is it reall light? 

Gripen First to Fire Meteor Missile
 
(Source: Saab AB; issued July 1? 2013)
 
In cooperation with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), defence and security company Saab has successfully conducted the first test firing of the version of the Meteor radar-controlled air-to-air missile, developed for mass production. Gripen is thus the first combat fighter system in the world with the capability to fire this version of the Meteor, which has been developed for Gripen, Eurofighter and Rafale.

At the end of June, the first two Meteor missiles in mass production configuration were fired for the first time from Gripen at a remote-controlled target. The test firing demonstrated separation from the aircraft and the link function between the aircraft and missile, as well as the missile's ability to lock in on the target. The test firing was also used to verify the command support that has been developed for the pilot.

“Testing has been completed as planned and we've now taken yet another important step in work with integration and development of Gripen C/D,” says Michael Östergren, FMV's project manager for the Meteor. “I'm impressed with the results that we've jointly accomplished and it instills considerable confidence in continued work with integrating the Meteor on Gripen.”

The Meteor is a BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile) developed to enable engagement of airborne targets at long distances. The missile is the result of a European collaborative project involving Sweden, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Great Britain. Great Britain has responsibility for contracts and work is led by UK’s defence procurement and support organisation – Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S).

“Once again it’s clear that Gripen is the leading combat fighter system with great opportunities for fast and cost-efficient continuous integration of new capabilities, such as weapons and sensors, thanks to our efficient way of working and Gripen’s innovative design. Gripen with the Saab PS05 radar and the Meteor missile represent the absolute best in the world when it comes to air defense,” says Lennart Sindahl, Head of Saab's business area Aeronautics.

The test team included representatives from Saab, FMV and British MBDA. During the autumn, additional tests will be conducted so that delivery of the new capabilities can be made during 2014.

PAF eyes Gripen as next generation of fighter planes for its modernization – (Exclusive)

By Ben Cal

MANILA, July 2 (PNA) -– Swedish-made supersonic Gripen plane is emerging as the next generation of jet fighter aircraft being considered by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) for its long-overdue modernization program.

A random interview conducted by Philippines News Agency on Tuesday indicated that PAF pilots prefer the Gripen jet-fighters to other types (of fighter planes) because of its lower cost, yet armed with sophisticated latest stand-off long-range anti-ship weapons and air-to-air missiles.

These are highly accurate weapons that can be unleashed even if the target is 80 kilometers away.

The air-to-air missiles can be fired beyond visual range of the pilot.

Gripen has a top speed of 1,552 miles per hour.

Gripen jet-fighter plane in flight the PAF is eyeing to acquire for its modernization. (Photo courtesy of SAAB)

Representatives from Gripen were in Manila last month to participate in the annual PAF symposium held at the Mall of Asia in suburban Pasay City. They said they would be happy to sell to the Philippines the multi-role Gripen fighter jets.

Gripen is manufactured by SAAB.

In its brochure distributed to the press, SAAB says that Gripen is cost-effective, new generation multi-role aircraft in the market.

The multi-role Gripen fighter aircraft costs US$ 60 million apiece while other similar planes cost as much as US$ 80 each or more.

Thailand has already purchased 12 Gripen jet-fighters while Malaysia is planning to buy the aircraft.

Aside from Sweden Air Force which bought over 200 Gripens, other countries that have Gripen in their arsenals are South Africa 26, Hungary 14, Czech Republic 14.

The United Kingdom also bought some Gripen planes but there was no mention as to the number of units it acquired from Sweden.

Gripen can take-off and land in short runways, cost-effective, tailor-made and top-of-the-line aircraft comparable to the world’s best.

“Gripen represents the ultimate in operational efficiency capable of fulfilling a range of roles, either alone or as part of a wider defense network,” SAAB said.

It also says that Gripen is “the world’s most agile fighter for close combat.

SAAB has incorporated a state-of-the art weapon system as Gripen has look-down/shoot-down capability in air combat in engaging aircraft, missiles, and even the smallest, low-flying targets.

Gripen is also difficult to match in any air combat situation.

The government is also considering the acquisition of the Korean-made jet-trainer plane that can also be used as an interim fighter aircraft.

It may be recalled that shortly after World War II up to the ‘70s, PAF was second to none in Southeast Asia in terms of air power.

But PAF has degenerated into weakling Air Force after it had phased out its fighter aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre jets, F-8 Crusaders and the F-5 “Freedom Fighters” without any replacement to date, exposing Philippine airspace unguarded since 2005 when the last of the F-5 jets were retired for good without replacement.

As a consequence intruding foreign aircraft enter Philippine airspace without being intercepted.

Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz, PAF commanding general, has been calling for the modernization of the Air Force to meet the security needs of the country.

Seeing the predicament of the Air Force, President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday vowed to provide the PAF with jet fighters, radars and other modern equipment before he steps down from office in 2016.

“I assure you that before I step down from office, our skies will be guarded by modern air assets,” the President said in a speech during the 66th PAF anniversary at Clark in Pampanga.

The President said the amount of P75 billion has been appropriated for the implementation of the New Modernization Act of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the next five years. (PNA)

Philippines To Buy 2 Maestrale Frigates From Italy

Jul. 3, 2013 - 08:08AM   |   By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE   |

MANILA — The Philippines is set to buy two Maestrale-class frigates from Italy, a defense official said Wednesday, as the Asian nation races to upgrade its military amid mounting territorial disputes with China.

The frigates, along with 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft, are the most significant items on the government’s 75 billion peso (US $1.7 billion) military modernization budget over the next five years, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said.

“We are modernizing not because we want to go to war with China,” he told a news conference.

He said the government had a sworn obligation to defend the “West Philippine Sea,” using the government’s preferred term for Philippine-claimed areas in the South China Sea.

“We are not saying that this is part of our preparations to assert our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. What we are saying is that we cannot just give them up.”

The frigates would add to two refurbished Hamilton-class cutters formerly used by the US Coast Guard that the Philippines acquired from its US ally to upgrade its aging navy fleet, which includes some vessels that first saw action in World War II.

Manalo said the navy had already decided to acquire two new Maestrale-class frigates instead of buying used ones from the Italian navy, and had budgeted 18 billion pesos for them.

The Philippines could be ready to tender by the end of the year, he added.

Meanwhile, the government had alloted 18.9 billion pesos to acquire the fighter aircraft, which are built by South Korea, he added.

The modernization budget also provides for building or improving facilities to berth and provide maintenance to the vessels on the military’s shopping list, Manalo said.

President Benigno Aquino vowed Monday to rebuild the air force by 2016.

The Philippines, which has one of the weakest military forces in the region, retired the last of its US-designed F-5 fighters in 2005.

U mean those Westar 4x4. Reputedly owned by someone close to the leadership, thats why we have some lame-ass replacement for the Defender. Jelly tgk 4x4 Indon made by Pindad...

Asian superpowers driving 'explosion' in global arms trade with the East set to outspend US by 2021

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 12:47 GMT, 25 June 2013  | UPDATED: 08:42 GMT, 26 June 2013
   
Asian powers are outpacing the United States to become the biggest spenders on defence by 2021 and are fuelling an 'explosion' in the global arms trade, a study showed.

The global arms trade jumped by 30 percent to $73.5 billion between 2008-2012 in spite of the economic downturn, driven by surging exports from China and demand from countries like India, and is set to more than double by 2020, defence and security consultancy IHS Jane's said on Tuesday.

'Budgets are shifting East and global arms trade is increasing competition. This is the biggest explosion in trade the world has ever seen,' said Paul Burton, a senior manager at IHS Jane's whose study looked at 34,000 defence acquisition programmes.

The United States has accounted for the lion's share of global defence spending over the past decade, but budget cuts in Washington, as it withdraws from countries such as Afghanistan, mean that it will account for just 30 per cent by 2021 to fall behind Asia at 31 percent.

Military spending in the Asia Pacific region - which includes China, India and Indonesia - will rise 35 percent to $501 billion in the next eight years, compared to a 28 per cent fall in U.S. spending to $472 billion over the same period, IHS Jane's said.

'The big Western defence companies have no option - export or shrink - but this could be sowing the seed of their own demise; the opportunities in the East are a double-edged sword, fuelling a trend which threatens U.S. dominance of defence.' said Guy Anderson, senior principal analyst at IHS Jane's.

China's ramp-up in defence spending in recent years is worrying its neighbours such as Japan, with whom it is currently embroiled in a stand-off over a series of uninhabited islands, despite its repeated reassurances that there is nothing to fear.

Japan, as well as India and South Korea, are among countries being courted by weapon makers such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing and BAE Systems who want to sell them fighter jets and other equipment to make up for reduced spending in their Western home markets, but such deals tend to require investment in the buyers's defence industries.

India, for instance, is speaking exclusively to France's Dassault Aviation on a $12 billion order of 126 warplanes and wants 50 per cent of the work to be given to Indian companies.

China is expected to increase its defence budget by 64 percent to $207 billion by 2021, compared to India and Indonesia which are respectively forecast to spend 54 and 113 percent more, the study said.

