AMR February/March 2014

www.asianmilitaryreview.com

VOLUME 22/ISSUE 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 US$15

AA SS II AA PP AA CC II FF II CC ’’ SS LL AA RR GG EE SS TT CC II RR CC UU LL AA TT EE DD DD EE FF EE NN CC EE MM AA GG AA ZZ II NN EE

SELF-PROPELLEDARTILLERYCOASTAL &

PORT SECURITYAIR FORCEDIRECTORYSINGAPORE

ARMED FORCES

MILITARY UTILITYHELICOPTERBATTLE MANAGEMENTPROGRAMMESINDIAN ARMED FORCES

SELF-PROPELLEDARTILLERYCOASTAL &

PORT SECURITYAIR FORCEDIRECTORYSINGAPORE

ARMED FORCES

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014VOLUME 22 / ISSUE 1

ContentsContents

Front Cover Photo: A United States Navy SikorskySH-60F Sea Hawk naval supporthelicopter performs verticalreplenishment. Rotorcraftthroughout the Asia-Pacificregion fall under the spotlight inthis edition’s ‘The ChinaSyndrome’ article © US DoD

l february/March2014 l 03

Middle Managers The ChinaSyndromeLondon-based defence journalistAndrew Drweiga examines howChina’s changing strategic postureis encouraging several air forces,armies and navies around theAsia-Pacific region to invest in theirmedium-lift utility helicopter fleets.

Bianca Siccardi, a Turin-basedaerospace journalist, provides allthe latest orders of battleand programme information forair forces, navies and armiesaround the Asia-Pacificregion in AMR’s annual RegionalAir Forces Directory.

BoatsBehaving Badly

06 50

14

25

56

Defence journalist Rahul Bedi, based in New Delhi,updates AMR with an examination of the Indian Air Force’s

current posture and procurement priorities as it confronts newsecurity challenges around South Asia and beyond.

64

New Orders

Several countries aroundthe Asia-Pacific are updating thebattle management systemsused by their armies tomove orders and informationup and down the chainor command, as AMR editorThomas Withington finds out.

Stable ConditionHong Kong-based defencephotojournalist Gordon Arthurlooks at the modernisationprogrammes being performedby Singapore acrossits army, navy and air force,and the country’s military-industrial capabilities.

74Air ForcesDirectory

Ian Kemp, a London-based defence journalist,provides a detailedround-up of ongoingartillery modernisationprogrammes around the Asia-Pacific, highlighting some of the latest technologicaldevelopments.

AMR editor ThomasWithington examines some ofthe latest innovations inport and coastal security, inparticular the world of coastalradar which provides theuser with an all-weatherday-and-night capability togaze far out to sea.

Big BangTheory

Editor: Thomas WithingtonTel: (33) 562 271 697, E-mail: [email protected]

Publishing Office:Chairman: J.S. Uberoi

Media Transasia Ltd, 1205, Hollywood Centre 233,Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2815 1933

Operations Office:President: Egasith Chotpakditrakul

Sr. Manager International Marketing: Vishal MehtaManager Marketing: Jakhongir Djalmetov Sales & Marketing Coordinator: Atul Bali

Creative Director: Bipin Kumar Deputy Art Director: Sachin JainProduction Manager: Kanda Thanakornwongskul Group Circulation Manager: Porames Chinwongs

Media Transasia Thailand Ltd. 75/8, 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, Soi Sukhumvit 19,Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

Tel: 66 (0)-2204 2370, Fax: 66 (0)-2204 2390 -1

Subscription Information

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW can be obtainedby subscription. Subscription rate for one year(8 issues) is U.S.$ 100.00 Readers should

contact the following address:

Subscription Department,

Media Transasia Ltd.

1205, Hollywood Centre 233,Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2851 1933

Audit Bureau of Circulations

Editorial

n late December 2013, Japan’s prime ministerShinzo Abe made a visit to the Yasukuni Shrinein Tokyo. The shrine, founded in 1859 byEmporer Meiji, commemorates the millions of

individuals who have died in Japan’s wars since thenineteenth century. This includes Japanese war criminals executed after the end ofthe Second World War for crimes against humanity.

Mr. Abe’s visit triggered angry protests from the governments of China and theRepublic of Korea—nations whose populations suffered considerably from Japanesebrutality during the Second World War. The Rape of Nanking, perpetrated by Japanesetroops in 1937, witnessed the mass rape and murder of Chinese non-combatantsclaiming, according to some estimates, the lives of up to 300,000 people. Meanwhile,over 400,000 women from Korea and China, along with several other nations aroundthe Asia-Pacific region, were forced into sexual slavery as so-called ‘Comfort Women’by Japan during the conflict. In addition, prisoners of war taken by the Japanese weresubjected to horrific abuse, while many other local populations in the ‘Greater EastAsia Co-Prosperity Sphere’, as Japan referred to the lands it had seized, were thevictims of human rights abuses and privations caused by the occupation.

The Japanese prime minister was at pains to emphasise that his visit was not tocommemorate war criminals: “I have renewed my determination before the soulsof the war dead to firmly uphold a pledge never to wage a war again,” he promised.Yet his actions were certain to raise heckles in the region. Japan seems to beadopting a more strategically robust posture. On 1 January 2014, Mr. Abe stressedthat he wished to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution which has forbidden it fromdeploying troops abroad in anger. Furthermore controversies continue to rageregarding how Japan depicts its wartime past in school textbooks.

To be fair Japan is in a bind. The past year has seen China adopt a more confidentregional posture, most recently enlarging its East China Sea Air DefenceIdentification Zone (ADIZ) in November 2013. The ADIZ includes the uninhabitedDiaoyu/Senkaku islands in the East China Sea claimed by China and Japan. It is notsurprising that Tokyo will respond to actions like the ADIZ extension by adopting anincreasingly vigilant stance. However, such actions will raise eyebrows in the widerregion mindful of Japan’s past.

Japan’s wartime ally Germany is playing an increasingly active role in global affairs,including the deployment of military forces to support North Atlantic TreatyOrganisation (NATO) operations. It has arguably been able to do this because Germanyhas faced the brutality of its wartime past in an honest and transparent fashion,fully acknowledging the Third Reich’s crimes against humanity. If Japan wants to beseen as a force for good in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world, its leadership mightbe well advised to think again about future visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

Thomas Withington, Editor

Editorial

ILOOK BACK IN ANGER?

04l asianMilitaryreview l

Index of Advertisers

ADAS PHILIPPINES 49AFRICA AEROSPACE 63AIRBUS HELICOPTERS 31AIRSHOW CHINA 79AMR DSI 43ATK 23ATM 53BELL HELICOPTERS 19BOEING F18 27BRUNSWICK 9CASSIDIAN 21CONTROP 13DSA MALAYSIA COVER 3ELBIT 59EMBRAER 33EURONAVAL 85EUROSATORY 87EXELIS 5GENERAL ATOMICS 37IAI COVER 2IAI MBT 69IDEAS PAKISTAN 77IDEX/NAVDEX 71ILA BERLIN 73IMDEX 81INDO DEFENCE 89L3 WESCAM 11NORTHROP GRUMMAN COVER 4RAFAEL 17RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS 41SOFEX 83VIKING AIR 47

Advertising Offices

AustraliaPeter Stevens, Publisher’s InternationaléTel: (61) 8 9389 6601Email: [email protected]

BeneluxCornelius W. BontjeTel: (41) 79 635 2621Email: [email protected]

France/SpainStephane de Remusat, REM InternationalTel: (33) 5 3427 0130E-Mail: [email protected]

Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Italy/UKSam Baird, Whitehill MediaTel: (44-1883) 715 697 Mobile: (44-7770) 237 646E-Mail: [email protected]

IsraelLiat Heiblum, Oreet - International MediaTel: (97 2) 3 570 6527E-Mail: [email protected]

East-Central Europe/Greece/TurkeyZena CoupéTel: +44 1923 852537, [email protected]

Nordic Countries/South AfricaEmanuela Castagnetti-GillbergTel: (46) 31 799 9028E-Mail: [email protected]

PakistanKamran Saeed, Solutions Inc.,Tel/Fax: (92 21) 3439 5105 Mobile: (92) 300 823 8200E-Mail: [email protected]

RussiaAlla Butova, NOVO-Media Ltd,Tel/Fax: (7 3832) 180 885 Mobile : (7 960) 783 6653Email :[email protected]

South KoreaYoung Seoh Chinn, Jes Media Inc.Tel: (82-2) 481 3411/13E-Mail: [email protected]

USA (East/South East)/CanadaMargie Brown, Blessall Media LLC.Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581Email: [email protected]

USA (West/South West)/BrazilDiane Obright, Blessall Media LLC.Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581Email: [email protected] Other CountriesVishal Mehta, Media Transasia India LimitedTel: (91) 124 4759625, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: [email protected]

Jakhongir Djalmetov, Media Transasia India Limited

Tel: (91) 124 4759539, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: [email protected]

Building on a strong aerospace and defense

legacy, Exelis is delivering the next generation

of critical networks, ISR & analytics, electronic

warfare and aerostructures, thanks to the

tireless efforts of our engineers, scientists and

business professionals. Every day, the people of

Exelis help global government and commercial

customers in all domains - air, sea, land, space

and cyber. Our advanced, affordable solutions

incorporate new technology, new ideas and an

enduring commitment to your mission.

Today’s security and fiscal challenges

demand agility and efficiency.

Experience the Power of Ingenuity™.

Aerostructures | Electronic Systems |

Geospatial Systems | Information Systems |

Mission Systems | Night Vision and Tactical

Communications Systems

Any challenge.

Every platform.

Exceptional solutions.

www.exelisinc.com

Exelis is a registered trademark and “The Power of

Ingenuity” is a trademark, both of Exelis Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Exelis Inc. All rights reserved.

l AsiAn MilitAry review l

On 26 November 2013,

Mumbai commemorated

one of the darkest events in

its recent history when five

years earlier eleven insur-

gents from the Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamist

militant organisation came ashore in

small boats at the Colaba quarter of the

city and began a series of gun and bomb

attacks which would see over 750 people

killed and injured in the ensuing three

days of violence. Only one of the insur-

gents, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and

later hanged on 12th November 2012, the

rest being killed by Indian security forces

during the course of the attacks.

Size is everythingThe attacks in Mumbai and the utilisation

of marine craft, in this case small high-

speed inflatable boats, brought the issue

of port and coastal security in the Asia-

Pacific region sharply into focus. Had

these craft been detected and intercepted

while they were still at sea, it is possible

that those deadly attacks in Mumbai

could have been prevented.

Port security is a major issue for a

region that is home to several of the

world’s busiest ports. According to figures

released for 2012 by the World Shipping

Council (WSC), a United States-based

advocacy organisation for the container

shipping liner industry, nine of the ten

world’s busiest ports are in Asia. The WSC

uses the container industry-standard

measurement of Twenty-foot Equivalent

Units (TeUs) to measure port container

06

and port security

c o a s t a l

BOATS BEHAVING BADLYHow can the world’s ports and coastlines become less ‘user

friendly’ to the insurgent? By improving the situational awareness

of those charged with policing them: as this article will show

radar offers invaluable capabilities to this end.

by Thomas Withington

Terma of Denmark produces the Scanter-5201and Scanter-5202 as part of the firm’s Scanter-5000 family of coastal surveillance radars. Theprinciple discriminating factor between thesetwo systems is their power outputs © Terma

traffic with each TeU representing a single

20 feet by 8 feet (six metre by two metre)

shipping container. Several of the WSC’s

busiest ports for 2012 are in China, namely

Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Ningbo-

Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Qingdao and

Tianjin. Between them, they account for

138.2 million TeUs of container traffic per

year. This is 69 percent of the 220.2 million

TeUs that is handled by the world’s top

ten container ports. Away from China, the

ports of Singapore and Busan, Republic of

Korea (second and fifth place respectively)

handle 48.6 million TeUs; 24 percent of the

total. Only one port in the WSC’s top ten is

outside the Asia-Pacific region, namely

Jebel Ali in Dubai, which occupies ninth

place handling 13.30 million TeUs in 2012.

Securing such facilities is therefore

paramount not only for the safety and

security of those who live and work near

these giant ports, but also to protect the

ports themselves and international trade

in general. Moreover, as the Mumbai

attacks underscored, it is vital that the

use of the sea as a means by which guer-

rillas can come ashore is made as diffi-

cult as possible.

Radar is one of the most useful tech-

nologies for securing coastlines, ports

and harbours. Its important contribution

as an aid to safe navigation at sea is well

documented, but for security it offers a

weather-proof means to spot suspicious

vessels behaving differently from the

normal ebb and flow of everyday local

marine traffic.

The sea poses its own challenges for

radar operators. Its constant movement

particularly in rough weather is adept at

causing ‘clutter’ on radar screens; spuri-

ous radar echoes triggered by Radio

Frequency (RF) energy bouncing off the

top of the water and showing up on the

screen as a ‘blip’. Too much clutter can

mask legitimate returns such as small

boats. Secondly, heavy rainfall can con-

spire against the ability of RF energy to

travel long distances, while coastal radars

may need to detect targets such as small

craft like jet-skis or Rigid Hull Inflatable

l februAry/MArch 2014 l 07

Port security is amajor issue in for the

Asia-Pacific regionthat is home to

several of the world’sbusiest ports

and port security

c o a s t a l

Port and coastal surveillanceradars are often teamed withoptronic sensors. In this way theradar can be used to spot a targetwith the optronics then providinga more detailed view © DMT

Boats (RHIBs) which may have a small

radar cross-section of between one and two

square metres (three to seven feet) thus

being relatively difficult to see using RF.

Coastal and port security radars tend

to operate in S-band (2.3-2.5/2.7-3.7 giga-

hertz/Ghz) and X-band (8.5-10.68Ghz).

X-band in particular offers good long-

range performance in clear weather,

along with good target resolution. S-

band radars meanwhile give good per-

formance in heavy rainfall where the per-

formance of X-band equipment can begin

to deteriorate. However, one restriction

in common to both S-band and X-band

radar, and in fact all radar, is that range

is limited to line-of-sight which equates

to around 15 nautical miles (28 kilome-

tres) for a small boat using a radar posi-

tioned 30 metres (98 feet) Above Sea

Level (ASL) with a large ship being

detected at 43nm (80km) with a radar

positioned 1000m (3,280ft) ASL atop of a

mountain, for example.

Modus OperandiMaritime security specialists have

arguably never enjoyed such choice as far

as coastal security radars are concerned.

Such products are available from Turkey’s

Aselsan, Belgian Advanced Technology

Systems (BATS), the pan-European

Cassidian (now Airbus Defence and

Space) defence electronics house, DMT of

the United States, Israel’s IAI Elta, Kelvin

Hughes of the United Kingdom, Selex of

Italy, Denmark’s Terma and Thales of

France.

Aselsan’s Serder radar is one of the sys-

tems which operates in X-band. It has a

range of 48nm (90km) and uses

Continuous Wave (CW) architecture in

which the RF energy is transmitted contin-

uously rather than as a series of pulses.

Pulse radars detect ranges by measuring

the time lag between the transmission of a

pulse and that pulse’s reflection by the tar-

get back to the radar using the principle

that RF energy travels at the speed of light

(161,987 knots-per-second/300,000km per

second). CW radars use the Doppler

l AsiAn MilitAry review l08

Port security is a major concernin the Asia-Pacific region as it isaround the world. Safeguardingthese strategic facilities is notonly important for security, butalso to ensure economic health© Thomas Withington

and port security

c o a s t a l

WE’LL HELP YOU GET IT DONE THE FIRST TIME.

Sometimes there are no second chances.

Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP) is a division of Brunswick Corporation — the largest marine manufacturer in the world.

BRUNSWICK COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT PRODUCTS, INC.

Unsinkable Boston Whalers ranging from 5-11 meters (25' Guardian shown)

Impact RHIBs range from 4.7-12 meters (1200 Impact shown)

Aluminum Sentry models from 10-14 meters including the Long Range Interceptor (LRI)

U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA1 John Gaffney. U.S. Coast Guard imagery used in illustration without endorsement expressed or implied.

When you’ve only got one chance to complete the mission, ther

boat company you need. Brunswick Commer

e an elite fleet − designed specifically for military/special ops. Choose boats ar

om our combat-tested unsinkable Boston Whaler Guarfr

series of rigid hull inflatable boats, or our aluminum Sentry series. Each model

is fully mission capable and built to withstand the harshest conditions.


cial and Government Prboat company you need. Brunswick Commer

e an elite fleet − designed specifically for military/special ops. Choose

dians, our Impact om our combat-tested unsinkable Boston Whaler Guar



s only one e’When you’ve only got one chance to complete the mission, ther

oducts cial and Government Pr


dians, our Impact



WE’LL HELP YOU GET IT DONE THE FIRST TIME.

Sometimes there are no second chances.



Unsinkable Boston Whalers ranging from 5-11 meters (25' Guardian shown)

Impact RHIBs range from 4.7-12 meters (1200 Impact shown)

Aluminum Sentry models from 10-14 meters including the Long Range Interceptor (LRI)

U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA1 John Gaffney. U.S. Coast Guard imagery used in illustration without endorsement expressed or implied.


boat company you need. Brunswick Commer

e an elite fleet − designed specifically for military/special ops. Choose boats ar

om our combat-tested unsinkable Boston Whaler Guarfr




cial and Government Prboat company you need. Brunswick Commer


dians, our Impact om our combat-tested unsinkable Boston Whaler Guar



s only one e’When you’ve only got one chance to complete the mission, ther

oducts cial and Government Pr


dians, our Impact



Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP) is a division of Brunswick Corporation — the largest marine manufacturer in









and port security

c o a s t a l

Effect, that is the subtle change in fre-

quency caused by RF energy hitting a

moving object and reflecting back to

the antenna; an audible equivalent of

this is the apparent change in pitch of

an emergency vehicle siren moving

towards and then away from the lis-

tener. By measuring this change in

frequency, known as the Doppler

Shift, it is possible to determine the

speed of a target relative to the radar.

This is all well and good for moving

objects, but stationary objects produce no

Doppler Effect. For this reason, Aselsan’s

Serder uses a Frequency Modulated (FM)

CW waveform. The major advantage of

FM CW radars is that they are relatively

inexpensive to build and hence purchase,

and are easy to maintain. One disadvan-

tage of FM CW radars is that they can pro-

duce significant sidelobes which can

increase their chance of detection,

although Aselsan’s Serder has a Low

Probability of Intercept design to reduce

this, according to the company.

BATSLike Aselsan’s Serder BATS’ CR20 radar

family uses FM CW architecture. It can

track up to 500 targets simultaneously;

just the thing for the crowded waters one

can find near ports. Three radars consti-

tute the CR20 family providing short,

medium and long-range surveillance.

Official literature provides generic

ranges for the CR20 line which

includes the detection of a small boat at

eleven nautical miles (20km), a small ship

at 32nm (60km) and a large vessel at the

horizon depending on the height of the

radar. BATS has designed the radar’s con-

trols and display to be easy to use by the

operator, and CR20 radars can be config-

ured for either on-site or remote-control.

Airbus Defence and SpaceAirbus Defence and Space’s X-band

SPEXER-2000 boasts a range of up to

eleven nautical miles for a small rubber

dingy-sized target. The software used by

the radar enables it to automatically clas-

sify the target type such as a swimmer, jet-

Airbus Defence and Space’s Spexer-2000radar boasts a range of up to eleven nauticalmiles for a small rubber dingy-sized target.Unlike many of the other radars discussedin this article, the Spexer-2000 uses ActiveElectronically Scanned Array technology© Airbus Defence and Space

DMT’s IDAR radar is an X-band systemwhich employs conventional pulseDoppler technology. This radar is capableof detecting small boats at a range ofbetween one and two nautical miles(two to three kilometres) © DMT

ELIMINATE HESITATION

L-3com.comWESCAM

• High-Definition EO/IR – Examine all digital, full-motion video Intel in 1080p resolution

• High-Magnification, Large-Aperture Optics – Experience superior range performance

• Image Blending – Uncover more detail by blending EO and IR images into one image stream

• MX-GEO – Accurately steer, point and track to targets with minimal operator involvement

To learn more, visit L-3com.com/WESCAM.

L-3’s MXTM-Series Provides Clarity and Removes Uncertainty.

MX-10D

MX-10

MX-25, MX-25D

MX-15D

MX-15

MX-20, MX-20D

Use of this U.S. DoD image does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

ski or rubber dingy. Unlike the CR20 and

Serder discussed above, the SPEXER-2000

uses Active Electronically Scanned Array

(AESA) technology upon which the anten-

na houses a multitude of transmit/receive

modules each of which effectively acts as

its own miniature antenna, allowing the

radar to perform several different tasks

simultaneously. A wide range of targets

can be spotted by the radar, even in con-

ditions of high sea clutter.

DMTIDAR, the Dorado family and XRDS are

three of the port security radars pro-

duced by DMT. All using the X-band, the

first two products are ideal for the short

range detection of small boats at dis-

tances of between one and two nautical

miles (two to three kilometres). The

XRDS is optimised for small boat detec-

tion at slightly longer ranges of between

two and four nautical miles (four to

seven kilometres). Two different archi-

tectures are used by DMT in these radars.

For example, the IDAR and XRDS radars

employ pulse Doppler technology

whereas the Dorado family uses the FM

CW approach (see above).

IAI EltaIsrael’s IAI Elta systems provide two

notable coastal surveillance radars, the

EL/M-2226 Advanced Coastal Surveillance

Radar family and the EL/M-2112(V5). The

EL/M-2226 uses FM CW architecture with

a power output of five Watts and 50 Watts.

This X-band radar can detect rubber

dinghies at eleven nautical miles, patrol

craft at 32nm and large ships on the hori-

zon. The radar’s elevation beamwidth is

3.5° with an azimuth beamwidth of 1.5°.

Around 500 targets can be simultaneously

tracked. The FM CW EL/M-2112(V5) is

also an X-band radar. It can detect rubber

dinghies at three nautical miles’ range, a

small ship at five nautical miles (ten kilo-

metres) and a large vessel at up to 17nm

(32 km). Israel is also home to CONTROP

which produces optronics systems such

as SPIDER and CEDAR which can accom-

pany these radars to provide added sur-

veillance and a “virtual fence”, according

to the company.


Thales installed their Coastwatcher-10 coastal surveillance radar at the oilterminal in Marseilles on France’sMediterranean coast in 2010. Theradar is positioned on top of the towerin this picture © Thomas Withington

and port security

c o a s t a l

Kelvin HughesBritish radar specialists Kelvin Hughes

offers its SharpEye family of radar for the

port and coastal security role. This prod-

uct line includes SharpEye radars avail-

able in both S-band and X-band configu-

rations. In S-band, the radar has a peak

output power of 200 Watts, and an aver-

age output power of 20 Watts. At a range

of 20nm (37km), the radar has a Pulse

Repetition Frequency of 2,300 Hertz (Hz),

which reduces to 1,180Hz at 48nm (89km).

Up to 64 filters provide clutter discrimina-

tion, and the radar has optional frequency

diversity. The X-band version of the radar

has similar performance characteristics to

its S-band cousin, although the former’s

average RF output is 26 Watts.

Terma and SelexTerma has won customers in the Asia-

Pacific region for its trusted Scanter-5000

line of coastal surveillance radars which

include Kai Tek Cruise Terminal in Hong

Kong. The Scanter-5000 family includes

both the Scanter-5202 and Scanter-5102.

Both radars provide very small target

detection, with the Scanter-5102 provid-

ing 50 Watts equivalent pulse power,

although this increases to 200 Watts with

the Scanter-5202. Both these X-band

radars can have the option of monitoring

up to 500 tracks, although open architec-

ture comes as standard for both.

Similarly, Selex’s Lyra-50 product is

an X-band radar. With a detection range

of 26nm (48km), this radar has a nominal

0.45° beamwidth in azimuth and 20° in

elevation, although unlike several other

of the radars surveyed in this article, it

uses pulse Doppler waveforms rather

than FM CW technology. The radar

employs digital pulse compression

which means that it transmits narrow

pulses of RF energy, the effect of this

being to greatly enhance the accuracy

and resolution of the ranges and targets

which the radar detects. In short the nar-

rower the pulse, the sharper the resolu-

tion of the radar. Digital pulse compres-

sion also helps the radar to provide reli-

able information in ‘high clutter’ envi-

ronments such as rough seas while help-

ing to build an accurate picture of the tar-

get to help classify what the operator is

seeing. As with the visual world, a pic-

ture made of thousands of tiny dots is

more detailed than the same image

depicted using wide brushstrokes.

ThalesFinally Thales provides two radar products

for port and coastal security in the form of

their “CoastWatcher 10 and CoastWatcher

100 radars,” according to a company

spokesperson. The firm has sold such

products around the Asia-Pacific region,

and notes that it “delivered the port securi-

ty system to the Singapore Coast Guard,”

helping to protect “one of the busiest ports

in the world.” The X-band CoastWatcher-

10 has an instrumented range of up to

42nm (22km), and an azimuth resolution

of 0.75°. It can be installed at up to

150m (492ft) ASL. The big brother of

the CoastWatcher-10 is the X-band

CoastWatcher-100 designed for long range

coastal surveillance which can be installed

at up to 1000m ASL with an instrumented

range of up to 100nm (185km).

It would be folly to suggest that the

radars discussed above can offer impreg-

nable protection to prevent an atrocity

such as the Mumbai attacks from ever

happening again; no single technology

can perform such a feat. Nevertheless all

of these radars offer coastguards and port

authorities the wherewithal to keep a

close watch on unusual behaviour in their

marine locale, and crucially to get warning

of suspicious activity before an attack

takes place. Forewarned is forearmed,

and radar can play its role in this regard

with aplomb.

Radar offers coast -guards and port

authorities the means tokeep a close watch on

unusual behaviour, andcrucially to get warning

of suspicious activity

and port security

c o a s t a l

14

A highly capable Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle multirolecombat aircraft, one of 24 in theRepublic of Singapore Air Force,lights up the sky with a series offlares © Gordon Arthur

Singapore possesses the most modern

armed services in Southeast Asia,

and the country’s ‘Third-Generation

Force’ continues to lead the way thanks

to high levels of investment and an

advanced technological base.

by Gordon Arthur

STABLECONDITION:SINGAPORE’SARMEDFORCES ANDMILITARYMODERNISATION

m i l i t a r y

regional

Singapore possesses the

world’s fourth-highest

defence expenditure per

capita, and its record 2013

defence budget of $9.9

billion represented a 4.2 percent increase

from the previous year for Singapore’s

60,500 servicemen and 255,000 reservists.

The country is cognisant of the disadvan-

tages of its small geographical size and

population. It has no strategic depth to fall

back on, so forward defence is imperative

for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

This is why the International Court of

Justice’s award of the eastern rocky out-

crop of Pedra Branca to Singapore in 2008,

instead of to Malaysia, was important.

Otherwise, Singapore’s airspace envelope

would significantly reduce. Geographical

limitations restrict domestic training

opportunities, so equipment is dispersed

overseas (to Australia, Brunei, France,

New Zealand, Taiwan and the United

States). This has obvious strategic compli-

cations if Singapore must respond to a

fast-moving crisis.

The SAF has more than just a regional

presence, for it has despatched four task

groups to date, each comprising a warship

and helicopters, to the Gulf of Aden for

counter-piracy missions. Indeed, Singapore

commanded the multinational naval

Combined Task Force-151 for the third time

from March-June 2013. Furthermore, until

mid-2013 the SAF maintained a 40-person

team in Afghanistan to support reconstruc-

tion. Singapore enjoys significant interoper-

ability via the Five Power Defence

Arrangements (FPDA) which also includes

Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and the

United Kingdom, plus frequent joint exer-

cises with the United States. The SAF relies

on conscription to populate its military

and this National Service policy shows no

sign of waning.

Air forceThe Republic of Singapore Air Force

(RSAF) has the ability to project power

far beyond its borders. The fast jet fleet is

headed by 24 Boeing F-15SG Strike

Eagles featuring Raytheon’s APG-63(V)3

Active Electronically Scanned Array

(AESA) radar. The F-15s are supported

by 60 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fighters

that are to undergo a midlife upgrade

likely to include AESA radar expected

to be supplied by either Northrop

Grumman or Raytheon.

Singapore has investigated the feasibil-

ity of acquiring Lockheed Martin F-35B

Lightning-II multirole combat aircraft and

it has contributed financially to the pro-

gramme as a Security Cooperation

Participant. No order has been placed, but

Singapore could be interested in up to 75

aircraft with the ‘Bravo’ short-take

off/vertical landing type ideal for a terri-

tory with a shortage of runways.

A request for information for aerial

refuelling tankers to replace four ageing

Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers was issued

in February 2012. The Boeing KC-46A and

Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport

(MRTT) are the obvious contenders.

Another RSAF requirement set to attract

attention at the 2014 Singapore Air Show

is the anticipated replacement of five

Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft.

Singapore ordered four Gulfstream

G550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning

(CAEW) aircraft fitted with Israel

Aerospace Industries’ Elta EL/W-2085

Phalcon radar, with all aircraft delivered

to the RSAF’s 111 Squadron in 2011. They

achieved Full Operational Capability

(FOC) in April 2012. These aircraft have a

nine-hour endurance and their arrival

allowed the retirement of four Northrop

Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes which had

been used for the airborne early warning

mission. Elsewhere ST Aerospace is

upgrading ten Lockheed Martin C 130B/H

Hercules turboprop freighters, with the

first delivered to the RSAF in September

2010. The Hercules fleet will gain a

20-year life extension and feature a glass

cockpit with modern navigation equip-

ment. Work should conclude on this pro-

gramme in 2014.

The RSAF opted for a dozen Alenia

Aermacchi M-346 aircraft for its advanced

jet training programme with the first

arriving in August 2012. The M-346s are

based in Cazaux, southwest France and

ST Aerospace manages this programme.

l february/march2014 l 15

m i l i t a r y

regional

The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems SPYDER-SR is the air force’s relatively new truck-mounted,quick-reaction surface-to-air missile system © Gordon Arthur

Singapore is cognisantof the disadvantages of

its small geographicalsize and population. It

has no strategic depth tofall back on, so forward

defence is imperative

Meanwhile, the RSAF operates all the

country’s military helicopters including

six Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk maritime

support rotorcraft used aboard the navy’s

‘Formidable’ class frigates. They entered

service with 123 Squadron, Singapore’s

first ever naval helicopter squadron, in

January 2011. The Seahawks feature L-3’s

Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar

(HELRAS) dipping sonar and Whitehead

A244S torpedoes. The Seahawks achieved

FOC in May 2012. Two more S-70B

Seahawks are believed to have been

ordered in February 2013 with delivery

expected in 2016. The RSAF also flies 20

Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack

helicopters.

The RSAF is the most impressive user

of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in

Southeast Asia. The RSAF’s UAV

Command was established in May 2007

and 116 Squadron has operated the Elbit

Hermes 450 Medium-Altitude Long-

Endurance (MALE) UAV since 2007,

while 119 Squadron formally transitioned

to the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 1

MALE in May 2012. The latest develop-

ment is the acquisition of Insitu ScanEagle

UAVs for the navy with this fee-for-ser-

vice contract being revealed in July 2012.

The ‘Victory’ class corvette RSS Valiant

has been fitted with the ScanEagle’s

Skyhook arresting system to this end.

Meanwhile, six army units have operated

the ST Aerospace Skyblade III tactical

UAV since 2010.

The island’s air defences were enhanced

by the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’

SPYDER-SR (Surface-to-air PYthon-5 and

DERby Short-Range) Surface-to-Air Missile

(SAM) to replace the 30-year-old BAE

Systems Rapier short-range SAM system.

l asianmilitaryreview l16

m i l i t a r y

regional

Special forces members ofthe Republic of SingaporeNavy Naval Diving Unit(NDU) prepare to retakea vessel from its piratecaptors © Gordon Arthur

Singapore Airshow 2014

Israel Pavilion, Stand N51

DISCOVER THE

RAFAEL EDGE

Superior performancefor all your airborne and

air-defense missions

tand N51Savilion, ael PIsr

2014shoe AirSingapor

tand N51

w sho

etsery RockArtillRangeShort-

t ense AgainsAir DefIRON DOME SPYDER-SR

SPYDER-SR

e KitGuidancand-offSt

onomousAutSPICE-1000

or all yf

our airborne andor all y

our airborne and

or UASfRecacticT

REC

sionsMisor AirborneImint f

IMILITE

or UASesanconnaisRec

alacticCE-UREC

a LinkDatoadband NetwBrOBAL LINKGL

ork oadband Netw

o.ilael.cafwww.r

The truck-mounted SPYDER-SR has an

eleven-nautical-mile (20-kilometre) range,

and the first examples were unveiled in

mid-2011. In September 2013, the Ministry

of Defence (MINDEF) confirmed the

Eurosam Aster 30 medium-range SAM had

been selected to replace six batteries’ worth

of Raytheon MIM-23 I-HAWKs SAMs.

NavyThe Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)

features one of the region’s most capable

fleets. The latest news concerns the 2

December 2013 announcement that

the MINDEF had ordered two Type

218SG conventional submarines from

ThyssenKrupp of Germany. The cus-

tomised Type 218SG features an Air-

Independent Propulsion (AIP) system that

greatly boosts its ability to stay underwa-

ter for prolonged periods of time, but few

other technical details are known regard-

ing this new class. Both boats should be

delivered from 2020 and, along with two

existing ‘Archer’ class boats they will form

the RSN’s underwater fleet.

Arrival of the Type 218SG will allow

the progressive retirement of ‘Challenger’

class submarines built in the 1960s. The

second 1,500-ton ‘Archer’ class subma-

rine, RSS Swordsman, was commissioned

on 30 April 2013. The ‘Archer’ class was

acquired second-hand from Sweden, and

they underwent refitting to configure

them for tropical service. Serving with

171 Squadron, they carry a Stirling Mk III

AIP system.

In January 2013 ST Marine was contract-

ed to design and build eight Offshore Patrol

Vessels (OPVs) to replace the incumbent

‘Fearless’ class. The 80-metre (262 feet)-

long, 1,150-tonne Littoral Mission Vessel

(LMV) design will be built at ST Marine’s

Benoi Yard. Deliveries should occur

between 2016 and 2018 and Sagem of

France is developing the fire control system

for the vessels’ gun. An RSN spokesman

told the Asian Military Review that, “The

LMVs will ensure better sea-keeping in

high sea states, plus they will possess a high

level of automation and decision support

systems to enable leaner crew manning.”

These vessels will be the launch customer

for the Thales Netherlands NS-100 S-band

(2.3-2.5/2.7-3.7 gigahertz) ship-borne sur-

veillance radar.

Upgrades are currently occurring on

several RSN ships. Sensor and weapon

systems of six ‘Victory’ class missile

corvettes are being modernised to meet

evolving operational demands, with the

outfit of several vessels already complet-

ed. Additionally, Thales is enhancing the

sensors of ‘Bedok’ class mine countermea-

sure vessels, including the installation of

an integrated mine-countermeasure com-

bat system, mine information system,

The customisedType 218SG submarine

features an AirIndependent Propulsion

(AIP) system thatgreatly boosts its ability

to stay underwater forlong periods of time

RSS Swordsman, an ‘Archer’ classvessel commissioned on 30 April2013, is the newest submarine tojoin the Republic of SingaporeNavy © Gordon Arthur


m i l i t a r y

regional

0 25 50 75 100

3C

4C

50K

50C41M41Y

Job Number: BOEG_BDS_V22_3032M_AClient: Boeing

Date: 1/21/14

File Name: BOEG_BDS_V22_3032M_A

Output Printed at: 100%

Fonts: Helvetica Neue 77, Arial Regular

Media: Asian Military Review

Space/Color: Page — 4 Color — Bleed

Live: 7.5 in. x 10.5 in.

Trim: 8.25 in. x 11.25 in.

Bleed: 8.5 in. x 11.5 in.

Gutter:

Production Artist: A. Babb

Retoucher:

GCD: P. Serchuk Creative Director: P. Serchuk Art Director: J. Alexander Copy Writer: P. Serchuk Print Producer: Account Executive: D. McAuliffe Client: Boeing Proof Reader: Legal: Traffic Manager: Patty Lee Digital Artist: Art Buyer: Vendor: Garvey Group

Product: Boeing Defense Space & Security ApprovedDate/Initials

PUBLICATION NOTE: Guideline for general identification only. Do not use as insertion order.Material for this insertion is to be examined carefully upon receipt.

If it is deficient or does not comply with your requirements, please contact: Print Production at 310-601-1493.

Frontline Communications Partners 1880 Century Park East, Suite 1011, Los Angeles, CA 90067

7.5 in. Live

8.25 in. Trim

8.5 in. Bleed

11.5

in. B

leed

11.2

5 in

. Tr

im

10.5

in.

Liv

e

FIGHTS HARD.DAY AND NIGHT.

C O M B A T · H U M A N I T A R I A N · L O G I S T I C S · R E S C U E · S P E C I A L O P S

hull-mounted sonar, expendable mine

disposal system and towed synthetic

aperture sonar. The first upgraded vessel

tested its mine disposal system in mid-

2012. Furthermore, the navy pioneered

the use of Unmanned Surface Vehicles

(USV) with its first operational deploy-

ment of the Rafael Advanced Defense

Systems Protector in 2005.

Rear-Admiral (RADM) Ng Chee Peng,

Singapore’s chief of navy, told the Asian

Military Review that disruption to the

island’s sea lanes would have severe

implications. “Freedom of navigation and

continued access to sea lines of communi-

cation is of particular importance to

Singapore, where trade is 3.5 times our

gross domestic product,” he explained.

Half the world’s shipping by tonnage and

half the world’s oil tankers sail through

the South China Sea and Straits of

Malacca and Singapore annually.

RADM Ng added that, “we recognise

that no single agency or country, no mat-

ter how well resourced, can respond effec-

tively to the plethora of maritime security

threats on its own.” Thus in 2009 the RSN

established the Maritime Security Task

Force (MSTF) that enhances awareness of

the regional maritime situation through

information-sharing with national and

international maritime agencies. Security

was further strengthened when the

National Maritime Security System

(NMSS) was created in 2011. Led by the

RSN the NMSS is a whole-of-government

framework that tightens integration

among agencies such as the Police Coast

Guard, Singapore Customs and the coun-

try’s Maritime and Port Authority.

Singapore conducts coordinated sea

and air patrols in the Malacca Strait with

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand under

the Malacca Strait Patrols initiative, as well

as coordinated sea patrols in the Singapore

Strait with Indonesia under the ambit of

the Indonesia-Singapore Coordinated

Patrol. RADM Ng said that, “the coopera-

tion with our neighbours has helped to

improve the maritime security situation in

the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

Cooperative efforts between Singapore

and Indonesia have also seen a decrease in

the number of sea robberies from a high of

27 in 1992 to just three in 2012.” Significant

was the US Navy’s maiden deployment of

a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) to Singapore

in 2013. To this end the USS Freedom was

based at Changi Naval Base from April

until November 2013. Eventually four LCS

vessels will be located in Singapore to pro-

vide the United States with a strategic

presence in Singapore’s locale.

ArmySingapore has assumed near-indepen-

dence in terms of armoured-vehicle pro-

duction specifically through ST Kinetics

(STK). Introduced in 1999 the Bionix

Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) appears in

several variants: the Bionix 40/50 has a

one-man cupola with a 40 millimetre (1.6


m i l i t a r y

regional

Singapore Army soldiers, outfitted with elements of the Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS)infantry soldier ensemble, participate in an exercise © Gordon Arthur

Airbus Military, Astrium and Cassidian joinforces for the success of your critical missions.www.airbusdefenceandspace.com

One mission, one team, one direction.

Airbus Military, Astrium and Cassidian joinforces for the success of your critical missions.www.airbusdefenceandspace.com

One mission, one team, one direction.

inch) automatic grenade launcher and

.50-cal machine gun; Bionix 25 with

25mm (one-inch) ATK M242 cannon in a

two-man turret; and Bionix II with 30mm

(1.2-in) ATK Mk44 Bushmaster II cannon.

An estimated 720 Bionix vehicles are in

service. The Singapore Army also has

Bionix recovery, bridge-laying and mine-

clearing variants.

The STK Terrex eight-wheel-drive

vehicle reached FOC in mid-2011, with

production beginning via a contract for

135 vehicles to equip three infantry battal-

ions. By early 2013, the initial order had

been fulfilled and another contract was

believed to have been placed. The 24-

tonne Terrex is fully amphibious, and the

Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) variant is

armed with an EOS R-600 Remote

Weapon Station (RWS). A gunshot detec-

tion system is mounted on some vehicles,

and the Terrex is fitted with a high-tech

Battlefield Management System (BMS)

from ST Electronics. Additionally, the

Command, Control and Information

System (CCIS) synchronises dismounted

infantry troops fitted with the Advanced

Combat Man System (ACMS) to higher

headquarters. Singapore has other Terrex

types planned: Anti-Tank Guided Missile

(using the Rafael Advanced Defense

Systems Spike missile); Command,

Medical; Pioneer (with obstacle-clearing

blade and gap-crossing Heavy Short

Trackway Bridge); Reconnaissance,

Surveillance and Target Acquisition

(RSTA); and STrike OberveR Mission

(STORM) for artillery observers. The

Terrex was one of four shortlisted vehicles

in the US Marine Corps Marine Personnel

Carrier (MPC) requirement before the

project was frozen in 2013.

Singapore also owns some of the

region’s most capable tanks. Taking advan-

tage of a German sell-off, Singapore pro-

cured 96 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW)

Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tanks (MBT), 30

of which were spare-parts donors. They

were immediately put through an upgrade

programme engineered by IBD Deisenroth

Engineering. The resulting Leopard 2SG is

fitted with IBD’s Evolution suite that

boasts fourth-generation Advanced

Modular Armour Protection (AMAP), plus

steel slat armour installed on the hull, tur-

ret rear and flanks. An Active Protection

System (APS) from ADS Gesellschaft of

Germany is likely to equip the vehicles but

has not been seen publicly to date.

The Singapore Army’s heaviest vehicle is theKrauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2SGupgraded with Advanced Modular ArmourProtection armour, which increased its weightto 60 tons © Gordon Arthur

Singapore has assumednear-independence

in terms of armoured-vehicle production

specifically throughST Kinetics which

produces the Bionix andTerrex platforms


m i l i t a r y

regional

ORDER FORMYes, I would like to receive ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW for one yearPlease deliver the magazine at the address below:NAME:………………………………………......................................……. POSITION/RANK:………………...............................................…..…….......ORGANISATION/UNIT:…………………..…………......……………...……........………………….…….……………....................................……...........…..……........ADDRESS:…………………………………………………........................…………………………………..………….…….....................................................…..…….........CITY:………………………….............…....…. PIN:………….……...........………. COUNTRY:…….…....…………..………….…...............................…..…….......…..

TEL:…………………………...............…....…. FAX:………….……...…….....…. EMAIL:…….…....…..................………………….............…...........…..…….......…..

I would like to pay by credit card. Please charge my:American Express Diners Master Visa

Card Number:…………...........................……… Expiry Date:……........……...… Signature:.......................................…..……..................

SSppeecciiaall

SSuubbssccrriippttiioonn

OOffffeerr

Subscribe today to Asian Military Review Magazine, thelargest circulated defence magazine in Asia Pacific andreceive a SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER. Pay only US$100for 8 issues, this is a SAVING OF OVER 16% (Cover price isUS$15 per issue). Simply complete this form with your signature /date and send it to us.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW is ABC audited and largest circulated defence magazine in Asia Pacific. Published since1993, it is the preferred professional reading of Asian militaries & a reliable source of information for nearly all keydecision makers & advisors to regional defence forces. AMRprovides military professionals with information, opinion &facts allowing them to track & understand defence developments worldwide, in terms of equipment, training,organisation & doctrine issues critical to the creation & sustainment of effective military forces.

MAIL OR FAX THIS ORDER FORM WITH YOUR SIGNATURE, DATE& MAILING ADDRESS TO:

Media Transasia Limited,Room 1205-1206, 12/F, Hollywood Centre,233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, SARTel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2851 1933Email: [email protected]: www.asianmilitaryreview.com

SUPER SAVER OFFER VALID FOR

LIMITED PERIOD

Category that best describes your rank or titleMilitary (Brigadier General and above or equivalent)Military (Major and above or equivalent)Military (others, including training institutions and libraries)Government (Joint Secretary and above or equivalent)Government (Section officer and above or equivalent)Government (others, including training institutions and libraries)Industry (Director, V.P., G.M. and above)Industry (Managers and above)Industry (others, including training institutions and libraries)Others (please specify)…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

What kind of organization do you work for ?Army Navy Air ForceMarine Corp Para Military Government (MOD) Government (Others) Defence IndustryEducational/Training Institutes Law Enforcement/SecurityResearch & Development ConsultancyOthers (Please specify)….....................................................................

Would you like to receive information on homeland security and non conventional warfare:

Yes No

What best describes your job function?Combat Training and Education Logistics ProductionManpower & Personal- Finance Acquisition and Procurement Research & Development Sales General ManagementPR and Marketing Consultancy Administration Others (Please specify)….……………………………….

Are you involved in procurement of defence equipment:Yes No

If yes, what role do you playDefinig requirement Tendering & coordination with contractorsEvaluation of requirement Evaluation of equipmentSelection of specification Approval of purchaseRecommendation

SUBSCRIBER DETAILSMARCH 2010 US$15VOLUME 18/ISSUE 2


AA SS II AA PP AA CC II FF II CC ’’ SS LL AA RR GG EE SS TT CC II RR CC UU LL AA TT EE DD DD EE FF EE NN CC EE MM AA GG AA ZZ II NN EEAA SS II AA PP AA CC II FF II CC ’’ SS LL AA RR GG EE SS TT CC II RR CC UU LL AA TT EE DD DD EE FF EE NN CC EE MM AA GG AA ZZ II NN EE

FAST ATTACK CRAFT

AIRBORNE C2

SMALL ARMS

EMERGINGSECURITY THREATS

MARITIMEPATROL CRAFT

ADFEVOLUTION

AIRCRAFTSELF PROTECTION

FAST ATTACK CRAFT

AIRBORNE C2

SMALL ARMS

EMERGINGSECURITY THREATS

MARITIMEPATROL CRAFT

ADFEVOLUTION

AIRCRAFTSELF PROTECTION


VOLUME 18/ISSUE 5 JULY/AUGUST 2010 US$15

SOLDIERCOMMUNICATIONS

ANTI-SHIPPINGMISSILES

SPECIAL MISSIONAIRCRAFT

COMBAT AIRCRAFT

ATTACK HELICOPTERS

SOLDIERCOMMUNICATIONS

ANTI-SHIPPINGMISSILES

SPECIAL MISSIONAIRCRAFT

COMBAT AIRCRAFT

ARTILLERY SYSTEMSARTILLERY SYSTEMS

ATTACK HELICOPTERS

EUROPEANINDUSTRY IN ASIAEUROPEANINDUSTRY IN ASIA

AA SS II AA PP AA CC II FF II CC ’’ SS LL AA RR GG EE SS TT CC II RR CC UU LL AA TT EE DD DD EE FF EE NN CC EE MM AA GG AA ZZ II NN EE

ASIA PACIFIC’S LARGEST CIRCULATED DEFENCE MAGAZINE

combo ad amr and dsi:cover-feb3.qxd 20/10/10 1:42 PM Page 1

Singapore has also inducted Leopard 2

Armoured Recovery Vehicles, Armoured

Vehicle-Launched Bridges and Armoured

Engineering Vehicles. It is believed

Singapore desires a new light tank to

replace its retired AMX-13 fleet too.

In late 2009 the army took delivery of

the first of 18 Lockheed Martin High-

Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems

(HIMARS). These truck-mounted 227mm

(nine inch) rocket systems with 70km (44

mile) range became operational with the

23rd Battalion in September 2011. In

November, Singapore requested the sale of

88 Guided Multiple-Launch Rocket System

(GMLRS) pods and associated rockets

from Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, STK is

conducting feasibility studies on a 155mm

(6.1 inch) Advanced Mobile Gun System

based on an eight-wheel-drive chassis.

The conceptual 28-tonne vehicle offers

improved mobility compared to STK-pro-

duced tracked Primus self-propelled and

Pegasus towed howitzers.

STK has achieved export success with

its small arms and ammunition. For exam-

ple it unveiled 40mm medium-velocity

rounds in 2010 that have a 50% longer

range than existing low-velocity rounds.

STK has also sold Bronco tracked vehicles

to Thailand and the UK. In September

2011 STK won a $54 million contract to

supply its second-generation Spider Light

Strike Vehicle (LSV) to the Singapore

Army with deliveries concluding in 2014.

Patrick Choy, executive vice president of

international marketing at ST Engineering,

revealed the LSV has achieved export sales

although he could not disclose client iden-

tities because the vehicles are typically

used by special forces.

The army is believed to have remaining

requirements for light reconnaissance

vehicles, body armour, SAMs and Man-

Portable Air Defence Systems (MAN-

PADS). This demonstrates the SAF’s

resolve, despite already possessing region-

al dominance in military equipment, to

continually improve its capabilities.


A Boeing CH-47SD Chinook heavy-lift helicopter belonging to the Republic of Singapore Air Forcedelivers an underslung Light Strike Vehicle of an elite Guards unit © Gordon Arthur

m i l i t a r y

regional

In September 2011STK won a $54 million

contract to supplyits second-generation

Spider Light StrikeVehicle to the Singapore

Army with deliveriesconcluding in 2014

Prepared by Bianca Siccardi

l February/March2014 l 25

AMR AIR FORCEDIRECTORY

2014Conventional wisdom has it that

defence budgets in the Asia-Pacific

region will overtake those of the

United States in the years to come.

This is because of a combination of

budgetary increases in the region,

and cuts to defence spending

in the United States

l asianMilitaryreview l26

The inversion of the long-standing

trend is expected to culminate in

2021 by which time the region’s

budget will be subject to an aver-

age 35 percent budget increase, compared

to current spending levels, and be worth a

combined $500 billion. As a means of com-

parison, the United States’ defence spend-

ing plans for 2014 are worth $527 billion.

India established its position as the world’s

biggest importer of arms in 2013, experi-

encing a 70 percent increase since 2008,

from $3.1 billion to $5.3 billion. China also

improved its military manufacturing capa-

bilities and doubled its exports, while the

Republic of Korea’s (RoK) sales of equip-

ment in the open market reached $3.4 bil-

lion in 2013, an additional 40 percent to the

export value achieved in 2012.

Western companies could be taking sub-

stantial benefit from this general trend, at

least in the short term. India, Japan and RoK

have all attracted the attention of defence

giants such as Lockheed Martin looking to

export its F35A/B/C Lightning-II combat

aircraft to the region, along with Boeing and

BAE Systems, while Dassault Aviation is

negotiating with New Delhi for a $12 billion

order for 126 Rafale B/C/M fighters, 50

percent of which will be completed by the

Indian labour force.

Russian exports are also playing a key

role in the Asia-Pacific market. India has

been an enthusiastic buyer of Sukhoi air-

craft with 15 out of 32 Indian Air Force

fighter squadrons currently operating the

Su-30MKI Multi-Role Combat Aircraft

(MRCA). Rumours regarding Indonesia’s

intent to create eight Sukhoi MRCA

squadrons comprising 112 aircraft, possibly

using the Su-30MKII variant, within the

next 15-20 years gathered pace in 2013,

while in November 2012 China signed pre-

liminary documents for a new acquisition

consisting of 24 Sukhoi Su-35 MRCA worth

$1.5 billion, with deliveries expected to start

in 2015. China has been demonstrating its

growing capabilities through the first flight

of its Xian Y-20 strategic turbofan freighter

which, according to the manufacturer, will

enter service in 2017.

AMR’s Regional Air Force Directory has

been compiled from a range of sources

around the world notably AMR’s corre-

spondents, industry experts and serving

military personnel throughout the region.

AFGHANISTANn Afghan Air Force

5 + 5 Planned Antonov AN-32,

turboprop freighter.

Operational but

not in use.

26 + 26 Planned Cessna 208B Caravan,

transport.

2 + 4 Planned Lockheed Martin C-130H

Hercules turboprop

freighter, two more deliv-

eries scheduled for 2014.

20 Ordered Embraer A-29 Super

Tucano turboprop trainer/

ground attack. The first

aircraft is scheduled for

delivery in April 2015 and

the entire contract terms

should be fulfilled by

2019. The contract also

covers the supply of

associated training

equipment, mission

planning and debriefing.

43 Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift

utility helicopter

7 Mil Mi-35 attack

helicopter

3 Ordered Aérospatiale/Airbus

Helicopters SA-315B

Lama rescue helicopter

10 Bell Helicopter

UH-1H medium-lift

utility helicopter

6 MD Helicopters MD-530

reconnaissance helicopter

n Afghan Special Mission Wing

1 + 17 Ordered Pilatus PC-12NG

turboprop transport

25 + 30 Ordered Mil Mi-17 medium-lift

utility helicopter

NOTES: Afghanistan's young air force has

dramatically increased the amount of cargo

and personnel it is capable of carrying and

has tripled the number of casualty evacua-

tion missions it has flown this year, achiev-

ing near self-sufficiency. The Afghan Air

Force conducted over 1,100 casualty evacu-

ation missions in 2013, compared to 391 the

previous year. Until recently, Afghanistan

had relied significantly on US military

assistance for the above-mentioned tasks

and the progress is a direct result of the

country’s pivotal role in the war against

Taliban insurgents.

AUSTRALIAn Royal Australian Air Force

54 McDonnell

Douglas/Boeing

F/A-18A Hornet multi-

role combat aircraft

15 McDonnell

Douglas/Boeing F/A-18B

multi-role combat aircraft

24 + 12 Planned Boeing F/A-18F Super

Hornet multi-role combat

aircraft. Pending order

for twelve new-build

Boeing EA-18G Growler

electronic warfare aircraft.

19 Lockheed Martin AP-3C

Orion maritime patrol

aircraft

6 Boeing C-17 Globemaster

III turbofan freighter

12 Lockheed Martin C-130J

Hercules turboprop

freighter

5 Airbus Military

KC-30A multi-role

tanker transport

2+98 Planned Lockheed Martin F-35A

Lightning-II multi-role

combat aircraft. 14 jets are

approved for acquisition

but only two have been

ordered so far. A possible

total of 100 F-35A fighters

are to be purchased under

Project Air 6000 in order

to replace the Hornets

and Super Hornets

(see above).

8 Hawker Beechcraft King

Air 350 turboprop trans-

port. Interim capability to

cover the retirement of

the DeHavilland

Canada DHC-4 Caribou


59 Pilatus PC-9A, turboprop

training aircraft

air force directory

regional

0 25 50 75 100

3C

4C

50K

50C41M41Y

Job Number: BOEG_BDS_F18_2657MClient: Boeing

Date: 11/13/12

File Name: BOEG_BDS_F18_2657M

Output Printed at: 100%

Fonts: Helvetica Neue 65

Media: Asian Military Review

Space/Color: Page — 4 Color — Bleed

Live: 184mm x 260mm

Trim: 213mm x 286mm

Bleed: 219mm x 292mm

Gutter:

Production Artist: D.Seymour

Retoucher:

GCD: P. Serchuk Creative Director: P. Serchuk Art Director: J. Alexander Copy Writer: P. Serchuk Print Producer: Account Executive: D. McAuliffe Client: Boeing Proof Reader: Legal: Traffic Manager: Patty Lee Digital Artist: Art Buyer: Vendor: Schawk

Product: Boeing Defense Space & Security ApprovedDate/Initials

PUBLICATION NOTE: Guideline for general identification only. Do not use as insertion order.Material for this insertion is to be examined carefully upon receipt.

If it is deficient or does not comply with your requirements, please contact: Print Production at 310-601-1485.

Frontline Communications Partners 1880 Century Park East, Suite 1011, Los Angeles, CA 90067

184mm Live

213mm Trim

219mm Bleed

292m

m in

. Ble

ed

286m

m T

rim

260m

m L

ive

F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET

RAYTHEON NORTHROP GRUMMAN GENERAL ELECTRIC BOEING

The world’s newest multirole fighter. All

new avionics, radar, weapon and electronic

systems. Designed to grow as technology

grows. To ensure security for Malaysia’s

future that’s stronger than ever.

Some evolutionsare revolutions.


10 Ordered Alenia Aermacchi C-27J

Spartan turboprop

freighter. The Australian

Defence Minister

announced the purchase

of ten C-27J Spartans in

May 2012. The Spartans

are expected to be deliv-

ered starting from 2015.

33 BAE Systems Hawk 127

lead-in jet trainer

6 Boeing 737 (airborne early

warning and control)

n Royal Australian Army Aviation Corps

19 Bell Helicopter 206B-1

Kiowa multipurpose

utility helicopter. To be

partially replaced by the

Airbus Helicopters

EC-665 ARH Tiger attack

helicopter.

6 + 7 Ordered Boeing CH-47D/F

heavy-lift helicopter

22 Airbus Helicopters

EC-665ARH Tiger

34 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60A

medium-lift utility

helicopter

22 + 25 Ordered NH Industries NH90

medium-lift utility

helicopter. Total of 47 on

order, including six for

the Royal Australian

Navy, to replace the

retired AgustaWestland

Sea King Mk-50s.

12 Bell Helicopter 206

training helicopter

n Royal Australian Navy

16 Sikorsky S-70 maritime

support helicopter

24 Ordered Sikorsky MH-60R

Seahawk maritime

support helicopter.

Selected in June 2011. The

first examples will be

transferred to the Royal

Australian Navy in early

2014. All 24 Australian

aircraft are to be

delivered by 2016.


AS-350BA Squirrel light

utility helicopter

3 Bell Helicopter 429

GlobalRanger multipur-

pose utility helicopter

NOTES: Australia’s first Lockheed Martin F-

35A Lightning-II Multi-Role Combat Aircraft

(MRCA) is on track for delivery in the sum-

mer of 2014. The first Royal Australian Air

Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightning II, known as

AU-1, began construction on the Lockheed

Martin production line in Fort Worth,

United States, in October 2013. The aircraft

is due to roll-out in July 2014. The second

model is to follow in August 2014. The

Australian government confirmed its com-

mitment for the acquisition of 72 F-35As, as

well as its potential requirement for 28 addi-

tional units. The initial 72-aircraft deal is val-

ued at $3.08 billion.

BANGLADESHn Bangladesh Air Force

8 MiG-29SE/UB multi-role

combat aircraft. The

Russian Aircraft

Corporation announced

the beginning of

negotiations with the

Bangladesh government

for the upgrade of the

current MiG-29 fleet to

MiG-29SMT status in

April 2013.

49 Chengdu F-7 multi-role

combat aircraft. Twelve

F-7BG and four FT-/BG

received in 2006. F-7BGI

received in 2013 as

replacement for the

Nanchang A-5C ground-

attack aircraft fleet.

7 Nanchang A-5

ground-attack aircraft

7 Aero L-39 Albatros

lead-in jet trainer. Total of

eight delivered, one

aircraft crashed in 2012.

3 Antonov AN-32

turboprop freighter

4 + 4 Planned Lockheed Martin

C-130B/E Hercules


Bangladesh Air Force is

negotiating the acquisi-

tion of four C-130Es.

6 Bell Helicopter 206 light

utility helicopter

air force directory

regional

The assembly of the first of ten AleniaAermacchi C-27J turboprop freighters for theRoyal Australian Air Force was initiated by theaircraft manufacturer in November 2013. Thefirst aircraft is scheduled to be delivered inearly 2014 © Alenia Aermacchi

air force directory

reg ional


14 Bell Helicopter

212 medium-lift

utility helicopter

28 Mil Mi-8/17/171 medi-

um-lift utility helicopter

11 Cessna T-37 lead-in

jet trainer

9 Shenyang FT-6 lead-in

jet trainer

24 Planned Yakovlev Yak-130 lead-in

jet trainer/light attack

aircraft. Russia and

Bangladesh are negotiat-

ing over the purchase of

24 Yak-130 aircraft.

n Bangladesh Army

1 Cessna 208 turboprop

transport


AS-365 medium-lift utility

helicopter

n Bangladesh Navy

2 Dornier Do 228 NG

maritime patrol aircraft,

delivered June 2013

2 AgustaWestland AW-109

Power maritime support

helicopter

2 + 1 Planned Harbin Z-9 medium-lift

utility helicopter

BRUNEIn Royal Brunei Air Force

1 Airbus Military CN-235

turboprop freighter

4 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo

Trainer turboprop trainer

9 Bell 212/214 medium-lift

utility helicopter


BO-105CB light utility

helicopter

4 + 12 Ordered Sikorsky S-70/70i

medium-lift utility

helicopter. Twelve S-70i

are on order with options

for an additional ten.

3 Bell Helicopter 206B

JetRanger light utility

helicopter

BURMAn Burmese Air Force

21 Nanchang A-5


4 Soko G4 light


32 MiG-29B/UB multi-role

combat aircraft

1 Shenyang F-6 multi-role

combat aircraft

24 Chengdu F-7 interceptor

aircraft

2 Fokker F-27 turboprop

transport

2 Fairchild Hiller FH-227

turboprop transport

5 Pilatus PC-6

piston-engine transport

5 Britten Norman BN-2

maritime patrol aircraft

4 Shaanxi Y-8

turboprop freighter

2 Harbin Y-12

turboprop transport

6 Chengdu FT-7 lead-in

jet trainer

12 + 50 Ordered Hongdu K-8 lead-in

jet trainer

16 Pilatus PC-7

turboprop trainer

10 Pilatus PC-9

turboprop trainer

14 Bell Helicopter 205 light

utility helicopter

22 Mil Mi-2 light utility

helicopter


utility helicopter

9 Mil Mi-24/35 attack

helicopter


SA316/SE3160 light

utility helicopter

12 PLZ W-3 Sokol medium-

lift utility helicopter

CAMBODIAn Royal Cambodian Air Force

2 Xian MA-60 turboprop

transport

2 Harbin Y-12 turboprop

transport


AS-355 Squirrel light

utility helicopter


utility helicopter

10 Xian Z-9 medium-lift

utility helicopter.

Delivered on 25

November 2013, includ-

ing four assault variants

and six utility variants.

CHINAn People’s Liberation Army Air Force

120 Xian H-6 strategic

bomber

388 Chengdu J-7 multi-role

combat aircraft

96 Shenyang J-8 multi-role

combat aircraft

200 Chengdu J-10A/J0S/B


272+70 Planned Shenyang J-11A/B.

Chinese built

4.5-generation

multi-role combat

aircraft. The J-11A is

based on the Sukhoi

Su-27 multi-role combat

aircraft, while the

J-11B is an upgraded

Chinese variant.

72 Xian JH-7 multi-role

combat aircraft

119 Nanchang Q-5 ground

attack aircraft


19 Ilyushin Il-76/KJ2000

airborne early warning

and control

9 Xian MA-60 turboprop

transport

11 Tupolev Tu-154 turbofan

transport, including eight

passenger Tu-154M and

three reconnaissance

variants

60 Shaanxi Y-8 turboprop

freighter

6 Shaanxi Y-8/KJ200


and control

50 Xian Y-7 turboprop

freighter

170 Hongdu JL-8 lead-in

jet trainer

10 Mil Mi17/171 medium-

lift utility helicopter

22 Changhe Z-8 search and

rescue helicopter

45 Harbin Z-9 medium-lift

utility helicopter


combat aircraft

n People’s Liberation Army Ground Force


freighter

10 Shaanxi Y-8

turboprop freighter

220+20 Ordered Mil Mi-8/17/171 medi-


20 Sikorsky S-70 medium-lift

utility helicopter


utility helicopter

74+10 Changhe Z-10 attack

helicopter

48 Harbin Z-19 attack

helicopter

44 Changhe Z-11 light utility

helicopter

93 + 57 Ordered Airbus Helicopters EC-120

light utility helicopter

n People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force

14 Xian H-6 strategic bomber


freighter

22 Shaanxi Y-8/KJ-200


and control

3 Shaanxi Y-8 maritime

patrol aircraft

5 Shaanxi Y-8

reconnaissance


combat aircraft

48 Shenyang J-8 multi-role

combat aircraft


combat aircraft

35 Xian JH-7 multi-role

combat aircraft

30 Nanchang Q-5 ground

attack aircraft

23 + 50 Planned Sukhoi Su-30/33


3 Harbin SH-5 search

and rescue

17 Kamov Ka-28 maritime

support helicopter

2 + 7 Ordered Kamov Ka-31 maritime

support helicopter

26 Changhe Z-8 search and

rescue helicopter


utility helicopter

14 Shenyang J-6 lead-in

jet trainer aircraft

12 Hongdu JL-8 lead-in

jet trainer

8 Mil Mi-8 medium-lift

utility helicopter

NOTES: Often referred to as Falcon Hawk

or Falcon Eagle, the Shenyang J-31 is one of

China’s two prototype fifth-generation

Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), along

with the Chengdu J-20, and is currently

under development by Shenyang Aircraft

Corporation. Controversial issues regard-

ing the target markets for this new Chinese

stealth aircraft have emerged recently.

According to the Washington DC-based

Strategy Page, the J-31 has the potential to

air force directory

regional

The Sukhoi Su-35 single-seat, twin-enginemultirole fighter could be at the centre ofnegotiations between Russia and China in2014 regarding the latter’s acquisition of newcombat aircraft. The Su-35’s range and speedcould prove attractive for China’s defencerequirements © Sukhoi

THINKSPECIAL OPERATIONS

Armed with cutting edge defense helicopter technology. All-weather capable, unrivalled in the harshest environments, combat proven. Ready for special operations from most remote areas or warships.EC725 - Deploy the best.

become a future carrier-based MRCA for

China’s air force and navy. However,

People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)

sources have confirmed that the J-31 is more

likely to be produced for the export market

with North Korea and Iran being potential

customers. Another possibility is the devel-

opment of two different versions of the air-

craft: China may, in fact, sell a variant

abroad under its ‘F-60’ designation, while

maintaining a fleet of domestic J-31s for the

People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

INDIAn Indian Air Force

162+92 Ordered Sukhoi Su-30/MKI

multi-role combat aircraft.

Production of 222 Su-30s

currently undertaken by

Hindustan Aeronautics

Limited. The delivery

of the aircraft, scheduled

for 2015, is likely to

be delayed.

66 MiG-29B/UPG. Fifteen

aircraft lost to crashes

between 1994 and 2013.

To be upgraded to

MiG-29UPG status.

54 Dassault Mirage

2000H/TH multi-role

combat aircraft. Of the

aircraft acquired, ten have

been lost to crashes. The

current fleet is being

upgraded to Mirage

2000-5 Mk.2 standard.

The process is to be

completed within a

ten-year time frame. The

first upgraded Mirage

undertook its maiden

flight in October 2013.

262 MiG-21Bis/Bisons/

M/MF. To be phased-out

by 2019. Twelve aircraft

were involved in crashes

in the past three years.

110 upgraded MiG-21

Bisons are likely to

fly until 2025.

79 MiG-27ML multi-role

combat aircraft

126 Planned Dassault Rafale-B/C/M


Multi-billion dollar

deal currently being

negotiated with Dassault

Aviation. Completion of

the negotiation is sched-

uled for March 2014.

144 Planned Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA


Joint development of this

fifth generation aircraft

involves India and

Russia. The preliminary

design development

contract was signed by

Hindustan Aeronautics

and Sukhoi in 2010 and is

worth $295 million.

20 + 40 Planned HAL Tejas Light Combat

Aircraft (LCA). The super-

sonic aircraft received the

Initial Operational

Clearance in December

2013. As per current

plans, IAF will order suf-

ficient aircraft to equip six

Tejas Mark-II squadrons

(of between 16 to 18 air-

craft each) once the fighter

is combat-ready.

However, the single-

engine Tejas is not likely

to become combat-ready

before the end of 2015.

117 SEPECAT Jaguar M/S


3 Gulfstream Aerospace

G-IV SRA-4 turbofan

transport

17 Ilyushin Il-76 strategic

turbofan freighter

3 + 2 Planned Ilyushin Il-76 airborne

early warning and control

7 Ilyushin Il-78 tanker

5 + 5 Ordered Boeing C-17 Globemaster

III turbofan freighter.

Remaining five to be

delivered in 2014

India will become the largest Boeing C-17Globemaster-III customer outside the United Statesthanks to the agreement signed in June 2011 for theacquisition of ten C-17 airlifters. The Indian Air Forcehas received five aircraft so far © Indian Air Force


air force directory

regional

The KC-390 has � own through design.Now orders can start � ying in.

A multi-mission aircraft like no other, the KC-390 is no longer just an ambitious concept. Having cleared Critical Design Review, we’re now offering it to potential customers for new standards of economy and performance in troop and cargo transport, search and rescue, MEDEVAC, fi refi ghting, and aerial refueling. You’ll want to know more about KC-390 capabilities such as full fl y-by-wire fl ight control, complete self-protection system, and operations on short and semi-prepared strips.


6 + 6 Planned Lockheed Martin C130J

Hercules turboprop

freighter

96 Antonov An-32


Currently being upgraded

in Ukraine to prolong

service life.

58 BAE Systems/Hawker-

Siddeley HS 748-100

turboprop transport. To

be replaced under a $2.4

billion programme.

1 Boeing 707

reconnaissance

3 Ordered Embraer EMB-145


and control

2 Gulfstream G100

reconnaissance

6 Planned Airbus Military

A330-MRTT multi-role

tanker transport

15 Ordered National Aerospace

Laboratories Saras

turboprop transport

40 Dornier Do 228-201

turboprop transport

2 Gulfstream G200

turbofan transport

10 SEPECAT Jaguar T

lead-in jet trainer

65+40 Ordered BAE Systems Hawk 132

+20 Planned lead-in jet trainer

22 Boeing AH-64E attack

helicopter

15 Planned Boeing CH-47F heavy-lift

helicopter

81 Hindustan Aeronautics

HJT-16 Kiran lead-injet

trainer

16 Ordered Hindustan Aeronautics

HJT-36 Sitara lead-in

jet trainer

20 + 55 Ordered Pilatus PC-7 Mk II

turboprop trainer

47 + 65 Ordered Hindustan Aeronautics

Dhruv ALH light utility

helicopter


LCH attack helicopter

3 Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift

helicopter

168+82 Ordered Mil Mi-8/Mi-17 medium-

lift utility helicopter. One

Mi-17V5 crashed June

2013.

20 Mil Mi-24 attack

helicopter

12 + 1 Airbus Helicopters SA-315



SA-316/319 light utility

helicopter

45 Planned Medium Transport

Aircraft turboprop

freighter

n Indian Army Aviation

64+160 Ordered Hindustan Aeronautics


helicopter


LCH attack helicopter


SA-316/SE3160 light

utility helicopter

23+19 Ordered Airbus Helicopters SA-315


n Indian Naval Air Arm

18 + 24 Ordered MiG-29K multi-role

combat aircraft

8 BAE Systems Sea

Harrier FRS51 multi-role

combat aircraft

4+13 Ordered BAE Systems Hawk 132

lead-in jet trainer

3+5+12 Ordered Boeing P-8I maritime

patrol aircraft

8 Tupolev Tu-142M

maritime patrol aircraft.

Being replaced by twelve

Boeing P-8I (see below).

5 Ilyushin Il-38 maritime

patrol aircraft

26 Dornier Do-228 maritime

patrol aircraft


patrol helicopter


patrol helicopter


SA-316B light utility

helicopter


HJT-16 lead-in jet trainer

27 AgustaWestland Sea

King 42 maritime support

helicopter

7 Britten-Norman BN-2


15 Ordered National Aerospace

Laboratories Saras light

turboprop transport



helicopter

8 Sikorsky S-61/H/UH-3H

maritime support

helicopter

3 BAE Systems Harrier

T4/60 lead-in jet trainer

3 MiG-29KUB lead-in jet

trainer

NOTES: The Indian Air Force (IAF) alone

intends to spend over $70 billion on procure-

ment and upgrades over the next decade, to

transform its fleet into one of the most mod-

ern air forces in the world. India’s objective is

to maintain technological superiority over its

rivals and at the same time to deepen its capa-

bilities in the aerospace sector. This latter

point has been a significant drive behind its

collaboration with Russia. These endeavours

include the joint development of a new fifth-

air force directory

regional

generation Multi-Role Combat Aircraft

(MRCA) based on the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA

for use by both countries’ air forces, the

Sukhoi/Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

(HAL) Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft

(FGFA). The agreement for the combined

project was finalised in 2007. Despite being an

equal financial partner, India’s work share on

the project is only 15 percent. Currently four

T-50 prototypes have performed more than

200 test flights since January 2010 and the

final design contract, worth over $10 billion, is

under negotiation. The new fighter should be

ready for introduction from 2020 onwards.

INDONESIAn Indonesian Air Force

4 + 12 Ordered Embraer A-29 Super

Tucano turboprop

trainer/light attack. The

contract was finalised in

June 2011 and the first

four aircraft were

delivered in August 2012.

The Indonesian Air Force

placed a second order

for eight A-29s in July

2012. Deliveries of these

aircraft are expected to

begin in 2014.

16 Sukhoi Su-27/ 30MK/

MK2 multi-role combat

aircraft. The final two of

six Su-30MK2s ordered in

2011 were delivered in

September 2013.

12 + 24 Ordered General Dynamics/

Lockheed Martin F-16A/B


Indonesia formally

requested to buy 24 used

F-16C/D Block 25s from

the United States in

2011 and is currently

expecting deliveries of

these aircraft.

9 Northrop Grumman

F-5E/F multi-role combat

aircraft. Indonesia is

currently in talks

regarding the refurbish-

ment and upgrade of the

F-5 fleet to extend its

service life to 2020.

23 BAE Systems Hawk

209 lead-in jet trainer

3 Boeing 737 maritime

patrol aircraft

16 + 4 Ordered Lockheed Martin

C-130B/H and L-100

turboprop freighters.

A separate transfer

contract for an additional

five C-130Hs was

signed with Australia

on 26 July 2013.

1 + 2 Ordered Airbus Military CN-235


8 + 7 Ordered Airbus Military

C-295/CN-235

turboprop freighter

8 + 5 Planned Airbus Military C-212


Airbus Military and PT

Dirgantara Indonesia have

signed an agreement (part

of the contract signed in

October 2011) to jointly

manufacture and launch

an upgraded variant of the

C-212-400. The aircraft

will be equipped with

new digital avionics and

autopilot systems and will

feature 28 seats.


transport

1 Lockheed Martin

KC-130B tanker

10 Airbus Helicopters EC-120


2 Pilatus PC-6 turboprop

freighter

7 Airbus Helicopters BO-105


16 + 3 Ordered KAI KT-1B turboprop

trainer/light attack

18 Alenia Aermacchi SF-260

lead-in jet trainer

15 Hawker Beechcraft T-34C

turboprop trainer

6 + 10 Ordered Korea Aerospace

Industries T-50 lead-in

jet trainer. $400 million

contract signed in

May 2011. This aircraft is

to replace the BAE

Systems Hawk Mk 53

(see below) lead-in jet

trainer currently in service.

Deliveries began in

September 2013.

The Indonesian Air Force has orderednine Airbus Military C-295 turbopropfreighters for tactical and logistical trans-port. Three aircraft are to be assembledin Indonesia by PT Dirgantara Indonesia.All aircraft should be delivered by themiddle of 2014 © Airbus Military




lead-in jet trainer


lead-in jet trainer

4 + 14 Ordered Grob G120TP piston-

engine trainer. Order

placed in September 2011.

Deliveries began in 2012

and will continue through

2014. Aircraft replacing

the Hawker Beechcraft

T-34C turboprop trainer

aircraft and FFA/

SIAI-Marchetti AS/SA

202-18A3 Bravo

piston-engine trainer.

7 + 9 Ordered Airbus Helicopters


helicopter

6 Ordered Airbus Helicopters

EC-725 medium-lift utility

helicopter. Contract

signed in March 2012. All

six helicopters are config-

ured for combat search

and rescue and will be

delivered in 2014.

11 Airbus Helicopters SA-330


n Indonesian Army

8 Ordered Boeing AH-64E Apache

attack helicopter. $500

million deal including

pilot training, radars and

maintenance.

6 Airbus Military C-212

turboprop freighter

37 Bell Helicopter

412 medium-lift utility

helicopter. Ten Bell 412

enhanced performance

rotorcraft ordered under

a $65 million purchase

contract in March 2012

and received in March

2013. Indonesia is

currently negotiating a

$170 million deal for 16

additional helicopters.

12 Bell Helicopter 205 medi-


15 Airbus Helicopters BO-105




1 Aero Commander 680FL

utility transport aircraft

11 + 6 Ordered Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift

utility helicopter.

One lost to crash in

November 2013.

5 Mi-24/35 attack

helicopter



14 Schweizer 369 light utility

helicopter


EC-120B light utility

helicopter

n Indonesian Navy

9 + 1 Ordered Airbus Military C-212

turboprop freighter



1 + 4 Ordered Airbus Military CN-235

+ 3 Planned turboprop freighter

30 GAF Nomad 22/24



AS-332 maritime support

helicopter

3 Bell Helicopter 412 mar-

itime support helicopter


BO-105 maritime support

helicopter


EC-120 maritime support

helicopter

NOTES: The Indonesian Air Force plans to

focus on the introduction of new Multi-Role

Combat Aircraft (MRCA) and the imple-

mentation of new training programmes for

its pilots. After the delivery of the final two

Russian-made Sukhoi Su30MKII MRCAs,

part of an order for six aircraft, in

September 2013, Indonesia intends to create

eight new fast jet squadrons by 2024, each

consisting of 16 aircraft.

JAPANn Japan Air Self Defence Force

61 Mitsubishi F-2A


78 McDonnell

Douglas/Boeing

F/EF/RF-4EJ multi-role

combat aircraft. Being

phased out to be replaced

by existing Boeing

F-15DJ/Js and new

Lockheed Martin F-35As

Lightning-II (see below)


42 Ordered Lockheed Martin F-35A


combat aircraft. Japan

ordered a total of 42

aircraft in December 2011

and the initial deliveries

are scheduled for 2016.

153 McDonnell

Douglas/Boeing F-15J


4 Boeing E-767 airborne


125 Hawker-Siddeley/BAE

Systems 125 search and

rescue

13 Northrop Grumman E-2C


and control

15 Lockheed Martin C-130H

turboprop fighter

23 Kawasaki C-1A

turbofan freighter

1 Kawasaki EC-1

reconnaissance

20 Ordered Kawasaki C-2

turbofan freighter

5 Gulfstream IV U-4

turbofan transport

10 Nihon Aircraft YS-11/

YS-11 reconnaissance

1 Lockheed Martin

KC-130H tanker

4 Boeing KC-767 tanker

13 Hawker Beechcraft 400

turbofan transport

14 Mitsubishi F-2B


45 Boeing F-15DJ multi-role

combat aircraft

48 Fuji T-3 piston-engine

trainer

203 Kawasaki T-4 lead-in

jet trainer

16 Boeing CH-47J heavy-lift

helicopter

air force directory

regional


36 + 40 Ordered Sikorsky S-70/UH-60J

medium-lift utility

helicopter

n Japan Ground Self Defence Force

153 Bell Helicopter UH-1H/J

medium-lift utility

helicopter

58 Boeing CH-47J/JA


106 MD Helicopters MD500

reconnaissance

75 Bell Helicopter AH-1S

attack helicopter

10 Boeing AH-64D attack

helicopter

38+112 Planned Kawasaki OH-1

attack helicopter.

Under delivery

7 Hawker Beechcraft

King Air 350 turboprop

transport

4 Mitsubishi MU-2

turboprop transport

34 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60

medium-lift utility

helicopter

12 + 8 Ordered Enstrom 480 light utility

helicopter

n Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

95 Lockheed Martin

P-3C Orion maritime

patrol aircraft

2 + 8 Ordered Kawasaki P-1 maritime

+ 60 Planned patrol aircraft. Order

finalised in 2010 with an

estimated purchase cost

of $2.4 billion.

2 ShinMaywa US-1

search and rescue

5 ShinMaywa US-2

maritime patrol aircraft.

Replacing the older US-1

(see above).

3 NAMC YS-11 turboprop

transport

4 Learjet 36 reconnaissance

5 Hawker Beechcraft


transport

8 + 6 Ordered AgustaWestland

AW-101 maritime

support helicopter

110 Sikorsky S-70/SH/

UH-60J/K maritime

support helicopter


EC-135 maritime

support helicopter

1 Airbus

Helicopters/Kawasaki

BK117 medium-lift

utility helicopter

9 Sikorsky MH-53E mar-




26 Hawker Beechcraft


transport

41 + 1 Ordered Fuji T-3 piston-engine

trainer

NOTES: Despite its record as one of Asia’s

most technologically advanced air forces,

the Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is

now facing the technological improvement

of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air

Force (PLAAF). The advanced Multi-Role

Combat Aircraft (MRCA) that China is

developing represent a significant challenge

to Japan. Japan's answer to the Chengdu J-

20 MRCA came in December 2011, when it

selected the Lockheed F-35A Lightning-II

over the Boeing F/A-18E/F and

Eurofighter Typhoon MRCAs.

LAOSn Lao People’s Liberation Army Air Force

1 Antonov An-26

turboprop freighter

2 Xian MA60 turboprop

transport


helicopter


support helicopter

4 Bell Helicopter UH-1H

medium-lift utility

helicopter


utility helicopter

MALAYSIAn Royal Malaysian Air Force

18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM


air force directory

regional

The AgustaWestland AW-101 medium-lift utility helicopter, currently operated by the Japan MaritimeSelf Defence Force, may not be an option for India. As was reported in January 2014, India cancelledits planned purchase of twelve AW-101s amid allegations of corruption © AgustaWestland

10 + 2 Planned MiG-29N multi-role combat

aircraft. This aircraft will

be phased out by 2015 and

the Eurofighter Typhoon,

Dassault Rafale-B/C/M,

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super

Hornet, Saab JAS-

39C/D/E Gripen and

Sukhoi Su-30 MRCAs have

all been short-listed as its

replacement.

8 Boeing F/A-18D multi-role

combat aircraft


lead-in jet trainer

3 Northrop Grumman F-5F


10 Northrop Grumman RF-5E

reconnaissance

4 Ordered Airbus Military A400M


The Royal Malaysian

Air Force will receive its

first A400M in 2015, after a

two-year delay in

delivery. The remaining

aircraft will be delivered

by 2016. The order is

worth $840 million.

4 Lockheed Martin

KC-130H tanker


Air 200 maritime patrol

aircraft


turboprop freighter


turboprop freighter

8 Alenia Aermacchi MB-339

lead-in jet trainer


lead-in jet trainer

40 + 5 Planned Pilatus PC-7/PC-7 Mk II

turboprop trainer


medium-lift utility helicop-

ter. Contract signed in 2010

and an initial two helicop-

ters were delivered in

December 2012.

29 Sikorsky S-61 medium-lift

utility helicopter



n Royal Malaysian Army

11 AgustaWestland AW-109


n Royal Malaysian Navy

6 AgustaWestland Super

Lynx 300 maritime

support helicopter


AS-555 maritime support

helicopter

NOTES: The Royal Malaysian Air Force

requirement for 18 Multi-Role Combat

Aircraft (MRCA) to replace its obsolete

MiG-29N fleet, due to be retired in 2015,

could be fulfilled by either the Boeing

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault

Rafale-B/C/M, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab

JAS-39C/D/E Gripen or Sukhoi Su-30.

NEW ZEALANDn Royal New Zealand Air Force

6 Lockheed Martin

P-3K maritime patrol

aircraft

2 Boeing 757-200 turbofan

transport

5 AgustaWestland

AW-109 light utility

helicopter.

4 Hawker Beechcraft


transport


turboprop freighter

6 + 2 Ordered NH Industries

NH-90 medium-lift utility

helicopter


medium-lift utility

helicopter

13 Pacific Aerospace

Corporation CT-4E

piston-engine trainer

n Royal New Zealand Navy

5 Kaman SH-2G maritime

support helicopter

NORTH KOREAn Korean People’s Army Air Force

35 MiG-29 multi-role

combat aircraft


combat aircraft


combat aircraft


combat aircraft


air force directory

reg ional

The Royal Malaysian Air Force took delivery ofits first two Airbus Helicopters EC-725 medium-lift helicopters in late 2012 © Airbus Helicopters



combat aircraft


combat aircraft

80 Harbin H-5 medium

bomber

18 Sukhoi Su-7 multi-role

combat aircraft


combat aircraft

1 Antonov An-24

turboprop freighter

20 Mil Mi-24 attack

helicopter


helicopter

8 Mil Mi-14 maritime

support helicopter




helicopter


helicopter


jet trainer


jet trainer

PAKISTANn Pakistan Air Force

40+110 Ordered Chengdu JF-17

multi-role combat

aircraft. A total of 110

aircraft are believed to

be currently on order

37 General Dynamics/

Lockheed Martin

F-16A/B multi-role

combat aircraft

27 Lockheed Martin

F-16C/D multi-role

combat aircraft

69 Dassault Mirage-

IIIEP/OF/RP multi-role

combat aircraft.

Expected to remain in

service until 2017.

90 Dassault Mirage-

5EF/F/PA multi-role

combat aircraft. The fleet

will be replaced with the

Chengdu JF-17 by 2017

(see above).

18 Dassault Mirage-

IIIBE/D/DP multi-role

combat aircraft

2 Dassault Mirage-5DPA



jet trainer


jet trainer

5 Chengdu FT-7 lead-in

jet trainer


combat aircraft. Eight

lost to crashes between

2007 and 2013.

39 Hongdu K-8 lead-in

jet trainer

2 Dassault Falcon 20/200

reconnaissance


Air 350 reconnaissance

1 Saab 2000 turboprop

transport


transport

3 + 1 Ordered Shaanxi Y-8/ZDK-03


and control

4 Ilyushin Il-78 tanker


turboprop freighter

16 Lockheed Martin

C-130B/E and L-100

turboprop freighter






utility helicopter





1 Aérospatiale SE-3160 light

utility helicopter

18 Cessna T-37B/C lead-in

jet trainer

n Pakistan Army

48 Bell Helicopter AH-1F

attack helicopter



30 + 2 Ordered

+ 40 Planned Bell Helicopter 412 medi-

um-lift utility helicopter.

Formal announcement for

the purchase of up to 30

Bell 412EP medium-lift

utility helicopters made in

September 2010. The

estimated cost of the

contract is $397 million.

46 Mil Mi-8 and Mil-171

medium-lift utility

helicopter


medium-lift utility heli-

copter







copter



helicopter

1 Citation Bravo turbofan

transport


Air 350 turboprop trans-

port

2 Aero Commander piston-

engine transport


transport

n Pakistan Navy

6 Lockheed Martin

P-3C maritime patrol

aircraft. Two new

aircraft delivered in

February 2012

following the attack

by armed militants

on the Mehran Naval

Airbase, southern

Pakistan in May 2011.

Two upgraded P-3C were

destroyed on that occa-

sion and two additional

aircraft were delivered in

February 2012.

1 BAE Systems 125

reconnaissance

air force directory

regional

7 Fokker F-27 maritime

patrol aircraft


SA-316 maritime support

helicopter

6 AgustaWestland Sea

King 45 maritime support

helicopter

6 Harbin Z-9EC medium-lift

utility helicopter

2 Mi-14 maritime support

helicopter

2 ATR 42 maritime patrol

aircraft

NOTES: Due to financial constraints

the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has suspend-

ed its “Air Force Development Plan 2025”.

Under the plan, PAF had received money

from the federal government until 2007

but has now been forced to close a number

of projects, thus affecting the upgrade of

the country’s air power.

PHILIPPINESn Philippine Air Force

8 Rockwell International

OV-10 light attack

turboprop

3 Lockheed Martin

C-130H/B turboprop

transport


transport

1 GAF Nomad 22 turbo-

prop transport

1 Aero Commander piston-

engine transport

12 Planned Korea Aerospace

Industries FA-50

multi-role combat

aircraft

5 SIAI-Marchetti S-211

lead-in jet trainer

8 Ordered AgustaWestland AW-109

light utility helicopter.

Contract signed in

November 2013.

Deliveries to start in 2014


AS-550 medium-lift

utility helicopter

8 PLZ W-3 Sokol light

utility helicopter



10 Sikorsky S-76A/AUH-

76A medium-lift utility

helicopter



copter. 33 are beyond

economical repair, 25

recoverable but need a

budget for repair, 21 are

operational. Bidding for

21 refurbished UH-1H

helicopters failed for the

third time in September

2013 as it fell short of

requirements.



2 Bell Helicopter 212/214

medium-lift utility

helicopter

20 Alenia Aermacchi SF-260

lead-in jet trainer

n Philippine Navy Aviation



4 Airbus Helicopters BO-

105 light utility helicopter


maritime support

helicopter. Deliveries

expected by 2014.

NOTES: The Philippine Air Force (PAF)

plans to acquire twelve Korea Aerospace

Industries FA-50 multi-role combat aircraft

in order to enhance its territorial defence.

Over $463 million has been allocated

by the government for the acquisition

of the above-mentioned aircraft. Such

modernisation programmes aim to address

the country’s requirements for countering

airborne threats, as well as providing

proper training to pilots on supersonic

high-performance aircraft. The Philippines

has recently signed a memorandum of

understanding with the Republic of

Korea to expand the collaboration in

defence trade and cooperation between the

two countries. The agreement also enables

potential industrial cooperation on the

FA-50 programme.

SINGAPOREn Republic of Singapore Air Force

24 Boeing F-15SG multi-role

combat aircraft.

Declared combat-ready

by Singapore

Defence Minister in

September 2013.

60 Lockheed Martin

F-16C/D multi-role

combat aircraft

26 Northrop Grumman

F-5S multi-role combat

aircraft

16 Boeing CH-47SD



AS-332/532 medium-lift

utility helicopter

17 Boeing AH-64D attack

helicopter




patrol aircraft

4 Gulfstream G550 airborne



turboprop transport

5 Lockheed Martin

KC-130B/H tanker

4 Boeing KC-135R tanker

9 Northrop Grumman F-5T

lead-in jet trainer

3 + 9 Ordered Alenia Aermacchi M-346

lead-in jet trainer.

Deliveries began in 2013.


transport

n Republic of Singapore Navy

6 + 2 Ordered Sikorsky S-70 maritime

support helicopter

NOTES: Singapore’s intention of upgrading

its Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D multi-role

combat aircraft fleet is now official.

According to a 2013 statement by the coun-

try’s defence minister, the air force plans to

modernise the avionics and extend the lifes-

pan of the fighters. The Singapore F-16

upgrade programme is likely to involve

aggressive competition between BAE

Systems and Lockheed Martin.


air force directory

regional

REPUBLIC OF KOREAn Republic of Korea Air Force

120 Boeing F-15K multi-role

combat aircraft

20 Ordered Korea Aerospace

Industries KT-1 turbo-

prop trainer. The new

FA-50s will replace the

Northrop Grumman

F-5E/F multi-role combat

aircraft fleet which will

be retired by 2019.

60 Planned Lockheed Martin F-35A


combat aircraft. Deliveries

for 40 aircraft will begin

in 2018. Options exist for

the purchase of 20

additional airframes.

82 McDonnell

Douglas/Boeing F-

4E/RF-4C multi-role com-

bat aircraft

151 Northrop Grumman F-5E




117 Lockheed Martin F-16C



Industries TA-50 lead-in

jet trainer

4 Boeing 737 airborne early

warning and control

2 Planned Dassault Falcon 2000S

reconnaissance. Could

replace the Hawker

Beechcraft 800 reconnais-

sance platform.

8 Hawker-Siddeley/BAE

Systems 125 reconnais-

sance


turboprop freighter

4 Ordered Lockheed Martin C-130J


Scheduled for delivery in

2014.


turboprop freighter

51 Lockheed Martin F-16D


3 Airbus Helicopters AS-


helicopter

3 Bell Helicopter


helicopter

5 Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift

helicopter


support helicopter



29 Sikorsky S-70/HH/

UH-60P medium-lift

utility helicopter

106 Korea Aerospace

Industries KT-1

turboprop trainer

58 Korea Aerospace

Industries T-50/B

advanced trainer aircraft

n Republic of Korea Army

77 Bell Helicopter AH-1J/S

attack helicopter

36 Boeing AH-64E attack

helicopter


BO-105 light utility

helicopter

23 Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift

helicopter





copter

68 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60L/P

medium-lift utility

helicopter


+ 221 Planned Industries KUH/1

Surion medium-lift

utility helicopter


air force directory

regional

All four Republic of Korea Boeing 737 airborneearly warning aircraft operate from Gimhaeair base © Boeing

n Republic of Korea Navy

16 Lockheed Martin P-3C/CK


18 Planned Lockheed S-3 maritime

patrol aircraft

5 Reims F406 Caravan II

utility turboprop transport

24 AgustaWestland

Lynx 99A maritime

support helicopter

8 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60P

maritime support

helicopter


SA-319 maritime support

helicopter

7 Bell Helicopter

UH-1H maritime support

helicopter

8 Ordered AgustaWestland

AW-159 maritime

support helicopter.

The Republic of Korea

will receive four AW-159s

in 2015 and additional

four in 2016 under a $560

million deal.

n Republic of Korea Marine Corps

40 Ordered Korea Aerospace

Industries KUH/1 Surion

NOTES: The Republic of Korea (RoK) hopes

to leap into the rank of major arms exporters

as a result of its ongoing Korea Fighter

Experimental (KFX) programme. The pro-

gramme, which is to be led by the RoK’s

largest aircraft manufacturer Korea

Aerospace Industries (KAI), focuses on the

development of an advanced fifth-generation

multi-role combat aircraft for the Republic of

Korea Air Force (RoKAF) and the Indonesian

Air Force (TNI-AU). Although the KFX pro-

gramme has been delayed several times in the

last decade, two concept models for the KFX

combat aircraft were displayed in October

2013 during the Seoul International

Aerospace and Defence Exhibition: KAI’s

KFX-E, a single-engine concept, and the

Agency for Defence Development (ADD)

C103, twin-engine aircraft that would require

higher domestic system development. Facing

the threat from North Korea and the strategic

situation involving China and Japan, the RoK

Korea has developed its own initiatives to

respond to the urgent need to replace obso-

lete platforms in its fleet of multi-role combat

aircraft. The country has also announced its

intentions to purchase 40 fifth-generation

fighters under the FX-III programme, with

the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II

multi-role combat aircraft likely to be select-

ed. The first deliveries should occur in 2018.

SRI LANKAn Sri Lankan Air Force

9 Israel Aerospace Industries

Kfir C2/7/(T)C2



combat aircraft

6 MiG-27M multi-role

combat aircraft

1 MiG-23UB multi-role

combat aircraft


Air 200 maritime patrol

aircraft

2 Lockheed Martin C-130K

turboprop freighter

5 Antonov An-32

turboprop freighter

9 Harbin Y-12

turboprop transport

2 Ordered Xian MA60 turboprop

transport




medium-lift utility

helicopter


utility helicopter.

9 Mil Mi-24 attack

helicopter


air force directory

reg ional

Along with India, Taiwan is the onlyDassault Mirage-2000 multirole combataircraft operator in the Asia-Pacificregion. The island nation operates 47 ofthe Mirage-2000-5EI variants, and nineMirage-2000-5DI versions © Toshiro Aoki

5 + 2 Planned Hongdu JL-8 lead-in

jet trainer

TAIWANn Republic of China Air Force

116 Lockheed Martin F-16 A


28 Lockheed Martin F-16B


47 Dassault Mirage 2000-5EI


9 Dassault Mirage 2000-5DI


22 North Grumman F/RF-5E


101 Aerospace Industrial

Development

Corporation F-CK-1A



turboprop freighter

1 + 11 Ordered Lockheed Martin P-3C

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

(MPA). The first of twelve

refurbished P-3C MPA

was delivered to Taiwan

in September 2013. The

last of these aircraft is

scheduled for delivery by

the end of 2015.

11 ShinMaywa US-2


6 Ordered Alenia Aermacchi C-27J

turboprop freighter

6 Northrop Grumman E-2K


and control



helicopter

13 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60A

medium-lift utility helicopter


Development

Corporation AT-3A/B

lead-in jet trainer


Development

Corporation F-CK-1B




37 Hawker Beechcraft T-34C

turboprop trainer

n Republic of China Army

62 Bell Helicopter AH-1W

attack helicopter

6 + 24 Ordered Boeing AH-64E attack

helicopter. First six heli-

copters received in

November 2013, part of a

30-aircraft contract signed

in June 2011. All 30

AH-64E are expected to

be delivered by the end

of 2014

8 Boeing CH-47SD


38 Bell Helicopter OH-58



medium-lift utility

helicopter

4 + 56 Ordered Sikorsky UH-60M medi-

um-lift utility helicopter.

Order for additional 26

announced in November

2013. The first four

helicopters are currently

being built by Sikorsky

and will be delivered in

March 2014

29 Bell Helicopter 206 mar-


n Republic of China Navy

8 MD Helicopters

MD500 maritime support

helicopter

18 Sikorsky S-70 maritime

support helicopter

THAILANDn Royal Thai Air Force

30 Northrop Grumman

F-5B/E multi-role combat

aircraft

54 General

Dynamics/Lockheed

Martin F-16 A/B multi-

role combat aircraft

19 Dassault/Dornier Alpha

Jet lead-in jet trainer

12 Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen


Initial batch delivered in

February 2011 and the

last three fighters were

received in September

2013. The aircraft are

scheduled to replace the

Royal Thai Air Force’s

existing Northrop

Grumman F-5B/E fighter

fleet (see above).

5 Diamond DA42

reconnaissance

4 Saab 340/340 airborne


2 Israeli Aircraft Industries

Arava 201 turboprop

transport

8 Bassler BT-67 turboprop

freighter


turboprop freighter


Air 90 turboprop transport

5 Hawker Siddeley/BAE

Systems HS 748

turboprop transport

14 GAF Nomad 22

turboprop transport

16 Pilatus PC-6





medium-lift utility

helicopter



helicopter. Contract

signed in September 2012.

Deliveries scheduled

for 2015.

4 Northrop Grumman

F-5B/F multi-role

combat aircraft

34 Aero L-39 lead-in jet

trainer


trainer

n Royal Thai Army


turboprop freighter

2 Hawker Beechcraft


transport

7 Bell Helicopter AH-1H

attack helicopter

l asianMilitaryreview l

air force directory

regional

46





6 Boeing CH-47D



+ 1 Planned utility helicopter

7 + 5 Ordered Sikorsky UH-60 medium-

lift utility helicopter.

Three S-70A medium-lift

utility helicopter (based

on the UH-60L) were

delivered to Thailand in

April 2013.



copter. Order announced

in October 2012. Deal

includes maintenance and

training package.

Helicopters to be

delivered in 2014.


medium-lift utility

helicopter


AS-550 medium-lift

utility helicopter

6 Ordered Airbus Helicopters UH-

72A medium-lift utility

helicopter. Formally

requested by Thailand in

June 2013. Deal includes

communication equip-

ment, spare and repair

parts, support equipment,

technical documentation

and training. The estimat-

ed cost for the procure-

ment is $77 million.

16 Enstrom 480 light utility

helicopter

23 Schweizer 269 light utility

helicopter

n Royal Thai Navy

7 Dornier Do 228 maritime

patrol aircraft

1 Lockheed Martin P-3T



patrol aircraft

1 Canadair/Bombardier

CL-215 fire-fighting

amphibious aircraft

3 GAF Nomad 24 turbo-

prop transport


maritime support

helicopter

4 Sikorsky S-76 search and

rescue helicopter

8 Sikorsky S-70B/MH-60S

maritime support

helicopter

2 AgustaWestland Super

Lynx 110 maritime

support helicopter

VIETNAMn Vietnamese Air Force

144 MiG-21 multi-role combat

aircraft

27 + 20 Ordered Sukhoi Su-27/30


Contract announced in

August 2013. Aircraft to

be delivered in 2014-2015

timeframe.


combat aircraft

30 Antonov An-26

turboprop transport

1 Antonov An-28 maritime

patrol aircraft

4 Beriev Be-12 search and

rescue


utility helicopter

25 Mil Mi-24 attack

helicopter


support helicopter


medium-lift utility

helicopter

26 Aero L-39 lead-in

jet trainer

n Vietnamese Navy

1 + 5 Ordered DeHavilland DHC-6 tur-

boprop transport.

Agreement for six aircraft

signed in May 2010. First

DHC-6 arrived in

Vietnam in October 2013

2 Airbus Helicopters EC-


helicopter


support helicopter.

l asianMilitaryreview l

air force directory

regional

48

The last three of twelve SaabJAS-39C/D Gripen multi-rolecombat aircraft were receivedby the Royal Thai Air Force inSeptember 2013. These jetsare designed to conduct awide range of air-to-air,air-to-surface and reconnais-sance missions © Saab


The planning and execution of a

commander’s intent is greatly

eased by the use of Battle

Management Systems (BMSs).

During the Second World War

battle management consisted of conven-

tional radios, paper maps, motorcycle dis-

patch riders and photo reconnaissance.

The flow of information up and down

echelons could be slow to non-existent, all

of which could hamper the reaction times

of engaged forces. Almost 75 years on

from the end of that conflict, the planning

discussed by the late Mr. Eisenhower and

the management of combat has changed

exponentially.

There is no hard and fast definition as

50

Former Supreme

Commander of the Allied

Forces in Europe and

President of the United

States Dwight D.

Eisenhower once said that

“in preparing for battle I

have always found that

plans are useless, but

planning is indispensable.”

by Thomas Withington

management system

b a t t l e

MIDDLEMANAGERS

Germany’sRheinmetall isrenowned as a

provider ofartillery and

armoured vehiclesystems but the

company has alsoexpanded its activities toinclude the provision of

Battle ManagementSystems (BMS) such as this

BMS designed for usewith Man-Portable Air

Defence Systems© Rheinmetall

to what constitutes a BMS. At its core a

BMS can equip almost any echelon of com-

mand from the chief of staff level, down to

the platoon or squad. Typically a BMS will

include a cartographic element. This will

often comprise Blue Force Tracking to

denote the location of friendly units and

tools to allow the depiction of the position

of suspected enemy forces. The carto-

graphic element may also be programma-

ble enabling the user to display the infor-

mation most relevant to them, such as the

location of supply depots or headquarters.

At the core of any BMS is the ability to

exchange information between comrades,

and up and down various echelons of

command. This can be achieved using

trunk radio or satellite communications

across long distances, or via tactical radios

for communications between ground units

and individual soldiers. Principally these

communications are used to carry voice,

data and imagery traffic. Data and

imagery traffic can include written orders,

situation reports and requests for assis-

tance while the imagery handled by

today’s BMSs can include everything from

still photographs taken of a suspected

enemy position by a thermal imaging cam-

era to real-time video footage provided by

an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs)

orbiting overhead. BMSs can also be cus-

tomised to the needs of a particular branch

of the army. As the discussion below will

illustrate, battle management systems

have been developed which are tailored to

the needs of the artillery, for example, pro-

viding information and planning tools for

the provision of fires.

Several countries around the Asia-

Pacific region have active BMS pro-

grammes and it is a domain which is

experiencing significant investment

reflecting the relatively healthy nature of

several national defence budgets in this

part of the world. In particular this article

will outline the latest developments in

terms of land force BMS provision in

Australasia, Brunei, India, Malaysia,

Pakistan and the Republic of Korea.

AustralasiaIsrael’s Elbit Systems is heavily involved in

BMS initiatives in the Australasian region

leading key programmes for the armies of

Australia and New Zealand. A statement

from the company supplied to the Asian

Military Review (AMR) notes that it is lead-

ing the “the Australian Army’s Land 200

programme, delivering the Army BMS-C2

(Command and Control) for mounted, dis-

mounted and headquarters solutions.” The

contract, which is worth $349 million, was

signed in 2010 and is expected to be com-

pleted in 2014. Currently the BMS-C2 is

being rolled out across the Australian

Army’s 7th Brigade in Brisbane, eastern

Australia “as well as some elements of

the Royal Australia Air Force Ground

Defence Units. Under this programme Elbit

Systems’ supplies thousands of BMS nodes,

vehicular and soldier configurations” the

statement adds. Meanwhile, Elbit has deliv-

ered the BMS Fires capability to equip the

Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery.

Both this programme and the Army BMS-

C2 are expected to be completed by 2016.

Elbit Systems argues that its strength as

a BMS provider lie in its abilities “to sup-

port the specific operational needs and

requirements for each of our customers

using an open architecture, modular

design and ability to easily incorporate

external capabilities.” In terms of back-


Elbit Systems’ CNR-9000 Very High FrequencyHigh Data Rate tactical radios are used to carryseveral of the company’s Battle ManagementSystem products, such as those acquired byAustralia and New Zealand © Elbit Systems

management system

b a t t l e

Elbit Systems isheavily involved in BMSinitiatives in the Austra -

lasian region leadingkey programmes for

the armies of Australiaand New Zealand

bones, the company says that its BMSs can

use “all the available communication

means of the forces, from low bandwidth

legacy radios to wideband data radios.”

This is in addition to the company’s TIGER

(Tactical Intranet Geographic dissemina-

tion in Real Time) communications net-

work designed for the handling and man-

agement of tactical data communications.

BruneiAs mentioned in Gordon Arthur’s article

‘Protecting the Abode of Peace’, which

appeared in the December 2013 edition of

AMR, the armed forces of Brunei is having

its Command and Control (C2) capabilities

enhanced via the implementation of its

Joint Operations Centre (JOC) which com-

menced in 2010 under the purview of

Northrop Grumman, the initiative’s prime

contractor. The firm is leveraging its Joint

Operational Command and Control

System architecture which has the

Northrop Grumman’s C2PC (Command

and Control for the Personal Computer)

software at its core. The initiative includes

the roll-out of both a fixed and deployable

JOC which will connect to other C2 ele-

ments used by fellow nations in the

Association of South East Asian Nations.

IndiaAt the cornerstone of the Indian Army’s

battle management efforts is the force’s

BMS programme. In July 2013 media

reports noted that the initiative will be

procured solely through local Indian

companies although a degree of partner-

ing will be permitted to allow these firms


At the cornerstone ofthe Indian Army’s

battle managementefforts is the force’s

BMS programme

management system

b a t t l e

The Battle Management Systems which have been provided to the Australian and New Zealandarmies by Elbit Systems include hand-held displays with clear screens, a key part of the AustralianArmy’s BMS-C2 (Command and Control) architecture © Elbit Systems

companies short-listed to develop the

prototypes. The initial phase of the ini-

tiative is expected to see the roll-out of

between 500-1200 BMS terminals before

the wider fielding of the system from

2017-2021. Finally, the BMS could then

receive a comprehensive upgrade in the

2022-2026 timeframe. In total these

efforts could cost between $37 million up

to $148 million depending on the size

and scope of the BMS which is eventual-

ly ordered by the force.

The BMS will link upwards into the

Indian Army’s Combined Information

and Decision Support System (CIDSS)

being procured under the ‘Project

Samvahak’ initiative, although problems

concerning the Indian Army’s Tactical

Communications System (the Corps-level

communications backbone intended to

carry the CIDSS and the BMS – see

above), have slowed down the CIDSS’s

roll-out. The original intention had been

to equip a Corps headquarters (HQ) plus

a Divisional HQ, three Brigade HQs and

nine battalion HQs with the CIDSS, but

these plans now appear to have slowed

for the time being. Following the initial

roll-out to these respective HQs the

CIDSS is to then equip a Strike Corps and

would be implemented with other Corps-

supporting elements and linked to other

army tactical command and control sys-

tems. Ultimately, the CIDSS would then

go on to equip another 13 Corps over a

seven-year period, but as noted above,

much of this work depends on the intro-

duction of the TCS.

MalaysiaMalaysia is currently navigating through

Phase-1A of its Network Centric

Operations (NCO) initiative the work on

which is being performed by Sapura, a

Malaysian-based technology company. At

the core of Phase-1A is a two-year study

examining how to federate existing C2

systems used by the Malaysian Army.

Future NCO work has mooted the possi-

ble introduction of a new BMS along with

the integration of Malaysia’s SAKTI

infantry modernisation architecture into

the overall NCO network.

PakistanPakistan’s BMS efforts currently focus on

the PAK-IBMS being developed by Global

Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS)

based in Rawalpindi. According to a state-

ment supplied to AMR this BMS has been

in development since 2004 and the first

units have already been delivered to the

army’s armoured units for training pur-

poses. Armoured platforms which have

received the Pak-IBMS so far include the

army’s Norinco/Heavy Industries Taxila

Al-Kahlid and Al-Zarrar Main Battle

Tanks. Services provided by the BMS

include blue force tracking, mission plan-

ning and combat messaging. The state-

ment continues that in 2013 the “PAK-

IBMS was deployed at the School of

Armour and Mechanised Warfare in

Nowshera, northern Pakistan for the

training of army officers and men of the

Pakistan Armoured Corps.”

The statement from GIDS adds that the

firm has also developed the PAKFIRE

artillery fire control BMS. Deployed from

2007 up to 200 units in the Pakistan Army

now have the system according to the

firm. PAKFIRE is described as “a modu-

lar, reliable, secure, user-friendly and

fully-integrated artillery fire control sys-

tem that automates all operational func-

tions of artillery and ensures fast and

accurate fire on targets. It provides an

automated solution for preparation, coor-

dination, dissemination, execution and

modification of the fire support plan, the

fire plan, and gun programmes.” The

PAKFIRE architecture comprises four ele-

ments: the Artillery Fire Direction Module

(AFDM), Fire Support Planning Module

(FSPM), Counter Bombardment Module

(CBM) and the Battle Management

Information System (BMIS).

According to the company, the AFDM

“receives target information from forward

observers, counter-bombardment and fire

support elements. Meteorological infor-

mation is then added to calculate fast and


The Republic of Korea’sTactical Information

CommunicationNetwork will see theintroduction of new

trunk radios andmultiband transceivers

Pakistan’s Global and Industrial Defence Solutions has developed the PAK-IBMS BattleManagement System which has commenced deliveries to the Pakistan Army. This photographillustrates one of the cartographical screens available to users © GIDS

management system

b a t t l e


accurate firing data which is then trans-

mitted to guns and digital message units

using wired or wireless communications.”

The FSPM, meanwhile, “is designed to

integrate fire support with the manoeuvre

plan. It assists in the preparation, coordi-

nation, dissemination, execution and mod-

ification of the fire support plan,” and

includes a variety of cartographic tools to

this end. The Counter Bombardment

Module “integrates external sensors like

radars and UAVs with PAKFIRE for the

speedy transfer of information.” Finally,

the BMIS assists “commanders in the allo-

cation, modification and management of

resources like ammunition, weapons,

vehicles and manpower.”

Republic of KoreaA trio of companies, namely Samsung-

Thales, Huneed and LIG Nex1 is

rolling out the Republic of Korea (RoK)

armed forces Tactical Information

Communication Network (TICN) which

will provide communications links

between the country’s army, marine

corps, navy and air force. The TICN deal

is valued at $3.8bn and will see the intro-

duction of new trunk radios, multiband

transceivers and associated network man-

agement systems. Other programmes

include the Korea Joint Command and

Control System at the Joint Chiefs of Staff

level to link this echelon of command with

the country’s armed forces, the Military

Information Management System which

allows services to communicate with one

another at the tactical level, and the Joint

Tactical Data Link System for the

exchange of data between services.

LIG Nex1 is active in the development

of BMS products. A spokesperson for the

company, Hyejin Mo, told AMR that the

firm is; “currently developing and pro-

ducing BMS related systems.” These

include systems for artillery forces which

can: “decide and recommend firing meth-

ods, types of ammunition, designate fir-

ing units and firing times to support the

commander’s decision cycle.” These sys-

tems are being designed with “intercon-

nectivity with higher level command and

control systems in mind.” The company

expects that these BMS applications will

be carried by its PRC-999K command

radio and also its Tactical Multi-Band

Multi-Role Radio which from 2015 will be

able to support data communications.

The efforts of the Republic of Korea

and other countries throughout the

region to deepen and widen their BMSs

will continue into the coming years. The

next challenge will be in ensuring that

these systems can handle and manage the

increasing amount of information which

will be available to the soldier in the

future. A deluge of data can, in many

ways, be as detrimental as no data at all,

and it will be up to these BMSs to ensure

that they can sort the wheat from the

chaff in a timely and reliable manner on

tomorrow’s battlefields.

Israeli defence electronics specialists ElbitSystems has performed extensive work inrecent years modernising the BattleManagement Systems in service with theAustralian Army and also its counterparts inNew Zealand © Elbit Systems

management system

b a t t l e


The time is right for Asia to buy

military helicopters, particu-

larly utility and support heli-

copters for land and maritime

operations. With the tradition-

ally high spending government cus-

tomers in Europe and North America

still enveloped in the process of shaving

even more off their annual defence budg-

ets, the recognised helicopter manufac-

turers have all turned towards Asia. Here

the arms market is being fuelled by a mix

of growing concern over Chinese aggres-

sive expansion added to strengthening

national economies which now means

there is business to be had where once

opportunities were few.

As part of this escalating up-kick in

Asian defence spending, there is a corre-

sponding drive to update regional mili-

tary utility helicopter fleets with many

forces looking to modernise their capabil-

ity. Buying utility helicopters is generally

considered to pose a lower risk to military

customers than procuring more complex

specialist types. While the helicopter’s

concept of operations must be considered,

together with the climactic and geograph-

ical challenges it will face, normally there

is little requirement for specialised equip-

ment that will affect the manufacturer’s

promised performance.

South KoreaThe Republic of Korea is one such country

with an expanding requirement and with

one foot now firmly on the industrial lad-

der. An amphibious support version of the

Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH) is being

56

Growing defence

budgets and

concerns over

Chinese expansion

are fuelling a

military growth in

the Asia-Pacific

region. There is a

need to not only

update existing

military helicopter

fleets, but also look

at new capabilities

that provide

greater reach.

by Andrew Drweiga

h e l i c o p t e r s

military

THE CHINASYNDROME:ASIA-PACIFICMILITARYHELICOPTERMODERNISATION

developed by Korea Aerospace Industries

(KAI) for the Republic of Korea Marine

Corps (RoKMC). The KUH, also known as

the KUH-1 Surion, was co-developed with

Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter)

with its first flight taking place in 2009.

It is a twin-engine 8.7 ton utility helicopter

and around 245 helicopters are required

by the Korean military. In 2013 the

Korean Defence Acquisition Program

Administration (DAPA) announced a

$752.8 million requirement for a marine

helicopter that would ‘improve the mili-

tary's three-dimensional high-speed land-

ing operations performance,’ according to

a press release from the company pub-

lished on 17 April 2013. Reports of the dif-

ference between the KUH-1 and the marine

helicopter indicate additional fuel tanks to

allow for a perceived greater range and

endurance for the latter version. A state-

ment from KAI revealed that development

was targeted to be completed by the

end of 2015, and that once completed it

would also be available for export. One big

win for AgustaWestland’s new AW-159

Wildcat, the next generation in the Lynx

family, was an order for eight aircraft from

the RoK Navy as part replacement for its

existing fleet of 24 Lynx-99/99A helicop-

ters. The Wildcat is a 6.2 ton helicopter and

deliveries will be spread over 2015-16.


The US Marine Corps Bell-Boeing MV-22 Ospreyattracted great public interest at the Japan AirSelf-Defense force airshow at the Nyutabaru airbase in 2013. The Osprey belongs to themedium lift tiltrotor squadron VMM-265 basedat Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa© United States Marine Corps


military


Tensions with ChinaOne of the driving factors behind the

increase in defence budgets is the strategic

resurgence of China, and tensions that

this is causing throughout the regon.

Nowhere is this more evident currently

than in Japan. The Japanese government

has announced that it is to spend $24 bil-

lion to build up its defense capabilities

over five years from 2014 until 2018. One

motivation for this is to counter what

Japan perceives to be the growing aggres-

sive behavior of China, particularly in the

way it is beginning to ride roughshod

over established conventions and unilat-

erally declaring possession of airspace.

Such a move was witnessed in its

December 2013 declaration of the East

China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone

over the Japanese controlled Senkaku

islands (or Diaoyu Islands to the Chinese).

The Bell Boeing partnership has

mounted a sustained campaign to demon-

strate the benefits of the V-22 Osprey

tiltrotor as a utility aircraft to the Japanese

Defence Force (JDF), which has not been

plain sailing. The arrival of the first batch

of US Marine Corps MV-22Bs into

Okinawa during September 2012 was met

by local protests and claims that the air-

craft was unsafe. But the persistence of the

US Marine Corps to deploy their aircraft

into the region, including joint exercises

with Japanese defence force troops back in

the United States has paid off for industry.

An MV-22 from Marine medium Tiltrotor

Squadron 265 based in Okinawa was also

displayed in public for the first time at the

Nyutabaru air base annual air show at the

beginning of December 2013.

Insiders are now confident that the

Japanese government will include the

procurement of up to 17 MV-22Bs in the

next five year defence plan. The country’s

defence of remote islands amid China’s

growing territorial assertiveness in the

East China Sea has also sparked the pro-

posed creation of a new Ground Self-

Defense Force amphibious unit similar to

the US Marine Corps (USMC).

At the end of 2013 an MV-22 also flew

to Borneo to attend the 4th biennial Brunei

defence exhibition with an aptly named

theme of ‘Bridging the Gap.’ Lieutenant

Colonel Joseph S. Lee, the executive offi-

cer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron

VMM-262, part of Marine Aircraft Group

36, the unit represented at the show said

that the USMC was keen to demonstrate

the aircraft’s reach and capability to

those in the region: “We are exercising

this increased capability in the Pacific

area of operation… (and can) assist

multiple island nations or nations that

are surrounded by water, especially since

we just came from doing a disaster

At the end of 2013 anMV-22 attended the 4thbiennial Brunei defence

exhibition which hadthe aptly named theme

of ‘Bridging the Gap

The Sultan of Brunei at Bridex 2013 examiningone of the four Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawksthat have been delivered to the Royal BruneiAir Force (RBAF). The complete order fromBrunei is for twelve of the Polish made S-70iaircraft © Sikorsky


military

NEW TOOLS FOR NEW RULES

N E X T I S N O W ®

ANVIS/HUD®24T

BrightniteTM Sensor

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW 2014

DEFEXPO 2014

Sensor

24T

TM Brightnite

®ANVIS/HUD

relief mission in the Philippines (namely)

Operation Damayan.”

Another US manufacturer Sikorsky has

already been delivering on a contract with

the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) which

has now received four of the twelve S-70i

Black Hawk helicopters that it ordered back

in December 2011. These aircraft were

delivered from Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach

completion centre on 27 November 2013.

Two were accepted before the end of 2013

and two others are in the process of accept-

ance. All twelve are planned to be delivered

by the end of 2014. Within the contract is an

option for ten additional aircraft. The S-70is

will feature advanced avionics and sensors.

Anticipated roles include search and res-

cue, humanitarian relief, anti- piracy, troop

transport and medical evacuation. The

order includes spares, training and ground

support equipment.

AustraliaThe most recent exception to the rule that

buying support helicopters had little risk

was the case of NH Industries NH-90

which was sold to 14 international cus-

tomers who were allowed too much

flexibility in specifying options and

consequently the aircraft was beset with

problems during the process of bringing it

to market. The NH Industries partnership

triumvirate of Airbus Helicopter with

62.5% share, AgustaWestland (32%) and

Fokker (5.5%) served also to complicate

the programmes progression.

The manifestation of this has been seen

in several ways. Last year, the Australian

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith

signed a Deed of Undertaking with then-

Eurocopter which was designed to put the

Australian Defence Force (ADF) procure-

ment back on track due to the programme

An Artist’s impression of the Korea Aerospace Industries Surion in a maritime environment for usewith the newly forming amphibious assault group © Korea Aerospace Industries

Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force troopsusing a US Marine Corps Bell-Boeing MV-22during joint exercises held at the CampPendleton Marine Corps base in California inFebruary 2013 © United States Marine Corps



military

being three years late. As part of the

agreement which re-baselined them the

helicopter’s manufacturer is to supply the

ADF with a free 47th MRH-90 which will

be used as a ‘live’ training aircraft for

army and navy maintainers at Oakey,

Queensland. Around 20 MRH-90s have

now been delivered to the ADF with the

order being completed by the end of 2017

at a delivery rate of up to seven helicop-

ters per year. The first operational deploy-

ment of an MRH-90 occurred towards the

end of the year when the Royal Australian

Navy’s HMAS Tobruk amphibious sup-

port ship used its embarked helicopter

during Operation Philippines Assist. The

NH-90 also appealed to Australia’s neigh-

bour New Zealand which ordered eight

helicopters, four of which were delivered

in 2013 with the remaining four to be

handed over to the Royal New Zealand

Air Force (RNZAF) by the end of 2014.

What appears to be progressing well is

the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) acqui-

sition of 24 MH-60R helicopters, with the

first two aircraft being delivered at a cere-

mony held at Lockheed Martin’s Owego

facility in New York in December 2013.

Although the MH-60R is more specifically

an anti-submarine and anti-surface heli-

copter with a Lockheed Martin Common

Cockpit, it shows how a once standard

airframe of the Seahawk can be adapted

for specialist use. Rear Admiral Tony

Dalton, Head of the RAN’s Helicopter

Systems Division has underlined the use-

fulness of training Australian crews

NH Industries customerswere allowed too muchflexibility in specifying

options causingproblems in bringing the

aircraft to market



military

An Australian NH Industries MRH-90 mediumlift utility helicopter arriving at Ormoc airportin the Philippines during Operation PhilippineAssist following Typhoon Haiyan in November2013 © Australian Defence Force


alongside the US Navy as part of the con-

tract to build up “knowledge, Tactics

Techniques and Procedures (TTPs).”

Adm. Dalton added that one of the main

reasons behind the ADF’s decision to opt

for the MH-60R was that it was consid-

ered to be a ‘low risk’ programme: “There

is a spiral upgrade that we will tap into

and, where it makes sense, will stay with

the US Navy baseline configuration. We

need to focus on ensuring that the sus-

tainment package is right and the

Australian modifications are completed

quickly and correctly.”

Around AsiaAt the start of the year Air Marshall Ida

Bagus Putu Dunia, Indonesia’s Air Force

commander said that Airbus Helicopter

Cougar-family rotorcraft would be among

the 102 new aircraft that the country need-

ed to strengthen its 'bargaining power' in

regional disputes. The flow of new aircraft

is very much dependent on the annual

defence budget with no firm established

rate of fielding the aircraft. In March 2013

the armed forces received six Bell 412 EPs

and in July 2013 the East Kalimantan

Governor Awang Faroek Ishak announced

that one of the military operated Bell

412s would be used to patrol the border

with Serawak which is part of Malaysia.

Another 16 Bell 412 EPs are due for com-

pletion by PT Dirgantara Indonesia

(PTDI)/Indonesian Aerospace in 2014

according to the organisation’s President

Budi Santoso. In April 2012 Airbus

Helicopter and PTDI agreed to build six

EC-725 aircraft. Delivery to the Indonesia

Air Force (IAF) is scheduled for 2014 with

PTDI responsible for assembling and then

customising these aircraft at its facility in

Bandung, West Java. The Indonesia Air

Force already operates a number of NAS-

332 Super Pumas, some of which are con-

figured as VIP aircraft. Indonesia also oper-

ates around 14 Mi-17V-5 helicopters made

by Kazan, a member of Russian Helicopters

as well as the Mi-35P from Rostvertol. With

more expected the eventual size of the Mi-

17 fleet could be around 18 aircraft.

Through a Foreign Military Sales

(FMS) deal agreed in November 2013, the

US Army has awarded Sikorsky a fixed

price $46.9 million contract to modernise

26 UH-60M Black Hawks for the

Taiwanese Army. The upgrade work will

take place at Sikorsky’s Connecticut

works with a completion date forecast at

the end of August 2016.

In June 2013 the Government of

Thailand expressed interest in buying six

Airbus Helicopters UH-72A Lakota air-

craft through an FMS arrangement. This

would be of significant benefit to Airbus

Helicopters due to the US Department of

Defense decision last year to cancel

remaining deliveries of the UH-72As to

the US Army. The value of the Thai order,

with parts, training and logistics was

revealed as $77 million.

The need for military utility helicopters

in many countries around Asia is ever

present, particularly those whose nations

are scattered among islands such as

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The perceived territorial challenges from

China are also enlivening thinking behind

military procurement across the region,

particularly with the proposed establish-

ment of new amphibious forces as seen in

Japan and the Republic of Korea. With

more money to spend, and many older

fleets of helicopters still in service, mili-

tary utility helicopter manufacturers have

an opportunity for sales that wasn’t realis-

tic several years ago.

A locally-built Airbus Helicopters NAS-332 SuperPuma of the Indonesia VIP helicopter Squadron Air45 at PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI)/IndonesianAerospace in Bandung © Andrew Drwiega


military

64

In its modernisation efforts, India’s military is

battling structural and bureaucratic obstacles in procurement

procedures, limited indigenous technological capability,

a resource crunch and corruption scandals.

by Rahul Bedi

m i l i t a r y

regional


NEW ORDERS:MODERNISINGTHE INDIAN AIR FORCE


The IAF’s Dassault Mirage 2000H fleetis undergoing an extensive $3 billionupgrade which includes equippingthem with advanced avionics, missioncomputers and a pulse Doppler radarcapable of identifying objects ata range of 70 nautical miles (103kilometres) © Indian Air Force

m i l i t a r y

regional

An economically resurgent

India is attempting to break

free of its strategic insularity

to secure a regional, rather

than sub-continental, role for

itself in keeping with its perceived vision

and strength. For the Indian Air Force (IAF)

force multipliers such as Airborne Early

Warning (AEW) platforms, tankers,

freighters, advanced jet trainers, Multi-Role

Combat Aircraft (MRCA) and unmanned

aerial vehicles (UAVs) are at various stages

of induction and procurement.

Collectively, this materiel is aimed not

only at augmenting India’s ability to con-

duct the full spectrum of warfare, from

low-intensity and conventional conflict to

nuclear battle, but also conducting out-of-

area operations to secure growing nation-

al interests. This latter arc extends from

the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of

Malacca, the northern Indian Ocean

Region and on to Central Asia.

Nevertheless, the primary drivers impact-

ing India’s military capability develop-

ment and modernisation are focused on

the rapidly transforming People’s

Liberation Army (PLA) that could work in

tandem with traditional rival Pakistan to

present New Delhi with a ‘two-front’ war

scenario. The passage of time, periodic

border conflicts with both these neigh-

bours since India’s independence in 1947,

continuing military tension and above all

the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the

region, have rendered these disputes even

more complex and challenging for New

Delhi in determining IAF force levels and

the service’s materiel profile.

Shopping ListIn attaining these endeavours and in

replacing or upgrading the IAF’s Soviet

and Russian military equipment that has

attained collective obsolescence, India faces

serious impediments. According to official

estimates, India imports nearly 74 percent

of its defence equipment, despite continual

assertions of achieving self-reliance by con-

secutive administrations. India annually

conducts $1.5 billion worth of business with

Russia, its largest and oldest materiel

provider, which since the early 1960s has

supplied equipment worth over $60 billion.

Russia is followed closely by Israel, which

has sold India materiel averaging around

$1 billion each year since 1999. In third

place, but likely to race ahead once the $18-

20 billion deal for 126 Dassault Rafale-

B/C/M fighters (see Bianca Siccardi’s Asia-

Pacific Air Forces Directory in this issue for

more information) is concluded is France,

after which come Britain, Italy, Germany

and Ukraine. The United States, India's

newfound strategic and defence ally, is fast

catching up, having registered $9 billion

worth of military sales since 2002 (the most

recent figures are $ 9 billion following an

add-on order for six additional Lockheed

Martin C-130J-30 Hercules turboprop

freighters in the last week of December

2013). Currently, the United States is nego-

tiating contracts of an equal amount for

numerous platforms mostly via the Foreign

Military Sales (FMS) route. However, some

foreign deals continue to trigger controver-

sy like the $1 billion import from Italy of

twelve AgustaWestland AW-101 medium-

lift helicopters for the IAF, which was can-

celled on 1 January 2014 on the grounds of

corruption. Amazingly, since 2010 India’s

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has

been inquiring into 90 corruption cases in

the military, the majority connected to

procurements.

Whether high levels of defence spend-

ing for the IAF, and for India’s other

armed services will continue remains to be

seen. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in

November 2013 warned the defence forces

of budget cuts triggered by India’s slow

economic growth, spiralling financial

deficit, mounting inflation and a sharp

decline in the value of the Rupee against

the US Dollar. “We will have to exercise

prudence in our defence acquisition plans


m i l i t a r y

regional

The Su-30MKI multi-rolecombat aircraft forms thebackbone of the Indian AirForce’s fleet. By 2016-17the IAF will operate 272Su-30MKIs from variousbases in the north, east andnortheast of the country ©Indian Air Force

and cut our coat according to our cloth”

Singh told the combined military com-

manders conference in Delhi. While we

must take into account the capabilities of

our adversaries, we have to plan our long

term acquisitions on the assumption of

limited resources available, he added.

Combat AircraftThe IAF is preparing to expand its area of

operations and power-projection capabili-

ty well beyond its immediate neighbour-

hood by 2022. From a sanctioned strength

of 39 fighter squadrons, the IAF is down

to around 32 following decades of neglect.

But it hopes to augment its strategic

makeover by increasing this to 42

squadrons of 700-800 frontline combat air-

craft over the next decade through an

ambitious $50 billion procurement drive.

Besides 272 imported and licence-built

Sukhoi Su-30MKI MRCAs that will form

the backbone of the fighter fleet, this

expansion includes the acquisition of 126

Dassault Rafale-B/C/M (the exact vari-

ant to be acquired by India has yet to be

announced) fighters and around 214

Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)

which could increase to around 250 or

even 300 platforms.

Both latter projects, however, are

delayed. The IAFs Medium Multi Role

Combat Aircraft requirement-likely to rise

to around 205 Rafales is postponed due to

complex negotiations over the technology

transfer to Hindustan Aeronautics

Limited (HAL) in Bangalore which will

build 118 Rafales (the rest will be built in

France) and the sudden death in October

2013 of the official negotiating the tender.

Furthermore, the $35 billion FGFA pro-

gramme is deferred because of complica-

tions in finalising its $11 billion Research

and Development contract that is to be

equally shared between India and Russia.

This, in turn, would postpone the arrival

in India of three FGFA prototypes based

on the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA MRCA for

flight testing by the IAF between 2014 and

2019 to determine its final configuration

before manufacturing begins. As part of

its moderinsation, the IAF is upgrading its

51 Mirage 2000H MRCA to Mirage 2000-5

status in a $3 billion deal being per-

formed by Dassault and Thales and 67

MiG29B/S MRCAs including eight MiG-

29U/B trainers for $964 million in a 2009

contract agreed with manufacturers,

Russian Aircraft Corporation.

The Mirage-2000Hs are to be fitted

with advanced avionics, mission comput-

ers and a pulse Doppler radar capable of

identifying objects at a range of 70 nauti-

cal miles (130 kilometres), all of which

would provide IAF commanders the flex-


m i l i t a r y

regional

The IAF is preparingto expand its areaof operations andpower-projection

capability well beyondits immediate

neighbourhood by 2022

The IAF’s SEPECAT Jaguar fleet isundergoing an upgrade that will equipthe aircraft with the Display AttackRanging Inertial Navigation III systemto give them added precision for air-to-ground attacks © Indian Air Force

ibility to commit fewer aircraft on combat

missions for higher success rates. The

retrofit would also keep the Mirage-

2000Hs operationally relevant for another

two decades. The upgrade includes a

$48.3 million outlay to augment HAL’s

capabilities to retrofit 47 Mirage-2000Hs

in Bangalore in as many months after four

were readied in France within 40 months

of the deal being inked. The MiG-29s,

including eight MiG-29U/B trainers, will

be equipped with new Klimov RD-33

Series-3 turbofan with digital fuel injec-

tion, the Phazotron Zhuk-ME phased

array radar and the Vympel R-77 Beyond

Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile.

The IAFs 125-strong SEPECAT Jaguar

IS/IB/IM fleet is being retrofitted with

HAL’s Display Attack Ranging Inertial

Navigation III (DARIN-III) system whilst

manufacture of the locally designed ‘Tejas’

Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), also built by

HAL, will begin in early 2014, shortly after

it secured its long- postponed initial opera-

tional clearance in December 2013. The

LCAs Final Operational Clearance (FOC)

will only obtained in late 2014 after it has

successfully integrated its weapons suite,

radars and sensors to enable it to fire rock-

ets, laser-guided bombs, BVR missiles and

perform aerial refuelling.

The IAF will initially induct 40 LCAs

powered by General Electric F404-GE-

IN20 turbofans with a limited 80-85 kilo-

newton (KN) thrust that restricts its

weapons load and angle of attack in accor-

dance with the IAFs qualitative require-

ments. The follow-on circa 100 LCAs will

be fitted with the General Electric F414-

GE turbofan with a 90-100 Kilonewton

(KN) thrust that will significantly over-

come these two limitations. By 2022 the

IAF plans to induct seven LCA squadrons

to replace its MiG-21 ground attack jets

whose operational life has been extended

well beyond their retirement date until

2022-24 in order to maintain numerical

platform superiority over Pakistan.

Special MissionsIn August 2012 India’s Defence Research

and Development Organisation’s (DRDO)

Centre for Airborne Systems in Bangalore

took delivery of the first of three Brazilian

Embraer 145 AEW aircraft to integrate all

mission systems including the DRDO’s

indigenously-developed active antenna

array radar pending its eventual introduc-

tion into the IAF. Once completed the EMB-

145 AEW aircraft will offer endurances in

excess of five hours and provide 240

degree surveillance at distances between

135-202nm (250-374km) officials said.

