Cuba starts ‘huge’ military drill

Cuba’s defence minister is Raul Castro, right – Fidel’s brother
Cuba’s armed forces have begun their biggest military exercise for nearly 20 years, involving hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians.
The exercise, called Bastion 2004, is a response to “the continued aggression and threats” of the US, Cuba says. The manoeuvres are being led by Defence Minister Raul Castro – brother to President Fidel Castro and second in the Cuban hierarchy.

The US said the drill was an attempt to “distract” Cubans from daily hardships. The exercise will involve exercises with Cuban air force MiG-29s, anti-aircraft units and elite troops. The determination of the US administration to destroy the [Cuban] revolution… determines the necessity of conducting these exercises

General Leonardo Andollo
Armed forces deputy chief

Two days of civil defence exercises at the end of the week-long exercise will include a simulated aerial assault. Officials say about 100,000 soldiers, some 400,000 reservists, and “millions” of civilians will take part. Many Cuban civilians already belong to the thousands of neighbourhood Committees for the Defence of the Revolution, whose duties include maintaining readiness against attack. “The determination of the US administration to destroy the [Cuban] revolution however they can, including militarily, determines the necessity of conducting these exercises,” said Gen Leonardo Andollo, deputy chief of the armed forces, according to the AFP news agency. Last week, the defence minister said the exercises would ensure “the enemy does not underestimate” the Cuban people.

‘Peaceful transition’

The US sponsored a failed attempt by Cuban exiles to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 but US officials are scornful at the idea that another invasion could be mounted. “We don’t think there is any justification, or any particular foundation for this kind of charge,” said Richard Boucher, spokesman for the US state department. “The United States has repeatedly called for a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba. We think that’s what the Cuban people deserve, and we think they deserve it in a peaceful fashion,” he was quoted as saying by AFP. These “exercises are just, I would say, one or more of the many things that the Cuban government does to try to distract people from the problems that they face in their daily lives”.

The US and Cuba have exchanged a series of verbal blows over the past year, with the US tightening its tough sanctions on the island and Cuba retaliating by imposing a tax on the use of US dollars. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was expected to arrive in Havana on a two-day visit on Monday, reports said – his second visit in just over one month. There were few details on his itinerary.

India Orders a Dozen Domestic UAVs

By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI, NEW DELHI
December 06, 2004

The Indian Army has ordered 12 Nishant unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a limited-series production for an indigenous program nearly a decade behind schedule. A Defence Ministry official said the order was placed the week of Nov. 15 with the state-owned Aeronautical Development Agency (ADE), Bangalore. The agency, India’s only UAV development laboratory, is part of the state’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

One Nishant UAV will cost about $3.5 million, compared with $7.5 million for an Israeli-made Heron, a DRDO scientist said. Due to the Nishant’s delay, the Army has purchased about 150 UAVs from Israel, including Searcher-1, Searcher-2 and Heron. The deal calls for four Nishant UAVs and ground support equipment to be delivered by the end of 2006, with payment for the eight remaining systems to come only after the delivery of the first four, the Defence Ministry official said.

The Nishant UAV project was sanctioned by the ministry in October 1991 with an estimated completion date of April 1995. The ADE made five prototypes and tested them in 2001-2002. The Army plans to use the UAVs for surveillance in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, an Army official said.

Despite the limited series production of the Nishant, the Defence Ministry will continue to buy short-range UAVs from overseas markets. “Israel will continue to remain the mainstay of supply of UAVs for the Indian defense forces, as the DRDO has still to prove its mark in this area,” the Defence Ministry official said.

The DRDO scientist said problems in the Nishant UAV have been rectified with the help of Israeli scientists. He would not detail those problems. The Defence Ministry official confirmed the UAV had some problems in the airframe and the landings were not smooth, but added the Nishant now meets the Army’s requirements.

The Nishant can fly at a height of 12,000 feet, has an endurance of four and a half hours, and a range of 100 kilometers with a payload of 45 kilograms, the scientist said.

