Balance for 2020 Decline among Germans Arms exports

Status: 16.06.2021 2 p.m.

The federal government approved fewer exports of German armaments last year than in the previous year. For controversial exports to Egypt, however, millions again flowed. German companies that sell armaments abroad need a permit. These are summarized in the annual arms export report, which was the subject of the Federal Cabinet meeting today. Accordingly, significantly less armaments were sold abroad in the corona crisis year 2020 than in the previous year. 2019 was still a record year for the German arms industry: the German government had approved exports of weapons, submarines and tanks worth around eight billion euros. In comparison, the total was significantly lower last year at around 5.8 billion. Of course, the sum also fluctuates because in some years major projects are approved, in others not. Around half of the arms exports approved last year are intended for EU or NATO countries, or for countries that are on an equal footing with them, such as Japan, Switzerland or Australia.

June 16, 2021

Sale to Egypt under fire

More than half of the export licenses went to so-called third countries. Armaments from Germany should actually only go to these states in exceptional cases. Expressed as a sum, the export of goods worth almost three billion euros to such third countries was approved in the past. These include in particular Egypt, which ordered submarines and patrol ships from German shipyards worth around 764 million euros – according to the report by the Federal Ministry of Economics, the highest approved value among exports to third countries last year. Exports to Egypt are criticized by the churches, among others, because of allegations of human rights violations.

07/01/2021

In some war and crisis regions no weapons are delivered, for example Ukraine. The federal government recently had the advance of the Greens leader Robert Habeck refused for the delivery of defensive weapons. Arms control does not distinguish between offensive and defensive weapons.

Decline in exports, growth in imports

According to the Swedish peace research institute SIPRI, Germany is one of the five largest arms exporters in the world. While the sale of German armaments abroad declined in the past year, the Federal Republic increased the import of military equipment by more than five percent in 2020 . Last year, according to SIPRI, Germany invested around 44 billion euros in armaments, making it seventh worldwide. With information from Hans-Joachim Vieweger, ARD capital studio

In 2016, at the Frontier Conference of the White House held at the University of Pittsburgh, the then-U.S. President Barack Obama had a fist with Nathan Copeland, a robot arm user, while visiting innovative projects. A mechanical arm that completes direct tactile feedback via a brain-computer interface can allow paralyzed patients to complete the action of pouring water from one cup into another more quickly and naturally. On May 21st, a research team from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States published a study “A brain-computer interface that evokes tactile sensations improves robotic arm control” in the top international academic journal “Science”. Research says that when a person controls an object with his mind, the robotic arm can provide direct tactile feedback to the person’s brain. In the past, robotic arms could only be guided by vision. The team has been working with Nathan Copland. Fifteen years ago, the teenage Copeland was paralyzed in an accident. He has now learned to control the movement of a robotic arm through a brain-computer interface. Copeland said, “When I only have visual feedback, I can only see that the hand touches the object. If I use it to pick up things, sometimes things will fall off.” Copeland needs to complete a typical grasping task. About 20 seconds. “With sensory feedback, he can do it in 10 seconds,” said Jennifer Collinger, an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh. (Note that the colon is only used in very formal or important occasions) Collinger said that tactile information is very important for the use of prosthetic robotic arms, “because it is difficult for you to grasp an object that you can’t feel.” Even for simple things, such as picking up a cup and trying to move it. Maintain proper pressure during the process, which depends to a large extent on the tactile feedback of the hand. Therefore, Klinger and a team of researchers spent years looking for ways to add sensory feedback to robotic arms and hands. The research team used a two-way brain-computer interface to record neural activity in the motor cortex and generate tactile sensations through micro-stimulation of the somatosensory cortex in the cortex. In the experiment, the researcher first placed electrodes in the area of ​​the Copland brain that processes sensory information, so that electrical impulses can be used to simulate a series of sensations. Collinger said, “It turns out that the sensation produced by stimulating the fingertip-related areas of the brain is like coming from one’s own hands.” Next, the University of Pittsburgh team studied how to generate these signals when the robotic arm is in contact with an object. The last step is to time when Copland completes some tasks, such as picking up a stone or pouring water, how much time it takes if there is tactile feedback. The results show that Copland completes some manual tasks at roughly the same speed as humans use their own hands. Copeland revealed, “The intensity of this sensation actually varies according to the amount of force the hand exerts on the object. So I can also tell if I have grasped it. There is an additional benefit, after the increased tactile sensation , The feeling of using the robot arm is more natural. This kind of control is very intuitive, so that I basically just think about things, but it seems to be moving my own arm.” Jeremy D. Brown, assistant professor of John C. Malone in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, said that the significance of the research results goes far beyond the robotic arm. “High-tech prostheses also work better when simulating the sense of touch. Some are achieved through vibration or other forms of tactile feedback. This is the same way that many smart phones help users type on the screen.” The latest prostheses operate just like our natural limbs. Their elbows can be bent, their wrists can be rotated, and their fingers can be grasped. But most sensors still only have basic capabilities, such as detecting resistance or temperature. Before they have direct tactile feedback, they are actually very clumsy. And when using my hand to touch the surrounding objects, as Brown said: “I can feel pressure, feel sliding, feel whether the object is wet or dry. I can feel its texture, I know it is rough Still smooth.” Scientists are just beginning to learn how to make artificial hands and fingers that can detect these subtle features of objects. Brown said that as prosthetics or robotic arms provide more sensory feedback, they will become more useful. “The sense of touch is not just for flexibility. It’s not just the ability to reach into your pocket for the key. It can also hold your lover’s hand and feel the emotional connection.”

