Current Events in Asia-Pacific

Ares story Seems to have been a navigational error; the pilot would have survived had he not hit a house on landing. Could have been a defection attempt; might not have been.

Washington Times December 22, 2005 Pg. 15 Official Sees China As 'Considerable Threat' TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso told a press conference early today that China is beginning to pose a considerable threat, referring to its military buildup. China is "a neighbor equipped with nuclear bombs and has expanded its military outlays for 12 years in a row," Mr. Aso said. "It is beginning to be a considerable threat." The remarks appeared to signal a new approach in the way Tokyo looks at its giant neighbor. Japan normally emphasizes accommodation, not criticism, in its comments on China. Mr. Aso's remarks come against a rapidl…

From Janes Defence Weekly Former DoD official pours cold water on Taiwan's submarine deal with US By Gavin Phipps 01 May 2008 Taiwan's long-delayed purchase of eight diesel-electric attack submarines from the United States is unlikely to go ahead, according to a former US Department of Defense official. The US-based source - an expert on Taiwanese affairs who asked to remain anonymous - told Jane's on 28 April that elements within the US Navy (USN) and Taiwan's own legislature were looking to forestall the USD11.7 billion deal indefinitely. This comes almost four months after Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence submitted a formal letter of request to t…

New Chinese submarine base in Indonesia India Defence.com 14 May 2005: Deepening its “strings of pearls” strategy of acquiring bases and cultivating ties from the Middle East to Southern China, China is now planning a submarine facility on one of the Indonesian islands close to the Malacca Straits, and Australia has protested this. Diplomatic sources said that China ostensibly wants to protect the sealanes of communication in the Indian Ocean, especially the transit of oil tankers from the Persian Gulf, but it is also seen as a measure to preempt a US blockade of China’s energy sources in the event of a war with Taiwan. In January, The Washington Times publis…

Korea Herald December 22, 2005 Navy Successfully Tests Ship-To-Ship Missile By Jin Dae-woong The Navy successfully completed test-firing the first domestically-made ship-to-ship missile, the Defense Ministry said yesterday. The 150-km-range missile was developed in 2003 by a domestic defense institution, the Agency for Defense Development. Brig. Gen. An Jung-hun, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said the ministry and Navy together conducted the final test-firing of the indigenous missile on the East Sea before the military begins mass-production of the weapon in 2006. During the test firing, the military also successfully tested the capabilities…

Upgrades toughen 'floating targets' Gregor Ferguson The Australian May 21, 2005 THE Navy's Anzac class frigates, famously dismissed as "floating targets" by former defence science and personnel minister Bronwyn Bishop, are being toughened up. Under a swag of overlapping upgrade projects worth over $600 million, the eight Anzacs are being re-armed with Harpoon anti-ship missiles, new Evolved Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft and anti-missile missiles, and new anti-submarine torpedoes and sonars. Defence has pioneered a new business model for these upgrades. It has created an Anzac Alliance with the ships' builders, Tenix Defence, and the designer of their combat sy…

From DefenseNews Posted 12/08/06 16:12 U.S. Sale of Airborne Early Warning System To Pakistan Possible By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The Pentagon said Dec. 8 it has notified Congress of a possible sale to Pakistan of three surplus P-3 aircraft with airborne early warning systems. The Pentagon estimated the value of such a sale at as high as $855 million. It said Pakistan intends to use the aircraft with the E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning System for its naval forces. The refurbished aircraft would boost Pakistan’s ability to guard its shores and borders against the movement of terrorists and drug traffickers, it said in a statement.

From Flight Global [excerpt] Contenders are Super Hornet, JSF and Eurofighter Typhoon.

From Australian ABC news service https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-04/military-gift-warship-artifical-reef-illegal-dumping/105728244?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=otherp

Looks Like Chinas Sending a Stealth Fighter to Sea (War is Boring blog)

The four Jiangwei I Type 053H2G Chinese frigates (1992-2015) converted in Chinese Coast Guard Cutters, keepping only the four 37mm quadruple mounts: http://china-defense.blogspot.com.es/

From Aviation Week China Developing Scramjet Propulsion Sep 2, 2007 By Craig Covault China is starting to ramp up its scramjet propulsion work—an initiative that will benefit high-speed missile programs while also helping the country to develop advanced aerospace materials, greater computational capabilities and a cadre of young engineers who have matured as a result of cutting-edge engine and aerodynamic challenges. Building on its ramjet experience, China is embracing the much more difficult task of developing Mach 5 air vehicle concepts in which propulsion and aerodynamics are highly coupled. As part of this effort, an integrated scramjet model is abo…

From Defense Update [excerpt]

Planning the unthinkable war: 'AirSea Battle' and its implications for Australia (ASPI)

Japan to Choose Osprey for China Defense? (The Diplomat)

From Aviation Week Japan Eyes Defense Changes Sep 2, 2007 By David A. Fulghum U.S. military operations have centered on the Middle East and Southwest Asia for most of the last two decades. The result is a myopic focus on combat against insurgents and terrorists. But the Western Pacific and Eastern Asia offer another concern. Some of the world’s largest, economically fastest-growing and most industrialized nations are beginning to develop and flex their military muscle. The question for the U.S. and its partners, in particular Japan, is how to keep a lid on political tensions and the impulse to use military force to solve problems of state. Here, in a special rep…

https://news.usni.org/2016/04/20/indias-first-boomer-leaves-on-acceptance-trials

The First Battle of the Next War: Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan (CSIS, 9 January)

Sale of Aegis Weapons Systems to Australia Proposed By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE DefenseNews The Pentagon on May 23 announced the possible sale of three Aegis naval weapons systems to Australia, saying it would increase the ability of the U.S. and Australian navies to operate together. The Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) estimated the value of the sale at as high as $350 million. Aegis systems are centered on a sophisticated computerized command system that can cue air defense missiles to enemy missiles and aircraft detected by targeting radar. Using its AN/SPY-1 phased array radar, it can track more than a hundred targets simultaneously. N…

From Flight International Indian navy set to issue maritime reconnaissance aircraft shortlist within days By Siva Govindasamy New Delhi to step up contest for new reconnaissance platforms, while interest in V-22 Osprey emerges The Indian navy is poised to announce the shortlist for its maritime reconnaissance aircraft contest "any day now", says Boeing, which is offering a P-8I variant of its 737-based P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft now in development for the US Navy. Other types in contention for the eight-aircraft programme include a special mission version of the Airbus A319/A320 from EADS, a package based on Dassault's Falcon 900 business jet al…