ThalesRaytheonSystems Completes Command and Control System for Malaysian Ministry of Defence

20 February 2013

FULLERTON, Calif (Feb. 20, 2013) – ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) today announced full system acceptance has been finalized with the Royal Malaysian Air Force for the Malaysian Air Defense Ground Environment Sector Operations Center III (MADGE) Program. ThalesRaytheonSystems provided the Malaysian Ministry of Defence an enhanced national command and control system.  

“The C2 system we’ve executed in Malaysia represents technological integration at its best,” said Kim Kerry, CEO of U.S. Operations for ThalesRaytheonSystems. “We worked with our Malaysian customers to integrate their legacy system and have augmented it with proven technologies, such as the Sentry^® command and control system and the Ground Master 400 (GM 400) radar. The result is a system that reliably and effectively meets their requirements.”

The MADGE system operates in real-time and features multi-radar tracking and a flexible human-machine interface. The GM 400 radar will provide additional long-range surveillance capabilities for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

ThalesRaytheonSystems has more installed command and control systems operating around the world than any other organization. The Sentry^® command and control system is a proven, comprehensive, real-time system that powers national air sovereignty systems around the world, including the NORAD Battle Control System. The company is also a world leader in battlefield and weapon-locating radar systems. The company’s radar capabilities span short-, medium-, and long-range systems. The ground-based radars are capable of detecting both conventional and unconventional threats for homeland and tactical air defense, counter-battery, and weapons system coordination.

Korea - ASIA NEW RISING POWER

With the world’s attention focused ona potential confrontation between China and Japan in the East China Sea, a third player has built what may be the most powerful ship-for-ship fleet in Northeast Asia.  Over the past fifteen years, the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has expanded dramatically, acquiring a substantial fleet of modern, powerful warships. While the ROKN continues to prepare for the contingency of conflict with North Korea, it has become a force capable of significant foreign deployment.  If Seoul maintains its commitment to the Navy, the ROKN could become one of the world’s premier middle power navies. 

Since 1953, North Korea has posed the central strategic problem for the ROKN.  The sinking of the Cheonan and the DPRK’s bombardment of offshore islands in 2010 served as harsh reminders of the maritime aspects of the North Korea dilemma.  New designs (especially frigates) suggest a renewed emphasis on anti-submarine warfare. However, many of the capabilities of South Korea’s new warships seem geared towards global contingencies, rather than being designed to meet specific North Korean threats.

The Aegis equipped Sejong the Great (KD-III) class destroyers, for example, compare favorably with American, Japanese, and Chinese designs, carrying more missiles in VLS cells than their foreign counterparts.  Although quite capable of engaging North Korea in a strike, air defense, or missile defense capacity, the three ships of the class represent a much more substantial commitment to surface warfare than the threat of the DPRK demands. 

Similary, the Dokdo class amphibious warships suggest a maritime focus extending well beyond the Korean Peninsula.  Like many amphibious warships, the 18,000 ton Dokdo strongly resembles a small aircraft carrier. As British and French operations in Libya last year demonstrated, amphibious warships can become strike vessels through the addition of attack helicopters.  Although South Korea does not currently participate in the F-35B project, the prospect of flying the STOVL fifth generation fighter from Dokdo (or potentially from Dokdo’s successors) undoubtedly appeals to some South Korean defense planners.  However, even if the tremendous expense of acquiring and operating such fighters proves daunting, the light carriers could someday employ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) optimized for strike and reconnaissance roles.  In any case, the Dokdos give South Korea a plausible expeditionary capability.

South Korea’s robust shipbuilding industry (the world’s largest) helps support and underwrite the ROKN’s expansion and modernization. Four Dokdos and six KD-IIIs are planned, although actual construction may not match these numbers.  If it does, however, this would represent one of the most potent naval warfare squadrons in the world, potentially capable of conducting many different missions in the region.  The KD-IIIs and Dokdos are supported by a force of nine modern large frigates (designated destroyers), all displacing from 3500-6000 tons and specialized for surface and sub-surface warfare.  Another fifteen 3000 ton frigates are in the ROKN’s plans.

