Rentaka - Rentaka Defence Portal

PRESS RELEASED - KERIS STRIKE 2014

12/9/2014

Malaysian Armed Forces and U.S. Army Pacific announced today their participation in the Keris Strike 2014 exercise to be held in and around Kota Bharu, Malaysia from Sep. 13-26.

Keris Strike is an annual, bilateral exercise sponsored by U.S. Army Pacific and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 18th iteration of the exercise, which contributes to enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and tactical interoperability while strengthening the bilateral relationship.

CNO: Malaysia Offers U.S. P-8 Detachment Site

11/9/2014

P-8A Poseidon dropping a Mk. 54 torpedo dummy. (Photo: US Navy)

By: Richard R. Burgess (www.seapowermagazine.org)

Malaysia has offered the use of a base in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo to the United States as a site for detachments of Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

New Littoral Combat Ships Are Rolling Out

14/8/2014

The MONTGOMERY emerges from Austal USA’s building shed on August 5. (Thigpen Photography via Austal USA)

By: Christopher P Cavas (www.defensenews.com)

Both builders of the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships are busy cranking out new hulls, aiming at what could be a banner year for the program in 2015.

On August 5 in Mobile, Alabama, Austal USA rolled the Independence-class MONTGOMERY (LCS 8) out of its building shed onto a barge, which was then moved up the Mobile River to transfer the ship to a floating drydock. The LCS was launched the following day when the drydock was taken to deeper water and flooded.

Decommissioning plan pulls all frigates from fleet by end of FY '15

3/7/2014

The USS Kauffman is scheduled to be the fleet's last frigate sailing. (Photo: US Navy)

By: David Larter (www.navytimes.com)

Start saying goodbye to the frigates.

By October 2015, the fleet will be devoid of frigates for the first time in more than 70 years, according to the Navy’s latest decommissioning plan.

The Navy plans to retire all of the remaining frigates, as well as five ships and two subs, during fiscal year 2015, the service announced Tuesday.

When drones fall from the sky (PART 1)

30/6/2014

Several military drones have simply disappeared while at cruising altitudes, never to be seen again. (Photo: tacticalmediafiles.net)

By: Craig Whitlock (www.washingtonpost.com)

More than 400 large U.S. military drones have crashed in major accidents around the world since 2001, a record of calamity that exposes the potential dangers of throwing open American skies to drone traffic, according to a year-long Washington Post investigation.

Since the outbreak of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, military drones have malfunctioned in myriad ways, plummeting from the sky because of mechanical breakdowns, human error, bad weather and other reasons, according to more than 50,000 pages of accident investigation reports and other records obtained by The Post under the Freedom of Information Act.

China fears spur Philippine naval upgrade

16/6/2014

PF-15 Gregorio del Pillar during CARAT 2013. The two frigates from the class brought from US are already nearly 50 years old. (Photo: US Navy)

By: AFP (www.afp.com)

As fears grow that China is on an aggressive South China Sea territorial grab, a sleepy Philippine village is being transformed into a major naval base that may host US warships.

Ulugan Bay, a small, picturesque cove encircled by thick mangroves, has suddenly become a vital part of the Philippine military’s efforts to shore up its defense of contested South China Sea islands and waters.

KUNJUNGAN COMPACFLT KUKUH HUBUNGAN BILATERAL TLDM, TL AMERIKA SYARIKAT

10/6/2014

Admiral Harry B. Harris JR dan Laksamana Tan Sri Abdul Aziz (Gambar: Navy.mil.my)

by: PR TLDM
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 Jun 14 – Lawatan rasmi Admiral Harry B. Harris, JR, Commander U.S Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) ke atas Panglima Tentera Laut, YBhg Laksamana Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Hj Jaafar di Markas Tentera Laut, Wisma Pertahanan di sini hari ini mengukuhkan lagi hubungan bilateral antara Tentera Laut Amerika Syarikat dan TLDM yang sekian lama terjalin.

US eyes use of Navy base in Cagayan

2/6/2014

By: Jaime Laude (www.philstar.com)

The United States may station troops at the Philippine Navy base here under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Local officials disclosed that a team of US servicemen, accompanied by US embassy staff, inspected the Camilo Osias Naval Base facility in Barangay San Vicente here recently.

