US diplomat visits Hoang Sa Islands administration office

The US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City has visited the office of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago administration and held discussions with local government officials.

US General Consul Le Thanh An (2nd, L) at the office of the Hoang Sa District People's Committee in Da Nang

Analysts said the move could irk China as both Washington and Beijing compete for "the strategic heart and mind of Southeast Asia."

Consul General Le Thanh An led Tuesday a delegation of the US consulate to meet with officials of the Hoang Sa island district administration based in the central city of Da Nang, according to a statement posted on the website of the Hoang Sa People's Committee.

Dang Cong Ngu, Chairman of Hoang Sa District, briefed the US delegation on his office's operation and development plans, the statement said.

Vietnam appointed Ngu as Hoang Sa mayor in 2009 in a largely symbolic move to assert sovereignty over the archipelago, which has been occupied by China since 1974.

Le Thanh An said at the meeting that the US supported peaceful solutions for disputes in the East Sea, internationally known as South China Sea, and wanted the safety and freedom of sea navigation maintained on the basis of international laws, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Both China and Vietnam are signatories to the UNCLOS but the US has not ratified it.

The visit took place two days after US Navy destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the salvage ship USNS Salvor docked in Da Nang's Tien Sa Port.

The deployment of the guided-missile carrier comes at a time when China has publicly flexed its naval muscles in waters off the Vietnamese coast.

China and four members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei – are embroiled in sovereignty disputes over the East Sea.

China’s claim is the largest, covering most of the sea’s 1.7 million square kilometers, a move emphatically rejected by independent experts.

Analysts consider the US envoy's visit a "diplomatic provocation" that risks triggering strong reactions from China.

"China will see it as a provocation I'd guess," said Mark Valencia, a Hawaii-based expert on the East Sea dispute.

Valencia said he was expecting China to complain about the US "meddling".

Since US President Barrack Obama announced a policy “pivot” towards the economically resilient Asia-Pacific region in late 2011, the US has consistently maintained that it will play a neutral role in the East Sea dispute.

The pivot has served to increase tensions between Washington and Beijing, analysts say, with China viewing it as a move to contain its growing military and economic clout.

Also in Da Nang, the US announced on April 24 that funding for a project to clean up dioxin, the toxic chemical left behind by Agent Orange at a former American airbase, would double to US$84 million.

Several experts have said US engagement in Da Nang must be considered from a global geopolitical point of view: Da Nang is a strategic deep water harbor in the East Sea, where China is rapidly expanding its military, economic and civilian presence.

"There is a geopolitical significance to these activities and their location in central Vietnam," said Carl Thayer, a maritime analyst with the University of New South Wales in Australia.

"China and the US may compete for the hearts and minds of Vietnam but Vietnam will pursue a policy of independence and self-reliance."

Thanhnien News

PH won’t give up claims to South China Sea territories

MANILA, Philippines—The Aquino administration turned the tables on Beijing on Saturday, accusing the Chinese government of occupying a piece of Philippine territory in the South China Sea.

A Palace spokesperson made it clear that Manila was not about to surrender areas in the South China Sea it claims to be part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and refers to as the West Philippine Sea, a day after China claimed that the Philippines was trying to legalize its occupation of islands in the disputed area by going to the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea or ITLOS.

“What’s our position when it comes to Bajo de Masinloc? That’s ours. And we will continue to exercise sovereignty over our territory,” said Palace spokeswoman Abigail Valte Valte in a radio interview.
Valte reminded China that the Aquino administration had already filed the case in the ITLOS, “and we are waiting for developments on that.”
When asked by phone if the Philippine government was still hoping that China would change its mind and accede to an arbitration process by a third party, Valte said, “It is the position of the Philippine government that taking the case before the arbitral tribunal is well within the framework we have chosen to adopt, which is a rules-based approach.”

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, for his part, accused Beijing of occupying Bajo de Masinloc, one of the other names for the Scarbourough Shoal, an outcropping of rocks in a shallow section of the West Philippine Sea.

“The Chinese have tried to establish a de facto occupation of Bajo de Masinloc. When we last checked, I think they had two maritime surveillance vessels there, and then they had a fisheries law enforcement boat. So they have three vessels there,” he said in a briefing at the Palace Friday.

He said this prompted the government to avail itself of the option of seeking international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“That train has left the station, and we are trying to proceed with that. We believe that that will yield the results that we’re after in terms of providing a durable solution. Any solution that we would have come up with, short of a solution that is derived from the [UNCLOS], I think, at best, would be a transactional solution, and not a durable one,” said Del Rosario.
He said the UN arbitral tribunal might begin deliberations on the merits of the Philippine case by July, and that the deliberations would proceed even without the participation of China.

Del Rosario said the tribunal’s decision would be “final and unappealable.”

Del Rosario did not make it a secret that the government of President Aquino was counting on Vietnam and the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for support in the country’s decision to seek international arbitration.

“And we also are looking at the solidity and the very good working arrangements that we have in terms of our cooperation on maritime security. We are trying to see how that can be improved,” he said, referring to warming bilateral relations between the Philippines and Vietnam, which has its own territorial dispute with China over the Paracel islands in the South China Sea.

“We’re happy about our cooperation, as I said, on the South China Sea. We received the compliments of Vietnam… their agreement [with our decision] in terms of what we’re trying to do, the processes that we’ve adopted. And they’re fully on board in terms of cooperating with us. We agreed on how well we are doing in terms of other regional cooperation, and essentially that was it,” said Del Rosario.
During his two-day attendance at the 22nd Asean summit in Brunei early this week, President Aquino held bilateral talks with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Both leaders were upbeat over “the progress of economic relations” between the two countries as they agreed to “further enhance” and strengthen relations, said the Palace.

Told that Filipino fishermen were now barred from entering Bajo de Masinloc by Chinese authorities, he said: “We have to take a position that we need to move in concert with what our legal advisers are able to provide us in terms of guidance. And right now, they believe that we should give priority to the arbitration case.”

Inquerer

Taiwan to deploy 3 more PAC-3 antimissile batteries

Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Three U.S.-made Patriot antimissile air defense batteries will be deployed in southern Taiwan, in addition to the one already in northern Taiwan, Deputy Defense Minister Andrew Yang said Thursday.

Responding to lawmakers' questions in the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee, Yang said the three Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile batteries will be used to boost the country's defense capability.

The PAC-3 missile batteries, part of a US$6.4 billion arms package supplied by the United States in recent years, will be deployed in southern Taiwan, he said.

Meanwhile, Ting Chung-wu, chief of staff at the Air Force Command, said in response to a lawmaker's questions that none of Taiwan's 145 F-16 A/B fighters have been upgraded under a US$3.8 billion program to retrofit the country's aging fighter fleet in the U.S.

On the issue of Taiwan's recent military exercises, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Hsu Pei-shan said the defense ministry has identified five navy officers who will be held responsible for a glitch in the Han Kuang live drills in the offshore county of Penghu. He however did not disclose the names of the officers.

The incident occurred when the 76mm gun on a Chingchiang-class patrol vessel failed just before it was scheduled to begin firing during an anti-landing drill in Penghu on April 17.

The ministry concluded in a report that since the problem was recorded on the same vessel two days prior to the live-fire exercise, the relevant personnel should be held responsible for the gun's failure during the drill.

In related news, the Navy confirmed late Wednesday that an officer from a Chengkung-class frigate that was involved in the Hang Kuang exercise had engaged in gambling with his subordinates on board another vessel that was taking them back to Kaohsiung on April 19 after the drill.

Yang apologized Thursday in the committee over the incident and said Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu has already ordered an investigation into the matter and severe punishment will be handed down to the officer, Yang said.

The gambling incident was first reported in the Chinese-language Apple Daily.

Focus Taiwan

WIG aircraft – a new joint project between Russia and China

Recently the Chinese press announced the first test flights of the new Chinese Wing In Ground Effect (WIG) aircraft CYG-11. In its appearance and technical characteristics it completely replicates the Russian WIG aircraft Ivolga, as Vasily Kashin, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, points out.

Thus, one can state that the Russian-Chinese cooperation in the area of WIG aircraft development has begun to bear fruit. Ivolga WIG aircraft, which was designed by a group of engineers headed by Vyacheslav Kolganov, is produced by the Polet group, which is primarily focused on space technologies.

It is a known fact that Polet has had contacts with the Chinese and Kalganov himself made a long business trip to China in 2011. Prior to that, other experts in this area, employees of the Alexeyev Central Design Bureau, which even back in the USSR days was the main center for the WIG aircraft design, had visited China as well. With the help of those experts China already designed a few types of WIG aircraft in the past few years.

The organization of WIG aircraft production in China can hardly present a problem, especially given the fact that Ivolga utilizes two ordinary automobile engines BMW S38, the acquisition of which by the Russian or Chinese producers is not difficult. More interesting is another issue – will the Chinese WIG aircraft meet with demand.

The history of WIG aircraft in the USSR and in Russia was not very successful. The USSR was the leader in WIG aircraft design. Famous in this area was the breakthrough work of Rostislav Alexeyev. The giant WIG aircraft called KM (The Kaspian Monster) was made by his team. The KM aircraft had the takeoff weight of 544 tons and for a long time remained the largest aircraft in the world. In addition, several large airborne troops WIG aircraft Orlyonok capable of transporting 150 paratroopers and an experimental WIG aircraft carrier of Loon ballistic missiles were built for the Naval forces.

However, despite the rapid progress of WIG aircraft, even back in the Soviet days the military got disenchanted with this type of technology and refused to finance its development. From the point of view of the military specialists, due to their lower speed WIG aircraft are a lot more vulnerable to fighter planes and enemy's missiles than airplanes. In addition, they are hopelessly inferior to ships in terms of their range, carrying capacity and armament. Large WIG aircraft are also quite expensive. The combination of ordinary ships and aviation allows the military to achieve their goals with lesser means. One must point out that WIG aircraft have not gained popularity with the US Armed Forces or other large Western countries. Obviously, the military there have arrived at a similar conclusion.
At the same time, in China WIG aircraft could find their niche with the Armed Forces due to the unique geographic conditions, which are not found in Russia or in the Western countries. In the South China and East China Seas China is engaged in territorial disputes over the islands that are too small to host airports and are located too far from the continent for helicopters to be used to fly there. Compared to hydroplanes WIG aircraft can land in less favorable sea conditions and transport people and cargo at a lower cost. WIG aircraft can be useful for transportation and delivering of supplies for the airborne troops in conditions when the Chinese Air Force already has advantage in the air, for example during an airdrop operation against Taiwan. Thus, there is a hope that China becomes a global center of WIG aircraft development.

Vasily Kashin

Chinese troops have erected tents 19km inside Indian territory: Govt

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday told a parliamentary committee that Chinese troops have pitched tents 19km deep inside the Indian territory in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and that efforts are underway to ensure that the status quo is maintained.

Indian Army patrols reported on April 16 the presence of Chinese People's Liberation Army in Depsang, pitching tents 19km inside the LAC

Defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and some other senior officials informed the parliamentary standing committee on defence that India has deployed forces to "keep a close watch on the border", sources told .

Sharma and other officials appeared before the committee after BJP members Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Prakash Javadekar wanted to know the actual ground situation in Depsang sector of Ladakh where the Chinese incursion took place in Daulat Beg Oldie area a week ago.

The meeting of the committee was cut short as members were dissatisfied with the insufficient information provided by the officials and they were asked to report back at the next meeting on May 30 with appropriate and exact details of the situation.

The officials told the committee that Indian Army patrols reported on April 16 the presence of Chinese People's Liberation Army in Depsang, pitching tents 19km inside the LAC, the sources said.

They told the panel that as per the established mechanisms, the issue has been taken up at the level of flag meetings and through diplomatic channels to maintain status quo and resolve the issue through existing mechanisms.

The defence ministry officials told the committee that China disputes the international boundary with India and there is no commonly delineated LAC between the two countries.

They said there are a few areas along the border where India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC, the sources said.

Incidents of transgression due to differences in the perception of LAC are taken up with the Chinese side through established mechanisms such as border personnel meetings, flag meetings, hotlines and diplomatic channels, the officials told the panel.

The agenda for today's was welfare of armed forces personnel but the issue related to incursion in Ladakh was added after Naqvi and Javadekar demanded to get the clear picture of the situation and on how the government is handling it.

Naqvi and Javadekar wrote to standing committee chairman Raj Babbar on THursday, saying the situation in Ladakh is "very serious" but the government is not taking it seriously.


Times of India

The outstanding feature of the Vietnamese defense policy

What are the most striking characteristics of Vietnam's defense policy after 38 years of reunification? VietNamNet would like to introduce the translation of the interview with Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, a Party Central Committee member on Tuoi Tre Newspaper.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh

We would like to start the conversation from your thoughts – one of the military leaders who mature after the country’s reunification – about the historical event of April 30, 1975?

Each person, based on their particular circumstances, will have their own feelings. But there is one thing in common: it is the victory of the people of Vietnam and we are proud to pass an arduous war by the power of the entire nation. This victory has built the lasting peace, which is also a very important condition for the development of the country.

To go to the day of victory, we had to pay a very expensive price, with many people falling down. Perhaps after the April 30 victory, a few people thought that almost 40 years later, and perhaps beyond, our country must continue to make every effort to rectify the consequences of the war.

First and foremost are the psychological and emotional consequences. In addition, the war left many other consequences, such as Agent Orange, the landmine problem, finding missing martyrs ... These tasks need at least 30-40 years or longer to be completed.

You want to refer to the consequences of war to see more clearly the value of peace?

Peace is priceless, it's a peaceful life to the people, rice and warm clothing, the happiness of every family, the children's laughter, is no longer the mother who lost her children... With such simple but extremely spiritual meanings, it is well enough to see that peace is everything for us.

From the April 30 victory, we are proud, confident in the ability to protect the country, ensuring that the people of Vietnam will defeat all wars of aggression, but we must wholeheartedly keep the long peace of the country. A peace based on independence, territorial sovereignty, a peace which our people to decide our destiny.

All wars are all about peace, but that peace is peace in dependence or independence and freedom? We choose peace that the people of Vietnam are entitled to, which is peace in independence and freedom.

Things take to have peace, but there is a non-trade-off value – the national sovereignty, the right to live in independence and freedom. Moreover, to have sustainable peace, there must be independence and freedom. If we are dependent, the peace cannot last long, as cannot bring happiness to the people.

