Varyag Aircraft Carrier

Varyag is an ex-Soviet Navy aircraft carrier constructed in the 1980s. The vessel construction stopped in 1992 after the break up of the Soviet Union. It remained in the Ukrainian shipyard unfinished until 1998 when a Macau-based Chinese company bought it for US$20 million. In March 2002, the vessel arrived in the Dalian Shipyard in northern China for refurbishment and has been stationed there since then. System installation of the vessel finally began in 2010/2011, and the vessel is expected to enter service with the PLA Navy as a training carrier around 2012.

History

Originally named Riga, Varyag is the second hull of the Soviet Navy Project 1143.5 (Admiral Kuznetsov class) aircraft carrier. The 67,500t vessel was laid down at the Nikolayev South Shipyard (formerly Shipyard 444) in Nikolayev on 6 December  1985 and was launched on 4 December 1988. In late 1990s, the vessel was renamed Varyag. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the ownership of the vessel was transferred to Ukraine. Construction stopped by 1992 as Ukraine was unable to fund the project by itself. By then, 70% of the construction had been finished. The vessel was structurally completed but without weapons, electronics, or propulsion.

The ski-jump ramp flying deck of the Varyag (Chinese Internet)

The unfinished Varyag remained at the dock of the Nikolayev South Shipyard unattended for six years. In the late 1990s, the vessel was put up for auction and it was bought by a Macau-based Chinese company for US$20 million. The company claimed that the vessel would be converted into a floating entertainment centre in Macau, consisting of amusement park, hotel, Casino, restaurant, etc. The contract with Ukraine prohibited the buyer from using the carrier for military purposes. Before handing the ship over, the Ukrainians removed any equipment onboard Varyag that could be used to turn the vessel into a commissionable warship.

Varyag finally left the dock of the Nikolayev South Shipyard in 1999, towed by several high-power tug boats. However, the Turkish government refused the vessel to pass through the Bosporus Strait on the ground that without rudder and engine, Varyag posed too great a danger to other ships as well as facilities in the strait. The vessel was stationed near the strait for three years, until the PRC government was involved to resolve the issue. Following some negotiations with the two countries and handing the Turkish government US$1 million as a guarantee bond, Varyag was finally allowed to pass through the Bosporus Strait.

Restoration

Varyag arrived in the Dalian Shipyard in northern China in 2002 and has been stationed there under tight security since then. It has become clear that the ship would not become an entertainment centre. Instead the vessel was handed to the PLA Navy for research and restoration. It was speculated that following extensive studies the ship would be finally converted into a fully operational aircraft carrier for training purpose. This was partially confirmed when the ship emerged from a Dalian Shipyard dry dock painted in PLAN grey in 2005. The restoration work was completed in late 2006 and the scaffolding on the ship's bridge has also been removed.

Island of Varyag under system installation (Chinese Internet)

System Installation in 2011

System installation finally began in late 2010. By March 2011 the island of the aircraft carrier was almost complete, with painting finished and scaffolding removed. Among various sensors on the island are a ‘Top-Plate-style’ long-range air/sea search radar on the top of the main mask, and four multifunctional phased array radar panels, possibly similar to those installed on the Type 052C Luyang-II class destroyers.

Specifications

Displacement: (standard) 67,500 tonnes; (full) 70,500 tonnes
Length: 304m

Italy Wants IED Inhibitor on All Afghan Vehicles

ROME - The Italian Army intends to mount IED-inhibiting technology on every Italian vehicle in Afghanistan by 2012 to fulfill the service's top priority - troop safety."All our attention is on Afghanistan, where individual safety is fundamental," said Gen. Giuseppe Valotto, who was appointed Italy's top Army official in 2009.
Last year in Afghanistan, the Army started mounting the Guardian IED jamming system on its LMV Lince vehicles, which have been likened to up-armored Humvees. Now the system is being placed on Italy's larger Freccia vehicles. Seventeen of the eight-wheeled, 26-ton armored vehicles were dispatched to Afghanistan last year and are based in Shindad.
The Guardian, built in the U.K. by Finmeccanica unit Selex Communications for use in vehicles and by foot soldiers, jams signals used to detonate IEDs and can be programmed to operate on various bandwidths and levels of intensity.
"We have nearly 200 and are buying more to put one on every vehicle," said Valotto. "We hope to conclude the purchase this year or during 2012, the resources are there."
Valotto said the system in use offered a "bubble" of protection 60-70 meters across, allowing one in every two convoy vehicles to be kitted out. The system, he added, works at the low frequencies used by garage door remote controls, as well as the high frequencies used to send cellphone text messages.
"The British collaborated at the start, supplying the threat library," he said. "Each system consists of a vehicle-borne element and a man-portable element used by soldiers who need to dismount to remove IEDs."
Industry officials integrating the system in Afghanistan have shifted antennae for greater effectiveness and are tackling overheating issues, Valotto said.
Italy is meanwhile planning to buy an upgraded version of the LMV, known as version 1A, which will provide greater electrical power for systems, including jammers.
"At the start, with other U.S. and British systems we used, the signal would be interrupted when we turned on the radio, but not with this system," Valotto said.
Valotto, who ran Italy's military interforce command in Rome for a year before his appointment to lead the Army, said the purchase of Guardian systems was part of his drive to increase troop safety in Afghanistan, where Italy has suffered losses from IEDs.
"We are looking to new sensors, UAVs and protected vehicles to carry out the mission, but above all, safeguard the soldier," he said.
After the deaths of soldiers traveling in Lince vehicles, Italy last year dispatched 17 Freccias to Afghanistan, just months after they were delivered by joint manufacturers Italian firms Oto Melara and Iveco.
The vehicles have been involved in firefights with insurgents but have not been hit by an IED explosion, "possibly because they have served as a deterrent so far," said one Army source.
With industry officials on hand at a dedicated hangar in Shindand, the Freccias have been operated by three different regimental companies rotated in to gain experience, while upgrades have also been made.
"There have been small changes," said Valotto. "We have increased the cooling for the Guardian, which was built to handle a maximum temperature of 40 centigrade, but out there we get up to 45-50 centigrade."
Sending the closed-hull Freccia out to patrol alongside the Lince has coincided with the installing of remote gun turrets on the roofs of the Linces, replacing the gunner who stood in a hatch and was vulnerable if the vehicle overturned. Both measures risk distancing Italian troops from the local residents they are seeking to build trust with, but Valotto said the soldiers would have plenty of other occasions to push dialogue.
The so-called Italian way of peacekeeping in Afghanistan is based on "the capability to dialogue with local populations," he said. "Our soldiers respect customs, traditions and religions and talk to people," he said, "it is an incredible resource that helps achieve the mission."
Separately, Italy's Mangusta attack helicopters, which form a purely offensive part of the Italian mission in Afghanistan, are soon to be equipped with the Spike missile, which is also being purchased for mounting on Lince and Freccia vehicles.
Also being integrated on the Mangustas is the Rafael Toplite targeting system, which will provide targeting information to the missile. But a defense source said that recent flight trials in Italy had paved the way for further uses of the Toplite.
"Italy requested that the Toplite also provide laser targeting for other aircraft, as well as registering laser targets painted by other aircraft. In the recent tests, an Italian AMX fighter bomber dropped a GBU munition on a target designated by a Mangusta," he said.

Australian PM to Raise N. Korea in China

SEOUL - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged on April 24 to urge China to help tame North Korea and ease tension on the Korean Peninsula as part of efforts to ensure regional security.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, left, and her partner Tim Mathieson visit the U.N. Command Military Armistice Commission meeting room April 24 as North Korean soldiers look in through the window at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demi (Lee Jin-Man / AFP via Getty Images)

Gillard, on a visit to Seoul as part of her whirlwind Asian tour, said Sydney was "concerned about continuing North Korean aggression" and vowed to "bring continued pressure on the North Korea regime for change."

"My message would be that it is not in China's interest to have instability on the Korean Peninsula," she told reporters.
She will leave for China, the communist North's major ally, on April 25 for the last leg of her Asian trip that began in Japan.
"The instability here on the Korean Peninsula is concerning to our region...that's why I'm putting such a focus on it in my discussions in the region," she said, calling the North's regime a "repressive dictatorship."
The isolated North heightened regional security concerns in November by disclosing an apparently operational uranium enrichment plant, which experts said could be reconfigured to produce weapons-grade uranium.
Cross-border tension escalated in the same month following Pyongyang's shelling attack on a border island that killed four South Koreans, including two civilians and sparked a brief fear of war.
The six-party nuclear disarmament talks on the North, involving China, two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the U.S., have been on a standstill since Pyongyang stormed out in April 2008. The North staged its second nuclear test a month later.
Gillard admitted Australia was not part of the multinational disarmament efforts, but vowed to "play a role in assisting with pressure on North Korea."
"It's a hard regime to influence, but we've got to keep the pressure on, for them to show that they're genuinely prepared to change," she said.
As part of her three-day visit, Gillard also mourned on April 24 340 Australian soldiers who fell during the Korean War, in the ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of a battle at Gapyeong.
The battle, Australia's largest military action during the war, helped stop the Chinese "spring offensive" and proved crucial in preventing a Chinese breakthrough towards Seoul, Gillard said.
"That night the defining fight for the Australians in the Korean War began... this battle that stopped a breakthrough," she said, stressing Australia proved itself as "a reliable and courageous ally."
More than 17,000 Australian troops, as part of an U.N. multinational force, served during the war.
She also visited the truce village of Panmunjom straddling the tense border between the two Koreas, which have technically remained at war since the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire.
On April 25, Gillard will attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service - Australia's memorial day - at the National War Memorial in Seoul and hold a summit with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.
The two leaders will discuss a range of issues including ways to strengthen defense ties and to strike long-anticipated free trade agreement, Gillard said.

U.S. Carries Out First Drone Strike in Libya: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - The United States carried out its first drone strike in Libya on April 23, the Pentagon said, two days after approving the use of pilotless aircraft to aid rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
"The first Predator strike in Libya occurred today in the early afternoon local time," a U.S. military press spokesman said in a statement sent to AFP.

But he said there would be no further information about the target or where the strike occurred. "Per common practice we are not providing any details," the spokesman added.
U.S. President Barack Obama authorized the use of missile-carrying drones in Libya for what his administration called "humanitarian" reasons on April 21.
Rebels, battling to oust veteran leader Gadhafi after four decades in power, have bogged down despite a NATO-led operation launched last month to provide them with air cover and target pro-regime forces on the ground.
They welcomed the decision to send in the drones, which have been widely used in Pakistan and Afghanistan, despite controversy over the deaths of civilians caught in the cross-fire.
The NATO military alliance says the unmanned drones and their precision will give the coalition forces more options, especially in urban warfare.
"The use of drones will make it easier to target Gadhafi forces in crowded urban areas. A vehicle like the Predator, that can get down lower and can get IDs, will better help us carrying out the mission with precision and care," a NATO official said.
Intense fighting on April 23 gripped Misrata, a port city east of Tripoli, overwhelming its hospital with casualties after Gadhafi's regime gave its army an "ultimatum" to take the besieged Libyan city.
At least 10 people were also killed and 50 wounded in the street battles after NATO air raids struck near a compound in the capital Tripoli where Gadhafi resides.
The Pentagon spokesman said in an earlier statement that it is "standard procedure not to discuss specifics about UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) missions in any theater of operation."

Boeing, US Navy Mark Delivery of 500th Super Hornet/Growler

ST. LOUIS, April 21, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy celebrated a milestone delivery on April 20 in St. Louis: 500 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and derivative EA-18G Growlers have joined the Navy's tactical aircraft fleet.
The Super Hornet Block II is the Navy's frontline strike fighter, deploying leading-edge technology and multirole strike capability around the globe. The EA-18G is now the premier airborne electronic attack platform in the Navy's arsenal and the United States' newest tactical aircraft, providing the ability to block enemy radar and electronic systems.
"The Super Hornet and Growler, both combat-deployed, have continuously increased capability for the warfighter while reducing cost for the Navy and the taxpayer," F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs Vice President Kory Mathews said at the ceremony. "Boeing has delivered every F/A-18E/F and EA-18G to the U.S. Navy on budget and ahead of schedule."
"Today is another significant milestone for a program that has by any measure exceeded expectations for cost, schedule and performance," said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager (PMA-265). "The PMA-265/Hornet Industry Team has consistently delivered capable and reliable aircraft to our fleet customer."
The F/A-18E/F and EA-18G will operate from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers through 2035 and beyond, with the flexibility to seamlessly operate from land-based airfields.
"These aircraft were designed with extensive growth capacity, enabling evolutionary technology to be added throughout the life of the aircraft to expand capabilities and remain well ahead of changing threats," said Mathews.
The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. The Super Hornet Block II achieved Initial Operational Capability in 2007.
Boeing is on contract to deliver 24 two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornets to the Royal Australian Air Force. The Super Hornet also is a competitor in ongoing fighter competitions in Brazil, India, Malaysia and Japan.
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is the only air combat platform that delivers full-spectrum airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability along with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based airfields. It is replacing the Navy's current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The EA-18G joined the Navy's aircraft fleet in 2008, when it was introduced to fleet training squadron VAQ-129. The EA-18G achieved Initial Operational Capability in 2009.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 66,000 employees worldwide.

Indonesian Navy successfully tests Russian anti-ship missile

MOSCOW, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - The Indonesian Navy has successfully tested a Russian-made anti-ship missile for the first time, the Antara national news agency reported on Thursday.
The Yakhont anti-ship missile was launched on Wednesday from the Van Speijk class frigate, Oswald Siahaan, during naval exercises in the Indian Ocean. Russian observers oversaw the drills, which involved 12 ships and over 1,000 personnel.
It took six minutes for the missile to cover 250 nautical miles and destroy a designated target.
"The target ship was hit [by the missile] and sank," Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul said. "We bought these missiles a long time ago, and have finally tested them."
Indonesia bought an undisclosed number of Russian SS-N-26 Yakhont supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles for $1.2-million apiece in 2007 to replace Harpoon missiles on its frigates.
The missile has a maximum range of 300 kilometers when cruising at high altitude. It flies at low level during the terminal phase, and between 5 and 15 meters in altitude.

Is China Developing a VSTOL Fighter?

TAIPEI - China may have test-flown the J-18 Red Eagle vertical short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) fighter earlier this month, if chatter on Chinese-language military blogs is accurate.
China's defense industry is largely opaque and it is difficult to substantiate Internet chatter. However, Chinese-language military blogs reported the first test flight of the stealthy J-20 Black Eagle fighter in January, much to the surprise of the Western media.

Now there are reports emerging of a test flight of the J-18. Tests were supposedly conducted earlier this month and the fighter is similar to the Sukhoi Su-33 carrier-based fighter.
"In 2005, a Chinese aviation industry source told me the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation was considering a F-35B-like program," said Richard Fisher, vice president of the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center. "Given the PLA's naval power projection ambitions, it is probable there is VSTOL or STOVL [short takeoff and vertical landing] fighter program."
There are "many alleged programs in the Chinese blogosphere," Fisher said.
These include a J-16 built by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), which is a stealthier dedicated attack version of the J-11B (Su-27) multirole fighter with active electronically scanned array radar and an internal weapons bay, which will "reportedly emerge this summer," he said.
China is expected to begin sea trials for its first aircraft carrier this summer. Analysts believe the J-15 Flying Shark, a copy of the Sukhoi Su-33, will be China's first carrier-based fighter. SAC procured an earlier prototype of the Su-33 from the Ukraine in 2001 and the J-15 reportedly conducted its first test flight in mid-2009.
There have also been questionable Chinese-language military blogs providing sketchy reporting on J-17 and J-19 fighter programs. Reportedly, the J-17 is long-range fighter-bomber based on the Russian Sukhoi Su-34 and the J-19 is a heavy multirole fighter based on the J-11B.