RMAF 2012 Open Day - 54th Anniversary

Just a public notice on this event.

And for those who missed getting on board this mock-up during the recent DSA exhibition, you can try your luck again in getting on board there.

30 May 2012

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON SET TO IMPRESS CROWDS AT THE ROYAL MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE (RMAF) OPEN DAY 2012 IN SUBANG

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Following closely from its star showing at DSA, the Eurofighter Typhoon Full Scale Replica (FSR) will once again draw crowds, this time at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Open Day at Subang Air Base on Sunday, June 3, 2012.

The Eurofighter Typhoon FSR is being exhibited for the first time at an RMAF Open Day, with members of the public being given the rare opportunity to experience the aircraft hands-on and understand why it is considered the most advanced multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) on the market today. Visitors will be able to examine the aircraft up close, take pictures and from the cockpit, will be able to see what life is like from a Typhoon pilot’s perspective, gaining an understanding of his working environment.

“As well as showcasing the Typhoon’s cutting edge capability, we aim to inspire Malaysian youth about potential careers in high-technology industries such as aerospace, avionics, engineering, renewable energy. We want the young people to learn and understand the breadth of technology that is channelled into the delivery of such an advanced product. We want them to get excited about wanting to play a part in the process – be it in research and development, building the structure, or learning to fly it” explained Ian Malin, Director, Typhoon Malaysia.

Eurofighter Typhoon is the most capable, in service, multi-role fighter optimised for air defence. This year Royal Air Force Typhoon pilots will play a key role in providing airspace security for the London 2012 Olympics, their overall mission is to provide a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, this will be just an extension to Typhoon’s normal activities as they routinely police the UK skies 24-hours-a-day, every day of the year.

In late 2011, four UK RAF Typhoon aircraft from 6 Squadron flew from their base in Scotland to the Royal Malaysian Air Force airbase in Butterworth to take part in Exercise BERSAMA LIMA achieving unsurpassed levels of availability.

The Typhoon has already been ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). With 559 aircraft under production contract, over 300 aircraft delivered and more than 135,000 flying hours achieved, Eurofighter Typhoon is Europe’s largest military collaborative programme and delivers leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe’s aerospace industry in the global competition.

Photo and notice credit to Standupper at Mymil forum

(Copy from blog : http://securemalaysia.blogspot.com/2012/05/rmaf-2012-open-day-54th-anniversary.html) (owner of the blog A Secure Malaysia - Malaysia Militarium)

South Korea Develops Vertical Launch for Submarine

After 2018 South Korea plans to build 3,000-ton heavy attack submarines equipped with vertical launching systems that allow a variety of weapons, including long-range cruise missiles, to be deployed. (image : DSME)

Vertical launching system for attack subs developed

Korea has developed a vertical launching system (VLS) to be installed on 3,000-ton heavy attack submarines to be deployed after 2018, according to a shipbuilding industry source, Monday.

Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering are subcontractors for the heavy attack submarines.

It is the first time that the development of a submarine VLS in Korea has been confirmed. The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has already developed one used aboard the 7,600-ton KDX-III Aegis destroyer.

A VLS is a modern type of missile-firing system used aboard submarines and surface vessels of several navies around the world. When installed on an attack submarine, a VLS allows a greater number and variety of weapons to be deployed in comparison to using only torpedo tubes.

Following the development of the VLS for subs, top shipbuilders in Korea and the ADD are also on track to develop an indigenous horizontal tube to launch torpedoes, cruise missiles and mines, the source said.

“The development of a vertical launching system has already been completed, while the development of a horizontal launching system is still under way,” the source told The Korea Times, asking not to be identified. “Developing the horizontal launching tube requires more sophisticated technology than the VLS development.

Cheonryong long range cruise missile

”The VLS would be used in launching long-range cruise missiles at key targets in North Korea.

The ADD has developed the 500-kilometer-range, ship-launched Cheonryong, which is a modified variant of the surface-to-surface Hyunmoo III-A ballistic missile. The missile range could be extended up to 1,000 kilometers, according to military sources.

The Cheonryong missiles are believed to have already been modified to be installed on Type-214 subs.

South Korea has successfully developed the Hyunmoo III-C surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a maximum range of 1,500 kilometers, following the deployment of the 1,000-kilometer-range Hyunmoo III-B.

With the VLS development, Korea would have an advantage in selling its submarines overseas in the future, the source added.

Currently, the South operates nine 1,200-ton, Type-209 submarines and three 1,800-ton, Type-214 submarines. They are all diesel- and electric-powered and were all built with technical cooperation from HDW of Germany.

As Germany restricts the transfer of key submarine technology, such as launching tubes, Korea would have difficulty exporting any of those locally-built submarines.

The Navy plans to deploy at least three more Type-214 submarines in the years to come.

Beginning in 2018, Seoul plans to build 3,000-ton KSS-III submarines fitted with domestically-built submarine combat systems aimed at automating target detection, tracking, threat assessment and weapons control.

The heavy attack sub will be armed with indigenous ship-to-ground cruise missiles and be capable of underwater operations for up to 50 days with an upgraded Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system.

South Korea to Gift Corvette to Philippines Navy

                                              Po Hang class corvettes (photo : Chosun)

Po Hang Retires To The Tropics

South Korea is donating one of its recently retired Po Hang class corvettes to the Philippines Navy. The Po Hangs are 1,200 ton warships that first entered service in 1984. Since then 24 have been built. Each is armed with four Harpoon anti-ship missiles, one 76mm cannon; two twin 40mm automatic cannon, six torpedo tubes and twelve depth charges. The crew of 95 also operates radar and sonar. Top speed is 59 kilometers an hour. Two Po Hangs have been retired so far, and one was sunk by a North Korean torpedo last year.

The Philippines is an island nation, with 7,100 islands to defend. Long crippled by corruption and bad government, the Philippines have never had much money to spend on the military (or anything else.) Wealthier nations have found it good diplomacy to donate military equipment to the Philippines. The Filipinos appreciate it; because donated military gear is something the thieving politicians have a hard time stealing.

Will Republic of China Join the South China Sea Fray?

In response to larger number of intrusions by the Vietnamese fisherman, the Republic of China is stepping up its military deployments in the South China Sea islands under their control.   However, the idea of a joint ROC-PRC initiative on the South China Sea is not on the table for now.

Taiwan sets up airborne unit for Spratlys
Agence France-Presse
3:16 pm | Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/35497/taiwan-sets-up-airborne-unit-for-spratlys


TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s defence ministry said Wednesday that it has formed a special airborne unit capable of scrambling to the contested Spratly islands in just hours, as tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) mounted.

The unit has been set up under a plan named “airborne fast response and maritime support” which was unveiled for the first time in a report by the ministry to parliament, officials said.

No details of the unit, such as its size, were released to the public, but local media said that if needed, it can arrive on Taiping Island, the biggest in the disputed waters, onboard C-130 transport planes within four hours.

Despite protests from other countries with claims in the area, Taiwan in 2006 built a 1,150-metre (3,795-foot) runway on the fortified island, which is about 860 miles (1,376 kilometres) away from Taiwan.

Also on Wednesday, Taiwan’s coastguards said its troops stationed on Taiping will be armed with mortars with a range of 6,100 metres (20,000 feet), nearly doubling the range of mortars currently in use.

The moves come as an increasing number of Vietnamese fishing boats have been reported by Taiwan authorities to intrude into the restricted waters of Taiping.

The number of intruding Vietnamese boats surged to 106 last year, up from 42 the previous year, according to the coastguards, which added 41 Vietnamese fishing vessels had intruded into the waters in the four months to April.

Tensions in the West Philippine Sea have risen recently, with China and the Philippines locked in a maritime dispute over Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal), a reef off the Philippine coast.

The tensions began when Chinese maritime vessels blocked the Philippine navy from arresting the crews of eight fishing vessels which had entered the area.

Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines claim all or part of the potentially oil-rich Spratlys.

All claimants except Brunei have troops based on the archipelago of more than 100 islets, reefs and atolls, which have a total land mass of less than five square kilometres (two square miles).

Taiwan will not work with China on South China Sea issues: official
2012/05/21 15:32:32

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201205210010

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) It is impossible that Taiwan will cooperate with China on issues related to the disputed South China Sea region at present, an official told lawmakers Monday.

"We will not cooperate with China on such issues at present," National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai De-sheng said, when asked on the possibility of Taiwan-China collaboration to address disputes in the region, which is seeing growing tensions.

How Taiwan should respond to any flare-up in the South China Sea was the focus at the Legislature's Foreign and National Defense Committee meeting, during which Tsai fielded many questions from lawmakers across party lines.

Recent confrontations in the region include an ongoing standoff between China and the Philippines that erupted on April 10 over the Scarborough Shoal off the coast of the Philippines.

Asked by opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ming-wen on whether Taiwan would help China in the event of conflict in the region, Tsai dismissed such a possibility.

"It is impossible at the moment," Tsai said, adding that Taiwan has advocated that disputes over islands in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully.

Tsai added that countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines have also asked Taiwan not to cooperate with China on South China Sea issues.

Tsai also said the bureau is aware of the recent visit by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying to the South China Sea area.

Meanwhile, ruling Kuomintang Legislator Lin Yu-fang said there was a trend of more and more Vietnamese ships entering the restricted waters near Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island recently.

Citing it as a sign of Vietnam's growing aggression amid competing claims in the region, Lin urged the government to establish permanent infrastructure on Ban Than Reef, which is near Taiping, to further defend Taiwan's sovereignty.

In response, Tsai said he backed any measure to safeguard Taiwan's territory.

The bureau has also been closely monitoring situations near Taiping recently by taking more satellite images, he added.

Taiping Island is the largest of the Spratly Islands, which lie about 1,600 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

Taiwan also controls Pratas Island, which is located 450 km off Taiwan's southwestern coastline.

The South China Sea region, thought to be rich in oil deposits and marine biodiversity, is claimed either entirely or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

(By Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/npw