Asian Military Review - March/April 2019

Volume 27/issue 2

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Leading The Situational Awareness Revolution

Contents

MARCH/APRIL 2019 VOLUME 27 / ISSUE 2

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The United Arab Emirates Air Force is operating the RQ-1E version of General Atomics Predator XP, the version seen here flying over southern California which has been licensed by the US Government for international customers.

(GA-ASI).

Dr Tom Withington examines the use of electronic support systems in a maritime context.

UNPICKING THE ELECTROMAGNETIC TAPESTRY

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IFV ARMAMENT EVOLUTION

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THE ART OF WATCHING FROM AFAR

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW’S AIR FORCES DIRECTORY: PART II

Stephen W Miller explains the growth of the main armament on infantry fighting vehicles.

Andrew Drwiega looks at new capabilities in unmanned aerial surveillance, and how nations can establish their own training regime.

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COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

CHINA’S NEXT GENERATION UNMANNED ASSASSINS

MALAYSIA’S DEFENCE DOLDRUMS

The Royal Australian Navy regards well trained personnel as key to winning the next fight as Dr Lee Willett reports.

JR Ng reviews the progress that China has made with deep penetration unmanned aerial vehicles.

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The second part of Alan Warnes’ review of Air Forces within Asia- Pacific.

Dzirhan Mahadzir details the prospects of defence acquisition in Malaysia after the impending Defence White Paper.

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Index of Advertisers

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43 13 19 45 53 COVER 3 23 COVER 2 5 49 47 45 51 9 17 27 31 29 15 41 21 COVER 4 11

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Editorial CHINA FACES F-35 GROWTH IN ASIA

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he Government of Singapore, never short of self-assurance and the will to be among the leaders in defence technology, is preparing to become the fourth Asian nation to operate the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) F-35 if a proposal announced by the Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in early March is followed through. An initial four F-35As are sought potentially leading to an additional eight resulting in a fleet of 12 aircraft.

Although still to be approved by the US Congress, Ng said that the deal had already been sanctioned by both the Trump administration and the Department of Defence.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will join existing F-35 Asian operators in the region.

Australia is the only Level 3 partner to the F-35 programme in Asia. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is looking at 72 F-35As to replace its F/A-18A/B Hornets with around 28 additional F-35As to replace the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets over a period of around 20 years, bringing the total fleet up to around 100 F-35As; On 18 December, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet approved an increase in the number of F-35s for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF), from the existing order for 42 F-35As up to 147 aircraft, mixing F-35As with F-35Bs which could be tasked to operate from Izumo-class helicopter carriers as well as small islands around the East China Sea. If this aspiration were to be completed, it would make Japan the second largest operator of JSFs in the world after the USA. Coming late to the F-35 party, the South Korean government only formalised its requirement for 40 F-35As in September 2014. They will be bought through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process (following Japan’s commitment to this method of procurement). However, news reports have circulated that a further tranche of 20 F-35s could be added to the fleet, potentially even F-35Bs that could be operated from the Korean Navy’s two Dokdo-class amphibious assault ships.

Not including F-35s belonging to any of the forces of the United States (although the total predicted size of the F-35 fleet across all services will be over 2,400 aircraft), this means that at a minimum there are likely to be more than 300 F-35s operating in the Asia-Pacific region. And that is a lot of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) power in addition to the war fighting packages they would deliver.

With all of these F-35 operators exercising, and to a large extent networking with US Forces, the Chinese government will be assessing this growing coalition of capability over time in light of its own robust strategic objectives, both in its own ‘back yard’ as well as further afield.

Andrew Drwiega, Editor

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harris.com/ew

#harriscorp

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Thales has a long history of providing EW systems to navies around the world.

Its products include the radar ESM outfitting the Royal Navy’s ‘Daring/Type-45’ class destroyers.

UNPICKING THE ELECTROMAGNETIC TAPESTRY The Latin phrase ‘scientia potentia est' (knowledge is power)

encompasses the naval need to classify and process electromagnetic signatures in an area of operations.

by Thomas Withington

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s 2018 was drawing to a close a diplomatic rumpus erupted that, as of the time of writing (February 2018), still simmers. The matter involves a Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) ‘Gwanggaeto the Great’ class destroyer and a Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) Kawasaki P-1

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maritime patrol aircraft. The incident occurred in international waters in the east of the Sea of Japan, off the Noto Peninsula on Japan’s Honshu island.

These are arguably the only two elements of the incident not in contention.

Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) claims that its aircraft was illuminated on several occasions by a Thales STIR-

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180 X-band (8.5 gigahertz/GHz to 10.68GHz) / K-band (24.05GHz to 24.25GHz) fire control radar onboard the ROKN warship. Japan’s government has claimed that the ROKN’s actions violated the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), something which is disputed by Seoul. The CUES comprises 21 signatories and aims to reduce the

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chances of hostile incidents occurring between the signatories, and to prevent them escalating if they do, although the agreement is not legally binding. Seoul has disputed Tokyo’s claims by arguing that the P-1 was repeatedly over-flying the ship at a low altitude of 500 feet (150 metres) while the destroyer assisted the rescue of a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea fishing boat experiencing difficulties. Citing the CUES, Seoul claimed that the P-1’s actions violated this agreement. Seoul has also denied that the warship employed the STIR-180, instead claiming that the ship’s Thales MW-08 C-band (5.25GHz to 5.925GHz) naval surveillance radar was being used to assist the rescue.

Harris is one of several companies providing naval ESMs. The firm has enjoyed strong export success with products such as the ES-3701S ESM pictured here, particularly in the Asia-Pacific.

Radar Lock The electromagnetic aspects of the encounter stoked the fires on 22 December. The Japanese MOD claimed its own analysis had confirmed that the Radio Frequency (RF) transmissions were from the STIR-180, presumably detected by the P-1’s Mitsubishi HLR-109B ESM (Electronic Support Measure). Little public information exists regarding the HLR-109B, although some confidential EW practitioners informed the author that the ESM is one of the most advanced such systems flying today. It almost certainly covers a waveband of 500 megahertz/ MHz to 18GHz, and possibly up to 40GHz. This would allow it to gather Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) on a wide array of ground-based air surveillance, fire control/ground controlled interception, naval surveillance and airborne radars, and Active Radar Homing (ARH) seekers equipping missiles. The HLR-109B is reported to be a highly sensitive system capable of long detection ranges. It is reasonable to assume that the HLR-109B is capable of discriminating between the MW-08 and the STIR-180: Both use different RF wavebands, and the waveforms used by their radars will be significantly different; not least because the STIR-180’s function is to guide kinetic ordnance to its target, while the MW-08 performs general surface and air surveillance.

For the time being both side are maintaining their respective positions.

That said the incident underlines the importance of electromagnetic situational awareness in the naval domain. So-called ‘radar lock’ incidents, where one party has illuminated the platform of another with a radar in an action perceived as

threatening or belligerent, have occurred on several occasions in the Asia-Pacific in recent years. The danger of such incidents, as this latest occurrence underscores, is that intentions can be misinterpreted and tensions raised through such behaviour.

Whatever the reality of the incident involving Japan and the ROK, it was important that cool heads have prevailed and fire was not exchanged. Nevertheless in tense areas such as the East and South China Seas, where the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and several other nations maintain competing maritime and territorial claims, the concern must be that a similar incident in the future may trigger a skirmish which could quickly boil over into a regional conflict. For example, in early 2013 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) officials admitted that the radar on one of its frigates locked onto a JMSDF destroyer when the two ships were around 70 nautical miles/ nm (130 kilometres/km) north of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Situational Awareness Knowing exactly what is happening in the ether, (i.e. whether a vessel is being illuminated by a radar and, if so, what

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radar is involved) improves situational awareness immeasurably. On a warship the process of identifying whether the vessel has been detected by radar, the type of radar involved and determining its location is comprehended using an ESM. In the maritime domain the key mission of an ESM is to intercept and analyse RF emissions from naval surveillance, navigation, fire control, air traffic control, airborne and missile seeker radars.

At the core of an ESM is a computer which performs the signals processing using a pre-loaded ‘library’ of signal characteristics which have been collected by the navy, or by a particular countries’ armed forces writ large, over a number of years. The computer will attempt to match the characteristics of the detected signal with those loaded in its library to identify the type of radar and the waveforms it maybe transmitting. The average ESM library can contain several thousand records and can be continually updated with new records as and when new radar systems, or waveforms, are discovered.

Similarly, unidentified transmission can be stored in the library for later analysis.

Put simply, ELINT processing comprises three steps: the collection of radar pulses from the electromagnetic environment,

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Naval ESMs are also available for submarines such as Rockwell Collins’ CS-3030 product which can perform both ESM and electronic intelligence collection.

the sorting of these pulses into specific ‘pulse trains’ i.e. the association of one set of pulses with a particular radar type and finally using this process to identify the radar. Analogous to the ESM’s identification techniques is its ability to determine a radar’s line of bearing from the ship, although this will not necessarily provide range. This can usually only be determined with a minimum of two separate ESMs which can all see the same target and thus triangulate its position.

This is nonetheless challenging as radars transmit across a line-of-sight range and will need to be pointing at the ESMs for this triangulation to be performed. In naval EW, the ESM will tend to provide details on the radar type and bearing, while it will be for a warship’s other sensors, such as its main surveillance radar to determine the target’s location.

Nevertheless, the ESM forms a vital part of a ship’s self-defence, not to mention a task force’s overall situational awareness at the operational level by determining a radar’s type and bearing. Determining

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such factors can inform the crew of the action that they will need to take to either avoid a radar threat, jam it using electronic attack, or attack the platform carrying the radar with kinetic means. At the operational level the ELINT gathered by the ESM can be shared to improve the overall situational awareness vis-à-vis the electronic order-of-battle and possible enemy intentions. Naval ESMs tend to cover a waveband of 0.5MHz to 18GHz allowing them to detect emissions from the radars described above. Some will extend up to 40GHz. This will enable them to detect higher-band radar emissions; those typically associated with so-called Millimetre Wave (MMW) radar. MMW radars typically transmit at frequencies upwards of 30GHz.

Missile Mayhem Such radars are attractive to Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) designers as they use very shortwave wavelengths which can show targets in a high level of detail.

This is important in the naval domain

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as it allows an AShM equipped with such technology to ‘see’ its target clearly, and thus discount other vessels in the target’s locale. This sharp definition also helps the radar to discriminate physical countermeasures such as chaff and corner reflectors from the target, thus making the weapon potentially difficult to spoof.

Finally, MMW radars use comparatively small-sized antennae, thus deepening their attraction to AShM designers tasked with fitting radar seekers into space-constrained platforms. AShMs are arguably the major threat motivating naval ESM acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific, more specifically, AShMs developed by PRC which have proliferated throughout the region and beyond. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has noted that, over the past decade, the PRC has exported almost 690 AShMs of various marques to countries around the region including Bangladesh, Burma, Indonesia, Pakistan and Thailand. These weapons have included China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation C-802,

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Anti-Ship Missile proliferation continues to be a cause for concern in the Asia-Pacific and elsewhere: The attack on the USS Stark in May 1987 which killed 37 sailors underscoring the danger of which weapons.

Chinese Aerospace Group C-704/705, HY-2 and CM-400AKG missiles. Details are scant regarding the exact specification of the ARHs used by these weapons, although open sources strongly suspect that they transmit in X-band (8.5GHz to 10.68GHz).

Several of these are ‘legacy’ weapons.

The C-802 design, for instance, has been in service since earlier this century, while the HY-2 can trace its lineage back to the Raduga P-15 Termit AShM family which first entered service with the Soviet Navy in circa 1960. That should not lure naval EW practitioners into a false sense of security. Speaking to the author during the Association of Old Crows’ (AOC) EW Asia conference held in Singapore between 29-30 January, several sources spoke candidly regarding the threat that

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such weapons pose: “China’s missiles are scaring…everyone in the region,” one senior EW industry executive confided.

The fear factor in this regard, another stated, is because the weapons’ ARH technology is thought to have been continually upgraded and enhanced throughout their service lives, and further improvements are strongly expected. If anyone needed any illustration of the potency of the PRC’s AShMs, one need look no further that the attack against the Israeli Navy’s INS Hanit ‘Sa’ar-5’ class corvette on 14 July 2006. That day, the ship was struck by a C-802 launched by the Hezbollah Shia Islamist organisation from the coast of Lebanon from a reported range of 10nm (18.5km) which caused the deaths of four crew. Worryingly then, as now, the Israeli Navy represented one of the most

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technologically advanced maritime forces in the world, yet the insurgents were still able to score a spectacular propaganda victory against their adversary. Such incidents underscore the importance of ensuring that surface vessels are outfitted with up-to-date ESMs to detect such threats.

“They (the PRC) continually improve their anti-ship missiles,” another senior industry executive and former naval EW officer, told the author during the AOC event. Such modernisations may have included the retrofit of low power ARHs into these weapons. This will have the asset of effectively ‘hiding’ the missile’s radar transmissions within the prevailing natural and man-made ‘noise’ in the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning that the sensitivity of naval ESMs have to be especially sharp to detect such discreet signals. Alongside such Low Probability of Interception/Detection (LPI/LPD) techniques these weapons’ ARHs may have received complex transmission waveforms designed to mask their transmissions, and electronic counter-countermeasure enhancements to enable the seeker to detect and discount jamming attempts using either physical soft-kill countermeasures such as corner reflectors or chaff. Frequency agility is another LPI/LPD technique which can help to both mask the radar’s transmissions and to outflank electronic attack by jamming. The remedy to such challenges is the continued investment in state-of-the-art ESM technologies, particularly in detection and signal processing software to ensure that new ARH radar transmission techniques can be effectively detected and countered as and when they appear.

