Ethiopia to buy over 200 tanks from Ukraine, worth $100 million

T-72

Ethiopia has agreed to buy more than 200 tanks from Ukraine

Ukraine on Thursday agreed to a deal with Ethiopia for the supply of more than 200 tanks for over $100 million (800 million Ukrainian Hryvnas), UKRINFORM news agency reported.

Ukrspecexport SC, the Ukrainian state-controlled arms exporter, signed a contract with the Defense Ministry of Ethiopia for 200 T-72 tanks. This was one of the largest contracts signed by the weapons exporter over 15 years of operation.

The tanks are a relatively new type of military hardware. The T-72 is equipped with a modernized power plant, guided weapons and armor system. The T-72 tank was originally produced in the Soviet Union n the 1970′s. It was widely exported to many African, Asian and Middle Eastern states.

Ukrspetsexport expects that the contract will have major economic and social impact. The implementation of if will improve the capacity of the Ukrainian businesses, create jobs and increase revenues.

Furthermore, the state-run arms dealer will receive orders for repairs and upgrades of the supplied tanks to Ethiopia in the future which will also benefit other Ukrainian companies.

The T-72 comes from the Cold War era when tensions where high between the west and Soviet backed-aligned states.  While not the most advanced and up-to-date tank in the world, it does meet Ethiopia’s current needs given that the country has been involved in regional conflicts with Somali and Eritrea past few recent years. Ukraine on the other hand is trying to maintain whatever little it has left of it’s arms manufacturing industry given that it has been wrecked economically hard and like alot of countries by the 2008 financial global crisis.

Video: PLA Navy makes port call to Hong Kong after patroling Gulf of Aden

After 6 months on the seas off the coast of Somalia, PLA Navy Type 054A missile frigates FFG 529-Zhoushan and FFG 530-Xuzhou sailed back into Chinese waters for a port call to Hong Kong.

The two advanced ships were part of a task force on anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden and are sailing back to their home port in Zheijiang province. The historical task force is the PLA Navy’s first overseas combat mission.

The move underlines the growth in Chinese naval power. And with a number of Chinese workers employed in potentially unstable countries around the world, the evacuation likely serves as a dress rehearsal for future crises.  Recently the FFG 530-Xuzhou has been sent to Libya to help evacuate Chinese nationals.

8th Chinese naval escort fleet leaves to patrol Gulf of Aden

 

Family members wave goodbye to the sailors and Chinese naval officers who have been sent out to the Gulf of Aden for the anti-piracy mission in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, Feb 21, 2011.

The eighth Chinese naval escort fleet, which consists of two missile frigates, left on Monday for the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect merchant ships from rampant piracy in the area.

Missile destroyers "Wenzhou" and "Ma'anshan" are ready to set sail to the Gulf of Aden at an East China's port in Zhejiang province, Feb 21, 2011.

The 8th Chinese naval escort flotilla, consisting of frigate Wenzhou and frigate Ma’anshan, departed from Zhoushan on Monday, for the escort mission with comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect commercial ships from pirate attacks.

Security Firm Blackwater Hunting Somali Pirates ?

According to a report by the New York Times, Blackwater or currently known now as “XE”, has been hunting the high seas for some Pirates.

WASHINGTON — Besieged by criminal inquiries and Congressional investigators, how could the world’s most controversial private security company drum up new business? By battling pirates on the high seas, of course.

In late 2008, Blackwater Worldwide, already under fire because of accusations of abuses by its security guards in Iraq and Afghanistan, reconfigured a 183-foot oceanographic research vessel into a pirate-hunting ship for hire and then began looking for business from shipping companies seeking protection from Somali pirates. The company’s chief executive officer, Erik Prince, was planning a trip to Djibouti for a promotional event in March 2009, and Blackwater was hoping that the American Embassy there would help out, according to a secret State Department cable.

But with the Obama administration just weeks old, American diplomats in Djibouti faced a problem. They are supposed to be advocates for American businesses, but this was Blackwater, a company that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had proposed banning from war zones when she was a presidential candidate.

The embassy “would appreciate Department’s guidance on the appropriate level of engagement with Blackwater,” wrote James C. Swan, the American ambassador in Djibouti, in a cable sent on Feb. 12, 2009. Blackwater’s plans to enter the anti-piracy business have been previously reported, but not the American government’s concern about the endeavor.