The difficulty today can make someone frustrated and question or concern whether the country can grow enough to avoid lag, enough to hold our territorial sovereignty?

In these days, looking at the April 30 victory, looking at the national spirit and ardent patriotism of the people, we have deep faith that the country will overcome all challenges to come up because we overcame long and hardship wars.

Currently, although there are obviously difficulties but there are much more convenient conditions. I do not agree when someone said that people, and especially young people are now less interested in the general issues of the country. It is absolutely not true. The problem is that we have to provide them with complete and objective information about the situation of the country, in terms of advantages as well as difficulties to create the strength of consensus.

The market mechanism affects people in many different directions, positive and negative. On the one hand we have to accept that characteristics of the development and integration, on the other hand we have to make everything transparent to the people to have the right direction.

To have sustainable peace, there must be sufficient capacity to protect the country, in terms of aggregate capacity of the country as well as characteristics of the defense. We believe to ensure that ability by the strategy on building the entire population defense. In any given moment we must always ensure self-protection, keep the territorial integrity, and not wait for new modern weapons for such assurances. The procurement of additional weapons and equipment, military modernization, strengthening the entire-people defense is to have to pay least, in the shortest time if problems occur with the Fatherland.

When at war, holding the gun to go to the battle field is dedication and sacrifice for the country, but now we need to tell young people what is dedication. When talking with my children, I often say that the most important for human is labor.

The predecessors must facilitate young people to work and dedicate with the right ability, qualifications and passion. So make sure our nation is a blessed nation, what the previous generations did, the younger generation will preserve and develop.

Whether peace, cooperation and development is a big trend, but right in our region there still exist many factors that make instability such as fiercer territorial and marine disputes. In this context, the national strength will be multiplied if we are truly tolerant and harmonious as the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet said?

Our people have a tradition of kindness, tolerance. The Party and State always aim to eliminate the guilt, hatred, close the past, look towards the future. As I said, every Vietnamese citizen though derive from particular situations have one in common – It is the national interest.

National unity must take the common goals as the similarities and accept differences, but not contrary to the national interest. Everyone when looking at the national interest will see and will make the similarities bigger.

In our meeting with the community of overseas Vietnamese, I always said that my greatest wish is that when they return home, they will feel that the country creates all conditions for their family reunification and for them to do business. We do not urge overseas Vietnamese to contribute to the country in one way, at first the country has to open her outstretched arms to her people.

The desire for peace can be seen in the defense policy of peace and self-defense in nature. However, on a number of regional forums, there were opinions around Vietnam’s purchase of aircrafts, submarines ... What do you think?

A country that buy weapon for defense in moderation is very normal. That procurement is in line with the economic potential of the country.

Vietnam is no exception. If you approach the purchase of weapon in military perspective, there are two features to note: First, we shop with a moderate rate, corresponding to the economic development of the country.

Second, we purchase weapons and military equipment just enough to our defense. We gradually modernize military. When military modernization in high growth, it will come back to help the country's economic development, for example, if national defense science and technology develops, it will have conditions to share resource to other areas.

According to information made public in the press, people know that Vietnam made deals with Russia to buy submarines, aircraft and military equipment from this country. This simply reflects that Russia is a prestigious weapon exporter or anything else?

This reflects that due to historical reasons, we are familiar with weapons of the former Soviet Union in the past and now the Russian Federation. Selecting weapons that are familiar with the existing maintenance system is more favorable than using the armament in the other systems.

Nowadays the sale of weapons and military equipment is normal, transparent and we have nothing to hide. We can purchase weapon of all countries, and many countries are willing to sell them to us.

It must be said that the weapons and equipment purchase should have trust between buyers and sellers. Vietnam and Russia had such a past; the current development strategy of Russia does not have a conflict with the interest for Vietnam. Russia is a strategic and a very reliable partner of Vietnam. That trust helps us to recommend the purchase of Russian armament while Russia, when Russia sell weapons to us, they also believe that we will never use the weapon to do anything contrary to their interests.

Another important reason is that Russian weapons are mainly defensive in nature. And generally, Russian weapons are very durable and have been tested over time.

A country like Vietnam needs durable weapons. We cannot change weapons continuously and Russian weapons meet that requirement. Finally, we have to say about the price, we have to find a seller with acceptable prices.

Observers commented that external activities of the Vietnam’s defense recently have become much more active. In that process, is there any country that has invited Vietnam to participate in military coalitions or set their military bases in the country?

So far no country has invited Vietnam to join military alliances or expressed a desire to put their military bases in Vietnam.

I think that the first cause of that silence is due to our initiative in making strong and consistent statement: Vietnam does not join military alliances, not allow other countries to set their military bases in our territory or use our territory against other countries, Vietnam not follow one to against the other countries.

It is the "three noes" of the Vietnamese defense policy.

How about Vietnam's perspective on participation in joint military exercises with other countries?

We should not use the word "military exercise," the word "rehearsal" is more accurate. In the current defense cooperation, there are “rehearsals,” not “military exercises,” for example, joint rehearsals on anti-terrorism, drills of maritime security protection, rehearsals on marine search and rescue.

These are cooperation of humanitarian, peaceful and constructive nature. We are ready to and have participated in such rehearsals, such as joint patrols at sea with some neighboring countries and countries in the region.

We do not participate in exercises of military nature, or the nature of threatening or attacking to a third country. We only join the rehearsals for peace and self-defense.

Does it mean that promoting defense external activities in the last few years is looking for new friends in this area?

First of all, the purpose of the defense foreign policy is to participate in the front of foreign affairs of the Party and State. The characteristic of the defense foreign policy is to create trust between countries. Nations may have a lot of cooperation fields, but cooperation in defense can enhance mutual trust. That mutual trust will return promote cooperation in other fields.

Another characteristic of defense cooperation is to directly address the risks on defense and military conflict, so we expand defense cooperation to make remote prevention.

Defense cooperation also directly serves the goal to modernize the army, acquire new knowledge to improve the qualification of our soldiers.

However, it is found that the defense cooperation must be based on the country's political stability. We have to build our defense potential strong enough to defend the country first, to have something to talk with others.

Recently, it was reported that Vietnam’s army will join the peacekeeping force of the United Nations. Can you give some details of this content?

So far, the preparation process has completed and if nothing changes, Vietnam will join the UN peacekeeping forces in the nearest time. Our aim when participating in this force is to implement the policy of Vietnam as a responsible member of the international community.

In principle, there are many but there are two basic principles: First, the activity that is truly peacekeeping, we will participate in at the request of the UN. We do not involve in the areas that are not peace making.

For example, we do not involve in the areas with wars and conflicts. We only engage in post-conflict reconstruction activities or the activities to deal with war consequences.

Second, we decide where to participate in, the level of participation, what to do and when to involve.... This is also the principle set out by the UN.

In the most recent meeting held earlier this month in Beijing, ASEAN and China realized that they should early launch formal negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). What do you think?

This is a good signal between ASEAN and China. We respond positively to that new move and the constructive attitude of related parties.

Of course, the important issue is that the COC will load what content, the negotiating parties to realize their commitments or not. Those who truly desire peace and stability in the East Sea are waiting for the COC to have binding provisions to urge the parties to comply with what they commit.

There are a lot of works to do. Personally I think there are two important principles: the first is international law, the second is the equality between countries.

In negotiations of the COC, it is necessary to assert and continue to strictly implement the DOC. In addition it is needed to point out the shortcomings of the DOC and the countries that do not implement what they committed.

Translated by Tran Cham

New T-50 fighter let to enter service in 2016 – Putin

Russia’s fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet will enter service with the country’s armed forces in 2016, and not 2015 as was previously announced, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

“The T-50 fifth generation jet should go into serial production and enter service in 2016,” Putin said at a live Q&A session with the Russian public.

The Defense Ministry had earlier said the jet would be ready in 2015.

Russia will start state flight tests of the T-50 in 2014, United Aircraft Corporation's President Mikhail Pogosyan said on Tuesday.

The T-50, also known as PAK-FA (future tactical fighter aircraft), first flew in January 2010 and was presented to the public at the Moscow Air Show in 2011.

The T-50, which will be the core of Russia's future fighter fleet, is a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft featuring elements of "stealth" technology," super-maneuverability, super-cruise capability (supersonic flight without use of afterburner), and an advanced avionics suite including an X-band active phased-array radar.

India will also buy a fighter aircraft based on the T-50, known as the FGFA (fifth-generation fighter aircraft).

United Aircraft Corporation is the state holding company uniting Russia's aircraft building industry including Sukhoi, a military and civil aircraft manufacturer.

IndRus.in

ASEAN summit dominated by South China Sea

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations attempts to deepen economic links and defuse tensions with China.

One of the key issues on agenda during the summit is pressing ahead with deeper economic integration [Reuters]

Southeast Asian leaders are set to wrap up a summit dominated by efforts to defuse tensions over the South China Sea and deepen economic links throughout the region.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) endured deep divisions last year over how to handle rows with China over the sea, and leaders have been focused at this week's talks in Brunei on rebuilding unity.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino said after an initial gathering on Wednesday night, a dinner hosted by Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, that the leaders had succeeded in finding common ground on the flashpoint issue.

"Everybody is interested in having a peaceful resolution and also in voicing ... concern that there have been increasing disputes," Aquino told reporters.

China says it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the South China Sea.

But ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, also claim parts of the strategically vital and resource-rich body of water.

The competing claims have for decades made the sea one of Asia's potential powderkegs for military conflict, and concerns have risen in recent years as China has become increasingly aggressive in staking its claim.

Among the actions that have caused alarm were China's occupying of a shoal close to the Philippines' main island last year, and the deployment last month of Chinese naval ships to within 80 kilometres of Malaysia's coast.

Top priority

Aquino said on Wednesday night that he was pleased Brunei had made the South China Sea issue a top priority at this week's summit, and for future talks throughout the year.

"We should really be thankful that the whole of the ASEAN is willing to discuss this instead of putting it on the backburner," Aquino said, although he noted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen may still raise objections on Thursday.

The leaders had a "retreat" session at the Brunei prime minister's office on Thursday morning, which was to be followed by a lunch.

The Philippines and Vietnam have been pushing for ASEAN to try and pressure China into agreeing to a long-awaited and legally binding code of conduct for the sea.

But China, which prefers to negotiate directly with individual countries rather than a united ASEAN bloc, has refused to begin meaningful talks on the code.

Southeast Asian diplomats in Brunei said they did not expect progress on the code, first proposed in 2002, anytime soon.

But Aquino said he was nevertheless happy ASEAN was now at least united in trying to ensure the disputes did not "become bloody".

"So there is unity of purpose and one can always be hopeful that that will lead to something more concrete," he said.

One of the other key issues on the agenda during the summit is pressing ahead with deeper economic integration within ASEAN, and other countries in the region.

The bloc is aiming to create a single market for the 10 Southeast Asian countries and its 600 million people, known as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), by 2015.

More than three quarters of the blueprint for the AEC has been agreed upon but Aquino and others involved said the most difficult areas were yet to be addressed.

Aljazeera

Cam Ranh plays key role in defense: Deputy PM

Authorities of Cam Ranh city must build the city into a strong defensive zone that can contribute to safeguarding the fatherland’s sovereignty, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Vietnam's Stealth Frigate Gepard-class dock at Cam Ranh Military Port.

The deputy PM made the statement at a meeting with the city’s Party Committee to review the implementation of a resolution of the Party Central Committee on “the strategy to safeguard the fatherland in the new situation”.

Cam Ranh is a key locality not only of Khanh Hoa Province but also the country, since it is a gate way to the East Sea, thereby playing an important role in protecting the country’s sovereignty over seas and land, Phuc said.

Therefore, the Party Committees of the province and the city must issue directions to build Cam Ranh into “fundamental, uninterrupted and strong” area for defense, contributing to safeguarding the fatherland’s sovereignty.

The deputy PM also praised the city’s economic achievements after 10 years of implementing the above resolution.

Last year the city’s GDP growth rate reached 12.2 percent per year while its income per capita amounted to US$1,200 per year, six times higher than 10 years ago.

Phuc also asked the local authorities to prepare a plan to arrange the city into specific zones for economic development and for national defense.

Once the economy develops well, it will create good conditions for strengthening security and national defense, Phuc said.

Cam Ranh is the second-largest city in southern Khanh Hoa Province, after Nha Trang.

It is situated on Cam Ranh Bay, which is a deep-sea bay that is located at an inlet of the East Sea.

Tuoi Tre News

Video: Vietnam conducts live fire exercise against enemy landings in Ly Son Island

On April 21-22, Ly Son Island's Armed Forces (in Quang Ngai province) conducted live fire exercises to improve combat power, protect the island in the situation of unexpected enemy attack.

Military Committee of Ly Son Island is the first unit of the armed forces in Quang Ngai drills using elastic warheads and explosives in the exercise against the enemy's waterway-landing in 2013.

Russian missile misses target again

In a joint exercise by Indian Air Force (IAF) and DRDO, a Russian short range surface-to-air missile was test fired from a defence base off the Odisha coast on Wednesday. The OSA-AK missile reportedly failed to hit a tow body suspended from a pilot less target aircraft (PTA) as it fell down before reaching the target.

Sources said air force personnel conducted the test, a part of target simulation exercise in the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea during noon.

The missile was fired from the launching complex - III and the PTA was flown from the launching -II of the ITR.

While three rounds of the missile were fired at 11.25 am, 11.45 am and 12.45 pm, the missile was to hit the tow body during the third attempt.

“The missile fell down immediately after take off. Though in initial two attempts the 10-km range missile travelled a certain distance, but during the target simulation exercise it failed to reach the target,” said a source.

It was the third attempt in last three days which also proved futile.

While on Monday the pilot less target aircraft fell down before releasing the tow body and flying for a stipulated period due to technical snags, a similar attempt on Tuesday also failed as the missile could not be fired.

A defence official said the aim and objective of the exercise was to gauge the effectiveness of the missile and killing capabilities mid air.

The Russia-manufactured missile has already been procured by India for the IAF fighter air-crafts.

OSA-AK missile has been developed to be used against aircrafts, surface-to-air missiles and air-to-air missiles.

The missile has already been inducted in the army and it was first user trial by the IAF.

Sources added that if all the preparations go according to the plan, another exercise will be conducted within a day or two.

Thereafter, the missile would be fired from the fighter air crafts targeting the PTA.

