inkMusashi,
Or was this all made up?
Some of it was and some wasn’t. Please remember (or find online or in a book) the kind of figures that were eminating from NATO spokesmen and NATO politicians during the air-campaign: Numbers such as 100,000 Albanian men mass-murdered come to mind. If I’m not much mistaken the most reliable and recent figures put the number of dead during the whole conflict in Kosovo (1998-99) at ‘upto’ 10,000 – killed in fighting, executed in war-crimes, died of exposure or disease etc… On all sides. I’ll try and dig out the UN report that that figure comes from. For an intense anti-guerilla conflict with an air campaign and with murderous *******s ready to kill civilians on both sides this does not seem to high.
Viper01,
I am pretty sure about Bosnia, though.
The evidence given during the Milosevic trial at the Hague suggests strongly that he had no direct control of forces there from the outset of the conflict. Influence (as shown by the Dayton agreement) over the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs does not qualify him for command responsibility over those forces and their actions.
Lonevolk,
The trully pro-western political parties in Serbia have only marginal support from Belgrade elitist circles, while the nationalist Radical Party has at least 40% support (probably more since the funeral)
This is not true. The Radical Party won around 27% of the vote in the last parlimentary elections. Most of the rest of the vote went to parties belonging to the democratic block. The very large number of such parties and the splits between them means that the Radical party was the largest single party but it is still a long way from having the kind of support necessary to win a parlimentary majority (and fortunately, their chances of making a coalition government are really really poor*). Even outside of the metropolis and other cities Serbia is largely in support of democratic government.
* The coalition building after the last election shows that no one party was willing to build a coalition with the Radicals – even the Socialists (SPS) turned their nose up at the prospect. Bogoljub Karic’s Serbian Mentalists Party would have been a good likely candidate if they hadn’t fought so hard to steal the Radical’s traditional support base.
inkBeing that most FULLBACKs around right now are hand-made prototypes it could be possible that only the production versions will have the toilet+microwave installed.
inkSwerve,
At purchasing power parity (before anyone quotes the exchange rate converted figure & says “That’s wrong!”)
Thanks. I only got the figure from wikipedia to illustrate a point. I figured, as long as I can show that Algeria is in no sense a 3rd world country that will be enough. Nonetheless, your qualification is appreciated.
inkWhich scenario is more likely for a third world country?
Algeria is hardly a third world country. It has a GDP of USD217billion (ranked 38th in the world).
inkSchorsch,
The MiG-29 proved difficult to maintain, short in range and capabilities and overall sacrficing too much for agility. The newest versions have ironed out some problems, but still it is not a new aircraft.
With all due respect, I disagree. Apart from the upgrade programmes for older FULCRUMs the newer ’29 models are indeed, to all intents and purposes, ‘new aircraft’. The shape being the, to some extent, the only thing they have in common with the short-legged, difficult to maintain, FULCRUMs you’re talking about.
It is still not a true multi-mission aircraft. Hence there are other designs better suitable, for example a Su-25,
In my opinion a FROOGFOOT of any variant would be woefully inadequate as a replacement for a true fast jet.
especially when regarding the tasks of Algerias airforce: It is not to defend itself against US but to project power against insurgents and potentially neighbors (very unlikely).
The FULCRUMs and FLANKERs Algeria is buying are too few in number to defend against the US. On the other hand, they would be a perfect deterent against Algeria’s not-so-friendly neighbours (i.e. Moroco and Lybia on either side and their former colonial masters just across the pond).
inkThe MiG-29 of any version is surely not the right aircraft for a country like Algeria.
Why is that?
inkIt comes as a bit of a surprise doesn’t it? There are few militaries out there (USA, China and India excepted) that can modernise on such a massive scale in one fell swoop. Even fewer who would do so by just buying weapons (and training) from just one country. Makes this Algerian contract just that little bit special (and suspect!).
However, for Russian arms manufacturers it is a big deal (pun completely unintentional), as it is for Russia as a state. It is exactly what Putin has been trying to do for years, make Russian energy companies less dependent on domestic natural resources and at the same time make Russia into an economy which can depend on manufactured goods as well as processed natural resources.
