06 Januari 2012

T-84 Oplot Main Battle Tanks (photo : Militaryphotos)

Ukrainian State Company for Export and Import of Military and Special Products and Services (Ukrspetseksport), which is a part of the Ukroboronprom state concern, intends to supply 49 T-84 Oplot tanks to Thailand.

He said a statement made by Volodymyr Kuratchenko, deputy director general of Ukroboronprom, in Kharkiv that enterprise will supply close to 100 tanks to Thailand was a mistake.

Volodymyr Kuratchenko told the press in Kharkiv that the execution of the contract will begin in 2012 and will be completed in 2014.

He said the execution of the contract will allow the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant to boost production volume 10 times in 2012 over 2011.

He did not specify a sum of the contract.

Mykola Belov, acting director general of the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant, told Ukrainian News the Cabinet of Ministers allocated UAH 40.2 million in December to the plant for preparing the execution of this and other contracts concerning production of tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Chief Designer Volodymyr Vakulenko told the press some 40 changes will be introduced in the design on demands from the customer, including installation of air conditioners.

As Ukrainian News reported, Ukrspetseksport on September 1 signed a contract with the Defense Ministry of Thailand to deliver 49 Oplot tanks for a sum exceeding USD 200 million.

On August 5, Ukrspetseksport reached agreement with Thailand for manufacture of 121 pieces of

BTR-3E1 armored personnel carriers and support vehicles based on them worth a total of more than USD 140 million.

Ukrspetseksport is part of the Ukroboronprom state-run concern, which also comprising enterprises producing military hardware, including tank-building enterprises.

(Army Recognition)

17 September 2011

STAWS thermal sight system (photo : SelexGalileo)

SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, has been awarded a contract by Update Development ltd worth around EUR 4.3M (£3.8M) to provide Thermal Sight Systems (TSS) to the Royal Thai Army in support of their Scorpion Light Tank upgrade programme.

The contract, for an initial quantity of 42 TSS systems, will see SELEX Galileo provide the battle-proven Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Weapon Sight (STAWS) fully integrated with assisted-aiming fire control software which will provide the Scorpion with a modern direct fire capability, 24 hours a day under all battlefield conditions.

The contract follows in-country trials of the system with the Royal Thai Army and deliveries will commence in February 2012 with the systems expected to go into service mid 2012.

Royal Thai Army Scorpion light tank (photo : Militaryphotos)

Colin Horner, Head of Campaigns Land ISTAR & Imagers at SELEX Galileo said: “We are delighted that our proposal has been accepted by the Royal Thai Army and look forward to equipping the Scorpion Light Tank with this outstanding capability. The TSS is a cost effective upgrade to legacy vehicles such as the Scorpion and can provide extended direct fire capability to artillery platforms such as 155mm Howitzers.”

“The Surveillance and Target Acquisition Sight (STAWS) which provides the multi-waveband imaging solution is in service with the British Army and other coalition forces on remote weapon stations and other ISTAR assets and is well suited to the Scorpion Light Tank.” added Colin Horner.

The contract is for the first tranche of a three stage upgrade programme with the Royal Thai Army intending to upgrade a number of further vehicles. Successfully winning this contract puts SELEX Galileo in good stead to compete to supply the TSS for further Scorpion Light Tanks.

(Selex)

03 September 2011

Oplot main battle tank (photo : krblog)

Ukraine to supply 49 Oplot tanks to Thailand

Ukraine will supply 49 Oplot main battle tanks to the Royal Thai Army, Ukraine's state arms exporter Ukrspecexport told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

Representatives of Ukrspecexport and the Royal Thai Army signed the contract for the supply of tanks late on Thursday. The contract details have not been disclosed.

The state company said that the deal was one of the largest in the defense sector. Sources in the defense sector told Interfax-Ukraine that the deal was estimated to be worth about $240 million.

Ukraine is currently providing BTR-3E1 armored personnel carriers to Thailand. The total value of contracts signed in 2006 and in 2011 is estimated at $270 million.

The BM Oplot tank, which was designed by Kharkiv Morozov Engineering Design Bureau on the basis of the Ukrainian T-84 tank, is well known on the world market, and, according to experts, has good market prospects.

(Kiev Post)

12 April 2011

Scorpion tank of the Philippine Army (photo : PAFunixGeek)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Army will upgrade 12 of its aging Scorpion tanks for around P200 million as part of the command's capability upgrade program.

Army spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade said a project management team was formed last week to look for possible proponents for the project, after getting the go signal from the Department of National Defense.

The military establishment planned to upgrade the tanks, which are detailed with the Army's Light Armor Division several years ago, but this was shelved by the government due to alleged irregularities in the project.

"It was formed last week when a meeting was called to discuss the upgrade projects," said Parlade of the Project Management Team. "The DND [Department of National Defense] gave the go-signal (to proceed with the project)."

Parlade said some of the proponents being looked into proposed to install new diesel engines in the 12 operational tanks and provide new engines to 6 more Scorpions that are not working because they had no engine.

“So it will be 18 (upgraded tanks) for the same budget," he said.

He added that the tanks’ engines, which are currently gasoline powered, need to be upgraded. "They've reached their maximum life," he said.

"These are important, especially in our (operations), in Central Mindanao," said Parlade.

The military is upgrading its capabilities by buying armaments and equipment and upgrading some assets in the fight against internal security threats.

Apart from the Scorpion tanks, the Army's Light Armor Division maintains a number of other vehicles like armored infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, V-150s, and Simbas.

A Scorpion tank, which has a maximum speed of 72 kilometers per hour and weighs 7,875 kilograms, is equipped with a main gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun.

(ABS-CBN News)

08 April 2011

T-90 MBT (photo : UralVagonZavod)

Uralvagonzavod introduce a new generation of tank T-90AM at the exhibition of arms, which will be held in Nizhny Tagil in the first half of September 2011. On it informs RIA Novosti news agency quoting the press service of the company. URA.RU agency wrote that the new model is a modified version of the tank T-90.

According to CEO UralVagonZavod Oleg Sienko, Defense declassifies new vehicle and has already consented to the passport image. At the September exhibition tank will be shown in action. Sienko also said that the tank was modified based on comments the Defense Ministry.

CEO UralVagonZavod said that at a meeting held on 8 December 2009, the military have voiced a number of criticisms of the T-90AM. In particular, they claim, to the engine, transmission, charge, and a host of other things. Now, the engine became more powerful at 130 horsepower, has changed the barrel, there was a completely different, secure machine-gun installation.

T-95 MBT (photo : Militaryphotos)

Sienko also said that Uralvagonzavod plans to continue upgrading its other cars, the T-95, though the Defense Ministry in the development of the project is not interested. Back in April 2010, First Deputy Defense Minister of Russia Vladimir Popovkin said that the agency stopped funding the development of T-95. However, Sienko said that it continues to see in this machine is "more positive than negative."

Uralvagonzavod - Russia's largest manufacturer of military equipment and various types of freight vehicle. Oleg Sienko headed the company since 2009.

(Lenta)

05 April 2011

Tank PT-76 Marinir TNI AL (photo : Detik)

Plavayushchiy Tank-76 (PT-76), merupakan jenis tank amfibi ringan buatan Rusia. Angka 76 yang melekat pada namanya bukan menunjukkan tahun pembuatannya. Namun, menandakan ukuran meriam asli tank tersebut, yakni 76,2 mm. Tank ini sudah diproduksi massal pada dasawarsa 50-an. Indonesia kemudian mulai mendatangkan alat utama sistem persenjataan ini sejak tahun 1962 dan dioperasikan oleh Batalion Panser Amfibi Korps Komando Angkatan Laut (KKO AL), atau yang sekarang dikenal sebagai Batalion Kendaraan Pendarat Amfibi Korps Marinir TNI Angkatan Laut. Kala itu, dipakai untuk memperkuat angkatan perang Indonesia yang sedang berkonfrontasi di wilayah Papua dalam rangka operasi Trikora. Pada perkembangan selanjutnya, PT-76 secara aktif dilibatkan dalam berbagai kegiatan operasi keamanan di dalam negeri dan operasi militer seperti Dwikora (1964–1965) di perbatasan Indonesia–Malaysia dan Operasi Seroja (1975– 1979) di Timor Timur.

Meski telah sepuh, tank ini masih menjadi salah satu andalan Korps Marinir, baik dalam penugasan maupun latihan. Korps Marinir masih menunjukkan ketangguhan tank ini di depan Panglima TNI Laksamana TNI Agus Suhartono di Bumi Marinir Cilandak, Rabu (16/3) lalu. Saat itu Korps Marinir juga memamerkan sejumlah alutsista andalannya.Di antaranya BTR (Bronetransporter)- 50 P panser amfibi buatan Rusia yang juga didatangkan hampir bersamaan waktunya dengan PT-76. Kemudian BVP-2 yang didatangkan dari Slovakia serta LVT (landing vehicle track) - 7A1 buatan Amerika Serikat tahun 1985 yang merupakan hibah dari Korps Marinir Korea Selatan tahun 2009 lalu.

Tank PT-76 ketika berenang (photo : Antara)

Salah seorang perwira Resimen Kavaleri Marinir yang enggan disebutkan namanya mengungkapkan, dimulai tahun 1990,sejumlah PT-76 yang masih laik pakai mengalami peremajaan atau retrofit secara bertahap. Sejumlah komponen penting tank tersebut diganti dan tidak berasal dari satu negara saja. Modifikasi PT-76 antara lain meliputi penggantian mesin buatan Rusia dengan mesin buatan Amerika Serikat. Tidak hanya itu, meriam asli kaliber 76,2 mm diganti dengan meriam 90 mm. Meriam ini diproduksi oleh Belgia.“Untuk persenjataan, dipilih dari Belgia,” katanya. Namun, lanjutnya, dengan kondisi gado-gado dan usia yang telah lanjut,PT-76 masih terbukti merupakan ranpur yang andal dan bandel. Operasi Pemulihan Keamanan Terpadu di Provinsi Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (2002–2005) merupakan operasi penugasan terakhir tank ini. Kiranya cukup beralasan jika PT-76 Indonesia dijuluki Battle Proven alias Jago Perang yang melegenda di lingkungan Korps Marinir TNI AL Panglima TNI Laksamana Agus Suhartono saat itu mengatakan, secara kuantitas jumlah alutsista yang dimilik korps marinir telah cukup.

Menurutnya, yang perlu ditingkatkan adalah kualitas. Dia tidak menampik bahwa tank-tank Marinir memang sudah tua, seperti PT- 76. Namun, dengan program retrofit masih layak untuk digunakan.“Kita perpanjang usianya dengan retrofit. Jadi, kemampuan tempurnya juga masih cukup baru,”katanya. Penggantian tank amfibi akan dilakukan secara bertahap. Seperti didatangkannya sebanyak 17 unit tank modern amfibi tipe BMP-3F buatan Rusia pada November 2010 lalu.

(Seputar Indonesia)

29 Maret 2011

K2 main battle tank (photo : Military Today)

SEOUL, (UPI) -- South Korea is developing an active protection system to defend its K-2 tanks from rockets and missiles, the country's Ministry for Defense said.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development recently made public the image of the APS launcher, along with a 70mm system's guided rocket at a defense science and technology exhibition in Hawaii that was organized by the U.S. Pacific Command.

K2 active protection system (image : Military Review)

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the new system has been under development since 2006 with a budget of $36 million. The project is scheduled for completion this year.

The APS features a 3-D detection and tracking radar, a heat-detection and tracking system, a control computer, a launching system and counter rocket, the agency said.

A two-shot launcher developed for the South Korean Active Protection System (APS) protecting the K-2 main battle tank. (photo : ADD)

The agency said will only take 0.2 to 0.3 seconds for the system to detect and track anti-tank missiles and rockets fired at a tank and fire counter-rockets at incoming missiles.

The system's 70mm rocket has an image infrared and guided control system.