Conclusions To say that naval ESMs aid situational awareness in the maritime domain would be an understatement. They are quite simply indispensable to understanding what is happening in the electromagnetic spectrum at the tactical level as well as contributing to the operational level electronic order-of-battle. Knowing what is emitting, and why, enables timely decisions to be made on when and how to deploy soft- and hard-kill capabilities against air or surface threats. The proliferation of AShMs shows no signs of abating in the Asia-Pacific, or elsewhere for that matter.

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The Puma, the German Army’s new infantry fighting vehicle, mounts a Rheinmetall 30mm auto-cannon with ammunition capable of addressing both opposing combat vehicles and soft area targets like anti-tank guided missile teams.

IFV ARMAMENT EVOLUTION

The concept of armoured vehicle use by

infantry has evolved as has the size and purpose of its armament. Not only has calibre size grown but also the weapon’s purpose.

by Stephen W. Miller 12

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he first half-track carriers which appeared during World War II, such as the German Sd.Kfz.251 Hanomag had limited ballistic protection and typically mounted a medium machine gun. However, post war armoured combat vehicles have been fielded with progressively larger armament. In addition, the number of infantry carried has often been reduced

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to accommodate these weapon systems.

These changes reflected a shift in focus from the infantry section to the vehicle itself and its firepower capability, especially in those designated as infantry fighting vehicles (IFV).

Modern infantry combat vehicles reflect a range of armament from medium to heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers (AGL) and up to medium calibre auto-cannon. Each reflects a different expectation in their tactical employment. Those with machine guns and AGLs are generally infantry carrier vehicles (ICVs) while those with autocannon are more often classified as IFVs. The General Dynamics US Army M1126 Stryker with its .50 Protector Remote Weapon Station is an example of the former while the German Kraus-Maffei Wegmann/Rheinmetall Marder and US M2 Bradley with 20mm and 25mm

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Orbital ATK

In 2015 a version of the BMP with a 57mm auto-cannon was displayed at the Russian Arms Expo. The 57mm again surfaced in 2018 this time mounted in a remote operated turret on a T-15 heavy IFV chassis. The gun is thought to be an improved version of the AZP-57 anti-aircraft gun.

Orbital ATK’s Programmable Airburst Munition (PABM) has a warhead that offers both multiple detonation modes and is optimises for maximum effects on light vehicles, personnel and fortifications and buildings. it also can address targets behind cover and in buildings. Here the coverage of the air burst setting is captured by high speed camera.

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The BAE Hagglunds CV90 fielded by the Swedish Army adopted the Bofors 40mm L70 auto-cannon which it continues to use even as it has upgraded its fleet. The 40mm caliber size has a APFSDS and offers sufficient payload for high explosive and fragments which is further improved by new programmable fusing.

auto-cannon respectively are the later.

The primary role of the armament on the infantry carrier has been to support its dismounted infantry. This meant suppressive fires against enemy positions and in particular opposing machine guns, and this was met with guns like the M-2 .50 cal. In the European Cold War period, the emphasis of combat shifted to attrition, i.e. killing more of the enemy.

Here it seemed more efficient to target and destroy the vehicles that carried the enemy, which was reflected in the IFV’s role being defined as accompanying main battle tanks and complementing them against opposing light armoured vehicles.

For many western armies from the late 1970s, this led to adoption of the 20mm calibre followed by the 25mm auto-cannon. These emphasised the need for high velocity, flat trajectory and armour penetration. Examples include the Orbital ATK M242 25mm Bushmaster chain gun and Rheinmetall (Oerlikon)

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KBA which used the use of armoured piercing discarding Sabot particularly the fin stabilised round (APFSDS).

However, as threats expanded to include increasing lethal ground anti-tank guided missiles, handheld anti-armour weapons, armed helicopters and unmanned aerial systems, optimising for penetration brought drawbacks. In addition, urban battle environments are more prevalent than ever before. It was recognised that effectively addressing this broader array of targets required new levels of gun and ammunition performance.

The Direction of IFV Armament While most western armies went to 20mm and 25mm for their IFVs, the Swedish Army specified the 40mm cannon for its CV90 believing that it offered greater target engagement flexibility and superior lethality against a wider array of targets.

Today there is a move by other armies towards larger calibre cannon on IFV’s reflecting a similar recognition. Anti-tank

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guided missiles can attack with precision at long ranges.

Individual shoulder fired infantry weapons proliferate the battlefield. In addition, airborne platforms from armed helicopters to unmanned, yet armed, aerial vehicles (UAS) are being encountered. Addressing these requires an approach that optimises explosive force and target effect. Achieving this favours a larger round to accommodate advanced fusing, improved target effect and greater explosive power. Jarrod Krull, communications manager at Orbital ATK (now part of Northrop Grumman), explained that “additional volume offers more space in the projectile which translates to permitting integration of micro electronics.

Ideally shell sizes of 30mm and above offer the most possibilities.”

Rheinmetall-Defence has responded to these demands through the development of its 30mm X 173 MK-30/ 2 ABM which are fitted in the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMV) Puma being fielded by the German

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Army. In a statement the company shared, “we see more specialised munitions (which can be costly) but combined with greater more accuracy, stabilisation and fire computation to increase lethality and reduce rounds (and cost) per kill.” A key to the enhanced lethality and effectiveness against multiple targets is Rheinmetall’s Air Burst Munition (ABM). It combines exchanging specific engagement parameters from the vehicle fire control system with a special programmable fuse in the projectile. Each round is automatically set to activate as required to achieve maximum effect. The projectile itself ejects a number of sub-projectiles to further multiply the damage to the target.

This combination significantly enhances the capability of the IFV to engage and neutralise many of the non-armoured threats and to do so a much longer ranges.

A principle challenge for IFV armament and ammunition developers is that the solution to defeating these various targets must accommodate gun systems that in most designs have at most only two ammunition feeds. Typically one

magazine will be loaded with armoured piercing rounds and the other with high explosive. This means ideally new ammunition solutions should offer one round to address all of these threats.

Orbital ATK’s PABM ammunition achieves this by using an inductive fuse setter on the gun to provide multi-mode function of the projectile. It enables the gunner to select the best setting to engage each target with optimum result. It uses a Semi-Armoured Piercing High Explosive Incendiary (SAPHEI) warhead that can be set for point, point delay, or air burst detonation.

Ready and Stowed Ammunition On the face it would appear that simply mounting larger calibre cannon with bigger more powerful ammunition is the straightforward answer for IFVs. However, the complication is that the larger the calibre and longer the round the less rounds can be provided in the magazine ready to fire, as well as stowed onboard.

This is illustrated by comparing the 40mm verses the 35mm and 30mm. In the space

used for 24 40mm rounds, 70 rounds of 35mm or 160 30mm can be carried. This directly impacts on the number of targets that can be addressed. It is a trade-off that must be considered.

IFV gun and ammunition developers are offering various solutions to army decision makers. Dan Lindell, platform manager at BAE Hagglunds, explained that “our CV90 is offered with CV90 variants which fit different larger calibre main armament. Although the 40mm remains used by the Swedish Army other armies have fielded turrets mounting ATK’s Mk44 30mm/40 or Bushmaster III 35mm/50 guns. These offer users various solutions to meet their needs.”

A Rheinmetall spokesman explained that “both its Puma and Lynx IFVs and LANCE turrets use either the 30mm MK30/2ABM, or 30mm, or more recently developed 35mm Wotan rounds. The later being its electrically powered autocannon. Each of these use of advanced APFSDS with high density penetrators for armoured targets and the multiuse programmable rounds for all other

The 20mm

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cannon superior firepower

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engagements.” The goal is to obtain greater target effect with minimal negative impact on the weight and other aspects of the IFV design balance. These gun and ammunition combinations, as effective as they are, however, have likely achieved as high a performance as is possible within their existing design.

Russia’s IFV Armament

western auto-cannon. However, with the introduction of the BMP-3 in the late 1990s the Russian army returned, at least partly, to its original IFV concept. The 2A42 30mm was now matched with a 100mm 2A70 rifled gun/missile launcher.

This gun can fire either 3UOF HEFragmentation or 3UBK10 (9M117) laser beam guided anti-tank missiles from a 40 round auto-loader.

This 30/100 mm gun combination has not, however, been carried forward to the newest Kurganets IFV with mounts only the 2A42 30mm with Kornet missiles.

On the other hand the Russian Defence Company at the 2015 Russian Arms Expo displayed a version of the BMP with a new Baikal AU-220M 57mm auto-cannon in a remote operated turret. Some reports have suggested the Russian Defence Ministry may be considering standardising the 57 for all IFVs.

Finnish Army

The Soviet Union’s BMP-1 is viewed as one of the first IFVs. Its main armament reflected a different approach from the western IFVs. Its 2A28 Grom 73mm is a low

velocity cannon using the ammunition of the SPG-9 recoilless gun. These include fin-stabilised High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and HE-Fragmentation with an effective battlefield range of 500-700 meters against point targets. As a result it is more a close support weapon with armoured targets relegated to anti-tank guided missiles. The follow-on BMP 2 replaced the 73mm with the 2A42 30mm auto-cannon which has also used on naval, helicopter and air defence platforms since the 1980s. Its high explosive and APDS rounds reflected performance similar to

The CTAS40 is specifically designed for compactness desired in turret mounted guns. It uses telescoped ammunition with a special feed system that provides a shorter round length allowing more ammunition to be carried. CTAS40 is found on the British Ajax and Warrior, as well as, a number of the newest French combat vehicles.

Russia’s BMP3 combines the 30mm auto-cannon with an auto-loaded 100 mm rifled gun that can fire high explosivefragmentation and anti-tank laser guided projectiles. This fitting seeks to counter both opposing armoured threats and infantry anti-armour teams.

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IFV Armament Development CTA International, a venture by Nexter and BAE Systems, has developed a new auto-cannon utilising case telescoped ammunition. In it by using the projectile is encased by the round housing.

Thus, it’s CTA 40 cannon provides the propellant and warhead payload capacity of the 40mm size in a much shorter the round length that then allows for a significantly shorter gun receiver, more compact feeder and larger magazine and on-board ammunition carry. In an interview when the CTA40 was entering production Colin Stephenson the CTA Integration Lead shared that “CTA40 is a complete system of a unique ammunition configuration, Ammunition Handling System and gun. Together they offer not only enhanced at target performance but also benefits in turret fitting and increased gun elevation and depression due to the smaller interior space claim.”

The gun has APFSDS, General Purpose point detonating, General Purpose Air Burst, and A3B optimised for UAVs and low speed aircraft.

Orbital-ATK has taken another approach. Its Mk44 Chain Gun is also available modified in an enhanced Super 40mm X 180mm version.

Originally developed under the US Army Advanced Light Armament for Combat Vehicle (ALACV) program, Super 40 offers even further improved lethality in both armoured piercing and PABM ammunition while being able to be fit into the same space as the 30mm Mk44. They have also applied this development to their 35mm. It can fire either the Oerlikon ammunition or a 50mm Supershot round that uses a straight wall cartridge and semi-telescoped projectile that was originally a 1980’s development. The objective of the Supershot is to achieve 40mm armour penetration performance without the drawback of its larger round size which significantly reduces the ready and stowed ammunition possible. A more recent application of the Supershot 50 reflects the concern over addressing the growing other threats mentioned previously. In this concept the “necked out” straight wall cartridge is combined with a new Extended Area Protection System technology. EAPS is to a course corrected projectile with command guidance and a programmable fragmentation warhead.

The promised improved target effect performance and growth potential of the 50mm calibre size has the US Army considering it as a possibility for its Next

Generation combat Vehicle successor to the M2 Bradley. Orbital ATK indicted that it has delivered a XM319 50mm gun to the Army Armament Research and Development Center for concept evaluation while General Dynamic Ordnance and Tactical Systems has provided ammunition. This 50mm is, however, in an early stage of development with neither it nor its ammunition ready for production.

are being developed with multi-target capability, sophisticated vision systems and fire controls, higher protection levels, survivability enhancements and greater situational awareness.

These fighting systems reflect not simply a response to increasing threats but concurrently significantly improve their inherent combat capability. It will be interesting to see if this results in their consideration as a primary weapon system in its own right. Could this influence a move toward actually employing IFV’s independently, a shift from its traditional role? It is a movement to watch for. AMR

Bigger Guns New Tactics?

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Northrop Grumman landed its RQ-4 Global Hawk during the Avalon airshow in March 2019.

THE ART OF UAS OPERATIONS Unmanned aerial systems are increasingly capable of maritime as well as overland ISR, but whatever the mission first rate simulation training will yield the best operational results.

by Andrew Drwiega

H

ow did the Chinese government manage to conduct such a rapid island building campaign in the South China Sea before it became too late to stop. Going against international laws and ignoring the claims of other nations to the same real estate, the Chinese government rapidly developed port facilities, runways and defence capability. These bases significantly bolstered China’s ability to enforce its ‘nine-dash line’ territorial claim which encompasses most of the South China Sea. Was this a failure of diplomacy - or the lack of an adequate means to conduct meaningful intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance gathering?

The initial ‘land reclamation programme’ carried out by the Chinese in the Spratly Islands took place between 2013 and 2016. Some of the reefs had been little more than barren rocks were built up into man-made islands. The runways at 2,7003,300 feet could handle military jets.

In the Pacific, long range and endurance counts. Australia’s acquisition of seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Tritons is giving the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) a high altitude, long range maritime patrol capability. Ranging out for up to 24 hours at a time at a ceiling well over 50,000 feet (15,000m), its 360

20

degree field of regard (FOR) sensors can cover over 2,000 nautical miles of sur-rounding ocean. This is achieved through its multifunction active sensor active electronically steered array (MFAS EASA) radar, electro-optical / infrared (EO/IR) sensor, automatic identification system (AIS) receiver and other electronic support measures (ESM).

