Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NATO chief raises concern over China’s arms buildup, calling on allies to work together
AP ^ | April 8, 2025 | MAYUKO ONO and MARI YAMAGUCHI

Posted on 04/08/2025 3:27:25 AM PDT by McGruff

The NATO chief on Tuesday raised concern about China’s arms buildup and military drills near Taiwan and called on the organization’s members and friendly nations to work together to keep free and open sea lanes in the region.

“China is supporting Russia’s efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters as he wrapped up his visit to the Japanese navy port of Yokosuka. “We cannot be naive, and we really have to work together, assess what is happening.”

Rutte said NATO is worried about China’s military exercises near Taiwan and “we follow them very closely.”

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: China; European Union; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Somebody move the North Atlantic to Asia?
1 posted on 04/08/2025 3:27:25 AM PDT by McGruff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: McGruff

Stop sending our consumer dollars over there, problem solved.


2 posted on 04/08/2025 3:37:27 AM PDT by TwelveOfTwenty (Prayers for the US and President Trump)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

In 2017, Israeli PM Netanyahu said China accounts for one-third of the investment in Israeli high technology, which includes US military technology the US shares w/ Israel. In the ’90s, Israel sold military equipment and technologies to China, including the Harpy missile system.

Israel Aerospace Industries produced the IAI Harpy. a loitering munition missile. The Harpy is designed to attack radar systems and is optimised for the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) role. It carries a high explosive warhead.

The IAI Harpy is a loitering munition, also known as a “suicide drone,” designed to suppress and destroy enemy radar systems, operating autonomously after launch to search for and attack targets.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

Type: Loitering munition (LM).

Manufacturer: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Purpose: Primarily designed for
<><>SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses)
<><>and DEAD (Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses) missions.

Capabilities:
<><>Autonomous Operation: Harpy is launched and then flies autonomously to a designated area,
<><>it can loiter for extended periods, searching for and attacking radar emitters.
<><>Long Endurance: Can loiter for up to 9 hours.
<><>All-Weather, Day/Night Operation: Capable of operating in various conditions.
<><>Targeting: Equipped with an anti-radiation seeker to target emitting radar systems.
<><>Launch: Launched from ground-based or naval canisters.

Evolution: The Harpy is a predecessor to the Harop, which is a more versatile loitering munition with the ability to target both emitting and non-emitting targets.
Other variants: Mini Harpy is a smaller, more tactical variant.

Key Features:
<><>Fire and Forget: Once launched, Harpy operates autonomously, requiring minimal human intervention.
<><>Flexibility: Can be used in a variety of missions, including deep strike operations and area denial.
<><>Use in Conflict: The Harop, a derivative of the Harpy, has been used in conflicts, such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, demonstrating its effectiveness in targeting enemy assets.

Harpy - Fire and Forget Missile | Weather Weapon - IAI
Nov 23, 2023 — Highlights. The world’s first and most operational Anti-Radiation Loitering Munition system. Fully Autonomous.

IAI report-—Mini HARPY Precision Targeting & Flexible Defense by IA——Jun 16, 2024 — Equip your forces with IAI’s Mini HARPY, the versatile loitering weapon that combines EO/IR and anti-radiation seekers...

Israel Air Industries ... Jan 7, 2022 — Harop has the capability to attack any high-value and time-sensitive targets, following all the steps of the killchain.


3 posted on 04/08/2025 3:38:05 AM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray...."Our Father, who art in heaven......")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Israel is believed to manufacture its nuclear weapons, including plutonium production, at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center (formerly the Negev Nuclear Research Center), located in the Negev desert near the city of Dimona.......w/ a noticeable lack of International Safeguards.

The facility is not under IAEA safeguards, and inspectors are not allowed to go there.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:
<><>The Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, also known as the Dimona reactor,
<><>it is situated in the Negev desert, about 8 miles s/e of the city of Dimona.
<><>It is widely believed that plutonium for Israel’s nuclear weapons program is produced there.
<><>The Dimona reactor is a heavy-water-moderated reactor; natural uranium fuel is irradiated in it.
<><>A reprocessing plant, where plutonium is chemically separated, is believed to be at the Negev site.
<><>The Dimona reactor is believed to have been built with French assistance in the 1960s.

Besides the Dimona reactor, Israel has other nuclear facilities, including
<><>Kfar Zekharya (suspected nuclear missile base and bomb storage),
><><>Nahal Soreq (equivalent of US national weapons labs),
<><>Yodefat (suspected nuclear weapons assembly facility),
<><>Tirosh (reportedly one of two Israeli nuclear weapons storage facilities),
<><>and Rafael (responsible for the actual assembly of Israeli nuclear weapons).


4 posted on 04/08/2025 4:13:56 AM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray...."Our Father, who art in heaven......")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: McGruff

I think what this guy wanted to say (but avoided)....one day this Ukraine-Russia war will end, and Germany will go back to buying massive amount of Russian oil/natural gas. The profits will enable Russia to restock their lost tanks, APCs, etc. Even with the crappy condition of manufacturing in Russia....if they had money....they could turn to China and buy replacement hardware. In five to seven years...they’d be back to 100-percent ‘strong’ (by Russia standards).


5 posted on 04/08/2025 4:24:13 AM PDT by pepsionice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McGruff

****Japan, in addition to the United States, has expanded its defense ties with other friendly nations in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, as well as NATO, saying Russia’s war on Ukraine underscores that security risks in Europe and Asia are inseparable.****
****The United States wants NATO members to be more involved in the Indo-Pacific region, Rutte said.****

In a war with China NATO will be involved, we need to work to make that involvement as great and as effective as possible. There is a small but growing awareness of the China threat among NATO countries, we need it to grow.


6 posted on 04/08/2025 4:33:07 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McGruff
"China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters

Europe: "That sounds like your problem, America. I'm off to the beach!"

7 posted on 04/08/2025 4:48:31 AM PDT by Right_Wing_Madman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Liz

Your spaming is as bad as Macamus om tje Ukraine threads.


8 posted on 04/08/2025 11:21:18 AM PDT by cowboyusa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: All

NY Post ace journo Miranda Devine @mirandadevine reports on the 2013 Beijing visit by Hunter and the obsequious Joe Biden with President Xi. VP son Hunter was given ten percent-—a billion dollar stake—— in the Chinese state's investment partnership BHR.”

This is excerpted from Devine’s must-read first book on the Biden Crime Family of grifters, “Laptop From Hell”............ an expose of whoring Hunter’s drug-fueled dissolute lifestyle.

Note well: This photograph was taken in 2013. It took court action to get the National Archives to release it. The photo predates the period granted by Hunter's pardon. Means you can go after Hunter hammer and tongs for offenses committed before 2014.

9 posted on 04/08/2025 12:52:21 PM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray...."Our Father, who art in heaven......" )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson