26 Juni 2020
F/A-50PH with AGM-65G2 Maverick (photo : MaxDefense)
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is reportedly conducting live fire exercise off the coast of Palawan. According to MaxDefense Philippines, the live fire exercise is said to be related to the PAF’s 73rd Founding Anniversary.
PAF will be celebrating its 73rd founding anniversary on July 1.
“Based on information received from MaxDefense sources, the aircraft involved will be the KAI FA-50PH Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft and the SIAI Marchetti AS.211 Warrior armed jet trainer,” MaxDefense said.
“The main highlight of the event is the first live-firing of an AGM-65G2 Maverick air-to-ground missile fired from a PAF FA-50PH aircraft against a floating target, to demonstrate its anti-ship capabilities,” it added.
MaxDefense also noted that the live firing of AGM-65G2 Maverick air-to-ground missile was conducted morning of June 25.
(Mintfo)
26 Juni 2020
HMNXS Aoteaora arrives in New Zealand (all photos : RNZDF)
The largest ship ever to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy has made a triumphant arrival in Auckland.
The Aotearoa arrived in Waitematā Harbour amid much fanfare on Friday morning, including a flotilla of yachts and powerboats, and Air Force flybys from two C-130 Hercules and a P-3 Orion aircraft.
Military brass, diplomats and media watched her arrive from the diving and support vessel HMNZS Manawanui, following Aotearoa's 16-day voyage from South Korea where she was built in the shipyards of Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan.
The purpose-built, $500 million support vessel is designed to carry fuel, cargo, water and other supplies in support of operations, particularly humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
At 173m, the ship is longer than the 169m HMNZS Achilles light cruiser which served with the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War 2, or the 118m HMNZS Te Kaha frigate currently in service.
Shortly after the ship docked at a specially-extended wharf at Devonport Naval Base, Aotearoa’s commanding officer Captain Simon Rooke said he and his crew were “incredibly happy”.
See full article Stuff
26 Juni 2020
RMAF CN235 identified as M45-03 at IAe facility in Bandung (photo : Roby Aeros)
Following the signing of a contract between the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and the Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) during the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) 2017 show, all seven remaining CN-235-220M tactical transport aircraft and CN-235-100M VIP transport aircraft will undergo Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) that will extend the lifespan of the Indonesian made aircraft to another 15 more years.
The centrepiece of the life extension program will be the rewiring works of the first batch of CN-235s. Since 1999, the RMAF has six CN-235-220M. The 220M variant differs superficially with the 100M variant especially with the distinguished radome fitted on the former.
After 20 years, there is a great need in terms of flight safety to replace the wiring system as well as to ensure that the aircraft’s electrical system is always reliable. Rewiring will also ensure the fleet readiness is high as rectification downtime has been eliminated.
Rewiring works had began in October 22, 2018 involving the technology demonstrator, a CN-235-220M from No 1 Skn with serial number M44-05. The handing over of the aircraft during LIMA 2019 marks the end of Phase 1 of the rewiring works involving a mobile team from the IAe and seventeen On the Job aircraft technicians from No 1 Skn.
Phase 2 has began with M44-03 being rewired by the technicians from No 1 Skn under close supervision by the IAe team. Phase 3 on the other hand will only involve the men from No 1 Skn.
As a result, SLEP works at IAe facility in Bandung will only include Structure Inspection, Rewiring/Harnesses, and Replacement of Obsolescence Equipment. It also covers fuel, engines and avionic systems of the aircraft.
According to the initial plan three CN235s will undergo SLEP in 2019 with another four in 2020. Two of the aircraft destined to fly to Bandung later this year will be retrofitted with Merlin maritime surveillance system developed by Integrated Surveillance and Defense, Inc (ISD).
The Merlin mission equipment includes a maritime surveillance radar, an electro-optical (EO) sensor turret, and an electronic support measures (ESM) system.
It is not known however if the coronavirus outbreak has affected the RMAF CN235 SLEP program but a picture of a CN235 identified as M45-03 has been circulated in Twitter, seen at IAe facility in Bandung.
(MFH)
26 Juni 2020
The Third Roro-5612 has penant number 528 (photo : TCCNQP)
In order to improve the amphibious capabilities of the Navy, Vietnam has launched its third Roro 5612 amphibious ship, ready to put on official service, helping us not only deploy the troops quickly landed on the islands but could also effectively supply goods to the outlying islands.
