Saturday, November 24, 2012
More Equipment Mobilized Against Mapuches
Secretary of Interior Andres Chadwick said police will get more equipment to fight extremist Mapuches, as the new minister strikes a get-tough tone on the conflict with the indigenous group. Chadwick did not specify the new equipment, although he hinted at electronic gear. Chadwick also announced Nov. 23 he would travel to the areas most affected by Mapuche violence to push the government's two-pronged strategy: Extremists will be met with the full force of the law, but officials will work with peaceful Mapuche groups on a redress of their grievances. The conflict flares up from time to time, with sporadic attacks that sometimes involve firearms. For example, earlier this month a bus with elderly men was ambushed and shot at in the early morning hours. Logging companies and ranchers are often targets; they are seen as the beneficiaries of lands taken from the Mapuches. Chadwick, who was elevated to the post after his predecessor was named
the new Minister of Defense, is the cabinet member responsible for
Chile's national police and internal security. For more background, a Chilean television show recently aired a documentary on the conflict.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Goodbye, C 212
The Army is phasing out its remaining CASA C 212-100 light transport planes, a model that became stigmatized after a fatal Air Force crash last year. The three planes have logged an average of 6,000 flight hours and have been in the Army since 1978, Gen. Ivan Gonzalez, the head of the Army Aviation Brigade, told La Tercera. Maintenance costs have soared, and plans are to put the planes up for sale and to seek a replacement. A fourth plane was lost in a 1995 crash. Gonzalez said the Army also is trying to replace a pair of Cessna T-41 single-engine planes used for pilot instruction. The C 212 became the symbol of one of the worst air disasters in Chilean history, in September 2011. The plane, operated by the Air Force, was lost at sea as it tried to land on the Juan Fernandez island. Twenty-one persons, including the FACH crew and a team of civilians, were killed. The crashed was blamed mainly on erratic winds and the plane's low altitude, but the C 212's maintenance also came under scrutiny during the investigation. The tragedy clouded the future of the C 212 in Chile, and more could be headed for retirement. The Navy operates a few C 212s as well.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Asmar Shipyard Cashes in on Ecuador Submarines
Asmar has completed the refit of Ecuador's SS Shyri, a Type 209-1300 submarine that began its upgrade in 2008. The sub is undergoing sea trials while a second Type 209 sub, the Huancavilca, will continue its refit until the expected delivery date of February 2014. Ecuador is spending $125 million on the upgrade of both submarines. That's a healthy bit of business for Asmar, which has picked itself back up after being devastated in the February 2010 earthquake and tsunami. Chile's Navy has a pair of Type 209 subs that have undergone their own refit, and that gave Asmar valuable experience in the German-built subs. In June, Asmar finished work on a three-year refit of the SS Simpson, which followed a refit of its twin, the SS Thompson. That project included adding the SUBTICS integrated combat system (used in Chile's two Scorpene-class submarines) and digital displays.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Defense Ministry Gets a New Leader
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