Persian Gulf & Middle East Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Wonder if the French side of the bargain includes cross training to help the nascent Egyptian Marines perhaps even the USMC will also be used to teach the Egyptians amphibious landing assaults.

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Well, they are going to need a lot of that.

They are going from essentially no amphibious capability to acquiring to of the most capable large amphibious assault vessels available.

they will need to purchase helos (probably the ones Russia was navalizing specifically for these vessels) and landing craft for these two ships.

They operate the OT64 SKOT, BTR 60 and the 3560 BMR. Which are, all if well maintained amphibious APCs as well as the M113 family, Not great Amphibious but amphibious.
I am guessing that the Mistrals would come with the offer of french made LCATS landing craft. My guess is they would follow the European Marine model

They also operate both the AH64D and have standing orders for the KA52 both as we know have the capacity for nationalization.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

They operate the OT64 SKOT, BTR 60 and the

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3560 BMR. Which are, all if well maintained amphibious APCs as well as the M113 family, Not great Amphibious but amphibious.
I am guessing that the Mistrals would come with the offer of french made LCATS landing craft. My guess is they would follow the European Marine model

They also operate both the AH64D and have standing orders for the KA52 both as we know have the capacity for nationalization.

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I know they have some BTRs and APCs that can be amphibious, but to date the most they had was three old Polnocny-A class landing ships (Soviet era) that are 800 ton full displacement and can only carry like 250 tons.

Polnocny-A Class:



They also have eight or so old (Soviet era) Vydra LCUs, and five old US LCM-8s.

Vydra Class:



LCM-8:



Going from those vessels and capabilities...and the logistics, planning, and equipment to support them to two large Mistral LHDs and all it will take to support them is a HUGE leap.

IRIN known projects (under construction):

Location: Bandar Anzali, Shahid Tamjidi Offshore Industries

Project : Sina
Class: Paykan, Missile Boat (FAC)

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Location: Khoramshahr

1 & 2:
Project: Mowj
Class: Jamaran, Figate

3: tugboats

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Location: Bandar Abbas, Shahid Bahonar Navy Yard

1. Sahand
Project: Mowj
Class: Jamaran, Figate

2. Shiraz
Project: unkonwn
Class: Research vessel, likely to have limited combat abilities + landing dock

3.
Project : Sina
Class: Paykan, Missile Boat (FAC)

4. tugboat

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Location: Bandar Abbas, ISOICO construction yard

1. Fateh Submarine

2.
Project: Mowj
Class: Jamaran, Figate

1.
Project : Sina
Class: Paykan, Missile Boat (FAC)

2. Khalij-e fars (Persian Gulf)
class: Research vessel

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Naval Today said:

French and Egyptian officials have concluded a contract for two Mistral-class ships in Paris, September 23.

French president Francois Hollande has confirmed

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that the Mistral helicopter carriers, which had initially been built for Russia, will be sold to Egypt.

Following the high-profile meeting, Reuters quoted Hollande as saying:

Yesterday, I agreed the price and conditions of this sale with (Egyptian) President (Abdel Fattah al-) Sisi and so France will ensure the delivery of these ships without losing anything, while helping protect Egypt.

However, he did not want to disclose any more detail about how much the deal is worth.

Reuters reported that a French defense ministry source said the deal could be set at around 950 million Euros.

The news of this sale comes as a confirmation of France’s statement that it would not struggle with finding

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My analysis of Egypt's decision to acquire the 2 Mistral-class ships.

Egypt to Buy Mistral Helicopter Carriers
Egypt intends to buy the two ex-Russian Mistral-class Helicopter Carriers

26 September 2015

By Bilal Khan

The French President Francois Hollande confirmed that Egypt is looking to buy the two Mistral-class helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ships from France. The two ships were originally built for Russia, but due to the ongoing crisis between Russia and the West on Ukraine, the ships could not be transferred to Moscow. After refunding the original buyer, France had begun seeking new customers for the ships and slotted Canada, Singapore and India as potential buyers ().

If successful, this purchase would be a steep jump in Egypt’s ongoing modernization programs. , I broadly outlined some of Egypt’s major aviation and naval acquisitions, such as the Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter, FREMM frigate and Gowind corvettes or light frigates. But compared to these programs, the Mistral purchase is a significant shift.

The rest of the article can be read on my site (a little long):

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Hmm seems almost like a totally different gun as compared to the Rifle we saw a year ago.
from the one we saw based on the new images I think we can say Iran is moving to adopt the M4 Carbine. right down to the A frame front sight...

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Okay So the Story hit the Firearms blog and along the way a couple of points came up. First the Difference between this rifle and the previous rifle is massive.
to the point where a number of posters there came to the conclusion that it's been misidentified. this makes a lot more sense, So then it is a updated S-5.56 Sayyad Which is an Unlicensed Iranian clone of a Unlicensed Chinese Clone ( CQ311) of the M16A1.
Now comes the next bit of Irony. It's part Israeli.
Okay pick your self up off the floor and hear me out.
The but stock on the carbine is a Command arms CBS butt stock with the battery and pic rail removed. That opening in the middle of the stock is meant to hold about 4 AA batteries or mount a adjustable cheek piece.

The Vertical foregrip is a Command arms FVG5.
The Rail system is a product of the "Great Satan" Made in America the Rail system looks to me to be a Midwest industries MI G2 drop in rail system with Rail covers.


The upper receiver has been hacked literally. the 12 O'clock Rail was added after the fact possibly indicating that this is a prototype. Note also that the Upper lacks a Brass deflector. The rear sight looks to be a Matech.
The Pistol grip is the Classic CQ311 rounded revolver style.

The most original part I think seems to be the barrel. Which is close in length to the MK18 but a little longer so somewhere between 11 and 12 inches.

Ambassador Bhadrakumar comments on the fall of Kunduz and compares the performance of US forces in Afghanistan with that against IS:

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in:

Iraq, F-16D Block 52

Asia Times publishes an article by the Pakistani journalist about trouble in Saudi Arabia: