Friday, September 2, 2016

Falcon Bank provided USD 50 million to finance Wolf Of Wall Street-Did the Government of Malaysia provide guarantees,over and above funds stolen from 1MDB

by Ganesh Sahathevan

This advertisement used to appear of the website of the US law firm  Manatt, Phelps & Phillips,LLP (Manatt).


Lindsay Conner



Partner

Entertainment and Media





Sophia K. Yen























Manatt represented Zurich-based Falcon Private Bank in negotiating and documenting a $50 million production loan for The Wolf of Wall Street. Produced by Red Granite Pictures, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it was the most expensive independent film in 2012.
ClientFalcon Private Bank
Service TypeCross Border, Entertainment Finance
IndustryEntertainment & Media, Motion Picture / TV / Radio,
Financial & Insurance Services, Domestic Depository Institution (Bank)
OfficeLos Angeles

It has since disappeared, but the transaction does raise the question:How did Red Granite secure the loan.Was there a Malaysian Government guarantee or some other form of security, in addition to that which was stolen from 1 MDB. Worth noting that before Red Granite and the Wolf Of Wall Street came to the attention of the general public in Malaysia and elsewhere in late 2013, there was already talk in Kuala Lumpur that the Malaysian Government was funding the movie producing adventures of Prime Minister Najib's step son.
END



See also 

Falcon Bank in breach of US Non-Prosecution Agreement: Swiss AG says quantum of related transactions is USD 4 billion,while Singapore MOF,MAS, remain silent

Pakistan, UAE pilots in joint exercises with Israelis -Australian, other Muslims opposed to the State Of Israel face a dilemma





by Ganesh Sahathevan

The unprecedented joint exercises between the pilots of The Islamic Republic Of Pakistan, The United Arab Emirates ,and The State Of Israel leaves Muslims in Australia opposed to Australia's historical ties with Israel without the previously unconditional ideological support of their better known brethren. The same may be said of Malaysia, where Islamization and Arabization is inspired and guided by the Arabs (and to a lesser degree the Pakistanis) ,and by default includes opposition to Israel.

It was on the 15th of August 2016 that Malaysia let FIFA know that it would rather be excluded from FIFA events than let Israelis enter the country, even if they are FIFA delegates. Ironically, it was at or around the same time that the Jerusalem Post reported that "Israel, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates began joint military exercises on Monday (15 August 2016) as part of the US Air Force’s elite Red Flag drill at Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert.


Let there be Hope.





                          Hatikva national anthem played on restored jewish Holocaust violins
END


Reference

Israel Praises Joint Drill With Pakistanis, Emiratis in US

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEPT. 1, 2016, 1:52 P.M. E.D.T.

JERUSALEM — The Israeli air force says a joint exercise last month in the United States with fighter pilots from Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates was "professional," even though the countries do not share diplomatic ties with Israel.

Air force pilots from the U.S., Israel, Pakistan, the UAE and Spain participated in the Red Flag combat training exercise in Nevada in August.

Israel's air force says it was the first time Israeli fighter pilots trained with Pakistani and Emirati pilots.

Maj. Gil of the Israeli air force, who gave only his first name according to military protocol, said Thursday that the exercises did not simulate any real world threats.

He says it was an "odd group," but that Pakistani and Emirati pilots worked with Israeli pilots "in an utmost professional way."




Tuesday, August 30, 2016

General Tan Sri Aziz Zainal Jailing Will Cost Voters -Consequences of Malaysia's unprecedented jailing of a former Chief of Army and Chief Of Armed Forces

by Ganesh Sahathevan



                   Jen (ret) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Haji Zainal
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency announced on Monday that it had charged and remanded (ie held in prison) a former Chief Of Army and Chief Of Armed Forces, General Tan Sri Aziz  Zainal.
Malay political and cultural reality dictates that regardless of the merits of the charges against him, General Aziz will be seen by his men  to have been humiliated by a Government that has been slow to move on far larger cases of corruption like 1 MDB.


