A well-used F-16D from 140 Squadron lands safely at Rockhampton Airport yesterday, more than 5,750km from Singapore. More pictures by Travis Whiting and Kayanne Hardsman are found on the Central Queensland Plane Spotting site. Click here.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has projected its combat and combat support elements to Queensland, Australia, ahead of its biggest and most complex unilateral war games conducted Down Under.
Six Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-16s - the air force's most numerous fighter type - arrived in Rockhampton Airport yesterday, adding to RSAF war machines already deployed there. Two single-seat F-16Cs and four twin-seat F-16Ds touched down in the normally quiet airport in the Queensland outback, watched eagerly by Australians aviation enthusiasts who waited three years for Singapore's F-16C/Ds to reappear there.
A blog post on the CQ Plane Spotting site (please click here) recorded 140 SQN's arrival in Rocky:"The flight of six fighter jets - of 140 Squadron of the RSAF - all touched down in quick succession following their flight from RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. They were heard to be using one radio callsign of 'Singa 3311'.
"Local plane spotters Travis W and Kayanne H were one of many plane spotters and other members of the general public who made it (to) Rockhampton Airport to enjoy the fantastic spectacle of the six jets flying around Rockhampton before eventually landing on Runway 15 and taxiing to their parking spot on the military hardstand on the Northern end of the Rockhampton Airport apron."
Long-range force projection
In recent weeks, Australian plane spotters have noted successive waves of civilian airliners (among them: Air New Zealand, Qantas and Singapore Airlines) landing at Rockhampton Airport as the troop build-up gathers momentum.
These arrivals appear to be paced to a timetable that allows the SAF to execute long-range force projection with units arriving in a size and particular sequence in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA). The Australian Defence Force training ground is about two hours drive from Rockhampton Airport.
The exercise area, which is about four times the size of Singapore, sets the stage for the SAF to plan, deploy, manoeuvre and review the large-scale movement of Manoeuvre Forces. This is done in concert with RSAF strike aircraft, UAVs and combat helicopters, across vast distances, day and night, with targets engaged using live munitions of all calibres and bomb tonnage, in various operational settings over unfamiliar terrain.
As the SAF builds up its defence manpower some 5,750km from Singapore, RSAF air power was also projected at long-range - again apparently timed to a schedule that allows Team RSAF to raise its flying and flying support elements rapidly in-theatre.
Such coordination, thought to be made possible by RSAF Air Operations Department as the lead element, is said to be a complex long-range force projection exercise in itself. This is because moving RSAF heavy hitters - like warplanes, their ground support crew and assorted armament - safely to SWBTA involves close teamwork between the RSAF and civilian agencies in Singapore and abroad.
The work entails arranging for and obtaining flight clearances across three countries, over long distances that may involve crew rest and refuelling stopovers and working with multiple civilian entities for air charters. All this takes place with staff officers working behind the scenes long before Exercise Wallaby's first Frame gets started.
RSAF C-130H Hercules 731 at Rockhampton Airport. The Antonov AN-124-100 heavy-lift transport in the background was chartered by the RSAF to fly helicopters from Singapore to Queensland for Exercise Wallaby 2013.
Rarely does one see an RSAF Chinook stripped down for air transport. This Chinook has since been assembled by 127 Squadron engineers and has been seen flying around Rockhampton Airport.
As of today, plane spotters have observed two RSAF Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, five AH-64D Apache attack helicopters and five Super Puma/Cougar medium-lift helicopters at Rockhampton. The six F-16C/Ds added the fast jet element to the RSAF presence in Rockhampton.
We will continue monitoring developments in and around SWBTA in the coming weeks.
More than meets the eye:A Royal Malaysian Air Force Su-30MKM, Malaysia's most capable warplane, pulls up over Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in Kuala Lumpur on 21 September 2013, with wingtip pods not seen before on RMAF Su-30s. When paired with A2G (air-to-ground) munitions paraded at ground level, the pods are believed to give the RMAF's Su-30s the ability to engage enemy air defences from afar. Growlerski is a moniker given by the Malaysian Military Power blog. Image by Iwan from Malaysianwings.net. The image is used with the kind permission of the Malaysian Military Power blog. Click here to access the blog.
Odd one out:The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) included a special treat for eagle-eyed plane spotters at the Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade. The last Su-30MKM in this flight of four carried wingtip pods thought to contain electronic warfare equipment. According to Malaysian defence enthusiasts, the pods were not carried during flypast rehearsals. This is not a photoshopped image as the pods are visible in images of the parade taken by this blog. Image by Iwan from Malaysianwings.net. The image is used with the kind permission of the Malaysian Military Power blog.
