AIR SYSTEMS Taking To The Skies A resurgence in spending on manned and unmanned air power across Asia-Pacific is largely being driven by regional and territorial disputes, and the desire to keep up with near neighbours in a regional arms race. By Peter Antill he financial crisis of 2008, which t Economic Imperatives – As the Such incidents still occur today, with sparked a sharp economic economies in the region expand and China sending four vessels, one of Trecession, forced many states trade increases, the importance of which was an armed coastguard ship in Europe and North America to cut maritime trade routes (to the region’s and former naval frigate, into Japanese defence spending in order to deal with continued growth) has increased as well. territorial waters around the disputed budgetary deficits and sovereign debt t Geostrategic Imperatives – Uncertainty islands in December 2015.5 The second problems.1 The picture in Asia, however, exists as to where exactly the regional is the renewed interest of the United has been very different, with defence distribution of power will be in the States, which since 2011, has refocused spending rising since 2000, bar a slight coming years. This suspicion, allied to its strategic gaze on the region, partly as downturn in 2012.2 While a significant other security concerns, has caused a a result of Chinese moves.6 proportion of defence spending goes on gradual increase in tension. To make t Territorial and Border Disputes – The naval procurement3, given the strategic things worse, two additional factors have region is rife with territorial and border geography of the region, air forces and come into play. The first is the expanding disputes, many of which go back their associated equipment are seen as power and ambition of China, an decades. Examples include the already an important part of a state’s armed example of which was the declaration in mentioned Senkaku Islands, but also forces. But what is driving the current late November 2013 of an air defence the Spratly and Paracel Islands, the Kuril trends in air power procurement across identification zone over the disputed Islands, the Arunachal Pradesh/Tibet the Asia-Pacific region? Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.4 border, Aksai Chin, between China and Saab JAS-39C Gripen, Thailand bought 12 Saab JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, as part of an integrated air defence system (Photo by Oleg V. Belyakov - AirTeamImages) Defence Procurement International - Summer 2016 93 AIR SYSTEMS Despite an offer from Eurofi ghter Typhoon, Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft programme, designed to replace Malaysia’s MiG-29 fi ghters, has shown little progress. (MoD Crown Copyright SAC Steve Buckley) India, the Takeshima Islands, Kashmir, air and maritime forces are “uniquely is their interoperability with not only US North Borneo, the Korean Peninsula and equipped to provide international aid forces, but other regional forces too. Scarborough Shoal.7 and rapid response to natural and man- This latter point is important in light of t Protection of Offshore Territory or made disasters”.11 the build-up of Chinese combat power, Installations – The geography of much t North Korea – Has a proven ballistic something that no regional actor can of the region means that many states missile capability and a continuing hope to counter individually. have territory, claim territory and/or nuclear programme. The range of Linked to the above concept is have offshore installations (such as oil its missiles is enough to threaten the idea of network-centric warfare, and natural gas) that are geographically major population centres on all four which involves the use of information separate from the mainland or the main of the main Japanese islands.12 technology, high-speed data links and islands. The distances involved mean With the rebalancing of US strategic networking software to link widely that the protection of this territory or priorities towards the Pacifi c and the separate personnel, assets and combat these facilities is predominantly the task likelihood of increasing US combat units into integrated local- and wide- of naval and air forces. power being based in the region, one area networks. This will enable all t Regional Arms Race – The increase important factor for states to consider those who are linked to the network in tension has led to evidence of “action-reaction dynamics taking hold and infl uencing regional states’ military programmes.”8 This has led to increasing materiel proliferation and “an arms race has emerged in a number of fi elds as Asia-Pacifi c states seek to achieve parity with near neighbours.”9 t Criminal and Terrorist Activity – With around 90% of the world’s trade transported by sea, there is continued concern over the threat posed by piracy and its link to the so-called ‘ungoverned maritime space’.10 The region has seen an increase in piracy, especially around