Page 18 - Australian Defence Magazine Sep-Oct 2022

18 NEWS REVIEW
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
MIKE YEO | MELBOURNE
CHINA CONDUCTS EXERCISES
China conducted a series of military exer- cises in the airspace and waters surround- ing Taiwan in early August following a visit to the self-ruling island by a delegation from the United States Congress and Senate.
The exercises saw China’s People’s Lib- eration Army (PLA) launch artillery rock- ets and short-range ballistic missiles into waters all around Taiwan’s main island, while ships from China’s navy conducted missile and gunnery exercises in the strait between Taiwan and mainland, and to the east of the island.
In the air, Chinese military aircraft breached the “median line” over the strait that unofficially separates the two when the exercises kicked off, which saw PLA Air Force aircraft make what are likely to be simulated attack runs against Taiwan’s capital Taipei.
The exercise came in the wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as part of a tour of Asia. China sees Taiwan as a rogue province: Taiwan became a self-ruling island after Chinese Nationalist forces fled there following their defeat on the mainland to Commu- nist forces in 1949.
MALAYSIA RECEIVES NEW PATROL AIRCRAFT
The US Navy has delivered the first of three transport aircraft that are being upgraded to perform maritime patrol mis- sions to Malaysia.
US Naval Air Systems Command (NA- VAIR) announced in early August the service transferred PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) CN235 to the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
The aircraft was upgraded with an un- specified maritime surveillance mission suite and also incorporates a maritime surveillance radar, electro-optical infrared turret, line-of-sight datalink and a roll-on/ roll-off mission system operator station.
The Navy also delivered associated mo- bile and fixed ground stations.
The upgrade program effort was facili- tated by the US Navy’s Building Partner
Capacity program, which is aligned with the US government’s Maritime Security Initiative that is intended to assist the Malaysian government in increasing mar- itime security and the maritime domain awareness of US partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific.
Work on the aircraft was carried out in Indonesia.
PHILIPPINES CANCELS RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS
The Philippines has confirmed it is in the process of cancelling a $446.7 million contract to acquire Russian-built trans- port helicopters.
Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a statement carried by the Philippines’ na- tional news agency that the government is currently formalising the termination of the contract with Russia’s Sovtechno- export for 16 Mi-17 helicopters.
He also said efforts are being made to retrieve the $69.9 million down payment for the helicopters made in January, add- ing: “Changes in priorities necessitated
ABOVE: A PLAN Type 055 cruiser LEFT: The upgraded RMAF CN-235
by global political developments resulted in the cancellation of the project by the previous adminis- tration” (of former president Ro- drigo Duterte).
Following the disclosure, the Associated Press has reported that the US has offered the Boeing CH-
47 Chinook to the Philippines.
JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA JOIN
PITCH BLACK
The RAAF’s premier multinational air combat exercise started again in the Top End after a four year, COVID-enforced hiatus.
This year’s exercise officially opened on the 19th of August and ran until the 8th of September, and saw 16 nations par- ticipating with over 100 aircraft and 2500 personnel.
Notable debutants from this region at the exercise included Japan and South Korea, which took part with Mitsubishi F-2s and Lockheed-Martin KF-16 Fight- ing Falcons respectively.
The F-2s at Pitch Black were drawn from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s 3rd Hikotai normally based at Hyakuri, north of Japan’s capital Tokyo, while the South Korean KF-16s appeared to be a mix of air- craft from the Republic of Korea Air Force’s 20th and 38th Fighter Groups based at Seosan and Gunsan respectively. ■
NAVAIR
CHINA MND