Keeping Up with HMNZS Te Mana

31 Agustus 2021

HMNZS Te Mana after upgrade, prepare to handed over to New Zealand (photos : RNZN)

HMNZS Te Mana is in the process of gearing up for her Safety and Readiness Check (SARC) scheduled for the end of September, and Ship’s Company are ramping up the damage control training to get everyone prepared. 

The first two weeks for Te Mana’s newcomers has focused on ship familiarisation. Recently, they moved onto training with damage control equipment, including the WEDA Electric Submersible Pump, and the Fall right system.

Te Mana’s Duty Watch Fire and Emergency Party have been practising their response to a Fire, Flood or Toxic Gas situation, and using the correct drills to overcome it.

All our personnel are trained in damage control as well as firefighting, sea survival and nuclear, biological and chemical protection techniques to prepare them for any combat or emergency situation.

(NZ Navy)

Russia Immediately Sends Pantsir S-1 Missile Defense System To Myanmar

31 Agustus 2021

Pantsir S-1 air defense system (photo : Wiki)

Russia will deliver the Pantsir S-1 missile defense system to Myanmar according to the schedule as outlined in the relevant sales contract, RIA news agency quoted the Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation as saying Wednesday local time.

The truck-mounted weapon system was used to shoot down planes, drones and cruise missiles. Classified as a medium-range weapon, the Pantsir is a surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery weapon

Russia says it has long-standing and strategic relations with Myanmar's military regime. The Kremlin believes the authorities are doing all they can to try to stabilize what it calls the situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar and Russia reached an agreement for the Pantsir S-1 system in January, the RIA quoted the Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev as saying.

"We will deliver (the system) according to the terms and conditions set out in the contract," he was quoted as saying.

The sale has also drawn sharp criticism from human rights activists who accuse Moscow of legitimizing Myanmar's military regime, which came to power after a February 1 military coup by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals, the Daily Sabah reported.

In fact, the announcement of this sale is part of the signing of a number of contracts between Russian weapons manufacturers with China, India, Myanmar and a number of other countries at the 2021 Army Forum in Moscow, Russia.

"Among the signatories are our traditional partners, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Uzbekistan and of course, India, China, Myanmar," Dmitry Shugayev told TV channel Zvezda, citing Urdupoint.

"All these joint contracts are worth more than US$2.3 billion or equivalent to Rp33,155,765,000,000," added Shugayev.

Dmitry Shugayev added that until now there is no information whether the Myanmar state is interested in sending additional Pantsir S-1 systems or not. As for information, the 2021 Army Forum takes place from August 22-28.

(VOI)

Uji Penyelaman Statis dan Uji Fungsi Komunikasi Bawah Air KRI CAKRA - 401

31 Agustus 2021

PRE-SAT KRI Cakra 401 (photo : PAL)

Static Diving Test and Underwater Communication Function Test of KRI CAKRA - 401

Beberapa waktu lalu, KRI Cakra – 401 telah melakukan pelaksanaan pengujian Static Diving Test and Underwater Communication Function Test (PRE-SAT). Dalam tahap PRE-SAT, KRI CAKRA telah menguji beberapa fitur platform dan sistem sensor.

Tahukah kamu bahwa Tenaga listrik yang digunakan KRI CAKRA tidak menyebabkan kebisingan sehingga bebas bising saat menyelam. Tenaga listrik juga membuat tidak mudah terdeteksi sonar kapal lain atau musuh. 

Persenjataan KRI CAKRA juga dilengkapi dengan Surface and Underwater Torpedo (SUT) 21 inch dengan delapan tabung. Selain itu, KRI Cakra memiliki spesifikasi teknis dengan berat selam 1,395 ton dan dimensi 59,5 meter x 6,3 meter x 5,5 meter.

(PAL)

Two PH-Made Cube Satellites Launched into Space

30 Agustus 2021

Maya-3 and Maya-4 cube satellites (image : LIPPAD)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29) – The Filipino-made Maya-3 and Maya-4 cube satellites have been launched into space on Sunday afternoon (Philippine time).

The two satellites were aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft which lifted off at 3:14 p.m. from the Launch Complex 39A of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The cargo spacecraft was supposed to launch on Saturday afternoon, but was aborted due to poor weather.