Indian Express

How will China React to Gazprom Prospecting in Vietnamese Waters?

It is hardly a secret that Beijing’s claims to nearly all of the South China Sea’s waters have elicited concern from Southeast Asian nations.

Now Russia’s state-owned natural gas giant Gazprom is upping the ante by announcing that it intends to start gas production off Vietnam’s coast in June. Gazprom Deputy CEO Vitaly Markelov told Gazprom magazine, “It is planned to build 16 exploitation wells to develop the deposits. Currently, the project is at the deposit development infrastructure stage. Work continues on building the fourth exploitation well at the WHP-MT1 extracting platform (the Moc Tinh deposit). Gas extraction is expected to start in June 2013.”

Exploratory drilling and seismic surveys by Gazprom in Vietnam (extended block No.112) and location of blocks Nos.129–132

Last year Gazprom received stakes in developing Blocks 05-2 and 05-3 in the southeastern part of the South China Sea. Gazprom has since opened two gas condensate fields in the Moc Tinh (05-3) and Hai Tchach (05-2 and 05-3) blocs, with reserves estimated at 55.6 billion cubic meters of gas and 25 million tons of gas condensate. The deposits are located 189.8 miles from Vietnam’s Vung Tau coastal area. The Nam Con Son underwater gas pipeline is in close proximity to the blocs, which are at depths of 330- 450 feet.

Note the distance offshore of the concessions. According to the Third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which came into force in November 1994, UNCLOS recognized 12 nautical miles as normal for territorial seas and waters while UNCLOS Part V, Article 55 defined an “exclusive economic zone” (EEZ) for countries with maritime frontiers as extending 200 nautical miles from a nation’s coastline.

Not surprisingly, Vietnam has voiced vociferous opposition to Beijing’s South China Sea claims.

The U.S. government’s Energy Information Agency has waded into the dispute over the potential riches at stake as in its updated “South China Sea” brief, issued on 7 February, after noting, “The South China Sea is a critical world trade route and a potential source of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, with competing claims of ownership over the sea and its resources,” goes on to add, “EIA estimates the South China Sea contains approximately 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in proved and probable reserves.”

The U.S. Geological Survey has far higher estimates, calculating that the South China Sea may contain roughly 28 billion barrels of oil, while the Chinese government calculates that the South China Sea region contains nearly 200 billion barrels of oil. No one knows for sure, especially as the Chinese Navy harasses and chases off foreign survey vessels.

A bit of history here.

In 1974, during the Vietnam War, the Chinese military drove South Vietnamese troops out of the Paracel Islands, which were claimed by Beijing, Hanoi and Taiwan. Five years later, in February 1979 a brief Sino–Vietnamese war erupted on the border between the two ostensibly Communist powers. Also known as the Third Indochina War, China launched the offensive in response to Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia in 1978, which ended the murderous reign of the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge. Both sides lost thousands of troops, and relations between the two have remained coolly formal ever since.

Which brings up the question – why is Gazprom seeking to fish for hydrocarbons in such troubled waters?

By. John C.K. Daly of Oilprice.com

Taiwan plans to set up naval frigates at Ba Binh Island of Vietnam

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense will assess whether an offshore terminal for naval frigates should be set up on Itu Aba/ Taiping Island (known as Ba Binh Island, Đảo Ba Bình, Việt Nam) in the East Vietnam Sea, Taiwan Deputy Minister of National Defense Andrew Yang said at a legislative hearing yesterday.

Taiwanese coast guards on Tuesday held live-fire drills on Taiping Island in the East Vietnam Sea (the south China sea)

Local media reported earlier this month that the Coast Guard Administration (CGA), which is responsible for the island’s security, is hoping to build an offshore terminal at the island to accommodate frigates of up to 2,000 tonnes.

It also wants to extend the island’s airport runway, the reports said.

During a hearing of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang followed up on the reports with Yang, whose ministry provides personnel training for the defense of the island.

Taiwan Coast Guard officers move goods shipped at the dock of Ba Binh Island (CNA file photo)

Lin asked whether the ministry had brought up the idea with the CGA of having the wharf accommodate naval frigates or 500 tonne to 1,000 tonne stealth missile boats, to which Yang replied that no discussions had been held.

“We will make a thorough assessment before consulting with the CGA on the issue,” Yang said.

The CGA set aside NT$19 million (US$638,220) in its budget this year to finance initial planning of the pier reconstruction project, Lin said.

Yang also told Lin that the ministry’s “South China Sea task force” has been renamed the “West Pacific task force,” but he did not explain the reason behind the change.

Ba Binh Island, with an area of 0.49km2, lies about 1,600km southwest of Kaohsiung and is the biggest island in the disputed Spratly Islands chain.

The South China Sea region, thought to be rich in oil deposits and marine biodiversity, is claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The CGA confirmed on Monday that its personnel stationed on Taiping Island recently conducted a live-fire drill to help safeguard the country’s sovereignty over the area.

Ambiguity afloat in South China Sea

HANOI - The United States' indecisive ''pivot'' to the Asia-Pacific has created a situation of strategic ambiguity in the South China Sea. While regional countries believe that Washington will implement the policy, including its promise to base 60% of its naval assets to the region by 2020, it remains unclear how the shift will impact on the region's escalating maritime disputes.

China's south sea fleet in a military drill in the south China sea.

There are rising regional perceptions that the US intends to fortify its presence only to the degree that it does not upset China, especially with a new, untested leadership under Xi Jinping now at the helm in Beijing. Some believe the US has shied from its earlier strong declaration at the July 2010 Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF), where Washington's then top diplomat, Hillary Clinton, said the US had a ''national interest'' in freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

The strategic ambiguity and questions of political will have pushed claimants in the disputes, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam, to strengthen their alliances with other regional powers, including Australia, India and Japan. Some analysts believe the overlapping and somewhat competitive alliances could further destabilize the area as China begins to feel a sense of encirclement from what it views as outside actors in the disputes. Others have hedged their recent warming trends towards the US.

The strategic hedging has been driven by questions about the US's fiscal ability to implement its ''pivot'' policy in a strategically meaningful and sustainable way. With significant planned military budget cuts in Washington, US regional allies and partners now wonder whether the US will be able to keep pace with China's rising defense spending, including significant funds to bolster its naval capabilities.

Proponents of the US's capabilities point towards its new ''AirSea Battle'' operational concept, which posits that the US Navy can do more with less through the emerging paradigm of ''the many, the cheap, and the unmanned''. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute blog argued in a recent entry that ''a combination of forward deployed troops and 'offshore balancing' (for example, the ability to strike from safe distances) will allow the US to sustain a powerful presence in Asia to deter major power war.''

Following that analysis, the redeployment of some of the US's 290 major naval combatants has begun, including the forward deployment of littoral combat ships to Singapore. Washington's expanding strategic ties with Vietnam and the delivery of a second US warship (though deprived of weapons and advanced communications systems) to the Philippines had raised expectations among claimants that the US aimed to materially tilt the area's balance of power.

