Despite its size, Globemaster proves a nimble bird By Dean Irvine, CNN
February 16, 2012 -- Updated 0803 GMT (1603 HKT)

Editor's note: From high-flyers to mega-deals, CNN International will be bringing you all the latest news and buzz from the Singapore Airshow.

(CNN) -- Among all the aerobatic display teams across the world, the U.S Air Force's C-17A Globemaster "Hickam" isn't the most graceful.

"But it is pretty nimble," says Anthony Gurrieri from its flight deck moments before hitting the thrusters and executing a tactical decent that dropped the plane 20,000 feet (six kilometers) in just over a minute.

Feeling like the most exhilarating roller-coaster ride for those onboard, it is not so spectacular for those watching on the ground at the Singapore Airshow, although it is a maneuver that he and other member of the flight team need to use regularly.

"We're often in areas that you just need to get out of quickly," says Major Mike Pasquino, another of the four pilots of the Hickam. A steep take off and turn was used by the crew recently to escape enemy fire in Afghanistan. "You just think about your training and nothing else in those situations," says Pasquino.

Part of the U.S. Air Force's Pacific crew based in Hawaii, the Hickam's other less hazardous missions have included transporting dolphins and even a killer whale in the plane's voluminous cargo hold. It's been joined in Singapore by display teams from the home nation, Australia and Malaysia, but with all those Type A personalities looping through the skies in national colors, does it lead to competition among pilots?

"No way," says Lieutenant Colonel Mior Nor Badrishah, commanding officer of the Malaysian Air Force's Smokey Bandits display team. "Shit happens if you push it."

Battle for the skies at Singapore Airshow

And he should know. Badrishah gained the nickname "Ghost" after a near-fatal training accident over the Malacca Straits. He and other pilots from the Malaysian Air Force were on training maneuvers with the Royal Australian Air Force when an Australian jet clipped Badrishah's Russian-made Mig 29, forcing him to bail out at 13,000 feet from the burning jet.

"I blacked out for a few seconds when I ejected. I came too and pulled the parachute and landed in the water. It took over four hours for them to get me out."

Test your aviation knowledge

Just two years ago at the same event in Singapore a South Korean pilot was forced to cut short his aerial display after getting too close to the crowd. The organizers emphasize the safety measures in place at these displays, but accidents do happen, most tragically at an event in Ukraine in 2002 when 77 people died and hundreds of people were injured.

Badrishah's accident "was an expensive mistake," he says with heavy understatement, but it certainly didn't put him off flying. "I had two weeks off and was then back in a plane."

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/16/world/as...-jet/index.html

How was the crowd at the Changi Exhibition Centre?

SGA2012: AM General launches right-hand drive HMMWV
14 February 2012 - 9:36 by Darren Lake in Singapore


US Manufacturer AM General has used the Singapore Airshow to unveil a right-hand drive version of its popular High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV).

The company sees a large potential market for a right-hand drive HMMWV in the local region with a number of countries driving on the left.

Singapore is an obvious target, but according to Gerritt Beck, a company spokesperson, there are some 73 countries that are right-hand drive including Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand.

'Of course India is the big elephant in the room,' Beck stated. 'But they're a make/buy deal. We're looking for a local partner, but we're not there yet,' he added. Beck added that the company was happy to look at both direct commercial sales and foreign military sales for the new version of the HMMWV.

'Its up to the customer how they want to buy it,' he said. In terms of the redesign, the main elements have been moving the steering box and the battery box.

The right-hand drive has gone through a full engineering development phase and it is as capable as the left-hand drive version.

Beck said that the company would be offering the right-hand drive variant in all the configurations currently available.

The company is continuing to manufacture some 400 vehicles a month for both US and international left-hand drive customers.

Some 58 countries have bought the HMMWV to date. Beck said that scale of production allowed the company to offer a full support service.

'You don't just get a vehicle, with us you get a partner and a whole logistics package,' he asserted. The right-hand drive will be the most up to date configuration of a vehicle that has been constantly upgraded since its introduction in to service in 1985. '

The vehicle looks similar, but it has been completely re-engineered over that period,' Beck said. The International 205 version of the HMMWV has a 6,396kg gross vehicle weight.

The vehicle's engine produces 3,400rpm and has a state of the art transmission and suspension. Beck said that as well as targeting local militaries, the company was also looking at the vehicle for a number of para-public roles, such as fire services. ''It's the type of vehicle that would be great in natural disaster relief,' he concluded.

