27 November 2015
The Type 1 model of the Specialised Marine Craft was officially unveiled in the lead-up to Singapore's National Day celebration in August 2015. This model has been employed as a testbed for technology and operating concepts. (photo : Jane's)
Fresh details of the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) stealthy naval interceptor development programme were revealed during a media event at the service's primary facility of Changi Naval Base on 25 November.
The new interceptor, called the Specialised Marine Craft (SMC), made its public debut during the country's National Day celebration on 9 August as part of the military display aimed at showcasing the Singapore Armed Forces' latest capabilities. The SMC replaces the service's 20 tonne Fast Boat inshore patrol craft, which were delivered from 1990 and subsequently retired in 2008.
Design improvements informed by the development of the Specialised Marine Craft Type 1 have been incorporated into the operational Type 2 model, seen here approaching the pier after a demonstration sortie. (photo : Jane's)
Lieutenant Colonel Tan Say Yong, head of the RSN's Specialised Craft Group (SCG) that operates the SMC and one of the key architects involved in its development, said the SMC's primary role is to perform inshore and coastal interception of threats at sea as one of the service's surface assets within its multi-layered and networked maritime security defence architecture
The SMC is also designed to perform base defence for the country's main naval operations facilities, force protection for other RSN assets, as well as participate in wider maritime security operations with the service's Fearless-class patrol vessels and future Littoral Mission Vessels.
The Type 2 model is longer and wider than the original, and features an Oto Melara Hitrole G stabilised weapon mount for surface engagements. (photo : Jane's)
The craft is operated by a lean crew complement of only four personnel - comprising a commander, coxswain, navigator, and weapons/communications specialist - as a result of extensive human-factor engineering that enables the crew to access critical information and functions from multifunction, reconfigurable consoles assigned to each personnel.
IHS Jane's has learnt that the RSN currently operates two distinct variants of the aluminium-hulled craft, which are designated by the SCG as the Type 1 and Type 2 models.
(Jane's)
27 November 2015
Pesawat latih tempur T-50i TNI AU (photo : tempo)
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Kepala Staf TNI AU, Marsekal TNI Agus Supriatna, memaparkan secara ringkas Rencana Strategis TNI AU 2015-2019, yang berasal dari kajian internal TNI AU dan disetujui Markas Besar TNI dan Kementerian Pertahanan.
Ada beberapa hal yang menjadi fokus utama Rencana Strategis TNI AU 2015-2019 itu, sebagaimana dia nyatakan di Ruang Tunggu VIP Base Ops Pangkalan Udara Utama TNI AU Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta, Kamis petang.
1. Pengganti F-5E/F Tiger II di Skuadron Udara TNI AU 14, yang diproyeksikan pada dua kandidat utama, yaitu Sukhoi Su-35 Super Flanker buatan Rusia, dan F-16 Viper buatan Lockheed Martin, Amerika Serikat. Yang pertama bermesin dua, dan yang kedua bermesin tunggal.
Disebutkan, akan dibeli enam unit baru yang benar-benar gres alias baru dari pabriknya, dan dalam keadaan lengkap persenjataan dan sistem avionikanya.
Walau tender terbuka tidak pernah dilakukan, namun pabrikan yang turut memaparkan kebolehan dan keunggulan produknya adalah Saab Swedia (JAS39 Gripen), Dassault Rafale (Prancis), Eurofighter Typhoon (konsorsium empat negara Eropa Barat, yaitu Spanyol, Inggris, Jerman, dan Italia).
2. Pemutakhiran armada pesawat angkut berat sekelas C-130 Hercules. Sejauh ini ada dua skuadron udara TNI AU yang mengoperasikan pesawat militer di kelas ini, yaitu Skuadron Udara 31 (Pangkalan Udara Utama TNI AU Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta), dan Skuadron Udara 32 (Pangkalan Udara Utama TNI AU Abdurrahman Saleh, Malang, Jawa Timur).
