This Pentagon map shows how China’s energy needs are driving Beijing’s military and diplomatic strategy





http://www.businessinsider.my/this-map-sho...C2t5IRFWWBzG.97

Abu Sayyaf gunmen abduct two in Sandakan


Security personnel carrying out investigations at the restaurant in Sandakan

KOTA KINABALU: Gunmen linked to the Abu Sayyaf stormed into a popular seaside restaurant near Sandakan and abducted the manager and a customer during dinner on Thursday.

The four men, one armed with an automatic rifle with bullets strapped on his chest and another with a pistol, burst into the Ocean King Seafood Restaurant at about 7.40pm prompting the patrons to flee.

The restaurant owner, Chung Yan Tsim, said his 48-year-old sister-in-law, who manages the restaurant, and the customer, believed to be from Sarawak, were bundled off by the gunmen in the raid lasting less than a minute.

"They fled in a boat. There wore no mask and there was no shooting," Chung said, adding that the customer was sitting with his family but could not run away when the gunmen barged into the restaurant.

Security forces have gone on an immediate alert as Sandakan is only about an hour's ride on speed boat from the southern Philippines island Bakungan Besar.

A massive operation is underway to hunt the group believed to be cross-border kidnap gangs linked to the terror Abu Sayyaf kidnap groups that operate in southern Philippines.

Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun when contacted said they were at the scene and taking necessary action.

He declined to say anything further.

Sabah police have been hunting for a suspected armed gang of seven men spotted at a plantation in Kinabatangan about 100kms from Sandakan earlier this month.

They were also investigating a robbery of an outboard engine at a lobster farm in Semporna on May 7.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015...kan-restaurant/

Airbus Wins $1.9 Billion Indian Military Cargo Plane Order



India agreed to buy 56 transport aircraft from Airbus Group NV for 119.3 billion rupees ($1.87 billion) to replace an aging fleet, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to modernize the country’s military.

The C-295 planes, which will replace Avro cargo planes in the Indian Air Force fleet, will be jointly built with India’s Tata Advanced Systems Ltd., an Indian government official said in New Delhi late Wednesday, asking not to be identified because of internal policy. Sixteen of the aircraft will be built at Airbus plants in Europe, and the rest in India.

The announcement comes less than a week after an Airbus A400 transport plane crashed in Spain several minutes into a test flight prior to delivery to Turkey. The incident prompted air forces across Europe to suspend use of the A400 while the investigation is underway.

Since coming to office a year ago, Modi’s government has approved military projects valued at more than $40 billion as India moves to catch up with an assertive China, which spends three times that amount in military purchases every year. Modi has allowed more foreign investment in defense and is trying to overcome a history of graft scandals that slowed purchases.

Shares of Airbus slipped 0.8 percent on Wednesday to 60.20 euros in Paris.

Howitzers, Missiles

In addition to the transport plane order, India’s Defense Acquisition Council approved other orders Wednesday valued at at least $875 million. They include 145 BAE Systems Plc M777 howitzers, Indo-Russian BrahMos cruise missiles for six warships and 197 Russian Kamov helicopters. The helicopters will be manufactured in India.

The council also approved the construction of India’s second domestically built aircraft carrier.

The helicopters, like the local manufacture of the Airbus transport planes, are part of a plan to stoke domestic production after India surpassed China to become the world’s largest importer of weapons. Modi also is seeking to rely less on state-run companies that haven’t been effective in replacing obsolete military equipment.

Last month, Modi shelved plans to buy 126 Rafale warplanes from Dassault Aviation SA, which would have been the country’s biggest defense purchase in five decades. Under the contract, 108 of the planes would have been built in India by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Modi instead is negotiating a new contract directly with the French government for 36 such jets.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/201...or-cargo-planes

War games: Russia reveals its latest tank is controlled by a PLAYSTATION controller



The Kurganets-25 is an infantry fighting vehicle
Can transport eight troops along with a driver, gunner, and commander
Boasts a machine gun, 30mm cannon, and room for four anti-tank missiles
By Mark Prigg For Dailymail.com

Published: 20:45 GMT, 14 May 2015 | Updated: 22:37 GMT, 14 May 2015

It is one of Russia's newest military vehicles, designed to take soldiers into battle, while having the firepower of a tank.

Yet for many in Russia's military, controlling the Kurganets-25 will be easy.

Rather than a traditional steering wheel, it uses a controller based on Sony's Playstation gamepad.

On May 9th, the Kurganets-25 made its public debut as part of a parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of Russia's victory in World War II.

