₦airaland Forum

“We understand that in a dynamic operating environment characterized by emerging and asymmetrical threats, investment in modern technology and cutting-edge training is instrumental for 21st Century law enforcement,” the President said.

The Kenya Navy is training an elite force to tackle the ever changing global warfare at sea.
The Marine Commandos will inject real time asymmetric tactics and operations to tackle enemy actions.
They will augment the existing Kenya Navy -Special Forces and continue protecting Kenyas' maritime domain from external aggression.
To combat terrorism, the trainees are equipped with necessary skills and capabilities of conducting special, tactical and amphibious operations as well as armed reconnaissance towards enhancing a secure and safe environment.
The Commandos will also assist in creation of a serene environment in the Blue economy which is part of the national government’s big four agenda.

Odunayaw:
I'd really like to see how Kenya will respond

APRIL 1 2020 Tension is high in Moyale town after Ethiopian gunmen, said to be unhappy with the closure of Kenyan border to arrest the spread of coronavirus, attacked a team of local contractors.
The contractors, who started work on Monday, had been hired by the county administration to dig tunnels on the borderline to stop entry and exit from Kenya.
Source told the Nation that the gunmen opened fire on the workers as they excavated a tunnel on Wednesday morning, ripping apart the fuel tank of an excavator .
Gunshots rent the air as the gunmen in military uniform engaged the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in sporadic exchange of fire and running battles.
"KDF has rushed to quell the tension and as we speak there is calm."
A Kenya Chamber of commerce official told the Nation that Ethiopian traders and security forces were unhappy with Nairobi's decision to close the border.
Reports indicate Ethiopian Takabas, the equivalent of Kenyan police reservists, expressed their displeasure and vowed to keep the border open.
A local was hit by a stray bullet and was treated at a local hospital and discharged.
“They got in touch with the Federal Government of Ethiopia which responded and dispersed the militia,” the source said.
The fight followed a meeting between Moyale security team and the Ethiopian government over the trenches.
County commissioner Evans Achoki confirmed the incident.
Kenya closed the border in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus, an announcement that was made by Marsabit Governor Mohamed Ali on March 29.
He, however, noted that there were unauthentic crossing points and called on the national government to ensure police are stationed in the porous areas.
Ethiopian ambassador to Kenya Alem Meles said he could not comment at the time as he was waiting for briefing from Addis Ababa.

#ETHIOPIA #KENYA
KDF and Ethiopian Armed men clash in Moyale. Residents report exchange of gunfire between the two.
Ethiopian armed men said to be a clan militia had reportedly opened fire at a Kenyan contractor digging a trench on the border opposing it's construction.

kabe1:
This makes no sense, when did this happen?

Why would Ethiopia shoot down an aircraft in an independent somalia.

5th May 2020
Ethiopia's defence spokesperson has denied its forces had any involvement in the incident in Bardale, which is about 300km (180 miles) north-west of the capital, Mogadishu.

Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed, a former Somali defence minister, is quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that he had spoken to a witness at the airfield who said the plane appeared to have been shot down.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52545582

06th May 2020.
Somalia President Mohamed Farmajo yesterday called President Uhuru Kenyatta to express his regret and convey condolences for the loss of life in an aircraft crash of a Kenyan private cargo plane in Bardale area, Baidoa, Somalia on Monday.
Farmajo told Kenyatta he had instructed Somalia’s civil aviation authorities to immediately mount an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash of the aircraft that was supporting humanitarian operations in the country.
Farmajo invited the Kenyan Civil Aviation authorities to team up with their Somalia counterparts with a view to completing the investigations expeditiously. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001370285/kenya-demands-probe-after-6-die-in-somalia-crash

Ethiopian forces on Tuesday barred Kenya from accessing the crash site of a light aircraft that killed all six on board.

The cargo aircraft registered in Kenya as 5Y-AXO was reportedly shot down by a rocket missile. It was operating a domestic flight between Mogadishu and Baidoa, Somalia.

Somali Transport minister Hassan Hussein told media in Somalia that four Kenyans and two Somalis died in the crash.

“We have an Amison camp, which controls the airspace in that region, and we also have the Ethiopian army in the same area. I can’t go into details but the Kenyan military was stopped from accessing the accident scene,” a top state official told the Star.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2020-05-05-ethiopia-blocks-kenya-from-accessing-plane-crash-scene/

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) support a mutual investigation by Somalia, Kenya & Ethiopia on Bardale Plane crash of 4th May 2020.
The aircraft which left Baidoa had six people on board and was approaching Bardale, south of Somalia about 300km northwest of the capital Mogadishu before it crashed.
AMISOM welcomed the decision by the leadership of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia to investigate the incident following a joint commission visits Bardale plane crash in southwest regional state.
“We would like to pledge our continued solidarity with the governments of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia as we support and facilitate investigations aimed at clarifying the circumstances surrounding this incident”, said the Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Francisco Madeira.
President Farmajo held talks on last Monday with his counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta on the Incident and vows to launch a transparent investigation. https://goobjoog.com/english/amisom-support-mutual-investigation-by-somalia-kenya-ethiopia-on-bardale-plane-crash/

Ethiopian forces in Somalia have admitted to shooting down a Kenyan cargo plane on Monday, leading to six deaths, on ‘mistaken identity’.

