South Korea and Lockheed team up to build and export Aegis warships

Aegis, one of the most advanced naval defence systems, is designed to simultaneously track and destroy a multiple number of incoming missiles.

US defence group Lockheed Martin and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries will team up to build and export mid-size warships equipped with advanced Aegis weapons systems, an official said Wednesday. They signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May 2006 to jointly produce Aegis-equipped guided missile ships, Hyundai Heavy spokesman Cho Woo-Tae told. Cho said it is thought to be very rare for Lockheed to partner with a foreign company to produce Aegis-equipped vessels for possible sale to a third country. Aegis, one of the most advanced naval defence systems, is designed to simultaneously track and destroy a multiple number of incoming missiles. Asked why the agreement was not made public for three years, the spokesman said Hyundai Heavy rarely discloses MoUs. "I believe Lockheed decided to disclose it to the media probably because there is some progress in looking for buyers."

Hyundai Heavy is the world's biggest shipbuilder. "The idea is that the partnership would make it possible to build high profit-margin warships at a reasonable price," said Cho. Concrete terms need to be fixed but the two firms could produce 4,000 to 6,000-ton ships under the joint project, Cho said. He added the vessels could be sold to third countries such as India but no firm decisions had been made given the sensitivity of the technology. South Korea's navy in May 2007 launched its first Aegis-equipped warship, the 7,600-ton Sejong the Great, jointly built by Hyundai and Lockheed. It was used to track North Korea's long-range rocket launch in April, along with US Aegis ships. South Korea plans to launch a second Aegis destroyer in 2010 and a third in 2012, in an attempt to keep up with the naval powers of Japan and China.

Read More

U.S. faces logistics nightmare in Iraq

The U.S. military is grappling with a logistics nightmare as it starts to withdraw from Iraq -- how to move an incredible amount of weapons and equipment from 283 military installations across the country. The Los Angeles Times recently dubbed the withdrawal of most of the 140,000 U.S. troops from Iraq, with all their impedimenta, "one of the biggest relocations of military hardware and manpower in recent years." And as befits a logistics operation of such massive dimensions, snafus and problems abound. These include the political nail-biting of allies like Kuwait and Turkey balking at having this vast array of military might transported through their territory, or even stored there. he bulk of the hundreds of thousands of tons of equipment -- worth $16.5 billion according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office -- is likely to be taken out of Iraq overland through Turkey to the north, Jordan in the west and Kuwait in the south for onward shipping to the United States or destinations in the Middle East and Asia.

But, according to the GAO, the Americans do not have enough heavy equipment transport to ensure the smooth removal of more than 170,000 items of equipment moved into the Iraqi theater of operations since the March 2003 invasion. For starters, the GAO noted in a March 23 report, there is no central coordination unit to oversee the removal of all the equipment, which could require as many 120,000 shipping containers. "No unified structure exists to coordinate the teams and units engaged in efforts to manage and execute the return of materiel and equipment," the report said. Some of the U.S. equipment will be transferred to Iraqi forces. "If it doesn't make sense to bring it home, we're looking at opportunities to help the Iraqis stand up their units," said Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dowd, logistics director for the U.S. Central Command that oversees all U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Other materiel will be shipped to help equip the U.S. military buildup in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater, now the main war zone against al-Qaida and the Taliban. But the Pentagon would like a lot to be transferred to military depots across the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf states of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar where massive warehousing facilities are available, as well as Jordan and possibly even Israel. This equipment would be put in storage for deployment in future military operations in the region, mirroring similar equipment pre-positioning following the 1990-91 Gulf War against Iraq to liberate Kuwait.

"It will primarily be the big gear, stuff like MRAPS (mine resistant ambush protected vehicles) and tanks," said Dowd. "So we don't have to move and lift the heavy stuff." The military is not saying what's going where, or in what quantities. But in the past, Kuwait and Qatar have each permitted the Americans to stockpile enough equipment, including M2A2 Abrams main battle tanks, artillery and other gear for one heavy brigade. However, even with the specter of conflict with Iran hovering over the horizon, the Gulf states appear to be jumpy about allowing huge amounts of stockpiled U.S. equipment -- albeit without the troops to man them -- on their territory. Kuwait, for instance, has said it wants to limit the U.S. footprint on its turf and that only equipment for the defense of the emirate could be stored there even though the emirate still exists as a sovereign state only because U.S.-led forces liberated from Saddam Hussein's clutches in 1991.

In Turkey, Prime Minister Tayyep Erdogan, who opposed the 2003 invasion, said in March that he would be willing to allow the United States to pull out its troops through his country. But it remains unclear whether that will cover all their equipment as well. The GAO stressed in its report that the withdrawal would involve "a massive and expensive effort" that is likely to boost rather than reduce Iraq-related expenditure during the pullout and for years afterward. "Although reducing troops would appear to lower costs," withdrawals from earlier conflicts have shown the costs invariably rise in the near term, it said. It suggested no figures for this. But it stressed that the bill for equipment repairs and replacement, along with closing or turning over the 283 bases to Iraqi authority "will likely be significant."

Read More

Israel's Tavor gives the bullet to US-made M-16

Fondly patting his dust-covered rifle at the end of day-long shooting practice, Israeli platoon commander Afik Soher says he wouldn't replace it with any other. Israel's army is gradually phasing out the veteran US-made M-16 assault rifle in favour of the modern, home-produced Tavor, which has become a symbol of pride for the Givati infantry brigade where it first became standard issue. "It's a great gun and I wouldn't trade it for anything," Soher says. Malfunctions cut short earlier attempts to introduce it to troops and the weapon was used on a wide scale for the first time during this year's war in the Gaza Strip, when it performed with no reported problems.

The acrid smell of gunpowder fills the air of the sandy shooting range in the heart of the Negev desert in southern Israel where recruits, mainly in their late teens, are spending the week practising shooting techniques. Wearing full combat vests and camouflage helmets, the company soldiers run in file into the shooting range, take positions and fire five rounds towards a cardboard target positioned 100 metres (yards) away. They then run through the case-littered stretch of sand to check their shots before comparing their results. "It is fun working with it because soldiers have special motivation to hold an Israeli-made rifle," says company commander Second Lieutenant Yinon Guttel. The TAR-21, or "Tavor Assault Rifle - 21st Century", is made of strong, composite materials and features an integral electro-optical sight and a bullet-loading action mechanism located in the butt stock which makes it short and ergonomic. However, the Tavor, the Hebrew name for mount Tabor in northern Israel, uses the same 5.56 millimetre cartridges and magazines as the M-16.