Also, with a bit of luck, this deal could help MiG(UAC)+Sukhoi get their act together with regards to finally producing a trully 5th gen combat aircraft (the appearence of which I have been so eagerly awaiting for so damn long now).
inkThe real nature of the Algerian arms deal… Apparently…
MOSCOW, March 13. (RIA Novosti defense commentator Viktor Litovkin). — A landmark event in Russian aircraft-making – promotion of MiG CEO Alexei Fedorov to Director General of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the new national champion, came shortly before a huge defense (mainly aviation) deal with Algeria.
The high-level Russian delegation in Algeria signed $7.5 billion’s worth of arms trade contracts under which Russia will supply a fleet of multirole fighters — 36 light MiG-29SMT Fulcrums and 28 heavy Su-30MKA Flankers — and 16 Yak-130 Mitten combat trainers, all worth around $3.5 billion. Additional programs include upgrade of 36 older Fulcrums, supplies of missiles and ground-based radars, and pilot and technician training. This series of contracts is going to be a tough test for the UAC, its new CEO and companies bound to become its units — Sukhoi, MiG, and Irkut Corporation.
Interestingly, Fedorov, who had come to MiG from Irkut and, accordingly, at different times had pushed for Flankers (Irkut) and Fulcrums (MiG) in talks with the Algerians, this time was not restricted by in-house rivalry and got, in his new capacity, a brilliant chance to show his real management skills and national champion’s efficiency as both Sukhois and MiGs are currently on the table.
There is little doubt that the Russians are ready for the Algerian deal technologically: both multirole fighters have been in operation for some time, for both there is backup production capacity: the Su-30s is produced by Irkut (Irkutsk) and KNAAPO (Komsomolsk-on-Amur), and the MiG-29SMTs by RSK MiG (Lukhovitsy, Moscow Region) and Sokol (Nizhny Novgorod). The Mitten is still being tested, and commercial production will surely take additional time and effort, but this is highly unlikely to affect the four-year contract.
At first, questions arose on whether the Algerians were ready for the contract financially. The deals were signed only after Russia agreed to write off $4 billion in Algeria’s bilateral debt. But if there was no money to pay the debt, the natural question arose, how Algiers was going to pay for the aircraft which, according to Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, would be delivered only upon bank transfer?
Where there is a will there is a way, though. Apparently unable to raise cash, Algeria offered a payment scheme which, though complicated, seems perfectly acceptable. Vagit Alekperov, CEO of Russia’s leading oil producer LUKoil, gas giant Gazprom chief Alexei Miller, and head of independent gas producer Itera Igor Makarov’s role among Russian negotiators turned out to be much more important than it had seemed, as the North African nation pledged to give Russians shares in upstream as well as downstream operations with its oil and gas, including intercontinental energy deliveries.
In the context of the arms deal, the scheme is likely to be as follows: Algeria gives a Russian company access to an oil- and gas-rich region, with the proceeds split between the producer and the Algerian government who is bound to immediately transfer the revenues to the UAC as payments for the aircraft which Russians make totally on their own.
Of course the proposed scheme is far from straightforward, and is going to include many mediators like banks and other credit organizations, but it could also be seen as evidence to the solid financial condition the Russian corporation is in.
A company that can afford such a scheme demonstrates its ability to engage in long-term, rather than expediency-driven, relationship. Even more importantly, though, involvement in such extensive and long-term contracts – which admittedly imply some one-off compromises – means stable additional profits in the future because the producer who reaches out in such a manner gains tremendous advantages in MRO and other after-sales programs for a fighter fleet that is going to last way beyond a decade.
The future profits that the UAC leaders were probably having in mind when supporting the debt write-off will enable the corporation to invest more in R&D to create more products and do more good to Algeria, Russia, and its aircraft industry.
inktphuang,
Actually, Algeria is just cancelling Russian debts in this case. Let’s face it, if they don’t buy these weapons, they might never get that money back.