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarf...and-drive-hmmw/

Singapore Issues RFI For Six Tankers
Feb 20, 2012

By Leithen Francis leithen_francis@aviationweek.com
Singapore

Singapore has moved ahead with plans to order aerial refueling tankers to replace its Boeing KC-135Rs.

Industry sources say Singapore has issued a request for information (RFI) for six aerial refueling tankers. One of the sources says they anticipate a request for proposals (RFP) may be issued mid-year.

The Southeast Asian nation has four Boeing KC-135R aerial refueling tankers, the first of which the island nation received in late 1999. These aircraft are in fact A-model KC-135s that Boeing upgraded to R-model by re-engining the aircraft with new CFM International CFM-56 power-plants.

Industry sources say new aerial refueling tankers are a top priority for the Singapore Air Force, which has been complaining about the cost and difficulty involved in maintaining the KC-135R. This tanker is based on the Boeing 707 commercial platform.

One of the sources says the reason Singapore’s KC-135Rs may be difficult and costly to maintain is because Singapore’s KC-135Rs are a lower block standard than the U.S. Air Force’s.

At the Singapore Airshow (Feb. 14-19), Airbus Military had on display a U.K. Royal Air Force A330MRTT. Israel Aircraft Industries was also at the show promoting its 767 Multi-Mission Tanker Transport and Boeing was promoting its KC-46 aerial refueling tanker.

Boeing would ordinarily be the front-runner in the competition, because of Singapore’s close ties with the U.S., but the KC-46 is still in development. Boeing is already committed to deliver 18 KC-46As to the U.S. Air Force by 2017, leaving no early delivery slots for foreign customers. The earliest Boeing can delivery KC-46s to international customers is 2018. That may be too late for the Singaporeans.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/sto...channel=defense

Best option for RMAF is the Boeing FA-18F and the Wedgetail AEW&C.

Cheaper in the short term, Malaysia has a large area to cover.

Malaysia has East and West Malaysia to defend and right now there is a big capability gap without the AEW platform.

RTAF has the SAAB Erieye and RSAF the E2C Hawkeye and the G550 CAEW.

There is a good read about the RAAF choosing the Wedgetail.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 23 2012, 11:49 AM

Yeah RoKAF also using the Wegdetail, quantity is four.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 23 2012, 12:47 PM

RSAF will likely get new tankers as the current KC135R is too expensive to maintain.

Singapore’s Aerial Tanker Buy
Feb 22, 2012 15:48 EST

The Republic of Singapore Air Force currently relies on 4 re-engined KC-135R aerial refueling tankers, in order to extend the range of its fighter jets, and perform some long-range transport and cargo missions. This means that they share their aircraft type with the USAF, but it also means that they share the problems and rising operating costs that accompany aging aircraft.

In February 2012, the RSAF set a process in motion to replace their KC-135Rs with a new refueling aircraft. Two of the expected contenders are familiar. The 3rd is less so…

Competition & Key Events

Airbus’ A330 MRTT/ KC-30B has been picked by Britain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE as well as by Singapore’s regional partner Australia. India also seems interested in this aircraft.

Boeing’s smaller KC-767 has been picked by Italy and Japan, and was eventually chosen by the USAF as its KC-46A. Boeing promoted that version at Aero Singapore 2012, and has a strong relationship with Singapore, but that may not be Singapore’s best option. If the RSAF wants the new USAF KC-46A version, instead of the earlier model KC-767A delivered to Japan, they’ll have to wait until it’s fully developed, tested, and certified. That’s likely to mean waiting until 2018, or later.

The 3rd option is also a 767. Israel Aerospace Industries’ Bedek subsidiary offers a cheaper B767 MMTT (Multi-Mode Tanker/Transporter), which can be based on carefully sourced used 767-200ER or 767 cargo aircraft, in order to bring the price way down. Colombia currently flies 1, and a new version is promised with the boom refueling system that Singapore’s American fighters would need. It was touted at the Aero Singapore 2012 exhibition, and Singapore also has long-standing defense ties with Israel. While the hose-and-drogue conversion is designed to ease international airspace certification through its similarity to the 767 cargo type cert, it remains to be seen whether a feature as significant as a boom can be added without additional time for re-certification.

Feb 21/12: Quoting “industry sources,” Aviation Week reports that Singapore has issued its aerial tanker RFI. Speculation is that the formal RFP is due in mid-2012.

Outside the USA, aerial refueling orders tend to be for 1-6 planes, and even Britain and France are looking at just 10-14. A 4-plane order may not seem like much, but it’s about average size for the global market, on an item that typically carries a $150-300 million price tag. IAI Bedek thinks they have a way to beat that range; the question is whether Singapore will be OK with a conversion strategy. India was not, for instance, even though that meant a much more expensive buy.

