LIMA 2013 to be held in March, Not December, says Zahid
Written by Bernama
Saturday, 10 December 2011 15:44

LANGKAWI (Dec 10): The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) will hold its 12th edition in 2013 in March instead of December as in the past 11 occasions, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said Lima '13 will be held from March 26 to 30 in a break with tradition after taking into account a request from the exhibitors due to four main reasons.

Speaking at a media conference on the final day of Lima '11 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) here, Dr Ahmad Zahid said many of the exhibitors felt that the event was too close to Christmas and that they wanted to go on holiday.

He also said that the Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition is held in Kuala Lumpur in April and the exhibitors felt that the gap in the period between April and December was too long.

"Also in December, we face the monsoon season, although this time our weather consultant did a good job.

"Furthermore, most of the companies would have exhausted their budgets by the end of the year. They will have more money to spend earlier in the year," he said.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also said that Malaysia's first professional aerobatics team, Krisakti, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Tuesday here, has received requests for eight performances.

They are being asked to perform during the Armed Forces Day, Army Day, Navy Day and Air Force Day besides during the Formula One, MotoGP and National Day events, he said, adding that there was also a request from Brunei Darussalam.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said hotels in Langkawi extended good cooperation for Lima '11 by not offering costly packages compared to the previous editions of Lima, and added that the local people also responded well to the event.

Lima '11 was held over five days from Tuesday. It was divided into two sections, aerospace at the MIEC and maritime at Awana Porto Malai. - Bernama

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Dec 11 2011, 04:35 PM

Some photos to share of LIMA 2011 Trade Day Three and Pulic Day One, still post processing Public Day Two.

Cheers.

http://xtemujin.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/2...gkawi-malaysia/

High possibility is the Sikorsky S92 returning after the LIMA 2011 in Langkawi.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtemujin/6497...157628342814359

A RSAF Chinook was in Langkawi to drop some stuff during LIMA.

HTH.

The LIMA 2013 in March will be very closed to Aero India in February and Avalon Airshow Australia in late February.

Hopefully, we are able to see the RMAF EC725 and the Airbus A400M for LIMA 2013.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Dec 19 2011, 06:31 PM

Looks like maybe LIMA 2015 then we will get to see the A400M.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Dec 19 2011, 07:32 PM

22 December 2011

The European Fighter Aircraft Industry: Has it Lost Asia?
By Richard A. Bitzinger

Synopsis
Europe’s combat aircraft manufacturers, in losing a potential sale to Japan, could see their future sales to Asia evaporate completely. This could leave the United States in an unassailable position as the world’s predominant fighter aircraft producer.

http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspe...RSIS1862011.pdf

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Dec 22 2011, 02:16 PM

Fifth Airbus Military A400M development aircraft makes first flight
201211 (Tue)

The fifth Airbus Military A400M military airlifter has made its first flight, marking the end of a highly successful year for the programme and meaning that the full fleet of Grizzly development aircraft is now in the air, completing the flight-test programme



Known as Grizzly 5, the aircraft took off from Seville, Spain with a take-off weight of 125 tonnes at 08:55 local time (GMT+1) and landed back at Seville 2 hours 10 minutes later.

Experimental Test Pilot Christophe Marchand captained the flight, supported by Experimental Test Pilot Etienne Miche-de-Malleray. The crew also included Test Flight Engineer Jean-Paul Lambert and Flight Test Engineers Ludovic Girard and Cesar Gonzales-Gomez.

Grizzly 5 is the final member of the fleet which has now completed more than 2,500 hours of the 3,700 hour flight-test programme leading to first delivery. It carries a light flight-test instrumentation load and will be primarily dedicated to electromagnetic interference (EMI)-testing, cargo development, operational demonstrations and extreme cold weather trials.

Airbus Head of Flight Operations Fernando Alonso said: “The first flight of Grizzly 5 is right on schedule and is an excellent way to end this second year of A400M flight-testing. It provides a strong platform from which to address the challenging year ahead leading to first delivery to the French Air Force.”

During 2011 the A400M has successfully completed an extremely intensive test schedule and the aircraft has now been flown by more than 60 pilots. The key high-energy rejected take-off test has been passed as well as emergency evacuations in different configurations. Crosswind and wet runway testing is complete, and so is testing with artificial ice shapes fitted to the wings.

All stalling and braking tests have been passed, together with cruise performance, and the minimum unstick speed (Vmu), minimum control speed on ground (Vmcg) and minimum control speed in the air (Vmca) tests are also complete.

