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Contents FEBRUARY 2015 VOLUME 23 / ISSUE 1

Australian Aspirations Australia has a long and lucrative materiel shopping list, with defence spending expected to increase in the coming years as Jonathan Tringham finds out.

Front Cover Photo: An Australian Army soldier is seen here on patrol in Afghanistan. The modernisation and procurement efforts of the Australian armed forces come under the spotlight of Jonathan Tringham’s ‘Australian Aspirations’ article in this issue © Australian Department of Defence

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Band Aid Airborne Data Links greatly assist air operations by allowing an uninterrupted flow of information between combat aircraft and other forces as Thomas Withington discovers.

A Lot Less Bother With a Hover

Plane Speaking

Thomas Withington examines the increasing trend for using hovercraft in a range of amphibious tasks from beach landings to search and rescue.

Our annual Asia-Pacific Air Forces Directory as compiled by Andrew Drweiga, including a forward from Douglas Barrie of the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

PULSE

Waterworld The seas and oceans of the AsiaPacific are simmering with tensions amid unresolved maritime disputes. Andrew White looks at some of the steps being taken by local coast guards to beef up their presence.

Sharpening the Tiger’s Teeth A Moving Experience Steven Miller takes a look at several of the major armoured vehicle procurement and upgrade programmes which are imminent and ongoing around the Asia-Pacific region.

India is undergoing a major expansion of its defence industrial strategy and its procurement priorities, with new aircraft, submarines and combat vehicle procurements in the offing as Sarosh Bana explains.

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

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Editorial

MASSACRE OF

THE INNOCENTS

orrific scenes were witnessed by television viewers around the world in the aftermath of a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar in northern Pakistan on 16 December 2014.

The massacre at the Army Public School left 145 people, including 132 children, dead with almost 115 injured. News reports covering the incident showed pictures which would not have been out of place in Dante Aligheri’s Inferno. In just a short time a place of learning had been transformed into a scene of unimaginable barbarity. Those who witnessed the attack, but escaped with injuries or unscathed, will now have to face the memories of what they witnessed that day for the rest of their lives.

Australia Peter Stevens, Publisher’s Internationalé Tel: (61) 8 9389 6601 Email: peter.stevens@pubintl.com.au

Benelux Cornelius W. Bontje Tel: (41) 79 635 2621 Email: cbontje@ymail.com

France/Spain Stephane de Remusat, REM International Tel: (33) 5 3427 0130 E-Mail: rem-media@sfr.fr

To the credit of the Pakistan Army and security services, the situation was brought under control, but the authorities were unable to prevent such a high death toll. One response of the Pakistan government has been to increase military operations against Taliban and other Islamist insurgent organisations in areas close to the Afghan-Pakistan border. One day after the attack, Pakistan Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16A/B and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 multi-role combat aircraft commenced attacks on insurgent bases in the Tirah Valley in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas in the country’s northwest.

Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Italy/UK Sam Baird, Whitehill Media Tel: (44-1883) 715 697 Mobile: (44-7770) 237 646 E-Mail: sam@whitehillmedia.com East-Central Europe/Greece/Turkey Zena Coupé Tel: +44 1923 852537, zena@expomedia.biz

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Pakistan Kamran Saeed, Solutions Inc., Tel/Fax: (92 21) 3439 5105 Mobile: (92) 300 823 8200 E-Mail: kamran.saeed@solutions-inc.info

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Military operations will inevitably continue in Pakistan to counter the threat posed by Islamist insurgents. The battle will not be over quickly, and regrettably the country will almost certainly suffer additional outrages in the future. As has been chronicled by AMR during the past years, military modernisation has made halting progress in Pakistan. The country has a clear and present threat, but has lacked at times the political will and the materiel resources to beat the Islamist menace.

It is now imperative that Islamabad ensures that its warriors have what they need to finish a long and difficult job. Nevertheless, the military solution cannot be the only approach. Poor areas need investment, children and families need education and healthcare, and people need jobs. Over the long term the latter could prove successful in steering people away from extremism. Only by investing now in hearts, minds and hardware can the threat of another atrocity be averted.

USA (East/South East)/Canada Margie Brown, Blessall Media LLC. Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581 Email: margiespub@rcn.com USA (West/South West)/Brazil Diane Obright, Blessall Media LLC. Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581 Email: blackrockmediainc@icloud.com

All Other Countries Vishal Mehta, Media Transasia India Limited Tel: (91) 124 4759625, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: vishal@mediatransasia.com

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Jakhongir Djalmetov, Media Transasia India Limited Tel: (91) 124 4759539, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: joha@mtil.biz

Editors’ note: As this edition was being prepared ten journalists and associates of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and two police officers, were murdered in Paris on 7 January. AMR dedicates this edition of the publication to their memory.

Thomas Withington, Editor

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PULSE by Thomas Withington This month’s Pulse includes a briefing on Raytheon’s Air and Missile Defence Radar, a news update regarding the deployment of the US Army’s WIN-T communications network to West Africa in the fight against the Ebola virus and a major new British Army electronic warfare initiative.

Radar

Raytheon plans to complete the Systems Design Review (SDR) for its Air and Missile Defence Radar (AMDR) in April 2015, according to Tad Dickenson, AMDR director and programme manager at the firm. The AMDR is being procured by the United States Navy to equip the three new ‘Arleigh Burke’ class destroyers under the navy’s ‘Flight-III’ initiative. A total of 42 Flight-III ships are expected to be procured, with the first entering service in 2023. Following the completion of the radar’s Critical Design Review in December 2014, it will move towards its SDR in April 2015. Raytheon will then commence field testing at the US Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii from mid-2016 and is building an engineering development array to this end. Testing should be completed by mid-2017. The engineering development array to be trialled will be “fully production representative” according to Mr. Dickenson. At the same time as the conclusion of Raytheon hopes to complete a Systems Design Review of its Air and Missile Defence Radar earmarked for the US Navy’s new ‘Arleigh Burke’ destroyers in the April 2015 timeframe. Up to 42 of these radars could be acquired to furnish these new ships © Raytheon

Elbit Systems launched its new FPR-10 foliage penetrating radar in November 2014. This ground-based radar system is currently undergoing trials and the company says that it is experiencing significant interest in this new product © Elbit Systems

testing in 2017, Raytheon expects to commence Low Rate Initial Production of the first AMDRs, with installation on the first FlightIII ship occurring in 2019. Deliveries are then expected at a rate of two per year for the duration of the programme. Designed as a scalable radar to equip a range of vessels from corvettes up to frigates and cruisers, the AMDR’s architecture uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) Transmit/Receive (T/R) modules on its Active Electronically Scanned (AESA) arrays. Mr. Dickenson says that this material gives “significantly more radio frequency power output per-square-metre,” compared to legacy AESA radars using Gallium Arsenide T/R modules. The AMDR is an S-band (2.32.5/2.7-3.7 gigahertz/GHz) radar intended to supersede the existing Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-1D naval surveillance radars which are deployed onboard the existing ‘Arleigh Burke’ class vessels. It is possible that the AMDR could be exported and Mr. Dickenson says that there is significant interest from several nations which use the existing Lockheed Martin Aegis Combat Management System, which includes the AN/SPY-1 radar family. Countries which use the Aegis CMS include Australia (forthcoming), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Norway and Spain. Launched on 10 November 2014, Elbit Systems’ ground-based FPR-10 radar can detect moving vehicles and humans through foliage. It is currently undergoing trials, according to a written statement supplied to Pulse by Elbit Systems. The statement adds that the company is “witnessing interest (from several customers)

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in the system as well as (seeing) satisfactory performance in trials.” Beyond this, details regarding the radar’s architecture and performance remain classified. Airbus Defence and Space announced on 28 November 2014 that it had completed installation of its TRS-3D (designated in the United States as the AN/SPS-75) naval surveillance radar onboard the US Navy’s USS Milwaukee ‘Freedom’ class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). This is the third vessel in the ‘Freedom’ class being built for the US Navy and being equipped with Airbus Defence and Space’s TRS-3D and TRS-4D (see below) naval surveillance radars. The TRS-3D is a C-band (5.25-5.925GHz) radar which can detect a sea-skimming anti-ship missile at a range of between eight and eleven nautical miles (15 and 20 kilometres). Detection of a fast jet can be performed at 59nm (110km). The radar has a surveillance range of up to 97nm (180km). The TRS3D is available in the TRS-3D/16 and TRS-3D/32 variants, the designation corresponding to the number of vertical rows of radiating elements mounted on the antenna. According to a statement supplied to Pulse from Airbus Defence and Space, the company will begin installing its TRS-4D naval surveillance radar onboard the ‘Freedom’ class ships beginning with the USS Indianapolis, which has been ordered by the United States Department of Defence but not yet commenced construction, with the radar expected to be delivered by the end of 2015. In addition, the firm will deliver the radar for the LCS-19, the as yet unnamed vessel which will follow the USS Indianapolis in the second quarter of 2016. The TRS-4D represents an evolution of the existing TRS-3D design. The C-band TRS-4D provides a range of 250 kilometres (135 nautical miles). Around 1000 targets can be simultaneously tracked with small surface targets visible at 7.5nm (14km), and combat aircraft-sized airborne targets being detected at over 32nm (60km). Low sidelobes and variable transmission power provide the TRS-4D with robust capabilities to overcome electronic countermeasures, and the radar can provide fire control for organic naval artillery and helicopter navigation. It is outfitted with an AESA antenna which can rotate at between 30 and 60 revolutionsper-minute. The use of a rotating antenna allows the radar to be kept stationary to watch a particular segment of the sky and surface with the radar scanning 70 degrees in elevation and 50 degrees in azimuth when operating in a non-rotating mode.

The WIN-T network, which has been developed as part of the US Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) programme is intended to provide satellite communications for mobile forces. Fielded in several increments, Increment-1 of WIN-T provides communications at the halt for battalion-level forces, and for theatre, corps, divisional and brigade levels. Other capabilities include the movement of encrypted traffic over unencrypted Department of Defence (DoD) communications networks, connection with legacy waveforms and communications systems used by US forces, battalion level and above internet, connection to the DoD Global Information Grid and Defence Information Systems Network (DISN). These latter two networks are used for the flow of DoD information to all locations including bases and mobile units worldwide. Increment-2 of WIN-T provides mobile SATCOM for vehicles and conventional communications at the company and battalion level. The fielding of Increment-2 of WIN-T commenced in October 2012. Finally, Increment-3 provides full mobile networking for highly dispersed units across using SATCOM, tradi-

Tactical Radio

The United States Army deployed its WIN-T (Warfighter Information Network-Tactical) communications network to Liberia in late October 2014. The deployment has supported its efforts to fight the Ebola virus which has gripped West Africa since March 2014 when an outbreak in Guinea was recorded. The US Army has deployed up to 4000 troops to West Africa from September 2014 to help combat the spread of the epidemic, and to build medical facilities for those affected by it. The effort has been led by the United States Africa Command.

In November 2014 Airbus Defence and Space announced that it had installed its TRS-3D naval surveillance radar onboard the USS Milwaukee ‘Freedom’ class Littoral Combat Ship © Airbus Defence and Space

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PULSE Electronic Warfare

The US Army announced in October 2014 that it had deployed elements of its WIN-T communications network to West Africa to support its initiatives there to combat the spread of the Ebola virus © US Army

tional line-of-sight communications and communications relay using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Furthermore, this increment will provide full voice, data and video traffic for all users whether static or mobile regardless of range. As of 2014, the US Army is restructuring Increment-3 to reduce the number of networks managers required to manage the WIN-T network. The airborne relay component of Increment-3 has been shelved for now as a future upgrade for WIN-T. WIN-T is providing mobile voice, data and video network to support the US Army deployment to West Africa and will provide the communications backbone for the headquarters being run by the US Army 101st Airborne Division. Increment-1 and Increment2 (see above) of WIN-T is supporting the operation.

In late-October 2014, the United States Navy announced that it had installed the first Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW) suite onboard the USS Bainbridge ‘Arleigh Burke’ class destroyer as part of the service’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Programme (SEWIP). The AN/SLQ-32 is the primary electronic warfare system used by surface vessels in the US Navy. Designed as a family of systems, the AN/SLQ-32 detects and geo-locates radar emissions from high-band radars used by anti-ship missiles and combat aircraft, typically in the X- (8.510.68GHz), Ku- (13.4-14/15.7-17GHz) and Ka-bands (33.436GHz). Following installation onboard the USS Bainbridge the AN/SLQ-32 will now undergo operational testing of the upgrades received as part of the SEWIP. Lockheed Martin is upgrading 24 AN/SLQ-32 systems as part of the SEWIP. The SEWIP initiative is rolling out new hardware across the AN/SLQ-32(V) family. It will initially improve RF detection, and then, from 2017, enhance jamming. The SEWIP uses a modular, open architecture approach to ease the installation of new hardware. The SEWIP is being rolled out via a series of ‘Blocks’: SEWIP Block-1A improves the AN/SLQ-32(V) display and interface, along with adding Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware to operate the display and to perform some of the systems’ signal processing. SEWIP Block-1B adds an AN/SSX-1 emitter identification system for large vessels, with smaller US Navy vessels receiving the Small Ship Electronic Support Measures System. SEWIP Block-1B2 further improves the emitter identification capabilities for ships which have received the SEWIP Block-1B upgrade. Finally, SEWIP Block 1B3 further upgrades the display and adds a high gain/high sensitivity subsystem to further improve the ability of the AN/SLQ-32(V) to detect radar-guided anti-ship missiles equipped with low probability of intercept radars. The SEWIP Block-2 initiative improves the AN/SLQ-32(V)’s electronic support measures and upgrades its antennae leading to an overall improvement in the detection capabilities and accuracy of the AN/SLQ-32(V). Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract for the SEWIP Block-2 in 2009. A SEWIP Block-3 initiative is envisaged in the future for the AN/SLQ-32(V) which could improve the electronic attack capabilities of the subsystem, with a mooted SEWIP Block-4 adding infra-red and optronic detection, although it is unclear as to when these initiatives could commence. Raytheon is also working on airborne EW for the US Navy. In December 2014, the company provided Pulse with an update regarding the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) which it is developing for the US Navy. Raytheon was awarded the contract to develop the NGJ in 2013, with the system expected to be fielded from circa 2020/21. The NGJ replaces the US Navy’s EDO Corporation/Exelis AN/ALQ-99 airborne EW system deployed onboard the now-retired Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler, and the Boeing E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft deployed with the US Navy and US Marine Corps.

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The NGJ will have an open, modular design to allow it to be easily upgraded with both hardware and software throughout its service life. Echoing developments in the combat aircraft radar domain over the past two decades, the NGJ is outfitted with AESA antennae which bring the dual benefits of multitasking (with the antennae able to perform several tasks simultaneously) and graceful degradation, thanks to the multitude of T/R modules outfitting each array. On 19 November 2014, Raytheon announced that it had completed a series of test flights during October 2014 in conjunction with the US Navy to test the capabilities of the NGJ against simulated hostile radars. For the tests, the NGJ was mounted onboard a Gulfstream-III test bed and flown from Naval Air Station Point Mugu in southern California. According to Rick Yuse, president of Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems, “All key technologies WIN-T is providing fundamental to the NGJ’s performmobile communications ance were assessed (including) airto support the US craft integration, jamming techArmy's anti-Ebola niques, beam agility, prime and array-transmit power, cooling and efforts in West Africa jammer management. All of these are common building blocks for the NGJ.” Mr. Yuse continued, “This was the first time that we had tested all the subsystems together in an integrated, end-toend EW system against real-world threats … We ran a series of tests and each time the flight demonstration system automatically followed the threat’s every move. We met or exceeded every objective we set for ourselves.” The information derived from the test flights will now be used to further develop the NGJ as it moves forward towards its deployment at the end of this decade. “(The flight tests were) designed to showcase the maturity of many of the systems that will be discussed at PDR (Preliminary Design Review) and CDR (Critical Design Review). The EW flight test gave us an opportunity to demonstrate technology maturity, reduce development risk and demonstrate system performance. The pod passed all of its airworthiness tests.”

The US Navy has installed the first upgraded Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite (seen here in the centre of this picture) onboard the USS Bainbridge ‘Arleigh Burke’ class destroyer © US Navy

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PULSE

mented by the Chemring man-pack Resolve electronic warfare system procured by the British Army as a result of an Urgent Operational Requirement early this decade. Resolve is believed to perform similar tasks to the Odette ensemble, albeit in a smaller physical form. In addition, the force is known to use the Wrote electronic warfare system. British Army EW operations are perThe United Kingdom has reactivated its land forces electronic warfare procurement initiative which the UK Ministry of formed by the Royal Corps of Signals. Defence (MoD) had axed in 2009. The MoD’s Defence Contracts Defence electronics specialist Exelis of the United States has unveilled an innovative approach to electronic warfare via its Bulletin which announces contract opportunities for the defence Disruptor SRx product line. Launched in early-October 2014, the industry revealed, in late-October 2014, that funding has been Disruptor SRx represents a baseline software architecture which is allocated to the concept and assessment phase of the programme. programmed by the user according to the EW application that they Approval for the MoD to commit funding to its full development wish to perform. Exelis told Pulse that they are looking to insert and production, known in MoD jargon as the ‘Main Gate’ decision could occur in 2017. The programme is expected to cost this architecture into their existing and future EW products to between $160 and $400 million. The Landseeker programme is make them more responsive to future electronic threats. The systhe successor to the ill-fated Soothsayer project led by Lockheed tem which has been developed by Exelis covers the full spectrum Martin but cancelled in 2009. Soothsayer was intended to provide of radar threats, from low frequency systems operating in the VHF signals intelligence equipment to detect hostile radar and radio range (30-300 megahertz) up to Ka-band (33.4-36GHz) emitters. emissions and to provide communications countermeasures. The company is confident that the Disruptor SRX, which contains Lockheed Martin commenced its work on the programme in 2003 hardware, software and firmware processing elements, will be available to insert into its existing and future electronic warfare but it was abandoned in 2009 following a report by UK governproducts in the near future. Once available, Disruptor SRx will be ment spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, that the configurable to perform electronic protection, jamming, electronic project’s costs has risen considerably above its original budget. intelligence gathering and electronic support missions and cogniThe cancellation of Soothsayer meant that the British Army tive electronic warfare, depending on the customers’ requirewould continue to use its Odette and Scarus vehicle- and manments. This will mean that customers no pack signals intelligence and EW systems. Exelis' Disruptor SRx longer have to purchase a dedicated system The Thompson-CSF (now Thales) Odette according to the electronic warfare task that system detects radio transmissions and is will be configurable to they wish to perform. Instead, they will be mounted in both British Army Land perform a wide able to re-programme the Disrupter SRx softRovers, and BAE Systems BV-206 tracked range of electronic ware embedded in their Exelis EW products vehicles, the latter of which are used by the warfare tasks to perform their desired mission. Royal Marines. These systems were augRaytheon’s Next Generation Jammer is being procured to replace the ageing EDO/Exelis AN/ALQ-99 airborne electronic warfare systems used by the US Navy and the US Marine Corps onboard their Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft © Raytheon

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AIRBORNE

COMMUNICATION

Along with naval platforms using Link-11, ground units also employ tactical data links primarily configured for airborne users such as NATO’s Link-16 ADL which equips surface-to-air missile systems such as the Medium Extended Air Defence System © MEADS International

BAND AID

“Like emptying a jerry can through a soda straw” was how one UAV pilot described to the author the effect that bandwidth limits can have on ADLs when trying to transmit video imagery across long distances.

by Thomas Withington

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AIRBORNE

COMMUNICATION irborne Data Links (ADLs) allow Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to share voice and data communications, radar track information and optronics imagery between aircraft and users on the ground, onboard ships or in the air. The growing quantities of imagery that can be gathered by UAVs and airborne reconnaissance systems in general, plus the need to plug aircraft into battle management and communications networks to allow them to receive and share timely information regarding their mission, has created a high demand for ADLs as conduits to share such information. This article will profile the ADL waveforms in use around the world, and available ADL products which help to ensure that aircraft remain connected to each other and to those on the ground and at sea.

