A coast guard air unit is hardly what can be called 'maritime air forces'.

You don't need advanced radar and sensors, anti-submarine equipment and any heavy armaments at all. Navy guys need that tech and firepower because their enemies are also powerful. Enforcing fishery/maritime law and chasing lightly-armed pirates & kidnappers hardly need something like a Harpoon anti-ship missile or dozens of sonoboys that cost $3000 USD each.

You can basically buy a few commercial single or twin-engine light planes, paint it in APMM colors, put 2 guys with binoculars in the cabin and you have a basic patrol/visual observation aircraft already. You can get one in the market for as low as RM 1 million only for single engine planes. Maintenance is also easy since its all based on commercial plane.

Thai soldier killed in parachute jump ahead of wedding

A 29-year-old soldier was killed in a rice field in Lop Buri's Muang district when his parachute failed to open during a practice jump on Monday afternoon.

Army Lieutenant Watcharapong Chantarachat from a Prachuap Khiri Khan infantry unit had jumped from a military airplane at 1.30pm.

His body was found in Ban Tha Deu of tambon Nikhom Sang Tua-eng and was sent to Ananda Mahidol Hospital. Army officers at the scene declined to give comment, explaining a senior officer would later announce details about the incident.

The victim had been studying at the Erawan Military Camp's Special Warfare School and was reportedly going to get married next month, a source said.

https://www.asiaone.com/asia/thai-soldier-k...p-ahead-wedding

Rip to the soldier. Just bad luck i guess. Reminded me of one tru crime documentary  in UK where the husband sabotage his wife parachute n yet she managed to survive the fall to testify againts him in trial.

trace who's the rigger loo...

Thats who packs the chute right? Well thats the husband.

Turbomecca Makila is a good option....widely available and have higher average power output too

If got US components then difficult for Turbomecca Makila too.

Indonesia seeks reduction in share of expenses in joint fighter jet project

By Jo He-rim

Published : Jul 22, 2019 - 18:21 
Updated : Jul 22, 2019 - 18:21

Indonesia is seeking a reduction of its share of expenses in the fighter jet development project with South Korea, as it is running about 300 billion won ($254 million) in arrears. 

According to Indonesian news reports, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Wiranto reiterated the need to renegotiate the deal for the Korean Fighter Experimental, citing the government’s lack of budget.

Korea and Indonesia have been working together to develop a new fighter jet for the air forces of the two countries since striking an agreement in 2010. Under the arrangement, the $8 billion cost of the project is to be divided between South Korea and Indonesia, with Korea paying 80 percent. 


The KFX/IFX fighter jet under development by South Korea and Indonesia. (DAPA)

Wiranto, however, stressed that Indonesia is not seeking to withdraw from the project, and does not want to “disturb the long-standing friendship with South Korea,” Indonesian news outlet Kompas reported Thursday. 

The country also does not want to lose the opportunity for the technology transfer the program would offer, Wiranto added.

According to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Monday, Indonesia had paid about 220 billion won of its share of 1.7 trillion won as of Monday. The first deposit was made in 2016. Since paying 132 billion won early this year, there have not been any additional payments from Indonesia, and it is running about 300 billion won in arrears as of July, DAPA said.

While admitting that they have been renegotiating the deal since early this year, the Korean government refused to elaborate on details of their talks. 

“The negotiation between the two countries are ongoing, and the two sides have agreed to keep it closed to the public,” DAPA spokesman Park Jeong-eun said. 

The Indonesian Coordinating Ministry had said it would renegotiate its involvement in the joint project for “lighter” economic commitments, citing its national economic conditions, in a statement in October last year.

“Aside from the financial problem, the development of the fighter jets is going smoothly. We do not see that Indonesia will withdraw from the project,” an official from Korea Aerospace Industries, which is participating in the project, told The Korea Herald. 

According to the official, 32 more Indonesian personnel are set to arrive in Korea in August, adding to the current 80 working here. 

The Critical Design Review meeting is also expected to take place in September, in which the two sides will review the development of the project. It would then lead to building an actual prototype of the fighter jets, the official said. 

The KFX/IFX project is aimed at producing semi-stealth fighter aircraft of generation 4.5. From the program, the two countries will build 168 units, of which 120 will belong to Korea. 

The warplanes are expected to be equipped with semi-conformal missile launchers, advanced avionics and air-refueling functions. 

The KFX project is South Korea’s second domestic fighter jet development program, first proposed in 2001. 

By Jo He-rim 

Defence Ministry opens tender for the purchase of Fast Interceptor Crafts (FIC) and helicopters for the TLDM



The Defence Ministry has issued on July 19, open tenders for the purchase of fast interceptor crafts (FIC) and maritime helicopters for the TLDM. As usual only potential bidders will have access to the requirements and other stuff as the ministry do not publish the bid documents publicly as per usual practice.

Hopefully, the 2020 budget will allocate the funds for the maritime helicopters and FIC and their contracts duly signed by early next year with deliveries taking place in 2022.

sos

us navy seals let going some of their older fast boats... could be a good cost savings option

Lobbying inkambing