News Story: Computer system for Hawkei vehicles tested

by Richard Tomkins

A C4I integral Computing System for the Australian Army's Hawkei vehicle has been tested by the government's Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, the Australian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday.

The CASG Land 121 Phase 4 project team conducted the tests at the Monegeetta Proving Ground and signed a project charter for the system with nine companies involved in the system.

CASG identified the companies as Thales Australia, Cablex, Elbit Land Systems Australia, Esterline, Harris Australia, Kongsberg, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, and Thomas Global Systems.

"Using generic vehicle architecture and a central computing concept to host various C4I systems and communications, the ICS will optimize and centralize the flow of information to the user, enabling rapid decision making and multi-tasking at levels not previously achievable on land based platforms," said Land 121 Phase 4 Project Director Col. John McLean said in a press release.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Report: Indian Defense Firms Under Pressure to Develop New Age Technology for UAVs

The Indian Army had submitted a requirement for UAVs that could fly continuously for a minimum of ten hours at the height of up to 20000 feet, covering a range of two hundred kilometers from the control station. The army is in favor of locally developed systems but it would be a big challenge for private defense firms that lack the technology.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India is planning to purchase remotely controlled aerial surveillance platforms which would provide real time inputs in the form of imagery and electronic data to fighting formations during operations. The defense ministry announced that it would be spending approximately $461 million on the purchase of forty four such aerial vehicles.

The system would be capable of carrying different kinds of surveillance payloads such as electro optic and night payload, synthetic aperture radar and electronic support measures.

"UAVs and drones are increasingly assuming importance in warfare and are used by militaries across the world for carrying out a variety of functions mainly in terms of surveillance and target acquisition, communications and now even delivery of stores in remote areas. This will considerably enhance the surveillance and reconnaissance potential of the army in the tactical battle area and beyond," Rahul Bhonsle, a retired Indian Army brigadier and defense analyst told Sputnik.

News Story: Planes from US to be used for coastal patrol

Cessna-208B Caravan (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Michael Punongbayan

MANILA, Philippines -  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be receiving two long-range patrol planes from the United States.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the US government will donate two Cessna-208B Caravan planes, which would be utilized to patrol the country’s territorial waters.

The planes are capable of intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Padilla said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the planes are due to arrive today for a scheduled turnover and blessing ceremony at Villamor Air Base.

US Ambassador Sung Kim and US Pacific Command deputy commander Lt. Gen. Bryan Fenton will present the two new Cessnas to AFP and defense officials.

Hermes 900 UAV (Image: Wiki Commons)

Earlier, President Duterte announced he would accept the offer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems.  

Duterte said he was earlier offered two high altitude UAVs as the eyes in the sky of ground troops and police forces as they enter the battlefield.  

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Lucrative friendship - Israeli firms secure R&D, investment and trade with India

By: Barbara Opall-Rome

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s top defense and aerospace firms are riding the wave of a high-profile friendship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More and more companies are benefiting from expanded defense trade, joint research and development, and a shared commitment by both leaders to augment strategic cooperation against common threats ranging from global terror to cybercrime.

With an average $1 billion in annual defense sales in recent years, India already constitutes a key export market for Israeli industry. From air-defense systems and drones to anti-tank missiles, cybersecurity and space, India is for many firms here the largest single defense market.

Just since the beginning of this year, state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries reported some $2.5 billion in new joint projects with New Delhi for medium-range and long-range surface missiles based on the Israeli-developed Barak-8 system, with state-owned Rafael Limited serving as a major subcontractor.

India also selected Rafael’s Spike anti-tank missile over a competitor by Lockheed Martin in a deal that could exceed $1 billion, industry executives say.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India Opens $3 Billion Ammo Tender for Private Sector to Curb Import Dependency

The Indian defense ministry has floated a tender for private ammunition makers in India to supply ammunition worth $3 billion to the armed forces over the next decade. Currently, 11 government-owned ordnance factories have a monopoly over the production of ammunitions.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – Last year, the Indian government approved the private sector to produce ammunition as part of the Make in India program.

The defense ministry floated a tender from a domestic private manufacturer for the supply of a range of ammunition. The list includes 125mm armor-piercing types for T-90 & T-72, 40mm multiple grenade launcher/underbarrel grenade launcher ammo, 30mm ammunition used by armored infantry carrying vehicle, 122mm grad rockets for Pinaka series and bi-modular charge system.

Twenty-five Indian companies responded to the request issued by the ministry last November. Kalyani Group, Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd and Godrej & Boyce are among the companies that responded to the bid.

News Story: India to guarantee long-term ammo contracts to private sector

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India is seeking long-term deals with domestic private sector companies for a variety of ammunition at a cost of at least $3 billion over the next decade. The initiative aims to encourage capital investments by private sector companies in ammunition manufacturing facilities.

"Currently, India solely depends for ammunition needs largely on the state enterprise Ordnance Factory Board and imports from overseas. Yet there is critical shortage in some areas of ammunition," a senior Indian Ministry of Defence official said.

Early this month, the MoD floated a request for proposals aimed at private sector companies for the supply of 500,000 rounds of 30mm high-explosive grenades (VOG-17) for automatic grenade launchers under a 10-year contract. The RFP is part of a new MoD program known as "Manufacture Of Ammunition For Indian Army By Private Indian Industry." 

"Indigenous production of ammunition requires setting up of new manufacturing and testing facilities that are capital intensive. Notwithstanding the licenses issued for the same, the industry did not find it viable to put in investments without assured sourcing by MoD. It is for the first time that MoD is now assuring orders for 10 years with pre-committed quantities to enable industry to invest capital for setting up the required facilities," the MoD official said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Think Tank: Sea, air, land and space updates (4-Apr-2017)

Zoe Glasson, Sophie Qin, Madeleine Nyst and Patrick Kennedy

Sea State

Indonesia is continuing with its program of literally blowing up illegal fishing boats in its waters. On Saturday, authorities simultaneously destroyed 81 foreign vessels at 12 different locations, in what Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti called ‘a victory for Indonesia’s war against illegal fishing’. Since ramping up its anti-poaching efforts in 2014, Indonesia’s special maritime task force Satgas 115 has captured 317 illegal boats, primarily from Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia; all have been confiscated and destroyed. The Indonesian government has linked the crackdown with its plan to revive its fisheries industry and re-establish itself as a maritime power.

Israeli defence electronics firm Elbit Systems has completed operational testing of its Seagull Unmanned Surface Vessel. The Seagull can carry out underwater mine hunting and clearing, as well as anti-diver and anti-submarine missions, enabling navies to use a single platform (with interchangeable modules) for different purposes. Its strategic value isn’t bad either—according to the brochure, Seagull’s ASW capability ‘returns the asymmetric advantage’ to those seeking to counter threats from terrorists, who are increasingly using midget submarines to target bigger and more powerful forces.

Ever heard of Project Combo? If not, you can read all about the US Navy’s Cold War plan to develop a secret communication system by mimicking sea mammal noises here.

News Story: Vietnam Buys More Defense Equipment from Israel

The Singapore variant of the SPYDER SAM System

by Chen Chuanren

Vietnam took delivery last month of a second batch of Rafael Python and Derby (SPYDER) surface-to-air missiles. The first batch was delivered last July, but that was not the first time the communist state had sourced defense equipment from Israel. And Vietnam could be the customer for a $110 million upgrade of Mil Mi-17 helicopters that Elbit Systems has recently secured from “an Asia-Pacific country.”  

Vietnam signed a deal for the SPYDER system on October 2015. Not disclosed is whether the deal was for the short-range (SR) or the medium-range (MR) variant. Mounted on the Rheinmetall MAN HX 8x8 trucks, Vietnam’s package also includes 200 Derby and Python missiles each.

Since the end of Vietnam War, Russia and Eastern-bloc states such as Romania and Ukraine have been Vietnam’s main arms suppliers. However, in the last decade Hanoi has bought Western military equipment, and in the last five years, Israeli products. The latter have included the IAI-Elta EL/M-2288 air defence radar and EL/M-2022 airborne radar for three Guardian 400 maritime patrol aircraft based on the DHC-6 Twin Otter, and supplied by Viking Air of Canada.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: ‘Make In India’ Was the Key Focus of Aero India Show

Embraer EMB-145 AEW&C with DRDO Radar

by Chris Pocock

The 11th Aero India show at Bangalore last week was bigger than ever, as foreign manufacturers vied to offer attractive “Make In India” proposals to meet the country’s substantial defense needs. Meanwhile, the country’s own long-established aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) showed the Advanced Hawk jet trainer that has been co-developed with BAE Systems, and proposed an Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH). Neither project has official backing in the form of a firm requirement or orders, but at the show HAL did sign a memorandum of understanding with the government for a large new helicopter testing and production facility in the state of Karnataka.

