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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
02 Nov 23. New technologies on show at Quantum Showcase as Science Minister drives forward UK’s £2.5bn Quantum Strategy.
The Science Minister George Freeman outlines the recipients of over £14m in funding, aimed at benefiting the UK’s thriving quantum sector.
- Science Minister sets out how the government is continuing with its vision to become a quantum-enabled economy by 2023 with over £14m in funding
- the latest in ground-breaking applications of quantum technology will be showcased at one of the largest quantum events in the UK
- UK has signed new science and innovation agreement with the Netherlands to deepen collaboration on quantum
The Science Minister George Freeman will today (Thursday 2 November) outline the recipients of over £14m in funding, aimed at benefiting the UK’s thriving quantum sector.
At the UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase, taking place in London today, Minister Freeman will set out how the government is continuing with its vision to become a quantum-enabled economy by 2023.
The showcase will present the latest in ground-breaking applications of the technology which will potentially revolutionise many aspects of life in the UK. Quantum technologies could bring enormous benefits to the economy, such as making it possible to solve complex problems impossible to solve with even the most powerful high-performance classical computers, and opening entirely new frontiers in sensing, timing, imaging, and communications.
The event, which last year welcomed over 1,000 delegates, with 67 exhibitors from 34 different countries, is organised by National Quantum Technologies Programme, which was established in 2014 and backed by £1 bn of government funding.
The National Quantum Strategy, published in March 2023, commits a further £2.5bn to developing quantum technologies in the UK over the 10 years from 2024 which will aim to generate at least an additional £1 bn of private investment into the programme.
The announcements made by Minister Freeman today will include:
- the launch of a UK Quantum Standards Network Pilot that will help to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of establishing global standards for quantum
- over £10m in funding for 6 projects to accelerate the development of components and systems for quantum network technologies to transform the way in which we distribute, secure, and process our information to meet the challenges of our increasingly complex data economy
- over £4 m to strengthen collaborative research and development through Canada-UK partnerships to develop real-world quantum technologies for commercial use
- the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) closing its £30 m competition to provide quantum computing testbeds, alongside a partnership with IBM to provide users cloud access to IBM’s full fleet quantum machines
- a new science and innovation agreement with the Netherlands to deepen collaboration on quantum which will see closer cooperation covering research and development, commercialisation, investment, and skills
George Freeman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “We have identified Quantum as one of the 5 transformational technologies in which the UK is a global leader, which is why we have set out a £2.5bn 10 year industrial strategy to support the quantum sector here in the UK. Quantum is set to transform computing, imaging and sensing, cyber security and position, navigation and timing with major industrial applications from drug discovery to defence, fintech, and much more. That is why I am here today at the Quantum Showcase to announce this package of UK funding and programmes. Our partnership between the National Quantum Computing Centre and IBM will provide cloud quantum computing access for companies, agencies, national labs and other organisations to help boost UK quantum computing infrastructure. Our £30m quantum testbed programme will build the world’s first quantum computing testbed to assess and benchmark machines. Our funding for collaborative programmes with the Netherlands and Canada is a sign of our commitment to develop global quantum standards and networks.”
This is an exciting day for the UK quantum sector.
Quantum technologies – one of the government’s 5 critical technologies – are devices and systems using quantum mechanics to provide capabilities that ‘classical’ machines like binary computers cannot.
The technology already offers possible solutions to some of our greatest challenges in society and provide future capabilities that are yet to be explored. These technologies hold the potential to tackle intricate problems that currently surpass the capacities of even the most advanced classical computers and will allow us to reach new frontiers in sensing, timing, imaging, and communications. Over the next 10 years, quantum technologies are expected to revolutionise many aspects of life in the UK and bring enormous benefits such as helping to grow our economy and create well-paid jobs across the country – one of the Prime Minister’s 5 priorities.
The National Quantum Strategy sets out a bold and ambitious approach to supporting quantum technologies in the UK across the broad spectrum of quantum computing, sensing, timing, imaging and communications. It shows how the UK will develop its strengths across different hardware platforms, software and components, and reinforce our capabilities throughout the supply chains.
Just last month, Secretary of State Michelle Donelan opened PsiQuantum’s new state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facility at Sci-Tech Daresbury, which is supported with £9m from the government. In June, Minister Freeman announced £45m in funding to support universities and businesses working in the UK’s quantum technologies sector.
Details of the announcements
Small Business Research Initiative competition – Quantum Networks, Enabling Components & Systems
As part of the Innovate UK led Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition, 6 projects have been awarded £10.6 m to accelerate the development of components and systems for quantum network technologies.
These technologies will transform the way in which we distribute, secure, and process our information to meet the challenges of a communication network that is growing in capacity and complexity as our economy becomes increasingly underpinned by data. The funding will assist in the delivery of deployable prototypes into the hands of customers, building the UK’s leadership in this emerging global market.
The projects chosen to receive funding include delivering modular systems for connecting quantum processors into networks at scale and developing high-bandwidth quantum-secure communications between satellite and ground networks, they are set to conclude in 2025.
Quantum Standards Network Pilot
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), in collaboration with government and industry partners, will launch a UK Quantum Standards Network Pilot. This pilot network builds on the commitments made in the National Quantum Strategy which recognises the importance of technical standards to support the global commercialisation of quantum technology. The pilot network will ensure the UK is at the forefront of establishing global standards for quantum. It will provide a focal point on standards for UK industry and develop initial plans for industry outreach, standard development road mapping and international engagement, helping overcome barriers to the realisation of the potential of quantum technologies.
The aim of the pilot network is to evolve into a centre that coordinates the UK’s engagement with global standards, ensuring that the UK continues to be at the forefront of the quantum revolution. NPL will collaborate with the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), UKQuantum, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) on the pilot network.
New quantum agreement with the Netherlands to deepen collaboration on quantum
During the showcase, Minister Freeman will sign a new quantum agreement with the Netherlands to help harness the constant creation of new knowledge, understanding and insights from both our innovation ecosystems. International partnerships will play a crucial role in delivering the UK’s ambitions for quantum technologies as set out within the National Quantum Strategy. The UK has already signed agreements with the US and Canada which set out areas for closer cooperation covering research and development, commercialisation, investment and skills.
The Netherlands have a strong history and culture of technology and the agreement will see a deepening of the collaboration on science and innovation between the 2 countries. It will also support efforts in both countries to develop ethical and governance principles for the responsible use of quantum technology, for the benefit of society as a whole.
Canada – UK Commercialising Quantum Technology Programme
Collaboration between key international partners will be essential to build mutual capabilities and to grow industrial opportunities within quantum technologies. Alongside the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), Innovate UK is investing £4.2 m in 11 projects to strengthen collaborative research and development through Canada-UK partnerships.
This funding will help to develop real-world quantum technologies for commercial use in networking, sensing, and scalable solutions to quantum computing, alongside developing the supply chain.
The National Quantum Computing Centre signs up service provider to offer assured quantum computing access for UK users for research
The NQCC will provide assured quantum computing access to UK-based organisations to drive the research and development work that may benefit from the technology. This reflects the NQCC’s vision to enable the UK to solve some of the most complex and challenging problems facing society by harnessing the potential of quantum computing. To deliver this, the NQCC will have multiple quantum service providers to enable the growth of the UK’s quantum computing user community, with access to a wide range of state-of-the-art quantum machines.
The objective is to drive new research horizons and serve the UK research community to enable proof-of-concept projects, feasibility studies and discovery-led science. As a part of the initiative, the NQCC will engage with IBM Corporation to provide UK-based quantum computing users priority access to the full fleet of IBM’s quantum machines. Aligned with the recently published National Quantum Strategy, and the commitment of £2.5 bn of investment, the NQCC remains committed to working with organisations across government, industry and the research community, to support the delivery of assured quantum computing capabilities for the UK and build the user community for quantum computing.
The centre seeks to enable the UK to become a quantum-ready nation and take full advantage of the benefits that quantum computing can offer, by supporting the UK-based organisations.
The NQCC’s first facility, the NQCC Innovation Hub, is now ready to start hosting the development and operation of quantum computing testbeds.
The NQCC is investing £30m in projects that will deliver a series of quantum computing testbeds, based on different hardware architectures by March 2025. The prototypes that come from the competition, which is being delivered by Innovate UK, will accelerate the development of scalable quantum computers by enabling detailed characterisation and benchmarking of early-stage machines.
In establishing these quantum testbeds, the NQCC is aiming to fill a gap between lab-based experimentation in academia and the growing number of commercial quantum computers that have been built around proprietary technologies. The availability of testbeds will provide an experimental framework for ongoing efforts to develop methodologies for testing, and validating, the performance of quantum computers, which so far have largely relied on theoretical approaches. The initial response to the expression-of-interest call has shown that developers can see the value in opening up their platforms within the protected environment offered by the NQCC. The competition results will be announced in early 2024.
Small Business Research Initiative competition – Quantum Networks, Enabling Components & Systems list of projects:
- Quantum Link Assurance System – Aegiq
- NEXUS-QP – Duality Quantum Photonics
- delivering a system hardened, scalable, and interoperable QKD solution – KETS Quantum Security
- LYRA: A Modular path towards Industrialised and Scalable Quantum Networking – Nu Quantum
- NextQPU – Oxford Ionics
- Space-to-Ground Integrated Quantum Networks – Toshiba Europe
Canada – UK Commercialising Quantum Technology Programme list of projects:
- quantum technology enabled blood diagnostics for safer and more patient centric cancer care and treatment management – Beyond Blood Diagnostics
- Broadband Quantum Synthesizer (BQS) – Covesion
- H3Lo-QP: High-voltage High-IO High-transmission Low-temperature Quantum Photonics – Duality Quantum Photonics, Qontrol
- Cryogenic High Reliability Platform for Quantum Computing – ICEoxford
- Scalable Qubit Array Detection for Rydberg Quantum Computers – Infleqtion, Riverlane
- QUARREFOUR – Benchmarking Multi-core Quantum Computing Systems – Nu Quantum
- Generation of entAngLement for quAntum seCure mulTIparty Computation – Quantopticon, Galaxy Innovation, Bay Photonics
- 3LX – Developing low-cost, low-energy, low-detection limit X-Ray image sensors for critical industries using quantum dot technology – Quantum Advanced Solutions
- Hybrid compilation framework to accelerate quantum application development (CATALYST) Riverlane, Rolls-Royce
- QUAMINEX – a drone deployed integrated gravity magnetics measurement system for mineral exploration – Silicon Microgravity
- Distributed Symmetric Key Exchange (DSKE) Network – Toshiba Europe
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
01 Nov 23. Treaty on GCAP jet fighter project to be signed by end-2023, Italy says. A treaty for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) jet fighter programme will be signed in Tokyo by the end of the year, Italy’s defence ministry said on Wednesday. Italy, Britain and Japan agreed in December 2022 to collaborate to build an advanced front-line fighter to enter service around the middle of the next decade.
The Italian ministry issued a statement a day after three-way talks in Rome between the Italian and British defence ministers and a special advisor to the Japanese defence minister.
GCAP will be “a trilateral project based on equal participation in terms of costs and benefits, as well as on our three countries sharing the best technology”, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said.
GCAP is expected to cost tens of bns of dollars but the three participating countries have not yet finalised how the budget will be split.
In March, Reuters reported that Britain and Japan would dominate the programme, leaving Italy in a junior role, but Rome officials have repeatedly said they will be equal partners.
Parliamentary ratification will follow the signing of the treaty, the ministerial statement added.
