タグ: S-400

India’s Big Buy of American Defense Equipment: What are the Consequences?

            by David Parmer / Tokyo

Just over a month ago, on February 25, 2020, on the occasion of President Donald Trump’s visit to India, the US and India signed a massive arms deal providing India with significant upgrades in its military capabilities. The $3 billion deal centered on several different systems:

  • 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters
  • 6 Apache attack helicopters
  • NASAMS II Integrated Air Defense System
  • 30 Sea Guard Drones
  • 4 Poseidon-81 naval aircraft

The equipment, particularly the MH-60R helicopters, will enable not only enable India protect itself, but also to act in accord with the US in its Indo-Pacific strategy. These helicopters have a menu of functions, and one of the most important is its anti-submarine capability. The new helicopters will help the Indian navy to keep track of submarines operating in their area of interest, particularly Chinese submarines. 

Traditionally, India was one of Russia’s best customers, and the signs of this are everywhere, particularly in the Indian air force which has a host of legacy Russian aircraft. While the replacement of Indian fighter aircraft is not on the table, America is looking to sell it newest F-21 fighter to India.

Since 2013 Russian sales of arms to India has steadily declined while American sales during the same period have steadily increased. India still keeps its options open in purchasing defense equipment. This has been shown most clearly by its purchase of Russia’s deadly S-400 Triumph air defense system. Turkey has also ordered the S-400, as has China.  

With the purchase of modern new equipment and a role in the US Indo-Pacific strategy India is seen as gaining the upper hand in its relations with Pakistan and also with its ongoing engagement with China. India has traditionally held a non-aligned position in its international relations, but now the question seems to be this: How independent can Indian policy remain when American defense equipment and the American global defense strategy have such a big place reserved for its good friend India?

Photo: US Pacific Fleet via flickr

Turkey’s Military Fully Capable Of Projecting Power.

                            by David Parmer / Tokyo

The Turks live in a rough neighborhood–their country borders Iran, Iraq, Syria, and just across the Black Sea is Russia. So for defense alone they have to have credible military power. Moreover challenges often lie across the border, and they must have the ability to project power cross-border to defend what they see as their national interests. An example of this cross-border power projection was their October 2019 incursion into northern Syria in the wake of US withdrawal.

The Kurdish insurgency has always been a stone in their shoe, and so when the Kurds lost their American shield, it was the perfect vacuum in which to cross the border and deal with the long-standing issue of the Kurdish threat. Turkey easily has the power to do that, and their strength is impressive.

Estimates are that Turkey has 3/4 of a million soldiers under arms with another 1/2 million in reserve. They also have 4200 tanks of all types and 10,000 assorted armored vehicles, 475 helicopters, 1300 self-propelled artillery pieces and 1500 towed artillery pieces. They have over 500 combat aircraft including 270 F16 fighters-the biggest fleet outside of the US military. Although not playing a role in the current cross-border situation, they have a robust but small naval force of 16 frigates and 14 type-209 submarines. They also possess cruise missiles with a range of more that 150 miles.

Kurdish forces were, and are, no match for Turkish might, particularly without their American “allies.” News reports suggest that in the vacuum left by the Americans, the Kurds turned to President Bashar al Assad’s regime and its Russian allies for help. The Russians are now co-patrolling northern Syria with the Turks. It is indeed a complicated situation, for Turkey is a staunch NATO ally, and NATO faces off mainly against Russia.

Turkey gets its military hardware mainly from the US and Germany, NATO allies of theirs. They also have their own defense industry to make equipment like armored vehicles of all types. A surprise for NATO was President Erdogan’s decision to buy the powerful and deadly Russian S-400 Triumph air defense missile system instead of comparable equipment from American or other non-Russian suppliers.

That being said, President Erdogan has to walk a thin line between Russian and the US, its main supplier of military equipment, its NATO partner and the tenant at his Inchlink airbase. However, it is fairly clear that Turkey will not only act in what it sees as its self-interest, but will use its massive military power as it sees fit and will be willing to face criticism or even harsh sanctions to do so.

