DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Long-Range Agni V Missile Successful Test

Asian Defense News: DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Long-Range Agni V Missile Successful Test

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources IBN

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 19, 2012: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the successful test-fire of the Agni-V missile on Thursday.

"I congratulate all the scientific and technical personnel of the DRDO and other organisations who have worked tirelessly in our endeavour to strengthen the defence and security of our country. Today's successful Agni-V test launch represents another milestone in our quest to add to the credibility of our security and preparedness and to continuously explore the frontiers of science. The nation stands together in honouring the scientific community who have done the country proud," the Prime Minister said in a statement.

A tweet from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also said that Manmohan Singh called DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat to personally congratulate him and his team for the successful test launch of Agni-V.

India conducted the maiden test of indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-V Ballistic Missile from the test range off Odisha coast on Thursday. With over 5,000 km range, Agni V was test-fired at around 0807 hrs from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.

The three stage, solid propellant missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the ITR, defence sources said.

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DTN News - VENEZUELA NEWS: Venezuelan Government Manipulates Rulings Says Ex-Judge

Asian Defense News: DTN News - VENEZUELA NEWS:  Venezuelan Government Manipulates Rulings Says Ex-Judge
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
*The justice system is "very corrupt at every single level," Eladio Aponte Aponte says
*The former Venezuelan Supreme Court justice says he fears for his life
*Costa Rican official: The DEA flew Aponte Aponte to the United States this week
*Venezuelan officials accuse him of connections with an alleged drug trafficker 
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Catherine Shoichet, CNN
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 19, 2012: Venezuela's judges make decisions based on instructions from the country's government rather than the rule of law, a former top justice who fled the South American nation said.

Eladio Aponte Aponte, who was a Supreme Court justice until the Venezuelan government accused him of connections with an alleged drug trafficker last month, was flown to the United States by the Drug Enforcement Agency this week, a Costa Rican official said.

The former judge told Miami-based SOiTV that he fears for his life in his home country. And he described what he said is a corrupt justice system where officials are forced to convict political prisoners.

"I think it's very corrupt at every single level. There's a lot of manipulation. ... There's no ruling that isn't consulted. Lately, all the criminal courts have to make consultations before handing down a ruling," Aponte Aponte said.

In an interview that SOiTV said was taped outside Venezuela, the former judge said "there is no separation of powers" in the South American country.

CNN has not independently confirmed the former justice's accusations, and the Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment.

Venezuelan officials removed Aponte Aponte from his post last month, accusing him of providing a government credential to a man authorities allege was one of the world's top drug lords.

Aponte Aponte, who has not confirmed or denied that accusation, left Venezuela the day he was supposed to face questioning in the Venezuelan National Assembly.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration flew him to the United States from Costa Rica early Monday morning, according to Mauricio Boraschi, vice minister of the Costa Rican presidency and head of the country's intelligence agency.

Boraschi said U.S. Embassy officials contacted the Costa Rican government after the former judge -- who had been in Costa Rica for about two weeks -- reached out to officials in Washington.

The U.S. State Department told CNN it could not comment on what it called "this law enforcement matter."

"It may have been a way of protecting himself physically and at the same time, he has something to contribute in exchange for them allowing him to become a witness protected by the United States," said Antonio Rodriguez Yturbe, a university professor in Caracas and former Venezuelan ambassador.

Aponte Aponte told SOiTV he left Venezuela disillusioned, but has since changed his perspective.

"When I finished packing all my stuff in my office, all my books, I told myself I'd never touch another law book. Justice is nothing, justice is a ball of putty. I say putty because it can be molded, for or against. I didn't want to have anything to do with the law anymore. I said I'd rather have a hotdog stand," he said. "But then, after all my reflection, and I had time to think it over, and after I saw that, that my friends have offered to help me, I now think you need to fight for justice. And that blindfolded lady has to be shown the way."

During the interview, which was posted on the SOiTV website and aired Wednesday by CNN affiliate Globovision, Aponte Aponte did not detail any conversations with U.S. authorities.

Several of his remarks contradicted previous statements by top Venezuelan officials -- including President Hugo Chavez.

When asked whether there were political prisoners in Venezuela -- something Chavez has previously denied -- Aponte Aponte said yes.

"There are people they ordered not to be released. ... In a nutshell, we had to accept the fact that they were not to be released, so the justice system turned its back on them," he said.

