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MALAYSIAN DEFENCE MODERNISATION AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS COMBAT JETS
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PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT INDIRECT FIRE NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS INDIAN MILITARY OVERHAUL www.asianmilitaryreview.com 3/23/12 6:04:58 PM
Aerospace leadership. Military strength. Malaysia’s partnership with Boeing builds both. The nation’s F/A-18D generated $271 million in offset for 11 Malaysian companies and government organizations. Moreover, joint ventures between Boeing and Malaysian companies are providing technology transfer, training and manufacturing practices. Acquiring Super Hornets would expand Malaysia’s ties to a team of industry leaders making a proven partnership an even greater strategic asset.
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Contents APRIL/MAY 2012 VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2
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India: Massive Modernisation but Poor Procurement Rahul Bedi India’s military is undertaking a massive modernisation drive via imports, local weapon and systems development and acquiring network centric competence to achieve badly-needed capability to operate in a hostile and an increasingly militarised and nuclearised neighbourhood
Front Cover Photo: The BAE Systems, 3745kg towed M777 ultra-lightweight 155mm howitzer was first deployed in combat by Canada in Afghanistan in 2006, also entering service with Australia in the same theatre with the howitzer also replacing the M198 in US service in a number of Marine Corps and Army units including Stryker Brigade Combat Teams © US DoD
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Adam Baddeley Wheeled or tracked, towed or not, indirect fire remains the queen of battles, the Asia-Pacific region being no exception in its desire to renew and expand its capabilities in this area
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Maritime Communications in the Asia-Pacific Region Adam Baddeley Ensuring that each platform within a force structure remains interconnected in any weather, any conditions and at any distance is a staple of any network centric concept being articulated either in War Colleges or as the basis for procurements today
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Rockets, Artillery & Mortars: AsiaPacific Choices
30 Personal Protective Equipment Adam Baddeley Now vulnerable to attacks at any time, combat troops wear body armour almost continuously on operations around the world. The key to future designs is integrating the different components together so that they provide the most effective solution
Malaysia: Continuing Modernisation
Ted Hooton Asian navies have devoted a substantial amount of effort to building up their amphibious capabilities and yet they seem slow to meet the changes in such operations over the past 50 years
Dzirhan Mahadzir Malaysian defence planning and deployments are centered upon the necessity to divide its forces between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak as well as Strategic Maritime and Aerospace Routes and Economic Exclusion Zone
APRIL/MAY 2012
Tom Withington While India’s MMRCA competition will dominate the headlines for some time, it will not be long until the world’s fast jet vendors cast their eyes to the next competition. In the case of the global multirole combat aircraft, that ‘somewhere’ is the Asia-Pacific region
Asian Amphibious Operations
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Index of Advertisers
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Editorial
he International Institute for Strategic Studies’ (IISS) assessment for 2012 is that this is the year that nominal defence spending in Asia will eclipse that of Europe. The IISS figures show Europe’s defence spending was $270 million in 2011, with Asia pegged at $262 million.
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Depending on your point of view, this is either an historical inevitability or an aberration caused by the ongoing financial crisis centred on Europe and the US although for IISS’ part, they have been tracking a divergence in defence spending between Europe and Asia since 2008. Exploiting domestic economic growth to address evident strategic uncertainty in Asia is equally as sensible as cutting back on defence spending in Europe during a recession.
Needless to say a big part of Asian defence spending is China, which makes up 30 percent of the total, wracking up an 11 percent increase this year on its budget of $89.8 billion in 2011, perhaps fifty percent higher if international accounting standards are used. Before conclusions are drawn about the immediate implications from this, it is worthwhile highlighting other aspects of the IISS report which said that recent operations in Libya highlighted existing gaps in targeting, tanker aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance amongst European countries. However, thumbing through the IISS report it is clear that whatever the shortcomings highlighted by the same report, there is still clear numerical and qualitative superiority in Europe in these three areas compared to nations in Asia.
Measure for example the number of nuclear powered attack submarines in service in Europe and being built, advanced combat aircraft, integrated C4I and indigenous satcom and access to US technology and the picture becomes blurred. Perhaps the biggest advantage the countries that make up Europe have is the willingness to pool and share capabilities to achieve common goals making the results of the spending more than the sum of its parts.
Many years of significant military spending in Europe has built up a legacy capability as have decades of active preparation for war against or in support of the then Soviet Union – even for Europe’s neutrals, followed by over twenty years of supporting realignment toward expeditionary warfare. The cumulative investment is considerable. Defence spending can be presented as a financial race in which the first to the finish line wins. But defence capability can’t be judged in a photo finish or a set of accounts. There are many other variables. Ultimately it’s not who spends the most but who gets the most value out of its spending. Adam Baddeley, Editor
Editor: Adam Baddeley E-mail: adam@baddeley.net
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Rockets,
Artillery & Mortars:
Asia-Pacific Choices Wheeled or tracked, towed or not, indirect fire remains the queen of battles, the Asia-Pacific region being no exception in its desire to renew and expand its capabilities in this area. Coupled with the enduring need to provide volume fires, the advent of precision munitions are seeing the mission sets expand to include first-round precision, enabling the defeat of even fleeting and persistent targets. by Adam Baddeley Tubes
A range of new additions to the tube artillery world, both towed and self-propelled as well as the rounds they fire have occurred with a number of developments having direct relevance to programmes and competitions in the region. Nexter launched the new 13 tonne Trajan 155mm towed gun in September, using the same 155 mm/52 calibre ordnance, loading and aiming system of the CAESAR 6x6 selfpropelled artillery system coupled with the
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older carriage system of the 155/39 mm/TR1 towed howitzer. The Trajan can reach targets at 42km, extensible to 55km with rocket assisted projectiles. Amongst Nexter targets for the weapon is India with the company teaming with Larsen & Toubro for that goal. Enhancements to existing towed solutions are also being implemented. Selex Galileo was recently awarded the contract for the LINAPS upgrade to the UK L118 105mm Light Gun’s navigation and fire control capa-
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bility which includes accurate 3D self location with without GPS and the continuous display of gun barrel direction and elevation. Rheinmetall Denel Munitions, Denel Land Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems are jointly developing a 105mm module known as the T7 for use with the Stryker vehicles to meet a US Army requirement. The system concept uses the M1130 base-bleed and M1131 boat tail projectiles, both being insensitive high-explosive preformed fragment (IHE PFF) shells based on
INDIRECT FIRE
the Igala M0125 round. Rheinmetall has achieved ranges of 20 miles compared with the 8.5 m compared with the towed 105-mm M119A2 light guns which currently equip the Stryker formations. In Seoul in October, Samsung Techwin showed their news 105mm Wheeled Self Propelled Howitzer. The Basic design show uses the ordnance from a M101A1 towed 105/22mm and mounts it on the back of a 5tonne truck. Using an automatic gun laying system and fire control systems as well as
Nexter’s CAESAR has been adopted by militaries in a number of countries, including Thailand and Saudi Arabia Š Nexter
direct fire with rapid aiming via joystick, the first round can be on target in less than a minute. Two further options are in development; the Advanced using the same chassis with an armoured cabin and crew compartment and an additional option for 122mm, 152mm and 155mm on an 8x8 chassis with ammunition loading via a flick rammer. In
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addition the company have delivered 532 K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers have been acquired, and a further order has already been lodged. In October, the new Mandus Hawkeye 105 mm soft-recoil howitzer, using a M102 towed howitzer barrel mounted on a Renault Sherpa Light 4x4 chassis was shown publicly for the first time after the first firing which took place at Rock Island Arsenal. The design uses a soft recoil system to allow artillery pieces to be operated from such a small and
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unmodified chassis, which has 10.5 tonne gross vehicle weight. The range of the weapon is 11.5 km using conventional ammunition. At the Singapore Air Show, ST Kinetics showed their 155mm Advanced Mobile Gun System which consist of an 8x8 all wheel drive platform coupled with a 155mm 52 calibre gun turret module with a stated range of 40km with ERBB rounds. Precision significantly enhances any indirect fire platform. In October, ATK, working with the US Army successfully completed the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) low-cost, guided fuze, Engineering and Manufacturing Development guided flight testing. This comprised the firing of 48 rounds with the PGK fired from the M109
Paladin 155mm Self-propelled Howitzer and the M777A2 155mm Lightweight Towed Howitzer. The PGK’s design uses a GPSbased, fixed-canard guidance, hardened electronics and self-generated power supply which is then screwed into the fuze well of standard shells to improve their CEP. In the testing a CEP of 30m was achieved. Also in October, the US Marine Corps announced its intention to acquire a further 1,037 Excalibur rounds for its forces in Afghanistan which has been fired at rates of up to 32 a week over the past year with a CEP of 6m. The latest version of the Excalibur is the Ia-2 which has been cleared for use in Afghanistan which extends the range of Excalibur from 24 to 37.5 kilometers, which is 50 percent further than con-
Samsung Techwin have delivered 532 K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers with a further order having been made © AJB
The new Mandus Hawkeye 105 mm soft-recoil howitzer, uses a M102 towed howitzer barrel mounted on a Renault Sherpa Light 4x4 chassis © AJB
ventional artillery with rounds with the new round landing on average within 6m of the target. The US has ordered 1071 of the 4200kg M777 howitzers, with delivery completed by October 2013. The most advanced upgrade to the M109 is that being undertaken by the US under the US Army's Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) programme with January seeing a further $313m allocated for engineering and manufacturing development in support of an eventual upgrade of 440 vehicles to the M109A6 PIM vehicle along with the Field Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicle. Chile opted to upgrade its existing M109A5 rather than acquire new platforms in a $15.3m award in October.
Mortars
The precision and range of artillery rounds and solutions is being matched by mortars. One of Patria’s recent NEMO gun mortar customers is Saudi Arabia who has recently signed a $130 million for 36 systems for deliv-
In October, the US Marine Corps announced its intention to acquire a further 1,037 Excalibur rounds for its forces in Afghanistan 06
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ery from 2012-13. The turrets will be integrated with AFVs by General Dynamics Land Systems under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract, with six systems already delivered to the US company for testing. The order was separate from an $886m deal for indirect fires systems which includes 36 M777A2 howitzers; 54 M119A2 howitzers ammunition and support. South Africa has also enhanced its long range mortar capabilities via non-traditional calibres. In September, the first Denel Land Systems M6 60-mm long-range mortar system was delivered. In Korea, Hyundai Wia have developed the XKM120 Mounted Mortar System, designed for mounting on vehicles such as the K200 tracked vehicles, K532 launcher as well as 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles and weighs 1500kg. ST Kinetic’s Super Rapid Advanced Mortar System has a recoil load of 26 tonnes with a high rate of fire of up to ten per minute with a system weight of 1200Kg when using extended range rounds. Elbit Systems recently added to its list of CARDOM customers with a $8.5m order from the
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The Elbit Systems ATMOS system is offered in a variety of calibre options © Elbit Systems
Spanish Army for the CARDOM autonomous recoil 81mm mortar, mounted on the back of VAMTAC 4x4 vehicles. The USMC is pursuing its US Marine Corps' Precision Extended Range Mortar (PERM) programme with a requirement for a 16 km extended range GPS guided mortar fired from the 120mm M327 mortar as part of
the in service Expeditionary Fire Support System. To meet the requirement, General Dynamics has developed the 120mm Roll Control Guided Mortar (RCGM) low-cost guided mortar that employs a standard M934A1 mortar warhead and M734A1 fuze components. A key feature is the uses of the patented Roll-Controlled Fix Canard technol-
Hyundai WIA has developed the 120mm Autonomous Mortar Systems to meet domestic and export requirements © AJB
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ogy. A CEP of less than 10m was demonstrated and in October 2009 a rocket assisted round was fired from the M327 rifled mortar at ranges from 17 to 18 km.
Rockets
Multiple rocket launchers (MRL), can extend the range of indirect fire, far beyond that possible with conventional tube artillery. While the UK plans to cut back its self propelled and towed tube artillery, it is not making any cut to its Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) batteries under the latest planned cuts and is instead increasing their capabilities. In the Asia-Pacific the US MLRS is a particularly important system with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), able to fire six rockets to a 70km range, being particularly important. The Singapore Army operates 18 HIMARS in Bravo Battery of the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery which became operational in September last year, supplementing the military’s Primus ST Kinetics 155mm selfpropelled howitzer and Pegasus 155mm lightweight howitzer. Thailand’s desire for a rocket artillery system is expected to lead to HIMARS being acquired by that country also. Under the 10th Malaysia Plan an additional regiment of 18 Multiple Rocket launchers is due to be acquired to add to two regiments of ASTROS II launchers in service with a small number of self-propelled artillery platforms. At the end of November, a new Aerojet scalable effects warhead was added to Lockheed Martin's Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System-Plus (GMLRS+). The design which control the blast effect secure a direct
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hit at a range of 49km in the test. In August, the GMLRS+ achieving a range of 120km with an improved production motor. The current design has a range of 50km. India acquired a number of Smerch multibarrel rocket launchers from Russia in the middle of the last decade but is reported to have complained to Russia regarding through-life support. It is also seeking additional batteries together with technology transfer. Hanwha has developed the 70mm MRL for what is describes as the fast attack role and is described as having ten times the cost effectiveness of a 120mm mortar system. Rounds are fired at four per second with a maximum range of 8km. Warheads include an electronic time delay, 1200 flechette round. Finland is seeking to add to tis rocket inventory which includes the M270 and the Czech 122mm RM-70. A missile, fired from heavy rocket launcher with a budget of $60m is now being sought with a decision expected by 2015.
