Zim to buy $240m of military hardware from China.....

[MKSheppard]

Yes that's right! Everyone's favortie african country run by a genocidial
hitler wannabe is GASP, spending it's money on worthless peices of
shit to the tune of $240 million while the entire economy there falls apart
and explodes!

Zimbabwe stocks up on jets, arms

http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20 ... -9266r.htm

By Tom Carter
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has ordered more than $240 million worth of jet fighters and other military equipment from China, renewing concerns of a sub-Saharan arms race in a region with no external threats.

The purchase was revealed in a recent parliamentary meeting with Trust Maphosa, the secretary of Zimbabwe's Defense Ministry, the country's opposition said yesterday.

"We believe this is a kind of [intimidation] tactic because we are going towards very crucial elections next year," said opposition spokesman Giles Mutsekwa.

"The idea is that whatever the public does, there is the possibility of it being subverted by the military," he told Agence France-Presse.

The order was for 12 fighter jets and 100 military vehicles, according to the British Broadcasting Corp.

"Who is giving money to the Mugabe regime to allow it to buy $200 million worth of military equipment when the economy has collapsed?" asked Annabel Hughes, executive director of the Zimbabwe Democracy Trust.

"The world turns a blind eye now when he plans on purchasing new fighter jets and military vehicles to support his one-party dictatorship. Who exactly is the Mugabe regime planning on defending itself from?"

The order has irritated the South African government, according to the Virginia-based Armed Forces Journal International (AFJI), which is described as a quasi-official U.S. military publication.

According to AFJI, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the South African foreign affairs minister, has asked China to stop selling weapons to the region. The South African Embassy in Washington yesterday called that report false.

"It is clear that the South African government's position is that Zimbabwe is an independent sovereign nation and any decision to buy arms is a decision for the Zimbabwe people," said Tshepo Mazibuko, an embassy spokesman.

Asked whether the South African government had approached the Chinese government on this issue, as reported in AFJI, Mr. Mazibuko said, "The ministry spokesman does not recall that conversation."

"Hopefully, this might be the jolt that will force [South African President Thabo] Mbeki's failed 'quiet diplomacy' policy to one of engagement with Zimbabwe. Everybody knows that the anarchic Mugabe regime is already a threat to the region without Chinese jets and military vehicles," Miss Hughes said.

In 1998, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked that all the countries in the region cap military spending at 1.5 percent of the gross domestic product, but Zimbabwe is at 3.4 percent, Namibia at 3.6 percent and South Africa at 1.7 percent.

China also is projecting into the region.

"For the last 18 months, China has had a policy to expand its influence in Africa," said John Tkacik, China specialist at the Heritage Foundation. "There is definitely a full-court press by China to engage not just in Asia and Latin America, but also Africa."

He said Chinese "initiatives" are targeting African countries under pressure from the West for human rights problems.

"That makes Zimbabwe pretty attractive," he said.

Zimbabwe is experiencing a food crisis, and the World Food Program is feeding more than 600,000 Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe's government says the country is experiencing a "bumper crop."

•This story is based in part on wire service reports.

[Stuart Mackey]

Mugabe will have to go one of these days. My concern is that it will not go easily.

[Sarevok]

Mugabe will never step down. He is a power hungry dictator. Either he will die eventualy or be overthrown in a popular revolution.

Mugabe's military purchases could have several reasons. One could be he is trying to gain popularity by appealing to naitonalistic sentiments. Another possibility is he is planning for a country wide crack down against dissidents.

[Vympel]

I heard one place that the 12 fighters were FC-1 Xiaolong (or JF-17 Thunder for Pakistan). Whatever really, it's possibly the most vanilla fighter being developed anywhere. Would've been hot stuff back in ... nah never mind.

Link

Ignore the ridiculous performance figures- the guy's given it an operational radius almost as great as the Su-27 (this thing weighs less, total, on normal take-off than the Su-27 carries in fuel ALONE)

(It also doesn't have a thrust-to-weight ratio in excess of unity at normal take off weight)

[His Divine Shadow]

When I read the title I thought about Invader Zim.

[Majin Gojira]

When I read the title I thought about Invader Zim.

So did I...but then I remembered that Zim would never use Infverior Eathen Technology when he has the resources of the mighty IRKEN EMPIRE!

