Volume 26/issue 6 september/october 2018

US$15

A s i a P a c i f i c ’ s L a r g e s t C i r c u la t e d D e f e n c e M a g a Z i n e

AUSTRALIAN ARMED FORCES

NAVAL SYNTHETIC TRAINING
PRECISION GUIDED
C5I AND TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS MUNITIONS
MILITARY ROTORCRAFT RUSSIAN HELICOPTER UPGRADES
ANTI-SURFACE MISSILES NAVAL CLOSE-
AND TORPEDOES IN WEAPONS SYSTEMS
www.asianmilitaryreview.com
Contents SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
VOLUME 26 / ISSUE 6

06 Dr Lee Willett finds out how

shore based training in the
Royal Australian Navy means
more mission days on the ocean.

SHORE-BASED TRAINING GIVES

The MQ-4C Triton is finally coming
to Australia following an acquisition
confirmation this summer.
BACK DAYS AT SEA
12 18 24

MODERN C5ISR
ANTI-SHIP ATTACK DEMANDS GREATER
ABOVE AND BELOW BREADTH AND DEPTH
GUNNING FOR TROUBLE
Andrew Drwiega finds that the ‘big stick’
THE WAVES The challenges of wider than ever
communications requirements, and the
attack helicopter is still an asset prized by Tim Fish takes a look at the impact of the arrival of C5I, is examined
nations in Asia Pacific. anti-ship missile (ASM) revolution. by Peter Donaldson.

30 34 46

AUSTRALIA 40
RECAPITALISES ASM THREAT TO
HIND, HAVOC
DEFENCE FORCE AND HALO JUST GOT ANALYSTS
SHIPS COUNTERED BETTER
Australia is following the
BY FAST DRAW CWIS COLUMN
blueprint of its 2016 Defence Russian Helicopters invited New columnist Anthony Davis
White paper to make Stephen W Miller takes a look AMR’s editor Andrew Drwiega gives a sharp analysis of the
acquisitions that will reshape at the range and effectiveness to Russia to witness its recently Myanmar Army.
the Australian Defence Force. of Close-In Weapons Systems. modernised range of military
Andrew Drwiega reviews. rotorcraft.

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 | 03
 Index of Advertisers
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C5I CAPABILITIES
5
39
45
7, 15
43 In the past year alone, we’ve seen rapid economic and
37
military growth across Asia, improvement in the prospect for peace
on the Korean peninsula and a terrorism threat that has evolved in unexpected ways,” said Australia’s newly
11 appointed Minister for Defence, Christopher Pyne during his speed on the opening day of the Land Forces 2018
33 exposition (4-6 September) in Adelaide, Australia.
27
The Australian government sees the role of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) not only in terms of defending
the country, but very much as a significant contributor to Indo-Pacific and wider world security.
21
Regionally, China continues to develop its maritime naval capability matched with a likely ever increasing
expansion into a variety of sea areas, particularly the South China Sea which it now considers as its territorial
‘backwater.’
At time of writing (6 September), the BBC reported that the Chinese had warned a British warship, HMS Albion,
over ‘provocative actions’ because it had been conducting ‘freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) close to
the disputed Paracel islands in the South China Sea. Considering the investment that China has spent developing
bases in the Paracels, Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal in direct contravention of established international
agreements regarding ownership of the islands, the continuation and pressure to increase multinational FONOPS
by the US Navy (USN), Royal Navy (RN) and others including the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is likely to
intensify.
In his speech on 4 September, Pyne highlighted his government’s belief that its Defence Cooperation Programme
should be seen as a regional confidence builder, particularly through “the amount of training that Australia
provides for international military students in Australia; the number of exercises that the Australian Defence
Force participates in across our region, and the number of Australian Defence Force personnel located overseas
to conduct international engagement with partner nations.”
The threat of terrorism is certainly something that is concerning governments across Asia, particularly those with
large muslim populations that may be exposed to the radical views of extremists returning from Iraq/Syria. At the
Defence Services Asia (DSA) meeting earlier this year the Ministers of Defence from Malaysia, Indonesia and
Thailand all expressed their concerns and agreed that mutual cooperation and support was essential. Australia’s
Special Forces have been deployed against Daesh and insurgent groups alongside their North American and
western European counterparts, and have skills that they can share regionally.
Monitoring the security situation in the region, both overtly and covertly, is something in which the Australian
government is investing. There are a number of official documents that more deeply illustrate how the ADF will
have its capabilities modernised and broadened. In particular, the Defence Integrated Investment Programme
underlines the need to enhance “intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, space and cyber
capabilities”. Geospatial data collection and analysis, improved cyber defence will also feed into enhancing the
capability to conduct electronic warfare across a broad spectrum.
This will be achieved through a number of means which will lead to the improved collation and assessment of
intelligence from various sources. Traditional methods focus on airborne assets and there will be no shortage
of these due to the acquisition of Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon, unmanned systems including Northrop Grumman
MQ-4C Triton, the data collation capability of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightening II, the Boeing E/A - 18G
Growler and further data feeds from warships including the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer, BAE Systems
T-26 Global Combat Ship and more.
If these promising capabilities can be fully networked into providing a real-time comprehensive picture through
all levels of potential user, from the Prime Minister down to troops and units deployed on operations, Australia
will have an integrated capability of which it can be truly proud.
Andrew Drwiega, Editor

Editor: Andrew Drwiega

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04 | ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

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s e a
p o w e r
SHORE-BASED TRAINING
GIVES BACK DAYS AT SEA
Synthetic training is helping the Royal Australian Navy to refocus on
core warfighting as well as maximising.
by Dr Lee Willett
T
he Royal Australian Navy (RAN),
in common with many of its
peers, is looking to introduce new
approaches and technologies but
while also addressing returning
traditional challenges such as the re-
emergence of state-based threats. For
the RAN, this balance is evident in how
it uses synthetic training in preparing
its personnel and forces for higher-end,
including task group, operations.
At the centre of the RAN’s operational
requirements is a return to what the
service terms ‘core warfighting’. This
‘return to high-end warfighting’ is
somewhat of a vogue concept in current
Western naval debates. However,
according to Commodore Justin Jones, the
RAN’s Commodore Training, the service
06
is “trying to move away from using the
term ‘high-end warfighting’ and bring it
back to ‘core warfighting’, because that
actually is our business”. This includes
anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air
warfare predominantly, within the wider
context of maritime warfare.
Like many other Western navies
again, in recent times the RAN has been
focused on lower-end, constabulary-
based taskings personified by maritime
security operations. For the RAN, this
has included a prominent presence
in the Middle East and the northwest
Indian Ocean in support of Australia’s
Operation Manitou – a national tasking
designed to support international efforts
to build maritime security, stability, and
prosperity those regions.
| Asian Military Review |
Commonwealth of Australia
HMAS Watson hosts several
synthetic training facilities,
including a guided-missile
frigate simulator. Here,
personnel train in the
simulator during Exercise
Shield Maiden in March 2018.
The shift from maritime security to
maritime warfare as the core focus has
also occurred in tandem with the arrival
of several new capability elements
very much focused on the higher end
of the operational spectrum. Together,
these elements will make up the core
of the RAN’s new task group construct.
The elements include two Canberra-
class landing helicopter dock (LHD)
amphibious assault ships and three
Hobart-class guided-missile destroyers
(DDGs). The two LHDs are both in service,
and lead Hobart-class DDG HMAS Hobart
commissioned in September 2017. In the
medium term, the position of these two
platform types at the centre of the RAN’s
emerging task group will be reinforced
with the arrival of 12 new diesel-electric
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S E A
P O W E R

submarines (SSKs), under the Sea 1000

Commonwealth of Australia
Future Submarine programme, and nine
new frigates under the Sea 5000 Future
Frigate programme – recently announced
as the Hunter class, and based on BAE
Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship.
As regards training to support this
emerging task group concept, Cdre Jones
said: “Where we can, we are bringing ships
together to train [and deploy] together in
task groups.” “We still put ships through
their individual training for the unit-level
training, but actually where we can we
ensure that we are doing that in company
with other ships, so that it becomes a
routine, a ritual,” he continued. “People
understand that they’re not operating as
Personnel training onboard
an independent ship.” Training, coaching, the RAN’s full-mission
and ultimately certification is completed bridge simulator, situated
using habitual exercises and activities, within the Navy Synthetic
but the RAN is now “coming at it through Warfare Centre at the HMAS
Watson shore facility, Sydney.
the lens of a task group”, the commodore
added: in other words, “how the ship is
complementing the sum of the capability
that is offered by the task group, where warfighting, the commodore added. “So is limited by resource constraints such as
each individual ship is a capability brick, that’s the core of our philosophy.” staffing, time, and money, “[the RAN’s]
if you like, within a larger formation”. This expanding scale is also evident approach is to use synthetic training
Such training “has benefits of scale”, in the RAN’s philosophy relating to the wherever we can to complement the sea
he added. Scale in task group training synthetic elements of training. “I’d say training,” he said.
increases capacity across the spectrum that our navy’s use of synthetic training
of operations, from international is vibrant, it’s increasing in scale,” Cdre Synthesising training and operations
engagement at the lowest level up to Jones argued. While he noted that small- Cdre Jones is responsible for the spectrum
training with allies and partners in core to medium-sized navies’ training often of training, for both officer and sailor

08 | ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |

 S E A
P O W E R

Commonwealth of Australia
recruits, across the career continuum,
and also for ‘collective training’ – the
RAN’s term for the training of ships
at sea. Within the ‘collective training’
construct, synthetic training is becoming
an increasingly important element of
preparing ships for operations.
The RAN has a full-mission bridge
simulator, situated within the Navy
Synthetic Warfare Centre at the HMAS
Watson shore training facility in Sydney.
Several smaller bridge simulators also are
sited there, alongside operations room
models for various ship classes including
the Adelaide-class FFG 7 guided-missile
frigates, the DDGs, and the ANZAC-class
frigates. At the Navy Training Systems
Centre at Randwick, Sydney and at the
The RAN’s Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) vessel HMAS Cerberus shore facility just south
HMAS Adelaide (centre), the auxiliary ship HMAS Success (third of Melbourne, the RAN also has platform
right), the FFG 7 frigate HMAS Mel-bourne (second right), and
the ANZAC-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (second left) sail management system and machinery
in formation with the Royal New Zealand Navy ANZAC frigate control simulators. Training Authority
HMNZS Te Mana (right), and the Royal Canadian Navy’s Submarines in Western Australia is
Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver while transiting to home to the navy’s submarine control
Hawaii to participate in the US Navy-led ‘RIMPAC 18’ exercise.
room simulator, and located nearby is a
The RAN’s two LHDs sit at the centre of the navy’s returning
focus on task group operations and core warfighting. second ANZAC frigate operations room
model that is used for both operator and
maintainer training.

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S E A
P O W E R

Commonwealth of Australia
Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
senior officers, including
Commodore Justin Jones
(Commodore Training, second left),
observe work-up training onboard
an ANZAC-class guided-missile
frigate, alongside at Fleet Base
East, Garden Island, Sydney.

