News Report: India, Japan Set to Ink Record $1.3 Billion Amphibious Aircraft Deal

ShinMayWa US-2 Amphibious Aircraft (Image: Wiki Commons)

During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India, the countries are expected to finally seal the US-2 amphibious aircraft deal, the negotiations on which had been halted since 2010 because of its “excessive price.”

Abe arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review progress in the strategic partners' multifaceted cooperation.

While the main focus is going to be on the high speed railway groundbreaking ceremony, India and Japan are expected to deepen their cooperation on defense and nuclear technologies.

India is likely to finalize purchases of the US-2 amphibious aircraft ShinMayWa in what may become Japan's largest defence export deal. India plans to buy 12 of these aircraft off-the-shelf for the Navy and another 18 will be jointly manufactured in India under the Prime Minister Modi's "Make in India" programme.

News Story: Indonesian Fighter Requirements Aired at Local Show

by David Donald

Indonesia has outlined a need for up to 200 new fighters over the next 15 years to meet its minimum force ambitions. Most pressing is the need to replace 14 Squadron’s elderly Northrop F-5E/Fs, and funding has been allocated for that in the current (2015-2019) five-year spending plan. Although selection of the Sukhoi Su-35 has been “announced,” no contract has been signed, and Western manufacturers have good reason to believe that it is still an open competition.

Apart from the merits and costs of the aircraft themselves, an important consideration is Indonesia’s Law 16, which calls for the development of the country’s own aerospace/defense industry and governs the conditions under which foreign companies can compete, including the need to provide 35 percent of the contract value in direct offsets and 50 percent indirectly.

At the Indodefence show in Jakarta this week Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin and Saab outlined their offers. Eurofighter, represented by Airbus, is offering the latest AESA-equipped Typhoon and is emphasizing its swing-role capability. This year Airbus celebrates 40 years of collaboration with Indonesia’s airframer, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), which has resulted in licensed production and co-development of helicopters and transport aircraft. Airbus sees an industrial share in the Typhoon program as a logical next step, and could even set up a final assembly line at PTDI’s Bandung facility if selected.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: India Resolves US-2 Aircraft Price Issue With Japan

ShinMaywa US-2 Amphibious Aircraft (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The first-ever defense deal between India and Japan is back on track after two years as Japan has offered a price concession for the purchase of 12 US-2 amphibious aircraft for the Indian Navy, according to an official with the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD). 

"Japan has offered a price concession of more than 10 percent per aircraft from $133 million per aircraft to around $113 million, and the $1.35 billion government to government deal for US-2 amphibious aircraft is now ready for finalization," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity 

Shortly after coming to power in mid-2014 and during his first overseas visit to Japan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his wish to buy US-2 amphibious aircraft, made by ShinMaywa of Japan, for the Indian Navy. 

However, negotiations suffered as the Japanese refused to lower the quoted price of $133 million per aircraft. 

Japanese Embassy diplomats here were unavailable for comment.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Japan-India Nexus in South China Sea ‘Disgraceful’ Says China

ShinMaywa US-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

Japan is interested in reviving an almost ‘dead deal’ regarding the sale of 12 amphibious aircraft to India to counter Chinese actions in the South China Sea.

Japan has been trying to convince India to purchase 12 Shinmaywa US 2 amphibious aircraft, a deal which was previously considered dead in the water. Moreover, Japan is willing to sell the fleet of aircraft at a bargain basement price of less than $1.6 billion. 

This has provoked a strong reaction from the Chinese government as it believes that Japan’s move is aimed at forming a nexus with India in order to counter China at the South China Sea. 

News Story: Contractors Hope for Movement in Japanese Defense Market

ATD-X Shinshin Stealth Fighter, development Prototype for the F-3

By: Paul Kallender-Umezu

TOKYO — Several nascent procurement plans offer some hope of increased revenues for Japan’s top military contractors, but the overall picture could remain business as usual without either a radical increase in defense spending post-2018, when Japan will release its new Mid-Term Defense Program (MTDP), or a major breakthrough in overseas weapons sales.

Japan’s defense budget request, unveiled in late August, requests 5.17 trillion yen ($50.6 billion), an increase of 2.3 percent over the current amount, and will include 100 billion yen ($980 million) to upgrade PAC-3 missile batteries to PAC-3 MSE and account for rising F-35 costs, according to local media reports.