India
India provides a litmus test for many of the new indirect fire systems coming online via a
range of acquisitions as part of its Field Artillery Rationalisation plan which will address the structure of how 3600 artillery pieces in 220 regiments are equipped with a budget of $10-12billion. The key feature unifying the systems is the constant delays and procrastination in their development, even within the field of towed artillery. The first plan to upgrade the in service FH77/B 155/39mm artillery piece of which 410 were acquired in 1987 was to have been done via
The Singapore Army operates 18 HIMARS in Bravo Battery of the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery
the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) which had the rights to do this transferred from the then Bofors but this was overtaken by the political scandal surrounding the government of the time. A number of attempts to upgrade the weapon have been attempted but to date none has gained traction. One of the more recent problems was in 2009 when the pro-
NORINCO’s SH1 155 mm/52-calibre 6x6 Self-Propelled platform is designed to provide a lower cost, export solution to established designs © AJB
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gramme was started with the aim of upgrading to 155/45mm ordnance then cancelled due to over ambitious requirements by the Army. The Indian Army has recently asked the MoD and the OFB to produce two new FH77/B types, two using the same ordnance with new fire control systems and two new longer range 155/45mm variants. If this gets the go ahead the weapons would be ready by 2013. The OFB has recently completed production of 105mm ordnance and in a subsequent collaboration with Elbit Systems converted 180 M46 pieces from 130mm to 155/39mm. Plans to add a towed 155/52mm calibre weapon have remained stalled and will have to be restarted after the government cancelled the procurement late in 2011. The purchase of 145 155/39mm lightweight Howitzers under the FMS programme and worth $647m has been given the green light by the MoD but has encountered domestic legal issues with no clear schedule for their procurement. This acquisition of the guns was to have been used to equip two new Mountain Divisions to be deployed on India’s North East frontier with China.
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N A V A L
COMMUNICATIONS
Mari Commun
Physically integrating communications above deck is an issue, requiring designs to have to address electromagnetic interference in a single mast structure C AJB
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N A V A L COMMUNICATIONS
time ications in the
Ensuring that each platform within a force structure remains interconnected in any weather, any conditions and at any distance is a staple of any network centric concept being articulated either in War Colleges or as the basis for procurements today. Many of those concepts, were first established in the naval domain before being transferred to the land and air environments.
by Adam Baddeley
Asia-Pacific Region
HMAS Anzac's boarding party steams toward a dhow while in the Arabian Gul. Establishing links between the boarding party, their RIB and back to the command ship have taken on a greater priority in recent years C US DoD
oday, navies are seeking improved communications for all categories of warship, down to small patrol craft, enabling them to remain in contact from over the horizon, via high capacity links between vessels in a task group and improving internal networking within each ship, linking sensors, weapon systems and command management systems, shortening the sensor-to-shooter cycle
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in a future conflict. To cope with the harsh environments associated with maritime operations across the globe, communication devices have a number of common themes such as a reduced magnetic footprint and exceptional strength to withstand shock, vibration and harsh operating environments. Whatever the size of vessel there has been drive to reduce top deck weight as well as below deck weight
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improving stability on larger vessels as well as enabling the installation of advanced communications on smaller naval platforms such as Offshore Patrol Vessels.
Line of Sight
Literally Line of Sight, “wireless� communications have come a long way since the use of Semaphore at the battle of Trafalgar, with VHF and UHF communications now inter-
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COMMUNICATIONS
Harris Government Communications Systems Division is supplying its Sea Lancet radio for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship © US DoD
linking battle groups at sea. The naval domain poses particular challenging for communications simply because of physics and nature. When wireless signals travel over water, a highly reflective surface, this can create performance and reliability challenges complicated by varying water heights from tidal changes create when at sea creating ducting and fading. In the Software Defined radio (SDR) world, the Rohde and Schwarz M3SR Series 4400 VHF/UHF radio family was in May selected for the Royal Navy’s (RN) Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers designed for stationary air defence, civil and military air traffic control and shipborne applications. The radio operates in UHF Band I for civil ATC and supports military waveforms
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including LINK 11 and LINK 22 and frequency hopping waveforms. Rohde and Schwarz is teamed with Austal in its bid for the Royal Australian Navy's SEA 1442 Phase 4 maritime communications modernisation programme for the Service’s eight ANZAC-class frigates which has an expected acquisition cost of $300-500 million including the provision of an upgraded radio system; communications management and switching; a secure voice and tactical intercom and line-of-sight radio communications. Rohde & Schwarz V/UHF systems have also been selected for
Rohde and Schwarz is teamed with Austal in its bid for the Royal Australian Navy's SEA 1442 Phase 4 maritime communications modernisation programme l
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the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Holland class patrol vessels. The RN selected the Thales fully integrated communications system (FICS) an SDR based solution for use on its six-ship Royal Navy’s Daring (Type 45) class destroyers. For boarding parties, a number of solutions are being pursued. The Royal New Zealand Navy will deploy Cobham Defence Communication’s Marine Interdiction Operations System (MIOS). Systematic’s Maritime Boarding system uses a Raytheon sourced WiFi Meshnetwork and ITT’s SpearNet radio. Harris has recently launched its Tactical Video System For Maritime Interdiction Applications in this role using the RF-7800 Secure Personal Radio and a RF7400E-VP Tactical Video Processor combined with a helmet mounted camera for the boarding party, linked back to the patrol craft which would be equipped with the Falcon C2 View Application bulkhead mounted SPR
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Selex Elsag launched its new naval tactical Voice Distribution System called SETV1 in September © Selex Elsag
and a RF-7800M wideband radio for links back to the command ship. A range of communications systems that were developed for land operations, have also found naval applications. The Royal Navy has tested the use of the Bowman High Capacity Data Radio in its MTNC2 test in Norway, communicating high-volume sensor data between multiple platforms to support co-operative engagement and other roles, with ITT Exelis further developing the radio for international users with a South American Navy having already tested it. Harris RF Communications RF7800W has been used in trials with the Brazilian and Ecuadorian Navies. Under the SeaLancet programme for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship programme, Harris Government Communications Systems Division has provided its OFDM based RT-1944/U, multi-band tactical radio which supports 32Mbps user data throughput adjustable to a 108Mbps link rate in high capacity point-to-point roles. The German MoD, working with Carl Zeiss Optronics has tested high bandwidth laser-based communications for use on naval vessels. Ranges of roughly 20 km have been achieved, with an effective throughput of up to hundreds of Mbps. An added benefit of this transport medium is the absence of a need for spectrum allocation so the day to day use of this technology is essentially free of charge. The technology also has inherent security against interception and jamming and has low power requirements. Physically integrating communications above deck is an issue, requiring designs to have to address weight in a single mast structure coping with the electromagnetic interference generated by transceiver antennas and to do so while addressing the needs of other sensors such as radars or electro-optical packages. This also has to be done while remaining compliant with the overall demand for a low or ‘stealthy’ radar cross section. Thales’ Integrated Communication Antenna System features four flat-panel receive antenna arrays and four dual VHF/UHF flat-panel transmit antenna arrays linked to an Antenna Distribution Unit. Rather than hauling voice and data over scarce satcom transponders, navies are considering ways in which the range of LOS systems might be extended over the horizon, sometime just over the horizon to support links with surface combatants, small boats or the shore linking forces while being out of sight or beyond the range of some enemy
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Royal Australian Navy ANZAC class frigate HMAS Warramunga is one of the eight ships that will benefit from the SEA 1442 Phase 4 maritime communications modernisation programme Š US DoD
anti-ship capabilities. The US Navy has recently tested a cellular link between the host vessel and a small naval boat searching a vessel. The China's People's Liberation Army Navy has also used a X'ian ASN-209 UAV to test a communications relay in the South China Sea.
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BLOS Ensuring that individual vessels can communicate from over the horizon has obvious benefits for vessel no longer operating as part of large fleets or requiring the maintenance of links back to the homeland and political and military central control.
In August, an Asian Navy selected Orbit’s OrBand (AL-7107) Maritime Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) maritime C-Band VSAT providing two-way satellite ground station or a stabilized maritime antenna with a dish antenna within a compact 2.7m which it sees as a distinguishing competitive feature
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Infra-Com is now fully operational on the bridge of HMS Daring and Dauntless and is undergoing final trials on HMS Diamond. It will also be installed on HMS Duncan, Dragon and Defender © Link Microtek
of it as well as being 30 percent lighter than competitive solutions. Harris Government Communications Systems Division were awarded a contract for the Royal Canadian Navy for multi-band terminals and the first international sale of shipboard mobile wideband terminals by Harris under the Canadian Short Term Satellite Communications Upgrade contract. Harris are delivering terminals which offer both Xand Ku-band capabilities and provide significantly higher bandwidth than now available onboard Canadian Navy frigates. The satcom links will be used primarily as welfare links as well as augment support of strategic military communications. For Astrium’s latest foray into naval sat-
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com, known as SCOTPatrol, the company has focused on delivering a compact low weight solution that can be used as far down as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and is designed transmit large volumes of data over Ku, Ka and X bands. The design was taken from tis work on airborne terminals SCOTPatrol benefits from an advanced 3axis stabilised platform designed to reject ship motion from harsh sea conditions, so that the antenna always remains accurately pointed at the satellite without the “keyhole effect” of two-axis systems. Astrium’s Mini-
For Astrium’s latest foray into naval satcom, known as SCOTPatrol, the company has focused on delivering a compact low weight solution that can be used as far down as Offshore Patrol Vessels ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
SCOT terminals have been selected for the Turkish Navy’s Milli Gemi (National Ship) corvette programme. The company has also worked with France’s Délégation Générale pour l’Armament on the Marine Nationale’s Telcomarsat naval telecommunications system which is designed to provide affordable satcom for 54 small naval vessels that would not otherwise have access to Milsatcom. Astrium and Thales are working together on the Yahsat programme for the UAE with Astrium responsible for the naval segment, using SCOTT terminals. ITT Exelis’ Ku band GNOMAD satellite communications on-the-move solution is best know for use by vehicles down to the size of HMMWV, the company is also developing a broadband solution for small vessels based on the design.
Internal
Selex Elsag launched its new naval tactical Voice Distribution System (VDS), called
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COMMUNICATIONS SETV1 in September. The technology is based on the Sentinel Soft Switch used to manage area communications systems on land manages tactical voice distribution over an IP network. SETV1 uses SELEX Elsag COTS based low-cost naval Tactical Voice Terminal (TVT) using a 5.7” screen through which the VDS is capable of switching multiple voice and data calls interphone, intercom, radio circuit and open line calls. Selex Elsag are also providing a 500 headset TETRA system to link above-deck aviation teams and below-deck on-board communications for mobile teams and machinery space personnel on the two new aircraft carriers. The Harris HYDRA (Hierarchical Yet Dynamically Reprogrammable Architecture) System is another competitor in this market. The UK has opted to supplement conventional internal communications links on its new Type 45 vessels with a new and secure infra-red system from Link Microtek. The company’s Infra-Com design is inherently secure and interference-free voice communications facility. This is linked into the ship’s
In Spain, EID are providing internal communication fits on the Álvaro de Bazán Class (F 100) class frigates, Juan Carlos I Strategic Projection Vessel, the SPS Cantabria combat support vessel and S80A class submarines main communications system via a central base station while being immune to even severe electromagnetic interference. The coverage of the multi-channel, full-duplex system is 10,000 square metres Portugal’s EID produce the Fully Integrated Information and Communications Systems, with its Integrated Communications Control System being the core sub-system that glues together all the on-board communications equipment as well as switching units, voice terminals or external and internal links both digital and analogue. It has been
acquired by eight navies including the Brazil, Lithuania, United Kingdom and Uruguay with 100 systems being acquired. In Spain, EID are providing internal communication fits on the Álvaro de Bazán Class (F 100) class frigates, Juan Carlos I Strategic Projection Vessel, the SPS Cantabria combat support vessel and S80A class submarines. Saab’s naval Communications solution is based around its TactiCall solution. TactiCall supports all elements of both internal and external communication, including voice and data communication and is installed on large number of vessels including the YS 2000 Stealthy Corvettes for the Royal Swedish Navy and Niels Juel Class Frigates in Royal Danish Navy service. Babcock are currently upgrading a Sandown-class minehunter, in UK service; HMS Shoreham Defense Information Infrastructure (Future) (DII(F)), allowing it to interact with other UK shore and ground based networks over a common infrastructure information sharing and collaborative working across defense networks.
Submarine
Under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s Tactical Relay Information Network (TRITON) programme which is scheduled to be tested in the Navy's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in June this year using a QinetiQ North America bluespectrum laser communications to provide two way communications between fast attack submarines with ASW aircraft and satellites. Sagem’s Series 30 family of search masts systems, chosen for Brazil’s SSK, India’s six Scorpene SSK’s and France’s Barracuda class SSN provide a host for a range of UHF, VHF and satcom communications and sensor systems. Lockheed Martin’s Multifunction Mast Antenna System programme will upgrade US submarines adding Link 16, Iridium and Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) UHF satcom. Babcock and SEA have formed a team to pursue the for the RN’s Vanguard Replacement Programme (VRP) Submarine Communications Buoy (SCB) system initially bidding for the system’s Technology Demonstrator Programme the ITT for which was issued in December. Key requirements for the towed design is the ability to operate covertly at a controlled depth in a range of conditions while recovering Very Low Frequency signals.
