Sorry guys...been away for quite awhile

Navy Sec. Mabus: LCS Freedom Ready To Keep Peace In The Pacific


The first Littoral Combat Ship, the USS Freedom, arriving in Singapore harbor

CAPITOL HILL: Navy Secretary Ray Mabus talked up the controversial Littoral Combat Ship days before departing for Asia to visit the first LCS, USS Freedom, which recently arrived in Singapore (sporting a sniffy camo paint job). Freedom has been bedeviled by cost overruns, delays, and manufacturing defects, with a new problem, seawater contamination in lubricant fluid, arising on its trans-Pacific trip. But the bigger picture Mabus said, is how this new class of small and nimble ship will cooperate with foreign partners to keep the peace in the volatile South China Sea and the strategic Strait of Malacca.

“Freedom is the first of its class, and it was built as an experimental ship, and every first of the class has some issues,” Mabus said of the seawater contamination, speaking to reporters after a Friday speech on energy security hosted by the Truman National Security Project. “One of the reasons we sent Freedom forward on deployment was to see what those issues were.”

After the agonies over Freedom and, to a lesser extent, its very dissimilar sister ship, USS Independence, Navy largely rebooted the program. Costs are coming down, the first ships’ defects are being remedied in follow-on vessels, and Mabus recently boasted that the Littoral Combat Ship is “one of our best programs” — although the jury is still out on LCS’s ability to survive in all-out combat.

“We’re going to deploy — forward deploy — four of these ships by 2016 to Singapore,” Mabus said confidently. Operating out of a foreign port this way, close to the operations zone, cuts out the long sea journey from North America and lets one ship do the patrol work of four US-based ones. (The Navy’s also moving four of its Aegis destroyers to Rota, Spain to better protect Europe against Iranian missiles). The Navy will even keep Freedom in Singapore after the current crew’s tour of duty is done, flying them home and flying in a complete replacement crew.

Mabus himself is flying out to Singapore Tuesday. (“The CNO [Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert] is following me by about a week,” the Secretary said). “The purpose of my trip is, No. 1, to welcome Freedom but, No. 2, is to talk about how we’re going to be using these ships with our partners.”

Economically prosperous, ethnically 75 percent Chinese, and not particularly democratic, Singapore occupies a strategic location along one of the world’s busiest corridors for seaborne trade. Politically, the city-state has long walked a delicate line between the US and China, and even now it is hosting US warships for months at a time and, eventually, in regular rotation, it emphasizes the US presence is a “deployment,” not a “base.”

Whatever it’s called, from Singapore’s harbor, the Littoral Combat Ships can head west towards the Strait of Malacca, through which forty percent of the world’s oil passes en route to East Asia. Or the LCSs can turn east into the South China Sea, whose barren islets and prospective riches of natural gas are bitterly disputed between China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Singapore is one of the few countries in the region to keep almost entirely out of the territorial quarrels, another strategic advantage as a US partner.

“Over the decades, the American Navy and the American presence there has been one of the great stabilizing influences” in the Western Pacific, Mabus said. “We don’t take sides in territorial or other sorts of disputes,” he emphasized, repeating the administration’s deep reluctance to be drawn into what is a highly emotional conflict for the increasingly assertive Chinese. “But what we do offer is presence,” he said. “What we do offer is the notion that the seas should be open and free for all.” (Mabus even put in a plug for the controversial Law of the Sea treaty, which the administration has largely given up on getting ratified).

In this region, and in context of the administration’s January 2012 defense strategic guidance, “what the LCS can do [is] to build partnership capacity,” Mabus said, “operating with the Singaporean Navy but also the navies of the region, to become more interoperable, to understand each other, to have experience in exercises and in operations which will be invaluable not only to us but to the countries in the region.”