But a radical rise in the budget or overseas sales success looks unlikely unless the prospect of an actual armed conflict with China emerges, or Japanese contractors and the Japanese defense establishment works much harder to sell internationally, according to analysts.

Japan’s defense procurement is governed by MTDPs that decide exactly how many and what type of weapon systems and programs will be required over a five-year period. Equipment is then bought by the Self-Defense Forces in small, annual lots. While the self-contained system provides a stable annual income for five years, it leaves little room or incentive for major contractors such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Mitsubishi Electric Corp., NEC Corp., Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), IHI Ltd. or Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. to invest in major new weapon platforms, and it leaves them inexperienced in international contract bidding. 

A case in point is this year’s loss to French shipbuilder DCNS by an MHI and KHI-led consortium to convince the Royal Australian Navy to purchase 12 advanced Soryu-class submarines in a deal worth up to $40 billion, despite the vaunted stealth superiority of the Japanese submarines, and their advanced propulsion systems.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Japan, Thailand eyeing arms deal

Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft

TOKYO -- Japan and Thailand are looking into a deal that would essentially make them limited defense partners.

Tokyo is considering a contract that would allow transfers of defense equipment to Thailand and call for technological cooperation with the country, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Thailand is interested in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 patrol aircraft and US-2 large amphibious rescue aircraft.

Japan wants to get between Beijing and Thailand's military government, and the cooperation deal could serve as an effective wedge.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Tuesday will meet Prawit Wongsuwan, Thailand's deputy prime minister and defense minister, in Bangkok to discuss the defense equipment deal.

Read the full story at Nikkei

Editorial: India and Japan Boost Ties During Abe Visit

Image: Flickr User - Anoop Divakaran K

By Harsh V. Pant

Tokyo and New Delhi get serious about deepening their partnership.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in India last week to take part in the 9th annual India-Japan summit talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi.

Both leaders evaluated the state of their “special strategic and global partnership” as well as reviewed the implementation of various decisions taken over the last year on the economic and trade front. During Modi’s visit last year, Japan had announced the doubling of its private and public investment in India, to about $34 billion, over a period of five years. The two leaders wanted to ensure that the momentum in economic ties is maintained — and they did not disappoint.

The biggest announcement during Abe’s visit was the Indian decision to adopt Japanese bullet train technology for its first high-speed railway. This 505 km corridor linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad will be financed by a Japanese loan at just 0.5 percent interest. This is significant for both Japan and India. Earlier this year, Japan lost out to China in bidding to build a high-speed railway in Indonesia. And India has been concerned about China’s growing role in infrastructure development in South Asia over the last decade. This decision brings Japan to the center stage of infrastructure development in India. Abe underscored this by expressing his commitment to support India’s efforts by sharing advanced skills and technologies and through the active mobilization of Japanese public and private sector involvement, including Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), of which India is one of the largest recipients.

In line with the Modi government’s “Make in India” initiative, a broader defense agreement underpinning joint development of weapon systems was unveiled. The framework will enhance Indo-Japanese defense and security cooperation by making available defense equipment and technology necessary to implement joint research and joint production. Japan will also now permanently join India and the United States for the annual Malabar exercises.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Abe's Upcoming India Visit - Breaking New Ground in Japan-India Relations

By Rupakjyoti Borah

The trip could see some further boosts to cooperation between the two Asian giants.

On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will begin his three day visit to India, where he will meet his counterpart, Narendra Modi.

This will be the ninth time for Japan and India to hold annual summit-level talks at the prime ministerial level. Relations between the two countries began to pick up during Abe’s previous term, and he was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2014 during the tenure of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a first for any Japanese premier. That is an indicator of the fact that closer ties with Japan enjoys bipartisan support in India.

During his visit, apart from the regular meetings he will hold, Abe is also expected to visit Varanasi, which is also the Lok Sabha constituency of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A partnership city arrangement was signed between Varanasi and Kyoto during Modi’s visit to Japan last year.

What is the significance of Abe’s visit? There are five points to keep in mind that provide important context for both what is likely to occur during this visit as well as the backdrop against which it is occurring.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Japan-India Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Deal May Come Before the New Year

US-2 Flying boat (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Ankit Panda

Tokyo and New Delhi may complete four year long negotiations on the sale of Japan’s US-2 surveillance aircraft to India.