Most spectators would have missed it - the pair of slender pods on the wingtips of just one of a quartet of Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKM warplanes in diamond formation that thundered over the Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade on 21 September 2013.
There was nothing in the commentary that told spectators what to look out for or what this piece of defence equipment was designed to do. But joining the dots weeks after the parade, it is apparent that the RMAF used the parade to showcase hard and soft kill options for its most advanced fighter force.
For the Rakyat whose eyes turned skyward at the arrival of the RMAF's most advanced warplanes, the low level flypast by Su-30s and other RMAF war machines presented yet another photo opportunity. The flypast triggered a chorus of cheers and applause that rippled across the crowdline at Dataran Merdeka as the MAF put its firepower on show.
For defence enthusiasts who invested time and effort sifting through their haul of images from the parade, the picture of the flypast by 11 Skuadron's warplanes opened their eyes to the RMAF's warfighting capabilities. This included the RMAF's ability to suppress or destroy enemy air defences in Wild Weasel-type attacks, including dealing with AEW platforms, with Su-30MKM warplanes in the vanguard of RMAF strike packages.
The wingtip pods appear to be a form of electronic countermeasure of Russian origin designed to allow the host aircraft to befuddle enemy radars with spoof signals. That fact that the pods were designed during the Soviet era to defeat NATO's integrated and multi-layered air defences is noteworthy. One should also bear in mind that the Su-30 family, which evolved from the Su-27 Flanker, was the USSR's answer to the state-of-the-art in American fighter aircraft technology.
Integrated show of force
What was seen in the air must be matched with the firepower shown at ground level. The MAF staff officer who made the decision to kit up one Su-30MKM with the special pods and unveil seldom seen A2G munitions must have trusted that a professional audience would know what they are looking at and would understand its implications.
Malaysian bloggers tell Senang Diri that the two rehearsals did not include all the bells and whistles seen during the actual parade. The Royal Malaysian Navy had an Exocet anti-ship missile as part of the Mobile Column rehearsals, but the business end of 11 Skn's war machines appeared only on the actual day of the parade.
These include Russian air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions - including cruise missiles - acquired for 11 Skn. The missiles went on parade for the first time and follows their display some years ago at an RMAF Open House (which had a lower signature compared to the parade).
Levels of combat capability
In not so many words, the RMAF has made a declared capability in SEAD and DEAD missions as it has shown that it can suppress air defences using EW (soft kill) or take them out using precision-guided munitions (hard kill).
The declared capability by the RMAF indicates it is in possession of, cognizant of and exposed to, the level of military technology represented by the defence electronics and munitions it displayed.
Strategic ambiguity
The number of systems/munitions in its arsenal and the level of competence in fielding the said systems cannot be deduced simply from the capability declaration during the parade. This in itself is a form of deterrence as the strategic ambiguity that regional defence planners must grapple with works to the MAF's strategic advantage.
It is important to remember that a declared capability is not the same thing as an operational capability. The latter includes having a concept of operations (CONOPS) that governs how military power is to be employed. CONOPS must be more than paper plans. These need to be exercised regularly to acquaint everyone with their role in the whole scheme of things.
Defence professionals would appreciate that operational capabilities, particularly for new weapon platforms or weapon systems, need to be scaled up from baby steps. Progress made from IOC to FOC could, in some cases, take years as integration and force coordination issues are worked out and the capability matures along the way.
In addition, an operational capability is distinct from a technical capability. You may tell the world you have such a capability (declared capability) and the necessary doctrine and tactics (operational capability) that script how warfighting will be waged. But it is your technical capability that will spell out the effectiveness of such measures when the button is pressed.
During WW2, Japanese ground forces understood the value of supporting infantry operations with armour. They did so while opposing American beach landings by using light armour to support the infantry as a form of Counterattack Force. However, their CONOPS was let down by the technical inferiority of Japanese tanks versus American armour which were more capable in firepower, mobility and protection. By 1945, the Americans had the added advantage of honing their combat edge in armour tactics, having fought the Germans in Europe, and used their combat experience to devastating effect against Japanese tanks.
Also in WW2, both the German Luftwaffe and United States Army Air Force (USAAF) recognised the value of twin-engine fighters for long-range operations. But German Bf-110 Zestroyers assigned for extended range air ops early in the war had a woeful combat record as they were technically not up to the mark when pitted against single-engine fighters like Hurricanes and Spitfires.
