13 Feb 15. According to the report, Brazil will remain the largest defence spender among Latin American countries in 2015, with an anticipated expenditure of US$31.9bn. This spending is expected to further grow at a CAGR of 4.3% over the next five years to reach US$41.4 billion in 2020. The country’s focus to fortify its armed forces and take on a more relevant role internationally will drive the defence expenditure. Among the major procurements are 36 Gripen NG fighter jets, four Scorpene design diesel-electric submarines (SSK), 28 KC-390 aircraft and 50 EC725 Cougar helicopters. Moreover, to secure its military communication network, Brazil will invest in command and control equipment, communication systems, radar systems and UAVs. Deepanjana Deb, analyst at SDI, says: “The recent increase in the expenditure is due to the procurement of huge military hardware, and a focus to boost its indigenous defence industry by equipping the country with the latest technological developments and improve its product offering. In addition, the country’s needs to protect its borders, the Amazon rainforest and offshore oil discoveries will lead to an increase in the defence spending.” In order to protect its coastline, Brazil initiated the SisGAAz (Sistema de Gerenciamento da Amazônia Azul) programme, which will integrate a number of technologies and platforms, such as software defined radios, satellite communications and long range radar, while boasting a submarine acoustic sensing fixed network.
The majority of Brazil’s arms imports deals include extensive technology transfer obligations. A number of defence firms, however, either hesitate to share proprietary information or are prohibited by their country’s policy on the transfer of technology. “As such the foreign OEM’s enter the Brazilian defence market through industrial cooperation agreements or government-to-government contracts. The Brazilian government encourages technology-sharing agreements which will enhance the domestic defence manufacturing capabilities while maintaining diplomatic relations with other countries,” adds Deb.
12 Feb 15. South Korea to establish ‘submarine operational plan.’ The South Korean military is to draw up a ‘submarine operational plan’ as part of efforts to bolster its underwater fighting capabilities, the Yonhap news agency reported on 12 February, citing a senior military official. “As [one of] our military’s key capabilities in operational and strategic terms, the submarine command needs to materialise the proactive and offensive concept of operation suitable for the combat circumstances of our time,” Admiral Choi Yun-hee, chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, was reported to have said.
News of the development of an operational plan follows reports of the Republic of South Korea Navy’s (RoKN’s) establishment of a submarine command. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Feb 15. Taiwan Military reshuffle – Navy set to get funding priority?
Reporting on the top-brass military reshuffle in Taiwan which resulted in the Navy taking the top slot of Minister for National Defence, news publication Defence News noted that this might bode well for navy recapitalisation plans. Defence News reported, “This is the first time the Navy has taken the top slot of minister of defence since Adm. Lee Jye served from 2004-7. Former Army and Air Force officers have dominated the post since then and budget allocations have favoured these services over the Navy…Now the Navy wants to steer future budgets toward funding new builds of submarines and possibly destroyers.” MPI reported in late 2014 that Taiwan’s Navy has set out on an ambitious, indigenously oriented fleet renewal programme in the face of ever-tightening access to the global arms market. The Navy›s most ambitious and strategically important plan is to develop attack submarines in order to firm up strategic countermeasures to China. In 2014, Taiwan decided that the new submarines would be built indigen