PRC hopeful to improve capability in non-war operations through ADMM-Plus HADR & MM Ex
13 June 2013 Thursday

Senior Colonel Wu Xihua, the Deputy Chief of the Emergency Office, General Staff HQs, PLA, China.



BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Thursday 13 June 2013 - This morning an exclusive interview was held with the Deputy Head of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Contingent for the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (HADR & MM Ex), Senior Colonel Wu Xihua, the Deputy Chief of the Emergency Office, General Staff HQs, PLA.

In the interview, Senior Colonel Wu Xihua confirmed that in supporting the ADMM Plus multinational exercise, the PRC contingent has sent 110 personnel that are grouped into various teams, namely, 50-person engineering team, a 35-person medical team, and 25 command and staff officers. The Senior Colonel also confirmed that the list of equipment contributed by PRC includes mechanized bridge vehicles, medical cabin vehicles, other large engineering and medical equipment. Other special equipment includes water purification, lifesaving and epidemic prevention units.

In addition to this, Senior Colonel Wu Xinhua also stated that the PLA Navy’s large hospital ship “PEACE ARK” will also participate in the exercise during a port call to Brunei Darussalam, which is expected to arrive on 15 June 2013.

During the interview, Senior Colonel Wu Xinhua also praised the tremendous effort made by the host nation, Brunei Darussalam, into organizing this multi-national joint exercise and commended on the professionalism and dedication of the host. Senior Colonel Wu Xinhua also took the opportunity to express PRC appreciation and congratulation to the host.

Senior Colonel Wu Xinhua also highlighted that PRC has been engaged in the whole preparation process for the multinational exercise and assured that PRC will continue to provide support to Brunei Darussalam. In addition to this, he stated that PRC has also cooperated closely and forged a very good working relationship with other participants in the exercise.

He also stated that to be part of this joint exercise it demonstrates PRC active participation in regional security cooperation. He also stated that PRC remain hopeful in improving China’s capability in non-war operations through this HADR & MM exercise, and at the same time to promote pragmatic cooperation between PRC and other member countries of the ADMM Plus mechanism, so as to enhance their joint capability in meeting non-traditional security challenges.

http://www.mindef.gov.bn/MOD2/index.php?op...:news&Itemid=92







http://navaltoday.com/2013/06/12/admm-plus...ng-into-brunei/

2013 Multinational Air Working Group in Brunei

Members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces boarding a Black Hawk helicopter for a search and rescue drill.



(Foreground, left) A member of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) explaining how casualty evacuation is done.



Members of the RSAF showing participants from other countries how they carry out a heli-casualty evacuation.

[

Below, the SAF medical team taking a group photo in front of a S-61 Nuri Helicopter of the Royal Malaysian Air Force.



https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1...15381058&type=1

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jun 15 2013, 11:13 AM

Royal Australian Navy Hobart Class Destroyer Air Warfare Capability.
14 June 2013 Friday

A computer-generated animation has been released today which highlights the multi-mission capability of the three naval destroyers being built as part of the Air Warfare Destroyer Project. AWD Alliance CEO Rod Equid said the animation will increase understanding of the exceptional capabilities available in the Hobart Class and provide an insight into how the ships can be used in-service.

Guillaume Steuer
@G_Steuer

Boeing execs: potential decision early next year for Malaysian fighter contest #PAS13

Cross Training At Biang, Brunei
16 June 2013 Sunday

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sunday 16 June 2013 – The preparations for the upcoming HADR exercise are going at full swing with cross-training conducted at Kampong Biang in Temburong District. The cross-training encompasses land-based, water-borne and medical trainings. The main objective of this cross-training is to familiarise the teams with the area and to ensure the full integration of procedures and tactics.

