Originally posted by solaris:
Here is some modification I would like to add
1. Malaysian 155mm artillery
Sometime ago, field trials for the GIAT CESAR 155mm self propelled
artillery was conducted and I believe a certain quantity was
purchased. The South African 155mm - when was this
announced?
it was announced some months ago (not too long). I remebered
reading the news from
Defense System Daily. It was a small quantity.
2. The RMN submarines
I believed the winner of the submarine bid was DCN with their
Scorpene submarine. I think RMN aquisition plan call for 3. The
Scorpene posses a grave maritime menace. However I believe Tony Tan
once made a public annoucement that the Challenger class subs are
~training subs~....
Yes, RMN sub aquisition is from the French. However, the
Scorpene is an Italian design. I believe the design was taken from
the Italian as French no longer build SSK. Like the Americans and
the British, they only build SSN. I think the RMN boats will be
equipped with French sonars and fire control computer, etc.
As for RSN subs, the Sjoormen class is a precurosr to most like the
HDW/Kockum build ships, probably a sister ship of A19 boats or even
a totally new boat. I believe RSN favour Swedish/German built boats
because the baltic sea is very much like the Singapore Straits,
Malacca Straits or to that extend the South China sea, being
shallow - pretty much green water. The subs built by HDW and
Kockums are good at operating at such shallow water, being rather
quiet and stealth, but at the same time very agile. I also think
that RSN will probably go with the Sterling AIP or even the German
fuel cell.
Upgarde for the Army
1. I am speculating that the light/medium tank will be an
indigenous design based on Bionix technology with prominent Israeli
influence(fire control and gunnery stabilisation etc). The gun will
probably be a 105mm.
Reasonable assumption. In fact Janes Defence and some other
reputated defence journals have already said the same thing. A new
like tank is in the pipeline, wholly built and design by ST Engg.
It probably uses the same Bionix Chassis (make sense to have common
parts to reduce logistic), and an 105mm gun. It is highly likely to
have an Israeli made fire control computer and sights (presumedly
the Thermal sight and scopes).
My personal wish is that the new light tank should include a
commander Independent Thermal imager with the hunter-killer mode
installed. The Tank commander will spot the targets and pass it to
the gunner with the press of the button. While the gunner engage
the target, the tank command CITV will search for another target.
The gun should be fully stablized for firing while on the move. The
smoke grenade launcher should also be able to launch a
fragmentation grenade tto act like "claymore mines". The tank have
add on armour capability and active defensive suite such as the one
use on CV90-120mm.
I also wish that SAF will complement the new tank with some 60+
CV90-120mm tanks or Leo 1A5.
2. As mentioned earlier, MLRS should be a technology that the SAF
investigate. The introduction of true SP variants of the FH2000 is
also a possibility.
FH2000 itself is self-propelled. I presume you are talking about
a true SP like M106 Paladin, AS90 Braveheart, G6, and PzH2000 where
the gun is married into a mechanised chassis. Israel has done many
of these kind of work. Perhaps SAF could use the Centurion chassis
and design a turret that can carry the old M68 gun, M71 gun, the
FH88 and FH2000 guns. Perhaps SAF would have true SP guns 
3. Improvement in the army air lift capability. With the completion
of the Chinook program, a replacement for the UHIH should be
evaluated.
This is underway. I think it might even be tied to the naval
helo program. At this stage NH90 seems to be the leader for the
naval helo bid. Alternatively, RSAF can also upgrade UH-1H to UH-1Z
like the USN version with the new T700 engines, upgrade cockpit and
4 blades rotors.
4. It is unlikely that with the introduction of Igla and Mistral
some years back and the fulfillment of our SHORAD requirements, a
new SHORAD system will be introduced. The mounting of Igla/Mistral
on IFV chassis is a possibility however? A more immediate task is
the replacement of the I Hawk and Rapier 2 perharps. I am not sure
of their system specifications and performance though. Should the
upgrade be extensive enough then replacement might not be
neccessary.
Well, not talking about replacing Igla or Mistral. The
Linebacker Bradley and the LAV-AD ait defense system simply adopt a
turret that can both launch MANPAD SAMs including Igla, Mistral and
Stingers as well as firing the gatling 25mm guns. The turrets also
carry integrated target acqusition radars as well as
electro-optical sights for target acquistion.
5. A low profile area - C4I. Battlefield information system and
communications should be improved. By improving information
transfer and dessimination, our forces will be able to outmaneurve
larger enemy units. No information on this and I don't think anyone
will comment on this. However with the SAF emphasis on manoeuvre
warfare, there will most probably be interesting developments in
this area.
This has been an onging improvment in the SAF. I didn't mention
it as we know that Mindef is at the stage of building up the armed
forces ELINT, SIGINT and COMINT capabilities.
6. Upgrade of AT capability. I do not think the SAF would introduce
a new ATGW system currently. The Spike offers us many interesting
possibilities though
Do not have to. TOW 1A is already in the RSAF inventory in the
form of the missiles carried by Fennecs. However, instead of using
TOW 1A, SAF could choose to integrate Spike with the Bionix 25mm
turret somewhat like the M2/M3 Bradley and the latest LAV 25
turret.
Just my 2 cents
