Maritime Simulation Centre in Asia

There are few Simulator Training Center In Asia that offer a good and important navigation, ship handling courses to mariner. Malaysia will have another one training Centre  that will offer the same scope but with more focus towards naval application with latest of art  naval technology.    The scope will include tactical operation, naval navigation, combat management system and ship bridge management. Lets compare what are the other training center offers.

        

           1. Bourbon inaugurated its Training Center Asia and its AHTS simulator in Singapore in the premises of Bourbon Offshore Asia. The opening of this second Bourbon Training Center in Asia follows the opening of the Manila’s (Philippines) center in October 2007 dedicated to Dynamic Positioning (DP).

2.      FORCE Simulator  in Singapore Police Coast Guard Ctr

The Singapore Police Coast Guard commission their new training simulator. The Australian Danish company FORCE Technology has supplied a new generation of software for the simulator.

3.      SMA – ISC AT Singapore Polytechnic

a.      In the Marine Machinery Simulator, the comprehensive, realistic, interactive and dynamic systems simulate real-world ship propulsion plants. It is housed in a purpose-built complex to support the following learning objectives:  ·

b.      The Full Mission Bridge Simulator has: Four own-ship booths, representing ship bridges, each containing True Motion radar, ARPA,  shiphandling controls, and electronic navigational aids display. Each booth is provided with intercommunication, VHF radio and quadraphonic sound systems. The main bridge is fully equipped with state-of-the -art Computer Generated Image (CGI) system to create a highly realistic environment on a large circular screen. ·        A computerised simulation system for generating exercise area, electronic navigational aids data, ship models and environmental conditions. ·        An instructor's console for the setting, monitoring and control of the exercise. ·        A record / replay system to facilitate exercise debriefing.

c.      The Electronic Navigation Simulator Laboratory, an Electronic Navigation Systems (ENS) laboratory, is for training students in the proper and safe use of electronic navigation systems for position fixing. In addition to facilitating R&D in the field of navigation, the simulator will also facilitate the following: ·        Basic bridge work for cadets. ·        Basic operation, capabilities, errors, limitations of ENS. ·        Use of Radar, ARPA and other navigational aids.                   ·        Bridge team work. ·        Shiphandling. ·        Bridge resource management.

d.      The GMDSS Simulator consists of 10 PC based workstations for training,an Instructor Station on the outer loop and 3 PC based orkstations for examination in the inner loop. The simulator can train candidates to meet the requirements of the Global Maritime Distress & Safety Systems (GMDSS ) using authentic simulated equipment. In addition, there is 'Live GMDSS' radio equipment to enhance the training.

e.      The Boiler House provides a learning environment similar to  that found in steam generation plants. It is equipped with two operational boilers to support the following learning objectives: ·

f.       The ECDIS Centre has an Electronic Chart and Display Information Systems that includes an instructor station connected to 10 individual workstations (Bridges). Apart from the ECDIS, the system contains some common shipboard Electronic Navigation Aids and is also capable of desktop ship handling simulation.

The Maritime I.T. Laboratory is equipped with latest shipmanagement software programmes. From this laboratory students can access PSA's Portnet and Tradenet on-line.        4. KASI Maritime Simulation Centre Commissioned in 2009, KASI's maritime simulation centre is Malaysia's first dedicated marine simulation research and development facility. Powered by a state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model, the latest shiphandling simulator faithfully simulates the effect of environmental conditions and interaction effects such as bank, squat and ship-ship interaction on a vast library of vessel types. Complex and flexible scenarios can be created for research and training, in all conditions of weather and traffic to challenge a trainee or test the design of a new port facility. The new "Seagull" visualisation system generates an out-of-window view that is stunningly realistic and each bridge is equipped with the controls and instrumentation to fully simulate real shiphandling.    Main Bridge Main Bridge With a visual system providing Secondary Bridge The secondary bridge is itself a self-contained bridge simulator, equipped with the same comprehensive controls and instrumentation as the main bridge. However, with supplementary Voith Schneider and tug winch controls, the 180 degree HFOV bridge is used primarily to provide tug support to the main bridge during research and training and also to allow dedicated training for tug handling. Controls Lilaas LF80 Follow up steering Tiller (+90-0-90) Dual engine order telegraph Multi Truster panel with LF90D telegraph Real Steering Wheel (Sperry +-70deg) POD/AZIMUTH/Water Jet Propulsion with real instruments/handles Instrumentation Port and Starboard Radar, ECDIS, ARPA RPM and PITCH Analogue Indicators Gyro Repeater Panel & Rate of Turn Panels for Engine, Shapes, Log, Lights, Fire Alarm, Anchors, Sound Signals   

