Asian Military Review - May 2008

VOLUME 16/ISSUE 5

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MAGAZINE

DIESEL ELECTRIC SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGY URBAN ISTAR

DUAL-ROLE HELICOPTERS

REMOTE WEAPON STATIONS

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Contents MAY 2008 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 5

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Edward Hooton Australia's new Labour Government intends to begin a programme likely to cost more than US$20 billion for new submarines to replace the controversial Collins class. This reflects the dual realities that the submarine has become the modern capital ship and that the northern neighbours of the island continent may have up to 150 submarines within 20 years.

Front Cover Photo: The Lynx has gained some success in Asia, with sales to Malaysia, Korea and Thailand. Notably all these sales were for the naval version. Lynx is also an Army helicopter with some notable capabilities, so the dual role “Future Lynx” should enjoy good prospects in the region. The only negative issue may be that of a defined battlefield role, as Future Lynx is far more capable than previous designs in this weight category. Can it be “too good?” (PHOTO: AgustaWestland)

Russian Air Defence Systems

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Remote weapon stations

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Reuben F. Johnson The former USSR represented the world’s largest talent pool for designing and producing air defence systems, and for good reason. Soviet war planners always assumed that in any conflict with the US and its NATO allies that the American forces would enjoy their historical advantage of air superiority. Thus, tremendous sums were invested by the Soviet Union in both the development of a variety of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).

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Diesel Electric Submarine Technology

The Growing Dual-Role Helicopter market

David Oliver During the Korean War, the helicopter’s true potential first became apparent with the deployment of military versions of the piston-engine Bell 47 and Sikorsky S-55 which were widely used throughout the conflict. US Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters transported troops to the front line and rescued downed airmen from behind enemy lines. However, it was a decade later in Southeast Asia that the most important type of military helicopter entered service in the utility role.

Ian Kemp The market for remote weapon stations is expected to be worth more than $5.5 billion over the next five years just in the NATO countries. Remote weapon stations can do things that previously only turrets could do, and can turn almost any vehicle into a potentially capable weapon system, but are they worth cost and weight?

Urban ISTAR in Asia

04 William F Owen It has now become a common aphorism to state that future wars or conflicts will be “amongst the people.” That some conflict may take place in urbanised terrain is almost certain. What is less certain is that most conflict will take place in such surroundings.

Urban terrain is only noteworthy in military thought in that it creates one problem more than any other. That is finding the enemy!

Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance, (ISTAR) is the commonly understood means of achieving this.

MAY 2008

01

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nyone with even a passing interest in military affairs will have noted the recent proliferation in counter-insurgency (COIN) writing over the past years. The reason for this lies solely with the US involvement in fighting an insurgency, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. However there are many other insurgencies world wide, with Kashmir, Southern Thailand, and the Philippines all being relevant to this magazines target audience.

A

The problem with much of the current writing is that it is re-stating most of what was widely known as far back as the 1930 or before. It would not be that inaccurate to say that most of what is useful had been written by 1960, and some of it by US authors. However, most consumers of the books written on this subject want to believe that there are new and better ideas, so publishers fulfil this need by allowing authors to re-state and re-package, what has already been written by others.

The downside to all this specific attention is that it creates both the belief and the perception that COIN is something special and distinct. For those that say that it is, there may be discomfort in the answer that they are correct, but only if they were stupid in the first place. If you clung to the idea that the sole purpose of the US Army was to fight an opponent that looked like the Soviet Army of the cold-war, then you had probably been fast asleep in a cave on Mars for the past 20 years. The Royal Thai Army’s inability to come to grips with the insurgency in the south of Thailand comes from a long held focus on wanting to train and equip to fight a full scale combined arms opponent, like China, Malaysia of Myanmar. The challenge for the 21st century is exactly the same as the 20th, and that is to be able to address any opponent you encounter. The British Army, despite many shortcomings, has been uniquely skilled at be able to address the training and capabilities to confront both insurgents and the armies of other nations, albeit with varying degrees of success in both cases.

Seeing COIN as distinct, discrete, and difficult is not a useful starting point for any army. Why would you choose to excuse yourself from the most likely, though not the most dangerous threat? COIN cannot be seen as something that other folks do, or a set of skills to be dusted off as and when required. The skills that work in COIN usually have wide application beyond purely COIN operations and those skills relevant to fighting other enemies, can easily be adapted and restricted to be useful against insurgents. Being bad at COIN is only something bad armies are bad at.

USA (East/South East)/Canada Margie Brown, Margie Brown & Associates.

Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581 Email :margiespub@rcn.com

William F. Owen, Editor

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MAY 2008

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03

URBAN OPERATIONS

Different Needle - Same Haystack

Urban ISTAR in Asia

Wide area mapping and surveillance capability is critical to urban ISTAR (PHOTO: EADS)

It has now become a common aphorism to state that future wars or conflicts will be "amongst the people." That some conflict may take place in urbanised terrain is almost certain. What is less certain is that most conflict will take place in such surroundings.

Urban terrain is only noteworthy in military thought in that it creates one problem more than any other. That is finding the enemy!

Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance, (ISTAR) is the commonly understood means of achieving this.

by William F Owen 04

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

URBAN OPERATIONS

n the Robert Leonhard's ground breaking 1998, The Principles of War for the Information Age, he put forward the theory that almost all of our actions in conflict are based on what we know and what we do not. He further extrapolated this into a duality of the need for mass and precision, where precision was most applicable, when good and reliable information was available. Logically, this is means that urban terrain has the unique ability to completely dislocate all the traditional force multipliers that NATO type western armies have relied on. What is less well known or acknowledged is the converse and that is that urban terrain also presents opportunities. The scope of this article is limited to finding the enemy and not targeting him.

I

The Problem At it's most simple, the only way to tell if a car is in a garage is to open the door and look inside. Generally speaking, human beings and sensors cannot see through solid objects and surfaces,

Small AFVs, such as the BMP-1, do not have dimensions significantly greater than some commercial vehicles.

though in terms of some kinds of radar, this is not a given.

Urban Terrain allows almost any type of enemy to conceal almost any kind of military equipment with a very good chance that it will never be detected, except by physical search. Figures are instructive. A BMP-1 for example, is smaller than a great many commercial

vehicles. The near 50 tonne T-72 at 7 meters long, 3.6 meters, and 2.2 meters high, is concealable in many buildings found in modern urban areas and even the more advanced T-90 does not have grossly dissimilar characteristics.

Ballistic missile vehicles like the MAZ543, used for the Scud IRBM can be concealed with relative ease and much more

URBAN OPERATIONS

Urban Terrain allows almost any type of enemy to conceal almost any kind of military equipment with a very good chance that it will never de detected, except by physical search. so, than in rural terrain. Even relatively large air defence systems such as the S300, and its associated radars can be concealed in urban areas. However, such systems have little capability while concealed, and this speaks to the larger operational relevance of urban ISTAR. Generally, if ISTAR technologies can find a defined piece of military equipment, they can target it and destroy it using precision weapons. Generally, if the only way to defeat such technologies is to hide, then systems such air defence missiles, radars and guns cannot be effectively employed.

The same is true of larger

06

signature systems, such as 122mm artillery guns and multiple rocket launchers.

So, a conventional combined arms force of APCs, MBTs and Artillery systems, can easily hide in urban terrain, but its capabilities are very much reduced, if not completely suppressed.

Essentially this equipment can only survive. It cannot fight. Once outside of the building that provides protection, vehicles can be detected with relative ease, given the proximity of the appropriate sensor.

The complexity of finding the enemy in urban terrain increases exponentially once the signatures of the systems become reduced, to that which makes it more or less indistinguishable from the normal items of everyday life. A normal SUV, can easily carry a 120mm mortar, 12.7mm machine gun or 122mm rocket system. Such vehicles can move with ease about urban terrain, as well as disguising their true nature and intent.

When it comes to armed individuals, the problems of detection become even greater. Once the signature of the equipment drops below the level of an armoured vehicle, the challenge also becomes one of discrimination, in that detection systems have to be able to differentiate the threat from the normal civilian population. Civilian populations are the primary constraining factor in the use of weapons in the urban environment.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

The Opportunity The premise, around which the challenge of urban ISTAR is based, is that concrete, bricks and steel generally defeat all sensors working in the reflected spectrum. This assumes a one-dimensional understanding of the problem. For a start the urban area could be huge, and most major urban areas are in excess of 100 square kilometres, and could contain well over 60,000 individual structures.

This is many millions of cubic meters of hiding space, of which much may also be populated. This means that it is almost always impossible for any force, of any type to completely control any large area of urban terrain, especially if it is populated. Therefore they are restricted in their ability to move, communicate, observe and sustain themselves.

Logically, vehicles have to move by road and humans walk on streets. The logistic and sanitation requirements of a formation sized armed force cannot remain completely undetected for extended periods of time, unless such needs are found from entirely within the civilian population.

For example, soldiers may have to be billeted in hotels or public buildings, and the concealed parking for what may be over 600 vehicles, has to be

URBAN OPERATIONS

tracked and controlled, possibly using only civilian and thus largely insecure communications means. Concealment often requires dispersion beyond the preferred bounds of security;so control and detection measures have to be put in place, such as check points and observation posts. Should the civilian population still be present, then all of these activities and measures will be relatively easy to detect.

Despite the theoretical ease with which military equipment can be concealed on an individual basis, the complexity of the issue becomes apparent once the practical matters of concealing a viable size of military formation has to be addressed.

This all becomes irrelevant when the enemy is a small percentage of the actual population and lives within it, as in an

insurgent or terrorist. Essentially, ISTAR equipments are focussed on detecting equipment. When the enemy has no discernable equipment, he is largely unde-

Generally, if ISTAR technologies can find a defined piece of military equipment, they can target it, and destroy it using precision weapons. tectable, unless observed in the commission of an act that identifies him as hostile. However the assumption that Urban ISTAR is merely the employment of traditional equipment in an urban terrain is simplistic.

Mk 1 Eyeball Human beings are a valuable source of information; therefore the ability to exploit the knowledge and proximity of the indigenous population is essential. More importantly it should be a priority to be able to move amongst them without detection.

While this is extremely hard for an American to do in Iraq, it is very easy to do for an Iraqi in

MAY 2008

Iraq. This is the most ancient form of reconnaissance, and is still extremely relevant to this day. Indeed it was the method used by the US forces in Mogadishu to initiate the attack that resulted in the events made famous by "Black Hawk Down."

While ancient times may have seen someone walking into town, wandering about and noting all they saw, modern operations allow for such assets to possess communications for far more immediate reporting, or tasking of additional means. Thus, in the same way, cell phones and the required coverage allows for insurgents and terrorist to use IEDs, they also allow for indigenous reconnaissance methods. If no cell phone coverage is available, then covert radios are probably the only option. The problem is that they lack range, and if discovered, indicate the identity of the owner, thus endangering his or her life. Radio range can be extended by either using light aircraft or UAVs as rebroadcast nodes.

Tall buildings present significant problems for urban ISTAR

07

URBAN OPERATIONS

Small lightweight UAVs are seen as relevant to Urban ISTAR (PHOTO: US NAVY)

UAVs UAV's have recently come to be seen as the required tool of Urban ISTAR. There is no doubt that they are extremely useful, but operational experience has exposed a number of shortcomings.

Arguably most of these limitations are inherent to the technology, but urban terrain emphasises them to large degree.

Generally speaking, the gyro stabilised electro-optical sensors provide a keyhole view of specific targets. They are not search tools well suited to covering large areas with either speed or efficiency. They can observe known targets or investigate suspected ones, but all this is done from a moving platform, so the ability to observe a target from a specific direction for sustained periods of time is a challenge and sometimes impossible.

As previously stated, this is not to say that UAVs are not profoundly useful.

They are.

Commanders care very little about how they get the picture or viewpoint they need. What they do care about is

that the picture contains the relevant information and is available at the relevant time. Thus the challenge for UAV operations is to get the appropriate sen-

UGVs that can move inside buildings have obvious potential. Seen here is Foxbot (PHOTO: Rheinmetall)

Concealment often requires dispersion beyond the preferred bounds of security 08

sor to the point in space and time it is required and keep it there for as long as it is required. Several things can conspire against this.

Firstly, modern opponents have become well aware of UAVs, so take

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

URBAN OPERATIONS

measures to camouflage, and disguise their activities. They also understand the limitations of the viewpoint, so even a simple umbrella can be used to hide, or decoy an activity that may be of interest.

Secondly there are still all the limitations that are suffered by conventional aircraft. These may be less safety critical than with manned airframes, but weather can frequently hamper UAV operations, as can possible confliction with other air traffic. This can be particularly critical when in proximity to civilian airports.

The larger and more complex the UAV is, the greater useful payload it can carry. These are not limited to Electrooptical sensors. Signals intelligence and communications intercept packages exist and are operational. The ability for the UAV to manoeuvre across a wide area increases the likelihood of finding emissions of interest as well as enabling their rapid location due to triangulation. The smaller UAVs can begin to suffer limitations due to wind, altitude, endurance and payload. These are mostly not an issue when operating in areas with few, if any high-rise buildings, but tactical

Generally speaking, the gyro stabilised electrooptical sensors provide a keyhole view of specific targets.

UAVs can suffer limitations once operating amongst taller buildings.

Urban ISTAR has been seen as one the more valid reasons to develop vertical takeoff UAVs. This seems to have obvious advantages. VTOL UAVs are generally small in size and for kilogram of weight, versus kilogram of payload, can operate from very limited terrain. They can also, dependant on weight, pressure altitude and wind, hover to give fixed direction viewpoints.

There has also been a lot of popular discussion of small VTOL UAVs being able to operate around and even within buildings. The technical challenges to this make it both expensive and potentially undesirable. Arguably this task belongs to Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) or Robots.

The City of Fallujah, the scene of fierce fighting in 2004 is actually small in comparison to most cities (PHOTO: Google Earth)

MAY 2008

Robots Operating a UGV amongst a population is not really an option. Smaller UGVs are easily interfered with and there are legitimate public safety issues associated with lager or vehicle sized UGVs. Where UGVs seem to have future is in limited tactical reconnaissance, once the security situation has deteriorated to the degree that allows for their employment. This means the ability to scout out the next road junction or move sensors beyond the tactical commanders immediate field of view to detect enemy movement. It is worth noting that future UGVs may not be specialised vehicles, but rather conventional armoured vehicles operating in an "un-manned mode," or, more accurately, operated remotely. The actual need for truly autonomous robots is far from proven in the context of tactical operations and has significant legal and ethical obstacles to overcome in terms of operations close to a civilian population that will be inherent to urban operations.

Remote operation, as in the system, vehicle or sensor controlled from relatively close proximity does have considerable application. Vehicles originally conceived for IED and explosive search applications are ideally suited to reconnaissance inside and between structures.

This has considerable potential to save lives and dislocate enemy action. In fact if viewed from the perspective of senor mobility and delivery, then commercial technology allows for the placing of small cameras inside hand thrown devices and even 40mm rounds.

All of these things are dependant on the platoon or section concerned, being able to read the transmitted image, so interfacing with personal digital assistants and tactical radios is probably required and there is unlikely to be a disproportionate increase in carried weight if dedicated viewing terminals are used. In terms of keeping everything simple, this may be preferable to the cost and possible complexity associated with integration.

Ultimately the challenges of finding the enemy will not be effectively addressed purely by technology. Effective training and skill in conducting operations is still the corner stone of classical military power. The utility of any sensor equipment will always be dependant on its corAMR rect and effective employment. â–

09

NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

Submarines, not U-Boats?

Diesel Electric Submarine Technology Australia's new Labour Government intends to begin a programme likely to cost more than US$20 billion for new submarines to replace the controversial Collins class. This is a surprising move from a party, which, only weeks earlier had been bitterly complaining about the Air Warfare Destroyer programme costing about a third of the new submarine one.

Yet it reflects the dual realities that the submarine has become the modern capital ship and that the northern neighbours of the island continent may have up to 150 submarines within 20 years.

by Edward Hooton

The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman being transferred from its assembly shed to the water (DCNS)

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ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Reporting for Duty Class 209, Class 212A and Class 214 submarines: Mission ready. Robust. Stealthy. State-of-the-art.

With Fuel Cell and/or Diesel-Electric propulsion systems.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems A company of ThyssenKrupp Technologies

www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com

tk

NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

hina, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Pakistan are all expanding their forces and Taiwan would like to follow their example having been promised eight boats by the United States.

Malaysia will become a submarine power from 2009, Singapore and Japan both intend to maintain strong, modern, submarine forces while Bangladesh and Thailand have publicly stated they wish to join the club.

C

Capability The operational incentive was underlined a quarter-of-a-century ago when a wolf pack of nuclear-powered and diesel-electric submarines bottled up the Argentine Navy allowing the Royal Navy a free hand in retaking the Falklands/Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic. This force also appears to have inserted Special Forces and, it has recently been revealed, provided early warning of air attack to the British task force.

This is one of a growing range of capabilities available to these platforms. They have long been used for covert reconnaissance and observation; indeed during the late 1960s HMS Cachalot was damaged in an underwater collision with a Russian submarine while performing these duties. Their offensive role in maritime warfare has long been recognised with torpedoes, mines and anti-ship missiles while the recent dispute between Russian and India over the INS Sindhuvijay illustrates another capability becoming available to Asian navies.

The Kilo (Project 877) class submarine has been upgraded in a Russian yard to operate land-attack missiles similar in capability (if not in range) to the famed Tomahawk.

Unfortunately in six test firings the missiles reportedly veered off course and until the problem is rectified the Indians will not accept the boat. Interestingly India is likely to issue a requirement this year for boats specifically designed to carry land-attack missiles.

The costs of acquiring and operating submarines are phenomenal. tenance facilities as well as training facilities.

A submarine diving control and platform simulator will be supplied by Armaris at a cost of US$29.3 million while contracts for other sophisticated training aids may be expected if the Royal Malaysian Navy intends to keep its submarine crews fully operational.

Yet even these costs pale when compared with those of creating and operating nuclearpowered submarines like China. The Indian Navy is likely to receive a leased Russian nuclear submarine later this year and claims to be building a domestically designed ship, which is scheduled to commission within the next couple of years. But the majority of Asian submarines are diesel-electric boats following John Holland's design, which was originally intended for an Irish terrorist

Air Independence However, the new technology of air independent propulsion (AIP) has developed to augment batteries and to provide greater

The DCNS MESMA system has been selected by the Pakistani Navy for its Agosta 90Bs (PHOTO: DCNS)

Cost The costs of acquiring and operating submarines are phenomenal. Malaysia is spending the equivalent of US$974 million on two Scorpène class submarines from DCN/Navantia, although this figure includes the use of the Agosta 70 class submarine Ouessant in Toulon for training, which will cost another US$167.5 million.

Kuala Lumpur is spending some US$258 million upon a purpose-built submarine base at Sepanggar Bay (Teluk Semangat) in Sabah and from 2009.

This base will require docking and main-

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organisation!

These have a combination of propulsion systems. For operating under water they use electric motors powered by lead-acid batteries, which are recharged by operating diesel engines. Originally recharging was conducted on the surface but is now performed underwater using a snorkel, a Dutch concept in which a pipe projecting above the surface takes air down to the diesels.

Yet electrical propulsion provides only enough energy for two or three days of slowspeed running. Even when covered with radar absorbent material the deployment of snorkel masts compromises the submarine's greatest asset, concealment, for it may be detected by radars or sonar, the latter because of the noisy diesels, while the higher thermal signature means even electrooptic sensors can detect a boat.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

underwater endurance as well reducing the risk of detection. AIP is based upon either fuel-burning heat engines that re-circulate combustion products which are then augmented by oxygen before re-introduction to the combustion chamber or electrochemical devices, which transform chemical energy into electrical power using hydrogen and oxygen. They are expensive and the limited storage capacity for energy agents places some restrictions upon endurance while some concern has been expressed about their threat to the boat's safety if the chemical elements are detonated by underwater explosions.

The German submarines use a system developed by HDW, now part of ThyssenKrupp Marine, which is used on South Korea's Type 214 ROKS Son Won-il, which was commissioned in late December.

This is the first of 10 KSS-2 (Korean Submarine, 2nd phase) boats being built by Hyundai, the design being based upon the German-Italian Type 212A. Its AIP system is a hybrid based upon Siemens Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel-cell technology in which electricity is produced by combining hydrogen and liquid oxygen in water. The fuel cell modules produce about 300kW allowing a Type 212 to run at speeds up to 8 knots without draining the batteries, which means that in a fortnight's patrol the boat can cruise for a week just on the AIP system. HDW's most famous submarine design is the Type 209 which is

The display systems for the Subtics combat management system, which is typical of those in modern submarines (PHOTO: DCNS).

An illustration of the integrated sonar/combat management system which is the Atlas' ISUS90 (PHOTO: Atlas Elektronik).

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NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

used by India (Shishumar class), Indonesia (Cakra class) and South Korea (Chang Bogo class) and ThyssenKrupp are offering an AIP upgrade 'plug' for these boats.

The French system, available for the Scorpène class, is the Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome (MESMA) which is used in Pakistan's Agosta 90B (Khalid class).

It has not been selected by either India or Malaysia for their Scorpènes, although the last four in the six-boat programme might be fitted with the system. MESMA uses steam generated by a closed-cycle system to feed diesel oil and liquid oxygen into the combustion chamber to provide heat for a steam generator. This powers a fast-running (10,000 rev/min) turbine, which can produce more than 200kW. The steam condenses and is reused while the carbon dioxide is expelled through the pressure hull into the surrounding water.

Japan has selected the Swedish Kockums Stirling Mk 3 engine system for its Improved Oyashio class of which the first, Soryu, was launched on December 18. The Swedish system uses a pair of Stirling engines to augment the diesels and batteries with each generating up to 75kW using liquid oxygen and

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But the majority of Asian submarines are dieselelectric boats following John Holland's design, which was originally intended for an Irish terrorist organisation! diesel oil in a helium environment. The system is being installed in two Västergötland boats, which Singapore has purchased to replace some of its former Swedish Sjöormen (Challenger) class boats from about 2010.

The propulsion systems of modern submarines drive specially shaped propellers, which are designed to move through the water with the minimum of radiated noise.

Submarine acoustic signatures are further reduced by placed the machinery upon ‘rafts’, which are on shock absorbers away from the hull. The technical sophistication of modern submarines extends into their con-

trol systems which are designed to allow one or two crew members to control depth, trim and power with the vessel steered through a joystick control.

Sensors Sonars provide the submarine's prime sensors and nowadays are integrated into a suite. India's Kilos (Sindhughosh class) feature the MGK-400 ('Shark Teeth'/'Shark Fin') medium frequency, hull-mounted active/passive search attack sensor augmented by MG-519 'Mouse Roar' high frequency, hull-mounted active search sonar.

South Korea's Chang Bogos feature an Atlas Elektronik CSU-83 suite with a passive bow array, a trainable active sonar, passive flank arrays, a sonar intercept sensor and a passive towed array to provide a detailed tactical picture of underwater activity. A similar range of capabilities from Thales Underwater Systems may be expected in the Scorpène class.

To monitor activity above the water submarines have traditionally used optical periscopes, which may be raised hydrauli-

Malaysia's first submarine the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman in the water after its launch at Cherbourg (PHOTO: DCNS)

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

An artist's illustration of the Shipmaster submarine control system. Such automated systems help reduce modern submarine crews (DCNS)

cally or electrically. German-built boats tend to use Zeiss systems, French ones will usually use Sagem while Swedish boats have tended to use Thales (formerly Pilkington formerly Barr & Stroud) systems although Singapore's Sjöorman (Challenger) class are replacing some of theirs with Kollmorgen units. Electro-optics are increasingly incorporated in periscopes, which are usually augmented by navigation radars and radar warning receivers, but increasingly submarines are opting for mast-mounted systems. These differ from periscopes in that they do not penetrate the pressure hull and because they rely upon electro-optical sensors they can quickly view the surrounding scene, record it and then play the images back for the commander to study. Currently no Asian submarines have such systems but Japan has taken a licence agreement with Thales for the CM-10 system for the Improved Oyashiros.

from the Gidropribor. But the old loyalties seem to bee changing as is being demonstrated by the intense marketing battle between the DCN/Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) Black Shark and the Atlas DM2A4/Sea Hake 4, the former having been selected by Malaysia.

