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這則消息似乎沒人討論﹕
http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/news/jdw/jdw030502_2_n.shtml
US to move headquarters out of Saudi Arabia
By Tim Ripley, JDW Correspondent, London

The US Middle East air command post is to move from Saudi Arabia to Qatar as part of a sizeable shake-up of the US military footprint in the region.

The move was announced during a visit to the kingdom by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on 29 April. US Department of Defense officials said the last of 100 aircraft based at Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), outside Riyadh, would be gone by August.

Some 200 combat and support aircraft, along with 10,000 UK and US air force personnel, were based at PSAB at the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom and many of the F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15C Eagles, Tornado F3s and EA-6B Prowlers based there have already started to return to home bases or move to Al Udeid Air Base in neighbouring Qatar. Some 100 KC-135 Stratotanker, E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft and E-8 Joint STARS aircraft, along with a number of fighters, remain at PSAB.

Washington is to retain basing rights in the kingdom in time of crisis, with PSAB being maintained on a care-and-maintenance basis. US military forces have been continuously deployed in Saudi Arabia since early 1979 when USAF E-3 AWACS aircraft were dispatched in response to the downfall of the Shah of Iran. The AWACS detachments remained throughout the following decade because of the Iran-Iraq war. Some 500,000 US troops used the kingdom as a base to retake Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and a strong USAF contingent remained to enforce the southern no-fly zone over Iraq in the subsequent decade.

乍看之下只不過是美軍移動飛機，稍微想一下馬上就可看出此消息代表美國在中東佈局的轉換。

外界已有傳言說，沙烏地阿拉伯在美伊戰爭提供後援的交換條件就是要美軍撤出。美國積極的在戰爭前拉攏卡達似乎事出有因而相當的有效。新伊拉克政權扶植起來後，卡達將會是除了以色列及科威特之外美國在中東最依賴的盟友。

http://news.chinatimes.com/Chinatimes/newslist/newslist-content/0,3546,110514+112003051100158,00.html
2003.05.11 中國時報
採購武器應該堅持的基本立場
中時社論

本報日前披露，美國同意出售十二架Ｐ３Ｃ反潛機給我國，報價約四十一億美元，折合台幣達一千四百億元左右。國防部副部長林中斌稍後證實前述報導，並認為價格的確太高；而國防部戰略規劃司處長張小興也指出，國防部並沒有接受美方的初步報價，並正與美方協商，希望租借、從國際現貨市場獲得，或是由美方提供新研發的現役機型等方案。

美國出售台灣較先進武器，長期以來就兼具軍事與政治意義。在軍事面，這些武器強化了台灣的國防戰力，鞏固台海安全；在政治面，則不僅象徵美台之間堅實的盟友關係，也向中共傳達不可武力犯台的強烈訊息。

因為這多重意義，加上台灣向其他國家採購武器，始終因中共因素面臨極大阻力，成功是意外，受挫是常態。而即使成功，例如向荷蘭購得兩艘潛艦，從法國購得幻象戰機與拉法葉艦，往往也由於中共強力反彈，幾乎都是一次性買賣，不但價格偏高、後續維修困難，也無法建立常規性的軍售管道與模式，且採購過程須以絕對機密方式進行，所有正常的監督機制都無從發揮作用，以致弊端叢生。因此，美國一直是台灣最主要武器供應國，台灣也從購買美製武器獲得實質與心理的安全保障。至於價格問題，美國早期固曾以贈與或低價提供不少武器給台灣，但是隨著台灣經濟實力提升，全球戰略形勢的改變，軍售已經被商售模式取代，價格愈來愈硬。

近年來，「中國威脅論」在華府抬頭，且美國經濟走疲，售予台灣的武器裝備，無論質與量都達到歷史高峰，各種過去不願台灣取得的先進武器，從潛艦、戰艦、戰鬥直升機、反潛機、飛彈到長程雷達，如今一一放行，而且美方還經常批評台北當局採購武器不夠積極，駐台代表則猶如美國軍火商業務代表，直接向總統府、軍方以及國會、在野黨強勢遊說促銷。

然而台灣這幾年的經濟發展陷入瓶頸，國家財政吃緊，且國會不再是政府的橡皮圖章，朝野非但勢均力敵，還必須顧及民意反應，國防預算除了在政府總預算的比例中逐年降低，相關的經費也不能僅憑著簡單的「國家安全」概念，就在立法院輕鬆過關。

尤其，試想當全民都勒緊褲帶過苦日子，當朝野為了七百億搶救失業及振興景氣方案鬧得不可開交，當政府以舉債等方式好不容易擠出五百億經費處理ＳＡＲＳ疫情問題之際，如果要花費一千多億購買十二架反潛機，別說代表民意的國會難以接受，政府也將被沉重的財政壓力壓得更喘不過氣。更何況，除了反潛機之外，美國等著要賣給台灣的武器清單上，還有總價高達台幣兩千四百億的八艘潛艦，以及同樣都是天價的愛國者飛彈、長程預警雷達等等，以台灣目前的經濟與財政狀況，除非願意忍受軍費大幅排擠其他建設與福利支出，否則還真是消受不起。

台灣面對中共威脅，必須維持一定的國防實力，也不得不經由購買美國武器建立雙方某種形式的同盟關係。然而擺在眼前的現實是，台灣已經不是可以任意揮霍的闊少爺，而是非得錙銖必較的「賺吃人」，不論台灣朝野乃至華盛頓當局都必須明瞭，一個經濟衰疲、建設停滯的台灣，就算擁有再多的飛機、飛彈、潛艦，也無法確保台灣的安全，也不能扮演美國在其亞洲戰略部署中，期望台灣扮演的角色。

為了解決此一兩難困境，台灣已有民間人士建議，參考波蘭購買美國Ｆ－十六戰機的模式，也就是賣方必須向波蘭政府作與採購金額等值的「包裹投資」，使波蘭的高科技業獲得數十億美元的外資挹注，達到買賣雙贏目標。雖然台灣的情況未必能與波蘭相提並論，因為波蘭面對的不是單一賣方，可透過國際競標爭取對其最有利的交易形態，台灣武器來源則幾乎完全受制美國，不過台灣也並非沒有籌碼在手，因為維持兩岸現狀，確保台海和平，同時也符合美國最高利益，華府不該把出售台灣武器當作施恩或單純商業交易，只考慮美國片面利益，卻忽略了台灣的整體發展與負荷能力。

老英再度扮演劃時代武器研發先驅者的角色.......

Qinetiqs Innovative Phased Array Missile Seeker Sensor Achieves Success in a Hardware-In-The-Loop Test

(Source: QinetiQ; issued May 8, 2003)


QinetiQ recently achieved what it believes to be a world first with a successful closed loop test of its phased array radar seeker sensor concept. This puts the UK at the forefront of new missile seeker technology and constitutes a major risk reduction for the next generation of surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.

Whereas conventional radar seeker antennas are mechanically steered within the missile to maintain RF energy on the target, the phased array sensor is strapped down to the missile and electronically steers its energy. In closed loop tests, QinetiQ has demonstrated that the innovative RF phased array sensor can achieve the basic functions that are required to guide a missile successfully to its target. Further development will have to follow to achieve full seeker functionality.

It is expected that a phased array RF missile seeker will be able to provide considerably greater resistance to future electronic countermeasures that would debilitate conventional missile seekers. This QinetiQ invention and recent achievement therefore brings a step change improvement in missile performance that much closer. In addition, the sensors high level of circuit integration and absence of moving parts should offer a more cost effective and reliable solution for weapon systems in the long term.

QinetiQ Product Area Manager, Chris Alder said: The development of this phased array seeker concept has seen a team of experts from across QinetiQ working together over a number of years to deliver this outstanding achievement. From sensor conception through design and manufacture to test, QinetiQs technology expertise and understanding of missile systems has been essential to this success.

This significant stage in ongoing seeker development follows twelve years of research funded by the UK MODs Corporate and Applied Research Programmes.

The Radar Systems Division of AMS contributed to the hardware development that made this closed loop trial possible. The test took place at one of the worlds largest hardware-in-the-loop facilities, at the MODs Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) in Farnborough.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com

US Approves Israeli Phalcon Sale to India

(Source: Press Trust of India; issued May 22, 2003)


JERUSALEM --- The United States has given the green signal to Israel for the sale of Phalcon airborne radar systems worth one billion dollars to Indian Air force without any conditions or limitations, a media report said today.

Clearing the long pending deal, Washington has withdrawn all objections and given Israeli Defence Ministry the green signal for the deal that US had earlier asked Israel to freeze in view of tense standoff between India and Pakistan, daily “Haaretz” reported today.

The US approval assumes significance in view of proposed visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to New Delhi in coming months.

When contacted an Israeli Defence Ministry spokesperson said that Israel was not aware of any US objections to the sale of the Phalcon radar systems to India. She did not give more details saying that negotiations were on about the deal.

Washington had earlier pressurized Israel into canceling a similar signed deal with China in 2000 for the same weapons systems sparking a diplomatic crisis with Beijing.

The US had in principle supported the sale to India about a year and half ago. However, in early 2002, Washington asked Israel to postpone the sale because of rising tension between India and Pakistan and the deal had since been frozen, waiting for US approval. (ends)

China Declines Comment on US Approval For Phalcons For India