ASIAN DEFENCE: May 2011

May 29, 2011

Low-Intensity Nukes And Short-Range Missiles Show Pakistan Targeting Indian Forces On Attack

Pakistan’s recent testing of NASR or Hatf-9 short range missile, coupled with its rapidly growing stockpile of low-intensity nuclear weapons,

suggests that it is actually preparing to cross the nuclear threshold in case ofa conflict with India. One of world’s most authoritative voices on
Pakistan’s nuclear strength and American nuclear expert Hans Kristensen said that a nuclear-tipped NASR seemed more like a weapon intended for use against Indian forces advancing into Pakistani territory. “While that wouldn't threaten Indian survival in itself, it would of course mean
crossing the nuclear threshold early in a conflict, which is one of the particular concerns of a short-range nuclear weapon,’’ said Kristensen, who is also Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project director. While the 60-km short range of the nuclear capable missile doesn’t threaten the security of any major Indian city, it certainly makes the Indian army and security forces vulnerable in case India

does try to implement its much talked about Cold Start Doctrine, which entails making deep and precise incursions into Pakistani territory in the event of another Mumbai-like attack.

Indian air force official have said that , “IAF never ever considered nor did Russians ever presented any proposal on it ” has quoted by a serving IAF official when asked on rumors of India’s interest in PAK-DA development or purchase .

PAK DA (or PAK-DA), is a next generation strategic bomber which is being developed by Russia. It stands for Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Dalney Aviatsyi which means Future Air Complex for Strategic Air Forces. The PAK DA is going to be heavily based on Russia’s current supersonic bomber Tupolev Tu-160 and is expected to have it’s maiden flight by 2015. and enter service by 2020-25 time frame .

US Army has received the first two Terminal High Altitude Area Defence Missiles from Lockheed Martin, US Army officials announced Thursday.

The THAAD missile is a US Army missile system designed to intercept and destroy short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles.

"Our new mission to receive, store and ship THAADs is a great example of how the team here at ADMC can work with our customers to provide outstanding and unique munitions services to ensure ADMC remains a valuable asset to the war-fighter," ADMC Commander Lt. Col. Randall DeLong said.

Indonesia has placed a $400 million order for 16 Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers, the type's first export sale.

The Indonesian Defense Ministry signed the deal on Wednesday, said Enes Park, executive vice president of KAI. The contract stipulates that the aircraft must be delivered 18 months after the signing of a loan agreement between the South Korean and Indonesian governments.

The announcement follows a 12 April letter the Indonesian government sent to KAI designating the South Korean firm as the preferred bidder to replace Indonesia's BAE Systems Hawk 53s. The letter all but sealed the fate of the T-50's rivals in the competition, the Aero Vodochody L-159 and Yakovlev Yak-130.

Russia To Buy Two French Mistral-Class Warships

Russia has confirmed that it will buy at least two Mistral-class warships from a French-led consortium.

Correspondents say the sale will be the first to Russia by a Nato country of such sophisticated naval equipment.

The prospect of a deal has raised concerns among France's Nato allies.

The deal was originally agreed in July but stalled a month later over how much technology France was prepared to share, and the order was put out to international tender.

The Russian and French authorities said Moscow had chosen the consortium of France's DCNS and STX and Russian naval yard OSK, although shipbuilders in Spain and the Netherlands had also been looked at.

"Their offer initially covers the joint construction of two of this kind of vessel, which should be extended by the construction of two more," French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said in a statement.

Mistral-class amphibious assault ships can carry up to 16 helicopters, four landing craft and a 750-strong landing force, and is equipped with a 69-bed hospital.

The FC-1 Xiaolong fighter jets, which are jointly developed by China and Pakistan, are seen by many as a symbol of the China-Pakistan friendship.

CRI reporters have visited the assembly plant in Pakistan where the jets are being produced and had a firsthand look at the joint project.

The FC-1 Xiaolong fighter jets are known as GF-17 Thunder in Pakistan.

