Sabtu, 20 Desember 2014
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[World] S-400 China Akan Jadi Teror untuk F-16 Taiwan
S400 (KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/ / AFP/Getty Images)F-16 Taiwan menghadapi ancaman serius setelah China akhirnya bisa membeli S-400 Triumf, rudal permukaan ke udara yang mampu menghantam target dari jarak 400 km.
Layanan Federal untuk Kerjasama Teknik Militer telah meremehkan laporan media berbahasa Rusia baru-baru ini tentang perjanjian dan kontrak, “Tetapi yang saya mengerti, itu pada dasarnya benar,” kata Vasiliy Kashin, spesialis militer China di Pusat Moskow untuk Analisis Strategi dan Teknologi.
Laporan media Rusia menunjukkan China dan Rusia telah menandatangani kontrak senilai 3 miliar Dollar Anmerika ntuk mendapatkan enam S-400 batalyon. Rudal ini merupakan varian upgrade dari S-300 yang kini oleh China ditempatkan di dekat kota-kota besar dan tersebar di sepanjang pantai menghadap Taiwan dan Jepang.
Kashin, yang hadir baru-baru ini Airshow China di Zhuhai, mengatakan bahwa dengan kemampuan yang mencapai 400 kilometer dan ditempatkan di Provinsi Fujian, sistem SAM akan mampu menutupi seluruh wilayah udara Taiwan, sehingga akhirnya memecahkan “masalah superioritas udara untuk Cina.”
Jika China memilih untuk menyebarkan S-400 di Provinsi Shandong, itu akan menyediakan cakupan wilayah udara atas Kepulauan Senkaku. “Itu akan menjadi kemampuan asimetris yang lain, bersama dengan rudal balistik anti-kapal, yang akan meningkatkan potensi China dalam menangani konflik lokal di Asia Timur,” kata Kashin.
Cina telah mengklaim atas Kepulauan Senkaku yang dikontrol Jepang, yang disebut sebagai Kepulauan Diaoyu. Faktor-faktor lain menunjukkan China akan menyebarkan S-400 di Timur Laut Cina termasuk fakta bahwa China mengumumkan zona identifikasi pertahanan udara di atas Laut China Timur, termasuk Senkakus, di November 2013.
“Mengingat rentang yang sangat panjang dan kemampuan perang elektronik yang efektif, S-400 adalah sistem yang menantang kemampuan militer saat ini di tingkat operasional perang,” kata Paul Giarra, Presiden, Strategi global dan Transformasi. S-400 akan memiliki efek mengubah sistem pertahanan ofensif, dan memperpanjang A2 / AD (anti-access/area-denial) China atas wilayah sekutu Amerika dan laut lepas.”
S-400 akan memberikan China lebih percaya diri dalam mengendalikan wilayah udara di Taiwan, dan akan berfungsi sebagai faktor penting dalam mengalahkan kemampuan pertahanan udara Taiwan jika perang pecah, kata Chen York, mantan penasihat senior Dewan Keamanan Nasional Taiwan.
Setelah rudal permukaan-ke-permukaan China menghancurkan pangkalan udara Taiwan dan landasan pacu pada awal konflik, S-400 bisa menargetkan sisa pesawat tempur yang berhasil mencapai udara terlebih dahulu, serta jet AS atau Jepang yang datang untuk membantu.
Chen mendukung pengadaan pesawat tempur F-35B dan V-22 Osprey mengingat China memiliki 1.300 rudal jarak pendek yang ditujukan untuk Taiwan. Pangkalan udara akan dihapus tak lama setelah perang dimulai dengan China. Dengan kemampuan F-35B lepas landas di pangkalan pendek, maka akan menjadi penting ketika pangkalan rusak.
Departemen Pertahanan Taiwan dalam pernyataan resmi mengatakan bahwa S-400 China kemungkinan akan ditempatkan di lokasi yang saat ini digunakan sistem S-300PMU SAM. “Kebiasaan ini akan membuat mereka rentan terhadap serangan dan tidak ada sistem SAM sempurna, terutama Rusia,” katanya.
Taiwan memiliki sistem rudal sendiri untuk melawan China, seperti Tien Kung 2 dan 3 sistem SAM dan serangan rudal jelajah Hsiung Feng 2E. Taiwan juga bekerja pada program extended-range Hsiung Feng sistem rudal anti-kapal dengan kisaran 250-kilometer, yang dalam tahap pengujian peluncuran, katanya.(VIT/Jejaktapak)
Kapten Bagus, Kisah Tentara Penjaga Dunia
Tinggalkan Istri yang Hamil Muda untuk Misi Perdamaian 
Kapten Bagus (Foto-Elza Astari/detikcom)
Suara Kapten Bagus melembut, mimik wajahnya mendadak sendu. Sejenak kata-katanya tertahan saat menyebut nama sang istri, Resa Pebriani, yang kini harus bed rest karena hamil muda. Sementara mulai hari ini dia harus berangkat ke Lebanon untuk menjadi pasukan perdamaian dunia.
"Agak sedikit khawatir karena istri sedang dalam kondisi bed rest ya soalnya baru masuk 3 bulan. Ini anak pertama," kata Bagus usai apel pelepasan Kontingen Garuda oleh Panglima TNI Jenderal Moeldoko di Mabes TNI, Cilangkap, Jakarta Timur, Rabu (10/12/2014) kemarin.
Namun perwira yang selama ini bertugas di Yonif 412 Raider Kostrad Purworejo itu yakin sang istri akan baik-baik saja. Suaranya pun kembali bersemangat. Kebanggan masuk menjadi bergabung dalam Satuan Tugas Kontingen Garuda (Konga) TNI United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) kembali terpancar di wajahnya.
Apalagi sang istri sangat mendukung meski harus berpisah satu tahun lamanya. Meski kehamilan ini adalah momen yang sudah lama ditunggu oleh Bagus dan istri yang sudah menikah sejak 5 tahun lalu itu.
"Reaksi keluarga karena ini merupakan tugas luar negeri pertama saya, suatu kebanggaan dan mendukung. Istri saya sangat bangga. Sebagai istri prajurit harus siap (untuk ditinggal)," kata Bagus.
Sejak menjadi anggota TNI pada 2005 lalu, keberangkatan Bagus dalam Kontingen Garuda ini merupakan tugas ketiganya di daerah operasi. Tugas pertama Bagus di Maluku Utara dan yang kedua di Papua.
Hanya satu pesan yang diberikan oleh istri kepada Bagus. "Jaga nama baik keluarga, kesatuan, bangsa dan negara," ucap Bagus menirukan istrinya.
Bagus sendiri belum tahu bagaimana nanti akan berkomunikasi dengan istrinya jika sudah berada di Lebanon. Ia pun mengatakan akan memanfaatkan apa pun sarana yang ada untuk bisa memantau istri dan perkembangan anaknya yang masih di dalam kandungan.
"Kami usahakan untuk bisa berkomunikasi dengan baik karena saya belum tahu komunikasi yang ada seperti apa. Sebisa mungkin menggunakan dan memanfaatkan internet dan teknologi yang ada," tutur pria berumur 31 tahun ini.
Kapten Bagus (Foto-Elza Astari/detikcom)Suara Kapten Bagus melembut, mimik wajahnya mendadak sendu. Sejenak kata-katanya tertahan saat menyebut nama sang istri, Resa Pebriani, yang kini harus bed rest karena hamil muda. Sementara mulai hari ini dia harus berangkat ke Lebanon untuk menjadi pasukan perdamaian dunia.
"Agak sedikit khawatir karena istri sedang dalam kondisi bed rest ya soalnya baru masuk 3 bulan. Ini anak pertama," kata Bagus usai apel pelepasan Kontingen Garuda oleh Panglima TNI Jenderal Moeldoko di Mabes TNI, Cilangkap, Jakarta Timur, Rabu (10/12/2014) kemarin.
Namun perwira yang selama ini bertugas di Yonif 412 Raider Kostrad Purworejo itu yakin sang istri akan baik-baik saja. Suaranya pun kembali bersemangat. Kebanggan masuk menjadi bergabung dalam Satuan Tugas Kontingen Garuda (Konga) TNI United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) kembali terpancar di wajahnya.
Apalagi sang istri sangat mendukung meski harus berpisah satu tahun lamanya. Meski kehamilan ini adalah momen yang sudah lama ditunggu oleh Bagus dan istri yang sudah menikah sejak 5 tahun lalu itu.
"Reaksi keluarga karena ini merupakan tugas luar negeri pertama saya, suatu kebanggaan dan mendukung. Istri saya sangat bangga. Sebagai istri prajurit harus siap (untuk ditinggal)," kata Bagus.
Sejak menjadi anggota TNI pada 2005 lalu, keberangkatan Bagus dalam Kontingen Garuda ini merupakan tugas ketiganya di daerah operasi. Tugas pertama Bagus di Maluku Utara dan yang kedua di Papua.
Hanya satu pesan yang diberikan oleh istri kepada Bagus. "Jaga nama baik keluarga, kesatuan, bangsa dan negara," ucap Bagus menirukan istrinya.
Bagus sendiri belum tahu bagaimana nanti akan berkomunikasi dengan istrinya jika sudah berada di Lebanon. Ia pun mengatakan akan memanfaatkan apa pun sarana yang ada untuk bisa memantau istri dan perkembangan anaknya yang masih di dalam kandungan.
"Kami usahakan untuk bisa berkomunikasi dengan baik karena saya belum tahu komunikasi yang ada seperti apa. Sebisa mungkin menggunakan dan memanfaatkan internet dan teknologi yang ada," tutur pria berumur 31 tahun ini.
★ detik
[World] Jalan Panjang AS dan Kuba Mencapai Kata Akur
Hubungan AS-Kuba
Hubungan kedua negara memburuk setelah Kuba merapat ke Uni Soviet, berujung pada embargo dan sanksi AS hingga 50 tahun berikutnya. (Reuters/Prensa Latina/Files)
Pemerintah Amerika serikat dan Kuba mengumumkan pemulihan hubungan diplomatik dan ekonomi setelah 50 tahun terlibat konflik berujung embargo dan sanksi. Kedua negara telah melalui perjalanan panjang untuk mencapai kata akur.
Amerika Serikat memutuskan hubungan diplomatik dengan Kuba pada Januari 1961, sekitar dua tahun setelah Fidel Castro dan tentaranya menggulingkan rezim Batista dan menjalin hubungan dengan Uni Soviet.
Pada April 1961, Presiden John Kennedy menurunkan pasukan pengasingan Kuba yang didukung CIA untuk menggulingkan Castro dalam sebuah peristiwa yang terkenal dengan nama invasi Teluk Babi. Dalam waktu beberapa hari saja, upaya AS ini dipatahkan tentara Kuba.
