Super Hornet Back on Agenda

F/A-18E/F would be potential candidate as a new MMRCA for RMAF (photo : Flightglobal)
KUALA LUMPUR: The Boeing Co remains hopeful of concluding a deal to sell up to 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters to Malaysia, which the US aircraft manufacturer has been negotiating since 2002.
Boeing Defence, Space and Security president and chief executive officer Dennis Muilenburg said the company has submitted a proposal to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, and negotiations are ongoing."We are hopeful that things will move forward in the near term... We can accommodate customers' (delivery) schedules, both near term and long term.

"We have demonstrated the ability to produce the Super Hornets for multiple customers on schedule," he said here on Tuesday.

He declined to reveal whether Boeing had proposed that the RMAF buy the single-seater Super Hornet E model or the two-seater F model, although reports had suggested that up to 18 units of the two-seater version were proposed.RMAF currently operates eight earlier generation two-seater F/A-18Ds and was reportedly planning to buy eight to 16 more aircraft before the 1997 Asian financial crisis forced a spending cut.

Recently, however, Malaysian defence officials had indicated that multi-role fighter purchase was back on the agenda.Muilenburg said RMAF had expressed satisfaction with its fleet of eight F/A-18Ds from Boeing."They provide tremendous (day-night strike) capability, reliable and the cost of maintaining the jets is low.

"I think the expectation (of the RMAF) is to continue to operate and expand that fleet rather than replace it.

"In this regard, the Super Hornets are an attractive option because these fighter jets provide direct interoperability with the F/A-18Ds fleet.

"They will have common support equipment as well as common air crew and maintenance training systems."

Apart from the Super Hornets, Muilenburg said Malaysia had not indicated any other aircraft procurement plans.

"But as with all of our customers, we continue to provide awareness of the products that are available (from Boeing). We are ready to respond if specific opportunities come forward."

This was Muilenburg's first visit to Malaysia where he had a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and commercial customer, Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd.

"During the meeting with the prime minister, one of the things that we talked about was how Boeing can help Malaysia achieve its New Economic Model goals and how we can be part of the industrial player (via offset programmes) going forward," Muilenburg said."

(For instance), if we are successful in bringing our Super Hornets to Malaysia, part of our industrial participation package will include composites manufacturing work being done in Malaysia.

"Structurally, the Super Hornet is built largely from aluminium alloys with extensive use of carbon fibre composite skins in the wings and titanium in several critical areas."

It's possible (through Boeing's Super Hornet industrial cooperation programme), our partners like Asian Composites Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and Composites Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd in Malaysia can become a key supplier of composite materials.

"To date, they have both demonstrated terrific capability in composites manufacturing."
Boeing is also in discussions with Measat to supply two additional commercial communications satellites and Ku-band transponders.

Three of four Measat satellites in orbit today were built by Boeing.

(New Straits Times)

Turki Tawarkan Produksi Tank

Tank ringan produksi FNSS yang ditawarkan kepada Indonesia (photo : Defense Studies)
JAKARTA (SINDO) – Pemerintah Turki menawarkan kerja sama produksi kendaraan tempur jenis tank kepada Indonesia. Hal itu diungkapkan Juru Bicara Kementerian Pertahanan (Kemhan) Brigjen TNI I Wayan Midhio di Jakarta, kemarin.
Midhio mengatakan, tawaran Turki tersebut dalam bentuk transfer teknologi. Tawaran itu masih dalam proses pembahasan di Kemhan. ”Turki sudah datang menawarkan kerja sama produksi tank dengan transfer teknologi,” paparnya. Namun, Midhio tidak menyebutkan jenis tank yang ditawarkan tersebut. Kerja sama industri pertahanan dengan Turki, lanjut Midhio, selama ini berlangsung dengan baik. Kedua negara,ujarnya,juga sudah menyepakati transfer teknologi berupa modifikasi pesawat CN 235 dari pesawat biasa menjadi pesawat patroli maritim dengan kelengkapan sarana elektronik mutakhir.

”Kerja sama militer Indonesia dengan Turki memang cukup menguntungkan dan terus akan ditingkatkan karena negara ini penguasaan teknologi militernya sangat maju,”katanya. Indonesia belakangan ini memang sedang aktif melakukan pembicaraan-pembicaraan strategis dengan sejumlah negara, terutama menyangkut pengadaan alat utama sistem senjata (alutsista) sekaligus pembangunan industri pertahanan. Pekan lalu, Menteri Pertahanan Purnomo Yusgiantoro menyebutkan, Indonesia dan Cina juga sedang menjajaki produksi rudal bersama. Cina memang berencana memproduksi rudal antikapal C-705 untuk pertahanan udara dan laut.

Peluru kendali tersebut merupakan pengembangan dari rudal C- 802 yang telah digunakan kapalkapal perang milik TNI Angkatan Laut. ”Misalnya,pengadaan misil C 802 dan C 705. Kalau mau perbanyak, kenapa tidak dibangun di Indonesia saja?”kata Purnomo. Pengamat militer dari Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Evan A Lesmana mengatakan, kerja sama pertahanan memang harus dibarengi dengan tindak lanjut yang konkret. Misalnya, sampai sejauh mana kerja sama dapat diwujudkan dalam bentuk pelatihan militer atau transfer teknologi dalam pengadaan alutsista? ”Persoalan kerja sama pertahanan kan bukan dari segi kuantitas berapa banyak kerja sama yang ditandatangani.Tapi, follow up-nya untuk membantu kapabilitas angkatan bersenjata,” tegasnya.

Lebih lanjut, Evan mengungkapkan, dalam konteks pengadaan alutsista memang diperhadapkan pada persoalan yang tidak mudah. Pemerintah dan TNI perlu memikirkan agar persenjataan yang akan diadakan ataupun rencana transfer teknologi benar-benar terencana dan dapat terintegrasi dengan baik. Merujuk data yang dikeluarkan Kemhan tahun 2004,ujar Evan, sampai saat ini Indonesia masih memakai alutsista dari 17 negara sebanyak 173 jenis. ”Pembelian maupun transfer teknologinya harus terencana. Jangan sampai ada persenjataan yang sebenarnya tidak dibutuhkan,” ujarnya. (pasti liberti)

(Seputar Indonesia)

U.S. Delta IV rocket with secret satellite blasts off

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket

06:15 22/11/2010

© flickr.com/ NNSANews/United Launch Alliance

A Delta IV rocket carrying a secret payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) blasted off on Monday from Cape Canaveral, the launch company said on its website.
The launch took place at 1:58 am Moscow time [22:58 Sunday GMT]. The blastoff, initially scheduled for November 18, had been delayed several times.
Commercial launch company United Launch Services (ULA) said the mission was "in support of national defense," without giving any further details.
Fox News earlier said the payload, known only as NROL-32, is widely assumed to be "the largest satellite in the world," with a mission "to bolster U.S. eavesdropping abilities."
Delta IV is the biggest unmanned rocket currently in service in the United States.

MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti)

RIA NOVOSTI

Russia's second 5G-fighter to fly before yearend

1 / 2

T-50

12:13 22/11/2010

© RIA Novosti. Aleksei Druzhinin

Flight trials of the second prototype of Sukhoi's fifth-generation fighter aircraft are due before the end of the year, Sukhoi holding CEO Mikhail Pogosyan said on Monday. The first prototype of the fighter, codenamed T-50, made a maiden flight in late January and has conducted 40 in total, Pogosyan told journalists in Russia's Far East.
"The flight trial program is moving ahead faster than we expected," Pogosyan said.
He said talks with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on the joint development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft are due to conclude before the end of the year.
Earlier reports said an agreement would be signed in December.
The new warplane is expected to enter service with the Russian Air Force in 2015.

KHANTY-MANSIISK, November 22 (RIA Novosti)

RIA NOVOSTI

Smith Confident of Fighter Jets Delivery

Hornet and F-35 JSF (photo : Xinhua)
Defence Minister Stephen Smith has expressed confidence in the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) ahead of a United States report expected to be highly critical of the project.
Mr Smith said Australia had committed to buying 14 aircraft - all of which are the conventional takeoff and landing variant which had experienced few problems.

In contrast, the other two variants, the aircraft carrier version and the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) versions have experienced considerable development problems and delays.

Mr Smith said the baseline review of JSF progress, commissioned by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates and conducted by the US Defence Acquisition Board, was to be released on Monday (US time).

"We will, as appropriate, have access to that briefing and we will see what consequences, if any, flow," Mr Smith told reporters.

Media leaks in the US say the report predicts a further three-year delay in the program and a $US5 billion ($A5.07 billion) cost blowout.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSF is an advanced stealth multi-role combat aircraft that will be the mainstay of US and allied air forces to around mid-century.

Australia will acquire up to 100 aircraft, with the first due to enter service in 2018.

The $16 billion bill makes it Australia's most expensive ever equipment acquisition.

The JSF project has faced frequent criticism about the aircraft's costs, late delivery and doubts about it being as good as initially promised.

Mr Smith said Australia had very sensibly ensured there was plenty of scope for delays in the planned JSF delivery schedule.

"So we are confident that the 14 Joint Strike Fighters we have committed to take will be delivered on schedule," he said.

"Our schedule is to see those 14 produced effectively in 2014 in the US, for work and training to occur in the US for a period of time, and for those to be delivered here for the 2017-18 timetable."

