Page 5 - ADT JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2023 Online Magazine

 COVER STORY

30 th

YEAR EDITOR’S NOTE

CREDIT

LINE

Changing Dynamics

Advancements in technology have ensured that tomorrow’s wars
Publisher will not look anything like what the world has witnessed so far. A
Vittorio Rossi Prudente common trend among militaries the world over is the preference
vittorio.prudente@gbp.com.sg for assets that keep personnel as far away from danger as
Editor possible. The demand for weapons such as unmanned aerial
Jay Menon vehicles and loitering munitions is set to spike substantially in the
jay.menon@gbp.com.sg years to come. With data link systems becoming more
sophisticated and artificial intelligence/ machine learning
Managing Editor
Arun Sivasankaran opening the door to countless possibilities, the concept of
arun.sivasankaran@gbp.com.sg manned- unmanned teaming (MUM-T) of aerial drones with
manned aircraft has caught everyone’s attention.
Technology Editor
Atul Chandra
atul.chandra@gbp.com.sg Aero India gives India a chance a flaunt its growing aerospace
and defence industry. With self-reliance in defence production
ASEAN Correspondent being the new motto, the country will highlight, at the event, the © IAI
Yulian Ardiansyah increasing role the private sector has played in recent times in
yulian.ardiansyah@gbp.com.sg the sector. In other developments, India’s armed forces have
Contributors increased their training exercises with foreign militaries. Defence TARGETED STRIKE
Gordon Arthur analysts see this as an acknowledgement of China’s shadow
Reem Mohamed looming uneasily over the region.
Art Director At IDEX in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates’ EDGE, which is one
Sudheesh Kularmunda
sudheesh.kularmunda@gbp.com.sg of the top 25 military suppliers in the world, will join other major reports of them being used in Ukraine break-
international defence contractors in exhibiting the latest LOITERING MUNITIONS ARE NOW
Web Director products and capabilities at the event. Both events will provide a COMMONPLACE ON THE BATTLEFIELD ing last August. Russia renamed the Iranian
Elmer Valencia platform for the global defence industry to showcase its delta-winged Shahed-136 the Geran-2 and
elmer.valencia@gbp.com.sg bought hundreds of them from Tehran. British
near-total recovery from the pandemic.
Director of Sales  GORDON ARTHUR intelligence claims an interception rate of 85 per
Akshay Satyamurthy For GBP Aerospace & Defence, the two shows will mark the cent against these 200kg Shahed-136s, though
akshay.satyamurthy@gbp.com.sg beginning of yet another year of reporting live from some of the Loitering munitions have taken on a legendary status in the past few that means many still get through to hit civilian
major defence shows around the world. As usual, we promise to years, even though they emerged back in the 1980s-90s. Their real energy infrastructure, for example.
Cover Image
WARMATE loitering munitions bring you the latest news and views from the sector, unfiltered rise to prominence in public consciousness was during the Nagorno-
- image courtesy WB Group and unbiased. Please visit www.gbp.com.sg for the latest news Karabakh War of 2020. At that time, images abounded of enemy Certainly, the purchase of Iranian weapons
from the world of defence, commercial aviation, MRO, air cargo armoured vehicles being destroyed from above during the six-week underscores Moscow’s depletion of existing
Advertising Contacts: and space. conflict. Azerbaijan was the primary user, sending Orbiter 1K, Harop, inventories, and perhaps some success for
marketing@gbp.com.sg SkyStriker and Kargu loitering munitions to strike Armenian targets. Western sanctions. Iran exports loitering muni-
Editor tions to other trouble spots too. For example,
Europe & Americas Asian Defence Technology Until then, conventional wisdom was that unmanned aerial vehicles Houthi rebels have used them against Saudi
and all other countries:
Global Communications sas (UAV) would not play a big role in interstate wars, since they are oil infrastructure and Patriot missile batteries.
Tel: +39 049 723548
Ingrid@global-communications.it vulnerable to air defences, and that they would instead be primarily
employed in asymmetric conflicts. Yet, because they are relatively Ukraine is something of a testing ground for both
Japan
Visionworks cheap and attritable, UAVs and loitering munitions are well suited Russian and Western systems. Last November, for
Jerry.Suppan@gmail.com to financially constrained states. instance, video emerged of a Russian loitering
India + South East Asia Global Business Press Pte.Ltd. munition resembling Aerial-Team’s four-winged
Akshay Satyamurthy ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY The next big publicity for loitering munitions came via Russia’s LAOP 500 being test-flown in Donbas. It seems
Mob: +919980080246
akshay.satyamurthy@gbp.com.sg 30 Cecil Street, wanton invasion of Ukraine last year. Importantly, it is the first con- common for Russian advisory groups to intro-
#19-08 Prudential Tower, Singapore 049712 flict to see large-scale utilisation of loitering munitions by both sides. duce equipment to combat units, and then mass
Tel: +65 6850 5269 | Fax: +65 6438 2436 Russia has been using Zala Aero Group’s KYB/Kub (3kg warhead), produce the ones with the greatest success rate.
Email: enquiry@gbp.com.sg | Web: www.gbp.com.sg
12kg Lancet-3 (3kg warhead) and 5kg Lancet-1 (1kg warhead). Ukraine locally produces the RAN II and ST-35
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY is a bi-monthly publication for diplomats and professionals in the defence, security and academic fields. However, Russia turned to Iran for new loitering munitions, with first Silent Thunder, whereas the West has donated
Opinions expressed by the contributors in Asian Defence Technology do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or editor. © GBP
Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without written permission ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 | 5