Going, Going, Gone

Marhalim Abas February 2, 2014 budget, Malaysian Army

SHAH ALAM: Before I go further, let me wish a Happy Lunar New Year to all those celebrating. Anyhow, I initially thought I will be hunkering down for the holidays and there was no need to update the site. But then came the reports that Malaysia was buying the Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack helicopter.

With various readers asking me about the report, despite the answers I gave in the comments section, I believed I need to respond to the questions in a separate post.

The original story about the Tiger came from the French defence magazine Air-Cosmos website. As the story was in French, I had to use Google Translate to read it.

The story was basically headlined “When Will Malaysia Signed the Contract for Tiger HAP?”. In short, it stated that Malaysia had asked for six Tiger helicopters to be delivered in early 2014. However, despite readying six Tiger HAP (support protection) from the stocks of the French Army Light Aviation (ALAT) there was no word when the contract will be signed. Nonetheless, the report said that Airbus Helicopters was confident that the project will continue in the near future as Malaysia was a good customer for its products.

Reading the story, I immediately understood what was reported – we gave an RFP and they responded. However, we have not followed up with a contract and therefore the project was pending.

As I had responded in the comments, the project will not proceed as no money was made available for it as I had mentioned previously in my review of the 2014 budget. Yes, I had posted stories on RMN and RMAF following the announcement of the budget but had not done so for the Army.

It is not for the lack of trying but for the lack of material. Like his predecessors, Army Chief Jen Datuk Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor is reticent to talk about specific platforms. When met two weeks back, Raja Mohamed Affandi said “No” three times to all of my questions regarding the 2014 budget. On why, he answered: “Tiada Fulus (No Money).

Following the publication of the Air-Cosmos story, I checked again with Jen Raja Mohamed Affandi and again he replied in the negative.

Anyhow, the word is that the decision to delay the Tiger project may now be tied to the the Marines Corps programme. On Jan 14, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was reported as saying that Malaysia was mulling the idea of adopting the United States’ marines military model to further strengthen the Armed Forces maritime capacity. He said the ministry had invited United States maritime warfare experts to Malaysia to discuss the matter.

With US Marines working with the Armed Forces to formulate a military model for the Marine Corps, do you really think they will favour the Tiger? Yes, we will have a lot of say on the equipment specified for the new corps, my best guess is that the Tiger will not be in it.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Boeing Vertical Lift Deliveries Up 15 Percent in 2013

AH-64E Transmission 'Glitch' Now Fixed

By Andrew Drwiega, International Bureau Chief

Boeing Vertical Lift delivered 15 percent more helicopters in 2013 than in the previous year,” said Leanne Caret, vice president and general manager, at a media gathering following the annual AUSA Army Aviation Symposium and Exposition in Washington, DC.

Pat Donnelly, JMR program director, said 50 Boeing employees were now based with Sikorsky in Connecticut and that the team was bonding as the JMR team. He said that the next milestone for the program would be the initial design and risk reduction view in June. “We are working in the wind tunnel now validating the design for 230 knots,” said Donnelly. The JMR team is now using a motion-based simulator and first flight of the demonstrator aircraft is still scheduled for 2017.

A relatively small problem with the new AH-64E’s transmission was identified then fixed over the festive period in December, explained David Koopersmith, vice president of attack helicopter programs. “A planetary ‘nut’ came loose in the transmission on an Echo model in December during a ground run,” he said. “We brought the transmission back, saw what was loose – did analysis – and came up with a fix.” He explained that it was a threaded item that came loose – of which there are five in the transmission. “We added two parts and one bolt so that it can never come loose again. The fix takes a day and a half and only affects the delivered AH-64E models in two Army units. These are the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) – the first unit equipped with AH-64E Guardian – and the still to be completed 1-25th ARB. No other versions of the Apache are affected.

A noteworthy point of interest is that the Apache AH-64 has now flown over one million combat hours in a global total of 3.8 million hours flown.

Look small, macam mini tank compared to the giant leopard and abram
iinm, during a show on National Georpahic, russion tank warfare doctorate is not armor protection but small and fast tanks that is able to punch through enemy line quickly. Tank Blitzkrieg

The image below show how small is Russion MBT T90 vs American Abram



The problem however is during modern war like in city where their speed is significantly reduce making them a sitting ducks together with not so advance armor make the problem worse.