Cdre Jones highlighted three examples air/surface search system fitted to the Moreover, he explained, “If you
of why the use of synthetic training is ANZAC-class frigates) and the Lockheed can reduce the amount of time you are
becoming more important. First, he said, Martin Aegis combat system (installed in consuming sea days that have a cost
“over the last two years, we have modified the three Hobart-class DDGs), Cdre Jones attached to them in material sustainment,
our sea training model … to reduce the argued that “access to assets is certainly maintenance, fuel, so that you can
amount of time that we’re consuming at [a benefit provided by synthetic training] concentrate those (days) on actual
sea and replace it with simulation.” Such in the warfare domain.” “The reality is operations and missions, then that is of
simulation work – especially for unit we cannot adequately test those combat benefit to the organisation.”
readiness or mission readiness work-up systems at sea with the limited assets,” Third, he continued, the use of
– is done with the ship alongside. Here, he continued. “You cannot muster synthetic training means that the RAN
the training focuses on the ship’s combat enough assets, both surface and air, to also has “significantly changed the way
system and also on its onboard training appropriately test those systems and the we train, coach, assess, and ultimately
systems. Moreover, while originally people that operate the systems. So, really, certify our officers of the watch.” Bridge
focused largely on the operations room the only place you can do that is the warfare qualifications are gained in the
and warfare capabilities, “what was synthetic environment.” simulator, with qualification awarded by
learned over time is (the) approach to “You can create situations in synthetic a shore-based training authority. “Our
training alongside can encompass whole- training that you can’t in live training, aim,” said Cdre Jones, “is to … qualify
of-ship activities”, the commodore noted. in the real world,” the commodore people ashore, and accredit and/or
When coupled with the time benefits for continued. Synthetic training, he endorse them at sea for their particular
activity debriefing and lessons-learned argued, offers “consistency of scenario, platform …. That’s our aspiration.” This
digestion offered by being alongside, consistency of product, the ability to intended approach applies across the
Cdre Jones said the RAN is now seeing control an environment to suit desired spectrum of skills, from officers of the
“exponential increases in the quality training outcomes, (and) the ability to watch, to warfare specialists, and to
of training delivery and the follow-on actually take people safely to their limits marine engineers and other technicians.
performance of the ship’s company”. without endangering platforms and With this philosophy applied across the
“So, in summary, we’re reducing people”. Overall, “synthetic training is a board, Cdre Jones argued that the RAN’s
the amount of time we’re spending at very important adjunct to the real world approach “is actually leading edge in
sea but the quality of the training is simply because we get cost-effective and navies in the world … at the moment”.
intact, or in some cases is enhanced, by safe means to test people to their limits
complementing with simulation-based … that you cannot necessarily create Synthetics and scaling up at sea
training.” with the same safety considerations In many areas, the leading edge and largest
Second, given the high-end and controlled environment in the real scale in Western naval capabilities and
technological nature of contemporary world.” “We’ve seen very positive results operations is usually delivered by the US
naval capabilities, for example phased from that training continuum now,” Cdre Navy (USN). From the RAN’s perspective,
array radars (such as the CEAFAR Jones added. its own growing use of synthetic training

10 | ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |


is having a particular benefit in terms
of its operational – and wider strategic –
relationship with the USN.
In terms of how synthetic training
can maximise impact on live operations,
Cdre Jones pointed to the fleet synthetic
training activities the RAN conducts with
the USN.
Here, the RAN participates in
activities within the USN’s Fleet Synthetic
Training programme, particularly those
activities emanating out of Yokosuka
in Japan (home of US 7th Fleet) or San
Diego (US 3rd Fleet headquarters). In
such activities, said Cdre Jones, the RAN
“can man the ops room of simulators out
at HMAS Watson … but also plug in
ships alongside using onboard training
systems, and likewise for those [USN]
ships alongside in port in Yokosuka and
San Diego”.
“For those (RAN) ships with the
capability to do so, we might participate
in those sorts of activities from sea as
well,” the commodore continued. “It
might be that it’s a synthetic picture
generated and uploaded to the common
operating picture via Link.”
CREATING NEW REFERENCES IN DEFENSE
s e a
p o w e r
“On average, we’re doing two major construct. “We’re increasingly using our
activities a year now, synthetically, with own synthetic capabilities out of HMAS
the US – so, usually, one in the first half Watson and, where we can, involving the
of the year and one in the second half of US, when we’re training up Commander
the year.” In addition, the commodore Task Group staff and then task group
continued, there are likely also to be commanding officers and task group
synthetic elements to major exercises such personnel,” Cdre Jones noted.
as the biennial Australia/US bilateral As regards the broader benefits for the
‘Talisman Sabre’ exercise and the USN’s RAN in such training activities with the
own ‘RIMPAC’ multinational series. USN, at the tactical end “scale is always
Synthetic training in such exercises can an important consideration, and what
include Live, Virtual, and Constructive you get … is just that increase in scale,”
(LVC) training activities. Live training Cdre Jones stated. In strategic terms,
involves real ships and real people. “The larger exercises such as ‘RIMPAC’ and
‘virtual’,” said Cdre Jones, involves units Talisman Sabre, but also the more discreet
“participating either in their ships being synthetic training activities, provide
alongside or out in operations room “strategic-level exposure to positions as
models in shore establishments”. “Thus, Deputy Commander, Combined Force
real people operating simulated systems,” Maritime Component Commander, and
the commodore added. “Constructive Surface Combatant Commander that
training generally refers to simulated can’t necessarily be replicated to the same
people operating simulated systems: scale and complexity within Australia.”
in this case, real people make inputs to Overall, the benefits for the RAN of
the simulations but are not involved in this routine engagement with the USN
determining the outcomes.” encompass not only the opportunity to
The increasing levels of synthetic work regularly with its major ally but
interaction with the USN are also also “scale, complexity, and access to core
helping to develop the RAN’s task group warfighting”, Cdre Jones added. AMR
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| september/october 2018 | 11
A I R
p o w e r
GUNNING FOR TROUBLE
Asian countries are looking to upgrade their attack helicopters, with
not only peer-to-peer warfighting but also with internal security in
mind.
by Andrew Drwiega
A
ttack helicopters still have
a large profile as a ‘good
to have’ weapon of choice
among militaries in Asia
Pacific. Pakistan’s journey
toward buying a modern capability has
been long with interest in Bell’s AH-1Z
and China’s Changhe Aircraft Industries
Corporation (CAIC) Z-10. However, on
Friday 13 July the Pakistan government
signed a deal reputed to be worth
$1.5 billion with Turkish Aerospace
12
International to buy 30 T129 ATAK attack
helicopters.
However, at time of writing (early
September) a potential block to this deal
had arisen due to the export of parts
made in the United States which, due
to a growing strain on the relationship
between the US and Pakistan, could
now be subject to export restrictions.
The TAI T129 is manufactured in Turkey
under license from Leonardo, the
original designer of the A129 Mangusta
| Asian Military Review |
(Mongoose). Leonardo is moving on from
the A129 Mangusta, currently in service
with the Italian Army and is looking to
develop a new attack helicopter labelled
the AW249, potentially with a joint
development partner such as TAI.
The TAI T129 was part of a large
defence contract announced by Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Pakistan and Turkey recently agreed on
terms on the largest ever defence contract
signed between the two countries. Turkey

has already delivered 35 T129s to the
Turkish Army and Gendarmerie.
The Pakistan Army has evaluated a
number of helicopters over the last few
years including Bell’s AH-1Z, the CAIC
Z-10, Russian Helicopters Mi-35 as well
as the T129. It currently operates around
32 ageing Bell AH-1 Cobras
Although Pakistan had placed an
order for 15 AH-1Z Vipers with Bell,
the delivery of all of these new attack
helicopters to the Pakistan Army is now
under threat following the decsion by the
US State Department that it would re-
allocate $323.6 million in funds that were
scheduled to go to Pakistan to help in
the fight against terrorists. The decision
was made due to “a lack of Pakistani
decisive actions,” according to Pentagon
spokesman Lt. Col. Kone Faulkner. It
| september/october 2018 |
US Army
The Indian Army has ordered
six additional AH-64E Apaches,
adding to the 22 it bought in
2015 from a Foreign Military
Sales deal with the United States.
Will the Pakistan Army finally take
delivery of a replacement attack
helicopter in the form of 30 Turkish
Aerospace T-129s
A I R
p o w e r
is understood that the Pakistan Army
already has three AH-1Zs.
Contracts to equip the Pakistan Army
AH-1Zs under Foreign Military Sales
(FMS) agreements included a $9 million
order received by General Dynamics-OTS
on 7 December 2017 from US Naval Air
Systems Command (NAVAIR), based at
Patuxent River in Maryland, USA, for the
procurement of 41 A/A49E-7 (V4) gun
turrets for AH-1Z helicopters in support
of the Marine Corps and the government
of Pakistan. The completion date was set
as August 2021. Pakistan’s share of the
cost was set at just over $3 million.
Previously on 22 December 2016,
Locheed Martin Missile and Fire Control
also received a contract for $150 million
for its AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight System
(TSS) used by the AH-1Z Cobra attack
helicopter. The TSS is a large-aperture mid
wave forward-looking infrared sensor
with a laser designator/rangefinder
turret. The TSS provides the capability
to identify and laser-designate targets at
maximum weapon range, significantly
enhancing platform survivability and
lethality. Pakistan’s share of this contract
was stated at around 12 percent.
Other weapons and equipment
include Lockheed Martin AGM-114R
Hellfire II anti-tank guided missiles
(ATGM), spare General Electric T700-
GE-401C turboshaft engines,BAE AN/
ALE-47 countermeasures, maintenance
support and training. The Pakistan Army
will have a similar version of the Viper to
the USMC, in that they will be equipped
with Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted
display (HMD) systems, Lockheed Martin
Target Sight System (TSS) electro-optical
TAI
13
A I R
P O W E R
and infrared (EO/IR) pods.
Pakistan’s regional rival India has
just exercised an option and ordered six
additional Boeing AH-64E Guardian
Apache attack helicopters. In 2015 the
Indian Ministry of Defence placed an
FMS order with the US government for
22 AH-64Es together with an order for
15 CH-47Fs (with further options for 11
and seven of each type respectively). The
Defence Security Cooperation Agency
(DSCA) estimated the value of the order
at $930 million.
In the DSCA’s description of the order
it listed the following requirements for the
six Apaches as stipulated by the Indian
customer: 14 T700-GE-701D engines; four
AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars; four
Radar Electronic Units (REU) Block III;
four AN/APR-48B Modernised Radar
Frequency Interferometers (M-RFI’s);
180 AGM-114L-3 Hellfire Longbow
missiles; 90 AGM-114R-3 Hellfire II
14
missiles; 200 Stinger Block I-92H missiles;
seven Modernised Target Acquisition
Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision
Sensors (MTADS-PNVS); and 14
Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation
Systems (EGI).
There are also reports that the
Bangladesh Air Force is looking to
acquire an attack helicopter to replace
its Russian Helicopters Mi-171SH which
have been operated in a combat support
role. Both of the Russian Helicopter
M-28NE Night Hunter and Mi-35M
attack platforms have been discussed,
with current unconfirmed reports now
suggesting the Hindustan Aeronautics
(HAL) Light Combat Helicopter is under
consideration.
Thailand’s Keeps Options Open
Casing a very wide net, Thailand’s Army
announced at a press conference on 12
June that it was seeking to acquire new
| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |
USMC
A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper
conducts a training sortie during
Rim of the Pacific exercise over
the Hawaiian islands, July, 2018.
Both Pakistan and Australia have
been linked with acquiring
Bell’s newest Cobra version.
attack helicopters - although only six as
an initial purchase. The list revealed was
very extensive and included most types
of modern attack helicopter including a
couple from Russian Helicopters - the Mil
Mi-28 and Kamov Ka-52; Boeing’s AH-
64E Guardian Apache, China’s Harbin
Aircraft Industry Z-19, the Leonardo A129
Mangusta and the Airbus Tiger (which is
also being operated in the region by the
Australian Army).
However, with an initial requirement
of only six attack helicopters, this will
mean that the purchase price and through
life operating costs will be relatively high,
particularly if the Thai Army is eying one
of the more digitally complex systems
rather than just a ‘big stick’ weapons
platform.
Airbus will be keen to promote
its upgraded Tiger following on from
an agreement signed earlier this year
between Airbus Helicopters and
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A I R
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Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) that
confirms a two year support arrangement
for all Airbus' military and law enforcement
helicopters in Thailand. This confidence
building support package devised by
Airbus Helicopters goes some way to
negating negative press that it received
over its long-term support of Australia’s
Tiger helicopters. Whether Australia will
keep its Tiger fleet beyond the middle of
the next decade is still not certain.
The service agreement provides
that “TAI will become the main Airbus
Helicopters’ service provider in Thailand
for the Royal Thai Armed Forces and
Royal Thai Police” following the Airbus
HCare product.
Announcing the deal, the statement
read: “The Royal Thai Armed Forces
and Royal Thai Police currently operate
a strong fleet of about 40 helicopters,
which includes the light single engine
H125M, twin engine H145, H145M,
UH72, medium twin engine AS365, H155,
H175 and heavy tactical H225M. These
helicopters are deployed for various
missions within the Royal Thai Air
Force, Army, Navy, Police and the Survey
Department.”
Air Chief Marshal Nitat Sirimas
underlined that the agreement between
Airbus and Thai Aviation would “bring
Thailand’s technical competency in
helicopter maintenance to greater heights.”
Philippe Monteux, head of Southeast
Asia and Pacific of Airbus Helicopters
added that the “HCare agreement spans
everything from material management,
16
Stinger
ST Engineering is developing the Stinger,
a company-level unmanned rotary gun
platform that could supply localised
elevated fire support out to 800 metres.
helicopter maintenance and upgrades,
technical support, training and flight
operations.”
Unmanned but dangerous
One dynamic idea being developed by
ST Engineering is an armed unmanned
rotary weapons platform; almost an
attack helicopter ‘lite’. The company’s
description of the Stinger positions it
as a company-level reconnaissance and
fire-support platform. It would weigh
around 60kg and be portable enough to
be transported and assembled by ground
troops.
When assembled, it could be fitted
with EO/IR sensors or the company’s
newly developed 5.56mm Ultimax 100
Mk8 light machine gun (LMG) with an
range of up to 800m when using NATO
SS109 ammunition. The company points
to its practicality for this type of roll
thanks to a stabilised mount combined
with the weapon’s ‘patented constant
recoil capability, which slows the recoil
force over the entire period between two
rounds firing on cyclic rate, resulting in
a lower, steadier recoil impulse.’ The
ammunition would be contained in a 100
round magazine.
Australian Rotary Update
Since the publication of the Australian
Defence White paper in 2016 and
the announcement within that “the
Government will replace the 22 Tiger
Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters
(ARH) with a new armed reconnaissance
| Asian Military Review |
capability from the mid-2020s”, progress
has been made and confidence in
the aircraft has grown. Replacement
contenders such as Boeing and Bell,
following the excitement and perceived
potential for new sales to a modern
military, have both been circumspect in
their approach to the issue over the last
year.
However, there are time concerns. If
the Australian government does adhere
to the White Paper timetable it should
be mindful that the final deliveries
of the AH-1Z Viper to the USMC will
be made in 2022 (deliveries of the
modernised UH-1Y will be completed
by the end of 2018). Bell, for the sake of
its own business will be pushing the US
Department of Defense (DoD) to make a
decision on the requirement for Future
Vertical Lift (Capability sets 1 and 3),
now apparently divided into the Future
Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA)
followed by the Future Long-Range
Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
This brings Lockheed Martin/
Sikorsky’s latest development, the S-97
Raider, into play although the Australian
government would likely stay clear of
considering a newly developed platform
that has still got to go through further
development, never mind certification.
Just as the Land Forces 2018 exhibition
(4-6 September) was opening in Adelaide,
Australia, Leonardo announced that it
was proposing its AW109 Trekker as
the solution for the Australian Defence
Force’s Land 2097, Phase 4 Special
Operations Rotary Wing Capability
requirement. The ADF is looking for
a military or commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) design in the four ton range. It
hopes to tender for the helicopter at the
end of 2019 with deliveries to begin in
2022.
Leonardo states that its militarised
AW109 can be deployed by the Royal
Australian Air Force”s (RAAF) Boeing
C-17 aircraft. In terms of taking a small
special forces team, its cabin space is the
same as the civilian Grand/Grand New
which Leonardo assets would give a
range of options from taking six soldiers,
one stretcher and up to four medics or
other combinations.
The AW109 Trekker is powered by
twin-FADEC equipped Pratt & Whitney
Canada PW207C turbine engines, has a
crash resistant fuel systems and features
a 30-minute ‘run-dry’ gear box. It would
also feature a Genesys Aerosystems
digital glass cockpit. AMR
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s e a
p o w e r