The Grizzly fleet will immediately start 2012 with an aggressive test programme, including an increasing proportion of military tests, in preparation for first delivery around the turn of the year 2012/2013.

The attached photo shows Grizzly 5 taking off from Seville this morning.

http://www.airbusmilitary.com/PressRelease...rst-flight.aspx

Bahrain 2012: Royal Saudi Air Force driving Typhoon forward
Posted Saturday 21st of January 2012

When the Saudi Ministry of Defence was asked to send an aircraft to BIAS, it naturally chose an example of its latest fighter – the Eurofighter Typhoon.

It was flown into the show by one of the Third Squadron’s senior pilots, Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Almaki.

He and the unit’s deputy commander, Colonel Hammad Alhammad, have been keen to talk about the Royal Saudi Air Force’s new fighter and paint an extremely rosy picture of the progress that is being made. Both are ex F-15 Eagle pilots, and though both point out that the F-15 remains an impressive and capable fighter, the Typhoon enjoys a significant and decisive edge.

Almaki highlighted the fly-by-wire control system and the carefree handling that it confers, while Alhammad spoke with enthusiasm about the aircraft’s thrust-to-weight ratio, performance and man-machine interface.

The two officers were both among the initial Typhoon cadre, with Alhammad one of eight pilots to be trained by the RAF at Coningsby and Almaki one of two trained in Spain. The squadron has now graduated eight pilots from Typhoon conversion training ‘in-kingdom’, and seven more are due to graduate soon.

Though it functions as a conversion training unit, the Third Squadron maintains an operational role and began standing quick reaction alert (QRA) six months ago. The RSAF then started air-to-air gunnery (something the RAF still has not done) and, showing an admirable confidence, has retained a night AAR clearance for its Typhoons even after the four Eurofighter partner nations withdrew their own night refuelling clearances.

The squadron began air-to-ground training last month as part of a phased work-up, which will culminate in the full exploitation of the Phase 1 Enhancement, part A (P1EA), when that becomes available.

Tranche 2 aircraft can, of course, carry and drop a range of air-to-ground weapons, including the UK Paveway II laser-guided bomb and GBU-16, but they do not have the austere air-to-ground capability provided under change proposal 193 (CP 193) and recently combat-proven in Libya. Nor do they have a laser designation pod (LDP).

The RSAF has, thereby, become the first Typhoon operator to start air-to-ground operations using Tranche 2 aircraft, which will not gain a full air-to-ground capability until P1EA is released in mid 2012.

With the introduction of P1EA Tranche 2, Typhoons will have ‘full’ SRP10 Tranche 2 software, which will allow the aircraft to drop Paveway IV, GBU-10, GBU-16 and EGBU-16, and will clear the aircraft to strafe ground targets. The new software will also provide significant workload and capability enhancements.

Though the RSAF regard the number of bombs (and the type) dropped as ‘secret’, both pilots confirmed that they had dropped many laser-guided weapons, with Damocles-equipped Tornados ‘spiking’.

The RSAF pilots expect to receive a laser designation pod ‘soon’, and claim that this has already been integrated, though they would not comment as to which pod had been chosen.
The Lockheed Martin Sniper pod is believed to be one possible option, as well as a UK-built and de-branded version of the Litening pod, whose Israeli origins otherwise make it problematic for Saudi Arabia.

Some believe that the Thales Damocles pod, already built under licence by Saudi Arabia’s AEC for use by RSAF Tornados, may be the most likely choice, although the French pod is not highly regarded and has no real high-resolution capability for the non-traditional ISTAR role that other pods allow.

It was reported that the UAE wanted Sniper rather than Damocles when it was considering the procurement of the Dassault Rafale, and even that the French Armée de l’Air has been in negotiations for Sniper pods as an alternative to the Damocles for its Rafales.

BAE Systems has experience of integrating all three types of pod – the Litening pod on Typhoon and Tornado, Sniper on the Harrier GR.Mk 9 and Damocles on the Saudi Tornado. Integrating any of the pods on the Saudi Typhoons would be straightforward.

Though the first eight Typhoons delivered to Saudi Arabia were painted in Tenth Squadron markings, plans changed and the Tenth Squadron has not yet stood up. Its aircraft are among the 24 that now equip the Third Squadron at Taif.

The Third Squadron hopes to be authorised to begin airshow display flying ‘soon’, and its pilots are all vying to be selected as the nominated display pilot, according to Alhammad!

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/bahrain-2...on-forward.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jan 21 2012, 04:15 PM

Indonesia’s Submarine Play
By Koh Swee Lean Collin
January 19, 2012

The latest $ 1.1 billion contract for three Type-209/1400 diesel-electric submarines looks set to breathe new life into the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut or TNI-AL). It represents the third major TNI-AL purchase after the acquisition of new corvettes and landing ships since 2000 and has also been described as a move to “maintain power balance in the region,” prompting various analysts to attribute the purchase to Jakarta’s attempt to play regional submarine “catch-up.”

http://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2...submarine-play/

INEGMA outlines scenario of an Iranian Preemptive Attack to Control Gulf Waters
Posted 5 January 2012, Thursday

Riad Kahwaji, the CEO of The Institute for Near East & Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA) outlines the possibility of an Iranian preemptive attack to control Gulf waters

Iran has demonstrated in its recent war games in the Arabian Gulf region that it has developed its missile capabilities in various areas, which gives Tehran considerable offensive capabilities that would require its opponents to remain constantly on high alert to avoid a major "Pearl Harbor" scenario. The distance between the Iranian side of the coastline (on the east) and the Arabian side (on the west) varies. It narrows on the edges and widens in the middle. However, it places some of the United State's most important military facilities in the region within range of Iran's cruise missiles and artillery rockets. Iran claims that its Noor and Al-Qader surface-to-surface anti ship cruise missiles have a range of 200-km with high accuracy. It also claims that these missiles are undetectable by radar. It has also built the Zilzal-3 artillery rocket with a range of 250-km. It is hard to ascertain Iranian claims with the absence of independent verficiation. But it appears that with every exercise the moral and self-confidence of the Iranian military, especially the Revolutionary Guards, grows greater.

To many regional analysts, the heightened military moral and rhetoric in Iran should be a cause of concern to the West, especially with the increased influence of the Revolutionary Guards on the central government. Iranian military commanders are now confident enough to make public threats to the U.S. Navy. On January 3, 2012, the commander of the Iranian Army General Ataollah Salehi dared the U.S. aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis to return to the Gulf waters. He said: "We advice the aircraft carrier that crossed the Strait of Hormuz to the Sea of Oman not to return to the Persian Gulf." He added: "The Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to repeat its warning." While the focus of the West and their allies over the past few years has been Iran's growing ballistic missile capabilities, its arsenal of other missiles, which is as serious and deadly, has not received as much attention. Known anti-ballistic missiles defense systems such as the Patriot and THAAD are hardly effective against cruise missiles and artillery rockets. Israel stood helpless in the summer of 2006 against Iranian-supplied artillery rockets used by Hizbullah to pound Israeli settlements and bases. The sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system operated by Israel could not protect against the rocket threat. Israel has just procured a low tier defense system known as Iron Dome to deal with rocket attacks by Hizbullah from the north and Hamas from the south - but this system remains untested in a conflict setting.

The U.S. Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain is 250-km from the Iranian coast, while the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at Camp As Sayliyah and the nearby U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) in Al-Udaid air base in neighboring Qatar are just under 250-km. The U.S. Army Central (ARCENT) base in Kuwait is less than 120-km from the Iranian coast. So, Iran does not really need to resort to its ballistic missiles to hit any of the U.S. bases and other strategic coastal targets in the region. Iran technically can launch a surprise attack with cruise missiles and artillery rockets at all U.S. bases and naval assets in the Arabian Gulf region. Such an attack would be really deadly if missiles and rockets were launched in large numbers in a way to saturate the targets and render defense counter-measures at the bases or the warships useless. So, if Iran decides to close the Strait of Hormuz, as it has repeatedly threatened over the past few weeks, it would likely do it along with a stunning all-out attack to sink as many naval ships to the U.S. and its allies in the region and to hit the runways at air bases and other strategic sites along the western coastline of the Arabian Gulf. This would shock and temporarily impair Iran's opponents and confine any subsequent naval warfront to the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean, and allow Tehran to keep the strategic passageway closed and under its full control – for a long while at least.