But then again, those russion active protection system is much more developed compared to US

Grounding order for Apache helicopters to be lifted next week

2014/02/05 16:20:20

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) Taiwan will begin putting its 12 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters back into service next week, nearly two months after it grounded the aircraft when notified by the United States of a failure in the same model.

"The grounding of the Apaches is set to be lifted Feb. 11," said a Taiwanese military source on Wednesday.

Army Aviation Special Forces pilots will be able to fly the helicopters once the choppers are fitted with new main transmission boxes, according to the source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The Army will finish replacing the transmission boxes on the 12 helicopters by the end of this month, the source said, but those choppers whose transmission boxes have already been replaced and tested will go into service on Feb. 11.

The 12 aircraft are part of a 30-helicopter package ordered from the United States in June 2011 at a cost of more than US$2 billion. The model E is the latest in the Apache attack helicopter series.

Taiwan received its first delivery of six Apache helicopters last November followed by a second batch in early January.

The 12 helicopters Taiwan has received so far were grounded after it received word from the U.S. in mid-December of a main transmission failure in one of the Apache AH-64Es in service in the U.S. Army.

No problems have been found so far in the helicopters received in Taiwan, but the transmissions are still being replaced as a precaution, the source said.

Even as the helicopters were kept out of service, ground and simulation training has continued, army officers have said.

The final three batches of six choppers will be delivered to Taiwan with the new transmission boxes later this year and are scheduled to arrive in March, May and July, respectively, the source said.

The U.S. and Taiwan are the only two countries that have used the latest Apache helicopter model so far.

(By Elaine Hou)

TNI AU Preparing for Fighter Jets Squadron in Eastern Indonesia

05 Peb 2014 16:22:14| News in English | Penulis : Supervisor

Biak, Papua (Antara) - The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) will buy fighter jets this year as part of preparations to build a squadron of fighter jets in eastern Indonesia, Air Force Chief Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia stated.

"The TNI AU Headquarters will procure fighter jets this year. It is true they will be particularly stationed in eastern Indonesia," he confirmed here, on Wednesday.

The plan to build a squadron of fighter jets in eastern Indonesia had been incorporated in the TNI AU Headquarters' grand design, he noted.

The preparedness of infrastructure facilities, personnel and state financial support was necessary to realize the plan, he pointed out.

"The TNI Headquarters is still considering when exactly the squadron of fighter jets in eastern Indonesia will be built. To be sure, we will augment the number of fighter jets this year to strengthen the capability of the Air Force soldiers in guarding the air territory of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia," he explained.

Putu Dunia, former chief of the national air defense command for Biak, Papua stated that four units of TNI AU radars had been built in Timika, Merauke and Biak to safeguard the air traffic over the Papua region.

"With the TNI AU radars, we hope we will be able to monitor the movement of any plane flying over Papua and surrounding areas. Right now all air bases and radar units in Papua have been performing their duties according to the tasks of the Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers," he added. (*)

The Russian Air Force will receive the first four Su-35 in February

Thursday February 6, 2014 10:55

( defensa.com ) The first four units of Sukhoi Su-35 will be delivered to Russia along this February according to the Russian press, which has detailed right now and are fully available documents and necessary requirements . In this first installment shall be joining , more imminently , with about ten other devices whose manufacture has plus 12 concluded to be produced in 2014 and another batch in 2015, within the contract signed in 2009 comprising the purchase of 48 Su- 35S .

In addition , and as confirmed in October last year the Russian press reliable sources , it is expected that after this first contract you can close a new agreement for another 48 aircraft more , so that by 2020 the Russian Air Force would have to 96 of these devices.

It is expected that the aircraft enters fully into the international market , having China or even Indonesia among the most interested customers. The Su-35 can carry up to 8 tonnes of weaponry. Among its most important features are in addition to its high maneuverability , high capacity of its radar, inertial navigation system ( INS ) and GPS and GLONASS receivers ( a new method of satellite navigation ) . ( J.Martínez )

Updated: Wednesday February 5, 2014 MYT 6:49:10 PM

Butterworth air base to transform into leisure-oriented project

by nadya ngui
   
KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Butterworth will be transformed into a leisure-oriented development under a proposed joint venture (JV).

Leading the project would be TSR Capital Bhd, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and Pembinaan Bukit Timah Sdn Bhd to transform the 1,007-acre site via a land swap deal.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday, it said the air base will be relocated and reconstructed at a site soon to be identified.

