Cota 1061

The Peruvian Navy (MGP, per its initials in spanish) is interested in acquiring two Landing Ship Tank (LST) Class Newport from the US Navy.

Newport class tank landing ships are an improved class of American tank landing ship (LST), intended to provide substantial advantages over their World War II-era predecessors. Of the twenty completed, four were sunk as targets, four were retained as inactive reserves and the rest were sold to foreign navies.

Twenty ships of the Newport tank landing ship class were built to replace the traditional bow door design LST.

The Newport class has higher speeds and trimmer lines than the LSTs of World War II. The vessels have two huge derricks used to extend and retract a bow ramp. That 110-foot (34 m) ramp has a 75-ton capacity.

The Newport class is the first amphibious ship to be fitted with an internal side propulsion unit located below the waterline near the bow. The bow thruster allows the bow to be pushed from side to side while the stern remains nearly stationary. This class of LST also has a stern gate. It allows them to load and launch amphibious assault vehicles, and permits sterngate marriages with Landing Craft Utility (LCU) units.

According to the United States Congress, MGP has been given the good to go to receive two Newport class amphibiou ships as follows:

(a) Transfers by Grant- The President is authorized to transfer vessels to foreign recipients on a grant basis under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j), as follows:

…

(4) PERU- To the Government of Peru, the NEWPORT class amphibious tank landing ships FRESNO (LST-1182) and RACINE (LST-1191).

LST-1182 USS Fresno, built by Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, commissioned in 1969, decommissioned in 1993, Inactive reserve since 4/08/1993.

LST-1191 USS Racine, built by Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, commissioned in 1971, decommissioned in 1993, Inactive reserve since 10/02/1993.

General characteristics

Type: Tank Landing Ship
Displacement: approx. 4,793 tons light loaded,
8,500 tons fully loaded
Length: 522 ft (159 m)
Beam: 70 ft (21 m)
Draft: 17.4 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion: 6 ALCO diesels (3 per shaft)
16,000 shaft horsepower;
800 hp GE bow thruster.
2 Hydraulically Controlled Variable Pitch Reversible Props and 1 Variable Pitch Bow Thruster
3 ALCO/GE Generators (750 kW, 1201 A each)
Speed: 20+ knots (37+ km/h)
27 knots (50 km/h) confirmed in 1991.
Troops: Marines - approximately 400 including officers and enlisted, when embarked
Complement: Navy - 14 officers, 210 enlisted.

Sources:

1/ US Congress
2/ Militaryphotos.net
3/ Wikipedia
4/ Navybuddies.com

Ayacucho, Jun. 29 (ANDINA).- In an effort to protect the population of vicunas, the local government launched the “Pro Vicuna” program which will provide the highland zones of Ayacucho with more than 80 thousand animals in the next three years.
“This project will start this year with an investment of one million nuevos soles (over $3oo thousand) and it is planned to allocate a total of six million soles (over $2 million) up to 2011,” said Ayacucho’s regional president, Ernesto Molina, regarding the financing of the project.

The initiative is to strengthen the government’s ongoing efforts to prevent poaching of these South American camelids, which resulted in the sharp decline in its population in recent years, he said.

Following an agreement with La Molina National Agrarian University in Lima, local authorities also seek to place Ayacucho as the first region to implement cutting-edge technology to develop rapid reproduction of camels through embryo transfer.

In addition, Ernesto Molina explained that they aim to restock not only the province of Lucanas but especially other highland zones of Ayacucho with similar ecosystems.

(END) PZA/JOT

Travel and Tourism | 27 June, 2008 [ 16:00 ]

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

After pisco companies brought home nine international medals from Europe, it was confirmed that Peru’s most famous and promoted brandy had been awarded internationally once again.

Pisco, the Andean country’s fine liquor distilled from grapes, won three gold and six silver medals at this year’s Vinalies Internationales 2008, an international spirits and wine tasting competition held in Paris.

Peruvian pisco companies such as “Finca Rotondo” - Acholado, “Finca Rotondo” - Mosto Verde and “Ocucaje” - Gota Italia won gold medals at the competition.

Silver medals were awarded to “Ocucaje” – Puro Quebranta, “Ocucaje” - 100 años Mosto Verde Italia, “Pisco Vargas” – Acholado Reserva Privada Puro de Ica, “Tres Generaciones”, “Finca Rotondo” – Italia and “Botija” – Pisco Italia.

In addition, Peru’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs awarded the companies with certificates recognizing their effort in producing the country’s highest quality pisco.

He affirmed that the medals were more evidence of the world-renowned caliber of the Peruvian spirit.

The Vice Minister also noted the success of pisco during the London International Wine Fair and Distil, in which Peru setup a stand called “Pisco is Peru”.

Posted On: Jun 26 2008 2:39PM
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Michael E. Miller Jr.

USS Boxer (LHD4) Public Affairs.

