Sandakan kidnappers demand ‘large’ ransom



Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman (right) said the gunmen who abducted restaurant manager Thien Nyuk Fun and electronic consultant Bernard Then, allowed them to talk to their families. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — The gunmen behind the recent kidnapping of a woman and man from Sandakan have demanded a “large” ransom for their release, police said today.

The Star Online reported Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman as saying that the gunmen allowed 50-year-old restaurant manager Thien Nyuk Fun and 39-year-old Bernard Then, an electronic consultant from Kuala Lumpur working in Cambodia, to talk to their families.

“They are unharmed,” Jalaluddin was quoted saying, who declined to state the amount demanded by the kidnappers.Thien is the sister-in-law of the restaurant owner and the manager of the restaurant. — File pic
Thien is the sister-in-law of the restaurant owner and the manager of the restaurant. — File pic

He also reportedly said the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) has been conducting security operations at various hotspots in the state’s east coast where other abductions have happened.

“Unfortunately, the abduction occurred in an unanticipated area,” Jalaluddin was quoted saying.

Jalaluddin said Thursday that the notorious Muktadil brothers, who are suspected to be behind the latest kidnapping, may have had some inside help from an employee of Thien’s restaurant.

The Muktadil brothers’ gang – lead by brothers Nilson and Adzmil – are believed to be behind several kidnappings in Sabah’s porous east coast, including the abductions of China tourist Gao Huayun, 29, and Filipino worker Marcy Dayawan, 40.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia...nd-large-ransom

Russia's Black Sea Fleet

First major city to fall to Isis since US-led air strikes began last year



The Isis militant group is reported to have secured its biggest military victory in almost a year, capturing one of the last remaining districts of the major city of Ramadi.

Iraqi military forces retreated from the city on Sunday, despite a desperate plea broadcast on state TV from the Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, begging them not to abandon their positions.

There are fears that the fall of Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s biggest province Anbar, will establish a new stronghold for the jihadist group, and quickly be followed by new mass executions and slaughters as the last remaining government forces are wiped out.

Earlier, al-Abadi had ordered Shia militia in surrounding provinces to prepare to go into Anbar in a last-ditch effort to save the province. That was despite concerns from those within the Sunni-dominated region that it could spark a sectarian bloodbath.

According to The Associated Press it was not immediately clear on Sunday evening whether any of the city remained in government hands.

Ramadi’s loss would make it the first major city to be taken by insurgents since Iraqi forces backed by a US-led coalition of air forces began pushing back against the Isis advance.

Those coalition air strikes continued throughout the weekend, according to a statement from the Combined Joint Task Force, including seven around Ramadi.

The US military said its strikes had targeted tactical units, a facility producing improvised explosive devices, and other buildings, but it appears to have failed to keep Isis out of the Anbar capital.

Timeline: The emergence of Isis
US officials have sought to play down the importance of Ramadi since it was threatened by Isis in recent weeks. The chair of the joint chiefs of staff said in April that the city was “not symbolic in any way”.

But writing in a blog post for aj-Jazeera, security correspondent Imran Khan said the home to 500,000 people was hugely significant as a melting-pot for anti-government Sunni dissent.

The last time Isis took a city of an equivalent size in Iraq was the fall of Mosul in June 2014 – now the main Iraqi hub for the group.

One Iraqi diplomatic ‎source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Khan: “Ramadi is the heart of Anbar. What happens if you destroy the heart? The whole body dies.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/mi...l-10256693.html

China re-engineers missiles to carry multiple warheads



WASHINGTON — After decades of maintaining a minimal nuclear force, China has re-engineered many of its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple warheads, a step that federal officials and policy analysts say appears designed to give pause to the United States as it prepares to deploy more robust missile defences in the Pacific.

What makes China’s decision particularly notable is that the technology of miniaturising warheads and putting three or more atop a single missile has been in Chinese hands for decades. But a succession of Chinese leaders deliberately let it sit unused; they were not interested in getting into the kind of arms race that characterised the Cold War nuclear competition between the US and the Soviet Union.

Now, however, President Xi Jinping appears to have altered course, at the same moment that he is building military airfields on disputed islands in the South China Sea, declaring exclusive Chinese “air defence identification zones,” sending Chinese submarines through the Persian Gulf for the first time and creating a powerful new arsenal of cyber weapons.

Many of those steps have taken US officials by surprise and have become evidence of the challenge the Obama administration faces in dealing with China, in particular after US intelligence agencies had predicted that Mr Xi would focus on economic development and follow the path of his predecessor, who advocated the country’s “peaceful rise”.

Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Beijing on Saturday to discuss a variety of security and economic issues of concern to the US, although it remained unclear whether this development with the missiles, which officials describe as recent, was on his agenda. US officials say that, so far, China has declined to engage in talks on the decision to begin deploying multiple nuclear warheads atop its ballistic missiles.