Asked whether he felt that the Venezuelan government had turned against him, Aponte Aponte said, "I think they did that a long time ago. I just didn't realize it."
Venezuelan officials sharply criticized Aponte Aponte last month.

A government ethics commission said the judge had committed "serious misconduct" and a "breach of public ethics" when he allegedly provided a credential to suspected drug trafficker Walid Makled.

The state-run AVN news agency said the judge had "attacked public ethics and administrative morals."

"It is important to recognize that, thanks to the functioning institutions, this became known," said Hugbel Roa, a lawmaker from Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela, according to AVN.

Makled is currently on trial in Venezuela, where he is accused of drug trafficking and killing a journalist who was investigating his family. He was extradited to Venezuela from Colombia last year.

The United States designated Makled as one of the world's most significant drug kingpins in May 2009 and had also requested his extradition.

Makled, who denies U.S. accusations of drug trafficking, said in an October interview with Venezuela's El Nacional newspaper that he paid millions of dollars to government officials and top military brass so his family's shipping business could operate at some of the nation's largest ports.

"If I am a narcotrafficker, the whole Chavez government is a narcotrafficker," he told the newspaper.

Chavez has strongly denied those accusations and stood up for his government officials.

"I am not going to pay for a crime I never committed," Aponte Aponte told SOiTV, but he said he wants to make up for the harm his rulings have caused.

Saying he felt afraid for his life and betrayed by his colleagues, the former judge said he would go back to Venezuela to face the accusations against him only if officials respect his rights.

"Knowing the system from the inside, and how it works, and how it's handled, I don't think I'd have any rights at all. Not in my case at least," he said.

CNN's Fernando del Rincon, Ana Maria Luengo-Romero and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Catherine Shoichet, CNN
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DTN News - CHINA DEFENSE NEWS: Russia-China Su-35 Fighter Talks Frozen

Asian Defense News: DTN News - CHINA DEFENSE NEWS:  Russia-China Su-35 Fighter Talks Frozen
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources RIA Novosti
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 18, 2012: Negotiations on the sale of Russian advanced Su-35 Flanker-E fighters to China have been put on hold over Beijing’s refusal to buy a large consignment, Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Tuesday.

“We have been promoting the Su-35 fighter on the Chinese market,” Rosoboronexport deputy chief Viktor Komardin said.

“However, China only wants to buy a limited number [of aircraft] whereas we want [to sell] a large consignment to make [the deal] economically viable.”

He offered no indication of the numbers involved

The negotiations have been ongoing for more than one and a half years.

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• Russia’s military aircraft industry stays aloft
• Russia ready to sell Su-35 fighter jets to China

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• 4++ generation fighter Su-35S
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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources  Ria Novosti
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DTN News - IRAN DEFENSE NEWS: Iran Can Be A Stabilizing Factor For Mid East, Iraq And Afghanistan - Ahmadinejad Willing To Cooperate With Arab Neighbours On Gulf Security

Asian Defense News: DTN News - IRAN DEFENSE NEWS: Iran Can Be A Stabilizing Factor For Mid East, Iraq And Afghanistan - Ahmadinejad Willing To Cooperate With Arab Neighbours On Gulf Security
Source: DTN News - by Roger Smith 
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 17, 2012: The UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan involving Tehran and talks with senior Iranian official about unrest in Syria and hopeful on the outcome. Annan stated "Iran, given its special relations with Syria, can be part of the solution" if it helps the Assad regime to stand down.

Iran is strategically situated along the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a major portion of global oil flows. Any changes or halt in oil flows can create havoc globally. 

Secondly, Iran has long borders with Iraq and Afghanistan., both the countries are facing
sectarian violence and internal insurgency with al Qaeda connections. Over the years, Afghanistan has seen NATO, ISAF and US security forces compromising from 42 countries are involved in bringing peace and stability in the land lock country. It is imperative Iran should be with coalition partners in both countries for betterment of the region.

