Maritime role for Singapore's F-15SGs hinted at by USAF general

An interesting nugget about the Republic of Singapore Air Force and it's F-15SGs from the Chief of the USAF's Pacific Air Forces Gen. Herbert J. "Hawk" Carlisle, in an interview with the good folks at Breaking Defense.

“Singapore is doing very innovative things with their F-15s, notably in evolving the capabilities of the aircraft to contribute to maritime defense and security. We are looking very carefully at their innovations and can leverage their approach and thinking as well,” he said. “This will certainly grow as we introduce the fleet of F-35s in the Pacific where cross national collaboration is built in.”

He didn't give away too much for obvious reasons, but it is nevertheless interesting to read. One does wonder what sort of F-15SG capabilities in a maritime environment he is talking about, but I figure the statement about the F-35 above, and this more recent quote,

"Imagine, for example, a submarine and an F-22 working together"

from this interview should probably give us a clue. While not some exciting, big bang secret weapon many of us were probably hoping for, this is essentially the future of warfare: where disparate, totally different platforms can communicate and work together seamlessly to maximise their effectiveness during a time of conflict.

One can only imagine F-15SGs, using their sophisticated AESA radars and distributing information over secure networks via datalinks while operating from high altitude, providing updated, over the horizon targeting information for the Republic of Singapore Navy's Formidable-class frigates. Or in the future, even working with the recently-acquired Type 218SG submarines in a similar fashion. And that may not even be restricted to Singaporean platforms. It is not entirely inconceivable that the F-15SG's can do the same for allied ships, for example with Australia's upcoming Hobart-class Air Warfare destroyers in a future coalition ops scenario.

Or, it may really be an exciting, big bang secret weapon. Like the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapons that were included in an U.S. Foreign Military Sales notification to Singapore a few years back having been upgraded to C-1 standards to add the capability to hit moving targets. But there's nothing too "innovative" there, is there?

While we're on the F-15SG, latest counts indicate there could be 20 airframes already in Singapore. Following the RSAF's usual playbook, we can expect a second locally-based F-15SG squadron to be stood up very soon with a handful of aircraft marked in the new squadron's colours before more aircraft are added to bring aircraft numbers up to strength. With 24 F-15SGs (officially) on the RSAF's books, this would mean (an almost impossibly low) four aircraft currently left with the RSAF's training detachment at Mountain Home Air Force base in Idaho. More credence to rumours that the RSAF has more F-15SGs operational than offically disclosed? You tell me...

VIDEO: GoPros mounted on MiG-31s. A fantastic combination

A mind-blowing video shot by specially mounted GoPros on Russian Air Force MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors. Enjoy!

P-8A Poseidon reaches IOC; squadron leaves for Pacific deployment

131129-N-ZZ999-017 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Nov. 29, 2013) Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Bill Pennington Jr. takes off on a P-8A Poseidon No. 429 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Nov. 29. The take-off represents the squadron's historic first operational deployment of the Poseidon within the Navy's maritime patrol and reconnaissance community. (U.S. Navy photo by Clark Pierce/Released)

The U.S. Navy's newest maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon, has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after the first two P-8A Poseidons departed for deployment Nov. 29. The War Eagles of Patrol Squadron 16 (VP-16) will deploy to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan with six aircraft and 12 aircrew.

Given the situation in the region and the interest shown by regional militaries in beefing up their capabilities in this area, I would expect VP-16 to make a trip to Singapore in February 2014 for the Singapore Airshow. Especially given the hosts are one of the countries in the market for a new Maritime Patrol/Anti-submarine aircraft.

UPDATE: And the first two Poseidons have arrived at Kadena.

More on that Chinese Electronic Warfare Y-8 patrolling China's ADIZ

After the Chinese declaration of a Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea on the 23rd of November (see my take over at War Is Boring), China sent up the first patrol to "enforce" its ADIZ that very same day. It was duly intercepted by fighters from Japan's Air Self Defense Force, which brought back a photo of another of China's rarely-seen Y-8 Special Missions types, this time being a Chinese Air Force Shaanxi Y-8GX-1 Electronic Warfare platform.

