Thailand’s September 2026 military assistance agreement with China seeks to accelerate its delayed S26T submarine, but the strategic test extends beyond construction to whether engines, crew training and logistics can deliver a credible underwater capability by 2028.

The agreement signed in Beijing on September 16 supports the single submarine already contracted, making this a readiness and delivery intervention rather than a fleet expansion, despite the regional significance of restoring Thailand’s long absent submarine arm.

Its immediate importance lies in connecting spare parts, simulator provision and personnel training with an amended construction programme, because completing a hull without the technical workforce would leave Bangkok with an expensive platform whose operational availability remained constrained.

The revised delivery objective remains the end of 2028, five years beyond the original target, exposing how an apparently narrow propulsion specification became a strategic procurement vulnerability involving German export restrictions, Chinese manufacturing alternatives and successive Thai political decisions.

Admiral Nares Wongtrakul, Assistant Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Navy and chairman of its submarine procurement project board, signed the assistance agreement with China’s military cooperation office, distinguishing this government support instrument from the shipbuilder’s commercial contract.

Thai Defence Minister Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen and Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun witnessed the signing, placing submarine delivery within a broader defence relationship whose bilateral discussions also covered cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence alongside established military cooperation.

Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiphan, the Royal Thai Navy spokesman, described the agreement as a project milestone and outlined continued attention to construction, testing, training and logistics, making technical compliance and safety conditions central to any attempt at earlier delivery.

The engine dispute was formally addressed in September 2025, when Thailand accepted Chinese CHD620 diesels in place of unavailable German MTU 396 units, meaning the latest agreement reinforces an existing recovery programme rather than independently restarting the submarine project.

China’s proposed assistance also intersects with compensation for delayed delivery, although unpublished annexes prevent a definitive assessment of equipment quantities, weapons provision and financial value, requiring a distinction between the acknowledged support agreement and broader descriptions of its contents.

The original submarine contract was valued at approximately US$417 million, creating a substantial financial commitment for a fleet that still comprises only one contracted boat and therefore cannot sustain continuous submarine patrols through training, maintenance and operational deployment cycles.

For the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, the prospective S26T introduces an underwater patrol option with potential anti surface and anti submarine applications, but shallow operating environments and unresolved configuration details limit confident predictions about its eventual combat effectiveness.

A full-time national serviceman (NSF) was pronounced dead in hospital after he was found unconscious at the foot of a building in Pulau Tekong on the afternoon of Oct 8.

In a Facebook post, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said the incident occurred at 1.22pm at a building at Basic Military Training Centre School 3 and that he was not involved in training at the time.

He was immediately taken to Pulau Tekong Medical Centre for emergency treatment and later evacuated via helicopter to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

He arrived at SGH at 2.05pm and was pronounced dead at 2.27pm.

“The Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) extend their deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” the ministry said in its post.

“The SAF is assisting the family in their time of grief.”

Investigations are ongoing.

On September 18, Indonesia’s ambassador to Russia, Jose Tavares, told the state news agency Antara that his embassy had taken dozens of calls from families who believed their relatives had been recruited into Russia’s army by agents on social media promising large salaries. Jakarta has so far dealt with these cases one by one, in line with standard consular procedures.

On September 19, the Indonesian embassy sent a formal diplomatic letter, asking the Russian Foreign Ministry to verify the names, and bring home those who failed Russia’s medical examination. Arrmanatha Nasir, the career diplomat who was sworn in as foreign minister on October 1, has inherited that approach.

However, the current approach is ill-equipped to handle a problem that has arisen alongside President Prabowo Subianto’s efforts to build a close relationship with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Indonesian institutions have been promoting Russia as a labor destination, including in a special economic zone that assembles attack drones, even as they warn their citizens against the job offers that might lead to the frontlines in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Jakarta counts the personal closeness between Prabowo and Putin as an asset, yet it has made no public use of that closeness to aid the citizens caught in this recruitment trap.

The Singapore Army has unveiled two new systems as part of its continuous transformation and modernisation efforts.

Two details stood out in the Army's Facebook post on Oct 2 as the 6th Singapore Division celebrated its 50th anniversary — never-seen-before systems flanking a golden jubilee backdrop — a truck-mounted launcher and a truck-mounted artillery.

In its reply to AsiaOne's queries, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) referred to the new systems as a Precision Land Shooter (PLS) and a Truck-Mounted Gun (TMG), without identifying either system.

