2011-05-09 INDIA DEFENCE

Leading defense and aerospace publication FlightGlobal has quoted industry sources confirming the integration of Rafael Derby Air to Air Missiles with India's indigenous HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Delivery of the missiles is to begin in 2012.

From FlightGlobal:

A contract to integrate Rafael's Derby medium-range air-air missile with India's Tejas light combat aircraft will be signed soon, according to industry sources. Delivery of the missiles is expected from the second half of 2012, following the final phase of integration tests that are planned for early next year. The active radar- and infrared-guided Derby, which provides an all-weather, beyond visual-range capability, has previously been acquired for the Indian navy's British Aerospace-built Sea Harrier FRS51 fighters. Fourteen aircraft have been modified to use the weapon, said Indian sources. The Derby missile can be fired in lock-on before launch mode for short-range engagements, or in lock-on after launch mode for use against medium-range targets. India's air force has so far signed for 40 production examples of the single-engined Tejas, but the service could eventually acquire up to 100 more in an improved Mk II configuration. The service is now evaluating more Israeli-made systems for the fighter, including additional weapons. The Indian navy also could buy 60 of the Aeronautical Development Agency-designed Tejas. The Derby contract is an example of the huge potential market that Rafael is trying to exploit in India. Company sources have described the nation as its current first priority, due to the size and diversity of its requirements.

L'USS Ronald Reagan

crédits : US NAVY

10/05/2011 MER et MARINE

Parti de San Diego le 2 février, le porte-avions à propulsion nucléaire USS Ronald Reagan est arrivé le 6 mai dans la zone de responsabilité de la 5ème flotte américaine, qui couvre l'océan Indien, la mer Rouge et le golfe Persique. Le bâtiment, qui a participé en mars aux opérations d'assistance suite au tremblement de terre au Japon, embarque près de 70 aéronefs. Il est accompagné du croiseur lance-missiles USS Chancellorsville et du destroyer lance-missiles USS Preble. Ce groupe aéronaval remplace le Carrier Strike Groupe 1 (CSG 1) articulé autour du porte-avions USS Carl Vinson. Ce dernier est resté 95 jours sur zone, son groupe aérien embarqué effectuant 1656 sorties de combat et 9140 heures de vol dans le cadre des opérations Enduring Freedom et New Dawn. En Afghanistan, les appareils du Carl Vison ont, notamment, tiré 33 bombes et 2970 cartouches de 20mm. Avant son départ, le porte-avions a également été chargé de mener à bien, le 2 mai, l'immersion du corps d'Oussama Ben Laden, abattu au Pakistan par les commandos américains. Après ce déploiement en compagnie du croiseur USS Bunker Hill, le Carl Vinson a mis le cap à l'Est pour rejoindre, avec les destroyers USS Stockdale et USS Gridley, la zone de responsabilité de la 7ème flotte (Pacifique).