(UPI)

26 Maret 2011

KMDB Oplot main battle tank, the tank has 48 ton weight (photo : Manaxob)

New Ukraine tanks leave soldiers riled

The army's decision to buy a new batch of about 200 main battle tanks from Ukraine has upset soldiers who prefer South Korean vehicles.

"The troops who will have to operate the vehicles do not want the Ukraine-made tanks because they are equipped with an auto-loader that requires the tanks to stop moving when ammunition has been used up and new loading is necessary," said an army source.

"This feature could become a problem when fighting in a war. That's why operators prefer tanks with a manual ammunition-loading system."

An auto-loader is a mechanical aid that removes the need for personnel to load ammunition into weapons.

The army has resolved to replace its old US-made M41A3 tanks with about 200 new ones. Among the top choices were the K1 tank from South Korea and the T92 Oplot tank from Ukraine.

The procurement of 200 Ukraine-made tanks will cost about 7 billion baht, said the source.

The US tanks have been in commission in four cavalry battalions since 1962, just prior to international involvement in the Vietnam War, said the source.

The new tanks will be stationed at the 4th Cavalry Battalion (Royal Guard) in Bangkok, 8th Cavalry Battalion in Nakhon Ratchasima, 9th Cavalry Battalion in Phitsanulok and 16th Cavalry Battalion in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

It is believed the army's procurement committee of high-ranking military officers chose the Ukrainian supplier over the South Korean one because of its connections with the supplier, said the source.

The supplier is the same one that supplied the controversial 96 Ukrainian-made BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers to the Royal Thai Armed Forces at a cost of almost 4 billion baht, the source said.

The tank procurement is part of the 10-year package of weapons purchases the government recently approved for the army.

The other choices proposed for consideration by the procurement committee included the Russian-made T-90 tank and the German-made Leopard 2 A4 tank. But the German tank was too expensive, said the source.

(Bangkok Post)

21 Februari 2011

K2 Black Panther main battle tank (photo : Military Today)

NIS Behind Break-In at Indonesian Delegation

Three intruders who broke into the room of Indonesian presidential envoys at Seoul's Lotte Hotel on the morning of Feb. 16 were agents from the National Intelligence Service, it has emerged. A high-ranking government official said the NIS "tried to find out the negotiation strategy of the Indonesian delegation in pursuit of the national interest. It was an unintended consequence that they were caught."

Soon after some 50 Indonesian officials including Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa left for Cheong Wa Dae to meet President Lee Myung-bak, two men and a women broke into the room on the 19th floor of the Lotte Hotel, but they were surprised by one of the Indonesian officials while they were looking into laptops there and fled. It is uncertain whether the agents copied data from the laptop.

T-50 Golden Eagle, the supersonic training aircraft (photo : Lockheed Martin)

The NIS agents were apparently desperate to obtain Indonesia's negotiation strategy for the purchase of Korea's T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet, K2 Black Panther main battle tank, and portable surface-to-air missile. Korea is in fierce competition with Russia's Yak-130 trainer jet.
The government has been working hard to win an export deal after negotiations with the United Arab Emirates and Singapore faltered. One T-50 is priced at US$25 million, and the government aims to export 1,000 by 2030.

LIG Nex1 Chiron manpads surface to air missile (photo : Omniae)

A government official said, "It seems that NIS took way too much risk due to this obsession with the export of the T-50." An intelligence official claimed it is "an open secret" that intelligence agencies of every country are engaged in a highly sophisticated battle for intelligence. "After the intrusion was reported in the media, the NIS exerted a great deal of effort through many channels to smooth over the situation," he added.

Police said earlier that due to the low resolution of the CCTV at the Lotte Hotel, they were unable to identify the intruders.

(Chosun)

15 Februari 2011

Clearly seen differences in armor between Leopard 2SG and Leopard 2A4 standard model (photo : Altair)



Modernization ended 66 Leopard 2A4 tanks Singaporean army. They were given extra armor AMAP German's IBD Deisenroth Engineering (IBD) and ST Kinetics.

Singapore bought 96 Leopards from the stocks of the Bundeswehr in 2007. A year later, began their delivery, 66 cars earmarked for operational use, 30 has become a warehouse of spare parts. This is the strongest army tanks, which previously had only mild AMX-13 and, possibly, a redesigned Centurion Mk3 and Mk7 tanks. The latter have never been publicly disclosed, and it is anticipated that a limited number of them (12-63 units), stationed in neighboring countries, which conduct joint military exercises with the forces of Singapore. Purchase Leopards may be associated with a successful transaction has already supplies Polish PT-91M for Malaysia (see Malaysia's contract close to finals).

Leopard 2SG of the Singaporean Army (photo : Wiki-Cabal)

Leopards were immediately brought undergone a process of modernization, the model 2SG, based on the German system of IBD. Based on the novel varieties of materials, aluminum, titanium, ceramic inserts and nano-ceramics, has managed to achieve greater puncture resistance while reducing weight. The manufacturer estimates that thanks to their armor is twice as better performance than traditional armored steel.



IBD products are used including in Finnish AMV 8x8 (are also offered for Polish Rosomak), the German Puma IFV, German-Dutch Boxer, French VBCI and some variants of Swedish CV90. Singapore Leopards created a demand for the first set of tanks. IBD has also developed armor for Eurocopter Tiger and Italian Iveco LMV patrol cars.



With regard to the Leopards 2SG (also referred to Leopard Evolution marketing), extra armor is installed at the front of hull and turret and front sides of the hull and turret. The rear of the vehicle is protected by armor rod against cumulative projectiles. The German manufacturer declares that reinforced the bottom of the hull against the effects of mine. The work carried out joint-venture and local IBD ST Kinetics.

IBD and EODC also introduces Evolution Survivability Concept which developed for the Main Battle Tank Leopard 2 A4. It provides a balanced broadband protection against the full spectrum of today's threats in theatre with minimum weight. (photo : IBD)

The first dozen vehicles was demonstrated publicly at the time of last year, November's national holiday in Singapore.



In the near future to Singapore - as the first recipient - should get the active defense systems, ADS, ADS Gesellschaft for production active protection system, owned by Rheinmetall (74%) and IBD (26%). The system has already undergone a series of tests, proving its usefulness to destroy incoming projectiles launchers anti-tank, and even parts of artillery shells. Today begins the mass production and first deliveries are to be implemented this year.



The ADS will be equipped with sets of lighter types of vehicles, including articulated transporters probably Bronco (see also: Bronco confirmed).



(Altair)

03 Februari 2011

M41 Walker Bulldog will be replaced by 40-56 tonnes MBT (photo : Roger JG)

The Army is preparing to request a Bt770-billion budget to purchase new weapons and repair existing hardware as part of a Defence Ministry policy to modernise the military at an estimated cost of Bt1 trillion.

Under the Army's "Modernisation Plan: Vision 2020", Bt497 billion is earmarked for the purchase of new armoured tanks to replace the 200 vintage American-made M-41 tanks unit-by-unit as well as 100 sniper rifles for special operations units, 13,300 bulletproof jackets and 23,000 jackets for units operating in the deep South.

The remaining Bt273 billion is for "low-priority" projects such as the repair of 100 British-made Scorpion light tanks out of the 153 in the fleet, the repair of helicopters of various models from a total of 264, and the repair of 63 aircraft. The repairs include spare parts.

FV-101 Scorpion will be upgraded for better performance (photo : urang)

The specifications for the replacement tank include a ready-for-combat weight ranging from 40-56 tonnes, an operational range of 500 kilometres and a minimum terrain speed of 55 kilometres per hour.

The minimum calibre of the main cannon is 120 millimetres, with a stabiliser and a computerised fire-control system. It must still be in production and used by the army of the country where it is manufactured, an Army source said.

Another "low-priority" project is the gradual replacement of bulletproof vests at the annual rate of 8,000 for a total of 40,000 in the entire Armed Forces inventory. The vests have an average service life of five years.

In the Army's written proposal, a reason cited for the request is "increasing tensions along the Thai and Cambodian border, coupled with the extensive acquisition of new main battle tanks by neighbouring countries, both to the east and the west".

(The Nation)