majalah militer

March 25, 2009 -- A Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher successfully fired two Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) during a U.S. Army “common launcher” feasibility demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, NM. U.S. Army and industry representatives conducted the “proof of concept” firing to examine the viability of firing an air defense missile from the currently-fielded HIMARS.

The demonstration featured two modified AMRAAMs, which were rail-launched from a modified Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) enclosure assembly launch pod mounted on a HIMARS launcher. The test, in which all objectives were met, included the operational test missiles (configured from excess AMRAAM assets); integration of modified Surfaced Launched AMRAAM launch rails into an empty ATACMS pod; and the launch of the AMRAAMs using the HIMARS fire control system with modified software.

The Army is evaluating HIMARS as a potential solution for a light “common launcher” for future air defense, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and ATACMS munitions. In addition to its capability to support multi-mission munitions, the HIMARS launcher offers tactical flexibility, high reliability and C-130 transportability.

“We’re looking at the idea of a ‘common launcher,’” said Col. Dave Rice, U.S Army Project Manager, Precision Fires Rocket & Missile Systems. “We’re looking at HIMARS because it is already in the force, it’s very deployable, it’s a great platform to be a common launcher, and we’ve now shown it can successfully fire air defense missiles.”

The U.S. Army’s Air Defense Artillery and Field Artillery branch schools are now consolidated under a single Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, OK, resulting in areas of commonality between the two combat arms branches. The “common launcher” concept is one example where both air defense artillery and field artillery operational needs are jointly addressed.

“We believe this test firing shows that HIMARS is a feasible ‘common launcher’ candidate,” said Scott Arnold, vice president for Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We’ve shown we can effectively modify the onboard fire control software and successfully fire air defense missiles from this reliable and deployable system that is already in the hands of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps.”

The demonstration was a coordinated effort between the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, Precision Fires Rocket and Missile Systems, Cruise Missile Defense Systems, Prototype Integration Facility, Raytheon Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. (India-Defence)

Andrei Chang is editor-in-chief of Kanwa Defense Review Monthly, registered in Toronto, Canada.

Hong Kong, China — Some Western media have reported that China is negotiating with Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi Corporation for the procurement of 14 Su-33 ship-borne fighters, claiming that the contract on the deal will be signed soon.

However, according to Boris D. Bregman, first deputy general director of Sukhoi, the talks with China are still only at the consultation stage. While confirming that contacts were ongoing, he said no official negotiations had been initiated so far.

The information that China intended to import 14 Su-33 fighters came from the Russian military industry delegation attending the Zhuhai Air Show in 2006. According to members of the delegation, China had indicated it would eventually require about 50 Su-33s to arm several aircraft carrier battle groups.

China had initially requested only two fighters, then raised its request to 14, to be procured in two groups of seven, a Russian military industry source said. However, given its past record of copying Russian technology, suspicions were high that the Chinese intended to produce their own version of the fighter plane, using the Su-33 as a model.

The Russian source said that producing only seven aircraft in one batch was not feasible, as production of the Su-33 had already been suspended and the cost of reconstructing the production facilities was too high for such a small order.

However, Bregman told the author that his company could produce an upgraded variant of the Su-33 for export, according to the purchaser’s requirements, if the deal was right.

Some reports have suggested that a version of the aircraft specifically designed for China – referred to as the Su-33K – could be built to the standard of the Su-30MK2, which has upgraded electronics that support anti-ship missiles, or even fitted with Irbis or Bars phased-array radar systems. The former is currently installed on Su-35 fighters.

However, these modifications seem unlikely. The Irbis has a maximum power output of 20 kilowatts, therefore the Su-33’s power supply would be far from enough to support it.

As for the Bars passive phased-array radar, it is mainly employed on the Su-30MKM/MKI fighters currently in use by the Malaysian air force and the Indian air force. The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet officially approved the export of this type of radar system to China.

Given that China and Russia have not yet been able to reach agreement on the procurement of the Su-33 fighters, with negotiations on the deal still only in the initial stages, China will place its priorities elsewhere in 2009.

The PLA Navy will continue its work on constructing an aircraft carrier; at the same time it will consider its options with regard to the selection of ship-borne fighter aircraft. Since the aircraft carrier construction is likely to take at least another five to six years, it is not impossible that China may develop a ship-borne variant of its own J-10A and J-11BH fighters during this period.

The possibility of Sukhoi eventually restarting the Su-33 production line does exist, however. This is mainly because the Russian Navy is about to resume its own “Grand Aircraft Carrier Program.”

Aviation weapons observers based in Moscow say that a more realistic purchase order of Su-33 fighters would be 24 or more in order to make the start-up of the production line cost effective. Therefore, China may either have to increase its order or find another solution to the problem of procuring ship-borne fighter aircraft. (Upiasia)

March 21, 2009, New Delhi -- Upset over problems relating to spares supply for British 'Hawks' Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs), India has shelved plans to place follow-on orders for the aircraft and instead floated new tenders to supplement its trainer fleet.

Indian Air Force (IAF) sources said here today that the new tenders -- Request for Proposals (RFP) in Defence parlance -- were issued about a month ago to six global aircraft manufacturers.

Surprisingly, United Kingdom-based Hawks manufacturer BAE Systems finds a place among the six companies which had received the fresh tenders. But it was being approached for an upgraded version of the AJTs, sources said.

Others trainers that the IAF has shown interest in and sent the tender papers to were Italy's Alenia for the M-346, Korean T-50s, the Chez L-159, Russian YAK-130 and MiG AT Trainer, sources said.

After a procurement process that lasted nearly 20 years, India finally entered a contract for the delivery of 66 Hawks trainers with BAE in 2004. The contract had an in-built provision for a follow-on order for 40 more aircraft.

But the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had been finding it difficult to maintain the production lines for the aircraft at its facility due to considerable delays in spares supplies, sources said.

The move of the IAF to go in for a new brand of trainer aircraft came as a surprise, as it had originally planned to have a single type of trainers in the fleet to train future fighter pilots. (India-Defence)