Army considers German tank offer may be best option
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 03/08/2012 7:18 PM

The Indonesian Army revealed on Thursday that Germany’s offer of the Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks (MBTs) was much more interesting than those offered by the Netherlands.

“Germany’s offer is more promising in terms of filling in the gap. Besides, the Netherlands still has problem with its parliament [in terms of the deal],” Indonesian Military (TNI) chief of staff Gen. Pramono Edhie Wibowo said as quoted by Antara news agency on Thursday.

He said Germany not only offered the transfer-of-technology but also the possibility of joint production in which state-owned arms manufacturers PT Pindad could make some parts for the 60-ton tank.

The Germans, he said, even challenged the readiness of domestic defense industries because good preparation was needed to maintain high-technology systems and it took long time to master them.

“We cannot produce it [the MBT] in three years. The technology isn’t simple,” he said, admitting that the service would also buy the MBTs from Germany.

The Indonesian Army said it needed to modernize its weapons systems with MBTs because it only had light tanks such as the British-made Scorpion and French-made AMX13, which weighed 8 and 14 tons respectively.

Initially, Indonesia planned to buy German-made MBTs at a discounted price as the Dutch government was implementing harsh defense budget cutbacks that included disbanding its armored divisions in the wake of the economic downturn in Europe.

The plan was to buy 50 units of the 2A4 and another 50 units of the 2A6 variants of the MBT at a total price of US$280 including the cost of upgrading the A4 variant to the A6 standard.

The plan, however, is reportedly on the brink of collapsing due to the Dutch parliament’s indecisive stance on the issue. The GreenLeft minority political party in the Dutch parliament voiced its concerns over selling the MBTs to Indonesia, claiming that there was a possibility of the MBTs being used to suppress human rights in Indonesia.

On Tuesday, Defense Deputy Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the ministry had given the Dutch until the end of March to decide whether or not to sell its surplus Leopard MBTs, after which Indonesia would look for other sources.

Besides the Dutch and the German governments, Russia reportedly has offered its T90 tank to the Indonesian government, which already earmarked Rp 150 trillion (US$16.41 billion) until 2014 for modernizing its weaponry to meet the so-called minimum essential force (MEF). (sat/nvn)

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/03...est-option.html

Future tanker work tied to C295 buy
Item by australianaviation.com.au at 4:50 pm, Wednesday March 14 2012

For the first time, Airbus Military has directly linked the possibility of future A330 MRTT conversion work for overseas programs being performed in Australia with its bid for the Air 8000 Phase 2 battlefield airlifter (BFA) program.

Speaking to media in Sydney today, Airbus Military program manager Valentin Merino said that, while it was offering the BFA and the sixth tanker as two separate proposals, Airbus Military would guarantee it would place conversion work for possible future Indian, Singaporean and other international MRTT buys in Australia only if the RAAF bought a sixth KC-30A MRTT and the C295 to replace the Caribou.

Merino added that the ADF could acquire 10 C295s as well as a sixth KC-30A and still have $300 million left over compared to an acquisition of 10 C-27Js through the US FMS process. He said the life cycle cost of the C295 is far lower than the C-27J’s, offering up to $400 million in savings across the fleet’s life.

Despite not being requested to, Airbus says it submitted ‘tender quality’ proposals to the ADF for the C295 on December 16, but to date had not received a formal response.

When asked by Australian Aviation if a sixth MRTT was ordered but the C295 was unsuccessful whether the future MRTT work guarantee would still be placed at Brisbane’s ‘centre for excellence’, EADS Australia CEO Fabrice Rochereau indicated Airbus would be “less open” to the prospect of more conversions being done in Australia, saying it is “a package deal,” adding that, “we want to sustain our footprint here…the tanker conversion would be part of the Australian industry capability of the C295.”

Merino added that, “The sixth tanker runs in isolation, the C295 runs in isolation. But if both [are taken up], we are saying we can maintain the final assembly line for tankers not only for Australia but for export.”