US Southern Command

ABOARD USS BOXER, San Diego – USS Boxer (LHD 4), along with various embarked units, returned to San Diego June 26, concluding nearly two months at sea in support of the Pacific phase of the humanitarian mission, Continuing Promise 2008.

During the mission, Boxer operated in Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru. The Continuing Promise medical contingent provided more than 65,000 patient encounters to 24,000 patients, including medical or veterinarian care and education. The assistance included dispensing nearly 40,000 prescriptions, treating more than 2,800 animals in addition to teaching 123 classes in preventative medicine and industrial hygiene.

The Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) mission provided partner nations in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of focus a mobile, flexible and rapidly responsive medical and engineering capability for a number of missions and training opportunities in Central and South America.

“I couldn’t be happier with the success of this mission,” said Capt. Peter K. Dallman, the mission commander for the Pacific phase of Continuing Promise 2008. “Everyone did great across the board and we far surpassed anyone’s expectations of the overall success of this mission.”

While anchored off the coasts of the three countries, 127 patients were flown to Boxer for shipboard surgeries. Surgeries included cyst and gallbladder removal, hernia repair and eye surgery (cataract excision).

“Providing access to medical information and treatment supports common medical needs in the region,” said the Continuing Promise Medical Contingent Commander, Capt. (Dr.) Louis Orosz. “The team of medical professionals this mission has brought together is top-notch. Their work here will last generations and leave a lasting impression of the great things the United States can do.”

Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, embarked aboard Boxer, renovated eight schools and a church across the three countries in addition to road and drainage repair.

Renovation work included roofing, installing new windows and installing new ceiling fans. The Seabees also repaired the sewage systems and provided running water to most of the facilities.

“In the Seabee community, we always say we ‘Can Do’,” said Lt. Micah Kiletico, the officer-in-charge of the CBMU 303 detachment aboard Boxer. “But the group of Seabees I’ve worked with on Continuing Promise 2008 have gone above and beyond, giving 200 percent effort. They went the extra mile to ensure they made a big difference in the lives of the citizens of Central and South America.”

The Pacific Phase of Continuing Promise is one of two HCA deployments planned for the SOUTHCOM area of focus for 2008. The second Continuing Promise deployment will be conducted by USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in the Caribbean. The deployment to the region is part of the Partnership of the Americas initiative. The training, clinical and engineering capability this mission brought to the region demonstrates U.S. commitment to fostering cooperative partnerships.

“It really has been an honor to visit the Navy ship that has been making a positive impact that we can see already in our country,” said El Salvador President, Elias Antonio Saca during a press conference in El Salvador. “We appreciate all the humanitarian support the United States, the Navy, the Captain and the entire crew of this important ship has brought. We profoundly appreciate your support for our inhabitants.”

For many service members embarked aboard Boxer for Continuing Promise, it was their first humanitarian mission. Continuing Promise offered them a unique opportunity to see the impact their skill sets can have in a humanitarian civic assistance role.

“I hope the people we worked with know there are people back in the United States who really care for them,” said Utilitiesman 1st Class (SCW) James Kocsis. “Supporting this mission has been the greatest honor I’ve had in my entire Navy career.”

Continuing Promise exemplifies the U.S. maritime strategy, which emphasizes deploying forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests.

Wasp-class amphibious assault ships like Boxer are designed with a variety of expeditionary mission capabilities, including rapid, projected humanitarian assistance worldwide. They also have the physical capacity to transport large amounts of medical and engineering supplies and equipment to most locations around the globe. The same flexibility and configuration that makes Boxer an effective warship also makes it an extraordinarily effective ship for performing humanitarian assistance missions.

Embarked units and organizations aboard Boxer for Continuing Promise included Amphibious Squadron 5, Fleet Surgical Team 5, U.S. Public Health Service, Project HOPE, Project Handclasp, Navy Seabee Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303, Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764, Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, Special Marine Air Ground Task Force 24, Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 23, Assault Craft Unit 1, Fleet Survey Team, Maritime Civil Affairs Team 205 and Beach Master Unit 1.

Written on June 26, 2008 – 3:04 pm | by FIDSNS |

Frontier India, Defense & Strategic News

The Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has secured an order for supply of 7 Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters to Ecuadorian Air Force. HAL has bagged this order amidst strong competition from M/s. Elbit, M/s. Eurocopter and M/s. Kazan. HAL’s offer of $ 50.7 million for 7 helicopters was about 32% lower than the second lowest bid from M/s. Elbit.

The first helicopter would be delivered by HAL in 6 month’s time. The contract for the supply of helicopters is likely to be signed within a few weeks. This order signifies Ecuador’s confidence in Indian technology and can lead the way for further collaboration. This contract, which will establish HAL internationally, has been extremely significant and hard fought.

HAL has already supplied 76 helicopters to the defence services with excellent serviceability records. The company is presently executing orders for 159 more helicopters for Army and Air Force.

Environment/Nature | 24 June, 2008 [ 18:30 ]

Living in Peru

Israel J. Ruiz

A group of Peruvian professionals has created the Urban Air Purifier (UAP), a machine which has been designed to clean air of bacteria, pathogens and other particles which may cause respiratory problems or allergies.

