02 September 2016
Air Force Boeing 757, P3K Orion and C-130 Hercules in formation (photo : RNZAF)
RNZAF air mobility and maritime surveillance acquisition programs progress
The New Zealand Ministry of Defence has released two separate Requests For Information (RFIs) covering the acquisition of a ‘Future Air Mobility Capability’ and a ‘Future Air Surveillance Capability’ to replace the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s C-130H and 757-200 transports and its P-3K2 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft, respectively.
The Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) RFI seeks to replace the current five C-130Hs and two 757s with a “no less than … equivalent” capability, with the C-130H replacement slated for first delivery by February 2020, initial operational capability (IOC) in February 2021 and full operational capability (FOC) declared “no later than 2024”. The first 757 replacement will be “required” by February 2025 allowing an IOC by February 2026.
The Future Air Surveillance Capability (FASC) RFI, meanwhile, notes that New Zealand: “seeks information on platforms and services that could potentially contribute to solutions for Defence to be able to continue to provide the New Zealand Government with air surveillance operations beyond the withdrawal of the current P-3K2 Orion based capability, planned for the middle of the next decade.”
The FASC operational concept, reads the RFI, “will be largely a continuation of the extant P-3K2 Orion based concept, adapted to exploit any greater platform and capability systems performance of the FASC fleet and support systems.”
It continues: “The capacity of FASC to deliver at least the current rates of effort, between 2,500 to 3,200 hours of airborne operations per year, is expected from the project.”
Six upgraded P-3K2 Orions are currently in RNZAF service.
Both RFIs also seek information on any commonality between the air mobility and air surveillance requirements.
“Information is also sought on solutions that may allow synergies between the Defence Force’s future air mobility capability and its future air surveillance capability,” the FAMC RFI reads.
The closing date for both RFIs is September 30.
(Australian Aviation)
02 September 2016
Larsen & Toubro high dpeed fast patrol vessel (image : Naval Technology)
A US$100 million contract will be signed between Vietnam and India to provide the former with high-speed patrol boats within the framework of the upcoming official visit to Vietnam of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish has given some insight into the trip of Prime Minister Modi, scheduled for September 2 - 3.
This is the first visit to Vietnam of an Indian head of government in 15 years, Ambassador Harish stated, adding that many significant documents are expected to be signed between the two parties.
“The Indian leadership has focused on its Act East Policy in which our Strategic Partnership with Vietnam is a major pillar,” he said.
Collaboration between India’s M/s Larsen & Toubro Company and Vietnamese Border Guard is highly anticipated for the construction of high-speed patrol boats based on the Line of Credit of US$100 million, according to the diplomat.
“We expect conclusion of many agreements and MOUs in important economic, social and strategic sectors including in the fields of science and technology, information technology, defense and security, health, and especially cooperation in traditional medicine systems in our two countries,” he continued.
See full article Tuoi Tre News
01 September 2016
HHI proposed modification of the HDF-3000 Frigate (photos : MaxDefense)
A photo of the Notice of Award for the Frigate Acquisition Program for Philippine Navy was uploaded today in MaxDefense – Philippine and Asian Defense Issues Facebook page. As shown in the photo, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana signed the said Notice of Award.
The Notice of Award shows that the offer of Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea for the Frigate Acquisition Program for Philippine Navy worth PhP15,744,571,584.00 was accepted.
The said acquisition program will provide the Philippine Navy with two (2) Frigates with design that the Philippine Navy can have ownership or license to manufacture/build in future.
According to MaxDefense, the signing of contract is happening 2 weeks from now.
The frigates will be at least 95 meters long and have a displacement of at least 2000 tons. The frigates will also able to “survive at Sea State 7” with no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5 and no degradation of anti-submarine warfare capability at Sea State 4.
(
Update)
01 September 2016
Royal Thai Navy SH-60B with Mk54 lightweight torpedo (photo : RTN)
TEWKSBURY, Mass., /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $37,723,774 firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive, cost and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of MK 54 lightweight torpedo common parts kits; MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedo kits; and MK 54 exercise fuel tanks, spares, production support material, engineering support, and hardware repair support.
This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $448,737,790. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (98 percent) and the Government of Thailand (2 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.
Work will be performed in Keyport, Washington (70 percent); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (25 percent); and Tewksbury, Massachusetts (5 percent) and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2016 weapons procurement (Navy), fiscal 2016 weapons procurement spares (Navy), and foreign military sales funding in the amount of $36,113,068 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-16-C-6423).
(Raytheon)
01 September 2016
Singapore has laid down its fourth Independence-class warship. Progress indicates that the republic is on track to operate all eight platforms by 2020. (image : RSN)
Singapore shipbuilder ST Marine has laid down a fourth Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) on order for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the country's Ministry of Defence confirmed with IHS Jane's on 31 August.
The platform, which is a part of an eight-vessel contract signed between the Singapore government and ST Marine that was announced in January 2013, was laid on 26 May at ST Marine's shipyard in Jurong. First- and second-of-class, Independence and Sovereignty , were launched on July 2015 and April 2016 respectively.
The LMV has been jointly designed by Saab Kockums AB and ST Marine. The ships will replace the RSN's fleet of 11 Fearless-class patrol vessels that have been in service since the mid-1990s.
The 1,250-tonne platform features a length of 80 m, a beam of 12 m, and a draught of 3 m. Each vessel is powered by two MTU 20V 4000 M93 engines and can attain top speeds in excess of 27 kt, and a standard range of 3,500 n miles at 15 kt.
The LMV can accommodate a baseline crew complement of 23, including five officers, and features mission endurance of 14 days.
The vessel's offensive capabilities are provided by one Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid main gun, two Oto Melara Hitrole 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon stations (one each on the port and starboard sides), and one Rafael 25 mm Typhoon stabilised naval gun system at the rear of the bridge section.
For defence against hostile aircraft and precision-guided munitions, the LMVs have been equipped with a 12-cell vertical launching system (VLS) in the forward section that can launch MBDA's VL Mica anti-air missiles.
The platform's aft section features a flight deck that can accommodate one medium-lift helicopter, and a launch and recovery system for two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), or the Protector unmanned surface vessel (USV).
(Jane's)
01 September 2016
Lipan Bara kendaraan HMAV 4x4 (photo : Utusan)
KERETA kebal Pendekar dan Lipan Bara
KUALA LUMPUR - Lipan Bara, kereta perisai milik Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) diperlihatkan kepada orang ramai buat kali pertama dalam perbarisan dan perarakan Hari Kebangsaan ke-59 di Dataran Merdeka, di sini hari ini.
Kereta perisai bermobiliti tinggi (HMAV) itu mampu mengangkut muatan seberat sehingga dua tan serta mempunyai tahap perlindungan dan kekebalan yang menepati piawaian protokol STANAG 4569 Pertubuhan Perjanjian Atlantik Utara (NATO).
Aset terbaharu ATM dengan keupayaan pacuan empat roda tersebut dilengkapi sistem persenjataan M134D-H Gatling Gun 7.62mm, pelancar grenad 76mm dan alat amaran laser.
Lipan Bara hasil kerjasama Deftech dan Chaiseri Co Ltd - Thailand (photo : Defence Blog)
Lipan Bara yang dikeluarkan DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn. Bhd. (Deftech) itu dilancarkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pada Pameran dan Persidangan Perkhidmatan Pertahanan Asia (DSA) 2016, di sini April lalu.
Sementara itu, Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia, Datuk Seri Dr. Salleh Said Keruak berkata, rakyat seharusnya menghargai jasa pasukan keselamatan yang bekerja keras memastikan negara sentiasa berada dalam keadaan aman.
“Adalah penting bagi kita bersatu untuk mempertahankan negara ini, tanpa mengira apa pun bangsa atau agama kita,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyaksikan acara perbarisan dan perarakan tersebut.
Menurut beliau, sambutan Hari Kebangsaan Ke-59 yang berjalan lancar dan meriah tahun ini membuktikan rakyat memilih untuk bersatu demi memastikan negara kekal merdeka.
(Utusan)
01 September 2016
BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17) (photo : SeaWaves)
The remaining officers and enlisted personnel tasked to man the country’s latest frigate, the BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17), is scheduled to leave for Alameda, California by the third week of September.
“The remaining crew will depart on the third week of September from the Philippines to (join their fellow crew members) in Alameda, California,” Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in a message to the PNA Wednesday, said .
The BRP Andres Bonifacio, ex USCG Boutwell, has a crew of around 100 officers and enlisted men.
The first half are already in Alameda, California and conducting departmental and practical training on machineries, fire control system, deck landing and training on navigational equipment for the safe operation of the ship, Lincuna added.
The USCGC Boutwell was retired last March 16 and handed to the PN last July 21 (American time).
She will be the third Hamilton class cutter in PN service after the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) which were acquired in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
(Update)
