PHL's first strategic sealift vessel to be delivered May 2016

CLARK AIR BASE, ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA, Dec. 21 (PNA) --- The country's first strategic-sealift vessel (SSV) will be delivered to the Philippine Navy (PN) in May 2016, a military official confirmed on Monday.

"The ship is now 87 percent complete and will be launched this coming January (2016). The SSV will be delivered sometime this May," Navy spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said at the sidelines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 80th founding anniversary Monday.

Eight seven percent completion means the ship's keel, propulsion, engine and other major systems are now installed.

The second SSV, which is now 46 percent complete, will be delivered in 2017, Arevalo added.

When asked if the SSVs are to be armed, Arevalo said defensive armament of the ships will be installed by the PN.

The Philippines has a two-SSV order with Persero for PHP3.87 billion which is sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.

The SSV acquisition project for the PN was initiated upon the approval of Acquisition Decision Memorandum Number 2012-060 by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last Oct. 30, 2013.

The Department of National Defense declared Persero as the Single Calculated Responsive Bidder with a bidding price of PHP3.87 billion on Nov. 18, 2014.

The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command center carrying out their main purpose as military sealift and transport vessels and also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Further, these vessels are critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies.

Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters. The Navy’s Augusta Westland-109s are programmed to be on-board components of these vessels.

These forthcoming landing platform dock strategic sealift vessels will improve the transport capability of the PN and boost the defense capabilities of the country. (PNA)
JMC/PFN

Whichever side they're on, Arab forces seem to suffer from poor military skills and bad tactics. Both Russian and NATO forces seem to agree on this.
30mm, amphibious, APC w/ RWS, ATGM, mortar, recon, command, sigint, recovery, engineer/NBC, ambulance, and maintenance... for UK that would be Warrior, Viking, Mastiff MRAP, Swingfire (discontinued), FV432 mortar, Scorpion (soon Ajax), Sultan (soon Athena), RC-135 , Samson (soon Atlas), Fox, Samaritan, FV432 (soon Apollo).

We just settle on 1 common chassis which is sensible. For our limited mechanisation that's actually not bad. Should save costs. The only variant out of the ordinary is the sigint one. Drone operator vehicle? Anyone know more details about AV8 TOE structure? Looks like about 4 battalions worth to me.

The UK Scout SV program is their very own F35... decades late and underdelivering. Our recon variant has mast mounted sensor which Ajax controversially doesn't, and they have no ATGM variant.

The interior compartment didn't add too much cost but integrating system buying those variant equipment, system and electronic in small number is very costly.

Bizarrely for a country that is 70% desert, I have never seen the SAA or NDF wear any sort of Desert camouflage uniform.

Indonesia Still Mulling New Submarine Purchase

Which submarine type will Jakarta end up buying?

By Prashanth Parameswaran
December 24, 2015
 
Indonesia has still not made a decision on what type of submarines it will purchase, the country’s navy chief said last week.

As I have noted previously, Indonesia currently only has two German-built Type 209 submarines, woefully inadequate for the world’s largest archipelagic state. Defense officials say Indonesia needs at least 12 submarines by 2024 to police its waters. Indonesia ordered three South Korean submarines back in 2012, and officials had indicated earlier this year that two more new ones would be purchased – most likely from Russia – even though specifics were still unclear (See: “Indonesia to Buy New Submarines From Russia”).

On December 16, according to The Jakarta Post, Ade Supandi, the chief of staff of the Indonesian navy (TNI-AL), clarified that while Jakarta had decided to buy diesel submarines, it is still currently reviewing three types of submarines from three countries: Russia, South Korea, and Germany.

“The Navy and the military headquarters are still conducting a strategic review of the matter,” Supandi said Tuesday.

Indonesia has a record of purchasing submarines from all three countries. The relationship with Russia dates back the furthest, with 12 Whiskey-class submarines purchased from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Those subs were gradually decommissioned – the last in 1990. And as mentioned earlier, Indonesia currently operates two German-built Type 209 submarines – which are expected to be decommissioned by 2020 – and has ordered three Chang Bogo-class submarines from South Korea. In addition to the three candidates, Indonesia also reportedly had government-to-government talks with France earlier this year regarding the Scorpene-class 1000 diesel-electric attack submarines.

