Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 19 Aug 2013

Remember those bombs dropped by the US Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park during Talisman Saber '13 that caused such a ruckus in the international media? They've been found.

The consensus is that the Lockheed Martin F-35 has been eliminated from the South Korean F-X III competition due to the bid's failure to stay within the budget. Word is Eurofighter's Typhoon has also been dumped. Which leaves the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle as the last man standing.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force will be forced to leave one of its main airbases. The RSAF's Paya Lebar airbase will be redeveloped into a residential/light industrial zone. The RSAF aircraft currently based there will be moved to a redeveloped Changi East Airbase, which currently houses a squadron of F-16D+ fighter jets.

While we're on the topic of Changi East Airbase, the full transcript of the Defence Writers' Group's late July meeting with PACAF Commander General "Hawk" Carlisle has been released. He talks about the USAF's potential pivot to Changi East (among other places in the region) and that Singapore has decided to acquire the F-35B for its first batch of the Lightning II JSF.

S Korean F-X III bidders still over budget; asked to resubmit bids

Photo © BAe Systems

What if they held a fighter competition and all the bidders refused to submit bids under the customer's budget? It's looking that way in South Korea's FX-III fighter program.

The bidding for 60 aircraft has opened 2 weeks ago, and South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration has conducted 30 bidding sessions, but the three contenders have consistently submitted proposals over the target budget of 8.3 trillion won (US$7.3 billion). The bidding process will resume July 2nd, and given the current market, we reckon the bidders will most likely cave in eventually. But given the disparity in the budgeted amount and listed price of US$10.8 billion in the DSCA notification for the sale of F-35s to South Korea, there may be interesting days ahead for the program.

F-X III is South Korea's largest defence acquisition program ever; the three contenders for the contract are the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

South Korea to begin evaluation of F-X III contenders

Defense Update has a pretty in depth article on the latest developments in South Korea's F-X III fighter acquisition program.

The country's primary defense acquisition agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), announced that evaluations would begin next week to select the winning bid from the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle, the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Silent Eagle, JSF and Typhoon bidding for S Korean KF-X III contract

South Korea has said that Lockheed Martin, Boeing and the Eurofighter consortium have submitted bids for South Korea's KF-X III fighter contest with the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, F-15SE Silent Eagle and Typhoon respectively.

South Korea plans to make a decision on the 60-fighter order in October.

Seoul issues RFP for F-X III fighter competition

South Korea has issued a request for proposals for its F-X III fighter requirement, paving the way for the acquisition of around 60 fighters, with submission guidelines being issued at a meeting in Seoul on Monday.

Contenders for the requirement are the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

PHOTO: Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon air-to-air over Malaysia

Typhoon FGR.4 ZK314/EO of 6 Sqn RAF over Malaysia's turquoise green waters. Click on thumbnail to view high-resolution image. (BAe photo)

BAe Systems has released on their Flickr stream a series of photos of the Royal Air Force's 6 Sqn Eurofighter Typhoons taking part in the Five Power Defence Arrangement's Exercise Bersama Lima in Malaysia, including some air-to-air photographs.

Updates: RAF Typhoons at Exercise Bersama Lima

The Royal Air Force has been following 6 Sqn's activities in Malaysia for Bersama Lima. Late last month they covered the deployment of the squadron's Tranche 2 Typhoons (Typhoon FGR.4 in RAF parlance) to Butterworth, Malaysia, with the 7000-mile flight marking the Typhoon's longest ever deployment so far, as well as being the Tranche 2's inaugural overseas exercise.

And yesterday, the RAF has posted an update of the squadron's activities at Bersama Lima, and the tropical conditions they face, during the exercise. 6 Squadron has so far flown sorties alongside F/A-18, Mig-29, F-5 and F-16 aircraft from the other 4 FPDA nations, and are now preparing for the final stage of the exercise where all participating air forces will fly missions within a complex scenario.

Eurofighter Typhoon reportedly out of Japan's F-X competition

Japan Security Watch, referencing a Nikkei news article (in Japanese only) is reporting that Japan's Ministry of Defence has eliminated the Eurofighter Typhoon from its shortlist of fighters in the running for the country's next generation F-X fighter aircraft competition. This leaves Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Lockheed-Martin's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter to vie for Japan's fighter contract.

Observers have always felt the sole European bid was a dark horse in the competition, given Japan's traditional close military and political ties to the United States. That said, one does get the feeling based on statements issued by Japanese political and military officials, that the country already has its heart set on the F-35, and that the competition was a procedural necessity.

That might explain the absence of Boeing's F-15SE Silent Eagle in the Japanese competition, whose Air Self Defence Force already operates legacy variants of the type. With the boast of advanced low-observable features (albeit less capable than the F-35) but almost certainly costing significantly less than the JSF, the Silent Eagle would have at the very least provided some competition in a head-to-head fly-off against the Lockheed-Martin product.

