AFP puzzled by '6th worst in the world' ranking, but hopes it leads to higher budget


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Sweden offers integrated package

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Fri, October 23 2015, 8:36 AM

Sweden has officially offered its air power package to Indonesia, banking on lower lifecycle cost coupled with attractive financing solutions and a commitment to fulfill its obligation of transferring the technology.

The offer was announced by Swedish Ambassador to Jakarta Johanna Brismar Skoog during a breakfast briefing at her residence in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Thursday morning.

Indonesia is looking to replace its aging, US-made F-5 E/F Tiger II jet fighter and the Swedish offer is thus far the only comprehensive one.

Rather than offering only the latest generation of its light, single engine Gripen jet fighter, Swedish defense and security giant Saab throws a complete set of air defense systems.

The offer also includes Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) for maritime surveillance and control; ground-based Command and Control; tactical data link to share data among various platforms; industrial cooperation, including transfer of technology and local production; and extensive job creation, reaching into the thousands.

“We have a proven track record on transfer of technology and industrial cooperation,” Skoog said, citing Brazil, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand as examples.

“We have the best capacities and capabilities in air defense allowing you to control your territory.”

She added that the air power package offered by Sweden was not only limited to military purposes but also civilian, such as monitoring illegal fishing, smuggling and piracy.

Meanwhile, Saab Indonesia head Peter Carlqvist said Saab was offering the most cost-efficient air defense solution.

Citing a study by Jane’s, he said Gripen had the lowest flight hour cost when compared with its competitors at US$4,700 per hour. Another light, single-engine fighter contender, the US-made F-16 Fighting Falcon is at $7,700. The cost increases for heavy, twin-engine fighters. French-made Dassault Rafale costs $16,500 and Eurofighter Typhoon $18,000.

Carlqvist said that the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flanker, tipped as Indonesia’s ultimate choice, was the costliest at between $40,000 and $50,000.

With the same amount of money, he said, Indonesia could afford to operate four-times as many Gripens instead of the Sukhois. “Or the money can be channeled somewhere else, such as universities or hospitals,” he said.

He added that the most important consideration was the total lifecycle cost, with acquisition cost contributing only some 20 percent.

On industrial cooperation, Carlqvist said it would include local production and technology transfer to local companies. “We are committed to fulfilling the obligation of 35 percent direct offset and 50 percent indirect offset,” he said.

Saab, for example, will transfer the know-how on designing and making tactical data link complete with cryptography so that Indonesia could have its own system guaranteeing a high level of security.

A Navy war game in 2002 that simulated a swarm attack by speedboats of the type Iran has in the Gulf had devastating results: 16 major warships would be destroyed, including one aircraft carrier. Anti-ship weaponry has only grown more potent since then.

These massive ships were never intended to take on jihadists and other asymmetric threats. But it’s no longer clear that they would be useful in a war against a major power such as Russia or a middling one such as Iran. The Pentagon has spent billions outfitting aircraft carriers with air defenses that are unproven, and the relatively short range of their planes –- an F/A-18 Hornet has to turn around at roughly 500 miles -- leaves them vulnerable to land-based missiles that can travel twice that far.

Carriers increasingly seem like sitting ducks. And, if one was ever sunk, with 5,000 Americans on board, the blow to the military and nation would be almost unthinkable. 

Pakistan’s indigenously developed armed drone took out a number of suspected terrorists in South Waziristan in its first night mission on Thursday as separate air strikes in Khyber Agency left  at least 21 more suspected militants dead.

“A number of terrorists were killed in a [Pakistani military] drone strike in South Waziristan,” the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement. “It was the first night strike by Burraq with pinpoint accuracy,” it added without providing details.

A Spanish Air Force helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean 280 miles off The Canary Islands at 2 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. Spanish time), the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement e-mailed to journalists on Thursday evening.

Spanish and Moroccan search and rescue aircraft are still looking for the three crew members. The MoD said the three were a captain, a lieutenant and sergeant, who were bringing the helicopter back from Dakar (Senegal), en route to The Canary Islands.

The helicopter's emergency beacon began transmitting when it crashed and Spain launched an F-18 from The Canary Islands to overfly the area. Radio contact was not possible.

Global Komited Wins Malaysian Contract For Eight Armoured Personnel Carriers

Source : Our Bureau ~ Dated : Thursday, October 22, 2015 @ 04:01 PM

The Weststar Group’s Global Komited Sdn Bhd has won a contract from the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia to procure eight units of IAG’s Armoured Personnel Carriers.

The vehicles will be deployed under the provision of Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) security operations. With the procurement, PDRM will be the first police department in the region to utilize IAG’s high mobility and high protection technologically advanced Armoured Personnel Carriers.

