Chile Will Join Brazil in Developing KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft

25 Agustus 2010

Chile will buy six Embraer KC-390s and will join Brazil in developing the aircraft, hoping to be assigned the production of a major component. (image : Embraer)

The defense ministers of Chile and Brazil, Jaime Ravinet and Nelson Jobim, respectively, today signed a Declaration of Intent for the participation of our country in the development of the KC-390 military transport aircraft, which is carried out by the Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer.

Bilateral negotiations will define the terms and conditions of this participation, which will be implemented through the national aeronautics company, ENAER (Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica), as stated in the declaration.

The document was signed by ministers during a visit to the facilities of the Chilean aerospace company this morning.

Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said the project is relevant to both countries and that "there will be an integration for the construction of an aircraft that will be of major significance for the future,” as it will have a very large market when it becomes available just as the American C-130 Hercules reaches the end of its life."

The Brazilian state secretary added that ENAER was selected because "Chile has the capacity, expertise and know-how of other EMBRAER aircraft, like the Legacy, the Phenom, and the EMB-145. You will have a lot of work on that, "he said.

KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft (image : Embaer)

"We would like the project to develop, because it will bring a very important flow of technology to ENAER," stated Minister Jaime Ravinet.

The Chilean defense minister said that, along with providing job opportunities to our industry, participation in this project will "make us full partners with EMBRAER in the manufacture of aircraft for the world market."

"EMBRAER has achieved high levels of excellence and have been very large contractors and parts and these words will take on greater significance as we will make a substantial component, such as the fuselage and the ramp of the aircraft, and that's a huge challenge for ENAER that we hope to successfully meet, "he added.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the ministers is part of the good trade relations between the governments of Chile and Brazil, and of the sustained, long-term relationship between ENAER and EMBRAER since the beginning of the 90s.

Chile's participation in this program would increase Chilean capabilities in engineering and production of parts as well as contribute to the growth of the aviation industry in our country.

(Defense Aerospace)

Darussalam Class : OPV Baru Milik Angkatan Laut Brunei

24 Agutus 2010

Darussalam class OPV (photo : Arne Luetkenhorst)

Beberapa waktu yang lalu Brunei menghibahkan dua kapal patroli Waspada class kepada Pemerintah Indonesia. Demikian juga menyusul ketidaksepahaman antara BAe System dan Pemerintah Brunei atas 3 kapal OPV/korvet Nakhoda Ragam class maka hal ini berlanjut dengan penjualan ketiga kapal tersebut kepada Aljazair.

Rupanya Pemerintah Brunei telah menyiapkan pengganti kapal-kapal tersebut. Selain memesan empat kapal Ijtihad class diketahui juga bahwa Brunei telah memesan kapal OPV kepada galangan kapal Lurssen, Jerman.

Darussalam class OPV (photo : Juergen Braker)

Kapal tipe OPV dengan nomor lambung 06 dan bernama Darussalam class ini telah terlihat publik ketika dilakukan ujicoba di kanal Kiel, Jerman.

Belum diketahui pasti berapa jumlah pesanan kapal OPV ini demikian juga dengan spesifikasi teknisnya. Terlihat bahwa kapal ini dilengkapi dengan kanon utama 57 mm dan dilengkapi dengan dua set peluncur rudal SSM.

(Defense Studies)

Missile-Detecting Infrared Pod has been Developed for UAV

24 Agustus 2010

Airborne Infrared (photo : Aviation Week)

MDA Eyes Missile-Detecting Infrared Pod

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — In its efforts to develop an unmanned aerial system capable of detecting boosting ballistic missiles, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is focusing on a sensor pod that could fly on existing UAVs, rather than a new, integrated UAV design, according to MDA Director Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly.

MDA’s interest in an Airborne Infrared (ABIR) system carried by a UAV intensified last year. General Atomics Reapers, with the Raytheon MTS-B electro-optical/IR/full-motion video sensor, have proven the ability to detect and track a boosting missile from greater than 1,000 km. (621 mi.) with “remarkable resolution,” O’Reilly told reporters at this week’s Space and Missile Defense Conference here.

MDA is doing the groundwork to see what qualities an objective sensor would need and how the data would be integrated into the larger sensor cueing and command and control architecture. The ultimate goal is to link all sensors and shooters into a networked system.

A specific ABIR fleet of UAVs is cost prohibitive, so now the focus is on designing the pod, which could be flown on an Air Force system such as Reaper, O’Reilly says. Global Hawk also could be an option.

“An infrared seeker has limited ability to discriminate at that range, but it has great ability to track. So … it relieves the X-band radars from doing some of the long-range searching,” for threats, O’Reilly says. “It is much more cost-effective to build a pod that you can just attach to any remotely piloted vehicle” rather than focusing on designing the ABIR capability into a platform.

Using a UAV-carried ABIR pod, MDA hopes to capture precise tracking data of a ballistic missile in the boost phase and provide targeting-quality data to the Aegis system; ultimately, it could help facilitate intercept of threats shortly after they reach apogee.