Since 2011, it is clearly visible to USA and rest of the world that Pakistan is not a stable coalition partner to fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. 
Abbottabad raid episode; Ten years of doomed bids to capture the Al Qaeda leader haunted the operation. Countless searches in the mountains and caves of Tora Bora in Afghanistan had come to nothing, with the vast American military and CIA risking becoming a laughing stock for their failure to catch one frail old man with kidney problems. And serious doubts remained. Would the world’s most wanted man really choose to hide out in the heart of an army garrison town which is home to 400,000 people, and just half a mile from the Kakul Military Academy described as Pakistan’s equivalent of Sandhurst? The nation’s most senior army chiefs would virtually pass his door to attend events there, and the town is home to many retired members of Pakistan’s military and intelligence services – supposedly the West’s allies in the hunt for Bin Laden. On the other hand, several other Al Qaeda leaders had recently been found hiding in similarly built-up areas, in the Pakistani cities of Quetta, Karachi, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

It seems Pakistan were forced into the group by Bush administration's ultimatum as US official allegedly threatened to bomb Pakistan ‘back to stone age’ if it did not completely support US. The helm of Islamabad mostly were self vested in benefiting their interest ahead of the country, The present head of state Zardari is known for his deeds and is on a billionaire list, inclusive of another top ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The Army has always supported jihadi elements in conjunction with Kashmir factor and proxy war.

It is high time Iran should be included in Afghanistan and Iraq to create peace and harmony in the region.

Today, April 17 2012 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers a speech alongside military commanders during the Army Day parade in Tehran. Iran will respond with force to any threats to its territorial integrity, Ahmadinejad said, adding that it would prefer to cooperate with its Arab neighbours to maintain security in the Gulf.

Obama administration should initiate the first step by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Tehran, cooperate and resolve pending issues on nuclear factor and respect Iran being a mature nation with credit of 5,000 years history. Iran would appreciate the gesture.

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*Context of 'September 12, 2001: US Official Allegedly Threatens to Bomb Pakistan ‘Back to Stone Age’ If It Does Not Completely Support US'

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DTN News - TALIBAN ATTACKS KABUL: Taliban Assault On Kabul Ends With Explosions And Heavy Gunfire

Asian Defense News: DTN News - TALIBAN ATTACKS KABUL: Taliban Assault On Kabul Ends With Explosions And Heavy Gunfire
*A Taliban assault on the Afghanistan capital Kabul ends after 18 hours of heavy fighting across the city
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Telegraph UK
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 16, 2012: Afghan soldiers stormed a tower block which the militants had seized as a base to launch rocket and machine gun attacks into nearby diplomatic missions including the British embassy.

Six Taliban insurgents in the building were killed during the operation which was part of a coordinated offensive in seven sites across Kabul and in three other cities in eastern Afghanistan.

The ministry of interior reported that Afghan forces had killed 36 Taliban fighters and arrested one across the country.

Eight members of the Afghan security forces and three civilians also died, with around 40 members of the security forces and 25 civilians injured.

The Taliban assault also targetted foreign embassy buildings and the country's parliament.

Shukria Bariklzai, a member of parliament said she was proud of the way the security forces responded to the attack and described the terrifying situation that a fellow MP found himself in.

"The member of parliament was really in a bad situation in the parliament house, in the parliament building, in our places."

"But I am proud about my great brothers and their response to the enemy of the country," she added.

Explosions and gunfire echoed across the city for hours as the Afghan forces tried to dislodge their opponents who are thought to be from the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network.

Nato helicopters are also reported to have fired on buildings at the edge of the Wazir Akbar
Khan diplomatic enclave.


 
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DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: North Korea Reveals Possible New Missile

Asian Defense News: DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: North Korea Reveals Possible New Missile
*Weapon displayed as leader Kim Jong-un makes 1st public speech during festivities
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources AP / CBC News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 15, 2012: North Korea has unveiled what appears to be a new missile at a military parade in Pyongyang following the first public speech by the country's recently anointed new leader, Kim Jong-un.

The missile was shown on Sunday during celebrations for the centennial of the birth of the late North Korean foundeinternational worries heightened by the country's simultaneous development of nuclear weapons. Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-un's grandfather. It is a possible addition to an arsenal that has raised 

Kim Jong-un, who took over as supreme leader after the death in December of his father, Kim Jong-il, spoke publicly for the first time Sunday, just two days after a failed rocket launch. He praised his father's "military first" policy.

Kim, who had been seen but not publicly heard before Sunday, stepped to the podium to speak before tens of thousands of people gathered in Pyongyang's main square for meticulously choreographed festivities meant to glorify his grandfather.

Kim said the era when nuclear arms could be used to threaten his country was "forever over." He called for strengthening the country's "military first" policy by placing the "first, second and third" priorities on military might.

He said his country had built a "mighty military" capable of both offence and defence in any type of modern warfare.

"Superiority in military technology is no longer monopolized by imperialists," he said. Soldiers are more important than rockets and artillery, Kim said, and military officers should treat their troops "like brothers and sisters."