According to that cable, Blackwater had outfitted its United States-flagged ship with .50-caliber machine guns and a small, unarmed drone aircraft. The ship, named the McArthur, would carry a crew of 33 to patrol the Gulf of Aden for 30 days before returning to Djibouti to resupply.

And the company had already determined its rules of engagement. “Blackwater does not intend to take any pirates into custody, but will use lethal force against pirates if necessary,” the cable said.

At the time, the company was still awaiting approvals from Blackwater lawyers for its planned operations, since Blackwater had informed the embassy there was “no precedent for a paramilitary operation in a purely commercial environment.”

Lawsuits filed later by crew members on the McArthur made life on the ship sound little improved from the days of Blackbeard.

One former crew member said, according to legal documents, that the ship’s captain, who had been drinking during a port call in Jordan, ordered him “placed in irons” (handcuffed to a towel rack) after he

was accused of giving an unauthorized interview to his hometown newspaper in Minnesota. The captain, according to the lawsuit, also threatened to place the sailor in a straitjacket. Another crew member, who is black, claimed in court documents that he was repeatedly subjected to racial epithets.

In the end, Blackwater Maritime Security Services found no treasure in the pirate-chasing business, never attracting any clients. And the Obama administration chose not to sever the American government’s relationship with the North Carolina-based firm, which has collected more than $1 billion in security contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Blackwater renamed itself Xe Services, and earlier this year the company won a $100 million contract from the Central Intelligence Agency to protect the spy agency’s bases in Afghanistan.

With lack of being held accountable (the pirates) by local or neighboring governments, this “market” based approach is not that surprising to solving the piracy issue.  The financial incentives are there for not the right solution, but one that is manageable.  Seeing a good opportunity, security firms are scrambling to meet the growing demand. Given the fact that navies patrolling the seas aren’t there for the long haul since they need constant refueling, repairs-maintance and crews eventually have to return home.  The only other viable solution is armed patrol for each ship and this is where Blackwater AKA Xe and other private security firms step in.  They are nimble, agile and have right personel since most of the employees are former soldiers from various nations like Israel, U.S., U.K, France, Poland, Australia, and South Africa even.  Until the U.N, African Union, Somali and neighboring nations effectively solve the piracy issue, expect more and more solutions to come out from private contractors and security firms.

At no Surprise, Somali tops Countries Most at Risk from Terrorism

The risk consulting firm Maplecroft has released its Terrorism Risk Index for 2010, which tracks the frequency and intensity of terrorism attacks around the world. The most dangerous countries from a terrorism perspective are:

1. Somalia
2. Pakistan
3. Iraq

The firm ranks a total of 16 countries as being under “extreme risk” – a list that includes Colombia, Thailand, Philippines, Yemen, Russia, and Israel.

Greece has moved the most in the index, from 57th on the list to 24th and is now considered the European country most at risk from a terrorist attack. The U.S. is ranked 33th.

South Korea navy completes anti-piracy operations in Gulf of Aden

ROKS Gang Gam-Chan deploys its tip of the sword, two RHIB's and a Super Lynx helicopter.

The South Korean navy recently completed anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

The Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) ROKS Gang Gam-Chan recently completed its anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as a member of Combined Task Force-151 (CTF-151). The ship was the fourth ROKN Cheonghae Unit ship to be deployed to CTF-151. The ROKN has been operating continuously in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean since April 2009.

Unlike the more frequent overseas deployment of the country’s army, the ROKN’s Cheonghae Unit is the first overseas deployment of the Republic of Korea (ROK) armed forces for combat operations since the Vietnam War, when the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) re-established its legendary reputation as a force that can “catch the devil.” Other recent and ongoing ROK deployments have been for non-combat purposes, such as reconstruction, medical assistance, and peacekeeping. While they have included combat troops, their purpose was the protection of ROK personnel.

During its deployment, ROKS Gang Gam-Chan escorted 488 commercial ships of various nationalities on a total of 29 occasions, while there were no successful pirate attacks in its area of responsibility. The KDX-2 destroyer also inspected suspect ships and thwarted attempted pirate attacks. Additionally, the KDX-2 destroyer provided emergency medical treatment and donated medical supplies aboard commercial ships, including ships registered to Bahama, the Fugro Synergy, and Hong Kong, the Fortune Apricot.

