The Singapore Air Show, held every two years and serving both the military and commercial sectors, wrapped up on 16 February. The 2014 iteration of the event attracted 146,000 visitors, who were thrilled by no less than three military aerobatic teams soaring across Singapore’s skies – the Black Knights from Singapore, the Black Eagles from South Korea and the Jupiters from Indonesia.
The show is an important meeting point for military and VIP delegations – this year amounting to 279 groups from 72 countries. It is also a useful time to assess what air forces around the region are buying, and to deduce trends in what military equipment manufacturers are selling.
In terms of booth size, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) had one of the larger displays. It did not bring any actual aircraft to Singapore, but it displayed plenty of scale models representing both its commercial and military sectors. When questioned AVIC on their product range and the purpose of their presence in Singapore, an official politely pointed to the company’s information brochures. “You can gain data there,” he said.
This is a very typical Chinese response. Unless you are a potential customer, China has little interest in cultivating positive relations with anyone else. While China is earnestly seeking to broaden and deepen its military exports, its public relations modus operandi is quite dismal. Consequently, it is difficult to know what China achieved at the Singapore Air Show. Its line-up included the Z-9 helicopter, L-15 trainer, K-8 trainer, Wing Loong 1 unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) and FC-1 fighter (known as the JF-17 in Pakistani service).
The USA’s strategic ‘pivot’ to the Asia-Pacific region has attracted a lot of attention, although there is another minor ‘pivot’ that is ongoing. David Hatcher, a regional director of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), noted: “After a number of years having a rather introspective attitude to the region, the UK has over the last year or so started to become very much more interested as a nation in this region.”
Hatcher continued, “We are a trading nation, and our prosperity depends not only on open trade routes, but having good relations with important countries who are prospective partners in the region, and our interests also depend on security and stability.”
The UK has maintained a commitment to the region through the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), but “friendly words are now being given more substance”, Hatcher elaborated. An example of the UK’s greater presence is typified by the destroyer HMS Daring, described by many as the most modern warship afloat today. It has visited a handful of countries in the region, and it also raced to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan late last year.
A common theme for many defense companies at the show was the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region as a market. With the USA suffering from sequestration, and many European militaries sharply pruning their defense budgets, companies are redoubling their efforts to score sales in the burgeoning Asian region.
Armington highlighted to ANI the importance of maritime surveillance platforms to the region. Boeing’s high end was represented by the P-8 Poseidon, with one US Navy example of this maritime patrol aircraft on display after taking time out from its maiden operational deployment to Okinawa, Japan. Incidentally, the Indian Navy ordered eight P-8I aircraft in 2009, marking Boeing’s first military sale to India. The country later signed up for another four aircraft too.
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, an innovative tiltrotor aircraft, is “well-aligned to the region’s needs” according to Armington. Certainly the Osprey is being marketed hard around Asia, and Japan will be the first local customer with an expected order of 17 Ospreys. The Osprey’s utility was exemplified by its deployment to the Philippines by the US Marine Corps in the wake of last year’s supertyphoon. Its payload capacity, range and speed, far greater than those of a regular helicopter, are ideal for Japan as it faces up to Chinese threats centered on the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.
Saab was another company proffering maritime patrol aircraft at the Singapore Air Show. Saab was exhibiting a Saab 340 MSA, a type currently on a one-year international marketing tour. Much smaller than the Boeing P-8 and based on a commercial airframe, Saab representatives believe its cost efficiency makes it ideal for the region.
ANI spoke to Dan-Ake Enstedt, president and CEO of Saab Asia Pacific, about the Swedish company’s prospects in Asia. He recounted that Asia accounts for about 13-14% of the company’s revenue, but Enstedt has high hopes of doubling this in coming years. Enstedt also pointed out that Saab holds a remarkable 50% share of the airborne early warning and control (AEW and C) aircraft market outside the USA. This type of aircraft is critical to helping nations monitor their airspace and to directing fighters to meet potential threats.
Chinese AEW and C platforms, for example, have been crucial in monitoring China’s recently declared Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea. Malaysia is one country that hopes to eventually acquire AEW and C aircraft too, and it also needs more capable maritime patrol aircraft. Although it plays down the threat, Malaysia is one of several countries extremely concerned about Chinese aspirations in the South China Sea.
In late January, a trio of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships patrolled James Shoal, 80km off the coast of Sarawak and a landmark claimed by Malaysia, where PLAN sailors swore an oath to safeguard Chinese sovereignty.
China’s aggressive maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea are obviously spurring some militaries on to greater spending. The Philippines is an example. The Philippine Navy (PN) has just ordered two AgustaWestland A109 Power maritime helicopters, on top of the three recently delivered. Able to operate from both ship and shore, the Philippines will use them for maritime surveillance, security and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions. The Philippine Air Force ordered eight A109 helicopters too last year.
Rob Watson, Asia-Pacific senior vice president, briefed ANI about the position of aero-engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. He explained that India and Japan are the two biggest customers in the region. Rolls-Royce is particularly excited about the potential Japanese sale of ShinMaywa US-2 amphibians to India, since that particular aircraft uses no less than five Rolls-Royce engines!
Elsewhere in the region, Watson commented that military transport and maritime patrol aircraft were the real sources of its market strength. Rolls-Royce provides the engines that power the P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, V-22 Osprey, A400M and even Global Hawk/Triton unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. The regional future looks bright for a number of these craft given the numerous transport and maritime surveillance requirements that exist in Asia-Pacific.
One of the largest participants at Singapore Air Show 2014 was Airbus. ANI talked to Christian Scherer, executive vice president, and head of marketing and sales, at Airbus Defense and Space. Scherer underscored the importance of the A400M transport aircraft as an ideal solution for a region that possesses vast oceans and great distances. Malaysia ordered four A400Ms in 2005 as the first Asian customer. “The A400M performs the tactical role as well as having the ability to fly strategic distances,” explained Scherer. He said no other aircraft could combine these two facets.
Such is Airbus D and S’ confidence that it hopes to capture up to half the global military transport market with the A400M in coming years. Airbus also wants to attract more customers with its A330 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT), and is hopeful of picking up India as a client for this aerial refueler.
The show coincided with the 45th anniversary celebrations of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Singapore has the most advanced and capable military in Southeast Asia. It is rumored that Singapore has also ordered the A330 MRTT, but Airbus was neither confirming nor denying it.
By Gordon Arthur