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 

Ukraine Crisis Explaination, Timeline

Introduction

Ukraine has never existed independently and its existence has always vacillated between Europe and Russia. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the centre of gravity in the region shifted to Moscow, and since then, Russia has been a force on the global scene. 

In modern times, Ukraine had an independent existence only for a limited period in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Post the Second World War in Europe, Ukraine has the second largest area and below Ukraine was the Crimean peninsula. 

Ukraine Crisis

In the period from 1853 to 1856, the region witnessed the Crimean War, in which the Russian Empire lost to an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain and Sardinia. 

The immediate cause involved the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, which was a part of the Ottoman Empire. 

The French promoted the rights of Roman Catholics, while Russia promoted those of the Eastern Orthodox Church, The long-term causes involved the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the unwillingness of Britain and France to allow Russia to gain territory and power at the Ottoman expense.

From 1917 to 1921, Russia witnessed the Russian revolution, during which Ukraine vacillated and drifted under the control of Austria-Hungary Empire and the Polish empire. Post-1921, Ukraine again came under the control of Russia and remained there for some time Crimea was controlled by Russia, but in 1954, there was the transfer of power, annexing Crimea to Ukraine, Russia's Nikita Khrushchev decided to hand over Crimea to be controlled by Ukraine because Crimea was dependent upon Ukraine for all ts basic needs. Khrushchev was of the opinion that such a mechanism would be useful for the administration of Crimea and would not create an issue for Russia because Ukraine was under Russian control. This mechanism prevailed until 1991. 

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the erstwhile Russian satellite states began to assert independence. Ukraine too asserted independence but was vacillating between having a pro-Russian or pro-eurozone regime. In the period after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in a referendum in Ukraine, 90 per cent people voted in favour of separation from Russia. Since then, till 2004, Ukraine has vacillated and remained a state with loose control.

In 2004, Ukraine witnessed elections where Yanukovych won and initiated his rule. The election of Yanukovych was challenged by Yushchenko, who launched a protest against Yanukovych called as Orange Revolution. The Orange Revolution led to re-election in Ukraine where Yushchenko won. In 2010, Ukraine had the next election. In the 2010 election, Yushchenko lost while Yanukovych won.

Yanukovych was a pro-Russian leader, In 1994, Russia and NATO entered into an agreement that neither would resort to expansion in Europe. In 1998, Russia and Crimea entered into an agreement where Crimea agreed to allow Russia to station 25,000 Russian soldiers in Crimea near the Black Sea. This led NATO to initiate expansion and extend NATO membership to Poland and Hungary, In 2004, NATO expanded by offering memberships Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. 

Ukraine Crisis 2008

In 2008, the US initiated the process to bring Ukraine into the fold of NATO. In 2008, Ukraine has led b Yushchenko, who was a pro-US leader. As a consequence, the Russians entered into an agreement with Crimea where Crimea offered Russia access to a part of Sevastopol in the Black Sea region. 

As per the agreement, Russia would maintain a Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol and such Russian presence would remain undisturbed till 2042. 

Ukraine Crisis 2013

As this expansion and counter-expansion b NATO and Russia unfolded in 2013, the US-backed eurozone offered Ukraine a membership to the EU.

This offer was made to Yanukovych, a pro-Russia leader, in power since 2010. Russia saw this offer an indirect attempt by NATO to reach Russia borders. As Yanukovych rejected the deal to allow Ukraine to be a part of the EU, a crisis began to unfold. 

In the independence square in Kiev, massive protests took place to seek a pro-EU decision for Ukraine. Russia supported the counter-protests and this led to violence in Ukraine leading to the beginning of the Ukraine crisis in November 2013. 

Ukraine Crisis 2014

As the conflict intensified in February 2014, Yanukovych fled the country, signalling a victory for the rebels. Witnessing the situation turning in favour of the rebels, Russia, in March 2014, instigated Crimea to undertake a referendum. 

On 16 March 2014, Crimea ordered a referendum and 95 per cent people in Crimea voted in favour of Crimes joining Russia. 

On 19 March 2014, Russia took over Crimea and used Crimea to assert power in the region The 5 per cent people who did not vote in favour of Crimea joining Russia were the Tartars. The Tartars are ethnic Muslims in Crimea who have always been at the receiving end of repression by the Russians In the 1950s, Stalin had crushed the Tartars and even deported them to Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania. Post-Soviet disintegration, the Tartars settled back in Crimea again. 