I’ve been writing on Japan-India relations for years and it seems like a highly anticipated deal for the sale of Japanese-made Shinmaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft has been just around the corner since at least 2011. Now, the Japan Times reports that the two countries are likely to at long last reach “a broad defense accord” when Shinzo Abe visits New Delhi from December 11 to 13. New Delhi and Tokyo, under their strategic global partnership, hold annual prime ministerial summits (each affords this privilege to no other country). The deal, once completed, would signal a major step forward in India-Japan security ties, building on parallel developments including Japan’s bid to join the U.S.-India Malabar naval exercises as a permanent member.

Negotiations for a US-2 sale to India began in Japan under the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) governments of Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda. The amphibious aircraft sale issue was swiftly picked up by Abe’s government, which has sought to expand Japan’s role as a defense exporter in Asia. In April 2014, the Abe administration formally altered Japan’s decades-old self-imposed ban on selling arms, which effectively blocked Japanese firms from participating in global defense commerce. (For more background on Japan’s export policies, see here.) Meanwhile, Japan and India, though close strategic partners whose ties have only grown since Shinzo Abe and Narendra Modi rose to the helm of the bilateral, have no formal government-to-government channels to negotiate arms sales.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Japan’s New Approach to Defense Technology

Japan's Soryu class Submarine is being offered to Australia

By Crystal Pryor

A look at Japan’s new Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency and its recent Defense Technology Symposium

Western media outlets (such as the Wall Street Journal and The Economist) focused on the controversial security legislation Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed through the Japanese parliament in September. Yet Western media have paid far less attention to another significant change now well underway. In June of this year, legislation passed for the establishment of a new defense acquisitions agency under Japan’s Ministry of Defense. The new Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) opened its doors for business on October 1.

The purpose of ATLA is to bring together disparate parts of the Ministry of Defense working on defense R&D, procurement, and exports under one roof. The goal is to improve efficiency, and eliminate organizational bureaucracy and duplication. Compared to similar agencies in Japan’s peer countries like the United Kingdom and France, ATLA is small, at 1,800 people and with a budget of about 2 trillion yen ($16.3 billion). Yet this is a massive agency by Japanese standards, representing a third of the total MOD budget. Creation of ATLA follows MOD’s shift away from the 1970 policy of indigenous development and production (former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s kokusanka houshin) to its new “Strategy for Defense Production and Technological Bases.”

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: The Trouble With Japan's Defense Exports

US-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Mina Pollmann

Opening Japan’s defense industry to the international market is a significant step, but it won’t happen overnight.

On April 1, 2014, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted Japan’s arms embargo and established the “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology [PDF],” which allows Japan to export arms after proposals go through a rigorous screening process to ensure that the sale would promote international peace and Japan’s security. Even though the move to export arms has not garnered nearly as much attention nor controversy as Abe’s other security initiatives, this is a significant change in Japan’s defense posture.

Fast-forward a year and a half — Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) created the 1,800-person strong Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) on October 1 of this year to deal with many of the practical challenges that remain to implement this new export policy. A staff of 50 within ATLA will be dedicated specifically to arms export promotion.

On this historic occasion, this article will discuss what has motivated Abe’s new policy direction and explore the road ahead for Japan’s government and arms industry [PDF]. Even though the Japanese government is motivated by both industrial and strategic concerns, uncertainty about how these changes will be implemented and the lack of international demand for Japanese arms will pose major difficulties. The high-profile proposals with India and Australia, concerning the US-2 search and rescue aircraft and the Soryu submarine, respectively, are unusual, and in the future Japan is more likely to focus on expanding the exports of smaller parts rather than such big-ticket items.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Japan Wants to Streamline Its Defense Industry

Image: Wiki Commons

By Yuki Tatsumi

Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) is an attempt to overhaul its approach to defense tech.

On October 1, 2015, the Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) implemented a major reorganization. The reorganization effort focuses on streamlining a policy- and decision-making processes on two of its key functions — operation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and acquisition of defense equipment.

In particular, the establishment of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) — Bouei Soubi-cho in Japanese — is a move that has been much anticipated among those who are interested in seeing more robust cooperation between the United States and Japan in defense technology. Ever since Abe administration announced the new three principles for Japan’s defense equipment transfers, many have pointed out the need for the MOD to streamline its own defense acquisition process, strategize Japan’s defense technology policy, and facilitate private sector efforts to pursue collaboration with non-Japanese firms.

