ES&D

European a 7.90
D 14974 E

Security 
& Defence
International Security and Defence Journal
7/2018

COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

November 2018 • www.euro-sd.com • ISSN 1617-7983

Submarine Propulsion

The Impact of Brexit on EU Defence Virtual Reality for Simulation and Training

P o l i t i c s · A r m e d F o r c e s · P r o c u r e m e n t · Te c h n o l o g y
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Editorial

Out of Balance
A year ago the Defence Ministers of the European Union came together, with a enchanted-
looking Federica Mogherini in their midst, for the inevitable “family photo” of a recently ended
Brussels meeting. What the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy was thrusting towards the camera, like a chalice at the mass, was the document
which was supposed to lend the gathering the gloss of a breakthrough of almost historic pro-
portions. And indeed, this time the ministers had not just reached a general agreement about
intensifying cooperation in defence policy, but had entered into some amazingly specific and
attestable obligations.
There was much speculation as to why, a full three years after the NATO Wales Summit, the
EU suddenly decided to play catch up, and concern itself with the option of a Permanent Struc-
tured Co-operation (PESCO) in the field of defence policy, something which had long been a
possibility under the EU agreements. The simplest explanation was that the Europeans must
take account of the transatlantic alienation which is associated with the name of Donald Trump,
and must gradually start to stand on their own feet. Ironically, they would thereby bring to an
end precisely the free-ride relationship which the Americans had blamed not just since the most
recent handover of power in the White House. Other views offered the subtle interpretation
that Germany had tried to draw back from the pressure being applied by France for them to
appear jointly as the driving force behind European defence policy, in as much as what Paris
wanted to push bilaterally would now as an endeavour of all EU members (except Denmark,
Malta,and the UK) come to nothing. But the real reason may in the end have been something
much more trivial: After all the crises and internal squabbles which have bothered the European
Union for many years, it wanted to find a political arena in which it could eventually once again
demonstrate unity and gain public consent.
What prospects of success PESCO may have cannot as yet be assessed. The hope that the EU,
unlike comparable defence policy efforts in the past, can this time really get something going,
is still alive, and indeed it is not even unfounded, because this time the thorny issue of financing
is no longer being swept under the carpet. Nevertheless, lessons learned already today include
that a psychological effect failed to appear. PESCO has neither strengthened the internal cohe-
sion of the EU, nor enhanced its public image. It would be naïve to believe that pushing defence
policy to the fore could make the ongoing crises of the community simply go away, in key areas
such as finances, currency, and migration.
PESCO has, however, already brought one insight. With the departure of the UK, precisely that
leading power is withdrawing from the EU which has always warned against too much centrali-
sation and communitisation. The opponents whom London encountered in this context now
see a ray of hope. The risk that the EU could fall prey to the temptation of setting up parallel
structures to NATO is not to be rejected out of hand, even if a way now seems to have been
found which would allow for the participation of the UK and even of the USA in PESCO pro-
jects. Neo-Gaullist tendencies to regard Europe as a security policy activist independent of the
Americans, and possibly even in conflict with them, are alive and well across all political camps,
and they have Donald Trump to thank for that new lease of life.
But it is not Brexit alone which threatens to bring Europe out of balance. Over the past few
years the European Union has been forcing the pace on its sneaky transformation from a fed-
eration of states to a federal state, without being legitimated to do so. This can be ascribed not
only to the inherent dynamics of the mammoth bureaucracy of the EU Commission. National
governments have often enough pursued aims by taking a detour over Europe, simply because
they could find no majority at home. On the other hand, they also repeatedly tried to declare
problems, for which they themselves could find no solution, to European issues to be dealt with
in Brussels. The EU has no future if it tries to disempower the Member States, or constantly act
as their scapegoat or whipping boy. The next Commission, which has to be appointed in 2019,
will have to focus on its core tasks and the frequently invoked subsidiarity principle, if it is to put
a stop to the centrifugal tendencies, and not to set at risk the European project as a whole.

Peter Bossdorf

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 1

Contents

Skripal Case Safeguarding Human Life

Photo: PA

Photo:IAI
Implications for Chemical Defence Page 39 Land Mine Detection and Clearance Page 74


SECURITY POLICY ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

10 The Impact of Brexit on EU Defence 54 Advances in Air-Independent Propulsion

Giulia Tilenni for Submarines
Luca Peruzzi
16 Defence Lessons from Singapore
David Saw 60 Brothers in Arms
Guy Toremans

64 Train Hard in Practice and Bleed Less in War

COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN Force Multiplication through Training
for Today’s Flashpoints
21 Confronting Complexity John Antal
The Pakistan Armed Forces
David Saw 67 Weapon Ranges:
In the Field, Indoors and Virtual
26 Pakistani-US Defence Cooperation William Carter
Sidney E. Dean
70 Virtual and Augmented Reality
30 Turkey and Pakistan: in Training Applications
A Long-Standing Friendship William Carter
Korhan Özkilinc
74 What Lies Beneath
34 “This is the largest occupation force Land Mine Detection and Clearance
anywhere in the world.” Bindiya Carmeline Thomas
Interview with H.E. Sardar Masood Khan,
President of Pakistani Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
INDUSTRY & MARKETS

ARMED FORCES 79 DVD 2018 – Creativity Needed to Face the Future

Tim Guest
39 The Novichoks and the Skripal Case
Implications for Chemical Defence 82 European Naval Defence Technology for
Dan Kaszeta Southeast Asia
Dzirhan Mahadzir
44 The RAF’s Counter-Daesh Operation SHADER
Joetey Attariwala 86 “We are investing heavily in research and
development”
47 Portugal´s Naval Commitment Interview with İsmail Başyiğit, CEO of MilSOFT
Conrad Waters
88 European Naval Suppliers in South America
52 Indonesia Faces Choices amongst Many Bob Nugent
Wendell Minnick
92 The Austro-Asian Artillery Alternative
Georg Mader

2 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

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Periscope

Stratospheric 4G/5G Spain Chooses Bittium

Defence Communications (df) Spain has chosen Bittium to supply tac-
(df) Airbus announced it has successfully tical Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular radios
tested stratospheric 4G/5G defence appli- together with the ESSOR High Data Rate
cations with a high-altitude balloon dem- Waveform (ESSOR HDR WF) for the pilot
onstration. “The technology tested, an phase of the Spanish Army’s VCR 8x8 ve-

Photo: FLIR
Airbus LTE AirNode, represents a key part hicle programme. These radios can flexibly
use the best performing waveform consid-

Graphic: Airbus
ering the conditions and the mission, such
as the Bittium TAC WIN Waveform, ESSOR information targeting without the fighter
HDR Waveform and Bittium Narrowband having to leave a vehicle. The BLACK HOR-
Waveform. In the scope of the VCR 8x8 pro- NET combines with the VRS to create a real-
gramme the Spanish Army will acquire new time air system with situational awareness
combat vehicles and related data transfer (RSTA) for fighters protected in a vehicle.
systems to replace their current, long-lived The BLACK HORNET VRS includes a launch
combat vehicles. The Bittium Tough SDR Ve- unit that accommodates multiple BLACK
hicular radios will be delivered to the tempo- HORNET 3 UAVs and can be mounted on
rary joint venture UTE 8x8 (Unión Temporal the outside of any military vehicle, including
of Airbus’ secure networked airborne mili- de Empresas) formed by the Spanish com- armoured personnel carriers, infantry com-
tary communications project, Network for panies GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra bat vehicles and light commercial vehicles.
the Sky (NFTS),” the company said. “With and SAPA. After the pilot phase, the pro- Operators in one vehicle can launch and
this new generation of long-range commu- gramme will continue with another phase, fly the BLACK HORNET 3 on their mission
nications in the sky, high-altitude platforms during which a separate procurement deci- using an integrated combat management
such as Airbus’ ZEPHYR will be able to cre- system or a single display.
Photo: Bittium

ate persistent, secured communication cells

to relay information on a variety of different
aircraft platforms including helicopters, tacti- Poland Orders Four
cal UAVs and MALE UAVs (Medium Altitude PATRIOT Fire Units
Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehi- (df) The US Department of Defense an-
cles).” Airbus NFTS solution was first unveiled nounced that the US Army has awarded
at Farnborough International Airshow 2018. Raytheon a contract in excess of $1.5bn for
This system combines different communica- production of Poland’s PATRIOT Integrated
tion technologies to form one resilient global Air and Missile Defense System including
mesh network, allowing aircraft to be a fully spare parts, support and training. The con-
integrated part of a high-speed connected sion will be made for the supply of vehicular tract includes building and delivery of four
battle space. “Today, individual aircraft, radios to the combat vehicles that will be PATRIOT fire units for Poland. This contract
UAVs and helicopters continue to operate on deployed by the Spanish Army. Participation is for Phase I of WISLA, Poland’s two-phase
separate networks with limited bandwidth in the pilot phase of the programme does medium-range integrated air and missile
and interoperability, and often little resil- not automatically guarantee participation in
Photo: Raytheon

ience,” Airbus stated. “NFTS will integrate the following phase of the programme, but
various technologies, such as satellite links it will be most likely that if the technology is
with geostationary, medium and low Earth tested successfully, it will be subject to pro-
orbit constellations, tactical air-to-ground, curement later.
ground-to-air and air-to-air links, voice links,
5G mobile communication cells and laser New BLACK HORNET
connections, into a single global secure net- Reconnaissance System
work. Network for the Sky is the foundation (df) At AUSA, FLIR Systems unveiled its
for the connected airborne battlespace, with new FLIR BLACK HORNET Vehicle Recon-
the objective to offer full operational capabil- naissance System (VRS) with the BLACK
ity by 2020. The NFTS programme is part of HORNET 3 nano-unmanned aircraft (UAV),
Airbus’ Future Air Power project and is fully developed for worldwide military, govern- defence procurement. Under Phase II, Po-
aligned with the development of the Euro- ment and first responder vehicle opera- land has the potential to acquire additional
pean Future Combat Air System (FCAS).” tions. The BLACK HORNET VRS is based on PATRIOT fire units and has expressed inter-
At this test Airbus flew and tested – with an adaptation of the unique BLACK HOR- est in gallium nitride-based 360-degree ac-
the support of French and Canadian space NET Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS), tive electronically scanning array radars, and
agencies – the communications solution in a small battle-tested nano-unmanned air- SKYCEPTOR, a low-cost interceptor missile,
Canada at all altitudes up to 21 km above the borne system (UAS). With its capabilities, the company said. “PATRIOT will enhance
Earth’s surface, using a stratospheric balloon BLACK HORNET VRS enables the fighter to Polish, European and NATO security while
to create a high-altitude airborne cell site. maintain situational awareness, threat de- creating jobs in Poland and the US,” said
In its payload, the balloon carried an Airbus tection and monitoring for combat damage Tom Laliberty, Vice President of Integrated
LTE AirNode, which provided a 30 km-wide assessment, pre-deployment deployment, Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Inte-
footprint of coverage. route and point exploration and targeted grated Defense Systems business.

4 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 Spain Orders Additional them to fulfil their duty when leaving BORSUK IFV With Rubber
23 NH90s the vehicle. The VT4 thus corresponds to Band Track
(gwh) The Spanish Ministry of Defence will the latest generation of civilian vehicles (gwh) The established Polish system house
approve the procurement of further 23 VT4 is designed for a payload of 900 kg Huta Stalowa Wloa (HSW) is developing
NH90s, an official statement said. The fleet and can transport five (or four) soldiers

Photo: HSW
of NH90 transport helicopters in Spain will equipped with the FELIN soldier system.

Photo: Airbus Helicopters

Unmanned DAGGER 4x4
(gwh) At the MEDEF summer seminar Ar-
quus presented the DAGGER protected
4x4 vehicle in a remote controlled ver-
sion. With the technology demonstrator
Arquus shows how production vehicles an infantry combat vehicle under the name
can be equipped for unmanned opera- BORSUK, which was presented as a proto-
tions, e.g. in endangered areas. Arquus type at MSPO in Kielce. For this new vehicle
started its 2017 robotisation programme numerous components have already been
with the DAGGER UGV. The DAGGER is pre-selected. These include an MTU 600 kW
thus grow to the originally planned number engine, the ZSSW-30 remote-controlled tur-

Photo: Arquus
of 45 aircraft. To date, the Spanish Army ret with a 30 mm cannon, and the Soucy
has eight NH90 TTHs. The decision of the Composite Rubber Track (CRT). Soucy’s CRT
Spanish Council of Ministers concerns a fur- system consists of a continuously sheathed
ther six projects over a period from 2019 to rubber band structure reinforced with a
2031, including two BAM (Buque de Ac- range of composite materials and steel cord,
ción Marítima) patrol vessels, the perfor- which is up to 50 percent lighter than com-
mance upgrade of the CH-47D CHINOOK, parable steel chains. It also reduces vibration
fire-fighting aircraft, 8x8 technology pro- by up to 70 percent and noise by up to 13
grammes and an F-100 frigate. the export version of Panhard Defense’s dB. The BORSUK IFV is an amphibious and
Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP), which has quite fast, agile vehicle.
2nd Batch VT4 Tactical been introduced in large quantities by
Multipurpose Vehicle the French Army. The UGV prototype is 100th TRAKKER GTF 8x8
(gwh) The French procurement author- currently operated with manual control, Delivered
ity Direction générale de l‘armement but the ultimate goal is to develop a fully (gwh) Iveco Defence Vehicles, a subsidiary
(DGA) has ordered a second batch of autonomous vehicle. of CNH-Industrial, has delivered the 100th
1,200 light tactical multipurpose vehi- TRAKKER GTF 8x8 to the Bundeswehr.
cles (Véhicules Légers Tactiques Polyva- Fourth Batch of KC-46a The vehicle is part of a supply contract for
lents, VLTP) designated VT4 (Vehicule Tankers Ordered a total of 133TRAKKER GTF 8x8, which
Tactique) from Arquus. The vehicles are (gwh) The US Air Force has ordered a was concluded in 2015 covering a term of
unprotected. The first batch of 1,000 fourth batch of 18 KC-46A tankers for four years. The protected transport vehicles
vehicles was ordered with the first to (GTF) of the Bundeswehr are equipped with
Photo: Boeing

be delivered this year. The total require- a cabin which protects the crew against the
ment is for 4,380 vehicles. The VT4 is effects of fire and mines (IED). The TRAK-
manufactured by ACMAT, an Arquus KER combines a high degree of mobility
subsidiary, on the basis of the known with an outstanding level of protection. The
4x4 Ford EVEREST 2.2 l. The militari- cabin hardly differs in appearance from an
sation of this vehicle includes, among unprotected one. The TRAKKER GTF 8x8 is
other things, improvements in off-road designed for a military payload of 15 tons.
mobility, preequipment for the integra- With five different configurations − some
with hydraulic crane and winch systems −
Photo: Armee de Terre

$2.9bn from Boeing. The contract modi- different ISO containers can be transported.
fication provides for the exercise of an
Photo: Iveco

option for an additional quantity of 18

KC-46 aircraft, data, two spare engines,
five wing refueling pod kits, initial spares,
and support equipment being pro-
duced under the basic contract. In 2011,
Boeing won the development and supply
contract in competition with Airbus. The
tion of radio devices/information sys- maiden flight took place three years later.
tems and the fitting of weapon mounts. The first production aircraft flew for the
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with first time at the end of 2017. Acceptance The remaining 33 vehicles will be delivered
several safety systems and comfort fea- tests are currently underway at the US to the Bundeswehr in accordance with the
tures to protect the soldiers and allow Air Force. planned delivery schedule.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 5

 Periscope

Integrated Bridge System to the respective mission requirements. To Hybrid Propulsion Systems
(gwh) At SMM MTU presented the concept support specific naval requirements, Ray- for Ships
for a new integrated bridge system. This theon Anschütz has implemented tacti- (gwh) Starting in 2020, Rolls-Royce will
system provides access to all relevant ship cal functions such as helicopter tracking, launch various fully integrated MTU hybrid
information required for the safe and ef- formation management, alarm and watch marine propulsion systems. The propul-
zones, and tactical target management in sion systems will be offered for yachts,

Graphic: MTU
the radar software, giving it the new ca- workboats, ferries and patrol boats in a
pabilities. This makes Naval Radar NX an power range from approximately 1,000
effective and unique application for safe

Graphic: Rolls-Royce
navigation and tactical tasks that can be
performed within a single user interface.

BOXER SKYRANGER
for Air Defence
ficient operation of the ship. This includes (gwh) Rheinmetall has integrated a SKY-
the MTU propulsion system, the MTU RANGER Mk 4 turret equipped with a
automation system, the power manage- 35 mm Oerlikon revolver gun with the
ment system as well as navigation, radar BOXER 8x8 armoured vehicle. With an
and communication. This allows the en- ammunition stock of 252 rounds, targets
tire ship to be monitored in its operational up to 4,000 m away can be engaged with kilowatts to 4,000 kilowatts per driveline.
sequences. All information is displayed a cadence of 1,000 rounds/minute. The Rolls-Royce plans to test a new MTU hybrid
uniformly and clearly on a central display. system with Series 2000 engines in 2019.
Photo: Gerhard Heiming

MTU offers the integrated bridge system Rolls-Royce will offer complete MTU hy-
for yachts, merchant vessels and military brid propulsion systems for ships, including
vessels with MTU propulsion systems. In MTU internal combustion engines, electric
MTU‘s integrated bridge system, individual propulsion modules, transmissions, batter-
subsystems such as propulsion systems, ies, control and monitoring systems and
ship automation and navigation are fully other electronic components. The systems
integrated into a central bridge system. will be offered in different power ranges
The central availability of all data allows in- depending on requirements. From 2020,
formation from various subsystems to be systems with MTU Series 2000 engines will
combined, stored, analysed and displayed be available on the market with one to two
on networked screens of the automation electric motors per driveline, each with 150
system. The bundled information forms the kilowatts, covering a power range between
basis for increasing availability, reducing life BOXER can follow the combat troops in about 1,000 and 2,200 kilowatts per drive-
cycle costs and improving operational safe- surveillance missions. With X-band or Ku- line. Starting in 2021, MTU will expand its
ty through further evaluation. band radar, the airspace can be moni- portfolio with hybrid systems the power
tored and targets can be tracked while on of which is based on MTU Series 4000 en-
Naval Radar NX the move. Targets can also be assigned gines and up to four electric motors, each
(gwh) At Euronaval in Paris, Raytheon An- by external search radars or higher com- with 150 kilowatts of power, and which en-
schütz presented the new SYNAPSIS Naval mand levels. The vehicle must stop for able a power range between about 1,000
Radar NX navigation radar software for the firing. The cannon is equipped with two and 4,000 kilowatts per drive train.
first time. The state-of-the-art software is measuring coils and one programming
based on an IMO radar display with opti- coil to fire AHEAD ammunition. This More than 100,000 Flight
mised tracking characteristics and anti-clut- makes it possible to measure the current Hours for H225M
ter processing and is also equipped with rate of muzzle velocity (v0) of the ammu- (ck) The H225M, with 88 aircraft currently
nition and set the exact detonation time in service in France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia,
Photo: Raytheon Anschütz

depending on the measured target dis- Indonesia, and Thailand, has surpassed the
tance. At the target, the projectile ejects 100,000 flight hour milestone, following its
152 or 600 projectiles to destroy targets first delivery to the French Air Force in 2006.
like, for example, UAV. During a dem- The aircraft was rapidly deployed by the
onstration of the system in cooperation French Air Force in Lebanon in 2006 where
with industrial partners in the presence
Photo: Airbus

of air defence experts at the Ochsen-

boden proving ground (Switzerland), two
UAVs were located, tracked and success-
tactical functions. In addition, there is the fully destroyed by the system. The BOXER
video merging function, which integrates SKYRANGER can enter series production
the video of several radar transceivers into a in the foreseeable future and could, for
single, high-quality radar video. The modu- example, cover the need for mobile air
lar software design offers a high degree defence that the Bundeswehr needs in
of flexibility for future upgrades to adapt order to participate in the NATO VJTF.

6 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 Photo: CONTROP
the H225M, also known as the CARACAL, a real-time, panoramic image from short to
evacuated around 300 people. Since then long distances up to the horizon. The sys-
the 11-metric-tonne H225M has been in tem enables the simultaneous detection of
service in crisis areas such as Afghanistan, moving targets, including swimmers, ves-
Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Central African sels of all sizes, and small floating objects.
Republic, and Mali, while also supporting These capabilities enhance the situational
NATO-led operations in Libya. Operating awareness of coastlines, waterways, sea-
both from ships and from land, this helicop- shores, ports and harbours.
ter has an all-weather capability supported
by night vision goggle compatibility. The Parachute for Drones
helicopter’s 1,300 km range can be ex- (ck) The Austrian company Drone Rescue
tended with air-to-air refuelling capabilities, presented the MEOS-LRS, the latest mem- has developed a parachute rescue system
allowing for flight times of up to 10 hours. ber of its family of land-based automatic for unmanned air vehicles. The DRS-5 para-
The Royal Thai Air Force has recently ordered detection and identification surveillance chute rescue system is designed to ensure
four more aircraft for combat search and systems with SWIR capabilities, at AUSA that even in a Beyond Visual Line of Sight
rescue and troop transport missions. Other 2018. The MEOS-LRS system was devel- (BVLOS) emergency the drone can be safely
recent customers for the H225M include Ku- oped to provide long-range surveillance

Photo: Drone Rescue

wait and Singapore. capabilities for border and coastal surveil-
lance as well as force protection. Its SWIR
First VT4 Vehicles in capabilities enable vision and observation
Service in difficult terrain and environmental con-
(ck) On 11 October 2018, the 12th French ditions, including fog, smog, dust, and at
Régiment de Cuirassiers received the first twilight times. The panoramic observation
two VT4 vehicles during a ceremony organ- capabilities of the MEOS-LRS enable quick
ised in Satory at SIMMT, the army structure decision-making regarding focus areas.
responsible for the maintenance of all land The system enables execution of exact tar-
get coordinates based on the GPS system.
Photo: ARQUUS

The compact, portable system may be car- intercepted. The parachute safety solution
ried on a soldier’s back and is quickly and works autonomously and ejects the para-
easily deployed. chute in fractions of a second, enabling the
drone to be used safely even over crowded
New Coastal terrain. Drone rescue products reduce the
Surveillance Tool risk of harming people on the ground and
(ck) CONTROP presented the TORNADO- safely bring down expensive equipment
ER, an Electro-Optical panoramic scanning when there is a malfunction of drones in
and automatic maritime target detection the air. The system is designed for multicop-
equipment. The ceremony took place in the system, at EuroNaval 2018. This new coastal ters with a total weight of up to 8 kg and
presence of Major General Charles Beau- surveillance instrument enables the simul- consists of a carbon cage in which the para-
douin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed taneous detection of a variety of targets chute is stored, and the associated electron-
Forces, who was in charge of the VT4 pro- in real-time, in all weather conditions. The ics monitoring the flight status of a drone
gramme. The VT4 programme is based on a system provides a 360 panoramic IR image independently of the air traffic controller. An
partnership with Ford. ARQUUS has milita- up to the horizon of all maritime views. The algorithm mixes these sensor data to detect
rised a civil 4x4 Ford vehicle by adding more an impending crash, so a pilot no longer has
Photo: CONTROP

than 250 new parts for mobility (suspension, to press an eject button in an emergency.
brakes), ergonomics and integration of mili- All flight data and movements are recorded
tary equipment. This concept combines the in a black box. In an emergency, these can
safety of modern vehicles with the robust- be read out at the customer's request and
ness required for military operations. AR- made available to insurance companies or
QUUS will be responsible for maintenance authorities. Once the final flight tests for the
and support. In December 2017, production DRS-5 have been completed, the first sys-
of the VT4 started at the ARQUUS plant in tems will be delivered to customers in winter
Saint-Nazaire. Tier 2 of the VT4 program was 2018.
signed by the DGA on 7 September 2018. It
comprises an additional 1,200 vehicles with WiSENT Engineer
350 modifications to be delivered in 2019. Vehicle for Norway
image is updated continuously - every 3 (ghw) The Norwegian procurement au-
Land-Based Payload seconds - with automatic and simultane- thority NDMA has placed an order with
for Border and Coastal ous detection of any moving targets in the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft
Surveillance water. A small boat of 3x1 metres can be mbH (FFG) worth €45M for the WiSENT 2
(ck) CONTROP, a company specialising in detected at a distance of 5 nm and more. engineering vehicle, which is to be de-
electro-optics (EO) and InfraRed (IR) de- The TORNADO-ER includes two Thermal livered between 2019 and 2021. Three
fence and homeland security solutions, Imaging InfraRed (IR) cameras that provide years ago, Norway ordered six WiSENT 2

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 7

 Periscope
Photo: FFG

Photo: IAI
plications: Construction, path lighting in
difficult terrain and the removal of large or
suspicious obstacles without endangering
human lives. The system is equipped with
object detection and avoidance functions
and is designed for use in all weather and
visibility conditions.

WINDGUARD Radar
for the US Army
armoured recovery vehicles, which were (ck) ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel
delivered to the Norwegian armed forces Aerospace Industries (IAI), has been award- and ELTA. The radar can be installed on a
ahead of schedule. WiSENT 2 is a versatile ed a contract by Leonardo to provide the variety of airborne fighters. As one of the
armoured support vehicle on the chassis US Army with WINDGUARD (ELM-2133) leading radars of its type, it is operational
of a LEOPARD 2 main battle tank that can active protection radar. The radar will be in many countries worldwide.
be flexibly configured for various tasks - supplied as part of the Rafael TROPHY
in this case recovery and engineer tanks. system for the ABRAMS main battle tanks TAURUS Upgrades
The WiSENT 2 engineer vehicle is highly to support immediate operational require- for Spain
digitised and comes with Kongsberg's (ck) The Spanish MoD contracted TAU-
Photo: IAI

Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) system RUS Systems to upgrade the TAURUS
already installed in Norway's WiSENT 2 ar- KEPD 350 weapon system. The con-
moured recovery vehicle, a powerful exca- tract is worth about €30M. The TAU-
vator and clearing system and FFG's new RUS KEPD 350 missile has been in the
Auxiliary Power Booster (ABP) to replace inventory of the Spanish Air Force for
the previously diesel-powered auxiliary 10 years and is operated on the EF-18
units (APUs). As a lithium battery solution, fighter aircraft. With its long range and
the APB offers a genuine "silent clock", as an intelligent warhead, the stand-off
the system operates completely noiselessly TAURUS missile provides a strategic and
and emission-free. For self-protection, all tactical advantage to the Spanish armed
Norwegian WiSENT 2s will be equipped ments. The contract has been awarded
Photo: MBDA

with Kongsberg's remote-controlled Nor- following successful performance demon-

dic Phase 1 weapon station. stration in the Expedited Active Protection
Systems (ExAPS) Programme on the M1A2
Autonomous Dozers ABRAMS MBT. WINDGUARD is a combat-
(ck) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) was proven system installed on IDF MERKAVA
awarded the contract to convert Caterpillar and NAMER armoured fighting vehicles.
dozers into autonomous dozers for high- The radar continually scans the platform's
risk tasks. This is an important contract in vicinity for anti-missile threats such as
the field of military robotics, reflecting the anti-tank rockets or guided missiles, and
challenges of the future battlefield. IAI was tank shells. Once a threat is detected and
awarded the contract after a lengthy devel- tracked by the radar, it provides an early forces. It is optimised for attacking deep
opment process and demonstration of the warning to the crew and simultaneously buried bunkers, infrastructure and aerial
activates the system to intercept and neu- targets in anti-access and area denied
Photo: IAI

tralise the threat before it hits the platform. environments. As part of the contract
The entire process takes a fraction of a sec- the navigation system of the Spanish
ond and is performed automatically with TAURUS missiles will be improved to in-
no human intervention. crease the survivability beyond the origi-
nal configuration. The project will start
Fire-Control Radars immediately.
for Asia
(ck) ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aer- New Order for NOSKE-
ospace Industries (IAI), has been awarded KAESER for K130 Corvettes
a US$55M contract for the provision of (ck) In September 2017 the German
system's performance, including compre- multimode airborne ELM-2032 fire control procurement agency BAAINBw com-
hensive testing of the maturity of the tech- radars to be installed on newly produced missioned the K130 consortium to build
nology and its safe integration with combat advanced combat aircraft. The radar of- a second batch of five K130 Class cor-
systems. The new autonomous system in- fers a broad range of operational modes, vettes. The consortium consists of Lürs-
corporates IAI's robot technology based on including high-resolution mapping in SAR sen Werft GmbH & Co. KG, ThyssenK-
the customer's operational requirements. mode, detection, tracking, and imaging of rupp Marine Systems and German Naval
The new autonomous bulldozer offers aircraft, moving ground and sea targets. Yards Kiel. Lürssen Werft, the leading
different degrees of autonomy including The contract is a repeat order, reflecting the company of the ARGE K130 consortium,
motion and earthworks for a variety of ap- customer’s high satisfaction with the radar commissioned NOSKE-KAESER Maritime

8 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 Photo: Safran
Solutions for the supply of the air condi- developed which send back a frequency-
tioning, ventilation, refrigeration and fire doubled radar signal which is received
extinguishing systems, the heating sys- and evaluated by a harmonic radar sys-
tems, the CBRN protection system and tem which is also to be developed. This
the warfare agent detection system. The signal is not superimposed by the oth-
order also includes installation and com- erwise typical interference caused by
missioning. NOSKE-KAESER had already reflections from waves. This means that
successfully taken part in the first batch. shipwrecked or small lifeboats drifting
Delivery of the first components is sched- in the water can be reliably located at
uled for 2019. Installation will take place long distances of up to approx. 10 km,
at the four shipyards partnered in the even in heavy seas. The system consists
consortium in Bremen, Kiel, Wolgast and ternatively 500 kg at 37 m/s. Robonic has of small transponders in life jackets or
Hamburg. The new corvettes will enter over three decades of operating expe-

Artwork: Fraunhofer Institut

service from 2022 onwards. rience in supporting the evolving needs
of the global UAS industry and UAS end
UAS Launcher for Leonardo users.
(ck) Robonic Ltd, a subsidiary of Safran
Electronics & Defense, has delivered a Maritime Rescue System
third generation KONTIO pneumatic with Low-Interference Radar
launcher to Leonardo. This high-pressure (ds) The German Fraunhofer Institut für
pneumatic launcher is designed to launch Hochfrequenzphysik und Radartechnik
unmanned air vehicles and drones and is research institute cluster, the University
capable of catapulting several types of of Applied Sciences Aachen and Raythe-
drones. The KONTIO Launcher is a mo- on Anschütz are developing a sea rescue life rafts/lifeboats, for example, which
bile launcher with a wide mass and speed system based on a low-interference ra- reflect the radar signals of future ship ra-
range, making it ideal for various UAS. It dar in the publicly funded joint SEERAD dars equipped with an extension module
is designed for take-off of aircraft up to project. For this purpose, compact and and thus indicate the exact position of
140 kg with an exit speed of 70 m/s or al- cost-effective transponders are being shipwrecked persons in the water.

APC
ARMORED PERSONNAL CARRIER

TITUS ®

GRIFFON
Creating references in defense I www.nexter-group.fr
 S ECUR IT Y P O LIC Y

The Impact of Brexit on EU Defence

Giulia Tilenni

The United Kingdom will officially leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.
Defence is one of the issues on which the parties are struggling to reach political agreement.

O ver the last two years, Member States

and EU institutions have worked hard
to clarify how Brexit should be imple-
in the EU, believing that NATO is the only
institution responsible for the defence of
Europe. For example, the United Kingdom
complex due to the numerous angles (do-
mestic and foreign politics, contribution to
operations, industrial cooperation) and to
mented, focusing on post-Brexit relations has preferred to participate in the so-called muddled negotiations. Thus, in order to be
as precise as possible, we will try to analyse

Photo: Claude Truong-Ngoc

separately the impact on the most relevant
angles of European defence, and then try
to draw comprehensive conclusions.

The Impact of Brexit on

European Defence as Foreign
Policy Tool
Together with France, Great Britain is not
only the most capable European country
in military terms, but also a nuclear power.
Although nuclear issues are not at the core
of European cooperation, Brexit means
that the EU will lose one of its two repre-
sentatives in the UN Security Council, with
a further loss of political weight within this
institution and, more generally, in interna-
tional politics.
According to an official paper released in
September 2017 by the British Government,
Brexit will not have an impact on European
defence because London and Brussels will
continue to pursue strong defence cooper-
Strasbourg, 28 June 2013, Place de la République. Change of leadership ation. The paper identifies several reasons
in the European Corps (Eurocorps), an intergovernmental military corps that should push the two parties to pursue
of approximately 1,000 soldiers stationed in Strasbourg, France their defence cooperation even after Brexit:
shared values and threats, British contribu-
between the UK and the European Union. coalition of the willing or to sign bilateral tion to European security and defence and
Media attention has not been centred on agreements rather than to continue EU co- cooperative defence projects, bilateral co-
future defence cooperation, but this is a operation in the defence field. The country operation with European partners, and the
sensitive issue that is still under discussion. therefore has close political and industrial contribution of British companies to R&D
relations with a number of EU members, in the defence domain. However, Brussels
The United Kingdom notably France (Lancaster House Treaty, does not want to let London continue to
and European Defence 2010) and Germany. have the same rights it had as a member
Brexit could be read as an opportunity win- state, for at least two reasons. First, the EU
The United Kingdom (UK) was one of dow for strengthening EU defence, as the Global Strategy and the growing tensions
the sponsors of an EU common security UK cannot “veto” further cooperation any with Washington are making EU members
and defence policy agreed in 1998 with more. The fact that PESCO, considered the more willing to gain some form of strate-
the Saint-Malo agreement signed with “sleeping beauty” of European treaties, has gic independence. On its side, the UK has
France. Since then, however, London has finally been established this year seems to historically been strongly linked to Wash-
blocked the further integration of defence demonstrate the likelihood of this scenario. ington in the military domain. Thus, Brus-
However, the fact that the UK will leave the sels fears that maintaining strong defence
Au th o r European bloc raises a number of ques- cooperation with London could block the
tions on the future of European defence pathway towards stronger independence,
Giulia Tilenni is an analyst for inter- concerning different aspects of defence something that the U.S. do not want to
national affairs based in Paris, France. cooperation. Making a comprehensive as- grant, as confirmed by the concerns that
sessment of this issue will be particularly PESCO projects raised within their NATO

10 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y

ally. Second, Brussels is convinced that fix- (which identifies the forces and capabili- industry have been heavily involved in the
ing strong rules for Brexit could discourage ties pledged by member states according development of the programme. In recent
other countries from asking to leave the EU. to the military capabilities required by the months, EU negotiators have already out-
Despite British claims, the balance of power EU), as the UK “contributes, or is shown to lined how they intend to redesign the UK's
within NATO will be reshaped after Brexit, have, about 20%” of this catalogue. Brexit contribution to the Galileo programme af-
with a declining role for the remaining 21 is also reported to have a financial impact ter Brexit. More specifically, Brussels plans
EU members. So far, the UK has had a pre- on CSDP missions, as so far the UK has to block UK access to R&D and future in-
eminent role in NATO’s structure. Conven- funded around 16% of military operations’ dustrial developments, but to give the UK
tionally, some positions, such as the deputy common costs. Conversely, the impact of access to the signal if agreement is reached.
SACEUR, are assigned to European coun- Brexit in terms of personnel deployment So far, the US and Norway have negoti-
tries. In the last decades, Washington has will be relatively minor. The UK contributed ated concrete agreements to secure access
to the Galileo Public Regulated Service. In

Photo: Iloethe
practice, this means that the UK will no
longer participate in decision-making on
joint projects or in the planning of military
operations. Companies or the military will
continue to be able to join the programme,
but only in a second phase, so that they will
not be able to evade sensitive information.
In addition, the UK will lose membership of
the European Defence Agency (EDA) and
its participation in EDA-led projects will de-
pend on the signature of an administrative
agreement approved by the EU Council.
This is already the case for Norway, Ser-
bia and Ukraine. As for the EDA, Brexit
has already had a positive impact, as EU
countries have finally had the opportunity
to overcome the UK's six-year resistance to
the increase in funding for the agencies,
which has been increased from €30.5M to
€31M, +1.6% in line with inflation.

The Impact of Brexit on

European Defence Industrial
Brexit could be a window of opportunity to strengthen EU defence, Cooperation and on the EU
as the UK cannot “veto” further cooperation anymore. Defence Market

secured the respect of its agenda setting by personnel to 25 out of the 35 EU-led op- The United Kingdom has been heavily in-
assigning these positions to Brits, as London erations, with a total participation of about volved in the creation of a common EU de-
has usually served as a bridge between Brus- 2.3% of total members states’ contribu- fence market and is one of the states that is
sels and Washington – a role that London tion. Operation Atalanta's headquarters compliant with the defence package direc-
envisages maintaining in the future. After represents the only notable exception, with tives. Thus the impact that Brexit could have
Brexit, this tradition should be updated to 56 Brits amongst the 104 staff. on the further development of an EU de-
rebalance the representation of EU mem- fence market is likely to be greater than that
bers within the Atlantic Alliance. However, Brexit and Pan-European in the field of military cooperation, in which
due to tense relations between Brussels and Defence Programmes London has always had only limited involve-
Washington, it is unclear if NATO will break ment, particularly in relation to the UK's de-
with this tradition, or maintain it in place, Although Britain is not at the forefront of fence capabilities as a whole. The impact of
thus further reducing the role of European the EU's common defence effort, British Brexit on the EU defence market will depend
countries within this institution. industry has been involved in numerous co- heavily on how future economic relations
operative pan-European projects. Contrary between the EU and Britain are regulated,
The Impact on EU-led to what Britain claims, most of them, al- one of the hottest issues in the ongoing ne-
Military Missions though developed in cooperation with EU gotiations. For the time being, EU negotia-
Member States, were not part of the EU tors are not expected to regard defence as
According to "Brexit: Common Security framework. These include the Eurofighter an exclusion from general internal market
and Defence Policy missions and opera- TYPHOON fighter, the MBDA METEOR air- rules for third countries, irrespective of the
tions", a report released in May 2018 by to-air missile and other projects developed type of defence cooperation agreement
the House of Lords’ European Union Com- under OCCAR (an organisation that works that the two parties may reach. In practice,
mittee, Brexit will have a heterogeneous with European institutions without being this means that London is likely to lose its
impact on Common Security and Defence part of the EU institutional framework). free access to the European defence market
Policy (CSDP) missions. The impact will The Galileo and Kopernikus programmes as it will be considered a third country after
be important on the EU force catalogue are notable exceptions, as the UK and its March 2019.

12 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y 

However, British defence companies and access to the EU market and probably Final Remarks
associations, notably ASD, have repeat- to EU defence funds. This means that
edly called on the government to reach international companies such as MBDA Despite London's assertions, Prime Minister
an agreement which would allow the UK (BAE Systems is 37.5% shareholder) and Theresa May's recent statement questions
to remain part of the EU internal market Airbus will be affected by Brexit in terms whether the UK will be able to remain a
and a member of the EDA, thus enabling of organisation and labour share, but top military power and benefit from Brexit
it to participate in European R&D pro- probably with limited impact on their (according to some British politicians, EU
grammes. In fact, it is crucial for UK com- economic activities. Conversely, the im- membership has downgraded the UK's in-
panies to maintain close links with Euro- pact of Brexit will be higher for European ternational role). The fact that London and
pean defence companies, as there are a companies for which the UK is a relevant Brussels are still looking for an agreement
number of ongoing joint programmes - market. Leonardo, an Italian company, is on the Brexit relationship, thereby increasing
for example METEOR and STORM SHAD- one of the companies that could be most the likelihood of a no-deal scenario, leaves a
OW/SCALP for missiles. affected by Brexit for two reasons. First, number of defence cooperation issues open
From the point of view of EU companies, after Italy, the UK is one of the most for the time being. Defence companies are
the impact of Brexit will be higher in important markets and the most impor- working to convince the EU institutions of
the case of a no-deal scenario. Should tant production location. Second, as an- the benefits of close relations with the UK in-
the UK be excluded from the EU single nounced at the Farnborough Air Show stitutions and hope that Brexit's cooperation
market, the technologies produced in in July, the company will be responsible projects will not be seriously affected. How-
the UK will be subject to customs du- for establishing and integrating the Tem- ever, as future cooperation will be top-down,
ties, leading to supply shortages. Some pest programme team, which is expected Member States will have the final say on how
companies, such as Airbus, have stated to develop the next-generation British jet this cooperation is to be structured. It is clear
in recent months that they have spare fighter. A few days after the announce- that Brexit means that only one EU country
parts in stock to prepare for the worst- ment, Leonardo CEO Profumo stated in can offer a (limited) nuclear roof, France, and
case scenarios following Brexit. The an interview with CNBC that "a possible that the bloc will lose one of its most capable
nature of the negotiations that London no-deal with the EU would be a problem members. So if the EU really wants to improve
and Brussels will conduct will also have as we have a significant presence in the the role of defence as a foreign policy instru-
a strong impact on the organisation of UK". He also added that a No-Deal Brexit ment according to the EU's Global Strategy,
companies operating in the UK or having could make working with UK companies Brussels would have to further develop co-
one of their headquarters in the country. more complicated, potentially affecting operation to "balance" Brexit. A challenging
Under the EU legal framework, a compa- participation in the Tempest programme ambition in times of tight budgets, especially
ny must have the centre of its decision- which he described as "very important to in view of the heterogeneity of the military
making in an EU country in order to gain the company". capabilities of the member states.  

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 Viewpoint from
Kiev

Instability in the Sea

of Azov to Be on the
EU Agenda
Alex Horobets

F or a long time Ukraine had not paid enough attention to

the Sea of Azov. The annexation of the Crimea and its trans-
formation into a Russian military base was the culmination of
The enormous expenditure on the bridge, which was opened in
May 2018, enables Russia to control access to the Sea of Azov.
Similar to the Bosporus Strait, the passage through the Strait of
Russian insolence. In recent months, however, Russia's activities Kerch is not prohibited, but de facto only possible with Russian
in the Sea of Azov have moved onto the EU's agenda. consent. Under the pretext of protecting the bridge, Russia has
In the run-up to the European Parliament's plenary session, transferred naval forces to the city of Simferopol (Crimea), which
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Fed- are used for FSB inspections of ships passing through the strait.
erica Mogherini condemned on 23 October the construction of The regulations introduced for shipping under the Kerch Bridge
the Kerch Strait bridge by Russia and the militarisation of the allow Russia to control the operation of Ukrainian ports at Mari-
Sea of Azov. The bridge between the Russian mainland and upol and Berdyansk, where freight traffic has decreased by
the illegally occupied peninsula, the construction of which was 10-20% on average. According to available data, Ukraine loses
never agreed with Ukraine, now hinders shipping to and from UAH100M (almost US$3.5M) per month as a result of Russia's
Ukrainian ports. actions in the Sea of Azov.
Another way of exerting influence on the region is to create
Photo: Kremlin

restricted navigation zones in the region on the pretext of mili-

tary exercises. In the past, the method was used off the coast
of Crimea, but today it has spread to the entire Sea of Azov.
For example, the exercise of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on 24
September 2018 coincided with Ukraine's intention to establish
a naval base in the Sea of Azov. In addition, the Russian FSB
Coast Guard in Crimea demanded that two coastguard vessels
accompany the Ukrainian naval vessels DONBAS and KORETS
on their voyage from Odessa to Berdyansk.
During the Lviv Security Forum on 25 October, Vasyl Serva-
tiuk, deputy head of the Border Guard of Ukraine, described
the situation in the Sea of Azov as "serious and threatening".
Currently, 120 Russian warships and boats are deployed there.
Petro Tsyhikal, head of the State Border Service, reported that in
addition to these ships, two patrol ships, the SYKTYVKAR and
the KIZLYAR, entered the waters of the Azov Sea from Russian
inland waters on 24 October.
Ukraine has become the hostage of the situation, largely due
to an agreement signed in 2004 between Kiev and Moscow on
The newly-constructed Kerch Bridge connects the Ta- the Sea of Azov which defines the Sea of Azov as inland waters
man and Kerch peninsulas in the south of the Sea of for the two countries. Both states can stop ships for inspection,
Azov. but at the moment the Russian side abuses this right.

