02 Juli 2018

SAF Acquires New Fighting Machines to do More with Less

02 Juli 2018


F-35B, a candidate to replace F-16 fighter (photo : US Marine)

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is overhauling its arsenal, adding new warplanes, submarines and warships as it gears up for a future with fewer soldiers.

High on the agenda is the replacement for the ageing F-16 fighter jets, with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen saying on Friday (Jun 29) that a decision will be made in the coming months.

“F-16s would face obsolescence beyond 2030,” Dr Ng said of the 30-year-old jets. “To plan for a replacement is not as if you are going to buy a new car, you actually need a lead time of eight to 10 years.”

For the past few years, speculation has swirled around potential replacements, with Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 fighter emerging as top contender. As early as 2013, Dr Ng had told Parliament that the F-35 was one option.

But Singapore has consistently maintained that it would not be rushed into a decision.

“You need to know first of all what platform, what your needs are, how you are going to maintain. You also need to know how you are going to train your pilots, where you are going to train pilots, especially on such a small island,” Dr Ng said.

“We thought long and hard about it, taken our time to choose a replacement, and we would be making a definitive decision likely in the next few months.”

However, Dr Ng would not be drawn into details, saying only that the new jet should be cost-effective, easy to maintain and capable of working with other platforms across the SAF.


Airbus A330 MRTT KC-30A Republic Of Singapore Air Force (photo : Vincent Vannier)

“In the market you can only choose what is out there,” he added. “When air forces are choosing replacements, the usual suspects come up: Whether it’s the (European) Typhoons, F-35s, (Russian) Sukhois or Chinese-made stealth fighters.”

In addition to the fighter jets, Dr Ng announced various hardware replacements across the services, as the SAF prepares for a one-third manpower reduction by 2030. “For the SAF to be able to protect another generation, you have to do more with less,” he said, calling the manpower challenges a “significant disruptor”.

AIR FORCE

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will replace its heavy and medium lift helicopters with similar models that can carry more, fly farther and require less manpower. Starting 2020, the Chinook and Super Puma helicopters will be replaced by the CH-47F heavy lift and H225M medium lift helicopters, respectively.

The RSAF has also started replacing its KC-135R tanker aircraft with the A330 multi-role tanker transport, which carries 20 per cent more refuelling capacity. “It’s a petrol kiosk in the sky,” Dr Ng said of the plane, which will make its first public appearance at the RSAF50 parade on Sep 1.


RSAF MBDA Aster 30 SAMP/T medium- to long-range ground-based weapon mounted on a militarized MAN TG-series eight-wheel drive vehicle. (photo : Sing Mindef)

On the ground, the RSAF has begun switching out its I-HAWK surface-to-air missile system with the ASTER-30, which has both anti-aircraft and anti-missile capabilities. (The I-HAWK could only deal with aircraft.) The ASTER-30 also has a longer range of up to 70km.

“The fact that you have bigger planes, planes with longer endurance and ground defence systems with longer range also means that when you exercise, you actually need a bigger training area,” Dr Ng said. “That’s not possible for Singapore.”

To that end, Dr Ng revealed that the RSAF will launch next month a new facility to experiment, test, validate and operationalise new warfare concepts in a single set-up. The Air Warfare Centre will allow the RSAF to do all these “without the physical need for that space”, Dr Ng said. “That is a more important addition.”

ARMY

Moving on to the Army, Dr Ng said the proportion of manoeuvre units operating on track and on wheels will double by 2030. “The next-generation Army would be faster, heavier, more deadly,” he added.

The next-gen armoured fighting vehicle, to replace the ageing M113 vehicles starting next year, will certainly be deadlier. It requires 20 per cent less manpower and can fire on the move. “I think this would be the centrepiece of the next-generation Army,” Dr Ng said.


Next Generation AFV (photo : Cyberpioneer)

The next-gen Howitzer 155mm gun, to replace the current FH-2000 variant beyond 2020, will also cut manpower requirements by a third. The gun is fully automated, mounted on a vehicle and has a higher rate of fire. “Shoot and scoot, so you don’t face counter battery fire,” Dr Ng mused.

And then comes the soldiers themselves. While Dr Ng said he was not quite ready to announce how a next-gen infantry battalion would be like, he offered a description that would not look out of place in a science-fiction movie.

Beyond 2020, troops will fight in tandem with robots, using weaponised unmanned ground vehicles and palm-sized unmanned aerial vehicles that detect threats, clear rooms and follow like slaves.

“You can give voice activations: Move right, move left, tell me my danger; being able to communicate and see what other soldiers see,” Dr Ng said. “I think this is the next germination of the SAF. I don’t want to spell out programmes that are too experimental, but I would tell you that they are going on.”

