ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Tactical and Weapons Projects CROSSHAIRS (Counter Rocket-Propelled Grenade and Shooter System with Highly Accurate Immediate Response)  - This program aims to develop an all-in-one, vehicle-mounted , detection and weapons unit that will be able to locate enemy ambushers and snipers while moving or while stopped. It will also be designed with the capability to destroy incoming threats, such as rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, by firing directly on them using automated, radar guided weapons. Given combat theatres such as Afghanistan and Iraq, where small, hit and run tactics such as roadside RPG attacks are common, this technology could potentially engender a substantial reduction in casualties and lost equipment. ChemBots (Chemical Robots)  -This program, the product of cooperation between DARPA and technical research institutions such as MIT and Harvard, is developing surveillance robots that are small, flexible, and that use material-chemistry technologies such as gel-so

Although the Xi Jinping administration is now secure enough in its transition to power to put nationalist jingoism back in the box from whence it came, recent events suggest that China will continue to tow a hard line in regards to its military and economic rights in the South China Sea. Earlier this week, Chinese media sources reported that police authorities in Hainan province will be authorized to search and seize foreign vessels operating in Chinese waters starting next year. The announcement prompted an  immediate response from the Philippine government , which condemned the move and requested a clarification as to what exactly can be considered ‘Chinese territorial waters.’ ASEAN also chimed in over the announcement, with Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan calling it a move that “raises the level of concern and great anxiety [in the dispute].” Judging by Chinese official statements on the subject, it seems likely that this expansion of search and seizure powers applies to China

By Omar Lamrani The battle for Damascus is raging with increasing intensity while rebels continue to make substantial advances in Syria's north and east. Every new air base, city or town that falls to the rebels further underlines that Bashar al Assad's writ over the country is shrinking. It is no longer possible to accurately depict al Assad as the ruler of Syria. At this point, he is merely the  head of a large and powerful armed force , albeit one that still controls a significant portion of the country. The nature of the conflict has changed significantly since it began nearly two years ago. The rebels initially operated with meager resources and equipment, but bolstered by defections, some outside support and their  demographic advantage , they have managed to gain ground on what was previously a far superior enemy. Even the regime's qualitative superiority in equipment is fast eroding as the rebels start to frequently utilize main battle tanks, infantry fighting

President seen leaving Cairo palace in convoy as opponents gather to condemn assumption of new powers Abdel-Rahman Hussein in Cairo The Guardian , Wednesday 5 December 2012 A Egyptian woman prays in front of members of the security forces as they lay out barbed wire along streets leading to the presidential palace. Photograph: AFP/Getty Egyptian security forces have clashed with opponents of Mohamed Morsi who gathered outside the presidential palace in Cairo to protest against his assumption of new powers. The march came amid rising anger over decrees Morsi has passed that give him sweeping powers. Opponents say the drafting of a new constitution has been rushed and is a move towards dictatorial rule. Morsi has called for a referendum on the draft constitution on 15 December. Marchers chanted that "the people want the downfall of the regime", and held placards bearing slogans of "no to the constitution". One witness said he had seen Morsi's co

By George Friedman Founder and Chief Executive Officer Immediately following the declaration of a cease-fire in Gaza , Egypt was plunged into a massive domestic crisis. Mohammed Morsi, elected in the first presidential election after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, passed a decree that would essentially neuter the independent judiciary by placing his executive powers above the high court and proposed changes to the constitution that would institutionalize the Muslim Brotherhood's power. Following the decree, Morsi's political opponents launched massive demonstrations that threw Egypt into domestic instability and uncertainty. In the case of most countries, this would not be a matter of international note. But Egypt is not just another country . It is the largest Arab country and one that has been the traditional center of the Arab world. Equally important, if Egypt's domestic changes translate into shifts in its foreign policy, it could affect the regional balance of power

Image Caption: Artist's depiction of Saturn and its moon Titan. Stanford scientists' model suggestions that Titan's icy outer crust is likely twice as thick as previously thought. Credit: NASA/JPL/Caltech Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Titan , Saturn’s largest moon, has long been projected as an icy body with a vast ocean of liquid water underneath its crust. A recent analysis suggested that heat generated from within the natural satellite helps keep this ocean from freezing due to interactions it has with Saturn and the other moons. And now, a new analysis of the moon’s topography and gravity indicates that its icy outer crust is twice as dense as previously believed. Scientists have long been intrigued by Titan because of the similarities it shares with Earth. Much like our planet, Titan has a seemingly layered structure, loosely similar to that of an onion. “Titan probably has a core that is a mixture of ice and rock,” said study au

Revolutionary Guards say ScanEagle drone entered Iranian airspace but US navy says that none of its drones is missing Iranian TV reports Revolutionary Guards have captured a US drone flying over the country's airspace Link to this video Iran 's Revolutionary Guards have captured a US drone flying over the country's airspace, state media have reported . The Fars news agency said on Tuesday the Boeing-made ScanEagle drone was gathering information over Gulf waters when it entered Iranian airspace and was subsequently captured by a naval unit of the Revolutionary Guards. General Ali Fadavi, the Guards' navy chief, was quoted as saying the "intruding" drone was in Iran's possession. "The US drone, which was conducting a reconnaissance flight and gathering data over the Persian Gulf in the past few days, was captured by the Guards' navy air defence unit as soon as it entered Iranian airspace," Fadavi said. "Such drones usuall

Excavations near Xi'an reveal vast ancient palace complex a quarter of the size of Beijing's Forbidden City Life-sized terracotta warriors guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, where a huge palace complex has been unearthed. Photograph: Museum Of The Terracotta Army/PA Archaeologists have found the remains of an ancient imperial palace near the tomb of emperor Qin Shi Huang, home of the famous terracotta army, China 's state media reported on Sunday. The palace is the largest complex discovered so far in the emperor's sprawling 22 square-mile (56 square-km) second-century BC mausoleum, which lies on the outskirts of Xi'an, an ancient capital city in central China, . an associate researcher at the Shaanxi provincial institute of archaeology told China's official news wire Xinhua. It is an estimated 690 metres long and 250 metres wide – about a quarter of the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing – and includes 18 court