The leader of a Lebanon-based al Qaeda affiliate Fatah al Islam has been killed while attempting to travel to Iraq to join the insurgency. Al Qaeda in Iraq continues to use eastern Syria as a staging ground for foreign terrorists entering Iraq, often with the support of Syria’s intelligence service.
Abdul Rahman Awad, the group leader, was killed along with his deputy, Ghazi Faysal Abdullah, also known as ‘ Abu Bakr ‘. They were shot by Lebanese security forces during a clash in the Bekaa Valley over the weekend. The group confirmed the deaths of Awad and Abdullah in a statement released on a jihadi website, and said that the two leaders were traveling to Iraq to join up with the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda’s front group. Read more on Awad and his group on the recent Defense-Update news analysis.
The leader of a Lebanon-based al Qaeda affiliate Fatah al Islam has been killed while attempting to travel to Iraq to join the insurgency. Al Qaeda in Iraq continues to use eastern Syria as a staging ground for foreign terrorists entering Iraq, often with the support of Syria’s intelligence service.
Abdul Rahman Awad, the group leader, was killed along with his deputy, Ghazi Faysal Abdullah, also known as ‘ Abu Bakr ‘. They were shot by Lebanese security forces during a clash in the Bekaa Valley over the weekend. The group confirmed the deaths of Awad and Abdullah in a statement released on a jihadi website, and said that the two leaders were traveling to Iraq to join up with the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda’s front group. Read more on Awad and his group on the recent Defense-Update news analysis.
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak Approves an initial buy of 20 F-35A Stealth Fighters for $2.75 Billion. Photo: Lockheed Martin
Israel will be the first country to receive the F-35 through the United States government’s Foreign Military Sales process. beginning in 2015.
In August 2010 Israel’s defense minister Lt. General (Ret) Ehud Barak has given the go-ahead to a $2.75 billion purchase of 20 fifth Generation, stealth F-35I Lightning II fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. About a month later, on September 19, the Israeli government approved the procurement authorizing local currency budgeting necessary for the preparation of infrastructure. On October 7, Israel’s Ministry of Defense Director General (Maj. Gen. Ret.) Udi Shani signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the procurement of the F-35 aircraft. The acquisition of the planes will be funded by U.S. military aid, over eight years. The new fighter will be provided along with an integral support package, sustaining the aircraft through its service life. The decision has yet to pass the approval of the Israeli government. The purchase will be funded by U.S. military aid to Israel. Israel originally planned to initially buy of 25 aircraft. The current decision trims this initial buy by five aircraft. According to Israel MOD sources, the flyaway cost of these aircraft will be $96 million, but this cost reflects only the net price of the platform.
The expenses including the preparation of the new squadron, initial infrastructure, logistical and support package is expected to eventually exceed $150 million per plane. Given the additional integration cost of locally developed Israeli systems, planned for integration into this highly complex aircraft, the cost of future batches is expected to rise significantly for the fully equipped F-35Is in following years. Israel’s future plans are to buy 75 F-35Is. Furthermore, for these enhancement and adaptations Israel may have to rely on local currency funding, unlike the aircraft acquisition program that will be funded entirely by the annual U.S. aid amounting over $2 billion per year.
Israeli pilots will begin training on the new aircraft by 2014 and the first aircraft are expected to arrive in Israel by 2015. The first squadron could become operational in less than two years at one of the Israel Air Force (IAF) southern air bases.
The initial F-35I will represent standard F-35A models. However, the F-35I acquisition agreement is opening opportunities for the installation of Israeli systems in future production batches. These opportunities will also open the aircraft for marketing Israeli systems to other air forces, reflecting an opportunity worth several billions of dollars for the local industry. Gen. Udi Shani has stated that the acquisition agreement also includes a framework for buyback purchasing from the Israeli industry worth $4 billion. The introduction of Israeli components, systems and technologies into the world’s newest fighter plane will also open a potential market opportunity worth about $5 billion among the aircraft users. Read the full article on today’s Defense-Update.com.
Our news analysis today discusses the heating exchange of rhetoric squabble between Tehran and Jerusalem, over Iran’s persistent advance toward nuclear weapon capability. How concerned should Israel be with this potential threat? Will it be an imminent and material danger to Israel as it is described in the media, or just balancing the perceived superiority Israel has enjoyed since the 1960′s?
With the world attention focused on the Israel-Iranian confrontation, one cannot overlook another element, which should haunt the Tehran clerics much more than Netanyahu’s warnings from Jerusalem – to Iran’s east lies Pakistan, an openly declared nuclear state, having an impressive arsenal of nuclear weapons and adequate stock of delivery systems. Half of Pakistan’s population is Suni and its long term stability is questionable. Although for the time being political tension between Pakistan and Iran has abated, there are still powerful undercurrents, which could increase, if Iran’s nuclear ambitions become reality.
The Afghan-India-Pakistan region is already a powerful powderkeg, by adding another element, charged with religious fervor into this turbulent region, this should be the world’s real concern, certainly not the fiery oratory exchange between Jerusalem and Tehran. Read David Eshel’s full article here.
It has been widely established by counter-terror agencies around the world, that terror groups remain highly interested in such “dirty playthings” writes Defense-Update.com analyst David Eshel in today’s post. Al Qaeda’s senior leadership has publicly expressed a desire to acquire some weapons of mass destruction, including radiological weapons, with which to attack western states. Since September 11, U.S. officials have recovered many documents detailing al Qaeda’s pursuit of such weapons.
Just two weeks ago, Adnan el-Shukrijumah, 35, an American citizen, high on the FBI’s most-wanted list, was named as an accomplice in the New York subway bomb plot with Najibullah Zazi, an 25 year Afghan-born al Qaeda weapons expert, residing in Colorado. He was arrested in 2009, charged with conspiracy to commit murder with weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, Shukrijumah a trained nuclear technician, is still a fugitive, hunted by the US Intelligence agencies offering $5 million for for information leading directly to the capture. He was allegedly tasked by al Qaeda with carrying off a so-called “American Hiroshima”, having sought radioactive material from a university in Ontario, Canada. News reports alleged that this was an attempt to construct a “dirty bomb”.
More on the ‘Dirty Bomb’ plot in today’s Defense Update News Analysis: “A ‘Dirty Bomb’ Is Currently al Qaeda’s Favorite Weapon“
It has been widely established by counter-terror agencies around the world, that terror groups remain highly interested in such “dirty playthings” writes Defense-Update.com analyst David Eshel in today’s post. Al Qaeda’s senior leadership has publicly expressed a desire to acquire some weapons of mass destruction, including radiological weapons, with which to attack western states. Since September 11, U.S. officials have recovered many documents detailing al Qaeda’s pursuit of such weapons.
Just two weeks ago, Adnan el-Shukrijumah, 35, an American citizen, high on the FBI’s most-wanted list, was named as an accomplice in the New York subway bomb plot with Najibullah Zazi, an 25 year Afghan-born al Qaeda weapons expert, residing in Colorado. He was arrested in 2009, charged with conspiracy to commit murder with weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, Shukrijumah a trained nuclear technician, is still a fugitive, hunted by the US Intelligence agencies offering $5 million for for information leading directly to the capture. He was allegedly tasked by al Qaeda with carrying off a so-called “American Hiroshima”, having sought radioactive material from a university in Ontario, Canada. News reports alleged that this was an attempt to construct a “dirty bomb”.
More on the ‘Dirty Bomb’ plot in today’s Defense Update News Analysis: “A ‘Dirty Bomb’ Is Currently al Qaeda’s Favorite Weapon“