The Search and Rescue (SAR) teams conducted water-borne and river navigation whereas Thailand underwent land-based and medical search and rescue. While the Engineering team were preparing bridge sites. The cross-training exercise utilises and integrates all three tri-service assets in order ensure the exercise runs smoothly.















http://www.mindef.gov.bn/MOD2/index.php?op...:news&Itemid=92

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jun 17 2013, 01:02 PM

Airbus Military A400M successfully demonstrates flares release
18 June 2013 Tuesday



Airbus Military has successfully demonstrated the release of decoy flares from the A400M new generation airlifter as part of the development of the aircraft´s self-protection systems. The flares are designed to mislead heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles, particularly surface-to-air missiles (SAM). They are a crucial part of the self-protection system because of the A400M´s ability to operate from short and unpaved airstrips close to the scene of military action where SAMs may be fielded by an enemy.

http://www.airbusmilitary.com/PressCenter/...es-release.aspx

Boeing Begins Assembly of 1st KC-46A Tanker Aircraft
26 June 2013 Wednesday

1st delivery set for 2016

EVERETT, Wash., June 26, 2013 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] workers in Everett today loaded the first wing spar for the first U.S. Air Force KC-46A aerial refueling tanker, starting production of that aircraft and achieving another milestone toward delivering 179 tankers during the next 14 years.

The KC-46A is based on the commercial 767-200ER, a proven airframe in service as an airliner, freighter and tanker. Boeing has delivered more than 1,050 767s worldwide.

“The Air Force is really excited and pleased that our No. 1 modernization priority has begun fabrication and entered the factory at Everett. The Boeing team continues to make significant progress in the KC-46 development program,” said Maj. Gen. John Thompson, U.S. Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers.

The spar, the main structural component of the wing, is 82 feet 5 inches long. On the aircraft, it provides critical support for flight loads and the weight of the wings when the plane is not flying.

The program’s next major contractual milestone, the Air Force’s Critical Design Review, starts next month.

“We are building on the strong partnership that the Air Force and Boeing have developed during the past two years,” said Maureen Dougherty, Boeing vice president and KC-46 Tanker program manager. “From the enhanced flight deck to the modernized boom, our tanker will provide unequaled capabilities that will allow it to offload more fuel and carry more passengers, cargo and medical patients.”

Boeing employees are also preparing the 767 production line for assembly of the next-generation tanker’s aft and forward body structures. The aircraft will be assembled in November and roll out of the factory in January.

“We’re proud to support the U.S. Air Force with a production line that emphasizes quality, efficiency and safety,” added Scott Campbell, vice president and general manager, 767 Program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Next June, Boeing will begin installation of military-unique systems on the aircraft at Boeing Field in Seattle as well as testing. First flight for the fully provisioned tanker is scheduled for early 2015, with first delivery in 2016.

Boeing expects to build and deliver the first 18 KC-46As by 2017 and a total of 179 by 2027 if all options under the contract are exercised.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 59,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2726

Iraq to get the Russian Night Hunter Helicopters
By News Desk | 30 June 2013 Sunday | 06:00

Russia will supply over 10 Mi-28NE ‘Night Hunter’ attack helicopters to Iraq under a multi-billion dollar agreement. These helicopters are the export version of the Mi-28N, produced by the Russian Helicopter Corporation. Russian news agency Novosti quoted Alexander Mikheyev, deputy general director at Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, saying the $4.3 billion arms transfer agreement signed between Moscow and Baghdad includes the transfer of attack helicopters, training of aircrews and technicians, as well as the weapons systems typically employed with these helicopters.

The $4.2 billion package will also include the transfere of additional armament systems, Mikheyev added. The Mi-28NE is the export version of the ‘Night Hunter’ currently employed with the Russian Army. This helicopter code named ‘HAVOC’ by NATO was developed in the 1980s to counter the US Boeing AH-64 Apache. The typical armament of this helicopter includes a 30mm chin mounted gun, two rocket BL13 rocket pods carrying five S13 (100mm) or 20xS8 (80mm) rockets plus and two pairs of AT-8 ATAKA anti-tank missiles pods each carrying four missiles.

Iraq will be the second international operator of the ‘Night Hunter’. In 2012 Kenya has ordered 16 of these helicopters, four have been received sofar. In recent years Rosoboronexport offered the Mi-28NE to India, Venezuela and Algeria, but failed to gain firm orders for the helicopter.

http://defense-update.com/20130630_iraq-it...elicopters.html

Cost of Australian combat soldier's kit soars to $27,700
By IAN McPHEDRAN | 30 June 2013 Sunday | 7:59PM


THE value of an Australian combat soldier's personal kit has jumped from $3700 in 1999 to $27,700 in Afghanistan in 2013.
Never again will Australian troops be sent to war with inferior gear thanks to an organisation that acts on soldier feedback and cuts through the red tape to quickly procure the right stuff.

"Diggerworks'' was established in 2010 with a simple mission to stop soldiers complaining about inferior gear by purchasing and developing the best available.

The improvement has been dramatic and the Diggers' basic combat ensemble from East Timor in 1999 that cost $3700 has morphed into a high-tech $27,700 outfit in Afghanistan today.




The 1999 version included a large field pack, Somalia-era flak jacket, old style webbing and camouflage uniform and Vietnam era combat boots.

The 2013 outfit includes multicam uniform, ballistic glasses, tiered body armour, GPS, pelvic protection system, stretch pants, knee pads and high-tech fitted boots.

A collaboration between battle hardened soldiers, defence scientists and the purchasing body - the Defence Materiel Organisation, Diggerworks - has abandoned methods where quantity was king and price was paramount, and streamlined the link between feedback and production.

With a long history of crook boots, overweight body armour, inferior clothing and dodgy packs and pouches, the organisation had plenty to work on and in three short years it has made some big strides.

According to a recent progress report Diggerworks was established to ensure that "the individual components of the soldier combat system were most appropriate given current knowledge, current technology, the soldiers mission, and budgetary trade-offs.''

The report highlighted a long list of problems such as the 2010 purchase of 17,000 sets of inappropriate body armour and it includes solutions and positive projects to further enhance digger safety and comfort.

These include:

* Soldier Combat Ensemble

* Blast gauge system to measure the impact of explosions

* Pelvic protection system

* Ballistic helmets

* Individual water purification systems

* Gunshot detection system to identify the source of enemy fire

* Lightweight ballistic plate

* Improved pistol holster

* Vehicle lumbar support

* Cold weather ensemble

* Medic packs

Work on the soldier combat ensemble includes separate designs for mentoring troops and special forces operators and body armour designed specifically for female troops.

Diggerworks has trialled gunshot detection systems in Afghanistan including one attached to the weapon and two to the body of the soldier.

"These are lightweight items designed to detect and localise the source of incoming high velocity rounds,'' the report says.

http://www.news.com.au/national-news/cost-...2-1226672202534

Indonesia’s Submarine Doctrine Explained
By Zachary Keck | 19 July 2013 Friday

http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/20...rine-explained/

Defense chief says purchase of 8 Sokol choppers from Poland is last
By Dona Z. Pazzibugan | 24 July 2013 Wednesday | 6:38 am

MANILA, Philippines—”Of what use is a combat helicopter if you cannot use its machine gun?” President Aquino asked in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the purchase of eight Sokol helicopters from Poland would be the last by the Department of National Defense (DND) since they could not be used in combat, after all.

“I understand helicopters because I’m a combat officer. The first thing I noticed was, why do you have to remove the machine gun before you can get inside it? The entrance is too narrow, it’s all wrong,” said Gazmin, a former Army Special Forces commander.

The P2.8-billion deal with Augusta PZL Swidnik of Italy and Poland for eight Sokol helicopters had been signed, sealed and delivered when he assumed office in July 2010, Gazmin said.

“We just had to make the payment,” he said.

The eight Sokol (Falcon in Polish) helicopters were delivered in two batches in 2012.

The contract was finalized during the last months of the Arroyo administration when Norberto Gonzales, the national security adviser, was also defense secretary.

