Lockheed Martin Offers LCS to Thailand

Thai frigate competition among potential Lockheed Martin deals for ships, helos in Asia

Lockheed Martin is considering offering its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in response to a request for proposals (RfP) from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) for a frigate, the US-headquarted group confirmed on 25 January.

The Thai government finally approved funding of up to USD1 billion in September 2012 to procure two modern frigates over the coming years. The requirement had previously been put on hold for more than a decade due to funding issues. Government support finally came as a result of economic expansion and the need to enhance the combat capability of the RTN.

Confirmation of Lockheed Martin's interest in the programme came from Doug Laurendeau, business development director of the company's ship and aviation systems unit. It is one of a number of opportunities that Lockheed Martin is pursuing in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Indian Pinaka Rocket Launcher Tests

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has put the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher through multiple test-launches, in trials designed to study the fired rockets' in-flight stability and precision capability.

In all, four rocket rounds were launched over a two-hour period on 30 January 2013 and the trials took place at DRDO's testing grounds, located in Odisha.

Truck-mounted, the Pinaka rocket launcher has a 40 kilometre range and can launch 12 rockets in less than a minute, thereby neutralising a target zone almost four square kilometres in size.

Pinaka Rocket Launcher

Work on this multi-barrel rocket launcher first got underway in the mid-1980s and, by 1992, the prototype system had been rolled out. The Pinaka rocket launcher is now in widespread Indian Army service and, to date, 80 examples have been built, at a per-unit cost of $580,000.

Australia to Sell Off Retired Army Vehicles 12.000

12.000 Sale of Retired Army Vehicles

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today Announced That contract negotiations for the sale of up to 12,000 non-combat Army vehicles and trailers are now complete.

"The vehicles will be sold by Australian National Disposals, a new Australian-owned business based in New South Wales," Mr Clare said.

Said Mr Clare dirty vehicles of the Australians Gives a chance to buy Their Own share of Australian military history.

"The Army Being sold vehicles include the Army Land Rovers, Mack trucks, Unimogs, motorcycles, trailers and all terrain vehicles," he said.

"The thesis of dirty vehicles is expected to raise more than $ 100 million. Their average age is 25 to 30 years old and average of 125.000 They Have kms on the clock. "

The incredible story of the first Chinese aircraft carrier

On 25 September 2012, Liaoning, the first aircraft carrier of the People's Republic of China, was handed over to the Chinese Navy. The Lianoing is none other than the ex-Varyag bought from the Ukraine in 1998. Besides technical prowess made by Chinese shipyards into what it is today, the ship hides a very amazing story.

The Varyag, now known as Liaoning, was the sister of Admiral Kuznetsov (67 500 tonnes, 310 meters long, 70 meters wide), still in service in the Russian Navy. Controlled by the Soviet Navy shipyards in Nikolaev Ukraine, its construction was interrupted in 1993 when he was only 70% completed. Ukraine who wanted to separate from then took contact with India and China. A Chinese delegation visited Ukraine to quickly complete the transaction, but it failed, due to pressure from the United States and Japan.

In 1998, Ukraine launched a tender for its deconstruction but ... a travel agency she received a strange proposal. Lot Chong, Chinese Macao agency, offered to purchase the vessel for $ 20 million, three times the price of scrap. His project into the ... floating casino. It was really a subterfuge. Chong Lot Agency that has, so no offices in Macau is a front company in Hong Kong, Chinluck Holding Co. Ltd.., Behind which lurk the secret services of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA ). The trick seems to work the nose and beard of everyone. In July 1999, the building is ready to be towed, destination China.

But the difficulties are only just beginning for the future Liaoning. The Turkish authorities (under pressure from NATO?) Oppose its passage through the Bosphorus officially seeing a threat to navigation in case of incorrect operation. 16 months, Beijing Ankara negotiates with the right of way. It was not until November 1, 2001, the ex-Varyag is finally allowed to cross the Bosphorus against the payment of a large sum paid to Turkey.

U.S., France Top Participants in Aero India

 The United States will continue to top the list of participants at Aero India 2013, the biannual aero show at Bangalore being held from Feb. 6-10. U.S. participation has increased from 63 companies in the 2011 show to 67 this year, followed by 49 participants from France, 33 from the United Kingdom and 29 from Russia.

However, Germany has slashed its participation from 43 companies in 2011 to 22 in 2013.

In all, 607 companies, including 352 foreign, and 78 official national delegations have confirmed their participation in the show, said an Indian Defence Ministry official.

The value of the Indian defense market is estimated to jump from the projected $100 billion to $150 billion in the next seven to 10 years because the country has to prepare to fight China and Pakistan simultaneously, says Nitin Mehta, a defense analyst.

Show highlights are expected to be the display of the Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and the homemade weaponized version of the Advance Light Helicopter Mark-4. Among the static displays will be the homemade Light Combat Aircraft and the Rustom and Nishant UAVs.

