19 Juni 2018
Brahmos cruise missile (photo : Maritime Executive)
India wants to build armament factories in Vietnam to export to third countries, a military industry meeting heard Wednesday. The meeting was a part of a series of events organized on the occasion of Indian defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Vietnam.
Meeting with top Vietnamese leaders during her four-day visit that ends Friday, she said India-Vietnam military cooperation doesn’t stop at buying and transferring military technologies.
India looks to set up armament factories in Vietnam for export to third-party countries, she said. She also hoped that Vietnam would become a prime destination for Indian businesses, especially in defence and military sectors.
Major General Ho Quang Tuan, Vice Chairman of the General Department of Defense Industry from Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense, stressed that military cooperation was a cornerstone in the strategic partnership between Vietnam and India.
He also said the two countries were having “open, direct” dialogue regarding military technologies and weaponry.
Vietnam is strengthening its military cooperation with India as part of its “peaceful” defence policy, foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang had said at a press briefing last year.
She was responding to an inquiry about India’s offers to sell a batch of short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missiles, BrahMos, to Vietnam.
Hang said the procurement of defence equipment “was consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and “normal practice.”
“The bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large,” she said.
India has already supplied patrol vessels to Vietnam and has been providing military training. The BrahMos missiles deal, once finalized, would be the first arms trade deal between the two countries.
(The Kootneti)
19 Juni 2018
M113 with mortar (photo : MaxDefense)
Israeli defense and security company Elbit Systems is upgrading another batch of Philippine Army M113A2 armoured personnel carriers (APCs). The contract bagged by the Israeli company involves a total of 49 APCs.
“The first lot involves the upgrade of 44 M113A2 tracked armoured personnel carriers by installing Elbit System’s Dragon 12.7mm RCWS and Elbit’s Combat NG Battlefield Management System (BMS) into the vehicles,” MaxDefense Philippines said.
MaxDefense added that the second lot “involves the acquisition of 5 Soltam Cardom 81mm mortar systems, and the conversion of 5 of the Philippine Army’s M113A2 into Self Propelled Mortar [Carriers].”
It can be recalled that Elbit upgraded 28 M113A2 APCs.
The first batch of upgrade involved installation of 25 mm unmanned turrets, 12.7 mm remote controlled weapon stations (RCWS), fire control systems (FCS) for 90 mm turrets.
(Mintfo)
18 Juni 2018
The APVT is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water by a single waterjet. (photos : KMW, BMPD)
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) unveiled a concept demonstrator for its self-funded Amphibious Protected Vehicle Tracked (APVT) programme.
The first example is configured as an armoured personnel carrier (APC), which is operated by a two-person crew and carries eight dismounts.
The hull is of welded steel with additional buoyancy aids fitted to either side.
According to KMW, the APVT is 9.46 m long, 3.0 m wide, and 2.7 m tall with a gross vehicle weight of 30 tonnes. It carries a five-tonne payload capacity for the weapon station, ammunition, fuel, and crew.
The vehicle is fitted with a hydropneumatic decoupled suspension system, which enables it to cross a 2.5 m trench and climb a vertical obstacle of up to 0.8 m.
The road wheels are adapted from the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, which is already in service with the German Army.
The APVT also features Defense Service Tracks (DST) composite rubber tracks, which are lighter, quieter, and generate less rolling resistance and vibration compared with conventional steel tracks, which reduces fuel consumption.
It is powered by a 816-hp MTU diesel engine coupled to an ZF automatic transmission, which gives a maximum road speed of up to 70 km/h with a range of up to 550 km.
During waterborne operations it is propelled by a waterjet, which provides a maximum speed of up to 13.2 km/h with a range of up to 54 km.
Preparation for amphibious operation includes activating the bilge pumps and erecting screens at the front and the rear.
A nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) system and an air conditioning system have also been installed to improve crew survivability and comfort.
(Jane's)
18 Juni 2018
Philippine Navy need submarine for its fleet (photo : Okezone)
President Rodrigo Duterte is inclined to support to submarine acquisition program of the Philippine Navy, this was bared by Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad on June 13.
“I remember the National Security Adviser (Secretary Hermogenes Esperon) told me that the President is very inclined to support our submarine acquisition program,” Vice Admiral Empedrad said over DWDD.
“Nagcreate na kami ng Submarine Group, we are already sending people abroad for training in preparation of the acquisition of submarine,” he said. “Kasi ang pag-acquire ng submarine it would take 7 to 10 years.”
The Navy chief that he is also supporting the submarine project. It can be remembered that Empedrad told a senate hearing in February 2018 that the future of naval warfare is submarine warfare.
“The trend now is submarine warfare because it is hard to fight an enemy that you cannot see. Mahirap kasi i-detect ang submarine,” he said.
“I just attended the future surface fleet conference in London a week ago, at ang trend ngayon is modern navies now changing strategy to anti-submarine warfare. A lot of countries are building their submarines so we have to develop also ‘yung capability pano sila i-detect,” he explained.
“So we buy submarines, we buy also anti-submarine ships,” Vice Admiral Empedrad said.
