Pakistan's Army Chief Makes Afghan Peace 'Top Priority'

Pakistan's powerful army chief has made reconciling warring factions in Afghanistan a top priority, military officials and Western diplomats say, the newest and clearest sign yet that Islamabad means business in promoting peace with the Taliban.
General Ashfaq Kayani is backing dialogue partly due to fears that the end of the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014 could energize a resilient insurgency straddling the shared frontier, according to commanders deployed in the region.
"There was a time when we used to think we were the masters of Afghanistan. Now we just want them to be masters of themselves so we can concentrate on our own problems," said a senior Pakistani military officer stationed in South Waziristan, part of the tribal belt that hugs the Afghan border.
"Pakistan has the power to create the environment in which a grand reconciliation in Afghanistan can take place," he said, speaking in the gritty town of Wana, about 30 km (20 miles) from Afghanistan. "We have to rise to the challenge. And we are doing it, at the highest level possible."
On December 7, Kayani hammered home his determination to support a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan at a meeting of top commanders at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.
"He (Kayani) said Afghan reconciliation is our top priority," said a Pakistani intelligence official, who was briefed about the meeting.
Major progress with Kayani's help could enable U.S. President Barack Obama to say his administration managed to sway Pakistan - often seen as an unreliable ally - to help achieve a top U.S. foreign policy goal.
Afghan officials, who have long suspected Pakistan of funding and arming the Taliban, question whether Kayani genuinely supports dialogue or is merely making token moves to deflect Western criticism of Pakistan's record in Afghanistan.
Pakistan backed the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s and is seen as a crucial gatekeeper in attempts by the U.S. and Afghan governments to reach out to insurgent leaders who fled to Pakistan after their 2001 ouster.
Relations between Taliban commanders and Pakistan's security establishment have increasingly been poisoned by mistrust, however, raising questions over whether Kayani's spymasters wield enough influence to nudge them towards the table.

Taliban Hint At Softer Line In Talks With Afghan Leaders

After years of deriding Afghanistan’s government and army as corrupt tools of Western occupiers, the Taliban have begun publicly airing a softer vision for the country’s future, with senior insurgent leaders saying the militants are willing to govern alongside other Afghan factions and even to adopt the current American-financed army as their own.
That message was delivered over the past few days by Taliban envoys during private meetings with Afghan officials and opposition politicians near Paris, according to officials close to the talks, and the softer approach has been echoed in recent interviews with Taliban figures loyal to the group’s nominal leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar. Together, it is the furthest that the Taliban’s senior leadership has gone to express in some official way that the group would be willing to operate as a mainstream Afghan political faction rather than aiming to return as conquering rulers after the end of the NATO combat mission in 2014.
But with the Taliban there are always questions.
The group is increasingly divided by power struggles, according to some Western officials and Afghans close to the Taliban, and there has sometimes seemed to be a disconnect between conciliatory statements from the top and the aggression of field commanders. As well, Afghan and American officials trying to open peace talks with the Taliban have long struggled with whether any offer of compromise could be seen as legitimate or just tactical maneuvering to gain public support.

Kilo 636 for Vietnam Undergoes Sea Trials

In early December of outfitting the wall "Admiralty Shipyards" to the factory sea trials in the Baltic Sea came submarine of project export series 06361. On the test boat will be based in Port Light near Kaliningrad. Correspondent Central Navy Portal source said the company.

The first phase of the factory running tests (ZHI) is planned for the end of December, this period will be deep dive boat.

The total period of the entire test program - nearly five months.

To comply with contractual obligations to release the order for the ship ZHI organized two, and sometimes three shifts. Last month shipbuilders worked virtually around the clock.

Since this order - the head, then it establishes a number of new and upgraded systems and complexes. Thus, the project for the first time have the latest system of life of personnel ship (removal of pressure in the compartments and nitrogen fire-fighting). This system has already passed successfully tested on non-nuclear submarine "Saint Petersburg". Installation, testing and commissioning of the system on the project took a long time 06361 costs and special training commissioning team.

Skilled shipyard had to learn the new computerized system. Now they will have to share the skills learned from the crew of the Russian military, and then - to learn a foreign team. Due to the significant complexity of equipment for training the crew to customer country devoted almost five months, although the previous similar studies did not exceed two weeks.

Russian-Indian military cooperation: Moscow wins USD 2.9 billion contract

Russia and India signed two contracts for almost $ 2.9 billion in the field of military and technical cooperation, announced Monday a RIA Novosti correspondent in New Delhi.

The first contract, for $ 1.3 billion, focuses on the delivery of 71 Mi-17V-5 and the second estimated at $ 1.6 billion, plans to deliver to India technological packages for the construction Licensed hunters 42 SU-30MKI.

In addition, an agreement on the creation of a joint venture was signed between the group and the company Russian Helicopters Elcom Systems PVT Ltd..

China Helps Iran Shut Down The Web

The Iranian government is well on its way to cutting most Iranians off from the Internet, by building an internal Internet just for those in Iran who cannot be trusted with the World Wide Web. That means most Iranians are finding it more and more difficult to reach the international Internet. Recently Iran introduced a heavily censored local version of YouTube, as YouTube itself is banned in Iran. China is helping Iran, as well as a lot of other countries, to censor use of the Internet.

China is leading a worldwide tendency for police state governments to tightly control how their subjects use the Internet. While China is considered the most vigorous and effective censor of the Internet, many other nations are using the same techniques and equipment, often obtained from China. These include Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. None of these nations are democracies. All are police states or monarchies determined to keep their subjects from having free use of the Internet. In most cases, the real purpose is to prevent the people from overthrowing the rulers. But there are many other nations, most of them democracies, who are also striving to control the Internet to protect their citizens from unsavory material. These nations include Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Eritrea, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Most other nations are watching these efforts, as there are many people on the planet who see the Internet as more of a threat than an opportunity.

China leads the way in all this. But it isn't all about politics. Iran, for example, wants to block its citizens from seeing pornography, anything critical of Islam and most Western entertainment. China, has made a major effort to "protect" adult Internet users from pornography, and children on the Internet from, well, everything. The government does this via its Great Firewall of China (officially the "Golden Shield") system, that filters, and eavesdrops on, Internet traffic coming into, and leaving, China.  In fact, Golden Shield is more about controlling what is said by Internet users inside China, than in controlling what they have access to outside China.

Ballistic missile: North Korea can reach the United States

According to South Korea, the recent firing of the rocket Unha-3 made by Pyongyang is equivalent to a test ballistic missile with a load of half a ton and a range of about 10,000 km.

The recent firing rocket by North Korea is equivalent to a test ballistic missile with a load of half a ton and a range of about 10,000 km, said Sunday the South Korean army. This distance would allow a North Korean pitcher to reach any point in Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Africa, Alaska and part of the West Coast, including San Francisco. Pyongyang launched on 12 December, with success, a rocket Unha-3 loaded into orbit a satellite civilian mission purely scientific as the North. To its estimates, the South Korean army relied on the analysis of oxidizer tank, a product by combining with another product operates the combustion of the latter fell at sea during launch and recovered by the Navy South. "Based on our analysis and process simulation, the missile is capable of flying more than 10,000 km, with a load of between 500 and 600 kg," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence to press.

Pyongan control Does technology ICBMs?

The tank was mounted on the first stage of the rocket. In the absence of debris 2nd and 3rd floors of the Unha-3, South Korean scientists have been unable to determine whether the rocket was able to reenter the atmosphere, a key technology of intercontinental ballistic missiles . Debris recovered by the South consisted of eight panels of aluminum and magnesium welded by hand. "The welding was coarse, handmade," said the ministry official, adding that this type of tank for storing toxic chemicals was rarely used by the powers have a advanced space technology.

According to a study by the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) published in 2011, Pyongyang has systems North Korean Taepodong, but BM-25/SS-N-6 Nodong and North Korea "should hold some Copies of longer-range gear deployed north of the country in fixed configurations. " However, the FRS estimates "in 2015 that North Korea will have two regiments Nodong missile type, that is to say, a dozen mobile launchers and several hundred missiles". And noted that "given the cooldown and preparation imposed by the Nodong system, and assuming that its mobile launchers undergo attrition zero, we can assume that North Korea would at most be able to make two launches for a day and a score launch before exhausting its stock of missiles. "

Iraqi Navy Gets U.S. Support Vessels While Libyan Navy Holds Talks to Increase Co-operation With French Navy

The Iraqi navy and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command marked the delivery of two 60-meter Offshore Support Vessels (OSV 1/ OSV 2) to the Iraqi navy in a ceremony at the Umm Qasr naval facility, Dec. 19.

The two OSVs, procured as part U.S. Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program, will help reconstitute Iraq’s ability to enforce maritime sovereignty and security in the Northern Arabian Gulf.

“This occasion reflects the important ties that bind our governments and our commitment to supporting s strong coalition partnership that is based on mutual respect and understanding,” said Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. “Combined with the previously delivered Iraqi patrol boats, this acquisition program has offered another unique opportunity for cooperation between our countries.”

OSVs are multi-function vessels providing a wide range of capabilities to support Iraq’s oil production platforms. The vessels will provide transport support for crew changes and resupply to the platforms. Each OSV is equipped with a 30mm gun weapon system and outfitted with fast attack boats to defend it and the offshore platforms. The vessels each include a vertical replenishment deck to facilitate the transfer of supplies as needed.

RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames is the prime contractor for the OSV procurement, with Gulf Island Marine Fabricators manufacturing the hull and deckhouse, and outfitting the vessels.

The Russian 5th generation fighter will be tested in March

The Russian fighter 5th generation Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) will be tested state in March 2013, announced to reporters Sunday the commander of the Russian Air Force Viktor Bondarev.