Boeing claims its latest Harpoon Block II+ ER

has greater range and all-weather operation.

ANTI-SHIP ATTACK ABOVE

AND BELOW THE WAVES
A revolution is taking place in anti-ship missiles (ASM) which is very
likely to significantly impact the Asia-Pacific region. The development of
torpedoes is growing to match an expanding market too.

by Tim Fish

T
o penetrate more sophisticated
ship naval air defence systems
faster and smarter ASMs are
being developed. In the Asian
region, China’s anti-access area
denial (A2AD) strategy involves the
use of numerous long-range missiles to
overwhelm naval defences and deny the
use of the seas to a potential adversary
such as the US Navy (USN).
New supersonic ASMs could present
a challenge and some Asian countries are
developing their own sub-sonic missiles
to compete with the standard Western
models being exported to the region.
The China Aerospace Science and
Industry Corporation (CASIC) has
developed the Ying-Ji 62 (YJ-62) ship-
launched sub-sonic missile that can reach
over 200km which is mounted on the
People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)
Type 052C destroyers. CASIC has also
developed the C-802 anti-ship cruise
missile that is available in ship-launched,
air-launched or submarine-launched
variants. The air-launched variant is fitted
to the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) Xian JH-7
fighter-bomber and H-6G bomber and
has a range of 135km.
The ship-launched C-803 is a further
development of this with a range of
160km and is also fitted to the Type 052C
destroyers. The newest supersonic missile
is the vertical launched YJ-18 that has an
estimated range of 290km and is fitted to
the PLAN’s Type 052D destroyers.
China is also supplementing its own
production with imports from Russia
that includes the Kh41 Moskit, which is
one of the fastest supersonic ASMs on the
market. The reason speed is important is
that it reduces the time that a defending
ship can respond from over two minutes
to just 30 seconds or less. This means
less time to deploy countermeasures

18 | Asian Military Review |

 S E A
P O W E R

or electronic jamming systems, greatly

increasing the danger to the ship.
This upgrade in China’s capability
has not gone without a response.
Recent media reports from Japan have
highlighted its new Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries XASM-3 supersonic ASM. Test
firings were completed in 2017 and it is
due to begin production in 2019. It is an
air-launched missile, two of which can
be carried by each of the Japan Air Self-
Defense Force’s (JASDF) F-2 multirole
fighter jets. It has a range of 150km and
is designed to replace the older Type 80
and Type 93 ASMs air-launched ASMs
currently in service.
But despite its speed, supersonic
missiles have weaknesses. Kyrre Lohne,
The US Navy's next generation Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)
vice president of strategic communica-
was successfully fired from a US Air Force B1-B Lancer and hit multiple
tions at Norwegian defence company targets during a test over the Sea Range at Point Mugu, California.
Kongsberg told AMR: “Many believe to
go in fast, but when you go fast you go
straight and when you go straight you
are an easier target. When you go fast you
also have to be active… which we believe
increases the ability to be stopped.” His
preference is for more maneuverable
sub-sonic ‘smarter’ ASMs that use passive
sensors and an IR seeker.
XASM-3 is part of an overall upgrade
in ASM capability that also includes the
acquisition of the Joint Strike Missile
(JSM) that will fit the JASDF’s new F-35A
aircraft when they come into service. The
JSM is being developed by Kongsberg
alongside US missile manufacturer
Raytheon. The companies plan to have an
initial operating capability (IoC) in 2021
and full operational capability (FoC) in
2025. It is slated to have a range of 500km. THE MARTE ER missile is integrated on
JSM is a development of Kongsberg’s Eurofighter Typhoon - seen here on
Naval Strike Missile (NSM) that was an Italian Air Force aircraft, and other fast jets.
originally designed to exploit the fjords
and mountainous terrain of Norway.
Lohne said littoral missions were in engine and in surface-to-surface mode a The USN selected NSM for its littoral
mind from the start and it uses a passive range of 200km and on the F-35 a different combat ships and future frigates on 4 June
radar and infra-red (IR) seeker instead of range, maybe hundreds more kilometres.” 1918 under a contract worth $14.8 million
an active radar seeker. “One interesting Lohne explained that active missiles with options that could increase the value
aspect for the old missiles with radar emit signals long before getting close to of the contract to $847.6 million. NSM
seekers; they will always be operating the target to locate and identify it, and was also successful in Malaysia where
in a difficult electronic counter-measure this early detection requirement of the Kongsberg secured a $144.6 million
(ECM) environment both with jamming missile means the ship’s defences can be (€124m) contract to supply the Royal
and decoys. An Intelligent IR Missile is activated and ready and “have multiple Malaysian Navy (RMN) with the missiles
immune. All new missiles (developed chances to stop (the attack)”. for its six new Littoral Combat Ships.
after 2000) have IR seekers. It is only the With passive and IR imaging and a The USN is also acquiring other new
venerable Harpoon, Exocet and RBS15 stealthy design he insists that NSM will ASMs. There is due to be a competition
that still use radar seekers,” he said. “only be detected late in the end game” and for a project called the Offensive Anti-
He added that these other missiles can conduct “random evasive maneuvers” Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment 2
“were all designed in the 1970s and 80s and avoid close in weapon systems and target that will decide on a new ASM to replace
don’t have the stealthy design as we have. a specific aim point on a ship. Lohne the ageing Harpoon ASM from Boeing.
The NSM and JSM is built with composite added: “our solution is good enough for In addition to the JSM, it is expected that
structures, to a stealthy design with a jet USN worldwide operations”. the Long Range ASM (LRASM) from

