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10 janvier 2012 2 10 /01 /janvier /2012 08:30

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source harvard.edu


09/01/2012 canoe.ca (AFP)

PÉKIN, Chine - Pékin a estimé lundi que la nouvelle stratégie de défense américaine, qui implique une présence renforcée en Asie, reposait sur des charges «infondées et douteuses» contre la Chine.

«Les charges visant la Chine dans ce document sont infondées et douteuses», a déclaré Liu Weimin, porte-parole de la diplomatie chinoise.

«Maintenir la paix, la stabilité et la prospérité dans la région Asie-Pacifique est de l'intérêt de tous les pays de la région. Nous espérons que les États-Unis vont jouer un rôle plus constructif dans cet objectif», a-t-il ajouté.

Il a réitéré la position traditionnelle de Pékin selon laquelle le développement militaire de la Chine ne représentait pas de menace pour l'extérieur.

La nouvelle stratégie de défense américaine, dévoilée jeudi par le président Barack Obama, implique une présence renforcée en Asie. Ce plan appelle les États-Unis à se préparer à de possibles défis posés par des pays comme la Chine.

Les responsables militaires des États-Unis accordent de plus en plus d'importance à la région Asie-Pacifique où ils s'inquiètent de la montée en puissance de l'armée chinoise, la plus nombreuse du monde et dont les programmes d'armemement restent entourés du plus grand secret.

En novembre, le président américain a effectué une tournée dans la région durant laquelle il a annoncé que son pays allait consolider sa présence militaire en Australie, une décision dans laquelle Pékin a vu le signe d'une «mentalité de guerre froide».

Pékin met les bouchées doubles pour combler son retard militaire sur Washington et Moscou et modernise à grands pas ses forces sur terre, air et mer, tout en inquiétant ses voisins en raison de ses ambitions maritimes de plus en plus affirmées.

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10 janvier 2012 2 10 /01 /janvier /2012 08:15

sous-marin nucléaire russe Nerpa photo Ria Novisti

photo Ria Novisti

9 janvier 2012 Par Rédacteur en chef. PORTAIL DES SOUS-MARINS

Le sous-marin nucléaire loué par la Russie à l’Inde devrait arriver à Visakhapatnam d’ici la fin de ce mois après des derniers essais dans les eaux russes. Appartenant à la classe Akula, le sous-marin, qui porte le nom de Nerpa dans la marine russe, a été loué à la marine indienne pour une période initiale de 10 ans. Il devrait être rebaptisé INS Chakra lors de la cérémonie de réception qui devrait avoir lieu sous peu.

La location coutera environ 920 millions $ au gouvernement indien. Le Nerpa a été admis au service actif dans la marine russe en décembre 2009. Après quelques modifications pour l’adapter aux besoins indien, la marine russe a formé une équipe d’officiers indiens au début 2010, puis l’a remis à son équipage indien le 30 décembre dernier.

Selon le calendrier initial, le sous-marin aurait dû être remis à la marine indienne il y a 2 ans. Ce retard s’explique par un accident mortel survenu à bord.

Bien que des discutions aient eu lieu entre les 2 marines à la suite de cet accident, elles ont convenu que l’accord serait maintenu et que le transfert aurait lieu comme prévu. « Le Chakra sera probablement admis au service dans la marine indienne dans la 1ère semaine de février. »

« Cela fera de l’Inde la 6è nation à disposer de sous-marins nucléaires d’attaque, » ont indiqué des sources.

Le sous-marin peut naviguer à 10 nœuds en surface et à 30 nœuds en plongée.

Référence : IBN Live (Inde)

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10 janvier 2012 2 10 /01 /janvier /2012 08:10

National Emblem of the People's Republic of China.svg

9 Jan 2012  DefenseNews (AFP)

BEIJING - Beijing said Jan. 9 that a new U.S. defense strategy focused on countering China's rising power was based on "groundless" charges, and insisted it posed no threat to any nation.

U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled the strategy Jan. 5, calling for a leaner U.S. military focused on the Asia-Pacific region and signaling a shift away from large ground wars against insurgents.

But China, whose People's Liberation Army has benefited from a huge and expanding budget boosted by the nation's rapid economic growth, said the fears were baseless, urging the U.S. to "play a more constructive role."

"The charges against China in this document are groundless and untrustworthy," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in response to a question from state media about whether China poses a threat to U.S. security.

Liu was referring to the strategy document released last week, which said the growth of China's military power "must be accompanied by greater clarity of its strategic intentions in order to avoid causing friction in the region."

"To maintain the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region serves the common interest of all countries within the region," Liu added. "We hope the U.S. side will play a more constructive role to this end."

Washington's focus on Asia is fueled by concerns over China's growing navy and its arsenal of anti-ship missiles that could jeopardize U.S. military dominance in the Pacific. China's responses to recent U.S. moves to boost its military presence in Asia - including the deployment of up to 2,500 Marines to northern Australia - have so far been restrained.

China's official Xinhua news agency said Jan. 6 it welcomed a bigger U.S. presence in Asia as "conducive to regional stability and prosperity," while urging it against "warmongering."

China "adheres to the path of peaceful development, upholds an independent foreign policy of peace and a defense policy that is defensive in nature," Liu said. "Our national defense modernization serves the objective requirements of national security and development and also plays an active role in maintaining regional peace and security. It will not pose any threat to any country."

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9 janvier 2012 1 09 /01 /janvier /2012 15:41

PA-Chine-source-china-defense-mashup.com.jpg 

Varyag's trial runs demonstrate the level of the navy's modernization

2012-01-09 (China Military News cited from China Daily and by Wang Xiaoxuan)

The three trial runs of China's first aircraft carrier, the refitted Varyag, in 2011 marked a milestone in Chinese navy's development. But they also drew sharp reactions from some countries intent on raising false alarms.

The aircraft carrier and its trial runs reflect the Chinese navy's growing competence in defending the country's sovereignty and maritime interests. With a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, more than 6,500 islands, and about 3 million square kilometers of maritime area, China needs a strong and modern navy to prevent any violation of its territory, sovereignty over the islands and maritime interests in its waters.

China has to protect its interests on the high seas, too. The country became the world's largest exporter in 2009 and imported 63 percent of its iron ore and 55 percent of its crude oil needs in 2010. The safety of China's personnel, assets and shipping lanes is very important for its economy, to guarantee this it needs a strong navy.

Varyag's trial runs demonstrate the level of the navy's modernization. Regarded as the symbol of modern naval power, aircraft carriers are a combination of a wide range of technologies, including shipbuilding and aviation. China developed its first aircraft carrier thanks to the concerted efforts of its scientific research sectors, and it reflects the country's comprehensive strength.

The rebuilding of Varyag and its trial runs indicate that China can now better fulfill its international responsibilities. With China's increasing global status, it has and will respond to the United Nations' appeal to send its naval fleets to international waters on peace-keeping missions, which include fighting piracy and providing humanitarian aid.

But despite having Varyag, China is far from completing its navy's modernization. Naval modernization is an inclusive concept, which includes applying latest technologies to navy ships to fulfill their battle requirements and maritime security needs. In pursuit of modernization, a navy has to undergo a change from the traditional to modern, including installation of modern weaponry. Modern navies are equipped among other things with advanced weapons, reasonable structure of armed forces and high-quality personnel.

Since naval modernization is a complicated and long-term process, the Chinese navy will not leap forward by just adding Varyag to its fleet. Besides, the navy's modernization is rooted in the comprehensive modernization of Chinese society and will progress accordingly.

On the road to its modernization, the navy is bound to encounter twists and turns. China is the largest developing country with a weak industrial foundation and less advanced technologies, especially military technologies. And since Western countries have banned the exports of advanced weapons and technologies to China for years, the Chinese navy has to grope its way toward modernization.

Worse, some Western countries cling to the Cold War mentality, and are still suspicious of China's rise and the development of its military. They demonize China's routine moves to modernize its navy and trumpet the "China threat" theory, distorting its army's image and vilifying the defensive nature of its security policy.

In recent years, the Western media have speculated about the development of China's defense system and "scrutinized" every move of the Chinese navy. Some Western media outlets' prejudice against China has prompted them to use the modernization of its navy to call the country "arrogant" and "aggressive".

