Source Sipri.org
Vietnam wants to modernize its aging fleet of tanks or replace them with modern ones. Sputnik discussed the issue with editor-in-chief of journal Arsenal of the Motherland and former tank battalion commander Viktor Murakhovsky.
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| T-72B3 tank |
Soviet-made tanks are the backbone of Vietnam’s armored forces, but they are old and need to be replaced with new and more advanced fighting vehicles.
The cost of a radical renewal of the country’s entire tank fleet is prohibitively high though. Fully aware of this the Vietnamese are now thinking of buying a limited number of modern tanks from Russia and upgrading their old ones to bring them up to speed with the demands of modern warfare.
“Vietnam has about 1,500 medium tanks and around 1,000 light ones. All of them were developed shortly after WWII and are no match for what Vietnam’s neighbors, above all China, now have. Keeping them in good shape is not easy as spare parts for them are increasingly hard to get these days,” Murakhovsly said.
He added that even in Russia, modernized T-72 and T-72B3 tanks sell at around $1.3 million apiece and even with minimum export overheads the price would climb to $1.5 million.
“As for the T-55 and T-62 tanks, they will cost at least half a million dollars and twice as much with dynamic protection, a modern fire control system, a thermal sight and a system to fire antitank missiles through the cannon,” Murakhovsky added.
He noted that the Vietnamese have to choose between repairing their old tanks and buying limited number of modern T-72B3s or their analogues, to deploy on potentially dangerous strategic areas or to radically upgrade what they have now.
“It is up to the Vietnamese side to decide, of course, but I think that buying modern tanks and getting rid of some of their outdated ones would be the right way to go,” Viktor Murakhovsky said in conclusion.
According ttu.fr French defense group DCNS of the country is touted capable corvettes Gowind class replacement submarine hunting for missile escort vessel class versatile Sigma 9814 that Vietnam Navy pause buy because the cause is said to be too high unit price. In addition, the Couach shipyard also offers Vietnam with high-speed patrol vessels recently sold to India, and the company CNIM Socarenam with 3 lander EDA-R, Piriou with patrol boats.
Remarkably, a few years ago Gowind corvette class Navy French Republic visited the port of Haiphong, Vietnam. This is the first visit to Vietnam Gowind class since it was put into use. At that time, there are suggestions that the French put Gowind visit is also offering this form of modern ships.
Gowind is a versatile class ships are designed with 3 different configurations including: frigates, missile boats and escort offshore patrol vessels. The ship is designed as should the switch module configuration tasks fairly easy to train.
The vessel has a length from 85-105m, recreational water quality ranged from 1000-2500 tons, equipped with a propulsion system combining diesel - gas turbines for a maximum speed of 25 knots/h, range 6.900km and economic speed 15 knots/h.
Gowind hydrodynamic design is quite unique with high stealth capability, ships superstructure pretty fancy with pyramidal structure, designed chamber commander somewhat triangular spearhead toward before, not flat like the ship design are assessed khac.Thiet likely scatter radar waves are high, which helps ships with stealth features Vietnamese advantages than other ships.
Characteristics of France's defense technology sensor systems, ultra-modern electronics. Naturally Gowin is no exception, the mast is designed inside pyramid radar equipped scouting SMART-S Mk2 3D with search range of up to 250km target with the ability to control up to 500 entries pepper. In particular, this radar is said to be able to detect stealth aircraft the B-2 or F-22.
In addition, guards rocket ship Gowind class equipped combat management system SETIS with advanced automation capabilities enable effective response to different types of targets.
Extreme close-up cockpit equipped with dense iron-definition color screen, display specifications of the vessel Maritime Gowind while visiting Haiphong.
Guardians Gowind vessels capable of strongly anti-submarine equipped with sonar underbody Kingklip system, sonar systems measure every Captass depth.
Regarding weapons, designed custom Gowind variety comfortably equipped for customers to choose. However, both the 1000 and 2500 configure basic Gowind will share anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, and the other only in terms of quantity. Accordingly, the main anti-ship weapons would be MM40 Exocet cruise missiles hit a range of 180km Block 3, which combines inertial navigation and active radar. Missiles carrying warheads weighing 165kg explosives powerful enough to sink ships with tonnage up to 5,000 tons.
About rooms, Gowind class escort vessel equipped with systems equipped with VLS launcher Sylver vertical launch tubes use 16 missiles MBDA VL-MICA air defense range of 12km. The missile is guided by active radar or infrared with good anti-jamming capability
Aft deck with hangars for helicopters weighing 5 tons, this deck is capable of receiving helicopters with load of about 10 tonnes. Gowind have the support system to allow unmanned helicopter works well.
A TNI-AU source told IHS Jane's on 30 December that the systems approved for acquisition are namely the Kh-31A and Kh-31P short-range air-to-surface missiles (USD24 million), the Kh-59ME powered stand-off weapon (USD18 million), and the AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) (USD6 million).
The Royal Thai Navy's (RTN's) Coastal Defence Command is replacing a number of the service's coastal guns with long-range missiles and is currently reviewing several options.
According to a senior RTN official who was speaking at the Coastal Surveillance conference held on 1-2 December in Kuala Lumpur, the replacements are being sought in light of advances in naval weapons technology that put a number of important infrastructures on Thailand's eastern seaboard at risk.
"As a result, the RTN intends to replace our coastal guns [with] long-range missiles that have better range and [are] more accurate", said Captain Panuwat Samakgarn, Deputy Director of the RTN's Combatant Capability Planning and Development Division.
The Russian air defense is developing Tuf-MA and Tuf-M2 communication systems for the new air defense missile systems S-400, S-500 and ‘Vityaz’.The new system will have the possibility of high-frequency tuning for electronic reconnaissance, equipping the defense missiles systems with a higher potential to evade enemy surveillance.
“The new S-400, S-500 and ‘Vityaz’ missiles will have the Tuf-MA and Tuf-M2 systems installed in them. This system will include a new modern design and digital signal processing systems that will decode signals and permit evading enemy,” the CEO of the United Instrument-Construction Corporation, Alexander Yakunin, told in an interview.
According to him the new system, “uses phased array antennas with digital beamforming, high frequency tuning for the protection against electronic reconnaissance and interference.”
The United Instrument-Construction Corporation is a Russian state corporation, created in 2014 as part of the ‘Rostec’ corporation. Its aim is produce a high-tech manufacture of competitive products in the field of technology and communications systems, automated control systems, electronic warfare and robotic systems for the Armed Forces and other special groups, as well as competitive products for civil use.
SOURCE: SPUTNIK
Russian A-50E AWACS appeared in the airspace over Syria.
The Beriev A-50 (NATO reporting name “Mainstay”) is a Russian Airborne early warning and control (AEW) aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport.
The A-50E airborne early warning and contol aircraft is intended to perofrm the following missions: detection, tracking and IFF determination of the air and surface targets, surveilance, command, control and communication functions for both commands posts of automatic control systems, guidance of fighters to air targets and attack aviation to serface targates.
Earlier German Defense Ministry informed about that NATO is preparing to relocate E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft from Germany to Turkey’s Konya base, to monitor airspace at the border with Syria. A third of the personnel will be from Germany.
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China’s first series-production Chengdu J-20 fighter is getting ready for a first flight.
The initial operational date for the J-20 is estimated at 2018. Now, with this production copy “2101” emerging out of the thick Chinese smog, perhaps we should revisit the 2018 date.
The Chengdu J-20 is a Stealth, twin-engine, fifth-generation fighter aircraft prototype being developed by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 made its first flight on 11 January 2011.
Since 2008 the PRC has worked to design and manufacture fifth generation concepts, both for its own use and to sell on a global scale. Two companies in China have worked on designs: the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (J-20) and the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (J-31). Both are subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 warplanes are among the world’s most sold fighting aircraft, according to a report published by an authoritative UK-based analytical center Flight International.
These fighter jets are the third most popular combat aircraft in the world.
The US-made US F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet was ranked first, with 2,264 aircraft of this type making up 16 percent of worldwide use. It is followed by the F-18 Hornet/Super Hornet aircraft, which are also made in the US.
There are 1,047 F-18 fighter jets in the world or seven percent of the total number of military aircraft operational globally.
With as many as 858 aircraft, US made F-15 Eagle fighters rank fourth making up six per cent.
Among the rest of the top ten combat aircraft ranked, the Mikoyan MiG-29 ranked fifth with 819 aircraft, the Mig-21 ranked sixth with 551 operational aircraft followed by the Su-25 with 503 fighters at seventh, the Chinese made F-5 with 482 aircraft, F-7 with 459 aircraft and J-7 fighter jet with 418 aircraft are ranked eighth, ninth and 10th positions.
As many as 6,208 aircraft of other types are operational with air forces of other countries, which makes up 43 percent of the total number of combat aircraft in the world.
There are 14,552 combat aircraft currently operational in armed forces across the globe, the report said.
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The ships will be armed with Kalibr cruise missiles and will enter the ranks of the Russian Navy in 2017-2018.
He added that both corvettes were expected to join the national fleet in 2017-2018 and would be equipped with high-precision missiles and advanced artillery systems. They will have a displacement of 800 metric tons and a maximum speed of over 30 knots.
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The first two new-generation corvettes for the Russian Navy will be laid down on Thursday in St. Petersburg, Navy spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said Wednesday.
"Two new-generation small-size missile ships of Project 22800 will be laid at the Pella shipyard in St. Petersburg on December 24," Dygalo told reporters.
He added that both corvettes were expected to join the national fleet in 2017-2018 and would be equipped with high-precision missiles and advanced artillery systems. They will have a displacement of 800 metric tons and a maximum speed of over 30 knots.
"It is planned that in the short term, various Russian shipyards will build over 10 Project 22800 small-size missile ships for the Russian Navy," the spokesman said, citing Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy Rear Adm. Viktor Bursuk.
In July, Navy Commander Adm. Viktor Chirkov said that Project 22800 corvettes would replace Project 11356 frigates in the Russian Navy since the latter were to be equipped with Ukraine-built gas turbine engines that Kiev failed to deliver, while engines for the former would be produced in Russia.
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Thailand is interested in buying T-90MS or T-90S main battle tanks from Russia.
Thai delegation visited the Uralvagonzavod, and seems to do an assessment of the type of T-90 MBT, because the latest T-14 MBT Armata not be exported in the near future.
By visiting Uralvagonzavod, the Army has information as a guide in determining which one will be selected MBT after the supply of Ukrainian Oplot MBT stalled.
As is known, Oplot tank originally projected to strengthen two cavalry battalion to replace the aging M48A5 tank.
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is essentially a modernisation of the T-72B, incorporating many features of the T-80U (it was originally to be called the T-72BU, later renamed to T-90).
T-90MS – New modernised (M) version of the export tank T-90S, with a 1130HP engine, a PNM Sosna-U gunner view, a 7.62 mm turret UDP T05BV-1 RWS, GLONASS, inertial navigation systems and new explosive reactive armour (ERA). A new removable turret bustle is included, which provides storage for eight additional rounds. T-90MS is ready for serial production
Defence-blog
Russian YouTube user Coocxals reports he spotted two unusually-looking choppers while taking a walk near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and rushed towards the Kremlin along the bank of the Moskva River, hoping to make a video of the helicopters taking off – and was rewarded for his effort.A couple of special-status olive-painted helicopters, bearing multiple antennas and no tail numbers, soared into the air and shortly disappeared behind the downtown roofs in the Russian capital.
“I love helicopters!” Coocxals wrote on YouTube, adding that the video was not edited. Although the special-looking aircraft were filmed on May 7, when preparations for the historic 70th anniversary Victory Day parade on Red Square were in full swing, it gained media attention only half a year later.
The Mil Mi-35MS is a development from the legendary Mi-24 assault helicopter dubbed ‘Crocodile.’ Yet according to reports cited by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, it boasts improved avionics, modern engines VK-2500, composite blades and all-digital equipment.
Just like its battle-ready elder brother, the Mi-35MS bears a couple of short wings, but instead of guided missile launchers, the helicopter bears containers with electronic warfare equipment protecting the aircraft from air-defense missile attacks.
The aircraft has non-retractable landing gear which helps to compensate the impact shock in case of a hard touchdown.
The Mi-35MS is positioned as special military command and control/communication helicopter for VIP flights, Coocxals pointed out.
An operable Mi-35MS was first spotted in 2013 at a military base in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.
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Source: Defence-blog, TV Zvezda
Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighter is one of the deadliest tools in the Russian military's arsenal. Watch this video and see what this magnificent steel bird is really capable of!
Huge crowds gathered on the streets of Vietnam's 1,000-year-old capital Wednesday for a massive military parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the nation's independence.
With a 21-cannon blast from historic Thang Long royal citadel, the procession of some 30,000 soldiers and civilians started at 7am, in front of Ho Chi Minh mausoleum at Ba Dinh square, where late President Ho Chi Minh had proclaimed the nation's independence on Sept 2, 1945 in the aftermath of the World War II...
Japanese Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin stealth fighter aircraft ready for first flight.
The ATD-X, known in Japan as Shinshin, meaning “spirit of the heart,” is a research prototype being used to determine whether domestic technologies for a fifth-generation fighter are viable.
If successful, the ATD-X will undergo further development and modifications in the hopes of leading to an F-3 fighter that will enter service starting 2035.
The experimental aircraft is currently under development by the Japanese Ministry of Defense Technical Research and Development Institute, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) signed on as the main contractor of the project.
The first laboratory under the Russian program «Promising high-speed helicopter» (PSV) will be created and It will be shown at the MAKS-2015. The first laboratory is available on the basis of Mi-24 helicopter.
As reported, the Russian Federation will spend over 7 billion rubles on the creation of new high-speed helicopter.
According to the plans of the holding, PSV should occupy a niche commercial multipurpose helicopters owning a takeoff weight of 12 tons. The passenger version of the machine with a comfortable interior will allow to carry 21-24 passengers. In addition, the special will be developed version of the helicopter: patrol, search and rescue, honey. According to the views of representatives «Helicopters of Russia», the helicopter will be able to gradually change PSV Park Russian helicopters of MI-8/17.
Over 40 existing and prospective aircraft will be presented at the exposition of MAKS-2015, which will take place on August 25-30 in the Moscow region....
The United States plans to move 50 military vehicles to a base in the Hungarian north-western town of Tata, Magyar Nemzet newspaper reported Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, the transfer of the vehicles, including four M1 Abrams tanks, is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing series of drills aimed at supporting NATO allies as a response to what the West considers to be Russian aggression in Ukraine.
NATO has also reinforced its military presence in the Baltic region since the conflict in southeast Ukraine broke out in April 2014. Since then, nearly 2,500 US Army troops have arrived in the region.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that NATO expansion toward the country's western frontier is a threat to global and national security...
More than thirty special purpose all-terrain infantry mobility vehicles Tigr-M SpN have been put on service at a mountain brigade of the Russian Central Military District, its press service reported on Tuesday, according to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency.
The press service said that servicemen are currently practicing driving the new vehicles in the run-up to drills which will be held in September, where they will perform a series of combat training missions on shooting ranges of the Central Military District.
According to the press service, the Tigr-M SpN vehicles are mainly designed for reconnaissance and patrol purposes, as well as for protecting convoys and supporting army units.
The modernized Tigr features a new diesel engine, a new armored hood, an air filter installation, an increase in the number of rear passenger seats (from eight to nine) and the replacement of the bicuspid rear hatch with a large square hatch.
"In addition, the vehicle is equipped with automatically regulated tire pressure, an automatic fire suppression system, a starting preheater and a self-recovery winch," the press service said.
Main armament includes the 7.62mm Pecheneg and 12.7mm Cord machine guns, as well the 30mm Plamya (Flame) automatic mounted grenade launcher...
The Army of Nicaragua plans to acquire Russian T-72 tanks to replace the old T-55 of the same origin, declared the
The Land Forces of Nicaragua currently has 31 T-55 tanks in service after that since the beginning of the 80 acquired several lots of these venerable tanks from diverse suppliers.
The T-72 is a Soviet second-generation main battle tank that entered production in 1971. About 20,000 T-72 tanks were built, making it one of the most widely produced post–World War II tanks, second only to the T-54/55 family.
The T-72 was widely exported and saw service in 40 countries and in numerous conflicts. Improved variants are still being built for export customers...
Source: defence-blog
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