said, Turkish Aerospace (TUSAS) displayed a full-scale mock-up of its future, 5th-generation Turkish Fighter (TF), with company officials telling MilTech that a first prototype of the 21m-long, twin-engined aircraft, which is being developed under the Turkish Fighter Experimental (TF-X) programme, is slated to be rolled out in March 2023, with the maiden flight set for 2025, and induction into the Turkish Air Force expected four years later. To speed up development of the aircraft, Turkey is launching several aerospace research facilities, including the National Combat Aircraft’s (MMU)’s Engineering Center and the Composite Production Building, both of which were inaugurated in January. The multirole fighter, which is expected to be powered by two afterburning turbofans enabling a top speed of Mach 1.8 (at 40,000ft), is meant to replace Turkey’s F-16 fleet as an air superiority fighter, and will feature a high-performance AESA radar, strong EW capabilities, and an electro- optical targeting and infrared search and track systems. Moreover, it is set to offer an independent, fully operational capability, including use within a ‘loyal wingman’ concept, said a company spokesperson. Future Capabilities and Concepts Some of the highlights of this year’s Singapore Airshow also came in the form of new systems, including land platforms, featuring hybrid or fully electric propulsion, as well as manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities, as several countries in the region are reducing the number of active military personnel in the face of an ongoing population decline. One of the companies currently working at full speed on such technologies is Singapore’s ST Engineering, which showcased a Terrex 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicle that can be used to launch and control a range of unmanned systems, including VTOL UAVs, strike-capable UGVs, and quadrupedal UGVs. The Terrex, displayed as a technology demonstrator, is the mothership for a MUM-T concept. It features a digitised Biswas. The economist noted that Indonesia’s defence spending in its 2022 budget has been constrained to around 0.7% of GDP, due to the impact of the pandemic on finances. However, as GDP growth normalises over the mid-term, the size of the Indonesian economy is forecast to rise from $1.2 trillion in 2021 to $2.7 trillion by 2030. “Even if Indonesia’s defence spending were to remain constant as a share of GDP, this would imply that Indonesia’s annual defence spending could more than double by 2030 in US dollar terms,” said the economist, while pointing out that Jakarta’s plans for substantial modernisation of its armed forces out to 2044 includes using significant foreign loans to accelerate defence-related procurement. Moreover, other countries in the region – such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam – all have future requirements for aircraft, including fighters, and have announced plans to further enhance their defence budgets, while Singapore is in the process of receiving Airbus Helicopters H225M medium-lift and Boeing CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters. The nation, which is currently upgrading its F-16 fleet, is also set to acquire four F-35B Lightning II fighters from 2026. Northeast Asia Meanwhile, in Northeast Asia, Japan has a procurement programme covering 157 F-35 aircraft, as well as its own development programme for the 6th-generation F-X stealth fighter. South Korea is procuring 80 F-35s, and is developing its own advanced fighter jet – the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 – with 120 planned to be inducted into the Republic of Korea Air Force by 2032. The maiden flight of the first KF-21 prototype is slated for later this year, following a series of ground tests. China, which operates the region’s largest air force, is also continuing to modernise its fleet, including its J-10, J-11, J-15, and J-16 multirole fighters, and develop new 5th-generation aircraft such as the J-31 (also referred to as the J-35) carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft. Beijing has also managed to sell the J-10C – equipped with with ShenyangLiming WS10 ‘Taihang’-series engines – to the Pakistan Air Force, and has reportedly established an office dedicated to promoting the developed FC-31 fighter on the international market. Many of these aircraft, including the H225M, the F-35, and the Tejas LCA, were on static display at the show, while others such as the KF-21 or the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 were shown as scale models. That Bringing a combination of experience, journalistic and editorial skills and a wealth of regional knowledge and connections, Gabriel Dominguez covers the Asia-Pacific beat for MilTech. Feature MT 2/2022 · 25 In February, the US State Department approved a potential FMS to Indonesia of 36 F-15ID multirole fighters, believed to be a variant of the F-15EX shown here. (Photo: Boeing) The Indian Air Force displayed a Tejas LCA at the Singapore Airshow 2022 as part of New Delhi’s efforts to promote the platform for overseas sales. A model of the Elbit Systems’ ‘Skylark 3 Hybrid’ UAV on display at the Singapore Airshow 2022. f h ¸
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