A preliminary report filed by the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) indicated that the forces guarding Bardelle airstrip in Baidoa adjudged the plane’s unusual flight towards the facility as a potential suicide mission.

But the revelations that that the troops on guard at the facility were non-Amisom members of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) could raise legal questions on their presence in Somalia.

A report filed by the Sector III Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia said the troops at Bardelle, some 300km northwest of Mogadishu were unaware of any incoming civilian flight at the time.

“There was no information that the aircraft would be at Bardelle… the aircraft was flying out of usual site repeatedly closer to the ground,” Ethiopian forces said.

“The troops suspected that the aircraft was a suicide attacker and seeking a target to attack. Due to the above reason, the African Express Type E-120 was shot down by our force.”

The original count was that the cargo plane operated by Kenyan company, African Express, was carrying six people when it came down. The Ethiopians say three Kenyans and two Somalis bodies were recovered.

The aircraft, 5Y-AXO, had actually been permitted by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority to fly from Mogadishu to Baidoa and back, a 600km round trip. Ethiopian forces claim they had no communication.

read more: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Ethiopian-troops-admit-shooting-down-Kenyan-plane/688334-5546946-vqxgoyz/index.html

sconp:
I fuc.king love that series...the depth is amazing.

Sometimes I wonder how the producers thought it all too.

See how dey played the part of that boko haram ish in Niger around the dam in one of the series, and they even stated that china and US are vying for infuence in the African space using different methods.

The United States remains fully committed to the Nairobi-Mombasa expressway project and to fulfilling President Trump and President Kenyatta’s shared pledge to make this critically needed road a reality. Contrary to recent press reports, the highway is an investment that won’t saddle Kenya with unsustainable debt . To the contrary, this project by a world-class U.S. company will provide the best engineered solutions for Kenya’s infrastructure needs at a lower price than competitors and for far better value. Furthermore, doing business with a U.S. company helps combat corruption through the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
https://ke.usembassy.gov/statement-by-kyle-mccarter-u-s-ambassador-to-kenya-on-the-nairobi-mombasa-expressway-project/

Test-firing of the strike capabilities cannot be done in Belgium, so that will happen in east Africa in March. He declined to say which country was involved.
“It is a complete programme, but the customer wants to fully understand the aircraft’s capabilities,” he explained.
The first aircraft was due to be delivered as African Aerospace was going to press. There will be another in mid-2020 and a third, possibly by the end of the year.
“The one in mid-2020 is expected to be fully armed; this capability is currently in the last phase of its development and we hope to present the aircraft at Farnborough,” said the CEO.

jln115:
This is where i got it from:

The Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases (CEZPD) was established by the amalgamation of six former NICD sections: Special Bacterial Pathogens Reference Laboratory, Special Viral Pathogens Reference Laboratory, Arbovirus Reference Laboratory, Electron Microscopy, Parasitology Reference Laboratory and Vector Control Reference Laboratory. The CEZPD operates the only suit biosafety level 4 (BSL4) facility on the African continent

http://www.nicd.ac.za/centres/centre-for-emerging-zoonotic-and-parasitic-diseases/

jln115:
South Africa also has a bio level 4 facility...........The only one in Africa!

Tinfoil:
I wonder if any African countries are planning on sending nurses and doctors to help China?

MiddleDimension:
of course i mean American made. this is actually my first image of a helicopter since i saw them in american war movies of the vietnam war. we don't see that helo anymore in many air forces around the world. the ones we see today all have rotors at the tail. the tails of the ones we have today are thiner than this very one .

nemesis8u:
Merkel is afraid of dogs

And Putin made sure one was there in the meeting

Look at their faces

One can retire a man from KGB but one cannot retire the KGB from the man

MiddleDimension:
this helicopter looks American. correct me if i am wrong

https://defence-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1466695.jpg

TayserMahri:
Exactly what led to the collapse of Siad Barre, misadvised attacks on stable self-determined autonomous regions (effectively clans) as he did to Somaliland and Puntland. The two soon declared independence. The rest of Somalia will end up the same way, breaking into several small clan states Somaliland, Puntland, Jubaland, Baidoa, etc. As ever, the Soms never learn, particularly those in Mogadishu. I expect Jubaland will soon start vicious resistance to Mogadishu and declare full autonomy.

According to Engineer Faisal Ali Warabe, the leader of opposition in Somaliland, "a President who cannot visit Jubbaland, Puntland, and Galmudug must not be allowed to visit Somaliland”

kabe1:
Long range air to air kill.

F-16 shooting down of L-39.