14 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y 

NATO has reacted strongly to Russia's actions. At a press con- alone. After all, it is about international law; if a country is
ference in Brussels on 24 October, Secretary-General Jens allowed to apply only the advantageous rules of international
Stoltenberg called on Russia to comply with international law, law, this may also have repercussions for other parts of the
including ensuring freedom of navigation. And the next day, world. Norway is closely following developments in the Azov
the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning and Black Seas, because Russia and Norway are neighbours
Russia's violation of international law. The resolution calls on in the Arctic.
EU Member States to step up sanctions against Russia in the In the near future we can hardly expect any explanations from
event of a further escalation of the conflict. One of the provi- Russia. At the moment, the Russian Federation is exploiting
sions calls for the creation of an EU Special Representative for the absence of military parity in the Sea of Azov to create an
the Crimea and Donbas, whose remit would include the Azov analogy to the Bosporus, where its passage is free of charge
region. The European Parliament condemns the illegal produc- but only possible with Turkey's consent - a situation which
tion of oil and gas by Russia on the territory of Ukraine; Russia conceals the ongoing militarisation of the Crimea the purpose
illegally uses Ukraine's seabed, including the right to extract of which is to maintain control over the peninsula and create a
energy resources in the Odessa, Holitsynsky, Archangelsky and counterweight to NATO forces in the region. Crimea is also a
Shrormoviy fields and the illegal construction of the bridge platform for military operations in Syria and for the control of
over the Kerch Strait. Penalties have also been imposed on the natural resources of the Black Sea region.
the six European companies involved in the construction of Irrespective of Western support, Ukraine should resolutely ad-
the bridge. dress the problems in the Azov and Black Sea regions. The
The fact that the dispute in the Sea of Azov has reached such focus should be on the Ukrainian Navy and Air Force, which
a high level shows that the problem does not affect Ukraine requires a joint action strategy in the region.

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Defence Lessons from Singapore

David Saw

The small and prosperous city state of Singapore affords itself a well-equipped and well-trained armed
force. For decades, Singapore has been investing a considerable part of its resources in its military.

S ingapore is a true city state, with a

population of 5.888 million in a land
area of only 709.2 square kilometres.
tion effort. On independence in 1965,
Singapore’s land area amounted to 586
square kilometres; by 1986 the total land
capita incomes. At the end of the 1980s,
the birth rate was 17 children per 1,000
of population, with a low infant mortality
Questions of population and land area area had expanded to 636 square kilome- rate, and with the death rate at 5 per 1,000
are key to understanding the continuing tres and reclamation continues. of population.
These population growth numbers were

Photo: US Air Force

less than satisfactory and led the Singapo-
re Government to encourage more child-
birth. Unfortunately, the birth rate figures
did not increase. By 2017 the birth rate
was down to 8.6 births/1,000 of popula-
tion; as a comparison the French birth rate
was 12.20 births/1,000 of population. The
most meaningful statistic is that the total
fertility rate in Singapore amounts to 0.83
children born/woman. This is the lowest
in the world! Average life expectancy in
Singapore is 85.2 years; this is the third
highest in the world.
An ageing population added to a low birth
rate represents an immense challenge to
Singapore. Put simply, an economy needs
workers. Added to which, as Singapore’s
defence structure is based on the conscript
model, it needs military-aged people and,
due to the low birth rate, these will increa-
singly be in short supply.
As regards workers, Singapore can meet so-
me of its needs from non-resident Malaysian
workers coming across the Causeway and
returning once their work is finished. It also
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG at Luke AFB, Arizona, utilises contract workers from around the
taking part in Exercise FORGING SABRE in February 2017. Singapore ASEAN region and expatriates working in
initially ordered 12 aircraft in 2005, adding 12 more in 2007. the banking and finance, education, medical
Subsequently, two further batches of eight aircraft each were acquired and other high technology areas. There we-
to bring the fleet size to 40 aircraft. re plans to grow the population through an
immigration policy, but attracting the right
evolution of Singaporean defence and Maximising land usage continues to be immigrants with desirable skills for Singapo-
security policy. Somewhat uniquely, Sin- an important issue for Singapore. One of re proved harder than expected. Expanding
gapore has been able to increase its land the most important considerations for the immigration also proved unpopular with the
area through a significant land reclama- Singapore Goverment is population. Initi- indigenous Singaporean population and this
ally they had favoured population control forced the government to curtail major im-
Au th o r strategies due to being concerned about migration efforts.
unsustainable population growth. As time
David Saw is a specialist defence went on and Singapore began to prosper,
writer based in Paris, France. He has Economic Evolution
concerns over population growth were
a long and comprehensive record of replaced by fears of population shrinka- The Singaporean economy is in robust sha-
writing and managing defence maga- ge. The population of Singapore in 1989 pe, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per
zines at the highest level, from the amounted to 2.674 million, but the popu- capita, accounting for Purchasing Power Pa-
USA through Europe to Asia, and is lation situation was characterised by low rity (PPP) ranks Singapore seventh in terms
now a regular contributor to ESD. birth and death rates that were usually typi- of world economies. Singapore is a pros-
cal for developed economies with high per perous nation, even by Western European

16 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y 

Photo: Singapore MINDEF

standards. Ensuring that this prosperity con-
tinues into the future is one of the primary
tasks of the Singaporean government.
One of the reasons why Singapore has de-
veloped so successfully is the fact that the
People’s Action Party (PAP) has been the
leading political party since 1959, even prior
to independence. They can take a strategic
long-term view and are not swayed by the
short-term thinking that many democratic
governments fall victim to. It is important
to note that Singapore has free and fair de-
mocratic elections. In the last election held
on 11 September 2015, the PAP obtained
69.9% of the vote and therefore a majority
of the seats in the national parliament. The
next election is due in 2020.
To deal with the issues of an ageing popu-
lation and declining workforce numbers,
the Singapore Government has a strategy
that will see the economy evolve along
a new path. The International Monetary
Fund (IMF) in its Article IV Consultation
Staff Report of July 2017 is extremely po- A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) LEOPARD 2SG tank participating in the
sitive as regards the future course of the live-fire Exercise WALLABY in Australia. Singapore acquired 96 LEOPARD
Singapore economy. 2A4 tanks from Germany under a 2006 contract. German submissions to
The IMF report notes that, "Singapore the UN Register of Conventional Arms list the delivery of 161 LEOPARD 2
has embraced a new growth model for a tanks to Singapore between 2007 and 2012, while Singapore declares
world of rapidly advancing digital techno- the arrival of 156 tanks.
logies and automation. The strategy is to
turn Singapore into a labour-lean economy and the presence of a significant British Service (NS) in Singapore, also includes an
with less reliance on foreign workers and Commonwealth military garrison. By the ongoing reserve commitment, up to age
growth based on innovation, digitisation end of the 1960s, the British had started 40 for other ranks and 50 for officers.
and continuous investment in skills. Econo- their withdrawal from ‘East of Suez,’which Apart from service in the SAF, conscription
mic and social policies to make growth mo- inevitably had a negative economic impact also provides personnel for the Singapore
re inclusive and tackle population ageing on Singapore. What the Singapore Gover- Police Force (SPF) and the Singapore Civil
have advanced appreciably in recent years nment was able to manage was a constant Defence Force (SCDF).
and are still evolving, complementing the transition in economic terms, starting with
economic transformation drive. Singapo- low-cost manufacturing and then moving Defence Expenditure Trends
re’s track record of longer-term orientation up the value chain to a high-technology
in policy making, strong implementation services-based economy. Many of the first generation of Singapore-
capacity and proactive embrace of techni- One side effect of this consistent record an national leaders had cause to remember
cal change accompanied by policies to miti- of economic growth is that it has allowed the Japanese invasion of Malaya in 1941
gate the disruptive potential of automation the Singapore Government to make serious and the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in
on employment provide a measure of as- investments in defence expenditure. On in- 1942. At that time there was a commonly
surance about the outcome of its structural dependence in 1965, the government was held belief that Singapore was an impreg-
transformation.” clear that Singapore would need a defence nable fortress. The reality of the situation
Singapore’s strategy to evolve into a “glo- capability that could act as an effective de- was somewhat different, as demonstrated
bal innovation hub” brings with it a more terrent. After all, in 1965, Singapore was by the fact that the invasion of Malaya took
gradual economic growth path, according a small nation, surrounded by neighbours place on 8 December 1941 and by 31 Janu-
to the IMF. Consequently they had pro- who were not necessarily well disposed ary 1942, the last British and allied forces
jected GDP growth of 2.3% for 2017 in towards the new state. The government left the Malayan mainland and retreated to
their Staff Report; the reality of the situa- knew that it would have to establish a mi- Singapore. On 8 February 1942 the Japane-
tion was that Singapore's growth rate in litary capability, one that would eventual- se commenced their assault on Singapore
2017 was actually 3.5%. The IMF projects ly grow into the Singapore Armed Forces and by 15 February the island surrendered.
a GDP growth rate of 2.5% for 2018, and (SAF), and was prepared to fund such a What followed was a brutal Japanese occu-
economic results thus far in the first quarter capability to the limit of their means. It pation, including the Sook Ching massacres
of 2018 indicate that Singapore ought to should also be noted that establishing a of 1942 where an estimated 70,000 local
achieve this figure. conscript-based military (conscription was people were murdered (some Singaporean
Economically there is no doubt that the introduced in 1967) would also establish a histories put Sook Ching deaths higher at
Singapore Government has delivered long- shared experience across all of the different 90,000 murdered).
term economic growth. Singapore has no ethnic communities in Singapore, develo- The invasion, the massacres and the occu-
natural resources; its primary asset on in- ping both national identity and community pation had demonstrated the fate of a small
dependence in 1965 was its port facilities cohesion. Conscription, known as National island if it was not properly prepared to de-

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 17

  SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y

fend itself. The new leaders of Singapore in 1989 it was US$3.2Bn even though mi- In an era when the majority of NATO
were determined that what happened in litary expenditure as a percentage of GDP members are struggling to meet the orga-
1941/1942 would not be allowed to hap- was 4.5% in both of those years. By 1998 nisation’s target of spending 2% of GDP
pen again and that Singapore would make military expenditure was US$7.3Bn and in on defence, Singapore’s government has
adequate provision to defend itself and to 1999 it had risen to US$7.4Bn. The fact made it perfectly clear that it will continue
deter potential aggression. Singapore still that these figures are in constant 2015 US to properly fund its Ministry of Defence
has a robust and continuing commitment dollars shows the consistent growth trend. (MINDEF). In early March, the Defence Mi-
to an effective level of defence expenditure. In 2000 and 2001 spending showed a nister Dr Ng Eng Hen spoke to Singapore’s
The Stockholm International Peace Rese- slight decline (US$7.2Bn in 2000 and Parliament in a Committee of Supply De-
arch Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure US$7.3Bn in 2001, then spending increa- bate to discuss MINDEF spending plans in
databases provide an extended picture of sed to US$7.7Bn in 2002 and US$7.8Bn in the context of the 2018 national budget.
the continuous investment that Singapore 2003, before reaching US$8Bn in 2004. His statement contained some significant
has made in defence. In terms of military The figure rose to US$8.5Bn in 2005 and facts on ongoing defence expenditure
expenditure as a percentage of GDP, bet- then to US$8.6Bn in 2006. This year al- trends in Singapore. For example, Dr Ng
ween 1988 and 1999 Singapore spent an so saw military expenditure as a percen- noted that defence expenditure accoun-
average of 4.466% of its GDP on military tage of GDP decline to 3.9%, the lowest ted for 19% of government expenditure.
expenditure on an annual basis. Between figure in 16 years. In 2007 spending rose In comparison, according to World Bank
figures, Switzerland spent only 4% on de-
Photo: Singapore MINDEF

fence in 2016. According to Dr Ng: “We

can maintain the SAF's capabilities with a
defence spending that roughly keeps pace
with inflation – around 3% to 4% increase
each year.” It is difficult to see a European
defence minister expecting a 3% to 4%
increase in spending as a perfectly natu-
ral development! Furthermore, should the
security environment in Singapore’s region
deteriorate, there is no doubting that Sin-
gapore would be prepared to significantly
raise defence expenditure.
Dr Ng contrasted the Singaporean pattern
of defence expenditure with that of Europe,
using Germany as an example. Firstly Dr Ng
referred to what were described as ‘two cru-
cial lessons’ that Singapore had been able
to learn: “First, the best time to prepare for
trouble is during peace. Second, in the long
run, steady investments into military capa-
bilities maintains peace through deterrence
and results in more effective outcomes. It
RSS FORMIDABLE, lead ship of a class of six advanced frigates based on is actually the most efficient yield for de-
the French LAFAYETTE design; all six units were commissioned into the fence investments. In other words even if
Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) between 2007 and 2009. The first frig- you spent the same dollar amount over a
ate was built by Naval Group (then DCNS) at Lorient, with the remaining defined period, the most effective yield is
five built by ST Marine in Singapore. continuous, steady investments.”
He then went on to describe what he saw
2000 and 2009 the average annual rate to US$8.9Bn and rose again in 2008 to as the situation in Germany: “After 25 years
of military expenditure as a percentage of US$9Bn, reaching US$9.2Bn in 2009. of cuts to the German defence budget, the
GDP was 4.31%. Then in the seven years Between 2010 and 2016, military expen- German military – the Bundeswehr – is un-
between 2010 and 2016, military expendi- diture as a percentage of GDP in Singapo- derfunded, with entire weapons systems
ture as a percentage of GDP was on avera- re ranged from a low of 3.1% to a high unusable because they either lack spare
ge 3.228% per annum. of 3.4%. In comparison, the 2009 mi- parts, or have been poorly maintained. By
It is self-evident that this military expendi- litary expenditure/GDP percentage was the German Government's own assess-
ture as a percentage of GDP shows a decli- 3.9%. This resulted in a decline in military ment, less than half of Germany's subma-
ning trend, but another set of figures from expenditure between 2010 and 2013. In rines and planes are operationally ready.
SIPRI show that Singapore’s military ex- 2015 constant dollars, military expendi- The platforms are there, but only half can
penditure has generally kept to an upward ture in 2010 was down to US$9.1Bn; in be activated.”
trend. As Singapore’s economy and GDP 2011 it was down to US$8.7Bn; in 2012 That would be totally unacceptable in
grew, the amount of actual money devoted it was down further to US$8.6Bn and Singapore. Dr Ng gave an example of the
to military expenditure would grow in turn. then down to US$8.5Bn in 2013. Then operational readiness of SAF assets:”When
A SIPRI data set for military expenditure in came an upward trend. In 2014 military the Aceh tsunami occurred (26 December
constant 2015 US dollars provides a far expenditure was US$9.4Bn, rising to 2004), we activated three of our four Lan-
better measure of defence expenditure. In US$10Bn in 2015 and declining slightly ding Ship Tank (LSTs). It happened on Bo-
1988 military expenditure was US$2.9Bn; to US$9.9Bn in 2016. xing Day, no way you could have had a prior

18 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y 

Photo: Singapore MINDEF

Training
The SAF can look for innovative solu-
tions to many of the issues that it faces,
but sometimes there are no easy solu-
tions to be found. This is particularly true
in the area of training; ideally it would
be possible to conduct all SAF training
within Singapore national territory. Un-
fortunately the small size of Singapore is
an obstacle in this regard, it is simply im-
possible to conduct full-scale force-on-
force combined arms training, or much
live fire training, particularly for heavy
weapons on national territory. The con-
gested airspace around Singapore also
presents many challenges to the Repub-
lic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).
For many years the SAF has trained in
Taiwan; live fire exercises take place in
New Zealand. There are major exercises
in Australia, where the SAF has access to
training areas ten times the size of Sin-
gapore, and high-level combined arms
exercises in the US. In March, the SAF
conducted a bilateral live fire training
exercise with the German Bundeswehr,
Exercise Panzer Strike 2018, at the Ober-
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) infantry from the 7th Singapore Infantry lausitz Military Training Area (OMTA).
Brigade (7 SIB) equipped with the locally designed and built SAR-21 Panzer Strike exercises take place in the
5.56x45 mm rifle, take part in Exercise VALIANT MARK in August 2017 in spring and autumn in Germany, with so-
Singapore. This is an annual bilateral exercise held with the US Marine me 1,250 SAF personnel taking part in
Corps. the programme across the year using SAF
equipment in the shape of 14 LEOPARD
warning; on activation, all move, 75% of issues. As previously noted, an ageing po- 2SG tanks and 15 BIONIX Infantry Figh-
the assets of that particular platform (note: pulation and a declining birth rate have ting Vehicles.
the fourth LST was on operations in the created a problem for the Singapore mi- The RSAF extensively uses overseas trai-
Gulf, therefore 100% of these key assets litary, they have therefore looked to de- ning bases such as Cazaux (advanced
were operationally available).” velop solutions. In the 1990s the Republic jet training) in France, Oakey (helicopter
of Singapore Navy (RSN)acquired 12 local- training) and RAAF Pearce (basic flight
Readiness ly built FEARLESS class 55-metre 500-ton training) in Australia. In the US, RSAF
Patrol Vessels (PVs) with a 30-man crew. CH-47D helicopter crews train at Grand
How seriously the SAF treats operational The PVs will be replaced by a new class Prairie, Texas through the Peace Prairie
readiness for both active and reserve forces of surface units in the form of the Littoral programme, F-16C/D training takes pla-
was illustrated in January 2018, when a Mo- Mission Vessel (LMV), with eight LMVs to ce at Luke AFB under the Peace Carvin II
bilisation and Equipping Exercise (MOBEX) be acquired, all of which will be built in programme, F-15SG training takes place
was held involving 8,000 soldiers and 700 Singapore. at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, under
vehicles from the 9th Division in the largest The LMV is a far more sophisticated unit the Peace Carvin V programme and AH-
exercise of this kind since 1985. The abi- than the PV; these are 1,200-tonne displa- 64D training takes place at Silverbell,
lity to mobilise reserve forces and rapidly cement, 80-metre-long vessels, feature a Arizona, under the Peace Vanguard pro-
bring them to operational condition is a comprehensive suite of weapons and sen- gramme.
fundamental part of Singapore’s defence sors and offer far more operational capabili- Singapore possesses one of the most
strategy. On mobilisation, the SAF will be ty than the FEARLESS PV class. One key LMV impressive military capabilities in
able to field multiple, fully equipped, divi- characteristic is that baseline crew number Southeast Asia; its armed forces are bo-
sion-level formations. Although Singapore is down to 23. According to Singapore th well trained and well equipped. Per-
might be a small country, it has the ability MINDEF: “The innovative design solutions haps more importantly, the Singapore
to activate a substantial amount of military to our LMVs will save us at least US$65M Government remains committed to
personnel, providing an effective deterrent across the 30-year life span of the platform, an ongoing policy of sustained inves-
to aggression, both in terms of conventio- when compared to the PVs.” The first three tment in defence. Furthermore, should
nal and asymmetric threats. LMVs are already in service with the RSN, the strategic environment change in
The Singapore Government seeks to le- with the second batch of three LMVs being Southeast Asia, Singapore will increase
verage innovation to further grow the launched at ST Marine between March 2017 its defence spending if it is necessary to
Singaporean economy; it also looks to and March 2018. All eight LMVs are due to preserve the ability of the SAF to deter
innovation to find solutions to defence be in service by 2020. aggression.  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 19

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 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Confronting Complexity
The Pakistan Armed Forces

David Saw

From the perspective of the Pakistan Armed Forces, it is obvious that they need to modernise their defence
capabilities. Ideally, they would have access to state-of-the-art equipment from both foreign and domestic
suppliers, with the indigenous defence industry also sustaining national defence capabilities through the
provision of comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

T
Photo: Heavy Industries Taxila

he problem is that achieving these

modernisation goals requires money,
and that is something that the Pakistani
military and defence industry are not over-
endowed with.
Unfortunately, funding is only one of the
many problems that the Pakistan Armed
Forces are facing. In fact, it would be fair
to say that the only thing that the Pakistan
Armed Forces is not short of is problems;
they have an overwhelming threat matrix
covering complex strategic challenges from
both external and internal actors. It is not
just the military that is confronting major
problems; Pakistan as a nation state is trou-
bled and has been for many years.
Since achieving independence on 14 Au-
gust 1947, Pakistan has had to struggle
against a dysfunctional political culture
that has pervaded major state institutions
including the judiciary. The failures of civil- The AL-KHALID tank is a Sino-Pakistani joint venture design based on
ian rule have led to a situation where the the Type 90 tank, built in Pakistan by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). Over
military would step in, seeing themselves 400 tanks are in service with the Pakistan Army. The Pakistan Army
as the last line of defence for the nation, wishes to acquire large numbers of the upgraded AL-KHALID 2 variant
but coups and military governments did of the tank.
nothing for long-term stability in Pakistan.
The military would eventually return to bar- The problems that Pakistan faces are not all end of 1989, the UN High Commissioner
racks, civilian rule and democracy would of its own making, though. For 40 years, it for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that there
be restored and the whole circus would has paid the price of having Afghanistan were 3.27 million Afghan refugees in Paki-
begin again until the next coup or crisis. as a neighbour. The first Afghan refugees stan, equivalent to more than three percent
More than that, there was inter-communal started entering Pakistan after the People’s of the Pakistani population. The number
tension based on regional origin and deep- Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) of Afghan refugees in Pakistan from 1980
ening religious turmoil. Corruption was Communist coup of April 1978. By June through to 2002 was the largest refugee
rife and the illegalities perpetrated by the of 1979, a total of 109,000 refugees had population in the world at that time.
wealthy and the connected were legion. been granted asylum in Pakistan. The sec-
ond coup in Afghanistan by a faction of Afghan Involvement
Au th o r the PDPA in September 1979 saw refugee
numbers increase to 193,000; by the end In 1979, the strategic situation around Pa-
David Saw is a specialist defence of 1979, there were over 300,000 refugees kistan was chaotic. In early 1979, the Shah
writer based in Paris, France. He has in Pakistan. Then at the end of December of Iran had fallen and the Islamic Republic
a long and comprehensive record of 1979 the Soviet Union intervened in Af- came to power. At that point, nobody was
writing and managing defence maga- ghanistan in support of their client regime. certain of the course that the new Iranian
zines at the highest level, from the This led to a major outflow of refugees into regime would take. What was certain was
USA through Europe to Asia, and is Pakistan. Between January and December that a major pro-Western power and a sta-
now a regular contributor to ESD. 1980, between 80,000 and 90,000 refu- bilising strategic force in the area was gone.
gees per month entered Pakistan. At the Then came the Soviet invasion of Afghani-

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 21

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Photo: Turkish Aerospace Industries

The fall of the Shah in early 1979 marked
the end of CENTO, with US-Pakistani re-
lations reaching a new low in April 1979
when the Carter administration halted all
US assistance, apart from food aid to Paki-
stan, due to Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to
build a nuclear deterrent (India had tested
a nuclear weapon in 1974). Then in No-
vember 1979 the US embassy in Islamabad
was trashed by protestors. But in December
1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghani-
stan. Suddenly Pakistan was important to
the US and Pakistan needed US assistance.
However, it was only after the inaugura-
tion of Ronald Reagan in January 1981 that
Pakistan started to receive serious US as-
sistance.
Many of the problems that confront Pa-
kistan today can trace their roots back to
the crisis in Afghanistan. There are refu-
In July it was announced that Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) would gee camps, Mujahideen camps, Inter-Ser-
supply the Pakistan Army with 30 T129 ATAK attack helicopters, with vices Intelligence (ISI) activities, foreign
Turkey providing a US$1.5Bn funding package to support the deal. It intelligence services running operations
now appears that the US is attempting to block the contract through related to Afghanistan, narcotics traffick-
denying clearance for the LHTEC engines used by the T-129. ing (Afghanistan is a major producer of
opium) and other forms of illegality. As
stan. The last thing Pakistan wanted was Pakistan War saw the US place an arms the war in Afghanistan continued, US,
Soviet troops on its doorstep. Even worse embargo on both India and Pakistan. Pa- Saudi and other money flowed into the
India, which Pakistan saw as an existential kistan remained the subject of a US arms area to fund the Mujahideen. Eventually,
threat, was closely aligned to the Soviet embargo through the 1971 Indo-Pakistan jihadists would flow into the area from
Union, further increasing the threat. There War, with defence supplies only resuming around the world to join the struggle.
was also the fear that Pakistan could itself in 1975 under the Ford administration. Of course, the Afghan regime and Soviet
become the target for Soviet ambitions. After the 1971 War, the Bhutto govern- forces would run intelligence and com-
While all of this was happening, Pakistan ment withdrew from SEATO. Bhutto’s aim bat operations into Afghanistan as well.
had a military government. General Mu- was to reduce dependence on the US. De- As such, Pakistan’s western border area,
hammad Zia-ul-Haq, the Chief of Army spite the fact that there was an arms em- which had always been somewhat law-
Staff, staged a coup in July 1977 and over- bargo, US economic assistance continued. less, became a true wild west!
threw Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Photo: via author

(who was executed in 1979). After impos-

ing martial law, Zia ruled as Chief Martial
Law Administrator and then became Presi-
dent of Pakistan on 16 September 1978
and served in that role until his death in
August 1988.
In the wake of the Soviet invasion of Af-
ghanistan, Zia decided to support the Af-
ghan Mujahideen and Pakistan’s Inter-Ser-
vices Intelligence (ISI) organisation would
play a key role in the struggle against the
Soviet Union. There was another important
factor to take into account: After the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan, the US suddenly
saw Pakistan as a critical frontline state.
Prior to that, US military relations with Pa-
kistan had gone through years of peaks
and troughs.
Pakistan had signed a Mutual Defence Ar-
rangement with the US in 1954 and had
joined the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty
Organisation) and CENTO (Central Treaty A YUAN class conventional submarine (SSK) of the Chinese People’s Lib-
Organisation) defensive alliances at US eration Army Navy (PLAN). Under a US$5Bn contract agreed in July 2015
prompting. This opened the door for Pa- China will supply the Pakistan Navy with eight YUAN class submarines.
kistan to receive extensive US military and Four will be built in China, with first deliveries in 2023, and four will be
economic aid. However, the 1965 Indo- built in Pakistan, with deliveries completed in 2028.

22 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

Amidst all of the international efforts to
help the Afghan Mujahideen, it was of-
ten forgotten that Pakistan had their own
strategic interests in Afghanistan. Obvi-
ously, they did not want a hostile power
on their border, hence the need to resist
the Soviet-backed Kabul regime. What
they wanted was a regime favourable to
Pakistani interests or, even better, a cli-
ent/allied government. This would give
Pakistan strategic depth, offsetting the
geographical weakness of Pakistan in this
regard. The ISI, which had a central role in
supplying weapons and logistic support
to the Mujahideen, would ensure that the
groups favourable to Pakistani interests
were well provided for. Pakistani military
advisors would also go into the field to
support favoured groups as well.
When the last Soviet troops withdrew from
Afghanistan in February 1989, their client
Najibullah regime survived, but now the sit-
uation in Afghanistan was one of Civil War.
Pakistani leader General Zia had died in Au-
gust 1988 in a plane crash (in suspicious
circumstances), which led to a return to
civilian rule. The end of the Soviet presence
in Afghanistan led to the end of US interest
in that country and removed their need for
Pakistan. The US Government would no
longer certify that Pakistan did not have a
nuclear weapons programme, and because
of that, the Pressler Amendment (named
after US Senator Larry Pressler) came into
force in October 1990. This legislation
banned economic and military assistance
to Pakistan in an effort to stop nuclear pro-
liferation. Once again, the US had aban-
doned Pakistan.
Russian assistance to the Najibullah regime
in Afghanistan ended in 1992, leading to the
fall of the regime. This opened the way for
Mujahideen forces to enter Kabul and after
the signature of the Peshawar Accords, a
power-sharing arrangement was agreed for
the new Afghan state. Not all of the Muja-
hideen groups joined the new government.
The Hekmatyar faction (backed by the ISI),
the Hizb-e wardat (backed by Iran) and the
Ittihad-i Islami (backed by Saudi Arabia) all
sought to fight against the new government
and the Afghan Civil War continued.
Then, in 1994, a new force emerged in Af-
ghanistan – the Taliban. Their aim was to
establish a true Islamic state in Afghanistan
and they attracted support from thousands
of Afghan students studying at Madrassas
(religious schools) in Pakistan who returned
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ghanistan with the Taliban. One estimate
is that, between 1994 and 1999, between
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 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Photo: US Air Force

PAF MIRAGE aircraft were likely to have a
nuclear delivery role as well. Pakistan has
gone to great efforts to develop a complete
range of ballistic and cruise missile delivery
systems covering multiple range options.
Pakistan has three Medium-Range Bal-
listic Missiles (MRBMs) types with ranges
in excess of 2,000 km, one of which the
SHAHEEN III has a range of 2,750 km.
Other missile types range from battlefield
systems with a range of 50 km, to short-
range types with ranges out to 900 km and
other systems offering ranges out to 1,800
km. Cruise missiles have been successfully
developed and fielded, such as the BABUR
ground-launched system (range out to 750
km) and the air-launched RA’AD system
(range of 350 km). A submarine-launched
cruise missile, the BABUR 3, has been suc-
cessfully tested on multiple occasions and
The most modern combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force inventory are could be either in service or on the verge
12 Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 (shown here) and six F-16D Block 52 of entering service. Having air, ground and
aircraft delivered under the Peace Drive programme in 2010. Worsening now sea-launched nuclear weapons gives
relations with the US could cause problems, especially if spares deliver- Pakistan a robust strategic triad and a cred-
ies are blocked. ible deterrent against India.
It must be stressed that the CHAGAL nu-
80,000 and 100,000 Pakistanis joined with Nuclear Weapons clear tests were conducted under a civilian
the Taliban. Religious fervour had been ris- government, as was the attack on Kargil
ing in Pakistan, creating an enormous man- For Pakistan, the year 1998 was important in Indian Kashmir from May to July 1999,
power pool for Jihad in both Afghanistan for another reason: In the wake of Indian which brought India and Pakistan to the
and Kashmir. The downside of this large nuclear testing, Pakistan felt it had no op- brink of a full-scale war. The nuclear tests
militant pool is that it would eventually be tion but to conduct its own nuclear tests put an end to attempts to repair relations
targeted against the Pakistan Government. and become a visible nuclear power. On with the US, with Kargil doing nothing to
As far as the Pakistani security situation is 28 May 1998, the CHAGAL I test saw five give Pakistan a positive image.
concerned, these militants now represent a devices detonated, with the CHAGAL II test
serious ongoing internal security threat. on 30 May covering the detonation of a sin- The Current Scene
The Taliban made their first attempt to take gle 15 kt device. Pakistan is currently cred-
Kabul in 1995 and failed with heavy losses. ited with between 100 and 150 nuclear Pakistan/US relations would be restored
The next year saw them succeed and enter warheads, with some estimates suggest- though. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist
Kabul in September 1996. Resistance to ing that the warhead stock could rise to attacks, Pakistan was given a stark choice,
the Taliban continued, but by 1998 they between 220 and 250 weapons by 2025. they could either join with the US or stand in
controlled 90% of Afghanistan. As far as Initially, the delivery system for Pakistan’s opposition and face the consequences. Pa-
Pakistan was concerned, this was a per- nuclear deterrent was the F-16A/B fighters kistan had no alternative but to assist the US
fectly satisfactory result. of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), although in its War on Terror, but some 17 years later
the conflict in Afghanistan still continues,
and it is clear that this conflict has also led
to the destabilisation and impoverishment
of Pakistan. According to some estimates

Find us on facebook! in Pakistan, the conflict in Afghanistan since

1979 has cost Pakistan some 60,000 lives
and an economic loss of over US$250Bn.


The US seeks to manoeuvre Pakistan to sup-
port its interests. For example, in 1994 the
US granted Pakistan the status of an im-
portant non-NATO ally and between 2002
and today Pakistan has received a total of
US$33Bn in aid from the US. However, the
US is still unable to realise that Pakistan has
its own strategic concerns, which resulted
in Congress blocking US$500M of Coalition
News – Events – Opinions Support Funds (CSF) destined for Pakistan
earlier this year. More recently, the Trump
www.facebook.com/eurodefence administration cancelled an additional
US$300M of CSF funding. This comes on

24 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

top of the administration withholding other more pressure on the Pakistani govern- These helicopters will eventually replace
promised financial aid to Pakistan. The aim ment, as IMF medicine will hardly fit in the Bell AH-1 currently in service with the
of this is to pressure the Pakistani military to with its populist policies. Pakistani Army. The acquisition was to be
take action against militant groups in Paki- With the government running out of mon- funded with a US$1.5Bn loan facility from
stan; CSF funding is designed to compen- ey, that puts enormous pressure on the Turkey. Less than a month later, obstacles
sate Pakistan for these types of missions. Pakistani military as a minimum of 34% were being encountered: The T129 helicop-
There is now another factor to take into ac- of government expenditure is accounted ter is powered by LHTEC CTS800 engines
count, the election of Imran Khan, leader of for by defence spending (including mili- and the US is not helpful in licensing the
the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as Prime tary pensions). The defence budget rose engines for export to Pakistan. The fact that
Minister of Pakistan. Imran Khan was elect- some 200% between 2008/2009 and the US currently has issues with Turkey is
ed on the promise of ‘Naya Pakistan’ (New 2018/2019, according to Pakistani reports, hardly helping matters in this regard.
Pakistan), the aim is to tackle corruption from US$2.8Bn to US$8.9Bn. Despite this What Pakistan really needs at this point is
and vested interests and come up with a spending growth, the Pakistan military is good governance, an end to corruption,
society that meets the needs of its peo- actually under-funded to achieve the force consistent economic growth and diversifi-
ple, rather than just enriching a small elite. modernisation goals that it has set to keep cation, and, as a matter of increasing ur-
The problem is that the Pakistani economy pace with potential threats. Any proposed gency, strenuous efforts to get the burden
is in crisis, foreign exchange reserves are cuts in defence spending will be resisted of foreign loans under control. Imran Khan
dangerously low and the country has enor- by the military and in Pakistan the record will have to achieve this, while delivering on
mous foreign debts on which it must make of civilian governments acting in opposi- the populist elements of his ‘Naya Pakistan’
ongoing payments. tion to the military has not been good. agenda. Failure to do so will lead to a rapid

Photo: via author

PNS ZULFIQUAR (251) was the first of four F-22P class frigates acquired by the Pakistan Navy from China, with
three built at the Hudong-Zhinghua Shipyard in Shanghai, China, and the last frigate built at the Karachi Ship-
yard & Engineering Works in Pakistan. These frigates were commissioned between 2009 and 2013.

Pakistan will need to obtain a loan facility Imran Khan is not a believer in Pakistan in- loss of confidence in the government.There
of between US$10Bn and US$12Bn in the volving itself in supporting US objectives in must also be some effort to restore rela-
short-term. If they go to the International Afghanistan, as such the dispute with the tions with the US, although it is difficult to
Monetary Fund (IMF) this will be the 14th US seems set to continue. Unfortunately, see how this can be easily achieved. The
time the country has received emergency this causes problems for the Pakistani mili- inability to obtain spares for US equipment
IMF assistance since the 1980s. Alterna- tary; the loss of US economic and military will be a negative factor for the Pakistani
tive options are to approach China for a funding assistance is a major blow. The US military. Fundamentally though, the issue
loan, but Pakistan is already massively in- can also put pressure on Pakistan by slow- for the Pakistani military is that they need
debted to China, or Saudi Arabia. There ing the supply of spare parts and the deliv- significantly increased funding to improve
are other problems with approaching the ery of new equipment. their capabilities and, as things stand at
IMF. For example, the US could delay the The US also has other means of pressuring present, Pakistan does not have the ability
loan package being agreed and insist on the Pakistan military. In July 2018, the Turk- to boost defence spending unless other
onerous terms. The IMF will also insist ish Government announced that Pakistan areas of government spending are cut.
on public spending cuts and other harsh had ordered 30 Turkish Aerospace Indus- These are difficult times for Pakistan’s new
economic measures, all of which will put tries (TAI) T129 ATAK attack helicopters. government.  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 25

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Pakistani-US Defence Cooperation

Sidney E. Dean

Pakistan and the United States look back on seven decades of security cooperation. Objectively, both
nations still benefit from continued partnership. However, domestic political pressures in Pakistan and
shifting security policy priorities in both nations are straining the relationship, to the detriment of re-
gional stability.

T
Photo: US DoD

he United States recognised Pakistan on

15 August 1947, and immediately es-
tablished diplomatic ties. By the early 1950s
security and strategic concerns became
critical aspects of the relationship. A Mutu-
al Defence Assistance Agreement (MDAA)
was signed in May 1954, resulting – among
other things – in the establishment of a US
Military Assistance Advisory Group in Paki-
stan and the training of Pakistani officers at
US staff colleges. That same year, Pakistan
joined the United States and six other allies
in the South-East Asian Treaty Organisation
(SEATO, dissolved 1977). In 1955 Pakistan
also joined the Baghdad Pact (later known
as the Central Treaty Organisation or CEN-
TO); while the US was not a party to this
mutual defence organisation, four other US
allies were, and Washington retained close
ties to CENTO until its dissolution in 1979. Defense Secretary James N. Mattis meets with Pakistani Prime Minister
In 1959 US-Pakistani defence ties were re- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during a visit to Islamabad, 4 December 2017.
inforced once again through signing of a Mattis travelled to Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Kuwait to reaffirm the
bilateral Agreement of Cooperation. enduring US commitment to partnerships in the Middle East, West Africa
and South Asia.
Strategic Value versus
Strategic Weapons gic protection afforded by the alliance with tions when Islamabad’s assistance was re-
Washington, a relationship which – short quired following the Russian intervention in
Pakistan’s location at the crossroads of the of a world war – precluded direct Soviet Afghanistan in late 1979 and after the 11
Middle East, Soviet Central Asia, China and intervention in any Indo-Pakistani conflict. September, 2001, terrorist attacks on the
the Indian subcontinent made it a particu- The United States also supplied significant United States.
larly valuable partner for the United States. material and training assistance to Paki-
Throughout much of the Cold War Wash- stan’s armed forces, enabling the country Major Ally
ington viewed Pakistan as a reliable part- to successfully stand up to its much larger
ner working to counteract Soviet efforts in rival India. In 2004, Washington elevated Islamabad
that region. Following Moscow’s military Despite the obvious commonality of inter- to the status of major non-NATO ally, the
intervention in Afghanistan, Karachi be- ests, there have been low points in the bi- same designation enjoyed by such part-
came Washington’s prime conduit of sup- lateral relationship. Tensions briefly arose in ners as Australia and Japan. “On behalf of
port for anti-Soviet Mujaheedin. Pakistan the mid-1960s when the US reduced sup- President Bush and the American people, I
also served as a regional counterbalance to port to Islamabad in an effort to improve came to say that the United States is com-
India, which was largely aligned with the relations with New Delhi; Pakistan, perceiv- mitted to a long-term partnership with Pa-
USSR. In turn, Karachi enjoyed the strate- ing the US to be an unreliable partner, be- kistan," then Secretary of State Colin Pow-
gan improving relations with both Russia ell declared in Islamabad. "I believe that
Au th o r and China. A decade later President Jimmy in the current environment we have every
Carter placed sanctions on Pakistan over opportunity to strengthen that relationship
Sidney E. Dean is President of the latter’s nuclear weapons programme. in strategic ways as we move forward.” At
Transatlantic Euro-American Fresh sanctions were imposed following the practical level this new status eased
Multimedia LLC. and a regular Pakistan’s nuclear weapons tests in 1998 and prioritised Pakistan’s access to US-
contributor to ESD. and the military coup of 1999. In both manufactured weapon systems and other
cases, Washington suspended the sanc- military technology, and provided for loan

26 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

in maritime security operations and coun-

ter-maritime piracy. International Military
Education and Training (IMET) assistance to
Pakistan (US$5M in FY 2016) enhances the
professionalism of Pakistan’s military and
strengthens long-term military relationships
between Pakistan and the United States.”
As noted in this summary, the partnership
extends to maritime security with a focus on

Photo: US DoD
preventing and combating seaborne terror-
ism as well as arms and drug smuggling in the
north-western Indian Ocean. The navies of
US Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis met with Pakistan Ambassador both nations regularly train together, includ-
Ali Jehangir Siddiqui at the Pentagon in Washington, DC on 30 July 2018. ing US participation in the multinational an-
nual AMAN exercises conducted by the Paki-
guarantees and grants to facilitate these rorism and counterinsurgency have come to stan Navy. In March 2017, Pakistan’s Chief of
purchases. The major ally status also paved define the current security relationship ever Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Zakaullah,
the way for increased training support and since 9/11. This is especially so from Washing- was awarded the Legion of Merit during a
intelligence sharing. ton’s viewpoint. The US Government points visit to Washington. During the ceremony
A formal US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue to Pakistani pledges to deny safe haven to US Navy Chief of Naval Operations Admiral
was initiated in 2010. According to the US all militant groups and to prevent attacks John Richardson lauded the Pakistani Navy's
State Department, the Strategic Dialogue is emanating from Pakistani soil. Of particular contributions to the war on terrorism and its
intended to provide the vision and frame- interest are the Federally Administered Tribal contributions to regional stability.
work for the “bilateral partnership in core Areas (FATA) located on the Afghan border
areas of joint interest and cooperation.” of north-western Pakistan, an area which Recent Strains
The Dialogue framework includes annual has long been beyond complete control of
meetings of the foreign ministers, as well the central government. According to the Despite these positive displays, political re-
as six subject matter working groups: 1) State Department, US security assistance to lations between Karachi and Washington
Energy; 2) Security, Strategic Stability, and Pakistan is focused on “strengthening the have suffered again in recent years. The
Non-proliferation; 3) the Defence Consulta- counterterrorism (CT) and counterinsurgen- Obama administration, as part of its strat-
tive Group; 4) Law Enforcement and Coun- cy (COIN) capabilities of the Pakistan secu- egy to contain an expansionist China, be-
terterrorism; 5) Economics and Finance; rity forces, and promoting closer security ties gan a concerted effort to win over India
and 6) Education, Science, and Technology. and interoperability with the United States. as a strategic partner. These overtures to
US security assistance has directly supported Pakistan’s fiercest rival inevitably sat poorly
Counterterrorism Pakistan’s CT operations in the FATA. For- with Islamabad. And anger flared in both
as a Defining Factor eign Military Financing (FMF) (US$255M capitals following the 2011 raid on Osama
in FY 2016) promotes the development of bin Laden’s compound in Abbotabad. Is-
Despite the broad-based and comprehen- Pakistan’s long-term COIN/CT capabilities lamabad displayed outrage over the covert
sive nature of the formal alliance, counterter- and improves Pakistan’s ability to participate US raid on Pakistani territory. For its part,
Washington could not believe Islamabad’s
Photo: US Navy

assertions of ignorance concerning the al

Qaeda leader’s presence in a city housing
the Pakistani military academy and home to
senior military officers; many in Washington
openly questioned whether Pakistan could
still be viewed as a partner in the war on
terrorism. Misdirected US air strikes in No-
vember 2011, which killed 36 Pakistani bor-
der guards, further inflamed tensions, with
some Pakistanis believing the attacks were
targeted as a means of punishing Islama-
bad. The bilateral Strategic Dialogue was
suspended for three years, resuming again
in 2014. US security assistance funds, which
the Obama administration had increased to
the unprecedented level of two billion dol-
lars annually, were cut by two-thirds.
The greatest long-term damage, however,
could result from the perception that Is-
Rear Adm. Jeffrey A. Harley, President of US Naval War College, met lamabad’s campaign against insurgents
Pakistan Navy Adm. Muhammad Zakaullah during a visit to Newport, operating from the FATA has slackened.
RI on 13 March 2017. The visit was in response to an invitation sent to The problem extends well beyond mere
foreign navy counterparts to come to the United States for a familiarisa- inaction; as far back as the G. W. Bush ad-
tion with the US Navy. ministration, US intelligence agencies con-

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 27

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

cluded that the Pakistani government – or

elements of Pakistani security agencies –
actively cooperated with the Taliban-allied
Haqqani network and other insurgent or
terrorist groups operating out of the FATA.