Undaunted, the USAAF employed twin-engine fighters for essentially the same roles in later years, with notable successes as engine output and aerodynamics on platforms such as the P-38 Lightning helped American pilots meet and defeat single-engine fighters. The CONOPS for both air arms were sound and articulated competently - just that the Luftwaffe was let down by a technically inferior air platform.
The term Ops-Tech Integration has often been used to bridge how warfighters see the battlefield with how the defence science community tailors war machines for the same arena. Common sense tells you that the existence and depth of Ops-Tech Integration cannot be discerned from a parade or open house. But this factor should be borne in mind when crafting capability estimates because an experienced and robust Ops-Tech Integration framework can spell war-winning potential by giving both sides a real world reality check.
The last takeaway concerns Information Operations. In particular, the value of crowd sourced intelligence in the blogosphere that has always been appreciated by this blog.
Regular readers would have seen the blog posts about the ATM Ke80 event, in the lead-up to the 21 September parade and thereafter. The reports went cold after about two weeks.
Interestingly, the unsolicited prompts to write about the Su-30's Wild Weasel-type SAM-suppression capabilities popped up after netizens noted that the blog had apparently missed the special mission Su-30. That prompt is much appreciated. Putting aside the originator's identity, timing and motivation behind the prompt, the RMAF Su-30 capability development is worth writing about on pure news value alone. Hence this post.
Check Six!
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the Malaysian bloggers who assisted with this post.
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Royal Malaysian Air Force displays Russian missiles at ATM Ke80 parade. Click here
If you believe forewarned is forearmed, then Malaysian armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) may pack an advantage in combat thanks to their laser warning devices (LWDs).
The presence of LWDs on all of the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia's (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) AFVs introduced this century could be more than a coincidence. The requirement for such defence electronics could have been woven into tender specifications that tailor AFVs for the ATM's specific operational requirements.
Every one of the ATM's latest armoured vehicles can warn its occupants of the danger from military lasers. The AFV types are the ACV300 Adnan from Turkey (2002), Polish PT-91M Pendekar (2008) and the prototype for the AV8 eight-wheeledinfantry fighting vehicle which was unveiled this March. This indicates future war machines introduced to Kor Armor Diraja's stable could be similarly protected by LWDs.
At least two models of LWDs are in ATM service. This includes the Avimo LWD2 on Adnans and Obra-3 aboard the Pendekars.
To cut to the chase, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) AFVs such as the Bionix IFV, Terrex and Leopard 2SG main battle tanks have not been observed with LWD sensors.
The decision by the Malaysian military to install them on AFVs that form its armoured spearhead says a lot. It indicates that Malaysian defence planners recognise that in their modest but growing AFV fleet, every vehicle (or more precisely, the ATM crew) is precious. The AFVs and crew therefore deserve maximum protection.
The installation of LWDs shows that Malaysian AFVs are expected to operate in a threat environment infested with hostile lasers that are used for range finding or smart munitions guidance. Early warning furnished by LWDs allows a vehicle commander (VC) to screen the vehicle using smoke grenades or order the driver to take immediate evasive action by moving under or behind cover, or executing aggressive driving.
Such defence electronics could frustrate enemy attempts at targeting KAD vehicles as the LWD warning console would light up the moment the vehicle is painted by a laser beam, with the VC provided the approximate bearing of the laser's point of origin.
When observing the ATMs latest AFVs, it is noteworthy remembering that the notion that Malaysia is behind the curve in defence science is untrue, dangerous and sometimes self-deluding.
Among the DRUMS (Distortions, Rumours, Untruths, Misinformation and Smears), this impression is potentially damaging as it dilutes one's appreciation of the ATM's combat readiness and robustness in battle.
Swift and decisive:The entry of PT-91M Pendekar main battle tanks into parade centre, crowned by low flying TUDM warplanes, made quite a spectacle as turrets swiveled in salute, tank engines roared and warplanes screamed overhead in a choreographed show of force. The ATM Ke-80 parade was telecast live by Malaysian TV (note the overhead camera on the boom).
4 December 2022 update:
Pukul Habis: Available from Amazon sites that serve your location. "Look Inside" function on some sites shows sample pages.
Ground rules for photographing Malaysia's biggest show of military might were simple enough: 1) Stay behind the white line. 2) Don't block the people behind you.
