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Armies in the world Analysis - Focus
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Thirty-five Afghan special police officers graduated from the eight-week General Command of Police Special Units’ Special Operators Course in a ceremony held at the Special Police Training Center in Logar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 8, 2018. The course is a prerequisite for service in a GCPSU National Mission Unit.

During the last 2 years 250 contracts were signed by the Polish MoD for the modernization of the Armed Forces, which amounted to 20 billion PLN. 160 of them amounted to 13 billion PLN and were assigned to Polish industry. In 2016 and 2017 respectively the budget of the Polish MoD was implemented 100%, meaning totally and properly, and in 2016,for the first time in 8 years, the Polish MoD spend all funds dedicated to modernization of its armed forces.

The French Navy Mistral-class amphibious assault ship LHD Tonnerre (L9014), with embarked U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and TF 51/5, and the USS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB 3) will conduct bilateral amphibious operations in the vicinity of Djibouti during the month of December 2017 during the two weeks multilateral amphibious exercise Alligator Dagger 17. (By Lt.Cmdr. Sandra Arnold, TF 51/5)

The Russian Defense Ministry launched a large-scale artillery reform. Regiments and brigades are armed with Uragan-M1 MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, MSTA-SM 152mm self-propelled howitzers and drones. Super powerful weapons - 2S7 Pion self-propelled gun system and 2S4 Tyulpan self-propeled morar systems - are returning. There have been no such large-scale changes in the army in over 30 years. Artillery units considerably expand the range of missions, efficiency, fire range and power. Experts believe modern combat tactic will considerably change after the reform, the Izvestia daily reported.

U.S. Marines and Sailors with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command conducted a countering weapons of mass destruction course for service members to learn to combat, adapt to and overcome chemical and biological contaminations, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., from 5 to 8 December 2017.

The Russian Airborne Forces continue to receive new arms and hardware and their share comprises 62 percent, Airborne Commander Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov said in an interview with the Military-Industrial Courier. Combat training proceeded in strict compliance with the plan of the forces for 2016-2020. All events have been accomplished in full volume. The training intensity displays good dynamic. Over 400 tactical and command-staff exercises, including 300 with artillery and air defense engagement, were held in 2017. Live-fire combat training intensified over six percent.

Russian soldiers of S-300V (NATO reporting name: SA-10 Grumble) air defense missile systems of Russia’s Western Military District have held a live-firing exercise at the Kapustin Yar training range in the Astrakhan Region in south Russia, the district’s press office said.

Live firing with surface-to-air missiles Newa SC, an upgraded version of the Soviet-made S-125 Neva/Pechora also known under NATO name, SA-3 Goa, for the Polish armed forces during the Dragon 17 military exercise. The NATO military drills in Poland involve around 17,000 servicemen and 3,500 units of equipment, according to the Polish defense ministry.

One day exercise Water crossing 2017 of Czech army with armoured fighting vehicles
 
Beginning of June, Czech Army has carried out the one-day exercise ‘Water Crossing 2017’, at Myslejovice water reservoir, with a demonstration of the skills of Czech military personnel in carrying out challenging tasks and negotiating obstacles in and around a river while operating their amphibious recovery and rescue vehicles
Beginning of June, Czech Army has carried out the one-day exercise ‘Water Crossing 2017’, at Myslejovice water reservoir, with a demonstration of the skills of Czech military personnel in carrying out challenging tasks and negotiating obstacles in and around a river while operating their amphibious recovery and rescue vehicles.
 

U.S. Army soldiers of 68th Armor Regiment conducted live firing with M1A2 Abrams tanks in Latvia
 
US Army soldiers of 68th Armor Regiment conducted live firing with M1 Abrams tanks in Latvia 640 001
U.S. Army soldiers from Company C (Chaos), 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo., conducted their last platoon live-fire exercise with M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks in Adazi Military Base, Latvia, April 14.
 