NAVY


Vicory class corvettes, all will be replace (photo : Sing Mindef)

At sea, the SAF is ringing the changes too. From 2021, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) will get four German-made Type 218SG submarines to replace its Archer-class and Challenger-class submarines, which have been in operation for two decades.

It is the first time the RSN is acquiring new-build submarines, which means they would not have entered the water prior to launch. “Our new submarines would represent a quantum jump in subsurface capabilities,” Dr Ng said, pointing out that they have an increased endurance of 50 per cent.

Besides that, the submarines come with improved capabilities like modern combat systems and air independent propulsion systems. They can also carry a wider range of mission-specific equipment.

In addition to crew training in Germany, the RSN will develop a submarine trainer suite to train and qualify submariners in realistic and simulated operations at sea.

Beyond 2030, the RSN is also replacing its Victory-class missile corvettes and Endurance-class tank landing ships with multi-role combat vessels and joint multi mission ships, respectively.


Endurance 170 LHD (photo : Navy Recognition)

The multi-role combat vessel will act as a mothership for smaller, unmanned ships that can be equipped with weapons or modular payloads for different missions. “You can send out unmanned slaves on air, on surface or even sub-surface, to deal with mines for instance,” Dr Ng said. “It’s not a theoretical concept. We tested various modules.”

The joint multi mission ship will be even bigger than the current Landing Ship Tank, which is already the RSN’s largest ship. It also has two times more lift capacity and better command platform capabilities.

In addition, the joint multi mission ship will allow the RSN to conduct more types of operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts and counter-piracy operations.

PLANNING, SPENDING AND MAKING FRIENDS

Before deciding on these purchases, Dr Ng reiterated that the SAF had considered whether they would contribute to a leaner fighting force post-2030. “Because we are able to plan long term, we start with the planning perimeter that you have to either maintain the same capability or do more but with less,” he said.


SAF 2030 concept (image : Sing Mindef)

As for the costs, Dr Ng said even with these new acquisitions, defence spending will be kept steady for the next decade, in line with the budget assessment he made earlier this year. “If we have to provide security coverage – as we did for the Trump-Kim meeting – every week, all bets are off,” he joked.

And Dr Ng was asked if these new platforms would require the SAF to look for more overseas training opportunities given the constraints of space in Singapore.

“We have good friends who allow us to train in their countries,” Dr Ng said, pointing out that the expansion of training areas in Queensland, Australia, where Singapore troops frequently train in a space at least four times the size of Singapore, is “progressing well”.

Even then, Dr Ng added that Singapore is always on the lookout for more partnerships and training opportunities. “We are very thankful because we keep receiving offers. That spells a lot for the friendships we cultivated.”

(ChannelNewsASia)

36 komentar:

  1. Ane ga isa komen, cumak isa ketawa..
    Hwekekekekek..πŸ˜‚

    #(ketawa menghibur diri) πŸ˜‹

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Kamongko gur butuh pasukan sing due kegigihan ala houthi nggo nggulung persenjataan canggihπŸ€”

      Hapus
    2. Mas bro, kono yo duwe sing gigih : Gurkha.. 😊

      Iku pun baru kanggo yen ono sing iso nembus 'benteng' darat/laut/udara berlapis...😝

      Qiqiiiqiiqiqi

      Hapus
    3. Kok njur bahas sing gigih-gigih tho mas bro..? πŸ˜‡

      Bar menuai hasil kegigihan bersama yhoo..? Qiqiiqii πŸ˜πŸ˜‹

      Hapus
    4. Jane aku ki yo sok judeg mas, tiwas direwangi sengkut gotong-royong...entuke kok gur kringetπŸ€”

      Hapus
    5. Ini baru bnyak huwang,,,bkan bnyak hutang..wkwkwkwk

      Hapus
  2. Boleh berencana SDM ad ga yg operasionalkan atau sewa pemain lain seperti biasa...

    BalasHapus
  3. Indon boleh mintak hibah f16 singapore

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. hahaha coment of the years. satu beruk lepas dari kandang nak menghibur diri

      Hapus
    2. Wkwkwk...Kesian malon menghibur diri kerana asetnya banyak yg lapok sehingga cakap cem tuh

      Hapus
    3. Boleh tuh Hibah F16 dari Sing.. gak masalah sih hehehe

      Yg masalah tuh 2050 baru ganti pesawat mas Scan.. mau tahu lamanya 2050 ? Ini saya urutkan tahunnya agar bisa bersabar.

      2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2041, 2042, 2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047, 2048, 2049, 2050.