In August, an Asian Navy selected Orbit’s OrBand (AL-7107) C-Band VSAT © Orbit
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Malaysian Army PT-91s © Dzirhan Mahadzir
Malaysia’s 2010 National Defence Policy lays down the fact that the Malaysian Armed Forces’ primary role is to defend the three vital areas of Malaysia; Main Area, Offshore Economic Area and Strategic Maritime and Aerospace Routes.
he Main area covers the Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak landspace along with its territorial waters and airspace. These areas are to be protected to the utmost from any form of external threat, according to the National Defence policy. It should be noted that the exclusion of any mention of defending against internal threats is due to the fact that dealing with internal threats are the province of the Home Ministry and the Royal Malaysian Police. The Offshore Economic Area is the Economic Exclusion Zone and the nation’s continental shelf. This area which lies in the South China Sea is rich with fishery resources and hydrocarbons and forms one of the main contributions to the country’s economy. This clearly outlines that the protection of the South China Sea due to its importance to the economy is of priority. The Strategic Maritime and Aerospace Routes of Malaysia are the air and sea routes that connect Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah/Sarawak, the Malacca Straits and Singapore Straits. The National Defence Policy outlines the strategic dilemma faced by Malaysia in defence of the nation and its interests. It states,
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“The physical separation of Peninsular Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea requires the nation to give attention to the air and sea routes between the two areas. Any threat or disruption to the sea and air routes there can threatened the stability of the two areas and as a whole, Malaysia.” This in essence sums up the problem faced by Malaysia, in that Peninsular and East Malaysia are basically two separate territorial entities physically separated by a vast maritime body and in much of it, Malaysia does not have territorial sovereignty or control. As such, due to this fact, Malaysian defence planning and deployments are centered upon the necessity to divide it forces into two and maintain a sufficient military force in each area that would not be heavily dependent upon swift reinforcement, assistance and support from the military assets and forces in the other area. This is very much reflected in the organizational structure of the Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force who bear the responsibility of securing the routes between Peninsular and East Malaysia and also the territorial waters, EEZ and continental shelf areas of Malaysia. The Royal Malaysian Navy maintains three area Commands; COMNAV 1 whose area of responsibility is from the South
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by Dzirhan Mahadzir
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Despite the RMAF obtaining 18 Su-30MKMs, the number is still not adequate to match its strategic planning © Dzirhan Mahadzir
China Sea side of Peninsular Malaysia and EEZ there to the lower end of the Malacca Straits; COMNAV 2 which is responsible for the waters around East Malaysia and the EEZ there and COMNAV 3 which is responsible for the upper half of the Malacca Straits and Malaysian waters in the Northwest of the peninsular. Meantime, the Royal Malaysian Air Forces divides its operational commands into two, No.1 Air Division for Peninsular Malaysia and No.2 Air Division for East Malaysia. The Malaysian Army in turn maintains four divisions (in addition to the 10th Parachute Brigade, Special Forces and several independent formations), each responsible for a particular region of Malaysia with the 1st Division responsible for East Malaysia, the 2nd Division for Northern Peninsular Malaysia, 3rd Division for Southern
The bulk of the Army’s heavy equipment including the tank regiment and mechanised infantry battalions are all stationed in the peninsular Peninsular Malaysia and 4th Division for Central Peninsular Malaysia but faces less issues in the deployment of its forces due to the fact that East Malaysia, consisting of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and larger than Peninsular Malaysia, is less developed and populated than the peninsular. The bulk of the Army’s heavy equipment including the tank regiment and mechanised infantry battalions are all stationed in the peninsular where their employment is far more suitable than in the
largely undeveloped East Malaysia. In contrast to the Army, the deployment and maintenance of sufficient military forces in both parts of the nation has been difficult for both the RMN and RMAF, due to the fact that Malaysia’s maritime waters and airspace are significantly larger than its landmass and owing to the small size of both forces. The RMN has less than 40 vessels in it’s inventory capable of carrying out operational patrols while the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s frontline combat aircraft fleet consists of 18 Su30MKM, eight F/A-18 Hornets and six MiG29s with around over thirty secondary combat aircraft in the form of F-5Es, Hawks and MB-339s, the latter two primarily used for training and ground attack role. This has resulted in the RMAF, in the case of combat aircraft, having to rotate one or more flight detachments of four aircraft from the fighter squadrons in and out of East Malaysia rather than station a squadron permanently there in contrast to its helicopter and fixed wing transports which are stationed on a squadron basis there. The RMAF’s long term strategic plan though, calls for the Service to reach a targeted strength of six multi-role aircraft fighter squadrons, two of which will then be stationed permanently in East Malaysia. However, the budgetary constraints facing Malaysia which in turns limits funding for defence means that the six squadron target is unlikely to be achieved in the near future and that the rotations of flight Boustead Naval Shipyard's model of the Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship that it will build for the RMN. Six of these ships will be delivered from 2017 onwards © Dzirhan Mahadzir
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PEMA2M - Photo: Dassault Aviation
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detachments of combat aircraft to East Malaysia will remain for a while. The Royal Malaysian Navy’s minimum operational target is to ensure that a minimum of six RMN ships are operationally on patrol at any given time, three around Peninsular Malaysia and three around East Malaysia, as stated by RMN chief Admiral Aziz Jaafar in 2010. The RMN chief also that the RMN was able to maintain such an operational tempo in the near term but not in the long term unless it acquired additional surface ships. However for both services, the Malaysian government’s inconsistent approach to defence development over the years has led to both Services being unable to significantly expand their capabilities in line with their strategic development plans though it has to be said that several capability improvements for both services have occurred such as the introductions of submarines into the RMN and the RMAF operating the Sukhoi Su30MKM. However the problem is that while funding does enable the RMN and RMAF to purchase sophisticated equipment, that funding does not enable the two Services to purchase enough numbers of ships or aircraft in line with the increasing requirements of the
The RMAF's S61 helicopter fleet was supposed to be totally replaced by the Eurocpter EC725s, but budget constraints now mean 15 will continue to serve on © Malaysian Ministry of Defence
Service and in most cases, the procurement comes at the expense of other programmes. The Royal Malaysian Navy’s six ship Second Generation Patrol Vessel – Littoral Combat Ship (SGPV-LCS) Programme may have been approved but the funding of that programme
The AV8x8 AFV under development will replace the Army's 4x4 Condor and 6x6 Sibmas AFVs Credit © Dzirhan Mahadzir
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which costs a total of MYR 9 billion ($2.8 billion) likely means that the Multi-Purpose Support Ship programme which has been pending since the early 2000’s is unlikely to gain traction unless the government allocates additional funds. And while the six SGPVLCS will enter service from 2017 onwards, these ships will be entering into service at a time when a number of RMN ships reach the end of their operational lifespan thus while the RMN may have a more capable fleet, the
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The Malaysia Army’s 4x4 Condor APC will soon be replaced by the indigenous AV8 8x8 AFV © Dzirhan Mahadzir
to replace its 28 S-61 helicopters, with the Malaysian Armed Forces requiring the RMAF to have 27 medium lift helicopters in its inventory, the RMAF has initiated a service life extension and upgrade program for 15 of
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© N a t c o m - w w w. n a t c o m . f r - 0 1 4 7 3 0 3 1 3 2 - P h o t o s : S i r p a Te r r e , M e r e t A i r e t D C N – D C I - A c c r o c h e Pe m a 2 B
fleet size will remain at a number insufficient for Malaysia’s requirements. In a similar vein the RMAF will receive 12 EC725 from late 2012, but the RMAF’s original plans call for more than twice that number
the S-61s. And should the RMAF obtain it’s requirement for 18 multi-role combat aircraft to replace the MiG-29s which will be phased out in 2015, it still does not alter the fact that the RMAF will still only have two and a half squadrons of frontline combat aircraft, a peak strength which has been in existence since the 1980s and well short of the goal of six MRCA squadrons. As such the key problem for both the RMN and RMAF lies in obtaining enough funding for procurement to increase their size and not purely their capabilities. The Malaysian Army in turn, faces less of the problem of size, given that tanks, AFVs and artillery costs much less than ships or aircraft though the army did face a significant wait for its wheeled AFV programme before the indigenous AV-8 8x8 AFV programme which was initiated in 2010 delivers. The size of the Army though (roughly 80,000 strong) makes the issuing of individual soldier equip-
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ment costly, and as a result body armour for combat troops is issued only to troops on operational missions overseas where such protection is required. As such, the Army’s SAKTI (Soldier Advanced Kombat Technology Integrated) future soldier system, while still being experimental, is unlikely to be issued on a widespread basis due to the cost. Similarly, deployment of Man Portable Air Defence systems are restricted to air defence units and key units such as the parachute battalions and special forces with the infantry battalions having to rely on the air defence units assigned to them rather than having an integral capability. However, in terms of tanks, AFVs and artillery, the Army has not had problems obtaining sufficient numbers in line with its planning once funding has been approved. Its key problems though lie in having the funding approved in the first place. Despite having a requirement from 2004 for it’s 4x4 Condor wheeled APC and 6 x 6 Sibmas AFVs to be replaced by 2010, the funding to do so only came about in 2010 itself and the government deciding that the replacement will stem from the indigenous AV-8 8x8 AFV programme, the prototype for which is only due to begin trials later this year. The plus side to it is that the government has authorised sufficient numbers for the Army in the form of an initial 257 vehicles, while the Army’s initial fleet of Condors and Sibmas totaled close to 600 vehicles, this has been offset by the fact that some of the units utilizing those AFVs have now converted to
mechanized battalions using tracked ACV300 and Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicles APCs, thus making an initial order of 257 vehicles reasonably sufficient for the Army. However in regard to the Army Air Corps, the same problems faced by the RMAF in regard to aircraft costs are also faced by the Army. The Army plans called for a squadron each of light observation, tactical transport and attack helicopters. Currently only the light observation helicopter squadron with 11 Agusta A109s has been achieved. The Army’s
The RMAF will receive 12 EC725 from late 2012, but the RMAF’s original plans call for more than twice that number to replace its 28 S-61s
initial plans for the tactical transport helicopter squadron was to have absorbed the RMAF’s S-61 fleet which the RMAF planned to phased out totally with the EC725s. However, as a result of the RMAF only being able to purchase half the numbers of EC725s that it planned for, it had to retain the S-61s which were to have been transferred to the Army. The Army in turn has now opted to continue to rely on the RMAF for tactical helicopter transport and instead focus on obtaining funding for an attack helicopter squadron of 6-12 helicopters. However the costs of such
a purchase has resulted in the programme lying in limbo for the time being. Still though, with the Malaysian army’s operational role currently largely being limited to border security and overseas peacekeeping and medical missions in Lebanon and Afghanistan respectively rather than combat operations, the lack of an attack helicopter squadron is not a pressing issue. However, for the RMN and RMAF, the inability of both to significantly increase the size of their ship and aircraft fleet respectively is a pressing issue given the size of the areas they have to cover and the need to maintain significant presence in both Peninsular and East Malaysia. As it is, all three services took significant cuts to their procurement funding for 2012; the Army requested MYR1.16 billion ($372 million) in procurement funding for 2012 but was allocated MYR541 million ($173 million), while the RMN asked for MYR4.39 billion ($1.4 billion) but only received MYR759 million ($243 million) and the RMAF, having asked for MYR2.49 billion ($799 million) received only MYR983 million ($315 million). However the Army as a whole is better positioned to weather these cuts in contrast to the other two services whose operational demands have increased over the years, particularly in regard to the Spratly Islands and the South China Sea. As such, unless the Malaysian government commits to additional funding of the RMN and RMAF, both services will continue to struggle with the problems of inadequate fleet numbers for their tasks. The Malaysian Army operates Agusta Westland A109s in the light observation helicopter role and is looking for an attack helicopter credit © Malaysian MOD
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seamless communication on the move
soldiers kept in constant contact with HQ
Software Defined Radio. Fully equipped to help Land Forces make the right decisions Land Tactical Communications are entering a new era with the development of Software Defined Radio. This new technology will offer larger bandwidth, greater interoperability and higher reliability. Yet what will prove to be the real benefits for forces? Will the operational gap be worth the investment? Pierre Suslenschi, Vice-President in charge of Tactical Radio Communications Solutions at Thales, answers these fundamental questions. What are the main developments in the field of Tactical Communication? Pierre Suslenschi: “Tactical Communications are absolutely integral to modern forces. C4I solutions, new generation Battlefield Management Systems (BMS), surveillance systems and real time force tracking systems all rely on Tactical Communications networks. Consequently, the vast increase in the flow of data, images and videos requires the ongoing expansion of communication bandwidth. In addition to this, recent conflicts show that the old concept of the frontline isn’t valid any more; theatres tend to be wider and therefore Tactical Communications Systems have to be even more far ranging and far reaching. Furthermore, forces need to maintain permanent contact with their teams. It’s vital that the command chain is never broken.” What is the impact of this requirement from a technological point of view? Pierre Suslenschi: “This new operational requirement impacts waveforms and radio platforms. Forces need waveforms that provide a high data rate and ad-hoc networking – this is achieved in UHF. While, in VHF, forces need new waveforms that are able to simultaneously handle data, voice and added value services such as blue force tracking, while still being interoperable with legacy systems. To answer to this need, Thales developed Geomux, a new waveform fully interoperable with the PR4G/Fastnet waveform. This represents a true revolution in Tactical Communications and Software Defined Radio (SDR) advances. It allows multi-megabyte radio on UHF frequencies and increases user services in VHF. With FlexNet, Thales and Rockwell Collins developed SCA-based SDR running Thales’ latest high data rate UHF and VHF
waveforms. Fully compatible with legacy radios, and particularly the PR4G radio, FlexNet ensures perfect interoperability. Technology that has helped critical decision makers achieve better outcomes in recent multinational operations.” A complete range Thales proposes a large range of tactical radiocommunications products from the command post to the soldier. This vehicle-based HF radio provides a seamless, mobile communication link over distances up to 1,000 km.