His troops will draw parallels between the treatment of their chief  (it matters not that he has retired) and Jho Low of 1 MDB infamy.Questions will also be asked about Riza Aziz , PM Najib's step-son who is said to have directly benefited from Jho Low's theft.


Story image for jho low from Malaysia Chronicle

Malaysia Chronicle

Malaysian soldiers and their leaders are not likely to overthrow their government in an armed revolt, but the Government does rely on them as voters, both in their constituencies and for their postal votes. Given the treatment of their chief, compliance with orders on how and where to vote can no longer be taken for granted. The Government and UMNO may have lost a substantial bank of voters.

END 

Monday, August 29, 2016

If they have not already done so,Chinese hackers will now know to hack Alastair MacGibbon's email accounts: Turnbull govt shows yet again a special talent for leaking secrets

Comment

Now that agile, innovative and disruptive Malcolm Turnbull's Special Adviser on Cyber Security has advertised his position on the prime time ABC Four Corners programme, Chinese and other  hackers who were unaware of his position are likely to attempt to hack into his computers, email accounts,and anything else in cyber space that is linked to him.
They are likely to do so for he is a vital node  via which a significant amount of information on Australia's cyber security and counter measures will probably flow.
It s for that reason that security advisers usually keep a low profile.Most people would understand that, but not it seems the Australian prime minister who claims to have brought his country into the cyber sphere.

END


Alastair MacGibbon

Alastair MacGibbon

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Hacking the Barracua Block 1A design:-NEWS ALERT-DCNS may have sold Turnbull an outdated but more expensive design ............

by Ganesh Sahathevan
It has been previously reported on this blog that the leaked Indian Scorpene designs 
probably provided the specifications , if not a pathway, for incorporating the "top secret",
 innovative and disruptive pump jet propulsion system that DCNS has sold Australia,
 at a cost of AUD 50 billion ,and counting.

In selling the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A submarine , DCNS said:

The Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A, designed specifically for the Royal Australian Navy,
is the world’s most advanced conventionally powered submarine. Cutting-edge technology,
direct from France’s nuclear submarine program, pushes the submarine’s stealth capabilities
into a new realm. Pump jet propulsion replaces obsolete propeller technology.
Hydroplanes can retract to reduce drag and noise.


However, the above advertisement for Malcolm Turnbull's very expensive new
toy is at odds with a number of other official documents , published by DCNS, and
the Indian Government.

India's Minister For Defence Manohar Parrikar, has told his parliament that India will
build more Scorpenes,in addition to the six that are being built in India in a joint venture
with DCNS.Readers of this blog will recall that India's contract with DCNS includes a
contemporary technology clause.

India's Tribune newspaper in reporting Parrikar's statement in Parliament noted:
The first of India's six Scorpene diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs),
the INS Kalvari, was set afloat for sea trials in December 2015.
The vessel is scheduled to be commissioned in September 2016.The 66-metre-long
INS Kalvari is part of a $3.6 billion contract signed with DCNS.
October 2005. While the first four subs are conventional submarines, the last two are
to be equipped with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, which will enable
the vessel to stay underwater for longer.


The AIP system is part of DCNS's latest initiative, the SMX®-Océan conventionally 
powered attack submarine. Like Australia's state of the art Barracuda Block 1A design,
"the new vessel draws extensively on the design of a state-of-the-art nuclear- powered
submarine."


Regardless of one's opinion with regards the pros and cons of the AIP system, the issue
here is whether:
a) The Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A is in fact "state of the art"
b) The leaked Indian Scorpene designs are, as Malcolm Turnbull has claimed, outdated
and of norelevance to the Barracuda Block 1A.


Clearly, one cannot have two 'states of the art" diesel electric designs emanating from the 
same company, in this case DCNS.
Put in another way, DCNS will not sell any SMX-Oceans if they are not better than the
Barracuda Block 1A, unless of course an argument can be made that the Block 1A is a more
expensive design, with features that cannot be found elsewhere. That argument is not likely to
work in the literally cut throat world of defence contracting , and DCNS is more than likely
to have to provide all of its latest designs to all of its customers.

