TNI-AL Butuh Tambahan Enam Helikopter

18 Juni 2010

TNI AL perlu heli anti kapal selam baru untuk mengganti heli tipe Wasp yang telah dipensiunkan (photo : TNI AL)

Sidoarjo - Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL) membutuhkan tambahan enam unit helikopter untuk memperkuat jajaran armada udaranya.

"Kebutuhan enam heli itu sudah kami masukkan dalam program kerja Trimatra Terpadu 2010-2014," kata Kepala Staf TNI Angkatan Laut (KSAL) Laksamana Agus Suhartono di Sidoarjo, Kamis.

Ia menyebutkan enam unit helikopter tersebut terdiri atas tiga unit helikopter anti-kapal selam dan tiga unit lainnya anti-kapal perang permukaan.

Untuk jenisnya, sampai sekarang Mabes TNI-AL masih melakukan pengkajian.

"Sebaiknya, jangan tanya jenis dulu. Fungsinya saja dulu. Soal jenis, tergantung kemampuan keuangan negara," katanya saat ditemui usai memimpin upacara Hari Ulang Tahun ke-54 Pusat Penerbangan TNI-AL.

Selain itu, TNI-AL juga membutuhkan pesawat jenis CN-235 untuk mendukung pasukan tempur udara di jajaran TNI-AL.

"Keinginan kami secepatnya. Tapi tergantung kemampuan keuangan negara," katanya di Pangkalan Udara TNI-AL, Juanda, Sidoarjo, itu.

KSAL menegaskan, Pusat Penerbangan TNI-AL itu merupakan kekuatan utama TNI-AL karena merupakan bagian dari program kerja Trimatra Terpadu TNI.

"Akan tetap menjalankan fungsinya secara maksimal, kendati terkendala kemampuan keuangan negara," katanya.

Agus menambahkan, untuk membesarkan Pusat Penerbangan TNI-AL, pihaknya juga menjalin kerja sama dengan TNI Angkatan Udara sesuai mekanisme dan prosedur dalam program kerja Trimatra Terpadu.

"Kami punya 'Collibri' (jenis helikopter), sedangkan TNI-AU punya suku cadang dan tenaga mekanik. Tentunya, ini saling mendukung," katanya.

(Antara)

Kesepakatan Kerjasama Industri Pertahanan Indonesia-Turki Siap Ditandatangani

17 Juni 2010

Turkish Aerospace Industry berpengalaman melakukan upgrade pesawat F-16 (photo : Military Quotes)

Wamenhan Pimpin Delegasi RI Kunjungan ke Turki Bahas Kerjasama Industri Pertahanan

Turki, DMC - Wakil Menteri Pertahanan Republik Indonesia Letjen TNI Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin selaku Pimpinan Delegasi RI melakukan kunjungan kerja ke Turki pada tanggal 12 sampai 17 Juni 2010. Dalam kunjungan tersebut, Wamenhan yang juga selaku Pimpinan Delegasi Bidang Pertahanan didampingi oleh Dirkersin Ditjen Strahan Kemhan Brigjen TNI (Mar) Ir Syaiful Anwar, M.Bus MA, dan Dirtekind Ditjen Ranahan Kemhan Laksma TNI Sudi Haryono. Turut serta pula Staf Ahli Kepresidenan bidang Pangan dan energi Yusuf Gunawan selaku pimpinan delegasi bidang Pangan dan Energi.

Wamenhan mengatakan, kunjungan tersebut dimaksudkan untuk membicarakan hal-hal yang akan menjadi agenda pembicaraan kunjungan kenegaraan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ke Turki pada akhir bulan Juni tahun ini. Selain itu, kunjungan juga dimaksudkan dalam rangka merampungkan kesepakatan - kesepakatan antara pemerintah Indonesia dan Turki yang akan ditandatangani pada saat kunjungan kenegaraan Presiden RI ke Turki nantinya.

Lebih lanjut Wamenhan mengatakan, topik pembicaraan yang dibahas antara Delegasi Indonesia dengan pemerintah Turki meliputi kerja sama bidang pertahanan, masalah pangan dan geothermal. Mengenai kerja sama di bidang pertahanan, antara lain dibicarakan kerjasama dalam pengadaan Alat Utama Sistem Persenjataan (Alutsista) dan Industri Pertahanan Non- Alutsista (IPNAS).