Disepakati yang akan dihadirkan adalah C-130H Hercules, karena C-130B Hercules (bodi pendek, secara mudah), sudah tidak mumpuni dari sisi performansi, keandalan, dan teknologi.
C-130 Hercules serie dipilih karena tipe ini terbukti andal dan populasinya masih sangat banyak di dunia. Adapun Embraer dari Brazil sempat mencoba peruntungan, sebagaimana A400M dari Airbus Industry.
3. Pemutakhiran pesawat latih jet T-50i dari Korea Aerospace Industry, Korea Selatan. TNI AU sudah punya 16 unit T-50i Golden Eagle ini, sehingga sebagai skuadron udaranya, kekuatannya terbilang lengkap, yang dimasukkan ke dalam Skuadron Udara 15 TNI AU, di Pangkalan Udara Utama TNI AU Iswahyudi, Madiun, Jawa Timur.
Supriatna menjelaskan, yang dilakukan nanti adalah melengkapi T-50i Golden Eagle itu dengan radar dan sistem persenjataannya. Selama ini belum ada, kata dia, T-50i Golden Eagle yang datang pada 2013 itu belum bisa dikategorikan sebagai pesawat tempur taktis.
Pengadaan T-50i Golden Eagle yang bentuknya nyaris persis dengan F-16 Fighting Falcon ini memenuhi skala waktu yang dituntut dalam kontrak pembelian, yaitu tiba perdana pada 2013 dan unit terakhir 2014.
4. Penambahan pesawat latih dasar Grob G-120TP dari Jerman, yang dimasukkan di Skuadron Udara 202, yang adalah skuadron udara pendidikan calon perwira penerbang berpangkalan di Pangkalan Udara Utama Adi Sucipto, Yogyakarta. Grob G-120TP pengganti AS-202 Bravo, yang telah berkiprah sejak dasawarsa ’70-an.
5. Penambahan KT-1B Wong Bee, buatan Korea Aerospace Industry, Korea Selatan. Pesawat terbang mesin turbo piston berbaling-baling ini tergabung ke dalam Skuadron Udara 201, yang juga skuadron pendidikan calon perwira penerbang, dan juga di Yogyakarta.
Pesawat terbang ini juga dijadikan the goodwill ambassador of Indonesian Air Force, ke dalam Tim Aerobatic Jupiter.
6. Helikopter angkut berat dan helikopter kepresidenan/VVIP, yang berbasis Agusta Westland AW-101 Merlin. Diproyeksikan enam unit AW-101 dibeli baru untuk skuadron udara angkut berat dan tiga untuk Skuadron Udara 45 VIP.
Semua tender pengadaan pesawat militer itu tidak diungkapkan kepada publik. (Antara)
Pesawat amfibi Be-200 (photo : fyodor borisov)
TNI Incar Empat Pesawat Pemadam Beriev Be-200 Buatan Rusia
Jakarta, CNN Indonesia -- Angkatan Udara Tentara Nasional Indonesia berencana membeli empat unit pesawat amfibi multiperan Beriev Be-200 buatan Beriev, produsen pesawat Rusia dengan spesialisasi pesawat amfibi.
“Pesawat itu (Be-200) bisa untuk pemadam kebakaran dan SAR (search and rescue), surveillance (pemantauan). Pokoknya multifungsi,” kata Kepala Staf TNI Angkatan Udara Marsekal Agus Supriatna di Jakarta.
Niat TNI membeli Be-200 menguat melihat kebakaran hutan besar yang melanda Sumatra dan Kalimantan belum lama ini. Kebakaran itu berlangsung sekitar enam bulan, menyebabkan bencana kabut asap parah.
“Dalam 15 detik, pesawat Be-200 bisa menyedot 12 ton air,” ujar Agus.
Soal rencana Indonesia membeli pesawat pemadam sebelumnya juga pernah dikemukakan Menteri Koordinator Politik Hukum dan Keamanan Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, serta Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana.
Akhir Oktober lalu, dua Be-200 didatangkan ke Indonesia untuk membantu memadamkan kebakaran hutan di Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ilir, Sumatra Selatan.
