Close Air Support Infantry Fighting Vehicles Night Vision Training and Simulation

VOLUME 21/ISSUE 4 JUNE/JULY 2013 US$15

A S I A P A C I F I C ’ S L A R G E S T C I R C U L A T E D D E F E N C E M A G A Z I N E

CLOSE AIR SUPPORT INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLES NIGHT VISION TRAINING AND SIMULATION

ANTI SURFACE WARFARE ASIA PACIFIC UAV DIRECTORY REGIONAL AIR POWER

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Front Cover Photo: A Raytheon RIM-161B SM-3 Block-IA surface-to-air missile dashes skywards during a Flip That COIN launch test. This weapon, Andrew Brookes among others, is examined in The British operated aircraft over the Middle East in the Twenties and Thirties this edition’s article examining missile defence initiatives; because they were a much cheaper way of countering insurgents than battalions ‘A Shot In The Dark?’ on the ground. Over the years, major air forces invested in new jet engines and © US Missile Defence Agency swept wings, but there remained a place for old technology

14 APCs and IFVs in 46 the Asia Pacific

Christopher F Foss Traditionally Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), tracked and wheeled alike, have been used to 40 transport infantry where they dismount and fight on foot. APCs Up Close and Training are still used by many countries, but Personal and Simulation: they are now being supplemented Thomas Withington by Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) Wargames Close Air Support (CAS), the art of achieving a direct hit on Thomas Withington enemy troops or materiel which The training potential offered by maybe just metres away from simulation technology is a con - 23 friendly forces on a fast-moving stantly evolving field. Advances in battlefield has been an computing and video graphics increasingly precise exercise provide an ever-deepening since it came to prominence level of detail to the instructor during the First World War and student alike across the land, sea and air domains 34 Anti-Surface Seeing Through 52 AMR UAV the Dark Warfare: From Gun to Missile Directory 2013 Peter Donaldson Bianca Siccardi With the importance of dismounted Ted Hooten AMR’s UAV Directory has soldiers so strongly brought to the Warships target other been researched using a range fore by counter-insurgency warships with merchant - men as the secondary of resources notably AMR campaigns of the last decade, range of products intended to increase target, and the weapon correspondents, industry options for what is their effectiveness in terms of target experts and serving military now called Anti-Surface personnel throughout the detection, recognition and identifi - Warfare (ASuW) are region as well as open sources cation in all weathers and light surprisingly broad conditions has grown dramatically

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 03 Index of Advertisers AM GENERAL 17 AMR SUBSCRIPTION 22 AMR DSI 33 BOEING COVER 4 DASSAULT RAFALE COVER 2 Editorial DEFENCE AND SECURITY THAILAND 65 DSEI COVER 3 EUROSATORY 61 ITT EXELIS 13 IDEAS PAKISTAN 63 PARIS IN INDIA AVIATION 27 L3 WESCAM 21 NAMEXPO 57 THE SPRING NEXTER 19 PACIFIC AUSTRALIA 55 RAYTHEON 9 ROSOBORONEXPORT 49 t is an honour to be appointed as the new ROSTEC 58-59 TADTE 45 editor of the Asian Military Review , following the TRIJICON 37 VIASAT 5 sudden and untimely death of its previous editor I Adam Baddeley. I had the privilege of calling Adam one of my closest friends. Advertising Offices Having worked together for over a decade, he was a constant source of inspiration, Australia Peter Stevens, Publisher’s Internationalé knowledge and advice, not to mention much laughter! Adam set a high editorial Tel: (61) 8 9389 6601 Email: [email protected] standard for the magazine, which I hope that I can continue in the future. He is sorely France/Spain missed, and I dedicate this edition to him. Stephane de Remusat, REM International Tel: (33) 5 3427 0130 E-Mail: [email protected] This year’s Paris Air Show occurred just as the finishing touches were being put to this Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Italy/UK issue. Although extremely busy on the civil side, with perennial rivals Boeing and Sam Baird, Whitehill Media Tel: (44-1883) 715 697 Mobile: (44-7770) 237 646 Airbus announcing bumper orders, and emerging manufacturers from Brazil and E-Mail: [email protected] Israel Canada, notably Embraer and Bombardier making their presence felt, the military Liat Heiblum, Oreet - International Media Tel: (97 2) 3 570 6527 side of the show seemed quiet. E-Mail: [email protected] East-Central Europe/Greece/Turkey True, defence budgets around the world, particularly in Europe and North America, Zena Coupé Ph: +44 1923 852537, [email protected] are contracting. This is not only the result of the economic downturn affecting the Pakistan West; budgets are also being slashed in anticipation of the North Atlantic Treaty Kamran Saeed, Solutions Inc., Tel/Fax: (92 21) 3439 5105 Mobile: (92) 300 823 8200 Organisation’s withdrawal from Afghanistan next year. The combat aircraft E-Mail: [email protected] manufacturers, which used to dominate the world’s air shows, were quiet to say the Russia Alla Butova, NOVO-Media Ltd, least and, perhaps underlining the pinch in Washington DC, the American presence at Tel/Fax: (7 3832) 180 885 Mobile : (7 960) 783 6653 Email :[email protected] the show was notably muted compared to previous years. Scandinavia/Benelux/South Africa Tony Kingham, KNM Media That said the Russians livened things up with a show-stopping Sukhoi Su-35. Once Tel: (44) 2081 445 934 Mobile : (44) 7827 297 465 E-Mail: [email protected] again, this Russian combat aircraft builder showed that it can continue to produce jets South Korea capable of seemingly impossible manoeuvres, with the airframe tossed around the Young Seoh Chinn, Jes Media Inc. Tel: (82-2) 481 3411/13 E-Mail: [email protected] sky like a leaf in the wind, while the audience watched in open-mouthed amazement. USA (East/South East)/Canada Paris 2013 did feel like a largely civilian event with a military element. To be fair, this Margie Brown, Blessall Media LLC. Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581 Email :[email protected] trend has been the case for many years, and is set to remain so in the future. The USA (West/South West)/Brazil Cold War, which provided the perfect arena for all of the major protagonists to Diane Obright, Blessall Media LLC. Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581 showcase their brightest and best military aviation offerings, is long gone, but that Email :[email protected] has not stopped the Russians from stealing this year’s show. All Other Countries Vishal Mehta, Media Transasia India Limited Tel: (91) 124 4759625, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: [email protected] Tarun Malviya, Media Transasia India Limited Thomas Withington, Editor Tel: (91) 124 4759609, Fax: (91) 124 4759550 E-Mail: [email protected]

Editor: Thomas Withington E-mail: [email protected] Publishing Office: Chairman: J.S. Uberoi Audit Bureau of Circulations Media Transasia Ltd, Room No. 1205-1206, Hollywood Centre 233, Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2815 1933 Subscription Information Operations Office: ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW can be obtained by subscription. Subscription rate for one year President: Egasith Chotpakditrakul (8 issues) is U.S.$ 100.00 Readers should Sr. Manager International Marketing: Vishal Mehta contact the following address: Deputy Manager Marketing: Tarun Malviya Sales & Marketing Coordinator: Atul Bali Creative Director: Bipin Kumar Deputy Art Director: Sachin Jain Subscription Department, Production Manager: Kanda Thanakornwongskul Group Circulation Manager: Porames Chinwongs Media Transasia Ltd. Media Transasia Thailand Ltd. 75/8, 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, Soi Sukhumvit 19, 1205-1206, Hollywood Centre 233, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Holywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: 66 (0)-2204 2370, Fax: 66 (0)-2204 2390 -1 Tel: (852) 2815 9111, Fax: (852) 2851 1933

04 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l

A I R P O W E R COUNTER INSURGENCY FLIP THAT COIN

The British operated aircraft over the Middle East in the Twenties and Thirties because they were a much cheaper way of countering insurgents than battalions on the ground. Over the years, major air forces invested in new jet engines and swept wings, but there remained a place for old technology. by Andrew Brookes

or example, from 1948 the RAF ing height required more elaborate navi - battled Communist insurgents gational aids and made map-reading in Malaya with a variety of pis - impracticable and visual bomb-aiming F ton-engine aircraft including difficult. The pilot had a poorer visibility Avro Lincolns. Come 1955 and than in a Lincoln and the Canberra could the first RAF jet bomber squadron went not be flown at night or in close forma - on active duty overseas. Four Canberra tion, and could not be employed in a B6s left Lincolnshire for Malaya to bomb insurgents in their jungle hide-outs. Hitting roughly-constructed bashas under dense jungle foliage with 1,000lb bombs as directed by Air Observation Post Austers, or strafing role. They suffered, in common against a six-figure map reference provid - with all jet aircraft in the tropics, from a ed by a ground liaison officer, was asking serious limitation in their endurance at a lot. On one occasion a Canberra over - low level, which precluded postponing or shot the aiming datum by 3,000m. As delaying an air strike once they were air - the official historian of the Malayan borne. This was a serious disadvantage in Emergency put it, “Canberras carried half the uncertain weather conditions of the bomb load of Lincolns and their cruis - Malaya, especially when Canberras were ing speed of 250kt at the optimum bomb - operating in the northern part of the coun -

try far from their parent base in Singapore.” It was horses for courses and while the shiny B-52s and century- series fighters practised for a war of survival against the USSR, the USAF procured light warplanes for use over Korea and Vietnam. US airmen used armed versions of the piston-engined T-6 Texan trainers dubbed ‘Mosquitos’ for artillery spotting and forward air control over Korea. In the early 1960s, the US Army tested armed versions of the Cessna The North American F-105 Thunderchief was another aircraft used extensively in the counter- insurgency role by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. However, the aircraft YAT-37D Dragonfly (or Super Tweet), showed itself to be vulnerable to ground-based air defences © US DoD Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk, and Fiat G.91. But the lessons of the Second World War

06 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l A I R P O W E R COUNTER INSURGENCY

North American Rockwell’s OV-10 Bronco was an early post-Second World War attempt to produce a dedicated counter-insurgency aircraft. Recent proposals to place the aircraft back into production have so far come to naught © US DoD

solution to counter-insurgency, there is certainly a large role for air power: it can bring firepower, transport, reconnaissance and constant presence to the COIN fight. US counter-insurgency doctrine recom - mends the use of inexpensive, low-tech aircraft and technology for less developed allies facing insurgency. Simply put, US doctrine recognises that effective counter- insurgency requires more than just the use of US forces; it is also about helping allied nations win their own conflicts. For a re-emerging nation like Iraq, light, armed aircraft with sensors and weapons that are affordable, nimble and flexible have great appeal. The same will prove true in Afghanistan which needs to had been forgotten by the USAF ultimate COIN air - support indigenous ground forces with - as unarmoured supersonic fighters craft today is the out breaking the budget. More important - with vulnerable fuel tanks and Spectre AC-130 ly, because of the simplicity of the aircraft, hydraulic control systems were knocked Gunship. In the Maysan province of Iraq, coalition forces can train airmen to fly and down or damaged by North Vietnamese Brigadier Richard Holmes noted that “the service them once their combat troops peasants armed with automatic small arms AC-130 effect on morale was palpa - have withdrawn. However, as we stand with simple sights. About 43% of all the F- ble…some of the British soldiers undoubt - on the threshold of dramatic technological 105 Thunderchiefs ever built were shot edly owe their lives to the ability of the changes, is the ‘cheap’ COIN aircraft of down over Vietnam because this tactical Spectre crews to understand the ground yesteryear achievable or viable? nuclear bomber was unmanoeuverable battle and weigh in with super-accurate and vulnerable to antiaircraft fire. fire at midnight in a burning town.” But Déjà vu The military helicopter came of age in only a super-power can afford this awe- There are plenty of nations for whom COIN Vietnam but whether fixed wing or inspiring capability. aircraft are the ideal solution. Last August rotary, rugged and simpler aircraft James S Corum has reviewed dozens of Embraer handed over an initial batch of proved their worth for nations who had major insurgencies since 1945 from which four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the no need or use for Major League aircraft. he identified good strategy and good intel - Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU). Twelve The era of dedicated counter-insurgency ligence as the two keys to effective count - more are to follow and these sixteen light (COIN) warfare had truly arrived and the er-insurgency. While there is no air power attack and tactical training aircraft are part

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 07 A I R P O W E R COUNTER INSURGENCY

Although the English Electric Canberra served with the Royal Air Force for many years, its deployment during the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s underscored the limitations of this aircraft in the counter-insurgency role © Wikimedia Commons

of the Indonesian Defence Force's equip - The Cessna AT-37D Dragonfly was developed during the late-1950s/early-1960s as a counter- insurgency aircraft. It served during the Vietnam War with the United States Air Force, and is ment modernisation programme. believed to remain in service with the Peruvian Air Force © Wikimedia Commons The Super Tucano is a mature and proven mission-ready aircraft to replace the TNI-AU’s (Indonesian Air Force’s) Super Tucano is currently in service with ernment defeat the FARC guerilla move - fleet of OV-10 Broncos in support of light Brazil, the Dominican Republic, ment. Around 160 A-29s are now in oper - attack, surveillance, aerial intercepts and Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Burkina ation and they have logged 130,000 flight COIN missions. Modern COIN aircraft Faso, and has been ordered by the hours, including over 18,000 combat such as the Super Tucano incorporate Angolan and Mauritanian air forces. The hours without any combat loss. advanced electronic/optical/infrared and A-29 Super Tucano was built specifically Budget deficits affect Washington as laser technology together with secure for counter-insurgency missions and is much as anywhere else, but it surprised radios plus datalink communications. The credited with helping the Colombian gov - many when USAF Chief of Staff General

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Norton Schwartz announced the Light aircraft, directing gunfire and ordnance Attack Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft from other platforms. The aircraft would (LAAR) programme in September 2008. need to operate from austere forward oper - Envisaged as a fillip to industry, the USAF ating bases, and be largely self-sustaining. envisaged a $2 billion purchase of 100 Proposed candidates for the LAAR LAAR aircraft. Initially, LAAR was to be a programme included a modified crop small plane with an advanced sensor suite, duster demonstrated at the 2009 Paris Air hardpoints for light missiles, bombs and Show, the Alenia M346, the Super Tucano rockets, and an independent capability to (see above), Pilatus PC-6 Porter and find and engage targets at night. LAAR Hawker Beechcraft AT-6B Texan II. would also function as a forward air control Although the Pentagon expected LAAR to

A Republic of Singapore Air Force McDonnell Douglas A-4SU Skyhawk is seen here in this image. Alongside the Cessna Dragonfly, the Skyhawk would be used extensively by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War © US DoD

be based on an ‘in production’ aircraft, Boeing tried to sneak in the OV-10(X) Bronco, based on the Vietnam-era twin- engine, twin-boom forward air controller platform. Boeing said it was prepared to resume Bronco production at a facility not yet chosen, which shows how important even COIN aircraft are to the balance sheets of major aeronautical players. Embraer’s Super Tucano was already being tested in Afghanistan under a US Navy programme known as Imminent Fury. Meanwhile the thrust of LAAR was

Alenia Aermacchi’s M346 Master represents a new breed of light jet trainer which can also be configured to perform the COIN mission. The Republic of Singapore Air Force currently has twelve of the aircraft on order © Wikimedia Commons

10 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l A I R P O W E R COUNTER INSURGENCY

Hawker Beechcraft’s T-6 Texan-II has been acquired by the Iraqi Air Force. The country has multi-function display (MFD) and fully purchased a total of 15 of the machines. The Texan-II is available in its trainer (T-6) and armed compatible head up display (HUD) with (AT-6) configurations, the latter version being ideal for COIN operations © US DoD night vision goggle (NVG) for a six-hour mission. It would be expected to perform shifting to reflect Defense Secretary Gates’ gy. You could see their point. The LAAR missions such as streaming video, for - view that platforms and missions must be platform was to fly at altitudes up to warding air control, escort, CAS, intelli - relevant to conflicts like those in Iraq and 30,000ft with a range up to 900nm. The gence surveillance and reconnaissance Afghanistan. Furthermore, it had to be aircraft was to be fitted with fuel tanks, (ISR). Using a wide-range of equipped something that was readily transferable to such as electro-optical, infrared and laser partner nations. It was to be an affordable, sensors, LAAR would be armed with .50 modular, open-architecture aircraft and The projected LAAR calibre machine guns pods, 2.75 inch rock - equipment. Some of these requirements, COIN aircraft might et pods, air-to-ground Hellfire or including those for high-altitude capabili - Maverick, AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, laser ty and for an on-board oxygen generation not have the cachet of guided bombs including Paveway II and system, seem tailored to the war in the F-16C/D or Paveway IV, joint direct attack munitions Afghanistan. F/A18E/F, but it would (JDAM) and small diameter bombs. The To many in the Pentagon, it seemed do much of what they projected LAAR COIN aircraft might not timely to bring back Vietnam War era have the cachet of the F-16C/D or F/A- CAS/COIN tactics and to merge them did for around $1,000 18E/F, but it would do much of what they with 21st century weapons and technolo - per flight hour did for around $1,000 per flight hour.