Watched over by unsmiling Military Police from Kor Polis Tentera Diraja (KPTD), that vantage point put one within touching distance of the sharp end of the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM, Malaysian Armed Forces) as Malaysia's war machine went into show of strength mode.
The parade to celebrate the ATM's 80th anniversary was held on 21 September 2013 in Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in the heart of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.
The last time the Malaysian military showcased its capabilities was the parade to mark the Tentera Darat's (Malaysian Army) 80th anniversary in Port Dickson on 2 March and the amphibious landing demo on 3 March. In the week immediately following the TD parade and capability demo, ATM forces went into action against Sulu militants in Sabah in a ATM-PDRM (Polis DiRaja Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police) joint operation codenamed Operasi Daulat (Operation Sovereignty).
Last weekend's capability display appeared calibrated to assure Malaysia's domestic and foreign audience that the Malaysian military is well armed and capable of protecting the Federation's vital interests.
It is interesting to note that the tagline for Hari ATM Ke-80, ATM Perkasa, Kedaulatan Terpelihara, contained a play on the Malay word for "sovereignty". And lest foreign observers miss the message, the tagline appeared in English on the parade's main stage - A Formidable MAF, Sovereignty Safeguarded.
Firepower on show:Paratroopers from Pasukan Atugerak Cepat (PAC, Rapid Deployment Force) parade with heavy weapons. Front to rear: RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launcher, Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle and Anza SAM. Anza means Lance. The addition of Pakistani Anza surface-to-air missiles to PAC's armoury gives the unit an organic low level air defence capability. Having missileers as part of the unit strengthens unit cohesion as the ground forces and LLAD trup would be more familiar with one another. As usual, PAC paras chanting as they marched put on a spirited show.
Tank killers:Heavy anti-tank guided missile teams embarked on Adnan armoured fighting vehicles with Baktar-Shikan anti-tank guided missile launchers in ready-to-fire position. The platform carrying the missile is retractable. Note the unsmiling KPTD MP, ever watchful on the sidelines of the parade.
Two full dress rehearsals and calibrated disclosures of ATM firepower such as TUDM's seldom-seen Russian ordnance and fast attack vehicles were all it took to raise eyebrows.
Malaysian spectators who were there to watch the ATM parade loved it and the muscle-flexing did not go unnoticed among netizens, creating a stir in cyberspace that outlasted the 2.5 hours it took for the parade to unfold with mock attacks capped by 12 marching contingents and five waves of Mobile Column elements. Speaking of outlast, the rhythmic beat of the ATM March (click here) and the Malaysian Army March (click here) played over and over, were strangely addictive and lingered in one's head long after the event. :-)
There were minor hiccups. These include the apparent lack of coordination between the deployed 35mm Oerlikon battery and the parade (the guns were supposed to fire blank rounds at some point during the parade), noticeable gaps between the commentary and the appearance of flypast elements, the less-than-symmetrical bomb burst by four Su-30MKM fighter jets and the Alvis Stormer which nearly stalled during the drive past (It didn't and the crowd cheered when it trundled along). But what do you expect with just two rehearsals?
On balance, takeaways from the event point to an ATM that has matured in the past two decades or so when it shed its counter insurgency orientation to move towards a conventional warfighting posture.
Looking at the ATM's growth trajectory in the past decades, one can expect an even more potent Malaysian military in years to come.
Air denial:Malaysian artillery gunners oblige this blog's request to showcase all three of the ATM's MANPADS in one picture. Seen here from left to right are the FN-6 Flying Crossbow from China, Anza from Pakistan and Russia's Igla ("Needle") man-portable air defence system. The ATM also possesses the twin-Igla Djigit launcher. Acquisition of sizeable numbers of MANPADS puts low flying warplanes and troop-carrying helicopters at risk in areas where Malaysian ground forces are trained, organised, armed and supported to conduct air denial missions. PAC paras riding Honda XR 250 scrambler bikes are taught to employ SAMbush tactics where potential landing sites are ringed by fast moving teams armed with Anza MANPADS.
Paratroopers from the Pasukan Atugerak Cepat (PAC, Rapid Deployment Force) in the Malaysian Army Number 5 with the new digital camouflage pattern (front view).
Malaysian Army Number 5 uniform with the new digital camouflage pattern (rear view)
4 December 2022 update:
Pukul Habis: Available from Amazon sites that serve your location. "Look Inside" function on some sites shows sample pages.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM) 80th Anniversary Parade on 21 September 2013 gave military buffs an opportunity to view and examine the new camouflage pattern at close range.
