Naval and Defense News

[kevinkins]

More fodder today for on the fly scenarios ...

Middle east ...
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/middleeas ... ceasefire/
Pacific ...
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/asia/sout ... index.html

[orca]

Interesting article on China's SCS artificial islands.

http://warontherocks.com/2016/09/chinas ... you-think/

Would really benefit scenario designers if the map could be updated to include these. Will post request in appropriate thread.

[Hongjian]

http://www.janes.com/article/64001/chin ... operations

China flight testing modified J-15 for CATOBAR operations


^Note the WS-10B engines. Another sign of the maturing Chinese engine industry.

China has been flight testing a new variant of its J-15 navalised fighter modified for catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations, according to images posted on Chinese online forums.

Released on 15 September, the images show a Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 in flight featuring what appear to be modifications to its front undercarriage that would enable the aircraft to conduct catapult-assisted take-offs: yet another indication that China may be planning to develop a CATOBAR aircraft carrier.

Expectations that China's third carrier, which is commonly referred to as the Type 002, will be equipped with catapults were reinforced in early August when images emerged on Chinese online forums showing the country's land-based aircraft carrier mock-up in Wuhan, Hubei Province, undergoing modifications.

Most significantly, the ski-jump section had been removed from the mock-up.

Construction of China's third carrier is expected to take place at the Jiangnan Changxingdao shipyard near Shanghai. So far there has been no official confirmation of the programme, nor visible evidence of the construction, but there has been considerable speculation that production of the initial modules is already in progress.

Airbus Defence and Space imagery captured on 20 June 2016 already showed that significant progress was being made on two land-based catapult tracks for testing and training.



Constructed at the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) carrier air wing training facility at Huangdicun Airbase, the two tracks consist of a steam-powered track and an electromagnetic catapult track placed at the northeastern end of a new runway under construction. Installation of both suggests that a final decision on which system to adopt may not yet have been taken.


Airbus Defence and Space imagery showing a Chinese navy shore-based catapult test and training complex under construction at Huangdicun Airbase. Source: CNES 2016, Distribution Airbus DS / 2016 IHS

[Hongjian]

http://www.popsci.com/chinese-russian-s ... -it-matter

THE CHINESE-RUSSIAN SOUTH CHINA SEA NAVAL EXERCISES: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY DID IT MATTER?

Of note, Chinese and Russian Marines also conducted joint amphibious landing excercises to take a 'small island'.




Nice photo of the "ASW team" - Type 054A FFG and Udaloy-I DDG.

[Dysta]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/india-buys-36 ... 24875.html

India signed a deal Friday to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets for 7.9 billion euros ($8.8 billion), France's biggest ever such sale,...

[xavierv]

First Royal Australian Navy Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart successfully completes Builder Sea Trials

Today, the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance achieved a major milestone with the successful completion of Builder Sea Trials for the first destroyer Hobart following several days at sea off the coast of South Australia. AWD Alliance General Manager Lloyd Beckett said that sea trials was the commencement of an exciting new phase for the Air Warfare Destroyer project.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=4379

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF-0KoKRkLA

[Hongjian]

The island is now lifted ontop the CV17 Liaoning-II carrier.




Official state media:

http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0908/c98649-9112497.html

China's second aircraft carrier features smaller island to maximize carrying capacity：military expert

[FoxZz]

Seems it hasn't been reported yet, France and India finally signed the Rafale deal :

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/i ... 140011.ece



Key elements :

- 36 aircraft at the F3R standard for now, more to come with make in India as well as for the Navy.
- First delivreries in 2019
- Armaments will include Meteor, SCALP EG, Mica in addition of some Indian equipment like ASTRA and Brahmos.
- New upgrades : New IR channel for the OSF, Helmet mounted display, towed decoys, enhanced RWR.
- More powerfull M88-4 with no airframe modification (probably 83kn version).

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: FoxZz

Seems it hasn't been reported yet, France and India finally signed the Rafale deal :

I did, just very brief with my iPhone.

[Triode]

"The United Instrumentbuilding Corporation" (part of the State Corporation Rostec) presented at the international exhibition "Gidroaviasalon 2016" side-looking radar station (RLS) "Pika - M" to equip combat aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Fourth-generation radar "Pika - M" is designed for radar surveillance, including military to detect enemy targets - roads, airports, bunkers, fortifications, as well as weapons and military equipment.

The station has a function of processing radar data in real time, as well as provided a telescopic observation mode with a resolution of up to 30 cm In particular, the radar is able to "see" elements of the aircraft -. Engine, keel, arms, etc., and to determine by the characteristics its type.

Serial production of the radar "Pika -M" is in the "United Instrumentbuilding Corporation" by the Scientific-Research Institute "Kulon". Initially, the product was developed for multipurpose fighter-bomber Su-34, but can be used on other types of aircraft, including drones.

"Pika-M" is part of the on-board complex BKR-3, capable of maintaining a radar surveillance in all weather conditions and at any time of the day. The station has a resolution in the map mode to 1-1.5 m, and the range of objects detection - up to 300 km.

Radar has successfully completed the implementation of the state program of tests in 2016. At the same time, "NII Kulon" commissioned by the Industry and Trade Ministry for developing a technology to create a side-view of the fifth-generation radars with active phased array (AESA)."
http://www.aviaport.ru/digest/2016/09/23/396509.html in russian

"Currently, completed state tests UKR-RL unified intelligence container, SLAR fourth generation "Pika-M." This and other containers, developed by the Institute have already had practical application and confirmed its effectiveness."
http://www.redstar.ru/index.php/newspap ... lon-65-let in russian


Su-34 with UKR-RL (aka BKR-3) container


SLAR "Pika-M"


BKR-3 is Su-34 systems + UKR containers (UKR-RL with SLAR "Pika-M", UKR-RT with ELINT station M-410 "Sych" based on bigger "Fraktsiya" from Tu-214R, UKR-OE for TV and IR)

[xavierv]

Interviews with some Marine Nationale pilots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j_MNOO3Dc4

Aboard EDA-R / LCAT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx9iM1PsXnQ

[mikmykWS]

Nice vids

Hope the Army buys the EDA-R. Its a good platform.

Mike

[hellfish6]

Wow, yeah. I had no idea the US Army was looking at that. It'd be an interesting capability, for sure. I have no idea what the status of Army watercraft are nowadays.

[xavierv]

Thanks mikmyk

French Navy Lafayette Class Frigates Crotale SAM Systems May Be Replaced with SADRAL

Two SADRAL launchers with 6x Mistral surface to air missiles each would be would be fitted on top of the helicopter hangar to replace the existing Crotale laucher (with 8x missiles). Navy Recognition believes this upgrade would address two major obsolescences: The ageing Crotale missiles (designed in the 70ies and produces in the 80ies) are nearing the end of their shelf life. In addition, according to our information, Crotale's effectiveness against modern sea-skimming anti-ship missiles is limited.

The upgrade would be fairly affordable as the plan is to re-use existing launchers currently fitted aboard the Georges Leygues-class ASW Frigates (as they are being replaced by FREMM Frigates). The Mistral is an infrared homing surface-to-air missile with an effective firing range up to 6 km and a speed of Mach 2.7.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=4382

[Dysta]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Craft_Utility

There are only a dozens, more or less, was completed for different models. All are agonizingly slow until LCM-1E show promising performance for boarding a MBT in 20 knot Flank.

The hovercraft (LCAC, Type 726 and Zubr) is taking vintage landing craft's place because it's blazingly fast (60 knot), however, it's also expensive to build and maintain. French does took the reasonable balance to develop the catamaran landing craft for high capacity, low water resistance (thus faster and more mileage) for reasonable price.

---

I have a question though: I thought the amphibious battle would require huge amount of landing crafts for initial entry, consider landing crafts are easy targets for defensive side's missile and artillery. Wasn't the more crafts beached at the first wave, the more firepower to punch through hostile defense?

[kevinkins]

Wall Street Journal today. Nothing new except the main stream media is playing catch up as usual on defense related issues. Which means that even the most interested reader in the general public is always a year or so behind. Here is a section in case the link below requires a subscription.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The U.S. still maintains an edge—its radar-evading planes are operational, while Russia and China are still developing theirs. But it isn’t just new aircraft raising concerns.
Both China and Russia are also fielding more sophisticated antiaircraft systems. Moscow says its new S-400 can shoot down planes at a range of up to 236 miles, or roughly twice the previous range.

In August, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the system would be deployed to newly annexed Crimea amid escalating tensions with Ukraine. Moscow is also marketing its new air-defense systems for sale abroad.


“That enormously complicates the challenge of conducting any type of military operation,” said David Deptula, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general.

China this year deployed its HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system to the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, a chain that is also claimed by Vietnam.

To counter those new threats, the U.S. Air Force, in a recent assessment of combat needs, recommended introducing long-range missiles or other weapons that would allow current planes to strike targets while remaining outside the range of an adversary’s defenses.

Full report:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/big-spendin ... 1474824362

[Dysta]

Typical arm race topics never bore readers, I think.

On the other hand, THAAD is trying to steal S-400's show, as the deployment at SK was forcefully confirmed:

https://sputniknews.com/asia/20160926/1 ... iable.html
http://thevillagessuntimes.com/2016/09/ ... uth-korea/

Despite concerns voiced from China and Russia, the United States official claimed that Washington and Seoul have reached an agreement on the deployment of Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea, which is not negotiable.

[Gunner98]

This is an predictable upgrade to keep the BUFF usable but I don't think it solves the real problem of getting the ordinance onto the target. The F-35 becomes essentially an ISTAR platform, the B-52 is the 'Bomb Truck' but the missile still need to get through the defences.

Converting B52 to Arsenal plane would increase air to air missiles available to a networked F35 from two to about 100 missiles

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/09/co ... would.html

[kevinkins]

Thanks for the post. Kind of reminds me of my brute force tactic against the S-400 by saturation of its airspace. In my case with MALD using the B52 as a truck for newer technology. I wonder how happy the Air Force is with a retro-fitted solution like this.

[Dysta]

I think it's for evaluation to see how it works. Eventually they will use B-21 for arsenal plane when it worked and needed. BUFF is simply too risky against hostile interceptors.