They are assembled at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, or PAC in Kamra, the world's seventh largest fighter jets assembly plant.

Air Vice Marshal Arshad Khan is the Managing Director of Kamra Avionics & Radar Factory at the PAC.

The Footprints of circumstantial evidence regarding the terrorist attack on the Mehran base clearly show the involvement of Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Senior intelligence sources told The News that this was a joint venture, accomplished by RAW certainly with the consent of CIA and a group of al-Qaeda who are being used by the anti-Pakistan lobby.

“Even at this very initial stage, the agencies engaged in the investigation of the attack have got hold of some concrete indications to prove the involvement of foreign hand in the debacle,” one source said. He said that it could easily be calculated who was the prime beneficiary of the shattering strike.

“The militants attacked the base and mainly targeted the P-3C Orion aircraft as they had instructions to destroy them,” he said, adding that it was on record that India had opposed the US provision of these aircraft to Pakistan.

US, Pakistan Near Open War-- Chinese Ultimatum Warns Washington Against Attack--Special Report

China has officially put the United States on notice that Washington’s planned attack on Pakistan will be interpreted as an act of aggression against Beijing. This blunt warning represents the first known strategic ultimatum received by the United States in half a century, going back to Soviet warnings during the Berlin crisis of 1958-1961, and indicates the grave danger of general war growing out of the US-Pakistan confrontation.

“Any Attack on Pakistan Would be Construed as an Attack on China”

Responding to reports that China has asked the US to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty in the aftermath of the Bin Laden operation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu used a May 19 press briefing to state Beijing’s categorical demand that the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan must be respected.” According to Pakistani diplomatic sources cited by the Times of India, China has “warned in unequivocal terms that any attack on Pakistan would be construed as an attack on China.” This ultimatum was reportedly delivered at the May 9 China-US strategic dialogue and economic talks in Washington, where the Chinese delegation was led by Vice Prime Minister Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo. Chinese warnings are implicitly backed up by that nation’s nuclear missiles, including an estimated 66 ICBMs, some capable of striking the United States, plus 118 intermediate-range missiles, 36 submarine-launched missiles, and numerous shorter-range systems.

Support from China is seen by regional observers as critically important for Pakistan, which is otherwise caught in a pincers between the US and India: “If US and Indian pressure continues, Pakistan can say ‘China is behind us. Don’t think we are isolated, we have a potential superpower with us,’” Talat Masood, a political analyst and retired Pakistani general, told AFP.

The Chinese ultimatum came during the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani in Beijing, during which the host government announced the transfer of 50 state-of-the-art JF-17 fighter jets to Pakistan, immediately and without cost. Before his departure, Gilani had stressed the importance of the Pakistan-China alliance, proclaiming: “We are proud to have China as our best and most trusted friend. And China will always find Pakistan standing beside it at all times….When we speak of this friendship as being taller than the Himalayas and deeper than the oceans it truly captures the essence of our relationship.” These remarks were greeted by whining from US spokesmen, including Idaho Republican Senator Risch.

The simmering strategic crisis between the United States and Pakistan exploded with full force on May 1, with the unilateral and unauthorized US commando raid alleged to have killed the phantomatic Osama bin Laden in a compound at Abottabad, a flagrant violation of Pakistan’s national sovereignty. The timing of this military stunt designed to inflame tensions between the two countries had nothing to do with any alleged Global War on Terror, and everything to do with the late March visit to Pakistan of Prince Bandar, the Saudi Arabian National Security Council chief. This visit had resulted in a de facto alliance between Islamabad and Riyadh, with Pakistan promising troops to put down any US-backed color revolution in the kingdom, while extending nuclear protection to the Saudis, thus making them less vulnerable to US extortion threats to abandon the oil-rich monarchy to the tender mercies of Tehran. A joint move by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to break out of the US empire, whatever one may think of these regimes, would represent a fatal blow for the fading US empire in South Asia.