India’s fighter requirements were, as expected, high on the agenda. Saab made an aggressive pitch for the Gripen E, that included the proposed maritime version that could meet the Indian Navy’s requirement for 57 multi-role carrier-borne fighters. Kent-Ake Molin, commercial manager, said that Saab has “mobilized a robust global supply chain for India. We are not doing a copy and paste…the facility we will set up here will be new. Besides, we will bring in capabilities India has been wanting, such as superplastic forming and integration and use of software.” During the show, Saab Aeronautics head Ulf Nilsson told an Indian business daily that the Swedish company is talking about an Indian partnership to the Adani Group, which wants to build a 200-acre aerospace factory at Mundra. 

A Gripen took part in the flying display, and so did an F-16, another candidate for the Indian Air Force’s yet-to-be-fully-defined requirement for a new, possibly single-engine fighter to be produced in-country. But concerns about possible changes in U.S. technology transfer policy clouded Lockheed Martin’s pitch for Indian-based production of the F-16V version of the Fighting Falcon. The American company issued a statement noting that its current proposal “was supported by the Obama administration as part of a broader cooperative dialogue with the government of India…we understand that the Trump administration will want to take a fresh look at some of these programs and we stand prepared to support that effort to ensure that any deal of this importance is properly aligned with U.S. policy priorities.”

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: India Allows Private Sector to Manufacture Ammo

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has decided to reduce ammunition imports and instead procure all ammunition requirements from domestic sources. 

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) under its Make In India initiative is now encouraging the private sector to manufacture ammunition. Previously, only state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) was permitted to produce ammunition and India’s private sector was only allowed to manufacture parts of ammunition such as the shell or fuse. 

A senior Indian Army official said of the new opportunity for the private sector: “It clearly shows that the Army’s requirements are not being totally met by the OFB and import is not an option anymore.” 

Under the new policy, the MoD is willing to provide long-term commitments and firm orders of multiple types of ammunition to private players, but only at competitive prices. 

“The Indian industry was denied participation in the manufacture of ammunition, as no industrial license was issued for filling process. Thus the monopoly stayed with OFB, whose lack of capacity restricted the demand of the services, gradually leading to deficiencies over the years. It was not that the industry does not have the capability to manufacture with transfer of technology, but they have not taken any concrete action to acquire technology in this regard till now,” a senior MoD official said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Global Naval Sales Estimated at $40 Billion

Austal High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) for the Oman Navy

By: Pierre Tran

PARIS — Euronaval, a naval and maritime defense trade show, is to be held amid buoyant demand in a $40 billion world market, as navies seek to acquire ships and submarines to protect coasts, conduct surveillance over economic zones and project force with a blue water navy, said Patrick Boissier, chairman of Groupement des Industries de Construction et Activités Navales (Gican). 

Gican is a trade association that organizes the military maritime exhibition, which runs Oct. 17-19 at Le Bourget, a business center and airport just outside the French capital. The French Ministry of Defence, with support from the Direction Générale de l’Armement procurement office, the Navy and the General Secretariat of the Sea, backs the exhibition. 

The US, being the largest national naval market, is stable with annual sales of some $12 billion, Boissier told a news conference, while the region comprising Southeast Asia, India and Australia has sales worth some $12 billion, excluding future submarine deals. 

Europe has steady sales of $10-11 billion, while China and Russia each are acquiring some $3-4 billion. 

There is strong interest in submarines, with 45 countries sailing some 450 boats, he said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Philippine army to acquire more upgraded M113A2 APC Armoured Personnel Carrier

Philippine Army M113 APC (Image: Wiki Commons)

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana of Philippines vowed Tuesday, September 20, 2016, to support the acquisition of more upgraded M113A2 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) for the Philippine Army. After the close inspection of the M113A2 APC, Lorenzana emphasized that he will concentrate on the allotment of additional budget for the purchase of more APCs.

In March 2015, Philippine Army has take delivery of 28 upgraded M-113A2 armored vehicle for the Mechanized Infantry Division of the Philippine Army (PA), including 10 Fire Support Vehicles (FSV) with 76mm turret, 10 equipped with Remote Control Weapons System (RWS) and another 4 units of Armored Recovery Vehicle.

Elbit System from Israel has upgraded 28 M-113A2 granted by US Defense Security Cooperation Agency in the Philippines. 

Read the full story at Army Recognition

News Story: Elbit and ST Kinetics introduce LAND 400 CRV contender Sentinel II

by Robert Nutbrown

Team Sentinel, primed by Elbit Systems of Australia, has shown off its offering for LAND 400 Phase 2 in Tasmania, where Elphinstone would manufacture the Sentinel II combat reconnaissance vehicle, if successful.