Three of the five RAAF MRTTs were converted by Qantas Defence Systems (QDS) at its Brisbane ‘Hangar 1’ facility and have been delivered to the RAAF, with a fifth due to be rolled out in June, leaving the Brisbane facility with no future modification work booked in and a potential loss of up to 250 skilled jobs. Merino said work had already commenced to “dismantle” the hanger’s conversion tooling, and that time was running out for a decision to be made on the sixth aircraft.

Merino added that a green aircraft – MSN 871 built for Airbus’s failed USAF KC-X bid but which is almost identical to the Qantas specified A330-200s used for the RAAF’s MRTTs – is available now and is as good as new, having only flown a few times, but that it has also been offered to other potential MRTT customers.

Defence’s final Air 8000 Phase 2 recommendation is expected to be decided on by federal cabinet’s National Security and National Accounts Committees on April 24. Defence insiders have indicated an FMS deal for Alenia/L-3 C-27Js is still Defence’s preferred option despite the US Air National Guard C-27J program being cancelled in the US FY13 defence budget, while others have speculated that the project may be deferred several years or even cancelled altogether in order to bolster the government’s chances of returning a budget surplus in 2012/13. Either way, few give the C295 much chance despite the MRTT ‘sweetener’ offered by Airbus.

http://australianaviation.com.au/2012/03/f...ed-to-c295-buy/

Singapore world's 5th-biggest arms importer
Purchases part of SAF's bid to maintain tech edge: Expert
Jermyn Chow
Publication Date : 20-03-2012

Singapore has emerged as the world's fifth-biggest weapons importer in the last five years, says the latest report of a Swedish security and military think-tank.

With its imports accounting for 4 per cent of the world's total spent on arms imports, Singapore trails only four countries - India (10 per cent), South Korea (6 per cent), and Pakistan and China (tied at 5 per cent).

The annual report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) also said the top five countries' imports make up nearly a third - 30 per cent - of arms sales.

Defence specialists The Straits Times spoke to said they were not surprised by Singapore's ranking as it has, in the last few years, acquired 110 Leopard main battle tanks, 24 F-15SG fighter jets, 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System trucks and six S-70B Sikorsky Seahawk naval helicopters - all big-ticket items.

More recently, Heron 1 pilotless surveillance planes and the Spyder-SR ground-based air defence system have been on the shopping list.

Military publication IHS Jane's defence specialist Jon Grevatt said the purchases are part of efforts by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to transform itself into a third-generation fighting force and to maintain its technological edge.

The Bangkok-based specialist noted that countries in the region have recently bought or are intending to buy fighter jets, and that territorial disputes in the South China Sea are triggering the region's bigger defence spending.

"Being the biggest exporter and most important economy in South-east Asia, Singapore has to continue investing in resources to protect its strategic assets and keep the sea lanes safe," he added.

Unlike China, which produces much of its military hardware domestically, Singapore imports most of its platforms from foreign defence contractors like the United States.

More purchases are expected, say defence experts.

The SAF will be looking to replace its ageing hardware, such as the KC-135 airborne tankers and Fokker-50 maritime patrol aircraft, in the next two years; Singapore is also expected to decide on whether to buy the most advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet, said Grevatt.

Previous Sipri data indicated that defence spending in the Asia-Pacific has more than doubled to US$275 billion since 1990.

Even as the rest of Asia continues on a spending spree, the defence expenditure of the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has been growing at a steady clip - as a rule, the budget is no more than 6 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

In the last five years, defence spending has grown by an average of 4 per cent a year, from S$10.7 billion (US$8.50 billion) in 2008 to S$12.3 billion (US$9.78 billion) this year.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen explained in Parliament this month that the steady spending on defence allows Mindef to get the best value for its investments.

Where possible, the SAF has upgraded its ageing war machines instead of buying new ones; it has done this with the M113 armoured personnel carriers, the C-130 transport planes and the Victory-class missile corvettes.

Dr Tim Huxley from the Singapore-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said that as the Republic continues to be on the lookout for newer, more modern fighting platforms, it is likely to stay in the top five list in the years to come.

He added, however, that as the SAF buys new weapons and systems for active ground units, it also needs to pay attention to the units made up of operationally ready national servicemen.