On June 22, in Da Nang City, Song Thu Shipbuilding Corporation held the launching ceremony of the third Roro 5612 amphibious ship (number 528) for the Vietnamese Navy. This is the third of a series of four ships ordered by the Navy from the company. Photo: View of the launching ceremony of the third Roro 5612.
Previously, Song Thu factory launched two Roro 5612 ships number 526 and 527 for the Vietnamese Navy. This series of three ships was originally built by the Venezuelan Army at the Song Thu plant, but due to the partner's inability to pay, the plant was actively offered and acquired by the Navy Army, and ordered build the fourth one.
Third landing ship 528 (photo : KienThuc)
Recently, KienThuc has had the opportunity to work in the area of Song Thu factory in time to take close-up photos of new modern ships about to be commissioned into the Vietnamese Navy.
Roro 5612 is responsible for sea transport, can carry cargo containers, participate in rescue and rescue fishermen, supply of supplies and transport of soldiers and armored landing gear. islands, seashore etc with a "open-mouthed" amphibious structure.
The vessel has a length of 57.27m, a width of 12m, an expansion of 600 tons of hollow water and a displacement of 1,480 tons when fully loaded, a maximum speed of 12 knots/h.
First and second landing ship 526 and 527 (photo : KienThuc)
The deck was paved with wood, which made it impossible for the ship to carry heavy main battle tanks. It could only carry amphibious armored vehicles, light tanks, and fully armed soldiers.
The cabin's super cabin is highly designed, this is a specific design of the transport ships when the high cabin can help crew better observe and not get in the way of vision when loading goods.
In addition, the Cabin is also specially designed so that the crew can see 360 degrees around the ship to create a wide view. The chimney is neatly arranged behind the Cabin. The ship is equipped with two main engines with diesel engine.
The deck was paved with wood (photo : KienThuc)
The ship is equipped with a machine crane that makes it easy to move goods up and down the deck quickly and easily. At the same time, the bow is designed to be opened so that vehicles and soldiers can walk outside.
Ships in addition to amphibious missions can also transport 42 containers of cargo. This is a very large number of goods, maybe with just one move of many essential supplies to supply the money outpost or DK-1 staging houses. The ship can also be used to deploy mobile land-based missile systems anywhere in the territory of Vietnam.
It is known that Song Thu factory is also rushing to construct the fourth Roro 5612 for the Vietnamese Navy to be able to timely deliver the ship. The introduction of this new series of extremely modern amphibious/transport ships will significantly improve the capacity of our Navy to ensure strength as well as the ability to enforce sovereignty at sea. firmly defend national independence and territorial integrity/territorial waters.
(KienThuc)
25 Juni 2020
BRP Davao del Sur LD-602 (photo : Aris Refugio)
MANILA – The acquisition process for the Philippine Navy's two more strategic sealift vessels has been temporarily halted due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"Due to Covid-19, the bidding process was temporarily stopped. It is currently on the post-qualification period of the lowest calculated bidder. If the bidder passed, NOA (Notice of Award) and NTP (Notice to Proceed) will be subsequently issued," Navy public affairs office chief, Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday night when asked for an update on the project.
Roxas said these ships will act as reinforcements of the two Tarlac-class strategic sealift vessels, the BRP Tarlac (LD-601) and the BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602), that were acquired during the project's Horizon 1.
"The PN Landing Dock Acquisition Project is included in the Horizon 2 project of the revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program in the amount of PHP5.56 billion for the two LDs (landing docks)," she added.
The project's Horizon 1 ran from 2013 to 2017 while Horizon 2 will run from 2018 to 2022.
Roxas added that the two Tarlac-class strategic sealift vessels, which were acquired from Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL for PHP4 billion, have proven very effective especially at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It provides humanitarian assistance serving as a sealift and transport vessel," she added.
Meanwhile, PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, in a phone interview, said plans to acquire additional landing docks or strategic sealift vessels are ongoing projects of the Navy.
While the Tarlac-class strategic sealift vessels will be the basis of the additional ships, there will be some improvements that will be made to these landing docks, he added.
Bacordo said the improvements were recommended by the crews of two ships.