"The PAK FA is now tested in flight, three aircraft are tested in Zhukovsky (Moscow region), another device password factory testing, and another is under construction. In March, all device must undergo a State Akhtubinsk tested in the Astrakhan region (south), "reported M.Bondarev.

With a single radar active electronically scanning the T-50 should have all the performance of a 5th generation aircraft: a low radar signature and thermal supersonic cruising speed, high integration of control systems, etc. . The aircraft is designed to replace the MiG-29 and Su-27 in service in the Russian army.The T-50 was developed in Russia since the 1990s.

North Korea: Kim Jong-Un ordered the development of larger rockets

The North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered the scientists involved in the space industry to develop new rockets that are larger and more powerful than the one launched in mid-December, reported Saturday the Central News Agency the country (KCNA). "you must develop and launch a range of additional satellites, including communications satellites, rockets and larger capacity," he said Friday at a reception given by way of celebration the successful launch of a long-range rocket ten days ago. On December 12, North Korea launched a multistage rocket Unha-3 which orbited satellite Kwangmyongsong-3. Neighboring countries, including Japan, the United States and South Korea believe this is actually a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that would have a range of 13,000 km. However, two resolutions of the UN Security Council to prohibit any activity Pyongyang nuclear or ballistic. North Korea says its engines are long-range satellite launchers civilian purposes.

Canadians in Afghanistan: what Operation Attention?

Nicolas Laffont is currently on assignment in Afghanistan with the Canadian Forces deployed for Operation Attention. 

For more than a decade that the Afghan war has begun and Canadians have been present since January 2002.

The combat mission in Kandahar which was based in the south of the country, ended in July 2011.

Since the present contingent of Canadian military declined to about 900 soldiers train Afghan security forces. This is what the military calls Operation Please note that the Canadian Contribution Training Mission - Afghanistan (CCFM-A).

Trainers, teachers, educators, advisors, ... In the context of this operation, Canada sent its military to provide support for training and professional development for national security forces of Afghanistan: Afghan National Army (ANA) Afghan Air Force (AAF) and the Afghan National Police (ANP).

The aim is to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan when NATO troops leave the country in 2014.

The Government of Canada has allocated a budget of nearly $ 700 million per year between 2011 and 2014 (500 million military presence, 85 million for the installation and close the training mission and 100 million in aid and development ).

After a rotation 0 in July 2011 and one rotation in February 2012, is now the "roto" 2 to be in control.Feature of this deployment? They are almost all Quebecers.

India successfully test fires reconfigured 'Astra' missile

India on Saturday successfully test-fired a reconfigured version of its beyond visual range (BVR) new generation air-to-air missile 'Astra' from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

Defence sources said, the missile was fired from the launching complex – II of the ITR at about 3.30 pm. The missile successfully intercepted a pilotless target aircraft (PTA) – Lakshya, flown around 15 minutes prior to the launching of the missile, mid air. The test came a day after a similar trial conducted from the same test range.

ITR Director MVKV Prasad said the mission was successful as it validated all data as expected. “The missile was fired against a live pilotless target aircraft. The interception was done at an altitude of 4 km. All the mission objectives have been met,” he told ‘The New Indian Express’.

The trial was reportedly carried out to test the missile’s reconfigured guidance systems, avionics and the functioning of the communication in Radio Frequency. Entirely a complex missile Astra has been designed to intercept fast-moving aerial targets at supersonic speeds.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Astra is designed for an 80-km range in head-on mode and 20 km-range in tail-chase mode. As an anti-aircraft missile it can be fired after receiving a signal from the far away target through its onboard manoeuvres based on radio frequency.

“One of its versions having 90 to 110 km range can cruise at an altitude of 15 km, another having a range of 44 km can destroy a target at an altitude up to 30,000 ft while the third one with a range of 30 km is capable of hitting the target at sea level altitude,” said a defence scientist.

After the post mission analysis, a source informed that though the missile did not directly hit the PTA, but it destroyed the target through its onboard proximity fuse, which means the missile passed very close to the aircraft and hence the mission was accomplished.

Astra is a ‘state of the art’ being developed for the air force. The 3.8 metres long missile, which has launch weight about 154 kg, uses solid-fuel propellant and a 15 kg high-explosive warhead, activated by a proximity fuse.

Russian Military District Tests New Air Defense Systems

Russia’s Southern Military District has moved a step closer to adopting the new S-400 Triumf air defense systems, the district’s press service confirmed on Saturday.
Further successful target-shooting trials of the new air defense systems brings the district closer to the point at which the S-400 Triumf systems will be put on combat duty, replacing the S-300 PM systems, the district's press service confirmed on Saturday.
The Southern Military District was created in October 2010. It comprises the republics of Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Chechnya, and the Krasnodar, Stavropol, Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov regions.
The S-400 Triumph long- to medium-range surface-to-air missile system can effectively engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
Russia already has four S-400 regiments protecting national airspace around Moscow, in the Far East and in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
By 2020, Russia plans to have 28 S-400 regiments, each comprised of two battalions, mainly positioned in maritime and border areas.