Some Western scholars tend to see the development of China's aircraft carrier and missiles as a threat to other countries and over-interpret its routine naval drills as "posturing or preparing for war". They even allege that China is building a series of military bases, or the so-called string of pearls, in the Indian Ocean under the pretense of helping some countries build commercial port facilities.

The truth is that China's navy has developed in recent years but only to defend its territory. China has followed a defensive defense policy and will stick to the policy.

China is the world's most populous country, second largest economy and the third largest country in area but it is still not a modern naval power. During the first three decades of reform and opening-up, China prioritized economic development to lift its people out of poverty, which caused uncoordinated development of its defense structure.

Even today, China spends only 1.4 percent of its GDP on defense, whereas the US spends up to 4 percent and countries such as Britain, France and Russia more than 2 percent. Besides, the Chinese navy can hardly match the development of its counterparts in the developed world. What really matters is not what kind of weapons China possesses but what policies and strategies it follows. China pursues peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.

China has not been part of any war or arms conflict since the mid-1980s, as opposed to some countries that wage wars worldwide under the pretext of humanitarianism and democracy. China did not have an aircraft carrier until 2011, whereas the United States had its first as early as 1911, that is, a full 100 years before.

Despite the huge amount of assets and large number of personnel worldwide, China has not built a single military base outside its own territory in stark contrast to the US that has more than 1,000 military bases across the world. In this sense, Western accusations against China are groundless, for we know which country is actually disturbing the world order and unsettling certain regions.

In a deeper sense, behind the criticism directed at the development of China's national defense is hegemonic ideology. Some countries justify their expansion but always find faults with emerging powers such as China. What they fail to see is that China's loss is not necessarily their gain.

Only by abandoning their outdated mentality can they ease the unnecessary tensions with China. The Chinese navy's modernization will progress regardless of the external intervention and a stronger Chinese naval force that advocates building oceanic harmony is the guarantee of world peace.

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9 janvier 2012 1 09 /01 /janvier /2012 13:05

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=43733

 

photo Boeing Defense

January 9th, 2012 By Greg Waldron – Flight Global

South Korea could issue a request for proposal for its F-X III competition for 62 fighter aircraft as soon as next week.

An industry source indicates that the RFP could be issued on 16 February, although Seoul's Defence Acquisition Program Administration has not given a specific date.

Four aircraft are likely to compete in the F-X III competition: the Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle, the Lockheed Martin F-35, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and Sukhoi PAK FA. The RFP could also include a section dealing with the various contenders' offset proposals for helping Seoul with its indigenous KF-X programme.

Industry observers have said that the favourites to win the competition to replace Seoul's McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms are the F-15SE and F-35. They say Seoul's historic defence relationship with Washington will favour the two American aircraft. The Typhoon is viewed as an outsider, while the PAK FA is seen as having virtually no chance of winning.

One factor that could influence Seoul's decision is Japan's recent decision to obtain the F-35 over the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Eurofighter to fulfil its 42 aircraft F-X requirement. Some industry observers have said that Seoul will be heavily influenced by Japan's decision, others that its impact will be negligible.

At the Seoul Air Show in late 2011, Boeing and Lockheed Martin stressed different missions for F-X III. Boeing said its F-15SE offers enough stealth for operations early in a war, and can then, when stealth is no longer needed, be quickly configured to carry a heavy payload of standoff ground attack weapons. Lockheed stressed low altitude missions in enemy territory where the F-35's stealth capabilities would be of great utility.

Korea Aerospace Industries is in the second year of a technology development phase for KF-X, an aircraft that is being designed replace the F-4 and F-5. KF-X will be a medium sized fighter, that KAI has said will be in the "KF-16 class."

Seoul has already signed Indonesia as a 20% partner on the programme. Jakarta's involvement in the project could affect the transfer of technology F-X III bidders are willing to offer for the KF-X programme.

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9 janvier 2012 1 09 /01 /janvier /2012 08:50

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Agni_missile_range.png/800px-Agni_missile_range.png

 

Picture by Chanakyathegreat

Jan 08, 2012 - Rashme Sehgal - asianage.com

The project director of the DRDO Advanced Systems Laboratory at Kanchangagh, Dr Tessy Thomas, said that India was ready to test launch the nuclear-capable Agni 5 missile within the next two-three months.

A dedicated team of 1,000 scientists are working round-the-clock to fully operationalise this missile which will bring targets as far away as northern China within reach.

“This has been a highly challenging experience for me because a highly accurate system has been developed,’’ she said while speaking at the 99th Indian Science Congress. Dr Thomas described Agni 5 as “a totally new system from top to bottom”, including nose tip to the base. Every subsystem was new, and the challenge was to prove the whole system.”

“Agni 1, 2 and 3 have been inducted into the Army while Agni 4 has been tested. But more tests are required for Agni 4,” she revealed.

The Indian military scientific community was extremely excited at the success of flight trial of the nuclear-capable Agni 4. “It was a textbook flight and it is difficult to describe the joy we experienced at the success of Agni 4,” said this gutsy woman scientist who admitted, “(the development of) Agni 4 was a challenging experience for me.”

Agni 5 is a ballistic missile with a range approaching ICBMs in the armory of China, Russia and the US. The three-state Agni 5 is undergoing integration at the moment but all Dr Thomas said on this subject was that “advances are coming within milli-seconds.”

When asked whether India was going to develop an ICBM, Dr Thomas replied, “Agni 5 is the kind of missile which will meet the security challenges that India faces.”

When asked about China providing a great deal of assistance to enhance Pakistan’s missile program, Thomas said she had no comments to make on this subject.

Both the Agni 4 and the Agni 5 stacked up admirably when compared to other nations’ missiles with similar ranges.

Compared to older Agni missile variants, the Agni 4 and 5 both have better strike precision and can be primed transported with greater ease. Earlier missiles were based on rail mobile launchers which needed an exhaustive infrastructure support but Agni 4 and Agni 5 are based on road mobile launchers.

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9 janvier 2012 1 09 /01 /janvier /2012 08:30

PLA China

8 mars 2009 par E. Fonrath - questionchine.net

Le 20 janvier 2009, jour de l’investiture du nouveau Président des Etats-Unis (les amateurs de coincidences apprécieront), la Chine a publié son 6e Livre Blanc sur la Défense - le premier ayant été publié en 1998 (China’s National Defense in 2008 est disponible en anglais).

Sensé poursuivre un effort d’explication du processus de modernisation de l’Armée Populaire de Libération afin d’apaiser les soupçons de la communauté internationale vis-à-vis de la puissance chinoise, ce document reprend bien sûr sur les invariants du discours officiel dans ce domaine : politique de défense purement défensive, dépenses modestes comparées aux pays occidentaux, efforts financiers justifiés par la nécessaire amélioration des conditions de vie et de travail des militaires. Mais ce Livre Blanc se veut un document plus complet, plus large par les thèmes abordés et plus riche d’analyses et de comparaisons que les éditions précédentes (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 et 2006).

Après une analyse succincte de la situation sécuritaire globale et régionale, dans laquelle l’anti-américanisme, passé sous silence en 2006, semble de retour, ce Livre Blanc aborde pour la 1re fois les armées et services dans des chapitres distincts et indique avec une précision variable l’historique de chaque composante, les progrès réalisés durant les 30 ans de réformes d’ouverture et les axes d’effort actuels. Ainsi on apprend que l’Armée de Terre a développé ses capacités en matière de précision des feux, du génie et de sa capacité aéromobile. Mais on comprend aussi que ce sont encore des axes à développer en priorité surtout dans leur aspect « emploi en temps de paix » en vue de la constitution d’une force de réaction en cas de catastrophe naturelle notamment.

La Marine pour sa part doit développer ses systèmes de combat ainsi que son soutien logistique et la formation, conditions essentielles d’une extension des distances de déploiement des bâtiments de guerre chinois.

Pour l’armée de l’air, c’est la priorité accordée à l’édification d’une force de projection stratégique qui retient l’attention.

