Myanmar to Receive New Batch of MiG-29s from March

MiG-29 of the Myanmar Air Force (photo : Keypublishing Forum)

Myanmar will in March receive the first of 20 RSK MiG-29s ordered under a roughly €400 million ($553 million) deal, with their introduction to more than double the country's MiG-29 fleet.

Ordered in November 2009, the aircraft will be delivered in three configurations, comprising 10 MiG-29B and six MiG-29SE single-seat fighters and four MiG-29UB twin-seat operational trainers.
The acquisition effectively clears the remaining MiG-29B/SE stock at RSK MiG's Lukhovitsy plant, with the airframe parts having been manufactured in the Soviet and Perestroika eras. Myanmar's aircraft will be delivered in an original export configuration, with analogue instruments and Phazotron N-019 radars.

MiG-29 of the Myanmar Air Force (image : Mars Slupsk)

Myanmar previously bought used MiG-29s from Belarus, but approached the type's manufacturer and Russian arms export company Rosoboronexport for help after encountering a high attrition rate. Moscow responded with help on weapons, spare parts and training, including the installation of a simulator at one of its air bases.

Acquiring an additional batch of fighters directly from RSK MiG should radically improve the combat readiness and effectiveness of Myanmar's fleet, sources say. Its air force now has 12 MiG-29s.

Meanwhile, RSK MiG says a new logistics support system to be established in co-operation with Indian companies will enable it to provide increased customer support for the nation's MiG-29s, plus those flown by the air forces of Malaysia and Myanmar.

Thales and Hitech Padu Cooperate for Malaysian Naval Combat Management System

Tacticos 430W (photo : Thales)

HeiTech Padu and Thales Nederland to cooperate in Naval Combat Management System

HeiTech Padu Berhad and Thales Nederland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that confirms their cooperation in the development of a Malaysian Naval Combat Management System.

Both companies agree that, based on a transfer of technology and the implementation of a sophisticated joint software development environment, the Thales Tacticos Combat Management System offered for the Second Generation Patrol Vessel will be developed and produced in Malaysia. Additionally HeiTech Padu will also be involved in the delivery of the Tacticos system currently built for the modernization of the Kasturi Class.

With the experience of HeiTech Padu to deliver real-time network and software applications for the security and defence domain, Thales is convinced to start a cooperation that will serve the Royal Malaysian Navy with first class systems as well as contribute to the development of the Malaysian defence industry. One of the immediate effects will be the establishment of an in-country support facility.

HeiTech Padu selected Thales Nederland as preferred partner based on the leading position of Thales in Naval Combat Management Systems as well as the extensive and proven track record of Thales in international industrial cooperation.

HeiTech Padu Executive Chairman, Dato' Mohd Hilmey Mohd Taib: "is honoured by the confidence given by Thales for HeiTech to spearhead the integration and localisation of their state of the art Combat Management System. HeiTech is committed to take full advantage of this opportunity and hence contribute significantly to the Malaysian defence industry."

Thales Nederland CEO Gerben Edelijn is proud of this MoU: “This agreement emphasizes the strength of our Tacticos Combat Management System and it reinforces the excellent relation between Thales and its Malaysian partners.”

About HeiTech Padu
HeiTech Padu Berhad, a public listed company on the main board of the Bursa Malaysia is Malaysia's leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions Provider. HeiTech has delivered high impact ICT solutions, focusing on niche market segments for the defence and security, insurance, financial, health, education, manufacturing and utility industries. Our testimonies include the delivery of mission critical projects for Malaysian Government agencies. The two decades of collaborative partnership with the Government reflects the trust and confidence in our value proposition and commitment. Capitalizing on HeiTech's technical strength and expertise of more than 1,000 workforce, coupled with our home-grown solutions, we are well poised to deliver breakthrough ICT solutions for Malaysian and beyond.

About Thales
Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace and Space, Defence, Security and Transportation markets. In 2009, the company generated revenues of 12.9 billion euros with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 25,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners.

Thales Nederland employs about 2,000 staff members The company, established in 1922, is one of the leading companies in integrated naval systems for surveillance, weapon control, combat management and system integration worldwide

APMM Gets Six New Patrol Boats to Combat Maritime Crisis

MMEA receives six new patrol boats

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) is set to respond swiftly to crimes occurring in Malaysian waters with the addition of six new patrol boats worth RM3.8mil.
The 600hp rigid hull fender boats manufactured by a local maritime company Dalac Marine Engineering and Services Sdn Bhd are the fastest boats in the agency’s fleet of 138 vessels and helicopters nationwide.

Director-general Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish said the boats would be able to respond to maritime crimes and emergencies in half the time period it currently takes.

Speedy boats: The rigid hull fenders boats performing a boat manoeuvre demonstration after the boatswerehanded over to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

“The new boats will enhance the abilities of our men to combat maritime crimes nationwide as speed is an essential element in catching criminals,” he told the media after the boat handing-over ceremony here yesterday.

Admiral Mohd Amdan said the boats are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 50 knots, equivalent to 92.6kph.

Three boats would be used to ply the waters of the southern, northern and eastern regions while the remaining vessel would be for its Special Forces Unit.

Admiral Mohd Amdan added each region had crime activities unique to its location such as the northern region had more smuggling and human trafficking activities while maritime theft activities occurred in the southern area.

“Last year, we foiled 13 attempted robberies in the southern region,” he said.

He said that the number of smuggling cases in the southern region had declined from 28 cases in 2009 to 23 last year.

Admiral Mohd Amdan urged anyone with information on maritime crime activities to contact the APMM southern region hotline at 07-2199 401.

NATO plans Europe-wide missile-defence system

NATO has decided to develop a missile defence capability able to provide full coverage and protection for all alliance European populations, territory and forces against the increasing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles, the heads of state and governments participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Lisbon announced on 20 November.

The scope of NATO's current Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) programme's command, control and communications capabilities is to be expanded beyond the protection of NATO deployed forces to include the protection of NATO European populations, territory and forces.

This decision was taken in light of the perceived level of threat, the likely affordability and technical feasibility and the latest common threat assessments agreed by the alliance. An action plan addressing the steps to implement such a capability is to be drafted by the time of the planned NATO defence ministers' meeting in June 2011.

The current ALTBMD programme is a multiphase project intended to protect NATO-deployed forces against short- and medium-range ballistic missile threats up to a 3,000 km range. The final goal is to deploy a multilayered system comprising lower- and upper-layer defences around 2018. This would include battle-management, communications, command and control (BMC3I), early warning sensors, radars and various interceptors.

India authorises BrahMos integration facility

The Indian government has approved the expansion of BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited to set up an integration complex for the BrahMos missile on land owned by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Although funding has been provided for the new facility, construction cannot start until the land is made available. This can only be done once the IAF obtains suitable land for construction of housing for airmen, presumably to replace accommodation that will be demolished to make room for the planned new complex.

BrahMos is being developed under a collaborative project by Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya Machine Building Research and Production Centre and the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation to create a ramjet-powered cruise missile based on the Russian SS-N-26 (3M55 Oniks/Yakhont). Originally fielded as an anti-ship missile, BrahMos was later modified to serve as a land-attack cruise missile.

The most recent BrahMos firing was of a Block III+ version. This was test-fired on 3 December 2010 at the Interim Test Range in Orissa. The trial was intended as a further demonstration of the missile's ability to fly large-scale manoeuvres culminating in a steep dive onto the target.

Sri Lankan troops uncover LTTE submersibles

A construction facility containing four underwater vehicles has been discovered by the Sri Lanka Army following the capture of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE's) final urban stronghold of Mullaittivu on 28 January.

An armour-plated submersible, measuring about 35 ft (10.7 m) in length, and three smaller vessels were found at an LTTE base in Udayarkattukulam.

The smaller craft were "pedal-type suicide boats", according to the Sri Lanka Media Centre of National Security (MCNS). It is unclear whether the submersibles were used in operations. The Sri Lanka Navy lost two vessels to underwater explosions in 2008.

U.S. Army building smarter robots

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Army is exploring ways to upgrade its fleet of roughly 3,000 small tactical robots in Iraq and Afghanistan designed to safeguard Soldiers by clearing buildings and caves and using sensors to sweep areas for Improvised Explosive Devices, service officials said.

New technologies bring the promise of deploying small robots which can search for bombs, map areas and detect hazardous materials -- all with little or no tele-operation or human intervention.

"We are moving along that spectrum from tele-operating to semi-autonomy where you can send a robot from point A to point B without any intervention. If it has a problem, it will pop up and indicate it has found an obstacle," said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David Thompson, project manager with the Robotic Systems Joint Program Office.

The Army and Marine Corps are working with industry and academic partners to look at ways to add new software to existing robots -- such as iRobot's PackBot and Qinetic North America's TALON -- enabling them to perform more functions and navigate uncertain terrain without needing their every move to be controlled or tele-operated by a human.

"We are looking at ways to make the systems that we already have out there better. We are working with infantry and the (Military Police) to look at how we can enhance the capabilities of our current robots to meet their needs," said Thompson.

Some of the newer robotic capabilities, such as automatic self-righting and retro-traversing, enable robots to correct course, change direction or turn right-side up -- by themselves.

"We're looking for modularity and interoperability. It will take the burden off the user. I want a robot to go from point A to point B by itself, and tell me when it gets there," Thompson said. "We're going to get better interface with the cameras and the grippers -- and a lot more understanding of where the robot sits in space."

A more autonomous robot allows the user to free up energy which would otherwise be focused purely on navigating the robot. This will allow the user to attend to additional concerns, robotic functions or threats.

"We want to be able to allow Soldiers to interact with the robots at a high level of supervisory input to the robots. To do that, the robot has to start understanding where it is, start understanding about what is in the way, and how to get around obstacles," said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive officer, iRobot.

For instance, iRobot's AwareHead supervisory control system software enables semi-autonomous navigation; the robot uses infrared sensors to map an area by itself, allowing a human controller to point-and-click on a touch-screen to send the robot to a given destination.

"When we started, we had one robot and one controller, now you have much more operational and logistical flexibility. The exciting part is we're right at the cusp of much, much smarter robots. Yesterday's robots were head down, one guy controlling the robot every step of the way. Now, we are talking about robots that can do much more for themselves," said Joseph Dyer, chief operating officer, iRobot.

QinetiQ North America is also working with the Army and Marine Corps to advance robotics technology; at Fort Benning, Ga., their TALON Explosive Ordnance Disposal robot recently demonstrated an ability to navigate and map a room without human intervention, company officials said.

"We demonstrated a completely autonomous TALON robot with chemical, biological and radiological detection abilities. A map was created about 1,000 meters away from the building showing what was inside a building and where the hazards were -- the robot was able to do that without any tele-operation," said Robert Quinn, vice president, TALON Operations, QinetiQ North America.

"In Afghanistan, 80 percent of the IEDs are homemade explosives, so having the ability in 30 minutes or less to do a complete investigation of buildings and check for homemade explosives -- without Soldiers ever entering the building -- is awfully important," Quinn said.

In order to maximize the occasion to learn from Soldiers in combat and harness their critical feedback, the Robotic Systems Joint Program Office has several facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, Thompson said.

"Feedback that we need from the warfighters is critical," he said.

"You can send it out there where a man should not go in order to counter a threat and do the dull, dirty, or dangerous jobs," said Thompson. "I would rather have a robot blown up than a Soldier or Marine."