China's Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Ready for Sea Trial

China's first indigenous aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, is being readied for a sea trial from a shipyard in Dalian city, northeast China's Liaoning province. The warship is expected to start sea trials imminently according to a source close to the navy. The Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration had announced on 20 Apr 18 that three areas in the northeastern Bohai and Yellow Sea would be cordoned off for military activities from April 20 to 28. The restricted areas are close to the shipyard in Liaoning province where the new carrier is being constructed. A main engine start was conducted on 17 Apr, indicating that sea trials could possible be soon.

SCMP

Philippine Air Force Acquired Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received an Insitu Scan Eagle unmanned aircraft system from the United States. The system comprises of six unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), ground control station, launching and recovery stations.

Scan Eagle 2 UAV mounted on the launcher system.
(Photo from Reuter)

US Embassy in Philippine

Australian Boxer

The Rheinmetall 8x8 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) has been confirmed as the winner of the Australian Project Land 400 Phase 2. The Boxer knocked out rival offerings based on formidable armoured fighting platforms such as the Patria AMV35, General Dynamics LAV 6.0 and ST Kinetics Terrex.

Boxer CRV facing a M1 Abram Main Battle Tank.
(Photo from Australian Government Department of Defence)

A total of 211 CRV will be purchased to replace the 257 Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) currently in service. The first vehicle is expected to be delivered in 2019 from Germany with the first delivery from the Australian production line in 2021.

Australia Defence

Singapore Air Force Bolstered S-70B Seahawk Fleet

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has increased its fleet of S-70B Seahawk from six to eight according to Jane's International Review (Apr 18. Vol 51).  MINDEF confirmed in a statement to Jane's that the RSAF will have a total of eight Seahawk after the delivery of two additional S-70B ordered in 2013.  It was also revealed that the S-70B was undergoing landing qualification trial onboard the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) latest warships, the Littoral Mission Vessels (LMV).  The RSN does not operate any manned aircraft. Instead, dedicated assets like the S-70B Seahawk and the Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft are operated by the RSAF in support of the RSN.  The RSAF's AS332 Super Puma fleet was also deployed onboard the RSN's Endurance-class Landing Ship Tank for peace support operations and anti-piracy patrols. The S-70B Seahawk was also deployed operationally for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden embarked on the RSN's Formidable-class stealth frigate.

RSAF S-70B Seahawk onboard the RSN's frigate
(Photo from MINDEF facebook)

Missiles Used In Strike On Syria

On 13 April 2018, the United States of America, United Kingdom, and France struck at the alleged chemical weapon facilities of Syria.  The combined air and naval strikes hit three targets, a research centre, a weapon storage facility and a weapon bunker.

Here are the weapons employed for the air strikes. Basically, three types of air-launched missiles were used. These are Tomahawk, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range) and Storm Shadow/ SCALP EG.

The naval strike employed Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles and SCALP Naval missiles.
The transcript of the press briefing by Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White and Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. made confusing references to "SCAT missile" and "Scout missile". It is the author's opinion that they are referring to the SCALP  EG missile (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général or General Purpose Long Range Standoff Cruise Missile). The SCALP EG is identical to the British Storm Shadow except that for the aircraft interface. The MDCN (Missile de Croisière Naval) missile systems mentioned by France's Defence Minister is the SCALP Naval Missile.

France's Defence Minister Florence Parly confirmed that France used five Rafale fighter jets, five Mirage 2000 jets and two E-3 AWAC.  Five missile-equipped frigates based in the Mediterranean also launched the MCDN missile systems for the first time.naval version of the SCAT missile.
The SCALP EG and Storm Shadow missiles are virtually identical in all aspects except that they are equipped with different aircraft interface components and software. The missiles are 5.1 m long with a 630 mm diameter.  The Storm Shadow/ SCALP weigh 1,300 kg, and have a range of up to 400 km, guided by a triple navigation system, using inertial navigation, GPS, and Terrain Reference Navigation.

Targets:

76 missiles were fired on the Barzah Research and Development center- Greater Damascus area. These are 57 Tomahawks (TLAMS) and 19 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs)

22 missiles targeted Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage Facility- West of Homs. The missiles consist of US TLAMS, 8 British Storm Shadow missiles, 3 French SCALP Naval missiles, 2 French SCALP EG missiles.

7 French air-launched SCALP EG were aimed at Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Bunker Facility—West of Homs

Naval vessels participating in the strike are the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Monterey (fired 30 Tomahawk missiles) and Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Laboon (7 Tomahawk missiles) from the Red Sea.

From the North Arabian Gulf, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Higgins fired 23 Tomahawk missiles. In the Mediterranean, French Frigate Languedoc fired 3 SCALP Naval missiles while the Virginia-class submarine USS John Warner launched 6 Tomahawk missiles.

The air assets include two B-1 Lancer Bombers (launched 19 JASSM), four British Tornado GR4 (fired 8 Storm Shadow. Apparently escorted by Typhoon fighters) and French Rafale and Mirage aircrafts (expended a total of 9 SCALP EG missiles).


DoD

France24

Singapore Invests In Smart Technologies to Boost Security

Singapore is tapping into smart technologies to boost the security for the country. Some of the initiatives revealed so far are unmanned watch tower, unmanned systems for the surveillance and patrol of key facilities and territorial water, aerial drones for runway repair and airbase security, and the use of simulation technology for troop security training. 

MINDEF

Thailand Commissions Four T-50TH Advance Trainers

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has commissioned four Korea Aerospace Industries T-50TH golden Eagle advanced jet trainers into service on 4 April. The four aircraft were ordered in 2015. A follow-on order for eight aircraft placed in 2017 will be delivered in 2020.

Flight Global