JH-7 Bombimg Fighter and its weapons

2011-05-09 (China Military News cited from joongangdaily)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il requested the Chinese government support the North with the latest in military weapons during his trip to China last May, according to a source in Beijing yesterday. China turned down the request, he said. "Kim Jong-il returned to North Korea from China last May in a bad mood," the source said. "There may have been other reasons as well, but one of them was the Chinese government's rejection of his request."  Among the weapons that Kim asked for from China were 30 JH-7 fighter-bombers loaded with C-801 and C-802 anti-ship missiles. The two-seat aircraft, also known as the "Flying Leopard," is currently used by the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force and the People's Liberation Army Air Force. The source said Kim was convinced that North Korea should be prepared for a counter-strike from the United States and South Korea after the sinking of the Cheonan last March. The North Korean leader also apparently tried to convince China that any attacks from the South and U.S. could spread to China. The Beijing source said that China didn't believe the North needed Flying Leopards, which have a range of 1,650 kilometers (1025 miles), because of its small sovereign airspace. China turned down the request, saying that South Korea and the U.S. would be unable to attack if Kim Jong-il continued to insist that the North did not torpedo the Cheonan. China has also never acknowledged that North Korea had been behind the sinking, which it has received criticism for from South Korea. The source told the JoongAng Ilbo that Kim repeatedly told the Chinese leadership that North Korea had not sunk the Cheonan, even though Beijing sternly asked him about the incident three times during his trip. After being rebuffed, the North Korean leader went straight home; skipping a performance of the "Dream of the Red Chamber" he was scheduled to attend at Beijing Television headquarters. China's refusal to help North Korea pushed Kim Jong-il to return to its biggest ally just a few months later, a rare occurrence for the North's leader despite his precarious health condition at the time. During Kim's follow-up visit last August, he didn't ask for military support but focused on crude oil and food, the source said. Kim insisted China increase its crude oil support because a lack of fuel made the North's warships inoperable during increased joint military drills by South Korea and the U.S. Inter-Korean economic trade that had been cut as a punitive action by South Korea last May also hit the North hard, depriving it of fuel and food. One analyst of North Korea-China relations said, "The cost of the weapons Kim Jong-il asked for amount to trillions of won, too much for China to accept in the first place." The analyst continued: "During the sensitive time when the Cheonan sank, Kim may have made an unreasonable demand, thinking he might be able to get some weapons and size up China's willingness to support the North."

May 9, 2011 defpro.com

BEIJING | Chinese and Serbian military leaders on Friday agreed to promote friendly cooperation between the two armies. During his meeting with Miloje Miletic, chief of the General Staff of Serbian Armed Forces, Xu Caihou, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, said China-Serbia relations have maintained a good momentum of development with increasing high-level exchanges. China attaches great importance to the bilateral ties, and is willing to make joint efforts with the Serbian side to strengthen bilateral relations, expand pragmatic cooperation and further promote the countries' strategic cooperation partnership, said Xu. China hopes the two countries could work together to advance the friendly cooperation between their two armies to a new level, Xu said. Xu also expressed appreciation of Serbian government's support on issues concerning China's core interests. Xu noted that China has made great economic and social progress over the last 30 years, and is willing to make joint efforts with other countries to meet challenges and build a prosperous and harmonious world together. For his part, Miletic said that Serbia and its armies have a long and traditional friendship with China and the People's Liberation Army. According to Miletic, the Serbian government will continue to adhere to its one-China policy, and is willing to strengthen cooperation in all fields with China to further promote the relationship between the two countries and their armies. Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie also met with Miletic on the same day. The two sides exchanged views on further advancing bilateral defense cooperation. (Xinhua)

ST. LOUIS, May 9, 2011 --Boeing press release

Boeing today announced it has completed delivery of six F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircrew and maintenance trainers to the Royal Australian Air Force at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland.

"These are the first Super Hornet training devices for a Foreign Military Sale customer and are part of the acquisition and establishment of 24 Australian F/A-18F Block II aircraft, initial spares, support equipment, trainers and training," said Mark McGraw, Training Systems & Services vice president for Boeing.

The suite of aircrew devices includes two Tactical Operation Flight Trainers (TOFT) and two Low Cost Trainers (LCT).

Each TOFT is built on Boeing's and L-3 Link's proven F/A-18 simulator common hardware and software baseline, and is integrated with L-3 Link's 360-degree SimuSphere visual display, SimuView image generator, and Boeing Training Systems & Services' mission computer emulation; simulated radar, electronic countermeasures, and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System; and high-fidelity crew station controls. This provides both pilots and weapons sensor officers with a completely immersive training environment and a full spectrum of advanced tactical training.

The Boeing-built LCT runs a mission computer emulation and provides pilot and air combat officer training for navigation, weapons, radar, and electronic countermeasures. The LCT can be reconfigured to accommodate a number of aircrew training combinations with minimal facility requirements.

