Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) displays Russian missiles at Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade

http://kementah.blogspot.com/2013/09/royal...f-displays.html

That's part of the CNIM PFM Motorized pontoon bridge.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Sep 22 2013, 02:42 PM

My video of the PT91M Pendekar in the new digital camouflage.



This post has been edited by xtemujin: Sep 23 2013, 05:01 PM

Malaysian Armed Forces, Special Forces, Grup Gerak Khas (GGK) in the new digital camouflage and PASKAU still in the old camouflage.


2013 SEPT Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Grand Parade, Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Sep 23 2013, 11:24 PM

South Korea dumps Boeing fighter jet tender, Lockheed soars back
By Joyce Lee and Ju-min Park | 24 September 2013 Tuesday | 11:47am EDT

(Reuters) - South Korea's government bowed to public pressure on Tuesday and voted down a bid by Boeing (BA.N) to supply 60 warplanes, saying it would restart the multi-billion tender process to get a more advanced, radar-evading fighter.

Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N) F-35A, previously considered too expensive, has shot to the front of the line in the race for the contract after the defence ministry singled out a fifth-generation fighter as the preferred option.

The fifth generation F-35A, complete with its hi-tech stealth capability, has already been ordered by the United States and seven other countries, including Japan and Israel.

Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle, the only bid within budget, had been poised to win the 8.3 trillion won ($7.7 billion) tender. But former military top brass and ruling party lawmakers had criticised the plane for lacking stealth capabilities.

"Our air force thinks that we need combat capabilities in response to the latest trend of aerospace technology development centered around the fifth generation fighter jets and to provocations from North Korea," defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters.

Experts said the phrasing of that statement meant Boeing had a slim chance in the next round. While the F-15 Silent Eagle offered passive stealth, its electronic warfare equipment left it visible to adversaries.

A third bid by the Eurofighter consortium's Typhoon was also ruled out for going over the finance ministry's budget. Under South Korean law, only bids under budget are eligible to win defence contracts.

Experts said a deal with Boeing or Lockheed Martin was most likely because of South Korea's close military alliance with the United States against the belligerent North.

The South Korean government and air force will map out a fresh tender process and consider a new budget, possibly reducing the number of planes sought to 40 or 50.

The defence ministry said it could take around one year to complete the new tender round.

"DAPA...will swiftly pursue the program again in order to minimize the vacuum in combat capabilities," South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which led the assessment of the fighters, said in a statement.

FRESH START FOR LOCKHEED

The collapse of the deal means a fresh start to Lockheed Martin, which has recently taken a new order from the Netherlands for the F-35. Britain, Australia, Italy, Norway, Israel and Japan have also placed orders.

Lockheed has set its sights on additional orders from Norway, Britain and Turkey before year's end.

Increased production of the F-35 aircraft could allow the U.S. government and Lockheed to lower the tender bid. A U.S. Air Force general vowed this month to keep lowering the cost to build and operate the F-35.

"We will continue to support the U.S. government in its offer of the F-35A to Korea," Lockheed Martin's South Korean representative said after the decision.

In Washington, the Pentagon's F-35 program office said it had not been officially notified of South Korea's decision, but was ready to support Seoul's efforts to buy a fighter jet.

U.S. military officials say the biggest strength of the F-35, in addition to radar-evading coatings and configuration, is its ability to fuse data from other aircraft and sensors. This allows it to help identify targets for other fighters, and essentially command the battlefield.

Richard Aboulafia with the Virginia-based Teal Group said the decision was bad news for Boeing, which is bracing for slowing production of other aircraft, including its C-17 transport plane and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter.

He said there was still a small chance that South Korea could decide to buy an additional squadron of F-15K fighters.

Boeing said in a statement it was deeply disappointed by the decision. The company has spent significant sums to develop the Silent Eagle variant of the F-15 and has cultivated strong ties to South Korean industry.

"We await details from DAPA on its basis for the delay while evaluating our next options," Boeing said.

