Briefings : Rare Earth minerals, Denmark, Russian SAMs

US politicians are looking into forming the first official stockpile of rare Earth minerals and to revive domestic production of minerals. China currently controls nearly 100% of world supply and production of the minerals which are crucial to the production of weapon systems ranging from night vision goggles to missiles.

Following speculation on state radio about Denmark ditching the JSF for the Super Hornet the Danish defence ministry says their fighter competition is still ongoing. The Russian Air Force has received 10 SA-22 Greyhound SAM systems (or to give them their actual Russian name Pantsir S1). Each unit carries up to 12 SAMs and also has 2 30mm cannons.

Swiftsure class submarine HMS Sceptre has been sent down to the South Atlantic to bolster Royal Navy and other UK forces around the Falkland Islands. The Chinese ballistic missile defence programme is discussed in the Taiwan Link blog in the light of a successful exo-atmospheric test intercept of a missile in January.

Fleet Air Arm bomb Sweden

HMS Illustrious has taken part in the Loyal Arrow war games in the Baltic. Harriers from the Naval Strike Wing bombed targets in Sweden including using Paveway IVs.

Loyal Arrow ran from June 8th to the 18th and involved 10 NATO and non-NATO countries.

The Coldest War

A good read from the Daily Mail summarising the political and military manoeuvrings over the Arctic. The estimated great untapped oil and gas reserves up there at the North Pole and Russia's desire to get it's hands on it.



A number of other countries have territory which borders on the Arctic region however and representatives from these countries have met which Russia's continental shelf claims which would give it a large chunk of the Arctic region disputed by other countries. A revised Russian security strategy lists the Arctic region as a "key region of conflict".

So is the Cold War back, this time literally, certainly Bears continue to be intercepted by NATO fighters as they approach NATO territory, such as this example with Canada.

Exercise Flying Rhino 09

2000 UK personnel took part in Exercise Flying Rhino in the Czech Republic alongside troops from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania and the Czech Army of course. The exercise involved army and air force units including artillery from the 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery and 101st Regiment Royal Artillery and Tornado GR4s from RAF 34 squadron. Flying Rhino was originally intended for Forward Air Controllers (FACs) who guide aircraft to their targets on the ground but now includes other personnel and other kinds of training.

Exercise Egemen (Taurus 09)

Royal Navy ships and Royal Marines from the Taurus 09 deployment have taken part (indeed the operation was run by 40 Commando) in the big Egemen exercise off the Turkish coast. As well as British and Turkish forces, Belgian, Dutch and US troops and ships were also involved. The purpose of the exercise was to deploy an entire Commando Unit ashore and maintain it for a number of days, conducting a variety of combat exercises including reconnaissance and fire support, while protecting it in a "multi-threat" environment. Turkish marines also practised non-combatant evacuation.



The exercise completed phase 1 of Taurus 09 which has now moved onto the Indian Ocean for Exercise Blue Toreador (see separate story).