ISIS gone, what follows will be worse



Islamic State has been defeated in Syria, thanks to Russian and Syrian government forces. As US President Donald Trump takes credit for the victory, there are reports the US is re-training Sunni fighters, including Islamic State radicals, to return under a different name and continue to wage sectarian warfare. Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof tells RT that this is an unsurprising step in the evolving US policy on Syria and expects that the US will ultimately try to partition Syria in order to impede Iranian influence in the region.


ISIS 2.0? US may regroup with former ISIS fighters – Middle East analyst



The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have confirmed to RT that thousands of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists and their family members were allowed to leave Raqqa, shortly before the city was fully recaptured. Ali Rizk, a contributor with the Al-Monitor news site, thinks the Americans were an integral part of a deal to see IS help form a buffer against Iran.


1st time since WW2? Japan reportedly to convert warship into aircraft carrier



China has warned Japan not to contravene its post-World War II peace commitment and stick to an “exclusive defense” policy, following reports that Tokyo is planning to put F-35B fighter jets on its helicopter carriers.


How Would the Soviet Army Attack in the Cold War?



I have always been fascinated with how Soviet doctrine works when it comes to what would have happened if a full scale attack had actually happened in the Cold War.

In this video we discuss the tactics and doctrine on which the Russian Soviets would have used at that time.

New Fennec light attack helicopter for the Indonesian Army Aviation already fitted with the WESCAM MX-10 EO/IR at PTDI facility. Credit to Haryadi Dwi.



https://www.instagram.com/p/BbgWf_qDMVF/

This post has been edited by azriel: Dec 29 2017, 06:24 PM

Wew...jamaah al ghoybiyah Malaysia branch

Aku memang Polis aka Polis Memang Obis

Vintage piece

lol RT gotta help fuel the tinfoil eh

Moscow maskirovka at its best

Severe typhoon damage to their naval dock?

if the typhoon can damage a dock like that then those houses by the water shud have gone bye2 too

Local news media reported that the Indonesian Army is set to receive 150 Leopard 2 MBTs in 2018. Apparently the 150 Leopard 2 MBTs were ordered in 2015. Indonesia already received 103 Leopard 2 MBTs + 10 Tracked Support Vehicles in which the contract was signed in 2012.


(Leopard 2RI MBT)



Read more: https://news.okezone.com/read/2017/12/29/33...leopard-di-2018

This post has been edited by azriel: Dec 31 2017, 05:58 PM

They are getting stronger.
Bit scary

http://www.janes.com/article/76133/kmw-pro...leopard-2-fleet

This post has been edited by azriel: Dec 31 2017, 05:42 PM

moment they attack us for unprovoked reason, USA and Germany will sanction them and pull out spare parts for Apache and Leopard tank.

they will have a good stockpile in the country itself

IF they are smart or serious about a war anyway

so just pre-existing damage

Indonesia is now a passive country. During its weaker times after the 1998 economic crisis, it struggles in thwarting numerous territorial intrusions from neighbors.
This rearmament is simply to deter future intrusions. Indonesia is far from being militaristic, the current military budget against GDP is declining to under 0.9 percent, far below neighbors.

But, because the GDP has reached $1,050 billion, so there's excess money to buy new armaments each year. For 2018, the government allocate $60 billion for infrastructure and education, while defense budget drop slightly compared to 2017, to only $7.75 billion

army? doesnt sound like army... more like border guards or something...

Singaporean ISIS fighter appears in another ISIS video, shown executing a man



SINGAPORE - A second propaganda video by terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) featuring Singaporean Megat Shahdan Abdul Samad has surfaced.

This time, he goes beyond rallying fighters to join ISIS, which is based largely in the desert along the Iraqi-Syrian border. In the graphic video, he and two other men dressed in military fatigues are shown executing three men by shooting them.

Shahdan, 39, was last known to have appeared in a 3 1/2 minute ISIS clip in September, in which he praised East Asian fighters, called for extremists to join the terror group's efforts in East Asia or the Middle East, and challenged Britain's Prince Harry to a fight.

The newly-surfaced clip, which has been shared on social media and messaging groups, is over eight minutes long. It shows footage of bombings and vehicle attacks, interspersed with scenes at places like stadiums and parties.

Towards the end of the video, Shahdan is featured speaking in English, telling followers to strengthen themselves and "slay the enemies of Allah wherever you can find them", before shooting a kneeling man.



Security experts who spoke to The Straits Times believe the video to be authentic. It is believed to have been first posted on Friday (Dec 29).

When contacted, the Ministry of Home Affairs said it has "no further updates on this video".

It is the first known video of a Singaporean participating in an execution for ISIS, which suggests that Shahdan is in some kind of leadership role, said S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) senior analyst Jasminder Singh.