Both are electrically driven weapons, seawater batteries providing the power to drive carbon-fibre skewed contra-rotating propellers. Black Shark has a brushless axial flux slow-rotating permanent-propulsion motor, which avoids the need for reduction gearing to improve efficiency and to reduce noise.

The German weapon features a high-frequency permanent-magnet AC motor Their passive sonar sensors transmit data down a cable to the submarine, which controls the approach to the target. When the weapons are close enough for their active sensors to be used the

Weapons The submarine's prime weapon remains the heavyweight (53cm diameter) torpedo, usually wire-guided, and until fairly recently both sensor and heavyweight torpedo sales 'followed the flag'. German submarines were sold with Atlas Elektronik (or its predecessors) weapons, French boats with DCN torpedoes and Russian boats with products

weapon becomes autonomous and accelerates into the terminal phase.

Black Shark features the ASTRA (Advanced Sonar Transmitting and

Receiving Architecture) seeker with flat planar array while DM2A4 has a conformal array which, the manufacturers claim, provides a greater volume of search area and in addition to acoustic data the seeker can follow a ship's wake. Both feature 250 kg warheads with both impact and influence fuses, the latter permit the warhead to detonate under the ship breaking its back.

A unique feature of the DM2A4 is its modularity, which allows it to be produced for a variety of ranges and tactical roles permitting engagements of between 9.5 n miles (17.5 km) up to 27 n miles (50 km), while a basic version for use against merchantmen is also available.

The most significant competitor to these torpedoes comes from Raytheon's Mk 48 which first appeared nearly four decades ago and whose latest version has been selected by Australia. This weapon is powered by Otto II, which is based upon propylene glycol dinitrate augmented by 2-nitrodiphenylamine, and dibutyl sebacate, to power a sixcylinder hot-gas piston engine, which tends to make it noisier than many of its competitors. But as part of the Advanced Capability (ADCAP) programme the latest Mod 7 introduces audio signature reduction measures

Submarine acoustic signatures are further reduced by placing the machinery upon ‘rafts’, which are on shock absorbers away from the hull. including isolating the engine, muffling the exhaust, bringing in flexible fluid hoses and isolating the drive-shaft bearing as well as 'damping' the body.

The weapon now features a COTS-based open architecture Common Torpedo Processor (CTP) based upon 6U VME64 boards and the Mod 6AT (Advanced Technology) introduced an openarchitecture guidance-andcontrol section based upon COTS signal- and data-processing hardware and an industrystandard Ethernet databus. This uses PowerPC computers and G4DSP signal processors and provides significant growth

The Chilean Scorpene class submarines ARC O'Higgins and Carrera. These are similar to the boats being built for both Malaysia and India (PHOTO: DCNS)

MAY 2008

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NAVAL TECHNOLOGY

potential for future processing upgrades including the introduction of a Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) for the Mod 7.

China, India, South Korea and Japan have all developed heavyweight torpedoes. The Chinese Yu (Fish) family are believed to be based upon Russian technology and the Indian weapon, which has been under development for some 20 years, may also have a similar basis but it is possible that this will join a long list of advanced Indian weapon systems, which have to be abandoned. It has been described as being 6-8m long, weighing 1,500-2,000 kg, with a range of 10.75-16 n miles (20-30km) and a top speed of 40kts, a poor performance that suggests it will not enter production.

Little reliable information is available about Japanese torpedo programmes.

During the early 1980s development of a replacement weapon began as the GRX-2 and entered service as the Type 89 with a range of 27 n miles (50 km) at 40 kt and 21 n miles (38 km) at 55 kt. South Korea has devel-

Electro-optics are increasingly incorporated in periscopes…

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Elements of the ISUSU 90 sonar PHOTO: system (Atlas Elektronik).

oped the electrically-powered White Shark with two-phase adjustable-speed counterrotating motor and pump jet but details are sparse and even its status is unclear.

The Asian Market The Asian market for submarines is formidable. India, whose long term requirement is for a 20-boat fleet, is seeking another six with the Amur regarded as the front runner.

However, a 1,000 ton design developed by Fincantieri and Rubin, has also been offered as S 1000 and HDW are believed to be offering Type 214. A French derivative of Scorpène, designated Marlin, is reported to have been unofficially offered by Armaris to Pakistan which has a current requirement for three to five more submarines and ultimately is seeking a flotilla of 17 but the Type 214 is reported to be the front runner.

Thailand has recently re-iterated its interest in acquiring two 2,500 ton boats between 2012 and 2017 having had a requirement since 1995 and Bangladesh has submarine aspirations. Indonesia is seeking to expand its submarine force to a flotilla of 12 hulls by 2024 and has approached Russian, Chinese and Korean yards, but in the short term it is

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

reported to be seeking Kilos.

South Korea also has ambitious plans and has a KSS-3 programme for boats with a displacement of 3,000 tons. Australia has begun examining its requirements for a Collins class successor and hopes to designed it in-country. They will be built by ASC, which is associated with General Dynamics whose Electric Boat Division produces most of the US Navy's nuclear submarines and is regarded as a front-runner to meet the Taiwan requirement despite not having built diesel-electric boats for about half-a-century.

Many navies are seeking to refit and upgrade their submarines. Australia's Collins class are receiving the Raytheon AN/BGY-1 combat system and the first system has been fitted into HMAS Waller.

The Russians have been upgrading the Indian Kilos with ship management systems, sonars and weapon control systems for the Klub underwater-to-surface missile family including land-attack missiles, although as has been mentioned there have been problems and it may not be until the autumn before this boat is AMR returned to Indian service. ■

HELICOPTER T E C H N O L O G Y

Useful and Aggressive The Growing Dual-Role Helicopter market.

The UH-1Y is currently the ultimate development of the UH-1 (PHOTO: Bell)

Although the helicopter made its first hesitant appearance over the battlefields of World War II, the technology was in its infancy and its roles limited to observation and search and rescue. During the Korean War, the helicopter's true potential first became apparent with the deployment of military versions of the piston-engine Bell 47 and Sikorsky S-55 which were widely used throughout the conflict. US Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters transported troops to the front line and rescued downed airmen from behind enemy lines. However, it was a decade later in Southeast Asia that the most important type of military helicopter entered service in the utility role.

by David Oliver

MAY 2008

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HELICOPTER T E C H N O L O G Y

he jet-powered Bell UH-1 Iroquois, soon to be known as the Huey, was deployed to South Vietnam by the early 1960s and would remain in frontline service with the US Army for the next four decades.

The development of compact jet turbo shaft power plants increased the helicopter's power to weight ratio, reduced fatigueinducing vibration and simplified engine maintenance. These attributes enabled the Bell 205, a 15-seat utility helicopter, to become one of the most successful aircraft of all times, with more than 7,000 produced between 1961 and 1973, many of which remain in service to this day.

One of the dictionary definitions of 'utility' is 'useful thing', and the Huey became the benchmark for useful helicopters. It became the first 'multirole' helicopter, combining those of troop transport, medivac, supply, and escort. Although most Hueys flew unarmed, it is doubtful if any helicopter has been cleared to carry such a range of weapons, a natural result of its worldwide employment.

In South Vietnam, Hueys escorting troop carrying 'Slicks' were armed with pintle-mounted M60 7.62mm machine guns but in 1963 the first fully armed US Army UH-1s arrived in South Vietnam.

They were Huey Bs, each fitted with four .30-calibre machine guns, a 40mm grenade-launcher chin turret-mounted under the nose and a pair of three-tube 2.75in rocket pods. The gunship had arrived. In the event, these heavily armed Hueys proved overweight and underpowered and were replaced by the world's first dedicated attach helicopter, the Bell AH-1 Cobra, which retained many of the dynamic components of the UH-1B.

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UH-1 Upgrades More than four decades later, updated Hueys are deployed to many of the world's hotspots, including Afghanistan where according to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime some 87 percent of illicit opium worldwide is still produced and the largest opium-producing province is Helmand. As part of the US and UKfinanced Afghan Poppy Elimination Program (PEP), the US Department of State contracts civilian companies, one of which is DynCorp.

The company's roots are in aviation and currently maintain rotary and fixed-wing aircraft for all branches of the US Armed Forces throughout the world, and for foreign governments flying American air-

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The ability to fit weapons to almost any cargo or utility helicopters remains relevant, regardless of role. (Photo: Nexter)

craft. The company has also built a reputation for successful counter-narcotics operations in South America where it carried out direct attack on drug crops with intensive spray operations.

A direct consequence of these operations was DynCorp's decision to develop an upgraded version of the Bell UH-1H with Global Helicopter Technology marketed as the Golden Eagle. The helicopter has only two non-standard Huey parts.

The first was an upgraded engine, going from the Honeywell L-53-L-13B to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67D, providing a power increase from 1,300 to 1,675 shp and the company expects to increase the shaft horsepower to 1,790 shp with new software. The second change is a Global-designed Tail Rotor Enhancement Kit (TREK) that moved the rotor from the left side to the right, providing a 40 percent increase in tail rotor authority, with an optional Vertical Fin Spar Repair Kit, both of which received an Airworthiness Release from the US Army Aviation and Missile Command. The upgrade package has resulted in a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption with improved payload and range.

The first Golden Eagle was completed

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

at the DynCorp's Fort Worth, Texas facility and the company has won contracts for the upgrade of some 40 Hueys for US Government agencies by 2009 as part of a $406 million firm-fixed-price contract, ten of which have been deployed to support

One of the dictionary definitions of 'utility' is 'useful thing', and the Huey became the benchmark for useful helicopters. the Afghan PEP. They are equipped with pintle-mounted 7.92mm M134 mini-guns capable of firing 3,000 rounds a minute, a MAWS and NVG compatible cockpits.

Apart from protecting the ground-based eradication teams, the PEP Hueys provide emergency medical evacuation, logistical re-supply, air transportation, reconnaissance, and command and control for counter narcotics operations. Unlike those in South America, their crews are not actively involved in the destruction of the poppy fields.

In addition to the DynCorp's Golden Eagle, Bell Helicopter, teamed with Bogan

HELICOPTER T E C H N O L O G Y

Aerotech, offer a Huey II upgrade with the more powerful 1,800 shp Textron Lycoming T53-L-703 turboshaft. The first upgrade kit was certified and delivered in 1998. It included the installation of the Bell 212 main rotor system, tail boom and tractor tail rotor, and an uprated transmission.

The result is a substantial increase in hover ceiling at 9,500 lb, a gross weight increase to 10,500 lb internal and 11,200 lb external and the internal payload upped by 642 lb.

Additional benefits are an Increase in component life, reduced maintenance manhours per flight hour and a 41 percent reduction in direct operating costs.

Optional cockpit management systems include GPS, Doppler and other navigation systems, stabilised FLIR and NVG. The Huey II can be fitted with VHF, UHF and HF communications and secure voice, hook and hoist, an improved particle separator, engine wash kit, digital fuel gauging system and an underseat auxiliary fuel tank. Some 150 Huey IIs have been delivered to military and paramilitary forces worldwide, many of them under the US sanctioned Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Light Role Over the years, many helicopters have attempted to replace the Huey and its dual utility and attack roles, but few have succeeded. They range from smaller singleengine light utility aircraft to twin-engine medium helicopters. At the lower range of the scale, the popular French 5/6 seat French SA 316 Alouette has been used in the assault role especially in India where it is built under license, armed with a single 7.62mm machine gun or 20mm cannon. Its current stablemate, the single-engine Eurocopter AS 350/550, has been adopted by several military and paramilitary forces, particularly in South America.

The AS 550 C3 was announced to be the winning contender for the Indian Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) competition.