Meanwhile, the Indians appear to have done a lot of work on developing the API system, enough to
be able to reject DCNS's offer of the "latest" that they have in the area:

Amit Cowshish, former financial adviser to the Ministry of Defense says, "They (DCNS)
are offering  something which is already available in India." 
The Defense Research Development Organization is already developing AIPs in collaboration with 
DCNS for Scorpene class submarines.

Given the work the Indians have already done, one can be almost certain that their plans include
the "top secret"  pump jet propulsion system,and that they can choose to incorporate it into 
their Scorpenes, if they so wish.
Meanwhile,readers might be interested in looking at the material below. It does look as if the 
 SMX-Ocean looks like something that can beat the Barracua Block 1A. It even looks 
like it can incorporate the top secret Australian only pump jet propulsion system.

END 










April 06, 2015


Air Independent propulsion diesels are
game changers for low cost replacement
of nuclear submarines

DCNS unveiled the SMX®-Océan conventionally powered attack submarine. The new vessel draws extensively 
on the design of a state-of-the-art nuclear- powered submarine, with a number of key innovations that give this diesel-electric adaptation truly outstanding performance. DCNS is a French industrial group specialised in naval defence and energy. The Group employs more than 13,000 people in 10 countries.

This innovative concept ship promises submerged endurance and deployment capabilities that are unprecedented for a conventional-propulsion submarine. With up to three months’ endurance, an SMX®-Océan could cross the Atlantic six times without surfacing. Its transit speed is up to 14 knots.

To achieve this level of performance, DCNS teams have developed and combined a number of innovations including a high-performance air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using second- generation fuel cells for submerged endurance of up to three weeks.

The SMX®-Océan features the same combat system, provisions for special forces’ missions, masts and general layout as the Barracuda SSN.

The SMX Ocean and other air independent propulsion diesel submarines can replace nuclear submarines at lower cost for the subs and without costly infrastructure.



The first Barracuda Class submarine is still expected to enter service in 2017, with the other 4 following every two years (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) and then the 6th and last boat due to be commissioned in 2026-2027.

A deployable 'virtual mast' system is built into the SMX-Ocean design. Basically, this is a buoy system fitted withelectro-optical, signals intelligence, and even radar sensors, as well as data-link communications, that can be deployed while the sub is at great depth. Such a system can be used as a traditional periscope would, to visually survey the boat's surface surroundings and target craft if need be, or it could be used for communications, building an aerial and surface radar picture, or to relay information collected by a sub-launched UAV.

The "virtual mast" technology largely alleviates the most vulnerable situation for an attack sub. Traditional subs have to regularly breaking the surface of the water to prosecute an attack, communicate, or to simply see what is going on around it. The traditional periscope itself creates a radar return that many sub hunting radar systems are incredibly capable at detecting, and it is often a sub hunter's best clue as to a boat's location. In addition, all these technologies, including UUVs, UAVs and virtual masts are all expendable, as they can be abandoned on command or destroyed by the enemy without a major loss of the submarine they are supporting. It is a much better deal losing a $2M UUV instead of a $1B+ submarine, not even counting the cost in human life.

4D firepower: effective against underwater, surface, land and air threats

With a total of 34 weapons including torpedoes, mines, anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles and anti-air missiles, the SMX®-Océan’s firepower will be unprecedented for an SSK. The SMX®-Océan concept ship design also includes vertical launchers, another major innovation in SSK design, to provide a salvo capability for cruise missile strikes on land targets.

A reconfigurable multi-role submarine

The SMX®-Ocean offers more multi-role capabilities than any other submarine of its type. It can operate alone or as part of a carrier group or other naval deployment, and will be the only conventionally powered submarine with the ability to deploy special forces, combat swimmers, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and even unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).