When the first batch of four choppers arrived in March 2012, the PAF hailed the addition to their depleted air assets.

The Sokols were supposed to replace the Vietnam-vintage UH-1H Huey helicopters the PAF used in search and rescue, medical evacuation and combat utility missions.

But in his Sona on Monday, President Aquino said the helicopters could not be used to ferry soldiers to combat zones because the machine guns were mounted at the door, blocking entry and exit.

“If you are a soldier entering the fray at the height of battle, of what use is a machine gun that is set aside and unable to fire? Did no one think about this before the contracts were signed? Why was this even approved in the first place?” Aquino said.

Gazmin said he had not made up his mind whether or not to order an investigation and go after those responsible for the purchase of the Sokols even if these did not meet the PAF’s requirements.

“We’ll study that. I cannot answer that question yet,” he said.

He said the helicopters would be used in search and rescue missions and the DND would proceed with the acquisition of attack helicopters. “But no longer the Sokol. We are looking at other brands of aircraft and helicopters.”






http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/451593/defens...-poland-is-last

RSAF Black Knights formed; paint scheme unveiled
Report by Teo Jing Ting | Photos by Chua Soon Lye | 26 July 2013 Friday | 1900 hours

The crescent moon and the five stars from the national flag are the highlights of the new paint scheme for the Black Knights aircraft.




They have always been a source of great pride for Singaporeans and their very name speaks of prestige.

Since 1973, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF’s) Black Knights have thrilled many with their dazzling displays. And now, the military aerobatics team, last seen at the 2008 Singapore Airshow, is making a comeback in a spanking new design as it begins preparation in earnest for next February’s Singapore Airshow.

While the F-16C Fighting Falcons kept with the traditional colours of red and white – the colours of Singapore’s national flag, what’s new are the crescent moon and five stars painted on the top of the fighter jets.

“This is a symbol of the Black Knights evolving and its fresh remake of the old design. It looks pretty good!” said former Black Knight Colonel (COL) Philip Chionh.

An advisor to the new team, COL Chionh is looking forward to watching the team perform at the Singapore Airshow next year.

“Every show is an improvement to the one before, and I’m excited to see the team’s performance next year. They’ll bring a new dimension to the aerobatics and it’ll be an exciting experience for the audience,” said the 45-year-old, who was part of the team that performed at the 2008 Singapore Airshow.

Although widely known for their precise aerial manoeuvres, the Black Knight pilots are not full-time performers and continue to hold operational appointments. Nevertheless, the Black Knights have, time and again, wowed the crowds with their tight-formation flying and daring manoeuvres, which are comparable to those of professional full-time aerobatics teams.

Speaking at a simple ceremony to unveil the new paint scheme at Tengah Air Base on 26 Jul, Chief of Air Force, Major-General (MG) Hoo Cher Mou, said: “The Black Knights’ precision, tight formations, skilful and spectacular manoeuvres are a source of great pride for a small nation like ours. The team has always thrilled spectators with its breathtaking performances. I am confident that the Black Knights will continue with this tradition and do the RSAF proud.”

So be prepared to have your breath taken away from you and keep your calendar free from 11 to 16 Feb 2014!

cyberpioneer - Black Knights formed; paint scheme unveiled

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 27 2013, 09:29 AM

At long last, French military receives first A400M

PARIS (AP) — France has become the first country to receive an A400M military transport plane from Airbus, bringing to fruition a long-troubled program.

The delivery Thursday culminates "a long, complex and thorough process" between Airbus Military and the seven European nations behind the program, France's DGA military procurement agency said in a statement. Civil and military flight certifications, performance verifications and checks of the plane in recent days paved the way for the delivery.

A decade in the making, the 20 billion-euro ($27 billion) project was about 5 billion euros over budget and three years behind schedule. In 2010, the program nearly collapsed over cost overruns: A struggle between Airbus and its military customers over technical and financial problems came to a head when Airbus parent EADS threatened to pull the plug on the project. The plane was salvaged only after a new infusion of government funds.

