13.06.2013 Defense Studies

TPO-owned weapons, powerful ammunition, 679 battalion is considered 'shield' of Vietnam Navy in defenses, protect maritime sovereignty, national continental shelf.

To strengthen defense capabilities, protect maritime sovereignty, islands, national continental shelf, 6/1979, the Ministry of Defense decision 679 Battalion established under Navy (now Union missiles 679 coast of Navy Region 1). Currently, 679 teams have 8 of attached units, detachments and 26 equivalent.


 

679 teams currently manage, use missile defense system cell bank, used to destroy enemy targets, such as the type of surface combat ships, cargo ships, amphibious ships, maritime works both on the ground and ...

 

679 teams are often tasked with training, mobility ready to battle along the coast and on the islands, united with the forces of the Navy and other forces fighting to enemy at sea .

Also stationed at a location large city in the north, the unit also has some coastal battlefield and other battlefields from Quang Ninh to Quang Binh

 

Functions and duties of the missile unit of 679 teams :

Fire division: Armed assault launchers, rocket loaded car TZM. There are rocket mission from the battlefield with or without fortifications fortifications, destroy enemy targets at sea or shore.
Control Station: Equipped with remote control system, including station control centers, radar stations equipped with the uniform.

 

There mission control missile aimed by radio command signals and attack targets when locked.

Station Specifications: Equipped assembly, inspection station test missiles as KIPS-35B missiles, air compressor, air CT-70, hydraulic station ...

 

It serves as storage, periodic inspection, assembly, preparation for the handover rocket fire teams for training and fighting.

Information Station - Radar: Equipped with radar MWT-E and the media.

There observer mission, target designation range to 60 nautical miles and communications security commanders, coalition warfare.

 

Features Specifications of basic missile systems REDUT-M :
Shoot the farthest distance: 300km
Last shot distance: 12 (25) km
Cruise altitude: 400 meters, 4,000 meters, 7,000 m
Last altitude orbit: 24 (100) m
The system can also control missiles to shoot 4 targets.

(TienPhong)

6/10/2013 Strategy Page

GULF OF THAILAND (June 10, 2013) Amphibious assault vehicles approach Hat Yao beach in preparation for a joint amphibious assault exercise with the Royal Thai Navy as a part of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2013. CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amanda S. Kitchner)

Jun. 12, 2013 - By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI  - Defense news

NEW DELHI — Keeping its US $10 billion Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) program on the shelf, the Indian Ministry of Defense instead will accelerate the upgrade of its Russian-made BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles and will issue tenders to buy 2,000 engines for the program, Defense Ministry sources said.

The Indian Army’s more than 1,500 BMP-2s will be upgraded at a cost of more than $1.2 billion in the next three to five years, and the program last month received formal MoD clearance, the sources said. Though this move doesn’t necessarily shut down the homegrown FICV project, it is less likely to see the light of day because the decision has already been delayed, said an Army official.

The tender for the purchase of 2,000 engines to power the upgraded BMP-2 has been sent to domestic auto majors Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Force Motors, Ashok Leyland, Maruti Udyog and Crompton Greaves, and to MTU of Germany, Thales of France and Rosoboronexport of Russia.

The Army requires engines able to generate 350 to 380 horsepower and are easy to maintain and operate in extreme weather conditions. The existing engine of the BMP-2 has 285 horsepower and is not suited for cross-country mobility.

The upgrade will improve observation and surveillance, night-fighting capability and fire control, and will provide an improved anti-tank guided missile system and 30mm automatic grenade launcher.

The Russians last year offered their BMP-3 vehicles to replace the FICV, but no decision was made.

The proposed FICV project would be the first built in the “Make India” category, which means only Indian companies would be allowed to participate.

The project would involve participation by the Indian government and Indian companies. Two short-listed companies would be asked to make an FICV prototype, and after field trials of the prototype, the winning company would produce up to 2,600 FICVs.

After nearly two years of discussions, no final decision has been made about which companies will participate.

The Defense Ministry had selected state-owned Bharat Earth Movers and a consortium of Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Defense and Tata Power, but former Indian Army chief general, V.K. Singh, questioned the ability of the Indian companies to take on such a big project, MoD sources said.

MOSCOU, 11 juin - RIA Novosti

La Corée du Sud se propose de déployer d'ici 2020 son propre système de défense anti-missiles qui permette des opérations offensives en neutralisant l'effet dissuasif des missiles nord-coréens, rapporte mardi l'agence Yonhap, se référant au ministère sud-coréen de la Défense.

Ce bouclier sud-coréen sera destiné à dépister les menaces d'une frappe balistique et nucléaire et à porter des coups préventifs pour les neutraliser. Le système comprendra des satellites de reconnaissance et des drones pour déceler des menaces balistiques, ainsi que des menaces de la part d'avions de combat et de bâtiments de guerre.

La décision de Séoul de déployer son système national de défense antiaérienne et antimissile s'explique par une montée des tensions dans la péninsule coréenne ces derniers temps.

June 09, 2013 by Shiv Aroor - Livefist

• July 2008: Indian MoD issues RfP to global vendors -- this is the second RfP after the first competition was scrapped following certain deviations by contenders.
• Dec 2008: Technical and commercial offers submitted by contenders.
• Nov 2009: MoD calls for field evaluation trials.
• Jan 2010: Field evaluation trials commence - Winter trials in desert & high altitude in Phase 1 during Jan-Feb 2010, Maintainability evaluation trials in Phase 2 during March 2010, Evaluation trials in deserts and high altitude in Phase 3 during May-Jun 2010 and finally, Role and mission systems trials in Russia and France during Phase 4 in Jan 2011.
• Jan 2011: Army and IAF submit trial report to MoD.
• Feb-Dec 2011: General staff evaluation and vetting of the trial report submitted by the Army and IAF
• Jan 2012: MoD orders Technical Oversight Committee (TOC) to validate the General Staff Evaluation report
• April 2012: MoD orders Special Technical Oversight Committee (STOC) to validate the TOC report.
• June 2012: STOC submits its final report to the Defence Secretary.

Eurocopter had said it wouldn't extend the validity of its commercial bid beyond March 31, 2013, but finally did so, as the MoD required, till December 31, 2013. Now they'll be wondering if that was even necessary. Kamov, which competes with its Ka-226T Sergei refused to comment officially, but an official with Russian Helicopter Co. did sound upbeat about the programme when I spoke to him a week ago.

12.06.2013 source Marine Nationale

 

Le bâtiment de projection et de commandement (BPC) Tonnerre et la frégate anti-sous-marine (FASM) Georges Leygues, déployés dans le cadre de la mission Jeanne d’Arc 2013, sont passés sous le contrôle opérationnel du contre-amiral Anne Cullerre, commandant la région maritime de l’océan Pacifique (ALPACI) et commandant supérieur des forces armées en Polynésie française (COMSUP FAPF), le 10 juin 2013.

Placée sous l’autorité du chef d’état-major des armées, le contre-amiral Cullerre a pour mission de garantir la souveraineté nationale dans les zones maritimes de la Polynésie française et du Pacifique, de préserver la sécurité de nos ressortissants et de contribuer à la stabilité régionale. À ce titre, ALPACI participe aux activités de coopération et entretient des relations privilégiées avec l’ensemble des nations présentes dans sa zone de compétence.

La France est présente sur tous les océans, notamment grâce à ses territoires d’outre-mer. Au-delà de son importance économique et stratégique, cette présence permet à notre pays d’entretenir des relations bilatérales approfondies avec des pays éloignés de l’hexagone et d’y affirmer, en permanence, notre capacité d’intervention. De même, les déploiements comme celui du groupe amphibie Jeanne d’Arc participent à la mission de surveillance, de contrôle et d’alerte exercées par les commandements supérieurs des forces armées françaises sur leurs zones de responsabilité permanente.

