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The U. S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a
subsidiary of General Dynamics, a $1.8 billion contract for the
construction of DDG 1001 and DDG 1002, the next two ships in the
Zumwalt-class program. DDG 1001 is scheduled to be delivered in December
2015 and DDG 1002 is scheduled to be delivered in February 2018.
"This contract enables us to maintain a strong base of quality
shipbuilding jobs in Maine and continue our contributions to sustaining
the U.S. Navy fleet," said Jeff Geiger, president of Bath Iron Works.
"It provides Bath Iron Works with a healthy backlog of work and reflects
the Navy's continued commitment to the DDG-1000 program, as well as
their confidence in our ability to build and deliver all three ships of
this class."
Geiger said, "Winning this work is a result of our commitment to
operational excellence and to finding more efficient, affordable ways to
operate in every part of our business. It gives us the opportunity to
continue introducing new and innovative ways to build capable ships for
the Navy."
"We appreciate all the support the Maine Congressional delegation has
provided to this program. Their commitment to national defense and their
advocacy on behalf of the workers of Maine has been a crucial factor,"
Geiger said.
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| China's Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD |
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| China's Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD |
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| China's Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD |
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| China's Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD |
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| China's Type 071 Yuzhao Class LPD |
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The country's first indigenous effort to build a carrier borne naval
fighter aircraft got a fillip with the crossing of another significant
milestone of the first Engine Ground Run of the first LCA (Navy)
prototype NP1, DRDO said today.
The team steering LCA (Navy) project comprises members of Indian Navy,
Indian Air Force, HAL, DRDO, Centre for Military Airworthiness and
Certification (CEMILAC), Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality
Assurance (DGAQA), CSIR Labs, educational institutions, and other public
and private sector partners, a Defence Research and Development
Organisation statement said.
The first Engine Ground Run of NP1 aircraft, conducted at about 1830 hrs
yesterday for its scheduled time, had the primary objective of checking
aircraft to engine integration and activation of the various systems
like flight control, hydraulics, fuel, electrical and avionics, which
was successfully achieved, it said.
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| CIA |
Islamabad—Fears are growing in Pakistan that the spread of dengue fever
also known as break-bone fever may have been caused by some kind of
biological experiment or deliberate release of virus by foreign
elements.
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) representatives
have called on security agencies to investigate fears of deliberate
spread of dengue virus in Pakistan. According to a report, the PMA
members and experts have demanded in-depth investigation over mysterious
spread of Dengue virus in Punjab.
Dengue fever is an
infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus and the disease
has caused alarming situation in Lahore and other Punjab cities. Lately
the disease has spread to other cities of Pakistan and has killed over
100 people affecting thousands. According to experts the virus has four
different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong
immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others.
Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe
complications.
As per Internet info, in the spring and summer of
1981, Cuba experienced a severe hemorrhagic dengue fever epidemic.
Between May and October 1981, the island nation had 158 dengue-related
deaths with about 75,000 reported infection cases. At the height of the
epidemic, over 10,000 people (per day) were found infected and 116,150
were hospitalized. At the same time during 1981 outbreak, covert
biological warfare attacks on Cuba’s residents and crops were believed
to have been conducted against the island by CIA contractors and
military airplane flyovers. Particularly harmful to the nation was a
severe outbreak of swine flu that Fidel Castro attributed to the CIA.
American researcher William H. Schaap, an editor of Covert Action
magazine, claims the Cuba dengue outbreak was the result of CIA
activities.
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Russia's top jet engine-maker has signed an agreement to supply over
100 high powered engines for China's new fleet of fighter jets, but
Beijing is yet to ratify the deal as it is apparently miffed by some
stiff conditionalties of the deal, a media report said.
"The contract will involve 140 to 150 engines, but it has not been
confirmed by authorities in Beijing," Alexander A Drozhzhin, the head of
press for SALUT, a top Russian company that manufactures engines for
the Su-27 aircraft, regarded as the fourth generation fighter aircraft
was quoted as saying by China's state-run Global Times.
According to US media reports, the Russian state arms exporter,
Rosoboronexport (ROE), announced in July a sale of 123 SALUT-made
AL-31FN turbofan engines to China for USD 500 million.
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| Prithvi-II |
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will test-fire
three surface-to-surface missiles, which can carry nuclear weapons,
from Orissa's coast.
Hypersonic missile Shourya (valour), which can also carry conventional
warheads, will be test-fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur
near Balasore.
This will be followed by the launch of Prithvi-II on September 26, also
from Chandipur, and Agni-II on September 30 from the Wheeler Island off
Damra.