Co-operation pledge

He said he is "heartbroken" that the rival Koreas have been divided for decades, and said North Korea "will co-operate with anyone" who truly wishes for reunification.

North Korea defied the U.S. and others Friday by firing a long-range rocket that space officials said was mounted with an observational satellite despite warnings against pushing ahead with the provocative launch. Washington and others say it was a covert test of long-range missile technology.

Hours after the rocket splintered into pieces over the Yellow Sea, the country made an unusual admission of failure, but Kim did not mention the launch in his remarks Sunday.

Kim has since underlined the country's "military first" policy with a budget that allocates a sizable chunk of funding to defence spending.

International condemnation of the rocket firing was swift, including the suspension of U.S. food aid, and there are worries that the North's next move could be an even more provocative nuclear test.

The United Nations Security Council denounced the launch as a violation of resolutions that prohibit North Korea from developing its nuclear and missile programs. The council imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test in 2006 and stepped up sanctions after its second in 2009.

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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Special Operations Boost Demand For Helicopters

Asian Defense News: DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Special Operations Boost Demand For Helicopters 
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Dan Parsons - National Defense
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 14, 2012: Special operations forces have a dedicated fleet of tricked-out helicopters at their disposal, but as their workload grows, they are increasingly reliant on conventional aircraft to get their jobs done.

A high operational tempo in Afghanistan has married conventional and special operations forces like never before, forcing a heightened level of cooperation at all levels, from commanding generals to aircraft pilots and crews.

It wasn’t always so, especially when it came to sharing information and aircraft, according to Maj. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield, commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. 

As a combat aviation brigade commander in Afghanistan, Crutchfield was once asked to provide aircraft in support of a special operations mission, he said at the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual symposium. 

Seeking information from his special operations counterpart, Crutchfield was turned away because he “didn’t have a need to know.”

“That was not the right answer … telling that to a brigade commander who is supplying the aircraft for you to fly the mission,” he said. “Quite frankly, it pissed me off.”

Now the once-tense relationship has changed, at least from the perspective of Army aviation, which takes the lead on most rotary wing development and acquisitions. At least until the close of the war in Afghanistan, the services will be forced to continue that cooperation. At present, half of all special operations missions flown in that conflict are carried out using conventional aircraft.

“Since 9/11, special operations forces have become increasingly reliant on general-purpose forces to complete [their] mission,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Mangum, commander of Army Special Operations Aviation Command. “We can’t do what we do without the great work our combat aviation brigades are doing  on the battlefield.”

Special operators fly versions of the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook that are upgraded to fly farther and faster and with better sensor capabilities than  standard aircraft. They also fly the CV-22, a version of the tilt-rotor Osprey operated by Air Force Special Operations Command. 

Both the conventional and special operations versions of the various aircraft are essentially the same when built. All the elite gear for SOF is added after the basic model is manufactured.

“You’re typically going to have improvements like extra fuel capacity, self-protection and additional sensors,” said Douglas Royce, an aerospace analyst with Forecast International. “Generally, it’s stuff that makes the aircraft fly farther and gives it greater situational awareness. But in order to create a special operations version of any aircraft, it takes money. This way, it is much cheaper to adapt an existing design than to develop a new aircraft.”

While many SOF aircraft are similar at the core, for many special operations missions, there are technologies required that are either too expensive or unnecessary for conventional troops. Aircraft flown by Navy SEALs and Marine Corps special operators have to be weatherized to withstand maritime environments, for example. The A/M-H6 Little Bird light attack helicopter was specially designed and is exclusively used by special operations forces. It is too small and expensive to be useful for large-scale operations by conventional forces.

The door swings both ways, however. Conventional ground forces often travel in larger numbers and shorter distances into enemy territory. Therefore it is to their advantage that their helicopters are not weighed down with high-end sensors and unnecessary add-ons like mid-air refueling nozzles. 

Those unique capabilities on the “fringes” of overall helicopter design are where special operations aviation should focus its funding, Mangum said.

One of those SOF-unique equipment packages is the common aviation architecture system, built by Rockwell Collins. The CAAS cockpit will eventually be installed in all special operations Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters. 

In 2001, when Rockwell Collins began working with special operations aviation, there were five different cockpit configurations in Chinooks and Blackhawks, said Daniel Toy, principal marketing manager for rotary wing systems for Rockwell Collins. The diversity of systems created logistical difficulties for forces that were, by definition, supposed to travel light and remain nimble. 