The Iranian regime would likely carry out such a bold attack whenever it feels that sanctions and international isolation have reached a tipping point and the country's economy is about to collapse. Even though such an attack would invite massive U.S. retaliation and put it at war with its Arab Sunni neighbors, the Iranian regime could see it as an acceptable zero-sum-game risk. Also, Iran would likely launch such an attack in retaliation to an Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities. Iran would possibly fulfill few important objectives in such an audacious attack, such as:

It would buy itself more time for its nuclear program to become fully militarized, especially if it has some secret nuclear nuclear sites still undetected. Most Iranian leaders seem to follow the North Korean example that nobody would dare attack a country that possesses nuclear weapons.
The regime would silence Iranian opposition and assert its control.
Tehran would assert its status as a superpower to the countries of the region, and the Shi'ites worldwide.

Iran will gain a huge bargaining card with the closure of the Hormuz Strait and establishing full control over it. Barring one sixth of the daily world oil exports from passing through would possibly put the U.S. and the international community under strong pressure and enable Tehran to reach its long sought grand bargain with the West.

Iran would hope a successful surprise attack on its western front would scare its neighbors to the north and east from aiding the anticipated U.S. retaliation, which would confine the war to the southern naval front.
Iran will count on the Eastern powers, such as China, Japan and India to pressure the U.S. to end the war to allow the flow of the Gulf oil which they largely depend on for their economies. Tehran will present itself as a victim that was forced into this action, and work on gaining allies in the east with the hope of widening the war to be global.

The general belief amongst most Iranian leaders is that the regime would only collapse if the country is successfully invaded by a foreign power, which they believe is very hard and too costly for the U.S. to do under the current circumstances. Analysts and officials of the regime often describe the U.S. in their writings and speeches as a weakened and fading power. They view the U.S. military invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as failures to Washington that exhausted its forces. They also belief the current global financial crisis would prevent America and Europe from waging a prolonged costly war against a strong adversary such as Iran. So, Tehran would seek to bring a quick end to the war through a United Nations mediated cease-fire that would spare the regime and present it as a hero for standing up to the world's super power.

If history has taught humanity one thing and that is to always expect the unexpected, especially when the survival of a regime of a very proud and confident nation is at stake. Imperial Japan and the way it willingly entered the war against an adversary its commanders knew in advance was much stronger and could beat them, should always remain a lesson to nations and armies worldwide. The fate of countries always hangs on the risks and calculations taken by their leaders at times of conflict. Over-confidence in technology can be fatalistic, as Israel learned in the 2006 Second Lebanese War. Weapons seen by the West as obsolete, like artillery rockets, could prove very devastating in a surprise massive attack by Iran that will also use other asymmetrical capabilities like suicide attacks by speed boats and torpedo assaults to sink as many warships in the Gulf waters as possible to drain the naval capabilities of the U.S. and its allies and deny them the use of air bases. The positioning of the forces for the U.S. and its allies should take into consideration a preemptive attack by Iran, and hence should be moved deep to the west (in Saudi Arabia towards the Red Sea) or south (in Sea of Oman). Also the regional missile defense system should be immediately expanded to include counter-measures against artillery rockets and cruise missiles. The question everybody, and especially Iranians, would be debating in the case of Tehran pursuing this deadly adventure would be: "How far would and could the U.S. be willing to go to have a decisive victory in a war with Iran?" Let's hope the world will never know.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/inegma-ou...ulf-waters.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jan 23 2012, 11:58 AM

Oman begins Typhoon purchase formalities
Posted 23 January 2012

The Sultanate of Oman has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to BAE Systems and the Eurofighter consortium for a number of Typhoon fighters.

It was at Farnborough airshow in 2008 the Omani first expressed an interest in the Eurofighter aircraft and in April 2010 the then UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, announced a deal had been done. There is no clear confirmation on numbers although it is believed it could be around 20 aircraft in the requirement. It is not yet clear whether these will be refurbished Tranche 1 aircraft from the RAF or include at least 12 Tranche 3 fighters from the current UK order.

At the Dubai Airshow in November last year there was greater speculation that the formal RFP was to be issued but at the same time there were suggestions that the Omani force could be considering American alternatives.

The Eurofighter industry consortium will allow partner nations Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK to sell on some of their production aircraft to third parties, as long as such transactions do not interfere with its own export campaigns with the Typhoon. The Oman aircraft will come from the UK.

The UAE is also looking at purchasing Eurofighters having dropped the French made Rafale in November.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/oman-begi...ormalities.html

Tweet by Dzirhan about the RMAF MIG29N for the Singapore Airshow 2012.

Repost: RMAF Chief confirmed to me that 6 RMAF MiG-29s will be at Singapore Airshow for all days.