"Today is a truly historic day for the European aerospace industry — marking the moment at which it becomes the new global leader in the military transport sector with an entirely new aircraft," said Domingo Urena, chairman and CEO of Madrid-based Airbus Military, in a separate statement.

Airbus Military spokeswoman Maggie Bergsma said the A400M is aimed to fill "a gap in the market." She said two more planes are to be delivered to France and one to Turkey this year. Ten deliveries are planned next year, and 21 in 2015.

Airbus says the A400M, which uses the largest turboprop engines ever fitted to a Western aircraft, will be able to carry twice the load of another competitor, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, and that its fuel-efficient power plants will make it cheaper to operate than the jet-powered C-17. The A400M's turboprops, mounted high on the wing, allow it to fly in and out of unprepared airstrips where jet-powered transports with engines slung low beneath the wings face the danger of ingesting runway debris, Airbus says.

The European defense and aerospace consortium expects to sell about 400 of the freighters over the next 30 years as air forces around the world — particularly in the Middle East — start replacing their transport aircraft.

European nations have long been hampered by the shortfall in strategic military airlift capabilities. In the 1990s, they struggled to deploy forces to nearby trouble spots in Bosnia and Kosovo without using U.S. Air Force transports such as the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

http://news.yahoo.com/long-last-french-mil...-153516604.html

France To Cut Rafale Order; Betting on Exports
By PATRICK RAHIR for AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE | 2 August 2013 Friday | 11:16AM

PARIS — France will about halve its purchases of Dassault Rafale fighter jet planes over the next six years, under defense estimates Friday, and is counting on at last clinching the first sales abroad to keep production lines going.

French officials say that among potential clients are India, Qatar, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil.

The government, struggling to curb public spending, also made clear that there will be no change to the French independent nuclear deterrent, which successive governments have treated as a vital issue of national defense.

Dassault Aviation, which builds the Rafale fighters, used to high-profile effect in fighting in Libya and Mali, was to supply 11 planes a year to the French defense forces.

This was intended to ensure an essential minimum amount of work for production lines while France tries to achieve the first sales of the aircraft abroad.

But the government, which is struggling to meet commitments to the European Union and to retain investor confidence by getting its public deficit under control, is crimping public expenditures, including defense spending.

Under the draft defense estimates put before the cabinet Friday, the left-wing government will acquire only 26 of the planes during the next six years.

Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said June 11 that from 2016, Dassault Aviation would have to count on exports to underpin production of the plane, which is able to fulfil several types of missions.

On Friday, the minister said on Europe 1 radio: “There are countries which today are really interested in buying the Rafale; I am thinking particularly of India, Qatar, of other countries, and I am very confident of the chances of exporting the Rafale in coming months.”

France was in exclusive negotiations to sell 126 Rafale planes to India, “and I have high hopes that this will be successful,” he said.

Sources close to the minister said the estimates were based in part on a hypothesis that at least one country among other potential buyers would place an order before the end of 2019.

These countries are Malaysia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil.

An adviser to the minister said the government was not changing its overall order for 180 Rafale planes, of which a total of 120 will have been delivered within the next few months, and it could place another set of orders.

During the period covered by the estimates, Dassault would receive hundreds of millions of euros to design a pilotless combat drone by 2030 in cooperation with British aerospace group BAE Systems, and also to develop the Rafale to meet new standards, under a program called F3-R.

The ministry’s objective is to underpin nine big defense industry activities, ranging from aerospace to communications and submarines. To achieve this, orders are being stretched out over time.

Le Drian, in separate remarks to broadcaster France 2, said there would be no changes to the French nuclear deterrence capability.

The two components of the French independent deterrence, based on submarines and airborne, would be maintained.

“The President of the Republic (Francois Hollande) has decided to maintain the two components, and they will be maintained,” he said.

