Defense National Conference in Stockholm on Jan. 21.

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The Norwegian government has yet to respond officially to the Mistral purchase.
Norway has been steadily improving contacts with Russia and has launched a range of common cooperation projects since 2008. These include joint naval exercises, air and sea rescue operations, and new cooperation covering border controls.
Military reports in Sweden suggest that Russia will locate at least one Mistral-class helicopter carrier in Severomorsk, the main base for Russia's Northern fleet on the Kola Peninsula and which borders the Barents Sea.
"The Swedish government needs to ask, and our military need to know, just what implications Russia's purchasing of Mistral-class vessels will mean for this country's defense, as well as security in the Baltic Sea," said Mikael Oscarsson, a member of the Parliamentary Defense Committee of the Riksdag, Sweden's parliament.
Tolgfors said that a higher proportion of Russia's annual budget is being directed at modernizing its military into a smaller, but more mobile and better trained force with greater firepower.
"Russian military power is a fraction of its Soviet predecessor. In the late 1980s, the Soviet Union had 78 Army divisions and two brigades in our region. Now it has a bomber division and seven brigades. It had 20,000 tanks in our neighborhood. Now they have 300. Russia had 120 primary surface vessels. Now it is 15. It had over 160 submarines. Now it has 24," said Tolgfors.
Sweden, and its Nordic and Baltic neighbors, have very good reason to question Russia's acquisition of Mistral attack ships, said Tolgfors.
"Today, Russia has only the ability to conduct a limited attack on an unskilled opponent over the land border in its immediate neighborhood. Sweden's defense research agency, FOI, believes that Russia, by 2015, will have the ability to conduct sporadic military operations against smaller neighbors, and sporadic minor military operations far beyond its own territory using its naval and air force assets," said Tolgfors.

U.S. May Allow India to Join JSF Effort

The United States is open to Indian participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, and eventual purchase of its fifth generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, Pentagon acquisitions Chief Ashton Carter said Jan. 26.

Pentagon acquisitions Chief Ashton Carter said there is "no principle" that would prohibit India from participating in the JSF program. (Senior Aiman Julianne Showalter / U.S. Air Force)

"There is nothing on our side, no principle which bars that on our side, Indian participation in the Joint Strike Fighter. Right now, they're focused on these aircraft which are top-of-the-line fourth-gen fighters," Carter said.

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However, the decision to pursue the F-35 is India's alone.
In a follow-up email, Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said, "If, at some point down the road, India were interested in purchasing JSF from us, then we would engage the Indians in an open, transparent manner at that time. But this would obviously be something that the Indian government would have to decide it wanted or needed."
Carter was speaking at the release of a report by the Carnegie Endowment's Ashley Tellis on India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program. The Indian contract calls for the purchase of 126 fighters and is valued at more than $10 billion, Carter said. Competitors include the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Saab JAS-39 Gripen and the Mikoyan MiG-35.
Carter touted the American-built F-16 and F/A-18 as being the most technologically advanced aircraft in the competition.
"I think that, without saying anything disparaging about the other entrants, both F/A-18 and the F-16 offers include the best technology," he said.
Tellis echoed Carter's comments, saying the two U.S. competitors offered the best capability for the lowest price. Of particular interest to India are the American fighters' Active Electronically Scanned Array radars (AESA), he said. The European and Russian aircraft do not currently have operational AESA radars available. The U.S. military, meanwhile, is currently operating its second generation of AESA radars.
The most important factors in any Indian decision will likely be technology transfer and industrial participation, Carter said. Carter also stressed the importance of lifecycle costs because 70 percent of a weapon's total cost resides in not in the initial purchase price, but rather in sustainment. According to Tellis, both the F-16 and F/A-18 offer the lowest lifecycle costs out of the aircraft on offer.
Carter also stressed the importance of transparency.
"I'm committed to in our process, both with respect to India and in our own internal processes, an open and transparent process, and I think we can promise the Indian government that," he said.

Aero India 2011: India to showcase attack copter

Bangalore: India’s first indigenous attack helicopter, the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) developed by HAL and due for induction into the Indian Air Force by 2012-13 , will make its first flight during Aero India from February 9 to 13. Its first test flight was in March last year. 

The second and third flights were in April and May 2010 and as of now, over 20 test flights have checked various parameters. These have paved the way for testing with weapons. 