The delivery of the Armoured Personnel Carriers is expected to be completed by end of November, the company announced Wednesday.

“The development of advanced armour technologies has driven a new demand for armoured vehicles. Within the context of the industry’s development, Global Komited has partnered with IAG to cater to the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia’s specific requirements in expanding PDRM armoured VIP vehicles’ fleet.” The Weststar Group Managing Director, Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim said.

“IAG’s Armoured Personnel Carrier is the most popular choice for armoured vehicles for its tactical abilities. The addition of the eight units will allow PDRM to add more depth to its security and tactical operations.” Ibrahim added.

Taking place from the 21st to the 23rd of October 2015, Global Komited is displaying its highly reliable General Service cargo (GS Cargo) vehicle and an army Special Operation Vehicle (GKM-1) to the visitors of GPEC ASIA 2015. These two tactical vehicles have been commissioned into service for both PDRM and Malaysian Armed Forces.

MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. The first tests of the United States’ missile defense system in Europe were the Pentagon’s response to the successful use of Russia’s sea-launched cruise missiles from the land-locked Caspian Sea on October 7 against military targets of the Islamic State in Syria, polled experts have told TASS.

why cant buy direct?

The U.S. is poised to sell eight new F-16 fighter jets to the world’s fifth-largest nuclear power – Pakistan – in order to strengthen relations between the countries, according to The New York Times, which cites senior American officials.

Pakistan plans to install nuclear missiles on its submarines

It was earlier reported that Pakistan is not going to accept the U.S. proposal to limit its tactical nuclear potential, according to officials in Islamabad. According to a spokesman for Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the country is going to tell this to Obama in person during their meeting on Thursday.

2016 Budget, Defence and National Security

Marhalim Abas
October 23, 2015

SHAH ALAM: IN my preview of the 2016 budget, I predicted that the Armed Forces will get a very big hit. However, it proved to be a softer blow instead as the allocation for next year was only reduced by some RM400 million.

For 2016, the government has allocated RM17.3 billion for the Armed Forces compared to RM17.7 billion, the amount actually spent this year. The Operating Expenditure (OE) for 2016 is RM13.4 billion, a reduction of some RM700 million from 2015 (RM14.1 billion). The Development Expenditure (DE) is RM3.847 billion, an increase of RM229 million compared to last year allocation of RM3.618 billion.

However I was not wrong about the assets to be procured for the year. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in his budget speech presentation stated that among the items to be procured are “the Littoral Combat Ship, A400M, armoured personnel carriers and the VSHORAD system.

The APCs are obviously the Gempita and the VSHORAD is of course the Thales Starstreak system signed earlier this year.

Najib also said the Armed Forces will also get the latest unmanned airborne system for ISR duties. Industry sources had told Malaysian Defence that UAS being looked were either more Scaneagles (already operating in ESSCOM) or a new medium range UAV to be locally made or assembled. Apart from this some RM523 million will be allocated to build a new camp for the Army at Felda Sahabat, in Lahad Datu.

Najib also said the government will also allocate RM864 million to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for the procurement of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) and patrol boats. This latest allocation will be a boon for MMEA which had long been hobbled by operating among the oldest patrol vessels in the region.

Whether the OPV will be the same one as shown during LIMA 15 is beyond me at the moment.

For internal security and public safety, some RM13.1 billion has been allocated. Among others 500 patrol cars and 500 motorcycles worth RM35 million will be procured. In the meantime, ESSCOM will be allocated some RM26 million for procurement in 2016.

Western Companies Try to Persuade Indonesia to Buy Planes Instead of Russian Jets - NGO

RUSSIA
19:37 23.10.2015 (updated 23:09 23.10.2015)

Western companies have intensified their efforts to persuade Indonesian companies to purchase their aircraft after Jakarta announced its decision to buy Russian Su-35 (Flanker-E) fighter jets, the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade said Friday.

"After Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu announced the decision to purchase the Russian Su-35 jets in September, the activity of the Western companies in offering more advantageous contracts has increased noticeably," the organization said in a statement.

According to the statement, Sweden's Saab group has offered JAS 39 Gripen aircraft and Erieye radar systems to Indonesia, while US company Lockheed Martin offered the new F-16V jets.

In early September, Indonesia decided to replace its US-made Northrop F-5 Tiger II fighter jets with Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jets

Indonesia currently owns fighter aircraft made in Russia, China and the United States.

why they always offer F-16 instead of...idk F-15 or F-18 maybe...

why they always offer F-16 instead of...idk F-15 or F-18 maybe...

why they always offer F-16 instead of...idk F-15 or F-18 maybe...

because they already operating f16 already