In Geopolitics Today: Wednesday, November 16th
Switzerland to Purchase Patriot Missiles from the United States, The UK to Bolster Anti-Submarine Capabilities with Five New Frigates, and other stories.
Oil Flows Through the Druzhba Pipeline Restored
Oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia to Eastern Europe have resumed after being temporarily suspended following damage caused to electrical infrastructure in Ukraine.
The Oil supply was suspended a day earlier at a section of the Druzhba pipeline according to pipeline operators in the the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. The three landlocked countries are particularly vulnerable to an oil stoppage given the lack of alternatives to Russian crude. Nevertheless, all three have sufficient strategic reserves amid lower overall demand in Europe.
Read more about this story here.
Switzerland to Purchase Patriot Missiles from the United States
The US State Department has approved a possible arms sale to Switzerland of PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC) 3 Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $700 million.
The proposed sale package includes 72 PAC 3 MSE missiles, PAC-3 MSE missile rounds and empty round trainers, PAC-3 missile skid kits, classified and unclassified PAC-3 spare parts, and PAC-3 MSE canister consumables. The proposed sale of the missiles will enhance the capability of Switzerland’s missile defence system, with Lockheed Martin acting as the prime contractor for this acquisition.
Read more about this story here.
The UK to Bolster Anti-Submarine Capabilities with Five New Frigates
The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy is set to receive five new frigates as part of a £4.2 billion deal between the Ministry of Defence and the naval construction company BAE Systems.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the new Type 26 deal during the G20 summit currently being held in Bali, Indonesia. The construction contract for the initial batch of Type 26s was first awarded to BAE in 2017 for £3.7 billion, with three of the Type 26 warships already in construction at its shipyards in Govan and Scotstoun, Scotland. This new contract fulfils a government commitment to field a fleet of eight Type 26 frigates outfitted for anti-submarine warfare.
Read more about this story here.
Israeli-owned Oil Tanker Attacked by Drone near Oman
The oil tanker Pacific Zircon has been targeted in a drone attack off the coast of Oman. No group or country have taken responsibility for the drone attack last night against the Pacific Zircon. Israeli security sources reportedly suspect Iran was behind the hit, though Israeli authorities have not yet reacted to the incident.
The oil tanker struck by a bomb-carrying drone is operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. The incident came hours after the US Navy claimed it had intercepted a ship carrying a hidden missile fuel component to Iran from Yemen. Eastern Pacific Shipping has issued a statement saying the company is investigating the incident.
Read more about this story here.
The US is Testing Cargo Planes as Bombers of the Future
The US Air Force is testing its Rapid Dragon missile-launching concept. Rapid Dragon involves cruise missiles stored in pallets rolled out from the back a moving cargo plane and launched at targets as a means of firing huge numbers of cruise-missiles in wartime.
Rapid Dragon is an effort to arm cargo planes with long-range stand-off munitions. Although cargo planes typically fly without a weapons loadout, the US hopes to take advantage of the internal space of its massive cargo aircraft fleet to quickly launch lots of munitions at targets. Rapid Dragon would allow the US Air Force to concentrate its its vast arsenal of cruise missiles on a massive, overwhelming strike.