Dijelaskan Wamenhan, untuk kerjasama Alutsista, yang menjadi fokus utama adalah kerjasama antara PT. PINDAD dan PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) dengan industri pertahanan Turki. Sedangkan kerjasama Industri pertahanan Non-Alutsista adalah produksi non-Alutsista nasional yang selama ini telah mengekspor produk-produknya berupa alat perlengkapan militer ke berbagai negara seperti pakaian militer, sepatu, ikat pinggang, webbing set atau jaring samaran, tenda dan berbagai perlengkapan perorangan lainnya termasuk ransum berupa nasi kaleng, makanan dan minuman ringan dalam kaleng lainnya.

Wamenhan mengungkapkan, hasil kunjungan Delegasi RI ke Turki tersebut, khususnya di bidang pertahanan meliputi draft akhir dokumen kerjasama antara Indonesia dan Turki yang sudah siap ditandatangani oleh Menteri Pertahanan kedua negara saat mendampingi kunjungan Presiden RI ke Turki nanti.

Draft akhir dokumen kerjasama antara Indonesia dan Turki tersebut berupa : pertama, Kesepakatan Kerjasama di bidang industri pesawat tempur antara PT. DI telah siap melakukan kerjasama dengan Turkey Aerospace Industry (TAI) untuk kerjasama dalam pengadaan Alutsista sistem pertahanan udara. Kedua, Kesepakatan kerjasama di bidang industri matra darat antara PT. PINDAD telah siap melakukan kerjasama dengan FNSS Defence System Inc. dari pihak Turki.

Dari dua kesepakatan tersebut, bentuk kerjasama yang dapat dilakukan adalah joint production dan Transfers of Technology (ToT) antara dua Industri pertahanan tersebut, baik dari pihak Indonesia maupun dari pihak Turki. Sedangkan, untuk kontrak pengadaan Alutsista yang perlu diadakan, masih belum final dan masih membutuhkan pembicaraan teknis untuk menentukan produk-produk apa saja yang akan dijadikan basis kerjasama nantinya.

Menurut Wamenhan, pembicaraan lanjutan masih harus dilakukan, sebab kesepakatan yang telah dicapai saat ini dan akan ditandatangani oleh Menhan kedua negara nanti, masih perlu ditindak lanjuti dengan kesepakatan teknis lebih lanjut oleh pihak terkait yang mengelola industri pertahanan kedua negara, khususnya di bidang persenjataan udara maupun darat. Pihak PT. PINDAD yang turut hadir dalam pertemuan tersebut dan sekaligus anggota Delegasi adalah Dirut PT. PINDAD Ade Avianto Soedarsono, sedangkan pihak PT . DI juga dihadiri oleh Dirut PT.DI Budi Santoso.

Sementara itu, untuk produk pertahanan non-Alutsista yang berada di bawah IPNAS pada dasarnya pihak Turki sudah menyepakati untuk adanya pembelian ke Indonesia, namun masih perlu pembahasan lebih lanjut secara teknis yang detail untuk merealisasikan kebutuhan pihak Turki atas produk IPNAS tersebut.

Kerjasama Bidang Pangan dan Geothermal

Disamping membicarakan tentang kerjasama Pertahanan, Delegasi Indonesia juga telah mencapai kesepakatan dalam bidang pangan dan geothermal dengan pemerintah Turki. Dalam pembicaraan kerjasama pangan dan geothermal antara delegasi RI dengan pihak Turki, Delegasi Indonesia di bidang Pangan dan Energi dipimpin oleh Staf Khusus Presiden Bidang Pangan dan Energi Yusuf Gunawan didampingi oleh Kabulog Sutarto Alimoeso, dan Kepala Pusat Sumber Daya Geologi Hadiyanto.

Menurut, Yusuf Gunawan Delegasi di bidang Pangan dan Energi bersama dengan counterpart Kabulog dan Kapus Sumber Daya Geologi mengadakan pertemuan dengan pihak Pemerintah Turki guna membicarakan jual beli produk hasil pertanian dan sumber daya energi kedua negara.

Pada kesempatan tersebut, dijelaskan lebih lanjut oleh Yusuf Gunawan bahwa pihak Bulog Indonesia menawarkan hasil pertanian Indonesia kepada Turki seperti Kakao, Kopi, Beras. Teh dan lain-lain. Dilain pihak Turki juga akan menawarkan produk – produk pertaniannya seperti kapas, tepung terigu dan lain-lain.