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 | 19
s e a
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Lockheed Martin will be entered as a bid.
Developed from the Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missile – Extended Range
(JASSM-ER) cruise missile programme,
LRASM is designated AGM-158C. The
company told AMR it is “executing
testing and production contracts” and
“are delivering initial LRASM production
missiles to support an early operational
capability for the USAF B-1B and USN
F/A-18E/F in 2018 and 2019 respectively.”
The company added: “An internal
research and development program
has successfully launched four surface
launch missiles, most recently from the
topside canister at WSMR Test Facility
in 2017. Previously, LRASM proved
successful in firing from the US Navy
Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS) at Pt Mugu
Sea Range, California.” Lockheed Martin
also said it has invested into reducing risk
of a surface-launch variant that can be
employed from vertical launch system and
top-side launchers and can deliver an EOC
capability on surface platforms by 2020.
Most navies possess older ASMs that
will need replacing over the coming years
if they are to maintain an effective long-
range anti-surface capability. The main
ASM in use is the Harpoon, variants of
which are deployed by Pakistan on its
frigates and P-3 maritime patrol aircraft;
Taiwan on its Knox- and Kidd-class ships,
submarines and P-3s; and on Indian Navy
submarines and Canadian Navy Halifax-
class frigates. Other operators include
Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore
and Thailand.
Jim Bryan, director of cruise missile
systems at Boeing told AMR that it is
developing its Block II+ latest version of
20
The MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3
weapon system is the latest generation
ship-borne version of the Exocet family.
Harpoon that is going operational with
the USN. The main new key component
of II+ is a tactical data link (TDL) from
Rockwell Collins for better guidance
and inflight target updates and provide
information back to the launching
platform. “Target selectivity would be
the key enabler,” he said because as
operations move into the littorals with
increased sea congestions it needs the
ability “to discriminate warships from
non-warships or hostile from non-hostile
warships”.
Bryan added that this “increases
your options to open up your rules of
engagements. If I have a weapon that is
unable to discriminate or select between
targets you are not going to fire necessarily,
as opposed to a weapon with competence
of target selectivity.” The other element
in II+ is an improved GPS with better
anti-jam capability that is aided by the
improved position information offered
by the TDL.
An F/A-18 launches a Harpoon Block II+ missile during a test flight
over Point Mugu Sea Test Range in California ealier this year.
| Asian Military Review |
Like NSM, Harpoon is a sea skimming
missile that hides in the wave scatter to
avoid detection. “It is hard to make a
missile much more survivable than the sea
skimming feature than it has,” Bryan said
and defended the use of an active RF seeker
as something that is required for targeting
in all-weather conditions. “In rain or fog
without the RF seeker performance is
significantly degraded,” he explained.
“While one can debate the exploitability
of active radar sensors versus passive
sensors, we know our customers value
the fact that they don’t need to wait for it
to stop raining before they fire a Boeing
Harpoon missile,” he added.
The Thai Air Force uses the RBS15
ASM from Saab as part of its purchase of
the Gripen NG fighter. Miguel Svensson,
RBS15 product specialist at the company
told AMR that its latest Mk3 missile is
optimized for littoral and all-weather
operations with an altimeter for sea
skimming and an active seeker. He
agreed with Bryan that the company did
not want to “spend millions” on stealthy
technology “then two years later a new
radar comes out that sees everything
that you have done.” His solution is to
increase modularity and functionality in
the software “so we can update easily and
handle changing circumstances.”
Saab is developing the Mk4 variant
with an anti-jam GPS system fitted as it
is expected that the weapon will have
to work in a contested environment and
with steered antennas it will be harder to
jam. He added that there is added value
of high readiness and a long range to
collaborate with units over a wide area
in the littorals. RBS15 is different to other
missile because it has two radial boosters
that keeps the missile short enough to fit
on smaller ships but carries a lot more
fuel. “We still have the same class of
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s e a
p o w e r
Saab's has developed
a new lightweight torpedo (NLT).
missile as Harpoon or Exocet in terms of
capability, but we outrange them quite a
bit.” The company expects to use the Thai
contract to push further into the region
and market the RBS15 Mk3 capabilities.
MBDA’s Exocet was made famous in
Argentine service by sinking UK Royal
Navy vessels during the Falklands War
in 1982. Operators in the Asia-Pacific
include Pakistan on its Agosta-class
submarines, Vietnam on its SIGMA-class
corvettes, India’s Kalvari-class submarines,
Indonesia’s Fathillah-class ships and
Malaysia’s Scorpene submarines and
SIGMA-class ships.
A spokesperson from MBDA said
that to address the Asia-Pacific market it
has “developed the 200km-range MM40
Exocet Block 3 and the 100km-range
Marte ER missiles”, both of which include
active radar seekers and the advanced
navigation and guidance packages.
“For very complex littoral waters,
against smaller threats, including multiple
fast attack craft and corvettes, it is vital that
positive target identification is conducted,
and accordingly only missiles equipped
with advanced electro-optical seekers
and datalinks can be used safely in such
conditions,” the spokesperson added.
MBDA also produces the Otomat
ASM, which is used by the Bangladesh
and Malaysian navies. The company is
developing this system further too: “The
Italian MoD has approved and allocated
funding for the development of an
22
evolved version of in-service MBDA
Italia's Otomat Mk 2 Block IV/Teseo Mk
2/A long-range anti-ship missile. The
new version will feature increased range,
precision, lethality and survivability with
a new mission control system.”
Torpedoes
New torpedo models and upgrades to
older weapons are being developed to
improve anti-ship and anti-submarine
capabilities that meet requirements to
operate in shallower waters and littoral
regions. This is important for south east
Asia, where the average depth of the East
China Sea is less than 200m.
Japan is developing the G-RXG
heavyweight torpedo (HWT) with a new
sensor, guidance section and warhead
that will give it the ability to engage in
shallow or deep water against a wider
range of targets and with Torpedo Counter
Counter-Measure (TCCM) capability to
penetrate decoy or jamming systems. The
torpedo will be fitted to the 29SS Soryu-
class submarine that is expected to enter
service in FY2021. G-RX6 will eventually
replace the existing Type 89 G-RX2 also
built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry that
entered service in 1989.
In India, the navy cancelled the
acquisition of the Blackshark torpedo
for its six Scorpene-class submarines
from WASS, a subsidiary of Italian
company Leonardo. An RFI followed
in 2017 requesting 150 torpedoes for
| Asian Military Review |
$30 million and the competition is
heating up. An SUT torpedo from Atlas
Elektronik was already tested on INS
Kalvari last year meaning the company’s
DM2A3/4 torpedo has a chance. But
French shipbuilder Naval Group wants
to provide its new F21 HWT to meet the
requirement alongside other competitive
international offerings, alternatively the
Indian Navy could also select its home-
made Varanastra torpedo developed by
the DRDO.
Meanwhile Australia and the US use
the Mk48 CBASS torpedo. The production
line has been re-started to build new
torpedoes but an RFP was released in
June that will initiate a programme
to upgrade the torpedo, which is now
lagging behind its rivals that are being
modernized. China uses the YU-6 largely
reverse engineered from US and ex-Soviet
torpedoes using Otto II fuel and an Intel
processor for guidance but is probably
below the capability of the Mk48 and the
YU-9 in-service since 2012 is similar but
uses battery power.
At MADEX 2017 in South Korea,
LigNex1 displayed its new Tiger Shark
HWT that will replace the RoKN’s
existing White Shark weapon. It is based
on the company’s Blue Shark Lightweight
Torpedo (LWT) that has secured its first
sale to the Philippines. UK-based LWT
torpedo launcher manufacturer SEA, told
AMR the market is growing in this sector.
SEA has secured LWT launcher
contracts in the region for two new
Philippines frigates, Malaysia’s six
LCS and a new Thai ship. Paul Parsons,
international business development
director at the company, told AMR that
navies have quite wide inventories of
different LWTs depending on the class of
ship. “It is a growing area. We are seeing
a whole resurgence of ASW. In the region
navies didn’t have a capability or are
building it to carry out ASW. Navies seem
content with NATO-standard torpedoes
given the pedigree and number of players
offering choice,” he said.
NATO standard means those with a
diameter of about 324mm, LWTs in the
region include the Mk54 used by India,
Australia and the US on the P-8 Poseidon
maritime patrol aircraft. Australia also
uses the MU90 on its ASW helicopters
and the A244/S is popular with Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia and India as
operators. Outside of the NATO standard
there is the Russian APR-3E, Saab’s
New Lightweight Torpedo (NLT) and
China’s YU-7. AMR
L A N D
W A R F A R E

Harris
Components of the Harris hC2
Software Suite include hC2TM
Comman for operational
staff, Patrol for commanders
managing the frontline, and
Dismount for commanders on
the ground with troops.

MODERN C5ISR DEMANDS

GREATER BREADTH AND DEPTH
Communications are at the heart of military capabilities, and the wide
range and growing complexity of the challenges facing armed forces
are driving the adoption of new, highly integrated systems.

by Peter Donaldson

A
rmed forces in the Asia
Pacific region are at different
stages of migration from
legacy systems that they have
had for 20 years or more to
replacements based on new voice- and
broadband-data-capable Software Defined
Radios (SDR) as they build state-of-
the-art networked Command, Control,
Communications, Computers, Combat
systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems. Further
drivers include the need to support
weapon and sensor integration in major
platform procurements, and the need
for high speed data and robust voice
communications in diverse operations.
Statements by technology company
Harris indicate that operational
commanders in the region continue to see
the value of wideband radio systems in
providing pervasive communications in
their areas of operation, and in digitising
battlefield management through
advanced command and control software.
Senior manager Tim White told AMR that
all United States’ allies in the region use
one or more types of Harris’ Falcon II
or Falcon III tactical radios, while some
have adopted its hC2 battle management