SOURCES - DNCS, wikipedia, Defense Industry Daily, Jalopnik, youtub

Friday, August 26, 2016

Hacking the Barracua Block 1A design: Leaked Scorpene plans may provide specs for the 1A's TOP SECRET pump jet propulsion

by Ganesh Sahathevan

In selling the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A  submarine , DCNS said:

The Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A, designed specifically for the Royal Australian Navy, is the world’s most advanced conventionally powered submarine. Cutting-edge technology, direct from France’s nuclear submarine program, pushes the submarine’s stealth capabilities into a new realm. Pump jet propulsion replaces obsolete propeller technology. Hydroplanes can retract to reduce drag and noise.

As one would expect, unless one shares the naivety of the Australian ruling class,and defence and public service elite, the pump jet propulsion technology for submarines  is not that new,and has in fact been around for quite sometime.While more often found on nuclear submarines, the Russian Navy's  B-871 Alrosa Kilo Class diesel electric submarine is believed to have a pump jet propulsion system. The image below is believed to be that of Alrosa in dry dock, with  its shrouded pump jet propulsion system exposed.




Image result for pump jet Alrosa submarine






The Indian NAvy has a number of Kilo class submarines ,most of which have been built if not upgraded in India.In January this year India's largest engineering company Larsen & Toubro announced that it will be partnering with Russian companies to re-fit India's Kilo Class submarine fleet.

The Indian Navy's Scorpene contract with DCNS , which involves  the construction of six Scorpenes in India using Indian expertise, skills and matreial , needs to be seen in the context of  India's naval and engineering establishment's  ever growing knowledge of the Russian Kilo class submarines. In addition, the Indian Scorpene contract includes a contemporary technology provision, which requires DCNS to ensure that the technology provided is the latest available at time of  construction, not time of contract signing. Furthermore  the Indian Scorpene contract also provides that any new technology developed in the process of designing and building the Scorpenes remains the property of the Government Of India.

 Taken together, India's  Russian and DCNS contracts are  more likely than not to have led to some consideration as to whether pump jet propulsion , common to the Russian Kilo class diesel electrics and the proposed DCNS Barracuda A1,as well as Russian and DCNS nuclear variants, is suitable for the Indian Scorpenes. If the technology is as good as Malcolm Turnbull says it is, the Indians are likely to have made provision for it in their own now leaked plans. Even if the plans do not specifically mention pump jet propulsion it may well be the case that the Indian Scorpenes are designed to accomodate a pump jet propulsion system.
For that reason alone the technology cannot be considered "state of the art" or  "Top Secret". The leaked plans are, really, the final nail in the coffin of that albeit very expensive lie.
END 



References


L&T partners with Russia for upgrading Kilo class submarines
BI INDIA BUREAU2JAN 8, 2016, 11.50 AM


Off lately, the complex field of underwater warfare has seen a leading player in the form of Larsen and Toubro. The engineering giant is now ready to get a major share in a Rs 5,000-crore deal with Russia; the deal would be done to upgrade and refit Kilo class submarines, originally belonging to Russia.

L&T, which is already a leading partner for the nuclear submarine project of the Indian Navy, has now been chosen as the Indian partner for the Kilo class refit. The program is meant to increase the life of these submarines by 10 years each, which would be done using some complex engineering.

As per ET sources, the Indian government received a letter from Russia, stating that the earlier partnership plan that it had with the Pipavav (promoted by Anil Ambani) now stands cancelled. The reason behind this cancellation was the delay that would have happened at the end of the shipyard in meeting timelines set by the Navy for the upgrade plan.

L&T is expected to upgrade at least three submarines in India after this deal, making the yard a leading contender to receive similar orders from other neighbouring nations that operate Kilo class submarines.

"A survey of the equipment profile and finances was conducted at the Cochin Shipyard, Pipavav and the L&T yard at Kattupalli. Only the L&T facility was found technically capable of carrying out the work in the given timeframe," an official involved in the process told ET.

