Russia to develop new AWACS plane

Russia hopes to develop a new airborne warning and control system (AWACS) plane by 2016, Air Force chief Col. Gen Alexander Zelin said on Tuesday. “We are expecting to receive the A-100 aircraft built on the basis of the Il-476 transport plane with the PS-90 engine and extended flight range,” Zelin told reporters in Moscow.

The new AWACS plane will have an advanced active phase array capable of detecting and tracking airborne and land-based targets.

“We will have the carrier [Il-476] by 2013-2014 and should be able to build this plane by 2016,” Zelin said.

The Russian Air Force has around 20 A-50 Mainstay AWACS planes, based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport.

The A-50 is equipped with the large Liana surveillance radar with its antenna in an over-fuselage rotodome and can control up to ten fighter aircraft for either air-to-air intercept or air-to-ground attack missions.

(RIA NOVOSTI)

South Korea Receives First 737 AEW&C Peace Eye Aircraft

South Korea has received the first of four Boeing 737-700 Peace Eye airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft. The aircraft was delivered to Gimhae air force base, 450km (250 miles) southeast of Seoul, after a flight fromBoeing's production facility in Seattle, said the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

DAPA will conduct flight tests on the aircraft before passing it to the Republic of Korea Air Force in September.

The aircraft has already undergone mission system flight testing in the US. The remaining three aircraft are being modified by Korea Aerospace Industries at its Sacheon facility. They will be delivered in 2012.

"The 737 AEW&C gives Korea a powerful capability for airborne surveillance, communications and battle management," said Boeing. "It also provides increased security for the Korean peninsula against today's threats and threats in the future."

The 737 AEW&C features Northrop Grumman's unique approach to achieving 360° radar coverage. The multi-role electronically scanned array (MESA) radar includes two side-looking arrays, as well as a top-hat array that uses "endfire" techniques to steer the radar beam forward and aft of the aircraft.

"The so-called 'top hat' portion of the MESA radar provides a practical solution for fore and aft coverage, while maintaining the low drag profile of the dorsal array system," said Boeing. "This allows the system to be installed on the mid-size 737-700 platform, without significant impact on aircraft performance."

According to DAPA, a single Peace Eye can monitor the entire Korean peninsula. It can track up to 1,000 airborne or surface targets simultaneously, while also directing combat operations. It carries a flight crew of two and a mission crew of six to 10.

Seoul signed a $1.6 billion deal for the four aircraft in 2006. It is the second customer for the AEW&C variant of the 737-700 commercial airliner in the Asia Pacific region, after Australia.

Australia obtained four of the type under its Wedgetail programme, with initial operating capability expected in December.

Turkey has also purchased four of the aircraft under its Peace Eagle programme.

(Flight Global)

India to Help Vietnam Build a Submarine Fleet

In the framework of building a strategic partnership, the Indian Navy will help Vietnam develop Navy submarine fleet. Cooperation in the field of defense is a fundamental part of the framework to build a strategic partnership between India and Vietnam.

Like Vietnam, the staff of the Indian Army in general and in particular the Navy has a lot of equipment originating from the Soviet Union and Russia. India is one of the foreign country to use as soon as Kilo submarines, with rich experience. Indian Navy ready to share this with Vietnam for the Navy plans to build a submarine fleet in time to Kilo.

An official of the Indian Navy, said: "We are helping Vietnam to build their submarine fleet. Our experience in the operation of Kilo submarines will be shared with them.

" The official declined to provide information, whether the crew Vietnam has provided practical experience on the Kilo submarines in India or not.

With his rich experience of India will help Vietnam build a submarine fleet. In the photo, an Indian naval officers outside observers by Kilo submarine periscope.

Vietnam has officially announced the purchase of six diesel-electric submarines from Russia in 2009 and most recently, Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh has also spoken to confirm the construction of a submarine fleet of about 5-6 yearsto.

Currently in the Indian Navy personnel are 10 class diesel electric submarines Sindhughosh, this variant is exported to India's Kilo submarines of Project 877EKM.

Mr. Uday Bhaskar, director Institute of Oceanography Commodore stressed that Vietnam is an important strategic partner of India, we have much in common in the historical issues. "We both have a lot of weapons and equipment from Russia, so that India can bring technical assistance to Vietnam," he said.

Earlier during the visit of Indian Defense Minister AK Antony to Vietnam in 2010, the Indian side pledged to help Vietnam strengthen the modernization of the military, especially naval.

These include programs to upgrade the ships from the Soviet Union, also in the framework of the visit, the Indian Navy has transferred to Vietnam a lot of technical equipment to upgrade the fleet from Soviet Union.

Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov

The Marshal Shaposhnikov (BPK 543) is an Udaloy-class destroyer of the Russian Navy laid down in 1985. The vessel serves in the Russian Pacific Fleet, and is currently undertaking operations to combat piracy off the Somalian coast. Her namesake is Boris Shaposhnikov. In early May 2010, the Marshal Shaposhnikov recaptured the motor tanker MV Moscow University, which had been attacked and seized by pirates east of Socotra Island.

