speaking about tanks, should M'sia have more budget in the future, will we buy more Pendekars or buy other tank? i don't seem to heard much news about new kind of tanks, any new tank development program you guys heard?

Malaysia would get more new mbt in future.
However for now we are more focus on esszone.
Priority should be given in new base, mpa, attack heli, utility heli, fac and patrol vessel.

Anyway it is most likely we will be using a more capable tank. Hopefully we will get something like t90ms or type 10.

Indonesia, US Deepen Defense Ties Amid Exercises and Arms Deals

Sep. 30, 2013 - 06:52PM  | 
By TIARMA SIBORO  |  Comments

JAKARTA — US and Indonesian military ties are growing as evidenced by US participation in the recent US-Indonesian joint-funded Counterterrorism Exercise (CTX) held Sept. 5-13 at Indonesia’s peacekeeping forces training center in Sentul, West Java.

Participants included all special operations forces of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries, plus eight counterpart states: the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, India and Russia.

However, Indonesia’s best special operations force, the infamous Kopassus, was excluded from participating in the CTX due to past US complaints about human rights abuses by the unit during the 1999 East Timor crisis, in which civilians were murdered, kidnapped and tortured.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) is implementing military modernization efforts, but excluding Kopassus remains a problem, experts say. The TNI suffered from the US arms embargo after the 1999 crisis. The Kopassus are the best trained and disciplined unit within TNI, and exclusion from training opportunities by the US will be difficult.

The US allowed the Kopassus to attend the CTX, but only as observers. The CTX was divided into several programs, including a tabletop exercise, practical exercise, discussions, information sharing and special simulation.

“Kopassus, just like US special operations, operates according to rule of law and under the direct control by civilian authorities,” said US Army Col. Mike Lwin, with Special Operations Command-Pacific, who led the US team to the CTX. “We know there are some problems in the past, and there are some processes that we are working through on both sides, but I think in general, we look forward to increase engagement over the future in accordance with our political direction with Kopassus. We see the need for increased relationships, and we are moving there. But we take guidance, of course, from our civilian leaders.”

Though planning for the CTX began in April 2012, a Kopassus source said the decision to exclude the elite unit from the tabletop exercise was made only days before the event officially kicked off. The tabletop exercise was fully funded by the US military.

In the wake of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations that followed the tsunami in Indonesia’s Aceh province in 2004, the US reviewed its restriction on arms sales and military cooperation with Indonesia. The US imposed the restriction after the Indonesian government failed to stop violence from taking place in East Timor amid the 1999 referendum for independence.

The revision was implemented in stages, first by lifting the embargo on US sales of non-lethal equipment. Contemporary threats — including terrorism and the rise in tension in the South China Sea — were part of the US motivation for change.

“Respecting the rule of law is a must, and countering terrorism should not be left alone to the hand of legal enforcers as it requires total response from all elements of the nation,” Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told Defense News. “We could achieve success in countering terrorism if we are able to deeply understand the philosophic and universal principle of terrorism, which has now been able to develop its modus operandi, ranging from the low-level to the high-level intensity.”

During his recent visit to Indonesia, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the US plan to sell a fleet of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the Indonesian Army for $500 million. As part of the package, the US also will offer training to Indonesian pilots on tactics, techniques and procedures for operating the Apache. The TNI expects to receive the first two Apaches by 2014, with final delivery by 2019.

In 2011, the US agreed to sell 24 used F-16 Block 25 fighter aircraft for US $700 million. As part of the deal, the US will upgrade the fighter jets to Block 52, to include supplying 18 air-to-ground missiles and 36 captive air training missiles.

The two squadrons of F-16s will join 16 Russian-made Sukhoi fighters — eight Su-27s and eight Su-30s — for the Indonesian Air Force. Another squadron of South Korean-built T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets is scheduled to arrive in 2014.

The Indonesian Navy is also undergoing modernization. Next year, the Indonesian Marine Corps will receive light patrol vessels, amphibious tanks and rockets. Two South Korean-made Chang Bongo-class submarines are slated to arrive next year, followed by a joint project with Indonesia’s state-owned PT Penataran Angkatan Laut (PT PAL) to produce a similar type of submarine as part of technology transfer agreement with South Korea.