The target docking of the SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft at the International Space Station orbiting lab is on Monday night (Philippine time).

The date of the Maya-3 and Maya-4 cube satellites' launch into orbit has yet to be announced.

Maya-3 and Maya-4 were designed and developed by scholars of the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation, and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) Program.

Philippine Space Agency director-general Joel Marciano, Jr. said the two cube satellites will help improve the data gathering of Filipino experts in agriculture, weather monitoring, and disaster management, particularly in getting information from rural areas.

Marciano added that the satellites' data sensor collection will also contribute in strengthening government policies on food security, disaster risk management, maritime domain awareness, and environmental monitoring.

Maya-2 is currently in space after being launched into the ISS in February and deployed into orbit in March.

Maya-1, the predecessor of the three cube satellites, was launched into space in June 2018 and was deployed into the orbit two months after. It returned to earth in December 2020.

The country also launched its first two microsatellites, Diwata-1 in 2016 and Diwata-2 in 2018. Diwata-1 was decommissioned in March 2020 while Diwata-2 remains in space.

(CNN)

Australia Begins its Tender Process to Find a New Man-Portable UAV

30 Agustus 2021

Project Land 129 Phase 4B will find a replacement for the Wasp AE SUAS serving with the Australian Army (photo : ADF)

As predicted last month by the Capability Acquisition & Sustainment Group (CASG), Australia issued an RfI on 25 August concerning a new small unmanned aerial system (SUAS) for the Australian Army.

The system’s primary purpose is to provide ISR support via near real-time video and still images, for the combat team commander by day or night, the RfI explained. In effect, the SUAS will ‘provide an over the hill, down the road and around the corner reconnaissance capability’.

Labelled Project Land 129 Phase 4B, this programme will replace 65 in-service AeroVironment Wasp AEs procured from 2017-21 and which will be retired in 2024. That contract had followed the acquisition of 14 Wasp AE UAVs in 2015 as part of Army Minor Project 024.32 to help develop doctrine, tactics and procedures.

One notable difference to the advance notice issued in July was that the acquisition period had been pushed back a year to FY2024-26.

These SUAS will be disbursed to army manoeuvre brigades, the Special Operations Command and the Army Reserve. It should be man-portable by two soldiers and operable by a single person.

The SUAS should operate in littoral regions, which may include urbanised and densely vegetated areas or even from a small boat. They should assist a combat team in making a quick attack, or perhaps to aid counter-fire, adjust fire against an enemy or perform battle damage assessment.

Each SUAS will comprise an aerial vehicle, payload, ground control station, remote viewing terminal (outside the scope of this programme), operational support equipment and training support equipment.

The military considers a 7km range as ‘very important’ and 10km as ‘important’. By the same token, an endurance of 45 minutes and 60 minutes are considered ‘very important’ and ‘important’, respectively. Its endurance speed should be at least 25kt, though 50kt is deemed ‘important’.

See full article Shephard

Puspenerbal Kirim Perwiranya Pelatihan Pilot Helikopter Latih Bell-505 di USA

30 Agustus 2021

Helikopter latih single engine Bell 505 akan menggantikan heli latih Bell 47G (photo : Corporate Helicopters)

Skuadron 200 Wing Udara 2 Puspenerbal TNI AL Kirim Perwiranya Pelatihan Pilot Helikopter Latih Bell-505 di Bell Traning Academy

Puspenerbal --- Pusat Penerbangan TNI Angkatan Laut (Puspenerbal) sebagi Badan Pelaksana Pusat (Balakpus) TNI AL yang berkedudukan langsung dibawah Kasal, menyelenggarakan pembinaan kekuatan dan kemampuan penerbangan TNI AL melalui latihan dan pembinaan personel, Jum’at (28/8). Bertempat di Skuadron 200 Wing Udara 2 Puspenerbal Juanda Sidoarjo.