Littoral Combat Ships are significantly smaller, less well-armed, and less resistant to battle damage than the Navy’s workhorse DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers. But precisely for that reason, they’re less intimidating to partners whose navies often resemble the US Coast Guard more than the US Navy’s ocean-going battle fleet. The ship also has a significantly shallower draft than full-size warships, giving it better access to coastal waters like those of the congested Strait of Malacca. And if LCS were to show up in one of China’s mid-sea standoffs, it will still loom large compared to the lightly armed or entirely unarmed civilian maritime patrol vessels the Chinese usually (thought not always) dispatch instead of more escalatory warships.

Stability in the South China Sea is essential because, with all the turmoil in the Middle East, the last thing the planet needs is a crisis at the Pacific end of the great Gulf-to-Asia oil trade that drives half of the world’s economy. “Even in peacetime,” Mabus said in his formal remarks, a threat from an “unstable regime” (i.e. Iran) can send oil prices spiking.

“I use the term unstable regime because my public affairs officer, [Captain] Pamela Kunze, told me I had to quit using the word ‘yahoo,’” Mabus let slip, pointing out Capt. Kunze in the front row, and then went on, “the threat of some yahoo” — he had to pause a moment to let the laughter die down — “may drive prices up.”

Mabus may not have been particularly diplomatic, but the servicemen and women about the Singapore-stationed warships will need to be. Said the Secretary, “they have to be great warriors — but they also have to be great diplomats.”


Source: Breaking Defence

Pentagon Lifts Veil on 7 New Obscure Chinese Weapons


wo new models of stealthy jet fighter. A new(ish) aircraft carrier. Separate ballistic missiles for targeting orbital satellites and ships at sea. A host of cyberespionage tools. Everybody's already heard about China's main new weapon systems, developed and deployed in alternating fits of secrecy and pageantry over the past decade of the Middle Kingdom's explosive economic and military growth.

But what about China's other high-tech war gear -- those air, sea, space and ground systems that round out Beijing's fast-modernizing armed forces and underpin the ruling Chinese Communist Party's expanding ability to influence, or even bully, its Asian neighbors? The latest installment (.pdf) of the Pentagon's annual report on Chinese military developments, released today, highlights some of these lesser-known but still potentially world-changing weapons.

You can download the ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS : Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2013
here: http://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf

PTRK Fagot














From Wiki:

The 9K111 Fagot (Russian: 9K111 «Фагот»; English meaning of the word: "bassoon") is a SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union. "9M111" is the GRAU designation of the missile. Its NATO reporting name is AT-4 Spigot.
(The bassoon is a woodwind musical instrument )

The missile is stored and carried in a container/launch tube. It is fired from the 9P135 launcher post - a simple tripod. A 9S451 guidance box is fitted to the tripod - with the missile sitting just above. The 9Sh119 sight is fitted to the left side (from the gunners POV). The complete launcher system weighs 22.5 kg. The gunner lays prone while firing. The system can engage moving targets, provided that they are travelling at less than 60 km/h. The launcher post can traverse through 360 degrees horizontally, and +/- 20 degrees in elevation. The sight has a magnification of 10x and a 5 degree field of view. Up to 3 missiles a minute can be fired from a launcher post.

The system uses a gas generator to push the missile out of the launch tube - the gas also exits from the rear of the launch tube in a similar manner to a recoilless rifle. The missile leaves the launch tube at 80 m/s. It is quickly accelerated to 186 m/s by its solid fuel motor. This initial high speed reduces the deadzone of the missile, since it can be launched directly at the target, rather than in an upward arc.

The launcher tracks the position of an incandescent infrared bulb on the back of the missile relative to the target - and transmits appropriate commands to the missile via a thin wire that trails behind the missile. The SACLOS guidance system has many benefits over MCLOS, with the accuracy of the system stated as 90% in some sources, though its performance is probably comparable to the TOW or the later SACLOS versions of the 9K11 Malyutka.

SACLOS (Semi-automatic command to line of sight) is a method of missile guidance. In SACLOS, the operator has to continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight. Electronics in the sighting device and/or the missile then guide it to the target.

SACLOS devices commonly work using one of two methods: either wire and radio-guided, or beam-riding.

Weight: 11.5 kg (25 lb)
Length: 1,030 mm (3 ft 5 in)
Barrel length: 875 mm (2 ft 10 in) without gas generator
Diameter 120 mm (4.7 in)
Muzzle velocity: 80 m/s (180 mph; 290 km/h) at launch
186 m/s (420 mph; 670 km/h) in flight
Effective range: 70–2,500 m (230–8,200 ft)
Guidance system: SACLOS

The Indian Dessault Deal: Defence Minister said Impossible to Set Time Frame for MMRCA Deal

(Source: Express News Service; published May 7, 2013)



NEW DELHI --- Union Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said it was not possible to set a time frame for signing the much-awaited deal for the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) with French company Dassault Aviation.

The contract, said to be worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore, is still at the negotiation stage, a year-and-a-half after the French firm emerged as the lowest bidder in the tender which was floated in August 2007.

“Given the complexity of the proposal, no definite time frame can be fixed at this stage (for signing the deal),” Antony said in a written reply in Parliament.

“The proposal for procurement of the 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft is currently at the stage of commercial discussions with the L1 vendor, Dassault Aviation and hence the terms and conditions for purchase including the delivery schedule are yet to be finalised,” he said.

However, the Defence Minister pointed out that the Request for Proposal–defence parlance for a commercial tender – stipulated that the delivery of the 18 flyaway aircraft should take place between the third and fourth years after the signing of the contract. The manufacturing of the remaining 108 fighters under licence from Dassault will take place here from the 4th to the 11th year after the signing of the contract.

Dassault has offered its Rafale combat planes to India under the Request for Proposal and it had beaten the European consortium EADS Cassidian, which had offered its Eurofighter Typhoon plane, in the last stage of the tendering process in January 2012. The two firms had been down-selected by the Indian Air Force after intense flight and weapons trials in which the US aircraft – Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Boeing’s F/A-18 – Russian United Aircraft Corporation’s MiG-35 and Swedish Saab’s Gripen were eliminated from the competition in April 2011.

Meanwhile, the Army is planning to procure 100 self-propelled artillery howitzers and three Indian vendors, including two private companies, have been selected for trial of their equipment, A K Antony told the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In a written reply to the lower house of Parliament, the Defence Ministry also said the recent amendment to Defence Procurement Procedure-2011 aims at giving higher preference to indigenous capacity in the defence sector.

Russian Fifth-Generation Jet Tests May Start in July - Air Force
(Source: RIA Novosti; issued May 7, 2013)





AKHTUBINSK (Astrakhan Region, south Russia), May 7 (RIA Novosti) - Tests of Russia’s fifth-generation T-50 fighter jets in the Chkalov state flight test center in Akhtubinsk, Astrakhan Region in south Russia may start in July, Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said.

“In two months,” he said Monday when asked when the center would start tests of such jets, adding that the first serial fifth-generation jet may be manufactured in 2014-2015.

United Aircraft Corporation President Mikhail Pogosyan said in April Russia will start state flight tests of the T-50 in 2014.

The fighter jets will enter service with the country’s armed forces in 2016, and not 2015 as was previously announced, President Vladimir Putin said at a live Q&A session with the Russian public in April.

The Defense Ministry had earlier said the jet would be ready in 2015.

The T-50, also known as PAK-FA (future tactical fighter aircraft), first flew in January 2010 and was presented to the public at the Moscow Air Show in 2011.

The T-50, which will be the core of Russia's future fighter fleet, is a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft featuring elements of stealth technology, super-maneuverability, super-cruise capability (supersonic flight without use of afterburner), and an advanced avionics suite including an X-band active phased-array radar.

Bondarev also said some 60-70 military airfields will be built or reconstructed for Russia’s Air Force by 2020.


Source: RIA Novosti


NOTE: PAK FA stands for Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, literally "Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation"




This post has been edited by noavatar: May 8 2013, 01:14 AM

US-based Remington wins bid to supply 50,000 M4 rifles for AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), company rep says





The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of National Defense (DND) has declared the United States-based Remington company the winning bidder to supply 50,629 pieces of M4 rifles, according to the Philippine representative of the company. The bid was for little less than P2-billion.