Disisi lain, kerjasama bidang sumber daya geothermal sudah siap ditandatangani meliputi dua kesepakatan atau Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) antara kedua negara yang akan ditandatangani oleh Menteri Energi dan Sumberdaya Mineral pada saat kunjungan Presiden RI ke Turki pada akhir bulan ini. (BDI/PGN)

(DMC)

AWD's Hull Ready to Transported

17 Juni 2010

Australia's AWD (image : AWD Alliance)

Air Warfare Destroyer Block Transport Contract Signed

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, today announced that the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance has signed a contract with Toll North Pty Ltd for the transport of 66 hull blocks by sea from Newcastle and Melbourne to Adelaide where they will be consolidated into Australia’s three Hobart Class AWDs.

Mr Combet said the signing of this $25 million contract represented a significant milestone in the multi-billion dollar project.

“Full block production is now underway at three shipyards across Australia: ASC in Adelaide, BAE Systems in Melbourne and Forgacs in Newcastle,” Mr Combet said.

“The completed blocks will be transported on a barge towed by a tug boat from the Melbourne and Newcastle shipyards to Adelaide.

AWD's specification (image : ausawd)

“By mid-2011, the blocks will begin to arrive at the Government of South Australia’s Common User Facility for consolidation into the complete warship,” Mr Combet said.

Each ship is made up of 31 blocks. The blocks will be transported in groups, with 15 trips from BAE Systems shipyard in Melbourne and eight from the Forgacs shipyard in Newcastle.

“This work will employ 14 people, part of a 3,000 strong workforce building these warships around Australia,” Mr Combet said.

The project is on track to deliver the first AWD, HMAS Hobart, in December 2014. HMAS Brisbane is scheduled for delivery in March 2016 and HMAS Sydney in June 2017.

(Australian DoD)

New Zealand Seeks Three New Military Transports

17 Juni 2010


CN-235 potential candidate for RNZAF (photo : Militaryphotos)



New Zealand plans to purchase smaller turboprop aircraft for maritime surveillance and military transport applications.

"It is likely to be three aircraft to begin with," says defence minister Wayne Mapp. The requirement will be outlined in the country's defence review document, a White Paper due to be released in September, he says.

New Zealand's air force has been using Lockheed Martin C-130Hs for transport and Lockheed P-3K Orions for maritime patrol.

"In the past, the thinking was that New Zealand only required these larger aircraft, but now the thinking is that having a smaller aircraft for some missions might be more practical," says Mapp.

New Zealand used to operate smaller aircraft for such missions, but phased out its Fokker F27 maritime patrol aircraft in the late 1980s and its Hawker Siddeley Andover transports in the 1990s.

Dash 8 Q300, the other candidate (photo : torakyojin88)

Mapp says the three aircraft it now plans to purchase must be able to perform transport and maritime surveillance work in the South Pacific. New Zealand is often called on by its poorer neighbours to help with disaster relief and humanitarian aid.

Mapp says the two aircraft types in contention are the Airbus Military CN-235 and the Bombardier Dash 8 Q300. The Alenia Aeronautica ATR 42MP has not been considered, he adds.

Air New Zealand's subsidiary Air Nelson already operates Q300s, so it could help maintain the type for the air force, in the same way that Air New Zealand once maintained the air force's F27s.
Mapp says one advantage with Bombardier turboprops is that the aircraft is "a bit faster".

Australia's Coastwatch system also uses Bombardier turboprops, he adds.

However, EADS says the CN-235 has an advantage because it has a rear cargo ramp, which makes it more practical for military transport tasks.

(Flight International)

Purchase Of Local-made APC Benefits The Country

17 Juni 2010

The candidate for AV8 8x8 (photo : Militaryphotos)

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- The government's plan to purchase 257 units of eight-wheel-drive armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from a local company, DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech), will benefit the country in terms of developing the local defence industry.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat today the plan was in line with the government objective of enhancing the capacity and expertise of local defence-related companies.

He said the technology and systems developed by other companies previously could also be applied in the production of the APCs.

"In negotiating the purchase price of the APCs, the Defence Ministry will ensure that the price finalised will truly benefit the government without compromising the vehicles' specifications and systems," he said when replying to Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak).