“The US would like to have a discussion of the broader issues of nuclear modernisation and ballistic missile defence with China,” said Mr Phillip Saunders, director of the Centre for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at National Defence University, a Pentagon-funded academic institution attended by many of the military’s next cadre of senior commanders.

“The Chinese have been reluctant to have that discussion in official channels,” Mr Saunders said, although he and other experts have engaged in unofficial conversations with their Chinese counterparts on the warhead issue.

Beijing’s new nuclear programme was reported deep inside the annual Pentagon report about Chinese military capabilities, disclosing a development that poses a dilemma for the Obama administration, which has never talked publicly about these Chinese nuclear advances.

President Barack Obama is under more pressure than ever to deploy missile defence systems in the Pacific, although US policy officially states that those interceptors are to counter North Korea, not China. At the same time, the President is trying to find a way to signal that he will resist Chinese efforts to intimidate its neighbours, including some of Washington’s closest allies, and to keep the US out of the Western Pacific.

Already, there is talk in the Pentagon of speeding up the missile defence effort and of sending military ships into international waters near the disputed islands, to make it clear that the US will insist on free navigation even in areas that China is claiming as its exclusive zone.

http://www.todayonline.com/world/china-re-...ltiple-warheads

Latest kidnapping by militants embarrassing, says Utusan



The gunmen, likely linked to the Abu Sayyaf militant group from southern Philippines, grabbed the owner of the Ocean King Restaurant, Thien Nyuk Fun and a man known as Bernard Ghen Ted Fen. – Reuters pic, May 17, 2015.The gunmen, likely linked to the Abu Sayyaf militant group from southern Philippines, grabbed the owner of the Ocean King Restaurant, Thien Nyuk Fun and a man known as Bernard Ghen Ted Fen. – Reuters pic, May 17, 2015.Umno-owned media Utusan Malaysia has described the latest kidnapping in Sabah – yet another in a series of intrusions by armed intruders in the eastern part of the state in the last two years – as embarrassing given the presence of Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).

In an article published in its weekend edition, Mingguan Malaysia, columnist Awang Selamat questioned whether the authorities have learnt anything from previous cases of intrusions, robbery and kidnapping in the Borneon state. (Awang Selamat is the pseudonym used by Mingguan Malaysia editors in their weekly editorial)

"The answer is not enough. In most countries, such continuous weaknesses and failure especially on security will be tackled sternly without any compromises.

"The officer responsible for safety should, at the very least, based on accountability principles, be transferred.

"A clear message must be sent. The country cannot afford to face such incidents, it is very embarrassing," he said.

Thursday's abduction of two people by four gunmen at a seafood restaurant in Sandakan is the latest in a series of kidnapping in recent years.

Gunmen, which Star Online described as being linked to the Abu Sayyaf militant group from southern Philippines grabbed the owner of the Ocean King Restaurant, Thien Nyuk Fun, 48 and a man known as Bernard Ghen Ted Fen, 36.

Awang said the incident is a slap on the authorities, and questioned who should be held responsible.

"What other excusesdo they want to give, including from Esscom? The question is, why is it easily penetrated and the kidnapping cannot be quickly intercepted?"

He believed if there continue to be no accountability, the safety of Sabah's coast will be compromised.

"This does not only involve external elements but also by the authorities who have been entrusted. In this case, enforcement agencies are required to improve public and tourists confidence and not cause all of us to shake our heads," he added.

Last year in July, constable Zakiah Aleip, 26, was kidnapped from Mabul Water Bungalows Resort in Semporna by eight Filipino gunmen while his colleague, Corporal Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, was shot dead by gunmen in that incident.

It was reported that the kidnappers, believed to be Abu Sayyaf terrorists, had demanded up to RM5 million for Zakiah's release.

In another case, fish farm operator Chan Sai Chuin, 32, was abducted by Abu Sayyaf militants from Sabah's east coast on June 16 last year.

Chan and a Filipino worker identified only as Maslan, were abducted by two armed men at 12.40am from the fish farm they operated in Kampung Air Sapang.

Claims have surfaced from Philippines military intelligence and Jolo sources that about RM780,000 in ransom was paid to secure his release on December 9, but Chan said he was told there was none.

Another fish farm manager, Yang Zai Lin, was kidnapped by armed men in Pulau Baik, near Lahad Datu, Sabah, in May 2014.

Yang was rescued and returned to China after the ordeal.

Last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a move to restructure the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) which received flak for its failure to protect Sabah from intruders.

Esscom manages a security area or the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) which covers 1,400km of the east coast of Sabah, from Kudat to Tawau.