Other regional customers for Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk include Japan, which is acquiring three RQ-4 Block 30i (international) variants which will all be delivered by 2022. The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) will take delivery of the first two of its four Block 30i UAS in the first half of 2019, following delays in delivery over cyber security concerns by the United States.

Guarding Seas and Skies With an increased focus by Asian countries on the need to conduct long-range, high endurance maritime patrolling, General Atomics (GA-ASI) considers the right time to promote the maritime version of its Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) MQ-9B SkyGuardian.

A spectacular demonstration of its long ranging capability was witnessed on 11 July, 2018 when an MQ-9B transited across the Atlantic Ocean in a single flight to land at the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) air

| Asian Military Review |

base at Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK. The UAS had departed from GA-ASI’s Flight Test and Training Centre in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. The RAF is the launch customer for the MQ-9B Protector, replacing the MQ-9A Predator, with the first delivery aircraft expected in the early 2020s.

“The new aircraft will offer greater range and endurance, and will be certified to fly in UK airspace,” said Group Captain Lyndon Jones, programme director for the RAF’s Air Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance programmes. He added that ‘detect and avoid’ was a critical system for flying in civilian airspace. The Reaper previously only few in military airspace and during operational deployments.

According to Steven Hendon, GA-ASI’s spokesperson, “MQ-9B is a ground-up redesign of earlier variants. This was done in order to earn certification to fly in non-segregated airspace.” He added, “GA-ASI expects MQ-9B to achieve certification in the early 2020s, when the aircraft initially will meet NATO STANAG-4671 airworthiness standards, and subsequently will meet commercial air-worthiness certification standards in cooperation with the .S Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Hendon went on to explain that the

COUNTER-UAS TECHNOLOGY CHOSEN BY THE U.S. MILITARY srcinc.com/silentarcher

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General Atomics Predator XP flying over southern California.

aircraft’s Detect and Avoid (DAA) system comprises a radar, Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), which, when combined, can alert and provide manoeuvring guidance to the pilot in the Ground Control Station (GCS).

In terms of new features, the wings of the MQ-9B have been extended by four metres (to 24m) giving increased fuel capacity and greater overall lift. This has allowed the addition of two extra hard points for a total of nine, giving a maximum external payload of 4,750 pounds (2,155 kilograms). With the additional fuel the range is now 6,000 nautical miles (nm) with an endurance of 40 hours.

The MQ-9B operates Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ranges at altitudes over 40,000 feet (12,192m). its sensor systems include EO/IR Full Motion Video (FMV), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery, and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) data. Hendon adds: “The platform can also be equipped with a multi-mode maritime search radar, an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) capability, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) detection capability that provides a true Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) and allows for the identification and interdiction of maritime targets.”

In addition to the UK and the United States, countries such as Italy and France have GA-ASI MQ-9A systems in their inventory, and the United Arab Emirates operates the Predator RPA. Spain and the Netherlands have MQ-9 systems on order.

Discussions are ongoing with several other countries.

22

GA-ASI is developing an AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) capability for the MQ-9B. In 2017, the company conducted a demonstrated of remote detection and tracking of submerged contacts using an MQ-9A. Hendon confirmed that the RPA “used sonobuoys to gather acoustic data and track underwater targets. The data was transmitted to the MQ-9A, processed onboard, and then relayed to the aircraft’s GCS.” hendon added that the company is working on ways for the SeaGuardian’s deliver sonobuoys and “transmit the acoustic data via BLOS SATCOM.” This would provide direct support to manned maritime patrol aircraft.

Getting Simulation Training Right Operate a UAS such as the MQ-9 demands high skill levels and concentration from its operators. The Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have come a long way in a short time. Their participation in Saudi Arabia’s coalition operations against Houthi opponents in the Yemeni Civil War that has been raging since 2015 has provided them with a steep learning curve, not least in the necessity to collate intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sources together to provide a realtime picture of the military situation, which is always difficult to achieve in an asymmetric war such as that in Yemen.

| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

For a relative newcomer to wide area persistent surveillance, the UAE has committed to an un-specified number of MALE GA-ASI XP/RQ-1E Predator systems with deliveries occurring to the end of 2017. Although believed to be unarmed, the UAE Air Force (UAEAF) set out to ensure that its pilots and sensor operators were proficient and that a flow of qualified personnel was ensured.

To that end, in 2017, CAE announced that it had been awarded a $42 million (C$56 million) con-tract by the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the UAE to deliver a training package for remotely pi-loted aircraft (PRA) for the UAEAF and Air Defence.

UAEAF crewmen had been training in the United States at AI-GSA’s Castle Dome training site located at the US Army’s Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona, which is where CAE’s initial training team also learned how to operate the RQ-1E. However, the logical next-step was to bring that training inside the UAE to the UAEAF’s own RQ-1E operating base.

Initially agreeing a five year contract, CAE’s task was to provide all aspects of RPA training from academic instruction, through to flight simulator training and ultimately live flight training. This was to be delivered by Abu Dhabi based CAE Maritime Middle East.

At the UAE’s biennial defence show, IDEX, staged in Abu Dhabi (1721 February), CAE confirmed that the simulator was in operation with the UAEAF and that two student groups at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College had already undertaken the new RPA Pilot Fundamentals training course with a third group already engaged.

“Remotely piloted aircraft have been proven as an indispensable asset in modern combat operations, and like all platforms they require skilled and CAE

GA-ASI

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CAE Maritime Middle East's UAS RQ-1E training package includes classroom facilities at Khalifa Bin Zayad Air College.

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proficient aircrews who are prepared for a range of missions,” said Ian Bell, CAE's vice president and general manager, Middle East/Asia-Pacific.

A CAE spokesman stated that it has already delivered “desktop trainers used in the classroom for basic training, and a generic UAS mission trainer used for familiarisation and procedural training.”

The next stage, a high-fidelity RQ-1E type-specific mission trainer is currently in development at CAE. The UASAF has largely based the timeline of its RQ-1E training programme around the US Air Force programme. This means that it takes up to five months to train a basic aircrew member from start to initial mission combat readiness for a Predatortype MALE UAS such as the Predator.

Additional qualifications such as Launch and Recovery, or instructor upgrade may take another two to three months top of the initial mission training period. A CAE spokesperson said that “training is divided roughly equally between academic/simulator training, and live flying training.” However, this is expected to change significantly with the

delivery of the high-fidelity RQ-1E typespecific mission trainer “because that simulator will enable more of the training tasks to be accomplished in synthetic training, thus enhancing training delivery and operational readiness.” This will save flying hours across the RQ-1E fleet which instead can be allocated for actual missions. It will also allow a greater range of mission scenarios to be created and flown, perhaps simulating operational deployments beyond the ‘home base’ requirements of the Gulf region.

The UAEAF is already feeding back its own lessons learned through operational experiences into the training programme to modify CAE’s original courseware for their own specific operational needs.

The UAEAF’s RQ-1E specific Predator Mission Trainer is being developed using the foundation of the Italian Air Force programme. CAE developed a Level D simulator – the highest qualification for flight simulators - for the Italian Air Force Predator mission simulator, although the UAEAF’s RQ-1E is a substantially different system to the Italian MQ-9A/B. The ground control systems (GCS)

used to control both Predator types are different: “RQ-1E uses the upgraded Block 30 GCS so the simulator we are developing reflects that while the Italian Air Force has a Block 15 GCS,” stated a CAE spokesman.

The mission trainer will use CAE’s Medallion-6000 image generator with Common Database (CDB) architecture, which was recently adopted by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) as an international standard for the creation of synthetic environment databases. According to CAE, “this common software and standardisation, which are also being deployed on naval and helicopter training systems that CAE is currently developing for the UAE, will further enhance networked, interoperable mission training across the UAE Armed Forces.”

Military forces that set in place an ambitious and technologically advanced training programme that will allow them to maximise the benefit of owning ISR capable UAS, whether for border security or wider military missions, will see their investment returned with interest. AMR

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r e g i o n a l

Rostvertol

AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

A Venezuelan Air force Mi-35M; it was the first international operator of the new Mi-35M.

MODERNISED MI-35M REAFFIRMS REPUTATION

The newly modernised Mi-35M is winning a steady stream of military customers who appreciate its dual role of troop carrier and attack attack helicopter.

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Rostvertol

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n January 2019, Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić announced that Serbia would be the latest customer for the Mi-35M, buying seven alongside three new Mil Mi-17 ‘Hip’ (Mi-8M in Russia) transport helicopters. This followed a visit by Russian president Vladimir Putin who gave assurances regarding ‘technical cooperation’ between the two countries.

The Nigerian Air Force also expects to receive another Mi-35M around March/April as it continues to build on an order for 12 Mi35Ms that was originally made public in September 2015. Other international customers include the Venezuelan Army, which was the launch customer for the Mi-35M (and a long term customer for Russian military equipment). It has currently received at least three of the 10 Mi-35s to be upgraded. The Brazilian Air Force, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Mali forces also operate the Mi-35M. If a choice of one rotorcraft had to be made to symbolise Russia’s potency for offensive action in vertical lift aviation, very few professional military observers would stray away from selecting the Mil Mi-24/35 ‘Hind’ assault helicopter, which Rostvertol based at Rostov-on-don has been responsible for producing since 2005.

Dating back to the early 1970s, from the Cold War through to operations in Afghanistan and beyond, the Mi-35 (export version) has been bought by militaries of every hue and capability around the world and as a result has been engaged in combat somewhere for most of its life to date. Labelled by Russian Air Force aircrew as the ‘flying tank’ it has a reputation for ruggedness in common with many legacy Russian helicopters including the Mi-8/17 and the giant Mi-26, which has also recently been modernised to the Mi-26T2V standard.

With the modernised Mi-35M and Mi-35P being displayed at the Russian Army 2018 exposition (21-26 August) in Moscow last summer, further international interest is sure to follow from existing Hind operators and potentially new customers.

At the time Anatoly Serdyukov, industrial director, Aviation Cluster of Rostec State Corporation (of which Russian Helicopters is a subsidiary), stated: “We expect that the demand for new

A gaggle of Brazilain Mi-25Ms.

versions of the helicopter with increased combat capability will be high in many countries.”

Upgrades to the Mi-35M assault helicopter now mean that it can be armed with the Igla-S air-to-air guided missile and the President-S onboard defence system, which incorporates a laser station to defend the helicopter against infra-red (IR) missiles launched from man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS).

Additional technology that can now be fitted to the Mi35M includes the VOR/ILS systems and a radio rangefinder for measuring the distance between a helicopter and ground-based beacons.

The Mi-35P (the export version of the Mi-24P) reflects a common standard for the type and incorporates an OPS24N-1L with a third generation long-wave matrix thermal imager, TV camera, and laser rangefinder. The cockpit now features the improved KNEI-24E-1 flight navigation system with multifunctional displays, while the PKV-8-35 digital flight system increases the helicopter’s manoeuvrability and stability. The single 12.7mm nose machine gun has been replaced with a chinmounted NPPU-23 turret with a twin-barrel GSh-23L automatic cannon. The gunner also fires with the use of an updated PrVK24-2 targeting system, which also incorporates the use of 9M1271 Ataka-VM anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Pakistan Air Force J-17 Thunder.

ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW’S AIR FORCES DIRECTORY: PART II This section continues our review of Asian Air Forces from

Asian Military Review, Volume 27 / Issue 1, published in February 2019.

by Alan Warnes MALAYSIA ■ Royal Malaysian Air Force 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM MRCA. Only four

reported active by mid-2018, with the

others awaiting overhaul/repair.

12 retired MiG-29N MRCA. RMAF continues to look

at Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale-B/

C/M, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet,

Saab JAS-39C/D/E Gripen and Sukhoi

Su-35 MRCA as replacements but unlikely

to be a contract award for several years.

8 Boeing F/A-18D MRCA. 12 BAE Systems Hawk 208 lead-in jet trainer.

4 Airbus A400M strategic turboprop

transport aircraft.

5 Lockheed Martin KC-130H tanker.

3 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 maritime

patrol aircraft.

3 Beechcraft 350i King Air light transport.

9 Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop

freighter. One made a belly landing on

November 18, 2017, extent of damage

was unclear.

6/1 Airbus CN-235 turboprop transport/VIP aircraft.

7 Alenia Aermacchi MB-339CM trainer/

light attack aircraft. One lost on May 17, 2016.

33 Pilatus PC-7 turboprop trainer.

All now in store.

21 Pilatus PC-7/PC-7 Mk II turboprop trainer.

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

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r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Royal Malaysian Air Force Airbus A400M.

12

10

2

10

8

5?

1 1 4

Airbus Helicopters EC-725 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Sikorsky S-61 Nuri medium-lift utility helicopter.

AS61N Sea King medium lift VIP helicopter.

MD3-160 AeroTiga training aircraft.

Believed withdrawn.

Airbus Helicopters SA-316 Alouette III light utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters EC120 Colibri.

Five or six acquired second-hand from December 2015 to replace Alouette IIIs in the training role.

Bombardier Global Express VIP aircraft.

Falcon 900 VIP aircraft.

Extra EA-300L aerobatic display aircraft.

■ Note: The search for a maritime patrol aircraft continues and despite the lessons learnt from the loss of MH370 in 2014 the Malaysian Government is still to make a decision. Both the Royal Australian Air Force and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force have offered P-3C Orions.

Malaysian Army Aviation 2 of 12 S-61A Nuri medium lift helicopter.

12 Nuris being transferred from the Royal

Malaysian Air Force, with the first two

examples officially accepted into service

on March 20, 2015. All 12 being subjected

to an upgrade before delivery, to resolve

obsolescence issues, including replacement

of old analogue instruments with a new

glass cockpit. Although they had been

in TUDM service since 1967, they have

only accumulated an average of 14,000

flight hours each and the Army says that

they will be good for another 15 years of

service. They are also being fitted with

door-mounted 12.7mm guns.

