Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 02 Oct 2013

HMM-262 Sea Knight at Ex Cobra Gold, Thailand in 2009

According to reports from Russia quoting Indonesian sources, Indonesia has a requirement of 112 fighters between now and 2024. The TNI-AU intends to form 8 squadrons of 16 aircraft each. It already operates 16 Su-27/30s and has 24 refurbished F-16C/Ds on order.

End of an era as the last Okinawa-based U.S. Marine CH-46 Sea Knight made its last flight prior to storage pending disposal. The helicopters from Marine Helicopter Medium Squadron 262 (HMM-262) is in the process of converting to the MV-22B Osprey. Another Okinawa-based squadron is now flying Ospreys since 2012, having also turned in its Sea Knights.

More details have emerged of the new Taiwanese-built air launched precision weapon we reported on a while back. The Wan Chien is a cluster munition with a range of over 200km. It will equip the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching Kuo fighters of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force, with forty Tainan based aircraft already retrofitted for the new weapon.

Marine aviation assets temporarily deployed to Japan are currently in the Philippines conducting training with Philippine Air Force personnel. F/A-18C Hornets from VMFA-232 'Red Devils' and AH-1W Super Cobras of HMLA-167 'Warriors' are temporarily deployed to Japan as part of the USMC's Unit Deployment Program (UDP)

Indonesia says no more Sukhois; offered more F-16s from US

Air Marshal Eris Herryanto, secretary general of the Indonesian Defense Ministry, has said the SouthEast Asian nation will not buy any more Sukhoi Su-27/30s from Russia on top of the ten aircraft already on inventory and a further six already on order. Meanwhile, Indonesia has also revealed that the United States has offered more F-16s on top of the 24 refurbished aircraft already being delivered. The number being offered this time round has not been revealed, although it was said to be enough to form another squadron of aircraft.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is also close to acquiring six more C-130H Hercules transports from the Royal Australian Air Force. The RAAF is due to retire its C-130H fleet at the end of this year.

Photos of Indonesian Su-27/30s arriving at Darwin for Ex. Pitch Black

© Commonwealth of Australia

Pitch Black has not even begun yet, and it already looks like the air-to-air images of Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Su-27/30s arriving in Australia for the exercise taken by the Royal Australian Air Force will be hard to beat in terms of their wow factor.

Indonesian Flankers to make Australian debut at Pitch Black

TNI-AU Su-30MK2

We've finally been given the clearance to publish this after sitting on it for the past few weeks. The TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Force) will be sending it's Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flanker interceptors to Darwin for the upcoming Exercise Pitch Black. Four aircraft, reportedly 2 Su-27s and 2 Su-30s, will make up the TNI-AU's debut contingent at the biannual multinational air defence exercise. From what we understand, the TNI-AU will however not take part in the full exercise.

The TNI-AU will join aircraft from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States for this year's Pitch Black, which will be held in the skies over Australia's Northern Territories from late July to mid-August.

Indonesia operates a mix of Su-27SK/SKM and Su-30MK2 variants of the Flanker. This will be the first time the TNI-AU and it's Flankers will make an appearance at Pitch Black.

Vietnam's Su-27s mount first Spratly patrols from Phu Cat

Vietnam People's Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. Photo credit: unknown

Vietnamese news portal Thanh Nien Online has reported that Vietnam People's Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 'Flankers' have mounted their first patrols of the disputed Spratly Islands (Link is in Vietnamese) from their base at Phu Cat.

The Su-27s, from the 940th Air Regiment of the 372 Air Division, undertook at patrol of some of the islands claimed by Vietnam at an altitude of 500m (1640 ft), accompanied by an Antonov An-26 of the 918th Transport Regiment.

The disputed Spratly Islands, believed to be rich in oil and other resources, are wholly or partly claimed by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei.

Indonesian Sukhois intercepted bizjet carrying Papua New Guinea PM

Various Papua New Guinea and Indonesian news outlets have reported that in November last year Indonesian Sukhois intercepted a Dassault Falcon 900 that was ferrying the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister on an official visit from Malaysia to Port Moresby.