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 11 A I R P O W E R COUNTER INSURGENCY

Several turboprop machines are marketed as COIN platforms including Embraer’s A-29 Super just about self-deploy from France to Mali. Tucano. One of the major attractions of such aircraft for Counter-Insurgency missions is their There was almost no French weapon used relatively low operating costs compared to their jet-propelled counterparts © Embraer against insurgents in Mali that could not be carried by the Super Tucano. Mali’s At the end of 2011, the USAF selected to operate. However, the draw-down neighbour, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, the A-29 Super Tucano for what is now combined with shrinking defence budgets recently acquired six of them. Easy to designated the Light Air Support (LAS) has forced the USAF to reduce the pro - maintain and heavily-armed aircraft that aircraft for COIN duties. Beechcraft gramme though each aircraft still ended are capable of working closely with special lodged an objection, but this year it was up at $18m apiece. The Pentagon will now operations forces are far better suited to confirmed that the A-29 Super Tucano use a small fleet of turboprops to help COIN operations in low intensity conflicts had won the USAF's LAS contract to sup - build up the nascent Afghan air force and than fast jets costing $20,000 an hour, even ply Afghanistan with an initial batch of 20 the air arms of “other nations”, which in limited numbers. But when good intelli - aircraft. We can expect further orders but opens the possibility for more Super gence is more important than a big stick, is history teaches that while a light strike Tucano sales. Recent French experience the next generation of unmanned combat aircraft can fulfil COIN missions, a heav - over Mali has done nothing to dampen air vehicles with their loitering capability, ier aircraft such as a gunship is best suited the appeal of COIN aircraft. French COIN all-seeing sensors and precise dual-mode for a developing nation’s air force in con - operations over the vast, desolate region Brimstone missiles the most sensible ducting a CAS mission. The highly popu - of the Sahara were carried out by COIN platform of the future? lar CASA 212 light transport is a good Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), fixed In sum, Mali is just the latest example choice for a gunship conversion platform. wing aircraft such as Rafale, Mirage of how rugged offensive aircraft could It is notable that the initiative to field sim - 2000D and F-1CR, and attack helicopters. combine ISR and high firepower with rel - ple effective aircraft for COIN missions The COIN effort would have been much atively low acquisition and operating comes not from professional air forces but better served, at lower cost, with a robust costs. But it is still horses for courses. For rather from the civil sector. Perhaps there and heavily armed aircraft which could all its virtues and cost effectiveness, a tur - is not a lot of glory in training and equip - boprop aircraft such as the Super Tucano ping allied air forces to fight insurgents. or CASA 212 can only go about its COIN, Precision air attack close air support and aerial reconnais - Evaluation sance business in a low threat environ - A few years ago the USAF planned to buy is vital in an age of ment. Precision air attack is vital in an age dozens of cheap, turboprop-driven COIN 24-hour rolling news, of 24-hour rolling news, and loitering in aircraft to provide light air support and and loitering in support of land forces to ensure target dis - ISR for troops fighting insurgents in support of land forces crimination demands local air supremacy places like Iraq and Afghanistan. These over the battlespace. Just like the current were supposed to take the burden for to ensure target dis- family of UAVs, you would not want to such unglamorous missions off of jet crimination demands employ them in the first stages of any fighters like the F-16, which cost far more local air supremacy. campaign against Syria or Iraq.

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Exelis is a registered trademark and “The Power of Ingenuity” www.exelisinc.com is a trademark, both of Exelis Inc. ITT is a trademark of ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, LLC., and is used under license. Copyright © 2013 Exelis Inc. All rights reserved. I N F A N T R Y FIGHTING VEHICLES TRACKING PROGRESS: APCS AND IFVS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC

Traditionally Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), tracked and wheeled alike, have been used to transport infantry as near to their objective as possible where they dismount and fight on foot. APCs are still used by many countries, but they are now being supplemented by Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). by Christopher F Foss

sually an APC is armed with a 7.62mm or 12.7mm Machine Gun (MG) which U was initially in an unprotect - ed mount but later provided with protection, such as a cupola or turret. Ballistic protection was normally against small arms fire and shell splinters. APCs can be tracked or wheeled with the latter being normally in the 8x8 configuration which have greater volume and mobility than older 6x6 vehicles. The latest IFVs have a higher level of ballistic protection as well as increased protection against mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). They are also

A Chinese People’s Liberation Army ZBD-04 Infantry Fighting Vehicle during a parade in Beijing. The export version of this vehicle is known as the VN11 on the international market © Wikimedia commons

14 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l I N F A N T R Y FIGHTING VEHICLES

The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) is in better armed and are usually fitted with a the water at a maximum speed of 13 service with the Malaysian Army. It is fitted with one or two person turrets armed with a Sharpshooter one-person turret armed with km/h by two water jets mounted one on stabilised medium-calibre cannon and a stabilised 25mm cannon and 7.62mm co-axial either side at the rear of the hull. The PLA 7.62mm co-axial MG. In most cases this MG © FNSS has always deployed a mix of tracked and turret is fitted with a computerised Fire wheeled IFV as the latter do offer a num - Control System (FCS) with the command - ber of significant advantages including er and gunner having stabilised day/ther - on the export market by China North lower operating and support costs, and mal sighting systems equipped with an Industries Corporation (NORINCO) have greater strategic mobility. integrated laser rangefinder. under the designation of the VN11. This has a new Chinese-designed hull fitted Marder 1A3 IFV Chinese Efforts with a locally manufactured and modified Under a recently-signed deal with The first IFV to be deployed by the turret from Russia which is armed with a Germany, Indonesia is to field a batch of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was the 100mm gun, a 30mm cannon and a ex-German Army Marder 1A3 IFVs fitted WZ501 which is essentially a reversed- 7.62mm co-axial MG. In addition to firing with a two-person turret armed with a engineered Russian BMP-1 IFV fitted with conventional ammunition, the 100mm 20mm cannon and a 7.62 mm co-axial MG. a one-person turret armed with a 73mm gun can fire a laser-guided missile. The Indonesia already deploys a batch of 22 gun and 7.62mm co-axial MG along with turret is a further development of that BMP-2 IFVs which were delivered in a Red Arrow 73 (HJ-73) Anti-Tank Guided installed on the widely-deployed Russian 1998/2000 from Slovakia. These retain Weapon (ATGW) mounted over the for - BMP-3 IFV. The ZBD-04 has a crew of their two-person turrets armed with a mer weapon. three consisting of a commander, gunner 30mm cannon, 7.62mm co-axial MG and The latest IFV to enter service with the and driver, and carries seven dismounts. roof-mounted ATGW. PLA is the ZBD-04 which is being offered It is fully-amphibious being propelled in More recently the Indonesian Marines

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 15 I N F A N T R Y FIGHTING VEHICLES

Indonesia is getting a batch of Marder 1A3 AV8 IFV FNSS Sharpshooter turret housing a vehicles but Rheinmetall is also offering the To start replacing its fleet of old SIBMAS 25mm cannon and 7.62mm co-axial MG. Marder Evolution shown here which has a number of improvements © Rheinmetall (6x6) and Condor (4x4) vehicles Malaysia The Royal Malaysian Army also operates a selected the Turkish FNSS Savunma fleet of FNSS Savunma Sistemleri tracked Sistemleri Pars (8x8). A contract has been Armoured Combat Vehicles (ACVs) with have taken delivery of 20 Russian BMP-3F placed for a total of 257 units through the the first batch consisting of 211 vehicles in IFVs optimised for amphibious operations Malaysian company DEFTECH. In ten versions which were delivered from with another batch of vehicles now being Malaysian service the Pars will be called 2002. This was followed by an additional delivered. The BMP-3F is the most well- the AV8 and, in addition to having all- batch of 48 vehicles ordered in 2008 which armed vehicle in its class and is fitted with wheel drive it features all-wheel steering, have now been delivered. Furthermore, a two-person turret equipped with a cameras for situational awareness and an Malaysia has taken delivery of eight 100mm 2A70 gun that, in addition to fir - air conditioning system. stretched ACV vehicles armed with a ing conventional ammunition, can launch A total of twelve variants will be sup - French TDA 120mm muzzle-loaded recoil - a laser-guided projectile. Mounted next to plied by 2018 with the most well-armed ing mortar system. the 100mm 2A70 gun is a 30mm 2A72 can - models being fitted with a Denel Land non and 7.62 mm PKT MG, with further Systems two-person turret outfitted with a K21 IFV two 7.62mm PKT MGs mounted one on 30mm cannon and 7.62mm coaxial MG. The Republic of Korea (ROK) has been either side at the front of the hull. The IFV version is fitted with a one-person self-sufficient in the design, development The Indonesian Marines also deploy a and production of AFVs for many years. It batch of 34 Nexter Systems AMX-10P vehi - The Republic of is estimated that Doosan Infracore cles of which ten are fitted with the two- Defense Products built almost 2,000 person TS90 turret armed with a 90mm Korea (ROK) has Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicles (KIFVs) gun and 7.62mm co-axial MG. The remain - been self-sufficient and variants for the ROK Army with 111 ing 24 have a one-person turret armed with in the design, being supplied to Malaysia to meet an a .50 M2 HB MG. These were optimised for development and Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR). amphibious operations and are fitted with The baseline KIFV has a hull similar to water jets which give a maximum speed production of AFVs that of the BAE Systems Armoured when afloat of up to 10 km/h. for many years Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV) devel -

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www.amgeneral.com I N F A N T R Y FIGHTING VEHICLES

A K21 IFV of the Republic of Korea Army prepared for amphibious operations and clearly showing K21 has a typical Gross Vehicle Weight of its two-person turret armed with 40mm cannon and 7.62mm co-axial MG, pontoons inflated and around 26 tonnes and has a crew of three the trim vane erected at front of the hull © Christopher F. Foss consisting of commander, gunner and driver, plus nine dismounts. The vehicle is oped for the export market. It is armed the K21. When compared to the older KIFV fitted with a two-person turret carrying a with a protected weapon station equipped the K21 represents a step change in capa - 40mm cannon and a 7.62mm MG, with a with a .50 M2 HB MG with an unprotect - bility in the key areas of armour, mobility pod of two ATGW being installed on the ed 7.62mm MG on a pintle mounted to the and firepower with the first production left side of the turret. A computerised FCS immediate left side. In addition to the contract being for over 450 vehicles. The is fitted which allows stationary and mov - crew of three the vehicle carries nine dis - mounts. More specialised versions include Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) reconnaissance, air defence (with a turret-mounted 20mm cannon), ambu - lance, command post, mortar carrier and recovery vehicles. By today’s standard the KIFV lacks armour, mobility and firepower and this has led to the development and fielding of the latest Doosan Next Infantry Fighting Vehicle (NIFV) which is now referred to as

The first example of the AV8 as delivered to the Royal Malaysian Army. It is fitted with a one- person Sharpshooter 25mm turret which is already installed in one version of the ACV used by Malaysia © FNSS

18 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l I N F A N T R Y FIGHTING VEHICLES

Bionix 2 IFV is now in service with the Singapore Army and is fitted with a two-person turret armed with an ATK 30mm MK44 cannon and 7.62mm co-axial MG © STK

ing targets to be engaged with a high first- round-hit probability under almost all conditions. With the aid of integrated inflat- able pontoons the K21 is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water up to a maximum speed of 6 km/h. It is also fitted with an NBC system and full air conditioning for use in high ambient conditions. Using theKIFVhullanexpandingfamilyofvari- antshasbeendevelopedincludinganARV anddrivertrainingvehicle.Fortheexport market it can be fitted with different weapon systems. Singapore For many years the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deployed the BAE Systems M113 series tracked APC as well as many more specialised versions such as a command post vehicle and mortar carrier.

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Singapore Armed Forces’ Terrex ICV fitted with remote weapon station outfitted with a 40mm AGL Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) to and 7.62mm co-axial MG, and clearly showing external stowage racks on the hull side © STK meet the operational requirements of the SAF with first vehicles deployed in 2010. These have been enhanced in a number of the Bionix 30 which is similar but armed The first production contract was for a areas including an upgraded power pack, with the more potent ATK 30mm MK44 total of 135 vehicles which is sufficient for additional armour and, in some cases, dual feed cannon and 7.62mm axial MG. three battalions but there have been fol - enhanced firepower. Some have also been There is also the Bionix APC which has the low on contracts for additional vehicles. fitted with the RAFAEL Advanced same locally developed cupola as fitted to The baseline Terrex ICV has a crew of two Defense Systems Remote Weapons the upgraded M113, but with more inter - and carries eleven dismounts. It is fitted Stations (RWS) armed with an ATK 25mm nal volume it can carry nine dismounts. with an RWS armed with a 40mm AGL M252 dual-feed cannon, and 7.62mm co- More specialised versions of the Bionix and a 7.62mm co-axial MG, a .50 MG, or a axial MG. Meanwhile others have been fit - including an ARV, armoured vehicle combination of these weapons. The hull is ted with the locally-developed cupola launched bridge and flail-type mine of all welded steel with applique amour armed with a .50 MG and a 40mm AGL. clearing vehicle. and, unlike many of the recently-devel - These upgraded M113 series vehicles Like other countries, Singapore is mov - oped 8x8 vehicles, the Terrex ICV is fully have been supplemented by the locally- ing to more balanced fleet of tracked and amphibious via two propellers installed developed Singapore Technologies wheeled AFVs and STK developed the one on either side under the hull rear. The Kinetics (STG) Bionix family of vehicles Terrex ICV also features applique armour, (FOV). The Bionix 25 IFV is fitted with a The Bionix APC has cameras for enhanced situational aware - two-person turret possessing a stabilised ness through a full 360 degrees and a bat - 25mm M242 dual feed cannon and a the same locally tle management system. In addition to the 7.62mm co-axial MG with an addition developed cupola as baseline Terex ICV there are a number of 7.62mm MG mounted one on either side of fitted to the upgraded more specialised versions and these are the roof at the rear. In addition to the crew M113, but with more known to include ATGW, command, of three consisting of commander, gunner engineer, reconnaissance, surveillance and driver the Bionix UFV carries seven internal volume it can and target acquisition and specialised dismounts. The Bionix 25 was followed by carry nine dismounts strike observer mission variants.

20 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l IDENTIFY AND DOMINATE

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l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 23 REGIONAL UAV DIRECTORY

he Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 2001 deployed to E. Timor with ADF SF in announced its intention to issue a letter of (UAVs) industry is one of the 2003, status unknown. request to the United States for pricing, Tfastest-growing sectors in military capability and availability information. aviation. The global market for Trials and development Although this step does not commit the UAVs has witnessed remarkable expansion Patriot GQ-90, Guardian Aerospace country to the acquisition of the drone, in recent years and it is expected to main - Systems; MALE 20 hour endurance, 20kg Australia has a requirement for up to seven tain this trend in the years to come. The ris - payload, focus on RAN as customer, com - high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs under ing demand and the increasing use of these pleted flight test programme. Phase 1B of Project AIR 7000. The MQ-4C aircraft are underlined by the general reluc - RQ-4 Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman; Triton, a descendant of the long-range tance to risk the lives of aircrew during Flew non-stop to Australia in 2001 and took Global Hawk and specifically configured combat operations, by ongoing military part in joint exercise Tandem Thrust. for maritime surveillance, could indeed operations and by the ability of UAVs to Planned to acquire the UAV as part of its answer such a need. The US would be eager gather real-time intelligence. Modern participation in BAMS project but dropped to partner with Australia in developing a UAVs show remarkable advantages over out in 2009 although options remain for system based on the Triton Unmanned manned aircraft. These include their maritime and littoral surveillance from Aircraft System (UAS), as this would signif - reduced manpower compared to conven - 2016. MQ-4C again being pushed by icantly improve the joint capabilities of the tional aircraft, their ideal suitability for Northrop Grumman. two countries, and their ability to respond continuous reconnaissance tasks and, more to regional challenges. specifically, their ability to find, designate NOTES: According to the Australian and strike mobile targets. Government’s 2013 Defence White Paper, CHINA AMR’s UAV Directory has been the nation plans to replace the RAAF’s Fielded researched using a range of resources notably obsolete fleet of eighteen AP-3C Orion sur - BZK-005, Beijing University of Aeronautics AMR correspondents, industry experts and veillance aircraft with the new Boeing P-8A and Astronautics; MALE UAV thought to serving military personnel throughout the Poseidon, integrated with UAVs capable of have been in limited service since 2009 with region as well as open sources. being employed in broad area maritime sur - a 40 hr endurance. veillance. The latest news from Australia Pterodactyl 1/Yilong, AVIC; Predator-like AUSTRALIA concerns the acquisition of Northrop MALE with 400km range first seen in 2008 Fielded Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aeri - with initial development completed in 2009 Heron I, IAI; Project Nankeen lease via al vehicle. The Government recently and production beginning during 2010 and MacDonald Dettwiler extended to end of 2012, supporting three-platform Army and IAI Heron MALE UAV, operated by the Australian armed RAAF Unit from Kandahar which began in forces is based on leading-edge technology with fully- January 2010, flew 4000 hours in first year automatic take-off and landing features. It provides of operations. deep-penetration reconnaissance, wide-area and real- Scan Eagle, Isitu/Boeing; Interim Tier 2 time intelligence © Commonwealth of Australia type requirement until Shadow 200 fielded. Deployed Iraq 2006-8 and in Afghanistan since 2007. In Afghanistan they have flown 32000 hours on 6,200 missions, or an average of 22 hours a day for nearly five years RQ-7B Shadow 200, AAI; Selected under JP129 Phase 2 and requested from US DCSA in May 2011. Deployed to Afghanistan in May 2012. Skylark I, Elbit Systems; Eight systems ordered in Nov. 2005 onwards with 20 STA Reg. deployed to E Timor and Iraq, further orders subsequently. Aerosonde III, AAI; Solomons in 2003 four Aerosondes sent to the Solomon Islands on Operation Anode with Army’s 131 STA Battery. Avatar, Condarra; 18 UAVs acquired since

24 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l REGIONAL UAV DIRECTORY

can be equipped with AR-1 missiles. Harop standard, saw Israel return the shown as Singapore Airshow 2010. W-30/W-50 series, NRIST; Sometimes UAV in 2005. SL-200, CASC; Armed HALE, described as called PW-1 and entered service with the WJ-600, CASIC; 130Kg MALE design for a stealthy design. People’s Liberation Army during 2005, maritime surveillance, turbo-jet powered, CH-802, Poly Technologies Inc; Hand radius of 100km. Later PW-2 version has options for air to surface engagement, in launched similar to Pointer, 3m wingspan, longer range. early development, 3hr endurance WJ-600A 2kg payload, endurance 3hours. ASN206/7, Xian ASN Technology; In serv - has 5 hr endurance, a number delivered V750, Qingdao Haili Helicopter ice with PLA. in PLAAF. Manufacturing Co; Rotary wing UAV. RMAX, Yamaha Motor Company; Nine sys - X200, Yotaisc Science and Technology Tian Yi-3, LOEC; High speed HALE. tems procured in 2001 for paramilitary use Development: VTOL UAV introduced dur - Warrior Eagle, AVIC; Only sketches seen ASN-15, Xian ASN Technology; Hand ing Singapore Air Show. publicly and may utilize a morphing wing launched UAV in 2000 largely used for test design. and proof of concept. Trials and development Soarhawk, Sunward; Described as similar ASN-104/5B, Xian ASN Technology; In CH-3, CASIC; MALE 12 hr endurance, to the piston-engined ADCOM SAT-400, service with PLA. canard design 108nm radius in advanced status unknown. ASN-206/207, Xian ASN Technology; development, first seen in public in 2008, DUF-2, BUAA; Hand launched SUAV. Developed from mid 1990, limited service, reported to be fitted with FT-5 small PGMs. Wing Long, AVIC; Completed flight testing range of 150km, ASN-207 first seen publicly Long Haul Eagle, AVIC; Another Global in Oct 2008, 20 hour endurance and a range in 2002. Hawk like design, status unknown. of 400km. ASN-209, Xian ASN Technologies; Twin- Soaring Dragon, Xianglong; Global Hawk Anjian/Darksword, Shenyang Aircraft Co; boom pusher design called Silver Eagle in class, reported range of 7000km. UCAV in early development. PLAN service, reported to be tested by PLA ASN-213, Xian ASN Technology; 5Kg BL-60, BVE; K-MAX like rotary design. as a communictions relay in June 2011. design with in-flight morphing design first SVU200, Sunward Tech Star-Lite; First I-Z, Z-3, Z-2, NRIST; rotary wing design, seen in 2008. flight of rotary wing platform in 2012, some military and paramilitary use from Night Eagle, AVIC; Hand launched, similar planned endurance of 2+hrs. early 2000s. to Aerosonde design. Daofeng/Blade SF-460, CASIC; Prototype, 3 Harpy, IAI; Sold to China in 1994, When Whirlwind Scout, AVIC; Compact VTOL hr endurance, first seen Zuhai 2010. China returned the Harpy for maintenance, ducted fan design. Daofeng 300, CASIC, 31kg weight, operates US concerns over possibility of upgrade to U8E, AVIC; Lightweight VTOL design civil SLR camera, endurance of 3+hrs. Blue Eage 200W, Keyuan; MALE, endurance of 12 hours speed of 160kmph, equipped with air to ground munitions on six external hard points. T-120, Hubei Taihang Xinghe Aircraft Manufacturing; reconnaissance UAV with speed of up to Mach 1.5. T-100, Hubei Taihang Xinghe Aircraft Manufacturing; electrically powered SUAV. TF-1C, Shenyang Aerospace; 1200km range endurance of 12 hours. TF-5, Shenyang Aerospace; 13kg SUAV sin - gle CCD camera. TF-8, Shenyang Aerospace, Hand launched platoon level, 4.7Kg SUAV. Z-5, PLA Research Institute; Shown pub - licly in Sept. 2011 rotary wing design.

NOTES: According to a recent report issued by the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board (DSB), China’s move into unmanned sys - tems is “alarming” and unlimited resources, combined with technological awareness, might allow the country to match or even outpace US spending on unmanned systems

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 25 REGIONAL UAV DIRECTORY

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is being developed to provide continuous maritime sur - veillance and is expected to enter service around 2015. The Australian government and the Indian Navy have expressed their interest in acquiring the drone © Northrop Grumman

in the future, becoming a global competitor. side its Searcher UAVs. Potential require - Gagan, DRDO/ADE; TUAV in develop - One Chinese company in particular is aim - ment for 50 UAVs. ment. ing to target South East Asia—Indonesia and Harpy, IAI; 30 in service delivered from Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman; Listed Malaysia initially—with its unmanned heli - 2005. India as a potential customer at Paris Air copter. Yotaisc Science and Technology Harop/Harpy II, IAI; 10 UAV/Loitering Show 2011 in maritime and overland role Development introduced its X200 vertical Munition ordered by IAF in 2009 in $100m UCAV, N/A; IAF issued RFI in mid 2010. take-off/landing (VTOL) UAV on the occa - deal with video datalink system. Deliveries RQ-16B T-Hawk, Honeywell Aerospace; sion of last year’s Singapore Airshow. started in 2011. Demonstrated at the Counter Terrorism Provided with two flight control modes, and Jungle Warfare College at Kanker in autonomous navigation and manual remote Trials and development Chattisgarh in 2010. control, this UAV has a compact structure, Rustom 1, DRDO/ARDE; First successful ‘HALE’ UAV, N/A; IN HALE RFI issued efficient power and is capable of carrying a test flight in Oct. 2010 after prototype October 2010. NG reported to have 100 kg payload at a cruising speed of 93 crashed in Nov. 2009, 12-15 hr endurance, responded with its MQ-4C BAMS which mph. It has a multi-redundant inertial navi - airframe built by Zephyr Aerospace. A fifth, could operate with P-8I Poseidon. gation system and global positioning system 25 minute flight took place in Nov. 2011 TERP 2, MKU; hand launched pusher (GPS), and is designed to perform military attaining a speed of 100kmph. SUAV, 90 min endurance, 10X optical zoom and civilian tasks: from reconnaissance and Rustom HALE, DRDO/ADE; MALE UAV day camera and Uncooled IR camera range surveillance, communications relay, elec - in development for tri-service customers, 10km. tronic interference and biochemical detection also precursor for UCAV development pro - Cheetak-based UAV, IAI/HAL; discussions to border patrol, disaster monitoring, agri - totype in 2014-15, 12-15 hour endurance to produce an unmanned version of the cultural spraying and condition monitoring. and 45kg payload. stalwart helo. Netra SUAV, ARDE/Ideaforge Technology; Skylark, Elbit/BEL; Indianised example on INDIA 1.5m Quadrotor SUAV, altitude 200m, 30 show at DEFEXPO 2012. Fielded min endurance. Lakshya-II, DRDO; Tenth test flight of tar - Searcher I & II, IAI; India’s Army and Navy Nishant, DRDO/ADE; Development began get drone in January for 30 mins, operating are understood to have acquired 18 and in 1990 trial completed in Feb. 2011. 12 from 12-800m. possibly as many as 50-70 UAVs. Nishants ordered in 2005 with four deliv - Lakshya, DRDO/ADE & HAL; High speed ered so far and two crashing in April 2010. NOTES: The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans reusable drone with 100 now in service. The balance due by 2013-14. to purchase 300 additional UAVs, includ - Israel pulled out of Lakshya buy in 2005. Kapothaka, DRDO/ADE; Mini-UAV to test ing combat rotary and micro-UAVs, while Heron I/II, IAI; IAF/IN order in 2002 for ISR as well as launch and recovery concepts the infantry has decided to scale three four UAVs. Navy ordered 12 in 2005 and Pawan, DRDO/ADE; SUAV in develop - mini-UAVs to every infantry battalion. operates the UAVs in mixed units along - ment. Within the next three years, India’s

26 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l

REGIONAL UAV DIRECTORY

requirements are likely to be worth up to $1.25 billion. All the production will be performed locally. Given India’s everyday tense situation on the Pakistani and Chinese boarders, along with the country’s aviation industry boom, UAV technology will undoubtedly reveal its usefulness and success in different types of tasks. Maritime operations, as well as surveil - lance and reconnaissance operations are boosting the demand for medium altitude, long endurance UAVs and tactical UAVs. India is currently operating the Searcher and the Heron Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV model , and has recently acquired the unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV) Harop, due to become operational this year. All three models are manufactured by Israel’s IAI. India is, without any doubt, one of the most signif - icant markets for the Heron. Israel has sold India scores of the UAV worth almost US $1 billion, in several deals. INDONESIA Fielded Searcher Mk II, IAI; fielding in 2012, delayed and originally ordered in 2006 from Kital Philippines Corp. SS-5, PT Wesco Aerospace; one or more The Elbit Skylark I miniature UAV. Launched JAPAN systems reported to be deployed to Aceh in by hand, it is capable of sending real-time Fielded video to a portable ground station. Skylark 2005. is in operation with the Australian armed Forward Flying Observation System, Fuji Aerosonde, AAI; Deployed with paramili - forces. © Elbit Systems Heavy Industries; Development of rotary tary and Police forces. wing design began in 1991 with three sys - tems equipping Army artillery units from Trials and development UAV. The Ministry of Defence, together 2004. Civil version is the RPH-2. BBPT-04C Sriti, Agency for the Assessment with the Agency for the Assessment and RMAX, Yamaha Motor Company; and Application of Technology; 10km range Application of Technology (BPPT) and the Deployed with Japan’s Iraq contingent tactical UAV using a flying wing design. state-owned companies PT Dirgantara in 2005. ALAP, Agency for the Assessment and Indonesia (DI) and PT LEN Industri signed, B Type Machine II, Fuji Imvac; Deployed Application of Technology; 25kg, 50km last 29 April, a cooperative development over Fukushima. range UAV. agreement, aimed at constructing the ScanEagle, Insitu; Two systems on order. ‘TUAV’, Agency for the Assessment and BPPT01A-200-PA7 Wulung unmanned aer - TAyoutoK(C)Ogata Mujinki (TACOM), Fuji Application of Technology; 120kg UAV ial vehicle. The Indonesian UAV weighs 60 Heavy Industries; Trans. ‘Multi-role small with a range of 120km. Three design shape kilograms (with the capacity of carrying an UAV’. Japan’s Technical Research and prototypes; the BPPT-01A “Wulung” with additional 25) and can fly for up to four Development Institute have been working Hi rectangular-wing, Low Boom T-tail, the hours at a maximum altitude of 3,658 on the concept since 1995. Evaluation flight BPPT-01B “Gagak” with Low rectangular- meters at 55 knots per hour. The drone, test in 2001. In 2011 Japan released film of wing, Low Boom V-Tail and the BPPT-02A ready to be mass produced this year, is two turbo jet powered drones carried by an “Wulung” with a Hi rectangular-wing, Hi equipped with a surveillance camera pro - F-15J. TACOM launched while aloft and Boom Inverted V-Tail design. viding real-time recordings to ground con - returns to base using a retractable undercar - trol station, a feature that well fulfils the riage. A prototype launched from a NOTES: Indonesia has recently disclosed country’s surveillance and security needs, Mitsubishi/Lockheed Martin F-2 was lost details about the development of a new given its vast territories. at sea in 2010.

28 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l REGIONAL UAV DIRECTORY

NOTES: Japan seems far behind others as KUS-X, Korean Air; Turbo-jet Delta design regards UAVs. There are however a large wing space 4.5m length 3.5m. number of UAV companies in Japan includ - Urban Star, Kyung An Cable Company; ing Fuji Heavy Industries, Yamaha Motor, VTOL UAV in development. Yanmar Agricultural Equipment, Kawasaki Remoeye-002A, Ucon Systems; 1.5m Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy wingspan, range 10km endurance 1 hr. Industries, Sky Remote, Hirobo, Mitsubishi CCD TV or IR with single axis scanning. Electric Corporation, Hitachi, NEC Remoeye-006, Ucon Systems; pylon mount - Corporation, GH Craft, Fuji Imvac and ed high wing design, 6.8kg, 2.59m Nippi Corporation. wingspan, 2 hr. endurance. Remoeye-015, Ucon Systems; Development NORTH KOREA complete in June 2005, 15kg TUAV Fielded endurance 4hrs plus range 40km, CCD TV Pchela, Yakovlev OKB; Unconfirmed or IR camera payload. reports that North Korea acquired the Remo H-120, Ucon Systems; In develop - Russian UAV in 1995. ment, 340CC engine rotary wing design endurance of two hours and range of 50km. NOTES: North Korea seems to be develop - RQ-8A Fire Scout, Northrop Grumman; ing “kamikaze” drones, possibly aimed at Company believes it has interest. targeting South Korean military forces. RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30, Northrop These programmes have been underway Grumman; Korea allocating $40m for par - for a while. tial payment in 2011 budget for four aircraft for delivery in 2015-16 but since canceled SOUTH KOREA plans. Northrop Grumman had partnered Fielded with DACC Aerospace, Foosung, KJF and Harpy, IAI; 100 systems valued at $45m Korean Air. fielded from 1999. Smart UAV, KARI and Ministry of RQ-101 Night Intruder 300, KAI; Began Knowledge Economy; Tilt rotor design development in 1991 with Ministry funding launched in 2002 with significant govern - J/AQM-1, Fuji Heavy Industries; Air force with the Army receiving five systems 2001- ment funding, unveiled in 2005 was to target drone, entered services 1987, indige - 2004 for Corps level operation, Navy also begin flight testing in 2011, at 500kmph air - nous design. acquired the system. craft described as the world's fastest UAV, BQM-34AJ, Fuji Heavy Industries; Navy Shadow 400, AAI; One system in service altitude of 20,000ft and operational radius target drone, licensed development of with Navy for evaluation from 2006. of 200km. Firebee. Skylark II, Elbit Systems; Announced selec - FMAV, Korea Agency for Defense tion in Dec 2007, equipped with the Micro- Development, Hanwha and USAFRL, Trials and development CoMPASS E/O payload with first delivery Flapping Wing MAV, weigh 200g , RQ-8A Fire Scout, Northrop Grumman; in 2008. endurance 25 minutes. Company believes it has interest from the military. Trials and development NOTES: South Korea continues to have an B Type Machine II, Fuji IMVAC, Used to KUS-11 TUAV, KAI; Division level solu - existing requirement for a high altitude, monitor Fukushima. tion, awarded development contract in long endurance UAV. Following the Ball Shaped UAV; Development or SUAV Sept. 2010, delivery in 2015. collapse of efforts to acquire the Northrop for Urban ops for Army. KUS-9, Korean Air, KAI; Development Grumman Global Hawk. AeroVironment RQ-16B T-Hawk, Honeywell Aerospace; completed in 2009, work on project now Global Obsever and Boeing's Phantom Used to monitor Fukushima. ended Eye are being publicly cited as candidates Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman; listed Devil Killer, KAI; Miniature UAV weighs for this requirement with Israeli competi - Japan as a potential customer at Paris 25Kg, endurance 8 hrs. tion also expected notably from the Airshow 2011 in maritime and overland role. KUS-15, Korean Air; V-tail MALE design, Heron TP. Thought to be as part of 2011-2015 Mid-Term mock up shown at Seoul 2011. Defence Programme with three of the UAVs Night Intruder NI-11N, KAI; Development MALAYSIA potentially required probably working in began in 2006 with focus on maritime sur - Fielded conjunction with P-3C Orion. Japanese inter - veillance. Eagle 150B, CTRM; Conversion of CTRM’s ests first noted in 2004. Improved satellite Korean - Combat Unmanned Vehicle, KAI; Eagle 150 trainer aircraft into an aircraft surveillance the main alternative. K-CUAV model at Seoul 2011. which could function either as manned air -