With the installation of the CAAS cockpit, SOF aircraft are being upgraded and standardized simultaneously. The equipment provides an unprecedented level of interoperability while reducing logistics costs, according to Toy.

Chinooks are either newly manufactured or recapitalized by Boeing, at which point the specialized cockpit and other SOF-specific components are added. Blackhawks are delivered directly to the Army, in which case Rockwell Collins sends its equipment to an Army depot, where it is installed.

“The multi-function displays in their Chinooks are the exact same as the displays in their Blackhawks,” Toy said. “They’re interchangeable. The software recognizes which aircraft it’s in and reconfigures itself automatically.”

With the upgraded aircraft, SOF can deploy with a mixed detachment of aircraft and only have the need for a single set of common cockpit components. 

The scheme is typical of how special forces in all services retrofit their aircraft, including the most secretive projects that don’t show up on budget documents. The stealth helicopters used in the raid to kill Osama bin Laden were developed under such a cloak. The equipment that went into those aircraft has been speculated upon but not confirmed, said Royce. Still, the stealth aircraft were not newly developed platforms, but modified versions of the Blackhawk and Chinook.

“But that was in the black budget,” said Royce. “It is possible that they are continuing to develop these super-secret aircraft under that cover, but we’ll never know about it. Because the black budget is so big, it’s possible for them to have these sorts of programs.”

Even the portions of SOF’s budget that the public is privy to are getting a boost where rotorcraft are concerned.In an effort to meet demand for SOF aviation and in anticipation of a future U.S. military strategy that relies heavily on special operations, the command’s fiscal year 2013 budget request includes increases in nearly every rotary wing line item.

Of a total aviation procurement budget of $761 million, more than half will go to rotary wing platforms. That $475 million will buy 16 MH-60M Blackhawks, bringing the total production to 62 platforms. It also calls for procurement of seven MH-47 Chinooks and four CV-22’s, for a total fleet strength of 48 for that aircraft.

Rotary wing upgrade and sustainment jumped by nearly 100 percent from $41.4 million in fiscal 2012 to a $74.8 million request for the current fiscal year. Flight operations funding, which is a portion of the overseas contingency operations budget, also increased by $195 million to more than $1.1 billion for fiscal 2013. Though that total includes fixed-wing aircraft and funding for unmanned aerial vehicles, it is an indication of the high demand placed on special operations aviation in Central Asia. 

Research and development did take a hit in 2013, however. That line item fell by more than half, from $51.1 million in fiscal 2012 to a requested $24.4 million in the current fiscal year. 

In all, the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review supports 165 tilt-rotor and fixed-wing mobility and fire support aircraft. It calls for the addition of a company of upgraded Chinooks to the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and two dedicated helicopter squadrons for direct support to naval special warfare units.

But all of that procurement is still within the realm of traditional helicopter technology that is often deemed slow and dangerous. The only new-start platform in the past 25 years in the special operations’ inventory is the CV-22 Osprey. 

Looking to the future, aviation commanders from both conventional and special operations aviation are putting their heads together to develop the future vertical lift platform — a revolutionary technology that will begin to replace existing helicopter fleets by 2030.

The Army, on behalf of all services that use vertical-lift aircraft, leads that ongoing development effort. For the first time, a special operations aviator is working directly with Army aviation leaders to ensure the final product is a common airframe that can be used by both SOF and conventional forces with minimal retooling.

“We’re not developing a special operations aircraft and a conventional aircraft,” said Crutchfield, who oversees FVL. 

The aircraft that results from that program should be designed to ferry special operators deeper and faster while keeping them safer than any aircraft available today. It will likely also differ slightly from the versions of FVL used by conventional forces, but as cooperation between the two groups continues to mature, the differences should diminish, he said. There is the added difficulty that it will be required to be as aerodynamic as possible, meaning that its systems and weapons will be designed into the aircraft itself. The current practice of bolting new systems and weapons to the outside of the aircraft likely won’t be an option. 

No one yet knows what the aircraft will look like — whether it will be an advanced helicopter, a tilt-rotor or have a hybrid fixed-wing/rotary wing design. The Army is looking at all three possibilities, aided in research and development by several companies, including Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin. It plans to build two test aircraft by 2017.

Whatever the result, it will amplify the effectiveness of special operations, said Mangum. 

“The speed and lift of that FVL will provide us will be an absolute game changer,” he said. “We will be able to operate over a distributed battlefield where we can cover a huge area with a much smaller force.”  

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Dan Parsons - National Defense
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