Working-Level Talks
At the working level, the Pentagon has tried
a low-key approach, engaging Pakistani
leaders in behind-closed-doors dialogue.

Photo: US Navy
Public statements by defence department
leaders, while letting through Washington’s
dissatisfaction, have mostly been formu-
lated to enable Islamabad to return to full Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff Adm. M. Asif Sandila (centre), Rear Adm.
cooperation without losing face. In early Daryl Caudle (left), and Capt. Andrew J. Loiselle, commanding officer
2017, US Defence Secretary James Mattis of the aircraft carrier USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH (CVN 77), discussing ship-
recognised the significant sacrifices the Pa- board operations in flight deck control on 18 September 2018
kistan military has made in the past in the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Trump Administration Goes bassador Nikki Haley told reporters at the
he expressed appreciation for the Pakistan on the Offensive time. "They work with us at times, and they
military's recent support for efforts to de- also harbour the terrorists that attack our
feat the ISIS-Khorasan group operating in President Trump has taken a completely troops in Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan. In a conversation different approach than Secretary Mattis. The suspension includes freezing US$900M
with Pakistani Army Chief of Staff General “Today, 20 US-designated foreign terrorist of support funding designated for the Pa-
Qamar Javed Bajwa, both leaders reaffirmed organisations are active in Afghanistan and kistan Armed Forces. Pakistani officers
the importance of the bilateral military-to- Pakistan, the highest concentration in any will also be barred from US military staff
military relationship, and highlighted the region anywhere in the world,” the presi- schools and other training opportunities in
importance of continuing to work together dent said on 21 August 2017. “For its part, the United States. Washington continues to
on counterterrorism and regional stability. Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of stress its desire for continued partnership,
A year later, that cooperation had failed to chaos, violence and terror. (...) No partner- portraying the suspension as a measure
materialise, but Mattis’ public statements ship can survive a country's harbouring of forced upon the US by Pakistani intransi-
continued to have an understated tone, militants and terrorists who target US service gence. “Our expectations are straightfor-
stating on 5 January 2018 that the US has members and officials,” Trump said. “It is ward: Taliban and Haqqani leadership and
“had strong disagreements [with Pakistan] time for Pakistan to demonstrate its com- attack planners should no longer be able
on some issues, and we're working those. mitment to civilisation, order and to peace.” to find safe haven or conduct operations
The specific individual things we're doing are On 4 January 2018, the Trump administra- from Pakistani soil,” said Pentagon spokes-
best handled in private, to ensure that we tion upped the ante by suspending almost man Colonel Robert Manning on 8 Janu-
can be most productive – and that's what all military aid. “Pakistan has played a dou- ary. “The United States has conveyed to
we're working now.” ble game for years," US United Nations Am- Pakistan specific and concrete steps that it
could take toward these ends,” Manning
Photo: US Navy

said, adding, “We stand ready to work

together with Pakistan to combat terrorist
groups without distinction.”

Pakistani Response
While Washington’s complaints are nothing
new, no US administration has presented
them as directly or aggressively as the cur-
rent one. The US suspensions remain in
place, and it is difficult to predict when they
will be lifted or amended. Islamabad contin-
ues to deny the US allegations of inactivity
and complicity vis-a-vis insurgent activity,
and denies that a Taliban presence even
exists in Pakistan. Prime Minister Shahid
Khaqan Abassi has warned that degrading
Pakistan’s armed forces would ultimately de-
grade US strength in the region.
Beyond the practical implications of the
Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, along with Marines from suspensions, Islamabad criticises them as
Kuwait and Pakistan, conducting an amphibious assault demonstration offensive and dishonourable. Pakistani
during Exercise BRIGHT STAR in 2009 leaders point out that their country has

28 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

sacrificed tens of thousands of military However, a minor diplomatic row in late Au- ton has in Islamabad and would do noth-
and civilian lives to the war on terrorism gust documents that tensions are far from ing to rectify the security threats based
– far more than the United States or any resolved. Following a telephone conversa- in the FATA. Washington would be hard
other outside partner active in Afghani- tion between PM Khan and US Secretary of pressed to find a replacement partner in
stan. Secretary Mattis has acknowledged State Mike Pompeo, both nations disputed the region, as Afghanistan remains highly
this repeatedly – presumably in an effort to the other’s description of events. On the one unstable and India continues to evade a
dampen the tone in Washington. hand, the US State Department announced major commitment to a US alliance. At
For its part, Pakistan complains that US co- that Pompeo wished Khan success and also the most practical level, it would seriously
operation has long been inconsistent, and asked Khan to take “decisive action against undermine US and coalition operations
is used to pressure Pakistan to conform to all terrorists operating in Pakistan". On the in Afghanistan, since Pakistan remains
shifting US priorities. From Islamabad’s per- other hand, the Pakistani foreign ministry the prime resupply corridor for coalition
spective, the Trump administration’s efforts firmly denied that “terrorists operating from forces; and while relations are strained,
to woo India as an ally, increase arms exports Pakistan” had been a topic of discussion, Pakistani agencies do continue to sup-
to New Delhi, and intensify India’s role in and demanded a correction. The US stood ply at least some intelligence on militant
stabilising Afghanistan are also viewed as a by its claim. While seemingly trivial, this ex- groups operating in Afghanistan.
threat. From the US perspective, there is no change signals that bilateral tensions are far For its part, Pakistan is aware that it has
contradiction between partnering with both from over. With two strong-willed – or per- received US$34Bn in military aid from the
Pakistan and India, but both Islamabad and haps wilful – leaders, neither of whom has United States since 2002. Russia, China
New Delhi continue to consider this a zero- worked his way up the conventional politi- and even Saudi Arabia stand ready to
sum game. For Islamabad, US courtship of

Photo: USAF
India remains synonymous with a slackening
of commitment to Pakistan, while the pros-
pect of Indian presence and influence in Af-
ghanistan also raises fears of encirclement.
These concerns have many leaders advocat-
ing diversification of Islamabad’s security
relationships. One sign of the old alliance’s
decline is the fact that the value of US arms
sales and transfers to Pakistan has dropped
by 76% between 2013 and 2017, as report-
ed by the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI). The think tank’s
latest global arms transfer report found that
Washington has fallen to second place be-
hind Peking, which in 2017 supplied 70% of
Islamabad’s military technology.

Prospects after Imran Khan’s

Election
After the initial outrage over the suspen- In 1957, Pakistan agreed to allow the United States to launch U-2 re-
sions cooled, Pakistani Government state- connaissance flights from a base in Peshawar. The aircraft piloted by
ments became businesslike, stressing the Francis Gary Powers and shot down over the USSR in 1960 was one such
desire to work with Washington to elimi- flight. The US Air Force and CIA returned Peshawar Air Base to the
nate what they termed misperceptions of Pakistani armed forces in 1970.
Pakistani policy. However, the recent elec-
tion of Imran Khan as Prime Minister could cal career path, there remains a danger that move into the vacuum that would ensue
complicate matters further. The new prime short-sighted decisions will further strain the from a US–Pakistani divorce, and all would
minister campaigned on a populist agenda relationship and endanger future security happily equip and train the Pakistani mili-
which some in his own nation have defined cooperation. tary. However, Moscow and Peking would
as “Pakistan First”. An anti-American tone exact their own geopolitical price from Pa-
was a hallmark of his foreign policy platform Cool Heads or Cold War? kistan and would ultimately enforce their
before the election. Following his election agenda much more vigorously than Wash-
in August, Imran Khan did signal a potential Calls to designate Islamabad a state ington has ever done.
softening of his position, declaring his wish sponsor of terrorism have been heard At the core, both the United States and Pa-
to improve relations with the United States. in the United States Congress; India and kistan must realise that their fundamental
Domestic analysts speculate that Khan’s Afghanistan, both eager to weaken ties security interests are best served through
victory was facilitated by support from the between Washington and their rival continuation of the bilateral security part-
nation’s armed forces. Many of Pakistan’s neighbour Pakistan, are also lobbying for nership. These thoughts were echoed by Pa-
current military leaders were educated in such a step. Last year, then-Secretary of kistan’s Ambassador to the US, Ali Jehangir
the United States and could – despite the State Rex Tillerson publicly mused about Siddiqui, who in August warned of writing
perceived erosion of trust – retain an ap- revoking Pakistan’s status as a major off the alliance. “Its importance has been
preciation of the benefits of close ties to non-NATO ally. In reality, such a break proven over decades," he said. "We are
Washington. would remove what leverage Washing- working on fixing it.”  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 29

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Turkey and Pakistan:

A Long-Standing Friendship
Korhan Özkilinc

Security and defence cooperation between the two countries goes back many years.
In their respective regions, both countries play a similar strategic role and pursue similar objectives.

I n his book "America's Strategy in

World Politics" of 1942 and in his sec-
ond book on "The Geography of Peace"
To curb Soviet influence, in 1949 the Unit-
ed States founded NATO (North Atlantic
Treaty Organization) as a military defence
Pakistan. Turkey was the indispensable link
between NATO and CENTO and Pakistan
the indispensable link between CENTO and
of 1944, the US geostrategist Nicholas alliance stretching from Norway to Turkey; SEATO. Although CENTO and SEATO no
John Spykman analysed US security pol- in 1955 CENTO (Central Treaty Organiza- longer exist and the two countries are no
icy and the balance longer on the same
of power in the Eur- wavelength with
asian region. He ar- current US foreign
gues that peace can policy as in the past,
only be enforced they nevertheless
through effective play a special role in
(aggressive) foreign US foreign policy. It
Graphic: mawibo media

policy by suppress- is therefore impor-

ing the aggression tant to take a close
of other countries, look at the historical
an argument which development of co-
made Spykman the operation between
Turkey and Pakistan.
Photo: Pakistan Defence

Cooperation in
Security Policy
The friendship of both countries goes back
to the time before the foundation of both
states, namely when the Pakistani people
provided great financial aid to the declin-
ing Ottoman Empire during the Turkish
War of Independence from 1919 to 1923.
To this day, the Turks are very grateful to
the Pakistani people for their sacrifice and
are politically, economically and militarily
ready to help their brothers at any time.
After the War of Liberation in 1923, Turkey
was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
according to Western and secular prin-
ciples and this Turkish model was highly
appreciated by Pakistan's founding father
Muhammed Ali Jinnah. Turkey established
diplomatic relations with Pakistan shortly
When meeting with Turkish President Erdogan after the failed 2016 after Pakistan's independence in 1947 to
coup d'état, Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey Sohail Mahmood said that, promote economic and cultural coopera-
“The enemies of Turkey are enemies of Pakistan.” tion.
Turkey and Pakistan signed the "Treaty of
Spiritual Father of containment policy. tion) was founded, stretching from Turkey Eternal Friendship" in 1951 and three years
Since 1947, containment has been an- to Pakistan; and in 1954 SEATO (Southeast later the "Treaty of Friendship and Coop-
chored strategically and tactically in US Asia Treaty Organization), stretching from eration" on 2 April 1954. With the two
foreign policy, which is clearly visible in Pakistan to New Zealand. agreements, both countries strengthened
later years when looking at US military Two countries play an important role in this and underpinned their security relations
alliances. strategic encirclement of Eurasia: Turkey and for the next decades. At that time, Turkey

30 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

became a member of NATO's military alli- Since 2000, Pakistan and Turkey have of- and Road Initiative (BRI) and the strategic
ance in 1952 and Pakistan received Ameri- ten met bilaterally and sometimes trilater- project One Road One Belt (OROB) attempt
can military assistance from 1954. In ad- ally and signed more than 100 treaties. to connect the Chinese Pacific coast with
dition, both countries became members Cooperation is further strengthened by Europe and the Atlantic coast.
of CENTO, Turkey on 24 February 1955 membership in the Organisation for Eco- Pakistan is the centrepiece of the large-scale
and Pakistan on 23 September 1955. The nomic Cooperation and Development (D- BRI. China has created the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) with Pakistan, a

Photo: Patrick Fisher

mega-project, and is committed to invest-
ing more than US$60Bn in a 2,700-kilo-
metre belt of Pakistan's infrastructure, that
is, road rail and port projects. The flagship
of this mega-project is the enlargement of
the deep-water port in Gwadar in south-
ern Pakistan and its connection to Kashgar
(Turkish-dominated region) in the Xinjiang
region of western China. Of course, there
will be conflicts with local ethnic groups
in this corridor. But China will bring this
project to a successful conclusion with an
iron hand, as the USA has recently been
steadily expanding its military relations
with India. However, India recently bought
S-400 BMD and four frigates from Russia,
which means that India could also be sanc-
tioned by the US, making Pakistan even
more important for both China and the
US in the future. Nevertheless, China will
upgrade the Gwadar port to a naval base
and establish an air base in Jiwani near the
Iranian border.
Turkey's relations with Russia in Western
The enlargement of the deep-water port in Gwadar in southern Pakistan Eurasia are the same as Pakistan's relations
is a flagship project of China’s BRI initiative. with China. Turkey's strategic location is
of great importance for the transport of
aim was to contain Soviet influence. This 8). On a bilateral basis, the two countries Russian oil and gas. In addition, Turkey has
military alliance could be maintained until work together in the economic sphere, in access control over the Bosporus and the
1979, when political changes in the mem- the fight against international terrorism Dardanelles, which are important to the
ber states led to the dissolution of CENTO. and in relations with the Central Asian Russian Navy. In addition, Russia has made
Turkish-Pakistani solidarity was clearly vis- states; mutual support in the conflicts over a commitment to sell the S-400 BMD to
ible in 1965, when Turkey was punished Cyprus and Kashmir is not neglected, but Turkey. The Turkish and Russian military
and embargoed by the USA during the Turkey supports the peaceful resolution of will certainly not cooperate as closely as
1964 Cyprus conflict and Pakistan during the conflict between Pakistan and India. the Chinese and Pakistani military, but the
the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, which is why At the trilateral level, in particular with Af- unilateral approach of the USA in Syria and
the two countries cooperated with Iran ghanistan, regional stability and security close cooperation with the Kurdish terror-
and founded the Organization for Region- are addressed so that economic develop- ist organisation PKK in Syria will further
al Cooperation and Development (ORCD) ment and the fight against international promote cooperation between Russia and
in 1965. This organisation was dissolved terrorism can continue. When compared Turkey.
in 1979 and its successor, the Organisa- internationally, Turkey and Pakistan bear In return, however, the US is trying to make
tion for Economic Cooperation (ECO), was the main burden in the region when it up for lost ground by drawing closer to its
founded in 1985. comes to combating international terrorist main NATO partner Turkey, although rela-
Both Pakistan and Turkey have entered groups such as Al Qaeda, the Taliban, PKK, tions are strained by the US policy in Syria
world politics with the intention of devel- PYD, IS and others. This should be recog- and recent developments with Pakistan.
oping a security policy that is independent nised by the international community. Over the past 15 years, Pakistan has re-
of the USA in order to further promote ceived US$33Bn in military and economic
their national security interests. This inten- Security Policy in the assistance from the US on a bilateral basis,
tion can still be seen today in the policies of Overall Context on the condition of fighting the Taliban.
both states towards the EU and the USA. However, the US did not see progress in a
Mutual support continued after 1970, Pakistan and Turkey have similar relations satisfactory manner and cooperation be-
when Turkey openly side with Pakistan in with the Eurasian powers, which is why their tween the two countries was put on hold.
the Kashmir conflict and considered the geopolitical roles can be compared. Today, At the beginning of September this year,
controversial Kashmir and Jammu areas Asia is dominated by the two major Eurasian US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited
to be part of Pakistan. In return, Pakistan powers – the Russian-dominated Eurasian the new government under Prime Minister
provided Turkey with political and logisti- Economic Union (EEU) and the Chinese Silk Imran Khan with the Chairman of the Joint
cal support in the 1974 Cyprus conflict. Road Economic Belt Strategy. China's Belt Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford. Pompeo

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 31

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

spoke of "resetting the relationship" with founding of the state of Pakistan in 1947, with Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works
Pakistan, and Pakistani Foreign Minister all arms industries that had previously been Limited for a 155-metre-long navy oiler. The
Shah Mehmood Qureshi even spoke of under colonial rule were on the Indian side. same Turkish company has been awarded
"creating a fresh start for our bilateral re- In the beginning, the country had no mili- the contract to modernise Pakistan's AGO-
lationship". tary infrastructure and survived only with STA 90B submarine class.
The US knows how important Turkey and the support of allied countries. In Septem- The most recent achievement for the Turk-
Pakistan are as strategic hubs and in the ber 1951, with the help of the British Royal ish defence industry was the agreement
fight against international terrorism. Both Ordnance, the Pakistan Ordnance Factories between the Turkish ASFAT AS (Military
Ankara and Islamabad have combated in- were founded with the aim of assisting the Factory and Shipyard Management Inc.)
Photo: US Department of State

On 5 September 2018, US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan
in Islamabad in an attempt to improve the strained relationship.

ternational terrorism in the past and paid Pakistani military in forming a sovereign and the Pakistan Ordnance Factories. The
for it with high death tolls. In addition, army. Since then, the network has grown to agreement was published on 5 July, 2018,
Pakistan and Turkey are becoming increas- include more than 20 state-owned compa- and concerns the supply of four MILGEM
ingly important for the USA because of nies and over 100 private sector companies. corvettes for the Pakistan Navy worth over
their proximity to Iran. Iran, Pakistan and Defence cooperation between Turkey and US$1Bn. The first and third corvettes will
Turkey founded the Economic Coopera- Pakistan began in the 1990s: in 1995, Turkey be produced in Turkey and the second and
tion Organization (ECO) in 1985, which supplied the Pakistani Army with 50 SHOR- fourth corvettes in Karachi, Pakistan, while
currently consists of 10 countries, and the LAND APVs, in 2008 with 12 self-propelled the last corvettes will also be essentially tech-
influence of these countries on the Silk howitzers T-155mm, and in 2011-2013 with nology transferred. All four corvettes will be
Road is growing steadily. But one thing is another 60 howitzers. delivered as from 2023.
certain: Neither Turkey nor Pakistan will be In the recent past, Pakistani air force officers A week later, both countries signed an
a US extension against Iran. have been trained in Turkey and the F-16 fleet agreement to supply 30 T129 attack heli-
has been modernised in Turkey. The first of copters to the Pakistani Army worth more
Cooperation in a total of 41 F-16s was upgraded between than US$1.5Bn. The T-129 was tested under
Defence Industry 2009 and 2014 with the participation of Pa- difficult conditions by Pakistani military per-
kistani colleagues. One year later, in 2015, sonnel. This deal also applies to the Turkish
Pakistan and Turkey have long maintained Turkey sold 34 Cessna T-37B trainer aircraft T-625 project for a twin-engine light trans-
military relations, and high-ranking military from its fleet to the Pakistan Air Force. To port and supply helicopter.
delegations often meet in Ankara and Is- increase the effectiveness of the Pakistan Air Pakistan and Turkey are constantly looking
lamabad. Pakistani officers and officer Force, a total of 24 ASELPOD (Electro-optical for new ways to improve cooperation in the
candidates are trained at Turkish military reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting defence sector, such as in communication
academies and both countries participate in system) aircraft of the ASELSAN brand were technology and space. The replacement of
joint military exercises. There is also intensive integrated into the Pakistani JF-17 fighter air- the obsolete M-113 APC by the new Turkish
cooperation in the arms industry, although craft in two tranches in 2017. In return, Tur- APVs, such as the MBT ALTAY, is currently
Turks follow NATO standards and the Paki- key has ordered 52 PAC MFI-17 MUSHSHAK under discussion.
stani military follows Chinese standards, but trainer aircraft from Pakistan, which will be The cooperation of both countries brings
there is a growing tendency on both sides to delivered to the Turkish Air Force from 2019. enormous advantages for both sides. For
cooperate more. In 2007 and 2008, the Pakistan Navy re- the Turkish side, not only will new target
Pakistan's arms industry had a tough start in ceived two MRTP-33 attack aircraft. In 2016, markets be opened up, but Turkish com-
terms of its development history. After the the Turkish company STM placed an order panies will also be able to develop defence

32 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

Photo: Kurush Pawar

technologies for different geographical con-
ditions. For the Pakistani side, this means
learning new skills and adapting to Western
standards, a process that has been under-
way for a long time. In general, Pakistan
and Turkey are creating stability in the re-
gion through their defence cooperation,
and cooperation is expected to be further
deepened.

Conclusion
Under the leadership of Colin Powell, the US
State Department announced in 2002 the
Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to
help opponents of regimes that violate hu-
man rights and freedom in the Middle East
and North Africa. Essentially, MEPI's main The MFI-17 MUSHSHAK is a licence-built trainer aircraft version of the
task was "to promote democracy in the Ar- Saab SAFARI used by the Pakistan Air Force. It is manufactured in
ab world". According to Condoleezza Rice, Kamra, Pakistan, by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).
the US President's security advisor, this part-
nership initiative constituted "transforma- After 15 years, the US Government is now but all in all the US Middle East policy has
tive diplomacy". On 7 August, 2003, she working on the formation of a new se- failed and in Central Asia Russia and China
published an article in the Washington Post curity alliance consisting of six Arab Gulf dominate with massive economic and mili-
entitled "Transforming the Middle East", in states Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, tary strength.
which she called on the United States and Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Jordan (unoffi- A new foundation of CENTO in the eco-
its allies to engage in the long-term trans- cially called "Arab NATO"). This time it is not nomic sense and the positive influence of
formation of the 22 countries in the Middle about democratisation and economic sta- the USA on ECO would help more than
East with the goal of spreading democratic bility, but about the containment of Iranian the current aggressive approach. It should
values and economic stability. aggression and terrorism and of course not be forgotten that Pakistan and Turkey
In principle, the Partnership Initiative of about the stabilisation of US foreign policy have a great influence on the region due
2002 is a strategic complement to the Silk in the Middle East. to their historical friendship with Afghani-
Road Strategy Act of 1999. The strategic Therefore, the United States has recently stan, which has been demonstrated in the
proposal empowers the USA to provide hu- sold a lot of military equipment in this re- past in solving Kabul's domestic problems.
manitarian and economic support to the gion, although these countries are allies of In general, the USA could make up for its
Central Asian countries and the SAFARI, the United States, but major competitors lost position in the Middle East and Central
promote democracy and economic stabil- amongst themselves. In other words, the Asia, with Iran in particular being in the
ity and thus strengthen the influence of the United States benefits from arms deals and focus, but the USA should first give up its
USA in these regions. the supply of cheap oil to the United States, America First stance.  

Photo: Milborne One

In July 2018, Turkey and Pakistan signed an agreement, worth more than US$1.5Bn, to supply 30 TAI/Augusta
Westland T129 attack helicopters to the Pakistani Army.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 33

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

“This is the largest occupation force

anywhere in the world.”
Views on the Kashmir conflict by H.E. Sardar Masood Khan,
President of Pakistani Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
Photo: Georg Mader

tion and Kashmir’s final status should have

been determined by the people of Kashmir
decades ago by referendum? And India
rejects this until today? So is there little op-
timism for an agreement today, but rather
more pessimism?
S.M. KHAN: You are right, the issues
around Jammu and Kashmir are “unfin-
ished business” of the partition of India and
Pakistan 70 years ago. From our point of
view, all the UN resolutions remain valid but
have not been implemented. This includes
the objective of a referendum in which the
whole of Kashmir will ultimately decide
President Khan during the interview with Georg Mader of ESD whether it belongs to India or Pakistan. Pa-
kistan and the people of Jammu and Kash-

T he Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute

between India and Pakistan, ignited just
after the partition of India in 1947. India
year, he sold everything to live a decent
life in Italy, Austria or Germany.” Is it really
so unpleasant or dangerous in your coun-
mir are ready to negotiate; they are ready
to implement these resolutions. It was India
that brought Kashmir to the UN Security
and Pakistan have fought three wars over try that ordinary people from Pakistan- Council, but then they withdrew and tried
Kashmir, including the Indo-Pakistani wars controlled AJK – obviously not the typical to integrate IOC territory into their state.
of 1947 and 1965, as well as the Kargil war refugees – are migrating to distant Europe? But they didn’t succeed. Seventy years and
of 1999. The two countries also have been S.M. KHAN: Well, what is “my country”? massive human rights violations later, the
involved in several skirmishes over control I guess he is not from our territory, AJK. Kashmiris have not bowed to the occupa-
of the Siachen Glacier. India claims the en- But in Indian-occupied Kashmir – IOC, as tion of their territory by the 700,000 Indian
tire princely state of Jammu and Kashmir we call it – there is violence and consistent troops.
and, as of 2010, administers app. 43% of violations of human rights. AJK is compar-
the region – Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, atively peaceful, low in crime, developing ESD: Really, 700,000?
Ladakh and the Siachen Glacier. India’s economically, and so on. But it is quite pos- S.M. KHAN: Oh, yes, it’s the greatest occu-
claims are contested by Pakistan, which ad- sible that he could not bear the brutality pying power in the world. India may deny
ministers approximately 37% of the region, of the Indian occupying forces in IOC with this figure, but according to our count,
namely Azad Kashmir and Jammu (AJK) various arrests and even extrajudicial kill- that is the right figure. The Indians would
and Gilgit-Baltistan. The Kashmir Valley is a ings. Or their use of pellet guns, for ex- probably report their armed forces at half a
hotbed of the current conflict and is rooted ample, which has blinded 1,200 to 1,400 million, but not including MPs, paramilitary
in the conflict between Kashmiri insurgents people completely or partially. On the other forces, riot police, central reserve police,
and Islamist groups, which the Indian se- hand, we also have a large diaspora like in and so on. And of course the Jammu and
curity forces claim are supported by Paki- Great Britain, with about 1.2 million Kash- Kashmir police. All together brutalise the
stan. The Pakistani President of Kashmir miris who have gone to Britain since the Kashmiris. Most of the oppression by them
bitterly explains to Georg Mader of ESD 1960s and 1970s and are now among of takes place in the Kashmir Valley, but there
how violence and clashes are linked to the the millions of Britons of Pakistani origin. is turbulence again and again in Jammu
“unfinished business” of local autonomy When individuals want to come from AJK as well.
as the UN resolutions support the demand to Europe, the USA or the Gulf region, they
for self-determination for the entire state of often have relatives or friends there, such ESD: Is the impression misleading that
Jammu and Kashmir. Regarding his drastic as in communities in Germany, Belgium, thousands of battle-tested foreign mujahi-
accusations against India, the author notes France, and so on. But in general you are deen came to Kashmir after the Soviet inva-
that India’s view of the conflict will also be right; they are migrants for economic rea- sion of Afghanistan in 1989, and that their
presented here in the future. The conflict in sons or in search of better living conditions, successors call Kashmir’s liberation a jihad?
Kashmir may be forgotten, but it is certainly but of course not genuine refugees on the S.M. KHAN: Your ‘impression‘ supports the
not frozen. basis of the Geneva Convention. Indian narrative. For the past 70 years, Kash-
miris have been dissatisfied with Indian rule.
ESD: Y.E., Mr. President, Recently, a Paki- ESD: Would you agree that the problems While the Mujahedeen once were a factor,
stani who made it to Sarajevo in Bosnia said and contradictory claims about Kashmir are it was not Afghanistan as a whole. Delhi
that “because of the tension in Kashmir last "unfinished business" from the 1947 parti- had sabotaged electoral processes, causing

34 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

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7/2018 · European Security & Defence 35

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN
Photo: AJK Media Relations

something similar. In many cases it would

be a long and complex issue to re-settle or
re-locate them. They have their possessions
there, their graveyards, and so on. The pop-
ulation does not want to leave, but the In-
dians are targeting them, knowing that we
cannot retaliate as they are our own folks.

ESD: You’ve mentioned ‘hostile fire from

India‘. An Indian colleague from IHS-Jane’s
just last week cited an Indian figure of
881 violations committed by the Pakistani
forces between January and May, 21 more
violations than during the the entire year
2017. On 10 January 2018, India reported
that in 2017 it killed 138 Pakistani soldiers
and so-called terrorists along the LoC and
injured 155 others. During the same period,
the Indian government announced that 28
A propaganda poster of the Government from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Indian soldiers were killed in action and an-
other 70 wounded in battle along the LoC.
widespread anger, and the Indians brutally day when the whole area can exercise its S.M. KHAN: We have over 1,000 such in-
suppressed the subsequent demonstrations political will. And the people along the Line cidents. Every month soldiers on both sides
between 1987 and 1989. Some Kashmiris of Contact (LoC) suffer every day because and freedom fighters are killed, but also ci-
then decided to take up arms. This was an of this enemy fire from India. Of course we vilians. This is a very sad loss of precious life.
indigenous, armed resistance or freedom
Graphic: via AJK Media Relations

movement, if you like, and it was not initi-

ated by the foreign mujahideen. And that is
basically still the case today.

ESD: But Mr. President, we all know, the

mujahideen were there. And Muslim fight-
ers are still there. So from your point of
view, the Kashmir conflict was never really
a religious Muslim/Hindi issue?
S.M. KHAN: As I have said before, these
foreign fighters became a factor when they
joined in later on, when they saw their local
Muslim brothers suppressed and slaugh-
tered. And yes, there was and is a religious
component to the conflict as well. This has
to do with a local Hindu minority in Kashmir.
And the tensions between the Muslims and
the so-called “Pandits” increased, as the oc-
cupation altered the traditionally normal re-
lations between people who were previous-
ly neighbours. By exploiting religion, India
was able to show the world that the conflict
was about imported religious fanaticism and
sectarian violence and not about the right of
self-determination of the Kashmiris, who are
ruled against their free will.

ESD: So, it is all about self-determination, An Indian Army infographic illustrating recent “surgical strikes” against
without any ethnical or religious factors? alleged terrorist strongholds across the Line of Contact
S.M. KHAN: Yes, of course! The strug-
gle for the right to self-determination is can retaliate, but we cannot take action But in general it has to be said that this was
widespread among the population. It is against the civilian population, against our the case in the 1990s, but today Pakistan is
hard to bear that the Indian side has mili- own citizens. no longer the cause of injuries and deaths
tarised the whole issue, while Pakistan has along the LoC.
long pursued a diplomatic solution, either ESD: Wait a minute, it’s not like the LoC
through the UN or bilaterally. The AJK terri- between Azerbaijan and Armenia that I vis- ESD: I know that almost every freedom
tories with their representatives, their local ited last year but civilians live there? fighter is automatically called a’terrorist’
courts and structures are waiting for the S.M. KHAN: Yes, there is no buffer-zone or by the opposing or attacked side. But who

36 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 COUNTRY FOCUS: PAKISTAN

are the fighters behind Uri’s attack in 2016 China. Economically, but also militarily, the But about US$32Bn was Chinese money,
with 19 dead? Or the Sunjuwan attack just giant is Pakistan’s next partner. Do they also foreign direct investment in various sectors.
this year on 10 February 2018, when Jaish- play a role in the political Kashmir issue, The energy they generate is fed into the Pa-
e-Mohammad (JeM) fighters attacked an perhaps as negotiators? kistani power grid, and so on. And please,
army camp, killing 6 Indian Army soldiers, S.M. KHAN: China’s commitment is above Pakistan is solvent; it would be able to pay
4 terrorists, 1 civilian and injuring 11 others. all economic. It should be mentioned that these debts when they become due.
Where do these people operate from? they were also invited by the Indians to
S.M. KHAN: Most of it is manufactured or the IOC site and are currently consider- ESD: In fact, a recent Harvard University
exaggerated. As I said, there is a small local ing whether or not to go there. Politically, report has identified 16 countries that
resistance and freedom movement there, they have not made any major political an- fall into the vulnerable category of what
but all these allegations about foreign ter- nouncements, but they have invited both In- the authors call “China’s debt book di-
rorist groups invading AJK are fake news
for the Western press. I strictly renounce Photo: Gandhara RFE
that. I strictly deny this.

ESD: In an earlier statement on the Atlan-

tic Council, you said that violations are not
infiltrations and that attacks on these very
dense and high-tech Indian LoC fortifica-
tions were impossible. Is that true?
S.M. KHAN: Yes, the other side makes con-
tradictory statements about these “infiltra-
tions”. On the one hand, they talk about
indigenous terrorists and resistance fighters
in IOC supported by Pakistan. But how are
they supposed to receive support? On the
other hand, they are so proud of the “su-
perfence” they have built. It’s the most for-
tified border in the world, perhaps similar
to Korea. In fact, there are two high fences
with landmines in between, supported by
thermal imaging cameras, motion detec-
tors and UAVs. How can there be any sig-
nificant infiltration?

ESD: Weren’t there also Indian raids across Indian soldiers in Srinagar in February 2018
the border into AJK last year? They called it…
S.M. KHAN: …yes, “surgical strikes” they dia and Pakistan to sit down and talk to each plomacy.” This includes Pakistan as well
called it. But these were “fake” surgical other, either in this format or in a dialogue, as countries such as Sri Lanka, Malay-
strikes, a “fake” incursion. They want to because only dialogue will bring us forward. sia, Laos, Cambodia, and the Maldives,
enhance their public opinion with muscle- amongst others. So why should one be
flexing and by blowing up some houses. ESD: Do you see the CPEC as an advantage interested in exploring their Chinese Silk
But when in their parliament the opposi- for AJK, as they say officially in Pakistan? Road initiative?
tion asked for any evidence of the strike, S.M. KHAN: I believe it is of benefit to AJK, S.M. KHAN: All the countries you are nam-
they could not deliver one piece. yes. It will boost our economical volume ing have officially asked or approached
and levels. China to take part, to become “debtors”,
ESD: A question regarding the economy: right? China has not put pressure on them
Are there international investors in your ESD: Islamabad has been referring to the to join this huge undertaking. Beijing has
part of Kashmir? Are international invest- CPEC as the flagship project of China’s Belt built up overcapacity and skills in technol-
ments encouraged by your administration & Road lnitiative and as a game changer ogy, industrial development and human
or Islamabad? for Pakistan’s economy. However, econom- resources. Now they want to apply this
S.M. KHAN: Yes there are, I can name ic experts even in Pakistan are wary that to their regional neighbours and beyond.
three investors. A South Korean consor- this US$60Bn megaproject will not only And the world is already dependent on
tium has just completed a dam for a hydro- increase Pakistan’s debt burden, but might China. For most bulk goods, from most of
power plant and is building another one, also increase China’s strategic hold in the our cell phones to even Chinese subcom-
and France is also investing in the Jagram country. Don’t you think that this is not a ponents in the US military, from what I
II dam. But, of course, the strongest inves- pure “Salvation Army” approach, but that have read. They offer smaller nations good
tor in monetary terms is China, with three there is a strategic agenda behind it? partnerships. Complaints about colonisa-
hydropower plants that it is building along S.M. KHAN: Not so dramatic, please. First- tion could be conceivable or partially justi-
their China–Pakistan Economic Corridor ly, not all funds – exactly US$62Bn – are real fied for Africa. But in most cases, it's a
(CPEC) initiative. loans. When the CPEC was announced in good thing!
2015 at US$46Bn, 12 of these were genu-
ESD: This brings us to the last issue I would ine long-term installations, which mean The interview was conducted
have mentioned, namely the third player, low interest debt for Pakistan’s budget. by Georg Mader.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 37

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 AR M ED FO RC E S 

The Novichoks and the Skripal Case

Implications for Chemical Defence

Dan Kaszeta

So-called " Novichoks " are an entire family of chemical warfare agents, for which the Russian word for
"newcomer" is used. Until now, these warfare agents have been widely regarded as a hypothetical threat.

Photo: Peter Curbishley

n 4 March 2018, in the English city
of Salisbury, two Russian individuals,
Sergei and Yulia Skripal, became gravely
ill from exposure to nerve agents. A po-
liceman who came to the aid of the Skri-
pals was treated for secondary exposure
to nerve agents. Some months later, two
persons in the nearby town of Amesbury
were hospitalised for exposure to the same
material. One of them died of nerve agent
exposure, making this incident into a homi-
cide investigation.
Contingency plans are good to have, but
for things like chemical terrorism, they are
drawn up in the abstract without much se-
rious case history on which to base them.
Observers in this recent case can note what
went right and what went wrong in order
to learn from the affair. While this incident A police forensics tent in front of the Maltings shopping centre
continues to evolve and only a limited in Salisbury
amount of information is in the public do-
main, there are already some implications Officials in various intelligence agencies circulated in Europe 20 years ago. There is
for military CBRN defence as well as those around the world had discussed Novichok now additional information, albeit closely
responsible for civil protection. agents since the 1990s, but other than controlled by government authorities, that
esoteric discussions about how to detect can be added to detection instruments.
Novichoks Are Real “non-traditional agents", the Novichoks
have been considered trivial and possibly Detection
The existence of the so-called “Novichoks” only of historical interest. Their actual use
(a Russian word meaning “newcomer”) in an act of chemical terrorism proves that A persistent myth, even possibly one at-
had been largely considered a hypothetical not only did they exist, they still exist in the taining the status of “urban legend” is
threat. Some people doubted their exist- present day. The world now considers the the allegation that western laboratories,
ence and the country that created them, insights provided by a handful of ex-Soviet such as the Defence Science and Technol-
the USSR and then Russia, has always de- scientists as useful knowledge rather than ogy Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down,
nied the existence of the development pro- just a few old guys who had to give some cannot identify a chemical warfare agent
gramme, the so-called FOLIANT project, information in return for their retirement unless they already have a sample of that
that brought them into existence. Other in the West. substance. This sort of theory is reduction-
people have considered them to be really An important part of this new knowledge ist and does not understand how modern
just a footnote of historical interest, Rus- has been lost on many commentators: analytical chemistry works in general and
sia having adopted the Chemical Weapons Novichoks are actually an entire family of how spectroscopy works in particular.
Convention and embraced membership chemical warfare agents. The one in ques- The way modern analytical chemistry
in the Organisation for the Prohibition of tion in the UK, allegedly the substance works does not require some specific sam-
Chemical Weapons. known as A-234, is only one of dozens of ple for comparison; that way of thinking is
possible chemicals in this family of chemi- rooted in 18th-century thinking. A com-
Au th o r cal warfare agents. It is vital to remember petent chemist can look at the theoretical
that most of what the mainstream defence structure of a particular molecule and work
Dan Kaszeta is Managing Director at and security community knows about this out quite clearly how the spectra will ap-
Strongpoint Security Ltd. and a regu- family of chemicals stems from a handful pear on a gas chromatograph, mass spec-
lar contributor to ESD. of defectors with knowledge of the overall trometer, or other analytical instruments.
programme and, reputedly, a single sample What is firmly established now is that DSTL

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 39

  ARMED FO RCE S

has good spectroscopic data on the sub- tion after CBRN incidents. A variety of en- answer as to how many or few molecules
stance used in the Skripal case, and this vironmental contractors have been put on of Novichok can remain before something is
means that many types of detectors can be contract by the UK government precisely cleared for public usage or occupancy.
updated with new profiles. to do the work needed in these scenarios. This argument is very relevant to military
However, the first serious CBRN incident decontamination, as the same intellectual
Decontamination requiring decontamination since the Lit- problem occurs with contamination of mili-
vinenko polonium affair saw the apparent tary equipment. The issue of how clean a
An extensive decontamination effort was collapse of the GDS scheme. Contractors tank must be after a chemical warfare at-
undertaken in and around Salisbury to en- somehow did not perform and did not do tack before it is returned to service is, fun-
sure the safety of the general public. This the work. This correspondent has learned damentally, the same as how clean a piece
effort raises a number of important points that designated contractors, under con- of pavement in Salisbury must be before
that are particularly relevant in civil protec- tract, cited loopholes in their contracts and the public are allowed to walk on it. Yet
tion scenarios. The first consideration is did not do any decontamination. Govern- there is no convincing answer. This is clearly
that existing technology can do effective ment personnel had to be drafted in to do an area where more work is needed.
decontamination. Novichoks are different the actual work. This appears to be a seri-
but are not so exotic that new and different ous breach in preparedness provisions. If Forensics
technologies and techniques are needed the GDS did not perform as planned, the
for decontamination. Existing technologies UK government needs to re-examine its Crimes involving CBRN materials are rare.
appear to be adequate. civil protection provisions. However, readers of this publication and
members of the public at large are mistaken
Photo: OPWC

if they do not understand that CBRN foren-

sics is a legitimate and separate specialised
discipline still in its infancy. There is a world-
wide need to have the ability to conduct
specialty forensic science in the event of an
incident involving CBRN materials.
The ability to do this science in a way that
would survive adversarial scrutiny in a judi-
cial proceeding is lacking in many parts of
the world. The UK, like the US, is well ahead
of much of the rest of the world. However,
the question arises whether, if this incident
were to happen in, say, Belgium or Bra-
zil, would there be the capability to collect
and process highly dangerous chemical
warfare forensic materials? In many parts
of the world, the ability to actually pursue
a prosecution of a chemical warfare agent
incident under acceptable principles of ju-
The headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical risprudence is questionable.
Weapons (OPWC) A fundamental paradox has appeared, one
that has been long forecasted and has now
The next decontamination considerations Finally, the Salisbury decontamination ef- come to life, based on this correspondent’s
are the interrelated ones of cost and time. fort brings the perennial question of “how own discussions with criminal defence law-
The decontamination operations intended clean is clean enough” back into public dis- yers. The fate of a criminal investigation
to make public and private property safe course. To the layman, one obvious answer may very well rely upon chemical warfare
for occupancy have taken a long time and a is that the necessary standard is zero mol- agent forensics. However, vital aspects of a
very large amount of money. As of the time ecules of the hazardous substance. How- criminal investigation are likely to rely upon
of the writing of this article, the effort is not ever, this is an unrealistic standard and one conventional evidence such as fingerprints,
complete so the overall total expenditures that is completely unachievable in the field. electronic exploitation (such as data on a
in time or funds are yet to be published. From a philosophical and scientific vantage smartphone) and similar forensics.
But civil authorities must understand that point, it is impossible to prove a negative. In many places the laboratory that can pro-
the expenses to clean up from such events From a practical standpoint, every conceiv- cess the chemical warfare agent material
are not trivial. It should be noted that, com- able means of detection of chemical war- cannot exploit the conventional evidence,
pared to the Tokyo Sarin attack (1996) and fare agents has a detection threshold or and the conventional criminology labora-
the US Anthrax Attacks (2001), the size and limit of detection, below which the hazard tories often cannot handle evidence that is
scope of the contamination in the Salisbury cannot be detected. So, a zero-tolerance contaminated with chemical warfare agents.
region are quite minor, yet decontamina- level for contamination is a standard which The UK legal system will likely have an in-
tion still took weeks to conduct. can never be met. quest for the Amesbury victim, and it will be
One aspect of the Novichok affair that re- The level of contamination above zero which interesting to see what evidence is presented
mains a bit of a mystery is the apparent fail- is acceptable, particularly in the case of per- and how this is done. Likewise, if there is ever
ure of the Government Decontamination sistent nerve agents that are somewhat cu- a criminal trial, much will be learned about
Service (GDS). The GDS is the UK govern- mulative in effect over time, is certainly open the interaction between chemical warfare
ment’s contingency plan for decontamina- for debate. Yet nobody seems to have the forensics and the English legal system.