The first of the four Kilo class subs will be going to the Russian Zvezdochka shipyard where they would be inspected and refitted, while the remaining three would be handled at the Kattupalli yard.

These refits will be extending the life of the subs while also upgrading their combat potential.






* Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) is producing six SSK Scorpene submarines (P75) under transfer of technology (ToT) from DCNS. Simultaneously, DCNS India, DCNS Group’s subsidiary based in Mumbai, is working at the selection and qualification of Indian companies as partners for local production of the Scorpenes’ equipments. The first Scorpene submarine is to be launched at the end of 2013 and commissioned in 2015. The last Scorpene is expected to be commissioned in 2018.

** DCNS India Private Limited was inaugurated in March 2009 in Mumbai. It is specializing in naval services. DCNS India’s main missions are to support the naval shipyards and industries (Naval Technical Advice Department), to develop local services with Indian talents (Design & Marine Engineering Department), to achieve localized production with large base industrial partners (Program Department) and to extend sourcing opportunities for both local and international needs (Sourcing & Purchasing Department).

Hacking the Barracua Block 1A design: An exercise in crowdsourcing designs for Australia's "best in the world" Barracuda 1A submarine



by Ganesh Sahathevan


It has been previously reported on this blog:
Indian Scorpene designs leaked,Australia's Barracuda compromised for good-DCNS has said so

While it is expected that the leaked Indian Scorpene plans are already being used at defence research centres to model DCNS variants , including Australia's "best in the world" , "state of the art" Barracuda Block A1, this writer is interested to determine if and how the open source community might use what we already know about DCNS submarines from open source documents, including now those for the leaked Indian Scorpene , to crowdsource the same.
Given that the Australian Barracuda Block A1 is supposed to become the most advanced conventional submarine in the world (Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull said so) , we might as well start by looking at how the leaked Scorpene plans might be used to design something like the 1A.


We already know from DCNS:

A common misunderstanding about the conventionally powered Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A is that is somehow “converted” from the nuclear powered French Barracuda. This characterisation is inaccurate. In fact the conventional ship uses the nuclear ship as its design reference.

The data that enabled the selection of the Barracuda as the Australian design reference included such things hull diameter, length and steel, existing hydrodynamic studies of manoeuvrability, drag and acoustic performances and the suitability of main systems including, ship control, electrical, hydraulic, sonar, sensors, habitability, weapons storage, cooling, and ancillary platform systems. In each of these major systems the existing system design of the French Barracuda is used for the Shortfin Barracuda and from these known references an interpolation is performed for the new system design.

Where the nuclear design’s systems are not transferable the next most applicable systems are chosen. The main area where Barracuda design references were not used was in the area of the electrical system (batteries and voltage), power generation (induction and diesel generators) and propulsion (main electric motor). In these systems the design reference comes from the Scorpene class of diesel electric submarines, or from an existing submarine technology within DCNS. Existing technologies are re-used in all systems in the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A. System by system, the whole ship performance is validated and the design loop closed.


The selection of the nuclear Barracuda as the design reference for the Shortfin also enabled DCNS to meet requirements in addition to range and endurance. The Australian requirements for warm water operations and very low acoustic signatures are good examples. As the nuclear Barracuda is designed to operate globally, shares the same hull form as the Shortfin Barracuda and is also compliant with nuclear safety standards, it is very suitable for the Australian requirement. This avoids many years of design studies for validation of equipment such as pumps and hoses, and allows the designer to take margins for higher performances elsewhere in the ship.

The key word seems to be "interpolation". Given the above, let us start interpolating!