[Kazuaki Shimazaki]

I heard one place that the 12 fighters were FC-1 Xiaolong (or JF-17 Thunder for Pakistan). Whatever really, it's possibly the most vanilla fighter being developed anywhere. Would've been hot stuff back in ... nah never mind.

Link

Ignore the ridiculous performance figures- the guy's given it an operational radius almost as great as the Su-27 (this thing weighs less, total, on normal take-off than the Su-27 carries in fuel ALONE)

(It also doesn't have a thrust-to-weight ratio in excess of unity at normal take off weight)

"Operational radius" is about the most variable thing of the stats. It can range from two puny heat-seekers, max fuel, no AB at all and hi-hi-hi complete with drop tanks to the other extreme.

The thing seems to be about as large as a F-16A, with size and mass specs to match.

Using two RD-33 engine and 4400kg of fuel, a MiG-29 can have 408NM of "operational radius" (that includes take-off and climb to 40000 feet, 15 minutes on station, 5 minutes burner, return, landing).

This plane only has one and more or less half that mass, so fuel consumption is roughly halved. Two heat-seekers are maybe 200kg. Figure this midget can take 3000kg in its internal tank (no detailed specs available to anyone here, and I fear I may be a tad optimistic). That brings it just over its normal weight, but "normal weights" are kind of arbitrary anyway. Tack on a single 2000L class (say from a Su-27SMK) tank to the bottom, and that's 4500kg. It might make it then.

Of course, that's kind of like the one about the possibility Stewart can use his pistol like a mortar to get more hits than misses, but it might just work.

[Sea Skimmer]

Using two RD-33 engine and 4400kg of fuel, a MiG-29 can have 408NM of "operational radius" (that includes take-off and climb to 40000 feet, 15 minutes on station, 5 minutes burner, return, landing).

All the MiG-29 radius of action figures are for one minute on burner not five.


Anyway, shall we start taking bets on weather or not these fighters even make it out of their crates at the airport? I hope they do, so we can see the FC-1 climb into the sub Saharan skies to do battle with Zambia's mighty MiG-21 and Jastreb aerial armada.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Using two RD-33 engine and 4400kg of fuel, a MiG-29 can have 408NM of "operational radius" (that includes take-off and climb to 40000 feet, 15 minutes on station, 5 minutes burner, return, landing).

All the MiG-29 radius of action figures are for one minute on burner not five.


Anyway, shall we start taking bets on weather or not these fighters even make it out of their crates at the airport? I hope they do, so we can see the FC-1 climb into the sub Saharan skies to do battle with Zambia's mighty MiG-21 and Jastreb aerial armada.

I'd pay money to see that. Preferably from the cockpit of an F/A-22, but all the same.

[Peregrin Toker]

I am predicting something which will be very unpleasant to the continent of Africa...

[Admiral Valdemar]

I am predicting something which will be very unpleasant to the continent of Africa...

I could say that everyday and be absolutely right.

[Joe]

I am predicting something which will be very unpleasant to the continent of Africa...

That's like saying the sky will be blue tomorrow.

[Gil Hamilton]

So did I...but then I remembered that Zim would never use Infverior Eathen Technology when he has the resources of the mighty IRKEN EMPIRE!

But outdated Chinese military equipment has a high amount of DOOM! To the user.

[Frank Hipper]

Using two RD-33 engine and 4400kg of fuel, a MiG-29 can have 408NM of "operational radius" (that includes take-off and climb to 40000 feet, 15 minutes on station, 5 minutes burner, return, landing).

All the MiG-29 radius of action figures are for one minute on burner not five.


Anyway, shall we start taking bets on weather or not these fighters even make it out of their crates at the airport? I hope they do, so we can see the FC-1 climb into the sub Saharan skies to do battle with Zambia's mighty MiG-21 and Jastreb aerial armada.

My money's on them staying in their crates...

[Stuart Mackey]

Anyway, shall we start taking bets on weather or not these fighters even make it out of their crates at the airport? I hope they do, so we can see the FC-1 climb into the sub Saharan skies to do battle with Zambia's mighty MiG-21 and Jastreb aerial armada.

The most important question here is who is supplying the beer and what brand?

[Axis Kast]

One day soon, the Zimbabwe National Army will get tired of Mugabe's stupidity. And then it will be open day on the biggest lunatic in that part of the world since Idi Amin.

