Nieuw conflict dreigt over Falklands

[Elzenga]

Gripens...Britse invloed op onderdelen...er zijn zo manieren om de dreiging van een potentiële tegenstander te "neutraliseren". Die wegen zo direct afsluiten doet hen inderdaad zoeken naar andere wegen...wegen waarop de Britse invloed zo goed als 0 is. Wel zo slim van de Britten?

[Huzaar1]

Met hypermoderne AA op dat eiland kun je lijkt mij  Argentinïe laten meedoen aan een voor GB  supergoedkope wapenwedloop of zie ik het nu fout.

[Ace1]

UK reviews Falklands defence as Russia offers Su-24s to Argentina


The Su-24 has a potent anti-surface and anti-shipping capability, making it a serious threat to UK forces defending the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to conduct a review of its plans for the defence of the Falkland Islands following reports that Russia is to supply Argentina with Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' strike aircraft, UK media reported on 28 December.

The review follows a report in the Daily Express newspaper that Russia is to lease 12 Su-24s to the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAA) in return for foodstuffs.

According to the media report, the Su-24s would be delivered to the FAA ahead of the introduction into service of the first of the UK's two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers in 2020 (full-operating capability for the Queen Elizabeth is currently slated for 2023).

The potential arrival of Su-24s into Argentine service ahead of the introduction into service of the UK's new aircraft carriers could pose a "real window of vulnerability", MoD officials reportedly told the Daily Express .

With Argentina arguing sovereignty over the islands that it refers to as Islas Malvinas, the UK maintains a force of four Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, Rapier surface-to-air missiles, and about 1,200 troops permanently stationed on the Falklands. These are supported by visiting Royal Navy warships, and while the MoD won't comment publically on such deployments it is understood that nuclear-powered attack submarines are often sent to the South Atlantic as a further layer of defence for the islands.

While the MoD declined to address the specific threat of the Su-24s with IHS Jane's , it did provide a statement which read, "The MoD undertakes regular assessments of potential military threats to the Falkland Islands to ensure that we retain an appropriate level of defensive capability to address any threats. We continue to remain vigilant and committed to the protection of the Falkland Islanders."

ANALYSIS
For some years now, Argentina has been trying to replace its antiquated and increasingly unserviceable Dassault Mirage IIIEA, IAI Dagger, and McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fighter fleets with a newer and more capable type.

Reported procurements of surplus Spanish Mirage F1s, Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) Kfirs, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation FC-1/JF-17, and Saab Gripen E/Fs all appear to have stalled for either economic or political reasons (the proposed buy of the Gripen E/F was effectively vetoed by the UK, which manufactures many of the aircraft's systems).

What makes the Su-24 report so alarming for the UK government is that the proposed lease from Russia would not likely be affected by either economic or political reasons, and so is much more likely to progress.

The Su-24 is an old design, and so, on paper at least, should easily be defended against by the Royal Air Force's Typhoons and the Rapier surface-to-air missiles. However, wars aren't fought on paper, and the Su-24's combat radius of 565 n miles (1,046 km; 650 miles) - hi-lo-hi with 3,000 kg (6,615 lb) of weapons and two external tanks - means it would be able to strike at the Falkland Islands without the need for aerial refuelling. Its supersonic performance would also reduce the time afforded to the UK defences to react to any such attack.

While the Su-24's nine hardpoints means it can carry a wide range of air-to-surface weaponry, it is its ability to carry anti-shipping missiles such as the Kh-31A (AS-17 'Krypton') that make it such a potent threat to UK forces in the region. If Russia were to back up its offer of the leased aircraft with weapon systems such as these (Iran also makes its own weapon systems for the Su-24, which could be offered to Argentina), then the Su-24 could pose a real problem for UK plans for the defence of the Falkland Islands.

http://www.janes.com/article/47293/uk-reviews-falklands-defence-as-russia-offers-su-24s-to-argentina

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Een van de belangrijke afwegingen in '82 was de britse defensiebezuiniging. Met Russische steun is het best mogelijk dat er nog eens een aanval geprobeerd wordt. Al is dat voor de komende jaren niet te voorzien.

Die verwacht ik ook niet al zou trots, olie en gas tzt maar zo een trigger kunnen zijn.

[dudge]

Wij gooien de deur zo goed als dicht en Poetin zoekt naar andere oplossingen.....niet zo vreemd en ook niet verrassend. Aan de andere kant denk ik niet dat de Argentijnen zo gek zijn om (weer) een greep naar de Falklands te doen. Deze actie zal hooguit de Britten in de stress laten schieten en op hoge kosten jagen. Indirecte sancties met de complimenten van Poetin.

Een van de belangrijke afwegingen in '82 was de britse defensiebezuiniging. Met Russische steun is het best mogelijk dat er nog eens een aanval geprobeerd wordt. Al is dat voor de komende jaren niet te voorzien.

[Ros]

Wij gooien de deur zo goed als dicht en Poetin zoekt naar andere oplossingen.....niet zo vreemd en ook niet verrassend. Aan de andere kant denk ik niet dat de Argentijnen zo gek zijn om (weer) een greep naar de Falklands te doen. Deze actie zal hooguit de Britten in de stress laten schieten en op hoge kosten jagen. Indirecte sancties met de complimenten van Poetin.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Twee vliegen in één klap voor Poetin. Voedsel en spullen om de steeds nijpendere situatie in Rusland wat te verlichten en hij draait gelijk een westers (NAVO) land een forse loer.  Ben benieuwd hoe de Britten dit op gaan proberen te lossen. Zo zie je maar weer als je ondoordacht en voorbarig bezuinigd op je defensie. Ze hadden sowieso de laatste QE carrier nooit alvast uit te de vaart moeten nemen en de bijbehorende Harriers moeten weg bezuinigen. Het lijken soms net Nederlanders.

Het zijn idd bonuspunten voor Poetin al zijn 12 oude SU-24 (indien bevestigd) wellicht geen match voor een handvol Eurofighters Tranche 3 (het verhaal wordt vast interessanter als de deal wordt uitgebreid)

[Ton de Zwart]

Twee vliegen in één klap voor Poetin. Voedsel en spullen om de steeds nijpendere situatie in Rusland wat te verlichten en hij draait gelijk een westers (NAVO) land een forse loer.  Ben benieuwd hoe de Britten dit op gaan proberen te lossen. Zo zie je maar weer als je ondoordacht en voorbarig bezuinigd op je defensie. Ze hadden sowieso de laatste QE carrier nooit alvast uit te de vaart moeten nemen en de bijbehorende Harriers moeten weg bezuinigen. Het lijken soms net Nederlanders.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

EXCLUSIVE: Falklands defence review after military deal between Russia and Argentina

DEFENCES on the Falklands are being reviewed after it emerged Russia plans to offer Argentina long-range bombers.

Published: 00:01, Sun, December 28, 2014
By Marco Giannangeli

The aircraft, which Moscow will swap for beef and wheat, would be able to mount air patrols over Port Stanley.

Ministry of Defence officials fear Buenos Aires would take delivery of the planes well before the deployment in 2020 of the Navy's 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and its F-35B fighters, leaving a "real window of vulnerability".

Defence cuts have left the Falklands with just four RAF Typhoon fighters,  Rapier surface-to-air missiles and fewer than 1,200 troops, supported by a naval warship that visits throughout the year.

President Putin's visit to Argentina in July laid the groundwork for exchanging Russian military hardware for wheat, beef and other goods Moscow needs due to EU food embargoes.

The deal involves a lease/lend of 12 Sukhoi Su-24 supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft.

They are ageing but Nato still regards what it codenames "Fencers" as "super-fighters", with their 2,000-mile range and laser-guided missiles.

Russia has been increasing its links with Argentina since 2010, when it provided two Mi17 assault helicopters which are in service with the 7th Air Force Brigade.

Buenos Aires needs to replace its decrepit fighter fleet but its attempts over the past two years have failed so far.

In October, defence minister Agustin Rossi announced the purchase of 24 Saab Gripen fighters, which were to be provided by Brazil, which has just purchased 36, but Whitehall squashed the deal as some of the jet's parts are made in the UK Tensions over the islands resurfaced after exploratory seabed drilling revealed the promise of an oil bonanza.

Last night Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, of the UK National Defence Association, said: "The Ministry of Defence should be worried.

"It always trots out the mantra of reviewing force levels but the only real solution is to deploy a sizeable force of Typhoons, at least a squadron, to buy us time to formulate a proper reinforcement package."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We regularly review force levels around the world, though we wouldn't comment on the detail of this for obvious reasons."

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/549006/Falkland-Islands-defence-review-after-military-deal-between-Russia-and-Argentina

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Argentina Buying Gripens? Brits Say 'No Way'

Nov. 8, 2014 

LONDON — Argentina's Defense Minister Agustin Rossi surprised just about everybody when he announced on Oct. 21 that his government intended to buy 24 Saab Gripen E fighters to re-equip his nation's ancient Air Force.

But Rossi's request appeared to ignore a likely insurmountable hurdle to the sale: Britain, its longtime foe, has a near veto on the export of the combat jet as a result of the substantial number of UK systems in the jet. More than 30 percent of the new version of the Gripen being developed by Saab is supplied by British industry.

Selex ES' key active electronically scanned array radar, landing gear, ejection seat, electronic system and other sub-systems would all be hit by a British block on military exports to Argentina.

British business secretary Vince Cable invoked the ban on the sale of all military and dual-use technology for use by Argentina in 2012. That export license is still in place and will likely remain given the impasse between the two nations over resolving the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

"We are determined to ensure that no British-licensable exports or trade have the potential to be used by Argentina to impose an economic blockade on the Falkland Islanders or inhibit their legitimate rights to develop their own economy," said a spokesperson for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Argentinean defense minister made the purchase of the aircraft dependent on his country participating in the Gripen E program signed by Saab and the Brazilian government, which will see South America's biggest nation buy at least 36 fighters.