10 AgustaWestland AW-109 LUH light

utility helicopter.

4 Sikorsky S-70 medium-lift helicopter.

Ex Royal Brunei Air Force.

26

Royal Malaysian Navy 6 AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 maritime

support helicopter.

6 Airbus Helicopters AS555SN

Fennec maritime support helicopter.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency 2 Bombardier 415MP fire-fighting and

maritime surveillance amphibious aircraft.

3 Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II

helicopter.

3 AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter.

Malaysian Fire and Rescue Unit (Aviation Department) 1 AgustaWestland AW109E Power helicopter.

2 AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter.

2 AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter.

2 Mi-17-1V medium-lift helicopter.

2 Mi-171 medium-lift helicopter.

MALDIVES ■ Maldives National Defence Force 2 HAL Dhruv helicopter.

Donated by Indian Government.

NEPAL ■ Nepal Army Air Service 1 on order Airbus CN235 medium transport aircraft.

Contract awarded in June 2017.

1 PZL Mielec M-28-05 Skytruck utility aircraft.

See note PZL Mielec C-145A Combat Coyote.

Six requested as Excess Defense Articles

from the US. Authorisation granted on

August 5, 2016, for the USAF to supply

two, valued at $20 million, but status unclear.

1 AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter.

Delivered by in October 2018, made first

flight in Nepal after reassembly

on December 4, 2018.

2 Aérospatiale AS350B2/B3

Ecureuil helicopter.

1 + 1 on order Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil

helicopter. First entered service August 2018.

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

1

3 3 1

Bell 407GXP helicopter. Delivered on December 5, 2018, for VVIP transport operations.

Mi-17-V5 medium-lift helicopter.

HAL Dhruv helicopter.

Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander aircraft.

NEW ZEALAND ■ Royal New Zealand Air Force 6 Lockheed Martin P-3K2 maritime patrol aircraft. The RNZAF is planning to buy

P-8As as replacements.

2 Boeing 757-200 transport.

4 planned Boeing P-8A Poseidon.

US State Department approved this

possible sale on April 28, 2017.

The New Zealand Government announced

on July 9, 2018, that it had agreed to buy four.

6 AgustaWestland AW-109 light

utility helicopter.

4 Beechcraft B300 King Air 350. Delivered

between March and November 2018 on

initial seven-year leases to replace B200s.

5 Lockheed Martin C-130H

turboprop freighter.

9 NH Industries NH-90 medium-lift

utility helicopter.

8 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift

utility helicopter.

11 Hawker Beechcraft T-6C Texan II training

aircraft. One damaged in belly landing

on October 9, 2018.

Royal New Zealand Navy 10 KamanSH-2Gmaritimesupporthelicopter.

The decision to buy ten ex-Australian

SH-2G Super Seasprites was announced

on 19 April 2013. Eight of the new aircraft

replace the five existing SH-2G(NZ)s, the

last two of which were retired on April 21,

2016. Two used for spares.

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA ■ Korean People’s Army Air Force 20+ MiG-29 MRCA. 56 MiG-23 MRCA. 50?

MiG-21 MRCA. ?

MiG-15bis/UTI. Small number believed

still in service.

106 Shenyang F-5 MRCA. 97 Shenyang F-6 MRCA. 120 Chengdu F-7 interceptor aircraft.

80 Harbin H-5 medium bomber.

Probably fewer in service 36/4 Sukhoi Su-25K/UB MRCA. 1 Antonov An-24 turboprop freighter.

20 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter.

4 Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter.

8 Mil Mi-14 maritime support helicopter.

84 MD Helicopters MD500 light

utility helicopter.

28

Korean Air Force F-35 roll-out ceremony.

46 40 100?

30?

2 3 ?

?

Mil Mi-2 light utility helicopter.

Mil Mi-8 light utility helicopter.

Shenyang FT-5 trainer aircraft.

Nanchang CJ-6 training aircraft.

Possibly larger number.

Tu-134B airliner.

Tu-154B airliner.

Antonov An-2 and SAMC Y-5.

Large number still in use.

Cessna 172 Skyhawk. A number of locally-built, reverse-engineered aircraft began appearing in service from 2015.

PAKISTAN ■ Pakistan Air Force 100 of 112 on contract Chengdu JF-17 Thunder MRCA.

The configuration of a third batch of 50

Block III aircraft should be defined by

mid 2019. The first 50 Block 1s being

upgraded to the same configuration of the

50 Block 2s. An additional 12 Block 2s

ordered in early 2017. The first of a pair

of two-seat JF-17Bs handed over to the

PAF on April 17, 2018 for trials.

76 General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin

F-16A/B MRCA, comprising 58 F-16A/B

and 18 F-16C/D Block 52M. 50 Dassault Mirage-IIIEP/OF/RP MRCA.

Most now retired.

50 Dassault Mirage-5EF/PA MRCA.

The fleet will be replaced with

the Chengdu JF-17.

12 Dassault Mirage-IIIBE/D/DP MRCA. 2 Dassault Mirage-5DPA MRCA. 6 Chengdu FT-7 combat/trainer aircraft.

36 Chengdu F-7P. 37 Chengdu F-7PG MRCA. 39 Hongdu K-8 Karakorum light attack/

lead-in jet trainer.

2 Dassault Falcon 20/200 reconnaissance

aircraft.

3/2 + three on order Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft, plus two

utility transport variants. Three more

AEW&C version on order.

4 Shaanxi Y-8/ZDK-03 transport/airborne

early warning and control.

4 Ilyushin Il-78 tanker.

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l Turning military communications into a sovereign territory

AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

3/1 1 1 4

1/1 16

2 6 10

10 +4 on order

40

60

6

24+

Airbus CN-235 turboprop freighter/VIP. Airbus A310-304. VIP transport.

Bombardier CL-604 Challenger.

Embraer Phenom 100 comms and liaison aircraft.

Gulfstream G450/GIVSP business jet.

Lockheed Martin C-130B/E and L-100 turboprop freighter.

Harbin Y-12 Turbo Panda transport.

Mil Mi-8/171 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters SA-316B Alouette III light utility helicopter.

Leonardo AW139. Deliveries commenced in mid-2017. Four on order.

Cessna T-37B/C trainer aircraft. Acquired a batch of 34 from Turkish Air Force in 2015.

MFI-17 Super Mushshak primary trainer/ comms aircraft. Four upgraded with glass cockpit.

Stemme S-6 motorglider. Operated by PAF College.

Leonardo Falco UAV. Initial 24 delivered from Italy, followed by local production

by PAC.

Pakistan Army 48 12

30 ordered

19

45

45

4

8

14

10

31

22

8

30 4

1/1

Bell Helicopter AH-1F attack helicopter.

Bell AH-1Z. All completed in 2017-2018 but embargoed in the USA. TAI T129B ATAK attack helicopter.

Turkish officials announced on July 13, 2018, that Pakistan had signed a contract and deliveries will take place in batches over the next five years.

Bell Helicopter 206 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter 412 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Mil Mi-8 and Mil-171 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Mil Mi-35M attack helicopter. Delivered in April 2018. An order for five more announced in November 2018.

Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters SA-315 light utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters SA-316 light utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters SA-330 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters AS-550 U3 medium-lift utility helicopter.

AgustaWestland AW139. Six configured for humanitarian relief, plus two VVIP versions.

Schweizer 269/TH-300 training helicopter.

Enstrom F-280FX Shark training helicopter.

Delivered February 2018.

Cessna 550 Citation II Bravo/560 Citation V turbofan transport.

Rohde & Schwarz capabilities for system design, development, production and inte gration of secure communication architectures and networks are summarized under the SOVERON® concept. SOVERON® takes national interests into account and contributes to digital sovereignty and technological independence. www.rohde-schwarz.com/soveron

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

A secure communications architecture is best implemented by a partner who combines the key components radio, cryptology and routing into a coherent whole.

29

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Pakistan Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16

1 11

4 100 4

Gulfstream G450 executive jet.

Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 turboprop transport. Most believed configured for ISR. Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport.

MFI-17 Mushshak training aircraft.

Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair. In service from March 2017.

Pakistan Navy 6 Lockheed Martin P-3C maritime patrol

aircraft. Two new aircraft delivered in

February 2012, following the attack by

armed militants on the Mehran Naval

Airbase, southern Pakistan in May 2011.

Two upgraded P-3Cs destroyed and two

additional aircraft were delivered in

February 2012.

6 Fokker F27 Friendship/Troopship.

Two Srs 200 VIP/passenger versions, two

Srs 200MPA maritime patrol aircraft and

one Srs 400M Troopship.

7 Airbus Helicopters SA-316B/SA319

Alouette III maritime support helicopter.

6 Westland Sea King 45 maritime support helicopter. All upgraded with Selex

Seapray 7300 radar.

2 Westland Sea King HAR3A/HC4+. One

ex-RAF HAR3A and one ex-Royal Navy

HC4+ formally inducted on December 12,

2018, although delivered from the UK in

December 2017 with another ex-RN HC4+,

which was lost in a fatal crash on August

31, 2018. Two others delivered from the

UK at the same time for spares use only.

6 Harbin Z-9EC medium-lift utility helicopter.

1 ATR 72 utility aircraft.

1+1 on order ATR 72-212A maritime patrol aircraft.

30

1 9

The first was inducted into service on December 12, 2018, after conversion in Germany, where work on the second one is still under way.

Hawker 850XP VIP transport.

ACES UQAB-II UAV.

PHILLIPINES â– Philippine Air Force 12 FA-50PH Korean Aerospace Industries

(KAI) lead in fighter trainer/light attack aircraft. Of 12 ordered, two delivered by

end of 2015, two on December 1, 2016 and

the remaining eight in 2017.

6 on order A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft.

An order was announced on November

30, 2017 to be delivered from 2019 and

operated by the 15th Strike Wing.

8 North American Aviation OV-10 light

attack turboprop. The USAF issued a request

for proposals in August 2018 for

dismantling and shipping two OV-10As

and two OV-10G+ to the Philippines, which

will return them to operational service.

Delivery is planned in 2019.

2 Lockheed Martin C-130H/B turboprop

freighter. Two more, variant unconfirmed,

are expected from the US in 2019.

2 Lockheed Martin C-130T turboprop freighter.

Ex- USMC first delivered April 5, 2016

and second, October 9, 2016.

3 + 1 on order Airbus C295M turboprop transport.

Delivered in 2015. A contract for one more

configured for both VVIP and command

and control operations, was awarded to

Airbus on October 16, 2018.

1 Fokker F-27 turboprop transport.

1 Fokker F-28 Fellowship VIP transport.

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

1 2

2

5 19

1

3 2 due

6 planned

8

GAF Nomad 22 turboprop transport.

PTDI NC212i transport aircraft. Ordered in 2014 and delivered in June 2018.

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX light transport aircraft converted into ISR aircraft. In service from July 2017.

Cessna R172K Hawk XP II utility aircraft.

Cessna T-41B/D training aircraft. Total of 15 ex-ROKAF T-41B aircraft were delivered in 2008/09.

Rockwell Commander 690A executive transport in ISR configuration.

SIAI-Marchetti S.211 trainer aircraft.

AH-1F Cobra attack helicopter. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that Jordan was donating two helicopters to the Philippines expected to arrive in 2019.

TAI T129 ATAK attack helicopter.

Outgoing PAF Chief Lt Gen Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr revealed on December 22, 2018, that a contract for six of these helicopters should be signed in 2019.

AgustaWestland AW-109AH Power light utility helicopter. Contract signed in November 2013 and first two officially inducted into service on August 17, 2015.

They are being used to support of homeland security, in armed reconnaissance

4 ordered 5 10

5

38

4 3

11

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

and close support tasks, for which they are fitted with a pair of 0.50in calibre machine guns and rocket launchers. The value of the acquisition package, which also includes initial training for aircrew and technicians, was declared at $56.4 million.

Airbus Helicopters AS550 utility helicopter.

PZL W-3 Sokol light utility helicopter.

MD Helicopters MD-520MG light utility helicopter. Around seven are stored.

Sikorsky S-76A/AUH-76A medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter. In addition, 33 are beyond economical repair, 25 recoverable but need a budget for repair, 21 are operational.

Bidding for 21 refurbished ex German Air Force/Army UH-1H helicopters failed for the third time in September 2013 as it fell short of requirements. Nine were eventually delivered before the contract was terminated. One lost on June 4, 2017.

Four converted to Huey II standard.

UH-1H-II Huey II. Bell Helicopter 205 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell 412EP medium-lift utility helicopter.

31

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

2 1

16 planned

17

6

6

13 on order

The eight ordered through a 4.8 billion pesos ($106 million) contract with Canadian Commercial Corporation on March 28, 2014. The first two arrived in the Philippines in June 2015. Three of the B412EPs, which are in a VIP configuration and colour scheme, are being assigned to the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing for VIP transport. The other five, in standard overall dark green camouflage, will supplement the Huey helicopters of of the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, undertaking medium-lift missions, plus humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

Bell 412HP helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70A-5 Black Hawk medium-lift helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk. A proposed order for 16 Black Hawks, expected to be S-70i variants, was announced by Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on December 4, 2018.

Alenia Aermacchi SF260FH trainer aircraft.

One lost.

Alenia Aermacchi SF-260TP light attack/ trainer aircraft. Stored.

Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack UAV. Delivered in March 2018.

Elbit Hermes UAV. Outgoing PAF Chief Lt Gen Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr revealed on December 22, 2018, that these UAVs would be delivered in 2019. The precise variant was not announced.

Philippine Navy Aviation 5 Britten Norman BN-2 maritime patrol

aircraft. Will be replaced by King Airs.