The Navy continues to hone its war-fighting capabilities despite being stretched in coastal security and anti-piracy operations. The force is now on course to soon induct two more deadly stealth frigates to bolster its growing "blue-water" warfare capabilities.

Sources say the 6,200-tonne indigenous stealth frigate INS Satpura is likely to be commissioned in June-July, while the Russian-built 4,900-tonne INS Teg should finally be ready for induction by September-October.

These long-awaited warships will come at a time when Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma has stressed that "maintenance of war-fighting abilities" remains the "top-most priority" for his force despite the "large number of peacetime commitments (anti-piracy, coastal security and the like) at hand".

IAF Chief Witness Flight Demonstration OF PAK FA And Upgraded Mig-29UPG In Russia

According to Russian Media Indian Air Force chief Pradeep Vasant Naik witnessed flight demonstration of 5th Generation fighter aircraft PAK FA along with upgraded Indian air force’s Mig-29UPG .

Event was witnessed by the President of the United Aircraft Corporation, CEO of Sukhoi and RSK MiG Mikhail Pogosyan, the representatives of Rosoboronexport, the Russian Air Force. and the flight demonstration was held at Gromov Flight Research Institute in Moscow .

High above the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, it was but a sparkling light.The unidentified object was, however, bright enough to catch the attention of officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force, who were on a recent patrol in the difficult high terrain along India’s disputed mountainous border with China.The bright speck, they knew, was out of place among the gently flickering stars that usually keep them company on cold night patrols.

The ITBP and military experts believe the sighting was only the latest confirmation of a military programme across the border that is revolutionising China’s surveillance capabilities — the country’s fast-expanding domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or “drone”, industry.

The programme’s success was easier to spot in Beijing this week, where Chinese companies displayed a range of domestically-developed UAVs at an exhibition on police equipment and anti-terrorism technology.

Once reluctant to discuss the state of development of the country’s home-grown “drones”, Chinese authorities are increasingly showcasing the industry’s rapid progress, as well as looking for foreign markets.

At last year’s air-show in Zhuhai, foreign observers were left stunned by 25 UAVs that were displayed, at stages of development far more advanced than earlier thought.

PNS Mehran Attack P-3C Orion Plane Was Target

KARACHI: Militants specifically targeted 'P-3C Orion plane’ in PNS Mehran near PAF Faisal base located along Sharea Faisal, sources said.

Geo News correspondent has reported from the vicinity of Pakistan Navy base that four militants blew themselves up, while the security forces have arrested four other militants.

KARACHI: Terrorists have launched an armed attack on PNS Mehran, a heavily guarded facility of Pakistan Navy, located along Sharea Faisal, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Sunday.

TV images showed smoke billowing from PNS Mehran where terrorists have blown up a four-engine plane of Pakistan Navy by firing a rocket.

Five injured in the incident have so far been shifted to a local hospital.

Earlier, four blasts were reported from the area near PAF base Faisal.

Ambulances and fire tenders were seen rushing toward the base following the powerful blasts that were heard across a wide radius.

Gunshots fired from sophisticated weapons were also heard following the blasts.

KARACHI: Three blasts are reported to have occurred near PAF base Faisal located along Sharea Faisal, Geo News reported.

Ambulances were seen rushing toward the base following the powerful blasts that were heard across a wide radius.

Smoke can be seen billowing from the base.

India's Rustom MALE UAV Goes To The Sky

A successful flight test of Rustom1 UAV was conducted at around 12 noon on 21st May 2011. It was the second successful flight of "Rustom 1" being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO lab engaged in pioneering R&D work in the field of aeronautics. The "Rustom 1" has an endurance of 14 hrs. and altitude ceiling of 8000 meters.

India will receive 15 Mi-17B-5 helicopters this year from Russia as part of the contract for 80 choppers.

Russia is to supply the helicopters to India within the framework of a contract India's Defense Ministry signed with Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

The contract is likely to be complemented with an extra order for 59 such helicopters, the general director of the Helicopters of Russia holding company, Dmitry Petrov, told Itar-Tass.