"More money can be spent on the NS units to plug the gap and equip them to the same standards as the active units, so that when they fight alongside, they have the same kind of weapons and are networked the same way to fight more effectively."


http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/S...ory_779531.html

Singapore gains toehold in world arms industry
By Bhavan Jaipragas (AFP) – Mar. 18, 2012 - 01:32PM

SINGAPORE — Singapore, better known for its clean-cut image and electronics exports, is seeking a place in the global arms industry by exploiting technological expertise honed on its own amply funded military.

From armoured personnel carriers used by British forces in Afghanistan to ammunition and firearms, the city-state is trying to enlarge the overseas market for its homegrown weapons and defence systems.

Its arms exports were in the limelight recently when India's defence ministry banned six weapons manufacturers for alleged involvement in a 2009 bribery case -- one of them a relatively little-known company from Singapore.

ST Kinetics, part of the multibillion-dollar ST Engineering industrial group, swiftly and vigorously denied the accusation but the mere mention of the firm underscored Singapore's growing ambitions in the world arms market.

Singapore's Straits Times newspaper said ST Kinetics was bidding for a contract to supply India with howitzers when the process was put on hold over the bribery allegations.

Its parent ST Engineering, with revenues of Sg$5.99 billion ($4.72 billion) in 2011, was the only Southeast Asian firm on the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's list of the world's top 100 defence manufacturers released last month.

Partly owned by state investment agency Temasek Holdings, ST Engineering dominates the defence industry in Singapore. It says it is one of the world's top suppliers of 40mm ammunition as well as portable weapons like its CIS 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher.

The company was the biggest exhibitor at last month's Singapore Airshow where among the equipment on display was a new version of the Bronco, an armoured all-terrain troop carrier used by British forces in Afghanistan.

"Our things are battle-proven. If you need something special, we can also customise to give you an edge over other people," Patrick Choy, executive vice-president for international marketing at ST Engineering, told AFP at the show.

The British Army's 115 Broncos -- first deployed in Afghanistan in 2010 and dubbed the "Warthogs" -- are ST Engineering's pride, and billed as the first armoured vehicles built for a Western army by an Asian firm.

Britain has around 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, the second-largest foreign contingent after the US troops in the coalition, operating in the the difficult terrain of Helmand province.

Jon Grevatt, a defence specialist for IHS Jane's, a global security think tank, said the firm "has done a grand job with the Bronco" but noted that "the British Army heavily customised it to suit its operational needs in Afghanistan".

Beyond Britain, ST Engineering exports weapons and military equipment to other countries but refuses to divulge details.

According to the Stockholm institute, Singapore has sold defence products to Indonesia, Chad, Nigeria, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil since 2000, generating $1.75 billion in 2010 alone.

Despite its diverse customer profile, ST Engineering is still heavily dependent on the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Grevatt said.

Singapore has the largest defence budget in Southeast Asia, thanks to public funds generated by its phenomenal economic growth. It has set aside Sg$12.28 billion ($9.68 billion) for defence in 2012, at 24.4 percent the largest single allocation in the government's total budget.

Surrounded by far larger neighbours, Singapore has pursued a robust defence strategy since its acrimonious split with Malaysia in 1965, and was initially advised by Israel.

All able-bodied Singaporean men are required to devote two years of full-time military service upon turning 18, providing additional manpower on top of the estimated 20,000 armed forces regulars.

"As a defence manufacturer ST is driven largely by what the SAF needs... which is still conventional systems," Grevatt said.

"ST's conventional land systems for the SAF will be difficult to sell outside Singapore because several factors are against it... the Western market is in decline and conflicts are also winding down."

However, ST Engineering's non-defence sectors contribute about 60 percent of revenues, with the diverse portfolio bolstering growth potential, he added.

Apart from its defence business, the company has worldwide operations in commercial land systems, aerospace, the marine industry and engineering, with over 100 subsidiaries in 23 countries.

Its aviation arm ST Aerospace is the largest independent aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in the world.

