Month: November 2015

United Arab Emirates employ British Hakim A series precision guided munitions in Yemen

Recent reports from advocacy organisations have drawn public attention to the presence of UK-manufactured munitions employed by UAE forces during an airstrike in Matnah, south-west of Sana’a City, Yemen, on 23 September 2015. ARES has received permission to post a lightly redacted copy of a Conflict Damage Assessment (CDA) examining this incident, originally produced on behalf of a confidential client. The CDA,

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Islamic State employs improvised explosive devices concealed within toys in Iraq

Kenton Fulmer and Alex Larkin ARES urges those at risk from unexploded munitions to consult with trained individuals before entering contaminated areas. Please see the safety notice below. Children’s toys provide an inconspicuous method for the concealment, transportation, and placement of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Their non-threatening appearance can be utilised by bombers as a method of

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North American anti-materiel rifles with Houthi forces in Yemen

Michael Smallwood Multiple videos (shown below) shared by pro-Houthi media channels during October 2015 show Houthi rebel fighters employing Barrett Model 82A1 (M82A1) anti-materiel rifles during fighting in Yemen. The American-made Barrett M82A1 is semi-automatic, chambered for .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm), and designated the M107 in US service. The M82A1 weighs 13.6 kg, has an

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Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAV shot down in Yemen

Larry Friese Regional media outlets are reporting a Saudi unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down in Ta’izz Governorate in southwestern Yemen on or about October 25, 2015. Video of the wreckage shown on YouTube indicates that the UAV in question is a Schiebel Camcopter S-100. The UAV appears to be configured with an Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) sensor on the

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Iranian RU-series thermal weapon sights in Syria

Galen Wright Update 151106: Another Twitter post from yesterday shows a brief video of materiel allegedly captured by fighters aligned with Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. In addition to the Sadad 102 thermal imager mentioned below, other items seen include mortars, what appears to be an Iranian SPG-9-type recoilless gun, an Iranian AM50 anti-materiel rifle, a DShKM-type heavy machine

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