Indonesian Navy inducts two Baron G58 aircraft as intermediate trainers

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

The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) has commissioned two Beechcraft Baron G58 aircraft as intermediate trainers with a training unit of the service's naval aviation wing.

The aircraft were inducted into the service's 200 Skuadron Udara in a ceremony presided over by TNI-AL chief-of-staff Admiral Ade Supandi on 23 December in Surabaya, the service announced on 24 December.

"The training aircraft will fulfil training needs in preparation for the delivery of future naval platforms," the admiral said. The TNI-AL is anticipating the delivery of NC212-200 and CN235-200 aircraft from local state-owned company PT Dirgantara.

According to IHS Jane's World Navies , the TNI-AL operates a number of other aircraft types for its training needs with 200 Skuadron Udara.

Korea to sign contract on KF-X next week

Published : 2015-12-24 16:48
Updated : 2015-12-24 16:48

South Korea's state arms procurement agency said Thursday it will sign a formal contract next week on its fighter jet development project, known as KF-X.

The Defense Acquisition Procurement Administration plans to ink the deal with Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., the country's sole aircraft maker.

"Negotiations over the formal contract on the KF-X program are going well. It seems to be possible to sign it around Dec. 28," the agency official said on the condition of anonymity.

South Korea hopes to produce its own fighter jet to replace the aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s by mid-2020.

Last month, KAI secured Indonesia's assurance that it will pay for 20 percent of the total cost expected to reach $15 billion.

Under the contract between the DAPA and KAI, six test planes will be manufactured by 2025, according to the official.

The KF-X project received a boost from the U.S. pledge to transfer some of its jet technologies. But South Korea faces a daunting task of finding an alternative as the U.S. made it clear that four core technologies will be excluded.

Those are the active electronically scanned radar, infrared search-and-rescue system, electro-optical targeting pod and radio frequency jammer.

South Korea, meanwhile, plans to launch a task force for the project on Jan. 1 next year that will be composed of 70-80 officials and experts. (Yonhap)

The proposal retrofitting the T-72 and PT-91

The armaments industry, Land Forces, 11 December 2015

ZM Bumar-Łabędy propose modifying military families tanks T-72, involving the installation of SKO Radew and an additional generating unit (APU).


The PT-91 tanks after repairs at ZM Bumar-Łabędy / Photo: Michael Likowski

The operating units of the army is almost 500 tanks T-72 and PT-91. As part of the renovations to the first of them being upgraded are active observation and sighting devices to passive. It does not however a relatively small ranges observation at night and bad weather.

However, with regard to the Hard appeared the problem of lack of spare parts for Israeli-generation thermal cameras in SKO-1M Drava-1T (PT-91 for Ukraine ?, 2015-03-22). Worse, some cars from the first production series is equipped with SKO-1 Drava, based on passive infrared cameras.

Therefore, the Warsaw PCO and ZM Bumar-Łabędy propose the replacement of military equipment currently used on SKO Radew of modern Polish thermal camera, which leaps and bounds improve combat performance - especially family cars T-72 - and facilitate service.

As the second part of the shallow modernization of industry proposes to install at least in cars used for training, 12-horsepower additional generator. The same solution was used in the PT-91M tanks for Malaysia. The solution will significantly reduce fuel consumption during exercise - even thirty times - especially during shooting. It is estimated that in the rapidly compensate outlays for the purchase and development unit.

Modification could be done within the framework of repairs vehicles. In recent years, every year the plants in Gliwice and the Military automotive plants in Poznan gets these types of tanks 20-30.

What’s in Store for MAF in 2016?

Marhalim Abas December 28, 2015 Malaysian Defence

SHAH ALAM: What’s in store for the Malaysian Armed Forces next year? Based on the 2016 budget I believe it will be a mixed year. Mixed as only the air force and the Army are getting some new kit while the navy is finally getting one of the two long delayed training ships.