A DAPA official said South Korea had followed the rules in the bidding process, but declined to comment on possible legal action by Boeing.

A local representative of the Eurofighter consortium said it would participate when the project restarted.

The DAPA had estimated that any delay in the tender process could leave the South Korean air force 100 fighters short of the 430 jets deemed necessary by 2019.

Last month, 15 South Korean former air force chiefs signed a petition opposing selection of the F-15, saying it lacked stealth capabilities of more modern aircraft.

($1 = 1073.9500 Korean won)

(Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa in Washington; Editing by Jeremy Laurence and David Gregorio)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/...E98N00R20130924

Indonesia’s Air Force Adds More Flankers
By Defense Industry Daily staff | 6 September 2013 Friday | 18:00 UTC

Sept 05/13: Delivery. The final 2 of 6 Su-30MK2s ordered in 2011 have been delivered at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base, along with 13 technicians to help with assembly. Sources: Jakarta Post, ITAR-TASS.

Indonesia’s turn toward Russian fighters stemmed partly from necessity. Its 12 remaining F-16A/Bs and 16 remaining F-5E/F fighters experienced severe maintenance problems in the wake of a US embargo, triggered by the Indonesian military’s widespread human rights abuses in East Timor. Its 30+ single-seat Hawk 209 sub-sonic light combat aircraft, derived from the trainer jets the TNI-AU also operates, were the country’s only fighter alternative.

A $192 million contract began to address that in 2003, by buying 2 SU-27SK single-seat and 2 SU-30MK twin-seat multi-role fighters from Russia. Indonesia submitted a formal request to buy 24 used F-16s in 2011, but it isn’t backing away from its high-end Flanker fleet. In fact, the TNI-AU has steadily added more. Now, they’re reaching out to their neighbors for training and support.

Flankers for Indonesia’s Fighter Force

Indonesia’s TNI-AU has now ordered 16 SU-27 family fighters: 2 SU-27SK, 3 SU-27SKM, 2 SU-30MK, and 9 SU-30MK2.

The SU-27SKM and SU-30MK2 export variants are the result of parallel upgrade programs. They share many modifications, including the addition of digital cockpits with updated avionics, additional wing hardpoints, carrying capacity upgrades to 8,000 kg of weapons, a wider variety of weapon options, upgraded radars and ECM (Electronic CounterMeasures to jam enemy radars etc.), and in-flight refueling capability.

These modifications change the SU-27SK from a dedicated air superiority fighter to a multi-role fighter and attack aircraft. The SU-30, which has always been multi-role, is simply improved. Both of the new variants share the Sukhoi Flanker family’s combination of long range, large payloads, and air to air performance that can match any American fighter except the F-22A Raptor.

Those capabilities, and Russia’s policy of avoiding political conditions on its weapon sales, nudged Indonesia into a tilt toward Russia as a weapons supplier. A $192 million contract began to address the problems created by the US embargo in 2003, by buying 2 SU-27SK single-seat air superiority fighters and 2 SU-30MK twin-seat multi-role fighters through Rosoboronexport.

The TNI-AU’s tily toward Russia continued, despite the lifting of the US embargo in November 2005. Russia’s MAKS air show doesn’t have quite the international clout of Farnborough or Le Bourget, but the price and quality of modern Russian fighters ensures its place on the international circuit. For MAKS 2007, its top military contract came on opening day. Rosoboronexport State Corporation and the Republic of Indonesia signed a $355 million Memorandum of Understanding for 3 SU-27SKM and 3 SU-30MK2 Flanker family fighters, building on the 2003 deal, and taking the country’s ordered fleet to 10 planes.

A month later, that purchase was followed by a $1.2 billion wish list of Russian submarines, armored vehicles, and armed helicopters. That wish list didn’t fully materialize, but the end of 2011 saw another 6 SU-30MK2s bought from Russia, bringing the fighter deals’ totals to 16 fighters and about $1.02 billion.

Simulator training is currently a co-operative venture with the Chinese, but by 2014, Indonesia expects to have its own virtual training infrastructure.

