18 September 2019
INS Ranvir D54 destroyer (photo : Jerry E)
The aim is to bolster maritime relationships and contribute significantly to enhancing overall maritime security.
The maiden trilateral naval exercise involving India, Singapore and Thailand commenced at Port Blair on Monday. The exercise was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address at Shangri-La dialogue in June 2018.
RSS Tenacious 71 frigates (photo : dvids)
“The five-day exercise is aimed at bolstering the maritime inter-relationships amongst Singapore, Thailand and India, and contribute significantly to enhancing the overall maritime security in the region,” the Navy said in a statement. This would also strengthen interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures, it added.
For the exercise, guided missile stealth frigate RSN Tenacious of Singapore, and Thailand Navy’s guided missile frigate HTMS Kraburi would join with INS Ranvir a guided missile destroyer, INS Kora a missile corvette and INS Sukanya an Offshore Patrol Vessel along with P8I long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
HTMS Kraburi 457 frigate (photo : ThaiPublica)
Harbour phase
During the harbour phase scheduled at Port Blair, professional exchanges, sports fixtures, and cross deck familiarisation visits would be organised, the Navy said. “The sea phase is scheduled from September 18 to 20, and a host of surface and air operations involving gunnery, force protection measures and communication drills would be conducted providing experience gaining and learning from each other’s best practices,” the statement added.
The Initial Planning Conference (IPC) to discuss the modalities of the exercise was held in May and the Final Planning Conference (FPC) was held in August. Malaysia has also evinced interest in joining the exercise.
(The Hindhu)
18 September 2019
Northrop Grumman has been selected to continue supporting Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure Systems for the RAAF (photo : Northrop Grumman)
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by the Australian Defence Organisation on behalf of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to continue its support of the service’s Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems.
Northrop Grumman’s LAIRCM functions by automatically detecting a missile launch, determining whether it is a threat, and activating a high-intensity, laser-based countermeasure system to track and defeat the missile.
Under the terms of the $96 million award, Northrop Grumman will provide sustainment, repair, engineering, logistics and training support services for LAIRCM, AN/AAR-47 and AN/APR-39. Currently, five aircraft types in the RAAF are protected with LAIRCM.
LAIRCM spotted on Australian C-130J (photo : Shephard)
“Since 2001, Northrop Grumman and the RAAF have been working in partnership to keep aircrews safe from the threat of infrared guided missiles. This Australia-based sustainment activity is critical to keeping the LAIRCM system ready for aircrew safety and mission success,” said Bob Gough, vice president, land and avionics C4ISR, Northrop Grumman.
Work will be performed at Northrop Grumman’s repair facility at the RAAF Edinburgh base in South Australia. The facility provides efficient in-country support services for the repair and maintenance of LAIRCM systems, cutting the time to return a system to service by as much as 50 percent.
Northrop Grumman's infrared countermeasures systems have been installed on more 1,500 aircraft of more than 80 different types, including both fixed and rotary wing.
(Northrop Grumman)
18 September 2019
Currently defence spending between 1.1 to 1.3 percent of GDP (photo : dvids)
The Department of National Defense on Friday revealed that among the actions it was taking to address security issues in the West Philippine Sea was asking Congress to finance the Philippine military's modernization program.
Speaking before the Makati Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Defense Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna said that they were lobbying Congress to nearly double defense spending to two percent of gross domestic product.
"In the ASEAN region, the Philippines is second to the lowest among the ten member-states, spending only between 1.1 percent and 1.3 percent of its gross domestic product on defense," explained Luna.
"We need such an increase to have a sustained multi-year funding for the upgrading and modernization of land, air (drones), sea (surface and undersea), space and cyber capabilities (satellites and radars) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines."
Presently, a large portion of the defense budget goes to salaries of soldiers and civilian employees, as well as pensions for war veterans, retirees and dependents.
Another big chunk goes to disaster risk reduction and management.
"We hope that Congress finds wisdom in investing more resources for [the defense establishment's] modernization efforts... towards developing the country’s credible defense posture," added Luna.
Air patrols
But despite the limited resources available to it, the AFP was enhancing its surveillance efforts with regular maritime and aerial patrols, not only in the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea, but also over the Philippine Rise and the rest of the country's maritime domains.
"These surveillance and enforcement operations will arm the Government of the Philippines in lodging diplomatic actions on every Chinese incursion and unlawful action in our maritime domain," explained Luna.
The Defense Undersecretary also thought it noteworthy that the AFP had deployed ground troops to secure the country’s interests in the Kalayaan Island Group.
Facilities in the Kalayaan municipality, including the airstrip and berthing spaces for Filipino fishermen were also being repaired and improved.
New power, water, and communication facilities were also being installed in the area.
"Repair and rehabilitation efforts in the Philippine-occupied features in the West Philippine Sea are concrete acts to assert our rights over the area," said Luna.
"It is also worth noting that the aforementioned improvements will not only enhance our maritime patrol in the WPS, but more importantly, it will greatly aid Filipino fishermen and residents in the area, especially in their livelihood."
(GMA News)
18 September 2019
C-17 Globemaster III dengan livery TNI AU (image : Skadron Udara 31)
"Alutsista untuk Skadron angkut berat masa depan dan semoga dapat terealisasikan amin... A-1701 C-17 Globe Master" demikian posting gambar dan tulisan yang termuat dalam medsos instagram resmi Skadron Udara 31 TNI Angkatan Udara.
Skadron Udara 31 (SkU 31) adalah adalah skadron angkut berat TNI AU yang bermarkas di lanud Halim Perdana Kusuma, Jakarta. Skadron ini mengoperasikan pesawat C-130B Hercules dan C-130H Hercules ex Australia.
Sejalan dengan program peremajaan pesawat angkut, maka Kementerian Pertahanan telah memesan 5 pesawat angkut C-130J Super Hercules dari Lockheed Martin yang rencananya akan ditempatkan di Skadron Udara 31 ini.
Sebagai skadron angkut yang siap melayani pergerakan pasukan Kostrad khususnya Divisi Infanteri I yang bermarkas di Cilodong, Depok yang saat ini mengoperasikan tank tempur Leopard II dengan bobot hingga 62 ton, maka untuk pergeseran antar pulau dengan cepat hanya dapat diakukan dengan kapal pendarat katamaran LCAT atau pesawat angkut berat dengan payload di kisaran 70 ton.
Kita bisa lihat komparasi payload pesawat angkut berat militer yang saat ini ada di pasar yaitu : Airbus Military A400M (Eropa) payload 37,0 ton; Kawasaki C-2 (Jepang) payload 37,6 ton; Antonov An-70 (Ukraina) 47,0 ton; Ilyushin Il-76 (Rusia) 50,0 ton; Xian Y-20 (China) payload 66,0 ton dan Boeing C-17 (USA) payload 77,5 ton.
Pesawat angkut berat C-17 Globemaster III buatan Boeing dengan payload 77,5 ton tentunya dapat mengakomodir keinginan tersebut. Namun demikian untuk memiliki pesawat angkut berat ini issue yang tak kalah pentingnya adalah mengenai lini produksi yang sudah akan dihentikan, dengan demikian hanya tinggal peluang untuk memiliki secara second hand saja dari pesawat yang digunakan pertama kali sejak 1993 ini.
Keinginan TNI AU untuk memiliki pesawat C-17 ini dengan demikian masuk akal, tinggal kemudian bagaimana mengalokasikan budget anggaran pertahanan yang setiap tahun naik sehingga keinginan tersebut dapat terakomodir.
(Defense Studies)
17 September 2019
Peregrine offers the range of the AIM-120 AMRAAM with the manoeuvrability of the AIM-9X Sidewinder. According to USAF, AMRAAM has a range of more than 17.4nm (32km) (image : Raytheon)
TUCSON, Ariz., /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is developing a new medium-range, air-launched weapon called the Peregrine™ missile that is half the size and cost of today's air-to-air missiles, yet delivers greater range and effect.
The Peregrine™ missile is a small, fast, lightweight air-to-air weapon for use against drones, manned aircraft and cruise missiles.
Developed to strengthen the capabilities of current fighter aircraft, the new, smaller Peregrine missile is faster and more maneuverable than legacy medium-range, air-to-air missiles, and doubles the weapons loadout on a variety of fighter platforms. Its sophisticated, miniaturized guidance system can detect and track targets at any time of day and in any weather condition.
Peregrine missile is half the length of the AMRAAM (photo : Flight Global)
"Peregrine will allow U.S. and allied fighter pilots to carry more missiles into battle to maintain air dominance," said Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president. "With its advanced sensor, guidance and propulsion systems packed into a much smaller airframe, this new weapon represents a significant leap forward in air-to-air missile development."