The 8×8 Sentinel II vehicle – complete with Tassie devil paint scheme – is based on the Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ST Kinetics) TERREX 2 hull and driveline as shortlisted for the US Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle Phase 1, Increment 1 (ACV 1.1) program. Also known as the TERREX 2-35, because it has a gross vehicle mass of 35 tonnes, the Sentinel II is fitted with an upgraded drivetrain and more powerful engine.

The Sentinel II is equipped with a variant of Elbit’s manned (but convertible) MT30 turret, fitted with a 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster cannon. This turret could be changed over to the unmanned UT30 configuration in four to six hours; for instance, such a decision could be made once a vehicle has been deployed. The UT30 Mk2 has been put on vehicles for Brazil, the Philippines and Israel.

Sentinel II is fitted with the latest generation of Elbit’s battle management system, integrated with the weapons systems and defensive systems to create Weapon Integrated BMS (WINBMS).

Read the full story at ADBR

Industry: Elbit Systems of Australia Awarded Approximately $30 Million Contract for the Supply of Thermal Weapon Sights

Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) ("Elbit Systems"), announced today that its Australian subsidiary, Elbit Systems of Australia Pty Ltd (ELSA), was awarded a contract in an amount of approximately US$30 million (approximately 40 million Australian dollars) by the Department of Defence of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the supply of XACTth65 sights, a member of the Elbit Systems thermal weapon sight product family.

The ground breaking product is recognized as the category leader for its very small size, light weight (only 450 grams) and its full tactical and high performance during day and night operations. The contract, which is a part of project Land 125 phase 3c, will be performed over a two-year period.

Elbit Systems is already supplying the Australian Defence Forces with command, control and communications systems (BGC3), and is in the process of integrating those systems with various sensors.

Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, commented: "Australia is a very important market for Elbit Systems, and we are very proud to be awarded this contract, bringing this new capability and introducing technologically advanced, battle proven and networked solutions to the Australian Defence Force". Machlis added: "As the prime systems integrator for the Battle Management System, we hope to integrate the new thermal weapon sight into the C4I system and we hope we can supply even more ISTAR capabilities that will be implemented in the system".

Elbit Systems

News Story: Lockheed Martin confident of more F-16V upgrade sales

by Chris Pocock

Having secured three customers, Lockheed Martin (LM) is discussing the F-16V with five more countries, and sees potential for up to 1,000 such upgrades to the evergreen Fighting Falcon. In a briefing here at the show yesterday, the company’s F-16 business development manager Randy Howard declined to identify Taiwan, Korea and Singapore as the three committed countries.

Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is the centerpiece of the upgrade, which also includes a new mission computer with 10 times the memory and twice the power of its predecessor, a high-speed 1Gb databus, and a 6- by 8-inch center pedestal display.

The test flight program for the upgrade is due to end early next year after some 80 sorties. Taiwan is the lead customer, with some 150 aircraft to convert. AIN understands that LM has agreed to a plan for Taiwan’s AIDC to do the upgrade work on all except the first two aircraft at its Taichung facility.

Read the full story at AINonline

Think Tank: Sea, air and land updates (20-10-2015)

Alice Slevison and Mercedes Page

Sea State

On Saturday, naval warships, aircraft carriers and submarines from the US, India and Japan streamed into the Bay of Bengal as part of the Malabar exercises. A joint press release from the three countries claimed that Malabar-15 would be ‘another significant step in strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US navies.’ This year is the first year that Japan will participate as a permanent member of the Malabar exercises, having partaken as a foreign invitee in previous years.

Canada’s navy is in talks with its Spanish counterpart to deploy a Spanish replenishment ship with the Canadian fleet in the North Atlantic. Spain’s Cantabria AOR (which previously saw service in support of the RAN) has been identified by the Ottawa Post as the ship that the Royal Canadian Navy is interested in leasing. The ship is set to be deployed in 2016, and according to the Spanish Navy, it would ‘cover the Canadian navy’s temporary need of logistic support vessels’.

It’s been a busy weekend for the Chinese government as they’ve sought to use the Xiangshan Regional Defense Forum hosted in Beijing as an opportunity to downplay US fears regarding its building of artificial island in its surrounding seas. Speaking at the Forum, Fan Changolong, vice-chair of China’s Central Military Commission, said that China would ‘never recklessly resort to the use of force, even on issues bearing on sovereignty’. The Xiangshan Forum is a security dialogue China has recently upgraded as part of its efforts to increase China’s global defence influence.

