06 November 2014
Wulung UAV (photo : Jane's)
BPPT’s PUNA (Pesawat Udara nir Awak – unmanned aircraft) division is showing its Wulung UAV in the outside display area, complete with its mobile ground control station.
The air vehicle is one of a number of UAVs that have been developed as part of a BPPT (Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi – Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology) initiative, and is being developed to answer an Indonesian armed forces (TNI) requirement for border surveillance.
The vehicle is also gathering interest from other government agencies for roles such as the monitoring and detection of illegal logging and forest fires, and to aid the monitoring of and response to natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions.
Wulung has a wingspan of 6m and operates at speeds of up to 69kts and 8,000ft altitude. The original version had an autonomous radius of about 75km and an endurance of four hours. Three have been supplied to a TNI order for evaluation, but the air vehicle in its initial form did not meet TNI requirements.
Accordingly, BPPT PUNA began tests earlier this year with three new prototypes featuring a lighter structure. While keeping maximum take-off weight to 120kg, the lighter structure allows fuel capacity to be increased from 35 to 55 litres, in turn raising endurance from four to six hours to meet Indonesian armed forces requirements. The revised Wulung has also demonstrated in recent tests an ability to fly more than 150km.
At the same time, the structure was strengthened from a 3.5g rating to 7.6g, so that the UAV can withstand the greater levels of turbulence that are often encountered in the region.
Five of these updated air vehicles have been ordered by the Indonesian armed forces. In the meantime, BPPT PUNA continues to develop advanced control systems for the Wulung.
(Jane's)
06 November 2014
SSE P2 vehicle (photos : Miltech)
Local company Sentra Surya Ekajaya (SSE) has confirmed to the Indo Defence Show Daily that its P2 Commando reconnaissance/command and control vehicle and P2 armoured personnel carrier (APC) have completed their trials and are now in quantity production.
P2 Commando (4x4) is the smaller of the two, with a gross vehicle weight of 4.5 tonnes. It is powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel developing 130hp, coupled to a manual five-speed transmission. This gives the vehicle a maximum road speed of 100km/h, with an operating range up to 500km on a fuel tank of 100 litres.
Ballistic protection is to STANAG 4569 level 1 standard, which is 7.62 x 51mm NATO standard ball attack; the windows provide the same level of ballistic protection. In addition to the commander and driver there are two seats to the rear.
In many respects, the P2 Commando is very similar to the French Panhard Defense VBL (4x4) scout car, but because it has more internal volume, it can undertake a wider range of battlefield missions.
The larger P2 APC is also of the 4x4 type and has an all-welded monocoque hull, providing the same level of protection as the P2 Commando. It also has a protected engine compartment at the front and the crew compartment extending to the rear. The commander is seated to the rear of the engine compartment and each is provided with a side door.
The troop compartment is slightly higher to the rear of the commander’s and driver’s position to provide greater internal volume. The eight dismounts are seated in the rear and can rapidly enter and leave via the rear door. They are seated four down either side, facing inwards on special seats that are not attached to the floor.
The gross vehicle weight of the P2 Commando APC is being quoted as 8,500kg and the vehicle is powered by a Renault four-cylinder turbocharged diesel developing 215hp, coupled to an Allison automatic transmission.
Both vehicles feature full air conditioning – considered to be essential in the high ambient temperatures encountered in Asia – as well as coil spring suspension, front-mounted electric winch and banks of grenade launchers.
The vehicles being shown here at Indo Defence 2014 are fitted with a roof-mounted protected weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine gun; other weapon stations can be fitted, such as remote weapon stations armed with similar or larger calibre weapons.
As well as the two P2 vehicles, SSE (Hall D, Stand 241) has also manufactured the P3 Ransus high-speed and high-mobility off-road vehicle and the P4 multipurpose vehicle, which is based on a truck chassis.
(Jane's)
06 November 2014
Smart bomb kit (photo : Jane's)
The research and development branch of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence has a smart bomb kit programme in development that turns standard unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons with a stand-off capability.
The bomb comprises a standard warhead fitted with a range extension kit with pop-out wings, a new tail section with control fins, GPS and inertial guidance systems, and an interchangeable nose section. Nose options are a ballast nose for basic GPS/inertial guidance, or infrared or TV seekers.
The 125kg weapon can be launched from 20,000ft at speeds from 160kts to 500kts, with a maximum range of approximately 20km. Initial drop trials are scheduled to begin next year.