It’s all part of an oil-fueled modernization drive, backed by increased military spending. For more on the strategic and procurement issues tied up in this purchase, see the Additional Readings section, below, for UPI analyst Martin Sieff’s “Jets for Jakarta: A Whole New Strategic Game For Australasia”, and Air Power Australia’s “Sukhoi Flankers: The Shifting Balance of Regional Air Power”.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/indone...flankers-03691/



Indonesia receives last delivery of Sukhoi Flanker fighter jets, completing full squadron
By Abu Hanifah | 25 September 2013 Wednesday | 20:33:38

JAKARTA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has received the last delivery of Sukhoi fighter jets it ordered from a Russian producer, thus turning its Sukhoi Flanker air superiority fighter jet fleet into one full squadron.

The delivery of the last two Su-30 Mk2 planes took place on Wednesday in Indonesian air forces base of Hasanuddin, located in the capital city of South Sulawesi province, Makassar where the air forces' 11th squadron wing 5 is based.

Those two fighter jets were delivered in unassembled forms, transported by Antonov 124-100 from Russian city of Khabarovsk and made a stopover in the Philippines' Ninoy Aquino Manila airport.

With the last delivery of the Su-30 Mk2, Indonesia now has one full squadron of Flanker air superiority fighter jet fleet that consists of 16 Su-27 SKM and Su-30 Mk2 planes. Those planes were produced by Russian aviation industry of KNAPO (Komsomolsk-na Amure Aircraft Production Association).

Delivery of Sukhoi's Flankers fighter jet planes to Indonesia initially commenced in 2003, followed by further deliveries in 2009, 2010 and 2013.

Indonesia's Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who witnessed the last delivery of Sukhoi Su-30 Mk2 at the air forces' base, said that the nation has spent a total of 1.17 billion U.S. dollars to buy all of those 16 planes as well as on ammunitions, pilot training programs and logistic.

Purnomo said that funds to finance the procurement of those planes were allocated from state budget and foreign loans. According to Purnomo, procurement of those planes were conducted in different batch of contracts at different prices.

"Price in the initial procurement period was expensive. Due to technical specification of the plane, the prices have been different from time to time. We have been transparent in disclosing both the number of the procured planes and the prices," the minister was quoted by local media as saying.

Since the last batch of Su-30 Mk2 planes were delivered in unassembled form, it takes a week to assemble the planes into ready-to-fly form and six more days of waiting before their first flight tests be conducted, the Hasanuddin air forces base spokesperson Major Sus Mulyadi said.

He added that the assembling of those planes would be jointly conducted by Russian and Indonesian technicians at the air forces base's technical squadron facility.

All of those Sukhoi Flanker fighter jets would be stationed in Indonesian air forces' 11th air squadron in Makassar under the codename "The Thunders."

Indonesia saw deliveries of other military planes designated for pilot training and light attack purposes in the last few weeks. Those planes, including Grob G120 TP-A and T 50 Golden Eagle planes, arrived at two of Indonesian air forces bases in Java.

Those planes were ordered from Germany and South Korea with deliveries of one full squadron for each type of the plane expected to take place this year and next year respectively.

The nation now is also expecting the delivery of 24 F-16 used fighter jets provided by the U.S. government as a grant to Indonesia. The air forces also expect delivery of four C130 Hercules military cargo planes granted by Australian government.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/20...c_132750291.htm



This post has been edited by xtemujin: Oct 1 2013, 12:58 AM

Indonesia Reveals Plan to Boost Defense
By SP/Yeremia Sukoyo & SP/Robertus Wardi | 27 September 2013 Friday | 8:40 am

Makassar. The Indonesian Defense Force is set to receive an upgrade with plans to train more pilots and add eight new squadrons of fighter jets.

“We hope that by 2024 we will have eight squadrons of fighter aircraft,” Air Chief Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia said on Wednesday after receiving six Russian-made Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 fighter aircraft. Each squadron is expected to consist of 16 Sukhoi jets.