The submarines’ technology is an upgrade from the German-designed HDW 209 and 214 types.

Indonesia requires more than just three submarines to safeguard its maritime coasts and exclusive economic zone. The Malacca Strait is one of the busiest waterways in the world. An ideal number of submarines for Indonesia would be 18 to 24 vessels.

On Sept. 24, the Indonesian Army began receiving German-made Leopard main battle tanks. The Indonesian Army has purchased 104 Leopard tanks and 50 Marder infantry fighting vehicles and other assorted vehicles from Germany.

The Indonesian government has decided to modernize its weaponry systems by allocating a budget of no less than 57 trillion rupiahs (US $5 billion) during the 2010-2014 fiscal period out of 156 trillion rupiahs allocated for the defense sector during the period.

Indonesia has pursued two mechanisms for procurement — imports and domestic development. Apart from PT PAL, Indonesia also has PT Pindad, a state-owned arms producer, and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI), which produces military aircraft. A number of aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force has come through the cooperation with PT DI, such as the Bell 412 helicopter, Bolcow 105 and Cassa 212.

For the Army, PT Pindad has supplied handguns and rifles.

The company also provides ammunition for small-caliber weapons as well as an armored vehicle, the six-wheel Panser APS.

maybe we should go for this.
type10 is unlikely with japan's laws

Not all Su-30, that may include refurbished F-16 Block 32 and KFX....although there's rumor that TNI-AU will purchase another squadron of Su-30MK2 under the next president's administration that begins next year.

Indonesia's GDP may reach $2000billion in 2024....that's 20bil based on current's percentage of budget defense to GDP..at 1 percent

The projected percentage of budget defense will be raised eventually to 2.5 percent...that's $50billion in 2024

So 8 fighter squadrons do sound plausible.....

Victor Komardin, Rosoboronexport deputy director general, told the media at LIMA 2013 that Indonesian officials have asked Russia to create a joint center for repair and maintenance of Sukhoi fighters, and Mil Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters in Indonesia. He believes the agreement could be signed before the planned rotation of the armed forces chiefs in the second half of the year. After the rotation, Russian salesmen expect resumption of negotiations on follow-on orders for the Su-30MK2, and even more advanced Su-35s, as well as other weapons on the Indonesian wish list.

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/par...ops-export-list

Malaysian ship KD Jebat (front) and Indonesian ship KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda anchored in Jervis Bay during the ADMM-Plus FTX.

Saab Receives Order for Combat Management and Radar Systems for Royal Thai Navy Frigate
 
(Source: Saab AB; issued Oct. 3, 2013)
 
Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Korea, for development and integration of combat management and radar systems on a new frigate for the Royal Thai Navy. The order amounts to MSEK 850.

The contract comprises of combat management system and radar system.

Saab is the combat system integrator. In addition to the supply of its own systems, Saab is also responsible for procurement and integrations of third-party systems.

Deliveries of ship equipment are scheduled to commence in 2016 and production will take place in Sweden, Denmark, Thailand and Australia.

L-R: Brunei Navy ship KDB Darulaman, Indonesian Navy ship KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda and Malaysian Navy ship KD Jebat steam in company during multi-national exercises in the Eastern Australian Exercise Area.

PT DI delivers CN-235 MP for the Navy

The Jakarta Post, Sukabumi | Archipelago | Thu, October 03 2013, 7:15 AM

State aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) delivered on Wednesday one CN-235 Maritime Patrol (MP) aircraft to the Defense Ministry, part of a contract for three airplanes.

The Indonesian Navy will operate the aircraft, whose contract was signed in December 2009. Currently, the Navy operates the smaller NC-212 MP aircraft, which is also made by PT DI at its facility in Bandung.

PT DI president director Budi Santoso said the order showed the trust in and support for the manufacturer’s products.

“We have replied with hard work and commitment by producing quality aircraft that are on time and on budget,” Budi said in a press release.

Separately, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the ministry needed at least 54 NC-212s and 21 CN-235s, while Navy chief of staff Adm. Marsetio said the aircraft would be procured by 2024.