The Esszone was established in March 2013 following the Lahad Datu incursion by armed Sulu militants in February that year. – May 17, 2015.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysi...ing-says-utusan

This post has been edited by BorneoAlliance: May 18 2015, 09:57 AM

Russia to Supply More MIL-171SH Helos to Peru © Sputnik/ Sergey Mamontov
RUSSIA



Another seven 24 Russian MIL-171SH military transport helicopters will be delivered to Peru later this month, the deputy head of Russia’s main arms exporter said on Monday.

Rosoboronexport deputy director Sergei Ladygin made the announcement at the close of an international arms exhibition held in the Latin American country.

The $400 million-plus contract for the delivery of 24 MIL-171SH helicopters was inked in December 2013.

The first batch of four aircraft, made by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, were supplied to the Peruvian Air Force in December 2014.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150518/102...l#ixzz3aU4SwQ9l

Italy, France, Germany sign European drone project

BRUSSELS - Italy, France and Germany agreed on Monday to develop a European drone program for reconnaissance and surveillance, seeking to inject momentum into a proposal first considered in 2013 to reduce reliance on U.S. and Israeli technology.

In a joint signing ceremony, the defense ministers of the three countries pledged a two-year study to lay the basis for a European drone to be operating by 2025 and said Spain and Poland had expressed interest in joining the plan.

"It's a very important step for European cooperation, a critical cooperation which we must have at our disposal in many theaters of operation," French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, alongside his German and Italian counterparts.

After false starts at the national level, the three countries appear ready to cooperate on research into drone technologies. Competing national needs, corporate rivalry and a lack of government support have undermined past efforts.

Airbus, Dassault and Alenia Aermacchi are likely to develop the drones.

Large drones operated by European armed forces are mostly based on U.S. or Israeli designs, creating a dependence on foreign technology that some European companies and officials see as bad for European industry and military capabilities.

The EU's aim is to develop a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drone, a category that can fly at an altitude of up to 9,000 meters for 24 hours.

It wants a flexible surveillance drone that could be used for civilian purposes such as border control, fire-fighting and disaster monitoring. One EU diplomat said they could also have a military role, carrying weapons. REUTERS

http://www.todayonline.com/world/italy-fra...n-drone-project

Indonesian war planes violate PNG airspace



A Papua New Guinea report says two Indonesian military jets were scrambled to confront an Australian Defence Force aircraft near the border over West Sepik on Friday.

The Post Courier reports the information was in a PNG intelligence report which said in the process, the Indonesian aircraft violated PNG air space although the presence of the Australian aircraft was also a surprise.

Neither the Australians nor the Indonesians have confirmed the incident.

However PNG Air Services, which is responsible for air traffic movement, says that it approved the flight of the Australian Kingair aircraft over West Sepik.

According to the intelligence report the Indonesian jets flew over Wutung village, which is next to the PNG-Indonesia border post.

PNG Customs Service officers at the Wutung, servicing the border post, also confirmed this.

The incident comes a month after a group of Indonesian soldiers were alleged to have made a brief unauthorised border crossing.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pac...te-png-airspace

PressTV-Saudis target UNICEF ships: Yemeni media



Yemeni media report that Saudi warplanes have targeted ships purportedly belonging to UNICEF engaged in delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people.

Saudi fighter jets launched three "aerial attacks" on the ships which were bound for the northwestern Yemeni province of Sa’ada, Iranian news agency IRIB quoted Yemeni TV channel al-Masirah as saying.

In its latest report released on Sunday, UNICEF detailed the delivery of aid to the Yemeni people during a five-day humanitarian ceasefire which went into effect on May 12 and ended earlier in the day at 2000 GMT.

“During the pause, UNICEF was able to deliver assistance to affected people across the country, however humanitarian assistance cannot replace the needs of 26 million people who have been cut off from a regular supply of commercial imports of food and fuel,” said Julien Harneis, the UNICEF representative for Yemen.

“Hundreds of adults and children have already died during this conflict, many of whom could have been saved had we got supplies to them on time. We need to do everything we can to prevent any more of these unnecessary deaths,” he went on to say.

Following the termination of the ceasefire, Riyadh resumed airstrikes against the Yemeni people, hitting several positions in the southern port city of Aden.

The Saudi strikes on UNICEF vessels came as an Iranian ship, with tons of much-needed aid, including food and medical supplies, is now heading towards the Yemeni port city of Hudaidah.

The Riyadh regime has already blocked earlier Iranian aid deliveries to Yemen. Last month, it prevented two Iranian civilian planes from delivering medical aid and foodstuff to the Yemeni people.

On Saturday, Johannes van der Klaauw, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, said Saudi Arabia's harsh inspection process is obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid into war-wracked Yemen.

"The arms embargo and its inspection regime results in commercial goods, be it by air or by ship, no longer reaching the country,” he pointed out.

Saudi Arabia started military aggression against Yemen on March 26 - without a UN mandate - in a bid to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which currently controls the capital, Sana’a, and other major provinces, and to restore power to Yemen’s fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, who is a staunch ally of Riyadh.

According to Yemen's Freedom House Foundation, the Saudi airstrikes have claimed the lives of 3,979 Yemeni people so far while more than 6,887 others have been wounded.

http://presstv.com/Detail/2015/05/17/41155...da-Humanitarian

Asia's Largest Naval Warfare Exhibition: Focus on Subs and UVs



This week, Singapore will once more play host to Asia’s largest maritime defense trade fair, the Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX). Taking place from May 19 – 20 at Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Center, the 10th biennial IMDEX will feature military hardware from more than 180 participating companies, high-level delegations from around 40 and navy chiefs from 24 countries, along with 20 warships from 12 nations.

IMDEX 2015′s principal focus will be on unmanned vehicles (both in the skies and underwater), vessels suited for littoral waters, and underwater technology, according to the event organizers.

Defense News quotes Leck Chet Lam, IMDEX Asia’s head organizer, as saying that “unmanned vehicles will feature in several areas of IMDEX Asia 2015.” UV exhibitors will include Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, ST Engineering, SAAB AB, Atlas Elektronik and Microflown Maritime.

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in particular are expected to play a larger role in future underwater warfare (see: “The End of the Submarine as We Know it?” ) and will be a topic of discussion during the 15th Asia Pacific Submarine Conference (APSC), which will be held in conjunction with IMDEX Asia.

Building on the garnering interest in UUVs, the Swedish defense contractor Kockum Naval Solutions (a subsidiary of SAAB) will try to pitch its newest diesel-electric stealth sub, the A26, to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) and perhaps also reignite Australia’s interest in Swedish military hardware. The A26 is equipped with an air-independent propulsion system (AIP) and specifically designed for littoral operations

The A26 specifically comes with a new Multimission Portal flexible payload lock system large “enough to allow the launch and retrieval of unmanned underwater vehicles,”according to Defense Industry Daily.

The articles further notes that UUVs “can already provide advance surveying and sensing capabilities, and their modification toward a combat role is a certainty. This will likely begin with coordinated decoying tactics, but UUVs are expected to graduate to active combat capabilities before the A26 leaves service.”

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is expected to dispatch a warship, the 4,000-ton Type 054A (Jiangkai II) frigate Yulin, to IMDEX. It’s the first time in seven years that Beijing has sent a warship to the exhibition, indicating China’s growing interest in the maritime domain.

Also, the commander of the South Sea Fleet, Rear Adm. Shen Jinlong, will speak at the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC), another discussion forum held in combination with IMDEX Asia 2015 that will discuss strengthening maritime cooperation in Asian waters. Various Chinese exhibitors are also expected to showcase indigenous defense technology, including offshore armed patrol boats and maritime patrol craft, to interested customers.

AMI International, a naval industrial forecast group, predicts that countries in the in the Asia Pacific region are expected to spend around $200 billion on new ships and submarines by 2031. “Technological advancement is a key factor in driving defense spending in the region as military forces modernize their aging assets and replace obsolete technology,” an IMDEX Asia press release said. “High on the procurement lists are ships, naval craft, [and] radar systems along with submarines and naval defense systems.”

http://thediplomat.com/2015/05/asias-large...n-subs-and-uvs/

China, Malaysia agree to enhance military cooperation



Xu Qiliang ®, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, meets with visiting Malaysian defense ministry secretary general Abdul Rahim in Beijing, capital of China, May 18, 2015. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), met with visiting Malaysian defense ministry secretary general Abdul Rahim in Beijing on Monday.

Rahim is here to attend the China-Malaysia Second Defense and Security Consultation.

Describing the two nations as important players for safeguarding regional peace and stability, Xu called for their militaries to strengthen strategic mutual trust, carry out pragmatic exchanges, and cooperate on issues concerning the two countries' core interests.

Malaysia and China enjoy long-standing friendship and the two countries' military exchanges have a sound and solid foundation, Rahim said, expressing hope that his visit will further boost bilateral cooperation.

http://www.ecns.cn/2015/05-19/165837.shtml

State Trials of Russia’s 'Sosna' Air Defense System to Begin in Summer



MOSCOW (Sputnik) – State trials of Russia’s new short-range air defense missile system will begin in summer 2015, Tochmash design bureau told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

The system, dubbed Sosna, is expected to replace Strela-10M air defense systems in service with the Russian armed forces.

“Last year, we successfully completed the preliminary tests of this system. In summer, the state trials of the system at testing grounds of the Land forces will begin,” Tochmash Managing Director Vladimir Slobodchikov said.