24 | Asian Military Review |


system and interest in command and
control technology in general is growing.
Falcon and hC2
In late March, Harris announced that it
would supply hC2 with integral Falcon III
radios to an unnamed Asian nation, acting
as prime systems integrator for a system
that is intended to provide situational
awareness across multiple domains. This
comes after the Australian Defence Force
(ADF) selected the system under its Land
2072 Phase III programme in 2016.
The hC2 suite is designed to improve
command and control by, among other
things, creating a common operating
picture across different command levels
and between land-based, airborne and
maritime services.
Falcon III radios include an embedded
GPS receiver, the prime purpose of which,
Tim White said, is to support C2 software
in determining positional information,
which hC2 uses to locate friendly forces
in the area of operations. The hC2 system
creates situational awareness reports,
orders, map overlays, and messages,
which are transferred using the high-
speed data services provided by the radios.
A modular software suite, hC2 is
made up of a command segment that
supports operational staff in collaborative
mission planning and execution, a patrol
segment that acts as a battle management
system for front-line commanders, and
a dismount segment that brings a real-
time shared operational picture for
dismounted commanders. According to
Harris, while these models are designed
to work together as an integrated whole
they can also be used separately. This is a
result of the system's structure, in which
the Patrol and Dismount versions are
effectively subsets of hC2 Command.
Known as hC2 Command, the
command segment enables division,
brigade and battalion headquarters to
view, update and share critical tactical
updates, furthering collaborative planning
of multiple missions and deployment of
units, including with coalition partners.
This collaborative mission planning
integrates coalition data through
Multilateral Interoperability Programme
(MIP) replication, which translates among
many different data formats. The system
also tracks the movement of friendly and
hostile forces and also collects data from
sensors and geospatial assets to support
decision making.
The company emphasises the location-
independent nature of the software,
Saab’s 9LV Mk3E Combat Management Systems installed on HMAS Perth as part of the Anti Ship
Missile Defence upgrade.
which authorised personnel can access
through standard web browsers. It also
touts the system's in-built redundancies
that are designed to prevent downtime
and loss of data, and the tiered nature of
the capabilities it provides, from the top
level picture, via current operations down
to a C4I view. The software provides
commanders with with mapping, picture
overlay and order-of-battle graphic
sketching and text tools to help them
communicate the Common Operational
Picture (COP) more effectively.
The full set of hC2 features includes
the Geospatial Information System (GIS)
that provides the base map, information
layer management, friendly force tracking
and own position reporting, situational
awareness reporting, drawing and
exchanging of sketches, radio integration,
terrain analysis, and short text messaging
and structured messages (Tac Chat). The
simplest version – hC2 Dismount – stops
there.
Adding collaborative planning and
order dissemination, route planning,
and logistics and holdings management
brings it up to hC2 Patrol specification.
The rest of the feature list is exclusive
to the full-up hC2 Command suite and
includes ORBAT/task organisation
management functionality, track
history storage and display, coalition
interoperability functions, site-to-site
communication, a synchronisation matrix
| september/october 2018 |
L A N D
W A R F A R E
Saab
(see below), summaries of current
operations, bookmarks and briefings, and
smart filters with highlighting and alerts.
The synchronisation matrix is a
decision support tool for tactical planning
and C2 that makes connections between
time, space, forces, functions, actions
and effects that most people would have
difficulty making and remembering
unaided.
Add on modules can make hC2
Command work with MIP 2.0, 3.0 and
3.1, plus the NATO Friendly Force
Information (NFFI), Link 16 and Over-
the-Horizon Gold messaging formats,
while the Patrol and Dismount versions
can achieve this through connection to
hC2 Command.
Search and rescue communications
Search And Rescue (SAR) has
always presented its own peculiar
communications challenges, putting
a premium on global reach, complete
reliability, accurate location and, in
the realm of Combat SAR (CSAR) and
Personnel Recovery (PR) from hostile
territory, covertness and security.
Another unnamed nation in the Asia-
Pacific region awarded Elbit Systems a $65
million contract for what was described
as a comprehensive SAR solution, the
company announced in mid-March. Under
the contract, Elbit is to install its ARS 7000
Airborne Locator Systems (ALS) to help
25
L A N D
W A R F A R E
SWave Airborne Software
Defined Radio SRT-800 is
the latest in Leonardo’s
SDR family, which includes
man-portable, vehicle
mounted and naval radios.
find survivors, as well as Emergency
Locator Transmitters (ELTs) for use in case
aboard a variety of fixed-wing special
mission aircraft as well as helicopters in
service with the nation's armed forces.
Personal Survival Radio (PSR) sets and
also included as part of the package.
The company has not talked about
specific radio sets in connection with
this order, but has been offering systems
including the PRC-434/CS PSR and the
PRC-648 Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
in the region, along with other tactical
communication systems.
Claimed to weigh less than 850g, the
PRC-434/CS is described as an all-in-
one PSR designed to provide a complete
solution for military and paramilitary
applications in both peacetime and
combat environments. The radio
covers the 225-299.975 MHz UHF
frequency range in which it provides 10
programmable channels and a guard
channel for emergency use. For global
reach, it also transmits the COSPAS-
SARSAT protocol on 406MHz.
Highlights include an embedded
GPS receiver and a large LCD display,
which are intended to ensure precise
positioning and navigation, with 40
programmable waypoints, along with
extensive and interrogatable two-way
messaging. Developed and built by
Elbit's SAR and Datalinks division, it is
designed to work with the company's
26
Leonardo
own airborne personnel locator systems
and to be compatible with equivalent
NATO systems.
It provides the user's GPS location in
response to interrogation either from an
airborne system or another PSR on the
ground. Interrogations and responses are
coded for security, and there are a million
possible codes, according to company
documentation. Its lithium manganese
dioxide (LiMnO2) battery provides
enough energy to run it for 30 hours at
a transmit/receive ratio of 1:10 or more
than 96 hours in sleep mode.
The radio can be activated manually
by the survivor, or automatically by a
g-switch, a magnetic lanyard or a water
sensor. It can also be activated remotely,
by an airborne locator system for example,
to provide the survivor's position, range
and direction, and to extract other
pertinent data.
Other tactical communications
systems Elbit has been pushing in the
region include the MCTR-7200 family of
SDRs aimed at mounted and dismounted
soldiers, and the PNR-1000 lightweight
personal network radio, a member of the
E-Lynx family with automatic voice and
data relay capabilities.
Wideband radios enable NEC
Leonardo is offering airborne
communications capabilities to the Asia
Pacific market, choosing to highlight
| Asian Military Review |
the SRT-800, which is a member of
the SWave family of SDRs. Aimed at
both military and civil agencies who
need to communicate across the entire
battlespace, it can be integrated into fixed-
and rotary-wing aircraft, both manned
and unmanned, the company emphasises.
As with the rest of the SWave family,
which includes man-portable, vehicular
and naval radios, the SRT-800 is designed
to support Network Enabled Capability
(NEC) by handling information from
many cooperating elements thanks to
broadband RF coverage and the ability
to run multiple software waveforms
securely, underpinned by compliance
with the Software Communications
Architecture (SCA) that emerged from
the US Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)
programme.
A multi-purpose aircraft radio, it is
intended to replace several traditional
pieces of equipment including VHF/
UHF sets, satcom radios and even
cryptographic computers by running
appropriate waveforms and applications.
Covering frequencies from 30 to
2,000MHz enables use in a variety of
mission types and functions, such as close
air support (30 to 88MHz), navigation
(108 to 118MHz, and air traffic control
(118 to 137MHz), says the company.
Other bands catered for include land
mobile (137 to 156MHz), maritime (156 to
174MHz), military UHF (225 to 512MHz)
and from 512 to 2,000MHz for future
growth in UHF, which is what will enable
future voice and data communications,
known as Wide Band Services (WBS), to
satisfy the emerging NEC requirements.
As well as VHF line-of-sight (VLOS)
waveforms serving AM/FM voice
and data and meeting performance
requirements for ATC laid down by the
European Organisation for Civil Aviation
Equipment (EUROCAE) for ATC use,
says Leonardo, the SRT-800 also runs
many tactical waveforms.
Tactical waveforms
These include HaveQuick and HaveQuick
II frequency hopping unencrypted
waveforms used to protect military and
airborne UHF traffic from jamming and
interception. It will also run the Second-
generation Antijam Tactical UHF Radio
for NATO (SATURN), a more advanced
frequency hopping airborne waveform,
and the almost ubiquitous Single
Channel Air-to-Ground Radio System
(SINCGARS).
The SRT-800 will also run the
L A N D
W A R F A R E
European Secure SOftware-defined Radio
(ESSOR) High-Data-Rate Waveform
(HDRW), which is is a new, secure
coalition networking waveform intended
for deployment at brigade level and below.
Connecting units on the move, it forms a
multi-hop mobile ad-hoc network that is
self-organizing and self-healing. Using
external modems it will also support
Link 11 datalink functionality and even
sonobuoy receivers for anti-submarine
operations.
SRT-800 also runs a couple of
Leonardo's proprietary SelfNet waveforms,
namely the Soldier Broadband Waveform
(SBW), and EASY II.
The SBW is a mobile ad hoc networking
(MANET) waveform operating in the
225MHz-512MHz portion of the UHF
band designed to meet the operational
needs of squads and platoons. It can
automatically establish a network of up to
50 nodes, with a depth of up to five hops,
and adapt its topology dynamically as
the nodes move. It can provide voice and
data services, including video streaming,
simultaneously.
SWave EASY II is a fast frequency-
hopping voice and data waveform that
can operate in both VHF (30MHz-88 MHz)
and UHF (225MHz-512 MHz) bands, and
28
also supports IP data communication by
using the MIL-STD-188-220C waveform.
To adapt it to different nations' needs, it
can also host sovereign waveforms that
meet SCA requirements, the company
emphasises.
For security beyond frequency
hopping, it accepts a programmable
cryptographic appliqué that can run KY-
58, KY-100 and KG84A/C algorithms,
is also compatible with external
cryptographic modules, and can host
indigenous sovereign algorithms.
In terms of satcom, the SRT-800
supports multiple military standards
including the dedicated MIL-STD-188-
181B, those with 5kHz and 25kHz channel
spacing, namely MIL-STD-188-182A and
-183A respectively, along with the -184
data standard.
HF alternative
While the higher data rates of V/UHF and
satcom systems may capture the limelight,
modern HF systems have been enjoying a
renaissance for a while thanks to features
such as Automatic Link Establishment
(ALE) that makes them easier to use and
their inherent long range capabilities
that don't rely on satellite availability.
This makes them attractive to island and
| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |
Elbit
Elbit’s recently won a $65
million SAR solution within
Asia, featuring its ARS 7000
Airborne Locator Systems
(ALS) and Emergency
Locator Transmitters (ELTs).
archipelagic nations in particular who
need to connect cooperating units who
may be separated by large distances, or
who need to fulfil their commitments to
UN operations overseas.
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces
(RFMF), for example, recently took
delivery of ten reconditioned Thales
Bushmaster MRAP-style armoured troop
carriers fitted with Barrett PRC-2090 HF
radios in addition to PRC-2080+ VHF
sets from the same company. Barrett
Communications worked with Thales to
install the radios and to integrate them
with the latter's SOTAS intercom system,
Barrett announced at the end of last year.
This gave the command vehicle
both long distance HF and line-of-
sight VHF communication through the
same operator headset, intra-vehicle
communications among crew members
of individual and inter-vehicle comms.
Naval combat management
In the maritime domain, as BAE Systems
celebrated the selection of its new Type
26 platform for the Royal Australian
Navy's future frigate programme Saab
congratulated them in the knowledge
that its own 9LV Combat Management
System (CMS) had previously been

selected as the basis of the nine new ships'
C4I capabilities.
As a modular and scalable CMS with
full C4I facilities, 9LV gathers, processes
and presents information from all the
ship' sensors and systems, including
communication systems such radios
and multiple tactical datalinks, to enable
crews to make the right tactical decisions
as quickly as possible and facilitates the
allocation of weapons to targets.
Its computing power enables 9LV
to generate highly-automated tactical
responses to simultaneous threats on,
above and below the surface to speed
up response in critical situations, but by
establishing and maintaining a coherent
maritime picture, says the company, it
supports operators in making the own
assessments and tactical judgements.
That situational picture is created from
fused data presented on charts and maps
with tactical overlays.
While operators interact with the
system principally through selecting
modes, they can intervene directly with
override commands, perhaps to prevent
the launch of a weapon if necessary.
BE HEARD
ON THE FRONT LINE
AMR_Codan_Half_SepOct18_V1_AW.indd 2
The system is also smart enough to
pick out anomalies in the behaviour of
contacts, for example, and draw them
to operators' attention, enabling them to
focus on tactical decisions.
For communications in particular, it
is worth highlighting a feature known
as Squadron Link, which is an IP based
system for locally exchanging tactical
information, including voice and video,
between multiple participating units
within line-of-sight range. According to
Saab, all units, manned and unmanned,
participate in the creation of a synchronised
and and continually updated situational
picture. The company adds that a larger
ship can merge the information and relay
it to other squadrons or headquarters.
Even small vessels beyond line-of-sight
range can be kept in the picture with low-
bandwidth radios and by short range
relaying of higher bandwidth information
via several other platforms.
Managing multiple radios
The Royal New Zealand Navy also turned
to Saab to equip an important new vessel
when they chose the TactiCall system for
| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 |
L A N D
W A R F A R E
the logistics ship – or maritime capability
sustainment vessel – HMNZS Aotearoa, in
October of last year. TactiCall is a software
based integrated communication system
that connects multiple communication
technologies regardless of radio band,
frequency or hardware. It provides
operators with a single intuitive interface
for all of these different communication
systems, meaning that they are less likely
to make errors and can solve problems
and complete tasks more quickly and
effectively, even in complex and stressful
situations, Saab emphasises.
The ship is under construction by
Hyundai Heavy Industries in South
Korea and is scheduled to be delivered
in 2020, and will be fitted with the multi-
level secure version of TactiCall.
Leading military communications
providers increasingly implement
Multiple Independent Levels of Security
(MILS) as a means of ensuring that
cooperating entities with different
security clearances and levels of trust
can communicate effectively without
information leaking from higher levels to
lower ones. AMR
29
15/08/2018 10:08:37 AM
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would lead to knowledge sharing and

operational familiarity.
Secondly, the White Paper declares
that “Australia’s security and prosperity
relies on a stable, rules-based global order
that supports the resolution of disputes
through peaceful means, facilitates free
and open trade, and enables unfettered
access to the global commons to support
economic development.” This concept
is challenged by China’s push into the
South China Sea personified by its
‘island building’ strategy, and also by
President Trump’s prolific use of trade
tariffs (particularly against China) as he
attempts to rebalance international trade
in favour of the US.
Thirdly, there is an real threat of
the growth of terrorism in the region
which has been experienced by several
countries including Australia, Indonesia,
the Philippines, Thailand and elsewhere.
The return of members of Daesh has been
highlighted by many governments in
recent months.
Fourthly, there is a concern regarding
the inability of some nation states to
protect their own borders, and even
territory within their own countries (as
has been witnessed in Africa). Supporting
international resilience to such threats is
a role in which the Australian Defence
Force can participate.
Fifth is the rate of modernisation

AUSTRALIA
among countries within Asia Pacific that
have been experiencing positive economic
growth. As nation’s develop their own

RECAPITALISES
defence industries, such as the Made in
India drive, so home-grown capabilities
will increase. According to the White

DEFENCE FORCE
Paper: “While military modernisation
will not be directed against Australia, it
will mean that the defence capability
edge we have enjoyed in the wider region
will diminish. In the next 20 years, half of
Australia’s defensive posture for the next 20 the world’s submarines and at least half
years is being guided by the perceptions of its the world’s advanced combat aircraft will
be operating in our region.”
2016 White Paper Finally, the White Paper recognises
the increase in threats generated in
by Andrew Drwiega cyberspace and space. As is being

A
ustralia’s rich mineral
deposits has allowed it to
spend 1.9 percent of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) on
the defence budget, a figure
which is set to rise to 2 percent (GDP) by
2020-21. The total budget for 2018/19 is
$26.2 billion (AUD $36.4 billion).
The 2016 Defence White Paper set a
course for the Australian government’s
investment in defence equipment that
would shape the nation’s defensive
posture until the mid-2030s. It identified
six key strategic issues shaped the defence
posture that the country would take.
Firstly, it continued to see the United
States as the pre-eminent military power,
despite growing challenges by China.
This view also underpins the acquisition
of US manufactured equipment which
experienced internationally, the cyber
threat has grown quickly and shows no
signs of slowing.
The major areas of focus in the White
Paper include: maritime operations and
anti-submarine warfare; Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
together with space, electronic warfare
and cyber; air and sea lift; strike and
combat air; land combat and amphibious
warfare; and base development.

30 | Asian Military Review |

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Australian DoD
(L-R) Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull, MP; Minister for Defence, Senator the Honourable Marise Payne; the Minister
for Defence Industry, the Honourable Christopher Pyne, MP; and Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies, AO, CSC, announce a $1.4 billion
investment for the Australian Defence Force that will see the acquisition of six MQ-4C Triton

MQ-4C Triton
The momentous news in terms of maritime
operations is the recent and long-awaited
announcement that came on 26 June
when the Australian Department of
Defence confirmed its acquisition of six
Northrop Grumman Corporation MQ-4C
Triton unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
in a cooperative programme with the US
Navy (USN). The USN’s programme of
record is for 68 MQ-4C Triton’s.
An initial investment of $1.4bn will
be made to acquire the MQ-4C, including
$364 million in new facilities at RAAF Base
Edinburgh and RAAF Base Tindal, together
with ground control systems, support, and
training. The MQ-4C Triton is a further
development of Northrop Grumman’s
Global Hawk, with a reinforced airframe
and wing. For long range maritime
missions where it may be necessary to
descend through cloud layers in order
to obtain better images it incorporates
deicing and lightning protection systems.
The Triton is classified as a high
altitude long endurance (HALE) platform

| september/october 2018 | 31
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Australian DoD
Lockheed Martin is partnering
with Deakin University to further
develop its FORTIS exoskeleton.

has been under development by the
United States Navy since 2008. The
RAAF UAS will work alongside Boeing’s
P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft conducting
maritime surveillance. With both of these
assets operating together the RAAF will
discontinue using the AP-3C Orions in
this roll. Triton mission length is up to 24
hours allowing it to range further than
manned aircraft and to stay on patrol for
longer. They will be flown by RAAF pilots
and co-pilots at altitudes up to 55,000 feet.
MQ-8C Specifications
Manufacturer Northrop Grumman
Role Real-time Maritime
intelligence, surveillance,
and reconnaissance
Airframe Length:14.5 m, height: 4.6 m
Wingspan 39.9 m
Weight 14, 628 kg
Speed 331 knots (max)
Ceiling 50,000 feet
Range 24 hrs+
“Triton provides unprecedented
endurance and 360-degree coverage
through its unique sensor suite,” said
Doug Shaffer, vice president of Triton
programmes, Northrop Grumman.
“Australia has one of the largest sea zones
in the world over which it has rights to
use marine resources, also known as an
Economic Exclusion Zone. As a flexible
platform, Triton can serve in missions as
varied as maritime domain awareness,
target acquisition, fisheries protection, oil
field monitoring and humanitarian relief.”
The first of the Triton aircraft is
expected to be introduced into service in
mid-2023 with all six aircraft planned to
be delivered and in operation by late 2025.
Type 26 Future Frigate
Other key capabilities in maritime
acquisition include 12 new regionally
superior submarines; nine new
BAE Systems was announced as the
successful bidder to design the Hunter
Class Future Frigate for SEA 5000 Phase 1.
anti-submarine warfare frigates; 12 new
offshore patrol vessels; seven additional
P-8A Poseidon aircraft bringing the total
to 15 P-8As by 2020.
The winner of the Royal Australian
Navy’s (RAN) anti-submarine warfare
Future Frigate competition was
announced in June. BAE Systems beat
its rivals to supply the RAN with nine
Future Frigates to replace the Anzac-class
frigates from the mid-2020s, Construction
work on the ships will begin in 2020
at the still under construction new
federal government-owned shipyard,
ASC Shipbuilding, in Osborne, South
Australia. For the duration of the build
the yard will become a subsidiary of BAE
Systems, but after that is will return to
Commonwealth ownership to continue
naval shipbuilding into the future.
To fulfil its role as an anti-submarine
warfare platform the hull of the Hunter
class is being designed to produce a low
acoustic signature, and will incorporate
an Ultra S2150 hull mounted sonar new
sonar, Thales S2087 towed array and
variable depth sonar. It will operate a
Sikorsky MH-60R helicopter with hanger
room for an additional UAS system.
Main weapons and sensors include
Australian CEAFAR2 Phased Array Radar,
Aegis Combat Management System with
a Saab developed Australian interface, as
well as a range of anti-air missiles, close-
in weapons systems, guns, decoys and
other countermeasures.
Land Capabilities
There is a significant investment, up to 18
percent of capability expenditure, on land
systems up to 2025-26. These will address
a wide range of requirements, from those
that support deployed infantry both in
terms of personal equipment, and mobility,
firepower and situational awareness.
On 17 August one of the most
significant investments in the Australian
Army was made when the Australian
government announced a $2.3 billion
(AUD$3.3bn) contract for Rheinmetall’s
Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle
(CRV), of which a total of 211 will be
acquired under Project Land 400 Phase 2.
Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian
Prime Minister, stated that the contract
represented “the largest single acquisition
for the Australian Army and it is part
of our AUD $200 billion [US$142 bn]
re-equipment of the Australian Defence
Force. These vehicles will be built in
Queensland and we are creating for the
first time a sovereign national defence
enterprise which is our commitment.”
Over 40 Australian companies will
participate in the programme.
This will also ensure that Rheinmetall
will plays a major roll in supporting the
combat mobility of the Australian Army.
The Boxer is already in service in the
German, Netherlands and Lithuanian
armed forces, will be delivered in several
variants, the largest of which will be the
reconnaissance version at 133 vehicles.
This version has the Lance turret system
which features a 30mm MK30-2 /
ABM automatic cannon, developed by
Rheinmetall. The turret can house 200
rounds of two different types. it also
incorporates a digital fire-control systems
with two electro-optical sights - a high-
resolution camera, a thermal imaging
camera and a laser rangefinder.

32 | ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |


Head of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle
Systems Division Ben Hudson stated:
“The Boxer CRV is highly protected
against both asymmetric threats that
have been faced by Australian soldiers in
recent operations, while also being highly
protected against conventional battlefield
threats that our soldiers may face one day
in a conventional war-fighting scenario”.
Deliveries of the 8x8 CRV will begin
from a dedicated new facility in Queensland
in 2019 and run through to 2026.
Rheinmetall has also been the
successful winner in another competition
to supply the Army with over 1,000 trucks
through Australia’s Land 121 Phase 5B
project. The contract is worth $497 million
(nearly AUD$700 million) and is an
addition to a previous contract for 2,500
medium and heavyweight military trucks
worth nearly $1.4bn (AUD$1.9 bn).
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall
stated: “This follow-up order is of
great strategic significance to us…It
reflects Australia’s satisfaction with
our performance and the quality of
our vehicles” and that it proved that
Rheinmetall was “fully capable of carrying
out sophisticated large-scale projects.”
Exoskeletons and cyber
At the close of the biennial Land Forces
exhibition 2018, which ran from 4-6
September, the Chief of Army, Lieutenant
General Rick Burr summarised ADF’s
need for modernisation and flexibility of
operation: “The operating environment
is increasingly volatile, uncertain and
complex. We must embrace and understand
technological opportunities to prepare our
Army for the challenges of the future.”
During the event, on 5 September
Lockheed Martin Australia announced
that it would be partnering with Deakin
University’s Institute for Intelligent
Systems Research (IISRI) to examine
how to extend the capability of Lockheed
Martin’s FORTIS Exoskeleton.
A 12-month research partnership
between Lockheed Martin Australia
and has extended the capability of
Lockheed Martin’s FORTIS Exoskeleton.
According to the company, the FORTIS is
an “unpowered, lightweight exoskeleton
designed by Lockheed Martin that makes
tools weighing up to 36lbs feel weightless
| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 |
REGIONAL
M I L I T A R I E S
- reducing user fatigue and improving
worker safety.” The Deakin IISRO
researchers have already discovered
how new attachments can expand the
load carrying capability of the FORTIS
Exoskeleton “
James Heading, business
development senior manager, Lockheed
Martin Australia, said that research into
exoskeletons would ultimately result
in “assisting soldiers to carry heavy
equipment over long distances.”
The ADF is to benefit from cyber
training from Elbit Systems of Australia
subsidiary Cyberbit following an
announcement by Minister for Defence
Christopher Pyne. Elbit will deliver
training and teaching materials to allow
the ADF to develop their own ‘Cyber
Warriors’ who “will learn to identify, track,
investigate, respond to and remediate a
cyber-attack.”
Cyber training facilities will be
collocated with the ADF in Melbourne,
Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra. The fully
self-contained Cyber Security training
network will be capable of training 50
students concurrently. AMR
33
S E A
P O W E R
ASM THREAT TO SHIPS
COUNTERED BY FAST DRAW CWIS
Close In Weapons System (CIWS) may turn to lasers rather than
throwing a wall of steel at the incoming missile threat.
by Stephen W. Miller
O
ne of the most serious threats
to the conduct of naval
operations is the anti-ship
missile (ASM). Although
first used in small number
in World War II the level of the challenge
that they presented to surface ships
really garnered attention in the 1970s
when an early ASM, the Russian designed
SS-N-2 Styx, sank an Israeli destroyer on
21 October 1967.
ASMs includes a range of ship, air
and land launched guided missiles that
can be fired at stand-off distances and
will acquire and attack a targeted ship
using on-board guidance systems. Often
ASMs approach their targets using either
sea skimming flight a few metres above
water or high altitude at high speed to
avoid detection until the final phase of
34
the attack. ASM guidance technologies
include radar, GPS, inertial guidance,
infrared (thermal signature detection)
with several guidance forms sometimes
combined. Defence against the ASM is
complicated, firstly through the difficulty
in detecting and classifying an incoming
missile as a threat, and secondly by the
attack approach itself which makes
engaging and destroying the missile
difficult. The Close In Weapon System
(CIWS) is specifically designed to cope
with the ASM threat.
ASM Designs
Anti-ship missile design relies on reducing
delectability. This means achieving a
low radar cross-section and masking
aspects of the missile that might increase
its signature for shipboard surveillance
| Asian Military Review |
U.S. Navy
The Arleigh Burke-class
guided-missile destroyer
USS Porter fires its Phalanx
close-in weapons system
during a live-fire gunnery
exercise, April 5, 2018.
systems. The objective is simply to
reduce the distance, and thereby reaction
time, at which these defence systems can
positively identify the incoming missile.
This window to detect, identify, acquire,
track, engage and destroy the ASM is
measured in seconds. Compounding
the self-defence problem, multiple ASMs
may be launched to attack the same target,
requiring the ships defences to engage
multiple incoming ASMs. In addition,
some of the latest ASMs initial approach
is very low (only five metres above the
sea) and relatively slow to minimise
detection, but as the missile nears the
target it accelerates to high, or even
super-sonic speed, to further reduce the
ship’s ability to engage it.
Although Navys attempt to utilise
a layered defence that seeks to counter

Rheinmetall’s 35 mm Oerlikon
Millennium Naval Gun fires short burst
salvos at 1000 rounds pr minute using
special AHEAD ammunition. As the
rounds leave the barrel, the time delay
fuse in each projectile is programmed to
eject its lethal payload of spin-stabilized
tungsten cylinders at the optimum
moment for maximum target effect.
threats as far from the fleet as possible,
there are many situations where the
ASM has significant advantage. This is
especially true in littoral operations, in
restricted waters, and when a mass attack
is launced to overwhelming the defences.
In the final analysis, an effective ASM
defence relies on early detection of the
missile and then the rapid and precise
engagement and destruction of it. As
Bridgitte Tapia, senior director, Close-In
Defense Solutions at Raytheon reflected:
“CIWS are often the last line of defense for
our warfighters”.
Gun CIWS
The use of guns for close in missile
defence is based on the concept of placing
a massive number of projectiles into
the path of an incoming missile thereby
destroying it or damaging it sufficiently
to fall into the sea. Given the extremely
short response time available to slew to,
acquire and engage the missile this entire
process is automatic without a man in the
loop. When in an area or situation which
has a high potential for encountering
ASMs, the CIWS is placed in automatic
target-acquisition mode. In this mode it
will automatically engage a target that fits
its preset target criteria. Typically the gun
CWIS uses radars to detect, acquire and
engage the target.
The General Dynamics and Raytheon
Missile Systems Phalanx is one of the
earliest and most widely fielded CIWS.
According to the US Navy (USN) sources
the ‘Phalanx provides ships with a
terminal defence against anti-ship
missiles that have penetrated other fleet
defences.’ It is a self-contained system
that requires minimal deck space and
wiring. As such it combines search,
detection, threat evaluation, acquisition,
track, firing, and kill assessment into a
S E A
P O W E R
C S T
Rheinmetall Air Defence
Local situaonel
awareness
single mounting. The latest version uses
a 20mm multi-barrel Gatling cannon, that
is electrically driven giving a selectable
rate of fire of 3,000 or 4,500 rounds per
minute (rpm). It fires special Armoured
Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS)
ammunition which has a velocity of
3,650fps (1,113mps). The system fires for
only a few seconds to destroy the target.
It stores 1550 rounds in the magazine,
sufficient ammunition for a number of
engagements. A Ku-band radar provides
search, acquisition and the firing data to
the computer that controls the weapon.
Since it is self-contained, Phalanx
can be used to providing an anti-ship
missile defence capability to a wide
range of ships including large and small
combatants, support ships, auxillaries,
merchant marine and even expeditionary
sea bases. Since its 1978 production and
initial fielding, Phalanx has undergone a
number of ‘Block’ improvements which
have added capability as in the addition
of a FLIR thermal sighting system that
allows surface target engagement, as well
as improving performance against anti-
ship cruise missiles. A new the Enhanced
Lethality Cartridge ammunition with a
tungsten penetrator is also being offered
with tighter dispersion and increased
first-hit’ range (the effective range of
Phalanx is inside 3,600m). A more recent
improvement by Raytheon is the electric
powered gun that is able to both achieve
full firing rate immediately Phalanx is Copenhagen Sensor Technology A/S | info@copst.com
used by 20 navies.
Another gun CIWS is the Thales www.copst.com
Goalkeeper. It is similar in concept to the
Phalanx but uses a seven barrel 30mm
Gatling gun with X-band search, and
I-band and Ku- band acquisition and fire
control radars. The 30mm was selected
to provide both greater engagement
range and a more destructive projectile. Scan the QR code to see Company website
| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 | 35
S E A
P O W E R
As ASMs have become more stealthy
and faster the engagement window
has become shorter prompting
efforts to better assure the incoming
missiles destruction. The Thales
Goalkeeper which though using a
similar concept to the US Phalanx
also employed a larger 30mm seven
barrel Gatling gun.
An added benefit is that the 30mm also
had other ammunitions like the High
Explosive Incendiary (HEI) more suitable
for other targets like surface craft. A
primary driver for the 30mm selection
was the concern over the supersonic ASM
which, due to the momentum of thier
high speed, will continue on course and
impact the ship even when damaged
by smaller calibre projectiles. By using
a larger penetrator the catastrophic
destruction of the missile could be better
assured. Goalkeeper is in service with
the navies of the Netherlands, Peru,
Chile, Belgium, Qatar, Portugal and the
Republic of Korea.
Leonardo takes a somewhat different
tack to the ASM engagement in its
DARDO system which utilises twin
40mm Bofors L70 or ‘Fast Forty’ guns in
an unmanned turret. It is offered in two
versions. Type A has a 440-round internal
plus a 292-round under-deck magazine.
The Type B requires no deck penetration
as it has only the 440-round internal
magazine. The Fast-Forty, an improved
version of the Bofors 40mm, has higher
accuracy (less round dispersion) and a
higher rate of fire. The guns are dual feed.
This increases engagement effectiveness
in that it can initiate firing at an ASM at
maximum 3000m using special proximity-
fused prefragmented high explosive
36
Thales
rounds. This warhead maximises a
fragmentation pattern. It is then possible
to automatically switch to APDS tungsten
penetrator rounds should the target not
be destroyed before reaching 1000m.
DARDO’s rates of fire are 60 or 90rps.
DARDO utilises the ship’s surveillance
radar for target detection. This data is
passed to a RTN-30X target acquisition
radar that cues a Selenia Orion RTN-20X
J-Band fire control radar with integrated
TV camera and Elsag fire control computer
that can manage 10 targets concurrently.
These execute and control the engagement
which can be totally automatic or
manually operated. A benefit of DARDO
is that the guns can also be used for other
targets including fast attack craft, aircraft,
and various surface targets. This is largely
a function of the DARDO’s greater
3000m+ range and the ammunition types
available. DARDO is used by ten of the
world’s navies including those of Italy,
Peru, Argentina, Colombia, and Republic
of Korea.
Russian CWIS
Russia has fielded a number of CIWS
systems including the KBP Instrument
Design Bureau AK-630 and improved
AK-630M which use GSh-630 30mm
Gatling guns in an enclosed automatic
turret. Typically the systems are mounted
| Asian Military Review |
in pairs with larger ships often mounting
between four to eight systems. The gun
is gas operated and has a rate of fire of
between 4,000-5,000rpm which requires
the barrels to be water cooled using a
surrounding jacket. Interestingly its only
service ammunition is high explosive
incendiary. The AK-630 requires external
target detection and gun fire direction.
Typically these are provided by the
MR-123-02 Fire Control Radar and a
SP-521 Electrical-Optical Tracker. The
later includes a laser rangefinder and TV
optical sight. There is also a derivative of
the AS-630, the AS-306 that is electrically
driven and air cooled. It looks similar but
has a lower rate of fire, is only optically
directed and is intended for surface
engagements. The Peoples Republic of
China Navy’s H/PJ-13 is based on the AS-
630 but in a lower profile turret and using
their Type 347 radar and ZGJ-1B optical
tracker. China also has introduced an
APDS round.
The newest pure gun CIWS is the
Oerlikon Millennium Naval Gun offered
by Rheinmetall Air Defense (RAD). Its
35mm Revolver Cannon is the heart of
the system. Craig McLoughlin, head
of sales Naval Systems explained, “It
uses a unique air-bursting ammunition
called Ahead (Advanced Hit Efficiency
and Destruction) which maximises hit
probability by distributing a lethal cone
of tungsten sub-projectiles in the path
of the oncoming threat. The system has
a rate of fire 1000rpm and is capable of
defeating up to ten anti-ship missiles
before requiring reloading.” It fires salvos
of 36 round short bursts against ASMs
allowing multiple engagements and
rapid target switching. Currently it uses
off-mount detection and tracking but an
autonomous version is being developed.
Missile CIWS
The USN has introduced the RIM-116
RAM (Rolling Air Frame Missile) for
many of its combatant ships. It is a small,
lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-
air missile using a 21 missile deck mounted
Mk49 launcher. It links into and utilises
the ship’s surveillance and direction
combat systems. The missile has had
three Block improvements, each directed
at expanding its target attack capability.
The latest Block 2 allows both infrared
only and passive radio frequency seeker
homing and improved manoeuvring
target engagement capability. Eleven
navies employ the RAM including those
of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Germany,
S E A
P O W E R
The US Navy views the high
energy laser as a strong
potential candidate technology
for the next generation of
close in weapons. Technology
demonstrations like this laser
weapon prototype on the USS
Dewey have shown that lasers
have the ability to counter some
small craft and UAVs. However,
destroying ASMs could require 5
to 10 times greater power than
achieved so far.
Japan and Republic of Korea.
The SeaRAM is a fully self contained
CIWS. Raytheon states that theSeaRAM
combines key attributes of the Phalanx
close-in weapon system and an 11 missile
pod with the RAM guided weapon
system. It offers the accuracy, extended
range and high manoeuvrability of the
RAM missile with the high resolution
search-and-track sensor and reliable,
quick-response capability of the Phalanx
Block 1B system.” SeaRAM uses the same
space and power as Phalanx allowing
almost any ships to be fitted with
improved defence against both subsonic
and supersonic ASM threats. SeaRAM is
being fit to the US Littoral Combat Ships
(LCS) where it was first deployed in 2009.
Hybrid CIWS
Russia has also tended toward hybrid
gun-missile air defence system such as
the Kashtan designed by KBP Instrument
Design Bureau. It has two pods with four
9M311 Semi-active Command Line of
Sight (SACLOS) missiles plus two lower
mounted GSh-30K (AO-18K) six-barrel
30mm rotary cannons using link-less
feeding. The missile is the same as used
on the 9K22 Tunguska ground air defence
system. It is a two stage rocket with a
proximity fused designed to form a 10m
fragmentation cone. Threat detection
and system control is off mount using a
command module with 3-D radar and
electro-optic identification/tracking.
The Kashtan-M is an improved variant
with two higher velocity AO-18KD
38
ONR USN
cannons, improved 10km range and 6km
engagement altitude missiles and faster
5.7 second reaction time.
An upgrade to Kashtan, Pantsir-M
CIWS began testing in 2017. It uses a
new missile and phased array radar
drawn from the Pantier-S1 ground air
defence system. Like Kashtan it includes
rotating magazines below deck that can
reload each side automatically providing
a total load of 32 missiles. Uniquely
for a CIWS Pantsir, it can also fire the
Hermes-K, a semi-active laser guided
surface-to-surface missile. Thus, Pantsir
has both an air defence and surface target
engagement capability. Since Pantsir
uses the control and detection system of
the Kashtan ships with the later can be
upgraded to the new system.
Future Direction of CIWS
Close-in ship defence remains a critical
concern while also expanding to include
not just the sea-skimming missile but also
supersonic guided missiles, drones, as
well as both small boats and swarming
fast attack surface craft. In addition, with
the expectation of detached independent
missions, the need to provide effective
self-protection is more pressing given the
proliferation of ASMs and even antitank
guided missiles. This self defence
requirement is also equally urgent for
amphibious, support and auxiliary
vessels which will also face the danger
of attack in an asymmetric warfare
environment. Self contained, stand-alone
CIWS systems with the capability to
| Asian Military Review |
provide defence against a range of threats
are, therefore, a trend that is likely to gain
even greater interest. As an example, one
of the early Block 1 improvements to
SeaRAM was software modification to
adapt it to engage helicopters, aircraft
and surface targets (HAS). The addition
of a thermal camera and electro-optic
tracking to Phalanx was similarly driven.
Pantsir’s capability to not only launch
surface-to-air but also surface-to-surface
missiles and undertake gun engagements
is another indicator of this consensus
across navies.
It is possible that the next generation
CIWS may well be using an entirely
different technology. The USN has been
looking into the use of shipborne high
energy laser weapons (LaWS) in ship
defence. As early as 2011 the Office of Naval
Research had conducted evaluations that
successfully demonstrated the feasibility
of lasers in tracking small boats. The
following year it did the same and even
downed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Under its Solid-State Laser Technology
Maturation (SSL-TM) programme the
Navy has been looking at laser weapon
prototypes by various industry teams from
Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and
Raytheon. In March 2018, it awarded a
contract to Lockheed Martin to deliver two
High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-
dazzler with Surveillance (HELIOS) which
will be integrated into a ship combat
system for trials in 2020. It is intended to
be a 60 to 150 kilowatt (kW) high-energy
laser powerful enough to disable or destroy
small boats or hostile UAVs.
However, reliably and effectively
tackling the ASM, especially the
supersonic versions, will require
significant advances. According to a US
Congressional Research Service report
increasing laser power to up to 300kW is
considered necessary by USN researchers
to counter even the low-end ASMs. It
stated: “Even stronger beam powers – on
the order of at several hundred kilowatts,
if not one megawatt [MW] or more – could
improve a laser’s effectiveness against
ASCMs and perhaps enable it to counter
anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMS).”
Meanwhile, efforts continue to further
enhance current CIWS capabilities
focused on achieving more reliable
missile engagement and destruction more
quickly. This is understandable since
detection of incoming ASMs remains still
largely a last minute thing. It also needs
be successful every time as there are no
second changes. AMR
RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS
HIND, HAVOC AND HALO
JUST GOT BETTER
Russian Helicopters invited AMR to travel to the Moscow Army show
for an update on its Mil Mi-24/35, Mi-28 and Mi-26 helicopters.
by Andrew Drwiega
T
he modernisation of attack
helicopters always causes
eyebrows to be lifted in military
circles around the world. What
are the new capabilities and
how will they improve on what has
gone before? Russian Helicopters builds
rugged helicopters, none with a better
reputation than the utility Mi-8/17 which
is used the world over.
The Russian Air Force operates around
320 Mi-24/35 (NATO reporting name
Hind) attack helicopters, some dating
back to the 1970s, and around 82 of the
more modern Mi-28 (Havoc) helicopters
40
REPORT
which began entering service around
2006. The Mi-35 is the export version of
the Mi-24.
Russian Helicopters, part of state
owned Rostec, has recently completed the
modernisation of both its classic, world
reknown Mil Mi-24 ‘Flying Tank’ as well
as its much newer Mi-28 ‘Night Hunter.’
The Mi-24 is know for its small squad
carrying as well as close air support
of ground troops in contact. This dual
function gives flexibitily to battlefield
commanders who may have limited
assets to call upon.
The two modernised versions of its
| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |
Mi-35, shown for the first time at the
international military forum ARMY 2018
(21-26 August) just outside Moscow, were
the Mi-35M and Mi-35P.
The Mi-35M now has multifunction
LCD displays for both pilot and co-pilot
as well as modern navigation and
targetting systems. The cockpit is Night
Vision Goggle (NVG) compatible. The
main armament is a 23mm cannon
while under wing pods allow it to carry
unguided S-13 and S-8 missiles. Other
missile options include the Igla-S air-to-
air guided missile.
The President-S onboard defense
 RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS
The latest version of the Mil Mi-35M
at the Russian Army 2018 show outside Moscow.
| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 |
REPORT
The modernised cockpit
and crew stations of
the Mil Mi-26T2V
showing the integrated
NPK90-2V avionics suite.
aide system is featured, with part of
the defensive aides suite including a
laser station for the suppression of
infrared (IR) missiles from man-portable
air-defense systems (MANPADS).
Additional equipment available includes
VHF Omni Ranging/Instrument
Landing System (VOR/ILS) and a radio
rangefinder to calculate the distance to
beacons on the ground.
Andrey Boginsky, CEO, Russian
Helicopters, summarised the appeal of
the Mi-35 to international customers by
recalling that the helicopter has been used
in combat in over 30 wars over the past
few decades. “With such wide experience,
we have managed to perfect this platform,
and now we are consistently equipping
it with state-of-the-art armaments
and avionics. Serial production of the
upgraded machines will commence when
41
RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS
all the modifications have been tested," he
revealled in a statement prior to Army 2018.
“We expect that the demand for new
versions of the helicopter with increased
combat capability will be high in many
countries," concluded Anatoly Serdyukov,
industrial director, Aviation Cluster of
Rostec State Corporation.
Mi-35P
The other version OF THE MI-35 on
show at Army 2018 was the modernised
Mi-35P helicopter. Ground testing of
new equipment will be followed by air
tests and then serial production. The
Mi-35P now features an upgraded OPS-
24N-1L observation-sight system with a
third generation matrix long wavelength
thermal imager, a TV camera and a laser
rangefinder.
A new digital flight system has been
based on the PKV-8 autopilot to increase
stability and ease the pilot’s workload. A
new targetting system based around the
PrVK-24 should also improve combat
accuracy.
42
REPORT
The latest Mil Mi-28NE Night Hunter on display with
Mi-28NE
The Mi-28NE Night Hunter is the export
version of the Mi-28N. It can carry the
Khrizantema-M anti-tank missile with
a dual guidance system, increasing the
helicopter’s engagement range out to
10km. it can also use the modernised
Ataka guided missiles with dual laser or
radar guidance.
The version at the show was still
being tested and was returning to testing
after the show. The twin VK-2500-01
turboshaft engines now provide increased
power with each producing 2400hp with
increased torque. It has a hover ceiling
of 3,600m OGE and a service ceiling of
5,600m. Its combat range is around 450km.
New curved blade made out of
composite materials, together with a
larger tailplane, have resulted in better
control and a new maximum speed of
305km/h. The modernisation has also
improved the overall aircraft performance
in hot and high conditions as well as the The end of stub-wing
survivability if the aircraft receives hits defensive aide system.
from gound fire. The fuel system has
| ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |
 2019 MADEX (213x143).pdf 1 9/7/18 3:57 PM

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K
russian helicopters
Serial production of the Mil Mi-35P is planned
to begin following the end of testing this year.
also been redesigned according to the
company, so that the fuel will neither
explode nor burn.
The Mi-28NE has enhanced armour
and greater combat survivability.There
are two feed boxes that store 230 rounds
between them for the 2A42-2 30mm
gun. The missile load can include up to
16 ATAKA-VM laser guided missiles
or Khrizantema-M, both with either a
hollow charge warhead or high explosive
warhead. Unguided rockets comprise
either S-8 or S-13 in up to four rocket
pods that hold 20 S-8 rockets or four pods
with five S-13 rockets. If required, it can
alternatively carry a mix of four bombs
between 50-500kg.
The targetting system can mark four
targets at a time and launch two missiles
simultaneously at different targets. The
defensive aide suite can identify up to
eight sources of threat.
In terms of maintenance, an online
interactive maintenance tool has been
44
report
developed that includes the flight manual
as well as service schedules and vendor
part details.
Mi-26T2V
The latest modernisation of the world’s
largets helicopter, the Mi-26T2V (Halo)
was on show at a military airfield used
for displays but close to the Army 2018
showground. The Mi-26T2 now features
an integrated NPK90-2V digital avionics
suite which incorporatesweather radar,
navigation and landing systems with
radio rangefinder, early ground proximity
warning system (EGPWS), and digital
Doppler velocity and drinft angle gauge.
The defensive aides suite incorporates
radar warning receivers, UV direction
finders, and electro-optical suppression
laser station and flare distribution system.
Gurgen Karapetyan, Mil Design
Bureau test pilot stated in Russian
Helicopters’ own magazine that the
automatic pilot was partiularly useful
| Asian Military Review |
over featureless terrain. He added that it
was no possible to perform an automatic
approach from 50m down to 30m
where the aircraft could hover, before
descending to 1.5m above the ground.”
CEO Anatoly Serdyukov stated that:
“The State Armament Program for 2018-
2027 envisages providing the armed
forces with this version of heavy-lift
helicopters. I am convinced that the Mi-
26T2 helicopter will be a sought-after
machine both in Russia and abroad.”
Following the conclusion of Army 2018,
the actual helicopter on display would
undertake further flight tests with Mil
Moscow Helicoper plant engineers before
being handed to the military for further
customer test.
The modernised Mi-26T2V retains a
crew of five and can carry up to 20 tons
helicopter which can be used at any time of
the day and has modern avionics is a heavy-
lift wide-body transport helicopter which
can carry up to 20 tons of cargo. AMR
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A N A LY S T S
C O L U M N
MYANMAR’S ARMY -
A LAW UNTO ITSELF
by Anthony Davis
S
ince the explosion of the crisis in Myanmar’s
Rakhine State in August last year, the Myanmar
Army has become an international byword
for some of the most savage atrocities inflicted
on civilians in recent decades. A series of meticulously
researched reports from international human rights
organisations and most recently a United Nations (UN)
Fact Finding Mission have chronicled mass killings of
Muslim Rohingyas, systematic gang rape and the torching
of hundreds of villages that drove over 700,000 refugees
across the border into neighboring Bangladesh.
This is hardly the first time the Myanmar military,
or Tatmadaw, has faced international condemnation for
rights abuses. It is though the first time a UN body has
recommended the referral of top commanders including
commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to
the Holland-based International Criminal Court (ICC) on
charges of crimes against humanity and ‘genocidal intent’.
Myanmar is not a party to the Rome Statute that
established the ICC and diplomatic top-cover extended
by China and Russia in the UN Security Council which
make it unlikely the officers named will be appearing
any time soon in the Hague. But the Rakhine bloodbath
does raise fundamental questions the ICC would need to
address: how is it that the Tatmadaw – a well-organised
and relatively modern state actor with a strong tradition
of discipline and claims to military professionalism - has
dragged its own reputation and that of Myanmar itself so
low? Three central factors arguably account for a history
of persistent abuse and periodic massacre which has
culminated in the latest atrocities. Often overlooked by
outsiders, the broadest of these is the manner in which
Myanmar’s military has been exhausted and brutalised
by war without end over seven decades since
Independence in 1948. No other country’s army has been
committed to unremitting combat operations for so long.
In the case of Myanmar those operations have almost
entirely been against domestic enemies where the line
between combatant and civilian is perennially blurred.
The origins of the Tatmadaw date back to World War
II and training from the Imperial Japanese Army, a force
not noted for human rights. Its early post-Independence
counter-insurgency campaigns were fought mostly in
the ethnic Bamar heartlands of central Myanmar against
communist and ethnic Karen rebels. From the 1970s the
focus shifted to the mountains and jungles around the
nation’s rugged borderlands where an array of ethnic
minority pocket-armies - fought for autonomy from
central military rule.
These were ‘small wars’ conducted by ill-equipped
light infantry battalions operating in remote regions
46 | ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW |
with only occasional artillery support, and at the end
of ‘shoe-string’ logistics lines reliant mainly on humans
and pack animals. Casualty evacuation was rare and the
strain on morale a constant challenge.
Despite modernisation of equipment and increasing
air support, sharply escalating fighting in northern
Myanmar since 2014 has only exacerbated front-line
China News Agency
problems of high casualties, extended rotations and low
morale.
The Tatmadaw’s reputational crisis has also been
driven by a deep-rooted ethnic chauvinism. The army
is overwhelming recruited from among the country’s
majority Buddhist Bamar community (68 percent of
a population of 52 million) and is led by an almost
exclusively Bamar officer corps. Essentially, colonial
pacification campaigns targeted on minority insurgents
and their civilian support bases have been infused with
a powerful sense of Bamar cultural, linguistic and ethnic
superiority which predictably has bred contempt and
abuse.
Operations against Karen, Shan and Kachin insurgents
have involved well-documented recourse to the burning
of villages, rape of women and the forced recruitment
of men as porters and human mine-sweepers. But the
worst of the army’s racist animus has undoubtedly been
reserved for the Rohingya – systematically dehumanised
both as Muslims and ‘Bengali’ interlopers with no claim
on citizenship rights.
Finally, the Tatmadaw has developed an unwavering
sense of its own indispensability as the custodian of
Myanmar’s territorial integrity and national destiny.
Since the coup of 1962 when it first seized control of
government, the military has existed as a caste apart,
contemptuous of politicians, dismissive of minorities
and jealous of its own economic and social prerogatives.
Behind a fig-leaf of elections and quasi-civilian rule,
the military-scripted constitution of 2008 ensures it an
indefinite lock-grip on real power in Myanmar.
Predictably political power and social privilege have
fostered a pervasive culture of impunity on the battle-
field and beyond. As demonstrated during the ruthless
crushing of pro-democracy protests in 1988 and 2007, the
army has not hesitated to turn its guns on ethnic Bamar
civilians. The violence visited on the Rohingya has been
unprecedented in its scale and savagery but it emerges
from institutional reflexes ingrained over decades.
Note: Anthony Davis is security analyst and consultant specialising
in insurgency, terrorism and military affairs in the Asia-Pacific region.