40 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMED FO RCE S 

choks were not known. Indeed, the fact

that A-234 is not a scheduled chemical
might have been a reason why contractors
were able to refuse to perform decontami-
nation tasks.

Photo: via Author

The struggle for those concerned with
arms control and proliferation issues will
be to keep others from making Novichoks.
There is real concern in this area, and this
The poisoning of the Skripals with a previously unknown neurotoxin is one of the key reasons the UK govern-
has alarmed the CBRN expert community. ment has continued to insist that the full
OPCW report into the Skripal samples not
Medical Countermeasures hazards absorbed through the skin, pri- be published, thus implying that this report
marily if not entirely, through the hands. has information of proliferation concern
The fact that five people have been exposed The idea that Novichoks are some sort of contained within it.
to a highly toxic Novichok agent, and four exotic hazard requiring new types of CBRN
of the five have survived is an important protection has never been put forward by
point. It points out that Novichoks, while serious experts in the field and has now
being new and different in some ways, per- been validated by practical experience on
form the same way on a biochemical basis the ground.
as all of the older nerve agents. They inter- It turns out that the most important thing
fere with the chemistry of the human nerv- that anyone can do to protect themselves
ous system by binding with the enzyme from this particular example of Novichoks
acetylcholinesterase, which in turn causes is to wear gloves. In fact, nearly any glove
a lot of problems throughout the body. But will do. Impermeable latex, butyl, or nitrile
in this regard, the Novichoks are much the gloves are probably better for resistance,
same as the original nerve agent Tabun. but any glove will provide a degree of pro-
Existing clinical treatment protocols for tection.
nerve agent exposure clearly do save lives, The volatility (propensity to go from the
even though one of the victims did die. The liquid to the vapour state) of this particu-
proven record at Salisbury District Hospital lar Novichok appears to be low. It is a liq-
now shows that the same medical protocols uid, not a gas or vapour. So, the principal
for other nerve agents are equally applicable method for protection is a pair of inexpen-
to exposure to so-called Novichok agents. sive gloves. It is important to keep this in
Although it will take some time for peer perspective. Gloves, and the concomitant
review, one can expect interesting journal discipline to not touch things unnecessarily
articles to be published on the basis of the once the gloves are potentially contaminat-
knowledge gained in the Salisbury affair. ed, are the important things to remember
The drug atropine, a generic pharmaceuti- with Novichoks.
cal derived originally from the belladonna
Photo: US Army

plant, has long been the mainstay of nerve Arms Control and
agent treatment. In the Salisbury incidents, Non-Proliferation
the administration of atropine appeared to
save several lives. Oxime drugs, which also An important aspect of the Novichok case At the UK Defence Science and
form a valuable part of the medical coun- is that it raises serious questions about Technology Laboratory, known as
termeasures against nerve agent exposure, arms control, non-proliferation, and di- DSTL, a US Army chemist works
were similarly helpful, although to what plomacy. In an era where developing new with the Porton Man, a contami-
extent remains unpublished. Existing nerve nerve agents is strictly prohibited by treaty, nated mannequin dressed in full
agent antidote kits stockpiled and fielded for there is now clear evidence that some- protective gear. At DSTL, chemical-
military use bundle atropine and an oxime, body, somewhere, quite possibly the Rus- protection experts can enter a
and this concept is validated. Indeed, the sian state, is in breach of both international laboratory to get a first-hand look
idea to stockpile nerve agent antidotes for arms control agreements and the norms of at chemical-protective ensembles,
both military and civil contingencies is given conduct between states. which enables system-level
more validity now that it can be demon- The legal standing of the Novichok chemi- research and testing.
strated that these work in practice as well cals with regards to the Chemical Weap-
as in theory. ons Convention (CWC) is an interesting Conclusion
point, relevant to international law. The
Protection substance allegedly used, “A-234”, is not The Novichok affair is still an ongoing in-
listed in any of the schedules of the CWC, vestigation and various aspects of it may
While there has been no small degree of which list specific substances of prolifera- continue for some years. Further informa-
hyperbole and panic associated with the tion concern. It seems obvious to many tion will, of course, be released or leak out
Novichok case in the UK, one small de- that the CWC schedules will need some into the public domain. However, there is
tail goes largely unnoticed by the general revision, as they were written and agreed a useful set of lessons that can already be
press. All five cases have been contact upon at a point in history where the Novi- learned.  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 41

 Viewpoint from
London

The British Modernising

Defence Programme
Conrad Waters

T he United Kingdom’s 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Re-

view (SDSR 2015) was broadly positively received in making
good some of the larger capability gaps created by previous de-
Defence Equipment Plan is not affordable’. It estimated a shortfall
of between £4.9Bn and £20.8Bn over the plan’s life.
In the meantime, the British government had initiated its own interim
fence cutbacks. However, the strategy soon began to unwind review of national security, the National Security Capability Review
due to overly-optimistic financial assumptions, exacerbated by the (NSCR), after the 2017 general election. Intended to be a fiscally-
headwinds of Brexit. In January 2018 new Defence Secretary Gavin neutral re-examination of security priorities against the backdrop
Williamson announced the Modernising Defence Programme, a of a fast-changing international environment, NSCR soon became
mid-cycle defence review aimed at squaring the circle. The review ensnared in the structural hole facing the Ministry of Defence’s
is struggling to reach tangible conclusions in the face of ongo- budget. Faced with unpalatable options for significant reductions
ing budgetary constraints and uncertainty over the extent of the in the armed forces – the abandonment of the navy’s amphibious
United Kingdom’s future military ambition. shipping was reportedly one mooted option – it was determined
that future decisions on defence ministry capabilities would be spun
Background off from those of the other security services. On 25 January 2018,
recently appointed Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced
The United Kingdom’s SDSR 2015 seemingly drew a line under a pe- a Modernising Defence Programme ‘…to deliver better military ca-
riod of military cutbacks driven by the age of austerity. Supported by pability and value for money in a sustainable and affordable way.’
a commitment to a modest rise in defence spending, the review her-
Photo: Crown Copyright 2017

alded a significant boost in equipment spending and an expanded

‘Joint Force 2025’ vision that filled some of the armed services’ previ-
ous capability gaps. Joint Force 2025 envisaged the ability to deploy
up to 50,000 personnel – including a maritime task group centred
on a QUEEN ELIZABETH class aircraft carrier; a land division of three
brigades; and an air group of combat, transport and surveillance
aircraft – in an expeditionary operation. Renewal of the strategic
submarine fleet would ensure conventional forces would continue to
be backed by the TRIDENT missile-based nuclear deterrent.
Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that SDSR 2015 had made
more commitments than the small uplift in defence spending
allowed. A particular area of pressure related to the forward
equipment budget, which was projected to amount to nearly
£180Bn (€200Bn) over a ten year period. The plan did not include
the full cost of all the equipment scheduled to be procured; re- A British Army FOXHOUND patrol vehicle providing
lied on efficiency savings that might not be achievable; and has security to an Afghan National Army officer gradu-
subsequently proved vulnerable to the depreciation of sterling ation ceremony. Financial constraints are leading
following the 2016 Brexit decision. In January 2018, the National to questions over the extent of the British Armed
Audit Office – Britain’s budget watchdog – concluded that ‘The Forces’ global role.

42 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 SECUR IT Y P O LIC Y 

The Modernising Defence Programme

The decision to consider defence ministry requirements separately
from those of the United Kingdom’s broader security infrastructure
received an initially positive response. It provided a breathing space to
take a more detailed look at defence priorities without delaying the

Photo: Crown Copyright 2004

broader NSCR process. It also opened up the prospect of additional
resources being made available to close the ministry’s funding gap
outside the constraints of the NSCR’s fiscal neutrality. At the same
time, there was some concern it was largely being used as a device to
postpone difficult choices. These fears have grown as the Modernis-
ing Defence Programme’s timeline has steadily extended.
The Modernising Defence Programme’s mid-cycle review has es-
sentially faced three major difficulties. Of these, the most significant The amphibious transport dock HMS ALBION partici-
has probably been the question of money. Although the United pating in a NATO exercise in Norway. Britain’s am-
Kingdom’s public finances are on an improving trajectory, the uncer- phibious capability is one area reported to have been
tainty over Brexit means there is more than the usual level of Treas- under consideration for deletion.
ury reluctance to make new spending commitments. The spending
squeeze has been exacerbated by the high priority accorded to the Perhaps more interestingly, the statement affirmed the key design
National Health Service. In June 2018 it was announced healthcare principles of Joint Force 2025, suggesting a desire to retain a global
would receive a c. £20Bn p.a. funding boost, leaving little spare cash UK military capability in spite of the questions over ‘tier one’ status.
available for other departments. This was reinforced by a commitment to maintain a full spectrum of
There has also been a more fundamental debate over the level nuclear, conventional and cyber capabilities in line with the United
of military ambition that post-Brexit Britain should aim to sustain. Kingdom’s global ambitions. However, there was little clarity how
Rather simplistically, this has been condensed into a discussion as to an ambition to accelerate elements of the planned force structure to
whether the United Kingdom should aim to be a ‘tier one’ military meet the most acute threats would be achieved. Another interesting
power with an independent ability to deploy warfighting forces on element was the focus on a collaborative yet challenging approach
a global basis. In June 2018, a widely-cited report by the respected to industry, seemingly building on the tenets of the 2017 National
Financial Times newspaper suggested British premier Teresa May Shipbuilding Strategy and the subsequent Combat Air Strategy pub-
had asked Defence Secretary Williamson to justify the continuation lished in July 2018. Whilst these initiatives may well yield benefits in
of this ambition. Another aspect of this debate is the extent to which the long-term, they are likely to be a further drain on resources in
new areas of warfare, for example in the cyber domain, should be the immediate future.
prioritised over more traditional military capabilities. The update promised further information would be forthcoming as
Inevitably, the mid-cycle defence review process has also become the next phase of the Modernising Defence Programme was pro-
caught-up in the fraught negotiations surrounding the terms of the gressed. However, no clear timeline was provided as to when deci-
United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. The strains sions might be reached. It is notable that the review process has
inherent in trying to steer a minority and bitterly divided govern- already exceeded the time required for the last two, full scale SDSRs.
ment through the Brexit process has meant that there has been This is, perhaps, the clearest indication of the major difficulties faced
little ‘bandwidth’ available for other considerations, even those of by the defence secretary in squaring the funding circle. Although
national security. This has hindered a clear decision being taken on it would seem likely that some additional money will eventually be
the defence sector’s future. found for defence, it is questionable whether this will be sufficient to
achieve more than the postponement of some of the harder decisions.
The Current Position
Conclusion
The current impasse was reflected in the first significant update on
the review provided to members of parliament in July 2018, just The hesitant progress achieved with the Modernising Defence Pro-
before the long summer holidays. Full of platitudes but short of hard gramme is reflective of some of the wider challenges the United
facts, the update headlined three overarching but rather intangible Kingdom faces as it prepares to leave the European Union. Con-
conclusions, namely: siderable uncertainty over the country’s future economic prospects
1. The armed forces needed to be able to match the increasing pace are leading to fundamental questions arising on the practicality of
at which adversaries now move. its global military ambitions at a time when dangers closer to home
2. The force structure needed to be modernised to meet the chal- are increasing. In broader terms, the question is whether the United
lenges of the 21st century. Kingdom’s government is willing and able to fund the ‘Global Britain’
3. The defence ministry needed to adapt to deliver credible but af- vision that is a key part of the Brexit narrative. At this moment in time,
fordable armed forces the answer to this question is uncertain.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 43

 ARMED FO RCE S

The RAF’s Counter-Daesh

Operation SHADER
Joetey Attariwala

Royal Air Force Base Akrotiri is situated on a peninsula in the south of Cyprus. Its position in the eastern
Mediterranean is of immense strategic importance as it is in close proximity to the areas in Iraq and Syria
where Daesh and other terrorist elements declared the establishment of a caliphate in 2014.

T he base is home of the Cyprus Opera-

tions Support Unit which provides joint
support to British Forces Cyprus and op-
the squadron serves an important search
and rescue function in collaboration with
the Republic of Cyprus Police and National
bling force packages as required. The 83
EAG command headquarters is currently
based at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Over
erations in the region to protect the UK's Guard Air Command. 1,000 personnel are attached to the 83
strategic interests. RAF Akrotiri is a busy Operation SHADER was established in EAG, with these personnel spread across
permanent joint operating base that sup- 2015 and is the name assigned by the Brit- the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
ports ongoing operations in the region as ish Ministry of Defence for the UK’s coun- The UK’s 83 EAG feeds into a larger coali-
well as support for the sovereign base areas ter-Daesh operations in Iraq and Syria. Nu- tion effort which consists of 77 nations,
on Cyprus. It is used as a forward mounting merous bases contribute to Op SHADER, of which air operations are managed by
base for overseas operations in the Middle and key among them is RAF Akrotiri. It is the Combined Air Operations Centre
East and for fast jet training. here where the Royal Air Force deploys fast (CAOC), which is also situated at Al Udeid
Air Base. The CAOC is the focal point
Photos: Joetey Attariwala which generates air tasking orders for
each of the nations contributing to the air
campaign. Of these, the Royal Air Force
has the distinction of being the second
largest contributor to the air campaign,
and it provides niche capabilities in Intelli-
gence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
(ISR), and air-refuelling assets.
In the case of RAF Akrotiri, it is the 903
EAW which is resident on base and car-
ries out its mission on direction from the
83 EAG and the CAOC. Aircraft allocated
to the 903 EAW include TORNADO and
TYPHOON fighters, the VOYAGER air-to-
air refuelling tanker and transport aircraft,
and the SENTINEL R1 which provides long-
range, wide-area battlefield surveillance,
delivering critical intelligence and target
tracking information to British and coali-
tion forces. Approximately 500 personnel
RAF TYPHOONs return to RAF Base Akrotiri from an Op SHADER mission. are attached to the 903 EAW at RAF Ak-
rotiri; these individuals fly, maintain and
RAF Akrotiri is also home to the RAF’s jet combat aircraft to deliver kinetic effect support the wing’s aircraft, and depend-
903 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) which against Daesh. The primary aircraft which ing on position are on rotational tours of
is tasked with conducting combat opera- deliver these effects are RAF TORNADO three, four or six months. Supporting the
tions to prosecute Daesh / the Islamic State. GR4’s and the newer multi-role Eurofighter 903 EAW are tactical and strategic aircraft
The base also has 84 Squadron as a ten- TYPHOON. RAF REAPER UAVs also deliver consisting of the RAF’s C-130J SUPER HER-
ant with its HAR.Mk 2 GRIFFIN helicopters; kinetic effects; however these aircraft are CULES, A400M ATLAS, and C-17 GLOBE-
not operated from RAF Akrotiri. MASTER III airlifters.
Au th o r Speaking about RAF Akrotiri was Wing
The Aircraft of the 903 EAW Commander John Eklund, RAF Media
Joetey Attariwala is an international Ops, who said, “RAF Akrotiri is very
journalist, analyst and consultant who The UK’s 83 Expeditionary Air Group much the heartbeat of the UK’s contri-
focuses primarily on the aerospace (EAG) supports the UK’s Permanent Joint bution to the multi-national coalition op-
and defence sector. Headquarters with a number deployable erations which is successfully defeating
expeditionary air wings that assist in ena- Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Each day you see

44 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMED FO RCE S 

TYPHOON and TORNADO take off from “This is the point about air power - we “Syria is one of the most complicated air
here, supported by VOYAGER. Elsewhere can go anywhere across the country, campaigns I’ve ever been involved in,” said
we’ve got ISTAR assets and REAPER who wherever the Daesh fighters come to- Dickens. “Clearly, the Syrian regime has
are all taking the fight to the opposition.” gether, be that in Iraq or across Syria,” surface-to-air missiles; the Russian forces are
said Dickens. “Our main focus is clearly also present and they’ve brought some of
Locating the Enemy on clearing the last elements of Daesh their own weapon systems in terms of ad-
out of Syria, but we are still providing vanced fighters as well as surface-to-air mis-
According to Group Captain Chaz Dickens, security and overwatch of Iraq, and when siles. My main concern, because we decon-
Commanding Officer of 903 EAW, the big- needed we are still doing strikes in Iraq flict our activity with the Russians, is Daesh’s
gest challenge is “finding the enemy.” A whenever Daesh mass.” ability to use small arms, heavy machine
key asset which he employs to locate en-
emy forces is the SENTINEL aircraft. “That
aeroplane will go out, it will search an area
around 50 square miles at a time, and
they’re looking to establish a pattern of life
- what is going on on the ground - so that
we can build up over time an intelligence
picture of where the friendly forces are, but
also more importantly, where are people
going and why are they going there,” said
Dickens. “Once we have an understanding
of the pattern of life, and that will involve
communications with our partner forces on
the ground, we will use our assets like the
REAPER or the fast jets to then build upon
that picture using advanced targeting pods
like the LIGHTNING pod or the REAPER
sensors. We’ll start to look at the areas that
we’ve seen a change in the pattern of life
and to try and develop that understanding A VOYAGER tanker returns to Akrotiri after an Op SHADER
so we can find and then target the enemy support mission.
should they present themselves.”
According to the RAF, in June 2017 the ma- Op SHADER fast jet combat missions are guns, and man-portable air defence systems
jority of Daesh fighters were located in the often preceded by the launch of a VOY- - so surface-to-air missiles - against my air-
Middle Euphrates River Valley, also known AGER air refuelling tanker which will take craft… There have been surface-to-air firings
as MERV. Since then, coalition forces have up position to top-up the TORNADO and against my aircraft, and we will adapt our
“cleaned out” the majority of Daesh in TYPHOON aircraft as they approach their tactics, techniques and procedures based on
that area, and much of the effort in recent operating area. Transit time into Syria af- the threats that are presented to us.”
months has been centred on the Dashisha ter mid-air refuelling is approximately one
area. The final focus area is a small remain- hour, with missions typically lasting six to TYPHOON in the RAF´s
ing zone of contested space around the eight hours, and often requiring multiple Counter-Daesh Operations
Mid-Euphrates River Valley. air refuelling evolutions.
According to Dickens, the coalition has Missions from RAF Akrotiri typically The Royal Air Force will have seven TY-
pushed Daesh out of 98% of the area they consist of two TORNADOs and two PHOON squadrons by 2019, and eight
once occupied. “Compared to the intense TYPHOONs launching in one wave, fol- squadrons once a joint RAF/Qatari squad-
fighting around Mosul, the kinetic activity lowed by another similar wave later in the ron is commissioned in 2020.
has reduced, but over the campaign the day. According to Dickens, the current For Op SHADER, the RAF currently operates
Royal Air Force has employed over 1,700 bomb of choice for the RAF is the PAVE- TORNADO and TYPHOON fast jet fighters,
separate strikes… The tempo of the cam- WAY IV dual-mode guided bomb. Both however the former will be retired in 2019,
paign is reducing as we squeeze and de- aircraft use the PAVEWAY IV, while the leaving the TYPHOON as the primary multi-
grade Daesh down into the MERV area,” TORNADO also employs the BRIMSTONE role fighter aircraft prosecuting the fight.
said Dickens. missile - the latter capability will migrate Tranche 2 and 3 TYPHOON Phase 1 En-
to the TYPHOON towards the end of this hancement (P1E) fighters have been used in
Flying over Syria and Iraq year. Op SHADER, all of which will be upgraded
Aircraft operating from RAF Akrotiri are under the UK’s Project CENTURION weap-
Once the enemy’s location is established, almost immediately in the range of Rus- ons fit upgrade programme. This upgrade,
the 903 EAW employs combat air power sian S400 missile batteries (NATO report- which includes aspects of Phase 2 and
to neutralise threats. In the case of RAF ing name: SA-21 GROWLER) which are Phase 3 Enhancement (P2E / P3E), will al-
Akrotiri, this falls to the TORNADO and deployed in Syria. This fact is not lost on low the TYPHOON to employ the METEOR
TYPHOON aircraft which are forward de- RAF pilots who are constantly aware of beyond visual range air-to-air missile, the
ployed to the base. The 903 EAW typically that potential threat. The RAF, like other BRIMSTONE air-to-ground missile, and the
has eight TORNADOs assigned to it, and Coalition partners, seek to deconflict STORM SHADOW cruise missile. A Mode 5
six TYPHOONs which are assigned in the their flights through a direct line with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interroga-
attack role. Russian air controllers. tor upgrade is also imminent.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 45

 ARMED FO RCE S

The operational payload fit for Op SHADER specific intelligence on individuals, groups, Interestingly, the maintenance crews at
missions which the TYPHOONs are current- networks, to build that picture, that’s our RAF Akrotiri were keen to point out that
ly flying have a focus on air-to-ground ca- primary job most of our time here.” they only keep one spare TYPHOON en-
pability. Each mission dictates the payload The TYPHOON is fitted with wingtip elec- gine on hand due to the high reliability of
fit, which could include Advanced Medium tronic support measures (ESM) and towed the TYPHOON’s Eurojet EJ200 engines.
Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), Ad- decoys. The TYPHOON also has the fully “The engines are very reliable and it’s not
vanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AS- integrated Praetorian Defensive Aid Sub- a difficult thing to do to change one. All
RAAM), PAVEWAY IV bombs, a LITENING System (DASS) which provides threat as- in, to change an engine and have it tested
III targeting pod, and external fuel tanks. sessment, aircraft protection and support and signed off would take about 5 hours,”
The TYPHOON is also fitted with a MAUSER measures in extremely hostile environ- explained a RAF maintenance technician.
27mm cannon. ments. Speaking to this capability, the
Advantages of the TYPHOON
Speaking about the advantages of the
TYPHOON, the Detachment Commander
shared the following: “This is a great air-
plane. You have a big delta wing, highly
manoeuvrable aircraft. This airplane is a
9 G airplane, and that’s 9 G’s sustained.
It has carefree handling, excellent engines
with a spectacular amount of thrust. You
can fly very high, and very fast. It’s a great
capability and it’s only going to get bet-
ter with the CENTURION enhancements.
The dual-mode PAVEWAY IV is already a
great capability and is highly flexible as its
GPS mode allows the TYPHOON to strike
four separate targets simultaneously. We
RAF crews prepare a TORNADO GR4 for an Op SHADER missions. can generate our own coordinates by us-
ing the laser from the pod, and the advan-
The main sensor for the TYPHOON is its TYPHOON Detachment Commander said, tage of the coordinate seeking mode of
ECR-90 CAPTOR radar (also known as the “The DASS display is a key capability for the weapon is it is wind corrected. You’ll
CAPTOR-M). The aircraft also employs the the aircraft. It is a definite strength and it also have the edge in a long range mis-
Passive Infra-Red Airborne Track Equip- gives great awareness of who’s around, sile fight because you are higher and faster
ment (PIRATE) system, which provides In- who’s looking at me, and who might be than other fighters. If you are through the
frared Search and Track (IRST) capability - a a threat… The only thing that isn’t fused mach, launching long range missiles, you
system which is particularly useful in iden- in the jet at the moment is the DASS. But, are already helping them on their way be-
tifying low-observable aircraft. because the DASS is so good and it’s so cause of how fast you are going and how
The TYPHOON Detachment Commander well presented to you, I personally don’t high you are. Then if you go into the visual
at RAF Akrotiri (name being withheld for find that a problem.” arena, you have got so much thrust avail-
security reasons) explained how the TY- Pilots flying the TYPHOON wear a Helmet able to you, that you can fight the fight you
PHOON is perfectly suited to its mission Mounted Sight which allows for automatic want to fight, and win.”
particularly due to its sensor fusion capabil- sensor cueing. “It allows me to see where
ity between the radar, the PIRATE system, my sensors are looking on the ground. Coalition Air Campaign
and Link 16. JTACs can ask us to look at several things, Delivering Success
The modern glass cockpit has three large so all we need to do is type them into the
multi-function displays, and a wide-angle system so you can rapidly bring the sensors According to a Coalition estimate, the air
Head-Up Display (HUD). “One of our big- to bear to look in that direction. Likewise, if campaign has killed 50,000 Daesh fight-
gest threats, beyond surface-to-air missiles I see something of interest on the ground, ers. “Daesh has been severely degraded
and anything like that, is actually other like an explosion, I can rapidly move the over the last four years, but they are not
aircraft. Because Daesh has been shrunk sensors to it in a matter of seconds. That yet defeated. It will not be long before
down to a very small area, there is now a way I can have a targeting pod on it, and we have destroyed the physical caliphate
serious concentration of aircraft - RPAS and I can see the big picture with the helmet,” where they hold land on the ground, but
manned ISR and attack platforms, etcetera, explained the TYPHOON Det Commander. we now need to defeat them as an organi-
all in quite a small piece of space. The radar “By night we’ll use a night helmet with sation,” said Dickens. “We need to disrupt
is key, particularly coming off refuelling and NVGs. The next generation helmet we’re their networks, we need to disrupt their
getting back into your airspace,” explained hoping to get will have an integrated night abilities to resupply - that will take time.
the TYPHOON Detachment Commander. vision camera.” So in the future, although they don’t hold
“We’re not built for ISR per se, but I’d say “Performance wise, from a pilot’s perspec- land, we need to stop them becoming an
we’re a non-dedicated ISR platform. The tive, the TYPHOON is a great aircraft to insurgency and we need to stop them to
targeting pod gives us a great capability. fly. With 40,000 pounds of thrust available have the ability to mass… The Coalition will
We work with JTACS who routinely task there’s no need to use reheat to get air- need to stay together to be able to target
us to build on that broader pattern of life borne, even with the SHADER fit. It’s care- Daesh wherever they come to target and
as the CO described. We’re trying to find free handling,” shared the TYPHOON pilot. produce insecurity.”  

46 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMED FO RCE S 

Portugal´s Naval Commitment

Conrad Waters

One of Europe’s oldest fleets, the Portuguese Navy – Marinha Portuguesa –

has a history that is inextricably linked to Portugal’s past as a global colonial power.

P ortugal is a relatively small European

economy with large maritime inter-
ests. The Portuguese Navy has essentially
Portugal is currently preparing for its next
four-year military planning cycle, which
commences in 2019. This should provide
• Permanent Sovereignty Forces pro-
viding a range of surveillance and re-
sponse capabilities to safeguard Por-
adopted a two-tier structure to meet its re- further clarity on the likely trajectory of de- tugal’s national territory;
sponsibilities. Under this structure, a small fence spending and military priorities. One • Modular International Forces to de-
force of frontline combatants is supported outcome of the process will be an updated ploy the military in support of Portu-
by larger numbers of constabulary vessels. military programming law, which will set gal’s collective and international de-
Although the navy has faced considerable out planned procurement expenditure over fence responsibilities.
financial headwinds in recent years, it is the next twelve years. The navy was allo- The structure reflected the low likeli-
making good progress completing a major cated around a third of total investment hood of a state-based threat to Portu-
programme of fleet renewal. under the current 2015-2026 law. Maritime gal’s territorial integrity but the increas-
Foto: Crown Copyright 2018

Background
Although the colonial era ended in 1975,
the retention of the autonomous re-
gions of the Azores and Madeira within
the Portuguese Republic has meant that
considerable maritime interests remain.
Portugal’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
of over 1.7 million km² is the fourth larg-
est in the European Union. The area of
the country’s maritime interests will more
than double if a proposal to extend Por-
tugal’s continental shelf under the terms
of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is ultimately
approved.
In European terms, Portugal has a relatively
small economy from which to fund its con-
siderable naval requirements. Moreover,
the legacy of the Eurozone crisis means that The Portuguese Navy has to fulfil considerable maritime security com-
defence budgets have been under pressure mitments. This image shows its sole replenishment tanker BÉRRIO in
in recent years. According to NATO data, company with the MEKO 200 (PN) type frigate ÁLVARES CABRAL in 2018.
Portuguese defence spending fell from
€2.6Bn to an estimated €2.4Bn in cash requirements have typically been accorded ing risk posed by terrorists and other
terms between 2011 and 2017. This rep- a high priority in Portuguese defence fund- non-state actors in the post-Cold War
resented a decline from 1.5% to 1.2% of ing given the geographical factors outlined environment. The vulnerability of the
GDP. A more stable economic outlook and above. There are indications the navy will Portugal-Azores-Madeira triangle to any
continued NATO pressure on its members continue to fare well when the new alloca- spillover of unrest in potentially unstable
to meet the agreed 2% of GDP guideline tions are determined. African nations was a significant consid-
for military spending suggests a somewhat Although now somewhat dated, the ‘De- eration. The structure also manifested
more positive budgetary backdrop in the fence 2020’ reforms approved in 2013 Portugal’s continued reliance on collec-
years ahead. probably remain the most influential fac- tive defence engagement to secure its
tor – at least in the public domain – de- wider interests.
Au th o r termining the Portuguese Navy’s priorities Although the Chief of the General Staff
and structure. These essentially mandated and the Portuguese Navy have both
Conrad Waters is a naval and de- a military capable of supporting: recently published new strategic docu-
fence analyst based in the UK. He is a • An Immediate Action Force providing an ments, a politically-driven defence review
regular contributor to ESD and Editor autonomous means of evacuating citi- to take account of the changing interna-
of Seaforth World Naval Review zens from areas of crisis and allowing a tional security environment is probably
national response to other emergencies; overdue.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 47

 ARMED FO RCE S

Current Fleet Structure

The Portuguese Navy has essentially adopt-
ed a two-tier structure to meet the coun-
try’s considerable maritime security com-
mitments. This has involved maintaining a
small flotilla of sophisticated surface com-
batants and submarines capable of higher-

Foto: US Navy
intensity warfighting. These vessels are
supplemented by a larger force of simpler
and cheaper patrol vessels suitable for con-
stabulary operations across the vast waters Collective security arrangements form an important part of Portugal’s
of the country’s EEZ. Whilst this structure defence strategy. Here the ‘M’ class frigate BARTOLOMEU DIAS is seen
predates the ‘Defence 2020’ reforms, it is exercising with allied navies in 2010.
well-suited to the strategy’s requirements.
In simplistic terms, the frontline warships elderly ships are costly to operate in terms Recent Challenges
provide the units needed for the Immedi- of both crewing and maintenance require-
ate Action and Modular International force ments, but their replacement was delayed The Portuguese Navy was fortunate that
elements. This leaves the more numerous as a consequence of the European financial funding for renewal of its frontline com-
fleet of patrol vessels to provide the surveil- crisis. However, new ships are now starting batant force was largely committed when
lance and response roles demanded of the to enter service, as further described below. the Eurozone’s financial crisis broke. This
Permanent Sovereignty requirement. As a result, only a handful of the legacy ves- ensured the survival of an effective force of
The Portuguese Navy’s most important sels now remain in service. frigates and submarines during the years of
constituents are listed in the Table and can The Portuguese Navy also operates a num- austerity that followed. Although the stage
be summarised as follows: ber of small patrol boats to perform coast has now been reached where the frigate
guard and training functions. These are force requires significant mid-life moderni-
Submarines: The two Type 209 (PN) TRI- supplemented by four sail training vessels sation, the core of the fleet remains in rela-
DENTE class submarines delivered from of various sizes in the latter role. Of greater tively good shape.
ThyssenKrupp Marine System’s HDW yard significance are the navy’s two oceanic and The remaining picture is somewhat more
at Kiel are probably the Portuguese Navy’s two coastal survey vessels, as well as the mixed. The programme that was under-
most potent assets. They are effectively sole replenishment tanker BÉRRIO. way to modernise the combatant force
variants of the Type 214 air independent Logistical and administrative support for was accompanied by an additional project
propulsion-equipped design and were the fleet remains focused on the Lisbon focused on wholesale renewal of the con-
commissioned in 2010. Displacing around Naval Base, which includes the mainte- stabulary fleet. The project was entrusted
2,000 tonnes in submerged condition, nance and refit capabilities of the Alfeite to the then ENVC shipyard at Viana do
they are equipped with eight 533mm tor- Arsenal. Minor support facilities are located Castelo and envisaged the construction of
pedo tubes for up to sixteen WASS BLACK elsewhere in Continental Portugal and in a series of NPO2000 offshore patrol ships
SHARK heavyweight torpedoes. the autonomous islands. Another facility in at least two configurations to replace the
with considerable naval significance is the existing corvettes. These would be supple-
Surface Combatants: The surface com- private West Sea Viana Shipyard (formerly mented by a new class of smaller coastal
batant force comprises three MEKO 200 ENVC) north of Porto. This is the country’s patrol vessels to allow retirement of the
(PN) VASCO DA GAMA class and two ‘M’ main facility for the construction of new CACINE class. The first two offshore patrol
or BARTOLOMEU DIAS class frigates. The warships of oceanic size. vessels – the VIANA DO CASTELO class –
former types were newly-built in Germany
Foto: TKMS

with funding assistance from NATO and

commissioned in 1991. The two ‘M’ class
vessels originally served with the Royal
Netherlands Navy and were acquired un-
der a deal announced in 2006. Originally
completed in 1994, they recommissioned
in 2009 and 2010. All five frigates are gen-
eral-purpose vessels with armament that
includes HARPOON surface-to-surface and
SEA SPARROW surface-to-air missiles. They
also have the capability to embark a SUPER
LYNX helicopter.

Patrol Vessels: Until recently, the force of

constabulary patrol vessels was largely a
legacy of the colonial era, being mainly com-
prised of early 1970s-era JOÃO COUTINHO
and BAPTISTA DE ANDRADE ‘colonial cor-
vettes’ re-rolled as offshore patrol ships and The Portuguese Navy’s two AIP-equipped TRIDENTE class submarines are
CACINE class coastal patrol vessels. These probably its most potent units.

48 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMED FO RCE S 

were ordered in 2002. However, the pro-

ject proved to be beyond the capabilities of
the shipyard to deliver in a timely and effi-
cient fashion, with the pair being delivered
several years behind schedule.
The consequences of these problems were
significant. The remainder of the new

Foto: US Navy
patrol vessel programme was eventually
suspended – possibly influenced by the fi-
nancial environment – and ENVC collapsed.
This was reflected in the retention of the The MEKO 200 (PN) type frigate CORTE-REAL pictured in November 2017.
remaining colonial corvettes and patrol ves- The three MEKO 200 VASCO DA GAMA class frigates are an important
sels well beyond their original service lives. component of Portugal’s small force of surface combatants.
A plan to acquire a bespoke amphibious
capability, a programme that would also DOE) propulsion system. They have a com- has proved sufficiently good that all five will
have been entrusted to ENVC, was also plement of around 40, little more than half now enter operational service.
abandoned. More positively, the two ini- the number required to operate the ships The prime ministerial announcement of ad-
tial VIANA DO CASTELO class vessels have they are replacing. ditional offshore patrol vessels was accom-
proved successful in service. With the fi- The success of the restarted construction panied by a commitment to acquire a new
nancial backdrop now considerably more programme was reflected in an announce- multipurpose logistic support ship. This will
stable, a way has been found to resurrect ment by Portuguese premier António also be allocated to the West Sea Viana
the project. Costa at SINES’ commissioning ceremony yard. Few details of the new vessel have
Another consequence of the age of aus- that the offshore patrol vessel programme emerged to date, but there is a pressing
terity has been difficulty in recruiting and would be expanded to a total of ten units, need to replace the single-hulled tanker BÉ-
retaining sufficient personnel, a problem with the additional six to be funded in the RRIO. She originally entered service as the
by no means restricted to the Portuguese

Foto: Portuguese Navy

Navy. The navy entered the current dec-
ade with around 10,500 personnel, includ-
ing 1,500 Marines. Subsequent defence
reductions, including the ‘Defence 2020’
reforms, have reduced required headcount
to a little under 9,000 but there have been
reports the navy is struggling even to fill
this reduced number of billets. The reten-
tion of elderly ships with heavy manning
requirements and outdated accommoda-
tion standards are even more of a problem
in these circumstances.

Major Programmes:
Current Status
The lead VIANA DO CASTELO class offshore patrol vessel was delivered
Current naval procurement objectives are at the end of 2010. Construction of the two lead vessels was consider-
dominated by the need to complete the pre- ably delayed, leading to postponement of the overall OPV programme.
viously suspended renewal of the constabu-
lary fleet whilst embarking on mid-life mod- next military programming law. Each ship British Royal Fleet Auxiliary service’s BLUE
ernisation of its major surface combatants. is expected to cost €60M and take around ROVER as long ago as 1970. However,
At present, it seems that good progress is two years to complete. In effect, the an- the Portuguese Navy still have ambitions
being made with achieving both aims. nouncement means that replacement of to resurrect the plans for an amphibious
The patrol vessel replacement programme the old corvettes will now take place on a capability that were abandoned during the
now has two strands. The resurrection of one-for-one basis. period of austerity and it is possible that
ENVC as the West Sea Viana Shipyard has The other element of the renewal of the a hybrid unit along the lines of the Dutch
provided the opportunity to restart con- constabulary fleet has involved the ac- joint support ship KAREL DOORMAN is
struction of VIANA DO CASTELO class off- quisition of five decommissioned Danish contemplated. It will be interesting to see
shore patrol vessels. Two further members StanFlex 300 FLYVEFISKEN class vessels how far a budget likely to amount to c.
of the class – SINES and SÉTUBAL – were to replace the CACINE class in the coastal €150M stretches.
ordered in mid-2015, with construction patrol role. It was originally intended that Meanwhile, plans for midlife upgrades of
progressing far more smoothly than with four of the ships would be refurbished and the fleet’s major surface combatants are
the initial pair. SINES was delivered in July converted at the Alfeite Arsenal under a also moving forward. These also involve
2018 and her sister is expected around the programme initially costed at €28M, with a twin-track approach. The two BARTO-
end of the year. Displacing around 1,850 the modernised vessels being delivered on LOMEU DIAS class frigates are to receive a
tonnes, the vessels are lightly armed but a roughly annual basis from 2016 onwards. comprehensive upgrade package to allow
incorporate a helicopter platform and an The fifth was to be held as a source of them to remain suitable for deployment
efficient combined diesel or electric (CO- spares. However, the condition of the ships on high-intensity operations. Pragmatically,

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 49

  ARMED FO RCE S
Foto: Author

grade of the two TRIDENTE class subma-

rines is also likely once the frigate projects
are more advanced.

Conclusion
The Portuguese Navy has to fulfil consider-
able maritime responsibilities on a limited
budget. The adoption of a two-tier struc-
ture has been a sensible approach to meet-
ing this challenge. The navy’s small force
of high-end units has played an active and
successful role meeting the country’s col-
lective security obligations to NATO and
the European Union. Equally, its more nu-
merous constabulary assets have ensured
the ongoing security of Portugal’s exten-
sive EEZ. The fleet structure has also been
sufficiently flexible to support broader
The ‘M’ class frigate BARTOLOMEU DIAS pictured on her delivery voyage international engagement, particularly to
from the Netherlands to Lisbon. She has now returned to Den Helder to enhance the stability of African nations to
undergo a mid-life modernisation. its south. A recent, much heralded exam-
ple, was the dispatch of ships to support
Foto: West Sea Viana Shipyard

the development of São Tomé and Príncipe

Coast Guard in a year-long deployment.
The European financial crisis had a particu-
larly severe impact on Portugal and the
navy was not able to escape its effects. The
suspension of the patrol vessel replacement
programme hit the fleet badly. In particular,
it resulted in continued reliance on legacy
vessels that were expensive to operate and
not ideally suited to the constabulary task.
However, the fleet was able to maintain its
overall size and structure during the years
of austerity. With economic conditions
now improved, much of the fleet recapi-
talisation programme is now back on track.
The reconstitution of the former ENVC fa-
cility as the West Sea Viana Shipyard un-
der seemingly more efficient management
provides a firm basis for future new con-
The second VIANA DO CASTELO class offshore patrol vessel FIGUEIRA struction programmes.
DA FOZ in dock at the West Sea Viana Shipyard. The resurrection of the Looking to the future, recent confirmation
former ENVC yard under new management provides the Portuguese of the plans for more offshore patrol vessels
Navy with an important shipbuilding asset. and a new logistic support ship suggest the
navy will retain a relatively prominent posi-
this work has been assigned to the Neth- extensive. Whilst it seems that the precise tion in future Portuguese defence planning.
erlands, where broadly similar updates of extent of the modernisation has yet to be There are some political concerns that the
the Dutch and Belgian members of the class finalised, the upgrades are likely to focus re-emergence of a potential Russian threat
have already been completed. Key elements more on addressing obsolescence in plat- has shifted attention from NATO’s southern
of the Portuguese modernisation package form management systems than replacing flank, which is inevitably of more immediate
will include new combat management and existing weapons systems. The trade-off is relevance to Portugal’s own security. Given
electronic warfare systems, as well as the that the modernised ships will not be as suit- this backdrop, Portugal will be reluctant to
replacement of the Sea Sparrow missile with able for the most challenging scenarios as reduce its own maritime commitment to this
ESSM. Work on BARTOLOMEU DIAS com- the revitalised ‘M’ class, being restricted to area. Naval investment is also seen as hav-
menced at Den Helder in mid-2018 and will low- and medium-intensity deployments. ing an important part to play in revitalising
take around 18 months to complete. She will However, it is intended to keep both classes Portugal’s industrial and technological base.
then be followed by her sister D. FRANCIS- in service until the mid-2030s. In conclusion, the Portuguese Navy has
CO DE ALMEIDA to allow the programme to In addition to the frigate mid-life updates, a proved adept at weathering the storms of
be completed by the start of 2022. separate modernisation programme is be- the last decade. Its most important mod-
Funding constraints mean that the midlife ing carried out on the navy’s five SUPER ernisation plans are now well in hand, and
update programme for the three MEKO LYNXhelicopters to extend their lives in line it appears set to make further progress in
200 (PN) class frigates is likely to be less with those planned for the frigates. An up- the years ahead.  