Cross your arms and stretch them in two directions – left to right and right to left, each stretch for 30 seconds. Do it 3 times. Movement 2 Straighten one arm in the air and slowly lower it down to your back. Next, place your other arm on your elbow and gently press until you feel a stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching to the other arm. Do it 3 times. Movement 3 tác Lean against the wall and keep your back straight. Start bringing your arms out in front of you and hold for 30 seconds. Then, bring your arms back, so that your hands are parallel to your head at a 90-degree angle. Hold for another 30 seconds. Do it 3 times. Movement 4 tác With your back straight against the wall, keep one of your arms out to the side parallel to the ground while the other arm is extended straight up, touching your back. Hold for 30 seconds and switch hands. Do it 3 times. 5 . movement Grab a (filled) water bottle and raise your arms straight up. Hold this position for 30 seconds before bringing the water bottle behind your head, arms extended straight back. Do it 3 times. If you want to lose biceps fat faster and more effectively, do these 5 moves twice a day – once in the morning and once at night before going to bed.

1. Rotate the arm Imagine you are drawing circles with your arms. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 2. Turn arm in opposite direction Similar to the first step, but move to the other direction. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 3. Bend elbow behind back Bend the elbow on the back at a 90 degree angle and move it up and down. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 4. Clap your hands Hold the posture first and then clap your hands. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 5. Angel wings Straighten your arms and move the wings up and down slowly as if you have angel wings. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 6. Aerial punch Hold your arms and raise your arms above your head. Lower your arms back and raise them to the original position to “punch” the air. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 7. Bang your hands Raise your arms above your head, straighten your arms. Then bend the elbow at a 90 degree angle and lower the arm. Repeat for 30 seconds. 8. Arched motion Extend your arms and move them back and forth in a domed motion like you are drawing a rainbow. Repeat this for 30 seconds.

