Asian Defence News Articles | Defence Review Asia

EADS North America awarded $212 million production contract for 39 UH-72A Lakota helicopters

Lakota program remains on budget and schedule as it enters its seventh program year The U.S. Army has awarded EADS North America a $212.7 million contract on January 10 to deliver 39 UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) as part of its total acquisition plan. Thirty-two of these Lakotas will be produced in the Army’s Security and Support (S&S) Battalion configuration. EADS North America has already delivered 198 UH-72A Lakotas to the U.S. Army, on time and within budget, along with five H-72A versions to the U.S. Navy for test pilot training.

17th Jan 2012 | Read more

Security concerns in Afghanistan.

A few weeks ago Australian Prime Minister Julian Gillard made a surprise visit to Tarin Kowt to meet with the troops stationed there. Then days after that Opposition leader Tony Abbott made a surprise visit to the same place. Earlier in the year US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a surprise visit to Kabul. See the pattern? Every single visit by a foreign dignitary is either a surprise, a secret or is unannounced – exactly the same pattern that has prevailed in Iraq since the invasion of 2003.

22nd Nov 2011 | Read more

DSEi: Asian region activities.

The United Kingdom held its Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEi) defence exhibition at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands in September and it proved another successful event. The show is one of Europe’s largest displays of defence equipment and is unusual in covering land, sea and air aspects. There were more than 1,300 exhibitors and numerous delegations including those from the Pacific Rim.

17th Nov 2011 | Read more

India’s Defence Production Policy

Over recent years India has created a vast defence industrial base which presently consists of 40-odd Ordnance Factories (OFs), nine Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), 50-odd R&D labs and a small but growing private sector. The industry as a whole is responsible for producing a vast variety of items, ranging from small arms and ammunition all the way through to tanks, fighter aircraft, warships - plus radars and other electronic items. Although long overdue, the Indian Ministry of Defence unveiled in early 2011 the first ever Defence Production Policy (DPrP), intended to give a focussed direction to industry. The policy document, which came into force since 1st January, lists four broad objectives: (1) “to achieve substantive self reliance in the design, development and production of equipment / weapon systems / platforms required for defence in as early a time frame as possible”; (2) “to create conditions conducive for the private industry to take an active role in this endeavour”; (3) “to broaden the defence research and development (R&D) base of the country”; and (4) “to enhance potential of SMEs [Small and Medium Enterprises] in indigenization”. To achieve these objectives the policy document has included various enabling provisions, with the broader aim to create a self-sufficient domestic defence industry that would be able to meet most of armed forces’ hardware requirements.

27th Oct 2011 | Read more

TADTE 2011 – PROVOCATIVE YET SECRETIVE

Defence shows can be quite staid affairs, but Taiwan produced the unexpected at the biennial Taipei Aerospace & Defence Technology Exhibition (TADTE) held from 11-14 July 2011. What was startling in the Ministry of National Defence (MND) pavilion was a large backdrop portraying a “new-generation” Taiwanese Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile striking a Soviet-style aircraft carrier. It was no mere coincidence that this exhibit appeared just one day after the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) despatched its ex-Soviet aircraft carrier on her maiden voyage!

27th Oct 2011 | Read more

Kavkaz Center and Civil War in Libya

ntroduction Most Western politicians have supported anti-Qaddafi rebels and wish the end of the Qaddafi regime in Libya. Paradoxically enough, at least at first glance, the same desire is shared by North Caucasian jihadists, and this is the reason they provide neutral or even positive images of NATO policy in Libya. At lease this was the case at the beginning of the war. These neutral/positive images of NATO actions against Qaddafi go along with condemnation of NATO actions in Afghanistan, and an overall negative view of the West in general, the USA in particular. Recently Kavkaz Center, the major internet vehicle of North Caucasian jihadists, eulogized Osama Bin Laden as a victim of President Barak Obama, who they claimed was a member of a Satanic cult.