Since 19 March 2014, Crimea is under Russian control. The US and other western states allege that Russia has illegally annexed Crimea, In October 2014, when fresh elections happened in Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko won the election. Poroshenko has favoured an equidistance policy and has maintained a distance from both Russia and the US. 

Over a period of time, the US to have realised its mistake of stirring up controversy in Russian backyard, Russia has tried to assert dominance on the entire issue. For Russia, Crimea and Ukraine are very crucial. The Russians get access to the warm waters of the Black Sea only through Ukraine and Crimea. Russia's northern stream and southern stream pipelines pass through there. These pipelines are lifelines for the European states of Germany, France and others. Russia supplies oil to the European states through these pipelines that pass through the region of Crimea and Ukraine. 

Ukraine Crisis 2015

The violence in Kiev, Luhansk and Minsk, along with other regions, has been under control since a 2015 ceasefire agreed upon between the rebels and others. However, the rebels who were armed by the CIA (which has pumped 5 million USD in the region) continue to possess arms as there has been no mechanism to take back the arms from the rebels

The Ukraine issue was a geopolitical conflict for dominance. The west has expanded through NATO aggressively and is at the doorsteps of Russia. An indirect attempt was made by NATO through the EU to penetrate into Ukraine. Russia lost its patience over NATO expansion and precipitated a crisis. Some scholars have observed that the crisis is only a beginning of a new energy war in Europe since the US is desperately looking for a shale gas market in Europe and wants to end the dominance of Russia in Western Europe. 

However, an assertive and rising Russia, as visible in Ukraine, Iran and Syria, is a pointer to the fact that the future could see the commencement of a new Cold War. The implications of the Ukrainian crisis on global politics are that Russia has tried to assert multipolarity and has conveyed to the US that it should learn to respect the opinions of others. Though India has not been a direct party to the dispute over the crisis in Ukraine, it has still maintained that it favours the Russian assertion of multipolarity. Multipolarity itself is a goal that the Indian foreign policy stands for. 

India has not condemned the Russian intervention in Crimea like most of the western powers as it believes that there are Russian interests in the region that need to be taken care of by Russia. However, nor has it openly supported the Russian invasion as stands for conflict resolution through positive dialogue.

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.

India and Russia relationships cold War to 1947

India and Russia Relation

The foundation of the India-Russia relations was laid during the Cold War era. After the Cold War ended, the initial years of Boris Yeltsin's rule were not smooth. Otherwise, India and Russia have had a relationship that has nurtured as friction-free in the last many decades, with both nations having a strategic vision about each other for many years. 

In the post-Cold War period, the relationship is strong but lacks direction, though officially, in 2000, India and Russia became strategic partners, reiterating a special and privileged partnership when Dmitry Medvedev visited in 2010. 

Russia, however, is not comfortable with the growing Indo-US proximity. During the Cold War, defense ties were the most important elements of our relationship. In the post-Cold War era, the US, France, and Israel have emerged as direct competitors to Russia in providing defense supplies to India. In 2012, the two nations celebrated the 65th-anniversary of diplomatic relations and reaffirmed their cordial bilateral relations.

India Russia Diplomatic Relations During the Cold War

Though the Soviets did support India in 1959 when the Chinese adopted a hard-line position on the border, in 1962, during the Sino-Indian war, the Soviets stood along with the Chinese theory that the border between India and China is a colonial legacy. 

To rectify this tilt, the Soviet Union, post the 1962 war, r support of arms to India which helped a lot in the 1965 war. Gradually, in the early 1970s, the world witnessed tectonic shifts, the most important of which was the US tilt towards China. This was perceived by the USSR as a threat to them. These events again led to mega-regional shifts. 

India-Soviet Treaty of Peace and Friendship

In the 1970s, the US explored options of undertaking rapprochement with China, and India began to fear a Beijing Washington-Islamabad axis. Henry Kissinger did not send positive vibes to India and tried to make it dear that an Indo-Pak conflict could also come to involve China. India acted hastily. 

Since 1969, India and the USSR were negotiating a diplomatic and strategic engagement. India speeded up the negotia Hons and in 1971, concluded a twenty-year India-Soviet Treaty of Peace and Friendship. 

