DND finalizing contract for Navy's 2 missile-firing frigates

MANILA, Sept. 27 (PNA) -- The contract for the Philippine Navy's two missile-armed frigates is now being finalized, Department of National Defense (DND) public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong said Monday.

Once the contract is finalized, it will be signed by DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the duly authorized representative of the winning proponent, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), he added.

"Notice of Award (NOA) was formally served to HHI last Aug. 4. Once the formal contract is signed, it will be followed by a Notice to Proceed, which will be formally served to the proponent," Andolong said.

"NOA was given to HHI as GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd) was post-disqualified after it was determined that their Net Financial Capacity was insufficient and therefore not in compliance with Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Policy Board)," he added.

GRSE along with HHI was one of the six proponents in the DND's frigate program.

In the NOA, HHI offered PHP15,744,571,884 for the two frigates.

The DND has allocated the sum of PHP18 billion for the acquisition of two missile-capable frigates, with PHP16 billion going to the construction of the ships and PHP2 billion for its munitions.

The ships will be armed with a variety of sensors and weapons capable of detecting and neutralizing air, surface, and submarine threats.

It will be also capable of electronic warfare.

Aside from this, the frigates, according to their technical specifications, must be capable of performing extended maritime patrol with an embarked naval helicopter and maritime surveillance through air-and-surface-search radar, sound navigation and ranging (sonar) for sub-surface search.

It will be armed and fitted a variety of air-to-air, anti-ship, and anti-submarine weapons. (PNA)

Indonesia takes delivery of new BTR-4M amphibious armoured personnel carriers from Ukraine

Sep 28, 2016452

The Indonesian Marine Corps has taken delivery of the first batch of new Ukrainian BTR-4M amphibious  armoured personnel carriers.

The ship MV Texel carrying five units of new BTR-4M amphibious armoured personnel carriers arrived at the dock port of Tanjung Priok in Indonesia on September 28. In August, the ship Texel with Ukrainian  BTR-4M wheeled armoured vehicles was spotted by Yörük Işık during the transit of Bosphorus.

Indonesia’s needs for wheeled armoured personnel carriers are a total of 55 units. The armored vehicles are for the Marines, to replace the aging Indonesian BTR-50.

Sadly the TNI-AU couldn't maintain the Badgers for long though. The 30th September 1965 coup and the policy of realignment to the western world by president Suharto subsequently cut off Indonesia from Soviet supply and maintenance experts needed to maintain the Badgers. All Tu-16s were grounded in 1968 and they were finally decommissioned in 1970. They were barely in service for a decade.


A TNI-AU Tu-16 Badger test-firing the KS-1 'Kennel' Anti-ship missile

Seriously though, back in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s when Malaysia had barely an armed forces, Indonesia had many very modern military assets at the time.

House, govt agree to purchase military communication satellite

Marguerite Afra Sapiie
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Thu, September 29 2016 | 09:23 am


House, govt agree to purchase military communication satellite An unmanned Falcon rocket lifts off from from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 27 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (AP/-)

In the interest of national security, the House of Representatives and the government have agreed to purchase the country’s very own military communication satellite, with procurement targeted for 2018, a lawmaker says.

House Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs deputy chairman Asril Tanjung said Indonesia had been using satellites facilitated by foreign countries such as Australia and the US, posing a risk to national security.

Indonesia also used a Garuda 1 communication satellite operated by Asia Cellular Satellite and constructed by US-based Lockheed Martin, however the permit to use the satellite orbit expired in 2015 and thus the empty slot should be immediately replaced so that Indonesia does not lose the slot, Asril said.

"Indonesia could secure the country's interests since the satellite would be operated independently by the Defense Ministry. The procurement is important since other countries already have their own satellite, which is ideal since [military communication] is secretive in nature," Asril said on Wednesday.

The decision to acquire the satellite was made following a series of discussions held by Commission I with relevant stakeholders, including the Defense Ministry and Finance Ministry, which approved the budget, as well as the Communications and Information Ministry, which regulates patent rights.

From the previous budget of US$ 849.3 million, the House and the Finance Ministry have approved a request for funding from the Defense Ministry to acquire a military communication satellite from Airbus Defense and Space for US$ 699 million. (dmr)

ADAS 2016: Saab targets Gripen at Philippines

Jon Grevatt, Manila - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
28 September 2016


Saab is opening an office in the Philippines to pursue an opportunity for the Gripen. Source: Saab

Saab is to open an office in Manila by the end of 2016 to support the company's campaign to sell its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), an official from the Swedish company told I HS Jane's on 28 September.

