As per Dec 17'13,
*    TNI AL received KCR 60m made by PT PAL

Wed, 18 Dec, 2013 04:33:03 AM

Finland to buy battle tanks from Netherlands

FTimes-STT Report, December 18
 
The Defence Forces are planning to make a significant arms purchase from the Netherlands in the beginning of next year, according to a report broadcast by MTV on Tuesday.
 
The report said the authorities reached a deal to buy a hundred used Leopard battle tanks at a cost of about €200m.
 
The Leopard 2A6 tanks are reported to be in good condition.
 
Finnish parliament gave go ahead to the tank purchase deal considering the benefits and cost-effectiveness.
 
Minister of Defence Carl Haglund, however, said the matter was still in progress. According to MTV reports, the deal is likely to be sealed in the next month.

UPDATE 3-Saab wins Brazil jet deal after NSA spying sours Boeing bid

Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:20pm EST

By Alonso Soto and Brian Winter

Dec 18 (Reuters) - Brazil awarded a $4.5 billion contract to Saab AB on Wednesday to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets, a surprise coup for the Swedish company after news of U.S. spying on Brazilians helped derail Boeing's chances for the deal.

The contract, negotiated over the course of three presidencies, will supply Brazil's air force with 36 new Gripen NG fighters by 2020. Aside from the cost of the jets themselves, the agreement is expected to generate billions of additional dollars in future supply and service contracts.

Saab did not immediately comment on the purchase. In addition to Chicago-based Boeing Co, France's Dassault Aviation SA was a contender for the contract.

The timing of the announcement, after more than a decade of off-and-on negotiations, appeared to catch the companies involved by surprise. Even Juniti Saito, Brazil's top air force commander, said on Wednesday that he only heard of the decision a day earlier in a meeting with President Dilma Rousseff.

Brazilian officials said the deal, one of the most coveted emerging-market defense contracts, went to Saab because it provided the most affordable option for the new jets, as well as the best conditions for technology transfer to local partners.

The choice, Defense Minister Celso Amorim said, "took into account performance, the effective transfer of technology and costs - not just of acquisition but of maintenance."

Until earlier this year, Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet had been considered the front runner. But revelations of spying by the U.S. National Security Agency in Brazil, including personal communication by Rousseff, led Brazil to believe it could not trust a U.S. company.

"The NSA problem ruined it for the Americans," a Brazilian government source said on condition of anonymity.

A U.S. source close to the negotiations said that whatever intelligence the spying had delivered for the American government was unlikely to outweigh the commercial cost of the revelations.

"Was that worth 4 billion dollars?" the source asked.

The lament echo's recent complaints by Cisco Systems Inc , which said in November that a backlash against U.S. government spying contributed to lower demand for its products in China.

In a statement, Boeing called Brazil's decision a "disappointment," but added that it would continue to work with Brazil to meet its defense requirements.

Dassault, for its part, said it regrets Brazil's decision and called Saab's fighter an aircraft that was inferior to its Rafale jet.

"The Gripen is a lighter, single engine aircraft that does not match the Rafale in terms of performance and therefore does not carry the same price tag," it said.

Saab says the Gripen NG has the lowest logistical and operational costs of all fighters currently in service.

Brazil coexists peacefully with all of its South American neighbors and has no enemies elsewhere. The country, however, is eager to fortify its military as it considers the long-term defense of its vast borders and abundant natural resources, including the Amazon rainforest and offshore oil discoveries.

"We are a peaceful country, but we won't be defenseless," Rousseff said on Wednesday at a lunch with senior officials from Brazil's military, where she said the announcement was forthcoming. "A country the size of Brazil must always be ready to protect its citizens, patrimony and sovereignty."

Sweden's defense minister, Karin Enstrom, said in an interview that the contract, "is a sign that the Gripen is a well-functioning system which is cost efficient."

Under the terms of their agreement, Brazil and Saab will now finalize contract details within a year. The first jet is expected to be delivered two years later, with about 12 of the aircraft expected annually after that.

Brazil's decision unexpectedly wraps up a tortuous and prolonged decision-making process that had made the negotiations the object of ridicule in some defense circles.

However, the deal was taken very seriously by the competitors.

French President François Hollande personally lobbied for Dassault last week during a state visit. Boeing, for its part, was so committed to winning the contract that it opened a big corporate office in Brazil and named Donna Hrinak, a former U.S. ambassador to the country, as its top executive there.

The timing of the announcement surprised many analysts, who believed that the slowdown in Latin America's biggest economy, coupled with Rousseff's expected bid for re-election next year, would delay the purchase until 2015.

Indeed, the decision coincides with pressure on Rousseff from economists, the private sector and political opponents to curb public spending. Having initially increased government spending in efforts to spur growth, the president now faces growing criticism because of stubborn inflation and a worsening outlook for the country's budgetary targets.