Un souci commun aux armées dans leur ensemble est accordé aux ressources humaines (recrutement, fidélisation) ainsi qu’à la formation et l’entraînement.

Après avoir, en 2004 et 2006, souligné l’engagement des forces de l’APL dans les opérations de maintien de la paix, les rédacteurs du Livre Blanc 2008 insistent particulièrement sur les actions des armées en temps de paix. Cette préoccupation montre combien les autorités chinoises ont compris que cette expertise est indispensable à une force armée moderne. Cette nouvelle priorité, qui consiste à mettre au service de la protection civile des moyens militaires de haute technologie là où par le passé l’armée chinoise déployait essentiellement des « bras », porte sans aucun doute aussi la marque des enseignements des récentes interventions qui ont démontré les limites des capacités de l’APL, en particulier celles de 2008 (intempéries dans le sud en janvier et tremblement de terre au Sichuan en mai). Enfin, la ligne du gouvernement chinois actuel en matière de politique intérieure (développement d’une société harmonieuse et effort sur le bien être et le bien vivre des populations) rendra dans l’avenir cette mission « défense territoriale et protection civile » de plus en plus prégnante pour l’APL.

Le Livre Blanc 2008 se veut « plus complet et plus large » car, pour la première fois, la Chine aborde dans un document public ses exportations et importations d’armement sous la forme d’un tableau très simple où sont regroupés les 9 importateurs d’armement chinois et la Chine, unique fournisseur aujourd’hui.

Enfin, s’agissant du budget qui soulève chaque année des interrogations, le Livre Blanc profite du 30e anniversaire des réformes de Deng Xiaoping pour livrer un tableau synoptique des dépenses de défense de la RPC depuis 1978. On y découvre sans surprise que l’augmentation du budget de la défense récemment annoncée pour 2009 (+14.9 %) est la 19e augmentation à deux chiffres consécutives. Mais le tableau est surtout sensé montrer la modestie des efforts de défense au regard du PIB. En période de crise et tandis que la modernisation de la défense a toujours été subordonnée au développement économique, ce tableau peut aussi être un message à usage interne pour les décideurs chinois afin de leur démontrer que la crédibilité de l’APL et, partant, de la Chine nécéssite un effort conséquent qu’il convient de ne pas relacher.

S’il est indéniable que la Chine s’adapte lentement à une certaine obligation de transparence vis-à-vis de la communauté internationale, ce Livre Blanc reste un document de relations publiques de portée très générale dont l’analyse ne peut satisfaire les experts.

Tout d’abord cela reste un document superficiel. Comment avoir une idée claire des perceptions sécuritaire de la Chine quand ce chapitre, dénué de carte, reste très général et se limite à quatre pages et demie !
Par ailleurs, le Livre Blanc ne comporte aucun organigramme alors que précisément les chaînes de commandement et les mécanismes de prises de décision sont au cœur des interrogations internationales sur le système de défense chinois.
S’agissant des différentes armées et services, la partie historique, plutôt superflue pour les trois armées est au contraire éludée pour la Police Armée Populaire alors que la façon dont cette structure s’est développée depuis les années 80 et progressivement integrée aux armées en passant pour partie sous la coupe de la Commission Militaire Centrale est précisément mal connue. Le chapitre relatif à la Deuxième Artillerie est quant à lui purement simpliste et n’apporte rien aux éléments déjà connus.

Une analyse relative aux capacités montre aussi combien le Livre Blanc 2008 est incomplet.
Le Livre Blanc énonce des expertises à développer et des capacités à acquérir (projection, aéromobilité, logistique, commandement et contrôle entre autres) mais à aucun moment il ne mentionne les grands projets d’équipement nécessaires aux forces pour concrétiser ces priorités (des réseaux de communication aux appareils de transport stratégique ou bien sûr au porte-avions).

Le tableau sur les importations/exportations d’équipements militaire montre la volonté chinoise de développer son industrie de défense et de devenir à terme un acteur qui compte dans le domaine des équipements militaires. A ce propos la réforme de la structure responsable de ce domaine (la commission des industries de défense nationale - COSTIND - est succinctement abordée dans le livre Blanc). Mais ce tableau reste bien superficiel et on peut légitimement penser que les échanges de Pékin dans ce domaine ne se limitent à ces quelque dix pays.

Enfin le détail sur 30 ans du budget ne peut faire taire les soupçons car aucun détail n’est précisé. Il s’agit d’une pure récapitulation des chiffres officiels donnés année après année. La Chine ne pourra se targuer d’une certaine transparence dans ce domaine que le jour où, notamment elle détaillera son budget entre « fonctionnement » et « investissements », et où les parts dédiées aux grands projets et à la R&D seront visibles.

Incertitudes sur le processus de modernisation de l’APL

Si des grandes échéances sont mentionnées (2020 par exemple), la modernisation n’est évoquée que dans ses principes, eux-mêmes très vagues, tandis que rien n’est dit sur les ambitions stratégiques de la RPC. Ainsi, pas plus que les Livres Blancs précédents, l’édition 2008 ne décrit ce que les Chinois appellent une « guerre locale », ni même les fameuses « caractéristiques chinoises » sensées singulariser la modernisation de l’Armée Populaire de Libération. De même si l’armée de l’air se voit assignée la mission de développer une force de projection, rien n’est dit sur les volumes de force à projeter et les distances à prendre en compte.

Au-delà d’une volonté de rester ambigu vis-à-vis du monde extérieur, on peut quand même légitimement se demander si les Chinois eux-mêmes ne sont pas un peu perdus dans une modernisation où l’on ne fait plus vraiment la part de la guerre populaire adaptée aux circonstances modernes, à la mécanisation et à l’informatisation « high-tech ». Dans ce domaine, le Livre Blanc 2008 n’est pas vraiment la récapitulation des cinq éditions précédentes mais un nouvel éclairage. Par conséquent, il ne paraît pas impossible que les Chinois en soient encore à un stade d’expérimentation de diverses stratégies, formats et concepts et qu’ils n’aient pas encore eux-mêmes de nette vision concrète de ce que sera leur outil de défense une fois « modernisé » ? Illustrant cette confusion, un porte-parole du ministère de la Défense estime que le but n’est plus de « remporter des guerres locales dans des conditions de haute technologie » mais de « remporter les guerres informatisées au niveau local » ! Les choix difficiles, alors que les crédits restent limités, et les possibles luttes d’influence au sein des armées et du Parti pourraient expliquer en partie les hésitations et le manque de cohérence du processus de modernisation de l’APL.
De telles incertitudes, mêmes avérées n’enlèveraient cependant rien à la probable réalité des capacités chinoises dans certains domaines qui constituent les principales préoccupations américaines et qui sont bien sûr éludés dans ce Livre Blanc : les capacités spatiales et la place qu’occupe la guerre cybernétique dans la stratégie chinoise.

Au bilan, cette 6e édition du Livre Blanc sur la Défense chinoise montre que la Chine poursuit péniblement son effort de communication sur sa défense. Mais la route reste longue avant de satisfaire les interrogations les plus basiques de la communauté internationale.
A la décharge de la Chine, on peut souligner que cette ouverture ne peut être que progressive car la nature même du système chinois, pour qui la communication est une contrainte récente, s’ajoute à une réelle réticence, elle plus « politique ». De fait, le secret et le cloisonnement sont inhérents à une défense chinoise encore peu familière de l’interarmées. Par exemple, un « terrien » ne sait que peu de choses des programmes de la Marine. Il n’est donc a fortiori pas naturel pour les Chinois de s’en ouvrir aux étrangers.
La question de l’incertitude au sein de l’APL sur la modernisation est en soi plus inquiétante car elle est à même de saper la confiance des militaires chinois dans leur crédibilité et pourrait amener l’APL à radicaliser ses positions. N’est-ce pas déjà ce que l’on peut ressentir sur des sujets de souveraineté sensibles comme le Tibet ou Taiwan alors même que la tendance politique se veut apaisante, du moins pour les relations entre les deux rives.

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9 janvier 2012 1 09 /01 /janvier /2012 07:50

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ODOT7QY84Ok/TwqDxFGvdzI/AAAAAAAALxc/UdMNSdByiHk/s400/Klub%2Bloading%2Bto%2BKilo.jpg

 

The submarine will be equipped with Klub-S, anti ship/anti submarine missile with max range 300km (photo : pakdef)

 

09.01.2012 DEFENSE STUDIES

 

According to some unofficial sources from the Russian media, from the beginning of the month 6 / 2011 the Russian side has begun work on two Kilo 636M project class submarines for the Vietnam Navy.

 

The first will be delivered in 2013. Expected that Russia will hand over to Vietnam annually to a submarine in 2018.

The above information has not been officially confirmed, but according to Mr. Roman Trotsenko, chairman of Admiralty Shipyard, this company is implementing all necessary work to close on time and handed over six submarines for Vietnam orders. "This contract for us not only great value financially, but also has special meaning. We will endeavor to implement 100% of the components of the project ", - Roman Trotsenko statement on the website of the Admiralty Group.

Admiralty has completed the clearance Novoadmiralteysky entire island has an area of ​​16 hectares, construction of schools and facilities for the closure of the Kilo 636M submarines for Vietnam. "We have invested in purchasing new equipment and the best to serve the building of submarines and underwater vehicles at a cost of more than 3 billion rubles," said Roman Trotsenko.

Admiralty Shipyard Group is one of the most prestigious companies in the field of Russian ship with more than 300 years of tradition.

Submarine Project 636 diesel-electric submarine is the third generation and is the modernized version of Project 877 and 877 EKM.

Project 636M (Kilo class) is considered to effectively project combat capability and is one of quiet submarines in the world. It is a combination of optimum target detection range, the inertial navigation, the most advanced information management system, automatically modern weapons with torpedoes, powerful and high speed missiles of at least 4 Club-S missiles, 18 torpedoes and 24 mines.

In addition, the ship also includes shoulder-aircraft missile and weapons of personal combat crew on ships. Submarine Project 636 is designed to destroy submarines and surface ships of the enemy, protect naval bases, ensuring communications, and reconnaissance .

(BaoDatViet)
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8 janvier 2012 7 08 /01 /janvier /2012 12:30

Nerpa-nuclear-submarine-photo-Ria-Novisti.jpg

photo Ria Novisti.

January 2, 2012 By Harry Kazianis -- the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog

 

After years of delays, Russia has formally leased to India an advanced nuclear-powered submarine. For India, the move is a further indication of its shift towards the modernization of its naval capabilities. Russia, for its part, will be hoping the signing is a step away from a series of accidents that have haunted its navy for over a decade.

 

“The ceremony to sign the document was held on Thursday at the shipyard in Bolshoi Kamen in the Primorsky Territory, where the Nerpa nuclear submarine is currently deployed,” an official in the Russian Naval Chief of Staff’s office told ITAR-TASS on Friday.

 

The Indian Navy will now operate an “Akula” II nuclear attack submarine for the next ten years per a special lease agreement. The move should prove a boon to the Indian Navy, giving the country the ability to not only utilize the vessel for combat patrols and train in one of the world’s more advanced nuclear submarines, but also apply lessons learned to its own domestic nuclear submarine program.

 

 

“All of the naval tests and performance checks have been completed,” the Russian official explained.

 

The submarine signing is a welcome piece of good news for the Russian Navy. Russia’s armed forces have routinely been criticized for an alleged lack of focus on safety, especially since the 2000 sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk in 2000. Safety questions were again raised following a recent fire aboard a Russian Delta IV nuclear submarine,which sparked fears of a possible radiation leak. The fire started Thursday at an Arctic shipyard outside the Russian port city of Murmansk where the submarine “Yekaterinburg” was in dry dock. The fire has since been contained, with Russian officials claiming no radioactive contamination as a result of the blaze. Officials have stated the fire beganon wooden scaffolding before going on to engulf the submarine’s outer hull. The Yekaterinburg’s nuclear reactor had been shut down along with its nuclear-tipped missiles and other weaponry having been removed before being placed in dry dock.

The Nerpa, rechristened INS Chakra for the Indian Navy, will be the first nuclear powered submarine to be operated by India in twenty years. India has previously leased a Russian nuclear submarine, a Charlie II class vessel, from 1988-1991.

 

The transferred submarine itself has a long history that stretches even before her first formal patrol. Construction on the submarine began in 1993, but was stopped due to a lack of funding. The submarine was mothballed until 2004. An agreement was signed that stipulated India would finance the final construction costs of the sub and be completed in 2007.

 

However, the plan was hit by further delays, including an incident on November 8, 2008, when 20 people died after an unauthorized release of fire suppressant gas inside the submarine during a submerged test during the vessel’s sea trials in the Sea of Japan. Reports on the accident suggest crew members died due to the accidental release of Freon R-114B2.

 

India, meanwhile, has also been working on its own nuclear submarine fleet. In 2009, India formally unveiled its Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic submarine. The ship is expected to incorporate Russian designs and is expected to have a number of similarities to the Soviet Charlie II submarine it has leased in the past.

 

The Chakra joins a long line of Russian military equipment now operating with the Indian Navy. India has previously purchased 10 Russian designed “Kilo” class diesel submarines and has also bought and financed the modernization of the Cold War-era Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov

 

* Harry Kazianis is assistant editor of The Diplomat

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8 janvier 2012 7 08 /01 /janvier /2012 08:40

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January 5, 2012 By Anthony Bergin - the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog

The recent visit to Australia by U.S. President Barack Obama, the APEC meeting in Honolulu and the East Asia Summit in Bali all overshadowed a meeting in November of an extraordinary international organisation of 19 states from Asia, Africa and Oceania.

Officials from the countries, who gathered in Bengaluru, India, are united by their common interests in sharing the world’s third-largest ocean. Yet with the aphabet soup of regional bodies that now exists, few have heard of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (or its unpronounceable acronym of IOR-ARC), despite it being more than a decade old.

The Assocation’s membership of Indian Ocean littoral states includes Australia, Iran, India, Madagascar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and 13 other states large and small. Yet so far, the Assocation, which has a secretariat in Mauritius, has been largely moribund.

Could this be about to change? India has now taken over as chair of the Association for two years, with Australia assuming the role of vice chair, before chairing the group in 2013 and 2014. That’s sensible: Australia is the largest Indian Ocean state in terms of area of maritime jurisdiction. Indonesia will chair the group after Australia’s term expires.

There’s no doubt the Association has enormous potential. The countries of the Indian Ocean rim, with a population of about 2.5 billion, make it an attractive market. And it’s also a huge energy and trade maritime highway, particularly for the booming economies of Asia – it carries half of the world’s container ships, one third of the bulk cargo traffic and two thirds of the world’s oil shipments.

Looking ahead, key components of the Association’s roadmap include trade liberalization and trade and investment facilitation. Intra-regional trade amounts to 24 percent of global trade, and is increasing, although intra-regional investment flows are modest.

But perhaps as important as the economics is the fact that the Indian Ocean is where key geo-political differences will play out between the rising powers of India and China.It’s with the potential for the tensions that this could spark in mind that the Association should work to build a common approach toward sharing resources and expertise over fisheries, maritime transport, marine research (this is the least studied of the world’s oceans) and disaster management.There’s also real potential for cooperation in science and technology, agriculture and culture.

Unfortunately, the range of interests – and the wide differences in national capabilities of the Assocation’s members – will make cooperation difficult.Still, the IOR-ARC would do well to embrace all littoral states, including Pakistan and big external users such as China, the United States and Japan. Only through a fully inclusive mechanism can competition be translated into co-operation.

The group’s recent meeting made some progress, with members agreeing to share information on piracy and ways of consolidating co-operation in education, marine resources management, trade and investment promotion, as well as tourism. But as a state with growing Indian Ocean economic and security interests, and as vice chair of the IOR-ARC, Australia would be well advised to push harder to try and breathe new life into these efforts.

If these 19 states can start working  together, the results could be extremely worthwhile for everyone involved.  They could perhaps even start by coming up with a more user friendly name.

Anthony Bergin is Director of Research Programs at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and co-author of 'Our Western Front: Australia and the Indian Ocean.'

