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Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Successfully Concludes Exercise Wallaby

 The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) conducting a tri-Service integrated exercise as part of Exercise Wallaby 21 (XWB21), held from 13 September to 21 October in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland, Australia (all photos : Sing Mindef)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has successfully concluded Exercise Wallaby 2021. Held in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland, Australia from 13 September to 21 October, this year's exercise involved about 580 personnel as well as platforms from the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

During the exercise, the SAF conducted large-scale coordinated missions to strengthen air-land-sea integration. These included live-firing by AH-64D Apache helicopters, air-drop from C-130 transport aircraft, ship-to-shore exercises, deck-landing by CH-47F Chinook helicopters and replenishment serials from RSS Endeavour, an Endurance-class Landing Ship Tank. With a land area approximately four times the size of Singapore, SWBTA allows the SAF to conduct large-scale integrated training across all three Services to exercise its range of capabilities and maintain training currency for its units.

Speaking at the end of the exercise, the Air Director of Exercise Wallaby 21, Colonel Sherman Ong said, "The vast expanse of the training area gave us the opportunity to conduct training that cannot be replicated back in Singapore. The complexity and challenges of the terrain allowed the RSAF to hone our operational competencies and conduct essential integrated training with our counterparts from the Army and the Navy. Every serviceman and woman understood the importance of the safe management measures implemented during the exercise and adhered strictly to them, which enabled us to conduct high quality training without compromise."

The SAF worked closely with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to ensure that COVID-19 health and safety protocols were in place for the safe conduct of the exercise. Some of the safe management measures included vaccination of SAF personnel participating in the exercise, serving a restriction of movement order prior to their deployment, pre- and post- deployment swab tests, following a controlled itinerary in Australia to minimise interaction with the local populace, and abiding by Australia's prevailing health and safety measures to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. All participants will also be subjected to the prevailing national protocols upon their return to Singapore.The resumption of Exercise Wallaby this year, after the suspension in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is testament to the trust and cooperation between our armed forces, as well as the close and long-standing bilateral defence relations between Singapore and Australia. Inaugurated in 1990, Exercise Wallaby provides realistic and challenging training opportunities for the SAF to hone its operational competencies.The SAF and the ADF have a long history of military cooperation, with extensive interactions through bilateral and multilateral exercises, professional exchanges, cross attendance of courses and joint operational deployments. In particular, steady progress has been made in the joint development of training areas and advanced training facilities in Central and Northern Queensland under the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Indonesia Seeks More Autonomy on CN235 Production in Offset Talks for A400M

 

 Indonesia is seeking greater autonomy from Airbus in the manufacturing process for the CN235 twin-turboprop aircraft.

Meeting documents provided to Janes indicate that Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have included this objective as an offset condition should Jakarta decide to procure A400M multirole aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force.

The CN235 is a medium-range utility aircraft that was jointly developed by Construcciones Aeron´auticas SA (now part of Airbus) and Indonesian manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia – PTDI (earlier known as IPTN) in the 1980s.

Several variants of the aircraft have since been developed, with PTDI securing contracts for maritime patrol and transport versions of the airframe with customers like the Indonesian armed forces, the Nepal Army Air Wing, and the Senegalese Air Force since 1993.

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Austal Delivered Third Guardian class to Papua New Guinea

 Austal Australia Delivers 13th Guardian-clas Patrol Boat

Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX: ASB) is pleased to announce Austal Australia has delivered the 13th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence.

The vessel, NUSHIP Francis Agwi, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force at a certificate signing ceremony held at Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.

The ceremony was attended in person by RADM Wendy Malcolm CSM, Head of Maritime Systems, Department of Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG); Air Commodore Fiona Dowse, Senior ADF Officer WA and Captain Gary Lawton, Commanding Officer HMAS Stirling, with Papua New Guinea being represented by the Commanding Officer of NUSHIP Francis Agwi, Lieutenant Elizah Lourie. With border restrictions currently in place that prevented guests from interstate attending, pre-recorded congratulatory messages were presented from both the Minister for Defence, The Hon Peter Dutton MP and His Excellency Mr John Kali, Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Australia.   

The vessel is the third of four Guardian-class Patrol Boats to be delivered to Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1), part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the new vessel was the fifth Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivered by Austal Australia in 2021 and maintains a successful track record of on-time and on-budget deliveries for the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project.

“The Austal Australia PPB-R team, CASG’s SEA3036 Project Team and our trusted supply chain partners are to be congratulated on the delivery of the fifth Guardian-class Patrol Boat this year - and maintaining an outstanding track record of deliveries throughout the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project,” Mr Gregg said.

Philippine lawmakers approve budget for 5 C-130Js

 The Philippine House of Representatives has approved a request from the Philippine Air Force to buy five C-130J transport aircraft.