“The outcome of the trials will determine whether this system will be put in service with the Russian Army,” Slobodchikov said.

According to Tochmash, the Sosna system “is intended to protect against all types of air threats including high-precision weapons like cruise missiles and guided aircraft missiles in the area of the system responsibility: in range – up to 10 km, in altitude – up to 5 km.”

Slobodchikov noted that a number of foreign countries, including those of the South-East Asia region and the Middle East, have shown interest in acquiring the Russian Sosna system.

Sosna participated in recent military exhibitions in South Africa and United Arab Emirates and will be exhibited in Peru and Brunei.

"Everyone is following this newest system very closely and waiting for the completion of state trials in Russia," Slobodchikov noted.

Russia’s Tochmash design bureau will take part in the development of a new short-range air defense system together with Belarus, the Tochmash Managing Director said.

“We are planning a joint project in the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus to develop a new short-range air defense system,” Slobodchikov said, adding that the work is expected to start in 2016.

Russia and Belarus are closely integrated and are co-members of several regional supranational unions.

The most comprehensive of these, the Union State, includes consolidation of the countries’ foreign and defense policies.

As part of their close military cooperation, the two countries coordinate air defense systems and routinely conduct joint military drills, both on a bilateral basis and as part of the six-member Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Russia’s Tochmash design bureau is a leading research institute specializing in the development and manufacturing of military equipment. Established in 1934, the company now operates under Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150519/1022302967.html

South Korean submarines a new threat to China: Strategy Page



South Korea's fourth Type 214 submarine is launched in August 2013. (Internet photo)

After creating a new Submarine Command in February, the South Korean navy's submarine fleet has become a potential threat to the maritime security of China, writes Strategy Page.

The ROK submarine fleet consists of nine Type 209 and four Type 2014 diesel-electric submarines. By the end of this decade, five additional Type 214 submarine will be commissioned as well. The South Korean navy established its new Submarine Command with the purpose of developing better anti-submarine warfare capabilities against North Korea and China. In addition, this organization purely run by submarine officers is expected to be more resistant to corruption.

The People's Navy of North Korea has 70 submarines in service, but 70% of them are small and obsolete vessels designed to patrol the coastal region. It has 20 Romeo-class submarines purchased from the former Soviet Union, which are much bigger in size. However, the 1,800-ton submarines were built during the Cold War era and are very loud underwater. South Korean subs can easily track and deal with Romeo-class submarines, according to the report.

Equipped with the Haeseong-3 cruise missile, which has an attack range of 1,500 kilometers, South Korea's Type 214 submarine, also known as the Son Won-Il class submarine, is capable of hitting any land targets within North Korea. Like the US Tomahawk cruise missile, the Haeseong-3 can be launched from the Type 214. South Korea's first three 1,700-ton Type 214 submarines are able to stay underwater for up to two weeks, ten times longer than the Type 209s.

The second batch of Type 214s, consisting of six boats, will be equipped with air-independent propulsion systems and will be able to operate underwater for a longer period of time, said the report. South Korea is likely to become a supplier of AIP systems as well as the country has gained experience in developing the technology through the production of Type 214 submarines. This is what makes the Republic of Korea a real potential threat to the People's Liberation Army Navy, the report said.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...000114&cid=1101

Japan can't outgun China's J-20 with F-35A purchase



This undated handout file image obtained courtesy of the Joint Strike Fighter program site shows the F-35 fighter jet. (Photo/CFP)

As the US is refusing to sell Japan the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) will have to settle for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II instead, according to an analysis piece posted on Sina's military news web portal.

The F-35 will still allow the JASDF entry into the stealth fighter club, however. China is likely to respond to the Japanese fighter upgrade with appropriate measures of its own, said the website.

F-35 Overall Analysis

There is already a dearth of articles concerning the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) research and development projects and profiles of the F-35, so the article on the Sina web portal focused on maneuverability, stealth and sensors and electromagnetic interference. From an overall design perspective, the F-35 has a similar conventional aerodynamic configuration to the F-22. Its main wings differ from the delta wing of the medium bomber version of the F-22, in that they take a trapezoid mid-wing configuration, with the back sweep angle of the leading edge of the main wings at 35 degrees and the trailing edge front sweep angle at 15 degrees. The twin tailfins are canted outward at an angle of 25 degrees. The backsweep angle on the horizontal plane of projection is 35 degrees too. The weapons bay has four pylons and on anti-aircraft missions it typically carries two AIM-120 air-to-air missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles; when striking ground targets, it typically carries two AIM-120 missiles and two 907 kilogram guided bombs. The F-35 has improved stealth capability in terms of scattering head-on radar; its diverterless suspersonic inlets (DSI) are located on either side of the front of the body of the plane and it has no moving components and the serpentine inlet hides the face of the entire engine.

