AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 26 May 2011 16:41

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives has broadened the type of Chinese entities barred from receiving Pentagon contracts amid growing unease in Washington over China's expanding military might.

Under the amendment, passed by voice vote May 25, all entities owned by or affiliated with the Chinese government are prohibited from providing defense articles to the United States and the U.S. secretary of defense must report to Congress 15 days before any planned waiver of the ban.

"With China making significant progress in the defense and aerospace industries it is critical that we ensure U.S. national security is protected and that the highly skilled jobs and associated technologies in these industries are not outsourced overseas," Rep. Rosa DeLauro said in a statement.

The Connecticut Democrat said the measure "will help guard American interests, not only for our national security, but also the innovation, job creation and long-term economic growth in Connecticut and across the country that will allow the United States to remain competitive globally."

Chinese state-controlled firm China Aviation Industry Corp, or AVIC, is said to be weighing a bid for the contract to produce the next U.S. presidential helicopter, prompting concerns in Washington about the possibility that Beijing may obtain U.S. military secrets.

DeLauro's measure, also sponsored by Republican Rep. Frank Wolf, is among dozens of amendments to the fiscal 2012 National Defense Authorization Act - the Pentagon's budget bill - currently being debated in the House.

It allows the secretary of defense to issue a waiver on the procurement limitations "if the good or service is critical to the needs of the Department of Defense and is otherwise unavailable to the Department of Defense" and indicating its reasoning in a report to Congress.

Companies affected by the amendment include any commercial firm "owned or controlled by, directed by or from, operating with delegated authority from, or affiliated with, the People's Liberation Army or the government of the People's Republic of China or that is owned or controlled by an entity affiliated with the defense industrial base of the People's Republic of China."

"Over the last several years, so-called 'commercial' Chinese companies have sought to compete for DoD contracts. In fact, these Chinese 'companies' are very much arms of Beijing and the People's Liberation Army," said Wolf.

"That is why we believe Congress must act quickly to make clear that it will not support any contract that involves a Chinese state-controlled company for the highly sensitive presidential helicopter program or any other defense system."

Defense News

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 26 May 2011 08:19

DEAUVILLE, France - France and Russia have finalized an unprecedented deal for Paris to sell four powerful modern warships to Moscow, President Nicolas Sarkozy and his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev said May 26.

"All talks have been completed. The contract will be signed shortly," Medvedev told reporters after holding bilateral talks with his host Sarkozy ahead of the G8 summit in the northern French resort of Deauville.

"The elements of the signing have been resolved. The signature will take place within a fortnight," Sarkozy said.

Under the plan, two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships will be built in France and two in Russia to the French design, the two men said without giving further details.

Negotiations over the purchase began in 2009 but repeatedly stalled over price and technology transfer amid concerns among France's NATO allies about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

Some former Soviet nations like Georgia, which fought a brief but bloody war with Russia in 2008, have expressed fears in the past that Russia could use the powerful ships against them.

Earlier this year, the two sides were reportedly unable to agree on the contract price, as Russia insisted on paying no more than $980 million and France insisted on a contract of at least $1.15 billion.

The ship-purchase deal with France is unprecedented since World War II both in terms of the size of the equipment in question and Russia's insistence since the war on producing all military hardware for its own use and export.

The deal will also be seen as a major coup for the both leaders and will likely buttress their credentials as political negotiators as Russia and France head into presidential elections next year.

Brushing off any possible concerns from his NATO allies, Sarkozy reiterated that Russia was a trusted partner and the Cold War epoch was over. Medvedev for his part said the two countries enjoyed "superb ties."

Defense News

By NICK LEE-FRAMPTON Published: 25 May 2011 05:08

WELLINGTON - New Zealand's defense budget will increase by a nominal 2 percent for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, rising to 2.9 billion NZ dollars, according to figures released by the government.

The budget, announced May 19, continues to give the largest slice of the New Zealand Defence Force's dollars to the Army, although for the second year in succession, the Army's share has shrunk - from 843 million NZ dollars last year to 832 million, including more than 380 million NZ dollars for land combat forces.

The Army's loss is arguably the Navy's gain, as their budget has increased by 20 million NZ dollars to almost 693 million NZ dollars.

The service's two Anzac-class frigates continue to be the military's most expensive assets, accounting for more than half of the Navy's budget - 408 million NZ dollars.

Also enjoying a budget boost, for the third year in a row, is the Air Force, with 670 million NZ dollars. The service's fixed-wing transport fleet of five C-130H Hercules and two Boeing 757s accounts for almost 40 percent of its budget. The Air Force's six P-3 Orions, being upgraded to P-3K2 status, account for 25 percent.

However, the NZDF's operational budget is down from 78 million to 71 million NZ dollars.

The budget for the Secret Intelligence Service has dropped slightly, and what is described as "communications security and intelligence," which likely includes the Government Communications Security Bureau with more than 300 staff, will have to manage with a significant cut in its funding from 74 NZ million dollars to 56 NZ million dollars.

Defense News

16 Mei 2011 Bell UH-1 Iroquois of the RNZAF (photo : Gavin Conboy-Airliners)Up to four Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Iroquois together with flight crews and maintenance personnel will be taking part in a night flying exercise from 16-27 May.Exercise PEKAPEKA 11 will train aircrew in Night Vision Goggle operations and maintenance personnel in night time aircraft maintenance.From 16 ? 27 May the Iroquois helicopters will be operating out of RNZAF Base Ohakea and flying around the Waiouru, Taihape, Turangi and Kaimanawa Ranges area. The Kapiti and Wanganui areas will also be included if there is bad weather. Flying will occur from midday to 2.00am on some of the nights.Detachment Commander Squadron Leader Oliver Bint says the exercise is an important one for No. 3 Squadron to maintain the Air Force?s Rotary Wing Transport Force capability of conducting day and night flying operations.?Flying at night provides a different set of challenges than flying during the day, and we need to ensure our crews are trained to operate effectively at any hour.This is especially the case given the varied nature of the tasks No. 3 Squadron is on standby to support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Such tasks include counter-terrorism response, search and rescue, and support to any Civil Defence or disaster relief operations.?The exercise derives its title from the Maori name for a native New Zealand bat ? Pekapeka.(NZDF)

Defense Studies

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 15 May 2011 10:15

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea on May 15 accused South Korea of inventing allegations against it to raise tension and repeated denials of involvement in a deadly ship sinking and a damaging cyber-attack on a bank.

"We strongly urge the group of traitors to own responsibility for faking up the conspiratorial farces doing harm to the fellow countrymen and make an official apology before the nation," the North's top leadership body the National Defense Commission (NDC) said, referring to the South's leaders.

The North has repeatedly denied involvement in the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, which killed 46, near the disputed sea border in March 2010.

Last week the North's defense ministry also denied carrying out a cyber-attack on one of South Korea's largest banks in April, calling the allegations "absurd" and a "farce."

South Korean prosecutors say the North brought down the computer system of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation by hacking into an official's laptop and operating it remotely as a "zombie computer."

The NDC statement via the North's official news agency repeated those denials.

The South, citing a multinational investigation, said a North Korean torpedo sank Cheonan and put what it said was a salvaged portion of the torpedo on display.

The North said its neighbor cooked up the story as part of what it calls a policy of confrontation designed to ensure a continuing U.S. military presence.

The NDC, which is chaired by leader Kim Jong-Il, said the cyber-attack claim followed recriminations between Seoul's presidential palace and the ruling party over a by-election setback.

It said further allegations may be "orchestrated as long as the group of traitors is working hard to stoke confrontation between the North and the South."

Defense News

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 14 May 2011 11:30

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will lay out the red carpet for China's military chief as Washington renews its effort to forge a defense dialogue with Beijing despite tensions and mutual distrust.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde starts a week-long visit May 15 to the United States, the first trip to America by the country's top-ranking officer in seven years, officials said.

Chen will tour four military bases, deliver a speech to American officers and hold talks with his U.S. counterpart, Adm. Mike Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a senior defense official said.

"We've pulled out all the stops" for the visit, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters.

Military relations between the nations have been strained and lagged behind diplomatic and trade ties, with Beijing objecting to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan while Washington has voiced concern about China's military buildup.

Gates and other U.S. officials have appealed to China to agree to a more reliable dialogue that could help defuse tensions and avoid potential misunderstandings, similar to ties that were built up between the Americans and the Soviets during the Cold War.

"What we're really looking for is a relationship that there's some mutual transparency and trust developed between us. So that if there is some incident or some disagreement, it's a relationship that we can depend on," the official said.

The Pentagon did not expect a breakthrough during Chen's visit but the official said Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, hoped to persuade Chen to agree to more regularly scheduled discussions.

"We will discuss options for more contact, with some established rhythm, periodic phone conversations, something like that," he said.