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8 janvier 2012 7 08 /01 /janvier /2012 08:35

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photo USAF

 

January 2, 2012 By David Axe - the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog

 

The aerial arsenal of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army shrank by nearly a quarter over the past year, from around 3,400 combat aircraft to just under 2,600. The best assessment of the secretive PLA, a database managed by Flight International magazine and updated annually, showed 800 fewer jet fighters in the PLA inventory compared to a year ago.

The reduction reflects "improved data," according to Flight's annual report, released late last month. The data allowed the report's authors to remove from the PLA's active rolls a "combined 850 obsolete Harbin H-5 and Nanchang Q-5 combat aircraft." The H-5 and Q-5 date from the mid-1960s. It's unclear exactly when the PLA retired the two models.

 

The PLA isn’t alone in shedding combat aircraft. Most of the world's major air arms are slowly shrinking, owing to decreasing military budgets and the tendency of planners to favor small numbers of high-tech new aircraft over larger numbers of less-sophisticated, older models. The U.S. Air Force is replacing more than 400 F-15s with just 187 newer F-22s, for instance. China built hundreds of H-5s and more than 1,500 Q-5s, but has built just 300 or so combined of more recent warplanes such as the J-10 and J-11.

 

 

The PLA’s warplane holdings have apparently contracted at an even faster rate than the Pentagon's, growing the gap between the two aerial powers and cementing the U.S. military's position as the dominant aerospace power. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Coast Guard together operate 13,000 manned aircraft. Number two Russia operates 3,600. China, in third place, possesses 2,600 warplanes. Of roughly 5,400 warplanes on firm order as of late 2011, the Americans accounted for 1,700. "This [U.S.] dominance shows no sign of being diminished for many years to come," Flight reports.

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8 janvier 2012 7 08 /01 /janvier /2012 08:30

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January 6, 2012 By Devindra Sethi -- the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog

 

Asia today is dominated by the three large economies of India, Japan and China. These three countries, along with the United States, represent the principal actors in the global commons of the Indian Ocean.

 

Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations & ANZUS groupings are particularly keen to increase ties with India and the United States – the largest and (arguably) oldest democracies today, and two of the leading emerging and established economic actors. But there have also been some interesting developments recently that point to other strategic alliances.

 

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s recent visit to India, for example, is a harbinger of the 21st century modifications being gradually implemented in Japan’s outward global posture. Indeed, this reality was on show during the trilateral meetings of India, the United States and Japan in Washington in December 2011. This arrangement points to a recognition on all sides of the importance of strengthened ties amidst the changing geopolitical scene in the region, in particular vis-à-vis China.

 

 

As has been noted in The Diplomat, India and the United States take a dim view of recent Chinese activities and ambitions in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Regions. India has watched Chinese moves in the region with great interest, especially with sea lines of communications from the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman converging at the Malacca Straits, Lombok Straits and Sunda Straits – all of which are within the Indian Navy’s reach in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

 

The recent modernization of the Indian Navy with nuclear propelled submarines, aircraft carriers, missile frigates and missile destroyers is a clear enunciation of India’s response to its emerging challenges in the Indian Ocean. More such capable units will be added in the months and years ahead.

 

The island territories of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar have been developed as a type of “unsinkable aircraft carrier” and major Indian Army amphibious brigades have been prepositioned. The Indian Navy’s core interest areas were defined from Madagascar to the Malacca Straits to Minicoy Island in the Indian Ocean by the Defense Minister at the recent Naval Commanders Conference in 2011. The Indian Ocean Bridges of Friendship meetings with the Indian Ocean region littoral states, meanwhile, are also being vigorously sponsored by the Indian Navy and the Ministry of Defense.

 

India has taken a careful and pragmatic approach to China’s rise. It has undertaken carefully crafted modernizations to its armed forces while at the same time forming strategic partnerships with other nations.

All this said, India should still seek to work with China and all nations in areas of shared interest and common focus. Conflict with China is by no means inevitable. All nations have a vital interest to do what they can to lessen regional tensions.  In the meantime, though, India must ensure its vital national interests are protected. A balanced approach is clearly in order.

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7 janvier 2012 6 07 /01 /janvier /2012 17:35

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2012-01-07 (China Military News cited from thehindu.com)

India has decided to send a truncated military delegation to China after Beijing denied visa to an Indian Air Force (IAF) official because he is from Arunachal Pradesh, Foreign Office sources said. The composition of the Indian defence delegation has been halved from 30 to 15 said the sources while denying reports that the visit had been shelved.

Sources said the officer will not be part of the smaller delegation. India in the past has avoided sending officials domiciled in Arunachal Pradesh for defence exchanges with China. Analysts here wondered whether India was trying to judge China’s response by selecting the officer or if he was inadvertently chosen for the tri-services defence exchange.

There were reports that till Friday night the Government was considering the idea of putting off the trip. This would have been the second break in defence exchanges over visa issues for armed forces personnel in less than two years. India had suspended high level defence exchanges in 2010 after China denied a stamped visa to a senior army on grounds that he was serving in Jammu and Kashmir. It took a year and high level interaction between the Indian and Chinese leaderships to resume high level defence exchanges though border and other flag meetings had been taking place as scheduled.

With India deciding against a renewed freeze on defence ties, the delegation will leave as scheduled on January 10 and visit Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai during the four-day trip.

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7 janvier 2012 6 07 /01 /janvier /2012 12:45
Pressure on Europe to bolster military as US shifts to Asia

Jan 6, 2012 Spacewar.com (AFP)

 

Brussels - As the US military turns its gaze to Asia, cash-strapped Europe is under pressure to modernise its armed forces despite the economic crisis so it can police its own neighbourhood.

 

By declaring that the US military posture in Europe must "evolve," the new doctrine unveiled by President Barack Obama on Thursday hints that Washington will reduce its footprint on a continent it has protected for decades.

 

The trans-Atlantic bond, sealed over two world wars and the Cold War, is likely to remain strong, but the defence cuts and strategic shift to counter China adds urgency to calls for Europeans to beef up their forces.

 

"This speech is not a surprise to us," said Claude-France Arnould, the head of the European Defence Agency, which is in charge of developing ways for Europe's armed forces to pool military resources.

 

"The Americans are asking Europeans to cooperate more between themselves in order to develop their military capacity on a greater scale," she told AFP.

 

The United States has scolded Europeans for cutting military spending for years. With the eurozone debt crisis forcing governments to slash budgets, the Americans and NATO are encouraging them to spend "smarter" together.

 

The Libyan air war exposed the huge gap in capabilities.

 

While the Europeans carried out most NATO bombings, the United States provided 75 percent of all air-to-air refuelling aircraft and surveillance flights that were vital to the operation.

 

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has identified aerial tankers and drones as key needs but admits the cost of sophisticated military equipment is rising faster than inflation and gross domestic product.

 

Citing the lessons of Afghanistan and Libya, British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond this week criticised fellow NATO allies, saying the contribution of some of its members "falls short of what our collective defence requires."

 

"Too many countries are failing to meet their financial responsibilities to NATO, and so failing to maintain appropriate and proportionate capabilities," he said in a speech in Washington on Thursday.

 

"Too many are opting out of operations or contributing but a fraction of what they should be capable of," he said. "This is a European problem, not an American one."

 

The United States, which accounts for 75 percent of spending at NATO while the remaining quarter is shared by the 27 other allies, has warned Europeans that they cannot rely on the US military forever.

 

European military budgets have fallen seven percent in five years to reach 194 billion euros ($247 billion) overall in 2010. This compares to Washington's nearly $700 billion defence budget.

 

But the US share "is likely to drop significantly," said David Reeths, Europe director at security experts IHS Jane's A&D Consulting.

 

"Considering the low and dropping level of European investment in their militaries, it's hard to imagine that this would not also have a negative impact on the overall readiness and military effectiveness of NATO," he said.

 

The new US military strategy does not indicate how many troops may be withdrawn from Europe, but they are already way down from Cold War levels.

 

Some 300,000 US troops were posted across Europe at the end of the Cold War. Two decades after the Berlin Wall fell, they now number fewer than 100,000, mostly spread across Germany, Britain and Italy.