5 Beech TC-90 King Air. In service from

March 2017, final three delivered on

March 26, 2018. Donated by Japan.

4 Cessna 172F/N/177B/A152.

One of each type in service.

1 MBB BO-105 light utility helicopter.

5 AgustaWestland AW-109E

Power maritime support helicopter.

2 Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter.

2 on order AW159 Wildcat. After the Philippine

Navy selected the AW159 Lynx Wildcat

as its preferred option for two new

anti-submarine warfare (ASW)helicopters,

on March 17, 2014, the Department

of National Defence (DND) confirmed

that 5.4 billion pesos ($120.479 million)

had been approved for the acquisition.

A formal contract finally signed on March,

29, 2016, with deliveries scheduled to take

place in 2018, although as of January 2019

the first example still test flying at Yeovil.

Philippine Army Aviation 4/2 Cessna 172 Skyhawk/206 Stationair.

32

Philippine Coast Guard 2 due Shorts C-23B Sherpa. In December 2014 it

was announced that two surplus US Army

examples would be delivered free of

charge as Excess Defense Articles. Originally

expected in 2015, Coast Guard Spokesman

Commander Armand Balilo said in

September 2016 that they would be

delivered in December of that year. As of

January 2019, they had still not arrived.

2 BN-2A-21 Islander maritime patrol aircraft.

1 ordered Airbus Helicopters H145 helicopter. Airbus

Helicopters announced an order for one

of these helicopters on September 26, 2018.

No delivery date was given.

2 MBB BO-105C helicopter.

SINGAPORE â– Republic of Singapore Air Force 40 Boeing F-15SG MRCA. Declared combat ready by Singapore Defence Minister in

September 2013.

60 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D MRCA. Aircraft

due for upgrade. Lockheed Martin was

awarded a $914 million Foreign Military

Sales contract by the US Air Force on

December 1, 2015, to upgrade the RSAF

F-16s to what are referred to as the F-16V.

The work is expected to be completed by

June 30, 2023.

6/10 Boeing CH-47D/SD heavy-lift helicopter.

6?

Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter. Order announced on November

7, 2016, but no numbers disclosed.

They will replace CH-47SD. 18 Airbus Helicopters AS332M1 Super Puma

medium lift/SAR helicopter.

14 Airbus AS532UL medium-lift

utility helicopter. ?

Airbus H225M Caracal medium-lift utility

helicopter. Order announced on November

7, 2016, but no numbers disclosed.

They will replace AS332/AS532.

19 Boeing AH-64D attack helicopter.

5 Airbus Helicopters H120 Colibri light

utility helicopter. All are owned by ST

Aero, but are used for training by RSAF

under a performance based logistics

support programme.

8 Sikorsky S-70B maritime support helicopter.

Operated from Singapore Navy frigates.

Initial six supplemented by two more

delivered in February 2018.

4 Fokker F50 Enforcer maritime

patrol aircraft.

4 Gulfstream G550 CAEW airborne early

warning and control.

4 Lockheed Martin C-130H

turboprop freighter.

4+2 Lockheed Martin KC-130B/H tanker.

4 Boeing KC-135R tanker.

12 Alenia Aermacchi M346 lead-in jet trainer.

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Singapore Air Force Boeing F-15SG.

19 1 + 5 on order

12

8+

35+

Deliveries completed in September 2014 and 150 Squadron activated, based at Cazaux Air Base near Bordeaux, France.

Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainer.

Airbus A330MRTT multi role tanker transport aircraft. On March 6, 2014, MinDef announced that the A330 MRTT had been selected over the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus. On March 7, 2014, it was officially confirmed by Airbus Military that the RSAF has ordered six aircraft, to replace the four existing KC-135R Stratotankers.

The first aircraft, an Airbus A330-243, emerged from the conversion line at Getafe, near Madrid, Spain, after completion performing its first test flight on September 30, 2016. This aircraft is the first to incorporate a number of enhancements introduced on the basic A330, as well as upgraded military systems as part of Airbus Defence and Space’s continuous product improvement programme. The new standard A330 MRTT features structural modifications, aerodynamic improvements giving a fuel-burn reduction of up to 1%, upgraded avionics computers and enhanced military systems. The first aircraft delivered on August 14, 2018.

Elbit Systems Hermes 450 UAV. In service from 2007.

MALAT Heron I UAV. Inducted into service in May 2012 and declared fully operational in March 2017.

IAI Searcher UAV.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA ■ Republic of Korea Air Force 59 Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle MRCA. The

first lot of Taurus KEPD 350K stand–off

missiles was handed over to the ROKAF

on October 14, 2016. MBDA says that the

Taurus KEPD 350K programme is

progressing according to plan and its

57

6 + 4 on order

30+ 72+ 44 90/42

27/8

22

4

1 + 3 on order

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

integration onto the ROKAF F-15K Slam Eagle is in the final stages. The Taurus weapon system will provide the RoKAF with a stand-off and deep strike capability.

The US would not export cruise missiles when the contract was awarded and hence a European weapon on a F-15K. Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 MRCA. Three more to complete order for 60 aircraft probably now delivered. The new FA-50s will replace the Northrop Grumman F-5E/F MRCA fleet which will be retired by 2019.

Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning-II MRCA. Deliveries for 10 aircraft began in 2018 and by the year end six were at Luke AFB, Arizona, for training. There is a requirement for 40 F-35As. McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-4E MRCA. Northrop Grumman K/F-5E MRCA. Northrop Grumman K/F-5F MRCA. Lockheed Martin K/F-16C/D MRCA. Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.2 billion fixed-price-incentive-fee Foreign Military Sales contract on November 18, 2016, by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to upgrade the KF-16 fleet. Work will be undertaken in Fort Worth, Texas, with contract completion expected by November 15, 2025. The announcement by the US Department of Defense gave no further details. However, the Defense Security Co-operation Agency revealed more on the upgrade when it notified Congress of the planned deal on July 14, 2015. It will involve all 134 KF-16C/D Block 52 aircraft and is valued in total at an estimated $2.5 billion including weapons, associated equipment and logistical support.

It will include the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 scalable agile beam radar (SABR).

Lockheed Martin F-16C/D. Deliveries commenced in 1986 prior to the KF-16 kits supplied to Samsung (now KAI).

Korea Aerospace Industries FTA-50 lead-in jet trainer.

Boeing 737 airborne early warning and control.

Airbus A330MRTT multi role tanker transport aircraft. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on June 30, 2015, that the A330 MRTT had been selected to meet the country’s KC-X requirement for four air refuelling tanker aircraft. The first aircraft which flew from Toulouse to Getafe for MRTT conversion in May 2017 and was delivered on November 12, 2018, with the last due before the end of 2019.

On November 16, 2016, the US State Department granted a possible Foreign

33

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Republic of Korea Air Force KAI T-50.

2

4 on order

4/4

12

4

12

22

2

3

5

34

Military Sale to the Republic of Korea, for AN/AAQ- 24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems, equipment, training and support, at an estimated cost of $141 million. This will be integrated into the A330MRTTs. Dassault Falcon 2000SIGINT reconnaissance aircraft.

Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk UAV. On November 4. 2013, the Republic of Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) confirmed that plans ‘to adopt Global Hawks in 2017’ had been formalised, with the signing of a contract for four air vehicles, plus associated equipment and logistical support, anticipated to take place during early 2014. This was duly completed when an order was placed with Northrop Grumman on December16, 2014, for manufacture of the four air vehicles.

Hawker-Siddeley/BAE Systems 125-800RA/-800SIG reconnaissance aircraft.

The four -800SIGs are configured for ISR and SIGINT tasks, under Lockheed Martin ‘Peace Krypton’ programme.

Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter aircraft. Four are C-130H-30.

Lockheed Martin C-130J turboprop freighter aircraft.

Airbus/PTDI CN-235 turboprop transport aircraft, including four for the Coast Guard.

KAI KC-100 T-103 piston-engine basic trainer.

Airbus Helicopters AS332 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter 412 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Boeing CH-47D heavy-lift helicopter.

Surplus US Army

7 7 25

29

3

3

84

20

23?

59

10 See notes

Boeing HH-47D heavy-lift helicopter.

Kamov Ka-32 maritime support helicopter.

MD Helicopters MD500 light utility helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70/HH/UH-60P medium-lift utility helicopter.

Sikorsky VH-60P VIP medium lift helicopter.

Sikorsky VCH-92. Used for Presidential and VIP transport.

Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1 basic trainer aircraft.

Korea Aerospace Industries KA-1 light attack aircraft.

Korea Aerospace Industries KT-100.

New training aircraft to replace the Ilyushin T-103s. First aircraft flew on October 5, 2015. Unconfirmed but all 23 on order believed delivered.

Korea Aerospace Industries T-50/B/ TA-50 lead-in jet trainer.

Antonov An-2. Used for special operations.

Korean Air KUS-FS medium-altitude long-endurance UAV. Flight testing since 2012 and unknown number due for delivery to ROKAF. Now nearing service entry.

Republic of Korea Army 60+ Bell Helicopter AH-1F/S attack helicopter.

36 Boeing AH-64E attack helicopter. On

April 17, 2013, it was officially announced,

by Korea's Defense Acquisition Program

Administration (DAPA), that the AH-64E

Guardian had been selected to meet the

requirement for new attack helicopters,

beating competition from Bell’s AH-1Z

Viper and TAI's T-129 ATAK. Although

no details were disclosed regarding the

number of Guardians being acquired, the

$1.790 billion deal is confirmed to account

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

12 35?

180

60

130+

70+

214 on order

for 36 examples. On August 23, 2013, Boeing was awarded a production contract for these helicopters. After being shipped by sea, the first four were unloaded at Busan on May 25, 2016. All have been delivered.

MBB/KAI BO-105 light utility helicopter.

Boeing CH-47D/SD heavy-lift helicopter.

MD Helicopters MD500 light utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70/UH-60L/P medium-lift utility helicopter.

Korea Aerospace Industries Surion KUH/1 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Requirement for 245.

Airbus Helicopters H155. Airbus Helicopters signed a contract on March 16, 2015 with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for the development and production of 214 military Light Armed Helicopters (LAH) and around 100 Light Civil Helicopters (LCH). Both designs will be based on the Airbus Helicopters H155, the new designation for the EC155B1 Dauphin.

Initial helicopters will be produced at the manufacturer’s production site in Marignane, France, before final assembly shifts to KAI’s factory in Sacheon. A joint venture will also be created to tap the export market for both types, for which Airbus Helicopters estimates potential sales of up to 600. The first LAH prototype unveiled by KAI on December 18, 2018, with maiden flight expected in May 2019.

ROKA service entry anticipated in 2023.

Republic of Korea Navy 16 Lockheed Martin P-3C III+/CK maritime

patrol aircraft.

6 planned Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol

aircraft. The type was selected to replace

the P-3C Orion in June 2018. US State

Department approval for an order for six

was granted on September 13, 2018, but a

contract has yet to be signed.

5 Reims F406 Caravan II turboprop

utility transport.

23 AgustaWestland Lynx 99/99A maritime

support helicopter.

8 Sikorsky UH-60P maritime

support helicopter.

4 Bell Helicopter UH-1H maritime

support helicopter.

8 AgustaWestland AW159 maritime support

helicopter. Purchased in a $560 million

deal that saw the four AW-159s inducted

on July 29, 2016. Final four delivered in

November 2016 and commissioned

on July 5, 2017.

Republic of Korea Marine Corps 1 + 28 ordered Korea Aerospace Industries Surion KUH/1.

The Marines contracted KAI/Airbus for

supply of 30 KUH-1Ms in December 2016.

First two delivered on January 10, 2018,

but one lost in fatal crash on July 17, 2018.

Republic of Korea Coast Guard 4 PTDI CN-235-220MPA maritime patrol

aircraft.

1 Bombardier CL-604 Challenger

SAR aircraft 2 CASA C-212-400MP Aviocar maritime

patrol aircraft.

8 Kamov Ka-32C Helix-C helicopter.

5 Eurocopter AS565MB Panther helicopter.

2 AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter.

2 Sikorsky S-92 helicopter.

1 Bell 412SP helicopter.

■ Notes: The RoK hopes to leap into the rank of major arms exporters as a result of its ongoing Korea Fighter Experimental (KFX) programme which is to be led by the RoK’s largest aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and focuses on the development of an advanced fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoAF) and the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU). Facing the threat from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the strategic situation involving China and Japan, the RoK has developed its own initiatives to respond to the urgent need to replace obsolete platforms in its fleet of MRCA. SRI LANKA ■ Sri Lankan Air Force 2

2

Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 maritime patrol aircraft.

Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules C1 turboprop freighter.

A trio of Sri Lankan Air Force Mig-27s.

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

35

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

4 7/2

2

4

13

4 18

9

7

4

1

14

?

Antonov An-32 turboprop freighter.

Harbin Y-12-II/IV Turbo Panda turboprop transport.

Xian MA60 turboprop transport. Operated

by Helitours, the commercial arm of the SLAF. Bell Helicopter 206A/B JetRanger medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter 212/412 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Mil Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Mil Mi-171 medium lift helicopter.

Includes four civilian operated by Helitours.

Mil Mi-24P/Mi-24V/35P attack helicopter.

Most believed to be grounded.

Hongdu K-8 lead-in jet trainer/light attack aircraft.

Cessna 150L utility aircraft.

Used for primary training.

Cessna 421C Golden Eagle.

Used for survey work.

Nanchang PT-6 training aircraft. Includes six new-build aircraft which arrived in October 2018.

EMIT Blue Horizon-2 UAV. An unknown number of these reconnaissance UAVs are thought to be still in service.