Thailand - Domestic Defense Industry

Before the 1970s, domestic defense production was extremely limited. Local industrial plants made items such as uniforms, storage batteries, glassware, preserved foods, some electronic devices, and certain pharmaceutical and chemical products. The production of armaments, began on a modest scale in 1969 and received increasing government assistance. In August 1976, the Ministry of Defense announced that it had invested more than US$200 million since 1969 in developing domestic production of ordnance items. This investment resulted in the local production of 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .30 calibre ammunition. In addition, the government operated facilities for limited rebuilding and modernization of military vehicles, aircraft engines, and helicopters. A modern dockyard provided similar improvements as well as maintenance on naval vessels and their armaments. Most of these capabilities were achieved with American technical assistance. In December 1977, Prime Minister Kriangsak announced plans to establish a number of new factories to increase the strength of the country's arms industry. In particular, he hoped to meet internal security requirements for ammunition and light weapons. The industrial expansion called for private as well as government-owned facilities. The primary vehicle for this was a privately owned company called Thai Interarms, which received substantial government aid. Divided into four subunits, the company manufactured small arms, ammunition, gunpowder, and other explosives. In addition, a factory established in Ta Khli, a joint venture between the Thai government and the Winchester Company of the United States, had a projected production capability of 1 million tons of ammunition annually, including rockets. To strengthen the navy's combat readiness, the government expanded its naval repair facilities with aid from the United States, Italy, and Japan. As a result, Thailand produced a variety of naval vessels, including six fast coastal patrol boats, and had an LST (landing ship, tank) under construction in 1987. Despite the ambitious scope of plans for a domestic defense industry, however, production failed to reach the levels desired. Data as of September 1987

Thailand looks to defence industry collaboration in frigate procurement

By Jon Grevatt

9/25/2012

Defence industrial collaboration will be a key consideration in Thailand's USD1 billion programme to procure two modern frigates over the next few years, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has revealed to IHS Jane's .

Funds for the frigate purchase were approved by the Thai cabinet on 18 September. The programme had been delayed by more than a decade due to a shortage of funds but finally received government support on the back of economic expansion in the Southeast Asian country and a growing RTN requirement to enhance combat capability.

A senior source within the RTN, who is involved in acquisitions, said the programme provides Thailand with an opportunity to not only procure "world-class" frigates but also develop a high level of industry capability that will benefit the RTN.

He also said that following cabinet approval of the funds the RTN has formed a frigate committee to identify the most suitable platforms for Thailand's needs and to formalise a potential industrial collaboration programme that would benefit local industry. The committee is expected to issue request-for-information documents soon and submit its plan to government by the end of the year or in early 2013.

ASEAN Defense: Thai military guided public defense industry unit, targets “Arms Export” in two years

By Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist

Matichon, a newspaper for the intellect here in Thailand, just reported that the Thai military guided, public defense industry unit, is targeting to be able to export internal-Thailand developed arms equipment-within two years.
Matichon gave an array of equipment that the Thai military public unit is working on-including a few cutting-edge tropical area specifics infantry soldier equipment-on exhibition in last week local arms industry show.
Mentioned, was also, rockets and missiles, however, based on earlier reports of Thailand’s advancement in rockets and missiles development-these equipment were not on exhibition.
Germany, through the Thai German Technical Assistance Program, have signed an agreement with the Thai arms manufacturing public unit-for transfer of technology. The unit, established by Taksin, aims mainly to produce advance missiles.
Within ASEAN, Indonesia is most active in developing a local arms industry, having signed agreement with S.Korea, for fighter jest and submarine development. Malaysia is also active in the area.
Thai prime minster, Yingluck, said in the Thai parliament, that developing Thailand’s local arms industry, is one of her policy. ASEAN recently, proposed a paper on building up of an ASEAN arms industry.