"Advanced countries with modern armies develop their own weapons. We have our tank, now our infantry has a rifle," says Guttel. Designed to meet urban fighting requirements that Israeli troops first encountered during the 1982 Lebanon invasion, the Tavor has been years in research and development. Work on it was begun by the now-privatised Israel Weapons Industries, with the aim of replacing the ageing M-16 and the locally-manufactured but unpopular Galil rifle. "The gun was developed on the basis of lessons drawn during the First Lebanon War," said Zalman Sheves, head of development department of the Tavor at IWI, referring to the 1982 invasion. "The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) fighters encountered urban warfare for the first time in a massive way, which was completely different from previous wars. The conclusions were that a very compact, light rifle that can be easily used in rooms and when getting off vehicles was needed." "We applied in the gun everything the IDF wanted a future rifle to be after the war," he said.

The IWI factory has produced thousands of the Tavor rifles in recent years for the Israeli army as well as for an undisclosed number of foreign clients. Sheves refused to give the rifle's price. The Israeli army began issuing the gun to the Givati brigade, one of five infantry brigades in regular forces, in 2006, but suspended use just months later after numerous malfunctions were exposed. In August 2008 the TAR-21 was reintroduced in Givati and today the entire brigade is equipped with it, while other brigades are gradually being supplied.

Unlike the M-16 that has been used by dozens of armies in numerous battlefields across the world from Vietnam in the 1960s to Iraq and now Afghanistan, the Tavor has yet to fully prove its effectiveness. The 22-day war in Gaza in December-January was the first major offensive in which Israeli troops used the rifle and no malfunctions were notified. The main difference between the Tavor and the M-16 is the use of the Bullpup configuration in the Tavor, where the action and magazine are located in the buttstock, considerably shortening the rifle's length. "For someone who has also had an M-16, I must say that I would recommend to assign new recruits with the Tavor," says Guttel. "It was built on the basis of an existing rifle but included modifications and improvements of the M-16's flaws, such as fitting it for left-handed (people), a short weapon that better fits urban warfare but that can still fire long distances." Sheves says replacement of the M-16 with the Tavor reflects the change in warfare in the 20th and 21st centuries. "The M-16 is a very veteran rifle that was developed in the early 1960s. It is a good rifle but the needs in the battle field have changed. The M-16 was a good fit for warfare in the 1960s and 1970s that involved open areas and fortified targets. The Tavor is better fitted than the M-16 to the modern battle field," he told.

Read More

First stage of sea trial of Akula-II class 'Nerpa' SSN for India completed

The first stage of new sea trials of Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident in previous tests, has been successfully completed, the Amur shipyard said on Monday. The vessel resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan following extensive repairs. "The first set of sea trials has been successfully completed according to schedule," a shipyard official told RIA Novosti. "The sub is back at the in Bolshoy Kamen in the Primorye Territory, and it is getting ready for the second stage of the scheduled testing," the official said, adding that some equipment for performance checking and adjustment work will be installed on board the submarine. On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, its on-board fire suppression system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, on board the vessel at the time. Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($60 million), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials before being commissioned with the Russian Navy, and will be leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009. India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine. Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.Akula-II class 'Nerpa' nuclear-powered attack submarine, which is likely to be operational with the Indian Navy much before New Delhi's indigenous 'INS Arihant'.

Read More

French Tiger Attack helicopters in Afghanistan

Read More

Gunships kill 20 militants in Khyber Agency

Helicopter gunships struck four militant hideouts in the Khyber Pass region on Monday, killing 20 insurgents, a spokesman for the Frontier Corps said.The attacks in Tirah valley follow a number of militant attacks in recent months on convoys transporting military equipment, fuel and food to Afghanistan.Monday’s attacks targeted Lashkar-e-Islam insurgents.The group, headed by Mangal Bagh, has no links with the Taliban, according to government and security officials, Reuters reported. “We got credible information that Mangal Bagh’s men were assembled there and were probably planning some attacks, so we attacked them,” the spokesman said.Security forces have been conducting sporadic assaults in the region in a bid to secure the vital transport link for foreign troops in Afghanistan.Making ground: Also on Monday, security forces said 11 Taliban had been killed in Dir and Swat in the ongoing search and clearance operations in the region. “Local lashkars killed 10 terrorists during search operations in Karodara, Shakoh and Chopra Kandao,” ISPR said, adding that another terrorist had been killed at Langar village near Khawzakhela, APP reported.Security forces apprehended four suspects and recovered arms and ammunition during search operations at Chur Banda. Six suspects were also held in operations at Awishah.Change of heart: According to the ISPR, security forces conducted a search operation at Pashmal near Kalam and apprehended wanted terrorist commander Kabir. Also, two terrorists voluntarily surrendered to security forces at Fizaghat. Separately, seven terrorists belonging to the Safi group turned themselves in to the civil administration. At least three militants were killed while five others were injured during a clash with the Qaumi Lashkar in Upper Dir.Separately, NWFP Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilor said that 200 children who had been brainwashed to conduct suicide attacks had been recovered from Malakand, a private TV channel reported. agencies

Read More

Commissioning ceremony of F-22P Frigate (PNS ZULFIQUAR) to be held on Thursday

Pictures are courtesy of xinhui @ CDF

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir has gone Monday on an official visit to China and Azerbaijan. There besides holding the talks with counterparts and other senior defence officials in both the countries, he will attend commissioning ceremony of the first F-22P Frigate (PNS ZULFIQUAR) to be held on Thursday at Shanghai, China.Weapons systems to be installed on the ship to be handed over to Pakistan have been successfully demonstrated at the optimum performances and ranges. Pakistan Navy is acquiring four new F-22P class frigates under collaboration with China as first three ships are being constructed at Hudong Shanghai and last one at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering works.F-22P frigates are equipped with modern weaponry and sensors. Each ship of them will carry Anti-submarine Z9EC helicopters. First batch of two helicopters has arrived in Pakistan. The induction of F-22P frigates will not only enhance the war fighting potential of Pakistan Navy but will also strengthen the indigenous ship building capability of the country.China with the help of local engineers has started work on the construction of fourth frigate while a number of hurdles were on the way to launch the work to its capacity. This step would pave the way to not only acquire ship-making technology but also bring the country in the club of manufacturing huge vessels indigenously.

