Current Events in Asia-Pacific

Special Report: China's military hawks take the offensive (Reuters) Chinese Generals Call For War With Just About Everyone (DefenseNews, Intercepts blog)

Apparently a no news case, as its presence was were previously referenced in "Stennis Compromise" and "Reagan Against China" scenarios. KJ-500H is the naval variant of KJ-500 (based in the transport Y-9), with three AESA radar faces in a fixed rotodome: http://www.defensenews.com/articles/satellite-image-shows-chinese-deployment-of-new-aircraft-to-south-china-sea?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2005.15.2017&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

International Herald Tribune January 31, 2006 An Aircraft Carrier For China? By David Lague BEIJING--As China builds a military to match its growing economic power, its neighbors and potential rivals including the United States have puzzled over a key question: When will the Chinese Navy launch an aircraft carrier? For decades, senior Chinese military and political officials have argued that for the country to become a great power, the People's Liberation Army Navy needs to add these potent warships to its fleet. However, the major obstacle to this ambition is that aircraft carriers are hugely expensive. The two 50,000-metric-ton conventionally p…

From DefenseNews Taiwan Finalizes Long Awaited P-3 Deal By wendell minnick Published: 23 Feb 07:25 EST (12:25 GMT) TAIPEI – Taiwan, the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin have finally settled issues over price and offset options, and are expected to soon sign a contract for 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft for $1.3 billion, said sources in Taiwan. The signing will mark the end of two decades of struggle by Taiwan to replace its decrepit Northrop Grumman S-2T anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. In April 2001, former U.S. President George W. Bush authorized the sale of a major arms package to Taiwan that included 12 P-3s, eight diesel submarines and fo…

From Flight Global [except]

Robert Gates: Pakistan 'Really No Ally At All' (The Diplomat, Flashpoints)

From Jane's Defence Weekly Indonesia aims for 'green water navy' capability By Riefqi Muna JDW Special Correspondent London Chief of the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) Admiral Slamet Soebijanto has outlined plans to develop the service's overall capabilities. Earlier this month Adm Soebijanto reiterated his intention to implement a major restructuring of naval forces. This would serve as the prelude to a broader development programme unveiled three years ago - an internal plan known as the 'TNI-AL Blueprint 2004-2013'. Adm Soebijanto previously stated that the long-term aim was to establish an effective 'green water navy' by 2020. "A green water navy repre…

From Aviation Week Australian Air Force Campaigns For 100 F-35s Dec 3, 2008 By Bradley Perrett The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is stepping up its lobbying efforts for a full order of 100 F-35 Lightning IIs, a number that has been officially endorsed but could easily be trimmed in a defense white paper due next year. The chief of the air force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, strongly defends the choice of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as its next fighter, arguing that it will be part of an integrated airpower system and the country could not hope to find better. He also endorses the Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning & Control Wedgetail and Airbus A330 tanke…

China Naval Modernization: Implications for US Navy CapabilitiesBackground and Issues for Congress (CRS, pdf)

From http://www.defensenews.com China To Increase Military Spending in 2005 By ROBERT J. SAIGET, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BEIJING China is expected to increase its military expenditure by 12.6 percent this year, while boosting its capability of using force to reunify rival Taiwan, sources said March 3. The rise in spending comes with Washington voicing concern that China’s military build-up could tilt the strategic balance with Taiwan and also threaten U.S. forces in Asia. In his budget report to the upcoming annual session of the National People’s Congress, Finance Minister Jin Renqing is expected to propose raising military spending in 2005 to 244.65 billion …

Researching data for Harpoon, I've finded Vikrant preserved as museum in Mumbai, in this interesting site, Warbirdsofindia.com : http://www.warbirdsofindia.com/maharashtra/ins-vikrant.html But not without problems of continuity, I see ... http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mu...how/5798936.cms

From DefenseNews China Builds First Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Base? By WENDELL MINNICK Published: 5 Aug 2010 07:49 TAIPEI - China's new anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) will be deployed at the Second Artillery Corps' new missile base in Guangdong Province in southeastern China, if a new report issued by Washington-based Project 2049 Institute is correct. <snip for copyright>

There's been a massive earthquake off the coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that's caused a lot of damage there; there's tsunami warnings out for most of the Pacific Rim. Stay safe, people.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-21/australian-navy-tests-naval-strike-missile-us-hosted-exercises/104124170?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

From http://www.defensenews.com N. Korea Slams U.S., Threatens To Hold Missile Tests By JON HERSKOVITZ, REUTERS, SEOUL North Korea threatened to resume long-range missile testing and demanded the United States apologize for calling the country "an outpost of tyranny", official media reported late March 2. The Korean-language version of a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report quoted a Foreign Ministry statement as saying Pyongyang threatened to test-fire a long-range missile. The statement said North Korea did not feel bound by a 1999 moratorium on missile testing, reached when Pyongyang was in non-proliferation talks with the administration of then-U.S. P…

From ARES Another North Korea Alert Drill for GMD? Posted by Michael Bruno at 2/24/2009 4:38 AM CST There doesn't seem to be any official word from U.S. defense officials online yet, but if North Korea is preparing for another missile launch, then the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System of ballistic interceptors based in Alaska and California probably is on alert. The New York Times is reporting that North Korea said today it was preparing to send a satellite into orbit in what U.S. and South Korean officials believe will be a provocative test of a long-range missile capable of reaching parts of North America. CNN is reporting it too. A statement from P…

What History Says about China's Chances in a War with America (The National Interest)

Its that time of year again ... for air shows and sourcing DB relevant info. Sino-Pakistani FC-1/JF-17 Thunder showcased at Le Bourget (Jane's)

From Navy Times Commander confident Navy can control Pacific By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Mar 13, 2007 8:11:13 EDT Forward-deploying the aircraft carrier George Washington in Japan will help the Navy keep Southeast Asia, home to the world’s most populous Muslim nation, from becoming a “front line in the war on terror,” Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Gary Roughhead said in an online chat session March 5. Roughhead chatted with readers of the Honolulu Advertiser’s Web site in a moderated question-and-answer session about his command, the world’s largest, which includes 102 million square miles, 190 ships and submarines, 1,400 aircraft, 191,000…

Navy plans large-scale exercise off Guam Valiant Shield will involve 3 carriers, 22,000 troops By Audrey McAvoy - The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Apr 10, 2007 9:54:39 EDT PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Navy will send three aircraft carriers to waters off Guam for large-scale exercises late this summer, the outgoing U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said. The Valiant Shield war games will resemble exercises held near the U.S. territory last June. Those brought together some 28 ships, 280 airplanes and 22,000 troops. Adm. Gary Roughead, announcing the exercises Monday, said the Navy learned a great deal from last year's large-scale exercises and wanted to hol…