Ida said the Sukhoi jets were sophisticated fighter aircraft that offered a high deterrent power, which will strengthen the Indonesian Air Force.

The deal on the Sukhois also came with an agreement to train pilots for Squadron 11 at Hasanuddin air base.

Sukhoi technology will also be upgraded regularly to keep up with the rapid technological development, Ida said.

“[We] have a sufficient number of pilots to operate them. But we are also preparing pilots for new fighter aircraft,” he said.

Ida added that the military also hopes to replace its old F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft with aircraft that are more advanced both in terms of technology and weaponry.

“We are looking at our options as it is important to find a more sophisticated replacement,” he said.

The Hasanuddin airbase in Makassar will also be fully equipped with new weaponry, including munitions, the air marshal confirmed.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro confirmed the government’s plan to replace its F-5 Tigers.

He said that aside from the Sukhoi jets, the military had also received the delivery of one squadron of T-50s (Baby F-16s) from South Korea at the Iswahyudi military airbase in Madiun, East Java.

Meanwhile human rights activists have raised concerns over the government’s purchase of sophisticated spying equipment from United Kingdom-based company Gamma TSE, which has a history of supplying oppressive regimes.

But Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Sisriadi said the procurement of new intelligence devices was part of the government’s efforts to modernize its primary weaponry defense systems and that the devices were needed for exchanging information with Indonesia’s defense attaches across the world and to prevent them from being intercepted by irresponsible parties.

“We will use it only for strategic intelligence, not intelligence related to crimes, bank robberies or other [threats],” the defense minister said.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indone...-boost-defense/

New indoor firing range complex to sharpen SAF firepower
By Jermyn Chow | 4 October 2013 Friday | 12:29 PM

Singapore's soldiers will now spend a lot more time sharpening their marksmanship at the Republic's latest indoor firing range that went fully-operational on Friday.

The new Multi-Mission Range Complex will help combat troops to increase their markmanship training by up to 60 per cent.

This is because the three-storey marksmanship training centre allows more soldiers to hone their skills within a shorter time. With the new complex, 900 soldiers can complete their shooting tests within a day. Previously, they would take two or three days.

The complex is also the world's first marksmanship training centre to house seven different firing ranges that can simulate both day and night shooting environment. Soldiers will be put through scenarios that hone their instincts and ability to judge if they are shooting a friend or foe.

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...epower-20131004

Nice videos of the Afghanistan army and police.

http://vimeo.com/user19821173

The RMAF A400M will highly be showcased at the 2015 LIMA, Malaysia.

Why China Wants the Su-35
By Peter Wood | 10 October 2013 Thursday | 04:19 PM



http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=...bd#.UmVxYqNhiK0

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Oct 22 2013, 01:02 PM

Chief of Army of the Malaysian Armed Forces Makes Introductory Visit to Singapore
22 October 2013 Tuesday | 1630 hours

GEN Raja Affandi driving a Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle during his visit to Headquarters 3rd Singapore Division this morning.



The Chief of Army of the Malaysian Armed Forces, General (GEN) Datuk Raja Mohamed Affandi bin Raja Mohamed Noor, called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence this afternoon.

As part of his introductory visit to Singapore from 21 to 22 October 2013, GEN Raja Affandi also called on Chief of Army Major-General Ravinder Singh after inspecting a Guard of Honour. Both sides reaffirmed the warm and professional cooperation between the two armies. Earlier today, GEN Raja Affandi also visited Headquarters 3rd Singapore Division where he drove a Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle.

GEN Raja Affandi's visit underscores the warm and long-standing defence relationship between Singapore and Malaysia. The armies of both countries interact regularly in a range of activities, including professional exchanges, the annual bilateral Exercise Semangat Bersatu, and multilateral activities under the ambit of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus framework. These interactions have enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the two armies.

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_roo...LKC5bPc.twitter

The image below demonstrates the comparative ranges (two way) of Su-27s (thick yellow lines), Su-35s flying on internal fuel (thick red lines) and Su-35s with two drop tanks (thin red lines) flying from two major air bases in China. Note: All distances are estimated combat radii.

Tampa to become epicenter of international special operations coordination
By Howard Altman | 18 October 2013 Friday

U.S. Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, just launched a new initiative that will make Tampa the epicenter of international special operations coordination.

On Oct. 1, as the government shutdown and 1,500 civilian Department of Defense employees at MacDill were sent home, Socom was quietly starting up the International Special Operations Forces Coordination Center. The center, known as the ISCC, for the first time provides foreign special operations liaisons space in Socom headquarters to coordinate on special operations activities around the world.

“This is huge,” said Army Col. Stu Bradin, the ISCC chief. “This is a great commitment from our nation and their nations to do this.”

Though Socom has long worked with foreign partners, the center, now in its interim phase, will help integrate foreign special operations forces into Socom commander Adm. William McRaven’s vision for a global special operations force that ensures small regional issues don’t become major theater operations the U.S. can’t afford in blood or treasure, according to Bradin and other Socom officials in charge of the program.

The center was created for “frankly, preventing and deterring regional conflicts, facilitated at a strategic level at Socom,” said Army Col. David Athey, the ISCC deputy.

“We currently have 12 representatives from 10 nations here,” said Athey. “They are the senior special operations forces representatives from their nations. Adm. McRaven invited them here...”

The concept is simple enough.

Special operations leaders from around the world can increase cooperation, reduce inter-force and regional conflicts and better stop trouble before it starts, or react to it more quickly once it does, by gathering in the same room, with the ability to communicate on a secure, common system.

But turning that concept into a reality has been complex, Athey said.

Though McRaven runs Socom, he still needs the ok from the Pentagon to decide which countries take part in the new center. The Pentagon’s policy office, working with the State Department, negotiates 10-year Memoranda of Agreement so that countries can send liaisons and exchange information, said Air Force Lt. Col. Kurt Spranger. Those representatives pay their own way to be in Tampa, Athey said.

Those agreements will give the concept staying power beyond the tenure of McRaven, who took over Socom in August of 2011. Since Socom’s 1987 inception, commanders have averaged about three years at the helm, with McRaven’s predecessor Adm. Eric Olson the longest-serving Socom commander at a little more than four years.

And, though Socom will oversee coordination efforts, there will be no command and control at the ISCC. Any plans to use special operations forces must be approved by geographic combatant commanders like Army Gen. Lloyd Austin III, who runs U.S. Central Command and executed by theater special operation commanders like Army Maj. Gen. Michael K. Nagata, who runs U.S. Special Operations Command Central. Both of those commands are also headquartered at MacDill.

The geographic combatant commanders like Austin and theater special operations commanders like Nagata are drawing up their priorities for the use of special operations force as well as providing input into which nations they want stronger partnerships with and should be invited into the ISCC, Athey said.

One of McRaven’s objectives is that the ISCC won’t just consist of military organizations. He wants organizations like the FBI, DEA and Department of Homeland Security to also take part, bringing their expertise and assets into the mix.

Additionally, the command is working on a campaign plan and will seek input from interagency partners. The plan has to be approved by the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sometime next week, the command will send the campaign plan to the Joint Staff for review, said Bradin, “that brings together all the (special operations forces) activities.” Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel “has agreed to review that plan. It is a big deal for us. Huge. It’s never been done here before.”

For foreign military representatives, the ISCC will have some significant advantages over how their colleagues work with Centcom, said Athey.

Centcom has long had a coalition village, made up of about 50 countries who are assisting with U.S. military efforts in Centcom’s region. But senior national representatives from those countries work in a separate building from Centcom on separate computer systems.

It’s one thing to bring people into a room. But it’s another thing to have a communications system that not only allows international partners to communicate with their commanders, but also allows access to certain layers of U.S. classified information to fully manifest the special operations ethos of quick, decisive action.

To that end, Socom is using a modified version of the existing U.S. Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System - the NATO communications backbone - to allow communication between networks. In some cases, that will require an exception to the national disclosure policy prohibiting foreign access, an exception Socom is seeking, Athey said.

The Centcom system “was limiting and isolated” the coalition partners, said Spranger, the ISCC’s Partner Nation Integration Team Chief.

He should know.

For three years, he worked at Centcom’s coalition village running its information sharing division.

“Unlike Centcom, it won’t be a one-way flow of information,” said Spranger. “This is a two-way flow. It is not just information for information, but information for action.”

But foreign partners won’t be able to randomly surf through U.S. classified networks, said Spranger.

“There are a lot of firewalls,” to the new system, called BICES-X, he said.

Bringing foreign special operators into the Socom headquarters, and creating a new communications system, will encourage collaboration, Athey said.

“The sole purpose of the ISCC is that integration of allies within the Global SOF campaign plan,” said Athey, “so we can leverage where certain security interests align between nations.”

This is especially important with the coming end of combat operations in Afghanistan, said Athey.

“We are trying to build on the successes we’ve had in the past 12 years of conflict,” said Athey. “We integrate with our allies very easily in those constructs. We don’t fight by ourselves anymore. We rely tremendously on our allies to deconflict where their security interests are to what our objectives are.”

The problem, said Athey, “is what we don’t do is translate that in peace time. We don’t partner with our allies in peace time. We get into U.S.-specific operations and what we are trying to do here is leverage our experience over the last 12 years and better integrate our allies” into the early phases of operations.

Right now, Jordan, South Korea, Italy, Poland, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Lithuania, Hungary and New Zealand are represented at the ISCC, said Athey. Over the next year to 18 months, another two dozen or so nations will be represented, he said.

Construction work is currently underway at Socom headquarters to accommodate the international partners, which is a complex undertaking.

“I am not sure when the renovations will be done,” said Athey, estimating that it might be by next Spring. “There are a thousand different engineering factors.”

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/tampa-to-be...nation-1.247971

Battle for the skies
Test of Indonesian air force's prowess also sending a political signal
By Zakir Hussain | 23 Octotober 2013 Wednesday

NEXT Monday, the usually quiet skies over the Natuna Islands will be abuzz as Indonesia's air force stages its largest annual exercise over the South China Sea, in a scenario that involves recapturing an airbase from the enemy and reclaiming control over Indonesian territory.

Close to 2,000 officers and 43 aircraft - including eight Hawk jets, six Sukhois, five F-16s and four Super Tucanos - will be deployed.

Codenamed Angkasa Yudha - battle for the skies - 2013, the exercise comes at a time when tensions in the South China Sea remain high and a key concern for military strategists.

"The exercise aims to test the strength of our personnel and weapons and improve their professional combat capabilities," an air force spokesman, First Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, told The Straits Times.

Mr Ristian Atriandi Supriyanto, an associate research fellow of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told The Straits Times that while these drills are an opportunity to test defence capabilities, they also send a political signal.

"In this sense, the exercises are meant to reassert and demonstrate Indonesia's sovereignty in the Natunas," he said.

The oil- and gas-rich Natunas are located between the Malaysian peninsula and Borneo and are a source of gas for Singapore.

Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending from the Natunas overlaps with waters under the so-called nine-dotted line, a demarcation line used by China for its claims in the South China Sea, although Chinese officials have reportedly given Indonesia private assurances that it does not claim the islands or their EEZ.

Mr Supriyanto said Indonesian military planners are concerned that if conflict were to occur, there could be potential damage to Indonesia's offshore infrastructure, particularly oil and gas, in the Natunas, as well as the security of its shipping lanes through the South China Sea.

Some 70,000 people live in the 272-island Natuna archipelago, which lies an hour by air from Batam.

Concerns over China's claims in the area are not new. In 1996, Indonesia conducted a military exercise involving more than 19,000 troops, 50 warships and 40 combat aircraft in the Natunas, attracting a response from Beijing not to "complicate" the situation.

Several tense incidents and a recent review of Indonesia's strategic environment by the Indonesian Armed Forces have again raised the spectre of conflict in the area.

In late March, a Fisheries Ministry patrol boat briefly detained a Chinese fishing vessel off the Natunas, but was asked by a Chinese patrol boat to release the fishermen and their boat.

Indonesia's Navy is also organising a multilateral exercise off the Natunas early next year, and has invited navies from the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus members, which include the United States and China, to take part in the drill which will focus on humanitarian relief.

Dr Kusnanto Anggoro of the Indonesian Defence University said Indonesia's defence and foreign ministries have been cautious, maintaining the position that Indonesia is not a claimant state in the territorial dispute.

However, military strategists, including the air force and navy chiefs, are more assertive and their concerns include skirmishes, blockades or even incursions into Indonesian territory, he added.

"For political officials, conflict in Natuna and the South China Sea is potential; for the military, these conflicts are existential," he said.

zakirh@sph.com.sg

BACKGROUND STORY

ANGKASA YUDHA 2013

Indonesia's air force stages its largest annual exercise over the South China Sea

2,000 officers

43 aircraft


SHOW OF FORCE

In this sense, the exercises are meant to reassert and demonstrate Indonesia's sovereignty in the Natunas.

- Mr Ristian Atriandi Supriyanto, an associate research fellow of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

http://www.stasiareport.com/the-big-story/...-skies-20131023

From Alert 5


French Army chief of staff confirms talks with Malaysia for the sale of 2nd-hand Tigre HAP attack helicopters.

2013 Exercise Hillcrest, Homeland security exercise, Singapore


Highcrest military exercise nears end with Tanah Merah ‘attack’
By Kok Xing Hui | | 6 November 2013 Wednesday |

PM Lee witnesses simulation of a terrorist attack, hostage rescue at ferry terminal as 2-week-long Exercise Hillcrest 2013 nears conclusion

SINGAPORE — The National Maritime Security System’s (NMSS) two-week long exercise was put through its final paces today (Nov 6) when it responded to a multi-pronged terrorist attack involving a hijacked ferry and hostage rescue, among many other scenarios.

Exercise Highcrest 2013, involving 1,600 personnel from 20 national agencies, was initiated to validate the NMSS’ ability to make sense of intelligence and provide warnings to security agencies on land and sea national security threats.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other ministers witnessed the exercise this afternoon, when the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Police Coast Guard (PCG) and Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) came together to storm a hijacked vessel approaching Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

At the same time, two speedboats were intercepted by the RSN, the PCG and the Special Task Squadron near the terminal. Afterwards, the SOTF along with the Special Operations Command were deployed to act against multiple gunmen on a shooting rampage, and to rescue hostages on a coach bus at the ferry terminal.

Co-organised by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs, this is the first simulated exercise that had land agencies involved from the beginning, sharing information and coordinating operational responses to a terrorist attack on both land and sea.

Previous exercises that the NMSS was involved in, such as NorthStar VIII in 2011, focused solely on maritime threats. Land threats, when present, were passed to land agencies to deal with.

Also present to witness Exercise Highcrest were Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office S Iswaran, as well as senior officials from the various ministries.



Video.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=680314785334324

First ever combat for Rooivalk
By Dean Wingrin | 5 November 2013 Tuesday



After three decades of development and a development cost in excess of R8 billion, the South African designed and built Rooivalk attack helicopter has finally deployed operationally.

Now, not only has it been deployed operationally for the first time, but it has also fired its guns in anger.

Three Rooivalk helicopters, belonging to 16 Squadron based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein, were airlifted to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a week ago. They form part of the aviation unit of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and its Force Intervention Brigade (FIB). South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi's soldiers are all part of the United Nations (UN) intervention brigade to bring the various rebel groups operating in the east of the DRC, including the M23 rebels, under control.

Darren Olivier, of African Defence Review, has reported that two SAAF Rooivalk helicopters flew the craft's first ever combat mission yesterday afternoon at approximately 17h00 Congolese time. They fired multiple 70mm rocket salvos against M23 bunkers near the mountainous Chanzu region, close to the Rwandan border.

Olivier notes that early reports from sources in the area indicate that the action was successful, with the Rooivalks' tactical approach through the clouds taking the M23 defenders by surprise and their rocket fire being accurate enough to disperse them and destroy one of the 14.5 mm anti-aircraft guns that had been previously used to fire at the Rooivalks and other helicopters.

The attack was combined with a renewed FARDC assault and subsequent claims by the DRC government that the remaining M23 senior commanders have now fled across the border into Rwanda. However this could not be independently verified.

The Rooivalk project started its design phase in 1984 and had its first flight in April 1990. The development and manufacturing programme only concluded in 2011 when the eleven remaining airframes were upgraded to the "Block 1F" deployment baseline standard.


http://www.saairforce.co.za/news-and-event...at-for-rooivalk

The Republic of Singapore Air Force warmly welcomes Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Air Force) to Singapore for Exercise Bersama Lima 2013.
7 November 2013 Thursday


As part of the exercise, a Fighter Cross Deployment was held between the RSAF and the RMAF today. The RMAF deployed five Hawks to Changi Air Base (East), while five RSAF F-16 Fighting Falcons were also deployed to Kuantan Air Base in Malaysia.

Exercises Bersama Lima is a major Five Power Defence Arrangements exercise designed to enhance regional security and foster cooperation among its member countries, namely Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.



http://www.facebook.com/TheRSAF

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Nov 7 2013, 11:39 PM

New offshore patrol vessels for Royal Navy
6 November 2013 Wednesday

MOD plans to commission 3 new ocean-going offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Navy.

The new ships will be built by BAE Systems at their shipyards on the Clyde in a deal that will sustain jobs in the UK’s warship-building industry, and will play a key role in counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations.

The agreement with BAE Systems provides work for the company between the completion of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, securing the vital skills needed to build the UK’s future warships.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is also announcing today that more than £100 million will be invested in Her Majesty’s (HM) Naval Base Portsmouth, which will be home to both HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. The money will expand the dockyard to ensure it is ready for the arrival of the Royal Navy’s biggest ever warships as well as for the Type 45 destroyers which are based in Portsmouth.

Under the terms of a business agreement signed with BAE Systems in 2009, MOD would have been liable to pay for any periods when no shipbuilding was taking place at UK yards.

Building offshore patrol vessels means not only are staff at BAE Systems able to continue to work and maintain their skills, but also the Royal Navy benefits from 3 new ships and the taxpayer gets much better value for money.

The cost of building the ships is funded from money that would have been used to pay for idle capacity, finance redundancies and meet the cost of industrial restructuring.

Portsmouth will maintain its proud maritime heritage as the home of much of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet and the centre of BAE Systems’ ship support and maintenance business.

Mr Hammond said:

“This deal will provide the Royal Navy with 3 brand new maritime patrol vessels with a wide range of capabilities which will support our national interests and those of our overseas territories.

“This is an investment not only in 3 ships but also in this country’s warship-building industry. It prevents workers standing idle and sustains the vital skills needed to build the planned Type 26 frigate in the future.

“I am also pleased to announce additional investment in Portsmouth Naval Base to prepare for the significant increase in tonnage as the home port for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers and destroyers.”

Work on the new offshore patrol vessels is due to begin next year, with the first ship being delivered to the Royal Navy in 2017. The ships are expected to replace the current, smaller River Class vessels, HM Ships Tyne, Severn and Mersey, which have been policing the UK’s waters since 2003, but a final decision will be taken in the next strategic defence and security review.

Admiral Sir George Zambellas, the First Sea Lord, said:

“These new patrol vessels will build on the proven performance of the River Class by adding a flight deck to take the Navy’s Merlin helicopters and by adding operational flexibility through extra storage capacity and accommodation. They are very welcome.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-offs...-for-royal-navy