Current Events in Asia-Pacific

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

First Nirbhay Cruise Missile Test Fails (Defense Update)

Aero India 2013 photo report (Defense Update)

From Defense Aerospace Boeing Rolls Out First F-15SG to Singapore (Source: Boeing; issued November 3, 2008) Boeing has rolled out the first of 24 F-15SG fighters ordered by Singapore. Deliveries are scheduled for mid-2009 to 2012. (Boeing Co. photo) ST. LOUIS --- The Boeing Company today rolled out the first F-15SG jet fighter to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). The F-15SG is a variant of the highly capable, combat-proven F-15E. "The rollout of F-15SG1, on schedule, demonstrates that we're off to a great start as the RSAF builds to a procurement of 24 F-15SG aircraft," said Mark Bass, Boeing F-15 Program vice president. "The F-15SG has sig…

PACAF’s “Vision” Thing By Richard Halloran Find the air force Magazine article here. A new wargame tells airmen what it will take to hold the line in the Far East. Pacific Air Forces has begun to forge a doctrine of AirSea Battle with the intent of deterring any Chinese, North Korean, or Russian military aggression in Asia and the Pacific. The doctrine is in its early stages of development, and initial findings are being drawn from a two-phase wargame called Pacific Vision, held in October. Pacific Vision’s first phase looked out to 2016, and was centered on Air Force operations. This wargame focused on the weapons, bases, and combat forces that PACAF alre…

Essex amphibious group arrives in Pacific as USN reiterates rights to South China Sea access (Jane's)

U.S. to Aid India in Building Aircraft Carriers (DOD Buzz)

Is North Korea Working Toward a 'Carrier-Killer' Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile? (The Diplomat)

Posted on: Sunday, May 8, 2005 Study lists pros, cons of basing carrier at Hawai'i By Dennis Camire Gannett News Service Honolulu Advertiser A preliminary report by a federal commission concludes it makes strategic sense to shift another Navy aircraft carrier group to the Pacific, and Hawai'i is the likely location. However, the report by the Overseas Basing Commission also warns it would be expensive to place a carrier group in Pearl Harbor because of land prices and the high cost of living. The panel does not specifically recommend a Hawai'i-based carrier, but members of the state's congressional delegation said they found the document encourag…

Report: Surge in N. Korea Air Force Sorties (DefenseNews)

China's first defence white paper China's Military Strategy (PRC Ministry of National Defense)

From BBC News [excerpt]

Chinese Submarine Stalked U.S. Aircraft Carrier (Free Beacon)

Key trends to watch in the Year of the Snake (China Real Time Report blog, Wall Street Journal) Good stuff here if you're pondering a venture into the Westpac battleset.

From Aviation Week China Asat Test Called Worst Single Debris Event Ever By Frank Morring, Jr. Chinese delegates will have some explaining to do in Vienna later this month, when they sit down with representatives of other spacefaring nations to adopt international guidelines designed to mitigate the growing problem of man-made space debris in Earth orbit. The document drafted by a technical subcommittee of the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is aimed at preventing the sort of accidental events that have gradually engulfed Earth in a cloud of potentially destructive high-speed debris since the flight of Sputnik 1 kicked off orbital spaceflig…

Is January Chinese ASAT testing month? (All Things Nuclear, Union of Concerned Scientists)

From Defence Aerospace Seoul to Buy 20 More F-15Ks (Source: Korean Overseas Information Service; dated May 19, 2006) The Air Force will purchase 20 more F-15K multi-role aircraft beginning in 2009, following the scheduled introduction of 40 F-15s by 2008, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday (May 18). The $2 billion plan was approved during a meeting on Wednesday as part of the ministry's mid-term arms acquisition project between 2007 and 2011, ministry officials said. Final endorsement of the plan is to be made by President Roh Moo-hyun, they said. AND From DefenseNews S. Korea Cuts Back on U.S. F-15s: Report By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,…

China Makes Advance Payment for Russia’s S-400 Missile Defense Systems (The Diplomat)

From DefenseNews Posted 11/24/06 13:25 Pakistan, China Agree To Jointly Develop AWACS By REUTERS, ISLAMABAD Pakistan and China on Nov. 24 signed a memorandum of understanding for a long-term collaboration in defense production including development of an airborne early warning surveillance system. The announcement came during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Pakistan. China has been the main supplier of military hardware to Pakistan for decades. A statement from Pakistan’s air force said the two countries agreed on collaboration and co-development of aircraft manufacturing and related fields. Pakistan, concerned over rival India’s growing defense c…