F-35 Maneuverability

According to an article entitled The Analysis of Aerodynamic and Stealth Characteristic of F-35 Fighter in the Chinese journal Aircraft Design, at subsonic speed, the F-35's lift coefficient at an angle of attack of 30 degrees and a speed of Mach 0.3 can reach 1.6, while its lift-drag ration at an angle of attack of 5 degrees and a speed of Mach 0.5 can reach a maximum of 16. As the angle of attack increases, however, the lift-drag ration falls sharply. At an angle of attack of 10 degrees, for example, the lift-drag ratio falls to 8. This is why the F-35 has been able to improve on cruise capabilities at Mach 0.5, useful for long range ground attacks at medium speeds. However, this optimal cruise speed is a little slow for subsonic air-to-air combat, as even large Boeing passenger planes have a cruise speed of around Mach 0.8. The F-35 is more reliable at a 30 degree angle of attack at subsonic speeds, a major improvement on third-generation aircraft, but because the lift-drag ratio falls rapidly with an increasing angle of attack, the stability of turns for the F-35 is dependent upon a strong engine.

In terms of transonic flow, the lift coefficient of the F-35 is 1.7 at an angle of 35 degrees and a speed of Mach 1.1, the lift-drag ratio at an angle of attack of 5 degrees and a speed of Mach 0.9 can reach a maximum of 8. Third generation aircraft are designed with transonic maneuverability as a priority, but this is clearly not the F-35's strong point, even though its maximum lift coefficient approaches the 1.8 of France's Dassault Rafale. Its lift-drag ratio is poorer, however, as its lift coefficient improves, this explains why the cross-sectional area of the body of the plane is quite large, although the back sweep angle of the wings is smaller, which improves subsonic flight, it also leads to heightened resistance in transonic flight. The maximum angle of attack of the F-35 at transonic speeds is still quite large, however, at a maximum of 35 degrees.

In terms of supersonic flow, the lift coefficient of the F-35 reaches 1.8 at an angle of attack of 35 degrees and a speed of Mach 1.3; while at a 5 degree angle of attack at Mach speed the lift-drag ratio reaches 4, a big gap from the F-22's supersonic lift-drag ratio of 5. As the bypass ratio of the Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan engine is quite large, its propulsion force at high speeds and high altitudes is lesser, making the F-35 comparable to supersonic third generation fighters, although it can't match the capabilities of third generation fighters with a canard configuration, and is closer to the capabilities of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. Overall, the F-35 was designed with subsonic maneuverability and long-range subsonic flight in mind, which explains why it is mainly flown in cruise and aimed at launching ground strikes. The F-35 is notable for its maneuverability at all speeds and angles of attack and its stability in making turns at subsonic speeds, making it more agile than third-generation fighters, although it does not perform well at transonic speeds. In sum, the F-35 sees a clear improvement from the F-16 in angle of attack and turning speed, with a slight upgrade in the stability of turns, although its transonic flight capabilities are slightly worse than the stealth version of the F-16. This suggests that it is most suited to be a ground attack aircraft, although it could also be termed a multirole aircraft.

The F-35's Stealth Capabilities

The plane features the following mechanisms aimed at electromagnetic scattering, listed in order of intensity: corner reflectors, concave resonators, polished surface reflection and knife-edge diffraction, surface backscatter, creeping wave diffraction, second-order and multiple scattering, as well as discontinuous surface scattering. The corner reflectors between the fuselage and the wings, the vertical tailfins and the horizontal stabilizers and between the external pylons, as well as the concave shape of the nose-mounted Electro-Optical Targeting System, the cockpit and the air inlets also prove very effective in reducing the craft's radar cross-section (RCS), at around 10-0 decibels, which corresponds to over 10 square meters to under 10 square meters in (RCS). The diffraction and scattering caused by sharp edges and lines on the plane have less of a contribution, at around 0 or -30 decibels, which corresponds to an RCS of one thousandth of a square meter.

The F-35 is equipped with an AN/APG-81 Active electronically scanned array-radar. The radar array face upwards at a slight angle, which reflects incoming radar waves that enter the radar housing away from the receiver. The serpentine air inlets and DSI covers the entire front of the engine and the cockpit is plated with metal to reflect incoming radar, preventing it from entering the cockpit, resulting in scattering; The internal weapons bay prevents reflection between external equipment held on pylons; the leading edges of the wing, the horizontal tail stabilizers and the vertical tailfins are all parallel, as are the trailing edges of the main wing, the horizontal tail stabilizers and the vertical tailfins, which aids in scattering; the surface of the body of the plane employs a sawtooth design, sending creeping wave away from the receiver. Currently the F-22's head-on RCS is between -20 and -30 decibels, or one hundredth to one thousandth of a square meter. Due to the sensors embedded in the body of the F-35, it has limited ability to scatter creeping waves. Taking all of this into account, the face-on RCS of the F-35 is likely between -10 and -20 decibels, or between one tenth and one hundredth of a square meter. This means that the F-35 can cut down the distance at which it can be detected by radar from 100 km to 20-40 km.

