Talk:Myanmar Air Force

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[edit] Edits

Removed Air Defense paragraph which was a repeat, probably due to cut and paste errors.

Removed the following statement from Air Defense: "With the introduction of new radar systems and Mobile Guided Surface to Air Missiles systems, MIADS become of the most advanced AD systems in the region. Many young officers have also done several Air Defence Training courses in Russia, Ukraine, China and Serbia."

Paragraph is not objective. Most advanced AD system in the region compared with which country? How about it's neighbor, India ?

Koxinga CDF 14:40, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

Region being South East Asia - comparable to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia 'etc. Okkar 16:03, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

Region defined, yet the key issue is the statement the most advanced in the region. It is too subjective, considering that the MIAD is fairly new, that Malaysia has been host to the Five Powers Defense Arrangement Integrated Air Defense System out of Butterworth, Penang since the 1970s and Thailand's IAD have been around a fairly long time as well. Koxinga CDF 13:16, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

While your statements are partially correct, never the less, I would like to point out that both Malaysian and Thailand rely heavily on their fighter/interceptor elements for Air Defense as opposed to ground based mobile SAM systems and intergrated hi-tech Air Defense frame work. IISS Military Balance 2006 and Global Security reported the followings:

Thailand: Royal Thai Army's AD forces are mainly equipped with 20mm M-163/167 Vulcan, 37mm Type-74, 40mm M1/M42SP anti-aircraft guns supported by aging FIM-43 Redeye (40+) and Chinese HN-5A man portable SAMs. RTA also deployed a number of Italian made Aspide short range SAMs without any tracking or early warning radar systems. RTA currently does not posses any self-propelled SAM systems. RTA rely heavily on it's fleet of Airforce fighters/interceptors (F-16A/F-5A/B) for Air Defense.

Malaysia: Although Malaysia acquired British made JERNAS SAM systems in 2005, it has not yet been fully operational and still relies heavily on older Swedish Bofor 40mm Anti-Aircraft Guns, British made older Rapier MK-1 systems, Starbust MANPADS and it's fighter/interceptors fleet within the Air Force, thus lacking a ground based, fully integrated and highly mobile Air Defense frame work.

With this in mind and MIAD's deployment of third generation Tor-M1 and Buk-M1/M2 Self-Propelled SAM systems, Pechora-2M, SA-6 Gainful, SA-2 Guideline along with Tunguska M-1 Gun/Missile Systems made the statment "the most advanced in the region" perfectly valid. Currently, apart from China, Myanmar is the only nation in South East Asia to have acquired and deployed a fully integrated, mobile Tor and Buk air defense systems. These systems with support from assorted collection of anti-aircraft guns, MANPADS and older Bloodhound SAMs made MIAD more advanced compared to Thailand and Malaysia. Being around a long time doesnt necessarily means you have best of the breed AD systems. We are not discussing the experience of the troops and crews, but rather the technology of the systems being deployed. Therefore your statement regarding "MIAD is fairly new" and "Thailand's IAD have been around a fairly long time as well" are not valid for this debate. As for Malaysian hosting Integrated Air Defense system for five nations, if you study closely, you will no doubt realise that the whole system rely on fighter/interceptor coverage from the regional airbases. Okkar 17:38, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

I am aware of reports of plans to purchase the Buk and Tor, but there have been no independent confirmation that the systems are in service. If they are indeed in service, I would be incline to agree there is nothing in the region comparable. Koxinga CDF 12:57, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps you could go and buy a copy of IISS Military Balance 2007 or pay subscription to Jane Defense Weekly and you shall get your confirmation there. IISS Military Balance 2007 confirmed that both Tor and Buk system along with Tunguska Gun/Missile systems are operational in Myanmar although the exact number of the systems remains unknown. Okkar 15:12, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

Can the relevant citation be added at the end of the article then?Koxinga CDF 23:57, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure we can arrange that. Okkar 09:05, 28 March 2007 (UTC)