ROKS Gang Gam-Chan was replaced by ROKS Wang Geon, also a destroyer of the 4,500-ton Chungmugong Yi Sun-Shin class (KDX-2). ROKS Wang Geon is known to have begun its operations on September 13.

Russia to rotate naval task force off Somalia

Admiral Vinogradov destroyer

The Russian navy will rotate patrol naval ships off the coasts of Somali to guard against pitate attacks.

Russian warships will continue patrolling commercial shipping routes in the Gulf of Aden in 2011 to help thwart frequent pirate attacks on merchant ships, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

A Pacific Fleet’s task force led by the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer will replace the current naval group led by Northern Fleet’s Admiral Levchenko destroyer in December, the official said on Wednesday.

“Warships from the Russian Navy will continue their regular presence in the Gulf of Aden and around the Horn of Africa in 2011,” he said.

Admiral Vinogradov carried out its first anti-piracy mission off the Somali coast in January-March 2009.

The current task force led by Admiral Levchenko, an Udaloy class guided-missile destroyer, arrived in the Gulf of Aden on July 3 to join the international anti-piracy mission near Somalia. The Russian naval group also includes the Olekma tanker and the SB-36 tugboat of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The Russian task force has successfully escorted 13 commercial convoys with a total of 57 vessels through pirate-infested waters off the Somali coast since its arrival in the area.

The Russian Navy has maintained a presence off the Horn of Africa since October 2008, with warships operating on a rotation basis.

The extension is needed and welcome from my perspective, especially given the lawlessness of Somali and its coastal areas.  A little law and order is needed to maintain and build up stability.  This is another chance that Russia sees as an opportunity to at least be a player on African security matters as during the cold war.  It is trying to shore up its strategic engagement with African nations through arm sales. The challenge is tough since the U.S.  and China are both improving and expanding their clout, especially economically.  Even though Russia might be late, it never hurts to at least show up.  For more on Russia’s re-entry in Africa, see previous post here: Russia’s new dash in Africa.

UK Spy Chief Warns Of Somalia Terror Threat

This Friday the head of Britain’s domestic spy agency warned that the U.K. faces potent threats from terrorism incubated in Northern Ireland, the Middle East and North Africa.

Jonathan Evans, director-general of MI5, the country’s domestic intelligence service, said in a rare public speech that attacks on the U.K. are increasingly likely to emanate from Somalia, Yemen or Belfast, as al Qaeda-linked groups flee strongholds in Pakistan.

The spy chief said the 2012 London Olympic Games will likely be a major target for terrorist attacks, and warned that dissidents who reject Northern Ireland’s peace process could strike mainland British cities for the first time since 2001.

Jonathan Evans, director-general of MI5

Mr. Evans said Irish republican splinter groups have access to weapons, including Semtex explosives, and funds from smuggling and drug trafficking.

“We cannot exclude the possibility that they might seek to extend their attacks to Great Britain, as violent republican groups have traditionally done,” Mr. Evans said, making a speech late Thursday to security industry professionals in central London. Details of the speech were made public Friday.

While security officials have improved defenses against the threat from Islamic extremism, Mr. Evans said al Qaeda plots against Britain are “uncovered on a fairly regular basis,” with officers dealing with a handful of different cases at any one time.

But he said the number of plots against Britain with links to Pakistan’s tribal areas had dropped from three-quarters to about a half, mainly as a result of drone strikes against al Qaeda leaders—but also because of a sharp increase in activity in the Middle East and North Africa.

Would-be terrorists from around the world, including dozens of people either born or living in Britain, are training in camps in Somalia run by the al Qaeda aligned terrorist group al-Shabaab, Mr. Evans said. He warned that Somalia shares “many of the characteristics that made Afghanistan so dangerous as a seedbed for terrorism.”

“I am concerned that it is only a matter of time before we see terrorism on our streets inspired by those who are today fighting alongside al Shabaab,” he said.

This isn’t too surprising given that the US has seen an increase of Somali Americans going to Somali to join militant insurgents fighting alongside Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab. The same activity is happening in the UK.

UK residents training and fighting in Somalia are thought to number more than 100. They are believed to be of various origins, including Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and west African. MI6, Britain’s secret intelligence service, is also increasingly concerned about the spread of al-Qaida inspired jihadists across Africa, according to counter-terrorist officials.