The new Russian armoured vehicle platform uses a device similar to a Playstation controller, the manufacturer's vice-president told Russian media.

The new Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle uses a 'console similar to a Sony Playstation gamepad,' Tractor Plants vice-president Albert Bakov told state owned outlet Sputnik.

'I spent two years on convincing the designers to make the console similar to a Sony Playstation gamepad, to make it easier for a young soldier to familiarize himself with it,' Bakov said.

According to Bakov, the idea of left-right coordination, as well as the fact that the gamepad form has been perfected for decades made it a good choice.

The gamepad design is also safer and takes up less space than a steering wheel.

'As it turns out, a steering wheel is dangerous for the rib cage during an impact and when climbing out. It takes up more space but provides nothing,' Bakov added.

The Kurganets-25 is an infantry fighting vehicle, which is a category of machine halfway between an armored truck and a full-size battle tank.

The Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle (Object 695) is currently undergoing trials in the Russian army and mass production is expected to start in 2016.
The Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle (Object 695) is currently undergoing trials in the Russian army and mass production is expected to start in 2016.

Although the specifications of the vehicle are still secret, it is believed it can transport eight troops in the back, while a three-person crew of driver, gunner, and commander operate the vehicle.

It promises a top speed of 50 mph on its treads, and it has some amphibious ability.

On top of the vehicle is a turret, which looks like it has a machine gun, a 30-mm cannon, and room for four anti-tank missiles.

The Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle (Object 695) is currently undergoing trials in the Russian army and mass production is expected to start in 2016.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/art...controller.html

This post has been edited by BorneoAlliance: May 15 2015, 09:46 AM

Russian Battle Robots Pass Military Trials



Russia's Uran family of multirole battle robots have successfully passed military tests at the Novorossiysk proving grounds, a source in the military industry told RIA Novosti.

Unlike previous trials which tested the robots on an individual basis, this exercise had the battle robots work together as military units. The robots were controlled from a command center far away from the exercise site, according to the source.

"During tests at the Rayevsky proving grounds, engineering reconnaissance as well as the destruction of targets using machine guns and automatic cannons were tested. At the final stage of the exercises, battle robots practiced destroying armored equipment using anti-tank guided missiles," the source said.

The exercises were visited by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Army General Staff head Valery Gerasimov and several other high-ranking military officers.

Two of the Uran family robots will be demonstrated at the Army-2015 expo, including the mine-clearing robot and the firefighting robot, although armed robots are not mentioned in the press release.

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150514/1022139368.html

Sandakan kidnap: Fast track attack helicopter deployment, urges Musa Aman

SANDAKAN: Sabah cannot be held at ransom of cross border kidnappers any longer with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman asking Putrajaya to fast track the deployment of attack helicopters for the Eastern Sabah Security Zone.

Musa said that he spoke to the Prime Minister on Thursday night and asked him to allocate more assets to Sabah. He also highlighted the need for attack choppers to curb the cross border criminals.

“These kidnappings have to stop. Sabah cannot be repeatedly held for ransom,” he told the media after a briefing by top security personnel at his Sri Libaran house here on Friday.

“We can no longer just depend on speedboats. We need attack helicopters,” he said.

Musa, who is state security council chairman, said that the authorities must do whatever it takes to put an end to the kidnappings.

The daring abduction of two Malaysians by at least four Filipino gunmen at the Ocean King Seafood Restaurant on Thursday evening shocked Sabahans as the raid was along the mainland hardly 3kms from bustling Sandakan town.

Security forces in Sabah are continuing operations to hunt down the suspects and rescue the two kidnap victims.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015...-Musa-choppers/

China lacks fuselages to build more KJ-2000s



Even after developing five types of early warning aircraft, China remains unable to build more than five KJ-2000s due to its lack of enough fuselages, according to a report by overseas Chinese news outlet Duowei on May 12.

China began the development of its first-generation early warning aircraft based on a Tu-4 bomber provided by the Soviet Union back in 1960s. However, China was unable to put the aircraft known as the KJ-1 into service because it could not build a proper radar system. It is still unclear whether China ever started test flights of the KJ-1. The aircraft is currently exhibited at the Chinese Aviation Museum located at Beijing.

In the late 1990s, China attempted to purchase a Phalcon radar system from Israel and install it into four Russian-built upgraded versions of the Il-76 cargo plane. However, the deal was cancelled due to protest from the United States. China then invested tremendous effort in the development of a future early warning aircraft's phased-array radar system. By combining the Il-76 with domestically designed disc-shaped radars, China successfully created the KJ-2000 in 2004.

