South East Asia Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Re: ASEAN military news

Indonesia continues it's military build up with the arrival of 4 new EMB-314 Super Tucanos aircraft on saturday from Brazil ...



Indonesia Gets New Shark-Faced Warbirds
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Sat, September 01 2012, 8:38 PM


Sinister grin: Indonesian Air Force officers take a closer look at the newly arrived EMB-314 Super Tucano airplanes at Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta on Saturday. The Brazilian-made warbirds are famous for their shark-face nose art. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

After a hiatus of several decades, the Indonesian Air Force will again have a squadron sporting the famous shark-face nose art with the arrival of Brazilian-made EMB-314 Super Tucano ground attack aircraft on Saturday.

Four of a total order of 16 airplanes made by Embraer will evoke the memories when the 21st Squadron was equipped with the legendary P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft sporting the Cocor Merah nose art.

Air Force vice chief of staff Vice Marshal Dede Rusamsi welcomed the four EMB-314 Super Tucano single-turboprop, dual-seater airplanes at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base (AFB) in East Jakarta.

Re: ASEAN military news

US Helps the Philippines Fortify it's Defense in Palawan ...



US Helps Philippines Fortify Defense in Palawan
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:42 am | Friday, August 31st, 2012

NEW PATROL BOATS US Ambassador Harry Thomas and Police Director Samuel Diciano pour champagne on two patrol boats during the turnover of $9-million worth of equipment donated by the US government to the PNP Special Boat Unit in Palawan on Thursday. PNP-PIO

Pursuing its pivot to Asia strategy, the United States on Thursday handed over to the Philippines new equipment to improve surveillance and law enforcement operations in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) as President Benigno Aquino prepared to meet China’s leader for talks that may include territorial disputes in those waters.

Re: ASEAN military news

Coast Watch Stations Improves PN Capability ...



Coast Watch Stations Improves PN Capability

By Rudolf Ian G. Alama
Saturday 1st of September 2012

DAVAO CITY, Sept. 1 -- The Coast Watch Stations (CWS) set up across southern and central Mindanao has greatly improved the Navy’s capability in maritime security and safety.

Captain Robert Empedrad Deputy Commander of the Philippine Navy Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao said the past year have seen the Navy interdict suspicious vessels and seacraft aside from rescuing three to four vessels with the help of the CWS.

Empedrad said coast watch stations helps the navy preserve its assets from wear and tear. He said that navy ships usually have 20-40 nautical miles radar coverage while on sea, instead of conducting intensive sea patrols CWS with its radars can monitor suspicious seaborne movements and relay these findings to the coast watch center at the Felix Apolinario Naval Station in Panacan, Davao City which will in turn feed the data to the nearest navy vessels that will in turn interdict the targets.

Re: ASEAN military news

Vietnam Becomes the Largest Russian Naval Arms Importer ...



Posted on Sep 3rd, 2012

The largest Russian-Vietnamese program in naval segment is a delivery contract for six Project 06361 Improved Kilo-class diesel submarines.

Re: ASEAN military news

ManilaBoy45 said:

Vietnam Becomes the Largest Russian Naval Arms Importer ...

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Posted on Sep 3rd, 2012

The largest Russian-Vietnamese program in naval segment is a delivery contract for six Project 06361 Improved Kilo-class diesel submarines.

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This is significant for several reasons, if you can tell me why I will award you with a rare, secret .gif files from my treasure trove.

Re: ASEAN military news

If Vietnam became the largest naval arms importer, then the traditionally largest arms importer from Russia - India might had already moved away from the era of importing naval arms to design and developing of their own ships, this or the Indians had all they need at the moment.

Also, the recent large investment into new arms signal that Vietnam is rapidly modernising their naval powers, might be a disturbing sign that the ASEAN countries are in an arm race or that they are preparing for confrontation (might not be a war, but at least as a force to be reckon with). The former is more disturbing though.

Re: ASEAN military news

Also I think from a strategic point of view, Kilo subs is the best investment Vietnam can make. They will be presenting the most challenge to China, not that I think they have a chance to win an all out war, but it will serve as very good deterrence weapons.

They just have to make sure they get a good crew, and maintain those subs well, which is something they need to work on, judging from how they are treating their Su-27.

Re: ASEAN military news

Russia is getting ready to reassert it's influence in Far East and Southeast Asia. They long to return to Cam Ran Bay. Selling military hardware to Vietnam serves a dual purpose. It supports their military industrial complex and potentially extend their influence in SE Asian affairs. We often forget that Russia is also an Asian power.

Re: ASEAN military news

rhino123 said:

If Vietnam became the largest naval arms importer, then the traditionally largest arms importer from Russia - India might had already moved away from the era of importing naval arms to design and developing of their own ships, this or the Indians had all they need at the moment.

Also, the recent large investment into new arms signal that Vietnam is rapidly modernising their naval powers, might be a disturbing sign that the ASEAN countries are in an arm race or that they are preparing for confrontation (might not be a war, but at least as a force to be reckon with). The former is more disturbing though.

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ASEAN members nations are locked in arms race even before ASEAN's conception, just that most of the time the headlines were taken by the competition between Singapore / Malaysia / Thailand / Indonesia, who are the most active players in this race; the only difference is that now even the less active players - Vietnam and Philippines - join the "high profile club" as well, with blessings from US and Japan...

Re: ASEAN military news

Dolcevita said:

Russia is getting ready to reassert it's influence in Far East and Southeast Asia. They long to return to Cam Ran Bay. Selling military hardware to Vietnam serves a dual purpose. It supports their military industrial complex and potentially extend their influence in SE Asian affairs. We often forget that Russia is also an Asian power.

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Yeah I doubt Russia have any grand design on Asia, pretty sure they just want to make a few buck.