Pelatihan di Bell Training Academy di Forth Worth, Texas, USA (all photos : Puspenerbal)

Dalam rangka melaksanakan latihan dan pembinaan personel dalam hal ini crew awak Pesawat Udara (Pesud), perlu adanya pesawat latih baik Fix Wing maupun Rotary Wing yang mampu menyiapkan crew dalam menjalankan tugas dan fungsi Penerbngan TNI AL. Pesud latih berupa helikopter sangat dibutuhkan Penerbangan TNI AL saat ini maupun dimasa yang akan datang, yang mana helikopter latih yang dimiliki sebelumnya sangat terbatas, Ujar Komandan Wing Udara 2 Kolonel Laut (P) Winardi, S.H., M.H.

Lanjut Danwing Udara 2 bahwa tahun 2021 ini, TNI AL melaksanakan pengadaan helikopter latih single engine, dimana dalam pengadaan helikopter tersebut ditugaskan 4 (Empat) calon pengawak dari penerbangan TNI AL untuk melaksanakan pelatihan pilot Heli latih Bell-505. Keempat Pilot yang ditugaskan sebagai calon pengawak helikopter tersebut diantaranya yaitu Mayor Laut (P) Rai Terianom, Kapten Laut (P) Muhammad Al Amin, Lettu Laut (P) Rayendra Jaka Loekmana dan Letda Laut (P) Sima Andriansyah.

Pelatihan Pilot dalam rangka pengadaan helikopter latih Bell-505 selama 5 hari dari tanggal 26 sampai dengan 31 Juli 2021 di Bell Traning Academy, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Pelatihan Pilot yang dilaksanakan sesuai kontrak pengadaan adalah Ground & Initial Flight Course, yang mana selesai pelatihan tersebut menjadi Captain Pilot.

Kegiatan pelatihan pilot helikopter latih Bell-505 yang dilaksanakan meliputi persiapan, pelaksanaan latihan, dan pengakhiran. Pelaksanaan latihan di Bell Training Academy yang dilaksanakan secara Teori/klasikal, Simulator dan Praktek terbang.

Pelaksanaan pelatihan Pilot helikopter latih Bell-505 berjalan lancar dan sesuai dengan hasil yang diharapkan.

(Puspenerbal)

Royal Thai Army Procured 3 Kodiak 100 for 299 Million Baht

30 Agustus 2021

Kodiak 100 aircraft (photo : Angkasa Review)

The Royal Thai Army has a project to procure light general-purpose aircraft, equipped with standard equipment with repair parts and ground equipment of 3 units according to the project of procuring general-purpose aircraft to replace 2 types of U-17B type general purpose aircraft, totaling 4 units, including aircraft hangar and aircraft hangar and 2 helicopters and a pilot and aircraft mechanic training course. The responsible person is Department of Transportation, Royal Thai Army, budget 299.938 million baht, with the median price derived from a single operator, Forth Corporation Public Company Limited.

According to the data, FORTH is the representative of the Kodiak 100 aircraft in Southeast Asia. Which makes it quite certain that the aircraft that the Army will procure will be the Kodiak 100, with an average price of about 99 million baht per aircraft.

The Kodiak 100 is a single-wing propeller-engine passenger plane. Travel speed 183 knots, flying range 2,096 kilometers, use 1 pilot and can transport 9 passengers. In Thailand, there are 2 Kodiak 100 privately owned boats and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment 1 unit.

Cessna U-17B Skywagon of the Royal Thai Army (photo : Wings Aviation)

The Royal Thai Army has already had two general-purpose aircraft procurement projects, which are two C208Bs from Cessna and a PC-12NGX from Pilatus 1 and 3 Kodiak 100s, a total of 4.

It is unclear what the Army plans for the C208B and Kodiak 100, as both are of the same class. have similar performance and can be used differently which, if comparing the advantages and disadvantages, including the use There should be no need for two similar aircraft to be procured. (Compare as simple as procuring a Camry and Accord to work together). The procurement of a small number of different aircraft made it difficult for both pilots and mechanics to train. Spare parts stocking, maintenance, and operation are often more costly than procuring a single aircraft.

The Army has a number of U-17Bs in service. Therefore, it is expected that more aircraft will be procured in the future. Which must see if there will be another aircraft model added or not or how will the Army plan to deploy all three light aircraft that are similarly procured and that differ in performance and functionality?

(TAF)