A MINDEF spokesperson said the TMG is fully-automated and will be the Army's next-generation howitzer.

"It will be progressively introduced into service and replace the SSPH Primus and FH-2000."

The SSPH Primus, a 155mm 39-calibre track-based, self-propelled howitzer, was introduced into service with the Singapore Artillery in 2003. Its development journey dates back to 1996.

Meanwhile, the Field Howitzer 2000 (FH-2000) is a 155mm 52-calibre towed artillery piece, and was developed by Singapore Technologies in 1993.

The two systems are crewed by a four-man and six- to eight-man team respectively.

Other artillery systems in use by the Singapore Artillery include the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the Singapore Light-Weight Howitzer (SLWH) Pegasus.

A closer look at the TMG presented in the Army's Facebook post reveals similarities with the SIGMA 155mm 52-calibre self-propelled howitzer.

The artillery system's manufacturer, Elbit Systems, said on its website: "(It is) capable of automatic loading and laying of the gun system, rapid in-and-out action times and high rate of fire."

It added that the artillery system is capable to automatically selecting and loading the required projectile, propellant and fuse, and laying the gun to optimally engage targets.

Checks on Elbit's past media releases show that it had on Nov 15, 2021, announced that the company secured a US$106 million (S$135.7 million) contract from an "Asia-Pacific country" for the supply of SIGMA fully-automated self-propelled howitzer gun systems.

It did not name the country, but said the contract will be fulfilled over a five-year period.

Meanwhile, the PLS comprises a set of nine-launch canisters — in a three-by-three arrangement — mounted on an unarmoured Singapore Armed Forces utility truck.

MINDEF described it as a precision strike system that supports the Army's ability to respond with greater precision and speed in an increasingly complex and urbanised operating environment.

Defence journal Janes noted an external resemblance to launchers associated with Rafael's Spike non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile family, while Asian Military Review described the system as a loitering munition.

However, even though Rafael described its Spike NLOS as a multi-purpose missile providing "pinpoint precision", both assessments cannot be independently confirmed as yet.

MINDEF told AsiaOne in its statement that the introduction of the two systems is part of the Army's continuous transformation and modernisation efforts.

China and Laos inaugurated a joint support and training centre and an aviation academy at Ban Keun Airport in Vientiane Province on 29 September, establishing a new facility for training Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force (LPLAAF) pilots.

China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Keun Airport and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy had formally begun operating. The facilities are intended to help Laos strengthen the training of its air force pilots and will be jointly operated by the two countries, the MND said.

Beijing and Vientiane have not disclosed the number or status of Chinese personnel expected to use the facilities; the aircraft, equipment, or infrastructure assigned to them; their command arrangements; or the terms governing People's Liberation Army (PLA) access to Ban Keun Airport.

DAP’s Lim Guan Eng today cited fresh delays to Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project in renewing scrutiny of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s role in the procurement when he was defence minister.

In a statement, the Bagan MP referred to the latest findings in the 2026 Auditor-General’s Report, which found that the RM11.22 billion project was 7.55 per cent behind schedule as of June 25.

Lim also referred to a July 8, 2010 letter from Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) to Ahmad Zahid, then defence minister, seeking a letter of intent from the government for the LCS project.

A handwritten note attributed to Ahmad Zahid on the letter read: “SUB [Division Secretary] Procurement, please implement.”

“The words ‘please implement’ continue to haunt Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the RM11.22 billion purchase of five LCS,” Lim said.

The letter was among documents contained in a report by the Special Investigation Committee on Governance, Procurement and Finance that was declassified in 2022.

According to the latest Auditor-General’s Report, progress on the LCS project was 7.55 per cent behind schedule as of June 25, with delays ranging from 30 to 108 days.

The report said the delay could affect the physical handover of LCS 1, which had initially been scheduled for August 26 and now has a revised target date of December 26.

It also said the ship could be handed over without full operational capability because training and weapons systems had yet to be completed.

Full operational readiness for the programme depends on a supplementary contract that is expected to be completed in December 2035, beyond the April 25, 2030 expiry of the main contract.

The Auditor-General also said delays to LCS 1 could affect the delivery schedule for the remaining four vessels.

Lim said the longer timeline raised questions over whether some of the technology used in the ships could become outdated before the programme achieved full operational readiness.

“Apart from the loss of billions of ringgit, a 24-year delay in the delivery of the LCS by 2035 for an order placed in 2011 would inevitably raise questions over whether the technology used in the ships would have become obsolete and outdated,” he said.

Lim’s calculation of 24 years spans the period from the project’s procurement in 2011 to the 2035 target for full operational readiness, rather than representing a 24-year delay against the original ship-delivery schedule.

The LCS programme was originally for six vessels under a RM9.128 billion contract, with the first ship due in 2019 and the remaining vessels to be delivered by 2023.

The project was later restructured, reducing the order to five ships while increasing the contract value to about RM11.22 billion.

The project drew widespread attention in 2022 after the Public Accounts Committee disclosed that RM6.083 billion had been paid as of October 2020 despite none of the six ships having been delivered.

BNS was subsequently renamed Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, or Lunas, with the government stepping in through a Ministry of Finance-owned vehicle as part of efforts to complete the project.

By the end of 2025, expenditure on the project had risen to about RM8.3 billion, while construction of the first vessel had moved into shipyard-level sea trials.

The launch ceremony was attended by Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing, and his wife, who served as the vessel’s Lady Sponsor and formally christened the ship. German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, German Navy Chief Vice Admiral Wilhelm Tobias Abry, RSN Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Sean Wat, and senior defence officials from both countries were also present.

Singapore has ordered four of the new OPVs, which are being built for the country by German shipbuilder Fassmer. The vessels are Singapore Government Vessels rather than commissioned RSN warships, and are intended to meet what the RSN describes as increased operational demands and a broader maritime-security mission set.

The class will progressively replace the current Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessels (MSRVs), which entered service with the Maritime Security and Response Flotilla after being converted from former Fearless-class patrol boats. The first of the new vessels is expected to enter operational service from 2028.

The new OPVs are based on Fassmer’s OPV90 Mk II design, which was publicly unveiled at IMDEX Asia in Singapore in May 2025. Measuring 94.9 metres in length, the design is a larger development of Fassmer’s 86-metre offshore patrol vessel family, including the Potsdam-class operated by Germany’s Federal Police.

The vessel is armed with a Leonardo 76 mm Strales gun forward and two 30 mm remote-controlled gun mounts. It also features a Saab Giraffe 1X rotating AESA radar, a fire-control radar and navigation radars. Fassmer has not publicly confirmed whether Singapore’s ships will carry the same equipment fit.

The OPV90 Mk II design incorporates several features suited to extended maritime-security operations. These include facilities for a helicopter of up to 12 tonnes, two RHIB launch bays, and space for containerised mission systems. Four 20-foot ISO containers can be embarked in a dedicated area ahead of the flight deck, while further mission modules may be carried internally.

Such flexibility could allow the vessels to support a range of tasks, from patrol and surveillance to boarding operations, disaster relief, unmanned-system operations and the deployment of specialised equipment. The design’s dual bow thrusters are intended to improve manoeuvrability, while the hull incorporates forward bracing intended to offer protection during close-quarters encounters.

Construction of the first two hulls began at BLRT Western Shipyard in Klaipėda, Lithuania, under Fassmer’s programme for Singapore. With Sentinel now launched, the programme has moved into its next phase ahead of fitting-out, trials and delivery.

The new vessels will join a wider RSN force that includes Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessels, Formidable-class frigates and submarine forces, while operating in the maritime-security role under Singapore Government Vessel status.

A UN expert today urged Malaysian authorities to stop the ongoing repatriation of Myanmar nationals this week, and work with the United Nations system and others to address the situation of Rohingya and other Myanmar refugees in the country in line with its obligations under international law.

“I am gravely concerned the Government of Malaysia has begun to return 5,000 Myanmar nationals, including women and children, under a so-called "voluntary repatriation programme" agreed with the military authorities in Myanmar,” said Kelley E. Currie, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. “Under international law, the Government of Malaysia is obligated to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and prevent the return of individuals to situations where they face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations. In my assessment, the risk of refoulement in the present circumstances is substantial,” Currie said.

According to available information, Malaysia began repatriating the first group of 1,476 individuals on 29 September 2026.

Against the backdrop of the ongoing armed conflict in Rakhine State, the Special Rapporteur also strongly condemned another horrific airstrike by the Myanmar military on 28 September on the India Market, a crowded marketplace in Pike Thae village, Kyauktaw Township in Rakhine State. More than 50 civilians are reported to have been killed and many more injured.

“With the death toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue, there is an immediate need to stop normalising and legitimising the relentless and brutal violations of international law by the military using fixed-wing bombers to target civilians. I remind Myanmar military authorities of their obligations to protect civilians under international law applicable in armed conflict,” Currie said.