While the first prototype could fly at the air show, the second prototype, which will be weaponized, is expected to be unveiled too. Two more prototypes are under construction. HAL commenced work on the LCH in 2006.

The copter is an attack variant of the HAL Dhruv, which has been inducted into the armed forces. The copter was designed using a successful and proven helicopter as the base platform. HAL has tentative orders to deliver 65 LCHs to the IAF and over 100 to the Army. 

China Is Developing Electro-Magnetic Railgun

The only Giant in EAST ASIA

HTMS Chakri Naruebet (Thai จักรีนฤเบศร, meaning "In honour of the Chakri Dynasty"^[1]) is the flagship of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), and Thailand's first and only aircraft carrier. Based on the Spanish Navy's Principe de Asturias-class design and constructed by Spanish shipbuilder Bazán, Chakri Naruebet was ordered in 1992, launched in 1996, and commissioned into the RTN in 1997.
The carrier is equipped with an air group of V/STOL aircraft and helicopters, and was intended for patrols and force projection in Thai waters, disaster relief, and amphibious warfare support. However, a lack of funding brought on by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis means that the carrier has spent much of her career docked at the Sattahip naval base. The carrier has been deployed on several disaster relief operations, although her other departures from port consist primarily of a single training day per month, and transportation of the Royal Family of Thailand, leading to claims that the ship is merely an oversized royal yacht.

Design

When Typhoon Gay hit Thailand in 1989, the Royal Thai Navy, as the main unit responsible for search and rescue missions, found that its ships and aircraft were unable to withstand the rough weather at sea.^[3] Moreover, the Royal Thai Navy needed a new, high-technology ship to modernize its fleet.^[3]
The original plan was to acquire a 7,800 ton vessel from Bremer Vulcan, but the Thai government cancelled the contract on 22 July 1991.^[2] A new contract for a larger warship to be constructed at Bazán's shipyard in Ferrol, Spain, and was signed by the Thai and Spanish governments on 27 March 1992.^[2] The proposed vessel was based on the design of the Spanish Navy aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias, which in turn was based on the United States Navy's Sea Control Ship concept.^[4][5]

Chakri Naruebet (top) underway with the United States Navy supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk, showing the size difference between the two ships.

Chakri Naruebet is the smallest aircraft carrier in operation in the world. She displaces 11,486 tons at full load.^[1] The carrier is 164.1 metres (538 ft) long between perpendiculars, and 182.65 metres (599.2 ft) overall.^[1] She is 22.5 metres (74 ft) wide at the waterline, with a maximum beam of 30.5 metres (100 ft), and a draught of 6.12 metres (20.1 ft).^[1] The warship has a ship's company of 62 officers, 393 sailors, and 146 aircrew.^[1] Up to 675 personnel can be transported; commonly soldiers of the Royal Thai Marine Corps.^[1][6]
Chakri Naruebet is propelled by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) system.^[1] Each of the two, five-bladed propellers is connected to a Bazán-MTU 16V1163 TB83 diesel engine (providing 5,600 brake horsepower (4,200 kW), used for cruising speed), and a General Electric LM2500 gas turbine (providing 22,125 shaft horsepower (16,499 kW), used to reach top speed for short periods).^[1] Chakri Naruebet has a maximum speed of 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph), although she can only reach 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph) with the diesels alone.^[1] She has a maximum range of 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) with a constant speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), and 7,150 nautical miles (13,240 km; 8,230 mi) at 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).^[1]

Armament and aircraft

Chakri Naruebet is fitted with two 0.5-inch machine guns, and three Matra Sadral sextuple surface-to-air missile launchers firing Mistral missiles.^[2][6] The missile launchers were installed in 2001.^[2] The vessel is also fitted for but not with an 8-cell Mark 41 Vertical launch system for Sea Sparrow missiles, and four Phalanx close-in weapon systems.^[5]
The carrier's standard air group consists of six to eight AV-8S Matador V/STOL aircraft (an export version of the Harrier acquired secondhand from the Spanish Navy) and four to six S-70B Seahawk helicopters.^[1][4][6] By 1999, only one Matador was operable.^[7] Chakri Naruebet is also capable of carrying up to fourteen additional helicopters; a mix of Sikorsky Sea King, Sikorsky S-76, and CH-47 Chinook.^[1] There is only enough hangar space for ten aircraft.^[2][6]
The flight deck measures 174.6 by 27.5 metres (573 by 90 ft).^[2] A 12° ski-jump is fitted to assist the Matadors in taking off.^[2] There are two aircraft lifts, each capable of lifting 20 tons.^[2]

