News Story: Turkey Delivers Upgraded F-16s to Pakistan

Pakistani F-16 Fighter (Image: Wiki Commons)

By BURAK EGE BEKDIL

ANKARA — Turkey has delivered the last four F-16 fighter aircraft it upgraded for the Pakistani Air Force, the company tasked with the work said Sept. 2.

Turkey’s aerospace powerhouse, Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), said in a written statement that it concluded the Pakistani F-16 upgrade program by delivering the last four aircraft to the Pakistani Air Force.

The program involved avionics and structural modernization for 41 Pakistani F-16s.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: (South Korea's) Fighter procurement projects pick up speed

Concept Model of the KFX Fighter (File Photo)

By Song Sang-ho

South Korea’s mega projects to develop indigenous fighters and purchase stealth warplanes are picking up pace as Seoul plans to approve crucial administrative steps at the national defense acquisition program committee in September.

At the committee, top defense officials are to approve the bidding plan for the “KFX project” to develop home-built fighters, and the result of negotiations for the FX stealth fighter procurement project will be reported, sources said.

After giving public notice of the bids for the KFX project this month, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration plans to pick the preferred bidder in November and sign a contract on the system development in December. Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole fighter maker, is likely to be chosen as the system developer.

Read the full story at KoreaHerald

Think Tank: Why Japan’s collective self-defence is so politicised

Author: T J Pempel, Berkley

On 1 July, the Abe Cabinet issued a reinterpretation of Japan’s longstanding self-imposed ban on the right of collective self-defence. It was justified as a minimalist countermeasure to the increasingly severe security environment posed by a rising China and an unpredictable, nuclearised North Korea. But the reinterpretation fell well short of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s long-cherished goal of formally amending the constitution and eradicating what he and others criticise as the Japan’s over-reliance on US security guarantees as well as its collective naiveté ‘about the minimum necessary measures for our self-defence’.

Japan, Abe argues, must prepare to share security burdens commensurate with that of a ‘responsible’ global and regional power.

From this perspective, the reinterpretation represented little more than a logical next step in a long sequence of prior security changes, including: expanding the defence perimeter of the Maritime Self-Defense Forces; deploying the Self-Defense Forces abroad to support United Nations peacekeeping operations and US military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq; boosting the status of the Defense Agency to that of a full-fledged ministry; and enhancing trilateral military cooperation between the US, Australia and Japan.

AUS: Coalition fleet sails for warfare at sea

LCDR Lauren Rago (author), ABIS Tom Gibson (photographer)

<< Four ships from the eight-strong coalition fleet prepare to sail from Darwin for major warfare activities at sea during Exercise KAKADU 2014.

The KAKADU 2014 fleet has sailed from Darwin to conduct major maritime warfare serials in the North Australian Exercise Area including gunnery, air defence, flying operations and more.

The eight-strong fleet of warships includes the Royal Australian Navy’s HMA Ships Sydney, Stuart, Arunta and Newcastle, the Japanese Navy’s JS Hatazake, the Pakistan Navy’s PNS Saif and PNS Nasr and the Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcraz.

In support of the exercise are fixed wing aircraft ranging from Fast Jets to AP-3C and helicopters from Australia, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines and New Zealand.

AUS: Exercise KAKADU sea phase kicks off with Action Stations

By: LEUT Des Paroz (author), LSIS Paul McCallum (photographer)

<< Leading Seaman Combat Systems Operator Josh Little shows Commander Larry Cesista of the Philippine Navy, his console during warfare exercises for Exercise KAKADU 2014.

At 0900 hours on Sunday 31 August, HMAS Sydney took the lead of 'Blue Force' Task Group 628.1, consisting of JS Hatakaze from Japan and BRP Ramon Alcaraz from the Philippines, sailing in formation from Darwin Harbour to kick off the sea phases of Exercise KAKADU 2014.

Exercise KAKADU is focused on developing high-end naval warfighting skills, and so day one of the exercise started with the Task Group going straight to Action Stations for a series of gunnery, air defence, damage control and flying exercises.

Taking charge of Task Group 628.1, Sydney’s Commanding Officer, Commander Karl Brinckmann, welcomed the opportunity to work with the Japanese destroyer and the Philippine frigate for the exercise.

USA: Blue Ridge Completes Exercise with ROK Navy, Improves Joint Operational Capabilities

USS Blue Ridge (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jacob Waldrop

BUSAN, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and embarked 7th Fleet staff departed Busan, Republic of Korea Aug. 30 after conducting joint exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2014 (UFG 14) with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy during a 17-day port visit.

The exercise enhances combat readiness and interoperability by utilizing cooperative training and engagement between ROK and U.S. forces in the region. 

"UFG 14 was the first use of a combined ROK-U.S. Naval Component Commander (NCC) staff," said Capt. Chris Budde, UFG 14 Combined Maritime Operations Center (CMOC) director. "The CMOC concept exceeded all expectations by significantly improving the effectiveness of the navy component in the fight and further cemented the ROK-U.S. alliance."

News Story: 6 reefs turned into islets by China in disputed Spratlys

<< An aerial shot of the Johnson South Reef in the South China Sea taken between late June and early July 2014. (Internet photo)

China's proactive campaign to claim most of the South China Sea has taken another step forward after satellite images revealed that six reefs in the disputed Spratly Islands have been effectively turned into islets through land reclamation activities over the last six months, reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.

Since February, China has been busy sending construction teams to various reefs in the Spratlys, which are effectively controlled by China but also claimed by the Philippines. Sources have revealed that six of the reefs–Johnson South, Gaven, Cuarteron, Fiery Cross, Hughes and Eldad–have been transformed into islets, with all but the Eldad Reef given specific "birthdays" in July by Chinese authorities.

Satellite images of the Johnson South Reef from July indicate that China has added a new pier and planted coconut trees along with other new infrastructure such as roads and buildings, turning the once predominantly rocky and sandy reef into an apple-shaped white island. Google Earth images from late June still revealed a significant amount of construction equipment on the islet.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: Xi calls for innovation in 'new military revolution'

Chinese president Xi Jinping has called for more innovation in the country's military as the world is witnessing a "new military revolution."

"The world's new military revolution has come at the same time as opportunities and challenges for China and we must develop foresight and insight into these developments," said Xi while presiding over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Friday.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, urged all party members to be more aware of military issues, defense and military build-up and military preparedness, and to give more support to the country's national defense and military reforms.

"The world is in a stage of accelerated evolution and profound adjustment," Xi said, stating that progress in the military sector is tied primarily to the IT sector.

Read the full story at Want China Times

Editorial: Australia to Join International Forces in Iraq

By Kevin Placek

Tony Abbott announces that Australia will provide humanitarian aid and equipment.

Citing the rapidly escalating threat posed by the violent Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) movement across northern and western Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced on August 31 that Australia will join an international coalition, led by the United States, to assist “anti-ISIL forces” in Iraq. At Washington’s request, Australia will join the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Italy in providing an airlift of military equipment to the Kurds.

Australia will also participate in a humanitarian airdrop in Amreli in northern Iraq, which has faced a two-month long siege by Islamic State militants although recent reports suggest that Iraqi security forces have now regained control over the city. This follows on from an earlier humanitarian airdrop by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to Yazidi civilians who were trapped by ISIL forces on Mount Sinjar.

Abbott also announced that an Australian C-17 aircraft will be airlifting equipment and supplies to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Kurdish Peshmerga troops are seen as a vital link in pushing back against ISIL’s ambitious expansion into northern Iraq, playing a major role in the retaking of Mosul Dam last month. They will be provided with light infantry weapons, mortars, ammunition, and rocket propelled grenades. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

USA: U.S., Partner-nations Conduct Humanitarian Airdrop in Iraq

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2014 – American military planes along with Australian, French and British aircraft airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amirli in Iraq, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement issued today.

U.S. aircraft also conducted airstrikes against nearby ISIL terrorists in order to support the humanitarian mission, Kirby said in his statement.

Kirby’s statement reads as follows:

“At the request of the Government of Iraq, the United States military today airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amirli, home to thousands of Shia Turkomen who have been cut off from receiving food, water, and medical supplies for two months by ISIL. The United States Air Force delivered this aid alongside aircraft from Australia, France and the United Kingdom who also dropped much needed supplies.

“In conjunction with this airdrop, U.S. aircraft conducted coordinated airstrikes against nearby ISIL terrorists in order to support this humanitarian assistance operation.

“These military operations were conducted under authorization from the Commander-in-Chief to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to prevent an ISIL attack on the civilians of Amirli. The operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to address this emerging humanitarian crisis and protect the civilians trapped in Amirli.

“The U.S. military will continue to assess the effectiveness of these operations and work with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as international partners including the Government of Iraq, the United Nations, and non-government organizations to provide humanitarian assistance in Iraq as needed.”

US DoD