The first ABIR test that allowed for a Reaper to view a target took place in the spring of 2009, and each major MDA flight test since December has allowed for their participation.

(Aviation Week)

Ijtihad Class : Kapal Patroli Terbaru TLDB

23 Agustus 2010

KDB Syafaat (photo : Olaf Eggert)

Tidak kalah dengan tetangganya, Brunei juga melakukan modernisasi pada angkatan bersenjatanya, kali ini Angkatan Laut Brunei mendapatkan 4 kapal patroli baru yang dipesan dari galangan kapal Lurrsen Jerman, kapal patroli ini sikenal sebagai Ijtihad class.

KDB (Ijtihad (photo :Juergen Braker)

Keempat kapal baru tersebut diberi nama KDB Ijtihad (17) , KDB Berkat (18), KDB Syafaat (19), dan KDB Afiat (20).

KDB Afiat (photo : Michael Brakhage)

Kapal dengan tipe High Speed Craft ini mempunyai panjang 41 m dan lebar 8 m mampu melaju dengan kecepatan max 32,5 knot, dan kecepatan jelajah rata-rata 14,6 knot.

KDB Berkat (photo : DiFoo)

Uji coba terhadap kapal ini dilakukan di kanal Kiel - Jerman. Brunei juga memesan kapal OPV pada galangan Lurssen Jerman ini.

(Defense Studies)

Baca Juga :

Royal Brunei Navy Sails Forward With New Vessels
3 Desember 2009

Harnessing Power Of German-Made Itjihad' Class Patrol Boats

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) looks set to sail on into the future onboard new patrol vessels soon with the acquisition of several German-made `ljtihad' class patrol boats.

After the decade-long legal wrangling over Brunei's refusal to accept the three completed offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) that were built by British Aerospace (BAe), the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) then turned to German ship manufacturer, Lurssen Werft, to build several new naval platforms for the RBN with which it could still effectively maintain a credible deterrence and perform its other roles and responsibilities.

In an interview with Dr Ezio Bonsignore, Managing Editor of Military Technology Magazine, which is also based in Munich, Germany, the Bulletin posed the question to ascertain whether the capabilities of these new patrol boats are as effective compared to the OPVs for the RBN's intended roles and missions.

Dr Bonsignore said: "The Ijtihads are significantly less sophisticated and complex to operate than the previous OPVs/corvettes.

"This is the reason why the RBN ordered them. The RBN did put the OPVs/corvettes on sale because it realised that it did not have sufficient trained personnel to operate them."

The OPVs were significantly bigger in every aspect compared to the Ijtihads.

From displacement to crew complement, as well as the level of sophistication of its electronics and weapons system, the three completed OPVs, which had already been dubbed the Kapal Diraja Brunei (KDB) Nakhoda Ragam, KDB Bendahara Sakam and KDB Jerambak certainly dwarf the Ijtihads in terms of capabilities, but it was the consideration of capacity that ultimately made MinDef rethink its decision.

Sources at MinDef, meanwhile, declined to comment.

The Bulletin made further queries to the Military Technology Magazine about how they found out about RBN's latest acquisition in its modernisation programme.

"We picked up the news about the Itjihad being at her sea trials froth a local German newspaper, and from here I followed the story," acknowledged the managing editor.

During the second Brunei Darussalam International Defence Expo last August 12-15, the Military Technology Magazine published a special report in Issue 8, 2009, Volume XXXIII, entitled 'Defence in Brunei: The RBAF's Development Plan'.

The magazine stated: "The Ijtihad class is the first vessel in a class of three 40-metre patrol boats that was built by Lurssen Werft for the Royal Brunei Navy."

The particular issue of Military Technology Magazine was distributed during the second Bridex at its new venue in Jerudong, which did not receive any negative feedback from MinDef nor the RBN.

On May 20, Jane's Defence News, another renowned military publication also published a report, entitled 'Mystery patrol craft starts trials out of Lurssen Werft yard', in which it stated: "The first of a new class of patrol craft believed to be destined for the RBN has commenced sea trials from German shipbuilder Lurssen Werft's Bremen yard.

Named Ijtihad and bearing the pennant number 17, its construction has remained a closely guarded secret."

It also acknowledged that Lurssen continues to refuse to comment on Ijtihad.

"However, information transmitted by the vessel's automatic identification system identifies the craft as being under the Brunei flag."

According to other sources, the commanding officer of the first completed Lurssen-built patrol boat had left for Germany in early October, to train alongside the crew that was already there earlier this year to train on the vessel.

They are also expected to sail the patrol boat back to Brunei sometime next year.

(Borneo Bulletin)

Leaked Doc Hints NZ May Get New SAR Aircraft

22 Agustus 2010

Dash 8 of the Australian Customs Service (photo : jetphotos)

WELLINGTON - New Zealand's Defence Review 09, to be released next month, may call for acquisition of less sophisticated new aircraft for a search-and-rescue (SAR) and surveillance role, according to a document leaked to the media following the Aug. 17 resignation of Associate Defence Minister Heather Roy.