50 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 MEET THE GREAT BRITISH COMPANIES
ON THE UK PAVILION
STAND A-240 AT

applies decades of knowledge and experience of larger diameter

arrays to develop a highly adaptable product that provides im-
pressive performance with reduced power consumption, weight,
drag and cost when compared with traditional line and towed
BAE Systems arrays.
At BAE Systems, we provide some of the world’s most advanced,
technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions and
employ a skilled workforce of some 83,400 people in over 40
countries. Working with customers and local partners, we de-
velop, engineer, manufacture and support products and systems
to deliver military capability, protect national security and people,
and keep critical information and infrastructure secure. SSVC
SSVC have been a key partner of the UK MOD for 75 years.
SSVC now supply the MiPlayer that is specifically designed to de-
liver media to remote locations where normal services are not
possible either due to location, lack of connectivity, or as a re-
sult of natural disaster or war. Currently in use with British Forces
in operational areas at Land and Sea, it can deliver existing live
broadcast services (subject to licensing) and file-based content
including newspapers, magazines, educational tools, govern-
JFD ment announcements and much more. All media is available as
JFD is a world leading underwater capability provider serving the a catch-up service for viewing or hearing later.Integration is pos-
commercial diving and defence markets with hyperbaric rescue, sible with existing WiFi networks, internet connections and other
technical solutions and services. Operating worldwide, the com- systems and can complement services already in place enabling
pany is the world’s leading provider of submarine rescue capa- better efficiency of existing internet provision. MiPlayer means that
bility and an established provider of submarine escape training. communities without internet access can connect to live news,
JFD is at the forefront of hyperbaric rescue, along with being the entertainment and educational services in remote areas. This is
leading supplier of commercial and defence diving equipment particularly effective during military exercises and disaster relief
and saturation diving systems to the commercial industry. With missions, where connection to the internet may not be possible.
the aspiration to improve the global standard of subsea safety,
JFD supports diving operations with training, testing, in-service
and emergency support, engineering and consultancy across
the world.

SEA
SEA supplies a range of Maritime Combat System equipment
and associated through-life support. Our equipment expertise Ultra Electronics
includes communications, launchers and sensor systems plus the Ultra Electronics is a renowned supplier of highly specialised
network infrastructure required to support the combat system. naval systems: ASW Hull Mounted Sonar currently in service
SEA’s proven Torpedo Launcher System provides the rapid launch with the UK Royal Navy on Type 45 Destroyers, Type 23 Frig-
of a range of weapon types, available in numerous launcher con- ates and the Australian Navy’s HOBART Class Destroyer; and
figurations to suit differing platforms. The flexible SEA Torpedo Variable Depth Sonar using an innovative, single, in line towed
Launch System is designed to meet the requirements of ships array. World leader in surface ship torpedo defence, protect-
varying in size from Coastal Patrol Vessels to Aircraft Carriers. ing the entire UK Royal Navy fleet, and a leading supplier of
SEA’s Sonar Systems products have applications in Anti-Subma- Electro Optical Surveillance and Gun Fire Control Systems on
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communication, cetacean monitoring and oceanography. Our provider for new ship and modernisation programmes, Prime
established KraitArray™, the low profile miniaturised acoustic Contractor on KDI Fatahillah modernisation, and Sonobuoy
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 ARMED FO RCE S

Indonesia Faces Choices amongst Many

A Look at the Requirements of the Indonesian Land and Air Forces
Wendell Minnick

Indonesia’s military budget consists of only 1.0% of the GDP, resulting in a purse of US$8.18Bn.
To make matters worse, a witches’ brew of international sanctions further confuse the situation.

T he military has unresolved demands to

replace its aging F-5E TIGER II fighter air-
craft, but a Western replacement looks un-
engine GRIPEN. The GRIPEN also has the
option of carrying either US or European-
made missiles. However, since the procure-
likely. Possible replacement aircraft include ment of the Su-27 and Su-30, the fighters
the Lockheed F-16V Block 72, GRIPEN C/D have proven themselves true work horses.
and the Russian Su-35. Making the Su-35 an attractive option is the
A legacy of older sanctions on Indonesia added advantage of reducing fear of future
from Europe and the US, now lifted, left Western sanctions.
many in Jakarta’s defence circles embit- Though most analysts appear to favour
tered. More recent sanctions, in the form the Su-35, it does face logistics problems.

a
esi
of penalties against Russian arms, have If the Su-35 deal goes forward, the deal

on
Ind
made things even more frustrating for o
will not include extra engines, which
Indonesia. D
:M places Moscow in the ‘parts and main-
oto
Ph
tenance supply business’, something the
Photo: PT Pindad Russians are not famous for delivering in
a timely manner.
Indonesia’s defence industry will display
their wares, alongside big international
arms dealers, during a four-day event in
November with their largest military exhi-
bition and forum to date. Held at the Ja-
karta International Expo Kemayoran, 7-10
November, it will feature four concurrent
shows held biennially: 8th INDO DEFENCE,
5th INDO MARINE, 6th INDO AEROSPACE
and the 3rd INDO HELICOPTER.
Though these shows will attract an in-
ternational collection of defence industry
deal makers, it will be greatly overshad-
owed, unfortunately, by what is now the
A KAPLAN medium tank prototype from FNSS during the 2017 Indone- largest air show in Asia – China’s Zhu-
sian National Armed Forces anniversary parade. hai Airshow, which is held concurrently
with the Indonesian event. Zhuhai will
Indonesia’s military was forced to turn to Now, once again, new sanctions damage attract heavy Russian arms industry par-
Russia for arms after Jakarta was slammed US efforts to sell arms to Indonesia due to ticipation, shifting attention away from
by sanctions after the invasion of East Ti- a US Congressional Act placed on Russia poverty-stricken Jakarta to cash-in-hand
mor in 1999. Sanctions from the US (1999- and any country procuring Russian military Beijing.
2005) and European Union (1999-2000) equipment after Moscow’s 2014 annexa- Despite the shift in media attention to Zhu-
forced Indonesia to procure Su-27 and tion of the Crimean Peninsula from the hai, Jakarta’s tri-lateral defence show will
Su-30MKK fighter aircraft to supplement Ukraine. still attract European and US defence indus-
its aging fighter fleet, which were further Countering America's Adversaries Through try interest. China is barred from buying US
weakened by the lack of spare parts from Sanctions Act (CAATSA) was signed by US arms due to sanctions imposed on Beijing
the West. President Trump in August 2017. CAATSA after the 1989 massacre.
can be waived for Indonesia if Jakarta has Jakarta’s fighter programme is not the only
Au th o r decreased reliance on Russia and/or pro- market for Indonesia’s military. The army,
cured additional US equipment, thus creat- navy and marines will be fighting for deals
Wendell Minnick is a defence and ing a loophole for the procurement of the at this year’s show and foreign defence
security journalist specialised in F-16V Block 72 or GRIPEN C/D. The F-16V’s manufacturers might see opportunities,
military and security issues in Asia. maintenance costs are high in comparison though they will have to consider uncom-
with the twin-engine Su-35 and single- fortable offset regulations that will require

52 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

foreign manufacturers to transfer highly-

priced technology.
Indonesia’s defence industry already pro-
duces land combat vehicles, medium-
range fixed wing aircraft, and frigates in
deals with Russian, Turkish and European
suppliers.
In July of this year, the last batch of 155mm-
armed M109A4 self-propelled howitzers
(SPH) arrived in Jakarta from Belgium.

Photo: MoD Indonesia

Indonesia ordered 38 vehicles in August
2016 for the army. The second-hand vehi-
cles included four artillery command post
vehicles and an armoured recovery vehi-
cle. The M109s are Indonesia’s first SPH.
The military already fields the South Kore- In the presence of Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu,
an KH-179 towed howitzer, French-made AH-64E APACHE attack helicopters were handed over to the Indonesian
Nexter CAESAR truck-mounted howitzer army at Semarang Air Base in December 2017.
and FH-2000 towed howitzers. Indonesia
procured 36 CAESARs in 2012 and in Feb- Indonesia’s Marine Corps took delivery of Indonesia and Turkey are also jointly devel-
ruary 2017 ordered 18 additional systems. five Ukrainian-built BTR-4M 8x8 APCs in oping an unmanned combat aerial vehicle
The new CAESARs will be co-produced at 2017 after a 2014 contract. The marines (UCAV) based on the ANKA. The medi-
PT Pindad. have a requirement for 50 amphibious ve- um-to-long endurance UCAV is under
Belgium and Indonesia also signed a deal hicles, but budget and evaluation issues development by the Turkish Aerospace In-
for 150 M113A1 armoured personnel car- have troubled the programme, including dustries (TAI) and Indonesia’s PTDI. Plans
riers (APC) in 2016, but only 50 have been unhappiness with the performance of the are to have the manufacturing line pro-
delivered so far. Indonesia’s military already five delivered last year. The marines are ducing the new UCAV by 2020. The air
has 155 M113 APCs in its inventory and it rumoured to consider revising their origi- force requirement calls for 33 UCAV with
is not clear if it really needs an additional nal plan to procure more BTR-4M’s and a 5,000 km range.
100 vehicles. are looking at three possible contenders: In 2018, China’s Jiangsu Digital Eagle Tech-
Indonesia’s PT Pindad and Turkey’s FNSS Russian BTR-80, Turkey’s ACV-19 and the nology Development Company confirmed
are jointly developing the KAPLAN (BLACK South Korean K21. the sale of its YFT-CZ36 vertical take-off
TIGER) medium tank with production ex- For land-based air defence systems, Indo- and landing fixed-wing surveillance UAV
pected to commence in 2018 with 100 nesia signed a deal with Kongsberg in Oc- to Indonesia. Though the company did
tanks, with the possibility of a total of 300 tober 2017 for the NASAMS-2 air defence not identify the Indonesian government
tanks, if the budget and possible overseas system, armed with the Raytheon-built agency procuring the platform, it most
sales allow. The prototype is armed with a medium-range AIM-120 (AMRAAM) mis- likely will support law enforcement mis-
CMI COCKERILL 3105 105mm gun. Vari- siles. A present, Indonesia only has short- sion requirements along the border and
ants include a remote-controlled 20mm range Chinese-built QW-3 and the South coast. The four-rotor UAV has a range of
and 30mm cannon, and an amphibious Korean-built CHIRON for ground-based air only 4,000 m maximum altitude and a 3
variant armed with anti-tank missiles. defence needs. kg maximum payload.  

Mark your diary: Brussels, 29/30 January 2019

15th NATO Life Cycle Management Conference MITTLER
From the Cradle to the Grave – REPORT
LCM as a Key Enabler for Capability Development
Chaired by: Thomas E. Pedersen and J. Bo Leimand (ret), Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO)
The annual NATO LCM Conference will continue to consider the lessons learned and achievements made in areas such as Quality
Assurance, Life Cycle Costing, Configuration Management, Acquisition Practices, Material Maintainability et al. as a basis for new and
innovative, even disruptive approaches and perspectives which will be introduced in respective presentations. The event will again
be organised in cooperation with the NATO Life Cycle Management Group (AC/327) and with the support of the NATO Industrial
Advisory Group (NIAG) and the German CALS Forum. The conference will be combined with a small exhibition to showcase respective
capabilities and will take place at the Parker Hotel Brussels Airport (formerly: Golden Tulip) on 29/30 January 2019.
Contributing Organisations: Brazilian MoD, French MoD, UK MoD, NIAG, NSPA, SHAPE, NIIG, Eurostep, ILIAS Solutions,
Nexter Systems, Qinetiq, SVGC, Systecon, TFD Europe, et.al.

More Information: Mittler Report Verlag, Jürgen Hensel, Phone: +49 228-35008-76, Email: juergen.hensel@mittler-report.de,
www.mittler-report.de

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 53

  ARM AMENT & TEC H N O LO G Y

Advances in Air-Independent
Propulsion for Submarines
Luca Peruzzi

The latest developments in Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technologies for submarines aim to extend
their range while submerged and their duration of low-speed travel, while also maintaining a reduced
acoustic and thermal footprint. As a result, the number of navies upgrading conventional underwater
platforms with these systems is growing.

A
Photo: TKMS

IP systems are used for patrols at low

speeds and for transport to and from
the field, and batteries are the energy
sources for high-speed cruises. Lithium-ion
batteries for underwater applications have
significant advantages over conventional
underwater lead-acid batteries and con-
tribute to the overall improvement of new
and conventional platforms. While Stirling
recirculation systems dominate the market,
it is expected that fuel-cell-based AIP sys-
tems will change the market by introducing
differently fuelled types that produce hy-
drogen instead of carrying it along; mixed
with liquid oxygen, hydrogen is fed into the
cell to generate electricity.

Fuel Cells The Type 212A class platforms (six in the German Navy and four in the
Italian Navy) with Fuel Cell AIP are equipped with FCM 34 modules,
As a leading manufacturer, thyssenkrupp which were developed from 1984 onwards for the German MoD.
Marine Systems (TKMS) has been de-
veloping fuel cells for submarines for 15 meric membranes (polymer electrolyte process does not require a generator; the
years (testing and development time not membranes - PEM), which work by feeding fuel cell converts the chemicals directly into
included). The TKMS AIP system is based industrial grade LOX and high purity hydro- electricity in an electrochemical process –
on Siemens' solid ion-conducting poly- gen into the cell to generate electricity. This completely silently and at low temperature
(80 °C). By using oxygen or hydrogen in
Photo: NATO

liquid form stored on board and metal

hydrides as reactants, the only product
(aside from electricity, waste heat and a
small amount of residual gases that enter
the boat's atmosphere) is water, which can
then be used for various purposes.
Both hydrogen and oxygen storage sys-
tems have proven to be very safe, as no
accidents have ever occurred on German
shipbuilding platforms. TKMS submarines
are and will be equipped with two types of
Siemens PEM fuel cell modules: the FCM
34 and the FCM 120, each with an out-
put of 30–40 and 120 kW. The class 212A
platforms (six in the German Navy and
four in the Italian Navy) are equipped with
FCM 34 modules, which were developed
The Italian Navy developed plans for four additional Type 212A evolved for the German MoD from 1984 onwards
boats with a domestic Fuel Cell AIP system combined with lithium-ion and were first launched at sea in 2002. The
batteries. Type 212A platform broke a new record for

54 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

Marine Systems

Ships. Systems. Solutions.

Worldwide.

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equipment from a world leading naval system and service provider.
Modular, innovative designs are outstanding hallmarks of the proven, robust MEKO® corvettes
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HDW Class 209, 212A and 214 submarines operate in the most extreme environments for
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based air independent propulsion systems. www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com
  ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y
Photo: TKMS

(250 °C), simple reforming and high re-

forming efficiency (80 to 90%). The high
hydrogen/carbon ratio in methanol reduces
the consumption of liquid oxygen during
production.
The waste generated by this process is pres-
surized CO2, which can be discharged into
the sea at full depth. Each reformer can
produce enough hydrogen to supply two
full 120 kW cells, as proposed in a twin ar-
rangement with four 120 kW FCs on board
a customised Type 216 platform offered for
the Australian MoD SEA 1000 programme.
Under development since 1995, the re-
formed methanol system has received a
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 to 6
during the UDT 2017.
Based on the successful operational and in-
dustrial experience gained with the U-212A
programme, and with the participation of
Diagram of the Type 212A Fuel Cell AIP system, showing the storage of national industry under the leadership of
reactants on the left and the production of energy and water on the right. the Fincantieri Group, which has acted as
prime contractor and submarine builder
non-nuclear submarines in 2013, with 18 Methanol Reformers and integrator, the Italian MoD and Navy
days of diving without snorkelling. are developing plans for four additional
The Class 214 platforms operated by the Together with the Spanish company SEN- boats, the first two of which are expected
Greek, the South Korean and the Portu- ER, TKMS is developing a methanol reform- to be contracted by 2019 for deliveries
guese Navy and soon the Turkish Navy are er system for higher AIP requirements than from 2025 onwards. The new boats will be
equipped with the more recent FCM 120 the conventional metal hydride hydrogen based on the U-212A submarine design,
modules. The latest PEM fuel cell technolo- storage system. The latter increases the which features a higher national contribu-
gies have been used for the DOLPHIN II class weight and requires additional storage tion in terms of technology, capabilities and
TKMS boats built for the Israeli Navy. The volume for higher AIP requirements and a equipment. The Italian MoD has invested
Republic of Singapore has announced that displacement of more than 2,000 tonnes, heavily in the ambitious “Far Seas” military
TKMS boats of type 218SG equipped with making an alternative to hydrogen storage research and development programme,
a fuel cell AIP system are under construction necessary. The methanol reformer for fuel which aims to introduce new-generation
for the city state. The so-called Type 212CD cells can meet the durability requirements lithium-iron phosphate batteries in addition
platforms being developed under the joint of larger submarines that spend more time to second-generation AIP fuel cells based
German-Norwegian programme will also underwater. The methanol solution chosen on national technologies and industry de-
be equipped with a fuel cell AIP system. Re- by TKMS extracts hydrogen from metha- velopments. The first two boats of the Near
cent and future programmes could include nol and feeds it directly into the fuel cell. Future Submarine (NFS) programme will
the integration of recent AIP developments Methanol was selected for its worldwide contain the new batteries, while the sec-
and the use of Li-ion batteries. availability, low reforming temperature ond batch is expected to receive a second-
generation AIP fuel cell, depending on the
Photo: TKMS

results of the R&D programme.

Based on joint research carried out by Fin-
cantieri CETENA's Laboratory for the De-
velopment of Hydrogen Technology for
Marine Applications and the University of
Genoa in the field of surface ships, the Ital-
ian MoD's Naval Weapons Directorate is
entrusting Fincantieri's industrial team with
an R&D project aimed at developing and
testing fuel cell modules of varying perfor-
mance, derived from commercial technolo-
gies capable of working with synthetic air.
The aim is to optimise the use of standard
air/H2 stacks of pure oxygen with a cath-
ode recirculation system that has already
been tested in laboratories at TRL 4 and
then integrated into the fuel cell rack with
the required power.
The R&D project for a reduced-scale tech-
The Type 214 submarines operated by Greece, Korea and soon Turkey nology demonstrator also includes the de-
are equipped with FCM 120 kW fuel cell modules. velopment of a new metal hydride hydro-

56 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

A Type 212A submarine. Note the Singapore has procured four

liquid oxygen storage tanks on tkms-built Type 218SG submarines
the upper side and the metal equipped with Fuel Cell AIP to be
hydride storage tanks providing delivered from 2021.
hydrogen on the lower
lateral side of the
boat.
S
KM
to: T
Pho

Swedish submarines are said

D
pore Mo to have the ability of diving two
of Singa
: Rep
ublic weeks in excess of AIP at a speed of 5 knots
o
gen storage system and a new electrically Phot without snorkelling; all Swedish submarines
powered mobile station for the production are equipped with AIP modules with Mk2
of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis and Mk3 Stirling engines, which have also
with potential use of renewable energy temperature of 750° C, which serves as a been retrofitted to older platforms. The
sources. The aim of the programme, which heat source for a closed quantity of helium. fourth and latest generation of Saab’s Stir-
is expected to last 29 months in three main The latter is driven by a repetitive sequence ling AIP module with a Mk3 engine, a GOT-
phases, is to increase the performance of of thermodynamic changes. LAND Mid-Life Update (MLU) and A26 sub-
fuel cells and H2 storage as well as the reli- By expanding the helium against a piston marines equipment brings a number of im-
ability and lifetime of the systems and to and then drawing it into a separate cool- provements, such as the reduction in overall
reduce system costs. The second FC AIP ing chamber for subsequent compression, volume due to improved compression and
will be combined with LPF batteries, an the heat from the external combustion of higher operating efficiency, resulting in
technology Italian MoD’s naval armaments diesel and oxygen can be converted into longer underwater life and other benefits
directorate started to investigate through a electrical energy by a DC generator charg- that previous versions did not have, such as
R&D programme that involves La Sapienza ing the battery. Since the pressure in the reusing waste heat for other underwater
University in Rome, Fincantieri and the Ital- combustion engine is higher than at the applications, which in turn reduces energy
ian Li-ion batteries firm FAAM. maximum diving depth, the resulting wa- consumption. A Stirling AIP was also inte-
This type of battery, controlled by an ap- ter vapour and carbon dioxide can be dis- grated into the two former VÄSTERGÖT-
propriate battery management system solved in the seawater and extracted with- LAND class submarines procured by the
(BMS), has proven to be a suitable energy out compression, which is required deeper Republic of Singapore (now ARCHER class)
storage device for submarines, combining than 300 metres. Each Stirling engine can and sold to the Japanese MoD. The latter is
unprecedented performance with maxi- generate 75 kW of energy, with two or equipped with the Saab Kockums system
mum safety. The R&D programme, which more engines installed on a submarine in licensed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries for
simulated single cell, module and string soundproofed and rubber-suspended AIP the latest generation of the SŌRYŪ class in
tests under laboratory conditions in the modules, including the oxygen tank and operation with the Japanese self-defence
submarine cycle, has so far reached TRL 5, auxiliary equipment. forces since 2009. The same technology
leading to an early engineering phase. The
Photo: Saab Kockums

successful R&D results will allow the Italian

MoD and Navy to incorporate the LPF batter-
ies into the first two boats, which will improve
platform capabilities of hybrid AIP submarines
whose propulsion battery is the only energy
source for maximum/emergency speed.

Stirling Engines
The Saab Kockums Stirling engine, devel-
oped and tested since the 1970s and used
on submarines since 1990, is one of the
most proven AIP systems. The Stirling is an
external combustion engine that operates
in a closed regenerative thermodynamic
cycle. The system is also known as a hot air
engine, because it is powered by the pres-
sure difference in the working fluid at dif-
ferent temperatures. Low sulphur standard
diesel fuel from on-board tanks and liquid
oxygen, which is also stored in tanks, are The future Swedish A26 submarines will be equipped with the latest-
mixed in a high-temperature burner at a generation STIRLING AIP.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 57

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

Photo: Saab Kockums

of the A26 platform family is requested by
the Polish MoD for the forthcoming tender
for three new submarines. Damen Group
proposes a combination of Platform A26/
Stirling AIP for the upcoming acquisition
programme to replace the WALRUS class
boats in service.
The Spanish MoD and industry have devel-
oped an AIP system for the new generation
of S80 submarines. Spain’s procurement
programme suffered from design and
technical problems with both the platform
and the propulsion system, postponing the
delivery date and increasing programme
costs. The propulsion system developed for
the new-generation submarine fleet of the
Spanish Navy was designed with a fuel cell
AIP system based on reformed bioethanol
and liquid oxygen. The original system suf-
fered from development problems that led A close-up of the A26 propulsion section. The A26 submarine family can
the Spanish MoD to assign the project to respond to different mission requirements with the addition of hull
another Spanish company. In 2014, Técni- modules.

Photo: Saab Kockums

cas Reunidas was awarded the contract to
complete the development of the national
AIP system, which recently reached an im-
portant milestone.
The Spanish company has developed a
miniaturised fuel cell AIP system that in-
cludes a bioethanol and liquid oxygen
reformer for the production of hydro-
gen, which together with liquid oxygen
supplies the fuel cell system. Its 300 kW
power module is supplied by the US com-
pany UTC Aerospace. Bioethanol was
chosen because of its higher purity when
compared to ethanol and Spain’s well-es-
tablished production capacity. Allegedly,
the miniaturised fuel cell AIP system has
completed a 300-hour simulated mission
equivalent to almost two weeks under AIP
propulsion at low speed. The successful
The first GOTLAND class submarine completed its mid-life update at completion of this test enabled the Span-
Kockums shipyard facility last June. ish Ministry of Defence to go ahead with
the development of a full-scale system to
Photo: South Korean MoD

equip the third boat, which is to be com-

missioned in 2024. The system will then
also equip the fourth submarine, while
the first two, which will not be equipped
with the new fuel cell AIP system, will be
retrofitted later. In the meantime, the two
boats will be operated using the conven-
tional diesel-electric system.
Following the sale of the Autonomous
Submarine Energy Module (MESMA) sys-
tem, which has been in operation since
2008 with the Pakistan Navy on board
Naval Group’s AGOSTA 90B submarine,
the shipbuilder quietly developed a sec-
ond-generation fuel cell AIP system (FC-
Based on experience gained with the KSS-II/Type 214 depicted here, 2G) that is now ready for series produc-
South Korea’s DSME has recently launched a larger next-generation tion. The MESMA burns stored ethanol
KSS-III boat equipped with an AIP system and domestically produced and oxygen in a combustion chamber to
lithium-ion batteries. generate steam through a second cycle

58 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

(Rankine cycle loop) to drive a turbo gen- marines to meet both national and export China has developed a Stirling AIP system
erator that then charges the battery sys- requirements, while countries already using on board SONG/Type 39 and YUAN/Type
tem. This system requires hydrogen and AIP systems want to continue developing 041 boats. The S-20 export platforms to
oxygen to be stored on board and is less the associated technologies. Based on op- be supplied to Pakistan by China Shipbuild-
efficient and has higher operating costs erational experience with the KSS-II/Type ing Industry Corporation will be equipped
than the FC AIP. 214 design, South Korean Daewoo Ship- with AIP. The Russian design office Rubin
building & Marine Engineering (DSME) last proposes a version of the submarine Pro-
Second-Generation Fuel Cells September launched the larger next-gen- ject 1650/AMUR (Project 677/LADA for the
eration KSS-III first-of-class boat equipped Navy of the Russian Federation) equipped
To overcome these drawbacks, since 2012 with an AIP system and, according to unof- with a fuel cell AIP that includes a standard
Naval Group has been developing and ficial sources, Hanwha lithium-ion batteries diesel reformer for hydrogen production
testing a second-generation FC AIP that from local production. The Naval Metal- and fuel cells developed for the Russian
integrates the latest technology in diesel oil lurgical Research Laboratory (NMRL) of the space programmes that could be ready for
reforming to produce hydrogen from on- Indian DRDO and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) both export and national applications in
board fuel when needed. The use of a ni- are testing an AIP system based on a locally two years time, with the Russian Navy also
trogen cycle enables the use of air fuel cells, developed phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) being interested in the system.
which reduces both oxygen consumption used on the new P75I programme boats. The Japanese MoD and industry have
and operating costs. It also eliminates the This follows the locally built KALWARI class been researching lithium-ion batteries for
use on board submarines since the 1960s.
Photo: Naval Group

Recently, the MoD announced that the

two SŌRYŪ class submarines built by
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Ka-
wasaki Heavy Industries and expected to
enter service in 2020 and 2021, respec-
tively, will be used as operational testbeds
to evaluate the performance of lithium-
ion battery technology to provide data for
the service's next-generation submarine
development programme. The Japanese
GS Yuasa developer and battery system
manufacturer will supply the lithium nickel
cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA) batteries
for the two boats under construction.
According to the company's 2017 report,
production started in April 2017 and deliv-
eries are expected to start in August 2018.
However, the Japanese MoD has not yet
decided whether to equip the next-gener-
India’s Naval Metallurgical Research Laboratory (NMRL) is testing an AIP ation submarine with Li-ion batteries or an
system based on locally designed phosphoric acid fuel cells. AIP system. These batteries are expected
to provide similar performance to an AIP in
need for long-term storage of hydrogen on boats, which are based on the SCORPENE combination with lead–acid counterparts
board and the risks associated with other design of Naval Group, in which a 10-metre- at low speeds, while their benefits include
fuels such as ethanol. The modular FC-2G long extended section could accommodate longer life at higher speeds, such as in
is supplied in a single large 10-metre hull the locally designed AIP. It is reported that transit situations.  
section with a diameter of 6 metres (just
Photo: Naval Group

like Naval Group's SCORPENE submarine),

which includes all subsystems and is com-
patible with both conventional lead-acid
and lithium-ion batteries of the latest gen-
eration. FC-2G AIP-equipped submarines
like the SCORPENE can, as the Naval Group
claims, dive at low speed for two to three
weeks, depending on the mission. As an
alternative, Naval Group also offers to add
a new section with a large LIB module, so
that SCORPENE submarines can only oper-
ate at low speed for seven days on LIBs and
hold 12 knots for more than a day, which,
according to the French shipbuilder, would
open up new tactical possibilities.
In the rest of the world, countries such as
Russia, India and China are seeking to in- Naval Group has developed a second-generation Fuel Cell AIP (FC-2G)
troduce AIP systems on conventional sub- system.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 59

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

Brothers in Arms
Guy Toremans

In the near future, the Belgian Naval Component and the Royal Netherlands Navy
will receive new mine warfare capabilities.

A s mine countermeasures (MCM) re-

main a key enabler for maritime forces,
whether to maintain freedom of navigation
Congruent Concepts
Two of world’s leading practitioners of
Netherlands Defence Whitepaper addressing
‘Investing in People, Capabilities and Visibility’
envisaged that their mine countermeasure
for commercial shipping or 'punch a hole' naval minewarfare – the Belgian Naval vessels were to be replaced on a ‘one-for-
for an amphibious assault, and with most of Component and Royal Netherlands Navy one’ basis, with all mine countermeasures
activities to be conducted by Unmanned

Photo: author
Maritime Systems (UMS). In mid-2016 both
navies announced the procurement of new
MCM platforms, with each navy to receive
six units. In November 2016, Belgium and the
Netherlands signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) in
which the two nations determined the re-
placement of their ageing TRIPARTITE Class
MCMVs by the joint procurement of twelve
new units. Hereupon the two navies com-
menced with defining their key platform and
capability requirements.

Joint Procurement Effort

In January 2018, the New Generation
Mine Countermeasure Vessel (NG MC-
MV) programme was formally launched
with the Belgian Council of Ministers be-
coming the first to approve the acquisi-
tion of six NG MCMVs for €1.1Bn. On
CROCUS, one of the Belgian Naval Component's six FLOWER Class mine- 8 June 2018, the Belgian Minister of De-
hunters, was launched on 3 September 1986. By the time of her replace- fence, Steven Vandeput, and his Dutch
ment, she will have been in service for more than 35 years. counterpart, Minister Ank Bijleveld,
signed a Memorandum of Understand-
ing (MoU) in Brussels which covered the
the European fleets’ mine countermeasures – are pursuing a modular ‘MCM toolbox’ common requirements for the NG MC-
vessels (MCMVs) approaching the end of approach. Today, their mine countermeas- MVs and determining Belgium to be in
their service life, navies have to recapitalise ures assets are underpinned by twelve ‘plat- the lead for the procurement of the new
their MCM capabilities and reconsider the form-centric’ TRIPARTITE class minehunters MCMVs, while the Netherlands were to
systems used. Today, there is broad consen- – each navy operating six units. The Belgian lead Future Frigate Programme for the
sus that unmanned and remotely controlled Naval Component’s six FLOWER class mine- joint acquisition of four surface combat-
systems will constitute major game chang- hunters, commissioned between 1985 and ants. The workshare reflects each coun-
ers of naval minewarfare (NMW). Instead 1991, had become subject to a Capability try’s particular area of naval expertise.
of using dedicated manned MCMVs to Upkeep Programme (CUP-CMT) between The Belgian and Dutch NG MCMVs will be
venture into the areas endangered by naval 2005 and 2008, while the Royal Nether- quite innovative, featuring an MCM tool-
mines, future mine disposal concepts con- lands Navy’s ALKMAAR class minehunters, box made up of systems capable of cover-
sider autonomous systems operating from commissioned between from 1983 through ing all types of MCM operations, including
less complex mother ships staying outside 1989, underwent their Project Adaptation minehunting, minesweeping and explosive
the mine warfare theatre in order to keep Mine (PAM) programme upgrade between ordnance disposal (EOD) in order to counter
the sailors out of the minefields. 2001 and 2007. mine threats in all potential scenarios, any-
In 2012, the Belgian Naval Component and where in the world.
Au th o r the Royal Netherlands Navy decided to align It is yet to be determined whether the new
their future stand-off MCM programmes, vessels will be operated by joint Dutch–Bel-
Guy Toremans is a freelance naval and in 2015 the Belgian Defence White Pa- gian crews or, as another option, the new
journalist based in Belgium. per headlined ‘Strategic Defence Plan 2030 frigates will be operated by the Netherlands
- The Strategic Vision for Defence’ and the and the MCMVs by Belgium.

60 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

TAKING EUROPEAN COOPERATION
TO THE NEXT LEVEL
When Belgium and the netherlands join forces in realising their naval
programmes, imtech Belgium and damen are ready to deliver the future mine
counter measure vessels (mcmv). fitted With a modular toolBox consisting of
unmanned aerial, surface and underWater vehicles, the mcmv Will Be aBle to
stay out of the minefield.

enaBled and supported By Belgian and dutch industry partners, We provide

a future to the Benesam success story, Whilst continuing to support safe
passage in our eu maritime domain.

www.damennaval.com
  ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

Capability Requirements
Both navies’ prerequisites, jointly drawn up
by the Belgian Directorate General Material
Resources (DGMR) and the Netherlands De-
fence Materiel Organisation (DMO), were
set up against a number of operational sce-

Photo: Thales
narios, such as access to sea ports; home
and allied sea lines of communication and
chokepoint protection; and expeditionary
operations including amphibious opera- Thales' C-SWEEP ASV features a robust glass-reinforced plastic hull,
tions. The top-line requirements called for twin diesel engines and is operated using the ASView Control System.
platforms between 65 m and 85 m, a dis-
placement in the 1,500–3,500 ton range, classification and neutralisation capabil- vessels, commercial support vessels,craft-
with signature/shock characteristics at least ity. This toolbox is to comprise a swarm of of-opportunity (COOP), offshore-based in-
equivalent to a frigate, an Integrated Plat- Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAV), stallations (oil-rigs) or shore-based facilities.
form Management System (IPMS), an Inte- Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV), a Mine On 15 and 16 June 2017 the Belgian Direc-
grated Bridge Management System (IBMS) Identification and Disposal System (MIDS) torate General of Material Resources (DG-
and Integrated Battle Damage Control Sys- and an Influence Minesweeping Sys- MR) organised the "Technology & Indus-
tem (IBDCS), MCM systems capable of op- tem (IMSS). The new platforms must also try Days” during which several industries
erating to a depth of 300 m, accommoda- provide growth potential for future new showcased different types of unmanned
tion for EOD Diving, VSW MCM or special systems to be installed throughout their underwater and autonomous surface vehi-
ops forces teams and an MCM staff, a diver 30-year projected in-service life. cles in a 2 NM x 2 NM exercise minefield laid
decompression container, a crane capable off the naval base of Zeebrugge. Among
of handling 20-foot TEU containers and a System Elements others, these included:
self-defence system against asymmetric air • The French ECA Group demonstrating
and surface threats, as well as adequate C4I Some of today’s modular systems are its A9-M, the A27-M AUV equipped
facilities to ensure the full integration of the Saab’s AUV62-AT and DOUBLE EAGLE with a Thales SAMDIS synthetic aperture
MCM systems into a Mission Management MkII, the FAST USV with both integrated sonar, and an INSPECTOR USV, the latter
System (MMS). And with the Belgian Naval and towed sweeps; Gaymarine’s PLUTO deploying two SEASCAN Mk2 ROVs.
Component having decided not to replace GIGAS; Kongsberg's REMUS-100 (Mk 18 • Israel’s Elbit Systems showcasing its
its 52-year-old MCM command and sup- Mod.1 SWORDFISH) and REMUS 600 (Mk SEAGULL 12 m USV, configured with
port ship BNS GODETIA, each of the new 18 Mod2 KINGFISH); ECA's SEASCAN Mk2, an R2Sonic forward-looking sonar and
MCMVs should also be capable of taking ALISTER 9A, ALISTER 18S and ALISTER a Klein K5900 side-scan sonar. Subse-
over the ship’s tasks and feature sufficient 27M; THALES-ECA's ASEMAR; ATLAS Elek- quently, the same SEAGULL platform
space to accommodate an MCM staff. tronik's SEA CAT, SEA OTTER Mk I and SEA operated a VideoRay remotely oper-
To meet the outlined requirements for a OTTER Mk II; the Israeli ELBIT’s SEAGULL ated vehicle. During the demonstra-
credible global expeditionary capability, the and Textron Systems' CUSV. tion, SEAGULL scanned areas at a cruise
platforms must be able to sail 3,500 nauti- Besides reducing risk to personnel, un- speed of 10 kn and in sea state 5–6
cal miles at a sustained speed of 15 knots manned systems provide flexibility for the conditions.
and be capable to operate ‘on station’ for deployment of sensors and effectors into • ATLAS Elektronik UK demonstrating its
30 days without interruption. the areas of operation and allow easy trans- ARCIMS USV, configured with a North-
The MCMVs are to be equipped with a portation on land, in the air and at sea. This rop Grumman AN/AQS-24B towed syn-
‘modular MCM toolbox’ to provide an offers the possibility to extend the capa- thetic aperture sonar and laser linescan
'end-to-end' mine detection, identification, bilities of surface combatants, amphibious sensor, plus two canistered SEA FOX C
rounds. Following an unsupported 36
Picture: STX France

km transit to the exercise area off Zee-

brugge, the USV executed a six-hour
mission using both remote control and
autonomous modes of operation.
• THALES showcased its 10.8 m rugged
high-performance C-SWEEP multirole
Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV).

International Competition
Upon completion of the technical specifica-
tions, a Request for Proposals (RfP) was sent
to the European Union in April 2018. It is
noteworthy that this is the first time in Dutch
history that a procurement programme for
naval vessels is made subject to international
The STX DeviceSeas has been designed as a multipurpose mother ship tenders, although the shipbuilding capacity
with hydrographic and mine warfare capabilities. to construct these new MCMVs is available

62 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

in-country. Initially, five companies submit- accommodation of two 20-foot con- a construction contract by 2020 and the
ted bids, namely the British BMT Group, a tainers. The DeviceSeas also features building kick-off by 2021. The Belgian
consortium of DAMEN Schelde Naval Ship- a launch and recovery system, devel- Naval Component could receive its first
building and IMTECH Belgium NV), the oped jointly by STX and the offshore NG MCMV in 2023 while the first ship fly-
French NAVAL GROUP, the Swedish Saab industry specialist NOV BLM (National ing the Dutch flag could follow in 2025.
Kockums, and the SEA NAVAL SOLUTIONS, Oilwell Varco/Bloomberg), allowing the The last platform is scheduled for delivery
a consortium of the Belgian Engine Deck deployment of drones measuring up to in 2029.
Repair NV, STX France, SOCARENAM and 12 metres and ranging from 80 kg to
THALES Belgium. Following a series of value 19 tons. More International
management dialogues, the NG MCMV Cooperation?
project team downselected the possible Programme Milestones
candidates to four. Belgium and the Netherlands also remain
The shortlist comprises: The proposals from the four shortlisted con- open for cooperation with additional inter-
• Saab Kockums AB proposing its "Mine tenders have to be submitted by 2 Ocober national partners.
Counter Measures Vessel 80". At 80 m 2018, following which the Belgian Directo- With France to replace its eleven ERIDAN
and displacing some 1,250 tons, this rate General Material Resources (DG MR) Class (TRIPARTITE type) minehunters, the
design features an integrated command and the Netherlands Defence Materiel Or- Royal Navy looking at the replacement of
centre (ICC) e.g. co-locating the ship's ganisation (DMO) evaluation teams will ana- its eight HUNT and seven SANDOWN class
bridge, combat information centre, and lyse the cost/benefit ratio of the proposed minehunters, and the German Navy plan-
ning to renew its entire MCM fleet the joint

Picture: Saab
procurement of MCM systems could be a
possibility.
However, France and the UK have differ-
ent national drivers with regard to mis-
sion requirements, for example, their em-
phasis is more on en-route survey opera-
tions in order to keep the approaches to
their nuclear submarine bases open. Both
these navies also want to perform ‘up
threat’ expeditionary MCM operations
at extended reach. Hence the French/UK
Saab Kockums' MCMV 80 design was first publicly presented at UDT Maritime Mine Countermeasures dem-
2017 in Bremen, Germany. onstrator system programme is focusing
on an an 'end-to-end' capability based
machinery control spaces, deck space designs against the capability requirements exclusively on offboard vehicles, sensors
for containerised mission modules, and and how the functional requirements can be and effectors, while the German Navy's
two stern ramps and a crane to allow the met in terms of delivering operationally dura- new MCM inventory should be made up
launch of USVs, AUVs, ROVs, RHIB's or ble and financially sustainable MCMVs. This by both dedicated platforms and organic
interceptors. A helicopter flight deck and analysis is anticipated to be concluded by late MCM modules to be accommodated on
UAV hangar can be added. 2018. The results will be presented to the board larger warships. Dialogues are on-
• Details of the French NAVAL GROUP's ministries of defence, with parliamentary ap- going with these navies although this is
MCMV bid have not been disclosed but proval expected before the end of the year. not necessarily the course that the BE/NL
is believed to be of a Bâtiment Anti- This timeline would allow the signing of programme will follow.  
Mines Océanique (BAMO) type design.
Picture: Damen Schelde

• DAMEN Schelde/Imtech are probably

offering one of their Multi Role Auxil-
iary Vessel (MRAV) designs, such as the
MRAV 1600 and MRAV 3600 variants.
With a length of 61.5 m and a displace-
ment of some 1600 tons the MRAV
1600 version provides accommodation
for up to 43 and can carry six 20-foot
containers. The MRAV 3600 variant is
84.5 m long, displaces some 3,600 tons
and can take a crew of up to 59 and
accommodate up to twelve 20-foot con-
tainers.
• SEA NAVAL SOLUTIONS proposes its
DeviceSeas concept, unveiled by STX
France at Euronaval 2016. At 80 m and
displacing some 3,700 tons, the vessel
can embark two USVs and up to eight Artist impression of Damen Shipyard's 62 m MRAV 1600 design, which
AUVs and ROVs, housed in a dedicated is part of a family of multi-role auxiliary vessel platforms that can be
hangar, and sufficient deck space for equipped with dedicated mission modules.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 63

  ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

Train Hard in Practice and

Bleed Less in War
Force Multiplication through Training for Today’s Flashpoints

John Antal

T raining is everything. Training for the

right war, with the correct intensity
and frequency prior to battle, is priceless.
Centre for European Policy Analysis stated:
“The Suwalki Gap is where the many weak-
nesses in NATO’s strategy and force posture
terattack. NATO counteractions, however,
are problematic. Enemy Anti Access/Area
Denial (A2/AD) systems make an amphibi-
Imagine a worst-case scenario: In the near converge.” The gap contains one railway ous operation a costly prospect and an air-
future, well-trained combined arms forma- line and several narrow highways that sep- borne operation futile. Much like the Ger-
tions, with experience in multi-divisional arate European NATO from the Baltic NATO man blitzkrieg in France in 1940, the Allies
operations from recent large-scale military states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The are stunned and knocked off balance. NATO
exercises, and armed with the latest com- attacking forces use large-scale manoeuvre is committed to defend its members, but
nuclear tensions are rising. The attackers
Photo: US Naval Institute

have ISKANDER nuclear missile launchers in

Kaliningrad. No one wants a nuclear war.
China makes a well-prepared offer to broker
negotiations and, in the end, the attackers
remain in control of the corridor of land to
Kaliningrad. NATO is split and impotent.
The familiar “stab, grab, and hold” tactic
has worked again, just as it did in Crimea
and Georgia. “In one fell swoop you have
sort of proven that NATO does not work,”
Magnus Nordenman, director of the Trans-
atlantic Security Initiative, told the Marine
Corps Times on June 11, 2018. “American
defence guarantees are not worth the paper
that they are written on.” Lithuania, Latvia,
Estonia, and Ukraine could be next.
How do military units win in situations
where they are surprised and outnum-
bered? Historically, training and leadership
For the first time a NATO exercise in 2017 focussed on defence of the are the major factors that multiply the com-
Suwalki gap against a Russian attack. bat effectiveness of an army. In the Suwalki
Gap scenario, NATO forces were surprised,
bat technology, attack across the narrow exercises in Belarus to cover the build-up outmatched, outfought, and could not
65-kilometre-long corridor on the borders of their forces. The attack is a surprise. The employ their systems as they had trained.
of Belorussia, Lithuania, Poland, and the attackers disable space-based satellites and The NATO forces had not exercised at the
Russian fortified enclave at Kaliningrad. GPS signals while simultaneously blanket- intensity or fidelity required to provide a
This area is called the Suwalki Gap and it ing the strike zone with electronic jamming battle-winning advantage. The opponent,
is one of NATO’s weakest points against a and spoofing. At the same time, worldwide on the other hand, had studied the systems,
growing threat. A July 2018 study by the cyber-attacks create confusion across the methods and tactics of their NATO adver-
cities in Europe and the US. Neutralised by saries and devised a holistic counter-pattern
Au th o r electronic jamming and the loss of satellite that included cutting-edge equipment, in-
feeds, spoofed with false data, and denied tense training, and surprise. In this scenario,
John Antal is an expert on military the brilliance of their technology, NATO NATO leaders realised too late that they had
affairs. He has published 14 books forces are knocked off balance. The attack- trained for the last war, not the current fight.
on military and leadership subjects ing combined armed forces, supported by Fighting outnumbered and possibly out-
and over 500 articles in military a full spectrum of air and naval units in the matched is the reality that NATO faces in
professional journals. He served 30 Baltic Sea, cut through the NATO defend- several flashpoints, particularly in the Su-
years as a soldier in the US Army, ers. The defenders fight bravely in the con- walki Gap. The US, the cornerstone of the
retiring as a colonel,having com- fusion and fog of degraded operations. In NATO alliance, has only nine Armoured Bri-
manded combat arms units from 96 hours, the attackers control the Suwalki gade Combat Teams (ABCTs) in the entire
platoon to brigade. Gap. The attackers then go to ground to US Army, and only one or two of these
defend against an expected NATO coun- are deployed to Europe at any given time.