"Defence manufacturers today have to be diverse and have their fingers in many pies to survive," Grevatt said.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2012031...d-Arms-Industry

Dzirhan Mahadzir ‏ @DzirhanDefence

Indonesia said it chased out RMAF CN-235 from Ambalat region, ironically CN-235 bought frm Indonesia http://bit.ly/GFGkJa (in indonesian)

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Mar 22 2012, 11:02 PM

RNZAF Boeing 757

Kiwi plane makes distress landing

KOTA KINABALU: A Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft made an emergency landing following problems to its hydraulics system.

The aircraft, carrying between 12 and 15 airforce personnel, turned back after taking off from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) for Australia at 10.32am yesterday.

Malaysia Airports Berhad senior airport manager Kamaruzzaman Razali said the Boeing 757 aircraft touched down seven minutes later.

The aircraft will be parked at the KKIA's Terminal 1 overnight to allow the airforce technicians to rectify the glitch.

In Ranau, two passengers were killed and two others seriously injured after they panicked and jumped out of an express bus which was rolling downhill at 5pm on Tuesday.

Police chief Deputy Supt Abdul Rahman Kassim said the bus which was heading to Tawau stalled after it grazed a car while overtaking at the 35KM Telupid-Ranau road.

“We believe the bus started rolling downhill on a hilly stretch when the four jumped out,” he said.

DSP Abdul Rahman said the dead had been identified as Nahawara Beddu, 44 and Irlisafatin Jaffar, 23, while the identities of the injured were unknown.

He said the occupants of the car continued their journey.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...6128&sec=nation

Dzirhan Mahadzir@DzirhanDefence
A400M appearence at RMAF Subang stated by Defence Minister Zahid during press conference on Defence Services Asia

Dzirhan Mahadzir@DzirhanDefence
Airbus A400M to be at RMAF Subang on April 17th in conjunction with on-going Defence Services Asia exhibition in Kuala Lumpur

This should be the same Eurofighter Typhoon Full Scale Replica (FSR) pasar malam with onboard & Ground based Weapon Display showcased at LIMA 2011.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtemujin/6491...157628342814359

A lot of us were wondering why the Eurofighter Typhoon were based at Butterworth Air Force Base while the other contenders were based at Langkawi airport during the LIMA 2011.

Lol, still waiting who will win the Malaysian MRCA contract.

Eurocopter to supply six EC725 combat search and rescue helicopters to PT Dirgantara Indonesia for customization and delivery to Indonesian Air Force
Jakarta, 5 April 2012

A contract is signed today between Eurocopter and PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace for the supply of six EC725. To be received in 2014, Indonesian Aerospace will customize and deliver these combat search and rescue configured helicopters to the Indonesian Air Force under a contract signed with the Indonesian Ministry of Defence last month.

The aircraft, for delivery from Eurocopter starting in 2014, will be shipped to Indonesian Aerospace's facility in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, where they will be reassembled and customized before delivery to the Indonesian Air Force under a contract signed, between the Ministry of Defence and Indonesian Aerospace, on 12th March 2012. The EC725, a combat-proven multi-role helicopter in the 11-ton class, was selected by the Air Force in 2011 to meet its requirements for a Combat Search and Rescue capable helicopter fleet.

"The selection of the EC725 by the Air Force is a renewed demonstration of the confidence that the Indonesian Air Force has in the Super Puma family of helicopters and enables Eurocopter to further strengthen its long standing relationship with Indonesian Aerospace relating to the Super Puma family," said Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations.

The EC725, a member of Eurocopter's successful Super Puma/Cougar family, will further extend Indonesian Aerospace's involvement with the type. As well as building several SA330 Puma and AS332 Super Puma under license in Bandung for the Air Force, Indonesian Aerospace has held a contract with Eurocopter since 2008 for the manufacture of EC225 and EC725 tail booms and complete airframe assemblies.

"This contract for the EC725 will propel Indonesian Aerospace into a new era of co-operation with Eurocopter, enhancing the company's capabilities at the forefront of rotorcraft technology," stated Budi Santoso, President Director of Indonesian Aerospace.