Much like the PLAN, the ROKN has taken advantage of every opportunity to develop experience with distant, long-term deployments.  South Korea is a regular participant at RIMPAC, as well as other significant multilateral exercises.  Also like the PLAN and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the ROKN has maintained a continuous presence in support of CTF 151’s anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. 

All of this suggests that the ROKN is built for exigencies well beyond war on the Peninsula.  Naval vessels of the sort operated by South Korea (small carriers and the modern-day equivalent of battleships) carry a high prestige value.  This signals to both domestic and international audiences that Seoul is to be taken seriously on the international stage.  However, the fleet also represents a hedge against the possibility that South Korean relations with its larger neighbors may deteriorate.  The capabilities the ROKN is currently pursuing could operate abroad in expeditionary and humanitarian relief operations, or could help protect South Korea’s maritime lifelines.  In any case, the tendency to focus exclusively on the navies of China andJapan misses out on one of the most important new players in the Northeast Asian maritime scene. 

Korea defense Industry - Israel Navy Mulling Purchasing South Korean Ships built by Hyundai

Jerusalem, Israel (The Media Line) – Wasting little time after loosing a bid to sell Israel fighter trainer jets, South Korea has now reportedly offered to build large vessels for the Israeli Navy, which is in need of expansion due to strategic changes in the region.The Media Line Staff

A team of representatives from the South Korean government and Hyundai Shipyards have been in Israel recently to discuss a deal to build a frigate with a displacement of 1,300 tons, the Israel Defense website reported.

The report said that no costs were discussed and that the contacts were preliminary “but ongoing.” It further revealed that Hyundai, with its advanced ship-building industry, would sell Israel a skeleton vessel and that various Israeli defense industries would install locally made systems on board, including radar and the much-vaunted Barak anti-missile rocket defense system.

Some of the work could be done by the Israel Shipyards in Haifa, which is desperate to crack into the larger naval vessel market. It has proposed investing in new dry docks that would allow them to construct ships of up to 2,100 tons. Lobbyists sought government backing for the idea in order to keep the strategically important firm open. But this plan is reportedly stuck.

A proposal in 2010 to build together with Spain a littoral combat ship (LCS), a small surface vessel used in operations close to shore, fell through and an earlier bid to procure one from the U.S. also was shelved when the prices skyrocketed.

A Korean vessel would likely be far cheaper than anything purchased from the American or Germans, and they would also likely be more flexible when it came to join-industrial partnering.

A spokesman for Hyundai Shipyards could not be reached for comment.

The Israeli Navy already runs the most expensive pieces of equipment in the Israel Defense Forces and these are the German-made Dolphin submarines. It has three in service and three on order, including one deal inked in Germany last week. Each sub is estimated to cost about $600 million and is tailor-made for Israel by the German shipyards.

The Dolphins have a range of 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) and are reportedly Israel’s “second strike” platform equipped with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, according to foreign reports. But for a country like Israel, where 95% of its military supplies come from the sea, defending the sea routes is without a doubt an existential strategic interest.

The three Sa’ar 5 class missile corvettes (1,250 tons) the navy received in the mid-1990s supplement its smaller fleet of missile boats making it a formidable force to defend the coast and take on Arab navies. But forward looking people in Israel’s defense establishment and government see a larger role for the navy in the future.

Last month, Israel’s Defense Ministry said it was choosing Italy’s M346 trainer fighter jets over the T-50s built by South Korea. It was a heavily fought procurement battle and many feared spurning the Koreans would have strategic and diplomatic fallout.

“With the jet trainer deal now yesterday’s news, it’s crucial for Israel to change the subject with South Korea as soon as it can. The best way to forget an unsuccessful deal is to put an even better deal on the table,” wrote Ariel Harkham, co-founder of the Jewish National Initiative, in Ha’aretz.

A glance at Israel’s strategic landscape presents a different picture than even a decade ago. Iran’s nuclear ambitions make the Arabian Sea an area for Israel’s navy and it recently sent vessels through the Suez Canal for patrolling off the Horn of Africa. The discovery of gas and oil fields in the Mediterranean off Israel’s coast, an increasingly belligerent attitude by Turkey and Egypt’s teetering on Islamist control all demand that Israel needs to turn itself from a coast guard into a regional naval superpower.

Senior naval commanders, including former Navy Adm. Yedidiya Ya’ari, believe the navy should have a bigger role in future battles. They and some government figures warn that the country is merely “one big and exposed aircraft carrier” whose 11 military airfields and numerous army bases are vulnerable to attack and could be paralyzed by enemy action.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz has been a strong supporter for a stockier navy. As chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee he released a paper which saw the navy acquiring frigates, (4,000 tons), destroyers (9,200 tons) and cruisers (12,000 tons) equipped with cruise missiles with a range of some 2,000 kilometers, assault drones and marine artillery, including one being developed now which is capable of firing satellite-guided 155mm rounds between 75 and 120 kilometers.

Korea defense Industry - Royal Navy ships to be built by South Koreans

THE Royal Navy’s next generation of support tankers is to be built in South Korea, it was announced today.

Defence Equipment Minister Peter Luff said Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has been chosen as the Government’s preferred bidder to build the four 37,000 tonne vessels costing £452million.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that although a number of British companies took part in the competition, none submitted a final bid for the build contract.

UK firms will however benefit from associated contracts - including the provision of key systems and equipment - worth £150million.

The winning design for the ships is by the British company BMT Defence Services.

“The Government remains committed to building complex warships in UK shipyards,” Mr Luff said.

The MoD’s chief of defence materiel, Bernard Gray, said the competition for the contract had “sought to engage shipbuilders from across the globe”.

He said: “I believe the winning bidder’s solution will offer the UK the best value for money.”

The four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (Mars) tankers will maintain the Navy’s ability to refuel warships at sea and will provide support for amphibious, land and air forces.

At more than 200 metres in length, each ship is as long as 14 double decker buses and can pump enough fuel to fill two Olympic-size swimming pools in an hour.

Source: The SUn





The tankers will allow destroyers such as HMS Dauntless to refuel at sea

Korea defence Industry - Malaysia NGV Tech To Acquire 66 Pct Stake In South Korean Shipbuilder

Local shipbuilder, NGV Tech Sdn Bhd, will pay US$76 million to acquire a 66 per cent equity interest in South Korean shipbuilder, TKS Co Limited.

NGV Tech will purchase the equity from TKS's parent company, Kumkwang Engineering and Construction Group, in a deal which is scheduled to be inked tomorrow at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2009 (LIMA 09).

Its Executive Chairman, Zulkifli Shariff, said following the acquisition the local shipbuilder would be in control of a larger and deeper shipyard, modern shipbuilding equipment and have access to quality marine suppliers.

"Ultimately, the acquisition will enable NGV Tech to build bigger ships at competitive prices compared with the shipyard at Sijangkang, Teluk Panglima Garang, Selangor, which suffers from its remote location and absence of heavy lifting facilities," he told reporters here at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Center (MIEC).

TKS will become a subsidiary of NGV Tech, which will later be known as NGV Tech Shipbuilding Sdn Bhd, upon completion of the acquisition.

Zulkifli said following the acquisition, NGV Tech would be exposed to competitive and quality marine products from South Korea which would ultimately benefit its operations in Malaysia.

He added that NGV Tech would now be able to build ships of 200 meters in length either for the private sector or government.

The company recently informed the government of its intention and capability to supply Multi-Purpose Support Ships (MPSS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government planned to purchase at least three MPSS for the navy's operations.

Zulkifli said NGV Tech, 100 per cent locally-owned, had the latest technological know-how to build the support ships as stipulated by the government and the navy.

Zulkifli said the government should offer local companies, like NGV Tech, the opportunity to supply the Royal Malaysian Navy as its capabilities have been acknowledged by foreign navies and private customers.