The minister said that they were “indispensable because the second component (airborne) provides agility, the capacity for rapid reaction in a world where proliferation (of nuclear capability) is continuing and in which France must keep this ultimate security, this fundamental guarantee, which is deterrence.”

The minister criticized the defense minister in the previous right-wing government, Herve Morin, for suggesting that one of the two components could be axed to save money.

However, Morin repeated his criticism in a statement Friday, saying the government was “fooling the defense forces and French people that France is still one of the four global military forces on the planet when in reality it no longer has the means, unfortunately.”

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2013080..._medium=twitter

UPDATE 2-Spain aims to resell half A400M fleet to ease budget
By Tim Hepher and Tracy Rucinski | 2 August 2013 Friday | 1:28pm EDT

PARIS/MADRID, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Spain has moved to halve its planned fleet of Airbus A400M military transport planes by offering the rest for export, casting a fresh shadow over Europe's largest defence project as the long-awaited plane goes into service.

The move is the latest sign of pressure on crisis-hit European nations that bought the delayed troop carrier, which itself had to be rescued in 2010 because of a cost blowout blamed on technical, management and political errors.

After a four-year delivery delay, the first A400M flew to its new operating base in Orleans, south of Paris, on Friday.

The aircraft was designed to meet a looming shortfall in military transport capacity among seven European NATO nations: Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey.

But the 20 billion euro ($26 billion) project went more than 5 billion over budget, forcing buyers to agree a price hike and a cash injection to be repaid from future export royalties.

After reviewing its needs, Spain has reduced its requirement to 14 aircraft instead of 27, a defence official told Reuters.

It has told Airbus Military that the 13 remaining A400M aircraft it has ordered would be available for export. European buyers have ordered a total of 170 A400Ms, reduced from 180.

Although the 2010 rescue package prevents buyers from cancelling further orders outright, the largest customer, Germany, is expected to release 13 of its 53 aircraft for export as a condition of parliamentary approval for the purchase.

Others including France are studying whether they can do the same, defence sources said. But doing so raises thorny issues over export royalties and would require all partners to agree.


FRANCE UNDECIDED

Airbus Military is seen as keen to avoid a premature stampede towards export markets as it seeks to keep factories running to support exports after securing domestic production.

So far Malaysia is the only foreign buyer with 4 on order.

After writing off a total of 4.2 billion euros for its share of losses on the domestic part of the programme, Airbus aims to kickstart a fresh export campaign now that the A400M is in use.

"Export of the A400M is key for the profitability of the programme," spokeswoman Maggie Bergsma said.

"We estimate a market of around 400 aircraft over the next 30 years on top of the current 174 orders."

The prospect of some nations jumping in front of others to export will fuel a debate about when the first royalties would be paid and whether the market would be damaged for others.

But experts say it is unlikely to cause a repeat of the politically explosive discussions of several years ago.

"The economic situation is such that this is the best face-saving opportunity for the nations concerned and I think the programme is now so far down the line that I don't see how it can unravel," said UK-based consultant Alexandra Ashbourne-Walmsley.

"It is just another bump in the road and will take effort to smooth out, but the history of European programmes suggests ... it is the most elegant solution for short-term difficulties."

The Spanish official said no changes would be made until "there's an agreement with all of the partners".

Spain's economy has teetered in and out of recession since 2008, and while financing conditions have improved since it moved away from the brink of a full European bailout, it remains under pressure to cut public spending and a big budget deficit.

France unveiled a six-year defence spending plan on Friday that includes 15 A400M aircraft between 2014 and 2019 but failed to remove uncertainty over the remaining 35 it has on order.

Defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France would still need 50 military transporters of all types in 2025, but left the door open to keeping some older planes longer than expected.

"I haven't yet decided what will happen after 2019. The number of A400M aircraft within the total requirement has not yet been fixed," he told a news conference.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/02/...N0G32Z020130802

2013 Talisman Saber, Australia

Selamat Hari Raya Idilfitri and have a safe trip balik kampung to all the Lowyat crew here.