The three EMB 145 platforms were

acquired for $210 million in 2008 and will

eventually supplement a similar number of

Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Elta

Systems-built Phalcon radars mounted on

Ilyushin Il-76 turbofan freighter; the

ensemble being known as the A-50EI. The

IAF is to acquire two similar follow-on

AEW systems for an estimated $800 mil-

lion by 2020-22 to further augment its sur-

veillance and power projection capabilities.

FreightersNevertheless, the IAFs strategic lift capa-

bility, currently dominated by Soviet-era

platforms, has received the biggest boost

with the induction of two types of US mil-

itary freighter at Hindon Air Base on

Delhi’s outskirts. These included six

Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules tur-

boprops acquired at a cost of $1.2 billion

and specially configured for use by

India’s Special Forces, and three of an

eventual ten Boeing C-17 Globemaster III


m i l i t a r y

regional

The Indian Air Force has retired its lastMiG-21FL squadron of 15 ground attackaircraft at the Kalaikunda air base ineastern India in December 2013. TheMiG-21 entered service with the force in1964 © Indian Air Force

Putting it all together forTotal Air andMissile Defense

Full spectrum of integrated,networked air and missiledefense solutions to defeat threats at any range and altitude IAI offers a comprehensive range of Air and Missile Defense Systems for land and naval applications. From VSHORAD to long-range,to theater and exo-atmospheric systems against ballistic missiles. Our unique solutions, basedon lessons derived from vast operationalexperience, incorporate state-of-the-art technology and full networking for themost effective System of Systems.The result: IAI’s solutionsensure impenetrableintegrated Air andMissile Defense.

[email protected]

Singapore Air Show 2014

Defexpo, India 2014

turbofan freighters acquired in 2011 for

$4.1 billion.

The IAF created history in August 2013

by landing a C-130J-30 at the Daulat Beg

Oldie advanced landing ground, the

world’s highest airstrip in the northern

Himalayan Ladakh region, adjoining

China’s unsettled frontier, displaying the

IAFs growing strategic reach which can

now support army formations deployed in

this inhospitable, largely snow-bound ter-

rain all year round. Meanwhile, in

December 2013 the IAF signed a $1 billion

contract for six additional C-130J-30s via

the FMS programme. To be delivered

within three years the supplementary

transports will be based at Panagarh in

eastern India, the headquarters of the

Indian Army’s new Mountain Strike

Corps for employment against China.

Delivery of the remaining seven C-17s will

be completed by the end 2014 after which

the IAF plans to order six more to replace

the circa twelve IL-76s which entered IAF

service in 1985. The arrival of the six add-

on C-17s will make the IAF their largest

operator after the US Air Force.

Furthermore, in May 2013 the Ministry

of Defence dispatched a tender to eight

overseas vendors to supply the IAF with 56

medium transport aircraft with a 6,000-

8,000 kilogram (13,200-17,600lb) payload

and a cruise speed of 432 knots (800 kilo-

metres-per-hour) and through a Joint

Venture (JV) with an indigenous private

sector manufacturer. The tender has been

dispatched to Alenia Aeromacchi (Italy),

Antonov (Ukraine), Boeing (USA), Airbus

Military (Europe) and Illyushin (Russia).

Under the terms of the tender, these over-

An Indian Air Force Lockheed MartinC-130-J30 turboprop freighter is seen herelanding at the world’s highest airfield atDaulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in the Himalayan,Ladakh region, close to the border withChina © Indian Air Force

The IAFs strategiclift capability,

currently dominated bySoviet-era platforms,

has received thebiggest boost with theinduction of two typesof US military freighter


m i l i t a r y

regional

seas vendors will tie-up with private

Indian companies to form the JV, designat-

ed the Indian Production Agency (IPA).

Sixteen of the selected platforms will be

acquired off-the-shelf and the remaining

40 will be built locally under the JV but the

programme is facing powerful resistance

from HAL which was deliberately omitted

from the project because of its poor serv-

iceability, soaring costs and deadline over-

runs. This was the first instance of the IAF

looking exclusively to India’s private sec-

tor to build the cargo aircraft instead of

HAL, which for decades, has monopolised

the licenced production of all Indian mili-

tary aircraft. But backed by the federal

Industries Ministry HALs involvement in

the programme is under active considera-

tion. Eventually, these 56 platforms will

supplement the long-delayed Multi-role

Transport Aircraft (MTA) under joint

development by India and Russia.

Sustaining the transport and fighter fleets

will be six Airbus Military A330 Multi-

Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) jets which

the IAF selected in late 2012.

TrainersAdditionally, the IAF is in the process of

inducting 75 Swiss-designed Pilatus PC-7s

basic turboprop trainers, 20 more BAE

Systems Hawk Mk132 jet trainers for its

Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) tak-

ing the total to 123 Hawks. The IAF is also

taking delivery of 80 Russian Mi-17V5

medium-lift armed helicopters with a

19,685ft (6000m) operational ceiling

acquired in December 2008 for $1.34 bil-

lion. The deal for another 71 Mi-17V5 plat-

forms for $1.53 billion, which would

include 59 for the IAF, was agreed during

President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi in

December 2012.

IAF officers said the Mi-17V5 fleet will be

deployed on special airborne operations; for

the transportation of troops and materiel;

search and rescue missions; casualty evacu-

ation and possibly even anti-insurgent oper-

ations. Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne,

Chief of Staff of the Indian Air Force, said in

October 2013 that price negotiations for 22

Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters

and 15 Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift

helicopters were concluded and their pro-

curement had been forwarded to the

Federal Finance Ministry for approval.

Away from airframes, replacing obso-

lete air defence capability and high alti-

tude radar, upgrading 30 airfields and res-

urrecting long-disused advanced landing

grounds near the precipitous Chinese

frontier to support air operations are also

IAF priorities. The IAFs long-delayed

modernisation drive is aimed at bolster-

ing its depleting combat squadrons, aug-

menting its strategic transcontinental

reach to manage out-of-area contingencies

and to extend its power-projection capa-

bility well beyond its immediate neigh-

bourhood. By the end of India’s 13th Five-

Year Finance Plan in 2022, the IAF envis-

ages a combat strength of around 40 front-

line, multi-role combat aircraft squadrons.

This will comprise 700-800 aircraft with

BVR capabilities acquired via imports,

joint ventures with overseas manufactur-

ers and technology transfers, and moder-

ately through indigenously developed

platforms with high foreign content.


m i l i t a r y

regional

By the end of India’s13th Five-Year

Finance Plan in 2022,the IAF envisages a

combat strengthof around 40 frontline,

multi-role combataircraft squadrons

The Indian Air Force hasinducted four of ten Boeing C-17 Globemaster III turbofanfreighters that it acquired in2011 for $4.1 billion. Theseaircraft are based at theHindon Air Base near NewDelhi © Indian Air Force

Experience innovative solutions for defense and security

See effective industry and military partnership

Attend high-ranking international exchange

Providing defense and security

© G

eoff

rey

Lee/

Eu

rofi

gh

ter

Defense and Security

Hosted by

May 20–25, 2014Berlin ExpoCenter Airportwww.ila-berlin.com

Countries around the region are spoiled

for choice when choosing new artillery

systems especially wheeled and tracked

self-propelled weapons. The Republic

of Korea (RoK) and Singapore have

replaced foreign-built artillery systems

with locally-designed weapons

and the RoK’s Samsung Techwin

has achieved significant exports

with the K9 Thunder.

by Ian Kemp

BIG BANGTHEORY:ASIAN ARTILLERYAMBITIONS

a r t i l l e r y

as i an

With the acquisition of 54BAE Systems 155mm (sixinch) M777A2 LightweightHowitzers since 2010 allregular Australian Armyartillery regiments are nowequipped with the weapon© Australian DOD



The Australian Army has recent-

ly launched what it described

as the most ambitious artillery

modernisation programme

since the Second World War.

This programme reflects many of the les-

sons learned during the country’s

involvement in military operations in

Afghanistan and in other recent theatres

of operations. Each of the Royal

Australian Artillery’s three regular gun

regiments, one assigned to each of the

three new multi-role manoeuvre brigades,

are now organised to include three

Observation Post (OP) batteries and one

gun battery equipped with twelve BAE

Systems M777A2 Lightweight Howitzers

divided into three four-gun troops. Each

OP battery provides a battle group Joint

Fires and Effects Coordination Centre and

three combat team joint fires teams.

At the heart of the reorganisation

is the introduction of the Advanced

Field Artillery Tactical Data System

(AFATDS), a fully automated digital bat-

tle management system developed by

Raytheon to meet United States Army

and US Marine Corps requirements. As

the towed BAE Systems 105mm (four

inch) L119 Hamel Light Gun is phased

out of service with the Army Reserve its

field batteries are being equipped with

81mm (three inch) mortars.

Through the widespread use of titani-

um and aluminium alloys the M777

weighs less than 4,200kg (9,260 pounds)

compared to the 7,163kg (15,790 pounds)

weight of the US government-built M198

155mm (six inch) towed howitzer which

the M777 replaced in US Army, US

Marine Corps and Australian service. The

M777 can be deployed by medium-lift

helicopter and carried internally by a

Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules turbo-

prop freighter. The M777A2 is capable of

firing four rounds-per-minute for two

minutes and then a sustained rate of fire

of two rounds-per-minute. It is normally

operated by a gun detachment of seven

although this can be reduced to five. The

weapon’s 39 calibre barrel can achieve an

effective range of 24 kilometres (15 miles)

firing standard ammunition, 30km (19

miles) with Rocket Assisted Projectiles

(RAP) and up to 40km (25 miles) with

Excalibur guided projectiles.

In 2008 Australia made a US Foreign

Military Sales request for 57 M777A2s

worth an estimated $248 million and in

July 2010 bought 35 weapons under Phase

1A of the Australian Army’s LAND 17

artillery modernisation project. The guns

entered service in July 2011, following the

delivery of the first 15 weapons, with a

Final Operating Capability achieved in

2013. Following the cancellation of LAND


a r t i l l e r y

as i an

BAE Systems expectsto test fire the

Multi Service-StandardGuided Projectile from

the M777 howitzer inthe coming months

17 Phase 1C, which covered the procure-

ment of two batteries of 155mm Self-

Propelled Howitzers (SPHs), Australia

ordered another 19 M777A2s in October

2012. Deliveries of the additional weapons

are expected to be completed by the end

of March 2014.

As important as the weapons them-

selves is the introduction of precision guid-

ed munitions. On 30 August 2013 Australia

awarded a $58 million firm-fixed-price

contract through the US Army Contracting

Command, to ATK Armament Systems for

4,002 M1156 Precision Guidance Kits

(PGK) plus training, publications and other

contractor support. ATK developed the

XM1156 PGK to provide the US Army with

a low cost alternative to the BAE Systems

Bofors/Raytheon M982 Excalibur round

which has consistently achieved a Circular

Error Probable (CEP) of around five metres

(16 feet) but costs over $100,000 per round.

The XM1156, which screws into existing

155mm M549A1 RAPs and M795 high

explosive shells, provides a CEP of less

than 50m (164 feet); a significant improve-

ment over the 267m (876 feet) CEP

achieved by conventional rounds at maxi-

mum ranges. Following an early materiel

release the US Army’s 1st Battalion, 41st

Field Artillery Regiment was the first to

fire the XM1156 PGK from an M777 during

combat operations in Afghanistan on

28 April 2013.

BAE Systems expects to test fire the

Multi Service-Standard Guided Projectile

(MS-SGP) from the M777 in the next few

months. The company claims a range of

up to 100km (62 miles) will be possible

for this Global Positioning System-guid-

ed round when fired from the M777, and

also say it will be cheaper and more accu-

rate than existing smart munitions. The

MS-SGP is a variant of the rocket-assisted

155mm Long Range Land Attack

Projectile developed for the Advanced

Gun System fitted to the US Navy’s

new ‘Zumwalt’ class destroyers and

consists of a 127mm (five inch) projectile

fitted with sabots.

Legacy gunsAlthough the L119 Light Gun has been

phased out of Australian service it will


Afghan National Army gunners fire theD-30 122mm (five inch) howitzer at aCombat Outpost Fortress, Kunar province,Afghanistan. The D-30 is being upgradedwith the Universal Battery Level FireDirection System © US Army

a r t i l l e r y

as i an

remain the New Zealand Army’s only field

artillery system. Through a $16

million contract Selex ES has recently mod-

ernised New Zealand’s 24 L119s to keep

them in service until 2030. The modernisa-

tion covers the installation of the compa-

ny’s Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing

System (LINAPS) which is in Malaysian

and Thai service, and used by British Army

(installed on the 105mm/four inch Light

Gun) and the Canadian Army (M777)

artillery units which saw combat in

Afghanistan. The LINAPS is a gun-mount-

ed navigation, pointing and weapon man-

agement system which enables rapid and

accurate artillery deployment in all weath-

er conditions, day and night. Under New

Zealand’s Army 2015 force structure the

16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand

Artillery comprises a headquarters battery

and three scalable hybrid batteries — two

from the regular force and the third from

the Army Reserve — each capable of oper-

ating up to six L119s or twelve (BAE

Systems/Royal Ordnance) L16A2 81mm

(three inch) mortars, or a mix of both.

When the North Atlantic Treaty

Organisation-led International Security

Assistance Force (ISAF) concludes combat

operations in Afghanistan the primary

artillery system supporting the Afghan

National Army will be its own Soviet lega-

cy D-30 towed 122mm (five inch) how-

itzers. Firing standard ammunition the D-

30 can achieve a maximum range of 15km

(nine miles) which can be extended to

22km (14 miles) using rocket assisted pro-

jectiles. The effectiveness of these weapons

is being improved by the introduction of

the Universal Battery Level Fire Direction

System (UBLFDS) developed by the

Ukrainian Defence Consulting (UDC)

company. The UBLFDS was trialled by

ISAF mentor teams before being approved

for introduction into Afghan service. The

UBLFDS is comprised of a handheld com-

puter at the battery command post, posi-

tion sensors mounted on the weapon and

a tablet computer for each gun command-

er all of which are linked via a wireless

network. The battery command post

receives weapon position data from the

sensors and is able to prepare fire mission

orders which are passed to each gun com-

mander’s tablet computer. According to

UDC about 300 UBLFDS sets have been

ordered for the Afghan National Army.

Korean ThunderThe Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) is

continuing a comprehensive moderniza-

tion of its artillery with the replacement of

the Samsung Techwin K55, a variant of

the US-designed BAE Systems

155mm/39cal M109A2 Self Propelled

Howitzer with up to 1,136 K9 Thunder

155mm/52cal SPHs and 179 Samsung

Techwin K10 armoured ammunition

resupply vehicles. Samsung Techwin

completed the first XK9 prototype in 1994,

the first production weapons were deliv-

ered in 1999, and an estimated 300 or so

weapons had been delivered by early

2013. The K9 was used in action for the

first time on 23 November 2010 when

three RoK Marine Corps weapons

returned fire when North Korean forces

bombarded the island of Yeonpyeong in

the Yellow Sea.

The K9 is operated by a crew of five, is

powered by a 1,000 horsepower MTU MT

881 Ka-500 eight-cylinder diesel engine

and featuring hydropneumatic suspen-

sion. The 46-tonne K9 was designed to

negotiate difficult terrain and can achieve

a top speed of 67 kilometres-per-hour (47

A Republic of Korea Marine Corps Samsung Techwin K9 Thunder 155mm (six inch) Self PropelledHowitzer fire rounds during a live fire exercise on Baeknyeong Island. The locally designed K9 isgradually replacing the K55 variant of the M109A2 Self Propelled Howitzer © US Army

The Singapore Army has fielded approximately 50 ST Kinetics Primus 155mm (six inch) SelfPropelled Howitzers, based on an improved BAE Systems M109 chassis, since 2004 to support itscombined arms brigades © Singapore Armed Forces


a r t i l l e r y

as i an

miles-per-hour) on roads and a range of

360km (224 miles). Automatic loading and

an automatic projectile transfer system

enable a three-round burst to be fired

within 15 seconds, a maximum of six to

eight rounds to be fired each minute for

three minutes, and a rate of fire of two-

three rounds to be sustained for an hour.

Based on the K9 chassis, the K10 carries

100 rounds to replenish the weapon’s

onboard supply of 48 rounds.

Samsung Techwin achieved an early

success on the export market in 2001 when

the Turkish Land Forces Command signed

a contract with the company to assist with

local production of a modified K9 which is

known in Turkish service as the Firtina.

The K9 was one of two weapons shortlist-

ed for the Australian Army’s LAND 17

SPH requirement. Samsung Techwin

formed a joint venture with India’s Larsen

and Toubro on 29 March 2012 to offer the

K9 for the Indian Army’s ongoing tracked

155mm/52cal SPH requirement. The K9 is

also one of four weapons shortlisted to

meet a Danish Army requirement for

155mm/52cal SPHs.

At the Seoul International Aerospace

and Defence Exhibition in November 2013

Samsung Techwin officials said the RoKA

plans to acquire up to 800 EVO-105 self-

propelled systems which mount the ord-

nance of the US government-built

M101A1 towed howitzer on the rear cargo

area of a standard six wheel drive KM500

five-tonne truck and features the fire con-

trol system from the K9 Thunder. The

RoKA has an estimated 1,700 M101A1 and

KH178, an upgraded version of the

M101A1 developed by Hyundai WIA,

howitzers in service and a large stockpile

of 105mm (four inch) ammunition. The

EVO-105 is regarded as a cost-effective

means of providing a shoot-and-scoot

capability for these weapons with the five-

strong crew being able to fire the first

round less than one minute after the vehi-

cle comes to a halt and bring the system

out of action in less than 30 seconds. On

roads the EVO-105 can achieve a top

speed of 85km/h (53 miles-per-hour) and

a range of more than 1,300km (808 miles).

System development is scheduled to

begin in 2014 and lead to series delivery in

2017. Officials from Samsung Techwin

have publically stated that they believe

there is a significant market for upgrading

legacy towed 105, 122, 152, and 155mm

howitzers. As well as the basic version of

the EVO-105 ordered by the RoKA,

Samsung Techwin is offering an advanced

version based on a high mobility truck

which offer greater mobility and could

carry an armoured crew compartment.

Singapore solutionsThe Singapore Army’s artillery branch is

being modernised through the introduc-

tion of two weapon systems developed

and produced by ST Kinetics, the

155mm/39cal Primus tracked SPH and

the 155mm/39cal Pegasus Singapore

Light Weight Howitzer (SLWH), devel-

oped in collaboration with the Singapore

Defence Science and Technology Agency

to meet the army’s requirements (see

Gordon Arthur’s ‘Stable Condition’ article

in this issue). The Primus mounts a local-

ly-developed all-welded aluminium

power-operated turret on a substantially


Republic of Korea marines fire the K55, thelocally made version of the BAE SystemsM109A2 Self Propelled Howitzer in August2013 during Korean Marine Exchange Program13-8, a regularly-scheduled, combined-trainingexercise enhancing the combat readiness ofRoK and US marine forces © USMC

a r t i l l e r y

as i an

To book your space, please contact:Danny Soong/Vivian Koo/Cathryn LeeTel: +65 6595 6123/6595 6122/6595 6114 Email: [email protected]: Facts and �gures from IMDEX Asia 2013 event.

IMDEX Asia 2015Asia Pacific’s Flagship Maritime Defence Show

9,337 trade visitors from 61 countries/regions,

of which 30% were from overseas

Record 21 Navy Chiefs from around the world

attended the event

72 VIP delegations from 49 countries/regions

SPRINGBOARD INTO THE THRIVING ASIA PACIFIC REGION

www.imdexasia.com

To book your space, please contact:Danny Soong/Vivian Koo/Cathryn LeeTel: +65 6595 6123/6595 6122/6595 6114 Email: [email protected]: Facts and �gures from IMDEX Asia 2013 event.

IMDEX Asia 2015Asia Pacific’s Flagship Maritime Defence Show

9,337 trade visitors from 61 countries/regions,

of which 30% were from overseas

Record 21 Navy Chiefs from around the world

attended the event

72 VIP delegations from 49 countries/regions

SPRINGBOARD INTO THE THRIVING ASIA PACIFIC REGION

www.imdexasia.com

modernised M109 chassis and incorpo-

rates a number of subsystems, such as the

powerpack, also used in the ST Kinetics

Bionix Infantry Fighting Vehicle built for

the Singapore Army. Powered by a

Detroit Diesel 6V-92TIA engine the 28

tonne Primus can achieve a maximum

speed of 50km/h (31 mph) on road and a

range of 350km (217 miles) on road. The

Primus can fire three-round burst within

20 seconds and achieve a maximum rate

of fire of six rounds per minute. The first

Primus battery was declared operational

in 2004 and an estimated 50 systems have

been delivered. In Singaporean service the

Primus is supported by an ammunition

re-supply vehicle and command post

vehicle based on the same chassis.

The Pegasus SLWH was developed to

provide a weapon which can be lifted by

Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicop-

ter and provide greater range and lethality

than the army’s existing Nexter LG1

105mm towed howitzers. The 5.5 tonne

design makes uses of titanium and alumini-

um alloy and is equipped with a recoil

management system which according to

the manufacturer reduces the recoil force

by a third compared to conventional

155mm howitzers. Although usually towed

the Pegasus is equipped with a Lombardini

9LD625-2 engine which provides a maxi-

mum speed of 12km/h (eight miles-per-

hour). A semi-automatic loading system

enables the crew to achieve a burst rate of

fire of three rounds in 24 seconds and a

maximum rate of fire of four rounds per

minute. The Pegasus can fire conventional

munitions up to a range of 19km (twelve

miles) and extended range munitions up to

30km (19 miles). About 18 SLWHs are

thought to be in Singaporean service.

Indian impasseIndia’s Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan

although developed 25 years ago has yet to

result in the introduction of a single new

weapon into service. The ambitious plan

envisioned the import and local construc-

tion of 3,600 155mm/52 calibre howitzers

including towed weapons, wheeled SPHs

and tracked SPHs, to equip about 180 of

220 artillery regiments by 2025. Ironically it

could be the newest requirement for 145

155mm/39cal Ultra Light Howitzers

released in January 2008, which could be

the first in service. The US Defence Security

Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified

Congress on 22 January 2010 that “the

Government of India has requested a pos-

sible sale of 145 M777 155mm Light-

Weight Towed Howitzers with Laser

Inertial Artillery Pointing Systems

(LINAPS), warranty, spare and repair

parts, support and test equipment, publica-

tions and technical documentation, main-

tenance, personnel training and training

equipment, US Government and contrac-

tor representatives' technical assistance,

engineering and logistics support services,

and other related elements of logistics sup-

port. The estimated cost is $647 million.”

After the original notification lapsed the

US DSCA notified Congress on 7 August

2013 that India had requested the same

package although the cost had increased to

$885 million. The request also noted the

contract would require a 30% industrial off-

sets package. When India failed to meet the

15 October 2013 deadline to confirm the

purchase BAE Systems announced that it

had begun the process of “temporarily

decommissioning” its plant at Barrow-in-

Furness, Northern England, where about

30% of M777 components are built, as work

had finished on existing orders. Indian

Defence Minister AK Antony told the

Parliament in a written reply on 9

December 2013 that: “(t)he Government

has not held up the purchase of 145 Ultra

Light Howitzer artillery guns from the

United States. The Government is propos-

ing the procurement of 145 Ultra Unit

Howitzers through the Foreign Military

Sale route as per Defence Procurement

Procedure.” Indian media reports say that a

contract will be signed before the end of the

financial year on 31 March 2014. If so, it

would be the first Indian order for new

artillery weapons since the now infamous

24 March 1986 contract for 410 Bofors

155mm FH-77B howitzers. An M777 con-

tract would provide much needed impetus

for the army’s long stalled artillery mod-

ernisation efforts.

The M777 is a niche weapon developed

specifically for the US Army and US

Marine Corps requirements for a weapon

which can be carried by their medium and

heavy-lift helicopters. For its requirement

for a towed weapon, wheeled SPHs and

tracked SPHs India is spoiled for choice

although some manufacturers are frus-

trated by repeated requests to send

weapons at their own expense to India for

trials which dragged on for more than a

decade. Nevertheless, the Indian require-

ments represent the largest single export

opportunities in the artillery market. They

also offer India the long-term opportunity

to emulate the success of Singapore and

South Korea in developing the capability

to design and produce its own artillery

systems and ammunition.

ST Kinetics designed the 155mm (six inch)Pegasus Singapore Light Weight Howitzer toprovide the Singapore Army with a helicopter-portable weapon which provides greater rangeand lethality than the previous generation of105mm weapons © Singapore Armed Forces

The Primus can firethree-round burst within20 seconds and achievea maximum rate of fire

of six rounds perminute. The first Primus

battery was declaredoperational in 2004


a r t i l l e r y

as i an

a n d d e v e l o p m e n t s

INDIA MOVES AHEADWITH FICV PROGRAMME nnn In November 2013, Indiatold Russia it had decided pro-cure its homemade $10 billionFuturistic Infantry CombatVehicle (FICV) programmeinstead of the advanced RussianKurganmashzavod BMP-3Infantry Fighting Vehicle.The announcement was madeduring the 18 November2013 India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commissionon Military TechnicalCooperation held in Moscow.

The offer from Russia wasinitially made during RussianPresident Vladmir Putin’s visitto India in December 2012.Moscow had then presented atransfer of technology deal forits BMP-3 vehicles if Indiaagreed to drop its home-grownFICV programme: a 2,600 vehi-cle-initiative to replace its agingBMP-1 and BMP-2 platforms.

The Indian Ministry ofDefence demanded that theupgraded BMP-2 incorporateadvanced observation and sur-veillance systems, night-fight-ing capabilities, an improved

Anti-Tank Guided Missile(ATGM) system and a 30mm(one inch) automatic grenadelauncher. The upgradedInfantry Combat Vehicle willalso be equipped with anadvanced fire control system.

After considering the deal,the Indian Defence Ministrydeclared it could not agree toRussia’s proposal to have theFICV project pushed into thebackground. The project, whichwas approved nearly five yearsago, will be part of the “MakeIndia” initiative, pursued bythe Indian Ministry of Defence

(MoD), which favours domesticcompanies.

Currently in competition forthe $10 billion contract to pro-duce some 2,600 FICV units,are India’s Mahindra DefenceSystems, in association withBAE Systems, as well as localcompanies Larsen andToubro, Tata Motors andthe state-owned OrdnanceFactories Board.

The MoD announced it willsoon be short-listing two com-petitors to develop prototypes,which will then be trialled,with the Indian government

providing nearly 80 percent ofthe development funds.Although it’s been usingRussian BMP-2 armoured ICVssince the late 1980s, the IndianArmy has been working on thedevelopment of its own FutureICV (FICV) since the 1990s.New Delhi has been develop-ing two ICV programmes:

The first one is the BharatDynamics Limited (BDL) NagMissile Carrier (NAMICA), a14.5 ton modified Kurganmash -zavod BMP-2 tank destroyermanufactured under the name“Sarath” in India. The secondprogramme is an ArmouredInfantry Fighting Vehicle devel-oped by the Defence Researchand Development Organisation(DRDO) as a technologydemonstrator and knownas the “Abhay”.

But both programmes wereput on hold following severaltechnical difficulties in theproduction process and therejection of the differentprototypes. The delay led totalks of acquiring the BMP-3from Russia to replace India’s1,400 aging BMP-2s.

PAKISTAN INTRODUCESHOME-BUILT UAVSnnn The Pakistan Air Force(PAF) inaugurated its first fleetof indigenous strategicUnmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) on 25 November 2013.The ceremony to induct thefleet of homebuilt Shahpar andBurraq UAVs was attended bythe now-retired chief of armystaff General Ashfaq PervezKayani, Pakistan’s Air ChiefMarshal Tahir Rafique Butt,chief of the air force staff, andLieutenant General KhalidAhmed Kidwai, director gener-al of the strategic plans division.

Pakistan had been develop-ing a homemade UAV for thepast eight years. The Shahpar –produced by the state owned

defence consortium GlobalIndustrial and Defence Solution(GIDS) – has been operationalsince 2012. It is an autonomousUAV with an endurance ofseven hours and capable ofrelaying data in real-time to amaximum range of 250 kilome-tres (135 nautical miles).

GIDS declined to disclose thenumber of units sold or the valueof the contract with the PakistanDepartment of Defense but toldAMR that, while their primarycustomer was Pakistan’s Army,they were currently in negotia-tion with “a few friendly coun-tries” regarding exports.

The Shahpar was designedto perform missions rangingfrom real-time reconnaissanceto surveillance, monitoring, dis-

aster management, mappingand mission planning. The air-craft is capable of autonomoustake-off and landing on a run-way or landing with a para-chute as well as carrying a 50-kilogram (110-pound) payload.GIDS’ UAVs come with theindigenously-developed AERO(Advanced EngineeringResearch Organisation) Zumr-1EP optronics payload.

Pakistan’s other recentlyintegrated UAV, the Burraq, wasdeveloped via a joint ventureinvolving the PAF and theNational Engineering andScientific Commission(NESCOM); a civilian defenceresearch and developmentorganization. The Burraq, whichhas been reportedly undergoing

flight-testing in May 2013 will bearmed with a laser-guided air-to-surface missiles and carries alaser designator, according to itsmanufacturer. Although it’sbeen described as a Pakistanivariant of the China AerospaceScience and TechnologyCorporation (CASC) CH-3Rainbow Unmanned CombatAir Vehicle, little is knownregarding the PAF’s Burraq air-craft. Up until the unveiling ofthe Shahpar and Burraq UAVs,Pakistan’s Army had been usingGerman EMT Penzberg Luna X-2000 and British MeggittBanshee UAVs. The PAF, how-ever, relied on the unarmedSelex ES Falco UAV withPakistan reportedly the firstexport customer for this aircraft.


ASIA PACIFIC PROCUREMENT UPDATE

Regional news

s o u t h a s i a

by Pierre Delrieu



SINGAPORE DEFENCEMINISTER VISITSEXERCISE FORGINGSABRE 2013nnn Singapore Minister forDefence Dr Ng Eng Hen visitedExercise Forging Sabre 2013 (XFS13) in Arizona, United Stateswhich is an integrated strikeexercise, conducted from 2 to 17December 2013. It involves about700 airmen and soldiers from theSingapore Armed Forces (SAF)as well as assets such as Republicof Singapore Air Force (RSAF)Boeing F-15SG and LockheedMartin F-16C/D multi-role com-bat aircraft, Boeing AH-64Dattack helicopters and BoeingChinook CH-47 heavy-lift heli-copters. Other Singaporeanassets included Lockheed MartinHigh Mobility Artillery RocketSystem (HIMARS).

The event in December 2013was the fourth XFS exercise.

Also present to witness thelive-firing were Chairman ofthe Government ParliamentaryCommittee for Defence andForeign Affairs Dr Lim Wee

Kiak, chief of the RSAFMajor-General Hoo Cher Mouand other senior Singaporearmed forces officers.

This year’s exercise saw awider range of precision strikemunitions employed as com-pared to previous exercises,

including Boeing GBU-31/32/34/38 Joint Direct AttackMunitions, Lockheed MartinAGM-114 Hellfire air-to-groundmissiles, and Raytheon GBU-12laser-guided bombs to destroystatic and moving targets in dayand night mission scenarios.This was also the first time theHIMARS fired Lockheed MartinGuided Multiple Launch RocketSystem (GMLRS) rockets in alive-fire scenario.

Regional news

s o u t h e a s t a s i a

SINGAPOREORDERS TWO ATTACKSUBMARINESFROM GERMANYnnn Singapore’s Ministry ofDefence (MINDEF) will acquiretwo new Type 218SG conven-tional hunter/killer submarinesfrom the German shipbuilderThyssenKrupp Marine Systems(TKMS), to modernise theirsubmarine force (see GordonArthur’s article ‘StableCondition’ in this issue).

The contract was signed on29 November 2013, with anexpected projected delivery ofthe first boat in 2020. The deal

includes crew training inGermany, a logistics packageand Air Independent Propulsion(AIP) systems for the boat. AIPallows the submarines to remainsubmerged for longer than tra-ditional diesel-electric boats andreduces their noise signature.

Singapore’s new submarineswill be customised to addressspecific requirements made bythe Republic of Singapore Navy(RSN) including a comprehen-sive combat system providedby the German naval electron-ics specialists Atlas ElektronikGmbH. This will be co-devel-oped and adapted to the RSN’s

requirements by the Singapore-based ST Electronics Ltd. TheMINDEF did not release infor-mation on the contract’s cost.However, the deal could be val-ued as high as $1 billion,according to reports from theReuters news agency.

Singapore’s Defence MinisterNg Eng Hen had announcedplans for the purchase of newsubmarines to replace the coun-try’s ‘Challenger’ class conven-tional boats back in March of2013, saying that “the replace-ment submarines will have sig-nificantly improved capabilitiesand will enhance our ability to

keep our sea lines of communi-cation safe.” The new 218SGsubmarines, along with theRSN’s two refurbished conven-tional ‘Archer’ class submarines,will replace four 1960s vintage‘Challenger’ class submarinesthat Singapore had acquiredin the 1990s. The ‘Archer’class submarines were boughtin 2005 from the GermanHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft(HDW) shipbuilding company, asubsidiary of TKMS enteringRSN service in 2011. They wereoriginally built in the 1980s as‘Vastergotland’ class for theMarinen (Royal Swedish Navy).

SINGAPORE DEFENCEMINISTER ADDRESSESSHANGRI-LA DIALOGUEnnn Singapore’s Minister forDefence Dr Ng Eng Hendelivered the Keynote Addressat the second InternationalInstitute for Strategic Studies(IISS) Shangri-La DialogueSherpa Meeting on 14 January2013. Addressing an audience ofdefence officials, senior militaryofficers and academics, Dr Ngspoke about seeking commonground amid national aspira-tions. During his speech, Dr Nghighlighted that to maintainand promote peace and stabili-ty, “we should put away ourdifferences to steer the regionaway from conflict and towardsmutual interest and commonnorms acceptable to all”. Dr Ngcited redoubling efforts inengagement and diplomacy tobuild mutual trust, fosteringpositive engagement throughan open and inclusive regionalsecurity architecture and practi-cal cooperation as three princi-ples to build strategic trust.

SINGAPORE AND THAINAVIES CONDUCTBILATERAL EXERCISE nnn The Republic of SingaporeNavy and the Royal Thai Navy(RTN) conducted a bilateralnaval exercise, codenamedSingsiam, from 25 November to6 December 2013.

Hosted by the RTN, thisyear’s exercise commencedwith a shore planning phase atChangi Naval Base, Singapore.

A sea phase was conducted inthe Strait of Malacca and theAndaman Sea. The RSNparticipated with a frigate, amissile corvette, and asubmarine while the RTNparticipated with a missilecorvette, an anti-submarinewarfare corvette, an off-shorepatrol vessel, two Sikorsky S-70B maritime supporthelicopters and one DornierDo 228 maritime patrol

aircraft. Speaking at theclosing ceremony, oneparticipant said that said that“the successful completion ofthe exercise significantlyenhanced the level ofinteroperability, mutualunderstanding and friendshipbetween personnel from bothnavies, and is testament to theclose and long-standingdefence relationship betweenSingapore and Thailand.”

REPUBLIC OF KOREATO ACQUIRE 14CHINOOK HELICOPTERS nnn The Republic of Korea(RoK) will officially beacquiring 14 surplus BoeingCH-47D Chinook heavy-lifthelicopters currently beingoperated by United Statesforces in the RoK.

The US Defense Security

Cooperation Agency (DSCA)gave its green light for the dealon 3 December 2013 and theproposed sale — valued at $151million — includes the provisionof 14 Chinook helicopters andassociated equipment to RoK.The deal includes the HoneywellAerospace T55-GA-714Aturboshafts, outfitting the latestCH-47F variant, newcommunications, navigation

systems, altimeters andcompasses as well as spare parts,training and logistical support.

The 14 CH-47D and theirT55-GA-714A engines will beprovided from the US Armyinventory located at CampHumphrey, RoK. This willallow the US Army to save anapproximate $13 million ontransportation anddemilitarization costsassociated with transitioningthe aircraft out of service.

According to the DSCAnotification, which wasreleased under the ForeignMilitary Sales programme, the“sale will improve the RoK’scapability to meet current andfuture requirements for troopmovement, medical evacuation,aircraft recovery, parachutedrop, search and rescue,disaster relief, fire-fighting andheavy construction support.”

The CH-47 Chinook twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter is

primarily used for troop andcargo movement and battlefieldresupply. Equipped with a wideloading ramp at the rear of thefuselage and three external-cargo hooks, it is capable ofreaching top speeds of 170 knots(315 km/h), making it one of thefastest utility helicopters of itsgeneration.

First introduced in the early1960s, the CH-47 is also one ofthe few aircraft of that era,along with the fixed-wingLockheed Martin C-130Hercules turboprop freighter,which remains in productionand front-line service, with over1,179 units built to date. TheCH-47 has been operated by 16countries, the US Army beingone of its main users. The RoKArmy currently operates 23CH-47Ds, and the air forceoperates five HH-47Ds, avariant of the Chinook designedfor RoK combat search-and-rescue missions.

CHINA COMPLETESDELIVERY OF Z-9HELICOPTERS TOCAMBODIAnnn The Royal Cambodian AirForce (RCAF) announced that ithad formally received thefinal delivery of a dozen ofChinese-built Harbin AircraftManufacturing Corporation(HAMC) Z-9 medium-lift utilityhelicopters. The delivery wasmade during an official ceremo-ny held at Phnom Penh AirBase on 25 November 2013 inthe presence of CambodianDeputy Prime Minister andDefence Minister Tea Banh andChinese Ambassador toCambodia Bu Jianguo. Thearrival in Phnom Penh of thefinal ten aircraft concludes a$196 million deal betweenChina and Cambodia, after afirst batch of two units hadbeen delivered in July 2013.

Cambodia’s Z-9s were pur-chased from the China NationalAero-Technology Import andExport Corporation (CATIC).This twin-engined aircraft, man-

ufactured by HAMC underlicense from Airbus Helicoptersis a modified version of theFrench-made Airbus HelicoptersAS-365N Dauphin 2 medium-lift machine. The aircraft isdesigned for missions such aspassenger and cargo transport,forest protection, maritimepatrol, search and rescue, lawenforcement and border control.

During the ceremony,Mr. Tea described the heli-copter delivery as an “historicachievement” and explainedthe aircraft would serve todefend “Cambodia’s territorialintegrity” and crack down onoffences in remote areas as wellas assist humanitarian relief.

Six of the aircraft received bythe RCAF are Z-9Bs utilityhelicopters, designed for gener-al-purpose missions. Two of theacquired Z-9s were customisedfor passenger transport whilethe remaining four arereportedly Z-9W variants of thehelicopter, equipped withChinese NORINCO HJ-8 anti-tank missiles, Chinese AVIC I

TY-90 air-to-air missiles and theChinese version of the ItalianAlenia A244-S light anti-subma-rine warfare acoustic homingtorpedo: the ET52. The newly-acquired aircraft will replaceCambodia’s fleet of agingRussian Mil Mi-8 and MI-17medium-lift utility helicopters.

The deal, which was financedby a loan agreement signed withBeijing in August 2011, is part ofan ongoing programme for the

modernisation and developmentof the Cambodian armed forces.Analysts believe the deal –which shows strengthening tiesbetween China and Cambodia -could convince more countriesto acquire the Chinese Z-9. Sincethe Harbin Z-9’s first flight in1981, about 200 units havebeen built, most of which havebeen acquired by the China’sPeople Liberation Army’s AirForce and Navy.


Regional news

e a s t a s i a




AUSTRALIA RECEIVESTHE FIRST OF24 MH-60R NAVALHELICOPTERSnnn The Royal Australian Navy(RAN) received its first twoSikorsky MH-60R maritime sup-port helicopters, during a cere-mony held at LockheedMartin’s. Mission Systems andTraining’s facility in Owego,New York, on 10 December 2013.

The two helicopters are thefirst of Australia’s 24 anti-sub-marine and anti-surface heli-copters, known as the“Romeo”, ordered to replace itsageing Sikorsky S-70B-2

Seahawks maritime supportrotorcraft, which have been inservice for nearly 25 years.

Lockheed Martin’s facilitiesin Owego installed and inte-grated the electronics systemsinto the Sikorsky aircraft, name-ly the digital cockpit, radar,sonar, and optronics. The com-pany has also integrated self-defence system to protect thehelicopter from missile threats.

The Romeo is currentlybeing used by the US Navy asits main maritime support heli-copter. Australia first expressedinterest in the helicopter in 2006and finally signed the deal for

24 MH-60R helicopters in 2011,demanding a quick delivery.During the ceremony RANCaptain and aeronautical engi-neer Scott Lockey explained theprocurement had become forAustralia “a matter of urgency”.

The first delivery was madeone month ahead of schedule,and the remaining units will bedelivered by the end of 2016along with training and sup-port, six months earlier thaninitially planned according tothe $3 billion contract signedwith the US Navy.

Rear Admiral Tony Dalton,head of the Helicopter Division

of Australia’s Defence MaterielOrganisation, was present atthe ceremony and accepted thehelicopters on behalf of theRAN, explaining that the air-craft was “a game changer forthe Royal Australian Navy, interms of delivering the capabili-ty to ensure our sea lanes arekept open”, especially since“Australia is between theIndian and Pacific oceans andthere are currently more than200 submarines active in theregion, 64 of them nuclear.”

The two helicopters leftLockheed Martin’s Owegofacility shortly after the ceremo-ny and headed to the Naval AirStation in Jacksonville, Florida.Where the RAN’s 725 Squadronis, for now, stationed and willundergo training with the USNavy until the first seven heli-copters begin returning toAustralia by the end of 2014.

The MH-60R helicopter willalso soon be part of Denmark’sfleet, as the Kongelige DanskeMarine (Royal Danish Navy)placed an order for nineRomeo helicopters in December2012, with an initial deliveryset for May 2016.

Regional news

a u s t r a l a s i a

NEW ZEALANDACQUIRINGNORWEGIAN PENGUINMISSILES FOR ITS NEWKAMAN SH-2GHELICOPTERSnnn New Zealand confirmed inNovember 2013 that it hassigned a contract with theNorway’s Kongsberg Defenceand Aerospace AS (KDA) tosupply its navy with anundisclosed number of PenguinMk2 Mod 7 anti-ship missilesand associated equipment.The contract’s value has notbeen disclosed.

The Penguin, designated asthe AGM-119 by the US Navy,is a passive infrared seeker-based short-to-medium rangeanti-ship guided missile. Itsacquisition has been presentedas an important upgrade for the

Royal New Zealand Navy(RNZN). Its technical character-istics allow the Penguin Mk2Mod 7 to operate in close prox-imity to land whilst remainingrobust against electronic coun-termeasures. Developed as acollaborative venture betweenthe Norwegian DefenceResearch Establishment (NDRE)and Kongsberg, the Penguinmissile, in its various versions,can be launched singly or insalvoes from a number of differ-ent weapons platforms, includ-ing surface vessels, combat air-craft and helicopters.

In a press release publishedafter the signature of the con-tract, KDA’s executive vice pres-ident Pål Bratlie declared thatthe contract “strongly confirmsthe Penguin missile’s position asthe leading missile within its

segment. The contract is for alimited number of missiles;however, it is considered animportant upgrade of NewZealand’s Navy.”

The Penguin missiles willequip the Royal New ZealandNavy’s newly acquired KamanSH-2G(I) Super Seasprite mar-itime support helicopters andextend the aircraft’s anti-subma-rine and anti-surface capabili-ties.

The deal for eight of the‘India’ version Seasprites andtwo spare airframes was initiat-ed in 2012 and the $242 millioncontract was finally signed inMay 2013, between NewZealand and the Americanaerospace contractor Kaman.New Zealand’s SH-2G(I)s wereinitially intended to be pur-chased by Australia before the

deal was scrapped and areintended to replace the RNZN’sfive ageing Kaman SH-2G heli-copters, in service since the1990s. The delivery of the firstthree helicopters to the RNZNis expected in early 2015 and alleight helicopters are scheduledto enter service by 2016.

Kaman Aerospace firstdeveloped the SH-2 Seaspritesin the late 1950s as a fast utilityhelicopter for the US Navy,which used the aircraft and itsimproved and updated ver-sions until it retired the SH-2Gfleet in 2001. The SH-2G(I), itsmost recent maritime version,designed for surface surveil-lance, anti-surface warfare,anti-submarine warfare, search-and-rescue and troop deploy-ment, is also used by theEgyptian and Polish Navies.

Documents

AMR February/March 2014