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craft or a UAV, three aircraft and a GCS Turkish help similar to the US Army RQ-7B ‘UQAB III’, ACES; presumed designation entered service in 2002 and withdrawn in Shadow 200. for HALE/’Strategic’ version with radius of Feb 2006. Burraq, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex; operation of over 300km. Aludra Mk1, CTRM; Trials from October Based on Falco-Selex Galileo technology K1, AWC; Trial by Army in 1997. 2008 to late 2010. and is believed to be intended as Pakistan's Aludra Mk2, CTRM; Mk2 version leased by main equivalent to the American Predator NOTES: Pakistan aviation firms involved in Malaysian Armed forces since 2008 who to be equipped with NESCom designed UAV development include Integrated will continue to operate two from laser designator and laser-guided missiles. Dynamics Surveillance & Target Unmanned Semporna in East Malaysia. Falco, Selex Galileo; Pakistan bought 4-5 Aircraft, East West Infiniti, Air Weapons Yabhon Aludra, CTRM/Adcom; co-devel - unarmed reconnaissance drones from Italy. Complex National Development Complex opment with UAE firm, 500kg MALE First Italian produced aircraft operational in (NDC) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. design with endurance of 30 hours. Two air - early 2009 after delivery 2006-8. Some pro - craft to be leased for counter-terrorism sur - duced locally by Pakistan Aeronautical PHILIPPINES veillance via CTRM. Complex with local production beginning Fielded ScanEagle, Insitu Pacific; leased by CTRM in August 2009. Predator A, General Atomics; Two of the to Malaysian Armed Forces. Bravo+/Jasoos II, AWC; in use of the UAVs operating in Philippines were report - Pakistan Air Force since 2004 and supports ed to be registered with the Office of the Trials and development Operations and Training Programme. National Security Advisor. Cyber Eye, Sapura; demonstrated to CH-3, CASC; 20 UAVs reported ordered Hunter RQ-5, Northrop Grumman/IAI; Malaysian Military, sales to Thailand, from China and equipped with FT-5 PGM. Reported to be from the US Army and oper - Australia and Europe. Luna, EMT; Acquired for Pakistani Army ated by the Philippines Air Force. Cyber Shark, Sapura; demonstrated to in 2006. Malaysian Military. Trials and development Cyber Hawk, Sapura; 20kg with 6 hr Trials and development Blue Horizon, UVision Air; reportedly endurance. S-100C, Scheibel; VTOL UAV tested on PN obtained for trials and operational testing Cyber Quad, Sapura; two sizes, linked to Type 21 frigate in March 2008 in a four hour in 2001. SAKTI soldier programme. mission. S-100, Schiebel; Camcopter was the only RQ-7 Shadow 200, AAI; 12 UAVs in three sys - SINGAPORE UAV taking part in LIMA 2011 flight tems requested although now in limbo with Fielded displays. an estimated cost of $150m from the Pakistan Searcher I, IAI; Fielded with No. 119 and Counterinsurgency Capability Fund budget No. 128 Sqns RSAF operates at least ten sys - NEW ZEALAND Trials and development The Republic of Singapore Air Force added Kahu/Hawk, SKYCAM UAV NZ; New the Hermes 450 to its UAV fleet in 2007. Zealand is exploring SUAV concepts, 80 The drone, manufactured by Israel’s Elbit minutes endurance, 12km range. Systems, and has an endurance of over 20 hours © Elbit Systems NOTES: New Zealand troops benefited from UAV coverage in Afghanistan. Kahu Hawk is a 3kg design operated by 16 Field Regiment with two systems each of a GCS and two aircraft having been acquired to date. PAKISTAN Fielded Uqab-II, ACES; First squadron inducted into Pakistan Navy in July 2011 and tasked with Maritime Interdiction Operation. The timing coincided with the crash of an Uqab-II Navy UAV near an oil refinery. Developed from Eagle Eye system. Uqab, Integrated Dynamics; Flight tests completed in March 2008, developed with

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tems, deployed to Afghanistan as part of ST Skyblade IV, ST Aerospace, 54nm range such vehicle are essential to the needs of Singapore’s deployment since 2010. UAV unveiled 2006. Singapore, as it provides the RSAF with an Hermes H-450, Elbit Systems; No. 116 Sqn FanTail 5000, ST Aerospace, VTOL SUAV enhanced situational awareness. Compared operates the UAV with 12 platforms fielded 30 min hover endurance 8km range ground to the Searcher, the Heron UAV gives the since 2007. and naval role. possibility to see things in colour, as com - Heron 1, IAI; delivered in 2012, equipped MAV-1, ST Aerospace; Low-observable pared to the monochrome video system of with IAI/Tamam Multimission Optronic developmental UAV. the previous model. This allows the detec - Stabilized Payload, to replace Searcher 1 RQ-8A Fire Scout, Northrop Grumman; tion of targets that could not have been with 119 Sqn. Company believes it has interest from the revealed using the Searcher. Skyblade III, ST Aerospace; Fielded with military. Army in 2011, equipping units at battalion Skyblade 360, ST Aerospace's, SUAV in SRI LANKA and brigade level developed by Singapore development 9kg 3 hour endurance with 6 Fielded Armed Forces (SAF), the DSO National hours with fuel cell, range 15km altitude Searcher, IAI; Mks II and III variants equip Laboratories, ST Aerospace and the Defence 900m first flown May 2011. No 111 Air Surveillance Squadron based at Science and Technology Agency. Anuradhapura with one or two systems in Skyblade II, ST Aerospace; delivered to SAF NOTES: The Republic of Singapore Air service. in mid 2005, 5kg range of 8km. Force (RSAF) integrated its Heron 1 into 199 NOTES: No public plans for new UAVs Skylark, Elbit Systems; Fielded by RSAF Squadron on 23 May 2012. Featuring state- although in 2011 the Sri Lankan military from 2006. of-the-art avionics, communication systems said they were testing an indigenously ScanEagle, Insitu Pacific; Republic of and detection capabilities, the Israel developed UAV. Singapore Navy successfully trialed the Aerospace Industries drone, developed by ScanEagle in March 2009, the trials involv - the Malat division, replaced the Searcher TAIWAN ing the successful operation of the UAV UAV, in service since 1994. Compared to its Fielded from a RSN frigate and LST. Fielded in predecessor, the Heron 1 UAV features an Chung Shyang II, CSIST; Initiated pro - 2012 operated in Exercise in May off RSS endurance of 40 hours and a range of 350 gramme in 2002 unveiled in 2005, entered Valiant corvette. km. The advanced unmanned aircraft is service with 601st and 602nd Airborne equipped with an Automatic Take Off and Brigades in 2011, 32 platforms ordered. Trials and development Landing (ATOL) system, allowing the “Zhongxiang III UAV", CSIST; Prototype Blue Horizon, Singapore Technologies desired flight route to be scheduled prior to crashed and found by fishermen in June Dynamics, MALE ordered in 1998 acquired launch, as well as setting the return to a pre- 2010, reported counter-radar role. in 1999. designated recovery point. The potentials of Trials and development 'MQ-9 Equivalent', CSIST; Concept shown at last Aerospace and Defense technology Exhibition. UCAV, CSIST; Could be deployed in sever - al years similar to X-45/X-47B. AI Rider, Gang Yu Corp; Indigenous six- rotor 1.5Kg design launched at Secutech, in Taipei in April used by Taiwan’s military and academic institutions for surveillance and geographic surveying. Kestrel II, CSIST; Early development non- operational. Cardinal, CSIST; Hand launched Mini- UAV, 1.5 hour endurance military interest reported. Blue Magpie, CSIST; Hand launched Mini- UAV, no military interest reported. AL-4, Aeroland UAV Inc; Hand launched UAV ordered by non-Military customer in Taiwan. ‘Gray-faced Buzzard’, National Cheng Kung University; Fuel-cell/lithium battery

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The small, low-cost, long-endurance Unmanned UAV strategy with plans outlined in 2009 to 450 to its UAV fleet in 2007. The drone, Aerial Vehicle built by Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary, is widely employed by the Australian equip a squadron and calling for a three manufactured by Israel’s Elbit Systems, and armed forces. It provides tactical aerial systems with 15km, 30km and 100km range has an endurance of over 20 hours. reconnaissance support to land forces © aimed at acquiring capability and building RAAF Heron (Commonwealth of Australia) Commonwealth of Australia a domestic research and production base. - IAI Heron MALE UAV, operated by the Australian armed forces is based on lead - VIETNAM ing-edge technology with fully-automatic powered 22kg UAV first flew in 2010. Trials and Development take-off and landing features. It provides Spoonbill, National Cheng Kung R&D UAV/Irkut-200 Variant; Irkut deep-penetration reconnaissance, wide- University; Flew 92km in 52 minutes over Engineering; deal announced in March area and real-time intelligence. water in 2009. 2012. ScanEagle (Commonwealth of Australia) – The small, low-cost, long-endurance THAILAND NOTES: The Vietnam Aerospace Unmanned Aerial Vehicle built by Insitu, a Fielded Association has signed a deal with Irkut Boeing subsidiary, is widely employed by Cyber Eye, Sapura; Three systems acquired Engineering for a 100kg UAV system to the Australian armed forces. It provides tac - from Malaysia in 2009. develop UAV competency and experience tical aerial reconnaissance support to land Aerostar; Aeronautics Defence Systems in the country. This will initially be done for forces. design; One system, ordered in late 2010. civilian purposes, and evolved later for mil - Skylark I LE (Elbit Systems) - The Elbit Raven, AeroVironment; Successive con - itary applications. Skylark I miniature UAV. Launched by tracts with Aeronautics since 2008. hand, it is capable of sending real-time Searcher I&II, IAI; One system comprising ACQUIRING THE DRONE: RQ-4 Block 10 video to a portable ground station. Skylark four UAVs and GCS and RVT, since retired. Global Hawk (Northrop Grumman); - Being is in operation with the Australian armed one of the most reliable and well-known forces. Trials and development UAVs, the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 US Navy’s First Triton Unmanned Aircraft G-STAR, Innocon/G-Force Composites; Global Hawk has roused the interest in (Northrop Grumman) - The Northrop based on MiniFalcon 2, RTAF has bought many Asia-Pacific countries, with some Grumman MQ-4C Triton is being devel - one system for TUAV evaluation. showing a strong interest in developing oped to provide continuous maritime sur - RQ-8A Fire Scout, Northrop Grumman; similar technology. veillance and is expected to enter service Company believes there is interest. around 2015. The Australian government Hermes 450 (Elbit Systems) - The Republic and the Indian Navy have expressed their NOTES: Thai Air Force is leading efforts on of Singapore Air Force added the Hermes interest in acquiring the drone.

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NIGHT VISION THERMAL IMAGERY

SEEING THROUGH THE DARK

With the importance of dismounted soldiers so strongly brought to the fore by the counter-insurgency campaigns of the last decade, the range of products intended to increase their effectiveness in terms of target detection, recognition and identification in all weathers and light conditions has grown dramatically and the technology continues to evolve. by Peter Donaldson

34 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l NIGHT VISION THERMAL IMAGERY

DARPA’s Advanced Wide FoV Architectures tems houses from around the world for Image Reconstruction and Exploitation (AWARE) programme’s purpose is to drive including: BAE Systems, Cassidian technology for new sensors that will enable Optronics, DRS Technologies, Elbit soldiers to see clearly in all weathers and light Systems, FLIR Systems Inc, Indra, ITT conditions © DARPA Exelis, L-3 Warrior Systems, Raytheon, Sagem DS, Selex ES, Thales and Vectronix, time or near it is a major driver behind plus some notable smaller specialists such the development of digital sensors with as OIP Sensor Systems, STS-EO (part of the standard interfaces to link them with tac - US O’Gara Group) and Thermoteknix. tical communication systems such as per - There has also been huge growth in the sonal role radios and fully integrated sol - number of form factors and mounting dier systems. options available with a parallel drive for This important and lucrative market multi-sensor, switchable and even fused naturally attracts big hitters among sys - systems and a premium on modularity. For

he emphasis is on increasing performance while reducing size, weight, cost and power T consumption. While the basic sensor technology still relies on analogue image intensifiers sensitive to the visible spectrum and into the near infrared, and thermal imaging devices that operate in the mid-wave and long-wave portions of the spectrum, key performance parameters such as sensitivity, resolution US soldiers demonstrate and signal-to-noise ratios are all improv - helmet-mounted fused I2 ing in both the smallest uncooled and thermal goggles and microbolometer thermal imagers and their weapon-mounted night vision devices © ITT Exelis higher-performing cooled cousins. The need to share information in real

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BAE Systems’ HAMMER multi-sensor handheld them or use a combination of the two, Mobility Night Vision Goggle (TM NVG). targeting system is designed to generate data depending on light conditions and the tac - Integrating an image intensifier and an accurate enough to guide GPS- and laser- guided weapons in all weathers © BAE Systems tical situation, along with the ability to uncooled thermal imager, i-Aware also inject other information into the display, connects to soldier radios and has been which could be a feed from a rifle-mount - chosen by Selex ES for the Italian Army’s the infantry soldier whose primary weapon ed camera, a map or a compass rose, for Future Soldier programme in a deal is an assault rifle, the current trend is to pro - example. An alternative approach is to announced in April 2013. This follows an vide night vision devices that can be fixed provide ‘clip-on’ thermal capability for exclusive cooperation agreement signed to the rifle, mounted on the head or a hel - image-intensified devices already in between the two companies in October of met or held in one hand to provide an edge inventories around the world. 2012 and close cooperation among them in dismounted close combat. For tactical and the Italian Army throughout the leaders and observers there are monocular, i-Aware, JETS set new targets design phase of the system. bi-ocular and binocular devices that have a Perhaps the best-known fused dual-sen - “For more than 50 years, Exelis has single sensor, either thermal or image sor device is ITT Exelis’ i-Aware Tactical been advancing night vision technology to intensified, if the emphasis is on light support the missions of our domestic weight and compactness, gradually grow - and international customers,” said ing in size and complexity through the Nick Bobay, president of the Exelis addition of more sensors such as laser Night Vision and Tactical rangefinders and pointers, digital magnetic Communications Systems divi - compasses, GPS receivers and even inertial sion. “Our i-Aware TM-NVG sensors and accelerometers as the demands provides the night vision capabil - of the mission for target location accuracy ity our customers have come to grow. The most sophisticated of such expect and new capabilities that systems are those intended for spe - our customers will need for the cialists such as Forward Air future. We are pleased that Selex ES Controllers (FACs), Joint Terminal has awarded Exelis this contract to pro - Attack Controllers (JTACs) and vide the most advanced technology avail - artillery observers. The state of the art among the small - Exelis’ offers the i-Aware Tactical or F6044 Series Tactical Mobility Night Vision Goggle (TM-NVG) est systems now consists of dual-sensor with integrated colour display import and image intensified and thermal sensors camera capture export capabilities © ITT Exelis that enable the soldier to switch between

36 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l NIGHT VISION THERMAL IMAGERY

able to support the Italian Army’s Future Soldier program.” At the other end of the spectrum in terms of multi-sensor sophistication are the systems that the US Army has selected for the three-year Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of its Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS) programme. BAE Systems and DRS Technologies each received contracts worth around $15 million for the Target Location and Designation System (TDLS) Taken from a range of 15 km with a Sensors Unlimited SWIR camera, this image of the Berkeley, element of JETS. California shoreline reveals clear details of buildings hidden from visual spectrum cameras by atmospheric obscurants © Sensors Unlimited BAE Systems is to supply its new Handheld Azimuth Measuring, Marking, Electro-optic imaging and Ranging grow our electronics systems offerings, we already fielded with the US Marine Corps. (HAMMER) precision targeting system: look forward to working with the Army DRS says that it will design and manu- “This lightweight precision targeting sys- on this next-generation product.” facture its prototype systems in its facilities tem allows dismounted combat operators HAMMER builds on the company’s in Dallas, Texas and Melbourne, Florida to locate and mark targets in all weather already fielded Target Reconnaissance and expects to complete the work by March and lighting conditions, with the precision Infrared Geolocating Rangefinder (TRIGR) 2016: “The DRS JETS solution is the result required for GPS-guided and laser-guided system, adding a laser marker and a non- of several years of innovation and develop- munitions,” said Dr. Mark Hutchins, magnetic compass. Team member Elbit ment. We offer an integrated design that director of Targeting Programs at BAE SystemsofAmericaisprovidingthelaser affordably improves soldier precision tar- Systems. “With BAE Systems’ strategy to target marker based on designators geting capability,” said Mike Sarrica, PML7021-4 Rev(13.0)

THETHE TTRIJICONRIJICON BBATTERYATTE ATTTERRYY AACOGCOG ® Manually Adjustable Illuminated Reticle Built-In BDC and Ranging Reticle Powered by a Single AA Battery (12,000 hours+) Waterproof to 100 Meters Designed to MIL-SPEC Standards *Picture shown with optional Trijicon RMR® reﬂex sight.

President of DRS Network and Imaging camera whose detector elements are only them smaller could also make them Systems. “This award is a testament to the five microns across, DARPA announced in cheaper. DARPA explains that because hard work and dedication of DRS team mid-April. This, says the agency, means that the arrays are created on wafers of a given members to understanding our customer’s the pixels are about half the size of the pho - size and cost, the smaller they are, the requirements and developing, qualifying, tons they detect, around one twelfth the more each wafer can yield and the lower testing and producing a superior product.” diameter of a human hair or one sixth of the the unit cost of each array. This technolo - area of current state-of-the-art detector ele - gy could be a game changer as current AWARE pushes ments. The detector chip is configured as a high-resolution LWIR cameras are too big sensor performance 1,280 x 720 focal plane array. for a soldier to carry into battle and too While sensor fusion and systems integra - As with the visual cameras in the latest expensive for individual deployment. tion, aided by Size, Weight and Power smartphones, smaller pixels allow the The AWARE programme under which (SWaP) improvements are paying divi - optical elements and packaging to be the five-micron LWIR imager has been dends and taking much of the limelight, made much smaller without sacrificing demonstrated has been created to address there is still much to come from basic sensor sensitivity, resolution or field of view, what DARPA describes as the immense performance. For example, thermal infrared DARPA points out. A higher density of need to increase field of view, resolution cameras continue to advance in directions pixels over a given area makes it easier to and day/night capability at reduced that will benefit the dismounted warfighter. capture the photons from, and thus SWaP and cost. The main driver, says the DRS Technologies' engineers working image, a target. The cumulative result is a organisation, is to provide dismounted under the auspices of DARPA’s Advanced smaller, lighter and more portable LWIR soldiers, ground troops and near-ground Wide-field-of-view Architectures for image camera, the organisation elaborates. support platforms with the best available Reconstruction and Exploitation (AWARE) Because the cost of focal plane arrays is imaging tools to improve their combat programme have demonstrated an LWIR proportional to the chip area, making effectiveness. The AWARE programme’s purpose is to push the envelope of imager Night vision devices are critical for performance though new detector and dismounted troops and the trend camera designs and ground support sys - towards multi-purpose, multi-spectral tems that use advanced distributed aper - systems promises more capability and ture sensors. reduced physical burden © ITT Exelis AWARE is also advancing sensors in other parts of the infrared spectrum. The High Operating Temperature MWIR (HOT MWIR) effort, for example, seeks to fill the performance, SWaP and cost gap between uncooled and cooled sensors for soldiers through the use of an MWIR detector that, although cooled, operates at a significantly higher temperature than the 80°K typical today. Made from Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe), it features micro-miniature pixels and a small, bat - tery-powered cooler, a combination that allows for a large format sensor in a small, low power package. The detector materi - al’s sensitivity across the IR spectrum is enabled, says DARPA, by new optics developed to combine MWIR and SWIR capabilities into a single platform. The first application is a long-range handheld sight with laser detecting capability. “Never before has a MCT MWIR with “see spot” capability been developed into such small handheld sights and potentially unequalled performance in future sniper scopes,” explained Nibir Dhar, AWARE programme manager. “The HOT-MWIR

38 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l NIGHT VISION THERMAL IMAGERY

Basic image intensified pocket scopes like this Envis M703E can provide any warfighter with an that they cannot. edge in challenging situations, such as survival, evasion, resistance and escape training © USAF A little over a year ago, Sensors Unlimited (then part of Goodrich ISR scope’s range is significantly farther than and moonlight are, rather than being emit - Systems) launched a ‘cubic inch’ SWIR the current thermal weapon sights. Such a ted by objects and their surroundings the camera described as smaller, lighter and capability should lead to increased stand - way that MWIR and LWIR light is. more power efficient than any other on off distance for snipers and provide a sig - Because SWIR radiation is present by the market. With a volume of less than nificant advantage over adversaries.” day and night, cameras that can exploit it one cubic inch, weighing 26 g without its could potentially be used instead of sepa - lens and consuming just 1.5W, the Short wave of the future? rate day and night sights and could also GA640C-15A is aimed squarely at appli - Sensors entirely new to the battlefield replace both image intensifiers and ther - cations in handheld, helmet or weapon- could also have a major impact in the near mal imagers in some night sensing appli - mounted devices. future. One that is likely to find its way into cations—particularly where SWaP con - The sensor is a 640x512 element a wide range of military sensing and imag - straints are severe—and complement InGaAs uncooled focal plane array with a ing applications, particularly including them in others. SWIR sensors, however, 15-micron pixel pitch. It comes with the infantry night vision systems, is cameras don’t work in total darkness but can be company’s Camera Link digital output that operate in the Short Wave Infra-Red used with dedicated SWIR illuminators— designed to provide plug-and-play, 12-bit (SWIR) portion of the electromagnetic lasers or LEDs—also invisible to the video imagery at 30 Hz that can be spectrum between 0.9 to 1.7 microns. human eye and other night vision sensors. viewed, digitally processed and/or trans - Invisible to the human eye, image intensi - The on-going transition to eye-safe mitted over communications networks. fiers and thermal imagers, SWIR radiation lasers on the battlefield is also likely to Capable of penetrating smoke, haze and is plentiful both by day and night from a make SWIR sensors more useful because, fog, it needs no temperature stabilisation, phenomenon known as night sky radiance. according to Sensors Unlimited Inc, they using Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC) This emits between five and seven times as can see all of the most common wave - instead, and also provides automatic gain much illumination as starlight and almost lengths from the 850 and 1,060 microns control. The GA640C-15A’s standard all of it is in the SWIR wavelengths, accord - lasers that image intensified night vision spectral range is 0.9 to 1.7 microns, but it ing to Sensors Unlimited Inc, now a divi - devices can also see to the eye safe sys - can be extended into the Near Infrared sion of UTC Aerospace Systems, which is tems operating at around 1,500 microns (NIR) band with an optional 0.7 to 1.7 pioneering the uncooled indium gallium micron sensor, which is what enables it to arsenide (InGaAs) detector technology and see the shorter laser wavelengths. In April promoting it for a wide range of applica - Sensors entirely of this year, the company launched a tions in the military and beyond. new to the battlefield slightly larger camera, the SU640C SX, A further benefit of SWIR imagery is its could also have a which the company claims is the highest natural appearance brought about by the resolution VGA SWIR camera on the mar - fact that the light is reflected off the scene in major impact in the ket, thanks to its 640 x 512 element sensor much the same way that daylight, starlight near future with a pitch of just 12.5 microns.

39 l JUNE/JULY 2013 l C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

t was during this conflict that com - UP CLOSE AND manders realized the utility of using aircraft to attack targets close to the I Forward Edge of the Battle Area, but PERSONAL it was arguably during the Second World War that several of the CAS tech - niques still used today were developed. Close Air Support (CAS), the art of achieving a However, the application of aircraft to this direct hit on enemy troops or materiel which task was no easy matter almost seventy maybe just metres away from friendly forces on years ago. The author Derek Robinson a fast-moving battlefield has been an increasingly depicts how much of a challenging and dif - precise exercise since it came to prominence ficult mission CAS was in his novel A during the First World War. Good Clean Fight, set in the Western Desert during the battles of 1942. by Thomas Withington The novel depicts the difficulties experi -

40 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

The Boeing GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack munition sion motors to improve accuracy and to adds a precision guidance tail kit to dumb bombs. In its vanilla guise it uses satellite guidance to afford the delivering aircraft a degree of reach its target. Later upgrades have added a stand-off range to place them beyond the laser seeker in the form of the GBU-54 © US DoD reach of hostile AAA. Guidance is usually provided via Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite and laser guidance. These enced by a Royal Air Force pilot using a help to keep the munition on target as it Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft to travels towards its quarry. perform CAS: “He resisted the roll, never Although they first began to enter took his eyes off the target and bombed widespread usage by the United States from what he guessed was five hundred Air Force (USAF), US Navy and Marine feet.” Seventy years ago, a pilot had to rely Corps vis-à-vis CAS towards the end of on their own flying acumen, the design of the Vietnam War, PGMs are now a stan - their aircraft and the sharpness of their dard element of contemporary air opera - eyesight to get a bomb on to its target. This tions. As this article will show, several was further complicated by Anti-Aircraft systems are on the market which can Artillery (AAA) that was invariably rush - equip a range of aircraft. They include ing up to hit the diving plane, smoke Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition which may partially obscure the target (JDAM) family, Rafael Advanced Defense during the attack and hostile fighters deter - Systems’ Spice product, Raytheon’s mined to knock the aircraft out of the sky. Paveway series and Sagem’s Armement During the intervening years which fol - Air-Sol Modulaire (Modular Air-to- lowed the end of the Second World War a Ground Armament or ‘AASM’). revolution has occurred in the world of CAS. Today this mission can be executed JDAM using Precision-Guided Munitions (PGMs) Much like Raytheon (see below), Boeing which can outfit existing dumb bombs with was recently awarded a contract to pro - guidance kits and, in some cases, propul - duce Joint Direct Attack Munition guid -

One of the latest incarnations of Boeing’s successful Joint Direct Attack Munition family is the GBU-54 LJDAM. This adds a laser seeker to the weapon’s Global Positioning System satellite guidance © US DoD C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

ance kits and spare parts, and to provide repair and sustainment services as part of a $99.9 million contract awarded by the United States Department of Defense on 15th March. The contract will run until January 2016, and includes the supply of JDAM kits for a foreign customer, although the identity of this buyer is not being revealed. The JDAM architecture is built around a GPS kit and the weapon can achieve a stand-off range of circa 28 kilometres (15 nautical miles). The rationale behind the development of JDAM was to provide a precision weapon which would not be adversely affected by battlefield obscu - rants such as smoke and moisture in the air unlike laser-guided bombs. One of the key attractions of JDAM has been its cost with the price tag for guidance kits being around $27,000 per unit. This compares very favorably to other precision strike systems on the market such as the Raytheon BGM-109C/D Tomahawk Land Attack Missile. Throughout its service life, the JDAM family has been progressively upgraded. This has included the addition of a laser seeker to provide a choice of guidance options realized via the Precision Laser Guidance Set (PLGS) initiative developed by Boeing in partnership with Israel’s Elbit Systems. Contracts followed for this weapon in 2007 with Boeing delivering 400 laser seekers to the United States Air Force and 200 to the Navy. The laser-guid - ed variant of the JDAM is known as the that Boeing was developing the extended ing area. This is particularly relevant GBU-54 LJDAM (Laser JDAM). It made its range JDAM-ER. This will have a reach of when CAS is being performed in a built- first appearance in combat in August 80km (43nm) albeit with no degradation up environment. 2008, successfully destroying a moving in accuracy. Moreover, the price of this Designated as the GBU-53B Small vehicle. Full rate production of the GBU- weapon is expected to be lower at circa Diameter Bomb-II (SDB-II) and produced 54 LJDAM commenced in September $10,000 per unit. Production of the JDAM- by Raytheon, the 114kg (250lb) weapon 2012, with Boeing currently building 2,300 ER is expected to commence in 2015. reaches its target using GPS, laser, bomb guidance kits. Export sales Millimeter Wave (MMW) radar and Infra- occurred, notably to Germany, which has Small Diameter Bomb Red (IR) guidance. When the weapon is become the first customer for the weapon One perennial concern with any PGM is released small wings pop out of its body signing a contract with Boeing for its sup - the size of the bomb’s warhead. Although giving it a standoff range of 22km (40nm), ply in July 2008. Alongside its fulfillment accuracy has steadily improved over the although as the weapon is un-powered, of this contract, Boeing has been involved years, concerns regarding collateral dam - this will vary according to launching alti - in the provision of anti-jamming kits to age have resulted in design engineers tude. The four distinct guidance modes are augment the weapon. evolving weapons with comparatively intended to provide the user with a large In addition to the GBU-54 LJDAM, small explosive loads. This allows the number of targeting options. The semi- other variants of this weapon are under bomb to detonate destroying the target active laser ensures pin-point accuracy, development. In 2009, it was announced while reducing damage to the surround - while the MMW radar allows the detec -