"He said the government should look within the country for companies with such expertise. Why should the government look beyond the shores," he said.

Since it began operations in 1999, NGV Tech has built and delivered 120

ships for prominent clients which included Saudi Aramco, Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Petronas Carigali, Talisman and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

It has also built offshore patrol vessels for the navies of several Middle East countries.





Kapal Latihan GAGAH SAMUDERA telah berjaya di bina dengan usaha sama NGV Tech Sdn Bhd dan Syarikat Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine Engineering (DSME) dari Korea Selatan.
Kejayaan pembinaan kapal ini telah membuktikan bahawa syarikat tempatan juga berupaya untuk menguasai kemahiran pembinaan kapal yang berteknologi tinggi serta mampu merealisasikan aspirasi kerajaan untuk membangunkan industri maritim negara.


Dalam pada itu, kehadiran kapal latihan ini juga dilihat berupaya memperkasakan latihan dan kemahiran serta kecekapan the Navy People dalam mengendalikan operasi armada TLDM. Latihan di laut yang bakal ditempuhi juga membuktikan bahawa TLDM sentiasa melaksanakan pembaharuan dan penambahbaikan terhadap aset sedia ada serta mutu kerja the Navy People agar lebih efisyen seiring dengan visi TLDM iaitu Menjadi Tentera Laut Bertaraf Dunia.
Setelah penamaan dan pelancaran ini, kapal latihan GAGAH SAMUDERA akan menjalani kerja-kerja ujian penerimaan di pelabuhan dan di laut serta ujian penembakan meriam sebelum diserahkan kepada TLDM secara rasmi pada 19 Mei 2013.
Kerja-kerja mengintegrasikan sistem dan ujian sebelum penerimaan kapal merupakan satu cabaran yang paling getir dan penting kepada tim projek yang terlibat secara langsung terhadap perolehan kapal latihan ini.

Korea Defence Industry - Casualty - Bangladesh

This file photo shows Bangladesh Navy's only bleeding-edge frigate "Bangabandhu". The ship was purchased from South Korea in 2001 but has remained decommissioned for over five years.

The state of the art frigate of the Bangladesh Navy, purchased in 2001 for Tk 500 crore, has remained idle for more than five years now because of sheer 'political meanness' of the immediate past BNP-led alliance government.

Equipped for underwater, surface and air operations, the high-tech frigate, 'Bangabandhu', was decommissioned on February 13, 2002 and removed from the naval fleet, competent defence sources said.

The decommissioning was done on the pretext of corruption in purchasing the frigate. "If there was corruption, let there be legal actions against that. But what is the justification of decommissioning a world class frigate of the navy?" asks a defence high official.

The decommissioning has caused an incalculable loss, as the one-year warranty period of the onboard high-tech equipment elapsed without utilising them.

Meanwhile, at least 300 officers and soldiers, who could have been given a world-class training on the frigate, had to go abroad for the same purpose.

"Above all, the incident had dampened the spirit and energy of the Bangladesh Navy," said a senior defence official.

The caretaker government is now considering re-commissioning the frigate in mid-June.

The procurement of the frigate of model DW 2000H built by South Korean Daewoo Shipyard, triggered controversies prompting the BNP-led alliance government to file an anti-corruption case against ex-prime minister of the last Awami League government, Sheikh Hasina.

The then Bureau of Anti-corruption filed a case in 2003 in connection with the purchase of the frigate from the fourth lowest bidder in the tender Daewoo -- for incurring a loss for the government. The case virtually died after Hasina, Daewoo's local representative Abdul Awal Mintoo, and four defence officers had been granted bail in August 2003.

But while the BNP-led government did not pursue the case, it chose to decommission the frigate in early 2002 on grounds of corruption and sub-standard equipment.

A high powered investigation committee headed by the erstwhile commodore Hasan Ali Khan was formed. The other members of the committee were Commodore Kalimullah, Captain PK Barua and Captain Naser. The committee was assigned to detect substandard equipment installed in the frigate, but it failed to substantiate the allegation.