However, the moves raised tensions with China, which remains firmly opposed to any activity or effort to internationalize the maritime disputes. Some regional analysts believe that the US, which has maintained it does not aim to ''contain'' China and hopes it will emerge as a ''responsible'' power in the region, intends to scale back its ''pivot'' policy to avoid the risk of irking China

''Washington is creating expectations that its military presence will stabilize the situation ... but if the US does not act when a crisis occurs it might create a mistaken impression that the US is not reliable,'' said former ambassador J Stapleton Roy, director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, during a conference organized by Asia Society in New York in mid-March.

Unclear commitment
Despite Washington's 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, the US had made clear during recent stand-offs in contested waters between Manila and Beijing that its primary interest is conflict avoidance. While the treaty guarantees mutual defense over sovereign territory, it is not clear that the US would come to the Philippines' aid in a clash over disputed areas such as the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

Manila recently challenged China's territorial claims through the international arbitration tribunal under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a move the US supported. While Philippine authorities branded the appeal to arbitration a ''friendly act'', China's foreign ministry spokesman said Manila's statement of claim ''was historically and legally incorrect and contained unacceptable accusations against China''.

Some believe Manila's move to internationalize the issue will undermine regional efforts through ASEAN to mediate the disputes and has motivated China to consolidate and expand its presence in contested waters during the three to four years it will likely take the tribunal to reach a decision. The tribunal lacks the authority to enforce its rulings and analysts believe that China will refuse to abide by any decision that goes against its claims.

''It remains an open question what impact the Philippines' legal claim will have on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] and its efforts to implement confidence building measures with China under the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and negotiate a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,'' Carlyle Thayer, a professor at the University of New South Wales Australian Defense Force Academy, wrote in a recent research paper.

Beijing has been accused by its rivals of taking an inflexible position on the disputes, including through its wide-reaching nine-dash map that effectively assumes sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. In recent months, China has fortified its claims through more maritime patrols, signaling to some a hardening of Beijing's position in response to the perceived threat of foreign involvement in the theater, including the US's promised ''pivot''.

''I do not think anti-China sentiment can work as a bond for regional countries,'' said Soeya Yoshihide, professor of political science and international relations at the Faculty of Law at Japan's Keio University. ''Southeast Asian countries are worried about rising China, but they are not ready to take a confrontational approach. It is important to work with China jointly rather than confronting it.''

China is ''waiting for them to back down and to say sorry, then they will come'' to the negotiating table, said Soeya, noting that official dialogue has bogged down in the wake of recent confrontations and events. ''China will not change its attitude.''

There is the added complication that not all ASEAN states welcome a greater US military presence to counterbalance China. Indonesia, which has played a mediating role between China and ASEAN claimants such as Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, is believed to prefer diplomacy over US-driven balance of power politics in the region. While some ASEAN states see a role for India and Japan in the South China Sea, others fear their involvement will further destabilize the situation.

Growing perceptions of a weakened US commitment have factored into recent strategic decision-making among claimant states. While the Philippines with its move to international arbitration has openly confronted China, Vietnam has taken a more guarded tack. Despite the sympathy and support the European Union and other countries recently offered Vietnam for its South China Sea claims under UNCLOS, there is no indication Hanoi plans to follow Manila's lead by filing a case to the tribunal.

Despite recent economic, political and military rapprochements with Washington, Vietnamese authorities continue to look more towards ASEAN's multilateral channels to accomplish a peaceful solution to the disputes. That preference has been reflected old guard Communist Party members' resistance to opening strategic ports to US naval vessels in deference to China.

With or without a US ''pivot'', Beijing is less inclined than previously to accept multilateral dialogue, through ASEAN or elsewhere, to resolve its maritime disputes. Instead, it seems China is bent on consolidating its position to preempt greater future foreign involvement in the South China Sea. By deploying more naval patrols in contested areas, China has reinforced its claims and strengthened its strategic advantage. While the US's strategic aims remain ambiguous, China's seem increasingly clear.

Roberto Tofani is a freelance journalist and analyst covering Southeast Asia. He is also the co-founder of PlanetNext (www.planetnext.net), an association of journalists committed to the concept of "information for change".

(Copyright 2013 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

Flag meet between India, China military commanders fails to end stand-off in Ladakh

The face-off between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China continued on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as a flag meeting between the local commanders held on Tuesday failed to resolve the differences.

China rejected India's contention that its troops had breached the sanctity of the LAC by setting up a tented post at Raki Nala, 30 km south of Daulat Beg Oldi in north Ladakh. The PLA, in fact, claimed that the Indian armymen were on an "aggressive patrol".

As of now, the two sides will hold on to their positions. The only consolation for India is that China has decided not to escalate the tension. The army is now looking at government-togovernment-level interaction to resolve the issue.

The foreign ministry has conveyed its objection to China. "We have asked the Chinese side to maintain the status quo in this sector (of the western border)," said Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs.

"We see this as a ‘face-to-face' situation between border personnel of two sides due to differences on their alignment of the LAC," the official said. Face-to-face situation is referred to the 2005 protocol for implementing confidence building measures (CBMs) in military field along the LAC.

Army chief's visit Army chief general Bikram Singh was on a scheduled visit to Nagrota, the headquarters of 16 corps, which guards the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

The army chief met northern army commander Lt-General K.T. Parnaik, who heads the army in Jammu and Kashmir region.

Senior officers of the two armies have met twice since April 15, when a platoon of PLA set up a tented camp 10 km inside the Indian territory. The first flag meet on April 18 at Chishul in eastern Ladakh, too, failed to resolve the deadlock between the two countries.

Before the flag meeting, banner drills were also carried out, asking the Chinese troops to vacate the position. "This is our area, you are violating the LAC, go back," read the Indian banner. The banner drill is being practiced since 2005 to resolve misunderstandings about unmarked boundary.

Sources said the unusual aspect of the present stand-off is the refusal by the PLA to budge. In the past, the Chinese patrol used to leave the area after seeing the Indian banner.

The PLA's stand is also confusing as a number of high-level exchanges are lined up in the coming months to strengthen military ties. Defence minister A.K. Antony is scheduled to visit China sometime in June and an army delegation is preparing to leave for Beijing to discuss revival of military exercise "hand-inhand" after a gap of five years.

The Indian Army has described the situation as a "face-off" and moved troops from Ladakh Scouts into the area. The Indian soldiers have also pitched tents around 150 meters from the PLA platoon's post, comprising around 50 men. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai had summoned the Chinese ambassador to South Block.

Gautam Bambawale, joint secretary in MEA, who is heading the India-China joint working mechanism to deal with issues on the boundary from the Indian side, spoke to his counterpart in Beijing last week, stressing the need to resolve the row.

However, the Chinese have been adamant on their stand. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday that China's troops have been abiding by the agreement between the two countries. "Our troops are patrolling on the Chinese side of the LAC and have never trespassed the LAC," Lua said.

-With inputs from Saurabh Shukla

India Today

Russia ready to negotiate with India on MiG-35 fighters, top Russian official said.

New Delhi: Russia is keen that India buys its MiG-35 fighter aircraft, a top Russian official said.

The Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RAC MiG) has proposed to India to consider the possibility of concluding a contract on the supply of the MiG-35 multipurpose fighter jet, RAC MiG Director General Sergei Korotkov told Itar-Tass in an interview.

"Despite the fact that we lost the tender for the supply of 126 multipurpose fighters to the Indian Air Force, the RAC MiG fulfilled all the requirements set the tender committee," Korotkov said. "The aircraft has demonstrated good results, sometimes even exceeding expectations."