Located on the northern tip of Cagayan, Camilo Osias base has maritime and territorial jurisdiction over the country’s northern frontier – a portion of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

A local official who saw the five US visitors said they were “introducing themselves as tourists... and proceeded to inspect the naval base.”

The local official asked not to be named, saying he is not authorized to speak on issues of national concern.

The base has a port and an airfield that can accommodate C-130 cargo planes, one of the requirements being considered by the US military leadership on the planned increased deployment of forces in the country.

Navy pays 1 cent to scrap ex-carrier Saratoga

9/5/2014

After multiple unsuccessful attempts have been made to preserve her as a museum ship, and USS Saratoga is currently slated for disposal. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

By: Navy Times (www.navytimes.com)

The decommissioned aircraft carrier Saratoga is officially headed for the scrapyard after the Navy paid one penny to a Texas scrapyard to dismantle the 81,101-ton flattop that once blockaded Soviet ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Sikorsky Wins Presidential Helicopter Award

7/5/2014

Concept of the Sikorsky VH-92 helicopter for the US Government Executive Transport mission. (Matt Grasso / Sikorsky)

By AARON MEHTA (http://www.defensenews.com)

WASHINGTON — The US Navy has officially selected Sikorsky to develop the next-generation of presidential helicopters.

The contract, a $1.2 billion deal, covers the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the Presidential Helicopter Replacement program. The EMD phase calls for the procurement of six test aircraft and two simulators, with an October 2020 completion date.

To Buy or Not to Buy? A Dilemma for Taiwan’s Navy

20/4/2014

Three of Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates in 1982 picture (Photo: US Defence Imagery)

By: J. Micheal Cole (www.thediplomat.com)

As reported by The Diplomat last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing the sale of four decommissioned U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates under an excess defense article (EDA) reallocation program. Although the expected decision was hailed in some corners as a sign of healthy U.S.-Taiwan relations, the sale of — let’s be honest here — mothballed military equipment makes little sense from a military and economic standpoint. In fact, no sooner had the announcement been made than Taipei, which faces serious budgetary constraints, said it was only interested in acquiring two. This is probably the right decision. A better one yet would be to not buy a single one.

Navy Equips MH-60s With New 'Smart' Launcher

2/4/2014

An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter fires the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) from a modernized, digital rocket launcher (DRL) during a test event in 2013. (Photo: US Navy)

By: Bill Carey (www.ainonline.com)

The U.S. Navy is fitting Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk helicopters with a new digital rocket launcher, for the first time enabling them to carry a variety of weapons. The “smart” launcher will be integrated on the MH-60S as part of a rapid deployment capability, and later added to theMH-60R and potentially other platforms, the service said.

Navy's Most Advanced Command and Control Aircraft Joins the Fleet

27/3/2014

The E-2D offers a revolutionary jump in capabilities (Photo: US. Navy)

By: Cmmdr. Ernest R. Scot USN (www.navy.mil)

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye officially became ready for tasking with Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125 (VAW-125) during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, March 27.

"This is a revolutionary jump in capabilities," said Capt. Todd Watkins, commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing. "The E-2D serves as the eyes of the fleet. If it's out there, we will see it."

Upgrading the Classic FFG for Modern Combat

27/3/2014

US Navy will retire its last Oliver Hazard Perry Class FFGs in the 2015, opening the way for other navies to acquire it and opening up market for upgrades. (Photo: US Navy)

By: Christopher P. Cavas (www.defensenews.com)

The Oliver Hazard Perry guided missile frigates are one of the most numerous warships classes built since World War II. The first ships entered service in the 1980s, but many still serve under the flags of other nations, all of whom are intensely interested in keeping these vintage ships as effective as possible.

With the last of the ships scheduled to leave US service by the fall of 2015, even more Perrys — commonly known as FFGs, or “figs” — will become available for foreign transfer and hence, in need of upgrades.

Understanding the Weather Is Key Factor in Military Operations

26/3/2014

US Navy warships operating off the Gulf of Oman. (Photo: US Navy)

By: Christopher P. Cavas (www.defensenews.com)

High salinity levels and thick humidity. Dense ocean thermal layers. Shifting currents and winds. Sandstorms, rainstorms, and, of course, severely high temperatures.

All are features of the Arabian Gulf, and all can affect the performance of military sensors and weapons. Understanding those effects and adapting operations to compensate for them can be key to the success of a mission.