Six Day War Alliance, Causes, Aftermath

The Muslim nations in the Middle East would not accept Israel's existence since its founding in 1948. 

They began amassing huge amounts of sophisticated weaponry and lobbying for the implementation of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against the Jewish State. 

Six Day War Causes

On the 15th of May 1967, on Israel's Independence Day, a 3-week period began which was one of the tensest and fearful periods in Israel's history. In direct contravention of international agreements, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser removed the UN peacekeeping forces and began moving tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of tanks into what was the demilitarized Sinai Peninsula towards Israel's southern border. 

Egypt also blockaded the Straits of Tiran, an open international waterway, which was essentially a declaration of war. Israel turned to the nations of the world, primarily to the United States, for assistance against Egyptian aggression but somehow all Western countries decided to remain neutral. Very quickly, it became apparent that the promises were all but forgotten. 

Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon Vs Israel

Israel, with 2.5 million Jews, was left alone to face the might of the Arab nations. Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon formed a military alliance and began moving forces into Jordan towards Israel's borders. When the Arab countries realized that the world had abandoned Israel, many other Muslim countries were openly calling for the destruction of Israel. 

The will and means to murder millions of Jews were evident. Top IDF commanders expressed their concerns that the high price Israel was liable to pay in a war with the Arab world. Some military experts projected a toll between twenty and a hundred thousand lives. Israel prepared cemeteries all over the country ready to accommodate many expected victims. Massive parks were prepared in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other cities, in case the cemeteries would have no more space. 

World governments, instead of defending Israel's right to exist, warned Israel continuously not to attack. However, the people of Israel had no choice but to go to war, to defend their country and their very existence. 

At 7:15 am on June 5th, 1967, the IDF launched operation "Moked"- Focus. Almost the entire Israeli Air Force was dispatched in a daring mission. Only 12 planes stayed behind. The risk of this operation was extraordinary as the fighter pilots flew at an unprecedented low altitude of fewer than 20 meters above the ground. Egypt had the most advanced ground-air missile defense systems in the Middle East. 

Most of the Israeli jets were old and outdated French planes. If the Israeli jets would've been detected, many would have fallen, and Israel would've been left with practically no air force. And then a miracle occurred: The most advanced Russian MiG jets that patrolled the airspace along the borders between Egypt and Israel were, for that one critical hour, grounded. Incredibly, at that very same time, the top commanders of Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq flew together to observe the Egyptian forces invading Sinai. The Egyptian officers had ordered all anti-aircraft units not to fire unless given a direct order as long as they were in flight. 

This created total confusion on the Egyptian ground as Israel struck exactly in that window of time. By 7:45 a.m. the High Hand of Providence resulted in the Israeli air force reaching all the Egyptian airfields without even one plane being detected. More than 200 Egyptian planes – almost half of Egypt’s fleet – were almost instantaneously destroyed, also bombing the runways and making impotent the mightiest air force in the Middle East. General Moti Hod, Commander of the Air Force said, The second wave of Israeli jets were directed to Cairo to confront the remains of the Egyptian Air Force. And here another miracle occurred, no less miraculous than the first. Even though Israel had lost the element of surprise, and the anti-aircraft systems were operating with full capacity, Egypt was only able to hit one Israeli plane. 

The Israeli Air Force went on to destroy a total of more than 300 Egyptian planes, and every airfield in Egypt was neutralized. It was nothing less than a military miracle... Seemingly impossible... And then another miracle occurred. It was as if God hardened the heart of Egyptian president Nasser who continuously gloated about his glorious military victory over Israel. 

In the Arab media, President Nasser spoke of the end of Israel's airforce and of the Egyptian tanks on their way to Jerusalem. Jordan, Syria, and Iraq believed these bombastic statements and wanted to join in the "great victory against the Jews". All the Arab airpower struck simultaneously on multiple fronts. In almost any other scenario, Israel would not have been able to respond as quickly as it did. 

The timing was seemingly orchestrated to position Israeli jets exactly where they should be. Not in six days, but in six hours the war was won. And then, perhaps, the greatest miracle of all... A miracle Israel never expected – Jerusalem. Again, it seemed as though it was a Divine appointment in time. Jerusalem was to be restored to the Jewish People, after 2,000 years. The enemies of Israel had twice as many soldiers as we did, three times as many planes, four times as many tanks. The odds were stacked against us on every military front. 

Aftermath of Six-Day War 

The love of Israel, self-sacrifice, and courage of the Israeli soldiers combined with Divine guidance and assistance made these miracles possible. Yitzchak Rabin, then Chief of Staff, was given the honor of giving the war its name. He chose the Six-Day War recalling the six days of creation as Israel too was created with the liberation of Jerusalem. As the center of gravity of the Jewish people has now returned to the land of our fathers, the Torah center of the world has once again returned to Jerusalem. 

The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel has established the 28th of Iyar – a Day of Hallel and Hodaya, praise, and thanks for the salvation of our people and the liberation and return of our capital Jerusalem. Jews in Israel and in every country in which they reside come together in prayer and celebration. Similar to Chanukah and Purim, it sometimes takes many years for the miracles to be fully recognized and celebrated. 

The Mizrachi World Movement is involved in massive community-wide celebrations across the globe from London to Los Angeles, from Melbourne to Johannesburg, to Chicago and Toronto. For 2,000 years our hope never died. Our faith as a people never wavered. Wherever Jews were, whenever they prayed, they prayed to face Jerusalem. Whatever happened the night before, whether it was the Crusades, the Inquisition, Muslim oppression, or Nazis in Germany, the next morning, a Jew would wake up, dust himself off, put on his tallit, face Jerusalem and pray to come home, knowing somehow, someway, God would bring us back. 

This is our greatest celebration. To be alive in this generation, where the prayers of our fathers and mothers have finally been answered, to be alive and to take part in Jewish destiny. To experience miracles of Divine Providence, Bayamim Hahem Bazman Haze, like in those days but in our time. 

Books on six-day war 

Airbus to bring first Mars samples to Earth: ESA contract award

Toulouse. Airbus has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as prime contractor for the Mars Sample Return’s Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) – the first ever spacecraft to bring samples back to Earth from Mars. Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a joint ESA-NASA campaign and the next step in the exploration of Mars. ERO and the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) are the two main European elements of MSR, both are set to be designed and built by Airbus. A manipulating arm, referred to as the Sample Transfer Arm (STA), that will transfer the samples from the SFR to the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), is the third European contribution to the MSR program. The value of the ERO contract is € 491 million.

The five year mission will see the spacecraft head to Mars, act as a communication relay with the surface missions, perform a rendezvous with the orbiting samples and bring them safely back to Earth. Prior to launch from the Mars surface onboard the MAV, the Martian samples will be stored in sample tubes and collected by the SFR, for which Airbus has already commenced the study phase.

For ERO, Airbus will use its autonomous rendezvous and docking expertise built up over decades of experience in optical navigation, using technologies from the successful ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) and recent developments from JUICE, Europe’s first mission to Jupiter.

“We’re bringing the full force of our experience gained on Rosetta, Mars Express, Venus Express, Gaia, ATV, BepiColombo, and JUICE to ensure this mission succeeds. Bringing samples back to Earth from Mars will be an extraordinary feat, taking interplanetary science to a new level and Airbus is excited to take on this challenge as part of this joint international mission.” said Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems.