Feb 16/12: 767 MMTT. IAI’s Bedek ciovil aircraft conversion specialists say that they have finalized the design and tests of certain new systems developed specifically for their new 767 MMTT. The new version will add a new fly-by-wire Boom refueling system, with a Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) station and day or night viewing systems, on top of the existing Hose & Drogue system. IAI Bedek’s Moshe Scharf tells Defense Update that:

“Three years ago we began developing the new generation of 767 MMTT. We are expecting the supply of this type of aircraft to certain European air forces in the coming months….”

The comment concerning Europe might be explained by a Polish tender that has been delayed by lack of funds, but is moving again.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Singap...7312/#more-7312

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 23 2012, 11:09 PM

AEW&C is a "standalone" system and don't need groundbase support in a sense.

Tweet from Dzirhan Mahadzir@DzirhanDefence



This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 24 2012, 12:28 AM

Plane makers in a battle over combat aircraft orders
David Black

Feb 24, 2012

There's a dogfight fight going on involving the makers of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world's arsenal.

It is being fought over the contracts to supply the next generation of fighters to countries including Brazil and India.

Standing on the sidelines is the UAE, with a requirement for 60 medium multi-role combat aircraft by 2017, and a reputation for getting the best, for the cheapest deal when it comes to defence procurement.

Over the past few weeks one plane maker has emerged as a front runner - France's Dassault, with its tried and tested Rafale. But the competition is not lying down. Another European plane maker, EADS with the Typhoon; Sweden's SAAB Gripen; and the US giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin with their F15, F16 and F18 variants, are still in play.

The UAE is faced with sorting through their competing claims.

Up until the beginning of this month, Rafale was dead; killed by a damning statement in November by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces."Regrettably, Dassault seem unaware that all the diplomatic and political will in the world cannot overcome uncompetitive and unworkable commercial terms," he said.

Then, on January 31, Dassault announced it had been made preferred bidder for the contract to supply the Indian Air Force with 126 Rafales, with a potential second batch bringing the total to 206. The total order could be worth US$20 billion (Dh73.46bn). Suddenly there were stories that Dassault and the UAE were still talking and the French press were saying the French president Nicolas Sarkozy could be visiting Abu Dhabi next month to sign a deal. The UAE, meanwhile, is still keeping its own counsel.

The also-ran on the India deal was EADS' Typhoon.

Both aircraft had undergone stringent evaluations by the Indian Air Force, but the French had offered more technology transfer, and an arrangement whereby the first 18 aircraft would be built in France and the remainder at Hindustan Aerospace in Bangalore. They were also said to be cheaper.

Other possible customers for the Rafale stepped forward. From being a French venture that had failed to secure a single overseas customer and was in danger of having its production line shut down, Rafale was flying again.

Brazil's FX2 competition for 36 next-generation fighters worth $2.2bn, with potential follow-on orders for up to 120 aircraft, is up for grabs. Brazil was already talking to Dassault, EADS, Saab, Russia's Sukhoi and Boeing.

In Brazil, the Rafale had not been a front-runner, but after India's announcement the Brazilians suddenly wanted to know what was in Dassault's package.

Yes, Rafale was aircraft carrier-capable, important for the Brazilian Navy, but the price at $9bn was the highest among the bidders. Boeing's Super Hornet was also carrier-capable, and at $7.7bn, cheaper and Boeing's passenger aircraft division offered major offset possibilities for Brazil's commercial airliner industry. EADS, the maker of the Typhoon, offered similar benefits via Airbus. But fighter contracts are complex. On price, even if there is an initial loss, there will be an opportunity to catch up, upgrading aircraft to a next level, four or five years hence. And other strategic concerns can trump up-front commercial benefits.

India's decision to prefer the Rafale to the Typhoon was based on history.

The Indian Air Force is a satisfied user of French fighters, going back to the 1950s, and France has been a staunch ally.

During the 1999 Kargil campaign against Pakistan, India obtained French clearance to urgently adapt Israeli laser-guided bombs for its French-made Mirage fighters.

On the other hand, the 1998 US arms embargo after India's nuclear test has not been forgotten in New Delhi. France was the only western nation not to impose sanctions.

The weapons systems and sensors for the Rafale are mostly French-made, and thus not subject to a third-party embargo. The Typhoon is produced by a consortium of four nations, each with different foreign policies and different attitudes to arms exports.

One of them, Germany, has dithered over technology transfer with India on previous deals, and both German and Italian law prohibits deliveries of weapons and spares to warring nations. Also, Typhoon's air-to-air missiles include the US-made AIM-120 Amraam and the German-led IRIS-T, and its primary air-to-ground weapon is the US-made Paveway laser-guided bomb system.

Could India rely on those allies to keep her supplied, or could an India at war see its supply of weapons and spares shut down?

In Brazil, the newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo quoted the influential Workers' Party deputy leader Jose Genoino as saying: "France is always the better partner ... we don't know what is going to happen in 10 years so that we will be able to guarantee our spare parts. The USA, traditionally, does not transfer technology … We want to seek the lowest price with the most technology transfer."

Meanwhile, the UAE is offering no hints. Typhoon is still in the running, and if Dassault is right, so is Rafale.

"It won't just be about performance," said one defence industry analyst, who declined to be named.

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconve...aft-orders#full

No wonder IAF went with the Dassault Rafale, they don't have to worry about the US arms embargo.

Even with Eurofighter Typhoon, there are US made armaments that needs US clearance.

IAF already have kit assembly for SU30MKI l think about 200 and also in progress of getting the PAK FA.

Three Airbus Military A330 MRTTs fly in formation
280212 (Tue)



In this photo taken over Spain recently, three Airbus Military A330 MRTT multi role tanker transports destined for different customers are shown in formation. The lead aircraft, furthest from the camera will join the UK Royal Air Force where it will be known as Voyager as part of the Future Strategic Transport Aircraft (FSTA) programme; the middle aircraft is the original development example which will eventually enter service with the Royal Australian Air Force; and the aircraft nearest the camera is the second for the United Arab Emirates air force.

http://www.airbusmilitary.com/PressRelease...-formation.aspx

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 28 2012, 07:54 PM

WikiLeaks: Russia gave Israel Iranian system's codes
Ynet Published: 02.28.12, 23:56 / Israel News

Document by intelligence company suggests Israel, Russia contracted deal several years ago under which Israel provided Russia with codes for UAVs it sold to Georgia in exchange for Iranian aerial defense system codes

WikiLeaks has released an email exchange between employees of Stratfor, the US-based global intelligence company, which reveals Israel and Russia made a deal to swap access codes for defense and surveillance equipment.

According to the leaked document, Israel gave Russia the "data link codes" for unmanned aerial vehicles that the Jewish state sold to Georgia, and in return, Russia gave Israel the codes for Tor-M1 missile defense systems that Russia sold Iran.

In a document by a Stratfor employee dated February 2009 she says that she had met with a "Mexican source/friend" who told her that Israel and Russia had contracted a deal several years ago as part of which Israel provided Russia with codes of UAVs it had sold to Georgia. In exchange Moscow provided the Israelis with the codes for Iran's Tor-M1 aerial defense systems.

The document suggests that the deal was signed before the Russia-Georgia war of August 2008 during which Russian forces invaded Georgia. At the time it was reported that Georgia was using Israel-made weapons.

It can also be understood from the document that the Georgians had at one point realized that their UAVs were compromised and were looking for a replacement for the Israeli made drones.

The Mexican source also addressed the S-300 aerial defense systems which Israel and the West have spent years trying to dissuade Russia from handing over to Tehran. The source said that Israel and Turkey were collaborating very closely in regards to the system and that since Russia sold them to Greece – Turkey's longtime rival – Ankara has been busy tryinh to crack their codes.

He added that Ankara shared intelligence with Israel to make sure it has an edge over Iran should it get the systems from Russia.

Don't forget about submarine rescue.

Moving Down Under

In November 2008, James Fisher Submarine Rescue Service (JFSRS) formally acquired the rescue assets of the UK Submarine Rescue service that it had been operating to worldwide acclaim for the previous 25 years.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...ipOTuFK7w#!

http://www.jfdefence.com/casestudies/index.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Mar 4 2012, 05:59 PM

Asia outstrips Europe in defence spending
07 March 2012 - 12:24 by Darren Lake in London, UK

Defence spending in Asia is expected to overtake that in Europe at some point this year, according to London-headquartered International Institute for Strategic Studies.

John Chipman, director-general of IISS, said on 7 March that the change reflected both continued austerity measures in Europe and sustained economic growth in Asia, which also continues to have a number of conflict flash points.

Some 80% of Asian defence spending is accounted for by five countries: Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea. China alone accounts for some 30% of defence spending in the region although its spending remains far below that of the US, according to Giri Rajendran, senior fellow for defence economics.

Chipman said that the majority of China's capabilities are not as advanced as some alarmists would suggest and described them as 'nascent' rather than actual. Given current projections Chinese defence spending is not expected to exceed that of the US for at least the next 15 years and there will be a considerable gap in capabilities still to close.

However, other countries in the region, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, are also making substantial investments in upgrading capabilities on a smaller scale. The procurement reflects the economic growth in the region, which is allowing countries to invest more in defence.

The announcement formed part of IISS' launch of its annual Military Balance publication that aims to quantify defence capabilities country-by-country. This year there are a number of new additions to the book.

For the first time the IISS has sought to make some assessment of countries' cyber warfare capabilities. Nigel Inkster, director of transnational threats and political risk, told Shephard that quantifying such capabilities was a tricky exercise.

'To do it properly you have to take a whole of society approach,' he stated. He added that areas such as industrial capacity and education need to be taken in to account.

However, for IISS the key to understanding cyber warfare capacity is the extent to which governments try to harness these diverse elements into a cohesive capability. Inkster used Taiwan as an example of an advanced 'cyber society' with all the necessary elements, but added that as yet there was no indication that the government or the military had attempted to organise those elements into a coherent capability.

Also added this year was a more detailed analysis of combat support capabilities such as combat engineering, logistics and ISR.

Ben Barry, senior fellow for land warfare, said that this was not an area that had been covered properly in the past, but that without it you could not have an assessment of the full spectrum of a country’s combat capability.

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-...pending-stakes/

How credible is the Kosmos news about new purchase of Astros for the ATM?

They were the one that was reporting that RMAF is buying the SAAB Erieye and on further probing it was found that it was not true.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Mar 8 2012, 02:40 PM

A380 to fly at FIDAE Air Show as part of 2012 World Tour

A400M makes debut at Latin America’s biggest air show in Santiago de Chile

8 MARCH 2012 PRESS RELEASE

For the first time Airbus will showcase its biggest stars together at the FIDAE Air Show (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio) in Santiago, Chile. Both the iconic A380 and the new generation airlifter A400M will be in static display and conduct flight demonstrations at Latin America’s most important air show.

The A380’s participation at FIDAE is part of the aircraft’s 2012 World Tour, which will include stops in Brazil (Sao Paulo on March 22 and Rio de Janeiro on March 23) and Argentina, (Buenos Aires on March 30) before returning to Toulouse. The aircraft will stay in Santiago de Chile for FIDAE between March 26 and 29.

“Airbus has been participating in FIDAE for nearly 30 years because it is the most important venue in Latin America to showcase the latest Airbus technology,” said Rafael Alonso, Executive Vice President of Airbus for Latin America and the Caribbean. “With Latin American air traffic expected to triple in the next 20 years, Airbus estimates the region will require more than 40 very large aircraft, like the A380, between today and 2030. Bringing the A380 to the region has never been more relevant because it is not a question of when the A380 will begin to operate here, but rather what airline will be the first to fly it.”

With 138 airports visited worldwide, the A380 has proven it can be operated in existing airport infrastructure with no or little modifications. Today some 30 airports worldwide see A380 daily operations. In addition to these, more than 50 airports are ready or getting prepared to accommodate the A380 and answer the airlines’ need for more A380 destinations. The world’s largest, most comfortable and eco-efficient passenger aircraft, is now in service with some of the greatest international airlines. More than 70 A380 have been delivered already to 7 customers from a firm order book of 253 aircraft from 19 customers.

Airbus Military will bring the most versatile airlifter for the 21st Century, the A400M, to Latin America for the first time. Grizzly 2, one of the five flight test aircraft, will arrive at FIDAE on 26th of March and will stay at the show, in the static display, until 28th of March, when the aircraft will fly to Lima, Peru for a visit.

The A400M will be in Latin America until 1st of April and during this period, as part of the A400M Flight Test Campaign, it will perform High Altitude testing in Bolivia (Cochabamba and La Paz).

“Latin America is of strategic importance for Airbus Military and FIDAE is a key platform. The presence of the A400M shows how important this event is for our company”, said Antonio Rodriguez Barberán, Head of Commercial of Airbus Military.

The A400M is the all new military airlifter designed to satisfy not only the Armed Forces’ needs in the 21st Century, but also the needs of humanitarian aid and other “civic” missions to the benefit of society. Thanks to its advanced technologies, it is able to fly higher, faster and further while retaining high maneuverability, low speed and short, soft and rough airfield capabilities.  

http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pressrel...-american-tour/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Mar 10 2012, 11:09 AM