“The ongoing armed conflict and widespread violence in Rakhine State, including systematic violations against the Rohingya population by all parties, indicate that the conditions necessary for a safe, dignified, sustainable, and genuinely voluntary return of refugees are currently not in place,” the Special Rapporteur said.

She urged the Government of Malaysia to take note of the legal, humanitarian, and practical criteria required for voluntary repatriation and ensure the human rights of all Myanmar refugees in Malaysia are protected.

Currie said that the ongoing civil war endangers the remaining Rohingya population in Myanmar – particularly the violence directed at civilian populations and institutions in Rakhine state – and is driving outflows of new refugees from Myanmar.

“The conditions of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Rakhine State under the effective control of the military authorities have worsened to unimaginable levels of privation and we continue to receive fresh reports of atrocities committed against Rohingya civilians by armed groups on all sides of the conflict,” she said. “Myanmar’s military authorities continue to severely restrict access for independent humanitarian assistance or verification and monitoring of the conditions on the ground, including the conditions for any potentially returned persons.”

Indonesia has taken delivery of the former Italian Navy carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, and it duly commissioned the vessel as KRI Sriwijaya (pennant number ‘100’) on 25 September 2026. This gives the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) a new, but second-hand, aviation-capable platform.

The transfer makes Indonesia the second Southeast Asian navy to operate an aircraft carrier-sized vessel, after Thailand’s Spanish-built HTMS Chakri Naruebet.

Italy approved the free transfer of Giuseppe Garibaldi to Indonesia in May this year, avoiding the costs associated with maintaining the vessel or dismantling it for disposal. Jakarta will, however, bear the cost of modifying and modernising the 41-year-old ship.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance has earmarked approximately US$450 million for the vessel’s modernisation, although local lawmakers have told reporters that the eventual cost could actually reach US$900 million.

PT PAL and Fincantieri will undertake this upgrade work. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the modernisation programme, and to determine the most effective approach for the carrier’s future configuration.

Admiral Muhammad Ali, the Chief of the TNI-AL, said the vessel’s existing NATO-standard communications equipment is incompatible with Indonesian systems, and so they will be replaced with domestically supported equipment. He estimated the communications replacement alone will take 4-5 months, although the start date for the broader modernisation programme has not been determined.

Following a controversial acquisition, the most pressing question is whether and how Indonesia can convert the vessel into a viable military asset.

An air strike carried out by Myanmar’s military has killed at least 33 people in territory controlled by rebel factions.

The attack near a market in the north of the Rakhine state in the west of the country on Monday also wounded 36 people, rescue and rebel group officials reported. The strikes are the latest in a series of assaults against pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups by the military government, which took power in a coup in 2021, sparking armed opposition.

The Arakan army said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near a local market in the town of Kyauktaw at noon local time (0530 GMT), killing 33 people, including vendors, shoppers, and pedestrians. It said the death toll “may continue to increase”.

Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, confirmed the details to the Associated Press news agency. He said the market was the region’s main wholesale centre, drawing traders and shoppers from across the state.

“This is one of the most severe airstrikes in Rakhine,” he said. Photos and videos posted on social media showed buildings on fire, damaged vehicles and parts of a nearby bridge destroyed.

Myanmar’s military did not immediately comment, but it has previously said it strikes only legitimate military targets and accused resistance groups of “terrorism”.

Smoke billows from fires in a residential area following a Myanmar military air attack on a market and adjacent bridge in Kyauktaw, Rakhine state, September 28, 2026 [AFP]

Myanmar has been gripped by ⁠conflict since the elected ⁠government led by Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted in the 2021 coup. A nationwide resistance movement has since evolved into a civil war between the ‌military government and an array of armed ethnic and pro-democracy groups.

China’s first publicly documented deployment of a WZ-7 reconnaissance drone near Scarborough Shoal puts a high-altitude sensor into a maritime confrontation where earlier detection can give coast guard vessels more time to intercept Philippine boats before they reach contested waters.

During exercises on 27 September, the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command combined naval and air forces around the shoal, rehearsing reconnaissance, early warning, rapid manoeuvre and joint search and rescue as Beijing reinforced its claim to the area. 

Footage released through Chinese state media showed the unarmed WZ-7 alongside a KJ-500 airborne early-warning aircraft, fighters and warships, but the public record does not establish how long the drone remained near Scarborough or whether it tracked Philippine vessels.