We leave you with a Boeing marketing video for the Silent Eagle, shown at the recently held Seoul Airshow in South Korea, taking out some (North Korean?) bad guys:

RAF Typhoons Malaysia-bound for Five Power exercise and airshow

RAF Leuchars-based 6 Sqn Typhoon. Photo by Bob Franklin via Key Aero

According to Scottish newspaper The Courier, the Royal Air Force (RAF) will be sending its Eurofighter Typhoons to Malaysia to participate in Exercise Bersama Lima, scheduled to be held in and around Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore from 21st October to 2nd November 2011. The aircraft and crew will come from the RAF's 6 Sqn, normally based at RAF Leuchars on Scotland's east coast.

Bersama Lima is an air and naval exercise held under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA). 2011's exercise will mark the FPDA's 40th Anniversary of the pact between the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

In addition, the Typhoons will showcase its capabilities to Malaysia during the exercise and the subsequent Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA), to be held from the 6th to the 10th of December at the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi. According to Jane's Defence Weekly's Malaysia correspondent Dzirhan Mahadzir, two Typhoons will stay on after the exercise and will be on display at LIMA.

Malaysia had earlier confirmed that the Typhoon is being considered by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) as its next fighter, alongside Sukhoi’s Su-35, Boeing’s F/A-18E Super Hornet and Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen. The winner of the competition will replace the RMAF's fleet of MiG-29 Fulcrums, due to be retired in 2015.

Additional Resources:
Bersama Lima AIP Supplement issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore [pdf document]

F/A-18E/F, F-35 and Eurofighter Typhoon bid for Japan's F-X

In line with a deadline, Japan's Defense Ministry received bids from Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II JSF and Eurofighter's Typhoon for the country's next generation F-X program. Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa has said he expects a final decision by December with the aircraft to be delivered in 2016.

Japan will likely call for the purchase of about 40 to 60 planes to replace 70 F-4EJ Phantom IIs, and all three manufacturers are believed to be willing to localize at least part of the aircrafts' production in Japan, which Japan has historically insisted on.

Aviationweek has noted that proposals for the F-X program were due on Sept. 26, while the last two of 94 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries F-2 strike fighters are scheduled to be completed on Sept. 27, which means that for the first time in 56 years, there are no fighter aircraft currently being built in Japan.

Related stories:

• Tokyo Moves Closer to Buying a New Generation of Jet Fighters (WSJ)
  
• Boeing Pushes Super Hornet In Japan (Aviationweek)
  
• BAE: Eurofighter pitch offers Japan 'sovereign control' of Typhoon (Flightglobal)
  

RAF Typhoon hits targets in Libya with help from Tornado

In concert with the RAF's Panavia Tornado GR4 fleet, an RAF Typhoon has again been in action against Libyan ground forces. Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV bombs were used, with designation provided the Tornado's Rafael Litening III targeting pod.

RAF Typhoon pilots grounded temporarily due to spares shortages

A UK Parliamentary report has stated that a lack of spares for the RAF's Typhoon fleet has caused five pilots to be temporarily grounded due to insufficient flying hours. Furthermore, the report has also revealed only eight of the RAF's 48 Typhoon pilots are qualified for ground attack operations

Super Hornet, JSF and Typhoon in the running for Japan's next fighter

After lengthy delays, the list of potential replacements for Japan's next-generation fighter has been whittled down to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter the Eurofighter Typhoon. The winning F-X project candidate will replace the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-4EJ Kai Phantoms from 2015.

RAF Typhoons drop first bombs in combat

Attacking ground vehicles operated by pro-Gaddafi forces near Misrata, Libya, two RAF Typhoons have become the first of their type to drop bombs in combat. Both aircraft dropped a 1000-lb (454kg) Paveway II laser guided bomb each, with reportedly successful ourcomes.

RAF commits Typhoons for ground-attack duties in Libya

In addition to four more Tornadoes as reported here earlier, the RAF has also committed four RAF Eurofighter Typhoons to conduct strikes against land-based targets in Libya. The RAF's Typhoons have until now been limited to supporting the enforcement of the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya

Eurofighter rejoins Denmark's fighter replacement program

After pulling out in 2007 claiming the program was biased towards the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Eurofighter has formally rejoined Denmark's delayed Fighter Replacement Program (FRP) with the Typhoon. The Danish government suspended the FRP in 2010 but is expected to revisit the program by 2012.

Italian Typhoons, Harriers fly first missions over Libya

Previously operating only as part of the air defence network, Italian Typhoons and Harriers have begun flying combat air patrol missions over Libya in support of NATO's Operation Unified Protector. The Typhoons and Harriers are based at Trapani and the carrier Garibaldi respectively.

Budget pressures halt talks over Typhoon Tranche 3B

Talks on the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3B production have halted due to budgetary pressures faced by the member nations involved in the programme. This has ramifications for the future export prospects of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the programme's current high production rate may be slowed to avoid a production break.

Germany investigates Typhoon unintended fuel tank separation

An investigation is under way in Germany over an incident when a Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoon's two external fuel tanks separated from the aircraft during a routine training flight over Bavaria. A later search located the two drop tanks west of Augsburg.

RAF details Typhoon, Tornado operations in Operation Ellamy

With its aircraft playing a leading part in the effort against Libya so far, the RAF has released more details on its Typhoon and Tornado operations in Operation Ellamy. These include mission types, weapon loads and bases of operations.