25 November 2016
Collins cutaway (image : Amazon)
Thales Australia has been awarded an AUD100 million (USD74.3 million) contract to design a major sonar system upgrade for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) six Collins-class submarines, Australia's minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne, said on 23 November.
Pyne said Thales Australia would engage other Australia-based companies, including Sonartech Atlas and L3 Oceania, as well as suppliers from the United Kingdom and France to design the upgrade, which will involve installing improved sonar system arrays and enhanced signal processing systems aboard each of the 3,407-tonne conventionally powered submarines.
Thales Australia said in a statement that it plans to utilise some of the latest developments in underwater sensing to replace the Collins' arrays, which have not been upgraded since first entering service in the mid-1990s. The proposed system design would be subject to final government approval in 2018.
The legacy cylindrical array is set to be replaced with a modular cylindrical array based on technology developed by the company in the United Kingdom. The existing flank array is expected to be replaced with the latest generation flank array developed by Thales in France, with integration work being carried out by Thales in Sydney, the company said.
The upgrade programme follows an AUD22 million (USD16.3 million) contract awarded to Thales Australia in 2012 to update the Collins' on-board sonar hardware and electronics to improve reliability and help reduce space, weight, and power requirements.
(Jane's)
25 November 2016
Pesawat CN235-220M Multi Purpose Aircraft buatan PT Dirgantara Indonesia yang dipesan oleh Royal Thai Police (RTP) (photo : Kompas)
BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com - PT Dirgantara Indonesia melakukan kirim terbang atau ferry flight satu unit pesawat terbang tipe CN235-220M Multi Purpose Aircraft dari Bandara Husein Sastranegara Bandung ke Bandara Hat Yai, Thailand, Jumat (25/11/2016).
Pesawat CN235-220M ini adalah pesanan Royal Thai Police (RTP). Sabtu (26/11/2016) besok, pesawat ini akan diterbangkan kembali ke bandara Internasional Don Muang, Bangkok, Thailand, dan selanjutnya pesawat akan menjalani final acceptance oleh Royal Thai Police selaku end user.
"Pembelian CN235-220 ini menambah jumlah pesawat terbang yang terbang di udara Thailand karena sebelumnya dua unit CN235-220 telah digunakan oleh MoAC Thailand," kata Direktur Utama PTDI Budi Santoso dalam keterangan pers yang dikeluarkan PTDI, Jumat pagi.
Penandatanganan kontrak pengadaan satu ini pesawat terbang CN235-220M ini telah dilaksanakan pada 19 September 2014 antara PTDI dan Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd.
Budi menambahkan, pesawat terbang CN235-220M ini dapat berfungsi sebagai angkutan VIP, troop transport, medical evacuation, passanger transport, dan kargo yang dapat dimanfaatkan bergantian sesuai kebutuhan RTP.
Pesawat ini juga dilengkapi pintu depan yang bisa dipakai sebagai pintu masuk dan keluar untuk tamu VIP atau VVIP.
"Terdapat juga pintu belakang khusus yang dibuka ke arah dalam dan cukup besar untuk dipakai operasi terjun payung," kata dia.
Ramp door diberikan di pesawat ini untuk jalur keluar masuk barang yang ukurannya cukup besar untuk satu kendaraan kecil.
(Kompas)
25 November 2016
Kementrian Pertahanan (Kemenhan) Republik Indonesia menerima dua helikopter tempur Full Combat SAR Mission EC-725 dari PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) di hanggar final assy Fixed wing PTDI (photo : Kompas)
BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com - Kementerian Pertahanan Republik Indonesia menerima dua helikopter tempur Full Combat SAR Mission EC-725 dari PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) di hanggar final assy fixed wing PTDI, Jalan Pajajaran, Kota Bandung, Jumat (25/11/2016).
Dua helikopter tersebut diterima langsung oleh Menteri Pertahanan Ryamizard Ryacudu dari Direktur Utama PTDI Budi Santoso.