It said the JV company will be the master developer of the leisure-oriented project.

“The proposal which is presently being negotiated between the parties was mooted by the JV company to the Government along the lines of the Public Private Partnership concept,” it said.

TSR will hold 51% equity share in the JV, followed by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera at 30% and Pembinaan Bukit Timah at 19%.

Sigh..There Goes Butterworth AFB..

Posted on February 6, 2014 by hafizuddinsulaiman

Note: Truly, to be honest, I am deeply saddened to hear and read this news. While it is usual in countries such as the US and the UK that older airbase/airfield being closed/relocated to other places to make way for the development, I don’t quite feel that this is appropriate for a country such as Malaysia.

Well, there will always be safety reason and justification being made, truly, to my opinion, it’s always been purely on commercial gains that such decision is being made….sigh..

The Butterworth AFB will be transformed into a leisure-oriented development under a proposed joint venture (JV). Leading the project would be TSR Capital Bhd, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and Pembinaan Bukit Timah Sdn Bhd to transform the 1,007-acre site via a land swap deal.

It said the JV company will be the master developer of the leisure-oriented project.

“The proposal which is presently being negotiated between the parties was mooted by the JV company to the Government along the lines of the Public Private Partnership concept,” it said.

TSR will hold 51% equity share in the JV, followed by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera at 30% and Pembinaan Bukit Timah at 19%.

The 407 hectares land occupied by the base in Teluk Air Tawar – which is about 8km from Butterworth directly opposite Penang Island – would be transformed into “a city of arts and leisure,” it said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia.

Tthe air base will be relocated and reconstructed at a site soon to be identified.

“The Government shall pay the JVC for the new air force base through a land swap at the current market value of the Government land, which included but was not limited to the 407ha land where the existing Butterworth AFB is situated,” the statement said.

The statement added that the land swap meant that the Government need not fund the cost of relocating and reconstructing the air force base, and also secured it the opportunity to participate in the redevelopment of the land via LTAT’s 30% interest in the JVC.

The proposal, which is currently being negotiated between the parties, was mooted by the JVC to the Government along the lines of the public-private partnership concept, it said.

TSR Capital’s statement added that details of the agreement would be released after definitive and conclusive terms had been agreed upon, and a formal agreement entered into by the parties concerned.

Butterworth AFB has been the main military installation in this country ever since the earlier years of World War 2. Initially known as the RAF Butterworth, it was a part of the British defence plan for defending the Malayan Peninsula against an imminent threat of invasion by the Imperial Japanese forces during World War II.

During the Battle of Malaya, the airfield suffered some damage as a direct result of aerial bombing from Mitsubishi G3M and Mitsubishi G4M bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service based in Saigon, South Vietnam. Brewster Buffalos from the airbase rose to challenge the escorting Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters but were mauled during several of these engagements by the highly trained and experienced Japanese fighter pilots.

The RAF airfield was subsequently captured by units of the advancing 25th Army (Imperial Japanese Army) on 20 December 1941 and the control of the airbase was to remain in the hands of IJA until the end of hostilities in September 1945. Whereupon the RAF resumed control of the station and Japanese prisoners of war were made to repair the airfield as well as to improve the runways before resuming air operations in May 1946.

In 1957, the RAF closed the station and it was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and it was promptly renamed as RAAF Butterworth, becoming the home to numerous Australian fighter and bomber squadrons stationed in Malaya during the Cold War era.

The Australian fighters and bombers played a significant role in providing air support during Operation Firedog during the Emergency and later was part of Commonwealth air defence contribution against the might of the then Angkatan Udara Republik Indonesia (AURI now TNI-AU) during the Konfrontasi.

From 1970′s onwards, the airbase plays an important part to support Malaysia’s fight against the communist threats. Being the northernmost and nearest base to communists hotspots especially those near the Thai-Malaysian border, a dark episode looms over the airbase when a Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopter operated by No 3 Skn was shot down by the communist terrorists over Gubir with the loss of all hands on-board.

The RMAF Butterworth, as the airbase is known back then, is also the birthplace of Malaysia’s jet fighter units namely No 11 Skn with CAC CA-27 Sabres in 1967. During Ops Gubir, F-5 fighters from the airbase were launched to pound communist hideouts in Gubir, Kedah.