“Al-Shabaab, an Islamist militia in Somalia, is closely aligned with al-Qaida, and Somalia shows many of the characteristics that made Afghanistan so dangerous a seedbed for terrorism in the period before the fall of the Taliban,” Evans said.

British officials believe Somalia is now a more serious base for potential attacks on the UK than Yemen where an al-Qaida affiliate developed the “underpants bomb” that failed to blow up an aircraft.

Since both the US and Britain face similar security threats, I wouldn’t be surprised if both countries were working together to reduce and eliminate this threat spectrum.

US Marines rescue German ship from Somali pirates

A U.S. Navy photo shows the USS Dubuque, left, and a Turkish frigate, in background, during an operation to retake the Magellan Star from pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday.

US Marines rescued on Thursday a German-owned ship seized by pirates a day earlier, as part of multinational operations to stem piracy in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, the US Fifth Fleet said.

U.S. Marines early Thursday boarded and seized control of a German-owned commercial vessel that had been commandeered by pirates, in what appeared to be the first American-led military boarding of its kind amid a recent surge of attacks in the Gulf of Aden and along the east coast of Africa.

USS Dubuque

A raiding party of 24 Marines boarded the ship about 85 miles southeast of Mukallah, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. Navy. Pirates had captured the vessel, which was carrying steel chains, in the same vicinity the previous day, the Navy said.

The U.S. said there were no casualties among the raiding party or the ship’s crew. Nine alleged pirates were captured in the operation.

The Gulf of Aden, a waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, is an important shipping route for goods going to and from Europe and Asia. It is also an important oil supply line, with Saudi Arabia shipping some of its exports through the passage.

Somalia-based pirates started to ratchet up their attacks in the gulf and along the east coast of Africa in 2008. In January 2009, the U.S. set up Combined Task Force 151, designed specifically to fight the new piracy threat. Other bodies, including the European Union, have established their own maritime task forces, which tend to operate in coordination with one another, and with individual navies. Iranian and Chinese ships have also cooperated in more informal ways in the fight against piracy in the region.

America’s antipiracy efforts go back more than two centuries, to when President Thomas Jefferson set out to combat Barbary coast pirates in north Africa. But the piracy threat against U.S. shipping largely evaporated by the latter part of the 19th century.

That is, until last year. In the spring of 2009, the U.S. military intervened in a pirate attack on an American-flagged merchant ship attacked offshore east Africa. The crew of that ship retook control of the vessel, but pirates escaped in a lifeboat with the captain of the ship as a hostage. U.S. snipers killed three pirates, captured a fourth and freed the captain in an elaborate naval rescue.

American warships since then have intervened a number of times to ward off attacks while they were under way, often sending helicopters over ships being pursued by pirates, for instance. But this appeared to be the first time since the Somali piracy boom began that a U.S. military team boarded a large vessel under pirate control.

A multinational force was set up in January 2009 to protect shipping lanes and stamp out piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
Here is news report about the rescue.

Raw footage of rescue by US Navy.

Uganda Says Needs US Help To Send Troops To Somalia

Uganda asks U.S. for help in funding troops to send to Somali.

Uganda government says 10,000 troops are ready to be sent to Somalia if the U.S. funds them.

Uganda’s army spokesman Col. Felix Kulayigye said Wednesday that the forces were trained and ready to go, but that the government lacks financial support.

Uganda and Burundi are the only African countries contributing troops for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia to help the government that battling with islamist militias.

Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Shabaab in Somalia attacked Uganda’s capital Kampala in July killing 76 people.

The group said it was avenging the killing of civilians by the African Union peacekeepers.

The spokeswoman of U.S. Embassy in Uganda Joann Lockard said her country has already provided support to equip an additional 1,000 Ugandan troops.

The U.S. has promised over $185 million to support African Union troops in Somalia, according to the spokeswoman.

On Wednesday the European Commission said it was contributing nearly $60 million to assist AMISOM’s peacekeeping force in the war-torn country. The fund was planned to prevent the security situation from deteriorating.

Last week, the Al-Shabaab spokesman declared a “massive war” on what he labeled “invaders,” an apparent reference to the African Union forces that protect the weak Somali government.

More than 150 people have been killed over the last 10 days during the latest escalation of violence in Mogadishu, according medics.

More than 6,300 African Union peacekeepers are deployed in Mogadishu but can do little more than guard the airport and presidential palace.