According to media reports, the Biden government may launch its first arms sales to Taiwan, providing M109A6 self-propelled howitzers to Taiwan, China. According to the “Global Times” quoted a Taiwan media report on April 20, the Taipei Office of the “American Institute in Taiwan” has notified the Taiwan side that the United States will announce the procedure for notifying the Congress of Taiwan’s procurement of the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer in the near future. The head of Taiwan’s defense department responded that the arms purchase case has been promoted for a long time, but has not received an official notification from the US government. If the arms sales to Taiwan are confirmed in the near future, then compared to the first batch of arms sales to Taiwan proposed by former U.S. President Trump half a year after taking office (June 2017), Biden’s footsteps are obviously a bit faster. The signal sparked outside discussion. Some experts said that this also indicates that the Biden administration is likely to play the “Taiwan card” more and more, and it is also responding to the demands of anti-China elements and military enterprises in the United States. According to CCTV military reports on the 21st, citing Taiwan media, senior officials of Taiwan’s defense department confirmed in Taiwan’s legislature on the 19th that Taiwan is seeking US approval to sell AGM-158 missiles. This is the first time that the Taiwan military has recently publicly confirmed that it is seeking to purchase air-launched long-range precision strike weapons from the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has repeatedly reiterated that the US arms sales to the Taiwan region seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermined China’s sovereignty and security interests, and sent wrong statements to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. The signal seriously damages Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes this. The M109A6 self-propelled howitzer equipped by the US military. What are the considerations behind Biden’s first arms sales to Taiwan? Taiwan’s “United Daily News” reported on the 19th that the Taipei Office of the “American Institute in Taiwan” notified Taiwan in March, and the US Department of Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) will shortly notify Taiwan on Taiwan’s procurement of the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer. Announcement of Congress procedures; and this year, Taiwan will negotiate agreements with the United States through multiple channels such as the “American Institute in Taiwan” Taipei Office and the Taipei Military Mission in the United States to discuss the content of the offer to jointly promote the case. It is understood that Taiwan plans to purchase 40 M109A6s. “This is also the first batch of arms sold by the Biden administration to Taiwan.” Taiwan’s land force plans to install them in batches from 2023 to 2025. Taiwan’s military decided to purchase M109A6 in 2019. Starting from 2020, it has set a budget of approximately NT$17.3 billion, because the main artillery equipment of Taiwan’s land-based artillery units has exceeded the age limit. According to relevant information released by the Taiwan region, Taiwan’s land armed forces are currently equipped with about 300 self-propelled howitzers. The models include M109A2, M109A5 and M110A2. The M109 series have a caliber of 155 mm and the M110 series are 203 mm self-propelled howitzers. “These are old-fashioned self-propelled artillery. The two M109s equipped in Taiwan use a 39-caliber 155mm artillery with a maximum range of only 30 kilometers and a low degree of automation.” Military expert Han Dong said, “At present, the world Advanced self-propelled howitzers have long been equipped with 52-caliber 155mm self-propelled howitzers, with a range generally exceeding 50 kilometers. They have autoloaders and new guided artillery shells, and have a high degree of automation. Taiwan’s self-propelled howitzers are already very backward.”

“Most of these self-propelled howitzers provided by the United States have been in service for more than 40 years, and some are still second-hand. The latest M109A5 also arrived in 1998, and the oldest M110A2 self-propelled howitzer has even been in service for more than 60 years and is an’antique’ equipment. “Han Dong said.

Taiwan’s “Defense Shutter” magazine once stated that Taiwan’s artillery has been ignored for a long time, and its main equipment is old. Even the relatively new M109 self-propelled artillery has been in service for more than 30 years. There are problems such as inconvenient maintenance, reduced integrity, and outdated performance. .

The M109A6 is an active self-propelled howitzer in the U.S. Army. Compared with the M109A5 artillery, the biggest difference is that the current mainstream 52-caliber 155mm artillery is used. The range has been increased. If the extended-range projectile is used, the range can reach 30 kilometers. The “Sword” precision-guided projectile has a range of up to 40 kilometers. In addition, the gun adopts a semi-automatic loading mechanism and a fire control system, and the degree of automation, rate of fire and firing accuracy have been further improved.

If the Biden administration conducts its first arms sales to Taiwan in the near future, the time will be earlier than that of former President Trump’s first arms sales to Taiwan. Jiang Chunliang, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences, believes that the arms sold to Taiwan this time are self-propelled artillery. Compared with some offensive weapons, the military stimulus is relatively small. It is an arms sale with more political significance than military significance, because the time has advanced. It shows that the Biden administration is likely to play the “Taiwan card” more and more. It can be said that the weapons are average and the provocations are not small.

“Biden’s first arms sales to Taiwan ahead of schedule are in response to the demands of domestic anti-China elements and military industrial enterprises, and it is also the implementation of the “National Security Strategy Interim Guidelines” released last month.” Jiang Chunliang told The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) ), “This is (intent) to tell the anti-China forces in the United States that the Biden administration will continue to play the’Taiwan card’ and pay more attention to the strategy of’using Taiwan to control China’ so that it can gain more chips.”

On April 7, the US guided missile destroyer “McCain” crossed the Taiwan Strait. Less than three months after Biden came to power, US warships have crossed the Taiwan Strait four times. The frequency and number of times are relatively rare.

Military expert Han Dong told The Paper that the 40 M109A6 self-propelled howitzers have limited firepower to Taiwan’s military, and the weapons that Taiwan military needs most to enhance air and sea dominance, such as long-range air-to-surface missiles, fifth-generation stealth fighters, stealth drones, Submarine and “Aegis” battleship. Without air supremacy, these land warfare weapons will all become the targets of fighters.