I think you’ve got it the wrong way round:
MOSCOW, March 11 (RIA Novosti) – Algeria’s entire $4.7 billion debt to Russia will be written off after Algeria concludes and implements contracts to buy Russian industrial products and military hardware, an expert involved in the preparation of President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to the country said Saturday.
The expert said contracts worth more than $7 billion will be signed, which is almost two times as much as Algeria’s debt to the former U.S.S.R. He added that the agreement reached Friday was a breakthrough, as the debt had been considered hopeless.
The agreement was concluded “to further develop and strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries and develop mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation.”
inkThe Algerians are going nuts:
ALGIERS, March 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s main arms exporter has concluded arms deals with Algeria worth $7.5 billion and is planning to sign other contracts worth another $2-3 billion, the head of Rosoboronexport said Friday.
“We have signed arms contracts totaling $7.5 billion in the last two-three months, including on deliveries of air defense systems, combat aircraft, ships and combat vehicles,” Sergei Chemezov told a news conference.
He said 90% of contracts were for sales of new equipment and only 10% of the deals were for the modernization and repair of equipment previously sold to the country.
“We dominate the Algerian arms market and sell military equipment only for real money,” Chemezov said.
He also said Russian military equipment was as good as similar foreign equipment but 15%-20% less expensive.
“I hope we will be able to conclude new contracts worth about $2-3 billion,” the head of Rosoboronexport said.
Russian media previously reported that contracts for the delivery of 40 MiG-29SMT Fulcrum fighters, 20 Su-30 MK Flanker fighters, 16 Yak-130 Mitten combat trainers, eight battalions of S-300 PMU2 Favorite air defense systems and 40 T-90 main battle tanks had been initialed before President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the North African country.
inkMi-28N looks likely to enter service:
MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti) – First-stage flight testing of next-generation attack helicopters for the Russian Air Force has been completed and the choppers will soon be in service, an official said Thursday.
Head of the Air Force press service Alexander Drobyshevsky said that the Mi-28N Night Hunter had completed its first test flights, and the Rostov Helicopter Plant (Rosvertol) will launch full-scale production in the immediate future.
The company will initially produce 20 Mi-28Ns under a three-year contract with the Air Force, the official said.
According to Drobyshevsky, a serial model of the Mi-28N Night Hunter conducted its first flight in late December and has made 140 flights since then.
The helicopter is primarily designed to locate and destroy enemy armored vehicles, personnel, small surface ships, low-speed air targets and fortifications and to lay mine fields day or night in adverse weather conditions.
High reliability and powerful weaponry make the chopper competitive on global aircraft markets, the Rosvertol press service said. Military experts said helicopter’s effectiveness was four to five times higher than of any existing helicopters of its type.
Any one got pictures of this production version (or ‘series model’) – all I’ve ever seen are prototypes.
inkJeez! How many canard+delta designs (whether 1 or 2 engined) are there out there? Surely it must be quite difficult to decide whether one influenced another.
inkWhat a rediculous scenario.
Would the British be able to defend Gibraltar if the Morocans invaded?
inkThe secret operation will not be disclosed to the American people unless it is a complete success, but that might not be known for months or perhaps even years of study
Yea right.
inkAs I craned my head to see this ‘bomb burst’ – the Flankers disappeared below the heads of the people in front of me – so they were out of sight.
Then one of them suddenly appeared over our heads from in front – and I kid you not – at no more than 50 feet.
There were gasps from the crowd as we ducked – and the Flanker then went ‘knife edge’ between two apartment buildings on a ridge behind us – then climbed away and headed back towards Kubinka.
Following a few seconds stunned silence, a mighty roar went up from the crowd – followed by cheering and applause.
It left a big impression on me – so flying through a hole in a rock should be a doddle for the Knights.
Psychos!
I just hope nobody gets killed when they do the ‘cave’ stunt. I think you have to be an incurable (or terminal) adrenaline junkie to do this sort of thing for a living.
Sign In