La mission Jeanne d’Arc 2013 s’inscrit pleinement dans les cinq fonctions stratégiques confirmées par le nouveau Livre blanc de 2013. Vecteur de connaissance et anticipation, elle participe également aux capacités de dissuasion, de protection, de prévention et d’intervention de nos armées dans l’océan Indien et en Asie Pacifique. La phase vécue par les 133 officiers-élèves du groupe amphibie au moment du passage du Tonnerre et du Georges Leygues sous commandement opérationnel d’ALPACI constitue un moment clef dans leur apprentissage.

Jun. 12, 2013 - By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI  - Defense News

NEW DELHI — Shortly after new Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited here, India has decided to proceed with a plan to add more than 40,000 troops in the form of a mountain corps to bolster its strength on the Chinese border.

The Ministry of Defence prepared the plan two years ago and has awaited consideration by the Ministry of Finance, which has given approval. Now, it must be cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security, an MoD source said.

About US $12 billion will be spent to raise the additional troops, and the new corps is expected to be functioning within 10 years, an Army official said. Additional weapons and equipment will be purchased.

“The elite mountain corps will be able to fill this gap in preparedness, thereby adding to the conventional stability in the medium to long term, though in the short term it may be perceived as destabilizing,” defense analyst Rahul Bhonsle said.

Last month, China’s Li visited New Delhi, his first foreign visit after taking office, amid reports that Chinese troops had intruded into Indian territory. The issue was discussed during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, though the point was passed off as “an incident,” an Indian External Affairs Ministry source said.

“The raising of additional troops to be deployed along the border with China is bound to raise tempers in Beijing,” the source said.

Analysts here, however, are unanimous that India and China can ill afford to go to war in the immediate future as both are building themselves economically.

“Given the track record of handling their military and diplomatic showdown ... China and India are not likely to go to war anytime soon,” said Swaran Singh, professor for diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru Univer­sity. “It’s not a strong possibility even in their medium-term trajectories. It is not in their interest and the interest of the international community, which will ensure it does not occur.

“The strongest incentive against war is their historic chance to achieve their peaceful rise followed by greater recognition and participation in world decision-making bodies.”

But Bhonsle said New Delhi must manage the issue carefully.

“India will certainly have to make extensive efforts to manage concerns that may be raised by China; [otherwise], the move will prove counterproductive and will only lead to increases in force levels on both the sides,” he said. “Confidence-building measures on the boundary and greater transparency in raising the force, including the fact that it is being positioned in the interior, should assuage Beijing.”

The Army official welcomed the new, because the service is operating at only 60 percent of its required capability level.

As the troops will be deployed in hilly terrain, new purchases will include light tanks, specialized vehicles, light artillery guns and advanced infantry equipment.

The Army also will buyammunition and small arms, hand-held thermal imagers, UAVs, aerostat-based radar, portable missiles, air-defense artillery and lightweight radar.

The service will establish network-centric warfare systems for the elite troops, including advanced C4ISR equip­ment, and information warfare systems, Army sources said.

On the composition of the weapons required, Bhonsle said, “the weapons and equipment will include the whole gamut from reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, firepower, tactical and logistics mobility including helicopters, communications and so on. Five years for forming up and almost eight to 10 years for full-spectrum effectiveness may be reasonable to assume.”

The 4,057-kilometer Line of Actual Control is India’s current border with China. The eastern sector, bordering the states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, is the most contentious, where China claims 90,000 square kilometers of territory that India occupies.

12 juin 2013 Par Rédacteur en chef. PORTAIL DES SOUS-MARINS

Le ministre indonésien de la défense, Purnomo Yusgiantoro, a annoncé que son pays allait bientôt construire les infrastructures nécessaires à la construction de sous-marins.

Les infrastructures seront construites par l’entreprise publique de construction navale PT PAL à Surabaya, a expliqué Purnomo après une séance de la Commission de politique industrielle de défense.

Il a ajouté que les infrastructures seraient prêtes d’ici 2 à 3 ans.

L’Indonésie est le plus grand archipel au monde. Elle a donc besoin d’une marine puissante pour protéger ses milliers d’îles.

L’Indonésie s’est entendu avec la Corée du Sud pour construire les infrastructures pour la construction de sous-marins. La coopération comprend l’accord de licence, l’ingénierie, la fabrication et la construction d’un prototype.

La coopération s’est déjà mise en place pour la conception et, d’ici 2 ans, elle devrait s’étendre à la fabrication et au prototype.

L’Indonésie et la Corée du Sud ont aussi conclu un accord de transfert de technologie pour la construction des sous-marins.

Le premier sous-marin sera construit en Corée et terminé en 2014.

La construction du deuxième verra la participation de techniciens indonésiens et celle du 3è aura lieu en Indonésie.

Une base sous-marine sera construite sur la baie de Palu (Sulawesi) et devrait être mise en service d’ici la fin de l’année. Tous les sous-marins indonésiens seront basés dans la baie de Palu, y compris les nouveaux construits en Corée.

Référence : Antara News (Indonésie)

07/06/2013 by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter

The Indian Air Force's first 12 Pilatus PC-7 MkII basic trainers were formally accepted into service during a recent ceremony at Dundigal Air Force Base.

Present was Jitendra Singh - the Indian Minister of State for Defense - who described the turboprop training aircraft's arrival on the scene as "a very important landmark in our nation's quest for modernising its armed forces." He added: "The need to train pilots on modern trainers is crucial to prepare them for the requirements of combat flying."

Introduced in 1978, the Pilatus PC-7 is a major success story among ab initio training aircraft. Over 30 air arms have pressed the PC-7 into service and the Indian Air Force's selection of the upgraded Mk11 version followed a rigorous evaluation process.

Alongside the aircraft themselves, the Indian Air Force will also receive an associated ground-based training system and in-depth logistics support.

PC-7 MkII Trainer

The Pilatus PC-7 MkII trainer made its debut in 1994 and, according to its manufacturer, no other turboprop training aircraft can match its engine operating costs.

In company documentation, Pilatus writes that the PC-7 MkII has a maximum rate of climb of 2,910 feet a minute, a top speed of 556 kilometres per hour and a maximum range of 1,500 kilometres. A 700 shaft horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C engine drives a four-bladed Hartzell four-bladed propeller, while its cockpit features include ejection seats and anti-G systems.

Also included are six under-wing weapons hardpoints, giving the aircraft the ability to take on an armed role, if necessary.

Indian Air Force PC-7s

Ultimately, the Indian Air Force will get 75 Pilatus PC-7 MkII trainers. They'll be used not only to train future Indian Air Force fast jet pilots but also Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy trainees.

"Pilatus will prove to be the ideal platform that will train ab-initio trainees about nuances of basic flying and expose them to modern avionics and navigation aid", Air Chief Marshal N A K Brown stated at the PC-7 MkII's inauguration event. "It will provide a solid foundation and facilitate a seamless transition from ab-initio stage through intermediate and advanced stages into full-fledged operational flying for all streams.

He continued: "These aircraft will remain with us for the next 30 to 40 years. We signed a contract in May last year and we already have 12 aircraft. By the time we start the first course in July, we will have 14 aircraft. And by this year end, we will have 30 aircraft in the academy. All the 75 aircraft will be with us by the end of August, 2015."

10/06/2013 Marine nationale

L’Adroit a passé près de deux mois en soutien direct à l’opération européenne Atalante de lutte contre la piraterie en océan Indien. Les missions classiques dédiées aux unités de la force sont l’escorte des navires du programme alimentaire mondial (PAM) vers la Somalie, les patrouilles dans le corridor de transit sous escorte (IRTC) à l’ouvert du golfe d’Aden et l’interception des skiffs ou navires supports des pirates en haute mer.

L’Adroit a principalement opéré en surveillance des camps de pirates. Sa présence au côté des autres navires de l’UE a renforcé la pression pour les dissuader de reprendre la mer.

Grâce au traducteur embarqué, de bons contacts ont été établis en mer avec les pêcheurs locaux soumis à une forte désinformation. Certains appréhendent désormais mieux la raison de la présence des navires de guerre européens dans la zone et pourront en informer leurs homologues.

Le patrouilleur de haute mer a profité de ce contexte opérationnel pour continuer à mener ses expérimentations sur les nombreux systèmes dont il est équipé (optronique, communication, drone, drome etc.). Les conclusions partielles qui ont pu être tirées sont très positives.

Avant de quitter définitivement l’opération européenne, l’équipage de L’Adroit a effectué une passation de commandement à l’île Maurice : le capitaine de frégate Loïc Guyot, après plus d’un an et demi à la tête de l’équipage A, a passé le flambeau à son second, le capitaine de frégate Luc Regnier.

L’Adroit opère à présent en mer de Chine méridionale. Il poursuit son déploiement de six mois hors de métropole en se consacrant à nouveau à la deuxième dimension de sa mission, le soutien à l’industrie de Défense. Il a ainsi participé au salon international de défense IMDEX qui s’est tenu à Singapour du 13 au 18 mai, en représentant la France et son savoir-faire en matière de défense et de sécurité. La présence d’un bâtiment de la Marine en mer de Chine méridionale, zone de tensions territoriales et de revendications croissantes sur les espaces maritimes, permet de marquer l’attachement de la France à l’application de la convention de Montego Bay sur le droit de la mer.

Le retour en océan Indien lui permettra de renouer avec les opérations en intégrant la CTF 150, force de l’OTAN chargée de lutter contre le terrorisme, en particulier en coupant ses sources de financement (trafic d’armes et de drogue).

Le retour de L’Adroit à Toulon est prévu à la fin de la première quinzaine de juillet.

June 10, 2013: Strategy Page

The North Korean nuclear test in February was the last straw for many Chinese leaders and now the North Koreans are being threatened (often in public, which is very embarrassing) and told they must change their ways (no nukes and lots more economic reforms.) China has cut back on economic aid to the north and cracked down on North Korea smuggling operations (via China). This is hurting the north financially and China has made it clear that things won’t change until the north does what China demands. North Korea has begun repairing relations with South Korea and has implemented more economic reforms. This includes a bonus program for farmers, who for decades have been treated like factory workers, receiving a salary and given few incentives to do a better job. Many farmers know that their Chinese counterparts got performance incentives decades ago and prospered. But that was China and North Korea condemned the Chinese for capitalist tendencies. No more, as the North Korean government has also loosened state controls on all worker pay in the country. This allows managers to reward more productive workers.

North Korea is being invaded by more than Chinese ideas. The Chinese currency has become the most widely used cash in much of the economy. This was a result of the ill-conceived 2009 currency reforms, which wiped out the savings of many entrepreneurs. Now these business-minded North Koreans prefer to do as much of their business as possible using Chinese and American currency. The local currency (the North Korean won) has lost most of its value (in terms of how many won it costs to buy a dollar or Chinese yuan) in the last four years.

The government is building a ski resort in the northeast (near Wonsan). The area has heavy snow from November to March and will be open to foreigners as well as North Koreans who can afford it (senior officials and the wealthier entrepreneurs). The resort is another perk for the ruling class, and a way to extract more cash from tourists and North Korean entrepreneurs. Soldiers are doing a lot of the construction work. There are already some ski runs in North Korea, but these were built for military training or to help athletes prepare for international competitions. The big competition will be with their South Korean counterparts during the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held in South Korea (which already has lots of ski resorts and many medals from the Winter Olympics). 

A lot of North Koreans still believe in their government, if only because decades of intense propaganda have created a reality that is difficult to abandon. It’s also illegal, and often fatal, to show disloyalty. But the growing information from the outside is causing more and more confusion among North Koreans. The propaganda stressed how North Koreans were special and the Kim dynasty appreciated the unique purity and specialness of the North Korean people and struggled to preserve that unique character. Alas, many North Koreans are more concerned with personal survival and a better life. These malcontents are proliferating and already there are too many to send them all to prison camps. This growing shortage of true believers is seen as a trend that could destroy the North Korean ruling class. The only solution is more money and nuclear weapons are seen as the wonder weapon that can make it all better. But the nukes are annoying China, which is the only source of emergency economic aid North Korea has left.

Increasingly the cultural threats are coming from China, not South Korea. Videos of Chinese movies and TV shows are easier to get than the South Korean ones. The Chinese vids need subtitles, although many North Koreans (of the sort who have access to these videos) understand Chinese. It’s the kids who are most susceptible to this form of mental “pollution.” While government propaganda can criticize South Korean culture, the Chinese are officially friends and allies and that kind of criticism is not allowed.

The government is trying to deal with the growing bad behavior by using the “mobilization” (ordering people out for unpaid work on the farms or simply to clean up public areas). Avoiding this sort of thing, or not making an effort is a crime, although the affluent can usually bribe their way out of it. But for most people the growing number of “mobilizations” is tiring and another reminder of the power of the state.

It’s not just ordinary citizens who get mobilized, but also members of the military. Even border guards and police units have farms they must tend and during planting and harvesting time most of these uniformed personnel are farming rather than dealing with their usual chores. But the borders must still be guarded, so a lot of the guards pull double shifts, often for weeks on end. This is not only bad for morale, but lowers efficiency or simply makes the border security less effective. The overworked border guards are more susceptible to bribes during these times, despite the increased secret police presence (and a long stint in a labor camp if they catch you taking a bribe).

June 9, 2013: North and South Korea agreed to resume high level discussions on matters of mutual interest (economic aid for North Korea and South Korean firms operating factories inside North Korea as well as the North Korean nuclear and missile programs). These talks will begin in a few days. It is believed that North Korea has been forced by China to make peace with South Korea, get their economy in order and shut down their nuclear weapons program. North Korea is resisting that last demand.

June 8, 2013: For the first time in two years there were official talks in the DMZ border village (the traditional neutral ground for such talks). It lasted only an hour and mainly dealt more extensive talks to be held next week. North Korea asked for the talks and South Korea was reluctant to do it believing it was just another propaganda ploy. But China convinced the South Koreans that the northerners were eager to make nice and repair some of the damage northern belligerence had created in the last few months. This includes reopening the recently closed Kaesong Industrial Complex (in North Korea but financed and run by over a hundred South Korean firms employing more than 50,000 North Koreans).

The leaders of the U.S. and China completed two days of talks and agreed that North Korean nuclear weapons had to go.

June 7, 2013: North Korea restored the telephone hotline with the south. The north shut down the hotline in March.

May 26, 2013: China has openly called for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Since South Korea does not have nukes, this call was aimed squarely at North Korea. The U.S. had nukes in South Korea during the Cold War but removed them in 1991. China fears that South Korea might develop nukes to counter the threat from North Korea.

May 25, 2013: This month the army began using the locally made KUH (Korean Utility Helicopter). The 8.7 ton chopper is nicknamed “Surion", carries two pilots and 11 passengers and can be armed with 7.62mm machine-guns and six missiles. Some 60 percent of the components are made in South Korea. The 8.7 ton KUH looks similar to the Eurocopter Puma because technology was purchased from European firm EADS.  South Korea spent a billion dollars developing the KUH, and it was designed for civilian and military use. Thus South Korea becomes only one of 11 countries that produces helicopters. Full scale production began last year. The South Korean military is buying KUHs to replace its UH-1s and 500MDs.