02 April 2019
VL MICA of the Royal Thai Army (photo : Sompong Nondhasa)
MBDA VL MICA ground based air defence missile of Royal Thai Army include wheeled self-propelled Airbus Defence and Space TRML-3D/32 3D radar, control station and two launcher with four missiles per each system.
According to the Air Defense Command Unit, the Royal Thai Army has received an air defense system, weapons to release the ground to air VL MICA Europe in 2018, to replace the ground-to-air missile launching system, the Italian Spada that was stationed at the artillery battalion to the 6th aircraft Air Combat Artillery Brigade.
Lastly, there was a photo revealing the VL MICA, which includes the entire system, firearms launcher, introducing 2 self-propelled artillery systems, command and control systems, and radar detection and air defense 3D Airbus Defense and Space TRML-3D/32-6 systems, including the system as one platoon VL MICA.
Each system has a pipe 4 rocket launchers for missile launcher VL MICA RF Active Radar Homing or VL MICA IR-guided infrared trajectory 20km distance. If in the future we receiving sufficient budget, will provide one additional division from the company.
(AAG)
02 April 2019
Su-30MKM (photo : Wiki)
LANGKAWI: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is set to be “back on its feet” with yet another service life extension programme for its aging fleet.
After Aerospace Technology Systems Corp (ATSC) announced that it had begun a refurbishment programme for the 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flankers, Airod Sdn Bhd will undertake a similar programme for the 21 Pilatus PC-7 Mk II.
The New Straits Times understands that the PC-7 Mk II models, some of which have been in service for nearly two decades, will be refurbished to smoothen operations for the country’s ab-initio pilot training at the RMAF base in Alor Star, Kedah.
The RMAF had initially procured 44 of the first-generation PC-7 in 1983, but has since phased them out owing to wear and tear after 33 years.
Other than the Flankers, the RMAF’s aging fleet includes the BAE Systems Hawk 100/200 fighter jets, Boeing F/A-18D Hornets and a fleet of 14 Lockheed C-130 Hercules, in service for more than 20 years.
PC-7 and PC-7 Mk II training aircraft (photo : Apai)
The Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters, meanwhile, have served the RMAF for over 40 years.
RMAF chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang had expressed concern that 40 per cent of its assets required immediate upgrade.
In the latest refurbishment deal, Airod engaged Pratt and Whitney Canada (PWC) to provide performance-based support and maintenance of the PC-7 Mk II’s PT6A-25C turbo-prop engines.
The deal was clinched at the 15th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition (Lima) 2019 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre at Padang Matsirat.
Airod managing director Datuk Seri Elkany Ahmad said, over the years of dynamic and fruitful cooperation with PWC, both entities had demonstrated and implemented shared capabilities in providing a dependable propulsion solution with a responsive team.
CN-235 after rewiring SLEP program (photo : RMAF)
“The plan is to offer a comprehensive maintenance support solution tailored to accommodate operational requirements for the RMAF, via high standards and quality,” he said.
PWC business development and strategic marketing senior manager Benjamin Murat-Prats said the deal allowed RMAF to focus on its training missions and enhanced PWC’s footprint in Malaysia and regionally.
“By customising service offerings, we help engine operators to maximise fleet availability and minimise costs over the lifecycle of their engines,” he said.
Murat-Prats added that the deal also involved maintenance, repair and overhaul, integrated logistics, management, technical and engineering support.
(NST)
01 April 2019
KRI 405 Alugoro (photo : PAL)
Ini Tank dan Kapal Selam yang Dibanggakan Jokowi Saat Debat
Jakarta - Dalam debat calon presiden (capres) keempat, Calon Presiden Nomor Urut 01 Joko Widodo membanggakan RI sudah mampu memproduksi mampu memproduksi alat utama sistem persenjataan (alutsista), seperti tank dan kapal selam.
Kedua alutsista itu diproduksi oleh perusahaan BUMN, yaitu PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) untuk kapal selam dan PT Pindad (Persero) untuk tank.
Direktur Utama PT PAL Indonesia Budiman Saleh mengatakan produksi kapal selam tipe U209 unit ke-3 sudah rampung dan sekarang dalam proses preparasi peluncuran.
"Kita luncurkan awal April tahun ini, dan ini akan menjadi momen pertama bagi kemandirian anak bangsa" kata Budiman saat dihubungi detikFinance, Jakarta, Minggu (31/3/2019).
Budiman menceritakan, proses pembangunan kapal selam Alugoro murni merupakan produk kolaborasi antara PT PAL Indonesia dengan DSME Korea Selatan. Pembangunan komponen dilakukan di Korea dan di Indonesia setelah dua kapal selam sebelumnya (KRI Nagapasa dan KRI Ardadedali) dibangun di Korea Selatan.
Menurut Budiman, pembangunan kapal selam ini dimulai pada 2017. Pada proses pembangunan dua kapal selam sebelumnya, PT PAL mengirimkan 206 insinyur, mekanik dan spesialis ke DSME, Korea Selatan, untuk terlibat dalam proses ToT dan pembelajaran langsung tentang pembangunan dan pengembangan kapal selam secara mandiri melalui tahap On the Job Training (OJT).
"Kapal selam tipe 209 ini sudah dilengkapi torpedo sebagai fungsi azasinya dan di kemudian hari dapat dilengkapi dengan berbagai persenjataan lainnya" ujar Budiman.
"Yang menggembirakan adalah, kami sedang proses finalisasi kontrak untuk 3 unit kapal selam berikutnya dari Kementerian Pertahanan," tambahnya.
Tank Harimau produksi Pindad (photo : Pindad)
Tank "Harimau"
Sementara untuk tank, Sekretaris Perusahaan PT Pindad Tuning Rudyati mengatakan pihaknya akan memulai produksi tank pada tahun ini.
Dia menjelaskan, yang bakal diproduksi oleh Pindad adalah medium tank bernama Harimau. Produksi itu merupakan kerja sama dengan FNSS Turkey.
"Medium Tank belum produksi, insha Allah mulai tahun ini," kata Tuning.
Proses produksi, kata Tuning, masih menunggu kontrak yang disepakati. Namun, menurut dia, pihak Pindad sudah memasarkan Harimau ke negara-negara ASEAN.
"Kita tunggu kontrak dulu, sambil kita juga sedang pasarkan di negara-negara ASEAN," jelas dia.
Tank Harimau sendiri pernah dipamerkan di Indo Defence 2018 Ekspo & Forum, di Jakarta Expo Internasional, Kemayoran, Jakarta Pusat, Rabu (7/11/2018).
Kerja sama Indonesia dengan Turki ini dimulai pada tahun 2016. Pada Oktober 2018, tank sudah diuji coba dan mendapat sertifikat layak dari TNI Angkatan Darat dan Kementerian Pertahanan RI.
Tanah gembur tak akan mampu menghambat kelincahan dari tank Harimau. Selain itu, transmisi mesin dibuat otomatis.
Dalam debat semalam, Jokowi mengatakan RI sudah berinvestasi di industri alutsista, contohnya industri alutsista Indonesia sudah berhasil membuat tank dan kapal selam melalui kerja sama investasi.
"Tiap anggaran Kementerian Pertahanan kita pakai untuk membangun industri alutsista, baik tank, kita telah memiliki Tank Harimau. Kita juga memiliki kapal selam hasil kerja sama dengan negara lain, Kapal Selam Ardadedali," sebutnya.
"Investasi pertahanan kita terus lakukan. Saya yakin memiliki alutsista yang baik," tambahnya.
(Detik)
01 April 2019
JF-17 block II fighter (photo : quora)
Malaysia to Buy Two JF 17 Fighter Jets from Pakistan Initially for Tests and Evaluation
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad lauded the strength of Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force’s fighter jet JF-17 Thunder.
During an interview following his visit to Pakistan, the Malaysian premier said, “I know how strong the Pakistan Army is. If you fight against them, you will get a bloody nose.”
Praising the JF-17 Thunders, the Malaysian prime minister who was the chief guest at the Pakistan Day parade said, “They [Pakistan] have been able to build aircraft now which were demonstrated. They performed very well.”
“I knew Pakistan will like to sell its planes to us, so we said to give us one or two planes so we can see how strong they are,” he continued.
PM Mahathir was briefed on JF-17 Thunder fighter jets at the Nur Khan Airbase before his departure from the country as his three-day visit concluded on March 23.
Pakistan and Malaysia signed five Memorandum of Understandings during Mahathir’s visit.
The Malaysian delegation showed keen interest in buying Pakistani made JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and anti-tank missiles.
(Times of Islamabad)
01 April 2019
Su-35 fighter (photo : SergeyL)
The Indonesian Air Force's (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU's) procurement of Sukhoi Su-35 'Flanker-E' multirole combat aircraft from Russia is expected to proceed following Indonesia's general election in April, a senior Russian defence industry official has stated.
Viktor Kladov, the director for international co-operation and regional policy at Russia's Rostec defence industrial holding company, said the TNI-AU acquisition - featuring the sale of 11 Su-35s for USD1.14 billion - was confirmed by Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu in a visit to Moscow in February.
The deal has been complicated by an Indonesian request for an accompanying countertrade deal but could proceed soon, Kladov indicated.
(Jane's)
01 April 2019
HMAS Melbourne (photo : RAN)
On a clear autumn afternoon, before a backdrop of Sydney Harbour, HMAS Melbourne departed Fleet Base East this week for a voyage through the Pacific and South East Asian waters.
The Commanding Officer of HMAS Melbourne, Commander Marcus Buttler said he was looking forward to the next few months.
“It’s sad to think about those at home when we sail from Sydney on deployment, but I’m excited about what the ship and crew will achieve on this trip,” he said.
Melbourne will visit locations across the Pacific and South East Asia and exercise with foreign units.
“This will be a terrific opportunity to demonstrate our skills and work closely with regional Navies,” Commander Buttler said.
For the ship’s company, the deployment will provide an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency, which was recently recognised when Melbourne was awarded the Duke of Gloucester Cup by the Governor-General.
With two months at sea ahead of them, the crew have prepared themselves and their families as best they can for the extended time away.
The ship’s company is looking forward to seeing new sights and engaging in Navy activities in distant locations.
HMAS Melbourne was the first Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigate to be built in Australia. She was commissioned in 1992.
After 27 years of faithful service to Australia, earning Battle Honours for service in East Timor, the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, Melbourne will be decommissioned in late 2019.
(RAN)
01 April 2019
Su-35 and Su-57 fighter (photo : AP)
LANGKAWI: Russia is committed to drastically increasing its purchase of palm oil from Malaysia, said its top defence procurement official.
The palm oil purchase will entail an offset deal leading to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) disposing of its two squadrons of 18 decommissioned MiG-29N Fulcrum jets.
Russia is already assisting in refurbishing the ageing fleet of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flankers, via its local partner ATSC Corp, reportedly for RM2.2 billion — thus expanding its serviceability for another 15 years.
And it is now even looking at offering the RMAF the fourth-generation Su-35 or even its latest Su-57E (the equivalent of the United States’ F-22) if it wants to upgrade.
Rostec State Corp international cooperation and regional policy director Viktor Kladov told the New Straits Times Russia was willing to buy Malaysian palm oil in substantial amounts to improve the bilateral trade balance, with the possibility of trade-offs for arms and defence procurement and transfer of technology and job spin-offs.
“We are aware of the palm oil ban for biofuels in Europe and Russia is ever-ready to help Malaysia by buying more palm oil. At present, 90 per cent of Russia’s palm oil is imported from Indonesia and we intend to change that (in Malaysia’s favour).
Su-57 stealth fighter (photo : Russian Defence)
“I have personally spoken with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on this matter at a private meeting with him yesterday, and applauded him for his great vision. This can lead to improved defence offset packages that can greatly benefit Malaysia,” he said in a special interview at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition (Lima) 2019 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Padang Matsirat.
Europe is the largest buyer of Malaysian palm oil after India and now even China has reduced imports of the commodity.
Kladov was a prime mover in enhancing Russia-Malaysia defence relations during Dr Mahathir’s first 22-year tenure as prime minister.
It culminated with a several hundred million dollar offset deal, involving palm oil, with Malaysia initially procuring 18 MiG-29N Fulcrum air superiority fighters in 1995.
The MiG-29N — two of which crashed in 1998 and 2005, respectively — was decommissioned in 2017 owing to high maintenance costs of RM262 million a year.
Several countries, including Bangladesh and India, are keen to buy the MiG-29N.
Subsequently, in 2003, Malaysia purchased 18 Flankers from Russia’s Irkut Corp for US$900 million (RM3.67 billion), also involving palm oil purchase.
The offset deal led to the country’s first space programme with Malaysia’s first astronaut to the International Space Station in 2007.
Su-35 fighter (photo : Alexander Shukhov)
Owing to budgetary constraints, the RMAF has deferred its multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) programme to 2025.
Instead, it is looking at improving on its lead-in fighter jet fleet, which is made up of the Italian Aermacchi MB339.
“In fact, Russia’s Yak 130 is similarly designed after the Aermacchi and we are prepared to trade in RMAF’s ageing fleet,” said Kladov.
He added that he also had a discussion with RMAF chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang who was keen on strengthening and improving the serviceability of its fighter jets.
“He is all for Russia to give strong technical and maintenance support for its existing Sukhoi fleet. Affendi is not in favour of procuring too many fighter jets as Malaysia is a small maritime nation,” said Kladov.
On another matter, Kladov said the Fire and Rescue Department and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency were interested in procuring up to eight units of Ansat, Mil Mi-8/17 and Kamov Ka-32A11DC from Russian Helicopters, a division of Rostec State Corp.
“These helicopter models, which can be traded in for the ol-der fleet of the agencies, are ideal for fire-fighting, emergency medical services, as well as search and rescue missions,” he said.
(NST)