This feat was later repeated again decades later, when two Hawk and five Hornet jets from No 15 SKn and No 18 Skn were deployed to Labuan AFB from the airbase and took part during the opening hour of Ops Daulat in March 2013.

Having had relinquished its control over the airbase in June 30, 1988 to the RMAF, the RAAF still maintained an infantry company (known as Butterworth Rifle Company) as well as a detachment of AP-3C Orion from No 92 Wing. The Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) also has an Integrated Air Defence System HQ (IADS HQ) located at the airbase.

It is unknown whether this factors have been considered in the proposed development plan as Butterworth AFB has a long and rich history and heritage that is significant to this country. For the record, the Butterworth AFB is the second RMAF airbase which will be closed down after decision being made to close and redeveloped the historically important and significant Sg Besi AFB in Kuala Lumpur.

Defexpo 2014: Nexter unveils Indian version of CAESAR

Guillaume Belan, New Delhi - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
05 February 2014

Nexter Systems unveiled a new version of its CAESAR 155 mm mounted gun system at the Defexpo 2014 exhibition in New Delhi.

Nexter has teamed up with Indian companies Larsen & Toubro and Ashok Leyland Defence to offer the Indian Army a CAESAR system fitted to Ashok Leyland's 6x6 Super Stallion chassis. (Nexter Systems)Nexter has teamed up with Indian companies Larsen & Toubro and Ashok Leyland Defence to offer the Indian Army a CAESAR system fitted to Ashok Leyland's 6x6 Super Stallion chassis. (Nexter Systems)

The French company has teamed up with Indian companies Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Ashok Leyland Defence to offer the Indian Army a CAESAR system fitted to Ashok Leyland's 6x6 Super Stallion chassis.

Larsen & Toubro, which signed a partnership deal with Nexter in March 2012, is leading the team and as prime contractor will absorb the transfer of technology from its French partner.

CAESAR is in service with French forces and has been sold to Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

PT Pindad dan FNSS Turki Tandatangani Kesepakatan Pembangunan Bersama Medium Tank

Berita Terkini | 2014-02-07 09:30:15 | 226 Kali Dibaca

Jakarta, DMC - Dirjen Potensi Pertahanan Dr Drs Timbul Siahaan MM, Kamis (6/2), menyaksikan penandatanganan Joint Partnership antara PT Pindad dengan FNSS Turki dalam pembangunan Medium Tank di Gedung Soeprapto, Kemhan, Jakarta. Partnership Agreement antara PT Pindad dengan FNSS Turki ini merupakan langkah penting dalam kerjasama industri pertahanan kedua negara. Dengan kesepakatan yang ditandatangani ini diharapkan selanjutnya project agreement antara kedua Kemhan dapat segera ditandatangani juga sehingga secara resmi program pembangunan bersama medium tank ini dapat segera dilaksanakan.

Kerjasama joint development medium tank kerjasama Indonesia-Turki dimulai pada 29 Juni 2010 setelah Kementerian Pertahanan kedua negara menandatangani persetujuan kerjasama industri pertahanan (Defence Industry Cooperation) di Ankara Turki. Dimana salah satu kesepakatannya adalah Turki dan Indonesia akan melaksanakan pengembangan Medium Tank bersama yang dilaksanakan oleh FNSS Turki dan PT Pindad.

Sebagai tindak lanjut, telah ditandatangani MoU antara PT Pindad dan FNSS yang kemudian lebih rinci dituangkan dalam Protocol on Defence Industry Cooperation antara Kemhan RI dan Kemhan Turki pada 7 April 2011 di Jakarta.

Selanjutnya PT Pindad melakukan riset dengan pengguna dalam hal ini Pussenkav TNI AD untuk mendapatkan masukan kebutuhan kavaleri akan medium tank. Pada 7 Mei 2013 dilaksanakan Bilateral Meeting ke-2 Defence Industry Cooperation di Turki yang menghasilkan kesepakatan pendanaan bersama program joint development medium tank.

Pada 4 April 2013 dilakukan rapat koordinasi implementasi kerjasama RI-Turki dalam pengembangan medium tank di PT Pindad Bandung. Pada Juli 2013 di Pothan Kemhan dilaksanakan presentasi bersama PT Pindad dan FNSS tentang proposal rencana dan budget joint medium tank development. Tanggal 4 Desember 2013 pada Pameran Bridex di Brunei Darusalam dialkukan pertemuan antara perwakilan kedua negara yang diantaranya membicarakan pembangunan joint medium tank dan komitmen kedua pemerintahan atas program ini.