"Remington was declared the winning single calculated bid on the AFP requirement for 50,629 pieces M4 cal 5.56mm assault rifles," Neri Dionisio, head of the P.B. Dionisio & Co., Inc., said. Dionisio is the official local representative of Remington.

In a follow-up phone interview, Dionisio said the bidding was conducted on Tuesday at the DND. Apart from Remington, it was participated in by Colt Defense, Sig Sauer and Manroy, he added.

"Remington submitted a total bid price of P1,944,261,591.66, saving government coffers P1,245,365,408.34, (based on) the total authorized budget of contract of P3,189,627,000." This would place the price for each rifle at around P38,400, or around $960.

Even as Dionisio announced Remington's winning bid, however, a source from the DND-BAC said they expected at least one of the losing bidders, particularly Colt, to file a motion for reconsideration.

"We've been expecting that, but we're confident the DND-BAC is certain they got the right bidder. With or without the contest of Colt we will be filing our request for a post-qualification bid on Friday," Dionisio said.

The post-qualification process will revalidate the documents for bidding. After this, the DND-BAC moves to the conduct of a pre-delivery inspection of the items from the winning bidder.

"A group from DND, most probably the Technical Group (TWG), will be going to the factory in the US to inspect the firearms. If there is no problem then the DND-BAC will finally award the contract to Remington," Dionisio said.


Source: InterAksyon

Why Super Tucano Is Super





May 7, 2013: Guatemala is buying six Brazilian A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for their air force. The Super Tucano is a single engine turbo-prop trainer/attack aircraft that is used by over a dozen nations. This aircraft carries two internal 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine-guns and can carry up to 1.5 tons of bombs and rockets. It can stay in the air for 6.5 hours at a time. It is rugged, easy to maintain, and cheap. You pay $15-20 million for each Super Tucano, depending on how much training, spare parts and support equipment you get with them.

This aircraft can be equipped to carry over a half dozen of the 250 pound GPS smart bombs (or half a dozen dumb 500 pound bombs), giving it considerable potential firepower if rigged to handle smart bombs. The Super Tucano comes equipped with a GPS guidance system. Max altitude is 11,300 meters (35,000 feet) and cruising speed is 400 kilometers an hour. Naturally, this aircraft can move in lower and slower than any jet can. The Super Tucano is also equipped with armor for the pilot, a pressurized cockpit, and an ejection seat. Not bad for an aircraft with a max takeoff weight of 5.4 tons.

The Super Tucano can double as trainers. It's easier to train pilots to use the Super Tucano, cheaper to buy them, and much cheaper to operate them. It costs less than a tenth as much per flying hour to operate a Super Tucano compared to a F-16.

Guatemala is the sixth South Latin American customer for the Super Tucano joining Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. Twelve countries (including Afghanistan, Angola, Burkina Fasso, Indonesia, Mauritius and Senegal) have bought Super Tucano, which has become the world’s leading counter-insurgency aircraft. Guatemala will use it to help control the growing problem with drug smugglers moving cocaine to North America.

These "trainer/light attack aircraft" can also operate from crude airports, or even a stretch of highway. Aircraft like this can carry systems to defeat portable surface to air missiles. They can carry smart bombs as well.


Source: StrategyPage

Indonesian UAV squadron to be stationed at the air base Supadio, West Kalimantan

The following are excerpts translated from Bahasa Indonesia as reported in Greater Jakarta sourced at http://jakartagreater.com/2013/05/melirik-...-ii-atau-heron/

Indonesian Navy has declared that their armaments would be strengthened by the UAV squadron stationed at the air base Supadio, West Kalimantan. This UAV will control the border with Malaysia in Kalimantan, Indonesia to the Natuna Sea and will come at the end of 2013 or early 2014.

Airfield Supadio Colonel Pnb Ir Novyan Samyoga , Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Thursday (17/01/2013):

"In the near future we will be able to help force a squadron of unmanned aircraft. We hope this 2013 is coming and ready to operatae ".

"The aircraft will operate with estimated capacity of about 400 km on the sea border. Currently we are still awaiting the arrival of the UAV. Everything is based on orders of the Minister of Defense, "said a former aide to Vice President in 2009.

The plane could not be captured military radar. Including existing radar for flight at the airport Supadio can not trace or track the UAV.

Furthermore, the ability of the Air Force UAV was later explained as follows:

Colonel (GNI) Kustono, Danlanud Supadio : ( equator-news.com 13-Jan-2012 ): "Unmanned aircraft at Air Base Supadio will be directed to strengthen monitoring capabilities, including border areas in West Kalimantan. It will even be operated for supervision on the island of Borneo, "he said, saying that the aircraft can also be armed and equipped with detection equipment for night and daytime conditions .





This post has been edited by noavatar: May 8 2013, 09:37 AM

Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) opens new base prepared for submarines


Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) chief of staff Adm. Marsetio opened on Friday the Palu Naval Base in Palu, Central Sulawesi, as part of an effort to secure Indonesian waters, especially in the eastern part of the country.

The naval base is located on a 13-hectare plot in Palu’s Watusampu subdistrict, Ulujadi district, of which only 2.8 hectares have been built on.

The building, which faces Palu Bay, has been built over the past two years and cost around Rp 7 billion (US$717,000).

“The naval base location is ideal and strategic, and there is no such dock in Indonesia like the one in Palu,” Marsetio told the media after the opening ceremony.

He said the naval base was precisely located in Palu Bay and at an ideal depth. It is the third-deepest sea in the world.

It will also serve as the Navy’s submarine base, where three submarines purchased from South Korea, will be stationed. “The KRI Cakra 401 and KRI Nanggala 402 submarines have often docked here, as the sea is very deep and suitable for submarines,” said Marsetio.

Palu Bay was picked as one of TNI AL’s submarine bases because the bay is quite strategic in Indonesia. It is 10 kilometers wide and its coastline stretches for 68 kilometers while its depth reaches 400 meters. Natural protection against extreme ocean currents is also considered to be adequate and advantageous for a submarine base.

“At such a depth, large vessels, such as aircraft carriers from the United States could easily navigate through the bay,” said Marsetio.

The Palu Naval Base will in the future not only serve as a forward base, but a main naval base. Therefore, the navy will equip it with various facilities given the base’s close proximity with the Malaysian border.

“The Ambalat waters remains vulnerable, so the submarine base in Palu is most strategic to secure the region,” he added.

Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola said that based on documents belonging to the Palu city administration, in terms of defense strategy, Palu Bay is centrally situated between the Indonesian border in the north and the Java Sea in the south, so submarines stationed there could cover the region effectively.

The area is also part of the second Sea Lane of Communications (ALKI) II, where large merchant ships could traverse under the UNCLOS international maritime law.

“Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan and China, which are very strategic for Indonesia from the geopolitical and geoeconomic aspects, are located north of the ALKI II. So, Palu Bay is very suitable as TNI AL’s submarine base,” said Longki.

Indonesia’s current submarines, the U-206 type KRI Cakra and KRI Nanggala, were made by German shipyard Howaldtswerke in Kiel, Germany, and were commissioned in 1981.

The three U-209 type submarines, worth some $1.07 billion, will be delivered in 2015 and 2016. Two of the submarines will be build at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) facilities in Busan, South Korea. The third would be completed at the state-owned shipyard PT PAL Indonesia facilities in Surabaya, East Java.

Initial reports said the submarines would weigh 1,400 tons and be 61.3 meters long. Each submarine will carry up to 40 crew members and have eight weapons tubes for torpedoes and other weapons.


Source : The Jakarta Post

LOCATION MAP



Palu is located at a tectonic plate boundary and had experienced 14 earthquakes in the past year. The latest in the area was a 5.3 magnitude offshore on April 30, 2013.