Mohamed Azmin wanted to know the detailed list on the supply of military hardware worth RM8 billion by Deftech to the government and the rationale for selecting the company in the project.

Ahmad Zahid said the selection of Deftech for the supply of the hardware had yet to be finalised because the government had just sent the Letter of Intent to the company concerned while the purchase price was still at the negotiation stage.

He said the selection of Deftech was made through direct negotiation based on the company's expertise in developing armoured vehicles particularly the Adnan ACV 300 armoured vehicles which were now being used by the Malaysian armed forces.

"The initial price offered by the company was RM7.983 million (almost RM8 billion). The price, among others, also takes into consideration the cost of constructing a new facility and the purchase of equipment to develop the vehicles, transfer of technology and the acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights," he added.

(Bernama)

IAF Tests Skills Against French, Singaporean Air Power

16 Juni 2010

Garuda IV Exercise (all photos : pics-aeronef)

NEW DELHI: Six Indian Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighters, supported by IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft and IL-78 midair refuellers, tore into the skies over France on Monday to kick off the joint combat exercise with the French and Singaporean air forces.

In the fortnight-long ‘Garuda-IV’ exercise, being held at the Istres airbase north of Marseille, France has deployed its Rafael and Mirage-2000 fighters, while Singapore is participating with F-16s.

“The focus is to learn from each other. Air defence operations will be central to our various manoeuvres. These will take place in both AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and non-AWACS environments,” said IAF contingent commander, Group Captain J Mishra.

“The intensity of the exercise will be gradually increased so that we learn and absorb maximum from it,” he said, adding that the fighters will be carrying out “combat missions, engagement of large forces and protection of high-value aerial assets”, among other things.

IAF special forces, called Garuds, will also be participating in the exercise, by paradropping along with French special forces. The overall objective of the exercise is to further enhance interoperability among the air forces.

The exercise comes at a time when India and France are trying to finetune the around Rs 10,000 crore deal to upgrade the 56 Mirage-2000 fighter jets in IAF’s combat fleet. The first four to six Mirages will be upgraded in France, with the rest 50 or so being upgraded in India by Hindustan Aeronautics under transfer of technology.

India’s defence ties with France are quite broad-based, including as they do the over Rs 20,000 crore project to build six French Scorpene submarines currently underway at Mazagon Docks.

France has also offered its multi-role Rafael fighter for the ongoing competition in the gigantic $10.4 billion project to supply 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to IAF.

(The Times of India)

Thales Reveals IBFT Offering

16 Juni 2010

Grob 120 basic trainer aircraft (photo : Airliners)

At SimTecT 2010, Thales revealed details of its offering for the ADF's Interim Basic Flying Training (IBFT) contract, for which a source selection is due within weeks.

The company has proposed a Flight Screening and Basic Flying Training system based at RAAF East Sale, in line with the RAAF's wishes, and built around the Grob 120A piston engine trainer.

"The selection and initial training for 21st century fighter pilots requires the high performance and advanced systems delivered by a 21st century training aircraft," the company says.

Thales believes the Grob 120A is the only aircraft capable of meeting the RAAF’s requirements for both flight performance and crashworthiness levels. (photo : Defense Industry Daily)

The company believes the Grob 120A is the only aircraft capable of meeting the RAAF's current and foreseeable future requirements for both flight performance and crashworthiness levels compliant with FAR 25 amendment 59.

The current CT-4A trainer and the SF260 originally proposed by Thales do not meet these crashworthiness requirements, according to company sources.

The G120A is a modern, high-performance, aerobatic training aircraft in service with the French, Canadian, German and Israeli defence forces.

"With a 30 per cent performance improvement over the CT-4B, the G120A provides early identification of fast jet candidates, increasing training system efficiency," Thales says.

The aircraft also has a digital cockpit.

The RAAF's preference to have flight screening and basic flying training conducted on a defence base has been widely cited, and the Victorian government has offered considerable support to IBFT contenders planning to situate their operations at East or West Sale, near Port Phillip Bay.
"For Flight Screening candidates, exposure to the military environment is essential to determine if they are compatible with this way of life," Thales says.

"For trainees progressing to Basic Flying Training, life on a base surrounded by defence personnel provides a daily reminder of what they are striving to become.

"Candidates will interact not only with their instructors and peers, but the broader military population."

(ADM)