Thailand will buy frigate fro singapore

BANGKOK - Thailand's military, still standing watch over the kingdom's political upheaval, has been cleared to purchase thousands of Israeli assault rifles and a Singaporean warship.

Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who doubles as defense minister, approved a package of defense modernization deals with his Cabinet on Sept. 9. In total, the package is worth an estimated $191.3 million.

Most of the package is devoted to a $152.8 million Singapore Technologies-designed amphibious frigate. The Royal Thai Armed Forces will also buy thousands of Israeli assault rifles and Russian shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.

"The Cabinet has been lenient with military requests this year in particular," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political and security analyst with Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "The last thing Samak needs right now is disgruntlement in the military."

Cabinet documents obtained by Defense News say that Thailand's military will contract with Singapore Technologies to buy one large, amphibious frigate - called a landing platform dock ship - for transporting cargo and troops.

However, the papers don't specify an exact model. The frigate will be paid off in installments through 2011.

Thailand has also inked a contract to buy 15,037 Tavor TAR-21 assault rifles from Israel. This $30.1 million buy will boost the Thai military's total stock of the bullpup-design rifles to more than 30,000 - replacing many of the Army's aging rifles.

That purchase is coupled with a $4.4 million order for 531 Israeli Negev light machine guns, raising Thailand's stock to more than 1,100. These will be partially paid for from a special budget tied to securing the violence-scarred Malaysian border, where separatist Muslim insurgents continue to target soldiers and civilians. Russia will also supply 36 Igla-S shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles to Thailand - with seven launching mechanisms - for nearly $4 million.

The contracts, which Thitinan described as "scattered," suggest the Thai military lacks a "coherent long-term procurement strategy," he said.

In December, when a military council still led Thailand after former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's 2006 coup, it announced a similar round of purchases. In addition to overall modernization plans for each service, the military announced plans to buy Saab Gripen fighter jets, Chinese surface-to-surface missiles, armed personnel carriers and more.

"It's been a hodgepodge package in the last few years," Thitinan said.

The new package appears in part to address some of Thailand's topical needs, with the Negev light machine guns intended to fight the kingdom's gruesome southern insurgency. The amphibious frigate, according to Cabinet documents, will provide quick disaster relief. Singapore's fleet of landing platform dock ships - all built by the same Singapore Technologies firm - were among the many vessels delivering medics and supplies during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The deal, a modernization boon to Thailand's military, was inked under a shroud of political unrest. To approve the package, the prime minister and his Cabinet convened many provinces away from their Bangkok compound, still occupied as of Sept. 12 by protesters demanding Samak's resignation. At one point 10,000 deep, the protesters transformed the prime minister's stately grounds into a grungy campsite ringed with razor-wire and makeshift barricades.

After Samak issued a state of emergency on Sept. 2, no soldiers were dispatched to the compound, and many questioned his sway over the military.

Gen. Anupong Paochinda, the Royal Thai Army's commander in chief, has insisted that restoring peace through the military is not the answer. Still, Thai military leaders took a similar public stance just before they ousted previous Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra two years ago.

Relations between Samak and the military remain "smooth and close," said government spokesman Nattawut Saikua. But he added: "I say this realizing the leader of the last coup said many, many times he would not seize power."

However, Samak's tenuous hold on the prime minister's seat is not expected to affect the military's new arms package. source : http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3722292

Singapore will buy more M-346 Jet Trainer from Italy

To bost trainng capability and capacaty on their own foghter pilot program, singapoe air force will buy 12 mre M346. This contract worth of 250milion euro. Italy's Finmeccanica has been awarded a 250 million euro contract by Singapore to supply 12 M-346 jet trainers built by its unit Alenia Aermacchi, the firm announced Sept. 28. Finmeccanica, teamed with prime contractor ST Aerospace and Boeing, expects to deliver the first aircraft in 2012.

"Successively, together with ST Aerospace, Alenia Aermacchi will make a contribution to ITS (Integrated Training System) activities and to supporting the fleet," Finmeccanica said in a statement. Finmeccanica CEO Pierfrancesco Guarguaglini said the contract proved "The international supremacy of this aircraft."

In July Finmeccanica confirmed that the aircraft had been selected by Singapore over the T-50 built by Korea's KAI.

The speed of the signing contrasts with negotiations to sell the M-346 to the UAE. The aircraft was selected by the Gulf state in early 2009, beating off competition from the T-50, but a firm order has yet to be made. The Italian Air Force has meanwhile ordered six M-346 trainers with the aim of acquiring a total of 15.

Finmeccanica has also teamed with EADS to pitch the aircraft for Europe's multi-nation Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) program and is set to compete with the T-50 again to supply the U.S. Air Force with a new trainer, a battle which will see BAE System's as a third competitor.

Singapore Navy In RIMPAC Naval Exercise In Hawaii

SINGAPORE, July 14 (Bernama) -- The Republic of Singapore Navy and maritime forces from 13 other countries including Malaysia are taking part in the multilateral Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise in Hawaii.

The Singapore navy sent its Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme to the naval exercise comprising a shore planning phase as well as a 24-day sea phase conducted off the coast of Hawaii.

Hosted by the United States Navy, the exercise which will end on Aug 1, involves more than 30 ships, five submarines, 150 aircraft and 20,000 personnel from the 14 countries.

The other maritime forces are from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.

The Singapore Defence Ministry said its frigate took part in maritime operations such as combined anti-submarine and air defence missions, and successfully carried out a surface-to-air missile live-firing today.

This is the second time the Singapore navy is involved in the exercise, following its inaugural participation in July 2008.

-- BERNAMA

Arms Imports Increased Greatly, Southeast Asia Threatened

Arms Imports Increased Greatly, Southeast Asia Threatened

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, KOMPAS.com - A research institute based in Sweden, Monday, said the import of weapons on a large scale by the countries of Southeast Asia last five years could threaten the stability of this region.

Institute of the Stockholm International Peace Research (SIPRI) said in its annual report that the import of weapons by Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia jumped 84 percent, 146 percent and 722 percent respectively between 2005 and 2009, compared with the previous five years. "A wave of acceptance (the weapon) Southeast Asia today can make it unstable region, endangering several decades of peace," said Siemon Wezeman, SIPRI Asian experts, in the report.

Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia this month has increased sea patrols in the Malacca Strait, an important shipping lane, after Singapore Navy stated that they had received indications of a terrorist group was planning attacks on oil tankers. According to the research institute, the increase in the purchase of fighter aircraft and long-distance by a third warship has affected the country's business plan to get the (weapons) from neighboring countries.

Last year, Vietnam became the last South East Asian countries who book long-distance aircraft and submarines. Singapore is the first member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, since the end of the Vietnam War, which will be included among the 10 important importer of weapons, SIPRI said.

Institute of Sweden, who do independent research on safety, weapons and international disarmament, said the global arms transfers in the last five-year period rose 22 percent, with Asia and Oceania as the largest recipient with 41 percent of the total. Europe followed with 24 percent, then the Middle East 17 percent.

U.S. remains the largest exporter of military equipment on the world, which is responsible for 30 percent of arms sales abroad during the period. Almost 40 percent of U.S. shipping, was sent to Asia and Oceania and the same amount to the Middle East

source: www.kompas.com

Singapore increasing their military budget

Singapore, to increase its military capabilities will provide funds amounting to U.S. $ 8.13 milliard for the year 2010. Funds of this magnitude is an increase of 0.1% of funds last year.

Singapore navy will get funding for U.S. $ 7.77 million. The funds were used for weapons procurement, operations and maintenance of assets.

As we all know, Singapore is a Southeast Asian country with the largest military spending, which has the best military tool in southeast asia. In recent years singapore seen involved in the crawling arms race with malaysia.

Singapore's Defence Spending : A long-term, Cost-Effective Approach

Singapore's Defence Spending : A long-term, Cost-Effective Approach

17 Januari 2010

Singapore's approach to defence spending is premised on the belief that security threats do not disappear. Hence a steady defence budget that accounts for 5 per cent of GDP is necessary to maintain readiness of the SAF (photo : Cari)

In his Utusan Malaysia op-ed on Dec 30 last year, Professor Azmi Hassan, a geostrategist at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, suggested that the 'acquisition of the SAF defence assets... normally does not take into account the cost involved, but only on one factor, which is strategic interest to ensure the country's sovereignty'. The writer further argued that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) 'can afford to plan its defence strategy thoroughly because of its huge yearly allocation'.

These assertions of Singapore's defence spending as a sacred cow and its defence strategy as being based on supposedly endless 'blank cheques' are off the mark.

Firstly, Singapore's defence strategy is based on real-time and long-term security needs. Secondly, Singapore's defence spending takes a long-term view of actual security needs. And finally, Singapore's defence procurement process is based on a rigorous evaluation system guided by the principle of seeking the most cost-effective system.

Singapore's inherent vulnerabilities stem primarily from its small size and virtual lack of natural resources. In addition, any serious disruption of its maritime links threatens not just its economic wellbeing but also its very survival. In short, even in the absence of a clearly defined enemy, the strategic vulnerabilities inherent in Singapore's geostrategic position provide the main basis for its strategic planning, defence doctrine and strategic posture.

These vulnerabilities are further accentuated by contemporary threats such as piracy, transnational terrorism and the increasing range of Operations Other Than War-type missions that the SAF is expected to undertake now and in the near future.

It is undeniable that certain painful historical memories from its colonial past and early years of independence have reinforced Singapore's sense of vulnerability. Its fall to the Japanese in 1942, the shattering of the impregnable 'Gibraltar of the East' myth and the subsequent Occupation years formed a traumatic experience from which two lessons have been drawn.

First, Singapore's lack of strategic depth requires a 'Forward Defence' posture; and second, it must have robustly self-reliant armed forces capable of independent deterrence. The latter was further ingrained into the national psyche after the British withdrawal 'East of Suez', announced in 1971.

But despite all this, Singapore's defence strategy is not premised on a limitless pot of gold but actual and perceived security needs.

In justifying an $11.45 billion budget for 2009, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean cautioned against taking a 'feast and famine' approach to defence spending. In short, its approach to defence spending is premised on the belief that, regardless of economic conditions, security threats do not disappear. Hence, a steady defence budget that accounts for 5 per cent to 6 per cent of national gross domestic product is necessary to maintain the operational readiness of the SAF and indicate the Republic's firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and strategic interests.

That commitment is not the same as Prof Azmi's assertion that it 'does not take into account the cost involved'. In fact, Singapore's defence procurement process is based on a rigorous evaluation system guided by the principle of seeking the most cost-effective system.

For instance, Singapore's acquisition of Air Independent Propulsion-equipped Archer-class submarines from Sweden costs less than half that of the Royal Malaysian Navy's brand-new Scorpene Submarines of the basic non-Air Independent Propulsion configuration. The Archer-class vessels were former Swedish Navy Vastergotland-class submarines, purchased and refitted to Sodermanland-class standards at less than half the cost of a brand new Air Independent Propulsion-equipped submarine.

When the time came to replace the ageing A-4 Skyhawks of the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the eventual selection of the F-15SG was made over a seven-year evaluation period. The F-15SG based on the venerable F-15 platform is a formidable combat-proven aircraft with an air-to-air combat record of 104 kills to zero losses. Singapore's selection of the F-15SG was not based on preferences for any particular country or supplier, but on cost-effectiveness and operational requirements. Indeed, defence analysts have referred to Singapore's rigorous selection process as a model for fighter acquisitions on the global market.

Tender proposals for the SAF's major programmes are subject to rigorous evaluation, with the financial, technical, scheduling and commercial aspects being assessed to ensure that the most cost-effective system is selected. Our defence acquisition policy is not to buy the newest piece of kit that money can buy, but to meet the SAF's operational requirements while maximising the defence dollar.

In his article on multi-role combat aircraft, Prof Azmi concluded that 'US-manufactured jet fighters like the F-5, F-15 and F-16, like those owned by the Singapore Air Force, cannot beat the SU-30'. He added: 'If the acquisition of the 18 SU-30 jet fighters can place the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) as the dominant air master in the region, then the acquisition of the SU-30 and multi-role combat aircraft will have made it so. Such a perception is not only important for the country's defence, but more important, to ascertain the sovereignty of Malaysia.'

Rather than challenge the sovereignty of any regional neighbour, Singapore's recent acquisition of the Block-52+ variant of the F-16 and F-15SG is to meet its genuine defence requirements. And contrary to Prof Azmi's claims, any planned replacement of the RMAF's MiG-29s will be undertaken in the context of Malaysia's ongoing efforts to modernise its aircraft inventory - not to establish itself 'as the dominant air master in the region'.

Both Singapore and Malaysia have common interests in the continued stability of the region and the close links between their armed forces at the unit and individual levels stand as a testament to that fraternity in arms. (Ong Weichong/NTU)