25 April 2019
Australian Army Tiger ARH attack helicopters aboard HMAS Canberra during the type’s first overseas deployment in late April. (photo : Aus DoD)
Australia has deployed its Airbus Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) overseas for the first time, with a detachment participating in joint training exercises with Malaysia.
Four Australian Army Tiger ARHs were airlifted to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) air base at Subang on a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlifter on 21 April, before embarking for training exercises aboard the HMAS Canberra landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship.
Australia operates 22 Tiger ARH helicopters, with deliveries running from December 2004 through to December 2011. The ARH is a hybrid variant of the Tiger that is based on the French HAP (Hélicoptère d'Appui et de Protection), with an undernose Giat 30-781 30 mm cannon, roof-mounted sight, and provision for underwing 70 mm rocket pods, but with added anti-tank capability.
Apart from being the first overseas deployment of the Tiger, the exercises aboard HMAS Canberra mark a major milestone for the helicopter given that until very recently Australian auditors were recommending that it not be operated aboard ships due to performance limitations.
(Jane's)
25 April 2019
Maintenance of Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter (photo : Rostec)
Integrated logistics support center for repairing helicopter engines created by UEC-Klimov (subsidiary of the United Engine Corporation, part of Rostec) has begun operations in the Vietnamese city of Vũng Tàu. Pilot repair project of the first engine in the new center has been successfully completed.
The center is equipped with all necessary equpment, spare parts and assemblies to provide repairs for engines designed by UEC-Klimov. By the end of April four more engines in use in Vietnam will go through repairs in the center.
Specialists from UEC-Klimov perform medium repairs of TVZ-117 and VK-2500 engines operated in Vietnam. The Russian side provides the details and spare parts, and trains the personnel for engine and gearbox maintenance. The Vietnamese side will provide support personnel to accompany the working process. The Vietnamese specialists have already received certificates from UEC-Klimov on successful familiarization with the medium repair process of the first engine: TV3-117VM series 02 used by the Mi-17-1V. A foreign object damaged this particular engine during operation by the Vietnamese civil aviation.
“Till the end of April, we’re going to repair four more engines operated in Vietnam. We plan to actively expand the geography of our cooperation and start providing repair and support services of helicopter engines in India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Our partners in the region are highly satisfied with the approach and quality of services provided by Rostec, which includes after-sale support for the whole life cycle of our products”, said the Director for International Cooperation and Regional Policy of Rostec, Viktor Kladov.
The Aviation Administration of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam certified the new center. Certifying the support personnel is a mandatory procedure for ensuring the operation and repair process made by the center. Vietnamese specialists familiarized themselves with all the steps concerning medium repairs of the TV3-117 engines and their different models during a technological procedure of the certification.
In October 2018 UEC-Klimov and the Vietnamese company Helicopter Technical Service Company signed a distribution contract concerning service maintenance of engines.
Helicopter Technical Service Company, on the territory of which the new center is located, provides service maintenance for Russian-made helicopters. It also operates as the distributor of ТB3-117 and VK-2500 engines.
(Rostec)
25 April 2019
Sukhoi Su-30SME for Myanmar Air Force (photo : Min Aung Hlaing)
TSAMTO - The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on April 22 visited the Irkutsk Aviation Plant of Irkut Corporation, PJSC, where he was presented the first ordered Su-30SME.
According to Scramble Magazine, citing the information provided to the publication, the plane has already made its first flight and is expected to be transferred to the Myanmar Air Force in the near future.
Recall that the agreement on the supply of six Su-30SME fighters was reached during the visit of Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu to Myanmar from January 20-21, 2018. Later, a source of the Kommersant newspaper reported that the value of the contract is estimated at $ 400 million.
On November 6, 2018, Viktor Kladov, the head of the delegation of the Rostec State Corporation at the Airshow China-2018 exhibition, announced the already signed and ongoing contract with Myanmar for the supply of six Su-30SME.
He also added that Russia had begun to exercise the option to supply six more Yak-130 combat training aircraft to Myanmar (previously Russia had supplied 10 combat training aircraft Yak-130 to Myanmar as part of the basic contract).
(ArmsTrade)
24 April 2019
Since 2012 PT Len and Thales in talks for collaboration in radar development to supply TNI AU (photo : radartutorial)
JAKARTA, Indonesia/PRNewswire/ -- With over 17,000 islands and a territory stretching across 1.9 million square kilometers, ensuring air sovereignty is a strategic priority for Indonesia. Over the last 35 years, Thales has been supporting the ambitions of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) through the supply of air defence radars and air operation centres throughout the country. Today, Thales is reinforcing its support to TNI-AU with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with PT Len in the area of radar development, a key pillar and one of the seven strategic industries to be developed in Indonesia as outlined by the Ministry of Defence.