      Lumayan lama ya mas Scan ? Tapi tenang... prediksi saya thn depan bantuan F18 Australia atau bekas Kuwait atau hutang ke British pembelian Tornado bisa jadi solusi pengisi Gap sebelum Gen 5 jadi pilihan terakhirnya nanti.

      Hapus
    4. malon ada wang ke?
      jom kumpul koin untuk jet pejuang halimunan PTM tahun 2055

      Hapus
    5. gak skalian tanggal & bulannya om super haha!πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰

      biar nyesel si scantut, doi salah pilih, skrg yg paspornya kena tahan majikan barunya di seberang, jd harap maklum aja klo taon ini gak mudik sini die haha!🀣🀣🀣

      Hapus
    6. makasih doanya kami tak gengsi walau barang hibah yang penting berkualitas dari pada nunggu baru sampai 2055 sampai beruban rambut dan anak melahirkan cucu. tak lah kami seperti itu.

      Hapus
    7. Betuull sekali,,,tak macam sbelah dri pda trima hibah mnding jilat pantat sana sni ke sesama anggota fpda..hahaha

      Hapus
  4. F16nya boleh lah kita beli... sampai 2030 nanti armada IFX nya pas dateng buat gantiin F16 fleet.

    Kalau F16nya bisa dibeli buat gantiin Hawk thn 2019 nanti... yakin deh opsi 2020 nanti F15 yg bakal diincar buat dibeli nemenin Su35.

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. kyknya f16 negerinya om ben gak mungkin dilepas seblom 2030 dech, jd gak mungkin jugak kita akusisi om super haha!😊😊😊

      dari yg guwe tangkep sejak brita ini muncul sabtu maren, menhan negerinya om ben ituw gak akan ganti pespur f16 setelah 2030. cekidot yutubnya dech.
      mnurut menhan, rencana pengganti f16 nanti, hrs dibuat 8-10 taun sblomnya. 5 tahun aja gak mungkin ckp wkt.
      “To plan for a replacement is not as if you are going to buy a new car, you actually need a lead time of eight to 10 years.”

      tapi rencana penggantiannya bisa dibuat dari sekarng.

      hal ini sbenernya sama/mirip seperti di negara kita, sering guwe tulis kajian ato rencana gembar gembor penggantian f5 tiger kita uda ada sejak 2009, ternyata di brita taun 2006, uda ada rencana penggantian 4 jenis pespur kitah, OV-10 Bronco, Hawk MK-53, F-5 Tiger bahkan F-16 Fighting Falcon haha!😊😊😊

      https://tni.mil.id/view-3575-tni-au-kaji-pengganti-empat-pesawat-tempur.html

      nah yg terbaru adalah hawk 100/200, klo ksau skrg uda ada rencana menggantinya. itu bkn hal baru, kerna dari 2 tahun lalu uda ada kok kajian ato rencana pergantiannya

      http://defense-studies.blogspot.com/2016/06/pangkoopsau-hawk-100200-akan-digantikan.html

      tapi bkn berarti bentar lagi pasti diganti, tentu nunggu umur pake pespur ituw habis, kira2 2030an lah haha!πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰

      makanya xlaluw guwe tekankan ketika ngrumpi ama om pengendara kegelepan aka om gipeng sedjak 2 taon lalo. bakalan habis jempol kita para pejuang kibod xlama 10 taon keatas, cuman ngemengin calon pengganti hawk 200 haha!😜😜😜

      Hapus
    2. jd muup2 aja, bknnya gak percaya ama penggantian hawk. namun guwe percaya ama pakem yg sama ama dgn menhan negerinyah om ben haha!😊😊😊

      penggantian pespur butuh wkt lama utk kajian, selain mikirin tabel cicilannya serta ongkos pelatihan & prawatan.
      kita jg hrs melihat brp lama antrean produksi pespur tersebut. klo rame ada produksi yg bisa makan waktu 4-5 tahun.

      normalnnya klo diliat urutan pengadaan pespur ada kajian, kompetisi lelang dan kontrak haha!πŸ˜›πŸ˜›πŸ˜›

      namun utk hal2 tertentu yg tidak normal, bisa saja ada perubahan kebijakan, smua tergantung kejadian politik pada masa ituw. misal ketika terjadi perang ato ancaman eksternal, maka skema pembelian tentu bruba mengikuti pola pertahanan pada masa ituw. kan gak mungkin nunggu lama2, kalo perlu angkut stok siap tempur alias seken haha!😎😎😎

      Hapus
    3. Mas Palu,

      Hawk 109/209 punya AURI dibeli tahun 1996 dan unit terakhir datang tahun 1999.

      Jadi pada tahun 2026 s/d 2029, Hawk 109/209 sudah akan berumur 30 tahun.