Early this week, BRP Davao del Sur, which arrived in the Philippines last June 12 after a five-month deployment in the Middle East, was ordered to transport some 402 locally stranded individuals and three Filipino expatriates from India and Sri Lanka, to Iloilo.
Aside from this, the ship also delivered 32,000 personal protection equipment sets and other medical supplies to the Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas (Region 6) and has sailed to Cebu City to deliver another 16,000 PPE sets and other items to the OCD headquarters there.
(PNA)
25 Juni 2020
T-Eagle Eye III Mini UAS (all photos : Komchadluek)
Nawaminthasatiyathirat Research and development of prototype small unmanned aircraft systems hand-delivered version of the T-Eagle Eye III, a very small unmanned aircraft system or Mini UAS responds to the use of the Army. By designing to be lightweight easy to carry and move (Manned Pad or Manned Portable). Driven by electric motor. Resulting in a low, low noise makes it difficult to detect (Low Noise Signature) with no complicated mechanism to work. Suitable for infantry units especially news patrols, such as remote reconnaissance corps or other units can be applied to help with the Target Acquisition, Battle Damage Assessment, and access to dangerous areas where military personnel cannot be used to perform missions.
With outstanding features, can take pictures and tell near real time near target in the form of military coordinate units (UTM units) with GPS Which provides accuracy in the level of (+, - 2 square meters) in terms of operating time and operating radius Can take off using hand-held landing and land-based landing systems, or land on a plow, install a Stabilized Gimbal Payload (camera stabilization system standard), rotate 360 degrees with the program Control the Target Tracking camera with a 10x optical daytime camera (E Optical Zoom 10X) and thermal camera night detection (Thermal Camera).
Spesification of T-Eagle Eye III Mini UAS :
-Operational Range 10 kilometers
-The maximum flight duration is 90 minutes. Maximum Endurance
-Maximum Take-off Weight 3 kg.
-Wing Span wing length 1.9 meters
-Maximum speed 90 km / hour
-Maximum ceiling ceiling 3,000 feet
-The communication system can be connected to the internet communication system or -other existing communication systems so that the command or related departments that are located in other areas can view the actual events that are happening.
-With an antenna turned on automatically controlled
-The software and hardware of the Flight Control System and the Ground Control Station system were invented and developed by the Research Institute of Thailand, which can fly both the user mode (Manual Mode) or by using the automatic flight system (Fully Autonomous Mode) by setting the flight program in advance and can change the flight coordinates set at any time Even if the device is already operating.
The Office of the National Defense Service delivered 4 prototypes of the Mini UAS system and personnel training for Army users and the use of the T-Eagle Eye III Mini UAS prototype for testing in the field. And evaluation summary from the Army Test and Evaluation Committee on 19 October 2015 at the Infantry Center.
See full article Komchadluek
25 Juni 2020
Indonesia has proposed a strong increase in defence spending for 2021, with procurement identified as a priority. The country’s modernisation targets include the acquisition of the Harimau medium tank developed by PT Pindad and FNSS (photo : Miliyet)
Indonesia could be in line for a record-high expenditure of nearly IDR150 trillion (USD10.6 billion) for fiscal year 2021 if recently submitted budgetary proposals are approved by parliament later this year.
The proposed expenditure suggests the Southeast Asian country might be in a more robust position to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic than was previously thought.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) said in a fiscal policy report recently presented to parliament that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has indicated a ceiling requirement of IDR129.3 trillion for 2021.
The MoD also said in information presented in a meeting with the House of Representative’s defence commission that additional funding of IDR19 trillion is required to support a range of initiatives including military procurement.
If approved, the proposals would provide the MoD with IDR148.3 trillion for 2021. This would represent an increase of IDR25.9 trillion – or 21% – over the revised allocation of IDR122.4 trillion for 2020. The original 2020 appropriation was IDR131.2 trillion but this was cut through a presidential regulation issued in April in response to the impact of Covid-19.
According to the MoF fiscal policy report, funding priorities for the MoD in 2021 include the procurement of munitions, armoured vehicles, and naval vessels, and the support and replacement of military aircraft. In addition, funding is required to complete “projects and activity” that were postponed due to budgetary restrictions imposed in the wake of Covid-19, it said.
(Jane's)