INS Sindhurakshak en route to Vizag

The kilo class submarine is now heading home via the Northern Sea Route, accompanied by icebreakers.
The temperature is plus 4 Celsius under the ice and minus 10 above it, but it’s somewhat hot inside the robust hull. The crew of the INS Sindhurakshak has already made the revived ship its home and is now taking it south to its home station and combat duty area from the icy embrace of the White Sea.
The INS Sindhurakshak is a diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy that underwent interim overhaul and modernisation at the Russian Severodvinsk-based Zvezdochka shipyard. A source in the United Shipbuilding Corporation told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the submarine left factory waters on January 29 and set off on its way to open sea, accompanied by the Dickson and Captain Chadaev icebreakers. From the Russian shipyard, it normally takes the submarine about two months to reach its base site in Visakhapatnam, where the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy is headquartered. This time, however, things are different, because the Indian submarine and its crew are travelling in the icy conditions of the Northern Sea Route for the first time.

IRGC Starts 3-day Wargames in Persian Gulf

The 3-day naval wargames, codenamed Fath 91, are underway in the IRGC's third naval zone in the Central parts of the Persian Gulf (Assalouyeh) and its Northern parts.

The IRGC naval forces will carry out different defensive operational tactics based on asymmetric warfare for times of crisis.

They will also carry out coordination tactics among units and test the capability of the IRGC's naval, missile and marine units.

Meantime, Commander of the IRGC's 3rd Naval Zone Admiral Bakhtiyarvand stressed the IRGC's high combat capabilities and preparedness, and noted that the military force "has drawn its defensive plans based on the worst case scenario".

The Iranian Navy finished 6 days of massive naval exercises, codenamed Velayat 91, in the country's Southern waters early this month.

China offers Type 054 to meet Thai frigate requirement

China has offered Thailand its Type 054-class Jiangkai frigate to meet a requirement to procure multipurpose frigates for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), thus potentially putting Beijing and Washington head to head in a large-scale international procurement programme.
Sources have confirmed to IHS Jane's that preliminary discussions between Thailand and China have commenced over the potential deal, in which China has said it is prepared to sell to the RTN three Type 054-class vessels at a cost that will meet the programme's budget of USD1 billion.
While the RTN is said to favour a purchase of a US, European, or South Korean platform, the potential deal to procure from China is being led by the government, which views the Type 054-class as a cost-effective alternative to Western vessels. Additionally, logistical arrangements would favour China given that Thailand already operates a number of Chinese naval platforms.

China sets navy exercise amid Japan tensions

China said Wednesday that its navy will proceed with a deep-water training exercise amid a continuing spat with Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea that has sparked regular confrontations between patrol boats from each side.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the previously scheduled exercise would take place in the coming days in the Pacific, beyond where the islands are located, and where deep waters are ideal for anti-submarine drills.

The navy, which last year launched China's first aircraft carrier, held seven such drills last year, each involving a half-dozen or more surface ships and an unknown number of submarines. The exercises reflect China's long-held aspirations to build a navy that can operate far from its shores.

Ships taking part in such exercises before have passed just north of the disputed islands, which lie midway between Taiwan and the Japanese island of Okinawa. Training takes place farther out to sea, although the exact location is not announced.

DGA delivers first VBCI felinise

The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has delivered 23 January 2013 in the Army the first armored infantry combat (VBCI) capable of providing the support of a group of soldiers equipped with the Feline ( infantryman with integrated equipment and links).

The adaptation of the Feline VBCI offers mainly combatants can easily recharge the batteries of their power system and enables a better preparing their landing in permitting the use of the communication network inside the Feline VBCI. It demonstrates the flexibility of the system Feline has already been previously installed on armored vehicles before (VAB).

These two devices are emblematic of expertise and the high technological level of French industry. The VBCI is produced by the consortium formed by Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Defense. Sagem (Safran group) is the prime contractor for the system Feline.

KAI, Philippines to enter final negotiations for 12 FA-50s

Korea Aerospace Industries and the Philippines will soon commence final negotiations for the purchase of 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft.
A source close to the deal tells Flightglobal that negotiations will commence in February. The source expects negotiations to last for six months. If discussions are successful, Manila could receive its first FA-50s in 2015.
The source's comments came after Philippine media reports quoted presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda as saying that Manila will move forward with negotiations for the 12 aircraft.
Lacierda reportedly said that the aircraft will be used "primarily for training, interdiction and disaster response".
"These planes have camera capabilities to monitor and also to take pictures of disaster areas," he says. "So it will be used in a number of ways."

India pledges $ 1 million to UN-backed Mission to Mali

The money raised at the conference will go into a UN trust fund

New Delhi: India HAS Pledged $ 1 million to the African-led International Support Missions to Mali, Witnessing Violence Which is by militants.

Unequivocally condemning terrorism in all forms and manifestations icts, official spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs Said the fight against the scourge of militancy shoulds be unrelenting.

He Said India aussi HAS Pledged $ 1 million at the donors' conference Which was Held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Earlier this week.

The money raised at the conference will go into a United Nations trust fund for training and for AFISMA and Equipping the Malian army.