To be launched on an Ariane 6 in 2026, the 6 ton, 6 m high spacecraft, equipped with 144m² solar arrays with a span of over 40 m – some of the biggest ever built – will take about a year to reach Mars. It will use a mass-efficient hybrid propulsion system combining electric propulsion for the cruise and spiral down phases and chemical propulsion for Mars orbit insertion. Upon arrival, it will provide communications coverage for the NASA Perseverance Rover and Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) missions, two essential parts of the MSR Campaign.

For the second part of its mission, ERO will have to detect, rendezvous with, and capture a basketball-size object called the Orbiting Sample (OS), which houses the sample tubes collected by SFR; all this over 50 million km away from ground control. Once captured, the OS will be bio-sealed in a secondary containment system and placed inside the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV), effectively a third containment system, to ensure that the precious samples reach the Earth’s surface intact for maximum scientific return. It will then take another year for ERO to make its way back to Earth, where it will send the EEV on a precision trajectory towards a pre-defined landing site, before itself entering into a stable orbit around the Sun.

After landing, the samples will be transferred to a specialised handling facility where they will be quarantined. Once the sample tubes are opened, initial measurements will be taken to generate a detailed catalogue, enabling specific parts of the samples to then be targeted for specialist science investigations.

Airbus will have overall responsibility for the ERO mission, developing the spacecraft in Toulouse, and conducting mission analysis in Stevenage. Thales Alenia Space Turin will also have an important role, assembling the spacecraft, developing the communication system and providing the Orbit Insertion Module. The mission enabling RIT-2X ion engines will be provided by ArianeGroup.

About Mars Sample Return
Mars Sample Return is a set of three separately launched missions, which will together achieve the objective of returning Mars samples to Earth before the end of 2031.

The NASA-led Mars 2020 rover, known as Perseverance, was launched in July 2020 to land on Mars in February 2021. Perseverance will acquire Mars samples, cache them into sample tubes, and leave the tubes in one or more depots for later collection by the SRL mission and its European Sample Fetch Rover.

The NASA-led SRL is to be launched in 2026 and comprises a surface platform with a European robotic Sample Transfer Arm (STA), the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR), and a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The surface platform will land in the near vicinity of the sample tube depot in the Jezero crater. SFR will navigate, locate and collect the sample tubes, and return to the lander platform. The STA will transfer the sample tubes into the Orbiting Sample (OS) then load the OS aboard the MAV. The MAV will launch the OS into Mars orbit, where ERO will be waiting to rendezvous and capture it.

The ESA-led Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is also to be launched in 2026 and will have onboard the NASA-led Capture, Containment and Return System (CCRS), which will handle and bio-seal the OS as well as provide the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV). ERO will arrive in Mars orbit on time to provide communications coverage for the SRL entry, descent and landing, surface operations, and the MAV launch placing the OS into Mars orbit. ERO will have to detect, rendezvous with, and capture the OS. The OS will then be bio-sealed and transferred to the EEV before ERO heads back to Earth.

Upon approach to Earth, ERO will release the Earth Entry System on an Earth entry trajectory. After landing in the desert of Utah, the samples are transferred to a sample receiving and curation facility.

BDL pays final dividend to government for 2019-20

New Delhi. State-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Hyderabad-based Defence Public Sector Undertaking that manufactures missiles and a range of high-tech equipment for the armed forces, has paid final dividend of Rs. 35.018 crore (over $476,000) to the Indian government for 2019-20.

The Akash missile system that is part of a range of equipment manufactured by BDL

Commodore Siddharth Mishra (retd), Chairman and Managing Director, BDL presented cheque for Rs. 35.018 crore, being the final dividend pertaining to the government’s shareholding to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on October 13.

BDL has declared final dividend of Rs. 2.55 (0.03 cents) per share of Rs. 10 (0.13 cents) each for the financial year 2019-20. The final dividend declared by the Company works out to 25.5 per cent of the paid up share capital of Rs. 183.28 crore ($24 million).

Earlier, during March this year, an interim dividend of Rs. 6.25 (0.08 cents) per share amounting to Rs. 100.518 crore ($13 million) was paid by BDL for the financial year 2019-20 towards government’s shareholding in.

Raj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence Production (DDP) and Chandraker Bharti, Joint Secretary (Aero) from Ministry of Defence were present on the occasion.

PHASA-35 successfully completes critical endurance trials with sensor payload

Further to initial flight trials, PHASA-35®, a 35 metre wingspan solar-electric aircraft, has successfully completed critical endurance trials which saw the aircraft operate for 72 hours in a simulated environment that models the harsh stratospheric conditions in which the aircraft is designed to operate.

The trials, a collaborative effort by BAE Systems, Prismatic and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), further advances the aircraft’s operational capability.

Known as critical ‘soak’ tests, the trials demonstrated the aircraft working effectively as a fully integrated system together with Dstl’s communications sensor payload; a radio frequency sensing software defined radio that provides a real-time and secure data link.

The trials further validated that the aircraft’s systems are capable of enduring the harsh temperature and pressure extremes experienced in the stratospheric environment.

Exploiting BAE Systems’ capabilities in digital testing and flight systems has enabled the testing to be completed through a series of highly representative ground-based tests, driving pace and reducing costs in the development phase of the programme.

The tests, which were undertaken in a dedicated 40m hangar at Prismatic’s facility near Farnborough, also enabled the team to practice the various operations needed in flight, including the transition from daytime, when the aircraft is powered by the solar array, to night-time, when the aircraft’s batteries are discharged.

Paul Mather, Principal Payload Adviser, Dstl, said: “BAE Systems and Prismatic have put the integration and operation of the user payload at the heart of the PHASA-35 design and it has been very satisfying to work with the team in so clearly showing the benefits of this approach. Dstl has a proud tradition of rapid proving of new technologies which provide military and security advantage, which this latest success reinforces.”

Ian Muldowney, Chief Operating Officer, BAE Systems Air, added: “PHASA-35 is a great example of how we’ve brought together the best in British expertise and partnered to drive technological innovation and deliver critical capability. This latest success, only eight months after PHASA-35’s maiden flight, further demonstrates how UK industry and our partners are accelerating pace to deliver the UK’s vision for innovation, a Future Combat Air System and information advantage.”

Paul Brooks, Managing Director, Prismatic, said: “I am extremely proud of the efforts the team have put into making these trials a success and to do this despite the challenges that a global pandemic has brought to us all. By taking the best from the large company experience that BAE Systems offers, together with the agility of a small, innovative company such as Prismatic, we’ve been able to drive the programme forward with continued pace, culminating in the seamless integration of this first payload. This is an important milestone in bringing PHASA-35 closer to market, working alongside DSTL in the process.”

Further flight trials are due to take place in the coming months and this latest milestone is another step forward for the aircraft which could enter initial operations with customers within 12 months of completion of its flight trials programme.

The PHASA-35 high altitude, long endurance, unmanned aerial vehicle (HALE UAV), successfully completed its first flight in February, less than two years from initial design. The UAV has the potential to maintain flight for up to a year at a time, in the stratosphere, providing military and commercial customers with capabilities not currently available from existing air and space programmes. PHASA-35 has a wide range of potential applications such as the delivery of communications networks, including 5G, as well as support to disaster relief and border protection. Its payload capacity can be adapted to meet the needs of the user to carry sensors such as cameras, thermal imaging and communications equipment.

The aircraft’s long-life battery and highly efficient solar technology allow PHASA-35 to potentially maintain flight for up to a year operating in the stratosphere, the upper regions of the Earth’s atmosphere, and will plug the gap between aircraft and satellite technology.

Fidel Castro biography, Assassination attempts, Death and Top quotes

Fidel Castro 

Fidel Castro was the personification of the evil dictator- clad in his familiar khaki uniform and cap and chomping on his cigar, he ruled with an iron fist over his island nation.

Fidel Castro took on the United States and brought the world to the brink of nuclear holocaust. Shifting attention to his own country he decimated the economy, creating a Communistic dictatorship that forced the people to revere him, even as he ruined their lives.

Personal life of Fidel Castro

Personal Life Fidel Castro
Born	August 13th, 1926 Manassas in northern Oriente, Cuba
Died	November 25, 2016 (aged 90)
Education	law school, University of Havana
Political Party	Communist Party of Cuba
Fidel Castro Children	Alina Fernández, Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart
Fidel Castro Books	My Life: A Spoken Autobiography, History will Absolve Me, Che, Fidel Castro Reader, Fidel and religion, My Early years, Obama and the Empire, The Declaration of Hawana .etc

Fidel Castro Early Life

Birth of a Dictator Fidel Castro was born on August 13th, 1926, in the small farming village of Manassas in northern Oriente, Cuba. His father, Angel Castro y Igas, had immigrated from Spain in 1898 and picked up work as a bricklayer and railroad worker before starting his own business selling lemonade to field workers. From this humble start, he built a small sugarcane empire comprising 26,000 acres and 300 worker families.

Angel’s first wife, Maria Argota, gave birth to two children and then either died or simply walked out on the family. Angel soon took up with his young maid, Lina Ruz Gonzalez, who bore him three children; Angela, Ramon, and Fidel. 

The couple was married shortly after Fidel’s birth. They were a relatively wealthy family who lived in a Galician style two-story country house. Still, they lived a decidedly country lifestyle with chickens and pigs wandering through the house. Fidel was named after a local politician, with his name meaning ‘Faithful’. He had his father’s temperament, which meant that he was prone to violent outbursts. 

His sister recalls that if he was playing baseball and his team was losing he would simply gather up the equipment and walk off the field. A close friend and future novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez recalled that Fidel was the worst loser he had ever met. 

Fidel Castro Education

When he reached school age, Fidel was sent to study in Santiago, the second-largest city in Cuba. For the first two years, he stayed with his Godparents and as homeschooled by them. After that, he was enrolled at the Marist LaSalle School along with brothers Ramon and Raul. Fidel soon gained a reputation as a troublemaker and a bully.

When Fidel Castro was in the fourth grade, Fidel’s father received a letter stating that his three boys were the biggest bullies in the tired school. Angel was furious and pulled the boys out of the school. This enraged Fidel who threatened to burn down the house. He ended up being set to a more demanding Jesuit school in Havana, with his father threatening to cut off his allowance if his grades dropped below a certain level. 

Fidel responded by forging his school reports. Castro proved to be a decidedly average student but there was one area in which he excelled. He had a photographic memory, a fact which hugely impressed his fellow students. They would call him a page number from their textbooks and he would recite the page word for word. In his teens, Fidel began to develop his ability as a public speaker and debater. After an initial rejection, he gained acceptance into the Allevenada Literary Academy, which was the literary wing at the Jesuit school. At first, he was paralyzed by stage fright but he gradually became more relaxed and confident in his presentations. 

In October 1945, Fidel entered law school at the University of Havana. At the time the university was a self-governing body that forbade the police or army from setting foot on campus. As a result, it was a hotbed of clandestine activity by gangsters and political agitators. It was a very attractive environment for hot-headed Castro. Political Agitator Fidel’s first foray into political agitation was precipitated by a rise in bus fares that had been authorized by Cuban President Ramon Grau. Castro organized a protest against the fare rise and led a march to the Presidential palace. The police beat the students, with Fidel himself receiving slight injuries. He used the incident to his advantage by going to the press and receiving some sympathetic coverage. 

At the time that Castro enrolled at the university, there were two main gangster groups who were vying for control; the Socialist Revolutionary Movement (MSR) and the Insurrectional Revolutionary Union (UIR). There were frequent violent clashes between the two groups. Fidel quickly sized up the situation and began to maneuver between the two groups. 

Assassination attempts on Fidel Castro 

In December 1946 there was an assassination attempt on a leading member of the UIR and Castro was fingered as the trigger man, his assumed motive being to ingratiate himself with MSR leadership. As it turned out, it was the leader of UIR, Emilio Tro, who took Castro under his wing.

He gave Fidel a pistol, which the young budding revolutionary carried with him at all times. Tro had been planning an invasion of the Dominican Republic in conjunction with a group of Dominican exiles in response to the terrible conditions brought about by the rule of Rafael Trujillo. Castro quickly jumped on board and sailed with about 12,000 fellow revolutionaries to Cayo Confites on July 29th, 1947. 

For two months they underwent paramilitary training before setting off for the Dominican mainland. Meanwhile, Trujillo had learned of the planned attack and had even appealed to the United States for aid. The revolutionary leaders got cold feet and called off the invasion and the embarrassed Cuban army began rounding up the ships and taking the would-be attackers into custody. Castro manages to evade custody by jumping ship and swimming the eight miles to shore. 

The political career of Fidel Castro

In 1947, Castro visited a new model prison on the Isle of Pines as part of his legal studies. When he returned to Havana he criticized the prison and its inhumane treatment of its inhabitants. The following year he was part of a student congress that traveled to Bogota, Colombia. 

On April 7th, the group met with the leader of the Liberal Party, Jorge Gaitan, who looked likely to win the upcoming general election. Two days later, Gaitan was shot dead. Bogota erupted in violence and the students from Cuba were caught in the middle of it. Castro became actively involved, participating in the takeover of a police station. After three days, the authorities restored order, but not before some 3,500 people had been killed. Castro returned to Havana where he became a follower of Senator Eddie Chibas, the main opponent of President Grau. 

Chibas was the founder of the Cuban People’sParty. Castro campaigned hard for Chibas in his unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1948. Still, the two men were never close. Chibas saw Fidel as somewhat of an embarrassment due to his gangster background and Fidel only ever viewed the leader as an obstacle to his own path to power. 

Budding Politician In order to gain political respectability, Fidel cut off association with his gangster associates. He gave speeches on campus denouncing the two main gangs and naming names of those who were responsible for criminal activity. This made him a target for both groups and he was forced into hiding. Around this time Fidel, who was generally awkward and shy around women, met Mirta Diaz-Balart, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Cuba. The couple fell in love and were married in 1948, with Mirta’s father gifting them $10,000 for a three-month honeymoon in the United States. 

Most of their time was sent in New York, where Fidel learned some English. Returning to Cuba, the newlyweds moved into a hotel across the street from a military camp in Havana. In September 1949 Mirta gave birth to a son, who would come to be known as Fidelito. Having graduated from University, Fidel began a small law practice. Most of his time, however, was spent dabbling in politics. 

On August 15th, 1951, People’s Party leader Eddie Chibas was giving his usual Sunday radio address, urging the people to stop accepting the corruption of the government and take action. He then pulled out a pistol and shot himself in the stomach. The dramatic act was intended to rouse the people but Chibas had spoken for too long and his suicide attempt was not broadcast. For the next eleven days, Chibas lay in a hospital bed in terrible agony. At his side, the whole time was Fidel Castro. When the leader died, Castro was a prominent part of the honor guard that stood outside the University Hall of Honor, where Chibaslay in the state. 

As the military escort prepared to lead the body through the streets in a large procession, Castro entreated the captain to divert the route to the Presidential Palace. Fidel was convinced that he could rouse the people to overthrow the government. But the army captain refused, fearing that a bloodbath would ensue. 

