Inggris Dukung Diplomasi Damai RI-Malaysia

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VIVAnews - Ketegangan yang meningkat antara Indonesia dan Malaysia menimbulkan beragam wacana di masyarakat. Di antaranya adalah peran penting Inggris sebagai sekutu suatu aliansi pertahanan dengan Malaysia jikalau terjadi skenario paling buruk, yaitu perang.

Jika Indonesia berperang dengan Malaysia, maka Malaysia yang merupakan anggota Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) akan mendapat bantuan dari anggota lainnya, yaitu Singapura, Selandia Baru, Australia, dan Inggris. Dibentuk pada 1971, para peserta FPDA akan bekerja sama satu sama lain bila ada agresi atau ancaman terhadap Malaysia atau Singapura.

Muncul spekulasi, jika Inggris yang merupakan anggota pakta pertahanan Atlantik utara (NATO) ikut berperang melawan Indonesia, maka anggota NATO lainnya akan ikut mendukung Inggris. Maka makin runyamlah Indonesia dikeroyok banyak negara.

Namun, Duta Besar Inggris untuk Indonesia, Martin Hatfull, menampik spekulasi itu. Dia mengatakan tidak ingin berandai-andai dan menolak untuk berkomentar ketika ditanya mengenai dukungan Inggris jika Malaysia berperang dengan Indonesia.

Menurut Hatfull, Malaysia dan Indonesia adalah dua mitra penting bagi Inggris, dan yang utama dari itu semua adalah tetap menjalin hubungan baik.

“Walaupun Inggris mempunyai hubungan yang kuat dengan negara-negara persemakmuran, namun saya menegaskan bahwa Inggris mempunyai kepentingan yang besar dalam menjaga hubungan yang damai dan stabil,” ujar Hatfull yang ditemui di kediamannya di Jakarta, Kamis, 2 September 2010.

Hatfull mengatakan bahwa Inggris sebagai anggota pakta pertahanan NATO dan anggota tetap Dewan Keamanan PBB tetap mengedepankan dialog dalam mengatasi permasalahan. Dia yakin permasalahan antara kedua negara dapat diselesaikan dengan jalan diplomatis .

“Kami akan mendukung setiap solusi yang diplomatis dan damai. Inggris jelas akan akan ikut andil dalam upaya menciptakan keadaan yang aman dan stabil,” jelasnya.

Menanggapi usaha pemerintah dalam menyelesaikan masalah, Hatfull yakin betul bahwa pemerintahan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dapat menyelesaikan ketegangan dengan negara tetangga dengan tangan dingin tanpa perlu bersitegang.

“Saya yakin setiap pemerintahan yang baik akan dapat pula menyelesaikan permasalahan dengan baik,” ujar Hatfull.

Sumber: VIVA NEWS

Kapal Selam Nuklir AS Berlabuh di Jepang

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Kapal Selam Nuklir USS Hawaii(Foto:/honolulunavyleague.org)

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, TOKYO --- Kapal selam bertenaga nuklir USS Hawaii akhirnya berlabuh di Pangkalan Angkatan Laut Amerika Serikat, Yokosuka, Jepang.

USS Hawaii merupakan salah satu kapal selam AS yang patut diperhitungkan karena mampu membawa rudal misil Tomahawk serta kemampuan operasi penyerangan ke darat.

Demikian dikatakan sumber terpercaya AL AS di Tokyo, Jepang, Jumat (3/9/2010).

Sumber AL AS yang tidak ingin diidentifikasi itu mengatakan kedatangan kapal selam USS Hawaii ke Jepang bertujuan mengisi logistik dan mengistirahatkan para awak yang lelah usai menjalankan perjalanan cukup jauh.

Selanjutnya, kapal selam kelas Virginia itu akan menjalankan misi selama enam bulan di perairan benua Asia dibawah komando satuan gugus Armada AS Ketujuh, tanpa merinci tugasnya.

"USS Hawaii bertolak dari pelabuhan Pearl Harbor sebulan lalu guna menjalankan misi di perairan benua Asia," kata nara sumber tersebut. Beberapa pengamat mengatakan sejak diluncurkan 17 Juni 2006 silam.

USS Hawai merupakan salah satu kapal selam AS yang patut diperhitungkan karena mampu membawa rudal misil Tomahawk dan memiliki kemampuan operasi spesial penyerangan ke darat.

Rudal Tomahawk

Tabung Rudal Tomahawk

Dengan kehadirannya maka Armada Ketujuh telah menambah kekuatan AL di wilayah cukup rawan, berbatas dengan Korea Utara dan Cina.