Regarding the US arms sales to Taiwan, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly reiterated that US arms sales to Taiwan seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, especially the provisions of the August 17 Communiqué, which grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs. Serious damage to China’s sovereignty and security interests, sending wrong signals to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and serious damage to Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes this. China urges the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, stop arms sales to Taiwan and US-Taiwan military ties, and immediately cancel the arms sales plan to Taiwan, so as not to cause damage to Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Further damage.

AGM-158 missile

Taiwan seeks more offensive weapons

In addition to purchasing new self-propelled howitzers from the United States, Taiwan is also actively seeking long-range air-launched cruise missiles from the United States. The senior officials of Taiwan’s defense department confirmed that Taiwan is seeking US approval to sell the AGM-158 missile. All announced Taiwan-US military purchases are progressing normally.

This is the first time that the Taiwan military has recently publicly confirmed that it is seeking to purchase air-launched long-range precision strike weapons from the United States.

According to the “Voice of America” ​​report, AGM-158 is considered to be one of the most advanced air-launched cruise missiles in the world, with a range of 370 kilometers, developed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. This missile is designed to destroy high-value, well-defense, fixed and mobile targets, and the carrier can launch attacks outside the opponent’s ground air defense system. AGM-158 also has a stealth capability and can fight around the clock, day and night. The models that can carry this missile include Taiwan’s existing F-16 fighters.

“This missile is one of the main weapons used by the U.S. military to strike high-value targets of its opponents. It will not be easily sold to the outside world. It is currently approved for sale to a few countries including Japan.” Military expert Han Dong pointed out, “The AGM-158 missile is the most worthwhile. The two places of concern are the long range, the extended range can even reach thousands of kilometers, and the stealth design, which has strong penetration capabilities, and the threat is still relatively large.”

“It is worth mentioning that the U.S. military has also developed the AGM-158C missile capable of dealing with large ships such as aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. This missile is an improved version of the U.S. extended-range missile AGM-158B with a range of more than 500 kilometers. The area obtains this kind of missile, the anti-ship capability will be greatly improved.” Han Dong said.

During the Trump era, a major trend in US arms sales to Taiwan was to provide more and more offensive weapons. In October last year, the US State Department approved the sale of weapons and equipment worth more than 1.8 billion US dollars to Taiwan, including the “Hamas” high-mobility rocket launcher system, the “Slam”-ER extended-range air-to-surface missile and the MS-110 reconnaissance pod. Wait.

The most concerned of these weapons for sale are the “Hamas” rocket launcher and the “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missile. The “Hamas” rocket launcher will be equipped with ATACMS ballistic missiles (Army Tactical Missile System). This is the first time that the United States sold the “Lance” ballistic missile to the Taiwan region in the 1970s and provided this weapon again after more than 40 years.

The “New York Times” of the United States pointed out in an earlier article that the most sensitive batch of arms sales to Taiwan is the “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missile, which is improved from the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Mounted on Taiwan’s F-16 fighter, it can strike land and sea targets 300 kilometers away, even after launching, the target can still be changed. Its precision strike capability was once rated as the smallest error among US naval weapons.

Before the AGM-158 “Jasm” air-to-surface cruise missile was equipped with the U.S. Navy on a large scale, the “Slam”-ER was the main weapon of the U.S. Navy’s off-zone strike, with the advantages of long range and high accuracy. A few countries such as South Korea and Turkey have purchased the missile, and they all regard the missile as a “strategic-level” strike weapon.

Background information: 11 arms sales to Taiwan during Trump’s tenure

December 2020 : Field Information and Communication System (US$280 million)

November 2020 : 4 MQ-9 drones (US$600 million)

October 2020 : 100 “Harpoon” shore-to-ship missile systems (US$2.37 billion)

October 2020 : 135 “Slam”-ER air-to-surface missiles, 6 new F-16 reconnaissance pods (MS110) and 11 “Hamas” multiple rocket systems ($1.8113 billion)

July 2020 : “Patriot”-3 missile-related parts and logistics services (US$620 million)

May 2020 : MK 48 Mod6 AT heavy torpedo and its testing equipment and technical logistics services (US$180 million)

August 2019 : 66 F-16V fighters and airborne weapons (US$8 billion)

July 2019 : 108 M1A2T main battle tanks, 14 M88A2 armored rescue vehicles, 250 Stinger portable air defense missiles, etc. (US$2.224 billion)