Speaking on the opening day of the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, Carl-Erik Leek, Saab's executive vice-president in the Asia Pacific, said the new office would be the centre of the company's marketing activities in the country.

At present, these are undertaken from Saab's regional headquarters in Thailand, although the company does not currently have a major presence, in terms of previous defence sales, in the Philippine market.

The new office will also be supported by the Swedish government's intention, announced in December 2015, to open an embassy in Manila to support growth in bilateral trade and investment. Both Saab's office and the new embassy are expected to be operational by November.

Leek, who will head up the new Manila office, said Saab's primary target in the Philippines is the PAF's requirement - outlined in the service's modernisation programme, Flight Plan 2028 - for 12 multirole combat aircraft. "Saab can fulfil the PAF requirement for an affordable fighter aircraft," said Leek. "We think we are a strong contender."

He added that the offer would include a package of support systems, similar to the capabilities that Saab has supplied the Royal Thai Air Force, which procured 12 Gripen C/D aircraft ordered in two phases in 2008 and 2010, with deliveries completed in 2013. "[The PAF offer] will be a whole system including ground infrastructure, an integrated command-and-control system, sensors, and datalinks," he said.

In addition, Leek highlighted opportunities for Saab to meet Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) requirements for naval systems - such as combat management systems - radars and air defence.

ADAS 2016: PT PAL readies for rectification works on the Philippine Navy's first SSV

Ridzwan Rahmat, Manila - IHS Jane's Navy International
29 September 2016

 
PT PAL is working with the Philippine Navy to assess the extent of damages sustained by Tarlac, seen here during its commissioning in June 2016. Source: Philippine Navy

Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL has confirmed that it is working with the Philippine Navy (PN) to determine the extent of damages sustained by the service's first-of-class strategic sealift vessel (SSV) in a collision on 19 September.

The landing platform dock (LPD)-like ship, BRP Tarlac, was anchored off Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Mindanao when it was rammed by a Liberian-flagged product tanker, MT Tosca .

Initial assessments suggest the damages suffered in the incident are minor, and mostly localised in the ship's bow section at the point of impact.

"However, we are not taking any chances and our technicians are currently on the vessel to check the ship's vital components," said Tjahjono Yudo, PT PAL's general manager of corporate strategic planning, in a meeting with IHS Jane's at the ADAS 2016 defence exhibition in Manila on 29 September.

The inspections will cover components including the vessel's hydraulic systems, electrical systems, and hull scantlings to ensure the platform's structural integrity has not been compromised.

"We are standing by for the possibility that the vessel may be sent back to Surabaya for repair works in the worst-case scenario," said Tjahjono. But he added that this looks highly unlikely unless the technicians find major rectifications are required.

Poland Upgrades Soviet-Origin Land Military Hardware

(Source: TASS Defense; published Sept 05, 2016)

MOSCOW --- Warsaw is upgrading the pieces of land military hardware inherited from the Soviet Union and former state members of the Warsaw Pact in order to increase the level of compliance with the armed forces of NATO nations. However, the share of the Soviet-originated equipment in service with the Polish army remains high.

In late August 2016, Poland`s media released a footage, showing the demonstrator of an upgraded PT-91 Twardy [a modification of T-72M1 - TASS] main battle tank developed by the OBRUM design bureau and manufactured by the Zaklady Mechaniczne Bumar-Labedy SA. The combat vehicle was designated as PT-16. It received a 120mm STANAG-compatible main gun designed by Polish Huta Stalowa Wola SA.

The vehicle was supposed to be able to fire all types of tank munitions [including armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and high-explosive (HE) rounds - TASS] used by the armed forces of NATO state members. TASS supposes that the vehicle received an autoloader developed by the Polish industry that replaced the ageing one of PT-91/T-72M1 MBTs.

The tank's armour protection was drastically reinforced over its predecessors. The frontal arc of PT-16 was shored up with composite armour plates that allowed increasing of the vehicle's front protection to 1,000 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) against HEAT rounds [it is equal to the armour protection of the Leopard 2A5 main battle tank - TASS]. The MBT is planned to get an advanced fire control system (FCS), as well as turret and main gun electric drives with digital control. PT-16 is powered by single V-46TK (1,000 h.p.) multi-fuel diesel engine designed by the Serbian defense industry.

The main gun was complemented by the ZSDU Korbuz remote controlled weapon station (RCWS) armed with a 12.7mm WKM-Bm [a licensed copy of the Soviet NSVT light weapon - TASS] heavy machinegun chambered for 12.7x99mm STANAG 4383 cartridge. The WKM-Bm machinegun is produced by the Tarnuv Mechanical Plant. The PT-16 program was implemented within six months [including the manufacturing of the demonstrator - TASS] by the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA (PGZ) consortium, using the enterprise's own funds.

Despite the decline to upgrade the PT-91 Twardy tanks announced by the Polish Defense Ministry, the national military has revealed its interest in the PT-16 MBT, according to PGZ. The company is planning to conduct the negotiations over PT-16 development and further acquisition with Poland's Land Forces at the MSPO 2016 defense show in Kielce that will open on September 6.

At present, the Polish military operates a mixture of Leopard 2A4/2A5, T-72M1, and PT-91 main battle tanks. According to the Military Balance 2016 report issued by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Warsaw has 971 MBT in service, including 142 Leopard 2A4, 91 Leopard 2A5, 233 PT-91 Twardy, and 505 T-72/T-72M1/T-72M1D tanks. Hence, the venerable T-72 tank previously produced in Poland under the license granted by the Soviet Union remains the backbone of the Polish Land Forces. Considering the lack of the national Defense Ministry's intention to update the Twardy tanks, the ageing T-72/T-72M1/T-72M1D MBT might be rebuilt into PT-16s in a long-term perspective.

Philippines interested in Indonesian medical support ship

Nani Afrida
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Thu, September 29 2016 | 04:35 pm

After purchasing two Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warships from PT PAL Indonesia, the Philippine government is considering putting in another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.

During the 2016 Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) exhibition in Manila, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana held a discussion with Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate from the Indonesian ADAS delegation on Indonesian defense products.

“The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

According to Jan Pieter, the Philippine secretary of defense had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.

It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015.

The three-day ADAS 2016 exhibition ends on Friday.

According to its official website, ADAS 2016 attracts exhibitors from around the world and works closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). (evi

ADAS 2016: Philippine Air Force outlines procurement priorities

Jon Grevatt, Manila - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
30 September 2016

 
The Philippine Air Force is looking to procure additional KAI FA-50 aircraft, as well as additional rotary-wing, transport, and combat aircraft. ce: IHS/James Hardy

Key Points

• Philippine Air Force (PAF) wants to buy an additional KAI FA-50s and Leonardo AW109 helicopters
• Saab's Gripen in pole position to secure PAF multirole combat aircraft requirement

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has identified several procurement priorities as it continues its medium-term modernisation programme, Flight Plan 2028.

Speaking at the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, a senior PAF officer involved in the planning of Flight Plan 2028 said these priorities include securing orders of additional light combat aircraft and attack helicopters.

The PAF ordered 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft in March 2014, with deliveries starting in December 2015 and scheduled to conclude in late 2017. The officer said the PAF is aiming to procure an additional 36 FA-50s in order to meet a requirement specified in Flight Plan 2028 to "detect, intercept, and neutralise" any perceived threat in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

He also confirmed that the PAF would look to secure government approval for the additional FA-50s following the delivery of the initial 12 aircraft.

In addition, the official said the PAF is seeking to procure 12 more AW109 Power light attack helicopters produced by Finmeccanica (Leonardo from January 2017). The PAF has already acquired eight AW109s ordered in November 2013 and delivered from 2014.

The official confirmed that the requirement for additional AW109s had become more urgent for the PAF since president Rodrigo Duterte took office in June 2016.

He said Duterte has tasked the PAF with focusing on addressing anti-terrorism and anti-insurgency, and as a result the Philippine administration has moved the new AW109 acquisition into the so-called 'second horizon' procurement plan, which runs from 2018-23. The requirement was previously scheduled for the third horizon, he confirmed.

According to the official, other near-term procurement priorities include close air-support (CAS) aircraft and additional transport aircraft, while a longer-term requirement is multirole combat aircraft.

I agree. If it goes on for too long, definitely the topic deserved its own thread.
Will be a good addition to the Philippines Navy if they manage to get the procurement done. A mobile facility that can be moved quickly to relieve areas (islands) affected by disaster is always a good thing, considering that Philippines have huge number of islands.

I thought cable for radio antenna are dead already.

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