May 31, 2018
Spectacular moments of the tactical episode of "Aviamiks" contest
#ВИДЕО Зрелищные моменты тактического эпизода «Авиамикс» конкурса #Авиадартс2018 pic.twitter.com/RC7bNSj0l8— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) May 30, 2018
US Army M1 Abrams Tank 7thATC Grafenwöhr training area
#WeaponsWednesday What says it better than a @USArmy M1 Abrams Tank @7thATC Grafenwöhr training area? Boom! 💥 pic.twitter.com/VOGtd3Fb4x— US Army Europe (@USArmyEurope) May 30, 2018
Philippine Army Negotiates to Acquire Used K136 Kooryong MLRS from South Korea
The Philippine Army (PA) has always been longing to have Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) in its inventory, as it found such system to be good in providing large amounts of projectiles fired at the same time at a specific area. Such concentration of firepower can only be achieved by either large numbers of gun-based artillery systems firing together.
During previous Balikatan Joint Military Exercises with the US Military, the US Army displayed the firepower capabilities of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, to the Philippine military top brass. While the Philippine Army wanted such system in its inventory, the unit price is very much beyond their budget for modernization or asset acquisition. Thus HIMARS remains a dream that the PA hopes to one day have.
Aside from the HIMARS, numerous groups, either defense companies or government-supported groups, have expressed interest to supply the Philippine Army and also the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) with an MLRS system. Several systems were given consideration by these armed services, and has actually found two offers to be very promising and might be considered should the PA and/or PMC have the means to acquire them.
MaxDefense won't incline to mention the specific systems, but they are actually from Israel and South Korea.
But alas! After the Philippine Army and the Philippine Navy (parent branch of service of the Philippine Marine Corps) submitted their proposed budgets for the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, both services didn't get the budget they were expecting and deserved. And both services have no choice but to temporarily remove the MLRS requirements from both services' Horizon 2 Phase acquisition plans.
Thus the Philippine Army was left with no choice to find other means to be able to acquire even a basic MLRS system. This is for them to learn first hand the use of such system and incorporate it to their doctrines and development as a modern land force.
The Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps are both interested in acquiring MLRS systems to improve its artillery and firepower delivery. And lately the Philippine Army through the DND has shown interest in accepting South Korea's offer for K136 Kooryong MLRS from their Excess Defense Articles.
Malbat Finally Taken Delivery of 9 Guardian 4x4
Guardians in Lebanon. The Malaysian contingent in Lebanon – Malbat 850-5 – has finally taken delivery of the nine IAG Guardian 4X4 APC ordered last year. The APCs were delivered to the Malbat 850-5 camp, near the port city of Tyre early on May 29 according to a tweet by the Joint Force headquarters.
The white coloured vehicles were transported to the Marakah UN camp on low loaders. As reported previously the Guardians had been shipped to Lebanon earlier this year but their release were pending clearance from the Lebanese authorities.
From the pictures released by Joint Force, the Guardians are fitted with turrets likely to be armed with GPMGs. Malbatt experience in Lebanon had shown that the local population were more comfortable with lightly armed APCs especially those not fitted with cameras or any types of recording system.
Two Refurbhised Su-30MK will be Finished in September 2018
Indonesia expects to receive two refurbished Su-30MK fighters, the maintenance of which has been conducted since 2017 at the "558 Aircraft Repair Plant" (Baranovichi, RB), by September 2018.
As reported by Bisnis Metro, it became known after the talks of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus in Indonesia Valeriy Kolesnik and the commander (chief of staff) of the Air Force of Indonesia, Marshal of the Air, Yuu Sutisny, who took place on May 25 in Maibes Chilongkap (Eastern Jakarta).
The Commander highly appreciated the relations between the two countries in the sphere of military-technical cooperation and called for their further strengthening. He also expressed gratitude to the Belarusian side for participating in the logistics of the park of Indonesian fighters of the brand "Su". In his turn, the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus V. Kolesnik proposed to establish cooperation in the exchange of cadets of military academies of both countries.As previously reported by CAMTO, on December 9, 2015, in a press release from the Indonesian Air Force, it was reported that two Su-27SK multi-role fighter aircraft with TS 2701 and TS 2702 onboard aircraft produced in 2003 would be repaired in Belarus. On December 8, 2015, both planes were loaded aboard the leased An-124 Ruslan aircraft and were delivered to OJSC 558 ARZ.
In April of this year, Tribune News referring to the representative of the Air Force of Indonesia reported that Belarus will undergo major repairs of four Su fighters of the Indonesian Air Force.
Two repaired Su-27SK fighters were returned to the customer at the Sultan Khasanuddin airbase on August 3, 2017 on board the An-124-100M Ruslan transport plane. Earlier, on March 15, 2017, two Su-30MK also produced in 2003 were delivered to Belarus for the maintenance.
Located in Sultan Hasanuddin airbase, the 11th squadron of the 5th Air wing has 16 aircrafts from a mixed fleet of Su-class aircraft: two Su-27SKs (received in 2003), three Su-27SMK (2010), two Su-30MK (2003) and nine Su-30MK2 (2008-2013).
PH Fleet Activates Third TC-90 Patrol Plane
The Philippine Fleet has activated its third Beechcraft King Air TC-90 patrol aircraft (tail number NV-394) during short ceremonies at the Naval Air Group headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite Tuesday.
This was confirmed by Lt. Sahirul Taib, Philippine Fleet spokesperson, in a phone interview Wednesday.
Present during the activation ceremony were Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad and his wife Blesilda.
The NV-394 was among the three TC-90 aircraft formally handed by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) last March 26.
With the turnover of the three planes, the number of TC-90s under Philippine service climbed to five, the first two of which were donated by the JMSDF on March 27, 2017.
The TC-90 was offered by Japan shortly after the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology was finalized on Feb. 29, 2016.
It has a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles, and a cruising speed of 226 knots and is capable of carrying eight passengers along with the pilot.
The additional TC-90s are expected to boost the Navy's capability in intelligence surveillance reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, limited transport, and maritime air surveillance.
Japan looking at replacing its AH-1S
Japan has issued a request for information on May 7 for the potential replacement of its AH-1S attack helicopter.
Lebanon takes delivery of 4 Super Tucanos
The Lebanon military took delivery of a second batch of four Super Tucanos from the U.S. at Hamat air base on May 28.
Pakistan based terrorist's attack on Interior Ministry in Kabul ends as all six assailants killed.
#Pakistan based terrorist's attack on Interior Ministry in #Kabul ends as all six assailants killed.#AfghanForces #AfgahnMoI #AfghanPolice #AfghanPoliceQRF pic.twitter.com/kEDwnoBv3C— Afghan Army 🇦🇫 (@ArmyAFG) May 30, 2018
Plasan releases footage of modern “tank hunter”
Plasan releases footage of modern “tank hunter”https://t.co/4WSLvdrkSq pic.twitter.com/9JPTU9gLls— Defence blog (@Defence_blog) May 30, 2018
Land Ceptor destroys target during demonstration in Sweden
MBDA says its Land Ceptor air defence system has successfully destroyed its target during an end-to-end system demonstration firing at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden.
Vietnam said to have modernized its P-18 radar system
Citing Czech radar firm Retia, Vietnam news outlet Bao Dat Viet says the country has managed to modernized its P-18 radar system.
Kazakhstan to order another four Mi-35s
An official from Russia’s FSVTS has disclosed that Kazakhstan has placed an order for four more Mi-35 attack helicopters.
May 29, 2018
25 mortar rockets launched from Gaza towards southern Israel
#BREAKING: 25 mortar rockets launched from #Gaza towards southern #Israel - most of them intercepted by Iron Dome missile defence system; No one was injured pic.twitter.com/eYuqlio41A— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) May 29, 2018
Pakistani throws in an improvised air-raid siren to tell Ramzan ‘fast’ has begun
This passes in Pakistan for a pre-dawn call from a mosque to announce to the neighbourhood to stop eating as the daily Ramzan ‘fast’ has begun. He even throws in an improvised air-raid siren! pic.twitter.com/ln64rgo8AG— Tarek Fatah ਤਾਰੇਕ ਫਤਹ (@TarekFatah) May 28, 2018
The attack submarines of Asia and Australia in 2018 (China and Russia excluded)
The attack submarines of Asia and Australia in 2018 (China and Russia excluded), at https://t.co/9RMVI9V4TW pic.twitter.com/HTfLLshLSJ— Naval Analyses (@D__Mitch) May 28, 2018
May 28, 2018
Key Points of KF-X and IF-X Fighter Program
3 Block Development Phase of KF-X
The project goes ahead, the 1st step will involve picking a foreign development partner, and the next step will involve choosing between 1 of 2 competing designs. The C103 design’s conventional fighter layout would look somewhat like the F-35, while the C203 design follows the European approach and uses forward canards in a stealth-shaped airframe. It’s likely that the choice of their foreign development partner will determine the design choice pursued.
KF-X Block 1
Either aircraft would be a twin-engine fighter weighing around 10.4 tonnes, with stealth shaping. In order to keep ambitions within the bounds of realism, KFX Block 1 fighters would only have to meet the radar cross-section of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or Eurofighter Typhoon. Sources have used figures of 0.1 – 1.0 square meters.
Note that even this specification amounts to developing a plane similar to or more advanced than the JAS-39E/F Gripen, from a lower technological base, with less international help on key components, all for less development money than a more experienced firm needed to spend. South Korea’s own KIDA takes a similar view, questioning the country’s technical readiness for something this complicated, and noting an overall cost per aircraft that’s twice as much as similar imported fighters.
KF-X Block 2
KFX Block 2 would add internal weapon bays. Present plans call for Block 1 would be compatible with the bays, and hence upgradeable to Block 2 status, but Block 1 planes wouldn’t begin with internal bays. The fighter’s size and twin-engine design offer added space compared to a plan like the Gripen, but this feature will still be a notable design challenge. Additional tolerance and coating improvements are envisioned to reduce stealth to the level of an F-117: about 0.025 square meters.
KF-X Block 3
KFX Block 3 would aim for further stealth improvements to the level of the B-2 bomber or F-35.
No timeline has been discussed for Block 2 and Block 3 improvements. At this stage of the program, any dates given would be wildly unreliable anyway.
The ROK Agency for Defense Development says that if full-scale development begins in October 2014, the 1st KF-X Block 1 prototype flight wouldn’t take place until September 2020. Based on the history of other programs, the new plane would be hard pressed to enter service before 2025. (DefenseIndustryDaily)
Block 1 for Indonesia, Block 2 & 3 for Korea
"At this point, there is almost no difference between KF-X and IF-X shapes," says the official.
Still, the South Korean and Indonesian examples are likely to be different. Previously, officials have said that a Block I configuration without stealth coatings and the ability to carry weapons internally will go to Indonesia. South Korea will have a Block II aircraft, with stealth coatings and weapons bays.
Seoul will also develop indigenous capabilities in key areas where it failed to obtain export licences from the US, an early stumbling block for the programme. These include the jet's active electronically scanned array (AESA), which will be developed with Israeli assistance, infrared search & track (IRST), electro-optical targeting, and the aircraft's electronic warfare suite.
Pakistan merging 'lawless' region with province near Afghan border
Rogue Pakistan's Intelligence Agency Was Watching Foreigners