He added that the upcoming frigates being built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries and upcoming AW-159 Wildcat helicopters from Leonardo are all capable of anti-submarine warfare armed with torpedoes.
Earlier this week, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the country is now looking for possible suppliers of diesel-electric submarines to beef up the Philippine Navy’s capabilities.
(Mintfo)
18 Juni 2018
Raytheon Australia and Thales Australia will be responsible for delivering the sonar system upgrades (photo : ASC)
Major upgrade for submarine force
Australia’s Collins Class submarine fleet will receive significant sonar upgrades further extending its superiority in our region.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, today announced work will commence this year to enhance sonar systems across the Collins Class fleet.
This will better enable our submarines to safely navigate, detect and locate other vessels while remaining hidden themselves.
Minister Pyne said with the majority of the project being delivered by Australian industry, it demonstrates the maturity of the national submarine enterprise.
“Australian defence suppliers are central to the sovereignty of our current and future military capability,” Minister Pyne said.
“As a result of their continued demonstration of expertise, Australian companies will have an enduring role in keeping our submarines superior and safe.”
Minister Payne said the upgrades are critical to maintaining Australia’s highly capable Collins Class submarine fleet until the introduction of the Future Submarines.
“The 2016 Defence White Paper clearly outlines the importance of a potent submarine capability to ensure our sovereignty and defend Australia,” Minister Payne said.
“Submarines offer capabilities no other platform can provide, and that’s why the Turnbull Government is committed to investing in the Collins Class fleet to maintain its advantage in an increasingly complex and uncertain strategic environment.”
“Enhancing the Collins Class’ high-end warfighting capabilities so they can continue to detect and locate other vessels, ensures it will be an effective deterrent to potential adversaries.”
The project is valued at $542 million and the Australian Industry Content is approximately 70 per cent, creating more than 100 direct jobs.
51 jobs will be based in New South Wales, 25 in Western Australia, 21 in South Australia and 13 in the Australian Capital Territory.
“It’s yet another sign of the strength of Australia’s defence industry that the vast majority of this complex project will be done locally, creating jobs while delivering the capability our Navy needs,” said Minister Pyne.
“Raytheon Australia and Thales Australia will play lead roles in delivering the sonar system upgrades, with ASC and a range of small and medium sized Australian companies supporting system integration.”
In the 2018–19 financial year, most of the spending will be on the design and production effort in NSW with Raytheon Australia in Macquarie Park and Thales Australia in Rydalmere.
The upgrades will then be installed at maintenance facilities at Osborne in South Australia and Henderson in Western Australia.
(Aus DoD)
16 Juni 2018
The Euro MBT/EMBT (photos : andrei-bt, janes)
EU tank breaks cover
After being kept under wraps, the French-German KNDS Group (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter Defense Systems) has unveiled its first joint project, the EMBT, or European Main Battle Tank. Essentially a technology demonstrator, with further development, “the EMBT is a short-term response to the operational need of the market for high-intensity battle tanks”.
The EMBT consists of the KMW Leopard 2A7 MBT platform fitted with the Nexter Leclerc MBT turret. The two elements were integrated at Nexter’s facility at Roanne, where Leclerc production was originally undertaken. Since then, the EMBT has undertaken mobility and firing trials, the latter performed in Portugal, with 22 rounds fired from the 120mm smoothbore gun.
The standard Leopard 2A7 has a three-person turret armed with a manually loaded 120mm smoothbore gun, whereas the Leclerc turret is fitted with a 120mm smoothbore gun fed by a bustle-mounted automatic loader.
The Leclerc turret is lighter and more compact, which reduces the combined weight by six tonnes.
According to KNDS, the EMBT demonstrates that their combined skills make it the legitimate and essential industrial actor of the two key French- German future programmes.
The first of these is the follow-on to the Leopard 2/ Leclerc MBT, which is called the Main Ground Combat System and has a potential in-service date of around 2035. This could well be brought forward because the design of these two MBTs is now many years old and the point will be reached where they can no longer be upgraded.
The second programme is the future artillery system. Called the Common Indirect Fire System, this has a number of elements, including the replacement of the German Army 155mm PzH2000 tracked and French 155mm CAESAR wheeled self-propelled artillery systems.
(Jane's)
16 Juni 2018
Spike ER missile installed on Typhoon weapon station (photo : Wiki)
MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) will conduct the first test fire of its Spike-ER surface-to-surface missile in July.
This was bared by Navy flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad in an interview with military-run radio DWDD Wednesday.
“(This) July, we might be testing our very first missile aboard our small ships, (the) MPACs (multi-purpose assault crafts where the weapon is now being fitted), the President would like to see that testing,” he added.
Empedrad is hoping that the test will be successful as it will allow them to acquire more ships with missile capability.
“We’re hoping that we will be able to successfully test it and ‘pag naging maganda ang testing (if the testing will be successful), then we will acquire more ships with missile capability,” he stressed.
The PN’s Spike-ER missiles with its launchers and tracking systems were delivered to the Philippines from Israel last April.
(PNA)