It is a mobile system comprising air vehicles, ground control station, antenna tracking system, launcher and mission support vehicles. Each air vehicle carries a stabilized steerable platform with electro-optic payloads for surveillance, target acquisition and target tracking, the scientist said.

The 360-kilogram vehicle is designed for electronic intelligence and electro-optic reconnaissance and can fly at 40 to 60 meters per second. It also can send instantaneous data and the digital flight control function is backed by an analog stand-by module. The Nishant can be catapult-mounted on a 14-ton truck and lands using a parachute and airbag.

http://www.c4isrjournal.com/story.php?F=541174

the problems(?) it had seem to be solved, nice video of the LCA harry, still want to see them taking up some manouvres 😉

indeed, you are askin for info which isnt quite detailed available, i think its more the money and some input because they have quite experience with western orientated machines in paksitan and abroad. but noone knows for sure its all guessing, both pakistan and china didnt show any info on that, so just move on. your question is just asking for guesses.

With a purchase of 126 aircraft, I doubt the Swedes would want to miss the bucks that come with it

I think most countrys have seen the nature of indian purchases (swinging, alot). They probably know to take this lightly :rolleyes:.

Well it doesnt mean that its failing with the LCA, we dont know. They do need additional planes besides the LCA. But it is amazing that india tries to “hint” at exactly the same planes pakistan tries to aqcuire, most likely to give to influence the choice. so far we heard mirage,f16, grippen right after some other buyer wanted them 😉 . we will have to wait to see what the future brings.

I play it, it surprised me its quite difficult sometimes. But i managed to stabelize my empire and conquered the egyptians and some other tiny clans, now i am respected :D. Most of the time my conquered egyptian citys rebel, so i force my military out of it and then exterminate the population to cut down on them. its mroe effecient then putting a whole big army there just to crush resistance.

It takes a lot of time but at the end of the day its worth it

Dent in India’s security matrix: Navy chief
RAJAT PANDIT

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2004 12:45:08 AM ]

NEW DELHI: Describing the continuing delay in the project to indigenously manufacture submarines as “a big dent” in India’s “national security matrix”, Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash on Friday said he had strongly taken up this “top priority” matter with the government.

“Our western neighbour (Pakistan) has recently acquired the capability to manufacture the most modern (French Agosta-90B) submarines available today. I have conveyed this imbalance to the government in the most emphatic terms,” said Admiral Prakash, speaking exclusively to The Times of India .

It is “very unfortunate” that India has allowed the vital capability to build submarines, acquired in the late 1980s, to simply wither away. “I have briefed the defence minister (Pranab Mukherjee) and he shares our concerns,” he said.

The recent billion-dollar US arms bonanza for Pakistan, including eight more P-3C Orion aircraft and over 2,000 TOW-2A missiles, has also come at a wrong time for the Navy, he said.

“It’s a very disturbing development. Although they (Pakistan) are saying the Orions will be helpful in surveillance on the Afghan border, they are maritime reconnaissance aircraft meant for use over the sea. Moreover, being missile-equipped, the Orions have offensive capabilities as well,” said the Navy chief.

The Navy, on its part, is very keen to bolster its “degraded” long-range reconnaissance capabilities by upgrading its present fleet of IL-38 and TU-142 aircraft, as also acquiring new aircraft like the Orions.

As for the underwater fleet, the Navy is making do with only 16 ageing diesel-electric submarines at present. It wants the government to finalise the $2-billion French Scorpene project — which involves construction of six submarines at Mazagaon Docks — promptly.

“Once we start this project, which is ready in all aspects, we will be able to design and build our own submarines entirely or with minimal help from outside sources,” said Admiral Prakash, who is firmly pushing for “indigenous” capabilities.

The government’s caution in coming to a final decision about the Scorpene project is “understandable” since it involves a huge outlay of money. “Although we have done our homework well and it has received full scrutiny at all levels of the government, there may be competing claims,” he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/928778.cms

getting in trouble it seems

Falcon 4.0 !!!!!!!!