The report issued on September 30 [PDF]— the eve of ATLA’s official launch — by a JMOD advisory group on defense technology and equipment transfer directly speaks to this need. Released with the anticipation of ATLA being launched not too long after its publication, the report discusses in detail the critical importance for Japan to have a coherent defense industrial policy, so that Japan can optimize defense industrial cooperation and equipment transfer to benefit Japan’s strategic interests.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: With His Reelection As LDP President, Shinzo Abe Is Firmly in the Saddle

By Rupakjyoti Borah

With his reelection as LDP president, Shinzo Abe appears to be immovable.

The recent reelection of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan means that he will continue as the head of that party through September 30, 2018. Abe’s reelection is significant in more ways than one. No other leader of the LDP has been elected unopposed since 1997.

So what does Abe’s reelection mean for Japanese domestic politics and for the country’s foreign policy?

First, it means that in spite of the disaffection among many sections of the Japanese populace over Abe’s insistence on passing controversial security legislation, his popularity remains strong. When finally passed into law (by the end of the current session of the Diet on September 27), these bills stand to allow Japanese troops to fight on foreign shores for the first time since the Second World War.

Second, it means that there is no one within the LDP who can challenge Abe. The only other “potential” rival candidate, Seiko Noda, had to drop out of the race as she could not gather the support of the requisite number (20) of LDP Diet members.

Third, it means that Abe now has a renewed mandate to carry on his so-called programme of economic revival, more popularly known as “Abenomics,” which brought him to power in the first place.

Fourth, it means that this victory will allow Abe to carry on with his bold steps in the field of nuclear energy, as exemplified by the restarting of reactor number one at Sendai, run by Kyushu Electric Power, earlier in August this year.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Vietnam and India-US Cooperation

By Sylvia Mishra and Pushan Das

Stronger U.S. ties with Vietnam nicely complement India’s Act East policy and its own strategic outreach to Vietnam.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the restoration of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations. Over the years, the two countries have enjoyed a gradual normalization of ties, with a major fillip given recently by the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. Washington’s engagement with Vietnam is an important indicator of America’s political commitment in the region. Carter’s visit to Vietnam was also closely followed by policymakers in India – as Carter said at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, the U.S. is looking for ways to complement India’s Act East policy. U.S.-Vietnam engagement could well act as a catalyst for India’s own growing ties with Vietnam. Over the last few years, Hanoi’s importance has been rising in New Delhi, owing in part to the latter’s Act East policy, and in part to energy security concerns and Vietnam’s geostrategic importance in maintaining regional balance.

Starting in the early 1960s, India has steadily built political ties with Vietnam, regarding the country as India’s “most trusted friend and ally.” Notwithstanding the close engagement, though, the partnership remained largely at the political and diplomatic level, with little progress on the economic and security front. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi injecting new vigor into India’s Act East policy, Vietnam has became central to India’s strategic calculus as one of the anchor countries of India’s policy in the region.

For India, the foundations for more robust strategic and security ties were laid during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Vietnam in 2010. Further progress was made in September 2014, with the visit by President Pranab Mukherjee. Broadening the scope of the India-Vietnam partnership, during October 2014, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung paid a state visit to India and signed a joint statement affirming Vietnam as an important pillar of India’s foreign policy, while also concluding multiple memorandums. This evolving relationship is receiving a further boost from American policies towards Vietnam.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: How Japan Plans to Conquer the Global Arms Market

ShinMaywa US-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Franz-Stefan Gady

Tokyo’s first arms exhibition in decades illustrates its ambitions to become a global supplier of military hardware.

Japan’s first arms exhibition since the end of World War II is currently underway in the port city of Yokohama, in close proximity to the U.S. and Japanese naval bases in Yokosuka.

The three-day event (May 13-15), co-organized by the Japanese government and a private British company as well as supported by the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet Command and the Australian Department of Defense, is meant to promote Japan’s advanced arms industry and is particularly focused on maritime security and surveillance, as well as disasters and rescue operations.

Amidst growing regional tensions, the Japanese government lifted a self-imposed weapons export ban last April, although Tokyo cautioned that it will “continue to adhere to the course it has taken to date as a peace-loving country.”

The arms fair also coincided with the adaptation of two bills by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet that would ease the deployment of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces abroad (see: “Japan’s Global SDF Will Need These Two Laws”).

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Japan Hosts First Global Arms Fair

ShinMaywa US-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

TOKYO — Japan on Wednesday began its first ever military trade fair, with a particular focus on maritime security at a time of rising regional tensions over territorial squabbles.