The following year, Castro ran for a seat on the Chamber of Deputies. He managed to garner the support of the majority of the People’s Party members and looked in line to win in the upcoming election. However, on March 10th, former president Fulgencio Batista staged a military coup and seized power. He began rounding up political adversaries, including members of the People’s Party. 

Fidel and his brother Raoul went into hiding. The Batista coup diverted Castro from what could have been a promising diplomatic career in favor of becoming a fully-fledged revolutionary. He gathered together his own political group, drawn from former People’s Party members and followers from his University days. Traveling up and down the country, he put his oratorical and propaganda skills to full effect. After fourteen months, he had a following of 12,000 people. Rebel Leader Castro ran his organization with military precision and discipline. Drinking alcohol was forbidden and he imposed strict sexual standards. He also organized his forces at a cellular level, with members of each cell being unaware of the existence of other cells. 

By the middle of 1953, Castro had the support base he needed to stage his own coup. What he didn’t have were weapons - or the money to buy them. His solution was to attack a military base and seize its weapons. The base selected was located at Moncado. The attack, however, was bungled from the start - one of the twenty-six vehicles en route to the base had a flat tire; another took a wrong turn and did not arrive until the attack was well underway. When the remainder of the vehicles arrived at the base they were surprised to find it heavily fortified. The military defenders soon beat back the invaders, with eight of Castro’s men being killed. 

The remainder fled, but over the next few days, many of them were rounded up by the authorities. Sixty-nine of them were tortured and then put to death. Castro himself was put on trial before a military tribunal. He used the opportunity to speak out about the regime of Batista and the harsh treatment of his fellow revolutionaries. His courtroom defense statement ‘History Will Absolve Me’ would become probably his most famous speech. Still, he was convicted and sentenced to 15years imprisonment. Castro and his followers were sent to the Isle of Pines prison. 

Fidel used his time there to instill a supreme level of order and discipline in his men. The Castro rebels gained a reputation for their good behavior and were given ever greater freedoms. On May 6th, 1954, bowing to public pressure, President Batista granted amnesty to Castro and his men. The show of good faith from the president, however, did not stop Castro from speaking about the regime. When two of his men were badly beaten by Batista enforcers, Fidel became increasingly concerned for his own safety. 

Fidel Castro would move houses every two to three days and then, just two months after being released from prison, he left Cuba for Mexico. It was Castro's plan to build up and train a new wing of his revolutionary army in Mexico and then return to join forces with those already in Havana in a huge push to oust the Batista regime. His Mexican army began as a group of about sixty Cuban defectors who lived in six small houses under strict disciplinary conditions imposed by Fidel. It was during this period that Castro met Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, who would play a key role in the coming revolution. 

Castro launched his revolution in late November 1956 from the port of Tuxpan on the Mexican coast. It was planned to coincide with another uprising organized by a rival anti-Batista group. Fidel had bought a 60-foot boat that was designed to take a maximum of 25 passengers and piled 82 of his men on board. As it chugged its way toward Cub, the boat was in constant danger of capsizing. The journey was so slow that the planned five-day trip took seven days, meaning that they would miss the uprising of the other group. The boat beached at a place called Purgatory Point on December 2nd. But by now Batista’s army, who had already put down the first rebellion, had learned that Castro was on his way and had planes overhead ready to strafe the invaders and bomb the area. Only about a dozen men survived, Castro and Guevara among them. They began a three-day march through the forest, constantly being hounded from the air by the Cuban air force. They finally reached the Sierra Maestra region where they settled with the local villagers and began to regroup. 

Six weeks later Castro led thirty-three menon a guerilla raid on a tiny army garrison in La Plata. Two soldiers were killed and the rebels stole off with a number of weapons. A month after this attack, Castro decided it was time to get his propaganda machine in motion. He sent one of his men to Havana to bring foreign journalists back to the camp. The man chosen was from the New York Times and soon a three-part story had appeared in that paper describing the massive military buildup that Castro was organizing in the south of Cuba. Castro's support base grew exponentially, with more and more disaffected Cubans joining his ranks. 

In March 1958, younger brother Raoul began to establish a second force out of Oriente, which soon grew in number. Raoul proved to be a highly capable military commander, with his force capturing and destroying many planes, tanks, and military vehicles. In April, Fidel called upon the people of Cuba to stage a nationwide strike. He believed that this would be the start of his long-planned for the uprising. President Bautista responded by threatening to shoot anyone who participated in the strike. As a result, more than 140 people were shot down in the street. But this action only fuelled Castro’s support base and even more, people streamed to him. With the tide now decidedly turned in his favor, Castro decided to move. He sent Che Guevara and another of his commanders, Camilo Cienfuegos, on a westward march toward Havana, along with their rebel forces. The government forces put up virtually no resistance and the rebels were able to take control, one town after another. 

On December 31st, 1958, with Castro’s enclosing in, Batista resigned and fled the country. Three days later, Castro arrived in Santiago to a hero’s welcome. He gave a speech in front of 200,000 people. Hours later, Guevara and Cienfuegos marched into Havana and seized control of the reigns of power. The Castro era had begun. Castro’s Cuba The transfer of power was amazingly orderly. Castro had wanted his men against looting or destroying property. He had come to power on the backs of a huge army of poor and illiterate peasants. 

Now that he had gained power, he would need educated men to help him to govern. He chose to appoint his former professor, Jose Miro Cardona, as prime minister and Manuel Urrutia to be president. He made himself supreme commander of armed forces. Behind the scenes, however, Castro put the organization in place to ensure that he was the holder of overall power. In the weeks following the revolution, more than 500 Batista officials were tried, convicted, and put to death. That number would rise to 1,900 over the coming year. Within 7 months of seizing power, Castro decided that he no longer had any need for the puppet government. On July 16th, he announced that he was resigning from his position as an army commander because he could no longer work with President Urrutia, who he accused of corruption. Castro then disappeared for a number of days. 

Just as Fidel had intended, the people rose up in protest and demanded that the President must go. A frightened Urrutia sought sanctuary in the Venezuelan embassy before escaping the country. This allowed Castro to return in triumph and appoint himself as President. Castro now imposed totalitarian rule. Those who did not give him their absolute support were in danger of being seized and put on trial or simply shot. Within a few short months all signs of resistance within Cuba, including critical media, had been removed. 

Now Castro fixed his attention on securing external security. A focus was put on increasing the size and strength of the army. Six months after seizing power, Castro visited the United States, where he was greeted with enthusiasm by the media, politicians, and public alike. Behind the scenes, however, the Eisenhower government was already making plans for Castro’s removal. International Tensions In February 1960, the Cuban leader signed an agreement with the Russians, by which Cuban sugar would be traded for military arms and oil. This was at the height of the Cold War and many of the oil refineries in Cuba were American-owned. When the owners refused to process Soviet oil imports, Castro seized their businesses. 

The US Government responded by cutting 700,000tons from the US annual purchase commitment. In turn, Castro nationalized US-owned agricultural and industrial businesses. Castro's’ move had a huge impact on theUS Mafia, which lost about $100 million worth of property in the tourist industry alone. 

During the period of the nationalization of industry, more than 200,000 professional and upper-class citizens fled the country. Relations between the United States and Cuba governments became so strained that, in March 1960, President Eisenhower green-lighted the training of a group of Cuban exiles to stage an invasion to seek control. The ball was picked up by President Kennedy, resulting in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. Castro had gotten wind of the invasion and had his forces ready and waiting. With the lack of promised US air support, the Cuban rebels were cut to pieces. 