Because all KJ-2000s have been built built with the fuselages of Il-76 cargo planes purchased from Russia, China is currently unable to produce the early warning aircraft in large numbers. Beijing has recently purchased similar aircraft from other countries, but none of them have been reported to be modified into KJ-2000s. To solve this problem, China is testing a new domistic cargo aircraft named the Y-20. However, its development is unlikely to be completed over the short term.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150514000089

Sulu police: Armed men in Sabah kidnap may be heading for Region 9, ARMM areas

Armed men who reportedly kidnapped at least two people in Sabah on Thursday evening may be heading for the Zamboanga Peninsula or the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Sulu police said Friday.

GMA News correspondent Peewee Bacuño cited an initial report from the Sulu police indicating the armed men had taken victims from Sandakan in Sabah at about 6 p.m.

The police cited initial information showing the vicitms included a Chinese couple and the owner of a restaurant.

It also said it is verifying if the armed men also abducted other European tourists.

The Sulu police said it is informing local police, military and Coast Guard units in the areas concerned.

On Thursday evening, a report by Malaysia's The Star Online said armed men with suspected links to the Abu Sayyaf abducted a restaurant manager and a customer in Sandakan.

It said one of the four was armed with an automatic rifle with bullets strapped on his chest while another had a pistol.

The Star Online also said Sabah authorities are hunting the group, who the report said is believed to be "cross-border kidnap gangs" with links to the Abu Sayyaf.

The report quoted restaurant owner Chung Yan Tsim as saying those abducted included his sister-in-law, 48, and a male customer. Chung's sister-in-law manages the restaurant.

"They fled in a boat. They wore no mask and there was no shooting," Chung said.

It took the gunmen less than a minute to pull off the abduction. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News


More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/48776...on-9-armm-areas

ROC military reveals new mobile mortar system developed in Taiwan



The Republic of China military unveiled a new locally developed mobile mortar system, along with other locally developed weapons systems and equipment, during a media tour Friday in Taiwan to demonstrate its efforts to create self-reliant defenses.

The mobile mortar system comes in two versions: one is mounted to a vehicle and the other is designed to be set up on the ground, said Lieutenant Colonel Chen Chien-chung of the 202nd Arsenal under the Ministry of National Defense's Armaments Bureau, who is responsible for developing the system.

Unlike traditional manual methods of launching mortars, the system allows personnel to launch mortars through a computerized system "which is completely developed locally," Chen told reporters during a tour of the 202nd Arsenal's Taipei unit.

The system is very easy to operate, he said. "As long as you can play video games, you will know how to operate it," he said.

Weapons that can be loaded and fired through the system include 81mm and 120mm mortars currently used by the military, he said.

Advantages of the system include better aim stability and faster deployment, he said.

"I feel proud that we developed the system on our own," Chen said, adding that countries such as Israel, South Africa and the United States also have similar systems.

The system includes a function to simulate the firing of a mortar. During the tour, a five-member group from the 202nd Arsenal demonstrated a simulated firing of mortars through the system, which targeted the Taipei 101 building, which was about 3.8 kilometers away.

It took about five years to develop the system, Chen said, adding that the project started in 2010 in line with the ministry's policy of building a self-reliant defense.

"Locally developed systems are less expensive" than those acquired from foreign countries, he said.

The system has passed initial tests and has participated in a live-fire drill, Chen said, adding that further tests will be held early next year.

Also showcased in Friday's tour was a weapons platform that includes an electric server and fire control system. The main feature of the system, developed by the 202nd Arsenal and shown in previous air shows, is a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

Among the other items on display was a gas mask designed by the arsenal that it said better fits the faces of Taiwanese people.

Under the Armaments Bureau's Material Production Center, the 202nd Arsenal is responsible for producing artillery and ammunition, anti-nuclear, biological and chemical equipment and batteries for the military.

It has three units, one in Taipei and two in the eastern county of Yilan.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150516000107

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test-fire of a strategic submarine underwater ballistic missile.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/photo/20150515/1022...l#ixzz3aLf7jr3k

Uran Russian combat robots

U.S. Military's 'Cicada' Mini-Drone Designed for Spying, Picking Up Enemy Subs



The U.S. military continues to develop drones of all sizes, the latest one being small enough to fit in your hand.

The scientists behind the new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), called the "Cicada" or Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft, explained that the machine can fly like a bird and can be dropped from aircraft, balloons, and even larger drones during missions, according to RT.

The Cicada, which gets its name from the insect, went on its first test flight in 2011 near the city of Yuma, Ariz., in which it was released from 57,600 feet, flew 11 miles and landed within 15 feet of its target.