Two Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT) also were installed, including the conversion of an earlier VEMT to the IVEMT configuration.

"The IVEMT is a new development and the first fully integrated Super Hornet maintenance device," McGraw said. "It allows maintenance personnel to virtually train across all major Super Hornet systems and subsystems."

The IVEMT's features include an interactive 3-D model environment, test/support equipment and realistic aircraft responses. Students can perform more than 500 routine troubleshooting procedures using the device.

Boeing is on schedule to complete delivery of the RAAF Super Hornets by the end of this year.

Armoured Gunnery & Tactical Simulator /AGTS (photo : STEE)

09 May 2011 – DEFENSE STUDIES

Singapore, - ST Engineering today announced that its electronics arm, ST Electronics, has been awarded a S$68m contract to supply Army Gunnery Tactical & Driving Simulation Systems to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Singapore. The contract was awarded through ST Electronics' wholly owned subsidiary, ST Electronics (Training & Simulation Systems). Work on the contract commences immediately and the systems are expected to be delivered in 2014.

Under this contract, a highly flexible simulation system will be developed for various armoured vehicles. In order to maximise cost effectiveness, the new Army Gunnery Tactical & Driving Simulation Systems will be designed to accommodate existing components where possible by applying a roll-in-roll-out concept to both the gunnery and the driving simulators. This will allow users to easily configure the systems with any combination of turrets and vehicles.

ST Electronics had previously delivered an Armoured Gunnery & Tactical Simulator to the Singapore Armed Forces in early 2002. Under the new contract, it will also upgrade and develop the existing Armoured Gunnery & Tactical Simulator (AGTS), Infantry Crew Tactical Simulator (ICTS), Armoured Driving Simulator (ADS) and Infantry Driving Simulator (IDS) for MINDEF.

"We are delighted to be awarded this project as it represents an important milestone in the development of indigenous simulation technologies. The Army Gunnery Tactical & Driving Simulation Systems will enable our troops to train realistically and cost-effectively. It will also allow our soldiers to train within a full spectrum network-centric environment that involves integrated combined arms operations and in combat scenarios that may be flexibly tailored to meet the specific training requirements of the soldier and his combat unit." ~ LEE Fook Sun, President, ST Electronics.

(STEngg)

May 9, 2011 ASDNews Source : MoD Australia

F/A-18F Super Hornets soared through the Malaysian skies today on their first mission during Exercise Bersama Shield 2011. The Super Hornets, also known as Rhinos, have commenced the Force Integration Training phase which sees the aircrew practice basic fighter manoeuvres alongside military aircraft from the Malaysian and Singaporean defence forces. Six of the Rhinos from No 1 Squadron touched down at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Butterworth on Friday 29 April to participate in their first overseas deployment since delivery of the multi-role fighter jets in March last year. Commanding Officer No 1 Squadron, Wing Commander Glen Braz, said this is a significant milestone for the ADF and more specifically the Super Hornet capability, especially as we recognise 40 years of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) this year. "Participating in Exercise Bersama Shield provides our air and ground crews, as well as support staff, the valuable opportunity to train alongside our regional partners. "This level of training also aims to enhance and further develop air combat capability and high-end warfighting skills in a complex mutli-national environment." The Super Hornets are now participating in the Force Integration Training exercise phase before launching into the Live Exercise phase between 10 - 13 May. "The inclusion of the highly capable, multi-role Super Hornet in Bersama Shield is another example of the technological evolution and enhanced support Australia provides to the region," Wing Commander Braz said. "This exercise also provides the vital opportunity to train alongside our regional partners, as well as the planning and execution of new tactics and procedures for combined air operations with the FPDA nations."