April 2019 : The F-16 fighter pilot training program for Taiwan’s air power at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona (US$500 million)

September 2018 ：F-16 fighter jets, IDF fighter jets and other four types of aircraft five-year supply of parts and components and related logistics support systems (330 million US dollars)

June 2017 : 50 “Hamm” anti-radiation missiles, follow-up maintenance of SRP radar, personnel training, etc. (1.42 billion US dollars)

(This article is from The Paper. For more original information, please download the “The Paper” APP)

Shedding her cheating husband in ‘Kieu’, ‘Hoạn Thu’ Cao Thái Hà plunges into young love arms Movie content Sugar Mommy & Sugar Boy revolves around the process of Thuy Linh (Cao Thai Ha) overcoming the threshold of the first marriage after days of immersed in hurt and tears with her husband Dinh Trung (Quang Minh). If part 1 opens the more or less shocking secret behind the cover of “father and daughter”, in part 2, the value of love at the age difference will appear beautiful, romantic through the love story of Thuy Linh (Cao Thai Ha) and a mysterious young man after she divorced her ex-husband. In part 2, the role of “pilot” of Cao Thai Ha was chosen by the director to send gold to actor Ly Binh. The actor was once known as a familiar actor, director, and MC on the small screen. Recently, Ly Binh’s name has been noticed when publishing a relationship with singer and actress Phuong Trinh Jolie. In part 1, she had a miserable fate when she hit Dinh Trung – a betraying husband. While on the big screen, the actress is also actively promoting the role of Hoạn Thu – a woman who was also cheated on by her husband to follow another girl in the film. Kieu . After two times of falling in love, will the “pilot” Ly Binh finally become Cao Thai Ha’s stop in the new movie? In the 4.0 era, will women still endure to embrace a love after divorce or will they immediately forget and accept new love? Age is not important in a relationship Sugar Daddy & Sugar Baby but in the world Sugar Mommy & Sugar Boy Does it cause a barrier? And can women’s hearts fall in love from the beginning or are just filled with hatred? When she finds a new taste of love with a young man who is both sweet and pampering, will Thuy Linh’s wife be corrupted like Dinh Trung’s husband when planning revenge on her husband? … All answers will be revealed in the world Sugar Mommy & Sugar Boy broadcast in the future.

The federal government approved fewer arms exports in the first three months of this year than in the same period last year. According to a response from the Federal Ministry of Economics to a request from left-wing politician Sevim Dagdelen, deliveries worth 978 million euros were approved in the first three months of this year, 16 percent less than in the first quarter of 2020. Deliveries to so-called third countries that do not belong to the EU or NATO or are equivalent to these countries, such as Australia, fell even more sharply. Their value fell by 43 percent from 615 to 353 million euros. The Gulf emirate of Qatar, which has been heavily criticized for human rights violations, continues to be well ahead among the recipients of war weapons such as tanks, guns or fighter planes. With permits worth 31.4 million euros, it was even the most important export country for German armaments in the first quarter, ahead of Brazil (16.1 million euros) and Belgium (10.7 million euros). In terms of other armaments, the USA (268 million) are ahead of Great Britain (78.1 million euros) and Ecuador (71.6 million euros).

Sharp decline as early as 2020

If the trend of declining permits continues until the end of the year, it would build on the figures from last year. The Federal Government does not provide any information about ongoing approval procedures, including possible decisions. According to the preliminary figures presented by the German government in January, licenses for the export of armaments worth 5.82 billion euros were granted last year. In the previous year 2019 the value was still 8.02 billion euros. Almost half of this was accounted for by deliveries to EU / NATO and NATO-equivalent countries that have a particularly close security partnership with Germany, such as Israel. Last year, NATO member Hungary was by far the largest buyer of German armaments worth 838 million euros.

Ships for Egypt

For third countries, export licenses worth 2.9 billion euros were issued last year. This value is also declining, as it was still 3.5 billion euros in 2019. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, more than half of the exports concerned “major orders for the maritime sector”. Almost all of these are underwater and surface ships for Egypt worth 760 million euros. This made Egypt the second largest buyer of German armaments last year, ahead of Israel and the United States. The federal government does not usually submit quarterly reports on the licensing of military equipment. Instead, an annual arms export report is presented to the Bundestag before the summer break, followed by a semi-annual report in autumn. German companies that want to export armaments always need a permit for their export.

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