Asked about the potential acquisition plan, a spokesman for Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said only that the minister has "on a number of occasions talked about the need for capability around short-range maritime patrol.

'There are potentially a number of capability solutions to this, some of which could use essentially civilian aircraft with specific role equipment," the spokesman said Aug. 20. "However, the white paper is not yet completed, and the extent to which it prioritizes short-range maritime patrol and proposes capability directions is not yet known."

Roy was forced to resign her post - which was created for her and now no longer exists - because she was replaced as deputy leader of the ACT party, part of New Zealand's coalition government, by the party's caucus.

The 82-page leaked document focuses on her disputes with ACT leader Rodney Hyde, and offers no other details of the draft review, which was circulated among government officials in June. The public version of the review, the defense white paper, was originally scheduled for release in March but postponed until September.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force's current SAR fleet - six Lockheed P-3K Orions - is being upgraded, although the work is several years behind schedule due, in part, to software integration problems.

Just days ago, an Orion was used to search for survivors of a sunken fishing vessel. The aircraft regularly flies SAR missions deep into the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean.

From time to time, suggestions are made to replace the Orions with a commercial airframe that would undertake such tasks more cost-effectively. The DHC-8 Dash 8 used by Australia's customs service is considered a candidate.

Australia's fleet of 10 was recently modified for a civil maritime surveillance role.
On March 7, Mapp said he was delaying the review's release to find savings of 50 million New Zealand dollars ($35.75 million).

(Defense News)

Sriti : UAV Baru untuk Pengawasan Kelautan

21 Agustus 2010

Pesawat ini rencananya akan digunakan kementerian kelautan dan perikanan untuk pengawasan laut indonesia. (photo : Defense Studies)

Sriti, Pesawat Bikinan Anak Negeri

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Sriti, pesawat tanpa awak hasil ciptaan putra Indonesia, diperkenalkan pada R&D Ritech Expo 2010, Sabtu (21/8/2010). Menurut Teguh, salah seorang engineer dari BPPT, Sriti adalah pesawat kelima yang telah dibuat BPPT.

"Ini pengembangan yang kelima, sebelumnya ada Pelatuk, Wulung, Gagak, dan Alap-alap. Namun, walaupun sudah lima pesawat yang diciptakan, baru Sriti yang akan diberdayagunakan oleh pemerintah. Belum ada yang dipakai, baru Sriti ini yang rencananya akan dipakai pemerintah," ujar Armanto, salah seorang engineer lainnya.

Remote control untuk pengendalian Sriti (photo : Defense Studies)

Rencananya, pada bulan November nanti Sriti akan digunakan oleh Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan untuk pengawasan zona laut terluar Indonesia. Hal ini bertujuan agar tidak terjadi lagi penerobosan kapal-kapal asing.

"Kita akan bekerja sama dengan Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan untuk pengawasan laut terluar indonesia," ujar Armanto lebih lanjut.

Monitor kontrol untuk pengendalian Sriti (photo : Defense Studies)

Sriti berbahan bakar methanol seperti yang dipakai di pesawat aeromodelling. Jarak pengendalian maksimum Srinti adalah 45 km. Pengendalian pesawat menggunakan Ground Control Station (GCS).

GCS terdiri dari remote control yang digunakan saat lepas landas dan mendarat. Saat di udara, Srinti bergerak autonomus, sesuai titik-titik yang telah ditentukan di komputer. Pergerakan peswat ini menggunakan software Dynamic c# dengan prosesor Rabbit 4000 yang telah dikembangkan oleh tim BPPT.

(Kompas)

Ukraine APCs Coming Soon

21 Agustus 2010

BTR-3E1 8x8 armour personnel carriers (photo : Thierry Lachapelle)

Ukraine will deliver the first batch of 96 armoured personnel carriers to Thailand next month, more than two years after the original purchase agreement was signed, says Ukraine Charge d'Affaires Andriy Beshta.

Mr Beshta met Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Thursday to assure him that the APCs would be delivered starting next month.

"The first lot of the vehicles will be sent out [by the end of] September," Mr Beshta said.

Only two APCs would be delivered next month, with the rest to follow after March of next year, he said.

The APCs will use MTU engines from the United States instead of German engines.

The switch from German to US made engines was one of the reasons given for the delay of delivery of the APCs.

The 4 billion baht deal for Thailand to buy 96 APCs from Ukraine was signed between the two governments back in July 2008.

In a statement released by Ukraine following Thursday's meeting, the country's government said it intended to send the 96 BTR 3E1 APCs to Thailand within a year.

Earlier this year, the opposition-dominated House committee on military affairs questioned whether the APCs destined for Thailand were modified from outdated models.

Ukraine denied the allegation in the statement. "[The accusation] that the Ukraine government had modified the old BTR 70 and BTR 80 armoured cars from the Russian era and sold them to the Thai government [is groundless]."

Mr Beshta said the APCs destined for Thailand are common in many regions such as the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

"We hope this situation will not affect the bilateral relationship and military cooperation between Thailand and Ukraine in the future," the statement said.

(Bangkok Post)