On December 1st, 1961 Castro went on national television and declared that he was a Marxist-Leninist and would be one until the day he died. The Soviets took a wary view of their newly declared Communist fellow but the Americans responded immediately, imposing a total economic blockade of Cuba. This led to economic disaster, with massive food shortages resulting. Finally, the Soviet Government decided to embrace Castro. They offered to station Soviet missiles on the island. In mid-October, 1962 the American government got concrete evidence of the missile operation, leading to what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

President Kennedy placed a total military blockade around Cuba and announced that a military attack from Cuba on any nation would be seen as a direct attack by the Soviet Union on the United States. Castro urged the Russians to make a pre-emptive strike on the United States if the Americans attacked his island. After thirteen days, during the world was hair-trigger away from Nuclear destruction, the Russians backed down and agreed to remove the missiles. 

Castro was left completely out of the negotiation process - and he was not happy. Soviet President Nikita Khrushchev tried to placate him by inviting Castro on a 40-day trip through the Soviet Union. Durg the trip, Khrushchev offered to provide economic aid to the struggling island. In 1965 the United States announced that it was willing to take in Cuban refugees. This led to a mass exodus with a resultant huge loss of skills and manpower. 

The Sugar Cane Fiasco With the international situation had settled, Castro set his focus on making agricultural reforms to improve the economy. He wanted to increase the sugar harvest and set a target for national production in 1965 of 5.5 million tons, increasing to 10 million tons by 1970. These expectations, however, were totally unreasonable. Still, he poured nearly all of the country's economic resources into the sugarcane industry, leaving all other economic activity barren. The whole country, including the elderly, young children, and military workers were put to work in the fields in a desperate quest to reach his targets. Even Castro himself was said to have cut cane for four hours every day. As the rest of the Cuban economy fell by between 20 and 40%, the sugarcane project failed dismally to reach its projected targets. 

In 1970, Castro announced that the plan had failed. Typical of his flair for the dramatic he resigned his presidency. The people demanded the returns and soon he was back in power with the sugar cane crisis behind him. Throughout the 1970s Castro began looking for ways to extend his influence abroad. He began involving himself in revolutionary movements and sending forces to train and lead various guerrilla operations. His support of civil wars in Angola and Somalia up more of his country's limited resources. During the early 1980s, sugar prices and production had increased significantly. This allowed the Cuban economy to grow at a rate of 24%. But when the sugar price slumped dramatically, ballooning Cuba’s international debt to the west to $6 billion. 

At the same time, she owed $19 billion to the Soviet Union. The Soviets tried to help by increasing trade but, with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, all the agreements fell apart. The already weak Cuban economy was severely restricted. Strict rationing was put in place, the electricity supply became sporadic and tractors were replaced with ox-drawn carts. With his country on the brink of collapse,in 1993 Castro allowed Cubans to start private businesses. 

The following year he permitted foreign investors to own Cuban businesses. The economy, which had declined by 40% in the past three years, finally began to grow. The Death of a Dictator By the 1990’s Castro was an aging, isolated, and largely depressed dictator. The majority of his close associates were either dead or had been exiled. He still kept up his habit of only staying in a place for two or three nights, so he was constantly being moved around in a bulletproof Mercedes limousine. 

Fidel Castro Death

During this period Castro’s tight grip on the country seemed to loosen slightly. But then, in March 2003, he imposed a crackdown which saw scores of journalists, students, and professional people arrested as dissidents of the regime. In July 2006, the eighty-year-old Castro underwent surgery for internal bleeding. The following year he handed over the Presidential reins to his brother Raul. From then on, Fidel’s health gradually deteriorated. The end came on November 26, 2016, thought he exact cause of his death was never released. The country was in mourning for nine days. 

Top quotes by Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro 

1. Men do not shape destiny, Destiny produces the man for the hour.
2. They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia, and Latin America?
3. A revolution is not a bed of roses.
4. I think that a man should not live beyond the age when he begins to deteriorate when the flame that lighted the brightest moment of his life has weakened.
5. I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy, it is gross, it is alienating… because it causes war, hypocrisy, and competition.
6. One of the greatest benefits of the revolution is that even our prostitutes are college graduates.
7. I am nearing 90. I will soon pass away like everyone else. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of Cuban communists are evidence that in case if we work with pathos and dignity, we can produce material and cultural values people need,” a 2016 speech at a congress of the Cuban Communist Party.
8. I am a Marxist Leninist and I will be one until the last day of my life.

DRDO successfully tests indigenously-developed Anti Radiation Missile

New Delhi. A new generation Anti Radiation Missile (RUDRAM) was successfully flight-tested on October 9 onto a radiation target located on Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. The missile was launched from a SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft and hit with pin-point accuracy.

The RUDRAM missile being launched from a Sukhoi SU-30MKI combat jet

“New generation first indigenous Anti-Radiation Missile RUDRAM developed by @DRDO_India for Indian Air Force successfully flight tested today onto a radiation target located on Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. The missile was launched from SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft,” a Defence Ministry spokesman tweeted.

The RUDRAM is the country’s first indigenous anti-radiation missile for the Indian Air Force (IAF) being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile is integrated on the SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft as the launch platform, with a varying-range capability based on launch conditions. It has INS-GPS navigation with Passive Homing Head for the final attack.

The Passive Homing Head can detect, classify and engage targets over a wide band of frequencies as programmed.

“The missile is a potent weapon for IAF for Suppression of Enemy Air Defence effectively from large stand-off ranges,” a Defence Ministry statement said, adding: “With this, the country has established indigenous capability to develop long range air launched anti-radiation missiles for neutralising enemy radars, communication sites and other RF emitting targets.”

Skydive Landing by IAF At Khardungla Pass, Leh

New Delhi. With an aim to instil the qualities of camaraderie, team spirit, physical and mental courage, the IAF has always been promoting adventure activities for its personnel. The IAF has always made sustained efforts towards capacity building and promotion of adventure activities at grass root level there by encouraging the environment and to motivate young Air Warriors to undertake adventure activities.

Indian Air Force celebrated its 88th Anniversary on October 8. To commemorate this event, the IAF achieved a new record of the highest Skydive Landing at Khardungla Pass, Leh at an altitude of 17982 ft breaking its own earlier record. Wing Commander Gajanad Yadava and Warrant Officer AK Tiwari carried out successful skydiving jump from C-130J aircraft and landed at Khardungla Pass, Leh on 08 Oct 20. The landing at such an altitude is extremely challenging due to low oxygen levels combined with low air density and rough and inhospitable hilly terrain. Both the Air Warriors have shown excellent professionalism, grit and determination in overcoming adverse conditions and achieving the grand success of setting a new IAF record.

This unique achievement once again demonstrates the capability of the IAF to scale new heights despite the challenges and remain committed to our motto of Mission, Integrity and Excellence.

Coastal Security Exercise “Sagar Kavach” Concludes

Kochi. A two day Coastal Security Exercise namely ‘Sagar Kavach’ conducted by Indian Navy along with Indian Coast Guard and all stake holders involved in Coastal Security from 07 Oct 20 off the coast of Kerala concluded on October 8.