NATO Protocols

Perhaps the most famous ADL protocols in use are the Link-11 and Link-16 Tactical Data Links (TDLs) used by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) members and other allied nations. Access to the Link-16 protocol is managed via the Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS) International Programme Office. Based in San Diego, California, the MIDS International Programme Office manages this, and other, protocols. Link-11 is primarily a naval data link, although it does have some airborne applications. It is an encrypted data link transmitting in the military High Frequency (HF/three to 30 Megahertz/MHz) and military Ultra High Frequency (UHF/225MHz to 400MHz) range. Link-11 is supplied in two â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flavoursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: the airborne UHF TADIL-A (Tactical Digital Information Link-A/Link11A), which provides a half duplex network among airborne, shipborne, submarine and land-based platforms, and the TADIL-B (Link-11B) which provides a fullduplex point-to-point link between ground units; with the former being of interest to this article. Link-11 users can receive and transmit radar track information to share it with other users so as to develop as comprehensive and accurate Recognised

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AIRBORNE

COMMUNICATION

Although essentially developed as a naval data link, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s Link-11 protocol is used as an ADL, particularly by maritime patrol aircraft and other naval aviation assets required to remain in contact with ships and shore installations © US DoD

Air/Maritime Picture as possible. Written messages can also be sent across a Link-11 network. It has a data rate of between 1.3 and 2.2 kilobits-per-second (kbps). Link11 will eventually be superseded by Link22 (also known as ‘Improved Link-11’) from circa 2019. There is insufficient space here to discuss Link-22 in detail, but it is important to add that a Link-22 network will be able to host more users compared to a Link-11 network (125 users as opposed to 61), and will offer an important increase in bandwidth; four kilobits-per-second across HF, and up to 12.6kbps using UHF. Unlike Link-11, Link-16 was conceived by NATO to act primarily as an ADL. Using UHF Link-16 can offer data rates of up to 107kbps of bandwidth, although in practice Link-16 typically carries around 50 percent more bandwidth than Link-11. It can handle fixed format or ‘J’ series messages which are allocated to cover particular communications categories such as weapons management, electronic warfare and Command and Control (C2). In total, Link-16 offers up to 256 ‘J’ series

messages. Beyond the ‘J’ series messages, Link-16 can handle free text communications and also imagery which can be viewed by an aircrew on their cockpit multifunction displays. However, the speed with which imagery can travel around a Link-16 network is said to be roughly analogous to the speed of internet communications using a dial-up computer modem. Using a Link-16 network for imagery transmission and reception taxes available bandwidth risking the ‘crowd out’ of other users. Two encrypted voice channels can be carried on a Link-16 network, offering 16kbps of bandwidth to this end. Like Link-11, Link-16 handles track data, but it can also share information on individual aircraft status providing information on a platform’s identity, weapons status and mission.

Link-11 and Link-16 have revolutionised warfare regarding the flow of information l

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Limited Audience

Few would argue that both Link-11 and Link-16 have revolutionised warfare regarding the information that they allow users of these networks, particularly those in the air, to exchange. Nevertheless, as the above discussion illustrates, the bandwidth offered by these networks is limited. As a point of comparison, a BlackBerry mobile phone can handle data rates typically of up to two megabits-per-second, almost 20 times that offered by Link-16. Furthermore, military users are increasingly demanding wideband ADLs which can handle securely the large quantity of voice, data, radar track and imagery traffic adorning today’s battlefields.

Finnish Finery

Patria of Finland is one company which has poured research and development efforts into realising ADLs which can handle such demands. The company has two products—the Multi-Purpose Networking Data Link (MPNDL) and the Compact Airborne Networking Data Link (CANDL). The

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AIRBORNE

COMMUNICATION

MPNDL is designed to facilitate Command and Control (C2) for MediumAltitude/Long Endurance (MALE) class UAVs, with CANDL performing similar functions for smaller UAVs. The MPNDL has flown onboard the Airbus Barracuda UAV demonstrator which has been developed by Germany and Spain, while CANDL was recently launched by the company in early October 2014. Regarding data rates, Simo Makipaja, senior vice president for business development at the company, says that the MPNDL typically handles up to one megabit-per-second, with CANDL boasting up to eight megabits per second. This means that the MPNDL is ideally suited for UAV C2, while the CANDL can be utilised for both C2 and the transmission of information gathered by the aircraft’s payloads. Jani Reiman, director of sales and marketing at the firm adds that both data links use an internet protocol-based architecture, meaning that they can carry “any kind of digital data” which can include voice communications. In terms of the frequencies used by these data links, they operate in NATO’s IV radio band (4.4 to five gigahertz).

French Flare

Like Patria, Thales is in the business of supplying ADLs. The company’s flagship product in this regard is the TMA-6000 terminal which is supports airborne reconnaissance tasks, and is used with the company’s RECO-NG/AEROS reconnaissance pod flown aboard the Dassault RafaleF3C/B/M Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) used by the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) and Marine Nationale (French Navy). The Reco-NG/AEROS gathers imagery intelligence and shares this using a high data rate Ku-band (twelve to 18GHz) line of sight communications link and a UHF radio link for directional antenna pointing management. Along with equipping the Reco-NG/AEROS Christophe Dress, communications, navigation and identification marketing director at Thales, says that the TMA-6000 also equips the pan-European Dassault nEUROn (sic) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle technology demonstrator. The TMA-6000 carries the Ku-band links, and is able to transmit still and video imagery to users on the ground at rates of between two megabits-per-second, up to 137mbps. This is typically achieved at line of sight ranges

A technician installs Multifunction Information Distribution System components onboard a United States Air Force Boeing/Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System ground surveillance aircraft © USAF

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems produce the Global Link ADL. This can carry narrowband and broadband data and voice communications, including conventional radio and satellite communications traffic © Rafael

in excess of 180 nautical miles (333 kilometres). He adds that the TMA-6000 complies with NATO’s Standardisation Agreement 7085 (STANAG-7085) which covers interoperability standards for data links used to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, along with STANAG-4606 which specifies UAV command, control and communications standards. Mr Dress adds that, in addition, the TMA-6000 was certified by the United States Joint Interoperability Test Command. Other important capabilities for the TMA6000 include DVB-S2 (Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite-Second Generation) which has been developed as a standard covering digital television broadcasting providing a higher standard of clarity for the transmission of digital video imagery compared to the existing DVB-S waveform, and the STANAG-4606 waveform for military satellite communications. As well as providing the TMA-6000 for imagery transmission, firm provides the TopLink the Multifunction Information Distribution System Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT - see below) terminal to handle Link-16 communications onboard airborne platforms, as well as ground vehicles, fixed installations, ships and submarines. In addition Thales has developed the TopLink suite to handle simultaneously or individually all types of Tactical Data Links (TDL) onboard any type of platform.

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US Usability

Thales is one of a number of companies involved in MIDS terminal provision. BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins have joined forces to form Data Link Solutions (DLS) based in the United States. DLS is investigating how Link-16 (see above) can evolve further to support operations in the future. John Byrnes, business development director at the company, says that its goal “is to pursue next-generation Link-16 applications.” The company has to date supplied over 6400 Link-16 systems to 38 countries, equipping over 40 different platform types. Products available from DLS include Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) Class 2 radios to carry Link-16 data communications for air and surface-to-air missile platforms. MIDS voice and data terminals are also available from the firm to equip air, land and sea platforms. These are available in both LVT (Low Volume Terminal) and JTRS (Joint Tactical Radio System) configurations. The MIDS JTRS is a Software Defined Radio (SDR) which complies with the United States Department of Defence JTRS Software Communications Architecture

standards stipulating design criteria for SDRs, while retaining the Link-16, ‘J’ series messaging and the TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) radio system provided by the MIDS LVT radio. MIDS JTRS also offers a notable increase in bandwidth. Mr. Byrnes states that while the MIDS LVT can typically offer between 115.2-800kbps of data throughput, this increases to up to 100mbps for the MIDS JTRS, or one gigabit-per-second over Ethernet links. Alongside Link-16, Mr. Byrnes adds that “the MIDS JTRS hosts all SDR waveforms”. The JTRS initiative sees the United States armed forces procuring a large new family of SDRs to replace a range of current and legacy radios in service. The new radios being procured as a result of the JTRS programme will carry new and legacy waveforms such as the existing NATO HAVE QUICK-I/II frequency-hopping

Rafael’s Global Link supports broadband, narrowband and satellite communications

UHF air-to-air/ground-to-air and the SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) VHF air-toair/ground-to-air waveforms. New waveforms to be carried by the MIDS JTRS include the Soldier Radio Waveform developed as part of the JTRS initiative which will provide secure networked communications between platoon and squad level soldiers and their leaders. The SDR is expected to be used by some air platforms required to liaise closely with ground troops such as utility helicopters. Link-11 and Link-16, as this article has stated, are both used by NATO members and allied nations and, as such, access to them may be difficult, if not impossible, for non-NATO members. Countries unable to access such protocols do have other choices. Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has developed its Global Link tactical data link network which uses dualband SDRs carrying VHF and UHF communications together with L-band (one to two gigahertz) and S-band (two to three gigahertz) communications across wideband links. In a written statement supplied to AMR, the company states that Global Link has been provided to two unnamed “major world air forces”. Although the firm has not provided specifics in terms of data throughput, it says that “Global Link is a broadband data network” which is capable of handling video and still imagery, implying that it boasts impressive levels of bandwidth. Waveforms supported by the Global Link include broadband, narrowband and SATCOM along with legacy voice communications.

ATDL

TacNet is one of the many ADL products developed by Data Link Solutions of the United States. It is a programmable data link which can carry Link-16 traffic and comes equipped with US National Security Agency Type-1 standard encryption © DLS

FEBRUARY 2015

Beyond the ADLs and protocols discussed in this article, the next generation of ADLs is currently under development. For example, the United States Navy is involved in the realisation of the Advanced Tactical Data Link (ATDL). A pre-solicitation notice, which it published in April 2011, stated that while “Link 16 still meets the needs for a wide variety of missions … There is a need for an Advanced Tactical Data Link” which will have to be self-configuring (able to reconfigure an ATDL network automatically if one of the network’s participants, such as

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Thales TMA-6000 ADL is used to provide both VHF and satellite communications to enable the transmission of still and video imagery. The TMA6000 is used onboard the company’s Reco-NG airborne reconnaissance pod © Thales

an aircraft equipped with the ATDL is lost) if the aircraft is shot down. In addition, the ATDL will need to have a high bandwidth and high resistance to electronic countermeasures. The intention is for the ATDL to not only connect land, sea and air platforms to one another, but to allow these platforms to share an even greater quantity of information between one another than already possible with ADLs such as Link-11 and Link-16. This could include information from sensors and weapons systems to provide those using the network with even deeper situational awareness. The intention is for the ATDL to be embedded within SDRs. Development of the ATDL is ongoing with Rockwell Collins being awarded a contract worth $16.2 million in June 2013 to examine design approaches and technologies for the ATDL. It is expected that the ATDL could complement existing and future data links and the US Navy has shown particular interest in integrating the technologies developed as part of the ATDL initiative onto existing and future US Navy aircraft such as the Boeing E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare jet, the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning-II multi-role combat aircraft in addition to future UAVs that the navy operates. Mr. Byrnes says that the ATDL “can coordinate weapons and sensors among manned and unmanned aircraft, surface ships and ground forces,” continuing that “today, we are already looking at techniques for auto-configuring and self-adapting network technologies that provide low latency communications with a higher bandwidth.”

SWaP Shop

Industry experts are anticipating a number of future trends as regards ADL design. Mr. Makipaja stresses that, “performance wise, the need for networking will increase. UAVs or any other mission air-

craft for that matter will operate more and more in network centric operations where point-to-point connections will simply not suffice.” He adds that it will be imperative for the next generation of ADLs to be evermore robust. “As airborne wireless communications increase it is essential for data links to tolerate both unintentional as well as intentional interference.” Size, weight and power, known in the defence electronics community as ‘SWaP’, is a growing consideration for ADL design. Military aircraft are sometimes said to be like people; they gain weight as they get older. An ever-increasing and deepening set of requirements for today’s military aircraft mean that new subsystems are progressively added to aircraft as they go through their service lives to enable them to carry more ordnance, improve their selfprotection or sharpen their reconnaissance. As black box after black box is fixed to an aircraft they begin imposing weight, drinking electricity and occupying space, making available real estate on an aircraft increasingly valuable. Because of this, there is a

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

major impetus to reduce the SWaP of ADLs along with other aircraft subsystems. “We think that there is a need for miniaturisation,” notes Mr. Dress, “and we are working on miniaturisation at the moment to enable our ADLs to equip lighter aircraft.” ADLs have come a long way since NATO implemented Link-1 back in the 1950s. This was the alliance’s first generation TDL standard. Configured to exchange radar track data, it was the first small step in a process which would, over half-acentury down the road, yield yet more capable ADLs handling a growing quantity of voice, data and imagery communications. The volume of information expected to flow between aircraft, ships and ground forces is only likely to increase in the future, yet the electromagnetic spectrum is a finite resource that cannot be stretched indefinitely to handle an expanding number of users. The upshot of this reality is that ADL engineers will have to develop increasingly innovative ways for their products to handle wideband communications while intelligently using the spectrum.

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A MOVING EXPERIENCE

Modernising ground forces is a priority in the Asia-Pacific region. Some armies are replacing aging equipment, while others are responding to perceived challenges to their national interests and territorial integrity.

by Steven Miller

ecent defence reassessments by Japan, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and Australia have resulted in force restructuring and equipment modernisation programmes. In addition, each has moved toward a more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;forwardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; posture re-organising orders to battle to reflect more deployable and mobile forces and equipment. Amongst these ground forces, as with other ground forces around the world, armoured formations continue to be

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viewed as the ground combat arm with the capability to best deter and respond to hostile incursions. Major investments are being made in upgrading or acquiring not only Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and traditional Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) but also the capabilities offered by Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and armoured Fire Support Vehicles (FSV), the latter of which are often based on an APC or IFV chassis. Adaptability and versatility are inherent

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

to the APC, IFV and FSV designs. They offer mobility and firepower as well as a dismounted infantry manoeuvre element all in a protected system. They can be employed in a variety of missions to rapidly respond to diverse tactical situations in cooperation with MBTs or independently. They have the advantage of being more easily deployed on roads, by air or by ship. For these reasons the APC and IFV are major components of ground combat modernisation programmes in the Asia-Pacific.

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The General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle has been fielded with the US Marines, the Canadian army, Australia, and New Zealand since the 1980s. It has seen combat around the world and has undergone a number of upgrades © Australian Army

pension, more powerful engines, and higher capacity electrical systems were necessary due to new weapons, vehicle protection and high-performance sensors. For some ground forces new vehicles have been developed and are being acquired. Others are pursuing improvements to existing fleets. Upgrade packages can allow existing IFVs and APCs to closely approach the capabilities of a new design often at less cost. Faced with tight budgets and balancing many priorities a number of armies have chosen the upgrade route.

Japan

Upgrade or Acquisition?

The distinction between the APC and IFV, and to an extent the FSV, is really a question of design. Each carries a dismounted infantry element; the APC may have more members while the IFV has less, and the FSV maybe only two. Each mounts a weapon; in the IFV it may be a larger calibre weapon with advanced fire control. The APC could be as simple as a manually-operated external machine gun. On the other hand, the ASV could mount 90mm, 105mm

and up to 120mm cannon. Traditionally the IFV has higher protection and, therefore, weighs more than the APC. With the exception of the number of dismounted infantry carried many of these differences have been lost. The availability of the remote weapon station allows the APC to mount bigger weapons while supplemental armour increases protection. Many of these “improvements” were made possible by advances in technology and the lessons of combat experience. Improvements to sus-

FEBRUARY 2015

Traditionally, the Japanese Ground Self Defence Force (JGSDF) has been purely defensive. Colonel Masashi Yamamoto, the military attaché to the United States, referred to this as a “deterrent role”. Since 2010 this has evolved as the country took on a greater international role including participation in United Nations and coalition operations. However, the Japanese government’s recent 2013 defence reassessment, partly caused by concerns over maritime disputes with China, included a new focus on rapidly deploying ground forces to repel invasions and retake territory. This emphasis resulted in a reorganisation of its ground force with emphasis on mobility and rapid reaction. Col. Yamamoto describes this as a “dynamic defence”. This has resulted in the development, acquisition and fielding of the Komatsu Type 96 wheeled APC, a Mobile Combat Vehicle (MCV) equipped with a 105mm gun and the planned procurement of US Combat Systems AAV7A1 amphibious APCs. These systems are key elements in the formation of a new amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (RDB) and the restructuring of other mechanised formations toward a more mobile posture. The Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) to be used by the JGDSF will be the same version as the AAV7A1 RAM/RS variants which are currently entering service with the US Marine Corps. These incorporate engine, suspension, and survivability improvements. Fielding the AAV7A1 will provide the JGSDF the ability to conduct beach assaults from amphibious ships and operations ashore. The JGSDF require-

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Japan’s rapid deployment forces will include an amphibious deployment brigade. The procurement of the US Combat Systems AAV7A1 RAM/RS will provide a true ship-to-shore assault capability for the brigade © USMC

ment is for 52 vehicles with deliveries being completed by 2020—an ambitious schedule. The Mobile Combat Vehicle (MCV) is fully indigenous and intended to provide deployable, highly mobile direct fire support. Col. Yamamoto, who is also an armour officer, suggested “the move to an eight-wheel drive direct fire vehicle reflected its ability to move rapidly on the well-developed road network in Japan, as well as its superior capability to be deployed by air and sea”. The MCV is equipped with a 105mm main gun. First unveiled in 2013, the MCV is scheduled to enter service in 2016 with a total production of 99 vehicles.

Taiwan

An emphasis on tactically deployable armoured forces is also a key part of Taiwan’s new defence approach. The Timoney CM-32 Clouded Leopard family of eight-wheel drive vehicles includes the Taiwan Infantry Fighting Vehicle (TIFV), a 120mm mortar carrier and a 105mm low pressure direct fire support vehicle using the same chassis. Series production by the Ordnance Readiness Development Centre began in 2007. The Army requirement is 1400 vehicles with 368 for delivery in 2017-18. An IFV version mounts a 20mm gun in a manned turret. The high commonality in the design and components between the APC and IFV systems offers

Japan’s MCV is fully indigenous and intended to provide highly mobile direct fire support

significant benefits in support and logistics. The CM-32 has a ‘V’ hull that provides mine and bomb protection. The introduction of the CM-32 series is expected to cost up to $1 billion. Timoney was involved in the design the system but it is to be manufactured locally. It not only replaces a number of much older combat vehicles with a platform boasting higher mobility and capability but addresses Taiwan’s objectives of becoming more selfsufficient in defence equipment.

27 tonne is quite a feat. It is speculated that it uses layered armour of S-2 glass fibre, ceramics and lightweight aluminium alloy. The K21’s chassis is also constructed of fibreglass to further reduce the weight. The semi-active in-arm suspension offers a smoother ride and enables higher crosscountry speeds. A K21 Product Improvement Programme (PIP) proposes an active protection and hard-kill anti-missile system. An additional PIP installs a larger engine. Existing plans call for 466 vehicles to be deployed up to 2016. The RoK Army began in 2013 to deploy what is expected to ultimately be about 2000 advanced wheeled armoured vehicles for its new rapid-response brigades. This is

Republic of Korea (RoK)

The RoK Army has been developing its own combat vehicles for some time. Drawing on its industry’s capabilities it has fielded its own MBTs the Hyundai K1 and K2, the Daewoo K200 and Doosan K21 tracked IFVs, and KW1 wheeled APC. Introduced in 2009 and manufactured by Doosan DST, the K21 is a true IFV with 30mm frontal and 14.5mm side ballistic protection, a two-man 40mm gun turret with coaxial machine gun and two thirdgeneration anti-tank missiles. Providing this level of protection in combat weight of

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

The Republic of Korea Army’s K21 Nextgeneration Infantry Fighting Vehicle is a true IFV with exceptional protection, a 40mm gun, anti-tank missiles and several self-protection systems. It is intended to directly support the K2 MBT as one part of its armoured force © Doosan

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Indonesia

The organisation of rapid response brigades is another part of the Republic of Korea’s Defence Reform 2020 initiative. The Rotem KW1 Scorpion six-wheel and eight-wheel drive APCs are the core platforms that will provide mobility © Hyundai Rotem

a key element of the Defence Reform 2020 programme in which the Army is to be network-centric with increased firepower and mobility. The new brigades will have the ability to move quickly into the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea to secure critical sites and stabilise captured areas. The KW1 Scorpion six-wheel drive vehicle is the core of these rapid response brigades. In November 2012 the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA), the RoK’s procurement organisa-

tion, awarded a contract to Rotem, a subsidiary of Hyundai, for final development and production of 600 APC variants. The KW1 uses a steel-armoured hull with a remote weapon station capable of mounting either a .50 calibre machine gun or 40mm grenade launcher. It has a crew of two (driver and commander/gunner) and carries ten dismounts. The vehicle, which weighs 16 tonnes, can swim using two hydro-jets. Deliveries are to begin in 2016 and will conclude in 2020.

The December 2012 $283 million contract awarded by the Indonesian Army to Rheinmetall includes both 102 Leopard MBTs and 42 upgraded Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles plus armoured support vehicles. Delivery began in 2014 and will continue until 2016. In addition, Indonesia is accepting the Tarantula, sixwheel drive armoured vehicle designed and manufactured by Doosan in the RoK as the result of a 2009 contract. The vehicle is based on the Black Fox (a candidate for the RoK Army but not selected). It is equipped with a CMI Defense Cockerill Mk.III 90mm gun turret. Twenty-two vehicles are to be delivered with half assembled in country.

Malaysia

The collaboration between FNSS of Turkey and Deftech, Malaysia’s local manufacturer for the AV-8 six-wheel drive vehicle is coming to fruition. AV-8 has been undergoing qualification testing and the company is scheduled to deliver twelve systems by the end of 2014. The total Malaysian requirement is for 257 units in up to twelve variants with production continuing until 2018. Variants include one with a 30mm/7.62mm stabilised turret (some of which will be equipped anti-tank guided missiles), a 25mm one-person turret model, a 12.7mm Remote Weapons Station (RWS) type, and a number of command, mortar and support versions. Initial production is being done by FNSS with an option for Deftech to assume production. The AV-8, designed with survivability in mind, would be a valued asset particularly with Malaysian Army forces in United Nations operations.

Singapore

Indonesia’s acquisition of 42 refurbished and upgraded Rheinmetall Marder 1A3 vehicles gives its army a modern IFV capability that complements the Leopard-2A MBTs also purchased from Rheinmetall. Deliveries of these vehicles began in 2014 © Rheintmetall

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

ST Kinetics has completed development of the Terrex eight-wheel drive Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) and is being fielded by the Singapore Army’s motorised infantry. The AV-81 version was followed in 2005 by the AV-82 with suspension improvements. The vehicle has a crew of two and carries up to twelve dismounts. Its remote controlled turret has a 40mm automatic grenade launcher with 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. It has 12.7mm basic ballistic protection that can be increased to 14.5mm

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with add-on armour, while the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hull protects against blasts. Its gross weight is 24000kg (52800lb). Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s army initially acquired 135 ICVs but the reorganisation of three infantry battalions to a motorised status may bring that closer to 300.

Australia

The ST-Kinetics Terrex eight-wheel drive vehicle is equipping three Singaporean infantry battalions as motorised units. It is also a candidate to fill the US Marine Corps requirement for a wheeled amphibious assault vehicle ÂŠ ST-Kinetics

The Australian Army relies on the BAE Systems M113AS4 and the General Dynamics ASLAV as its primary APC/IFV. Both are upgrades of vehicles acquired in the 1960s and 1990s respectively. With improvements they are expected to remain in service until at least 2020. The M113AS4 is â&#x20AC;&#x153;stretchedâ&#x20AC;? by an additional road wheel and has an armoured one-man heavy machine gun turret, a more powerful diesel engine, and a range of protection and survivability improvements like ceramic add-on plates, spall liners, and additional belly armour. The ASLAV is in service with the US Marine Corps and the Canadian Army

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Australia’s BAE Systems M113AS4 will remain in service beyond 2020 as the armoured forces’ IFV. A number of vehicles in the fleet have been upgraded until a successor IFV proposed in the Land 400 program is defined, developed and fielded © Australian Department of Defence

with some unique modifications like larger tires, a different exhaust, customised stowage and crew climate control. Some ASLAVs variants deployed to Afghanistan were outfitted with Kongsberg RWSs. Australia’s LAND400 program will deliver a Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV), IFV (IFV) and Manoeuvre Support Vehicle (MSV) to replace the ASLAV and M113AS4 is awaiting approval (please see Jonathan Tringham’s ‘Australian Aspirations’ article in this issue).

United States

The US Army has had difficulty moving ambitious armoured vehicle development programmes like FSV (Fire Support Vehicle) and GVC (Ground Combat Vehicle) forward. It is, however, building on successful efforts providing bomb and mine blast protection to its General Dynamics Stryker armoured vehicles using the double ‘V’ hull. The US Army is using this opportunity to introduce a range of other upgrades. As Tim Reese, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) business development manager, described “the upgrades introduced to Stryker beginning in 2017 will recover performance, improve survivability, and enhance the compatibility of the system with new digital technologies. Overall the

effort provides ‘better than original’ capability at a much lower investment.” The programme upgrades the suspension to 27270kg (60000lbs) and adds a new engine and alternator. A ‘digital backbone’ is also provided allowing crew stations to share data and video. The only US Army new acquisition is the BAE Systems Amour Protected Multipurpose Vehicle (AMPV) to replace remaining M113s in the armoured brigades in mortar, medical, command and control and other support roles. The AMPV requirements in key areas favoured a tracked vehicle. For example, it needed to traverse rice paddies in the RoK which would be difficult for a wheeled vehicle. This emphasis is interesting given that the RoK Army is introducing its own six-wheel drive armoured vehicle similar to the Stryker. The US Marines plan upgrades to their General Dynamics Light Armoured Vehicle fleet. These improvements sometimes referred to as a SLEP (Service Life

Recurring themes in APC and IFV fielding are providing mobility with increased survivability l

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Extension Programme), will be the fourth since its 1983 fielding. They are intended to extend its service life to 2035. The upgrades will bring all LAVs to Generation III level. The focus here is on enhancing survivability, regaining performance and addressing obsolescence of components like the engine and transmission. The Canadian Army, another major user of the LAV, has a similar improvement and upgrade programme covering 616 vehicles called LAV UP. The Marines are moving forward on their Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme. Its Expeditionary Force 21 concept released in 2014 includes both an improvement programme for the AAV7 RAM/RS and the introduction of a new wheeled combat vehicle known as the ACV. The AAV7s will get new belly armour, blast-resistant seats and other improvements. The first upgraded AAVs are to be delivered in 2019. The ACV will be conducted in phases with Phase 1.1 evaluating vehicles during testing in 2016. Final performance requirements may be influenced by the results of these tests. Nevertheless, the ACV is primarily an armoured amphibious infantry carrier.

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The US Army General Dynamics Stryker armoured vehicle is undergoing a series of upgrades by its manufacturer, designed to enhance survivability issues highlighted in Iraq and Afghanistan and to regain performance and address obsolescence 息 US Army

Trends

Recurring themes in APC and IFV fielding are in providing operational and tactical mobility with increased survivability. This is recognition of new mission challenges in defending national interests and international participation and the objective of reducing force size and costs. The APV, IFV and FSV, particularly those based on wheeled platforms, are seen as ways to enhance combat utility and efficiency by levering the manoeuvrability of such units. Their capability to quickly move combat power and to deploy suggests this will remain a trend over the coming decade.

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O P E R A T I O N S

Where it all began. The utility of the hovercraft to support military operations received a shot in the arm in the 1960s when Bell commenced licence production of Saunders Roe’s SR.N5 hovercraft for US Navy and US Army use as the SK-6 © Griffon Hoverwork

A LOT LESS BOTHER WITH A HOVER

“The navy said it was a plane, not a boat. The air force said it was a boat, not a plane, and the army was ‘plain not interested’,” said Sir Christopher Cockerell the British inventor of the hovercraft summing up the initial military reaction to his idea.

by Thomas Withington

t is almost 60 years since SR.N1, the world’s first working hovercraft, performed its maiden flight across the English Channel on 25 July 1959. Today, this ingenuous invention is in widespread use with militaries around the world, particularly those in the AsiaPacific region, for a wide array of tasks in the amphibious and open sea domains. The principle behind the hovercraft’s operation is achingly simple: Large down-

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ward-facing fans mounted beneath the floor of the hovercraft blow vast quantities of air above the surface over which it is travelling, be it land, sea, ice, snow or swamp. This air is prevented from escaping by a flexible skirt which surrounds the hovercraft’s body. Thus the air enclosed within the skirt has a higher pressure than the atmospheric air surrounding the hovercraft. This causes the hovercraft to lift on a cushion of air. This is why hovercraft,

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

in their early days, were perceived as aircraft rather than marine craft given that they technically ‘fly’ on a cushion of air, albeit at an altitude of a few inches. Forward momentum is achieved via fans mounted at the rear of the hovercraft with steering provided by rudders mounted behind the fans, or by vectoring the fans in the desired direction. For military operators, hovercraft bring a number of key benefits. First and

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foremost, they can travel comfortably over almost any surface. Border patrol is one mission for which hovercraft are promoted. Mike Glanville, global sales and marketing manager for Hov Pod, based in Southampton, United Kingdom, says that compared to purchasing helicopters for border monitoring, hovercraft are very attractive with the possibility to purchase several hovercraft for the price of a single military utility helicopter. Given the high speeds that hovercraft can achieve (the firm’s Carbon Infinity can reach 35 knots/64 kilometres-per-hour), reaction times can be similarly quick as they would be when using a helicopter. Secondly, Mr. Glanville adds that “hovercraft are not buffeted by waves. They float on air and are

very stable.” This makes them attractive for the employment of weapons and optronics. The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed more than its fair share of natural disasters in recent years. On 3 November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Philippines killing over 6300 people. Militaries are increasingly called upon to provide humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of such calamities. Mr. Glanville says that small hovercraft can be airlifted to a disaster area and then used to deliver humanitarian aid; a particularly useful capability when an inundation has occurred. In addition, hovercraft, Mr. Glanville says, are unlikely to be adversely affected by the detritus which can litter the waters of a disaster area. “Hovercraft have no propellers to snag on underwater obstacles such as wire fences, or get immobilised on floating debris such as plastic bags and rice sacks.” For amphibious operations they represent a fast way of getting to the beach “enabling troops and vehicles to disembark on land without the need for additional infrastructure,” notes Selina Coombe, marketing manager at Griffon Hoverwork (see below). An additional benefit is the hovercraft’s ability to operate discreetly. “With low noise and wash levels a hovercraft can

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Hov Pod’s Carbon Infinity 120HP Turbo hovercraft is a new product to be launched by the company in 2015. The firm says that its design is the world’s first production carbon fibre military hovercraft © Hov Pod

move without drawing attention to the operation,” Ms. Coombe adds, while their ability to glide on a cushion of air renders them immune to sea mines. Speed is also of the essence where hovercraft are concerned. ABS Hovercraft (see below) told AMR that “for hovercraft, high-speed cruising is the standard mode of operation (which) means a single craft can cover much more coastline in the same period of time.” Furthermore, hovercraft are not affected by water currents and, because of this, “travel up river as fast as they can travel down river.” ABS Hovercraft says that such capabilities add up to a craft which can perform a range of missions including “border patrol and surveillance, policing and customs enforcement, marine interdiction and troop transport.”

The Fan Club

Military involvement with the hovercraft commenced in shortly after the SR.N1 (see above) performed its first flight across the English Channel with the establishment of

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A true air-cushioned monster, the Almaz Zubr remains the world’s largest military hovercraft. It can reach speeds of 63 knots (116km/h) and is capable of displacing up to 555,000kg (1,221,000lb). It is in service with the Chinese, Russian, Ukrainian and Hellenic navies © US Navy

the Hovercraft Trials Unit (HTU) which evaluated the hovercraft on behalf of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the British Army. Interest around the world in the hovercraft deepened, and in the 1960s Saunders-Roe (which built the SR.N1) licensed Bell to produce its SR.N5 hovercraft in the United States designating it the SK-6. These craft were known in US Navy service as the PACV (Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle) and they served extensively during the US involvement in the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1975. These hovercraft were also deployed by the US Army during the conflict both as a weapons and logistics platforms, proving their impressive utility in the swamps and distributaries comprising the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. Bell later moved forward with their own design known as the SK-10. This would form the basis of the Textron Landing Craft Air Cushion or ‘LCAC’ used by the US Marine Corps (USMC) and the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) to support amphibious operations (see below). Beyond the USMC and the JMSDF, several Asia-Pacific nations operate military hovercraft including the Russian Navy with their Almaz Zubr, the world’s largest hovercraft, and the Type722II class LCAC operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China.

Hov Pod

Hov Pod is based on the south coast of the United Kingdom near Southampton close to the route of the UK’s only commercial public hovercraft service linking Southsea, on the English mainland, to the Isle of Wight, a journey which takes around ten minutes. The company produces two hovercraft designs for military applications, the four-seat SPX TCC and the seven-seat Carbon Infinity. Mr. Glanville says that one thing which makes Hov Pod’s designs exceptional is that “(o)ur hovercraft are manufactured from High Density Polyethylene and Carbon Fibre/Kevlar composite. This makes them extremely strong, exceptionally buoyant and provides better power-to-weight performance. Other military hovercraft are constructed from aluminium and have heavier engines.” This reduction in weight brings important benefits for military operators, Mr. Glanville continues, “Hovercraft are very weight sensitive: think fat man, thin man. At the Olympics, track athletes are lean, tall and thin. Shot putters and weight-lifters are

The US Navy’s PACVs served extensively during the US involvement in Vietnam l

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stocky and consume more calories. Larger hovercraft consume more energy to carry their weight, so are not very agile.” The firm’s products have been supplied to humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross and the United Nations World Food Programme, and the Prefectura Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Prefectura), the country’s coast guard.

Griffon Hoverwork

Neighbours of Hov Pod on the UK’s south coast, in an area synonymous with hovercraft production since the now-defunct British Hovercraft Corporation which produced military and civilian hovercraft between 1966 and 1984 was located there, is Griffon Hoverwork. The firm is a leader in the production of military hovercraft, as well as their civilian counterparts. It produces a range of hovercraft which, Ms. Coombes stresses, can be used in either a civilian or military role. Small craft in the company’s catalogue capable of carrying up to 996 kilograms (2191 pounds) of payload include the 380TD and 995ED. Four hovercraft comprise the medium-lift range, notably the 2000TD, 2400TD, 8000TD and 8100TD. These have a payload of between 2000-12000kg (4400-5455lb). Finally, the firm’s heavy-lift range includes the BHT which is produced to carry freight and passengers, or be equipped with a well

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snow. When flying over ice, this hovercraft can even reach speeds of 43 knots (80km/h). When using a single tank of fuel, the hovercraft has an endurance of up to 3.4 hours, which translates into a range of 104nm (193km/h). The payload of the six-person Hovertrek increases to 466kg (1025lb). However, the increase in payload is not at the expense of speed, with this hovercraft achieving a similar performance to the four-person model. On one fuel tank the six-person Hovertrek has an endurance of 3.6 hours. Military customers for Neoteric’s hovercraft include the United States Air Force which has its products deployed with the Fire and Rescue Service for the Utah Test and Training Range in that state.

Griffon Hoverwork’s hovercraft equip military customers around the world. The Royal Marines use the company’s 2400TD design which can carry a payload of 2400kg (5280lb) at speeds of up to 35 knots (65km/h) © Griffon Hoverwork

deck. Payloads of up to 22500kg (49500lb) can be accommodated by these machines. The company is currently producing eight 8000TD models which are destined for the Armada Nacional de la República de Colombia (Colombian Navy). In the Asia-Pacific, the firm’s hovercraft equip the coast guards of India, Pakistan and the Republic of Korea. Meanwhile, the firm’s 2400TD machine is used by the Royal Marines. This can carry loads of up to 2400kg (5280lb). Even with a full payload this hovercraft can still achieve speeds of 35 knots (65km/h).

LCAC

Neoteric Hovercraft

Although hovercraft design and production is one industry in which the UK leads, design, development and production of air-cushioned vehicles is by no means limited to Great Britain. Based in Terre Haute, Indiana, Neoteric Hovercraft offer four-person and six-person machines under their Hovertrek banner. The four-person hovercraft can carry a maximum weight of 340kg (750lb) and reach speeds of up to 39 knots (72km/h) across mudflats, calm water and firm

Textron’s LCAC hovercraft has been in service with the USMC since 1986 with a total of 91 being constructed. The craft is capable of carrying a payload of up to 68000kg (149,600lb) at speeds of over 40 knots. It has a range of circa 200nm (370km) when operating at such speeds. On 2 October 2014, the US Navy announced that it had completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the new command, control, communications and navigation suite which is being installed on the LCAC. The upgrade improves the

ABS Hovercraft

Joining Griffon Hoverwork and Hov Pod in the ‘Hovercraft Cluster’ on the south coast of the UK is ABS Hovercraft. Its flagship military product is its M10. The firm tells AMR that this design can travel in excess of 40 knots (70km/h) fully laden with a payload of 10000kg (22000lb) using only 1400 horsepower. This means that “fuel consumption is much, much lower than that of a conventional fast patrol boat at a similar payload capacity.” Like Hov Pod’s wares (see above), ABS Hovercraft’s M10 uses state-of-the-art materials; in this case carbon fibre, Kevlar and glass fibre to keep weight down. The M10 has been supplied to militaries around the world, but the company demurs from providing additional details for reasons of confidentiality.

The United States Marine Corps’ Textron LCAC hovercraft have been in use since 1986, with 81 currently in service from an original production run of 91. They are currently undergoing major improvements to their navigation, and command and control systems © US Navy

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O P E R A T I O N S Command and Control (C2) systems used by the crew to safely navigate the hovercraft, and to connect with other navy and military assets. At the core of the upgrade is a modular, scalable architecture which should enable the LCAC’s C2 equipment to be upgraded with relative ease as it moves through the remainder of its service life. With the CDR complete, the navy now has a production standard for the C2 equipment which will be rolled out across the USMC LCAC fleet as part of the System Baseline Configuration-Four (SBC-4) initiative as the upgrade is known. Taking its cue from the world of military aviation, SBC-4 installs a glass cockpit onboard the LCAC along with fly-by-wire controls. A number of navigation sensors including the hovercraft’s radar, an inertial navigation system and a primary and secondary Global Positioning System are federated to provide the crew with a highly accurate depiction of their position. It will also be easier for the crew to monitor the health of the craft thanks to the integration of almost 200 sensors which monitor the performance of the LCAC’s systems. Despite the SBC-4 upgrade, which will be rolled out across the fleet of the 81 LCACs which remain in service with the USMC, they will begin to be retired from 2019, by which time the USMC expects to have around 50 LCACs still in service. This number is expected to be reduced further to around 40 by 2026. These 40 LCACs will then be progressively retired as the US Navy’s LCAC replacement, the LCAC-1000 SSC (Ship-toShore Connector) begins to enter service. The US Navy expects to eventually procure up to 72 of these craft, with nine currently under construction by Textron. The firm, together with L3 Communications, won the contract to produce the LCAC-1000 in July 2012, beating competition from a rival team which included Boeing, Griffon Hoverwork (see above) and Marinette Marine Corporation shipbuilders of Marinette, Wisconsin. Textron’s design reaches 35 knots and can carry up to 74000kg (160,600lb) giving it an increase in carriage compared to the LCAC, although at the expense of a slight decrease in speed when compared to its predecessor.

The Textron LCAC hovercraft currently in service with the USMC will eventually be replaced by Textron’s new LCAC-1000. As of November 2014 nine of these craft were under construction, with the force eventually expected to receive 72 examples © Textron

As of November 2014, Textron had been given the go-ahead by the US Navy to commence the construction of the first nine LCAC-1000 examples. These are expected to be delivered to the US Navy from 2017, and should achieve an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) from 2020. The contract awarded to Textron in July 2012 covers the construction of the nine craft and is worth $212.7 million. In addition to

The US Navy expects to eventually procure up to 72 LCAC-1000 craft

the craft’s construction, the contract covers the design work for the LCAC-1000. The contract also includes the option for the construction of a further eight LCAC1000s which, if exercised, could take the total contract value to $570.4 million. The LCAC-1000 has a unit cost of $47.6 million, although this increases to $55.7 million when research and development funding is factored in. They will be capable of being flown by two people using fly-by-wire controls. Construction will

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use composite materials and aluminium to improve their resistance to erosion. One design feature to be installed on the LCAC-1000 from the tenth example onwards will be the capability for the craft to launch vehicles directly into the water, rather than having to land on the beach to disgorge cargo. This capability will become standard from all new LCAC1000s after the tenth example is produced towards the end of this decade, and will then be retrofitted onto existing LCAC1000s already in service. Current plans announced by the US Navy call for the USMC, on whose behalf it is procuring the vessels, to have a 60strong fleet of LCAC-1000s by 2031, with this figure rising to 72 by 2034. Given that the LCAC-1000 has a projected 30-year lifespan, the US Navy will not need to think about replacing its oldest LCAC1000s until the 2053 timeframe, based on an IOC of 2023. By this time Sir Christopher’s idea will be almost 100 years old. It’s clear that, contrary to his experiences in the 1950s, the militaries of the world clearly remain keenly interested in his brainchild.