Sensors and countermeasures

The sensor suite of Chakri Narebet consists of a Hughes SPS-52C air search radar on the E/F band, and two 2 x Kelvin-Hughes 1007 navigational radars.^[2] There are provisions to install an SPS-64 surface search radar and a hull-mounted sonar, but neither has been fitted as of 2008.^[2][6] Fire control facilities are also yet to be fitted.^[2]
The carrier is equipped with four SBROC decoy launchers, and an SLQ-32 towed decoy^[6]

Construction

Work on the Thai carrier commenced in October 1993, although it was not until 12 July 1994 that the hull was laid down.^[2][5] Chakri Naruebet was launched on 20 January 1996^[5] by Queen Sirikit.
Sea trials were conducted from October 1996 to January 1997, the latter part of which was in coordination with the Spanish Navy.^[2][5] This was followed by aviation trials at Rota, Spain.^[2] The carrier was handed over on 27 March 1997, when she was commissioned into the RTN.^[1][2] She arrived in Thai waters at the start of August 1997, and formally entered service on 10 August.^[5]
Chakri Naruebet cost US$336 million to build.^[7]

Role and operational history

Chakri Naruebet is the first aircraft carrier to be operated by a South East Asian nation.^[5] She is assigned to the Third Naval Area Command, and her intended duties include operational support of the RTN's amphibious warfare forces, patrols and force projection around Thailand's coastline and economic exclusion zone, disaster relief and humanitarian missions, and search-and-rescue operations.^{[1][2][4][5][7]} However, at the time the carrier entered service, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis prevented the necessary funding to operate the ship from being available.^[5][7] The limited defensive armament compounded the problem; consequently, Chakri Naruebet is usually only operational for a single day per month for training, with the rest of the time spent alongside as a "part-time tourist attraction".^[1][5][7] The ship rarely leaves the proximity of the Sattahip naval base, and when she does, it is usually to transport and host the Royal Family of Thailand.^[1][5] Naval commentators consider Chakri Naruebet to be less an aircraft carrier and more the world's most expensive royal yacht, while the Thai media have nicknamed the ship "Thai-tanic", and consider her to be a white elephant.^[5][7]

Stern view of Chakri Naruebet

Between 4 and 7 November 1997, Chakri Naruebet participated in disaster relief operations following the passage of Tropical Storm Linda across the Gulf of Thailand and the Kra Isthmus.^[8] The carrier's main task was to search for and assist any fishing vessels affected by the storm.^[8]
Flooding in the Songkhla Province resulted in the carrier's mobilisation in late November 2000.^[8] Chakri Naruebet was anchored at an island marina off Songkhla, and used as a base for helicopters and small boats transporting food, supplies, and wounded.^[8]
In January 2003, anti-Thai riots were sparked in Phnom Penh by incorrect news reports of a claim by a Thai actress that the Angkor Wat temple complex belonged to Thailand, not Cambodia. Chakri Naruebet was sent to help with any evacuation of Thai citizens from Cambodia.^{[clarification needed][8]}
Following an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean, tsunamis struck multiple regions around the Indian Ocean, including the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. The personnel of Chakri Naruebet were part of a 760-strong response by the Thai military to the disaster.^[8] This task force was involved in search-and-rescue around Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands, treatment of wounded and handling of dead, and repair work to schools and government facilities.^[8]
During the August 2005 filming of Rescue Dawn, a dramatised biographical film of US Navy pilot Dieter Dengler and his capture during the Vietnam War, the flight deck of Chakri Naruebet was used to represent the carrier USS Ranger.^{[citation needed]}
In 2010, it was involved in flood relief.^[9]

Elbit Selling Hermes Drones to Brazilian Air Force

ERUSALEM - Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems said Jan. 19 that it will supply the Brazilian Air Force with unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Hermes 450 drones will be supplied by Elbit's Brazilian subsidiary, Aeroeletronica Ltd.