It will be the third launch of Shourya, which can fly at six-seven times
the speed of sound (Mach 6 to 7) at low altitudes. The first launch was
on November 12, 2008, and the second was kept a secret. It
is the land-variant of underwater-launched missile K-15 that is being
fitted into nuclear-powered submarine Arihant. K-15 is already under
production.
DRDO missile technologists said the Saturday launch of Shourya
would be “a proving trial with the user's [Services'] participation.”
Since the first two launches were successful, the missile would be
inducted into the Army if this flight too turned out to be a success.
There would be no change in the configuration of the missile that can
hit targets 750 km away.
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India is poised to get fifth generation aircraft sooner than expected.
While an Indo-Russian programme to develop a fifth generation fighter
aircraft is already under way, Russia has agreed to provide India
with an advanced version of the Sukhoi-30MKI, which boasts of fifth
generation capabilities and stealth features.
The Indian Air Force, which currently has over 100 Sukhoi MKIs, has
placed an order with Russia for about 280-300 aircraft, which are likely
to come in the form of the Super Sukhois.
This development is expected to provide India a considerable edge
over Pakistan. In January 2011, China had agreed to deliver its J-20
fifth generation fighter – touted to be the world’s most advanced
fighter aircraft — to Pakistan.
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The US has confirmed plans to upgrade Taiwan's ageing fleet of F-16 US-built fighter planes.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has warned Washington not to proceed with the $5bn (£3bn) deal.
China's foreign ministry expressed his country's "strong indignation" over the move, saying it would damage ties.
But the US is legally bound to help Taiwan defend itself, and
the move comes as China's military superiority over Taiwan has steadily
increased.
China's Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun called the
decision "grave interference" in the country's internal affairs which
sent a "gravely mistaken signal to pro-Taiwan independence separatist
forces".
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Boeing is close to conducting the first flight of a 737-800-based P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian navy, with its first example having emerged at the manufacturer’s Renton Field assembly site in Washington.
The aircraft has already been
painted in Indian markings and assigned the registration IN320. It is
the first of eight P-8Is on order as replacements for the navy’s current
Tupolev Tu-142 turboprops. The aircraft was last pictured as it entered final assembly in June.
Derived from the P-8A Poseidon now in development testing for the US
Navy, India’s next-generation maritime surveillance aircraft will enter
use from early 2013.
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The Pakistan Navy has become the first maritime force in the region that
is equipped with stealth technology after its first Fast Attack Craft
(FAC) equipped with missiles was launched on Tuesday. India also
launched its FAC on the same day in Kochi.
“The version Pakistan has bought has far better qualities and added
features including cost efficiency and multi-role in any combat
activity,” said an insider. “The inclusion of the FAC-M in Pakistan navy
will enhance its capacity to fight against terrorism and extremism.”
According to the Pakistan Navy, the FAC-M, designated as PNS Azmat was
launched at Tianjin (Xingang Chinese Shipyard) in an impressive ceremony
where Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Noman Bashir was
the chief guest. The vessel will be the first of the Azmat class FAC,
scheduled to be delivered to the Pakistan Navy within six months.
The missile craft construction project represents a quantum leap, not
only in defence production in the maritime sector of Pakistan, but also
addresses a long-standing operational requirement of the Navy. The fast
attack craft is equipped with advanced weaponry and sensors, including
the C802A surface-to-surface missile, and has stealth features. The FAC
in question has a crew of 12 to 14 sailors, less than half that of
similar craft. At a unit cost of an estimated $50 million each, a Navy
with limited resources could afford both the financial and manpower
commitment.
Admiral Noman Bashir, who has brought several innovations in Pakistan, addressed the ceremony marking the launching of FAC-M.
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BrahMos Aerospace the Indo-Russian joint venture that has
developed the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is keen to sell the
missile to Vietnam with which India is developing a strong strategic
relationship, sources have confirmed.
However, the Indian government’s approval will have to be taken for
any such acquisition. Sources also confirmed that Vietnam is already on a
list of about 15 “friendly countries” that was decided by a joint
Indo-Russian supervisory council to whom the BrahMos missile can be
sold.
“Informal talks are on but no concrete proposal has been made as
yet,” a source who did not want to be identified, told this newspaper.
“Any acquisition of the BrahMos missile will be of immense value to
Vietnam and will boost its defence preparedness,” sources said.
So far, the BrahMos missile has not been sold to any third country
although a few have already evinced interest in acquiring it.
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Pakistan plans to import the latest Chinese nuclear technology, a senior
Pakistani government official said on Wednesday, reported China Daily
on Saturday.
“Pakistan is in discussions with Chinese companies for imports of the
third-generation nuclear technology,” said Pakistan’s Minister of
Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali. The minister said that
he hoped the latest technology can be acquired by Pakistan in one or two
years.
China has helped with two reactors at Pakistan’s Chashma nuclear power
plant, both of which use second-generation technology. Pakistan has a
third 300-megawatt (MW) reactor under construction at Chashma, financed
by China. There are plans for more Chinese reactors in Pakistan,
according to the World Nuclear Association.
China is developing its first domestic third-generation nuclear reactor -
the CAP 1400 - which is based on Westinghouse Electric Co’s AP1000
pressurised water reactor, and it will boost the unit’s generating
capacity to 1,400 MW from 1,154 MW.
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| Saudi PrinceTurki al-Faisal |
Saudi Arabia has been beefing up its military links with Pakistan to
counter Iran's expansionist plans and this reportedly includes acquiring
atomic arms from the only Muslim nuclear power or its pledge of nuclear
cover.
Pakistan has become a front-line state for Sunni Islam and is being
positioned by its leaders, particularly in the powerful military and
intelligence establishments, as a bulwark against Shiite Iran and its
proxies.
Increasingly, Pakistan is rushing to the defense of Saudi Arabia,
with whom it has a long had discreet security links. It is reported to
have put two army divisions on standby for deployment to Saudi Arabia if
the kingdom is threatened by Iran or the pro-democracy uprisings
sweeping the Arab world.
It is even reported to be prepared to provide Saudi Arabia with
nuclear weapons if threatened by Iran. In return, it has been promised
Saudi Arabian oil and treasure.
The Saudis have portrayed the roiling rivalry with the Iranians as a
new, menacing chapter of the 1,300-year-old struggle between Sunni and
Shiite Islam.
"The stakes are enormous," says Bruce Riedel, a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist.
"Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world. It
will soon surpass the United Kingdom as the fifth-largest nuclear
arsenal. It is the sixth-largest country in the world in terms of
population," Riedel wrote in the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel.
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| China's Dark Sword Stealth Drone |
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| China's Dark Sword Stealth Drone |
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| China's Dark Sword Stealth Drone |
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| China's Dark Sword Stealth Drone | | |
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Special US commandos are deployed in about 75 countries around the world - and that number is expected to grow.
by: Nick Turse is a historian, essayist, and investigative journalist.
The associate editor of TomDispatch.com and a new senior editor at
Alternet.org, his latest book is The Case for Withdrawal from
Afghanistan (Verso Books).
Somewhere on this planet a US commando is carrying out a mission. Now,
say that 70 times and you're done ... for the day. Without the knowledge
of much of the general American public, a secret force within the US
military is undertaking operations in a majority of the world's
countries. This Pentagon power elite is waging a global war whose size
and scope has generally been ignored by the mainstream media, and
deserves further attention.
After a US Navy SEAL put a bullet in Osama bin Laden's chest and another
in his head, one of the most secretive black-ops units in the US
military suddenly found its mission in the public spotlight. It was
atypical. While it's well known that US Special Operations forces are
deployed in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq, and it's increasingly
apparent that such units operate in murkier conflict zones like Yemen
and Somalia, the full extent of their worldwide war has often remained
out of the public scrutiny.
Last year, Karen DeYoung and Greg Jaffe of the Washington Post reported
that US Special Operations forces were deployed in 75 countries, up from
60 at the end of the Bush presidency. By the end of this year, US
Special Operations Command spokesman Colonel Tim Nye told me, that
number will likely reach 120. "We do a lot of travelling - a lot more
than Afghanistan or Iraq," he said recently. This global presence - in
about 60 per cent of the world's nations and far larger than previously
acknowledged - is evidence of a rising clandestine Pentagon power elite
waging a secret war in all corners of the world.
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China on Thursday reaffirmed its support for the establishment of a
nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and said that Israel should
join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as soon as possible.
China has always supported the strengthening of international nuclear
non-proliferation regime and has been committed to promoting the
universality, effectiveness and authority of the NPT, said Huang Wei,
China's deputy envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Huang told the ongoing IAEA board meeting that China advocates that
Israel should join the NPT as a non-nuclear country as soon as possible
and put its all nuclear facilities under the IAEA's comprehensive
safeguards.
Meanwhile, all countries in this region should earnestly fulfil their
NPT obligations, sign and ratify IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreement
and its additional protocols, Huang said.
Huang also said that China welcomed the proposal of holding in 2012 an
international conference on a WMD-free (Weapon of mass destruction) zone
in the Middle East, which was agreed at the 2010 NPT review conference.
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India said it is intensifying energy cooperation with Vietnam on a day
China claimed “indisputable sovereignty” over the South China Sea and
asked countries in the region to refrain from oil exploration in its
waters.
Foreign minister S.M. Krishna on Thursday went to the Vietnamese capital
of Hanoi to chair a joint commission meeting on trade, economy, science
and technology cooperation with his Vietnamese counterpart.
“We have a very active programme of trade and economic cooperation with
Vietnam,” foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said in New Delhi.
“One facet of this cooperation is cooperation in the area of
hydrocarbons.”
State-controlled ONGC Videsh Ltd has a “major joint venture” in Vietnam
for offshore oil and gas exploration, he said. “They are in the process
of further expanding their cooperation and operations in Vietnam.”
Prakash said an Essar Oil subsidiary has also been awarded an oil and
gas block. “This is one area of cooperation and we would like to see
this cooperation grow,” he said.
China and India, the world’s fastest growing major economies, are
competing for energy resources in various regions to fuel their growth.
Prakash’s comments came hours after Chinese foreign ministry
spokesperson Jiang Yu said, “China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over
the South China Sea... China’s stand is based on historical facts and
international law.”
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The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) officially announced that
the country's fighter jets have been equipped with anti-missile
capability and are now able to detect and intercept any kind of incoming
missiles.
The capability was demonstrated during the third phase of the
'Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Vellayat III' air drills in Northwestern Iran.
The development is viewed as a great achievement for the Iranian weapons and defense industry.
During the military exercises, a missile fired by an F-5 fighter jet was
instantly detected and destroyed by a Mig-29 fighter jet.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) on Tuesday started the
main phase of its four-staged air drills with testing hi-tech bombs and
other advanced weapons systems, including various air-to-air and
air-to-ground missiles.
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| Turkish Navy's Barbaros class frigate F246 Salihreis |
The Turkish Navy is planning to dispatch three
frigates to the Eastern Mediterranean to ensure freedom of navigation
and to confront Israeli warships if necessary, a Turkish news report
said on Monday.
The Turkish frigates, to be dispatched by the
Navy's Southern Sea Area Command, will provide protection to civilian
ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, blockaded by Israel since 2007,
the Turkish daily Sabah reported. If the Turkish warships encounter an
Israeli military ship outside Israel's 12-mile territorial waters, they
will advance up to 100 meters close to the ship and disable its weapon
system, in a confrontation that resembles dogfights in the Aegean Sea
with Greek jet fighters, according to the report.
The report comes days after Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Turkish warships will escort
civilian aid ships headed to Gaza to prevent a repetition of last year's
Israeli raid on a Turkish-owned ship that killed eight Turks and a
Turkish-American, setting the stage for a potential naval confrontation
with its former ally.
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| Turkish F-16C |
Turkey's Military Electronics Industry
(ASELSAN) has produced a new identification friend or foe (IFF) system
for Turkish jet fighters, warships and submarines and the new software,
contrary to the older, US-made version, does not automatically identify
Israeli planes and ships as friends, a news report said on Tuesday.
The new IFF has already been installed in
Turkish F-16s and is expected to be installed in all Navy ships and
submarines, the report, published in Turkish daily Star, said. It will
be fully operational when it is installed in all military planes,
warships and submarines.
The F-16 jet fighters, purchased from the US,
came with pre-installed IFF software that automatically identifies
Israeli fighters and warships as friends, disabling Turkish F-16s from
targeting Israeli planes or ships. ASELSAN-made IFF will allow Turkish
military commanders to identify friends and foes on the basis of
national considerations.
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| Indian Navy's P-8I |
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| Indian Navy's P-8I | | | |
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Iran has launched a mass production of 105-mm and 125-mm hypersonic kinetic anti-tank shells Sahib, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was quoted by the Mehr news agency as saying. Their speed fivefold exceeds the speed of sound, he added.
Vahidi said the new generation of shells is able to penetrate the
multi-layer armor tanks, enter into it for half a meter and blast.
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The Russian military is planning to carry out a
large-scale rearmament of its armored units with new-generation main
battle tanks (MBT) in 2014-2020, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
“At present, the Russian scientists are developing
a new-generation tank, and in 2014-2020 we are planning to replace the
current fleet with new tanks on a large scale, so that the new models
will constitute 70% of the total,” Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Col.
Sergei Vlasov said.