Read More

Shortage of warships in Indian Navy

by Premvir Das

RECENT reports indicate that the government has approved the acquisition of six new frigates for the Navy, all to be built locally, three at the Mazagon Docks (MDL) at Mumbai and the remaining three at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) at Kolkata. The decision to acquire these ships, when the force levels are dwindling, is something to feel satisfied about; what is not so reassuring is the manner in which this decision is sought to be executed.Look at the record of MDL. Its first frigate came out in 1972, the twelfth, in 2002. In short, the shipyard took 30 years to build a dozen ships. Since 2000, it has had six destroyers/frigates on order, the first of these may join the Navy in 2011 and the last, even with some miraculous increase in productivity, by 2020. In this background, the decision to ask this yard to produce three more frigates within the same time frame is seriously flawed and totally out of touch with reality. It can hardly begin work on these, leave aside exaggerated claims, until those already in its order book are got ready and delivered. So, what is being said, in effect, is that the new frigates would come to the Navy from MDL only after 2020. The picture at GRSE is worse. This yard was asked to build three frigates in 1986, to be delivered by 1994; they were actually delivered by 2002, double the earlier time frame offered by GRSE. No more orders were given taking into account this unsatisfactory performance. The decision to now ask this yard to produce three frigates for delivery by 2020 i.e. in eleven years, when a suitable collaborator is still to be selected, is clearly something surreal; it is just not going to happen. Expertise in building complex warships is not something that comes up overnight built on pious hopes.There have been claims that technology transfer arrangements for the new ships with the chosen collaborator will involve modular construction techniques which will permit work to be progressed faster than has been possible hitherto. This is debatable. Not only does this involve the availability of very heavy duty cranes (which can be got) but availability of space where huge sections can be put together before being taken for assembly.These additional areas are just not there at MDL which is already loaded with the orders mentioned above, not to speak of the six Scorpene class submarines whose construction in that yard is also running behind time by two to three years, mainly because neither the required facilities nor expertise has been built up as originally claimed. As for the GRSE, there is some cushion in terms of space but manpower skills are way behind that of MDL. So, any expectations that results will quickly move from dismal to brilliant are misplaced, to say the least.The story at MDL is not much different. But in these 30-odd years, gaps have been successively filled by purchases from abroad, five destroyers from the erstwhile USSR in the 1980s, three frigates from Russia in the 2000s followed by orders for another three of that class, to be delivered in the next three to four years. This has been a wise approach, which has enabled the Navy to remain afloat when dependence on indigenous sources only would have surely been suicidal. There is need for judicious balancing of the two avenues, local construction and import. In earlier imports of frigates and destroyers, there was no real transfer of technology. So our shipyards did not benefit too much. We should learn from those experiences as we select our options for the future.The acquisition of six new frigates offers exactly that opportunity, to the advantage of the yards as well as the Navy. The first two ships should be bought from the chosen foreign yard and while those vessels are under construction, personnel from MDL and GRSE should be deputed to gain familiarity with the methods and technologies being used as both will be new. This association will also enable our workers to differentiate between those areas which require critical attention and those which are familiar. They will then be better able to handle indigenous construction.This process was followed very advantageously when four submarines were acquired from Germany in the 1980s and early 1990s. The first two were bought outright from HDW, the German shipyard, and workers from MDL attended their construction. Consequently, time and cost overruns with the two built locally thereafter were minimal. If this same route is followed for the frigates, the first two could be delivered within five to six years, with the remaining four coming later. This would plug the gaps in the Navy’s force levels quicker while making the indigenous process more confident and capable.In short, the decision to build all six ships locally is not consistent with the need to supplement force levels quickly while developing indigenous capabilities. It should be reviewed. Exaggerated and optimistic claims by the local shipyards are not new and have been made repeatedly over the decades. That mistaken assessment of capability is natural, even understandable, but it should not cloud decision-making, which should be based on awareness of ground realities and a pragmatic view of what is probable. Hoping against hope is not the way to go.

The writer is a former Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command.

Read More

CAG questions Gorshkov, Scorpene deals

THE nation has been suffering huge losses owing to delays in defence purchases, but babus in the Defence Ministry seem to be the least bothered about these. The Comptroller and Auditor-General’s latest report has slammed the defence establishment for the way it has been handling many big acquisitions, particularly of Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and six French Scorpene submarines for the Navy. India entered into a contract to acquire Gorshkov in 2000, a second-hand refitted war ship, at $875 million but ultimately it may have to shell out as much as $1.82 billion with the delivery time extended from 2008 to 2012. Why should India suffer when the Russians cannot fulfil their promise in accordance with the contract?The CAG has expressed surprise why India should go in for Gorshkov when it could have bought a similar new aircraft carrier at a price 60 per cent less than Gorshkov. A new ship could have served the Navy for at least 40 years whereas Gorshkov may be useful for a much shorter period. The story of the purchase of six Scorpene submarines is also shocking. As the CAG report points out, the French firm was favoured with “large concessions” and that too when the “submarine design selected has not proved its efficacy in any other navy”. This is not the way to go in for defence-related purchases. The CAG has come down heavily on those involved in defence acquisitions in the past also like in the case of the purchase of HDW submarines from Germany. Yet the babus in the defence establishment continue to function in the way it suits them. It is time Defence Minister A. K. Antony looks into the CAG report closely and holds an enquiry to find out what has gone wrong in the acquisitions of costly defence wherewithal from other countries. The CAG report has increased his workload.

Read More

IAF helicopter in Kashmir hit by bullet

An IAF helicopter flying over Doda in Jammu and Kashmir was hit by a bullet following which high security arrangements have been made, an IAF official said. “High security and precautions are being taken while flying in Jammu and Kashmir,” Air Officer Commanding in Chief (AOC-In-C) Air Marshal J Chouhan said. Referring to the incident, Air Marshal Chouhan, however, said it has not been re-established that it was shot (by militants).“The hole which appeared on the tail was that of a bullet. It was flying over Doda,” Air Marshal Chouhan told.

