Damn SAF waste money developing this UAV

[Papsmearer]

First S'pore developed mini UAV takes off in SAF exercise
By Wayne Chan | Posted: 28 November 2010 1949 hrs

cheebye, so many microlight uavs out on the market now, cannot just buy one off the shelf? How many millions$ did SAF, DSO, DSTA< etc. pissed away on this project. I don't understand why they have to be so special. Do they seriously think that they can sell this at all to other users? now alot of UAVs are VTOL, could they not even develop that?

SINGAPORE : Singapore's first locally developed mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has been used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in an operational exercise.

The remote-controlled UAV acts as an eye in sky.

Light enough to be hand carried - it's about 5kg - and smaller than an average person with a length of 1.4 metres and a wing span of 2.6 metres, the mini UAV will help the SAF improve its enemy surveillance.

Called the Sky Blade III, it can fly up to 460 metres in the air and reach speeds of up to 65 kilometres per hour.

Fitted with a steerable camera, the UAV feeds video images and information in real time back to scout teams and commanders on the ground.

Its ability to be controlled 8 kilometres away from enemy lines allows soldiers to detect enemies faster.

"And 8 kilometres away means 30 minutes or 1 hour of preparation time or reaction time for my forces against any enemy threats that may be coming along the axis or through the vegetation or through the jungle," explained Lieutenant Colonel Willy Lock, Commanding Officer, 3 SIR, SAF.

3rd Sergeant Quek Jian Liang, Team Scout Commander, 3 SIR, SAF said: "Before my battalion reach the objective, I'm able to see enemy patrols and I can report back to my (supervisors), so they can pre-warn my battalion before they advance, and it prevents my battalion from getting killed before they reach the objective."

And the UAV seems to live up to its stealth function - some birds even mistook it for one of their own.

The SAF plans to equip and train 40 men in six active units to use the UAV by the end of this year.

The Sky Blade III was created through a collaboration between the SAF, the DSO National Laboratories, ST Aerospace and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).

 

[wikiphile]

you must realized without SAF: DSTA, ST and Other defense labs will die a natural death since the bulk of their budget comes from SAF's R&D budget.

Although i do admit, developing a RC plane and attaching a camera and feeding it to a screen requires very little R&D and start up costs based on today's off-the-shelf technologies

 

[sleaguepunter]

during ICTs, can always see UAV buzzing in Area D due to close promixity to the UAV camp in old lim chu kang camp. Due to the loud noise it produce when flying 30-50m overhead, we ground pounder hear them coming from a long way off, if really wanna be tactical, troops on the ground have time to scatter way b4 the UAV fly overhead. until DSTA found a way to muffled the single prop vibration, that UAV is basically useless. all in all, it should not be difficult to shoot down with small arms fire as it speed is not that fast.

 

[congo9]

Without these budget from MINDEF, our defence industry will die a natural death. I agree with it. Buy it off the shelf and strip it and redo and modify it. Don need much R & D ! DA DA , we have our own UAV, Singapore made.

No breakthrough in technology.. sigh ... i saw in Nat Geo channel, this israel company develop a some kind of protection mechanism to be installed on a moving vehicle. For example, when the vehicle detects incoming missile or RPG, it will automatically shoot out a missile or projectal. It will defend the vehicle by exploding within a certain radius from the vehicle. It blows itself up and in the process blow up the incoming threat. Thus the vehicle is safe.

That is what we call technology. Saving people and life. But anyway, if your country is constantly in war, your defend industry will be stronger. Cos, you need to develop your own weapon system. You can test it yourself in a real time scenario. Boost to people the effectiveness. People will want to buy it.

Here in Singapore, it kind of hard. Cos we don have such need to develop such cutting edge technology.

 

[mako65]

Nothing new, UAVs are just drones as u can find them plenty in the Jane's year book!

 

[blackmore]

Without these budget from MINDEF, our defence industry will die a natural death. I agree with it. Buy it off the shelf and strip it and redo and modify it. Don need much R & D ! DA DA , we have our own UAV, Singapore made.

No breakthrough in technology.. sigh ... i saw in Nat Geo channel, this israel company develop a some kind of protection mechanism to be installed on a moving vehicle. For example, when the vehicle detects incoming missile or RPG, it will automatically shoot out a missile or projectal. It will defend the vehicle by exploding within a certain radius from the vehicle. It blows itself up and in the process blow up the incoming threat. Thus the vehicle is safe.

That is what we call technology. Saving people and life. But anyway, if your country is constantly in war, your defend industry will be stronger. Cos, you need to develop your own weapon system. You can test it yourself in a real time scenario. Boost to people the effectiveness. People will want to buy it.

Here in Singapore, it kind of hard. Cos we don have such need to develop such cutting edge technology.

You must be refering to TROPHY by RAFAEL; it is very innovative system developed and the cost savings in terms of lives will be greatly enhanced.

The mini UAV systems is literally a spin off from RC concepts for decades. However, being what SAF has always been (retarded). It has always been slow to adapt existing technologies or concepts targeted as hobbyist. A few years back I remember a news report on a RC helis with cameras onboard. I wonder how much difference will this Skyblade III be or just another spin excercise to our people.

Franly, with the major players from US, Europe and Middle east, this piece of junk is worthless outside the island.

The SAF has never been dynamic and has always been a follower. Only thing that stands out among Asian neighbours is that it has a better budgets for better toys.

 

[groinroot]

you must realized without SAF: DSTA, ST and Other defense labs will die a natural death since the bulk of their budget comes from SAF's R&D budget.