The Rhodesians might have wasted him when they had the chance; hell, even if they did rig the election in '80, I don't see how it could have been much worse. Now that's a sad statement to be in a position to make.

[Stuart Mackey]

One day soon, the Zimbabwe National Army will get tired of Mugabe's stupidity. And then it will be open day on the biggest lunatic in that part of the world since Idi Amin.

The Rhodesians might have wasted him when they had the chance; hell, even if they did rig the election in '80, I don't see how it could have been much worse. Now that's a sad statement to be in a position to make.

*blinks* I think I agree with Axis 'The Baghdad Tiger' Kast
*Jumps out of 8 story window*

[Axis Kast]

I do have to say that Mugabe's longevity has always surprised me. And continues to do so to this day.

The National Army came home from the Congo over two and a half years ago now - and they still haven't moved to take out that buffoon. Suffice to say that Mugabe does have some support from the former Simbas and other yes-men whom he granted the land of the now-departed white farmers, but I never thought it would be sufficient to divert his upcommance.

Not to mention that just last week - ah. Thought flash. The Wall Street Journal of earlier this week announced that Mugabe was nationalizing all property in Zimbabwe. That must be where he got the cash from.

[Vympel]

I think Shep posted about that.

The Zimbabwe army tolerates this why?

[Drooling Iguana]

Someone needs to discover oil in Zimbabwe...

[Axis Kast]

Vympel - they were away in the Congo for several years, and their top leadership is still rolling in illegal diamond money "extracted" for "services rendered" to the Congolese leadership. The Zimbabweans entered under the pretext of aiding a legitimate counter-insurgency, but then essentially set up shop in their own region of the Congo and proceeded to call the shots for the next few years, paying off their million-dollar-plus-per-day bill with plundered Congolese assets and their own government's sales of seized land at home.

[Mayabird]

The National Army came home from the Congo over two and a half years ago now - and they still haven't moved to take out that buffoon. Suffice to say that Mugabe does have some support from the former Simbas and other yes-men whom he granted the land of the now-departed white farmers, but I never thought it would be sufficient to divert his upcommance.

Not to mention that just last week - ah. Thought flash. The Wall Street Journal of earlier this week announced that Mugabe was nationalizing all property in Zimbabwe. That must be where he got the cash from.

From the Beeb: Zimbabwe 'not nationalising land'

Besides, any dictator that holds on to power can figure out ways of squeezing cash out of any country, and prior to Mugabe's land seizures Zimbabwe was actually a pretty well-off country (for Africa, anyway).

As far as I've read many soldiers in Zimbabwe are still waiting to see if they'll get any land, so they're not fighting as of yet. I'm doubting that those planes will stay crated. Maybe he's thinking like you and seeing an upcoming civil war. Now that's a lovely thought, isn't it?

[Aaron]

From the Beeb: Zimbabwe 'not nationalising land'

Besides, any dictator that holds on to power can figure out ways of squeezing cash out of any country, and prior to Mugabe's land seizures Zimbabwe was actually a pretty well-off country (for Africa, anyway).

As far as I've read many soldiers in Zimbabwe are still waiting to see if they'll get any land, so they're not fighting as of yet. I'm doubting that those planes will stay crated. Maybe he's thinking like you and seeing an upcoming civil war. Now that's a lovely thought, isn't it?

Either the civil war, or he's planning on invading one of his neighbors.

[Axis Kast]

Mugabe began pawning off much of his own country's infrastructure to the Libyans about a decade ago, desperate to provide collateral and payment in kind for oil.

I don't think he'll ever use those new planes, though. He hasn't got the technicians or the proper maintenance equipment. It's difficult for me to chalk those acquisitions up to anything but meglomania at this point.

[Mayabird]

Mugabe began pawning off much of his own country's infrastructure to the Libyans about a decade ago, desperate to provide collateral and payment in kind for oil.

I don't think he'll ever use those new planes, though. He hasn't got the technicians or the proper maintenance equipment. It's difficult for me to chalk those acquisitions up to anything but meglomania at this point.

Megalomaniacs have this way of ALWAYS putting together their goodies. It doesn't matter what kind of shithole country you have; if you buy the planes, even if everyone is starving, the planes will be flying and bombing stuff. Look at Eritrea.