ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Typhoon T2 of the RSAF 10th Squadron. The 10th Squadron is being equipped with T2 and T3As currently. On the final day of the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to the UK, BAE Systems officially announced that the UK Government has signed a Memorandum of Intent with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to aim to finalize discussions for the purchase of 48 Typhoon fighter jets. “We have taken a vital step toward finalizing another order for Typhoon jets that will increase security in the Middle East and boost British industry and jobs in our unrivalled aerospace sector,” UK’s Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said commenting on the new contract. BAE Systems had supplied the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) with 72 Typhoon fighter jets under a previous contract, which was singed in 2007. The new contract, which worthes more than £10bn according to the Telegraph, will boost the defense industry in the UK and allow BAE System to keep the production line of Typhoon fighter je...

Click to see the full-size image On March 10, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army captured the villages of Inab, Kafr Rum, Kurt Qulaq, Al-Tiflah and Huran from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the Syrian area of Afrin.  With advances made by the TAF and the FSA on March 9 , Turkish forces deployed within about 4km northeast of the YPG-held city of Afrin – the main YPG stronghold in the area. As the frontline between Turkey-led forces and the YPG shortens, the Kurdish group has less and less opportunities to maneuver conducting counter-attacks and avoiding Turkish artillery and air strikes. The YPG’s lack of heavy weapons become more and more crticial. It’s interesting to note that pro-YPG sources also understand this and use this fact in own propaganda. Pro-YPG media outlets and activists claim that the TAF and the FSA can nothing without support from the air. However, these reports cannot deny a progress by Turkey-led forces. ...