The Y-8GX-series (GX - GaoXin, 高新 or literally translated as "High New" which is the code name for China's Special Missions Y-8 project) of Special Missions aircraft is not really well known in the public sphere. The various sub-types - eight have been identified so far - fulfill a range of missions such as Electronic Warfare and intelligence gathering (ELINT and SIGINT) along with more orthodox roles like Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare.

The Y-8GX-1 is the first Gao Xin variant, and first flight took place on 26th January 2000. At least four, possibly up to six, airframes were converted to this variant. The Y-8GX-1 featured the removal of the Y-8 transport's rear cargo ramp and is liberally covered in various antennae along the top and bottom fuselage. A large semi-spherical fairing (SATCOM antenna?) sits in front of the vertical tail while a ventral canoe fairing is located on the forward fuselage.

Not much else is known publicly about on-board equipment, but it is reportedly equipped with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) JN1119 Airborne Communication Reconnaissance System capable of intercepting, direction finding, and jamming wireless communication signals between 100-500MHz and may also carry the 300 & 308 systems for similar purposes.

The first sighting of this type occured in July 2005 while serving with the former 30th Independent (Electronic-Warfare) Regiment, at Nanjing-Dajiaochang in Jiangsu Province. Sometime between late 2011 and 2012 at least two aircraft, including the aircraft photographed here, were transferred to an as-yet unknown Regiment of the newly-formed 20th Division and rehomed to Luzhou in Sichuan Province, part of China's Chengdu Military Region.

Japanese fighters intercept Chinese Tu-154MD SIGINT/ELINT aircraft

And now China's special missions Tupolev 154s have gotten in the act. The Japanese Ministry of Defence has issued a press release that it has scrambled interceptors against a Chinese Air Force Tu-154MD Type II Signals Intelligence/Electronic Intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT) aircraft west of Okinawa (see attached map for flightpath) on Saturday the 16th of November.

The aircraft, carrying a civil code (B-4015) is one of at least four such aircraft in the Chinese Air Force's inventory. The conversion of the type to its current role was carried out in the early 1990s, and originally carried a BM/KZ-800 ELINT suite. The Type II aircraft that was intercepted sports a long canoe fairing at the front of the fuselage, believed to house a Synthetic Aperture Radar as well as other fairings for its specialised role. The aircraft serve with the secretive 102nd Air Regiment, 34th Transport Division at Beijing-Nanyuan.

These photos of Typhoon Haiyan's devastation show one of the problems (aviation) bedeviling the typhoon relief effort

The two photos below were taken by the photographers of the U.S. Navy and the Australian Defence Force respectively. The first photo shows Guiuan Airport, in Eastern Samar Province while the second is of Tacloban Airport in Leyte, approximately 50 miles (80km) from each other across the Leyte Gulf. Both areas have been hard hit by Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines a little over a week ago.

Other than showing the damage wrought by the ferocious typhoon, it also illustrates clearly one of the many (and by no means the most difficult) problems the global disaster relief efforts helping the victims of the record-breaking storm. Even without the airport facilities being badly damaged by the typhoon, the airports themselves are both very small and poorly equipped. With 2-3 C-130 Hercules-sized transports on the ground, both tarmacs are already at full capacity and the only other aircraft capable of operating at that particular time are light aircraft or helicopters (which can be seen in both photos). This would undoubtedly slow the pace of relief efforts as well as the evacuation of the victims.

On another note, up to 14 United States Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys from the two Okinawa-based squadrons are already supporting the relief efforts in the area. The Ospreys are proving themselves in this situation, having the range to deploy from Okinawa to the Philippines without needing a ship to ferry them across. Their ability to operate from/to anywhere a helicopter can, as well as being able to fly at the speed of a fixed-wing asset, is also proving to be very useful.

The international community has so far been very generous in mobilising to assist the victims, with nations and non-governmental organisations rallying to contribute to the relief effort. However it will still be a long road ahead to recover fully from the effects of this devastating event.

