Af/Pak & Other News (5/10/2013)

[dump...@hotmail.com]

Afghan provincial governor says he narrowly escaped a bombing
targeting his convoy:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-provincial-governor-says-he-narrowly-escaped-a-bombing-targeting-his-convoy/2013/05/10/0b2e8ddc-b969-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_story.html



U.S. 'Not Seeking' Permanent Afghan Bases:

http://www.rferl.org/content/afghan-american-military-bases-carney/24982129.html



Pakistani fertilizer grows both Taliban bombs and Afghan crops:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2013/0509/Pakistani-fertilizer-grows-both-Taliban-bombs-and-Afghan-crops



Bomb blasts in Miramshah kill five; injure 13:

http://dawn.com/2013/05/10/three-dead-10-injured-in-miranshah-blast/



Merkel in surprise visit to Afghanistan: spokesman:

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Merkel_in_surprise_visit_to_Afghanistan_spokesman_999.html





India: AF Issues Tender for Purchase of 56 Transport Planes:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/144900/india-issues-rfp-for-56-transport-aircraft.html





Is Iran widening its shadow war with West?:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Is_Iran_widening_its_shadow_war_with_West_999.html



Iran unveils new attack drone:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Iran_unveils_new_attack_drone_999.html



U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Those Aiding Iran:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/world/middleeast/us-imposes-sanctions-on-those-aiding-iran.html





Exclusive: Turkish PM Erdogan: Syria has crossed red line, used
chemical weapons:

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/09/18148044-exclusive-turkish-pm-erdogan-syria-has-crossed-red-line-used-chemical-weapons?lite



Turkey would support U.S.-led no-fly zone in Syria:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/05/10/Turkey-would-support-U-S-led-no-fly-zone-in-Syria.html



Russia 'completing supplies' of missiles to Syria: Lavrov:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/russia-completing-supplies-of-missiles-t/670764.html



Nyet! Now Russia Won’t Sell Badass Missile to Syria:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/s300-syria/



UN rights chief alarmed over Syrian troop buildup:

http://news.yahoo.com/un-rights-chief-alarmed-over-syrian-troop-buildup-130746504.html



US Options For Syrian Operations: Institute for the Study of War:

http://breakingdefense.com/2013/05/09/us-options-for-syrian-operations-institute-for-the-study-of-war/





Egypt set to sign Anka UAV contract in June:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/egypt-set-to-sign-anka-uav-contract-in-june-385658/





Libyan police stations bombed, British embassy cuts staff:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/10/us-benghazi-bomb-idUSBRE9490DM20130510




Exclusive: Benghazi Talking Points Underwent 12 Revisions, Scrubbed of
Terror Reference:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/05/exclusive-benghazi-talking-points-underwent-12-revisions-scrubbed-of-terror-references/



Benghazi Debate Focuses on Interpretation of Early E-Mail on
Attackers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/us/politics/benghazi-debate-focuses-on-interpretation-of-early-e-mail-on-attackers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0



Sen. Inhofe: GOP Could Impeach Obama Over Benghazi 'Cover Up':

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130510/DEFREG02/305100016/Sen-Inhofe-GOP-Could-Impeach-Obama-Over-Benghazi-Cover-Up-





Five suicide bombers dead in failed attacks in northern Mali:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/05/10/uk-mali-attack-idUKBRE9490RV20130510



Follower of Mohammed al Zawahiri dies in attack in Mali:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/05/follower_of_mohammed.php





10,000 dissidents detained in Eritrea, report says:

http://news.msn.com/world/10000-dissidents-detained-in-eritrea-report-says






Alenia Aermacchi: First Upgraded Tornado ECR Delivered to Italian Air
Force:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/144882/first-upgraded-tornado-ecr-delivered-to-italian-af.html





Russia Debates Restart of MiG-31 Production:

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2013-05-10/russia-debates-restart-mig-31-production




UK Watchdog: Faulty Data Drove F-35 Choices for New Carriers:

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130509/DEFREG01/305090014/UK-Watchdog-Faulty-Data-Drove-F-35-Choices-New-Carriers



NAO: Royal Navy F-35Bs 'Can't Land In hot Weather':

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/144899/nao%3A-royal-navy-f_35bs-%27can%27t-land-in-hot-weather%27.html




Europe Considers 'Black' Armed MALE UAV Project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_05_09_2013_p0-577476.xml





US Carrier Group To Take Part In S. Korea Drills:

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130510/DEFREG03/305100011/US-Carrier-Group-Take-Part-S-Korea-Drills





N. Korea nuke arsenal seen as matter of when, not if:

http://news.msn.com/world/n-korea-nuke-arsenal-seen-as-matter-of-when-not-if





Is this China’s First Killer Drone?:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/china-first-killer-drone/





Talking Stealth: USAF Pushes for 5th to 4th 'Gateway':

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:4ac8bd74-d81d-49c6-8c8d-ad28e0b566ae



Raytheon, US Army complete AI3 control vehicle tests:

http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2324



COs of HMM 262 and 364 fired:

http://alert5.com/2013/05/10/cos-of-hmm-262-and-364-fired/



5 Russian-Made Surveillance Technologies Used in the West:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/russian-surveillance-technologies/



US Army May Push Back JLTV, Rethink Armed Aerial Scout Program:

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130509/DEFREG02/305090012/US-Army-May-Push-Back-JLTV-Rethink-Armed-Aerial-Scout-Program



C-5M undergoes ‘super’ upgrade at Edwards AFB:

http://www.defencetalk.com/c-5m-undergoes-super-upgrade-at-edwards-afb-47728/



Biometric Database of All Adult Americans Hidden in Immigration
Reform:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/05/immigration-reform-dossiers/



Boeing Aims To Keep Building F/A-18 Jets Through 2020:

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_05_10_2013_p0-577802.xml

[dott.Piergiorgio]

Il 10/05/2013 20:29, dump...@hotmail.com ha scritto:
> Europe Considers 'Black' Armed MALE UAV Project:
>
> http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_05_09_2013_p0-577476.xml

well, perhaps that journalist has just returned from some vacation in
Rome; I can't find a different explanation for equating Europe with Italy...

and I must warn, on surface, "Italy" and "black projects" appears to be
mutually exclusive, but in reality said country's military can
effectively carry black projects (look up "alfa missile" for an example
poignant in those days)

But what is somewhat disquieting is AMI's resorting to NK tactics:

" The decision has put Italy at the whim of the U.S. government in terms
of upgrades. But weaponizing these UAVs [AMI's MQ-1s and MQ-9] is a
�high priority� for Italian forces, says Gen. Alberto Rosso, logistics
branch chief for the Italian air force." and

�The U.S. is not the only country with the capability to provide those
capabilities,� he says. �If we are unable to meet those requirements, we
are already looking for alternatives.�

is hard to read-between-lines differently, knowing Italian .mil and
politics lexicon, and IS an warm recommendation to US to grant ASAP the
weaponizing of US-built hardware)

Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.