TAIWAN â– Republic of China Air Force 114/27 Lockheed Martin F-16A/B MRCA. Taiwan

is the launch customer for the new F-16V

variant from Lockheed Martin. The

company has won a contract worth

USD1.85 billion to upgrade its fleet of 144

Block 20 F-16A/Bs to the F-16V Block

70/72 status. This will include Northrop

Grumman’s Scalable Agile Beam Radar

(SABR) as well as enhancements to mission

computers, vehicle systems, aircraft

structure, cockpit and electronic warfare

systems. On November 22, 2016, Lockheed

Martin was awarded a $12.3 billion

contract for developmental support

equipment for the ROCAF F-16s. The

contractor will provide equipment required

for reliability, performance, and

sustainability for 144 Taiwan F-16s. The

company also will provide specialized

familiarization on the use of integrated

ground software to support F-16 aircraft

maintenance and accident investigations.

Work is expected to be complete by May

31, 2022. In August 2013, Taiwan became

the 20th customer of the Sniper Air

Targeting Pod, which will be fitted to

the F-16s. The first F-16A to be converted

locally to F-16V was delivered to Chiayi

Air Base on October 19, 2018.

46 Dassault Mirage 2000-5EI MRCA. 9 Dassault Mirage 2000-5DI MRCA. 35+ Northrop Grumman F/RF-5E MRCA.

36

102

19

1 12

6

3+17 requirement

16

15

45

-

25

36

36

11

1 3

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation F-CK-1C MRCA. Upgraded from F-CK-1A aircraft.

Lockheed Martin C-130H turboprop freighter.

Lockheed Martin C-130HE ELINT aircraft.

Lockheed Martin P-3C maritime patrol aircraft. The first of twelve refurbished P-3C MPAs delivered in September 2013 and the last delivered by end of 2015.

Northrop Grumman E-2K airborne early warning and control.

Airbus Helicopters H225 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70C/UH-60A Blue Hawk medium-lift utility helicopter.

UH-60M Black Hawk medium-lift helicopter. Originally ordered for the Taiwanese Army, they were delivered instead to the ROCAF for SAR operations, the first arriving in December 2017 and all were due by December 2018.

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation AT-3A/B trainer aircraft.

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation XAT-5. New trainer based on F-CK-1 to replace AT-3. First of four prototypes under construction in 2018, first flight expected 2020. ROKAF plans to buy 66 aircraft.

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation F-CK-1D MRCA. Upgraded from F-CK-1B aircraft.

Northrop Grumman F-5F lead-in fighter trainer.

Beechcraft T-34C-1 Turbo Mentor trainer aircraft.

Beechcraft 1900C Airliner turboprop transport.

Boeing 737-800 VIP airliner.

Fokker 50 turboprop transport.

Republic of China Army 60 Bell Helicopter AH-1W attack helicopter.

29 Boeing AH-64E attack helicopter.

First six helicopters received in November

2013, part of a 30-aircraft contract signed

in June 2011.

8 Boeing CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopter.

38 Bell Helicopter OH-58D reconnaissance

helicopter.

50 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift

utility helicopter.

30 Sikorsky UH-60M medium-lift

utility helicopter.

29 TH-67A Creek training helicopter.

Republic of China Navy 1/7 MD Helicopters MD500MD/ASW

maritime support helicopter.

18 Sikorsky S-70C(M)-1/S-70C(M)2

Thunderhawk maritime support helicopter.

| Asian Military Review |

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

THAILAND â– Royal Thai Air Force 11 Northrop Grumman F-5T Tigris MRCA.

Elbit Systems upgraded 12 RTAF F-5E

Tiger IIs to F-5T Tigris, but one lost on

December 23, 2009. A further contract

to upgrade seven to F-5ST Super Tigris

standard awarded to Elbit in October

2014. Cabinet approval for similar work

on the remaining four granted

August 1, 2017.

37/15 General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin

F-16A/B MRCA. On September 29, 2010,

the DSCA notified US Congress as to the

possible sale to Thailand of a six-year,

three-phase programme of upgrades to

18 existing F-16A/B aircraft. The MLU

with Modular Mission Computer upgrade

will include APG-68(V)9 Radar, APX-113

Combined Interrogator and Transponder,

ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management

System, ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser

System, plus associated spares, tools,

training and logistics support at an

estimated cost of $700 million. The first

aircraft to be inducted into the MLU

programme was an F-16A Block 15 that

had been delivered new in 1995. Accepted

at Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) on

November 13, 2012. The work now completed.

19 7/4

5

4

2

3

7 12

1

12 13

14

8 + 2 on order

| MARCH/APRIL 2019 |

Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen MRCA. Initial batch delivered in February 2011 and the last three fighters were received in September 2013. The aircraft replaced half of Royal Thai Air Force’s existing Northrop Grumman F-5B/E MRCA fleet.

Diamond DA42/MPP training/ reconnaissance aircraft.

Diamond DA42NG Twin Star training aircraft. In service from May 2017.

Saab 340 AEW&C airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Saab 340B training/transport aircraft.

One more second-hand aircraft on order.

Basler BT-67 turboprop transport aircraft.

Lockheed Martin C-130H/-30 turboprop freighter.

Hawker Beechcraft King Air 90 turboprop transport.

Fairchild Hiller AU-23A Peacemaker.

Bell Helicopter 412 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters H225M medium-lift utility helicopter. Contract signed in September 2012 for initial four, with two more added later, all six now delivered.

On September 20, 2018, a contract for four

37

r e g i o n a l AIR FORCES DIRECTORY

Royal Thai Navy Embraer ERJ-135R.

3

3

18

4

21 1

1 2 2 1

1 3 3

38

more announced, two of which delivered in October 2018.

Sikorsky S92 Helibus utility helicopter.

One for EMS, two VIP. Northrop Grumman F-5TF Tigris MRCA. Upgraded by Elbit from the RSAF’s three remaining F-5F Tiger IIs. A further contract with Elbit in October 2014 to upgrade all three to F-5ST Super Tigris standard resulted in roll out of the first to be completed on May 23, 2018.

Aero L-39ZA lead-in jet trainer.

Ten withdrawn from use, four stored.

KAI T-50TH Golden Eagle. First two delivered in January 2018 to replace L-39ZAs. A further two followed in March 2018 and all four commissioned into service the following month. The initial batch of four ordered in 2015, followed by eight more in July 2017. Total requirement is for 16, but this may be increased.

Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainer.

Learjet 35A special mission aircraft.

Now stored.

A319CJ VIP transport aircraft.

B737-800 VIP transport aircraft.

B737-400 transport aircraft.

A320-214 Prestige. On June 25, 2013, the Thai Cabinet approved funding, to the value of $102.225 million, for the acquisition of a new VVIP-specification Airbus ACJ320 aircraft, with an additional $582,000 also allocated for the cost of a new hangar in which to house it.

A340-541 Airbus VIP transport aircraft.

ATR72-212A transport aircraft.

Sukhoi Superjet 100 VIP transport aircraft.

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CT/4A/B/E Airtrainer trainer aircraft.

Cessna T-41D Mescalero training aircraft.

Thai Aviation Industry RTAF-6. Based on the Italian SF260MT. Six prototypes built, with production of 25 aircraft beginning in 2017. The first six inducted into service on August 1, 2017.

Aeronautics Dominator XP UAV. The Israeli manufacturer informed the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in August 2018 that it is supplying an unspecified number of based on the twin-engine Austriandesigned Diamond DA42 Twin Star.

Royal Thai Army 2 Airbus C-212-300 turboprop

transport aircraft.

1 Airbus C295W turboprop

transport aircraft.

2 Embraer ERJ-135LR. 2 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200

turboprop transport.

7 Bell AH-1F/G attack helicopter.

22 Bell 206A/B-2/3 JetRanger medium-lift

utility helicopter.

47 Bell 212 medium-lift utility helicopter.

2 Bell 412EP medium-lift helicopter.

7 Mil Mi-17 medium-lift utility helicopter.

Latest two Mi-17V-5s delivered to U-Tapao

Air Base on December 15 and 17, 2018.

3 Sikorsky UH-60M medium-lift utility

helicopter. Three S-70A medium-lift utility

helicopter (based on the UH-60L) were

delivered to Thailand in September 2014.

9/3 Sikorsky S-70A-43/UH-60L Black Hawk.

10 AgustaWestland AW-139 medium-lift

utility helicopter. Order announced in

| Asian Military Review |

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4+4 ordered

8

6

5+9 required

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2 18 5 19 2 4

October 2012 and delivered in December 2013 and January 2014. Announcement

by Finmeccanica on October 7, 2015, that eight more ordered. Built on the Philadelphia production line with deliveries taking place between December 2015 and October 2016.

AgustaWestland AW149 medium lift helicopter. Up to 12 thought to be on order.

Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters EC725.

First order deliveries from 2012 start in 2015, second batch start in 2017.

Airbus Helicopters H125M Fennec medium-lift utility helicopter.

Airbus helicopters H145M. On February 23, 2015, Airbus Helicopters announced that the RTA had recently signed a contract for the acquisition of 6 examples. The EC 145T2s will be supplied in a VIP passenger configuration, to meet theRTA’s Light Utility Helicopter Type II requirement and be used primarily on official passenger transport duties. Deliveries took place between November 2016 – April 2017.

Airbus Helicopters UH-72A medium-lift utility helicopter. Formally requested by Thailand in June 2013. Deal includes communication equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, technical documentation and training. The estimated cost for the operation is $77 million. On September 26, 2014, the DSCA gave notification of a potential follow-up contract for a further 9 Lakotas.

Enstrom 480B light utility helicopter.

Schweizer 269/TH-300 light utility helicopter.

Jetstream 41 VIP passenger aircraft.

Cessna T-41B Mescalero training aircraft.

Cessna U-17B Skywagon.

Maule MX-7-235 training aircraft.

Beech 1900C-1 VIP passenger aircraft.

Elbit Systems Hermes 450 UAV. In service from June 2018.

Royal Thai Navy 7 Dornier Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft.

2 Embraer ERJ135LR. 4 MOD Naval Aircraft Experimental NAX.

A batch of 4 locally-built light, amphibious

aircraft acquired, with 4 delivered by 2013.

3 Cessna T337H-SP Super Skymaster.

1 Lockheed Martin P-3T maritime

patrol aircraft.

1 Fokker F-27 maritime patrol aircraft.

Upgraded with Selex Seapray 7000 radar.

1 Canadair/Bombardier CL-215 fire-fighting

amphibious aircraft.

6/3 Bell Helicopter 212/214 maritime

support helicopter.

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2

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Sikorsky S-76B search and rescue helicopter.

Sikorsky S-70B/MH-60S maritime support helicopter.

AgustaWestland Super Lynx 110 maritime support helicopter.

Eurocopter EC-635 T2 utility helicopter.

Deliveries accepted into service in 2016.

VIETNAM ■ Vietnamese Air Force 6/5 Sukhoi Su-27SK/UBK MRCA. 35 Sukhoi 30MK2V MRCA.

Contract announced in August 2013.

Aircraft delivered in 2014-2015 timeframe.

25 Sukhoi Su-22 MRCA. 3 Airbus C295M transport aircraft.

The first example handed-over to the

VPAF on October 17, 2014, but retained at

the Airbus DS facility in Seville, for

crew training, with delivery to Vietnam

taking place in early December 2014. The

second C295M departed Seville on March

5, 2015, to undertake its delivery flight to

Vietnam, whilst it is also thought that the

third aircraft has been delivered.

10 Antonov An-26 turboprop transport.

1 PZL M28MPW Skytruck maritime

patrol aircraft.

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Mil Mi-8/17 medium-lift utility helicopter.

3 Mil Mi-172 VIP/transport medium lift

utility helicopter.

4 Mil Mi-171 SAR-equipped helicopter.

5 Bell Helicopter UH-1H medium-lift

utility helicopter.

15+ Aero L-39C Albatros lead-in jet trainer.

10 Aerostar Iak-52. Delivered during 2009-10.

6 An-2TD Colt. Supplied by PZL Mielec

in 2002.

3 on order IAI Heron UAV. Vietnam was reported to

have signed a contract in December 2018

along with a ground control station.

Delivery schedule unknown.

Vietnamese Navy 3/3 Viking Air DHC-6-400/Guardian 400 Twin Otter turboprop transport. Agreement for

six aircraft signed in May 2010.

First DHC-6 arrived in Vietnam in October

2013. The three Guardian 400s are being

utilized for transport, resupply, maritime

surveillance and SAR operations

throughout Vietnam’s coastal regi 3/1 Kamov Ka-28/32 maritime

support helicopter.

Vietnamese Coast Guard/Maritime Police 3 CASA 212-400 Aviocar. Two ex-Swedish

Coast Guard aircraft, and a third brand

new NC 212 built by PTDI in Bandung,

Indonesia. All fitted with the Swedish

Space Corporation (SSC) MSS6000 maritime

surveillance system. AMR

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A I R Department of Defence, Commonwealth of Australia

P O W E R

Adelaide – A Royal Australian Navy (RAN) aircrewman in an MRH-90 (NHIndustries’ NH-90) multirole helicopter above the landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious ship HMAS Adelaide in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2018. While new platforms such as the LHDs are boosting the RAN’s combat capability, the service sees people as providing its competitive advantage.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The Royal Australian Navy RAN sees people as central to winning the next fight

by Dr Lee Willett

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ver the last decade, several factors have converged to shape the future strategic purpose, direction, and output of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The RAN has always possessed capacity to project power at distance across both the Pacific and Indian oceans.

In the South Pacific region, Australia is the major military power. According to Professor Eric Grove, the RAN has a longestablished position as a medium regional force projection navy across the entire Pacific region, “with a capacity to deploy usable and useful maritime power far into the Pacific”. As regards Indian Ocean presence, the RAN’s maritime footprint extends from Western Australia to the Northern Indian Ocean and Gulf regions, where RAN ships support several maritime security campaigns including Australia’s national Operation ‘Manitou’

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tasking and the US Navy (USN)-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) naval partnership.