The last U.S. visit by a senior leader from the PLA was in 2009, when Gen. Xu Caihou came to Washington and toured military bases.

When the U.S. defense secretary paid a high-profile visit to Beijing in January, the Chinese military upstaged Gates with an inaugural test flight of the country's J-20 stealth fighter.

Chen was expected to offer his view of military relations at a May 18 speech at National Defense University after holding talks May 17 with Mullen and senior military staff in the Pentagon's "tank."

Over the course of the week, the Chinese general is due to get a first-hand look at U.S. naval warships at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.; a "live fire" exercise at Fort Stewart, Ga.; fighter aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; and the military's National Training Center in California.

Chen also plans to attend a concert May 16 at Washington's Kennedy Center with bands from the U.S. Army and the PLA performing. U.S. officials said it will mark the first time a PLA band has ever played in the United States.

Chen's visit comes after the United States said May 11 that it wanted to set guidelines with Beijing on the use of space, voicing worries that the Asian power is increasingly able to destroy or jam satellites.

Defense News

By WENDELL MINNICK Published: 13 May 2011 13:03

TAIPEI - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou urged the U.S. to release F-16 fighters and submarines during a speech May 12 at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

New arms will allow Taipei to negotiate with Beijing on "equal footing," he said. "This is why I continue to urge the U.S. to provide Taiwan with necessary weaponry ? to keep its aerial and naval integrity intact, which is key to maintaining a credible defense."

China has not renounced the use of force to reunify Taiwan despite improved ties since Ma won the presidency in 2008. Taiwan has adopted the "one China, respective interpretations" under the "92 Consensus" in an effort to better relations with Beijing, Ma said.

Improved relations also resulted in the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in 2010. To dispel domestic criticism of closer ties with China, Ma has a stated "Three-No's Policy" of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force."

Though Ma has made an effort of "never rocking the boat" and implementing "full consultation" with the U.S. on Cross-Strait discussions, the U.S. is still reluctant to provide Taiwan with new arms.

In 2001, the Bush administration promised Taiwan eight diesel electric submarines, but the deal has been held up by a combination of political and manufacturing hurdles. Taiwan's request for 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters for $5.5 billion and a $4.5 billion upgrade package for 146 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters has been on hold since 2007 and 2009, respectively.

Part of the reason for the delays, analysts say, are punitive actions taken by Beijing following arms releases totaling $13 billion in 2008 and 2010. China ended military-to-military dialogue with the U.S. and threatened to retaliate economically after each release. The effort appears to be paying off. China and the U.S. just concluded the third Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington last week where China's Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Qian Lihua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office with the National Defense Ministry, said Chen Bingde, chief of the General Staff, would meet with Adm. Mike Mullen, chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a visit to Washington from May 15 to 22. Qian was quoted by the state-controlled Xinhua News Agency on May 12 that a "new type" of China-U.S. military relations based on "mutual respect and reciprocal beneficial cooperation" was on the horizon.

Qian said there were three obstacles to improved Sino-U.S. military ties: U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, frequent reconnaissance by U.S. naval ships and aircraft in Chinese waters and airspace, and restrictions imposed by U.S. domestic laws on military exchanges and technical cooperation.

Qian said the U.S. must modify or abolish the 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, the "DeLay Amendment" and the 1990-91 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which set limits on military ties with China.

Chen's visit to Washington could be the catalyst for change, said Zhu Feng, a security analyst at Beijing University's Center for International and Strategic Studies. "He might be the right person for the U.S. to take more seriously to get mil-to-mil" back on track. However, it would be unwise for the U.S. to hobble Chen's efforts with new arms sales to Taiwan, he said.

"They are hoping to build 'strategic trust' and move the ball down the court somewhat on long-standing issues of contention," said a U.S. defense analyst who specializes on China. Discussions during the S&ED for improved military ties could cost Taiwan its security blanket, said a Taiwan defense source. As China and the U.S. move closer strategically, Taipei loses its ability to negotiate with Beijing from a position of strength, he said.

Defense News

By KATE BRANNEN Published: 12 May 2011 19:32

Due to the recent political upheaval in the region, the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense are reviewing its defense trade relationships with countries in the Middle East and even putting some of them on hold.

The United States has put "on pause" some of its planned transactions with countries in the region, James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs during a May 12 hearing.

Longer term, the administration is looking at the implications for defense trade on a country-by-country basis, as well as assessing the region as a whole, he said.

"Historic change of this magnitude will inevitably prompt us, as well as our colleagues throughout government, to reassess current policy approaches to ensure they still fit with the changing landscape," Andrew Shapiro, the assistant secretary at the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, said during a May 3 speech.

"While the impact on our defense relations and the defense trade is uncertain, changes in the region may lead to changes in policy and therefore changes in how we do business," he said.

The majority of U.S. military aid to the region goes to Israel. The United States also provides military financing to Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen.

In Bahrain, where the United States maintains a naval headquarters, the Shiite majority continues to demonstrate against the distribution of power and its lack of inclusion in the government. Early on in the protests, which erupted in February, the government used force against the demonstrators. In March, it invited foreign forces into the country to help manage the unrest.

The United States has financed the Bahrain Defense Force and the country is eligible to receive "excess defense articles," which in the past have included an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, according to the Congressional Research Service. Recent foreign military financing has gone toward improving the country's air defenses, upgrading the avionics of its F-16 fleet and improving its counter-terrorism capabilities.

The government in Yemen is also using force to crack down on civilian protesters.

According to a Congressional Research Service report, the Obama administration requested $106 million in U.S. economic and military assistance for Yemen in 2011. For 2012, it has requested $116 million in State Department and USAID-administered economic and military aid.

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed concern that arms sales to certain countries may no longer advance U.S. foreign policy interests.

Committee Chair Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., wanted assurance that all sales to the region comply with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy.

Each sale goes through review before any deal is made, responded Ellen Tauscher, undersecretary for arms control and international security at the State Department.

During his speech to the Defense Trade Advisory Group at the State Department, Shapiro emphasized that arms transfers are used as tools to advance U.S. foreign policy goals.

"And therefore, when U.S. foreign policy interests, goals and objectives shift, evolve and transform over time, so will our arms transfer policy," he said.

Along these lines, Shapiro's office is re-examining the Conventional Arms Transfer policy.

"This policy has suited the United States well since it was enacted just after the end of the Cold War, but it is time to dust off its pages and make sure that it reflects the reality of today," he said. "We don't know yet what specific changes, if any, are needed. But in light of sweeping transformation it is essential that we, as well as our colleagues in other government agencies, assess current processes and procedures toward the region."

Defense News

12 Mei 2011C-212 400 can be used to transport personnel and army (photo : MoAC)The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) of Thailand has taken delivery of the first of two C212-400 it has ordered from Airbus Military.The MoAC will receive the second aircraft by the turn of the 2011/2012. They are joining a fleet of 11 C212s the MoAC is already operating.Fitted with a specific kit, the main role of these aircraft is ?rain-making? through cloud-seeding in the largely drought-affected country, as well as boosting water volume in dams. The C212 can also transport personnel, as well as bulky items thanks to the rear ramp. It has a 22 m3 cabin volume and is able to carry up to 2.8 tonnes of cargo.This more modern C212-400 version incorporates additional equipment such as a Flight Management System (FMS).?Airbus Military is very proud to contribute to this Rain Making programme initiated by the King of Thailand?, says Head of Light & Medium Programmes, Rafael Tentor.C-212 300 of the Royal Thai Army (photo : Trevor Bartlett)In addition to the C212, the MoAC also operates two CN235. Furthermore, the Royal Thai Army operates two C212. The Royal Thai Police also operates a CN235. Including this latest delivery, Thailand now has a fleet of 17 Airbus Military Light and Medium Family aircraft.Before landing in Bangkok, the aircraft and its crew completed an eight day ferry from Seville with different stops in Italy, Greece, Jordania, Qatar, and India. The delivery, held at Nakhon Sawan Airport, was presided by Mr. Kiattisak Thangtrongsakol, Director of the Aviation Section from the Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agriculture Aviation, MoAC, and was attended by Airbus Military?s Customer Support Director in the area, Arturo Ballesteros.To date, Airbus Military has sold 477 C212 to 92 different operators.(Airbus Military)

Defense Studies

By Kate Brannen Published: 11 May 2011 22:38

The House Armed Services Committee voted on a number of amendments to the 2012 defense authorization bill that if they became law would limit the Obama administration's ability to implement a nuclear-arms reduction treaty with Moscow.

On all four amendments related to the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the committee voted straight down party lines 35 to 26, with Republicans voting for amendments that would restrict implementation of the treaty. The defense bill will next move to the House floor with the amendments included.

The White House signed the New START treaty with Russia in April 2010.

During the lame duck session following November congressional elections, the Senate ratified the treaty in December and it went into effect in February.

The treaty restricts the number of nuclear weapons each country may have and puts into place a new inspection regime. It would reduce the number of deployed nuclear warheads for the United States and Russia to 1,550 each.

Each now has about 2,200 deployed warheads and thousands more in storage or awaiting disposal.

Opponents expressed concern that the treaty would weaken the United States' nuclear weapons capabilities while not necessarily reducing Russia's inventory.

One of the amendments that passed would limit the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy from spending any available funding from 2012 through 2017 on retiring a covered nuclear system as required by the treaty. The legislation does include a provision, which says the secretaries of defense and energy may waive this limitation if they provide certain documentation to Congress.

Advocates of the treaty said the House legislation would tie the president's hands when it comes to making foreign policy decisions. They argued the treaty must move forward so that the United States can resume inspection of Russian nuclear weapons sites.

Defense News

[unable to retrieve the content]WASHINGTON - The United States said May 11 it wanted to set guidelines with China on the use of space, voicing worries that the Asian power is increasingly able to destroy or jam satellites.

Defense News

By ANDREW CHUTER Published: 11 May 2011 09:44

LONDON - Britain's Ministry of Defence ordered a batch of Dual Mode Brimstone missiles for the Royal Air Force late last year but has placed no follow-on order since then, procurement minister Peter Luff said.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Luff said an order to convert 150 standard Brimstone missiles to the Dual Mode variant had been agreed in December - before the Libyan crisis developed.

The MoD is in discussion with supplier MBDA to ensure weapon stocks are available for operations in Afghanistan and Libya, he said.

MBDA has large stocks of the standard Brimstone missile left over from a development and production contract awarded for the anti-armor weapon in 1996. Luff said the conversion work to the dual mode configuration normally takes between six and nine months, and the modified weapons would be delivered in monthly batches at a cost of between 35,000 pounds ($57,700) and 45,000 pounds per missile.

The question comes in the wake of media speculation that NATO was running low on air-launched precision guided weapons for use against the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

NATO has denied claims that the air forces involved in enforcing UN Resolution 1973 were running short of weapons.

Dual Mode Brimstone is a precision ground attack missile originally developed in response to an urgent operational requirement for RAF fighters deployed in Iraq.

Conversion of the basic anti-armor weapon involves modification to the existing millimetric wave seeker with the addition of a semi-active laser. The man-in-the-loop weapon is now being used against a range of vehicle and fixed targets.

Air Vice Marshal Baz North, the RAF's assistant chief of the air staff, said recently that the weapon's operational success in Afghanistan and Libya had attracted the interest of France and the U.S.

The weapon is operational on RAF Tornado GR4 strike aircraft deployed on operations over Afghanistan and Libya.

Defense News

11 Mei 2011HMNZS Te Mana (photo : Defense Update)HMNZS TE MANA has successfully test-fired her Close in Weapons System (CIWS) during exercises in the South China Sea.The CIWS (also known as a Phalanx) is a 6 barreled radar controlled 20mm machine gun that can fire up to 75 rounds of hardened steel bullets a second (4500 per minute). The purpose of the firing was to calibrate the CIWS radar tracking system to ensure accuracy. Four firings were undertaken, with a total of 550 rounds fired.The weapon is designed as last-line of defence against Anti-Ship Missiles and other air targets. If a target isn?t destroyed at long-range by the ships missile system the CIWS fires a curtain of bullets to destroy the target as it closes in on the ship.TE MANA?s Phalanx was upgraded in 2010 to improve its fire-control system, giving it the ability to target fast-moving surface targets, such as speedboats, as well as missiles and other air targets. An upgraded Phalanx will be fitted to TE KAHA later this year.Te Mana firing her Close in Weapons System (photo : RNZ Navy)HMNZS TE MANA and TE KAHA are participating in a Five Powers Defence Arrangements Exercise in the waters of South East Asia.The multi-national Exercise named Bersama Shield, involving 1 submarine, 9 ships, 57 fixed wing aircraft (including 8 F-18s, 4 MIG 29s, and 16 F-16s), 5 maritime helicopters and a variety of air and land-based support elements from New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.The Five Power Defence Arrangements provide a framework for defence co-operation between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and came into being on 1 November 1971.(RNZ Navy)

Defense Studies

11 Mei 2011 Pesawat F-16 milik Air National Guard Amerika (photo : F16net)Desember 2011, Realisasi Hibah 24 F-16Jurnas.com REALISASI hibah 24 pesawat tempur F-16 dari Amerika Serikat kepada Indonesia, dijadwalkan lebih cepat. Jika tidak ada halangan, kemungkinan Desember tahun ini segera direalisasikan. Meski begitu, program hibah masih harus melalui meja Kongres AS yang dijadwalkan Juli depan. ?Atase pertahanan KBRI memberikan gambaran program ini perlu waktu dua sampai lima tahun. Tetapi, setelah kami bertemu Pentagon, berhasil mempercepat proses pengadaan itu yakni 2011, akhir Desember,? kata Wakil Ketua Komisi I DPR RI Hayono Isman di Washington DC tadi malam.Pertemuan dengan Departemen Pertahanan AS (Pentagon) merupakan salah satu agenda dari serangkaian kunjungan kerja Komisi I DPR RI ke AS. Menurut Hayono, yang penting bagi Indonesia bukan memiliki pesawat supercanggih F-16 untuk mengimbangi negara tetangga atau lainnya. "Indonesia ingin ada penguatan industri pertahanan kita," kata Hayono.Karena itu, dalam program ini, Indonesia mengajukan PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) sebagai partner, minimal pemeliharaan. ?Biaya pemeliharaannya sangat mahal kalau harus dikirim ke AS, atau Singapura yang sudah memiliki fasilitas itu,? katanya.Hibah didasarkan pada program EDE (excess defend article) yang selama ini menjadi aturan di AS. EDE membolehkan AS menghibahkan alutista militernya kepada negara lain yang dianggap sahabat AS. ?Negara yang dianggap compatible dengan nilai-nilai yang dimiliki AS, misalnya demokrasi dan penegakan HAM. Indonesia dianggap sudah memenuhi kriteria itu,? kata mantan tokoh Kosgoro ini. Hibah ini merupakan hasil kunjungan Menteri Pertahanan AS Robert Gates ke Indonesia tahun silam.(Jurnal nasional)Baca Juga :F-16 Harus Direparasi Total11 Mei 2011Jurnas.com MESKI dalam kondisi siap pakai tapi 24 F-16 hibah dari AS meski direparasi total. Sebab peralatan sudah banyak ketinggalan. ?Intellectual property-nya, seperti peralatan komunikasi harus dipoles lagi dan bahkan diperbarui,? kata Wakil Ketua Komisi I DPR RI Hayono Isman di Washington DC tadi malam.Komisi I menginginkan dikerja samakan dengan PT Dirgantara Indonesia juga minta enam pesawat tambahan buat cadangan. ?Agar bisa dikanibal suku cadangnya sebab jenis yang dihibahkan ini sudah tidak dibuat lagi,? kata Hayono.Dalam Foreign Military Sales, US Air Force bertanggung jawab pada pemeliharaan namun harus menunjuk perusahaan lokal AS, dan siapa yang ditunjuk oleh FMS,nantinya akan menjadi kontraktornya. Bisa saja FMS menunjuk Lockheed Martin, pabrik pembuatnya. ?Tapi kita minta Lockheed Martin harus bekerja sama dengan PT DI. Kalau sampai tidak, kita tolak hibah ini,? tegas Hayono.(Jurnal Nasional)

Defense Studies

ttp://defense-update.com
The F-35 Lightning II jet known as AF-7 arrives at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday to begin its flight testing program. Flown by Maj. Scott ?Shark? McLaren, U.S. Air Force Pilot with the 461st FLTS at Edwards AFB. Photo: Lockheed Martin
The U.S. Air Force has accepted into its fleet the first of a planned 1,763 production-model Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters. Following the official acceptance on May 5th, the F-35A jet known as ?AF-7? flew to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday to begin its flight testing program. F-35s have completed more than 865 flights since flight-testing began in late 2006. In addition to AF-7, eight more production-model F-35s have rolled out and are being prepared for delivery. ?This first aircraft is the beginning of the modernization of U.S. Air Force, Marine and Naval Air power and for our coalition partners around the world,? said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager.

The Joint Strike Fighter FMS includes a high-fidelity 360-degree visual display system and a reconfigurable cockpit that simulates all three aircraft variants for U.S. and international partner services. Photo: Lockheed Martin
Preparing for the Lightnings
At Eglin Air Force Base, preparation and assembly is underway at the base?s F-35 Integrated Training Center (ITC) for training to commence this fall. This facility will train F-35 pilots and maintainers for all partner nations and customers worldwide. On May 6, the first F-35A production aircraft destined for the Air Forces? first operational unit at Eglin took off on its first flight. The aircraft ? AF-8 will be used for pilot and maintainer training. AF-8 is the first aircraft to fly from Low Rate Initial Production lot two. Last month Lockheed Martin also delivery of the first F-35 Lightning II Full Mission Simulator (FMS) system to Eglin Air Force Base?s 33rd Fighter Wing. The simulator utilizes high-fidelity 360-degree visual display system and a reconfigurable cockpit that simulates all three aircraft variants for U.S. and international partner services.

While activity at Eglin is already beginning this year, operationally capable units are not expected to stand up before 2018. This milestone has been delayed several years from the original scheduled set after the original contract award ten years ago, as costly redesign have slowed flight testing from the early stages, causing major delays, the latest announced in February 2011. The recent shift has slipped the planned initial operational capability of the Air Forces? first F-35A squadron by more than a year. With this delay, the Lightning II is also becoming more expensive. The estimated cost of the first three Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots will increase by 15 percent.
The delays are likely to U.S. and international customers, and reopen arguments and debates about possible alternatives. Israel, already committed to buy 20 aircraft, remains strongly supportive of the program. Last year the Israeli defense ministry allocated $2.75 billion to the acquisition of the first squadron of 20 aircraft, originally scheduled for delivery in 2016 or 2017. With the first aircraft to be delivered not earlier than 2018, the Israel Air Force and Ministry of defense remain confident the planes will become operational soon after, and the rest of the squadron?s fighters could arrive in Israel sooner than planned, as production of the aircraft will ramp up. The MOD is also hopeful that rescheduling and cost cutting measures could open new opportunities for integrating Israeli products in the aircraft. At present, only IAI and Elbit Systems are included in the F-35 program, with Elbit Systems developing the helmet display and IAI to provide Lockheed Martin up to 900 wing sets under a multi-year contract awarded under the industrial co-operational agreement that followed the Israeli order.

Buck McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee
Another new development in the program was the official termination of the General Electric Rolls-Royce F-136 alternate engine for the F-35, a decision long expected, following the Pentagon?s opposition to the development of two engines for the fighters. Following the Air Forces? announcement GE and Rolls Royce announced they will fund the program for the next 12 months, pursuing the development to the end, despite losing an important support in Congress. ?Instead of being part of the problem, they have decided to be part of the solution.? Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon, (California Rep. ) praised the team?s decision. ?Instead of lobbying for the final twenty percent needed to finish the engine, the GE team has committed to funding the engine for fiscal year 12 on their own dime. I will accept and support their approach. They believe in their engine and they believe in competition. Thanks to their willingness to compromise, we?ll break up a monopoly; potentially harvest billions in savings, while fielding a more capable, more robust fighter jet ? all at zero cost to the American taxpayer.?
Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries. The world?s newest fifth generation fighter, F-35 Lightning II combines Very Low Observable stealth with high speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and reduced sustainment costs. The F-35 is capable of supersonic launch of internal weapons, including maximum-speed (Mach 1.6) launch of internal air-to-air missiles.

Defense Update

Defense Update

By DAVE MAJUMDAR Published: 10 May 2011 17:48

An abundance of caution likely motivated the U.S. Air Force to launch investigations into the oxygen-generation systems found on board a number of fighter and trainer aircraft, analysts said.

"When you get to life-support systems, that is something the Air Force and any service tends to take a very hard line with," said Mark Gunzinger, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington and former Air Force pilot. "They are very, very cautious and risk-averse because we're not just dealing with the loss of a major weapon system, but the loss of a human life."

On May 6, the service identified the F-16, F-15E, A-10, F-35 and T-6 aircraft as being under investigation for problems with their On-board Oxygen Generation Systems (OBOGS).

The revelation came on the heels of news that the Air Force had effectively grounded its fleet of F-22 Raptor stealth fighters on May 3.

"They want to be doubly sure that the problems that they are experiencing with the F-22 OBOGS is not something that could be common to other systems and other aircraft," Gunzinger said. "It's something that's very, very prudent, and a very smart thing to do."

Had the Air Force specific information on a particular problem, the aircraft in question would be grounded, Gunzinger said.

However, the service has not pinpointed the exact cause for concern on the OBOGS systems on board the various aircraft.

"The OBOGS safety investigation is looking at all oxygen generation systems, casting a broad net for comparison of designs and functionality, thereby peeling back all aspects to seek any peculiarities of design, operation, and performance," said Capt. Jennifer Ferrau, an Air Force spokeswoman representing Air Combat Command, which trains and equips the combat air forces. "No particular sub-system had stood out as an area of concern, so this investigation seeks to identify any area of concern."

The Air Force has commissioned an OBOGS Safety Investigation Board, headed by a flag officer, which consists of safety investigation officers, pilots, doctors, engineers, maintainers among other specialists to get to the root of the problem.

Hans Weber, who sat on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Research, Engineering and Development Advisory Committee, and is the president of Tecop International, a San Diego consulting firm, said that the Air Force likely does not yet have a good idea of what the problem with the OBOGS is.

"I'm sure it's a surprise to everybody with a system that has been in operation for decades that all of a sudden they run into problems with it" he said.

OBOGS systems have been used for many years, and each generation of aircraft improves upon the technology, Weber said.

It is possible that during the drive to shrink and lower the weight of the OBOGS for the F-22, engineers may have inadvertently induced some sort of problem. It could be that there is something unique about the F-22 OBOGS design, Weber said.

"We haven't had any such problem for a long, long time; that tells us something," he said.

The Air Force would not release any other details about the investigation except that the OBOGS specific investigation started in January. Nor would the Air Force say whether pilots flying aircraft other than the Raptor had experienced hypoxia-related incidents.

The fact that the service ordered a fleetwide standdown of the Raptor indicates a potentially significant problem, but it does not indicate a systemic issue with the U.S. tactical aircraft fleet, Gunzinger said.

"There is not a huge major problem with the entirety of the tactical aviation force, but it's better to be safe than sorry," he said.

However, Weber said the fact that the entire Air Force tactical fighter fleet is being investigated suggest that a wider problem with the OBOGS exists.

"The fleet investigation has a fairly high hurdle. There has to be something that is a big question mark or something that is a suspect part or system," he said. "What they're telling us here is that the investigation has not fingered any particular part."

Both agree that there is a particular problem with the Raptor however.

"The F-22 grounding itself implies that this is probably something that is a little more than a normal thing with the system," Gunzinger said.

However, problems with subsystems are not unusual. The B-52, for example, has had problems with its brakes in previous years, he said.

"This is not unprecedented," he said.

The most likely problem with the OBOGS is the long-term reliability of certain components, Weber said. Parts that operated normally during tests might be wearing out more quickly than anticipated, he said. Which could lead to the eventual modification and replacement of the parts as a potential fix, Weber said.

If the cause of the problem is a subsystem that can be easily replaced, the grounding should be resolved fairly quickly, Gunzinger and Weber both said. However, deeper structural defects with the OBOGS will take longer to fix.

In either case, in the longer term, modifications are likely to be necessary to resolve the problem, Weber said.

However, "I wouldn't anticipate that this would be a very lengthy grounding," Gunzinger said.

Weber said that of the aircraft named, the F-35 is most likely at risk for a similar problem.

Both the F-22 and F-35 use late-model OBOGS designs built by Honeywell. The other aircraft are at less risk because they are older systems which are built by another manufacturer: Cobham.

Neither company offered substantial comment.

The F-35 program office said that while the F-35 had absorbed many lessons from the F-22 program, the systems onboard the newer jets have little in common with the Raptor.

"The F-35 and F-22 have common aircraft and oxygen system suppliers; but the systems are very different. The program has leveraged the lessons learned from F-22 development to enhance the F-35 across all subsystems, including the Onboard Oxygen Generating System," said F-35 program office spokesman Joe DellaVedova.

The F-35 program is supporting the investigation into the Raptor OBOGS problem, DellaVedova said.

"At this time the program office does not see any commonality in the potential causal factors that the F-22 program is investigating," he said.

The U.S. Navy had not responded to queries asking if the F/A-18 Hornet is under a similar investigation. The jet is known to use an OBOGS analogous to those on Air Force planes.

Defense News

By JULIAN HALE Published: 10 May 2011 16:19

BRUSSELS - An arms embargo imposed on Syria May 9 by the European Union applies to weapons, ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts. It also covers equipment of this kind that might be used for internal repression.

Syrian army troops are seen pulling out of the southern protest hub of Daraa on May 5. (Louai Beshara / AFP)

According to the decision, published in the EU's official journal May 10, it does not apply to "the sale, supply, transfer or export of non-lethal military equipment or of equipment which might be used for internal repression, intended solely for humanitarian or protective use, or for institution building programmes of the United Nations and the European Union, or for European Union and UN crisis management operations".

Nor does it apply to noncombat vehicles that have been manufactured or fitted with materials to provide ballistic protection for EU and EU member state personnel in Syria. Also exempt is protective clothing, including flak jackets and military helmets, temporarily exported to Syria by U.N. personnel, EU or EU member state personnel, representatives of the media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel for their personal use only.

"The EU has decided to impose restrictive measures against Syria and persons responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria. These measures include an embargo on arms and equipment that may be used for internal repression, as well as an asset freeze and a travel ban targeting a list of thirteen individuals," Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, said in a May 9 statement.

"The EU calls on President Bashar Al-Assad to choose the path of reform and national inclusive dialogue and avoid further bloodshed whilst the door remains open," she said, adding that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Syria at their meeting later this month.

Defense News

By PIERRE TRAN Published: 10 May 2011 12:30

PARIS - Stock prices in Safran and Thales rose after the aerospace equipment and defense groups confirmed they are in talks on an exchange of business assets, following a newspaper interview with the French government's military procurement chief.

"Following the article published this morning in Les Echos newspaper, Thales confirms that discussions are currently being held with Safran," the electronics company said in a statement.

"These discussions are following on previous exchanges between the two companies, which are aiming at seeking to optimize their respective business portfolios so as to strengthen their competitiveness, especially on international markets," Thales said.

Safran stock rose 2.63 percent, or 0.69 euros, to 26.68 euros; Thales stock rose 1.25 percent, or 0.37 euros, to 30.08 euros.

Safran said the talks were aimed at boosting French competences.

"Safran believes there are obviously opportunities and means to optimize French defense industrial and technological capabilities," the company said in a statement.

"Safran is open to considering evolutions which enable each of the parties involved to develop in their fields of excellence, in the interest of their customers, notably their French customer, their shareholders and employees.

"In that spirit, Safran confirms that discussions with Thales on asset swaps have resumed," the company said.

It was too early to say whether the talks would lead to a business deal, and Safran would consider its strategic interests in developing aviation electronics in the discussions, the company said.

"We have clearly defined the parameters," the head of the Direction Générale de l'Armement procurement office, Laurent Collet-Billon, said in the May 10 interview with the Les Echos. The two companies and their bank advisers were working out the details, Collet-Billon said in the interview.

Talks between Safran and Thales broke down last year as the latter refused to hand over its aircraft electronics business, seen as a core competence in the electronics group.

The government froze small research and technology budgets to the two companies in a sign of displeasure, and to underscore the message that it would not fund an overlap of defense activities when public spending is being cut.

Last year's talks focused on an exchange of inertial navigation, optronics and aircraft electronics, the latter seen as crucial to Safran's ambitions to develop next-generation commercial aircraft.

Defense News

09 Mei 2011Boeing Super Hornet trainer simulator (photo : AVStop)ST. LOUIS, -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced it has completed delivery of six F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircrew and maintenance trainers to the Royal Australian Air Force at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland."These are the first Super Hornet training devices for a Foreign Military Sale customer and are part of the acquisition and establishment of 24 Australian F/A-18F Block II aircraft, initial spares, support equipment, trainers and training," said Mark McGraw, Training Systems & Services vice president for Boeing.The suite of aircrew devices includes two Tactical Operation Flight Trainers (TOFT) and two Low Cost Trainers (LCT).Each TOFT is built on Boeing?s and L-3 Link?s proven F/A-18 simulator common hardware and software baseline, and is integrated with L-3 Link?s 360-degree SimuSphere visual display, SimuView image generator, and Boeing Training Systems & Services? mission computer emulation; simulated radar, electronic countermeasures, and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System; and high-fidelity crew station controls. This provides both pilots and weapons sensor officers with a completely immersive training environment and a full spectrum of advanced tactical training.The Boeing-built LCT runs a mission computer emulation and provides pilot and air combat officer training for navigation, weapons, radar, and electronic countermeasures. The LCT can be reconfigured to accommodate a number of aircrew training combinations with minimal facility requirements.Two Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT) also were installed, including the conversion of an earlier VEMT to the IVEMT configuration."The IVEMT is a new development and the first fully integrated Super Hornet maintenance device," McGraw said. "It allows maintenance personnel to virtually train across all major Super Hornet systems and subsystems."The IVEMT?s features include an interactive 3-D model environment, test/support equipment and realistic aircraft responses. Students can perform more than 500 routine troubleshooting procedures using the device.Boeing is on schedule to complete delivery of the RAAF Super Hornets by the end of this year.(Boeing)

Defense Studies

By KATE BRANNEN Published: 9 May 2011 18:55

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., endorses the Pentagon's request for $553 billion for the 2012 defense base budget, which excludes war costs, according to the bill language released by his office May 9.

The document lays out the chairman's goals and sets the stage for when the full committee meets to mark up the defense authorization bill on May 11.

"In releasing his version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee today cautioned that the Administration should not repeat the mistakes of the past while expecting better results," a press release said. McKeon's bill "provides an alternative path forward, proposing significant savings while also meeting the needs of our nation's warfighters."

However, when it comes to actual spending, very little has changed. While there are some differences in individual funding lines, McKeon has essentially matched the Pentagon's request for each spending category in the base budget.

According to the spending charts attached to the authorization language, the Pentagon requested $111.5 billion for procurement and the committee would authorize $111.4 billion. For research and development, the authorization bill would fully fund the $75 billion requested for research and development. It also meets the Defense Department's request for $171 billion for operations and maintenance accounts.

The Pentagon asked for $142.8 billion for personnel and the committee's bill authorizes $142 billion. It exactly matches the request of $14.8 billion for military construction. The remaining $38 billion appears in "other authorizations." Here, the committee differs from the Pentagon by less than $1 billion.

The spending charts also indicate that McKeon fully supports the Pentagon's request of $118 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It should come as no surprise that McKeon has not made cuts to defense spending.

Recently, he pushed for a $7 billion increase to the $553 billion base defense budget request for 2012.

However, his endorsement of the president's budget request does not entirely match his rhetoric.

"The 2012 defense bill reflects the fact that members of the Armed Services Committee, the broader Congress-and the nation-must make tough choices in order to provide for America's common defense," McKeon said in a statement.

The disparity shows McKeon's effort to appeal to both sides of his party: those who wish to see spending cuts across the federal government and the more traditional defense hawks.

The committee chairman is also gearing up for a future debate over defense spending cuts recently introduced by President Obama.

"Proposing to cut defense spending by nearly $500 billion in the coming decade without first conducting the necessary due diligence to determine what our nation's basic defense requirements will be is an invitation to other countries to challenge America's supremacy," stated McKeon.

In this vein, McKeon said he supports the president's request of a review of military roles and capabilities, but he opposes deciding on the amount of savings it needs to generate before the study begins.

The bill language also encourages the Pentagon to divorce the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) from a discussion of available resources.

"While the committee acknowledges that ultimately resources must shape any strategy, the committee believes that the QDR should be based upon a process unconstrained by budgetary influences so that such influences do not determine or limit its outcome," it reads.

At the same time, the committee is interested in the national security impacts of China holding so much U.S. debt.

"This section would further require the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to carry out an assessment of the national security risks posed to the United States and United States allies as a result of the Federal debt liabilities owed to China and the amount of interest determined to have been paid by the United States to China," it reads.

The document also includes a number of provisions aimed at making the Defense Department more efficient.

It includes strong language on determining logistics and sustainment costs of weapons systems at the outset of programs rather than as an afterthought.

In the bill, the committee expresses concern that the Pentagon does not have enough "financial managers who understand the fiscal concepts necessary to manage defense resources."

It "directs the Comptroller General to annually assess the extent to which the Department of Defense is realizing the savings proposed by Secretary's efficiencies initiatives, and requires the Comptroller General to assess the extent to which components of the Department of Defense conducted business case analysis prior to recommending or implementing these efficiencies initiatives."

It also directs the Pentagon to gain much greater visibility into the number of contractors it has working for the department and what kind of activities they perform.

Defense News

By ALBRECHT MÜLLER Published: 9 May 2011 18:07

BONN - As part of its Systemhaus (system house) project, Eurocopter on May 6 started to build an integrated development center at its German site in Donauwörth.

"The Systemhaus project is an integral part of Eurocopter's Vision 2020 strategy and will form the basis for a promising helicopter technology site in Germany, pooling all the necessary key competencies to develop, manufacture and maintain rotary-wing aircraft at one location and securing these capabilities for the future," Lutz Bertling, president and CEO of the Eurocopter Group, said.

Development activities currently located at Eurocopter's Ottobrunn site will be integrated into the new building complex. Some 900 Eurocopter employees will work in the center, which will host development activities along with the system support center that is run in cooperation with the German Army.

About 780 employees from the existing Ottobrunn site, located about 100 kilometers away, will have to relocate to Donauwörth once construction has been completed in late 2012.

"Our goal is to accommodate all staff and skills from Ottobrunn in Donauwörth," said Friedrich Hormel, director of human resources and senior vice president of Eurocopter Deutschland.

"This undertaking not only brings together development and production activities, it also will accelerate processes by making it possible to create integrated teams," Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Eurocopter Deutschland, said. "The new development center will help us to successfully develop and manufacture innovative helicopters more quickly, and it will make a substantial contribution toward maintaining Eurocopter's lead in the international rotary-wing marketplace."

The Systemhaus project is part of Eurocopter's Shape global transformation program, during which the company plans to invest more than 1.3 billion euros ($1.86 billion) in research and development funds between 2010 and 2014. At the same time, Eurocopter will invest an additional 1 billion euros in site modernization.

Defense News

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 9 May 2011 12:44

WARSAW - Poland is hoping that the May 27-28 visit of U.S. President Barack Obama will pave the way for the stationing of U.S. F-16 fighter jets on Polish soil for the first time, Poland's defense minister said May 9.

"I hope that both sides will be ready with this agreement by the time President Obama arrives," Bogdan Klich said, quoted by the Polish PAP news agency.

"I confirm that at the moment we are holding talks with the Americans on the topic of detailed agreements that will govern on what basis the Air Detachment - the detachment that will permanently service the F-16 and Hercules crews and land personnel periodically visiting Poland - will be stationed on our territory," Klich said.

Last year, Klich said he hoped the F-16 rotations would begin in 2013.

The United States will announce the transfer of an F-16 base from Aviano in Italy to the Lask air field in central Poland during the Obama visit, Poland's leading Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported May 9, quoting an unnamed Polish diplomatic source.

A U.S. official familiar with the negotiations May 9 in Warsaw refused to confirm or deny the information, but indicated that an agreement announced by the Polish and U.S. presidents in Washington in December was "on track".

A press statement issued Dec, 8 by the White House following talks between Obama and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski announced the "establishment of a U.S. air detachment in Poland to support periodic rotation of U.S. military aircraft", without providing a time-frame.

In December, Poland's Soviet-era master Russia warned it against hosting U.S. fighter jets, saying it would counter the move.

Defense News

09 Mei 2011F/A-18F Super Hornet of the RAAF (photo : Australian DoD)Exercise Bersama Shield officially kicks off with Australia?s Super Hornets launching on their first overseas missionF/A-18F Super Hornets soared through the Malaysian skies today on their first mission during Exercise Bersama Shield 2011.The Super Hornets, also known as Rhinos, have commenced the Force Integration Training phase which sees the aircrew practice basic fighter manoeuvres alongside military aircraft from the Malaysian and Singaporean defence forces.Six of the Rhinos from No 1 Squadron touched down at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Butterworth on Friday 29 April to participate in their first overseas deployment since delivery of the multi-role fighter jets in March last year.Commanding Officer No 1 Squadron, Wing Commander Glen Braz, said this is a significant milestone for the ADF and more specifically the Super Hornet capability, especially as we recognise 40 years of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) this year.?Participating in Exercise Bersama Shield provides our air and ground crews, as well as support staff, the valuable opportunity to train alongside our regional partners.?This level of training also aims to enhance and further develop air combat capability and high-end warfighting skills in a complex mutli-national environment.?The Super Hornets are now participating in the Force Integration Training exercise phase before launching into the Live Exercise phase between 10 ? 13 May.?The inclusion of the highly capable, multi-role Super Hornet in Bersama Shield is another example of the technological evolution and enhanced support Australia provides to the region,? Wing Commander Braz said.?This exercise also provides the vital opportunity to train alongside our regional partners, as well as the planning and execution of new tactics and procedures for combined air operations with the FPDA nations.?The Australian contribution for Bersama Shield is spearheaded by the Super Hornets, along with the Navy?s Collins class submarine HMAS Dechaineux and two Anzac class guided missile frigates, HMA Ships Ballarat and Parramatta.Commander of the Australian Contingent for the exercise, Wing Commander Ken Robinson, said the aim of Bersama Shield is to cultivate regional ties and seeks to enhance Australia?s interoperability with the armed forces of Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and strengthen the professional relationships between those nation?s forces.?Australia's membership of FPDA is a strong affirmation of our commitment to regional security,? he said.?It provides Australia with a strategically important presence in Southeast Asia, augmenting our bilateral engagement activities and helping to promote greater levels of interoperability in the region.?Bersama Shield is an annual field training exercise hosted by HQ Integrated Area Defence System (HQIADS) on the Malaysian peninsula and the South China Sea. It is a tactical exercise focused on providing quality training in integrated air defence, air operations and maritime operations.Opportunities for the five nations to work closely together are undertaken during other FPDA activities, including Bersama Lima, Bersama Padu, Suman Protector and Suman Warrior.Training in exercises such as Bersama Shield 2011 is important for Air Force personnel to hone key skills, work as a combined force and build regional relationships with participating nations.Exercise Bersama Shield 11 represents the first overseas deployment for the F/A-18F Super Hornets and brings the project another step closer to declaring Final Operational Capability anticipated in 2012.Exercise Bersama Shield concludes on 13 May 2011.(Australian DoD)

Defense Studies

By TODD HALVORSON, FLORIDA TODAY Published: 8 May 2011 16:33

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR STATION, Fla. - A $1.2 billion missile-warning satellite is flying high above Earth after its May 7 launch.

Secured in a protective nosecone atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, the Space-Based Infrared System satellite was dropped off in orbit 43 minutes after launch.

The 19-story rocket blasted off from Launch Complex 41 at 2:10 p.m. and within the hour, a flight controller signaled mission success with four highly anticipated words:

"We have spacecraft separation."

The mission marked the 50th consecutive success since United Launch Alliance was formed in December 2006. The 50-50 joint venture partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin married the Delta and Atlas rocket fleets.

The launch came on a second attempt. An initial try was scrubbed May 6 as a result of bad weather.

Its first stage powered by a Russian RD-180 engine, the Atlas V bolted off its launch pad and sped out over the Atlantic Ocean, a puffy white contrail shining against a clear blue sky.

"It was a beautiful launch," said ULA spokeswoman Jessica Rye.

The Atlas V hauled the five-ton spacecraft into an egg-shaped orbit with high and low points of 22,221 and 115 statute miles, respectively.

Onboard engines will be ignited in a series of six firings to raise the spacecraft into a circular orbit 22,300 miles above Earth.

From that perch, the Lockheed Martin-built satellite will use sophisticated infrared sensors to instantaneously detect enemy missile launches.

The orbiting sentinel then would beam alerts so that the missiles could be destroyed before they reach their intended targets.

Simultaneously, the satellites will send data that enables U.S. forces to accurately launch counter-strikes to destroy enemy missile launchers.

Operated by the U.S. Air Force, the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is a long-awaited follow-on to Defense Support Program missile-warning satellites that have been serving the nation since the 1970s.

Air Force officials say the spacecraft provide the nation with a "silent safety net."

Defense News

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 7 May 2011 17:24

BENGHAZI, Libya - Libya's rebel government said May 7 that Italy has agreed to supply it with weapons to fight against Moammar Gadhafi, but government sources in Rome said only "self-defense material" would be sent.

"They will supply us with arms and we will receive them very soon," Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, the vice chairman of the National Transitional Council, told reporters in the rebel capital Benghazi.

Ghoga said military officers from the rebel council had travelled to Italy, Libya's former colonial ruler, and reached an agreement with officials there for the supply of arms.

He gave no details on what weapons would be supplied.

If the arms supply goes ahead, that would make Italy the first European nation to provide weapons to the badly-armed and poorly-trained rebel force that has led the fight against Gadhafi since the uprising began in mid-February.

Foreign ministry sources in Rome said that Italy has agreed to send "self-defense material" to the rebels following agreements last month within the framework of UN Security Council resolution 1973.

They said these would not be assault weapons but gave no further details.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said last month during a visit to Rome by NTC chairman Mahmud Jibril that Italy was thinking of sending "night-vision equipment, radars and technology to block communications."

Italy, France and Britain have each sent a small number of military advisors to Benghazi to help organize the ragtag rebel force.

Rome last month said it wanted the international community to consider arming the rebels under UN Resolution 1973, which authorized the use of all means to defend civilians.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister David Cameron have both said they believe U.N. resolutions on Libya allow arming the rebels.

But other nations in the NATO alliance that is enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya and bombing Gadhafi's military have opposed arming the rebels.

Belgium came out against the idea and Germany has insisted there could be "no military solution" in Libya.

China and Russia, which hold permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, have argued that NATO's bombing campaign may already be stretching the U.N. mandate.

The head of the rebel council said last month that "friends" had already supplied the insurgents with arms, without saying which countries had done so or what weapons they had provided.

Russia had been a traditional supplier for Libya since Soviet times but the lifting of a previous European Union arms embargo in 2004 opened up a new market to European contractors, who rushed into the oil-rich North African state.

The most vocal backer of lifting the embargo was Italy, which quickly became one of the top European arms suppliers to the Gadhafi regime before the uprising began in February.

France, Malta, Germany, Britain and Portugal also secured lucrative arms contracts with Tripoli.

Defense News

By DAVE MAJUMDAR Published: 6 May 2011 18:11

U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin engineers have created a new type of tool that will allow maintenance crews to perform critical repairs on the U.S. Marines' F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) without removing the aircraft's jet engine.

Developed under the auspices of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., the tool will be used to support the weight of an actuator that moves the main thrust-vectoring nozzle during the plane's short-takeoff/vertical landing mode. It was first used on the flight line on April 2.

The Navy-Lockheed team came up with the innovation because normally, the entire engine would have to be removed to replace the actuator. While removing the engine and reinstalling it is a complex and time-consuming affair, the actual replacement of the actuator is a comparatively minor procedure.

"If it's taking days to run through a process with JSF, and we can come up with a method to save time and money, we're all for that," said Bill Farrell, an engineering technician who worked on the project, in a video released by the Navy.

With the new tool, it takes about three hours to change the actuator. Previously, the process could have taken days to accomplish.

"Now, this maintenance time has improved by approximately one week - good for flight testing, and better for our war-fighter," said Jim McClendon, Lockheed's site director vice president, in a press release.

The new tool will help speed the F-35B's flight testing, which is underway at the Maryland base.

"This special tool will not only speed development of the Lightning II but also pay big dividends after the aircraft is delivered to the fleet," said Rear Adm. Randy Mahr, commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, a component of NAVAIR.

Defense News

07 Mei 2011Kilo 636 submarine (photo :Navalshow)Commentary Han Hoa Military Magazine in April, a leading source of military technology expert reputation in Moscow (Russia) said that under a bilateral agreement signed between Russia and Vietnam, in 2013, Vietnam will receive the first Kilo submarines, a year later as the second and the last one will be delivered in 2017.Compared with 636-MK submarines that use by the Chinese Navy, Kilo 636-MV submarines that Russia sold to Vietnam has many differences, of which the largest is about armament.First, Vietnam's Kilo submarines will be fitted with land attack cruise missile 3M-14E latest type, with a range of 290 km. Missiles are not Russia's Defense Ministry approved the export to China. Apart from Vietnam, two other countries are exporting Russian 3M-14E missiles is India and Algeria.Besides that, Kilo 636-MV submarine is equipped with radar-guided complex multi-effects post GE2-01 type. This has not been removed for export to China, the biggest advantage is minimizing the noise in the environment and help diversify measures directions.Sonar system, Kilo 636-MK China submarines is equipped with sonar systems MGK 400E basic types. Meanwhile, the Kilo 636-MV submarines are installing sonar systems MGK 400E type improvements. Two sonar system has the same sounding range, but the sonar system type MGK 400E is equipped with improved signal processing speed and performance more digitized higher level.Novator 3M-14E Club S missile type of land attack cruise missile, max range 290km (photo : Elforo)On the periscope, both Kilo 636-MK submarine and Kilo 636-MV submarines are equipped with sounding optical system, but the periscope used for tasks Kilo 636-MV attack submarines are installation of additional equipment measuring distance from IR ray and TV monitoring systems, Meanwhile, Kilo 636MK submarines primarily use optical aiming device and no distance measurement beam from. That means fighting capability at night and the attack accuracy of the Kilo 636-MV submarine will be higher than Kilo 636-MK submarine.Final difference is the air conditioning system that Kilo 636-MV submarines using more appropriate to the climate, tropical terrain.Besides these differences, Kilo submarines that Russia sold to China and the Russian Kilo submarine exports to Vietnam have some similarities, such as the missile is equipped with 3M-54E anti-ship, and used batteries 476 E type of improvement, long life and meet the requirements of the water temperature in the Pacific Ocean.Sources said that the production time of two submarines on each other for over 5 years, the technology equipped for Kilo 636-MV submarines is granted with more advanced than Kilo 636-MK. Considering the differences above, according to the magazine, although both are Kilo 636 M submarines, but the gap in technology between the Kilo 636-MV submarine and Kilo 636-MK submarine at least 10 years.Novator 3M-54E Club S type of anti ship cruise missile, max range 220km (photo : Elforo)About 6 Kilo submarines sold by Russia to Vietnam, long have information that Vietnam can use them to build two fleets. However, according to sources, six submarines of the Kilo 636-MV Vietnam will be arranged uniformly, forming a Russian fleet and the construction will be in charge of all media repository missiles at seaports and oxygen supply stations as part of the contents of bilateral agreements signed with Vietnam.Related to the purchase price of Kilo 636-MVsubmarine, formerly reported that Vietnam Navy may have to buy Kilo 636-MV submarines with high prices. But according to sources, the price of Kilo 636-MV submarines that Russia sold to Vietnam is completely true and current prices Russia has started to manufacture first Kilo 636 submarines for Vietnam.(Nghien Cuu Bien Dong)

Defense Studies

07 Mei 2011HTMSChakri Naruebet is docked at Juk Samet naval base in Sattahip district of Chon Buri. The aircraft carrier has been deployed in disaster relief operations and to protect maritime resources. (photo : Thiti Wannamontha-Bangkok Post)Navy's flagship is first port of call in emergenciesServing the country for 14 years, aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet has been a protector of marine resources and linchpin of disaster relief operations.The government approved the building of the navy's 7.1 billion baht flagship in 1992 after Typhoon Gay devastated Chumphon province and other southern provinces in 1989.Since then, the aircraft carrier has been used in several disaster relief operations under the codename 911.It is not only the Royal Thai Navy's largest warship, HTMS Chakri Naruebet is also Southeast Asia's largest helicopter carrier with a full-load displacement of 11,544 tonnes and can sail in wave heights of 13.8 metres.The carrier is 30.5 metres wide and 182.6 metres long, and as high as a 12-storey building. Its dock is about 4,000 square metres.Constructed at Bazan shipyard in Spain, the ship was commissioned into the navy on March 20, 1997.His Majesty the King named it Chakri Naruebet, meaning "The Honour of the Chakri Dynasty".Her Majesty the Queen presided over the launch of the carrier on Jan 20, 1996, at the Bazan dockyard.The carrier has brought pride to the navy. About 30,000-40,000 Thais visit the ship every month at Juk Samet naval base in Sattahip district of Chon Buri.One of six Seahawk helicopters on the carrier prepares for take-off. (photo : Bangkok Post)"HTMS Chakri Naruebet is the Thai people's ship as it was bought with taxpayer money. Thais are allowed to visit the ship free of charge," said Suvin Jangyodsuk, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier."The navy is responsible for taking care of the people's property and is ready to protect our territorial waters and marine resources. We are also ready for disaster relief operations." Captain Suvin is the fifth commander of the ship since it was launched.During the 1997 economic crisis, the ship did not engage in training exercises due to naval budget cuts.When the economy improved, the carrier was taken out of for exercises at least one to two times a month.Capt Suvin said 451 personnel are stationed on the carrier and that number can exceed 600 during special exercises.HTMS Chakri Naruebet was constructed by Spanish shipbuilders Bazan/Navantia. (photo : Naval Technology)The carrier has been deployed on several disaster relief operations, including in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami when it transported more than 700 bodies.During the floods in the South in March, the ship was sent to Surat Thani and plucked 734 stranded visitors from Koh Tao. "We were the first agency to reach flood-hit people," said Capt Suvin.The carrier has a fully equipped hospital with more than 40 beds.In the event of a territorial dispute, the carrier serves as a floating operation command centre. In peace time, it is duty-bound to protect the country's marine resources and help people affected by natural disasters.Naval personnel man an anti-aircraft gun. (photo : Bangkok Post)The officers' uniforms make the aircraft carrier more colourful. They don red, yellow, green, purple and white uniforms depending on the section they are attached to. Those wearing red uniforms belong to the firefighting section, for example, while those in yellow work for the air traffic control unit.The carrier has a kitchen with the capacity to feed almost 500 personnel.Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Chamnong Saengkham, 58, the head chef, said 15 staff prepare meals for everyone. His team cooks 50 kilogrammes of rice a day for three meals. Vegetables, meat and other ingredients are bought fresh from a market in Sattahip district.Petty Officer 1st Class Thitipong Thongyoi, 29, said he was proud of being a crew member on the country's largest naval vessel.HTMS Chakri Naruebet in side view (image : Shipbucket-MConrads)Floating FactsHTMS Chakri NaruebetBuilder: Bazan of SpainKeel-laying ceremony: July 12, 1994Launched: Jan 20, 1996Commissioned: March 20, 1997Length: 182.6 metres (overall)Beam:22.5 metres (flight-deck waterline), 30.5 metres (maximum)Height (flight deck): 18.5 metresHeight (masthead): 42 metresDraught: 6.2 metresDisplacement: 11,544 tonnes (fully laden)Cruising speed: 12 knotsMaximum speed: 27 knotsRange: 10,000 nautical miles at 12 knotsPropulsion:Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) turbine system- 2 x GE LM2500 gas turbines- 2 x Bazan-MTU 16V 1163 TB83 diesel engines- 2 propulsion shaftswith 4-bladed propellersPower system: 4 power generators4 back-up power generatorsOther equipment:3 sets of 155-tonne air-conditioners2 sets 5-tonne cooling systems2 sets of stabilisers4 sets of reverse osmosis water machines5 elevatorsHospital: Check-up room, operating room, X-ray room, dental room, 15 beds and 26 auxiliary beds for emergenciesPersonnel:451 officers including 42 commissioned navy officers; 69 chief petty officers; 230 petty officers; 110 seamenWeaponry: Three Sandral launchers Four 20mm close-in weapons systemsAircraft carried: Nine Spanish Matador AV-8s aircraft Six S-70B Seahawk helicopters(Bangkok Post)

Defense Studies

By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS Published: 6 May 2011 16:59

Robert Ruks, a former inspector for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court May 6 to two counts of lying about welds he should have inspected on U.S. Navy ships and submarines under construction at the Newport News, Va., shipyard.

A defective pipe joint weld on a submarine that Ruks had certified as properly done could have caused the loss of the submarine, as it was a certified SUBSAFE weld - critical to the ship's safety.

As a result of Ruks' false weld certifications, Northrop Grumman was forced to expend 18,906 man-hours to complete the reinspections, at a cost of $654,000, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The issue came to light in May 2009 after co-workers suspected Ruks, a non-destructive testing weld inspector, was not being truthful about his inspection reports. Questioned on May 14 of that year by his supervisors, Ruks admitted he had falsely certified inspecting three lift pad welds on a submarine although, according to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, the inspections were not performed.

Ruks lied again on May 22, 2009, when he was questioned by agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. According to the statement of facts, while Ruks admitted falsifying the lift pad weld certifications, he lied to the agents about the number of other ship and submarine hulls he had failed to inspect.

Discovery of the false inspections stung Northrop Grumman, which had experienced a series of unrelated problems with poor weld work done at the Newport News shipyard.

The shipbuilder, now spun off from Northrop as Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding, declined to comment on Ruks' court case, saying it would not comment on personnel issues. Ruks was terminated by the shipyard shortly after his lying came to light.

"Lying on weld inspection reports is a dangerous crime that threatens the safety of our Navy personnel," U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in the news release.

Between June 2005, when he was certified as an inspector, and May 2009, Ruks inspected and signed off on more than 10,000 welding structural joints on at least nine different ships.

Ruks performed most of his work on the submarines New Mexico (2,133 welds inspected), Missouri (3,169), California (2,002) and Mississippi (2,177). The smallest number of structural welds on any particular submarine was 23 on the New Hampshire and two on the North Carolina.

Just over 10 percent of the submarine welds were hull integrity or SUBSAFE joints involving critical parts. The inspector also performed 229 piping joint inspections on submarines.

Ruks is to appear for sentencing in the Newport News court on Aug. 12. He faces a maximum term of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and full restitution for each offense.

Defense News

06 Mei 2011HMAS Ballarat-155 frigate (photo : Militaryphotos)MELBOURNE, (Bernama) -- The Australian and Malaysian navies are taking part in a week-long exercise called "Mastex", a bilateral maritime warfare exercise being conducted in the Straits of Melaka since Tuesday.Anzac class frigates HMAS Parramatta and Ballarat are involved in the exercise, alongside Royal Malaysian Navy's corvettes KD Lekiu and KD Kelantan, the Australian Defence Force said in a statement.KD Lekiu-30 frigate (photo : Militaryphotos)It said Mastex would provide the opportunity for both navies to improve their operations and mutual understanding in common aspects of naval warfare. The exercise will also involve the use of multinational air assets.Commanding Officer of HMAS Parramatta, Commander Heath Robertson, said the opportunity to work alongside a close regional partner would be of great benefit to both navies.KD Kelantan-175 corvette (photo : Militaryphotos)"Exercising with the Royal Malaysian Navy and operating in a joint environment will enable techniques to be practised and improved in the area of maritime security, including anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare scenarios," he said.The statement said this year marked the eighth iteration of the Mastex series which underscored the long-standing and mature relationship that Australia had with Malaysia, and recognised that the two nations shared a common interest in the stability and security of the Southeast Asian region.HMAS Parramatta-154 frigate (photo : Deagel)The Royal Australian Navy maintains a regular bilateral exercise programme with Malaysia, with both nations also engaging in multilateral exercises under the Five Power Defence Arrangements framework.(Bernama)

Defense Studies

By KATE BRANNEN Published: 5 May 2011 16:17

The battle lines over the U.S. defense budget debate became clearer this week, with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House outlining opposing views for how the United States can remain a strong world power.

A leading Republican would like to see the U.S. maintain its role as the world's policeman, while a Democratic House leader argued that recent defense spending came with real opportunity costs at home.

Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., chair of the House Armed Services Committee, delivered a speech May 5 at the Heritage Foundation in which he voiced his strong opposition to the White House's calls for cuts of $400 billion to security spending over 10 years.

While commending President Barack Obama for the successful operation to kill Osama bin Laden, McKeon said the president's leadership in other areas has been scarce.

"It's my sense that White House defense decisions are putting this great republic on the fast track for decline," McKeon said.

His speech at the Heritage Foundation built on themes he introduced in an op-ed that ran April 28 in USA Today. In both, McKeon pointed to the United States' ongoing involvement in three wars - Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya - as reasons not to cut defense.

In addition to these commitments, McKeon pointed to piracy, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, protecting space assets and deterring aggression from rising powers as areas where the military's roles are growing.

"The logic has been simply baffling to me: expand our military commitments while cutting our armed forces," McKeon said.

Nor does he support eliminating or reducing capabilities in lower priority mission areas.

"It must be our top priority to field the forces and the hardware necessary to stave off even the most unlikely of contingencies," McKeon said.

As he sees it, Obama's call to cut defense spending is part of a larger foreign policy trend, which McKeon does not like.

During Obama's time in office "American exceptionalism has been called into question," McKeon said. "We have flinched from positions of responsibility as the global order tremors with the forces of hope and change."

His views are in contrast to some Democrats but also members of his own party, who would like to include defense when cutting federal spending.

Those who advocate for reduced defense spending note the departure of U.S. forces from Iraq, the expected withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the handover of operations in Libya to NATO as examples of declining U.S. military commitments around the world.

The death of bin Laden should ensure the beginning of a "robust" withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan this summer, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., told reporters May 2.

Speaking earlier in the week at the Center for American Progress, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said that since the Cold War ended, the threats facing the United States have decreased.

While terrorism needs to be addressed, it does not pose the same existential threat as the United States and its allies faced during the Cold War, he said. Defense spending and the structure of NATO should reflect these geopolitical changes, he argued.

Other advocates of reduced defense spending note that one of its costs is increased debt to China and other foreign countries, which weakens U.S. economic power, if not its military might.

While McKeon argued for a United States that acts as a "stabilizing, unifying force in the world," Frank proposed that "living well" at home could be purpose enough for the country.

Frank said he supported maintaining a globally superior force, but asked by what magnitude it needs to dwarf militaries of other countries. He argued for cuts that go much deeper than the ones announced by Obama.

Meanwhile, McKeon rejected the president's plan and said the Pentagon needs to do some "housecleaning."

He said that any savings identified in the defense budget should go back into defense.

For example, McKeon said the Pentagon should not fund the troubled Medium Extended Air Defense System over the next two years and instead direct the money toward the Ground Based Midcourse Defense System, designed to protect the United States against long-range missile attack.

A short-term increase of $425 million to keep the production lines going for the Army's Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles will save the Pentagon expensive shutdown and start-up costs down the road, he said.

McKeon also threw his support behind the alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. He praised the decision of General Electric and Rolls-Royce to fund its engine on their own for 2012.

While Pratt & Whitney is still on contract for the engine, the Pentagon canceled a second contract for a General Electric/Rolls-Royce engine.

"If GE is going to pay for it, there should not be another objection" from the Pentagon, McKeon said.

Defense News