Be-200 dapat mengangkut air tanpa mendarat, dan bisa menyedot air dari sungai sembari terbang. Kelebihan lainnya, pesawat itu dapat terbang enam sampai tujuh kali dalam sehari.
TNI AU mendapat alokasi anggaran US$3,1 miliar atau sekitar Rp41 triliun untuk modernisasi alat utama sistem senjatanya selama periode 2015-2019.
Dengan anggaran itu, TNI AU melakukan modernisasi alat utama sistem senjata besar-besaran. Selain empat unit pesawat amfibi pemadam, TNI juga akan membeli tiga unit helikopter VVIP, 12 unit jet tempur Sukhoi Su-35, helikopter serbu, dan helikopter antikapal selam.
(CNN Indonesia)
26 November 2015
AESA radar for KFX aircraft (image : chosun)
This is a prototype of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, key to the Korean Fighter Experimental jet project.
The radar functions as the eyes and brain of a fighter jet.
The yellow modules act as antennas in airborne operations -- detecting and tracking enemy fighter jets and directing missiles.
The AESA radar is one of the four core technologies the U.S. government barred Lockheed Martin from transferring to Korea, after Korea contracted with Lockheed to buy 40 F-35As.
There was concern the loss of the tech would slow the project down, but the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) now says Seoul is capable of developing the radar on its own.
"We are currently in the last stage of testing this hardware on land. If we proceed with the testing, we can convert it for fighter jet use."
"The Agency for Defense Development says it has developed about 70 to 75 percent of the technology for the radar. The critical point now is miniaturizing the radar so it's small enough to fit on a fighter jet."
The agency is aiming to have the radar fully developed by 2021.
It then plans to conduct more than 100 test flights over the following three to four years and will integrate it into the KF-X project from 2025 to 2028.
The agency also said it has completed development of the three other key technologies the U.S. government refused to transfer to Korea -- an infrared search and track sensor, an electro-optical targeting pod and a radio frequency jammer.
The ADD says it has integrated the technologies into ships and some aircraft, adding that it won't be hard to apply them to the fighter jets.
The KF-X project, worth six.seven billion U.S. dollars, aims to develop 120 fighter jets by 2025 to replace its aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.
(Arirang)
26 November 2016
Prototipe pesawat N-219 (photo : Kaskus Militer)
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pesawat Perintis N219 berkapasitas 19 penumpang yang dirancang PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) bersama Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional (LAPAN) akan dijajal terbang pada Mei 2016 dari Bandara Internasional Hussein Sastra Negara Bandung, Jawa Barat.
"Minggu ini atau paling tidak awal Desember, N219 akan diluncurkan (roll-out). Lalu setelah sertifikasi, Mei 2016 sudah bisa uji coba terbang dari Bandara Hussein," kata Kepala LAPAN Thomas Djamaluddin saat ditemui usai talk show kinerja awal satelit LAPAN-A2 di gedung LAPAN, Jakarta pada Senin, 23 November 2015.
Chief Engineering pesawat N219 Palmana Banandhi mengatakan, prototipe pesawat itu sudah mencapai 90 persen. Proyeknya sudah digagas sejak 2006.
Tahapan pertama N219 diawali dengan penelitian dan perencanaan oleh LAPAN. Baru pada 2014 lalu PT DI mengeksekusi hasil penelitian tersebut menjadi prototipe.
"Pesawat ini mulai dirintis sejak 2006. Proyek ini mulai dilakukan serius pada 2014," ujar Palmana.
Proyek pesawat perintis ini digadang-gadang bisa menjadi penggerak industri pesawat terbang nasional, di tengah masa kelesuan industri Dirgantara Indonesia.
Proyek pembuatan pesawat ini menghabiskan dana senilai Rp 500 miliar yang sebagian berasal dari pemerintah melalui LAPAN. Hampir 40 persen prosesnya, dari tenaga kerja sampai bahan baku pesawat, dikerjakan oleh anak bangsa.
Sudah ada tiga perusahaan maskapai lokal dan luar negeri yang mengantre untuk membeli pesawat yang ditaksir berharga US$ 5-6 juta ini di antaranya Lion Air dan Kartika Air.
(Tempo)
26 November 2015
Anti aircraft gun of the AFP (photo : pdff)
Senators agree to augment Defense department budget
The proposed budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) for 2016 did not only get the nod of the Senate on Tuesday but senators also agreed to raise its appropriation to address possible security concerns of the country.
No less than the chair of the Senate committee on finance, Senator Loren Legarda, admitted that the P116.2-billion proposed DND budget next year was not enough despite the P250-million augmentation contained in her committee report.
Legarda made this admission in response to a series of questions of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.
“Given the security environment of the country, Madam Chair, do you think that is really a budget reflecting the concern of the government regarding the security of the country?” asked Enrile.
“Considering the multifarious threats not only domestically but internationally and in the region Mr. President, I personally believe that this is not a sufficient budget,” Legarda said.
“In fact as we know, there had been already AFP modernization program to my mind, the first has not yet been fulfilled by Congress. In fact, there’s a second modernization plan which we are funding and so I’m certain that the National Defense establishment will say that they will make do with present resources allocated by Congress,” she added.
Legarda also pointed out that the DND’s proposed budget to the Department of Budget and Management was P202.3 billion but it was slashed to P115.8 billion at the House of Representatives. Her committee approved a higher budget of P116.2 billion.
“So if it’s not enough, is the chair of the finance committee defending and presenting this budget agreeable to augmenting the budget of this department in order to secure the safety and security of the Filipino people, given the (present) security environment of the country?” Enrile asked again.
“Of course, Mr. President. In fact before your interpellation and during the weekend when we were working, I already augmented their budget based on the amendments presented and contained in my committee report today and that includes a P250 million to the Office of the Secretary DND QRF (quick response fund) which was not grated by Congress for year 2015,” Legarda said.
“Apart from the P250 million, there were other requests of the Philippine Army… however, this is still not enough Mr. President. The chair is open within the limits of the P3.002 trillion budget to augment the budget of the Defense,” she added.
Enrile then saw the need to scrutinize the entire budget and “sacrifice some in order to protect ourselves.”
Legarda agreed to Enrile’s proposal, saying that “At a proper time, I would be happy to receive amendments from my colleagues or realignments from other agencies for augmentation to the defense budget.” (Inquirer)
US raises military aid to Philippines amid sea tension with China
MANILA, Philippines - The United States has raised its military aid to the Philippines this year to $79 million, the US ambassador said on Wednesday, as tension rises in the region over China's new assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Since 2002, the United States has provided the Philippines with nearly $500 million in military assistance as well as various types of military equipment.
"We have upped our foreign military funding for the Philippines," Ambassador Philip Goldberg told ANC television, without giving a percentage. "It will be somewhere in the range of $79 million this year. It's increasing and what has been proposed is something called a maritime security initiative in the region."
China has overlapping claims with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.
Reclamation work and the building of three airfields and other facilities on some of China's artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago have alarmed the region and raised concern in Washington that China is extending its military reach deep into maritime Southeast Asia.
Washington announced earlier it had allocated $50 million in aid to Manila this year. The Philippines remains one of the largest recipients of military aid in the region, focusing on building capability for the navy and air force to guard the South China Sea.
Last week, before attending a regional economic summit, US President Barack Obama boarded a Hamilton-class cutter converted into a frigate by the Philippines, a display of maritime security support for its closest ally in Southeast Asia.
Goldberg said the third Hamilton-class coast guard cutter would be arriving late next year while an old maritime research ship would be transferred by the middle of 2016.
Philippine defense and military officials said two US Marines C-130 transport planes and about eight amphibious assault vehicles were also due next year.