According to him, the corporation hopes that "India will consider the possibility of concluding a contract on the supply of the MiG-35 fighters."

"And we will have the opportunity to implement it," he said. "Within this bundle of knowledge that India received during this tender, I would like the MiG-35 issue to be continued against the background of our common history and 50 years of partnership."

According to preliminary information, the winner of the tender for the supply of fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force was the French Dassault Rafale. However, neither party has announced the official timeframe of the contract conclusion.

"This year the next batch of four aircraft will be delivered," said the head of the MiG Aircraft Corporation.

He also took part in the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the Soviet MiG-21 fighters' deliveries to the Indian Air Force.

The agreement on the supply of the MiG-21 planes to India was signed in 1962, and the deliveries began a year later. In 1967, the Indian company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over to the Indian Air Force the first MiG-21 fighter that was built here under the USSR license.


IANS

China builds second aircraft carrier

Navy has a single carrier, the Russian-built Liaoning, and says another larger vessel is under construction

China's first aircraft carrier, the Soviet-era Liaoning. Photograph: Str/AFP/Getty Images

China will build a second, larger aircraft carrier capable of carrying more fighter jets, the official Xinhua news service has reported, quoting a senior officer with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

The report comes after Chinese officials denied foreign media reports in September 2012 that China was building a second carrier in Shanghai.

"China will have more than one aircraft carrier ... The next aircraft carrier we need will be larger and carry more fighters," Xinhua quoted Song Xue, deputy chief of staff of the PLA Navy, as saying at a ceremony with foreign military attaches.

Song said foreign media reports saying the carrier was being built in Shanghai were inaccurate but did not elaborate, according to the report.

China currently has one aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which it bought from the Russians and refitted. Considered by military experts to be decades behind US carrier technology, it was officially said to have been bought to serve as a floating casino but was turned to military use.

China is also building up other forms of military hardware, including a stealth fighter jet believed to be capable of landing on a carrier, drone aircraft and nuclear submarines.

China is alone among the original nuclear weapons states to be expanding its nuclear forces, according to a report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Song said the PLA Navy was building a naval aviation force for the Liaoning and there would be at least two aviation regiments on one carrier, including fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, anti-submarine aircraft, electronic countermeasure (ECM) planes and rotary-wing aircraft, the report said.

Chinese officials have said the Liaoning will be used primarily for training purposes.

The Guardian

Video Evidence Of Syrian Chemical Attacks

A woman is treated for what appears to be breathing difficulties at a clinic in the north of Aleppo

A video posted on the Facebook page of a British-trained doctor appears to show victims of a Syrian regime assault on Aleppo foaming at the mouth and showing symptoms consistent with a chemical weapons attack.

Experts believe that chemical weapons may have been dropped on Kurdish residents of Aleppo's Sheikh Massoud region during an attack which saw two babies and a woman killed earlier this month.

It is thought that the April 13 assault may have been in revenge for residents' decision to defect to support the rebels.


Read more

Russia Launches Rail-Mobile ICBM Project

MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology has started an R&D program to develop new rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said on Tuesday.

The work is in the initial stages, he said, adding the cost of the program has yet to be determined. He provided no timeframe for the program.

The Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology is the developer of the Bulava (submarine-based) and Topol and Yars (land-based) ballistic missile systems.

A prototype system could be deployed by 2020, a Russian defense industry official told RIA Novosti in December. The new missiles will be half the weight of their decommissioned Soviet analogues, allowing them to fit into one railcar, he added.

The original rail-mobile system included SS-24 Scalpel missiles which weighed 104 tons, required three locomotives to move, and were so heavy that they damaged railroad tracks. The missiles were based on trains in order to make them harder to find than stationary launchers, complicating a counter-strike.

The Soviet military deployed its first rail-portable long-range missile in 1987, and had 12 of them by 1991. Rail-mobile missiles were removed from service in 2002 and the last base dismantled in 2007 under the START II arms reduction treaty with the United States.

However, the treaty’s successor, START III, agreed in 2010, does not prohibit development of rail-mobile ICBMs.

Russian military analyst Alexander Konovalov said last year this apparent return to cumbersome Soviet concepts, even in revamped form, was a “bad idea” and that missile trains were outdated.

RIA

China Forms Its First Carrier Escort Group

April 23, 2013: The escort group for China’s first aircraft carrier (the Liaoning) is being formed. It currently consists of two Type 051C destroyers and two Type 054A frigates plus a supply ship. It is similar to what the U.S. has long used, which is currently 3-4 destroyers, 1-2 frigates, an SSN (nuclear submarine) and a supply ship. Chinese SSNs are few and not very good, which is why China probably has not assigned one to their escort group.

Type 051C destroyer

The Type 51C is a 7,100 ton destroyer optimized for anti-aircraft defense. It carries 48 Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles (range 150 kilometers) in vertical launch tubes plus eight C-803 anti-ship missiles (range 300 kilometers), one 100mm gun, two 30mm anti-missile autocannon, six torpedo tubes and a helicopter. It has a crew of 290 and a top speed of 48 kilometers an hour.

The Type 54A frigate is a 4,300 ton ship with a top speed of 49 kilometers an hour. The crew of 165 operates a 76mm cannon, two 30mm multi-barrel anti-missile autocannon, eight C-803 anti-ship missiles, six anti-submarine torpedoes, 12 240mm anti-submarine rockets, 32 vertical launch cells containing anti-aircraft or anti-submarine missiles, and a helicopter. For both ships the radars, sonar, and electronics are all Chinese made.

As Japanese and South Korea have done, China appears to be following the American lead in destroyer design. The principal American destroyer is currently the Burke class. This is a design that is the culmination of over half a century of World War II and Cold War destroyer design experience. Even after the Burke was designed, in the 1980s, the design evolved. The first Burkes were 8,300 ton ships, while the latest ones, laden with more gear, and smaller crews, are 10,000 ton ships (what heavy cruisers weighed in World War II). With a top speed of nearly 50 kilometers an hour, their main armament is 90 vertical launch tubes flush with the deck, that can contain anti-aircraft, anti-ship, anti-missile or cruise missiles. There is also a 127mm (5 inch) gun, two 20mm anti-missile autocannon, six torpedo tubes and two helicopters. The Burkes were well thought out, sturdy and they got the job done. They became irreplaceable, and thus this class of warships will last more than half a century.

China is using its new Type 903 replenishment ships for its most important missions. The first of these 23,000 tons tanker/cargo ships appeared in 2004. The replenishment ship provides fuel, water, food, and other supplies to the task force it supports. The replenishment ship would go to local ports to restock its depleted stores of fuel, water, food, and other necessities.

The Type 903 is similar to the twelve American T-AKE replenishment ships in service. These 40,000 ton ships service a much larger fleet than the four Chinese Type 903s and are part of a larger number of replenishment ships the United States uses. China needs more replenishment ships now because it is more frequently sending warships long distances, not just to the Somali coast but also far into the Pacific.

The Liaoning is a 65,000 ton ship that had spent over a year on sea trials and began operating jets from its flight deck six months ago. China has stated that the Liaoning will primarily be a training carrier. The Chinese apparently plan to station up to 24 jet fighters and 26 helicopters on the Liaoning and use the ship to train pilots and other specialists for four or more additional carriers that are to be built. The new escort group will enable escort ships to practice operating with a carrier.

Strategy Page

Russian jets practised attacks on Sweden

Russian fighter planes carried out training missions just outside the Swedish border over Easter; Sweden's military, however, was too slow to react and had to rely on help from Nato, the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper (SvD) revealed on Monday.

The aircraft included two heavy bombers Tu-22M3 (referred to as Backfires by Nato) which were flanked by four jet fighter escorts.

The planes flew from Saint Petersburg after midnight on March 29th, and headed past the eastern edge of Stockholm's archipelago. Usually, Russian jets continue such exercises by heading south towards Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland

However, in the early hours of Good Friday this year, the jets headed towards Sweden and flew over Gotska Sandön, an uninhabited Swedish island in the Baltic Sea. The planes were training for military attacks, information which had been kept secret from the public until Monday's report by SvD.

According to SvD's military sources, the planes were simulating attacks against Stockholm and somewhere in the south of Sweden.

No Swedish planes were prepared to meet the Russians and ward them off; however, jets from Nato in Lithuania and from Denmark were quick to respond, with two Lithuanian aircraft sent to shadow the Russian planes at a distance.

The Swedish Air Force did not deny the incident.

"I can confirm that there were two bombers - Tu-22 with Su-27 fighter escorts. They remained in international airspace at Gotska Sandön and carried out some form of exercise. Then they turned back the way they had come," Lieutenant-General Anders Silwer of the Armed Forces mission command told SvD.

In terms of Sweden's response, he added that the air force was "normally well prepared."

The incident occurred just two months after Defence Minister Karin Enström discussed Sweden's state of readiness policy in a speech.

"Safety, crisis preparations, and defence policy aim to be ready for the unpredictable all the time, around the clock," she said at the time.

The Local

The B-2 Stealth Bomber Will Deliver Nuclear Cruise Missiles Anywhere In The World

The single wing B-2 has been stealthily slipping through skies for over 20 years, but until now its ability to carry nuclear munitions was limited.

That all changes with a report from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Strategic Forces (pdf) that lays out a plan to arm the B-2A stealth bomber with a state-of-the-art nuclear cruise missile, still in development.

The Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO) has been testing well for months. It should be, considering the best minds at Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northropp Grumman, and Raytheon have been working together to perfect the LRSO. Even DARPA had its hand in the plan for a missile like this to be fielded sometime over the next few years.

The U.S. is concerned that as technologies advance over the coming years, stealth will slip into the background and jets will require a "standoff capability" .


Business Insider

PH nears deal on purchase of Korean fighter jets

MANILA - The Department of National Defense (DND) is in the last stages of procuring 12 fighter jets from South Korea worth P18 billion.

Some of the hitches that authorities saw in the transaction can be ironed out by May.

DND spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said the terms of reference could be finished by next month. The terms of reference contains provisions on the delivery, technical specifications, payment scheme, among others.

“It’s in the final stages of crafting, in preparation for the procurement of the jets…After that (crafting of TOR), the contract follows, the negotiations for the contract (starts)," he said.

DND undersecretary for finance, munitions, installations and materiel Fernando Manalo said issues will need to be clarified before a contract is pursued.

"Within the month of May, the issues may be resolved…(We're hoping) that the issues will be settled within the month of May," said Manalo.

Asked when the contract will finally be signed, he said: "We are following a process.”

The purchase of the fighter jets is part of the military's modernization program.

It is also a signal that the country will finally have a "credible external defense."

The Air Force decommissioned its F-5s in 2005, leaving the country without a legitimate fighter aircraft to address external threats, such as in the West Philippine Sea.

ABS CBN News

US, S.Korea open joint military drill to media

US and South Korean forces have allowed media access to their joint military drill as tension is running high with North Korea.

The troops showed reporters an exercise in Pohang in the southeastern part of South Korea on Monday.

About 2,000 personnel unloaded military supplies from ships anchored off the coast for combat troops on the ground. The exercise is based on the scenario that enemy attacks destroy ports.

A US military official told reporters that the exercise is aimed at boosting the bilateral alliance.

The 2 countries are to continue their annual Foal Eagle joint drill until the end of April.

North Korea said last Thursday it would agree to dialogue with the US and South Korea if the countries suspended the drill.

The 2 nations opened the exercise to the media apparently to show their resolve that they will not tolerate North Korea's provocative words and actions.

Also on Monday, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson said North Korea apparently has not removed its mid-range ballistic missiles deployed on the Sea of Japan coast.

NHK

China's "carrier killer" can be destroyed by US Navy, CRS specialist

(Tien Phong Online) - The report of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said the China's new anti-ship ballistic missile DF-21D can be destroyed and not really be "the game changer".

Despite the ominous warnings from U.S. defense analysts that the country is facing the risk of losing its aircraft carriers by Chinese ballistic missiles.

However, by Ronald O'Rourke, a CRS specialist for U.S. Navy combat-operation, China's new anti-ship ballistic missile DF-21D (said to be a "U.S. aircraft carrier killer") may be destroyed by implementing measures combined activeness and passiveness.

According to the report, "China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities," by the end of March, 2013, O'Rourke said that the attack chain of Chinese ballistic missiles is not impossible to be intercepted.

At some stages in the series of Chinese ballistic missile attacks, the proactive measures that can be taken to intercept. These phases include: When a ship (aircraft carrier) is detected, the data is transmitted to the Chinese missile launchers, missiles to be launch, Chinese missile warheads find targets.

O'Rourke provides some concrete measures proposed to deal with the DF-21D as follows:

First, the U.S. Navy could do more to control electromagnetic radiation or using deception signals.

Second, the U.S. Navy could use the electric system to disable or interfere the enemies's reconnaissance systems and find maritime long-range targets, to destroy China ballistic missiles in various stages of flight, diversionary , snare Chinese ballistic missiles as they approach the target that has been identified.

The choice solution to destroy China's ballistic missiles in flight include: Development versions of SM-3 BMD ballistic missile interceptor. The U.S. Navy should boost perchasing missile interceptor SM-3 Block IIA missile to replace the SM-2 Block IV.

Other options include: Developing and deploying supersonic electromagnetic rail guns, promote the development and deployment of electron laser intensity weapons (shipboard high-power free electron lasers), solid-state lasers on the battleships.

The Chinese ballistic missile will be intercepted as accessing the targets of determining if U.S. warships are equipped with electronic warfare system or systems to create smoke cloud to jamming navigation radar of Chinese ballistic missiles.

O'Rourke said that the Congress should consider whether the Flight III version of the DDG-51 destroyer, Arleigh Burke class that U.S. Navy plans to purchase in 2016.

DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class destroyers, of the most powerful surface combatant class in naval history.

According to the CRS expert, DDG-51 will have the ability to anti-air warfare (AAW) and ballistic missile defense (BMD) in order to implement the task for AMDR (Air and Missile Defense Radar) to face Chinese anti-ship ballistic missiles.

DDG-51 Flight III Destroyer is enhanced AAW and BMD capability from the present Flight IIA DDG-51.

DDG-51 Flight IIA is equipped with new version of AMDR, take a size of 12-14 feet. With this size, the new radar is more sensitivity than the SPY-1 radar equipped in the DDG-51 Flight IIA destroyer.

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Source: Tien Phong