Penanda-tanganan Kontrak Kerjasama Rocket Launcher Badan Teknologi Pertahanan Kemhan RI

19 Februari 06

Penanda-tanganan Kontrak pengembangan rocket launcher (photos: Kemhan)

Badan Teknologi Pertahanan Kementerian Pertahanan Republik Indonesia melaksanakan penandatanganan kontrak kerja sama pengembangan dan pengadaan sistem rocket launcher sebagai bagian dari upaya strategis penguatan Alutsista nasional. 13/02/2026.

Kegiatan ini merupakan wujud komitmen Kemhan RI dalam meningkatkan kemandirian industri pertahanan, memperkuat kemampuan teknologi dalam negeri, serta mendukung modernisasi sistem persenjataan TNI secara berkelanjutan.

Kerja sama ini diharapkan mampu mendorong percepatan transfer teknologi, peningkatan kapasitas sumber daya manusia, serta penguatan ekosistem riset dan inovasi pertahanan nasional. Dengan sinergi yang solid antara pemerintah dan mitra strategis, pembangunan kekuatan pertahanan negara terus dilaksanakan secara terukur, profesional, dan berorientasi pada kepentingan nasional.

Langkah ini menjadi bagian penting dalam mewujudkan sistem pertahanan negara yang tangguh, adaptif, dan berdaya saing global. Bertekad Kuat, Berteknologi Maju, untuk Pertahanan Negara yang Mandiri.

(Batekhan)

PCG Acquires Three US King Air Planes to Boost Search, Rescue Capacity

19 Februari 2026

Beechcraft King Air of the Philippine Navy (photo: Vin De Guzman)

MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) formally began the acquisition of three Beechcraft King Air turboprop airplanes from the United States to boost the country's maritime domain awareness (MDA) and search and rescue (SAR) capabilities.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PCG said the acquisition was formalized through a letter of offer and acceptance signed by PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan and US Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh during a bilateral meeting in Makati City on Monday.

“The milestone signing cements a critical upgrade to the PCG’s MDA and SAR capability,” it said.

The signing came after a recent series of maritime incidents in the Philippine seas, such as the capsizing of the bulk carrier M/V Devon Bay and the sinking of the passenger ferry M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 that occurred days apart.

“(These incidents) have underscored the urgent need for faster and more efficient SAR response,” it said.

Aside from the aircraft acquisition, Gavan and Noh also discussed the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System Program, a comprehensive US Coast Guard SAR planning program that uses advanced environmental modeling and simulation technology to optimize search planning.

The program is said to maximize the probability of locating persons in distress at sea.

“The introduction of these capabilities is expected to significantly boost the PCG’s effectiveness in MDA and SAR operations,” the statement said.

During the meeting, both officials discussed broader US support for the PCG’s modernization, including sustained MDA operations in the West Philippine Sea and support for other coast guard functions.

“The meeting reinforced the coast guard-to-coast guard dimension of the US-Philippine alliance and the shared commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific,” the PCG said.

Gavan also announced the first-time participation of the PCG in the Rim of the Pacific exercise as the first foreign coast guard service to join the exercise since its inception.

“(The event places) the PCG alongside the world’s leading navies and maritime security agencies,” it said. 

(PNA)

KAI Aims to Conclude Final Negotiations with Indonesia for the KF-21 in the First Half of This Year

19 Februari 2026

For the batch one, Indonesia plans to purchase 16 KF-21 Boramae (IF-X) fighters (photo: KAI)

[Financial News] Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will conclude final negotiations with Indonesia regarding the KF-21 within the first half of this year. Through this, the company aims to achieve its guidance for orders of 10.4383 trillion won and sales of 5.7306 trillion won this year. It is expected to achieve sales of over 5 trillion won for the first time since its founding.

According to industry sources on the 12th, KAI stated in a recent conference call, "The key to this order target is the first export of the KF-21. The initial batch of KF-21s is included within the 6.5 trillion won export target for finished aircraft." The company added, "We are striving to conclude final negotiations with Indonesia within the first half of this year."

The Indonesian delivery schedule is under negotiation, and we are negotiating the Indonesian delivery schedule as there is a remaining supply to the South Korean government,” he said.

