mt kk earthquack

budak baru keluar sekolah... proud of them

most of these unemployed are incompetent grads from paper mills schools... once in they would serve as officers in atm and might be commanding more skilled enlistee that might not be academically gifted but physically and mentally skilled..

join as enlisted la...

does that mean frontline already got theirs?

Philippines ramps up military spending in face of China threat

MANILA: The Philippines plans to ramp up military spending over the next 13 years, earmarking more than US$20 billion to modernise its forces in the face of Beijing's maritime ambitions in the disputed South China Sea, a top air force official told Reuters.

Major-General Raul del Rosario, military chief of plans, said the blueprint includes installing radars and sensors, and buying equipment such as submarines, frigates, fighters, surveillance planes and missile systems.

"By the time, we complete this plan, we will have complete coverage of the South China Sea," said del Rosario, a former fighter pilot, showing the military's detailed plan that was approved on Friday.

"We will have 24/7 awareness of what is happening in the disputed area and we'll be able to respond quicker to any contingency in our own exclusive economic zone."

He said the ambitious plan was initiated in 2013, but top brass had only approved overall spending of 998 billion pesos (US$22.11 billion) last week.

Del Rosario said 83 billion pesos had been earmarked for the first five years, 444 billion pesos for the second five years and 471 billion pesos for the last five years.

In 1995, Congress had earmarked 364 billion pesos for a similar 15-year plan. Less than one-tenth of that sum was actually spent by 2010.

The modernisation programme is designed to strengthen Manila's claims in the South China Sea, believed to be rich in energy deposits.

China has become increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, building artificial islands in areas over which the Philippines and other countries have rival claims. The moves have sparked alarm regionally and in Washington.

SUBMARINES, MISSILES AND SURVEILLANCE PLANES

President Benigno Aquino has promised the military about 34 billion pesos this year, which will fund the purchase of two frigates and a twin-engine long range maritime aircraft.

So far, the government has given the military 9.4 billion pesos in 2014. This has been used to purchase eight combat utility helicopters and as a downpayment for 12 FA50 fighter-trainers from South Korea. Two of the aircraft are expected in 2016.

Del Rosario said that between 2018 and 2023 the Philippines would buy electric-diesel submarines and advanced missile systems.

Three aerial surveillance radars with a range of 350 nautical miles will also be installed in Ilocos Norte, Lubang island and Mount Salacot in Palawan, all facing the South China Sea to detect movements in the disputed area.

These will complement the navy's two surface sensors capable of detecting ship activities 200 miles away. Three surveillance planes will also be on constant patrol in the area.

"We do not aim to defeat China," del Rosario said. "But our goal is make any state think twice before attacking. We will make sure anybody attacking us would end up with a bloodied nose."

(US$1 = 45.1300 Philippine pesos)

(Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

- Reuters

i see...

maybe for sight seeing n counter insurgency... if go to war, will be duck hunt for sam

msia ada tak?

blame the weak governance

The Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicle is the 2nd People's Defence Force Command's newest asset. With its enhanced weapons system, increased mobility, and better protection, the Peacekeeper is well-equipped to safeguard our homeland. Check out this video to find out more about the Peacekeeper!

or is it a tanker?

from karanguni to state of the art...

bagi kek

Japan is interested in joining a NATO missile building consortium that would give Tokyo its first taste of a multinational defence project, sources said.



TOKYO: Japan is interested in joining a NATO missile building consortium that would give Tokyo its first taste of a multinational defence project, a move the US Navy is encouraging because it could pave the way for Japan to lead similar partnerships in Asia, sources said.

The 12-country NATO consortium oversees development and shares the costs of the SeaSparrow missile, an advanced ship-borne weapon designed to destroy anti-ship sea-skimming missiles and attack aircraft. The missile is made by U.S. weapons firms Raytheon and General Dynamics .

In May, Japanese naval officers travelled to a North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting in The Hague to learn more about the consortium, Japan's navy and a U.S. source familiar with the trip told Reuters.

Two Japanese sources familiar with the initiative said discussions in Tokyo were at an early stage, although joining the consortium would dovetail with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's more muscular security agenda, which included the lifting last year of a decades-old ban on arms exports.

The sources declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The consortium, established in 1968 by four countries including the United States, is set to develop an upgraded version of the SeaSparrow in the coming years.

Having Japan on board would spread the project's costs, but Washington also sees a role for Japan in leading multinational military industrial partnerships in Asia at a time when China's military modernisation and assertiveness is alarming many countries in the region, said the U.S. source.

Such partnerships, which are rare in Asia, would create a network of security ties beyond formal military alliances that mostly involve Washington and its various regional allies.

"We think this project will allow Japan to lay the groundwork for further defence export programmes in the future," the U.S. source said. "We would welcome this kind of security cooperation activity by Japan in the region."

Asked to comment, a spokesman for the Japanese navy said in an email: "The U.S. Navy is keeping us informed about the SeaSparrow project. With the aim of improving the procurement efficiency of our ship-based surface to air missiles we are gathering information to make the necessary choice."

The U.S. Navy said it was not immediately able to comment. NATO declined to comment.

TOKYO ALREADY BEEFING UP ASIA TIES

Japan has one of the most advanced military industrial bases in the world, but companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have long made weapons only for the Self Defense Forces because of the arms export ban.

Since lifting those curbs, Abe has begun boosting security cooperation across Southeast Asia, where several countries with tight budgets are worried by China's creation of man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea.

In June, Abe agreed with Philippine President Benigno Aquino on an exchange of military technology and hardware. Abe in May also agreed to start talks on transfers of defence equipment and technology with Malaysia.

And Australia is considering Japan as the possible builder of its next generation submarines, something U.S. naval commanders have publicly encouraged because doing so would deepen ties between two of Washington's closest allies in Asia.

None of these initiatives, however, are multinational.

SOME CONCERNS IN TOKYO

Japan's navy already uses the SeaSparrow missile, which is assembled locally by Mitsubishi Electric under a co-production agreement with NATO and the U.S. manufacturers.

That would make the transition to a full consortium partner easier, said the U.S. source.

One of the Japanese sources said some concerns had been raised in Tokyo over diminished control over production by being a member, even though sharing of costs would be welcomed.

"The concern is what it would mean to security by having to rely on other nations," the Japanese source said, referring to the possibility supplies of munitions and equipment from other countries could be disrupted more easily than those made at home, especially during any conflict.

It could also become a political issue since Japanese firms that supply parts for the SeaSparrow missiles made in Japan could miss out if Tokyo joined a consortium where work was spread among participating nations.

The U.S. Navy's desire to see Japan in the consortium comes after a proposal for Mitsubishi Heavy to join Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 stealth fighter programme fizzled out last year.

Japanese defence bureaucrats had hoped working on the F-35 as a subcontractor to rear fuselage maker BAE Systems of Britain would have given Mitsubishi Heavy exposure to global arms markets.

But it proved impossible for Mitsubishi Heavy to compete on pricing of components given the advantage enjoyed by contractors in the initial nine countries due to their governments' funding of specialised tooling for the programme.

"Japan recognises that it should join these international groups to help amortise purchases and make their industry more competitive," said a U.S. executive who works closely with the Japanese government and industry.

"You're going to see them engaged in more and more bilateral, trilateral and multilateral groups in coming years."

- Reuters

might not be a bad thing for us, defense does not come in the form of just military..

itu minuteman... delivery of nuclear warhead can come in many forms... this 1 they are trying out via bomber fighter...