"The idea was why can't we make UAVs that have the same sort of profile," said Aaron Kahn, a flight controls engineer from the Naval Research Laboratory. "We will put so many out there, it will be impossible for the enemy to pick them up."

The Cicada is only made up of 10 parts and looks like a paper airplane with a circuit board, Business Insider reported. The drone can fly at about 46 miles per hour, and its lack of an engine or propulsion system makes it virtually quiet while on missions

Kahn said it only cost only $1,000 to build the prototype, and that the price could go down as low as $250.
"It looks like a bird flying down," said Daniel Edwards, an aerospace engineer at the Naval Research Laboratory, adding that "it's very difficult to see."

The drone's creators gave it sensors for sending back weather readings for temperature, humidity and air pressure, and researchers believe the machine can use a variety of light-weight sensors and microphones on missions, Business Insider reported.

"They are robotic carrier pigeons. You tell them where to go, and they will go there," Edwards said.
He added that the micro-planes are strong enough to fly through trees withstand gravel and sand, though they still have a tough time dealing with desert shrubbery, RT reported.

The scientists believe the Cicada can be useful on a variety of missions, such as picking up enemy submarines, eavesdropping on troops, forecasting weather and monitoring traffic.

"You equip these with a microphone or a seismic detector, drop them on that road, and it will tell you 'I heard a truck or a car travel along that road.' You know how fast and which direction they're traveling," Kahn said.
The mini-drone is already attracting attention from almost every branch of government and even some intelligence agencies.

"Everyone is interested. Everyone," Edwards said.

http://www.hngn.com/articles/92693/2015051...-picking-up.htm

Russia Unveils Its First-Ever 'Tankodrome' at Legendary WWII Site



Russia's first-ever tank park, or tankodrome, has been unveiled on the territory of the southwestern Russian village of Prokhorovka, the site of a legendary WWII tank battle between the Red Army and Nazi troops; the opening ceremony was attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, sources said.

"I am glad that the idea we discussed during a meeting of the Victory committee chaired by the President has begun to take shape in reality," Rogozin said.

"We certainly want to go ahead with this project, because no other country endured what this land endured during those most horrendous years. We will always remember the feat of our loved ones," he added.

The tankodrome, which has an area of 11 hectares, is Russia's first-ever demonstration range that will be available to the general public.

It accommodates about 1,300 spectators, who can watch armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and armored patrol cars roll across difficult terrain, hills, water, a ruined urban landscape and a big bridge. The park’s fleet comprises a total of 12 vehicles, with seven of them serving as stationary exhibits.

The tank park is part of a large-scale military museum currently undergoing massive expansion in Prokhorovka, located in the Belgorod region.

The next phase is the construction of an indoor exposition, where a wide array of armored vehicles will be on display and where an amusement park is due to be built.

The decision to create the museum of armored vehicles was taken during last year's meeting of the Victory committee chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 12, 2014.

On that day in 1943, the Second World War's largest tank battle between Red Army and Nazi forces took place near Prokhorovka; it was part of the legendary Battle of Kursk. With both sides losing hundreds of armored vehicles and thousands of men, the battle finally helped the Soviet Union obtain a strategic advantage over Nazi Germany.

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150517/1022233246.html

India to build new aircraft carrier to face Chinese threat: Indian official



The concept art of the INS Vishal. (Internet photo)

An unnamed official from India's Ministry of Defense said that New Delhi has decided to build its INS Vishal, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, with the assistance of the United States, New Delhi's Times of India reports.

Designed to be the second Vikrant-class aircraft carrier made, the INS Vishal will have a displacement of 65,000 tons, 25,000 tons heavier than the INS Vikrant, the first ship in the class. The INS Vishal is expected to be launched in 2023. After the ship is officially commissioned, it will be the largest warship in the history of the Indian Navy. The offical said that the goal of having the INS Vishal is to prevent Chinese maritime expansion into the Indian Ocean.

China has become more aggressive in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean since the PLA Navy put the Liaoning, the nation's first aircraft carrier, into service back in September 2012. It is currently building additional domestic carriers, and is looking for a place to establish a naval base in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi considers these actions to be a direct threat to India's national security.

After the decommission of the INS Viraat next year, the Indian Navy will have only one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, in service before the commissioning of the INS Vikrant in 2018. New Delhi has already approved US$4.6 million for the construction of the INS Vishal. It will be fitted with an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System produced by General Atomics, a San Diego-based defense contractor. Ashton Carter, the US Secretary of Defense, plans to visit New Delhi next month with the representatives of General Atomics to discuss the deal.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...000011&cid=1101