LAF to get a HMMWV refurbishment facility

AM General LLC was awarded a contract to perform a site survey for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) refurbishment facility in Lebanon. This means that plans are ongoing to construct such a facility for the LAF (Ref).

Lebanon signs arms import contracts with Russia

The Lebanese Army magazine issue 355 - January 2015, has mentioned that the Chief of Staff signed contacts with Russia to import "advanced" weapons (ref), without giving further details.

LAF receives "dozens" armored Humvees; 29 are expected

The US Embassy in Beirut has announced that the United States "delivered dozens more brand new armored Humvees" to the LAF (ref).

We had reported before that 36 M1151A1 w/B1 are planned for the LAF, as options of a contract with AM General LLC. We can confirm that the mentioned contract was modified in September 2014 to exercise the options for 29 ea M1151A1 w/B1 and spare parts with expected completion by March 02, 2015. As such we would expect these delivered ones are the exercised options.

Credits: US Embassy in Beirut

LAF takes delivery of M109A2 howitzers

A photo emerged on Facebook confirming that the Lebanese Army took delivery of an unspecified number of M109A2 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

This recent addition is a major improvement for the fire power of the LAF which has been looking for this capability for a while; most recently it placed an order for a number of CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer from France through the DONAS agreement. First talks about delivering M109 SP to Lebanon emerged in 2009 as a potential transfer of 34 systems from Jordan along to 66 M60A3 tanks [only 10 delivered]  (Ref).

Photo Credits: Military Vehicles in Lebanon Facebook page
The photo shows a Lebanese Army Transportation Regiment's MAN TGA 33.400 tank transporter

UPDATE

A larger photo by FLAG

Lebanese citizen donates Pulsar NV monocular and Laser Ranger Finders to the LAF

A Lebanese citizen called Roger N. donated a number of optics to the LAF worth around $6,150 according to the Lebanese Official Gazette issue 1, January, 2015.

In details, the items are:

1. 2 ea Pulsar Laser Range Finder
2. 1 ea Pulsar Night-vision Monocular
3. 1 ea  7x50 binocular

From our analysis, the laser range finder is the Pulsar PL77071 because it is the only one offered by Pulsar, as for the NV monocular, Pulsar has a range of devices. In all cases, we love and fell proud to see Lebanese citizens doing such donations.

Pulsar PL77071

LAF will acquire DVF 2000 mini UAV through DONAS agreement

According to SDA Weekly Issue 64, the Lebanese Air Force will acquire around 7 DVF 2000 mini UAVs through the DONAS agreement.

The DVF 2000 is a short-rang mini UAV able to operate up to a distance of 25Km for 1.5-2 hours (ref). The UAV can operate fully autonomous following a flight plan.

The Lebanese Air Force currently operates12 RQ-11 Raven miniature UAVs previously supplied during 2009 by the US; these UAVs are still under an active maintenance & logistics agreement.

DVF 2000 Composition

Third LAF Cessna AC-208B to be delivered during January 2015

A reliable independent researcher about Lebanese Air Force has confirmed that the third Cessna AC-208B Combat Caravan will be delivered during Jan 2015.

Lebanon already operates two Cessna AC-208, one is armed, while the other has recently been upgraded to be armed or will be upgraded very soon.

Lebanon ditches acquiring more Gazelle helicopters through DONAS

According to Riad Kahwaji (Chairman at SD Arabia), Lebanon has ditched the plans to acquire more armed Gazelle helicopters through the DONAS agreement. The Lebanese Air Force has decided to stick to the expected OH-58 Kiowa as the main close air support platform. Instead of acquiring more Gazelle helicopters, the Lebanese Air Force will overhaul and upgrade the existing fleet (ref).

Lebanon signs 30 million Euros contract for 80 Iveco military & police vehicles

According DefenseNews and Janes Lebanon has signed a 30 million euros contract with Iveco to supply the Lebanese Army and other Armed Forced with 80 military and police armored and unarmored vehicles.

As part of the contact the Lebanese Army will acquire:

• 10 6-by-6 VBTP-MR armored vehicles
• 25 Lince vehicles, also known as Light Multipurpose Vehicles vehicles
• 5 MPV vehicles (troop transport version)

Janes however detailed that the part related to the VBTP is yet to be signed (ref). These VBTP will be dispatched to Lebanon without armament.