The three-day fair, organized by a private British company with the backing of Japan's defense and trade ministries, comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes to boost the role and capability of his well-equipped military.

Amongst other things, that means re-thinking their rules of engagement to allow them to fight to defend an ally — something most administrations have said was impossible under Japan's pacifist constitution.

The government has also moved to lessen restrictions on the home-grown weapons industry, allowing it to sell more hardware abroad in an effort to boost the sector.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Japan Unlikely To Join Indian Sub Tender

Japanese Soryu class Submarine

By Vivek Raghuvanshi and Paul Kallender-Umezu

NEW DELHI and TOKYO — Japan has shown little interest in competing its Soryu-class submarines in the Indian Navy's $12 billion tender for six conventional air independent propulsion (AIP) subs, an Indian Defence Ministry source said.

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar asked his counterpart, Gen Nakatani, during their March 30-31 meeting in Tokyo, to offer the Soryu but the Japanese side remained "non committal," the MoD source added.

Indian Navy officials and submarine experts are also divided about whether the Soryu class could serve Indian Navy requirements.

"To make a comparison with German 214 or Scorpene, the Soryu-class is considerably larger than either the Type 214, Scorpene or even the Russian improved Kilo, and can carry a much heavier weapons load," said Probal Ghosh, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. "They are seemingly quieter and longer-ranged than the other boats on the market. Cost-wise it is comparable to the other subs. But the designed life of Japanese subs is only 20 years, which is much less than what the other subs are designed for."

Some officials also wondered whether the Soryu can fire Indian-made missiles.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indonesia mulls buying Japan’s US-2 amphibious aircraft, defense chief says

ShinMaywa US-2 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said Monday his government is considering the possibility of buying the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan.

“We feel (there’s a match) and we wish to buy. We’re still mulling (this), and if we already finish (the assessment) we will report to the president about this,” Ryacudu said in an interview.

The US-2 is built by ShinMaywa Industries Ltd., based in Hyogo Prefecture.

The Indonesian defense minister said the US-2 is well suited for the geographical conditions of Indonesia, a country of thousands of islands.

Read the full story at Japan Times

Editorial: India and Japan Continue to Deepen Their Defense Ties

ShinMaywa US-2 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

By Franz-Stefan Gady

China is driving Asia’s second- and third-biggest military spenders closer.

Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has embarked on a four-day visit to Japan this week. The purpose of Parrikar’s visit – his first overseas trip since becoming defense minister in November 2014 – is to strengthen defense ties between India and Japan in the face of China’s growing military might in the region.

Parrikar already had meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and  his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani. Today, he also met with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

According to a press statement by the Indian and Japanese defense ministers, both countries want to make the area of defense equipment and technology a “key pillar of bilateral defense relations.”  An Indian press release noted that the Indian defense minister, “welcomed Japan’s initiative to strengthen bilateral ties and said that Japan is a privileged partner of India in ‘Make in India’ including in defence equipment and technology sector.” 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: India and Japan Inch Closer to Surveillance Aircraft Deal

ShinMaywa US-2 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

By Ankit Panda

New Delhi and Tokyo are inching closer to finalizing a deal for the sale of Japan’s US-2 amphibious aircraft to India.

As India and Japan continue to strategically converge amid mutual fears regarding China’s rise, they have deepened their defense cooperation. Notably, India will likely be Japan’s first export partner for military hardware under Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s principles on defense equipment exports. The Japanese government recently lifted its decades-old self-imposed ban on exporting weaponry to other countries.

The two governments look all set to conclude a landmark deal for the sale of Japanese amphibious search and rescue (SAR) aircraft, a deal that has been in the works for years. India will likely purchase 12 ShinMaywa US-2 short take-off and landing (STOL) SARs this year (down from an earlier estimate of 15). Negotiations for the sale of the US-2 began in 2011 under the Democratic Party of Japan, first under Prime Minister Naoto Kan and then under Yoshihiko Noda.

ShinMaywa US-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

The US-2 itself is a reliable and capable surveillance aircraft with a range of around 4,700 km, capable of transporting its crew and cargo from Indian territory to anywhere in the Indian Ocean region within 3 hours; its most notable feature is its ability to take-off and land at sea. Once acquired, India will likely station the US-2s off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, using the aircraft to conduct surveillance of the eastern Indian Ocean region. Indian military sources have also told the press that the US-2 will allow the Indian military to support friendly vessels in Southeast Asian waters, potentially detecting pirates and other threats. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat