19 Januari 2019
MicroDragon satellite (photos : VNSC)
Vietnamese satellite MicroDragon was successfully launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan Friday morning.
The satellite, built by a team of Vietnamese engineers with help from Japanese experts and launched aboard Japan’s Epsilon 4 launcher, will be used to observe Vietnam’s coast line.
MicroDragon measures 50x50x50 centimeters (19.6 inches) and weighs around 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
It will help evaluate water quality, locate fisheries resources and monitor changes to serve aquaculture.
It will also detect cloud coverage and aerosols, collect ground-based sensor signals and transmit them to stations on Earth.
In 2013 the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) sent 36 engineers to five top universities in Japan for master’s programs in satellite technology as part of a joint Vietnam-Japan project to prevent natural disasters and climate change using satellites.
Using official development assistance from Japan and counter capital from the Vietnamese government, the engineers worked with Japanese experts to build MicroDragon in Japan.
The satellite marks a milestone for Vietnam in building satellites. The VNSC told the media earlier that the satellite is expected to provide imagery of a specific area within six to 12 hours compared with at least two days when is it obtained from a commercial satellite imagery provider.
Vietnam sent its first indigenous satellite into space in 2013. The one-kilogram PicoDragon was in space for three months. The country had launched four satellites before that, but all made by foreign companies.
Plans are underway to build LOTUSat-2 (500 kg) by 2022, which would place Vietnam among the leading countries in the region in terms of space technology, alongside Indonesia and Malaysia, Pham Anh Tuan, general director of the VNSC, said.
(VNExpress)
19 Januari 2019
Pemerintah Indonesia akan memberi keputusan pada bulan Februari mengenai pemenang tender pengadaan drone MALE untuk ditempatkan di Natuna, Kepulauan Riau dan Timika, Papua (photo : Hakan Kilic)
Turki dan Tiongkok masuki tahap akhir pengadaan drone di Indonesia
Indonesia dalam waktu dekat akan membeli pesawat tanpa awak atau Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
Menteri Pertahanan Ryamizard Ryacudu mengatakan ada sejumlah perusahaan yang telah mengikuti tender pengadaan UAV tersebut.
Sementara itu, Kepala Badan Sarana Pertahanan (Kabaranahan) Kementerian Pertahanan RI Laksamana Muda TNI Agus Setiadji menyebut perusahaan asal Turki dan Tiongkok telah memasuki tahap akhir tender pengadaan pesawat tanpa awak atau drone.
Dia menyebut dari lima perusahaan yang mengikuti tender pengadaan drone sejak tahun lalu yakni, Amerika Serikat, Israel, Perancis, Turki dan China hanya dua perusahaan yang memasuki tahap akhir.
CASC CH-4 Rainbow (photo : Jane's)
"Tinggal dua, satu Turki [Turkish Aerospace Industry], satu Tiongkok belum menang tender. Nanti akan diperbandingkan TOTnya, speknya, garansi, suku cadang dll," jelas Agus Setiadji di Kementerian Pertahanan RI pada Rabu saat ditanya Anadolu Agency.
Menurut dia, Pemerintah Indonesia akan memberi keputusan pada Februari nanti mengenai pemenang tender pengadaan drone tersebut.
"Penawaran masih dua [Turki dan Tiongkok], Nanti akan memasuki tahap reverse auction. yang dua ini diadu lagi," jelas dia.
Agus Setiadji menegaskan pesawat tanpa awak yang diinginkan oleh TNI yakni memiliki spesifikasi Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE), memiliki Wingspan sepanjang 18 meter dan mampu terbang hingga jarak 200 km.
Kementerian Pertahanan kata dia menyiapkan anggaran 110 juta USD atau sekitar Rp 1 triliun jika dikonversikan dengan kurs dolar AS saat ini.
Nantinya kata dia, Indonesia akan membeli enam pesawat tanpa awak (UAV) dengan dua hanggar di wilayah Natuna, Kepulauan Riau dan Papua.
(Anadolu)
18 Januari 2019
BRP Kalanggaman and BRP Malamawi (photo : Mer et Marine)
The Philippine Coast Guard commissioned the last two 24-meter fast patrol boats with the Department of Budget and Management Secretary, Honorable Benjamin Diokno as guest of honor and speaker and the Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Administration and Finance, Atty. Gary V. De Guzman as the presiding officer at the National Headquarters Philippine Coast Guard today, January 16.
Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Malamawi (Fast Patrol Boat-2403) under the helm of Lieutenant Commander Rolando l Lorenzana PCG and BRP Kalanggaman (FPB-2404) with Commander Glen B Daraug PCG as its Commanding Officer.
The four 24-meter fast patrol boats acquired from France were named after the prominent Philippine islands known for their tourism aesthetic and environmental features.
As a tradition, a vessel is being commissioned to grant its identity to belong to a service and to authorize it to perform the mandated missions of the agency, fly the national ensign, jack flag and the commission pennants.
PCG commandant, Admiral Elson Hermogino said in his speech, “These four patrol boats will be the new face of the PCG’s multi-purpose fast craft. Measuring 24 meters long and with top-speeds of 30 knots, the fast patrol boat is both agile and sturdy, perfect for patrolling our maritime boundaries as well as the narrow straits in between the islands of the archipelago. These ships are newly constructed by our friends from OCEA in France and made to our specifications, built for the Philippine seas.”
More so, Admiral Hermogino stated that since the commissioning of the first two FBSs in October 2018, they have been performing well in the PCG’s surveillance and law enforcement operations against smuggling, among others.
“With the introduction of two more such fine ships to our fleet, our operations will only become better and more efficient. This is the way of the modern Coast Guard- modern equipment to match the skill and courage of our men and women”, he added.
Meanwhile, an 82-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel is scheduled to arrive in August 2019.
(Mintfo)
18 Januari 2019
RSAF should purchase a small number of F-35 JSF for a full evaluation (photo : Medium)
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) have completed their technical evaluation to select the next generation fighter to replace its F-16s. The F-16s will have to retire soon after 2030 and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has been identified as the most suitable replacement to maintain the RSAF's capabilities.
However, the technical evaluation also concluded that the RSAF should first purchase a small number of F-35 JSFs for a full evaluation of their capabilities and suitability before deciding on a full fleet. In the next phase, MINDEF will discuss details with relevant parties in the US before confirming its decision to acquire the F-35 JSFs for Singapore's defence capabilities.
(Sing Mindef)
18 Januari 2019
MQ-4C Triton in RAAF colour scheme (image : Northrop Grumman)
Australian firms stand to gain substantial work from the Triton unmanned aircraft program as the RAAF progressively rolls out an advanced capability to conduct long-range maritime surveillance.
The first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton aircraft isn’t expected to reach Australia until 2023 or later but already local firms are gaining work.
Long-term sustainment will be all-Australian, while Australia will work with the US Navy on future development.
Northrop Grumman director of international programs for Triton Ed Graziano said there was a robust plan for Australian industry involvement in production of aircraft and in their long-term support.
Graziano said some industry partnerships were already in place for supply of components such as cables and sheet metal, which would be expanded to include electronic equipment, composites for airframe parts and sensors.
“We are working with Quickstep, Qinetic, Daronmont, Ferra, Marand and others,” Graziano told Australian media last week.
“They will support not just the buildup and delivery of Australian aircraft and systems but also US Navy systems.
“We need to ensure we have a cost-effective solution for both Australian and the US Navy. We need to find the sweet spot where there is a technology and a capability that the (Australian) SMEs can take on to be able to provide either that work required or the sub-systems. We are going through that. “
The government finally announced in June last year that it would acquire the first of six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high altitude long endurance (HALE) in a deal worth almost $7 billion.
Inside MQ-4C Triton (image : Flight International)
Triton has been a long time coming. The government first disclosed an interest in a HALE capability close to two decades ago when Triton’s predecessor the Global Hawk made a record-breaking flight from the US to Australia in 2001.
Triton flies at altitudes above 50,000 feet and can conduct surveillance of 2.5 million square kilometres of ocean on each mission, descending to take a closer look at items of interest.
Triton will be based at RAAF Edinburgh in South Australia and operate in conjunction with the RAAF’s new Boeing P-8A Poseidon manned maritime ISR aircraft.
Although Australia is looking to a fleet of six Tritons, the initial approval was for a single aircraft plus all ground stations and infrastructure.
Graziano said Northrop Grumman planned to train Australian nationals to be able to support, operate and maintain the aircraft.
“Once we deliver the aircraft to Australia, the sustainment starts at that point.”
There’s no mandated level of Australian industry involvement in the Triton program but Northrop Grumman did submit an industry plan.
Although Australia has announced it will buy Triton, nothing has yet been signed and Northrop Grumman hasn’t yet been contracted for long-lead items for Australian aircraft.
Australia and the US Navy have signed a cooperative agreement for future development of Triton.
“We do also look at industry capability development as part of road mapping with the SMEs. We have had some dialogues with (Australia radar firm) CEA Technology…about sensor concepts and development.”
The US Navy plans to declare EOC (early operational capability) in the next few months, a slight delay following an incident in September in which one aircraft made a belly landing at the US Navy station at Point Mugu, California.
So far eight aircraft of the US Navy have been produced from the planned 68 aircraft.
(AustralianAviation)
18 Januari 2019
Galil rifles to the Laos Army (photo : KPL)
Page kpl.gov.la of Laos has published information saying that the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam has awarded some advanced attack rifles to Galil ACE.
According to the pictures posted by the press of the country, the Ministry of Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has awarded a defense shipment of rifles to the Galil ACE fairy to the Lao People's Democratic Republic advanced.
Known to act as a greeting from the Vietnam People's Army to the Lao People's Army during the 70th anniversary of its founding. It is likely that these Galil guns (Galil ACE 32 version) will be used by your side during the parade held in the next few days.
Thus, not long after appearing at the International Defense Defense Exhibition 2018, Vietnam's assault rifle Galil ACE was officially exported, although this is a non-refundable aid but also a sign herald a bright future for the above weapons.
The assault rifle Galil ACE 31/32 is currently produced by the Z111 Factory under license from Israeli IMI Defense Industry Group, which is compatible with the 7.62 x 39 mm M43 bullet that AK is using.
Assault rifle made in Vietnam (photo : BaoDatViet)
Galil ACE versions are expected to replace the legendary AK-47 and AKM in Vietnamese soldiers' equipment, the biggest advantage of which is their modern design, which easily integrates a variety of support accessories. Operation
In addition to appearing in several parades, the Galil ACE 32 assault rifle and the short-barreled version of Galil ACE 31 were equipped for a number of task forces.
Based on Galil ACE 32 and AKM, at the International Defense Defense Exhibition in Indonesia, Vietnam has for the first time launched two "unique" assault rifle models: GK1 and GK3 when combined. of Galil ACE with barrel and gas extraction of AKM and addition of AK-74 type fire shields.
According to military experts, this combination helps Vietnam have a gun that possesses the advantages of both Galil and AK, which is a high rate of fire (700 rounds / minute), custom mode dynamic, one-shot and 3-type shooting are very flexible, while maintaining the accuracy and power of AKM.
It is very likely that Vietnamese assault rifles of GK1 and GK3 will become a sought-after item in the world weapons market (not only in the armed forces but also with weapons collectors). If we intend to export soon.
(BaoDatViet)
18 Januari 2019
Yak-130 of the Myanmar Air Force (photo : sdelanounas)
According to the web source sdelanounas.ru, on New Year's Day, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, which is part of PJSC" Irkut Corporation, delivered six Yak-130 combat-training aircraft for the Myanmar Air Force.
Contract for the supply of an unnamed number of Yak-130 planes to Myanmar (supposedly 16) was signed by Rosoboronexport on June 22, 2015. The first three Yak-130 aircraft built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant of PJSC Irkut Corporation under this contract were delivered to Myanmar at the end of 2016 and transferred to Myanmar Air Force in February 2017, receiving Myanmar airborne numbers "1801", "1802" and "1803 "(serial numbers from 130.12.03-0101 to 130.12.03-0103).
Yak-130 of the Myanmar Air Force (photo : Aldin B)
In the fall of 2017, the Myanmar Air Force received the next batch of three Yak-130 aircraft with tail numbers "1804", "1805" and "1806" (estimated serial numbers from 130.12.03-0104 to 130.12.03-0106). The official ceremony of entering the first six received Yak-130s into the Myanmar Air Force took place on December 15, 2017 at the airfield of the Myanmar Air Force Flight School in Meythil (near Mandalay).
Now Myanmar has received six more Yak-130 aircraft under this contract. Judging from the published photograph of the transportation of one of the aircraft of this party, this aircraft has a Myanmar airborne number "1808"
Thus, in 2018, ten Yak-130 combat training aircraft were delivered for export from Russia - six to Myanmar and four to Laos.
(BMPD)
