Search the Community

US aircraft carriers are taking new routes into the South China Sea, Chinese think tank says. https://www.businessinsider.com/aircraft-carriers-new-routes-south-china-sea-think-tank-says-2022-1?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sf-insider-mildef&utm_source=facebook.com US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in Danang, Vietnam, March 5, 2018. REUTERS/Nguyen Huy Kham US carrier strike groups entered the South China Sea 10 times in 2021, compared with six times in 2020 and five in 2019. Use of alternative routes between islands may be designed to evade PLA radars and indicates skill diversification for US sailors, defence experts say. The US Navy's aircraft carrier strike groups have not only increased South China Sea transits since last year, but their routes and drill patterns are becoming more complicated and unpredictable, according to a recent study. Defence experts said the changes could indicate new countermeasures devised by the strike groups to face any contingencies in the region, such as a potential attack on Taiwan by Beijing's People's Liberation Army, or over South China Sea territorial disputes. Beijing sees self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. It is also one of the rival claimants to several small islands and reefs in the busy shipping lanes of the resource-rich South China Sea. The US demands freedom of navigation in the region. The USS Carl Vinson CSG completed a five-day joint drill with the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) around the disputed Spratly Islands on Saturday, kicking off their 2022 naval schedule two weeks earlier than last year, according to the South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI), a maritime strategic study unit affiliated to Peking University's Institute of Ocean Research. USS Carl Vinson the South China Sea. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Jasen Morenogarcia/Released "The US military have drastically reinforced their military deployment in the South China Sea since last year, in terms of training scales, sorties and scenarios," SCSPI director Hu Bo told state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) on Friday. "USS [US ship carrier strike groups] entered the South China Sea 10 times last year, compared with six times in 2020, and five in 2019, with their training patterns becoming more complicated and unpredictable." In the past, the US warships used to enter the region via the Bashi Channel between the Philippines and Taiwan, but their routes and operation time spans had become diversified since last year, he added. Navigation records and satellite images show that the strike groups had tended to pass through narrow waterways between the Philippine archipelagos on their way to the region, including the Balabac Strait off Palawan province, a channel between Verde Island and Mindoro, and other points, the CCTV report said. In the latest transit last Tuesday, the CSG led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier entered the region via the Balabac Strait to team up with the Essex ARG, a landing helicopter dock group, according to the US Navy. Lu Li-shih, a former instructor at Taiwan's Naval Academy in Kaohsiung, said the US strike groups appeared to be trying to come up with new countermeasures to the PLA's anti-access strategies aimed at stopping foreign military interventions in waters off Taiwan and in the South China Sea. A press conference in the hangar bay of US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson while anchored in Manila Bay, Philippines, November 30, 2010. US Navy/PO2 James Evans "I believe the US Navy is trying to escape the over-the-horizon (OTH) radars systems on the three artificial islands of Mischief, Subi and Fiery Cross reefs, which has targeted US warships and aircraft [before]," Lu said, referring to Beijing's three artificial islands in the Spratlys. "The US Navy can use the geographical features of the Philippines to approach the region and suddenly appear somewhere out of the PLA's expectations, because the OTH radars have limitations when it comes to monitoring approaching objects from a group of archipelagos." The USS Carl Vinson strike group fleet includes destroyers, frigates, submarines and supply ships. The new approach of warships sailing between island groups would also require US sailors to boost their skills in traditional terrestrial navigation, Lu noted. Collin Koh, a research fellow from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the new movements and choices of route were in keeping with the dynamic force employment concept implemented by the US Navy. "Instead of using only those traditional routes, the increased use of lesser-known, alternative routes would reduce predictability with respect to the direction of movement of US military assets," Koh said. "This thereby increases operational and strategic flexibility in times of peace and contingencies. Such contingencies would include the Taiwan Strait scenario to be sure."

this Hunter made debut liao.. just tot this might interest military fans https://www.snafu-solomon.com/2019/08/singapores-hunter-ifv-frontal-armor.html

While landing on Changi Airport, I just did not have enough time to pull out my phone to take a photo. I note there is a aircraft carrier outside the bay of our Navy Base in Changi. It must be the US? I just wonder what carrier is it and how if there is even an opportunity to get closer and take a look. Probably this 1,2 days go there cycling and see. Wonder what deal we have with them too, will CCP KPKB.