Sumber: TRIBUN

Pentagon Bomber Evolution Underway

X-wing bomber concept (image : Josef Gatial)
The latest analysis of future long-range strike needs by the Pentagon will be submitted in time for its recommendations to be reflected in the Fiscal 2012 budget.
Few people, least of all advocates of an active, nonvintage bomber fleet, expect exciting news. Service-centric politics, a joint-service construct under which ground forces heavily influence the study and pressure on procurement budgets (from overruns in the Joint Strike Fighter program) will result in modest recommendations.
The most likely include the endorsement of a long-range, nonnuclear ballistic missile capability, although the time­scale and budget remain uncertain. The conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) concept is a favorite of Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
Expect some backing but little money for two other concepts: a joint-service, long-range cruise missile, launched from Virginia-class submarines and B-52s, and the Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV-N), which may be termed a means of extending the range of a carrier air group. Both systems may be linked to another joint-service study defining a future “air-sea battle” and focused on matching China’s growing power in the Western Pacific.
As for a future USAF bomber, conventional wisdom—i.e., views acceptable to Cartwright and Defense Secretary Robert Gates—is that the idea merits study, over and above several dozen studies carried out in the past decade. In June, Lt. Gen. Philip Breedlove, Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements, was quoted as saying the word “bomber” can no longer be spoken in the Pentagon and requirements “trickling down from the highest levels” call for a much smaller aircraft. Some sources believe Cartwright is pushing the idea of a USAF variant of UCAV-N.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Secretary Michael Donley have not taken up the cause of a new bomber. The only four-star to support the bomber has been Strategic Command leader Gen. Kevin Chilton.
With little high-level support, bomber advocates are doing what they have done before: changing the name to “reconnaissance-strike.” Lt. Gen. David Deptula, in his last press briefing before retirement, reiterated his view that intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and attack missions are no longer separate. A penetrating ISR platform that cannot be armed makes little sense.
Industry and service studies of a new ISR and strike platform appear to be converging, driven by technological developments, likely operational requirements and fiscal realism.
Technologically, one factor that has arisen in the past few years is the successful demonstration of extremely low-observable (ELO) technology, with wideband, all-aspect signature reductions of -40 to -50 dB. or more, under one or more covert test programs. One step in this process may have been Boeing’s Bird of Prey demonstrator, with a radar cross section (RCS) so small that visual signatures became dominant. A consultant on that project was stealth pioneer Denys Overholser, who has been involved with projects envisioning RCS levels to -70 dB.—the size of a mosquito.
ELO mandates an all-wing or blended-wing body and tailless, subsonic configuration with buried engines. Advances in the computational analysis of the complicated airflows over such shapes improve aerodynamic efficiency and permit simpler inlet and exhaust systems, putting unrefueled ranges of 5,000 nm. within reach for a “demi-B-2”-sized aircraft. Northrop Grumman mentions an unrefueled range of 5,600 nm. for UCAV-N, with new engines based on advanced commercial cores.
The demonstration of reliable, long-endurance, autonomous operations is important. Many bomber advocates agree that a new ISR/strike aircraft should be optionally piloted. If it acquires a nuclear mission, a crew is likely to be mandatory, and crewing would ease mixed-use airspace concerns. On the other hand, the aircraft would be inherently capable of operations beyond human endurance, and an unmanned mode could avoid sending crews beyond the reach of search-and-rescue assets.

Northrop Grumman concepts for an advanced unmanned ISR/strike system list a range of autonomous functions—threat awareness and avoidance, electronic and lethal countermeasures, and cooperative defense. Onboard sensor fusion and target recognition would be combined with the ability to match imagery with terrain, passing high-grade target information to other assets.

Bomber advocates are monitoring laser weapons in the 100-kw.-class, considered adequate to kill an incoming missile. Combined with ELO, this could give a bomber the ability to survive against current and projected threats.
A survivable aircraft with a large and diverse payload has advantages. It can prosecute targets of uncertain location, and its range is a hedge against antiaccess and area-denial strategies. Unlike the smaller UCAV, it carries a mix of weapons.