END

References
View the leaked documents below. If you are using a mobile device, you can view the extracts on the desktop version of theaustralian.com.au

Designing the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A
8 Apr 2016| and 
SHARE
Editor’s note: The Strategist has invited all three SEA 1000 contenders to explain their approach to meeting Australia’s future submarine requirement.
A common misunderstanding about the conventionally powered Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A is that is somehow “converted” from the nuclear powered French Barracuda. This characterisation is inaccurate. In fact the conventional ship uses the nuclear ship as its design reference.
As a new design for Australia’s specific requirement, the first design activity DCNS conducted was to size the ship. Based on what Australia needs the submarine to do, a calculation is performed to determine the necessary volume and weight required – how much submarine do we need? The answer to this question is found using specific programs within DCNS, and displacement is determined.
From this volume the naval architect then asks the next question – does an existing design approach the estimated displacement? If the answer is ‘yes’, this existing design becomes the reference for the new ship. If the answer is ‘no’, then a completely new design is required. In this situation one design loop will be insufficient and the design agency faces many years of risk reduction activity.
This threshold question is very important to understand and it is possible for different design agencies to answer this question differently, depending on the magnitude of the design loop in question. Design agencies will call on all their background tools, technologies, experience and know-how before answering one way or another. However, in the case of DCNS a clear and positive decision was made that the French Navy’s Barracuda would provide a very suitable design reference for the Shortfin Barracuda.
The data that enabled the selection of the Barracuda as the Australian design reference included such things hull diameter, length and steel, existing hydrodynamic studies of manoeuvrability, drag  and acoustic performances and the suitability of main systems including, ship control, electrical, hydraulic, sonar, sensors, habitability, weapons storage, cooling, and ancillary platform systems. In each of these major systems the existing system design of the French Barracuda is used for the Shortfin Barracuda and from these known references an interpolation is performed for the new system design.
DCNS has high confidence in the performance of the design as the Shortfin Barracuda is within the envelope of the nuclear design. Where the nuclear design’s systems are not transferable the next most applicable systems are chosen. The main area where Barracuda design references were not used was in the area of the electrical system (batteries and voltage), power generation (induction and diesel generators) and propulsion (main electric motor). In these systems the design reference comes from the Scorpene class of diesel electric submarines, or from an existing submarine technology within DCNS. Existing technologies are re-used in all systems in the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A. System by system, the whole ship performance is validated and the design loop closed.
The selection of the nuclear Barracuda as the design reference for the Shortfin also enabled DCNS to meet requirements in addition to range and endurance. The Australian requirements for warm water operations and very low acoustic signatures are good examples. As the nuclear Barracuda is designed to operate globally, shares the same hull form as the Shortfin Barracuda and is also compliant with nuclear safety standards, it is very suitable for the Australian requirement. This avoids many years of design studies for validation of equipment such as pumps and hoses, and allows the designer to take margins for higher performances elsewhere in the ship.
Acoustic performance is driven by three related factors of onboard equipment: silencing, reduction in the noise of the propeller and the overall hydrodynamic performance of the hull while manoeuvring. For the Australian requirement the nuclear Barracuda is again the closest design reference and all the relevant ship systems are reused. The challenge for any attack submarine is to maintain a nearly silent acoustic signature at a speed necessary to manoeuvre within weapons range of the target. The nuclear Barracuda is designed to reduce radiated noise when operating at a speed sufficient in order to close a threat submarine undetected. Of particular importance is the pump-jet propulsor, which combines a rotor and stator within a duct to significantly reduce the level of radiated noise through the effects of wake harmonisation and avoidance of cavitation.
One other myth worth debunking is that designers of nuclear submarines do not have to manage the power consumption of on board equipment as electricity from the reactor is “unlimited”. In large attack submarines, such as the French and proposed Australian Barracuda, the power consumption of the hotel load (the electricity needed to power the combat system and maintain the life support of the crew) is more than that of the propulsion system at the most frequently used speeds. In the case of nuclear submarines, the very high cost and significant weight of the reactor, as well as the safety requirement to operate on batteries without the reactor online, drives the architect to minimise the consumption of the hotel load to the lowest realisable level. In the case of a conventional submarine the preservation of energy in the main storage battery drives the same system design.
In summary, the description of the design process and choices made in the development of the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A show that one submarine is not converted to another. Rather, a design reference is selected and an iteration of a new design is developed to meet the requirement with interpolation of known data and the re-use of proven technologies.