Kerjasama pembangunan medium tank antara industri pertahanan kedua negara ini diharapkan dapat semakin mempererat kerjasama pertahanan Indonesia dan Turki. MoU ini juga diharapkan menjadi awal yang baik bagi kerjasama kedua industri pertahanan ini di masa mendatang.

jelly gilerrrr dgn Indo~~~     

A well known forumer in other forum has posted:

TNI Confirmed shopping list items as of February 9, 2014 are as follows:
Air Force:
1. Su-35SI Super Flanker : 64-O, 16-D2014, 24-D2015, 24-D2016
2. JAS-39 Gripen NG: 44-O, 14-D2014 (leased scheme), 8-D2014 (first batch delivery) 18-D2015, 18-D2016
3. EF Typhoon: 36-O, 12-D2014 (ex Luftwaffe), 10-D2015 (brand new), 14-D2016.
4. Su-34 Fullback: 48-O, 8-D2014, 12-D2015, 14-D2016, 14-D2017 (note: batch 1+2 derived from VVS-RF units)
5. Erieye: 10-O, 3-D2014, 3-D2015, 4-D2016 (possible order extension into 14 units).
Note:
1.item #3 pending British approval for technology transfer scheme on certain parts, financing scheme, and acquisition of MBDA Meteor missiles.
2. item #2: possible scenario of integrating leased units from Swedish Air Force as part of acquisition scheme, thus increasing actual figure to 58 units.
3. item #1: including upgrade package on EW, radar, and integration systems into current Indonesian Air Defense Ground Environment frameworks.
4. item #4: including upgrade package on EW, radar, ASW sensors, and long range "tactical missiles".

Found it quite interesting since he is a another person who stated Gripen NG with the same number: 44 and a leased scheme...

source

Asian States Close In on Fighter Deals

Feb. 10, 2014 - 07:04PM  | 
By WENDELL MINNICK  |  Comments

TAIPEI — As regional powers gather at the Singapore Airshow this week, two issues will be at the forefront: upgrading their F-16s and/or buying F-35s.

The biggest beneficiary in these fighter jet programs is Lockheed Martin, which has been selected by the US Air Force as the system integrator for the Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (CAPES) program that will upgrade the radar and avionics on 300 F-16s.

Singapore and Taiwan will be hitching their own F-16 upgrades to the CAPES program as well, depending largely on whether the US decides to continue funding CAPES, which is in doubt. However, Lockheed still benefits by being the only fifth-generation fighter maker on the market. Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and even Taiwan have plans to procure the F-35.

Without doubt, China stands out as the No. 1 reason for the interest in new or upgraded fighters. Over the past few years, China has pushed the envelope on territorial claims in the South China and East China seas. In November, China announced a new air defense identification zone over much of the East China Sea, including the disputed Senkaku islands, administered by Japan.

China also has demonstrated a remarkable talent for surprising US defense analysts who study its air force. Despite agreement among US experts that China was a decade away from fielding an aircraft carrier and rolling out stealth fighters, aircraft manufacturers Chengdu and Shenyang conducted flight tests on not one, but two stealth fighters — the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-31 — in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Constant assurances from various think tanks in Washington indicated China would have serious difficulties fielding a carrier-borne fighter. Photographs showing the Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark inside the aircraft carrier Liaoning’s hangar bay were dismissed as props for dignitaries. Skid marks on the carrier’s runway were “painted” there to fool Western analysts.

The Chinese proved them wrong again when the J-15, a clone of the Russian Su-33, appeared on Chinese TV roaring off Liaoning’s flight deck in late 2012. Late last year, reports from China indicated that a recent exercise in the South China Sea included more than 100 sorties by the J-15 from the Liaoning.

These reports have reinforced the region’s appetite to keep fourth-generation fighters tuned and ready to fight, and to seek new F-16C/Ds or the fifth-generation F-35 joint strike fighter.

“China has turned into Lockheed Martin’s greatest salesman ever,” said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of the Virginia-based Teal Group.

China’s aggressive military posturing and the leadership’s rhetoric, coupled with Beijing’s “somewhat premature efforts to field stealth fighters and an aircraft carrier, have highlighted East Asian interest in fifth-generation fighters,” he said.

China’s actions also have brought about the need for better gear on fourth-generation jets, particularly active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and improved electronic warfare systems, Aboulafia said.