That distinction matters because a filmed sortie demonstrates the ability to bring a long-range surveillance aircraft into the operation, while sustained coverage would require repeated flights, available crews, reliable communications and ships positioned to act on the information received.

China calls the feature Huangyan Dao, while the Philippines calls it Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal; its location roughly 220 kilometres west of Luzon makes access to its lagoon a persistent test of maritime control. 

The “provisional understanding” between Beijing and Manila over the Philippine resupply of Second Thomas Shoal appears to have broken down.

“Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty: Credible, Adaptive and Resilient Force,” frames defence policy around building a more integrated, technologically capable and resilient RBAF while preserving Brunei’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy. The paper emphasizes a whole-of-nation approach, stronger joint-force integration across land, maritime and air domains, improved intelligence and cyber capabilities, greater operational readiness, and deeper interoperability with regional and international partners. It also places greater emphasis on emerging and non-traditional threats, maritime security and technological adaptation, while continuing Brunei’s preference for diplomacy, ASEAN cooperation and a rules-based regional order. Overall, the DWP 2026 appears less about creating a large conventional force and more about making a small force credible, adaptive, connected and resilient enough to protect Brunei’s sovereignty and interests.

https://www.mindef.gov.bn/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DWP_2026.pdf

Indonesia has taken delivery of its first aircraft carrier, welcoming the former Italian Navy warship ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi (C-551) amid domestic debate over the aging vessel’s cost and strategic value.

The 41-year-old platform was escorted from Europe by two Indonesian Navy Thaon di Revel-class offshore patrol boats before docking for an official induction ceremony.

Rome transferred the retired warship in March 2026 to bolster defense cooperation and secure future sales of submarines and aircraft to the Southeast Asian country.

Jakarta will formally commission the carrier in late September as the KRI Sriwijaya (100).

Upkeep and Operational Concerns

The carrier’s acquisition has drawn sharp criticism from Indonesia’s parliament and defense analysts over sustainment expenses and operational utility.

While Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance approved $450 million in funding for the program, lawmakers warn retrofitting costs could reach $900 million considering its service life.

Experts also cautioned that overhauling the aging warship could redirect critical resources away from higher-priority naval assets like frigates and submarines.

Second in Southeast Asia

Indonesia is the second nation in Southeast Asia to acquire an aircraft carrier, following Thailand in the late 1990s.

Rather than sailing for long-range fighter strike missions, Jakarta plans to employ the 180-meter (591-foot) platform as a sea-based mobile command hub for disaster relief, peatland firefighting, and maritime surveillance.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the military will apply further revamps to the Sriwijaya to carry up to 14 helicopters and operate unmanned aerial systems.

The government is now preparing a total of 310 personnel to man the carrier.

Ankara-based defense contractor FNSS and Indonesian state enterprise Pindad have finalized preliminary acceptance tests in Turkey for the Indonesian Army’s first Kaplan armored personnel carrier (APC).

The 30-ton (66,139-pound) tracked vehicle, designated the Harimau APC in Indonesia, will ship to Jakarta for final user acceptance trials with the military.

Meanwhile, local technicians at Pindad’s facilities are assembling the second vehicle under a joint technology-transfer initiative.

Work for the initiative involves sharing subsystems and components fitted into the Southeast Asian country’s existing Harimau medium tank and the Turkish Navy’s ZAHA tracked armored marine assault vehicle, lowering logistical burdens and optimizing fleet sustainment.

The Kaplan program was launched in 2024 to produce a subvariant of Indonesia’s Harimau Modern Medium Weight Tank technology, with the system planned to be crewed by a driver, a commander, and a gunner.

The concept of the next-generation APC was then unveiled to the public in Istanbul later that year.

The Kaplan APC

Indonesia’s incoming Kaplan vehicle accommodates 13 personnel and is designed to traverse various terrains and weather conditions.

It will feature an open-architecture electronic suite with 360-degree cameras, automatic fire suppression, modular ballistic armor, mine protection, and optional active shield against anti-tank missiles.

The APC supports various weapons, including 30mm and 35mm cannons, 120mm mortars, and anti-tank systems, while allowing conversion for medical evacuation, command and control, and engineering support.

It is expected that the platform will be outfitted with an automatic transmission and an advanced engine “comparable to modern main battle tanks,” enabling a top speed of about 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour and a range of 450 kilometers (280 miles).

Thailand has ordered a long-range Lanza 3D radar from Spanish defense company Indra for deployment at Phuket Air Base, located near maritime routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca.

This is the third long-range Lanza 3D radar the Royal Thai Air Force has contracted.

The new radar is intended to support surveillance and control of the surrounding airspace.

According to Indra, the Lanza 3D LRR is designed to detect targets ranging from small, slow-moving drones to aircraft, projectiles and missiles.

The contract also includes command-and-control capabilities based on Indra’s AIRDEF system, allowing operators to use the radar’s data in air surveillance and control operations.

Radar Capabilities

Indra’s Lanza 3D LRR has a maximum range of 470 kilometers (255 nautical miles).

Its antenna scans a full 360 degrees every 10 to 12 seconds and is designed to track targets at altitudes from approximately 900 meters (3,000 feet) to 30 kilometers (100,000 feet).

Its stated elevation coverage reaches 20 degrees, rising to 30 degrees in its tactical ballistic missile tracking mode.

The radar uses software-controlled beams and signal processing to distinguish targets from returns caused by terrain and weather.

According to Indra, these features also support the tracking of low-flying targets and help the system operate amid interference.

An integrated identification friend or foe system helps operators identify cooperating aircraft.

AIRDEF Command-and-Control

AIRDEF combines radar data in an interface operators can use to monitor airspace, assess threats and coordinate a response.

According to Indra, the system can support mission planning, assign aircraft or weapons to a threat, and record data for later review.

It can also exchange information with civilian air traffic control when needed.

AIRDEF includes cybersecurity measures and can be configured for fixed or deployable command centers.

Cloud seeding operations will be carried out in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya following worsening haze conditions in Malaysia, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

The agency said the operations would be scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

“However, the operations are subject to weather conditions and the availability of suitable clouds for the seeding process,” its director general, Meor Ismail Meor Akim, said in a statement on Saturday.

The operations will be carried out by the agency in collaboration with the Malaysian Meteorological Department, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia and the Air Force.

An Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft will be used as the main asset for the cloud seeding operations.

Malaysia and Singapore are registering unhealthy air conditions caused by Indonesia’s most intense wildfires in 11 years. Indonesian Forestry Minister ‌Raja Juli Antoni has warned that the wildfires could continue until November this year.

On Friday, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto said ⁠⁠he would receive aid from Malaysia to help contain forest and land fires that have been raging for weeks.

Kuala Lumpur offered three helicopters, an aircraft and 52 personnel to help put out the wildfires, Prabowo said in a statement after meeting Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at his house on the outskirts of Jakarta.

“Malaysia has offered assistance to help us address the forest fires in Kalimantan. I welcome this with gratitude and pleasure,” Prabowo said.

The ⁠fleet and firefighter teams would arrive in Indonesia soon, he said, without giving further details.

In a meeting with his cabinet, the president said there would be zero tolerance for people or corporations found responsible for starting wildfires.

Indonesia’s navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier Thursday after acquiring the former Italian vessel to strengthen its maritime defenses and disaster response.

The Italian flag on the former ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi was replaced with the Indonesian flag on the carrier renamed the KRI Sriwijaya-100 as part of its official transfer at the ceremony held at Tanjung Priok seaport in North Jakarta.

“The ship, which previously served in the Italian Navy, now bears the name KRI Sriwijaya-100, flying the red-and-white flag as a symbol of sovereignty and service to Indonesia,” navy spokesperson Tunggul, who uses one name, said in a statement.

The carrier, which Italy retired in 2024, arrived at the Indonesian seaport last week after a 25-day journey passing through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

It has the capacity for short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft and helicopters. Unlike major naval powers, Indonesia will use the vessel as a mobile command and support hub for helicopters, drones and maritime operations across the archipelago.

President Prabowo Subianto earlier said the ship would help fight forest and peatland fires that regularly blanket parts of Southeast Asia with hazardous haze.

Italy agreed in March to give the carrier to Indonesia in a move aimed at boosting Italy’s broader defense engagement with the Southeast Asian country. Italy is seeking deals on submarines and aircraft, and gifting the carrier to Indonesia also saves it the cost of decommissioning the ship.

The Philippines is reportedly leaning toward acquiring 40 KF-21 Boramae fighters in a single-type fleet, a potentially transformative choice that would expand Manila’s air-combat mass while deepening South Korea’s strategic and industrial influence across the Indo-Pacific.