The Peregrine missile benefits from military off-the-shelf components, additive manufacturing processes and readily available materials to offer an affordable solution for countering current and emerging airborne threats.
(Raytheon)
17 September 2019
Pesawat latih Grob G-120TP-A (photo : Skadik 101)
TNI AU. Bandung. Bertempat di ruang rapat Basjir Soerya Mako Koharmatau Lanud Husein Sastrsanegara, Bandung (13/9) , Komandan Koharmatau Marsekal Muda TNI Dento Priyono di dampingi Wakil Komandan Koharmatau yang baru Marsekal Pertama Toto Miarto memimpin pelaksanaan rapat kesiapan sertifikasi kemampuan dan fasilitas pemeliharaan tingkat berat Engine Roll Royce M250-B17F pesawat G-120TP-A Grob.
Dalam sambutan Dankohatmatau menyampaikan bahwa kepercayaan pimpinan terhadap Koharmatau semakin meningkat sampai dengan saat ini, hal tersebut dibuktikan dengan telah banyaknya inovasi serta kerja keras dan kerja cepat yang dibebankan kepada Koharmatau serta Depo-Depo jajaran, dapat diselesaikan dengan baik.
Untuk itu, Pimpinan TNI Angkatan Udara menekankan pada bidang pemeliharaan dan perawatan alutsista TNI Angkatan Udara mulai saat ini dan seterusnya menjadi tanggung jawab Koharmatau.
Terkait dengan hal tersebut, beberapa waktu lalu Kepala Staf TNI Angkata Udara didampingi pejabat TNI Angkatan Udara melaksanakan kunjungan kerja, untuk melihat langsung proses pemeliharaan tingkat berat sekaligus uji fungsi engine Roll Royce M-250-B17F dengan menggunakan fasilitas engine test cell di Depohar 30 Malang, dengan melihat langsung kemampuan serta hasil kerja personil Depohar 30 tersebut, Kasau sangat puas dan cukup bangga. Tambah Dankoharmatau.
Rapat tersebut dihadiri para Pejabat Koharmatau, Para Kasubdis Jajaran Mabesau, Dandepohar 20, Dandepohar 30, serta Para Komandan Satuan.
(TNI AU)
17 September 2019
Rheinmetall Lynx (photo : Rheinmetall)
Multi-billion dollar land capability project progresses to next stage
The Morrison Government’s multi-billion dollar investment to replace Army’s current fleet of mobility and reconnaissance vehicles is taking another significant step forward, with Hanwha Defense Australia and Rheinmetall Defence Australia invited to participate in the next stage of evaluation.
The LAND 400 Phase 3 Program will replace the M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers providing the Army with an advanced, world class Infantry Fighting Vehicle capability.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the Morrison Government is investing in the best possible capability to meet the current and emerging threats of our changing geostrategic environment.
“These advanced vehicles will provide new levels of protection, firepower, mobility and enhanced communications,” Minister Reynolds said.
“This project will deliver Australia a brand-new, cutting edge capability. But we will also ensure we are well placed to work together with industry, to grow and develop the capability over the course of its life.
“When fully delivered the LAND 400 Program will allow Army to successfully sustain mounted close combat operations against emerging and future threats, as part of an integrated Australian Defence Force.
“I thank all tenderers for their significant effort and the resources invested in supporting Phase 3 of this project.”
Hanwha AS21 Redback (photo : Hanwha)
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP said the LAND 400 Phase 3 program provides an exciting opportunity for Australian industry to contribute to building and maintaining these new Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
“Just as with the Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, Australian industry involvement and Australian workers are vital to this project,” Minister Price said.
“Phase 3 is another important opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading edge technology for our Australian Defence Force.
“During the testing-phase Defence will work with the shortlisted tenderers to ensure small and medium enterprises across Australia have the opportunity to showcase their capabilities.
"The two companies have been assessed as offering vehicles that are best able to meet the requirements of the Army while providing value for money for Defence.
"However, if at any stage of this process there is a need, Defence can invite other tenderers to participate in the shortlist - to make sure we deliver the capability we need to the Army and the best value for the Australian taxpayer."
The Risk Mitigation Activity will commence later this year. Following its completion, Defence will undertake a final detailed evaluation of the shortlisted tenders.
A decision on the preferred tenderer to supply the Phase 3 capability will be presented to Government for consideration in 2022.
(Aus DoD)