Click on thumbnails for high-resolution image

Above: 131117-N-XN177-381 GUIUAN, Eastern Samar Province, Republic of the Philippines (Nov. 17, 2013) An HC-130 Hercules and other military aircraft sit on the tarmac at Guiuan airport waiting to airlift Philippine citizens in support of Operation Damayan. The George Washington Strike Group supports the 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade to assist the Philippine government in response to the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Peter Burghart/RELEASED)

Above: 20131115raaf8298528_0820 Surrounded by the destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan, US Air Force and Philippines Air Force C-130 Hercules (Ed: From left to right, the C-130s are from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, United States Marine Corps and Philippine Air Force. Two Philippine Navy Britten-Norman Islanders can also be seen, as well a U.S. Navy Seahawk) deliver aid and evacuate people at Tacloban airport. (© Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence Photo by CPL Glen McCarthy)

Singaporean F-16D gains colourful tailflash to mark 20 years at Luke AFB

U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Grace Lee. Click on thumbnail for high-resolution image

Airmen from the United States' Air Force 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron painted this colourful artwork on the tail of a 425th Fighter Squadron F-16D fighter jet (S/N 96-5034) to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Singapore Air Force partnering with Arizona's Luke Air Force Base and the 56th Fighter Wing in training fighter pilots. The 425th Fighter Squadron, also known as the Black Widows, was reactivated at Luke AFB in late 1992 and started training Republic of Singapore Air Force pilots on the F-16 soon after, initially using leased USAF F-16A/Bs before switching over to leased F-16C/Ds and finally transitioning over to the RSAF's own Block 52 F-16C/Ds when deliveries of the latter began in 1998.

The squadron is a mixed USAF-RSAF training squadron, and is one of several RSAF training detachments in the United States. The RSAF maintains several training detachments based overseas due to a lack of training areas at home, as well as monsoonal weather patterns over Singapore which frequently restricts training. Singapore operates 60 F-16C/Ds spread among 3 Singapore-based squadrons and the 425th FS at Luke AFB.

Humanitarian air bridge ramps up in support of Philippine typhoon victims

Reuters/Cheryl Ravelo

A global airlift armada has been converging on the Philippines in the past days, bringing relief supplies to the parts of the country devastated by the record-breaking Typhoon Haiyan. Greg Waldron has compiled a good list of the air forces providing aircraft over at Flightglobal. In addition, Singapore has sent a C-130 Hercules loaded with relief supplies over this morning, and has plans to send at least one more C-130 soon. Malaysia and Taiwan have also each dispatched a pair of C-130s along with medical teams/Non-Governmental Organisation personnel on board, and a Royal Swedish Air Force C-130 is also known to be inbound.

Meanwhile the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces will be sending the ships JS Ise, JS Towada and JS Osumi to join the relief effort, with three CH-47 Chinooks on board. They will be joined by a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force C-130 on the ground, in the Self-Defense Force's largest HADR mission since its formation.

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has also sent three of its C-130s in support of the HADR effort, loaded up with more than 30 tons of relief supplies for the typhoon's victims.

NOTE: This blog post will be updated as more information comes in. Please let me know, via the comments, if you have any more information regarding countries sending aircraft to support the relief effort.

PHOTOS: Air-to-air images of RAAF Hornet in warbird photoshoot

I'm not a fan of using over-the-top superlatives to describe everything, but I think these photos are really stunning. On the 2nd of November, the Temora Aviation Museum in New South Wales, Australia held their second ever Warbirds Down Under airshow.

In addition, an air-to-air photoshoot was conducted from out the back of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society's ex-Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) DHC Caribou, photographing some of the historical aircraft participating in the show. They were joined by a couple of RAAF F/A-18A/B Hornets and the photoshoot itself, along with some dusk/sunset photos were captured from the back seat of an F/A-18B.

More images can be found at this Gallery. Click on the thumbnails below for high resolution images.

© Commonwealth of Australia

© Commonwealth of Australia

New photos of China's new KJ-500 AEW emerge

More photos have emerged of the prototype KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning Aircraft. The new aircraft is based on the Shaanxi Y-9 turboprop transport, and features a fixed rotodome on the top fuselage, reportedly housing 3 Active Electronically Scanned Array radars providing 360° coverage. Additional sideways looking Synthetic Aperture Radar antennas also appear to be fitted, with 2 antennas on the rear fuselage side.