“Right now, most countries seem to be balancing their budgets between relatively small investments in F-35s, coupled with upgrades to their current fleets,” he said.

This reflects a need for a balanced force, a desire to see F-35 mature as a design, and to leverage their sizable inventories. “After all, generational change doesn’t happen over a few years. It takes a decade or two,” Aboulafia said.

Here is the state of play of major fighter competitions and concerns for the main Asia-Pacific nations coming to Singapore this week.

South Korea

In mid-2012, BAE Systems won a competition against Lockheed to become systems integrator for an upgrade program for 130 KF-16 fighters for an estimated $2.43 billion. Raytheon’s advanced combat radar (RACR) beat Northrop Grumman’s scalable agile beam radar (SABR) for the AESA requirement. This is significantly cheaper than the US deal for Taiwan’s F-16 upgrade program for 146 fighters for an estimated $5.3 billion.

Work to upgrade Air Force KF-16 fighter jets is on track, as South Korea’s government finalized an agreement in December with the US government for BAE Systems to perform upgrades and systems integration for 134 KF-16s.

The two-stage KF-16 upgrade is valued at about $1 billion. BAE is working on the first phase to furnish detailed design requirements, including computers, displays, sensors and pilot-aircraft interface efforts; initiate software design and development; and define support training requirements.

The second phase will cover efforts to enhance the fighters’ defense capability and interop­erability between the South Korean and US air forces, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Seoul’s arms procurement agency.

Taiwan

The US has denied Taiwan’s request for new F-16C/D fighters needed to replace aging F-5 and Mirage 2000 jets. The denial is being blamed on China’s successful efforts to lobby the US government.

Instead, the US has granted Taiwan a hotly debated upgrade program for its remaining 146 F-16A/Bs. In 2011, the US released a $5.3 billion upgrade program based on CAPES. .

However, sources here and in Washington indicate the US might defund the CAPES program in the fiscal 2015 budget proposal. If so, Taiwan could be left with sole responsibility for paying the development costs for the CAPES program.

As planned under CAPES, some 300 US Air Force F-16C/Ds would receive an AESA radar; a new AN/ALQ-213 electronic warfare management system; an integrated broadcast system and a central pedestal display. There will also be a new operational flight program to integrate these new systems with the aircraft’s existing avionics. Taiwan’s F-16s also would receive a new high-speed data bus modular mission computer and structural service-life extensions.

Taiwan officials were convinced when signing a letter of acceptance with the US that commonality with CAPES carried enormous cost savings. For example, among the largest-ticket item and the greatest potential savings common to CAPES and the Taiwan F-16 upgrade program is the AESA radar.

The US Air Force selected Northrop’s SABR AESA radar in July for both CAPES and Taiwan’s F-16 upgrade program, meaning that Taiwan would have saved on significant non-recurring engineering costs, estimated at $200 million, due to cost sharing with the US via CAPES. The same principle also applies to the other systems to be upgraded under CAPES.

As such, the demise of CAPES, or even just a one- or two-year funding interruption, could affect cost, schedule and risks for Taiwan’s F-16 upgrade program. Cost could rise by several hundred million dollars, which would either have to be footed entirely by Taiwan or shared with other foreign military sales customers who elect to adopt the same CAPES-defined upgrade options.

Since Taiwan’s legislature has been adamant that the $3.8 billion budget approved for the F-16 upgrade program is more or less set in stone, the likelihood of Taiwan approving a budget increase to pay for a greater share of the cost is minimal. Without additional funds to cover the shortfall from the cancellation or significant delays of CAPES, development and testing of the systems and upgrades planned for CAPES and Taiwan’s F-16 upgrade would also likely suffer significant delays.

“What Taiwan could, and should, do is to actively explore legal remedies for an exit strategy in case of a worst-case scenario,” a Taiwan defense consultant said. Taiwan’s military must also seriously consider options for restructuring the program.

“For example, Taiwan could prioritize the upgrade work into phases and perform only the most urgent (and lower-risk/less sensitive to CAPES impact) upgrades first, such as the structural [service-life extension program] and some of the retrofits for addressing obsolescence issues,” the defense consultant said. “At the same time, Taiwan can greatly benefit by closely cooperating with other countries, which are also working on F-16 upgrade projects of their own, especially South Korea, which is upgrading a fleet of over 100 aircraft, so as to try to maximize system commonality, mitigate technological and schedule risk and reduce cost.”