The deal is part of efforts by the Brazilian Air Force "to establish independent Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities," the company said.
Elbit did not say how many aircraft are involved or value the deal, saying only that "the contract is not in an amount that is material to Elbit Systems."
Ackerman said the Hermes, a medium size drone, was in operation with 20 countries.
Israel is the world's largest exporter of drones, selling more than 1,000 to more than 40 countries in recent years.

Deadline Emerges For India's $10B Warplane Deal

NEW DELHI - India could award the $10 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contract by the end of the year, according to the country's defense minister.
M.M. Pallam Raju, the minister of state for defense, said on the sidelines of a Jan. 19 conference here that the warplane contest could be decided by December. The conference was hosted by an industrial lobby group, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

"I am hopeful of awarding it by the end of this year," Raju said.
The MMRCA program, for the purchase of 126 planes, is running behind schedule, The Indian Defence Ministry has made no formal announcement on the short-listing of aircraft after flight trials last year.
Raju said the ministry still has to carry out a comparative analysis of different vendors in terms of offset and transfer of technology offers before the financial bids are opened.
Earlier this month, a secret file pertaining to the MMRCA's offset program was lost and later recovered by Delhi police. An internal inquiry by the Defence Ministry has so far not named any individual behind the lapse, sources said.
Six aircraft vying for the MMRCA contract went through field evaluations, a series of flight trials and ground tests, in mid-2010. They include two U.S. fighter jets, Boeing's F/A-18 and Lockheed Martin's F-16, as well as the Rafale, built by France's Dassault; the MiG-35, built by RAC MiG of Russia; the Eurofighter Typhoon; and the Gripen, built by Saab of Sweden.

Bolivia Set To Receive 6 Karakorum Combat Jets From China

LA PAZ, Bolivia - Bolivia is set to receive six Chinese-made combat aircraft to be used to fight drug trafficking, the head of the Bolivian Air Force said Jan. 18.
Air Force Commander Gen. Tito Gandarilla told local journalists that the K-8 Karakorum jets are scheduled to be delivered in April, at a cost of $58 million.

The aircraft, bought through a loan from China, will be the first of their kind for Bolivia, which currently has only training and freight aircraft.
Gandarilla explained that the jets "have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years" and have the ability to intercept illegal crafts that "in Bolivian airspace without authorization."
The aircraft will be used mainly around Cochabamba in central Bolivia, where there is heavy production of coca plants used to make cocaine.
The Bolivian government also plans to buy 10 Russian-built cargo helicopters for use by the police.
In 2008, President Evo Morales ordered the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to leave after accusing it of having had a hand in political unrest and drug-trafficking in Bolivia.
The U.S. State Department has identified Bolivia as a major drug-transit or drug-producing country.

Top Iran nuke envoy blames US for cyberattack

WASHINGTON: Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili blamed the United States for a cyberattack on what he insisted is a nuclear energy -- not weapons -- program, in an interview broadcast Monday.

Days ahead of a high-profile talks over the Islamic republic's nuclear program later this week, Saeed Jalili told media an Iranian investigation found the United States was involved in a cyberattack that apparently shut down a fifth of Iran's nuclear centrifuges in November.

"I have witnessed some documents that show... their satisfaction in that" the United States participated in the cyberattack -- using the Stuxnet computer worm -- that also helped delay Iran's ability to make its first nuclear weapons.

But he said the effort did not wreak as much damage as some media have reported. "Those who have done that could see now that they were not successful in that and we are following our success," Jalili said, warning the United States was "also weak and vulnerable" to cyberattacks.

His comments came after a US daily reported over the weekend that US and Israeli intelligence services collaborated to develop the destructive computer worm in a bid to sabotage Iran's efforts to make a nuclear bomb.

Tehran has also blamed its enemies for the killing of three top nuclear scientists last year, and on Monday, it vowed to sue its archfoe Israel for the murder of one of them -- Masoud Ali Mohammadi.

Iran accuses the intelligence services of Israel, the United States and Britain of being behind bomb attacks against the other two nuclear scientists on November 26.

"We believe that there is a meaningful relation between the UN Security Council resolution (sanctioning Iran over its nuclear program) and these kind of activities," Jalili said of the attacks.

"It is a big question for the international community, and a big kind of question in that the name of the scientists of a country mentioned in the United Nations council resolution and then following that the terrorists assassinated them."

WELLINGTON: The New Zealand parliament in central Wellington was evacuated and surrounding streets cordoned off Thursday after a suspicious package was found near the building, police said. Police said a suitcase was found in bushes near the distinctive building, known as the Beehive, early Thursday afternoon. "Specialist police are currently travelling to the scene to examine the package," police said.

Two Nato service members killed in Afghan attacks

ABUL: Nato on Thursday said two of its service members died in insurgent attacks in Afghanistan.It said one service member was killed Thursday in the north, while another was killed Wednesday in the south. It did not identify their nationalities or gave further details.
More than 20 Nato troops have been killed in Afghanistan so far this month — a bloody start to a year that Nato officials have said they expect to be particularly violent as they push further into insurgent strongholds to undermine the strength of the Taliban enough to allow troops to start drawing down.

Insurgents kill four in attack on Thai military

NARATHIWAT, Thailand: Dozens of armed militants killed at least four Thai soldiers and injured several more in a raid on a military camp in Thailand’s troubled Muslim-majority south, an army spokesman said Thursday.
In an unusually brazen attack in the insurgency-plagued region, about 50 militants attacked the unit in Narathiwat province on Wednesday evening, sparking a gun battle, Colonel Banphot Poonpien said.
“Four soldiers died in the attack and seven were injured. Of these, four are in a critical condition,” he told AFP.
The militants took more than 50 rifles and about 5,000 bullets during the raid, setting off bombs and burning two houses and a tent within the base before retreating, a statement from the southern Thai army headquarters said.
The troops killed were said to be aged between 22 and 33.
Shadowy insurgents have waged a violent campaign in the southern region bordering Malaysia since early 2004, leaving more than 4,400 people dead, both Muslims and Buddhists.
On Tuesday, Thailand extended emergency rule in most of the Muslim-majority southern region for another three months, despite rights groups’ concerns about the powers given to the military.
Suthep Thaugsuban, the deputy prime minister who oversees national security, said the militants staged the latest raid to terrify local residents.
“They want to show their capability,” he told reporters, a day after he made a visit to the troubled part of the country.
A security force of more than 60,000 is stationed in the region, battling militants whose precise aims are unclear.
Critics accuse the government of failing to address the grievances of Thailand’s Malay Muslim minority, including alleged abuses by the military and a perceived lack of respect for their ethnic identity, language and religion.

UN council considers Israeli settlement issue

UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian diplomats found international support Wednesday for their complaint that Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory are illegal, but the US strongly opposed bringing the matter up in the UN Security Council.
During a council session that lasted most of the day, representatives of dozens of countries supported Palestinian complaints about continued construction of settlements while peace efforts falter.
Although a draft council resolution circulated on the matter never came to a vote Wednesday – and would surely have failed because of US objections – the Palestinians drew renewed attention to their grievances in a campaign to isolate and pressure the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In another move for international recognition, Palestinians raised their flag over the PLO diplomatic mission in Washington for the first time on Tuesday.
Early in Wednesday’s UN session, the US, among five permanent members on the 15-country council with veto power, signaled it would not back the resolution sponsored by Lebanon. An additional 122 countries signed on as co-sponsors.
It was presented as the council engaged in open debate on the Middle East, including Palestinian issues.
It is unclear when a vote on the matter may be scheduled, but Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian observer to the UN, suggested it may not be considered for some time.
“If it was up to us, we would love to see the Security Council acting on it immediately,” Mansour said during a session break, acknowledging that US opposition would make it difficult.
Key Middle East peace issues “can be resolved only through negotiations between the parties – and not by recourse to the Security Council,” said Rosemary A. DiCarlo, deputy US representative to the UN. “We therefore consistently oppose attempts to take these issues to this council.”
But DiCarlo said the US remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if agreed to by both parties.
The proposed resolution reiterates demands that Israel halt all settlement building in Palestinian territory. It says that settlements built in occupied territory since 1967, including disputed East Jerusalem, “are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”
The resolution also calls on Israel and the Palestinians to continue negotiations to wrap up final issues by September 2011 as called for by the so-called Quartet of Mideast peacemakers – the US, the UN, the European Union and Russia. It said international and regional diplomatic efforts should be intensified to support and invigorate the peace process.
Israel did not participate in the Security Council debate Wednesday because of a labor dispute involving Israeli foreign service employees, the country’s mission to the UN said.
But in Jerusalem, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev suggested the proposed resolution was counterproductive and pointed out that the Palestinians in the past committed to direct talks.
“The Palestinians have made a series of commitments that all the issues of dispute between us and them should be resolved in direct negotiations,” said Regev. “By refusing to negotiate, they are breaking their most fundamental commitments to what the process is about.”
US-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, launched in September, quickly broke down over Israel’s refusal to extend a 10-month moratorium on housing starts in West Bank settlements and to include east Jerusalem, both claimed by the Palestinians, along with the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians have said they will not resume talks unless settlement construction is halted.
Briefing the council, B. Lynn Pascoe, the UN undersecretary-general for political affairs, said that U.N. officials are worried about a lack of progress on a negotiated peace settlement and noted that the Quartet peacemakers will meet in Munich on Feb. 5.
“Peace and Palestinian statehood cannot be delayed,” he said.
Pascoe repeated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s calls for Israel to freeze all settlement activity.
“Further settlement expansion in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continues to undermine trust and prejudices final status discussions,” Pascoe warned.
He said there had been a sharp increase in settlement construction since a building moratorium ended on Sept. 26, with construction started on as many as 2,000 units in the West Bank since then.
Pascoe also said UN officials remain “extremely concerned” about increased tensions in Gaza, and condemned the “indiscriminate” firing of rockets and mortar shells by Palestinian militants into civilian areas in Israel.

