Malaysia’s SGPV-LCS Gowind Frigates

Gowind Family

In October 2010, Malaysia’s Boustead received a letter of intent from their government for 6 “second-generation patrol vessels.” In January 2012, South Africa’s DefenceWeb reported that DCNS and its local submarine & surface ship partner, Boustead Naval Shipyard, had been picked for a $2.8 billion program to supply 6 Gowind family ships to Malaysia, which would have been the type’s 1st paid order.

To win, DCNS reportedly beat Dutch firm Damen, whose scalable SIGMA ships have been purchased by neighboring Indonesia; as well as TKMS of Germany, who supplied Malaysia’s 6 existing MEKO 100 Kedah Class Offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and its 2 Kasturi Class light frigates. Now these Gowind ships’ exact configuration, and equipment set is more certain – and they have grown into full frigates.

Pakistan Wants to Buy MRAPs Ahead of Modi State Visit in the US

• The US has been struggling to figure out what to do with its MRAPs in Afghanistan for about a year. The State Department is now confirming that Pakistan is requesting a Foreign Military Sale of 160 MaxxPros for about $198 million, an idea first floated back in April. It shows the US is holding no grudge for Pakistan’s significant contribution to high logistics costs out of Afghanistan, but the price tag makes this putative sale far from a gift. Most of these vehicles have likely been ridden hard. UPDATE: after a 2nd reading of the DSCA release, it is unclear whether these vehicles are used or new, and we may just have leaped to conclusions here. DID will further update when we find out.

• If India’s Prime Minister Modi objects to Pakistan buying used MRAPs, the US will find out soon enough as he’ll visit President Obama later this week. US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert hopes [Reuters] that “stalled” defense cooperation with India can resume. Foreign Policy lists many areas where the interests of the two countries can align, including in Afghanistan.

• Soon after the Philippines and the US signed a military agreement establishing the return of American troops, activists challenged its legality [The Guardian] for lack of Senate approval. The WSJ reports that the case may be rejected eventually given precedents, but it may take years for the legal system to come to that conclusion.