Still, the country's current fleet of Mirage fighters, which the new jets will replace, is so old that the air force this week is taking them out of service. And Brazil's government said the money to pay for the jets would not come out of the budget until 2015, after the contract is finalized.

Analysts said the Gripen's cost advantage stems from its relative simplicity compared with the other jets.

"The Gripen is more accessible in terms of technology," said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group, a Virginia-based research company for aerospace and defense. "It's something Brazil could conceivable build itself."

At the briefing in which they announced their decision, government officials said Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer SA would be Saab's principal partner. The transfer of technology is crucial to help Brazil develop future generations of fighter aircraft.

"There isn't necessarily a need to produce all the parts in Brazil," Amorim, the defense minister said. "What's important is that specific aviation technology is transferred to Brazil so we can develop it."

The delta-winged Gripen, Swedish for Griffin, was first introduced into service in the late 90's and is currently flown by the Swedish, Hungarian, South African, Thai and Czech air forces, according to the company's website.

Saab shares rose 1.84 percent to 133 krona on Wednesday, their highest close in 10 days. Earlier in the day, they rose as much as 5.7 percent to 138 krona, the highest in five months.

Boeing shares fell 0.13 percent to $135.70 in New York, while Dassault Aviation shares fell 0.4 percent to 920 euros in Paris.

becos singapore will have 6, we can only satisfied with 4 max

one must not simply exceed singapore in arms procurement

remember that 

oh f**** F-16 32/52????

oh wait, next year procurement

still very ambitious

Thales Australia receives fresh orders of Victorian-manufactured vehicle

Posted about 7 days ago

Thales Australia’s Bushmaster has received fresh export orders from Japan and Indonesia, with strong interest expressed by Libya, making the Aussie-made Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) a rising star in the defence market.

According to a feature on The Telegraph, a total of 1045 units have been built at Thales’s factory at Bendigo in Victoria, which has 240 workers. Another 55 Bushmasters are set to come off the line by the end of 2015.

Sources say Japan has ordered 10 vehicles while Indonesia will take an initial order of three. Libya has expressed interest in between 100 and 400 of the 15-tonne armoured troop carrier.

Last week Thales Australia announced that it has signed a contract to supply 12 Bushmaster vehicles to the Jamaica Defence Force. A five-year support package is also included in the contract to ensure the highest levels of availability and performance.

Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said the Jamaican Defence Force has been eyeing the Bushmaster for some time now and the company is now pleased to add them as an export customer.

“The Bushmasters are ideally suited for both internal security and humanitarian operations. The inclusion of the support package demonstrates the customer’s trust in us to deliver and maintain an effective capability over several years,” Mr Jenkins said in a press release.

“Once again, the confidence shown in Bushmaster’s ability to protect troops and save lives reflects very well on the skills of Australian industry, and the important role that Thales and the 120 companies in the Bushmaster supply chain play in providing a unique Australian capability in protected vehicles.”

In the span of its service in Afghanistan, no soldier has been reported killed while riding the Bushmaster. Its success can be attributed to the heavily armoured V-shaped hull that directs blast away from its occupants.

A single Bushmaster costs in excess of $500,000. According to the Telegraph report it can transport 10 troops, and can itself be transported in a C-130 Hercules aircraft. The vehicle is powered by a Caterpillar 224 kW turbo diesel engine with a range of more than 800km.

Ex Forging Sabre 2013: Delivering the Punch on the Battlefield

23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery (23 SA) was put through the paces during the recent Exercise Forging Sabre (XFS). Equipped with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 23 SA is capable of delivering serious punch on the battlefield.

UAE Backs out of Typhoon Discussions

Dec. 19, 2013 - 01:59PM  | 
By ANDREW CHUTER and AWAD MUSTAFA  | 

LONDON AND DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has quit discussions with BAE Systems over the possible purchase of 60 Typhoon fighter jets, the company said.

BAE said in a statement Thursday that the Arabian Gulf state had informed the company it would not proceed with talks on a range of defense and security capabilities, including the Eurofighter Typhoon.

No reason for the scrapping of the talks has been given, but UAE sources said it was connected with easing of tensions in the Arabian Gulf region.

The British company has been leading talks for the Eurofighter consortium on a possible sale of the Typhoon to the UAE in competition with the Dassault Rafale and the Boeing F/A-18.

“BAE and the UK government have been in discussion with the UAE government regarding a range of defense and security capabilities including the potential supply of Typhoon aircraft. The UAE have advised that they have elected not to proceed with these proposals at this time,” the company said in a statement.

According to a UAE source close to the negotiations, the interim deal with Iran along with the direct diplomatic engagements the UAE has conducted have relaxed tensions between the gulf neighbors and contributed to the deal’s breakdown.

“At this point in time there is no need to acquire the weapons as our diplomatic efforts have succeeded,” the source said.

One industry source said the two sides had been unable to agree on price or close the gap on other aspects of the negotiations, including the industrial collaboration package.

“If they can find a solution to the problems, the door could still be open to Typhoon, but in the meantime I would expect France to re-energize its effort with the Rafale in the wake of losing in Brazil to the Gripen. It could also bring closer the day the UAE seeks to open a dialogue on the purchase of the F-35,” the source said.

In addition to the fighter talks, a defense agreement expected to be penned between the UK and the UAE has been put on hold regarding the UK assisting the UAE in marketing defense equipment to Europe, the source added.

The potential sale to UAE was a key export campaign in the Eurofighter consortium effort in the Middle East and elsewhere in an effort to keep production lines open beyond 2018.

Eurofighter partners include BAE, EADS and Finmeccanica.

The UAE originally preferred the Rafale but opened up the bidding to Typhoon and the F/A-18 after the two sides fell out over a range of issues.

In recent months, the Typhoon was reckoned to be ahead of its rivals in the bidding.

The Typhoon sales effort was part of a wider push by the British to boost defense relations with the UAE. The two sides have been negotiating a defense treaty, industrial collaboration and other investment opportunities.

The British Ministry of Defence declined to comment.

20 December 2013| last updated at 10:55PM

Kidnapped Taiwanese tourist rescued by Philippines security forces

KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippines security forces has successfully rescued the Taiwanese woman kidnapped from Pom Pom Island off Sabah on Nov 15, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar today.

Khalid in his Tweet offered his congratulations to the successful rescue of 58-year old Chang An Wei.

He said the woman was rescued in Sulu and is now being treated at Merin Hospital.

He said she would be flown to Zamboanga City tomorrow.

"Congratulations to the Philippine security forces; the Taiwanese national abducted on Pom Pom has been rescued," he tweeted this evening.
 
He also tweeted the Malaysian police were awaiting news on the latest development from the Philippine authorities.

Meanwhile, AFP reported Chang, also known as Evelyn Chang, was found by Philippine  marines at a village near Talipao, a town on the remote island of Jolo where  Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants are known to operate.

“She is in good condition,”  local marine brigade commander Colonel Jose  Cenabre told AFP by telephone.

The woman was taken to a military hospital for a medical check-up in the  town of Jolo, the capital of Jolo island, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles)  south of Manila, Cenabre added.
 
He said the identities of his kidnappers were unknown, though Abu Sayyaf  gunmen who are known carry out kidnappings operate in the area.
 
Press reports in Malaysia and Taiwan have said the woman and her husband  were holidaying on Pom Pom island in Sabah state, which is near the Sulu island  group that includes Jolo, when gunmen attacked on November 15.
 
The reports said the gunmen killed the husband and abducted the wife.
 
A Jordanian television reporter, Bakr Atyani, walked free from a Jolo  jungle earlier this month, 18 months after he was abducted by the Islamist  militants.
 
The Abu Sayyaf is a small Islamist movement that has been blamed for a  string of terrorist attacks and kidnappings of foreigners in the Philippines.
 
It was founded with seed money from Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network to  fight for an independent Islamic state, though it later turned into a criminal  gang.
 
US Special Forces have been rotating through Jolo and other parts of the  southern Philippines for more than a decade to train local troops battling the  group, which is on Washington’s list of “foreign terrorist organisations”. 
 
Philippine authorities say Abu Sayyaf gunmen are believed still to hold a  number of foreign as well as Filipino hostages on Jolo, including two European  birdwatchers and a Japanese treasure hunter.
 
Dutchman Ewold Horn and Lorenzo Vinciguerra of Switzerland were abducted in  the Tawi-Tawi island group near Jolo in February last year, while Amer Mamaito  Katayama of Japan was abducted on the island of Pangutaran near Jolo in July  2010.

As per Dec 17'13,
*    TNI AL received KCR 40m made by Palindo Batam (4 in total so far)

Boustead secures contract from Airbus

Published: 2013/12/20

KUALA LUMPUR: Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd’s (BHIC) unit, Contraves Advanced Devices Sdn Bhd, has secured a contract to manufacture and supply Airbus mission systems, spares and logistics with Cassidian Airborne Solutions GmbH.

BHIC said its unit signed a contract for the manufacture and supply of Airbus A400M mission systems, spares and logistics for an initial 140 shipsets, which would be implemented over a period of several years.

“The actual contract period will be determined by the drawdowns of the contract,” the company said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today.

Contraves Advanced Devices is a joint-venture company between BHIC Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company and Rheinmetall Air Defence AG.

