France begins to supply arms to Lebanon for the funds allocated to Saudi Arabia



TSAMTO 26 February. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the start of the practical implementation of the program delivery Lebanese Armed Forces of various types of military hardware financed by funds allocated by Saudi Arabia.
As previously reported TSAMTO, Saudi Arabia for the first time announced an agreement to give Lebanon a grant of $ 3 billion for the purchase of the French arms in December 2013. However, due to protracted negotiations an agreement was signed by the Minister of Finance of Saudi Arabia Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf (Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz al-Assaf) and the head of a French company to export defense products ODAS Édouard Guillaud (Edouard Guillaud) only in November 2014.

It should be noted that the Saudi government has also agreed to give Lebanon another grant in the amount of $ 1 billion for the purchase of the necessary military hardware from other sources (ie, not in France).

In the following months is negotiating the conditions and discuss the details of contracts. As announced by Jean-Yves Le Drian, after receiving the first payment, the contract went to a stage of practical implementation. A first shipment of arms will be made ​​in April 2015.

In accordance with the Franco-Saudi agreement, Lebanon should receive a wide range of weapons. In particular, the list includes helicopters AS-532 "Cougar" and AS-3412 "Gazelle" class missile boats FS-56 "Kombattant» (Combattante), armed with anti-aircraft missile system "Simbad-RC» missile "Mistral" and 20 AU-mm NARWHAL.

For the Army planned to purchase 24 units. 155-mm self-propelled howitzers "Caesar", 110 new armored VAB Mk.3, armed 25-mm cannons, 30. VAB Mk.1 from the French army, 100 armored vehicles "Sherpa" with 12.7-mm machine guns.

The list included air defense systems MANPADS "Mistral" and 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.

Delivery package also includes communication tools, a large number of different types of ammunition, training services and logistics. Training of personnel of the Armed Forces of Lebanon will hold the French experts.

In more detail below provides information on the supply of ACS "Caesar"

In total, the Lebanese Armed Forces should receive 24 units. 155-mm self-propelled guns (ACS) "Caesar» (CAESAR - CAmion Equipe d'un Systeme d'ARtillerie).

According to the representative of the French "Nexter Systems» (Nexter Systems), the installation must be placed in a standard configuration SW France and can be transmitted 15 months after the conclusion of the contract, as the company's assembly lines are now loaded with orders.

It is assumed that the set will allow ACS to equip two artillery batteries (12 guns each). Installation will be supplied with an automated control system of artillery "Atlas" company "Thales» (Thales) and artillery reconnaissance radar "Cobra" consortium "Euro-Art» (Euro-Art).

ACS "Caesar" used within three years of the French contingent in the UN force keeping peace in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which allowed the Command of the country to assess the capabilities of the system under combat conditions, in addition to mandatory testing and evaluation before purchase.

In the configuration for installation of SW France, based on the chassis of the truck "Sherpa" 6x6 of "Renault truck difenz" (Saudi version installed on the chassis "Mercedes-Benz").
Sumber: armstar.org
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Asal nanti jgn di ambil alih Hizbullah.