Singapore Picks SPYDER Air Defense System

Singapore Airshow

Defense News

02/25/08

Singapore Picks SPYDER Air Defense System

By WENDELL MINNICK

SINGAPORE — Singapore will buy the SPYDER Short Range Mobile Air Defense System, pro­duced by Israel-based Rafael, to replace the Sin­gapore Air Force’s short-range air-defense missile system, a source here confirmed.

This is just one of several air-defense compe­titions in Southeast Asia, where such weapons are in growing demand.

The SPYDER will replace the Rapier Low Level Air Defense system, a clear-weather optical sys­tem consisting of a fire unit, optical tracker and generator.

“We are in final negotiations with Rafael for the system,” the source said.

Rafael did not respond to requests for comment. The announcement is expected immi­nently, said sources at the Singapore Airshow, held here Feb. 19-24.

Singapore issued the tender in December 2006, seeking a mobile air-defense system that could be integrated into its military network. The deadline was extended to April 2007 to maximize options for the competitors.

“It is not so much about the missile as it is about integration of new and expanded capa­bilities to address concern everybody has for asymmetrical threats,” a source said.

Sources at the show suggested that Rafael is offering Singapore the option of supplying the command-and-control and radar for the SPYDER. There was no offset requirement, but there is an expectation that there will be a technology transfer. And sources say there was “implied in­dustrial participation” and that “somewhere and somehow ST Engineering will have some piece of this.” Sources said Singapore does not need inde­pendent force protection for expeditionary mis­sions and that Singapore’s unique urban envi­ronment has to be taken into consideration, though it was not part of the requirement.

“One of the key advantages of the SPYDER sys­tem is we can detect air breathing targets, such as UAVs, glider bombs and aircraft, without any limitation. There is no system that can deal with these types of multiple threats,” said Joseph Horowitz, business director and marketing di­rector, Air & Missile Defense Systems, Rafael.

The SPYDER comes in short- and medium-range versions. The short­ range version fires both the Derby Radar BVR Surface-to-Air Missile for short and medium range and the Python-5 Full Sphere Infrared Surface-to-Air Missile for very short range.

The SPYDER appears to have de­feated two rivals.

U.K.-based MBDA Missile Sys­tems proposed the Vertical Launch MICA Short Range Air Defence System, a fire-and-forget modular all-weather system mounted on a 5-ton truck.

“We are proposing long-term technology transfer cooperation with the Singapore authorities,” said Carol Reed, MBDA’s head of marketing and external communi­cations.

“MBDA is looking forward to working with the Ministry of Defence and has been a long­standing partner. We supplied the Aster-15 [surface-to-air missile] for the new frigates [Formidable­-class]. Historically, we have been working with the Singapore Armed Forces since the 1980s with the Rapier and Mistral.” Raytheon and Norwegian-based Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace teamed to pitch the Surface ­Launched Advanced Air-to-Air Mis­sile system with a Kongsberg command-and-control unit.

“We have a very close teaming relationship going back 30 years,” said Kyrre Lohne, manager, mar­keting, Integrated Air Defence Sys­tems, Kongsberg.

Lohne and Stephen Ladd, Raytheon senior manager, Busi­ness Solutions – Alliances, said, “We are waiting to hear the an­nouncement.” “From a KDA/Raytheon perspective, the whole [Asia-Pacific] region is a rich air-defense oppor­tunity environment,” Ladd said. “The asymmetrical threat is a growing concern while the region also worries about the larger glob­al security threat and what that means to homeland security.”

Thales Pitches Air Defense

In Southeast Asia, air defense is seen as a growing priority.

Meanwhile, French systems company Thales has pitched its Starstreak multimission missile to two Asian countries looking to buy very short-range air-defense sys­tems, said Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the air-systems division.

Chinese and Polish suppliers are contenders in one of the Asian competitions.

“It is in the mid- to final stage,” de Juniac said at the Singapore Airshow. He declined to name the countries.

Simmering regional tension and rising defense spending in the Asian region are the backdrop for Thales’ efforts to secure its first sale of the multimission Starstreak. Thales also hopes to find Euro­pean buyers for the weapon, de Ju­niac said. The company has large­ly paid for development of the new version of the hypervelocity Star­streak from its own funds.

The multimission Starstreak is designed for use against both air­craft and armored vehicles.

The main sensor is based on optronics, rather than radar, to detect and track the target.
The vehicle-mounted weapon complies with requirements for de­ployed forces, de Juniac said. Ex­peditionary forces look for equip­ment that is easy to maintain and has a common logistics chain. The company hopes to win sales by of­fering a single system that protects against land and air threats with the same missile, while simplifying training and support needs.

Long-standing territorial jeal­ousies have fueled security con­cerns in the region, with neighbors and near neighbors jockeying for marine and land resources.

Singapore and Malaysia have contested ownership of the island of Batu Puteh, while Indonesia has claimed the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan. The Philippines dispute ownership of the Malaysian terri­tory Sabah.

In the region, Thailand is a prospect for a modern air-defense system but the political situation needs to stabilize before procure­ment decisions can be made, de Juniac said.

India is an important market for air-defense capabilities, marked by a strong demand for local in­dustrial participation and transfer of technology. The challenge there was the long gestation time for decisions.

Thales has offered the Crotale Mk 3 extended-range missile linked to the Shikra radar to countries in North Africa, Arabian Gulf and Greece. The weapon has not been pitched in Asia so far. The hyperve­locity Crotale missile has an ex­tended range out to 50 kilometers from a previous 10-12 kilometers.

Singapore and Malaysia have arms ties to France. The DCNS has sold two Scorpene diesel-electric patrol submarines to Kuala Lumpur, while Singapore bought six Formidable-class frigates from the French naval company. The Defense Science and Technology Agency is integrating the combat systems. One defense executive said the integration seemed to be at basic level. Pierre Tran contributed to this report from Singapore.

T-50 Competing for Singapore Trainer Requirement

Singapore Airshow

Defense News

02/21/08

T-50 Competing for Singapore Trainer Requirement

By Wendell Minnick

Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries are confident they will win the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) requirement for a new advanced jet trainer (AJT).

Singapore issued a Request for Information in 2007 to select defense companies with a deadline at the end of the year. Singapore is expected to submit a Request for Proposals by the end of 2008 with a final decision expected to be announced in the 2009 or 2010 timeframe.

J.R. Wildridge, Lockheed Martin's T-50 marketing director, said here in Singapore that the T-50 offers a cost-effective bridge from primary training to high performance fighters.

"The T-50 is relatively easy to fly in terms of airframe design, digital flight controls, and on-board systems," Wildridge said. It includes embedded training features, a mission planning and debriefing system, as well as a comprehensive ground-based training system."

The T-50 is a joint development of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to produce a supersonic lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT). It is designed to allow for air forces to transition from fourth generation fighters like the F-16 to fifth generation fighters like the F-35 and F-22, said Wildridge.

Currently, the Korean air force has begun using the 20 T-50s delivered for instructor pilot training. Plans are to deliver a total of 72 T-50s to the Korean air force for AJT and LIFT. Lockheed Martin also said that Korea was planning to procure around 60 FA-50s for the air force. The FA-50 is a light attack variant for close air support and reconnaissance. The FA-50 development program is expected to begin in late this year, said Wildridge.

Lockheed would say little about the procurement battle.

"We just started the process on how they want to proceed. We flew the aircraft here last year for a demonstration," said Wildridge. Potential markets include Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The U.S. air force is also a potential market with the replacement of T-38s, he said.

Alex Jun, vice president, KAI Aircraft marketing, stated that "we responded completely with their RFI. That's all I can say at this time."

Jun stated there "always are co-production options" and that all offsets requirements were addressed in the RFI. "As for unit price we are confident. We are looking at the overall costs of training a student."

Jun pointed to potential modifications to the aircraft that allow for more options for the customer. "The aircraft has the potential to accommodate larger engines in the future," he said. "We are going to propose a generic weapons system that can be tailored to the customers needs."

CATIC Shows Off Flight Simulator

Defense News

02/20/08

Singapore Airshow

CATIC Shows Off Flight Simulator

By Wendell Minnick

Beijing-based China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corp. (CATIC) displayed the JF-17/FC-1 flight simulator in Singapore this week. The simulator is the creation of the Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute (CADI) and is only the third time CADI has displayed the simulator at an international air show, said a CATIC official.

The Pakistan JF-17 Thunder is a variant of the Chinese FC-1 Fierce Dragon (Xiaolong) and the simulator is expected to be exported to Pakistan in large quantities, but CATIC officials claimed only three simulator sales to Pakistan.

Chinese officials were tightlipped about the simulator, but according to a CADI brochure, the simulator "duplicates the JF-17/FC-1 cockpit and all relevant equipment. With the sophisticated simulation software which simulates the aircraft and avionics features, it supplies an efficient environment for the pilot training." The simulator provides basic fighter training, emergency procedure training and combat mission training.

Both the FC-1 and the JF-17 were jointly designed and developed by CADI and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Karma in the 1990s. The delta-winged, single-engine fighter tops out at Mach 1.7 and is seen by many defense analysts as a cheaper, more rugged competitor to the F-16.

"JF-17/FC-1 is a highly effective and low cost aircraft, and could satisfy modern operational requirements," said the CADI brochure.

The RD-93 has a basic thrust of 11,090 pounds, and with afterburner 18,260 pounds. It is a variant of the RD-33, which powers the MiG-29 fighter. However, Russia refuses to sell the engine directly to Pakistan due largely to pressure from India, which has been a loyal customer of Russian equipment for over 40 years, and China has not been able to secure an export license from Russia for the engine.

For Pakistan, the JF-17 has been a nightmare.

"The JF-17 is still unstable," said Andrei Chang, China military specialist with Asia-based Kanwa Information Center. "If India accepts the Russian MiG-35 they have the political influence to keep Russia from selling the RD-93 engine to China for use on the JF-17. Russia has only sold 15 RD-93s to China in the past five years, and rumors are Russia is hesitant."

China and Pakistan are reportedly working jointly to develop the Karakoram-8 advanced jet trainer to be in both countries with final assembly in China. Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Pakistan's Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, and CADI began the program in 1999.

Founded in 1970, both CATIC and CADI has been successful in producing top-line fighters and helicopters, including the J-7, JF-17 and the J-10. The CATIC booth is displaying static models and brochures of the K-8 trainer for advanced and basic fighter training, the FTC-2000 advanced lead-in fighter trainer, the Y-12E light turboprop aircraft, the police-version of the Z9-H410A Multi-Purpose Civil Helicopter and the JF-17.

Taiwan's AIDC Pushing Forward with IDF-2 Upgrade

Defense News

02/20/08

Singapore Airshow

Taiwan's AIDC Pushing Forward with IDF-2 Upgrade

By Wendell Minnick

Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC), the maker of both commercial and military aviation products, is preparing for orders from the Taiwan air force for an upgrade of one wing of F-CK-1 Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) into IDF-II "Goshawk" joint strike fighters.

At present, AIDC has upgraded one IDF into the IDF-II and completely built a new twin-seater IDF-II, said Kent Feng, AIDC Chairman.

"A possible budget in 2009 and a build program are expected in 2010," said Feng.

AIDC is displaying a model of the IDF-II at its booth at the Singapore Airshow. AIDC launched the seven-year Hsiang Sheng (Soaring Upgrade) program in 2000, when the Cabinet allocated $225.5 million to turn two air-interdiction IDFs into "joint strike fighters" with longer range and larger payloads. The upgrade allows the IDF to carry an extra 771 kilograms of fuel and payload, doubles the loadout of Tien Chien 2 (Sky Sword) air-to-air missiles to four, and adds the ability to carry the Tien Chien 2A anti-radiation missile and the Wan Chien (Ten Thousand Swords) bomb, both produced by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST). It also upgrades the mission computer, electronic warfare system and radar.

Feng retired from the Taiwan air force in 2006 as a three-star general (equivalent to a U.S. four star) and chief of general staff. He served as an F-5 fighter pilot during his tenure as wing commander of the 443 Tactical Fighter Wing in Tainan from 1993-1994.

Feng sought to calm fears in the U.S. defense industry that Taiwan was attempting to build its own fighter and forego orders of 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters currently being debated in the U.S.

"The U.S. side is saying, 'are you really going to build the IDF-II? We are going to sell you the F-16s? Why build them? You are trying to build the IDF-II to pressure the U.S. to sale the F-16s.' The Taiwan air force wants the F-16s, but there are problems," said Feng.

Feng is referring to U.S. debate on whether additional F-16s would be politically and diplomatically sound. Beijing has threatened the U.S. repeatedly to stop further weapon sales to Taiwan and has used its economic, diplomatic and political power to influence Washington. The Taiwan air force has been told on four occasions by U.S. officials not to submit an official request until after Taiwan's presidential election in March, say defense sources in Taipei and Washington.

"Even if the F-16 is released, the U.S. will not sell us all the weapon systems, but the IDF-II can carry any of the weapons CSIST produces," said Feng.

CSIST manufacturers a wide range of bombs, missiles and radars. Feng cited U.S. rejections of Taiwan's request for Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM).

Feng also expressed some disappointment in the Taiwan army's decision to procure AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawks to replace the army's aging inventory of UH-1H utility helicopters and to supplement its two wings of AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. Bell Helicopter had offered Taiwan a co-build and co-assembly deal for both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters should the army choose them.

"We need the jobs and to upgrade technical skills. The Bell program would have done it," said Feng.

However, Feng said that AIDC and Pratt Whitney had just signed a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) contract in 2007 for the F-100 engine used in the F-16 fighter. The MRO program will begin in July 2008.

AIDC is also doing research and development for the AT-X jet trainer program to replace the F-5 Tigers, which are used as a technical trainer. Feng explained this is not intended to replace the AT-3, which is an advanced trainer. Taiwan also uses the T-34 as a basic trainer. All three aircraft were manufactured by AIDC.

At present, Taiwan's air force has around 60 F-5s, which are scheduled to begin retirement in 2013. However, the air force might extend the life of the F-5s indefinitely depending on the budget.

AIDC is flipping the bill for the AT-X research and development program, and has received no "seed money" from the government for the program, said Feng. "In our system you have to get accepted, and then approved, and then you get a budget," he said.

ST Engineering Shows Off Spider

Defense News

02/19/08

Singapore Airshow Website

ST Engineering Shows Off Spider

By Wendell Minnick

The 4x4 Spider Light Strike Vehicle, armed with a 120mm smoothbore mortar system, has been undergoing some modifications to make it lighter, said Tay King Penh, senior engineer, Singapore Kinetics' Engineering Development Centre, here at the Singapore Airshow.

"The payload cannot exceed three metric tons," said Tay. "The suspension must be able to handle the weight of the vehicle so we are also doing improvements to reduce the weight of the whole system."

The Spider looks more like a dune buggy than a military platform, but it is equipped with the Super Rapid Advanced Mortar System (SRAMS) built also by ST Kinetics. "This is a High Mobility Light Vehicle," said Tay. "It is made out of a tubular space frame, which makes it very light. The rear power pack engine is a 4-cylinder Peugeot," he said.

The Spider system has a three man crew. Two ride in the SRAMS-equipped vehicle and one rides in the tandem ammunition support vehicle. The vehicle has a maximum speed of 120 km/h and an unladen weight of 1,700 kilograms.

The vehicle can only carry six 120mm rounds for the SRAMS, he said, so a tandem vehicle, minus mortar, provides the ammunition. With a high rate of fire, up to 10 rounds a minute, six rounds clearly will not be enough. At present, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has procured 50 units for the army, said Tay. However, "no foreign orders have been placed."

The SRAMS is a unique mortar system that can be outfitted on a variety of platforms, including the Spider, Humvee and the Bronco tracked vehicle.

"ST Kinetics' 120mm SRAMS can be mounted and fired onboard wheeled or tracked vehicles. It can be integrated onto any platform without major modifications to the vehicle," according to printed material. With a low recoil of less than 25 tons, the Spider's tubular space frame design can handle the stress. The SRAMS also incorporates a "blast diffuser" that reduces the blast overpressures.

"Thus the safety of troops during continuous top charge firing is greatly reduced," according to the material. The mortar can handle Standard 120mm, 120 ER rounds and rocket-assisted bombs. The recoil rate on the ER rounds is 26 tons. The SRAMS also has a navigation and positioning System, power gun drives and an integrated automatic fire control system.

5 Questions with Walter Doran

Defense News

02/19/08

Singapore Airshow

5 Questions with Walter Doran; President of Raytheon Asia for Raytheon International, Singapore

By Wendell Minnick

Q. Where do you see growth in defense procurement in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia?

A. In terms of growth potential for Raytheon and other U.S. firms, India is clearly a very large market in Asia because we are relative newcomers. Raytheon has previously enjoyed commercial/civilian business success in India. Today, India's military procurement budget is large, with a major focus on modernization. With India-U.S. relations moving into a partnership phase, the stage is set for major growth in defense trade between the two countries. So the future holds promise for U.S. firms and Raytheon, which sees opportunity in a number of areas including the upcoming fighter jet competition, as well as space and air-missile defense.

Q. What are the leading security drivers pushing procurement in Asia? BMD? Maritime? C4ISR?

A. Given the geography, maritime security is central to the defense objectives of most Asian countries, whether you are talking about terrorism or piracy. A major component of that is the integration of sensors, and that's not just on the seas but on the ground and in the air, too. The ability to tie together disparate information into a cohesive, accurate, detailed picture is the linchpin of situational awareness. Everyone needs that ability.

Q. How are U.S. companies fairing against Chinese, European and Russian defense sales in Asia?

A. U.S. companies are extremely competitive in Asia. This owes largely to the strength of U.S. government relations in the region, as well as Raytheon's reputation for superior technology and after-sale support. While we experience strong competition in many places, Raytheon has long had an international presence, and we see additional growth going forward.

Q. How are Homeland Security issues driving the defense market in Asia?

A. Whether you call it homeland security or border security, the reality is that securing the safety of its people is a primary concern for countries across the board. And while the U.S. homeland security market took off somewhat quickly post Sept. 11, the reality is that many countries around the globe are putting in place similar systems intended to limit threats of all types. Studies have shown that by 2011, 60 percent of the world's homeland security budgets will be outside the U.S. and those figures certainly include Asia. We see Raytheon as well positioned to be a leading player in this market. We just won a contract in the U.K. for more than $1.4 billion to erect an advanced border-control system that is likely to be a model for other countries going forward. The idea is to put in place technology that will screen travelers before they board planes, ships or trains bound for the U.K., as well as track all departures to see who has overstayed their visas. So homeland security comes in lots of forms.

Q. How does Singapore, as a country, improve the security of the region (and how it relates to the defense market)?

A. Singapore takes a collaborative approach to security, working to develop good relationships with China, India, the United States and Japan. To provide access to advanced training facilities and territory to exercise in Singapore, the country has developed relationships with the U.S., Australia, India, Taiwan, New Zealand, France, Sweden, Brunei, Indonesia, and Thailand. It has developed scientific and technology relationships with Sweden, the United States, Russia, France, Israel, Australia, and Germany. Singapore also has a special economic and military relationship with the U.S. with several air force squadrons based there. Although technically not aligned, Singapore has always welcomed U.S. presence in the region and was the only country to offer facilities to the U.S. military when they left the Philippines.

Moog Selected by U.S. Navy for TACAN Upgrade

Singapore Airshow

Defense News

Moog Selected by U.S. Navy for TACAN Upgrade

By Wendell Minnick

02/19/08

Moog has been selected by the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Sand Diego, to modernize and upgrade AN/URN-25 shipboard and shore-based Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) systems. The award covers production and technical support with deliveries expected in 2009, said Moog representative Bill Hurst, here in Singapore.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the U.S. Navy on such a significant program. We look forward to modernizing the Navy's legacy TACAN systems with the latest advanced technologies from our MM-7000 platform and meeting the Navy's goal of providing uninterrupted service through 2025," said Greg Kaps, TACAN Program Director, in a press release.

Hurst told Defense News that the U.S. Army could follow the navy's lead in a similar upgrade.

"Because of GPS jamming during the second Gulf War the navy has decided to go back to this system and upgrade it," he said. "Over 35 countries us this system, including Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia," said Hurst. Larger upgrade orders for TACAN are expected globally in the near future, he said.

The MM-7000 platform represents Moog's third-generation TACAN System featuring an integrated design using next-generation digital signal processing, remote maintenance and monitoring capability and built-in testing. Moog has three decades of experience with the TACAN and boasts that its "advanced systems are used in applications around the world and include fixed, shipboard, mobile and man-portable systems compliant with STANAG 5034 and MILSTD-291C."

Timothy Wutz, Moog marketing manager, said that Moog had acquired QuickSet Internation in Sept. 2007. Quickset is a manufacturer of precision positioning systems and pan and tilt mechanisms used to position surveillance cameras, thermal imagers, sensors and communications equipment.

"The company's products are used to position surveillance cameras for securing national borders, commercial ports, strategic missile silos, military airbases and commercial airports," he said.

Moog provides a wide range of products to both commercial and military customers worldwide, said Hurst. Moog is part of the industry team in the development and integration of the primary flight control and leading edge flap actuation systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. "As the prime contract holder, Moog's role includes managing the industry team, integration of the complete actuation system, and supplier of critical technologies and major sub-systems," said Wutz.

Moog also supplies the design, manufacture and integration of 17 primary flight control actuators including main rotor swashplate, flaperon and elevator on the V-22. Moog is also providing the vibration control actuation system, bladefold actuation, nose-wheel steering servo-valves, main prop rotor slip ring, hydraulic fluid compensation module and engine fuel control servo-valves for the V-22.

Big Ideas, Big Dreams; ST Engineering Has Enjoyed Decade of Growth

Defense News

02/18/08

BizWatch

Big Ideas, Big Dreams; ST Engineering Has Enjoyed Decade of Growth

By WENDELL MINNICK SINGAPORE — ST Engineer­ing has undergone phenom­enal growth since it was launched in December 1997 with the merger of four pub­licly listed companies — ST Aerospace, ST Electronics, ST Automotive and ST Ma­rine — into what was then called Singapore Technolo­gies (ST) Group.

The acquisition of another group of companies based in this Southeast Asian city­state in 2000 led to the for­mation of a larger group with the current title. Con­sisting of aerospace, elec­tronics, land systems and marine sectors, ST Engi­neering has a global foot­print of 20 countries and 35 cities.

VT Systems, ST Engineer­ing’s U.S. headquarters in Alexandria, Va., has expand­ed the group’s access to new technologies and provided substantive growth, said Patrick Choy, ST Engineer­ing’s executive vice president for international marketing.

And to exploit emerging opportunities in the defense field, the group is pooling top personnel and resources from its four sectors.

Choy said that “about 30 percent of our business is defense and 70 percent is commercial. Both are grow­ing at a healthy rate.” Dean Lockwood, an ana­lyst with Forecast Interna­tional, Newtown, Conn., said that over the last 10 years, “in terms of individual programs, their small arms programs have done well, and their vehicle programs have done moderately well.” As for ST Engineering’s prospects over the next five years, “in terms of small arms, they have some real opportunities in the interna­tional market,” Lockwood said. “They have innovative designs in ... machine guns, infantry weapons and grenade launchers.

“Regionally, it is wide open for them in East Asia.

DEFENDING A MINISTATE

ST Engineering’s defense activities range from building warships for Singapore’s Navy, maintaining Army weapons and modernizing Air Force C-130s.

Performance by Sector

With $1.6 billion in revenue in 2006, the Aerospace sec­tor’s main capabilities in­clude maintenance, modifi­cation, components and total engine support for civil and military aircraft.

The Electronics sector, which reported $951 million in revenue in 2006, offers combat systems integration, information security, mobile and homeland security sys­tems, satellite communica­tions and electro-optics gear. In 2006, the Electronics sector launched a battlefield management system, com­missioned by the Singapore Armed Forces for the island nation’s third-generation net­worked fighting force, on the Bionix II armored vehicle.

With $1 billion in revenue in 2006, the Land Systems sector’s main capabilities in­clude multirole military plat­forms, weapon systems and advanced munitions, surveil­lance, remote operations and vehicle fleet management systems.

Land Systems offers de­fense products that enable network-centricity and in­creased connectivity, and it is one of the few manufac­turers that provides both 40mm weapons and a wide range of ammunition.

With $702 million in 2006 revenue, the Marine sector offers ship upgrading and conversion, custom-built naval and commercial ves­sels using in-house computer­aided design facilities, stealth technology, and overhaul and maintenance of high-per­formance marine engines.

In 2006, the Marine sector delivered to the Republic of Singapore Navy a pair of locally built, 114-meter-long frigates, the RSS Intrepid and RSS Steadfast, as part of a technology transfer deal with French shipbuilder DCN to build six 3,200-ton frigates for the Navy. DCN built the first frigate, the Formidable, in France, with the remain­ing five built by ST Marine.

The Formidable was com­missioned last May. The In­trepid, Steadfast and RSS Tenacious were commis­sioned Feb. 5. The Stalwart and the Supreme, ST Ma­rine’s final two frigates, will be commissioned next year.

For ST Engineering, 2007 brought a bumper crop. In February, ST Aerospace En­gines won a $5.4 million con­tract from the Brazilian Air Force for the overhaul of 12 Rolls-Royce T56-A-15 en­gines for the service’s C-130 transport planes. Also in February, ST announced that its Land Systems arm won a $13 million contract to main­tain weapons for Singapore’s Army.

The company announced last March that ST Marine won a $400 million contract to provide a ship and sub­marine rescue system to the city-state’s Navy. Also in March, the company signed a $20 million contract with Singapore’s Ministry of De­fence to maintain electro­optical equipment for the military.

The same month, ST Aero­space signed two contracts with Singapore’s Air Force totaling $393 million — the first for the modernization of the C-130 transport fleet, and the other for support of the service’s 16 A-4SU/TA-4SU Skyhawk aircraft.

Search for Approaches

ST Engineering also has launched a Defense Business Group that includes repre­sentatives from all four sec­tors, to exploit emerging trends in the defense field.

The Defense Business Group “looks at implementa­tion of the [company’s] key programs,” Choy said. “So when there are programs that involve more than one sector, this group will come into play and help integrate and ensure the programs are properly implemented and executed.” The group will provide a “special management focus for defense business and look at new technology and services which we can cre­ate ... for our customers,” he said. “We need to think three steps ahead of our customers, so when they come to us and say they have a requirement, we don’t just look at fulfilling just what they want. We also provide options.” Choy pointed to a new concept developed by the group, dubbed Defensphere. It combines urban opera­tions, force networking, perimeter security and force modernization. He described the Defensphere battle man­agement system as a “holis­tic concept to meet the needs of today’s modern armed forces, spanning land, air and sea.

“Defensphere represents the integration of all ele­ments of a tactical light unit with mobility, lethality, sur­vivability as key features and supported by modern technologies — automation, robotics and network-cen­tric capabilities,” Choy added.

“Defensphere deliv­ers the autonomy, integrity, effectiveness and persist­ence demanded of the fu­ture force.”

China’s Charm Offensive -- Sinister or Benign?

Defense News

02/18/08

China’s Charm Offensive -- Sinister or Benign?

By WENDELL MINNICK

TAIPEI — China’s military has been on a massive charm offensive to woo enemies and butter up old friends.

Over the past several years, Beijing has reached beyond Asia to Africa, Europe and South America to establish military­to-military relations, defense agreements, arms sales and wholesale arms freebies to poorer countries the United States has largely ignored.

Some say Beijing is simply doing what any emerging global power would do: se­curing sea lanes of communication, devel­oping military-to-military agreements, pro­viding security for allies in distress, and participating actively in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

Others say China is taking advantage of the U.S. preoccupation with Afghanistan and Iraq, a preoccupation some compare to a runaway father abandoning regional responsibilities in a drunken rage over real and imagined enemies in the Middle East. Whatever the view, it was a packed year for Chinese diplomats, leaders and naval captains.

In January, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan visited Indonesia to dis­cuss ways to improve military manufacturing at state-owned PT Pindad, a weapons manufacturer, and PT PAL, a shipbuilder.

In Beijing, Cao met with Nepal’s Army chief of staff, Roo kmangud Katawal, and Singapore’s permanent secretary for the Defense Ministry, Chiang Chie Foo, to dis­cuss defense cooperation.

In Tonga, Chinese Ambassador Hu Yeshun handed military supplies worth $245,000 to the Tonga Defense Services.

In last year’s historic deployment, China sent warships to Australia, France, Japan, Russia, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom.

In October, China hosted a New Zealand frigate, the Te Kaha, at the Zhanjiang Naval Port, and gave Cambodia nine naval patrol boats to safeguard oil installations in the Gulf of Thailand. Cao met with his coun­terpart, N’Guessan Michel Amani, in Cote d’Ivoire.

In September, Chinese warships visited Sydney; Cao met with Bulgarian counter­part Veselin Bliznakov to promote bilateral ties; Chinese warships held a joint exercise with the British Royal Navy in the Atlantic as part of an extended Chinese naval visit that included Russia, Spain and France; and Japanese military observers attended the Warrior 2007 exercise in China.

Benign Do-Gooders?

Is China’s charm offensive a new way to carry on a zero-sum campaign? Bonnie Glaser, a senior associate with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, says no.

“The Chinese are gradually shifting away from this perspective and no longer see the world purely in 19th-century bal­ance-of-power terms,” Glaser said. “China genuinely needs a favorable strategic en­vironment so it can focus on its domes­tic challenges. Promoting China’s influ­ence does not have to be at the expense of the U.S.” But Bernard Cole, an expert on China’s Navy, sees things in darker terms for the United States.

“‘Sinister’ may not be the right word, but I do think that China wants to be the hege­mon of East Asia,” said Cole, author of “The Great Wall at Sea.” “By that, I mean that Beijing aspires to be in a position where it can effectively — through economic and diplomatic pressure, for the most part — direct the course of events in the region that affect Chinese in­terests. This will certainly impact U.S. allies and interests, but it is the course of action we should expect China to take. The U.S. reaction should be based on policies that strengthen our economic and political posi­tion — notably weakened since 2002 — not by China-bashing.” Some say that China is reusing the strategy that it used over 20 years to mar­ginalize Taiwan in the region and on the world stage: financial incentives, gifts of aid and arms, and outright bribery. The same strategies, now honed, appear to be in use against U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific re­gion and farther afield in Africa, Europe and South America.

However, Glaser argues, there is no con­vincing evidence China is seeking to “push the U.S. out of the region or change the in­ternational system or the regional rules of the game. On the contrary, the Chinese see many benefits from the prevailing arrangements.” She says Beijing is trying to “dispel the China threat theory [and] ease concerns about China’s emergence. The term ‘charm offensive’ sounds rather sinister. China gen­uinely wants and needs good relations with countries in the world.”

Unsettling Moves?

China’s moves have unsettled some in the region.

“Serious reservations remain, certainly among the Southeast Asian nations, but at this time they apparently see no option to ‘going along to get along,’ so long as Beijing behaves itself,” Cole said.

He cited China’s damming of the Mekong River, which is hurting the “economic and social welfare of the downstream nations” such as Cambodia and Vietnam.

John Tkacik, senior research fellow at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, said China is looking to push a distracted United States out of the Asia-Pacific region. “Clearly, Washington … is allowing a laser-focused Beijing to shape the strategic agenda in the Pacific,” Tkacik said, adding that America’s democratic friends and allies in the Asia-Pacific “watch with great anxiety America’s new willingness to accept China’s new preeminence in the region.”

Richard Bitzinger, senior fellow at the In­stitute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Rajaratnam School of International Stud­ies, Singapore, agreed that U.S. leaders are distracted.

“Washington is definitely very preoccu­pied with getting Afghanistan and especial­ly Iraq right, and it just doesn’t want any oth­er complications right now distracting it from its more immediate security chal­lenges,” Bitzinger said. “At the same time, the USA wants China inside the tent with it regarding the ‘global war on terrorism’ and especially efforts to denuclearize North Ko­rea. For these reasons, the Bush adminis­tration is actively playing down any ‘China threat’ talk within its ranks and has effec­tively issued a gag order to this effect.” The result is that “Democratic Asia” has only two strategies in dealing with China’s military rise, Tkacik said.

“They can balance China by encouraging a strong U.S. presence in the region, or they can give up and ‘bandwagon’ with China — that is, they can accept China as suzerain,” he said. “But without an engaged United States, they cannot afford to rearm and de­velop countervailing nuclear options to bal­ance China on their own.” Thomas Kane, a lecturer at the Universi­ty of Hull in Britain and author of “Chinese Grand Strategy and Maritime Power,” be­lieves China’s good will will only go so far.

“The fact is that African nations, which used to prefer working with China as a way of retaining the maximum amount of inde­pendence, now fear Chinese economic dom­inance in the same way that they fear Amer­ican economic dominance,” Kane said.

Mending Fences

What will it take to rebuild the confidence of America’s Asian allies? “I think that the U.S. is indeed overly com­mitted to the so-called war on terrorism, which has resulted — certainly in the minds of Asian leaders — in a significant lessen­ing of American interest and investment (diplomatic and military) in East Asia. This may be as much perception as reality, but it is real, nonetheless,” Cole said. “The U.S. very definitely should increase its represen­tation at ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] meetings and ensure a pres­ence and role proportional to its still-No. 1 economy and military force in the region.” Kane agreed.

“I am also inclined to doubt that a bellicose American response to the so-called charm offensive would serve any good purpose,” he said. “My advice to the U.S. government would be to do what China itself has been trying to do — work on the economy, and then you’ll have something to offer when you launch a charm offensive of your own.”