Cassidian Airborne Solutions GmbH is a JV of Rheinmetall AG and EADS NV.

BHIC said the contract is not expected to have an impact on the group’s earnings for the current financial year ending Dec 31, 2013.

However, the contract will positively contribute to BHIC's future earnings. -- Bernama

dalam perkara yang x berapa nk berkaitan

These boats are perfect for ambushing passing warships inside their territory...

Launch the missile next to a small island and then hide behind that island

or

Launch the missile in the estuaries and sprint at full speed into the river and disappear
Naval defense with guerrilla mentality

France plays down failure of Brazil deal for Rafale

AFP Dec 19, 2013, 04.05PM IST

PARIS: Paris played down its failure to convince Brazil to buy French Rafale fighter jets, saying it still had hope for contracts with India and Gulf nations.

Brazil announced yesterday it had chosen Saab of Sweden's Gripen NG to meet a multi-billion-dollar contract for 36 new fighter jets, over Dassault's Rafale and US aviation giant Boeing's F/A-18.

The move was another blow to the Rafale programme, which has failed to win a single foreign sale after nearly three decades of development that has cost tens of billions of euros.

Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told Europe 1 radio that Brazil had not been "a priority target" for Rafale sales, despite President Francois Hollande personally lobbying for the deal during a state visit to Brazil last week.

"We have other bigger prospects," Le Drian said. "We have good reason to believe that for India and the Gulf, there will soon be results."

Dassault is in talks to finalise the sale of 126 Rafale fighters to India and has opened negotiations with the United Arab Emirates over the potential sale of 60 planes. Qatar and Kuwait have also indicated they are interested.

So far only the French air force is equipped with Rafales, which have been used in fighting in Libya and Mali.

To successfully employ hit & run tactic, missile boats must lie in wait and make the best of the surrounding terrain, because whatever they do, these boats will never outrun anti ship missiles in open seas

Well....I doubt these KCRs have sophisticated electronic countermeasures to defeat Exocet MM40 Block II/III or perhaps their own C-705

Small islands and rivers are their best defense to hide from detection and counter-fire

Tourists in Bali watched Indonesian's Army Hind during the APEC event in Bali a few months ago

hope gov will beli viper instead of tiger...............

DND seeks release of funds to buy Korean fighter jets

By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated December 26, 2013 - 7:02pm

MANILA, Philippines - The Defense department has asked Malacañang to allow the release of a 52-percent down payment to the South Korean firm that offered to supply 12 fighter jets to the military.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said they have submitted their recommendation to the Office of the President, which will have the final say on the matter.

“We recommended approval of the DP (down payment) and progress billing,” Gazmin said in a text message Thursday.

The law permits state agencies to pay a 15-percent down payment to suppliers while the rest of the amount would be paid upon the delivery of goods.

South Korean firm Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) wants the Philippines to pay 52 percent down payment to cover its manufacturing costs. Such payment scheme would require the approval of President Aquino.

Gazmin said the delivery of the jets may start in June 2015.

Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said negotiations are underway but declined to provide a deadline for the signing of the contract.

“We have settled the turnaround time issue. We are discussing the payment scheme,” he said in a separate interview.

“I’d rather not put a date on this,” he added.

The turnaround time is the period required for the delivery of the jets’ spare parts under a two-year warranty. Gazmin said both parties have agreed to set the turnaround time at 60 days.

The government plans to spend P18.9 billion to acquire 12 FA-50 jets from South Korea. The acquisition is part of the effort to boost the Air Force’s territorial defense capabilities.  Security officials started their negotiations with KAI in July.

Earlier, Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz said two FA-50 jets could be delivered by the end of 2014 if all the necessary documents are signed this year.

Officials, however, said it is unlikely that a deal would be reached this year.

The acquisition of FA-50 jets is one of the big ticket items in the military’s multi-billion upgrade program.

A total of P85.29-billion is needed to support the program for the next four years.

First submarine on the way to Vietnam

| VOV | December 25, 2013 09:11 PM

Heavy lift vessel Rolldock Sea is transporting Vietnam’s first submarine Kilo named Hanoi HQ 182 from Russia’s St Petersburg to Vietnam’s Cam Ranh port. 

The vessel is scheduled to stop over in Singapore before docking at Cam Ranh port late this week.

Hanoi HQ 182 is the first out of the six submarines St Petersburg-based Admiralty shipyard is building for Vietnam under a contract signed in 2009.

During a Russia visit in May, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived at the Shipyard, inspecting the trial run of the first submarine and training of Vietnamese crew.

The submarines, dubbed by the US Navy as “black holes in the ocean,” are renowned for their advanced technology, 20 nautical miles per hour cruising speed, 300m diving capability, and 52-member crew.

The submarines can also integrate cutting-edge weaponry including the Club-K anti-ship missile.