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 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

European NATO members are stepping up

by increasing funding, modernising their
forces, and participating in exercises, but
an emphasis on training for high-intensity
combat is needed. After 17 years of fight-

Photo: Pvt. Randy Wren / US Army

ing in counterinsurgency operations, the
US military and NATO partners must retool
and retrain for high-intensity combat. The
most important question is whether NATO
can train enough units in time to provide a
convincing deterrent for situations like the
Suwalki scenario?

Training for High-Intensity Soldiers attack simulated enemy combatants during exercise ALLIED
Combat SPIRIT IV at the Joint Multinational Readiness Centre at Hohenfels Train-
ing Area. The Germany-based CTC has a worldwide mobile training
To prevent a war from occurring, NATO units capability and can train leaders, staffs, and units up to brigade combat
must be trained for high-intensity combat teams (+) and multinational partners.
operations against the most likely peer-ad-
versary. Emphasis must be placed on mul- into an integrated synthetic training environ- Merging LVC simulations into one acces-
tinational interoperability gained through ment has been an unachievable goal until sible training environment will narrow the
combined training exercises. Winning across now. The answer to this challenge is to mesh difference between training and combat.
all operational domains – air, land, sea, space LVC into a single software solution called the The STE will allow soldiers and units to
and cyberspace – is the goal of this training. Synthetic Training Environment (STE). The train, plan, and rehearse like never be-
Degraded-mode operations, when electri- STE is considered the 2nd revolution in train- fore. Units and staffs will experience the
cal systems are jammed or spoofed, should ing and will fundamentally change the way characteristics of the actual battlespace
be a major part of the exercise strategy. To military units prepare for war by enhancing they will fight in through precisely ren-
achieve this goal, NATO needs to enhance realistic training in all combat domains. The dered digital terrain. The STE will incor-
its training efforts. All modern military forces STE is the convergence of the LVC environ- porate a One World Terrain (OWT) map
train in Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) ments that will augment live training, link capability that will deliver any terrain in
training environments to create maximum existing training sites, and provide training the world, with a game operating system
return on training resources. Live training in- services to ground, dismounted and aerial that will enable the rapid development
volves people operating real systems on real platforms and command post (CP) points of any scenario and include a sophisti-
terrain. Virtual training involves people oper- of need (PoN) all in one simulated battles- cated AI that can operate as the enemy.
ating synthetic systems over digitised terrain. pace. It will provide multi-echelon teams the The STE will “provide a cognitive, collec-
Constructive training has synthetic forces op- ability to train in immersive, interactive, and tive, multi-echelon training and mission
erating synthetic systems. This blend of LVC memorable training in the same battlespace rehearsal capability for the operational,
was first done effectively back in the 1980s even when thousands of miles apart. institutional and self-development train-
during what the US Army calls the "first

Photo: NordNordWest
revolution in training” with the creation of
the Combat Training Centres (CTCs) such as
the National Training Centre at Fort Irwin,
California. CTCs, like the Joint Multinational
Readiness Centre, the Germany-based CTC,
have a worldwide mobile training capability,
and can train leaders, staffs, and units up
to Brigade Combat Teams (+) and multina-
tional partners. This effort changed how US
and NATO forces trained for war, bringing a
rigour and intellectual focus that generated
training overmatch that was proven in battle
from the 1990s until today.
Live training at the CTCs is still the most
effective training for military units, but it is
also the costliest in terms of resources. Most
units will only experience one CTC rotation.
Repetitive, larger-scale manoeuvres are un-
likely due to costs and resource constraints.
As warfare has changed and become more
complex with increasingly sophisticated
technology, more training iterations are To the military planners of NATO, the Suwalki gap (named after the near-
required to achieve the level of training by town of Suwalki) is a tough-to-defend flat narrow piece of land, a gap,
demanded for high-intensity combat op- that is between Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad enclave and that con-
erations. Linking LVC simulations together nects the NATO-member Baltic States to Poland and the rest of NATO.

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 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

ing domains,” the US Army Acquisition The STE will interact with and augment live in spite of the impossible tactical situation,
Support Centre stated in a 2017 report. training, which is the pinnacle of all military became a factor in the inevitable defeat of
“It brings together the virtual, construc- training. With the STE, units across NATO the Soviet Union. It is significant that the
tive and gaming training environments could practice the Suwalki Gap mission Cold War ended with the fall of the Berlin
into a single STE for Army Active and Re- from distributed sites, in their home coun- Wall. Today, the Suwalki Gap is a potential
serve Components as well as civilians.” tries, with existing augmented reality (AR) flashpoint and a wake-up call for NATO. In
STE can represent an unlimited number and virtual reality (VR) training systems. this scenario and others, NATO forces will
and type of threats and environments This can increase the number of training it- be contested in all domains of war by an
and can be used to develop better tac- erations that units, staffs, and multinational adversary with matching or overmatching
tics, techniques and procedures (TTP) in headquarters can experience together. In technologies and by greater numbers. The
rapid time and at no cost in blood. “From addition, the STE’s open-architecture soft- US Army understands the urgent need to
wherever they may be located, home sta- ware promises to allow the training unit prepare for high-intensity operations and
to operate under multi- Gen. Mark Milley, the Chief of Staff of

Photo: CEPA
ple battle environments, the Army, and the Honorable Mark Esper,
including mega-cities, Secretary of the Army, have articulated
cyber-attacks, electronic this in the army vision: “Focus training on
warfare, and space oper- high-intensity conflict, with emphasis on
ations – all of which are operations in dense urban terrain, elec-
difficult or impossible to tronically degraded environments, and
simulate with current under constant surveillance. Training must
training systems. AR sys- be tough, realistic, iterative, and dynamic.
tems will allow partici- Continuous movement, battlefield inno-
pants to have real-time vation, and leverage of combined arms
interactions with avatars manoeuvre with the Joint Force, allies,
representing key partici- and partners must be its hallmarks. This
pants who may be miles training will require rapid expansion of our
away. “The STE will synthetic training environments and deep-
provide the warfighter er distribution of simulations capabilities
with the repetitions down to the company level to significantly
necessary to rapidly ac- enhance soldier and team lethality.”
quire and master the In preparation to meet the threat, NATO
individual through BCT has executed a series of multinational
collective skills necessary exercises, such as the Saber Strike and
to train to win in Multi- Operation Atlantic Resolve exercises,
Domain Operations.” across the Baltics and Poland, to dem-
Importantly, the STE is onstrate the commitment and solidarity
a software solution and of the alliance. At the same time, the US
will not require propri- and NATO recognise the need to train
etary hardware and can for high-intensity combat and to empha-
leverage commercial- sise training under degraded conditions.
off-the-shelf computers, Simultaneously training in multiple do-
augmented reality sys- mains to develop individuals, units,
tems, and virtual reality and staffs in training exercises that are
systems. The US Army is immersed in ambiguity, degraded op-
working hard to create erations, and chaos will be the future of
an STE where LVC will effective military training. Acceleration
also link live platforms of the development and deployment
A 2018 CEPA study highlighted the risks of the to manned simulators of the STE, and the early adoption of
Suwalki Gap. and constructive forces. the STE by NATO, will be a significant
The STE will be accessed investment in deterrence. The STE will
tion, armouries, institutions, or deployed throughout the US Army via the Depart- become a vital enabler of high-fidelity,
locations, we want our soldiers to enter ment of Defence Information Network and multi-echelon and multinational training
into a synthetic training environment is expected to be ready by 2020 or 2021, and promises to allow NATO partners to
that immerses them in diverse complex but this needs to be accelerated and then intelligently and seamlessly train at many
operational environments that replicate shared with NATO as soon as possible. locations across a meshed LVC network
where they will fight; with who they will To the casual observer, the Suwalki Gap with multinational partners. Every ad-
fight with; on the terrain they will fight may not seem worth going to war over, vantage in war is fleeting, so NATO is
on!” Maj.Gen. Maria Gervais, Deputy until you understand its significance to in a race against time. There is no one
Commanding General, Combined Arms NATO. During the Cold War, the US and single solution to gain victory. Histori-
Center - Training (CAC-T) declared in Oc- NATO swore to defend their portion of cally, the better trained army, not the
tober 2017. Maj.Gen. Gervais also serves the City of Berlin, even though it was sur- best equipped, usually wins the day. En-
as the Cross Functional Team (CFT) Lead rounded and totally outmatched by Rus- hanced training is one of the best ways
for the STE under the auspices of the re- sian and Warsaw Pact Forces. NATO’s will- to improve the effectiveness of deployed
cently activated Army Futures Command. ingness to stand united to defend Berlin, forces. Train hard and bleed less.  

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 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

Weapon Ranges:
In the Field, Indoors and Virtual
William Carter

Weapon ranges come in all shapes and sizes, from small indoor systems where weapons are fired
over distances as little as 50 feet, to aircraft ranges that use GPS tracking and can be hundreds,
even thousands of kilometres in extent.

S ometimes bullets, shells and mis-

siles are fired, sometimes lasers re-
place bullets, and sometimes nothing is
fired at all, because weapon effects are
simulated using computer programmes.
Then there are complete simulations
where no actual range space is used
because the whole exercise uses simula-
tion training technology, the so-called
Virtual world.

Indoor Live-Fire Ranges

Much indoor shooting training is on
ranges with 50 or 75 feet between fir-
ing points and the targets. Some small
shooting ranges can be trailer-mounted
Graphics: via author

rather than inside buildings in a training

complex, so that the trailer can be driven
to the unit to be trained. In some designs,
two trailers can be placed end-to-end
to double the distance of fire. Shooting
ranges in indoor training complexes can that it should not be assumed that any reaction skills. Targets can give shoot/no
extend up to 150 feet, and are often di- bullet trap is completely effective, and eye shoot training, for instance where the
vided into bays, particularly if there are protection should be used on small live-fire target picture is of a young woman who
many firing points. For instance, a range ranges. Many small rounds are "jacketed", is carrying or aiming a pistol, or a picture
with ten firing points can be divided into where a soft lead core is surrounded by a of a man carrying a parcel rather than
two bays of five firing points; a twelve- case of harder metal. Where low velocity a gun.
point range into two bays of six, and so jacketed ammunition such as the .45 inch
forth. Training can then take place in one ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) round is used, Outdoor Firing Ranges
bay without unwanted interaction with the jackets can remain intact after impact,
other bays; shooters can be separated by and occasionally can bounce out of even These can be much larger, and targets
type of firearms or skill level, and bays the best bullet traps. With higher velocity can be based on boards on which are
not in use can be serviced while shooting bullets such as 9mm and semi-automatic real-size pictures of potential targets,
goes on elsewhere and there is no need cartridges, the jackets usually fragment on which can be soldiers, civilians or ve-
for ventilation to remove gases and traces impact and the sharp edges of these par- hicles including tanks. The boards can
of lead. ticles make them particularly dangerous, be mounted on powered target-lifters
In small live-fire ranges, a "bullet trap" sys- showing why live shooting on small ranges under Exercise Control (ExCon) which
tem is used so that spent bullets do not should take place as far away as possible can be made to pop-up or turn at ap-
ricochet around the training area. However, from the face of a bullet trap. propriate moments in an exercise. Ve-
if there is an irregularity in either the bul- Target retrieval systems can be used so hicle targets can be mounted on mo-
let or the trap surface, or the bullet strikes that results can be analysed without torised wheels or on small rail systems
a hard surface at 90 degrees rather than shooters needing to leave their firing that are invisible to the people being
at an angle, it can break up into what is positions. Targets can be simple "bulls- trained and allow the target to transit
known in the trade as "backsplatter" of eyes" or more complex target models in- realistically across the range area. Out-
small particles, which are more difficult to cluding those that have pictures and can door firing ranges need safety systems
trap than complete spent bullets. It follows turn or drop, to train the shooter in quick to minimise the risk of injury, both to

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 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y

the firers and the local population. For within which is a training facility called eas (FIBUA). The initials "UO" are also
example, India is building 17 new so- GefechtsÜbungsZentrum Heer (GÜZ), a used, standing for Urban Operations.
called "baffle" firing ranges at a cost literal translation being the Battle Exer- Although Schnöggersburg is probably
just over US$2M per range, each of cise Centre of the Army. the largest MOUT training complex in
which will be between 15 and 20 acres Europe, there are many others, some of
in area. The new ranges are for live fire Urban Training which are described below.
over distances between 300 and 500
metres, and are in addition to 60 other Part of the GÜZ complex mentioned Other Urban Training
firing ranges in India. The design is such above includes the so-called "Schnög- Systems
that misdirected bullets, ricochets and gersburg" training town. This has some
backsplatter are blocked by a system 16 km of roads from trackways to a In France there is the Jeoffrécourt train-
of baffles that consist of ground bar- four-lane highway, and some 200 tall ing village at Sissonne, north of Rheims;
riers, side walls, and stop butts, and buildings with open squares of various in the Netherlands there are the Marne-
the system is said to be safe up to a 14 sizes in which demonstrations including huizen and Oostdorp training villages
degree divergence from the intended riots and other public disorder can be in the Marnewaard military training
line of fire. The object is not only to arranged for training purposes. There is area in the north of the country; and in
reduce the risks on-range but also to a 22-metre-wide river with five bridges, Italy there is the Dandolo MOUT train-
prevent bullets and fragments going including a removable mid-section to ing facility North of Venice. In Belgium,
off-range, particularly where there has demonstrate demolition. Underground MOUT training has taken place at Camp
been growth of civil population close to tunnels connect three metro stations, Roi Albert, South of Liege; in Poland
Indian army training areas. and there is a 650-metre-long sewer sys- at Wedrzyn, west of Poznań near the
tem through which specialist squads can border with Germany; and in Spain, at
Large Military Range Areas be inserted into buildings or into roads Naval Station Rota, north of Cadiz. In
through manholes. Above-ground fa- the UK, MOUT training sites include
These are suitable for military exercises cilities include a railway station with Copehill Down on Salisbury Plain and
using tanks, guns, infantry, helicopters 1,500 metre of track, a waterworks, "Ishmara Village" in East Anglia, the
and fixed-wing aircraft. Such exercises power station, church, mosque, and latter being modelled on a village in
take a long time to plan and in many synagogue. About twenty buildings are Afghanistan. In Israel there is a 20 sq
cases lasers are fired rather than bullets. reinforced to allow helicopter landings. km training city at the Tze'elim Army
The lasers are coded and when com- An "industrial district" has larger build- Base in the Negev Desert, just east of
the Gaza Strip. In the USA there are
many MOUT training complexes, not
only in the US Army, but also in the
Marine Corps, even the US Navy, the
latter for training its Sea, Air, and Land
teams (SEALs) at San Clemente island,
in the Pacific south of Los Angeles. An
example of US Army MOUT facilities is
Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert, Cali-
fornia, which has a training site with
over 100 buildings, mainly modelled on
a Middle Eastern city. The US Marine
Corps has a 274-acre MOUT facility at
its Twentynine Palms base, northeast
of San Diego, California, on the coast
near the Mexican border. This has over
1,500 buildings, including seven differ-
ent types of urban areas. Also in the
USA, papers have been published sug-
bined with GPS tracking of all exercise ings, and a dummy chemical factory can gesting the creation of a centralised
entities, provide a detailed database for be used for chemical leak training. The Urban Warfare School to co-ordinate
After Action Review (AAR). In Germany, next phase of development is scheduled all DoD MOUT/UO training and cen-
the largest is the Bergen-Hohne Training to be finished in 2020 and is to model tralise the learning from exercises in all
Area (Schießplatz Bergen-Hohne) in the the outskirts of the town, in which 108 US services and from real UO battles
southern part of Lüneburg Heath, south buildings will form a residential area such as in Baghdad, Fallujah, Mosul and
of Hamburg, with an area of 284 square and barracks. An area with destroyed Ramadi, but so far without such a plan
kilometres (just over 70,000 acres). In infrastructure with 250 smaller buildings being agreed by Pentagon authorities.
southern Germany the US Army Hohen- will allow troops to prepare for special
fels training area north of Munich is the threats. Such military training towns are Sea and Air Ranges
largest in US Army Europe (USAREUR) for Military Operations in Urban Terrain
and is part of the Grafenwoehr Joint (MOUT), originally a US Army term but Military Air ranges and Navy Sea/Air ex-
Multinational Training Center. There is universally understood and often used ercise areas can be of almost unlimited
also the German Army’s 15 x 30 km Alt- by other nations in preference to other horizontal and vertical extent because
mark training area north of Magdeburg, terms such as Fighting In Built-Up Ar- they are not limited by the constraints of

68 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

land-based ranges such as nearby areas Simulation for Versatile marines, and aircraft of all sorts from
of housing, industry, roads, railways, or Military Training helicopters, fighters, transports, air-
other civil infrastructure. However, sea refuellers, and bombers. A significant
ranges are constrained by commercial Exploiting the virtual world with its difference to on-range exercises using
ship lanes and fishing areas, and air use of modern simulation technology real vehicles is that personnel can be
ranges by commercial airways and con- opens up many possibilities. For infan- in simulators at home bases and still
trol zones. If live weapons are to be fired, try training, projectors and screens can participate in a multi-role exercise us-
ing real-time network links with other
simulators at different bases. Exercise
Control (ExCon) can be at yet another
base such as a military HQ, and such
exercises can vary from relatively simple
for basic land/sea/air training, to highly
complex with challenging scenarios,
the potential to add some instrumented
live assets to the overall exercise, and
the involvement of other services and
other nations.
Furthermore, unlike training that uses
the real equipment, simulation is almost
infinitely versatile and can be used to ex-
there are the usual safety constraints, be used to show a variety of images plore scenarios that are simply not pos-
particularly if the range volume is over to soldiers who can use replica guns sible or too hazardous to enact with real
land. Normally, weapons fired on such that "fire" lasers rather than bullets. hardware. After different scenarios have
exercises will be training rounds with- Sometimes the gun fires nothing at all been simulated, it is then possible to rec-
out full explosive warheads, and, in the but its aim, position, and trigger-pull ommend optimum responses to different
case of guided missiles, will often have are recorded and the effect is calcu- threats. This requires that the standard
special instrumentation to provide data lated by the simulator’s computer. In and fidelity of modern military simulation
for After Action Review (AAR). In these most infantry systems, large screens must be of the highest, and resources
air, sea and land exercises, data from in- are placed in front of a replica platoon should not be withheld in the training
strumentation in aircraft, ships, military firing position, and in larger systems and simulation area, as used to happen
vehicles, weapons and soldiers, com- several "wrap-around" screens can be in the past. The era when some people
bined with GPS tracking, allows more used to give soldiers a near 360-degree deliberately denied the use of state-of-
comprehensive After Action Review view of the battlefield. When troops, the-art simulation on grounds either of
"economy" or as a deliberate attempt
to keep more training on the real equip-
ment, should have gone. In any case,
more training on good-quality simula-
tors means that the service life of the real
equipment can be prolonged, not prema-
turely worn out by over-use in constant
live training exercises when viable train-
ing alternatives exist. Indeed, after an op-
timum course of action has been found
through simulation, it can then be tried
in live exercises and either confirmed or
refined, maybe after further sequences of
simulation and live exercises.

Conclusion
Land, sea and air ranges play a vital part
in army, navy and air force training. They
can be used not only for live weapon
firing but also where lasers are used in-
stead of live rounds, and in some cases
no firing at all because weapon effects
can be computer-generated and used
than ever before. In complex exercises pilots and sailors are in a vehicle, air- in After Action Review. Pure simulation
such as this, the Review stage should craft or ship, simulation is straightfor- can also be used, not only for routine
take longer than the exercise itself so ward and there are simulators for tanks, training but also to explore options and
that full benefit can be extracted for the other Armoured Fighting Vehicles, Ship alternatives, the effectiveness of which
future, and to allow subsequent exer- Bridges, Ship Combat Information Cen- can then be confirmed in realistic on-
cises to show improvements. tres (CIC), ship’s weapon systems, sub- range exercises.  

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Virtual and Augmented Reality

in Training Applications
William Carter

T he internet and news media are full

of terms that are freely used without
being properly defined. Examples include
to be trained, its controls, visual and audio
cues, and all civil FFS have 6-axis motion
that moves the cockpit so that the crew
rounds or blanks. Simulations were consid-
ered to be a useful preparation for operat-
ing the real equipment, and were particu-
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality experience similar motion cues to those larly useful for familiarisation with more
(AR). In the same subject area you will also in the real aircraft. Some military FFS have complex equipment including functions
find "mixed reality" and "hybrid reality", 6-axis motion; others have enormous visu- such as checks, procedures and emergen-
even the term "computer-mediated real- al systems that give a realistic picture of the cies. However, the inexorable march of
ity". Wikipedia says that "Virtual reality is outside-world scene wherever you look. computer power, computer graphics, plus
an interactive computer-generated experi- Such training devices are independent of linking of training aids for multi-unit, mul-
ence within a simulated environment that the real equipment and this is the essence ti-location, multi-role and multi-national
training (so-called "networking"), has re-

Photo: CAE
versed the relative importance of training
in a real environment, in favour of "the vir-
tual" in many areas of training. Naturally,
both real and virtual training are needed.
For an efficient modern training system,
the use of real equipment and virtual simu-
lations are complementary, and the ratio
of real-to-virtual depends on the type of
equipment and personnel involved, and
the object of the training. An important
factor in this modern electronic age is that
if real equipment is used to the full in a
training mode, a potential enemy can see
how it is being used, can note details such
as guidance modes, transmission protocols
and frequencies. The potential enemy then
has the information to prepare counter-
measures. Furthermore, with some long
range weapons, there may not be enough
range airspace in which to use the real
weapon to its full capability, particularly in
the crowded skies of Europe. All of these
A 700MR Series fixed-base flight training device (FTD) for the NH90 factors show why more military training
helicopter developed by the Canadian company CAE uses simulation technology and less uses
the real equipment, therefore preserving it
incorporates auditory, visual, and other of a "virtual" system. Army field exercises, for use in a conflict situation and prolong-
types of sensory feedback". In this modern naval exercises at sea, and airborne com- ing its service life because it is not fatigued
digital age, Wikipedia is probably as good bat exercises often use computerised sce- by constant use in a training mode.
a source on factual matters as traditional narios that include simulated (therefore The major use of simulation in training is
dictionaries and encyclopædias such as "virtual") opponents, lasers may be used probably in the air domain, in which the
Websters, the Oxford English Dictionary instead of live rounds, and other enhance- ratio of simulator-to aircraft training has
(OED), Encyclopædia Britannica and so ments are made to the real world situa- reached 70:30 in some areas, although
forth. Wiki also says that Augmented Real- tion. These come under the definition of 50:50 is more common. Simulation can do
ity (AR) is where the real-world is added to "Augmented Reality" because these train- more types of training than can be flown
by computer-generated information, and ing systems mix real-world and simulated in the aircraft. Also, it is several times less
states that mixed reality, hybrid reality and data. However, the use of the term AR is expensive than using the aircraft, and is
computer-mediated reality mean essen- rather academic compared to more precise not prone to accidents that can write-off
tially the same as AR. Turning now to the descriptions of the systems actually used in aircraft and kill aircrew in critical training
simulation and training area, terminology the particular exercise or training system. sorties. In other words, it is better to make
is generally easier to understand. For in- It used to be considered that the only re- mistakes in a flight simulator than in the
stance, civil Full Flight Simulators (FFS) and alistic training was that which used the aircraft itself. Then there is the potential to
military Full Mission Simulators (FMS) are real aircraft, ships, tanks and other real use network links between different units,
close replicas of the cockpit of the aircraft weapons which were fired using either live forces and nations, for combined training.

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Photo: CAE
flight simulator for the P-8A POSEIDON
maritime surveillance aircraft has just been
installed. The facility will deliver about 40
different courses for the P-8A.
Germany: CAE Elektronik of Stolberg is
to provide aircrew training systems and
services to Boeing for the H-47 CHINOOK
helicopter being offered for the German
Air Force heavy-lift helicopter competition.
Italy: Leonardo headquartered in Rome
has provided its Realistic Intelligent Agent
Computer Environment (RIACE) system to
the Italian Air Force. This is a distributed
training system that generates realistic op-
erational scenarios for pilots at different
bases. It includes aircraft such as the EU-
ROFIGHTER, TORNADO, ALENIA M-346
Master and the PREDATOR UAV. Other
functions can be added such as those for
Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC),
missile-defence and command and control
Full flight simulators for the P-8A POSEIDON maritime surveillance systems. Systems at the integration test
aircraft built by CAE bed at Pratica di Mare Air Base can also be
incorporated.
Similar principles apply to complex military the most important development in mili- New Zealand: CAE, headquartered in
equipment such as ships from landing craft tary training since field exercises were first Montreal, Canada, is to deliver a 700MR
up to aircraft carriers, armoured fighting employed in ancient times by empires such Series fixed-base flight training device (FTD)
vehicles (AFVs), artillery pieces, and other as the Egyptians, Romans and Carthagin- for the NH90 helicopter to RNZAF Base
army vehicles. The difficult area in apply- ians. This included training for the Egyp- Ohakea on the west coast of North Island.
ing simulation technology is in training the tians' horse-drawn war chariots, the Ro- Maintenance and support will be included
infantry soldier. You can hardly put an in- mans training their shield-wall "Testudo" and the total value is over CAN$50M. CAE
fantry platoon in a simulator in the same formations, and Hannibal training his pha- launched its 700 Mission Reality (MR) Se-
way as aircrew in an aircraft simulator or lanxes of war elephants. In modern train- ries FTD at the UK Farnborough air show
navy crew in a ship’s bridge simulator or ing, the difference is not so much in the in July. The RNZAF NH90 FTD will have the
a simulator for a ship’s combat operations exercise, it is in the post-exercise debrief CAE Medallion-6000XR image generator,
centre. Improved infantry training using that can, and should, take more time than a 240x88 degree display, and a dynamic
modern virtual technology was asked for the exercise itself, to fully exploit the infor- seat for vibration and some motion cueing.
by Marine General James Mattis (now US mation that is now available from record- Taiwan: FAAC Incorporated of Ann Arbor,
Secretary of Defense) at the International ing of weapons, soldiers, vehicles, aircraft Michigan, USA, has a three-year, US$1.9M
and Industry Training, Simulation and Edu- and ships during the exercise. contract for the Taiwan Training Range.
cation Conference (I/ITSEC) in Orlando, To emphasise the principles of modern vir-
Photo: FSI

USA, as long ago as 2009. There is no easy tual/simulation technology, what follows is
answer to this question. Infantry must train a selection of recent training programmes
on the ground as individuals, in platoons in the land, sea and air areas that use the
and companies. They are not in an envi- systems discussed above. Within each sec-
ronment such as an aircraft cockpit or a tion, entries are in alphabetical order of
ship’s bridge or combat centre that is easy country and include Australia, Belgium,
to reproduce in a simulator. However, in Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand,
field exercises, soldiers can fire lasers rather Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, Ukraine and
than bullets, and this has major advantag- the USA. In the air force group, as well
es. Laser pulses can be coded so that for as conventional simulators, there are also
debrief purposes the individual firer can two high-G man-rated centrifuge systems
be identified, whether it be a soldier, tank for familiarising fighter aircrew with condi-
gun, artillery piece, helicopter, other air- tions up to 9 times the normal pull of grav-
craft, even ship gunfire in coastal (so-called ity, so as to reduce the possibility that they
"littoral") warfare. When this is combined will not "black out" in real high-G combat.
with using GPS to record the accurate time
and location of fire and manoeuvre of indi- Air Force Systems
vidual soldiers and other entities, you have
the basis for in-depth After Action Review Australia: Boeing Defence Australia
(AAR) based on fact rather than opinion (BDA), headquartered in Sydney, is prime A flight simulator for the Boeing
(which often used to prejudice AAR in the contractor for a new training facility be- C-17 GLOBEMASTER III aircraft
past). Indeed, I would suggest that sophis- ing built at the Royal Australian Air Force developed by FlightSafety Inter-
ticated AAR using modern technology is (RAAF) Base Edinburgh. A CAE-built full national (FSI)

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Photo: FSI
FAAC will deliver SimBuilder simulation
software, new weapon models, on-site
training and support. SimBuilder mod-
els weapons and integrated air defence
systems and will be applied to the exist-
ing Air Combat Environment for Testing
and Training (FACETT) system. SimBuilder
has modules for air-to-air, surface-to-air,
surface-to-surface, and air-to-surface en-
vironments.
UK: L3 Commercial Training Solutions
(L3 CTS), headquartered at Crawley, is
to provide multi-engine courses for Royal
Air Force pilots after initial flight training.
There will be an introduction course fol-
lowed by Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC)
training using flight simulators at the L3
UK Academy. This training is similar to a
Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Instru-
ment Rating (IR). The inside of an FSI C-17 simulator

US Air Force US AF – Distributed Mission Opera- fence Material Agency’s (NDMA) Air
tions: QuantaDyn Corporation of Hern- Ground Operations School (AGOS). This
US AF and Australia: FlightSafety Inter- don, Virginia, has delivered its Joint Ter- has a 7 metre dome display and is used for
national (FSI) Simulation, headquartered minal Control (JTC) Training and Rehearsal Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) and
at Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is to supply System (TRS) to the Distributed Mission Joint Fires Observer (JFO) training of four-
aircrew training systems for the Boeing Operations Center (DMOC) at Kirtland Air man Tactical Air Control Parties (TACP).
C-17 GLOBEMASTER III transport aircraft Force Base, New Mexico. US Army: UFA, Inc., of Burlington, Mas-
under a contract with Boeing. This will be sachusetts, has delivered its ATTower sim-
for 15 USAF Air Mobility Command loca- Air Control Systems ulator to Libby Airfield, Arizona. This has
tions and the Royal Australian Air Force four visual channels for visual control and a
Base in Amberley. Australian Forces: Advanced Simulation Fixed Based Precision Approach Radar (FB-
US AF – Centrifuge for Aircrew Train- Technology Inc. of Herndon, Washington PAR) system for instrument approaches.
ing: Environmental Tectonics Corporation DC, will provide new features for its Simu- US Marine Corps: Riptide Software Inc,
(ETC), headquartered in Philadelphia, has lated Environment for Realistic ATC (SERA) of Oviedo, Florida, has a contract from
achieved full operational capability for a product for Lockheed Martin’s AIR 5428 the US Marine Corps for the Supporting
human-rated centrifuge at the US Air Force Pilot Training System for the Australian Air Arms Virtual Trainer (SAVT). SAVT is for
Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright-Pat- Force, Navy and Army. training Joint Terminal Attack Controllers
terson Air Force Base, Ohio. This enables Norway: Fidelity Technologies Corpo- (JTAC), Forward Observers (FO), and For-
training up to 9G with the object of pre- ration, of Reading, USA, has delivered ward Air Controllers (FAC), in Close Air
venting G-induced loss of consciousness its Joint Fires Advanced Training System Support (CAS) operations. SAVT training
(G-LOC) when operating fighter aircraft. (JFATS) simulator to the Norwegian De- systems are at 6 locations in mainland
USA and at the Marine Corps Base Ka-
Photo: KBRwyle

neohe, Hawaii.

Multi-Role Systems
Sweden: 4C Strategies, headquartered in
Stockholm, launched Exonaut Simulation
Extension (ESE), that enables Exonaut ex-
ercise management tools to interact with
simulators and C2 systems. It provides a
configurable interface for simulation en-
vironments, allows plug-in adaptors for
different types of simulators, and records
training data. ESE was used on exercise
Viking 18 in April 2018.
Ukraine: The US Department of Defense
is to provide Ukraine forces with US$200M
training, equipment and advisory services.
This will include command & control sys-
tems, secure communications, mobility
and night vision aids, and military medical
KBRwyle’s man-rated pilot centrifuge for high-G sessions systems.

72 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

Army Systems software for analysis of weapons, sensors, US Navy – Helicopter Training: Flight-
and effects such as weather conditions. Safety International (FSI) Simulation, head-
Belgium: MASA Group, headquartered in US Army – LVC training: Science Appli- quartered at Tulsa, Oklahoma, is to supply
Paris, has supplied their SWORD war gam- cations International Corporation (SAIC), new training systems for the Bell TH-57
ing system to the Belgian Army simulation headquartered in McLean, Virginia, has SEA RANGER helicopter for the Navy, Ma-
centre in Limburg for command-post train- a US$52M task order to support the Ma- rine Corps and Coast Guard. FlightSafety is
ing at company and battalion levels. At noeuvre Center of Excellence at the Ma- the prime contractor for the TH-57 Aircrew
Limburg, SWORD works with the Virtual noeuvre Battle Lab in Fort Benning, Geor- Training Services programme and will man-
Battlespace 3 (VBS3) system from Bohemia gia. SAIC will develop combined arms age the replacement of the current train-
Interactive Simulations for further training. Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) train- ing devices, deliver instruction and logistics
Canada: Cubic Global Defense, head- ing and game-based systems. These focus support. The new Level 6 and Level 7 flight
quartered in San Diego, California, has a on infantry, STRYKER and armour brigade training devices, image generators, visual
US$27M contract to deliver Urban Opera- combat teams (BCTs) and reconnaissance databases and projectors are scheduled to
tions Training Systems (UOTS) to Canadian formations. enter service in February 2019.

Photo: UFA
An airport tower simulator at Libby Airfield, Arizona, with four visual control channels and a Fixed Based
Precision Approach Radar (FBPAR) system for instrument approaches

Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown and the Ca- US Army – Simulation and Live Fire: US Navy – Missile Training: The US
nadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC) Aptima of Woburn, Massachussetts, has Navy Surface and Mine Warfighting De-
Wainwright. This is part of the Canadian a US$168,000 Other Transaction Author- velopment Center (SMWDC) has devel-
Weapon Effects Simulation (CWES) pro- ity (OTA) agreement from the US Army to oped a missile exercise (MSLEX) system
gramme. UOTS includes a tracking system; develop a methodology that aligns current with about 30 training scenarios. This is
shoot-through-wall capability; special ef- Army simulation training systems with live- designed to counter threats and develop
fects including smoke, smell, light, sound; fire training. tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs),
plus improvised explosive device (IED) and pre-planned responses (PPRs) and com-
grenade simulators. Completion is sched- Navy Systems manding officer’s battle orders.
uled for CFB Gagetown in October 2019 US Navy – Test Pilot Training: The US
and CMTC Wainwright in September 2020. US Navy – Centrifuge for Aircrew Navy Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station
USA – Missile Defence: Charles River Training: KBRwyle inc, headquartered Patuxent River, Maryland, has added a
Analytics Inc (CRA), of Cambridge, Mas- in Houston, Texas, is to provide annual simulator for their new Airborne Systems
sachusetts, has a US$1M contract from the centrifuge-based training for Navy and Training and Research Support (ASTARS)
US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the Marine Corps aircrew. This will include III aircraft.
company's Modelling Operator Reasoning about 600 aircrew and will include class-
and Performance for Human-in-Control room instruction and high-G sessions in Conclusion
Simulation (MORPHIC). The MDA will use the company's man-rated centrifuge. The
MORPHIC to create models of human be- company performs similar training for Air This article shows how the use of mod-
haviour and CRA will use Hap architecture Force aircrew. ern simulation technology has improved
for behaviour modelling including cyber US Navy – Distributed Training: Plexsys military training in the Land, Sea and Air
adversaries, physiological factors and the Interface Products of Portland, Washing- areas. The trend is for more use of so-
development of tutoring systems. ton State, is to provide its SonoMarc com- called "virtual" training systems which
USA – Operations Research: MASA munications simulation system for the US are less expensive than using front-line
Group, headquartered in Paris, France, has Navy Aviation Distributed Training Center equipment, and do not wear out or dam-
supplied MASA SWORD licenses to Par- (NADTC). Up to three NADTC Operation age the real equipment by constant use
sons Corporation for operations research Centers (NOCs) will be delivered to Naval in training. In addition, in areas except
and evaluation of weapon platforms. The Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia, with perhaps infantry training, simulation can
AI-based simulation software provides train- options for NAS North Island, California, be used to produce more scenarios that
ing and analysis for military and emergency and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) are not possible when the real equipment
management scenarios. Parsons will use the Iwakuni, Japan. is used.  

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What Lies Beneath

Land Mine Detection and Clearance
Bindiya Carmeline Thomas

T he ramifications of recent global con-

flicts have resulted in the marked rise
in land mine casualties, undoing years of
civilians, who made up 78% of all recorded
casualties in 2016, similar to past years,"
according to the press release.
Mine Clearance Vehicles
The Russian military operates a bevy of mi-
demining and clearance efforts. Accord- Although the production and distribution ne clearing vehicles, including the Ural TY-
ing to the Landmine Monitor 2017, armed of land mines effectively ended two deca- PHOON and the Kamaz TYPHOON among
conflict in Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine, and des ago with the enforcement of the Mine others, and has plans to induct more in the
Yemen contributed to the second year of Ban Treaty beginning in 1997, there are an future.
exceptionally high casualties caused by estimated 110 million land mines in the According to Russian media reports, in Au-
mines, including improvised devices that ground right now with an equal amount gust 2017, Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), a sub-
are triggered like mines, and other explo- in stockpiles in over 60 countries waiting to sidiary of Rostec, delivered a batch of the
sive remnants of war (ERW). be planted or destroyed. BMR-3MA heavy mine-clearance vehicles to
the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD). The

Photo: Northrop Grumman

BMR-3MA is the advanced version of the
BMR-3M VEPR (BOAR) armoured clearan-
ce vehicle and was developed on the basis
of the T-90 MBT (main battle tank); it was
"built to collect intelligence, overcome obst-
acles and perform mine clearance opera-
tions,", according to Sputnik News Agency.
In 2015, Iraq reportedly received 400
BMR-3M vehicles as part of a "secret deal"
with Russia to clear the mines planted by
the Islamic State (IS). "It clears passages
of a width approximately equal to the in-
ter-wheel clearance of tanks, infantry figh-
ting vehicles, and armoured personnel car-
riers. Attached to the front of the vehicle
are two arms, each with solid steel wheels
that rely on their weight to detonate mi-
nes while driving over them; this doesn't
damage the tanks due to their thickness,
allowing the vehicle to continue along its
path with other tanks such as the T-90 fol-
The US Navy favours Northrop Grumman's Advanced Explosive lowing it," the report added.
Ordnance Disposal Robotic System (AEODRS) for demining missions. The US Marine Corps’ Assault Breacher
Vehicle (ABV) made history last year
The Landmine Monitor recorded 8,605 mi- With resounding calls to increase detection when it conducted its first amphibious
ne/ERW casualties, of which at least 2,089 and clearance to safeguard human life and landing with a Modified Full Width Mi-
people were killed in 2016. "Following a the ecosystem, the development of mine ne Plow prototype during a long-range
sharp increase in 2015, the casualty total clearance technology is on the upswing. breaching exercise in the western United
in 2016 marked the highest number of In 2016, the Global Mine Clearance System States.
annually recorded casualties in Monitor Market was valued at US$32.9M and is pro- In December 2017, Marine Corps Systems
data since 1999 (9,228), the most child jected to reach US$52.2M by 2025, exhi- Command used Exercise Steel Knight as an
casualties ever recorded, and the highest biting a CAGR of 5.29% over the forecast opportunity to test the prototype for the
number of annual casualties caused by period, according to a study published by first time. Steel Knight is a division-level
improvised mines. Despite being weapons Coherent Market Insights. "Europe held the exercise designed to enhance command
of war, mines/ERW mostly kill and injure largest mine clearance system market share and control, and interoperability with the
accounting for over 41% of the industry in 1st Marine Division, its adjacent units, and
Au th o r 2016 and is expected to dominate the indus- naval support forces.
try over the forecast period. The prominent In the future, this piece of equipment will
Bindiya Carmeline Thomas is a factor responsible for high adoption is the make it easier for Marines to land and
specialist defence and aerospace jour- massive extent of explosive-contaminated deploy an ABV from a Navy Landing Craft
nalist and a regular contributor to ESD. areas in countries such as Croatia, Turkey, Utility boat to the shore to complete their
UK, and Ukraine," the study added. mission.

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Photo: USMC
Once the LCU drops the bow ramp onto
land, Marines can drive the ABV off the
boat, open the plow and breach the area
to ensure they eliminate any unsafe obst-
acles. After the line charge detonates, land
mines in its path are destroyed or rendered
ineffective. Marines use the mine plow to
sift through the minefield and push any re-
maining land mines off to the side, leaving
a safe path for the assault force.
The ABV Programme Team plans to take
the information and feedback from the
Marines gathered at Steel Knight to refine
the design and improve the overall per-
formance of the modified plow. The team
wants to ensure the modified plow will
meet all requirements of the legacy mine
plow in performance and survivability. Af-
ter the redesign is completed, the articles
will be tested at the US Army Aberdeen
Test Centre in Maryland. The US Marine Corps makes history with the mine plow prototype for
Meanwhile, Indian defence manufacturer the Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV).
MKU introduced a range of products at
DEFEXPO 2018 in Chennai, India, including (DRDO) has undertaken trials of the indi- neath it. The fieldable prototype of the
the MKU-ABBS AMPS technology to coun- genously developed TRAWL system that TRAWL system is in the final stage and will
ter the threat of land mines and IEDs. The could locate mines on the Indian Army’s shortly be ready for user evaluation trials
technology employs the patented VGAM battlefield. by the army.
(Vehicle Global Acceleration Mitigation) The TRAWL system is used to breach Israel's Urdan Metal & Casting Industries
system. This system works using the paten- land mines and create a vehicle safe Ltd announced during DEFEXPO 2016 in
ted LRM (Linear Rocket Motor), sensor-ba- lane through a minefield for the ad- Goa, India, that it will supply the Israeli De-
sed motorised linear rockets, which upon vancing columns of mechanised forces fence Forces with dozens of BACKTRAIL
sensing an underbelly blast, fires linear ro- in a combat zone. The equipment con- logistic trailer systems.
ckets to negate the thrust provided by the sists of the TRAWL roller, a track-width At DEFEXPO, the company highlighted
VGA, thereby countering and negating the mine plow and an electromagnetic de- add-on systems that enhance the usability
overall upward thrust on the vehicle. To a vice (EMD). The anti-mine system has of MBT, self-propelled & towed guns, and
certain extent, the platform often remains components that could detect all type engineering vehicles. Besides BACKTRAIL,
recoverable and can be put back into ope- of mines usually encountered by the add-ons include a bulldozer attachment kit
ration after refurbishment and replenish- tanks, the Defence Research Develop- and a mine-clearing roller system. Delivery
ment. The Active Blast System can easily be ment Organisation (DRDO) said in a of the BACKTRAIL systems – following six
retrofitted into legacy in-service vehicles statement earlier this year. years of evolving development – has already
as well as platforms under development, Recently, the TRAWL system underwent begun and will continue over the next few
according to a statement from MKU. blast trials which demonstrated the survi- years, Urdan said in an official statement.
Meanwhile, the state-run Defence Re- vability of the equipment when subjected The Mine Clearing Roller System, atta-
search and Development Organisation to successive series of blast directly under- ched to the front of the tank, neutralises
anti-tank land mines on the surface or
Photo: US Navy

buried in the track path, and also clears

tilt-rod mines from between the roller
banks. Easily connected by standard lif-
ting equipment, two soldiers can couple
the system to the tank in a few minutes.
Since explosions take place at a distance
from the tank, and due to almost 100%
effectiveness, the system contributes si-
gnificantly to the survivability of soldiers
in the tank.
"The basic idea of the add-ons is to eli-
minate the need for additional vehicles
– in most cases without armour – being
sent to the battlefield. When the tank's
crew decides they no longer need the
add-on, they can disconnect it from
the tank with just a push of a button.
The US Marine Corps Systems Command tested the prototype which will Connection to the tank is also extremely
make it easier to transport the ABV from ship to shore. fast and easy," the statement added.

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Unmanned Systems used an Android tablet showing search system that could detect potential hazards
data from an unmanned aerial drone they in surf zones, be easy for warfighters to
Drones could be used to detect dangerous had just flown. The device’s screen glo- use and fit diverse platforms. TechSolu-
“butterfly” land mines in remote regions wed as a green fluorescent map appeared, tions is ONR’s rapid-response science and
of post-conflict countries, according to splashed with red clusters of varying sizes technology programme that develops pro-
new research from Binghamton State Uni- and shapes indicating the dummy mines totype technologies to address problems
versity, New York. they had buried. voiced by sailors and Marines, usually wit-
Of the estimated 100 million military mu- The development of the new Mine War- hin 12-18 months. In 2018, TechSolutions
nitions and explosives around the world, fare Rapid Assessment Capability (MIW will deliver prototype MIW RACs to NECC’s
millions of these are surface plastic land RAC) system was sponsored by the US Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group for
further testing and evaluation.

Photo: US Army
Meanwhile, Russia is expected to take de-
livery of the advanced robotic mine-clea-
ring vehicle known as URAN-6 along with
SKARABEI and SFERA later this year.
"The URAN-6 multifunctional robotic ve-
hicle, the SKARABEI remote-controlled
inspection robotic system and the SFERA
remote-controlled robotic complex have
been tested in Syria. Work for their ac-
ceptance for service is planned in 2018,"
Chief of Russia’s Engineering Troops Lieu-
tenant-General Yuri Stavitsky was quoted
as saying by Tass News Agency.
The URAN-6 can reportedly travel at a
speed of up to 15 kph and can be used
to neutralise an explosive with the TNT
equivalent of 130 lbs. According to various
reports, it is capable of manoeuvring th-
The US Army’s HUSKY-mounted IED detection system. rough dangerous terrain, search for mines
and unexploded ordnance and neutralise
mines with low-pressure triggers, such as Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) TechSo- them on the operator's command.
the mass-produced Soviet PFM-1 “butter- lutions programme, MIW RAC consists of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces will also
fly” land mine. a one-pound quadcopter outfitted with an induct 20 LISTVA remote-controlled de-
Researchers at Binghamton University ha- ultra-sensitive magnetometer sensor sys- mining vehicles by 2020. First presented
ve developed a method that allows highly tem to detect mines and provide real-time to the general public at the ARMY2018
accurate detection of “butterfly” land mi- search data to a handheld Android device. Military Technical Forum, the remo-
nes from low-cost commercial drones by “This technology will help sailors and Ma- te-controlled mine clearing vehicle has
using mounted infrared cameras to remo- rines who are approaching a beachfront improved survivability and protection
tely map the dynamic thermal conditions to rapidly clear, or at least determine the when on patrol routes and field posi-
of the surface and recorded unique ther- location of mines or other hazards that are tions. It can also clear up routes of ve-
mal signatures associated with the plastic in their way,” said ONR Command Master hicles' columns from remotely controlled
casings of the mines. Chief Matt Matteson. “It could potentially minefields, radio-controlled mines, and
During an early-morning experiment, they save a lot of lives.” land mines.
found that the mines heated up at a much MIW RAC is a portable, remote-control- The LISTVA remote-controlled demining ve-
greater rate than surrounding rocks, and led system that can detect buried or un- hicle was specially developed for the Strate-
they were able to identify the mines by derwater mines during amphibious beach gic Missile Forces and has already proved its
their shape and apparent thermal signa- landings. It is designed to help explosive effectiveness in the course of the command
ture. Results indicate that this methodolo- ordnance disposal teams quickly find mi- post exercise with the Novosibirsk missile
gy holds considerable potential to rapidly nes and dangerous metal obstacles wit- formation. LISTVA’s electronic equipment
identify the presence of surface plastic hin coastal surf zones and shallow water is able to detect mines and land mines up
MECs during early-morning hours when zones. MIW RAC would provide a new, to 100 metres away in a sector of 30 de-
these devices become thermal anomalies real-time aerial complement to existing un- grees, according to a statement issued by
relative to surrounding geology. The use derwater mine-detection capabilities. the Russian Ministry of Defence.
of cost- and time-efficient remote sensing While the quadcopter and tablet device are By 2020, more than 300 pieces of en-
techniques to detect plastic MECs such as available commercially, the heart of MIW gineering vehicles will have entered the
the butterfly mine from unmanned aerial RAC is its proprietary magnetometer sen- SMF engineering units. These are obstacle
vehicles have enormous potential that war- sor suite—which has an extensive detection removal vehicles, heavy mechanised brid-
rants further study, researchers explained. range and uses complex algorithms to diffe- ges, excavators, truck cranes and other
During a technology demonstration at the rentiate between various types of objects. engineering means, the statement added.
US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in The MIW RAC originated in 2015 when Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is develo-
June 2017, the Naval Surface Warfare Cen- the Navy Expeditionary Combat Com- ping a suite of autonomous solutions,
ter (NSWC) unveiled a new way to detect mand (NECC) sent a request to ONR’s including its recently launched ground
buried and submerged mines. Scientists TechSolutions programme for a portable robotic solutions for Improvised Explosive

76 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 ARMAMENT & TECHN O LOG Y 

Photo: Russian MoD

Device (IED) detection and route clearing
known as SAHAR.
The SAHAR application provides an
all-weather, day/night, end-to-end soluti-
on tailored to customer requirements, in-
cluding the robotic platform, the operator
control unit and the payloads to detect
the IEDs and to control the manipulator
as relevant.
SAHAR's autonomous system enables
faster and more efficient mission execu-
tion, safe operation by eliminating the
need of proximity between the opera-
tors and the equipment and optimum
manoeuvring as per equipment's perfor-
mance envelope and the specific terrain
among others. Such an application usual-
ly integrates multiple payloads to detect
above-ground / hidden/buried IED's and
optional engineering capabilities, such The Russian LISTVA remote-controlled demining vehicle
as CIMS (Counter-IED and Counter-Mine
Suite, an integrated protection system Penetrating Radar (GPR) trial systems that in- their mission requirements, Chemring ex-
for the detection of surface and underg- corporate enhanced technology capabilities. plains on its website.
round IEDs, mines, and roadside bombs), Adding this new detection technology is a
MINDS (the Mines and IED Detection Sys- continuation of ongoing efforts to enhance Biotechnology
tem) for detecting deeply buried objects, the military worth of the successful GPR-ba-
and AMMAD (the Anti-Magnetic Mine sed HUSKY-mounted Detection System Researchers at the Hebrew University in
Actuating Device) which actuates mag- ("HMDS") programme that was first em- Israel say that the "major technical chal-
netically fused mines prior to the vehicle's ployed by US forces in Afghanistan in 2008. lenge in clearing minefields is detecting
entrance into the "kill zone". The high-performance combat-proven the mines." Because current detection
"The SAHAR system supports different VISOR GPR forms the heart of the rugge- technology is not vastly different from
levels of autonomy that enable the pro- dised and logistically supportable HMDS. that used in World War II, researchers
cess of route clearance including functions The system employs GPR technology that believe "there is a critical need for an ef-
such as environmental terrain mapping, provides unprecedented performance in ficient solution for the remote detection
IED detection, road blocks removal and the automatic detection, recognition and of buried land mines and unexploded
disposal of suspicious IEDs without the risk precision marking of buried metallic and ordnance."
of the rescue forces. The system is opera- non-metallic threats. Their solution is a rather novel, functional
ted from a multi-functional Operator Con- The HMDS GPR technology combines ad- system combining lasers and bacteria to
trol Unit (OCU) allowing autonomous mis- vanced real-time Automatic Target Reco- remotely map the location of buried land
sion assignment and control in all weather, gnition (ATR) algorithms, integrated GPR mines and unexploded ordnance. The sys-
light, and darkness around the clock," the and electromagnetic interference (EMI) tem is based on the observation that all land
company says in a statement. sensors, global positioning system (GPS), mines leak minute quantities of explosive
recordable missions for after action review vapors, which accumulate in the soil above
Radar functions and analysis, automatic precisi- them and serve as markers for their presen-
on marking, and user-friendly software. It ce. The researchers molecularly engineered
Earlier in 2017, Chemring Sensors & Elec- has been ruggedised and designed to be live bacteria that emit a fluorescent signal
tronic Systems (CSES) won a US$4.9M scalable allowing for countries and orga- when they come into contact with these
contract from the US Army for 10 Ground nisations to adopt the technology to meet vapors. This signal can be recorded and

MITTLER
ESD Spotlight
100 / SEP-27-18

Published by

SPOTLIGHT
The Geopolitics of Energy

REPORT
Joris Verbeurgt, Editor Belgium/EU/NATO for ESD

The existing world energy system was largely shaped by Anglo-American interests, which favoured mar-
ket-driven competition over access to energy resources on a demand and supply basis. Global geopolitical
shifts in the early 21st century have caused a profound transformation of this market-oriented system to
which we need to find an answer.

The geopolitics of energy comprises three gy infrastructure and

Fortnightly Newsletter
dimensions: an economic dimension, an should enhance ener-
ecological dimension, and a security di- gy efficiency in the mi-
mension. litary as well.
The economic dimension of the geopolitics Energy security, with
of energy is twofold: on the one hand, ener- numerous implicati-
gy is indispensable for modern economies ons for Allied security,
to produce and transport goods. There is a became a real strate-
relatively straightforward relationship bet- gic issue for NATO in
ween energy and economic development, the aftermath of the
based mainly on the degree of energy Russian annexation of

European Security & Defence is escorted by the new bi-weekly newsletter ESD Spotlight which is distributed by email.
self-sufficiency and on the composition of the Crimea in 2014.
primary energy supply. On the other hand, For many NATO Al-
energy resources are economic commodi- lies energy supply is
ties themselves. The rise of the oil industry a challenge. In March
is interconnected with the rise of capita- 2014, NATO Secretary
lism and international business, and fossil General Anders Fogh

ESD Spotlight is available free of charge. You can order your subscription by sending an informal email message to esd.
fuels are perceived as the driving forces Rasmussen declared
behind technological advancement and that Europe’s depen-
economic power. In the twentieth century, dency on oil and gas
the oil industry became the world’s biggest imports was increa-
(Graphic: US EIA)

business and the first globalised modern sing at a time when

industry. The existing world energy system the energy needs of
was largely shaped by Anglo-American oil rising powers such as

spotlight@mittler-report.de.
companies that favoured market-driven China and India were rising as well. Poli- political consultation process with shared
competition over access to energy resour- tical instability was haunting many ener- intelligence. Although NATO’s contribution
ces on a demand and supply basis, sensiti- gy-producing and transit states, while the to energy security is limited to analysis and
ve to price volatility. quest for energy and other resources had consultation, it has become a permanent
NATO discovered energy security at the sparked territorial disputes all around the fixture in NATO’s education and training
Bucharest Summit in 2008. Although ener- world. Terrorist and cyber attacks against programmes. NATO sees a role for itself in
gy security is largely non-military in nature refineries, pipelines and power plants oc- the three following areas:
and mostly a national responsibility, NATO curred in many countries, as well as piracy 1. Raising awareness by sharing intelligence
understood that the energy developments along critical maritime choke points. on energy developments, by fostering poli-
mentioned above will have serious secu- NATO’s energy security agenda is aimed at tical consultations among Allies and part-

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7/2018 · European Security & Defence 77

 Masthead
European Security & Defence
Issue 7/2018 · November 2018 quantified from a remote location, according to an official state-
ISSN 1617-7983 · www.euro-sd.com ment. The bacteria were encapsulated in small polymeric beads,
which were scattered across the surface of a test field in which
Published by
real antipersonnel land mines were buried. Using a laser-based
Mittler Report Verlag GmbH
A company of the Tamm
scanning system, the test field was remotely scanned and the
Media Group location of the buried land mines was determined. This appears
to be the first demonstration of a functional standoff land mine
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Peter Bossdorf (pb) detection system, the study adds.
Managing Editor (Magazine): Stephen Barnard (sb) "Our field data show that engineered biosensors may
Managing Editor (Newsletter): Dorothee Frank (df) be useful in a land mine detection system. For this to be
Industrial Editors: Rolf Clement (rc), Waldemar Geiger (wg), Gerhard Heiming (gwh),
Jürgen Hensel (jh) possible, several challenges need to be overcome, such
Sub-Editors: Christopher Ellaway-Barnard (cb), Christian Kanig (ck) as enhancing the sensitivity and stability of the sensor
Correspondents: Rolf Hilmes (Army Technology), Peter Preylowski (Airborne Systems) bacteria, improving scanning speeds to cover large areas,
Regional Correspondents: Tamir Eshel (Israel), Tim Guest (UK), Jaime Karremann (The and making the scanning apparatus more compact so
Netherlands), Beka Kiria (Georgia), Shinichi Kiyotani (Japan), Yury Laskin (Russia),
J. Bo Leimand (Denmark), Jay Menon (India), Chet Nagle (USA), Korhan Özkilinc (Tur- it can be used on board a light unmanned aircraft or
key), Luca Peruzzi (Italy), David Saw (France), Joris Verbeurgt (Belgium/EU/NATO), drone,” said Prof. Shimshon Belkin, from the Hebrew
Esteban Villarejo (Spain) University’s Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Scien-
Layout: ces, who was responsible for genetically engineering the
CREATIVE.CONSULTING GmbH, Germany bacterial sensors.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Production:
Lehmann Offsetdruck GmbH (DARPA) is also working on new methods to safely iden-
22848 Norderstedt, Germany tify land mines or unexploded ordnance left over from
past conflicts or testing grounds.
Office address:
Mittler Report Verlag GmbH The agency's new Advanced Plant Technologies (APT)
Baunscheidtstraße 11, 53113 Bonn, Germany programme looks to seemingly simple plants as the next
Phone.: +49 228 35 00 870, Fax: +49 228 35 00 871 generation of intelligence gatherers. The programme will
Email: info@mittler-report.de, www.mittler-report.de pursue technologies to engineer robust, plant-based sen-
Director of Marketing sors that are self-sustaining in their environment and can
Jürgen Hensel (jh) be remotely monitored using existing hardware.
Phone: +49 228 35 00 876, Fax: +49 228 35 00 871
DARPA’s vision for APT is to harness plants’ natural mecha-
Email: juergen.hensel@mittler-report.de
nisms for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli
Marketing & Business Development and extend them to detect the presence of certain chemi-
Andreas Himmelsbach cals, pathogens, radiation, and even electromagnetic sig-
Phone: +49 228 35 00 877, Fax: +49 228 35 00 871 nals. APT aims to modify the genomes of plants in order to
andreas.himmelsbach@mittler-report.de
programme in these specific types of sensing and trigger
Waldemar Geiger discreet response mechanisms in the presence of relevant
Phone: +49 228 35 00 887, Fax: +49 228 35 00 871 stimuli and do so in a way that does not compromise the
waldemar.geiger@mittler-report.de plants’ ability to thrive. If the programme is successful, it
Advertising Representatives: will deliver a new sensing platform that is energy indepen-
dent, robust, stealthy, and easily distributed.
UK/Ireland/Eastern Europe/Israel/Turkey:
Stephen Barnard, c/o Mittler Report Verlag GmbH “Plants are highly attuned to their environments and natu-
Phone: +49 228 35 00 886, Email: stephen.barnard@mittler-report.de rally manifest physiological responses to basic stimuli such
USA/Canada:
as light and temperature, but also in some cases to touch,
Susan Spilman-Gardner chemicals, pests, and pathogens,” said Blake Bextine, the
Email: Susan.Gardner@mittler-report.de DARPA Programme Manager for APT. “Emerging molecular
Phone: +1 817-751-5888 and modelling techniques may make it possible to repro-
Russia & CIS: gramme these detection and reporting capabilities for a
Laguk Co., Yury Laskin, General Director wide range of stimuli, which would not only open up new
Krasnokholmskaya Nab., 11/15, 132, RF-109172 Moskau, Russian Federation intelligence streams but also reduce the personnel risks
Phone: 007-495-911-1340, Fax: 007-495-912-1260, Email: ylarm-lml@mtu-net.ru
and costs associated with traditional sensors.”
Subscription/Reader Service: APT aims to go far beyond current practice, which tends
PressUp GmbH, Postfach 70 13 11, to pursue only a minimal number of modifications. DAR-
22013 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 38 66 66-319, Fax: +49 38 66 66-299 PA’s goal is to modify multiple and complex traits to give
Email: mittler-report@pressup.de plants new capabilities that enable them to sense and re-
port on numerous stimuli. To succeed, however, the pro-
European Security & Defence
© 2018 Mittler Report Verlag GmbH gramme must also address how modified plants allocate
internal resources and compete in natural environments.
The views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior
Past experiments of this type have reduced the fitness of
written permission of the publisher in Bonn. modified plants by siphoning resources needed to sustain
the plants. APT will seek to improve how plants collect
Cover Photo: Michael Nitz, UK MoD, Leonardo
and distribute resources and optimise their fitness so that
Annual subscription rate (8 issues): modified plants thrive despite anticipated interactions
€49.80 incl. postage with natural stressors such as microbes, animals, insects,
and other plants, DARPA explains on its website.  

78 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & M A R K E TS 

DVD 2018 – Creativity Needed

to Face the Future
Tim Guest

On a shared stage and with poignantly howling storm winds blowing outside, Defence Vehicle Dynamics
(DVD) 2018 was held at the UK MOD’s leading test and development facility for military equipment, the
Millbrook Proving Ground.

Photo: ESD
he event itself, which showcases ad-
vanced technology and innovation that
will provide the British Army with vital land
power today and into the future, attracted
more than 6,000 visitors over its two days.
Top military speakers announced key pro-
grammes, as nature howled itself hoarse
and threatened to blow the event away,
as if to make the point that whatever forc-
es man can unleash on man, nature will
always have the last word. Managing to
raise his mild-mannered voice above the
wind, however, keynote speaker and new
UK Minister for Procurement, Stuart An-
drew MP, did announce the green light on
several important UK MoD programmes,
despite the tempest. Only weeks in his
post, the minister said there was a “need
for creativity to face the future”, a future,
that was one where ISTAR (Intelligence,
Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and
Reconnaissance) was being increasingly
challenged by an ever more sophisticated
use of the electromagnetic spectrum by (L to R:) Sir Simon Bollom, CEO of DE&S, Minister for Defence Procure-
the enemy. He said the deployment of ment Stuart Andrew MP, and Deputy Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant
autonomous, remotely-controlled and General Nick Pope, sharing the stage at DVD 2018.
commercially-sourced systems, such as
“drones packed with explosives and sent there was also a huge amount of po- BOXER and
in swarms”, place heavier demands on tential left in “re-forming” old and ex- Other Green Lights
the individual blue force soldier to cope; isting technologies, as the re-equipping
this is where Alliance nations need to in- of WARRIOR and CHALLENGER 2’s life- As for the key announcements he made,
novate in order to come up with effec- extension programmes highlight, the the minister said that the army now intends
tive technology to counter and defeat latter which he said was “proceeding to purchase an initial tranche of over 500
such threats. The good news, however, apace”. And when it comes to the inno- BOXER multi-role armoured fighting vehi-
was that key programmes from AJAX to vation needed for such future tech and cles, having indicated it would rejoin the
BOXER, IED robots to CHALLENGER 2, re-vamp programmes, the minister said programme back in April and having put
have been injected with a new lease of trying to “inspire young engineers” was out its formal RfQ the week before DVD.
life at a time of national need. a crucial factor. Hence, this year’s DVD He said UK suppliers now had the green
Stuart Andrew said that as well as the had, for the very first time, opened its light to forge ahead with the project, which
importance of delivering “new” tech- doors to university technical college en- is expected to provide at least 1,000 jobs
nological solutions to the armed forces, gineering students from across the UK in the UK. The lead consortium on the pro-
in the hope of opening their eyes to the duction of the mechanised infantry vehicle
Au th o r exciting possibilities for innovation the (MIV), the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann/Rhein-
defence industry offers. The students metall joint venture, Artec as the prime
Tim Guest is a defence and aero- took part in interactive activities, includ- contractor, is now in a position to invite
space journalist and former officer in ing a virtual trialling of the DRAGON industry to deliver sub-contractor propos-
the Royal Artillery. RUNNER, the army bomb disposal robot als to contribute their specific offerings to
(see below). the programme. Artec is now expected to

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 79

  I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

ramp up work and efforts in order to com- AJAX and Bomb Disposal disarming from a safe distance, protecting
plete its supplier selection process; it will UK personnel from threats, such as road-
then return to the UK MoD with a formal Stuart Andrew also gave latest details on side bombs. The minister said the first two
proposal in the new year. The British order the AJAX programme, saying that pro- robots had been delivered and that all 56
alone is set to be Artec’s biggest single or- duction of the £4.5bn AJAX family of ar- would be in service by the end of 2020.
der, which bodes well for the potential op- moured vehicles is now ramping up, with
portunities in store for British suppliers and a 2020 in-service date likely. He revealed CHALLENGER 2
sub-contractors to get involved. at DVD that Lockheed Martin UK had suc-
Andrew said that the new 8x8 armoured ve- cessfully delivered the first eight production As for the Life Extension Programme (LEP)
hicle is a key part of the British Army’s future, turrets to General Dynamics Land Systems, for the CHALLENGER 2 main battle tank
adding, “… today marks a big step towards the AJAX programme’s prime contractor. mentioned by the minister, he said that “de-
equipping our soldiers with this brand-new In all, 245 turrets for the reconnaissance signs are rapidly maturing” with an “antici-
troop carrier. I am looking forward to press- variant of the AJAX fleet are contracted to pated main gate decision next year”. Some
ing ahead with negotiations in our pursuit be manufactured, tested and certified by 227 MBTs are in line for this upgrade at this
time. So far, competitive assessment-phase
Photo: via author

contracts have seen both Rheinmetall and

original CHALLENGER 2 maker, BAE Sys-
tems, vie for prime contractor position with
the MoD, with that phase closing by year
end and both companies’ offerings already
presented. Two major proposals beyond
the scope of the phase include, from Rhein-
metall, a 120mm smoothbore gun to replace
the existing rifled barrel and from BAE Sys-
tems an active protection system, though their
affordability may be beyond the MoD’s purse.
The LEP aims to remove obsolescence from
CHALLENGER 2 and extend its out-of-
service date by 10 years to 2035. As well
as removing obsolescence, there will be
the opportunity to make further capabil-
ity enhancements with the upgraded tank
referred to as CHALLENGER 2 Mark 2.
The UK announced its commitment to procure more than 500 BOXER BAE Systems LEP Assessment Phase “Team
multi-role armoured fighting vehicles. CHALLENGER 2” consists of: BAE Systems
Land (UK), General Dynamics Land Sys-
of a vehicle, which works best for the Army, Lockheed Martin UK. The Defence Minister tems-UK, Leonardo, Safran Electronics &
the taxpayer and British industry.” The MIV said, “AJAX is the UK’s biggest order of ar- Defence, Moog, QinetiQ and General Dy-
requirement is central to the British Army’s moured vehicles in a generation, support- namics Mission Systems-Canada. At DVD,
plans for fast-moving strike brigades. In the ing thousands of jobs across the country they presented their BLACK NIGHT dem-
original design, development and testing of and modernising our frontline fleet. Having onstrator, which sported new sighting, fire
the BOXER, the UK played a leading role as been expertly produced just a few miles control and laser warning systems, and the
a key project partner and with the deal now away in the same county, it is apt that this IRON FIST active protection system from
going through all the rights it had to build first batch of turrets have been delivered IMI Systems, Israel.
and export the vehicle from the UK are now in time for Bedfordshire’s Army showcase, Stuart Andrew also said that the MoD
set to kick in once again. Indeed, it is under- marking another step towards bringing would be introducing a new “Mobile Fires
stood that commitments have already been these vehicles onto the battlefield.” Platform” (MFP) to provide the army with
made by Artec to UK industry, with partner- During the event, it was also revealed by a 155mm artillery capability, though one
ship agreements signed with a number of the minister that the MoD had recently tak- “embracing 21st century technology and
UK companies in anticipation of the deal go- en delivery of the 200th Cased Telescope capable of supporting both divisional deep
ing ahead. The vehicle, which is already in cannon – the innovative weapon, devel- fight and strike”.
service with the Netherlands, Lithuania and oped between UK and French industry, He also highlighted the repurposing of older
Germany, has a number of systems already which will provide the stopping power for equipment citing the Enhanced Palletised
supplied and supported by British companies. the armed AJAX variant, as well as the up- Load System (EPLS) - the first vehicle was at
The UK’s first BOXERs are expected to enter graded WARRIOR vehicle being developed DVD – which he said will form the logistic
service by 2023; the whole involvement of through an MoD Capability Sustainment backbone of the British Army, rapidly load-
the UK MoD follows comprehensive market Programme. ing and unloading flatracks, or containers.
analysis of MIVs in service, entering service Stuart Andrew also announced that the “We’ve placed a contract with MAN truck
and in development; this research was fo- Army is increasing its autonomous opera- and Bus to convert 382 of our MAN SV vehi-
cused on the British Army’s requirements tional capability, with the purchase of 56 cles, the workhorse of our fleet, into EPLS,”
and how best to deliver them. The results Starter Bomb Disposal Robots at a cost of the minister told the DVD audience.
showed that the BOXER was ahead of the £55M. Using advanced haptic feedback, Another key programme Andrew spoke
field and delivered on agility, capacity, flex- these robots allow operators to “feel” of was for the Next Generation Weapon
ibility, protected mobility and utility. their way through the intricate process of Locating System (NGWLS), which is set

80 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

the MoD, main vendors, or SMEs. But

he stressed that the British Army had
to maintain a path of “continuous ad-
aptation”, equipment had to modernise
and a generation of development had
to be skipped to stay ahead, a factor
AJAX illustrated well. He also stressed
that the CHALLENGER 2 Life Extension

Photo: Saab
Programme had enhanced the lethal-
ity and survivability of the MBT, and
that the Warrior Capability Sustainment
Saab has been commissioned to continue with the logistical support of Programme had enhanced and upgrad-
the British Army's ARTHUR weapon locating system for another year. ed the IFV so that it also now offered
improved lethality and survivability, to-
gether with latest situational awareness
to sustain and improve the army’s capa- Skipping a Generation capabilities.
bility to detect, acquire, track and assess to Stay Ahead
current and future land environment Export Win Footnote
indirect fire threats. The NGWLS will Sharing the DVD stage, Sir Simon Bol-
comprise systems and sensors intended lom, Chief Executive for Defence Equip- As the premier defence land equipment
to replace current in-service Acoustic ment and Support (DE&S), a Ministry event in the UK and one of the biggest of
Sound Ranging Programme (ASP), Light- of Defence affiliated body, said that its type in the world, DVD 2018 attracted
weight Counter Mortar Radar (LCMR), DVD was an opportunity for the SME UK companies and partners ranging from
Mobile Artillery Monitoring Battlefield community to secure procurement op- SMEs to some of the largest land sys-
Radar (MAMBA) and Man-portable Sur- portunities at a time when the M0D tem suppliers in the defence world. One
veillance and Target Acquisition Radar wanted to make the process easier. leading manufacturer marking recent ex-
(MSTAR) systems by 2030. (In July, it was That said, with an obsolescence cycle port successes at the show was QinetiQ,
announced that Saab had been awarded of two years in regards to innovation which has won two contracts to supply
a one-year contract for the continued lo- in the data processing sector, Sir Simon armoured vehicle drive and suspension
gistical support of the ARTHUR MAMBA said there were risks for all parties get- systems for the US Office of Naval Re-
weapon locating system). ting involved in procurement, whether search.  

BATTLEFIELDCHAMPION
Highly mobile, superbly protected, modular and versatile, the Boxer
comes out fighting – the perfect fit for Britain’s MIV programme.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 81

FORCE PROTECTION IS OUR MISSION.
 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

European Naval Defence Technology

for Southeast Asia
Dzirhan Mahadzir

Growing tensions over the South China Sea and competition for resources in the waters of Southeast
Asia are forcing countries in the region to modernise their navies. This is why Southeast Asia offers
good opportunities for European naval technologies, as demand for ships is growing and obsolete
ships are to be replaced.

A lthough Southeast Asia consists of 11

nations, only 6 of these nations, name-
ly Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thai-
excluded from being strong potential naval
markets. In the case of Brunei, the Royal
Brunei Navy’s fleet is relatively new; its four
craft capable of river operations. Myanmar
is currently under an EU arms embargo and
no sales can be made by European compa-
land, the Philippines and Vietnam would DARUSSALAM class OPVs entered service nies to it. Finally, Timor-Leste's small size
and limited fiscal resources mean it will be

Photo: Saberwyn
unable to make any significant procure-
ment beyond patrol boats.
The six other nations of Southeast Asia,
though, provide strong potential for naval
sales for European companies: Indonesia
and Malaysia are seeking to replace some
of their ageing ships though much will de-
pend on their finances, Singapore will be
initiating Multi-Role Combat Vessels and
Joint Multi-Mission Ship programmes, the
Philippines, while seemingly putting a bra-
ke on future warship acquisition is likely to
look for upgrades to its GREGORIO DEL
PILAR class, Thailand could potentially seek
additional ships and Vietnam represents
a strong emerging market if it chooses to
push itself away from its dependence on
Russia for its needs.
One area also to note is that the region is
expect to see increased requirements by
coastguards for ships capable of patrolling
the 200 NM Exclusive Economic Zones
(EEZ) in the region, although such ships
A DARUSSALAM class OPV of the Royal Brunei Navy will not be similarly armed or equipped as
warships, the design and capability require-
currently constitute viable naval markets in between 2011-2014 and four ITJIHAD class ments such as the operation of UAVs from
the region for European companies. The patrol boats entered service in 2010, with these ships will make naval manufacturers
remaining five, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, both classes built by Germany’s Lürssen. the only capable providers.
Myanmar and Timor-Leste, due to various As such, coupled with Brunei’s manpower It should be noted that in terms of naval
factors and circumstances can be roughly limitations, new ship requirements or up- sales to the region, there are two distinct
grade requirements for the RBN’s ships are aspects to it, one is the sale and construc-
Au th o r not expected to materialise anytime soon. tion of the ship or submarine itself while
The Royal Cambodian Navy is limited to the other aspect is the weapons and com-
Dzirhan Mahadzir is a freelance patrol boats, and there has been little fund- bat management systems, sensors and
defence journalist and analyst based in ing and inclination to go beyond that and in equipment such as engines that are to be
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has writ- any event, Cambodia’s close ties to China installed on new ships or existing ships un-
ten a number of international publica- will anyhow mean that any major naval dergoing an upgrade. Both these aspects
tions in regard to defence and security procurement is highly likely to be sourced in regard to Southeast Asia’s naval require-
developments in Southeast Asia. from China. Laos is landlocked and thus ments and the potential for European naval
has no navy, though its army operates small companies will be discussed below.

82 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

Photo: US Navy
US Navy and Singapore Navy ships and submarines gather in formation during the exercise CARAT 2015 in the
South China Sea.

Sale/Construction of Ships Asia where the countries and respective GOWIND design MAHARAJA LELA class Lit-
and Submarines navies show a preference for customising toral Combat Ship whose construction beg-
the ship to fit their needs. an in 2014 is still under construction, while
In general, in regard to the procurement One trend emerging also in Southeast Asia Egypt’s GOWIND corvette EL FATEH was
of ships, Southeast Asian countries ge- is the requirement for indigenous const- laid down in France in September 2015 and
nerally adopt a mix of armament, sen- ruction rather than overseas construction commissioned in September 2017 though
sors, systems and equipment from Ori- by the OEM shipbuilder. Indigenous const- subsequent Egyptian GOWIND corvettes
ginal Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) ruction has already been the case for ships will be built in Egypt. Malaysia was given
of various nationalities rather than the of patrol boat and fast attack craft size the option by Naval Group to have the first
recommended or stock outfitting by the but increasingly this is also now being al- MAHARAJA LELA class ship built in France
OEM shipbuilder. To give an example, the so the case for larger-sized warships. This with the subsequent ones built in Malaysia,
Royal Malaysian Navy’s MAHARAJA LE- is seen in Indonesia’s two MARTADINATA but it opted to have all six ships built in-coun-
LA class Littoral Combat Ship is based on class frigates based on the Damen Group’s try to bolster the local shipbuilding industry
Naval Group’s GOWIND design and built SIGMA design, Malaysia’s six MAHARAJA though the result has been a delay from the
locally at the Boustead Naval Shipyards LELA class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) un- planned in service date of mid-2019 for the
at Lumut together with Naval Group. It der construction and six MEKO-100 design first ship of class.
carries an armament of a single BAE Mk3 KEDAH class Next Generation Patrol Ves- While indigenous construction is expec-
57mm gun in a stealth copula, two MSI sels (NGPV) and Thailand’s modified BAE ted to be the norm in the region given in
SEAHAWK 30mm guns, two launchers RIVER class OPV, HTMS KRABI. However, the case of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
for the anti-ship Kongsberg Naval Strike indigenous construction to some extent still and Vietnam, an industry capable of naval
Missile (each with four missiles), a 16-cell involves the home country facilities of the construction exist though for Singapore,
SYLVER Vertical Launch System for the OEM shipbuilder as often the construction the practicalities of such will be the main
MBDA MICA surface-to-air missile and involves ship modules and segments being consideration, all four of its Type 218SG
two J+S Marine triple torpedo launchers. built by the OEM shipbuilder which are then submarines will be built in Germany in con-
Its electronic and sensor systems include transported to the indigenous shipbuilder to trast to Indonesia, which is building its third
the Thales Smart-S Mk 2 3D surveillan- assemble and build from it. At the same time NAGAPASA class submarine in country, wi-
ce radar, Rheinmetall TMX/EO Mk 2 fi- indigenous construction also involves per- th the first two built by Daewoo. Singapore
re-control radar, Rheinmetall TMEO Mk sonnel from the OEM shipbuilder assisting however is expected to build its Multi-Role
2 electro-optical tracking systems and and observing the local shipbuilders during Combat Vessels and Joint Multi-Mission
the Thales CAPTAS Mk 2 variable depth the construction process. To a certain ex- Ship programmes in-country, though the
sonar. The Combat Management System tent, the indigenous construction of ships is design may originate from outside Sin-
is the Naval Group’s SETIS system. This more driven by the need to bolster local in- gapore. The Philippines naval shipbuilding
type of mix of systems does sometimes dustry rather than a cost saving or efficiency industry is fairly limited, so it is more likely
make it a challenge for ship manufactu- reason. In an actual sense, construction by that it will opt for construction by the OEM
rers in regard to integration work on the the OEM shipbuilder is actually faster and shipbuilder in the OEM’s home country
systems but such is the norm in Southeast more efficient, for example Malaysia’s first rather than indigenous construction.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 83

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

The potential for submarine purchases in velopment of indigenous combat manage- than the recommended or stock outfitting
the region appears limited. Although Indo- ment systems and sensors. Its INDEPENDEN- by the OEM shipbuilder with the result that
nesia is targeting nine additional submari- CE class Littoral Mission Vessels incorporate this provides opportunities for companies
nes, it remains to be seen if it can obtain ST Engineering’s STELOP 360° panoramic to become part of a shipbuilding program-
the finances to do so. The Philippines also day and night camera package for surveil- me, even though they were not part of
aims to acquire two submarines, while Ma- lance and STELOP Compass D electro-optic the winning shipbuilders' recommended
laysia’s 15 to 5 naval development plan calls directors for identifying targets. At the sa- equipment for the ship design. An ex-
for two additional submarines to add to the me time, the LMV incorporates a combat ample lies in Malaysia’s MAHARAJA LELA
class, where it was recommended by local

Photo: Firestorm
shipbuilders Boustead, while working with
Naval Group, that the suitable weapon mix
would be the MICA surface-to-air missile
and the EXOCET surface-to-surface missile
(the later was the same mix that equips
Egypt’s GOWINDs). This was supported by
the Malaysian Government, but the Royal
Malaysian Navy pushed for the Raytheon
ESSM and Kongsberg Naval Strike Missi-
le with the result that a compromise was
reached with the adoption of MICA and
the Naval Strike Missile. Thus opportunities
exist for companies to supply equipment
even though not affiliated with the winning
construction or design bidder.
With ships such as Singapore’s LMV and
Malaysia’s under-construction Littoral Mis-
sion Ships (LMS) incorporating mission
module containers to give flexibility to the
ship mission, opportunities exist for manu-
facturers to provide equipment to equip
The GOWIND design of Naval Group is an export hit in Southeast Asia. such mission module containers, though
The Royal Malaysian Navy’s LCS of the MAHARAJA LELA class are based Malaysia's LMS originate from China un-
on the GOWIND design. der a joint agreement, where two will be
built by China Shipbuilding and Offshore
two SCORPENE class in service, but it re- information centre, probably using an indi- International Co. Ltd (CSOC) and two will
mains to be seen also whether both coun- genously developed combat management be built by Malaysia’s Boustead Naval Shi-
tries can actually muster the finances for system. However, a significant portion of pyard. It remains to be seen whether CSOC
such programmes. Singapore is committed the ships’ equipment originates from foreign will allow third-party countries to provide
to its four Type 218SG submarines, and its OEMs, such as the weapon systems consis- mission module equipment and whether
manpower constraints mean that no mo- ting of MBDA MICA surface to air missiles, any third-party country is willing to inte-
re additional submarines will be procured an Oto Melara 76mm main gun, a Rafael grate its equipment with a Chinese origin
until it is time to replace the Type 218SG. 25mm TYPHOON gun, two Oto Melara ship which is likely to employ a Chinese
Vietnam may be a potential market, but 12.7mm HITROLE gun and two Long-Ran- combat management system. Currently in
it remains to be seen whether submarine ge Acoustic Device 500 XTREME systems. Southeast Asia only Singapore and Malay-
acquisition is a priority and if so, whether The ship is powered by two MTU 20 V 4000 sia are pursuing the mission module con-
Vietnam will eschew its traditional route M93L diesel engines and its radars consist of cept so far.
of obtaining equipment from Russia. Thai- a Thales NS100 three-dimensional surveil- Another avenue of providing weapons and
land is committed to Chinese submarines lance radar and Kelvin Hughes SHARPEYE combat management systems, sensors and
though it has recently made proclamation navigation radar. All this shows that despite equipment lies in upgrading in-service ships
of a mini-submarine programme that it ex- Singapore being the most technologically or second hand ships being transferred to a
pects to field by 2025. advanced Southeast Asian country, it still is Southeast Asian nation. The latter, howe-
dependent upon foreign naval technology ver, is becoming rare because, as a whole,
Equipment for much of its own indigenously built ships, the preference for Southeast Asian navies
along with expertise – the LMV was joint- is to obtain new ships constructed indi-
In contrast to indigenous construction for ly designed and developed with Saab Ko- genously rather than second-hand ships,
its ships, Southeast Asian nations have con- ckums. As such, the other Southeast Asian though the Philippines may be the sole
tinued to depend largely on weapons and countries who are less advanced than Sin- exception to this given its fiscal constraints.
combat management systems, sensors and gapore also have a similar dependence on There are possibilities for upgrades to
equipment from overseas OEMs rather than foreign OEMs for weapons and combat ma- in-service ships in the region though again
local OEMs. This is mainly because such nagement systems, sensors and equipment. this depends on the budgets available. The
equipment is mostly not fiscally or techno- As mentioned earlier, Southeast Asian Royal Malaysian Navy does have plans to
logically viable to develop and produce in- countries generally adopt a mix of arma- upgrade its KEDAH class NGPVs with sur-
digenously, particularly in regard to missile ment, sensors, systems and equipment face-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles
systems, though Singapore has pushed de- from OEMs of various nationalities rather though this has yet to be formalised into a

84 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

requirement. The Philippines also plans to Russia maintains a strong position, with with a second one to be built in Thailand.
upgrade its GREGORIO DEL PILAR class in regard to fulfilling Vietnamese naval requi- Meanwhile HHI of the ROK is building two
terms of both sensors and weapon systems rements but beyond that has made little HDF-3000 frigates for the Philippines and
in the form of surface to surface-to-surface headway in supplying the region. A one-off possibly a corvette down the line. Israel
and surface-to-air missiles. sale of YAKHONT anti-ship missiles took has a strong foothold in Singapore with
The use of Unmanned Air Vehicles and place around 2010, but these only equip- its TYPHOON weapons systems mounted
Unmanned Surface Vessels is starting to ped one ship, the frigate KRI OSWALD on Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) ships
gain traction in Southeast Asian Navies, SIAHAAN, and no further sales have oc- and the PROTECTOR USV being emplo-
Singapore as always is leading the way curred. Russia has been strongly marketing yed and is slowly establishing a foothold
with a mix of foreign and indigenous naval technologies to Malaysia, but there in the Philippines with the employment of
UAVs and USVs being employed by its has been little interest. China’s position is SPIKE-ER missiles on the Philippines' Mul-
navy and its planned Multi-Role Combat somewhat better. The Indonesian Navy ti-Purpose Attack Craft (M-PAC) and the
Vessels is to carry both UAVs and USVs

Photo: US Navy
as part of its complement. Both Malaysia
and Indonesia are looking at the possibi-
lities of operating UAVs from their ships.
Originally Malaysia’s MAHARAJA LELA
class LCS were to incorporate a UAV con-
trol centre allowing UAVs to be operated
by the ships, but this was cancelled in
order to keep the cost low. Both Mal-
aysia and Indonesia are pursuing limited
research and development on UAVs and
USVs, but the technological difficulties of
developing such indigenously means that
foreign OEM UAVs and USVs are more
likely to be the choice if a procurement
programme is initiated. Nonetheless, it
has to be borne in mind that the navies
of both countries are more focused upon
directing their funding priorities towards
the acquisition of ships.

