NORAD F-16 Fighting Falcons • Cockpit View (2020)

 

Where India's S-400 Is Being Built

 

Thai Army Received Budget to Supply Stryker Lot 3 in 2021

 From the discussion reserved the amendments of the Act The 2021 budget for Agenda 2 contains data from discussion showing the procurement of 10 more Stryker wheeled vehicles from the United States in fiscal year 2021 worth 900 million baht.

The procurement of Stryker vehicles was carried out in fiscal year 2019 with 70 vehicles (47 supplied and the United States assisted by giving 23 more free), totaling 3,720 million baht. In FY2020, another 50 Stryker vehicles worth 4,515 million baht, a project that has not been postponed or budgeted due to COVID-19 and continued procurement in this fiscal year

Thus, procurement of 10 more Stryker vehicles in the fiscal year around 2021 will provide the Army with a total of 130 Stryker vehicles, or approximately 3 Panzer Infantry Battalions, based on the Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) rating. So, if the Army wants to form a complete Stryker Brigade at the actual rate, at least 192 additional Strykers will be required. It will complete the arrangement of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team rate of approximately 17,280 million baht, calculated from the Stryker price of 90 million baht per vehicle.

Long Live for the Royal Malaysian Navy Laksamana class

 

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) might experience hickups on its Maharajalela class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) but still packed with lots of lethal punches against hostile external threats especially when pitted against a Navy from neighbouring country.

Initially planned to be replaced by the Keris class Littoral Mission Ship (LMS), the four Laksamana class corvettes will continue to serve the RMN albeit as Fast Attack Craft.A plan to fit locally develop mini Combat Management System (CMS) for all of the FAC squadrons is also in the pipeline.Nevertheless, while all six Otomat anti ship missile (AShM) launchers have been removed, each Laksamana FACs still sports 40mm aft gun as well as Aspide Surface to Air Missile (SAM) launcher.

A refit program for all ships of the class has been completed. They are slated to be equipped with Gem Electronicca Electro Optic Fire Control System (EOFCS) which manage the 76mm Oto Melara main naval gun. When the Laksamanas were armed with the Otomat missiles, they could work together with the AgustaWestland Super Lynx Mk 300 naval helicopter for Over The Horizon (OTH) targeting thanks to Teleguidance telemetric system fitted on the latter.Malaysia received 20 units of Aspide SAM in 1997 with effective range 25 km (photo : Selenia)

Following the above mentioned refit, the RMN has quickly mobilised these Italian made ships under the Naval Region Command 1 (Markas Wilayah Laut 1 – MAWILLA 1) to patrol the Straits of Melaka.All four Laksamanas were deployed to Eks Perang Pangkor last May while KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil was recently involved in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Indonesian Navy’s KRI Sutanto, a Kapitan Patimura class corvette on August 2020.

Torpedoes and Anti Ship Missiles for Widcat Helos have Arrived in PHL

 Anti-sub helicopters' torpedoes, missiles now in PH: Navy chief

MANILA – Munitions for the major weapons system of the Philippine Navy (PN)'s two AugustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW-159 "Wildcat" anti-submarine helicopters are now in the country."Both the Spike-NLOS (non-line of sight) missiles and the BlueShark anti-submarine torpedoes are already 'in-country'," Navy chief, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in an interview on Thursday, when asked on the status of the weapon systems of the two AW-159 helicopters.

Bacordo said deliveries of the weapons were completed in the fourth quarter last year.Israel's Rafael Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd made Spike NLOS missile will give the AW-159s a capability to engage hostile vessels beyond visual range.

While the South Korean-made LIG Nex1 "Blue Shark" lightweight torpedoes will serve as the helicopters' anti-submarine weapon and are capable of shallow and deepwater operations and can run off to a speed of 45 knots.Once the pilots and aircrew of the AW-159s are fully trained, Bacordo said he expects these personnel to train on the use of these weapons to gain proficiency in their handling.The PN's two AW-159s were acquired to complement the Jose Rizal-class frigates' ASW capabilities.

The helicopters arrived in May 2019 and were commissioned in June of the same year.The contract for the helicopters' munition, mission essential equipment, and integrated logistic support is worth PHP5.4 billion. 

Japan plans to establish EW unit in Okinawa

Japan is now planning to establish a electronic warfare (EW) unit in Okinawa after the one at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto has been set up next year.

 

WW2 era B-25 crash landing in Stockton

Three people aboard warbird “Old Glory” were able to walk out of the B-25 when the plane made a crash landing at around 7:30 p.m. into an irrigation ditch in Stockton on Sept. 20.

 

Four PAF A-29s have arrived home in Philippines

The Philippine government confirmed on Sept. 19 that four A-29 light attack aircraft landed around 1:06 p.m. at Clark Air Base that day.