New mobile air defense missile brigades in the Russian armed forces
 
New mobile air defense missile brigades in the Russian armed forces 640 001
The Russian Aerospace Force (RusAF) has started activating mobile air defense (AD) missile brigades, with the first one formed in Khakassia early this year. The new AD brigades are highly mobile large units capable of covering hundreds of kilometers in mere hours and equipped with S-300 (NATO reporting name: SA-10 Grumble) and S-400 (SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, Pantsir (SA-22 Greyhound) anti-air gun/missile systems and Nebo-M radars, according to the Izvestia daily.
 

Two days of military exercises for the Taiwanese army with Avenger air defense systems
 
Two days of military exercises for the Taiwanese army with Avenger air defense systems 640 001
Tuesday, January 17, 2017, Taiwan started two days of military drills imulating an attack by China. The Taiwanese armed forces gathered in central Taiwan for annual drills that saw troops practise combat skills with tanks, attack helicopters and artillery.
 

Russian soldiers of 106th Airborne Division started training with BMD-4 and BTR-MDM armoured
 
Russian soldiers of 106th Airborne Division started training with BMD-4-and BTR-MDM armoured 640 001 Russian soldiers of the 106th Airborne Division based in the Tula Region in central Russia have started combat training at the Dubrovichi training range in the Ryazan Region with the use of advanced BMD-4M airborne fighting vehicles, the Defense Ministry’s press office said.
 

U.S. Army M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley IFVs deployed in Poland perform first live firing
 
US Army M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley IFV deployed in Poland perform first live firing 640 001 U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and Bradley crews from 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade, 4th Infantry Division conducted their first zero and Live-Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, January 16.
 

Pantsir-S1 air defense system enters in service with Russian army Central Military District Siberia
 
Pantsir-S1 air defense system enters in service with Russian army Central Military District Siberia 640 001
Air defense missile and artillery systems Pantsir-S1 have entered duty in western Siberia, according a statement of the press-service of the Central Military District of Russian army. The first Pantsir-S1 air-defence missile-gun system was adopted for service with the Russian Armed Forces on November 16 , 2012.
 

Chinese soldiers perform live fire exercise with Lynx all-terrain vehicles armed with machine gun
 
Chinese soldiers perform live fire exercise with Lynx all-terrain vehicles armed with machine gun 640 001
Chinese soldiers perform live fire training exercise with new 8x8 all-terrain vehicles called Lynx at an undisclosed area in the Tibet Autonomous Region on January 3, 2017. These Chinese soldiers are assigned to a brigade of the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Tibet Military Command.
 

Strategic Missile Forces of Russia have around 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles
 
Strategic Missile Forces of Russia have around 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles 640 002
The Russian Strategic Missile Forces are armed with close to 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles which is over 60 percent of the total warheads and carriers of the Russian nuclear triad, Commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev told reporters.
 

At military exercise Caucasus 2016 Russian armed forces tested latest river crossing equipment
 
At military exercise Caucasus 2016 Russian armed forces tested latest river crossing equipment 640 001
At the recent Caucasus 2016 exercise, the Russian Armed Forces tested the latest river crossing equipment, according to the Izvestia daily. During the crossing of the Don River by tank and infantry units, the Defense Ministry tested the unique BMK towboat designed to tow ferries and reconnoiter water bodies for setting up bridge or ferry crossing sites.
 

Chinese President asked Chinese Army to have strong and modern Rocket Force
 
Chinese President asked Chinese Army to have strong and modern Rocket Force 640 001
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, September 26, 2016, instructed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force to continue to build itself into a strong and modern rocket force. The PLA Rocket Force was established at the end of last year, part of a wider military structural reform drive. Xi conferred the military flag on the Rocket Force at its inauguration ceremony held in Beijing on Dec. 31, 2015.
 

Analysis : China defense industry continues to develop long-range precision guided cruise missile
 
DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile China Chinese army PLA military equipment defense industry 640 002
China's military is developing long-range precision-guided cruise missile with the purpose to prevent foreign aircraft carriers from getting close to the coast of China, which will greatly restrict the combat capability of US aircraft carriers, said a foreign media report.