      Jadi perkiraan pengadaan pengganti Hawk ini adalah di tahun 2023-2024, supaya datang semua di tahun 2029.

      Namun bisa jadi untuk pengganti Hawk, pengadaannya dipercepat menjadi tahun 2019-2020. Supaya unit terakhir datang di tahun 2024 (5 tahun sebelum usia 30 tahun di 2029).

      Jadi pada tahun 2024 itu Hawk sudah tidak lagi berperan sebagai pesawat tempur AURI lagi melainkan digeser perannya sebagai pesawat jet latih lanjut atau malah bisa jadi digeser ke ALRI. Ingat cita-cita world class navy mosok nggak punya pespur ?

      Hapus
    4. apalagi kalo ada rencana tambahan utk ngisi skadron tempur baru, tentunya laen soal yg ada bkn penggantian tapi nambah haha!😊😊😊

      jgn2 akan ada akan ada pembelian baru, berdasar kajian 2006 ituw, uda digodok calon pengganti f16. bisa jd pespur model ini akan dapat penyegaran duluan. kmren kan uda di apgred utk tipe blok ocu, klo bisa bertahan 10 tahun, paling lambat 5 taon lagi kita uda mesti siyapin kontrak buat shoping soping haha!πŸ€‘πŸ€‘πŸ€‘

      Hapus
    5. om woof2, tentu uda guwe itung, kalo sempet lihat tulisan guwe yg laluw,
      berdasar sejarah hawk mk 53, kita pake sampe 35 tahun. maka asumsi hawk 100/200 hampir samalah jika keadaan normal

      namun bila tni au punya rencana laen, berdasarkan perhitungan terhadap ancaman terbaru, bisa saja smua dimajukan, seperti yg uda guwe uda tulis diatas. demikian harap dimaklumi haha!πŸ€—πŸ€—πŸ€—

      Hapus
    6. Suatu saat nanti Sukhoi bakal tersingkir perannya digantikan IFX, makanya para sales Sukhoi teriak2 embargo agar IFX gagal.

      Lain sama Gripen, mesinnya udah mirip sama IFX, jadi untuk suku cadang nggak bakal susah karena bisa lebih murah karena beli banyak, 1 mesin untuk gripen plus 2 mesin untuk IFX. Udah bisa beli lebih murah plus dapat offset lagi, makin ngirit deh.

      Hapus
    7. buset digeser ke perbal haha!😜😜😜

      bisa jadi sich tp kalo lihat sejarah penerbal tni al perna pake pesawat jet bomber, jd kasi mrk gunship, tukino ato malah su34 haha!🀣🀣🀣

      #aduhgakenakbikinngiriteyus haha!🀠🀠🀠

      Hapus
    8. *penerbal=perbal

      kalo kita uda mandiri ato setidaknya punya ifx, pelan2 ketergantungan akan dikurangi. gak hanya pada sukhoi dgn LM pon sama. kcuali tukino, berat bok mlupakan dirinya kelak haha!πŸ˜‹πŸ˜‹πŸ˜‹

      Hapus
    9. Tahun tahun kedepan sepertinya membeli ucav kelas berat tempur seperti punya rusia...mengikuti perkembangan zaman

      Hapus
    10. Dan juga drone bawah laut yg imut tapi mematikan hehe

      Hapus
    11. Koq jd sales sukhoi teriak embargo gagalkan ifx...aya2 wae....klw IFX berjalan lancar pasti senang jd gak tergantung sma sukhoi maupun f-16..ataupun gripen lah karena ifxnya uda di produksi pt.di

      Hapus
    12. Yg ada semua sales pespur gigit jari..mw nawar indo...ehh uda buat pespur sendiri IFX....hehhehhehe

      Hapus
  5. wah ini kan link brita dari om ben mgg lalu, naik tayang jugak haha!πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰

    BalasHapus
  6. ...bagi Ane,


    SUKHOI FAMILY tetap yang terbaik...baik secara fight dan juga design, dari tiap2 kelasnya


    ...Xixixixixixi :D

    BalasHapus
  7. ...KFX / IFX mungkin cara fight nya, nggak beda jauh dengan F-16 Falcon / Viper


    ...Xixixixixixi :D

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Coba ifx di kasi trus vectoring kenalpotnya ..biar bisa megal megol hahaha

      Hapus
  8. malon di invAsi oleh singapura bukan oleh kapal perang tetapi invasi hutang hahaha

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. ...betuuuul bro, malon bongsor tapi lembek...singopo kecil tapi tenaga kuat Xixixixixixi :D

      Hapus
  9. Singapore pasti milih F 35... Sudah kebaca

    BalasHapus
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