On the details of the operation, Akar said a drone, eight helicopters, 103 tanks, 19 armored personnel carriers, 72 cannons/howitzers/multiple rocket launchers, three air-defense systems, 15 anti-tanks/mortars, 56 armored vehicles, nine ammunition depots and 2,000 regime soldiers and elements have been neutralized so far.
https://defence-blog.com/news/turkish-f-16-fighter-jets-shoot-down-l-39-aircraft-over-idlib.html

Tinfoil:
What happened to the border wall? It is foreseeable that a stable Somalia will one instigate a referendum in the northern part of Kenya for them to join

"Kenya continues to be a destabilizing force for Somalia. Kenya’s continuous encroachment into Somalia’s border areas outrightly undermines our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he told the UN Security Council sitting on Thursday, referring to the border squabbles.
“If these aforementioned actions do not immediately cease, we will invoke United Nations Charter, Article 35, and bring our case against Kenya’s breach of our sovereignty … to the UN Security Council.”
The said article allows a member state to bring any dispute or situation likely to endanger the international security, to the attention of the council.
https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Kenya-denies-Somalia-fabrications/1056-5474838-o4bjb3z/index.html

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written a protest note to Mogadishu in response to a statement issued on Friday by Somali Ambassador to the UN, Abukar Dahir Osman, who said Nairobi was destabilising his country.

"Kenya rejects the unwarranted and invalid allegations made by the Federal Government of Somalia and takes great exception to the fabricated indictments of interfering in Somalia’s internal affairs," Nairobi's protest note, seen by the Nation, said.
"These baseless accusations are part of a growing and persistent pattern of ill intent to use Kenya as a scapegoat and tool to justify unfulfilled legitimate and social demands in Somalia and for political mileage.
"Kenya will not accept to be used in that manner and encourages the Federal Government of Somalia to stop the campaign and use the energy to deliver leadership to their people."

Boeing and Embraer have received the penultimate regulatory clearance to permit the companies to form two joint ventures in the fields of commercial and military aerospace.
The companies reported on 27 January that they have received unconditional approval from the General-Superintendence of the Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE) in Brazil. CADE is Brazil’s national competition authority and an executive agency of the government.
Boeing and Embraer said in a statement on the CADE decision that “unconditional clearance has now been granted in Brazil, United States, China, Japan, South Africa, Montenegro, Colombia, and Kenya ”.

The planned strategic partnership between Embraer and Boeing comprises two joint ventures: one joint venture made up of the commercial aircraft and services operations of Embraer (Boeing Brasil – Commercial) in which Boeing will own 80 percent and Embraer will hold 20 percent; and another joint venture to promote and develop markets for the multi-mission medium airlift C-390 Millennium (Boeing Embraer – Defense) in which Embraer will own a 51 percent stake and Boeing will own the remaining 49 percent.

The intention for the establishment of the Defence industry is to enable the Country to develop the ability to locally manufacture Defence and security equipment, supported by an internationally competitive, innovative and environmentally sustainable industry base This will guarantee MOD’s self-reliant
production capacity for select Defence items and provide the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and other security agencies the ease to acquire locally produced equipment at best price......
This in line with MOD's overall objective is to refocus the Defence and industry partnership for self-reliance and streamline the industry’s programs and leverage on Transfer of Technology (TOT) as a key ingredient.
MOD has consequently identified key Defence industry sectors that it plans to focus on, some through collaboration with both local and foreign organizations and academia, to achieve development of these capabilities.
They include arms and ammunition production, Defence Food Industry, Automotive Manufacturing and Assembly, Aeronautics and Space Engineering, Apparels Manufacture, Maritime Engineering, General Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering, Information and Communications Technology, Medical Engineering, Construction Engineering...
It is hoped that their achievement will help in the realization of the Big Four Agenda which focuses improving the living standards of Kenyans, as well as Vision 2030 whose blueprint aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, “middle income country providing a high-quality life to all its citizens by the year 2030."

Other acquisitions include light combat helicopters that offer superior air-to-air combat capabilities but can also be used for medical air evacuations and transport.
For medium airlift capability, KAF has acquired standard transport configuration planes, specialized variants and utility helicopters developed for maritime patrol, search and rescue, fire support and electronic warfare and ground-attack missions.
However, apart from acquiring new aircraft, KAF, in tandem with its vision , has also sought to have an effective Air Defence System (ADS) to defend the country from all airborne aggression.
In this quest, it is believed that an effective Air Defense System should be able to detect an impending attack in time and destroy it before it reaches the target.
The ongoing KAF modernization program will ensure superior airpower, surveillance, early detection of enemy threat, deterrence and interdiction, precise aerial attacks and support of ground troops in line with the Commander KAF’s vision: A Premier Air Force that delivers Air Defense 24/7.
This is in appreciation of understanding that airpower has conclusively taken the position of dominance in changing the very nature of
warfare. No modern war has been won without air superiority and it is likely that any future war will be won without air, space and cyberspace superiority. [Music to my ears ]

With the Kenyan military active in Somalia under AMISOM, the country has prioritized the enhancement of its aerial military might for surveillance and its capability to support ground troops when fighting terror groups and external aggression. That airpower is a critical component and key to successfully combating security challenges cannot be ignored. Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) provides vital situational awareness.