News Feed nº10
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European External Action Service launches a Arm Export Database
The European External Action Service has launched, on October 26th, an online database named COARM on arms exports from member states.
It currently covers the period-2013-2019, but is aimed to be updated every year based on the annual report on arms exports supervised by the council and therefore presents its data in a more user-friendly manner. Data can be filtered through origin, destination, military category, year, etc.
Arms exports control is an objective from the European Union since many years. In 2008 was adopted the Common Position defining common rules for authorising arms exports. This Position consists of 8 criteria to follow: compliance with sanctions or agreements, respect of Human Rights, preservation of peace, insurance of the non-deviation of weapons to other countries, correct behaviour of the buying country at international level, etc. The Common Position has been recently revised notably to include the 2013 UN Arms Trade Treaty.
French deputies plead for a new European median tactical airlifter
The military programming law is currently in discussion at the French parliament. To feed the debate, a recent report from a French deputy on the air force part gave voice to a recent proposal from the French Armée de l’Air to launch studies for a future median tactical airlifter.
This aircraft would replace both aging Lockheed C130-Hercules and Casa CN-235 with an aircraft smaller than the A400M. It would also be a direct competitor for the Lockheed C130-J. By replacing two aircrafts by one, and by requiring some maintenance and operation similarities with the A400M, it could offer some cost reduction.
Another report from two French deputies in July, on the role that the defence industry could play in the recovery strategy after COVID-19 crisis, also identified this lead as a good candidate for recovery funds or for the European Defence Fund (EDF). Partners are still to find: the main candidate would be Spain, which has the same equipment and will face the same capability gap. The United Kingdom could also be interested but outside the EU scope. Germany, owning little used Transall C160D, does not share the same operational need.
EDA gathers experts to identify R&T needs and applications of hypersonic systems
EDA is currently conducting Technology Foresight Workshops on the potential of disruptive technologies for defence capabilities. This workshops aims to identify and classify technology trends and prioritise the R&T developments necessary to obtain mid-term or long-term associated capabilities. One of the workshops was focused on hypervelocity, which is both quickly emerging and susceptible to impact current defence equilibrium.
Gathering 90 experts from 12 different member states, multiple approaches were assessed: transport, effectors, and protection against hypersonic threats. The issues identified cover propulsion and launching platforms, manoeuvrability, trajectory, questions related to information management as well as guidance and control of such hypervelocity systems.
After further analysis, a report will be prepared summarizing the workshop and destined to the Member States’ Ministries of Defence.
A French city (Evreux) awarded by the German MoD
Every year, Germany honours individuals or institutions that have specifically committed themselves to supporting its army by strengthening the army-nation bond, with the “Preis Bundeswehr und Gesellschaft” award. This year is a première in the history of this award, since it is the French commune of Evreux, which hosts the deutsch-französischer Luftwaffenverband, won a special award. The city was particularly highlighted for its efforts to welcome the German military who live there.
Prolongation of the German Mandate in the Operation Counter Daesh/Capacity Building in Iraq
The Bundestag extends the action of its contingent of soldiers in Iraq as part of NATO’s Counter Daesh/Capacity Building operation. On 29 October, the decision was adopted to prolong the German presence for 15 months in this operation. Germany is currently conducting reconnaissance, air transport and refuelling missions to counter Daesh operations and capacity building. The exact title of the mandate is: “Continuation of the use of German armed forces – securing stabilisation, preventing the re-establishment of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, promoting reconciliation in Iraq and Syria”
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