27th Oct 2011 | Read more

Achieving an Equilibrium in the South China Sea: An Air and Space Perspective

Recent skirmishes between China, Vietnam and the Philippines have threatened to reignite the long-standing and protracted dispute in the South China Sea. The potentially resource-rich islands in the South China Sea remains a source of friction and instability between the claimant states of the Asia-Pacific region. A peaceful resolution to the South China Sea dispute is imperative for the stability and security of the region.

14th Sep 2011 | Read more

Elbit Systems to Supply Asian Countries with Electro-Optical Payloads for Maritime Applications Under Contracts Valued at Approximately $20 Million

Elbit announced on August 17 that it was awarded contracts by several customers in Asia to supply many dozens of observation systems for maritime patrol aircraft, vessels and observation towers. The total value of these new contracts is approximately $20 million, to be supplied over three years.

9th Sep 2011 | Read more

L-3 Link Simulation & Training Awarded Contract to Upgrade CF-18 Simulators

L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) announced on September 6 that it has been awarded a foreign military sale contract from the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command’s Training Systems Division to upgrade Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 flight simulators located at Cold Lake, Bagotville and Ottawa. “This upgrade effort will enable Canada to rapidly gain training system concurrency with its CF-18 aircraft while increasing simulation fidelity at the lowest risk and cost,” said Leonard Genna, president of L-3 Link. “By sharing a common F/A-18 training solution with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, our allied forces will be able to leverage future solutions and improvements that seamlessly benefit force readiness in both countries.”

9th Sep 2011 | Read more

MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

The Cold War years pitted submarine forces of the United States and the Soviet Union against one another and spurned the development of sophisticated Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft to counter the undersea threat. Vast expanses of the Indian and Pacific Oceans provided ideal submarine operating grounds and the Asia-Pacific region played an important part in the battle plans of both American and Soviet Navies.

7th Sep 2011 | Read more

SOUTH KOREA – ASSUMING SUPERIORITY IN THE AIR?

With its T-50 Golden Eagle, South Korea joined a select club of nations to have successfully developed a supersonic aircraft. Quite apart from breaking the sound barrier, South Korea is hoping to also break into new export markets with its advanced jet trainer. This article looks at the growing maturity of the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) aerospace industry, with a particular emphasis on specific platforms it is pinning its domestic and international hopes on. The remarkable growth of South Korea’s aerospace industry can be observed in the statistic that the 7,800 workers employed in this field in 2007 had burgeoned to 10,000+ just three years later.

6th Sep 2011 | Read more

Strike Operations over Libya : a true success for France and Britain

By the end of August 2011, following the clear victory of the Libyan Rebellion in driving back pro-Gaddafi forces in the east and west of the country and after six months of a protracted conflict which threatened to stalemate on many occasions, the developments of the Libyan crisis — largely inspired by the revolt of the Warfallah tribe of Benghazi in February — have finally accelerated culminating with the toppling of the Gaddafi regime. Today, the old tricolour flag of Libya is again flying over all the country. What started as a rebellion in February 2011 has become a successful revolution.

6th Sep 2011 | Read more

Indonesia strengthens links with South Korea

The Indonesia Ministry of Defence has significantly expanded defence cooperation with its Republic of Korea (ROK) counterpart. While the two countries have long enjoyed close diplomatic and military ties, the two defence establishments are moving toward much expanded ties. The primary field of interest is in defence industry and import/export of defence systems and equipment.

27th Jul 2011 | Read more

Israeli defence industry.

Some cynics in Israel say that it's not that the country has defence industries but the other way round. This saying is of course an exaggeration but one fact is solid - Israeli defence industries are big, advanced and versatile. With defence exports of more than US $6 billion a year, Israel has become a member of the " big 5" club of top exporters. All estimates show that the export of defence items from Israel will continue to grow into the foreseeable future.

22nd Jul 2011 | Read more

India - The Indian Air Force Takes Off

MMRCA competition. The shortlisting of the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon in India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft competition highlights the lofty ambitions of the Indian Air Force, the fourth largest in the world. With the order for 126 aircraft, India will have more than 800 combat aircraft in its 1,700 aircraft inventory. Such purchases are part of the Air Force’s biggest expansion in thirty years and are transforming India into one of the leading air powers in Asia.

22nd Jul 2011 | Read more

CASSIDIAN to protect Canadian Naval Vessels against laser-based Attacks

Cassidian, the defence and security division of EADS, announced on May 31 that it will develop innovative solutions to protect ships of the Canadian Navy against new types of asymmetric threats. Under the designation LOCATES (= Laser Optical Countermeasures and Surveilllance Against Threat Environment Scenarios), the Defence Research Development Canada (DRDC), Valcartier, Québec, awarded Cassidian a contract to apply new technologies to detect and counter laser-based threats in harbors and littoral waters.

9th Jun 2011 | Read more

Troubled U.S. – Pakistan relations

In the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden, relations between the U.S. and Pakistan have entered a new and unpredictable phase. Washington has recently gone to considerable lengths to tone down initial criticism of Pakistan for sheltering the world’s most wanted man, now saying that there is no evidence that he received high level protection. This is hardly surprising because initial U.S. criticism was rapidly antagonizing the entire country – with potentially dire consequences. Not only does Pakistan have three times the population of Iraq and Afghanistan combined, it now possesses dozens – if not hundreds – of nuclear warheads and the means to deliver them over long distances. The country is self-sufficient in uranium and there have been recent reports that the production of weapons grade material is being increased. The reasons why a relatively poor nation is adding to its already considerable and expensive arsenal remain opaque. A nightmare scenario for the West in general and the U.S. in particular is that some of these might find their way into the hands of terrorists.

8th Jun 2011 | Read more

ANTI-SHIP MISSILES

A guided missile that can be safely launched from dozens of kilometres away, and then skims across the sea surface with unerring accuracy and supersonic speed before striking with deadly effect, is a weapon every navy sailor fears. Within mere seconds of being fired, such a precision weapon can sink a multi-million-dollar warship. This type of deadly asset is known as the anti-ship missile (AShM), a weapon Germany pioneered in 1943. Today’s advanced AShMs are obviously far more lethal than Germany’s primitive designs, and they can be launched from aircraft, surface vessel, submarine or land-based platforms. This weapon class poses a direct and serious threat to ships of all sizes, and Russia is one nation that has developed an array of AShMs. This brief article “skims the surface”, if you will excuse the pun, of Russian systems that are available, plus it looks at their use in the Asian context.

8th Jun 2011 | Read more

Osama Bin Laden – an earlier intelligence failure?

The death of Osama Bin Laden is now being analysed, with new information emerging almost by the hour. He had been on the run for almost a decade and was able to frustrate US and allied intelligence agencies in their attempts to track him down, which added to his mythical status. In an extraordinary comment three minutes into his address to the nation, President Barak Obama revealed: “Shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the Director of the CIA to make the killing or capture of Bin Laden the top priority in our war against Al-Qaeda.”

5th May 2011 | Read more

Russia & the US – consequences for Central Asia (Part II)

For some members of the elite of the involved countries, including the United States and Russia, the growing instability in the huge area of Central Asia, Afghanistan and beyond, is an incentive to increase cooperation against the common threat, all problems notwithstanding. Following this logic, Obama’s administration made several positive statements, and even more important, positive steps to ensure Moscow that it is seen as an essential Western, especially American, ally, in bringing stability to the region, including to Kyrgyzstan. Robert Blake, the U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, states the events in Kyrgyzstan push Russia and the U.S. together. James F. Collins, former U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation, noted in Foreign Policy that Moscow always collaborates with the U.S. in fighting terrorism, and did so even “during the dark days after the 2008 Russia-Georgian War.” And, another observer noted, “The Kremlin’s return to Afghanistan comes with the support of the Obama administration….”