"Kami serahkan dua unit heli EC-725 Full Combat SAR Mission ini kepada pihak kementrian Pertahanan. Heli ini dapat digunakan untuk berbagai misi seperti troop transport, SAR dan digunakan untuk bertempur karena dilengkapi oleh persenjataan," kata Budi Santoso dalam sambutannya, Jumat pagi.
Budi menambahkan, selain untuk pertempuran, helikopter EC-725 merupakan pesawat yang cocok dipakai untuk kebutuhan evakuasi.
"Helikopter ini dilengkapi light spectrograph dan hoist (derek) untuk mencari dan mengevakuasi korban serta dilengkapi forward looking infrared camera untuk mendukung operasional segala medan dan kondisi," tambah dia.
Selain itu, helikopter EC-725 ini juga terbilang canggih karena mampu mendarat darurat di perairan.
"Heli ini memiliki pelampung bagian bawah untuk kondisi emergency yang mengharuskan mendarat di perairan. Pelampung dapat berkembang secara otomatis dalam kondisi emergensi dengan kecepatan pesawat 150 knot," tuturnya.
Dengan kabin yang luas dan fleksibel, helikopter EC-725 mampu mengangkut 29 orang personel atau beban maksimal 11 ton.
"Memiliki feasibility (kemungkinan) untuk melihat ke bawah dan ke samping," ucapnya.
Di tempat yang sama, Menteri Pertahanan Ryamizard Ryacudu mengatakan, dua helikopter ini selesai terlebih dahulu. Kemenhan memesan enam unit helikopter serupa untuk menambah kekuatan TNI Angkatan Udara.
"Empat unit (sisanya) akan diserahkan paling lambat awal tahun 2017. Kementrian pertahanan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada seluruh staff PTDI yang mempunyai komitmen kuat untuk menyelesaikan pesanan Kemenhan sesuai waktu yang disepakati," ungkapnya.
(Kompas)
23 November 2016
The AWDs will surely benefit from the Cuttlefish technology. (photo : AWD Alliance)
$4.9M to develop technology for Royal Australian Navy in hostile environments
Techniques to counter radio frequency emitters, enabling the Royal Australian Navy to sustain a presence in hostile and threatening environments will be developed as part of a project receiving $4.9 million of Australian Government funding.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne, today announced that BAE Systems Australia has received funding to assist RAN to develop and demonstrate an innovative technology that will enhance Defence Capability
The project, known as Cuttlefish aims to develop counter-surveillance capability to enable the RAN to shape, disrupt and inhibit an adversary’s surveillance and targeting of RAN platforms.
“This project is an example of Defence and industry collaborating in the development of an innovative technology to enhance defence capability and protect defence personnel,” Minister Pyne said.
The 2016 Defence Industry Policy Statement outlined the Government’s commitment to building and harnessing the innovation potential of Australia’s defence industry.
Later this year, the Turnbull Government will launch the virtual Defence Innovation Hub, which will bring together existing Defence innovation programs delivering a more streamlined opportunity for Defence investment with industry to develop cutting-edge technologies.
Minister Pyne said the funding for this project with BAE reflects the Government’s strong commitment to supporting and enhancing the capabilities of the ADF by building collaborative partnerships between Defence and defence industry.
“The Turnbull Government is determined to use the historic investment of $195 billion in Australia’s defence capability to support and drive the growth of a high technology, advanced manufacturing future for Australia,” he said.
“We must maximise opportunities for Australian industry to contribute to meeting our defence capability needs to ensure the long term security of our nation,” Minister Pyne said. (Aus DoD)
Australia to invest USD3.6 million in 'Cuttlefish' project
The Australian government will invest AUD4.9 million (USD3.6 million) in technology under development by BAE Systems Australia designed to counter an adversary's surveillance and targeting of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) surface assets in a bid to move the capability to sea trials in 2019.