 

"While the report itself is intentionally vague, reading between the lines, it is clear that we must be prepared for a major reduction in US forces stationed or otherwise present in and near Europe," Reeths said.

 

Despite the shift to Asia, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said Washington was committed to NATO's Article 5, a pledge that any attack on one alliance member was an attack on all allies.

 

The United States still has strategic interests in Europe as it puts it closer to hotspots in the Middle East and allows it to keep an eye on Russia, said Lisa Aronsson, expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

 

"The focus on Asia doesn't necessarily mean less attention to the Middle East or Europe or Latin America," she told AFP.

 

"The US is a global power with global interests and there's been too much focus on South Asia and Iraq, so I think this is the right course and Europeans should welcome it."

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7 janvier 2012 6 07 /01 /janvier /2012 08:10
Seoul Orders 20 FA-50 Attack Aircraft In a $600 Million Deal

TA-50 breaking formation. Photo: KAI

 

January 6, 2012 Richard_Dudley – DEFENSE UPDATE

 

With the New Year barely underway, South Korea is once again demonstrating a determination to build a formidable military force capable of dealing with potential enemies. The government has signed a $600 million deal with Korea Aerospace Industries (KIA) for 20 FA-50 fighter/attack aircraft based on the highly regarded T-50 advanced jet trainer.

 

KAI is reporting that the aircraft will be delivered between 2013 and 2014. The FA-50 is a lightweight fighter/attack aircraft incorporating the most advanced technology available in the T-50 Golden Eagle family of aircraft.

 

KAI also believes that South Korea may increase the order to as many as 60 aircraft for use as replacements for the aging 150 Northrop F-5 aircraft currently being operated.

 

The FA-50 aircraft ordered are expected to be equipped with the Link 16 tactical link, Elta Systems EL/M-2032 pulse Doppler radar, radar warning systems and a night vision imagery system. Northrop Grumman and Raytheon previously selected the FA-50 as a prime candidate for being outfitted with the same version of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar slated for use in a United States Air Force F-16 upgrade.

 

The FA-50 is built to carry a weapon’s payload of 9,920 pounds that includes Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Textron’s CBU-97 Sensor Fused Weapon. In addition, the FA-50 is also fitted with a 20mm cannon and is configured to carry air-to-air missiles.

 

KAI has also included in the Golden Eagle family, along with the T-50 and the FA-50, a T-50B aerobatic aircraft and an armed TA-50. All versions of the Golden Eagle family feature a single General Electric F404 engine.

 

South Korea is expected to issue a call for bids for its F-X III project in February to select a replacement for its F-4 Phantom jets. The candidates competing for this lucrative contract include the Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin F-35, Sukhoi PAK FA, and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

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7 janvier 2012 6 07 /01 /janvier /2012 08:00

Rafale photo Sirpa Air 2011

photo Sirpa Air

 

Jan 6, 2012 By Asia-Pacific Staff - aviation week and space technology

 

New Delhi - In value terms, 2012 is poised to be India’s biggest year for aerospace contracting. The next 12 months will see a raft of large deals signed by the country’s government for aircraft virtually across the board, but especially for long-awaited defense projects.

 

The first month of the year is expected to bring perhaps the most anticipated decision in current contracting activity—the lowest bidder, and therefore prospective winner, of the Indian air force’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition (AW&ST Nov. 14, 2011, p. 36). Dassault and EADS Cassidian are jockeying to supply either Rafales or Typhoons, respectively, with the winner expected to provide at least 126 aircraft.

 

A defense ministry officer said the team scrutinizing the MMRCA bids is expected to select the competitive bid in the third week of January; and if so, the government would attempt to award the contract by March. “It would take something disastrous for 2012 not to be the year of the MMRCA,” he said.

 

The original request for proposals was released in 2007, and it was once expected to have been awarded by 2011. Still, by some accounts, this is the endgame of a competition that began almost a decade ago (AW&ST Feb. 7, 2011, p. 46).

 

Likewise, in the first days of 2012 India’s Cabinet Committee on Security was expected to approve a crucial contract for 75 basic trainer aircraft, the result of a competition in which Swiss company Pilatus was declared the winner last year. But the committee instead approved a separate contract for 450 MBDA Mica missiles for the air force’s upgraded Dassault Mirage 2000H/TH fighters. With huge pressure from the air force for an early conclusion, given the admittedly dire state of its training infrastructure, the $700 million basic trainer aircraft deal is likely to come up for final approval later this month.

 

By midyear, the Indian government is also expected to decide on its protracted $750 million light utility helicopter acquisition program. A choice is shortly to be made between the Eurocopter AS550C3 Fennec and Kamov Ka-226T Sergei to supply 197 helicopters (133 for the army and 64 for the air force) for high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance.

 

After a disastrous abort of the deal just days ahead of an expected award to Eurocopter in November 2007, the government and army have played extra safe this time and decided to protect the contract from possible derailment again. Sources in the army’s aviation corps say the government agreed to expunge certain performance requirements, including hover out of ground effect at certain high altitudes, to allow evaluations to be completed.

 

Late last year, the air force chose the Boeing AH-64D Apache Block III Longbow for its 22 attack-helicopter requirement. Negotiations for a U.S. foreign military sale contract are in motion, with a contract expected this year. A parallel decision on an effort to procure 12 heavy-lift helicopters could also come through this year, though the government has not declared a winner. Candidates include the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and new- generation Mil Mi-26T2.

 

With final touches remaining on paperwork, the Indian government will also shortly sign a $1.2 billion contract with the Pentagon for six follow-on Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules special mission tactical transports. Delivery of the first six aircraft was completed last month when the sixth landed at Hindon Air Force Station near New Delhi.

 

Finally, another deal expected to emerge this year is a government contract for four additional Boeing P-8I Neptune long-range maritime reconnaissance jets to augment the eight already ordered by the Indian navy. Late last year, the Indian navy chief, Adm. Nirmal Verma, said his service required 12 more such aircraft. But he indicated that the navy had not yet decided on the aircraft type, although Boeing will probably pitch its P-8 platform for what it will see as a follow-on opportunity to double the Indian order.

 

Separately, a stripped-down variant of the P-8I will be offered by Boeing in response to a tender that the Indian navy is expected to float this year for 12 medium-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). Competitors are likely to include the Saab 2000 MPA, Dassault Falcon 900 MPA, Alenia Aeronautica ATR 72 MP and Airbus Military C295 MPA.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 17:30

IAF Crest

 

January 6, 2012 By Greg Waldron – Flight Global

 

Singapore - India's Cabinet Committee on Security has authorised a deal to equip the country's Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters with MBDA Mica air-to-air missiles, although the deal has yet to be officially signed.

 

In an email, MBDA confirmed a deal for infrared and active radar guided versions of the weapon has been authorised by India's cabinet. No other details were provided.

 

News of the authorisation first appeared on Indian news websites on 5 January, citing unnamed sources. The reports suggested the deal values at about $1.2 billion for 450 to 500 missiles, although MBDA declined to comment on either figure. However, if accurate the buy would work out at a cost of approximately $2.7 million per round.

 

The missile purchase is related to India's July 2011 deal to upgrade 51 of its air force's Mirage 2000H aircraft to Dassault's Mirage 2000-9 standard. The cost of this deal, reportedly $2.2 billion, has drawn criticism in Indian defence circles.

 

Meanwhile, Indian media have reported that the nation's defence ministry has postponed announcing the winner of the air force's medium multi-role combat aircraft contest until late January.

 

Sources are reported as saying that Indian officials are still reviewing the commercial proposals for the 126-aircraft requirement. The Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon are in contention.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 13:05

South Korea.svg

 

January 6, 2012: STRATEGY PAGE

 

Although the U.S. provided $200 million in upgrades and maintenance for South Koreans eight RC-800 electronic reconnaissance aircraft (these are actually two engine business jets reconfigured to perform recon missions) six years ago, South Korea wants to replace these aircraft with more modern Falcom-2000 electronic reconnaissance aircraft. The French built Falcon 2000 has a longer range and can carry more equipment. This will improve the ability to track the use of North Korean electronic equipment along the DMZ.