Mr Smith said in the meantime Australian defence capability was maintained through the existing upgraded F/A-18 Hornets and the 24 new Super Hornets, now entering service.

(Sidney Morning Herald)

Pembelian Kapal Selam Harus Satu Paket

Kapal selam diesel Jerman kelas 214

JAKARTA – Rencana pembelian kapal selam oleh Kementerian Pertahanan (Kemhan) hendaknya dilakukan satu paket. Pembelian satu paket memungkinkan adanya transfer teknologi dan penyertaan industri pertahanan dalam negeri.

“Empat kapal selam yang sudah kami setujui harus dibeli dari satu negara. Perkara negara mana yang akan diajak bekerja sama, kita serahkan wewenang itu kepada Kemhan dan TNI karena mereka yang lebih paham,” kata Ketua Komisi I DPR Mahfudz Siddiq saat dihubungi di Jakarta, Minggu (21/11).

Kemhan dan TNI saat ini sedang menjajaki empat negara yang diperkirakan akan bekerja sama dalam pengadaan kapal selam. Empat negara itu ialah Jerman, Korea Selatan, Rusia, dan Prancis. Mahfudz berharap pada Januari atau Februari 2011 pemerintah sudah menetapkan kerja samanya (MoA).

Yang jelas, politisi dari PKS ini memberi catatan agar kerja sama tersebut bisa menguntungkan Indonesia, terutama dalam rangka modernisasi alutsista dan revitalisasi industri pertahanan dalam negeri.

Ditanya tentang anggaran yang dialokasikan untuk pembelian empat kapal selam ini, Mahfudz mengatakan tak begitu hapal. Dari penelusuran Koran Jakarta, harga satu kapal selam standar mencapai 300 juta dollar AS atau 2,7 triliun rupiah (kurs 9.000 rupiah/dollar AS).

Kalau yang dianggarkan empat kapal selam, berarti pemerintah membutuhkan dana hingga 10,8 triliun rupiah atau hampir setara dengan alokasi anggaran untuk modernisasi alutsista pada tahun 2011.

Dari segi terknologi, Direktur Eksekutif Lembaga Studi Pertahanan dan Studi Strategis Indonesia, Rizal Darma Putra melihat, Jerman terdepan dibandingkan tiga negara lain yang sedang dijajaki. “Jerman terkenal dengan pengalamannya membuat kapal selam diesel berteknologi canggih. Terlepas dari itu, Rizal berharap pemerintah memperhatikan keberlanjutan pemeliharaan kapal selam yang akan dibeli.

Untuk kebutuhan Indonesia, Rizal melihat bukan kapal selam dengan daya jelajah yang jauh yang dibutuhkan.

Terpenting, kapal selam yang nantinya dibeli harus mampu menjaga perairan Indonesia, terutama di selat-selat strategis yang meliputi Malaka, Lombok, Sunda, dan Makassar. “Kita membutuhkan kapal selam yang bisa menyelam secara senyap, mampu menghindar dari deteksi sonar,” katanya. Pengadaan kapal selam, tambah Rizal, amat dibutuhkan.

“Asalkan bisa menggunakan anggaran dengan cermat dan akuntabel,” katanya. Dia berharap pemerintah saat ini memprioritaskan pada modernisasi alutsista dibandingkan hal lain seperti rencana pembentukan komponen cadangan.

Menurutnya, pemerintah bisa mengesampingkan pembentukan komponen cadangan agar dananya bisa dialokasikan untuk pengadaan alutsista. Saat ini Indonesia baru memiliki dua kapal selam yang diberi nama KRI Cakra dan KRI Nanggala. Keduanya merupakan produksi Jerman dengan kelas 209/1300 yang dibuat pada tahun 1981.

Sumber : KORAN JAKARTA

SAF Conducts HIMARS Live-Firing Exercise in the US

The Singapore Armed Forces' HIMARS in action during the battery live-firing exercise.

21 November 2010 -- The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) conducted a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) battery live-firing exercise, code-named Daring Warrior, from 10 to 21 Nov 2010. About 170 personnel from 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery participated in the exercise at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA.

The battery live-firing is the first being conducted using the SAF's HIMARS, after taking delivery of the system in July this year.The exercise also featured a joint live-firing with the US Army, witnessed by Assistant Chief of General Staff (Operations) Brigadier-General Tung Yui Fai and Commanding General, United States Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill Major-General David Halverson on 19 Nov 2010. The two generals also met with the participating troops from both armies.

Training in the US allows the SAF to build up its operational capabilities and readiness, and facilitates the sharing of professional knowledge among soldiers of the two armies. The US’ support for Exercise Daring Warrior reflects the long-standing and excellent defence ties between Singapore and the US.

Mindef