These countries aspire to build thriving defence industries capable of developing modern equipment such as fighter jets and aircraft carriers, and may be able to export 'world class kit' rivalling that of the West in a decade as a result of their willingness to spend, IHS Jane's said.

Navy sets P4-b ship purchase

By Florante S. Solmerin | Posted on Jul. 05, 2013 at 12:01am |

Four groups took part in Tuesday’s conference for the bidding of service support vessels (SSRVs), a P4-billion project of the Philippine Navy.

The prebidding held at the Department of National Defense saw groups such as Navanta of Spain, Daewoo of South Korea, Larsen and Toubro of India, and Austal of Australia each appearing keen to win the supply contracts.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo confirmed the pre-bidding procedure.

The procurement of  two SSVs with a budget of P4 billion and two Maestrale frigates with a budget of P18 billion are among the 24 big-ticket items that President Benigno Aquino III wants to accomplish  under  the five-year military modernization program.

SSVs are multi-role vessels for search and rescue operations that can also be fitted with hospital facilities and a helipad. But the ship’s primary role is to transport a battalion of soldiers with armored vehicles.

On Wednesday,  Manalo mentioned about the  planned procurement of two brand new Maestrale frigates, and told defense reporters that they are now looking for a consultant to help the Navy identify technical specifications for the vessels.

“The Navy needs to hire a consultant because the frigates that we want to buy are too sophisticated, that’s part of diligence,” he said.

Granted approval for the export of 80 tanks to Indonesia

Economics and Technology / answer - 05/07/2013

Berlin: (hib / HLE) The Federal Government has approved the export of 80 Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks of the type requested by the Government of the Netherlands to Indonesia.

The authorization was on 11 July 2012 is, according to the response of the federal government (17/14033) to a minor fraction of the Left (17/13692) for further sale and distribution of exported military equipment from Germany.

In addition, the export of tank ammunition (120 mm) to Greece was approved. A German company was on 16 February 2012 was granted a license for the temporary export of a battle tank to Saudi Arabia for demonstration purposes.

Air Force Began Considering Replacement of L-39ZA/ART Aircraft

09 Juli 2013

ThaiArmedForce.com. - Air Force is beginning to consider alternative options for replacement of L-39ZA/ART with approximately 3 candidates.

Sources from the industry say, The Air Force is considering replacement of fighter/training aircraft L-39ZA/ART. The aircraft L-39ZA/ART has been used a long time and  the has been repaired  to extend life twice. Currently, the Air Force station the aircraft in 401 Division 4 at Takhli and  411 Division 41 at Chiang Mai.

Is expected to advanced training aircraft in the Air Force is T-50 Golden Eagle from the Korea Aerospace Industry-Korea, M-346 Master of the Italian company Alenia Aermacch and L-15 Falcon of Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

Also not clear how many aircraft will provide the Air Force. However, there is a possibility that the supply to Air Force is divided into phase.

KAI had an interview at the Farnborough Airshow in 2012, that the company is looking for opportunities to export T-50 to Thailand and Chile. And before that time the president Lee Myung Bak of South Korea has signed military agreements between Thailand and South Korea during the summit Nuclear month in March 2012.

Last year, Alenia Aermacchi began proposed the feasibility of M-346 aircraft for the Thailand Air Force.

The Air Force is expected to announce the winner until the year 2014.

Philippine Air Force to get 8 new attack choppers

By Alexis Romero, The Philippine Star
Posted at 07/10/2013 12:55 AM | Updated as of 07/10/2013 12:55 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Eight brand new attack helicopters capable of navigating safely in bad weather will be acquired for P3.4 billion for the Air Force.

A bid bulletin of the Department of National Defense (DND) shows that the project would involve the purchase of eight helicopters with full night operation capability, complete weapons system and integrated logistics support package.

“These helicopters shall be capable of performing close air support during day and night,” read the bulletin.

The deadline for the submission of bids has been slated tentatively on July 24, but it can be moved if prospective bidders request for an extension.

The DND said: “The guiding principles for this project shall be based on affordability and sustainability while conforming to the requirements of our Air Force in furtherance of accomplishing its mission.”

A prospective bidder, to be qualified, must have completed within 10 years from the date of submission of bids a contract similar to the project.

Bids that are higher than the approved budget contract of P3.4 billion will be rejected at the outset.

The helicopters must be delivered within 540 calendar days from the opening of the letter of credit, which serves as an assurance that the government would pay the winning bidder.

The Air Force’s inventory has been depleted due to recent accidents that killed some of its pilots.

I think they mean this one, Sokol attack heli since the below article did mention abt PAF acquiring 8 of those helis


Hummm, I think I may be wrong because Sokol is already delivered but that procurement news is just new. Looks like PAF is on shopping again