S. Korea Opts for Twin-Engine Fighter Development

Jul. 19, 2014 - 03:41PM  | 
By JUNG SUNG-KI  |  Comments

SEOUL — The South Korean military has chosen to equip its future fighter jet with two engines instead of one amid lingering worries over the economic and technical merits of the twin-engine aircraft development.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) held a top decision-making council Friday to make a choice about the number of engines for the KF-X jet, which is to be developed indigenously with technical assistance from a foreign partner.

South Korea aims to produce 120 or more KF-X aircraft after 2025 to replace the Air Force’s aging F-4s and F-5s, most of which will be decommissioned before the mid-2020s. The KF-X could be on par with an advanced F-16 jet armed with high-end avionics systems.

“The JCS formed a task force to review the costs, requirements and development schedules for the KF-X over the eight months,” JCS spokesman Eom Hyo-sik said. “As a result, the task force reached a decision that a twin-engine aircraft is a right choice as it meets future operational needs and can help catch up with neighboring countries’ aircraft development trends.”

Given the potential development period for a twin-engine jet, the spokesman said, the KF-X jet’s initial operating capability is to be scheduled for 2025, a two-year delay from the original goal.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is set to launch a bid for the engine contract as early as next month. Candidates would include the GE F414 and Eurojet EJ200, according to DAPA officials.

The JCS’ decision on the twin-engine platform comes amid heated debate over the feasibility of the KF-X jet development. The state-funded Korea Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA) vehemently opposed the twin-engine design, citing high costs and technical challenges.

The KIDA assessed the KF-X development would cost about 9.6 trillion won (US $93 billion), but it expects the cost would be doubled if the jet is a twin-engine design.

The institute also claims an F-16 class jet with double engines doesn’t have a competitive edge in the export market dominated by US and European fighter aircraft.

“A new fighter aircraft is a massive endeavor at the best of times, and wildly unrealistic technical expectations do not help the project,” Lee Ju-hyung, a senior researcher at the KIDA said.

Kim Dae-young, a member of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, a Seoul-based private think tank, was worried if potential cost overruns would eventually hinder the development of indigenous avionics systems.

“Under the original KF-X plan, [active electronically scanned array] radars and other avionics shall be developed locally, but if development costs increase, those systems are likely to be adopted from foreign defense companies inevitably,” Kim said.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) also preferred a single-engine type on the basis of its T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet co-developed by Lockheed Martin. In recent years, KAI successfully fielded T-50’s lightweight fighter version, the FA-50, which were exported to Indonesia and the Philippines.

During an air and defense fair in October, KAI displayed a conceptual design with a 29,000-pound engine.

“A single-engine concept is in pursuance of both affordability and combat performance based on the advanced FA-50 technologies,” a KAI official said.

On the other hand, the Air Force, backed by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD), brushed off concerns over costs overruns and technical difficulties.

“The KF-X is a 4.5-generation fighter that can carry weapons of 20,000 pounds or more,” an Air Force spokesman said. “Indonesia, a partner of the KF-X project, is supposed to buy a bunch of jets, and when mass production starts, the costs will go down.”

The spokesman added that a twin-engine aircraft larger than the KF-16 will provide more room for future upgrades and will help cope with growing air powers in the neighborhood — China and Japan — which are accelerating air force modernization.

Lee Dae-yeol, head of ADD’s KF-X project team, argues that a fighter with a new concept has better economic feasibility in terms of total life-cycle costs.

“The ADD has secured about 90 percent of independent technologies for the KF-X,” Lee noted. “Of the 432 technologies needed, the agency is only short of 48 items, such as engines and some avionics systems.”

The ADD hopes that it will be able to get those lacking technologies in offsets from Lockheed Martin, the successful bidder for South Korea’s F-X III fighter jet development program, and other foreign companies.

The ADD envisions that a KF-X Block 2 would have internal weapons bay, and Block 3 would feature stealth improvements to the level of the B-2 bomber or F-35 joint strike fighter.