42 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

The GBU-12 Paveway-II precision- craft, although other platforms may be guided munition provides accurate guidance for the Mk.82 general added in the future. Low rate initial pro - purpose bomb. The weapon uses a duction is expected to commence by the nose-mounted laser and small fins end of 2013. In fact, in January this year, for guidance © US DoD Raytheon announced that it had per - formed a successful fit check of the GBU- 53B in the weapons bay of the F-35A, with four weapons equipping the space along - side a single air-to-air missile. SPICE While Elbit Systems of Israel has been involved in the design and production of Boeing’s JDAM family (see above) their fellow Israeli defence specialists Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has devel - oped the SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective) guidance kit to aug - ment dumb bombs. Rafael has produced the SPICE family in three distinct ver - sions: The SPICE-1000 equips 1,000lb (454kg) weapons such as the BLU-110, RAP-1000 and Mk.83 munitions. The SPICE-2000 similarly equips warheads in the 2,000lb (909kg) class such as the BLU- 109, RAP-2000 and Mk.84. Finally, the SPICE-2000 uses the SPICE-1000 body but adds deployable wings to provide the weapon with a stand-off distance in the region of 60km (32nm). The company says that SPICE boasts a circular error probable in the region of three metres (ten feet). One of the features of the weapon is that it can compare imagery gathered from its optronic seeker with an integral database of images to ensure that the bomb hits its tion of moving targets and can be used in 12,000 of which will be for the United intended target. Moreover, it is possible to all weathers, unlike the laser seeker. The States Air Force and 5,000 for the US designate SPICE to hit its target using a IR guidance system, meanwhile, allows Navy. The weapon will be deployed specific attack profile so as to ensure the the detection of targets with a heat signa - onboard the Lockheed Martin F-35B/C maximum destructive effect against the ture such as vehicles with their engines Lightning-II Joint Strike Fighter and target. The Israeli Air Force is known to running and concentrations of troops. As Boeing F/A-18E/F Hornet combat air - use the SPICE family of PGMs. the IR seeker is uncooled, this can be done rapidly, as the weapon does not require Paveway any time for the sensor to chill before it can The JDAM family has been Raytheon’s highly successful Paveway be used. While the bomb itself contains progressively upgraded. PGM family has been around since the several sensor types, the same is the case This has included the mid-1960s with the weapons originally for the warhead which comprises both a being developed by Texas Instruments. shaped charge, and a combined blast and addition of a laser seeker Since then, Paveway has been progressive - fragmentation warhead to provide a max - to provide a choice of ly modernized through several build stan - imum destructive effect against personnel guidance options realized dards which have brought steadily increas - as well as buildings and vehicles. via the Precision Laser ing capabilities to the design. Most recent - To date, the SDB-II programme covers ly, on 30th March this year, Raytheon was the manufacture of up to 17,000 weapons; Guidance Set awarded a contract by the United States

l JUNE/JULY 2013 l 43 C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

Department of Defense worth $31.4 mil - United States Air Force, Marine Corps and lion for the supply of 396 GBU-49 and 96 Navy. Like the GBU-49, the GBU-50 has GBU-50 PGMs, plus GBU-49 and GBU-50 conflicting designations. For example, it is inert training rounds. All of these items are also known as the GBU-10. Like its GBU-49 expected to be delivered by the end of sibling, the weapon is available with a 2018. The GBU-49 which, confusingly, is dual-mode guidance kit which adds a GPS also designated as the EGBU-12 package; this PGM being designated as the (Enhanced GBU-12) adds a laser guidance GBU-50/B or EGBU-10. Both of these package to a Mk.82 500-lb (250kg) dumb weapons are produced by Lockheed bomb. The size of the weapon makes it Martin and Raytheon. The former compa - ideally suited to attacking targets such as ny has supplied them to the US Navy, with Main Battle Tanks and relatively small the latter achieving export sales to the RAF. protected structures. As well as retaining a Away from the theatres of Afghanistan laser guidance system, these bombs have a and Iraq, Paveway bombs have recently GPS fitted. This latter capability is impor - been employed by the Royal Malaysian Air tant as obscurants in the atmosphere such Force during Kuala Lumpur’s combat as smoke particles, fog or other weather operations in Sabah, Eastern Malaysia. phenomena can degrade the performance of the laser seeker, causing the weapon to AASM lose its target lock. The EGBU-12 was Since its combat debut in Afghanistan introduced in 2001 and has been used during 2008, Sagem’s AASM weapon has extensively during combat operations in been used in this conflict and during Afghanistan and Iraq. Users of the weapon NATO operations over Libya in 2011. The include the United States, United AASM architecture includes a guidance Kingdom, Denmark and Spain. kit and propulsion system to equip a 250lb Raytheon’s GBU-50 Paveway-II weapon bomb. The basic guidance kit includes a equips a Mk.84 bomb with a laser seeker GPS and Inertial Navigation System (2,200lb) bombs. The AASM, which is also and wing guidance kit. Entering service in (INS), although other versions are in the known as the ‘Hammer’, is available in the mid-1970s, this PGM has been used pipeline adding laser guidance and three distinct versions: The SBU-38 is operationally by several NATO air forces, infrared optronics, along with guidance equipped with a GPS/INS, the SBU-54 the Royal Australian Air Force, plus the kits to equip 125kg (280lb) and 1,000kg includes a laser guidance system, plus the GPS/INS with the SBU-64 including an IR The original version of the Small Diameter Bomb was Boeing’s GBU-39. The attraction of this weapon is that several PGMs can be accommodated on a single airframe which may, in the past, seeker along with the GPS/INS. With a have had only sufficient room for one or two larger munitions © US DoD range in the region of 50km (27nm), the AASM guidance kits can outfit Mk.81,

44 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l C L O S E AIR SUPPORT

Sagem’s AASM modular air-to-ground weapon has been used extensively in several recent campaigns, including combat operations in Afghanistan and Libya, and most recently, in Mali © Thomas Withington

Mk.82 and Mk.83 dumb bombs and, along with France, export sales have been concluded with Morocco. Saudi Arabia is also strongly expected to receive the weapon in the near future. Current design trends point to the path that PGM evolution may take in the future. As Raytheon has demonstrated with the GBU-53B, precision-guided munitions are getting smaller enabling individual aircraft to carry a larger bomb load to hit even more aim points. In addition, several of the weapons surveyed in this article, such as the JDAM, Paveway and AASM series feature a number of guidance systems to make them as accurate as possible. The latter point is especially relevant, as for CAS the scalpel of precision airpower can never be sharp enough. M I L I T A R Y TRAINING & SIMULATION

his article will discuss some of WAR GAMES the simulation products for land, sea and air operations T training available from a num - The training potential offered by simulation ber of companies around the technology is a constantly evolving field. world. Firms involved in the provision of Advances in computing and video graphics land warfare simulators include Roke provide an ever-deepening level of detail to Manor and Rheinmetall. In the naval the instructor and student alike across domain, similar training aids are provid - the land, sea and air domains. ed by firms such as DCNS, Transas, Kongsberg and VStep; while several air by Thomas Withington operations simulation products are avail - able from L3 Link, CAE and e.Sigma. Roke Manor The United Kingdom’s Roke Manor has enjoyed the benefit of working closely with the British Army in the development of its Dismounted Close Combat Simulator (DCCS). One of the key benefits of DCCS is that it can be used to replicate future weapons systems in accurate com - bat scenarios that are derived from real- world experience before these weapons systems grace the battlefield. The DCCS is just one of several simulation technologies offered by the company which also includes the creation of synthetic environ - ments within which a customer can devel - op their requirements for a new weapons system or capability. Such techniques can be very helpful for the rapid prototyping of new product designs. Rheinmetall Germany’s Rheinmetall offers a full suite of computer-based training aids. These include systems able to monitor live train - ing exercises which may be several days in duration, and combat simulators capable of replicating specific weapons systems. The company’s Combined Arms Tactical Trainer can be utilized for the rehearsal and training of combat scenarios including formations of up to brigade size. TacSI is Rheinmetall’s flagship product in this regard, with the product being scalable from running on a single laptop up to large As well as being a leading provider of warships and submarines, DCNS produces a range of simulators. These include systems designed for the Royal Malaysian Navy which is purchasing the company’s ‘Scorpéne’ class of conventional submarine © DCNS

46 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l M I L I T A R Y TRAINING & SIMULATION

This picture gives a clue as to the dramatic performance of DCNS’s Dive Training Simulator. Such unsurprising that French shipbuilder DCNS capabilities are important in providing submariners with as realistic an impression of the subsea environment as possible © DCNS also provides naval simulation solutions. To this end, the firm has developed a compre - hensive training system for its ‘Scorpéne’ networks of users. TacSI is in use with the helicopter simulator alongside Thales class of conventional hunter-killer subma - German and Swiss armed forces. Training and Simulation Limited. The rine which it is providing to Malaysia. The Meanwhile a variety of land vehicles can importance of simulators in aircrew train - facilities which the company has established be reproduced with the company’s driving ing is underlined when one realizes that at the Royal Malaysian Navy base in Kota simulators. To this end, Rheinmetall has flight crew will spend up to 70 percent of Kinabalu in eastern Malaysia represent the provided such systems to train crews oper - their time in the simulator during training. first training centre established for Scorpéne ating the Leopard-1A5 Main Battle Tank Beyond these airframes, Rheinmetall is submarine instruction. and CV-9030N Infantry Fighting Vehicles. involved in the development of the NH Supplementing the ship and submarine In particular, such driving simulators are Industries NH-90TTH/NFH medium-lift trainers DCNS provides to customers, the extremely useful for mimicking dangerous tactical transport and naval support heli - company offers instructor training schemes ice and snow conditions. copter, and has provided technologies for to allow nations to train their own person - Along with its work in providing simu - the MiG-29K and Panavia Tornado nel who can then tutor their colleagues in- lators for land warfare, Rheinmetall is ECR/IDS combat aircraft simulators. country on new ships and submarines. In involved in the manufacture of aircraft Finally, for the naval environment, addition, as part of the assistance which simulators. In particular, the company Rheinmetall produces several distinct DCNS is offering to the Brazilian Navy, the assists the development of the Eurofighter products which include its Team Trainer firm is providing training for their Latin Typhoon via its involvement in the for submarine command team training, American counterparts in submarine Eurofighter Simulation Systems GmbH Combat Information Centre Team Trainer; design, operations and maintenance. joint venture which is developing full mis - its Anti-Submarine Warfare and Mine sion simulators to replicate the aircraft. Hunting simulators; and its Naval Light Kongsberg These will allow aircrew to train with sim - Gun Sensor and Weapons Systems Trainer. Joining DCNS as a maritime simulator ulated ground-to-air missile threats, and to provider is Norway’s Kongsberg. The firm practise electronic warfare techniques. DCNS provides the Proteus Action Speed Similarly, Rheinmetall is engaged in devel - Given their expertise in designing and pro - Tactical Trainer (Proteus-ASTT) for naval oping the Eurocopter EC-665 Tigre attack ducing warships and submarines, it is instruction. Proteus-ASTT can be used to

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Other products in VStep’s Nautis stable include train a complete crew, and several simula - A complementary product to the Nautis its premium trainer. This is a comparatively tors can be networked together simultane - Naval Task Force Trainee Station is the larger system than the portable simulator and can be permanently based at a fixed site © VStep ously for manoeuvre training. company’s Naval Task Force Instructor Station Suite. Features such as the Ocean VStep Editor allow the instructor to change the train a warship’s crew and, as well as hav - Much as Kongsberg’s products can run on behaviour of the sea during the exercise ing an instructor station, it can replicate either a desktop PC or laptop, VStep’s while the ChartData Editor enables them to many aspects of a warships’ specification Nautis’ Naval Task Force Trainee Station modify the positions of buoys on a map. including its combat management system. can be used with any Windows operating The weather can be changed during an Additionally helicopter, submarine and system onboard a standard desktop PC. exercise while aircraft can be added to the aircraft operations can be mimicked, along Designed for seamanship and navigation scenario along with specific situations such with a vessel’s weapons systems. The com - training the Naval Task Force Trainee as a ship in distress. According to Pjotr van pany’s official literature notes that Station can be employed for navigation, Schothorst of VStep, the Nautis Naval Task Proteus-ASTT is highly scalable and can ship-handling and communications train - Force simulator was “launched in 2010, equip a laptop, or furnish dedicated work - ing. Furthermore, it is possible to train and has been bought by various navies stations which can be networked together crew members in specific operations such such as the Royal Australian Army and to perform a range of missions including as replenishment-at-sea, amphibious most recently the Indonesian Navy.” The anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare, landings and helicopter operations using two bridge simulators delivered to air defence, electronic warfare and mine the system. Editing tools allow the Indonesia replicate the bridges of the coun - countermeasures missions. instructor to carefully plan the scenario try’s ‘Sigma’ class corvette. It is worth noting that while Kongsberg which they wish to employ. According to Mr. van Schothorst, one of provide the Proteus-ASTT for naval train - the discriminating factors of the Nautis ing, the firm builds several other training product line is its easy-to-use software aids including the Battlefield Synthetic Kongsberg’s Proteus which “makes it possible to create and run Environment (BaSE) and Protector Action Speed Tactical exercises in a matter of minutes, thereby Combat Vehicle Simulator. BaSE can be enabling a client to get much more value used for air, land and maritime scenario Trainer (Proteus-ASTT) out of his investment.” In addition, training, providing high fidelity terrain can be used to train a “Nautis uses similar computer graphics and models plus realistic battlefield warship’s crew, technology in modern computer games. obscurants such as smoke and explosive replicating many This high graphics quality leads to a high effects. BaSE can run on either a desktop level of realism and training value.” The PC or a laptop. Meanwhile, Kongsberg’s aspects of a warships’ hardware footprint required to run Nautis Protector Combat Vehicle Simulator can operations is small, with Mr. van Schothorst noting

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M I L I T A R Y TRAINING & SIMULATION

VStep provide a range of maritime and naval simulator systems; these include the company’s CAE Nautis product line. Nautis provides a range of systems which can be tailored to the needs of the user, with portable systems such as this available © VStep CAE joins L3 as a provider of aircraft sim - ulation solutions. According to Gene Colabatistto, the firm’s Military Group that a full bridge simulator can be run with observation centre, four instructor/opera - President “the company has a well- just two PCs, with a six-screen desktop tor stations and two brief/debrief sys - earned reputation in flight simulation trainer needing a single PC. tems. The secret to the high fidelity of L-3 and training.” In recent years, the firm One of the newest products to enter the Link’s aircraft simulator products lies in has won contracts to develop simulators VStep portfolio is the Trainee Assessment its use of high definition display technolo - for Kuwait’s Lockheed Martin KC-130J and Analysis Module. This enables gy, databases and image and physics pro - turboprop tanker/transport aircraft and instructors to “define certain observation cessing to create a highly realistic envi - Oman’s Airbus Military C-295 tactical and assessment parameters upfront, like ronment for the crews. freighters. Moreover, the firm is develop - maximum sailing speed in a certain area, Significantly, in 2012, the company pur - ing simulators for the Airbus Military minimum distance that should be kept to chased Thales Training and Simulation A330-Multi Role Tanker Transport plat - other vessels and the correct communica - Limited’s civil aircraft simulation and forms acquired by the United Arab tion channel to be used,” says Mr. van training business which, according to Sean Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Beyond Schothorst. “When the trainee runs the Clark, director of international business the tanker and transport domains, the exercise, the instructor can see where the development at the company “has already firm has developed simulators for trainee offends these criteria, and after the opened up new markets and allowed us to the Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk, exercise is finished, he can effectively run develop new products for new customers.” AgustaWestland AW-139, NH Industries through all these mistakes and print out The company is also a world leader in pro - NH-90 and Boeing CH-47 Chinook heli - an assessment report with a score which is viding networking for simulators, copters, along with the Alenia Aermacchi based on the upfront defined criteria.” enabling several machines in disparate M346 and BAE Systems Hawk lead-in locations to work together in a synthetic trainers; plus the Boeing P-8A Poseidon L3 Link environment: “Today, devices can be maritime patrol aircraft. Away from the oceans, L3 Link is one of located in different parts of one country, or the major names in aircraft simulation. On in different parts of the globe. We are net - e.Sigma 4th February this year, the company working these devices across multiple Air defence training is a speciality of announced that it had been selected to time zones and multiple countries.” L3 e.Sigma of Germany which provides the build a Mission Training Centre (MTC) Link is keeping a sharp eye on future tech - ALVE trainer to train Control and for United States Air Force Lockheed nological trends, especially regarding the Reporting Centre (CRC) personnel. A Martin F-16 aircrew at Spangdahlem Air commercial computer industry and range of tasks used by such individuals Base, Germany. This is the seventh such advances in projection technology. “We can be practiced using the ALVE such as system which has been purchased from are always driven by technology,” says fighter controller procedures, the han - the company. The MTC includes four Mr. Clark, “as the technology gets better, dling of radar surveillance data and the high-definition simulators; a mission we can bring this into the simulator.” rehearsal of air operations in busy envi -