Noticed there are scattered current affairs threads for stuff related to military hardware, tactics etc. I'll kick it off with some of the more interesting things I learned about recently: On the US front: The F-117A Nighthawk AKA "Wobby Goblin" has been retired since 2008, after a remarkably short service life. Its shootdown in Yugoslavia in 1999 and subsequent compromise of the technology could have been a factor. F-14 Tomcat flew its last flight in 2006 - the only operator of the F-14 is now the Iranian air force. Moving to the UK, The country that invented and perfected the VSTOL fighter, the Harrier jump jet, no longer operates the type as of 2011. As a consequence of the Harrier retirement, the Royal Navy operates three STOVL aircraft carriers that do not have fixed wing aircraft. The Royal Navy has recently launched their latest aircraft carrier, the angled-deck Queen Elizabeth, but it is solely dependent on the F-35B to enable it to operate as something more than a helicopter carrier. As a cost saving measure, it is conventionally, not nuclear-powered. Japan Incidentally, the JMSDF's Hyuga class of helicopter carriers are only slightly smaller than the Royal Navy's STOVL carriers - which used to operate Harriers. Malaysia In the 2014 version of Cope Taufan, Malaysia gave the Americans a first taste of the SU-30MKM and they brought their newest toy, the F-22 Raptor to play. During the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff, BAe Hawks operated as strike aircraft, with the RMAF's Hornets performing target designation. General The Rheinmetall 120mm gun, pretty much the standard Western tank gun, has a barrel life of between 50-400 rounds, depending on the type of ammunition fired.Feel free to add on, or discuss current affairs topics. Please stay away from sensitive issues such as discussing classified information, or peeing contests in declaring Country X is better than Country Y, or whatever. These are hypothetical scenarios, whereas there is plenty going on just with the turmoil the world is in currently, and over the past decade to talk about.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/China-s-military-has-an-Achilles-heel-Low-troop-morale?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20210920123000&seq_num=29&si=44594 China's military has an Achilles' heel: Low troop morale 'One-child army' more inclined to add unmanned aircraft and ballistic missiles Visible military muscle like missiles and tanks is only one component of power. Troop morale is another. © AP TETSURO KOSAKA, Nikkei senior staff writerSeptember 19, 2021 16:09 JST TOKYO -- The Chinese Communist Party has unintentionally revealed weaknesses of the country's military. One indication came with the building of facilities for launching new intercontinental ballistic missiles in an inland desert region. The other was a series of further attempts to increase childbirths, including measures to help reduce the costly burden of educating children. Behind these moves lurks evidence that the country is addressing concerns regarding troop morale and the military's ability to fight a sustained war. For nearly a decade, China has been busy in the South China Sea, first building artificial islands, then deploying radar equipment and missiles to deter foreign military aircraft and vessels from approaching the area, and finally deploying strategic nuclear submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles in the now-protected sea. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles, known as SLBMs, are the ultimate weapon. They allow nations to avoid being put in disadvantageous positions since the subs that carry them can remain in deep waters, keeping the enemy at bay, until the very end. So why is China rushing to build new ICBM bases in inland desert areas? Experts believe the reason lies in the fact that although China has militarized some waters in the South China Sea and deployed SLBMs, it no longer has confidence it can defend the area should conflict arise. In January 2018, a Chinese submarine humiliatingly revealed its lack of high-level performance. The submarine, traveling undersea in a contiguous zone of Japan's Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea, was quickly detected by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. It was quick to surface and unhesitatingly raise the Chinese flag, which might as well have been a white flag of surrender; the crew presumably feared their vessel could be attacked with depth charges. Under international law, the Maritime Self-Defense Force could have regarded the vessel as an "unidentified submarine" that had intruded into Japanese territorial waters while submerged. Many Japanese and U.S. officials believe the incident symbolizes the low morale of Chinese troops. A Chinese submarine raises what might as well be a flag of surrender after being forced to surface near Japan's Senkaku Islands in January 2018. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Defense) Chinese Communist Party governments have spent the past quarter-century increasing military spending and staging military parades and naval reviews. But visible might like missiles and tanks is only one component of military power. There are also invisible inputs, like troop morale. The Chinese navy has been working on an aircraft carrier program, but a former Japanese Ministry of Defense official predicts Chinese aircraft carriers will not leave their military ports in conflicts out of fear they might be attacked and sunk. Some believe that Chinese soldiers' low morale is attributable to the country's long-standing one-child policy, which has made the military one of the world's leading "one-child armies." "Over 70% of Chinese soldiers are 'only children,' and the rest are the second or later children whose parents had to pay fines to bear them," said Kinichi Nishimura, a former Ground Self-Defense Force officer who for many years has analyzed East Asia's military balance at the Ministry of Defense's Defense Intelligence Headquarters and elsewhere. The Confucianist view that children must respect and take good care of their parents and ancestors remains deep-rooted in China. As a result, parents are particularly reluctant to see their children die earlier than they do. Parents of one-child households must feel even more strongly about their only son or daughter becoming nothing more than a proverbial "nail." In China, where people tend to have little respect for soldiers, there is a saying: "Good steel does not become nails," meaning respectable individuals do not become soldiers. In order to ensure it can secure sufficient numbers of troops, the party has been working to improve salaries and pensions. On Aug. 1, the government enacted a law to protect the status, rights and interests of military personnel. This desperate effort to improve the patina of a military career might be a sign that the People's Liberation Army has not been able to turn around its recruitment efforts, especially in the face of the country's ebbing fertility rate. "The Chinese military has increased the deployment of battleships and fighter planes since a few years ago," Nishimura said, "but their operating rates are not exactly high. It seems they are unable to sufficiently train enough soldiers to properly maintain and repair" the high-tech hardware. This is partly why the Chinese military in recent years has come to rely more on unmanned aircraft and ballistic missiles. The number of ballistic missiles China deploys has increased to several thousand. One of the PLA's military doctrines not widely known, says, "In the initial battle of war, launch a large number of missiles and then immediately leave the front line." This strategy was picked up from the former Soviet Union, whose military played the role of teacher while China was forming the PLA. Over the past few years, the PLA has rushed to add more fighter jets, surface ships and submarines, which might indicate an intention to increase the number of missiles that can be launched when battles commence. Unmanned aircraft are thought to have the same purpose. This strategy will continue, especially when the military is not able to secure enough soldiers. To protect themselves from Chinese missile attacks, Japan and other nations must start thinking about enhancing measures to mitigate damage. These measures include developing and deploying next-generation arms, including high-energy laser weapons and rail guns, which use electromagnetic force to launch projectiles at extremely high speeds. Japan already has a technological foundation to develop these weapons, though this capacity is not widely known in the country.