(Jane's)
05 November 2014
Helikopter AS-565 MBe Panther adalah versi ASW dari helikopter Dauphin produksi Airbus Helicopters (photo : Kaskus Milter)
VIVAnews - Pemerintah Indonesia memesan 11 unit helikopter Airbus AS565 MBe Panther yang akan digunakan dalam misi perang anti kapal selam (anti-submarine warfare).
Dengan jadwal pengiriman selama tiga tahun hingga 2017, helikopter AS565 MBe akan dipasok oleh Airbus Helicopters untuk PT Dirgantara Indonesia.
Melalui kesepakatan industri strategis dua mitra ini, Dirgantara Indonesia akan melengkapi rotorcraft ini dengan peralatan penunjang misi, sebelum diserahkan ke Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) Angkatan Laut.
Peralatan tersebut mencakup dipping sonar L-3 Ocean Systems Helicopter “Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar” (HELRAS) active dipping sonar dan sistem peluncur untuk torpedo ringan, yang membekali armada itu dengan sistem yang efektif untuk pengoperasian dari daratan maupun kapal.
"Panther kini menjadi salah satu platform ringan/sedang anti-kapal selam yang terbaik di dunia, dengan rangkaian ASW terdepan dan kemampuan untuk beroperasi dari korvet atau fregat kecil," kata Philippe Monteux, Direktur Airbus Helicopters untuk Asia Tenggara dan Pasifik, seperti dikutip dalam rilis yang diterima VIVAnews, Rabu 5 November 2014.
Pesanan ini akan menambahkan armada helikopter rotorcraft Airbus TNI, yang menjaga pertahanan negara di darat, laut, dan udara.
Adapun, tambahan armada ini terdiri dari Colibri EC120 ringan untuk pelatihan; Fennec dan BO-105 untuk misi serang ringan; Panther untuk misi perang anti-kapal selam; serta Puma dan Super Puma yang dioperasikan oleh TNI Angkatan Udara, yang dalam waktu dekat juga akan menerima helikopter EC725 untuk misi pencarian dan penyelamatan.
“Solusi modern dan andal ini memenuhi kriteria kelautan Indonesia dan negara-negara lain di kawasan Asia-Pasifik, berkat kemitraan kami dengan Dirgantara Indonesia dan pemasok sistem terbaik yang ada di industri ini," paparnya.
Sementara itu, Presiden Direktur Dirgantara Indonesia, Budi Santoso, mengatakan perjanjian pemesanan tersebut dilakukan oleh pihaknya sebagai hasil kerja sama dan aliansi strategis yang telah berlangsung lama dengan Airbus Helicopters.
"Kontrak terbaru ini menunjukkan kekuatan dan efisiensi kemitraan komersial dan industrial kami dengan Airbus Helicopters. Bersama-sama, kami dapat menentukan dan memberikan solusi paling modern dan hemat biaya kepada pemerintah Indonesia dan sekaligus menjadikannya bagian dari keterlibatan signifikan industri Indonesia," ujar dia.
(Viva)
05 November 2014
RMAF base at Butterworth (photo : Kane)
KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh has written a letter of appeal to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Cabinet Ministers to re-consider the proposed relocation of the RMAF Base from Butterworth to Labuan.
He wants the base to be in Tawau as part of measures to strengthen the security apparatus being currently put in place along the eastern seaboard of Sabah.
“It takes about an hour’s flying time from Labuan to the various towns and trouble spots along the east coast.
This travelling time definitely causes a problem in the event of an emergency,” said Harris. “Tawau is just a short hop away from Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan.”
Tawau, stressed Harris, was the best location for the RMAF Base because there’s no air force base at the moment along the eastern seaboard to cover this vulnerable stretch of the Sabah coastline.
Harris also thinks that the presence of the RMAF in Labuan is likely to have a negative impact on the island’s tourism potential which is expected to replace the oil and gas projects being increasingly shifted to Sabah and Sarawak.
“The RMAF has already been in Labuan for more than 60 years i.e. since World War II. There are no benefits to the island and the people from its presence,” said Harris. “The lack of local benefits after more than 60 years was also the reason that the Philippines Government did not renew the US lease on Subic Bay.”
He urged the people of Labuan to support his Appeal by speaking up on the issue and stress on the importance of the tourism industry to the island following its oil and gas industries being relocated elsewhere in Borneo. The former Chief Minister did not mention Labuan’s status as an international offshore financial centre.
“Knowing Kuala Lumpur, any suggestion from me alone will not be entertained,” he conceded frankly. “But Kuala Lumpur will listen to the people of Labuan if they speak up.”