During the exercise, the participants were divided in two teams, Red (attack) and Blue (defence), with the Red Force simulating as terrorists attempting to infiltrate into coastal areas of the State for attacks on Vital Assets (VA) as well as Vital Points (VP) and Blue Force carrying out coastal security surveillance to intercept and neutralize the infiltration attempts. Extensive air patrol and surveillance of the adjoining seas were also undertaken by the aircraft, helicopters and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to detect ships and vessels of the opposing force. A high level of coastal surveillance was maintained all along the Kerala coast during the period. A wide range of security contingencies including multi-layer security, infiltration from seaward, simulated attacks on vital installations/ assets, hijacking of merchant ships, and cross landings were exercised. The defensive layers set up at sea thwarted attempts by the opposing force engaged in infiltration.

Apart from Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Police, Coastal District Administration, Cochin Port, Fisheries Department, Customs, Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW). Central Industrial Security force (CISF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Light House Department and fishermen community participated in the exercise. More than 20 ships of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard as well as 50 patrol crafts manned by various security agencies participated in the exercise.

The exercise was conjoined with Karnataka state. The exercise was aimed to assess the preparedness of all agencies towards dealing with an asymmetric threat emanating from the sea. The present exercise assumes significance in the back drop of prevailing security situation in the country.

Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command reviewed the preparedness and conduct of the exercise with special emphasis on ensuring COVID-19 protocol by the concerned agencies, as the Commander-in-Chief, Coastal Defence,. The exercise was closely monitored from Joint Operations Centre, Kochi. Response of agencies to various situations was assessed.

‘Sagar Kavach’ is a half yearly exercise with an objective to check Coastal Security mechanism and validate Standard Operating Procedures. The exercise also serves to identify gaps in the multi-tier security barriers at sea, close to the land as well as in the hinterland in coordination with the concerned stakeholders to further strengthen the Coastal security architecture. Over a period of time, conduct of “Sagar Kavach” has synergized the efforts of all Central/State stakeholders towards effective Coastal Security.

Boeing-built Space Force Satellite Passes Design Review

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Boeing and the U.S. Space Force successfully completed the first major engineering design review for the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS)-11+ communications satellite. This successful review demonstrates that Boeing is ready to proceed to the final system design phase. Production will begin next year at Boeing’s El Segundo factory, with delivery scheduled for 2024.

WGS-11+ features a modern digital payload that performs at twice the operational capability of its predecessors, increasing the availability of military-grade communications. Leveraging advances in Boeing commercial technologies, it will provide secure communications to connect U.S. and allied forces globally.

The current WGS constellation, consisting of 10 satellites, is the backbone of the U.S. military’s global communications system, providing flexible, high data-rate connectivity. Users include all U.S. military services, the White House Communications Agency, the U.S. State Department and international partners.

“Completing this engineering design review is a key milestone and brings us one step closer to delivering this groundbreaking satellite to the warfighter in record time, significantly improving capacity and coverage to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and allies,” said Col. John Dukes, chief of the Geosynchronous/Polar Division at Space and Missile Systems Center Production Corps.

“WGS-11+ uses narrower spot beams to deliver a stronger, more reliable connection exactly where it’s needed, which means better performance and greater flexibility than ever before,” said Troy Dawson, vice president of Boeing Government Satellite Systems.

In addition to U.S. military forces, the WGS constellation provides service to international partners including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Norway.

Pact inked for Rs. 290 bn ($4 bn) Jewar International Airport in NCR Region

Greater Noida. Merging Indian culture and hospitality with Swiss technology and efficiency, an agreement was signed on October 7 for the Rs. 29,000 crore ($4 billion) Jewar International Airport in the National Capital Region (NCR), a greenfield venture between Zurich Airport International and Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), an arm of the Uttar Pradesh government.

With eight runways, it will be India’s largest airport and is estimated to cater to 70 million passengers when completed by 2040-50. Its first phase is due to open in 2024. Located some 70 km from New Delhi, it will be the second international airport in the NCR.

Zurich Airport International AG (ZAIA) last November won the contract to build and operate the airport for a period of 40 years. It received the security clearance from the Union Home Ministry in May.

Being developed as a Public Private Partnership (PPP), NIA “will deliver quick, efficient processes and excellent value for passengers, airlines and partners”, the Uttar Pradesh government said, adding: “NIA will operate as a fully digital airport, providing a safe and contactless travel experience and customized commercial offerings for passengers. NIA will be the first net zero emissions airport in its class, setting a new standard for sustainable aviation.”

Noting that infrastructure development will be key to economic recovery, not only in the state but also for the country, S.P. Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary, Civil Aviation Department, said: “The construction of Noida International Airport will support economic growth through job creation in the state, while making it the most preferred destination for domestic as well as global investors in the upcoming years. We look forward to supporting the Zurich Airport International team to jumpstart this mega project, which will reinforce the economic progress of the state of Uttar Pradesh.”

Daniel Bircher, Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Airport International (Asia) said: “The signing of the concession agreement marks an important milestone in the development of the Noida International Airport. When Phase 1 development is completed in 2024, we will provide capacity for 12 million passengers per year.”

In partnership with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India, Zurich Airport International “looks forward to making this airport a major player in Indian air transportation and a benchmark for ease of use for passengers and logistic partners. We are a committed and trusted partner for India’s growth, and see tremendous opportunity to invest and participate in India’s aviation growth story”, Bircher added.

Dr. Arun Vir Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Noida International Airport Limited, said: “We are pleased to sign the concession agreement… to commence work on the Noida International Airport. This world-class airport will not only connect western UP region with other domestic and international destinations, but also provide additional capacity to Delhi NCR region.”

“Together, we look forward to building India’s leading airport which boasts of quality, efficiency, technology and sustainability. We are very excited to begin work as we move ahead with a vision to co-create a world-class facility,” Singh added.

Flughafen Zürich AG is a listed company that operates Zurich Airport as a diversified business and licensee of the Swiss Confederation. With a workforce of over 1,700 employees, the company generated turnover of 1,210.1 million Swiss Francs in 2019; 33.3 percent of its shares are held by the canton and five percent by the city of Zurich.

Zurich Airport is Switzerland’s gateway to the world. Over 31 million people arrived at, transferred via or departed from the airport in 2019, making it not only the region’s most important transport hub, but also the leading meeting place. With around 280 companies employing almost 27,000 people, Zurich Airport is a key economic driver for the region.

Noida International Airport Limited was incorporated on August 28, 2018 as Joint Venture of Government of Uttar Pradesh (through Department of Civil Aviation, NOIDA, Greater NOIDA and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) in ratio of 37.5:37.5:12.5:12.5.

L&T launches 7th OPV for Indian Coast Guard

Chennai. Continuing its unique performance on construction of defence vessels, private sector shipyard L&T on October 6 launched the seventh and final Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at its Defence Shipyard at Kattupalli, north of Chennai.

The vessel was launched by Mrs. Hema Somanathan and was named ‘ICGS Vigraha’, in the presence of the Chief Guest Dr. T.V. Somanathan, Secretary (Expenditure), Ministry of Finance: K Natarajan, Director General, Indian Coast Guard: J.D. Patil, Whole Time Director (Defence Business) and Member of the L&T Board and other dignitaries.

The vessel is the last in the series of seven OPVs contracted to L&T by the Ministry of Defence in March 2015. With this, the company said, L&T has redefined the performance standards in India’s defence shipbuilding history. Numerous benchmarks were set during execution of the programme:

• For the first time, entire design and construction of the OPV class of ships undertaken by an Indian private sector shipyard

• Delivery of ‘First of Class’ OPV ‘ICGS Vikram’ ahead of contractual schedule

• Achieving the build period of mere 19.5 months, clearing all sea acceptance trials in a single sea sortie for 5th OPV, ‘ICGS Varad’

• Delivery of five OPVs of the series so far, all ahead of contractual schedule

“In just over a decade from the receipt of L&T’s first defence shipbuilding order in March-2010, L&T has in-house designed, constructed and delivered 59 defence vessels exemplifying its ‘Made in India’ resolve to make India self-reliant and stronger,” the company said.

These include five OPVs, a Floating Dock and 53 Interceptor Boats with the remarkable achievement of delivering on all contracts either ahead or on schedule – a hallmark of L&T’s commitment to core values of speed, scale and quality, the company said.

OPVs are long-range surface ships, capable of operation in maritime zones of India, including island territories with helicopter operation capabilities. Their roles include coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones of India, control and surveillance, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations with limited wartime roles.

The vessel is approximately 98m long, 15m wide, a 3.6m draught, a displacement of 2,140 tonnes and a range of 5,000 nautical miles. It can attain a sustained speed of up to 26 knots. The entire design and construction process has been certified by American Bureau of Shipping as well as Indian Registrar of Shipping and overseen by the Indian Coast Guard’s resident team at Kattupalli.

“L&T showcased the resolve and highest level of commitment to progress with production of OPVs despite numerous challenges due to the COVID-19 restrictions, collapse of global supply chain and scant availability of human resources,” the company said.

Commenting on the launch, S.N. Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD, Larsen & Toubro, said: “L&T resolutely stands with Indian Armed Forces to equip them with cutting edge defence technologies. Ahead of schedule launch of ‘ICGS Vigraha’ in these challenging times will pave the way for her early deployment by the Coast Guard, which has assumed greater significance in current geopolitical situation.”

“L&T has affirmed its commitment to ‘Make in India’ in defence with largest spectrum of defence solutions on offer through decades of in-house R&D, huge investments in setting up state-of-the-art defence production facilities and development of competent human capital. L&T’s capabilities in defence are able to provide much needed impetus to ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ in defence,” Subrahmanyan added.

Jayant Patil, Whole-time Director and Sr. Executive Vice President (Defence & Smart Technologies), L&T said: “L&T has accomplished this launch through innovative ways to overcome unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19 over the past 6 months. Our pursuit of technology, continuous innovation, attention to inbuilt quality, and adoption of Modular Construction philosophy combined with Shipbuilding 4.0 processes enables unmatched speed of execution to deliver defence ships on time.”

“L&T continues to raise the performance bar by consistently delivering defence vessels ahead of schedule under all MoD programmes. With unparalleled execution track record and robust financial strength, L&T is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in augmentation and modernization of Indian Navy and Coast Guard fleets and consistently deliver ‘Make in India’ in defence in true sense,” Patil added.

“L&T is also richly contributing to the upkeep of Indian Naval and Coast Guard fleets by routinely undertaking their repairs/refits and upgrades including emergency repairs and inspection with exemplary delivery performance,” the company said.

Besides the Launch the Yard is readying for delivery of the 6th OPV and the 54th Interceptor Boat during the current month.

Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in engineering, procurement and construction projects, manufacturing, defence and services with over $21 billion in revenue. It operates in over 30 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades.

IAF well-positioned to take on China: Air Chief Bhadauria

New Delhi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is “well-positioned” to take on China in the event of a conflict in Ladakh, where tensions have been running high since May following the incursion of PLA troops in the area, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, said on October 5, adding it was prepared for any kind of situation in which a conflict might erupt.

“We are very well-positioned. There is no question that in case of any conflict, China can get the better of us,” he told newsmen ahead of the 88th anniversary parade of the IAF on October 8.

“There is no doubt of our capability and intent,” he said, adding: “We are prepared for any conflict and any kind of situation…the focus is always on preparedness.”

During the press conference, he spoke on a wide range of issues, including the benefits that had accrued from the induction of women across the board, including in the fighter stream, and the fact that the IAF now had the highest airlift capability in the region with its C-17, C-130J Super Hercules and Il-76 aircraft.

He also spoke of the proactive steps IAF has been taking to protect its networks from cyber threats.

A short film screened on the occasion laid emphasis on how the IAF was increasingly relying on indigenous home-grown technology with its professionally highly-motivated manpower.

“Over the years, we have evolved from a tactical force to a strategic one. We are ready to handle any contingency,” he said, adding: “We have developed a robust capability to fight across the entire spectrum of warfare…Our vision is to continue to scale up our combat capabilities and credibility as a force to reckon with through modernisation and operational training and substantially increase indigenous equipment.

“Our deployment of assets in the north is indicative of our operational capability today. We have supported the Indian Army in the rapid mobilisation of troops and equipment to the operational areas to face an adversary in strength. Combined with the capabilities of our current fighter fleet, it gives us the capability to strike even harder,” he asserted.

“Not only Ladakh; Ladakh is a small area and that’s a very small portion of our deployment…we have deployed to all relevant and required areas…I can’t go into details but be rest assured that we have deployed for any contingency.

“There is no question of not taking on the threat (from China)…we are very much (on top of the situation). There is no question that in the case of any conflict there will be any deficiency,” Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria maintained.

At the same time, he indicated that it could be a long haul ahead in Ladakh.

“Talks on disengagement are on and we do hope the talks will progress along the lines expected. The current progress is slow…what we see is an effort to prepare for the winter, with the requirement of the forces on the ground…so it is largely dependant on how the talks progress. The whole focus is currently on the talks and we hope they will move in the right direction. Our further action will depend on the ground realities,” he said.

Noting that “substantial measures are underway to increase capabilities against the adversaries in the coming years”, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said: “We have operationalised newly-inducted assets and integrated them with the existing capabilities in record time.”

“In the next three years we will see the LCA (indigenous Light Combat Aircraft) operating at full strength (of 83 aircraft) along with SU-30s and MiG-29s that are being added to the current fleet along with sufficient upgrades of Jaguars and Mirage 2000 that will add substantially not only to the operational capability of the fleet itself but to our overall capability,” he said.

“Modernisation is a continuous process to increase operational capability…with the induction of state-of-the-art modern equipment as well as simultaneously upgrading existing systems” in line with the Atamnirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

Asked if there would be a follow-on order for the omni-role Rafale combat aircraft, 36 of which have been ordered from France of which five were inducted in the IAF on September 10, he said if at all that were to be happen, it would be a prolonged process.

“Five are already here; in October or November, will get three or four more…this will be a regular affair, every few months or two to three months, depending on the situation, we will get two to three aircraft.

“At the moment, the concentration is on the LCA, then the MRCA (Multirole Combat Aircraft, 114 of which are envisaged) and then, more Rafales or MRCAs. This entire project is under discussion and, as and when the picture becomes clear, we will move forward,” the IAF chief said.

Asked whether this would translate into 40 squadrons by the end of the decade, he felt a more realistic figure would be 37 squadrons.

“Overall, I would say we are going in the right direction and will continue to be counted among the top air forces in the times to come,” he said.

He also said the IAF had “benefited tremendously with the induction of women officers….across the board. Women officers have been accepted for permanent commissions and are leaders in their various fields, in combat and combat-support roles. Whatever roles there are – fighters, helicopters, transports – they are already inducted”.

IAF capable of two-front war: Air chief

New Delhi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is capable of waging a two-front war should the situation so arise and is well-positioned to take on any threats, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, said on October 5, adding the process of inducting 114 Multirole Combat Aircraft (MRCAs) is on and that the jets should be operational in the next decade.