Viewpoint: China's hubris colours US relations

One Chinese scholar dated the year 2000 as the peak of American power

When Barack Obama became US president, one of his top foreign policy priorities was to improve relations with China. Yet on the eve of President Hu Jintao's state visit to Washington, US-China relations are worse, rather than better.

Administration officials feel their efforts to reach out to China have been rebuffed.
Ironically, in 2007, President Hu Jintao had told the 17th Congress of the Communist Party that China needed to invest more in its soft, or attractive, power.
From the point of view of a country that was making enormous strides in economic and military power, this was a smart strategy.
By accompanying the rise of its hard economic and military power with efforts to make itself more attractive, China aimed to reduce the fear and tendencies to balance Chinese power that might otherwise grow among its neighbours.
But China's performance has been just the opposite, and China has had a bad year and a half in foreign policy.
Rising nationalism For years, China had followed the advice of Deng Xiaoping to keep a low profile.
However, with its successful economic recovery from the recession, China passed Japan as the world's second largest economy, and America's slow recovery led many Chinese to mistakenly conclude that the United States was in decline.

US-China relations have been a focus of Mr Obama's presidency

Given such beliefs, and with rising nationalism in China as it prepares for the transition of power to the fifth generation of leaders in 2012, many in China pressed for a more assertive foreign policy.
In 2009, China was justly proud of its success in managing to emerge from the world recession with a high 10% rate of economic growth.
But many Chinese believed that this represented a shift in the world balance of power, and that China should be less deferential to other countries, including the US.
Chinese scholars began writing about the decline of the US. One dated the year 2000 as the peak of American power.
"People are now looking down on the West, from leadership circles, to academia, to everyday folks," said Professor Kang Xiaoguang of Renmin University.

“Start Quote

China's new attitudes alienated the Obama administration”

End Quote

This Chinese view is seriously mistaken and China is unlikely to equal American economic, military or soft power for decades to come.

Nonetheless, this over-confidence in power assessment (combined with insecurity in domestic affairs) led to more assertive Chinese foreign policy behaviour in the last two years.
China miscalculated by deviating from the smart strategy of a rising power and violating the wisdom of Deng Xiaoping who advised that China should proceed cautiously and "skilfully keep a low profile".
But perceptions matter, even when they are wrong. China's new attitudes alienated the Obama administration.
China stage-managed President Obama's trip to Beijing in November 2009 in a heavy-handed way; it over-reacted to Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama, and the administration's long-expected and relatively modest arms sales to Taiwan.
When asked why they reacted so strongly to things they had accepted in the past, some Chinese responded, "because we were weaker then".
Obama administration officials began to believe that efforts at co-operation or conciliation would be interpreted by the Chinese as proof that the US was in decline.
Alienation and irritation China's new assertiveness affected its relations with other countries as well.