The delivery of the two other CN-235 MPs are scheduled for December this year and February 2014.

they saw the singaporeans getting their leos cheap, and thought, why not? let's get it first and worry later. 
pretty sure BJ Habibie who spent many years in germany and is known to have close ties with german officials helped push the deal through.

@yinchet

speaking of the procurement of sgpv and possible lekiu batch 2,

do you guys know why malaysia did't buy the Nakhoda Ragam OPV from Brunei?

It is the same type with Lekiu right? f2000 iinm.

except it is heavily downgraded compare to the Lekius.
why dont the gov just buy it? expensive?

Tuesday, 08 October, 2013 | 12:56 WIB

TNI: New Defense System to be Completed in 2017

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Information Division at the Indonesia National Armed Forces (TNI) Brigadier General Rukman Ahmad, said that Indonesia's new primary defense system (alutsista) will arrive in 2017 at the latest.

"All new alutsista, including Apache helicopters, will arrive in 2017 at the latest," Rukmain said on Monday, October 7. "I have confirmed with the Army's logistics staff," he added.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoedin said that Indonesia would receive a number of new alutsista, which were expected to arrive in September 2013.

The new system includes hundreds of Leopard heavy tanks, dozens of amphibious tanks to guard the Indonesian coastline, a number of rockets for long-distance defense, and fighter planes.

Rukman explained that the Ministry of Defense has received a budget allocation of Rp 150 trillion (around US$13,02 billion) for alutsista improvements. The budget has been disbursed by the government in the past five years.

PRIHANDOKO

DND mulls submarine acquisition

(philstar.com)  | Updated October 7, 2013 - 3:07pm

MANILA, Philippines - A ranking military official presented plans on the acquisition of three submarines to boost the country's maritime defense.

Northern Luzon Command head Major Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said on Monday in a state news report that the Philippine Navy needs the stealth warships to monitor the Philippines' coastal territories.

Catapang said this amid the Chinese's presence in Philippine-claimed areas in the West Philippine Sea--a case elevated to a maritime arbitral tribunal at the Netherlands.

The official said the military plans to purchase the conventional-powered or diesel-electric submarines, which are generally cheaper than nuclear-powered units.

Also being eyed is the acquisition of six frigates for anti-air warfare, 12 corvettes for anti-submarine warfare, 18 offshore patrol vessels and three anti-mine warfare ships.

However, the paper presented by Catapang did not specify on how long and how much it will cost the Philippines to complete this acquisitions.

A brand new diesel-powered submarine unit costs $200 million to $500 million, while nuclear-run types are a hefty $2 billion each. - Camille Diola

LCS will begin operations in 2018, saya Hishammuddin

Posted on October 11, 2013, Friday

PORT KLANG: Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) will begin operations in 2018 and will be the main asset of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in safeguarding the country’s waters and sovereignty, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said six LCS will patrol the nation’s waters especially in areas of high economic activity.

At the same time, he said the Defence Ministry will also procure critical assets from countries which have a close relationship with Malaysia in the defence industry.

“Procuring defence assets this way is more cost effective and faster with lower risks as compared to developing an an indigenious (defence) industry,” he told a media group, including from Bernama, that was specially invited to tour two of the ships here yesterday.

The LCS were the KD Kelantan and KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil.

Elaborating further, Hishammuddin said the LCS initiative was a short-term measure to achieve ‘self-reliant’ status in developing the local defence industry and that major development like the LCS by using local companies would continue to be a model for procurement of defence assets for the nation.

He said the ministry was also making efforts to procure important assets like amphibious landing ships, fighter aircraft and tanks.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry was also drawing up plans to further boost the country’s defence capabalities which among others included setting up a marine operations force and building a new RMN base in Bintulu, Sarawak.

As such, Hishammuddin said in Budget 2014, the ministry would try to get a higher allocation to enable the procurement of new assets and equipment as well as upgrading existing assets in all three branches of the armed forces with the priority given to the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZONE). — Bernama

Thai military outline procurement shopping list

Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
13 October 2013
 
A diesel-electric submarine and another batch of six Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen combat aircraft are expected to be high on a shopping list of items that the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) wants to purchase by 2024.