FlexNet recently reached a 2 Mb/s datarate on a 35 km distance, confirming the reliability and efficiency of this unique Software Defined solution. This UHF Software Defined Radio is the perfect tool for dismounted forces with its 1.5 km range. Able to manage simultaneously voice, data and force tracking, it enables soldiers to remain in constant contact with headquarters and other squad members.
This PR4G/Fastnet soldier radio includes the latest Thales Geomux waveforms. Voice, IP data and blue force tracking data are simultaneously managed by the same device.
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Protective Equipment: Complete Solutions Vulnerable to attacks at any time, combat troops now wear body armour and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) almost continuously while deployed around the world. Weight remains the biggest single design issue and the key challenge in reducing burden is the integration of multiple components into one ergonomic lighter-weight system for the most effective solution. by Adam Baddeley o stop fragmentation and shrapnel from rocket-propelled grenades and mines, small-arms fire and even knife attacks, not to mention the trauma caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), body armor design is based on three elements; the materials available for making a ballistic resistant plate; the threat and thirdly the laws of physics. The plate has to stop a speeding bullet, but that plate also has to be able to be able pass a series of durability tests such as heat, cold, diesel soak, petrol soak, salt water, accelerated weather, drop testing, in a process that the military has designed to replicate the wear and tear that these plates are expected to see over the course of their life cycle. Bullets are becoming more lethal with faster muzzle velocities with tougher inner cores designed to penetrate Rolled Homogeneous Armor at increasing thicknesses and a multi-hit capability is essential when the IED threat comprises a number of projectiles traveling at a very high velocity energies associated with the impact itself. The resulting body armour is made up of three main components: an outer cover, without any inherent protection and often integrating with load carriage systems, secondly
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By being securely fastened, body armour designs become more comfortable, more ergonomic and more likely to remain in place in an IED blast Š US DoD
Soft Armour panels or vest, effective against knives and lower velocity rounds and shell fragments and easily mouldable into collars and groin protection. The third category is hard protection plates, place in designated side, back and side pockets which would often include a ceramic content capable of stopping or significantly slowing high veloc-
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ity sniper and some armour piecing rounds as well as blunt force trauma.
Body armour
BCB’s Exo Flex Body Armour is a fully articulated design which features a pivoted shoulder harness that allows free, independent movement of the shoulders and arms
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The necessary weight and thermal burden of current designs has led to the introduction of worn cooling devices to offset the heat Š US DoD
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A R M O U R which also allows the use Level IV armour plates. The firm’s Spartan armour accommodates soft Level IIIA armour as well as armour plates and other practical features such as a Drag Handle, C4I wire channels for non-clutter communications assembly as well as the use of non slip suede material for weapon retention of the right shoulder which works as well when wet. Ceradyne recently received a US Defense Logistic Agency Troop Support and Sustainment order worth $127 million. This will cover the acquisition of 300,000 ESAPI plates though to 2012. Production of the XSAPI ended in December with 160,000 sets produced. Ceradyne is considered a world leader in hot press boron carbide body armour technology having manufactured close to three million hot pressed boron carbide plates of varying sizes and shapes for the DoD, supplying 70-80 percent of the total. The company manufactures in excess of 50,000 B4C body armour plates a month, and has a rejection rate of less than .05 percent on hot pressed plates. Other suppliers have provided boron carbide plates manufacture plates using a process called reaction bonded boron carbide. The US Army is for the future looking at reducing the weight of the ESAPI plates by
Modern protective plates have to be to cope with armour-piercing small arms rounds © AJB
ten percent. This has been a long standing challenge for the DoD for some time. The USMC has had a two-year SBIR effort in place for any one that could provide that type of weight reduction in the body armor plate and still meet all of the requirements of the current equipment. Purchase is discretionary although to date it is understood that this has not occurred. BAE Systems recently released a new PPE
solution known as the Scalable Soldier Protection System, based on its internally developed Ultra Lightweight Warrior programme in order to meet the requirement for the US Army’s Soldier Protection Demonstration requirements for which the company has provided ten systems for trials. Serbia’s Yugoimport has recently developed the PBB VB-10 ballistic combat vest for its soldier of the future programme with standard protection against NATO standard 5.56mm round with the protection for addition ballistic protection as required. The Marine Corps began fielding their Improved Modular Tactical Vest in November to meet urgent needs with 108,000 sets due to be delivered by April. The new systems, which feature improved load carriage, shoulder comfort and cummerbund stability, replaces the legacy Modular Tactical Vest for all troops deploying to Afghanistan and will also replace the Scalable Plate Carrier. The IMTV uses standard enhanced small arms protective inserts inserts. UK firm Vestguard have won contract to supply the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police including a £55m award in 2007 for the UK and more recently via the US DoD worth $120m in 2009. The US US troops on a three mile run while wearing their Interceptor body armour © US DoD
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Ceradyne has manufactured close to three million hot pressed boron carbide plates of varying sizes and shapes for the DoD, supplying 70-80 percent of the total © AJB
order for a solution based on the Versatile Overt Tactical Vest. The US Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) is a modular protective system consisting of an outer vest, ballistic plates, and attachable components that increase the area of coverage. These are suppliers by range of firms including Point Blank Body Armor, BAE Systems, KDH and Protective Products Enterprise. In FY12, the Army intends to complete the purchase of 966,000 IOTVs. The Army’s Soldier Plate Carrier System is provided solely by KDH and provides ballistic protection equal to or greater than that of the IOTV which is an integral part of the IBA but which decreases soldier load and optimum mobility with the company recently providing plate carriers in the new Operation Enduring Freedom camouflage pattern. In October, Ceradyne launched their
Mohawk seamless Ballistic helmet which provides a 50 percent improvement in performance over the current Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) in regards to shell splinters as well as improving performance in regards to small arms. A boltless design, it has now entered US Army testing. In its design the company have made a clear decision to incor-
The bulk of the Army’s heavy equipment including the tank regiment and mechanised infantry battalions are all stationed in the peninsular porate the need for helmet mounted accessories with the induction of a bus bar into the shell of helmet to enable a protected link between a rear mounted power source and multiple sensors such as night vision goggles, flashlight, IFF solution and recording device. Ceradyne is supplying the Army and Marine Corps with the Enhanced Combat
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Dyneema® ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre is already incorporated into various pieces of hard and soft ballistic armour used in the law enforcement market © DSM Dyneema
Helmet (ECH) which uses ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene rather than resinimpregnated para-aramids with First units equipped in 2QFY12. In Asia, both Tencate and DSM Dyneema are developing their presence in the region, setting up facilities in Singapore. In February, TenCate Advanced Armour opened a sales office in Singapore with the goal of its forming a hub for local production established in the Asia-Pacific region. DSM Dyneema expect to open their new R&D Technology centre in Singapore in November to support both PPE and vehicular implementations of their protective technologies. The site will have three ballistic shooting ranges to provide independent support and testing with partners. The company is particularly active in India, Thailand, Malaysia and Korea. Recent body armour innovations include the Dyneema SB51 Soft Ballistic armour ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material which provides an up to 20 percent increase in protection compared to the company’s SB21 material and meets NIJ 0101.04 and NIJ 0101.06 standards. In October, the company launched their SB71, a unidirectional grade light weight ballistic material Soft Ballistic material that was specifically designed and developed for use in ballistic vests certified under NIJ0101.06. Plasan work closely with Marom Dolphin to tailor PPE solutions to the requirements of
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the user and to meet ergonomics and comfort standards while retaining protective effect. By taking this in-house approach, costs and timing can be significantly reduced, described as giving the user a bespoke, optimised solution for the same costs as a ‘standard’ off the shelf product. Tyr Tactical’s Lightweight Plate Carrier has a range of ballistic options such as a ballistic yoke and ballistic throat piece which can be built up to provide a range of protection stan-
The Marine Corps began fielding their Improved Modular Tactical Vest in November to meet urgent needs with 108,000 sets due to be delivered by April
dards according the mission requirements. Germany’s Infanterist der Zukunft systems build in protection to the load carriage systems, developed by Blucher Technologies in order to reduce weight with elbow and knee protectors for example also having shrapnel protection. Overall the system can be built up to NATO STANAGLlevel 4 protection.
Cooling
Some Coalition forces in Afghanistan have ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
shed body armour due to weight issues, in order to more effectively conduct missions in temperatures of up to 50°C. The ability to wear and carry increasingly high levels of personal protection has a strong impact on the soldier’s load, not least the thermal load, particularly on extended dismounted operations. The higher the body temperature the less effective a soldier becomes. Without the option of leaving armour behind, militaries have opted to field worn cooling systems in conjunction with PPE while not compromising on ballistic performance nor impeding use of webbing and load carriage vests, in order to reduce core body temperature, an issue of particular relevance in the Asia Pacific. Whereas dismounted troops have to carry these systems with them, platform crewmen can typically rely on more powerful systems, often interconnected the with an onboard climate control system. Furthermore, while body armour is an export controlled device, cooling systems are not. WL Gore’s Active Cooling system distributes cooling air via a jacket with integrated ‘blower’ worn underneath body armour, load carriage systems and even normal uniforms. Designed to provide up to 150W of cooling power the systems is designed as having no appreciable burden. On a single charge the systems can operates for over eight hours. Entrak’s ventilation wear uses as its core a
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washable 72 percent polyamide, 28 percent polyester jacket with pockets for two cooling units each weighing 265g which can operate for 20 hours on its lowest setting and six hours on its highest with the sound generated at its highest setting only approximately 40 dBA. BCB’s Mistral Standalone Cooling Vest has a total weight including vest, fan and batteries of 1.3kg The patented mechanism works by blasting air at one area of the body then rapidly changing to blast another, a process known as spatial dither. This works in conjunction with a wicking undershirt to evaporate sweat. Mistral has been integrated with BCB’s body armour range including its Spartan range and adds approximately 300 grams to the weight of the body armour including batteries.
Modular personal protection system P6 with tactical cover, military design. Protection level: NIJ3A according to NIJ Standard-0101.06 © BSST/DSM Dyneema
Goggles Eye protection is a key feature of modern PPE ensembles as eye injuries account for over 15 percent of combat related injuries, with the US DoD noting that this proportion increases with every new conflict with industry analysis showing that as much as 90 percent of injuries
to the eye being preventable with proper precautions. In addition to the protection they must offer, that protection must be both optically correct, be scratch and fog resistant and be able to block harmful UV rays with users also requesting different lenses for different light condi-
tions. The US Army continues to add to their list of approved eyewear in the Authorized Protective Eyewear List. Currently, these are the Arena Flakjak, ESS Land Ops, ESS Profile NVG, Revision Desert Locust, Smith Optics Outside the Wire, ESS Crossbow, ESS Crossbow, Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame 2.0, Revision SawFly, Smith Optics Aegis, UVEX Genesis UVEX XC, Wiley X PT-1, Wiley X SG-1, Wiley X Talon. While other devices may meet the ANSI Z87.1 standard for protection, they do not necessarily meet military impact requirements. Revision recently launched their Batlskin head protection system designed to provide a scalable systems based around a lightweight helmet and dual foam impact liner with a three position visor and a multi-purposes front mount which is also a universal NVG mount. The visor mount is designed so that in a blast or overpressure the eye protection remains in place.
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INDIA: Massive Modernisation but Poor Procurement India’s military is undertaking a massive modernisation drive via imports, local weapon and systems development and acquiring networked centric competence to achieve badly-needed capability to operate in a hostile and an increasingly militarised and nuclearised neighbourhood. by Rahul Bedi
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P t is also attempting, albeit unsuccessfully to overhaul the Ministry of Defences (MoDs) bureaucratic and continually-postponed procurement procedures, to imminently replace and upgrade its predominantly obsolete Russian and Soviet materiel in order to augment India’s regional strategic profile in keeping with its burgeoning economic muscle. Acquiring military goods requires clearance, grudgingly forthcoming from 18 MoD and related departments and agencies. Consequently, procurements that were mandated to be completed in 48 months invariably took twice as long in addition to fostering widespread corruption. Concurrently, urgently-needed equipment via the MoD’s Fast Track Procurement route with a 12-14 month timeline, rarely ever met that target; taking twice if not three times longer to execute. According to international management consultant Ernst & Young, India was possi-
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bly the biggest customer in the international arms bazaar having allocated $80-100 billion to acquiring materiel by the end of the country’s 13th, Five-Year Finance Plan in 2022. A report by the Confederation of Indian Industry and global financial consultants KPMG last year revealed that India had inked military deals for $25 billion since 2007 of which the Indian Air Force (IAF) accounted for $17.46 billion, the Indian Navy (IN) $6.16 billion and the Army a mere $420 million. India imports over 74 per cent of its military equipment-a proportion that is steadily rising as requirement proliferated-despite successive administrations’ assertions that the country would be largely self-reliant in this field by 2005. Defence Minister A K Antony conceded this shortcoming was, "shameful and dangerous" as efforts to indigenise these shortfalls through the country’s vast military-industrial complex was handicapped by byzantine
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policy directives, vacillation in decision taking, technological shortcomings and limited research and development. This compelled the Services to remain import-reliant in order to remain operationally alert. Collectively, India’s State-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the country’s premier weapons design agency and monopolistic 39 government-managed Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) units and eight Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) remain an industry-in-the-making capable at best of licensed manufacture but of little or no original product development. “It (India’s military-industrial complex) is one with passable engineering skills but circumscribed developmental expertise” said retired Brig Arun Sahgal, Joint Director Institute of National Security Studies in New Delhi. It has been unable to produce even a single cutting-edge product in decades, he ruefully added. Fledgling measures to domesti-
T72MI ’Ajeya’ MBT that forms the backbone of the army’s 59 armoured regiments © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
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A mock up of the Agni IV intermediate range ballistic missile with a 3000-3500km range carrying a 1000kg warhead on display at the Republic Day Parade on 26 January 2012 in New Delhi. © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
cally privatise military requirements at the prompting of all three Services, discontented with DRDO-designed and with OFB and DPSU-built equipment, had made little headway given the MoD’s unapologetic bias towards the State-run facilities. Hence, despite over two decades of lobbying for expanded involvement in the defence field, the private sector had emerged, at best a component and sub-assembly provider comprising some 6,000 small and medium-size enterprises. India’s defence establishment also believes offsets-mandated at 30 per cent for all contracts in excess of Rs 3 billion ($60 million), rising in some tenders to even 50 percent-to be the near certain route to indigenously
strengthen the domestic military-industrial base. Although overseas vendors have, over the past four years, signed up Rs 80 billion ($1.6 billion) worth of offset agreements, most have floundered primarily due to inadequate comprehension and faulty implementation. Materiel imports-concluded, ongoing and prospective-include varied combat aircraft, advanced and basic jet trainers, mid-air tankers, warships, submarines-both conventional and nuclear powered (SSNs)-landing platform docks, one aircraft carrier, main battle tanks (MBTs) and light wheeled and tracked tanks. Some 600-800 light utility, heavy lift, attack and multi-role helicopters for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC), IAF, IN and the Indian Coast Guard to replace ageing platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), assorted missiles and ordnance for all three Services alongside a multitude of other weapon systems including even small arms like assault rifles (ARs) and carbines, comprise other multitudinous requirements. The growing security and strategic challenges posed by neighbouring nuclear rivals China and Pakistan, that often collaborated to confront and undermine Delhi and to enable India’s military to execute the full spectrum of war from insurgency to nuclear
A squadron of T90S MBT’s sweeping down a sandy incline towards the ‘enemy’ © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
Two ‘enemy’ infantrymen conceal themselves behind scarce desert shrubbery during the Sudarshan Shakti exercise © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
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A report by the Confederation of Indian Industry and global financial consultants KPMG last year revealed that India had inked military deals for $25 billion since 2007 remains one of the world’s longest running frontier disputes. Incipient tension between Beijing and Delhi has proliferated in recent years with China repeatedly asserting ownership over 90,000 sq km encompassing India’s northeastern Arunachal Pradesh province bordering Tibet. India maintains Chinese demands
conflict, had also prompted the recent import of airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), diverse military transport and long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and carrier-borne naval fighters. Indian defence planners readying for a ‘two-front’ war against China and Pakistan, however quietly accepted the harsh reality that their military which prided itself on its extended war-waging ability, emerged woefully inadequate in the immediate and subsequent response to the three-day siege of Mumbai by 10 Pakistani gunmen who arrived from Karachi by sea in November 2008 to launch the assault. Directly after the Mumbai attack in which 165 people died, it disturbingly transpired that India’s armed forces, especially the Army, had ineffectual options available for a punitive response against Pakistan-who India blamed squarely for the terror strike, highlighting once again the inadequacies of its conventional deterrence potential that was linked largely to equipment inadequacies. Testifying before the US Senate Select Committee in Washington in early February, James Clapper, Director of US National Intelligence declared that India’s military was, “strengthening its forces in preparation to fight a limited conflict along their disputed border and was working to balance Chinese power projection in the Indian Ocean". India and China went to war in 1962-in which the former came off worse-over their 4054km long un-demarcated border that
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are ‘non-negotiable' and in turn claims frequent territorial incursions by People’s Liberation Army units patrolling their unresolved frontier, an assertion Beijing ignores. And, since independence 65 years ago India and Pakistan have fought three wars and an 11-week long military skirmish in 1999 in Kashmir-divided between the neighbours but claimed in entirety by both-in which some 1200 soldiers from both sides died and one which threatened to escalate into a nuclear exchange. Military tension between Islamabad and Delhi fluctuate, but both sides consider the other a major military threat and strive to remain operationally alert, locking them in a perpetual and hugely expensive tit-for-tat
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An infantry sniper hides behind a natural sand feature awaiting the enemy attack © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
arms and nuclear race. Meanwhile, India’s long-standing weapons provider Russia heads its vendors' list having supplied it over $40 billion worth of materiel since the mid-1960’s and maintains annual defence sales averaging $1.5 billion. The Russian Centre for Analysis of International Weapons Trade anticipates that between 2010 and 2013 India would account for 54.4 percent of Moscow’s weapons exports estimated at some $15 billion. Israel has exported varied weaponry, ordnance, missiles and force multiplier systems in addition to a host of classified equipment and components to India, averaging around $1 billion each year since 1999, is the country’s second largest materiel supplier whilst France is a close third. But France is soon expected to edge out Israel having recently secured the $10-15 billion tender to supply the IAF 126 Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), a number that is expected to rise to around 200 valued in excess of $20 billion. The US, UK, Germany, Italy, Poland and Singapore are some of India’s other defence suppliers. However, the US India's newfound strategic partner is fast emerging as a leading defence equipment exporter having inked contracts over $13 billion since 2004 while deals of similar amounts or more were in the pipeline, under either negotiation or evaluation. Of all the three Services, the 1.2-million strong Indian Army remains most handicapped by severe equipment shortages, obsolete hardware and restricted night-fighting capability to effectively operationalise its newly enunciated ‘cold start’ doctrine of launching a preemptive conventional offensive against primary rival Pakistan in a limited war scenario to achieve negotiable military gains in a nuclear weapons environment. Predicated to deploying significantly more efficient platforms than currently in service, this strategy envisages converting static for-
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mations deployed in a defensive role along the Pakistani frontier into ‘integrated battle groups’ capable of undertaking swift, punitive strikes with minimum re-organisation. But making good these hardware shortfalls has, over the past year been seriously jeopardised by the stand-off between the army chief, General V K Singh and the MoD over a bitter and convoluted row over his age which is presently in court. This bizarre confrontation has, in turn thwarted crucial decisions on the army’s long-delayed modernisation and created fissures not only within the Service but also between it and the MoD, the final arbiter of all procurements. Even a cursory assessment of the Army's ambitious MBT, artillery and infantry modernisation programmes reveal them all to be in a state of flux, afflicted by delays and an overarching lack of timely planning and resource management. A significant proportion of the Army’s mechanised forces-around 2000-2200 Russian and locally built T-72 and T72M1s ‘Ajeya’ T90S MBTs were inducted into service in 2002-03 following imports from Russia of 657 units in kit form and assembled locally at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, southern India © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
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MBTs that form the backbone of its 59-odd armour regiments and some 2200 Sovietdesigned ‘Sarath’ BMP-II infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) lack night fighting capability. The majority await upgrades that will provide them with either full solution with thermal imaging fire control systems (TIFCS) or third generation partial solution thermal imaging stand alone systems (TISAS). Other than providing 1500-1700 T72 M1s with a night fighting ability under the frequently postponed 'Project Rhino' upgrade, the deferred MBT retrofit also includes equipping them with explosive reactive armour (ERA), fibre-optic gyro-based navigation and laser warning systems, frequency hopping radio sets and advanced nuclear, biological and chemical equipment, stabilising the tank’s gun control system by attaching a new thermal shroud on the MBT's 125mm 2A46 smooth bore gun for greater accuracy and fitting the tank with a new integrated fire detection and suppression system would complete the staggered retrofit package to keep the T72M1's in service till 2020 and even beyond. But until now, just 310 partial solution TISAS had been acquired from Israel's El Op for around $120,000 each and installed on the T72M1s, while an equal number were under acquisition. Efforts to replace the T72M1's 780hp V12 air cooled multi-fuel injection engine with a more powerful 1000hp power pack fitted with a turbo-supercharger too were unsuccessfully under development, also delaying the upgrade. The 657 Russian T90S MBT’s imported in kit form and assembled 2001 onwards at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi, southern India and another 1000 which are to
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P be built indigenously under licence were capable of operating in the dark as were the 248 locally designed Arjun MBTs, half of which had already entered regimental service. Delivery of the remaining 124 Arjun MKIs would be completed by 2016-17, HVF officials said. The MBTs also faced shortages of 125mm rounds late last year after war wastage reserves dropped below ‘critical levels’, necessitating frantic imports of around 66,000 Russian armour piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds on grounds of ‘operational necessity’. MoD sources said the emergency procurement reportedly at ‘inflated prices’ also precluded the mandatory 30 per cent offset obligation. Orders, meanwhile were also imminent for an additional 250 Arjun MkII with 93 improvements including 13 major ones over the MkI including the capability to fire Israeli anti-tank guided LAHAT missiles through its 120mm gun, fitment of locally designed ERA to counter APFSDS and high explosive anti-tank rounds and rocket-propelled grenade attacks and modifications to its hull and turret to give it a lower and hence less vulnerable silhouette. Providing the Mk II MBT an alternate power pack and transmission to replace the MkI’s German MTU 838Ka-501 diesel engine and semi-automatic RENK RK-304A transmission combination would complete the upgrade, but significantly hike the tank’s price to Rs 370 million ($ 7.4 million) each as well as its weight to around 65 tons adversely affecting its transportation and limiting its eventual operational employment. The Army also wants its 12 Mountain Divisions-two of them were under raisingequipped with some 300 light tanks to augment its fire power in mountainous and hilly terrain above 3000m along the Pakistani and Chinese frontiers. Towards this the MoD in October 2009 had dispatched a request for information to overseas vendors for 200 wheeled and 100 tracked light tanks weighting 22 tons but, for now the project remains stillborn. Qualitative Requirements (QRs) to develop a Future MBT to eventually replace the T72M1’s and a Future ICV, both with private sector participation were in an advanced stage of planning and review but no design had, for now been confirmed. The Army’s artillery profile was possibly the most dire of all its combat and support arms. Of its 180-odd field artillery regiments,
some 32 were equipped with 410 FH-77B 155 mm Bofors guns imported in the late 1980spresently reduced to half this number following cannibalization due to the non-availability of spares-and 180 Soviet 130mm M-46 field guns upgraded unsatisfactorily to 155 mm/45 caliber status jointly by Soltam of Israel and the OFB. The remaining 148 or so regiments still operate Soviet D-30 122mm guns, the locally-designed and OFB built 105mm Indian Field Guns, its Light Field Gun derivative and imported 130mm M46 towed field guns dating back to the 1960’s. The proposal under the Artillery Rationalisation Plan to acquire by 2020-25 a mix of around 3000-3600 155mm/39 calibre light weight and 155mm/52 cal towed, mounted, self-propelled (tracked and wheeled) and ultra light weight 155mm/39 cal howitzers through imports and local, licensed manufacture for an estimated $ 5-7 billion to replace the existing six calibres, has been continually postponed for nearly a decade. Tenders for almost all these guns had been issued, withdrawn and re-issued, several rounds of inconclusive trials conducted and matters further complicated by the MoD
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The locally designed and built Dhruv advanced light helicopter © V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
completely or partially blacklisting at least four top overseas howitzer manufacturers without providing any clarity on their respective status’. The seemingly uncomplicated import of the easily transportable, airmobile 145 BAE Systems M777 LWH and Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing Systems for $647 million via the US’ Foreign Military Sales route to equip two newly raised mountain divisions deployed along the north-east frontier with China, has become legally entangled in India’s notoriously slow courts and could be indefinitely delayed. But in a key step towards acquiring networked centric capability, the Army recently inducted the ‘Shakti’ computerised combat command and control system to integrate its artillery operations as part of the overarching Tactical Command Control and Communication system which is also under construction. The induction into the artillery in mid2007, however of the surface-to-surface (SSM) BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that India has jointly developed with Russia to counter the longer range, subsonic Hatf VII ‘Babur’ cruise missile by Pakistan, has been highly successful. Codenamed PJ 10, the two-stage 8.4 m long ‘fire and forget’ BrahMos that weighs 3.9 tons, uses liquid ramjet technology and
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Soldiers at a bunker during the Sudarshan Shakti (Vision of Strength) exercises in the western Rajasthan desert region beginning midNovember 2011© V K Singh, Photo Division DPR, Indian MoD
carries a 250-300 kg warhead at a speed of M2.8 is configured on Russia’s 3M55 Oniks/Yakhont system (NATO reporting name SS-NX-26). Its many variants, that were being series built at a dedicated facility in Hyderbad, southern India had been successfully test fired to a range of 292km range from sea and mobile, land-based platforms and the missile is also likely to be fitted onto the IAF’s Su30MK-I multi-role fighters and the IN’s Kilo class EKM 877 submarines sometime soon. Three BrahMos regiments are planned with three batteries each comprising 67 missiles, five mobile autonomous launchers on 12x12 Tatra vehicles, two mobile command posts and related equipment, all capable of simultaneously firing 12 missiles at a similar number of targets within 30 seconds covering a frontage of around 500-600 km. The Army is also in the process of inducting two more regiments equipped with the BrahMos Block II land-attack cruise missile (LACM) capable of hitting designated targets in cluttered urban environments with a high degree of accuracy. The LACM can be employed for “surgical strikes” on terrorist camps without causing undue collateral damage.