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SHARPENING THE TIGER’S TEETH

As a resurgent India seeks to achieve transformative growth and development, it is pursuing, albeit belatedly, a robust defence strategy and policies aimed at addressing the conventional and non-conventional security challenges faced by it.

by Sarosh Bana

oncerned by the critical gaps in the tactical and strategic defences of its armed forces that have hitherto been largely served by vintage Soviet-era military hardware and by the concerted expansion of the offensive capabilities of both Pakistan and China on its frontiers, India is unveiling a massive programme to modernise its arsenal. Global arms vendors and also domestic companies are antici-

(NDB). In June 2014 Narendra Modi dedicated India’s largest warship, the 44500 tonne Russian-built aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, to the nation in his first outing after becoming Prime Minister on 26 May 2014. India launched its first indigenously-made carrier, the 37500 tonne INS Vikrant in August 2013, three years behind schedule. She will now join the Indian Navy by 2018 after extensive trials starting in 2016. With the commissioning of

marines (SSKs) under technology transfer agreement from France’s DCNS shipbuilders. The deal was signed in 2005 and the first submarine, which commenced construction in 2006, is set for launch in September 2015 and for commissioning in 2016. The remaining five SSKs will join the service at intervals of one year until 2012. MDL chairman and managing director, Rear Admiral (retired) RK Shrawat, says his company will also bid for the $8.1 billion Project-75 India (P-75I) tender for con-

pating market estimations that India will spend $250 billion over the next decade to upgrade its military arsenal. These firms are exploring viable options to win business as part of consortia, as joint ventures (JVs) and as public-private partnerships.

INS Vikramaditya, in November 2013, the navy once again has two carriers after a gap of 17 years; one each for the western and eastern seaboards. Its previous carriers include the ex-Royal Navy ship INS Vikrant (formerly HMS Hercules), commissioned in 1961 and paid off in 1997, and her sister ship INS Viraat (formerly HMS Hermes) which has been sailing with the Indian Navy since 1987 and will be decommissioned once the new INS Vikrant joins the service. MDL is also executing Project-75 (P-75), the $3.8 billion order for six ‘Scorpene2000’ class conventional hunter-killer sub-

struction of six more SSKs. “The major drawback in Indian shipbuilding had been its archaic infrastructure, which is now being diligently modernised with the attendant skills in design,” he notes. “MDL just concluded its $129 million Mazdock Modernisation Project designed to significantly enhance the warship and submarine construction capability of the shipyard.” DCNS India managing director Bernard Buisson says this is the first contract his company is implementing entirely in the client country. “Submarine manufacture is

Naval Enhancements

Commissioned in August 2014, the indigenously designed and constructed INS Kolkata is the lead ship of three eponymous class of destroyers for the Indian Navy. The 6800 tonne warship was built by India’s Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) and designed by the Naval Design Bureau

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a highly specialised high technology endeavour and DCNS has been very satisfied with the competency and astuteness of our Indian partner,” he remarks. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Robin K. Dhowan concedes that the Indian Navy’s existing conventional submarines are ageing. “But the good news is that the construction of the P-75 submarines at MDL is picking up speed and is being closely monitored,” he points out. “Due to the

and becoming more potent in the coming few years,” he adds. The Indian Navy has over 40 warships on order in Indian shipyards at a cost of over $32.3 billion. The problem is that frontline Indian warships are being commissioned without an adequate “area defence weapon” because of production and induction delays of such a capability. The $420 million project for the joint development of a Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) system by the MoD’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) had been sanctioned in 2005, but was tested only towards the end of 2014. This missile, with an interception range of 38 nautical miles (70 kilometres), is being developed for both the Indian and Israeli navies and is a generation ahead of the five nautical mile (nine kilometres) range IAI Barak-I Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) that equips 14 Indian Navy warships at present. The delay was caused by technological challenges regarding the missile’s rocket motors. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is similarly hamstrung by the delay in the Medium-Range-SAM (MR-SAM) project worth $1.6 billion sanctioned in 2009 for joint production by the DRDO and IAI. The two SAM systems are now slated for induction from 2016 onwards.

Army Modernisation

delays in new submarine projects, we have also taken up the Medium Refit-cum-Life Certification of a few older submarines to retain their technological and tactical edge, while the case for the next lot of submarines under P75I is also being progressed actively.” Adm. Dhowan believes the proposal for construction of all submarines in India, which is being examined by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), will substantially boost indigenisation in this critical sector. “We, therefore, see our submarine force levels increasing

The Cabinet Committee on Security has yet to approve the on-going Twelfth Defence Plan covering 2012-17 and the Long-term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) covering 2007-22. Without these essential approvals, defence procurement is being performed through ad hoc annual procurement programmes rather than being based on prioritised long-term planning. Amber Dubey, partner and India head of aerospace and defence at KPMG, a consultancy, believes India’s ammunition reserves will last only 20 days in the event of a two-front war. More ominously, General (retired) VK Singh, the army’s former chief of staff, wrote to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March 2012 about the “critical hollowness” in the

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army’s operational preparedness. Gen. Singh informed Mr. Singh that many of the weapons and equipment used by the army were obsolete or bordering on obsolescence. In particular, he specified that the artillery and air defence arms urgently required modern guns, missiles and radars, while the aviation corps needed new helicopters to replace the ageing fleet. Imports have been the mainstay of India’s defences; 70 percent of the defence capital budget is spent on imports of

The IAF’s Dassault Mirage 2000H fleet is undergoing an extensive $3 billion upgrade which includes equipping them with advanced avionics, mission computers and a pulse Doppler radar capable of identifying objects at a range of 70 nautical miles (103 kilometres) © Indian Air Force

materiel. This is in spite of generous outlays to the DRDO and its 52 laboratories, India’s 41 ordnance factories and its eight Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) which have failed to foster a credible Defence Industrial Base (DIB), or military industry. Compounded by non-accountability, such drawbacks have impeded ambitious programmes that range from the construction of aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, multi-role combat and trainer aircraft and helicopter gunships to main battle tanks and cyber warfare infrastructure.

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The Su-30MKI multi-role combat aircraft forms the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s fleet. By 2016-17 the IAF will operate 272 Su-30MKIs from various bases in the north, east and northeast of the country © Indian Air Force

With the failure of the DRDO to develop indigenous technology and guided by Mr. Modi’s catchphrase of ‘Make in India’ to enhance self-reliance by spurring domestic manufacture, the MoD is keen to marshal private enterprise in its pursuit of military modernisation. Recently, it raised the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector from 26 to 49 per cent to encourage partnerships between domestic and foreign arms manufacturers.

New Partners

Over the past few years, the United States, and also Israel and France, have evolved as major armament suppliers to India, which until then had relied heavily on the erstwhile Soviet Union and later Russia, with which it had abiding ties bolstered by a convenient rupee-rouble trade link. This has been a vicious cycle. Over-dependence on imports has restrained development of a substantive DIB, while the shortcomings of the state enterprises in indigenising materiel have ensured that India remains a purchaser rather than a manufacturer. Nikhil Gandhi, non-executive chairman of Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd (PDOC), notes that though this practice of large-scale imports ensures timely deliveries, it renders India entirely dependent on overseas supply of spares and after-sales support that are highly critical in times of conflict. “If the

same weapons are made in India, with foreign collaboration, we will be protected against the whims of any foreign government or company,” he explains. Sweden’s Saab has made a strategic investment of $32.3 million in PDOC, which, after foraying into naval shipbuilding in 2010, is now diversifying its capabilities. PDOC will also bid for the P-75I submarine construction tender (see above), identifying a foreign partner once the specifications for the six SSKs expected to be fitted with advanced Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) are clear.

Meeting the challenge

India, with the world’s second largest standing army of over one million, after China’s 1.5 million, has for some years been the world’s biggest purchaser of arms. The country’s defence budget is 1.8 percent of the gross domestic product, in contrast to 2.5 percent for China and 3.5 percent for Pakistan. Moreover, only about 40 percent of India’s defence budget, $37 billion for 2013-14, is earmarked for capital acquisition and upgrades, the balance being

There is tremendous scope for the Indian private sector to play a much bigger role in defence l

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apportioned towards salaries, pensions and other day-to-day equipment. Mr. Dubey says that India’s ‘Big Five’ companies, namely, Tata, Larsen and Toubro, Mahindra, Godrej and Walchandnagar, are already supplying to the defence forces. “They’ve shown capability to develop and also absorb technology and scale up production processes to serve the needs of our defence forces,” he remarks. “The biggest of them, Tata, has shown remarkable capability to tie-up with foreign vendors like Airbus, Boeing, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin.” These firms, through JVs and consortia, are vying for most of the multi-billion dollar defence contracts on offer. MV Kotwal, director and president of heavy engineering at Larsen and Toubro, says his company sees opportunities of $18-20 billion in both the Indian Army and navy. He mentions that since 2002 his company is the only corporation in India with licences to manufacture the entire range of defence equipment for all four services, including the Indian Coast Guard. The company fabricated the hull and other critical components of India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant, a project under development since 1998, and has invested $643.4 million in the Kutapalli shipyard on the east coast where it intends to build the P75I submarines, if it wins the contract esti-

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Commissioned in August 2014, the INS Kolkata, the lead ship in her class of 6800tonne destroyers equipping the Indian Navy has been built by Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Ltd and designed by the Indian Navy’s Naval Design Bureau © Indian Navy

mated at between $8-10 billion, along with other naval orders. Tata’s defence business generated $387 million in turnover for the group in 2013, and the 14 group companies involved in the sector have an order book exceeding $1.3 billion, says Mukund Rajan, brand custodian and chief ethics officer at the company. “There is tremendous scope for the Indian private sector to play a much bigger role in defence,” he remarks. “The private sector today has a relatively small percentage share of the total Indian defence spend, and significantly less than in many other countries.” Tata and Larsen and Toubro are bidding for India’s biggest ever indigenous defence contract, the $8.1 billion Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme. This contract for 2600 FICVs was conceived in 2009 under the ‘Make in India’ banner, but the Letter of Intent (LoI) was suddenly withdrawn in 2012, only to be revived recently, by which time the United Kingdom’s BAE Systems opted out of its JV with Mahindra Defence Systems, citing undue delay. Numerous other Indian companies with their JVs are competing for this project that is intended to replace the army’s 2600 BMP-2 armoured vehicles that have been in use since the 1980s.

Another major contract is the $6.5 billion Battle Management System (BMS) that will integrate all surveillance resources available at the battalion or regiment level, including from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and ground sensors. It will also pinpoint the locations of friendly and hostile troops and key weapons platforms as well as facilitate terrain analysis to achieve improved situational awareness. The Request for Expression of Interest (REoI) was issued in 2013 to 14 contenders, including Larsen

and Toubro and Tata. These companies have formed four consortia that submitted their detailed responses in April 2014. Evaluations by the MoD of these responses are under evaluation, based on which the MoD will shortlist two contenders, each of whom will be tasked to develop four BMS prototypes for mountain, jungle, plains and desert operations. Yet another major contract, alongside the BMS programme discussed above, is for the $1.6 billion Tactical Communication System (TCS) that will replace the ageing Army Radio Engineering Network (AREN). It was in 1996 that the Indian Army sought to perform an urgent replacement of this communications backbone. The MoD has shortlisted two consortia comprising state-owned Bharat Electricals Ltd with a private Special Purpose Company (SPC), and Larsen and Toubro, Tata and HCL Infosystems. Both have submitted detailed project reports and after evaluation will have to build two prototypes of the TCS, seven of which will be built for the seven army commands. These will then be put to trials and the selected competitor will produce the entire TCS.

New Aircraft

India’s largest defence deal so far has been the $22 billion (including lifecycle costs) contract won in January 2012 by France’s Dassault for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian

The first of the six ‘Scorpene 2000’ SSKs are being built by MDL under a technology transfer agreement from France. Work on this boat began in 2006 and she is set for launch in September 2015, and expected to commission by 2016 © DCNS

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An Indian Navy MiG-29 multi-role combat aircraft performing flight trials onboard the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier © Indian Navy

Air Force (IAF). The process had begun in 2005 with a request for information issued by the IAF for a new MRCA to replace the vintage Soviet-era MiG-21 MRCA that had been its mainstay since the early 1980s. The IAF is now hamstrung by a depleted fleet of just 34 combat squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 39.5, but negotiations between the Indian government and the manufacturer have stalled over pricing and guarantee clauses. While 18 are to be purchased outright, the remaining 108 are to be built under transfer of technology by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Dassault has been reluctant to accept responsibility for these fighters to be built by HAL as far as liquidity damages and timelines for production are concerned, contending it cannot guarantee what HAL produces. The last 60 planes are to have 90 per cent Indian content. Arijit Ghosh, president of Honeywell Aerospace India, says the partnership his company has forged with Tata for local production of the Honeywell-patented Tactical Advanced Land Inertial Navigator (TALIN) system will fill a significant gap in India’s defences, in alliance with the ‘Make in India’ policy. “TALIN enables vehicles and artillery to navigate very precisely,

even where global positioning system satellite guidance is not available, to increase troop safety and maximise mission success,” he says. “The TALIN co-production builds on a long history of working with India in India to develop locally produced technologies.” Another firm that cherishes its ties with India is Rolls-Royce. Steven Gillard, its vice president, defence customer business, says his company has worked together with India’s armed forces since 1933, when the IAF took to the skies with Rolls-Royce Bristol Jupiter engines which powered the

The Honeywell Aerospace-Tata joint venture locally produces the Honeywell-patented Tactical Advanced Land Inertial Navigator. This is a land forces navigation system which enables vehicles and artillery to navigate precisely © Honeywell

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The IAF is hamstrung by a depleted fleet of just 34 combat squadrons

Westland Wapiti aircraft of the Indian Air Force’s 1 squadron from April 1933. “Over the past 60 years, Rolls-Royce and HAL have produced a wide range of engines together for various military applications, like the Adour Mk.811 that has powered the SEPECAT Jaguar ground attack aircraft since 1981 and Adour Mk.871 that has since 2008 been powering the new BAE Systems Hawk-132 Advanced Jet Trainer, used to train the next-generation Indian pilots,” he notes. Mr. Dubey believes India needs to adequately militarise in the context of the threat scenario it faces on two fronts. China, for instance, is a generation ahead when it comes to militarisation and the gap is increasing, he says, adding that Pakistan receives more than half its defence equipment from China. He feels the need for India to step up its defence modernisation and indigenisation programme with a focus on future technologies like stealth, unmanned systems, satellite surveillance and cyber-warfare.

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REGIONAL AIR FORCE DIRECTORY 2015

PLANE SPEAKING

Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) shares his thoughts in this introduction regarding procurement trends and force structures affecting air power in the Asia-Pacific region.

The maiden flight of the first Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II multi-role combat aircraft took place on the 29 September 2014. The pilot was Alan Norman of Lockheed Martin and the flight lasted two hours © Lockheed Martin

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everal Asia Pacific states are in the process of recapitalising their combat aircraft fleets at the same time as the geo-strategic landscape is being re-shaped by the emergence of China as a regionally dominant power, and as Beijing invests heavily in its own air capabilities. Comparative defence expenditure in the region has in fact been outstripping that of Europe in recent years as reflected in recent issues of the IISS’s Military Balance. This is part simply a function of purchasing more capable—and generally more expensive— defence equipment, but is also symptomatic of the security concerns of those states investing in advanced systems. China continues to develop air power commensurate with what it sees as its national status. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force is no longer a poorly equipped mass force tasked only with air defence of the home territory, even if it was incapable of carrying this role out adequately. Instead it is an increasingly well equipped—and better trained— service tasked with defensive and offensive air operations in a ‘joint’ environment with a mix of Russian and locally-designed fourthgeneration Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) as the core of its force. It also continues to develop a range of reconnaissance aircraft, while moving to bolster its limited airto-air refuelling and airlift fleets. It has continued to modernise the Xian H-6 strategic bomber, with long-range land attack cruise missiles. Naval aviation, meanwhile, continues to develop though a genuine carrier-borne strike capability remains some years off. Chinese developments remain the main, but not the only, regional factor as other actors address air force modernisation and development needs. The Republic of Korea’s (ROK) pressing security issue is its northern neighbour, while in Japan concerns cover the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s growing military capabilities. There are also bilateral tensions among a number of countries. Territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas involving China and several other nations are resulting in a renewed focus on maritime air power. China, the Republic of Korea and Japan all have MRCA development programmes underway. Beijing’s Chengdu J-20 air superiority fighter is at a more advanced stage of

development than its medium-weight counterpart, the Shenyang J-31. Tokyo and Seoul, meanwhile, are considering national projects as a complement to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning-II MRCA which both countries have already selected. Whether their respective national ambitions are ever fully realised remains a matter for conjecture. Other regional customers for the F-35 include Australia, while a Singaporean order is likely. The planned F-35 purchases are part of broader defence relationships with the US that continues to see Washington as a key guarantor of regional security and stability.

AFGHANISTAN

AFGHAN AIR FORCE 2 active+18 EMB-314 (A-29) Super planned Tucano ground attack aircraft 5+5 planned Antonov AN-32, turboprop freighter. Operational but not in use 26 Cessna 208B turboprop transport 3 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules turboprop freighter 43 Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift utility helicopter 11 Mil Mi-35 attack helicopter 2+1 ordered Aérospatiale/Airbus Helicopters SA-315B Lama light utility helicopter 10 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 5+12 ordered MD Helicopters MD-530F reconnaissance helicopter. One of the original six delivered has been destroyed. Six new MD-530Fs to be delivered during 2015. 3 Boeing 727 turbofan transport, being acquired from Ariana Afghan Airlines AFGHAN SPECIAL MISSION WING 10+8 ordered Pilatus PC-12NG turboprop transport 55 Mil Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter NOTES: Afghanistan’s young air force has dramatically increased the amount of cargo and personnel it is capable of carrying and has

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

tripled the number of casualty evacuation missions it has flown in 2014, achieving near self-sufficiency. Until recently, Afghanistan had relied significantly on US military assistance for the above-mentioned tasks and the progress is a direct result of the country’s pivotal role in the war against Taliban insurgents.

AUSTRALIA

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE 55 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18A Hornet MRCA 16 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18B MRCA aircraft. Both types will be replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA in 2018. 24+12 planned Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet MRCA achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC) in December 2012. Pending order for twelve new-built Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. 18 Lockheed Martin AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft 6 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III turbofan freighter 12 Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules turboprop freighter 5 Airbus KC-30A tanker 2 accepted Lockheed Martin F-35A 72 planned Lightning-II MRCA. Australia has committed to acquire 72 F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft at a cost of more than $12bn to replace RAAF’s aging F/A-18A/B Hornet fleet (see above). 100 F-35As were originally planned. 8 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 turboprop transport. Interim capability to cover the retirement of the DeHavilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou turboprop freighter. 60 Pilatus PC-9A, turboprop trainer 2 accepted Alenia Aermacchi C-27J

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BANGLADESH

The Royal Australian Air Force is a major operator of the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18 Hornet family of multi-role combat aircraft. The air force operates over 100 examples of these jets ÂŠ US Air Force

10 planned

33 6 2 4 Number not disclosed

Spartan turboprop freighter. The Australian Defence Minister announced the purchase of ten C-27Js in May 2012. The C-27s are expected to be delivered starting from 2015. Initial operating capability expected for late 2016. BAE Systems Hawk 127 lead-in jet trainer Boeing E-7A Wedgetail (737700) AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) Boeing 737 BBJ turbofan transport PC-9 turboprop trainer Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY AVIATION CORPS 19 Bell Helicopter 206B-1 Kiowa light utility helicopter. To be partially replaced by the Airbus Helicopters EC-665ARH Tiger attack helicopter. 6+7 ordered Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift helicopter. Seven CH-47Fs ordered to replace the six CH-47Ds to be delivered by 2017. 22 Airbus Helicopters Tiger EC-665 ARH attack helicopter 34 Sikorsky SA-70A Black Hawks/UH-60A mediumlift utility helicopter 22+25 ordered NH Industries NH-90 medium-lift utility helicopter. Total of 45 on order, including six for the Royal

Australian Navy, to replace the retired AgustaWestland Sea King Mk-50. Bell Helicopter 206 training helicopter Airbus Helicopters AS-350 light utility helicopter AAI RQ-7B Shadow UAV

12 12 2

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY 14 Sikorsky S-70B maritime support helicopter 24 ordered Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk maritime support helicopter. Selected in June 2011. All 24 Australian aircraft are to be delivered by 2016. 12 Airbus Helicopters AS350BA light utility helicopter 3 Bell Helicopter 429 Global Ranger light utility helicopter 6 NH Industries MRH-90 maritime support helicopter 8 Lockheed Martin P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to be delivered by 2017 Number not Northrop Grumman MQ-4C disclosed Triton UAV NOTES: Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second Lockheed Martin F-35A MRCA made its first flight on 1 October, 2014. Subsequent aircraft will be delivered between 2017 and 2022. The first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35 Lightning II, known as AU-1, began construction on the Lockheed Martin production line in Fort Worth, Texas, in October 2013. The Australian government confirmed its commitment for the acquisition of 72 F35As, as well as its potential requirement for 28 additional units. The initial 72-aircraft deal is valued at $3 billion.

FEBRUARY 2015

BANGLADESH AIR FORCE 8 MiG-29SE/UB MRCA. The Russian Aircraft Corporation announced the beginning of negotiations with the Bangladesh government for the upgrade of the current MiG-29 fleet to MiG-29SMT status in April 2013. 37 Chengdu F-7 MRCA. Twelve F-7BG and four FT/BG received in 2006. F-7BGI received in 2013 as replacement of the Nanchang A-5C ground-attack aircraft fleet which were retired in November 2014. 7 Aero L-39 Albatros lead-in jet trainer. Total of eight delivered, one aircraft crashed in 2012. 3 Antonov AN-32 turboprop freighter 4+4 planned Lockheed Martin C-130B/E Hercules turboprop freighter. Bangladesh Air Force is negotiating the acquisition of four C-130Es. 2 ordered AgustaWestland AW-139 maritime support helicopter. To be delivered by end of 2015 for maritime and SAR roles. 6 Bell Helicopter 206 light utility helicopter 14 Bell Helicopter 212 mediumlift utility helicopter 27 16 Mil Mi-17 plus eleven Mi-171 medium-lift utility helicopter 12 Cessna T-37 Tweet lead-in jet trainer. Now in reserve 9 Shenyang FT-6 advanced trainer aircraft 24 planned Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced jet trainer/light attack aircraft. Scheduled to be delivered by end of 2015. 4+5 planned Hongdu K-8 lead-in jet trainer. Four arrived on 27 September 2014

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AIR FORCE DIRECTORY BANGLADESH ARMY 1 Cessna 208 turboprop transport 2 Airbus Helicopters AS-365 medium-lift utility helicopter

BANGLADESH NAVY 2 Dornier Do-228NG maritime patrol aircraft, delivered June 2013 2 AgustaWestland AW-109 Power maritime support helicopter 2+1 planned Harbin Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter 5 planned Mi-171 medium-lift utility helicopter (ordered in April 2014)

BRUNEI

ROYAL BRUNEI AIR FORCE 1 Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter 1 planned Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules turboprop freighter 4 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer turboprop trainer 9 Bell 212 medium-lift utility helicopter (being replaced by the Sikorsky S-70i medium-lift utility helicopters) 6 Airbus Helicopters BO-105CB light utility helicopter 12+4 ordered Sikorsky S-70/70i medium-lift utility helicopter. Twelve S-70i are on order with options for an additional ten. 3 Bell Helicopter 206B JetRanger light utility helicopter

BURMA

BURMESE AIR FORCE 21 Nanchang A-5 ground-attack aircraft 4 Soko G4 ground-attack aircraft 32 MiG-29B/UB MRCA 1 Shenyang F-6 MRCA 24 Chengdu F-7 air superiority fighter 2 Fokker F-27 turboprop transport 2 Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop transport

Shenyang J-8 air superiority fighter 200 Chengdu J-10A/B MRCA 272+24 planned Shenyang J-11A/B. Chinese built 4.5-generation MRCA. The J-11A is based on the Sukhoi Su-27 MRCA, while the J-11B is an upgraded Chinese variant. 72 Xian JH-7 MRCA 118 Nanchang Q-5 ground attack aircraft 19 Ilyushin Il-76/KJ2000 airborne early warning and control 9 Xian MA-60 turboprop transport 11 Tupolev Tu-154 turbofan transport, including eight passenger Tu-154M and three reconnaissance variants 61 Shaanxi Y-8 turboprop transport 7 Shaanxi Y-8/KJ200 airborne early warning and control 13 Xian Y-7 light transport aircraft 170 Hongdu JL-8 jet trainer/light attack aircraft 10 Mil Mi17/171 medium-lift utility helicopter 34 Changhe Z-8 search and rescue helicopter 42 Harbin Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter 35 Chengdu JJ-7 air superiority fighter

Pilatus PC-6 piston-engine transport 5 Britten Norman BN-2 maritime patrol aircraft 4 Shaanxi Y-8 turboprop transport 2 Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport 6 Chengdu FT-7S advanced trainer aircraft 12+50 ordered Hongdu K-8 advanced trainer/light attack aircraft 16 Pilatus PC-7 turboprop trainer 10 Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainer 14 Bell Helicopter 205 light utility helicopter 22 Mil Mi-2 light utility helicopter 17 Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift utility helicopter 9 Mil Mi-24/35 attack helicopter 13 Airbus Helicopters SA-316/SE-3160 light utility helicopter 12 PLZ W-3 Sol attack helicopter

CAMBODIA

ROYAL CAMBODIAN AIR FORCE 5 Aero L-39ZA Albatros lead-in jet trainer 2 Xian MA-60 turboprop transport 2 Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport 1 Airbus Helicopters AS-355 light utility helicopter 4 Mil Mi-8 medium-lift utility helicopter 5 Mil Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter (non flyable) 11 Xian Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter. Delivered on 25 November 2013, including four assault variants and six utility variants.

CHINA

PEOPLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE 120 Xian H-6 strategic bomber 388 Chengdu J-7 air superiority fighter

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PEOPLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LIBERATION ARMY GROUND FORCE 7 Xian Y-7 turboprop freighter 3 Shaanxi Y-8 turboprop freighter 220+20 ordered Mil Mi-8/17/171 mediumlift utility helicopter 20 Sikorsky S-70 medium-lift utility helicopter 53 Changhe Z-8 heavy-lift helicopter 70 Harbin Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter 91+30 Changhe Z-10 attack helicopter 105+15 Harbin Z-19 attack helicopter

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Changhe Z-11 light utility helicopter 1 Airbus Helicopters AS-350 light utility helicopter 93+57 ordered Airbus Helicopters EC-120 light utility helicopter PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVAL AIR FORCE 14 Xian H-6 strategic bomber 30 Xian Y-7 turboprop freighter 16 Shaanxi Y-8/KJ-200 airborne early warning and control 3 Shaanxi Y-8 maritime patrol aircraft 14 Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft 18 Chengdu J-7 air superiority fighter 47 Shenyang J-8 air superiority fighter 6 Chengdu J-10 MRCA 34 Xian JH-7 MRCA 30 Nanchang Q-5 ground attack aircraft 27+50 planned Sukhoi Su-30/33 MRCA 3 Harbin SH-5 search and rescue turboprop 17 Kamov Ka-28 maritime support helicopter 9 Kamov Ka-31 maritime support helicopter 27 Changhe Z-8 search and rescue helicopter 28 Harbin Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter helicopter 5 Changhe Z-18 medium-lift utility helicopter 14 Shenyang JJ-6 lead-in jet trainer 11 Hongdu JL-8 (K-8) lead-in jet trainer/light attack aircraft 8 Mil Mi-8 medium-lift utility helicopter 6 Airbus Helicopter AS-365 medium-lift utility helicopter 1 Kamov Ka-27 maritime support helicopter 5 Xian Y-7 turboprop freighter NOTES: Often referred to as Falcon Hawk or Falcon Eagle, the Shenyang J-31 is one of China’s two prototype fifth-generation MRCAs, along with the Chengdu J-20, and is

currently under development by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. Controversial issues regarding the target markets for this new Chinese stealth aircraft have emerged recently. The J-31 has the potential to become a future carrier-based MRCA for China’s air force and navy. However, People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sources have confirmed that the J-31 is more likely to be produced for the export market with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Iran being potential customers. Another possibility is the development of two different versions of the aircraft: China may, in fact, sell a variant abroad under its ‘F-60’ designation, while maintaining a fleet of domestic J-31s for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

INDIA

INDIAN AIR FORCE 161+92 ordered Sukhoi Su-30/MKI MRCA. Production of 222 Su-30s is currently undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The delivery of the aircraft, scheduled for 2015, is likely to be delayed. 66 MiG-29B/UPG MRCA. Fifteen aircraft lost to crashes between 1994 and 2013. To be upgraded to MiG-29UPG status. 44 Dassault Mirage 2000H/TH MRCA. Of the aircraft acquired, ten have been lost to crashes. The current fleet is currently being upgraded to Mirage 2000-5 Mk.II standard. The process is to be completed within a ten-year time frame. The first upgraded Mirage 2000H/TH underwent its maiden flight in October 2013. 247 MiG-21Bis/Bisons/M/MF MRCA. To be phased-out by 2019. Twelve aircraft were involved in crashes in the past three years. 110 upgraded MiG-21 Bisons are likely to fly until 2025. 87 MiG-27ML MRCA Dassault Rafale-B/C/M 126 planned MRCA. Deal worth over $15

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billion is now on a fast-track. Contract conclusion expected March 2015. 144 planned Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA MRCA. Joint development of this fifth generation aircraft involves India and Russia. Delays mean requirement reduction from 220 to 130145 aircraft. 19+40 planned HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The supersonic aircraft received the Initial Operational Clearance in December 2013. As per current plans, the IAF will order sufficient aircraft to equip six Tejas Mk.II squadrons (of between 16 to 18 aircraft each) once the fighter is combat-ready. However, the single-engine Tejas is not likely to become combat-ready before the end of 2015. 117 SEPECAT Jaguar M/S MRCA 3 Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV SRA-4 turboprop transport 17 Ilyushin Il-76 turbofan freighter Ilyushin Il-76 airborne early 3+2 planned warning and control 7 Ilyushin Il-78 tanker 6+4 ordered Boeing C-17A GlobemasterIII strategic turbofan freighter 6+6 planned Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules turboprop freighter 100 Antonov An-32 turboprop freighter. Currently being upgraded in Ukraine to prolong service life. 59 BAE Systems/HawkerSiddeley HS 748-100 turboprop transport. To be replaced under a $2.4 billion programme. 5 Boeing 707 reconnaissance aircraft 3 ordered Embraer EMB-145 airborne early warning and control 2 Gulfstream G100 reconnaissance aircraft

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3 3 16 The Indian Navy acquired an initial batch of 16 MiG-29Ks to fly off its refitted ex-Russian aircraft carrier, the Admiral Gorshkov. One aircraft seen here flying a maritime patrol over Indian Islands © Indian Navy

6 planned 15 ordered 40 2 30 65+40 ordered +20 planned 22 planned 15 planned 81 16 ordered 20+55 ordered 47+65 ordered 65 ordered 3 222+34 ordered 20 14+1 74 45 planned

Airbus A330-MRTT tanker National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Saras light transport aircraft Dornier Do 228-201 turboprop transport Gulfstream G200 turbofan transport SEPECAT Jaguar T lead-in jet trainer BAE Systems Hawk 132 lead-in jet trainer Boeing AH-64E attack helicopter Boeing CH-47F heavy-lift helicopter Hindustan Aeronautics HJT-16 Kiran basic trainer Hindustan Aeronautics HJT36 Sitara intermediate trainer Pilatus PC-7 Mk II turboprop trainer Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv ALH light utility helicopter Hindustan Aeronautics LCH attack helicopter Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter Mil Mi-8/Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter. One Mi-17V5 crashed June 2013. Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-315 light utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-316/319 light utility helicopter Medium Transport Aircraft

INDIAN ARMY AVIATION 73+151 ordered Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv ALH light utility helicopter

114 ordered

Hindustan Aeronautics LCH attack helicopter 4 Airbus Helicopters SA-316/SE3160 light utility helicopter 27+18 ordered Airbus Helicopters SA-315 light utility helicopter INDIAN NAVAL AIR ARM 23+22 ordered MiG-29K MRCA 8 BAE Systems Sea Harrier FRS51 MRCA 5+12 ordered BAE Systems Hawk 132 lead-in jet trainer 6+2+16 ordered Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft 8 Tupolev Tu-142M maritime patrol aircraft. Being replaced by twelve Boeing P-8I (see below). 5 Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft 26 Dornier Do-228 maritime patrol aircraft 14+4 ordered Kamov Ka-28 maritime support helicopter 14 Kamov Ka-31 maritime support helicopter 30 Airbus Helicopters SA-316B light utility helicopter 20 Hindustan Aeronautics HJT-16 Kiran basic trainer 27 AgustaWestland Sea King 42 maritime support helicopter 8 Britten-Norman BN-2 maritime patrol aircraft 15 ordered National Aerospace Laboratories Saras light transport aircraft 8+16 Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv ALH light utility helicopter 8 Sikorsky S-61/H/UH-3H maritime support helicopter

FEBRUARY 2015

BAE Systems Harrier T4/60 lead-in jet trainer MiG-29KUB lead-in jet trainer The Navy wants to buy 16 S-70B Seahawks with eight options

NOTES: The Indian Air Force (IAF) alone intends to spend over $70 billion on procurement and upgrades over the next decade, to transform its fleet into one of the most modern air forces in the world. India’s objective is to maintain technological superiority over its rivals and at the same time to deepen its capabilities in the aerospace sector. This latter point has been a significant drive behind its collaboration with Russia. These endeavours include the joint development of a new fifthgeneration MRCA based on the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA for use by both countries’ air forces, the Sukhoi/Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft. The agreement for the combined project was finalised in 2007. Despite being an equal financial partner, India’s work share on the project is only 15 percent. Currently four T-50 prototypes have performed more than 200 test flights since January 2010 and the final design contract, worth over $10 billion, is under negotiation. The new aircraft should be ready for introduction from 2020 onwards.

INDONESIA

INDONESIAN AIR FORCE 8+8 ordered Embraer A-29 Super Tucano trainer/light attack turboprop. Last four aircraft of 2010 order of eight sent from Brazil in September 2014. The Indonesian Air Force placed a second order for eight A-29s in July 2012. No dates available for delivery of second batch of eight aircraft. 16 Sukhoi Su-27/30MK/MK2 MRCA. The final two of six Su-30MK2s ordered in 2011 were delivered in September 2013. 10+24 ordered General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16A/B MRCA combat aircraft. Indonesia

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12 3 18 ordered

1+2 ordered 8+7 ordered 27 planned

3 2 11 2 7 16+3 ordered 18

formally requested to buy 24 used F-16C/D Block-25 MRCA from the United States in 2011 and is currently expecting deliveries of the aircraft. Northrop Grumman F-5E/F MRCA. Indonesia is currently in talks regarding the refurbishment and upgrade of the F-5E/F fleet to extend its service life to 2020. BAE Systems Hawk 209 lead-in jet trainer Boeing 737 maritime patrol aircraft Lockheed Martin C-130B/H and L-100 turboprop freighters. A separate transfer contract for an additional five C-130Hs was signed with Australia on 26 July 2013. Airbus CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft Airbus C-295/CN-235 turboprop freighter Airbus C-212 turboprop freighter. Airbus and PT Dirgantara Indonesia have signed an agreement (part of the contract signed in October 2011) to jointly manufacture and launch an upgraded variant of the C-212-400. The aircraft will be equipped with new digital avionics and autopilot systems and will feature 28 seats. Fokker F-27 turboprop freighter Lockheed Martin KC-130B tanker Airbus Helicopters EC-120 light utility helicopter Pilatus PC-6 turboprop freighter Airbus Helicopters BO-105 light utility helicopter KAI KT-1B trainer/light attack aircraft Aermacchi SF-260 trainer/light attack aircraft

On 5 November 2014 Airbus Helicopters confirmed the sale of eleven AS565MBe Panther maritime support helicopters to the Indonesian Navy. Deliveries are scheduled over three years ÂŠ Airbus Helicopters

15 6+10 ordered

7 8 4+14 ordered

14+2 ordered

6 ordered

Hawker Beechcraft T-34C turboprop trainer Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 lead-in jet trainer. $400 million contract signed in May 2011. This aircraft is to replace the BAE Systems Hawk Mk.53 (see above) lead-in jet trainer currently in service. Deliveries began in September 2013. BAE Systems Hawk 53 lead-in jet trainer BAE Systems Hawk 109 lead-in jet trainer Grob G120TP piston-engine trainer. Order placed in September 2011. Aircraft replacing the Hawker Beechcraft T-34C Mentor turboprop trainer and FFA/SIAI-Marchetti AS/SA 202-18A3 Bravo light transport aircraft. Airbus Helicopters AS-332 medium-lift utility helicopter. 14 search-andrescue/transport, two for VIP use. Airbus Helicopters EC-725 medium-lift utility helicopter. Contract signed in March 2012. All six helicopters are configured for combat search and rescue Airbus Helicopters SA-330 light utility helicopter

6 37

12 15 1 1 15 ordered 8 7 14 2

INDONESIAN NAVY 11 ordered Airbus Helicopters AS565MBe Panther maritime support helicopter 9+1 ordered Airbus C-212 turboprop freighter 6 Airbus C-212 maritime patrol aircraft 2+3 planned Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter

INDONESIAN ARMY 8 ordered Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter. $500 million deal including pilot training, radars and maintenance.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Airbus Helicopters AS-355 light utility helicopter Airbus C-212 turboprop freighter Bell Helicopter 412 medium-lift utility helicopter. Ten Bell Helicopter 412 enhanced performance rotorcraft ordered under a $65 million purchase contract in March 2012 and received in March 2013. Indonesia is currently negotiating a $170 million deal for 16 additional helicopters. Bell Helicopter 205 mediumlift utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters BO-105 light utility helicopter Britten Norman BN-2 piston-engine transport Aero Commander 680FL piston-engine transport Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift utility helicopter. One lost to crash in November 2013. Mi-24/35 attack helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-316 light utility helicopter Schweizer 369 light utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters EC-120B light utility helicopter

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GAF Nomad 22/24 maritime patrol aircraft Airbus Helicopters AS-332 maritime support helicopter Bell Helicopter 412 maritime support helicopter Airbus Helicopters BO-105 maritime support helicopter Airbus Helicopters EC-120 maritime support helicopter

1 3 8 4

NOTES: The Indonesian Air Force plans to focus on the introduction of new MRCA and the implementation of new training programmes for its pilots. After the delivery of the final two Russian-made Sukhoi Su30Mk.II MRCA, part of an order for six aircraft, in September 2013, Indonesia intends to create eight new fast jet squadrons by 2024, each consisting of 16 aircraft.

JAPAN

JAPAN AIR SELF DEFENCE FORCE 63 Mitsubishi F-2A MRCA 71 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/EF/RF-4EJ multi-role combat aircraft. Being phased out to be replaced by existing Boeing F-15DJ/Js and new Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II (see below) MRCA. 4+38 ordered Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA. Japan ordered a total of 42 aircraft in December 2011 and the initial deliveries are

scheduled for 2016. McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J MRCA 4 Boeing E-767 airborne early warning and control 26 Hawker-Siddeley/BAE Systems 125 search and rescue aircraft 13 Northrop Grumman E-2C airborne early warning and control 15 Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter 26 Kawasaki C-1A turbofan freighter 1 Kawasaki EC-1 reconnaissance aircraft 2+20 ordered Kawasaki C-2 turbofan freighter 5 Gulfstream IV U-4 turbofan transport 10 Nihon Aircraft YS-11/YS-11 reconnaissance aircraft 1 Lockheed Martin KC-130H tanker 4 Boeing KC-767 tanker 13 Hawker Beechcraft 400 turbofan transport 14 Mitsubishi F-2B MRCA 45 Boeing F-15DJ MRCA 48 Fuji T-3 primary trainer 203 Kawasaki T-4 intermediate trainer 16 Boeing CH-47J heavy-lift helicopter 36+40 ordered Sikorsky S-70/UH-60J medium-lift utility helicopter 154

The Japanese Air Self Defence Force is a major operator of the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15 Eagle family of multi-role combat aircraft, operating a fleet of 154 F-15J aircraft to this end ÂŠ USAF

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

JAPAN GROUND SELF DEFENCE FORCE 153 Bell Helicopter UH-1H/J medium-lift utility helicopter 58+2 planned Boeing CH-47J/JA heavy-lift helicopter 105 MD Helicopters MD500 reconnaissance helicopter 74 Bell Helicopter AH-1S attack helicopter 10+1 Boeing AH-64D attack helicopter 38+112 planned Kawasaki OH-1 attack helicopter. Under delivery 7 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 turboprop transport 4 Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop transport 36+1 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60 medium-lift utility helicopter 20+10 ordered Enstrom 480 light utility helicopter JAPAN MARITIME SELF DEFENCE FORCE 82 Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft 7 (5+ 60 Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol planned) aircraft. Order finalised in 2010 with an estimated purchase cost of $2.4 billion. 2 ShinMaywa US-1 search and rescue aircraft 5 ShinMaywa US-2 maritime patrol aircraft. Replacing the older US-1 (see above). 2 NAMC YS-11 turboprop transport 4 Learjet 36 reconnaissance aircraft 5 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 90 turboprop transport 7+7 ordered AgustaWestland AW-101 maritime support helicopter 113 Sikorsky S-70/SH/UH60J/K maritime support helicopter 10+5 ordered Airbus Helicopters EC-135 maritime support helicopter 3 Airbus Helicopters/ Kawasaki BK117 medium-lift utility helicopter 8 Sikorsky MH-53E maritime support helicopter 8 MD Helicopters MD-500 reconnaissance helicopter

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29 20

Two additional AgustaWestland AW-109 Power orders in 2014 means that the Philippine Navy will operate a total of five of these maritime support helicopters. Three have already been delivered and will perform a diverse number of missions © AgustaWestland

26 41+1 ordered

Hawker Beechcraft King Air 90 turboprop transport Fuji T-3 primary trainer

NOTES: Despite its record as one of Asia’s most technologically advanced air forces, the Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is now facing the technological improvement of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The advanced MRCA that China is developing represent a significant challenge to Japan. Japan’s answer to the Chengdu J-20 MRCA came in December 2011, when it selected the Lockheed F-35A Lightning-II over the Boeing F/A-18E/F and Eurofighter Typhoon MRCAs.

LAOS

8 19 3 6 4 ordered

LAO PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE 1 Antonov An-26 turboprop freighter 2 Xian MA60 turboprop transport 1 Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter 2 Kamov Ka-32 maritime support helicopter 4 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 4 Harbin Z-9 medium-lift utility helicopter 5 Mil Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter

MALAYSIA

ROYAL MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM MRCA 12 (36-40 MiG-29N MRCA. This planned) aircraft will be phased out

4 4 10 8

40+5 planned 12

by 2015 and the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale-B/C/M, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Saab JAS-39C/D/E Gripen and Sukhoi Su-30 MRCAs have all been short-listed to fulfil this requirement. Boeing F/A-18D MRCA BAE Systems Hawk 208 lead-in jet trainer Northrop Grumman F-5F MRCA Northrop Grumman RF-5E reconnaissance aircraft Airbus A400M turboprop freighter. The Royal Malaysian Air Force will receive its first A400M in 2015, after a two-year delay in delivery. The remaining aircraft will be delivered by 2016. The order is worth $840 million. Lockheed Martin KC-130H tanker Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 maritime patrol aircraft Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter Alenia Aermacchi MB-339 trainer/light attack aircraft BAE Systems Hawk 108 lead-in jet trainer Pilatus PC-7/PC-7 Mk.II turboprop trainer Airbus Helicopters EC-725

FEBRUARY 2015

medium-lift utility helicopter. Contract signed in 2010 and an initial two helicopters were delivered in December 2012. Sikorsky S-61 medium-lift utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-316 light utility helicopter

ROYAL MALAYSIAN ARMY 11 AgustaWestland AW-109 light utility helicopter ROYAL MALAYSIAN NAVY 6 AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 maritime support helicopter 6 Airbus Helicopters AS-555 maritime support helicopter NOTES: The Royal Malaysian Air Force requirement for 18 MRCA to replace its obsolete MiG-29N fleet, due to be retired in 2015, could be fulfilled by either the Boeing F/A18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault RafaleB/C/M, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS39C/D/E Gripen or Sukhoi Su-30.

NEW ZEALAND

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE 6 Lockheed Martin P-3K maritime patrol aircraft 2 Boeing 757-200 turbofan transport 5+3 AgustaWestland AW-109 light utility helicopter. 4 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 turboprop transport 3 Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter 7 NH Industries NH-90 medium-lift utility helicopter 8 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 13 Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT-4E pistonengine trainer ROYAL NEW ZEALAND NAVY 8 +2 Kaman SH-2G maritime support helicopter. The decision to buy ten ex-Australian SH2G Super Seasprites was

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AIR FORCE DIRECTORY announced on 19 April 2013. Eight of the new aircraft will replace the five existing SH2G. All are scheduled to be in service by 2016.

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

KOREAN PEOPLE’S ARMY AIR FORCE 35 MiG-29 MRCA 56 MiG-23 MRCA 26 MiG-21 MRCA 106 Shenyang F-5 MRCA 97 Shenyang F-6 MRCA 120 Chengdu F-7 interceptor aircraft 80 Harbin H-5 medium bomber 18 Sukhoi Su-7 MRCA 34 Sukhoi Su-25 MRCA 1 Antonov An-24 turboprop freighter 20 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter 4 Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter 8 Mil Mi-14 maritime support helicopter 84 MD Helicopters MD500 light utility helicopter 46 Mil Mi-2 light utility helicopter

Mil Mi-8 light utility helicopter Shenyang FT-2 trainer aircraft Shenyang FT-5 trainer aircraft

30 135

2 25 9 9

PAKISTAN

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE 100+50 ordered Chengdu JF-17 Thunder MRCA. All current aircraft are Block-1. The next 50 JF-17 will be Block-II. A total of 150 aircraft are believed to be currently on order. All will eventually be upgraded to Block 2 status. 76 General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16A/B/C/D MRCA 69 Dassault MirageIIIEP/OF/RP MRCA. Expected to remain in service until 2017. 84 Dassault Mirage-5EF/F/PA MRCA. The fleet will be replaced with the Chengdu JF-17 by 2017 (see above). 17 Dassault MirageIIIBE/D/DP MRCA

140 39 2 4 4 3 Up to 4 4 3 16 5 1 6 10 1 10 18

This dramatic picture shows three Pakistan Air Force General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16A/B Fighting Falcon multi-role combat aircraft flying in formation during an exercise in the United States. The Pakistan Air Force operates 76 of these jets © USAF

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Dassault Mirage-5DPA MRCA Shenyang FT-5 combat/trainer aircraft Shenyang FT-6 combat/trainer aircraft Chengdu FT-7 combat/trainer aircraft Chengdu F-7 MRCA. Eight lost to crashes between 2007 and 2013. Hongdu K-8 Karakorum light attack/lead-in jet trainer Dassault Falcon 20/200 reconnaissance aircraft Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 reconnaissance aircraft Saab 2000 turboprop transport Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport Shaanxi Y-8/ZDK-03 transport/airborne early warning and control Ilyushin Il-78 tanker Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter Lockheed Martin C-130B/E and L-100 turboprop freighter Bell Helicopter 205 mediumlift utility helicopter Bell Helicopter 412 mediumlift utility helicopter Mil Mi-8/171 medium-lift utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-316 light utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-330 light utility helicopter Aérospatiale SE-3160 light utility helicopter Cessna T-37B/C lead-in jet trainer

PAKISTAN ARMY 48 Bell Helicopter AH-1F attack helicopter 19 Bell Helicopter 206 mediumlift utility helicopter 30+2 ordered Bell Helicopter 412 +40 planned medium-lift utility helicopter. Formal announcement

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45 1 14 14 31 16+6 ordered 1 1 2 4

for the purchase of up to 30 Bell 412EP medium-lift utility helicopters made in September 2010. Mil Mi-8 and Mil-171 medium-lift utility helicopter Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-315 light utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-316 light utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters SA-330 medium-lift utility helicopter Airbus Helicopters AS-550 U2 medium-lift utility helicopter Citation Bravo turbofan transport Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 turboprop transport Aero Commander pistonengine transport Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport

PAKISTAN NAVY 6 Lockheed Martin P-3C maritime patrol aircraft. Two new aircraft delivered in February 2012 following the attack by armed militants on the Mehran Naval Airbase, southern Pakistan in May 2011. Two upgraded P-3C were destroyed on that occasion and two additional aircraft were delivered in February 2012. 7 Fokker F-27 maritime patrol aircraft 7 Airbus Helicopters SA-316 maritime support helicopter 6 AgustaWestland Sea King 45 maritime support helicopter 6 Harbin Z-9EC medium-lift utility helicopter 2 Mil Mi-14 maritime support helicopter 2 ATR 42 maritime patrol aircraft NOTES: Due to financial constraints the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has suspended

its “Air Force Development Plan 2025”. Under the plan, PAF had received money from the federal government until 2007 but has now been forced to close a number of projects, thus affecting the upgrade of the country’s air power.

PHILIPPINES

PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE 12 ordered Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 MRCA. Two to be delivered by end 2015, the other ten to be delivered by 2017. 8 Rockwell International OV-10 light attack turboprop 3 Lockheed Martin C-130H/B turboprop transport plus two CH-130T 3 Fokker F-27 turboprop transport 1 GAF Nomad 22 turboprop transport 1 Aero Commander pistonengine transport 5 SIAI-Marchetti S.211 lead-in jet trainer 8 ordered AgustaWestland AW-109 Power light utility helicopter. Contract signed in November 2013. 4 ordered Airbus Helicopters AS-550 medium-lift utility helicopter 8 PLZ W-3 Sol light utility helicopter 25 MD Helicopters MD-500 light utility helicopter 10 Sikorsky S-76A/AUH-76A medium-lift utility helicopter 42 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter. 33 are beyond economical repair, 25 recoverable but need a budget for repair, 21 are operational. Bidding for 21 refurbished UH-1H helicopters failed for the third time in September 2013 as it fell short of requirements. 8 Bell Helicopter 205 mediumlift utility helicopter 2 Bell Helicopter 212/214 medium-lift utility helicopter

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Alenia Aermacchi SF-260 light attack/trainer aircraft

PHILIPPINE NAVY AVIATION 6 Britten Norman BN-2 maritime patrol aircraft 5 Airbus Helicopters BO-105 light utility helicopter 8 AgustaWestland AW-109 maritime support helicopter. NOTES: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is acquiring twelve Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 MRCA in order to enhance its territorial defence. Over $463 million has been allocated by the government for the acquisition of the above-mentioned aircraft. Such modernisation programmes aim to address the country’s requirements for countering airborne threats, as well as providing proper training to pilots on supersonic high-performance aircraft. The Philippines has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Korea to expand the collaboration in defence trade and cooperation between the two countries. The agreement also enables potential industrial cooperation on the FA-50 programme.

SINGAPORE

REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE AIR FORCE 24 Boeing F-15SG MRCA. Declared combat-ready by Singapore Defence Minister in September 2013. 60 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D MRCA. Aircraft due for upgrade. 27 Northrop Grumman F-5S MRCA 16 Boeing CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopter 32 Airbus Helicopters AS-332/532 medium-lift utility helicopter 17 Boeing AH-64D attack helicopter 5 Airbus Helicopters EC-120 light utility helicopter 9 Fokker F-50 maritime patrol aircraft (5) and turboprop transport (4) 4 Gulfstream G550 airborne early warning and control

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Like Japan, the Republic of Singapore Air Force also operates the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15 Eagle family of multi-role combat aircraft, in the form of the Boeing F-15SG, acquiring 24 examples © USAF

5 5 4 9 12

Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter Lockheed Martin KC-130B/H tanker Boeing KC-135R tanker Northrop Grumman F-5T lead-in jet trainer Alenia Aermacchi M346 lead-in jet trainer. Deliveries completed in September 2014 and 150 Squadron activated Pilatus PC-21 turboprop transport

35 117 22 4 4 8

REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE NAVY 6 Sikorsky S-70B maritime support helicopter

Notes: Singapore’s intention of upgrading its Lockheed Martin F-16C/D MRCA fleet is now official. According to a 2013 statement by the country’s defence minister, the air force plans to modernise the avionics and extend the lifespan of the aircraft. The Singapore F-16 upgrade programme is likely to involve aggressive competition between BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

REPUBLIC OF KOREA AIR FORCE 60 Boeing F-15K MRCA 3+17 ordered Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 MRCA. The new FA-50s will replace the Northrop Grumman F-5E/F MRCA fleet which will be retired by 2019. 60 planned Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA. Deliveries for 40 aircraft will begin in 2018. Options exist for the purchase of 20 additional airframes. 68 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F4E/RF-4C MRCA 151 Northrop Grumman F-5E MRCA

4 ordered

23 51 3 3 5 7 25 29 106 63

Northrop Grumman F-5F MRCA Lockheed Martin F-16C MRCA Korea Aerospace Industries FTA-50 lead-in jet trainer Boeing 737 airborne early warning and control Dassault Falcon 2000S reconnaissance aircraft Hawker-Siddeley/BAE Systems 125 reconnaissance aircraft Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter Lockheed Martin C-130J turboprop freighter. Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter KAI KC-100 piston-engine trainer Lockheed Martin F-16D MRCA Airbus Helicopters AS-332 medium-lift utility helicopter Bell Helicopter 412 medium-lift utility helicopter Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift helicopter Kamov Ka-32 maritime support helicopter MD Helicopters MD500 light utility helicopter Sikorsky S-70/HH/UH-60P medium-lift utility helicopter Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1 turboprop trainer Korea Aerospace Industries T-50/B lead-in jet trainer

REPUBLIC OF KOREA ARMY 77 Bell Helicopter AH-1J/S attack helicopter 36 planned Boeing AH-64E attack helicopter 12 Airbus Helicopters BO-105 light utility helicopter

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

23 252 91 68 19+5 ordered +221 planned

Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift helicopter MD Helicopters MD500 light utility helicopter Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter Sikorsky S-70/UH-60L/P medium-lift utility helicopter Korea Aerospace Industries Surion KUH/1 medium-lift utility helicopter

REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY 16 Lockheed Martin P-3C/CK maritime patrol aircraft 18 planned Lockheed S-3 maritime patrol aircraft 5 Reims F406 Caravan II turboprop transport 24 AgustaWestland Lynx 99A maritime support helicopter 8 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60P maritime support helicopter 6 Airbus Helicopters SA-319 maritime support helicopter 7 Bell Helicopter UH-1H maritime support helicopter 8 ordered AgustaWestland AW-159 maritime support helicopter. The Republic of Korea will receive four AW-159s in 2015 and additional four in 2016 under a $560 million deal. REPUBLIC OF KOREA MARINE CORPS 40 ordered Korea Aerospace Industries Surion KUH/1 NOTES: The RoK hopes to leap into the rank of major arms exporters as a result of its ongoing Korea Fighter Experimental (KFX) programme. The programme, which is to be led by the RoK’s largest aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), focuses on the development of an advanced fifth-generation multi-role combat aircraft for the Republic

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of Korea Air Force (RoAF) and the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU). Although the KFX programme has been delayed several times in the last decade, two concept models for the KFX MRCA were displayed in October 2013 during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition: KAI’s KFX-E, a single-engine concept, and the Agency for Defence Development (ADD) C103, twin-engine aircraft. Facing the threat from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the strategic situation involving China and Japan, the RoK has developed its own initiatives to respond to the urgent need to replace obsolete platforms in its fleet of MRCA. The country has also announced its intentions to purchase 40 fifthgeneration fighters under the FX-III programme, with the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA likely to be selected. The first deliveries should occur in 2018.

SRI LANKA

SRI LANKAN AIR FORCE 9 Israel Aerospace Industries Kfir C2/7/(T)C2 MRCA 7 Chengdu F-7 MRCA 6 MiG-27M MRCA 1 MiG-23UB MRCA 2 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 maritime patrol aircraft 2 Lockheed Martin C-130K turboprop freighter 5 Antonov An-32 turboprop freighter 9 Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport 2 ordered Xian MA60 turboprop transport 4 Bell Helicopter 206 mediumlift utility helicopter 13 Bell Helicopter 212/412 medium-lift utility helicopter 14+14 ordered Mil Mi-8 medium-lift utility helicopter. 9 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter 5+2 planned Hongdu JL-8 (K-8) lead-in jet trainer/light attack aircraft

TAIWAN

REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE 116 Lockheed Martin F-16A MRCA 28 Lockheed Martin F-16B MRCA

A Republic of China Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16A at Ching Chuang Kang air force base in 2014. Although initially wanting 66 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 upgrade aircraft, it will now be the launch customer for Lockheed Martin's F-16V variant © Lockheed Martin

47 9 23 102 20 4+11 ordered

11 6 ordered 6 3+17 13 50 25 25 37

Dassault Mirage 2000-5EI MRCA Dassault Mirage 2000-5DI MRCA Northrop Grumman F/RF-5E MRCA Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation F-CK-1A MRCA Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter Lockheed Martin P-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). The first of twelve refurbished P-3C MPA was delivered to Taiwan in September 2013. The last of these aircraft is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2015. ShinMaywa US-2 maritime patrol aircraft Alenia Aermacchi C-27J turboprop freighter Northrop Grumman E-2K airborne early warning and control Airbus Helicopters EC-225 medium-lift utility helicopter Sikorsky S-70/UH-60A medium-lift utility helicopter Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation AT-3A/B lead-in jet trainer Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation F-CK-1B MRCA Northrop Grumman F-5F MRCA Beechcraft T-34C turboprop trainer

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REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARMY 62 Bell Helicopter AH-1W attack helicopter 29 Boeing AH-64E attack helicopter. First six helicopters received in November 2013, part of a 30-aircraft contract signed in June 2011. One crashed July 2014. 8 Boeing CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopter 38 Bell Helicopter OH-58 reconnaissance helicopter 91 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 4+56 ordered Sikorsky UH-60M mediumlift utility helicopter. Order for additional 26 announced in November 2013. 29 Bell Helicopter 206 maritime support helicopter REPUBLIC OF CHINA NAVY 8 MD Helicopters MD500 maritime support helicopter 18 Sikorsky S-70 maritime support helicopter. Taiwan is the launch customer for the new F-16V variant from Lockheed Martin. The company has won a contract worth USD1.85 billion to upgrade its fleet of 144 Block 20 F-16A/Bs to the F-16V status. This will include Northrop Grumman’s Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR).

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THAILAND

ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE 29 Northrop Grumman F-5B/E MRCA 39 General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16A/B MRCA 19 Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet lead-in jet trainer 8 Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen MRCA. Initial batch delivered in February 2011 and the last three fighters were received in September 2013. The aircraft are scheduled to replace Royal Thai Air Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing Northrop Grumman F5B/E MRCA fleet (see above). 5 Diamond DA42 reconnaissance aircraft 4 Saab 340/340 airborne early warning and control/turboprop transport 2 Israeli Aircraft Industries Arava 201 light utility transport aircraft 8 Bassler BT-67 turboprop freighter 12 Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter 1 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 90 turboprop transport 5 Hawker Siddeley/BAE Systems HS-748 turboprop transport 14 GAF Nomad 22 turboprop transport 16 Pilatus PC-6 piston-engine transport 8 Bell Helicopter 412 mediumlift utility helicopter 18 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 6 ordered Airbus Helicopters EC-725 medium-lift utility helicopter. Contract signed in September 2012. Deliveries scheduled for 2015. 4 Northrop Grumman F-5B/F MRCA 34 Aero L-39 lead-in jet trainer 22 Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainer 6 Diamond DA42 reconnaissance aircraft

ROYAL THAI ARMY 2 Airbus C-212 turboprop freighter 2 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 turboprop transport 7 Bell Helicopter AH-1H attack helicopter 25 Bell Helicopter 206 mediumlift utility helicopter 51 Bell Helicopter 212 mediumlift utility helicopter 6 Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift helicopter 3+2 ordered Mil Mi-17 medium-lift +1 planned utility helicopter 7+5 ordered Sikorsky UH-60 medium-lift utility helicopter. Three S70A medium-lift utility helicopter (based on the UH60L) were delivered to Thailand in April 2013. 2 ordered AgustaWestland AW-139 medium-lift utility helicopter. Order announced in October 2012. 83 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 4+4 ordered Airbus Helicopters EC725. First order deliveries from 2012 start in 2015, second batch start in 2017 8 Airbus Helicopters AS-550 medium-lift utility helicopter 5+9 ordered Airbus Helicopters UH-72A medium-lift utility helicopter. Formally requested by Thailand in June 2013. Deal includes communication equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, technical documentation and training. The estimated cost for the operation is $77 million. 16 Enstrom 480 light utility helicopter 44 Schweizer 269 light utility helicopter ROYAL THAI NAVY 7 Dornier Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft 1 Lockheed Martin P-3T maritime patrol aircraft

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

2 1 3 9 4 8 2 5

Fokker F-27 maritime patrol aircraft Canadair/Bombardier CL-215 fire-fighting amphibious aircraft GAF Nomad 24 turboprop transport Bell Helicopter 212/214 maritime support helicopter Sikorsky S-76 search and rescue Sikorsky S-70B/MH-60S maritime support helicopter AgustaWestland Super Lynx 110 maritime support helicopter Eurocopter EC-645 T2 utility helicopter. Deliveries expected in 2016.

VIETNAM

VIETNAMESE AIR FORCE 144 MiG-21 MRCA 35+12 ordered Sukhoi Su-27/30 MRCA. Contract announced in August 2013. Aircraft to be delivered in 2014-2015 timeframe. 38 Sukhoi Su-22 MRCA 30 Antonov An-26 turboprop transport 1 Antonov An-28 maritime patrol aircraft 4 Beriev Be-12 search and rescue 88 Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift utility helicopter 25 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter 2 Kamov Ka-32 maritime support helicopter 15 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter 26 Aero L-39 lead-in jet trainer VIETNAMESE NAVY 1+5 ordered DeHavilland DHC-6 turboprop transport. Agreement for six aircraft signed in May 2010. First DHC-6 arrived in Vietnam in October 2013 2 Airbus Helicopters EC-225 medium-lift utility helicopter 8 Kamov Ka-28 maritime support helicopter.

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AUSTRALIAN ASPIRATIONS Ambitious plans to overhaul and modernise the Australian Defence Force (ADF) appear to have taken a step forward, after Australia’s new Liberal-National Party coalition government unveiled a 2014-15 Federal Budget in June 2014 that was decidedly favourable to Defence.

by Jonathan Tringham

he new budget describes a viable platform from which the government could achieve its promise of increasing annual defence spending to two percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) within the next decade, and in doing so bring to fruition a modernised ADF first conceived in a 2009 Defence White Paper, and formalised in subsequent Defence Capability Plans (DCP).

T 58

Speaking to journalists during the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s (ASPI’s) annual defence budget brief held in Canberra in June 2014, ASPI’s senior defence economics analyst Mark Thomson said that the 2014-15 budget was characterised by a singular focus to boost defence spending to two percent of GDP within a decade, and, in his opinion, provided a credible path towards achieving that goal. “There are some serious challenges for

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

defence to surmount over the next few years. The recovery in defence spending next year will deliver a surge in major equipment investment from around $3.5 billion this year, to $6.1 billion next year, a 67 percent year-on-year increase in investment,” said Mr. Thomson. Pointing to the abortive genesis of the ADF modernisation effort in 2009, Mr. Thomson noted that Australia’s commitment to upgrading its defence forces

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An Australian Army Thales Bushmaster armoured vehicle provides protection for a Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J turboprop freighter delivering stores and equipment to the Reconstruction Task Force troops in southern Afghanistan. © Australian Department of Defence

would now be under greater international scrutiny in light of the new budget. “The 2009 defence white paper set out an ambitious vision for the ADF, and promised 21 years of funding growth to pay for it. Over the subsequent three years, funding was cut in successive waves in an attempt to deliver a fiscal surplus. The 2013 white paper did little to redress the gap between what was planned for the ADF, and the funding that was available. To anyone who

(was) paying attention, we showed that we were all talk and no action,” Mr. Thomson argued. “By promising to spend two percent of GDP on defence in 2023-24, the incoming government has set a benchmark against which our commitment will again be tested. If we once more fail to follow through, it will be a second strike against our credibility,” he added. According to the Portfolio Budget Statements (PB Statements) issued in support of the 2014-15 budget for the Defence portfolio, the development of a new Defence White Paper is underway and will be finalised by mid-2015. The White Paper will set out the government’s strategic direction and plan for the ADF, and as expected will be accompanied by a ten-year Defence Capability Plan. “Although the government hasn’t disclosed its plans for defence spending beyond the four years into the future, unsurprising with a white paper currently in development, we can nonetheless make a reasonable estimate for the six years that follow on the basis of extrapolating from the last year of the forward estimates, out to 2023-2024 to achieve two percent of GDP. Defence spending needs to increase by 5.3 percent per annum in real terms each year. Compared with the three percent growth of the 2000’s, this represents an ambitious ramp up in spending,” Mr. Thomson concluded.

White Paper

The Australian Department of Defence’s (DoD) 2013 Defence White Paper, issued in May of that year, re-affirmed the strategic assessment outlined in the 2009 Defence White Paper, which envisaged an “ADF more capable in undersea warfare, antisubmarine warfare, surface maritime warfare, air superiority, strategic strike, special forces, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and cyber security.” The initial documents outlined an extensive shopping list of new platforms and equipment across the three services, and pledged to increase Australian defence spending by three percent on average in real terms to 2017-18, followed by 2.2 percent real growth to 20292030. The DoD initially earmarked $146.1 billion up to 2030 to cover the acquisition of key capabilities across the three services. This plan was quickly abandoned following a reduction in military spending over the next two years in order to move the Australian budget towards a surplus. However, an updated DCP issued on 10 July 2012 revealed that the government was planning either preliminary or final approval of 111 defence projects worth $153 billion over the following four years. According to the DoD, since 2009 the government has approved more than 125 proposals for new or enhanced defence capabilities with a total value of over $17.3

The first of the Royal Australian Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II multi-role combat aircraft successfully takes to the skies from Fort Worth airfield in Texas, home of the F-35’s production line on Monday 29 September 2014 © Lockheed Martin

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HMAS Sheean ‘Collins’ class submarine sails through Cockburn Sound in preparation to berth at HMAS Stirling, the Royal Australian Navy’s primary base on the west coast of Australia after a lengthy deployment © Australian Department of Defence

billion. Over this period, the ADF has taken delivery of a number of major systems, including Boeing C-17ER Globemaster-III strategic freighters, Boeing F/A-18E/F Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), and Thales Bushmaster armoured vehicles. By the end of this decade, the DoD asserts, the ADF will also take delivery of three ‘Hobart’ class air defence destroyers, two ‘Canberra’ class amphibious support ships in addition to the initial two Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA. According to the 2013 White Paper, the government has also decided to “acquire or progress” priority acquisitions including ten new turboprop freighters, Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, a new air combat capability in the shape of the F-35A, a replacement land vehicle fleet and a future submarine capability to replace the Royal Australian Navy’s existing ‘Collins’ class conventional hunter-killer submarines (SSKs). In April 2014 the government of Prime Minister Tony Abbot pledged to procure at least 72, and potentially up to 100, F-35As. The acquisition of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to partially replace the RAAF’s Lockheed Martin AP-3C Orion MPAs under the DoD’s AIR 7000 Phase 2B initiative was also approved, with the first P-8A scheduled to be delivered in 2017. All eight aircraft are

expected to be fully operational by 2021. Purchase of an undisclosed number of Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton HighAltitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) was also confirmed.

Looking Ahead

It is expected that the 2015 White Paper will examine the possibility of buying F-35B Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (STOVL) MRCAs to operate from the Royal Australian Navy’s two ‘Canberra’ class vessels currently under acquisition. During a Senate hearing in June 2014, senior ADF officials confirmed Prime Minister Tony Abbot had ordered the DoD to examine procurement options for the STOVL version of the F-35, in addition to potential modifications to the navy’s amphibious support ships in order to accommodate them. The 2009 White Paper initiated plans to equip the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with eight large frigates optimised for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) to replace the existing ‘Anzac’ class ships. Equipped with an integrated sonar suite that includes a long-range active towed-array sonar, the future frigates would be able to embark a combination of maritime support helicopters and UAVs. In addition, the submarine fleet would be doubled in size from six to twelve vessels, replacing the existing ‘Collins’ class submarines with boats offer-

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

ing “greater range, longer endurance on patrol, and expanded capabilities.” The 2009 White Paper further stipulated that a large strategic sealift ship would be purchased along with 24 maritime support helicopters, 20 offshore patrol vessels, six new heavy landing craft with improved ocean-going capabilities, and a new logistics support and replenishment ship. In addition to this, the acquisition of the two ‘Canberra’ class ships was pledged to continue, with plans to equip the services three ‘Hobart’ class destroyers with the Raytheon RIM-174 Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) long-range surface-to-air missile, with a potential fourth ship to be purchased.

Army Requirements

For the Australian Army, more modest recommendations were outlined, including green-lighting already existing plans to procure “a mix of around 7000 [unspecified] support vehicles [to] provide transport, command and control, liaison and logistic support”, as well as 155mm artillery systems, both self-propelled and towed types. In addition, the purchase of approximately 1100 new Military-off-the-shelf (MOTS) combat vehicle systems with enhanced mobility, weapon and protection systems would go ahead [under project LAND 400], and seven new Boeing CH-47F Chinook

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heavy-lift helicopters would be purchased. In an update issued in April 2014, the DoD stipulated that the outcome of the army’s modernisation programme, as enshrined in the 2013 White Paper, will be a modular, adaptive and increasingly interoperable force, “realised through the formation of common force structures and the flexible force generation cycle, leveraging capabilities outside traditional Regular and Reserve capabilities, increasing digitisation and the development of training and simulation incorporating recent operational experience and cutting edge technologies.” The army’s goal is to ultimately conduct 25 percent of all unit-training through simulation within the next ten years, in a costsaving effort to reduce the amount of movement of fleets and people across Australia. Saab, a global leader in military simulation technology, has been assisting the Australian Army in experimenting with a range of simulation training solutions as the service looks to ramp up its use

of the technology. Speaking to AMR, Inger Lawes, head of training and simulation for Saab in Australia and New Zealand, said that the “force-on-force” training supported by simulation, also referred to as “live instrumented training”, was primarily delivered at the Australian Army’s Combat Training Centre (Live) located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. “At least once per year the Combat Training Centre will support a major, brigade-sized, exercise that is located in another part of the country. Generally this will be the Shoal Water Bay Field Training Area located several hundred kilometres away from Townsville,” said Mr. Lawes. “The Australian Army clearly understands

In April 2014 Prime Minister Tony Abbot pledged to potentially procure up to 100 F-35As

the value of its current live instrumentation capability and appreciates that the capability needs to be more widely available for day-to-day training. Consequently, the army is working towards a more decentralised approach that may see live instrumentation capabilities available for home station training,” Mr. Lawes added. Contemporary simulation technology supports the full training continuum from individual through to joint and combined collective training. Generally, the mission scenarios where simulation offers the greatest training return fall in to two categories: highly specialised training, for example counter insurgent bomb search, where there is high risk and great care and precision is required; secondly, large, brigade and above, exercises which may be conducted only on an annual or biannual basis and where great costs are involved in conducting the exercise. “In this situation there is a real need to capture as much data as possible in such a

An Australian Army General Dynamics ASLAV from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) leaves the main defensive position during a training exercise © Australian Department of Defence

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A General Dynamics ASLAV in the vicinity of Multi National Base-Tarin Kot in Afghanistan. Australia was a major contributor to NATO-led combat operations in the Central Asian country © Australian Department of Defence

way that there can be meaningful analysis,” Mr. Lawes noted: “Simulation enables training scenarios to be executed that are highly realistic and as close to the operational environment as possible. The training scenarios are repeatable, and the design and execution of each training scenario is recorded in forensic detail which means that a highly accurate knowledge base is created for each training event and each participating unit and, indeed, each participating soldier,” he concluded.

Platform Priorities

Several major capabilities will be advanced across the three services early in 2015. HMAS Canberra, the first ‘Canberra’ class ship, is expected to be commissioned into service in the first quarter of 2015 as the first of two new amphibious support ships for the navy, and Australia’s first two F35A aircraft are expected to be accepted into service by the end of 2015. Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has now formally initiated the Project LAND 400 Phase 2 vehicle acquisition programme. The DMO made a formal request for tender for the project on 10 December 2014, with the programme launch scheduled for early

January 2015. Estimated to cost approximately $10 billion, making it the army’s largest-ever acquisition programme and also one of the largest ADF programmes, LAND 400 will deliver approximately 1100 MOTS or near MOTS vehicles, comprising a Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV), an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), a Manoeuvre Support Vehicle (MSV) and an Integrated Training System (ITS). The immediate priority for the army is to replace the obsolete Australian sixwheeled light armoured vehicle (ASLAV)

fleet with a CRV, and industry teams have already begun to form to pursue the LAND 400 Phase 2 defence programme for the acquisition and support of a CRV. In September 2014, BAE Systems and Patria announced a teaming agreement to pursue the major Australian combat vehicle programme, with BAE Systems assuming the role of prime contractor. The partnership will offer the Patria eight-wheel drive Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) for the competition, with the companies working together to evolve the AMV to The HMAS Ballarat ‘Anzac’ class frigate is manoeuvred by tugs away from her berth alongside HMAS Anzac at Fleet Base West, Garden Island, Western Australia, as she prepares to commence the Anti-Ship Missile Defence upgrade programme © Royal Australian Navy

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The Royal Australian Navy’s latest maritime support helicopter, the Sikorsky MH60R Seahawk, flies past the navy’s latest ship, HMAS Canberra in Sydney. These helicopters will serve on board the ‘Canberra’ class amphibious support ships, as well as several other RAN combatants © Australian Department of Defence

meet the ADF’s combat reconnaissance vehicle requirements. Graham Bent, BAE Systems acting director for Land and Integrated Systems in Australia, said the two companies will now evolve their solution to the Commonwealth’s CRV requirement before providing additional information regarding their tender. “(The) Patria AMV is a highly capable vehicle with a strong sales track-record, and has been selected by seven different nations for use in a wide range of environments. The vehicle is combat-proven in the real mission environment,” said Mr. Bent. Boeing Defence Australia has also announced it would team with Iveco-Oto Melara (CIO) to bid the Italian company’s Centauro armoured infantry fighting vehicle, with several other major companies expected to come forward, including General Dynamics Land Systems Australia, maker of the current ASLAV, and Germany’s Rheinmetall with its Puma and Boxer designs.

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WATERWORLD

With the People’s Republic of China planning to launch a revamped coast guard service aimed at protecting and influencing activity across the Asia-Pacific, much emphasis is being placed on the region’s multiple maritime security agencies, not to mention United States assets in this particular Area of Operation (AO).

by Andrew White

perating as part of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) and comprising four separate law enforcement agencies (China Fisheries, Border Defence Coast Guard, Customs and China Maritime Surveillance), the deployment of such a capability is set to create tidal waves of concern for China’s neighbours who are already embattling the country for ownership of strategic island chains and waterways. According to the United States-based China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI),

China is expected to deploy this force as a “second navy” with multiple frigates, cutters and associated airborne assets sent out to patrol and administer “claimed jurisdictional waters” such as the Senkaku/Diayou Islands, the sovereignty of which Beijing disputes with Japan. “Changes to this arrangement could have very real implications for other disputants,” CMSI research administrator, Ryan Martinson, informed AMR. “They’ll stop drug smugglers, quell civil disputes turned violent, uphold fishing moratoria, and yes, they will confront, and yes possibly arrest,

foreigners operating in disputed waters hundreds of nautical miles away from the Chinese coast. They’ll almost certainly do many of these things from the bridges of armed patrol cutters,” he continued. “The militarisation of Chinese maritime law enforcement must be seen as part of a conscious shift in national strategy that favours policies that improve maritime rights protection to the detriment of stable relations with neighbouring states.” As expected, sensitivity around this AO is particularly high and many of the industry representatives who spoke to AMR did so on condition of anonymity. According to one such industry source, the Chinese Coast Guard commissioned the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Company and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation this year to build a variety of 4000, 5000 and 10000 tonne cutters and surveillance ships. This capability compares favourably with the US Coast Guard’s (USCG) largest platforms, the ‘Bertholf’ class National Security Cutters, which displace some 4500 tonnes. Elsewhere, the trend for giant coast guard vessels continues in Japan which currently boasts the ‘Shikishima’ class

One of the Japan Coast Guard’s vessels, the Hida, is shown in this picture. This eponymous class of ship is powered by four diesel engines providing it with mobility around the Asia-Pacific area of operations © Japan Coast Guard

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A Japanese Coast Guard ship conducts a night operation in what has become a very busy time for the country’s maritime services as China seeks to assert its presence in the South China Sea © Japan Coast Guard

10000 tonne cutter which is capable of carrying maritime support helicopters. To further illustrate the nature of coast guard operations in Southeast Asia, Chinese cutters are understood to be equipped with 30mm guns amongst other weaponry and can carry Harbin Z-8 maritime-support helicopters which on their own are capable of carrying 38 personnel and can be used for search and rescue, and anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare missions. This reflects an interesting trend with regards to the deployment of parapublic units capable of conducting kinetic operations similar to a naval formation. Generally, coast guard units can be expected to conduct a wide variety of tasks ranging from countering smuggling and human trafficking, marine environmental protection and law enforcement, through to search and rescue and, in some cases, national defence in collaboration with naval forces. So is bigger necessarily better when one considers the optimal type of platforms and vessels required to conduct such operations? Any international coast guard will look to the USCG for guidance on training,

equipment and concepts of operations. Speaking at West 2014 conference and exhibition in San Diego, California in 2014, Admiral Robert Papp, commandant of the USCG until his retirement that year, warned that “affordability” was key to any future procurement of equipment for his force. But requirements are emerging in the Asia-Pacific, according to another industry source, for platforms to be able to survive maximum sea states as well as having the endurance to spend longer at sea and therefore increase mission efficiency when deployed. Many Southeast Asian countries will be observing the USCG’s Integrated Deepwater System Programme, a 25-year effort worth some $24bn, to replace aircraft, ships, logistics platforms and command and control systems as well as integrate more efficient reconnaissance technology. Part of this effort is the USCG’s National Security Cutter which will basically operate as a floating, permanent infrastructure or mother ship. Such technology is only likely to further develop current concepts of operations in the coast guard community. However, increased Chinese activity in the AO is not the sole cause of concern for coast guard and naval bodies charged with protecting the region. According to the

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International Maritime Bureau (IMB) based in London, smaller tanker hijackings by armed gangs operating in Southeast Asia continue to rise although this flies in the face of more general piracy attack trends worldwide which have seen numbers fall for a third consecutive year in 2014. Referring to this micro threat, small in comparison to Chinese state-sponsored activity in the region, IMB director, Pottengal Mukundan informed AMR, “It’s encouraging to see the huge decrease in maritime piracy and armed robbery over the last few years, thanks mainly to international navies deterring pirates off east Africa, and improved onboard security. However, there has been a worrying new rise in attacks against small coastal tankers in Southeast Asia. We advise small tankers in particular to remain vigilant in these waters and report all attacks and suspicious small craft to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre.” According to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre, gangs of thieves armed with knives and guns are making Southeast Asian waters increasingly dangerous for small tankers carrying products such as gas oil or marine diesel oil. “Boarding the ship at sea, pirates hold the crew hostage for a short time while they unload all or part of the cargo, which they

The USCG’s largest platform is its ‘Bertholf’ class National Security Cutter. These vessels displace some 4500 tonnes. Nevertheless, they are still dwarfed by various other coast guard vessels in service in the Asia-Pacific © USCG

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The Airbus Helicopters EC-145 maritime support rotorcraft, which is in operation with the Philippines Coast Guard, was procured as part of the country’s Maritime Disaster Response Helicopter Acquisition Project © Airbus Helicopter

then use, or sell locally. Of the six vessels hijacked worldwide in the third quarter of 2014, five were in Southeast Asia,” the IMB stated. Using Indonesia as an example, the country saw a total of 72 incidents between January and September 2014 with the vast number of events comprising 67 armed robberies. The remainder was made up of hijackings. That said, the IMB has commended the Indonesian Marine Police in combating this problem. This begs the question as to what can coast guards do to combat such problems at micro and macro levels in Southeast Asia? Furthermore, is it indeed the job of a coast guard vessel to enforce such measures ahead of their more militarised naval counterparts? One just has to look at the Philippine Coast Guard Special Operations Group (CGSOG) which was created to deal with domestic counter terrorism and law enforcement operations, most notably including the 27 February 2004 SuperFerry bombing which saw 116 fatalities in the world’s most devastating maritime terrorist attack. The attack was perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf militant Islamist organisation. Certainly the US foreign policy “pivot” towards the Asia-Pacific announced by the administration of President Barack Obama in 2012 is witnessing an uplift in naval forces from across the Pacific Ocean and a

natural consequence of an increasing presence of rival forces in the region such as China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who are boosting their own presence in this AO.

The Philippines

Ahead of any increased US presence in the area, Japan took up the initiative some years ago for increased cooperation and collaboration with its neighbours and over recent years has supplied, and continues to supply, the Philippines and Vietnam with coast guard vessels. For the Philippines in particular, this included an announcement to build ten coast guard patrol boats. The service already operates three Japanese vessels including Niigata Engineering’s ‘Corregidor’ class navigational aid tender. Foreign influence is rife in the Philippines with the vast majority of coast guard vessels being supplied from the US and Australia. The latter, for example, supplied four ‘San Juan’ class vessels complete with helipads and four ‘Ilocos Norte’ class boats, all manufactured by Tenix of Australia.

Recent efforts are seeing countries push ahead with their own domestic procurement plans l

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW

Also from Australia, the Philippines coast guard operates De Havilland Marine DBtype coastal patrol craft. Elsewhere, the US has supplied a variety of vessels to the Philippines, including Ingalls Shipbuilding Buoy Tenders as well as former USCG platforms such as the USCGC Nettle and USCGC Redbud, not to mention countless swift boats (especially efficient at maritime interdiction operations) and cutter type vessels for general purpose missions. Recent efforts are seeing countries push ahead with their own domestic procurement plans with the Philippine Ports and Coast Guard Capability Development Project outlining plans to “strengthen the Philippine Coast Guard’s capability to promote safety of life, protect the marine environment and enforce maritime laws through procurement of four brand new patrol boats and one patrol vessel.” Worth a total of $130 million, it is expected that this programme will begin in 2016 once a shipyard has been selected. Sources could not confirm whether this would be a local or international company. Allied to this is the ongoing Maritime Disaster Response Helicopter Acquisition Project which procured several Airbus Helicopters EC-145 maritime support rotorcraft as part of a wider military modernisation programme. But despite being one of the five largest archipelagos in the

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world, many industry observers regard the Philippines as still having one of the most poorly-equipped coast guard services.

Vietnam

Meanwhile, Vietnam is gearing up to receive a number of coast guard ships from Japan in 2015, as the country seeks to ramp up protection and influence in the South China Sea. Such a move will only escalate already frequent situations in the South China Sea where Vietnamese and Chinese vessels continue to harass one another especially concerning the use of oil rigs in contested waters. Speaking at the International Institute of Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore in May 2014, Vietnam’s deputy defence minister Nguyen Chi Vinh announced that it was hoped Vietnam would receive the vessels by early 2015. The Vietnam and Philippine coast guards now enjoy an operational agreement allowing greater cooperation and collabora-

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The coast guard patrol boat Pampanga of the Philippines Coast Guard conducts joint operations in the Celebes Sea with the US and Philippines navies and the USCG © Philippines Coast Guard

tion between these two services and their respective AOs. According to an industry observer, the Vietnam Coast Guard must promote cooperation and efficiency with its neighbours in Southeast Asia and worldwide in order to benefit from information processing, improved situation awareness and networking exercises. A significant agreement was signed between the Vietnam Coast Guard and USCG in 2009 enabling the latter to train indigenous forces under the Export Control and Related Border Security Program. According to the USCG, this was the organisation’s first official cooperation with Vietnam. With regards to equipment, the Vietnam Coast Guard has generated a strong working relationship with the Damen Group of shipbuilders in the Netherlands which is working with licensed Vietnamese company Song Thu. This agreement saw the

One of Vietnam’s three Airbus C-212-400 Aviocar maritime support aircraft which assist surface vessels operated by the Vietnam Coast Guard. Such aircraft represent a major enhancement for the service © Vietnam Coast Guard

FEBRUARY 2015

development of offshore patrol vessels, a hydrographic survey vessel and four salvage tugs. Vietnam also operates three Airbus C-212-400 Aviocar Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft. No amount of equipment and technology uplift will best serve peace in the region in comparison to the rule of law. Indeed, US Navy attorney Captain Stuart Bell, deputy assistant judge advocate general for international and operations law, informed the West 2014 event that the rule of law could be applied in most cases in Asia-Pacific maritime disputes, especially between China and its neighbours. Highlighting disputes over territorial waters, reefs and island chains, maritime jurisdiction, and protection of natural resources, Capt. Bell said, “Extant architectures are already in place to ensure that rules works. Meaningful adherence to international law and norms is our best chance to resolve these territorial conflicts.” Finally, sources stressed to AMR the importance of freedom of movement in the Asia-Pacific with many parties, including the US, calling for an immediate ratification of the International Law of the Sea Treaty which would provide easier accessibility and leverage for member states. The next decade of maritime operations in the Asia-Pacific are likely to throw up some very interesting lessons for the global coast guard community, but it appears most parties are keen to avoid any type of escalation in violence through increased partnership, improved technology and equipment and better trained personnel.

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ASIA PACIFIC PROCUREMENT UPDATE by Pierre Delrieu

INDIAN NAVY TO ACQUIRE OTO MELARA 127/64 LW VULCANO GUN

The Indian Navy will acquire 13 127/64 LW guns from the Italian naval armament producer OTO Melara. The deal is worth $243.5 million and was announced in early January. The guns are being procured to equip the fleet’s ‘Delhi’ class destroyers and ‘Shivalik’ class frigates. Three of the guns are expected to be built at OTO Melara’s facilities in Italy, with the remaining ten to be constructed locally by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). BHEL is already involved in the production of OTO Melara products, principally the company’s 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun. Although it has not been publicly revealed by the Indian Navy which armament the 127/64 LW gun could

INDIAN MOD AGREES ON $525M DEAL FOR SPIKE ATGMS

The Indian Defence Ministry announced on 25 October 2014 its plan to acquire at some 8356 Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs), a third-generation weapon that will be mounted on the Kharkiv BMP2 infantry fighting vehicle along with 321 launchers. The deal, reportedly worth $525 million, was chosen over the rival US Javelin weapons system, built by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, which the United States’ defence secretary Chuck Hagel had pitched to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Washington DC in late September 2014.

replace on the three ‘Delhi’ class destroyers, it is likely that the weapon could replace the existing Russian-supplied AK-100 naval guns which equip these vessels. The AK100 fires 100mm high-explosive anti-air or high-explosive fragmentation shells at a maximum rate-of-fire of 60 rounds-per-minute. The ‘Shivalik’ class frigates, of which three are in service, are currently equipped with the OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun. This weapon can sustain a rate-of-fire of up to 120 rounds-per-minute, firing 76mm shells to a range of up to 22 nautical miles (40 kilometres) depending on the ammunition being used. It is expected that the 76/62 Super Rapid guns will be replaced on the ‘Shivalik’ class vessel with the new 127/64 LW weapons. This gun has a rateof-fire of 35 rounds-perminute and a maximum range of 65nm (120km).

Reports suggest, however, that the US and India are still discussing the possibility of a government-to-government offer for Javelin ATGMs, to be used by the Indian Army, as part of a broader effort to strengthen defence industry ties with India by increasing the share of production done in the country. The army’s procurement of Spike missiles from Israel will reportedly include launchers and training simulators. The

The 127/64 LW has been designed from the outset to equip medium and largesized ships to enable them to perform anti-aircraft warfare and naval gunfire support. The weapon fires an array of 120mm shells, including the company’s Vulcano ammunition. In the 127mm calibre, three variants of the Vulcano round are available including the Ballistic Extended Range (BER) unguided multipurpose shell which has a programmable fuse. The BER shell is joined by the Guided Long Range (GLR) ammunition

which contains an infra-red sensor for anti-surface warfare, while a version of the GLR is available with a global positioning system sensor to further improve accuracy, with the option of the installation of a semi-active laser. The gun itself can fire four different types of 127mm ammunition which can be loaded into four separate drums within the magazine. OTO Melara has developed a mission planning system to accompany the gun to enable the ideal ammunition and firing solution to be devised according to the fire support task that the gun is to perform. This module can be operated in a stand-alone fashion, or integrated directly into the ship’s Combat Management System. Beyond India, other users of the 127/64 LW include the Algerian Navy, Deutsche Marine (German Navy) and the Marina Militaire (Italian Navy).

force will initially receive the ATGM fully manufactured, then semi-manufactured with eventual licence production commencing in India. The missile, which has a range of over 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) are equipped with an active/passive guidance system, a fire-and-forget mode and top-attack capability, and will be mounted on the army’s BMP-2 vehicles. The Indian Defence Ministry had been searching for a suitable advanced ATGM to fit on the BMP2 since 2006. Tenders were sent again in 2010 to MBDA, Rafael, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Rosoboronexport. The project was almost scrapped as only one company, Rafael, agreed

to India’s demand for a transfer of the technology for the ATGM. Israel and India have long shared close defence ties, and those ties have grown even closer since the election of Narendra Modi as India’s Prime Minister in May 2014. India’s defence secretary RK Mathur visited Israel in July 2014 to discuss additional arms packages with the local defence industries, and reports suggest that India is also deliberating the possible purchase of Israel-made airborne early warning aircraft, estimated at over $1 billion. Israel has become a central weapons supplier to several countries in the Asia-Pacific in recent years, and the country’s exports to the region in 2013 amounted to $3.9 million.

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for Airbus Helicopters’ AsiaPacific market, explained that, “although Airbus Helicopters products are well known and widely used in operation with various governmental and civilian users, this is the first time that the Royal Thai Navy has decided to procure our products. This contract reinforces the presence of Airbus Helicopters in the Thai armed forces.” Mr. Rochereau added that this contract was also a

‘premiere’ for the EC-645T2 in Thailand and in Southeast Asia. Deliveries for the RTAF’s EC-645T2s are scheduled to begin in 2016. In a press release publicly announcing the deal, Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia and Pacific director Philippe Monteux explained that the acquisition of the different rotorcraft will significantly enhance Thailand’s navy and air force’s capabilities. “By

acquiring both the EC-645T2 and EC-725, Thailand will be operating two of the most capable helicopters in their categories, delivering high levels of mission flexibility with their modern avionics and rugged airframes.” The RTAF will reportedly use the EC-725 helicopters for Search-And-Rescue and Combat Search-And-Rescue (SAR/CSAR) missions, operating from the Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) of Lop Buri in Thailand’s central province of Lop Buri. The EC-725, a derivative of Airbus Helicopters AS-532 Cougar, is a medium-lift utility helicopter designed for troop transport, CSAR missions, casualty evacuation, maritime surveillance, medical evacuation, humanitarian support and shipborne missions. The EC-725 can carry up to 29 seated troops and two crew members, depending on the configuration, with a 3.7 tonnes maximum take-off weight.

of Honeywell’s Indonesian operations, at Honeywell’s IndoDefence Exhibition booth. It will reportedly concentrate on avionics and navigation systems and potentially encompass service solutions and engine systems. The collaboration between the two companies has existed for some time, but, according to Honeywell, this MoU outlines the “possibility of broader co-operation in the future”. Speaking at the signing and as outlined in the press release published shortly after, Mr. Santoso praised the accord, saying that “the signing of this MoU shows that PTDI is always looking to take a step further towards increasing the locally-built content in its products ... Using Honeywell Indonesia equipment in the PTDI aircraft insures that those aircraft include a greater

number of equipment made in Indonesia.” This partnership will allow PTDI, with the support of the Honeywell equipment supplies and services, to maintain its capabilities to its customers and, by having manufacturing and services in Indonesia, be closer its customers. Mark Burgess, Honeywell senior customer business director for the Asia-Pacific defence and space sector told AMR, “working closely with PTDI, Honeywell wishes to bring different strengths in a collaborative effort to support their role in Indonesia’s national defence and aircraft businesses as they aspire to grow regionally.” Mr Burgess added that “Indonesia represents a very important market for Honeywell.” Honeywell is “also engaged in very interesting discussions with Thailand and the Philippines.” He

added that 75 percent of the company’s regional revenue currently originates from Singapore, specifying that Honeywell is also an important player in Malaysia, and more specifically in the commercial helicopter business. Based in Bandung, Indonesia, PTDI is one of the indigenous aerospace companies in the Asia-Pacific with core competence in aircraft design and development, aircraft assembly, aerostructure manufacturing and aircraft services for both military and civilian light and medium aircraft. The company produces various types of aircraft, among which are the C-212400 and CN-235 turboprop freighters both jointly-developed and produced with Airbus. PTDI also produces different models of helicopters, various aircraft components and missiles and armaments.

THAILAND TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL AIRBUS EC-725 AND EC-645T2 HELICOPTERS

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has awarded a contract to enhance the Thai military’s airborne capabilities to Airbus Helicopters, ordering two additional EC725 medium-lift utility helicopters, the company announced on 22 October 2014. The delivery of the RTAF’s two additional eleven tonne helicopters will begin in 2017 and the aircraft will join the fleet of four EC-725s, ordered in 2012 which will commence deliveries in 2015. Airbus Helicopters also confirmed the signature of a deal to supply the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) with five EC645T2 maritime support helicopters, with a contract signed in early September 2014 valued at $77 million. In an interview with AMR, Fabrice Rochereau, vice president of sales and customer relations

INDONESIA’S PTDI AND HONEYWELL SIGN DEAL TO INCREASE PRODUCT’S LOCAL CONTENT

The state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) and Honeywell have signed an agreement to collaborate on systems and services for the Indonesian military aerospace market. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 7 November 2014 at the IndoDefence exhibition, which was hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence and held in Jakarta in November 2014. This MoU, which features prospective technology transfer to enable increased local content in military aircraft programmes, was signed by PTDI’s president director Budi Santoso and Alex J. Pollack, president

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TAIWAN’S ‘CARRIER KILLER’ CORVETTE BEGINS TRIALS

Tuo Jiang, the Republic of China Navy’s (RoCN) new, indigenously designed, twinhull missile ‘Hsun Hai’ class corvette began sea trials on 27 October 2014, according to local media, quoting Taiwanese naval sources. The 500-tonne corvette, dubbed a ‘carrier killer’, was reportedly launched into waters south of the Guishan Islands, located off the northeastern coast of Yilan, Taiwan. There, the ship conducted different tests including engine trials. If the remaining trials go according to schedule, the RoCN’s Tuo Jiang will enter service in the first half of 2015. The Taiwanese government had approved a $820 million budget to acquire up to twelve new ‘Hsun Hai’ class corvettes in 2011, an approval made

JAPAN BEGINS PROCESS OF E-767 AWACS UPGRADE

Japan signed a $25.6 million contract with Boeing to begin upgrading the country’s fleet of four E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, the US Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 28 October. The four Japanese aircraft have been in service with the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) since 1999, and, according to the deal with Boeing, will each be fitted with new systems, namely updated mission computers, electronic support measures, a Raytheon AN/APX-119 Interrogator Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder, a next-generation Telephonics Corporation AN/UPX-40 IFF, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system and data link upgrades. The deal plans for the upgrade and refitting of three Japanese ground support facilities and the upgrade work should also

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under the Ministry of National Defence’s (MND’s) Hsun Hai programme. The RoCN’s new vessel is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 38 knots (70 kilometres-per-hour), thanks to its wave-piercing catamaran hull form, and can obtain a maximum range of 2000 nautical miles (3700 kilometres). Its low radar cross-section design also makes it stealthier. In addition to accommodating a crew of 41, the ‘carrier killer’ is said to be equipped with eight Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) and eight ramjet-powered Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) Anti-Ship Missiles (AShMs), both developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan. The Tuo Jiang can accommodate a crew of 41. Furthermore, the vessel is said to be armed with four 12.7mm machineguns for close-range ship defence, an Otobreda involve spare parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, US government and contractor engineering and technical support, and other related elements of programme support. The aircraft upgrade aims at providing Japan with an enhanced airborne early warning capability and to allow Japan’s AWACS fleet to be more compatible with the US Air Force Boeing E-3A/D AWACS fleet providing for greater interoperability between the two countries’ air forces. The design and production work will be performed by Boeing in its Kent facilities, in Washington State, and is expected to be completed by the end of February 2015. Boeing’s E-767 AWACS platform was designed to respond to the JASDF’s specific requirements, and Japan is

76mm cannon and a Raytheon Mk.15 Phalanx close-in weapon system to defeat incoming AShMs and hostile aircraft. Speaking to AMR, Rick Fisher, senior fellow on Asian military affairs for the US-based International Assessment and Strategy Centre, argued that the Tuo Jiang’s stealthy design and modern armament “significantly increase the ability to attack Chinese invasion fleets and thus help to deter a Chinese decision to commence hostilities”. According to Mr. Fisher, this programme could, in fact, help move towards a more peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict between the two countries. “By helping to remove a successful military option from Beijing’s pol-

icy choices,” Fisher explains, “the ‘Hsun Hai’ class forces Beijing to consider non-military options to achieve its goals regarding Taiwan.” In addition to being a significant technological advancement for Taiwan, the Tuo Jiang and the ‘Hsun Hai’ class programme has a strategic impact, says Mr. Fisher. “Strategists have long viewed China’s gathering capacity to invade Taiwan as the new ‘centre of gravity’ of their strategy. If China assesses that it cannot succeed with an invasion then it is possible to deter a Chinese decision to go to war, inasmuch as a major mission for the ‘Hsun Hai’ class is to counter China’s invasion fleet. That makes the ship’s impact strategic,” Mr. Fisher adds.

currently the only operator of this aircraft. It essentially consists the Boeing E-3 Sentry family’s surveillance radar and command and control system, mounted on a Boeing 767 airframe instead of a Boeing 707 airframe.

simultaneously. The AN/APY-2, with its 360degree view, is capable of determining the velocity of an air target and detecting targets more than 172 nautical miles (320 kilometres) away. Coupled with a flexible, multimode radar, the AWACS’ surveillance system enables it to distinguish maritime and airborne targets from ground and sea clutter. The JASDF has strongly expressed its desire for the mission hardware and software of its specific E-767 platforms to remain compatible with those of the other E-3 Sentry family operators (notably France, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States), especially given the existing incompatibility issues in terms of airframe technical support and specific spare parts and repairs.

The electronics system on the E-767 is essentially the same as the E-3 models, using Northrop Grumman’s AN/APY-2 three-dimensional passive electronically scanned array radar, housed in a rotordome on top of the aircraft, which measures target azimuth, range, and elevation

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REGIONAL NEWS

a u s t r a l a s i a A N D

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

DCNS OPENED NEW SUBSIDIARY IN CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

French shipbuilder DCNS has opened a new subsidiary in Australia. The launch of DCNS Australia Pty Ltd, DCNS’ facilities in Canberra, was made official on 19 November 2014, during an opening ceremony held by the company’s chief executive officer, Hervé Guillou, in the presence of Australia’s defence minister, David Johnston as well as that of representatives of local defence industries and key Australian government figures. In an interview with AMR, DCNS’ delegate in Australia, Joel Branchut explained that, by opening this strategically positioned subsidiary “DCNS aims at taking the lead on

NEW ZEALAND RECEIVES DELIVERY OF FINAL NH90 TTH

More than eight years after placing an order for eight NH Industries NH-90 Tactical Transport Helicopters (TTH), the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) has received delivery of the last of the medium-lift utility aircraft on 31 October 2014 at the RNZAF’s Ohakea Base, on the country’s North Island. New Zealand had selected the NH-90TTH in March 2005 in view of replacing its ageing fleet of Bell UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopters, and had signed the $600 million deal for nine helicopters on 31 July 2006. Only eight of these are to be used operationally for Search And Rescue (SAR), troop transport, disaster relief and cargo resupply duties, with the ninth aircraft being used for spares. New Zealand’s NH-90s were all assembled in the Airbus Helicopters (one of the partners in NH Industries) facilities in Marignane, southern France.

coming discussions on the country’s future submarine programme between Australian stakeholders and a combined French government/industry team, including Thales Australia.” Australia is looking to replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) six ‘Collins’ class conventional hunter-killer submarines (please see Jonathan Tringham’s ‘Australian Aspirations’ article in this issue). Further down the road DCNS also hope, with its new position in the country, to submit bids to participate in the procurement to replace the RAN’s ‘Anzac’ class frigates. The ‘Collins’ class submarines are due to leave service from 2025 onwards and to be replaced by a new class of twelve submarines, with an iniFabrice Rochereau, AsiaPacific vice president of sales and customer relations for Airbus Helicopters, told AMR that “the acquisition of the NH-90 by New Zealand … is a major capability breakthrough. The NH-90 will tremendously expand and extend the military capabilities of the country thanks to better performances, a bigger and more flexible cabin, and a real all-weather flying capability. At the same time, it provides a priceless asset for

civil service applications such as sea and land Search And Rescue (SAR), medical evacuation, disaster relief support, and supply to remote islands and mountainous areas.” The deliveries of the helicopters began on 7 December

tial timeline scheduling the new submarines to enter service before the ‘Collins’ class boats begin phasing out. In its bid to participate in the initiative, DCNS plans to propose a conventional-propulsion derivative of the ‘Barracuda’ class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSNs), designed by DCNS for the Marine Nationale (French Navy), to replace its ‘Rubis’ class SSNs, Mr. Branchut told AMR. Australia will then benefit from the company’s most “advanced French design and engineering know-how”, explained Mr. Branchut, since the “re-use of Barracuda technologies (will

allow) DCNS to propose proven schedules, development costs and construction techniques, hence a design that will have already undergone extensive risk reduction.” Construction of the French Navy’s ’Barracuda’ class SSNs began in 2007 and the first boat will reportedly be commissioned in 2017. These vessels use technology derived from the force’s ‘Triomphant’ class nuclear ballistic missile submarines, including pump jet propulsion. Fitted with torpedo-tube-launched MBDA SCALP Naval cruise missiles for long-range strikes against strategic land targets, the ‘Barracuda’ class’ missions will include anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, land attack, and special operations.

2011, when the first two units arrived at the Ohakea Base. The RNZAF NH-90s completed the first phase of their operational testing and evaluation in February 2013, enabling them to begin undertaking operational tasks. With all the NH-90s now delivered, the RNZAF can proceed with the withdrawal of the ten UH-1Hs remaining in its inventory, and three of the force’s squadrons can begin transitioning from its 1960s-vintage UH-1H platforms to the new model. In addition, the NH-90 will also be used by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), and the amphibious support ship HMNZS Canterbury has already been requisitioned for the helicopters’ naval trials. The NH-90TTH version’s primary role is the transport of troops and it can carry up to 20 soldiers. The aircraft is designed to conduct heliborne operations and SAR. It can

also quickly be adapted to conduct medical or casualty evacuations when fitted with up to twelve stretchers. NH Industries has been facing delivery delays for most of its NH-90TTH/NFH customers, delays that are caused in large part by the many different configurations for the helicopter ordered. In fact, there are currently more versions of the NH-90 than there are customers for the aircraft. New Zealand had tried to stay clear of this situation by choosing a configuration similar to the one chosen by Australia. Regardless of the measures, the deliveries, which were originally due to be completed by the end of 2013, were subject to delays. With this final delivery, New Zealand becomes the first customer worldwide to receive all of its ordered NH-90s. An upgrade plan has already been agreed upon and is reported to include enhanced communications, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management improvements for the platform.

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