The last decade, however, saw the Indo-Pacific region perhaps become the first theatre within which the stirrings of superpower competition at sea became evident. This resurgence of maritime competition occurred parallel to a major capability re-capitalisation programme within the RAN. Today, the RAN arguably is renewing its position as a regional naval power, with its presence underpinned by new, state-of-the-art platforms and capabilities such as two landing helicopter dock amphibious ships, three air warfare-capable guided-missile destroyers, nine anti-submarine warfare frigates, 12 diesel-electric submarines, and other core maritime capabilities such as maritime patrol aircraft and offshore patrol vessels.

Globally (including, more recently,

| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

in the European theatre), the resurgence of state-based maritime competition has raised fears of increased conflict risk. In the Indo-Pacific theatre, the growing presence of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has brought peer competition for the USN and its allies.

As in the European theatre, many IndoPacific navies are now re-emphasising and refining higher-end operational capabilities.

Perhaps reflecting this re-focus, the RAN’s new Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Michael Noonan said – in his handover address in Canberra in July 2018 – that the service must “think like a fighting navy, and fight like a thinking navy”. The RAN, he continued, needs to be a “ready, agile, resilient, and lethal fighting force” able to contribute to maritime safety and security, support freedom of navigation and global trade, and “fight and win at sea”.

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Commonwealth of Australia

training has evolved over time” too, for example with a leadership training course now attached to each step of the promotion path for sailors of all ranks.

Such promotion courses are now “heavily leadership-training centric”, he said.

“The Australian Navy approach is that you don’t get promoted without having done the [leadership] course prior to promotion,” the commodore continued.

“In some cases, people fulfil all other requirements to be promoted, and have to wait until they can get on a course in order to be promoted.”

Such courses currently include: the ‘Leading Seamen Promotion Course’ (for Able Seamen); the ‘Petty Officer’s Promotion Course’ (for Leading Seamen); the ‘Chief Petty Officer’s [CPO’s] Promotion Course’ (for Petty Officers); and the ‘Warrant Officer’s Promotion CPO – The RAN’s Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Michael Noonan (left) promotes Petty Officer Mark Course’ (for CPOs).

Smith to Chief Petty Officer at the RAN’s HMAS Cerberus training establishment, Victoria in Such is the focus on the importance December 2018. The RAN’s ‘promotion courses’ are to be re-titled as ‘leadership courses’. of leadership that ‘promotion courses’ are about to be renamed as ‘leadership of the programme’s introduction. Vice courses’, said the commodore.

Winning the fight Adm Noonan noted that the navy’s “The most extensive probably exists As regards winning this fight, while the growth in terms of people skills will at the Leading Seamen level,” he added. fleet of new capabilities entering RAN be underpinned by “an ‘NGN’ culture” This course covers: basic leadership service undoubtedly upgrades its fighting designed particularly to boost personnel theory and style; the role of command; power significantly, the RAN’s people will recruitment and retention. motivation techniques; ethics in play a more prominent role, Commodore Reflecting the enduring emphasis leadership; leadership, team concepts, Justin Jones, the navy’s Commodore on the ‘New Generation Navy’ concept, and team effectiveness; and mentoring, Training, told Asian Military Review.

Jones said that Vice Admiral Noonan situational leadership, problem solving, In parallel to introducing its new has made clear that people and culture and decision making. fleet, the RAN also has been focused on will be “his central focus in terms of the strengthening its people power, including human dimension”. Leadership training changing how it trains personnel for Leadership journey is central to this personnel journey, the leadership roles.

Developing the navy’s approach to Cdre added.

“The Australian Navy philosophy – or leadership “is a journey we’re on”, the Underneath CN, Rear Admiral Mark central concept – is that our competitive commodore continued. “I think it’s an Hammond as deputy chief of Navy is advantage is people,” said Jones. “If we ever-evolving thing.” As an example, he truly expect to be able to fight and win “the single rallying point” for leadership noted that in 2017 the navy mapped the development “because his role is dual- leadership behaviours it is seeking at all at sea in the next conflict, then the true hatted also as Head of Navy People competitive advantage won’t necessarily ranks, from seaman to admiral, into a and Training”, said Jones. Under Rear come from modern ships, modern leadership and management framework, Adm Hammond, Commodore Tony capabilities, weapons, sensors, and and now is reviewing its leadership courses Partridge as Director General Navy equipment because, in every single part to ensure they reflect this framework.

People owns the leadership and culture of the continuum to develop those, a As this leadership development development programme, with Cdre human was involved.” journey has continued, how the service Jones as Commodore Training owning “Ultimately, a human will operate the approaches leadership training also the leadership and promotion training equipment or set up the equipment even has evolved. In the last 10 years, this programme. for its automatic responses to different evolution has been built around the The two branches “work very closely ‘New Generation Navy’ initiative. This threats,” the commodore continued.

“So we take the view that our capability … to make sure that we’re always working initiative itself “was built around the complimentarily to each other and in edge comes from people,” he added. As a navy’s signature behaviours”, said Cdre collaboration”, said Cdre Jones. “We result, “You have to invest in people, and Jones, with leadership development work design our leadership training with that comes through good leadership and designed to demonstrate “the actions and reference to them, and vice versa.” management.” behaviours that we wanted on display The RAN’s approach to people from our people”. development is manifested in its ‘New The RAN’s signature behaviours Leadership training Generation Navy’ cultural reform fall under three headings: people, As the RAN itself has developed, Cdre programme; 2019 is the 10th anniversary performance, and professionalism.

Jones noted that the service’s “leadership

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| Asian Military Review |

A I R Commonwealth of Australia

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Joint effect

Commonwealth of Australia

WO – A Warrant Officer Marine Technician (standing) advises a Seaman during engineering casualty drills onboard HMAS Adelaide while the LHD is underway. Interaction and feedback across ranks sits at the heart of the RAN’s leadership culture.

‘People’ covers respecting the contribution of every individual, promoting the well-being and development of all the service’s people, and communicating well and regularly. ‘Performance’ includes challenging and innovating, being cost conscious, fixing problems and taking actions, and driving decision-making downwards. ‘Professionalism’ focuses on strengthening relationships across and beyond the navy, and encouraging personnel to be the best they can be on behalf of their service and country. These signature behaviours have endured across the last 10 years or longer, but what has changed is how the RAN uses leadership training to reinforce them.

Two examples illustrate this.

The CPO’s Promotion Course, underpinned by a team-based leadership philosophy, fosters respect for each individual’s contribution by acknowledging the benefits of a diverse workforce, and achieving synergy by bringing out the best in people.

Participants learn how to optimise individual engagement using scenariobased learning to practice team-building techniques and effective communication.

The RAN also has adopted an innovative problem solving-based approach to embed signature behaviours in leadership training. Reflecting the ‘train as you fight’ concept, personnel are presented with real problems facing

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outputs is challenging, Cdre Jones argued this focus has impacted demonstrably on personnel leadership skills. “Across a range of measures that we analyse relating to behaviour, performance, annual training if you like, we’ve seen steady improvement over time, much of which can be attributed to better leadership and people skills,” he said.

Moreover, the navy seeks feedback and continuous improvement in how it monitors and develops leadership processes. “We’re agile enough that – if, for instance, an annual pulse survey is turning something up or we get a bit of a misnomer in one sort of data we’re tracking – we can actually adjust the system,” said Cdre Jones. Here, the navy addresses the situation by embedding any required change immediately into a leadership and promotion course, he added.

Cdre Jones – The RAN’s Commodore Training Cdre Justin Jones (pictured foreground, overseeing training at the HMAS Penguin fleet training facility) is responsible for the navy’s leadership and promotion training programme.

the RAN and, and as part of solving the problem, identify their own learning requirements and are supported in addressing them. The approach, trialled at the Lieutenant Commander level, proved successful and is planned for roll-out across the leadership training continuum.

While quantifying the impact of its evolving leadership focus on operational

| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

The RAN argues that its leadership focus is having demonstrable impact on recruitment and retention.

“As it stands right now, the Australian Navy has the most positive retention statistics that it’s had in five years,” said Cdre Jones.

The RAN’s success in re-invigorating its leadership development processes has also generated interest from its sister services. “The Australian Army has been quite interested in the navy approach to leadership training and development, and did embed an officer in our training authority for initial training, leadership, and management in 2017 to look at what we do,” said Jones.

In particular, the Commander noted the army’s interest in the RAN’s 360-degree reporting appraisal process used for leadership development. This process sees individuals gain feedback from subordinates, peers, supervisors, and superiors with the aim of generating a more rounded appraisal than traditional supervisor-subordinate reporting. The benefit lies in individuals gaining insight into ‘blind spots’ (areas for improvement of which the individual was unaware) and ‘unexpected strengths’ (a particular strength the individual may not have recognised), Jones explained. “We are the only service that does that for officers and senior sailors (non-commissioned officers), and we’ve been doing it for ten years, and that’s unique in the Australian Defence Force.” The use of 360-degree reporting “has been a very powerful tool,” he concluded. AMR

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Fei Long-71

CHINA’S NEXT GENERATION UNMANNED ASSASSINS China has been steadily pushing ahead in its development of stealthy, unmanned deep penetration aircraft in recent years.

by JR Ng

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he People’s Republic of China (PRC) is beginning to reap the harvest of a decades-long investment into its unmanned aircraft research and development (R&D) sector, with a host of new and emerging unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) being showcased in recent years.

Indeed, Chinese unmanned aircraft R&D capabilities have come a long way since the late 1950s, when the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) delegated the development of such systems to university aeronautical departments, which eventually spawned a vast industry that has gone from meeting domestic commercial and military requirements to serving a growing customer base overseas.

While these have often been overshadowed by other advanced military programmes and many of these UCAVs have yet to enter known service and will likely remain as paper designs or R&D testbeds, there is ample evidence that the technologies derived from these efforts will go on to inform even more sophisticated future designs as the PLA’s continued transformation drives further growth of advanced airborne capabilities over the coming decade.

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Dark Sword and Sharp Sword In June 2018, an image of a full-scale technology demonstrator of the secretive An Jian (Dark Sword) UCAV surfaced on Chinese news portals and social media.

The undated photograph showed a large UCAV featuring an elongated, gunmetalcoloured airframe with canard surfaces and a ventral engine air intake that adopts a diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) design. Saw-tooth edges can be seen on the air vehicle’s port side landing gear door.

The Dark Sword UCAV is believed to be a project of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC’s) Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute (SYADI) – also known as the 601 Aircraft Design Institute – which aims at investigating technologies relevant for low-observable flying wing UAVs under the wider ‘AVIC 601-S’ programme.

Details of the air vehicle’s physical dimensions and capabilities remain undisclosed, but the air vehicle appears to be around 13-15 metres in length based on visual references.

Although the status of the Dark Sword programme remains largely shrouded in mystery with no images of the air vehicle

| Asian Military Review |

seen in flight to date, the company’s other known low-observable UCAV development called the Li Jian (Sharp Sword) – which is manufactured by the Hongdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (HAIC) – has gained far more public exposure. It was first seen in May 2013 conducting taxiing trials at HAIC’s airfield in Nangchang, Jiangxi Province, and subsequently performed its maiden flight from the same facility.

The UCAV appears to be powered by a non-afterburning WS-13 turbofan engine with a serpentine inlet to mask its signature and adopts a delta-wing configuration – with a length and wingspan of approximately 10m and 14m – that is comparable to the US Navy's Northrop Grumman X-47B technology demonstrator. It is believed to be equipped with two internal bomb bays that holds about 4,409 pounds (2,000 kilograms) of payload.

Chinese internet reports suggest that an improved Sharp Sword prototype commenced trials in 2016, indicating that the UCAV could enter service as early as 2020 should R&D work go smoothly.

The project team was also awarded the country’s prestigious National Science and Technology Advancement Prize in 2017, which suggests that development is at a mature stage and the UCAV close to operational testing and evaluation with the PLA.

Fei Long-2 and Fei Long-71 Meanwhile, Zhong Tian Guide Control Technology Company (ZT Guide), also a Xi’an-based private firm, has announced an ambitious programme to develop a large UCAV with a MTOW of 48,500lbs (22,000kg) called the Fei Long-2 (Flying Dragon-2) Multirole High-Subsonic Unmanned Transportation Platform, which adopts a flying-wing design and features a proposed 13,227lbs (6,000kg) internal payload capacity. The company aims to roll out a prototype by around 2021.

Official specifications state that the FL-2 will be a turbofan-powered air vehicle that can achieve cruise and maximum speeds of up to 324 knots (600 km/h) and 421kts (780 km/h) respectively, and can operate out a range of 4,350 miles (7,000km) and altitude of 49,000 feet (15,000m) .

ZT Guide is also investigating a supersonic UCAV concept called the FL-71 Supersonic Unmanned Transportation Platform, which is envisioned to be a 6,614lbs (3,000kg) class platform that can

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fly at maximum speeds of up to 1,188kts (2200km/h) for over an hour, with a total range of 560 miles (900km).

Rainbow 7 The state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is developing a turbofan-powered highaltitude UCAV called the Cai Hong 7 (CH-7) that will have maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 28,660lbs (13,000kg).

The company unveiled a full-scale mock up of the proposed CH-7 design at the Airshow China exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2018.

The prototype CH-7 on was the centrepiece display in the company’s hall and adopts a flying wing air-frame with a 10m length and 22m wingspan and dorsally mounted low-observability engine intake and exhaust. Other features include serrated edges for the undercarriage and payload bay covers to preserve the air vehicle’s low-observability characteristics.

