S.Korean company develops long-range radar technology

A South Korean company has developed long-range radar technology able to track aircraft approaching the Korean Peninsula including long range missiles as well as North Korea`s long-range missiles.

LIG Nex1, one of South Korea’s leading arms contractors, said Tuesday that it has designed a 400-kilometer tactical radar in a year-long project and moved on to the production stage.

South Korea had lacked tactical radar technology and was forced to import all related equipment. The development of long-range radar with domestic technology will boost domestic self-sufficiency in defense technology as well as exports. Similar foreign tactical radar cost 20 billion won (17.72 U.S. billion dollars) per unit.

Radar sends radio wave signals and analyzes returning waves to identify the distance to enemy aircraft and its direction. This is a crucial in building a national defense system.

Long-range radar refers to radar-detecting distances of more than 300 kilometers. LIG Nex1`s tactical radar detects more than 400 kilometers, and the installation of three to four radar systems can monitor enemy aircraft approaching the Korean Peninsula and other strategic arms, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.

These radar systems are especially useful in a small region like the Korean Peninsula. Since North Korean skies can be observed, launches of missiles and fighter planes by Pyongyang can be detected immediately.

The radar systems can also help counterattack long-range missiles like the North’s Unha 3. Missile detecting radar is needed to intercept long-range missiles in air, but tactical radar can still be used for early warning and counterattacking the location of missile firing. Jeon Min-hyeon, director of the company`s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance research center, said, "This tactical radar has the same missile detection capability of those in advanced countries."

In a separate note, LIG Nex1 joined the development of mid-range radar (100 to 200 kilometers) for naval ships by the Korean Agency for Defense Development in 2006, which is in the final stage, and is also developing mid-range radar for the South Korean Air Force. LIG Nex1 will deliver self-made mid-range radars in three to four years.

 The wavelength that tactical radar uses is much longer than that used by shorter-range missiles, but yields lower accuracy in identifying objects appearing on the radar.

Just three companies in the world have manufactured and sold long-range tactical radar for land use, namely Lockheed Martin of the U.S., Selex of Italy and Indra of Spain. Jeon said, "The most difficult part was using software technology to analyze complex wavelengths to raise accuracy. But we overcame this."

By utilizing the latest tactical radar technologies, LIG Nex1 plans to start developing missile detection radar that can identify and counterattack long-range missiles such as intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Peace Nobel laureates deliver letter to PM Cameron office calling for Falklands’ dispute dialogue

Argentine Peace Nobel prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel delivered in London a letter of seven Peace Nobel winners to Prime Minister David Cameron urging UK along with Argentina to reach a peaceful solution over the sovereignty of the disputed Falklands/Malvinas Islands.

Perez Esquivel have been working on the Falklands issue since 1982

The letter calls on PM Cameron to comply with the several UN General Assemblies and Decolonization Committee resolutions, so that together with Argentina, and given the existence of a dispute, a solution to the long standing conflict can be found.

The letter was signed by Mairead Corrigan Maguire (Northern Ireland), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Guatemala), Desmond Tutu (South Africa), Jody Williams (US), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia) and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (Argentina).

In what now seems clearly a concerted action, the Nobel Prize winners’ letter to PM Cameron was delivered before the incident involving Argentine ambassador Alicia Castro who during a public ceremony asked Foreign Secretary William Hague if the UK was ready for dialogue on the Falklands’ future.

Since Perez Esquivel was not received by PM Cameron, speaking to the London media he expressed concern with the official “no dialogue” attitude and pointed out that the letter was not an initiative against the British government, but rather a campaign to throw down the walls of intolerance.

In 1982 when the South Atlantic conflict broke out between Argentina and the UK, Perez Esquivel along with Corrigan Maguire launched an international campaign to stop the war.

When the message was made public, the Falkland Islands elected government reminded the Nobel laureates that Falklanders as a people have the right to self-determination and that after 200 years of links with Britain, “we would consider any control (of the Islands) by Argentina as alien, and therefore a denial of our rights as a people”.

A passage of the letter recalls that the laureates omitted to mention “Argentina’s far from peaceful attempt to force a solution in April 1982, when they illegally invaded our home, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1000 people”.

Likewise UN Resolution 2065 (XX) of 16 December 1965, which calls on Argentina and Britain to seek a peaceful solution to the Falklands issue is within the framework of UN Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960.