Read More

Indian Army short of officers: Indian Defence Minister

The Indian Army is short of over 11,387 officers, Defence Minister A K Antony told the Lok Sabha today.While the Navy was short of 1,512 officers, the shortage in the Air Force was 1,400, he said in a written reply.However, there is no significant shortage of Personnel Below Officer Ranks (PBORs) in the Armed Forces and nearly a lakh joined the army in that category in the last three years.As many as 5,033 officers and 96,453 PBORs joined the Army in the last three years while 1,209 officers and 6,792 PBORs were enrolled by the Navy during the same period. As many as 1,451 officers and 21,311 PBORs joined the Air Force in the last three years, Antony said.During the last three years and in the current year, 3,764 officers and 27,477 PBORs of Army, 842 officers and 126 PBORs of Navy and 893 officers and 3,961 PBORs of Air Force have sought discharge/voluntary retirement, he said.Listing the steps taken to motivate the service personnel to continue in service and attract youth to join Armed Forces, Antony said all officers including those in Short Service Commission (SSC) were now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel after two, six and 13 years of reckonable service respectively.The tenure of SSC officers has been increased from 10 years to 14 years, he said.Antony said 750 posts of Lt Colonel have been upgraded to Colonel after implementation of A V Singh Committee Report.He said 1,896 additional posts in the ranks of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General and their equivalent in the two other services have also been upgraded."The implementation of recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission with substantial improvements in the pay structure of officers of Armed Forces, will go a long way in making the services more attractive," Antony said.The A V Singh Committee was set up in 2001 by the government with an aim to achieve "combat effectiveness" by bringing down the age profile of battalion/brigade level commanders.

Read More

India N-sub to trigger arms race: Pakistan

Maqbool Malik and WAQAR HAMZA

Pakistan Navy (PN) will soon come up with a strategic plan to tackle the situation that has emerged after Indian Navy inducted nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant. “The induction of nuclear submarine in Indian Navy is a step towards destabilising the region,” PN sources told TheNation on Monday.The sources were of the view that Indian move would leave far-reaching implications not only for Pakistan but also for other Indian Ocean littoral states. “It is a step towards destabilising the entire region, which can be dangerous for regional peace and balance of power, as it is bound to spur nuclear arms race,” sources said, adding Pakistan was not seeking any tit for tat response to the development.However, they said that strategic brainstorming sessions were underway at PN Headquarters to evolve safeguarding plans that could help minimise the adverse impact of the Indian move. “This is an unusual and untimely step, especially after the efforts seeking to help normalise relations between the two south Asian nuclear neighbours,” sources said.The submarine INS Arihant built with the cooperation of Russia can carry the Sagarika (K-15) missile capable of hitting targets at a range of 700 kilometres. The submarine completes a nuclear triad encompassing land, air and sea of Indian forces that already have fighter aircraft and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.Speaking to journalists in Karachi, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said Pakistan was considering the matter of India’s launch of its first nuclear-powered submarine very keenly. He said Pakistan Navy was capable of facing any sort of challenges to the country and the government would use all available resources to make its naval forces impregnable. Our Monitoring Desk adds: Defence Minister Mukhtar termed the induction of an indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine by India as a “destabilising step” and said Pakistan was capable of defending itself in face of all such regional challenges, reports The Times of India. “The government of Pakistan is fully aware of this issue and is prepared to counter it at all levels. Pakistan’s defence is fully prepared to face this challenge,” Mukhtar said in response to a question about India’s launch of ‘INS Arihant’. “We don’t want any wars but we know how to defend ourselves,” he said, adding, Pakistan is capable of defending itself against all such challenges.According to a private TV channel, Defence Minister Mukhtar said “Pakistan’s defence is impregnable and the nation fully prepared to defend itself from all sides - land, sea and air.” He said Pakistan was ready to counter India's challenge of nuclear submarine. He said Pakistan did not want war with any country including India but no aggression would be tolereated.Meanwhile, Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India was detrimental to regional peace and stability, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, reported a private TV channel Monday. Commenting on the launching of the Indian nuclear submarine, he also made it clear that Pakistan believed that maintenance of strategic balance was essential for peace and security in South Asia without entering into an arms race with India. The spokesman said Pakistan would take all appropriate steps to safeguard its security and maintain strategic balance in South Asia.

Read More

Production of KAI KT-1 Trainer to Top 50 Aircraft During 2009-2018

The Turkish Air Force ordered 40 KT-1s and took options on another 15 aircraft in July 2007. These aircraft will be produced jointly by KAI and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Under the terms of the contract, KAI is building the first five aircraft in Korea. Deliveries of these aircraft are scheduled to begin by the end of 2009. Forecast International projections call for the remaining 35 aircraft covered by the contract to begin rolling out of TAI's facility in 2010 and deliveries under the full 40-aircraft order to be completed by the end of 2011. This forecast assumes that Turkey will exercise its 15-aircraft option, extending deliveries into 2014. Turkey is currently the only customer for the KT-1. The South Korean Air Force has ordered a total 85 KT-1s and 20 FAC variants since 1999, but all of these aircraft have been delivered. Indonesia ordered seven KT-1s in 2001 for delivery in 2003. It later received another five aircraft and has options on the books for another eight KAI continues to develop the more advanced KT-1C, which features updated avionics and an expanded armament capability. The company has also indicated that it is at work on a new ?Enhanced Trainer? designated the XKT-1C that features a full glass cockpit and other upgrades. The primary competition for the KT-1 on the world trainer market includes Embraer's Super Tucano, the Pilatus PC-9 and PC-21, and Hawker Beechcraft's T-6. Although KAI was able to beat out the Super Tucano for the Turkish order, that competition offered little guidance as to the aircraft's future prospects because it did not need to go up against Pilatus' PC-21, which was excluded from the competition by the Turkish government because of political differences with the Swiss government. Finding another export customer is complicated by the limited experience that potential customers have with aircraft made by KAI. Unlike Embraer and Pilatus, which both have sold earlier models of trainers to many different customers around the world, KAI is a relatively new player that cannot rely on past relationships with customers to help secure new orders. Hawker Beechcraft is a third strong competitor, and its status as supplier of hundreds of new T-6 trainers to the Pentagon gives potential customers of the T-6 confidence that the development cost of future upgrades to the aircraft will be largely borne by the U.S. government. KAI thus faces very strong competition in the turboprop segment from a position of weakness. Without new orders, the line will shut down before the end of the forecast period.