Embargo diterapkan AS setahun kemudian. Pada 1960 Kennedy menerapkan sanksi sebagian untuk Kuba dan melarang seluruh perdagangan dengan negara itu. Tahun berikutnya, transaksi finansial dihentikan dan warga AS dilarang ke Kuba.
Situasi semakin tegang saat Uni Soviet mendirikan pangkalan rudal yang mampu menampung hulu ledak nuklir di Kuba, memicu peristiwa Krisis Rudal Kuba pada tahun 1962. Sejarawan percaya krisis itu hampir memicu perang nuklir antara AS dan Uni Soviet.
Pemerintah AS menerapkan peraturan baru pada 1966 hingga 1994 soal bagaimana menangani pengungsi Kuba, yang dikenal dengan peraturan "kaki basah, kaki kering". Dalam peraturan itu, pengungsi Kuba yang mencapai daratan AS diperbolehkan tinggal, sementara yang tertangkap di laut dipulangkan.
Pengungsian terbesar terjadi pada tahun 1980 saat ratusan ribu warga Kuba menuju AS melalui pelabuhan Mariel. Saat itu, Castro mempersilakan rakyatnya meninggalkan Kuba, berujung pada berlayarnya 125 ribu warga menuju AS.
Saling mata-matai
Di tengah tegangnya hubungan, kedua negara gencar saling mengirim mata-mata pada pertengahan 1990an.
Pada 1994, seorang mata-mata AS yang tidak diketahui namanya divonis penjara 20 tahun. Dia termasuk dua orang yang dibebaskan Kuba dalam kesepakatan rukun pekan ini.
Berkat mata-mata AS ini, lima agen intelijen Kuba yang dikenal dengan Jaringan Wasp berhasil ditangkap dan dipenjara di Florida. Mereka diadili pada 2001, tiga di antaranya dibebaskan pekan ini.
Bertahun-tahun kemudian, Fidel Castro yang sudah renta mewariskan kekuasaan pada adiknya, Raul, yang menjabat presiden pada 2008, sejak ini hubungan dengan AS mulai merapat.
Raul dan Obama berjabat tangan pada pemakaman Nelson Mandela pada 2013. Foto peristiwa itu dimuat surat kabar seluruh dunia, disebut-sebut sebagai awal membaiknya hubungan AS-Kuba.
Beberapa bulan sebelumnya, Obama telah mengatakan tengah meninjau hubungan kedua negara. Menteri Luar Negeri John Kerry juga mengisyaratkan hal ini dengan mengeluarkan pernyataan yang memuji Kuba atas bantuan mereka terhadap korban Ebola di Afrika.
Pertengahan 2013, perundingan kedua negara dilakukan selama 18 bulan di Kanada. Salah satu pemrakarsa pertemuan ini adalah Paus Fransiskus di Vatikan yang menyurati kedua pemimpin untuk menyelesaikan pertikaian dengan damai.
Kerukunan dua negara akan kembali diwujudkan dalam pertemuan Obama dan Castro di Panama April mendatang.
Hubungan kedua negara memburuk setelah Kuba merapat ke Uni Soviet, berujung pada embargo dan sanksi AS hingga 50 tahun berikutnya. (Reuters/Prensa Latina/Files) Pemerintah Amerika serikat dan Kuba mengumumkan pemulihan hubungan diplomatik dan ekonomi setelah 50 tahun terlibat konflik berujung embargo dan sanksi. Kedua negara telah melalui perjalanan panjang untuk mencapai kata akur.
Amerika Serikat memutuskan hubungan diplomatik dengan Kuba pada Januari 1961, sekitar dua tahun setelah Fidel Castro dan tentaranya menggulingkan rezim Batista dan menjalin hubungan dengan Uni Soviet.
Pada April 1961, Presiden John Kennedy menurunkan pasukan pengasingan Kuba yang didukung CIA untuk menggulingkan Castro dalam sebuah peristiwa yang terkenal dengan nama invasi Teluk Babi. Dalam waktu beberapa hari saja, upaya AS ini dipatahkan tentara Kuba.
Embargo diterapkan AS setahun kemudian. Pada 1960 Kennedy menerapkan sanksi sebagian untuk Kuba dan melarang seluruh perdagangan dengan negara itu. Tahun berikutnya, transaksi finansial dihentikan dan warga AS dilarang ke Kuba.
Situasi semakin tegang saat Uni Soviet mendirikan pangkalan rudal yang mampu menampung hulu ledak nuklir di Kuba, memicu peristiwa Krisis Rudal Kuba pada tahun 1962. Sejarawan percaya krisis itu hampir memicu perang nuklir antara AS dan Uni Soviet.
Pemerintah AS menerapkan peraturan baru pada 1966 hingga 1994 soal bagaimana menangani pengungsi Kuba, yang dikenal dengan peraturan "kaki basah, kaki kering". Dalam peraturan itu, pengungsi Kuba yang mencapai daratan AS diperbolehkan tinggal, sementara yang tertangkap di laut dipulangkan.
Pengungsian terbesar terjadi pada tahun 1980 saat ratusan ribu warga Kuba menuju AS melalui pelabuhan Mariel. Saat itu, Castro mempersilakan rakyatnya meninggalkan Kuba, berujung pada berlayarnya 125 ribu warga menuju AS.
Saling mata-matai
Di tengah tegangnya hubungan, kedua negara gencar saling mengirim mata-mata pada pertengahan 1990an.
Pada 1994, seorang mata-mata AS yang tidak diketahui namanya divonis penjara 20 tahun. Dia termasuk dua orang yang dibebaskan Kuba dalam kesepakatan rukun pekan ini.
Berkat mata-mata AS ini, lima agen intelijen Kuba yang dikenal dengan Jaringan Wasp berhasil ditangkap dan dipenjara di Florida. Mereka diadili pada 2001, tiga di antaranya dibebaskan pekan ini.
Bertahun-tahun kemudian, Fidel Castro yang sudah renta mewariskan kekuasaan pada adiknya, Raul, yang menjabat presiden pada 2008, sejak ini hubungan dengan AS mulai merapat.
Raul dan Obama berjabat tangan pada pemakaman Nelson Mandela pada 2013. Foto peristiwa itu dimuat surat kabar seluruh dunia, disebut-sebut sebagai awal membaiknya hubungan AS-Kuba.
Beberapa bulan sebelumnya, Obama telah mengatakan tengah meninjau hubungan kedua negara. Menteri Luar Negeri John Kerry juga mengisyaratkan hal ini dengan mengeluarkan pernyataan yang memuji Kuba atas bantuan mereka terhadap korban Ebola di Afrika.
Pertengahan 2013, perundingan kedua negara dilakukan selama 18 bulan di Kanada. Salah satu pemrakarsa pertemuan ini adalah Paus Fransiskus di Vatikan yang menyurati kedua pemimpin untuk menyelesaikan pertikaian dengan damai.
Kerukunan dua negara akan kembali diwujudkan dalam pertemuan Obama dan Castro di Panama April mendatang.
Jumat, 19 Desember 2014
[World] Keeping The Coast Clear
Corvette and OPV 
While a few Asia-Pacific navies have ambitions to shield all their maritime lines of communications, most focus upon the protection of their coast lines and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) which extend some 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) from the shore.
EEZs ensure the livelihoods of a nation’s fishermen, because fish and seafood remains a major source of the continent’s nourishment. But there are also extensive mineral resources under the sea, especially hydrocarbons like oil and gas which may increase national prosperity. Small wonder that a major source of contention between Asia-Pacific countries is the exploitation of these resources leading to many maritime disputes, the latest being between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, as they are respectively known by each nation.
The task of protecting these resources requires dedicated vessels which can help to assert national sovereignty and ensure that laws are observed. Finally, nations require national platforms capable of projecting national search and rescue capabilities as well as containing environmental pollution.
Offshore Patrol Vessels
In the past these tasks have been assigned to smaller or older warships; most of Indonesia’s ‘Kondor-II’ class coastal minesweepers and fast attack craft are used for this task while China’s paramilitary coastal forces have been boosted by ‘Luda’ class destroyers and demilitarised ‘Jianghu’ class frigates. But warship designs are not normally intended for this offshore protection role. Instead, it is best met by a dedicated platform in the guise of the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) which usually displaces between 1700 and 2000 tonnes. Such vessels are outfitted with good sea-keeping abilities to ride out most storms in deep water, and with excellent endurance and range.
An OPV requires space to embark a variety of equipment together with some medical facilities while another useful feature is a deck from which to operate a maritime support helicopter. Some may also require a good sonar to assist in the auxiliary task of hydrographic survey work, but a good air and sea surveillance radar is the primary sensor. A datalink is useful to exchange radar track data with other law-enforcement vessels, and some form of Combat Management System (CMS) for more efficient operations with other ships performing law enforcement is also desirable. This law-enforcement requirement means that the ship will usually employ a medium (40-76mm) calibre main armament augmented by smaller calibre (7.62mm-30mm) weapons.
East Asia
China has the largest OPV fleet with some 400 hulls ranging from 1150 to 3400 tonnes displacement and is in the process of receiving an additional 36 vessels of varying displacements. Japan’s coast guard, formerly the Maritime Safety Agency, employs some 50 OPVs ranging in displacement from the 1300-tonne ‘Hateruma’ class to the two 5204-tonne ‘Mizuho’ class. The Senkaku/Diaoyu islands dispute has led to a considerable expansion of Japan’s coast guard which will build four 1000-tonne OPVs of an as-yet-to-be-named class by the end of 2014. Across the Straits of Tsushima, the Republic of Korea’s (RoK) coast guard operates four OPVs of some 1200-tonnes and is receiving a small expansion of some five vessels from the Hyundai shipyard including a 3000-tonne OPV, although the date of their delivery has yet to be revealed.
Southeast Asia
Within southeast Asia neither Vietnam nor Indonesia have OPV requirements while the Philippines, which has largely relied upon OPVs such as its three ‘Jacinto’ class ships and two recently-acquired 3300-tonne former United States Coast Guard (USCG) ‘Hamilton’ class High Endurance Cutters (known locally as the ‘Gregorio del Pilar’ class), is now seeking two new frigates for the navy entering service in the second half of this decade. Brunei has gone the other way, replacing a corvette requirement with one for three German-built 1625-tonne ‘Darussalam’ class OPVs, while Thailand has a requirement for five OPVs, and is considering ordering a second ‘Krabi’ class ship, while it operates two 1463-tonne ‘Pattani’ class OPVs officially designated as corvettes. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has a fleet of some 100 patrol boats of various sizes, but also operates two 1300-tonne former Royal Malaysian Navy ‘Langkawi’ class OPVs and is reported to have an outline requirement for an unknown number of OPVs.
South Asia
India’s coast guard has 16 OPVs, ranging from the 1300-tonne ‘Vikram’ class to the 2266-tonne ‘Sanklap’ class, and plans six more ‘Sanklap’ class vessels and seven more undefined OPVs by the end of the decade. Most of these ships are, at best, lightly armed with only the coast guard’s four ‘Samar’ class ships carrying a 76mm OtoMelara Super Rapid gun, but the Indian Navy’s version of the ‘Sanklap’ class, the ‘Saryu’ class, will have a similar armament. The navy is receiving four ‘Saryu’ class OPVs which will augment six 1920-tonne ‘Sukanya’ class ships, one of which is used as a ballistic missile test launch platform, all of which have been delivered.
Elsewhere in this region Bangladesh has two former 1630-tonne Royal Navy ‘Castle’ class OPVs and has received a ‘Hamilton’ class cutter from the USCG which it is upgrading into a frigate, via the addition of China Haiying Electro-Mechanical Technology Academy C-802 Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) and unknown Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs), over the next couple of years. A parliamentary ten-year development plan launched in 2009 indicated that Bangladesh has a requirement for three OPVs although no vessels have yet been procured to this end. To the south, Sri Lanka operates three OPVs in the form of two former Indian ‘Vikram’ and ‘Sukanya’ class vessels and a former 1147-tonne US ‘Reliance’ class ship. Colombo has placed an order for two ‘Sanklap’ class vessels for delivery by 2016.
Australasia
Across the Indian Ocean Australia’s Project Sea 1180 plans for the procurement of an Offshore Combat Vessel (OCV) using a basic 2000-tonne hull design will produce 20 vessels during the first half of the next decade to replace up to 26 vessels including the Royal Australian Navy’s ‘Armidale’ class patrol boats, ‘Huon’ class mine countermeasures vessels and the hydrographic survey vessels of the ‘Leeuwin’ and ‘Paluma’ classes. Meanwhile, New Zealand operates two ‘Protector’ class OPVs which are unusual because they have ice-strengthened bows to operate in Antarctica.
Corvettes
Looking at navies in the Asia-Pacific one obvious aspect is the considerable degree of overlap when vessels are designated as either ‘OPVs’ or ‘corvettes’. Although the term Littoral Combat Ship is normally associated with the US Navy’s multi-role vessels, which it is currently acquiring, it is quite a good description of the corvette, though the latter might also be described as ‘an OPV with attitude.’
Like OPVs corvettes are designed for operations against any threat either to an EEZ or to coastal waters. Because they are essentially ASuW (Anti-Surface Warfare) platforms with limited anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities they tend to have a more sophisticated radar than OPVs together with a CMS and some electronic warfare systems. They too tend to offer a high endurance, and usually have fuel-efficient diesel engines making them capable of higher speeds for rapid transit and manoeuvre.
Interest in corvettes has grown in the past couple of decades as it became clear that the fast attack craft had poor survivability vis-à-vis air attack. Their surveillance radars have a comparatively short range given the height of the vessel in water, reducing the search area and countermeasures reaction times while lacking a significant air defence system. The corvette provides a significant improvement in capability and survivability with better radar coverage, thanks to the height of the vessel in the water, and space for weapon systems such as SSMs and SAMs. These ships can even perform Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) by employing sonars and lightweight torpedoes.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) requirement was met by the ‘Kedah’ class based on German shipbuilders Blohm and Voss’ MEKO 100 design, but these OPVs feature a sophisticated CMS, optronics, a chaff launcher and are equipped to operate AShMs, SAMs and have an electronic warfare suite. The Royal Malaysian Navy intends to add AShMs. Furthermore, Malaysia has ordered six ‘Gowind’ class corvettes from French shipbuilder DCNS with deliveries from 2017. It is unclear whether or not these will augment, or partially replace, the existing corvette force of six ‘Kedah’, two ‘Kasturi’ and four ‘Laksamana’ class ships. The ‘Kasturi’ class are surface warfare and ASW platforms that are being upgraded with a new CMS, new gun and ASW equipment in a programme which concludes by the end of 2014. The ‘Laksamana’ class corvettes were former Iraqi ‘Assad’ class ships and are true multi-role platforms with a gun and SSMs, sonar and anti-submarine torpedoes and a SAM system.
Republic of Korea
While the RoK will replace 22 ‘Po Hang’ class surface warfare/ASW corvettes with ‘Incheon’ class frigates and the ‘Gumdoksuri’ class fast attack craft (and this programme should be complete by the end of the decade), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has four ‘Sariwon’ ASW ships.
China
China, on the other hand, is building 1440-tonne ‘Jiangdao’ class surface warfare /ASW corvettes which, like all modern corvette designs, feature shaping to reduce their radar signature. Last year 18 were reported launched, or commissioned, with at least a dozen on order to replace the 40-year-old ‘Jianghu I/II’ class frigates and the ‘Houxin/Houjian’class fast attack and patrol craft.
Taiwan
Taiwan plans up to twelve similarly ‘stealthy’ 900-1000 tonne ‘Hsun Hai’ class ships. These will have a surface warfare/ASW role and may possibly incorporate weapon and sensor systems from US-supplied ‘Gearing’ class destroyers, ‘Knox’ class frigates and local ‘in Chiang’ class fast attack craft to reduce costs.
Vietnam
Vietnam has been steadily expanding its corvette fleet from four ‘Tarantul’ class surface warfare/ASW ships to two ‘Improved Pauk’ class vessels and is acquiring up to ten ‘Improved Tarantul’ class ships, all of which are pure surface warfare vessels. Hanoi is also discussing the purchase of four ‘Sigma 10514’ class ships from the Netherlands’ Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS), of which two would be built in Europe and the other two in Vietnam.
Thailand
Neighbouring Thailand has two US-built ‘Rattanakosin’ class ships, which have surface warfare, ASW and air defence capabilities and three ‘Khamronsin’ class corvettes which are primarily ASW platforms. Bangkok appears to be more interested in new frigates than modernising the Royal Thai Navy’s corvette force.
Singapore
Singapore operates six ‘Victory’ class surface warfare/ASW corvettes, but they will be replaced on a one-for-one basis by the Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) of which there are few details.
Indonesia
Across the Straits of Malacca the archipelago nature of Indonesia means that it operates a large fleet of 23 corvettes. The majority are former East German ‘Parchim I’ class which are unusual in being dedicated ASW platforms with hull-mounted sonar, augmented in some ships by variable depth sensors. They are armed with both anti-submarine torpedoes and mortars while many have replaced their Russian diesel engines with western designs, manufactured by German propulsion specialist MTU. The corvettes are augmented by three ‘Fatahillah’ class which also feature a strong ASW suite and four ‘Diponegoro’ class ships built by DSNS based upon their ‘Sigma 9113’ class design which are used largely for the surface warfare and ASW roles.
The ‘Sigma’ class family has been selected to meet Jakarta’s Guided Missile Escort 105 requirement for ‘light frigates’ (in actual fact corvettes) which will be built domestically and for which steel on the first two was cut earlier in 2014. The new ships will be based upon the ‘Sigma 10514’ class design, and these 2400-tonne vessels will be optimised for ASW with the first of two scheduled to be laid in 2014 and to enter service in 2016. Nevertheless, it remains unclear as to how many are required.
India
The Indian Navy has tended to rely upon Russian designs and is currently using four ‘Abhay’ class ASW vessels which may be re-engined, although there is currently no word on when this might take place, and twelve ‘Veer’ class surface warfare ships. New Delhi’s first indigenous corvette design, the ‘Project 25’ class, was planned as an ASW platform but instead the ‘Khukri’ class have appeared as surface warfare ships as are the improved ‘Kora’ class with four of each being built. The latest ‘Kamorta’ class corvettes feature shaping to reduce their radar cross section and appear to be planned as multi-role ships and the addition of a SAM will provide a good air defence capability. The lead ship was commissioned in June 2014 and another three are being constructed with plans for up to twelve ships, but construction has been prolonged and the fourth ship will not be commissioned until 2015. However, it is reported that New Delhi is now looking at an improved corvette design known as the ‘Project 28A’ but no details are available.
Asian Subcontinent
Bangladesh is reported to have ordered its first two ‘Jiangdao’ class corvettes from China for delivery in 2016 and Dhaka is reported to have a long term plan to order four more corvettes from Turkey yet no date has been announced to this effect. Neighbouring Burma acquired three ‘Anawrahta’ class corvettes from China in 2000 but these are purely surface warfare platforms. Neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka appears currently interested in corvettes.
In terms of OPVs the Asia-Pacific region is typical of the developing world with requirements for a variety of vessels to cover a broad range of hydrographic requirements. Unlike the other prime market, Latin America, there is little sign that nations are co-operating to meet their requirements like Argentina, Chile and Colombia are in using the same basic OPV design. The demand for corvettes in the Asian region outstrips every other region in terms both of numbers and operational requirements and is likely to see demand increase certainly over the short term.
by Edward Hooton
While a few Asia-Pacific navies have ambitions to shield all their maritime lines of communications, most focus upon the protection of their coast lines and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) which extend some 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) from the shore.EEZs ensure the livelihoods of a nation’s fishermen, because fish and seafood remains a major source of the continent’s nourishment. But there are also extensive mineral resources under the sea, especially hydrocarbons like oil and gas which may increase national prosperity. Small wonder that a major source of contention between Asia-Pacific countries is the exploitation of these resources leading to many maritime disputes, the latest being between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, as they are respectively known by each nation.
The task of protecting these resources requires dedicated vessels which can help to assert national sovereignty and ensure that laws are observed. Finally, nations require national platforms capable of projecting national search and rescue capabilities as well as containing environmental pollution.
Offshore Patrol Vessels
In the past these tasks have been assigned to smaller or older warships; most of Indonesia’s ‘Kondor-II’ class coastal minesweepers and fast attack craft are used for this task while China’s paramilitary coastal forces have been boosted by ‘Luda’ class destroyers and demilitarised ‘Jianghu’ class frigates. But warship designs are not normally intended for this offshore protection role. Instead, it is best met by a dedicated platform in the guise of the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) which usually displaces between 1700 and 2000 tonnes. Such vessels are outfitted with good sea-keeping abilities to ride out most storms in deep water, and with excellent endurance and range.
An OPV requires space to embark a variety of equipment together with some medical facilities while another useful feature is a deck from which to operate a maritime support helicopter. Some may also require a good sonar to assist in the auxiliary task of hydrographic survey work, but a good air and sea surveillance radar is the primary sensor. A datalink is useful to exchange radar track data with other law-enforcement vessels, and some form of Combat Management System (CMS) for more efficient operations with other ships performing law enforcement is also desirable. This law-enforcement requirement means that the ship will usually employ a medium (40-76mm) calibre main armament augmented by smaller calibre (7.62mm-30mm) weapons.
East Asia
China has the largest OPV fleet with some 400 hulls ranging from 1150 to 3400 tonnes displacement and is in the process of receiving an additional 36 vessels of varying displacements. Japan’s coast guard, formerly the Maritime Safety Agency, employs some 50 OPVs ranging in displacement from the 1300-tonne ‘Hateruma’ class to the two 5204-tonne ‘Mizuho’ class. The Senkaku/Diaoyu islands dispute has led to a considerable expansion of Japan’s coast guard which will build four 1000-tonne OPVs of an as-yet-to-be-named class by the end of 2014. Across the Straits of Tsushima, the Republic of Korea’s (RoK) coast guard operates four OPVs of some 1200-tonnes and is receiving a small expansion of some five vessels from the Hyundai shipyard including a 3000-tonne OPV, although the date of their delivery has yet to be revealed.
Southeast Asia
Within southeast Asia neither Vietnam nor Indonesia have OPV requirements while the Philippines, which has largely relied upon OPVs such as its three ‘Jacinto’ class ships and two recently-acquired 3300-tonne former United States Coast Guard (USCG) ‘Hamilton’ class High Endurance Cutters (known locally as the ‘Gregorio del Pilar’ class), is now seeking two new frigates for the navy entering service in the second half of this decade. Brunei has gone the other way, replacing a corvette requirement with one for three German-built 1625-tonne ‘Darussalam’ class OPVs, while Thailand has a requirement for five OPVs, and is considering ordering a second ‘Krabi’ class ship, while it operates two 1463-tonne ‘Pattani’ class OPVs officially designated as corvettes. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has a fleet of some 100 patrol boats of various sizes, but also operates two 1300-tonne former Royal Malaysian Navy ‘Langkawi’ class OPVs and is reported to have an outline requirement for an unknown number of OPVs.
South Asia
India’s coast guard has 16 OPVs, ranging from the 1300-tonne ‘Vikram’ class to the 2266-tonne ‘Sanklap’ class, and plans six more ‘Sanklap’ class vessels and seven more undefined OPVs by the end of the decade. Most of these ships are, at best, lightly armed with only the coast guard’s four ‘Samar’ class ships carrying a 76mm OtoMelara Super Rapid gun, but the Indian Navy’s version of the ‘Sanklap’ class, the ‘Saryu’ class, will have a similar armament. The navy is receiving four ‘Saryu’ class OPVs which will augment six 1920-tonne ‘Sukanya’ class ships, one of which is used as a ballistic missile test launch platform, all of which have been delivered.
Elsewhere in this region Bangladesh has two former 1630-tonne Royal Navy ‘Castle’ class OPVs and has received a ‘Hamilton’ class cutter from the USCG which it is upgrading into a frigate, via the addition of China Haiying Electro-Mechanical Technology Academy C-802 Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) and unknown Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs), over the next couple of years. A parliamentary ten-year development plan launched in 2009 indicated that Bangladesh has a requirement for three OPVs although no vessels have yet been procured to this end. To the south, Sri Lanka operates three OPVs in the form of two former Indian ‘Vikram’ and ‘Sukanya’ class vessels and a former 1147-tonne US ‘Reliance’ class ship. Colombo has placed an order for two ‘Sanklap’ class vessels for delivery by 2016.
Australasia
Across the Indian Ocean Australia’s Project Sea 1180 plans for the procurement of an Offshore Combat Vessel (OCV) using a basic 2000-tonne hull design will produce 20 vessels during the first half of the next decade to replace up to 26 vessels including the Royal Australian Navy’s ‘Armidale’ class patrol boats, ‘Huon’ class mine countermeasures vessels and the hydrographic survey vessels of the ‘Leeuwin’ and ‘Paluma’ classes. Meanwhile, New Zealand operates two ‘Protector’ class OPVs which are unusual because they have ice-strengthened bows to operate in Antarctica.
Corvettes
Looking at navies in the Asia-Pacific one obvious aspect is the considerable degree of overlap when vessels are designated as either ‘OPVs’ or ‘corvettes’. Although the term Littoral Combat Ship is normally associated with the US Navy’s multi-role vessels, which it is currently acquiring, it is quite a good description of the corvette, though the latter might also be described as ‘an OPV with attitude.’
Like OPVs corvettes are designed for operations against any threat either to an EEZ or to coastal waters. Because they are essentially ASuW (Anti-Surface Warfare) platforms with limited anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities they tend to have a more sophisticated radar than OPVs together with a CMS and some electronic warfare systems. They too tend to offer a high endurance, and usually have fuel-efficient diesel engines making them capable of higher speeds for rapid transit and manoeuvre.
Interest in corvettes has grown in the past couple of decades as it became clear that the fast attack craft had poor survivability vis-à-vis air attack. Their surveillance radars have a comparatively short range given the height of the vessel in water, reducing the search area and countermeasures reaction times while lacking a significant air defence system. The corvette provides a significant improvement in capability and survivability with better radar coverage, thanks to the height of the vessel in the water, and space for weapon systems such as SSMs and SAMs. These ships can even perform Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) by employing sonars and lightweight torpedoes.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) requirement was met by the ‘Kedah’ class based on German shipbuilders Blohm and Voss’ MEKO 100 design, but these OPVs feature a sophisticated CMS, optronics, a chaff launcher and are equipped to operate AShMs, SAMs and have an electronic warfare suite. The Royal Malaysian Navy intends to add AShMs. Furthermore, Malaysia has ordered six ‘Gowind’ class corvettes from French shipbuilder DCNS with deliveries from 2017. It is unclear whether or not these will augment, or partially replace, the existing corvette force of six ‘Kedah’, two ‘Kasturi’ and four ‘Laksamana’ class ships. The ‘Kasturi’ class are surface warfare and ASW platforms that are being upgraded with a new CMS, new gun and ASW equipment in a programme which concludes by the end of 2014. The ‘Laksamana’ class corvettes were former Iraqi ‘Assad’ class ships and are true multi-role platforms with a gun and SSMs, sonar and anti-submarine torpedoes and a SAM system.
Republic of Korea
While the RoK will replace 22 ‘Po Hang’ class surface warfare/ASW corvettes with ‘Incheon’ class frigates and the ‘Gumdoksuri’ class fast attack craft (and this programme should be complete by the end of the decade), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has four ‘Sariwon’ ASW ships.
China
China, on the other hand, is building 1440-tonne ‘Jiangdao’ class surface warfare /ASW corvettes which, like all modern corvette designs, feature shaping to reduce their radar signature. Last year 18 were reported launched, or commissioned, with at least a dozen on order to replace the 40-year-old ‘Jianghu I/II’ class frigates and the ‘Houxin/Houjian’class fast attack and patrol craft.
Taiwan
Taiwan plans up to twelve similarly ‘stealthy’ 900-1000 tonne ‘Hsun Hai’ class ships. These will have a surface warfare/ASW role and may possibly incorporate weapon and sensor systems from US-supplied ‘Gearing’ class destroyers, ‘Knox’ class frigates and local ‘in Chiang’ class fast attack craft to reduce costs.
Vietnam
Vietnam has been steadily expanding its corvette fleet from four ‘Tarantul’ class surface warfare/ASW ships to two ‘Improved Pauk’ class vessels and is acquiring up to ten ‘Improved Tarantul’ class ships, all of which are pure surface warfare vessels. Hanoi is also discussing the purchase of four ‘Sigma 10514’ class ships from the Netherlands’ Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS), of which two would be built in Europe and the other two in Vietnam.
Thailand
Neighbouring Thailand has two US-built ‘Rattanakosin’ class ships, which have surface warfare, ASW and air defence capabilities and three ‘Khamronsin’ class corvettes which are primarily ASW platforms. Bangkok appears to be more interested in new frigates than modernising the Royal Thai Navy’s corvette force.
Singapore
Singapore operates six ‘Victory’ class surface warfare/ASW corvettes, but they will be replaced on a one-for-one basis by the Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) of which there are few details.
Indonesia
Across the Straits of Malacca the archipelago nature of Indonesia means that it operates a large fleet of 23 corvettes. The majority are former East German ‘Parchim I’ class which are unusual in being dedicated ASW platforms with hull-mounted sonar, augmented in some ships by variable depth sensors. They are armed with both anti-submarine torpedoes and mortars while many have replaced their Russian diesel engines with western designs, manufactured by German propulsion specialist MTU. The corvettes are augmented by three ‘Fatahillah’ class which also feature a strong ASW suite and four ‘Diponegoro’ class ships built by DSNS based upon their ‘Sigma 9113’ class design which are used largely for the surface warfare and ASW roles.
The ‘Sigma’ class family has been selected to meet Jakarta’s Guided Missile Escort 105 requirement for ‘light frigates’ (in actual fact corvettes) which will be built domestically and for which steel on the first two was cut earlier in 2014. The new ships will be based upon the ‘Sigma 10514’ class design, and these 2400-tonne vessels will be optimised for ASW with the first of two scheduled to be laid in 2014 and to enter service in 2016. Nevertheless, it remains unclear as to how many are required.
India
The Indian Navy has tended to rely upon Russian designs and is currently using four ‘Abhay’ class ASW vessels which may be re-engined, although there is currently no word on when this might take place, and twelve ‘Veer’ class surface warfare ships. New Delhi’s first indigenous corvette design, the ‘Project 25’ class, was planned as an ASW platform but instead the ‘Khukri’ class have appeared as surface warfare ships as are the improved ‘Kora’ class with four of each being built. The latest ‘Kamorta’ class corvettes feature shaping to reduce their radar cross section and appear to be planned as multi-role ships and the addition of a SAM will provide a good air defence capability. The lead ship was commissioned in June 2014 and another three are being constructed with plans for up to twelve ships, but construction has been prolonged and the fourth ship will not be commissioned until 2015. However, it is reported that New Delhi is now looking at an improved corvette design known as the ‘Project 28A’ but no details are available.
Asian Subcontinent
Bangladesh is reported to have ordered its first two ‘Jiangdao’ class corvettes from China for delivery in 2016 and Dhaka is reported to have a long term plan to order four more corvettes from Turkey yet no date has been announced to this effect. Neighbouring Burma acquired three ‘Anawrahta’ class corvettes from China in 2000 but these are purely surface warfare platforms. Neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka appears currently interested in corvettes.
In terms of OPVs the Asia-Pacific region is typical of the developing world with requirements for a variety of vessels to cover a broad range of hydrographic requirements. Unlike the other prime market, Latin America, there is little sign that nations are co-operating to meet their requirements like Argentina, Chile and Colombia are in using the same basic OPV design. The demand for corvettes in the Asian region outstrips every other region in terms both of numbers and operational requirements and is likely to see demand increase certainly over the short term.
by Edward Hooton
★ AMR
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