“They must also argue for retaining Labuan at least as a regional centre for the oil and gas sector besides being an island reliant on tourism.”
Arguing for the future of Labuan to be free of the presence of the RMAF, Harris stressed that the island can expect its first one million tourists in five years time.
“Travel agents from China and Borneo have agreed to make Labuan a transit point for tourists from China flying to various destinations in Borneo,” said Harris. “A good percentage of the transit traffic is likely to spend a night or two in Labuan.”
“We must not allow this future to be compromised by shifting the RMAF Base from Butterworth to Labuan.”
He pointed out that, on another plus point, Labuan has already been declared a free flying zone which will come into effect on 1 Jan 2015.
(Free Malaysia Today)
04 November 2014
3 skuadron tempur tambahan akan dibangun di kawasan timur (photo : Kaskus Militer)
Skuadron TNI AU Belum Ideal untuk Amankan Wilayah NKRI
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Kepala Dinas Penerangan (Kadispen) TNI AU Marsma TNI Hadi Tjahjono menyatakan kekuatan udara yang dimiliki TNI AU saat ini masih belum cukup ideal untuk bisa meliputi semua wilayah NKRI.
Hingga saat, pasukan TNI AU memiliki total delapan squadron yang tersebar di seluruh Indonesia. Namun jumlah ini dianggap belum cukup untuk bisa menindak semua potensi ancaman yang bisa muncul terkait pelanggaran di ruang udara NKRI, terutama yang terjadi di kawasan Indonesia timur.
Alhasil cara untuk mengoptimalkan kekuatan yang ada dan menyiasati kekurangan squadron ini, ada beberapa pesawat dan pasukan yang di-deploy di wilayah-wilayah udara yang kerap dimasuki musuh.
Seperti yang terjadi saat pesawat sipil asal Arab Saudi melintasi wilayah NKRI, kemarin. Pesawat jenis Sukhoi, yang digunakan untuk menyergap pesawat tersebut, diterbangkan dari Makassar.
''Bisa dibilang belum ideal (jumlah squadron). Namun, kami akan membangun tiga squadron tambahan, khususnya untuk mengamankan wilayah timur,'' ujar Hadi kepada Republika Online (ROL), ketika dihubungi lewat telepon, Selasa (4/11).
Penambahan jumlah squadron ini baru akan disusun di Rencana Strategis (Renstra) Pertahanan yang ketiga, yaitu pada 2019 hingga 2024 mendatang. Termasuk rencana penambahan radar militer.
Hingga kini, TNI AU memiliki 24 radar militer yang tersebar di seluruh wilayah NKRI. Rencananya, TNI AU akan menambah jumlah radar militer menjadi 32 buah pada 2019. ''Radar-radar ini nantinya ditempatkan untuk menutup semua kemungkinan pelanggaran udara di wilayah-wilayah yang mungkin masih belum terdeteksi,'' tutur Hadi.
Saat ini, terkait sistem radar, TNI AU telah bekerja sama dengan pihak sipil terkait penggunaan radar-radar tersebut. Dengan adanya radar-radar dari pihak sipil, setidaknya semua wilayah udara NKRI masih bisa terpantau.
04 November 2014
PAF OV-10 Bronco (photo : pdff)
The Department of National Defense (DND) has announced that it has rescheduled the November 5 submission and opening of bids for its P4.9-billion close-air support (CAS) aircraft project to December 15.
Six ground attack planes are expected to be acquired under this program.
The new aircraft will complement the Philippine Air Force’s existing Rockwell OV-10 “Bronco” fleet, of which six to eight units are still operational.
Bid opening and submission will be held at 10 a.m. at the DND Bids and Awards Committee Conference Room, Basement Right Wing, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
“Based on the present schedule of both the Special Bids and Awards Committee [SBAC]-1 and the Philippine Air Force Technical Working Group, the new schedule of bid submission and opening is the most convenient date to conduct the said procurement activity,” SBAC-1 Chairman DND Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said.
CAS refers to the capability to provide air support to infantry and naval units in contact with the enemy forces.
Funding for this weapon system will be sourced from the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.
Manalo earlier said the contract includes integrated logistic support system.
Winning bidders must be able to deliver the aircraft within 540 calendar days from contract effectivity.
Participants in the DND’s CAS project must have completed a similar program within the last 10 years.
Manalo said the CAS aircraft must be used by the countries offering and manufacturing them.
(Business Mirror)