The Australian contribution for Bersama Shield is spearheaded by the Super Hornets, along with the Navy's Collins class submarine HMAS Dechaineux and two Anzac class guided missile frigates, HMA Ships Ballarat and Parramatta. Commander of the Australian Contingent for the exercise, Wing Commander Ken Robinson, said the aim of Bersama Shield is to cultivate regional ties and seeks to enhance Australia's interoperability with the armed forces of Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and strengthen the professional relationships between those nation's forces. "Australia's membership of FPDA is a strong affirmation of our commitment to regional security," he said. "It provides Australia with a strategically important presence in Southeast Asia, augmenting our bilateral engagement activities and helping to promote greater levels of interoperability in the region."

Bersama Shield is an annual field training exercise hosted by HQ Integrated Area Defence System (HQIADS) on the Malaysian peninsula and the South China Sea. It is a tactical exercise focused on providing quality training in integrated air defence, air operations and maritime operations. Opportunities for the five nations to work closely together are undertaken during other FPDA activities, including Bersama Lima, Bersama Padu, Suman Protector and Suman Warrior. Training in exercises such as Bersama Shield 2011 is important for Air Force personnel to hone key skills, work as a combined force and build regional relationships with participating nations. Exercise Bersama Shield 11 represents the first overseas deployment for the F/A-18F Super Hornets and brings the project another step closer to declaring Final Operational Capability anticipated in 2012. Exercise Bersama Shield concludes on 13 May 2011.

May 8, 2011 THE TIMES OF INDIA

VASCO: Ahead of the third vessel being launched-in the series of 105M naval offshore patrol vessels indigenously designed in-house and built by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the Indian Navy-vice chief of the naval staff vice admiral D K Dewan, PVSM, AVSM, recently visited GSL. Rear admiral Vineet Bakhshi, CMD, GSL, showed vice admiral Dewan around the shipyard and apprised him of the ship building and repair activities at GSL. Later, the vice chief of the naval staff witnessed naval ships under various stages of construction at GSL and was also apprised of the GSL modernization plan and progress thereof. During the visit, a presentation was made to vice admiral Dewan outlining GSL's growth from a barge building yard to a sophisticated shipyard capable of designing and building ships for the Indian Navy and the Indian coast guard from concept to commissioning. Vice admiral Dewan appreciated GSL's efforts in striving for the constant upgradation of the shipyard so as to be able to build sophisticated and high-value ships like mine counter measure vessels for the Indian Navy.

May 9th, 2011 By Australian Department of Defence – DEFENSE TALK

The Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and the Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced additional Strategic Reform Program (SRP) initiatives and the first set of further accountability and procurement reforms for Defence. The reforms will enhance Defence management and improve the delivery of billions of dollars of investment in new capabilities being progressively rolled out under the Force 2030 plan as set out in the 2009 Defence White Paper. In line with the Strategic Reform Program, the Minister for Defence announced that additional Defence efficiency measures would be achieved by a reduction in Australian Public Service (APS) civilian staffing growth in Defence, and the savings effected here would contribute to the Government’s return to a Budget surplus and the Government’s broader fiscal strategy.

APS Savings: Civilian Employees

The SRP will deliver over $20 billion in savings to reinvest in the delivery of Force 2030. Early progress suggests that more can be done. In addition to the SRP measures already announced, the Government is announcing today a second phase of SRP-related savings to be realised primarily through further improvements to shared services design and implementation. The White Paper and the workforce and shared services stream of the SRP predicted a net increase in the Defence APS workforce of 1,655 from 2010-11 to 2013-14. Reforms to shared services and other efficiency measures means that Defence can reduce this overall forecast APS workforce growth by 1000 over the next three years. This includes the application of the Government’s increased efficiency dividend to Defence. Under this whole of Government measure, the efficiency dividend will rise from 1.25 per cent to 1.5 per cent in 2011-12 and 2012-13, before returning to 1.25 per cent for 2013-14 and 2014-15. Reducing the APS workforce growth will be achieved by natural attrition, not hiring new staff and, if required, some limited voluntary redundancies. Savings from these reductions to forecast APS growth will be returned to the Budget. There will be no reductions to the Australian Defence Force military workforce as a result of these changes. Given priority accorded to maintaining support to operations, improving Navy sustainment and enhancing capability development, the Joint Operations Command (JOC), the Navy and the Capability Development Group (CDG) will be exempt from these additional reductions to their forecast APS workforce.

