Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
THE INDONESIAN air force is expressing interest in acquiring the hybrid Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)/Hawk Phase III medium-range air-defence system being offered by a joint US-Norwegian consortium.
Indonesia has not yet issued a formal request for tender for a new surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, but its 1994-9 five-year defence plan contains provision for up to four batteries of medium- to high-altitude air-defence missiles.
Attention has focused on a hybrid system developed by Raytheon/Hughes/Kongsberg.
The hybrid system consists of reconditioned Raytheon Hawk missiles, ground-launched Hughes AMRAAMs and a Kongsberg fire-direction centre (FDC).
Raytheon is offering to refurbish and upgrade excess US military Hawk Phase II missiles. The Hawks would be brought up to the US Marine Corps Phase III standard, with improved electronic countermeasures, enhanced mobility and better reliability.
The Hawk's reaction time and effectiveness would be bolstered by replacing its platoon command post with Kongsberg's new solid-state FDC and accompanying MPQ-64, a three-dimensional radar. The AMRAAM has still to be released by the US Government for sale to Indonesia. Industry sources are confident that it will be cleared within its five-year plan period.
Source: Flight International