The machine can purify up to 200,000 cubic meters of air per day, which according to the inventors’ calculations can provide 20,000 people with healthy oxygen.

Calculations were based on the estimate that an average person breathes approximately 10 cubic meters of oxygen per day.

Jorge Gutierrez, an engineer at Tierra Nuestra - a company that specializes in environmental conservation - explained that the air purifier continuously took in polluted air in urban areas, purified it and released oxygen without germs and less negative ions into the environment.

Furthermore, Gutierrez explained that the air purifier used a natural process to filter polluted oxygen.

By using water, the air filter reduced a great deal of the harmful effects of polluted air.

It was reported that The Urban Air Purifier needs 2.5 kilowatts to run, the same amount of energy required to run an industrial vacuum.

It consumes 60 liters of water for every five hours it is running and it was estimated that the purifier required six soles a day to remain in operation.

Published: 25 June 2008

Source UK

Spurred into action by a wave of international protest, a Peruvian government team is currently in a remote part of the Amazon investigating the plight of uncontacted Indians.

The mission is the Peruvian government’s response to the publication of unique photos of an uncontacted tribe in Brazil, near the Peruvian border, which made world headlines.

Although the Indians photographed by the Brazilian government appear to live permanently inside Brazil, there has been mounting concern at the impact of widespread illegal logging in Peru on the isolated Indians living along the Peru-Brazil border.

There are an estimated 500 uncontacted Indians in the region. Brazilian officials have previously reported that isolated Peruvian Indians have been fleeing over the border into Brazil to escape the loggers’ incursions into their territory.

More than 1,300 people around the world have written letters to the Peruvian government urging them to stop the illegal logging.

Some officials charged with protecting the remote region are believed to be implicated in the logging themselves.

The head of Peru’s Indian Affairs department, DGPOA, who sent the team into the Amazon, told Survival:
“I want to congratulate your organisation on its concern and struggle for the protection of uncontacted tribes”.

Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said:
“The fact that the Peruvian authorities have sent a team to the Amazon is a real testament to the power that ordinary people around the world have to push governments into action.

But we are going to be watching the outcome very closely indeed to make sure it’s not simply a whitewash”.

Released : Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:44 PM

Macro World Investor

Madrid, Jun 26 (EFE).- Spain would be willing share with Peru part of what is recovered of the $500 million in coins a U.S. treasure-hunting firm extracted from what Madrid says is a Spanish vessel sunk in 1804.

“It’s not about sharing the treasure, but of preserving that patrimony, common to other Spanish-American countries” at cultural institutions established for that purpose, Spanish Culture Ministry official Jose Jimenez said Thursday at a press conference.

The statement came days after the Peruvian government requested that a U.S. court allow it to see all of the goods found by Odyssey Marine Exploration from the wreck the company has designated as “Black Swan.”

Madrid, which is suing Florida-based Odyssey to recover the $500 million haul, says the treasure came from the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, sunk in October 1804 after a battle with British warships off the coast of Portugal in which more than 200 Spanish sailors died.

Among the valuable pieces discovered by Odyssey are coins dating back to the reign of Spanish King Carlos IV that were minted in Lima. That prompted Peru to claim its rights to the cargo even though, as Jimenez noted Thursday, “the (republic) of Peru did not exist” at that time.

“Peru has different problems because it has not signed the (UNESCO) International Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage or the (United Nations) Convention on the Law of the Sea,” said Jimenez, who added that for Spain “it’s not a question of money, but of acting in defense of its historical patrimony.”

In the legal battle taking place in Tampa, Florida, Spain has until Aug. 10 to present before the court the documents that support its claim regarding the origin of the treasure, after which time Odyssey will have another two months to provide counter-evidence.

“But Spain would be open to arriving at some type of agreement with Peru so that, if everything we think exists from Odyssey’s illegal extraction is recovered, there is a way of sharing that treasure with (the Andean nation)” to display the material in a museum setting, Jimenez said.

The ownership questions “are very complex,” but Culture Ministry official Luis Lafuente added that what is at stake is preserving that patrimony “for Spaniards and for all humanity at adequate cultural institutions, and not (allowing) a treasure hunting firm to take it and become richer than what it already is.” EFE

amb/mc

Copyright 2008 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.

Provider:
EFE News Service / BAS / EFE Ingles

Last modified Wed., June 25, 2008 - 05:58 PM

The Mirror

By MCSN Omar A. Dominquez, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

UNITAS 49-08, an annual multinational exercise conducted to enhance interoperability and mutual cooperation between Navies, began off the coast of Callao, Peru on June 21. The exercise, hosted by Peru this year, brings together nations with common interests in the Americas, and includes Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and the United States. Mexico is also participating in this year’s Atlantic phase of UNITAS as an observer.UNITAS, now in its 49th consecutive year, strengthens relationships between partner nations through at-sea operations under numerous maritime scenarios.

Reuters

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