Further Shared Services Reform

Defence will undertake further externally-led reform and rationalisation of shared services, both within Defence Groups, and across Defence as a whole. The intent is to realise workforce reductions in corporate overhead functions in a way that does not reduce standards of service in support of operations or capability development. This reform will be undertaken as part of the Strategic Reform Program, using its governance and oversight processes, including oversight by the independent Defence Strategic Reform Advisory Board chaired by Mr George Pappas. All Groups in Defence will be subject to this examination, with priority in those areas where the largest gains in effectiveness and efficiency are likely to occur. Planning will be completed by late July, with implementation to commence in August 2011.

Project management accountability reforms

Mr Smith and Mr Clare also released the first set of further accountability and procurement reforms. In February Minister Smith and Minister Clare foreshadowed they would bring forward a number of reforms to improve accountability in Defence and project management. This is the initial step in that process. It is essential that the agreed recommendations of Kinnaird and Mortimer are fully implemented and built upon. In 2003 the Kinnaird Report recommended a number of reforms which led to the two-pass approval system, the creation of the Capability Development Group and the Defence Materiel Organisation as a prescribed agency under the Financial Management and Accountability Act. Most of the Kinnaird reforms have been implemented and have had a positive impact. In 2008 the Mortimer Review into Defence Procurement and Sustainment made 46 recommendations. The Government agreed to 42 of them in full and three in part. Many of these recommendations have been implemented including increased investment in Defence industry skills and incorporation of improved commercial practices into Defence procurement. Some of the key recommendations have not yet been fully implemented. Defence will now accelerate the implementation of all outstanding agreed recommendations made by Mortimer as a matter of priority.

This includes:

- project directives issued by the Secretary of the Department of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Force to ensure Defence acquisitions progress according to Government direction; and

- benchmarking all acquisition proposals against off-the-shelf options where available.

In addition to this, the Government is today announcing a small number of reforms that build on the recommendations of Kinnaird and Mortimer. These reforms will focus on improving project management and minimising risk at project start and identifying problems early.

They include:

-  The introduction of a two-pass approval system for minor capital projects valued between $8 million and $20 million;

- Implementation of an Early Indicators and Warning system;

 - The expansion of the Gate Review system; and

 - The introduction of Quarterly Accountability Reports.

Details of these reforms are attached [see below]. Over the coming months the next stages of reform will include the Government’s response to the Black Review into Accountability and Governance in the Defence Department and the Government’s response to the Rizzo Review into the Maintenance of Naval Ships.

Project Management Accountability Reforms

Mortimer Reforms

As a matter of priority Defence will accelerate the implementation of the agreed recommendations of the Mortimer Review that have not yet been fully implemented. These include:

    Cost-benefit analysis of projects that are not off-the-shelf purchases to rigorously review the project to assess the cost and risk against off-the-shelf purchases.

    Establishing Project Directives to provide clear direction to Defence on decisions made by the Government regarding Defence capabilities.

    Establishing an independent Project Performance Office within DMO to review projects and assist project teams to solve problems.

    Regular reporting to Government requiring Capability Managers to provide advice on the status of capability development projects for which they are accountable.

    Creating a more disciplined process for changing the scope of a project including the requirement that Defence seek the Government’s approval for significant changes to the scope of a project.

The Government will also request the Auditor General conduct a planned audit of the implementation of the Mortimer Report in the second half of this year.

Two-Pass approval for minor capital projects

Defence will immediately implement a two-pass approval system for minor capital equipment projects valued between $8 million and $20 million. Minor capital projects are those valued at less than $20 million. Minor projects are not included in the Defence Capability Plan. They cover new equipment, modifications to existing equipment or enhancements to new equipment. In 2010-11, the planned budget for minor capital projects is around $150 million and there are about 105 minor capital projects underway. The two-pass approval system recommended by Kinnaird has been successful in improving the budget, schedule and capability delivery of major projects. Major projects which have been through the two-pass system demonstrate a 20 per cent to 25 per cent improvement to their schedule when compared to those that did not. This same rigour will now be applied to minor capital projects. These projects will now involve a formal business case for two-stage approval by the Minister for Defence. Second pass approval for minor capital projects will require Defence to provide the Minister with tender quality data upon which to base decisions.

Early Indicators and Warning System

Defence assesses that 80 per cent of problems with Defence capability projects occur in the first 20 per cent of the project’s life. That is why it is important to pick up problems early. One of the biggest challenges in Defence procurement is projects running late. The earlier these issues are picked up, the earlier the problem can be fixed. The Government will implement an Early Indicators and Warning System. This system will help identify and correct potential problems with projects. A set of triggers will be established to give early warning of projects which are running late, over-budget or not delivering the capability required. The Government expects that a substantial number of projects may activate the triggers. The purpose of the system is to identify problems early so appropriate action can be taken to remediate them. The Minister for Defence, the Minister for Defence Materiel, the Secretary of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Force will be advised when these triggers are activated. When a trigger is activated Defence will conduct an internal review of the project and recommend whether a full diagnostic examination (a Gate Review) is required and should be conducted. The initial triggers for each project stage are set out below. These will be adjusted or added to as the system matures.

Post-first pass triggers:

Triggers will be activated if it is assessed that:

- the project is likely to go outside a parameter agreed by Government at First Pass, as reflected in the respective Project Directive by the CDF and Secretary;

- a significant milestone will not be achieved within three months of the schedule approved by Government at First Pass; or

- the project cannot meet the essential requirements within the cost, schedule and risk levels approved by Government at First Pass.

Post-second pass triggers:

Triggers will be activated if it is assessed that:

- the schedule for meeting Initial or Final Operational capability will be delayed by 10 per cent or more for off-the-shelf capability, 20 per cent or more for local adaptation of off-the-shelf capability and 30 per cent or more for developmental projects.

- the project’s costs will exceed its approved budget;

- the contractor is not meeting promised capability or schedule milestones or exceeding approved costs;

- policy or legislative changes are likely to increase the project’s schedule or cost;

- an essential capability requirement will not be met;

- emerging requirements or regulatory or safety standards are different to those at the time the project was approved by Government and will materially affect the project;

    industry engaged in the project does not have the required workforce or financial capacity or management commitment to meet critical project milestones; or

- project risks have increased beyond the parameters agreed by Government.

The Defence Annual Report will publish details of the action taken on projects as a result of an early warning indicator being triggered.

Full Diagnostic Reviews

As foreshadowed in the 2009/10 Defence Annual Report and the 2009/10 Australian National Audit Office Major Projects report, Defence will expand the use of the full diagnostic review of projects, known as Gate Reviews. Gate Reviews commenced in 2009 for selected high value and highly complex projects and have proven very effective in the early identification and resolution of problems. All major projects managed by the Defence Materiel Organisation will now undergo at least one Gate Review per year. Gate Reviews will also be extended to other areas of Defence including Chief Information Officer Group and Defence Support Group. These reviews will normally be linked to a key project decision point or milestone. Reviews will also be conducted in cases where the Government or Defence have concerns, or where a project’s early indicator or warning is triggered. A Project Manager will also be able to request a Gate Review to enlist senior management assistance to resolve significant issues. A Gate Review Board will be convened for each review. A number of independent experts will be contracted to provide advice to these reviews.

Quarterly Accountability Reports

There is a need for more regular and rigorous reporting to Government on high priority projects. Accordingly, there will be a quarterly report to the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Defence Materiel, the Secretary of the Department of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Force on designated key projects. The report on each such project will be formally signed off by the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Materiel Organisation, the Chief of the Capability Development Group and the relevant capability manager, generally the relevant Service Chief. This will help improve accountability and pick up problems early. This will alert senior Defence officials and Government to problems in projects so that an appropriate remediation plan can be developed early and acted on. Reports of this nature are consistent with both the Kinnaird and Mortimer Reviews and will now be implemented. Such reporting will begin at the next quarter, 1 July 2011, with the first such reports delivered in October

2011-05-08 (China Military News cited from indiatimes.com)

China's stock of weapon-grade fissile material might be the lowest among the five-member nuclear club, with a new Harvard study estimating that the Asian giant has about 16 tonnes of enriched uranium and 1.8 tonnes of plutonium. The Belfer Center study makes a plus-minus margin of four tonnes for highly enriched uranium and .5 tonnes of plutonium. This is lower from most previous estimates that range from 17-26 tonnes of uranium and 2.1-6.6 tonnes of plutonium, says the study's author Hui Zhang. Zhang's article in the "Science and Global Security" says China stopped production of enriched uranium in 1987 and plutonium in 1990, diverting resources towards nuclear fuel used for civilian purposes. A careful satellite study of Chinese facilities and calculations of use of fissile material had led to these estimates. China's nuclear programme was aided by the erstwhile Soviet Union before Russia broke cooperation after Mao Zedong's assertive policies. The facilities were then located in south-west China — far from the coast and border with the Soviet Union — and became operational in the 1970s. The new plutonium estimate, says Zhang, is consistent with a US department of energy assessment from 1999 that China had a stockpile of 1.7–2.8 tonnes of plutonium for weapons. The stocks might be more modest than estimated, but this does not necessarily spell comfort for India as most of China's missiles are in the mid-range that covers the Indian landmass. Some Western reports put China's stockpile at 240 warheads, with 175 in active mode and 65 in reserve. But many missiles are not clearly distinguished as nuclear capable, fuelling confusion and panicky reactions. The study calculates that China's Lanzhou plant, operating continuously at full capacity up to 1980, would have facilitated about six tonnes of weapon-grade or 90% enriched uranium. The plant did not process weapon-grade uranium till 1987. The Heping facility located in Sichuan is believed to have begun operations around 1975 and stopped in 1987. Together, the Lanzhou and Heping gaseous diffusion plants would have produced roughly 3.8 million separative working units, enough to make about 20 tonnes of weapon-grade uranium. China produced plutonium for weapons at Jiuquan atomic energy complex in Gansu and the Guangyuan plutonium plant at Guangyuan in Sichuan. The Jiuquan reactor could have facilitated about 0.9 tonness of weapon-grade plutonium. China's existing smaller stockpile would be sufficient for current modernization, but if the US moves its missile defence and space weapons plans forward Beijing may have to produce more ballistic missiles, the study concludes.

Kilo 636 submarine (photo :Navalshow)

07 May, 2011 DEFENSE STUDIES

Commentary Han Hoa Military Magazine in April, a leading source of military technology expert reputation in Moscow (Russia) said that under a bilateral agreement signed between Russia and Vietnam, in 2013, Vietnam will receive the first Kilo submarines, a year later as the second and the last one will be delivered in 2017.Compared with 636-MK submarines that use by the Chinese Navy, Kilo 636-MV submarines that Russia sold to Vietnam has many differences, of which the largest is about armament.

First, Vietnam's Kilo submarines will be fitted with land attack cruise missile 3M-14E latest type, with a range of 290 km. Missiles are not Russia's Defense Ministry approved the export to China. Apart from Vietnam, two other countries are exporting Russian 3M-14E missiles is India and Algeria.

Besides that, Kilo 636-MV submarine is equipped with radar-guided complex multi-effects post GE2-01 type. This has not been removed for export to China, the biggest advantage is minimizing the noise in the environment and help diversify measures directions.

Sonar system, Kilo 636-MK China submarines is equipped with sonar systems MGK 400E basic types. Meanwhile, the Kilo 636-MV submarines are installing sonar systems MGK 400E type improvements. Two sonar system has the same sounding range, but the sonar system type MGK 400E is equipped with improved signal processing speed and performance more digitized higher level.

Novator 3M-14E Club S missile type of land attack cruise missile, max range 290km (photo : Elforo)

On the periscope, both Kilo 636-MK submarine and Kilo 636-MV submarines are equipped with sounding optical system, but the periscope used for tasks Kilo 636-MV attack submarines are installation of additional equipment measuring distance from IR ray and TV monitoring systems, Meanwhile, Kilo 636MK submarines primarily use optical aiming device and no distance measurement beam from. That means fighting capability at night and the attack accuracy of the Kilo 636-MV submarine will be higher than Kilo 636-MK submarine.

Final difference is the air conditioning system that Kilo 636-MV submarines using more appropriate to the climate, tropical terrain.

Besides these differences, Kilo submarines that Russia sold to China and the Russian Kilo submarine exports to Vietnam have some similarities, such as the missile is equipped with 3M-54E anti-ship, and used batteries 476 E type of improvement, long life and meet the requirements of the water temperature in the Pacific Ocean.

Sources said that the production time of two submarines on each other for over 5 years, the technology equipped for Kilo 636-MV submarines is granted with more advanced than Kilo 636-MK. Considering the differences above, according to the magazine, although both are Kilo 636 M submarines, but the gap in technology between the Kilo 636-MV submarine and Kilo 636-MK submarine at least 10 years.

Novator 3M-54E Club S type of anti ship cruise missile, max range 220km (photo : Elforo)

About 6 Kilo submarines sold by Russia to Vietnam, long have information that Vietnam can use them to build two fleets. However, according to sources, six submarines of the Kilo 636-MV Vietnam will be arranged uniformly, forming a Russian fleet and the construction will be in charge of all media repository missiles at seaports and oxygen supply stations as part of the contents of bilateral agreements signed with Vietnam.

Related to the purchase price of Kilo 636-MVsubmarine, formerly reported that Vietnam Navy may have to buy Kilo 636-MV submarines with high prices. But according to sources, the price of Kilo 636-MV submarines that Russia sold to Vietnam is completely true and current prices Russia has started to manufacture first Kilo 636 submarines for Vietnam.

(Nghien Cuu Bien Dong)

2011-05-07 (China Military News cited from Xinhua)

China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Friday conducted a joint anti-terror drill in Kashi of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Code-named "Tianshan-II (2011)," the exercise featured how law enforcers and security personnel from the three countries have coordinated efforts to locate and crack down on "terrorists" in the border region. The anti-terror exercise consisted of three parts, namely decision-making and command, freeing abductees by force, and cleanup operation at designated venues. Aiming to improve the countries' ability to respond to terrorism in all forms, the drill was organized as the "three evil forces" of terrorism, splittism and extremism have been colluding with the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces to involve in cross-border activities in recent years, waiting for opportune moments to start up disturbances, which have remained a common threat to SCO member states, said a spokesman for the national counter-terrorism office of China. The drill is the second such joint anti-terrorism exercise that China's law enforcement bodies have participated in within the SCO framework. In August 2006, law enforcement bodies and special forces from China and Kazakhstan conducted an anti-terror drill, Tianshan -I (2006), in Xinjiang. Founded in Shanghai in 2001, SCO comprises six member countries, namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. While heralding Friday's joint drill a success, Meng Hongwei, chair of SCO's regional anti-terror agency council and China's deputy minister of public security, said the drill demonstrated the resolution and capability of the three countries and the SCO in combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, splittism and extremism in the region. Meng added China is willing to further the exchanges and cooperation with other SCO member states and their law-enforcement and security departments to ensure the security and stability of all SCO members and the region as a whole.