MrUbikeledek

The Dassault Rafale is too expensive and complicated.

atreyuangel

There will be three propeller aircraft aerial display if Kris Sakti makes it's way to the Singapore Airshow 2012.

Personally, I would prefer one RMAF SU30MKM for the airshow.

•RAAF, Australia, Roulettes
•Blair Aerosports, Australia, Rebel 300

WanMB

I believe that the F35 will be a mock up.

Do come down to see the USAF F22 as it is quite rare for it to make it's way down here again.

I've some photos of the USAF F22 during the Australian Airshow 2011.

http://xtemujin.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/2...show-australia/

I concur, still waiting for the official news that the RMAF MIG29N will be participating at the Singapore Airshow 2012.

Cheers.

No country biting the Rafale compared to the Eurofighter.

The Smokey Bandits to soar in Singapore skies
Monday, January 30, 2012 - 18:38
by Cynthia Blemin

KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time in its 53 years history, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will be sending an aerobatics team to the Singapore Airshow.

Popularly known as "The Smokey Bandits", the flight of MiG-29N aircrafts from No 17 Squadron base in Kuantan has been invited by their Singapore counterpart to showcase their flying maneuvers at the airshow to be held at the Changi Exhibition Centre between Feb 14 and 19.

The Malaysian Armed Forces and Singapore Armed Forces (RSAF) have regularly engaged in bilateral and multilateral exercises in the past but this is the first time the RMAF MiG29s will be deployed to the neighbouring island.

A press statement issued by RMAF said "RSAF have in the last two series of Lima, sent their fighters and helicopters to perform in Langkawi. The RMAF also feels it is high time we returned the favour to our southern neighbours."

The five-men aerobatic team will be led by commanding officer Lt Col Mior Nor Badrishah Mohamad, callsign "Ghost", head of training Capt Mohd Azizi Musa "Skinner", executive officer Maj Razali Ahmad Jumali "Vendor", squadron safety officer Maj Nasruddin Khalid "Digi" and standards officer Maj Azri Ahmad "Adiq".

The team travels with a total of 31 engineering technical specialists have performed on numerous occasions at the bi-annual Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibitions held over the years and the Brunei Defense Exposition 2011 (Bridex 2011).

Audience at the airshow can look forward to maneuvers done in formation and solo displays, which will be performed in unison to ensure a compact and thrilling sequence.

The term ‘smokey bandit’ was originally coined by visiting foreign air force pilots in reference to the black cloud of smoke generated by the MiG29’s Klimov RD33-3 engines when operating in full military thrust.

In 1997, the RMAF’s MiG-29 squadron made its first appearance in the Langkawi International Maritime and Air Show (Lima 97) in Malaysia and has since become the main attraction at Lima air shows.

The squadron was recently crowned Squadron of the Year 2011 by the Royal Malaysian Air Force and received the 2011 Malaysian Armed Forces Readiness Award.

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/smokey-bandi...singapore-skies

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jan 30 2012, 10:20 PM

Malaysia Defence Minister Says Buy Less from Overseas
February 4, 2012 by Bernard FW Loo

Rather odd little piece, from Malaysia’s New Straits Times, which can be accessed here.

http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/don-t-...eapons-1.41701#

Malaysia’s Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, argues that Southeast Asian states should devote more resources to building up their respective indigenous defence industrial capabilities, and spend less money buying off-the-counter from existing defence suppliers.

I know what colleague Richard Bitzinger would say to this, and to a large extent I have to agree with him on this. Developing such indigenous capabilities is simply beyond the capacities of most Southeast Asian states, if not all of them! Most Southeast Asian states simply do not have the technological systems integration skills, their existing defence industries (if any) are primarily metal-bashers. Plus, as Bitzinger likes to argue, it does not make economic sense.

http://rsismilitarystudies.wordpress.com/2...-from-overseas/

Photo ops by RAAF Roulettes.



http://www.facebook.com/RAAF.Roulettes#!/RAAF.Roulettes

Today Newspaper coverage of the setup for SA2012.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/todaydigital/...57629257095969/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 11 2012, 10:53 PM

Some photos to share of the Singapore Airshow 2012.

Photos are still being post processed.

Too tired today.

Mock up F35 and there is no USAF F22.

Great performance from the MIG29N Smokey Bandits.

Cheers.

http://xtemujin.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/2...ntre-singapore/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Feb 14 2012, 09:35 PM

Tweet from Alert5, LIMA 2013, 26-30 March 2013.