The treaty gave India the needed strategic support from Russia in any eventuality of conflict. Shipments of arms began to arrive from Russia to India. After the creation of Bangladesh towards the end of 1971, the India-Russia treaty acted as a great strategic stabilizer for India and the region as it deterred any Chinese or American intervention unfavorable to India.

The Soviets also vetoed the UN resolutions that advanced that India and Pakistan undertake a cease-fire. Soviet support successfully helped India to neutralize the external threats and helped it safeguard its territory. 

After the 1971 war, when India conducted the nuclear test in 1974, the Soviets did not con damn it and, in fact, went on to support India with the supply of heavy water for the nuclear program that got halted when American and Canadians took back their supplies. India, on the other hand, also showed outright support to the Soviet Union. In 1979, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, India

India Russia Diplomatic Relations Up To India's Independence

The origin of Indo-Russian ties in the modern era can be understood through the colonial prism. The period of the early nineteenth century saw the Russian Tsar expand to Central Asia. The British perceived this as a threat to the sovereignty of the British Indian Empire. The British were now determined to halt Russian advancement beyond Central Asia. In order to stop the same, the British started the Anglo-Afghan wars.

The primary aim of the wars was to make regions in Afghanistan a buffer to protect the British Indian territory. The ultimately unfolding of the Great Game by the British and Russians would accept the British as the paramount power in Afghanistan. When the Russian and the British agreed to respect each other's interests, the Great Game concluded with the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. This revolution and the subsequently established Soviet Russian state distanced Russia from India. The leaders of the early Soviet Union were not keen on supporting the Indian National Movement. 

The Russian leaders thought that the Indian national movement against British colonialism is a bourgeois-led movement and did not have strong revolutionary potential. They felt that a strong revolutionary impulse was needed to fight against imperial rule, which the Indians somewhat lacked. Further, as the Indian National Movement progressed, Russia got busy with their own internal concerns, as a result of which, up until the very end of the Second World War, India and Russia had very limited interaction.

India Russia Relationship

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.”

General Atomics EMALS and AAG Systems reach 4,492 “CATS and TRAPS” Milestone Aboard CVN 78

SAN DIEGO, CA. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced on October 7, that a milestone of 4,492 catapult launches and landing arrestments using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system has been successfully and safely achieved aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

“CVN 78 passed the half-way mark of its PDT&T, and we are well underway toward achieving the cats and traps milestones by the end of this rigorous testing phase,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “In addition to the demanding system shakedown testing, the ship, and EMALS and AAG, are providing valuable capacity to meet the Navy’s certification and training requirements for today, with an eye toward the future as the next Ford class carriers begin to enter the fleet. We are extremely proud of our dedicated team supporting the ship’s crew as they continue to qualify naval aviators as well as demonstrate the systems capabilities under combat operations tempo.”

During CVN 78’s at sea periods, which involve night and day, all weather, and various sea state operations, EMALS and AAG successfully launch and recover a range of aircraft, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, E-2C/D Hawkeyes and Advanced Hawkeyes, C-2A Greyhounds, EA-18G Growlers, and T-45C Goshawks. In addition to CVN 78, GA-EMS is delivering EMALS and AAG for the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and USS Enterprise (CVN 80). EMALS and AAG will provide greater flexibility over legacy systems to not only accommodate aircraft in the current air wing, but also future aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles.

Boeing Astronaut Passes Starliner Torch to Veteran NASA Astronaut

HOUSTON. NASA has chosen veteran astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore to serve as commander of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner for the Crew Flight Test. He replaces Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson, who decided not to fly for personal reasons. Wilmore, who has already been training for a Starliner flight as a backup crew member, will join Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke for this first crewed mission of the Starliner spacecraft.

“I’m grateful to Chris for his exceptional leadership and insight into this very complex and most capable vehicle,” Wilmore said. “Having had the chance to train alongside and view this outstanding crew as backup has been instrumental in my preparation to assume this position. Stepping down was a difficult decision for Chris, but with his leadership and assistance to this point, this crew is positioned for success. We will move forward in the same professional and dedicated manner that Chris has forged.”

Ferguson will serve as the director of Mission Integration and Operations where he will focus on ensuring the Starliner spacecraft and training systems meet the needs of NASA’s astronauts, as well as supporting them throughout their training and mission. In this role, Ferguson will be one of the last people the crew sees before leaving Earth and one of the first they see upon their return.

“My personal thank you to Chris for his leadership; he is putting his family first, which Boeing fully supports,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “We are fortunate he will continue to take an active role on the Starliner program and bring his depth and breadth of experience in human spaceflight to the program.”

Ferguson has been an integral part of the Starliner program since 2011 after retiring from NASA as a three-time space shuttle veteran.

“I have full confidence in the Starliner vehicle, the men and women building and testing it, and the NASA astronauts who will ultimately fly it,” Ferguson said. “The Boeing team has taken all lessons from our first uncrewed Orbital Flight Test to heart, and is making Starliner one of the safest new crewed spacecraft ever fielded. I will be here on the ground supporting Butch, Nicole and Mike while they prove it.”

Wilmore will begin training with his crewmates immediately in preparation for the 2021 flight to the International Space Station.

“Butch will be able to step in seamlessly, and his previous experience on both space shuttle and space station missions make him a valuable addition to this flight,” said Kathy Lueders, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. “Chris has been a talented member of the crew for this mission. The NASA and Boeing Commercial Crew teams sincerely appreciate the invaluable work he has completed and will continue to lead in the development of Starliner, which will help ensure that the Starliner Crew Flight Test will be a success.”

The development of a safe, reliable and cost-effective solution for crew transportation services to and from the International Space Station remains a priority for Boeing, allowing the on-orbit research facility to continue to fulfill its promise as a world-class laboratory.

What is Shimla Agreement 1972 ? An Analysis

What is the Shimla Agreement?

Under the Shimla Agreement, Pakistan diplomatically paved way for the recognition of the creation of Bangladesh. Under the Agreement, the ceasefire line established by the Karachi Agreement of 1948 was re-designated as the Line of Control (LoC).

Shimla Agreement
Signed	3 July 1972
Location	Barnes Court, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Between	India and Pakistan
Signatories	Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister of India) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (President of Pakistan)

Under the Shimla Agreement of 1972, as mentioned above, the ceasefire line was now renamed as the LoC and thereby the tenure of UNMOGIP to maintain peace on the ceasefire line came to an end. 

Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister of India) and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (President of Pakistan)

The Simla Agreement of 1972 gave India an opportunity to put the conversion of the Kashmir issue from an international to a bilateral issue on paper. In 1972, under the Simla Agreement, Pakistan agreed to resolve Kashmir bilaterally without any third-party intervention. Though India gained at this point in 1972, however, critics point out that India lost an opportunity in 1972 to make the LoC as an international border. Due to a lack of clear demarcations, firing across the LoC continued from the Pakistani side in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

Rise of Terrorism in Kashmir

The Simla Agreement of 1972 could not solve all the problems and proved unable to stabilise Kashmir Since the 1950s, Sheikh Abdullah's National Conference (NC) was in power. 

In the period from the 1950s to the 1980s, he was dismissed many times only to be appointed again. 

In 1987, Kashmir held elections After the death of Sheikh Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, his son, decided to form an alliance with the Congress for the elections. 

In the 1980s, various social and religious organisations who wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully formed the Muslim United Front (MUF). The MUF too wanted to use the 1987 elections to put forth Kashmiri grievances peacefully at the legislative forum. Farooq Abdullah won the elections. 

The MUF alleged that the elections were rigged, after which the MUF candidate Mohammad Yusuf Shah was imprisoned. This led to mass protests in the valley. A Pakistani militant outfit leader Syed Salahuddin too fuelled the protestors through his group, known as the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), which had been originally founded by Muhammad Ahsan Dar. 

The HM group mobilised Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Javed Ahmed Mir and Yasin Malik and formed the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). As the MUF cadres were suppressed, they began to cross over to Pakistan for support. 

In 1979, the USSR had invaded Afghanistan. To contain the Soviets, the US began to take help from Pakistan. The CIA had provided arms, ammunition and money to the ISI to train Mujahideens to fight the Soviets and create an enormous amount of resistance to the Soviet rule in Afghanistan. 

Boeing Forecasts Challenging Near-Term Aerospace Market with Resilience in Long Term

CHICAGO. Boeing on October 6, released its annual forecast for the commercial and defense aerospace market, reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Boeing’s view of near-, medium- and long-term market dynamics. The 2020 Boeing Market Outlook (BMO) projects that the commercial aviation and services markets will continue to face significant challenges due to the pandemic, while global defense and government services markets remain more stable.