Selected Malaysian Army ground units donned the new digital pattern camouflage for the first time at the parade.
The digital pattern camouflage is known by the Malaysian Army as the Fabrik Celoreng Corak Digital Tentera Darat. It replaces the "Tiger stripe" camouflage pattern, known locally as the Baju Celoreng Harimau Belang, which has been the standard camouflage pattern since the 1990s. Please see above image for a comparison of the Celoreng Corak Digital digital pattern uniform and the Harimau Belang pattern it is replacing.
Material
The ATM camouflage uniform has the same design as the current uniform, which is called the Nombor 5 by the Malaysian military. The fabric is understood to be made up of 65% ripstop cotton and 35% polyester.
Colour scheme
Senang Diri understands that detailed studies were conducted at a few locations, with different terrain, to define the geographical and operational requirements for the new camouflage pattern.
Following these field trials, the ATM identified the type and mix of colours for its new camouflage. These are:
Green (Hijau): 40%
Beige (Baige): 30%
Chocolate (Coklat): 25%
Dark Blue (Biru Gelap): 5%
Specifications
Four criteria are said to spell out specifications for the new No.5. These are as follows:
* The need for the uniform fabric to be durable (Tahan Lasak)
* Comfort for the wearer (Keselesaan Pemakaian)
* Relevance to the ATM's combat environment
* Maximum concealment (Penyamaran maksima)
It is understood that the pattern is made up of a combination of digital pixelated patterns 5mm by 3mm which are broken up at random and fused again using the four colours in the combinations mentioned above. This gives a "Fractal Solution" effect which provides the basis for a good camouflage pattern tailored for the ATM's specific operational environment.
The ATM is said to be planning to issue uniforms with digital pixelated patterns to the Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force.
Royal Malaysian Air Force Kh-29TE air-to-ground missile
The missile warload for Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKM warplanes went on show this morning, giving the public what is believed to be their first look at these missiles in RMAF service.
These missiles made their public debut at the Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade:
* Kh-29TE air-to-ground missile. NATO reporting name AS-14 Kedge. Range: 10km to 30km
* Kh-31P supersonic anti-radiation missile. NATO reporting name AS-17 Krypton. Range: 110km.
* Kh-59ME air-to-ground missile. NATO reporting name AS-13 Kingbolt. Range: 200km.
The missiles were carried on flat bed trailers as part of the RMAF contingent. Also shown were American-made missiles such as the Harpoon, Sidewinder and Sparrow.
The Russian-made ordnance are game changers for the RMAF as they allow its Su-30MKMs to hit targets from long-range and at ingress speeds far higher than that of comparable western munitions. The long reach of these missiles puts the RMAF pilots and WSOs out of the defensive envelope of most surface-to-air missile systems.
The supersonic Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles, in particular, could potentially unhinge air defence systems that rely on radars to scan the airspace and guide SAMs to their targets.
The RMAF is not known to have publicised live-firing trials of these missiles.
The pictures posted here indicate how close the MAF allowed this blog to approach the parade and Mobile Column. Many thanks for the courtesy this morning.
Kh-31P anti-radiation missile, a supersonic radar killer.
Salute:Malaysian PT-91M main battle tanks dip their 125mm guns in salute to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and the Malaysian military's top brass at the Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade.
The sharp end of the Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia) went on show this morning in the heart of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, with a tri-Service parade to mark the Malaysian military's 80th anniversary.
Among the parade highlights was a photocall (above) by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak with the Malaysian Army's Kombat Tim Striker (PT-91M MBTs, Stormer APCs and Malaysian infantry), the display of Russian air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance used by the Sukhoi Su-30MKM warplanes and the much anticipated unveiling of the Number 5 uniform in the digitised camouflage pattern.
We got into position from 6:30am, well in time for the parade which was due to commence from 8am.
As per SOP for these sort of events, the guiding principle was to get as close to the action as possible and from the seat in the gallery, yours truly slowly inched towards the VVIP stand and the parade route.
The pictures and stories which will be released in due course will show how close is close.
On show:With Malaysian Army scouts from Kombat Tim Striker. Four PT-91M MBTs and two Stormer APCs made their appearance in the digitised camouflage scheme. The opportunity to experience firsthand how the Malaysian Armed Forces executes a parade and conducts engagement activities with the Rakyat was invaluable.
An additional treat (for me at least) was the presence of ATM staff cars. This included 10 MID's Malaysian counterpart, Z1, which was photographed this morning.
