Singapore Airshow 2016

Something to look out for next month, 15 - 21 Feb. Every two years, high-powered government and military delegations, as well as senior executives from defense industry from around the globe attend the Singapore Airshow to network and seal arm deals.  The Singapore Airshow is Asia's largest Airshow and defence exhibition. So this is the place to be for aerospace companies.

Other than the static aircraft display and aerial displays, the event features the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit, which this year attracts an unprecedented network of international senior commercial & government delegations. There other two other strategic conferences that focus on technology, namely the A*STAR Aerospace Technology Leadership Forum and the Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference (SATEC).

The statuc aircraft display includes the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-15SG Strike Eagle, F-16C/D+ Fighting Falcon, F/A-18E Super Hornet, RSAF G550 Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, USAF E-3 Sentry, USN P-8, AH-64D.


singaporeairshow

Indonesia Orders Badak 6x6 Direct Fire Vehicle

Indonesia has ordered 50 units of the Badak (Rhino) 6 x 6 Direct Fire Vehicle (DFV). The Badak DFV is a variant of the Anoa 6 x 6 fitted with a two-men turret and armed with a 90mm low pressure cannon.

PT Pindad also announced that they will be launching a new 7.62mm assault rifle, the SSX. Also in the pipeline, is the development of a battle tank with a 105mm gun.

metrotvnews

janes.com

Australia Rebuilding Conventional Capabilities

After years of fighting insurgents and militants in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is taking steps to rebuilding its conventional warfare capabilities. One of the capabilities which may not be very useful in fighting insurgents but is critical for manoeurve warfare is combat bridgings. The ADF has ordered a number of tactical combat bridges from UK-based WFEL in a deal worth GBP53 million (USD75 million).

The contracts are for the provision of WFEL's Medium Girder Bridges (MGB) and Dry Support Bridges (DSB). They will provide temporary bridging over wet or dry gaps in unfavourable terrain, during combat situations or for logistics support during natural disasters.

The ADF MGB will be double-storey, link-reinforced bridge sets which can span up to 49 metres. These bridges will be supplemented by additional equipment which will allow bridges of up to 76m to be constructed, using WFEL’s portable pier sets.

For rapid crossing of gaps, WFEL will supply the DSBs which can be launched by eight people in under 90 minutes, from the ADF’s RMMV Rheinmetall MAN 10 x 10 armoured logistics vehicles.

Animation of DSB

WFEL

Philippine Navy Seeks Support for Missile Corvette

The Philippine Navy is set to receive a Po Hang class missile corvette from South Korea. The ex-Mokpo (PCC 759) was transferred after the ship was decommissioned from the South Korea Navy. The 88m, 1200-tonne corvette will be refurnished before starting service with the Philippine Navy. The Philippine is seeking logistics support for the weapon and communication equipment in a tender valued at US$232,160.

Image from Manila Live Wire

Manila Live Wire

Janes

Janes

Royal Malaysian Air Force Received Second A400M

RMAF's second A400M on test flight in Spain before delivery to Malaysia

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has received its second A400M Atlas transport aircraft from Airbus Defence & Space. Malaysia is the first export customer for the A400M, having placed a $2.5 billion order for four A400M in 2005.  The first aircraft was delivered on 17 March 2015. The remaining two A400Ms are expected to be delivered this year. With far superior performance than the existing C-130 operated by RMAF, the A400M will greatly improve the strategic and tactical airlift capability of the RMAF.

New Straits Times

The Star

Indonesia- South Korea Fighter Aircraft Development

KAI and South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) along with Indonesian Airframer PTDI will work together to design the Korean Fighter eXperiment (KF-X)/ Indonesian Fighter eXperiment (IF-X), a 4.5 generation stealth multi-role fighter. PTDI will send 100 engineers to South Korea in May to take part in the structural design of the aircraft and other stages of development. Lockheed Martin will be providing aviation-related technologies and expertise.

The South Korean Government will fund 60% of the development costs, while the remaining 40% of funding is expected to be shared by KAI and Indonesia. Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed a joint development contract with Indonesian Ministry of Defence’s Preparatory Power Bureau on the funding. About one % of the total Indonesian project spending will be invested by April this year. Indonesia's funding will increase to over two %, starting from 2017. In total, Indonesia will invest an estimated 1.6 trillion won ($1.3 billion) or 20 % of the developmental cost (estimated at 8.6 trillion won/ $7.1 billion). Indonesia will receive one prototype for service testing as well as technical informations and drawings for the KF-X.

The maiden flight of the KF-X is planned for 2020 with the completion of development by 2026. Korea is expected to buy 120 aircraft and Indonesia 80.  KAI estimates that there is a potential export market of 600-700 aircraft.

Artist's Impression of KF-X

Asian Defence

Yonhap News

New Combat Helmet For US Army

The US Army will be replacing its legacy combat helmet with the LW-ACH (Lightweight Advanced Combat Helmet). The main improvement over the legacy ACH helmet is a 10% reduction in weight. The new helmet manufactured by ArmourSource, weighs about 3 lbs (1.36 kg) compared to 3.3 lbs (1.50 kg) for the older helmet (Note: The weight depends on the size of the helmet. Comparison is made for L-size. The S-size weighs 2.7 lbs (1.22 kg) while the XL-size weighs 3.57 lbs (1.62 kg) ).

The LW-ACH also conform to an improved ballistic protection standard. A side-by-side comparison of the two types of helmet shows that the LW-ACH is rounder than the ACH. The ACH sports is flatter top to bottom shape.



Advanced Combat Helmet


Lightweight Advanced Combat Helmet


Asian Defence

Armorsource

Royal Thai Army Bolsters Air Defence

Oerlikon Skyshield® all-weather short-range air defence system from Rheinmetall

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has ordered Rheinmetall’s Skyguard 3 air defence gun systems and AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency and Destruction) airburst ammunition. Rheinmetall will supply four Oerlikon Skyguard 3 fire control systems and eight 35mm Oerlikon GDF007 Twin Guns.

Thailand has a number of older air defence systems which will need to be replaced in the future. So more orders may be likely.

The Oerlikon guns are very reliable and capable. They were used to devastating effects by Argentine in the 1982 Falklands War.

In the region, Indonesia and Malaysia also operates the Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.Singapore operated the Oerlikon guns beginning in 1970. The system was upgraded with the Super Fledermaus Fire Control Radar during service and was retired after 45 years of service.

Malaysia also has a long history of operating the Oerlikon guns with the first order of 16 gun and 4 Skyguard systems in 1988.

In 2013, Indonesia ordered six gun systems. In 2014, a follow-on order for more fire units was placed. The €38 million contract includes training and logistical services for the Indonesian armed forces.

Asian Defence

Asia Pacific Defence Reporter/ Malaysia Order-of-Battle

MINDEF

Rheinmetall

Sipri

URA

Australia Beef Up Chinook Fleet

The United States has approved the sale of three Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters to Australia. This will increase the CH-47F fleet in the Royal Australian Army to ten. Seven CH-47F were ordered previously with delivery starting in Mayr 15. The older CH-47D will be withdrawn from service as the new CH-47F are inducted.  The new Chinook will be equipped to operated from the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) two Canberra class landing helicopter docks (LHD).  Modifications to the helicopters include rotor brakes and tie-down points for shipboard operations as well as additional crash and ballistic protection for crew and passengers.



townsville bulletin

Janes

UH-60A Black Hawk for RMAF

Four UH-60A Black Hawk from be transferred from Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) to the Royal Malaysian Army Air Corps (RMAAC). They will be deployed for operations in East Malaysia.

Indonesia Eyeing Sophisticated Missiles

Indonesia is planning for the procurement of sophisticated air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface missiles. Funding have been approved for the purchase of the Kh-31 Kh-59 and AIM-120 AMRAAM.

In the region, the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are in service with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Hence,the United States is expected to approve the sale of the missiles to the Indonesian Air Force, Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU). The AMRAAM will arm the TNI-AU's growing F-16 fleet. Meanwhile, the Kh-31A/ Kh-31P short-range air-to-surface missiles and the Kh-59ME powered stand-off weapon will increase the lethality of the Su-30 multi-role fighters. TNI-AU is also interested in the procurement of the Su-35.

Janes

Indonesia Navy's New OSV

The Indonesian Navy, Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL) inducted two offshore support vessels (OSVs) into service with the Military Sealift Command. The French-bulit KRI Spica and KRI Rigel were delivered under a USD 100 million contract by French shipbuilder OCEA. The 58m ships are each powered by two MTU 8V 400 M53 diesel engines driving two fixed-pitch propellers and has a top speed of 14 kt.  The OSV can operate to a standard range of 4,400 n miles at 12 kt.

The onboard survey equipment include Kongsberg's EA 600 single-beam echo sounder, EM 2040 and EM 302 multibeam systems. The OSV are also equipped with Kongsberg GeoAcoustics' Sonar 2094 side-scan sonar system. The OSV carry remotely operated vessels, the Kongsberg Maritime's Hugin 1000, which can undertake high-speed survey missions at depths of up to 1,000 m and Ocean Modules' V8 which has a manipulator arm for collecting underwater samples. These are the most sophisticated hydrographic survey ships in Asia.

Janes

terasbintang.com

China Overhaul Military Command Structure

China is overhauling her military's command and control organisation. The new structure will be a departure from the present army-centric system towards a joint command structure with equal representation from each services, the army, navy and air force in the higher headquarters. represented.

New commanders are also appointed for the major forces. Three new commanders will head the land forces of the People’s Liberation Army and the new Rocket Force and Strategic Support Force.

General Li Zuocheng, 62, a decorated hero of the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war and leader of several disaster relief campaigns. He is appointed the commander of the newly established army general command and led the Chengdu military region (covering Guizhou, Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan).

Lieutenant General Gao Jin, 56, is the new commander of the newly established Strategic Support Force. Gao who has a masters degree from the Second Artillery Engineering University, the only military school to train strategic missiles commanders, has published more than 20 research papers on the use of missiles. He played a key role in standing up Unit 15A, which oversees the development of a new generation of missiles. In 2011, Gao became the chief of staff for the Second Artillery Corps and was promoted to be a lieutenant general in 2013.

Wei Fenghe, 61, was the previous commander of the Second Artillery Corps which renamed the Rocket Force. The Rocket Force commands both nuclear and conventional strategic missiles.




Graphic: SCMP

SCMP