On 6 May 2010, Russian commandos from the Marshal Shaposhnikov rescued the hijacked tanker MV Moscow University. The entire crew escaped unharmed.[3] The Moscow University had been hijacked by Somali pirates on 5 May 2010. The commandos from the Marshal Shaposhnikov detained 10 pirates and killed one during the release of the tanker.

Guided Missile Cruiser "Moskva" (ex-"Slava")

Project 1164, Atlant, Slava, Moskva, BLK-COM-1 and Krasina are all designations given to the first ship of a new class of Soviet Rocket Cruiser. As is true with all Soviet and modern Russian warship designs the new cruiser was known by a project number, in this case Project 1164 Russian Code Name Atlant. To the west analysts saw a new shape emerging in the slipway of 61 Kommunara Shipyard 445 in the city of Nikolayev on the Black Sea. Clearly it was the first of a new class of major Soviet combatant. The first NATO code name was BLK-COM-1 (Black Sea-Combatant-Design 1) and then briefly the NATO Code name Krasina. However, soon after NATO learned the Soviet name for the initial ship, Slava, a traditional Russian name meaning Glory, and the class was called the Slava Class Missile Cruiser.

Slava, renamed Moskva on July 7, 1995, was laid down on November 5, 1976. As the initial ship of a new class, building time was slower than those of the sisterships. She was launched three years later on July 27, 1979 and almost another four years would pass until Slava was commissioned on February 7, 1983. Moskva ex-Slava was the first of a planned six ship class of the most impressive surface action warship, with the exception of the Kirov Class RKR, to be built by the Soviet Union or the modern Russian Navy. Three are in service with Russian Fleet, Moskva in the Black Sea, Marshall Ustinov in the Northern Fleet and Varyag (Viking) ex-Cheryona Ukraina in the Pacific Fleet. A forth unit Admiral Flota Lobov has been renamed Ukrayina for service in the Ukrainian Navy. A fifth ship, Rossiya, then Oktyabrskaya Revolutsia and a sixth, Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov were both cancelled on October 4, 1990.

Displacing 9,380 tons (11,490 tons full load) the Moskva is a large ship, measuring 186.4m (oa) 170m (wl) in length, 20.8m (19.2m wl) in beam and 6.23m (8.4m at sonar) in draught. The class bristles with weapons systems and sensors, giving it a modern version of the Fierce Face look, so notable in Cold War Soviet warship designs. Overpowering all else are the sixteen P-500 Bazalt Surface to Surface Missile (SSM) canisters with their 4K80 missiles, NATO Code name SS-N-12 Sandbox. Designed to be carrier killers, the cruisers of the class were designed like the other classes of Soviet Rocket Cruisers (RKR) to offset the strength of the NATO fleets, the carrier. Behind the twin stacks are eight cylinders, resembling the end of a revolver handgun cylinder. Each cylinder has eight Fort (SA-N-6) Surface to Air (SAM) missiles. These missiles are 64S-300MPU/3R41 or 5V-55, NATO Code name Grumble missiles, in their vertically stored and launched (VLS) cylinders. Two cylinders for short range SAMs are found at the stern. One cylinder is on each side of the hangar with twelve B-203A VLS SA-N-4 Osa SAM with a total of 40 9MK-33M-5, NATO Code name Gecko Missiles. One twin Dual-Purpose 130mm/70 (AK-130) gun position is found at the bow and six CIWS AK-30/54 six-barrelled 30mm gatling guns for point AA defense. Rounding out the weapons fit are ten 533mm (5x2) torpedo tubes and two RBU-6000 ASW rocket mounts with a total of 144 rockets. Helicopter support comes in the form of one Ka-27PL ASW or one Ka-2RTS Helix targeting helicopter. Anyway you slice it, the Moskva packs a punch.

The cruisers of the class are powered by four gas turbines each producing 27,500 shp. There are also two cruise turbines, each of 10,000 shp for economical cruising on the two propeller design. The very hot exhaust from the turbines vents through the twin stack structure amidships. The designers of the class used this exhaust to power other auxiliary turbines. There are two exhaust gas cruise turbines each of 1,500 shp, two boost turbine exhausts and two gas turbine exhaust generators to provide steam to auxiliary turbines. Capable of 32.5 knots (30 knot sustained), Moskva has a range of 8,070 nm at 18 knots or 2,200 nm at 32 knots. The complement is 66 officers, 64 michmen (petty officers) and 355 enlisted men.

The Moskva (ex-Slava), which had been in refit at the Nikolayev yard since 1990-91, remained undelivered to the Russian Black Sea Fleet through the end of 1998. The Moskva was expected to return to service to replace the Admiral Golovko as the flagship of the Black Sea fleet.

http://flot.sevastopol.info/eng/ship/cruisers/slava.htm