the Straits of Malacca and the Indian Ocean, as criminal organisations have shifted operations away from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. t Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief – Both South Korea, Australia and Japan are all looking to acquire the F-35A (Photo by AereiMilitari.org) Defence Procurement International - Summer 2016 94 AIR SYSTEMS to share critical information on a continuous basis in real time and lead to improvements in both combat capability and effi ciency. Any military force, as part of its overall capability needs to have an effective, sustainable and resilient logistic support system in place so it can carry out its operational tasks. This includes a supply chain anchored in the home base. An alternative to this would be to establish foreign basing rights. Assuming that there is the appropriate infrastructure in place, air power can largely transport itself to where it is needed. It can also provide additional air support to ground and naval force operations, as well as a strategic, operational and tactical transport capability. The Sukhoi Su-35, otherwise known as the Flanker-E (Photo by Alex Beltyukov) BUILD OR BUY With many fl eets starting to age, pursuing indigenous combat aircraft The increases in defence spending, fast-jet acquisitions and upgrades are development.14 especially over the last fi ve years, widespread. Almost half the states Programmes include: are refl ective of many Asian states in the region acquired such assets in t Australia – The Royal Australian increased outlay on defence equipment, 2015. The largest spenders, such as Air Force has benefi tted from the as they look to not only buy new India and China, have looked to invest introduction of KC-30 in-fl ight refuelling systems, but upgrade and keep older in their existing inventories, as well as tankers, F/A-18F fi ghters, EA-18G systems in service, invest in new developing their domestic aerospace Growler electronic attack aircraft, as well technology and refocus on external industries, with a varying degree as C-17 and C-27J transport aircraft. rather than internal threats. Currently, of success. Other large spenders, The Australians have stated they will buy Asia contains some of the world’s most such as South Korea, Australia and a total of 72 F-35A aircraft and selected active armament markets. Present Japan, have looked to adopt next- a consortium led by Lockheed Martin to acquisition priorities for air power generation technology. All three are provide basic fl ying training using PC-21 include upgrades, expeditionary looking to acquire F-35A aircraft, aircraft from 2019 onwards.15 capabilities and air mobility.13 and both South Korea and Japan are tChina – Both Chengdu and Shenyang A Pakistan Air Force JF-17 (Photo by Eric Salard) Defence Procurement International - Summer 2016 95 AH-64 Apache attack helicopter (Copyright Boeing) produced additional prototypes of their Defence and Ukraine’s Antonov to refuelling squadrons to two, increase latest designs (the J-20 and J-31/FC- develop a transport aircraft. the number of fighter squadrons to 31 respectively). Chengdu continued to Although it’s agreement to buy 126 13 and expand the number of fighter test its J-11D prototype (a development Rafale aircraft from France to fulfil its aircraft to 280. It is also in the process of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker) while Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft of upgrading its F-15J fleet and looking preparing an upgraded version of the requirement seems to have stalled (due to do the same with the F-2 fleet. The J-10 combat aircraft (the J-10B) to to disagreements over the total cost acquisition of (up to) 42 F-35 aircraft enter service. and offset arrangements), there was will allow the Japan Self-Defence Forces Work also continues to address China’s an indication in April 2015 that New to finally retire their F-4J Kai Phantoms, comparative weakness in the local design Delhi wanted to buy 36 Rafale aircraft while continuing work on the ATD-X and manufacture of military turbofan as a military off-the-shelf purchase. fighter prototype.19 engines. Manufacture of the Xian This followed the signing of an inter- tMalaysia – The depreciation of the H-6K (a version of the TU-16 Badger) governmental agreement by the Indian ringgit and the political turbulence that continued at a modest rate, while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the has affected the Malaysian government People’s Liberation Army Air Force French President François Hollande and has made the fate of many current (PLAAF) deployed the KJ-500 airborne appeared to be an attempt to kick-start acquisition programmes hard to early warning (AEW) aircraft (a variant of the process. However, this too seems to predict. However, Malaysia has signed the IL-76) and continued development of have run into trouble.17 a contract with the UK for the Starstreak the Y-20 transport aircraft.