Although i do admit, developing a RC plane and attaching a camera and feeding it to a screen requires very little R&D and start up costs based on today's off-the-shelf technologies

This is to justify the hefty bonuses, their free overseas trips, free staff dinners etc

 

[red amoeba]

not bad what..next time live exercise can fly one to nearest kopi tiam tah paw kopi and fly back LOL...

orders given via handphone...so convenient.

 

[haywire]

great, now they can use those to spy on citizens too, haha.

 

[Papsmearer]

you must realized without SAF: DSTA, ST and Other defense labs will die a natural death since the bulk of their budget comes from SAF's R&D budget.

Although i do admit, developing a RC plane and attaching a camera and feeding it to a screen requires very little R&D and start up costs based on today's off-the-shelf technologies

Yes, u are right, this kind of small project I think ST by itself can build it. Why the need for DSTA, DSO labs, etc.? U can see how bloated the bureaucracy is. When the defence budget is so many $billions a year, sure got a lot of waste and pigs feeding at the trough.

 

[kysrn2000]

not bad what..next time live exercise can fly one to nearest kopi tiam tah paw kopi and fly back lol...

Orders given via handphone...so convenient.

lol:d:d:d:d:d

 

[Papsmearer]

This is to justify the hefty bonuses, their free overseas trips, free staff dinners etc

Not to mention the bribes that every other defence compaby throws at them. Defence industry is one of the most corrupt industries in the world.

 

[Papsmearer]

You must be refering to TROPHY by RAFAEL; it is very innovative system developed and the cost savings in terms of lives will be greatly enhanced.

The mini UAV systems is literally a spin off from RC concepts for decades. However, being what SAF has always been (retarded). It has always been slow to adapt existing technologies or concepts targeted as hobbyist. A few years back I remember a news report on a RC helis with cameras onboard. I wonder how much difference will this Skyblade III be or just another spin excercise to our people.

Franly, with the major players from US, Europe and Middle east, this piece of junk is worthless outside the island.

The SAF has never been dynamic and has always been a follower. Only thing that stands out among Asian neighbours is that it has a better budgets for better toys.

UAVs have been operated by the SAF since the mid 80s. Their main supplier (lets say a certain jewish company) is highly capable of supplying them with the mini versions too. But what would be the fun in that? Isn't it more fun to stick it to the taxpayer by having personnel form 4 agencies spend countless millions $ and time, and re-invent the wheel, with the end result that the uav will cost twice what it would on the world market?

 

[Papsmearer]

Exactly, and once u tender a few companies, the bids will come in low too.

Nothing new, UAVs are just drones as u can find them plenty in the Jane's year book!

 

[Papsmearer]

during ICTs, can always see UAV buzzing in Area D due to close promixity to the UAV camp in old lim chu kang camp. Due to the loud noise it produce when flying 30-50m overhead, we ground pounder hear them coming from a long way off, if really wanna be tactical, troops on the ground have time to scatter way b4 the UAV fly overhead. until DSTA found a way to muffled the single prop vibration, that UAV is basically useless. all in all, it should not be difficult to shoot down with small arms fire as it speed is not that fast.

Yup, I saw it too, I almost shot a few down with life rounds because we thought they were malaysians and send over from Johor to spy on our exercises.

 

[Papsmearer]

during ICTs, can always see UAV buzzing in Area D due to close promixity to the UAV camp in old lim chu kang camp. Due to the loud noise it produce when flying 30-50m overhead, we ground pounder hear them coming from a long way off, if really wanna be tactical, troops on the ground have time to scatter way b4 the UAV fly overhead. until DSTA found a way to muffled the single prop vibration, that UAV is basically useless. all in all, it should not be difficult to shoot down with small arms fire as it speed is not that fast.

Modern UAVs are much more quiet, especially these mini ones.

 

[Papsmearer]

you must realized without SAF: DSTA, ST and Other defense labs will die a natural death since the bulk of their budget comes from SAF's R&D budget.

Although i do admit, developing a RC plane and attaching a camera and feeding it to a screen requires very little R&D and start up costs based on today's off-the-shelf technologies

Yep, its a total waste and duplication. I don't understand why DSTA and DSO has to be involved. ST by itself can build it. But those other companiesneed to bolster their bottom line too.

 

[da dick]

it makes sense to develop your own tech if it's going to be used for national security/spying. easily to hide any secrets or flaws in the design. but if it's as noisy as you guys say it is and can't fly very high(to hide its location), then it's a fucking failure just like their 1st APC.

 

[sleaguepunter]

well, i have seen civilians play their RC aircrafts at punggol fly faster and more quiet that the SAF operated UAVs. Like the article wrote, UAV use by battlion to recon the ground in front, also as good as inform the opppostion where the point of attack too. So lose the element of surprise.
by the way, which APC is a failure? see if u and i have the same vehicle in mind.

 

[Papsmearer]

well, i have seen civilians play their RC aircrafts at punggol fly faster and more quiet that the SAF operated UAVs. Like the article wrote, UAV use by battlion to recon the ground in front, also as good as inform the opppostion where the point of attack too. So lose the element of surprise.
by the way, which APC is a failure? see if u and i have the same vehicle in mind.

What APC? No sinkie company has ever developed an APC. An IFV maybe, but no one develops APCs anymore. Anyway, u are right, the presence of a UAV over the battle field also tells the enemy that u are around. In addition, is an enemy has artillery locating radar, they might be able to track the UAV too. It will make good target practice for enemy snipers given the low altitude that it flies.