I see parallels in the way they are brain washing their young. disturbing even though i watch a lot of jap education bideos.. ahem.. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210816003900325 china and korea not happy jap propagandize their kids against them. isnt this an adult thing? even most adults dont understand the historical bad blood let alone kids. this brain washing kids is historically very prominent in japan during the militarizing years https://apjjf.org/-Owen-Griffiths/2528/article.html other countries large scale brainwash their kids too, like the germans did with hitler youth or china did the red guards. its just not a good idea to indoctrinate kids when even as adults most never achieve critical reasoning skills. japs probably looking at creating a pre ww2 society again. not that it would happen but its just sad that they do this.

Why keep ICs of military personnel?sources: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/why-keep-ics-of-military-personnel Currently, upon enlistment for national service, full-time national servicemen (NSFs) in Singapore are required to surrender their identity card (IC) and are issued with a military IC, also known as the 11B, for their stint. Those who have chosen to work in the military service as regulars are also subject to this requirement. As a result, they do not get to see or use their ICs until they retire from the service. It is a common practice for companies to issue their own identification passes to their staff. However, the use of such passes is restricted to only the companies concerned. Likewise, the military IC should ideally be used only within military services. The retention of the IC has resulted in military personnel using their military ICs for private purposes, such as to collect passports, open a bank account or enter a condominium as a visitor. Why do these private individuals need to identify themselves as military personnel when the situation does not call for it? They need to have their privacy, too, as to where they work. The reasons for retaining the ICs of NSFs and regulars are not publicly known. The Ministry of Defence should review the objectives of retaining the IC and do away with this requirement if there are no serious implications to doing so. This will help to reduce the administrative work of safe-keeping and returning the ICs. Military personnel, particularly the regulars, will also be able to keep and use them when necessary without having to identify themselves as military personnel. - Goh Kian Huat

hi, want to check any bros here have worn their No. 1 uniform for wedding photo shoot? my wife-to-be wants me to take with the uniform, so want to check how do i go about getting it? im not a regular, just nsman, so where to get? thanks,

At least 257 people were killed on Wednesday when a military plane crashed near the Algerian capital, Algiers, state media reported. The aircraft crashed near the Boufarik air base, between Algiers and the city of Blida. Ten of those killed were the plane crew, according to state-run Radio Algérie. It was not immediately clear whether there were any survivors. It is the deadliest plane crash since 2014, when 298 people were killed after a Malaysian airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine. Algerian TV station Ennahar showed images of smoke rising from the plane's fuselage, tilted to one side, with part of the aircraft sticking out above olive trees. Dozens of bodies were seen in numbered bags as paramedics and firefighters worked at the crash site. Cranes at the site have begun trying to move some of the debris. One man told Ennahar he was at home when he heard an explosion, and drove with a neighbor to the site, where they tried to put out the fire and reach victims. "We saw bodies ... it was a catastrophe," he said. "We were afraid the plane would explode. We covered some bodies and put out some fires." Algeria has a shaky aviation safety record. In 2014, a Hercules C-130 carrying members of the country's air force and their families crashed in Algeria's east, killing 77 people. That same year, an Air Algérie flight crashed in Mali while flying between Bukina Faso and Algeria, killing all 116 people on board. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/11/africa/algeria-plane-crash-intl/index.html

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will be imposing market rate season parking charges on six more MINDEF and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) camps and bases from Sunday (Apr 1). In a news release on Tuesday, MINDEF said the car parks in these six camps have been deemed to have market value due to their proximity to public amenities. It did not specify which camps will be affected. Channel NewsAsia understands that Khatib Camp and Mowbray Camp in Choa Chu Kang are among the six. MINDEF said the season parking policy will apply to all permanent staff as well as contractors who require a car park lot on a regular basis. This is in addition to the 10 camps, bases and related premises that currently impose season parking charges. “Operationally ready National Servicemen who are going for their in-camp training and other operationally ready National Service activities will continue not to be charged for parking their cars in all camp/bases,” said MINDEF. Channel NewsAsia understands that the season parking charges are S$120 per month for covered car parks and S$90 per month for open-air car parks. These are based on the market rates of Housing and Development Board car parks near the premises. The Ministry of Education announced on Monday that staff at national schools will be charged season parking fees from August. Parking policy at schools came under review after the Audit-General's Office (AGO) 2014/2015 Financial Year report highlighted that some educational institutions did not impose parking charges or had charges that were below the market rate. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mindef-parking-charges-6-military-camps-and-bases-april-10079268

China military training inadequate for winning a war: army paper China's military authority has sent a document to military units detailing 40 weaknesses in current training methods, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily said in a front-page story. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/12/us-china-military-idUSKCN0I108Q20141012 (Reuters) - Weaknesses in China's military training pose a threat to the country's ability to fight and win a war, China's official military newspaper said on Sunday. China's military authority has sent a document to military units detailing 40 weaknesses in current training methods, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily said in a front-page story. "These problems reflect shortcomings and weak-points in the makeup of our military fighting force. If they are not promptly dealt with, then they will certainly affect and hinder our army's ability to go to war," the paper said, citing the PLA general staff headquarters. President Xi Jinping has been pushing to strengthen the fighting ability of China's 2.3 million-strong armed forces, the world's largest, and stepping up efforts to modernize forces that are projecting power across disputed waters in the East and South China Seas. The country's armed forces came under fire earlier this year from serving and retired Chinese officers and state media who questioned whether the force was too corrupt to win a war. The military newspaper said China needed to find a cure for the "peace disease" affecting its training regime to ensure the armed forces could master the ability to win a real conflict. Military authorities identified issues for the country's army, navy and air force, including training standards and styles by commanders and military units. The problems were identified through supervision of drills, including joint exercises with foreign armed forces, the PLA Daily said. China has developed stealth jets and has built one aircraft carrier

7 early 8 early, heard breaking news of Turkey military coup...... Capital Istanbul and Ankara affected ... Reports in CNN news

I rem vaguely in SAF Military law, its not allowed...... Lunch time, saw this stall with a guy working there, wearing SAF uniform with Lieutenant rank. I can confirm that the guy is local, not a FT trying to look like us. And i'm not disclosing this stall location. This guy must have his own reason for having to wear uniform while working in food stall. He's probably doing ICT now, and maybe got to work at same time.

Started from 8 am this morning Singapore/Beijing time. 纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利70周年大会

Now this is a good military parade: (PS - It is almost 1 hour long....) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw2bsbqycAY

At least four people have been killed in a military plane crash near Seville airport in Spain. The plane, a new Airbus A400M, reportedly developed a fault just after take-off on a test flight. Local media say that those on board were Spanish Airbus employees. Two have also been seriously injured. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has expressed his sorrow over the incident which took place about 1.6km (1 mile) away from San Pablo airport. Local media say that the plane had signalled that there was a fault with its systems just before the crash. he plane reportedly hit an electric power line as the pilots tried to make an emergency landing. The survivors have been taken to hospital by helicopter. A Spanish interior ministry spokesman told The Associated press news agency that one person had been conscious when they were taken out of the wreckage. Mr Rajoy said the government was ready to support the families of all of those involved in the accident. The accident took place in a field just north of San Pablo airport. According to local media, the crash site is close to the Airbus manufacturing plant which assembles the planes. The Airbus A400M plane model is not yet used by the Spanish military. It is a large transport aircraft that has been ordered by eight countries including Spain to replace a fleet of ageing Hercules aircraft. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32673713

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mindef-explains-s25900-language-course-pla-officer SINGAPORE — Language proficiency is important for foreign military officers who attend staff college courses here and the Defence Minstry will help them gain that proficiency so that they benefit from their time here, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament yesterday (Nov 5). He was replying to a question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Lina Chiam who had asked about a tender that had been called to provide an English Language course for an officer from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The course had cost S$25,900. The personalised, one-on-one, 360-hour course, was needed to get the officer to the level of proficiency conducted by a qualified English instructor, explained Dr Ng. The Ministry of Defence had put out a tender on government’s e-procurement portal — GeBiz — for the course language course. “We had about five or six people, companies, who replied. The contract was awarded to the lowest offer that met the requirements and this was the amount of S$25,900, which worked out to about S$70 an hour. All this was in strict compliance with government’s regulations,” Dr Ng said.

Simple question, people.

RIP... My fave is Rainbow Six... Nearly 30 years after the publication of his first crime novel, The Hunt for Red October, best-selling author Tom Clancy has died at the age of 66, his publisher has confirmed. While the president of G.P. Putnam

Looks like the plane loss its power in mid air.......

Anyone ever went to watch the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo before? Worth it? I like the bagpipe and the precision band. See 2012 version at the 45th min, http://youtu.be/gc-PwWFkJk0

Mr Tan did not say what was his vocation nor which service he was in. Anywaz good for him that he finds his experience opening doors for him overseas. The rest of us or at least me seriously do not find our society truly appreciating our 2 or 2.5 years' sacrifice and subsequently reservist obligations Guess some 80-dollar vouchers is some kind of recognisation I reckon.... From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-...rs-him-20130321 Military service opened doors for him Published on Mar 21, 2013 "TELL me about your military experience." I have been asked this question repeatedly at interviews for schools and work throughout the world. And I have learnt that the very best global institutions value my military skills, discipline and teamwork. I started out poorly. After faring badly in junior college and being rejected by local universities, I enlisted for national service and, after my basic military training, decided to sign on with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). I hoped to use my military service to bolster my applications for overseas universities. The skills and experience that I gained in the SAF helped me break through seemingly impossible odds. I was offered a place in a foreign university, got my degree, returned to the SAF, and left after serving my four-year bond. I subsequently applied for and was accepted to a top United States graduate programme, then worked in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international organisations and financial institutions. I have been in no way disadvantaged or "behind my peers". I am a valued contributor in these organisations because the very same leadership skills, teamwork, perseverance and discipline that I acquired in the SAF are equally applicable in NGO work, international diplomacy and development, and investment banking. What is worth noting, however, is that, in my experience, local institutions value these skills and experience less. Where global institutions saw these as strengths, local ones generally did not. This must change. Ultimately, regardless of the value we may or may not extract from national service, it helps to pause and reflect on the privilege of serving in the defence of one's loved ones and country. And we should, perhaps, remember that young men (and women) considered it a privilege, duty and necessity to serve at the advent and formation of the earliest nation states and civilisations. Tan Sheng Hui

http://androidheadlines.com/2010/08/milita...ng-android.html We already know about DARPA testing the use of Android for real-time translation, but what about a handset made particularly for military applications? General Dynamics Itronix just announced a wearable tactical computer/GPS device running Android. ?It has a?3.5 inche?sunlight readable display at 800

Just curious after reading that SMRT will be bringing in more SAF people into the organization. Who have experienced working with ex-senior officers in the private sector before?

Times are changing for the US military, which now finds itself embroiled in urban combat, for which the standard Humvee is less than ideal. As the U.S. military phases out the Humvee, its maker, AM General, strongly believes that the hardcore off-roader may still have some life left in it. For fans of the Hummer or the actual wartime vehicle that inspired it, now is your chance to own a version of the original High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or Humvee for short but without an engine. After more than 10 years break from the civilian vehicle market, AM General is considering to offer a kit car based on the C Series Humvee. The kit which is said to conform to US regulations includes a rolling chassis and could start from US$59,000 but builders have to get their own engine and transmission. A starting price of that amount is not too bad and with a suitable engine and transmission fixed, the final price will probably be around US$75,000. Considering the price of a Hummer H1 in 2005 was around US$140,000 before any added options, that US$75,000 price tag is rather reasonable. But, there is a catch. The reason why it is pretty inexpensive is because a kit version will be as stripped as a military version. That means buyers will not get the nice trimming or accessories a normal, civilian version would have. Buyers would likely get a cloth top, cloth doors, no interior trim, no sound deadening and no air-conditioning. But this would not matter much to the hardcore Humvee fans as these fans are pretty much more concerned about the Humvee