50 l ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW l ronments. Of note is the trainer’s ability to simulate the diverse number of weapons and sensor systems which air defence per - sonnel may encounter during their work, along with air operations mounted at the NATO or multinational level. Open archi - tecture allows ALVE to be upgraded with ease to take into account new weapons systems as and when they appear, and to allow a wide variety of missions and exer - cises to be simulated. Defence budgets in Europe and North America are decreasing. This could offer opportunities to computer simulation providers as budgets may impact on the There is a steadily increasing demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle simulators, to prepare aircrews frequency and size of training exercises for their mission and for commanding such aircraft. L3 Link provide products to this end which can in the coming years. Simulation technol - mimic a UAV’s ground control station © L3

ogy could offer one means by which some training efforts could be supple - mented or replaced at lower cost. According to CAE’s Gene Colabatistto; “Simulation offers a number of benefits, notably cost advantages, which simply cannot be ignored in today’s constrained budget environment. The increased cost of fuel, environmental impacts, and sig - nificant wear and tear on weapon sys - tems all point to the greater use of simu - lation.” This is echoed by Pjotr van Schothorst of VStep who argues that in the naval domain “training on real ves - sels is extremely expensive: one corvette can easily use $100,000 in fuel per day. So a full mission vessel simulator or classroom of desktop trainers can pay itself back in just a few days time.” Nevertheless, Mr. Colabatistto emphasis - es that this is “not to say, however, that we are advocating for no live training— that is unrealistic and would be counter- productive to preparing defence and security forces for mission success. We do believe, though, that the balance of live and virtual training needs to shift more toward virtual and there needs to be more integration between the live, vir - tual and constructive domains.” L3 Link is one of the world’s leading companies regarding the provision of flight training simulators. The company recently won a significant order to equip the United States Air Force with its Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper Mission Training Centre © L3

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weapon, with a powerful (454 kilogramme) ANTI-SURFACE warhead while its corrosive fuel system requires careful maintenance. The ‘Styx’ family are essentially ship- WARFARE: FROM launched weapons, in major surface com - batants such as destroyers and frigates as well as smaller ones such as corvettes and GUN TO MISSILE fast attack craft, but the second-generation of weapons are more versatile and can be used from ships, aircraft and even sub - Warships target other warships with marines. The most famous are Harpoon, merchantmen as the secondary target, and the used by eight Asian navies, and Exocet weapon options for what is now called Anti- used by six Asian navies, but they have Surface Warfare (ASuW) are surprisingly broad. similar sub-sonic speeds and are more by Ted Hooten sophisticated. Guidance is based upon inertial naviga - ince the 1960s the prime In its original version ‘Styx’ continues to tion systems which receive inputs of weapon for ASuW has been be used by India, North Korea and Vietnam launch platform co-ordinates and approx - the missile both in the air-to- while China has produced an improved imate target co-ordinates and then use S surface version, first used version HY-2 (CSS-N-3 ‘Seersucker’). All accelerometer motion sensors and gyro - with spectacular success to are characterised by a large launch weight scopic rotation sensors to provide data to a sink the battleship Roma in 1943, and the (2.5 tonne) with simple autopilot guidance computer which continuously calculates surface-to-surface version whose value augmented by active radar (HY-2 can use the location, direction and velocity of the was demonstrated by the Egyptian an infra-red seeker) powered by a rocket missile and compares own location with Navy’s stand-off sinking of the Israeli motor fuelled by kerosene and nitric acid that of the target. Within proximity to the destroyer Eilat in 1967. The latter was with a sub-sonic speed (Mach 0.9). They target the missile activates its own radar to achieved with a first generation weapon have a maximum range of some 21.5-43 detect it and to control the terminal phase, still much used in Asia, the Russian P-15 nautical miles (40-80 kilometres), although this sensor having the ability to guide the Termit, better known by the NATO desig - HY-2 can reach 51 nautical miles (95 kilo - weapon into either the horizontal or the nation SS-N-2 ‘Styx’. metres), but it is a crude, relatively dumb vertical centre of the radar image.

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One of the most popular long range gun systems tion times; indeed they can halve the is Oto Melara's 127mm (5 inch) mounting. Oto Melara are developing a range of extended effective range of close-in weapon sys - range ammunition, Vulcano, for this mounting tems. But their very velocity is the prob - © Oto Melara lem, and the reason they are not more widely used for they have less time for their radar processors to evaluate infor - Similar weapons are MBDA’s Otomat Mk 2 mation from the sensor and allow the used by Bangladesh and Malaysia, the guidance system to react. Indeed it has Russian 3M24 Uran (Uranium) selected by been suggested they may be more vulner - India and Vietnam and China’s YJ-83 or able to electronic counter-measures than CSS-N-6 ‘Saccade’ whose export version is sub-sonic weapons which have sufficient designated C-802 with version used by fuel to re-acquire lost targets. Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, India uses both the Russian Pakistan and Thailand. Asian-produced 3M80/3M82 Moskit (Mosquito) or SS-N-22 weapons are Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy ‘Sunburn’ and the PJ-10 Brahmos, jointly Industries Type 90 (SSM-1B) and South developed with the Russians, while China Korea’s LIG Nex1 Haeseong (Sea Star) or also uses ‘Sunburn’ but only in Russian- SSM-700K as well as Taiwan’s Hsiung Feng built Sovremenny class destroyers. II (Brave Wind II). ‘Sunburn’ is capable of Mach 3, has a range There is a growing Asian interest in of 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) and supersonic anti-ship missiles which have carries a 320 kilogramme warhead while the advantage of reducing a target’s reac - Brahmos is a Mach 2.8 ramjet-powered

These missiles also have a degree of intelligence approaching their target indi - rectly, turning at a predetermined way point or even way points, and at varying heights depending upon whether or not the mission requirement is for fuel effi - ciency, to achieve greater range or a covert approach, flying just above the waves to make them more difficult for the target’s radars to detect. Alternatively, the missiles can be pre-set to dive upon the target at a steep angle for greater lethality. Because they are designed to strike the most vulnerable part of a ship both Harpoon and Exocet have smaller war - heads than ‘Styx’; 221 and 165 kilogrammes respectively. The turbo-jet powered Harpoon had the longer range, up to 130 nautical miles (240 kilometres) compared with 38 nautical miles (70 kilometres) in the rocket-powered Exocet MM40 but Exocet Block 3 has a turbo-jet engine giving a range of 97 nautical miles (180 kilometres) with greater accuracy thanks to the incor - poration of a Global Positions System (GPS) unit using satellite navigation inputs.

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The latest version of Exocet is the MM 40 Block 3 which replaces the rocket motor with a jet to extend range. This is now being actively marketed in the region © MBDA

this threat scenario producing Hsiung Feng I as a development of the Israeli Gavriel (Gabrial) II, a rocket propelled weapon also acquired by Sri Lanka. This has semi-active radar and manual guidance, a 225 kilo - gramme warhead and a range of 20 nautical miles (36 kilometres). Indonesia announced last year it plans to acquire a class of 24 fast attack craft from PT Palindo Marine which will receive Chinese designed C-705 with turbo-jet propulsion. Indonesia is the launch customer for these weapons which have a 110 kilogramme warhead. It is worth noting that helicopters embarked on surface combatants such as frigates are sometimes equipped with short-range anti-ship missiles, such as the MBDA Sea Skua used by the Republic of Korea Navy, and these are primarily for small, high-value, targets.

Light anti-ship missiles, such as the Compared with the missile the gun may MBDA Sea Skua, are an increasing seem an anachronism in ASuW yet it feature of ASuW operations. Usually remains a useful tool, especially against launched by helicopter they are now smaller targets and merchantmen. Indeed being sought for small fast attack large calibre weapons have been used to craft © MBDA disperse and drive back formations of Fast Inshore Attack Craft in the Gulf. The weapon with a range of 160 nautical miles (290 kilometres). Air and submarine- launched versions are under development and recent tests indicate the weapon now has a manoeuvring approach capability while Russia and India have recently agreed to develop hypersonic BrahMos 2 missile capable of flying at speeds of Mach 5-Mach 7. Taiwan has developed a super - sonic weapon, Hsiung Feng III for the Cheng Kung (Oliver Hazard Perry) class frigates. It is reported to have a range of 110 nautical miles (200 kilometres) a speed of Mach 2 and a 190 kilogramme warhead. Shorter range weapons are a major requirement for navies which operate in archipelagos and use fast attack craft both for patrol purposes to restrict similar, hos - tile, craft and also to combat amphibious BAE Systems' 5 inch (127mm) Mark 45 gun is used by Japan and South Korea and has been warfare threats. Taiwan was the first Asian selected for Australia's Hobart class destroyers © BAE Systems country to develop weapons to operate in

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advantages of the gun are faster reaction With ranges of 8.5 nautical miles (16 kilo- weapon mountings tend to be unmanned times than any missile and greater versatil- metres) for the Oto Melara 76/62 to 15 with below-deck magazine or magazines ity because it can also be used in the Naval nautical miles (38 kilometres) these which feed high explosive, semi armour- Gun Support (NGS) to provide fire support piercing and multi-mode ammunition to for troops ashore and it also has an Anti- The MSI Defence Systems' DS Seahawk DS30M the breech through a remotely controlled Air Warfare role, although this is limited gun system is typical of modern medium to light handling system. However, they are calibre gun mountings. It is stabilised, remotely especially in larger calibre weapons. operated and can take a variety of ordnance relatively short ranged and would not The most common larger calibre © MSI Defence Systems normally be used in engagements with weapons are 76mm (3 inch), 100mm, major surface combatants. They, too, are 127mm (5 inch) and 130mm. The Oto very versatile with an AAW role, and Melara 76mm family is used by a dozen though their range reduces their effective- Asian navies while the Russian single ness they can still protect against barrel AK-176 and the twin bar- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles rel AK-276 by India and (UAV) and in-coming missiles. Vietnam; the Russian 100mm While the 76mm gun is often AK-100 and the Chinese deriva- used in fast attack craft small tive the ENG-2 are used by five surface combatants of this type navies. The largest calibre as well as patrol boats have alter- weapons are 127mm by Oto native gun systems for the ASuW Melara 127/54 (licence- role, as well as for ship self pro- built in South Korea as KD tection especially in harbours or 127) used by two navies restricted waterways against FIAC while the BAE Systems Mk 54 or suicide type threats. The most pop- is used by six. The Chinese ular calibre weapons are 30-40mm Navy uses twin-barrel SM-2 mountings. because they have high sustained firing N A V A L ANTI-SURFACE WARFARE

ny plan to offer packages with electro- The holy grail of modern naval guns is a 155mm mounting. BAE Systems developed optical directors. one based upon the 4.5 inch Mark 8 but the There is a growing tendency towards financial crisis means development was mountings which are compatible with sev - abandoned. This is an artist's impression of eral guns. One is Rafael’s Typhoon which the mounting in service © BAE Systems can carry seven different models, and with on-mount electro-optics is produced by BAE Systems in the United States as the US Navy’s Mk 38 Mod 1 (unmanned) and Mod 2 (unmanned) with 25mm Bushmaster gun. Typhoon is used by six Asian navies. BAE Systems Land and Armaments, which pro - duces the mounting under licence, revealed at Euronaval in October a mock-up of a Mod 3 version with 25mm or 30mm Mark 44 Bushmaster II. The mounting, with onboard electro-optical director as in Mod 2, is being developed in anticipation of a requirement for a 30mm gun to equip the Littoral Combat Ship with a formal require - rates; 650-700 rd/min for Oerlikon 30mm 40 per cent so that it could fit into smaller ment anticipated this year. The elevating and 300 rd/min for Bofors 40mmL/70, as vessels to broaden the market. mass and most of the barrel are fully well as longer ranges up to 3.2 nautical The mounting is available with remote enclosed with a shaped housing and, com - miles (6 kilometres) for an Oerlikon (with and manual control and weighs 2.3 tonnes pared with the 1.04 tonnes unloaded extended range ammunition) and 6.75 unloaded compared with 4 tonnes for the weight of the Mod 2, the new mounting, nautical mile (12.5 kilometres) for the Mark 3 and it is only 1.99 metres high and which will also be marketed for export and Bofors. One of the most unusual Asian 2.14 metres wide. It is deck-mounted with can accept coaxial machinegun, will have gun mountings is the Indian Ordnance 70-round reloadable magazine in the 1.845 unloaded weights of 1.35 tonnes with Factory’s CRN-91 Sarath based upon the metre diameter mounting ring to aug - 30mm gun and 1.28 tonnes with 25mm. The turret of the Russian-designed BMP-2 ment the 30 rounds in the mounting. The Oto Melara Model 504 Marlin, for example, infantry combat vehicle with 30mm gun. 70 calibre weapon can fire 300 accepts 30mm and 25mm weapons as does It has been navalised for the Indian Navy rounds/minute up to 6.75 nautical miles MSI’s Seahawk family, and the AAW capa - and Coast Guard in patrol boats as well as (12.5 kilometres) and should be available bility of the latter is enhanced with short- the Magar class tank landing ships. to customers early in 2014 and the compa - range Thales LML surface-to-air missiles. The older weapons are manned but Remotely operated and stabilised there is a tendency towards unmanned mountings, such as Nexter’s Narwhal mountings with Oto Melara producing 20mm gun family and MSI-Defence the widest range in both with single and Systems’ Seahawk 20 are becoming avail - twin calibre mountings in use with half-a- able to provide even greater versatility. dozen navies while 40mm mountings Narwhal has a mass of 350-400 kilo - have been made in South Korea and grammes, an on-mount director with Singapore. Bofors enhanced their optional laser rangefinder and plans for weapon through the 3P (Prefragmented, 25mm and 30mm versions. Seahawk has Programmable Proximity) rounds which been developed for the retrofit market may be set to impact, post-impact or prox - and while based upon the Denel G12 imity settings before being fired. BAE 20mm it can take any 20mm weapon Systems Weapon Systems and Support allowing the continued use of stocks of are completing development of the Bofors 20mm x 139 ammunition. 40mm Mark 4 gun system which incorpo - While the gun’s importance in ASuW is rates technology from the Mark 3 (bought much smaller than it was it still remains by Brazil and Japan) as well as weapons The Saab RBS 15 is another anti-ship missile important with the smaller calibre used in the CV90 infantry combat vehicle. which is associated with fast attack craft weapons also being valuable in the field The objective is to cut the weight, cost and © Saab Bofors Dynamics of EEZ protection where collateral dam - volume of the Mark 3 mounting by at least age can be politically unacceptable.

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BUSINESS WITH ROSONBORNEXPORT A NEED OF NATIONAL INTEREST, SAYS US DEFENCE DEPARTMENT

espite from scrutiny from US arms to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad terrorism forces in Afghanistan. He has also Congress, the Pentagon has decided by the Russian company. outlined the steps that were taken to re- to go ahead with the procurement of However a recent news suggests that US evaluate the purchase. MI-17 transport helicopters for Afghan Deputy Defence Secretary Ashton Carter The letter was addressed to US DMilitary from Russian arms exporters wrote to the US lawmakers stating that the lawmakers including Republican Rosobornexport, terming it as a move in defence department “has an urgent, near- Representative Bill Young of Florida, national interest. The opposition to the term need to purchase an additional 30 new chairman of the House defense procurement has come over the sales of military-use MI-17 helicopters” for counter appropriations subcommittee, and Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of ROSOBORNEXPORT Illinois, who heads his chamber’s defense appropriations panel. He added that the US Army tried and failed to find any alternative that would meet ANNOUNCES SUPPLY OF the requirement. “Careful consideration of all the information available to the department” after the Army evaluation “confirms it ADDITIONAL 12 MIL would be in the public interest to procure the MI-17s needed” from the Russian firm, Carter wrote. MI-17V5 HELICOPTERS Rosoboronexport is the main contributor to the Russian arms export and according to Pentagon has been the only company controlling the export of MI-17. The US he Russian arms exporter Army had initially bought 21 helicopters Rosobornexport announced their worth $375 million and further agreed in decision to supply 12 Mil Mi-17V5 to buy ten more. military transport helicopters to Afghan The Mi-17 helicopters are meant to help TNational Army by 2013 as part of agreement Afghanistan fulfill its tasks now that military between Pentagon and the company in forces from the US and other countries are 2011 for 21 helicopters. in the process of being withdrawn. This transact was a part of $367.5 Compared to other options such as the million agreement between Rosobornexport American Black Hawk helicopters, the Mi- and Pentagon in May 2011 for 21 Mi-17V5s 17 is a better fit, including: and could be worth possibly worth The ability to use existing infrastructure, $900 million with spares and services, support and service already in place for according to US officials. Russian helicopters. In his statement to a Russia’s news security mission in Afghanistan. Familiarity of Afghan pilots with the Mi-17 agency, Grigory Kozlov, director of US and Russia may soon enter into a eliminates the need to train them to use a Rosobornexport’s helicopter exports said fresh agreement of additional additional new helicopter type. that the option agreement has been Mi-17 helicopters f or Afghanistan. The Mi-17 helicopters are lower in cost. signed and the delivery will be done by the “I reckon this issue (the additional buy) will This is not the first time that the US end of the year. He mentioned that be resolved by the end of May and we will has bought military equipment from Russia, the payment by Pentagon for the same has enter a new round of talks on the manner of but the purchases of Mi-17 helicopters already been started along with language of helicopters on top of the cur - are still notable since they don’t occur delivery of special equipments to be rent 21 plus 12 units,”—saAindaKnodziltoavB. hardwaj very often between the two former rivals fitted in the helicopters that are meant for during the Cold War. As per the defense authorization law for the current fiscal year funds cannot be used to pay the Russian company unless the Pentagon invokes a national security waiver. But as per Ashton Carter this prohibition would not apply to the funds approved in 2012 which will be used in buying 30 helicopters. Also, Frank Kendall, Undersecretary for Acquisition in a letter to Senator John Cornyn has mentioned that although he shares the concern about the origin of these helicopters but he also believes that the mission in Afghanistan is of huge importance and should be preferred over ending relationship with Russian company. Even James Miller, Undersecretary for Policy, in another letter to the Senator did mention that the company is supplying weapon to Syria which are being used by Assad’s forces in atrocities against civilian population but the acquisition is still needed to build capacity of security forces in Afghanistan because these helicopters can perform in extreme weather and are easy for Afghans to use items that have ‘low technical complexity’.