A defence high official pointed out that the then prime minister Khaleda Zia's personal secretary who is also her nephew, Saiful Islam Duke, and some enthusiastic naval officers, seeking the political clout of BNP, spearheaded the move to decommission the frigate.

Duke resigned from the navy soon after the Awami League government took over power in 1996. "He did so, because he had piles of negative reports on him from the past. He was a disgruntled officer with discipline problems," said the defence official. Duke himself was also involved in various naval purchases between 2002 and 2006, many of which are very controversial.

THE FRIGATE
With the mandate to provide security and surveillance in a maritime area of 40,000 square kilometres, the Bangladesh Navy has been in dire need of a modern frigate since the early nineties as its existing vessels and weaponry became antiquated. The decision to purchase a frigate was taken in 1996 to upgrade the naval operation capacity from a mere surface level to underwater-surface-air level. Daewoo's DW 200H frigate was picked as the best choice because it offered most modern weapons and warfare technology, sources said.

Daewoo completed manufacturing the frigate and handed it over to the navy on May 29, 2001. The then prime minister Sheikh Hasina commissioned it on June 20, 2001 and the frigate was in operation for eight months.

"During the only eight months of operation, the equipment and weapon set-up underwent fine tuning to make the frigate fault free. But after the decommissioning, we could do nothing. Now with the warranty period over, we will have to purchase everything that needs replacement," said a defence official.

A frigate's normal life span is of 25 to 30 years. This one already lost five years of its life without being utilised at all.

"The frigate is equipped with torpedo for underwater, missiles for surface, and anti-aircraft guns and missiles for air warfare. This gives us a three dimensional capability. This is a very high-tech ship which could provide world class training for our men. The engine and equipment are among the world's best that money can buy," he added.

"This frigate was not over priced," he pointed out.

The 340-metre long and 41-metre wide frigate also has a helicopter base on board. "We will need to buy a helicopter to complete equipping the frigate for three dimensional operations," the official noted. Such a helicopter costs around Tk 5 crore.

ASIA DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY - ARE WE READY?

We are talking about new war machine, make by west, European hundreds of years ago. They called it defence Technology. They experience trial and error through several wars. 

Japan and China among the first in ASIA have had their own defense capabilities, a superb performance. India still depending to Rusia, US and UK.

And now, new giant from ASIA  republic of Korea who according to German as the perfect copier. 