Australia's minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne, said on 23 November that the so-called 'Cuttlefish' project aims to develop counter-surveillance capability to enable the RAN to shape, disrupt, and inhibit the surveillance and targeting of RAN platforms.
Pyne said 'Cuttlefish' included techniques to counter radio frequency emitters, but neither he nor the company provided any further details. (Jane's)
25 November 2016
GDELS Pandur II (photo : Wikiwand)
Czechoslovak Group, the largest conglomerate of defence manufacturers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, has secured a deal for the sale of an undisclosed number of Tatra military vehicles, Steyr Pandur II 8x8 armoured personnel carriers, and General Dynamics M3 amphibious bridging and ferrying systems to the Indonesian military.
M3 amphibious bridge (photo : gdels)
The group's spokesperson, Andrej Cirtek, told reporters that the value of the deal, which was signed with the Indonesian government on 24 November, exceeds CZK1 billion (USD39 million). However, Cirtek did not provide further details about the equipment being procured by Jakarta.
M3 amphibious/pontoon bridge (photo : Army Recognition, British Army)
Czechoslovak Group has an exclusive agreement with General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) to produce, maintain, and market the Steyr Pandur II 8x8 group of armoured vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in selected Asian markets along with other platforms produced by GDELS.
(Jane's)
24 November 2016
A Royal Thai Navy H145M helicopter conducting deck landing operations onboard HTMS Angthong. (all photos: Royal Thai Navy)
A Royal Thai Navy (RTN) H145M helicopter has successfully completed a series of deck landing trials on board the service's Endurance-class landing platform dock (LPD) platform, HTMS Angthong (791).
The trials were conducted on 22 November off the coast of Pattaya, and involved a single airframe with serial number 2217, an official from the service's 202 Naval Aviation Squadron confirmed with IHS Jane's on the day after.
The aircraft is part of a fleet of five newly inducted H145M helicopters that were ordered under a 2014 contract with Airbus Helicopters. The airframes were formally commissioned in early November 2016, although technical acceptance for the first two aircraft was completed in April the same year.
According to Airbus Helicopters, the RTN's H145Ms have been equipped for a range of military operations that include search-and-rescue (SAR), reconnaissance, and medical evacuation missions.
The helicopters are powered by Turbomeca Arriel 2E engines, and are equipped with weather radar system, cargo hooks, and an internal long-range fuel tank system. The RTN also confirmed with IHS Jane's in May 2016 that the helicopters have been fitted with two machine gun pedestals each, one each on the port and starboard doors.
Deck landing exercises on board the ship with the aircraft type are scheduled to continue over the next few weeks to further familiarise Angthong 's crew with the helicopter, including stowing and lashing procedures, said the squadron official.
(Jane's)
24 November 2016
Philippines to lease up to five TC-90 aircraft from Japan)
TOKYO - Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force said Monday it will start training Philippine naval pilots next week to fly TC-90 aircraft to be leased to the Southeast Asian country from March for maritime patrol and other purposes.
The first trainees -- two lieutenant commanders -- will undergo training from next Monday through March 24 at the MSDF's Tokushima Air Base in Tokushima Prefecture. A total of six Philippine pilots will be trained through November next year, the MSDF said in a press release.
Japan agreed with the Philippines in May to lease up to five TC-90 aircraft used by the MSDF for pilot training. For the first time, Japanese Self-Defense Forces aircraft are to be leased to another country. Tokyo apparently hopes that assisting the Philippines' efforts to bolster its maritime patrolling capabilities will be beneficial in countering China's assertiveness in the South China Sea.
The TC-90 aircraft has a flight range of about 2,000 kilometers, double that of current Philippine Navy aircraft. A total of five TC-90 aircraft will be leased to the Philippines, with the first two scheduled to be transferred there around March.
The aircraft is also expected to be used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities.
(ABS CBN News)