Indonesia is the only KF-X partner at the moment. Indonesia is to bear 20 percent of the projected development costs, while the Korean government will take 60 percent. The funding for the remaining 20 percent remains unclear, as KAI is expected to bear part of the money.

not necessary.. give the level of defense in SEA, it will be a very very very long time before anyone will adopt stealth as their main air force machine. Our main will still be our beloved su-35

our f18 will also soon face retirement, following our air force love for twin engine and seater, this is quite a good candidate for replacement. If stealth is the main priority, PAK FA is the favorite it already have twin engine and possible two seat variant. F35 is almost out of the question

i do understand our air force love for twin engine since if one engine fail, the aircraft can still fly to land safely. Understandable since we have limited number and every one is important. But i cant understand the need for two seater? anyone care to explain?

Dual engine means more payload as well.
as for two seater able help to reduce pilot burden with wso sharing the task.
these is especially recommended on mrca fighter too many information loaded for a single pilot to handle thus wso is needed.
Air superiority role fighter usually single seated.

Indonesia ships named in Barrow ceremony

Last updated at 15:16, Sunday, 20 July 2014

Dignitaries from Indonesia descended on Barrow to take part in the official naming ceremony for two out of three offshore patrol vessels.

The third ship, which is still undergoing some work, is due to be named in the next few weeks ahead of the planned departure next month.

Yesterday’s ceremony marked the end of Barrow’s role in the saga surrounding the three vessels.

The three ships were built in the 1990s by BAE in Scotstoun, Glasgow, for the Royal Brunei Navy at a cost of £600m.

But after they were completed in 2002, Brunei refused to accept them.

An ensuing legal battle was resolved by international arbitration in 2007 – in favour of BAE – and the ships were handed over to Brunei.

They were moved to Barrow that year to be stored while the German Lürssen shipyard, which had been contracted by Brunei, tried to find a buyer.

After more than 10 years in limbo, a deal was struck to sell the vessels to the Indonesian navy for £231.4m.

Since then, Lürssen, with help from James Fisher, has looked after the maintenance of the ships and prepared the systems ready for the Indonesian navy to take over.

At yesterday’s ceremony, Rob Van der Wurff, from Lürssen, described how James Fisher had been a key sub-contractor during the seven years the vessels had been stored in Barrow.

He said: “Today is the culmination of many years of work, between ourselves, James Fisher who have been a highly valued sub-contractor and the Indonesians.”

Crews from the Indonesian navy have been staying in Barrow while getting to grips with their new ships.

Meanwhile, a number of Germans, who work for Lürssen, have been staying in the area for much of the seven years the ships have been berthed in Barrow.

John Alexander, project manager with James Fisher, said he hoped the relationship with Lürssen would lead to more work for the Barrow-based shipping firm.

He said: “It has been a long project for James Fisher.

“It’s been an interesting project for us and it demonstrates the versatility and the range of expertise that James Fisher can supply.”

The three ships will soon be sailing under new names – Kri Bung Tomo, Kri John Lie and Kri Ushman Harun.

Purnomo Yusgiantoro, the Indonesian defence minister, led yesterday’s ceremony, with his wife Lies carrying out the traditional bottle smashing against the hull of the ships – using a non-alcoholic drink to reflect the fact that Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia.

During his speech, he thanked the town and people of Barrow for their hospitality.

i noticed the canopy is not 360 degrees view coverage like the F-22.

Indonesian shipbuilders begin building KCR-40-class missile craft

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
20 July 2014

Indonesian shipbuilders PT Palindo Marine Industry and PT Citra Shipyard have begun construction of four KCR-40-class anti-ship missile craft being built for the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL), TNI-AL public affairs spokesperson Captain Suradi Agung Slamet confirmed during a 17 July visit to the shipyards by TNI-AL Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio.

Construction of all four vessels is said to be going according to plans, with launches scheduled to take place by September 2014.

Three of the platforms are being constructed by PT Palindo, with PT Citra working on the fourth. Both yards are located on the Riau Province island of Batam.

The KCR-40 is an indigenously produced 44 m vessel capable of reaching a top speed of 30 kt and accommodating 35 crew. According to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships , the vessels are designed to carry four C-705 surface-to-surface missiles, a 20 mm Denel Vektor G12 main gun, and two 12.7 mm machine guns.

In May 2014, TNI-AL fitted two of the craft - KRI Clurit and KRI Kujang - with AK-630 close in weapon systems, with the objective of assessing the system's suitability for use on all ships in the class. It is not confirmed whether the weapons are fully operational.

Currently, there are four KCR-40 craft in service with the TNI-AL. These vessels were commissioned between April 2011 and December 2013. All four, procured to beef up maritime security within Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, are in service in the Eastern Fleet. TNI-AL is expected to have a total of nine KCR-40 ships by the end of 2014.

Besides the KCR-40, PT Citra Shipyard is also working on a third 250-tonne PC-43-class patrol craft for the TNI-AL. However, details on its launch and delivery schedule are not available. The first two vessels in this class were inducted into service in 2013.

Brunei's new OPV makes maiden voyage home from Germany

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
20 July 2014

The Royal Brunei Navy's (RBN's) fourth Darussalam (PV 80)-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), KDB Daruttaqwa , began its maiden voyage on 15 July, sailing from Lemerder in Germany towards Brunei.

The 80 m vessel will join three other ships in class, KDB Darussalam , KDB Darulehsan , and KDB Darulaman at the RBN's Muara Naval Base, where it is expected to assume patrolling duties of the Brunei's coastal areas and offshore resource facilities. The Darussalam class is replacing the RBN's Waspada-class fast attack craft (FACs), which have been in service for more than 30 years.

Daruttaqwa has been described by the Brunei Ministry of Defence (MoD) as differing from its sister ships, carrying a 27 mm gun in place of the 20 mm gun found on earlier vessels in the class. The OPV will be able to carry one helicopter, one 10 m rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) in a stern ramp, and a 6 m RHIB deployed via a davit. The vessel has a top speed of 22 kt and is equipped with launchers for four Exocet MM 40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles.

At 'RIMPAC 2014', sister ships Darussalam and Darulaman conducted the RBN's first firing of Exocet anti-ship missiles during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) phase at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), 80 n miles north of Kaua'i Island, Hawaii. The MoD has described the tests as proof of the Darussalam class's fighting capabilities, and a major milestone for the RBN.

Daruttaqwa is scheduled to make stopovers in Spain, Saudi Arabia, India, and Singapore during its 46-day journey. It is expected to arrive home on 30 August.

BN Shipyard gets RM9b Royal Malaysian Navy deal

17 July 2014 @ 11:46 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BN Shipyard), a subsidiary of Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB) and an associate company of Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd (BHIC), yesterday signed a RM9 billion contract to design, build and deliver six second-generation patrol vessels with littoral combat ship capability for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).

BN Shipyard was previously presented a letter of award (LOA) from the Ministry of Defense (MOD) on December 16 2011. The contract is to be implemented over Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Malaysia Plans.

BN Shipyard managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor said:

“We are pleased to have formally signed this important contract with the Ministry of Defence and we are honoured to be entrusted with carrying out this vital national project. Work on the final design and key procurement aspects of the project is well in hand, and the formal contract allows us to recognise a greater element of our ongoing work.”

9bil tu RM ka USD?

Lusty and New Hydrographic Ships

Marhalim Abas July 23, 2014 Malaysian Defence

SHAH ALAM: Crowds lined up at Portsmouth Harbour on July 22to welcome Royal Navy’s HMS helicopter carrier HMS Ilustrious to see the 32-year old ship retire from service.

Unlike RN, Royal Malaysian Navy’s fleet of 30-year-old ships from KD Kasturi to its hydro-graphic ship, KD Mutiara, are expected to soldier on for another 5 year at least before they are scheduled for retirement.

As for Mutiara the end maybe in sight as the industry sources told Malaysian Defence, proposals had been made to replace via Private Financing Initiative (PFI). Under the proposals, the bidder will deliver two hydro-graphic ships for RMN in exchange for several piece of land utilised by the Armed Forces.

This is more in common to the proposal to re-develop the Butterworth air base and completely different from the submarine rescue vessel which is provided by a contractor and paid by the government under a contract for a five-year period.

Details remained sketchy on much of the proposals but since Mutiara was locally built in Malaysia by Hong Leong Lurrsen Dockyard (now known as Nautica Nova) in Butterworth, I believed the new ships will also be built in country. By whom remained under wraps.

It must be noted that the proposals remained just that as it had not been confirmed that it will be approved.

Mutiara – the senior ship of 36 Hydro Squadron – the other vessel is the KD Perantau – commissioned in 1998 and also built at Hong Leong, caught fire while undergoing maintenance work at the Malaysia Marine Heavy Engineering yard in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

She only returned into service earlier this year. Mutiara is set to join the search for the MH370 in the Indian Ocean early next month.

By the way, I did not mentioned Lusty because I want it to be sold to Malaysia. For god’s sake she is over 30-year-old already!

US to give C-130 planes to Philippines

(philstar.com)  | Updated July 23, 2014 - 3:21pm

MANILA, Philippines — The United States will give two Lockheed C-130 "Hercules" planes to the Philippines, newly appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang revealed.

In a state report, Catapang disclosed the impending donation in a visit to the 1st Air Division headquarters in Clark Field, Pampanga, citing American military officials.

"I just talked to our US counterparts [and] they told us they are making available another two C-130s to address our humanitarian assistance disaster relief concerns," Catapang said.

The United States military has deployed a humanitarian mission to the Visayas after the onslaught of deadly typhoon Yolanda, which took thousands of lives and destroyed countless homes.

Catapang said that the Americans extended the offer after learning of President Aquino's plans to acquire new cargo aircrafts for the military.

The existing C-130 planes of the Air Force figured heavily in the transport of relief goods for victims of typhoon Yolanda and equipment needed by government troops involved in the efforts last year.

In November last year, former AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista announced that the country seeks to procure two more C-130 planes to improve disaster relief operations.

"We are in the process of acquiring two more C-130s. As you very well know, we only have three C-130s. In terms of strategic lift, C-130s are very important," Bautista said.

Ideally, he said the Philippine Air Force should have at least nine C-130s. - Camille Diola

Myanmar Navy and Indonesia's PT PAL in LPD talks

Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
22 July 2014
   
The Myanmar Navy (MN) and Indonesian naval shipbuilder PT PAL are in talks over the MN's potential purchase of landing platform docks (LPDs) to bolster sealift and amphibious capabilities, IHS Jane's understands.

The two parties have recently entered what have been described to IHS Jane's as "preliminary discussions" about the MN's acquisition of a small number of vessels based on PT PAL's Makassar-class LPD, which in turn is based on a design by South Korea's Dae Sun Shipbuilding and Engineering.

PT PAL has delivered five Makassar-class LPDs to the Indonesian Navy and in June signed a contract to supply the Philippine Navy (PN) with two LPDs based on the same design.

92 mil only? thats cheap...maybe the pinoy bought the basic ones, with basic electronic system, armanent and etc..even so, thats pretty cheap..RMN dun want ka? rather than spending half a billion ringgit on Mini-Dokdo.. 

Strategic Sealift Vessel of the Philippine Navy coming without weapon system

by Grace Gonzales   9/07/2014 | 2:28 Posted in Nation

Indonesian PT PAL won the bidding last January 2014. The said firm will be providing the Philippine Navy with two Makassar-class Landing Platform Dock.

These Makassar-class LPD will act as Philippine Navy’s Strategic Sealift Vessel when delivered.

With the budget of PhP4 billion or PhP3.864 billion contract price, PT PAL will not be able to build 2 ships completely if weapon and sensor systems are included in the contract.

Weapon and Sensor system will be provided by the Philippine government in a separate acquisition or will temporarily use available resources.

The contractor will only provide basic navigation system.

Currently, PT PAL in coordination with Philippine government is building vessels with specifications provided by Department of National Defense.

Philippine Navy’s Strategic Sealift Vessels can act as the force’s floating command center while carrying out its main purpose as military sealift and transport vessel in events of disasters and calamities.

It will house a Presidential Room and a War Room to accommodate the Republic’s head and other high ranking military officials when need arises.

These sealift vessels will be carrying landing craft utility/mechanized, including the upcoming Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) and attack helicopters.

Each vessel can carry up to 500 troops plus a hundred vessel crew.

So Near But Yet So Far

Marhalim Abas July 25, 2014 Malaysian Defence

SHAH ALAM: IHS Janes is reporting that Indonesia has commissioned the firs two of three Bung Tomo-class frigates on July 18.

Bung Tomo is of course the TNI-AL designation of the Nakhoda Ragam class corvettes originally ordered by the Brunei Navy.

The IHS Janes report:

“Indonesia’s Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro presided over a commissioning ceremony for the Indonesian Navy’s (Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) first two of three Bung Tomo-class corvettes at Barrow-in-Furness, UK, on 18 July.

The 95 m F 2000 vessels, KRI Bung Tomo and KRI John Lie , were originally built by BAE Systems for the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) under a contract signed in January 1998. However, after a protracted legal dispute, the ships were laid up and offered for sale by the Bruneian government through an affiliate company of Lürssen. The vessels were subsequently acquired by Indonesia in January 2013.

The Bung Tomo-class vessels are armed with one Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid gun, two MSI-Defence 30 mm guns, and two 324 mm triple-tube torpedo launchers. As built, the ships were also provisioned for eight MBDA MM 40 Block 2 Exocet anti-ship missiles and 16 MBDA VL Seawolf point defence missiles; however, neither weapons system was installed. It is understood that, in TNI-AL service, they will receive eight MM 40 Block 3 Exocet missiles, and 16 MBDA VL Mica point defence missiles.

The vessels’ sensor suite includes a Thales 4130C1 hull-mounted sonar, a Kelvin Hughes 1007 I-band surface search radar, and a BAE Systems AWS 9 E/F-band air/surface search radar.

The corvettes can achieve a top speed of 30 kt and are designed for a range of 5,000 n miles at 12 kt.”

It appears that the corvettes will be armed similarly to our own SGPV/LCS which of course have yet to be built. RMN as I had previously posted had wanted to buy these corvettes to add to its fleet but the effort was rebuffed due to the lack of funds.

Someone told me RMN was so close to getting these ships that he could smell the bridge already.

But alas it was not to be.

Philippines proposes C-130T purchase for PAF

Jon Grevatt, Jane's Asia-Pacific Industry Reporter, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
24 July 2014
   
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency announced on 24 July that the Philippines has proposed to purchase, from existing US military stock, two Lockheed Martin C-130T transport aircraft at a cost of USD61 million.

A statement said the sale includes the two aircraft plus 10 Rolls-Royce Allison T56 engines, logistical sustainment and support for three years, associated equipment, spares and training.

It added that the potential Foreign Military Sale will be fulfilled through an open tender and that contractor requirements are still being researched.

The C-130Ts are operated by the US Navy Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons and were introduced into service in 1991 with deliveries continuing until 1996.

Indonesia equips corvette with Chinese 30 mm CIWS

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
24 July 2014

   
The Indonesian Navy's Kapitan Pattimura-class (Parchim I) corvette KRI Pati Unus, a similar vessel to KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin. Source: Indian Navy

The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut - TNI-AL, or TNI-AL) is equipping its Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim I)-class corvette KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin (876) with a Chinese-developed Type 730 close-in weapon system (CIWS).

The matter was revealed on 22 July by Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin's commanding officer Commander Ario Sasongko during a communal breaking fast event on board the vessel followed by a traditional Indonesian ceremony to mark the start of fitting-out works.

The Type 730 CIWS is a radar-guided cyclic seven-barrelled Gatling gun-style system primarily mounted as a defence against anti-ship missiles and other precision guided ammunitions. It integrates an EFR-1 tracking radar and an OFC-3 electro-optical sensor system on the weapon mount and is known to fire up to 5800 rds/min at distances of up to 3 km. The system can also be employed against unmanned aerial vehicles, smaller aircraft and lighter patrol boats.

Variants of the Type 730 CIWS are currently fixed onboard the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships such as the Luzhou (Type 051C)-class, Luyang I (Type 052B)-class and Luyang II (Type 052C)-class destroyers and Jiangkai II (Type 054A)-class guided missile frigates.

Indonesian defence media officials told IHS Jane's on 24 July they were unable to name the variant that is being installed on the Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin .

According to a statement released by the TNI-AL on 23 July, mounting of the Type 730 CIWS is being done following the successful installation of a new Chinese-developed SEWACO combat management system on the vessel.

Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin is an ex-German Democratic Republic vessel, originally inducted into the East German Navy in June 1982 and re-commissioned into the TNI-AL in February 1995. The corvette is currently listed under the strength of the TNI-AL's western fleet (KOARMABAR).

Indonesia gets first three F-16s from US

Kenneth Conboy, Jakarta and James Hardy, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
29 July 2014

   
The Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara, TNI-AU) received the first three of 24 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D aircraft on 25 July. Source: TNI-AU

The Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara, TNI-AU) received the first three of 24 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D aircraft on 25 July.

The F-16s, which are being upgraded from Block 25 to Block 52 standard by the US Air Force (USAF) at Hill Air Force Base's (AFB) Ogden Air Logistics Complex (ALC) in Utah, are former USAF and Air National Guard units that were transferred to Indonesia as excess defence articles under a contract signed in January 2012.

The Indonesian government is paying about USD670 million to upgrade the aircraft with new avionics, engines, wings, landing gear and other components. According to official US Air Force media the USAF handed over one F-16C and two F-16Ds on 14 July. The remaining 21 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the Indonesian government by Ogden ALC by the end of 2015.

The three aircraft landed at Iswahjudi Airbase in Madiun, East Java, after flying from Alaska via Guam. In August, six Indonesian Air Force instructors will begin F-16C/D conversion training under the tutelage of a four-man USAF Mobile Training Team. The 24 aircraft will be split between Squadron 3 at Madiun and Squadron 16 at Pekanbaru.

Local Indonesian media have reported that the refurbishment includes service life extensions, including the overhaul of the wings, landing gear, and engines, as well as capability enhancements to avionics. These include an upgraded AN/APG-68 (V) fire control radar and Block 52 Link 16 datalink, AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management System, ALR-69 Class IV Radar Warning Receiver, and ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser Set.

In other Indonesian military news, on 22 July outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono selected Lieutenant General Gatot Nurmantyo as the new army chief effective 25 July. Gen Nurmantyo, who was promoted to full general following his appointment, replaces General Budiman, who was abruptly fired earlier in July following speculation that Yudhoyono was angry over Gen Busiman's perceived lack of neutrality during the presidential election.

Gen Nurmantyo's previous posts include head of the Suryakencana military district in Bogor during 2006-07, chief of staff of the 2nd Division in the army's Strategic Reserve Command in 2007-08, director of training at the army's Training and Education Command during 2008-09, governor of the Military Academy during 2009-10, head of the Brawijaya Military Region covering East Java during 2010-11, commandant of the army's Training and Education Command during 2011-13, and head of the army's Strategic Reserve Command since 2013.