South Korea and Indonesia are jointly developing the KF-21 (Indonesian name: IF-X) fighter jet project, sharing a project cost of 8.1 trillion won from 2015 to 2026. In January 2016, Indonesia agreed to bear 20% of the KF-21 development cost, approximately 1.7 trillion won (later reduced to approximately 1.6245 trillion won), until June 2026, in exchange for the transfer of one prototype and various technical data, and to produce 48 fighter jets locally in Indonesia.

In the latter half of last year, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with President Lee Jae-myung and said, “We will continue follow-up discussions on the KF-21 project,” adding, “I understand that discussions related to this are ongoing, and discussions are also being held on economic feasibility, such as price and funding plans, and this is happening not only among government officials but also among technical staff. "Various discussions are underway," he said.

President Lee Jae-myung said, "In the military and security fields, we have established a deep cooperative relationship, such as the joint development of fighter jets, and I hope that we can continue this cooperative relationship so that it can be looked back on with greater results."

(Financial News)

Operations Squadron Start Operating Skydio X10 UAS

18 Februari 2026

Skydio X10 UAS (photo: NZDF)

New Uncrewed Aerial System a game changer for RNZAF Base Ohakea

Operations Squadron are now planning for the Skydio X10 to be used across Security Forces, Aviation Rescue Fire Flight and airfield management. 

Constructed of plastic and carbon fibre, the Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) weighs about 2kg and comes equipped with thermal imaging, the ability to photograph and map 3D objects, and is designed to be able to carry spotlights, a speaker and sensors clipped to the frame.

“We can map infrastructure and aircraft by taking numerous photos using an automated mapping flight plan. We then upload those photos to cloud software that will form a larger 3D map,” airfield manager Paul Smillie said.

For aircraft maintenance, this can eliminate the need for personnel to inspect aircraft using cherry-pickers to spot defects in hard-to-reach areas. The gimbled camera can also swivel and take images from underneath the aircraft.

Operations Squadron units will work together to ensure the UAS can be used alongside core work.

Skydio X10 UAS (photo: Adorama)

The UAS can also provide live video back to an operations centre on the ground, he said.

“It could also be used for security forces tracking an insider threat. We can fly it remotely from up to 12km away and provide them with the live footage they need without putting any of their people at risk.”

Another safety aspect of the UAS that’s valuable at a busy airfield is its sensors. It detects aircraft transponder systems, which transmit their GPS position, and informs the controller.

Mr Smillie said UAS technology was evolving and it would likely soon play a more dominant role in military capability. One potential was for UAS to be housed in secure, weather-proof docks located in remote areas and controlled from the base.

“It can be programmed to go at the same time, every day, every week.”

Increasingly utilising UAS capabilities on the base was going to be an interesting journey, Mr Smillie said.

“We'll be working with a regulator to allow better-use cases at an aerodrome. It's got some good safety features, so with the mitigation those bring we can look at flying closer to active runways.”

(NZDF)

TUDM dan RTAF Perkukuh Hubungan Dua Hala Menerusi AWG MALTHAI Ke-108

18 Februari 2026

Kunjungan ke Fighter Tactical Squadron 401 di Takhli Air Base (photo: TUDM)

Bangkok – Panglima Wilayah Udara 1, Mej Jen Dato’ Mahadzer bin Amin TUDM dan Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations) Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) telah mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Air Working Group Malaysia Thailand (AWG MALTHAI) Ke-108 dari 10 hingga 12 Februari 2026. Mesyuarat ini menjadi platform strategik bagi membincang serta merancang aktiviti dua hala melibatkan operasi, lawatan dan latihan antara Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) dan RTAF.

Kunjungan ke Fighter Tactical Squadron 401 di Takhli Air Base (photo: TUDM)

Program mesyuarat kali ini turut dilaksanakan program lawatan SMEE FLIT & Logistic T50/FA50 ke Fighter Tactical Squadron 401 di Takhli Air Base. Lawatan yang diketuai Lt Kol Nasruddin bin Khalid TUDM bersama wakil RTAF ini memberi pendedahan berkaitan operasi dan senggaraan pesawat T-50/FA-50. Program ini signifikan sebagai persediaan menjelang kemasukan varian FA-50 ke dalam fleet TUDM. Delegasi turut berpeluang menaiki pesawat ATR 72 RTAF ke pangkalan tersebut.

Armada T-50 Squadron 401 RTAF di Takhli Air Base (photo: RTAF)

Selain itu, Program SMEE Airworthiness Operation Regulations turut dilaksanakan melibatkan pegawai kanan TUDM dan RTAF. Perbincangan merangkumi proses kompetensi serta ujian kategori juruterbang TUDM dan rujukan peraturan yang diguna pakai. Pihak RTAF turut berkongsi taklimat setara termasuk aspek pengoperasian UAV mereka. Keseluruhannya, mesyuarat ini terus memperkukuh kerjasama strategik dan kesiapsiagaan kedua-dua angkatan udara.

(TUDM)

18 More Light Tanks from Israel to be Delivered This Year

18 Februari 2026

Sabrah light tanks (photo: AFP)

MANILA – Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete on Monday said he expects all remaining 18 units of the Sabrah light tanks, ordered to beef up the service's armored capabilities, to be delivered within this year.

"We have nine units of Sabrah (light tanks) now (in service) and we are still waiting for 18 units," he said when asked for updates on the project at a press conference at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

"This is a big item, negotiations are still ongoing. And we hope within this year matatapos na yun delivery natin (our Sabrah tank deliveries will be completed)," Nafarrete said.

For security reasons, the PA chief did not give further details on the possible delivery dates of these armored assets.

Around nine to 10 units are now in service with the PA's Armored Division. Reports said these were delivered from 2022 to 2025.

The Philippines' Sabrah light tank, which was developed by Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems, was the first armored vehicle of the PA to be armed with a 105mm cannon.

The PA's light tank acquisition project is under Horizon 2 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. The contract is worth around PHP9.4 billion and was acquired via government-to-government mode. 

(PNA)

RTAF Tested its SATCOM Satellite Communication System with the Domestically Developed SIKAN UAV

17 Februari 2026

The satellite communication (SATCOM) system testing on SIKAN Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed by RDC RTAF with THAICOM PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED, at RTAF Small Airfield (Thung Sikan) on 12 February 2026 (photos: RTAF)

According to information from the Research and Development Center for Space and Aeronautical Science and Technology (RDC) of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). At the Defense & Security 2025 exhibition of defense equipment and technology, held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand, from November 10-13, 2025. The SIKAN Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a radio-controlled training aircraft used as a training aid for external pilots before they train with real-world UAVs (Unmanned Aircraft Systems), thereby saving training costs.

The SIKAN UAV has dimensions of 3.58m in length, a wingspan of 4.58m, and a height of 1.16m. It is powered by a 170cc two-stroke piston engine producing 17.5hp, and also features an integrated motor. It has an empty weight of 65kg and a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 80kg.

The SIKAN UAV has a cruising speed of 110 km/h, a maximum speed of 180 km/h, a flight duration of 1 hour, a maximum altitude of 1,000 m, and an operational range of 2 km. It uses a Flight Control System (FLCS) operating on 2.4 GHz and 900 Hz radio waves.

The SIKAN UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) was manufactured and put into service at the Royal Thai Air Force-Unmanned Aircraft System Training Center (RTAF-UTC) at Wing 3, Watthana Nakhon, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, which is the first UAV unit of the Royal Thai Air Force.

Testing of the Satellite Communication (SATCOM) system installation with the SIKAN unmanned aerial vehicle took place at the Royal Thai Air Force airfield (Thung Si Kan), Si Kan Subdistrict, Don Mueang District, Bangkok on 12 February 2026, with Air Chief Marshal Seksan Kantha, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, visiting.

This is a collaboration between the Royal Thai Air Force's Research and Development Center (RTAF RDDC) and Thaicom Public Company Limited (Thaicom PLC) to install a SATCOM satellite communication system using encrypted communication channels on the Thaicom 4 satellite. This overcomes the limitations of line-of-sight (LOS) transmission and will be further developed for application with other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed domestically by the Royal Thai Air Force.

(AAG)