Monthly Archives: October 2016

Belarus Preps Additional Aircraft for Export

Posted on October 31, 2016

A review of satellite imagery shows some new developments at the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranovichi. Co-located at the 61st Fighter Airbase, the Belarusian-based Plant overhauled two Su-24M Fencer attack aircraft and a Mi-8-17 Hip transport helicopter, imagery from … Continue reading →

Posted in Armed Forces, Belarus, Intelligence | Tagged | Leave a comment

El Salvador’s gangs turn to civil war weapons

Posted on October 26, 2016

by Bernd Debusmann Jr. Across Central America, gangs are increasingly turning to military-grade weaponry as they battle each other as well as ever more heavily-armed law enforcement authorities. The militarisation of gangs is perhaps most serious in El Salvador. According … Continue reading →

Posted in Bernd Debusmann Jr, English, Organised Crime, San Salvador | Leave a comment

South African Airpower: Clipped Wings?

Posted on October 25, 2016

by Paul Pryce. With degrees in political science from both sides of the pond, Paul Pryce has previously worked as Senior Research Fellow for the Atlantic Council of Canada’s Canadian Armed Forces program, as a Research Fellow for the OSCE … Continue reading →

Posted in English, International, Louis Martin-Vézian, Paul Pryce, South Africa | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The shortcomings of Turkey’s Syria campaign

Posted on October 23, 2016

Two months into its foray into northwestern Syria Turkey’s Operation “Euphrates Shield” against Islamic State (ISIS) militants and Kurdish militia forces (People’s Protection Units; YPG) is already showing some clear shortcomings. Turkey’s military has said that ISIS is successfully mounting … Continue reading →

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The U.S. Pivot to Nowhere

Posted on October 21, 2016

by Patrick Truffer. He graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs and completes a Master of Arts program in International Relations at the Freie Universität Berlin. In an address … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Djibouti, English, International, International law, Patrick Truffer, Peacekeeping, Piracy, Sea Powers, Security Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The U.S. must stop the Taliban’s Rise

Posted on October 18, 2016

by Austin Michael Bodetti. He is a student in the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program at Boston College. He focuses on the relationship between Islam and conflict in Syria and Sudan. The U.S.-led intervention against the Islamic State (IS) has made … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, Austin Michael Bodetti, English, International, Iraq | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The benefits and risks for Russia of having a permanent naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast

Posted on October 16, 2016

Amid deteriorating relations between the US and Russia over the Syria crisis officials in Moscow are voicing that country’s intention to establish a permanent naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coastline. Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov told the Federation Council … Continue reading →

Posted in English, International, Russia, Sea Powers, Security Policy, Syria | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Turkish UAV Bayraktar TB2 Flying from Batman

Posted on October 13, 2016

As Turkey pushes toward becoming a major player in the UAV industry, seeing more of their drones on satellite imagery beyond test airfields should come as no surprise. DigitalGlobe space snapshots from October 2015 captured one of the country’s latest … Continue reading →

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Afghanistan: challenging aid neutrality in war-torn Helmand

Posted on October 10, 2016

by Laura Cesaretti. Laura is Freelance Reporter in Middle East and South Asia, currently based in Kabul, Afghanistan. There is a reason why you can find a cold Guinness in the unstable and alcohol-free Afghan capital Kabul: Globalization. For many, … Continue reading →

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Iran’s Simorgh Test Site Identified

Posted on October 8, 2016

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa3282OObGI&w=640&h=360] Iranian coverage of the Simorgh & Saegheh UAVs in October 2016. IHS Jane’s identified the test site of one of Iran’s latest UAVs, the Simorgh, through open source geolocation analysis. Video released by several of Iran’s domestic broadcasters … Continue reading →

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