Asian military review 2012v20n1

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RACR RAYTHEON ADVANCED COMBAT RADAR

RACR IS READY.

MISSION READY. Available to international markets and designed to work seamlessly with existing technology, RACR is the upgrade of choice for fighter fleets around the world — a low-risk, cost-effective solution that delivers unparalleled situational awareness.

INNOVATION IN ALL DOMAINS www.raytheon.com | Keyword: RACR1 Follow us on:

© 2012 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved.

“Customer Success Is Our Mission” is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company.

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Contents FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 1

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Front Cover Photo: The Lockheed Martin F-16 family of aircraft remains a key multi-role air asset throughout the region with the latest models providing front line service in the air forces of Pakistan, Singapore and South Korea as well as the F-2 in Japan, with upgraded and earlier models also operating in the same role in Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and potentially in the Philippines too © DoD

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Singapore’s Military Capabilities Gordon Arthur Singapore has created both a highly proficient military to defend its vulnerable territory coupled with the ability to project power well beyond its own shores

Asian Military Helicopter Modernisation David Oliver Strong economic growth, territorial disputes, terrorist threats and modernisation programmes will create a significant demand for military helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region

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52 Tactical UAVs over the Pacific

Protected Mobility: Asia and Beyond

John Mulberry The Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle market is gathering pace within the Asia-Pacific region, with an increasing number of operators seeking their operational benefits

Adam Baddeley Protected mobility vehicles remain a key category of vehicles in militaries’ procurement plans, irrespective of whether they are involved in either domestic or deployed counter-insurgency operations

Peering Through the Rubble

Coastal Protection Tom Withington Countries throughout the region are enhancing their ability to track and understand activity within their littoral waters, allowing them to provide emergency help to vessels in distress, detect illegal fishing as well as provide covert surveillance against terrorists or threats from nearby states

AMR Air Force Directory 2012 Adam Baddeley Airpower remain a key measure of military capability, domestic technological development and prestige in the Asia-Pacific

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Adam Baddeley The inexorable urbanisation of the world’s population means militaries have to conduct operations in a smarter way by being able to locate & identify enemies and targets quickly and assuredly

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Editorial

hen the US military catches a cold, its allies sneeze. Cuts to US forces inevitably have an impact on those countries who rely on or co-operate with them. This has to be the overwhelming conclusion of the new defence review announcement in January.

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Equally, this has to be balanced with the announcements in the same review of a shift in strategy from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region with President Obama saying, "We'll be strengthening our presence in the Asia-Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of this critical region." It is assumed by many that this heralds preparations for a containment strategy against China.

There are certainly fewer bucks for the bangs that sustain US military superiority.

Big cuts are certainly on the way with $450 billion announced for implementation over the next decade, buttressed by a further $500 billion under the Budget Control Act because the Congressional Supercommittee failed to reach a deficit deal last November.

The Army and the Marines will suffer most with Army personnel numbers are likely to be cut by 80,000 to 490,000 and Marine numbers dropping by at least ten percent.

The Navy and the Air Force and the will fare best with all eleven carriers being kept, although other vessels will be cut with JSF numbers pared down by only 120.

Whatever the spin might be, doing more with less rarely succeeds and using terms like “agile” and “flexible” to describe a future force structure won’t hide cuts of almost a trillion dollars. The sub-text is that US allies, wherever they may be on globe will have to do more in protecting their interests themselves with the US acting as active supporter and security guarantor of last resort rather than a constant presence.

This is logical, laudable and long overdue. It recognises facts on the ground. Many things however still have to be done before this can become reality. Not least of these is that if others are to do more however, they have to have to tools to do so, either by donating now surplus US equipment or being more willing to sell more advanced equipment to a wider group of nations.

It was China’s Xinhua news agency however that had the best response to US plans, its editorial stating, apparently without intentional humour, “If the United States indiscreetly applies militarism in the region, it will be like a bull in a china shop, and endanger peace instead of enhancing regional stability.”

Adam Baddeley, Editor

Editor: Adam Baddeley E-mail: adam@baddeley.net

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MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

Asian Military

Helicopter Modernisation: Future Plans & Requirements 04

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MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

The Royal Thai Air Force is taking delivery of three Sikorsky S-92 VVIP transports helicopters © David Oliver

While the winding down of the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts, combined with competing domestic budget priorities, is putting downward pressure on US and European defence spending, strong economic growth, territorial disputes, terrorist threats and modernisation programmes will create a significant demand for military helicopters in the Asia-Pacific region, which is expected to comprise more than thirty per cent of the total military rotorcraft market by 2021.

by David Oliver

urope and Russia continue to compete strongly within this domain. The Russian military helicopter market is expected to grow significantly due to recent government orders. Historically, Russian manufacturers have been the leading suppliers to India, a market expected to have considerable growth over the next ten years.

Roughly half of all the helicopters procured in India over the next decade will be military, with the other half being civil and government types. This military demand is underpinned by a national armament programme to replace an ageing Indian helicopter fleet.

However, domestic manufactures have strong ambitions but limited capability to satisfy domestic demand across product segments, which attracts significant attention from global players to the Indian market.

Despite the promising growth forecasts for India, it is only the second largest helicopter market in Asia Pacific, behind China, which is forecast to have a nearly ten percent growth rate in the next ten years. The military market is driven by the need to replace current ageing fleets, as well as to expand national military power. Major defence spending increases are expected to continue over the next decade, which will pay for helicopter procurement and development projects for Chinese helicopter manufacturers which are growing in strength and ambition

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Sikorsky’s Black Hawk, such as this Australian Army Aviation example, continues to sell well in the region © Australian Defence

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but lack the capability to cater to higher weight segments, which are expected to be in high demand in China in the future.

Market share projections by company over the next decade indicate that Sikorsky will lead the market during the 2011-2020 period in both unit production and production value. Other major players in the market will include AgustaWestland, Boeing, Eurocopter, and Russian Helicopters.

Both the armies of Thailand and Taiwan have recently taken delivery of three and four UH-60M Black Hawks respectively while Sikorsky Aircraft has signed a contract

Thailand’s Army has suffered a spate of recent fatal accidents including the loss of a UH-1H, S-70A Black Hawk and Bell 212 in one week in July 2011 in which 17 people were killed

with the Brunei Ministry of Defence to provide twelve S-70i Black Hawk helicopters with associated spare parts, training and ground support equipment. The contact also contains an option for 10 additional aircraft.

In addition to acquiring small numbers of Black Hawks, and three Sikorsky S-92 VVIP transports for the Air Force, Thailand’s Army has suffered a spate of recent fatal accidents including the loss of a UH-1H, S-70A Black Hawk and Bell 212 in one week in July 2011 in which 17 people were killed. It has an urgent

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MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

requirement to replace its large and ageing fleet of Bell Hueys and Bell 212s with 30 new utility helicopters, but a decision on what type to acquire and when has been delayed by a lack of funds. A partial solution is the recent government approval for the purchase of eight Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec light attack/utility helicopters for delivery in 2013.

By contrast, several countries in the region have been replacing or supplementing their helicopter fleets including Sri Lanka, which took delivery of two Bell 412s and ordered 14 Mi-171s in 211. At the same time three Mi-35 attack helicopters and 10 Mi-17-V5s were delivered to the Indonesian Army, and PT Dirgantara Indonesia has finalised a deal to produce 20 Bell 412EP utility helicopters under licence.

South Korea’s military forces operate more than 500 helicopters and the country is planning to replace almost half of the Republic of Korea Army’s fleets by 2020,

Many countries in the AsiaPacific region need to replace their ageing Bell UH1H Huey fleets © US Navy

KAI is proposing to bid for the LAH helicopter requirement with an indigenous design in partnership with Boeing or Eurocopter

preferably with indigenous designs. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is already developing the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH) in partnership with Eurocopter; the first of a requirement for 250 is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2012.

Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration will issue two Requests for Proposals (RfP) in early 2012, the first for 36 AH-X heavy attack helicopters, and the second for up to 250 light attack helicopters (LAH). Leading contenders for the AH-X competition to replace the Army’s 50 plus Bell AH-1F Cobras, are the Boeing AH-64 Apache, KAI already manufactures AH-64 fuselages, and the Tiger, manufactured by KAI’s partner in the KUH program, Eurocopter. Outsiders are the AgustaWestland/TAI T129 and the Bell AH-1Z Viper.

KAI is proposing to bid for the LAH helicopter requirement with an indigenous design in partnership with Boeing or Eurocopter although adapting a foreign design, such as the AW169 Wildcat, the Bell 412 or the Eurocopter AS565 Panther, may well be the outcome. As the LAH is set to replace more than 100 Republic of Korea

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MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

More than 500 variants of the Russian Mi-17 are operated by the armed forces of the region © Russian Helicopters

Army MHD500MD Defenders which were built under licence by KAI, Boeing may offer its AH-6S, a stretched version of the AH-6i Little Bird being developed for the US Army’s Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) programme.

Indigenous production of military helicopters is pre-requisite for any acquisition by their armed forces for Asia-Pacific’s superpowers, China and India. However, both these countries have had to rely on joint ventures with foreign manufacturers (OEMs) as a foundation for their own indigenous industries. The most successful of the western OEMs in this market sector is Eurocopter whose SA 321 Super Frelon, AS 365N Dauphin 2 and AS 350 Ecureuil have been produced by China’s AviCopter corporation.

Eurocopter is also developing a twin-engined medium-lift helicopter in a joint venture with Hafei Aviation known in China as the Z-15.

Small numbers of Russian Mil Mi-171 helicopters have been assembled by the Sichuan Lantian Helicopter Company while the AgustaWestland AW109E is partly manufactured and assembled by AviCopter. For more than a decade, China has been developing an indigenous attack helicopter for the People’s Liberation Army Aviation. Pre-production versions of the Changhe WZ-10 have only just begun their operational evaluation but are not expected to enter service with the PLA for another two years. In the meantime, a tandem-seat armed scout variant of the Z-9 Dauphin 2, reportedly designated Z-19, was first flown in August 2010.

The Z-9 has been exported to several countries in Africa and its close ally, Pakistan.

There is an urgent requirement to replace the Pakistan Army’s ageing fleet of AH-1F/S

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The Indian Air Force has circulated the RfI for yet another Air Force contract for a total of 15 heavy lift helicopters worth approximately $700 million

Cobra attack helicopters and with relations with the United States and Europe at an all time low, Western options are no longer viable. Although the AgustaWestland/TAI T129 is on offer, it is expensive and will not be available for export until deliveries reach the Turkish Army in 2013/15.

The preferred option is the Changhe WZ10, but again domestic Chinese deliveries have to be fulfilled before any could be available for export. The only realistic choice for

an available and affordable solution may prove to be Russia’s Mi-28 or Mi-35 combat helicopters. Pakistan is also looking to standardise its transport and utility helicopter fleets that comprise of no less than a dozen different types of varying vintages.

Again, Pakistan may turn to China for a replacement of its Mi-8s, Bell 412s and early Puma variants, with its Z-15 medium-lift helicopter that is about to enter production.

Pakistan’s powerful and wealthy neighbour, India is spoilt for choice when it comes to acquiring military equipment. However, like China any new helicopter purchase has to be closely related to its own indigenous industry, namely Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Although funding is not a problem, the procurement process can be long and torturous for foreign OEMs. India has at least four competitions running conIndonesia has taken delivery of additional Mil-Mi-35 attack helicopters, a type that India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar © Rostvertol

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One of the few dedicated training helicopters in the region is the HC 120 built in China in partnership with Eurocopter and Singapore Technologies © David Oliver

secutively, for the purchase of 22 attack helicopters and 12 heavy-lift helicopters for the Air Force, 197 light observation helicopters (LOH) for the Air Force and Army, and the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) pro-

gramme potentially worth $4-5 billion for over 600 military helicopters in India in the next ten years.

Contenders down selected for the IAF’s $1.5 billion Mi-35 replacement programme, the AH-64D Apache Longbow and the

Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter underwent field evaluation trials in mid-2010 at the Jaisalmer desert base and Leh in the Himalayas, it emerged that the a contract for 22 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III helicopters would be awarded before the end of

MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

The Korea Aerospace Industries Surion utility helicopter is being developed with Eurocopter for the Republic of Korea Army © KAI

2011, but this has yet to be confirmed.

The Indian Air Force has circulated the RfI for yet another Air Force contract for a total of 15 heavy lift helicopters worth approximately $700 million. The bidders for a $700 million Air Force contract for 15 heavy-lift helicopters included Boeing with its CH-47F Chinook and Russian Helicopters Mi-26TS. Mil should have an advantage as the Air Force has operated a fleet early variant Mi26s since the mid-1980s, although the fact that Boeing has broken into the Indian market with its C-17 transport aircraft and P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft, may help the Chinook’s prospects. The Sikorsky CH-53K,

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which is still on the drawing board, was eliminated from the competition.

India’s LOH competition has been rife with delays and the Ministry of Defence moving the goal posts. The contract worth $750 million is for 133 LOHs for the Army Aviation Corps and 64 for the Air Force. The Ministry of Defence had scrapped a deal for which the Eurocopter AS 550 was selected in 2007 after an objection from the only other

The Indian MOD’s Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter programme is worth a potential $4-5 billion for over 600 military helicopters l

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bidder, Bell Helicopter. The competition was then re-run in 2009 without the losing Bell 407, but with the AW119Ke and the Russian Kamov Ka-226T running against the AS 550.

Hot and High trials were conducted throughout 2010 during which the AW19Ke was eliminated, but these were announced as “flawed” by the MOD in November 2011, stating that the Ka-226T and AS 550 helicopters has not adequately met the high-altitude operational requirements during winter field trials held in December 2010. The competition is at the time of writing unresolved and may be retendered yet again.

The Indian MOD’s Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) programme is worth a potential $4-5 billion for over 600 military helicopters in India in the next ten years.

HAL are the leading contenders for the com-

MILITARY H E L I C O P T E R S

paramilitary market.

Europe’s largest helicopter OEM, Eurocopter has delivered EC 225 SAR helicopters to the Taiwan Air Force and Japan’s coastguard plus the first of 12 EC 725s to the Malaysian Air Force. Despite the entry into Australian Army Aviation service of Eurocopter’s Tiger attack helicopter and the NH-90 tactical transport, neither type has attracted any new customers in the AsiaPacific region.

To cope with the rapid expansion of many countries’ helicopter fleets, many equipped with glass cockpits and advanced avionics, few have given much thought as to the problems of training the future aircrews of these state-of-the-art aircraft. India, whose forces

petition with an indigenous design scheduled to fly before the development of the HAL RSH helicopter but the obvious one would be Eurocopter. However, AgustaWestland and the Indian company Tata & Sons formed an Indian joint venture company in 2009 to establish a final assembly line in India for the AW119 single-engined light helicopter and this may strengthen AgustaWestland’s bid for the world’s largest military helicopter contract based on the AW119.

AgustaWestland have made some important inroads to the regional market with sales of the AW101 to Japan and India, and its AW139 has been purchased by Pakistan, Malaysia and Japan. The type is also a candidate for assembly at an AgustaWestland joint venture with Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co, aimed at the Chinese

have a very high helicopter attrition rate, and South Korea have next to no modern training helicopters and to date have no requirement for one. The PLA does have growing numbers of HC 120 training helicopters, built in China in partnership with Eurocopter and Singapore Technologies, and the same type is being acquired by Indonesia.

In contrast, Thailand has recognized its worsening flight safety record, and is taking delivery of 16 Enstrom 480B training helicopters for its Army. In this specialised market there only two or three OEMs companies producing dedicated training helicopters and they may see the Asia-Pacific region as an expanding market sector for their products in the very near future.

The Mi-17 series military transport helicopters are justly considered a symbol of the Russian helicopter industry.The military from various countries, technical experts and employees in international missions have long recognized that these are the best machines in its class, which, in fact, are unrivalled in the world.Wide proliferation of the Mi-17 is the most striking evidence of this.Today, these internationally popular Russian rotary-winged aircraft are in successful operation in more than 70 countries on all continents and in different climatic zones. Of 12,000 Mi-17s built in Russia, more than 4,500 helicopters of various versions have been exported.Well, the competitors have nothing else to do but envy.