NOTES:

Current Capability:
The Indonesian navy, Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut (TNI–AL), operates two Type 209/1300 submarines acquired from Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW, Germany). The TNI-AL is organized into the Eastern fleet (based in Surabaya), and the Western fleet (based in Jakarta). According to IISS Military Balance, future reorganization could involve the establishment of headquarters at Surabaya, and three commands at Riau (West), Papua (East), and Makassar (Central).

The two Type 209/1300-class submarines (known as Cakra-class in Indonesia), entered into service with the TNI-AL in 1981. Cakra 401 was laid in November 1977 and commissioned in March 1981, and Nanggala 402 was laid in July 1978 and commissioned in July 1981. These boats underwent major refits on different occasions, initially by HDW and later through South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). These refits resulted in modernization of propulsions systems, detection and navigation systems, and new fire control and combat systems.
Source: Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)



KRI (Kapal Perang Republik Indonesia) Cakra 401

The deterrence role of submarines was also noted by First Admiral Iskandar Sitompul in the context of the "Malaysia factor." The Admiral said that Indonesia "must possess submarines with greater deterrent effect. If they [Malaysians] know we have that, they will be scared."
Citation: Rizal Sukma, "Indonesia's Security Outlook, Defence Policy and Regional Cooperation," in Asia Pacific Countries' Security Outlook and Its Implications for the Defense Sector, The National Institute for Defense Studies (Japan), NIDS Joint Research Series No. 5, 2010, www.nids.go.jp.

power projection....mcm nak perang dingin je

Back in 1962....Indonesia was against the formation of Malaysia...so Sukarno declared konfrantasi...one of the thing in their mind was Sarawak and Sabah...the British wants to keep Sarawak out of Indonesia after Sukarno decided that the North of Borneo was properly part of Indonesia...there was a lot of action in Sarawak....but not all out offensive...President Sukarno declared that he was going to "crush Malaysia" (Ganyang Malaysia)....that is why even now you still can hear these words from some of them (e.g. refer to the last para in my posting)....however we should let all this thing pass.....no use to hang on to the past...we should be looking to the future and focus on nation building.

This post has been edited by noavatar: May 8 2013, 02:14 PM

I believe that was the Australian newspaper wanting to juice up the issue...but still why a demonstration of invasion capability...in the face of peaceful neighbours...when they have a lot of internal security challenges in their hands:

Communal and religious violence
possible relapse of GAM (Free Acheh Movement)
Jemaah Islamiyah (e.g bombing at JW Merriot and Carlton)
West Papua
Natural disaster: flooding, landslides, earthquakes (that's why they need more transport aircraft)
trafficking
maintaining EEZ

as I mentioned...it was power projection...specifically...overlapping territorial claim....i.e. Ambalat....and dissatisfaction about Sipadan-Ligatan

This is entirely my opinion....maybe I am wrong

btw you must consider SBY, a former general, was speaking at Latihan Gabungan 2013 in front of a large military crowd and, in the lead up to the 2014 presidential election

This post has been edited by noavatar: May 8 2013, 02:36 PM

How do Indonesia’s police do crowd control? ‘Gangnam Style’, of course



Indonesian policewoman and demonstrators break out into a ‘Gangnam Style’ dance performance while securing a Labor Day rally in front of the city hall of Surabaya in East Java province on May 1, 2013. (AFP Photo/Juni Kriswanto)

I am not much into politics but this might show the point




Now.....What is there to critic about?

Whatever it is....national security is very important....don't play with it....haven't we learn from Lahad Datu...U all might not remember Darurat or Konfrontasi....I was a boy back then...back in 1964 there was an airborne landing by Indonesian paratroopers near Labis, Johore, during the Konfrontasi.

The paras were sent in three Indonesian Air Force aircraft from Jakarta....however only two aircraft managed to reach Labis....the third aircraft crashed into the Straits of Malacca while trying to evade RAF Air Squadron from Singapore. There was a storm around Labis....so the nearly hundred paras were dispersed and cannot regroup. It took about a month to round up the paratroopers.

Source: Australian Dept of Defence
6 May 2013

Australia and Indonesia will conduct a joint civil-military seminar in Sentul, near Jakarta on 7 May 2013, Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly AM MP announced today.

The seminar will include senior representatives from the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC) and the Indonesian Peacekeeping Centre (PMPP).

“The 2013 Defence White Paper reaffirmed the important role international engagement has in maintaining a secure and stable region. This seminar is a practical example of Australia’s commitment to further strengthen and broaden relationships with our neighbours including Indonesia,” Dr Kelly said.

This was the Press Realease by Mindef courtesy of Bernama re: Subs And Fighters Procurement


KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The Defence Ministry (Mindef) today refuted allegations by certain quarters that there had been hanky-panky in the procurement of Sukhoi fighter jets and Scorpene submarines for the Malaysian Defence Forces (ATM).

In a statement here today, Mindef said that their procurements were above board and in accordance with procedures set.

They involved various levels of approvals including by a Technical Committee and a Price Negotiation committee after exhaustive studies on their purchase were made to ensure that needs of the ATM were met, said the statement.

It was issued to clarify negative remarks made about the procurements by certain political figures from the opposition who had alleged that there had been hanky-panky in the purchase of the jets and submarines.

According to the statement, before approval (for the purchases) was obtained, references were made to the Attorney-General's Department.

All the terms and approvals for negotiating the purchases were then submitted to the Finance Ministry (MOF)and the purchase contracts were only signed after the MOF gave the go ahead, said the statement.

Mindef also denied that the government had paid a RM540 million commission to political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (now facing a charge of abetment in the murder of a Mongolian woman) or making any payment to Perimekar Sdn Bhd, in the procurement of the Scorpene submarines and described allegations that it did as baseless.

The Scorpenes procurement were done on a direct negotiation basis with the principals, ARMARIS of France and NAVANTIA of Spain, with both companies having obtained the permission of the respective governments for the transactions.

Perimekar Sdn Bhd actually was given a contract to provide support and coordination services regarding the procurement worth Euro 114.96 million (RM540 million), progressively payable until the end of the procurement process.

Perimekar is jointly owned by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), Boustead Holdings Bhd and K.S. Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd.

The statement further said that the scope of support services also included providing accommodation facilities and ancillary equipment besides insurance coverage for 27 families in the project team in France and Spain for six years.

The company also had to provide a management office and accommodation for 156 Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) sailors in France and Spain for four years, and pay them daily allowances of Euro 50 each for the first three years and Euro 60 each for the next three.

Perimekar also had to defray the flight costs for the submarine crew to return to Malaysia once very four months (three times a year) besides looking into their other needs during their stay in France and Spain, the statement added.

Among the coordination services by Perimekar were involving Malaysian companies to participate in the construction of the subs and helping Malaysian companies with potential to take part in offset programmes arising, coordinate the RMN sailors training for submarine operations and provide update reports every six months.

Mindef also clarified that the Euro 114.96 million was not Perimekar Sdn Bhd's nett profit but involved direct and indirect costs as stated in its contract.

On the Sukhoi SU30MKM procurement, Mindef explained that it was done through direct negotiations with its principals, Rosoboronexport, which is owned by the Russian government.

Direct negotiations were required by Russia and it was the same with other countries that traded in military hardware, the ministry said.

All the procurement contracts were signed by a Mindef representative on behalf of the Government of Malaysia with the principals, it added.

The purchase of the jets were also in accordance to procedures, said Mindef.

Mindef also said that Rosboronexport appointed a local company to make it easier to facilitate its (Rosboronexport's) dealings in Malaysia and that the government was not involved in any way in the appointment (of the local company).

With the explanation, the Ministry hoped all parties would understand the true situation and not make statements that only created confusion and cast the ATM, Mindef and the government in a negative light.

-- BERNAMA

What about Leclerc ?

I saw this somewhere....Argentina wanted a Light MBT for their terrain...so they ask the German Firm Thyssen...since they want to avoid building from scratch...they use Marder APC hull....and leopard 1 turret....result is about 30 tonnes tank