Defence`s Feeds

The US Marine Corps' (USMC) CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter has completed its first external lift flight.

Australia has selected French shipyard DCNS for the $39bn contract to build a new fleet of 12 submarines in Adelaide.

The first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command centre, the MQ-XX system, has been successfully installed aboard the US Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

From meeting the need to improve fuel economy and enhance operational flexibility to preparing for the power-hungry radar, communications and energy weapons systems of the future, the US Navy has been steadily surging ahead with electrification. Dr G…

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The springtime migration of birds over Afghanistan is in full swing. The Kol-e Hashmat Khan wetland in south Kabul is an internationally important site for tired waterbirds to stop and rest, and build up their strength. Soon, they’ll be heading north again, crossing the Hindu Kush mountains to reach their summer breeding grounds in Central Asia and western Siberia. In early April, AAN’s Kate Clark joined other birdwatchers at the wetland to take part in the Asian Waterbird Census, a continental count of waterbirds. Here, she brings you some of the photographs of birds and birdwatchers.

For more detail on the birds, the site and the threat Kol-e Hashmat Khan faces, read the accompanying dispatch by Kate, “Kabul Duck Alert: Afghan capital still important stopover for migrating waterbirds”.

For waterbirds flying thousands of kilometres north from southern Pakistan or India to Central Asia or western Siberia, the site of Kol-e Hashmat Khan is a welcome one. It is the equivalent of an oasis in the middle of a largely dry country, on the outskirts of a city of five million people. Every year, thousands of birds stop here on their spring migration. 93 species of birds were identified on the lake in a four year survey by the Wildlife Conservation Society (2007-2010). That is a quarter of the total number of species seen in Afghanistan.

Afghan ornithologists are concerned that water levels are dropping and the number and variety of birds is falling. The Kol-e Hashmat Khan wetland is under threat – because of water taken off for irrigation, land-grabbing of land on the lakeside, encroaching of housing (which did stop in 2012), pollution and global warming. However, plans are afoot to protect the lake.

For now, the birds are still coming and for birdwatchers that is a delight. Do click on the photo gallery to see some of the photographs taken of the lake!

On 21 April, SEDE held a public hearing to address the cyber defence and resilience from the CSDP perspective at the EU level and national levels. How to build the resilience and efficiently protect critical infrastructures? Which are the cyber warfare capabilities in our changing world? Given that cyber security stays high on the European agendas and is one of the Presidency priorities, it will be extremely interesting to gather different experts and hear which their insights are.
Further information
Hearing programme
Presentation by Steve Purser, Head of Core Operations, European Network Information Security Agency (ENISA)
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

At its meeting on 21 April, SEDE held and exchange of views with Jacek Bylica, Principal Adviser and Special Envoy for non-Proliferation and Disarmament, on the results of the Nuclear Security Summit which took place in Washington D.C. on 31. March and 1. April 2016. The 2016 Summit marks the end of the Nuclear Security Summit process in this format. However, the Work Plan of the 2010 Summit will continue to guide the participating States efforts in the future.
Further information
Draft agenda and meeting documents
Speech by Jacek Bylica, Principal Adviser and Special Envoy for non-Proliferation and Disarmament, EEAS
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

will take place on Monday 30 May, 15:00-18:30 in Brussels.

Organisations or interest groups who wish to apply for access to the European Parliament will find the relevant information below.

Further information
watch the meeting live
Access rights for interest group representatives
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is currently aiding the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) in building up the capabilities of its IOMAX AT-802 Block 1 Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA) force, it was recently disclosed. An image released by the Air Force Reserve Command on 19 April

Algeria's first MEKO A-200 frigate was commissioned in Algiers on 21 April in a ceremony attended by Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who serves as both the chief-of-staff of the military and deputy defence minister. The Ministry of Defence said the arrival of Erradii (910) marked an important

THREE International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers were kidnapped by militants in an unspecified location in Mali's Kidal region on 16 April, Radio France Internationale reported. Harakat Ansar al-Din claimed responsibility for kidnapping them on 21 April, and asked for the release of a

API Technologies, a company specialising in the manufacture of radio frequency (RF) and microwave systems and components, has been bought by J F Lehman, API announced on 22 April. Lehman, a private equity company, will be paying shareholders of API USD2 per share. At that rate the total value of

Nigeria's NTA News channel has confirmed that the delivery of the second P18N offshore patrol vessel (OPV) that was built for the West African country in China has been delayed. It broadcast footage on 17 April showing Defence Minister Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali meeting the management of the China

The Harris Corporation has established a new enterprise to lead the company's defence operations in Australia and the wider region. The company said on 22 April that Harris Defence Australia is based in Brisbane and will be led by Alan Callaghan, who was named as president and managing director of

The Indian Army's efforts to procure assault rifles, as replacements for the locally designed Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56x45 mm calibre model, continue nearly six years after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) first approved the requirement. In 2010 the army had rejected the Defence Research

Kuwait is planning to construct two additional Patriot fire bases, documents released by the US Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website on 19 April have confirmed. The pre-solicitation notice that was released by the FBO said the US Army Corps of Engineers intends to solicit companies that are

Key Points Japan's first F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is expected to be fully assembled at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth production facility in time for a 29 September roll-out Other new international customers, such as Israel and South Korea, are also expected to receive their first

IN A STATEMENT released on 21 April, an indigenous Mapuche militant group called Weichan Auka Mapu claimed responsibility for five arson attacks targeting churches in Chile's Aurecania region since 1 March, Reuters reported. Additionally, the group claimed responsibility for different attacks

Key Points Conceived to support VBSS and VBSS overwatch operations, the MK VI Patrol Boat will also support high-value escort, theatre security co-operation, and security force assistance operations Two MK VI craft, PB1203 and PB1204, are now forward deployed with the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain In