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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
21 Oct 18. UK cleared to procure additional Chinook helicopters, likely configured for special operations. The United Kingdom is to procure 16 new Boeing H-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, with US State Department approval for the sale being announced on 19 October. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which disclosed the approval, the proposed sale comprises 16 Chinooks as well as items of equipment associated with the US special forces’ MH-47G variant of the helicopter.
The MH-47G-specific equipment listed in the notification includes extended range (‘fat tank’) fuel tanks, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turrets, and multimode (terrain-following, terrain-avoidance, and weather detection) radars, with other items including defensive weaponry and countermeasures. The DSCA did not list the aerial refuelling probe normally fitted to the MH-47G, but the helicopter is plumbed for this feature should it be requested at a later date.
If approved by Congress, the sale would be worth USD3.5bn. This would include training and support. The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) currently fields 60 Chinooks. These comprise 38 HC4 helicopters, which are equivalent to the US Army’s CH-47D-standard plus UK-specific modifications (these aircraft are currently going through a further upgrade process to bring them up to a new HC6A standard); eight HC5 helicopters, which are equivalent to the US Army’s MH-47E-standard plus UK-specific modifications; and 14 HC6 helicopters, which are equivalent to the US Army’s CH-47F-standard plus UK-specific modifications.
With the oldest of the HC4 Chinooks having been received from 1981, it is likely that the new helicopters will be used to replace these platforms rather than adding to the overall size of the fleet. Also, with the HC5 Chinooks now being employed as part of the wider UK fleet, the new helicopters will likely take on the niche special forces role that these other ‘fat tank’ platforms were originally acquired for. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
EUROPE
25 Oct 18. F-35 officially wins Belgian fighter contest. Belgium has officially selected the F-35 as its next-generation fighter, becoming the 13th country to join the program, the Belgian government announced Thursday. With that decision, Lockheed Martin has defeated a bid by the governments of Spain, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom for the Eurofighter Typhoon, as well as an informal offer by France for the Dassault Rafale and an option for Belgium to upgrade its existing F-16s.
Belgium plans to buy 34 F-35As to replace F-16 inventory, which numbers about 54 jets. The U.S. State Department has already approved the deal, which has an estimated value of $6.5bn. According to Reuters, Belgian Defence Minister Steven Vandeput told reporters on Oct. 25 that the F-35 beat the other contenders in all seven selection criteria.
“We are investing heavily in defense,” Vandeput tweeted, citing Belgium’s decision to buy F-35s and new land vehicles.
Meanwhile, U.S. stakeholders immediately began celebrating the outcome of the competition.
“Lockheed Martin is honored by the Belgian government’s selection of the F-35A Lightning II for their future national security needs,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to supporting the U.S. government in delivering the F-35 program to meet the requirements of the Belgian government.”
Vice Adm. Mat Winter, head of the the F-35 joint program executive office, said the decision to join the program will strengthen the U.S.-Belgian relationship.
“We look forward to working closely with our Belgian teammates as they mature plans for purchasing their F-35s,” he said in a statement.
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels tweeted a response to Vandeput, stressing how Belgium’s F-35 selection would add to NATO interoperability.
“Belgium will fly @thef35 alongside some of its closest @NATO allies & longtime partners in air defense. US is extremely proud of our enduring air partnership w/ Belgium,” it said.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, said Belgium’s F-35 buy “reaffirms Belgium’s military and strategic partnership with the United States, as well as builds Belgium’s defense capabilities as a strong NATO ally.”
Turner had interfaced with Belgian officials over the past year, providing assurances that the U.S. Congress would support an F-35 sale to Brussels, he said in a statement. (Source: Defense News)
25 Oct 18. Belgium Naval & Robotics: Naval Group and ECA Group announce at Euronaval the name of their consortium created as part of the response to the Belgian-Dutch consultation for the replacement and initial support of their mine warfare capability. As partners in a consortium Belgium Naval & Robotics, formed for this call for tender, Naval Group and ECA Group are offering an innovative solution for robotic mine warfare, which is fully integrated on board an MCM military vessel. The two partners have combined all their most effective and resilient sea-proven solutions, already in mission with other clients, to provide the Belgian and Dutch naval forces with a comprehensive, integrated and cyber-secure solution at a cost-effective ownership cost. In addition to these solutions, the two partners have formed a project management team based in Belgium, which will rely on various local partners, with whom alliances have already been established. BELGIUM NAVAL & ROBOTICS is the name of the Naval Group-ECA Group consortium as a part of the response to the Belgian-Dutch consultation for the replacement and initial support of their mine warfare capability.
25 Oct 18. Switzerland’s Air 2030 plan narrows down options. The Schweizer Luftwaffe (Swiss Air Force) may be limited to purchasing a single-engine fighter as it is the only solution that fits budgetary limitations, it has unofficially emerged after the recent 8-10 October ‘Axalp’ annual exercise. The force intends to simultaneously procure both a Neues Kampfflugzeug (new combat aircraft: NKF) and a Bodengestützte Luftverteidigungsystem (Bodluv), a medium-range air and missile defence (AMD) system.
The NKF will be a single aircraft type that will undertake missions previously carried out by two aircraft operated by the service: the F/A-18C/D Hornet and the soon-to-be-retired F-5. Five aircraft types – the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35A, and Saab Gripen E – are in contention.
The air-defence option will be selected from the same three systems that previously competed in Poland, Romania, and Sweden: MBDA’s SAMP/T, Rafael’s David’s Sling, and Raytheon’s Patriot PAC-3.
The combined procurements, designated Air 2030, will be Switzerland’s second attempt at a new fighter procurement. In 2012 the Schweizer Luftwaffe selected the Gripen E, but only as the F-5 replacement. Two years later the order was cancelled when defence budget outlays were voted down in a national referendum.
Both Air 2030 procurements will still have to fall within budgetary guidelines established by another referendum to be held next year. To avoid the embarrassment of another cancellation, the Swiss armed forces will hold the referendum first, before final procurement decisions are made. The consensus of companies bidding is that Schweizer Luftwaffe pilots “are so enamoured of their Hornets that they will be inclined to select another two-seat fighter”, said one European company representative. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
23 Oct 18. Saab and Damen Submarine Targets Dutch Requirement. Saab and Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group have joined forces to develop an expeditionary submarine for the Netherland´s Walrus Replacement Programme (WRES). The partnership was highlighted today in Paris during a joint press conference at the Euronaval international naval exhibition on the proposed Expeditionary Submarine.
“Replacing the Walrus-class submarines requires a unique approach. Swedish modular submarine design and production techniques coupled with the Dutch shipbuilding tradition bring together the capabilities needed to deliver an assured operational capability”, said Gunnar Wieslander, Senior Vice President, head of business area Saab Kockums.
“The result of the collaboration will be a customer-adapted submarine for expeditionary missions. This will ensure that the Royal Netherlands Navy continues to play an important role in European waters as well as globally”, said Hein van Ameijden, managing director of Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuildning.
The Expeditionary Submarine builds on the capabilities of the Swedish A26 and puts into practice the experience of the Swedish designed Collins-class submarine in-service with the Australian Navy.
In addition, the Walrus replacement will also benefit from the operational lessons reflected in the Swedish Navy’s Gotland Mid Life Upgrade. As a result the Expeditionary Submarine will be equipped with state of the art technology whilst benefiting from de-risking on three submarine classes. Saab and Damen are thereby creating one of the most modern Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines in the world, which if selected, will be done in consultation with the customer using a ‘design to cost’ approach.
The production process will see sections made in Sweden and then assembled at Vlissingen in the Netherlands. Having secured the cooperation of many Dutch companies, Saab and Damen are set to enhance the domestic submarine competence.
This cooperation will also extend beyond the Dutch submarine project, as the two companies see a growing market for this type of advanced conventional submarines. (Source: ASD Network)
25 Oct 18. Saab sub upgrade a blueprint for extending Collins life. The Swedish submarine HSwMS Gotland started sea trials at the Saab shipyard in Karlskrona, following a comprehensive mid-life upgrade (MLU) to ensure operational capability beyond 2025. HSwMS Gotland is the first of two submarines being upgraded with the mid-life modifications, which consist of upgrades of onboard systems and technology, sustaining the submarine’s operational capability to meet future naval challenges.
Gunnar Wieslander, senior vice president, head of business area Kockums at Saab, said, “The sea trials mark an important phase in the MLU project. This is the first time the crew will be able to operate the new systems in the true environment. After extensive training in the land based training facility, they will now be able to see the true potential of their submarine.”
The process includes upgrades for many important systems, such as upgrading the Stirling air-independent propulsion (AIP) for longer duration underwater and the combat system. This also saw significant structural modifications with an expansion of the existing hull structure by two metres, adding enhanced cooling systems to increase the operating area profile, from both arctic to the tropics.
AIP systems allow conventional submarines to recharge their batteries without surfacing for air. This enables the submarine to remain underwater for extended periods of time, limiting their surface exposure and vulnerability to detection.
There are three main variants of AIP found in diesel-electric submarines, these include:
- Closed cycle steam turbines: Used largely on French-build submarines, close cycle steam turbines mimic the energy production process found on nuclear submarines (where a nuclear reactor provides heat that turns water into steam) by mixing oxygen and ethanol. This system, dubbed MESMA by the French is complex, generates vast quantities of power, but suffers from efficiency issues compared with other alternatives.
- Stirling cycle: Uses diesel to heat a fluid permanently contained in the engine, which in turn drives a piston and generates electricity. The exhaust is then released into the seawater. The Stirling system is slightly more efficient, and somewhat less complicated than its French counterpart, and is used on Japanese, Swedish and Chinese submarines.
- Fuel cell: Is currently considered state-of-the art in AIP technology. A fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, with minimal moving parts. Fuel cell AIP systems generate large amounts of energy with minimal waste production and acoustic performance. German-built submarines are world leaders in this space, with the French, Russians and Indians moving toward introducing the capability.
Even the traditional optical periscope is replaced with a new optronic mast for enhanced surveillance. Additionally, the upgrade also saw improvements to sensors and improved crew quarters to ensure improved crew readiness and comfort. (Source: Defence Connect)
23 Oct 18. France begins deliberations on new aircraft carrier. France will make a decision on the replacement of its flagship aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle at the start of 2020, its armed forces minister said on Tuesday. The carrier has been in service since 2001 but Paris is looking to build a vessel that would take into consideration expected technological advances post-2030 and be capable of carrying a planned new Franco-German fighter jet.
“The Charles de Gaulle will need a successor,” Florence Parly said in a speech at a defence exhibition in Paris.
“The first step, which starts today, is the study phase to determine what and how we want our future aircraft carrier to be. We have given ourselves 18 months,” she said.
Three other Western aircraft carriers have been built since the Charles de Gaulle was first deployed. The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford and America, and the British Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth, which cost about 3.1bn pounds ($4.03bn).
Parly said the study will assess the size requirements, propulsion options – both conventional and nuclear – and aircraft-launching capabilities.
A number of French defence firms, ranging from Rafale warplane maker Dassault to systems’ contractor Thales, are among companies involved in the study phase. The French navy recently completed an 18-month mid-life upgrade of the Charles de Gaulle. Its most recent activity was as part of support operations against Islamic State militants in the Levant region and its battle group is due to return to sea in the first quarter of 2019. (Source: News Now/Reuters)
23 Oct 18. Squadron 2020 Project Progresses Towards Construction Phase. The Defence Forces’ Logistics Command has received a mandate, on 22.10.2018, from Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö to sign a Letter of Intent with Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), defining the main principles and preconditions for the construction of the Squadron 2020 corvettes. The principles and conditions pertaining to the price of the vessels, financing schedule, division of responsibilities between the parties to the agreement and risk management were negotiated between the RMC and the Defence Forces’ Logistics Command. With the agreement reached, the actual contract for constructing the vessels is scheduled to be concluded in early 2019. The contract covers the construction of vessels fit for purpose, their machinery, navigation system and other equipment. A combat system and weapons will be procured separately. The overall value of the Squadron 2020 project is EUR 1.2bn, and the construction contract is estimated to account for a half of it.
The final round of tenders will take place during this autumn
The preliminary invitation to tender on the combat system of the Squadron 2020 vessels was sent in summer 2017 to three supplier candidates: Atlas Elektronik GmbH in Germany, Lockheed Martin Canada Inc in Canada and Saab AB in Sweden. The combat system to be delivered will consist of weapons, sensors, command and control systems and their integration into the vessels. The aim is to make an agreement on the combat system at the same time as the agreement to construct the vessels is made. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Finnish Ministry of Defence)
18 Oct 18. Slovak MOD Will Propose the Cabinet Approve the Procurement of Vydra 8×8 IFVs, Up to 16 SVK Companies Could Become Involved In Production. The MOD will propose the Cabinet approve the procurement of the Vydra (‘Otter’) 8×8 armoured IFV. Up to 16 SVK firms could become involved in the production of the IFV. Next week the MOD will initiate interdepartmental consultations on the proposal. As the MOD has stated before, the document will be Unclassified. In addition to technical company trials, verification trials and military trials, the IFV prototype has successfully undergone additional verification and military trails in order to test the proposed adjustments to the vehicle. Speaking at a press conference at the MOD today, Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “The vehicle is the result of international Slovak-Finnish development and most of it will be produced in Slovakia. The price of a single vehicle in the serial production, including all components, will not exceed €3.33m, VAT excluded, in other words, the vehicle will cost up to €4m, VAT included.
“According to analysis, up to 16 Slovak and 1 Czech defence companies can participate in its production. Thanks to this historically largest modernization, and I count the production of the Zuzana 2 SpGH in, up to 800 jobs may be created.”
Head of the MOD emphasised that the support of the SNS-led MOD for the SVK defence industry’s involvement in the programme is substantial. “We will create jobs for our citizens at home. I think there is not a single country that would prefer a foreign product to its own. Otherwise, in the event of crisis or war we would never be able to ensure deliveries of spare parts and maintenance support to the Armed Forces,” he explained.
As General Secretary of the MODʼs Service Office Ján Hoľko added, SVK defence companies will be selected for serial production of the vehicle in compliance with the Public Procurement Act. “Besides this, the project creates prerequisites for wider benefits to SVK economy, ranging from sustaining the key capabilities of the Slovak defence industry, creating jobs, generating tax revenues for the state budget, through to paying dividends and insurance premiums. Over the duration of the 7-year contract this could reach over 42 m euros,” he said.
The MOD plans to procure up to 81 Vydra vehicles, whereas the overall price will not exceed €417m, VAT included. This includes logistical support (€17m), munitions (€65m), infrastructure (€5 m), and the purchase of the prototype (€5.8m).
The reason why the designation of the vehicle is ‘Otter’ is that, just like the animal, it has a swimming capability and is very dynamic, fast, agile, resistant and easily manoeuvrable in spite of its size. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Slovakia Ministry of Defense)
22 Oct 18. Romania set to choose four new corvettes, frigate upgrade. Romania’s Ministry of Defence is nearing a decision on the procurement of new multirole corvettes after receiving final bids at the beginning of October from Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding of the Netherlands, Italy’s Fincantieri, and France’s Naval Group. The EUR1.6bn (USD1.85bn) programme covers the acquisition of four corvettes, as well as the combat system modernisation of the Romanian Navy’s two ex-UK Royal Navy Type 22 frigates Regina Maria and Regele Ferdinand. A source selection is scheduled for 26 October, although industry sources suggest this could slip by a number of weeks. Romania’s requirement calls for a 2,500-tonne class multipurpose ship with capabilities across anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, electronic warfare, naval gunfire support, and search and rescue. The design is also required to provide aviation facilities suitable for an IAR 330 Puma 10-tonne helicopter and a shipborne unmanned aircraft system. In line with Romanian stipulations for local industry participation, all three contenders are proposing build and in-service support in conjunction with subsidiaries or partners based in country. Romania has asked for the first corvette to be delivered inside three years, with the programme to be completed in seven years.
Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding is bidding a variant of its SIGMA 10514 design with sister yard Damen Shipyards Galati. To meet the Romanian requirement, Daman has specified a Thales Nederland combat management system (CMS)/sensor fit, the Raytheon Evolved SeaSparrow Missile System and Boeing Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles. The underwater warfare suite would be provided by General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada.
Fincantieri, which owns the Vard Braila and Tulcea shipyards in Romania, is offering a customised variant of the Abu Dhabi corvette previously built for the United Arab Emirates. It is likely that Vard Braila would be the focal point for both construction and in-service support if Fincantieri is selected. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
USA
12 Oct 18. USAF B-21 Raider Long-Range Strike Bomber. The Department of Defense is developing a new long-range bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider (previously known as LRS-B), and proposes to acquire at least 100 of them. B-21s would initially replace the fleets of B-1 and B-2 bombers, and could possibly replace B-52s in the future. B-21 development was highly classified until the summer of 2015, when the Air Force revealed initial details of the aircraft and the program. Although technical specifications and other data remain out of public view, many details of the budget, acquisition strategy, procurement quantities, and other aspects of the B-21 program are now in the public arena. The Administration’s FY2019 budget request included $2.31bn for further development of the B-21. As passed, the FY2019 defense appropriations bill funded the program at $2.28bn. As a large defense program that involves issues of strategic and nuclear policy, as well as substantial expenditures, the B-21 is likely to be subject to significant congressional interest. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Congressional Research Report)
23 Oct 18. USN issues RFI for Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle. The US Navy (USN) issued a request for information (RFI) on 18 October for its Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV) programme.
“The navy is conducting market research to determine if sources exist that are capable of satisfying the navy’s anticipated programme requirement for independently deploying MUSVs,” the RFI said. Responses are due by 19 November. “MUSVs are defined as vessels between 12 and 50 m in length,” the RFI said, adding that the US Naval Sea Systems Command “is taking an accelerated approach with industry to leverage existing manned or unmanned surface ship designs that can be designed and/or modified to rapidly deliver an unmanned surface ship capability.” (Source: IHS Jane’s)
18 Oct 18. US Navy publishes part two of major IT project. Following the September part-one release of one of the most-anticipated IT programs in the military, the Navy issued part two of the request for proposals on the Next Generation Enterprise Network Re-Complete (NGEN-R) Service Management, Integration and Transport (SMIT) Oct. 18. NGEN-R, as it’s known, will provide IT and support services to the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, the Marine Corps Enterprise Network and the Outside of the Continental United States Navy Enterprise Network.
SMIT is one of two NGEN-R contracts, which will provide network services to include print services, service integration, software core build services, service desk and computer network defense.
The Navy released the first portion of the contract, End User Hardware (EUHW) contract, in mid-September, which will provide end user hardware-as-a-service and hardware for purchase.
“Today’s successful release of the NGEN-R SMIT RFP is a major achievement in implementing the Navy’s IT acquisition strategy to segment network services for the Navy Marine Corps Intranet and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network into multiple contracts,” said Capt. Ben McNeal, Naval Enterprise Networks program manager. “Separating IT services into multiple contract segments makes management, financial and competitive sense for the Navy.”
As C4ISRNET sister publication Federal Times previously reported, splitting the contract in two was intentional and aimed to provide the Navy with greater flexibility as technology and solutions evolve.
“In the current contract, it was directed, ‘Here are the things we want you to achieve.’ In the new contract that we’ve written for SMIT, it is very much a, ‘Here are the eight or ten big-ticket objective outcomes that we’re looking for from the network,’” Capt. Don Harder, deputy program executive officer for Navy Enterprise Information Systems, told Federal Times. “We recognize that the network infrastructure today will not allow for those capabilities to be met without any kind of drastic decrease in efficiency or effectiveness of the network.”
The Navy is seeking to incorporate the best-in-breed solutions industry has to offer, Harder said, noting that the big drivers are achieving faster solutions and utilizing technically acceptable solutions to modern network problems.
“This will be a continuous process that allows the government to come in and ask the vendor questions. ‘There’s a new capability government wants to implement. We’re in a budget-constrained environment. So, what are the options available to us?’ Let’s sit down and have that conversation,” he said.
Harder also noted that the SMIT portion of NGEN-R will incorporate flexible options for hybrid cloud solutions that eventually could be peeled away from NGEN-R to a separate contract vehicle.
“The inclusion of hybrid cloud solutions to ensure that we’re achieving the objectives that we want to achieve, that is definitely a part of the contract. In fact, that’s one of the things that we’re asking definitely be incorporated in their planning process,” Harder said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen three years from now. … We’re building in that flexibility that allows the government the ability in the future to find components of services that can be done in a more effective or efficient way for the government, and either sever them or modify them separately, as opposed to having to break apart the entire contract to do something.”
Proposals for EUHW are due Nov. 19, 2018, while proposals for SMIT are due Jan. 10, 2019. (Source: C4ISR magazine)
REST OF THE WORLD
24 Oct 18. Royal Canadian Air Force performing Hawk trainer fatigue-life improvement programme. Key Points:
- The RCAF is performing a fatigue-life improvement programme on its fleet of Hawk trainers
- The service puts a lot of stress on the aircraft, especially on the tail and the wing/fuselage joint
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is performing a series of modifications to its fleet of BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs), which could extend the platform’s life by 35%.
Scott Greenough, Director of NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) at CAE, told reporters on 17 October that the Hawk Fatigue Life Improvement Program (FLIP) – a series of 13 modifications made to each aircraft in the fleet – costs as much as a new Hawk aircraft. He said the RCAF disassembles the aircraft to a point similar to when they were first assembled.
The service is focusing on the tail and where the wings meet the fuselage, as the Hawk’s tail is heavily affected by fatigue, he said. The RCAF is just over halfway through this part of the programme.
“Try not to look in the mirrors when you’re turning hard because the tail is kind of moving around quite a bit in the back there,” said Greenough, describing the advice he would give to pilots flying the aircraft.
The RCAF uses the Hawk Mk 115 model, which it calls the CT-115. CAE spokesman Chris Stellwag said on 23 October that the company is performing the FLIP work and that BAE Systems is working with CAE on in-service support for the Hawk fleet. According to Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, Canada acquired its fleet of Hawks between July 2000 and August 2004. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
25 Oct 18. Deals galore for ASC and European industry. Adelaide-based ASC has used Euronaval 2018 to announce collaboration agreements with two European giants, FIVA and Endel, to develop key industrial and workforce capabilities in preparation for the $80bn SEA 1000 project. Euronaval 2018 has proven to be extremely fruitful for Australia’s ASC, which has used the exhibition to formalise two key collaboration agreements as the company prepares for the next stage of SEA 1000. FIVA and ASC intend to develop a joint submarine design workforce in Australia with the capability to satisfy Naval Group’s demands for design services in support of the Australian Future Submarine Program.
“We are proud to partner with ASC, who constructed and now maintains the Australian Collins submarine fleet,” said Yannick Vergez, CEO of Groupe FIVA.
This proposed alliance seeks to exploit the capabilities resulting from the collaboration between a European long-term partner of Naval Group and an experienced Australian submarine designer and maintainer.
ASC chief executive Stuart Whiley welcomed the agreement, saying, “ASC is Australia’s foremost submarine platform company, with significant current design and build-like expertise developed over 30 years working in the heart of the Australian submarine sector.”
As the sustainer and in-service platform designer for the Collins Class fleet, ASC offers current submarine design expertise able to deliver solutions that comply with Australian standards and the requirements of the Commonwealth of Australia.
This collaboration agreement will allow the development of a design workforce for submarines in Australia, which is familiar with the design processes, techniques and tools required by Naval Group.
The second collaboration agreement will see ASX and Endel Engie, an established supplier of construction and assembly services to Naval Group’s submarine programs to explore the opportunities of collaboration of the alliance at ASC’s Osborne operations in Adelaide, in the state of South Australia, where ASC’s submarine deep maintenance is carried out and where it built the Collins Class fleet.
Emeric Burin des Roziers, CEO of Endel Engie, welcomed the announcement, saying, “We applaud this alliance, which opens up new perspectives for collaboration with ASC.”
The collaboration is aimed at providing additional submarine building capacity in Australia to Australia’s Future Submarine program prime contractor Naval Group, he said.
“With the support of our colleagues from Engie Services Australia, our presence in Adelaide alongside ASC will enable us to offer Naval Group in Australia our well-known expertise and experience. Our teams will be trained in France and Australia to meet the stringent demands of submarine construction,” Burin des Roziers said.
ASC Group is Australia’s largest locally owned defence prime contractor, employing more than 2,000 personnel engaged in Australian submarine maintenance, upgrade and sustainment and as shipbuilder for Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer and Offshore Patrol Vessel programs. (Source: Defence Connect)
24 Oct 18. Project management award for international defence trial. The Contested Urban Environment trial conducted in downtown Adelaide, involving five nations and nearly 200 military and civilian personnel, has been awarded a major project management award.
Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne congratulated Defence Science and Technology and project managers Ground Effects Consulting on accomplishing a remarkable logistical feat.
The Contested Urban Environment (CUE) trial was the national winner of the professional services category at the recent Australian 2018 Project Management Achievement Awards.
“To successfully conduct a full-scale trial with hundreds of soldiers and Defence scientists in the Adelaide CBD is quite an achievement,” Minister Pyne said.
Held in November 2017, the trial investigated emerging technologies that have the potential to enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in urban environments where future wars are likely to be fought.
The trial was conducted under the Five Eyes Technical Cooperation Program and involved 100 Australian military personnel and more than 80 Defence researchers, technologists, industry and academic partners from the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Minister Pyne said, “The trial not only demonstrated Australia’s ability to stage a complex exercise of this scale but achieved valuable research and technology outcomes that will serve us well for future urban warfighting.”
CUE was not a military exercise, but a way to investigate new and emerging technologies that offer the potential to reduce risks to soldiers operating in an urban conflict overseas and the innocent civilian inhabitants. Participants in CUE Adelaide 17 worked out of the old Adelaide Dental Hospital and neighbouring residential wing of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital. Ground Effects Consulting is a South Australia-based consulting firm with experience in oil and gas, local government, defence, maintenance engineering, logistics and commercials. (Source: Defence Connect)
18 Oct 18. The FT reported yesterday that Canada has chosen BAE Systems’ Type 26 design for next generation of warships. Canada’s next generation of warships will be built on a design by Britain’s BAE Systems after Ottawa selected an international consortium led by Lockheed Martin as its preferred bidder. The Canadian government said late on Friday that BAE’s Type 26 design had beaten two rival submissions in a competitive tender to provide replacements for the Royal Canadian navy’s frigate fleet. While a final contract award still has to be made the news marks a significant step forward in what is the largest and most expensive military purchase in Canadian history. The selection of the Lockheed Martin-led team marks the second overseas order for BAE’s Type 26 design. BAE in June won a multibillion-dollar contract to supply the Australian navy with nine of the 6,900 tonne multi-mission warships in a competitive tender. The victory was significant in part because work on the first Type 26 for the Royal Navy only started last year and the ship is not due to enter service until 2027. The potential Canadian contract is much smaller and would be a licensing agreement only for BAE. The ships will be built at Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“These ships will form the backbone of our Royal Canadian Navy and will be Canada’s major surface component of maritime combat power for decades to come,” Public Services and Procurement Canada said in a statement on Friday. A contract award is expected this winter, the statement went on, “with construction beginning in early 2020”. Apart from BAE, the Lockheed consortium also includes CAE, L3 Technologies, MDA and Ultra Electronics. None of the companies was immediately available for comment. The team beat a rival submission from Alion Science and Technology which, along with its subsidiary Alion Canada, had submitted a proposal based on the Dutch De Zeven Provinciën Air Defence and Command (LCF) frigate. Navantia, a Spanish-based company, headed a team that included Saab and CEA Technologies. Its proposal was based on the F-105 frigate design, a ship in service with the Spanish navy. (Source: FT.com)
BATTLESPACE Comment: This is excellent news and builds on the success for the BAE Systems’ Type 26 design chosen by Australia. It has transformed the UK’s naval shipbuilding industry and will lead to other deals across the globe. Given this choice the requirement for a separate Type 31e design may diminish given the likely drop in list price for the UK’s Type 26 fleet given the increased volume in numbers. This may be a blow to Babcock which is hoping for the Type 31e bid to bolster its ailing naval division where the storm clouds are growing. There are rumours of a large increase to £1.3bn for the Astute Drydock which has to be built in 4 years and continuing stories of the need to increase the weight of the Faslane shiplift to accommodate the Dreadnaught boats. A number of City research papers suggest that Babcock’s profit forecast is under pressure resulting in a drop in the share price this week with more expected to come.
19 Oct 18. Engine supply issues delay Russian Karakurt corvette deliveries. Zelenodolsk Shipyard will postpone delivery of its first two Project 22800 Karakurt corvettes to the Russian Navy by at least a year because it lacks diesel engines for them, according to regional news agency Realnoe Vremya. The ships were to be commissioned in 2018. St Petersburg-based PAO Zvezda informed Zelenodolsk that it cannot provide the diesel engines contracted for 2018 because a large volume of military orders has overwhelmed its production capacity this year. In addition, Zvezda has reportedly promised Zelenodolsk only two engines in 2019, which could lead to further delays in ship deliveries. Each Karakurt requires three M507 diesels, as well as three DGAS-315 diesel generators. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
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American Panel Corporation
American Panel Corporation (APC) since 1998, specializes in display products installed in defence land systems, as well as military and commercial aerospace platforms, having delivered well over 100,000 displays worldwide. Military aviators worldwide operate their aircraft and perform their missions using APC displays, including F-22, F-18, F-16, F-15, Euro-fighter Typhoon, Mirage 2000, C-130, C-17, P-3, S-3, U-2, AH-64 Apache Helicopter, V-22 tilt-rotor, as well as numerous other military and commercial aviation aircraft including Boeing 717 – 787 aircraft and several Airbus aircraft. APC panels are found in nearly every tactical aircraft in the US and around the world.
APC manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Large Area Display (LAD) display (20 inch by 8 inch) with dual pixel fields, power and video interfaces to provide complete display redundancy. At DSEI 2017 we are exhibiting the LAD with a more advanced design, dual display on single substrate with redundant characteristics and a bespoke purpose 8 inch by 6 inch armoured vehicle display.
In order to fully meet the demanding environmental and optical requirements without sacrificing critical tradeoffs in performance, APC designs, develops and manufactures these highly specialized displays in multiple sizes and configurations, controlling all AMLCD optical panel, mechanical and electrical design aspects. APC provides both ITAR and non-ITAR displays across the globe to OEM Prime and tiered vetronics and avionics integrators.
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