And it is no mere chance: the Mi-17 successfully combines new technologies implemented by Russian designers and vast experience of their predecessors in wars, local conflicts and peacekeeping missions. High temperatures and increased humidity in the tropics, dust storms and the ubiquitous desert sand - something that becomes a barrier for many other helicopters – are not a problem for the Russian rotorcraft.The Mi-17s are ruggedized, undemanding and very robust everywhere.

This is an indispensable machine, whose characteristics fully meet the increased requirements for this class of helicopters due to the intense nature of modern combat or a special operation, when extremely high mobility of tie-down forces is desperately needed.The Mi-17s are suitable to rapidly redeploy troops, evacuate the wounded and insert tactical assault forces.They can be used day and night, operate in difficult weather conditions. One

KEY PLAYER Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia are the regions where the Soviet- and Russian-made helicopters have proven to be efficient in maritime, desert, mountain and jungle conditions.That is why the new versions of the Mi-17 offered in the international market by the Rosoboronexport State Company, Russia’s sole special exporter of the full range of armaments and military equipment, have aroused great interest among potential purchasing countries: from the Pacific states in the East to the United States of America in the West.

helicopter can carry up to 36 paratroopers with their weapons. Owing to good design, sliding doors on each side, and a rear electro-hydraulic ramp, assault landing takes only 15 seconds, which is very important in combat where every second counts.

To evacuate the wounded, the Mi-17s delivered abroad by Rosoboronexport are

equipped with 12 sets of stretchers and medical equipment and allowing a medical orderly to freely come to every wounded person.To participate in search and rescue operations, the helicopters can be equipped with a weather radar, a searchlight, night vision devices, a satellite navigation system, cargo winches, legs to land on soft ground, and other specialized equipment.

In addition to personnel transportation, the Mi-17 can carry up to 4 tons of cargo inside its cargo compartment and externally. Its hover ceiling is 4000 m, service ceiling 6000 m.The auxiliary power unit provides engine starting at high altitudes and stand-alone operation of the helicopters based outside the major airfield. In case one engine is damaged in combat, the other automatically attains higher power output allowing the helicopter to continue safe flight even with the maximum weight.

By the way, the new Mi-17 versions have inherited unique survivability from their predecessors that took part in almost all the conflicts in the second half of the 20th century.

The Soviet helicopters proved to be effective in Afghanistan, where their reliability and low

Mi-171Sh

maintenance were legendary.There are hundreds of stories with happy ending when helicopters successfully returned to bases riddled with bullets, with damaged blades, bullet-

Mi-17V5

WHAT CAN THE MI-17 HELICOPTERS DO?

riddled fuel tanks and broken pipelines.The damaged units were replaced, moreover in the field, and the machine returned to combat operation.

As regards helicopter protection, it is worth noting that combat experience has been studied

by Russian experts very closely. As a result, the cabin and vital components of the new Mi-17 versions offered by Rosoboronexport today are protected very well. Armor plates and selfsealing fuel tanks with a polyurethane filler preventing fuel leak after bullet/fragment penetration and, respectively, fire and explosion of the tank, are used. Engine exhaust IR suppression devices reduce the helicopter signature in the infrared band. Protection against IR guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles is provided by flare dispensers and a jammer.

The Mi-17 helicopters have proved to be efficient not only in transporting people and goods.They can provide effective fire support for assault teams using their sufficiently powerful weapons.The latter may include the S-8 80mm unguided rockets (up to 80 rockets in pods), two universal gun containers with the GSh-23L 23mm aircraft cannon (500 rounds in containers). Furthermore, machine guns can be mounted in the cargo compartment door openings.Troopers also can fire through the windows. And while generally the Russian helicopters do not differ from their competitors, they are far superior to them in the power of the full salvo of rockets and gunfire.

The Mi-17s are good not only as a military machine, but also in the civil service. For

Perform an operational delivery of light weapons and equipment, ammunition and military units; Make assault landing;

Provide fire support for landing troops on the battlefield; Evacuate wounded from the battlefield;

Participate in search and rescue, police operations; Effectively extinguish fires.

Mi-17 helicopters can provide effective fire support using their powerful weapon example, they are effective in extinguishing fires.

To do this, a special bucket can be secured to an external sling.With its help, the helicopter takes up to 4 tons of water from open water bodies.

Using a long sling (up to 65 meters) allows water drops directly on the zone of fire.

For effective and rapid pilot training, Rosoboronexport offers the customers advanced training equipment.Their use can cut training costs and training time several times, increase crew proficiency and flight safety, save the life of equipment.

For countries that already operate the earlier versions of the Mi-8/17 series helicopters, Rosoboronexport is ready to offer

AMR Marketing Promotion

comprehensive upgrade programs, which will significantly improve the main performance characteristics of helicopters.

In summary, we would like to note once again that the family of the Mi-17 helicopters became legendary.Vast field experience and timeproven design solutions have merged with the most advanced Russian technologies used in the newest versions of these machines.That is why, on the strength of all characteristics, the Mi17s are unrivalled. In addition, the practice has shown that these Russian workhorses, as the pilots sometimes call the Mi-17s, can effectively handle any task and in any conditions.The Mi-17 is a key player in any situation.

COASTAL

S U R V E I L L A N C E

Coastal Protection One of the key threats to coastal security is the use of small boats by drug and people traffickers to transport their wares. Such threats can be fiendishly difficult to detect which is why coastal radar must be highly sensitive to their detection © Thomas Withington

ndia is no exception with its coastal areas set to receive further protection following an announcement on 28th November that the State of Gujarat, in the west of the country, will receive seven new radar stations to enhance the security of the coast.

The installation of the new radars in Gujarat is one part of the wider modernisation of India’s coastal surveillance posture. In September, it was announced that Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) would supply 46 radars to the Director General Lighthouses and Lightships. BEL’s India Band radar has a range of up to 129 km. The radars will be positioned around the coast on the Indian mainland with six of the systems being deployed on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Data collected by these new radar will be transmitted to Joint Operations Centers located at Mumbai on the coast of western India, Visakhapatnam on the eastern coast, Kochi on the southwest coast; and Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The introduction of the new radar is aimed at closing

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gaps in the surveillance of India’s considerable coastline. The enhancement of coastal security has emerged as a major priority for the Indian Government following the attacks on Mumbai in 2008 which claimed the lives of over 160 people, including ten of its perpetrators.

SPEXER

Radar is a particularly effective way of enhancing coastal protection. As a surveillance measure, it is unaffected by bad weather or low visibility, and can cover a huge swathe of water in a very short time.

Numerous coastal surveillance radars are available on the market to significantly enhance territorial security, or the security of a specific installation, such as a major port.

One of the attractions of the SPEXER family is that these radars can be easily incorporated into larger coastal security systems l

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Cassidian is one company that has introduced coastal radar into its product portfolio with a family of products known as SPEXER. At the Milipol exhibition in Paris this October, it showcased its new SPEXER-1000 product. Although the SPEXER-1000 is designed for border protection and security work, the firm revealed that it plans to launch its SPEXER-2000 Coastal product by the end of the year. This radar will have a range of around 40 kilometres, although Cassidian hopes to later extend this to 80km via technical modifications. One of the attractions of the SPEXER family is that these radars can be easily incorporated into larger coastal security systems to be teamed with electro-optical sensors, diver defence systems, and computerbased command and control equipment.

Seaker

Cassidian’s SPEXER-2000 Coastal product is joined by other, similar radar like Thales’s Seaker, which has a range of 48km. Seaker has been designed to detect very small targets during general coastal surveillance, and

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Countries throughout the region are enhancing their ability to track and understand activity within their littoral waters, allowing them to provide emergency help to vessels in distress, detect illegal fishing as well as provide covert surveillance on terrorists or threats from nearby states.

by Thomas Withington

Saab’s Giraffe family of radars has established a solid track record for surveillance of air and sea threats. As well as being used on naval vessels as a surveillance radar, the firm’s Giraffe AMB system can be used for coastal surveillance © Saab

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to enhance the protection of ports and harbours. Seaker’s ability to detect such small targets makes it particularly attractive for use in the fight against small boats which can carry illegal immigrants, or to be used to combat drug smuggling. Thales has incorporated frequency-modulated continuous wave technology into this radar enabling it to provide highly accurate distance and position measurements. Moreover, the maximum output power of Seaker is around one watt which makes it particularly challenging to detect. Along with the detection of sea-based targets, even in a high clutter environments, Seaker can detect low-flying air targets using its X-band transmissions. Its lightweight construction enables it to be easily installed at a range of sights, with a local area network interface enabling the wireless transmission of the radar’s data.

Coast Watcher

Thales's Seaker radar is reinforced with its Coast Watcher range which includes the Coast Watcher 10, 100 and 200 models. Coast Watcher 10 can perform short- and mediumrange surveillance, and is capable of detecting very small targets. Using the X-band, Coast Watcher 10 has a rotation speed of between 18-22 revolutions per minute, and an azimuth resolution of 0.75º. The radar is capable of detecting a target with a Radar

Cross Section (RCS) of one square metre, one metre Above Sea Level (ASL) at range of 18km, with the detection of a ten square metre RCS target at two metres ASL at a range of 28km. Coast Watcher 10 uses the ASTERIX (All Purpose Structured Eurocontrol Radar Information Exchange) protocol for the transfer of radar data.

Those customers requiring longer-range target detection can opt for the Coast Watcher 100. This radar can work in conditions of high sea and rain clutter due to frequency agility and Doppler processing. To improve the radar’s gaze, it can be installed at altitudes of up to 1,000m and, like the Coast Watcher 10, uses the X-band to provide good surface target detection with up to 300 megahertz of bandwidth agility. In terms of Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta Systems is a well-known provider of radar systems. Its product portfolio includes the EL/M-2226 which is designed for the detection of small targets and can be connected to off-board electro-optical sensors © IAI Elta

Thales’s Seaker radar is reinforced with its Coast Watcher range which includes the Coast Watcher 10, 100 and 200 models 16

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High Frequency Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR) represents one means by which over-thehorizon coastal surveillance can be performed.

HFSWR utilises the ionosphere to bounce microwaves to ranges in excess of hundreds of kilometres © BAE Systems

performance, when placed at an altitude of 85m, the Coast Watcher 100 can perform surface detection for a target with a one square metre RCS at one metre ASL at a range of 27km; a target with a 100 square metre RCS at an altitude of five metres ASL, at 40km.

When the radar is positioned at 1000m ASL, these ranges increase to allow a 20 square metre RCS target at one metre ASL to be detected at 83km, and a 100 square metre RCS target at five metres ASL being detected at 120km. For air detection, the Coast Watcher

COASTAL

S U R V E I L L A N C E

Based in Stoke-on-Trent in central United Kingdom, EASAT constructs a number of radar products, including antenna which can be used protect coastlines. As seen here, the protective cover of this radar has been removed for maintenance © EASAT

100 can spot a target with a three square metre RCS flying at an altitude of 500 feet ASL at a range of 64km. Finally, Thales’s Coast Watcher 200 is designed as an over-the-horizon radar using High Frequency (HF) transmissions with a range in the region of 200km.

Argos-30X

Like the Coast Watcher 10 and Coast Watcher 100, X-band frequencies are utilised in Selex Sistemi Integrati’s Argos-30X coastal surveillance radar. It comes equipped with three surveillance modes: Mode 1, which performs six antenna Revolutions-Per-Minute (RPM) is used for long-range surveillance to

detect small air and sea targets at ranges of around 180km. Mode 2 employs a higher rotation speed of twelve RPM for short- and medium-range surveillance at ranges of around 100km. Finally, Mode-3, which has a three RPM rotation speed provides a range of around 240km for over-the-horizon search.

An Automatic Frequency Selection (AFS) capability allows the operator to choose the least-jammed frequencies to provide the radar with a high degree of resistance to electronic countermeasures.

LCR-2020

Coastal surveillance radar production is not only the preserve of European suppliers, ITT Exelis provides the LCR-2020 naval and coastal surveillance radar. This C-band twodimensional system provides frequency-agility and has a high level of electronic countermeasures discrimination. ITT Exelis is currently involved in the upgrade of Sweden’s legacy ITT SABER-2020 radar to LCR-2020 standard via the Reliability and Modification (REMO870) upgrade that the firm has been tasked to provide by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration. Essentially, the REMO-870 programme adds a new antenna and transmitter to the SABER-2020, along with new processing and display technology. In addition to Tower-mounted security equipment in the French Mediterranean port of Marseilles. A host of sensors including radar and electro-optical equipment is now employed to safeguard such installations around the world © Thomas Withington

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modernising the SABER-2020 systems used by Sweden, ITT is also modernising the PS-870 low-altitude air defence radar which are utilised for defence against low-altitude seaskimming missiles. The PS-870 radar has a range of around 100km performing gap-filler, as well as coastal, surveillance missions.

EL/M-2226

The detection of small targets at sea is especially important in the coastal defence role, given the penchant for drug and people smugglers to use small craft to convey their cargo.

Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta Systems has optimised their EL/M-2226 Advanced Coastal Surveillance Radar (ACSR) for the detection of miniature targets. The EL/M-2226 can track up to 200 contacts and is fully interoperable with other sensors such as electro-optical systems. The human-machine interface uses a PC-based approach making it highly intuitive to use. Operating in the X-band, the EL/M2226 can detect a patrol craft at a range of around 60km, and a rigid hull inflatable boat at a range of up to 20km.

HFSWR

In addition to stand-alone and networked coastal radar, High Frequency Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR) offers another means by which persistent and comprehensive radar coverage of a section of water, particularly an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), can be performed. The attraction of HFSWR is that it provides an over-the-horizon capability, thus eliminating the line-of-sight visibility chal-

COASTAL

S U R V E I L L A N C E

Two companies involved in the production of HFSWR are BAE Systems and Raytheon.

Between them, they have provided a number of such radar products to customers around the world © BAE Systems

lenges suffered by some radar. Broadly speaking, a radar antenna mounted on a tenmetre high mast will have a range of around 13 km when detecting targets on the sea surface. However, a ten-metre high antenna will be able to detect flying targets at an equivalent altitude at a range of 26km.

HFSWR use the principle of ionospheric reflection to detect targets beyond the horizon. In essence, the microwave is broadcast upwards to the sky hitting the ionosphere which exists at between 50-1000km altitude.

The microwave bounces off the ionosphere back towards the earth. On hitting the earth, or a target between the microwaves and the earth’s surface such as a boat or a plane, the microwaves bounce back towards the ionosphere. Upon hitting the ionosphere, they bounce once more towards the radar antenna. The microwaves which perform such functions are at high frequencies in the range of between 3-30 megahertz.

The drawback of using an HFSWR is that its efficiency is highly dependent on atmospheric conditions. The wrong atmospheric conditions can simply cause the microwaves to bounce between the ground and the sky.

This means that the frequencies used must be continually monitored to take into account the prevailing atmospheric conditions to ensure that the radar performs efficiently. Moreover, as the microwave radar signal typically looses some of its power at each reflection, the signal

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reflected back to the radar becomes very weak, requiring the use of a low noise amplifier to ensure its representation to the radar operator. This weak reflection signal from the target creates another challenge as the signals reflected back from a moving target will be very weak compared to the signal reflected from the earth’s surface; the ‘background noise’. This requires the utilisation of the Doppler effect to detect the frequency shift from a moving target. Thus the background noise can be filtered out, allowing the depiction of moving objects. The other disadvantage is that over-the-horizon radar typically have weak target resolution. The result of this is that they cannot be used for fire control. In addition, these radars require a huge antenna array to operate, meaning that they tend to be positioned in static coastal installations. That said, HFSWR does have a significant application in terms of early warning.

JORN

A number of over-the-horizon radar systems remain in operation, including Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN).

JORN has a range of around 3,000km and uses a bi-static approach where the transmitter and receiver are separate to prevent the transmitter from interfering with signal reception.

A number of over-the-horizon radar systems remain in operation, including Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network l

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JORN uses a transmitter and receiver located at Longreach and Stonehenge, both in eastern Australia; plus a transmitter and receiver located at Leonora and Laverton in Western Australia which, between them, monitor the seas to the north of the country.

Next Generation HFSWR

HFSWR systems are available from a number of companies. For example, Raytheon produces what it calls a Next Generation HFSWR designed for surveillance of maritime traffic in an EEZ. Raytheon’s HFSWR products have already been installed to monitor the Bay of Bengal and the Black Sea and, as of 2012, will be monitoring the eastern coast of Canada. HFSWR products are also available from BAE Systems. The company’s official literature states that its HFSWR offerings can detect low-flying targets, as well as high-altitude air threats along with surface vessels of various sizes. Along with enhancing coastal security, the company says that its radar can be used to provide maritime traffic control, and for the protection of offshore assets such as oil platforms.

Radar clearly has an important role to play in helping to safeguard key shore, offshore and port installations as a participant in a network of systems which can be used to bolster coastal security. Radar is particularly effective when teamed with another sensor such as electrooptical equipment, sonar or diver defence systems as one sensor can seldom on its own provide complete security. In turn these sensors can be linked back to a control centre to afford coastal security personnel with as comprehensive a view of the coastline as possible.

AMR AIR FORCE DIRECTORY 2012 THE REGIONAL

Prepared by Adam Baddeley l

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

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F O R C E

MR’s Regional Air Force Directory of the various air forces, naval air arms and army aviation assets across the Asia-Pacific Region returns in our first issue of 2012. Over the past year, the region has proved itself as the global crucible for the design, development, procurement and fielding of combat aircraft outside of the notable and enduring exception of the United States. As well as maintaining its ongoing focus on multi-role combat aircraft with programmes such as India’s MMRCA, Malaysia’s new MRCA, Japans F-X and Korea’s FX-III competitions, new developments as seen with the Korean KF-X, Japan’s ATD-X Shinshin, India’s nascent Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft and more established PAK-FA collaboration and China’s J-20 curio, are exploring indigenous fifth generation technologies hitherto limited to North America and Europe. This pursuit must also be seen in parallel to other efforts, not just prestige projects, focused on providing balanced capabilities for fixed and rotary wing tactical transport and close air support and special mission aircraft that truly enhance air superiority capabilities.

As before, the Directory has been compiled from a range of open sources from around the world, AMR’s correspondents and discussions with industry and military personnel throughout the year. AMR would like to thank those who have scratched their heads and provided answers to our questions. We would therefore like to encourage readers over the next twelve months who can add information to either contact us in person at the year’s shows and exhibitions or by e-mail.

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AFGHANISTAN

Afghan National Army Air Force 13+7 Ordered G222/C-27A, 20 ac planned by 2012 20 Ordered A-29 Super Tucano, $350m, delivery mid 2013 deal uses same engines as C-208B 6 C 182 Turbos

An Afghan Air Force (AAF) Mi-17 transport in the Kunar Valley. This year Czech firm LOM have been contracted to provide support and maintenance on the AAF’s Mi-8 and Mi-17 fleets which are growing larger with successive US funded acquisitions © DoD

The first of the RAAF’s KC-30A aircraft was accepted in June with 33 Squadron © AJB

3+3 Ordered

C-208B, advanced training and transport role, first ac arrived in Oct could increase by a further 20 ac 46+35 Ordered Mi-8 MTV-1/Mi17DV/V5, $370m recent order for 21 Mi-17 helicopters, delivery by 2013 9 Mi-35, 377th Rotary Wing Squ began operations in August 2010 9 UH-1H 6 MD530F, advanced training role with up to 54 could be acquired for $186 million

NOTES: Last remaining An-26 and five An32B supported by US NAVAIR Support and Commercial Derivative Aircraft Program Office retired as C-27 delivery completing.

Mi-8 and Mi-17 maintenance being supported by US, funded through Czech firm LOM.

AUSTRALIA

Royal Australian Air Force 55/16 F/A-18A/B, IOC for AGM-158 JASSM expected soon 24 F/A-18F, deliveries completed in Oct 14 Ordered F-35A, requirement for a further 86 ac est. at $17bil. IOC in 2018 33 Hawk 127, Phase 1A of A$100-300m Air 5438 upgrade recently gained First Pass approval

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63

9 4+2 Ordered

18

1 2 3 9

12 5+1 Ordered

10 Planned

4+1 Ordered

F O R C E

PC-9/9A, one ac crashed in May King Air 200/350 737 Wedgetail AEW&C, participated in Bersama Lima in November, final acceptance due in March 2012 AP-3C, due to retire in 2018-19 AP-3C EW 737-700BBJ Challenger CL 604 VIP C-130H, four ac to be donated to Indonesia in 2012 C-130J-30 C-17, sixth ac for RAAF 36 Squ ordered in Nov worth $300m, fifth ac delivered in Sept Air 8000 Phase 2 DHC-4 replacement, C-27J is preferred versus C-295 in $900m-$1b deal KC-30A, first ac formally accepted in June with 33 Squ

Royal Australian Navy 9 S-70B-2 Seahawk, withdrawal in 2018, no interim upgrade 24 Ordered MH-60R, first export of Romeo, deliveries in $3.1b deal begin in 2014, complete by 2018 5 MRH90, based at HMAS Albatross with new 808 Squadron 13 AS350BA, Lead In Helicopter Training 3 AW109E

Australian Army Aviation Corps 14 OH-58 6+2 Ordered CH-47D, two used ac to be delivered in Jan to enter service in 2012, fleet grounded temporarily in Sept 7 Ordered CH-47F, to be introduced in 2016 22 Ordered Tiger ARH, last Project 87 ac delivered to 1st Aviation Reg. in Dec

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34 S-70A-9 Blackhawk 1 AS350BA 10+28 Ordered MRH90, programme added to the Projects of Concern list, fifteenth helo delivered in Dec

The first of six C-130J aircraft was delivered to the Indian Air Force in time for Aero Indian 2011 at Bangalore.

Another six have been ordered bringing the eventual tally to twelve Š AJB

NOTES: RAN is to lease three Bell 429 via Raytheon for training in a $26m deal beginning in 2012. Australia has voiced concerned about F-35 schedules with the suggestion that further Super Hornets would be acquired as an alternative. Australia has committed to a buy of 14 F-35, rising to 100.

The first two aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2014-15 with all 14 by 2017. Five Sea King 50s are being sold.

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh Air Force 8 A-5C 23+16 Ordered F-7M/BG, 16 F-7BGIs due to be delivered in 2012 8 MiG-29SE/UB 8 L-39ZA 3 An-32 4 C-130B 19 Mi-17/171 16 UH-1N/Bell 212 4 Bell 206L 6 FT-6 11 T-37B Bangladesh Army 2 Bell 206L4 4 Cessna 152 1 Grand Caravan

CAMBODIA

NOTES: Bangladesh is planning the procurement a further 20-32 fighter aircraft by 2027.

BRUNEI

Royal Brunei Air Force 1 CN-235-110M 2 Bell 206B, training role 11 Bell 212/214ST, replaced

by S-70i Black Hawk 4 BO105CB, replaced by S-70i Black Hawk 4 +12 Ordered S-70A/L/i, 12 ordered in ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

deal worth $240m PC-7Mk II

NOTES: Order for the S-70i expected to be delivered from 2014.

Bangladesh Navy 2 Ordered AW109 2 Ordered Do 228NG, delivery in 2013

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Royal Cambodian Air Force 1 AN-24 3 Mi-8 3 Mi-17 1 AS355 1 UH-1H 5 L-39C 2 Y-12-II, operated by Air Cambodia 3 An-24RV, operated by Air Cambodia

Notes: Reports of a $195m deal for Z-9 helos from China.

CHINA

People’s Liberation Army Air Force 120 H-6, inc. 10 H-6U Tankers,

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330 40 210 60 28+130 Ordered 16 130 40 180

began upgrades in 2006 350 J-7 70 JH-7, crash at airshow in Shaanxi in Oct. 180 J-8II 200 J-10, includes new J-10B 140+70 Ordered J-11A/B 76 Su 30MKK/MK2 76 Su-27SK/UBK 4 JF-17 130 Q-5A 8 Ordered IL-78 5 A-50I, KJ-2000 radar/mission system based near Taiwan 4 Y-8 AEW, prototypes with different radar configurations 2 737 80/4 Y-7/MA60 45 Y-8 3 AN-12 10+30 Ordered IL-76MD 4 Tu-154 ELINT 3 Mi-6

Mi-8/17/171/172 Z-8 Z-9 Z-11 HC-120 S-70 JJ6 JJ7 JL-8/K-8

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137+94 Ordered

People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force 16 H-6D 6 Y-8 MPA 2 Y-8 ELINT 30 J-7D/E 35 JH-7A 48 J-8 20 J-10, 10AS and J-10SH 24 J-11 30 Q-5 16 JJ-6 23 Su-30MKK2/33 50 Ordered JF-15, 3 SA365N 12+6 Ordered Ka-28/31 8 Mi-8 3 SH-5 26 Z-8, some Z-8s modified for AEW role 20 Z-9C 14 JJ-6 12 JL-8 (K-8) 12 JL-9

126 Planned 153

151+10 Ordered 14

88 3 Ordered

3+2 Planned

NOTES: China increased its defence budget by 12.7 percent in 2011. New Y-8 based MPA seen, dubbed Y-8X. PLANAF expected to field J15 (Su33 clone) from 2014 but experiencing testing problems with the three prototypes. CAIC WZ-10 attack helicopter still stalled in final development with eight helos reported to be at Nanjing. JZ-8F reconnaissance aircraft deployed with Air Force and Navy. PLAN Y-8GX8 ELINT platform due to enter service in 2012. Flight tests underway on the Shaanxi Y-9, the replacement for the Y-8. Y-20 heavy transport platform still in development PLANAF trialing Y-7 based AEW&C ac for carrier operations.

2 1 6 6 Planned

INDIA

17 25+54 Ordered 65 Ordered

Indian Air Force 69 MiG-29S/UB/UPG, fatal crash in Himachal Pradesh state in Oct, first modernised UPG ac

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28+12 Ordered 55

F O R C E

received in 2011 Mirage-2000H/TH, ordered 450 MICA AAM in late 2011, $2.4b upgrade of 51 Vajras to Mirage 2000-9 standard approved Jan Su-30MK/MKI, crash took place in Dec near Pune, eventual plans for 13 squadrons MMRCA, bid opened in Nov, press reports of costs doubling to $20b MiG-21Bison/bis/M, ac crashed in Oct in Rajasthan state, fourth in 2011, all bis variants to be retired by 2017, others before this Jaguar IM/IS/T, fatal crash in Uttar Pradesh in August MiG-23UM, all to be retired by 2017 MiG-27UPG EMB-145 AEW, first ac to be delivered in 2012 due to enter service in 2014 in $208m 2008 deal IL-76TD/A-50EI AEW, est. cost of new orders is $800m with IAI, for 50 Squ Gulfstream III EW 1125 G100 Recce IL-78 MKI ‘MARS’ MRTT, est. $2b, trials of A330 MRTT and Il-78 in Nov An-32, five upgraded AM32RE ac arrived from Ukraine in Sept C-17, $4.1b deal concluded in June, delivery in 2013-14 C-130J, first ac delivered in Feb Do-228-201 HS 748, some in ELINT role Il-76 Dhruv LCH, deliveries from 2013-14, in service around 2016

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F O R C E

138+113 Ordered Mi-8/17, first Mil-17-V5 helos delivered in Nov, conclude in 2014. Part of a $1.35b deal in 2008, possibly a further 35 required 3 Mi-26, to be replaced by either 15 CH-47F or Mi-26T2 20 Mi-35 22 Ordered AH-64D, $1.4b deal, options could increase numbers to 44 65 Ordered LCH, expected to be inducted from 2013 11 SA315 Cheetah, to be replaced by LUH 72 SA316 Cheetak, to be replaced by LUH 64 Planned LUH, competition between AS 550 Fennec and Kamov Ka-226 35+70 Ordered Hawk 132, latest order for 20 for Surya Kiran aerobatics team worth

161 16 Ordered 181 Ordered

15 Ordered

1+39 Ordered 100 Planned

$72 million HJT-16 HJT-36 Sitara PC-7 II, replaces grounded HPT-32 Deepaks in a $976 million deal. 75 aircraft from Pilatus with 106 built locally by HAL Saras, training role, first three ac delivered in 2014, potential order for a further 75 together with Navy Tejas Mk1, service entry expected in 2014 Tejas LCA, to be fitted with Derby AAM, IAF plans to acquire 100 Tejas Mk II which is due to fly in 2014

Indian Army 55 Dhruv ALH 25+10 Ordered SA315

80 133 Planned

SA316 LUH, original decision on AS 550C3 cancelled in 2007 Indian Naval Air Arm 16+29 Ordered MiG-29K/KuB, INS Vikramaditya due to enter service in late 2012, $1.5 billion contract for 29 jets made in 2010

REGIONAL A I R

The Indian government signed off the upgrade of 51 ‘Vajras’ to the Mirage 2000-9 standard in January © Dassault

22/4 6 Planned

8/3 6 Ordered 8

12 Ordered

Sea Harrier FRS51/T4/60 Tejas LCA Tu-142ME, first ac upgraded to MSD standard delivered in Dec and due to complete by 2020 P-8I MPA, first flight 28th Sept, entering service from 2013, number could increase to 24

5 12 6 15 16 9+4 Ordered 36 27 3 17 Ordered 20

Do-228 MPA/Transport, work closely with the Coast Guard Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft, in competition IL-38 MPA BN-2 Dhruv ALH Ka-25 Ka-28, upgrade planned Ka-31, upgrade planned SA316B/319 Sea King 42 UH-3 Hawk 132 HJT-16

NOTES: IAF combat squadrons number 33, well below government authorised levels. In

F O R C E

addition to PAK-FA of which India plans to acquire around 200 twin-seaters, the Aeronautical Development Agency is also planning to develop the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft for 2025. The US has indicated openness to offering the F-35 to India.

India reported to have requirement for seven EMB-145/MA-1 SIGINT/ELINT aircraft. Indian Navy issued RFI in May 2010 for carrier based AEW&C. First test fire of BrahMos from a Su-30MKI planned for 2012. Weapons package on IN’s MiG-29K purchase criticised by comptroller and auditor general. Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure India project preparing IAF bases for new advanced aircraft.

INDONESIA

Indonesian Air Force 7/3+24 Ordered F-16A/B, 24 new ac at Block 52 standard in $750m deal 25 Hawk 209 13 Hawk 53/109, to be

REGIONAL A I R

5 5 50 Planned 6/3 8 Ordered 2 3 1+2 Ordered 1 1 15 10 9 Ordered 5 6

5 2 11 12 Ordered 2 Ordered 11 11 18 16 16 Ordered 28 18 Ordered

F O R C E

replaced by T-50 Su-27SK/SKM Su-30MK/MK2 KF-X F-5E/F EMB-314 Super Tucano, deal finalised in May, delivery in 2012 OV-10 737 MPA CN-235 MPA KC-130B 737 C-130B/H/H-30/L-100 C-212 CN-295, worth $325m entering service by mid 2014 CN-235 110/220M F27-400M, to be replaced by new CN-295 F-28 1000/3000 PC-6 NAS332J AW101 EC725 EC120B KT-1B SF-260M/W T-34C T-50, $400 million deal deliveries to be completed by 2013 AS/SA-202 G120TP, won competition for new basic training aircraft in 2011,

Damage from the recent tsunami at Matsushima Air Base saw 12 damaged F-2s being repaired in a $1b deal with six aircraft being scrapped Š DoD

delivery begins in 2012

20 12+6 Ordered

Indonesian Army 1 BN-2A 3 C-212 2 DHC-5 1 Turbo Commander 11 Bell 205A-1 18 Ordered Bell 210 31 Bell 412, ac crashed in May

8 2

Indonesian Navy 3 NC-212-200 MPA 13 NC-212-200 3 Ordered NCN-235-220 3 Nomad 22 MPA 17 Nomad 22/24, transport 1 Ordered NB 412SP 4 NAS332 4 NBO-105 3 EC-120B 2 Mi-2 NOTES: Defence budget from FY2012 up by 53 percent. Indonesia is to contribute 20 percent of the costs of the KF-X programme with approx 50 aircraft required from 2018.