Thailand will focus on building-up “Internal” arms industry

By Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist

• The Issue:

ASEAN as a whole, particularly, Indonesia and Malaysia-have been building up a local defense industry-with last year, ASEAN making statements about jointly-developing an ASEAN Defense industry. However, out-side ASEAN defense industry, through lobbying and corruption, have held much of the ASEAN market in control.
Thai Intel just got a comment, from Aldo, on an earlier report about Indonesian internal submarine development efforts:

“Indonesia also successfully built LPD Makassar class in cooperation with SKorea. They even try to sell it to Philippines… In addition to that, they are now involved in research and production of stealth KFX jet fighters with SKorea…it seems that Indonesia has a long perspective in building their defense system in relation to local economic development.”

• Back-Ground on Thailand:

For a background, Thailand have had a burgeoning private local arms industry for a very long time-with local development of armored personal carriers. Then the Thai armed forces have long invested in building artillery pieces and also multiple-rocket launchers-and also small naval patrol vessels.
However, Thailand joined the modern age in development of a local arms industry-when Taksin, the former prime minister who was ouster by the 2006 coup, establishing and giving budget to the development of a local “Missile” industry. That missile unit, eventually, received aid from Germany.

• The following is from Thai Intel’s earlier report:

The Thai missile research and development unit main mission is a 5 year plan to develop Thailand missile capabilities-with a budget said open-ended on top of about US$70 million initial public stated release figures.
The unit had completed its first factory in Nakornsawan province.
The unit is currently experimenting with solid fuels and guidance systems.
Test site is considered to be at the former Vietnam War era naval base at Sattahep-with targets site in the gulf of Thailand. Estimates is that within 1 a year test would begin-as reports said new know-how is supplementing long built up know-how in basic guidance systems and rocket fuels.
The current German government is considered close to the Thai government. An arms catch in Bangkok included moderately advance missiles-to which no one claims and is on hold in Thailand.
US Congress had in the past rejected Thailand request to purchase sophisticated missiles-based on concerns that Thailand would pass on the technology to China and on concerns of equipping Thailand with such advance defense capabilities

Defence Industry - Indonesia

Indonesia - Assessing our defense industry

Adhi Priamarizki, Singapore | Opinion | Mon, January 09 2012, 8:30 PM

A-AA+

Recently the Indonesian Defense Ministry stated that they would implement a “defense support economy” principle in the country’s arms procurement business. The purpose of this principle is to synergize defense enforcement with improvements to the national economy. In other words, the Defense Ministry believes that defense and development have a positive relationship.

This positive relationship occurs because arms procurement stimulates economic activities. The defense industry creates a lot of new job opportunities. Further, the defense industry absorbs products from other industries.

For example, a ship consists of various things, such as computer systems, wires, steel, and so on. The defense industry therefore stimulates production in other industries, especially manufacturing. However, the end of the Cold War had an effect in reducing the defense budgets in most countries around the world.

The next knock-on effect was to the defense industry. Since demand was low, some companies in this industry closed or merged with other companies, resulting in the emergence of several mega-defense firms.

The companies are Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, BAE Systems, Thales, and DASA see Richard Bitzinger, “Introduction: Challenges Facing the Global Arms Industry in the 21st Century,” in Richard Bitzinger (ed.) The Modern Defense Industry: Political, Economic, and Technological Issues, (Oxford; Praeger, 2009) page 4.

Even though defense budget trends in recent years have been increasing, competition in the international defense market is generally tough for newcomers.

The global defense market has become an oligopolistic market, since there are only a few suppliers as a result of the mergers during the 1990s. Thus, the global defense market offers a promising income for every player in the industry as the global market provides a great many consumers.

In this environment, there are big challenges for Indonesia’s defense industry. Although the defense industry in Indonesia belongs to the government in the form of a company, the industry must keep its profits in balance in order to survive.