Indonesia's Ministry of Defence has outlined 7 strategic industries to be developed in Indonesia. These are in the areas of fighter jets, submarines, missiles, rockets, propellant, medium tanks and radars.
Indonesia's radar strategic project is designed to enhance, expand and strengthen national radar coverage across the country's extensive land and sea territory. Through this MoU, Thales will be providing maintenance to its existing fleet of air defence radars currently in operation with the Air Force, as well as support PT Len in training and transfer-of-technology, to build up local expertise in radar management and maintenance. Thanks to Thales' expertise in high-technology, PT Len will be able to help Indonesian operators make the best decisions when life is at stake.
Development step of national radar (image : Kompas)
The MoU further extends Thales and PT Len's years of collaboration in the defence sector, which includes earlier MoUs signed for research and transfer-of-technology in naval combat management systems. Outside of the defence sector, Thales and PT Len are also collaborating on delivering advanced signalling systems for railway projects in Indonesia and the export market, through a separate MoU signed in 2018.
"Thales aligns with Indonesia's ambitions to upgrade its military capabilities while building local capabilities in R&D, system maintenance and manufacturing. We are deeply involved in the strategic defence industries in Indonesia, and this MoU enables us to support PT Len, Indonesia's leading defence electronics partner, in their goal of becoming the country's foremost experts in radars and air defence technologies," Erik-Jan Raatgerink, Country Director, Thales in Indonesia.
(PRNewswire)
25 April 2019
Some of the Philippine Army's ACV-300 tracked armored personnel carriers made by Turkey's FNSS (photo : MaxDefense)
The Philippine Army (PA) plans to convert its small fleet of FNSS ACV-300 Advanced Armored Personnel Carriers (AAPC) to Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV), with the installation of a manned turret with a medium-calibre cannon.
According to Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines, the PA has a fleet of six (6) FNSS ACV-300 (now marketed by FNSS as the ACV-15) armed with manually-operated 12.7mm M2 heavy machine guns, which are the first recipients of the upgrade worth Php288 million (around US$5.55 million).
The procurement is expected to done via a Public Bidding, with Turkish defense company FNSS expected to participate.
The Philippine Army operates a few Infantry Fighting Vehicles in its fleet, with the the remainder of the FMC AIFV similar to the Dutch YPR-765 acquired in the late 1970s, around four (4) GKN Simba 4x4 IFVs armed with a 25mm Bushmaster M242 guns, and four (4) M113A2 IFVs equipped with the 25mm Bushmaster M242 gun on Elbit Systems UT25 unmanned turrets.
(APDJ)
24 April 2019
Malaysia to countertrade palm oil with LCA (photo : quwa)
The Malaysian government is in discussion with countries including Russia, China, and Pakistan over deals to procure defence equipment in exchange for palm oil, Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu has stated.
In comments reported by local news agencies on 19 April, Mohamad Sabu said the move forms part of Malaysia’s resurgent strategy to utilise national commodities instead of state funds. “We have been working towards a barter system and have received a positive response,” he said.
He said Russia, China, and Pakistan had all expressed a willingness to accept transfers of Malaysian palm oil in part exchange for materiel. Mohamad Sabu also said that he planned to discuss such countertrade deals with Russia during his four-day visit to Moscow, which started 20 April.
(Jane's)
23 April 2019
Airbus A-400M aircraft (photo : n-tv)
State-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina plans to buy Airbus A400 aircraft to be operated by PT Pelita Air Service (PAS), an airline owned by Pertamina and PT Pertamina Pedeve Indonesia, an official has said.
State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry undersecretary for financial, survey and consulting services Gatot Trihargo did not reveal details on the plan, such as the number of aircraft to be purchased.
The official said Indonesia had used the Airbus A400 for natural disaster mitigation in the past.
“The rescue mission for the Palu earthquake could be implemented quickly because the Airbus A400 could land on the short runway yet carry a larger number of passengers than Hercules planes,” Gatot said recently, as quoted by kontan.co.id.
With the new planes, PAS could transport cargo to Papua as well as other remote regions, the official noted, adding that the plane was expected to arrive this year or next year.
He said PAS was expected to join a state-owned aviation holding company that was being prepared by the SOE Ministry.
The government is likely to appoint PT Survei Udara Penas to head the holding company, which is expected to also include flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia and airport operators PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) and PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II).
“Garuda as an open company cannot easily become the leader of the holding company, while Penas is a small company but booked Rp 3 billion (US$213,041) last year. It will be easier [for that firm] to become [the] leading company,” he added.
(Jakarta Post)