I'm not too sure about coming down for the 2013 Hari Kemerderkaan, what military assets will be on parade.

Cheers.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Aug 6 2013, 05:35 PM

Japan unveils largest warship since World War II
By Eric Talmadge | 6 August 2013 Tuesday

Japan unveils new carrier-like warship, the largest in its navy since World War II

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, a huge flat-top destroyer that has raised eyebrows in China and elsewhere because it bears a strong resemblance to a conventional aircraft carrier.

The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 meters (820 feet) long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defense — particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions — and to bolster the nation's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Though the ship — dubbed "Izumo" — has been in the works since 2009, its unveiling comes as Japan and China are locked in a dispute over several small islands located between southern Japan and Taiwan. For months, ships from both countries have been conducting patrols around the isles, called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyutai in China.

The tensions over the islands, along with China's heavy spending on defense and military modernization, have heightened calls in Japan for beefed-up naval and air forces. China recently began operating an aircraft carrier that it refurbished after purchasing from Russia, and is reportedly moving forward with the construction of another that is domestically built.

Japan, China and Taiwan all claim the islands.

Though technically a destroyer, some experts believe the new Japanese ship could potentially be used in the future to launch fighter jets or other aircraft that have the ability to take off vertically. That would be a departure for Japan, which has one of the best equipped and best trained naval forces in the Pacific but which has not sought to build aircraft carriers of its own because of constitutional restrictions that limit its military forces to a defensive role.

Japan says it has no plans to use the ship in that manner.

The Izumo does not have catapults for launching fighters, nor does it have a "ski-jump" ramp on its flight deck for fixed-wing aircraft launches.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-unveil...-130234811.html

India Launches Indigenous Aircraft Carrier
By Neelam Mathews | 9 August 2013 Friday | 10:30 AM

India will launch its 37,500-ton indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-1) on August 12 at the Cochin Shipyard in Kerala. The ship is scheduled for induction by the end of 2018. Meanwhile, the former Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, now the INS Vikramaditya, conducted final trials in the Barents Sea this week with its squadron of MiG-29K combat jets embarked. It is due to be delivered by year-end, after a delay of more than four years.

Designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, the IAC-1 will be named INS Vikrant. It is 260 meters (850 feet) long and 60 meters (200 feet) wide. Powered by four gas turbines, it will be capable of more than 28 knots (56 km per hour). It will have two runways–206 meters (675 feet), including a ski-jump for takeoffs; and 145 meters (475 feet) for landings. The new carrier will accommodate the additional MiG-29Ks that are on order, as well as the naval variants of India’s own light combat aircraft (LCA) and advanced light helicopter (ALH). Kamov Ka-31s for anti-submarine warfare will also be aboard.

Approximately 83 percent of the fabrication work and 75 percent of construction work on the new carrier will be completed when the ship goes into water, said Vice Admiral R.K. Dhowan, vice chief of the Indian Navy. The rest, including the flight deck, will be completed once the ship is launched, he added. The carrier will be equipped with the Indo-Israeli (Barak-8) long-range surface-to-air missile system with multi-function radar and close-in weapons system.

Detailed studies on the type of aircraft, launch and recovery mechanisms and propulsion systems have already started for a second indigenous aircraft carrier, with the design to be revealed within a year, Dhowan told AIN. Given the experience gathered, the second carrier could be in the heavier class of around 65,000 tons with a catapult instead of the existing ski jump, said an Indian Navy official speaking on condition of anonymity. With approximately 55 aircraft required for the carrier, it is likely the Indian Navy will accelerate plans to acquire a carrier airborne early-warning and control system such as the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye. The naval version of the Dassault Rafale might also be a candidate for operation from the second carrier, in addition to the Boeing AH-64 Apaches and CH-47 Chinooks that India has already selected.

http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-def..._medium=twitter

New MAF digital camouflage worn by PAT General Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin in Lebanon.

Photo by Perajurit Facebook.



This post has been edited by xtemujin: Aug 13 2013, 07:25 AM