It is a complicated situation for all parties concerned. What is your opinion on this matter?

Photo:BMC Turkey, https://www.bmc.com.tr/en/corporate/press-center

Back by Poplular Demand: Russia’s S-400 In The News Again

                  by David Parmer / Tokyo

In February 2017 we reported about Russia’s “killer app,” the powerful S-400 Triumf missile system. The Triumf is back in the news and reports are showing that it is getting not only a lot of interest, but firm orders from countries around the world. Countries mentioned include India, China, and Turkey. Military.com (21 March2018) reports that there is also interest from the Gulf states of Qatar and Saudi Arabia in an area that has traditionally been a US arms preserve. In 2017 Iran’s Tasnim News (28 August 2017) quoted a Russian official in charge of arms exports as saying at least 10 orders for S-400 systems were being processed.

Business Insider (19 January 2018) reports that delivery of S-400 systems to China is now ongoing. Placing these missiles in Fujian province will give the PRC coverage of the Taiwan airspace, a significant leg-up if armed hostilities develop between Taiwan and the PRC down the road. Negotiations for sales of the system to India and Turkey are ongoing.

So why the interest in the S-400? Well, the answer might be found in a somewhat-gloating article in Russia’s RT news (21 March 2018). The S-400 is the best anti-aircraft, anti-missile system available today for export. It far out-performs its nearest rival, the venerable American Patriot missile system which has been around for about 30 years. The Triumf’s missiles are faster, can fly higher and can be launched much quicker.

Russia has also been deploying these missiles to Syria since 2015. Besides supporting its client state, and intimidating America and its clients, this could also be seen as a way to collect performance data in an active combat zone.

Right now American and European hi-tech manufacturers must be engaged in some serious catch-up to try to come up with powerful and versatile equipment to match what Russia has already fielded. In the meantime, Russian cash-registers will ring-up sales, and this most-lethal system will be seen in more and more places around the globe.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Please let us know.

Russia RT News article on Triumf

Photo: Russia Ministry of Defense

 

The S-400 Triumf–Russia’s “Killer App”

                            by David Parmer/Tokyo

Are you having a busy week? OK, here is the bottom line of this article to save you time reading the whole thing. Bottom line: if it flies, Russia’s S-400 Triumf air defense missile system can knock it out of the sky.

The S-400 Triumf (NATO designation SA-21 Growler) can track 300 targets, has a range of 400 km, and its missiles can reach an altitude of 30km. A battery of S-400 has eight launchers, a control center, radar and a basic load of 16 missiles.

The S-400 is designed to eliminate all sorts of aerial targets including:

  • Bombers
  • AWACS
  • U2
  • Advanced generation fighters
  • Cruise missiles
  • Ballistic missiles

Moreover, the S-400 can detect stealth and non-stealth aircraft at extended ranges. The Triumf can also function as part of an integrated air defense system, (IADS) a system that nullifies, to a certain extent, the opponent’s stealth technology and jamming capabilities.

The S-400 is not a “new” system. It was first rolled out by Russia in 2007 and is now in operation in Russia as well as being deployed in Syria. As a matter of course, Russia has supplied its own needs before turning to export inquiries. Indeed, there seems to be no shortage of potential buyers including Turkey and Vietnam among others.

India, for one is eager to get its hands on the S-400; it plans to place three systems in its western region and two systems in its eastern region. There was much fanfare in October 2016 over the signing of an S-400 arms deal with Russia, but no delivery date has been announced publicly.

The PRC is also a prime customer for the S-400 system. A report in Sputnik News on 15 February 2017 quotes Rostec State Corporation as saying China’s systems are now under production. This is good news for China, but worrisome for China’s potential opponents.The S-400 will not only let China guard its own airspace, (A2/AD) but also extend its coverage to airspace over Taiwan and the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

The S-400 system isn’t new, but all reports suggest it is one of Russia’s best “killer apps” when it comes to weapons systems and global arms sales.

Photo: Russian S-400 Missile System via Financial Express