The deal involves an assembly line set up by Embraer in Brazil, joint development of a two-seat version of the Gripen and an export drive to other South American air forces.

Ironically, the UK government supported the Gripen sale to Brazil due to the high level of British material in the aircraft.

Doug Barrie, the senior air analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London said that while it would be feasible to replace UK systems on the Gripen, the practicalities are something different.

"Argentina is not flush with money, and the reality is that replacing such key systems as the UK supplies would come with significantly high requalification costs," he said.

Sources with knowledge of the South American fighter market said Saab has been approached several times over the past few years by the Argentineans over a possible Gripen deal only to be quietly rebuffed by the Swedish company.

A Saab spokesman said the company noted the reports of discussions on Gripen between Brazil and Argentina, but did not have any further information.

"Brazil will become a close partner in the Gripen development and production program. However, all exports of Gripen will continue to be subject to the current, very stringent export regulations," he said. "In terms of UK equipment on the aircraft, there is no request to change any of this equipment and no plan to do so."

Rossi's announcement during a roll-out ceremony of Embraer's KC-390 airlifter in Brazil caused alarm in Britain, which is in a long-running dispute with Argentina over who owns the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malivinas Islands.

The issue came up in the UK Parliament last week and the House of Commons defense committee tried to quiz armed forces chiefs on Nov. 5 about the implications for the defense of the islands from a Gripen sale to Argentina.

Argentina invaded the Falkands in 1982, sparking a war with the British. That has resulted in an enduring and costly UK military presence of fighter jets, warships and troops being stationed on the islands since Argentina was defeated.

The dispute has been revived in recent years by Argentinean President Cristina Kirchener, who has made reclaiming the islands a central plank of her policy.

Argentina has been trying to replace the aging fleet of Dassault combat aircraft for some time. Most recently, second-hand Spanish Air Force Mirage F1s were being considered, but that deal has yet to materialize. hasn't yet come to anything.

Few people are expecting a discussion on Gripen to come to anything, either given Britain's stance on military export and Argentina's economic woes. But even if it doesn't, the issue has raised awareness in Britain of how the military position could change in that part of the world if Argentina was re-equiped with more modern jets and missiles.

Francis Tuser, the editor of Defence Analysis here, said the Gripen issue highlighted that if a deal of this nature went ahead, it would "dramatically and dangerously" change Britain's situation on the Falklands.

"Although there is a decade-long timeline on this event, it has the capability to change at a stroke, the balance of power in the South Atlantic, and would cause a major change to the UK's defense posture there," he said. "If it isn't addressed in the 2015 strategic defense and security review, then it will have to be addressed as a priority, but that might be too late or at least very expensive." ■

http://www.c4isrnet.com/article/M5/20141108/DEFREG05/311080014/Argentina-Buying-Gripens-Brits-Say-No-Way-

[Ace1]

Wel als het surprise actie is en de Britten hebben alleen 2 of 4 Eurofighters op de eilanden gestationeerd icm 1 fregat in de lokale wateren maar aangezien de Briiten ook niet gek zijn wordt er vast geanticipeerd

Volgens mij waren het 6 Eurofighters en geloof ik ook nog eenheid met een Rapier missile systemen?
Overigens kun je de Argentijnen helemaal gek maken door het gerucht te verspreiden dat er ook een Britse sub in de wateren van de Falkslands aanwezig is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_General_Belgrano

[Oorlogsvis]

Olie en gas voorraden rond de Falklands

Die stukken zijn allemaal in Britse handen....en nog wat...heel heeeeeeeeel diep he..

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Argentinie kan wel meer willen maar dat land zit tot over zijn nek in de schulden en is vrij recent nog failliet gegaan...hoe gaan ze de financiering rondkrijgen voor die gevechtsvliegtuigen ?...neem aan dat er weinig landen aan hun willen lenen op de kapitaalmarkt....en cash kunnen ze het zeker niet betalen.

Olie en gas voorraden rond de Falklands

[dudge]

Wel als het surprise actie is en de Britten hebben alleen 2 of 4 Eurofighters op de eilanden gestationeerd icm 1 fregat in de lokale wateren maar aangezien de Briiten ook niet gek zijn wordt er vast geanticipeerd

Dan nog. Ze zullen heus wel een klap kunnen uitdelen. Maar 24 geeft gewoonweg heel weinig voortzettingsvermogen. Natuurlijk kunnen ze er (wederom) op gokken dan een Britse reactie uitblijft. Maar zo niet dan is 24 kisten gewoonweg te weinig.

[Oorlogsvis]

Argentinie kan wel meer willen maar dat land zit tot over zijn nek in de schulden en is vrij recent nog failliet gegaan...hoe gaan ze de financiering rondkrijgen voor die gevechtsvliegtuigen ?...neem aan dat er weinig landen aan hun willen lenen op de kapitaalmarkt....en cash kunnen ze het zeker niet betalen.