Read More

Saudi Arabia orders three additional A330 MRTT tankers

The Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation (MODA) has ordered three additional A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) for the Royal Saudi Air Force, bringing its total order to six aircraft. Saudi had signed a first contract for three back in 2008. Deliver of the first aircraft is due in 2011The six aircraft will be configured with hose and drogue under-wing pods and the Airbus Military Air Refuelling Boom System (ARBS). The contract includes an in-service support package. Saudi Arabia’s decision consolidates the A330 MRTT position as the benchmark in the multi role tanker transport aircraft market. Airbus Military is responsible for the design and production of the MRTTs, and hereby positioned as a key worldwide supplier in the field of tanking, mission and transport aircraft. “We are grateful to the Royal Saudi Air Force for their renewed confidence in our products. The repeated selection from such a demanding customer confirms the superiority of Airbus Military in providing the best air-to-air refuelling solutions”, said Domingo Ureña, CEO of Airbus Military. “Airbus Military is definitively well ahead and leading with a really outstanding product that is already in production”, Mr Ureña added. About the A330 MRTT. The Airbus Military A330 MRTT is the most advanced and most cost-effective Multi Role Tanker Transport existing today. The large 111,000 kg/245,000 lb basic fuel capacity of the successful A330-200 airliner, from which it is derived, enables the A330 MRTT to excel in Air-to-Air Refuelling missions without any additional fuel tanks. The A330 MRTT is offered with a choice of proven air refuelling systems including an advanced aerial refuelling boom system, and/or hose and drogue wing, pods and/or fuselage refuelling unit.Thanks to its true wide-body fuselage, the A330 MRTT can also be used as a pure transport aircraft able to carry up to 380 passengers or a payload of up to 45 tons / 99,000 lb. It can also easily be converted to accommodate up to 130 stretchers for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC). In summary the A330 MRTT is the most efficient aircraft of its kind as reflected by the fact that it won the last five competitions (Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, as well as the US Air Force, although the latter selection was subsequently suspended). Orders for the A330 MRTT now total 28 aircraft.

Read More

Air Combat Training Underway in Singapore Skies

The final 2009 iteration of exercise Commando Sling in Singapore began July 20 and runs for another week. The exercise allows U.S. units to sharpen their air combat skills, improve procedures and readiness, and enhance relationships with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).Hawaii Air National Guard (ANG) F-15 Eagles are representing the U.S. in this, the fourth Commando Sling exercise of the fiscal year. The ANG pilots are conducting dissimilar air combat training with the RSAF, in which different types of aircraft fly air-to-air missions against each other. U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force units have also participated this year.Commando Sling, an annual Pacific Air Forces exercise series, began in 1990 to provide air combat training for the U.S. Air Force and RSAF. Military exercises are an important component of U.S. Pacific Command’s commitment to working with allies and friends to enhance stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Each exercise, while differing in scope and intent, contributes to the enhanced readiness of the participating forces, as well as their mutual cooperation and understanding.

Read More

CAG raps IAF over purchase of Hawk aircraft in 2004

CAG has rapped the Indian Air Force for buying the Hawk advanced trainer aircraft in 2004 on the basis of its requirements in 1987, compromising operational and training requirements of the service. "The supply and production of the aircraft was based on air staff requirements that were not reviewed since their issue in 1987. The restriction in utilisation of aircraft would compromise operational and training requirements," the report said. India had signed a contract with BAE Systems in 2004 to supply 66 trainer aircraft, 24 of which were to be supplied in the fly-away condition and the rest license-manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL). The report also slammed the IAF for taking 22 years to finalise the deal for the aircraft, the need for which was felt in 1982 itself. "Inordinate delay in acquisition of these trainer aircraft, which is essential for improving the skills of IAF pilots graduating from lower speed aircraft to advanced high performance fighter aircraft, has affected pilot safety," it said. The CAG said due to pending integration of electronic weapons suite, the aircraft could not be used for tactical weapon training, limiting the operational use of the aircraft. The Government auditors also revealed the anomalies in the pricing of spares for the aircraft exceeding the contracted rates. "Scrutiny of prices for these spares revealed that the firm had charged excess amount of UKP 8,37,108 for the fixed spares as the pricing was done for each line item based on unit price and contracted rates were not implemented," it said. Scrutinising the development of Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) aircraft by HAL, CAG said the delay in manufacturing and supply of trainer aircraft has denied the pilots the stage II training opportunity on these aircraft.

Read More

IAF helicopter squadrons assigned to infantry brigades

The IDF has for the first time designated specific helicopter squadrons to operate under the command of infantry brigade commanders, as part of lessons learned from the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead. According to a senior officer in the Ground Forces Command, the first units to receive the squadrons were the Golani and Paratroopers brigades. The plan, the officer said, is to assign additional squadrons to other infantry brigades, such as Givati and Nahal. Under the new hierarchical system, the commander of the IAF squadron approves his orders through the brigade commander and not like the way it used to be - through the IAF. "It is as if the brigade commander has another battalion under his command to utilize," the officer said. The squadrons assigned to the brigades consist of Apache and Cobra attack helicopters. This type of setup exists in the United States Army, where field commanders are also allocated air platforms, such as fighter jets and attack helicopters. Due to its relatively small air force and wide spectrum of missions, the IDF has until now kept its air force completely separate from its ground forces when it comes to the chain of command, even during joint operations. The major change occurred during the operation in the Gaza Strip earlier this year, during which brigade and in some cases battalion commanders were given the authority to give direct orders to pilots who provided air support for troops on the ground. The intimate relationship between field commanders and pilots was forged ahead of the operation, when brigade and battalion commanders were taken for flights in the attack helicopters to see what the battlefield looks like from a cockpit thousands of feet in the air. The IAF has also deployed "air support officers" in each brigade, who are responsible for coordinating aerial and ground operations and ensuring that targeting mistakes are avoided. These officers are specially trained to understand both the language used by field commanders and pilots. "Now that the sides know each other better, they know how to work better together as well," explained a top IAF officer, adding that such cooperation led to air bombings during Cast Lead that were very close to IDF ground troops. "We are able to take greater risks with our air strikes, since we understand better what the field commanders are saying when describing to us where they are located," the officer continued. "We have reached the point that some of the pilots already understand the field commanders with the blink of an eye." The intimate relationship between field commanders and pilots was forged ahead of the operation, when brigade and battalion commanders were taken for flights in the attack helicopters to see what the battlefield looks like from a cockpit thousands of feet in the air. The IAF has also deployed "air support officers" in each brigade, who are responsible for coordinating aerial and ground operations and ensuring that targeting mistakes are avoided. These officers are specially trained to understand both the language used by field commanders and pilots. "Now that the sides know each other better, they know how to work better together as well," explained a top IAF officer, adding that such cooperation led to air bombings during Cast Lead that were very close to IDF ground troops. "We are able to take greater risks with our air strikes, since we understand better what the field commanders are saying when describing to us where they are located," the officer continued. "We have reached the point that some of the pilots already understand the field commanders with the blink of an eye."

Read More

IDF, US conduct X-Band radar test

The IDF and the United States Military's European Command conducted a joint exercise this week of the X-Band radar that is deployed in the Negev to check its interoperability with Israeli early-warning systems.The drill was conducted at EUCOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. A similar drill took place last week, also in Germany. Israel received the advanced X-Band radar in October as a farewell gift from the Bush administration to beef up Israeli defenses in face of Iran's nuclear program and growing ballistic missile capability. The radar is deployed in southern Israel near the Nevatim Air Force Base and is reportedly capable of tracking small targets from thousands of kilometers away. According to a defense official involved in the drill, when operated in coordination with additional Israeli warning systems the X-Band radar enables the IDF Home Front Command to issue an alert about an incoming missile between five and seven minutes before impact. The total flight time of a missile from Iran to Israel would be approximately 10 minutes. In comparison, the residents of Sderot usually have up to 15 seconds to seek shelter from when they hear a siren and before a Kassam rocket strikes the city. The drill was held in Germany since the X-Band radar deployed in southern Israel is under EUCOM's command and is controlled by US soldiers. In October, the IDF and the US will hold a joint missile defense exercise called Juniper Cobra, during which the American-made Aegis and THAAD defense systems will deploy in Israel for the first time. The purpose of the exercise is to create interoperability between the American systems and Israel's Arrow missile defense system.

Read More

INS Arihant to take long time to become operational

India's first nuclear-powered submarine launched on Sunday will take much longer than the projected two years to become operational, according to naval experts, who say the real big test now is to ensure that the on-board reactor attains criticality. Noting there is still lot left to do, the experts said scientists had a onerous task to see that the on-board nuclear reactor - the heart of the submarine - attains criticality without any hitches. Naval officials said INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies) codenamed Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) will undergo two years of sea trials in the Bay of Bengal after which they hope to see the submarine commissioned for full service. "It is little optimistic only for one reasons because it the first of its class. In the first of the class there are a large number of checks to be carried out. It could take much longer time frame than the two years being projected (for INS Arihant)," said Vice Admiral A K Singh(retd) former Captain of INS Chakra, the Charlie-class nuclear submarine. The second ATV or the third ATV will definitely come out much faster, Singh said. C Uday Bhaskar, Director, National Maritime Foundation, said, " I don't think we should over-interpret the capability of the Arihant at this stage because there are many more complex technological steps before the particular nuclear reactor on the Arihant acquires criticality." Bhaskar said hopefully three to five years down the road India would be a credible naval power because the country would then have the capability to fit the submarine with nuclear propulsion. Former Naval Chief Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash said a lot of work lies ahead for the country's scientists and engineers. "The big day will however come when the nuclear reactor attains criticality," he said. Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash said painstaking series of trials are necessary because even a minor malfunction can cause catastrophic results as the Kursk(Russian Submarine) accident showed. "They will also be long drawn-out and time-consuming because each defect that appears will be carefully analysed and rectified," he said. Experts also said the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) could take two to three years to indigenously develop cruise and ballistic missiles which can be fired from the submarine. Russia’s ambassador to India and Russian technologists associated with India’s nuclear submarine programme are present here. Their contribution is richly acknowledged.“We never had a nuclear submarine, and we needed design consultancy from them,” Vice Admiral Kannan says. The Arihant has about 40 per cent indigenous content. The next two submarines of the same class that are planned are likely to have more.

Read More

PM Manmohan Singh launches India's first N-powered submarine

India on Sunday (July 26) reached a milestone when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur launched the country's first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine 'INS Arihant' for sea trials. Kaur broke a coconut and performed a puja after which she unveiled a plaque naming the 112-metre-long submarine. "I name it INS Arihant. All the best to the submarine," she said. Declaring that India has achieved a "historic milestone in the country's defence preparedness" with the launch of the submarine, the Prime Minister said, "We don't have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone. We seek an external environment in our region and beyond that is conducive to our peaceful development and protection of our value systems," Singh said in his speech congratulating everyone associated with the advanced technology vessel (n-submarine) programme. Singh said, "Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide". With the sea trials, India has announced to the world that it possesses underwater platforms capable of launching nuclear weapons, completing its nuclear triad (land, air and sea) capability and strengthening its strategic deterrence. It also made its entry into an elite club of nations comprising the US, Russia, France, the UK and China which possess capabilities to develop nuclear submarine. Code-named Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), the submarine christened 'INS Arihant' (destroyer of enemy) was launched for sea trials at the Matsya naval dockyard in Vishakapatnam. As India has declared "no first use" of nuclear weapons, the country's weapons system must survive a first strike for retaliation. Therefore, Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it can lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire its missiles from under the sea. The 6000-tonne submarine is powered by an 85 megawatt capacity nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to 28 kmph (12-15 knots) and submerged speed upto 44 kmph (24 knots). It will be carrying a crew of 95 men and will be armed with torpedoes and missiles including 12 ballistic missiles. Four more nuclear-powered submarine of this class have already got government's nod and these would add to the Navy's underwater combat potential in the years to come. Defence Minister A K Antony, Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy witnessed the event. The Prime Minister flew to Vishakapatnam this morning by the IAF's newly acquired Boeing business jet and reached the venue of the submarine launch by road. Sea trials of the submarine will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal off Vishakapatnam, where the vessel was under construction for the last two decades. The Rs 30,000-crore secret nuclear submarine project was started in the 1980s though it was conceived by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s. The first official admission of the project nearing completion came this February when Antony had announced it during the AeroIndia show in Bangalore. INS Arihant can also be armed with cruise missiles. The DRDO is already working on an equally secretive Sagarika project for a 700-km K-15 missile, capable of carrying nuclear weapons. With US, Russia and China already fielding 5,000+ km range SLBMs, the DRDO plans to test a SLBM based on the design of 3,500-km range Agni-III. The induction of ATV will help India to complete the nuclear weapons triad, as envisaged under its nuclear doctrine to deliver nuke-tipped missiles from land, air and sea. India has land-based nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles, apart from IAF fighters such as Mirage-2000 that can deliver tactical nukes. Two decades ago, India had operated a Charlie-class nuclear submarine, christened INS Chakra, leased from Russia for three years between 1989 and 1991. Moscow will again lease out two Akula-class nuclear submarines to New Delhi for 10 years. Plans to deliver the submarines this June were hit by a mishap during sea trials late last year. But hopes have soared for its delivery in 2010 after Russia took out the repaired vessel for sea trials again early this month.

Read More

CAG finds ordnance rot runs deep

Scams in defence purchases may not be new, but the scale that they have assumed and the audacity of tainted officials is something the government's official auditor CAG is particularly looking at as it has started reviewing all procurements made during the tenure of Sudipta Ghosh, former Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) chairman. In an examination of 18 contracts between 2003 and 2006, CAG had found that in 16 cases single bidders were left in the fray at the final stage during pre-qualification of bids after trials. And in the remaining six instances, there were only two bidders each, thus defeating the very concept of competitive bidding. The contracts pertained to acquisition of explosive detector, thermal imaging, binoculars for troops, air target imitators, combat diving equipment, remotely operated vehicles, helicopter-mounted surveillance system, payload for UAVs, oxygen masks and demining equipment among others. The former OFB chief was recently released on bail after remaining in custody for two months as the investigative agency, CBI, failed to file the chargesheet against him and other accused in the mandatory 60-day period. Ghosh was chairman of OFB from January 2007 to April 2009. He was arrested by the CBI that registered a case on May 18 in Kolkata alleging that he alongwith other co-accused accepted bribes from foreign firms in defence purchases. Prior to his appointment as the chairman, Ghosh was member of the OFB in charge of material management which primarily deals with procurements. A senior CAG official said the OFB did not follow any standard procedures in conducting market survey before going in for any capital acquisition for the defence services. “It had no system of evaluating vendors or any information on the past performance of prospective suppliers,” a CAG audit pointed out. For instance, in the purchase of helicopter-mounted surveillance system, the auditors found that the OFB chairman included a vendor in midst of a bidding process, when the vendor in question had not even been issued a request for proposal. It also found that this was done at a stage when other participants had already made their techno commercial offers.

Read More

China Fear Prompts India to resume Defense Support

Instead of protest came as it did from the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, the Maoists, India has heeded to the fervent request made by the non–Maoist government of Nepal to lift the self-imposed bar on arms supplies to Nepal summarily ignoring the Maoists reservation.The Telegraph India online edition claims quoting Indian defense ministry sources that “India will resume its cheap sale of rifles and ammunition to Nepal”.“India would resume supplying Insas rifles with required ammunitions, reactivate the disrupted joint training programs and recruitment of the Gorkha soldiers from Nepal into the Indian Army…shelving all the reservations raised by the Maoists”, writes the Indian media. “The decisions were conveyed to visiting CA Election defeated Nepal's Defense Minister Bidya Devi Bhandari who met defense minister A.K. Antony of India”.To add, earlier in the year 2005, August, Nepal Army had blamed India for supplying substandard Insas Rifle and claimed that the majority of the deaths of Nepal Army men in Pili area while fighting with the then Maoists rebels were due to the mechanical failure of the Rifle. However, the Nepal Government’s decision to buy the substandard and second hand Insas Rifle is shrouded in mystery thus, say experts. It was also reported earlier that India had supplied almost third class Insas rifles to the Nepal Army.The Telegraph India also claims that, “Officials in the Indian security establishment noted with concern the growing influence of China in Sri Lanka after India turned down requests for firearms to the island nation”. “An expansion of Chinese influence in Nepal after the Maoists have gained legitimacy is strategically undesirable for New Delhi”, the Indian media claims.

.

Indian arms will imperil peace: former Nepali PM

.

Former prime minister and chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) Prachanda has strongly objected to the government's request to India to resume the supply of arms, which had been put on hold since the February 2005 royal takeover, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported on Thursday. "If Defense Minister Bidhya Bhandari makes a deal with India to resume arms supplies while the peace process is still on, it will effectively imply that the peace process has come to an end," the newspaper quoted Prachanda as saying on Wednesday, "This could lead to bloodshed in the country and the current government will be responsible for untoward incidents that could follow." The former prime minister said so commenting on the possible resumption of arms supply from New Delhi. During a meeting with her Indian counterpart A.K. Antony and Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna in New Delhi, capital of India, on Tuesday, "Bhandrai had asked for resumption of arms assistance to Nepal," according to the report. "The Indian ministers had assured that India was ready to assist Nepal as per the country's needs," the report read. "I asked them to continue assistance in the military sector in the same way as they are helping us in health and education," Bhandari told The Kathmandu Post in New Delhi on Tuesday. Also on Thursday, state-run newspaper The Rising Nepal reported that Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat on Wednesday said the government would import arms if it deemed it necessary for the security of the country. "Import of arms depends on the need of the country and the government will take a decision considering the security situation of the country," Minister Mahat said speaking at the Reporters' Club Nepal in capital Kathmandu. "He, however, clarified that no decision had been taken so far to bring in arms," the report said. UCPN-M central leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, on the same occasion, countered Minister Mahat saying the government activities invited confrontation in the country and could sabotage the ongoing peace process.

Read More

US defence deal: the inside story

The delicate negotiations that led India and the US to announce on Monday that they had “agreed on the end-use monitoring arrangements” for bilateral defence deals were as much contentious within the Indian government as they were in getting the Americans to accept New Delhi’s formula. Defence minister A.K. Antony diluted his long-standing opposition to foreign inspection of military assets bought from America after he was shown documents where the men in uniform under his oversight had arbitrarily put in what they chose to fit into contracts with the US. The external affairs ministry revealed at an inter-ministerial meeting that some provisions put in by India’s defence personnel into recent contracts with America were far more objectionable than anything that Washington was asking New Delhi to sign as an over-arching agreement. External affairs officials shocked many of those who attended the inter-ministerial meeting when they further revealed that these provisions had been suo motu inserted into contracts without political clearance by the foreign office, and worse, without even their knowledge. “It was like being more loyal to the king than the king himself,” said an official who attended the meeting. “In their desire to get American war toys, individual senior officers were willing to do what the Americans had not even asked.” Foreign minister S.M. Krishna, who was continuously abroad for most of this month and then in Bangalore because of a bereavement, was comprehensively briefed on the history of the tortuous end-use pact negotiations on the eve of his meeting with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. He agreed to go along with the “arrangement” when he was convinced that a standard, agreed text would prevent individuals from taking advantage of the secrecy in arms deals and manipulating clauses on purchase agreements as they pleased. Officers of the ministry of defence and finance or those in charge of public sector defence production enterprises have now been restrained in their freedom to craft end-use clauses while buying American equipment or technology. Officers negotiating arms sales with the Americans will henceforth have to stick to the exact text of standard clauses of what can and cannot be allowed as end-use monitoring by the US. This standard text has large elements of the model monitoring agreement that the US signs with other countries that buy defence equipment. But it also borrows heavily from the end-use certification requirements that Delhi imposes on countries that acquire Indian defence equipment. “We even go to military bases in foreign countries and physically count the guns and other material long after we have sold or given them to those governments,” said one official. He said it would have been “a double standard if India continued to tell the Americans that we can do something to other governments, but that they cannot do it to us.” Once people in the Indian government settled their differences, the next task for South Block was to sell the “arrangement” to the Americans. It helped that Antony had made it clear to US national security adviser James Jones last month in New Delhi that the UPA government would be unable to politically sell the idea of a comprehensive end-use pact that allowed the US access to Indian military bases for inspections and had other intrusive clauses.Jones returned to Washington and reported what Antony had said. US sources said President Barack Obama, defence secretary Robert Gates and Clinton understood the political compulsions of the UPA government: they are in such situations themselves on almost a daily basis.But US officials down the line were unwilling to agree to the Indian formula, complaining that New Delhi was always getting exemptions from US laws and standards as in the nuclear deal.During an hour-long meeting at the White House on the eve of her departure for Mumbai, Clinton got Obama’s personal clearance for the “arrangement but no agreement” formula.From multiple US accounts yesterday, Clinton told only a close circle in the state department about the “arrangement” until she was in New Delhi. As a result, her officials in Washington continued to talk about an end-use monitoring agreement to be signed between the two sides when that was actually not to be.

Read More

New website gives insight into People's Liberation Army

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will launch an official bilingual website on Aug 1.New website gives insight into armyThe move, military experts say, is a leap forward for the Chinese army, which is attempting to be more transparent and focus more on "public diplomacy".The launch of the site, in Chinese and in English, is meant to allow more access to the People's Liberation Army (PLA).Senior Colonel Huang Xueping, deputy director-general of the MND's information office, said yesterday that the website will operate on a trial basis. The start date marks the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the 2.3-million-strong PLA.Access to the PLA has been limited to tightly controlled reports that have appeared in a handful of media organizations."The launch of the MND website is a major step for the PLA to open up to the outside world," said Huang, in an exclusive interview with China Daily."As the Chinese army develops, the army has valued diplomacy with foreign militaries and has paid great attention to informing the public of China's defense policies and troop images through the platform we established."The official did not elaborate on the website's contents, but web editors running the official site said the portal will "cover a large amount of information", featuring both regular activities and background about the Chinese army."We hope the website is as informative as Defense Link, the gateway to the US Pentagon," one editor said.The Chinese army in recent years has sped up military-to-military exchanges with foreign troops and eased up on its reluctance to release information about the PLA's forces.The navy's anti-piracy fleet also shared intelligence with other nations' naval fleets, including the US and Japan, during its historic mission to guard Chinese and foreign merchant ships against the threat of pirates off the coast of Somalia.China has sent three contingents of warships to the troubled region since last December, joining the naval forces of about 20 nations in combating piracy.The PLA invited 29 naval delegations to the coastal city of Qingdao in April for a grand fleet review and naval exchanges to mark the navy's 60th anniversary.Foreign military attaches were also invited to a missile base near Beijing in April.And many will be on hand to observe the weapons display at Tiananmen Square during a military parade marking the country's 60th National Day on Oct 1."It is a welcome development, definitely, and we look forward to knowing what will be the content on display on the official website," said Lieutenant Colonel Puneet Ahuja, deputy defense attache of the Indian embassy in China."As more attention is being given to online information, the Chinese army has moved one step forward in its public diplomacy," said Professor Li Xiguang, an advocate of press officers for China's cabinet and ministries and executive dean of Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication in Beijing.Huang said the MND is working to improve its press release mechanism. He said information offices will be established at more military institutions nationwide.The army's official newspaper reported that the first group of "press officers", selected from different armed forces, graduated from a boot camp on public relations in March."We may consider making more regular press briefings in the future while keeping contacts with domestic and overseas media organizations in Beijing," said Huang. "The aim is to release information on China's defense and military modernization to create a better understanding of the Chinese military."

Read More

IAF gets 4 Cheetal helicopters

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) today handed over the first batch of four Cheetal helicopters to the Indian Air Force. A press release issued by the HAL here today said N C Agarwal, director (Design and Development) handed over the helicopters to Air Vice Marshal M. Bahadur, Assistant Chief of Air Staff, IAF.At a function at the Helicopter Division, Barrackpore, K. Tamil Mani, CE (CEMILAC), handed over the RSD to N. Seshadri, ED (RC), after which the helicopters were handed over to Air Vice Marshal M. Bahadur

Read More