The twin-engine EC725/EC225 rotary-wing aircraft family features high-performance navigation and mission systems, including a unique digital four-axis autopilot. Offering excellent flight autonomy, this powerful machine is also great for tactical transport as it has a large cabin with seating for 25 persons. As a result, the EC725 military version and its EC225 civilian/parapublic variant have become the reference for civil and military search and rescue, off-shore and passenger transport missions around the world.

About Eurocopter
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 20,000 people. In 2011, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s number one helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 5.4 billion Euros, orders for 457 new helicopters and a 43 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports some 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,300 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 149 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business.

About PT Dirgantara Indonesia
Since being established in 1976, PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace (IAe), one of the indigenous aerospace companies in Asia with core competence in aircraft design, development and manufacturing of civilian and military regional commuter aircraft, has successfully exploited its manufacturing capability. The company has diversified its products not only in the field of aircraft but also other area such as Information Technology, Automotive, Maritime, Simulation Technology, Industrial Turbine, and Engineering Services.
Indonesian Aerospace has delivered more than 300 units of aircraft and helicopters, defence systems, aircraft components and other services.

http://www.eurocopter.com/site/en/press/Eu...=true&width=700

My bet is the F/A18F Super Hornet for the RMAF.

Cope Taufan 2012 under way in Malaysia
Posted 4/5/2012 Updated 4/5/2012

by Master Sgt. Matt Summers
Cope Taufan Public Affairs

4/5/2012 - PENANG, Malaysia -- The Pacific Air Forces-sponsored Exercise Cope Taufan 2012 kicked off here April 2, partnering Airmen from the U.S. Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force in efforts to improve interoperability and enhance combat capabilities.

The biennial live-flying exercise between the two air forces includes dissimilar basic fighter maneuvers and dissimilar air combat tactics training.

"Exercise Cope Taufan provides our USAF members a tremendous opportunity to improve tactics, techniques and procedures for sustained operations at a deployed base while enhancing our partnership with the men and women of Malaysia," said Lt. Gen. Stanley Kresge, 13th Air Force commander, in a letter to U.S. Airmen taking part in the exercise.

More than 100 Airmen from the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are participating in the exercise, which also provides quality training for maintenance personnel.

"This is really good training for us and makes us better at our mission," said 1st Lt. Riley Hestermann, 67th AMU officer-in-charge, who's participated in seven other exercises across the Pacific. "These exercises also give our Airmen a chance to get involved with unique cultures and work with Airmen from different countries to share ideas."

The 67th Fighter Squadron from Kadena will pit their F-15 Eagles against RMAF MiG-29 Fulcrums, F/A-18 Hornets and Hawk 208 aircraft during Cope Taufan. Earlier this year, the 67th FS won the 2011 Raytheon Trophy as the best air superiority squadron in the Air Force.

PACAF has conducted exercises with the RMAF since the early 1980s. By participating in exercises with military forces from partner nations in the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. demonstrates its commitment to peace and stability in the region, according to PACAF officials.

Exercises like Cope Taufan enhance collective defense capability by strengthening regional partnerships and interoperability of regional air forces.

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123296640

frumpyclunkyboy,

Many thanks for the photos.

Pakistani Army Races to Reach Avalanche-Buried Soldiers
Apr. 7, 2012 - 03:30PM | By USMAN ANSARI

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Army has raced to rescue any survivors of a huge avalanche which it says has buried more than 100 soldiers at a base in Pakistani-administered Kashmir

The avalanche took place at 6:00 a.m. local time April 4. The base, situated in the Gayari district, is near the Siachen Glacier in the Karakorum mountains separating Pakistan from China. Avalanches do occur in the region and regularly claim lives. However, this latest avalanche is unprecedented both in scale and location.

Avalanches normally occur near forward posts inhabited by far fewer troops and have killed a great many over the years. The rescue effort is underway but is hampered by difficult conditions.

Brian Cloughley, an analyst and former Australian defense attaché to Islamabad, is familiar with some of the conditions found in the region.

“Life is harsh at these altitudes, and rescue operations will experience difficulties we can only imagine,” he said.

The rescuers will face considerable challenges not only from the weather, but altitude-related fatigue and danger of further avalanches, Cloughey said.

“Use of helicopters creates reverberating noise, which could trigger another slide, yet it is essential they be employed to move rescue teams around and get any survivors out of the area quickly,” he said. “That’s a very difficult decision, but I think we can rely on the commanders on the ground to decide what is best for their soldiers.”

The Pakistani Army relies on the Mi-17 ‘Hip’ for most of its high altitude operations. At higher elevations, the Army employs the AS350 Ecureuil/Squirrel, and Eurocopter AS355 Ecureuil 2, which have taken over from the venerable SA 315B Lama.

Speed is of the essence, Cloughey said, but will be tempered by the effects high altitude has on the human body.

“The main thing is to get people digging down, because there could well be some people trapped in pockets of air, but that is much easier said than done,” he said.

“Where do you start? And you just can’t whip in reinforcements, because they won’t be acclimatized, so all the work has got to be done by those already in position — and it is extremely tiring to undertake physical labor at that height.”

The trapped soldiers are from the Northern Light Infantry, which played a prominent part in the 1999 fighting that raged between Indian and Pakistani forces around the Line of Control bisecting Kashmir between Pakistan and India near the town of Kargil.

The Siachen Glacier is the location of the world’s highest battlefield. Pakistani and Indian troops have faced-off and occasionally clashed at altitudes as high as 22,000 feet since Indian troops occupied the heights overlooking the glacier in 1984.


http://www.defensenews.com/article/2012040...ext%7CFRONTPAGE

Airbus Military A400M to Visit Asia for First Time‎
10/4/2012

Malaysia as A400M customer is first destination.

The Airbus Military A400M new generation airlifter for the 21st Century, is to visit Asia between April 14 and 20. Malaysia, an A400M customer, is the first and longest stop of its three-nation Asia tour, with the aircraft staying there from 14 – 17 April. The tour continues with visits to Jakarta, Indonesia, and Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand, before returning to Europe.

The visit, the first time that the A400M will be seen in Asia, will give the Malaysian Government and Air Force a chance to see the A400M at first hand. The Malaysian Government has ordered four of the new aircraft which has as its launch customer nations Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the UK.

The aircraft that will be flown for the Asia Pacific tour is Grizzly 4, one of the five development aircraft.

For the Malaysian leg of the tour, the A400M will be welcomed by the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force on 15 April at the Subang Airbase. The aircraft will then remain there on static display, for visits by the Minister of Defence, Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel and invited guests who will be participating at Defence Services Asia 2012. Demonstration flights will take place over the following days with selected Air Forces and VIP guests.

Grizzly 4 will then fly to Jakarta, Indonesia, on 18th April where it will be based for a day at the Halim airbase. Government and Air Force guests will be able to visit the aircraft and participate in a demonstration flight to get a firsthand experience of the outstanding capabilities of the A400M. Airbus Military’s long standing partner in Indonesia, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, is supporting and facilitating the Grizzly’s visit to Indonesia.

On 19th April, the aircraft will leave for Thailand with a visit to the Chiang Mai airbase first, participating in the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Thai Air Force, followed by a flight with the Royal Thai Air Force on board to Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok. Various Government and Air Force guests will visit the aircraft during this static display. The aircraft will then return to Europe on the 20th of April.

The A400M is an all new military airlifter designed to meet the needs of the world’s Armed Forces in the 21st Century. Thanks to its most advanced technologies, it is able to fly higher, faster and further, while retaining high manoeuvrability, low speed, and short, soft and rough airfield capabilities. It combines both tactical and strategic/logistic missions, while being also able to be used as a tanker plane. With its cargo hold specifically designed to carry the outsize equipment needed today for both military and humanitarian disaster relief missions, it can bring this material quickly and directly to where it is most needed.

Conceived to be highly reliable, dependable, and with a great survivability, the multipurpose A400M can do the job of three of today’s different aircraft models in a single one. This means smaller fleets and less investment from the operator. Able to do more with less, the A400M is the most cost efficient and versatile airlifter ever conceived and absolutely unique in its capabilities.

About Airbus Military

Airbus Military is the only military and civic/humanitarian transport aircraft manufacturer to develop, produce, sell and support a comprehensive family of airlifters ranging from three to 45 tonnes of payload. An Airbus daughter company, Airbus Military is responsible for the A400M programme, as well as the Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A330 and for further military derivatives based on Airbus civil aircraft. Together with the smaller “Light & Medium” C295, CN235 and C212, Airbus Military is the global leader in the market for military transport, tanker and surveillance aircraft able to perform the most varied missions. Altogether, Airbus Military has sold more than 1,000 aircraft to some 130 military, civilian and governmental customers. More than 800 of these aircraft have been delivered. Airbus is an EADS company.

http://www.airbusmilitary.com/LatestNews/t...e-in-April.aspx

TNI-AU could rival China, US by 2045, expert says
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Tue, 04/10/2012 8:26 PM

Indonesia is expected to have an Air Force that is on par with China and the United States in dominating Southeast Asia by 2045, University of Indonesia defense expert Andi Widjajanto said Tuesday.

Speaking at the International Air Power Seminar 2012, Andi said that the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) capacity for air force dominance in 2012 was slightly below that of Malaysia, with the strongest being the US, quoting Jane’s Southeast Asia Air Force Inventory 2012.

If Indonesia goes to war with the US, the TNI-AU would be put in a state of paralysis against the superpower, being air subordinate relative to the super power.

Air subordination refers to the weakness of a country's air force relative to other countries. As of 2012, Indonesia is considered subordinate to countries like China, but is considered air superior to countries such as East Timor.

If Indonesia fights against Malaysia, the two countries would be on equal grounds in terms of air force dominance capabilities, or what in military terminology is referred to as air parity.

“We already have strategic plans [for the air force] for at least until 2024. The government has already planned that and we will reach the country’s minimum essential force requirement by that year,” Andi said. “By that year, we will reach air parity with Singapore and Malaysia.”

“We will have air dominance throughout Southeast Asia by 2045.”

Andi said Indonesia would have air parity with countries such as China, the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) and the US.

“But we still don’t know how we will be in the position of air dominance with those countries,” he said.
China, for example, has bombers which can reach Australia, he said. (png)
 
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/04...xpert-says.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Apr 12 2012, 06:00 PM

RSAF launches 4 surveillance jets to enhance 'eyes-in-the-skies' capabilities
Published on Apr 13, 2012

By Jermyn Chow

Singapore's latest early-warning surveillance jets went operational on Friday - sharpening the Singapore Armed Forces' 'eyes-in-the-skies' capabilities so that warfighters can see better and further, to pre-empt the enemy.

The four Gulfstream 550s, the same business jets that are used by the rich and famous, were converted for military purposes and replace the Republic of Singapore Air Force's ageing propeller-driven E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.

The powerful radars fitted on the G550s will allow the RSAF Air Defence and Operations Command (Adoc) to detect, identify and track hostile aircraft at greater distances.

Adding the new jets to the RSAF's arsenal of enemy alert equipment, which includes the new unmanned aerial vehicles, is a milestone in Singapore's push to become a modern fighting force.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/S...ory_788372.html

---

Added on April 13, 2012, 8:15 pmTweet from LIMA Langkawi 2013

LIMA Langkawi 2013 ‏ @_LIMA2013
FYI guys, LIMA'13 will be held on 26th -30th March 2013 in Langkawi. We're moving away from our traditional LIMA dates (December).


This post has been edited by xtemujin: Apr 13 2012, 08:15 PM

From ASO facebook, GGK at 2012 DSA.



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=379...02958800&type=1

Dzirhan Mahadzir ‏ @DzirhanDefence
Update on SF demo display at DSA, will be restricted viewing to VVIPs only as only place to watch is bridge btw East/West wing...



This post has been edited by xtemujin: Apr 14 2012, 08:04 PM

Photos from Dzirhan Mahadzir 2012 DSA.

http://www.mobypicture.com/group/dsa12