Indonesia will also receive from US four F16 Block 25 jets and two Block 15 aircraft for spare parts. Initial agreement to acquire six Su-30MK2 fighters in place with an est $500m cost. Dirgantara has signed a teaming agreement with Airbus Military for production of the C-295. Press reports of seeking surplus AH-64 Apaches from European operators. Kaman reported to have offered

The RAAF is retiring its fleet of C-130H in favour of the new C-130J-30. Four of the legacy aircraft have been offered to Indonesia Š DoD

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NBO-105 Mi-17-V5, latest six delivered to No. 21 Squ in August Mi-35M EC-120B

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NOTES: Japan is funding Mitsubishi’s ATDX Shinshin to the tune of $500m with a first flight expected by 2016. Mitsubishi XP-1 experienced rips and tears during ground testing. The Air Force is scrapping 12 F-2 fighters at Matsushima Air Base damaged in the Tsunami, six other F-2s will be repaired.

LAOS

Lao People’s Liberation Army Air Force 25 MiG-21PFM/U 1 An-26 10 An-2 6 Ka-32 1 An-74K-100 7 Mi-8 9 Mi-17 4 UH-1H 4 Z-9

NOTES: Declining serviceability across the board.

MALAYSIA

the Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters for an ASW requirement.

JAPAN

Japan Air Self Defence Force 63/17 F-2A/B 82 F-4EJ/EF-4EJ/RF-4EJ 153/45 F-15J/DJ, fleet grounded for short time in July after crash near Okinawa 42 Ordered F-35A, winner of F-X in late Dec to replace F-4J, four scheduled for delivery in 2016 at $127m each 4 E-767, based at Hamamatsu, recently received RSIP upgrade 1 EC-1 13 E-2C, Hawkeye 2000s based at Misawa Air Base 10 YS-11P/FC/NT/EA/EB, transports to be retired 2012-14 4 KC-767 30 U-125/A 26 C-1A/FTB 20 Ordered C-2 16 C-130H/KC-130H, US surplus to replace YS-11 transport 5 Gulfstream IV

19 40+40 Ordered 13 204 48

CH-47J UH-60J Beechcraft T-400 T/XT-4 T-7

Japanese Ground Self Defence Force 5 King Air 350/LR-2 7 MU-2 75 AH-1S 10+2 Ordered AH-64DJP 57 CH-47J/JA 27 OH-1 139 OH-6D/J 174 UH-1H/J 30 UH-60JA

Japan Maritime Self Defence Force 105 EP-3C/UP-3D/UP-3C, to be replaced by 65 P-1s 10 Ordered P-1 MPA 8 US-1/-2 10 YS-11T-A/M/M-A 4 Learjet 36 7+6 Ordered MCH/CH101 10 MH-53E 145 SH/UH-60J/K 29 King Air 90 9 OH-6D/J 43 T-5 4+10 Ordered EC135T2i

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Royal Malaysian Air Force 10 F/RF-5E/F-5F 8 F/A-18D, $17.3m upgrade announced in November, complete by 2015 18 Planned MRCA, Gripen, Rafale, Super Hornet & Typhoon, due to enter service in 2015-16, decision by 2013 14/6 Hawk 208/108 10+2 Ordered MiG-29N/UB 18 Su-30MKM 4 Ordered A400M 14 C-130H/H-30/T 6 CN-235-220M 1 Falcon 900B 1 F28-1000 10 Cessna 402 1 Global Express BD700 4 King Air 200 MPA 4 Mi-171Sh 12 Ordered EC-725, begin deliveries in 2012 26 S-61A-4 2 AS61N-1 21 SA316 8 MB339CM 31 PC-7, will be thirty years old by 2013 17 PC-7 Mk II 1 B737 1 A319 2 S-70 VIP

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REGIONAL A I R

F O R C E

Malaysia Army Air Corps 11 AW109H Royal Malaysian Navy 6 AS.555SN 6 Super Lynx 300 6 Planned ASW Helos, planned to begin in 2012, postponed to 2013-14

NOTES: Malaysia yet to issue formal RFP for MRCA. Air chiefs committed to diverse frontline fleet. AEW aircraft planned for 2015-16, LM UK to offer new helo-based Vigilance system. SU-30s understood to have performed poorly in air to ground role in Exercise Bersama Lima. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of a potential sale of 20 AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II all-up-round missiles, associated equipment and parts to Malaysia in November worth $52m.

MYANMAR

Myanmar Air Force 21 A-5C 1 F-6 24 F-7M 4 G4 15+17 Ordered MiG-29B/SE/UB, 20 ac ordered in $550m deal in 2009 6 F27 2 Ordered AN-148 6 Cessna 180 2 BN2 MPA 5 PC-6A/B 14 Bell 205

15 5 1 Ordered 11 9 6 6 12 16 10 12+48 Ordered

Mi-2 Mi-35 Dhruv Mi-17V SA316B W-3/UT FT-7 K-8 PC-7 PC-9 K-8, deal announced in 2009 NOTES: Low levels of serviceability and funding undermine fleet capabilities. Just over $2b allocated for defence in 2011-12.

NEW ZEALAND

Royal New Zealand Air Force 6 P-3K MPA, first K2 upgraded ac accepted in June, remaining five ac completed by mid 2013 2 757-200 5 C-130H, LEP announced in Defence Capability Plan 5 King Air B200, advanced training 2+7 Ordered NH-90, first two helos delivered in December, testing begins in Jan 13 UH-1H 3+2 Ordered AW109 Royal New Zealand Navy 5 SH-2G(NZ), upgrade planned under new Defence Capability Plan

NOTES: Issued an RFI in October for modernised pilot training including a new aircraft for advanced flying training. Defence budget hit by recent earthquakes. Aermacchi MB-339CB air trainer/light attack aircraft up for sale with the A-4Ks now taken off the market and broken up for spares.

NORTH KOREA

Korean People's Air Force 100 F-5 98 F-6 180 F-7 80 H-5 30 MiG-21 50 MiG-23 40 MiG-29/UB 30 Su-7/22 34 Su-25 70 MD500D 70 Mi-2 30 Mi-8/17 15 Mi-24 30 FT-2 135 FT-5

NOTES: Dire levels of serviceability due to a variety of reasons, suggest serviceability rates of less than 50 percent for most types.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan Air Force 143 F-7P/PG 54 F/16A/B/C/D, Block 52+ ac operational with 5 Squ in March, upgrade of Block 15 ac due to Malaysia’s MiG-29s remain in frontline service until replaced by the forthcoming MRCA winner for 18 new aircraft Š AJB

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F O R C E

42+8 Ordered 99

82

4 1+3 Ordered

1 4

16 3 3 1 3 2

1 5 4 4 10 25 9 7 38 10

complete in 2012 JF-17, two squ.s now operational, fatal crash in Nov, up to 250 ac required Mirage IIIEL/EP/OF/ RP/BE/BL/D/DP, Mirage 5EF/F/PA/DPA, fatal crash in Baluchistan in Oct Saab 2000 AEW ZDK-03, first ac based on Y-8/KJ-200 deliveries conclude in 2014 from $728m 2008 deal Saab 2000 Il-78MK, last aircraft delivered in Spring C-130B/E/L-100 707 Transport/VIP CN-235-220 Transport/VIP F27 Embraer Phenom Falcon 20/DA-20, ELINT/ ECM role King Air 200 AB205 IAR316 Mi-171 Mi-35 FT-5 FT-6 FT-7 K-8 SA316/319

18 Pakistan Army 35 3 Ordered 9 24+42 Ordered 15 93 15 31 3 Ordered 20 2 2 2

AH-1F/S AW139 Bell 206B Bell 412 UH-1/AB-205 Mi-8/17/172 SA316 SA330 AS350 AS550 Fennec Citation Bravo/V Turbo Commander 840 Y-12

6 1 5 6 4+2 Ordered

ATL-1 Atlantique P-3C Orion, two ac to replace those lost in terrorist attack on base at Karachi in May F27 MPA F27 SA319B Sea King Mk.45 Z-9EC

Pakistan Navy 1 8+2 Ordered

now equipping F-16s.

T-37B/C

PHILIPPINES

NOTES: Remaining A-5s decommissioned in the Spring with the F-7s, Mirage IIIs and 5s being next as JF-17 deliveries continue.

Reports that Pakistan is interested in acquiring 36 J10/FC-20 aircraft from China. Early model F-16s in MLU to get ITT AN/ALQ211(V)9 EW equipment. DB-100 recon pods

After a $588m MLU covering 71 aircraft with the first examples having been delivered in June, the F-CK-1A/B will continue in service until after 2030 Š Gordon Arthur

Philippines Air Force 12 OV-10A/C, crash in Nov temporarily grounded fleet 6 Planned Advanced Jet Trainers, to replace retired F-5s by 2017 est. cost of $150-200m 1 F27 MPA 2 F27-200 1 F28-3000 1 Turbo Commander 1 C-130H, additional two ac to enter service in Spring 2012 12 Nomad 22B/C 8 Bell 205A-1 2 Bell 212/214 25 MD-520MG 10 S-76 40 UH-1H/V, fatal crash in Oct 6 AS-211 21 SF260TP/MP/WP 2+6 Ordered W3 Swidnik 2 S-70A-5 VIP Philippines Army 1 UH-60A

Philippine Navy 6 BN-2 MPA 2 BO105

NO TE S: In December, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines was seeking to obtain 12 excess US F-16s. In Sept. the Air Force said over three-quarters of its aircraft were unfit to fly.

In August, the government announced the purchase of three helicopters for the Navy and a new air force air base. In Jan. 2011 outlined its five year plan in which the Air Force wants four combat helicopters, four surface attack and lead-in fighter trainer aircraft, six close air support aircraft and a long-range patrol aircraft.

SINGAPORE

Republic of Singapore Air Force 18+6 Ordered F-15SG 60 F-16C/D Block 52 26/9 F-5S/T 5 F50ME2 MPA, one ac deployed to Djibouti in

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Ten of KAI's T-50B are operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles aerobatics team

4 3+1 Ordered 4 5 4 5 19 31 16 10 22 12 Ordered

19 5

April in support of CTF-151’s anti-piracy role F50 UTL G550 AEW, EL/W-2085 system, assigned to No. 111 Squ E-2C KC-130B/H KC-135R C-130H AH-64D AS332M/532 CH-47D/SD AS.550A2/C2 A-4SUTA-4SU M346, June announcement of $241m deal for 20 year in-service support with Alenia Aermacchi and ST Aerospace PC-21 EC-120

Republic of Singapore Navy 6 SH-60B

NOTE S: Recent acquisitions are bearing fruit, with 123 Squ. stood up in Jan with the new S-70B Seahawks, which will operate from Formidable class frigates.

SOUTH KOREA

Republic of Korea Air Force

85 194 52+8 Ordered

118/51

22 Ordered 20 Ordered

F-4D/E/RF-4C F-5E/F F-15K, winner of FX-I and FX-II K/F-16C/D, upgrade competition underway to add AESA TA-50, $600m deal with deliveries beginning in 2013-14 FA-50, Jan announcement of $600 for two seat light attack variant and

-- Planned

4 Planned

60 1+3 Ordered

8 1 12 4 Ordered 18 2 6 12 8 43

requirement for 60-150 to replace F-5s KF-X, seven year $5-15b development programme to replace F-4 and possibly F-5, due to begin in 2013, enter service in 2021 Tankers, funds allocated for 2013 budget with decision by 2013, first aircraft deployed in 2017, KC-767 vs. A330 MRTT expected F-X III, competition to replace F-4 to begin in 2014, numbers may rise 737 AEW, 1st ac accepted of Sept 21st, delivery of aircraft after modification

by KAI in 2012 BAe125 737 C-130H/H-30 C-130J-30 CN-235-100/-220 AS332 CH-47D BO105 Ka-32T S-70A/V/HH-60P

With three delivered and one more aircraft or order, the RSAF's No. 111 Squadron’s G550 AEW fleet gives it AEW&C dominance in the region © AJB

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competing, contract award by end of 2012.

NO TE S: Pursuing competition for F-16 AESA radar on 134 KF-16 for fielding from 2017 with North Grumman SABR and Raytheon RACR competing. In July, Korea shortlisted the F-15 Silent Eagle, F-35, Eurofighter Typhoon and PAK-AF for the FX-III programme. Deal worth $71 million, for 150 GBU-28 Paveway III laser-guided bombs signed in November for F-15Ks. About to acquire 177 low-observable, longrange precision-guided standoff missiles for F-15K and F-16K fighters, the Lockheed Martin JASSM is competing against LFK/Saab Taurus missile. Korea has a requirement for 245 Surions.

SRI LANKA

15 106 15 3

Hawk 67, fatal crash in December, type due to be retired in 2013 KT/KO-1 T-38A S-92 VIP

Republic of Korea Army 77 AH-1JF/J, decision to replace with 36 AH-X helos expected in 2012 36 Planned AH-X, 36 ac RFP in Jan, decision after May, interim solution to KAH delays, est. value $800m 39 CH-47D/DLR 281 MD500E/MD, replaced

by AH-X/KAH 92 UH-1H/N 94 UH-60P

Republic of Korea Navy 8 P-3C 1+7 P-3CK 5 F406 23 Lynx Mk.99/A/SL100 7 SA319B 8 UH-1H 7+8 Ordered UH-60P/MH-60S 8 Planned Shipborne Helo, RFP expected in 1Q2012, may rise to 40a c, MH-60R, AW159 and KAI’s KNH/Surion potentially

Sri Lankan Air Force 9 F-7/GS/BS 9 Kfir C2/7/(T)C2 1 MiG-23UB 7 MiG-27D 1 King Air 1300 5 An-32 2 C-130K C.1 1 Ce421 1 MA60 1 King Air 200T MPA 4 Bell 206A/B 9 Y-12 14 Bell 212/412EP, 2 412 VIP transferred in Dec. 9+4 Ordered Mi-17/171/V-5 14 Mi-24V/P/N/-35P 5+52 Ordered K-8 1 FT-7

TAIWAN

Republic of China Air Force 29 F-5E/F, single-seat F-5F and two-seat RF-5E aircraft crashed in Sept 117/28 F-16A/B Block 20, $530m upgrade at rate of 24 ac per annum 101/25 F-CK-1A/B 70, first six examples of $588m MLU covering an initial 71 ac delivered in June, will remain operational until after 2030 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

47/10

Mirage 2000-5EI/5DI, sustainment remains an issue 2 Beech 1900C 6 E-2T/K, first ac transferred to US for upgrade to E-2C Hawkeye standard 20 C-130H 3 F.50 VIP 13+45 Ordered S-70C-1/1A/S-70C-6 3 EC225 Mk 2 Super Puma, SAR role ordered in 2010, could increase to 20 51 AT-3A/B, to be replaced by new aircraft along with F-5F from 2016 38 T-34C Republic of China Army 61 AH-1W 30 Ordered AH-64D Block III, deal finalised in May 2010 8 CH-47SD 38 OH-58D 84 UH-1B/H 60 Pending UH-60M Republic of China Navy 21 S-2T ASW 8 MD500MD/ASW 16 S-70CM1/CM2 1+11 Ordered P-3C/T

NOTES: The 2012 budget has risen from $1.9 billion to $2.1 billion.

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NOTES: Taipei has been requesting new F16C/D since 2006. AIDC upgrade to F-CK-1 covers improvement to GD-53(AN/APG-67) radar and doubling Sky Sword missiles carried. AIDC proposing a variant of the F-CK1 to replace the AT-3 and F-5 in the role of advanced jet trainer. Taiwan has yet to formalize its requirement for a new advanced jet trainer for 50 ac worth $2.6b. Taiwan said to be also mulling F-35B rather than 66 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters. Taiwan moving to produce Wan Chien air launched stand-off anti-runway missile from 2014.

THAILAND

Royal Thai Air Force 28 F-5A/E/B/F/T, 15 F-5Ts to be retained while E/Fs phased out 53 F-16A/B, Block 15 OCU, modernizing 18 aircraft to Block 50/52 standard with AESA and AIM-9X in

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6+6 Ordered

1+1 Ordered

1 Ordered 2 7 10 6 Ordered 3 2 2 1 1 4 1 1 10 1 14 12 14 3

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F O R C E

$700m deal, two ac crashed in Feb Gripen C/D, first six ac with 701 Squ. at Surat Thani declared operational in July, remainder due in 2013 Saab 340 AEW&C, 1st ac handed over in 2010, air defence system inc six Gripen declared operational in July 2011 Saab 340 Arava 201 BT-67/C-47TP C-130H/H-30, six ac being upgraded by Rockwell Collins CN-235 HS748-208 737 747-8I-BBJ, VIP role ordered June 2011, delivery in 2014-15 A310 A319 ATR72-500, VIP transport King Air 90 Learjet 35A EW DA42, four in recce role Merlin IV Nomad 22B Bell 212ST/412HP/SP/EP ÙH-1H S-92A Superhawk VIP, delivered in April Alpha Jet, based at Udon Thani L-39ZA/ART

22 PC-9M 17 AU-23A Royal Thai Army 3 AH-1F 2 Bell 206/B-3 20 Bell 212, fleet temporarily grounded in July after two crashes 5+3 Ordered Mi-17 6+2 Ordered S-70A/UH-60L 16 Ordered EN480 90 UH-1H/V 6 CH-47D 10 U-17B 40 TH-300C 1+1 Ordered ERJ135R 1 C-212 VIP 2 Beechcraft 1900C 2 King Air 200 6+10 Ordered F480B, deliveries conclude by 2012 Royal Thai Navy 1 F27-200ME MPA 2 F27-200/400M 8 Planned AS500 Fennec 2 CL-215 1 ERJ135LR 2 P-3T 3 Nomad 24 7 Do 228-212 10 Bell 212/214ST 6/2 S-70-B7/MH-60S, two helos delivered in August 4 S-76B 2+2 Ordered Super Lynx 110/300

NOTES: 2012 budget experienced a drop.

Donated OV-10 Broncos to the Philippines in January. Requirement for new CSAR helos

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The first six Gripens were declared operational with the Royal Thai Air Force’s 701 Squadron at Surat Thani in July © AJB

well overdue. Thailand lost ten dead in three helo crashes in July near the Myanmar border. Plans to acquire 36 new helos to replace Army’s Bell 212 and UH-1 fleets. Thai Navy linked to Z-9EC ASW variant from China.

VIETNAM

Vietnamese People’s Air Force 144 MiG-21L/N/UM 38 Su-22J/K 12+15 Ordered Su-30MK2V, four of 12 new ac delivered in May under $1bil deal signed in 2011 11 Su-27SK/UBK 4 Be-12 20 An-26 1+6 Ordered PZL M-28 3 C-212 1-400 MPA, MSS 6000 system under Police control, first ac delivered in August 5 Ka-25 7 Ka-28 2 Ka-32S 8 W-3S/RM 50 Mi-8/17Sh/172 30 Mi-24A/D 26 L-39C Vietnam People’s Navy 6 Ordered DH-6, half ac dedicated MPA

NOTES: Planned 2012 defence budget up by 35 percent.

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M I L I T A R Y

Singapore’s

Military Capabilities Since its birth on 9 August 1965, the island state of Singapore — precariously perched at the tip of the Malay Peninsula — has felt acute concern about its external and internal security. In its infancy the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) relied heavily on support from Israel, yet in a remarkable success story, Singapore has created a highly proficient military to defend its vulnerable territory. Not only that, it has also developed the ability to project power well beyond its own shores.

by Gordon Arthur

he former British colony famously fell to the Japanese in February 1942. Defended by 80,000 troops, this impregnable “bastion of the empire” surrendered in less than a week. Now, however, the Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) comprise a sophisticated force of 70,000+ active-duty personnel backed by 350,000 reservists. In terms of per capita expenditure, Singapore defence spending is the world’s fourth highest. Indeed, while some

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countries in Southeast Asia could be accused of piecemeal and uncoordinated military procurement programmes, Singapore has charted a carefully considered path.

Coastal protection

Any discussion about Singapore invariably begins by mentioning its strategic location as sea lanes converge on the 805km-long Malacca and 105km-long Singapore Straits.

Singapore can be viewed as the hinge connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. More than 50,000 commercial ships transit this

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maritime chokepoint annually, including 3.3 million barrels of Middle East oil daily, with Chinese-flagged vessels in the vanguard.

Singapore is the world’s busiest port, and at any one time 1,000 vessels could be present.

Although the epicentre of piracy attacks has recently migrated to the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia is a traditional “pirate haven”. Attacks in Southeast Asia peaked at 220 in 2000. Singapore has been instrumental in clamping down on the phenomena, combining with Malaysia and Indonesia to conduct Malacca Strait Sea Patrols (MSSP) since

REGIONAL M I L I T A R Y

mid-2004, and Eyes in the Sky (EiS) maritime air patrols since 2005. Thailand joined the MSSP in 2009. By 2008, regional piracy incidents had dropped to 70, although Indonesia remains a weak link. However, in 2010 there was a 60 percent resurgence of piracy-related incidents in Asia, most of which were in Southeast Asia.

Many fear a tie-up between piracy and international terrorism, with latent threats including the hijacking of vessels like an LPG tanker, the sinking of a vessel in the narrow straits, the hijacking of a cruise ship,

The Bionix IFV from ST Kinetics is available in a number of variants, with the Bionix 40/50 pictured here during live-firing © Gordon Arthur

or the detonation of a ship-borne dirty bomb. Singapore’s navy-led Maritime Security Task Force was created in January 2009 to act as a coordinating agency for entities such as the RSN, Maritime Port Authority and Police Coast Guard. Navy vessels regularly crisscross ports and conduct random escorts. Singapore’s deputy prime minister stated: “As a maritime nation

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and the world’s busiest transhipment port, maritime security is a vital component of Singapore’s national security.”

The heart of the naval combat fleet is 185 Squadron’s six Formidable-class frigates, the last of which was delivered in January 2009 by local shipbuilder ST Marine. The frigates feature Thales Herakles phased-array multifunction radar connected to MBDA Aster 15 and 30 surface-to-air missiles (SAM), as well as Harpoon missiles, EuroTorp lightweight torpedoes and an Oto Melara 76mm gun.

188 Squadron operates six Victory-class

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The naval combat fleet centres upon six French La Fayette-class frigates, five of which were license-built in Singapore © Gordon Arthur

missile corvettes, while the RSN also possesses four 6,000-ton Endurance-class landing platform dock (LPD) ships built by ST Marine. This very practical vessel was deployed to Aceh in the wake of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. The shipbuilder is currently building a similar LPD for the Royal Thai Navy. The RSN is pioneering the use of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) too. ST Electronics is developing the 9m-long Venus USV, building upon the success of the Rafael Protector that was first deployed to the Persian Gulf in 2005.

An important role is played by the Navy’s four 51m-long Challenger-class diesel-electric submarines from 171 Squadron. These ex-Swedish Navy boats were acquired from 1995 onwards to give Singapore its first underwater assets. They are now more than 40 years old, but the fleet is being modernised by the imminent delivery and commissioning of two 1,500-ton Archer-class submarines. They are second-hand Swedish boats too, but they sport Kockums air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems. The submarine support vessel, Swift Rescue, entered service in 2009, and ST Marine operates it under an outsourcing contract.

Despite friendly relations with the US,

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there is not an awful lot of American-sourced equipment in the RSN. One major exception, however, is the recent arrival of six S-70B Seahawk helicopters. These craft are designed for use from the frigates in anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare roles. The RSN does not have an aviation wing so Air Force pilots fly the Seahawks. All six were delivered to 123 Squadron by October 2010.

Third-generation technology

With only 705 square kilometres of territory, Singapore is Southeast Asia’s smallest country, giving it minimal strategic depth to work with. However, smallness brings certain advantages. The lion city needs to protect only a small area and so the military can be extremely focused. The cosmopolitan city of 5.18 million is highly educated and possesses the world’s third highest per capita income.

This has allowed the government to invest heavily in defence (the FY2011 defence budget rose 5.4 percent to $9.4 billion, or approximately 5 percent of GDP). A geopolitical sense of vulnerability means 24-month periods of National Service (NS) are in place for all 18 year old Singaporean males. Servicemen remain reservists until 40 years of age.

The SAF has made tremendous progress One of Singapore’s four current Challengerclass submarines at its berth at the modern Changi Naval Base © Gordon Arthur

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The highly capable Boeing F-15SG fighter gives the RSAF a much greater reach and punch than was hitherto possible © Gordon Arthur

in creating what it terms a “third-generation full-spectrum military force”. Watchwords of this transformation include: “sharpening hardware” (a leaner force that leverages networks); “shaping software” (transforming organisations and processes); and “strengthening heartware” (transforming mindsets).

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) seeks to supply the military with high-end technology. Personnel are well trained, including regular exercises of tri-service, full-spectrum conflict scenarios. The country’s posture is one of forward defence, and it maintains a formidable military that aims to deter potential aggressors.

Army goes mobile

At the army’s core are three combined-arms divisions (3rd, 6th and 9th Divisions).

Homeland defence is extremely important, with the 2nd People’s Defence Force existing as a defence command whose primary responsibility is protecting key infrastructure. Among the army’s elite soldiers are the Guards, a rapid-reaction force specialising in heliborne and amphibious missions.

Singapore is leading the way in Asia in regards to soldier modernisation programmes. The Advanced Combat Man

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System (ACMS) project commenced in 1998, with ST Kinetics as lead integrator of the helmet, weapon, communications, power, computer and load-carrying components. The domestically produced SAR-21 assault rifle gained a mounted camera that shares target information and a capacity to see around corners. A personal radio shares voice and data information, while a head-mounted display

The heart of the naval combat fleet is 185 Squadron’s six Formidableclass frigates, the last of which was delivered in January 2009 by local shipbuilder ST Marine

allows viewing of images and video. Soldiers also carry a portable computer integrated with a battle management system (BMS). It is operated via a communication keypad, and provides seven-man infantry sections with real-time locations and data. Evaluations demonstrated the accurate reporting of enemy/friendly force activity rose from 30 percent to 80 percent thanks to ACMS. Another quantum leap forward for Singaporean infantrymen is the introduction of a new 8x8 armoured vehicle called the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV).

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Manufactured by ST Kinetics and introduced into service in 2009, the 24-tonne Terrex is revolutionising infantry operations with its mobility, firepower, protection and networked systems. The 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment became the army’s first operational motorised infantry battalion on 31 May 2011. Equipped with Terrex, BMS and ACMS, infantrymen have never had better situational awareness. A contract for 145 vehicles has been awarded so far, but further batches are certain.

The Terrex complements the home-grown 23-tonne Bionix infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), with an estimated 700 already in service with armoured units. Combat engineers now have the innovative Trailblazer mineclearing vehicle based on the Bionix chassis too. Artillery units, meanwhile, possess the Primus 155mm self-propelled howitzer and Pegasus 155mm lightweight howitzer, both ST Kinetics products. This company’s biggest export success to date came with the $215 million sale of 115 Warthog tracked vehicles to the British Army for use in Afghanistan.

The Army’s muscle resides in 66 Leopard 2SG (ex-German Army Leopard 2A4) main battle tanks that have received advanced modular armour protection (AMAP). The Army also took delivery of 15 Navistar MaxxPro Dash DXM vehicles from 2009 onwards for use in Afghanistan.

The Army’s newest hardware is 18 High-

REGIONAL M I L I T A R Y

Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), each able to fire six rockets to a 70km range. Bravo Battery of the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery became operational on 5 September 2011. HIMARS can network with other land platforms, strike observer teams and fighters through its BMS. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen commented: “The successful induction of the HIMARS reflects well on the ability of the SAF to respond decisively to new challenges and changing circumstances in its operational environment.”

One of the newly delivered Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters that will be piloted by the RSAF and stationed aboard a frigate © Gordon Arthur

The wheeled tactical fleet is being renewed as well. The Army has been replacing its ageing Land Rovers with Thai-built Ford Everest vehicles. This year ST Kinetics won a SG$68 million contract for new-generation Spider Light Strike Vehicles (LSV) to be delivered in 2013-14. This vehicle type already is employed by the Guards.

Singapore recently issued a requirement for medium and heavy trucks, with estimated quantities of 1,524 4x4 and 6x6 types, 900 8x8 and 100 wreckers. Deliveries will run from 2013-18.

Aerial horizons

Singapore has a distinct lack of strategic depth due to its small size, but it partially makes up for this by its capacity to monitor distant skies and seas. The Southeast Asian nation gained an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform in the form of four Gulfstream G550 aircraft in 111 Squadron. These aircraft are fitted with the Israeli EL/M-2075 Phalcon active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and the first platform was delivered in 2008.

Remarkable for such a small nation is Singapore’s possession of four air-to-air refuelling KC-135R Stratotankers.

The Air Force began an organisational restructuring in January 2007, with the establishment of five commands to better meet mission demands. One of these is the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command, which operates Heron 1, Searcher II and Hermes 450 UAVs in surveillance and reconnaissance roles. New trainThe Israeli-manufactured SPYDER-SR is boosting air defence. This unit mounted on a MAN truck belongs to165 Squadron © Gordon Arthur

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Elite members of the Singapore Army Guards aboard a Spider Light Strike Vehicle (LSV) from ST Kinetics © Gordon Arthur

ing platforms such as the Pilatus PC-21 and Alenia Aermacchi M-346 (to be delivered from 2012 onwards) will improve pilot training. Of interest is the fact that nearly one third of the Air Force’s aircraft - including training types - are based outside Singapore because of its constrained airspace.

Perhaps the biggest news for the RSAF as it transforms into a third-generation force is the induction of the highly capable F-15SG Strike Eagle into the Air Combat Command.

These jets enable a much greater reach and punch than existing F-16D Block 52 aircraft.

With 24 ordered to date, the F-15SG boasts Raytheon’s APG-63(V)3 AESA radar.

Singapore is also a financial partner in the F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme.

The Air Force has to be extremely adaptable. Apart from fixed-wing aircraft, it also operates all SAF rotary-winged assets such as the CH-47SD Chinook, S-70B Seahawk, AS 332M Super Puma and 20 newly acquired AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters.

ST Aerospace is upgrading the C-130/KC130 Hercules transport fleet. The Air Defence and Operations Command is sharpening its capabilities by refreshing ground-based air defences with the Israeli-manufactured Python-5 surface-to-air and Derby shortrange (SPYDER-SR) missile system. SPYDER-SR is replacing the 30-year-old Rapier.

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International participation

Singapore is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) along with Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Singapore maintains good relations with the USA, and a memorandum of understanding permits the US to use Singaporean military facilities. The USN’s Logistics Group Western Pacific Command is based in Singapore, and the Navy is finalising negotiations to forward-deploy two Littoral Combat Ships there too. Singapore’s

Perhaps the biggest news for the RSAF as it transforms into a third-generation force is the induction of the highly capable F-15SG Strike Eagle into the Air Combat Command

strategic importance to the US is set to become even greater as China grows stronger militarily and seeks to break out into the Indian Ocean. The US has already signalled its regional commitment by deciding to position a Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in the Australian city of Darwin.

Singapore takes non-conventional security threats seriously in an increasingly interconnected world, and the SAF has been a team player in international operations. For example, in 2007 the SAF deployed its first ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

troops to Afghanistan as part of reconstruction efforts. Singapore’s contingent currently includes 38 soldiers, including a medical/dental team and UAVs. The first maritime security task force was despatched on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden in April 2009. On 31 March 2011, Singapore took over command of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) for the second time. The task group presently comprises an LPD, two Super Pumas and 230 sailors. Singapore contributed personnel and aid to New Zealand after the devastating Christchurch earthquake in February 2011.

Owing to limited space within its own borders, Singapore performs much of its unilateral training in places like Australia, Brunei, France, New Zealand, Taiwan and the US. The use of Taiwan for training is particularly interesting in the face of Chinese criticism.

Exercise Wallaby is a major land/air exercise that takes place annually at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia. MINDEF plays an active role in the annual Shangri-la Dialogue forum that draws high-level diplomats from the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore crumbled swiftly in 1942. With extremely well-equipped services, the SAF aims to avoid any repeat of that spectacular defeat, no matter which direction the threat comes from. As Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong, stated, “Those who mean us harm need to succeed only once, but we need to succeed in defending Singapore all the time.”

UNMANNED AERIAL

VEHICLES

hile the most widely deployed platforms within the region remain dominated by imported designs from US and Israeli manufacturers, there is a growing domestic development market appearing within a number of regional countries.

Elsewhere, nations such as Australia continue to rely on leasing agreements while programmes to acquire more long-term solutions continue.

Throughout the region, as more military forces are exposed to experienced TUAV users through inter-country military operations, the use of these systems will only continue to rise. TUAVs, with shorter command and control (C2) cycles, are very much a deployed-solder’s asset. While MALE UAVs bring a much clearer picture of a wider geographical area, TUAVs enable fast deploy-

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The Next Generation Control System provides a single, common control station platform for multiple types of UAV Š ST Aerospace

Tactical

UAVs over the

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ment and faster payload manipulation than their larger counterparts, providing invaluable situational awareness at the tactical level.

Australia

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is in the process of obtaining a TUAV to fulfill an existing requirement for the Australian Army currently being provided under a number of service contract arrangements.

Under Joint Project 129 (JP 129) a TUAV is being sought to support land forces on operations with advanced aerial surveillance capabilities and selected maritime operations. The initial operating capability is scheduled to begin between 2013 and 2015, and the ADF spent a number of years evaluating their options before selecting the RQ-7B Shadow 200 UAV under a

The Australian Shadow systems will be launched from a trailer mounted pneumatic catapult, and each air vehicle will carry both Optical and Infra-Red cameras along with a Laser Target Designator Foreign Military Sale (FMS) with the US government.

The Shadow option was granted second pass approval by the Australian government in July 2010, and the ADF will receive two systems, each comprising five air vehicles, two ground control stations (GCS), a tactical launch and

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recovery element and associated tactical support systems. When the contract – with a budget cap of around A$157 million - was announced the first system was scheduled for delivery toward the end of 2011, with the second to follow in 2013.

Already in use with the US Army and Marine Corps, the Shadow system beat out Elbit Systems and Thales, which were offering the Hermes 450 in a teaming arrangement, the Selex Falco and the IAI I-View; and the Australian Army is also understood to have conducted testing and evaluation of the AeroVironment Wasp III for the programme.

The Australian Shadow systems will be launched from a trailer mounted pneumatic catapult, and each air vehicle will carry both Optical and Infra-Red cameras along with a Laser Target Designator. The Shadow 200, manufactured by AAI, is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, and assess-

The Scan Eagle UAV has been supporting Australian land forces since 2006 Š Boeing

The Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market is gathering pace within the Asia-Pacific region, with an increasing number of operators seeking the operational benefits of the platforms for both military and civil missions. With much lower operating costs than their larger medium altitude long endurance (MALE) counterparts, while still bringing significant advantages to deployed troops, the TUAV is a true intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) force multiplier asset.

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The Hermes 450 offers its users an advanced battlefield surveillance capability © Elbit Systems

ment, and features advanced avionics technology and manufacturing processes. The aircraft can see targets up to 125 kms away from the brigade tactical operations centre, and recognize tactical vehicles up to 8,000 feet above the ground at more than 3.5kms slant range, day or night. The GCS transmits imagery and telemetry data directly to the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System, All Sources Analysis System, and Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System in near real time and also provides targeting data for precision weapons.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) selected the Heron MALE UAV to provide advanced ISR capabilities to troops during Project Nankeen; a capability previously provided by the Army’s ScanEagle TUAV in coordination with the RAAF AP-3C Orions.

The Scan Eagle, operated by Boeing subsidiary Insitu under a leading agreement with the ADF, has been supporting Australian land forces since 2006. The system operates on a small footprint, with the option of EO, IR or SAR imagers, with additional payloads available with a dual-bay configuration.

Developed in partnership with Boeing,

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ScanEagle has high stealth levels at very low altitudes enabled by a low acoustic, visual, and infrared range signature, an advanced muffler, a modular design, low personnel requirements and 24-hour endurance. Its heavy fuel engine reduces shipboard logistics in maritime environments and improves aircraft performance; and its inertial stabilized electro-optic or infrared imagers can automatically follow fixed and moving objects for extended periods.

Battle-winning capabilities

Other nations in the Asia-Pacific are following Australia’s lead to further enhance their tactical ISR capabilities, with both acquisition and development programmes. As part of a functional reorganisation in the 3rd genera-

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tion Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) established the UAV Command within the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 2007, following the inauguration of the Air Defence and Operations Command (ADOC) earlier in the year. According to MINDEF, the UAV Command will provide tactical support for operations conducted by the SAF, and will develop capabilities and personnel skills in UAV operations.

The SAF’s experience with UAVs dates back to the 1970s when it acquired its first Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs). Since then the nation’s research and development (R&D) in unmanned technology has continued to grow, along with several procurements of UAV systems including the Scout 1000 and Searcher UAVs. In the 1990s the Tactical Air Support Command (TASC) was established to undertake the development and employment of UAVs for the SAF and to drive the development of indigenous capabilities; and the UAV Command has now overtaken the SAF’s drive toward this goal. As well as being responsible for the development of unmanned systems for the SAF, including expertise and capability

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Australia is acquiring the RQ-7B Shadow 200 under an FMS with the US government © AAI

development, vocational development for its operators and ensuring the operational readiness and safety of UAV employment, the organisation will be the dedicated authority to provide specialist guidance on UAV operations and flight safety considerations for the SAF, including the daily management of routine UAV flight operations, and the provision of UAV support for the

execution of peacetime operations.

Also in 2007, MINDEF announced that the Hermes 450 (H-450) would join the SAF’s UAV fleet, bringing improved avionics and communication systems to enhance the SAF's battlefield surveillance capability. According to MINDEF, the H-450 will complement the current Searcher UAV that is operated by the SAF. One of the most successful TUAVs in the

world, Elbit System’s Hermes 450 is a versatile, long-endurance UAV. It is equipped with Elbit Systems’ CoMPASS EO/IR/LD gimbaled electro-optical payload, and can adapt to a wide range of payloads including SAR/GMTI radar, ELINT, COMMINT, SATCOM and dual payload configurations. The system is highly autonomous and is controlled by the Hermes Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS). Its Internal Auto Takeoff and Landing (IATOL) system enables auto-landing even in alternate semi-prepared strips. Also operated by the US, UK and Israeli militaries, the Hermes 450 has accumulated more than 170,000 operational flight hours worldwide.

National designs

In 2008 ST Aerospace unveiled the latest domestically designed TUAV solution at the Singapore Airshow with the newest variant of the Skyblade family UAVs, Skyblade IV.

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Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has signed a contract with Selex Galileo for the co-production of the Falco UAV © Selex Galileo

Jointly developed with the Singapore-based DSO National Laboratories (DSO), Skyblade IV is designed for rapid mission deployment, supporting both military and civilian applications. Developed for fully autonomous flight operations its capabilities will bring enhanced mobile reconnaissance capabilities to its operators; and the company also unveiled the Next Generation Control System (NGCS), which provides a single, common control station platform for multiple types of UAV. Skyblade IV’s easy integration into the NGCS allows for automatic or mechanical interface with other military systems.

The Skyblade IV provides the ground manoeuvre battalion commander with situational awareness of the battlefield, allowing him to observe heavily protected areas and shorten tactical decision making cycles. It can be operated from small clearings or compounds, and has a range of up to 100 km from the launch and recovery site, flying at operating altitudes/survivable altitudes up to 15,000 ft for both day and night operations.

Its baseline payload is a very low weight, dual axis gyro stabilised surveillance and observation system, which incorporates high resolution, continuous optical zoom with colour day channel and automatic video tracker. It can be used for reconnaissance, battlefield surveillance, search and rescue, artillery fire support, target tracking, and maritime and coastal patrol.

Importantly, the Skyblade IV Air Vehicle can be manually controlled via the ground control station or pre-programmed to fly autonomous missions. It also has the potential to support multi-UAV operations.

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Skyblade IV is the newest member of the Skyblade family of UAVs © ST Aerospace

Combined with an automatic catapult-assisted launch and automatic precision parachute recovery, requiring no runway for take-off or landing, gives this the system a very small logistics platform, requiring minimal personnel for operation.

Pakistan

Pakistan is also delving into domestic development of TUAVs. The country has been barred from operating advanced TUAV capabilities of US origin, but has operated the Selex Falco since 2009 when the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) signed a contract with Selex Galileo for the co-production of the Falco UAV at PAC’s facilities in Kamra facility in Punjab province, Pakistan. Co-production of the system began in August 2009, and the Falco entered service with the Pakistan Air Force in an optronic and elec-

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tronic surveillance and homeland security capacity, with a view to carrying laser-guided missiles in the future for offensive operations.

The Falco TUAV reached technical maturity at the end of 2009 when it completed a six month extensive flight test campaign. During this time, all flights were performed with at least one payload installed: E/O-IR ElectroOptical and Infrared and the latest generation Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar PicoSAR. The endurance has reported as exceeding twelve hours with a dual payload configuration and missions were performed at long range, exceeding 230 km with direct link and no handover, at an altitude above 18000 ft. Successful hand-over operations between remote ground control stations (GCS), not interconnected, were also executed allowing the range of the different missions to be extended considerably.

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According to Selex Galileo, Falco is a robust and ready-for-operation asset that is very close to delivering performances which are usually expected from a higher class of UAS. SELEX Galileo intends to integrate ELINT and COMINT capabilities in the current system offering a SIGINT solution more affordable than a MALE UAS solution; and the company is also developing an upgrade kit which will allow the Falco to further increase the payload capacity up to 120 Kg and to extend the endurance to 18 hours, with a MTOW of 750 Kg. The PicoSAR active electronic scanned array (AESA) radar is specifically designed for UAVs. It brings capabilities including high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI).

The high resolution SAR, coupled with change detection, make the radar particularly

The Skyblade IV provides the ground manoeuvre battalion commander with situational awareness of the battlefield

useful for counter Improvised Explosive Devices (Counter-IED) missions where the system can identify, with extreme accuracy, possible disturbance of the ground surface.

Selex Galileo has also validated the SELEX Galileo also validated the latest version of its High Mobility Ground Control Station (HMGCS) for use with the platform - a self-contained GCS that offers a full training simulation environment and mission rehearsal capability. Exploiting a new and more powerful data-link, the system performed ‘hand–over’ missions which combined a number of GCS. This in-flight hand–over, increases the overall

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operational capability of the system by overcoming the inherent Line of Sight (LOS) data link limits of a single ground station.

As well as bringing the Pakistan Air Force greater reliability for ISR missions, the Falco teaming arrangement with Selex Galileo will bring vital technology capabilities into the country, which is likely to open doors to further indigenous development programmes, not just in the UAV field, but the wider aerospace manufacturing market. And with many nations in the region unable to meet the relatively higher acquisition and operating costs of more advanced US, European and Israeli manufactured systems, the option to buy more affordable regionally produced systems would provide a significant advantage to any nation with the capability to establish a manufacturing industry to meet demand.

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Mobility: Asia & Beyond Over 8000 Oshkosh M-ATVs have been acquired to meet US needs for protection and enhanced mobility in Afghanistan and to be sustained in an austere logistics environment Š DoD

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Protected mobility vehicles remain a key category of vehicles in militaries’ procurement plans, irrespective of whether they are involved in either domestic or deployed counter-insurgency operations.

Protected mobility platforms replace traditional Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) in a number of missions by providing a solution with close or equivalent armour to much larger and more expensive AFVs while retaining a relatively high degree of mobility depending on the level of development and infrastructure as well as human and physical geography in the specific theatre of operations.

by Adam Baddeley he balance that has to be struck between mobility and protection has been put into stark reality by operations in Afghanistan. High levels of protection there can mean limiting vehicles operations to roads or easily accessible tracks, exactly the place where Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) are likely to be placed. However, by reducing armoured protection to enable greater cross country mobility protection, vulnerability to an IED attack is increased but there is conversely, much less likelihood or susceptibility to such an attack because the chance these vehicles will encounter these devices while crossing such terrain is much reduced.

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The UK has put considerable faith in this approach with vehicles such as the Supacat family, first being deployed by UK special forces and then to the wider British Army in the shape of the Jackal. The vehicle has since found wider favour with Canadian, Australian and even US customers. One of the most recent to select the Supacat is the Czech

The balance that has to be struck between mobility and protection has been put into stark reality by operations in Afghanistan

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Republic with delivery of the first vehicles scheduled for 2012 where it will be used in conjunction with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Dingo II vehicles and the Iveco LMV as well as a range of US sourced MRAP vehicles.

Traditional US MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) orders continue to move forward. Oshkosh’s MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) now numbers over 8000 fielded in Afghanistan with a smaller number of the Special Forces Vehicle (SFV) variant also fielded. The variants include the M-ATV tactical ambulance which shares the same features including TAK-4 independent suspension.

The vehicle is available in two configurations that provide ample room to treat two patients

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on stretchers or four ambulatory patients and can cover tougher terrain at higher speeds than current fleets. The UK is among potential customers for the M-ATV ambulance version with 200 vehicles required.

US programmes

As the progenitor of modern protected mobility designs, beginning with the heterogeneous MRAP programme in Iraq to the simplified range of vehicles now in Afghanistan, where the US goes next in terms of future force structures and programmes, others follow.

In the US, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme is battling against plat-

forms such as the M-ATV and the recent uparmoured High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) programme for a limited and dwindling pot of Army funds with the Service due to make likely decision on its future strategy in 2015. Lockheed Martin is one of the JLTV bidders and is claiming that its design which recently completed blast assessment with 20 blast and 200 ballistic component tests designed to prove the same level of protection but at 40 percent less weight allowing to be deployed by MRAPs. Lockheed Martin teamed with BAE Systems Mobility and Protection Systems and was joined by two other teams for the

A decision of whether to concentrate exclusively on uparmoured HMMWVs and existing MRAP-type vehicles or to progress further with the next generation JLTV designs will be made in 2015 © AJB

technology development phase of the programme: a BAE Systems teamed with Navistar and a joint venture between General Dynamics Land Systems and AM General known as General Tactical Vehicles. The next step was to begin the Engineering Manufacture and Demonstration phase to finalise and select a final design before a procurement decision was made.

In parallel the Army continues to look to the HMMWV for part of its protected mobility needs. Specifically to meet HMMWV Recap market, Ceradyne has recently teamed with Gravikor to combine the former’s armour with the latter’s new space frame design to provide a modular armour package straight from home base canvas door up to a full frag kit. The Marine Corps has been a key influence to the design, deliberately building in features to meet the organisation’s weight requirements for amphibious operations and deployability.

Neither JLTV, legacy MRAPs nor HMMWV Recap provide the entire picture with additional developments funded independently. To meet a variety of countries’ needs Oshkosh launched its Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV) at AUSA in October. The design is fitted with the widely used TAK-4i suspension, allowing it to operate in rougher terrain and with its own modular armour package that can be increased or decreed based on mission and role.

Traditional MRAP procurement also continues, albeit at a slower pace. In November, Force Protection Inc won a $185.9 Million Army award for 167 Buffalo A2 Vehicles and 102 Bar Armor Kits which will be delivered by April 2014. In October, BAE Systems was awarded a $9m award for nine International Light Armored Vehicles (ILAV), a 4 x 4 MRAP vehicle, six ILAV explosive ordnance disposal variants and three ILAV interrogator arm variants for an overseas customer, and was acquired under a FMS contract vehicle.

Regional Acquisitions

Australia’s Bushmaster Fleet continues to grow with the October announcement from the Australian Defence Force that the first 25 of an order for 63 Bushmaster ambulance variants provide blast and ballistic protection have been ordered with a unit cost of A$670,000 and which will equip both the Ceradyne has recently teamed with Gravikor to meet Marine Corps and other requirements for HMMWV enhancements © Ceradyne

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RAAF and Army. Each vehicle is designed to two stretcher patients, or one stretcher and four seated patients, at the one time.

In May the Government also announced that it would purchase an additional 101 Bushmasters to support current and future Australian operations and in August an upgrade to the Bushmaster in Afghanistan was completed which featured new seating from Stratos Seating and flooring in the cabin to provide additional protection for commanders, drivers and the troops being transported.

In December, Thales Australia’s Hawkei was selected to meet the A$1.5 billion LAND 121 Phase 4 Protected and Unprotected Light Vehicles programme’s requirements for up to 1300 protected and unprotected light vehicles. The next stage of Phase 4 funds further development and testing of prototypes with final approval planned for 2015 and production from 2016. Australia also announced that Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles

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Australia had been selected for the LAND 121 Phase 3B Protected and Unprotected Medium and Heavy Vehicles to provide up to 2,700 protected and unprotected medium and heavy vehicles with A$7.5 billion.

Other future procurements for Australia may include JLTV with the US saying that Australia would be invited to take part in the programme’s EMD phase. Australia also recently announced that it was addressing an urgent requirement for mine detection vehicles with a $100m deal expected to be endorsed by the end of 2012.

New Zealand has recently introduced six high-mobility engineer excavator (HMEE) vehicles to provide light engineering support to its LAV fleet.

Afghanistan received the first 18 Mobile Strike Force Vehicles at the end of 2011. The vehicles based closely on the Textron Marine & Land Systems for their Medium Armored Security Vehicles (MASV) with 281 vehicles ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

being ordered in three variants; armored personnel carrier with gunner's protective kit; armoured personnel carrier with turret; and an armoured ambulance.

In Thailand, the Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Company’s First Win vehicles won an initial order for 21 of the 4x4 vehicles. The country acquired 87 REVA III vehicles in 2008 for use in the south of the country. PT Pindad has recently been asked to procure a new vehicle of 3000-4000Kg gross vehicles weight based on the current Anoa vehicle with development completed in 2014.

Neither JLTV, legacy MRAPs nor HMMWV Recap provide the entire picture with additional developments funded independently

Germany’s Special Operations Division recently ordered 31 Mungo 2 vehicles © KMW

India’s manufacturers are developing their own designs to meet local needs. Late in 2011, Defence and Land Systems India, a joint venture between Mahindra and Mahindra and BAE Systems delivered the first of six Mine Protected Vehicle – India, based on the Russian URAL chassis, to the Jharkhand Police. Ashok Leyland has recently entered the protected market based around a core offering of three platforms; the Armoured Stallion, Armoured Bus and Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV). The MPV a 4x4 design with a power-to-weight ratio of 13.5 kW/T and is designed to exceed

STANAG 4569 Level 4 protection by being able to withstand 21 kg TNT under its wheels.

Tata Motors’ 4 x 4 Mine Protected Vehicle utilises high ground clearance, high power to weight ratio and good fordability to enhance its cross country capabilities coupled with NIJ Level III protection against small arms and a range of protection solution to counter the effects of IEDs and mines.

Current developments

Developments around the world emphasise the fact that protected mobility systems are here to stay. In Saudi Arabia, Creation UK has teamed with local firm ERAF Industries to produce its Zephyr vehicles for the Saudi military, beginning with four wheel drive vehicles in late 2011 with a 6x6 variant planned in 2012.

In September, Spain ordered 76, five-passenger squad vehicles, selecting the Italian Lince vehicle worth $33.6m together with 20 RG-31s which can carry nine personnel with a further $20.9m order.

Germany’s Special Operations Division (DSO) recently ordered Krauss Maffei Wegmann (KMW) 31 Mungo 2 vehicles which combines light weight deployability and IED and ballistic protection with delivery beginning in 2012 and concluding in 2013. The vehicles can carry a payload of 1.5 tonnes. Germany operates 400 Mungo vehicles in three variants.

KMW’s Dingo 2 family now runs to 15 different variants, the latest being the Dingo HD

Up armoured Renault VABs are the mainstay of the French Army’s protected mobility fleet in Afghanistan © Renault

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KMW’s Dingo 2 family now runs to 15 different variants, the latest being the Dingo HD or Heavy Duty © KMW

or Heavy Duty, the major change being an increased in payload by three tonnes with overall gross vehicle weight being 14.5 tonnes which is the same physical envelope of the standard Dingo.

A contract for the Canadian Forces Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) programme to procure 500 vehicles, with an option for up to 100 more, is expected to be awarded in early 2012 with delivery complete by 2017. The new vehicles will replace Canada's fleet of BAE Systems/General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada RG31 Mk 3s, and the Coyote reconnaissance variant of the same company’s 8x8 LAV-2. Initial operating capability is planned for 2014 with a full operational capability for 2016.

Competitors include Textron Marine & Land Systems with armour for the vehicle produced by Rheinmetall’s Deisenroth subsidiary.

Force Protection are offering its 6x6 Cougar as the basis for its TAPV solution, known as Timberwolf and is supported by Elbit Systems and Lockheed Martin. Oshkosh is offering a solution based on its M-ATV with patented TAK-4 independent suspension working with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. The latest protected mobility platform developed

by BAE Land Systems South Africa systems is the RG35 Reconnaissance Patrol Utility and

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launched in 2009 and produced in 4x4 and 6x6 variants, the former variants developed for the TAPV programme.

As demand for protected mobility vehicles has increased, indigenous solutions have evolved, outside of traditional vehicle manufacturers to meet local demand. One example is SVOS’s VEGA vehicles based on Tatra T 815-7 4x4 chassis which uses compressed air suspension and a payload of four tonnes and can provide up to STANAG STANAG 4569 Level 4.

In Turkey, a domestic producer is BMC who have worked with Israel’s Hatehof to produce the BMC 350-16 4x4 MRAP with 469 ordered by the Turkish armed forces.

South Africa has been a major wellspring of thinking and technology on vehicle design, optimised to cope with mines and IEDs, dating from experience in counterinsurgency warfare in Southern Africa from the 1970s onwards.

In addition a number of other companies have developed new design. One example is the RSD Mountain Lion family. Another recent success story has been the South African Paramount Group Matador and

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Marauder mine-protected vehicles. The Matador can carry up to 14 personnel and can withstand explosions the equivalent of up to 21 kg of explosives while the Marauder can carry ten troops and resists smaller explosions of up to 14 kg of TNT. While there is natural trend to use wheeled platforms in the protected mobility role not least due to through life costs, lightweight tracked platform take on the role and can provide key improvements to mobility while retaining high levels of protection.

Perhaps the latest example is the delivery of the first BAE Systems BvS10 Mk2 all-terrain vehicle to the French Army. Dubbed the Véhicules à Haute Mobilité or VHM, a total of 53 vehicles have been ordered with delivery to be completed by the end of 2012.

Even neutrals with a limited peacekeeping foot print overseas have sought to acquire, enhance and renew their capabilities. Switzerland’s Global Mobility Task Force will benefit from the November order for 70 additional Duro Armoured Personnel Carriers to be delivered by Autumn 2013 and are capable of carrying 11 soldiers under armour. The unit already operates 220 Duros which has a top road speed of 100kmh via a 245 hp Cummins turbocharged diesel engine, an Allison 5-speed automatic transmission and has the same performance as tracked AFV in a number of areas such as the ability to overcome 60 percent gradients and lateral inclines of up to 30 percent.

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Peering through the

Rubble Statistics available to all show the inexorable urbanisation of the world’s population.

History also tells us that combat in such environments is difficult, slow and bloody; far removed from the lightning successes demonstrated by manoeuvre warfare in open fields. In order to defeat enemies operating in an urban environment and to do so using economy of force and avoidance of friendly and neutral casualties, there is only one credible response; to conduct operations in a smarter way by being able to locate and identify enemies and targets quickly and assuredly. To do this, Urban Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) has been found to be the best solution.

by Adam Baddeley

Troops entering a building are typically literally and metaphorically left in the dark as to what is in the next room Š DoD

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Malaysian manufacturer Sapura Secured Technologies has recently launched its Cyber Quad micro air vehicle which weighs 1Kg © AJB

educing the complexity and the size, weight and power and critically cost, allows ISTAR assets to be placed at the lowest tactical echelons providing an immediacy of response that cannot be provided by a stand-off asset. Furthermore, by having the sensors organic to these units at platoon and company level, information flows that would otherwise require high capacity links between distant sensors and the unit requiring the feed are eliminated, a particular benefit when the laws of physics mitigate against doing this in complex urban terrain.

R Walls

A concrete, brick or wooden wall, or indeed any barrier is no longer an opaque screen for ISR. Hand held radar technology enables troops see through them, providing troops with a basic view of the situation. The radar works via the emission and collection of returning of radio waves, measuring their amplitude and time delay from any reflected objects and after being further enhanced by signal processing software, an image can be formed and presented to the user. Not just a scientific curiosity, the systems are now being deployed in combat amongst a widening circle of military and government users.

In January 2011, TiaLinx launched their Cougar10-L and 20-H devices, equipped with ultrawideband (UWB), multi-Gigahertz RF sensors for extended standoff surveillance of mov-

ing objects as well as scanning for underground objects. TiaLinx’s UWB RF imaging development was sponsored by US Army research and development funding. The company’s Eagle5-P wrist mounted or hand held device operates at a frequency of 5 GHz and weighs just 1.6Kg. In October, MIT Lincoln Labs in the US outlined new radar technology which uses two rows of antenna with eight receivers and 13 transmitters. Its ability to see through walls is certainly not unusual but the Lab’s work is noteworthy for providing a route for providing a real-time video view of the speed, resolution and range of activity within, via a frame rate of 10.8 frames per second. The system has a range of around 20m using S-band radios waves and is configured as a vehicle mounted solution. Currently, humans are presented to the user in a bird’s-eye-view perspective of the situation via icons. The radar can however, only detect moving targets, even with as little movement as that caused by breathing, not inanimate objects such as furniture.

Innocon’s MicroFalcon is pursuing the Finland’s €10m STAR Micro UAV programme © Innocon

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Camero’s Xaver 100, launched in October is the latest in the company’s through-wall micro-power, Ultra Wide Band pulsed radar imaging products. It is one of the smallest on the market and weighs just 500g, roughly the size of two 30 round M16 magazines. In 2010, the company announced the sale of its Xaver 400 system to multiple Asian customers and in July this year announced that it had secured follow on orders from a South East Asian customer. The Xaver 400 has also been acquired by the US military with recent software releases for the devices including an improved user interface, wider field of view and increased system performance.

In the US, L-3 Cyterra is providing its EMMDAR (Electro-Magnetic Motion Detection And Ranging) to meet the Army’s AN/PPS-26 See through The Wall programme able to operate in a stand off mode

Reducing the complexity and the size, weight and power and critically cost, allows ISTAR assets to be placed at the lowest tactical echelons

and next to walls and is capable of penetrating over 20cm of wall and operates from 3.13.5GHz. The company is also providing its RANGE-R for the Homeland Security and police market using patented stepped frequency continuous wave radar technology and proprietary target detection algorithms and is described as being able to undertake immediate analysis and results in seconds.

The company also provides the AN/PSS14 which combines ground penetrating radar (GPR) and a highly sensitive metal detector module, designed to find mines and IEDs beneath the ground and which entered production for the US in 2006. Troops in the field discovered that it could be used to detect individual behind walls in a very basic way.

Other solutions on the market include Cambridge Consultants Prism 200, which can detect personnel at up to 20m and operates from 1.62.2GHz with a resolution of 30cm and is delivered to the user via a 2D or 3D

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colour display and weighs 5.7Kg. Akela’s ASTIR systems, developed in conjunction with the US National Institute of Justice has a stand off range of 30m and a wide angle of view and is effective against both moving and stationary individuals within a building structure.

SUAVs

Rather than look through walls, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SUAV) simply look over them, providing an orthorectified perspective of events below. Launched from troops on the ground or from the top of a building, users are combining conventional winged designs as well as rotary wing solutions.

Elbit Systems’ Skylark 1 has traveled to Afghanistan in the hands of Australian Dutch and Canadian troops and is able to send clear day and night imagery back to the ground control station throughout its 90 minute endurance.

Finland is pursuing the €10m Finnish STAR (Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance systems) programme for a Micro UAV with 30 systems required.

Innocon is offering the MicroFalcon AT-11 mini-UAV for the programme, teamed with Avartek.

The US Special Operations Command relies on Aerovironment’s digital Puma All Environment (AE) for most of its SUAV needs since its selection in 2008

By adding the SearchStick, essentially a pole, to the Recon Scout XT UGV allows users to use its sensors to see over walls © Recon Robotics

The view from a UAV or aircraft, with that imagery sent directly to a patrol on the ground can alert troops to a potential threat or deter an ambush from an open roof © DoD

and provides high stabilized imagery quality color and infrared video of the surrounding area. Weighing 5.9kg, the electrically powered UAV has an endurance of two hours.

In Afghanistan, the UK relies on the 3.7Kg Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk UAV, acquired through a number of Urgent Operational Requirements for first Iraq and then the current operations in Afghanistan. The latest Mark III version acquired in 2010 has a duration of 90minutes with a range of 15km and able to operate in the hot and high conditions in Afghanistan in systems each of eight UAVs. EMT’s Fancopter design was deployed in Afghanistan as part of the Bundeswehr’a desire for concept trails in 2009. Today around 20 systems are in constant use in Germany at a number of sites being used to develop integrated capabilities in urban warfare. The company’s fixed wing Aladin SUAV design which has a 10km range and is electrically powered.

The company has over the past four years worked with partner Swiss UAV to develop the MUSECO rotary wing solution which can carry more complex 20kg payloads.

Boeing is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop an iPhone app designed to provide intuitive control interfaces for Micro UAVs which in tests, has been able to control a platforms some 5000km distant.

UGVs

While small UAVs may rule the urban air environment; small, compact and manportable Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) are also being used to investigate potential IEDs and provide immediate reconnaissance after being thrown through windows, climbing stairs and even traveling down ditches and tunnels to provide prior

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warning of any threats.

Recon Robotics was recently awarded an order for 315 Recon Scout XT robots combined with a SearchStick device and worth $4.8m. The combination allows the UGV to be used conventionally as a UGV but when used with the pole it also allows the UGV’s sensors to be used to see over walls.

The iRobot company continues to supply its PackBot Robot Systems to the US Army with ongoing contracts, the post recent being a $60million order for up to 300 systems delivered between now and mid 2016. The company is also supplying its man-transportable robotic system (MTRS) MK 1 MOD 1 robots, based on the iRobot 510 to the US Navy under

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a $230m contract. The company has also developed a throwbot, launched in early 2011 with the 2.3Kg 110 FirstLook and designed to withstand a 4.6m drop onto concrete. However, its work on the Future Combat Systems-heritage Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) programme however was cancelled in August along with work on the Brigade Combat Team Modernization project.

Marshall Land Systems EyeDrive was demonstrated at DSEi as a rugged “throwbot” which can offers a 360° panoramic view with a tilt/zoom camera with integrated illumination and laser pointer to enable detailed examination requirements and is guided using a semi-automatic navigation system.

Singapore’s latest UGV is the Rush, a demonstrator, tasked with tactical roles and uses chemical, biological, radiological and explosive (CBRE) defence, combat support and casualty evacuation modular mission payloads. Made public in May, the Army has now begun full scale development.

Elbit Systems offering in the UGV range principally comprises the 3.5Kg one man

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IAI Elta’s EL/05320 uses short range infra red detection using an IR sensor to detect muzzle flash and weighs less than 6Kg. Another IR based detection solution includes Rafael’s Spotlight family which has a detection range of over 1km and the with the P version of the Spotlite being soldier portable. The company’s M variant is able to be placed on very small vehicles and can also detect larger round such as RPGs. Other vehicle mounted systems include AAI Textron’s Projectile Detection and Cueing or PDCue which has a range of 1200m, Ratheon BBN’s Boomerang with 10,000 shooter detection systems deployed to date and the O1dB-Metrvib’s Pilar which can also detect mortar rounds and can detect round at up to 2km.

There has been a recent significant push to ensure that the same capability can be fielded with dismounted patrols. The Boomerang III vehicle mounted solution for example weighs 8Kg and requires 25W of power, impractical for dismounted operations. Work on reducing size, weight and power requirements while still retaining fidelity has proven to be a surmountable task. Systems weighing a few hundred grammes have been fielded, mounted on

Singapore’s latest UGV is the Rush, a demonstrator, tasked with tactical roles and uses chemical, biological, radiological and explosive defence

Elbit Systems’ VIPeR robot is already operational in the Israel Defense Forces under the Hebrew name of Pazit © Elbit Systems

portable Mini-VIPeR and the larger MaxiVIPeR which has tasks such as the CBRE missions with its VIPeR robot, already operational in the Israel Defense Forces under the Hebrew name of Pazit.

Sniper detection

The value of sniper detection systems has been proven after several years operational experience mounted on vehicles. Largely acoustic systems, the devices work by providing the user with the direction of the incoming round based in its sound and muzzle flash and its rough location allowing firing in response to be more effective. Vehicle mounted solutions include Raytheon BBN’s Boomernang and Metravib’s Pilar. Work on optimising systems for urban detection has concentrated on software enhancement to eliminate non-ballistic noise which would be considerable in a busy street or market.

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To meet a recent urgent operational requirement from the French Army, Renault installed 80 SLATE (Acoustic Sniper Localization System) which consists the PILARw acoustic antenna for detecting gunshots on board Renault VABs equipped with the Kongsberg Protector remote weapon station © Renault

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soldier’s shoulders or on the weapon with information as to the location of fire presented to the soldier aurally and on a wrist display and potentially also on the screen of a Battle Management System or situational awareness system. Solutions that have been developed include Cobham’s Pinpoint, Ultra Electronics’ 500g Rifle Mounted Gunfire Locator which has a stated success rate of 90 percent, O1dBMetravib’s PilarW which weighs 350 grams, is NVG compatible and lasts for eight hours with two AA batteries and the 450g QinetiQ EARS /SWATS solutions selected by the US Army.

Rather than detect the potentially lethal shot after it is fired, more complex systems detect the optics used on the sniper’s long range weapon by scanning an area automtically with lasers including Rheinmetall’s Sniper Locating System and the Cilas SLD 400 on mobile platforms and the SLD providing longer range coverage for static locations.

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Asia Pacific Procurement Update SOUTH ASIA

Officials from India, Japan and the United States have met in the US capital for the inaugural trilateral meeting during in which the three said a broad range of regional issues were discussed. The next meeting in the series will be held in Tokyo later this year.

India has announced its intention to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, joining China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India, along with Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan, currently has observer status.

The move was welcomed by Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev. India and Singapore have conducted a joint military exercise based at Kalaikunda Air Force Station in India where India flew MiG-21, MiG-27 and Hawk Mk 132 aircraft with Singapore deploying F-16D and RBS-70 missile systems. The Indian Army is reported to have set up a training plan for Afghan military personnel initially at the International Military Academy in Dehra Dun and the Officers Training Academy in Chennai and Gaya. The plan is in response to a bi-lateral strategic partnership announced in October.

The Indian government has deployed 2000 further personnel in two Border Security Force battalions in the Naxalite areas of Chittorgarh and Orissa to combat the Maoist insurgents.

The Indian Navy has outlined plans for a potential acquisition of 3D air surveillance radars for warships above 3,000 tonnes tasked with detecting enemy aircraft, helicopters and sea-skimming missiles. The Global RFI will be used to compare the per-

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formance of international radars against domestically developed solutions such as the DRDO’s Revathi maritime radar and its 3D Central Acquisition Radar used on the Akash Surface to Air missile system, which is capable of tracking 150 targets.

India has cancelled plans to purchase 180, 40km range wheeled 155mm/52-calibre howitzers worth an estimated $1 billion. The competition was between Germany’s Rheinmetall and Slovakia’s Konstrukta with a Samsung Techwin solution being eliminated in 2009. South Africa’s Denel and Singapore Technologies were blacklisted from the competition in 2008. A Global RFI has been issued for an initial purchase of 65,000 assault rifles and underbarrel grenade launchers to replace the INSAS rifle.

India is reported to have authorised the acquisition of a further 20 BAE Systems Hawk trainers in a $680m deal to equip the Surya Kiran Air Force aerobatics team. The deal will take total orders to 143 aircraft with 55 aircraft delivered to date by Hindustan Aeronautics. India has also finalised a deal to procurement a further 42 Su-30MKI aircraft from Russia, equipped to carry the BrahMos cruise missile and additional weapon systems in a $3.6 billion deal.

Deliveries will begin in 2014 and conclude in 2018, taking a total Su-30MKI numbers in IAF service to 272. Vijaynagar Airfield, on the border with China in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state has been reactivated following its closure in 2009 for repairs.

The base will host the new C-130J Super Hercules and An-32 transport aircraft.

India’s DRDO developed RUSTOM-1 UAV ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

The latest $3.6 billion deal for 42 Su-30MKI aircraft, which will carry the BrahMos cruise missile, will take total numbers to 272 by 2018 © AJB

has concluded its fifth successful flight since 2010. The 25 minute flight took place near Hosur, flying at a height of 2300 ft and a speed 100 Knots. Kazan Helicopters has delivered the first batch of Mi-17V-5 helicopters from an order signed in 2008 for 80 aircraft. The Indian Air Force operates over 200 Mi-8/17-type medium rotorcraft.

India has conducted a joint training event in Rajasthan between the Army and Air Force as part of the 10-day Sudarshan Shakti exercise which tested network concepts for manoeuvre warfare. About 15,000 troops from 21 Corps, including 300 T-90 and T-72 tanks were involved.

Pakistan and China have conducted a bilateral counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism exercise in Jhelum in Pakistan's Punjab province, the fourth in a series of events initiated in 2004.

Sri L anka’s Parliament has passed its largest ever defence budget with majority of 91, Raising the budget from $1.9 billion to $2.1 billion. Meanwhile, Sarath Fonseka, formerly the country’s Army chief has been sentenced to three years in prison for comments that broke the country’s emergency laws. Fonseka unsuccessfully challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa in last year’s presidential election.

The first batteries of Chinese sourced FM90/HQ-70 short-range air defense missiles, similar to the Thales Crotale, have been fielded with the Bangladesh Air Force near Dhaka.

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SOUTH EAST ASIA

While visiting Indonesia for the East Asia Summit, US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon outlined the country’s "all-in" Asia strategy in which he met with all 25 participating nations in multilateral for a further ten bilateral meetings with heads of state.

Donilon said that the US will continue to support a strong security presence in Asia despite defence cuts. Defense-related announcements during Obama's Asia trip included an agreement with Australia to establish a rotational deployment of Marines to train with Australian military forces.

A joint communiqué by Barrack Obama and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced the upgrade and transfer of 24 Excess Defense Article F-16 Block 25 aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force.

The offer and acceptance letter are expected to be ready to be signed in early 2012 with the delivery beginning by July 2014. At least 30 Indonesian pilots will receive F-16 training in the United States with mobile training teams from the United States training Indonesian aircraft maintainers locally. Four additional Block 25 jets and two Block 15 aircraft will be supplied for spare parts.

ThalesRaytheonSystems have delivered a second defense radar station to Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara in the east of the country.

South Korean shipyard Daewoo has signed a $1.1billion deal with Indonesia to build three 1400 tonne submarines with delivery due to be completed in early 2018 with the boat potentially being built at PT PAL's facilities in Surabaya.

Indonesia has signed into law the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on December 6th. One hundred and eightytwo countries have signed the Treaty, of which 156 have also ratified it leaving only eight countries of the world yet to sign up.

The USS Stethem visited Dili, East Timor and conducted two days of training local personnel in maintenance and repair.

During Exercise Bersama Lima in Malaysia, Tranche 2 Typhoon aircraft from 6 Sqn RAF flew from Leuchars via Jordan, Oman and Sri Lanka to participate in over 70 sorties and 164 flying hours with Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18s, Royal Malaysian Air Force MIG-29s and F/A-18s,

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The first EC725 to roll off the production line was filmed live for VIPs at LIMA in December © Eurocopter

Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG and F-16s. Boeing has been awarded a $17.3 million Foreign Military Sales program to upgrade the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s eight F/A-18D Hornet aircraft with work due to be completed in April 2015.

Malaysia has also requested the potential sale of 20 Raytheon AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II all-up-round missiles, associated equipment and parts worth $52m and would be delivered via the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Sapura said at the Langkawi Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) that it was close to concluding a service agreement for the Malaysian government covering the use of its Cybereye II UAV to monitor East Malaysia and based in Sabah. At LIMA, Schiebel’s Camcopter was the only UAV taking part in flight displays. The first of 12 EC725 helicopters ordered by the Malaysian Air Force in 2010 has rolled off the production line in France. The event was beamed live to a VIP audience at LIMA. Deliveries will begin next year and conclude in 2014.

The new head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa has emphasised the need for territorial defence, disaster relief and a renewed counter-corruption campaign amongst his priorities.

Following Indonesia’s success with the US on F-16’s Philippine officials have said that Manila is seeking to acquire 12 excess F-16s for its own Air Force, replacing the F-5s it

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retired some years ago. The Philippines Air Force as cleared its OV-10 fleet to fly after one of the aircraft crashed in November after suffering engine problems.

HTMS Krabi, a BAE Systems designed 90m Offshore Patrol Vessel built at the Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard for the Royal Th ai Navy was launched in December, only 15 months after the keel was laid. The design is a longer variant of the Royal Navy’s River class patrol vessels.

The Royal Thai Navy has also awarded Atlas Elektronik a contract for its Seafox I and C variant mine-neutralisation systems.

Cambodia and Thailand have established an agreement to withdraw their militaries from around the Preah Vihear temple and respect the provisional border arrangement established by the International Court of Justice.

Brunei has signed the contract for 12 S70i Black Hawk helicopters, with Sikorsky scheduled to deliver the new helicopters from 2013.

The UK and Vietnam have signed a Memorandum Of Understanding in London part of a growing defence and security relationship that saw the Strategic Partnership Declaration between the two signed on 8th September 2010. Vietnam is to receive a further two Gepard class antisubmarine warfare frigates to be built by Russia’s Zelenodolsk Gorky Plant, taking the number of the vessels ordered or in service with Vietnam to four.

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EAST ASIA

Taiwan has sent the first two of four E-2T aircraft, which have had a fifteen year service life back to the US for upgrade to the Hawkeye 2000 standard which is due to be completed by the end of 2011. The upgrade is part of a $6.5 billion arms sale agreed with Taiwan in 2008 which also covered Patriot missiles and Apache attack helicopters. Raytheon has announced a contract valued at $685.7 million to supply additional new Patriot air and missile defence systems to the country.

Indonesia and So u th Ko r ea have signed a Memorandum of Agreement for mutual logistics support on overseas peacekeeping deployments, exercises and rescue operations.

Raytheon has confirmed that it is submitting its Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar system for Korea’s F-16 radar upgrade competition. The company’s active electronically scanned array technology is fielded with the USAF’s F-15C aircraft with 250,000 operational flights hours accumulated.

South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development has unveiled its new Iron Hawk II high-altitude medium-range

interceptor. The missile is designed to engage ballistic missiles from the North.

The country’s Air Force has admitted that a test fire of a SLAM-ER missile in June from an F-15K failed. A second trial immediately afterwards was however successful. Plans to acquire a 1000km range surface to surface missile that could reach all targets in North Korea is experiencing opposition from the US administration because of concerns about how Pyongyang might react.

A new tilt rotor UAV developed by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Korea Aerospace Research Institute has been unveiled. Work on the 400Kmph aircraft which began in 2002, is described as the world's fastest UAV. North Korea meanwhile is expected to complete work on an experimental lightwater nuclear reactor by 2015 allowing production of low-enriched uranium. Both are considered ‘areas of concern’ by the US because of their potential for use in the production of nuclear weapons.

The former Varyag aircraft carrier, now in Chinese service has competed refitting and shore-based testing following initial seas trial in August. The second set of trials began in November. The People Liberation

Japan has announced it is to acquire 42 F-35 to replace its fleet of F-4J aircraft © DoD

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Army has formed a new strategic planning department in support of the Army’s General staff to provide guidance for long terms resource allocations and future structures, located in Beijing. The Seychelles is to allow China to establish a naval resupply base on its territory following Defense Minister General Liang Guanglie’s visit to the country in December. The site will be China’s first overseas military base.

Japan has formally announced that it has selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) to place its F-4 fleet.

Japan will acquire 42 of the aircraft with the first four being delivered in 2013, each of these costing $127million. The JSF beat its two other competitors, the Boeing F/A18E/F Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon. Japan’s Coast Guard has ordered an Explorer autonomous underwater vehicle from Canada’s International Submarine Engineering and will be used for marine search-and-rescue and survey operations.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer, the JDS Kirisame completed a five day visit to the port of Qingdao on China’s eastern seaboard, the first such visit since bilateral navy exchanges were halted after Japanese coast guard vessels were rammed

by Chinese trawlers.

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The fifteenth MRH90 was delivered to the ADF in December © Australian Aerospace

AUSTRALASIA

Australia has announced twelve new additions to the list of companies and organisations that are part of Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation Program.

The twelve include Elbit Systems, Etherstack, Pilatus and the Frazier Nash Consultancy. The programme is a means to bring defence, industry and academic institutions together to address complex problems and has contributed to more than a third of the projects in the country’s Defence Capability Plan.

HMAS Kanimbla, the Royal Australian Navy’s Amphibious Landing Platform has been formally decommissioned in Sydney leaving a gap in capability until the Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Dock enters service. The former Royal Navy Largs Bay, now renamed the ADFS Choules is due to be commissioned to take on an interim role.

Australian firm JEDS has signed an agreement with Terma A/S to support the Danish company’s C-Raid solution

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designed to provide real-time situational awareness for small boat teams.

Australia’s Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft participated in the Five Power Defence Arrangement Exercise BERSAMA LIMA 2011 working with the armed forces of Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom in Maritime Strike and Offensive and Defensive Counter Air operations. In December, Australia sought permission to acquire ten C-27J via the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency in a $950 million deal. Australia began fielding the Shadow 200 UAV in Afghanistan in December after the systems arrived in Australia in August. The Shadow will replace 16 ScanEagle UAVs leased from Insitu Pacific which will complete withdrawal in 2012.

Eurocopter has handed over ARH022, the last of 22 production Project Air 87 Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter replacing the both the Bell 206B-1 (Kiowa) reconnaissance and UH1-H (Iroquois) gunship helicopters. The fifteenth aircraft

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in Australia’s order for 46 MRH90s helicopters has been delivered to the Australian Defence Force in December by local manufacturer Australian Aerospace.

The Australian press has reported that the 46 strong NH-90 helicopter programme has been placed on its official projects of concern list. The programme is already two years behind schedule with the risk of further delay.

Rheinmetall MAN and Thales have both been awarded contracts on Project Land 121 which overall is valued at A$7.6 billion.

The German company will supply 2700 protected and unprotected tactical vehicles with Thales provides 1300 of its new Hawkei vehicles. Australia has completed delivery of 437 M3 Carl Gustaf 84mm weapons and thermal sights replacing the earlier and heavier M2 versions over the past 12 months.

The first two NH90 helicopters of a total of nine ordered for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 2006 have arrived in New Zealand ahead of schedule.