Boeing to build 38 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for United Kingdom military forces

June 12, 2017
By John Keller



REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Military helicopter designers at the Boeing Co. will build 38 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and avionics for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence under terms of a $410.9 million order announced Friday.

Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., are asking the Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in Mesa, Ariz., to build 38 new AH-64E Apache Longbow military helicopters for United Kingdom, as well as provide three Longbow crew trainers and spare parts.

The AH-64 Apache is a multirole combat helicopter with integrated avionics and weapons, as well as advanced digital communications to enable real-time, secure transfer of battlefield information to air and ground forces.

The E-model Apache Guardian features enhanced performance, joint digital operability, improved survivability and cognitive decision aiding, and reduced operating and support costs, Boeing officials say. The AH-64E Apache, is being delivered to the U.S. Army, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and to other international defense forces.

Formerly known as AH-64D Block III, the AH-64E Guardian has improved digital connectivity, the joint tactical radio system (JTRS), more powerful T700-GE-701D engines with upgraded transmission to accommodate more power, capability to control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), new composite rotor blades, instrument flight rules (IFR) capability, and improved landing gear.

The AH-64E has self-diagnostic abilities, Link-16 data linking, and updated Longbow radar with oversea capacity that could enable naval strikes.

Philippine CAS aircraft bid edges forward

13th June 2017 - 8:51 by Gordon Arthur in Hong Kong



The ongoing and bloody battle to recapture the town of Marawi from Islamic militants of the Maute group in Mindanao is illustrating the seriousness of delays in Philippine Air Force (PAF) efforts to acquire six new close air support (CAS) aircraft.

Efforts to select a CAS platform have been tarrying for four years with failures to advance beyond pre-bidding on three previous occasions. However, on 7 June one contender was declared sole compliant bidder.

A pre-bid conference held last month witnessed three vendors attending: Embraer proffering the EMB 314 Super Tucano, Beechcraft with its AT-6B Texan II Wolverine and Aero Vodochody pushing its L-39NG. 

Others such as the TAI’s Hürkųs from Turkey and the KAI KA-1 from South Korea had expressed interest but decided not to enter a bid. Air Tractor, which was promoting its AT-802U at ADAS 2016, also appears to have decided not to enter. 

Aero Vodochody was planning to offer six new L-39NG aircraft and two refurbished L-39 Albatross trainers upgraded to the same standard. However, the Czech company submitted no bid, therefore leaving Embraer and Beechcraft to slug it out.

However, the Philippines declared that Beechcraft’s eligibility and technical component of the bid did not met requirements, and so it was disqualified. This left Embraer as the single lowest calculated compliant bidder.

The Super Tucano has long been regarded as the favourite to win this competition, and some believe the specifications were based around those of the Brazilian aircraft. An EMB 314 was even despatched to the Philippines early in 2016 to allow PAF pilots to fly it.

the real story here is somebody gonna come back to their house later with missing doors

here come again with fire proof door ?
   

Publish Or Not To Publish

Marhalim Abas
June 13, 2017
Malaysia - RMAF

SHAH ALAM: Publish or not to publish. Dear…. I hope you and your family are doing well in the blessed month of Ramadan. Anyhow, I am writing to you concerning the video.

As you are aware some parts of the video was the subject of a posting here late last year. However, due to operational concerns you mentioned to me, the post was initially re-edited before taken off-line.

Imagine my surprise when the operational concerns was made a prominent feature of the video which was subsequently deleted as well after it was made public. (without any intervention from me).

I did not say anything about the faux pas until yesterday when I was informed that an edited footage of the deleted video had been uploaded to an anonymous Youtube channel two days ago.

No, I am not having a retraction regret nor I am claiming the first one to write about it . Honestly, I am disappointed that a slip-up has gifted “street cred” to a superflous Youtube channel and a copy-and-paste artist.

However, I am hoping that the slip-up will at least allow an open discussion on the matter especially in the next few months when the scheduled program is up for consideration.

Yours Sincerely

Malaysian Defence

We lost 2 great pilot today.

Arwah Major Yazmi and Mej Hasri

Both top gun.

Al-fatihah

Sad day for the family and RMAF.

RIP.

Photo from Bernama.

MAST Asia 2017: ShinMaywa outlines options for industrial collaboration in Indonesia

Ridzwan Rahmat, Tokyo - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
13 June 2017

Japanese aerospace company ShinMaywa has confirmed that it is prepared to distribute work on the US-2 aircraft with local companies, should it be selected for Jakarta's amphibious search-and-rescue (SAR) requirements, but played down the option of a final assembly in Indonesia.


A model of the US-2 amphibious aircraft on display at MAST Asia 2017. (IHS Markit/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Speaking to Jane's at the MAST Asia 2017 exhibition in Tokyo, Masayuki Tanaka, from ShinMaywa's export division, confirmed that the company is prepared to make concessions for technology transfers in line with Jakarta's defence acquisition policies.

However, he noted that these will depend ultimately on the Japanese government, which is taking the lead on the potential deal. The Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia: TNI) is reportedly considering an initial contract for three US-2 aircraft.

Although there are several options to distribute work on the platform, it is logistically very challenging and expensive to transport major aircraft components to be assembled in Indonesia, said Tanaka, who posited that such an arrangement could end up costing the customer a lot more.

It could be more feasible for the aircraft to be delivered fully assembled with final configuration works to be done in the customer's country, he added, naming Indonesian state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia as a possible partner in the collaboration.

However, Tanaka was not able to give any indication as to when a deal for the US-2 is expected to materialise, adding only that talks between the two governments are ongoing.

Raytheon Gets $83 Million Contract for AIM-9X Bock II Missiles

Our Bureau
10:08 AM, June 15, 2017


AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile on F-15 fighter jet.

Raytheon has been awarded a contract to procure 180 AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for the US Air Force; US Navy; and the governments of Poland; Indonesia; Romania; and Belgium.

“Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded $82,818,665 for modification P00029 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-15-C-0092) for procurement of 180 AIM-9X Block II all-up-round tactical full-rate production Lot 17 missiles for the Air Force (52); Navy (8); and the governments of Poland (93); Indonesia (14); Romania (10); and Belgium (3),” the US Department of defense announced Wednesday.

In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of 19 captive air training Missiles for Air Force; and the Navy; 50 AIM-9X missile containers for the Air Force; Navy; Marine Corps; and the governments of Poland; Indonesia; Romania; and Belgium; three special air training missiles for the Marine Corps’ Harrier program; two spare active optical target detectors for the Air Force; two spare tactical guidance units (live battery) for the Air Force; two spare captive air training missile guidance units (inert battery) for the Air Force; seven spare active optical target detector containers for the Air Force and Navy; four guidance unit containers for the Navy and Air Force; and associated lots of spares for the Navy, Air Force and government of Poland, the statement said.

Work is expected to be completed in March 2020.

Thailand announces USD6.5 billion defence budget

Jon Grevatt - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
14 June 2017

Key Points

* Thailand's military government proposes 5% increase in defence expenditure
* Procurements, as well as operations, driving rise

Thailand’s military government has proposed a defence budget of THB222.4 billion (USD6.5 billion) for 2018, representing a year-on-year increase of about 5%.

New documents published by the budget bureau show that the 2018 defence budget amounts to 7.7% of total government spending in the year.

The budget was approved by the National Assembly on 8 June and will come into effect in October 2017.

A breakdown of the new defence budget was not announced but Jane’s understands that it features an increase in funding for operations, which will be directed to tackling long-running insurgency in the south of the country.

Turkish arms industry aims to conquer new markets

By EMANUELE SCIMIA JUNE 17, 2017 5:55 PM

Turkey’s budding military industry is trying to gain stable access to the Indo-Pacific market. Ankara is investing a great deal in its defense sector in a bid to ease dependence on foreign acquisitions and commercialize home-built weapons systems abroad.

And given that arms deals are also conducive to the deepening of diplomatic relations, the Turkish government will probably exploit defense cooperation to expand its web of foreign ties in the Asia-Pacific region.

Turkey aims to reach self-sufficiency in the defense industry by 2023. Its goal is ambitious, perhaps too much so. It expects to export US$25 billion worth of arms and military equipment by that year.

In this regard, Ankara’s industrial military cooperation with fellow Muslim countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia could serve as a showcase for marketing Turkish-made weapons in South and Southeast Asia.

Tanks, submarines, warships…

Turkey has so far been a relatively modest arms supplier, with Pakistan and Malaysia being its top defense customers in South and Southeast Asia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. From 2000 to 2016, Ankara delivered $179 million and $142 million worth of arms systems to Kuala Lumpur and Islamabad respectively.

The Malaysian government bought armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, and Pakistan’s single biggest acquisition was a navy fleet tanker manufactured by Turkish shipbuilder STM.

Turkish defense giant Roketsan is now ready to sell Pakistan its UMTAS medium-range anti-tank weapon system, Pakistani and Turkish media reported last week. Ankara’s Ministry of Defence hopes this sale will be part of a big-ticket package that includes Turkish Aerospace Industries’ T-129 attack helicopter.

Last month, Ankara and Islamabad inked a memorandum of understanding for the transfer of four Turkish-built MILGEM Ada-class corvettes. It is said they will be jointly produced in Pakistan and used by the Pakistani Navy to protect both Gwadar and Karachi ports from potential external attacks.

Turkey’s industrial defense partnership with Malaysia and Indonesia is focused on tanks and submarines. Malaysian company Etika Strategi, in cooperation with Turkey’s BMC and Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, is pushing hard to win a multi-billion contract for the serial production of the Altay tank, the prototype of which has been developed for Ankara’s military by Turkish armored vehicles producer Otokar.

Turkey’s FNSS and Indonesia’s PT Pindad displayed the prototype of their jointly developed KAPLAN MT medium-weight tank at the International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul in May. The KAPLAN MT is mostly designed to face asymmetric warfare threats and will be inducted in both the Turkish and Indonesian armed forces. Developers also hope to market it in other countries, not least in the Middle East and Central Asia.

The Kaplan MT program, which began in 2014, is part of a defense cooperation arrangement between Ankara and Jakarta and meets the latter’s need for a low-cost tank, at a time when the Indonesian government is facing budget problems.

Further, during the defense fair in Istanbul last month, Turkish STM and German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems announced they would offer Indonesia a variant of the Type-214 diesel-electric submarine. The two defense manufacturers are building the Type-214 for the Turkish Navy at the Gölcük naval shipyard near Istanbul.

Jakarta plans to construct a fleet of 10 to 12 submarines under its Minimum Essential Force program. The Turkish-German Type-214 will have to compete with France’s Scorpene-class submarine and Russia’s Varshavyanka-class submarine, which have already been proposed to the Indonesian government.

Paris Air Show: Malaysia outlines its shopping list

19th June 2017 - 7:00 by Dzirhan Mahadzir in Kuala Lumpur 



As the global aerospace industry descends on Paris for the biennial aviation spectacle, the chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has revealed the contents of his shopping list. 

A new multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA), new maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and additional air defence radars are the primary capability acquisition goals, according to RMAF Chief Gen Affendi Buang.

In a written reply to Shephard, the RMAF Chief stated that these acquisitions would nevertheless be subject to the availability of funding allocations by the Malaysian government.

On the MPA requirement, Gen Affendi stated: ‘The RMAF is considering a few options to enhance the maritime patrol capabilities which is presently being undertaken by the Beechcraft B200T aircraft. Due to the age factor (23 years) and limited number and capabilities, more capable and fully-fledged MPA platforms (ASW and AsuW) with ISR and SAR capabilities are being evaluated to replace the B200T aircraft.’

As an interim measure, the RMAF is considering modifying and integrating some of its CN235 medium transport aircraftwith the AMASCOS surveillance system from the B200T.

‘The procurement of [an] MPA is highly desirable to meet the ever-increasing surveillance and patrol requirement in the Malaysian Territorial Waters and EEZ but will still be largely dependent on the availability of funding from the government.’

Singapore details ongoing upgrades to Leopard 2SG MBTs

Kelvin Wong, Singapore - IHS Jane's International Defence Review

19 June 2017


An unspecified number of the Singapore Army's Leopard 2SG MBTs have received a new sighting system for the vehicle commander. At least two upgraded examples were shown at the Army Open House 2017 exhibition in May. Source: IHS Markit/Kelvin Wong

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is continuing to improve the combat effectiveness of its fleet of ex-Bundeswehr Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks (MBTs) with new capabilities, with the most recent addition revealed to be a commander's panoramic sighting system.

At least two upgraded Leopard 2A4 MBTs - which are operated by the Singapore Army under the designation of Leopard 2SG - featuring the new system, called the Commander's Open Architecture Panoramic Sight (COAPS) were exhibited in public at the Army Open House 2017 (AOH 2017) event from 27-29 May.

"COAPS is part of the SAF's effort to upgrade the Leopard 2SG since 2010," the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) revealed to Jane's in an 18 June statement. "Other ongoing upgrades include [the installation] of battlefield management system (BMS), crew compartment cooling system, auxiliary power unit [APU], reverse camera, internal vehicle electronics, and fire-control system [FCS] modifications."

Singapore Army personnel with whom Jane's spoke to at AOH 2017 said the new sighting system is supplied by STELOP. The company is a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies (ST) Electronics, which is the advanced electronics and communication development arm of local defence prime ST Engineering. However, industry sources told Jane's that STELOP is manufacturing COAPS under license from Israel's Elbit Systems Electro-optics (ELOP), which has been offering the system on the international market since it was launched in March 2010.

According to Elbit's specifications, COAPS is a modular dual-axis stabilised sight aimed specifically at armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) and MBT applications. Based on an open architecture design, it can be configured with different sensors, including 3-5 µm or 8-12 µm thermal imagers, day and night charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras, and eye-safe laser rangefinders, to suit mission requirements.

azriel is the papuan rebels still active?