Asian Military Review - March 2016

Volume 24/issue 2

MARCH 2016 US$15

A s i a P a c i f i c ’ s L a r g e s t C i r c u la t e d D e f e n c e M a g a Z i n e

COAST GUARDS SUBMARINES ANTI-SHIP MISSILES NIGHT VISION

INDIAN ARMED FORCES LIGHT ATTACK AIRCRAFT AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL www.asianmilitaryreview.com

Contents

march 2016 VOLUME 24 / ISSUE 2

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The Tiger’s Talons Sharpen

Rahul Bedi takes the temperature of several leading Indian army and air force programmes, and details new procurement plans.

Front Cover Photo:

The Royal Australian Navy’s ‘Collins’ class conventional hunter-killer submarines are to be replaced, as discussed in Dr. Alix Valenti’s The Silent Service article in this issue © RAN

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Vision Thing!

Peter Donaldson casts his eyes over some of the latest technological enhancements to infantry night vision systems, and possible future developments.

RAP-pers Delight Thomas Withington examines recent developments to improve Integrated Air Defence Systems throughout the Asia-Pacific area.

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Guarding the Dragon’s Den Moat

Train As You Fight

The international community’s definition of a coast guard’s duties and those of the People’s Republic of China differ significantly, Andrew Drwiega explains.

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The Silent Service Renewed interest in submarines in the Asia-Pacific region is resulting in some major procurement initiatives and aspirations, Dr. Alix Valenti reports.

Thomas Newdick profiles some of the light combat aircraft in service around the Asia-Pacific for training and light ground attack missions.

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When Neptune Gets Angry Asia-Pacific navies have an impressive range of anti-ship missiles and torpedoes with which to arm their aircraft, ships and submarines, Gerrard Cowan explains.

Thomas Withington’s regular column providing all of the latest news and analysis regarding events in the defence radio frequency domain.

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Index of Advertisers AMR DIGITAL 21 AUVSI XPONENTIAL 39 DIMDEX 51 37 ELBIT SYSTEMS EURONAVAL 45 EUROSATORY 57 FLIR COVER 4 IAI 31 53 IDEAS PAKistAN INDO DEFENcE 55 RAFAEL 13 rosoboronexport 27 SAGEM 25 SOFEX 49 SOLDIER MODERNIsATION COVER 3 SUBSCRIpTION 43 TEXTRON AVIATION COVER 2 TRIJICON 19 5 UKROBORoNPROM ‘SKIf’

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Editorial Hey Big Spender!

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Concern and dissatisfaction,” was the response of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, to the publication of Australia’s long-awaited Defence White Paper on 25 February.

The PRC’s response was no great surprise, given that the white paper had earmarked Chinese maritime and territorial claims in the East and South China Seas as “points of friction” regarding the current and anticipated future strategic landscape of the Asia-Pacific. The PRC’s oft-repeated defence that its activities in these regions are nothing but peaceful is reminiscent of a dentist telling you that the treatment will not hurt. Unsurprisingly many nations around the Asia-Pacific, including Australia, are not entirely trustful of Beijing’s claims. For example, on 23 November 2013, the establishment of an Air Defence Identification Zone by the PRC over the East China Sea encompassing the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands under Japanese sovereignty, but claimed by the PRC and Taiwan, was met with alarm throughout much of the region.

Canberra may be prepared to give Beijing the benefit of the doubt by not militarily challenging the PRC’s strategic posture in these areas, but as the publication of the white paper illustrates, it is prepared to spend big to ensure that its military is a deterrent to any further Chinese strategic expansion. Regarding facts and figures, the white paper pledges the Australian defence budget to increase by $26 billion over the next decade. This will take defence spending to circa two percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product annually. This is a highly symbolic figure as it is also the non-binding stipulation regarding defence expenditure levels for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) membership. Although Australia lies far away from NATO’s core membership, it enjoys close strategic relations with NATO, and particularly with the United States and United Kingdom, both leading members of the Alliance.

Perhaps the most graphic example of the white paper’s focus on the potential threat posed by the PRC is the plans it stipulates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The document formally committed the RAN to purchasing up to twelve new conventional hunter-killer submarines (SSKs) to replace the service’s existing ‘Collins’ class SSKs; a programme discussed in more detail in Dr. Alix Valenti’s The Silent Service article in this issue. Such vessels will provide a strong means of deterring People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sea power at range. Other additions for the navy include twelve new frigates to replace the existing ‘ANZAC’ class, the same number of Offshore Patrol Vessels and the procurement of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (already on order). These naval procurements are particularly important as the PLAN’s sea power is central to its strategic posture in the East and South China Seas.

Providing that current and future Australian governments fulfil all the commitments outlined in the white paper, the RAN will arguably have the most modern navy in the Asia-Pacific, alongside the United States Navy, over the next decade. Despite Beijing’s repeated reassurances, Canberra is clearly risk-averse as regards the PRC’s strategic intentions.

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by Thomas Withington Saab announces a new incarnation of its Erieye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft, with Turkey revealing important acquisitions of new electronic warfare equipment, while Elbit Systems disclose some significant enhancements for their tactical radio waveforms.

Saab’s Erieye AEW aircraft has been enhanced with the development of the firm’s GlobalEye offering, which also includes ground and maritime surveillance radars, as well as an air surveillance system © Saab

Radar

Saab took advantage of the Singapore Air Show, held in the city state in mid-February, to launch its latest AEW product. Dubbed the GlobalEye, the firm’s offering joins its legacy Erieye AEW platform. At the heart of the GlobalEye is the firm’s extendedrange variant of the Erieye known as the Erieye-ER. This S-band (2.3-2.5/2.7-3.7 Gigahertz/GHz) radar includes Ground Moving Target Indicator and Synthetic Aperture Radar modes to allow it to perform over-ground surveillance. In turn, this radar has been teamed with a Selex Seaspray-7500E X-band (8.5-10.68GHz) radar which performs maritime surveillance. By teaming the Seaspray-7500E with the Erieye-ER, Saab has developed an aircraft which can perform air, sea and land surveillance using one platform, in this case a Bombardier Global-6000 turbofan transport.

In terms of the Erieye’s enhanced performance, Micael Johansson, head of Saab’s electronic defence systems business area, and Erik Winberg, head of business development for the company’s airborne surveillance division, who presented the new product, stated that the Erieye-ER has a range in excess of 300 nautical miles/nm (555.6 kilometres/km), which they said was an increase of circa 70 percent compared to the ‘vanilla’ Erieye radar. In terms of customers, the United Arab Emirates signed

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contracts with Saab in November 2015 for two of these aircraft, with deliveries expected in circa late 2018/early 2019.

In other AEW news sources close to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have revealed to AMR that the company expects to deliver its first AEW aircraft to Italy by the end of this year. The country signed a deal with IAI in July 2012 for the supply of two Gulfstream G550 aircraft, equipped with IAI ELTA Systems divisions’ EL/W-2085 radar worth $750 million. The EL/W-2085 uses conformal longitudinal fuselage, and nose- and tail-mounted arrays to provide 360 degree coverage around the aircraft. The conformal fuselage antennae transmit in L-band (1.215-1.4GHz) with the nose and tail antennae transmitting in S-band. Israel and Singapore are already operators of this aircraft.

The United States Air Force’s (USAF) Rockwell International/ Boeing B-1B Lancer strategic bombers are receiving a makeover in the form of a new radar to replace their erstwhile Westinghouse/Northrop Grumman AN/APG-164 systems. This legacy radar will be superseded by a new variant of Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), known as the AN/APG-83 SABR-GS (Global Strike). Few precise details regarding the AN/APG-83 SABR-GS’ performance have been released by either Northrop Grumman or the USAF. However,

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IAI is expected to deliver the first of two G550-based AEW aircraft equipped with the company’s EL/W-2085 radar to the Italian Air Force by the end of 2016. The service will join Israel and Singapore as operators of this aircraft © IAI

the company’s official literature discloses that the radar employs Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) architecture, as does the AN/APG-83 SABR radar, upon which the AN/APG-83 SABR-GS version is based, which is equipping the General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16A Fighting Falcon fighters of the Republic of China Air Force which are currently being upgraded to the F-16V configuration.

Northrop Grumman’s literature continues that the AN/APG83 SABR-GS has been ‘scaled up’ in size by 70 percent allowing it to support the B-1B’s mission, which is primarily air-to-ground bombardment. In particular, the new radar is thought to provide exceptionally sharp imagery of the ground, considered vital to ensure that the aircraft’s crew recognises and hits their intended target. To this end, the radar provides detailed Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. SAR radars use the forward motion of an aircraft to create an artificially large aperture to allow the generation of highly detailed radar pictures. This is because, in radar engineering, the larger a radar’s antenna, the higher the detail of a radar image. Carrying a large radar antenna on a supersonic aircraft such as the B-1B is impractical therefore the AN/APG-83 SABR-GS employs a SAR to provide detailed ground imagery.

Moreover, the AESA architecture of the AN/APG-83 SABRGS enables the crew to search for ground targets, an improvement on the legacy AN/APG-164. This latter radar is a phased array system which generates its Radio Frequency (RF) energy at a single source with the RF then being fed to individual elements on the radar’s antenna. By altering the phase (oscillation) of the

RF transmitted by each element on the antenna it is possible to electronically ‘steer’ the radar’s transmissions enabling the radar to ‘look’ across a wide field-of-view without having to physically move the antenna. However, a phased array system has to transmit using a single frequency making it more susceptible to jamming should the enemy discern the frequency on which the radar is operating. No details have been released by Northrop Grumman regarding the performance of the AN/APG-83 SABRGS, although it is thought to transmit in the X-band (8.5-10.68 gigahertz/GHz), similar to the ‘vanilla’ AN/APG-83 SABR. Away from the air domain, recent important developments in the maritime radar world include the award of a contract worth $61.6 million to equip up to 60 Royal Navy vessels, and shore installations with new navigation radars. In terms of vessels, the new radar will equip the Senior Service’s ‘Duke’ class frigates, its ‘Hunt’ and ‘Sandown’ class mine countermeasures vessels, its ‘Archer’ and ‘Scimitar’ fast attack craft, its ‘Astute’, ‘Trafalgar’ and ‘Vanguard’ nuclear-powered attack and ballistic missile submarines, and the ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

These vessels will be outfitted with new Kelvin Hughes SharpEye radars. The SharpEye radar family includes X-band and S-band versions (both of which will be acquired by the Royal Navy). In S-band, the radar has a peak output power of 200 Watts (W), and an average output power of 20W. At a range of twelve kilometres (20 nautical miles), up to 64 filters provide clutter discrimination, and the radar has optional frequency diversity. These radars will be teamed with Lockheed Martin’s

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The USAF’s B-1B strategic bomber is to be enhanced with a new radar in the form of the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 SABR-GS. This radar is based on the company’s AN/APG-83 SABR radar developed for the F-16A/B fighter © USAF

Naval Vigilance Display Software and will be installed on all of these vessels between 2016 and 2020, according to a written statement provided to AMR by Lockheed Martin.

Electronic Warfare

Turkey is to receive 21 Exelis/Harris AN/ALQ-211(V)9 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite pods for part of the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK/Turkish Air Force) F16C/D fleet. The AN/ALQ-211(V)9 has already been supplied to the THK during previous contracts in 2009 and 2014. The pod is able to detect, classify, geo-locate and jam both Pulse Doppler and Continuous Wave radars, while also providing infrared and laser threat warning. Pulse Doppler radars transmit pulses of RF energy and then measure the time for these pulses to return after colliding with an object determining the change in frequency between the transmitted pulse, and the echo returned. CW radars vary the frequency of the continuous stream of RF energy which they transmit to detect and locate a target. According to a statement provided to AMR by Harris, deliveries of the pods are expected to commence from the middle of 2016, and then conclude in 2017. The company states that, to date, it has already delivered 30 such systems to the THK. In other THK EW news, on 23 February, Turkish electronics specialists ASELSAN announced that it had delivered its KORAL ground-based mobile electronic warfare system to the force.

The KORAL is designed to attack radars, although little specific information has been released by its manufacturer regarding its

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performance. That said, KORAL can probably perform jamming against ground-based air surveillance radars operating in the 0.8 to 18 Gigahertz spectrum which will allow it to blind most of the radars which are vital to both Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS) and to surface-to-air missile batteries. The THK commenced its deployment of the KORAL system in December 2015, positioning an undisclosed number of systems in the Hattay province of southern Turkey. The move was widely seen as a riposte to the decision of the Russian military to deploy the Almaz-Antei S-400 Triumf medium to high altitude SAM system, which official Russian media sources said had been deployed to Turkey in November 2015.

The S-400 employs the KRET 91N6E ‘Big Bird’ S-band air surveillance radar which has a reported surveillance range of circa 323.9nm (600km), and can track up to 300 targets simultaneously. The reported range of the KORAL is in the region of 53.9nm (100km), so presumably, the KORAL would need to be in fairly close proximity to the 91N6E radar to be effective; however, this may also explain the Turkish military’s decision to deploy the KORAL system so close to the Turkish-Syrian border.

In fact the respective capabilities of the KORAL and the S-400 SAM system writ large have generated something of a debate regarding their respective capabilities. In early December 2015, KRET released a statement from Vladimir Mikheev, the adviser to the first deputy chief executive officer of the company, which dismissed the effectiveness of the KORAL against the “anti-aircraft missiles” such as those used by the S-400. Both the 40N6

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Kelvin Hughes’ SharpEye radar is to be rolled out across several Royal Navy ship classes to improve their navigation.

This radar is available in both S- and X-band versions, and will be teamed with Lockheed Martin’s Naval Vigilance Display Software © Kelvin Hughes

and 9M96/E2 SAMs used by the S-400 ensemble employ active radar homing. Mr. Mikheev’s statement is somewhat enigmatic as it refers to the KORAL’s effectiveness against missiles, but not against the S-400’s 91N6E radar. Is this a tacit admission that the KORAL maybe effective against the radar but not the missiles’ integral radar?

Speaking at the Singapore Air Show (see above), IAI officials revealed a new version of the company’s Harpy anti-radar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This latest incarnation of the Harpy, which is believed to be in service with the Israeli Air Force, and which is thought to have been used in combat by the force, has been developed further by employing the Harop airframe produced by IAI as an armed UAV. The Harop employs a larger airframe compared to the Harpy. It is believed to have been supplied in 2005 to Turkey, and is equipped with a high-explosive warhead to enable the UAV to act as a loitering munition. Regarding the new Harpy variant, IAI has taken the original antiradar sensor equipping the baseline Harpy, and has installed it onboard the Harop airframe. Moreover, the radar detection range of the original Harpy radar seeker has been extended from two to 18GHz, to 0.8 to 18GHz. This has been done to take into account new radar threats which this latest version of the Harpy may have to address in the future. For example, the extended detection range of the new Harpy radar seeker will allow it to detect emissions from Ultra High Frequency (300 Megahertz/ MHz to three Gigahertz) radars.

The past three decades has seen Russian companies in particular develop ground-based air surveillance radars operating at comparatively low frequencies so as to perform the detection of aircraft designed to have a low radar cross section. An example of this is the Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Radio Engineering 55ZH6M Nebo-M system which includes three distinct radars: the RLM-M radar transmitting VHF frequencies of 30-300MHz, the RLM-D L-band radar which falls in the UHF bracket and the

Turkey is pouring investment into electronic warfare systems, procuring AN/ALQ-211(V)9 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite pods for its F-16C/D fleet © Harris

S-/X-band RLM-S. Both the RLM-D and RLM-S radars could therefore be engaged by the new version of the Harpy.

It was revealed by media outlet Russia Today in February 2015 that Russia is now deploying the Nebo-M radar complex with its armed forces. Advanced fifth-generation fighters such as the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and the company’s F-35A/B/C Lighting-II are optimised to present a low radar cross section to radars operating in relatively high frequencies such as S-band, C-band (5.25-5.925GHz), X-band (8.5-10.68GHz) and Ku-bands (13.4-14/15.7-17.7GHz). It is believed that both of these aircraft can be detected by lower-frequency radars, although not with enough precision to provide an accurate position for engagement with surface-to-air missiles. That said, radar processing software continues to improve and it is possible that the ability of V/UHF radars to provide accurate targeting information in the future could mean that such radars are able to locate these aircraft with increasing precision.

In terms of existing Harpy users, confidential sources inform AMR that the weapon may be in service with the People’s Republic of China (50 examples acquired between 1998 and 1999), India (40 systems acquired between 1999 and 2000), the Republic of Korea (100 systems delivered between 1998 and 2000) and Turkey, which may have acquired 108 examples between 2001 and 2004 for $76 million. The weapon may also have been purchased by Chile, although there are no details regarding how many have been acquired or when deliveries commenced and concluded.

Tactical Radio

During the Singapore Air Show (see above), Elbit Systems informed AMR that the company was working on a new suite of waveforms for its MCTR-7200 tactical radio family. The firm revealed that it is developing a new generation of waveforms which employ cognitive techniques; i.e. the software design of the waveforms, and the tactical radio itself, is such that the radio can decide how best to employ the waveforms, and its propagation techniques according to the environment in which it is operating, and the challenges it faces from electromagnetic spectrum congestion and electronic warfare. Cognitive waveforms aim to reduce the workload of the soldier when using their tactical communications in the field.

The company is calling this new waveform its Adaptive U/V which will be capable of carrying voice, data and video traffic. It will be able to carry data at a rate of circa 150 kilobits-per-second.

The company expects the Adaptive U/V waveform to be ready in around one year’s time for porting into existing MCTR-7200 family transceivers. Although the company declined to comment, it is expected that the Israeli Army will also obtain the new waveform to use with its existing MCTR-7200 family radios. The Adaptive U/V waveform is not the only new waveform in development by Elbit. The company is working on the Elbit Soldier Radio Waveform (ESRW) which is used by the firm’s PNR-1000 personal role radios which comprise part of the MCTR-7200 family, to enable this waveform to be carried by other members of the MCTR-7200 fleet, namely the handheld MCTR-7200, the vehicular/ship-borne MCTR-7200HH-VH and the manpack MCTR-7200MP. This waveform is capable of carrying voice and data traffic simultaneously.

Tests of the ESRW are currently ongoing, and the firm hopes to begin installing the ESRW waveform into the MCTR family radios by the first quarter of 2017. AMR

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The Tiger’s Talons Sharpen India has re-booted its military modernisation drive by emphasising indigenously-sourced materiel, developed and built by domestic publicand private-sector companies, in partnership with overseas Original Equipment Manufacturers.

by Rahul Bedi

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rime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, that assumed office in May 2014, is aggressively pushing its ‘Make in India’ initiative which aims to reduce India’s dependence on defence equipment imports that, for decades, has averaged around 70 percent of its total defence equipment procurement.

The government aims to reverse this

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ratio by 2030, and to advance this aim, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is restructuring its 14-year-old Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) that regulates all military commerce and modernisation.

Scheduled for release in circa March 2016, the DPP-2016 will prioritise locally-designed and manufactured defence equipment, reduce deadlines for issuing tenders from twelve to six months and mandate speedy decisions. In ear-

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ly January, defence minister Manohar Parrikar declared that the upcoming document would include the new category of Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured military equipment, which will strive to eventually source around 60 percent of India’s materiel requirements locally.

Best Laid Plans

Under the DPP-2016, the MoD would fund private sector research and development at up to 90 percent of the overall cost

R e g i o n a l M

The Indian Army is thought to operate over 2400 Uralvagonzavod T-72 Ajeya MBTs. Around 968 of these tanks have been upgraded locally by the Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory to the T-72M1 status with proposals solicited to upgrade an additional 1000 © Indian Army

of designing new defence subsystems and platforms in a similar fashion to the US and other Western countries. It will legalise and monitor hitherto proscribed defence agents or company representatives and penalise, but not blacklist, vendors for contravening procurement procedures. The forthcoming DPP-2016 will also modify the ‘L1’ or lowest bidder policy of procurements, which had resulted in more competent weapon systems being rejected, due to minor price variations.

Hereafter better equipment with a price no more than ten percent higher than the lowest-priced offering will be preferred.

Meanwhile, since May 2014, the MoD has provided Acceptance of Necessity (AON) approval to programmes worth around $40 billion, to meet long-pending requirements from all three services, largely through indigenous ventures. For the army these included approvals for 155mm howitzers, light multi-role helicopters, anti-aircraft artillery and upgraded, licence-built and newly developed Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICVs), multiple-barrel rocket launchers, and assorted missiles and ordnance. Moreover, the Indian Air Force has secured clearance for 36 French Dassault Rafale-B/C fighters in a flyaway condition, the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA – see below), Airborne Early Warning planes and basic trainer aircraft. The AON also agreed the import of Russian Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumf Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems and medium-lift helicopters, and the induction of seven additional locally-developed Ordnance Factories Board/Bharat

Joining the Arjun/Mk.II in Indian Army service is the Uralvagonzavod T-90S/M MBT, of which the force is thought to operate around 1250. These tanks have been constructed both locally under licence, and in Russia © Indian Army

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Electronics Limited/Bharat Dynamics Limited Akash-2 SAM squadrons.

Nevertheless, time-consuming clearances by at least ten other MoD-related departments were required thereafter to advance these ambitious programmes.

These included the issuance of tenders, followed by technical evaluations, field trials, contract and price negotiations and eventual approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Mr. Modi, together with the federal finance ministry.

Sundry additional clearances, grudgingly provided, by corruption watchdog bodies and technological and related committees, further delayed matters.

Analysts, however, questioned both the abundance and efficacy of the programmes approved. “These procurement proposals are ambitious and monetarily unsustainable, given India’s dire economic state,” said Amit Cowshish, a former MoD financial advisor for acquisitions.

The MoD does not appear to have taken the availability of funds into account, before clearing so many projects, few of which are likely to materialise, he added.

Other military officers, frustrated by the MoD’s continually-deferred modernisation efforts, claimed that over years AON clearances had become ‘meaningless’, as concrete action rarely followed. “AON approvals need to be translated into firm contracts, if the government is serious about modernisation and the regional power projection role it wants its military to play,” cautioned defence analyst Major General (rtd.) Sheru Thapliyal. The MoD, in turn, blamed the services, especially the army, for their inability to formulate realistic Qualitative Requirements (QRs) for weapons. It maintained that many tenders were withdrawn or scrapped, as the QRs for the equipment demanded simply did not exist. Mr. Parrikar highlighted this recently, when he declared that at times the technologies demanded in the QRs were ‘absurd’ and urged the services to be more realistic when framing them.

Indian Army Equipment shortages in the Indian Army are possibly the worst, compared to the other two services. For example, successive official reports have revealed that a large proportion of the army’s Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) like its Uralvagonzavod T-72Ms and Kurganmashzavod BMP-1/2 ICVs lacked night fighting capabilities.

Moreover, the army lacked Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines and competent assault rifles while its ammunition reserves

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The Indian Army is receiving the Avadi Heavy Vehicle Factory Arjun Main Battle Tank, both in its ‘vanilla’ configuration, and as the Arjun Mk.II which has a number of improvements to the basic design, including a new fire control system © Indian Army

were abysmally low, barely sufficient for 20 days of fighting; soldiers even lacked 231,141 bullet-proof jackets, 217,388 high ankle boots, 447,000 balaclavas and 65978 sleeping mats. Furthermore, the Army Aviation Corps’ (AAC’s) Aérospatiale/ Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chetak and Cheetah light utility helicopters, inducted into service in 1964 are now outdated. The AAC, however, will receive the replacement for these aircraft in the form of the Kamov Ka-226T light utility helicopter from 2018, under an Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) concluded during Mr. Modi’s visit to Russia in December 2015. The state-owned HAL is to licence-build 140 Ka-226Ts at its new Tumakuru facility near Bangalore, and import the remaining 60 helicopters in flyaway condition to meet immediate AAC requirements. The IAF too will induct some Ka-226Ts, whose numbers could eventually increase beyond 200, MoD and industry officials told AMR.

A Bigger Bang In recent months the MoD has also initiated efforts to try and fulfil the army’s Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP) of acquiring, licence-building and indigenously designing, via Joint Ventures (JVs) with original equipment manufacturers, some circa 3000 varied 155mm howitzers for some 220 artillery regiments.

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Consequently, in December 2015 the MoD launched price negotiations with private defence contractors Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for 100 modified Republic of Korea Samsung-Techwin K-9 Thunder 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPH), that had surpassed the Russian-modified Uraltransmash Msta-A gun, mounted on a Uralvagonzavod T-72 MBT chassis, in trials in 2014. MoD officials speaking to AMR said the contract was likely to be signed by 2017 and the guns manufactured by L&T at its facility in Pune, western India. The contract is likely to include an initial order for 50 guns.

In November 2015 the army began evaluating two towed guns in the form of Nexter’s modified Trajan howitzer and Elbit’s ATHOS-2052 gun. Army plans call for it to acquire 400 units of one of these weapons and licence-build the remaining 1180. Nexter has a JV with L&T for the tender and Elbit with Bharat Forge based in Pune, and the shortlisted gun will be built by one of them as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Simultaneously, the MoD is progressing with the import of 145 M777 LWHs (Light Weight Howitzers), via a Foreign Military Sales initiative with the US government. On 15 February the MoD received the Letter Of Acceptance (LOA) from the US government approving the purchase of 145 M777’s for an estimated $700 million.

| Asian Military Review |

Currently, the army is preparing to induct six of 114 Dhanush-upgraded Bofors FH-77B 155mm towed guns, developed by the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) over the next 14 to 18 months.

These were built using FH-77B blueprints, transferred to India along with 410 howitzers for licensed production. However, construction did not commence until 2012, following criminal inquiries into the import for alleged wrongdoing that included charges of bribery to secure the tender. Meanwhile, desert trials for three Soviet-era M-46 130mm guns upgraded to 155mm standards by two private sector manufacturers, Bharat Forge and Punj Lloyd, together with the OFB were scheduled for April and are likely to be completed by the end of the year. The army plans to upgrade some 300 M46 guns after one of the competing vendors has been shortlisted sometime around early 2017. The army aims to begin inducting 300 of these retrofitted guns capable of firing 155mm North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-standard rounds from 2019-20.

Regarding army small arms for its circa 425 infantry and counterinsurgency battalions, the force had short-listed the locally-designed and OFB-produced Excalibur assault rifle, after four overseas multi-calibre models failed to meet its ambitious requirements following desert and high altitude trials in 2014. The gas-

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An IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter comes in to land. This aircraft could soon be supplemented by the Dassault Rafale-B/C should an order for this 4.5-generation combat aircraft finally be made by the Indian government © IAF

operated, fully-automatic Excalibur, with a foldable butt and Picatinny rail is a retrofitted version of the DRDO-designed Indian Small Arms System 5.56x45mm assault rifle, which the army had rejected in 2010, for being operationally inadequate.

Army chief of staff General Dalbir Singh is pushing to induct the Excalibur as it is a ‘Make in India’ programme and trials featuring some 200 prototype rifles will undergo user evaluation in varied terrain later this year. The OFB aims to begin series production of the Excalibur at its Ishapur Rifle Factory in eastern India from late 2016 followed by the induction of around 232,000 units. A decision is also awaited on a 5.56mm CQB carbine for which Beretta’s ARX-160 and Israel Weapon Industries' Galil-ACE models had qualified after trials in 2013. The MoD has yet to approve the purchase as it is entangled in bureaucratic red tape, but an outcome is expected by the end of 2016 as the army has been without a CQB carbine since 2010.

In the army’s vehicle domain, its $6.5 billion Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme, to indigenously design and build 2610 platforms, to replace its fleet of ageing BMP-1/2 ICVs by 202223, has progressed incrementally. The FICV project was mooted in 2008, terminated in 2011 due to technological over-

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reach and resuscitated three years later with six competitors submitting their proposals to the MoD by the extended midFebruary 2014 deadline, five of which are from the private sector. These include Mahendra Defence that is collaborating with BAE Systems, L&T which has forged a tie with Samsung Heavy Engineering and Pipavav Defence.

Tata Motors is in a consortium with Bharat Forge and General Dynamics, while Tata Power is working with Titagarh Wagons to develop an FICV. Two of these consortia will be shortlisted as Development Agencies (DAs) alongside the OFB that gets an automatic nomination for the programme. Each of the three DAs would build one prototype, 80 percent of which will be financed by the MoD. One of these would be shortlisted, following user trials, and its fabricator given the contract to produce 2610 FICVs to replace the BMP-1/2 around 2024 followed by platform inductions some four years later.

Indian Air Force

Like the Indian Army, the IAF is involved in several modernisation initiatives. On 25 January India signed a Memorandum of Understanding, ahead of a more binding Inter-Governmental Agreement with France for 36 Dassault Rafale-B/C fight-

| Asian Military Review |

ers in flyaway condition, during President François Hollande’s three-day official visit to Delhi. Mr. Modi had announced this purchase in Paris in April 2015, displacing the deal for 126 Rafales under negotiation by the previous Congress Party-led government since January 2012. Under the previous agreement, 18 Rafales were to have been acquired off-the-shelf and the remaining 108 licence-built by HAL. Meanwhile, the IAF is now poised to order 106 HAL Tejas Mk.1A Light Combat Aircraft to stem the decline of its fighter squadrons, at a strength of 35, down from a sanctioned strength of 42. The preceding Tejas Mk.1, however, is yet to secure its final operational clearance delayed to circa mid-2016.

India’s Parliamentary Committee on Defence had repeatedly warned the IAF that its fighter squadrons would drop to 25 by 2022, once its MiG-21Bison/MF and MiG-27MF fighter squadrons were phased out, and advised urgent measures to make up this shortfall. Accordingly, the IAF has opted to procure the Tejas Mk.1A, even displaying it at the Bahrain International Air Show in January, in an effort to try and market it globally as a competitively-priced fighter. The Tejas Mk.1A is powered, like the Tejas Mk.1, with General Electric F404-GE-IN20 engines, although the Tejas Mk.1A will incorporate

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The IAF is retiring its MiG-21 Bison/MF fighters which had formed the mainstay of its fighter fleet for several decades. The aircraft is expected to be withdrawn from the IAF by circa 2025 © IAF

43 modifications such as an improved radar, self-protection, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and an air-to-air refuelling capability. The IAF took delivery of the first Tejas Mk.1 in January 2015, 32 years after the programme was initiated.

The IAF aims to order around 100 Tejas Mk.1As which are scheduled to begin series production around 2021.

Eventually, the Tejas Mk.1A and Rafale-B/C, should it ever be procured, may be joined in service by the FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) which involves Indian and Russian developmental collaboration. The FGFA is based on the Sukhoi PAK-FA fifth-generation fighter expected to equip the Russian Air Force from circa 2020. The MoD’s Cost Negotiation Committee (CNC) re-opened negotiations with Russia on the FGFA after bilateral discussions agreed to reduce India’s share in the platforms’ developmental cost from $5 billion to $3.7 billion. The IAF had reduced its original FGFA requirement from 250 platforms in 2012-13 to 130-145 and more recently to 65, but these numbers were likely to change once the programme progressed, air force officers told AMR. India had so far paid $295 million towards the FGFA's preliminary design, and after nearly three years of severe haggling, the MoD is believed to have persuaded

Russia to re-negotiate HAL’s work-share in the project that had been reduced from 22 percent to around 13 percent.

In the rotary domain, the only major defence contract signed by Mr. Modi's government so far has been the $3 billion deal with Boeing and the US government for 22 AH-64E Guardian gunships and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.

Delivery of both platforms to the IAF is to begin in September 2018 and be completed by March 2020. The deal includes the option to acquire eleven additional AH-64Es and seven more CH-47Fs. The AH-64E acquisition also includes the purchase of 1354 Lockheed Martin AGM114L3/R3 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, 242 Raytheon FIM-92H air-to-air missiles and twelve Longbow International AN/ APG-76 fire control radars. Other IAF foreign purchases include the MoD’s approval of 38 additional Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II turboprop trainers, following the 2012 $1 billion acquisition of the initial 75, all of which had been delivered by November 2015. The additional contract for the 38 Pilatus trainers is yet to be signed. Elsewhere regarding the training fleet, the IAF is in advanced negotiations with HAL to acquire 20 BAE Systems Hawk132 advanced jet trainers for its aerobatics team in an agreement awaiting closure.

| march 2016 |

Other important recent orders include 48 Mil Mi-17V5 ‘Hip’ medium-lift utility helicopters, deliveries of which began in 2011 and are scheduled for completion by mid-2016, 56 Medium Transport Aircraft (see below) to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of Avro 748 turboprop transports.

For the MTA programme Airbus and Tata have formed a joint venture, known as the Indian Production Agency, to offer the C-295 turboprop freighter, of which 16 would be procured in a completed form and the remaining 40 built by the consortium. Of these 40 aircraft, 24 would be imported in kit form for local assembly and include a 30 percent indigenous content that would double to 60 percent in the 16 residual platforms. Trials for the C-295 are awaited, following which the laborious process of evaluation and cost negotiation will begin, taking at least five years if not more to be signed, MoD officials told AMR. The procurements of these aircraft, coupled with other IAF acquisitions and similar procurements within the Indian Army illustrate that the modernisation of these two services is very much on track.

The challenge now will be ensuring that timelines are maintained and commitments met so as to ensure that the country’s armed forces have the most modern equipment at their disposal. AMR

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A USAF officer adjusts his NVGs during an exercise with US Army, US Air National Guard and Marine Corps comrades during a training exercise. Today’s soldiers need more from their kit than just night vision © US DoD

Vision Thing!

Focused on lightweight, robust and power-frugal devices with better performance that are easier to use, infantry night vision is evolving through refinements to existing technologies, while more revolutionary change seems to be hovering tantalisingly in the wings.

by Peter Donaldson

A

mong many promising developments, W. Eric Garris, night vision and soldier systems product manager and chief technologist for communications systems at Harris, picked out two: The first development is driven by a need for smaller, lighter directview systems, and the second is focused on better situational awareness. “Soldiers are wanting more utility from their night vision devices than just being able to see in the dark,” he told AMR, “specifically

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light-secure situational awareness in a head-up display in combination with (their) night vision.”

Digital imaging devices such as Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (CMOS) imagers are beginning to encroach onto the territory of the inherently analogue image intensifier; a development that companies are keen to further because digital output signals lend themselves more easily to advanced functions such as distribution across digital communications networks and for image fusion.

| Asian Military Review |

CMOS technology is used for chip construction and it offers both comparatively low power consumption and a high noise immunity meaning that the chip has a high resistance to interference.

CMOS Limitations

However, Mr. Garris cautions that CMOSenabled devices have compromised lowlight performance and high latency, in terms of what soldiers need regarding the screen refresh rate, and use more power than the best image intensified devices. It

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Meprolight’s Mepro Hunter rifle sight incorporates a memory function so that snipers do not have to remember every click of elevation or windage they have made when they need to switch targets, saving critical seconds © Meprolight

is natural to expect digital devices to replace their analogue counterparts, but this could take longer than might be expected.

“At the earliest it would be on a five-to-tenyear horizon, as digital night vision sensors will require a leap in technology not currently on the market as well as associated technologies to address the related technology integration requirements.”

Benny Kokia, vice president for sales and marketing at Israeli night vision systems manufacturer Meprolight, pointed out that image intensifier makers are pushing the performance of their analogue tubes ever higher. This means that digital devices are chasing a moving target in terms of the main performance measure known as the Figure of Merit (FoM). This is derived by multiplying the resolution expressed as line-pairs per millimetre by the Signal-to-Noise Ratio, and high-performance tubes now on offer have FoM numbers typically between 1800 and 2400, he said.

“I believe that the massive investments of tube manufacturers into the high-end tubes are a proper answer to the penetration of CMOS technology,” added Mr. Kokia.

While the FoM is a recognised industry standard for measuring tube performance, the kind of numbers that means more to soldiers on the battlefield are Detection, Recognition and Identifica-

tion (DRI) ranges. Here, Mr. Kokia argues, image intensifiers still have a significant advantage over digital alternatives such as CMOS. Where the former can achieve these goals at ranges between 150 metres/m (492.1 feet/ft) and 300m (984ft), the latter are limited to between 50m

(164ft) and 150m. This, he said, is acceptable for civilian applications such as hunting, but not for tactical applications. “If a company (could) provide a CMOS technology with a DRI that will reach 300m or 400m (1312ft) it will really be a threat, or at least good competition, to convention-

Elbit reports sustained demand for lightweight image-intensified devices, such as the handheld, weapon-mounted or head-worn XACT-NV32, a device fitted with a Photonis XD-4 tube and an integral laser illuminator © Elbit Systems

| march 2016 |

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Night vision equipment could become smaller and lighter thanks to a move from 18mm to 16mm image intensifier tubes by Dutch manufacturer Photonis, although the larger tubes are expected to remain mainstream © Photonis

al, analogue Night Vision Goggle (NVG) technology, but I think we have to look very carefully at CMOS technology and that in two, three or four years from now it might be a suitable alternative.”

Smaller Intensifiers

At the same time Mr. Kokia points out that image intensifiers are getting smaller; a move largely driven by Dutch company Photonis which is pitching 16 millimetre/ mm diameter tubes into an area of the infantry market now dominated by 18mm tubes. “I believe that it will be hard for them to penetrate the 18mm market, although there are benefits to those that will adopt this technology,” Mr. Kokia continued, “ ... because the 16mm tubes will help manufacturers to create lighter and smaller devices. I think that it is the early adopters that will accept this technology, but basically the mainstream market will continue to use 18mm tubes.”

Oded Ben David, Elbit Systems’ Elop division’s vice president for land electrooptics and thermal imaging, perceives stability in the infantry night vision market despite technological developments continuing in the background, but with a less rapid take-up of thermal sights than initially expected. “Everybody thought

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that everybody was going to go for thermal sights for every soldier.” That did not happen, he said, because costs have been too high, but nevertheless, Mr. Ben David argues that the situation will change with time. “Thermal weapon sights will become cheaper and cheaper, lower in weight and will grow in numbers. There is no question that they are needed. The only question here is volume; if you need large volumes it is a matter of the pricing point.”

This translates into sustained demand for image-intensified devices including goggles and monocular scopes and sights, he continued. Elbit’s latest product in this line is the XACT-NV32, a “micro-compact” night vision monocular intended to be mounted on a weapon, a helmet or worn on the head with appropriate adapters. Weighing less than 180 grams/g (0.3 pounds/lbs), it features a Photonis XD-4 tube and an integral laser illuminator offering a 40 degree field-of-view, 25mm eye relief and a focus range of 250mm to infinity, operating for more than 48 hours on a single 1.5 volt (V) AA or 3.6V lithium battery.

Fusion Issues With the possible exception of sensors used aboard mini- and micro-UAVs (Un-

| Asian Military Review |

manned Aerial Vehicles), infantry optronic systems are the most demanding in terms of minimising Size, Weight and Power (SWAP), which makes the practical implementation of multi-sensor systems (where the output of several sensors is combined to build one image) a very tough nut to crack. The Harris Spiral Enhanced Night Vision Goggle is one of very few to achieve this, with an alternative thermal clip-on approach from companies such as Thermoteknix and Vectronix also proving attractive.

Mr. Garris picked Harris i-Aware Tactical Mobility Night Vision Goggle (TM NVG) with its integrated camera and communications link that provides a digital import/export capability as representing one of the most significant technological developments of recent years.

He also cited the task of integrating two or more sensors into devices in a very rugged (non-clip-on) manner as one of the major challenges involved in creating fused image-intensified/thermal devices for infantry, particularly when seeking a long operational life with tight image fusion alignment.

Networked Vision He told AMR that there is military interest in these systems, but implied that the market is still in its early stages outside the United States. “They are looking again at the ability for a more complete system capability that links the fused night vision goggle with the network battlefield.”

Mr. Kokia, meanwhile, sounded a note of caution regarding fusion, commenting that he has been hearing the term in the defence community for the last decade or so, but he does not regard much of what has been offered so far for infantry as true fusion. “There are systems that combine NVGs with uncooled thermal (imaging).

However, if you look for a reliable system doing real fusion of thermal and NVGs, you will not find many players,” he said.

“The challenge (is) to be able to create a very compact system that would also be versatile, that (can be used) on helmets and mounted on rifles.”

When customers approach Meprolight asking about fusion, he is hesitant, he said, telling them that the company is not in the fusion business because the return would probably not cover the investment and that currently available clip-on devices provide viable alternatives. “It will take a few more years for the industry, and also for the end users, to understand that if they are looking for fusion solutions they

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The Harris i-Aware Tactical Mobility Night Vision Goggle is an early example of the networked night vision device that enables import and export of tactical information and imagery, an important technical development © Harris/Exelis

| march 2016 |

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will have to pay a bit more, and when I say a bit more it is really a substantial amount, and it will take a few more years to introduce compact systems. I do not think that the industry is there yet.”

Discussions of fusion in this context usually concentrate on thermal imaging and image intensification, but this is a difficult combination to fuse, in part because of the latter’s analogue nature, but other combinations, Mr. Kokia argued, might produce results more quickly. CMOS could be one of these, he told AMR. “It is not very expensive, it will develop into a reliable technology, I believe in two or three years, and might give some answers to those that are looking for fusion. But when we are talking about thermal and NVGs, I am not very optimistic about this combination. I think that the market is not there; end users are not willing to pay the price.”

However, he does believe that the need for snipers and sharpshooters and even soldiers in close-quarter battle to identify targets much more quickly might accelerate the development of fused systems.

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Again, this is driven by tactical requirements. “This kind of requirement presents quite a lot of challenges to us because, again, we need to keep it light, keep it durable, and we are trying all kinds of composite materials.”

Aide-Mémoire

While most NVGs produce a green picture, interest in white phosphor is growing, particularly among special forces, whose budgets tend to be able to stand the higher prices associated with lower production volumes © Harris/Exelis

Vital Versatility Mr. Kokia stressed the ongoing importance of versatility in this sector of the market, as embodied in the company’s new Minimon (L), a monocular device with an 18mm image intensifier tube that can be held in the hand, mounted on an assault rifle or worn attached to a helmet or other headgear such as a face mask.

It provides a 40-degree field-of-view while maintaining full peripheral vision with the unaided eye and comes with an integral infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode) illuminator.

Developed in response to an Israeli tactical requirement, the combination of qualities desired for the Minimon (L) took considerable effort. “It took us a year of research and development to create a robust kind of a mini-monocular that can sustain the recoil of an assault rifle,” Mr. Kokia told AMR. “The challenge was to reduce the weight … because if you want to take it off the rifle and put it on your helmet, you cannot mount a system that weighs even 500g (1.1lbs) on a helmet.”

The company has not revealed the actual weight of the Minimon (L), instead

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describing it as “extremely lightweight”.

This chimes with an ongoing research and development effort at Meprolight to reduce the weight of its night vision devices through the application of new materials without sacrificing robustness.

Fusion in infantry night vision devices is still mainly achieved by the image overlay technique, and clip-on devices such as this ClipIR unit pictured on an AN/PVS-14A monocular are more popular than integrated systems © Thermoteknix

| Asian Military Review |

In a conservative market, thoughtful refinements to established products are likely to be more successful than the pursuit of revolutionary change. One of Meprolight’s latest is a modification to the Hunter sniper sight that enables it to hold in memory all the elevation and windage click adjustments that the shooter makes, which emerged from a study the company conducted in cooperation with Israel’s Yamam special police unit. Having to remember every click away from the sight’s original zero adds to the sniper’s workload in high-pressure situations and can mean a critical loss of time to hit the target, which may be exposed only very briefly, Mr. Kokia argued. Meprolight made this modification available in December 2015. Mr. Kokia also reports demand for black and white night vision devices that use a white rather than a green phosphor screen in the image intensifier tube, a trend that Mr. Garris also noted and believes is likely to gain ground. “White phosphor is going to be adopted to a much larger degree than just a niche,” Mr. Garris. “Albeit with no labspecific information to back it up, users are requesting white phosphor in larger numbers, primarily within the special operations community.” Due to the lower volumes demanded, tubes using white phosphor are more expensive today, he said, adding that, in the longer term, a shift to white from green could bring the two technologies’ prices closer together, although white phosphor is still likely to command a premium.

For Mr. Garris, the most important developments to come in the next few years will centre on what he called the refined integration of network-enabled NVGs as a deployment-ready capability, with the main focus on the ability to access imagery from the solider on the battlefield by night and day. While sensor fusion is a reality in applications with less severe SWAP constraints and promising steps towards it have been made in the lightest infantry equipment, true fusion might ultimately depend on a major technological breakthrough, such as a single detector chip sensitive to all the useful infrared wavelengths as well as visible light. AMR

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The Republic of Korea Navy operates nine ‘Chang Bogo’ class SSKs, the Lee Sunsin being pictured here. In addition, three improved examples of these vessels have been acquired

by Indonesia © US Navy

The Silent Service As tensions continue to escalate in the South and East China Seas, the submarine race continues unabated in the Asia-Pacific region, where navies are procuring boats equipped with increasingly quieter engines and capable of long duration missions.

by Dr. Alix Valenti

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n his book Silent Running, published in 1995, Vice Admiral James F. Calvert recounts his years spent during the Second World War serving onboard the USS Jack, a US Navy ‘Gato’ class conventional hunter-killer submarine (SSK) known to have sunk 15 Japanese ships by the end of the war. While the world’s geopolitical landscape has changed significantly since the Second World War, the importance of submarines has not. In the Asia-Pacific, concerns over the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) growing assertive military presence in the East and South China Seas is one of the key drivers

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behind the proliferation of submarines throughout the region.

A large number of Asia-Pacific nations “do not have (blue-water) surface fleet capabilities,” says Lena Pellerberg, head of communications for Saab in the Asia-Pacific, nor the financial means to build such a fleet to counter the power of the PRC’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). As such, submarines “are seen as one possibility to maintain some balance” Ms. Pellerberg argues. According to the report The Global Submarine and MRO Market 2015-2025, produced by the London-based consultancy Strategic Defence Intelligence, in 2015 the value of the

| Asian Military Review |

submarine market in the Asia-Pacific region was estimated at $7.3 billion, with a projected average annual growth rate of 4.2 percent over the next decade.

Australia The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) plans to replace its ‘Collins’ class SSKs in the early 2030s, according to Australia’s recently-published Defence White Paper. With the final submissions from the three main competitors, DCNS, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry/Kawasaki Shipbuilding, made by 30 November 2015, the Competitive Evaluation

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Process (CEP) is now under way to select the design for the twelve large conventional submarines to be acquired as part of the $36.44 billion effort to replace the ‘Collins’ class boats.

DCNS is offering its ‘Shortfin Barracuda Block-1A’ class SSK design based on the French Navy’s forthcoming ‘Barracuda’ class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) sans nuclear power plant.

The firm is proposing, if it is selected, “to build a supply chain in Australia that will support the submarine for the next five decades,” says Xavier Mesnet, DCNS' marketing director for surface ships and submarines, “delivering the products, services and know-how to keep the submarine operational, capable and available on an enduring basis.”

According to Mr. Mesnet, the results of the CPE should be announced some time mid-2016. Meanwhile, the Australian Defence White Paper published on 25 February outlined the government’s defence spending and procurement priorities and detailed the heightened tensions in the waters of the Asia-Pacific.

This could mean that the RAN will have to manage, “the life of the ‘Collins’ class submarines beyond their planned withdrawal,” Marise Payne, Australia’s Minister for Defence, told a conference at the Submarine Institute of Australia in November 2015. To this end, Saab has submitted a proposal, for a midlife upgrade of the ‘Collins’ class, although Ms. Pellerberg could not comment on the details of such an upgrade as “submarines are considered one of the most important strategic capabilities in a naval force and hence are subject to nondisclosure restrictions.”

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DCNS’ ‘Shortfin Barracuda Block-1A’ class SSK is one of the designs being proposed for the RAN’s initiative to replace its existing ‘Collins’ class. The design is based upon the French Navy’s ‘Barracuda’ class SSN © DCNS

India Looking towards South Asia, India’s submarine fleet is reaching the end of its life and is currently limited to 16 boats: ten Russian-origin ‘Kilo/Sindhugosh’ class SSKs, four locally-built ‘Shishumar’ class SSKs, a leased Russian ‘Akula’ class SSN, the INS Chakra and the INS Arihant nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. In order to replace its fleet, the Indian government commenced the ‘Project 75’ initiative in 2005 to build six ‘Scorpéne’ class SSKs through a partnership between DCNS and Mumbai-based Mazagaon Docks Limited (MDL). “DCNS is providing its Indian partners with

technical assistance and transfer of technology to manufacture equipment through indigenisation programmes,” says Mr. Mesnet. Although number of challenges, including issues with the Indian procurement process, initially slowed down the project, Mr. Mesnet now says the programme “is progressing at cruising speed." The first submarine, the INS Kalvari, initially scheduled for delivery in December 2012, began its first sea trial in October 2015, and is expected to be commissioned in September 2016, local sources say. The same source expects each of the next five submarines to be delivered every nine months, bringing the project to completion by 2020. The French newspaper La Tribune also reported, earlier this year, that the Indian government would like to make use of the ‘repeat order’ clause included in the framework of Project 75, to procure an additional three ‘Scorpéne’ class. In parallel to Project 75, India’s navy is launching Project 75I, which seeks to build an additional six new-generation SSKs with the Indian Ministry of Defence expected to issue a Request For Proposals to this effect by the end of the year.

Pakistan

India is a significant user of the Russian ‘Kilo’ class SSK design, as is Iran, one of the latter's boats being pictured here. The design is also being considered by Indonesia © US Navy

| march 2016 |

India’s regional rival Pakistan has a submarine fleet comprised of three ‘Agosta90B’ class SSKs, which were indigenously retrofitted with an AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) system in 2011, and two

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The Royal Australian Navy is planning an upgrade to its existing ‘Collins’ class SSKs (pictured), and their eventual replacement with new conventional boats © US Navy

‘Agosta 70’ class SSKs which are nearing the end of their life. In terms of their AIP, the ‘Agosta-90B’ class employs an AIP which generates steam through the combustion of ethanol and compressed oxygen driving a steam turbine; in effect a nuclear-style propulsion system without a nuclear reactor. For a country that is increasingly concerned by heightened tensions with India, and whose key defence strategy is deterrence, it is clear that these five submarines will no longer fit the bill.

As such, ending the much debated discussion over a potential acquisition by Pakistan of eight Chinese submarines, in October 2015 the two countries finally signed a deal. Given the strategic nature of the deal, to date there is still only speculation of its value, which the Financial Times reported in April 2015 could be worth up to $5 billion.

In terms of the submarine type to be procured by Pakistan, it is strongly expected to be the ‘Yuan’ class SSK outfitted with an AIP, Tri-River Aerospace Industrial Group YJ-2 anti-ship missiles, as well as a combination of Pinyang Machinery Factory Yu-4 passive homing and Yu-3 active/passive homing torpedoes. The latest online sources, published at the end of 2015, indicate that the PRC will build four of the submarines, while Pakistan will build the four remaining boats under a technology transfer agreement.

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Indonesia Away from South Asia, Indonesia’s latest Defence White Paper was published in 2008 and outlined two main defence strategies: The Minimum Essential Force (MEF) aims to transform the Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL/Indonesian Navy) into a green-water navy (capable of operating in littorals and open seas surrounding littoral regions), while the Global Maritime Fulcrum (GMF) aims to shift the TNI-AL functioning within an army-centric paradigm to a more maritime-focused posture. This shift comes as Indonesia is increasingly concerned not only with the rise of Chinese military power but, perhaps even more importantly, the rise of piracy in the region and the need to protect the Archipelagic Sea Lines of Communication in the Strait of Malacca, and the maritime approaches to the Sunda Islands archipelago and the Indonesian island of Lombok. To reach its strategic defence goals the TNI-AL needs to acquire twelve new submarines to replace the two German-built ‘Cakra’ class SSKs it has been operating for over three decades.

In December 2011 Daewoo Shipbuilding was awarded a contract to build, in partnership with Indonesian PT PAL, three ‘Chang Bogo’ class SSKs. These will be equipped with eight weapon tubes for torpedoes and missiles, as well as Indra’s

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Aries-S naval surveillance radar. Originally scheduled for delivery between 2015 and 2016, a commentary published by the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) based in Singapore in December 2015 entitled Indonesia’s Submarines Procurement Plan: Spearheading Jakarta’s Maritime Ambition? stated that technology transfer between Daewoo and PT PAL proved problematic and thus delayed the programme, with The Diplomat stating in September 2015 that the first boat will now be delivered in 2017. The author contacted both Daewoo and PT PAL to confirm timeframes, but no comments had been received at the time of writing. Additionally, since 2013 the Indonesian government has been considering procuring two Russian ‘Kilo’ class submarines, and on 22 September 2015 the Jakarta Post reported that talks had resumed between the two countries; however to date a contract to this effect has yet to be signed. Finally, Mr. Mesnet indicated that, “there are currently discussions between the Indonesian and French governments … to launch a project to build a littoral submarine” to contribute towards the TNI-AL submarine fleet.

Singapore Opposite Indonesia on the western side of the Strait of Malacca, the chief of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han, chose the International Maritime Defence Exhibition held in Singapore in May 2015 to reveal some details of the two new ‘Type 218SG’ class SSKs it has ordered from TKMS. These two new submarines will replace the two remaining ‘Challenger’ class SSKs, the other two boats having been withdrawn from RSN service in early 2015.

The Royal Malaysian Navy operates two of DCNS’ ‘Scorpéne’ class SSKs, (one of which is seen in the rear of this picture) which completed delivery in 2012. The Indian Navy will become a user of this submarine class, having ordered six examples © US Navy

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region, it boasts relatively good relations with the PRC. Secondly, while the country does have a need to protect maritime trade routes, this can be done with other less expensive capabilities such as frigates. As such, it would seem that Thailand’s desire to build a submarine fleet is more driven by the rationale “our neighbours have it,” as Ms. Pellerberg calls this approach, rather than an actual pressing need. Seeing that Thailand’s economy continues to struggle on the way to recovery, it is expected that no submarine deal will be signed any time soon.

Vietnam

Pakistan is strongly expected to soon receive new ‘Yuan’ class SSKs from the PRC. A Chinese example of this class is seen in this picture © US Navy

Taiwan Regarding East Asia, Taiwan could easily claim to be in one of the most complicated geopolitical locations in the AsiaPacific region. In the South China Sea it has been involved in disputes with the PRC, as well as with Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam in relation to the Spratly and Paracels archipelagos. It has also conflicting claims with the Japan and the PRC over the Senkaku/ Diaoyu Islands, alongside the continuing dispute with Beijing over Taiwan’s sovereignty. Consequently, Taiwan has been looking at Chinese rising military power in the region with great concern, and in December 2014 the government approved the Indigenous Defence Submarine (IDS) programme, which aims to indigenously build four 1200-3000 tonne SSKs. In August 2015, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reportedly proposed a $89 million budget to help finance the IDS, and is planning to award a design contract this year, according to The Diplomat. It remains to be seen where Taiwan will acquire submarines from. France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Spain and Sweden may all be reluctant to export submarines to Taiwan for fear of upsetting the PRC. Russia may choose not to export SSKs to Taiwan in solidarity with its PRC ally, while both the United Kingdom and United

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States no longer build SSKs, with nuclearpowered submarines being forbidden from export under international law. This could mean that Taiwan is forced to ‘go it alone,’ as regards developing its own SSK, although this would almost certainly not be beyond the capabilities of local engineers, given the country’s level of technological sophistication.

Thailand While Taiwan already possesses SSKs in the form of its two ‘Hai Lung’ class boats, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is keen to enter the submarine club. Upon request by the RTN, the Thai government has been considering, for the past couple of decades, the possibility of acquiring submarines, but has stopped short of an actual procurement. The purchase of up to three ‘Yuan’ class SSKs to meet this requirement seems the most likely choice for the RTN. However, in August 2015 the local Thai media reported that the deal was being deferred and subjected to further review.

A range of factors determines Thailand’s complicated relationship with submarine procurement. Firstly, Thailand does not have any stakes in the numerous disputes that are heightening tensions in the East and South China Seas, and in fact, compared to other countries in the

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Contrary to its Thai neighbour, Vietnam’s relationship with the PRC, characterised by significant tensions, is one of the major drivers for Vietnam’s military modernisation. Vietnam is one of four countries, along with Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia and the Philippines contesting Chinese claims in the Spratly and Paracel Islands, and it is clear that in this dispute submarines play their key roles of deterrence and defence. As such, the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) has ordered six ‘Kilo’ class SSKs in a $2 billion contract signed with Russia’s Admiralty Shipyards in 2009.

Of the six submarines, the VPN has, as of August 2015, already received and commissioned four. The last two will follow shortly with the Khanh Hoa having completed sea trials in May 2015 and the Ba Ria-Vung Tau expected for delivery by the end of this year. The ‘Kilo’ class submarines are equipped with six 533mm forward tubes, capable of firing torpedoes or missiles and, according to a presentation given in November 2015 at the RSIS, the submarines will reportedly be fitted with new heavyweight torpedoes as well as Novator Klub-S cruise missiles. In January 2016, regional news sources reported that the first Vietnamese ‘Kilo’ class submarine had started patrolling the waters of the South China Sea. This update on submarine programmes in the Asia-Pacific highlights the fact that “navies are looking for full capabilities, from littoral to blue water missions,” as Mr. Mesnet points out, “to address asymmetric threats that range from piracy to protecting resources.” US President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A good navy is not a provocation of war.

It is the surest guarantee of peace”. As the submarine race continues unabated amongst Asia-Pacific nations, nowhere does this doctrine run deeper than in Asia-Pacific waters. AMR

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The Exocet MM40 Block-3 is shown being fired from the French Navy frigate Chevalier Paul.

The Exocet family is one of MBDA’s major products in the AShM domain © MBDA

When Neptune Gets Angry Global trade depends on the safe navigation of the world’s seas, and navies have to contend with a range of rapidly-developing new threats. Modern Anti-Ship Missiles (AShMs) and torpedoes must meet these burgeoning challenges and compensate for advances in countermeasures.

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anufacturers of such weapons are giving a great deal of thought to how threats are evolving, and how this affects their market. For example: “(piracy and insurgent) activity are new threats that have proven very difficult to counter with existing anti-ship weapons,” states Mati Hindrekus, head of marketing communications at MBDA. The European company has a number of products that have been designed with such threats in mind, Mr. Hindrekus said. MBDA’s Sea Venom/ANL antisurface, infrared guided, 10.7 nautical mile/nm (20 kilometre/km) weapon

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is designed to allow the engagement of traditional enemy craft such as corvettes or Offshore Patrol Vessels, but it also is able to select a specific aim point on the target, such as the stern or the bridge.

“This capability of course allows a surgical approach to an operation, either neutralising the bridge and hence the targeted vessel’s command structure, or knocking out its ability to steer, in both cases leaving the vessel and its crew largely unharmed,” Mr. Hindrekus said.

The Sea Venom/ANL can be launched from a number of different rotorcraft, such as the NH Industries’ NFH-90, Airbus Helicopters’ AS-565 Panther and AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat

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naval support helicopters. The weapon remains in development for the United Kingdom and France.

Mr. Hindrekus goes on to highlight the threat from Fast Inshore Attack Craft saying these call for “very specific capabilities in a weapon.” He said MBDA was marketing its Brimstone missile as a solution to this threat. The missile “can fire in salvo against rapidly-moving and manoeuvring targets thanks to its millimetric radar seeker,” he continued. Brimstone is currently in use with the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an air-launched weapon from its Panavia Tornado GR.4/A ground attack aircraft and is being integrated onto the service’s Eurofighter Typhoon F/GR.4

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fighters. The weapon has been deployed in combat by the RAF both during Operation ELLAMY, the United Kingdom’s contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s air and sea campaign to protect Libyan civilians from forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi during that country’s civil war in 2011, and more recently during Operation SHADER, the UK’s contribution to US-led efforts directed against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria insurgent organisation.

Continental Offerings One of MBDA’s major products in the anti-ship domain is the Exocet family of AShMs. The current MM40 Block-3 variant has a range of around 107.9 km, and can be programmed with three different waypoints to vary its ingress to its target, so that “a ship’s defence system will not always realise that (the missile) is indeed intended for that target,” continues Mr. Hindrekus. Along with its traditional radar guidance, the MM40 Block-3 can accept Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates to hit in-land coastal targets.

The AM39 is the air-launched member of the Exocet family. It has a shorter range than the MM40 Block-3 which has a 107.9nm (200km) range as opposed to the AM39’s 37.7nm (70km) range, but other-

wise behaves in much the same way sans GPS guidance, said Mr. Hindrekus. There is also a submarine-launched version, the SM39, which he said was the same as the air-launched variant, “apart from the fact that it is enclosed in a watertight capsule, enabling it to be launched via a submarine’s torpedo tubes.”

Beyond the Exocet family, Mr. Hindrekus highlighted MBDA’s Otomat Mk.2 Block-4 ship-launched AShM which has a range of over 97.1nm (180km), and the Marte family of anti-ship weapons, which does not have the large ship lethality of the Exocet family or the Otomat Mk.2 Block-4 but “is still capable of inflicting serious damage to larger vessels.” The Marte family is available in helicopter, fixed-wing and coastal battery variants. Among others, both the Otomat and Marte families are in service with the Marina Militare (Italian Navy).

In the coming years, technological capability will need to be advanced with the stringent demands of restricted budgets in mind, Mr. Hindrekus added: “Future technology will see greater resistance to countermeasures, ever greater precision to allow for selected effects (destruction or simply immobilization), greater penetrative power while all the time ensuring the necessary economy to meet tight procurement budgets.”

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A number of companies the author spoke to identified the ability to operate from longer ranges as one of the major areas of evolution in the missile business, with the ability to engage targets from greater, and therefore safer, distances a key challenge.

“Generally anti-ship missile technology has advanced mostly in the area of boosting range and improved seeker technology,” said Ron Jenkins, director of the precision standoff strike mission area for Raytheon’s missile systems business.

This is just one of the technological hurdles facing the missile domain, however, with the countermeasures used by enemy targets rapidly developing and demanding corresponding advances in the missiles themselves. “We believe a fast missile will be detected further away from a ship, allowing a modern ship multiple opportunities to engage the incoming anti-ship missile,” said Kyrre Lohne, vice president of strategic communications at Norway’s Kongsberg. “Outperforming the ship’s sensors and air defence weapons with modern technology increases the possibility to deliver the warhead with high precision.”

Kongsberg has worked in the antiship missile market since the 1960s, with the latest variant of its Penguin anti-ship cruise missile currently operated by Norway and seven other countries. The

The Otomat Mk.2 Block-4, which is manufactured by MBDA, is shown here being fired. The missile has a range of over 97.1nm (180km) © MBDA

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The Joint Strike Missile zooms aloft: The JSM is the multi-role variant of the NSM, and is planned for use on the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II fighters © US Navy

radar-guided Penguin is designed for use in the open sea and in the littorals, and can be launched from various platforms, including surface ships, fighters and helicopters. The company states that Penguin was developed “to meet the complex operating environment encountered in the Norwegian littorals,” and that “many nations have expressed serious interest” in the missile.

Mr. Lohne drew particular attention to the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), both of which are being developed and marketed in partnership with Raytheon. He said they were the only fifth-generation missiles to have a very low radar cross section in combination with fully passive engagement in a lightweight composite airframe.

The passive engagement employed by the missiles uses Automatic Target Recognition, which enables them to distinguish between ships and land, as well as different ship classes and types. “In conclusion, both the NSM and JSM employ new and recently-developed technology increasing the possibility to penetrate a modern warship's air defences.” As these weapons are not employing radar, there are no Radio Frequency emissions made by the missile as it hunts for its target.

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been designed for use by the General Norwegian Efforts Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 and The NSM has a range of over 107.9nm McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18 fight(200km), and is in use with Norway’s er families as well. Mr. Lohne said there ‘Nansen’ class frigates and ‘Skjold’ class corvettes. Poland uses the NSM in its truck- has been significant interest from potenmounted coastal defence configuration, tial customers for both systems. Australia and Malaysia selected the NSM for 'Gow- announced in February 2015 that it ind' class Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) in 2015. The missile was The Naval Strike Missile being fired successfully fired from the US from a Norwegian ‘Nansen’ class frigate.

Navy ‘Independence’ class LCS The NSM has a range of over 107.9nm USS Coronado in 2014. Raytheon (200km), and is in use with Norway’s and Kongsberg are pitching the ‘Nansen’ class frigates and ‘Skjold’ class corvettes © Kongsberg NSM to the US Navy, although there is no word on when such a procurement could take place, or what ships this weapon could equip. “Kongsberg and Raytheon believe that the NSM would enable the US Navy to avoid substantial developmental costs while fielding modern and proven precision strike capabilities in anti-ship and land attack” missions, said Mr. Jenkins.

The JSM is the multi-role variant of the NSM, and is planned for use on the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II fighters, though it has

| Asian Military Review |

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Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158C is pictured in front of an F/A-18E, with another mounted under the wing of the aircraft. The LRASM will enter service with the USAF in 2018 and the USN in 2019 © Lockheed Martin

would cooperate with Norway’s Ministry of Defence in developing the JSM, with the then minister of defence Kevin Andrews saying that the participation would “ensure the weapon capability is developed and integrated onto the F-35A in the timeline required by Australia, should the Joint Strike Missile be ultimately considered for acquisition by the government later this decade.”

Boeing is another major US player in the anti-ship missile market, with its Harpoon family of AShMs in service with more than 30 countries. The current variant is the AGM/RGM/UGM-84L Block-2 Harpoon which incorporates guidance technologies from two other programmes: the GPS antenna and receiver from the Boeing AGM-84H/K Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Extended Response (SLAMER) and the GPS/Inertial Navigation System from the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition family. This missile is capable of both land-strike and anti-ship missions, and has a 500-pound (227-kilogram) blast warhead. “For conventional anti-ship missions, such as in the open ocean or near land, the GPS/INS improves midcourse guidance to the target area,” the

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company states in its literature. “The accurate navigation solution allows users to discriminate target ships from islands or other nearby land masses or ships.”

Staying in the US, a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin told AMR that air- and surface-launched cruise missiles for engaging land and maritime targets “will be a large portion of the smart weapon future for the next couple of decades. It is likely that weapons which are survivable in anti-access and GPS-denied areas will be the go-to choice for at-sea warfare.”

The company highlighted its AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), which is in service with the US Air Force and US Navy. The AGM-158C is based on the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER).

The first prototype captive-carry flight tests of the AGM-158C were carried out on a US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter in December 2015. The spokesperson said that while “our main focus for the AGM-158C is delivering a muchneeded capability to (the) US Air Force and US Navy,” the company “stands ready for any future interest from our strategic allies should the US Depart-

| Asian Military Review |

ment of State and the Department of Defence direct us to respond.” The company told AMR that is expects the AGM158C to enter United States Air Force service on the Rockwell International/ Boeing B-1B strategic bomber, and on the US Navy/US Marine Corps’ Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Finally, Israel is also in the business of AShM provision. To this end, Israel Aerospace Industries has developed the Gabriel family of weapons, with the Gabriel-5, launched in 2013, being the latest incarnation. Alongside Israel, Gabriel family missiles are operated by the navies of Azerbaijan, Eritrea, India, Kenya, Mexico and Taiwan, amongst others. This latest variant of the weapon uses active radar homing, and has been designed to operate in cluttered littoral environments. However, its range and speed has not been revealed by its manufacturer.

Torpedoes Beyond missiles, torpedoes play a key role in the naval battle, and torpedo technology has advanced in a number of ways

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BAE Systems is upgrading the Spearfish torpedo in use with the Royal Navy, which means the weapon will remain in service until at least the mid-2030s. The UK is currently the only customer for the weapon © BAE Systems

over the last twenty years, a spokesperson for BAE Systems told AMR. There is more use of inertial measurement systems in guidance, and fibre-optic links provide greater tactical data bandwidth between the weapon and the submarine. The safety of warheads has been advanced through the use of insensitive munitions and exploding foil initiator detonators.

Additionally, the use of ducted propulsion systems has improved efficiency and manoeuvrability. BAE Systems received a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence in December 2014 to upgrade the Spearfish torpedo in use with the Royal Navy, which means the weapon will remain in service until at least the mid-2030s. The UK is currently the only customer for the weapon.

There have also been more qualitative changes in the torpedo sector, the spokesperson explained, with naval tactics improving. Placement of torpedoes is more accurate, they said, and there has been an improved response to environmental effects, such as the challenge of operating in littoral waters. The spokesperson also pointed to the reduced cost of operating torpedoes, which was “achieved through longer in-service life and fewer maintenance periods. Capability can be main-

tained via software updates rather than torpedo arena, with its Mk.54 operated major hardware changes.” by the US Navy from surface ships, heBAE Systems expects the use of tor- licopters and fixed-wing aircraft to detect pedoes to increase worldwide in the and attack underwater targets. Raytheon coming years, with tactical upgrades “works directly with the US Navy to meet to combat anti-torpedo torpedoes and the lightweight torpedo requirements of other countermeasures. The company US and Allied fleets,” said Jon Berglind, envisages changes to torpedo hull manu- Mk.54 programme manager at Raytheon. facturing technology possibly including The torpedo has been exported to Australia, the use of three-dimensional printing, as India and Turkey well as the use of advanced battery and “Sophisticated processing algorithms motor technologies, non-acoustic detec- allow the Mk.54 to detect, analyse and tion techniques, and greater commonali- pursue identified threats,” Mr. Berglind said. “The Mk.54 is designed for both ty between heavyweight and lightweight torpedoes, in such areas as sonar process- deep water and littoral environments, making it the only lightweight torpedo ing and guidance.

Discussing the state of the global mar- capable of striking any underwater target in the world’s oceans, regardless ket, the BAE Systems' spokesperson said of water depth.” that while some nations are interested in acquiring a torpedo capability, this has mostly been focused on industrial collabo- Conclusion ration and technology sharing. “We would Ultimately, as the market for new ships interpret this as being due to the fact that grows, so does demand for anti-ship operators looking for advanced anti-sur- weapons, said Mr. Hindrekus. “In this face warfare and anti-submarine warfare respect we are seeing growth in all our heavyweight torpedoes tend to either accessible markets,” he explained. “With have some existing indigenous capability, so much of the world’s trade dependent or are tied to certain suppliers as a result of on sea routes and so many vital resources acquiring particular classes of submarine,” linked to various countries’ territorial wathey explained. ters, the need for adequately-equipped Raytheon is also a major player in the navies has never been greater.” AMR

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Vietnam and Malaysia have blazed a trail in adopting passive radar systems in the form of the VERA-E (the VERA-NG variant of the product being depicted here). Other countries in the region may yet follow suit © ERA

RAP-pers Delight Developing and operating an Integrated Air Defence System (IADS) is a fiendishly complex exercise. Such systems have two key functions; to help safeguard a nation's air sovereignty and to enable it to conduct air operations to defend its airspace.

by Thomas Withington

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t its most basic level, an IADS comprises the groundbased air surveillance radars which detect and track potentially hostile aircraft approaching, or violating, national airspace; the fighters and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) used to intercept hostile aircraft and possibly Airborne Early Warning (AEW) planes. AEW aircraft can extend the combined surveillance area achievable with the IADS' integral radar thanks to their ability to provide extended radar detection ranges at altitude (radar range being limited by the curvature of the Earth).

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These assets are in turn ‘knitted together’ using land fibre optic communications (which are difficult to jam as they do not emit Radio Frequency/RF radiation), and Very High Frequency (30-300 Megahertz/ MHz) and Ultra High Frequency (300MHz to three Gigahertz/GHz) radio communications which are encrypted to reduce their susceptibility to jamming and eavesdropping. These UHF/VHF links can handle voice traffic and carry data links to enable the sharing of the Recognised Air Picture (RAP). The RAP is a federated depiction of a nation’s airspace and approaches to that airspace, or sections of the airspace therein, depicting hostile and friendly aircraft. The

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RAP can be composed and viewed at Sector Operations Centres (SOCs) where air defence personnel have responsibility for controlling a section of a nations’ airspace.

Several SOCs located throughout a particular nation will send their RAP to one overall Command Centre where the national RAP is formed and viewed. To an extent, every IADS is different as it is tailored to the requirements of the nation it serves, but broadly speaking, all tend to share these characteristics in some shape or form.

Regional Situation Throughout the Asia-Pacific, countries are investing in their IADS. Unsurprising-

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ThalesRaytheonSystems’ Sentry C2 architecture forms part of the TUDM’s MADGE SOC-III IADS. This architecture is also used by the US/Canadian NORAD IADS’ Battle Control System pictured here © USAF

ly in East Asia, and South East Asia, this is being prompted by the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) increasingly muscular strategic posture. For example, in January, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) wrote to its Chinese counterpart, asking the country to cease what the CAAV argues are violations by Chinese aircraft of parts of the Spratly Islands archipelago in the South China Sea, which Hanoi considers as under Vietnamese sovereignty. The sovereignty of the Spratly Islands is disputed by Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, the PRC, Taiwan and Vietnam. The CAAV letter did not specify whether these violations had been performed by Chinese military or civil aircraft, or when they occurred.

Recent years have witnessed Vietnam upgrading its IADS with new radars in the form of two Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) ELTA Systems division EL/M-2288 AD-STAR S-band (2.3-2.5/2.7-3.7GHz) 232.1-nautical mile/nm (430-kilometre/ km) range air surveillance radars for $33 million, with deliveries completed in 2013.

Interestingly, Vietnam has also purchased four ERA Vera-E 50MHz to 18 GHz passive radars (two of which are thought to have been delivered) which detect an aircraft’s RF emissions (from their radios or their radar emissions, for example) and thus locate the aircraft through a process of triangulation. The Vera-E may have also been acquired by Malaysia (see below).

Regarding Malaysia, in April 2008, that country’s Ministry of Defence awarded the Franco-American joint venture ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) a contract of an undisclosed value for the Tentera Udara

Diraja Malaysia (TUDM/Royal Malaysian Air Force) new Malaysian Air Defence Ground Environment Sector Operations Centre-III (MADGE SOC-III) IADS system which uses the firm’s Sentry C2 (Command and Control) software. The Sentry software itself is based on that used for the Battle Control System (BCS) C2 architecture forming the core of the US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defence Command (better known as NORAD) IADS system. As well as forging together the TUDM’s Sukhoi Su-30MKM, Boeing/ McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C/D and MiG-29N/UB air superiority fighters, the MADGE SOC-III forms a RAP using the Thales GroundMaster-406 S-band 253.7nm (470km) range air surveillance radar. It is thought that Malaysia only acquired a single GroundMaster-406 radar as part of the MADGE SOC-III initiative in 2013.

The TUDM has not publicly revealed which radars it operates to support the MADGE SOC-III network. However, confidential sources inform AMR that the TUDM employs two Selex/Finmeccanica RAT-31SL S-band 250nm (134km) range air surveillance radars, acquired between 1996 and 1998, with a single RAT-31DL L-band (1.215-1.4GHz) 269nm (500km) range variant acquired in 2003 for $54 million. From the United Kingdom, between 1992 and 1995, the TUDM also obtained two BAE Systems S-743D Martello L-band 269nm range groundbased air surveillance radars, and a single 240nm (444km) range S-band Hughes/ Raytheon HADR (Hughes Air Defence Radar) which was acquired from the United States in 1986. The vintage of the

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RAT-31SL, S-743D and HADR radars illustrates that much of the radar network supporting the MADGE SOC-III is reaching the end of its life. To this end, the Malaysian Ministry of Defence has come under sustained domestic political pressure to upgrade the TUDM’s radar network following the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER airliner which was lost on 8 March 2014, and which remains at large.

TRS is also providing technology to Malaysia’s neighbour Indonesia. The country’s Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU/Indonesian Air Force) has been performing an overarching modernisation of its ground-based air defences.

This has included the acquisition of four Thales Master-T S-band 240nm-range air surveillance radars between 2006 and 2012.

In addition, the company has provided three accompanying C2 centres for these radars. These centres send their RAP to the TNI-AU air sovereignty command and control centre in Jakarta where the national RAP is generated. The Indonesian IADS is also thought to use two Plessey/BAE Systems’ AR-327 Commander 253.7nm (470km) S-band radars.

While TRS has enjoyed success in Indonesia and Malaysia regarding the provision of IADSs, Saab has provided its Air Command and Control System (ACCS: not to be confused with the TRS product using the same acronym) to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). The RTAF ordered

Thales’ GroundMaster-406 radars have been procured by Malaysia. These radars are part of the company’s GroundMaster-400 radar family, a facility housing a French Air Force GroundMaster-400 is pictured here © Thales

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bat operations involving the JAS39C/D and Saab 340 Erieye AEW fleet, and thus presumably links into the wider RTADS network.

Australia Like its counterparts elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has enhanced its IADS recently with the advent of its Vigilare network which achieved Final Operational Capability in March 2013. Vigilare, developed by Boeing’s Australian defence subsidiary, federates information from a number of sources including the RAAF’s JinSelex has enjoyed healthy sales of its RAT-31 air dalee Operational Radar Network surveillance radar families with purchases being made (JORN) which provides long-range by the TUDM of the RAT-31SL and RAT-31DL products radar surveillance (ranges up to over the past two decades © Selex 1619nm /3000km) using HF radio transmissions which ‘bounce’ of the ACCS in 2008 as part of its larger pur- the ionosphere; a level of the atmosphere at between 40.4nm to 539.9nm (75-1000km) chase of an initial six Saab JAS-39C/D altitude to provide the radar with an overGripen fighters and a single Saab 340 the-horizon range. The RAP produced by Erieye AEW platform. Few details have the JORN is federated with radar imagery emerged regarding the exact composition provided by the RAAF’s fleet of six Boeof the ACCS, although it is thought to use ing E-7A Wedgetail AEW aircraft, its Boethe company’s proprietary Tactical Data ing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft Link (TDL) possibly similar in scope and capability to the North Atlantic Treaty Or- (MPA) currently undergoing delivery and ganisation’s (NATO) Link-16 TDL proto- its legacy Lockheed Martin AP-3C Orion MPAs, alongside civilian and military air col. Using UHF Link-16 handles so-called surveillance radars, naval surveillance ra‘J’ series fixed-format messages which are allocated to cover particular communica- dars and the radars used by its McDonnell tions categories such as weapons man- Douglas/Boeing F/A-18A/B/E/F Hornet/ Super Hornet fighters to provide as full a agement, electronic warfare and C2. In addition, it can handle free text commu- RAP as possible. nications and imagery.

The RAAF’s Northern Region OperaEnhancing the ACCS is the RTAF's tions Centre at the RAAF’s Tindal airbase overarching RTADS (Royal Thai Air De- in the Northern Territory and the Eastern fence System). This was rolled out in three Region Operations Centre at Williamtown phases; all of which were completed in airbase in New South Wales both per2000, to provide coverage using Northrop form the overarching air surveillance and Grumman AN/FPS-130X (three exam- battle management of Australia’s skies. ples) L-band 250nm range radars, Lock- Ultimately, the fusion of such a significant heed Martin AN/FPS-117 (two examples) quantity of radar sources, which could in L-band 250nm range systems, two S-743D the future be enhanced with radar imagradars and a single Northrop Grumman ery provided by the Northrop Grumman AN/TPS-43 S-band 242.9nm (450km) MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle, of air surveillance radar. Air-to-ground/ which the RAAF is procuring up to seven ground-to-air radio communications are for maritime patrol, will enhance the surperformed using the HAVE QUICK UHF veillance provided via the Vigilare system radio protocol and NATO-standard TA- to sustain a RAP stretching from the IndiDIL-A/Link-11 High Frequency (three to an Ocean to the western Pacific.

30MHz) and VHF data links. It is unclear Unsurprisingly, given the RAAF’s how the Saab ACCS architecture, itself close relationship with the United States based upon Saab’s StriC Air C2 system Air Force and the air forces of NATO, Vigiused by the Flygvapnet (Royal Swedish lare uses the Link-11 and Link-16 protocols Air Force), operates with the RTADS net- for air-to-ground/ground-to-air commuwork. However, open source reports state nications, and may also use HAVE QUICK, that the ACCS is used for managing com- although this does not seem to have been

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| Asian Military Review |

reported. Vigilare replaces the legacy WARDEN Air C2 system which had been developed and implemented by Raytheon’s Solipsys subisiary using the firm’s Multi-Source Correlator Tracker which gathered together radar information, with the RAP developed using the company’s Solipsys Tactical Display Framework.

South Asia While much of East and South East Asia has its attention focused on the potential threat posed by the PRC’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAFF), India remains highly mindful of its rivalry with Pakistan and the potential for this to develop into full-blown war. With one of the largest segments of airspace in the AsiaPacific region, the Indian Air Force relies upon its Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) to safeguard the country’s skies.

The IACCS is currently undergoing a major enhancement led by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) with a $1.3 billion contract awarded to the company in early October 2015 which is expected to take up to four years to complete. The initiative will network all civilian and military radars across the country into the IACCS thus deepening the detail of the existing RAP produced by the IADS. At the same time, this will expand the IACCS network into eastern, central and southern India, and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean to the south-east of the subcontinent.

The expansion of the IACCS will also include the establishment of radar posts near India’s border with the PRC, no doubt as a response to concerns regarding potential PLAAF air activity near the Indo-Chinese border. Fears regarding the violation of Indian airspace by the

One of the constituent parts of the Indonesian IADS is the AR-327 Commander radar of which the Indonesian Air Force is thought to use two, to supplement its Thales Master-T radars © BAE Systems

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The Royal Thai Air Force’s IADS is enhanced by two AN/FPS-117 radars which join a plethora of other systems. The AN/FPS-117 is also available as a transportable system as the AN/TPS-77 © Lockheed Martin

PLAAF are very real. In 2014, the lower house of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha, was told by the country’s defence minister, Manohar Parrikar, that India’s airspace had been violated 16 times by aircraft from the PRC and Pakistan between 2012 and 2014.

No timeline has been mentioned by the IAF as to when the installation of the new radars could take place, how many will be installed in proximity to the border or the type of radar to be used therein.

The first phase of the work to enhance the IAF will include the expansion of the IACCS into eastern, central and southern parts of the country. BEL sources told AMR that existing radars located in these areas, along with any new radars to be procured, are expected to be incorporated into the expanded network.

In terms of air surveillance radars, India is known to operate circa 30 Thomson-CSF/Thales TRS-2215/2230 335nm (620km) S-band radars acquired between 1984 and 2000. However, the bulk of the IAF’s air surveillance radar fleet includes products provided by IAI, namely the EL/M-2085 S-band 134.9nm (250km) range radar (23 examples delivered between 2011 and 2015), two EL/M-2080 Green Pine radars L-band radars with a 269.9nm (500km) range for ballistic missile defence and aerostat-mounted EL/M-

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2083 AEW radar (up to five systems are believed to have been acquired).

Opportunities One country which is expected to perform a wholesale modernisation of its IADS is the Philippines. In early February it was reported that Manila was considering obtaining technology from the United States to be positioned on Thitu Island, one of the constituent parts of the Spratly Islands, under the control of the Philippines, but also claimed by the PRC, Vietnam and Taiwan. The equipment that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) wishes to obtain will detect satellite transmissions ‘squawked’ (transmitted) from the ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) transponders carried by commercial aircraft.

This equipment is to be positioned on the island and would be capable of receiving the transmissions from an aircraft’s ADS-B transponder, thus enhancing coverage of this section of its airspace. ADS-B forms the core of the US Next Generation Air Transportation System which in turn overhauls air traffic control in the United States by providing a transponder which squawks an aircraft’s speed and location information via satellite. ADS-B transponders are expected to proliferate widely across commercial aircraft over the next

| Asian Military Review |

decade potentially providing a relatively inexpensive way of tracking aircraft as opposed to ensuring that all sections of a nation’s airspace are covered by radar; a particularly expensive undertaking.

In tandem with the initiative to roll out an ADS-B sensor system to provide coverage over Thitu Island, the Philippines Ministry of Defence plans to extend the coverage of its PADIZ (Philippines Air Defence Identification Zone) in a series of phases to ensure that 74 percent of the Philippines’ airspace is covered by the PADIZ by 2022. This will then be extended with the intention of covering the entirety of Philippines airspace by 2028. Such a plan could necessitate the purchase of new C2 software, hardware and communications to enhance the national RAP. In recent years, the Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas (Philippines Air Force) has worked to enhance its groundbased air surveillance radars with the acquisition of three EL/M-2288 AD-STAR radars for $56 million which are due to be delivered in 2017. Until these radars are delivered, the country may still rely on the three Bendix AN/TPS-1 radars it acquired in 1960.

The modification of the Philippines’ IADS represents a potential opportunity for Air C2 system suppliers, but there will almost certainly be other opportunities around the Asia-Pacific in the coming years. The continuing assertive strategic posture of the PRC is likely to prompt nations to ensure that their hostile aircraft detection and reporting services are as capable as possible. Furthermore, the need to update legacy systems, as illustrated by the Philippines (see above), will encourage further spending.

Coupled to these factors is the question as to whether nations in the region will be willing to network their individual IADS to provide a ‘Super-RAP’ of their local region? This philosophy is being currently pursued by NATO vis-à-vis its Air Command and Control System which is being rolled out across the majority of its Western European membership. This provides a common software and hardware architecture for the membership’s national IADS, replacing a bewilderingly-diverse array of existing IADS, and will generate a ‘Super RAP’ of the entirety of NATO’s European area over the next decade; a particularly important consideration given the regular sorties by Russian Air Force strategic bombers occurring close to NATO airspace in the Baltic, Northern European and Scandinavian regions. AMR

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Guarding the Dragon’s DEN Moat The role of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) coastguard's expanding fleet has become blurred with that of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the role of aviation is about to enlarge in the posturing over disputed maritime zones.

by Andrew Drwiega

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here are two types of coastguard, or rather two types of mission that they can perform: The first is very much in the civil role where lives are saved and people are protected in their maritime areas at close range to the coastline, hence the name ‘coastguard’. Coastguards internationally are considered humanitarian in purpose, as well as enforcing sailing laws and watching for smuggling and incidents

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such as pollution at sea. But that is a somewhat restricted perspective, as there is also the coastguard that conducts the defence of national interests; from fisheries protection, national maritime boundary protection, and the protection of the nation’s economic resources. However the boundaries are becoming blurred.

In the United Kingdom, the Maritime Coastguard Agency is a civil body and not armed. For an armed response they

| Asian Military Review |

would inevitably request the assistance of the Royal Navy. This is unlike the United States Coast Guard (USCG) which is equipped with vessels and aircraft that are armed or can deploy arms when called upon to do so. In the Asia-Pacific, the coastguard role has arguably more of a paramilitary focus much more focused on national security.

China’s Coast Guard (CCG) is an agency of the government but takes its direction

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The US Coast Guard is one of the largest and most modern such services in the world.

Currently, its fleet comprises a large number of cutters, and the fleet is planning the induction of new vessels © USCG

from the Communist party leadership.

As such, it is used alongside the PLAN and its role is becoming increasingly part of a proactive extension of the government’s ambitions.

According to a US Office of Naval Intelligence report, “Chinese Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) agencies collectively operate over 200 oceangoing ships, giving the country by far the largest blue water ‘coast guard’ in the world.”

While this growing force, which observers estimate could number up to 500 ships by 2020, is used for the usual coastguard type operations, the report remarks that “dozens of others exist almost entirely for the purpose of advancing (PRC) claims to waters and territories in the East and South China Seas.”

One of the latest of the CCG’s new ships has been nicknamed ‘the beast’ due to its size and armament which blurs the lines between PLAN and CCG roles.

CCG vessel 3901 will have a displacement of 12000 tons and will be armed with a 76mm rapid fire gun, several other auxiliary guns, has a helicopter deck and accompanying hanger. It will be the second of the CCG’s ‘mega-cutters’ and rivals the USCG’s biggest cutters, the new Northrop Grumman ‘Legend’ class National Security Cutters (which are replacing the legacy ‘Hamilton’ class).

A total of eight ‘Legend’ class are planned with the first five now in service but at 4600 tons they are only one-third the weight of the new CCG vessels. However, they are part of the USCG’s Integrated Deepwater System Programme (or ‘Deepwater’), which is a $24 billion

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25-year initiative with the intent of replacing the majority of the USCG’s aircraft, ships, logistics and command and control systems.

The latest of these cutters, the USCGC James (WMSL-754) comes well-equipped with a Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare system, BAE Systems’ SRBOC/ Nulka countermeasure launchers as well as a main Bofors Mk.110 57mm gun. Most interestingly, its rear hanger can house a combination of helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); either two Airbus Helicopters HH-65 Dolphin maritime support rotorcraft , four Vertical Take-off (VT-UAVs), or one helicopter and two VT-UAVs. These would have been Bell Helicopter’s Eagle Eye VT-UAVs although the programme was cancelled last decade.

Since then, the USCG have run trials with Boeing-Insitu’s ScanEagle, Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B/C FireScout and most recently the smaller AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma. But the intent is there as the USCG’s Research and Development Centre keeps demonstrating.

The Unmanned Option The Chinese are also exploring the potential of basing UAVs at sea. The beauty of such aircraft is that they have both a long-range and long endurance.

The acquisition and positioning of these UAVs to cover contested maritime areas would provide an enduring alternative

Vessels from the Chinese Coast Guard (foreground) and the US Coast Guard (background) steam side-by-side in a visual display of maritime cooperation.

Nevertheless, despite the bonhomie, tensions between the two forces could grow in the future © US Navy

Maritime Expansion Protecting and extending territorial and economic zones is currently one of the PRC government’s main priorities, as has been seen in the island-building programme in the South and East China Seas. The use of the CCG is inextricably linked to that goal, albeit a slightly softer manifestation.

The formation of the CCG in 2013 has led to a rapid expansion of the surface fleet.

It represents a collation of the following agencies (nicknamed the ‘Five Dragons’): the Anti-Smuggling Bureau, Maritime Police, China Marine Surveillance, Fisheries Law Enforcement Command, and the Maritime Safety Administration.

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The USCGC James is the fifth of the USCG’s ‘Legend’ class cutters to enter service.

Including the USCGC James, to date, six of the ‘Legend’ class vessels have been commissioned, with another two planned © USCG

to relatively expensive manned aircraft, although the cost of operations should not be underestimated due to the number of support staff required, as the US Army has discovered with its plethora of UAVs in recent years.

Maritime UAVs, particularly for CCG vessels, would increase reconnaissance capabilities and allow a relatively more rapid response to incidents than surface vessels, yet they could still be incorporated into the ‘soft power’ category. This would also hand the PRC’s territorial rivals the challenge of countering this capability with their own significant maritime UAV development.

China’s UAV Potential Last year the US Rand Corporation released a report entitled Emerging Trends in China’s Development of Unmanned Systems. When specifically looking at the role that maritime UAVs could fulfil, it confirmed a link to territorial disputes.

The report quoted Harbin Engineering University’s Professor Ma who stated: “China shares the sea with many countries nearby. In these troubled waters, unmanned vessels can be more effective,

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convenient and safe than manned ships Eyes in the Sky in many situations.” While this covered While it is undeniable that the surface all unmanned systems including surface vessel fleet is growing, the American and sub-surface he also highlighted the research institute the Jamestown value of UAVs. Foundation has identified one aspect There was also a recognition in the of weakness in the CCG and MLE report that the use of unmanned systems agencies, namely the strength of their might not be solely the preserve of the traditional aviation assets and its military. The report noted that “civilian capabilities. “Given the country’s lack use of unmanned systems is emerging as of advanced, long-range fixed-wing an equally important area, one that could aircraft, China’s constabulary forces must have important implications for China’s operate with only a fragmentary picture maritime territorial disputes, especially of the maritime domain,” the foundation given that Beijing has relied principally reports. However this has not escaped on its civilian maritime law enforcement the understanding of the Chinese apparatus to enforce its claims.” government, which is now making a concerted effort to amend the situation.

The Rand report references the The Foundation explains that decision by the PRC’s State Oceanic both surface and aviation units are Administration (SOA) which oversees significantly used for “rights protection”. coastal environmental protection, national This is a double-edged sword as it mixes maritime rights and marine scientific the protection of the PRC’s legitimate research, in August 2012 to locate eleven right to safeguard its internationally UAV sites in coastal provinces by 2015; whether this has been fully completed ‘recognised’ maritime zones, but also to robustly project a presence into disputed remains unknown. It also cites an incident waters “to show administrative presence that occurred on 9 September 2013 over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea which are disputed with Japan and Taiwan. During this incident, the Chinese deployed a Harbin Harbin BZK-005 high-altitude long-range UAV over the islands which triggered a response from the Japanese who scrambled fighters to the scene. It proved illustrative of how tensions can rapidly escalate with the Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera subsequently announcing that Japan would “consider shooting down (UAVs) that enter Japanese airspace." According to the Rand report, following confirmation from Japan that its Air Self Defence Force would engage further UAV flights in its airspace, the Chinese warned that such an action would itself be considered “an act of war” and in turn it would take measures to strike back.

This example illustrates that the very sensitive nature of theseremote island disputes canescalate into Japan boasts one of the most well-equipped coastguards in the a hot conflict by over-flights Asia-Pacific region. Its equipment includes Sikorsky S-70 searchand incursions, whether and-rescue helicopters, one of which is seen here landing on a US Navy ‘Arleigh Burke’ class destroyer © US Navy manned or unmanned.

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Japan’s coastguard may increasingly find itself rubbing shoulders with its Chinese counterparts in the Asia-Pacific region, given the existential territorial and maritime disputes between the two nations © US Navy

and impose Chinese jurisdictional perogatives." This it views as pursuing ‘illegal’ foreign activities, a mission that is central to the CCG and MLE roles. As with most aerial assets, the use of aviation in peacetime is more to provide a regular presence over large expanses of ocean and, more importantly, gather intelligence which can be fed into maritime command centres to assist in the coordination and response, where necessary, of the overall surface strategy.

CCG Aviation The CCG currently operates a very limited number of aircraft but is increasing these numbers as well as its helicopter force. It is controlled by the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and is currently represented by units within China Marine Surveillance (CMS). Fixedwing operations are conducted from three bases, each of which covers a strategic

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maritime area: the northern Bohai and the Yellow Seas, in the east to cover the East China Sea and finally in the south covering the South China Sea. Each base operates a couple of Harbin Y-12 maritime patrol aircraft with a maximum range of around 700 nautical miles (1300km).Their equipment include Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers to allow them to plot the identity, speed and course of surface vessels using emissions from these vessels’ transponders. They can also communicate images to surface ships which can relay them via satellite to command centres. But as the Jamestown Foundation points out, these minimal resources must patrol around 874,000 square nautical miles (three million square kilometres) of ocean and are somewhat overstretched.

Although the number of flights and total hours climbed over the last 15 years, due to the low numbers of aircraft

| Asian Military Review |

available, this has still remained relatively low. One particular hindrance to longrange patrolling is the limited range of the aircraft against the great distances involved, particularly in the South China Sea. As the Jamestown Foundation explains, “Operating from airports on the mainland, the two fixed-wing aircraft of CMS South simply cannot reach the eastern and southern sections of the South China Sea. The service’s cutters do sometimes embark helicopters, which provide additional surveillance capabilities. But in general, China’s MLE agencies do not fly in vast sections of waters within the ninedash line (the line of demarcation Beijing uses to represent its maritime claims in the South China Sea).”

This, of course, is one problem that island-building in disputed areas such as the Spratly Archipelago is designed to overcome. Just as in the Second World War, where the strategy of ‘island hopping’ brought land-based air power

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into the theatre of operations to support the United States' drive across the Pacific and allowed long range Boeing B-29 strategic bombers to attack Japan at evershortening ranges, so each of the PRC’s newly-formed islands is a new airbase to extend its aerial presence to the edges of the nine dash line.

Added to this is a new impetus to expand CCG and MLE aviation and reconnaissance assets, through the acquisition of fixed-wing aircraft that can go out to 2400nm (4500km). These could be in the shape of a maritime version of the Xian MA-60 turboprop transport.

Another possibility is the newly-designed AVIC AG-600 amphibian. There are also advanced versions of the Y-12 that are about to make an appearance, specifically the Y-12F which will reputedly offer greater payload potential. Finally, the CCG operates a limited number of helicopters. There are several Harbin Z-9s, a licensed variant of what was the Airbus Helicopters' AS-365 Dauphin naval support helicopter. The PLAN also operates up to 25 of this type.

Countering the CCG Encountering the CCG at sea is becoming a serious problem for the international community, particularly as it is likely that US Navy ships will be the ones to confront the ‘civil’ CCG. As a case in point, in October 2015 the USS Lassen, an ‘Arleigh Burke’ class destroyer, completed the first in a series of planned Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the South China Sea. FONOPS are navigation exercises in which the United States challenges air and maritime claims which it considers excessive. With a displacement of 9700 tons this ship is still smaller than the CCG’s newest cutter, albeit better armed. However, CCG ships do not have to adhere to the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea; a multilateral 2014 agreement to reduce the likelihood of incidents at sea developing into a larger confrontation.

US chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson described the PRC’s use of the CCG as a “grey area’ which will require creative thinking or further policy to avoid future aggressive encounters. On 19

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January Admiral Richardson participated in a video teleconference with his Chinese counterpart, PLAN commander Admiral Wu Shengli to discuss the state of relations between the two navies. According to a Reuters news agency report, during the conversation Admiral Wu stated, “Our necessary defensive step of building on islands and reefs in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands is not militarization, but this has been maliciously hyped up by certain countries and media.” Adm. Wu then contradicted this by saying that “we will not (stop setting up) defences. How many defences completely depends on the level of threat we face.” The report added that three commercial airliners had been landed on its newly-constructed airfield on an artificial island on Fiery Cross Reef “to see if the airfield was suitable for civilian aircraft." Quite why civilian aircraft would want to land there was not disclosed, but the fact that the PRC is forcefully absorbing the islands against all international agreements ensures that tensions will continue to rise, and the CCG is being positioned to play a central role. AMR

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Carrying an AIM-9 AAM and an Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation pod underwing, a Royal Thai Air Force L-39ZA/ART Albatros takes off during the multinational Exercise COBRA GOLD in 2013 © US Marine Corps

Train As You Fight The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) concept can be traced back to the 1950s. Its emergence reflected broader trends in air power, including the increasing prominence of Counter-Insurgency (COIN) operations, and technological developments in aerospace.

by Thomas Newdick

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OIN, which accompanied the retreat of European empires, as the result of deepening local independence movements in the 1950s, particularly in Africa, and the corresponding proliferation of so-called Cold War ‘proxy’ conflicts, saw military aircraft increasingly required to operate in austere theatres in Africa, the AsiaPacific, Latin America and the Middle East. Regarding aerospace design, the turbojet- and turbofan-powered trainer lent itself to the light attack missions

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required in such conflicts. A pioneering example of the aircraft that emerged as a result of these two motivations was the Cessna A-37A/B Dragonfly, a light attack derivative of one of the world’s first purpose-designed military jet trainers, the T-37A/B/C Tweet. The A-37A/B saw combat during the United States’ military involvement in the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1975, and in Latin America, notably by the Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña (Air Force of El Salvador) which used the aircraft during that country’s civil war between 1979 and 1992.

| Asian Military Review |

Whereas aircraft such as the T-37A/ B/C were once simply two-seat trainers outfitted with weapons pylons for ‘dumb’ bombs and unguided rockets, a gunsight, and military communications, the modern LCA is much better equipped, often with options for precision-guided ordnance, targeting pods, a self-protection suite and in some cases, a multimode radar. One aircraft omitted from this article is the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas Mk.1A/2 as this supersonic aircraft was developed as a single-seat fighter and is thus in a different class to ‘true’ LCAs.

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L-39 Albatros Like the A-37A/B/C family, the Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros family of light jet trainers has a long lineage. First flown in November 1968 it entered widespread service within the Warsaw Pact and with Soviet allies. The L-39ZO armed trainer was further developed for ground attack and reconnaissance duties as the L-39ZA, and as the L-39ZA/MP (multipurpose) with a Western mission computer, avionics and navigation equipment. A version was ordered by Thailand as the L-39ZA/ ART, which differs in its use of Israeli avionics made by Elbit Systems. A total of 40 were delivered to Thailand from 1993, of which 30 remain in use. The L-39ZA/ ART has an under-fuselage gun pod containing a twin-barrel 23mm cannon and four underwing pylons for a maximum stores load of 2205 pounds/lbs (1000 kilograms/kgs). The L-39ZA/ART constitutes the Royal Thai Air Force’s (RTAF) primary strike capability, and is also used for Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT). Eventually, the RTAF L-39ZA/ART fleet is expected to be retired in favour of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50TH Golden Eagle (see below).

Bangladesh is another L-39ZA operator, receiving eight of the aircraft in October 1995. Although primarily used for operational conversion, a Bangladesh Air Force officer confirmed to AMR, “The aircraft can be armed with a cannon, it can carry rocket pods, bombs and even air-toair missiles.” Speaking in 2012, Bangladesh’s then chief of the air staff, Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman, said: “The L-39 probably has another twelve to 14 years left and ideally we will replace it with an

While the basic design of the Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros dates back to the late 1960s, considerable numbers remain in worldwide service. The manufacturer is offering the L-39NG rebuild that incorporates new technologies © Aero Vodochody

advanced jet trainer that is multi-engined and that has a light air support capability, such as the Yakovlev Yak-130, the Hongdu L-15 or the Alenia Aermacchi M-346.”

Beyond Bangladesh, L-39s have been employed exclusively for training by Cambodia, although these are likely no longer operational, and Vietnam (between 20 and 23 survivors from an original total of 38, delivered from 1980).

S.211 In terms of Western designs, the SIAIMarchetti/Alenia Aermacchi S.211/A was exported to the Philippines, which originally acquired a total of 24 aircraft.

Delivered from September 1989, the fleet has since been reduced to ten aircraft, of which less than half may still be active.

The Philippines undertook the local Project Falcon to improve the combat capability of the aircraft, which resulted in the AS.211 Warrior. This added the gunsight and radios from the retired Northrop F5A/B Freedom Fighter, and a machine gun pod from Aerotech Industries Philippines. It is possible that the AS.211 is also compatible with Raytheon AIM-9 family Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM) and unguided rockets. In its basic form, the S.211 has four underwing pylons for a total of 1455lbs (660kgs) of stores. The S.211 was also operated as a trainer by Singapore. A total of 28 aircraft have now been replaced by the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainer. Another Alenia Aermacchi product, the MB-339 advanced trainer and light attack aircraft is operated only by Malaysia within the Asia-Pacific region. The eight aircraft delivered from 2009 do not currently have a combat role, and are assigned to the Royal Malaysian Air Force College.

Hawk 200

This Malaysian BAE Systems’ Hawk Mk.108 trainer has a centreline 30mm cannon pod, underwing fuel tanks and bombs, and wingtip AIM-9 AAMs. India is known to have recently considered adding a secondary combat role to its fleet of Hawk Mk.132 trainers ©BAE Systems

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Also operated by Malaysia is the BAE Systems Hawk 200 which offers considerable punch thanks to its Northrop Grumman AN/APG-66H multimode radar. First flown as a prototype in May 1986, the Hawk Mk.208 version was ordered by the Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Air Force) which continues to operate twelve from an original total of 18 aircraft. Nearby Indonesia currently operates circa 22 Hawk Mk.209s, and both aircraft versions have four underwing pylons for a total load of 7700lbs (3493kgs), as well as wingtip launch rails for the carriage of AIM-9 AAMs.

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due to the earlier availability of the Yak130. So far only Zambia has ordered the L-15, as an improved training version,” Andreas Rupprecht, author of the forthcoming book Flashpoint China: Chinese Air Power and the Regional Balance, told AMR.

Golden Eagle

A Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 conducts air-to-ground weapons delivery trials, using freefall ‘dumb’ bombs. The Republic of Korea has likely ordered 60 FA-50 light attack aircraft and may ultimately acquire as many as 150 © RoKAF

Alpha Jet In the past, BAE System’s Hawk family has competed with the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet trainer family. The only export customer in the Asia-Pacific for this aircraft was Thailand, which acquired 20 second-hand Alpha Jet-As, with deliveries beginning in 2000. Of these aircraft up to 18 remain in service, and are used for close support by the RTAF’s 231 Attack Squadron. The Alpha Jet-A has a jettisonable pod under the fuselage containing a 27mm cannon, and has provision for four underwing and one centreline pylon, for a total load of more than 5512lbs (2500kgs).

Chinese Offerings The Asia-Pacific is seeing new entrants into the LCA market in the form of Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) which offer the Karakorum-8 (K-8) two-seat basic jet trainer and light attack aircraft jointly developed by the Hongdu Aviation Industries Group (HAIC) and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

A first flight was achieved in November 1990 and the aircraft entered service with the PRC as the JL-8 and with Pakistan as the K-8. In the Asia-Pacific region the aircraft is employed exclusively as a trainer by both countries, but there are three other operators in the region; Sri Lanka uses the aircraft for advanced training, while Burma has used her aircraft in combat.

Burma initially ordered twelve K-8s, the last three of which were delivered in September 1999. In June 2010 Burma ordered another batch of 60 aircraft, to be assem-

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Other new Asia-Pacific entrants to the LCA market include KAI with its T-50 Golden Eagle programme, which was launched in 1992. The initial T-50 twoseat advanced trainer was followed by the TA-50 LIFT that first flew in August 2003, and the FA-50 LCA that performed its maiden flight in June 2010. The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) received 22 TA-50s delivered from March 2011. As of 2014, the force has a requirement for 60 FA-50 variants, and placed an initial contract in 2011 for 20 aircraft, followed by a second order in May 2013, reportedly covering the remaining 40 aircraft.

Indonesia selected the TA-50 in April 2011, signing a contract for 16 aircraft valued at $400 million, marking its first export order. Meanwhile, the Philippines announced its intention to acquire the FA-50 in August 2012 and ordered twelve aircraft under the FA-50PH designation in March 2014. The first two examples were delivered to the Philippines in November 2015.

Joining the Philippines, in September 2015 Thailand signed a contract for four T-50TH aircraft (based on the TA-50 LIFT), valued at $110 million. The aircraft are to be delivered to Thailand in 2018, and the fleet will likely be increased in future.

According to Mike Yeo, a military aviation consultant and AMR contributor, based in Australia, “The T-50 has gained valuable momentum with recent export successes in Indonesia, Iraq, the

bled locally using knocked-down kits. In late December 2012 and early January 2013, Burmese K-8s were used in combat against insurgents from the Kachin Independence Army, one of the belligerents in that country’s ongoing internal conflict.

Most recently, Bangladesh received nine K-8s, delivered between 2014 and 2015.

The K-8 has provision for an optional 23mm gun pod under the fuselage, and four underwing pylons.

In addition to the JL-8, manufacturers in the PRC have developed other LCAs such as the HAIC JL-10 advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft. A supersonic LIFT version of the L-15 was first flown in October 2010, this being equipped with a fire control radar. A prototype has been sighted with wingtip AAMs, and the aircraft has seven hard points. The L-15 is likely to be targeted at potential M-346 and Yak-130 (see below) customers in the AsiaPacific. “The L-15 has faced some delays but offers fighter-like performance; in the case of the LIFT version even a supersonic capability. However, its export prospects are hampered by the fact that it has not In Chinese service the K-8 is operated under the JL-8 designation. yet entered People’s Despite a latent light attack capability, the JL-8 is used exclusively as a trainer. These aircraft serve with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Liberation Army Air Air Force Air Academy © via Chinese internet Force service and

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Philippines and Thailand. It stands a good chance of further success in the region.” Unlike its direct competitors, the T-50 family has additional variants on offer (TA-50, FA-50). “While this should make it more marketable across different regions, it risks losing an ability to carve a market niche for itself,” Mr. Yeo argues. Both the TA-50 and FA-50 are equipped with an Israel Aerospace Industries' ELTA Systems' EL/ M-2032 multimode radar, a three-barrel General Dynamics M197 20mm cannon and seven stores stations.

Yak-130 Besides the L-39 family discussed above, the Warsaw Pact also developed the Yak130, the work on which commenced in the Soviet Union in 1990, with the aircraft taking its maiden flight in April 1996. Russia placed its first order in 2005 and deliveries began in early 2010. After an initial foreign sale to Algeria in 2006, the first export to the Asia-Pacific region was secured in 2013, when Bangladesh ordered 16 aircraft to be delivered by 2016. The first six Bangladeshi aircraft were inducted into service in December 2015. In June 2015 Burma placed an order for an unknown number of Yak-130s. According to Russian aerospace analyst Piotr Butowski, Russia’s Rosoboronexport and the Irkut factory are conducting talks offering the Yak-130 to “a dozen Asia-Pacific, African and Latin American countries as well as ex-Soviet states.” In recent years, demonstrations of the aircraft and familiarisation flights have been conducted for Mongolia and Vietnam, among others. The Yak-

Alenia Aermacchi is offering its M-346 Master to the US Air Force to meet its T-X requirement for a new-generation jet trainer. On 22 February, its was reported that Finmeccanica, Alena Aermacchi's parent, would team with Raytheon and CAE to this end © Finmeccanica

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A factory-operated Yakovlev Yak-130 demonstrates the type’s impressive load-carrying capability, with an array of external fuel tanks, air-to-ground rockets, air-to-air missiles and wingtip selfprotection pods. (Irkut)

130 has six underwing pylons for up to 6614lbs (3000kgs) of stores and two more wingtip stations that can carry AAMs or decoy launchers. A 23mm cannon can be fitted below the fuselage. In February 2016, video footage emerged of Belarusian Yak-130s launching Tactical Missiles Corporation R-73 short-range air-to-air missiles. Alenia Aermacchi developed the M-346 Master advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft as a redesigned and Westernised version of the Yak-130. In the Asia-Pacific, twelve of these aircraft have been acquired by the Republic of Singapore Air Force which bases its aircraft at Cazaux airbase in southwest France, where they are used for training.

The M-346’s chances of success in the LCA segment are set to be enhanced by Alenia Aermacchi's ongoing efforts which aim to challenge the TA/FA-50 family (see above) in the Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern and North American markets. According to Italian aerospace analyst Giovanni Colla, the company “is close to finalising the design of the improved version, which will be a dual-role training and combat type. Intended for ground attack, tactical support and COIN, this variant will have six hard points for weapons, including Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) family of air-to-ground ordnance, AIM-9 AAMs, a gun pod, rockets and laser-guided bombs, a targeting and reconnaissance pod, and external fuel tanks.”

The new version will also have a more sophisticated weapons delivery system and

| Asian Military Review |

a ten percent increase in power compared to its predecessor.

Other candidates While the above aircraft are all in service with Asia-Pacific air forces, several other LCA types are currently being marketed in the region. The Aero Vodochody L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA) was developed as an advanced successor to the L-39 family (see above) and is intended for use as a light fighter and advanced jet trainer, in single- and twoseat versions; the L-159A and L-159B respectively. After 71 examples were built for the Czech Republic, this country’s fleet was reduced to 18 plus six reserves, and the remaining 47 aircraft were offered for sale. Of these, Iraq has taken 15 and US-based civilian contractor Draken International has ordered 21 for training provision.

