The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Monday, April 5, 2010

End 2009, Forces fighting in Afghanistan...[ 842 ]

Afghanistan: Key facts and figures

BBC,,The UK forces death toll in Afghanistan has exceeded that suffered in Iraq and has reached almost 100 this year. Below, we set out some of the key facts and figures about Afghanistan and the British and other international forces fighting there.

Highest monthly death toll comes in July 2009, with 22 dead, as a major offensive against the Taliban begins in the south.

Comparative UK military death tolls, Iraq and Afghanistan

Manpower

British and other ISAF troops face a determined enemy in the Taliban. The insurgents consist mainly of Afghans, though numbers of Arab and Uzbek fighters are also be involved. Groups of fighters are usually organised along local and tribal lines and led by a senior, experienced commander.

Here we compare a British soldier with his Taliban counterpart.

British soldier and Taliban fighter

British soldier

Main weapons: Standard issue SA-80 rifle, L1A1 12.7 mm Heavy Machine gun, 81mm Mortar
Strengths: Highly-trained, well-supported professional soldier with modern equipment. Air support available
Weaknesses: May struggle to adapt to fighting in the harsh Afghan environment. Lacks intimate knowledge of local landscape, may face hostility and distrust from civilians
Taliban fighter

Main weapons: Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, Rocket-Propelled Grenades.
Strengths: Tenacious, well-supplied guerrilla force highly adapted to local climate and geography. Can blend in with local population when required.
Weaknesses: Vulnerable to air attack. Few heavy weapons. Factional nature can mean shifting loyalties. Poor weapons-handling skills.

Mobility

Mobility is a major factor in guerrilla warfare and Taliban fighters often operate as a 'pick-up truck cavalry' force in adapted four-wheel drive vehicles such as the Toyota Hi-Lux.

ISAF forces tend to rely on heavier armoured vehicles.

British and Taleban transport

Mastiff II

Defences: Heavy armour and V-shaped hull to protect against roadside bombs and mines.
Strengths: State-of-the-art, heavily armed, armoured patrol vehicle designed to carry 8 soldiers and 2 crew.
Weaknesses: Expensive, requires dedicated maintenance.
Cost: Approximately £1.2 million per vehicle
Toyota Hi Lux

Defences: Some carry RPG launchers, heavy machine guns.
Strengths: Hard-wearing, fast, reliable off-road transport for up to 10 Taliban fighters.
Weaknesses: No armour, variable levels of mechanical support.
Cost: Approximately $10,000 in local terms.

Civilian casualties

The true number of civilians killed in the Afghan conflict will probably never be known. ISAF has only recently begun to count the numbers of civilians killed. The estimates below are based on estimates provided by a range of agencies together with local and international press reports.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan graphic


ISAF troop deployment in Afghanistan

Major combat units Reconstruction teams

Over 40 countries contribute forces to the international mission in Afghanistan. Full details on the Isaf website.


Breakdown of ISAF troop contributing nations

Albania 250 FYROM* 165 Norway 480
Australia 1,350 Georgia 1 Poland 1,910
Austria 4 Germany 4,365 Portugal 145
Azerbaijan 90 Greece 145 Romania 990
Belgium 530 Hungary 360 Singapore 2
Bosnia and Herzegovina 10 Iceland 2 Slovakia 245
Bulgaria 460 Ireland 7 Slovenia 130
Canada 2,830 Italy 2,795 Spain 1,000
Croatia 290 Jordan 7 Sweden 430
Czech Rep 480 Latvia 175 Turkey 720
Denmark 690 Lithuania 250 Ukraine 10
Estonia 150 Luxembourg 8 UAE 25
Finland 165 Netherlands 2,160 UK 9,000
France 3,095 NZ 300 US 34,800
Total (approx.): 71,030
* Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Casualties in Afghanistan by nation 2001 - 2009

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