The Pentagon has announced it is committing $119 million this year to help develop Southeast Asian maritime capabilities and will provide $140 million next year to allies, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. (InterAksyon)
26 November 2015
Helikopter EC-725 Cougar buatan PT DI (photos : defence.pk)
Bandung - PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) sedang memproduksi helikopter teknologi tinggi yakni helikopter EC 725 atau Super Cougar yang merupakan pengembangan dari Super Puma. Helikopter itu merupakan kerjasama PTDI dan Airbus Helicopters.
Saat ini sudah ada tiga helikopter yang sudah jadi. Itu merupakan pesanan TNI AU. Tiga lagi masih diproduksi. Menurut Direktur Produksi PT DI Arie Wibowo, direncanakan awal tahun depan enam helikopter EC 725 combat SAR akan diserahkan kepada TNI AU.
"Mereka pesannya katanya nantinya sampai satu skuadron. Namun untuk pemesanan 2012 baru enam unit," ujar Arie di PT DI, Jalan Padjadjaran, Rabu (25/11/2015).
Harga satu unit Super Cougar sekitar 26 juta Euro.
Arie menjelaskan EC 725 merupakan kerjasama PT DI dengan Airbus Helicopters selama 10 tahun. PT DI memproduksi bagian badan pesawat atau fuselage dan tail boom (ekor). "Setiap tahun kita kirim ke airbus 10 fuselage dan 15 tail boom," jelasnya. Sementara untuk lisensinya dari UeroCopter, sama dengan Super Puma.
Sementara untuk pesanan dalam negeri, semua dirakit di sini. "Kalau untuk TNI AU, kita buat semua di sini," katanya.
Heli EC 725 combat SAR ini sudah dilengkapi di antaranya dengan anti peluru, autopilot, serta recovery engine field. "Jadi si pesawat bisa mengubah ketinggian sendiri misal di posisi bahaya, dan si pilot tidak menyadarinya," katanya.
Heli Cougar ini merupakan pesawat bermesin ganda dengan 29 seat. Pesawat ini untuk transportasi pasukan, evakuasi korban, pencarian tempur dan penyelamatan.
(Detik)
26 November 2015
Leopard 2SG main battle tanks deploy to a new position while Bionix infantry fighting vehicle teams await their turn to move out of cover. (photo : Jane's)
Defence training agreements and co-operation between Singapore and Australia look set to be expanded under the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) framework following the latest round of discussions between the defence leaders of both countries.
Singaporean defence minister Ng Eng Hen called on his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, in Sydney on 19 November before travelling to the country's northeastern Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) - near the city of Rockhampton in Queensland - to observe Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) troops participating in Exercise 'Wallaby' 2015: an annual drill conducted there since 1990.
A Republic of Singapore Air Force AH-64D Apache attack helicopter provides close air support for the ground assault forces. (photo : Jane's)
According to a statement by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Ng and Payne reiterated their governments' commitment to enhance the bilateral defence relationship between both countries and to finalise a number of initiatives under the recently renewed Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Defence Science and Technology.
MINDEF stated that new initiatives being explored include "increased access to, and enhancement of, training areas", as well as greater intelligence and security collaboration.
Speaking to reporters after an integrated live-firing drill between the SAF's armour and rotary-wing aircraft assets in SWBTA on 20 November, Ng noted that Singapore's physical limitations necessitate the use of overseas military training grounds to enable troops to train more effectively.
SAF armour assets prepare to fire on a simulated enemy position. Due to land and airspace constraints, the country regularly sends its personnel and equipment overseas for training. (photo : Jane;s)
"Obviously if [the Australian government] would allow, we would want more time and more space," said Ng, revealing that this privilege would enable the SAF to deploy more reservist troops to train alongside conscripts in future 'Wallaby' drills. The bulk of the country's fighting strength lies in its pool of male citizen-soldiers, who train full-time for two years and subsequently serve in reserve forces for a decade or more depending on their roles.
"This vast terrain, [which is] about three times the size of Singapore, provides our armoured [forces] credible opportunities for realistic training to hone their skills," he added.
(Jane's)