China's leaders may draw back from what many in the region see as an overly assertive posture

Its policies in the South China Sea created fear among the Asean nations; and its over-reaction to Japan's actions after a ship collision near the Senkaku Islands put an end to the Democratic Party of Japan's hopes for a closer relationship with China. Instead, the Kan administration reaffirmed the American alliance.
Beijing alienated South Korea by failing to criticise North Korea's shelling of a South Korean island; irritated India over border and passport issues; and embarrassed itself in Europe and elsewhere by over-reacting to the Nobel Peace Prize granted to the jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo.
How will these issues play out in the coming year?
It is likely that China's leaders will draw back somewhat from the overly assertive posture that has proven so costly.
President Hu Jintao's stated desire to co-operate on terrorism, non-proliferation and clean energy will help to lead to a reduction of tensions, but powerful domestic interest groups in the export industries and in the People's Liberation Army will limit economic or naval co-operation.
And most important, given the nationalism that one sees on the blogosphere in China, it will be difficult for Chinese top leaders to change their policies too dramatically.
Mr Hu's state visit will help improve matters, but the relationship will remain difficult as long as the Chinese suffer from hubris based on a mistaken belief in American decline.
Joseph Nye is a professor at Harvard and author of The Future of Power. He was formerly US Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs and chairman of the National Intelligence Council.

Harpoons: India to pay US almost three times more than Pak

The defence ministry is set to procure 21 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles and its five training varieties of ATM 84L Harpoon Block II from the US government for a total of $ 200 million (approximately Rs 909 crore).

But this price is about 200 per cent more than what Pakistan paid four years ago for the same missiles, the Harpoon Block II. While the average unit cost of the missiles for India is a little less than $ 8 million (approximately Rs 36 crore), Islamabad paid only about $ 3 million (approximately Rs 13 crore) per unit. Pakistan's consignment of 130 units had cost $ 370 million (approximately Rs 1,682 crore).

While the defence ministry refused to comment on the deal in response to a written questionnaire, the US government's Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified the US Congress about the impending deal under the foreign military sales (FMS) programme.

The corporate beneficiary of the contract will be Boeing Inc, which was the original manufacturers of the missile.

The quoted price of $ 200 million for the missiles is not negotiable as, under the FMS, after notification and a clearance from the US Congress, Washington will be sending a ' letter of offer and agreement', which can only be accepted.

The navy spokesperson, Commander PVS Satish, who confirmed the details of the deal said: " I had handled a similar FMS contract some time ago. As far as I know, the offer price is the final price." The defence ministry can argue that the Indian contract has associated equipment, parts and logistical support. But the deal with Pakistan also had similar components.

The S-300P Surface To Air Missile

Pirates seized record 1,181 hostages in 2010 - report

Somali pirates are now operating further offshore, the IMB says

Pirates took a record 1,181 hostages in 2010, despite increased patrolling of the seas, a maritime watchdog has said.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said 53 ships were hijacked worldwide - 49 of them off Somalia's coast - and eight sailors were killed.
The IMB described as "alarming" the continued increase in hostage-taking incidents - the highest number since the centre began monitoring in 1991.
Overall, there were 445 pirate attacks last year - a 10% rise from 2009.
Last week, a separate study found maritime piracy costs the global economy between $7bn (£4.4bn) and $12bn (£7.6bn) a year.
Measures 'undermined' "These figures for the number of hostages and vessels taken are the highest we have ever seen," said Pottengal Mukundan, the head of the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre.
In the seas off Somalia, the IMB said, heavily-armed pirates were often overpowering fishing or merchant vessels and then using them as bases for further attacks.
The Somali attacks accounted for 1,016 hostages seized last year. Somali pirates are currently holding 31 ships with more than 700 crew on board.
Although naval patrols - launched in 2009 in the Gulf of Aden - have foiled a number of attacks, Somali pirates are now operating farther offshore.
"All measures taken at sea to limit the activities of the pirates are undermined because of a lack of responsible authority back in Somalia," the IMB said.
Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991.
However, the IMB noted that in the Gulf of Aden itself incidents more than halved to 53 due to the presence of foreign navies.
Elsewhere, violent attacks increased in the South China Sea and waters off Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nigeria.
Last week, a report by US think-tank One Earth Future said that piracy cost the international community up to $12bn each year.
The study calculated the amount from the costs of ransom, security equipment and the impact on trade.
It said the majority of costs came from piracy off Somalia.

