Indonesia: 'green water navy'

[tonnyc]

Max Defense and Philippines forums gone livid when they see the UAE LPD being assemble before theirs. Seems even the official PAL has not said anything yet, but enough noises already shown this is UAE's LPD.

Well when one customer being move ahead of schedule from other ones, I only see one possibilities. UAE already ahead on payment schedule then Philippine. Still this is why PAL rushing to prepare FMP for late this month launch. They need the space for other ship, and most likely Philippine LPD#1.

I actually see a different possibility. That a critical piece equipment needed for the LPD has arrived for the UAE's LPD but not for the Philippine LPD. I don't believe it's a payment issue from the Philippines. The way Philippine defense procurement works, it's really difficult to get something funded, but once something is funded, the money is earmarked and can't really be used for something else. Of course the way it works isn't with physical money, but basically the authorization to transfer the money would have been approved beforehand and can't really be canceled without someone really high up overriding the authorization.

As for which equipment, not sure. But I notice that with the Guarani APC, Germany withheld authorization for use of their diesel engines for three years. No idea why, but that's why it took so long to deliver the APC. It's not impossible something similar happened with the MTU marine diesels powering the Philippine LPD. We'll find out what's really going on later, I guess.

 

[Ananda]

That a critical piece equipment needed for the LPD has arrived for the UAE's LPD but not for the Philippine LPD. I don't believe it's a payment issue from the Philippines.

Late supplier delivery is also one possibility, which I also mentioned on my two previous post. Something quite significant happen either way on why UAE LPD getting move up on schedule as Pinoy LPD actually has first cut steal ahead from UAE's.

Jane's put article some time ago that Philippines LPD's face delay at PAL time table. This all back in my opinion related to PAL taking too much order on building and MRO against their capacity.

 

[tonnyc]

This all back in my opinion related to PAL taking too much order on building and MRO against their capacity.

This reminds me. A while ago you said the same thing about PT PAL taking too many orders. I was going to comment on that but life got hectic and I forgot.

I want to point out that PT PAL does not actually have a choice. If the government decides that frigates should be built locally, then PT PAL must build it, even if that means neglecting previously contracted foreign orders. And I believe that's what happened. The government decided the FMP shall be prioritized and PT PAL does not have the ability to say, "No, these foreign orders were signed first. The frigates will have to wait their turn."