Company specifications indicate that the CH-7 will typically cruise at altitudes up to 42,650ft (13,000m) at speeds of up to 400kts (740km/h) , although it can also reach a high subsonic ‘dash’ speed of 500kts (926 km/h). The air vehicle will be equipped with an encrypted satellite communications datalink that will enable it to operate freely across vast distances, although CASC did not reveal its range and endurance.

It will be also able to carry a range of precision-guided weapons including anti-radiation, anti-ship, air-to-ground missiles, and bombs, as well as electronic warfare payloads including active and passive sensors, and jamming systems.

CASC is reportedly aiming to perform the first flight of the CH-7 prototype by the end of 2019, with design work on the production-ready model expected to be finalised by 2022. Although the air vehicle is presently designed to be a land-based aircraft, company officials confirmed that it could be further developed into a naval aircraft and operate from an aircraft carrier.

Star Shadow Star UAV System, a private company specialising in UAV technologies has unveiled its twin turbofan-powered Star Shadow UCAV concept in early 2018. The Star Shadow is is expected to have a MTOW of 8,818lbs (4,000kg) when fully constructed.

Official specifications indicate that the truncated diamond-shaped air vehicle will have an overall length of 7.3m with sweptback outer wings that have a total span of 15m. Star UAV claims that its

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Tian Ying

design offers radar cross section (RCS) performance in the range of 0.1m² for greatly improved survivability at standoff ranges, where it is designed to operate for most of its flight envelope.

Further design themes also include control surfaces that are built into the trailing edges and upper sections of the fuselage and wings. A pair of low observable engine intakes are located on either side of the nose leading to similarly configured exhaust outlets towards the rear of the fuselage.

The Star Shadow will also be equipped with a ventral payload bay measuring 2.5m long and 0.76m wide that can accommodate up to 882lbs (400kg) of mission equipment or weapons.

Chengdu Chinese Academy of Sciences Aircraft Engine Company will supply two indigenously developed TWS800 turbofan engines, which is expected to provide cruising speeds between 216-324kts (400600km/h) and a maximum speed of nearly 378kts (700km/h) while operating at altitudes of nearly 40,000ft (12,000m). The air vehicle will also carry to 3,306lbs (1,500kg) of fuel that will support up to 12 hours of endurance depending on the mission profile.

Star UAV is reportedly readying the Star Shadow for its maiden flight around mid2019, although the company has since taken the concept out of public view, suggesting that it has either ceased development work or under strict non-disclosure obligations to a state-linked launch customer.

Tian Ying State-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the

| Asian Military Review |

country’s leading manufacturer of missile systems, is also developing the ‘fully autonomous’ Tian Ying (Sky Hawk) technology demonstrator. The company unveiled the prototype to the public for the first time in late 2018 since it announced a successful series of trials earlier in the year An internally funded development, the Tian Ying has a MTOW of 6,614lbs (3,000kg) and adopts a low-observable flying wing design comparable to Lockheed Martin’s RQ-170 Sentinel reconnaissance UAV. The Tian Ying is believed to have conducted at least three successful test flights during the four years after development commenced.

“Eighty percent of our UAV’s technologies are the newest and most advanced, some of which are leading the global UAV industry,” Ma Hongzhong, chief designer of the Tian Ying stated in an interview hosted on the company’s official WeChat account. Ma noted that the all advanced technologies applied in the air vehicle have been matured through extensive ground testing.

CASIC did not disclose detailed information about the Tian Ying, but it appears that the air vehicle could be aimed at aircraft carrier operations considering its relatively compact wingspan of approximately 11m and a particularly robust undercarriage “The Sky Hawk UAV is used to perform strategic and tactical close-in reconnaissance of important targets in high-threat combat environments,” the company stated. “It is capable of longendurance flight, and autonomous wheeled take-offs and landings.’ AMR

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The Littoral Combat Ship Maharaja Lela at Boustead Naval Shipyard dock in 2017. Delevery has been delayed.

MALAYSIA’S DEFENCE DOLDRUMS

Despite an approaching Defence White Paper, fiscal frugality looks set to dominate near-to mid-term defence acquisition projects.

by Dzirhan Mahadzir

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espite a change of ruling party for Malaysia’s government in May 2018, there have been no significant developments in regard to Malaysia’s defence or the Malaysian Armed Forces. To a large extent, this is not surprising considering the Prime Minister is Mahathir Mohamad. While his first tenure saw a number of major defence purchases, many of these were made on the basis of economic benefits, political relations, technology transfers and offsets rather than pure defence or strategic requirements and to a large extent, Mahathir’s pacifist nature also meant that defence capabilities were never seen as a priority or essential to the nation.

To a certain degree, a number of the problems in Malaysia’s defence status are the result of decisions undertaken

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during his time as Prime Minister, though both his successors as Prime Ministers also contributed by postponing defence programmes while not addressing funding issues for defence.

Prime Minister Mahathir is now governing with a largely inexperience cabinet and his coalition government is grappling with effectively managing a government while addressing issues pertaining to corruption by the previous government, including the trial of former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on corruption charges. Given that, it is unlikely that Prime Minister Mahathir will push for new defence developments or increased defence spending as the main priorities will focus on governance.

There is already little extra money for defence. Since taking over, the Pakatan Harapan government has continually

| Asian Military Review |

stated that Malaysia’s finances are constrained due to the excesses of the previous government and in fact it must cancel various undertakings agreed to by the previous government, in particular with China, which would necessitate the payment of financial compensations for such cancellations. Thus the outlook for defence procurement is not positive and there is little indication of any significant defence procurement being funded.

The government has announced plans for a defence White Paper that is to be presented to the cabinet in July this year and following that, to Parliament in September. So far, little has been revealed about its contents and whether it will actually set out procurement and development programmes to be carried out in specific timeframes with a specific amount of funding allocated.

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Over half of the Malaysian Army's order for 257 AV8 Gempita AFVs has been delivered. Seen here is the IFV25 variant on the left with the ATGW variant on the right.

Since the May 2018 General Election, a number of changes have occurred to the senior leadership of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). Chief of Defence Force General Raja Affandi retired on June 2018; his service had been extended beyond the mandatory 60 years old retirement age (which he reached in June 2017) by the previous government though it was not known whether the extension was on an annual basis or a set number of years. The new government decided to dispense with his tenure and appointed a new CDF in General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin who had been scheduled to retire shortly after the election. General Zulkifli had been Army Chief from 2011-2013 when he was inexplicably transferred to command the National Defence University (NDU), which was responsible for producing degree qualified cadet officers for all three services of the Malaysian Armed Forces, a command position normally held by a three star officer. Outwardly the move was said to be an effort to prevent the Education Ministry, which co-administered the NDU with the Defence Ministry from gaining control of the University via the seniority of the Education Ministry’s representative at NDU. However it was likely that Zulkifli’s transfer there was a move to exile him as in 2013 he had been privately critical of how the Malaysian government handled the Lahad Datu incident (an insurgent crisis in Sabah) of 2013. His criticisms allegedly stated that there had been too much micromanagement of the event from the top level of Malaysia’s political and security leadership.

In the end though, Zulkifli’s exile and estrangement from the MAF leadership,

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who had been used by the BN government as part of its election campaign strategy, resulted in the new Pakatan Harapan government selecting Zulkifli as a suitable candidate. No statement has been made as to how long Zulkifli’s tenure as CDF will be but sources have stated it would likely be until mid-2020.

Changes also occurred subsequently in the leadership of the Malaysian Army and Royal Malaysian Navy, with both General Zulkiple Kassim retiring in September 2018 and Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman in November 2018, both reaching the mandatory retirement age.

General Hasbullah Nawawi and Admiral Reza Sany took over as the Chief of Army and Chief of Navy respectively.

The leadership of the RMAF remained unchanged with General Affendi Buang only reaching retirement age in 2022.

Malaysian Army Of the three services, the Malaysian Army faces the least problems given most of its programmes are running smoothly.

Deliveries of the Deftech AV-8 Gempita is expected to be completed by 2020 with

Dzirhan Mahadzir

Military Leadership Change

over half of the 257 vehicle order already delivered and in service operationally.

Prior to the change in government, at the 2018 Defence Services Asia exhibition held in April that year in Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur, a contract was signed for the purchase of 18 Nexter LG1 105mm howitzers and an agreement with the United States government for the transfer of 29 Excess Defence Articles M109A5 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers. The current government has approved both agreements and the LG1s are expected to be delivered in 2020. The guns will replace the Oto Melera Model 56 pack howitzers used by 1 Royal Artillery (Para) Regiment which provides artillery support for 10th Parachute Brigade. The Model 56 pack howitzer is also the standard 105mm for the rest of the Army’s artillery regiments and the Army has plans for these to be replaced though funding has not been allocated yet.

Meanwhile the M109s are in the process of being refurbished with 19 vehicles to be returned to service while the remaining 10 will be cannibalised for spare parts. Work on the M109A5s is expected to be completed by 2022. The Malaysian Army will likely form a new regiment for the self-propelled guns.

It also has long term plans for a third regiment of Multiple Rocket Launchers to complement the two Astros II regiments and bring up the MRL strength to a full brigade but funding again has been stagnant for this requirement.

Also unresolved is the decision on whether to upgrade the Army’s 4x4 Condor wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) that have been in service since the 1980s - over half of the original 400 vehicles are still in service. Deftech of Malaysia has submitted two upgrade prototypes, one being its own upgrade design while the other is a collaboration between Deftech and Thailand’s Chaiseri

The decision to proceed with the upgrade programmes for the RMAF's BAE Hawk, Lockheed Martin C-130 and Sikorsky S61A Nuri fleet are still to be made.

| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

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which incorporates more improvements but at a higher cost.

Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy is committed to its 15-to-5 Transformation Plan initiated by the previous Chief, Admiral Kamarulzaman, which envisioned the RMN reducing its 15 classes of ship types in service to five classes. However, current chief Admiral Reza has order a review of the plan. In a speech on 8 January this year, Admiral Reza stated the phasing out dates for the four Laksamana class corvettes and four Mahamiru class minehunters would be revised and his intention was for the two ship classes to continue service for the time being.

Originally the Laksamanas were to be phased out starting this year with the final ship phased out in 2020 while the Mahamirus would also begin their phasing out this year with the last ship phased out in 2021. The decision to retain both ship classes likely lies in the fact that the RMN is not expected to receive any immediate funding to obtain additional ships while continued delays to the six ship Maharaja Lela class Littoral Combat Ships under construction and expected.

The first of class was to have been completed by the end of 2018 but the date now has been pushed back to the end of 2019. The delays in completion appear to lie in delayed delivery of components and subsystems that Malaysian contractors were supposed to provide. The RMN is scheduled to receive the first of two Littoral Mission Ships built in China in December this year with the second one in 2020. Local construction of two LMS by Boustead Heavy Industry Corporations, which also builds the Maharaja Lela LCSs, is supposed to begin in the middle of this year. The RMN will also receive in late 2019 a total of six Boeing Insitu Scan Eagle UAVs under the US Maritime Security Initiative. The RMN plans to operate the Scan Eagles from land over Malaysia’s portion of the South China Sea before expanding operational coverage of the Sulu Seas and conducting shipboard operations.

Royal Malaysian Air Force The RMAF plan to obtain four Maritime Patrol Aircraft received a major setback on 7 August 2018 when the Defence Ministry gave a written reply to a member of Parliament stating that the programme had been cancelled in line with the current government’s policy

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The Malaysian Army is looking to replace its 105mm howitzers but funding has not been made available save for a small purchase of 18 Nexter LG1 105mms.

to re-evaluate all programmes initiated by the previous government but stated that it could be considered in the future if it was a priority. Subsequently on 9 August Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu stated in Parliament that a combination of maritime surveillance aircraft and UAVs were required for surveillance in Malaysian waters though he added that this was the requirement under the RMAF Capability 55 Plan.

Released in July 2018, the Capability 55 plan envisages a development plan for the RMAF by 2055 where the RMAF would consist of two Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) squadrons, three Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) squadrons, a single strategic airlift/ multirole transport tanker squadron, two tactical airlift squadrons, two combat search and rescue helicopter squadrons and a squadron each of Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), UAVs and Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft. Nine radar stations and a ground based air defence regiment are also included in this plan. However, the widely acknowledged problem with this plan is that it postulates too long a period to achieve the end state and there has been no indication so far of the government committing itself to supporting it fiscally.

Even current RMAF programmes that are supposed to be carried, at the time of writing, have yet to be given any assurance of their completion, namely the planned upgrades of the BAE Hawk fighters, Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transports and S61A Nuri helicopters. It is possible that the Hawk upgrade could be superseded by the LCA requirement or even vice versa while the continued service of the Nuri helicopters may be

| Asian Military Review |

reconsidered given the considerable age of the fleet.

Since January 2019, Requests for Information (RFI) have gone out to Leonardo on the M346, KAI on the FA-50, HAL for Tejas and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex for the JF-17 in regard to the LCA requirement. In terms of UAV requirements, RFIs have been sent to General Atomics for the MQ-9B Sea Guardian, AVIC for the Wing Loong II and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for its Anka UAV with TAI already having a partnership with Malaysia’s Deftech in providing the Anka to meet Malaysia’s requirement. However given both the LCA and UAV programs are not budgeted for or even formally approved by the government, it is more likely the RFIs were to encourage industry participation of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in March 2019 in Malaysia.

Overall Outlook Given the issues in Malaysia ranging from the political to the fiscal, defence is expected to receive low priority.

Although a Defence White Paper will be issued for the first time in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s stated intention of reform, its impact will depend on the contents of the White Paper. A generalised document without any substance, emphasis or commitment will be of little use to tackling the issues of renewing the Malaysian Armed Forces along with equipping and supporting it adequately. It remains to be seen whether the Pakatan Harapan govern-ment is serious about tackling the issue of defence in Malaysia but the White Paper, when it comes out, will reveal its true intent. AMR