Singapore

Singapore has two fighter programs of interest. The first is a $2.43 billion upgrade program for 60 F-16C/Ds released by the US government in January. Various defense sources indicate that the agreement is the same as the one offered to Taiwan, which is basically a cost-sharing deal involving the CAPES program.

However, following news out of Washington that CAPES could be defunded, cost-sharing with only Taiwan could elevate costs for both nations beyond their capacity to pay.

If CAPES is delayed, Singapore and Taiwan might turn to the solution being pursued by South Korea on its F-16 upgrade program. South Korea chose to go with BAE Systems as integrator and Raytheon’s RACR as the AESA selection. This is in contrast to the CAPES option with Lockheed as integrator and Northrop’s SABR as the AESA option.

“If Singapore chooses to go forward with the CAPES solution without the US as a participant, it would have to share costs related to non-recurring engineering issues with Taiwan,” a defense analyst said. “However, this is expected to be expensive, even if both Singapore and Taiwan share these costs.”

The other option is to drop the F-16 upgrade and go forward with the F-35 procurement. This option would not be surprising, as Singapore is an official F-35 security cooperative participant, along with Israel.
Japan

With US defense budget cuts stoking fears in Japan that the US is losing its grip on the region as a security guarantor as China pushes to fill that void, the Japanese are struggling against constitutional restrictions on militarization, budget constraints, antimilitary activists, and a rising tide of panic among nationalists that China intends to dominate the near seas and push through the Japanese-controlled Ryukyu Island chain into the Pacific.

Meanwhile, Japan is having problems motivating itself to move forward on the procurement of the F-35 stealth fighter from the US.

The reason appears to be a collection of problems: economic, political and cultural debates on what Japan is prepared to do to revive its military power without awakening ghosts from World War II that haunt the region, and how to procure expensive and sophisticated fighter jets that allow the country to benefit economically from technology sharing and coproduction.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the air force is debating the replacement of aging F-5E fighters. Possible replacements include the Sukhoi Su-35, Boeing F-15 Eagle, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, French Dassault Rafale and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen.

The requirement is for one squadron of 16 fighters to be decided after the October presidential and legislative elections.

Indonesia has gone forward on the procurement of a squadron of 16 South Korean-built T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jets. So far, the air force has taken delivery of two jets, with final delivery by the end of the year.

Australia

The Australians plan to replace their F/A-18B Hornets with the F-35A. The first two F-35s are due to be rolled out this year and sent in January 2015 to the international F-35 training center at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

Australia has only two F-35s on order, but has committed to 12 more with initial operating capability slated for 2020.

However, if the Hornets are to be retired on schedule, three squadrons and a training unit are required by the end of 2022. This will take total procurement to 72 aircraft, with a further decision on a final batch of 28 to replace Australia’s newer F/A-18F Super Hornets to be made sometime in the next decade.

The Royal Australian Air Force will submit its purchase recommendations for government consideration early this year, with a decision expected in April. Options include a single tranche of 72 aircraft, or a phased approach that will require a series of government approvals.

New Zealand

New Zealand is the one country in the Asia-Pacific region without a fighter squadron, nor does it have plans to procure them.

However, New Zealand has selected new training aircraft. New Zealand’s Defense Minister, Jonathan Coleman, announced Jan. 27 that 11 of Beechcraft Defense’s T-6C Texan turboprop planes have been selected to supply the Defense Force’s new pilot training program.

Coleman added that upgrades of five C-130H Hercules cargo planes and six P-3K2 Orion patrol aircraft continue. Both were procured in the 1960s.

All five of the Defence Force’s AgustaWestland A109 training/light utility helicopters, and seven of its eight NH90 medium utility helicopters ordered have arrived in New Zealand. The NH90s have replaced 1960s-era Bell UH-1H utility helicopters, and the A109s have replaced aging Bell 47G Sioux training helicopters.

HELLFIRE SYSTEMS, LLC, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $157,362,903 modification (P00068) to firm-fixed-price contract W31P4Q-11-C-2042, to exercise option for fiscal 2014 Hellfire II missile production requirements.  This contract involves foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Indonesia.  Fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014 funds in the amount of $157,362,903 are being obligated on award.  The performance location is Orlando, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2016.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (Missile), Redstone, Ala., is the contracting activity.