China already operates 2 other types of AEW aircraft, with the 11 KJ-200 aircraft (based on the Y-8 transport) and 5 KJ-2000s (based on the Ilyushin Il-76) already in service with the Chinese Air Force's 76th Electronic Warfare Regiment, 26th Special Mission Division at Wuxi-Shuofang.

And a couple of pretty well-done rendering of what the KJ-500 will look like, although the nosecone in the 1st rendering is of a typical Y-9. The KJ-500 seems to sport an enlarged nosecone, most likely housing a specialised radar set.

PHOTOS: Taiwanese AH-64E Apache being "wrung out" after assembly

Couple of photos of a Republic of China (Taiwan) Army Boeing AH-64E Apache being test flown at Tainan in southern Taiwan after being assembled. Six of the 30 helicopter gunships on order were delivered by ship to Taiwan in disassembled form last week. Click on thumbnails for high-resolution.

First Australian Growler pilot starts training at Whidbey Island

The Royal Australian Air Force's first EA-18G Growler pilot instructor has commenced flying on the type in the United States. The training is being conducted with the Electronic Attack Wing of the US Pacific Fleet at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Over the next three years, six RAAF crews (comprised one pilot and one electronic warfare officer) will learn to fly the Growler with the US Navy’s VAQ-129, with assistance from the US Program Management Office (PMA-265) at Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland.

Australia has 12 new-build EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Aircraft on order. It had originally intended to convert 12 of it's current fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornets (pictured above) into Growlers.

Singapore AF Weapon System Officer injured in U.S Navy T-45 crash

T-45 Goshawk. U.S Navy Photo by LTJG John A. Ivancic

A Republic of Singapore Air Force Weapon Systems Officer was injured in yesterday's crash of a U.S. Navy T-45 Goshawk at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Lieutenant (LTA) Lu, Zhen Yang Ephraim was undergoing a routine training flight and was in the backseat of a US Navy T-45C Goshawk training jet piloted by a U.S. Navy instructor pilot when it crash landed. Both LTA Lu and the USN IP were injured in the crash and are recovering in hospital.

According to the statement from Singapore's Ministry of Defence, LTA Lu was on a Weapon Systems Officer (Fighter) Course conducted by the US Navy. The RSAF has a number of training arrangements in the United States operating both their own aircraft, as well as airframe hours leased from U.S. Air Force and Navy assets.

JASDF intercepts more Chinese Y-8s, H-6s transiting Miyako Straits

Tracks of intercepted Chinese aircraft release by the Japanese MoD

Like I've said before, this is the New Normal.

Japanese fighters have intercepted two Xi'an H-6G bombers and a similar number of Shaanxi Y-8J AEW/MPAs [.pdf] belonging to the Chinese Navy transiting through international airspace over the Miyako Straits on their way to the Western Pacific on Friday. The two H-6s were flying together, while the Y-8Js flew singly, at different times of the day. The above graphic illustrates the tracks of the individual aircraft.

The Chinese aircraft would likely have been involved in a massive exercise involving all three fleets of the Chinese Navy. The Chinese have also said that the exercises were monitored by "foreign military vessels and reconnaissance aircraft".

We have previously covered the Chinese Navy's Y-8J and H-6Gs involved in greater details here and here respectively.

South Korea looking at STOVL aircraft carrier; S-3 Vikings

U.S. Navy S-3 Viking. (U.S. Navy Photo

South Korea is reported to have carried out a feasibility study to equip its navy with a small aircraft carrier capable of operating Short Take Off and Vertical Landing aircraft in the near future. It is also reported to have put a priority on purchasing ex-U.S. Navy S-3 Vikings retired in 2009.

Sounds like this is a good time to bring up my earlier look at the recent emergence of flat-tops in the Asia Pacific region.

PS. Another future operator of the F-35B in the making? Lockheed-Martin must have been licking its chops when this piece of news broke.

China leans (lightly) on South Korea to withhold jet sale

Republic of Korea Air Force KAI TA-50 Golden Eagle. (Credit Unknown)

This is interesting. South Korean press is reporting that China has leaned (albeit lightly) on South Korea to reconsider a proposed sale of KAI F/A-50 light combat jets to the Philippines. The reports say that while the South Korean government officially denies the reports, officials privately admit that this is happening. China and the Philippines are two of six claimants to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and both countries have been prominent in sparring publicly and diplomatically over their respective claims.

