US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said on Monday that stronger military co-operation with ally Saudi Arabia was "something we're discussing". The context was a potential crisis with Iran.
His comments put the US military posture in the Middle East back in the spotlight amid concerns in Washington that the US military is overstretched globally. Since Barack Obama's "Pacific Pivot", Washington has been trying to shift the US military effort to East Asia, and Mr Trump has stressed that he believes Beijing is now the US's main competitor.
Three concerns have been at the forefront of US defence planners’ minds. Firstly, the availability of air defence systems, secondly the availability of “stand-off” strike munitions (such as cruise missiles) and thirdly the availability of ships, particularly the US's massive aircraft carriers, the most potent symbol of American global power projection.
Saudi Arabia has been aware of this pressure on US air defence capability, and ordered 44 Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) launchers in 2017 to boost its existing arsenal of Patriot air defence systems, which are versatile and can be used against drones and cruise and ballistic missiles.
Thaad, meanwhile, has one of the world’s most powerful radars, and has been deployed successfully in Israel following the largest missile and drone attacks in history, launched by Iran in April and October, and is optimised to shoot down ballistic missiles. The first batch of Saudi Arabian air defenders completed training on the system last year and the kingdom will be manufacturing some parts of Thaad domestically, such as missile launch canisters.
Saudi Arabia is also buying South Korea’s formidable KM-SAM Block II system and has one of the world’s largest air forces, so it is well equipped to deal with a major emergency. Their air force also has extensive experience in hunting down Houthi drones. But any military alliance is about minimising risk, and increasingly countries are pooling defence resources.
More bombs, more ships
On the US side, a major concern has been extremely high demand for expensive interceptor missiles for systems like the Patriot and SM-3 missiles for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence System. SM-3s have been used against Houthi ballistic missiles in the Red Sea, as well as against Iranian attacks against Israel. SM-2s have been used against Houthi anti-ship missiles.
Patriot interceptors, meanwhile, have been in high demand globally, with production sent to Ukraine and European allies, amid rising global orders. Experts have long warned that these weapons have low production volumes in the US and that there are bottlenecks, such as a small number of companies that make rocket motors and associated components. At the same time, the high-tech interceptors with miniaturised radar systems and infrared seekers cost millions of dollars and their targets are often considerably cheaper.
According to Wes Rumbaugh, a defence analyst, the US still has stockpiles of hundreds of the most advanced Aegis interceptors, built up over years. Patriot production meanwhile is ramping up to 650 PAC-3 missiles per year. Meanwhile, the US is making strides with cheaper methods of downing drones.
Taken together, it is therefore likely that the US could significantly bolster Saudi Arabia’s air defences, if needed, despite small production numbers of missile interceptors, although the US Department of Defence does not disclose stockpile data.
The second major concern is strike munition stockpiles to counterstrike an adversary in the worst-case scenario. US commanders have on several occasions warned that supply of “stand-off” weapons such as Tomahawk land attack missiles and the stealthy AGM-158 JASSM wouldn't be sufficient for a major war with a “near peer” adversary like China.
These weapons are a critical deterrent because, used en masse, they create a crisis for enemy air defences and have powerful warheads for hitting airfields and command centres. The last time the US launched a massed salvo of cruise missiles was during the invasion of Iraq, when 800 of the weapons were launched. Production has plummeted but many thousands – including for the more advanced JASSM – are likely to be in stockpiles.
Tomahawks can be fired from a large number of US ships, submarines and planes and could be used as part of a massed assault in the event of war. According to US defence analyst Mackenzie Eaglen, 1,234 Tomahawks were produced in the decade to 2024.
The naval armada supporting this barrage is under strain, however, and analysts including Salvatore Mercogliano have highlighted a lack of support vessels, such as oilers for refuelling, a lack of army watercraft – for moving equipment, such as the so-called Gaza pier, and overall maintenance challenges.
Maintenance challenges have kept US aircraft carriers in the dock during the Houthi Red Sea crisis and has led to gaps in carrier deployments. Meanwhile, the US is building a much-delayed series of new Ford Class carriers.
December’s Ships Act for America seeks to remedy these shortfalls, but will be years in the making. Nonetheless, the US last year still managed to “surge” five carriers to the Pacific at once, a feat that would serve as a major deterrent in the Middle East. But on the minds of Pentagon staff will be a more distant threat: the risk of US entanglement in a war with China over Taiwan.
This, experts warn, would eat up US munitions stockpiles in a matter of days, or at best weeks, meaning that whatever the US can commit to the Middle East, Washington will always have one eye on the Pacific.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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THREE
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Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Mane 51', Salah 53'
Chelsea 0
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The%20specs
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The%20specs
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