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Ambitious plans under the Future Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS) programme to modernise by 2020 all the army’s 359 infantry battalions and 66 associated Rashtriya Rifles (RR or National Rifles) paramilitary battalions deployed exclusively on counter insurgency operations, were also years behind schedule. The F-INSAS prototype was to have been completed by 2012-13 through imports and locally designed equipment includes a fully networked, all-terrain, all-weather personal equipment platform and enhanced firepower and mobility for the digitalised battlefield of the future. But this has been delayed by at least five years if nor more with the eventual upgrade postponed to well beyond 2020 following an overall inchoate approach. Besides, over 305,000 infantry troops and around 56,000 RR personnel were short of
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credible ARs, carbines, ballistic helmets, lightweight bullet proof jackets and night vision devices (NVDs). Last November the MoD had issued a global tender to 43 overseas vendors for 66,000 5.56 mm AR’s for an estimated $ 700 million to replace the inefficient, locally designed Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56 mm AR which the army had been coerced into using since the mid-1990s. The eventual requirement for the proposed AR is expected to be around 2 million units for use not only by the army but also the federal paramilitaries and numerous provincial police forces in a project estimated at around $3 billion. Other infantry shortages include some 160,800 5.56mm close quarter battle carbines to supplant the outdated 9mm models still in service, 15,000 general purpose machine guns, 1100 light-weight anti-materiel rifles, 225 mine protected vehicles and 64 snow scooters for use at heights above 21,000 feet in Siachen in the northern Himalayas along the Pakistan and Chinese borders. There was also a paucity of around 390,000 ballistic helmets, over 30,000 third generation NVDs, 180,000 lightweight bullet proof jackets and assorted ordnance including new generation grenades. Efforts to replace obsolete assets like the Chetak (Aerospatiale SA 316 Alouette III’s) and Cheetah (Aerospatiale SA-315B Lama’s) under the AAC Vision 2017 were postponed after the MoD in November 2007 scrapped the acquisition of 197 Eurocopter AS 550 C3 Fennec light observation helicopters (LOHs) for $ 500-$600 million. The MoD claimed irregularities in the selection procedure following nearly four years of trials, evaluation and negotiation and the contract is presently under re-assessment following trials featuring Russia’s Kamov 226 and Eurocopter’s AS 550 models, but is unlikely to be concluded soon. “There has been no reduction in the time taken to conclude contracts. Every proposal continues to flounder in the labyrinth of bureaucratic functioning,” former Major Gen Mrinal Suman India’s foremost expert on defence procurement procedures said. Every deal is getting embroiled in controversy due to alleged infirmities of the selection process, he added as explanation for the deeply flawed modernisation process.
BMP-2 COMPREHENSIVE UPGRADE PROGRAM: FAST & COST-EFFECTIVE
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MP-2 is number one choice for many armies across the globe.The APC has got an essentially traditional layout for a tracked combat vehicle, with the engine compartment at the front and two doors for dismounting in the rear side. The weap-ons suite includes a 30-mm fullstabilized automatic cannon with a coaxial 7.62mm machinegun, and a turret-roof-mounted ATGM.Troops can fire individual weapons through firing ports in the sides of the hull. The main gun of the combat vehicle attacks ground targets accurately at ranges out to 2,000 m using armor-piercing rounds and out to 4,000 m using highexplosive/fragmentation projectiles and fragmentation/tracer rounds. It is also deadly effective against near-sonic aerial targets at altitudes up to 2,000 m and ranges up to 2,500 m. Redundant weapon controls are available for the APC commander as well. Yet another BMP-2M upgrade version on offer by Rosoboronexport features a fire control system with an in-built cutting-edge multichannel gunner’s sight, a new weapon stabilizer and an improved ballistic computer with a firing condition sensor.The hi-end technologies and design solutions integrated in the new vehicle raised its combat effectiveness significantly and expanded its performance under the condi-tions of poor visibility. The gunner’s multi-channel individuallystabilized sight combines variable magnification
optics, a thermal imager, a laser range finder and an ATGM guidance system, which makes target acquisition faster and easier, cuts the reaction time and increases hit probability. For instance, the thermal imager is especially useful as far as BMP-2M’s op-eration in restricted visibility conditions is concerned, including in smokes, mists, precipitation and dust both day and night.The detection range of tanks increased to 3,000 m, while the APC’s signature was diminished. Moreover the commander got a display to see the images from IR surveillance systems for ease of
AMR Marketing Promotion
aiming.This in-novation improved the fire control capability considerably. Rosoboronexport also draws the attention of customers to the guided weapons installed in this version of the APC.Mounted on top of the turret is a full-stabilized platform with two launchers of laser-guided supersonic antitank missiles AtakaT, with either shaped charge or thermobaric warheads.The missiles are fired both on the move and at halt, with the destruction of all existing tanks at ranges out to 5,000 m guaranteed. The comprehensive upgrade program included the installation of additional armored skirts and grills to raise vehicle’s survivability. The vehicle is powered by an uprated supercharged UTD-23 diesel and has an improved running gear with improved mobility, riding comfort and speed charac-teristics. The driver has got an infrared system TVK1, which ensures visibility within 250 m at night. The key advantage of the device is that it does not need to be re-placed during the day, and is equally effective for day and night driving. The BMP-2 upgrade program was carefully carried out by the designers and engineers of the scientific school, where this brilliant piece of armament had been developed, which guarantees the highest quality of the technological solutions im-plied.
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Neither the wisest shaman, nor the sharpest soothsayer, could have predicted the outcome of India’s MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) competition, but just after lunch, Paris time on 31st January, Dassault Aviation was claiming victory in arguably the most lucrative current international combat aircraft competition. by Tom Withington
Combat
Jets:
NITIALLY launched in 2001, the MMRCA competition saw the Rafale pitted against its 4.5-generation combat aircraft rivals including the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab’s Gripen-NG (Next Generation), Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Super Viper and the Mikoyan MiG-35. One-by-one candidate airframes were eliminated, until the only two contenders remaining were the Typhoon and Rafale. The suspense finally ended on the final day of January. It was reported that the Rafale’s factor for success was that Dassault’s bid offered the Indian Government a unit price up to $5 million less expensive than the Typhoon. However, Dassault still has to negotiate the contract, the signing of which is not expected until March at the earliest. For Dassault Aviation, provided that there are no hiccups during the contract negotiation process, India’s selection of the Rafale represents a major success for the aircraft. The Rafale is the odd-one-out as far as European 4.5-generation combat aircraft are concerned: It is the only such aircraft which has yet to win an export order. Saab won customers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Thailand and, most recently, Switzerland for the Gripen. Eurofighter has netted Austria and Saudi
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Arabia as export sales. However, foreign purchases of the Rafale have been elusive. That is not to say the aircraft has not come close to achieving sales. It was the favourite to win the competition in Morocco to procure new fighters to replace the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s ageing Dassault Mirage F1CH/EH and Northrop Grumman F-5E/F jets, although it was beaten by Lockheed Martin’s F-16C/D Block-50/52. Brazil has seemed a consistently close prospect for the company, although the news from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) late last year was disappointing for the company. In November, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, referred to a French offer of an upgraded version of the Rafale priced at around $2 billion as ‘uncompetitive and unworkable’. That said, Dassault Aviation may yet achieve victory in the UAE. Along with India, other opportunities may exist in the Asia-Pacific region for the Rafale, not least of which could be the prospect of a sale to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The force Along with its F-22A Raptor, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 is arguably one of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world. Both Japan and Australia will begin acquiring this aircraft later in the decade © USAF
The F-35 acquisition represents the final stage of a wider modernisation of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fast jet fleet has a requirement for up to 18 new multirole combat aircraft, with RMAF personnel visiting France in 2011 to evaluate the aircraft. Nevertheless the win in India, providing that the negotiations leading to the eventual contract signature go smoothly, is highly significant for Dassault Aviation. In contrast to the success that the company enjoyed with its Mirage family of combat aircraft the Rafale has, at times, provided a stubborn jet to sell. With the prospect of outfitting the Indian Air Force with up to 126 new jets, becoming ever more likely, Dassault Aviation may find that other customers take a renewed interest in the Rafale with the potential of future sales a distinct possibility. Recent combat operations over Libya, in which the Rafale played an important role, have no doubt been important in showcasing the aircraft’s capabilities. NATO’s Operation Unified Protector mounted to safeguard Libyan citizens against forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi also wit-
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nessed the combat debut of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Saab Gripen. While the United States played an important role in both the air and sea campaign over and around Libya, much of NATO’s effort was absorbed by its European membership. This provided an opportunity for potential customers around the world to see the capabilities of the Continent’s 4.5-generation combat aircraft. Although Eurofighter may have lost out in India, it still competing to fulfil a requirement in the Republic of Korea to replace the air force’s McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantoms. A day before Dassault Aviation released its news regarding the Indian MMRCA competition, the Republic of Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration announced plans to send invitation letters to EADS, along with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to compete in the country’s so-called F-X III competition. Ultimately, it plans to purchase around 60 aircraft, which could be worth up to $7.39 billion. Along with the Typhoon, candidate airframes include the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning-II Joint Strike Fighter. The decision on which aircraft
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Seoul will select will reportedly be based on cost, industrial benefits, the aircraft’s capabilities and the ease with which it can operate with the Republic of Korea’s existing platforms. The industrial benefit criteria may be especially important, as the Republic of Korea has military aircraft aspirations of its own in the form of the country’s KFX fighter programme. The KFX programme aims to develop a Korean advanced combat aircraft, with support from Indonesia, which could enter service in circa 2020. Although Eurofighter’s Typhoon is a candidate in this competition, the F-X III competition may ultimately be a two-horse race involving both the F-15SE and F-35. Since the Korean War of 1950-53, the Republic of Korea has been a staunch US ally in the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, the United States continues to act as an important guarantor of the country’s security vis-à-vis the threat from the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea,
north of the 38th Parallel. The acquisition of an American combat aircraft to satisfy the FX III requirement would be an important reaffirmation of the close US-Republic of Korea defence relationship. In recent years, the Republic of Korea’s ability to develop advanced combat aircraft has taken an important step forward with the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) F/A-50. Developed as an all-weather multirole aircraft, and derived from KAI’s T-50 advanced trainer, the F/A-50 is being acquired by the country’s Air Force to replace the Northrop Grumman F-
For Dassault Aviation, provided that there are no hiccups during the contract negotiation process, India’s selection of the Rafale represents a major success for the aircraft
A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon ‘bombed up’ and ready to strike targets around Tripoli during Operation Unified Protector. The Typhoon made its combat debut during NATO’s campaign in Libya © Thomas Withington
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Dassault Aviation’s Rafale now looks set to satisfy India’s requirement for new combat aircraft. The jet was one of the star performers in NATO’s recent combat operations over Libya © Thomas Withington
5E/F jets operated by the service. A prototype of the F/A-50, which was previously referred to as the A-50, took to the skies in 2011. Deliveries of the F/A-50 are expected to commence in circa 2014, and up to 150 examples could yet be acquired. A number of advanced systems adorn the F/A-50 including a Link-16 compatible communications and an Elta Systems EL/M-2032 pulse Doppler radar. The Republic of Korea has yet to formally select the Typhoon, F-15SE or the F-35, but a number of countries around the Asia-Pacific region are scheduled to receive the F-35 once the aircraft becomes available. Australia, for example, could eventually receive up to 100 F-35s with the first aircraft being handed over in 2014. The F-35 acquisition represents the final stage of a wider modernisation of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fast jet fleet, which has seen the acquisition of new Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets as a replacement for the F/A-18A/B aircraft currently operated by the force. As noted above, Australia is not the only nation receiving the F-35. Japan will obtain the United States’ key fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Initially, Tokyo has set its sights firmly on the F-35’s larger sibling, the F-22A Raptor. However, political wrangling inside Washington DC prevented Japan getting its hands on this aircraft. The history of defence procurement in Japan following the end of the Second World War has shown that the nation has often enjoyed access to some of the most advanced aeronautical technology that Uncle Sam had to offer, but it was not to be the case
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on this occasion. That is not to say that the F35 is an inferior aircraft to the F-22, just that Japan will have to wait slightly longer for the F-35, than it may have done if Tokyo was given the green light for the acquisition of the Raptor. In total, Japan’s Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is expected to receive up to 42 of the aircraft to replace the JASDF’s F-4EJ Phantoms. Japan’s first F-35s are expected to enter service in 2016. The above discussion illustrates that several nations around the Asia-Pacific area have either satisfied, or are close to satisfying, declared combat aircraft purchases. Other countries have aspirations to follow suit, although have yet to unveil any formal proLockheed Martin’s F-16 continues to sell well around the world. The aircraft was a candidate in India’s MMRCA programme, and ex-USAF examples may yet grace the air forces of the Philippines and Indonesia © Thomas Withington
gramme. Once such country is the Philippines which has a requirement for up to six counter-insurgency (COIN) platforms to replace its Rockwell International OV-10A Bronco turboprop COIN platforms. These aircraft, despite their design being almost fifty years old, were used as recently as 2011 during air strikes against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front insurgent movement fighting the Philippines government. Alongside the procurement of a COIN platform, Manila could move ahead with acquiring up to twelve exUnited States Air Force F-16C/D Block-25 aircraft. With the exception of 13 Aermacchi S211 jet trainers/ground attack aircraft, the Philippines Air Force lacks a fast jet fleet. Like the Philippines, Indonesia is also in the market for new combat aircraft and, like Manila, it looks set to satisfy this requirement through the acquisition of up to 24 F16C/D Block-25 models from USAF stocks. The acquisition would see Jakarta paying
Alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab’s Gripen also made its combat debut in the skies over Libya. The aircraft has won sales in Thailand, and possible acquisitions in the Philippines and Vietnam represent strong prospects for the aircraft © Saab
around $750 million to cover the refurbishment of the aircraft, but for all intents and purposes, apart from this cost the airframes would be handed over to the Indonesian government free-of-charge. In terms of the future Asia-Pacific combat aircraft market, presently it is dominated by European and American suppliers, with also some significant Russian participation. However, China is fast emerging as a developer of advanced combat aircraft in its own right. The emergence of the Chengdu J-20 last year sent a shiver down the spine of a number of air forces and intelligence agencies around the world. The aircraft is thought to be highly advanced and to retain low observable characteristics. Currently, the aircraft is still in the middle of a major flight test programme, although it could enter service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force by the end of the decade. Whether this aircraft will be offered for export remains to be seen, nevertheless, Chinese aeronautical engineers may be keen to hawk the aircraft to countries which have neither the cash, nor the political chance, of obtaining an advanced fighter aircraft from a European or American supplier. That said, should China choose to offer the J-20 for export, it will undoubtedly face tough competition from Sukhoi’s PAK FA fifthgeneration multirole combat aircraft A Republic of Korea Air Force Boeing F-15K arrives for exercises in the United States. The country’s air force has launched the FX III programme to acquire new combat aircraft © USAF
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buying, fast jets has led some commentators to remark that a mini arms race is occurring there. Certainly, tensions between the two Koreas, India and Pakistan, China and Japan and a number of internal insurgencies continue to fester and, at times, have wider international repercussions. Yet according to Douglas Barrie, Aerospace Analyst at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, many of these competitions have their roots elsewhere: “The driver for most of these acquisitions is inventory replacement. There’s only so long that you can keep a combat aircraft in the air.” This is something that Joe Song, who overseas Business Development in the Asia-Pacific region for Boeing Defence Systems has recognised: “What we've seen is a matter of natural evolution in the modernization of fighter
The F-35 acquisition represents the final stage of a wider modernisation of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fast jet fleet
Australia has been a customer of for Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, chiefly as a replacement for its existing ‘vanilla’ Hornet fleet. Recent discussions in Canberra have focused on whether to convert some of these aircraft to E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare status © US Navy
which is arguably in an already more advanced stage of development compared to its Chinese counterpart. Whether China and Russia offer their respective J-20 and PAK-FA designs to customers around the region remains to be seen but, if they do choose to pursue this course of action, they will face stiff competition from European and American suppliers. Saab, for example, is keeping a close eye on the market in this part of the world and, despite not having been selected for India’s MMRCA competition; the firm still sees valuable opportunities in the region: “Beyond the next decade I see opportunities around the Asia-Pacific region,” says Kaj Rosander, Saab’s Regional Director
for the Gripen in Asia. Saab has found a niche as a company which can, according to Mr. Rosander, offer a 4.5-generation combat aircraft at a price comparatively less expensive than its Rafale and Typhoon rivals. It is perhaps of little surprise then that orders have followed from ex-Warsaw Pact nations (Czech Republic and Hungary) and Thailand. For this reason, a country like Malaysia could represent a strong prospect for the Gripen. To some extent, combat aircraft acquisition programmes are like London buses; you wait around for ages for one, and then several arrive at once. The dynamics of the market in the Asia-Pacific region with several countries either recently procuring, or in the process of
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fleets. This happens every 25-30 years and we are seeing Asia-Pacific states desire greater capability at an affordable price and a certain delivery schedule. Every country is experiencing defence budget pressures. So affordability, proven capability and schedule certainly becomes a big discriminator.” Allied to this is a need to ensure that air forces around the region have the most capable tools for the job: “Various nations have started to shift from ageing types to modern combat aircraft,” notes Mr. Barrie. Moreover, Joe Song believes that; “there is a concern about access to or protection of critical resources. None of the Asian countries, who all have large and sophisticated economies, want to be denied access to either territory or resources because it would have serious economic consequences. So, having modern fighter fleets enables deterrence and security against both maritime and airborne threats in the Asia-Pacific region.” While India’s MMRCA competition will dominate the headlines for some time, it will not be long until the world’s fast jet vendors cast their eyes to the next competition. The defence budgets of Europe and North America may be in the doldrums, but as the economist John Maynard Keynes once noted, even in a depression, somebody, somewhere must be spending. In the case of the global multirole combat aircraft, that ‘somewhere’ is the Asia-Pacific region.