Pakistan and China have recently concluded a final agreement for the manufacture of a second batch of JF-17s. According to well-vetted sources from Pakdef (Eagle Hannan), these 50 jets are the final form of the JF-17s. The aircraft will be manufactured at Kamra, Pakistan, but will be flown to China for additional work. This work is said to relate to a new generation of avionics and sensor suite.

The Block II JF-17 is believed to have AESA radars similar to those observed on the J-10B. The integrated avionics, sensors and EW suite is entirely Chinese and is believed to be at the level of Europes best planes. The AESA radar is a slightly smaller version of the one being utilized for the J-10B. The radar is highly sophisticated and its installation is beyond the present capacity at PAC Kamra and will thus require the aircraft to take a trip to Nanjing, China.

China agree to give J-20/FC-20 5th Generation Stealth Fighter to Pakistan" Ahmad Mukhtar Pakistani Defence Minister Said after returning from China.

The J-20 is a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft, bigger and heavier than the Sukhoi T-50 and the F-22. Comparison with ground-service vehicles points to an overall length of 75 ft. and a wingspan of 45 ft. or more, which would suggest a takeoff weight in the 75,000-80,000-lb. class with no external load. That in turn implies a generous internal fuel capacity. The overall length is close to that of the 1960s General Dynamics F-111, which carries 34,000 lb. of fuel.

The J-20 has a canard delta layout (like Chengdu’s J-10) with two canted, all-moving vertical stabilizers (like the T-50) and smaller canted ventral fins. The stealth body shaping is similar to that of the F-22. The flat body sides are aligned with the canted tails, the wing-body junction is clean, and there is a sharp chine line around the forward fuselage. The cant angles are greater than they are on the Lockheed Martin F-35, and the frameless canopy is similar to that of the F-22.

China has achieved what some foreign experts once thought was impossible — it has independently developed a next-generation air-to-air missile without assistance from foreign specialists or borrowed technology.

Designed by Fan Huitao, the deputy director of the Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the missile, known as the "Key Model," successfully passed the designed type approval test and achieved an excellent result, with all seven missiles hitting their targets.

Its successful development indicates that China already fully possesses the ability to independently develop internationally-advanced air-to-air missiles. It is a historic breakthrough in China's air-to-air missile development and has met the Chinese Air Force's requirement for the model to be designed, produced, delivered and made combat effective within one year. The new missile offers the military and country another trump card.

Russia has successfully test-fired a Sineva submarine-launched ballistic missile in the Barents Sea, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

The missile hit the designated target at the Kura test range in the Far East in time, Col. Igor Konashenkov said.

The RSM-54 Sineva (NATO codename SS-N-23 Skiff) is a third-generation liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile that entered service with the Russian Navy in July 2007. It has a maximum range of over 10,000 km (6,214 miles) and can carry four to 10 nuclear warheads, depending on the modification.

US Top Secret Chopper

US Top Secret Chopper Artist’s impression

China To Supply 50 JF-17 Thunders to Pakistan on Emergency Basis

Pakistani Local news station GEO has broad-casted that China will Supply 50 JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighters to Pakistan on Emergency basis. The fighter Jets Are manufactured In Pakitans PAC.

The Air-to-air Astra missile is likely to test- fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. The test is reportedly scheduled for the next two days subject to weather conditions.

The active radar homing missile is envisaged to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speed in head-on mode, at a range of 80 km and in tail-chase mode at 20 km.

The smallest of the missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Astra is a single stage, solid-fuelled missile and can carry a conventional warhead of 15 kg. The Beyond Visual Range missile is 3.8 metre long and has a diameter of 178 mm with an overall launch weight of 160 kg. The missile could be launched from different altitudes - at 15 km to cover a range of 90-110 km, at 8 km to cover a range of 44 km and at sea-level for a range of 21 km.