Further, there is the possibility that Indonesia’s defense industry will be working in a monopsony market, meaning a market that only has one buyer; in this case, the Defense Ministry. If this occurs, Indonesia’s defense industry will need strong regulations to ensure the business runs properly. Moreover, without making a profit, the defense industry will rely heavily on government assistance.

It will thus become a burden for the government. The relationship between defense and development will then become a negative relationship. Eventually, the classic issue of “guns versus butter” will appear.

Besides that, the commitment from the Indonesian government to use its own national products is crucial. The defense industry has a limited number of consumers and has tight relations with bureaucratic systems. With these characteristics, it provides room for corruption in order to smooth contract negotiations. The regulations must not only dictate terms for contract negotiations, but also policies to oversee competition in order to win contracts.

The other solution to this problem is to build joint-venture cooperation with other defense companies or larger, well-established global defense corporations. No one can escape from globalization; this condition also applies to the defense industry.

The creation of the European Aeronautic Defense and Spain Company (EADS) is one of the examples of globalization in the defense industry. The company’s latest project is the Eurofighter Typhoon, a fighter jet, which is part of Europe’s largest, collaborative military program in recent years.

In conclusion, there is a way to improve our defense industry. Although it is possible to mold the defense industry in order to strengthen the economy, the mismanagement of this industry would make it become a new burden for the government.

There are always risks with every policy, but they can be avoided depending on how we manage our potency in a proper way. Like the old, English proverb says, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

The writer is a student at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Defense industries: Waking up Indonesia's slumbering giants

The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
Thursday, Oct 06, 2011

INDONESIA - Indonesia may be Southeast Asia's biggest economy. But the nation's status as a regional military power has dissipated.
The Indonesian Military's (TNI)strength was at its peak in the 1960s, when the nation forced the Dutch to give up their claim to the resource-rich region of West Irian, now the provinces of Papua and West Papua.Then president Sukarno developed the TNI with foreign aid and equipment, principally from the former Soviet Union, turning the TNI into Asia's second most powerful military, behind the People's Liberation Army in China."The Indonesian Military had an effective deterrent. Without such a powerful force, our history might have gone in a different direction," former Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (ret.) Chappy Hakim said.The TNI could boast of the air superiority and long-range strike capability of its many Soviet-made state-of-the-art MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighter jets and TU-16 bombers, Chappy said, as well of its fleet of Soviet-made warships and submarines.However, a reliance on Soviet-made equipment kept Indonesia's defense industry in its infancy - despite a history of domestic production dating to the 19th century, when the Dutch created companies such as NV de Broom, NV de Vulcaan and NV de Industrie to arm its colonial forces.Not long after gaining independence on Aug. 17, 1945, Indonesia, under the leadership of prime minister Djuanda Kartawijaya, nationalized local Dutch arms companies.The policy made way for the establishment of state-owned defense companies such as PN Boma, PN Bisma, PN Indra, PN Barata and PN Sabang Merauke.The companies were an embryo for the eventual development of 10 state defense companies, including aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia, shipyard PT PAL Indonesia, arms maker PT Pindad and explosives maker PT Dahana.Other non-weapon strategic companies include steel maker PT Krakatau Steel, heavy equipment company PT Barata Indonesia, diesel and machinery company PT Boma Bisma Indra, train maker PT INKA, telecommunication company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia and electronic component maker PT LEN Industri.However, it was not until the mid-1970s that Indonesia's defense industries were professionally managed.Then president Soeharto handpicked a genius - German-educated aeronautical scientist Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie - to plan and develop the industrialization of the nation with full assistance from the West.In 1974, at the age of 38, Habibie was named a presidential advisor for technology. Four years later, he was made minister of research and technology, a position he held for 20 years before his appointment as vice president in 1998.Under Habibie's management, 10 strategic industries were consolidated under a single organization, the Strategic Industry Regulatory Body (BPIS), in 1989 to "build and develop the country's defense industry as well as defense and security sovereignty".Habibie also had an ambitious goal to bolster the nation's maritime and aviation industries by 2015.With support from state budget, Habibie's huge investments in Pindad, PAL and IPTN (Dirgantara's previous name) reaped benefits in the early 1990s, as local companies designed and produced the CN-235 cargo plane and the N-250 passenger aircraft, warships and various rifles and types of ammunition.However, the TNI also went on a shopping spree, buying weapons systems from Western countries, including the US, the UK, Germany and France.The move was driven by the personal interests of TNI officers, who pocketed fees from arms brokers employed by foreign arms companies.Several weapon systems that might have been supplied by domestic producers were ordered from overseas vendors.The TNI's unwritten doctrine during the Soeharto era that placed the Army ahead of the Air Force and the Navy was also hampering the development of shipyards and aviation companies that might have been more useful in protecting an archipelago comprised of 17,000 islands and spanning more than 1.9 million square kilometers.Budget constraints imposed by the 1997/1998 Asian financial crisis and the absence of a grand design for defense and industrialization after Soeharto's fall have continued to plague the TNI and the nation's defense industries.Worse, the TNI currently relies heavily on foreign arms suppliers, leaving local companies with underdeveloped core competencies due to limited orders."This unhealthy reliance has left our country prone to military embargoes, just as the US and European Union did to us in 1999," legislator T.B. Hasanuddin, deputy chairman of The House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing defense, said.Hasanuddin referred to the western embargo of arms and spare parts sales to Indonesia following allegations of human rights abuse committed by the TNI in the former province of East Timor, now Timor Leste.The International Monetary Fund, which provided financial aid to Indonesia during the crisis, also instructed Indonesia in 1998 to end its financial support of what it called inefficient local high-technology companies, leading to the dissolution of the BPIS.The government's move to save the 10 strategic companies through establishing a holding company, PT Bahana Pakarya Industri Strategis, in 1998, had no significant impact.Following the company's liquidation in 2002, the companies have operated independently under the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.Most of the companies are currently in an unhealthy state due to mismanagement, bad loans and limited capital.PAL and Dirgantara, for instance, are striving to get rid of loans that have haunted their businesses for more than a decade, while Pindad, although having secured a small profit, is far from a prosperous company.The government's preference for importing arms, coupled with unscrupulous officials, has also contributed to the fall of the nation's defense industries and created disorientation in the defense system."Nowadays, our weapons system management is chaotic. We use a lot of different models for our defense systems: local, US, Russian and Chinese systems," Chappy said."Not only that it is more costly but also it requires more technicians to learn the different systems."The prioritization of the Army has also remained, meaning the TNI is focused on domestic security and not deterrence or power projection.The Army regularly absorbs almost half the TNI's budget, receiving Rp 21.5 trillion (S$3.2 billion) of the military's Rp 44 trillion budget for 2010 alone.This has affected funding for new warships and fighter jets, which Chappy said should be prioritized."Our defense industry is always tied to our defense policy. Since the Army is always a priority, we don't expect companies like PAL and Dirgantara to get a lot of orders. Our defense policy is basically saying let the enemies come and we'll beat them in our house, instead of preventing them stepping into our yard," Chappy said.

Lockheed Martin, Indonesia Firm To Begin Long-Range Surveillance Radar Production

Thu, Nov 8, 2012 15:09 CET

Lockheed Martin and Indonesian firm PT CMI Teknologi (CMI) have recently completed a production readiness review that qualifies CMI to begin in-country manufacturing for the TPS-77 and FPS-117 long-range surveillance radars.

Lockheed Martin and CMI are jointly pursuing the National Airspace Surveillance – Republic of Indonesia (NASRI) program, with the intent to produce more than 20 new radars to improve airspace surveillance, safety, and management over the Indonesian Archipelago in support of the government’s defense revitalization initiative.

“The success of the production readiness review shows that CMI’s workforce is ready to begin the assembly of radar row receivers, which is a major step in the qualification process,” said James Gribbon, Asia Pacific regional president for Lockheed Martin. “These are key assemblies in the solid-state design and L-band operation of these high-performing radars that are already operating in 25 countries around the world”.

The production readiness review is the latest step in supporting the Indonesian government’s efforts to greatly enhance air sovereignty and surveillance over the country’s more than 17,000 islands, and to expand Indonesia’s industrial capabilities.

Data feeds from the new network will also enhance civilian air traffic control, including commercial air traffic management, which is currently handled by radars in nearby Singapore.

 

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