Russian media reports: Russian amphibious assault ships to dock in a Moscow-leased Syrian port; Polish Army plans to acquire up to 1,000 new tanks
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  • According to reports by Russian news agencies on August 3, 2012, three Russian amphibious assault ships carrying hundreds of armed navy personnel will briefly dock in a Moscow-leased Syrian port in the coming days. The warships are conducting planned exercises in the Mediterranean Sea and will make a port call in Tartus to pick up fresh food and water supplies. “Our ships will enter Tartus to replenish their material supplies,” a General Staff source was quoted as saying by the ITAR-TASS news agency. “They will spend a few days there and then head toward the northeastern section of the Mediterranean Sea” before heading toward the Russian coast, said the official. Russian news agencies earlier reported, quoting sources that Moscow would be sending warships to Syria, but officials have denied those reports in the past. On August 3, 2012, the defense ministry issued a statement saying there was no plan to send warships to Syria but stressed they had every right to re-stock at the Syrian port of Tartus should they decide to do so. 1

    In another development, according to reports, the Polish Army plans to acquire up to 1,000 new tanks in different variants. It is expected that Poland’s Ministry of Defense will sign a deal to launch production of the Anders, the tank prototype developed by Bumar Group’s OBRUM Gliwice research unit, according to the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita. “The order will be placed with the Polish defense industry, but to boost the design and production phase, it will be vital to cooperate with top foreign defense manufacturers,” said General (retd) Waldemar Skrzypczak, Poland’s deputy defense minister responsible for the armed forces’ modernization. The Polish tank program is part of a plan to overhaul the country’s land forces. 2

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