Korea Navy History

The independence Armed Corps established on November 11, 1945 was the origin of to-day's ROK Navy. In January 1949, the first 600-ton warship (PC) was purchased from the US, and the Marine Corps was established. During the Korean War, the ROK navy along with allied forces played a decisive role in winning the war by protecting sea lines of communications, securing the control of the sea, and successfully conducting the Inchon Amphibious Operation. In 1963, a destroyer was introduced, and in 1972, a Korean high speed boat was built. In 1975, Korean combat ships were built to re-invigorate its naval force. In the 1980s, the ROK Navy began to change its character by establishing close cooperation with Pacific nations through several combined exercises such as the "RIMPAC Exercise" to be the "Ocean-Going Navy." In 1993, the ROK introduced and built submarines, and in 1995, introduced maritime patrol aircraft P-3Cs to increase antisubmarine capabilities.The Koreans have made their living by fishing and gathering seaweeds since the ancient times as their homeland, the Korean Peninsula, is surrounded by sea in three directions and has long coastline. Based on their long experiences of marine life and the development of productive power, they have accumulated abundant experiences of the marine activities by going to the sea on board the ship they made. Even in the Ancient Chosun period, they built the naval forces against the invasion and their maritime activities were very lively.In time of the Three Kingdoms, each kingdom had exerted their all-out efforts for securing maritime control while executing various oceanic activities such as sea battles, overseas expeditions, and establishing bases based on strong maritime forces, the people of Paekche, called Asiatic Phoenician, secured the maritime control around the peninsula based on their strong naval power, and governed the vast territories stretching from Shantung, Liaosi to partial Japan islands. While monopolizing the maritime trade, they played a significant role in the dissemination of culture to Japan such as Wang-In's introduction of the Analects of Confucius and other Chinese classics to Japan. And Kingdom of Koguryo, the powerful ancient empire, defeated the Paekche naval forces toward the end of the 4th century A.D. under the rule of the King Kwanggeto the Great, thereby grasping the maritime control of the sea from the Gulf of Pohai to Cheju island.Moreover, the people of Koguryo repelled amphibious operations by the Sui Dynasty, China, at the Battle of Yellow Sea and the Battle of Salsoo through their excellent naval forces from the end of the 6th century through the beginning of the 7th century.During the period of the Unified Silla, naval forces were established for the defense of the coastal area, and trade with foreign countries was rather vigorous. In the period of the year 828 through 846, Commissioner Chang Bo-Go ran a major maritime management, establishing Chunghaejin post at Wando island, and seized the control of the Northeast Asian maritime traffic. Commissioner Chang bo-go has been praised, through this kind of maritime management, as great maritime king in the ancient history afterward.The Kingdom of Koryo, which unified the Later-Three Kingdoms, also inherited the powerful maritime traditions. The ancestor of Taejo, Wang Kun was a local leader who held independent maritime forces and became a man of great wealth through maritime trade with China. Wang Kun was able to build power base for founding Koryo Kingdom later by winning the assault on Najoo(904~935), the strategic point of the Later Paekche Kingdom and the sea battle at Dukjinpo port. As mentioned above, the Koryo Kingdom was the nation that had powerful maritime tradition and power, and so she could endure the world conqueror Mongolian aggression for about half a century. In 1380, she destroyed a group of over 500 Japanese battleships at Jinpo port by naval guns, and this was about two centuries earlier than the West in using naval guns in sea battle then.Entering the Chosun Dynasty, the powerful maritime forces and its tradition in the early years were gradually weakened by the various factors such as the policy of agriculture first and embargo, contemptuous tendency toward maritime forces, and Confucius ideology. Consequently there were frequent Japanese invasions such as the small war at Sampo port. In the end, in 1592 Japanese general Invasion, endangered the nations fate like a candle before the wind, erupted. In the ground battles, the Japanese offensives were so strong that the army of the Chosun dynasty suffered consecutive losses leading to the capture by the Japanese of the capital city and the nation was in danger of imminent collapse such as to the limit that the king made way to the northern boundary with China.However in the sea, Admiral Yi Sun-Shin and Chosun naval forces under his command had prepared thoroughly, based on the nation's maritime tradition, against the possible Japanese aggression, and therefore they were victorious in the sea battles, blocking the enemy's further advance and turned the war situation into firm foundation for winning the war, and thereby rescued the nation.

Constructing Foundation for Self-Reliance National Defense ( February 25, 1974 - May 25, 1993)

The Navy has become to hold the mighty combat power to suppress and destroy the enemy's marital provocations by reorganizing the force structure that is centered around the main pillar of domestic-made war ships financed by defense taxes beginning in 1975 and by equipping ultra-modern marital weapons systems such as anti-submarine patrol aircraft, ship-based helicopters, and various missiles in other words a favorite child in the modern warfare.The two times of test firings of the shop-to ship missiles in August 1975 were successfully carried out by domestic-made fast boat, thereby inspiring the Navy with confidence and pride in self-reliance national defense. Following the first construction and launch of a frigate by domestic technologies, Korea showed off the self-reliance national defense intentions and capabilities by domestically constructing and commissioning a series of frigates, patrol boats and fast boats.Further, the Navy have maintained its maximum combat readiness by taking such steps as the rational reorganization of the force structure, research and development of the military tactics and doctrines, and efficient innovation of the logistics managements functions. In the Meantime, the Navy Maintains perfect maritime defense structure through the various maritime exercises such as antisubmarine operation exercises, and rescue exercises.Additionally, the Navy further concreted its ties with navies of the friendly nations by participating in various combined exercises including Team Spirits Exercises. Particularly to be noted is that the Navy is acquiring new tactics while enhancing the status of the Korea Navy by participating for the first time in the 1990 RIMPAC Exercise, held biennially to promote close cooperations among countries along the pacific.

