Current Events in Asia-Pacific

Source: US Delivers 30 Helicopters to Pakistan : Military Aviation : Defense News Air Force Army Navy News

From Flight International DATE: 31/10/08 SOURCE: Flight International India rejects Russian aircraft carrier price demand By Radhakrishna Rao India's finance ministry has for the second time rejected a proposal from the nation's defence ministry to approve an additional $1.2 billion in funds to complete a retrofit project to the decommissioned Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Moscow had originally agreed to deliver the modernised vessel for $1.5 billion, but demanded the additional payment after citing factors including an underestimation of the level of work required at its Sevmash shipbuilding yard. India, which has already paid Russia tw…

India's New Aircraft Carrier May Face Further Delays (The Diplomat)

From Defense Aerospace [it's been (and I'm sure, will continue to be) interesting to watch Japan's shifting attitude towards its constitution, the concept of self-defence and the role of nuclear arms. See, for example, my post on Oct 31/06. Stay tuned ... ] Japan Can Hold Nuclear Arms for Self-Defence: Govt (Source: ddi Indian Government news; issued Nov. 14, 2006) Japan has said that its constitution allows it to possess nuclear weapons as long as they are kept to a minimum level necessary for self-defence. However, the country has no intention of holding such arms, the government said in a statement. The statement, written in response to a question fr…

From DefenseNews Posted 05/25/07 08:11 S. Korea Launches Aegis Destroyer AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, SEOUL South Korea on May 25 launched its first Aegis destroyer equipped with advanced air and sea weaponry, on the same day that North Korea test-fired several missiles. President Roh Moo-Hyun, speaking at the launch of the billion-dollar 7,600-ton KDX-III destroyer, said South Korea must be mindful of what he called a regional arms race. "The ship, armed with [a] state-of-the-art defense system and combat capability, is one of the world’s best destroyers," Roh said at a ceremony at the Ulsan dockyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries, which built the ship. "We have to se…

No need to link to a report on this- it's making many front pages. What were those short-range missiles they were testing?

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

From DefenseNews Australia May Sue After Grounding U.S. Helicopters By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, SYDNEY The Australian navy has grounded a one-billion dollar ($750 million U.S.) fleet of U.S.-built helicopters over safety concerns and may sue the contractors, the defense minister said May 15. The navy ordered 11 of the anti-submarine and anti-ship Super Seasprite helicopters but none of the 10 delivered since 2001 have been in full operational service due to technical problems. Defense Minister Brendan Nelson said he had banned the Seasprites from flying and that the government was considering scrapping the fleet altogether. ”I have asked the department of defense…

Wired.com report This one's getting some serious traction on the aviation forums and is even getting into the mainstream aviation press now.

From http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2012/09/camp-bastion-attack-shocks-isa.html [excerpt]

From Navy Times Submarine Ohio underway in Pacific The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 11:14:52 EDT PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The first Navy submarine converted to fight terror instead of deter a Cold War adversary is en route to the western Pacific via Hawaii, the first time such a ship has ever deployed. The Ohio was originally equipped in the 1970s to hold 24 nuclear-tipped long-range ballistic missiles. But with the Cold War over, the Navy transformed the Ohio and three other similar subs to carry conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles and dozens of Navy SEALs instead. The ship, based in Bremerton, Wash., is expected to head toward Asia to…

From Air Force Times Japan fires AF head for World War II essay By Shino Yuasa - The Associated Press Posted : Friday Oct 31, 2008 14:46:14 EDT TOKYO — Japan’s defense minister dismissed his air force chief on Friday for writing an essay that claimed the country was not an “aggressor” in World War II and was trapped into getting involved in the conflict by the United States. Toshio Tamogami’s essay will likely upset relations with China and South Korea, who remain bitter about Japan’s wartime occupation and say Tokyo has failed to properly atone for its invasion of the Korean peninsula, Taiwan and parts of China. “His views are different from the governm…

From Ares [excerpt]

From Flight Global [excerpt]

Excellent article. Deleterious Neglect: Will the U.S. Navy Surrender Maritime Asia? (The Diplomat)

U.S. says Chinese warship nearly struck Navy cruiser (Navy Times) China paper: Cowpens harassed China fleet during drill (Navy Times) USS Cowpens: Why China forced a confrontation at sea with US Navy (Christian Science Monitor)

North Korea's 2017 Military Parade Was a Big Deal. Here Are the Major Takeaways (The Diplomat)

First Nirbhay Cruise Missile Test Fails (Defense Update)

CV32: So quiet that he didn't notice ... From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

Aero India 2013 photo report (Defense Update)