Dr Kumar Ramakrishna of RSIS said this latest development drives home in a very strong way the dangers of being indoctrinated with extremist ideology.

"Singaporeans may think we are educated, but even people in our particular day and age, given exposure to extremist ideology, can be influenced to such an extent... where they can so dehumanise other people not seen to be part of their circle that they can just murder them in cold blood," he said.

"It shows why extremist ideology is so dangerous and has to continue to be countered," he added.



Another man whom experts believe to be also Southeast Asian but not from Singapore is also featured in the video. This suggests that the Southeast Asian fighters have most likely regrouped, as Shahdan did not appear with other Southeast Asians in the previous video, said Mr Singh.

Shahdan, who had been a secret society member in Singapore with a string of drug and criminal convictions, went to the Middle East to work in 2014, where he was believed to have been radicalised. He later made his way to Syria to join ISIS.

Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said after the previous video was released that the Internal Security Department had been keeping tabs on Shahdan.

The new video is specifically timed to incite attacks at New Year celebrations, said Professor Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore.



"At a time when ISIS is shrinking in its battle space in Iraq and Syria, it is sending a message that it is still capable of mounting attacks and terrorising the public," he said. "With its core depleting and global expansion, ISIS will focus on propaganda in the coming months and years."

Snipers, Gurkhas deployed to keep Singapore safe during New Year's Eve celebrations



SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is going all out to beef up security measures for New Year’s Eve celebrations. More than 2,450 officers will be deployed at the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and at 25 other countdown events across the island on Sunday (Dec 31).

At the Marina Bay party alone, where about 350,000 people are expected to turn up, more than 700 officers will be deployed, clocking 7,000 man hours.

Among those on duty are two of the SPF’s elite forces - snipers from the Special Tactics And Rescue (STAR) unit and members of the Gurkha Contingent.



Hidden from plain sight as they carry out their duties, the STAR sharp shooters are equipped with long-range and sniping capabilities. They are prepared for counter-terrorism operations and play a critical role in detecting and taking out well-hidden enemy snipers

The snipers are deployed during high-profile events such as the National Day Parade and New Year’s Eve countdown, and their eagle eyes are well trained to spot targets in the most complex of urban settings.

The STAR snipers are armed with two weapons – the 7.62mm caliber Arctic Warfare Sniper Rifle, and the 5.56mm caliber Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle.


Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...ew-year-9823340


STAR snipers are armed with the 7.62mm caliber Arctic Warfare Sniper Rifle and the 5.56mm caliber Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle.

Those who are chosen to be part of this elite force must first pass the selection stage where officers go through a basic sniping module to assess their competency. Officers who show good potential will then be earmarked for an advance course, which they must pass in order to take on the role of a sniper.

Another unit being deployed to keep the nation safe while it celebrates is the Gurkha Contingent. Formed in April 1949, the contingent has historically provided a "strong-arm" within the SPF, and are capable of quelling civil disturbance and carrying out specialist security tasks.



“They have been an impartial strategic force in Singapore, which usually responds to public order incidents. Of course with the evolving threat posed by terrorism, officers have also been trained to deal with public security incidents such as gunman attacks in Singapore,” says DSP Arun Guruswamy, an officer with the Gurkha Contingent.

He added: “They go through very rigorous training, and they have always been known for their physical and mental resilience and their high level of fitness, so their uncompromising approach will definitely act as a deterrent to anyone who even minutely thinks about disrupting the safety of our country."



On New Year’s Eve, the Gurkha Contingent will carry out high visibility vehicle patrols in armoured vehicles, which measure 6m in length, 2.9m wide and 2.6m high. SPF said the presence of the vehicle alone is enough to serve as a deterrent to possible security incidents.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...ew-year-9823340

Military and Political Trends Of 2017 That Will Shape 2018





How Has Military Night Vision Technology Advanced?



Night vision googles and technology has progressed so much through the years and the advancements in terms of capabilities is incredible. The market for military applicatrion and updating equipment for night vision is staggering. Let's take a look at what sort of things we are seeing happening for modern night vision optics.


This post has been edited by Fat & Fluffy: Jan 1 2018, 03:27 PM

Kids with Guns: UK's Army Cadet Force



In a new episode of Rule Britannia, VICE joins the UK's Army Cadet Force and asks what the youth club can give British kids who may not have a lot else.

The Army Cadet Force has over 46,000 cadets from the ages of 12 to 18, training in 1,700 detachments all over the country. The super low-cost club evenings and training camps equip teenagers with discipline and skills in everything from orienteering and military knowledge to weaponry, first aid, and sports.

Smartly uniformed and proudly representing Queen and Country, the young cadets are taught to embody British values. The theory that cadet activities could keep youth on the right track has seen huge government funding allocated to expand the cadets by next year.