4th May 2011 | Read more

Naval Helicopters

iven the helicopter’s versatility, it is not surprising that they form a key component of a number of navies in the region. This is particularly so with the helicopter’s vertical takeoff ability - allowing it to operate from a ship deckpad, in contrast to an aircraft carrier flightdeck or land based runway. These are required by naval fixed wing aircraft - but the helicopter’s hover capabilities allows it conduct at-sea retrieval or ship boarding even where no suitable landing area exists.

3rd May 2011 | Read more

Flexing Its Muscles - Chinese Power Projection Capabilities

A Russian was recently imprisoned for six years in Ukraine after being convicted of spying for China. The target of his nefarious activities was the Land-based Naval Aviation Testing and Training Complex (NITKA) in the Crimea, a facility for training Russian pilots to operate fighters aboard aircraft carriers.

24th Mar 2011 | Read more

Middle East troubles.

The latest wave of internal unrest in the Middle East – Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya – is an indicator of the threats faced by all totalitarian regimes. Whether regimes survive in the face of popular protests is largely a factor of whether they can retain the loyalty of their security apparatus. When the military switches sides, as they did in Iran in 1979, Romania in 1989 and Egypt in 2011, regimes fall. When they remain loyal to their leaders in cases such as Iraq under Saddam Hussein, North Korea under the Kim Dynasty and – as seems increasingly likely – Libya under the Gaddafi clan, the regime survives.

24th Mar 2011 | Read more

ThalesRaytheonSystems to supply NATO with Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence capabilities

TRS Prime, a subsidiary of ThalesRaytheonSystems announced on March 4th that it was awarded a contract by the NATO ACCS Management Agency (NACMA) for enhancements to the NATO Air Command and Control System as part of the Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence programme1 being developed for the protection of deployed troops inside and outside of NATO Territory.

24th Mar 2011 | Read more

India's New Defence Procurement Procedure

In January, India’s Ministry of Defence issued the Defence Procurement Procedure 2011 (DPP-2011). The 262-page document, which came into force from the first day of 2011, would guide Defence Ministry’s multi billion dollar capital acquisitions till 2013 when the next DPP is due. The revised document, which is based on “experience of procurement agencies” and feedback from a cross section of industrial stakeholders, has made a number of changes. According to the Defence Minister, AK Antony, the changes in the new DPP are aimed at “ expediting decision making, simplification of connatural and financial provisions and also to establish a level playing field for the Indian defence industry, both public sector and private sector.”

24th Mar 2011 | Read more

Headlines, February 2011.

Headlines from Feb, 2011, as reported by Kym Bergmann.

1st Feb 2011 | Read more

The U.S - Russia Rapprochement and consequences for Central Asia – Part 1.

Russia and the United States have recently taken important visible steps to resolve many of their long-standing differences in a fundamental realignment of the relationship.

28th Jan 2011 | Read more

EXERCISING RESTRAINT IN SOUTH KOREA

"INVINCIBLE SPIRIT”

17th Dec 2010 | Read more

TIDE OF TECHNOLOGY SWEEPS ONWARDS

China Airshow

17th Dec 2010 | Read more

India’s Growing Defence Industry Base

Like many developing countries in the world India has long aspired to be self-sufficient in defence production, for which New Delhi has over the years built a huge industrial empire.

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

Italian exports

Strong regional growth predicted

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

Afghanistan – surge nears its peak

The recent statement of Afghanistan’s President Harmid Karzai that receiving millions of dollars of cash payments from Iran on a regular was completely normal must have caused dismay amongst all ISAF nations.

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

THE MOST CAUTIOUS INVESTORS CHOOSE “RUSSIAN TECHNOLOGIES”

The IX International Investment Forum “Sochi - 2010” took place in the Russian Black Sea region in September, 201

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

Sagem’s shipborne Sigma 40 inertial navigation systems exceed 5 million hours of operation

The Sigma 40 inertial navigation system by Sagem has passed the milestone of 5 million hours of operation in service

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

Netherlands' Navy orders additional Gatekeeper system

The Dutch Defence Materiel Organization and Thales Nederland announced on October 5 that it has signed a contract for the delivery of one additional Gatekeeper electro-optic surveillance system

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

U-TacS, a Subsidiary of Elbit Systems and Thales, Awarded $70 Million Follow-on Order to Provide ISTAR Capability for UK Armed Forces

The contract will be performed over the next one and a half years.