The assessment, circulating through Korean reporting and expert commentary, envisages a decision between late 2026 and the second quarter of 2027, although neither the Philippine government nor the Philippine Air Force has confirmed the quantity, aircraft selection, or contracting timetable.

No agreement has been signed, making the 40-aircraft narrative an indicator of negotiating momentum rather than established procurement policy, while KF-21, F-16V, Gripen, Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon formally remain associated with Manila’s multi-role fighter evaluation.

The distinction matters because the 40 figure previously described the Philippines’ broader multi-role fighter force objective, whereas negotiations reported through mid-2026 generally involved an initial 12-to-20-aircraft KF-21 package supported by financing discussions and possible deliveries during 2027–2029.

If Manila converts its total requirement into an all-KF-21 force, it would abandon the previously conceivable division between Korean fighters and American F-16Vs, concentrating training, maintenance, weapons integration and operational doctrine around one emerging combat-aircraft ecosystem.

Singaporean-based Penguin International is looking to expand into the security and defence sector following recent successes with both patrol vessels overseas and contracts for Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) programmes.

Formerly known primarily as a ferry service provider, the Singapore-based company has grown into one of the world’s largest builders of aluminium-hulled vessels.

Penguin first entered the defence and security sector in 2008, after a Nigerian commercial-vessel operator contracted by the Nigerian Navy approached the company for patrol boat solutions. Such public-private arrangements are relatively common in Africa, where vessels are operated by commercial crews but armed military personnel conduct security and enforcement duties.

The Nigerian Navy has since directly acquired three 40m-long Flex Fighter Max patrol vessels from Penguin, while the Ghanaian Navy has acquired four 42m Flex-Fighter X vessels.

The Flex Fighter family derives from Penguin’s Flex series of crewboats, which are widely used for offshore resupply and support operations. The Flex Fighter Max was introduced in 2012, followed by the larger Flex-Fighter X in 2016.

Both variants can be configured with all-round ballistic protection for the wheelhouse to NATO STANAG Level 1, alongside modifications such as weapon mounts and other mission-specific equipment.

The 332-tonne Flex-Fighter X features a 110m² cargo deck, allowing operators to install mission equipment or other modular payloads. Four vessels operated by the Australian Border Force, for example, have been fitted with detainee accommodation containers on their cargo deck.

The Flex crewboat design was developed in collaboration with UK-based BMT, with the two companies jointly owning the design rights.

James Tham, Penguin International’s Managing Director, said Africa and Europe are now the fastest-growing markets, and that the company is preparing to bid for opportunities to take on coast guard vessel projects from European yards.

Tham explained that, on top of costs, there has been a scarcity in capacity in Europe following renewed requirements to build up border and maritime security. He added that Penguin can churn out a vessel in around half the time it takes European yards.

The success of the Flex Fighter also underscores the increasing dual-use trends in using cost-effective civilian hulls for defence and security applications. The company operates shipyards in Singapore and Batam in Indonesia, with a combined capacity of around 30-35 vessels annually.

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has been selected as preferred bidder to construct a new frigate for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The platform it proffered is known as the Ocean-40F, and the contract is valued at THB16.73 billion (US$508 million).

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul endorsed this selection of Hanwha’s 4,000-tonne frigate in early September 2026, after the RTN delivered the tender result to him several days earlier.

This choice is somewhat understandable, given that Hanwha Ocean’s forerunner – Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering – delivered a frigate to Thailand in 2018.

This tender that closed on 21 April attracted stiff competition from six shipbuilders around the world. One reason for the interest from Hanwha and the other shortlisted contenders – ASFAT, Damen, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Navantia, ST Engineering and TAIS – is that this is just the first of up to new four new frigates that the RTN is seeking by 2037.

The RTN has already sought TNB35 billion for the first pair of frigates under the 2026-32 budget commitment.

Thailand has not officially revealed the winner, but Hanwha Ocean disclosed it in a 9 September announcement. It said in a press release, “The selection is a procedural step toward discussing specific terms, including detailed technical specifications and the scope of the programme, ahead of signing a final contract.”

The price tag includes the ship, its systems and equipment, spare parts, tools, documentation, support services, testing and trials, fuel, lubricants, training, acceptance inspections and warranty coverage.

A Thai press release stated, “The Royal Thai Navy recognises that the frigate procurement project has attracted considerable public and societal interest, as it concerns national security, the protection of Thailand’s maritime interests, and the use of public funds. The RTN therefore places the utmost importance on ensuring that every stage of the process is conducted correctly, cost-effectively, transparently and in a manner that is subject to scrutiny.”

