http://go.ad2upapp.com/afu.php?id=1151889

Thaad: US to sell $15bn missile defence to Saudi Arabia

Thaad missile testImage copyrightREUTERS
Image captionThe system can destroy incoming missiles at altitudes beyond the Earth's atmosphere
The US government has approved the sale to Saudi Arabia of its advanced Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) missile defence system.
The State Department said the $15bn (£11.5bn) deal furthered US national security and foreign policy interests.
It would boost Saudi and Gulf security against Iranian and other regional threats, the state department added.
The announcement comes a day after Saudi Arabia agreed to buy air defence systems from Russia.
The deal would not alter the military balance in the region, the Pentagon's Defense Security Co-operation Agency said.
Thaad systems are being deployed in South Korea to protect against a possible missile attack from North Korea.
But many South Koreans have objected, fearing it would become a target and endanger the lives of those who live near its launch sites.
China also voiced opposition to the system, saying it would affect the regional security balance.

What is Thaad?

  • Shoots down short and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight
  • Uses hit-to-kill technology - where kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead
  • Has a range of 200km and can reach an altitude of 150km
  • US has previously deployed it in Guam and Hawaii as a measure against potential attacks from North Korea
The system destroys incoming missiles at altitudes beyond the Earth's atmosphere, making it especially useful in countering missiles that might carry a nuclear warhead.
The Thaad interceptor is produced by the US company Lockheed Martin.

Analysis: Riyadh is hedging its bets

By Sebastian Usher, BBC Arab Affairs analyst
This latest multi-billion-dollar deal will help satisfy the Trump administration's desire to be seen to be protecting and increasing jobs at home.
Donald Trump has also made it abundantly clear that he is completely in tune with the Saudi view of Iran as the biggest threat in the region - which is a key rationale behind this new Saudi spending spree.
He may be less pleased, though about the arms deal the Saudis agreed with Russia during King Salman's visit to Moscow this week.
It showed perhaps how Riyadh is hedging its bets, as US influence has been diminishing in the Middle East.
Thaad missile defence system graphic

Source: www.bbc.com 

Comments

Post a Comment

Please be brief

Popular posts from this blog

The Empowering Internet Safety Guide for Women

Image
Table of contents Have you ever been harassed in the street? Received a crass message on a dating app? Had a coworker make a comment about your appearance that just didn’t sit right? You’re not alone. With the #MeToo movement, it’s easy to log onto Twitter or Facebook and see just how many women are victims of sexual harassment. Whether in person or online, women everywhere have experienced it in one way or another. And with all the new ways the internet has opened avenues of communication,  online harassment is more prevalent than ever . According to a  study  by the Pew Research Center,  most online abuse takes place on social media . Although men are also subject to online harassment – which includes name calling, derision, and physical threats – the study found that online,  women are more than twice as likely as men to experience sexual harassment .   In addition,  more than half of women ages 18-29 report having been sen...
Keep reading

What drug-dealing ‘darknet’ sites have in common with eBay

Image
NEW YORK (AP) — AlphaBay, the  now-shuttered online marketplace that authorities say traded in illegal drugs, firearms and counterfeit goods, wasn’t all that different from any other e-commerce site, court documents show. Not only did it work hard to match buyers and sellers and to stamp out fraud, it offered dispute-resolution services when things went awry and kept a public-relations manager to promote the site to new users. Of course, AlphaBay was no eBay. It went to great lengths to hide the identities of its vendors and customers, and it promoted money-laundering services to mask the flow of bitcoin and other digital currencies from prying eyes. Such “darknet” sites operate in an anonymity-friendly internet netherworld that’s inaccessible to ordinary browsers. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering just how they really work, a  U.S. criminal case  unveiled Thursday offers an eye-opening look. ___ WHAT IS ALPHABAY? U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions...
Keep reading

End of Saudi women driving ban reflects deep changes in society

Image
Image copyright AFP Image caption Previous Saudi rulers had said women could not drive because "society was against it" The decision to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia is a rare good-news headline from the Middle East. King Salman has said it is to take effect from June 2018; the delay seems intended to get conservatives accustomed to a highly visible social change and deal with the practicalities of training female driving instructors and traffic police. Why has this change happened now, after so long? It is partly the result of top-down factors, as a new crown prince ushers in a new style of politics. It also reflects changes coming from deep within a society that may be highly religious, but is also very young and faces a new economic future. Image copyright AFP Image caption Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of Saudi Arabia's modernisation plan Credit for this decision will be given to the new Crown Prince,  Mohammed bin Salman . At ...
Keep reading