LEN Teken MoU Kembangkan Data Taktis Nasional Bersama Thales SIX GTS

25 April 2024

Penanda-tanganan MoU PT Len Industri dan Thales Six GTS (photos: LEN)

PT Len Industri (Persero) selaku induk holding BUMN industri pertahanan DEFEND ID diwakili Direktur Utama PT Len Industri (Persero) Bobby Rasyidin bersama Direktur Utama Thales Six GTS France SAS Christophe Salomon melakukan penandatanganan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) di kantor Pusat Thales SIX GTS France SAS, pada Selasa (16/4).

Pada proses penandatanganan Direktur Utama PT Len Industri (Persero) Bobby Rasyidin didampingi secara langsung oleh Wakil Menteri BUMN Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, Mayor Arh Nugroho Budi Prasetyo selaku Asathan RI KBRI Paris, Sekertaris Kedutaan Besar Indonesia di Perancis Dimas Mohammad Halif, dan Pascale Sourisse selaku President dan CEO Thales Internasional.

MoU ini menitikberatkan pada kerja sama dalam proyek dan bisnis pengembangan produk pertahanan khususnya bidang data taktis Nasional dan Aero Connectivity dengan end customer yakni TNI AU.

(LEN)

Vietnam Berniat untuk Membeli Howitzer Korea K9

25 April 2024

Pada bulan April 2023 delegasi Vietnam telah mengunjungi Hanoi untuk melihat langsung howitzer K9, dimana dikabarkan bahwa Vietnam membutuhkan howitzer 155mm sebanyak 108 unit (photo : KDB)

Kementerian Pertahanan Vietnam (MoD) telah mengindikasikan bahwa mereka berencana untuk membeli self-propelled howitzer (SPH) K9 – yang dikembangkan dan diproduksi oleh Hanwha Aerospace Korea Selatan – untuk Tentara Rakyat Vietnam.

Wakil Menteri Pertahanan Nasional Vietnam Hoang Xuan Chien menyatakan niatnya untuk membeli K9 pada 'Dialog Strategi Pertahanan Korea-Vietnam ke-11' yang diadakan di Hanoi pada tanggal 23 April, menurut siaran pers yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Pertahanan Nasional Korea Selatan (MND) satu hari kemudian.

“Chien mengevaluasi sistem persenjataan Korea dan menyatakan niatnya untuk memperluas kerja sama industri pertahanan, termasuk pengenalan sistem senjata Korea seperti K9 SPH [ke dalam Tentara Rakyat Vietnam] dan meminta kerja sama dari pemerintah Korea untuk tujuan ini,” kata MND.

Selain itu, kedua belah pihak sepakat untuk memperkuat kerja sama di berbagai bidang seperti keamanan maritim, keamanan siber, dan logistik, tambah MND.

Untuk memperluas kerja sama pertahanan dan industri pertahanan, kedua negara sepakat bahwa bidang kerja sama yang baru dibahas akan ditambahkan ke perjanjian kerja sama pertahanan bilateral yang ditandatangani pada tahun 2010, menurut MND.

Pada bulan April 2023 juru bicara Hanwha Aerospace mengonfirmasi kepada Janes bahwa pejabat Vietnam mengunjungi fasilitas Hanwha untuk meninjau K9 SPH.

Vietnam membutuhkan artileri baru untuk menggantikan persenjataannya yang sudah berumur puluhan tahun, termasuk howitzer M114 155 mm dan howitzer M101 105 mm. Kabarnya, Tentara Rakyat Vietnam berupaya mendapatkan 108 unit howitzer 155 mm.

(Jane's)

Australia Plan to Power Up the Air Domain

24 April 2024

Air Force's F-35A Lightning II jets will receive lethality and survivability enhancements under the Government's funding plan (photo: US Air Force)

Air Force will have enhanced strike and air-mobility options across the north-east Indian Ocean through to the Pacific, thanks to large funding commitments in the 2024 Integrated Investment Program. 

About $28 billion to $33 billion is earmarked to bolster RAAF capabilities to support Defence’s new strategy of deterring potential adversaries from moving against Australia, as well as providing aerial surveillance of maritime approaches. 

More than $10 billion will go to air mobility, with a focus on acquiring 20 C-130J Hercules aircraft to replace the current fleet of 12 older-model Hercules aircraft.

Australia acquired 20 C-130J Super Hercules to replace 12 older model (photo: Aus DoD) 

An estimated $10 billion to $12 billion will continue combat aircraft upgrades to mitigate threats and maintain interoperability with partners and allies. 

This includes lethality and survivability enhancements for the F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growlers. 

About $5 billion to $7 billion will go to air-launched strike weapons, including the development of hypersonic missiles.

MQ-28A Ghost Bat loyal wingman (photo: Boeing Defense)

An investment of more than $4 billion will help develop and acquire uncrewed air systems, including the MQ-28A Ghost Bat.

The next stage of development of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat is already approved, which will progress the MQ-28A’s integration with crewed aircraft, and the MQ-28A’s mission payloads, integrated combat system and autonomous systems.

Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance will receive nearly $4 billion for P-8A Poseidon sustainment and upgrades, acquisition of a fourth MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft and delivery of an MC-55A Peregrine fleet.

MC-55A Peregrine during test (photo: Centennial Plane Spotter)

Much of the more than $14 billion in missile defence will go towards the joint air battle management system, airborne early warning and control systems and the Jindalee Operational Radar Network.

Northern air base infrastructure will benefit from about $6 billion, and about $4 billion will go towards bolstering resilience of fuel supplies. 

The National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program are available on the National Defence Strategy website. 

(Aus DoD)

PH Navy: Use of Retired China-made Tanker in Balikatan Coincidental

24 April 2024

Ex BRP Lake Caliraya (photo: u2274943)

MANILA – The selection of the decommissioned oil tanker BRP Lake Caliraya for a sinking exercise as part of this year's Balikatan exercises between Filipino and American soldiers is coincidental, a ranking official of the Philippine Navy (PN) said Tuesday.

PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad made the remark after China called the act provocative.

In an April 20 editorial, China's state-run English newspaper Global Times claimed that the BRP Lake Caliraya was built in a Chinese shipyard for the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), which it called "a witness to previous cooperation between China and the Philippines."

The PNOC donated the BRP Lake Caliraya, formerly known as M/T Lapulapu, to the Navy in 2014.

Meanwhile, PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. said he does not see anything wrong with the move.

"There’s no issue with that. The vessel has been used in the Philippines (for a) long long time so any attachment to China—if ever there’s any—it doesn’t matter at all,” Adaci said in a press briefing at the Navy headquarters in Manila.

Ex BRP Lake Caliraya (photo: SCMP)

He also added that it is customary to use decommissioned Navy ships in "any ship sinking activity conducted" in any part of the world.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported that 124 assorted Chinese ships were monitored in seven features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from April 16 to 22.

These include 110 so-called "Chinese Maritime Militia Vessels" (CMMVs), 11 China Coast Guard Vessels (CCGVs) and three ships from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

Out of this number, seven CCGVs and 31 CMMVs were off Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal); three CCGVs and 28 CMMVs detected off Ayungin Shoal; one PLAN vessel, one CCGV, and 44 CCMVs off Pagasa Island; three CMMVs off Parola Island; one PLAN vessel off Lawak Island; four CMMVs off Panata Island and one PLAN in Patag Island.

In the same briefing, Trinidad said the upsurge in the numbers of the CMMVs coincided with Monday's opening of the annual "Balikatan" exercise between the AFP and US military forces.

In the previous weeks, he said there were only around 50 to 110 Chinese vessels sighted in the WPS.

"So there is a surge in the presence of maritime militia specifically in Bajo de Masinloc and Pagasa,” he added. 

(PNA)

KSAU Sebut TNI AU Segera Miliki Pesawat Nirawak Baru

24 April 2024

Anka UCAV (photo: Daily Sabah)

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Kepala Staf Angkatan Udara (KSAU) Marsekal TNI Mohammad Tonny Harjono menyebutkan TNI AU segera memiliki pesawat nirawak baru yang akan melengkapi alat utama sistem senjata (alutsista) nasional.

Tonny Harjono usai acara HUT ke-78 TNI AU di Lapangan Dirgantara AAU, Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Senin, menjelaskan pesawat terbang tanpa awak  itu berteknologi satelit sehingga mampu mendukung pertempuran "beyond visual range" (BVR) atau pertempuran udara jarak jauh.

"Kita bisa menerbangkan dari luar area yang ingin kita pantau misalnya di Papua atau di daerah mana, kita bisa menerbangkan dari luar Papua," kata dia.

Tonny menyebutkan sejumlah pesawat nirawak yang tengah didatangkan tersebut antara lain drone CH-4, Anka, serta Bayraktar dengan jenis "Medium Altitude Long Endurance" (MALE).

"Mohon doa restunya angkatan udara menjadi angkatan udara yang adaptif mengikuti perkembangan teknologi dan perkembangan situasi nasional, regional, maupun global," kata Tonny Harjono.

Bayraktar TB2 UCAV (photo: Forbes)

Menurut dia, drone atau pesawat tanpa awak modern tersebut merupakan bagian dari pesawat alutsista baru yang sedang didatangkan untuk memperkuat TNI AU.

Pada 2026, kata dia, pemerintah RI juga akan kedatangan 42 unit pesawat tempur Rafale secara bertahap sekaligus merencanakan modernisasi radar.

Selain itu, ujar Tonny, TNI AU juga bakal kedatangan pesawat angkut Airbus A400M, pesawat sistem kendali dan peringatan udara (Airborne Warning and Control System/AWACS), serta pesawat pengisian bahan bakar (tanker) atau Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).

Menurut dia, sejumlah pesawat itu bakal memperkuat alutsista nasional yang sudah ada sebelumnya mulai dari pesawat angkut sipil dari CASA, helikopter, hingga pesawat angkut militer VIP jenis Falcon.

Dia menyadari bahwa berbagai kegiatan TNI AU, termasuk dalam pengadaan alutsista amat dipengaruhi kebijakan pemerintah dalam memberikan dukungan anggaran.

"Kami juga berterima kasih kepada bapak Menhan (Prabowo Subiyanto) yang sudah melengkapi angkatan udara dengan berbagai alutsista," ujar Tonny.

(Antara)

Australia Invests for Australian Army Capabilities

23 April 2024

Army Aviation will operate 40 UH-60M Black Hawks, 29 AH-64E Apache and an expanded fleet of 14 CH-47F Chinooks (photo: Northrop Grumman)

Preparing Army to deny adversaries

Littoral manoeuvre, land-based strike and battlefield aviation are among the Australian Army capabilities to receive large investment commitments under the newly released Integrated Investment Program. 

The spending will enable Army to deny a potential adversary’s freedom of action, as outlined by the National Defence Strategy, released on April 17. 

Direct investments in the amphibious-capable combined-arms land system total about $36 billion to $44 billion. 

18 medium and eight heavy landing craft to be based in Queensland (photo: Aus DoD)

Additional investments include about $3.9 billion to $4.9 billion for land-based strike, about $5.2 billion to $7.2 billion for land command systems and more than $9 billion for Army’s estate and infrastructure.

The funding will help optimise Army for littoral manoeuvre in Australia’s northern approaches and includes the development of long-range land and maritime strike systems.

About $7 billion to $10 billion will be set aside for 18 medium and eight heavy landing craft to be based in south-east Queensland, north Queensland and Darwin, and $5 billion to $7 billion for supporting infrastructure. The landing craft will be built in Australia and delivered between 2026 and 2037.

42 HIMARS will equip Army (photo: Aus DoD)

Land-based strike funding includes the accelerated acquisition of 42 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems with precision strike and guided multiple launch munitions. After the first long-range fires regiment is established, missile stockpiles will progressively increase.

Investment also includes new land-based radar networks to improve Defence’s ability to detect and track approaching threats. 

In battlefield aviation, $9 billion to $10 billion will fund 40 UH-60M Black Hawks, 29 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and an expanded fleet of 14 CH-47F Chinooks.

The Integrated Investment Program beds in funding for previously announced acquisitions such as the Redback infantry fighting vehicle, M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and Huntsman self-propelled howitzer.

Redback IFV (photo: Aus DoD)

Between $1.6 billion and $2.1 billion is earmarked to modernise special operations capability, enabling continued reconnaissance, targeting, strike, technical operations and enhanced engagement.

The restructure of Army's divisions, commands and formations began in 2023. The new structure includes specialised combat and support brigades, and a new dedicated fires brigade and littoral manoeuvre group.

The public National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program is available on the National Defence Strategy website.  

(Aus DoD)

KRI Dewa Kembar 932 Ditugaskan Untuk Kegiatan Operasi Survei dan Pemetaan Hidro-oseanografi

23 April 2024

KRI Dewa Kembar 932 (photo: Antara)

Danpushidrosal Tekankan Prajurit KRI Dewa Kembar-932 Pertahankan Kondisi Teknis Kapal agar selalu siap dukung Opssurta Hidros

Jakarta --- Komandan Pusat Hidro-Oseanografi TNI Angkatan Laut (Danpushidrosal) Laksamana Madya TNI Budi Purwanto menekankan kepada seluruh prajurit pengawak KRI Dewa Kembar-932 agar mempertahankan kebersihan dan kondisi teknis kapal agar siap mendukung tugas-tugas Pushidrosal, utamanya dalam kegiatan Operasi Survei dan Pemetaan Hidro-oseanografi (Opssurta Hidros).

Kunjungan Kapushidrosal ke KRI Dewa Kembar 932 (photo: Pushidrosal)

Demikian disampaikan Danpushidrosal Laksamana Madya TNI Budi Purwanto saat mengadakan kunjungan ke KRI Dewa Kembar-932 saat bersandar di Dermaga Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) 2 Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, Jakarta Utara, Kamis (18/4/2024).

Kunjungan yang didampingi Wadanpushidrosal Laksamana Muda TNI Rony saleh, Asopssurta Danpushidrosal Laksamana Pertama TNI Dyan Primana Sobarudin, Aslog Danpushidrosal Kolonel Laut (T) Sidyk Wahono, Dansatsurvei Kolonel Laut (P) Hendi Suhendi, Kadisharkap Pushidrosal Kolonel Laut (T) Cok Bagus Alit dan Kadisveranautikas Kolonel laut (E) Trijoko tersebut di terima langsung oleh Komandan KRI Dewa kembar-932 Letkol Laut (P) Mustika Ari Wibowo.

Dalam kunjungannya Komandan KRI Dewa Kembar memaparkan kepada Danpushidrosal beserta pejabat Pushidrosal yang mendampingi tentang pelaksanaan tugasnya dalam melaksanakan operasi survei dan pemetaan hidro-oseanografi (Opsurta Hidros) yang sedang dilaksanakan KRI Dewa Kembar-932 saat ini guna menjamin keselamatan pelayaran di perairan Indonesia.

Diakhir kunjungannya, Danpushidrosal beserta pejabat Pushidrosal mengecek secara langsung KRI Dewa Kembar-932 yang tengah melaksanakan Opssurta Hidros setelah selesai dalam masa pemeliharaan perbaikan tingkat depo diantaranya perbaikan pemeliharaan sistem bangun kapal, dan sistem pendorong kapal.

(Pushidrosal)