It can carry a wide range of weapons, including a 20mm GIAT M621 gun, FN Herstal TMP twin 7.62mm machine gun pods, or 12.7mm machine guns, Thomson Brandt 68.12 launchers for 12.68mm unguided rockets, and an ESCO HeliTOW anti-tank missile system. The AS 550 Fennec is in service with the armed forces of Brazil, Denmark, France and Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

However, at the end of 2007, this decision

MAY 2008

DynCorp's Fort Worth, Texas facility and the company has won contracts for the upgrade of some 40 Hueys for US Government agencies by 2009 had been overturned due to 'irregularities in the winning bid', and the competition is being re-run.

The losing Indian LOH contender was Bell Helicopter's single-engine 7-seat Model 407, a development of which was selected In July 2005, Bell had been selected as the US Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) to replace the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. In US Army service the ARH-70 will be armed with a GAU-19 12.7mm threebarrel Gatling gun, and Hydra-70 70mm unguided rockets. The only other country to A military utility variant of AgustaWestland's best-selling AW 139 twin-turbine medium multirole helicopter.

(PHOTO: AgustaWestland)

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HELICOPTER T E C H N O L O G Y

A DynCorp Golden Eagle, an upgraded Huey, deployed to Kandahar in Afghanistan. (PHOTO: David Oliver)

Big Ships At the top end of the scale is the Sikorsky UH-60, very much a multirole helicopter in the Huey mould. The 15-seater twin-engine Black Hawk has been in continuous production for more than 30 years. In its latest form the UH-60L incorporates four removable external pylons that can carry a variety of weapons including Hellfire anti-armour missiles, gun or M56 mine dispensing pods and unguided rockets. Two pintle mounts in the cabin can each accommodate a .50in caliber General Electric GECAL 50 or 7.62mm six-barrel Minigun.

adopt the Bell 407 is India's neighbour, Pakistan, whose army has a requirement for up to 40 of the type.

In the same class is MD Helicopters 530MG Defender. A development of the US Army's Hughes OH-6A Cayuse the five-seat Defender is designed to carry TOW 2 antiarmour missiles, FN Herstal pods containing 7.62mm machine guns and 2.75 in rockets.

Future armament could include Stinger airto-air missiles and a 7.62mm Chain Gun.

ago. The Druv is a twin-engine medium multi-role helicopter. It accommodates two crew and 12/14 troops, and first flew in 1992. After a protracted development, the Indian government approved the purchase of 105 Druvs for the Indian Army earlier this year. The ALH can be fitted with eight antitank missiles, four pods of 68 or 70mm unguided rockets or four air-to-air missiles on outrigger boom as well as cabin-mounted machine guns.

Medium

The Eurocopter EC 635 light utility version of the EC 145 optimised for armed military and paramilitary operations. (PHOTO: Eurocopter)

Medium military utility helicopters include the twin-engine developments of the Huey, the Bell Models 212 and 412, which have sold in large numbers, but few have been armed.

Eurocopter's range of medium twins include the AS 565AB Panther, the EC 635 and EC 145, the latter having been selected for the US Army's Light Utility Helicopter program. All are capable of being armed with the 12.7mm machine gun or 20mm M261 cannon, and 70mm unguided rockets.

India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the company that produced the Alouette under licence, embarked on the development of a new Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) more than twenty years

The only other country to adopt the Bell 407 is India's neighbour, Pakistan, whose army has a requirement for up to 40 of the type.

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ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

HELICOPTER T E C H N O L O G Y

A Bell 412 seen deploying a SWAT team. With the current emphasis on homeland defence, such capabilities are seen as more desired than before (PHOTO: Bell)

A new contender making headway in the dual utility attack sector is the AgustaWestland AW139. The twin-turbo shaft medium multi-role helicopter was originally a joint development between AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopters until Bell pulled out of the programme in 2005.

The military version of the 15-seat AW139 is configured for all-weather operations, with ballistic tolerant main rotor and optional ice protection. It will be equipped with an EW suite, low radar/IR signatures, low acoustic emission, crashworthy self-sealing tanks, IR suppressors and wire cutters. Armament includes two internal pintle-mounted machine guns and provisions for external stub-wing weapon supports for gun pods, rocket launchers and air-to-air missiles.

Four Glass Multi-Function Displays (MFD) are fitted as standard, compared to three in the civil version. The type has sold to the Irish and Nigerian air Forces and the US Coast Guard.

tions. Detachments of AAC Lynx helicopters are deployed to Iraq, and Afghanistan where their performance in the hot summer months has been severely constrained.

The original BLUH program was for a helicopter to replace some one hundred

The 15-seater twin-engine Black Hawk has been in continuous production for more than 30 years.

Lynx Mk 7s and Mk 9s that remain in service. However the utility role was dropped from the BRH requirement after a program assessment phase, which demonstrated that the AgustaWestland Future Lynx met both

the BRH and Royal Navy's Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) requirements. The current contract covers the development and production of 70 Future Lynx, which included 40 for the Army with an option for an additional five aircraft.

Both versions of twin-engine Future Lynx will have a common fully marinised airframe. The most notable design changes when compared to the latest Lynx variant, the Super Lynx 300 are a new tail rotor and low-set symmetric tailplane and a larger nose and all new rear fuselage and tail structure that incorporates monolithic machined skin panels, greatly reducing parts count and maintenance. The new airframe is designed to provide a life of 10,000 flight hours.

Allowance for growth of the all-up mass of the helicopter during its 30-year life has been incorporated into initial entry-intoservice design.

The in-service date Maximum All-Up Mass (MAUM) is 12,750lb while it has a built in mass growth provision to an out-of-service date MAUM of 13,750lb.

The Super Lynx British Experimental Rotor Program (BERP) main rotor blades of swept tip composite construction will be used with an all-new four-blade tail rotor to give improved yaw control at high weights.

Crashworthy and armoured crew seating and crashworthy passenger seating will be incorporated plus a 'role fit' armoured cabin floor, wire strike protection system and an engine infrared suppression (IRS) system.

The BRH will have a 'glass' cockpit and

An EC 635 light utility version of the Royal Joranian Air Force (PHOTO: Eurocopter)

Lynx Its latest stable mate is the development of a helicopter that was designed from the outset as a military utility workhorse, the Lynx.

Under a ÂŁ1 billion contract with AgustaWestland, British Forces are to get a state-of-the-art battlefield reconnaissance and maritime combat helicopter, the Future Lynx. It has been designed to meet the requirement for the UK Army's Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH), formerly the Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter (BLUH) The current Army Lynx helicopters entered service in 1978, predominantly in a utility role although they have been used for both anti-tank and reconnaissance opera-

MAY 2008

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Thales UK will supply an advanced avionics system that includes core avionics, communications and navigation systems all controlled and managed by twin Control Display and Navigation Units (CDNU).

The communications system based on the Thales Avionics Secure Communications Control System (SCCS), a derivative of the Thales TopSIS, deployed on RAF Chinooks and ASTOR. The SCCS, developed for the Royal Navy's Lynx Mk 8 HMA, will provide plain and secure voice communication via the VHF/UHF SATURN and HF radios. The system also provides Bowman radio functionality, exchanging secure voice and data communications to allow for network-centric operations. The navigation suite is based on an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) inertial system.

The Super Lynx BRH will be able to visually detect targets using a stabilised ElectroOptic Device (EOD) to provide a day, night and all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance

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(ISTAR) capability. It will also be able to carry out third-party designation of targets, particularly for the Army's Apache AH. Mk 1 attack helicopter, by using the nosemounted laser target designator and rangefinder fitted within the EOD. A pintle-mounted General Purpose Machine Gun or M3M Heavy Machine Gun will be fitted for offensive capability and self-protection. Currently there is no provision to arm the BRH with anti-tank missiles, or the future air-to-surface missile that will be carried by the SCMR version.

However, the built-in MAUM growth provision would allow for future weapons carriage while wiring and processing for any future weapons fit if selected, will be built into the BRH on the production line.

The Selex Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System, HIDAS 15, the latest variant of the HIDAS now in service on the Apache AH Mk.1 helicopters, has been selected for the BRH.

Although the BRH will be predominately an ISTAR asset, able to direct fire from both the ground and the air, it will also be able to carry six fully equipped troops, the size of a Brigade command team, although it will not have the capability of the US Army Airborne Command & Control System (A2C2S), a flying command post based on the UH-60 Black Hawk.

The first flight of the Future Lynx helicopter is scheduled to take place in late 2009 with deliveries commencing in 2011. The BRH is scheduled to enter operational service with the Army in 2013 and it is expected to remain in service for at least thirty years.

Future developments of the Future Lynx airframe could include utility attack variant for the export market with the deletion of the internal ISTAR suite.

Although a single type will never replace the ubiquitous Huey, the leading helicopter manufacturers are addressing the demand AMR in this sector of the market. â–

A Romanian Air Force Puma firing twin 20mm gun pods (Photo: Nexter)

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

LAND W A R F A R E

Remote weapon stations

Worth the Weight?

The market for remote weapon stations is expected to be worth more than $5.5 billion over the next five years just in the NATO countries. Remote weapon stations can do things that previously only turrets could do, and can turn almost any vehicle into a potentially capable weapon system, but are they worth cost and weight?

by Ian Kemp

The Redback 40mm RWS uses the Metal Storm stacked ammunition concept. Coupled to sensors it can defeat RPGs. (PHOTO: Metal Storm)

MAY 2008

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LAND WARFARE

he most vulnerable members of any armoured vehicle crew, whether a 6 tonne 'scout car' or a 60 tonne main battle tank, are those riding with their head and shoulders exposed in an open hatch usually manning a pintle-mounted machine gun. The experience of USled coalition forces in Iraq over the past five years has highlighted the vulnerability of these gunners from improvised explosive device blasts and small arms fire, particularly from snipers in built up areas. This is not a new lesson.

However, it assumes an importance beyond its strictly military implications when lawmakers, the media and relatives scrutinise every casualty suffered by coalition forces in the Global War on Terrorism to determine if they could have been prevented by better force protection measures.

Almost without exception the US and its coalition partners are retrofitting vehicles with remotely operated weapon stations (RWS) which enable the gunner to fire an externally mounted-weapon

T

Almost without exception the US and its coalition partners are retrofitting vehicles with remotely operated weapon stations

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann FLW 100 on Fennek. (PHOTO: KMW)

from within the relative safety of a vehicle. One manufacturer estimates that NATO members will spend $5.5 billion on RWS over next five years while another estimates there is a global market for more than 30,000 such systems over the next decade.

CROWS The US Air Force issued a press release in October 2007 to mark the introduction of the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) on its armoured High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV).

The limitations of a 'traditional' pintle-mounted weapon were summarised by a CROWS instructor: "A turret gunner usually has only one 'sensor' available to him as he stands exposed behind a turret-mounted weapon. The standard human 'MK-1 eyeball' has drawbacks. It isn't armoured, can't see heat, gets tired, and doesn't have a laser rangefinder."

The US Army's experience in Iraq has shown that an RWS, such as CROWS, offers significant advantages including: ● improved survivability for the gunner; ● improved surveillance and target acquisition capability through the use of FLIR and the provision of an optical zoom; ● fire-control software which offers 'first-burst' target engagement and accurate engagement at longer ranges; ● stabilisation and a weapon recoil control system which improves accuracy ● and, reduced gunner fatigue by eliminating exposure to the elements.

The Battle of Mogadishu on 3-4 October 1993 painfully brought home to the US Army the need to both armour the Humvee and to protect the vehicle's gunner. In 2000 the service selected the Raven R-400 proposal put forward by Recon Optical Inc (ROI) and Australia's Electro Optic Systems (EOS) for its project to field a lightweight CROWS on the Belgium and Slovenia have selected the Elbit Systems 30 Unmanned Turret to equip a portion of their new wheeled armoured fighting vehicles fleets. (PHOTO: Elbit)

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LAND W A R F A R E

M1114 Uparmoured HMMWV and other wheeled tactical vehicles used by military police, Special Forces, infantry and transport units. The Raven R400/CROWS can be armed with the M249 5.56mm light, M240B 7.62mm medium and M2 .50 calibre (12.7mm) heavy machine guns or the MK19 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL), which are coupled to various sensors including a laser rangefinder, thermal weapon sights, daylight video camera and an image intensifier. Seated inside the vehicle the gunner's control station is similar to that of many computer games.

After successful trials with four M1114/CROWS prototypes in Iraq from late December 2003 to March 2004 the US Army shipped the first production batch of 35 M101 CROWS to Iraq in January

Saab Trackfire Fire OWS on vehicle (PHOTO: SAAB)

2005. The ROI/EOS team has produced 560 CROWS 1 units in total. In 2006 the army began mounting the CROWS on its M1 Abrams tanks and it may be included in the M1 Tank Urban Survival Kit. To provide a lighter RWS, dubbed the

The Battle of Mogadishu on 3-4 October 1993 painfully brought home to the US Army the need to both armour the Humvee and to protect the vehicle's gunner.

CROWS Lighting, the US Army funded the ROI/EOS team to develop the Raven R-200 for use with the M249 and M240 machine guns with growth potential to the .50 calibre XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon. The R-200 weighs with an M240 and 200 rounds of ammunition weighs less than 173 lb compared to the R-400, which weighs about 248 lb with the same weapon fit. CROWS Lighting is expected to be the subject of a separate procurement competition with a contract award anticipated in 2009.

The 2006 tender for the full rate production of CROWS was won by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace which signed a $1.4 billion framework agreement with the US Army in August 2007 for the delivery of up to 6,500 CROWS 2 systems over the next five years. The CROWS is based on Kongserg's M151 Protector RWS, which is already widely deployed on four variants of the army's General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Stryker vehicles including the baseline M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle. With more than 1,800 M151 in service or on order for the Stryker programme army officials believed fielding the systems for the CROWS 2 will offer economies of scale and simplified logistics.

As mounted on the Stryker the M151 weighs 372 lbs with four M6 smoke grenade launchers fitted. Lieutenant A BAE Systems Bofors Lemur RWS mounted on a Danish Army Eagle IV reconnaissance vehicle. (PHOTO: BAE Systems Bofors)

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Colonel Al Kelly, who commanded a Stryker infantry battalion in Iraq in 2006, told the National Defence Industrial Association 2007 Munitions Executive Summit that the M151 "increases first round hit immensely" while the "shock and impact of the [.50 calibre] round decides any contest". Such accuracy reduces the number of rounds needed to destroy or neutralise a target thus both reducing ammunition consumption and the risk of collateral damage. With the production of the fifth Stryker brigade set of vehicles a Block 1 upgrade (M151E1) was introduced which includes: a new Thermal Imaging Module which more than triples the identification range of the original thermal camera and provides two optical fields of view and two electronic fields of view; the new Small Tactical Optical Rifle Mounted (STORM) Laser Range Finder; a larger ammunition can; and, enhanced gunner's control grip. The Block II (M151E2) upgraded fielded with the sixth Stryker brigade includes an increased slew rate and also enables the gunner to accurately engage targets while the Stryker is moving at speeds of up to 25 mph.

As well as 95-98 per cent commonality with the M151 Protector the CROWS 2 provide several improvements including: picture stabilisation; target lock-on; a larger ammunition box able to hold 500 rounds of .50 calibre ammunition or 96 40mm rounds; composite materials to reduce system weight; and, armour protection.

Production of the M151 and CROWS 2 at Kongsberg's Norwegian facility and its US factory in Johnstown, Pennsylvania reached 200 per month earlier this year.

Important as the CROWS project is, it represents only 40 per cent of the anticipated US demand for RWS over the next several years; the army, US Marine Corps, US Navy and US Air Force are all planning to acquire RWS for various applications.

The Norwegian Army was the launch customer for the Protector and the NM221 variant mounted on its M113 armoured personnel carrier has an internal ammunition feed which allows the gunner to load the weapon from within

the vehicle. Other customers include Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann produces the FLW 100 (5.56mm and 7.62mm) and the FLW 200 (7.62mm, .50 calibre and 40mm) RWS using the same on board units and vehicle interfaces. Without gun and ammunition the FLW 100 weighs less than 80 kg while the FLW 200 weighs less than 170 kg. Ballistic protection against 7.62mm armour piercing rounds can be provided for selected components.

Australia The Australian Army operates both the M151 Protector fitted to about 60 GDLSCanada ASLAV-Personnel Carriers since 2004 and the EOS Stabilised Remote Weapon System (SRWS) mounted on the Thales Australia Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicle. By June 2008 EOS is scheduled to deliver the last of 116 SRWS units on order although additional systems are expected to be ordered as the army expands its Bushmaster fleet.

EOS is now in pre-pro-

The Elbit Systems Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon Station (ORCWS) 7.62mm has been integrated in the Humvee, the Eagle IV, the M113 and main battle tanks. (PHOTO: Elbit)

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duction of an armoured dual-weapon SRWS and will begin serial production later this year for an unspecified launch customer.

EOS officials say the company has repeatedly been asked to develop an SRWS that mounts both a machine gun and 40mm AGL; this poses a particular challenge as weapon firing shocks are not symmetrical. "This is a major advance over competing products which mount only a single weapon at a time and require weapons to be changed to meet different threats,"company officials told reporters in March.

EOS (fire control system and sensor) and Metal Storm (weapon and ammunition), another Australian company, are collaborating with Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ammunition) to develop the 40mm Redback electronic weapon system. The SRWS slew rate of 700 deg/sec enables the Redback to engage up to three dispersed targets in 1.2 seconds. The Redback's four barrels are each loaded with three stacked 40mm high explosive, air burst or less than lethal munitions that are fired electronically at a maximum rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute. With a system

LAND W A R F A R E

Such accuracy reduces the number of rounds needed to destroy or neutralise a target thus both reducing ammunition consumption and the risk of collateral damage. weight of only 70kg the Redback can be mounted on the roof of light utility vehicles such as the HMMWV for selfdefence or when coupled with an external cueing system the Redback can be used to defeat rocket propelled grenades. EOS Optronics, the German subsidiary of EOS, has developed a prototype laser tracker, which will be integrated into the SRWS for trials later this year. The design is intended to allow the SRWS to function both as a standard RWS and an active protection system.

Singapore Technologies Kinetics markets the 40/7.62 RWS, which mounts the company's CIS 40AGL with 60 ready rounds and a 7.62mm machine gun with 250 ready rounds. The sensor package includes day and night cameras and a laser range finder. The complete system weighs less than 300kg including weapons and ammunition. The 40/7.62 RWS has been shown mounted on the ST Kinetics Bionix infantry fighting vehicle and the ST Kinetics Terrex 8 x 8

armoured vehicle family.

Rheinmetall Canada collaborated with FN Herstal of Belgium to develop the ARROWS (Advanced Reconnaissance and Remotely Operated Weapon System), which can be armed with the FN's MAG 58 7.62mm or M2 12.7mm machine guns. More than 630 ARROWS are on order to equip the Belgian Army's new Dingo and Piranha III vehicles and the command post variants of the VBCI infantry fighting vehicle which Nexter is building for the French Army.

The Canadian company subsequently decided to develop its own RWS: â—? The Amarok Lightweight Weapon Station is optimised to provide a selfdefence capability for lightweight and logistic vehicles; it weighs 100kg including either a 7.62mm machine gun and 220 rounds or a 5.56mm machine gun and 300 rounds. â—? The Nanuk Medium weight Weapon Station incorporates an advanced surveillance and target acquisition suite and is designed for 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 calibre machine guns or 40mm AGLs. The Canadian Army became the launcher customer for the Nanuk with an order for 33 systems to arm its final batch of 33 GDLS-Canada LAVIII armoured vehicles, the first of which was delivered earlier this year. The Amarok will be fully qualified in August and ready for serial production by the

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end of 2008.

BAE Systems Bofors launched production of its Lemur RWS in 2007 following a SEK 330 million order for about 130 systems for installation in Eagle IV reconnaissance vehicles, Piranha IIIC APCs, Wisent recovery vehicles and MAN 8 x 8 logistic vehicles. The service is considering ordering additional systems, some of which may be mounted in its M113 APCs and Leopard 2 tanks. In Danish service the Lemur is armed with a .50 calibre machine gun or a 40mm AGL but the system is designed to accommodate weapons up to 30mm in calibre. The Lemur is equipped with a thermal infrared camera coupled to a day camera and laser range finder.

At DSEi 2007 Saab Systems launched its Trackfire RWS designed for use on all types of military vehicles and vessels. It can be armed with 5.56mm, 7.62mm or .50 calibre machine guns or a 40mm AGL. The modular design allows the customer to specify auxiliary armour kits, a quick-change weapon solution, a generic auxiliary armament interface, multi-grenade launcher interfaces and exchangeable sensor packages. The weapon can be reloaded from below armour or deck. The Trackfire weapon/sensor mount weighs 136 kg.

The Italian Army has now installed the OtoMelara Hitrole 7.62 RWS on its 6 x 6 Puma armoured vehicles in Afghanistan. (PHOTO: Oto-Melara)

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LAND WARFARE

Italian Army 6 x 6 Puma vehicle in Afghanistan were fitted with the Oto Melara Hitrole 12.7mm RWS earlier this year following an initial order for 19 systems. The army intends to install the The Australian Army acquire the M151 Protector RWS as an urgent operational requirement to equip its ASLAV-Personnel Carriers deployed in Iraq. (PHOTO:ADF)

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Hitrole on its tracked Dardo command post vehicles and some variants of the new 8 x 8 VBC combat vehicle. The 200 kg Hitrole 12.7mm RWS incorporates two day TV cameras (one close range and one wide-range), an infrared camera, a laser range finder and a laser illuminator. The Hitrole can be elevated to 50 degrees to engage targets in urban environments and mountainous terrain.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Israel Israel's Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems both produce RWS for small calibre weapons and unmanned turrets for medium calibre cannon. Elbit's Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon Station (ORCWS) 7.62mm has been integrated on range of vehicles including the Humvee, the Eagle IV, the M113 and Merkava tank.

The system weighs 95 kg, without weapon and ammunition, and can accommodate up to 1,150 rounds. The ORCW 12.7mm has been ordered by Belgium, Slovenia and Romania. Elbit's 25-30 Unmanned Turret can be armed with a either an ATK M242 25mm or ATK Mk 44 30mm cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun; anti-tank missiles can also be integrated to meet customer requirements. The 30 UT has been ordered by Belgium and Romania to equip their new infantry

LAND W A R F A R E

fighting vehicles.

Rafael has followed its Overhead Weapon Station family, in service in Canada, Israel and Turkey, with the Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS), which provides an improved man machine interface and a range of sight and weapon options.

Unlike the OWS the Samson requires no penetration of the vehicle deck except for the electrical harness. The Samson Junior Lightweight RCWS can be armed with 5.56mm M249 or 7.62mm M240 machine guns, sniper rifles or non-lethal weapons. The Mini-Samson can be armed with the M240 7.62mm machine gun, the M2 .50 calibre machine gun and the Mk 19 AGL. The RCWS 30 is designed as an alternative to manned turrets; a typical configuration would include a 30mm cannon and a twin launcher for Rafael's Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile.

A US Army International Military and Government MaxxPro Category I mine-

resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive defence (IED) in southern Baghdad, Iraq on 19 January.

The massive blast hurled the MRAP into the air causing it to overturn. Three soldiers inside the vehicle's V-shaped hull were injured but the only fatality was the vehicle gunner who was riding in an open hatch shielded by a gunner's protection kit. Such incidents will only serve to expedite the deployment of the CROW II AMR and other similar RWS. â– A US Air Force instructor demonstrates the operating concept of the M101 Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station installed in a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle.

(PHOTO: USAF)

A I R DEFENCE

A Modernisation Bonanza Russian Air Defence Systems:

by Reuben F. Johnson

SA-17 Buk-M2 that has been modernised by Almaz-Antei in Russia and has been fitted with a NIIP AESA radar (PHOTO:Reuben Johnson)

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The former USSR represented the world’s largest talent pool for designing and producing air defence systems, and for good reason. Soviet war planners always assumed that in any conflict with the US and its NATO allies that the American forces would enjoy their historical advantage of air superiority. Thus, tremendous sums were invested by the Soviet Union in both the development of a variety of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).

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A I R DEFENCE

he Soviet investment in air defence systems was so large that it eventually drove the US to develop the first generation of stealthy aircraft, namely the Lockheed F-117A and the Northrop B-2.

Not to be outdone, Soviet – and later Russian – designers built a new generation of longer-ranged, high altitude SAMs in order to have some possibility of downing these stealth platforms, plus having the kinetic kill potential needed against the Lockheed Martin F-22A. The emphasis on developing bigger, better, faster SAMs is a tradition that continues up to the present day in Russia with the development of the S-300 and S-400 model SAMs. There is also an S-500 system in the works that is roughly analogous in performance and range to the US Theatre HighAltitude Air Defence (THAAD) System.

However, not every nation is in the market for one of these large – and increasingly high-priced SAM systems. There are a large number of older-model Russianmade SAMs in inventory around the world, many of which can be made several orders of magnitude more effective if put through a modernisation programme.

This gives a country an entirely new-generation SAM system that may be up to – at some points of the engagement envelope 80 or 90 percent as effective as a currentmodel SAM, but at a fraction of the cost.

But, modernisation of these older SAMs is – paradoxically – not a business area that Russian design bureaux are the leaders in.

The reason is that Russian defence enterprises have traditionally focused primarily on producing and selling models of new systems as opposed to modernising older model designs. They have entered the upgrade market comparatively later than their competitors, with two basic factors holding them back.

To begin with developing upgrade programmes involves a large, up-front nonrecurring cost for engineering and integrating new components (NRE) into a legacy platform. Secondly, the payoff is generally much smaller for selling a few improved components and modular upgrade kits as opposed to the sale of a brand-new SAM battery. Plus, on an upgrade programme the SAM manufacturer does not end up selling much of what they produce themselves.

They end up selling radar components, display screens for control stations or other pieces of hardware that are either the products of their subsystem suppliers or commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components.

T

An SA-6 rusting in a Russian Museum. Potentially upgradeable?.

More recently, however, some Russian firms have realised that there are some benefits to this (comparatively) modestly profitable line of business and are beginning to become more active in this market. What has changed Russian attitudes about upgrade programmes more recently are several factors: 1) There is a critical mass of Russiandesigned SAM systems around the world that represents a considerable potential market for Russian firms to remain active in. If they can modernise older-generation SAMs in these nations to a state-of-the-art level of performance, this can be an entry point into that market and potentially pave the way for the sale of contemporary SAM networks at a later date.

2) SAMs are an area of weapon systems development where the Russians have always enjoyed a competitive advantage over the rest of the world. Aside from having a considerable number of trained and experienced specialists and designers in this field, there are several major Russian firms that together represent economies of scale in both design and production that the rest of the world cannot match. Even if a western firm, such as Lockheed Martin, is as large or larger than a Russian enterprise they will not be competitive on cost verus Almaz-Antei,

But, modernisation of these older SAMs is – paradoxically – not a business area that Russian design bureaux are the leaders in.

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the large Russian air defence consortium.

3) The growth in the availability and utility of COTS components and technologies has greatly decreased the cost, complexity and time-to-market for developing the upgrade(s) to a SAM system. Most of the improvements in SAM systems seen today utilise components of non-Russian design, but are merely third-nation produced processors, computer modules, work/control stations, etc. that are integrated into a SAM system by Russian or other former Soviet republic designers. Moreover, the technology is modular and there is much more “plug and play” and far less need for the elaborate integration programmes of previous decades.

4) Russian designers have done an effective job of utilising weapon systems innovations that were originally developed for airborne/air-to-air applications and converting them to use in SAM systems. This provides an opportunity to improve a SAM network without the expensive development from scratch of a new missile or radar set.

The dilemma that this presents to those who may be facing one of these upgraded Russian SAM systems is twofold. One is that the integration of newly available technologies into Russian-designed SAMs is an unknown commodity. Historically, this type of comparatively low-cost modernisation that yields high levels of improvement has not been possible. Growth in performance is likely to be much more significant than the incremental improvements that previous generations of Russian modernisation efforts have been known for.

The other difficulty is that it is not just Russian firms that are exploring improve-

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A I R DEFENCE

ments in the performance of SAM systems.

Defence enterprises throughout the former USSR and Warsaw Pact all have their own modernisation packages that they are selling for export. A SAM network that has been modernised by the Russians will be different from one that has been upgraded by an enterprise in Belarus, so projecting performance and the threat that they might represent is almost impossible unless one knows which firm has performed the upgrade and the precise technical parameters that this upgrade entails.

Some of the examples of these modernisation programmes are:

Belarus Upgrades Belarus enterprises have shown a skill for improving the characteristics and performance of older-model SAM systems, but at a minimum cost and without major replacements of hardware. The S-125 Pechora (SA-3 Goa) and Osa (SA-8 Gechko) SAM systems are two older models that Belarussian firms have had considerable success in modifying.

The Belarus firm Tetraedr has developed a number of programming and component upgrades that, according to the company’s senior marketing executive, Vladimir Ustinov, “increase a SAM system’s operational ceiling, slant range and the ability to hit highspeed targets by 25-35 per

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Even if a western firm, such as Lockheed Martin, is as large or larger than a Russian enterprise they will not be competitive… cent in each of these categories.”

Another of Tetraedr’s improvements, which is one of their most proprietary technologies creates almost “jamming immunity” for any SAM system that incorporates these modifications. “Our modifications,” said Ustinov during the Belarus national defence show, MILEX, “increase resistance to jamming by ten times or more – and almost a hundred fold in some scenarios.

Once we have modernised a Pechora system with these enhancements you now need something in an airborne jammer with the size and power of a railway locomotive in order to jam it.”

All of this is done, he emphasised, without touching the missile at all. These are primarily programming and software improvements.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Other Belarus firms have zeroed in on the market of modernising the on-board systems and crew stations for the mobile Osa/SA-8 SAM launcher. As mentioned above, these Belarus firms have used numerous commercially available components in order to make the SA-8 close to a state-ofthe-art weapons platform.

Russian Upgrades Russian firms have the advantage that almost the entirety of the Soviet defence industrial complex is at their disposal, and that they do not have to rely on the low-cost innovations that their Belarusian brethren do. One of the most notable Russian modernisation efforts is a deep modernisation of the SA-8, which they refer to as Osa-AKM, which calls for a replacement of most of the SA-8’s components with new, digital technology and integrating the Vympel RVV-AE (AA-12) active-homing air-to-air missile into the platform to be utilized in an air defence application.

Employing the RVV-AE as a SAM is similar to the proposal that has been made by the US firm Raytheon that calls for fitting the AIM-120 to Russian-made Kub (SA-6) and Osa (SA-8) SAM units. What makes the Vympel solution unique, however, is that it Two Sea Sparrows mounted with an 2_12 Kub (PHOTO:Reuben Johnson)

A I R DEFENCE

calls for combining two old air defence platforms into a new integrated RVV-AE based SAM complex.

The Vympel proposal calls for older Osa units to have their software updated and the RVV-AE integrated into its radar and fire control system. This upgraded Osa-AKM is now more than just a mobile, self-propelled SAM unit, but is also now a fire control unit for an entire RVV-AE SAM battery.

An Osa SAM unit does not carry enough missiles on its own vehicle base to be much of a threat and attempting to employ multiple Osa launchers on one emplacement would make all but one of the radars redundant. In a stroke of Russian engineering ingenuity Vympel’s designers have instead proposed using only one Osa launcher for each RVV-AE SAM batter and then supplementing it with a series of old S-60 anti-aircraft 57mm anti-aircraft gun carriages that have been retrofitted with the same RVV-AE containerised launcher that would be mounted on the Osa-AKM. The original S-60 was a towed, roadtransportable, short- to medium-range, single-barrel antiaircraft gun system. When first introduced into service it replaced older 37mm AAA guns that were in use with Warsaw Pact units. This system was also widely used during the war in Vietnam, but is now an obsolete technology at least two generations removed, so utilising it as a launch platform for the RVV-AE creates a modern-day use for an almost ancient piece of hardware.

Originally, the gun carriage was equipped with an on-board optical sighting system, which is now discarded along with the 57mm gun, but the S-60’s configuration was also configured to utilise an off-carriage radar fire control, which would be the same methodology to be used with the RVV-AE. “What we have done here is to create a very reliable and easy to maintain system,” said the Vympel project manager who showed the system at the Moscow Air Show. “By placing the RVV-AEs in containers the missiles are now well-protected against the elements, much more so than some other more conventional SAM configurations where the missiles are exposed to the elements.”

But, Vympel engineers see three very important advantages to this use of the RVVAE in a SAM application besides providing

Moreover, the technology is modular and there is much more “plug and play”

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SA-8 also modernised by Almaz-Antei, which they designate as Osa-AKM (PHOTO:Reuben Johnson)

new life for two older-generation pieces of air defence hardware.

“First of all we are creating a very dependable and accurate air defence system at a minimal cost for upgrading,” said a Vympel representative, “so this makes it very economical for our customers. Also, what makes it more efficient and cost-effective for the customer is that if they are already using the RVV-AE as their main AAM in air force units they have now created a higher degree of interoperability.” It is notable that this is the same argument that Raytheon uses in its proposal to integrate the AIM-120, which the Polish Air Force will be using on their F-16 fleet, onto the Osa and Kub systems still in Polish inventory.

However, the most important advantage from Vympel’s standpoint is that sales of an RVV-AE SAM application can increase the production rate for the missile and create economies of scale for the RVV-AE’s production. “With the sales we have projected we believe we can now reduce the cost of acquiring an RVV-AE for both AAM and SAM customer applications. Since we are already 20 percent or more cheaper in price than the AIM-120, we see this as a major step forward for our business.”

The Russians can be criticised as playing catch-up to the Raytheon proposal in Poland, which has been proposed much earlier than this Vympel design, but they have the advantage of having an enormous infrastructure of plants, design bureaux and other facilities that they can draw on. Russia also has preferential access to a number of its export customers and can offer them package deals in which they can “package” SAM modernisation projects with the sale of other

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

new weapon platforms.

The other advantage that Russia enjoys is world-class capability in the upgrading of radar systems. One of the other major modifications to the Osa-AKM is the replacement of its traditional, mechanicalscanning array radar with a new active electronic scanning array (AESA) radar set from the NIIP design bureau. This is another example of Russian designers utilising a technology originally developed for the air-to-air, fighter aeroplane environment and adapting it to a SAM application.

The NIIP radar, according to its designers, allows the operators to track a larger number of targets at greater ranges, and the management of those targets is made significantly easier and with much faster processing time, due to the ability of the operators to electronically steer the radar signal.

The disadvantage that this Russian upgrade has is that it is probably the most expensive upgrade available for these older model SAMs, but admittedly also offers the most in terms of replacement of previous generation technology with current-day missiles, electronics and radar capacity.

Polish Upgrades When the Warsaw Pact alliance of the USSR and Central European states was dissolved nations like Poland found themselves with a sizeable inventory of military hardware and defence industrial facilities - all of which were of Soviet make and design. Discarding all of the Polish military’s Soviet equipment in inventory and replacing it wholesale with western hardware was neither affordable nor practical.

Therefore, the solution adopted by the

A I R DEFENCE

Cutaway Showing RVV-AE In Containerised SAM Launcher (PHOTO: Reuben Johnson)

Poles since that time to modernise their military is a three-stage effort and has proven to be quite successful.

The first stage was to find ways to make the Soviet weaponry in Poland’s armed forces conform to NATO standards. A number of modifications were made in order to enable these platforms to operate in conjunction with NATO forces. Twenty-two Mikoyan MiG-29s with the Polish Air Force were upgraded with kits provided by Germany’s EADS at the Wojskowe Zak_ady Lotnicze Nr 2 (Military Aircraft Plant No. 2 or WZL Nr 2) in the city of Bydgoszcz. The Polish Air Force then absorbed several more MiG-29s that it purchased from the German Lufwaffe, all of which were modified to the same NATO-compatible configuration.

This first stage has progressed well and, as could be seen at the last two MSPO military expositions in Kielce, Poland, Polish industry is well into the second stage, which is to find methods for integrating western components and subsystems onto Polish platforms. One of the flagship programmes in this category is the project by the Wojskowe Zak_ady Uzbrojenia Nr 2 (Military Armament Works No. 2 or WZU Nr 2), which has integrated the US-made Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) onto the Osa/SA-8 air defence platform in a surface-to-air missile (SAM) configuration.

WZU Nr 2 representatives at MSPO explained that the initial programme they had in mind was to integrate the AMRAAM onto the Kub/SA-6 platform, and they still have this project in planning for a later date, but that it appeared to them that the largest market for upgrading Soviet SAM systems

was with the Osa. It is probably not a coincidence that the Poles, the Belarusians and the Russians have all come to the same conclusion. The number of these platforms that exist in the world today make it the most lucrative market for whichever firm can prove it has the best upgrade solution.

Marketing and engineering representatives from WZU Nr 2 did point out where and how they see their solution for upgrading the Osa as being superior to their competitors. “First of all, ours is the only defence enterprise outside of the former USSR which has all of the drawings, technical data and

The other advantage that Russia enjoys is worldclass capability in the upgrading of radar systems. the licensed authority from the OEM in Russia to make modifications to any Sovietmade SAM model within the SA-1 to SA-8 product range,” said the plant’s senior marketing specialist.

“Also, we have replaced almost all of the original Russian-made major subsystem modules on board, which were analogue, with new digital electronics modules, which are available on the world market. This makes the system more dependable and prone to many fewer maintenance failures.”

The Polish upgrade of this SAM system is perhaps more ambitious than the Russian or Belarusian options because it utilises the highest number of foreign, modern electron-

MAY 2008

ic components and essentially completely replaces the old electronic infrastructure of the SA-8 with a new digital network.

Secondly, it calls for a marriage of US and old Soviet technology into one platform, which is a first for air defence technology in the modern day.

What is perhaps a bit of a bother is the fact that the Poles are also looking to supply this modernisation scheme – but minus the US AIM-120 – to some nations that the US might not be too happy about acquiring an enhanced air defence capability. Algeria and some other African and Middle Eastern nations were among those looking at the WZU Nr 2 exhibition during the MSPO show.

Another difficulty is that even if there are customers that want to have their SA-8 or SA-6 modernised to this configuration, the fact remains that the Polish armed forces themselves have not decided to procure this modernised platform.

What holds the Polish military back, explained a Raytheon executive, “is that the modernised SA-8 with the surface-launched version of the AIM-120 (SLRAAM) is a wonderful air defence system, but it is really only useful for defending Polish air space. The SA-8 vehicle does not lend itself to transport or rapid deployment, as does the Raytheondeveloped Complimentary Low Altitude Weapons System (CLAWS) that is based on the HMMWV, a much lighter and smaller vehicle that fits easily inside of a C-17.”

“If the Poles want to be players in coalition warfare and operate in third countries alongside other NATO troops – a role that is more likely than defending the Polish homeland itself – then the HMMWV is a much better solution for them as the base vehicle for an air defence system,” he continued.

Another difficulty that the Poles have encountered in modernising the SA-6 is that many of their customers do not have the budget to acquire the AIM-120, which is not a cheap missile, as part of their modernisation programme and are looking for a lower-cost solution. The Polish firm has responded to that demand by integrating the Raytheon AIM-7P Sea Sparrow onto the SA-6.

The AIM-7 was only a semi-active air-toair missile and had a less than spectacular record in service, but now is seeing a second life as a SAM. This application has been primarily – up to this point – on naval vessels, hence the name “Sea Sparrow.”

Modifications were made by Raytheon to the AIM-7, most notably to the fin configuration,

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in order to improve its performance in a SAM engagement envelope.

The AIM-7 is not only cheaper to acquire, but it is also an older technology that is less sensitive and a missile that US licensing authorities feel much less nervous about exporting. Since the AIM-120’s sensitive technology – namely the active-homing radar seeker – is not involved it is easier to receive the export licence permits from the US Government to export the AIM-7 missile, which has been around in one form or another for more than 30 years. For those nations who would like to have their Russian platforms equipped with a USmade missile at a modest price this is a perfect solution.

The latest version of Sea Sparrow, the AIM-7P, has a new higher capacity computer and uplink capability for command mid-course guidance. The 7P’s computer incorporates a reprogrammable digital processor with software that may be modified to optimise effectiveness against enemy countermeasures.

The RIM-7

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Sparrow is the official designation for the surface (sea or land) launched version of Sparrow utilised for ship, airfield, and facility self-defence. It can be launched in trainable or vertical launcher configurations. (In the vertical launch variant, the RIM-7M/P utilizes a Jet Vane Control to provide initial missile flight control.)

Conclusions Obviously, Russian-made air defence systems are going to be around for a long time.

Too many nations have too many of them in their inventories and modernising them represents an option too good to pass up in most instances. Not only is it much less costly than a new, western-made (or even a new model Russian-made) SAM, but also no massive follow-on investment in training, maintenance and support infrastructure is required.

What remains to be seen is which countries will become the major consumers of

these upgrade programmes. Thus far, there have been a lot of proposed solutions for modernising the older Russian-made SAMs, but a limited number of buyers.

There are two reasons for this state of affairs.

One is that the nations that have the most resources for upgrading their SAM systems and are most interested in what there is to offer in the market are sometimes also nations that are impossible for the Poles (as an EU nation) to do business with. Iran is a good example. Teheran had its S-200 (SA-5) batteries modernised by a Belarusian firm, which is not bothered by US objections to where it does business, and thus earned that company a place on the US State Department’s embargo list. Russian firms are not willing to be bothered with these sorts of problems and will avoid doing business directly with Iran and other “nations of concern” if at all possible.

Sea Sparrow in close up, mounted on an SA-6 TEL (PHOTO:Reuben Johnson)

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

A I R DEFENCE

Another is that Russia’s state arms export agency, Rosoboronexport (ROE) and its umbrella parent company, Russian Technologies, are constantly pushing for the sale of new weapon systems over modernising older ones. Russian Technologies is quickly becoming what has been described as a “corporate behemoth” and “an industrial version of Gazprom.” It owns so many different and diverse industrial enterprises that it can put together almost any conceivable packaged combination of manufactured goods and services.

By linking various trade/counter-trade deals together with gas and/or oil pacts, the overall price of weapon systems comes down considerably for the buyer. In the case of some of the arms exports by Russia to Venezuela one Moscow-based analyst stated that “the centre of all these deals with ‘Compañero Chavez’ is the exploration rights being granted to Lukoil (the Russian oil giant) and the billions these rights are worth, so the weapons he received are practically being given away.”

However and wherever SAM modernisation packages are being sold they will pose significant challenges to any nation that has

The Belarusian modernisation of the Osa/SA-8 Crew Station (PHOTO:Reuben Johnson)

to face them in an armed conflict. Electronic warfare, the ability of a nation to intercept and interpret radar signals and other emissions, and training in avoiding the firing envelopes of these modernised SAM systems becomes much more important for the pilots and their air crews.

What appears more and more likely is that the people in the business of devel-

oping SAM threat profiles will have to adapt their methods to something resembling how anti-submarine warfare has been conducted over the years. An approach of listening, learning, and building databases that give a fuller picture of capability over time. The question is if the necessary time will be available AMR in future regional conflicts. ■

REGIONAL NEWS A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T S

BCP gets final Dash 8 In late March Australia’s Border Protection Command (BCP) took delivery of the tenth and final new Dash 8 border patrol surveillance aircraft from Cobham under an A$1 billion project called Sentinel. Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, accepted the aircraft in a ceremony at Adelaide Airport.

Under the terms of the project Cobham will operate the ten Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft from its existing bases in Broome, Darwin and Cairns, providing all weather, day and night electronic surveillance of Australia’s maritime Exclusive Economic Zone.

AUSTRALIA Super Hornet deal Removing any chance of an upset to current planning for the Royal Australian Air Force, the new Labour government announced in March that it had completed the first part of its Air Combat Capability Review and that it would not be cancelling the purchase of 24 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets.

The government said that the outcomes of Part A of its Air Combat Capability Review showed that their had been a lack of sound, long-term air combat capability planning decisions by the former Howard government over the course of the last decade, but that cancelling the Super Hornet purchase would bring significant financial penalties and create tensions with Boeing that were unnecessary The government announcement also stated that the retirement of the F-111 fleet had been made in haste but was now irreversible adding that, "the cost of turning the F-111 back on would be enormous and crews and skills have already moved on." However, many critics suggest that keeping the F-111s flying would have been prohibitively expensive.

Labour also said that its predecessor's decision to leave Australia's air defences in the hands of the Lightning II Joint

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Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets.

Strike Fighter project was a "flawed leap of faith in scheduling terms and combined with the quick decision to retire the F-111 early, allowed an air combat capability gap to emerge."

Given those circumstances it was inevitable that an interim aircraft, the Super Hornet, had to be chosen. The government statement adds that the aircraft is, "an excellent aircraft capable of meeting any known threat in the region and is the only aircraft which can meet the small delivery window created by the former Government's poor planning processes and politicallydriven responses."

Justifying the government review, the Department of Defence says that it expects that significant savings of up to $300 million can now be made in the internal defence and industry costs of supporting the Super Hornet aircraft. The analysis also highlighted additional capabilities such as specialist electronic warfare variants (the F/A-18G) that will be considered as part of the Super Hornet acquisition.

The government is yet to conclude Part B of the review, which will continue and further announcements are expected by the time Asian Military Review goes to press. The second part of the review will consider Australia's air combat capability needs out to 2045, including the status of plans to acquire JSF. ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Each aircraft will be capable of searching a large area using new generation surveillance sensors and advanced satellite communications systems. Each aircraft will also act as a live link in a national data communications chain.

To fulfil further maritime surveillance requirements the BCP is also evaluating the potential use of unmanned air vehicles in trials later this year.

BRUNEI Singapore/Brunei exercise

conduct

joint

In early March the Singapore Armed Forces and the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF) participated in a joint urban warfare exercise in Brunei. The exercise is one of a series over recent years involved both infantry and armour elements from the Singapore Army’s 3rd Infantry Battalion and the 3rd RBLF Battalion.

The name of the exercise is Maju Bersama (Progress Together) and is a battalion manoeuvre exercise that this year focused on urban operations. The exercise has been taking place since 1995.

Singapore's Chief of Army Major General Neo Kian Hong and Commander Royal Brunei Land Force Colonel Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Rosli Bin Pengiran Haji Chuchu attended the exercise.

Other cooperative exercises between the two small states include air defence, naval and infantry engagements.

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D E V E L O P M E N T S

INDIA India, China plan joint exercise According to local press reports, Beijing and New Delhi are considering holding a joint military exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) as part of a series of measures aimed at broadening defence cooperation and confidence building measures between the two countries.

Speaking to local media the Chinese Defence Attaché in New Delhi, Colonel Li Chao, said, ‘We favour scaling up the military-to-military ties with India and as part of the efforts the two countries are holding talks for joint military exercise between the Air Forces.’

China and India held their first joint army exercises late last year at Kunming in China`s Yunnan and a second joint army exercise is scheduled to take place in Indian later this year.

The focus of the exercises is on joint cooperation including border control and anti-terrorist measures.

The ambition is that the military exercises can now be extended to the IAF and the PLAAF. Colonel Li told reporters that if talks are successful then an exercise between the two air forces could be held as early as 2009. He added that military ties between the two countries were growing ‘step by step’ and showed that there was improving stability and security in the region, particularly when it came to China and India.

The aim of the kind of exercises being undertaken by the armed forces of China and India is to increase understanding and confidence. The 2008 army exercise is expected to be much bigger than last year’s exercise and pull in more elements of the two countries forces helping to expose the maximum number of individuals to the exercise.

Test firing naval Brahmos In March, India carried out a successful test-firing of a naval version of the Brahmos cruise missile off the Andaman coast. The missile was launched from the decks of Rajput (Kashin II) class destroyer INS Rajput and hit a land target in one of the islands of Andaman and Nicobar according to officials.

Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation said that the

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missile met all flight parameters during its launch and flight and zeroed in on the designated target among the group of potential targets.

Ltd are believed to be developing a prototype of an unmanned helicopter for the Indian Navy (IN) based on the indigenous Chetak airframe. International reports suggest that a series of flight tests The test was the 15th successive successful scheduled for the coming months. launch of the India/Russia joint development missile and successfully If the reports are correct it will move UAV demonstrated the naval land attack direction in Israel and India in a new capability of the system. direction. Neither country has a well developed vertical take off and landing The Indian Navy's Andaman & Nicobar (VTOL) UAV manufacturing base. In the Command provided the logistics support to late 1980s IAI did experiment with a the missile test. The command deployed ten Gyrodyne QH-50 for its Hellstar VTOL ships, three aircraft and three helicopters for UAV. mission support.

According to reports the flight control

Contract upgrade

signed

for

MiG-29 system used for the project has been

developed by IAI using a Bell 206 demonstrator. The aim is to develop a ‘plug and play’ kit that will allow conversion of Indian officials announced in March that manned helicopters for unmanned they had agreed a $95 million deal with missions.

Russia to upgrade the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) fleet of MiG-29 multi-role fighters.

The upgrade of the IAF’s MiG-29s is Alongside the IN’s interest the Israeli navy expected to extend the service life of the is also believed to be following the programme. aircraft by another 15 years.

The project is expected to take 36 months and only six aircraft are to be upgraded in Russia with the remaining 60-plus aircraft to be retrofitted in India at their bases.

Indian officials hope that this will prevent any large delays in the programme or loss of combat capability.

Officials believe that they have learnt the right lessons from the IAF’s MiG-21 upgrade project w, which faced severe delays and resulting challenges in keeping the engines from failure.

Under the contract Moscow will re-equip the twin-engined MiG-29s with new air-to-air missiles, modern bombs, increased fuel capacity and new avionics.

The upgrade programme is expected to include the installation of the Phazotron NIIR Zhuk-ME radar, Klimov RD-33 engines, new avionics, cockpit displays and weapon control systems, plus an inflight refuelling capability. Some of the avionaics systems will be provided indigenously through Bharat Dynamics and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

VTOL UAV developments Israel’s IAI Malat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) division and Hindustan Aeronautics

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

SRI LANKA China embroiled in controversy China got caught up in the most recent conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in March when Tamil leaders accused Beijing of supplying weaponry to the Sri Lankan armed forces despite calls from campaigners to limit arms supplies to both sides in the conflict.

According to Tamil officials, China has denied supplying heavy weapons to the Sri Lankan armed forces fighting the LTTE. Chinese officials in Sri Lanka said that Beijing was well aware of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and denied that China was a major arms supplier to Sri Lanka. According to Beijing its supplies to Sri Lanka have been limited to light weaponry.

However, analysts believe that China has supplied a number of key systems to Sri Lanka, including sophisticated new radar systems. The Sri Lankan government is keen to build up its defence capability in the face of new fighting with the LTTE.

REGIONAL NEWS A N D

JAPAN

Japan is taking the steps to build-up its ballistic missile protection in the face of amissile build up by China and North Korea.

CRF inaugurated Japan’s defence ministry plans to deploy the In late March, Tokyo inaugurated the core PAC-3 at a total of 11 bases in eastern and segment of its new Central Readiness Force western Japan by 2011.

(CRF) during a ceremony at Utsunomiya. The CRF concept for the Ground Self-Defence Force The country is being assisted by its close ally (GSDF) was established early last year as a way the US, which also has major military for Japan to more rapidly generate forces for installations in Japan. As well as the land potential peacekeeping involvement or based missile defence systems the countries are also cooperating on ship-based ballistic domestic operations missile defence.

The CRF, currently under the command of Lieutenant General Josho Yamaguchi, will eventually be a mixture of special forces, NBC warfare units, training elements and air transport that can be rapidly deployed. It has been designed to be able to cope with terrorist or peacekeeping duties either on Japanese or foreign soil.

However, analysts have warned that the creation of the CRF does not necessarily signal a new, more active Japanese foreign policy.

However, the CRF will give the GSDF a potent, new capability that will allow the country to project force if it chooses.

MSDF head sacked In late March Japan's defence minister Shigeru Ishiba sacked the head of the Maritime Self Defence Force (MSDF) Admiral Eiji Yoshikawa and another senior official in attempt to end speculation about the need to shake-up the force after a number of scandals.

Ishiba also announced that he was reprimanding another 88 uniformed and civilian MSDF officials for a series of embarrassing lapses. The most recent scandal involved the collision of the Atago class guided missile destroyer Atago with a 37 ft long fishing boat killing its two crewmen. It was the first collision of a Japanese warship in some 20 years. The defence ministry is also concerned by a number of leaks thought to have originated in the MSDF.

According to reports the CRF will comprise the headquarters, 1st Airborne Brigade, Central Readiness Regiment, Special Operation Group, 1st Helicopter Brigade, Central NBC Protection Unit, Anti-NBC Medical Unit, International Cooperation Activities Training and Education Unit. The In replacing Admiral Yoshikawa Ishiba turned force is expected to total some 4,200 personnel. to Adm. Keiji Akahoshi, commandant of the MSDF Sasebo District Headquarters who took post on 24 March. However, it is yet to be seen PAC-3 installation completed whether the defence minister's moves will According to news agency reports, Japan have a real impact on the service. completed deploying a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) ballistic missile defence Local reports suggest that there are concerns system around the capital, Tokyo, late in about the level of discipline within the MSDF March. The latest surface-to-air missiles and worries about a pattern of sloppiness system was installed at a Ground Self Defence within its ranks. Ishiba has chosen to blame Force base in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of the leadership for the problems within the Tokyo and is the fourth and last set of MSDF, but it will take time to see if a change in interceptors of a four part system protecting leadership will have the desired effect.

Tokyo.

TAIWAN No local production of P-3C

conventional submarines and six batteries of the PAC-3 anti-missile defence system.

In March, local press reports suggested that the US has dropped plans to allow eight of the 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) that Taiwan is seeking to procure to be assembled locally in Taiwan.

According to an unmanned military source the offer to allow eight of the aircraft to be assembled in Taiwan has been withdrawn after Taiwan decided to disband the defence firm charged with building the aircraft, Taiwan Goal. This The Orions are part of an arms deal means that the US has backed away from approved by US President George Bush in an industrial cooperation agreement signed in December last year.

2004 that also includes the sale of eight ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

D E V E L O P M E N T S

SINGAPORE New helicopter simulators CAE has been awarded a simulator contract

by Singapore's Defence science and Technology Agency (DSTA) to provide the country with new helicopter simulators.

Specifically, the contract is for the design and manufacture of S-70B Seahawk and AS332 Super Puma helicopter simulators for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). The RSAF currently operates a fleet of 18 Super Pumas with the Seahawk’s expected to begin deliveries this year.

‘We are pleased that Singapore has once again recognised CAE's unmatched helicopter simulation experience and leading edge technology by selecting us for the S-70B and AS332 programs,’ said Marc Parent, CAE's Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training & Services.

One of the reasons that Singapore decided to go with CAE’s systems is the company’s innovative roll-on/roll-off cockpit design that gives customers with smaller fleets the ability to leverage the many advantages of a full-mission simulator and do so efficiently and cost-effectively by utilising the same system for different aircraft types.

CAE will develop one full-mission simulator (FMS) featuring the roll-on/roll-off cockpit design. CAE will design and manufacture the cockpits for both the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk and Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma helicopters. According to CAE, when one cockpit is being used in the FMS, the other will connect to a ground docking station to be used as a fixed-base flight training device.

CAE will also develop an S-70B mission crew station (MCS) to replicate the back-end of the helicopter for training sensor operators in the Republic of Singapore Navy.

The FMS will be designed to Level D standards, the highest qualification for flight simulators, and be delivered in early 2010.

Instead, the US is believed to be insisting that all 12 aircraft be built in the US and that only maintenance technology be transferred to Taiwan. The agreement also included the construction of a P-3C maintenance centre in Taiwan.

Reports suggest that the Taiwanese government secretly set up Taiwan Goal in January to conduct defence purchases with foreign countries.

However, opposition concerns about potential graft led to the government overturning the decision.

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REGIONAL NEWS A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T S

PAKISTAN ITT gets PAF FMS order In March, it was announced that ITT Electronic Systems had won a $78.2 million US Air Force contract to supply Pakistan with electronic warfare (EW) systems for use aboard the F-16 fighter that Islamabad is buying through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

The system that has been selected by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is the ALQ-211(V) 4 Advanced Integrated Defence Electronics Warfare System. The system is a suite of integrated radio frequency (RF) countermeasures that has a modular, scalable architecture incorporating both passive and active RF subsystems, as well as providing precision radar warning and advanced situational awareness.

The system, which is also reprogrammable in flight, will provide the PAF with a new level of EW protection for their fighter force.

ITT will also supply associated spares for the AIDEW system, support equipment, training, engineering services, flight test support and data.

that can operate autonomously 24 hours a day. The system's sophisticated performance monitoring and fault location system automatically recalibrates the radar to adjust for changes in the environment and component failures.

According to US sources the US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin an $89 million contract in 2005 for the production and delivery of the six long range AN/TPS-77 transportable radar systems to Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales programme.

However, delivery of the radars is believed to have been held up by political events in Pakistan and President George Bush's decision to suspend military assistance to Pakistan last year after President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency. That suspension was recently revoked after successful democratic elections.

The AN/TPS-77s will give the PAF a new rapid response air defence capability. The radars can be transported in the back of a C-130 transport aircraft and are easily erected once they reach a new site.

The armaments package for the Sword class ships include a 76mm gun, the Yingji 82 (C-802) anti-ship missile, a short-range anti-aircraft missile system, and anti-submarine torpedoes.

The Sword class is part of the PN’s naval modernisation plans and will increase its coastal protection and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. However, the PN is already looking beyond these new vessels with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir, telling journalists at the recent Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition that the PN was desperate to get its hand on other second had frigates.

The PN’s surface fleet is currently very weak with only six all time weak with just six Amazon class (UK Type 21) frigates in service. The service also has a small number of Jalalat class guided missile patrol boats and other coastal protection vessels, as well as five diesel-electric submarines.

JF-17 total rises to eight In March Pakistan took delivery of a further six JF-17 Thunder fighters at a ceremony at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base in Kamra near Islamabad. Bringing the total number of JF-17 received to eight.

New frigate launched Tactical radar In April Pakistan took delivery of a number of mobile, long-range aerial surveillance radars from the US. The Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 phased array radars are expected to be used by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to monitor the country’s airspace.

The tactical transportable radars will increase the PAF's ability to monitor movement in and around Pakistan's border areas with officials describing the systemsas being an important milestone in the PAF's modernisation and development of an integrated air defence network.

The AN/TPS-77s will give field commanders can count on accurate data on all targets at ranges up to 250nm and elevations up to 100,000ft from a radar

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This week, the first F-22P Sword class frigate being built for Pakistan by China was launched at a ceremony at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai.

China is building four frigates for the Pakistan Navy (PN) in an estimated $750 million deal that also included between four and six Z-9EC to be used in conjunction with the multi-role frigates. The vessels are a version of the People’s Liberation Army Navy Jiangwei class frigates built to Pakistan’s requirements.

The first of class has been named PNS Zulifqar and is one of three of the ships that are being built in Shanghai. The fourth vessel is expected to be constructed by Pakistan's Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works as part of a technology transfer package.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

The eight aircraft will all be used in the PAF’s test and evaluation programme over the next several months. The PAF will not formally induct the aircraft in to service until that programme is complete.

JF-17 is a multi-role light combat aircraft that is being jointly developed by China and Pakistan. The two industrial partners in the project are Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. According to officials the JF-17 is designed to be cost-effective answer to the tactical and strategic needs of the PAF A first batch of 50 JF-17s are being built and will be equipped with locally developed avionics and missiles.

However, the PAF hopes to fit follow-on aircraft with more sophisticated radars and missiles. France is believed to have offered the PAF its RC-400 radar and MBDA MICA missile for the aircraft.

AMR