An RTAF source confirmed to IHS Jane's recently that the list is being put together by RTAF Supreme Commander General Thanasak Patimaprakorn following a request from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is also Defence Minister.

The list is being drawn up in response to a requirement to replace a range of ageing RTAF materiel and to maintain the military balance with Thailand's peers in Southeast Asia, all of whom are pressing ahead with plans to modernise their respective military capabilities.
Shopping list

As well as the submarine, other military equipment expected to be on the Royal Thai Navy's (RTN's) shopping list include a multipurpose frigate from South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) - a follow-on order to the frigate ordered from DSME in August 2013; offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), likely to be based on BAE Systems' River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), one of which recently entered service with the RTN; and helicopters fitted with anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) outlined a requirement in September for at least six additional Gripen aircraft within the next decade to supplement the 12 in service. The RTAF is also looking to acquire search-and-rescue-capable utility helicopters, which is likely to centre on the purchase of Eurocopter EC725 platforms.

The Royal Thai Army is expected to request more Oplot main battle tanks from Ukraine; more armoured personnel carriers, also likely to be sourced from Ukraine; as well as a range of helicopters - including Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawks, Mil Mi-17V-5s and Eurocopter UH-72A Lakotas - to replace ageing Bell and Sikorsky platforms in service.

Submarine procurement

While most of the equipment to be requested by the RTAF is, to varying degrees, already anticipated by the government, it is the procurement of the submarine that will prove most contentious, given the RTN's previous efforts to acquire such a capability and the government's uncommitted stance on the programme.

However, the RTAF source told IHS Jane's that the purchase of the diesel-electric submarine is now being seriously considered. The main driver behind the purchase is the expected long-term impact of Thailand's significant involvement in the development of the deep-sea Dawei port off the Andaman Sea in Myanmar.

This port is forecast to commence operations in about 10 years and will enable Thailand, through its high investment and involvement in the project, to bypass the Gulf of Thailand in importing and exporting goods to Europe, India and the Middle East. The port is the brainchild of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, (Yingluck's brother) who was ousted in a military coup in 2006.

The RTAF source said that while the RTN's attention is currently drawn to the procurement of the first of two frigates from DSME, under a USD468 million contract signed in August, a team from the RTN has been undergoing a submarine technology training programme, held by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in Germany, with a view to a potential future purchase. The RTN, he said, has also invested in a range of submarine simulation and training systems, which are now installed at the RTN's Sattahip Naval Base.

He said: "The Navy's number one priority at the moment is the procurement of the frigate, but on 8 November a team that has been undergoing submarine training in Germany will return to Thailand. Another team is expected to go to South Korea shortly and with the knowledge from these two teams we will find the best solution for the RTN." He added: "This submarine programme will only be for a brand new submarine, we will not buy second-hand."

Bartering plans

With the growth of Thailand's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) slowing due to the country's dependency on exports to weakened economies and a cutback in domestic spending, the trajectory of Thailand's defence budget is forecast to remain relatively flat. According to IHS Jane's Defence Budgets , total defence spending climbed 7% in 2013 to about USD5.8 billion and will remain at around this level for the next few years.

This economic challenge coupled with a perceived requirement in Bangkok to bolster the country's agricultural industry have prompted the Thai government to consider purchasing the RTAF's list of required materiel through barter-trade. Underscoring this effort, Yingluck is reported to have sought support from RTAF leaders to purchase the military acquisition requirements through exchanges of "rubber, rice and chicken". Such barter trade deals will help Thai farmers, she said.

RTAF spokesman Group Captain Prapas Sonjaidee also confirmed to IHS Jane's in September that the service was looking at the possibility of acquiring additional Gripen aircraft through the exchange of chickens or other agricultural produce. "This is a possibility depending on the government's policy," he said. "We don't have a plan at the moment but a barter trade arrangement could be organised in the future."

seriously?



DAT COBRA

The US is also offering the AH-1Z Super Cobra to meet Malaysia's requirement for an attack helicopter. While Boeing has been marketing the AH-64 Apache, the prospect of a purchase by Kuala Lumpur is unlikely due to Malaysia's disinclination to buy key military equipment in service with its neighbours: the Apache is in service with Singapore and on order by Indonesia.