Tunisia's Mohammed Ghannouchi defends new government

Tunisia's PM Mohammed Ghannouchi has defended the inclusion of members of the old regime in his new government.

The retained ministers have "clean hands", he insisted - while vowing those behind recent street "massacres" would face "justice".
President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced into exile on Friday after a month of protests in which the government now admits 78 people died.
There were reports that fresh protests on Tuesday were broken up by police.
Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters in Tunis - though reports suggested that in other parts of the city many Tunisians were getting back to their daily business.
The BBC's Wyre Davies says the new government is now tasked with speedily implementing the constitutional reforms and preparation for free and fair elections which Tunisians have been promised.
He says another urgent challenge is to begin to return economic stability to the country - the crisis is estimated to have cost it some $2bn (£1.3bn).
Mr Ghannouchi's pledges to allow political and media freedoms do appear to have placated some protesters, but others have dismissed the new government.
"It does not really reflect what people have aspired to," the president of the Human Rights League in Tunisia, Masoud Ramadani, told the BBC.
"The demonstrations all around the country were about corruption, freedom and also were against the party of the president, which was considered as corrupt. But then we see now the ongoing presence of this political party, the presence of these people who represent the old regime."
'Era of freedom'

TUNISIAN CABINET

• Mohammed Ghannouchi stays on as prime minister. A Ben Ali ally, he has been in the job since 1999, keeping post throughout unrest
• Interior Minister Ahmed Friaa, appointed by Mr Ben Ali to mollify demonstrators, retains post
• Foreign Minister Kamal Morjane retains post
• Najib Chebbi, founder of opposition Progressive Democratic Party, named as development minister
• Ahmed Ibrahim, leader of opposition Ettajdid party, named minister of higher education
• Mustafa ben Jaafar, leader of opposition Union of Freedom and Labour, named health minister
• Slim Amamou, prominent blogger who was arrested during protests, is secretary of state for youth and sport

In the interview with French radio Europe 1 on Tuesday, Mr Ghannouchi described Tunisia as going through a "historic change".

He repeated pledges made on Monday of a new "era of freedom", which would see political parties free to operate and a free press.
He said free and fair elections would be held within six months, controlled by an independent election commission and monitored by international observers.
Mr Ghannouchi - himself an ally of the former president - described himself as a "transition" leader and said he did not claim to be "legitimate".
Despite vowing that those behind the deaths of protesters should face justice, when asked whether he thought Mr Ben Ali himself should face trial, he replied: "I cannot say that."
Mr Ghannouchi defended ministers who retained their jobs in his new unity government, saying that they were "needed" and had always acted "to preserve the international interest".
The foreign, interior and defence ministers all kept their jobs when Mr Ghannouchi unveiled the new administration on Monday - though three prominent opposition figures were named to key posts.

Fall from power

• 17 Dec: A graduate sets himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid over lack of jobs, sparking protests
• 24 Dec: Protester shot dead in central Tunisia
• 28 Dec: Protests spread to Tunis
• 8-10 Jan: Dozens of deaths reported in crackdown on protests
• 12 Jan: Interior minister sacked
• 13 Jan: President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali promises to step down in 2014
• 14 Jan: Mr Ben Ali dissolves government and parliament, then steps down
• 17 Jan: New unity cabinet announced

• 
  

Ahmed Ibrahim, leader of the opposition Ettajdid party, becomes minister of higher education, while Mustafa Ben Jaafar, of the Union of Freedom and Labour, is to serve as health minister.

Najib Chebbie, founder of the Progressive Democratic Party, was named as Tunisia's new development minister.
But Mr Ghannouchi told Europe 1 that the head of Tunisia's banned Islamist party Ennahdha, Rached Ghannouchi, would only be allowed to return to Tunisia if a life sentence imposed on him in 1991 was cancelled by an amnesty.
Responding to a question about claims that it was really Mr Ben Ali's wife, Leila Trabelsi, who held the reins of power towards the end of his rule, Mr Ghannouchi replied: "We have that impression".
Unrest in Tunisia grew over several weeks, with widespread protests over high unemployment and high food prices pitching demonstrators against Tunisia's police and military.
The British and other western governments earlier indicated they expected more reforms and political freedoms to be announced, our correspondent says.
But there has been little official reaction from other authoritarian governments in North Africa and the wider Arab world, he adds.