“While this year has been unprecedented in terms of its disruption to our industry, we believe that aerospace and defense will overcome these near-term challenges, return to stability and emerge with strength,” said Boeing Chief Strategy Officer Marc Allen.

The BMO forecasts a total market value of $8.5 trillion over the next decade including demand for aerospace products and services. The forecast is down from $8.7 trillion a year ago due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines globally have begun to recover from a greater than 90% decline in passenger traffic and revenue early this year, but a full recovery will take years, according to the outlook.

The 2020 Boeing Market Outlook includes projected demand for 18,350 commercial airplanes in the next decade – 11% lower than the comparable 2019 forecast – valued at about $2.9 trillion. In the longer term, with key industry drivers expected to remain stable, the commercial fleet is forecasted to return to its growth trend, generating demand for more than 43,000 new airplanes in the 20-year forecast time period.

The BMO also projects a $2.6 trillion market opportunity for defense and space during the next decade. This spending projection reflects the ongoing importance of military aircraft, autonomous systems, satellites, spacecraft and other products to national and international defense. This demand continues to be global in nature with 40 percent of expenditures expected to originate outside of the United States.

While near-term commercial services demand is lower, the BMO forecasts a $3 trillion market opportunity for commercial and government services through 2029, with digital solutions emerging as a critical enabler as customers focus on leaner operations to adjust to future market demand. Life cycle services and support will help customers scale their operations to meet efficiency and cost objectives aligned to market recovery trends.

As the impact of the pandemic continues, Boeing is taking action to reshape its business operations to adapt to the new market reality and become more resilient for the long term. This business transformation includes every element of Boeing’s enterprise, including infrastructure, overhead and organization, portfolio and investments, supply chain health and operational excellence.

Also released today, the 2020 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), an annual 20-year forecast addressing the market for commercial airplanes and services, projects an increase in the share of deliveries replacing older passenger aircraft that are being retired in an accelerated replacement cycle, especially in the first decade.

“Commercial aviation is facing historic challenges this year, significantly affecting near- and medium-term demand for airplanes and services,” said Darren Hulst, vice president, Commercial Marketing. “Yet history has also proven air travel to be resilient time and again. The current disruption will inform airline fleet strategies long into the future, as airlines focus on building versatile fleets, networks and business model innovations that deliver the most capability and greatest efficiency at the lowest risk for sustainable growth.”

The commercial forecast includes:

• Over the next 20 years, passenger traffic growth is projected to increase by an average of 4% per year.

• The global commercial fleet is expected to reach 48,400 by 2039, up from 25,900 airplanes today. During this period, Asia will continue to expand its share of the world’s fleet, accounting for nearly 40% of the fleet compared to about 30% today.

• Single-aisle airplanes such as the 737 MAX will continue to be the largest market segment, with operators projected to need 32,270 new airplanes in the next 20 years. Single-aisle demand will recover sooner due to its key role in short-haul routes and domestic markets as well as passenger preference for point-to-point service.

• In the widebody market, Boeing forecasts demand for 7,480 new passenger airplanes by 2039. Widebody demand will be affected by a slower recovery in long-haul markets – typical after air-travel shocks – as well as uncertainties from COVID-19’s impact on international travel.

• Air cargo demand, a relative bright spot in 2020, is expected to grow 4% annually and generate further demand for 930 new widebody production freighters and 1,500 converted freighters over the forecast period.

The global airplane fleet will continue to generate demand for aviation services, including parts and supply chain; engineering, modifications and maintenance; training and professional services; and digital solutions and analytics. The served market for commercial services is valued at $1.6 trillion, and $1.4 trillion for government services.

“Boeing is focused on making sure that the right services solutions are available to help our customers and industry navigate the downturn and scale their operations accordingly as near-term demand trends upward. For example, low-cost digital solutions can help manage some of the most critical and dynamic aspects of operations, such as crew scheduling,” said Eric Strafel, vice president, Boeing Global Services Strategy.

Around the world, the long-term need for commercial pilots, maintenance technicians and cabin crew remains robust. Boeing’s 2020 Pilot and Technician Outlook forecasts that the civil aviation industry will need nearly 2.4 million new aviation personnel between now and 2039.