And section 2 of the 1960 Resolution is plain clear: “all peoples have the right to self-¬-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”.

The open letter also underlines that “the Argentine Constitution as amended in 1994 allows for nothing but full Argentine sovereignty over our home. As a result, there can be no negotiation on this issue, as Argentina already has a predetermined outcome in mind -¬- this is no basis for discussion”.

The letter ends strongly encouraging the laureates “to come and visit our home, and to see for yourself our community and our heritage born of nine generations before supporting negotiations that do not take account of our right of self-¬-determination, thus helping Argentina to justify its politically and economically aggressive actions against our home and people2

“We would be happy to host you at a time of your convenience and arrange a program to enable you to meet our people and explore our Islands” The letter and invitation remains unanswered.

Submarine Santa Fe (ex USS Catfish)

The ARA Santa Fe was an Argentine Balao-class submarine which was lost during the Falklands War. Built during the Second World War, the submarine served in United States Navy as USS Catfish before being commissioned into the Argentine Navy in 1971. She served until 1982 when she was captured by the British at South Georgia after being seriously damaged and subsequently sank along a pier, with just her sail visible above the waterline. The submarine was raised, towed out of the bay and scuttled in deep waters in 1985.

History

The submarine was built during the Second World War by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut, USA and was launched on November 19, 1944. Commissioned into the US Navy as USS Catfish, the submarine entered service in March 1945. As Catfish the submarine took part in the closing stages of the Pacific war against Japan. Afterwards she served in the US 7th fleet in the Pacific Ocean seeing service in the Korean War. After this period the boat was given a Guppy II conversion.

In 1971, Catfish was decommissioned and sold to Argentina where she was renamed ARA Santa Fe.

In 1982, the Santa Fe took part in the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur) alongside the ARA San Luis, the only two operative submarines in the Argentine Navy. The Santa Fe supported the Argentine invasion by landing tactical divers on Yorke Bay, who marked the beach for the main amphibious force and seized the lighthouse. Later she departed from the islands and stayed on station in the nearby area as a large British task force approached the South Atlantic.

On April 12, the Santa Fe was ordered to ferry a party of marines based at Puerto Belgrano and supplies to Grytviken, in South Georgia. She departed from Mar del Plata on the first hours of April 17.

On April 23 the Royal Navy ships, HMS Brilliant; HMS Antrim; HMS Plymouth; and the ice patrol boat HMS Endurance were sent to retake the island of South Georgia with a detachment of Royal Marines and Special Boat Service commandos. The threat of Santa Fe forced the British ships to keep a distance as they landed troops on the island.

The Santa Fe accomplished the resupply mission and landed the marine troops on April 25. Members of the Argentine garrison had salvaged a crippled BAS launch, which was used to download the cargo. Some hours later, after leaving Grytviken, Santa Fe was detected on radar by Lieutenant Chris Parry, the observer of the Westland Wessex HAS.3 anti-submarine helicopter from HMS Antrim, and attacked with depth charges. This attack caused extensive internal damage, including the splitting of a ballast tank, the dismounting of electrical components and shocks to the machinery. As the submarine struggled to return to Grytviken on the surface, HMS Plymouth launched a Westland Wasp HAS.1 helicopter, and HMS Brilliant launched a Westland Lynx HAS.2. The Lynx dropped a Mk 46 torpedo, which failed to strike home, but strafed the submarine with its pintle-mounted 7.62 mm L7 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG). The Wessex also fired on the Santa Fe with its GPMG. The Wasp from HMS Plymouth as well as two other Wasps launched from HMS Endurance fired AS-12 air-to-surface anti-ship missiles at the submarine scoring hits. Santa Fe's men and the marines onshore attempted to fight off the attack by firing their rifles, machine guns and an old Bantam antitank missile on the aircraft, but the Argentine boat was damaged badly enough to prevent her from submerging or even from sailing away. The crew abandoned the listing submarine at the jetty at King Edward Point on South Georgia and surrendered, along with the Argentine garrison, to the British forces.

Whilst under guard on the submarine by a British Royal Marine, Argentine Navy Petty Officer Felix Artuso, was mistakenly shot dead on April 26 while a Prisoner of war and his body is buried at Grytviken Cemetery. He was shot in the belief he was trying to sabotage the vessel. According to some members of her crew, in the middle of the confusion that followed the incident, a number of valves and hatchways were left open, the submarine flooded and sank alongside the pier, with only her combat-damaged conning tower showing above the surface.

After the conflict had ended, the Santa Fe was considered to be worthless as a war prize because she was non-standard, obsolete, badly damaged and too expensive to repair. As a result, the submarine was temporarily raised by the British, towed into deep water and scuttled on February 10, 1985.

RAF Typhoon jets arrive in London to test Olympic security

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have arrived at an airbase in London for a large-scale Olympic security exercise.

The aircraft will be based at RAF Northolt, taking part in nine days of training over London and the home counties until 10 May, as part of operation Exercise Olympic Guardian.

It is the first time fighter jets have been stationed at the historic west London site since WWII.

But anti-military campaigners warn the jets will create a "climate of fear".

The Typhoon jets, which can travel at up to 1,370 miles per hour, will put pilots through their paces, testing security in the skies ahead of their vital role during the 2012 Olympic Games, which start in July.

Military chiefs have alerted residents in south-east England about the operation, warning that they will notice an increase in often loud air activity, especially on 4 and 5 May.

Bringing 'real fear'

Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond said: "Whilst there is no specific threat to the Games, we have to be ready to assist in delivering a safe and secure Olympics for all to enjoy."

He said the Typhoon operation at RAF Northolt underlined the "commitment of the Ministry of Defence and our armed forces to keeping the public safe at a time when the world will be watching us".

But the Stop the War Coalition has criticised the move as "unacceptable", arguing that heavy military activity in the capital will cause unnecessary fear.

Lindsey German of the campaign group said ordinary people should not be forced to put up with the measures.

"Far from safeguarding Londoners as they go about their daily lives, they will bring a real fear of explosions and the prospect of these places becoming a target for terrorist attack."

"We are told by the Government that the war in Afghanistan is being fought so that we don't have to fight on the streets of London", she said.

"These manoeuvres give the lie to that, and show that the war has made Britain a more dangerous place."

Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha, air component commander for Olympics air security, said the training was "essential" and in line with "preparations for most Olympics" in recent years.

"What we have is just prudent precautionary measures in place in the unlikely event that a threat from the air does manifest itself."

He denied fighter aircraft would be patrolling the skies as a matter of course throughout the summer, adding the operation "would not set a precedent for any sort of enduring military commitment" in the area.

"This is a once in a generation event and I think the UK public would expect us to be prepared for this", he said.

'Strong support'

However, he added the MoD would try to keep the amount of flying to a minimum, balancing the need to reduce disturbance with the key aim of ensuring forces are "ready for their important role delivering air security for the Olympics".

"We hope that people will understand the need for this very important training, and we thank them for their continued strong support", he said.

Exercise Olympic Guardian is taking place on land, sea and air in the London and Weymouth areas between 2 May and 10 May.

The security operations will also include:

Royal Navy Sea King helicopters based at RAF Northolt

RAF Puma helicopters and Royal Navy airborne early warning helicopters stationed at a Territorial Army centre in Ilford, east London

The berthing of HMS Ocean at Greenwich, with a number of Royal Navy Lynx helicopters on board

The deployment of HMS Bulwark and other ships to Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour

The operation of fast jets and helicopters over Greater London and the Home Counties

13,500 military personnel will be involved in protecting the games

It was also recently revealed that surface-to-air missiles could be deployed at six sites in London during the games.

Last month, a sonic boom from two Typhoon aircraft that were responding to an emergency signal was reported to have been heard in Bath, Coventry and Oxford.

Puricelli assures will insist on claims over militarization of South Atlantic

Defence Minister Arturo Puricelli assured that the Argentina government will reiterate its claims over the UK militarization at the Malvinas Islands and highlighted the backing of the Latin American country in the fight for the sovereignty of the achipelago.

"Our country will reiterate the claims accompanied by several countries, specially Latin America," Puricelli assured in the anniversary of the baptism of fire of the Army on May 1 1982 during the Malvinas Islands war.

During the rally held at the VI Air Brigade at the city of Tandil, the head of the ministry assured that "the support of the countries, specially from Latin America, will help Argentina achieve its aim of recovering its soverignty over the Islands."

According to Puricelli, the Malvinas Islands is the "only place militarized in South America."