The LCA concept is now well established in the Asia-Pacific region, and such aircraft are likely to be in increasing demand as air forces aim to reduce overall costs by combining aircraft roles. In this way, LCAs and armed LIFTs are already helping reduce the number of different types within inventories and, for larger air forces, cut down the number of expensive training hours flown by high-end fighters. For smaller air forces, LCAs provide the requisite capabilities for COIN and ground attack missions, with far lower acquisition and operating costs than other modern fighters. AMR

Regional News and

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Asia-Pacific Procurement Update

by Pierre Delrieu No Thunder but CONSOLATION Sri Lanka will not proceed with a $400 million deal to procure up to twelve Chengdu Aircraft Corporation/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 Thunder fighters from Pakistan. Colombo made the decision after India objected to the initiative.

The deal had long been under discussion and many expected Colombo to sign the JF-17 acquisition agreement during Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three-day state visit to Sri Lanka in early January. But according to the Indian Express, New Delhi applied diplomatic pressure to Sri Lanka, weeks ahead of Mr. Sharif’s visit, objecting to the deal with Pakistan. The newspaper reported on 10 January that the letter gave a negative technical assessment of the aircraft, claiming that

it did not meet the requirements of the Sri Lankan Air Force, while also reporting that India had offered to sell Sri Lanka its Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas Mk.1/1A light fighter.

During the visit, Mr. Sharif and Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena signed eight different agreements covering healthcare, science and technology, trade, money laundering and culture. However, the JF-17 procurement was not discussed, confirmed Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Sri Lanka’s minister of defence, when asked by the newspaper about the deal shortly after Mr. Sharif’s visit. “India, of course, has long been wary of Pakistan’s and the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) growing military influence in countries that it views as within New Delhi’s sphere of influence,” Rick Fisher, senior fellow on Asian military

affairs at the International Assessment and Strategy Centre (IASC), based in Alexandria, Virginia, told AMR, explaining that “India has many levers to pull when it wants to defend its interests in Sri Lanka” and “clearly views JF-17 sales as a double challenge, first by increasing the air power of the recipient, and second by the subsidy then provided to Pakistan to further improve this fighter.”

The JF-17 Thunder, a fourth-generation fighter, is currently flown only by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which received its first squadron in 2010.

This deal, which for the moment could be more accurately described as indefinitely postponed rather than completely cancelled, would have been an important step for Pakistan in further extending its defence co-operation footprint in the

Indian Ocean region, especially as its relationship with neighbouring India remains fraught. Pakistan “clearly seeks to develop deterrent military relationships with nearby states also fearful of India’s power and influence,” explains Mr. Fisher, adding that, “as regards the JF-17 fighter, Islamabad has the advantage of being able to benefit from the PRC’s growing economic, political and military influence. In countries like Bangladesh, Burma, Egypt and Sri Lanka, their already-longstanding military relationship with the PRC adds great heft to the JF-17 sales programme.”

For more information on light combat aircraft, and Indian defence procurement, please see Thomas Newdick and Rahul Bedi’s respective Train as You Fight and The Tiger’s Talons Sharpen articles in this issue.

New Amphibians India and Japan recently signed an agreement valued at $1.6 billion to facilitate the long-pending export of twelve ShinMaywa Industries US-2I amphibious Search-And-Rescue (SAR) aircraft to India.

The deal was signed on 12 December 2015, during the visit of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tokyo.

It includes the “transfer of defence equipment and technology” as well as the “protection of classified military information” according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In a declaration published following the signing, the MEA stated that this agreement reaffirmed Japan and India’s commitment to “deepen

the bilateral defence relationship, through two-way collaboration and technology cooperation, co-development, and co-production,” and leads the way to exploring’ “potential future projects on defence equipment and technology cooperation such as the US-2.”

Speaking to AMR about the deal, Bharat Karnad, research professor in National Security Studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi explained that the Indian Navy (IN) is currently deficient in SAR capabilities, but “has so far managed with Dornier Do-228-101/201 maritime surveillance aircraft working in conjunction with fast boats for (littoral) operations, and for incidents far-

ther from the shore, with warships in the vicinity, but it has no dedicated SAR platform.”

According to Prof. Karnad, “the ShinMaywa US-2I should fill this need, as well as many others. Given the plane’s long loiter time, it will also provide extended surveillance of sea territories, especially in the Bay of Bengal and around chokepoints (such as) the Strait of Malacca.” Moreover, the US-2I will be capable of accommodating special forces for expeditionary operations, Prof. Karnad added.

When asked about India and Japan’s current defence relationship, Prof. Karnad told AMR that both countries “are cautious and deliberate when initiating new strategies and geopolitical moves. Both

share the perception of the PRC as threat but, given their respective economic interests in keeping the PRC engaged, neither wants to alienate Beijing by firming up too overtly an anti-China front. So it will remain a sort of shadow game.” However, he added that “Indo-Japanese security cooperation especially in the maritime realm is set to grow.

With Japan now formally upgrading its naval cooperation … as a permanent and full participant in the annual MALABAR naval exercises involving (the navies of Australia, India and the United States).” For more information regarding Indian defence procurement, please see Rahul Bedi’s The Tiger’s Talons Sharpen article in this issue.

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| Asian Military Review |

Regional News and

Developments

southeast asia All HALE the new UAV Vietnamese media reports published on 10 December 2015 indicate that the country’s Academy of Science and Industry and Ministry of Public Security have completed their collaborative development of the HS-6L, the country’s largest indigenous HighAltitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) yet developed.

The aircraft, designed to eventually perform civil and military operations over the South China Sea, will start performing flight tests in the region by the second quarter of 2016, according to Vietnamese newspaper Dat Viet and other local news outlets

French Dressing The Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut (TNIAL/Indonesian Navy) held a welcoming ceremony for the KRI Spica, the second of two French-built ‘Rigel’ class hydrographic vessels on 21 December 2015. The ceremony, presided over by Admiral Ade Supandi, the TNI-AL’s chief-of-staff, at the Indonesian Military Sealift Command (KOLINLAMIL) head-

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reporting on the story. Dat Viet also reports the likeliness that the assistance for the design of the HS-6L was provided by Belarus, noting that the unveiling of the UAV coincided with a visit to the UAV’s manufacturing plant of Professor Vladimir Gusakov, chairman of the Presidium of the Belarus Academy of Science. Vietnam had purchased a 558 Aviation Repair Plant Grif-K UAV from Belarus in late 2014; the aircraft shares similarities with the larger HS-6L, including a lightweight composite structure and a twin-boom fuselage configuration.

Speaking to Dat Viet, Vietnam’s Minister of Science and

quarters in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, also saw the induction of the platform into the KOLINLAMIL service.

The two 60-metre/m (197-feet/ft) long ships were ordered in October 2013, when the TNI-AL signed a $100 million deal with French shipbuilder OCEA. Indonesia’s first-of-class OSV, the KRI Rigel, arrived in Jakarta in May 2015 and is currently based with the TNI-AL’s

Technology Nguyen Quan stated “the aircraft has successfully fulfilled a trial flight in the Central Highlands.”

Mr. Nguyen also confirmed the aircraft’s essential role in surveying and supervising maritime operations in the East China Sea region, a maritime area that has seen rising tensions in recent years, especially as the PRC has started reclaiming a number of reefs and uninhabited small islands for military purposes.

With a Rotax 914 piston engine, a 22-metre (72-feet) long wingspan, 2160 nautical miles (4000 km) of operating range and an overall endurance of 35 hours, Vietnam’s

new UAV shares similar specifications to the Israel Aerospace Industries’ Heron UAV. The HS-6L will reportedly be equipped with optronics and radar, and could potentially be weaponised. In the meantime, the UAV will be capable of assisting fire control for the Vietnam People’s Navy’s Russian-built Novator 3M-54 Club-S cruise missiles, which can be fired from its recently acquired ‘Kilo’ class conventional hunter-killer submarines. For more information on Vietnamese submarine procurement, please see Dr. Alix Valenti’s The Silent Service article in this issue.

KOLINLAMIL in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

Specifications on the OSV, provided by the TNI-AL in a July 2015 report published by the service’s communications office, state that the vessel can reach a top speed of 16 knots (30 kilometers-per-hour), have a standard range of 4400 nautical miles (8140 kilometres), and can accommodate a crew of 30, in addition to 16 mission personnel for a

maximum of 20 days.

The service report also stated that the vessels will be deployed to collect underwater topographical data, and survey and map the archipelago’s vast territorial waters.

To this end, both ‘Rigel’ class are equipped with Kongsberg’s EA-600 single-beam echo sounder and EM-2040 and EM-302 multi-beam sonar systems to enable the detection of underwater objects and determine keel clearance limits at the TNI-AL’s naval bases. The vessels will also reportedly carry one Kongsberg Hugin-1000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), capable of performing high-speed survey missions at depths of up to 1000m (3280ft). These ships will also be fitted with Ocean Modules’ V8 remotely-operated vehicle equipped with a manipulator arm to collect underwater samples. In terms of weaponry, the TNI-AL disclosed that both vessels have been lightly armed with each carrying a Rheinmetall 20mm cannon as their main gun and two sternfacing 12.7mm machineguns for point defence.

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Regional News and

Developments

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Intelligence Test The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned three vessels into its South Sea Fleet during a ceremony held on 26 December 2015, including a new ‘Dongdiao’ class intelligencegathering vessel. Named Neptune, the ship is the third known ‘Dongdiao’ class vessel in service with the PLAN, and was launched in March 2014 at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group’s yard in Shanghai. The first-of-class, the Beijixing is currently operated by the PLAN’s East Sea Fleet while Tianwangxing, the PLAN’s second ‘Dongdiao’ class ship is serving within the country’s South Sea Fleet.

Emeritus professor and regional specialist at the

White Heat of Technology The Republic of Korea’s (RoK’s) Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA), the country’s defence procurement agency, announced on 21 January that it had officially commenced plans to complete the development of its Korean Fighter

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Australian Defence Force Academy of the University of New South Wales in Canberra, Carlyle Thayer told AMR that “fitted out for electronic surveillance, including microwave, as well as missile tracking, the ‘Dongdiao’ class will add new capacity in the South China Sea and presumably beyond,” confirming that Beijing is stepping up its naval intelligence-gathering operations. He believes that “(the PRC) will need the ships to acquire intelligence that would otherwise be unavailable to it such as monitoring naval movements in the South China Sea and (collecting electronic intelligence) on shorebased radar … Quite simply if the PLAN is to become a world class navy the PRC will

have to conduct maritime intelligence collection patrols just like the US Navy.”

Coupled with the development of an airfield on Fiery Cross Reef, which lies on the western edge of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, the PRC’s deployment of the ‘Dongdiao’ class will allow it “to gain intelligence on Vietnamese short facilities,” judges Prof. Thayer. He believes that in such cases, “(the PRC) could undermine the stealth capabilities of Vietnam’s advanced ‘Kilo’ class conventional hunter-killer submarines … monitor Vietnamese military air patrols and (the country’s) recentlyannounced deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to the South China Sea (see above).”

But “(the PRC) would also be interested in listening to facilities in the Philippines, especially now that the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (a 2014 agreement allowing the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows the US to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases) has been ruled constitutional,” explains Prof. Thayer, adding that the ‘Dongdiao’ class could also be deployed “to gather intelligence from other littoral states such as Malaysia and Indonesia,” allowing the PLAN and other maritime law enforcement vessels “to respond more quickly to any contingency that (the PRC) perceives as threatening to its interests.”

Experimental (KFX) 4.5-generation fighter aircraft.

The initial requirements for the KFX programme were first outlined by the RoK’s Agency for Defence Development (ADD), one of DAPA’s two institutions, responsible for developing weapons and dual-use technology. It planned the development

and manufacture of a singleseat, twin-engine multi-role fighter designed with a low radar cross section, outfitted with an Active ElectronicallyScanned Array (AESA) radar, and internal weapons carriage.

The KFX project, which is a collaborative effort between the DAPA, Lockheed Martin, the Indonesian Ministry of Defence and Indonesia’s state-run defence firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), aims to see six prototypes produced by 2021, followed by four years of trials and a completed development by 2026. The launch of the project follows the approval by the US government in early December 2015 for the transfer of twenty one technologies used in the manufacturing of Lockheed Martin’s F35A/B/C Lightning-II fighter.

The approved technologies were an important part of the deal signed to this effect in September 2014, which aimed to provide the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) with 40 F-35As for a total

value of around $7 billion.

Obtaining these technologies, which are to be channelled into the KFX development, was crucial to the launch of the project.

However, negotiations between Lockheed Martin and DAPA official are still ongoing, and may continue for another two-to-three years, so as to agree on the transfer of technology on every possible item requested

by Seoul.

The RoK is planning to spend another $7 billion in the development of the KFX, with an additional $8.2 billion to produce some 120 jets by 2032, to completely replace the RoKAF’s ageing fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom and Northrop F-5E Tiger-II fighters.

DAPA announced that the RoK would domestically develop around 90 parts necessary for the aircraft, including its targeting pod and radar, with an ultimate aim to produce 65 percent of the components for the aircraft locally.

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New Blades for Down Under The US State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of three additional Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to Australia along with related equipment and support for a valued cost of $180 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency

(DSCA) announced on 18 December 2015.

The three new CH-47Fs will bring to ten the total number of these helicopters in Australian Army service, as Canberra already placed an order in 2005, under Project Air 9000 Phase-5C, for seven CH-47Fs, in an effort to replace the legacy CH-47Ds which have been in service with the

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) since 1995. The first two CH-47Fs were received by the Australian Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment in May 2015.

Final delivery of the first order of CH-47Fs is to be completed by 2017, while the last of the RAAF’s CH-47Ds should be retired from service by mid-2016.

In a statement published following the approval of

the FMS, the DSCA stated that the proposed sale would “improve Australia’s heavy lift capability” as the country would “use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats.” Boeing declined to offer a statement on the deal, saying that the company did not comment on FMSs.

Getting Tooled-Up In an effort to replace its army’s 28-year-old Steyr Austeyr F88 rifles, New Zealand’s government announced on 8 December 2015 that it had approved the purchase of the US-built Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT) Modular Assault Rifle System-Light (MARS-L).

The country’s defence minister Gerry Brownlee made the announcement to the press, stating that the New Zealand Defence Forces (NZDF) would be investing $40 million for the purchase of 8800 new assault rifles, supporting equipment and training.

Mr. Brownlee told local media that “the (MARS-L) is a combat-proven rifle that has seen service in the most arduous conditions. The new rifle has an open architecture that allows it to mount different sights and other equipment depending on the operational situation.” He added that the country’s “special forces will also use (this new weapon).

Previously, they have used different rifles in the army.

They observed the trials carefully and liked what they saw,” qualifying the decision as “perhaps the strongest endorsement” of the government’s confidence in its procurement.

LMT’s MARS-L was one of eight candidates under consideration for the replacement of the Austeyr F88 weapon, which has been the primary individual weapon for all three of the country’s armed services since 1987.

The deal made with LMT will reportedly also include advanced optical day and night sights, as well as a detachable grenade launcher and additional features such as laser sights, combat torches, and sound suppressors.

With an overall weight of 3.3 kilograms (7.2 pounds), the MARS-L is lighter than the Austeyr F88 but can use the

same ammunition. The rifle will be introduced into New Zealand navy, army and air force service during 2016.

The Austeyr F88 rifles had shown shortcomings in combat during operations in Afghanistan, and soldiers had complained that the rifle’s accuracy dramatically failed expectations on distances beyond 200 metres (656 feet). Earlier in 2015, New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence had also announced the replacement of its defence force’s Sig Sauer sidearms, in use since 1992, with about 1900 new Glock 17 pistols.

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Debrief: SolDier MoDerniSAtion in the ASiA-PAcific

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