Expert’s Opinion REGIONAL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS s o u t h a s i a ASIA PACIFIC PROCUREMENT UPDATE

by Pierre Delrieu

DISPUTE DIALOGUE had been discussed with Prime SPENDING INCREASES Chinese Premier Li Minister Singh and passed off One week after taking Keqiang and Indian Prime as “an incident”. office, Pakistan’s new govern - Minister Manmohan Singh met Meanwhile, New Delhi ment announced a ten percent in New Delhi as part of the announced it would deploy an raise in defence spending, newly-elected Chinese additional 40,000 troops in the despite a crippling budget Premier’s first visit abroad. form of a mountain corps to bol - deficit of 8.8 percent. The budg - During talks on 19th May, they ster its strength on the Chinese et for fiscal year 2013-14 will discussed the boundary dispute border, just a couple of weeks begin on 1st July amid a weak between their two countries. after Prime Minister Keqiang’s economic growth, high infla - Finance minister Ishaq Dar Indian Defense Minister AK visit. According to Indian MoD tion, decreasing foreign announced that the government Antony and National Security this deployment had been exchange reserves and unprece - would clear $5 billion in circular Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon planned for about 2 year and dented power cuts. The new debt from the energy sector announced they planned to had been waiting for approval budget will allocate 627 billion within the next 60 days and visit Beijing over the summer of Ministry of Finance. rupees (US $6.3 billion) for help minimize power cuts in the to discuss means of resolving This ongoing dispute defence, a ten percent increase country, but gave no details on the boundary dispute. involves the longest contested compared to the 570 billion how the government would In April, troops from the boundary in the world. China rupees allocated in the outgo - find the necessary money, ing year, ending 30th June. considering Pakistan is still The army is the most paying off an $11.3 billion loan powerful institution in Pakistan, made from the International a country ruled for half its life Monetary Fund in 2008. Years by the military. Pakistani Prime of under-investment, Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had mismanagement and corruption troubled relations with the army cause power outages of up in the past, took office in early to 20 hours a day in the June after winning the 11th May Pakistani blistering summer elections; marking an historic heat, when temperatures can transition of democratic power. reach up to 50°C. two countries came face-to-face claims 92,000 square kilometres made by Japan’s ShinMaywa in the northern region of of Indian territory. The border during talk in Tokyo on 29th Ladakh, when Chinese troops between India and China is May. Indian Prime Minister entered nearly 10 kilometres defined by the 4,056-kilometre Manmohan Singh and his inside Indian territory across LAC, which is neither marked Japanese counterpart, Shinzo the Line of Actual Control, the on the ground, nor on mutual - Abe, agreed on a joint working de-facto boundary between the ly-accepted maps. group to decide the terms of two countries. The incident Although the deployment of this cooperation, which could threatened to increase tensions, additional troops along the bor - include joint production, opera - and Indian opposition parties der is bound to raise tempers in tion and training on the US-2. asked the government to take a Beijing, analysts agree that US-2 PROGRESS The amphibian has a sensor fit tough line against the Chinese India and China can ill-afford India and Japan have capable of detecting and track - intrusion. However, during last to go to war in the immediate agreed to form a joint working ing surface vessels, ships, sub - month’s visit of China’s pre - future as both seek to grow group to explore cooperation marine periscopes, and low-fly - mier in New Delhi, the issue their economies. on the US-2 amphibious aircraft ing aircraft and missiles.

TRI-PARTITE TALKS with countries in the Asia-Pacific joint statement issued after the prosperity of the Asia Pacific In Canberra on 5th June, Region, including Thailand. talks. Without specifying con - and Indian Ocean Region.” Indian Defence Minister AK They agreed to pursue “a cerns over Chinese assertive - AK Antony also said he Antony and his Australian coun - regular bilateral Defence ness in the South China Sea, the would discuss possible areas of terpart, Stephen Smith, agreed to Ministers’ meetings to promote statement added that: “mar - cooperation and collaboration step up military exchanges and exchanges between the Defence itime security and freedom of in defence production with naval combat exercises between establishments and the Armed navigation in accordance with Thailand with his Thai counter - the two countries, as part of its Forces of both sides”, said the principles of international law part, Air Chief Marshal policy to strengthen defence ties Indian Ministry of Defence in a is critical for the growth and Sukumpol Suwanatat.

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REGIONAL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS s o u t h e a s t a s i a

People’s Liberation Army announced that China would continue to consider its patrols in Asian seas as legitimate. Adding that Chinese warships would continue to patrol waters where Beijing has territorial claims, regardless of growing rows with neighbour - ing countries over the South China Sea and islands SINGAPORE AND controlled by Japan. AUSTRALIAN China is locked in a territori - SUBMARINE RESCUE al dispute with Brunei, ARRANGEMENT Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore Navy (RSN) Vietnam in the South China Sea Chief Rear-Admiral Ng Chee and affirms that it has sover - Peng has signed the Submarine SHANGRI-LA trust' to overcome disputes. eign rights to nearly all of the Rescue Arrangement with DIALOGUE The summit brought together sea, including areas much clos - Royal Australian Navy The 12th International defence ministers, military chiefs er to other countries, and thou - (RAN)’s Chief of Navy Institute for Strategic Studies and senior government officials sands of kilometres from the Vice-Admiral Ray Griggs on (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue Asia from 31 countries as well as Chinese coast. The four coun - board the RSN’s submarine Security Summit was held in experts and journalists from tries dispute the Chinese claims rescue and support vessel, Singapore from 31st May to around the world with discus - over several Pacific islands, MV Swift Rescue. 2nd June. sions focusing on issues such as much as Japan refuses China’s The Submarine Rescue The annual inter-govern - “Defending National Interests; claim over the Senkaku islands Arrangement establishes a mental security forum, initiated Preventing Conflict”, “Military in the East China Sea, which framework between the RSN in 2002, gathers key policy- Modernisation and Strategic Beijing calls the Diaoyus. and RAN in the area of subma - makers in the defence and Transparency”, “New Trends in China’s peaceful intentions rine rescue support and coop - security establishments from Asia-Pacific Security” and have come under growing scep - eration. Under the arrange - regional states and from major “Advancing Defence ticism in the region, as they are ment, the RSN will make powers with significant stakes Cooperation In The Asia- inconsistent with moves to send available to the RAN MV Swift in Asia-Pacific security. Pacific”. However, maritime dis - naval patrols to waters claimed Rescue and other resources to Nguyen Tan Dung, putes and the risks of conflicts by other countries such as render support and assistance Prime Minister of Vietnam, that could hurt Asia’s economic China’s occupation of a shoal in the event of an RAN opened Asia’s largest informal growth were a running theme near the Philippines’ main submarine incident. defence gathering with a during the three-day conference. island last year and the deploy - Keynote Address in which he During the summit, Lt. Gen. ment in March of naval ships to called on the countries of Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the within 80 kilometres (50 miles) SAGEM WINS MAJOR the region to 'build strategic general staff of the Chinese of Malaysia’s coast. CONTRACT FROM SINGAPORE NAVY Sagem has signed a con - BILATERAL tract with the Singapore’s COOPERATION Defence Science and Singapore will continue Technology Agency to develop using military facilities in India and produce a new Gun Fire- for the exercise and training of Control System (GFCS) for its troops for another five years, eight Littoral Mission Vessels as stated in an agreement ordered by Singapore Navy. signed in Singapore on 4th June Sagem’s new GFCS is a cen - by new Indian Defence tralized system located at the Secretary Radha Krishna ship’s operations center that Mathur, and Singaporean integrates several functions: Permanent Secretary of main and secondary guns, Defense, Chiang Chie Foo. radar, optronics and naviga - India and Singapore had first tion systems. Capable of oper - signed a five-year defence coop - extended up to October 2017. ing financial centre with one of ating from several multifunc - eration pact in 2007 allowing Singapore is the only country the busiest ports, Singapore has tion consoles concurrently, Singaporean troops to exercise that India has offered its facili - a strategic importance for India Sagem’s GFCS will also be regularly on Indian territory. ties to for training and exercis - in its efforts to contain the interfaced with the combat This agreement will now be is es. As the world’s fourth lead - growing influence of China. management system.

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REGIONAL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS e a s t a s i a

Second World War, the country TAIWAN’S SECOND adopted a new constitution sig - HAND ROLLS-ROYCE nificantly limiting its military T56 TURBOPROP capabilities; even as regards ENGINES self-defence. With the support of the Ex-ministers Shigeru Ishiba US Foreign Military Sales and Gen Nakatani, the two (FMS) mechanism, which men behind the proposed rear - facilitates sales of U.S. arms, mament, have drafted a reform but also defence equipment, that was approved and sent to defence services, and military the government for considera - training to foreign tion. Shigeru Ishiba stated that governments, Taiwan is about the restrictions introduced after to acquire 16 reconditioned the war relating to the size of Rolls-Royce T56 turboprop the Japanese armed forces have engines. These T56 engines long been out of date and that will serve to power some of it was time for Japan to move the 12 former US Navy towards the establishment of Lockheed P-3C Orion REARMAMENT MOVES terms of military expenditure conventional armed forces. maritime patrol and anti- On 30th May, the ruling and the Japanese Self-Defence If changes in the submarine warfare aircraft Liberal Democratic Party of Forces has been actively Constitution come into effect, Taiwan also bought from the Japan (LDPJ) decided set in modernising; spending an the Japanese armed forces US in 2011, to ultimately motion a proposal for the full- approximate $44 billion in could potentially perform full- replace the Grumman scale rearmament of the coun - armament each year. scale air strikes against enemy S-2 Tracker aircraft now try's armed forces. The reform However, since the end of military bases, as well as operating in its navy. will focus on the creation of a the Second World War, the increasing the effectiveness of The T56 engine - formerly marine corps, increasing the Japanese authorities have not anti-missile defence capabili - known as the Allison T56 - is efficiency of air and missile been allowed to possess full- ties intended to defend the a single shaft, modular design defences, as well as upgrading fledged conventional armed country against the tense situa - military turboprop with a 14- the equipment of the army and forces, and cannot engage in tion on the Korean peninsula. stage axial flow compressor navy with modern weapons the production and procure - In addition, Japan will create driven by a four stage turbine. capable of attacking enemy ment of cruise missiles or marine units capable of Originally developed by the naval bases. Japan is currently strategic bombers, for example. defending remote Japanese Allison Engine Company for ranked fifth in the world in Following the end of the islands in the Pacific. the Lockheed Martin C-130 transport, entering production in 1954, this turboprop engine RISE OF THE KOREAN is now produced by the T-50 GOLDEN EAGLE British manufacturer Rolls- The South Korean aero - Royce, which acquired Allison space company KAI (Korea in 1995. The commercial ver - Aerospace Industries) sion of the T56 is know under announced it would deliver 16 the designation 501-D. The T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet T56 has an unusually long trainer aircrafts to Indonesia by and numerous production February 2014. Jakarta had run; over 18,000 engines ordered T-50s in May 2011, have been produced since marking the first export sale for 1954, logging over 200 million this type of supersonic flying hours. advanced trainer and multirole Worth a total of $10.6 light fighter. million, the deal between The T-50 Golden Eagle, for - ed 13% of the aircraft’s devel - said they wanted to use the air - Taiwan and the FMS was merly known as the KTX-2, is a opment. The RoKAF, which craft for training and for light contracted to the US Naval jet trainer and light attack air - now owns 50 units, offered to fighter/attack missions. In Air Warfare Center Aircraft craft which was initially built dispense training to Indonesian other projects, KAI and Division and is expected to be for the Republic of Korea Air pilots and maintenance Lockheed Martin also made an completed in February 2014. Force (RoKAF) and has been in crews to familiarize them offer to meet an eight aircraft In an online statement, the US active service since 2005. with the aircraft. requirement to Poland. Warsaw Department of Defense Manufactured at the KAI facili - KAI is confident it will soon is reviewing the technical pro - announced the overhaul will ty in Sachon, the T-50 is the close another deal for 12 FA-50s posals issued by the different be undertaken by result of collaboration with - an armed variant of the T-50 - bidders, and could issue a deci - StandardAero, in San Lockheed Martin, which fund - with Manila. The Philippines sion as soon as early 2014. Antonio, Texas.

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REGIONAL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS a u s t r a l a s i a

AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND and US Army personnel par - US CONCLUDES FIRST ticipate in skills-based live-fire JOINT EXERCISE training and adventurous Australia, Japan and the training, at Puckapunyal and United States have concluded Melbourne. Exercise Southern Jackaroo, During the exercise, 14 per - the first ground exercise sonnel from each of the three involving the three nations held nations participated in live-fir - in Australia. The inaugural ing activities focused on exercise took place from 18 advanced marksmanship skills to 26 May 2013. within urban terrain, as well as Exercise Southern Jackaroo adventurous training including saw Australian Army, Japan abseiling from buildings in the Ground Self Defense Force Melbourne CBD.

AUSTRALIA unmanned aircraft for maritime will establish a Foreign AUSTRALIA US CONSIDERING TRITON patrol and other surveillance is Military Sales Technical DEFENCE TRADE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT being developed under project Services Case with the United COOPERATION TREATY Australian MOD AIR 7000 Phase 1B. States Navy to obtain Australian Minister for announced that the One of the options being detailed cost, capability and Defence Stephen Smith and US Government would issue a considered for AIR 7000 Phase availability information to Ambassador to Australia, Letter of Request to the United 1B is the US Navy MQ-4C inform future Government Jeffrey Bleich, exchanged States (US) to gain access to Triton Broad Area Maritime consideration of Project diplomatic notes to bring the detailed cost, capability and Surveillance Unmanned AIR 7000 Phase 1B. Australia – United States availability information on the Aircraft System produced by The release of a Letter of Defence Trade Cooperation US Navy’s MQ-4C Triton Northrop Grumman. Request for the FMS Technical Treaty into force. unmanned Aircraft. To help assess the suitability Services Case does not commit The Treaty’s entry into force The acquisition of high-alti - of the Triton for Australia’s Australia to the acquisition of reflects Australia and the US’ tude, long-endurance requirements, the Government the MQ-4C Triton. commitment to cooperation in Defence capability and tech - nology. The Australia-US Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty was signed in Sydney on 5 September 2007. The Treaty creates a framework for the transfer of eligible defence goods, services and technology between approved entities in Australia and the US, known as the Approved Community, without the need to apply for separate export licences. The Treaty will improve delivery times, improve sustainment and give Australian industry better access to technical data to tender for US contracts.

MAINTENANCE with five one-year options. ed by Army. The work will CONTRACT The LMM agreement include inspection, scheduled Australian Department of will provide equipment servicing, repair and Defence has signed a major maintenance services to Joint modification of equipment, Land Materiel Maintenance Logistics Command Units programmed maintenance and (LMM) contract with across Australia. project work, maintenance of Transfield Services of The contract covers the regional loan pools, manage - Australia. The contract is for maintenance of land-based ment of repair pools and an initial term of six years, vehicle fleets primarily operat - support to operations.

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