 

Another factor is the problem South Korea has had in obtaining Global Hawk UAV reconnaissance aircraft from the United States. Negotiations have not gone well, with the prices increasing and delivery dates receding farther into the future. The French Falcon 2000 aircraft can be obtained quickly (by 2015) and at much less cost than the Global Hawk.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 12:40

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cPyXND5RZUE/TwaQjzFLUHI/AAAAAAAALwU/wnNy9EyMtlc/s400/T84%2BOplot.jpg

 

T-84 Oplot Main Battle Tanks (photo : Militaryphotos)

 

06.01.2012 DEFENSE STUDIES


Ukrainian State Company for Export and Import of Military and Special Products and Services (Ukrspetseksport), which is a part of the Ukroboronprom state concern, intends to supply 49 T-84 Oplot tanks to Thailand.

 

He said a statement made by Volodymyr Kuratchenko, deputy director general of Ukroboronprom, in Kharkiv that enterprise will supply close to 100 tanks to Thailand was a mistake.

Volodymyr Kuratchenko told the press in Kharkiv that the execution of the contract will begin in 2012 and will be completed in 2014.

He said the execution of the contract will allow the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant to boost production volume 10 times in 2012 over 2011.

He did not specify a sum of the contract.

Mykola Belov, acting director general of the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant, told Ukrainian News the Cabinet of Ministers allocated UAH 40.2 million in December to the plant for preparing the execution of this and other contracts concerning production of tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Chief Designer Volodymyr Vakulenko told the press some 40 changes will be introduced in the design on demands from the customer, including installation of air conditioners.

As Ukrainian News reported, Ukrspetseksport on September 1 signed a contract with the Defense Ministry of Thailand to deliver 49 Oplot tanks for a sum exceeding USD 200 million.

On August 5, Ukrspetseksport reached agreement with Thailand for manufacture of 121 pieces of
BTR-3E1 armored personnel carriers and support vehicles based on them worth a total of more than USD 140 million.

Ukrspetseksport is part of the Ukroboronprom state-run concern, which also comprising enterprises producing military hardware, including tank-building enterprises.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 12:35

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQvEQ0z60s0/TwaRxlazDDI/AAAAAAAALwg/dKsUCZQ80xg/s400/JSF_News%2BLimited.jpg

 

The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in flight during testing. (photo : News Limited)

 

06.01.2012 DEFENSE STUDIES

 

AUSTRALIA may be forced to purchase more Super Hornet fighter-bombers to prevent a capability gap in the nation's air defences if work on the Joint Strike Fighter is further delayed due to a new US military strategy and budget plan.

Ambassador to the US Kim Beazley, who received a comprehensive briefing from American officials about the changes, conceded production of the stealthy, multi-role JSF now named the F-35 Lightning II may be impacted by the shift to a leaner US military.

"The meaning of what the President (Barack Obama) and (US Defence Secretary Leon) Panetta have had to say for the F35 program is not that there won't be one but that perhaps in the long term the numbers might change and come down bit," Mr Beazley, former defence minister from 1984-90, told ABC News.

"I don't expect that out of this will emerge delays to a successful conclusion of the project but it may have an impact on the cost structure. The impact on delivery, paradoxically, will probably be quite useful."

 

Australia plans to buy up to 100 F-35s for an estimated $16 billion and has so far ordered 14, with the RAAF's first squadron supposed to be operating by 2018.

Asked if Australia could fill the gap if the F-35s were not ready by that time by buying more Super Hornet fighter-bombers Mr Beazley indicated that was a possibility.

"Well that's of course for defence ministers rather than ambassadors to say but he is always, (Defence Minister Stephen) Smith has always made clear that he keeps options open in terms of addressing any capability gaps," Mr Beazley said.

Development of the revolutionary JSF was already running behind schedule in April last year when The Australian revealed the RAAF was contemplating purchasing 18 more Super Hornets for $1.5bn to fill the gap.

It is understood delivery may be pushed back even further when the proposed US defence budget for 2013 is announced in coming weeks. The budget is expected to detail $487bn in spending cuts and call for a slowing of the pace of production for the F-35 jet.

The Howard government bought 24 Super Hornets for $6bn in 2007 to fill an earlier strategic gap left when the RAAF's F-111 bombers were withdrawn ahead of time because of concerns about fatigue.

But the announcement overnight, which included a new strategic focus towards the Asia-Pacific, may mean Australia could need even more Super Hornets.

"The Americans are very clear that as they proceed with the F35 program they're under close watch by the Australian government and if at any point of time a risk develops to the capacity for Australia to be satisfied with the forcing being that it has for the air defence of Australia then the Australian government will take action," Mr Beazley said.

US company Lockheed Martin Corporation is building the F-35s which are packed with sophisticated radars and other electronic equipment.

The original plan was for Lockheed to build 2443 JSFs for various arms of the American forces with about 500 others going to allies including Britain, Australia, Israel and Canada.

British Defence Minister Philip Hammond today voiced concern about possible cuts or delays in the F-35 fighter program.

Mr Hammond, who is currently visiting Washington, said he would like to speak with Mr Panetta about the impact the US announcement could have on the JSF.

"One of the things I hope to understand in the meetings I am to have later today is what, if any, impact the announcements being made today will have on the Joint Strike Fighter program," Mr Hammond said.

Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston told The Australian Online he was "not concerned" that the progress of the JSF program would be hindered by the US announcement.

However he said America's shifted focus on the Asia-Pacific region would place extra responsibility on Australia.

"Australia is now under the microscope to step up," Senator Johnston said.
"With the current state of the navy and the disinterest of our Prime Minister in defence issues we are at risk of being found wanting."

Acting Defence Minister Warren Snowdon referred The Australian Online to Mr Beazley's comments.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 12:25

Rafale by mrg78

photo mrg78

 

06/01/2012 Michel Cabirol - LaTribune.fr

 

New Delhi va disposer la semaine prochaine de tous les éléments pour choisir qui, de l'avion français ou de l'Eurofighter, équipera son Air Force. En jeu : l'acquisition de 126 avions de combat.

 

A partir de la semaine prochaine, le calendrier de l'appel d'offres portant sur la vente de 126 avions de combat (projet M-MRCA) pour un montant estimé initialement à 12 milliards de dollars va s'accélérer. Débuté le 4 novembre 2011 après l'ouverture des enveloppes contenant les offres commerciales de Dassault Aviation et du consortium Eurofighter (EADS, BAE Systems et l'italien Finmeccanica), le long et fastidieux travail de synthèse de l'armée de l'air indienne (Air Force) sur les deux offres remises, devrait être achevé la semaine prochaine. L'Inde n'achète pas seulement un avion de combat mais aussi le MCO (maintien en condition opérationnelle) et le support des appareils. Le coût de possession - en clair ce que coûteront les avions de combat tout au long de leur vie, y compris en terme de carburant - devrait être déterminant pour ce contrat aujourd'hui évalué à 20 milliards de dollars et baptisé "la mère de toutes les affaires" ("mother of all deals"). Un rapport devrait être transmis dans la foulée au ministre de la Défense indienne, qui fera suivre au Premier ministre, Manmohan Singh.

 

Un pays contre quatre

 

Aux responsables politiques de décider en fonction du volet opérationnel des deux appareils et de la proposition commerciale présentée par les deux constructeurs... ou pas.

 

"Le Rafale est supporté par un pays, l'Eurofighter par quatre", rappelle ainsi une source proche du dossier. A cet égard, la chancelière allemande, Angela Merkel, a écrit le mois dernier au nom des quatre pays européens partenaires du consortium Eurofighter (Allemagne, Grande-Bretagne, Italie et Espagne) le mois dernier au Premier ministre indien pour l'encourager à choisir l'Eurofighter, qui vient pourtant de subir deux échecs, l'un à Oman (face au F-16 de Lockheed Martin) et l'autre en Suisse où le Gripen l'a emporté (le Rafale était en lice aussi). Il rencontre aussi des difficultés en Arabie saoudite, Riyad se montrant peu satisfait des appareils livrés.