News Story: USAF - Expanded Risk of Neck Damage to F-35 Pilots

By Aaron Mehta

WASHINGTON — Weeks after Defense News revealed that the military services has restricted lightweight pilots from flying the F-35 joint strike fighter, the US Air Force officially acknowledged an increased risk of neck damage during ejection to middleweight pilots as well.

In a news release issued Oct. 16, the Air Force confirmed a Defense News report that pilots who weigh less than 136 pounds are currently barred from flying the fifth-generation aircraft, expected to be the backbone of American airpower for decades to come. It also acknowledged an "elevated level of risk" for pilots between 136 and 165 pounds.

"While the probability of an ejection in this slow speed regime remains very low, estimated at one in 100,000 flight hours, the risk of a critical injury in that circumstance is currently higher than legacy fighter ejection seats," the service warned.

The seat is supposed to be certified for pilots weighing between 103 and 245 pounds.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Think Tank: ANZACs under armour - the future Australian IFV

Mitchell Yates

There’s been a lengthy and lively debate on The Strategist lately regarding the future of Australia’s surface combatants, specifically the SEA 5000 future frigate. Attracting little attention on the other hand was last months’ closure of the RFT deadline for LAND 400 Phase 2—the LAND 400 phase that will provide the Army with its future Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) capability. Given that this programme will completely redefine and reshape the Army’s ground combat capabilities, it needs greater attention.

The nature of the LAND 400 project is well known; about six months back The Strategist played host to a debate on this particular topic. But now that the Phase 2 process is well underway, it’s time to re-examine the possibilities for Phase 3. Army’s legacy fleet of M113 APCs, by the time of their complete replacement in 2030, will be almost 70 years old. The M113, which Tom Clancy once called an ‘old aluminium box’, isn’t survivable on a modern battlefield. Army’s ASLAVs wouldn’t fare much better—although acquired from the mid-1990s onwards, their original design (based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha) dates from the 1970s.

Editorial: India Commissions Largest Stealth Warship to Date

INS Kolkata, lead ship of the Kolkata class Destroyer

By Franz-Stefan Gady

The 7,500-ton stealth guided missile destroyer is New Delhi’s latest addition to its burgeoning naval arsenal.

On Wednesday, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrika commissioned the stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kochi at a ceremony held at the Mazagon naval dockyards in Mumbai, The Hindu reports.

The INS Kochi is the second in a series of three planned Kolkata-class (Project 15A) destroyers of the Indian Navy. The destroyers are designed to be multi-mission ships capable of engaging in anti-submarine/anti-ship warfare, land attacks, and air defense. Given their multi-purpose role, the destroyers are ideally suited for supporting expeditionary and surface strike groups.

An Indian defense official paraphrased by The Hindu outlined key features of the latest addition to the Indian Navy’s surface fleet:

The ship incorporates new design concepts for improved survivability, stealth, seakeeping and maneuverability. (…)Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar-transparent deck fittings. A bow mounted sonar dome, the second of its kind in an indigenous naval platform, has been introduced to enhance sonar acoustic performance.

With a crew of 325 and powered by four gas turbines, the 7,500-ton vessel boasts a speed in excess of 30 knots and has a range of approximately 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 kilometers, 9,200 miles).

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Team Sentinel's Land 400 Bid revealed

Team Sentinel, primed by Elbit Systems of Australia (ELSA), has put forward their SENTINEL II platform in response to the Commonwealth of Australia’s Land 400 Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability (MCRC) request for tender.

The SENTINEL II is an integrated combination of the in-service Singapore Technologies Kinetics TERREX 8X8, the in-production Elbit Land System’s MT30 turret, and a networked combat system forming the next generation generation of the Australian Army’s current Battle Management System. 

“The SENTINEL II is optimised for mounted close combat with the capability and capacity to meet emerging and future threats. It is a highly protected, lethal and flexible combat reconnaissance platform with a battle proven networked combat system at its core,” Dan Webster, Managing Director of ELSA said.

Named after the first Australian built armoured fighting vehicle, the SENTINEL II will be manufactured and supported in Australia by a team of Australian partners with proven experience in advanced manufacturing capability and delivery. Team Sentinel has plans to produce and further develop the SENTINEL II in Australia, ensuring ongoing sustainment and growth of Australian defence technology skills and capability.

Read the full story at Australian Defence