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

THE U.S.-INDONESIA COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP: THE SECURITY COMPONENT—EXPANDING BUT INCOMPLETE

Indonesia

1st Nov 2010 | Read more

US ARMY IN SOUTH KOREA – “DETERRING AGGRESSION”

Tensions on the Korean Peninsular have increased palpably in recent months, precipitated by Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) antics in the Yellow Sea. At 21:20 on 26 March, a North Korean Yono-class mini-submarine launched a CHT-02D heavyweight torpedo at the ROKS Cheonan (PCC-772).

1st Oct 2010 | Read more

Rheinmetall books follow-up orders

Multi-million modernization of 65 Fuchs/Fox armoured vehicles

1st Oct 2010 | Read more

Sagem and Elbit Systems

Sagem and Elbit Systems to Establish a Joint Venture for Tactical UAS

1st Oct 2010 | Read more

Raytheon-Boeing Team Goes 3 for 3 During Government-Funded JAGM Testing

On 23 September Raytheon and Boeing announced that they have completed the final of three government-sponsored firings of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. During the Sept. 3 test, the JAGM used its millimeter wave radar guidance system to hit a moving target at 6 kilometers (3.75 miles).

1st Oct 2010 | Read more

EYES IN THE SKY - ASIAN AEW&C PROGRAMMES

In an age of digital networks and advanced weapon systems, the Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft is more important than ever. AEW&C is essentially a powerful radar and other sensors mounted in an aircraft so that, when flying at high altitudes, the airborne system possesses all the benefits of mobility and detection range

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

SEEING IN THE DARK - NIGHT VISION IN ASIA

Clad in a black wetsuit the lead SEAL silently emerged from the ocean waters, his new 5.56mm Night Fighting Weapon (NFW) tucked tightly against his shoulder. Moving silently and cautiously, he worked up the sandy slope of the beach, while another seven men emerged eerily from the tropical waters.

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Eurosatory - Bigger than ever.

Despite the global downturn having an effect on many defence budgets, this year’s Eurosatory exhibition – held outside Paris – was around 10% larger in terms of exhibitor numbers than the previous show in 2008.

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Further CAE Contracts

Canada’s CAE announced on June 16 it has won several recent military contracts valued at more than C$100 million

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Lightweight transponders from EADS Defence & Security improve protection and flight safety of helicopters

On June 21, EADS launched the newly developed LTR 400 transponder from their Defence & Security (DS) division,

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Russian exports - Secrecy surrounds official figures.

Russia has two things that sell well in the global marketplace: natural resources and weapons.

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Shangri La Dialogue

Economics rather than security dominate conference.

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Rafael's family of Spike missiles

The Spike NLOS works perfectly in conjunction with different sensors that can provide real time target data. This is especially true when the missile is receiving data from unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

Central Asia Disintegrates

Unfortunately many Western policy commentators still seem look at the present problems of Afghanistan in isolation – probably because that is where NATO and allied countries are most heavily engaged.

1st Jul 2010 | Read more

EADS German Contract

EADS Defence & Security has been commissioned by Germany’s Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) to deliver a further 220 units of the Future Soldier System (Infanterist der Zukunft) in its basic version (IdZ BS).

1st Jun 2010 | Read more

Malaysia - Budgetary difficulties remain

As a relatively small export-dependant economy, Malaysia has been hit hard by the Global Financial Crisis with the 2009 Defence budget limited to around US $3.3 billion. Even though recovery is now underway the consequences are still being felt in areas of military expenditure.

26th May 2010 | Read more

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