China is South Korea's largest trading partner and South Korea is China's third largest, and both countries currently enjoy cordial bilateral ties. South Korea is extremely keen to secure an export success for the jet, which has lost a number of competitions in its T-50 trainer guise. However, both it and China would be loathe to see relations deteriorate, so this would unlikely to blow up into anything bigger.

Of course bigger powers leaning on smaller countries to bar arms sales is not a new thing, and China has been on the receiving end of the practice as well, most notably when the United States successfully lobbied Israel to scrap a sale of Phalcon Airborne Early Radars to China. It's also not the first time China is dishing it out, with virtually no country willing to any partake in major arms sales to Taiwan out of fear of economic and diplomatic repercussions from China.

UPDATE: James Hardy from IHS Janes has just reported that both countries have inked an accord (article partially paywalled) related to the F/A-50 sale.

Singapore reportedly selects the F-35B; in no hurry to place order

F-35B Lightning II STOVL Joint Strike Fighter (Lockheed-Martin Photo)

I have written for The Diplomat on reports that Singapore has already selected the F-35B STOVL version of the Joint Strike Fighter. The piece also discusses the possible reasons behind the selection, and contains a nugget about developments in Singapore's fleet of Boeing F-15SG Eagles.

VIDEO: Australian Maritime Counter-Terrorism exercise Iron Moon 2013

Jumping out of a perfectly good C-17 (Screengrab from video). © Commonwealth of Australia

Boats and counter-terrorist special forces air dropped from a C-17, VBSS teams boarding a simulated hijacked commercial vessel by rappeling down from Blackhawks and more...

This is an awesome video from the Australian Department of Defence shot during Exercise IRON MOON 2013, a two week Maritime Counter Terrorism training exercise in the waters off Exmouth and Dampier in North West Australia. The annual exercise involved several hundred personnel from across Defence and Australian federal and state civilian agencies. The exercise is designed to enhance and validate the ADF Maritime Counter Terrorism response capability in the most realistic environment possible.

PHOTO: Air-to-Air of Singaporean PC-21 with Aussie PC-9, Hawk 127

© Commonwealth of Australia. Click on thumbnail for high resolution version.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) recently conducted a joint flight over the city of Perth in celebration of 20 years of Singapore Flying Training at RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia. A RSAF Pilatus PC-21 trainer flew in conjunction with a RAAF BAe Hawk 127 Lead In Fighter Trainer of 79 Sqn RAAF and a Pilatus PC-9 of No.2 Flying Training School.

More images by the RAAF's photographers in this Photo Gallery

Malaysia shows ECM pods, missiles for its Su-30s for the first time

Click on image for high resolution. Image © Iwan from Malaysianwings

The above photo was snapped by Malaysian plane spotter Iwan during the Malaysian Armed Forces 80th Anniversary Parade held at Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur on the 21st of September 2013. This aircraft, serialled M52-03, was one of 4 Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flankers that took part in a flypast held in conjunction with the parade. What is interesting about this aircraft is that it shows in public, for the first time, the Russian Knirti SPS-171 / L005S Sorbtsiya-S mid/high band defensive jammer pods Malaysia was known to have purchased with its Flankers.

Also on show, albeit mounted on flatbed trailers towed by prime movers as part of the ground portion of the parade, were several types of advanced missiles, also for the Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia's (Royal Malaysian Air Force) Su-30MKMs. Noted were the Vympel R-77 medium range active radar-guided air-to-air missile, Raduga Kh-59ME and Molniya Kh-29TE air-to-surface missiles and the Zvezda Kh-31P Anti-Radiation Missile, the latter the equivalent of the AGM-88 HARM (High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile) for use against enemy radars in the Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defence role.

These equipment were known to have been ordered by Malaysia in the original contract for the TUDM's 18 Su-30MKMs signed in 2003, with the first aircraft being delivered in 2007 with deliveries completed in 2009. All 18 aircraft serve with the TUDM's 11 Skuadron at Gong Kedak Airbase in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia.