The ISO (International Standards Organisation) assigns a two character code to each country name. These codes are used by Internet 'whois' databases (these two character abbreviations are the whois country codes) and also other applications.
The Valmet M 62 is a Finnish gas-operated light machine-gun based upon the Czechoslovakian VZ-26machine-gun. The Valmet M 62 is chambered for the 7.62 mm x 39 cartridge which it takes from a 100-round continuous link belt and fires with a muzzle velocity of 730 meters per second at a cyclic rate of about 1050 rounds per minute with a practical cyclic rate of 300 rounds per minute to an effective range of between 350 and 450 meters. The Valmet M 62has a 470 mm long barrel and is fitted with a pillar foresight and an aperture rearsight. The Valmet M 62 entered service with the Finnish armed forces in 1966 and was subsequently supplied to the government of Qatar. Research Valmet M 62
The Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000 is a French multi-role combat fighter. It has been operational with the French Air Force since 1984 and has been selected by Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates. Variants of the Mirage 2000 fighters are: Mirage 2000C/B single seater and two seater variants for air defence; Mirage 2000N, two seater, designed for all weather nuclear penetration at low altitude and very high speed; Mirage 2000D, which is an upgraded version of the Mirage 2000N, for automated bombing using conventional and laser guided munitions. The Mirage 2000 has nine hard points for carrying weapon system payloads, five on the fuselage and two on each wing. The single seat version is also armed with two internally mounted high firing rate 30 mm guns. Air-to-air weapons include the MICA multi-target air-to-air intercept and combat missiles and the Magic 2 combat missiles. The aircraft can carry four MICA missiles, two Magic missiles and three drop tanks simultaneously which provides a highly extended mission time. The Mirage 2000 is also equipped to carry a range of air-to-surface missiles and weapons including laser guided bombs. These include the Matra BAeDynamics BGL 1000 laser guided bomb, Aerospatiale AS30L, Matra BAeDynamics Armat anti-radar missile, Aerospatiale AM39 Exocet anti-ship missile, Matra BAeDynamicsrocket launchers, Matra BaeDynamicsApache stand-off weapon, and the stealthy cruise missile, SCALP. The Mirage 2000 is equipped with an M53-P2 turbofan engine from SNECMA which provides 64 kN thrust and 98 kN with afterburn. Research Mirage 2000
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an organisation created in 1960 to unify and co-ordinate the petroleum policies of member countries and to protect their interests, individually and collectively. Present members are Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Venezuela. OPEC was not of great importance until the early 1970s, when increased international demand made oil a relatively scarce commodity. In 1973 to 1974 OPEC brought about a four-fold increase in the international price of crude petroleum to more than $11 per barrel; the price exceeded $30 per barrel by the early 1980s, helping to fuel inflation in many industrialised nations. Subsequently, the combined effects of conservation and recession in the oil- consuming nations weakened the oil market, leading to sharp declines both in petroleum prices and in OPEC's political and economic influence. OPEC's attempts to stabilise prices by limiting production during the second half of the decade were thwarted by some member countries, which exceeded their production quotas in order to pay for military equipment or to finance expansion programs undertaken during the boom years earlier. Iraq's take- over of Kuwait in 1990 temporarily disrupted the oil markets, but the price gradually dropped to a pre- invasion level of about $20 a barrel. Research Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
The Al Gariyah is a French-built Qatar Combattante III M Class fast attack craft of 345 tons displacement. The Al Gariyah is powered by four MTU 20V 538 TB 93 diesel engines providing a top speed of 38.5 knots. She carries a crew of 41 and is armed with eight Aerospatiale Exocet MM40 cruise missiles; one OTO Melara 76 mm/62 gun; a twin arrangement of Breda 40 mm/70 guns and two twin arrangements of Oerlikon 30 mm/75 guns. Research Al Gariyah
The Damsah is a French-built Qatar Combattante III M Class fast attack craft of 345 tons displacement. The Damsah is powered by four MTU 20V 538 TB 93 diesel engines providing a top speed of 38.5 knots. She carries a crew of 41 and is armed with eight Aerospatiale Exocet MM40 cruise missiles; one OTO Melara 76 mm/62 gun; a twin arrangement of Breda 40 mm/70 guns and two twin arrangements of Oerlikon 30 mm/75 guns. Research Damsah
The QENS Al Deebel is a British built, Qatar Barzan Class fast strike craft. The design is a derivative of the Vosper Thornycroft 56 metre patrol craft built for Oman and Kenya, with a redesigned internal arrangement and superstructure which has provided a second deck at tank level. Modification to the hull included increasing the freeboard amidships and flaring the topsides to widen the beam at the weather deck. The hull and superstructuredesign have incorporated features for reduction of radar cross section. Active roll damping fin stabilisers have been added for operation in high sea states. The Vita class incorporates watertight zoning to meet the British Royal Navy stability requirements of flooding in two adjacent main compartments. The overall length is 56m with waterline length, 52m. The moulded breadth is 9m and the draught amidships is 2.5m. The displacement is 380 tonnes. The fresh water capacity is 8. 0 tonnes and the oil fuel capacity is 8.0 tonnes and the oil fuel capacity 44 tonnes.
The Vita class carries a complement of seven officers, twelve senior ratings, twelve junior ratings and four trainees. The ship is driven by four MTU 20V 538 TB93 diesels, 18740 hp, in two machinery spaces, each driving a fixed pitch propeller. The two machinery spaces are capable of being operated independently. One man operation from the bridge of the propulsion, electrical generation and auxiliary systems is possible using a machinery control and surveillance system. The maximum speed is 35 knots and the range is in excess of 1800nm at 12 knots. The ship is equipped with two quadruple launchers for Aerospatiale MM40 Exocet surface to surface sea-skimming missiles. Each of the two installations with four launcher containers. The surface to air missile system is the Matra BaeDynamics Sadral sextuple launcher with Mistral. The ship is also armed with an Otobreda 76mm/62 Super Rapid gun, with 85 degree elevation, a rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute, and a range of 16km, and a Goalkeeper close in defence system. Research QENS Al Deebel
The QENS Al Udeid is a British built, Qatar Barzan Class fast strike craft. The design is a derivative of the Vosper Thornycroft 56 metre patrol craft built for Oman and Kenya, with a redesigned internal arrangement and superstructure which has provided a second deck at tank level. Modification to the hull included increasing the freeboard amidships and flaring the topsides to widen the beam at the weather deck. The hull and superstructuredesign have incorporated features for reduction of radar cross section. Active roll damping fin stabilisers have been added for operation in high sea states. The Vita class incorporates watertight zoning to meet the British Royal Navy stability requirements of flooding in two adjacent main compartments. The overall length is 56m with waterline length, 52m. The moulded breadth is 9m and the draught amidships is 2.5m. The displacement is 380 tonnes. The fresh water capacity is 8. 0 tonnes and the oil fuel capacity is 8.0 tonnes and the oil fuel capacity 44 tonnes.
The Vita class carries a complement of 7 officers, 12 senior ratings, 12 junior ratings and 4 trainees. The ship is driven by four MTU 20V 538 TB93 diesels, 18740 hp, in two machinery spaces, each driving a fixed pitch propeller. The two machinery spaces are capable of being operated independently. One man operation from the bridge of the propulsion, electrical generation and auxiliary systems is possible using a machinery control and surveillance system. The maximum speed is 35 knots and the range is in excess of 1800nm at 12 knots. The ship is equipped with two quadruple launchers for Aerospatiale MM40 Exocet surface to surface sea-skimming missiles. Each of the two installations with four launcher containers. The surface to air missile system is the Matra BaeDynamics Sadral sextuple launcher with Mistral. The ship is also armed with an Otobreda 76mm/62 Super Rapid gun, with 85 degree elevation, a rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute, and a range of 16km, and a Goalkeeper close in defence system. Research QENS Al Udeid
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Country Codes