 

Pour l'heure, il semblerait que le Rafale garde un avantage opérationnel par rapport à l'Eurofighter, l'Air Force ayant placé l'appareil tricolore devant son rival européen. En revanche, c'est la bouteille à l'encre s'agissant des offres commerciales. En bonne logique, le Rafale devrait être moins cher car, dans les précédents appels d'offres, son prix était en moyenne entre 10% à 15% meilleur marché que celui de l'Eurofighter. A moins, comme le suggèrent certains industriels partenaires du Rafale, que leurs concurrents du programme Eurofighter aient consenti de gros efforts sur le prix des avions à l'unité pour rester compétitifs. Car selon des règles indiennes, le soumissionnaire le moins-disant est considéré comme le gagnant.

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 08:45

http://info-aviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ORD_AAM_MICA-RF_MICA-IR_lg1.jpg

 

5 janvier 2012 par Edouard Maire / INFO-AVIATION

 

Le 4 janvier, le Comité de la sécurité du gouvernement indien a approuvé une offre de 950 millions d’euros de MDBA visant à équiper sa flotte de 51 Mirage 2000H modernisés avec 500 missiles air-air MICA.

 

Les missiles MICA doivent remplacer les missiles à moyenne portée Matra Super 530D et Magic-II à courte portée. La signature du contrat définitif est attendue en février 2012.

 

Selon l’accord, MBDA va devoir répondre aux exigences de la norme indienne des 30% de compensations industrielles, et l’intégration des MICA devra s’intégrer dans la modernisation des Mirages 2000H gérée par Thales et Dassault.

 

Mirage-2000TH-photo-Ken-Sekhon.jpg

Un Mirage 2000H de l'IAF photo Ken Sekhon

 

Le 19 décembre, la ministre de la défense de l’Inde, Shri AK Antony, avait adressé une réponse au Parlement faisant le point sur les différents contrats de modernisation ds avions de l’Indian Air Force :

 

« Des contrats ont été signés avec Thales (France) et Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) en Inde pour la mise à niveau des Mirage 2000H de l’Indian Air Force. HAL assurera aussi la mise à niveau de l’avion Jaguar, et RAC-MiG (Russie) s’occupera de la mise à niveau des MiG-29. Ces contrats sont en cours d’exécution.

 

Le coût du contrat de mise à niveau des Mirage 2000H avec Thales est fixé à 1,47 milliards d’euros tandis que le coût du contrat avec HAL est d’environ 291 millions euros soit un total pour les deux contrats de 2,04 milliards de dollars.

 

La mise à niveau du Mirage 2000H devrait être terminée d’ici 2021. Le coût de la mise à niveau de l’avion MiG-29 est de 964 millions de dollars et doit être achevée en 2016.

 

Le coût de mise à niveau de l’avion Jaguar est d’environ 585 millions de dollars pour être opérationnel en décembre 2017. »

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6 janvier 2012 5 06 /01 /janvier /2012 08:15

PLA China

 

 2012-01-05  xinhua

 

La Chine et le Pakistan se sont engagés jeudi à renforcer leurs relations militaires et à porter la coopération actuelle à un niveau supérieur.

 

Cet engagement a été pris lors de la rencontre entre Liang Guanglie, ministre chinois de la Défense nationale, et le général Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, chef d'état-major de l'armée pakistanaise.

 

"La Chine apprécie l'amitié traditionnelle avec le Pakistan", a indiqué M. Liang, ajoutant que la Chine souhaitait développer la coopération pragmatique et efficace avec le Pakistan dans le domaine de la défense.

 

Saluant les relations d'amitié et de bon voisinage, M. Liang a indiqué que l'amitié bilatérale était le choix stratégique qu'ont fait ensemble les deux peuples, et que cette amitié était également en accord avec les intérêts fondamentaux des deux nations et deux peuples.

 

Grâce aux efforts conjoints des deux parties, la Chine souhaite maintenir la paix et la stabilité régionales et contribuer à la sécurité et au développement des deux pays, a souligné M. Liang.

 

M. Kayani a apprécié l'amitié entre le Pakistan et la Chine, et a indiqué que le Pakistan accordait une grande importance à ses relations avec cette dernière. Il a ajouté que les deux pays partageaient des intérêts communs dans les affaires régionales et internationales.

 

Ma Xiaotian, chef d'état-major adjoint de l'Armée populaire de libération de Chine, s'est entretenu avec M. Kayani jeudi matin, avant la rencontre. Ils ont échangé leurs points de vue sur la sécurité régionale et la coopération entre les deux armées.

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5 janvier 2012 4 05 /01 /janvier /2012 17:45

India.svg

 

NEW DELHI, Jan. 5 (UPI)

 

India officially rejoined the nuclear submarine operators' club when the Russian manufacturers handed over to an Indian crew the Nerpa, in Russia's far east.

 

The crew will set sail for India toward the end of January in the 8,000-ton submarine that will be renamed Chakra, The Times of India said.

 

Nuclear submarines are operated also by the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. India briefly operated a nuclear submarine form 1988-91 when it leased a Charlie class vessel from Russia. It, too, was called the Chakra while in service with the Indian navy.

 

The Akula II class Nerpa submarine will be with the Indian navy under a 10-year lease from the Russians, The Times of India report said.

 

Handover of the Nerpa was completed during a signing ceremony at the Bolshoi Kamen shipbuilding yard in Bolshoy Kamen, a small coastal town whose main activity is construction and repair of nuclear subs.

 

Bolshoy is around 25 miles from Vladivostok in the isolated Primorsky Krai region and is off-limits to foreigners.

 

The Nerpa leaves Russia after a controversial history, including a fatal on-board fire in November 2008 just after the vessel was made operational by the Russian navy.

 

The vessel was sailing through the Sea of Japan when the firefighting system was accidentally activated, Russian media reported at the time. Three naval personnel and 17 civilian specialists died after inhaling chemical gases, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

 

Amur Shipbuilding began construction of the Nerpa at their plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur around 1993. The ship was intended for the Russian navy but delays and financial problems lengthened the construction schedule.

 

A $650 million deal with Indian government in 2004 rescued the program which by then had been stopped. The Nerpa finally was launched in October 2008 and entered service with the Russian navy in late 2009, pending handover to India.

 

The Chakra will be joined by another nuclear submarine, the Arihant, built by the Ship Building Center in Visakhapatnam. A launch ceremony for the 6,000-ton, 365-foot Arihant was in July 2009 and the ship with a crew of up to 100 is expected to be operational by the end of this year.

 

A report by the defense news Web site Defense Professionals in July 2009 said the Arihant design possibly is based on the older 5,000-ton Russian Charlie-II class submarine. Russia decommissioned it last Charlie class sub in 1994.

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5 janvier 2012 4 05 /01 /janvier /2012 17:40

http://www.usinenouvelle.com/mediatheque/1/4/0/000147041_5.jpg

photo MBDA

 

05 janvier 2012 par Hassan Meddah – L’USINE NOUVELLE

 

L'entreprise française, filiale d'EADS, va fournir des missiles air-air à l'armée indienne pour une valeur de 950 millions d'euros. L'annonce a été officialisée ce jeudi 5 janvier.

 

Quand on est fabricant d'armes, il faut savoir s'armer de patience. Ainsi après de longues années de négociations avec le gouvernement indien, MBDA vient donc de remporter une commande pour plus de 450 missiles MICA, des missiles d'interception de combat et d'auto-défense de moyenne portée.

 

Le missilier européen, filiale commune d'EADS, BAE Systems et Finmeccanica, équipera les 51 Mirages 2000 de l'armée de l'air indienne. Le montant du contrat est évalué à environ 950 millions d'euros. L'accord passé comprend également des prestations d'outillage pour l'installation des missiles sous l'avion et des bancs de test.

 

C'est l'un des plus importants contrats signé par MBDA sur ces trois dernières années. Et une bonne nouvelle pour les usines du fabricant impliquées par ce programme. Sont concernées notamment celle de Selles-Saint-Denis, en Loir-et-Cher, en charge de l'assemblage final des missiles et celle de Bourges qui fabrique différents éléments.

 

Au total, MBDA a vendu environ 3000 de ces missiles. Un tiers pour l'armée française et le solde pour six pays étrangers, dont la Grèce, les Emirats Arabes Unis et Taiwan.

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