The biggest challenge to the bomber is price. Procurement cost in the $500-million range is likely, equivalent to 4-5 JSFs, but carrying 4-5 times the warload five times farther. The total investment in a force of 100 new bombers would be about the same as the cost of replacing Trident submarines. But, as enthusiasts suggest, the bombers would deliver similar or greater longevity and more flexibility. (/Bill Sweetman)

(Aviation Week)

Russia to decide on French warship purchase by yearend

Topic: Russia's purchase of French Mistral-class warship

Russia to decide on French warship purchase by yearend

19:21 03/09/2010

© RIA Novosti. Alexei Danichev

Russia will make a final decision on whether to buy a French Mistral-class amphibious assault ship by the end of the year, the Russian ambassador to France said on Friday.
Russia is holding talks with France on the purchase of Mistral-class warships on a 2+2 scheme whereby Russia will buy one or two French-built Mistrals and build another two under license at home.
"Very serious negotiations have been ongoing since March and we need to decide whether or not to buy [them]," Alexander Orlov said.
He said under Russian laws, "any such purchases are to be made through a tender," adding that France had fairly good chances to win it.
"That is, of course, if they make a more interesting offer," he said.
The envoy said the final decision "will be made by a special commission."
Russian Defense Minister Serdyukov said on August 20 that the ministry had announced an international tender for the construction of two amphibious assault ships and that the results of the tender would be announced before the end of the year.
BREST (France), September 3 (RIA Novosti)
RIA NOVOSTI

Russia to resume test launches of troubled Bulava missile Sept. 9-12

Topic: Bulava missile: test-launch history

Bulava missile

12:43 03/09/2010

© Сollage by RIA Novosti

Test launches of Russia's Bulava ballistic missile will resume between September 9 and 12, a defense industry source said on Friday.
"Everything is ready for the resumption of test launches," the source said. "I do not think there will be any postponement this time."
Bulava test launches were put on hold after a failed launch, from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine in the White Sea on December 9, 2009, which was caused by a defective engine nozzle.
The source also said if the launch is successful, at least another three test launched will be conducted before the end of the year.
The Bulava (SS-NX-30), a three-stage liquid and solid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), has officially suffered seven failures in 12 tests.
But some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures was considerably larger, with Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer suggesting that of the Bulava's 12 test launches, only one was entirely successful.
MOSCOW, September 3 (RIA Novosti)
RIA NOVOSTI

Media Jerman Reaksi Luas Hari Quds Sedunia di Iran

Tehran, IRIB News-Peringatan Hari Quds Sedunia di Republik Islam Iran mendapat sorotan luas media massa Jerman. Bertepatan dengan peringatan Hari Quds Sedunia, Kantor Berita Jerman DPA menurunkan laporan, jutaan rakyat Iran berpartisipasi dalam acara peringatan hari besar ini dan mereka turun ke jalan-jalan menyatakan dukungannya terhadap bangsa Palestina serta mengecam kebiadaban Rezim Zionis Israel.
Sumber ini manambahkan, peringatan Hari Quds Sedunia tahun ini bertepatan dengan perundingan damai antara pemerintah Otorita Ramallah pimpinan Mahmoud Abbas dan Rezim Zionis Israel yang dimediasi Amerika Serikat (AS).
Perundingan ini digelar di Washington dan dihadiri pula oleh Hosni Mubarak presiden Mesir dan Raja Abdullah kedua, pemimpin Jordania. (IRIB/MF/SL)

IRIB

Putin: Habis Sudah Kami Dikerjain Amerika

Moskow, IRIB News-Perdana Menteri Rusia, Vladimir Putin seraya menyatakan bahwa hubungan antara Moskow dan Washington memiliki banyak kendala menandaskan, Gedung Putih dengan berbagai cara berusaha menipu kami. Putin dalam sebuah pidatonya menuding Barat melakukan penipuan dalam proses normalisasi hubungan dengan Moskow. Demikian dilaporkan INN mengutip Global Research.
Dalam wawancaranya dengan Koran Commersant Daily, Putin menandaskan, apa yang ia sampaikan dalam Konferensi Keamanan Berlin 2007 yang disebut banyak politikus Barat sebagai "Pengumuman Perang Dingin Baru" hingga saat ini masih berlaku.
Menurut Putin,Pakta Pertahanan Atlantik Utara (NATO) sebelumnya berjanji tidak akan meluaskan kekuasaannya ke Eropa Timur. Ia mengatakan, bagaimana nasib janji NATO? Saya telah bertanya kepada mereka, namun NATO tidak memberikan jawaban. "Mereka telah menipu kami dengan cara yang paling keji," demikian tegas Putin.
Seraya mengingatkan bahwa hubungan Moskow dan Washington memiliki banyak masalah, Putin menambahkan, "Baru saja kami mencapai kesepakatan terkait pembatalan penempatan sistem anti rudal AS di Polandia, mendadak tersiar berita bahwa Washington akan menempatkan sistem ini di negara Eropa lainnya."
Perdana menteri Rusia menandaskan, meski Presiden Amerika, Barack Obama berniat memulihkan hubungannya dengan Rusia, namun harus dilihat apakah mereka dalam praktiknya melakukan hal tersebut? (IRIB/INN/MF/SL)

IRIB