via Bloomberg:

Russia may send military aircraft back to bases in Cuba in response to U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile defense system in Europe, Izvestiya reported, citing an unidentified “highly placed source.”

Both the supersonic Tu-160, a nuclear bomber known as “White Swan,” and the strategic bomber Tu-95, known to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as the “Bear,” are capable of flying as far as Cuba, the paper said.

“There are such discussions, but they’re only discussions,” the paper cited a “highly placed” source on the staff of Russia’s long-distance strategic aviation command as saying. “I’m not going to say that there’s nothing behind” the talks.

Russian military-transport aircraft regularly fly to Cuba, the paper said, carrying out orders for private companies.

The European antiballistic-missile shield system consists of a radar system in Czech republic (agreement signed July 8th) and missile-interceptor bases in Poland.

In addition, the Izvestiya article further adds:

• A senior source in the strategic long-distance aviation headquarters said such talk is only talk;
• Russia is currently negotiating with Cuba to supply the island with Russian-made aircraft (2 Il-96 aircraft and 4 TU-204: 2 passenger and cargo 2);
• Infrastructure of the Port of Mariel is quite old, but still able to take ships.
• In the province of Pinar del Rio, where former Soviet troops were deployed — the military can be re-deployed there.
• Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, former Chief of Defense for International Cooperation and President of the Academy on Geopolitical Affairs stated: “I wouldn’t say Russian aircraft need Cuba as a permanent home. I know that strategic aviation airplanes were intermediate, landing at airfields in Cape Verde. For such a goal, Cuba can be used again, not as a permanent home - there’s no need for it - but as airfields and air refueling.”
• Ivashov further went on to say that Cuba would not object to expanding Lourdes base for radio intelligence or something else.

Click here to read the Izvestiya article.

[Photo of Tu-160 and Tu-95: Izvestiya]

Update 13:43 EDT: Russian Defence Ministry officials on Monday poured cold water on a newspaper report that suggested Moscow could use Cuba as a refuelling base for nuclear-capable bombers, Reuters reports.

Update July 22, 16:12 EDT: via Reuters: Russia would cross “a red line for the United States of America” if it were to base nuclear capable bombers in Cuba, a top US air force officer warned on Tuesday. “If they did I think we should stand strong and indicate that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States of America,” said General Norton Schwartz, nominated to be the air force’s chief of staff.

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Assessment

The collapse of the Soviet Union has deprived the Cuban Army of its major economic and logistic support, and has had a significant impact on equipment numbers and serviceability. The army remains well trained and professional in nature, and is likely to have adopted previous doctrine to take into account the current shortcomings in the quality and quantity of equipment held.  While the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have increasingly affected its operational capability and may continue to do so on some scale, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power, including the United States. The international political environment, the country’s economic plight and Castro’s own conclusions about his Cold War interventions abroad, have limited Cuba’s efforts to export Marxist revolution. A new relationship with oil rich Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has translated into a recent boost in operational readiness, mainly due to oil credits and donations. So far this has not translated into a formal re-surge in Cuban military prowess, but Cuban instructors and doctrine is bound to penetrate the new ALBA member’s armed forces (Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia). However, most of Cuba’s foreign serving personnel are doctors.  As in other Latin American countries, the army is the dominant service even though the FAR suffers from less interservice rivalry than most armed services in the region. There are three major geographical commands: Cuantos, Comandos, and Geográficos. Each command is designed to be a self-sufficient entity for operational.

Deployments, tasks and operations

The defined role of the FAR is to defend the Revolution from internal and external enemies and this has in the past included giving material assistance to friendly governments in the furtherance of Marxist-Leninist ideals. Today, the only realistic objective of the FAR is the defence of Cuban territory.

Source: Jane’s World Armies

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Prensa Latina reports over 1,400 young officers graduated and will join the Cuban Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias) as military sciences graduates and engineers in different branches.

Cuban Vice President, José Ramón Machado Ventura, and Julio Casas Regueiro, General of the Armed Forces and Minister of FAR, chaired the military ceremony held in the historical Plaza de la Revolución.

Commissioned officers were cadets, coastguards and students from superior and technical military teaching centers of the country who graduated in promotion 55th Anniversary of Moncada Garrison Attack.

The new officers, when taking the oath, expressed their commitment to firmly defend and safeguard the sovereignty and independence of the nation, and to follow the patriotic traditions of the Cuban people.

The present young officers’ graduation takes place at a time when the world is living a difficult, complex and uncertain situation, stated Joaquín Quinta Solá, General of the Armed Forces and Vice Minister of FAR.

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According to AP via International Herald Tribune, trade between Cuba and China grew by 23 percent to more than US$2 billion (€1.4 billion) in 2007, solidifying China’s place as the communist-run island’s second-largest economic benefactor behind oil-rich Venezuela.  China is Cuba’s second-largest trading partner and the top importer of Cuban products, especially nickel and sugar.

China’s influence throughout Latin America is prevelant, and its strategic relationship (economic & military) with Cuba is evident. 

Read the prospect of China’s rise to superpower status for 2008.

Excerpt of article:

Here comes the world’s newest superpower. The rest of the world is gloomily contemplating economic slowdown and even recession. Not in Beijing. China is set to make 2008 the year it asserts its status as a global colossus by flexing frightening economic muscle on international markets, enjoying unprecedented levels of domestic consumption and showcasing itself to a watching world with a glittering £20bn Olympic Games.

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