India is really cranking up military aviation contracts. Even as the $4.1 billion deal for 10 American C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft awaits the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), another major contract is now headed that way.

Defence ministry sources on Wednesday said the long-awaited deal with France for the upgrade of 52 Mirage-2000 multi-role fighters in IAF's combat fleet is "finally ready" at a cost of almost Rs 11,000 crore ($2.4 billion).

"This is also now going to CCS for approval. Another big contract, which was being progressed simultaneously, for around 450 MICA (interception and aerial combat missiles) systems to arm the upgraded Mirages is also in the final stages now," said a source.

This comes after long-drawn negotiations with French companies Dassault Aviation (aircraft manufacturer), Thales (weapons systems integrator) and MBDA (missile supplier), which were "initially asking for much more", said sources.

India Developing 6000 km Range Agni-6 SLBM With MIRV Capability

May 17, 2011

USA F-35 JSF Vs Russian Su-35S

How will the intended 2,443 F-35s JSF impose air dominance for the USA and its Allies? That is the question to ask.

Search the Internet for material on the JSF and you will find terabyte after terabyte of articles, pictures, Powerpoint presentations, PDFs, tables and laudatory Blogs. And how much relates to how the JSF will deliver this capability? You will find assertions and statement such as ‘six times better Relative Loss Exchange Ratio than legacy aircraft’ [1], or ‘The operational arguments focus on combat effectiveness against top foreign fighter aircraft such as the Russian Su-27 and MiG-29. Lockheed Martin and USAF analysts put the loss-exchange ratio at 30-1 for the F-22, 3-1 for the F-35 and 1-1 or less for the F-15, F/A-18 and F-16’[2
And how will the F-35 JSF perform, not against truly obsolete legacy aircraft like the Su-27SK and the MiG-29, but against modern fighters like the Su-35S? We can answer these questions with a head-to-head analysis of the two aircraft.

Air combat is a complex mix of art, science and engineering. Aircraft performance, weapons performance, networked sensors and pilot skill all contribute to the final Loss Exchange Ratio (LER). The only simplification is that aircraft approach, engage in combat and the survivors depart. This activity can be examined in a ‘kill-chain’ with the following stages: ‘Detect-Identify-Engage-Disengage-Destroy’ (DIED2).

Here is a scenario. In the ‘Blue’ corner, we have a flight of four F-35A JSFs, each armed with four AIM-120D Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles and the 25 mm GD ATP GAU-22/A cannon. No additional weapons or fuel are carried, because these would compromise the JSFs' “low observability” to X-Band radar. In the ‘Red’ corner, we have a flight of four Su-35S, each armed with four RVV-SD Active Radar Seeker BVR Missiles, four RVV-SD Infra-Red (IR) Seeker BVR missiles, two RVV-MD Within Visual Range (WVR) missiles, the 30mm GSh-301 cannon, KNIRTI SAP-518 jammers on the wingtips and a 6,000 litre conformal tank between the engines. Each aircraft has the full range of sensors and countermeasures.

Israel’s thermal stealth innovator Eltics unveiled today a short video depicting the results of recent tests where large thermal panels installed on a Land Rover Defender vehicle managed to eliminate the vehicle’s signature, totally masking the vehicle from the thermal sight’s display.

Following a recent investment refuelling the start-up company, Eltics embarked on the development and testing of a full scale prototype of the Black-Fox active – adaptive – multi-spectral stealth system, to be able to mask a complete vehicle (both sides, front and rear). The system employs a thermal camera that samples the background view and a system processor and controller that recreates the necessary effects on the panels, blending the protected object into the background.

J-10B Equip With AESA Radar?

J-10B Equip With AESA Radar.

May 16, 2011

Chinese Media Officially Unveils J-15 Flying Shark Carrier-Based Fighter Jet

Chinese state media released on 25 April the first official close-up pictures of the J-15, which is expected to become the first carrier-based multirole fighter for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The pictures, which showed folding wings, a shortened tailcone and strengthened landing gear, were released a day after Chinese defence web sites posted images of the aircraft outside an Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) facility in Shenyang. The images are the first showing the J-15, nicknamed the 'Flying Shark', in standard PLAN grey.

With Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani scheduled to travel to China on 17 May for a high-profile four-day visit, Western defence officials will be searching for some indication of what Pakistan is likely to do with the stealth helicopter wreckage it retrieved following the US raid on Osama bin Laden's compound.

A senior Pakistani government official described speculation that China is seeking access to the aircraft as "mere nonsense", though he did confirm that the wreckage was still in Pakistani hands.

Two senior NATO defence officials based in Islamabad said the US is seeking the return of the wreckage to prevent it being passed onto third parties such as China. "The US is desperate to get the wreckage back," one of the officials said.

Osama Bin Laden Dead Long Before US Raid- Iran's Intelligence Minister Says

Iran's intelligence minister says the country has reliable information that former head of the al-Qaeda terrorist group Osama bin Laden died of disease some time ago.
“We have accurate information that bin Laden died of illness some time ago,” Heidar Moslehi told reporters on the sidelines of a Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

He questioned Washington's claim that bin Laden was killed by American troops in a hiding compound in Pakistan on May 1.

“If the US military and intelligence apparatus have really arrested or killed bin Laden, why don't they show him (his dead body) why have they thrown his corpse into the sea?” Moslehi asked.

“When we apprehended [former Jundallah ringleader Abdul Malik] Rigi, we showed him and also aired his interview,” ISNA quoted the intelligence chief as saying.

By releasing such false news, he said, the White House seeks to overshadow regional awakening.

Moslehi said US officials resort to such PR campaigns to divert attention from their domestic problems as well as their “fragile” economic situation.

US President Barack Obama claimed that Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces on May 1 in a hiding compound in Pakistan.

A US official later announced that bin Laden's body was abruptly buried at sea, falsely boasting that his hasty burial was in accordance with the Islamic law, requiring burial within 24 hours of death.

However, burial at sea is not an Islamic practice and Islam does not have a timeframe for burial.

US officials also claimed their decision for a sea burial was made because no country would accept bin Laden's remains, without elaborating on which countries were actually contacted on the matter.

Analysts, however, have raised serious questions as to why US officials did not allow for the application of a DNA test to officially confirm the identity of the corpse before its hasty burial.

Pakistan’s third nuclear electric power plant went operational Thursday, pumping another 330 MW into the national grid in a bid to help meet country’s growing energy demand and cut down the shortfall.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani inaugurated the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-1 (CHASNUPP-2), located near Chashma Barrage on the left bank of River Indus, 32 kilometres south of Mianwali city and, 280 kms south-west of Islamabad.

US military will lay out the red carpet next week for China's military chief as Washington renews its effort to forge a defence dialogue with Beijing despite tensions and mutual distrust.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde starts a week-long visit Sunday to the United States, the first trip to America by the country's top-ranking officer in seven years, officials said.

Chen will tour four military bases, deliver a speech to American officers and hold talks with his US counterpart, Admiral Mike Mullen, Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a senior defence official said Friday.

"We've pulled out all the stops" for the visit, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters.

Military relations between the two economic powers have been strained and lagged behind diplomatic and trade ties, with Beijing objecting to US arms sales to Taiwan while Washington has voiced concern about China's military buildup.

Turkeys National Tank Altay MBT And Male Uav Tiha In IDEF- 11

Russia Experts Says Russia Could Sell Mig-35 Fighter Jets To Pakistan

According to the Russian International Information Telegraph Agency refuses regarding India to purchase the Mig - 35 fighter plane incidents, Russia strategy and technical analysis center assistant director Constantine□Markey extended the branch saying.

Russia should let the Indian Air force undertake the consequence for own decision. In the Moscow tradition to maintains the restraint to the Pakistani sell weapon, but refuses in India to purchase under the Mig - 35 new situations, should carefully examine this policy.

May 29, 2011

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