According to the Indonesian military, the TNI-AU (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara or Indoneisan Air Force) detected the PNG-registered aircraft flying through Indonesian airspace without having been notified of its flight plan and did not respond to attempts to contact the aircraft, hence a pair of TNI-AU Su-27/30s were scrambled to investigate. It was later revealed that the PNG government had filed the Falcon's flightplan on the day of departure so Indonesia had not received notification when it flew over Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

The PNG ambassador to Indonesia has said that he has accepted Indonesia's explanation for the incident and will report back to his government.

Russian Su-27 crashes near Vladivostok; pilot injured

A Russian Air Force Su-27 Flanker has crashed while on a training mission in the Russian Far East. The pilot ejected and has been hospitalized in a satisfactory condition. The Russian Air Force is investigating the crash, believed to be caused by technical failure.

Russian Air Force to receive up to 100 aircraft from Sukhoi

Good times loom for Sukhoi, as the Russian Air Force is reportedly set to receive up to 100 aircraft from the aircraft manufacturer by 2015. The aircraft are a mix of Su-27SM, Su-30M2, Su-34 and Su-35 multirole fighters.

Rosoboronexport sells US$54 million of weapons to Indonesia

Russia's Rosoboronexport has announced that Indonesia will purchase US$54 million worth of munitions for its Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flankers. No specific details on the type of munitions are available at the moment.

PLAAF involved in Anatolian Eagle?

Turkish sources have reportedly said that the PLAAF has been involved in the recent Anatolian Eagle exercise in Turkey with it's Su-27 Flankers. China was invited after the US and most of NATO turned down Turkey's invitation to participate.

Indonesia plans to build up Flanker fleet

The Indonesian Defence Minister has said that the TNI-AU is looking to buy more Sukhois to build up its current fleet to squadron strength. The TNI-AU currently has ten Sukhois, a mix of SU-27SKMs and Su-30MK2s.

Russia assembles Indonesian Sukhois, complete flight tests

All three Sukhoi Su-27SKMs delivered to the TNI-AU have been assembled and successfully test flown at their base in Makassar, Sulawesi.

Su-27UB crashes in Russian Far East; pilots eject

A Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27UB trainer has crashed in the Russian Far East. The aircraft had just come out from maintenance and was on a test flight when it crashed. Both pilots managed to eject safely.

UPDATE: Death of Russian Sukhoi technicians in Indonesia

More details have emerged related to the deaths of three Russian Sukhoi technicians in Indonesia:

Indonesia continues fighter jet assembly despite death of Russian crew

Methanol Found in Bodies of Deceased Russian Sukhoi Engineers

Sukhoi to send three new supervisors to Indonesia

Three Russian Flanker technicians found dead in Indonesia

Three Russian technicians working for Sukhoi overseeing the delivery of Su-27SKM fighters to Indonesia have been found dead in their apartment in South Sulawesi. The men were members of a 12-man warranty team that has been at the Hasanuddin Air Base in Makassar since Sept. 5.

Russia delays delivery of two Su fighter jets to Indonesia

The delivery of the first of a pair of Su-27SKM Flankers to Indonesia from Russia has been delayed to Thursday the 9th of September. The original delivery date was to have been yesterday.

Russia to complete Flanker deliveries to Indonesia

It is reported that Russia is to deliver the last two of the three Sukhoi Su-27SKM Flankers to Indonesia later this month. The Tentera Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU or Indonesian Air Force) ordered three Su-30MK2 and three Su-27SKM in 2007.

Top Gun: Iceland?

A private company is looking to set up facilities on Iceland's Keflavik Airbase to house demilitarised Su-27s purchased from Belarus, serving as OPFOR aircraft to provide realistic training for NATO air forces.

PHOTO: Russian AF Su-27 at Vigilant Eagle

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- A Russian SU-27 fighter flies alongside Fencing 1220, the target of interest for Exercise Vigilant Eagle, Aug. 8. Vigilant Eagle is a cooperative exercise involving the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Russian Air Force. The exercise scenario creates a situation that requires both the Russian Air Force and NORAD to launch or divert fighter aircraft to investigate and follow a "hijacked" airliner. The exercise focuses on shadowing and the cooperative hand-off of the monitored aircraft between fighters of the participating nations. (Army photo by Maj. Michael Humphreys)

Indonesia to take delivery of three more Flankers

Indonesia will take delivery of three more Su-27SKM Flanker fighters in September. The TNI-AU has purchased a total of ten Sukhois from Russia.