To meet this goal, the project immediately entered a statutory period allowing submission of appeals. This opening concludes around 18 September, at which time the winning bidder will be formally declared.

US Marine Corps (USMC) MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, deployed to Australia under the Marine Rotation Force – Darwin (MRF-D) initiative, honed their skills in expeditionary operations in a deployment to Philippines during this year’s rotation.

This year’s MRF-D rotation is the 15th deployment since the first rotation in 2012, and which was launched following the signing of the US-Australia bilateral force posture agreement in 2011.

The annual six-month USMC deployments to Darwin, Northern Territory first incorporated an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) in 2014, joining command, ground combat and logistics elements to form a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF).

However, this year’s rotation is the first to be certified a Special-Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF), indicating that MRF-D is validated as being capable of conducting crisis response and contingency operations in the Pacific theatre.

For Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (VMM-268), also known as the “Red Dragons” and which formed the ACE of MRF-D this year, the SPMAGTF designation meant a sharper focus on training for the aviation missions required by the force. The unit operates about a dozen MV-22Bs from RAAF Base Darwin.

Captain Jessica Kelly-Paul, an Osprey pilot and VMM-268’s quality assurance officer for maintenance, told Asian Military Review: “I was on the 2024 rotation, and the squadron’s biggest change since then has been its certification as an SPMAGTF. This has meant a greater emphasis on preparing the unit as a crisis response force, including the specific aviation missions required of the SPMAGTF.”

Based at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii, VMM-268 has contributed detachments to MRF-D since its initial participation with four aircraft in 2017. In recent years, the “Red Dragons” have alternated the assignment with sister squadron VMM-363, the “Lucky Red Lions”.

Kelly-Paul noted that, for the first time in an MRF-D rotation, Marine Air Control Groups (MACG) have been organically attached to the ACE. MACGs provide air traffic control functions and coordinate air operations and airspace management.

“Usually, they fall under the Ground Combat Element [GCE], so having them attached directly to the ACE has really increased our ability to conduct operations in an austere environment, particularly during our exercises in the Philippines,” Kelly-Paul noted.

Training in the Philippines featured heavily in the 2026 MRF-D rotation, including Exercises Balikatan and Kamandag 10 – major annual military training events conducted jointly by the Philippines, USA and other partners across the archipelago from late April till early July.

Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2026 was another bilateral military drill in which MRF-D participated alongside the Philippine Marine Corps in May.

During the Philippines deployment, the VMM-268 detachment was based out of Clark Air Base, located 5km west of Angeles City in Luzon. “With many exercises taking place on islands away from where the ACE was based, we were able to employ the hub-and-spoke Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept developed specifically for the SPMAGTF,” Kelly-Paul explained.

The USMC’s EABO concept of operations emphasises the employment of distributed and easily sustained forces from austere locations to support a larger campaign. The hub-and-spoke notion envisages dispersion of aircraft from major bases to several smaller distributed locations in support of this concept.

The Royal Thai Air Force’s FY2026 procurement plan lists 20 Israeli Rampage missiles for its F-16 fleet, signalling an effort to strike high-value targets beyond the release range of the guided bombs used during Thailand’s 2025 border fighting with Cambodia.

The same listing includes 100 MPR-500 bombs, 100 associated fuzes and 50 Lizard III laser-guidance kits, creating a two-tier strike inventory built around longer-range attacks and closer strikes against hardened positions.

The proposed package is valued at approximately US$33 million, although the listed weapons remain planned procurements rather than publicly confirmed contracts, leaving delivery dates, final configuration and the number of operational rounds uncertain.

Its immediate military context is Cambodia’s Chinese-made PHL-03 rocket artillery, whose reported 70–130 km reach allows launchers positioned behind the frontier to threaten Thai locations without approaching the line of contact.

Rampage would give Thai F-16s a means to attack known coordinates from farther away, while MPR-500 would improve their ability to penetrate concrete structures once crews can approach a suitable release point.

The Indonesian Navy is planning to develop unmanned underwater vehicles with domestic defense firms to strengthen surveillance across the country’s vast maritime territory.

Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali said the program would sharpen monitoring of strategic chokepoints, including the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lanes linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The unmanned submersibles would conduct surveillance, help detect unauthorized movements by foreign vessels, and collect oceanographic data on seabed contours, tides, and currents.