Competition to European The MARTADINATA class frigates of the Indonesian Navy are based on
Naval Technologies Damen’s SIGMA design.

Looking beyond the countries within Eu- uses the C802 and C705 surface-to-surfa- Elbit Systems ELISRA NS9300A Electronic
rope itself, competitors for the provision ce missile and China is set to supply Thai- Support Measure (ESM) equipping the
of naval technologies to Southeast Asia land with submarines along with having a two HDF-3000 frigates. Political and reli-
include the United States, Russia, China, joint programme to build the Littoral Mis- gious considerations over Israel in Muslim
the Republic of Korea and Israel. The com- sion Ship for Malaysia. As a whole, China’s majority Malaysia and Indonesia, howe-
petition does, however, vary in regard to position in providing naval technologies to ver, mean Israel will be unable to make any
shipbuilding and equipment type. In the Southeast Asia faces its own limitations. sales to the two countries.
case of the United States, there has been While the Philippines' President Rodrigo
actually limited use of US technologies in Duterte leans towards China, his military Conclusion
most navies in the region, due to a combi- does not and thus there is little potential
nation of restrictions on its high-end com- for China to sell to the Philippines while Overall, Southeast Asia provides strong
bat systems and sensor technology and Singapore has no interest in Chinese mi- opportunities for European naval tech-
cost factors. The Philippines, Singapore litary equipment. Vietnam’s contesting nologies, with continuing needs for ships
and Thailand, which all have a history of claims with China in the South China Sea to replace ageing and obsolete ships and
close military cooperation with the Uni- has the result of ensuring Vietnam will not upgrades to existing ships capable of ad-
ted States, are the main users of US naval purchase Chinese military equipment and ditional service. Growing tensions over the
technologies. But even within Thailand even in Malaysia, there is the possibility that South China Sea and competition for re-
and Singapore, the scale of US sourced na- the current government which took over in sources in the waters of Southeast Asia is
val technologies is small compared to that May this year may be unwilling to push for also likely to result in naval expansion and
sourced from Europe. US shipbuilders have further military purchases from China, in modernisation. While indigenous construc-
made little headway in the region, though contrast to the previous government which tion is gaining widespread use, the techno-
that could due to a preference to focus initiated the LMS programme. logical and industrial base limitations for
on the US and Middle East market. Both The Republic of Korea has emerged as a Southeast Asian countries in regard to we-
Malaysia and Indonesia largely eschew US strong competitor in recent times. DSME apon systems, combat management sys-
naval technologies, as mentioned earlier, has built two NAGAPASA class submarines tems, sensors and equipment will continue
the Royal Malaysian Navy unsuccessfully for Indonesia along with assisting Indone- to ensure that European naval technologies
pushed for the Raytheon ESSM to equip sia to build the third, and currently is also will be required by Southeast Asia to meet
its MAHARAJA LELA class LCS. building a DW-3000 frigate for Thailand, its naval needs.  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 85

  I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

“We are investing heavily in research

and development”
Interview with
İsmail Başyiğit,
CEO of MilSOFT

ESD: Mr Başyiğit, can you give us some Turkish Coast Guard. Our success in this
brief information about MilSOFT? CMS project was recognised with the
Başyiğit: MilSOFT was founded in 1998 Technological Success Award. Thanks to
with the goal of developing high-quality our powerful, scalable and modular CMS
software for the defence industry and to infrastructure, we were able to develop
develop technologies that would enable a very sophisticated Naval Information
the company to be independent. MilSOFT Exchange System (NIXS) for the Pakistan
wanted to be competitive in global mar- Navy in less than a year. This solution is
kets, which required an effective manage- currently being extended to many nodal
ment infrastructure within the company. points, so that the solution is not only used
In the first two years, our goal was to by naval vessels, but also by naval aircraft
establish high quality and development and command centres.
methods to be competitive in the global Another core competence of the company
marketplace. And the rest was marketing is the development of tactical data links.
of what we did. In addition to the NATO We have developed Link 11 and 16, which
certifications, MilSOFT was the first in ESD: What can you say about your prod- operate on eight PERRY class Turkish frig-
Turkey to be certified to CMMI Level 3 ucts? ates and two MİLGEM corvettes and sever-
in 2002. Of course, we have not stopped Başyiğit: One of MilSOFT's core compe- al others. MilSOFT also provided command
striving for excellence and in 2005 we tencies is management and control sys- control functions directly linked to tactical
were the first CMMI Level 5 company in tems in every respect. We try to be part of data linking processes. MilSOFT also pro-
Europe and Turkey. every step in the Observe, Orient, Decide vides tactical data link solutions from new
submarines to aircraft for modernisation
Photos: MiLSOFT

programmes. MilSOFT's data connectivity

solutions currently run on more than 60
platforms.
MilSOFT has achieved the level of offer-
ing indigenous, bespoke data connectivity
capabilities no less powerful than the Link
22 or 16 family known today, to meet the
needs of our future partners. MilSOFT can
also offer data forwarding capabilities not
many companies in the world can provide.
While being in the military decision cycle, it
was impossible to stay away from ad hoc
IP-based communication infrastructures
which we can also provide even for legacy
radios.
We are also providing image analysis ca-
pabilities and ground control stations for
various UAVs, including the Turkish ANKA
Screenshot of MiLSOFT’s Combat Management System (CMS) software UAVs. Nowadays, our image exploitation
for the search and rescue vessels of the Turkish Coast Guard and analysis capabilities are so advanced
that we are considering exporting them to
The second goal of the company was and Act loop. We have developed our friendly countries.
to develop domestic technologies that own OACE/DDS compliant infrastructure MilSOFT offers many products and solu-
would meet the future requirements of and management systems. As our read- tions in the field of EW, modelling and
the global market. Since then we have ers already know, Open Architecture is simulation, such as avionics-based flight
been able to provide our partners with a turning point and a technology of the readiness test and post-simulation analysis.
the latest technologies with the support future. We delivered the entire Combat More than 2,000 electronic warfare offic-
of TÜBITAK (Scientific and Technological Management System (CMS) software ers of the Turkish Armed Forces have been
Research Council of Turkey). for the search and rescue vessels of the trained with our electronic warfare simula-

86 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

can be a full-service provider or help our

partners build their own infrastructure.
In today's military environment, I believe
that software will be crucial to winning
wars. That is why we are investing heav-
ily in research and development and try-
ing to determine the industry's future
requirements.
In terms of technology, quality and price,
we are very competitive internationally.
The only thing missing is the ability to
reach the end consumers and let them
know about us.

ESD: You are also exhibiting at IDEAS 2018

in Pakistan. How do you assess the Paki-
stani defence market and what do you con-
MiLSOFT’s Naval Information Exchange System (NIXS) sider to be the challenges for companies?
for the Pakistan Navy Başyiğit: We see no difference between
the Pakistani and Turkish defence indus-
tion suite. Our experience in modelling and as an important avionics infrastructure in tries. We want to play our part in strength-
simulation also offers test environments for our national projects. ening the close and well-established part-
similar systems, such as Data Link Testing. We know that with such a broad spectrum nership. The challenges are the same as
In addition to intelligence and decision of solutions, something would be lost if in any other country, such as demanding
making cycles, MilSOFT also offers embed- we were not investing in IT middleware. partners and commitments which we are
ded software solutions. Some examples TURKUAZ combines the Enterprise Service happy to meet.
are FAA-certified Sikorsky S-92 Mission Middleware and the Realtime Information
Computer, Automatic Train Protection Providing Middleware (like the DDS devel- The questions were asked by
Software or the implementation of FACE oped by MilSOFT). As you may suspect, we Korhan Özkilinc.

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  I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

European Naval Suppliers

in South America
Bob Nugent

This article draws on AMI’s naval market reporting and proprietary local shipyards and systems companies.
This article draws on AMI’s naval market
data to review South America’s naval market, and the prospects for reporting and proprietary data to review
European naval suppliers in it. South America’s naval market, and the
prospects for European naval suppliers in
it. It first reviews region-wide trends, then

E urope has maintained close relationships

with South American navies from their
very beginnings in the early 19th century.
of European suppliers are having success in
the regional market, as seen by France’s Na-
val Group (submarine programmes in Chile
provides more detail on naval construction
programmes now underway that feature
European suppliers. Finally, it provides a
European companies have remained promi- and Brazil). Germany’s Fassmer has proved snapshot of the largest and/or nearest-
nent suppliers to those navies in the 20th attractive is supplying OPV designs and con- term future programmes (expected to be
century, especially in the post WWII period. struction assistance (Chile, Colombia). awarded in the next five years), and which
European naval suppliers are vying to win
Photo: DCNS

those competitions.
As a non-competitive venture, Brazil's nu-
clear submarine programme will not be
considered in this article.

Market Overview
Latin America is a unique naval market in
many respects. First, maritime rivalries and
tensions remain relatively low, in contrast
to other areas such as the Arabian Gulf
and South China Sea. Therefore while the
leading (and most expensive) programmes
in the region continue to be capable and
well-armed submarines and surface com-
batants, those programmes must justify
expensive warfare systems and platforms
against competing requirements lower on
the naval capability spectrum.
For example, expansive maritime economic
zones and economic interests (fisheries,
Naval Group (formerly DCNS) is successful in Brazil with its SCORPENE energy resources) drive demand for larger
design; the first RIACHUELO class submarine for the Brazilian navy OPVs in many South American countries.
(RIACHUELO S 40) is already being assembled. The proximity of the continent to the Ant-
arctic and lower latitudes also spurs the
The long-standing preference for German At the same time ship designs and systems need for specialty ships and equipment ca-
diesel submarines among many navies in from countries outside Europe are enter- pable of sustained operations in the icy and
the region, and the historic UK-Chile rela- ing the South American market, notably stormy waters. Lastly, the riverine environ-
tionship in surface combatants are illustra- South Korea’s Dae Sun Shipbuilding (Peru ment of Amazonia also generates specific
tions of the long-standing Europe-South LPD programme) and Israel’s patrol craft in and unique requirements for patrol craft
America naval connection. Argentina. Local shipyards and systems sup- and amphibious lift ships and craft.
Today, the competition to provide the next pliers are also playing a larger role in the Looking at the region’s future market (20
generation of naval platforms and systems in continent’s naval market, with ASMAR, years to 2037) by country in the chart be-
South America is intensifying. A wider range COTECMAR and others taking the lead on low, Brazil continues to lead the region in
local procurements. spending and advanced platform acquisi-
Au th o r These trends are changing the market dy- tion. Despite a lagging economy and con-
namics in the region for European suppli- tinuing political uncertainty, Brazil repre-
Bob Nugent is a Virginia-based ers, shifting them from a traditional “build sents almost 40% of the region’s projected
Affiliate Consultant for AMI Interna- and export” business model to offers for total spending on new naval platforms, and
tional in Bremerton, WA, USA. design support, construction teaming, and acquisition spending over the next two
technical transfer and co-production with decades, and almost 20% of future hulls.

88 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

This future spending is concentrated in frig- As noted above, the region’s requirement Current Programmes
ate and submarine programmes. for OPVs remains substantial. Seven of eight
Perhaps surprisingly, Colombia currently countries AMI tracks in South America have The 2008 award of the Brazilian subma-
places second in the region for planned OPV programmes in their naval budget. rine construction program to France’s
naval spending and first in the number of Collectively, the OPV sector represents only Naval Group (then DCNS) is considered a
hulls to be acquired. While the country’s 6% of forecasted naval spending in South major event in the South American naval
naval structure still is centred on smaller America, but those programmes amount market from the perspective of European
patrol and amphibious platforms, Colom- to almost US$1.5Bn in new ship budgets. suppliers. While DCNS had enjoyed earlier
bia has put in place an ambitious plan to And OPVs, being lower cost per hull pro- success in Chile with its SCORPENE subma-
acquire submarines, frigates, and corvettes. grammes compared to surface combat- rine design, the scope, level of investment
The three platform types together repre- ants or submarines, have typically enjoyed and long-term commitment represented

South Hulls New Hulls Spend Subs Sub Frigates & Frigate & OPV OPV
America to be Platform % of % of Spend % of Corvettes Corvette Spend % of
Regional acquired Spend Region Region $ USD Country Spend % of $ USD Country
Naval 2017-36 2017-36 Total Total Spend $ USD Country Spend
Procurement (USD M) Spend
Forecast
Brazil 53 9048 23% 37% 3260 36% 3700 41% 300 3%
Colombia 76 3574.6 33% 15% 700 20% 1600 45% 240 7%
Chile 11 3333.8 5% 14% 1000 30% 2000 60% 116 3%
Ecuador 22 2970 10% 12% 1600 54% 1800 61% 150 5%
Peru 23 2952 10% 12% 900 30% 1500 51% 300 10%
Venezuela 11 1055 5% 4%
Argentina 11 899 5% 4% 200 22%
Uruguay 22 388.5 10% 2% 180 46%
Region Total 229 24220.9 7460 31% 10600 44% 1486 6%

sent some 80% of planned spending for steadier funding support. So OPVs are a by the agreement in Brazil is considered
the country. Colombia has steadily invested market segment of continuing significant by some analysts to mark a new model of
in developing local naval design and con- opportunity for European ship designers, European naval industry relationships in
struction capabilities, and the country’s builders and system providers. the South American market.
naval plans are beginning to benefit from A cautionary note on these plans is that Other observers are more sceptical that
these investments. they depend on each country making the programme will run on the an-
Chile, Ecuador and Peru also remain major a sustained commitment to fund pro- nounced schedule and scope. Political
markets in South America, each represent- grammes - often stretching over a decade and economic uncertainties in Brazil,
ing roughly 10% of regional planned spend- or two. In the past those sustained com- cloud the prospects for full realisation of
ing. Each country is forecasted to acquire a mitments have tended to be lacking in the both conventional and nuclear submarine
new generation of larger frigates and sub- region, confronted by economic booms construction programmes, a decade on
marines to advance their sea service quali- and busts, political rivalries, and competi- after the initial award.
tatively, while maintaining the current size tion for defence procurement from other Construction continues on the first sub-
of the fleet. military branches. marine hulls. In January 2018, the Brazilian

Country Programme Status Expected Total Euro Hull Euro Weapons

Contract Programme Suppliers & Systems
Award Date Hulls (Design) Suppliers

Brazil RIACHUELO (SCORPENE) In Progress Underway 4 Naval Group Naval Group,

Class Diesel Electric Thales, Safran
Submarine (SSK)
Chile Coast Guard PILOTO PARDO In Progress Underway 2 Fassmer Bofors,
Class Offshore Patrol Vessel Oto Melara
(OPV)
Colombia 20 DE JULIO Class Offshore In Progress Underway 1 Fassmer Bofors,
Patrol Vessel (OPV) Oto Melara
Venezuela Damen STAN PATROL 5009 In Progress Underway 2 Damen Thales
Patrol Boat
Current programmes of European naval suppliers in South America

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 89

 Photo: BMT

The VENATOR 110 frigate design offered by BMT for the Colombian Navy’s tender in 2020 to replace its
ALMIRANTE PADILLA class frigates

Navy (Marinha do Brasil - MdB) and Itaguai ority for most European naval suppliers. Ar- 76mm gun and two 12.7mm machine guns.
Construcoes Navais (ICN) transferred three gentina’s OPV programme, with contract European competitors assessed as vying for
sections of the first RIACHUELO class sub- award expected in the next 12 months, is the programme include:
marine (Riachuelo – S 40) from the Steel another contested field for Europe’s ship • Lürssen Werft (PV 80 design)
Structures Manufacturing Unit (UFEM) at and systems offerors. And Chile’s subma- • Navantia (AVANTE design)
Itaguai to the other side of the complex on rine programme is expected to see keen • Fassmer (1,800-tonne OPV-80)
Madeira Island. competition among French, German, • Naval Group (GOWIND series)
Another watermark in the South American Swedish companies. • BAE Systems (RIVER class)
naval market has been Fassmer’s success. • Fincantieri (COMMANDANTE or SIRIOS
Here the business model is more limited, Argentina: MALVINAS OPVs designs)
model centred on design provision, mod- • Damen (SIGMA series).
ernisation and construction assistance. This Current Argentine Navy (ARA) planning
model has proven successful in both Chile calls for a total of four Offshore Patrol Brazil: TAMANDARÉ
and Colombia with OPV programmes. Vessels (OPVs) to be built under this pro- Corvette Programme
Should Fassmer emerge a winner in the Ar- gramme to replace the ARA's three CHER-
gentina OPV programme, it would further OKEE, two KING and one OLIVIERI class The TAMANDARÉ corvette programme
reinforce the company’s leadership in this OPVs that were commissioned from the will procure four hulls to be built in
“niche” sector. 1940s through 1981. Brazil. In December 2017, Brazil issued
The ARA requirements call for an OPV dis- a Request for Proposals (RfPs) to 21
Future Programmes placing around 1,800 tonnes with a flight potential suppliers for the estimated
deck and hangar to support one medium US$1.6B programme. Nine teams re-
Looking at programmes expected to be helicopter. It will be powered by two diesel ported submitted proposals in May
awarded over the next five years, future engines for a top speed of at least 25 knots. 2018, among them five European-led
frigates will continue to be the highest pri- The OPVs will be armed with one 57mm or groups:

Country Programme Status Expected Total Competing Euro Competing Euro

Contract Programme Hull Suppliers (Design) Weapons & Systems
Award Date Hulls Suppliers

Argentina MALVINAS Class Planned 2018 4 Lürssen, Navantia, Fassmer, MBDA, Thales,
Offshore Patrol Naval Group, BAE Systems, Leonardo
Vessel (OPV) Fincantieri, Damen
Brazil TAMANDARÉ Planned 2019 4 BAE Systems, ThyssenKrupp Thales, Leonardo,
Class Corvette Marine Systems, Naval Group,
Damen/SAAB, Fincantieri, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK
Naval Group
Chile Diesel Electric Planned 2020 2 TKMS, Naval Group, SAAB Naval Group, ATLAS
Submarine (SS) ELEKTRONIK, SAAB,
MBDA, Leonardo
Colombia Future Frigate Planned 2022 4 Navantia, Naval Group, BAE Thales, Leonardo,
Systems, Fincantieri, Damen Naval Group, MBDA,
ATLAS ELEKTRONIK
Peru Future Frigate Planned 2020 4 Navantia, Naval Group, Thales, Leonardo,
BAE Systems, Fincantieri, Naval Group, MBDA,
Damen ATLAS ELEKTRONIK
South America's top 5 current and future naval programmes

90 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

• BAE Systems/CONSUB Defesa e Tecno-
logia (Type 31e)
• ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)/
Embraer and Ares Aerospacial e Defesa
S.A. (MEKO design)
• Damen/Saab/CONSUB Defesa e Tecno-
logia (SIGMA 10514 design)
• Fincantieri/Leonardo/Ezute (probably

Photo: Damen
Fincantieri 105-meter corvette design)
• Naval Group/Enseada Industria Naval
S.A./Mectron S.A. (Gowind design)
On 15 October 2018 the Brazilian Navy's Damen proposes its modular 2nd gen OPV for Argentina’s MALVINAS
Programme Management Directorate an- class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) programme.
nounced a shortlist of four contenders:
• ÁGUAS AZUIS comprising Embraer, frigate based on the AVANTE series, pos- Chile:
Ares Aerospacial e Defesa and TKMS; sibly the F 538 frigate design that is also Submarine Programme
• DAMEN-SAAB TAMANDARÉ part- being offered to the Peruvian Navy.
nered with Brazil's CONSUB Defesa e Even though Navantia signed a coopera- Chile received two SCORPENE
Tecnologia; tion agreement with COTECMAR, the (O'HIGGINS class) submarines from
• FLV: Fincantieri/Leonardo and Vard frigate competition is still considered France’s DCNS in 2005 and 2006. The
partnered with Brazil's Ezute; open as Naval Group is offering its new country’s navy has a requirement to re-
• VILLEGAGNON consisting of Naval 4,000-tonne BELHARRA frigate design place the other two subs in the fleet:
Group, Enseada Industria Naval and (export version of the French Navy's FTI Type 209/1300 THOMSON class subma-
Mectron. medium sized frigate) and the United rines. Both will be forty years old in 2024
The only known armament selection to date Kingdom's BMT Defence Services with and are expected to be out of service by
is the Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia (MBDA) Sweden's Saab is offering the VENATOR then, despite having been refitted and
Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missiles. AMI es- 110 frigate design. Naval Group opened modernised in 2014.
timates that some of the combat and sen- its own representative's office in Bogotá An RFP for the new subs is expected soon
sor systems will be produced locally as part in March 2017. In 2013, DCNS completed and may be released at the upcoming Ex-
of teaming and partnership agreements. the modernisation effort of the ARC's ponaval event in Valparaiso in December,
Companies such as Mectron, Embraer's four PADILLA class corvettes. 2018, marking the 200th Anniversary of
subsidiary Atech, IpqM/Elebra and IpqM/ the Chilean Navy.
Esca have been involved in development of France is assessed as being in the best
Combat Management Systems (CMS), an- competitive position to supply the next
ti-ship missiles (ASMs), two submarines to Chile, as an all-
electronic warfare SCORPENE fleet would reduce training,
(EW) systems and maintenance and supply chain costs.
machinery control That said, European submarine builders
systems (IMCS). ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems
The programme’s (TKMS), Fincantieri,
planned award has been Navantia and Saab
delayed several months, and Kockums are ex-
Phot
the winner is expected to be o: tk
ms pected to offer
announced in early 2019. alternatives.
Pricing will be
Colombia: The MEKO design offered by a key issue in
Frigate Programme thyssenkrupp Marine Systems this procurement.
(tkms) for Brazil’s TAMANDARÉ When the Chilean
The Colombian Navy (Armada Republica programme Navy acquired the first
de Colombia (ARC)) is expected to issue an two SCORPENE hulls from the DCNS/Na-
international tender in 2020 for up to eight This programme represents Colombia's larg- vantia team in 1998, they received a sig-
frigates to replace its four ALMIRANTE PA- est and most complex naval procurement nificant price discount. Sources indicated
DILLA class frigates that were built in the since acquiring two Type 209 submarines that the European suppliers offered the
early 1980s. The tender will be for the design in the 1970s and the four ALMIRANTE class discounts in an effort to maintain em-
and construction assistance of the frigates at corvettes in the 1980s. Procurement fund- ployment at their domestic shipyards.
Colombia's Science and Technology Corpo- ing for the ARC is very low and it will take a In the 20 years since that procurement,
ration for the Development of Naval, Mari- significant effort at the Ministry of Defence ASMAR has significantly matured as a
time and Riverine Industries (COTECMAR). (MoD) level to attain the funding. builder and Chile may seek tech trans-
Navantia of Spain has positioned for the As with Argentina’s programme, external fer and infrastructure investment terms
programme with its November 2014 co- funding is likely to be required to move the similar to those seen in Brazil’s subma-
operation agreement with COTECMAR frigate procurement forward. Alternative- rine programme. This requirement could
to participate in naval ship construction ly, the OPV programme may be extended open the competition to other providers
opportunities throughout South America. and expanded as a lower cost alternative willing to match or better Naval Group’s
AMI assesses that Navantia will propose a to a new complex and costly frigate. terms in these areas.  

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 91

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS

The Austro-Asian Artillery Alternative

Georg Mader

For smaller armies, heavy grenade launchers – such as those

with a calibre of 120mm – aree an alternative to classic artillery.

T he latter is nowadays almost always

self-propelled or a special vehicle,
which is why these vehicles take several
Photos: Georg Mader

years to acquire and are much more ex-

pensive. Recent combat experiences, for
example, from Ukraine, show that quicker
position changes are more advantageous
than those possible with towed or self-pro-
pelled heavy launchers. In the best case,
there are only a few minutes left until the
opponent returns fire. In June, an innova-
tive niche concept for mobile fire support
was presented in Paris, developed by an
Austrian company.
Hirtenberger Defence Systems (HDS), re-
cently branding itself as “The Mortar
Company”, announced at Eurosatory a
product-related partnership with ST En-
gineering from Singapore, centred on
their futuristic-looking 120mm automatic
launcher SRAMS or 'Super Rapid Advanced
Mortar System'. HDS' UK-based subsidiary
is to open up the European market, which A mortar demonstration at the Austrian Army‘s firing range in Felixdorf,
is otherwise difficult for Asians to access, set up for ST engineers from Singapore in late September 2018
with an Austria-made fire-control system
and three types of ammunition approved
in Europe. These include the new high-
explosive (HE) CONFRAG Mk.3, with 60%
increased splintering effect, or lethality as it
is known in the trade, in addition to smoke,
light or IR (parachute) grenades. CONFRAG
is also offered for the 60mm and 81mm
launchers.
The idea behind the cooperation with ST,
which celebrated its 50th anniversary in
2017, is that the SRAM's ingenious recoil
damping system (reducing recoil to be-
low 26 tons) makes it possible to fire the
launcher from many commercially available
wheeled or tracked vehicles. According to
HDS Vice President for Sales and Market-
ing Carsten Barth, the launcher can also be
retrofitted on 4x4 platforms or Hägglunds-
type vehicles as well as all multipurpose 6x6

Au th o r
Georg Mader is a defence corre-
spondent and freelance aerospace
journalist based in Vienna, Austria,
and a regular contributor to ESD.

92 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

 I ND US TRY & MARKE TS 

and 8x8 wheeled or tracked multipurpose by the UAE does not come from HDS, but SRAMS SPECIFICATIONS
vehicles. In contrast to self-propelled artil- from the local manufacturer "Internation-
lery, this means that customers do not have al Golden Group". Main weapon 120
to commit a lot of money and logistics on The fully electronic fire-control system calibre (mm)
tendering, procuring and operating a new "Arc Fire" from HDS with components Rate of fire (rounds/min) 10
and purpose-built vehicle. from Rockwell Collins enables the au-
Weight (kg) 1,200
On the other hand, when using a heavier tonomous use of the effector and vari-
(such as 120mm) system, larger vehicles or ous applications. The computer-aided fire Barrel length, inclusive 2.1
more carrier vehicles are required to trans- control automatically takes data from the of blast diffuser (m)
port the ammunition. "With CONFRAG, you handheld device of the forward observer Firing range (m) 9,000
need less ammunition, and that will change – who may be in the field, in another ve-
Elevation (degree) 80
the 120mm mortar market," says Barth. hicle, or in a helicopter in the future – and
He sees increasing demand from custom- marks targets up to 9,000 m away, cal- Depression (degree) 40
ers who are closely observing market trends culating the ballistic data. It uses a laser Traverse arc (degree) ± 40
for mobile and vehicle-mounted mortar target acquisition system, a GPS naviga-
systems and – along with other third-party tion system and a digital map. Loading Sys Semi-auto
manufacturers – the recent success of the As announced in Paris in spring, HDS Recoil Force (t) < 26
Rheinmetall/KMW BOXER in Australia and has organised live-firings for demon- First round (sec) After 60
the UK's re-entry into this market. strational purposes, for instance in late
Prior to the agreement with HDS, the September 2018 at the Austrian Federal Crew 3
SRAM system already became operational Army‘s firing range in Felixdorf, which
with the Singaporean Armed Forces on would have been difficult to organise However, because of rigid safety regula-
the BRONCO All-Terrain Tracked Carrier for the ST team around chief engineer tions, only the (blue) training ammunition
(ATTC), and in the UAE on the DENEL James Teow Soon NG and General Man- with a small target marker charge was al-
OMC RG31 Mk.6E mine-protected ar- ager Chor Kiat Tan. lowed to be used, expectations regarding
moured vehicle (MPV), called the AGRAB The firing range is only a few kilometres the experience of real 'firepower' remained
(SCORPION) MK2. The UAE bought 46 from HDS’s headquarters and production rather unfulfilled. The small grey clouds at
AGRABs in a 2007 contract then worth site in Triesting valley south of Vienna. This different distances were hardly visible. What
US$106M. The 10-tonne vehicle oper- time, military, government and industry was well demonstrated, however, was the
ated by a crew of three carries 46 mortar representatives from countries such as Ger- rapid firing sequence of up to 10 bombs per
rounds in two carousels and has two more many, Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia, who are minute. This is achieved by the rapid mecha-
racks for another 12 rounds. According to potential customers who would otherwise nism of the loading carriage, which takes
video images, the system is being used in be more difficult for Singaporeans to reach, only seconds to muzzle-load each round
the Yemen war, but the ammunition used took part. ESD was also there. into the 2.1-metre-long mortar tube.  

The three types of HIRTENBERGER ammunition The mortar demonstration was organised
approved in Europe by HIRTENBERGER.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 93

 Firms & Faces

40th Anniversary of Eletttronica IDE Participates in Diehl’s covers not only the acquisition of identi-
in Germany IRIS-T SLM cal submarines, but also cooperation in
(df) Founded in 1978 as a logistic and (df) INTRACOM Defense Electronics (IDE) the training, operation, maintenance and
maintenance facility in support of its Ital- announced it will extend its cooperation support of the new submarines. Through
ian parent company Elettronica S.p.A. the with the German Company Diehl Defence the programme agreement, Germany has
German Elettronica GmbH has celebrat- by signing a 5-Year frame contract of €10 committed itself, among other things, to
million value for the series production of carry out parts of the planned repair of
Photo: Elettronica

crucial electronic missile components of the submarines in Norway. A future op-

the IRIS-T SLM (Surface-Launched Medium erational organisation will be established
range) ground-based air defence system. by both nations and will be set up in con-
These missile components were developed nection with a new maintenance hall in
by IDE and were tested with absolute suc- Haakonsvern. The programme agreement
cess during extensive trials in the certifica- is a major milestone on the way to the final
tion phase of the system. “This new success offer from the German company thyssen-
confirms not only IDE’s competitiveness, krupp Marine Systems (tkMS), which was
but also our company’s advanced level of expected by the end of October. Norway
expertise in cutting-edge technologies, has budgeted €4.4bn for its four new sub-
acknowledged in practice by our interna- marines.
Photo: Diehl Defence

ed the company's 40th anniversary this tkMS Modernises Indian

year. The first contract that the company Submarines
was awarded by the German Ministry of (gwh) thyssenkrupp Marine Systems
Defence was for electronic warfare (EW) (tkMS) has received an order from
countermeasures in the scope of the F104 Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) for the
STARFIGHTER programme. Over the years, general overhaul and modernisation of
the company has grown thanks to the the Indian submarine INS SHISHUMAR in
participation in international defence pro- the high double-digit million euro range.
grammes like Eurofighter TYPHOON and The contract covers the supply of new
NH90. During the last decade, Elettronica equipment, maintenance ofsystems and
GmbH successfully entered the new mar- tional customers”, stated George Troul- components, on-site technical support
ket segments of homeland security and linos, CEO of IDE. At the moment Diehl and logistics services in the form of docu-
EW simulation. With the acquisition of is equipping the Swedish Army with the mentation, training and spare parts. It also
new capabilities and skills the customer IRIS-T SLS short-range air defence system. includes a so-called life certification. With
base in Germany and elsewhere could be The SHORAD solution employs the IRIS-T this certificate, thyssenkrupp Marine Sys-
extended and Elettronica GmbH evolved air-to-air missile, operative in Sweden, for tems guarantees functionality of the INS
from a logistics facility to an engineering vertical launch from the Hägglunds Bv410 SHISHUMAR pressure vessel for the next
and systems integration company capa- carrier platform. decade. The overhaul of INS SHISHUMAR
ble of meeting the requirements of the at the MDL shipyard in Mumbai should be
demanding defence and aerospace mar- Programme Agreement for completed by 2021. tkMS and its subsidi-
kets. "This anniversary today constitutes German-Norwegian Submarines ary ATLAS ELEKTRONIK have been mod-
that our objective set up 40 years ago has (gwh) The Memorandum of Understand- ernising INS SHALKI and INS SHALKUL,
been achieved, namely to open the EW ing (MoU) on the joint procurement and two other submarines of the same class,
gateway to Europe with an innovation- operation of six identical submarines by since 2016. The three submarines men-
oriented business concept built on a solid the German and Norwegian armed forces tioned belong to a group of four that were
Italian foundation with a strong German was signed on 10 September 2018 by the put into service between 1986 and 1994.
footprint", Enzo Benini, the President and German defence procurement agency The submarines based on the HDW Class
CEO of the Elettronica Group said in his BAAINBw and the Norwegian Defence 209 design were built half by HDW (Kiel)
welcome address. "At the same time, the Materiel Agency (NDMA). This follows and half by MDL (Mumbai).
overarching idea of intensifying industrial a decision of Norway in 2017 to chose
cooperation in support of collaboration Germany as Norway’s strategic partner Malaysian A400M Transport Air-
and integration of the European defence in the submarine area. The partnership craft Supports Relief Efforts in
industrial base which, in turn, could con- Indonesia
Photo: NDMA

stitute the base for the creation of an (ck) The Indonesian Government, the Royal
effective European defence strategy for Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and the Airbus
all Member States, has been pursued." Foundation have been working together to
General Axel Binder, the Commander of support humanitarian relief efforts in Palu,
the Bundeswehr's Strategic Reconnais- Indonesia, with the deployment of a RMAF
sance Command, honoured Elettronica's A400M and the distribution of emergency
achievements by stating: "Elettronica has supplies to the city. The A400M, which ar-
proven to be a reliable and valuable part- rived in Jakarta’s Halim Air Base on 4 Octo-
ner for the federal armed forces and the ber 2018, has been delivering relief material
Strategic Reconnaissance Command." to Palu to support the victims of an earth-

94 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

quake. The earthquake was followed by a road characteristics the vehicle is well- Spain’s Helicopter Simulation
tsunami of up to six metres, which struck suited for operations in rough conditions. Centre
the city of Palu and neighbouring Donggala State Secretary Silberhorn reminded (ck) The CESIHEL helicopter simulation cen-
on 28 September. More than 1,400 people those present of the considerable contri- tre is one of the backbones of the Aviation
have died, around 50,000 residents have bution Montenegro is making to NATO Academy of the Spanish Army (ACAVIET)
by deploying Montenegrin soldiers in on- where pilots of the Spanish Army and Air

Photo: Airbus
going international missions. Force are trained. Developed by Indra,
CESIHEL is one of the most advanced simu-
ESG and EMT to Collaborate lation centres in Europe, especially in joint
on UAS tactical training of crews. CESIHEL has eight
(ck) ESG, a leading German provider of simulators of different helicopter models
security-related IT systems, and EMT, connected to a network, allowing train-
an aeronautical organisation building ing in the most complex mission scenarios.
unmanned air systems, have signed a In 2019, two new NH90simulators, also
memorandum of understanding on en- developed by Indra, will enter service at
hanced collaboration in the tactical UAS Agoncillo Base. This will bring the network
field. The collaboration aims to combine of simulators connected for joint training
the complementary portfolios of EMT and

Photo: Indra
been reported missing and over 200,000 ESG. By realising goal-oriented synergies,
people are in need of emergency assis- the needs of the Bundeswehr and other
tance. The A400M’s cargo included fuel customers can be better met, from con-
trucks from Indonesian oil firm Pertamina ception and integration to product sup-
and excavators from industrial products port for tactical UAS and their mission
manufacturer PT Pindad. The aircraft also and ground control systems.
transported food and medical supplies.
The Airbus Foundation is also supporting HENSOLDT Consolidates its South
the transport of emergency supplies and African Subsidiaries
is helping the IFRC by providing 45 flight (ck) HENSOLDT, a designer of sensor so-
hours with an H125. The Foundation is also lutions, will consolidate its South African
supporting Medecins sans Frontières (MSF) subsidiaries GEW Technologies (Pty) Ltd up to ten devices. The simulation centre
by enabling them to contract an H155 op- comprises flight simulators (FFS) and heli-
Photo: Hensoldt

erator who will be assisting relief efforts for copter trainers for the CH-47D CHINOOK,
a few weeks. Furthermore, images from AS532 COUGAR, EC135 and EC665 TIGER,
Airbus satellites are being used for emer- located at two different bases: Colmenar
gency response. Viejo, with six simulators, and Almagro,
where two simulators for the TIGER heli-
Armoured Vehicles for copter are located. All of them have been
Montenegro developed with Indra technology. Armed
(ck) Germany's parliamentary Secretary forces from around the world are trained at
of State for Defence, Thomas Silberhorn, CESIHEL which helps to reduce costs.
handed over six Mercedes-Benz G-Class
light armoured patrol vehicles (LAPV) to Robotic Mine Warfare
Montenegro's Chief of General Staff, (ck) In response to the Belgian-Dutch pro-
General Drakutin Dakić, at Golubovci curement programme for 12 mine coun-
Air Base. The vehicle is known as ENOK termeasure vessels, Naval Group and ECA
in Germany. Its OM 642 diesel engine and HENSOLDT Optronics (Pty) Ltd under Group want to cooperate on unmanned
has an output of 135 kW, a top speed the HENSOLDT brand, thus creating a more anti-mine warfare solutions. Naval Group
coherent appearance. GEW Technologies, and ECA Group intend to develop mili-
Photo: Daimler

with approximately 300 employees, is a tary mine warfare vessels (MCMs) that
provider for electronic warfare, spectrum integrate drones, sonars, excavators and
monitoring and security. Founded in 1968, remote-controlled systems and robotic
GEW celebrates its 50th anniversary this mine warfare on board the MCM ves-
year. HENSOLDT Optronics South Africa, sel. The two partners want to combine
employing approximately 300 personnel, their most effective solutions, already
focuses on the design of specialised optical in use with other customers, to offer a
payloads like the ARGOS and GOSHAWK cost-effective solution to the Belgian and
airborne targeting and surveillance elec- Dutch navies. To this end, the two part-
tro-optical systems and associated multi- ners have formed a project management
spectral sensors, laser rangefinders, and team based in Belgium, which will draw
of around 100 km/h and a range of 700 handheld observation systems. Hensoldt on local partners with whom they have
km. Permissible gross vehicle weight is Optronics has been in business for more already entered into cooperation agree-
6.1 tonnes. Because of its impressive off- than 45 years. ments.

7/2018 · European Security & Defence 95

Firms & Faces

New Director of Operations New Group CEO at Oxley MEKO Corvettes Proposed
at Nexter (ck) Oxley Group has appointed Garry North for Brazilian Navy
(ck) Nexter, a KNDS Group company and as CEO of the UK-based Oxley Group of (ck) The Brazilian Navy announced the
French leader in land defence, has appoint- Companies. Oxley Group is a manufacturer shortlist for the CCT (Corvettes Class TA-
ed Sylvain Rous- of LED lighting MANDARÉ) programme which seeks to

Photo: Oxley
Photo: ESD archive
seau as Director systems, night procure four ships. One of the finalists is the
of Operations. vision solutions consortium Águas Azuis, consisting of thys-
The group is re- and electronic senkrupp Marine Systems and Embraer De-
newing its man- components. fense & Security. The two companies have
agement struc- The product a strong footprint in Brazil and the ability
ture to sup- range includes to ensure a transfer of technology also for
port operatio- EMC filters, LED other Brazilian defence projects. The con-
nal change. Syl- indicator lamps sortium has proposed a MEKO class design
vain Rous- and intercon- that facilitates local integration and technol-
seau will be nect products ogy transfer and reduces maintenance and
responsible for for military and aerospace applications. Ox- modernisation costs. Its robust combat ca-
corporate strategy, purchasing and supply ley is a supplier for major aerospace and de- pabilities make the MEKO class an authentic
chain management at Nexter. His objec- fence companies across the globe including blue water vessel with long range and cost-
tives include the successful launch of the Boeing, Sikorsky, General Dynamics, Gulf- effective operation. Since 1982, 82 MEKO
export programmes, the improvement of stream, Lockheed Martin, Korea Aerospace corvettes have been delivered to 14 differ-
the group's supply chain performance and Industries, BAE Systems, Saab and Airbus. ent countries, 37 of which have been built
industrial activities and the implementation Mr. North can draw on his background as a outside Germany. All these vessels are still in
of the “make or buy” policy in line with mechanical engineer and has over 40 years service, with a service life of more than 40
the “Next Performances” progress plan. of experience in the manufacturing indus- years. Embraer subsidiary Atech has been
The "Next Performances" progress plan, try, particularly in the aerospace and de- chosen to supply the Combat Manage-
launched in 2016 by Stéphane Mayer as fence sector. Mr. North has led industry ment System (CMS) for the vessels in close
President of the Nexter Group, aims to im- teams in the US, Europe, the Middle and cooperation with thyssenkrupp Marine
prove the group's performance. Far East. Systems' ATLAS ELEKTRONIK subsidiary.

Preview ESD 8/2018 · Decemb

er 2018

• Country Focus: Greece

• Exercise Vostok 2018 – an Analysis
• The Norwegian Air Force
• Franco-German Defence Cooperation
• Blue Force Tracking
• Turkey's Indigenous Stealth Fighter
• Military and Police Shotguns
• Border Protection Resources
• The All-Electric Ship
• Railgun Programmes
• Thermal Sights for Small Arms
• Naval Optronics
• Defence Industry in Spain
• Lightweight and Heavy Torpedoes

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96 European Security & Defence · 7/2018

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