He was addressing a press conference here ahead of the 88th IAF anniversary parade on October 8 at the Hindon Air Base on the outskirts of the national capital.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria spoke on a wide range of issues, including the benefits that had accrued from the induction of women across the board, including in the fighter stream, and the fact that the IAF now had the highest airlift capability in the region with its C-17, C-130J Super Hercules and Il-76 aircraft.

He also spoke of the proactive steps the IAF was taking to protect its networks from cyber threats.

A short film screened on the occasion laid emphasis on how the IAF was increasingly relying on indigenous home-grown technology with its professionally highly-motivated manpower in line with the Atamnirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Queensland to Assemble Boeing’s First Australian-designed, developed Unmanned Aircraft

AUSTRALIA. Queensland is poised to take another bold step in aerospace and advanced manufacturing with an historic opportunity to be the final production home for unmanned defence aircraft – the first military aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a visionary new partnership with Boeing Australia means more high-skilled jobs, local supply opportunities and defence industry stimulus as Queensland continues to recover and grow from the COVID downturn.

“The creation of additional new aerospace capability could see unmanned defence aircraft produced here by the middle of the decade, with prototype testing and certification taking place before that,” the premier said.

“We are carrying out our plan to recover and grow, including into new industries, and it’s very important that we do that not just as a government but with key partnerships.

“Our investment in this advanced manufacturing project will provide critical skills for suppliers, academia and Boeing, and culminate in Queensland becoming the primary final assembly facility for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, conditional on orders.

“Supporting this project is a significant investment in the Queensland defence and manufacturing industries and will strengthen ties between Australia and the global defence market.

“The unmanned teaming aircraft is Boeing’s first military aircraft to be designed and developed outside the U.S and uses artificial intelligence to extend the capabilities of manned and unmanned platforms.”

The first aircraft prototype, called the Loyal Wingman, was unveiled with the Royal Australian Air Force in May this year.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the Boeing partnership demonstrated the Palaszczuk government’s commitment to advanced manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is a vital part of the Queensland economy, which is why supporting manufacturing is one of the centrepieces of our Unite and Recover Economic Recovery Plan,” the treasurer said.

“Our government’s longstanding commitment to advanced manufacturing is one of the reasons Queensland is already home to Boeing’s largest workforce outside the United States.

“Boeing has 1,700 staff in Queensland and supports 400 Queensland-based suppliers.

“Loyal Wingman will mean even more highly skilled advanced manufacturing jobs, further reinforcing Queensland’s status as a centre for defence industries.

“It was precisely to attract projects like this that the Palaszczuk government developed our 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan for Defence Industries. Today is proof that plan is delivering for Queensland.”

Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific President Brendan Nelson said the partnership with the Queensland government to develop an advanced manufacturing capability was a significant milestone for the company.

“It’s one that will build cutting-edge skills to stimulate the innovation ecosystem in Queensland,” he said.

“This includes introducing technologies such as advanced robotics; investment in universities, small-to-medium enterprises and start-up companies; as well as creating global export opportunities for Australia’s supply chain.

“This investment could unlock global defence and aerospace opportunities for Queensland to gain future work share in other Boeing programs.”

IAF’s Rafale to make public debut on Air Force Day on Thursday

New Delhi. The newly-acquired fourth generation Rafale omni-role combat aircraft is to make its public debut at the 88th anniversary parade of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday, an official statement said on October 5.

Five Rafale’s were inducted in the IAF on September 10 but only one of them will feature in the flypast that will mark the culmination of the parade at the Hindon Air Base on the outskirts of the national capital. The Rafale will, in all likelihood lead the flypast, that will showcase the various aircraft in the IAF fleet.

The IAF will progressively induct the 36 Rafale’s it has purchased from France and another five are expected to arrive at the Ambala Air Base, where the first squadron of the combat jet, designated the Golden Arrows, is based.

Biography of Kolélas Bernard | African Leader

Bakana Kolélas belongs to a class of prominent political figures in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). 

Bakana Kolélas was President of the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI) which was one of the strongest opposition parties in the country. 

Personal Life

Personal Life
Born	12 June 1933 Mboloki (Mpayaka)
Died	13 November 2009
Education	Cairo Farouk University.
Political Party	Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI)
Wife
Children

Bakana Koléla's attempts to become president of Congo did not succeed but that did not take anything from the fact that he was a major influencer as far as Congolese politics was concerned. 

Early Life of Bakana Koléla

Kolélas was born at Mboloki in the Kinkala District of Congo-Brazzaville in 1933. After he completed his secondary education, he joined the Union for the Defense of the Interests of Africans(UDDIA) in 1958. 

He worked for a while as Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1961 under the government of Congo’s first president Albert Youlou. When Youlou was booted out of power in 1963 and Alphonse Massemba-Débat stepped in, Kolélas was chosen to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs, but he turned down this juicy offer and instead suggested David Charles Ganaofor the position. 

In September 1963, Kolélas was arrested and detained for a month before he was released. Again in January 1964 he was arrested, but released at the request of Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba. Immediately he was released, he exiled himself to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and there founded an opposition newspaper called La Résistance. This became a tool he used to challenge the government. 

Perhaps he felt a newspaper alone would not bring the change he desired, so in November1969, Kolélas planned a coup to unseat President Marien Ngouabi but to his utter disappointment, it was not successful. Worse still, he was arrested before he could make his escape. 

He was thereafter sentenced to death but was later pardoned and set free on New Year’s Day in 1972. One would think that after narrowly escaping death because of his involvement in a coup, he would distance himself from anything politics. But in August 1978, he was re-arrested in connection with another coup plot, though he was fortunate again to escape capital punishment and was released in 1980. 

After some period of keeping a low profile as a green snake under the grass, Kolélasfounded a political party, the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI)in 1989. 

When Parliamentary elections took place in June 1992, he got elected into the National Assembly to represent the Goma Tsé-Tsé constituency. He also stood as a presidential candidate later in August for the presidential elections where he lost in the second round of voting to Pascal Lissouba. A period of conflict followed the 1992 elections. It became more severe in 1993 leaving about 2000 people dead. 

The conflict was between the government and the Kolélas-led opposition coalition. It only reduced drastically after President Lissouba and Kolélas publicly reconciled in June 1994. 

Civil war 

In July 1994, he was elected as Mayor of the capital city, Brazzaville. When the Civil war broke out in 1997, Kolélas served as the President of the National Mediation Committee and was then appointed Prime Minister by President Lissouba. This was a smart move by the president to bring in the opposition in order to secure his position. But the Sassou Nguesso-led opposition didn't fall for the bait as it rejected all the offers of government appointments that came. 

Eventually, it was Nguesso that won the power struggle with help from Angolan troops. Lissouba and Kolélas were forced to flee the country into exile, leaving Sassou Nguessoto effectively take over the government. Kolélas stayed away from Congo-Brazzavillefor eight years, mostly residing in the United States. 

cases on Kolélas

On the 4th of May, the year 2000, Kolélas while still in the United States, was sentenced to death in absentia by a Congolese court. The charges against him included illegal arrests, rape, and abductions. However, he was given special amnesty in 2005 which enabled him to return to Congo to attend the burial ceremony of his wife, Jacqueline. 

Nguesso said the amnesty was based on humanitarian grounds. Having been away for eight long years, upon receiving the news of his forthcoming return, his supporters got very excited and somehow things got out of hand, leading to a clash with the police. 

In 2007, two years after his return, he was once again elected into the National Assembly. This was the last significant political office he held. Kolélas who has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease was hospitalized in Paris in late2007. 

Again in 2009, he spent long months in Paris for medical treatment but this time, he succumbed to death in the early hours of 13th of November2009, he was 76 years old.