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he traditional amphibious operation, of which several dozen were conducted within the Pacific Rim from 1941, involved assembling a task force of troop-carrying attack transports and tank landing ships (LST) later augmented by dock landing ships (LSD). The task force would deploy to the target, which would come heavy air and gun bombardment and the assault force would disembarking into the landing craft or amphibious vehicles within sight of the shore but at distances of some 10-20 nautical miles. Once the landing craft had formed up they and the vehicles would sweep onto the beaches, the landing craft ramps would be lowered and the troops would swarm ashore. Once a beachhead was established the LSTs would be brought in to deliver vehicles and stores
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which would help expand the beachhead and ultimately secure the target. The threat of nuclear weapons annihilating the task force as it assembled offshore drove changes for the super powers but technological changes over the past five decades have changed this amphibious scenario, even for Asia’s major regional powers. The most significant is the development of the anti-ship missile which has proved a very effective area denial weapon; two launched from fast attack craft in Alexandria harbour sank the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat in 1967 while in 2006 the corvette INS Hanit was damaged in harbour A Wasp class amphibious assault ship such as the USS Iwo Jima, with full-length helicopter deck is another solution to modern amphibious operations Š DoD
by a missile from an extemporised launcher. The anti-ship missile, in conjunction with ever-more sophisticated mines, can be countered but such is the level of threat that, in the absence of surprise attacks such as in the Falkland Islands/Malvinas in 1982, they force landing operations to be launched from over the horizon, the US Marine Corps opting for a landing craft deployment distance of 25 nautical miles (46 kilometres). This is one reason why LSTs, such as the South Korean Alligator class, rely less on delivering men and material through their open bow doors and increasingly upon extendable ramps which allow them to despatch their cargoes onto the beach from greater distances. The most obvious means of transport for assault is the helicopter and both LSTs and LSDs have received helicopter platforms,
Asian
Amphibio Operations:
Regional Capabilities Asian navies have devoted a substantial amount of effort to building up their amphibious capabilities and yet they seem slow to meet the changes in such operations over the past 50 years.
by Ted Hooton
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The most obvious means of transport for assault is the helicopter and both LSTs and LSDs have received helicopter platforms India’s Magars, Indonesia’s Tacomas and China’s Yutings (Type 072) were built with such platforms and can take one or two medium weight (10 tonne) aircraft. However, this adaptation does not provide an over-thehorizon assault capability because only one aircraft at a time can be operated and the helicopter platform here is used more to move supplies to and from the ship. The LSD, first used by the Japanese in 1937, has a well deck in the stern to accommo-
date and the latest versions, such as China’s Yuzhao (Type 071), have internal garage decks accessed by side ramps for ease of movement of vehicles around the ship and down to the well deck. They often provide good command and control facilities for whole task groups making them a major feature of amphibious operations. They continue to provide a potential over-the-horizon assault capability through another new technology, the hovercraft or air cushion vehicle. The alternative name for the LSD is the amphibious platform dock (LPD) and these vessels have also proved quite versatile, indeed they have proved valuable assets in anti-piracy operations both for com-
mand and control as well as for the interception of suspected vessels by both air and sea. The hovercraft was developed in the mid 1960s and uses an engine to create a cushion of air retained by ‘skirts’ to keep the vehicle just above the surface of the sea or land while other engines push it forward, aviation-type fins helping to steer it. The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), as the US Navy officially describes it, theoretically provides the solution of moving large numbers of men and cargo, the Textron LCACs for the US Navy carrying a load similar to that of any landing craft i.e 23 troops, one main battle tank or up to 70 tonnes of cargo. The can travel of speeds of up to 40 knots and at 35 knots have a range of 300 nautical miles and can smoothly transit from sea to land and even cross swamps. But they are expen-
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sive in terms of capital and life cycle costs while their size makes them vulnerable to shore fire, even anti-armour missiles. Yet several Asian navies have acquired the capability. China has about 17, including ten domestically-produced Jingsah II and four Russian imports, Pomornik (Project 1232.2) Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand have small numbers. The largest LCAC operator in Asia is North Korea with 136 Kongbang class based, reportedly, upon British technology. With the majority being 21-metrelong Type II and 18-metre long Type III which can carry 50 troops at 50 knots and 40 troops at 40 knots. LSDs which use LCAC have true overthe-horizon assault capability but another feature guarantees this; the full-length flight deck. The two Canberra class ships, based on Spain’s SPS Rey Juan Carlos I and being built for the Royal Australian Navy are typical of the new breed of LSD which is now known as an amphibious assault ship. The Canberras will carry 978 troops and have a hangar to accommodate up to 11 mediumsize helicopters, although some could be replaced by helicopter gun ships and, as with the Spanish ship, a Short-Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fixed wing combat aircraft could theoretically be embarked.
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The flight deck can accommodate up to six helicopters at a time, there will be a 2,000 square metre space for up to 150 vehicles including main battle tanks while the well deck can accommodate an LCAC or four conventional landing craft. The only ships in Asia which compare with the Canberras are South Korea’s Dokdo class, which can carry 700 troops, ten tanks, ten helicopters and two LCAC and Japan’s Oosumi class which can carry 330 troops, ten tanks and two LCAC but only the stern portion of the flight deck is used and can accommodate two helicopters, the forward portion of the flight deck being used to accommodate vehicles. The contradiction in Asia’s amphibious forces is that while there may be a growing demand for major amphibious assault ships with full length flight decks this will not provide them with the capability to storm the beaches. In fact, the only Asian navy which has any presumption to traditional amphibious warfare is China and even then this has been
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An artist's impression of the Spanish amphibious assault ship SPS Rey Juan Carlos I with the carrier SPS Principe de Asturias. The Juan Carlos is the basis of Australia's Canberras © Navantia
the last option in returning the offshore islands currently controlled by Taiwan, as well as that island, to Beijing’s control. The sole Yuzhao class amphibious assault ship, Kunlunshan, commissioned in 2008 and under extensive evaluation since then may later be joined by similar vessels but there is no sign that this will be in the near future. Indeed with most of the offshore islands relatively close to the shore amphibious assaults could be launched, as in 1949, from land using the existing force of 80 landing ships, 175 landing craft and 17 LCAC. Asia’s third major power, India, may follow the Chinese (and Australian) example. In 2007 the US Navy transferred to it the Austin class LPD USS Trenton (LPD 14) which became INS Jalashwa to augment a force based on 18 landing ships. The Indian Navy is now considering the course it should chart to enhance its amphibious capability with the options being a domestically-designed LPD or a full amphibious assault ship. New Delhi has discussed a licence with Singapore’s ST Marine for the Endurance class LPDs and RSS Persistence supported Indian Navy anti-piracy patrols in 2009. But if, as seems more like-
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ly, India seeks a modern full amphibious warfare capability then there is a distinct possibility it might follow the Russian example and acquire the French Mistral class, officially known as Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (Projection and Command Ships) which can carry 450 troops (or 900 for short periods), 13 tanks, two LCACs and up to 16 helicopters or they might even follow the Australian example and select the Navantia design, which is officially described as Buque de Proyeccíon Estratégica (Strategic Projection Ship), the official names reflecting why India is interested in them. The amphibious forces of Asia are less for traditional operations and more for strategic movement although they also possess great potential for humanitarian relief in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis. Interestingly, in December 2011 Australia’s Minister for Defence, Mr Stephen
Part of Wellington’s upgrade of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Project ‘Protector’, was the acquisition of the 8,870-ton multi-role ship HMNZS Canterbury
Smith, and the Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare linked an announcement of the acquisition of a British Bay class LSD, RFA Largs Bay as HMAS Choules, by stating it enhanced the amphibious capability to provide humanitarian and disaster relief during the cyclone season. Australia will also acquire and modify a merchantman this year to transport troops and supplies in support of domestic and regional humanitarian and disaster relief operations. With great distances, numerous islands,
long coasts and limit road and rail networks the strategic movement of troops and material by sea provides the most effective use of resources. Moreover these forces can be delivered almost anywhere, even across beaches if no suitable port facilities exist. This is the real reason why Asian navies, even the smaller ones, retain some form of amphibious capability and why so many use landing ships of one sort although some navies, such as the Indonesian, have dedicated troop transports. These capabilities are invaluable when disaster strikes for they are the ideal means not only of delivering humanitarian aid but also of directing such operations as well as providing medical facilities for the more seriously injured. This is reflected in the fact that of four 11,400-ton multi-role LPD type ships delivered between 2003 and 2010 the first, KRI Dr Soeharso, is actually a dedicated hospital ship while retaining LPD characteristics.
The French Mistral class amphibious assault ship has been sold to Russia and DCNS are now seeking Asian customers © DCNS
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This is turn is driving the concept of multirole ships and this can be conducted even by the smaller navies as New Zealand has demonstrated. Part of Wellington’s upgrade of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Project ‘Protector’, was the acquisition of the 8,870ton multi-role ship HMNZS Canterbury. In addition to providing sea training this ship has a limited tactical sealift capability and provides military and peace operation support as well as humanitarian relief embarking 250 troops as well as vehicles and has four landing craft and two medium-size helicopters in a design based upon a roll-on, roll-off ship. Malaysia has a requirement for two or three Multi-Purpose Support Ships (MPSS), although the nation’s financial problems have delayed implementation of this programme originally been scheduled for the 8th (20012005) Malaysia Defence Plan which has been constantly deferred despite the high priority allocated it by the Royal Malaysian Navy. The 2006 requirement for this vessel called for sufficient vessels to transport a battalion
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An Austin class LPD has been acquired by India © DoD
battlegroup of the Rapid Deployment Force with each ship carrying 500 troops and 100 vehicles up to 8,000 nautical miles. They would be transferred to land via a helicopter deck capable of operating up to three medium weight aircraft simultaneously (with a hangar for up to four) and four LCMs. While the requirement may have been modified these are understood to remain the core of what Kuala Lumpur is seeking. Regional capabilities in Asia are, as mentioned limited, in part because there are few requirements for amphibious assault. In addition to INS Jalashwa the Indian Navy has 18 landing ships and nominally is capable of moving some 4,200 troops, although an Indian Army division is trained for amphibious operations and none of her immediate neighbours have anything more than a medium-size landing ship (Sri Lanka) and a few landing craft. Both the Koreas possess forces ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
which could be used for raids or minor landings; Pyongyang augmenting its LCACs with 10 medium landing ships and 121 landing craft while Seoul is building two more Dokdos and plans a class of four LST-2 to replace the two World War Two vintage vessels and create the potential for two or three landing groups. To the south ownership of the Spratly Islands are disputed between China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam and here conventional amphibious operations might be possible on a small scale. Indonesia has the four LPDs, 19 landing ships, the largest regional amphibious force apart from China, Malaysia lost its only LST, the Newport class KRI Sri Inderapura to a fire 2009, the Philippines has seven landing ships of which five are of World War Two vintage, while Vietnam has six landing ships of which half are Second World War vintage. It seems more likely that Asia’s amphibious forces will retain their transport/ humanitarian relief roles making true swords into ploughshares.
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REGIONAL NEWS A N D
D E V E L O P M E N T S
Asia Pacific Procurement Update SOUTH ASIA
India and Burma have met in the Burmese capital Naypyidaw to discuss further joint operations along their mutual border. The meeting also saw an agreement to establish liaison offices in Ukhrul in India and Somra in Burma. India and Saudi Arabia have committed to set up a Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation to develop a security relationship between the two countries following a visit by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony to Riyadh. Robert Scher, a deputy assistant secretary of defense is reported to have said that the US is willing to work together with India on a ballistic missile shield. India’s Special Forces have a new permanent base in Marol, Mumbai with personnel from the National Security Guards stationed at this regional hub. India has established a new intelligence organisation for the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force, designed to support operations against Naxalite insurgents. India and Israel Aerospace Industries have signed a $1.1 billion deal for a four year contract for the supply and support of a range of military systems missiles, anti-missile systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and intelligence-gathering systems. The first of the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17 V5 helicopters was inducted in February, acquired in a deal for eighty of the type
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signed in 2008. India’s Defence Acquisition Council has given the green light to the acquisition for Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Navy. The first flight of the prototype Naval LCA is expected in March. The government has also given the go-ahead for the medium range maritime reconnaissance (MRMR) programme to acquire nine surveillance aircraft in a $1 billion plus deal. The aircraft will complement the longer range P-8I ASW aircraft currently ordered from Boeing. India is to be the launch customer for the intentional version of Raytheon’s APY-10 surveillance radar, on board its P-8I aircraft being built for India. Additional features added to the radar include the detection and tracking of airborne targets in a 240 degree sector in front of the aircraft. India has taken delivery of the Chakra, formerly the Russian Navy’s Nerpa nuclear powered attack submarine, formerly based in the Russian Far East. India will operate the sub under a 10-year, $650 million lease. Canada’s Obzerv Technologies Inc has been awarded a contract to provide 46 ARGC-2400 cameras for integration on a Bharat Electronics Ltd. Coastal Surveillance System for India’s Coast Guard. Elements of the large scale piping system for the Indian Navy’s six strong P75 Scorpene submarine programme have been delivered to Mazagon Dock Limited by Flash Forge India Pvt. Ltd. The equipment, validated by partner ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
In other news, Dassault’s Rafale won the penultimate stage in a modest Indian Air Force competition © Dassault
DCNS India was ordered in June last year and is the first Indian manufactured sub-system to be delivered to the programme. Two trainee pilots successfully ejected from the Kiran Mk II basic trainer during a mission from the Tambaram air base, the aircraft crashed into a lake. And finally, in case you missed it, India chose Dassault’s Rafale over the Eurofighter Typhoon for the MMRCA programme. It has been reported that Pakistan has accelerated plans to build nuclear powered submarines with plans for them to be inducted into the fleet in 2017-2020 and likely to be equipped with the Babur cruise missile. The Pakistan Air Force’s first F-16 Modernization (Peace Drive II) Programme aircraft has been delivered by Turkish Aerospace Industries on February 8th. The Peace Drive II programme, covering avionics and structural modernisation on a total of 41 aircraft started in October 2010 and is planned to be completed by September 2014. Two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft have been inducted in to the Pakistan Navy, replacing two aircraft destroyed on the ground in a terrorist attack at their Karachi base in 2010.
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REGIONAL NEWS A N D
D E V E L O P M E N T S
SOUTH EAST ASIA
Indonesia is to sign a deal with Russia to acquire 60 BMP-3 vehicles from the Kurganmashzavod factory. The $100m deal will see a third of vehicles delivered in 2012. Indonesia has sent a military delegation, including Lt. Gen. Budiman, the deputy army chief of staff to the Netherlands to assess surplus Leopard II MBTs for procurement. A projected deal for 100 of the vehicles would cost $280m. Indonesia is reported to be appearing to bring into service the Israel Aerospace Industries Searcher Mk II UAV, originally ordered in 2006 via the Kital Philippines Corp. Indonesia has still not decided whether to accept the offer of four surplus C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, in storage since 2009, from Australia, replacing C-130B aircraft. The Indonesian Navy is to add 24 new missile craft by 2024 and will be based in Western Indonesia and North Sulawesi. The Navy has already received two domestically built craft, with a third under construction and another six to be completed by 2014. The US Navy has invited the Indonesian navy to participate in a series of joint exercises including the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT series. Lockheed Martin and PT CMI
Teknologi have teamed for the country’s National Airspace Surveillance – Republic of Indonesia programme and will offer with the intent to offer 40 new TPS-77 and FPS-117 long-range surveillance radars to meet the requirement. TenCate Advanced Armour has opened its sales office in Singapore. The Republic of Singapor e Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy completed Exercise Malapura on 7 March 2012 addressing security in the Malacca Strait. Participating ships included RSS Formidable, RSS Valour RSS Brave, KD Jebat, KD Terengganu and KD Selangor. India’s chief of the air staff visited Malaysia in February to discuss closer defence ties with his Malaysia counterparts based around the Su-30. India provided the Royal Malaysian Air Force with Su-30 training from 2008 to 2010. L-3 Communications has been awarded a $19.5m contract to supply a tactical operational flight trainer, brief/debrief station and logistical support to 2015 to the Royal Malaysian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales Programme. Raytheon Company has awarded an initial contract to Malaysian from Contraves Advanced Devices for the supply of components for its Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). Raytheon has proposed the ESSM and
Indonesian plans to acquire surplus Dutch Leopard II MBTs have proved domestically controversial © KMW
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ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
other subsystems to Malaysia for its upcoming Second Generation Patrol Vessel programme for the Royal Malaysian Navy. The Philippin es Navy has requested that the second Hamilton-class cutter, due to be transferred to its service later this year, retain its communication, sensor and radar equipment. The request by Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama followed the experience of dealing with the bare bones state of the first Hamilton class cutter which arrived in 2011 and was renamed the Gregorio del Pilar. The Philippines Coast Guard is to increase operations in the South China Sea after it completes an upgrade on three vessels which will join the single vessel, the Edsa which is currently patrolling the area. The US and Filipino officials have met in Washington in January to discuss a larger US military presence in the country with the possibility of US ships and troops being based in the country and more regular joint exercises. Maj. Gen. Lauro Catalino de la Cruz has been appointed as the new head of the Philippines Air Force. The long awaited delivery of four PZL-Swidnik W-3 Sokol helicopters to the Philippines Air Force is underway. The contract signed in 2010 with the AgustaWestland owned Polish firm was signed in 2010 cover eight platforms.
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REGIONAL NEWS A N D
D E V E L O P M E N T S
Japan is seeking six surplus Marine Corps KC-130R refueling aircraft © US DoD
EAST ASIA
The US and Japan have released a Joint Defense Posture Statement committing the two countries to relocating Marines within Okinawa, and also to moving some of those forces to Guam while delinking the movement of Marines to Guam and land transfers south of Kadena Air Base, home to the U.S. Air Force's 18th Wing. Japanese troop traveled to Camp Pendleton, California for the annual Iron Fist exercise with US Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit on San Clemente Island. Japan has sent a further 120 military engineers to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, bringing the country’s contingent to 190. Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric is to provide components and assemblies necessary to manufacture and deliver Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles for the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Japan has formally approached
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the US to acquire six former US Marine Corps KC-130R inflight refueling aircraft in a $170m deal. China has said in February that it will work with India and Japan on escorting merchant vessels around the Horn of Africa. Noh Dae-lae, the head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration has said that plans to acquire RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial have been cancelled following a price hike from $442m in 2009 to $899m in November 2011. Korea now plans to open a new competition. South Korea has ordered 20 FA-50 aircraft, in a $600 million and will be equipped with Link 16 and the Elta Systems EL/M-2032 radar. South Korea’s Coast Guard has selected Sikorsky’s S-92 SAR helicopter to meet the requirement Multi-Purpose Helicopter Program. One platform has been ordered with a requirement for three more. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine
ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
Engineering has been awarded the £452 million deal to build the Royal Navy’s four new 37,000-tonne Royal Fleet Auxiliary Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) tankers, due to enter services from 2016. UK firm Plextek has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Korean firms Nuriplan to offer the Blighter family of ground surveillance radars into the South Korean domestic market. The Tw$3.1 billion ($104.73 million) plan to reactivate two Osprey class vessel minehunters for Taiwan’s Navy, part of last years $6.4billion deal with Washington has begun, ready for delivery in mid 2012. Taiwan’s Navy is expected to seek parliamentary approval in April to begin the procurement of eight 100-1500 tonne diesel electric submarines in April. It was reported that three countries had offered to either build new submarines in conjunction with Taiwan or to sell existing HDW submarines to Taiwan.
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REGIONAL NEWS A N D
D E V E L O P M E N T S
AUSTRALASIA
A re-examination of Australia’s force posture is to recommend an expansion of military capabilities in the North of the country, comprising a new naval base in Queensland and new bases in the North West to protect oil and mineral wealth there. Australia and New Zealand have signed an agreement for stronger defense relationship designed to cover capability development and procurement, regional burden sharing as well as establishing closer links between Australia's Defense Science and Technology Organisation and New Zealand's Defense Technology Agency. Australia sent Super Hornets and Airborne Early Warning and Control Wedgetail aircraft to Guam for Exercise COPE NORTH, the first time the Royal Australian Air Force has participated in this US-Japan biannual air defence exercise. Australia and France have signed a strategic partnership during a visit to Paris by Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd. Australia’s Mentoring Task Force – 3 has returned from Afghanistan after a sevenand-a-half month deployment in the country’s Uruzgan Province. The Australian government’s latest figures put the cost of operations in Afghanistan at $1.6 billion annually or $1 million annually for each soldier deployed. Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald also reported that the government’s
Independent Review of the Intelligence Community has put the annual costs of the country’s intelligence apparatus at $1 billion. The Australian Army has taken delivery of two CH-47D s at its base at Townsville. The aircraft, ordered in 2011 following the loss of a single Chinook in Afghanistan in May is due to enter service by mid 2012. Australia may put back its planned purchase of 12 Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, originally due to be delivered in 2015-17. An initial two aircraft will be delivered to begin RAAF training on the aircraft in 2014. Australia has completed contract negotiations under Land 121 Phase 3A, the next step in the A$7.5 billion Project Overlander, for 2146 Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd G-wagons, along with trailers and modules. Main delivery will begin in July. The Australian press has reported that the RAN’s submarine escape training facility at HMAS Stirling, which has had a history of problems has been inoperable since November due to faults with its recompression chambers and will not reopen until the Summer. US Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich to Australia is reported to have outlined the possibility of the US leasing or selling nuclear submarines to the country to replace the Collins class submarines to meet plans to acquire 12 new, locally pro-
Naval Ship Management Australia is the preferred tenderer for the five year A$300m programme to provide maintenance and repair to the Royal Australian Navy’s eight Anzac frigates © US DoD
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ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
duced submarines in an estimated A$30billion programme. The approach runs contrary to stated Australian government policy of a non-nuclear fleet. Naval Ship Management Australia a joint venture of Babcock Australia and United Group Infrastructure has been selected as preferred tenderer for the five year A$300m programme to provide maintenance and repair of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) eight Anzac frigates contract negotiations are expected to be finalised by June. Australia has awarded Raytheon a $80.8m deal for the AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar system for use on 24 aboard RAN MH-60R helicopters and marks the first international sale of the system. Fauntrack way is to supply new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Aircraft Landing Mat (ALM) from the Australian armed forces. The contract is worth approximately $1.1 million dollars. AeroVironment has acquired exclusive global distribution rights for Australian firm’s Sentient Kestrel Land MTI Tier I automated target detection software for use with small UAVs. Boeing Defence Australia and Thales Australia have selected the Eurocopter EC135 for a bid on Phase 7, Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS), of the Australian Defence Force’s Project Air 9000 which will provide ab initio training for the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy.
Aerospace leadership. Military strength. Malaysia’s partnership with Boeing builds both. The nation’s F/A-18D generated $271 million in offset for 11 Malaysian companies and government organizations. Moreover, joint ventures between Boeing and Malaysian companies are providing technology transfer, training and manufacturing practices. Acquiring Super Hornets would expand Malaysia’s ties to a team of industry leaders making a proven partnership an even greater strategic asset.
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