The Beginning Period for the Advanced Navy(May 26, 1993 - )

Owing to the force development projects for the self-reliance of the national defense promoted since 1974, Korean indigenous ships such as fast boat, fast ship, and patrol boat, that are suitable to the defense of the Korean coastal area, have been constructed for the combat power, resulting in strengthening the coastal defense capability. In 1981, the Navy has become to carry out smoothly the operations in the offshore by commissioning home-made frigate. Since the introduction of ROKS CHANG BO-GO in 1992, a mass production system in country for submarines has been furnished, and additionally in 1995, P-3C ultra-modern maritime patrol aircraft was introduced. In 1998, ROKN introduced Korea-made destroyer, KWANGGETO GREAT. However, in order to positively cope with changes in the maritime security environment around the Korean Peninsula, affected by the strengthening of naval powers in the neighbor countries of Northeast Asia, and to consolidate one step further the nation's status as a central state in the upcoming Asia-Pacific era, a change from the coastal navy to the Blue Water navy is required. 

Bangladesh Ulsan Frigate

The Bangladesh Navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, but it paid to have an ULSAN class frigate built in South Korea. A new frigate, the Bangabandhu, was ceremonially commissioned into the Navy of Bangladesh in June 2001. Built by Daewoo of South Korea, the Bangabandhu is derived from an existing fleet of Ulsan class ships that are in service with the Korean Navy. The frigate was ordered three years earlier and completed on schedule at a cost of $100 mn. The Bangabandhu displaces 2,370 tons and is fitted with a Thales command and control suite comprising a TACTICOS combat system, DA-08 surveillance radar, a Variant surface surveillance radar, a Mirador electro-optical tracking and fire control system and a LIROD Mk2 fire control radar. In 1994-95, the then government, in principal, decided to purchase a naval frigate for Bangladesh Navy, but it did not mature due to indecision. In the following year (1995-96), a decision was taken. According to schedule, the frigate was to be received on June 18, 2001. 38 defects in the frigate, including those in installation of SONAR Dome and Cylindical Inspector Array, making it unable to operate as a warship. All these errors could be eliminated at the DAEWOO shipyard. 

See also: www bdmilitary com /main/military/sea/navy/ships/surface/navy_surface_dw2000.htm/gallery/v/sea/navy/surface/dw2000_09.jpg.html

World Navies in ReviewBy A. D. Baker III

To India's east, the Bangladesh Navy handed the nascent South Korean export warship market an embarrassing setback when it decommissioned the 2,300-ton, Saudi Arabian-financed, Daewoo-built frigate Bangabandhu on 14 February 2002, less than a year after its commissioning. The ship was said to be suffering from nu­merous engineering plant and weapon sys­tem defects, and negotiations continued throughout 2002 over how—or whether— the ship's problems were to be rectified. An announcement in August 2002 by the Bangladeshi prime minister that her coun­try would be buying two retiring Italian Navy Lupo-class frigates was apparently more than a bit premature because it now appears those ships will be going to Peru (see pp. 53, 57). A more successful ac­quisition of retiring European warships was the purchase of all five remaining British Royal Navy Island-class offshore patrol ships. The 1,280-tonShetland became the Bangladeshi Karatoa on 29 July 2002, fol­lowed by the Kapatkhaya (ex-Alderney) on 31 October; sister ship Anglesey is to be handed over on decommissioning this July; and the Guernsey andLindisfame are to follow at the end of the year, thereby providing Bangladesh with a ready-made and still useful long-endurance offshore patrol force.http://airbase.ru/books/users/Tico/W..._in_Review.doc 

So are we ready for Korean Technology in our defense Industry ?