LoL, I highly doubt the AV8 has the same turret-mounting circumference.

Of course module and turret-swapping between tanks is possible, as long as specs are compatible. I somehow doubt turkish and russian armor vehicle specs are that much compatible. Maybe this turret can be fitted to Soviet/Russian designed tank like T-72 or PT-91 or perhaps smaller vehicles like BMP, I don't know, but is more logical to think that way rather than two unrelated armored vehicles from two different countries are very compatible to the point of having the same specs.

By your logic, we must be able to mount an M1 Abrams turret onto the Pendekar, just because 'equipment is within the turret itself'.

Probably designed for this in mind. Even so, universal swapping of turrets and armored vehicles are a practical and technical impossibility. It's like fitting a round peg into a smaller round hole. Both are round, but for some reason they won't fit together.

Photos of Zwaardvis class submarines rusting in Lumut. Photo credit to now defunct defence magazine, Tempur.

With MRCA Project Stalled, Royal Malaysian Air Force Plans MiG-29 Upgrade

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Forecast International
by Dan Darling, International Military Markets Analyst, Forecast International.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force plans to hold on to its fleet of MiG-29N Fulcrums a bit longer.

The MiG-29s form part of the RMAF’s mixed combat aircraft fleet, which also includes Boeing F/A-18D Hornets and Sukhoi Su-30MKMs. The Fulcrums are the oldest of the RMAF’s jet fighters, having been delivered in 1995 (the Hornets mostly arrived in 1997, while the Su-30s were delivered between 2006 and 2010).

The RMAF had outlined the replacement of the MiG-29s as a cornerstone project as far back as 2002, when plans were formulated to acquire two types of aircraft to meet the service’s need for an eventual frontline fighter force of some 36 aircraft. A purchase of 18 Su-30MKMs a year later fulfilled half of that goal.

Under the RMAF’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program, the replacement of the MiG-29Ns with 18 new fighters had emerged as the core requirement. An initial Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in March 2011 calling for 18 new fighters, plus an option for a further 18-unit batch. The Boeing F/A‑18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen were all offered up as potential contenders to fill the RMAF requirement, with a further buy of Su-30MKMs ruled out by the service.

But as time passed, the Malaysian government began to get cold feet about such an expensive procurement, and reports coming out of Kuala Lumpur in April 2014 indicated a gathering consensus that a lease – or even a lease-to-buy – would be preferential to an outright purchase.

As the RMAF awaits the precise breakdown of the government’s latest five-year spending plan (the 11th Development Plan 2016-2020) presented to Parliament on May 21, it must determine whether to go forward with MRCA or instead shift its focus to MiG-29 retention. It appears the latter option is likely to win out.

RMAF chief Gen. Datuk Seri Roslan Saad noted to local media on June 1 that initial plans to phase out the MiG-29Ns – first by 2010, then by 2015 – have been tabled (for now), and instead the fleet will be put through an upgrade that will extend their service lives. This would likely push their serviceability out to around 2020 with the hope that the fighter procurement might be in motion by the time the next Development Plan is presented.

V-22 Osprey vs CH-47F Chinook
if price not take to consideration.... which one your prefer?

The Osprey’s huge propellers and the positioning of its engines had created obstruction issues for normal machine gun mounting locations, but AUSA 2007 saw BAE Systems promoting a retractable belly turret solution external link based on a 3-barrel 7.62mm GAU-17 minigun. Special Operations Command has ordered some, and now the US Marines have deployed with them.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/baes-t...n-cv-22s-04618/

Sri Lanka revealed as first foreign buyer of JF-17

Staff Reporter 2015-06-22 10:45 (GMT+8)

Sri Lanka will become the first foreign country to acquire the JF-17 Thunder, otherwise known as the FC-1 Xiaolong or "Fierce Dragon," the multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China, reports the Pakistan-based 92NewsHD.

According to the report, the order will be for around 18-24 aircraft, confirming claims made at the 51st Paris Air Show last week that the first contract for the sale of the JF-17 had been signed with "an Asian country."

Rumors that Sri Lanka might be the first to export the JF-17 arose earlier this month when a photo of the office of a Sri Lankan air force commander revealed a scale model of the JF-17.

The Pakistan Air Force announced that they will begin delivery of the JF-17 to Sri Lanka from 2017, adding that its Pakistani and Chinese developers will continue efforts to promote the aircraft to other countries.

Publicly available information indicates that the Sri Lanka Air Force currently has around 160 aircraft, 27,400 soldiers and 1,300 officers. Aircraft acquired from Chia include seven J-7 fighter jets and nine Y-12 transport aircraft, with additional orders for two MA60 transport aircraft.

RMAF Q&A Part II: MRCA et al

Marhalim Abas
June 24, 2015

SHAH ALAM: THIS is the second part of the RMAF Q&A which was part of the service’s 57th anniversary gig last month. If you missed the first one go here .

And like the first part, an analysis will be provided to give a perspective on the latest development especially on those concerning RMK11.

Analysis
As the Q&A was conducted in late May, it is expected the answers here have been taken over by events. It appears that RMAF will have to consider leasing as industry sources told Malaysian Defence that the MRCA programme has not received the go-ahead for RMK11.

One source had said that the MRCA could go ahead during RMK11 if a special allocation was made for the programme. Personally I do not think this is likely. The same special allocation was spoken off during the last 10 years but nothing had materialised and I do not think it will occur this time either.

Analysis
As stated in the previous posting, it is the MPA requirement that had been approved to be funded under RMK11 and not the AEW programme. I have no idea why the MPA was chosen ahead of the AEW programme. Perhaps the events during the last two years, notably MH370 and the Lahad Datu incursion were the tipping point. If these events were the reasons, I am pretty sure now that we are fighting yesterday’s war. And AFAIK there is no absolutely no word on UAVs in the RMK11 allocation. I am not sure whether the allocation was not sought or the funding were denied.

No Cougars in RMK11

Q: Industry sources told Malaysian Defence, RMAF is seeking to buy 12 more Airbus Helicopters H225M Cougar in RMK11, is this true?

A: Procurement of more H225Ms was planned but due to the financial restrictions and other procurement priorities, it was not registered under RMAF’s list for RMK11.

Analysis
It was generally expected that RMAF will repeat an order for the H225M in RMK11. However the exclusion of funding for the helicopters meant that the service will continue to rely on Nuris for at least a decade or so. It will also forced the Nuri Upgrade programme to be expedited despite the problems with digital cockpit supplier.

If the Cougars were excluded from RMK11 how did the heavy lift got the nod instead?, one may asked. It is possible that the heavy lift helicopters requirement came from another service, most likely the Armed Forces Headquarters.

Indonesian and Swedish delegates in front of the Visby Class Corvette

Admiral Ade Supandi and HE the Ambassador of Indonesia being briefed while on board the Visby Class Corvette

Indonesia holds LST handover ceremony

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore and Mrityunjoy Mazumdar, Alameda, California - IHS Jane's Navy International
24 June 2015


The Indonesian Navy's LST Teluk Bintuni, during its handover ceremony. Source: PT Daya Radar Utama

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has held a handover ceremony for an indigenously produced landing ship tank (LST) vessel, dubbed the 'leopard carrier' by the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL). The ceremony took place on 17 June.

The vessel, KRI Teluk Bintuni (520), had in fact been commissioned into the TNI-AL's Military Sea Lift Command (KOLINLAMIL) in a ceremony presided over by then Indonesian defence minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro in September 2014.

IHS Jane's understands that the LST returned to the shipbuilder PT Daya Radar Utama (PT DRU) for more work, following the commissioning.

According to specifications provided by the shipbuilder, Teluk Bintuni has a top speed of 16 kt and can accommodate up to 120 crew. The 5,200-tonne LST has a length of 120 m, a beam of 18 m, and a draft of 3 m.

Teluk Bintuni is powered by two South Korean-built STX MAN 9L27/38 engines, each rated at 3,285 kW at 800 rpm.


Indonesian defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu during the handover ceremony for the LST Teluk Bintuni on 17 June 2015. (Indonesian Ministry of Defence)

Its payload is around 2,300 tonnes, which translates to 18 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, one armoured bridgelaying vehicle, and a transporter; alternatively, this payload capacity enables the LST to carry 15 BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles instead.

To facilitate rapid vehicle loading and unloading, the LST has a 90-tonne turntable supplied by PT Pinmarine, which has also supplied other deck equipment such as cranes.

As well as its crew, the LST can carry around 350 troops. The ship also can embark one medium helicopter, according to PT DRU. It is armed with a single 40 mm Bofors L70 gun, a 20 mm cannon, and two heavy machine guns.

Thailand to Upgrade Fleet, Chooses Chinese to Provide Three Submarines



Three Chinese-made submarines worth 355 million dollars each may be purchased by Thailand for its Royal Navy, the newspaper Bangkok Post reported on Friday, citing a source in the country's procurement committee.

The decision was made on Thursday, when the majority of the 17-strong committee said "yes" to the Chinese submarines, saying that it was the "best value for money". Other committee members remained split between offers from South Korea and Germany.

According to the source, the committee voted to buy the Chinese submarines because they are "equipped with superior weaponry and technology and are also able to stay underwater longer."

http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150626/1023868397.html

Navy Sources State That Buying Chinese Submarines is a Bad Idea 

BY EDITOR ON 2015-04-10 THAIVISA NEWS

Members within Thailand’s Navy have strong doubts about the country buying submarines from China. News broke earlier in the week that Prawit Wongsuwon, the Defense Minister, would be in China on a three-day trip and would be discussing a possible deal to buy two Chinese submarines.

The deal would be valued at 36 billion baht for both submarines.

Navy sources state that there is a major internal concern within the navy that the submarines may not be reliable. The sources state that China does not have the experience needed for truly reliable submarines.

Spending 36 billion baht on unreliable submarines is not a wise choice, states sources. There is also a major concern that due to a lack of quality, long-term maintenance may be more costly.

European vessels are comparable in price and have a proven track record in terms of reliability. Navy sources fear that the Chinese submarines may be able to go under water for the first 4 or 5 years before design flaws cause them to be rendered useless.

Currently, no final deal has been made on where the country will buy submarines. General Prawit states that he has agreed in principle to the purchase and that he also plans to have joint training with China’s military.

TKMS starts construction of Singapore's Type 218SG submarines

Kelvin Wong, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
28 June 2015


The Republic of Singapore Navy's new Type 218SG diesel-electric submarine is derived from the Type 214 design, albeit with significant refinements and customisation to meet the service's requirements. The design was seen for the first time in model form at the 2015 IMDEX Asia exhibition in Singapore. Source: IHS/Kelvin Wong

Work on the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) two new Type 218SG diesel electric submarines has started, a MINDEF spokesperson confirmed to IHS Jane's on 29 June.

The spokesperson said Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han witnessed the steel-cutting ceremony at ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems' (TKMS') facility at Kiel on 24 June, which marked the commencement of construction for the service's future submarines, as part of an official visit to Germany.

Singapore signed a contract with TKMS for two new air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines in December 2013. Initial details of the contract were scant, although a TKMS statement said the new design has been customised to meet the country's unique requirements, and includes capacity to accommodate additional equipment to meet future operational requirements. It will also feature an advanced combat system co-developed by Singapore Technologies (ST) Electronics, a subsidiary of Singapore defence prime ST Engineering Group, and the Bremen-based Atlas Elektronik.

Fresh details of the Type 218SG submarine finally emerged during the IMDEX 2015 exhibition that was held in Singapore in May 2015. According to specifications provided by TKMS, the Type 218SG will be 70 m in length, 6.3 m in beam, and will displace approximately 2,000 tonnes.

A company source told IHS Jane's that the Type 218SG is developed from the Type 214 design, although the new submarine has been extended in length to accommodate additional mission systems as well as to support future upgradability.

IHS Jane's was also told that the new design combines the "best features" of the Type 212A-class and the Type 214-class platforms. For example, the Type 218SG features an X-rudder stern configuration similar to the Type 212A, which offers enhanced manoeuvrability in confined littoral waters, as opposed to the Type 214's cruciform rudder arrangement.

"The Type 218SG will also use the same air independent propulsion (AIP) system found the Type 214 submarine," the source said. According to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships , the Type 214-class is equipped with an AIP system based on a pair of HDW/Siemens polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell modules that generate up to 120 kW each.

Unlike the RSN's current 1,500 tonne Archer-class SSKs (ex-Type A 17 Västergötland) that were modernised and refitted to accommodate a Stirling Mk 3 AIP system, the Type 218SG will be AIP-capable in its baseline configuration.

The new submarines will replace the RSN's ageing Challenger (Type A 12 Sjöormen)-class submarines, which were first commissioned in the 1960s for the Royal Swedish Navy and acquired by Singapore in the mid-1990s.

Singapore debuts stealthy naval interceptor ahead of 50th anniversary parade
Kelvin Wong, Singapore - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

28 June 2015


The Republic of Singapore Navy's Specialised Marine Craft is being shown to the public for the first time since it became operational in 2009. The vessel on parade is visibly less equipped than the model shown in a publicity video, suggesting that this particular example is either a prototype or a newly built hull awaiting further outfitting. Source: IHS/Kelvin Wong

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has unveiled a new high-speed and stealthy naval interceptor designed to perform a range of missions, including base defence for the service's two naval facilities, force protection, as well as maritime security operations alongside its existing Fearless-class patrol vessels and future Littoral Mission Vessels.

The new interceptor, called the Specialised Marine Craft (SMC), will be officially revealed to the public as part of the military display aimed at showcasing the Singapore Armed Forces' latest capabilities during the country's National Day celebration on 9 August. The SMC replaces the service's Fast Boats, which were retired in 2008.

According to specifications provided by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the 40-tonne SMC - which is based on an aluminium hullform with a low radar cross section (RCS) design - measures 22 m in length and has a beam of 5.5 m. IHS Jane's understands that the draft of the vessel is approximately 1.2 m.


A screenshot from a publicity video showing the wide, low profile hull form of the new Specialised Marine Craft. The vessel's electro-optical sensor and what is likely to be a navigation radar can be seen mounted on its starboard mast. (Republic of Singapore Navy)

Major Lee Pui Yau, commander of the SMC squadron, told reporters during a media preview event on 27 June that development of the SMC began in 2003 in collaboration with Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine, with the first vessel entering service in 2009 after extensive trials and design refinements in the intervening years.

Maj Lee said the vessel's complement of four comprises a commander, a coxswain, a navigator, and a weapons specialist. He added that the SMC is not designed to embark additional personnel.

Propulsion is achieved with two Hamilton waterjets, likely the HM series that are designed for marine craft ranging from 17 to 60 m, which enable unfettered operation in shallow waters, while enabling the vessel to attain maximum speeds in excess of 30 kt.

The SMC is armed with a foredeck-mounted stabilised Oto Melara Hitrole G remote weapons station that is equipped with a 12.7 mm FN Herstal M2HB QCB machine gun and complements the stealthy profile of the SMC with its low-RCS shield. According to company literature, the Hitrole G weapon station is capable of engaging surface and aerial targets and has an internal capacity for 400 rds of ammunition. Additional ammunition can be stored under the mount. The company also stated that the Hitrole G is also equipped with a daylight camera, a cooled infrared imager, and a laser rangefinder.


The Specialised Marine Craft is armed with a stabilised 12.7 mm Oto Melara Hitrole G remote weapons station, which features a low radar cross section shield design. (Republic of Singapore Navy)

Specifics of the SMC's electronic systems were not disclosed, although MINDEF said the vessel features "advanced sensors" that provide "state-of-the-art surveillance capabilities" as well as a communications suite that enables improved integration with other RSN fleet assets and facilities. However, IHS Jane's understands from Maj Lee that the vessel is equipped with a mast-mounted electro-optical sensor turret as well as a radar system, although he declined to elaborate further on their origins.

According to Maj Lee, the RSN currently operates three vessels with a further five expected to enter service by 2017.


The Specialised Marine Craft is operated by a four-person crew. (Republic of Singapore Navy)

Indonesian military plane crashes in Medan neighborhood

5:50 PM Tuesday Jun 30, 2015

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) " An Indonesian military spokesman says a Hercules C-130 plane has crashed into a residential neighborhood of Medan city in Sumatra.

Indonesian television on Tuesday broadcast blurry images from the city of a downed aircraft in flames.

Maj. Gen. Fuad Basya confirmed the crash but had no other details.

Malaysia plans to upgrade four Kedah-class corvettes for ASW role

Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International
23 April 2015

.... To achieve the ASW upgrade, the RMN is proposing to equip the four vessels with torpedo launchers, towed array and hull-mounted sonars, and equipment to support the operation of an ASW helicopter...
....The other two vessels-in-class will be upgraded for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) operations. The RMN has said that it plans to equip the ships with an organic helicopter and surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles....

http://www.janes.com/article/50908/malaysi...es-for-asw-role

The upgrades for the Kedah-class, I am told will not be funded during RMK11. RMN had hopes to upgrade the Kedah class for ASW and ASUW and fitted them with missiles and torpedoes.