The F-35's Radar and Electromagnetic Interference Abilities

As mentioned above, the F-35 is equipped with an AN/APG-81 Active electronically scanned array-radar, which has strong detection capabilities as well as a multi-function integrated radio frequency system (MIRFS), which can carry out electromagnetic interference, facilitate communications and identify targets. The F-22 is equipped with the AN/APG-77 low probability of intercept radar, composed of 2,200 transmit/receive modules, each with power of around 10 Watts, giving it peak power of 22 kiloWatts. When operating with a duty cycle of 25%, it operates at around 5 kW. Due to the small size of the nose of the craft, the APG-81 radar has less components than the APG-77, although there is currently no concrete figure, it is likely around 1,200, giving it peak power of 12 kW and average power of around 2 kW.

Currently the APG-81 can detect targets of 10 sq m from a distance of around 250 km. If the head-on RCS of the Chengdu J-20 is to be around the same as the F-22, at between -20 and -30 decibels, then the APG-81 could detect it at a distance of 20-40 km. The F-35 is also equipped with a photoelectric sensor, the range and resolution of which is unclear, but likely of higher quality than the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) installed in US third-generation fighters. The fire-control radar on board third-generation fighters have no electronic interference capabilities, so an on board electronic jammer has to be used on board. As there is little space for an antenna and a high-frequency transmitter, this falls short of fire-control radar by a long shot, whereas the APG-81 uses the long range radar itself to engage in electronic interference. As the APG-81 has average power of 2 kW for interference, it beats the radar on board the third-generation fighter, at just several hundred Watts, right out of the water. At long-ranges the radar on third generation fighters is left only with its goniometric function, losing the ability to measure distance at all. This, in turn, leads to a loss of target tracking capabilities and its ability to visually simulate attack, which renders it ineffective.

East Asia Disputes: Threats and Countermeasures

Before 2016, the JSF may only be able to buy a few pre-production versions of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the F-35, the F-35A, to engage in flight tests and will likely only receive the final version of the F-35A a few years down the line. Countries are cooperating in the manufacturing and testing stage of the F-35's development in different ways. The UK agreed to invest funds of 10% or US$2 billion, under the JAST (now JSF) program office, which grants it priority access to F-35 equipment. The second way is through an investment of 5% or US$1 billion, through which Italy and the Netherlands are participating in the project. The third way is as a mid-ranking representative, under which participant countries can only make demands for custom details and invest funds of 1% or US$200-400 million. Countries who have chosen to participate in this way included Turkey, Canada and Australia. Later two more categories of participation were added. Those in the fourth category have to pay at least US$75 million. There are 12 potential countries that may sign up for this. Israel is the only country in the fifth category, under which it needs to pay US$2 million to access data on the F-35 project. Given the above division of categories, Japan will only be able to take part in the project under the fourth category, which means that at least eight countries will have priority in buying the F-35 aircraft and equipment before Japan. In addition to this, Japan is only buying around 40 F-35A fighters, a relatively small order, which makes it unlikely that it will get quick delivery on its order, compared to those willing to order more. Japan will likely get permission to assemble the F-35A after 2020, which means that the finished aircraft will come off the production line a lot later. Whether or not Japan is granted the right to assemble also depends on Japan's finances and on the stability in the country's relationship with the US.

Given the time frame for Japan's potential purchase of the F-35A aircraft and Japan's announcement of a project to develop its JASDF, by around 2025, the JASDF will likely have the following equipment and weapons systems: six E-767 early warning aircraft, around 40 F-35A fighters, around 100 upgraded Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ Eagle fighters and 150 Mitsubishi F-2 multirole fighters. Japan's air defense zones are divided into three areas, north, central and west. The north zone is aimed at defending against aircraft from Russia; the west zone is aimed at defending against aircraft from China, while the central zone gives Japan strategic flexibility in deployments. This means it is likely that the F-35A fighters will be divided into two squadrons, with 20 being deployed to the west air defense zone and 20 being deployed to the north air defense zone. Two F-15J fighters and one F-2 from the central air defense zone will likely be deployed to the west and north air defense zones, while the rest of the aircraft will serve as strategic reserves in the central defense zone. This will mean that Japan will have fallen far from its title as the No. 1 air force in Asia that it proclaimed in the 1990s.

Although the JASDF will not be a strategic deterrent for China once it is equipped with the F-35A fighter, the addition of the plane will still have an effect on the Chinese air force and on its strategic anti-aircraft defense systems. The foremost threat it poses is its stealth capabilities, which represent a revolutionary upgrade from third-generation fighters and will shake up the early warning and sensor systems of air combat. The F-35A reduces the RCS of third-generation fighters from several dozen sq m to just one tenth to one hundredth of a sq m, which is enough to half the distance at which it can be detected by radar. This puts pressure on Chinese early warning craft to increase their coverage to prevent the F-35A making use of blind spots. It also demands a much more concentrated deployment of anti-aircraft weapon systems or an upgrade to their anti-stealth capabilities. Chinese air force formations will also have to adjust their formations, as although the F-35 hasn't substantially improved on the maneuverability of third-generation fighters, the F-35A has a tactical advantage over Chinese third-generation fighters, due to its ability to see the battlefield more clearly. This means that the PLA Air Force will have to put fourth-generation J-20 fighters to the front of formations, in order to discover the F-35A fighters as soon as possible. These J-20 fighters can then intercept the F-35 fighters and push them out of Chinese airspace. Given the severe drop in RCS with fourth-generation fighters, adding concentrated deployment of early warning aircraft and radar is a bottomless pit, as no country has been able to make up for the shortfall in their early warning and anti-aircraft defense systems. The only effective means of dealing with this state of affairs is to develop a fourth-generation fighter with similar capabilities, posing an equal threat to the enemy.

The J-20 has already undergone several test-flights, suggesting that China's fourth-generation fighter is almost complete and is on the brink of entering the manufacturing stage. After the final version of the plane is fixed and undergoes test-flights, manufacturing can begin, which means the J-20 will be deployed by 2017 at the earliest and by 2019 at the latest.

If the J-20 is manufactured at the rate of one regiment per year, then by 2025, 5-7 regiments will be equipped, with around 120-170 planes, which makes up around two air force divisions. The US only has 187 F-22 fighters. With China's J-20 fighters in development, as well as the sheer numbers of third-generation fighters, forming its main strategic combat force, along with early warning aircraft, electromagnetic interference systems and airborne warning and control systems, China will have a clear advantage over Japan in any potential air battle. If the J-20 is equipped with China's fourth generation active electronically scanned array radar, and this equals the APG-77 with which the F-22 is equipped, the aircraft will be able to detect an F-35A head on at a distance of 50 km, whereas a F-35A will only be able to detect a J-20 head on at a distance of 20-40 km, giving the J-20 the advantage. The J-20 has similar capabilities to the F-22, including supercruise, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and supermaneuverability, giving it an advantage over the F-35A under all battle conditions.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150520000057

New Russian Super Aircraft Carrier ‘Storm’ to Reform Russian Navy



Krylovsky State Research Center (KRSC) came up with a scale model of a new aircraft carrier known as 23000 "Storm," daily newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.


Russian Navy to Order New Warships to Strengthen Positions in Global Ocean

In addition to aircraft carriers built for the Russian Navy, the developers created an import version of the ship, which might be extremely interesting to many foreign customers.

The ship's power plant will be either a conventional power plant or a nuclear one, depending on potential customers' requirements, Rossiyskaya Gazeta said.

The new aircraft carrier has a displacement of 100,000 tons, is 330 meters in length, 40 meters in width and has a draft of 11 meters. The ship has a top speed of 30 kt and a sea-keeping performance of up to grade 7.

"Storm" can carry 90 deck-based aircraft for various combat missions. The carrier has two ramps and two electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft from its deck.

To defend itself from aerial attacks, the aircraft carrier has air-defense missile and anti-torpedo defense systems.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150520/1022378797.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-30...ar-weapons.html

Advanced patrol vessel commissioned in China's Sansha city

An advanced patrol vessel was delivered and commissioned in China's southernmost Sansha city Wednesday.

The No.1 law enforcement ship of Sansha City, Hainan Province, is 97.5 meters long and 14 meters wide with seven floors. With a tonnage of 2,600 tonnes, the vessel has a designed speed of 22 nautical miles per hour and is capable of sailing 6,000 nautical miles.

The cruising ability means it can patrol the seawaters at the Nansha Islands, said Wang Shizheng, deputy head of the Sansha City Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau.

The new ship will increase the law enforcement range of Sansha city and play an irreplaceable role in maritime salvage and materials supply for islands and reefs, he said.

The ship has special rooms for handling cases in its legal enforcement cruises as well as an infirmary, a helipad and a garage.

Prior to the No.1 law enforcement vessel, Sansha had three patrolling vessels.

Sansha City, on Yongxing, one of the Xisha islands, was officially established in 2012 to administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea.

http://www.ecns.cn/military/2015/05-21/166175.shtml