There are development projects to be completed or handed-over in the new year but I am not purview to the locations and exact dates.

At MAF, the status quo will remained with changes only expected in mid 2017. Its the same at the ministry level as changes will occur after the GE14 and unlikely before.

As mentioned earlier, in 2016, the air force is taking delivery of at least two A400M transport planes (with the second M54-02 expected any time this week); 5 PC-7 Mark II turbo-trainers (mid year) and four EC120/HC120 helicopters, to be delivered within the year.

Before RMAF day on June 1, it will also have new leaders, both of whom are fighter pilots by training. The impending change in leadership have got the industry excited but with the economic uncertainties still hanging over the nation it is unlikely the MRCA will get the nod soon enough.

Like the air force, the army is also expected to have a leadership reshuffle within the new year though it is less predictable than the former. Much of the new kit expected are the new batches of the Gempita. According to the Hansard, a total of 40 Gempita has been delivered to the army so far.

It is likely that the Gempita delivered so far were limited to the 25mm Bushmaster turret variant. Gempita to be delivered this year are expected to include the 30mm and ATGM variants. As for numbers, it is unlikely to exceed the number already delivered.

The army is also expected to receive the first batch of 20 AV4s ordered this year, though the exact numbers remained unknown. As this vehicles are meant for ESSCOM operations, they are expected to be operated by the units stationed in the area.

Both services are also expected to operate the 4 Blackhawk helicopters to be donated by Brunei in the new year, armed with the mini-guns. The exact time when the joint unit will start operating remained uncertain at this moment, however.

With more Nuris to be delivered this year (four already delivered), PUTD is also expected to stand up a new unit for this medium helicopters.

As for the navy, apart from the sole training ship, it is not expected to receive new capital assets in 2016. Most of the ships in service will receive enhancements but only minor ones unfortunately.

The new year will also be a time for reflections with three types of aircraft going into the history books though the exact dates remained uncertain. As reported before the Alouettes of Pulatibang 1 in Alor Setar is expected to be retired – in stages – with the introduction of the EC120/H120 early next year.

Another type used at Pulatibang 1, the PC-7 Mark 1s will also be retired in stages with the additional Mark IIs coming on line next year. Of course, the biggest fading away will be the Fulcrums.

That’s it for now, as we reflect on the last 12 months and celebrate the New Year, we must also keep an eye on the economy. Any further shocks will affect us all and it will not just be the security sector.

Happy New Year!

South Korean DAPA, KAI Sign Formal Agreement For KF-X Fighter Aircraft Program

Source : Our Bureau ~ Dated : Monday, December 28, 2015 @ 12:34 PM

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have formally signed an agreement to develop KF-X fighter aircraft.

According to the agreement signed today, DAPA will finance 60 per cent of the 8 trillion won (US$6.9 billion) costs required in the development phase, with KAI to pay 20 per cent, Yonhap news agency reported Monday.

A total of eight test planes will be initially produced, with six of them for flight testing and the two others for ground testing. Indonesia will bring one of them home, along with aviation technologies to be transfered to the country.

"With the signing of the contract with KAI on Monday, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration will officially set about the fighter jet development project," DAPA said in a statement.

The project will take 10 years and six months before completing the developmental phase by the first half of 2026 and producing the initial batch of aircraft by 2028, according to the state procurement agency.

"This development project seeks to acquire medium-class Korean-type fighter jets through the joint investment of the South Korean government, Indonesia and foreign and local companies so that we can meet our Air Force's post-2020 air power demand on our own and tap into the global combat jet market," DAPA said.

The defense procurement agency also said the project will have a spill-over effect to bring the country's aviation industry one step forward.

"DAPA will utilize the local aviation industry's technologies and manpower that have been accumulated over the past 30 years and will do its best efforts to procure the needed fighter jets on time," DAPA Minister Chang Myoung-jin said.