According to leading Russian military experts, two
models, tentatively dubbed the T-95 and the T-99, are being developed.
Both projects are highly classified, and it is still unknown which model
will be selected for mass production.
The new tank will feature better firepower, maneuverability, electronics and armor protection than the T-90 MBT.
The Russian Ground Forces are equipped with T-72, T-80
and T-90 MBTs and their variants. The existing state arms procurement
program envisions a thorough overhaul of T-72 tanks until 2014.
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MIG-29K
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The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report slammed
the Ministry of Defence and the Navy for buying war planes that do not
have weapons. It also pointed a finger at the Indian Air Force (IAF) for
having ‘let off’ three of its officers who caused a loss of Rs 302
crore when a sensitive aerostat radar got damaged.
The CAG, in its report tabled
in both Houses of Parliament, said the Indian Navy followed a flawed
approach in acquiring its fighter aircraft fleet by not finalising the
associated weapon package. The CAG said that 11 out of 16 MiG 29K
aircraft, acquired at a cost of $740.35 million (Rs 3,405.61 crore),
been delivered in December 2009 and May 2011. No matching armament, for
which a contract was signed in March 2006, has been delivered as on
October 2010, thereby adversely affecting the operational capabilities
of the aircraft.
Further, the Navy has selected a
‘beyond visual range’ (BVR) missile with an unsatisfactory track
record. Lastly, the complete armament package finalised for the aircraft
contains certain ammunition, worth $20.98 million (Rs 93.68 crore)
which did not have the approval of the competent authority.
The MiG 29K is a deck-based
fighter meant for seaborne aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Admiral
Gorshkov). At present, the fighters are based at a land base in Goa as
the aircraft carrier itself has not arrived.
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| INS Jalashwa |
The Indian government
has cleared the Rs 2,176-crore acquisition of eight specialised vessels
or LCUs (landing craft utility), capable of "hard beaching" on enemy
shores, to boost the country's amphibious warfare and island protection
capabilities.
This comes even as the defence ministry is
finalizing another project to acquire four huge amphibious warfare
ships, called Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for "stand-off beaching",
for around Rs 16,000 crore.
The LCUs and LPDs will help in
swiftly transporting thousands of troops, heavy weapon systems and
infantry combat vehicles over long distances to take the battle right to
the enemy mainland.
The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared
the LCU project for the eight amphibious assault vessels, to be built
by the Kolkata-based defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Ltd, a couple of days ago. "The first LCU will be delivered in three
years," said an official.
The LCUs are likely to be based at
India's first and only regional 'theatre command', the
strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), which will
complete 10 years of existence next month.
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A U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft was forced to make an emergency
landing after coming under electronic attack from North Korea, Agence
France Press reported Friday.
AFP, which reported that the jamming occurred in March during a joint
U.S.-South Korean military exercise, attributed the information to an
unidentified aide to opposition lawmaker Kyu-Baek. The aide said the
incident was disclosed in a report that Seoul's Defense Ministry
submitted Thursday to of Parliament's Defense Committee.
According to the aide, the U.S. aircraft was forced to land about 45
minutes after takeoff when jamming signals from the North Korean cities
of Haeju and Kaesong disrupted its global positioning system (GPS) as it
was taking part in the annual exercisel, Key Resolve, AFP said.
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| Iran's United Nations Ambassador Mohammad Khazaei |
Iran's Ambassador to
the United Nations Mohammad Khazaei has warned that any aggression
against the Islamic Republic will be swiftly met with 'appropriate'
action.
Iran would not hesitate to act in self-defense and respond to any
attacks on its territories, IRNA quoted a formal letter of complaint by
Iran's UN envoy to the world body's Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on
Thursday.
Khazaei lashed out at the "inflammatory remarks and baseless
allegations" made recently by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
underlined that the Islamic Republic would take appropriate defensive
measures to protect itself.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its deep concern over such
remarks, and strongly condemns the provocative, unjustifiable and
irresponsible comments," the senior Iranian diplomat noted.
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
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| China's AC313 Helicopter |
China's domestically
developed civilian freight helicopter, the AC313, successfully climbed
to a height of 8,000 meters, an altitude that will enable the chopper to
fulfill plateau missions.
The AC313, developed and manufactured
by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), hit its highest
altitude to date during a trial flight on Sept. 2 at Gonghe Airport in
northwest China's Qinghai Province, AVIC said in a statement Tuesday.
"The test flight has fully proven the
helicopter's function and reliability, and will decide the range of its
flight altitude," said Xu Chaoliang, chief engineer of the AC313.
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