Dari milis boss-nya Rizal Ahmad. Wasalam. ===========================================
Rekan2 ysh Sengketa bersenjata di jaman moderen ini memang mahal sekali. Australia dulu punya 2 kapal induk, tapi ke dua2nya sudah lama dipensiunkan. Australia juga punya pesawat tempur supersonik F111 yang sudah tua dan banyak bermasalah dan seharusnya sudah dipensiunkan (AS yang membuat F111 bahkan sudah lama mempensiunkan pesawat yang ikut dalam perang Vietnam, dan sering jatuh sendiri karena fatigue di bagian swing wing, dan bukan ditembak musuh). Australia akan mempensiunkan F111 th 2010. Pesawat pengintai Orion juga akan dipensiunkan. Sebagai penggantinya Australia akan membeli UCAV Global Hawk, yang mungkin dilengkapi dengan persenjataan dan punya kemampuan tempur, bukan sekedar mengintai atau me-mata2i saja. Untuk seluruh keperluan militernya dalam kurun waktu 10 tahun ke depan menurut berita Australia akan membelanjakan sekitar Aust $ 50milyar!!! Tetapi ini tidak ada apa2nya dibanding AS yang untuk kurun waktu yang sama akan membelanjakan lebih dari US $ 1 triliun! Perang di masa depan akan dilakukan oleh robot2, baik dalam bentuk truk atau tank tanpa awak, pesawat tanpa awak, juga helikopter tanpa awak etc etc. Bidang ilmu Artificial Intelligence rasa2nya bakal dapat dana penelitian yang besar untuk merancang otak buatan yang canggih. AS saat ini sedang sibuk mengganti paradigma perang mereka, dan alat2 perang mereka dikenal sebagai FCS atau Future Combat System. Kalau ingin tahu lebih banyak silahkan berselancar ke alamat yang diberikan setelah berita tentang Global Hawk di bawah ini. Salam Moderator -------------------------------------------------- Global Hawk The Australian 4 February 2004 $1bn spend on robot patrol aircraft By Max Blenkin 04feb04 THE Federal Government would spend up to $1 billion on advanced robot aircraft which can patrol the skies around Australia, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today. Launching the latest version of the Defence Capability Plan (DCP) in Sydney, Senator Hill said Australia needed to invest significantly in new defence technologies and not to do so put personnel at risk. He said the Australian Defence Force (ADF) envisaged acquiring a squadron of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The vehicles could do maritime patrols, land surveillance, intelligence gathering and even help civil authorities with tasks such as bushfire detection and response. Under the plan, Australia will spend $750 million to $1 billion – a potential six-fold increase on the $150 million budgeted under the former capability plan in 2001. "The success of aircraft such as Global Hawk in operations over both Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the huge capacity boost these assets can bring," Senator Hill said. "The Global Hawk provides the air force and battle space commanders with near real-time, high resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery. "This capability will be a quantum leap forward for the ADF and the first phase is listed for decision in the next financial year." Demonstrating its capabilities in 2001, a Global Hawk flew non-stop from California to Australia, a record for a pilotless aircraft. Global Hawk is much bigger than other UAVs already in ADF service. Its 35m wingspan makes it bigger than a Boeing 737 and it it can fly for 38 hours and cover 14,000 km. Senator Hill said the latest version of Global Hawk was even better, with a greater fuel capacity and and improved satellite control and communications. The government revealed the key elements of the DCP in November, including plans for new tanks and landing ships and for the RAAF's ageing F-111 strike bombers to be retired around 2010. It is also envisaged that the RAAF will eventually retire its AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft with the job to be shared between a smaller number of new manned aircraft and Global Hawk. Senator Hill said the DCP outlined 64 defence equipment projects in 116 phases currently valued at $50 billion over the next decade. He said it represented the culmination of a review done over the last year which took into account the changing strategic situation and demands on the ADF. "When we send our forces on often dangerous operations Australians have the right to expect that they are properly equipped and prepared – with the right capabilities to get the job done safely. We owe our troops nothing less," he said. "The new capability plan does not represent a radical departure from past planning. However, the new plan does recognise that we face new challenges." $50bn defence plan outlined >From AAP February 04, 2004 AUSTRALIA today outlined its $50 billion defence shopping list for the next 10 years, but is yet to make a financial commitment to the controversial missile defence shield being developed by the US. Defence Minister Robert Hill today launched the latest version of the Defence Capability Plan (DCP) in Sydney, which outlines equipment acquisition and capability development programs from 2004-2014. Senator Hill said the DCP did not specify any military or financial commitment to the missile defence shield, known as Son of Star Wars, but the government remained committed to the program. He said Australian and US officials are currently negotiating a memorandum of understanding for Australian involvement in the defence shield. "In terms of the concept, we're as committed as ever and we hope to have our memorandum completed in the next few months and that will identify the specific projects that we'll be working on," Senator Hill told reporters. He said the acquisition of Air Warfare Destroyers, as outlined in the DCP, would contribute to missile defence. "If you look at the Air Warfare Destroyers that we are purchasing, they will have the capacity to contribute to missile defence in the future," Senator Hill told reporters. "They are all about missile defence, but if you want to take into (account) long range ballistic missile defence, they would have the capacity to be relatively easily upgraded for that role." Senator Hill said Australia's regional neighbours recognised the benefit the Son of Star Wars program would bring to the region. "I was pleased with the response we've received from our near neighbours who actually appreciate what value a defence against ballistic missiles can add to the security of the region." http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/6 9405/1/.html Australia to buy robot aircraft in 38 billion dollar defence upgrade SYDNEY: Australia is to spend up to one billion dollars (760 million US) on robot surveillance aircraft as part of a 10-year military upgrade to meet the threat of global terrorism and its responsibility to allies, particularly the United States. The government has made a six-fold increase in funding for a squadron of Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which would patrol Australia's borders, territorial waters and could be used further afield. "The success of the aircraft such as Global Hawk in operations over both Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the huge capacity boost these assets can bring," Defence Minister Robert Hill said in unveiling the government's 50 billion dollar Defence Capability Plan for the next 10 years. "The Global Hawk provides the air force and battlespace commanders with near real-time, high resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery." Hill said the defence plan, the culmination of a 12-month review of the army, navy and airforce, would also see ageing tanks, frigates and fighters replaced by state-of-the-art hardware. He said an unprecedented level of recent deployments by Australian forces, including participation in the "coalition of the willing" in Iraq, demonstrated that Australian forces were not equipped to face "new challenges". "These include the threat of terrorism, concerns associated with the proliferation of weapons on mass destruction and the risk of failed states within our region," Hill said. "The global situation has also brought our responsibilities, as an alliance partner of the United States, into sharper focus." Australia was one of the staunchest allies of the US in its war against Iraq, sending more than 2,000 troops and personnel to the Gulf. Australian military chief Major General Peter Cosgrove welcomed the government's decision to commit more funds to bring Australia's forces up to world standards. He said the level of technology such as that used in the Global Hawk was being added to the military of other countries and Australia should not risk being left behind. "Fifty billion dollars is the price we must pay to modernise against an uncertain future," Cosgrove told reporters. --[YONSATU - ITB]--------------------------------------------- Arsip : <http://yonsatu.mahawarman.net> atau <http://news.mahawarman.net> News Groups : gmane.org.region.indonesia.mahawarman List Admin : <http://home.mahawarman.net/lsg2>