Britain’s BAE Systems (BAES.L), Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T) and Italy’s Leonardo (LDOF.MI) are involved in the project. (Source: Google/Reuters)
EUROPE
31 Oct 23. Damen Naval and Alewijnse join forces for advanced Dutch-Belgian frigates. Dutch maritime players collaborate on anti-submarine warfare frigates with implications for national security.
In partnership, Damen Naval and Alewijnse have announced a contract for the systems integration of anti-submarine warfare frigates (ASWF) bound for the Netherlands and Belgium.
The collaboration signals a stride forward for Dutch naval construction and national defence capabilities.
Damen Naval, a player in naval shipbuilding, has recently solidified a collaboration with the Dutch company Alewijnse. This alliance aims to redefine maritime security in the region as the two entities join forces to create anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Netherlands and Belgium.
GlobalData’s The Netherlands Defense Market 2023–2028 report highlights that the Netherlands has invested in integrating its naval forces with those of Belgium under a single unified joint naval command.
The contract encompasses the design, engineering, installation and integration of all electrical systems on board the ASWF, including power distribution and lighting installations. The partnership marks a milestone in the defence industry, one that promises advanced capabilities and heightened national security.
Damen Naval managing director Roland Briene stated: “Our cooperation with Alewijnse goes back many years and many projects. We are delighted that we can work together once again on the ASWF project and that we have once again found a Dutch supplier.
“This ensures that the knowledge and experience will be shared with as many parties in the Dutch naval shipbuilding sector as possible. This strengthens the Dutch position in the world’s top of complex naval construction.”
The collaboration between Damen Naval and Alewijnse is not new, the companies having previously partnered on various naval projects including the joint support ship HNLMS Karel Doorman, landing platform dock HNLMS Rotterdam, the Holland-Class ocean-going patrol vessels, and the still-under-construction combat support ship Den Helder.
The ASWF frigates, set to replace the current Karel Doorman-class multipurpose frigates, represent a technological leap forward. These vessels will prioritise anti-submarine warfare capabilities and be equipped with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion systems designed to operate as quietly as possible. The ships will have sensors, enhancing their ability to detect submarines effectively.
Alewijnse CEO Gert Bravenboer said: “We are very proud to be working with Damen Naval on this prestigious project for COMMIT. This extensive and complex project demonstrates once again what the Dutch maritime sector can achieve through the power of cooperation.”
The ASWF project is carried out in close cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, with some of the work to be completed by the Ministry. The hulls for the frigates will be built in Romania and then transported to Vlissingen for further completion. Damen Naval is expected to deliver the first ship in 2028, marking a step forward for Dutch maritime capabilities and national security.
This year, Damen Naval also inked a contract with Dutch supplier RH Marine to provide the Integrated Mission Management System, Integrated Navigation Bridge System and Integrated Platform Management System for four anti-submarine warfare frigates commissioned by the Dutch and Belgian Navies.
27 Oct 23. Launch of 1st phase of the European Patrol Corvette EDF 2021 project: Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette contract signature. On October 24th, 2023 at OCCAR premises in Rome, OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) signed with the Consortium, coordinated by Naviris and including Fincantieri (Italy), Naval Group (France), Navantia (Spain) and other beneficiaries from Greece (INTEGRATED SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT S.A. (ISD), HYDRUS ENGENEERING S.A., INTRACOM DEFENSE S.A. (IDE), PRISMA ELECTRONICS, FEAC ENGINEERING, TERRA SPATIUM), Denmark (FORCE TECHNOLOGY, SH DEFENCE) and Norway (VESTDAVIT), all the contracts for the implementation of the Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette (MMPC) of the 1st phase of the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) project. In parallel, the Delegates of the companies signed a consortium agreement, whose objective is to rule the execution of the project, maximizing synergies and collaboration among European shipbuilding industries.
The European Commission strongly supports this first phase of EPC project through the European Defence Fund (EDF) with 60 M€, while extra 27 M€ will be funded by the participating Member States. With a duration of 24 months, the MMPC contract aims to provide the initial design of a next generation class of naval vessel EPC, launched in the context of a PESCO project.
Utilizing the expertise of various specialized European companies and in line with the European Commission strategy, the participating Member States defence strategies and the requirements specified by each Navy, the EPC program aims to develop smart, innovative, affordable, sustainable, interoperable and flexible vessels, designed to meet a wide range of missions in diverse operational contexts. IDE contributes to study activities on the EPC MANET radiosystem and interoperability aspects of Unmanned Sea Vehicles’ communications. (Source: ASD Network)
27 Oct 23. Netherlands Invests in Naval Shipbuilding Industry. Government and Industry Are Investing Heavily in Shipbuilding Innovation. Companies and suppliers in shipping, ship and naval construction, among others, form the maritime manufacturing industry. This sector is of great importance for safety, the energy transition and the economy of the Netherlands. However, the industry is under pressure. The government and sector are therefore investing €60m in innovation in 2024 and 2025.
Launching of the landing craft
The ministers involved reported this to the House of Representatives today. On behalf of Defense, State Secretary Christophe van der Maat with, in addition, Ministers Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate) and Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management).
Sector agenda
The Netherlands is a strong international player in the maritime manufacturing industry. This must remain the case in order to meet challenges, including in the areas of sustainability, digitalization and safety.
That is why Marja van Bijsterveldt, together with the government and sector, has drawn up the Sector Agenda for the Maritime Manufacturing Industry, which they are presenting today. Van Bijsterveldt is the cabinet envoy for its compilation.
The agenda indicates to what extent the Netherlands may be dependent on foreign countries for shipbuilding in view of vital national interests, such as safety. Asia, and recently China in particular, is taking over the industry step by step. The critical lower limit is in sight; for example, the Netherlands has insufficient competitive construction capacity for naval ships.
To grow that capacity, innovation in shipbuilding is needed. The government and the sector are each earmarking € 30 m for this over the next two years. They will be working on measures for 25 bottlenecks.
Van der Maat: “Sitting still is not an option for either party. It is not without reason that Defense invests €50 m annually in maritime innovation, such as robotization and sustainability. Collaboration is also part of the sector agenda. For example, when recruiting reservists and exchanging qualified personnel.”
The Dutch maritime manufacturing industry is of essential importance to Defense. “Not only because of the knowledge and skills, but also for military security,” says Van der Maat. “I am therefore pleased with this extra boost. The collaboration between the sector and the government strengthens the maritime ecosystem. This requires the industry to unite better. This way she can get more out of the new construction orders and maintenance of the Royal Navy.”
Safety at sea
Five major projects from the agenda provide an impetus to greening shipping and increasing safety at sea. But also, for example, the application of nuclear technology to power ships and modernize production. There will also be a National Maritime Manufacturing Industry Management Agency. This bundles and strengthens the currently fragmented and limited strength and knowledge of the ministries.
During the presentation of the sector agenda, the State Secretary took the lead in launching an overhauled landing craft. According to Van der Maat, this makes the sector agenda and the importance of cooperation between Defense, industry and knowledge institutions visible and tangible. “The landing ramps have now been replaced, but the vessel is being further modernized and adapted to the challenges of today. There are many more orders to come, where Defense and a strong national industry cannot do without each other.” (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Netherlands Ministry of Defense; issued Oct 26, 2023)
USA
01 Nov 23. POGO Reveals Report on A-10/F-35A Close Air Support Fly-Off that USAF Tried to Hide.
F-35 and A-10 Close Air Support Flyoff Report.
Pentagon leaders sold the concept of the F-35 to Congress and the American people by saying it would be an affordable replacement for the F-16 in the air supremacy role and the A-10 in the close air support role. Nearly 22 years later, the notion of the F-35 as an affordable replacement for any program has long-since been shattered. Serious questions remain as to whether the unreliable F-35 can be an effective replacement for the successful F-16. As for close air support, questions remain about the F-35’s ability to fill the A-10’s role, and a report detailing the results of comparative tests conducted in 2018 and 2019 between the two programs, obtained with a great deal of effort by the Project On Government Oversight, casts even more doubt on the matter.
POGO received a copy of the “F-35A and A-10C Comparison Test” report through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and subsequent litigation after the original request in April 2022 went unanswered.
The results were apparently not what the Air Force’s leaders expected, because they fought to hide them completely for years. The Pentagon’s testing office only drafted the report in February 2022, nearly three years after the tests concluded, and even now they are refusing to disclose many of the key findings: The released report is heavily redacted. Still, the information they did release does not paint a very positive picture of the F-35’s ability to fill the highly critical role the A-10 has performed capably in the United States’ last three major ground wars.
From the fragmentary information now available, it is clear the Air Force’s plan to replace the A-10’s capabilities will come up short. Yet Congress is on the cusp of authorizing the retirement of 42 A-10s in the next fiscal year, a decision they are making in an information vacuum since the report has not been widely circulated.
The Tests
The tests, which were designed to evaluate the A-10’s and the F-35’s ability to perform all attack aviation roles including close air support, airborne forward air control, and combat search and rescue, took place between April 2018 and March 2019 after Congress included a provision in the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. They took place over the vehement opposition of Air Force leaders: Then-Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh called the proposed tests a “silly exercise,” claiming the F-35 was never intended to be a replacement for the A-10.
In fact, the F-35 has always been designated as the replacement for the A-10, as well as for the F-16. Press reports at the time of the original contract award in 2001 made that point clear.
POGO broke the news that the tests were underway in July 2018 after receiving documents detailing how they were being conducted. It became immediately clear that the tests were designed to make the F-35 look as good as possible. At the time, POGO reported on the shortcomings of the testing program.
Click here for POGO’s analysis of the F-35A and A-10C Comparison Test report, on the POGO website: https://www.pogo.org/analysis/f-35-and-a-10-close-air-support-flyoff-report
Click here for the full report (48 PDF pages, heavily redacted) on the comparison fly-off: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24036641/f-35a-and-a-10c-comparison-test.pdf
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Project on Government Oversight;)
26 Oct 23. Newest F-35, F-15EX contracts are set. Here’s how much they cost. (EXCLUSIVE). New data obtained by Breaking Defense shows the so-called “flyaway” costs of the Air Force’s two fighter jets currently in production. But comparing them can make for tricky math.
The flyaway cost for the F-15EX Eagle II is approximately $90 m for each aircraft in the program’s second production lot, about $7.5 m more than the newest price for an F-35A, Breaking Defense has learned.
The Air Force has confirmed to Breaking Defense that a contract for the next three production lots of the Boeing-made F-15EX was finalized on Sept. 28, a major milestone for the program. But the $90 m per unit cost in the contract — a number that is expected to grow in successive lots — will likely raise eyebrows among critics both within and outside the service who argue that officials should focus on buying more F-35s.
Under the new agreement, the price for an F-15EX will start at “approximately” $90m for lot 2, rise to $97m in lot 3 and then dip to $94m in lot 4, according to an Air Force spokesperson. The two parties previously finalized a deal for the aircraft’s first lot in November 2022, setting a flyaway price of $80.5m for six jets with two test aircraft already purchased — meaning the costs on the F-15EX are going up per unit year over year until the fourth lot is introduced. (The Air Force measures flyaway price in then-year dollars, which are adjusted for inflation.)
As a cost comparison, F-35 Joint Program Office spokesman Russ Goemaere told Breaking Defense that the Air Force’s variant of the stealth fighter has an “average” flyaway cost of $82.5m for the jet’s 15th, 16th and 17th production lots, which will be delivered in calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Goemaere further stated that the average flyaway price for the vertical takeoff and landing F-35B is $109m, and that the carrier-launched F-35C comes in at $102.1m for lots 15-17. Neither variant is used by the Air Force.
The Air Force spokesperson said the service’s agreement with Boeing on the F-15EX finalized existing undefinitized contract actions (UCA) for the second and third lots, a mechanism whereby the Pentagon can issue dollar awards to get work started until specifics like price can be ironed out. The fourth lot was awarded without a UCA, the spokesperson said, bringing the cumulative value of the three lots to $3.9 bn for 48 F-15EXs.
A Boeing spokesperson told Breaking Defense that the second and third lots would consist of 12 fighters, and the fourth would feature 24. Lot 4 deliveries are scheduled to start in 2026, the spokesperson said. (The contractor is in the process of delivering the first lot consisting of eight fighters.)
“It’s essential that we provide the best value for our customers while offering an unmatched capability in the F-15EX. We are investing in our people and their development. We are using new automation in our factories. We are leveraging Lean practices. We have implemented many other processes, with our teams and our suppliers, designed to improve all areas of work to include reducing costs,” Mark Sears, vice president of Boeing fighters, told Breaking Defense in a statement.
“Inflation and its impacts are real and felt across our industry, but we continue to make the changes necessary to keep costs in check while growing our production capacity to meet demand,” he added.
Goemaere, the F-35 spokesperson, said in a statement: “The F-35 Joint Program Office is committed to finding cost reductions across the acquisition lifecycle. We are proud of the learning that has occurred and reduced costs for vastly increased fifth-generation capability that surpasses many fourth-generation aircraft in production today.”
“We continue to deliver cost-competitive, unparalleled 5th Generation capabilities in the F-35. Lot over lot, the aircraft delivers enhanced capabilities to stay ahead of threats while managing costs,” F-35 builder Lockheed Martin said in a statement to Breaking Defense.
It’s worth noting that various price tag figures exist for both jets, due in part to how manufacturers present the costs. For instance, when the announcement of a new lot agreement on F-35s happens, it is just for the jet bodies themselves, with an engine announcement coming later. Hence, “flyaway” costs can provide a closer approximation to judge the price tag of two different planes, as that covers what the jets should have when sitting on the runway ready to go.
Even still, when asked by Breaking Defense, the two programs offered definitions that appeared to have some slight differences.
For example, the Air Force spokesperson said the F-15EX’s flyaway cost encompasses the “Major End Item (Airframe, EPAWSS [Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability Suite], Engines, Radars and all other associated subsystems on the aircraft), as well as other applicable costs such as Production Non-Recurring Engineering, Systems Engineering and Program Management, and Engineering Change Orders.”
According to Goemaere, the F-35 program calculates the flyaway cost as consisting of the stealth fighter’s “Hardware (Airframe, Vehicle Systems, Mission Systems, Engine [and] Engineering Change Order) costs.”
Heather Penney, a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute, said some of the differences could be explained by the programs being in different stages of production.
“Because [F-15EX is] kind of a new start, if you will, they’ve got production non-recurring engineering. So that’s the tooling and engineering stuff that you would need to include to get the production line up on-ramp,” she said in an interview.
However, JV Venable, a senior research fellow for defense policy at the Heritage Foundation and skeptic of the F-15EX program, said he was doubtful of how much cost could be associated with the fighter’s production. Many of the aircraft’s technologies aren’t new, Venable said, except mainly the EPAWSS electronic warfare suite.
“It’s almost entirely the EPAWSS system. And so, if you’re looking for that being an extraordinarily large cost, I don’t think it’s going to be,” he said.
Moreover, though the price tags are the most recent figures available for the two jets, they’re both somewhat of a snapshot in time: the lot 15-17 deal for the F-35 was negotiated for over a year and ultimately finalized in December 2022, nearly a year prior to the F-15EX agreement, and the F-35 program is currently negotiating at least two more lots.
Overall, Penney said the costs for the two fighters are realistic given their respective program’s differences.
“I do believe that the flyaway costs are reasonable, given the production rates of each individual line, how the companies are able to amortize cost and overhead across those production rates, and where each program is on their learning curve,” she said.
Venable, who has previously questioned the service’s accounting in budget books, raised further concerns about the reliability of the numbers. Additionally, he pointed to the prices of the two fighters, arguing that the Air Force would get a better bang for its buck with the F-35. “You’re getting a fourth-generation capability,” he said of buying the F-15EX.
Penney said the two fighters’ roles are distinct, which warrants different considerations.
“The costs are difficult to compare because the capabilities and the use cases for both aircraft are so very different. Not all fighters are the same. And so people will be tempted to make an apples-to-apples comparison, and that’s just not appropriate when we look at how very different the capabilities between F-35 and F-15EX are, as well as how those programs are structured,” she said.
Whereas the F-35 is well-suited for penetrating anti-access/area denial zones and is slated for cutting-edge upgrades in future “blocks,” the F-15EX could work “behind the frontlines” of the F-35 and additionally perform homeland defense missions, according to Penney. Besides the F-15EX’s larger weapons carriage capacity — the F-35 typically sacrifices some weapon space by only mounting its weapons internally to maximize stealth — Penney said the two fighters will be optimized for different weapons in the future, and thus different combat roles.
“But I think what’s really unique about F-15EX is its SWaP-C [size, weight, power and cost],” Penney added, pointing to the fighter’s ability to generate “a lot of power.
“So if Boeing is able to put in a thermal management system that really allows them to take advantage of the electrical generation on the F-15EX,” she continued, “the potential there — there’s some more interesting things that it could do.” (The F-35 program is currently weighing an overhaul to its current thermal management system to account for future cooling challenges.)
Both analysts, however, agreed that one important consideration for the F-15EX is diversity in the industrial base. Without the F-15EX line, the Air Force would likely have to rely solely on the F-35 for new fighter deliveries — a dependency that could put the service in a bind especially if it wants to increase fighter procurement in the near-term, since the F-35 production line is currently humming at max capacity. Venable, however, pointed to other ways to support the fighter industrial base by propping other production lines like the F/A-18; the F-16 is also still in production, but only for foreign customers.
Venable and Penney also raised alarm about the Air Force’s shrinking fighter force, with Penney underscoring potential issues associated with sustaining a relatively small fleet of fighters like the F-15EX. For its original program of record, the Air Force sought 144 F-15EXs, a number that has dipped to 80 and gone back up to now 104. The Air Force’s F-35 program of record, which seeks 1,763 of the fighters, has remained stable for years, though some analysts have raised doubts that number will be met.
What the industrial base needs is certainty, Penney said, arguing that the Air Force’s indecision benefits no one.
“As the Air Force goes up and down in their program of record, that is going to put everyone else from Boeing all the way down on the end of the whip,” she said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)
REST OF THE WORLD
01 Nov 23. USN takes early steps with Australian, UK vendors on shared sub work. The U.S. Navy is beginning to integrate its industrial base with those of Australia and the United Kingdom, despite Congress not yet passing several measures to enable the trilateral submarine-building arrangement AUKUS.
AUKUS will bring about the sale of American submarines to Australia and the development of a new AUKUS-class design, but U.S. Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven recently told lawmakers the agreement goes beyond acquisition programs.
“It is about fundamentally changing and integrating three industrial bases in different parts of the world to produce maximum effect to serve our mutual national security efforts,” Raven said, noting such efforts are already underway.
Rear Adm. Scott Pappano, the program executive officer for strategic submarines, recently told Defense News at an additive manufacturing summit in Danville, Virginia, that the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program is tightly linked to its British counterpart, the Dreadnought program. Of particular importance is the bilateral collaboration in casting metal pieces for their common missile tubes.
Castings is among the weakest sectors in the U.S. submarine-industrial base, and something the U.S. Navy is actively trying to address by pouring money into vendors’ workforces and facilities, while also looking for new technologies — like additive manufacturing — to supplement traditional vendors’ output.
Pappano said his office, which also manages overall submarine-industrial base issues, has been looking at ways to use the U.K. castings sector and leverage the country’s castings suppliers.
Matt Sermon, the executive director at the strategic submarines office, said at the summit that Australian 3D-printing company AML3D would join a research and development effort at the Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Danville. The company’s machine uses a different printing technique than those already there, which could help the Navy advance its knowledge of the directed-energy deposition printing method and a nickel aluminum bronze alloy the service wants to use for printing submarine parts.
Sermon also noted a handful of Australian students had come through the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing schoolhouse across the street from the center of excellence. This partnership was meant to be a train-the-trainer arrangement, meaning students will return to Australia where they will establish an accelerated training center to locally grow a submarine workforce in support of AUKUS.
U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro attended the summit and said these efforts are critical for the service, adding that AUKUS is “incredibly important to our national security interests five years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now.”
The secretary noted he’s “very comfortable” in the submarine-industrial base’s ramp-up ahead of a 40-year-long heavy workload, but said more must be done to bolster the workforce — something Australia and the U.K. can help with that.
“Being able to bring Australian skilled workers here to the United States to participate in U.S. companies, and to also go back to Australia and participate in future Australian companies that are also helping to maintain, repair and build future SSN-AUKUS type ships — that’s a win-win situation for our allies and partners working together to make this happen,” he told Defense News.
During an Oct. 25 hearing before the House Armed Services Committee’s sea power panel, Raven said the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is establishing a presence in Australia to manage security and counterintelligence issues surrounding the submarine-sharing arrangement.
And Rear Adm. Jon Rucker, the program executive officer for attack submarines, said an existing workforce cross-training program on the Columbia and Dreadnought classes would be expanded to attack subs as well. Under that program workers from the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Connecticut and BAE Systems’ Barrow yard in England exchange places to ensure they’re both performing welding, nondestructive testing and other activities to the same standards.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
01 Nov 23. BAE Systems Publishes Status Report on Australia’s Hunter-class Frigate Program.
Hunter Class Frigates: November 2023 Update.
A building block of the Hunter-class frigate that BAE Systems Australia is building for the Royal Australian Navy. BAE has issued a status report on the program, that has come under increasing criticism because of its cost overruns and delays. (BAES photo)
BAE Systems Australia is racing ahead with the largest ever Australian surface warship build program, the Hunter Class Frigate Program.
Since being selected as the preferred tenderer and signing the Head Contract in December 2018, we have taken great strides in achieving milestones on the program. We have accepted the brand-new Osborne Naval Shipyard, refined our processes and systems through prototyping work, and have commenced construction of the first schedule protection block, which will be used – along with three other blocks – in the first Hunter class frigate.
Hunter is building our Australian workforce and industry capability
One of the most important facets of building a continuous naval shipbuilding capability, the Australian workforce, is growing month-on-month on the Hunter program.
We now have more than 1,800 people working on the program, with more than 1,500 of those here in Australia.
This also includes employees in our early careers program, which currently employs 25 apprentices, with an additional 24 apprentice placements planned for 2023 and early 2024. 29 graduates are currently rotating through the program, and a further 14 interns are working within the business.
Hunter is anticipated to create and sustain more than 5,000 jobs with us and the wider Australian defence supply chain over the life of the program, including up to 1,000 apprentice and graduate roles.
Through the Hunter program, we are committed to maximising opportunities for Australian industry. Local companies are progressively being engaged to support the manufacture of the first batch of three Hunter class frigates.
We have placed more than 80 contracts with Australian suppliers, with more than 30 placed for Batch 1.
More than 1,800 Australian businesses, representing every Australian state and territory, have registered their interest in working on the Hunter program through the Industry Capability Network.
Hunter Class Frigate Program progress update
During the prototyping phase, we have demonstrated new, more efficient ship-build methods and innovations and incorporated them into our shipbuilding process.
The high-level quality and productivity being achieved at the Osborne Naval Shipyard has resulted in the start of construction of the first Hunter-designed ship block, effectively recovering 13 months of schedule.
Each Hunter class frigate comprises 22 blocks, including the mast – each block is made up of between one to seven steel units.
All five of our prototype blocks are in various stages of completion, with our first two – Block 16 and Block 10 – having completed their blast and paint process.
The process of building a warship like Hunter begins with the design, which we have completely digitised. This digitisation extends to the shipyard itself, and our supply chain.
A connected shipyard, connected worker, connected ship, and connected fleet all serve to support an enduring sovereign industrial capability that will embed a Continuous Naval Shipbuilding capability within Australia.
About the Hunter class frigate
The Hunter class frigates are based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, currently being constructed in Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy.
The frigates are being modified to meet the Royal Australian Navy’s operational requirements. These modifications include incorporating the leading-edge Australian CEA phased-array radar, the Aegis combat management system and the integration of the Seahawk Romeo Maritime Combat Helicopter.
Each warship will be constructed on an acoustically-quiet hull and feature unique sonar capabilities, modular digital design and open systems architecture to facilitate through-life support and upgrades as new technology develops.
The formidable fleet is being designed for maximum versatility and flexibility in operational roles, from humanitarian and disaster relief operations to high-intensity warfare.
The integrated mission bay and hangar is capable of supporting multiple helicopters, unmanned vehicles, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores.
A launcher can be provided for fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle operation, and the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter to transport land forces.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigate program, derived from the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigate, has come under increasing criticism because of its growing cost and delays, which have led to calls for its down-scaling or outright cancellation. An Australian senator has referred the program to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, after the Australian National Audit Office issued a scathing report on the program.
The above progress report by BAE Systems Australia is an attempt to restore confidence in the program, and avoid remedial actions by the government.) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ BAE Systems Australia)
01 Nov 23. Feasibility Study of KF-21 Fighter Jet Suggests Cut in Initial Production Volume. A state-run defense research agency has suggested reducing the initial production volume of KF-21 homegrown fighter jets from the original plan due to uncertainties over the project, military officials said Tuesday, raising concerns over its price competitiveness.
Launched in 2015, the 8.8trn-won (US$6.59bn) KF-21 project is aimed at developing a supersonic fighter to replace South Korea’s aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets, with the goal of deploying 120 units by 2032.
The Korea Institute for Defense Analyses unveiled the conclusion of a feasibility study in a closed-door meeting Monday that recommends cutting the number in the first batch by half to 20 units from the initial plan due to uncertainties over the project.
The institute’s feasibility study is the final mandatory step to secure budget resources for its first-phase production, which is expected to begin next year.
The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it will consult with relevant agencies to ensure the homegrown aircraft’s timely deployment, without elaborating on the ongoing review process.
“The KF-21 is currently under normal development and a feasibility study has been underway to begin production from 2024,” DAPA official You Hyoung-keun said during a press briefing. “We will continue to make efforts to ensure that the KF-21 is deployed in a timely manner and maintains price and performance competitiveness.”
A total of six prototypes of the 4.5th-generation fighter, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries, began their flight tests earlier this year under the goal of making the first delivery to the Air Force in the latter half of 2026. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Yonhap News Agency)
01 Nov 23. Still reliant on Russia, India swaps MiG-21 for Su-30 MKI fighter jet. Indian Air Force Number 4 Squadron converted from Mig-21s to Su-30 MKI fighter jets, continuing a reliance on Russia from the Soviet-era.
Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots are converting from the MiG-21 to the Su-30 MKI, with the IAF Number 4 Squadron on 30 October flying the last sortie of the supersonic jet fighter that was in service for 60 years.
The formal induction of the Su-30 MKI happened on the same day, joining the Mig-21 in its final flypast.
The IAF relies on Russian defence companies for spare parts on the Su-30 MKI, and it has publicly expressed difficulties with these suppliers in February 2022, during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as sanctions on Russia led to failed deliveries.
Even as its partnership with the US flourishes, India remains a long term strategic partner of Russia, according to GlobalData’s ‘India Defense Market 2023-2028’ report. The relationship to Russia on matters of defence has a deep history, and is necessary to maintain Indian military platforms that in many case date back to the Soviet-era.
The decision to phase out the Mig-21 in favour of the Su-30 MKI and indigenous LCA fighters was announced in 2011, at which point 476 of the fleet of 946 MiG-21 aircraft had been lost in accidents over the decades. Initially scheduled for 2017, the replacement is still ongoing, with two Mig-21 squadrons still in operation.
The MiG-21 was the first supersonic jet in the IAF, inducted into service in 1963, and in operation with Number 4 Squadron since 1966. The second generation interceptor variant commenced delivery in 1964, and saw use to great effect in conflicts with Pakistan between the perils of 1965 and 1971. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
30 Oct 23. Boeing’s P-8 plane had unfair advantage in Canada tender, firms allege. Boeing had an unfair advantage over other companies in Canada’s competition for new surveillance aircraft, executives at two major firms alleged.
Éric Martel, president of Bombardier, and Joel Houde, vice president of General Dynamics Mission Systems’ international division, wrote in a letter to Canadian Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos that the proposed replacement of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora aircraft was biased in favor of the P-8.
The U.S. State Department on June 27 approved a foreign military sale to Canada for 16 P-8A aircraft and related equipment at an estimated cost of $5.9bn.
But in the Oct. 23 letter to Duclos, seen by Defense News, both Martel and Houde said their companies, along with 22 other firms, responded in good faith to a 2022 request for information from the Canadian government.
The RFI asked for industry input on a new surveillance plane as part of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project. The aircraft would need to be fully operational by 2040, according to the Canadian government’s request.
Bombardier of Dorval, Quebec, as well as General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada of Ottawa, Ontario, proposed a Global 6500 special-mission aircraft.
But in their letter to Duclos, the two executives noted government procurement officials on Oct. 17 told lawmakers the request had the “hallmarks of deliberate activity to orchestrate a particular outcome.”
“Worse, their testimony also revealed that requirements were withheld from Canadian industry, thus providing an advantage to an American company and seemingly resulting in a biased outcome,” the letter added, citing testimony before a House of Commons defense panel.
Procurement officials acknowledged to the panel they never sought input from Canadian firms or examined aircraft other than the P-8.
“It is inexplicable how Canadian government officials can conclude there is no Canadian solution [to meet aircraft requirements] when they have not had a single aerospace expert meet with Canadian industry to review the detailed engineering behind Canadian industry alternatives,” Martel and Houde wrote.
Duclos’ office didn’t respond to the specific issues raised in the letter but noted a final decision on a new surveillance aircraft has not yet been made. That decision “will be based on the capability offered, availability, pricing and benefits to Canadian industry,” according to a statement from the minister’s office.
Boeing, which declined to comment, has conducted a public relations campaign to support the proposed P-8 deal, noting it has more than 550 Canadian suppliers across Canada, with 81 directly contributing to the P-8 program.
Political intervention
The Canadian military originally planned to launch a competition in 2024 to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora fleet. The deadline to submit bids was set for 2027.
Apart from Boeing’s P-8 and Bombardier’s Global 6500, Japanese firm Kawasaki pitched its P-1 aircraft.
But in a surprise move in March, Canada requested pricing from the U.S. government for a fleet of P-8 Poseidons. Public Services and Procurement Canada, the federal contracting department, announced at the time that the P-8 was the only aircraft able to meet Canada’s needs.
That sparked a lobbying campaign by Bombardier and its industry partners, prompting the premiers of the country’s two largest provinces to call for an open competition that would allow Canadian vendors to bid.
Quebec Premier François Legault and Ontario Premier Doug Ford issued a joint statement July 12 calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to allow Canadian firms to compete to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with a new maritime patrol aircraft.
“These domestic firms should be able to compete in open, transparent tenders for important Canadian procurements, such as Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft replacement,” the premiers noted. They also called on Trudeau and other ministers in the ruling Liberal government “to stand up for the Ontario and Quebec aerospace and defence sectors and allow our firms to compete in an open CMMA tender.”
Ontario has the largest economy in Canada, followed by Quebec. The latter is the largest of Canada’s 10 provinces in area and is second only to Ontario in population.
“It’s an important contract, and we can understand the U.S. government must put a lot of pressure on the Canadian government. But we have a Canadian company, Bombardier, having plants in Ontario and Quebec that can supply what is needed,” Legault told reporters July 10 in Winnipeg, where he was meeting with other premiers.
Industry sources anticipate the Canadian government will to review and approve the purchase of the P-8 in November. However, government officials have not provided details on the final decision or an announcement’s timeline. (Source: Defense News)
31 Oct 23. India Communicates to France Decision to Procure 26 Rafale Marine Jets. India has formally communicated to France its decision to procure 26 naval variants of the Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Navy, kick-starting the procurement process under an intergovernmental framework, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
In July, the Defence Ministry approved the purchase of the Rafale Marine jets from France, primarily for deployment on board the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The issue of procurement of the Rafale Marine jets figured during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Paris.
India has sent a letter of request to the French government, formally communicating its decision to procure the jets from Dassault Aviation under the government-to-government framework.
The negotiations on pricing and other details are expected to take place after the defence ministry receives a response from the French side, the people familiar with the matter said.
Earlier this month, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation Eric Trappier visited New Delhi and discussed various aspects of the proposed procurement by India.
The Defence Ministry in July said the procurement of the jets along with associated ancillary equipment, including weapon systems and spares, would be based on an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) and that price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French government after taking into account all relevant aspects.
The Indian Air Force bought 36 aircraft in fly-away condition. There is a thinking in the IAF that it should go for at least two more squadrons of the Rafale jets.
The defence and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years.
In July, India and France announced a raft of ground-breaking defence cooperation projects, including the joint development of jet and helicopter engines and construction of three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy.
The two strategic partners also expressed commitment to cooperate in the co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies, including for the benefit of third countries.
(Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/ Press Trust of India)
30 Oct 23. BAE Systems calls for confidence in Hunter Class, rebuffing recent scrutiny. BAE Systems Australia has rebuffed recent public scrutiny of the Hunter Class frigate program in a recent statement from maritime managing director Craig Lockhart.
The Hunter Class frigate program has been the focus of much public scrutiny, particularly around speed and capability, according to a statement from Craig Lockhart published on 27 October.
“This ‘go-to’ narrative far too often comes from those who haven’t visited the shipyard or have the context around the program,” he said.
“While public scrutiny is to be expected, and rightly so, on any program that comes at expense to the taxpayer, I find that Australia is unique in how it publicly debates its defence programs.
“The moniker of ‘troubled’, in particular, has had a huge detrimental impact to the more than 1,600 employees on the program.
“These are dedicated people who are working tirelessly to provide a capability; specifically selected by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), that will provide Australia with a world-leading, highly capable and versatile multi-mission warship.”
The Australian federal government previously signed the contract with ASC Shipbuilding (now known as BAE Systems Maritime Australia) in December 2018 to build the Hunter Class frigates under Project SEA 5000 Phase 1.
The multi-billion-dollar Hunter Class Frigate Program (HCFP) is hoped to provide nine frigates optimised for anti-submarine warfare to replace the Anzac Class frigates based on the UK’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship, modified to meet Australian requirements. It has an initial approved budget of $6bn for the design activity to incorporate the Australian requirements, to conduct prototyping of ship blocks in the new shipyard under construction at Osborne in South Australia, and to order long-lead items for the first three ships.
“What is often missing from the commentary is that the Hunter has been designed to accommodate emerging technologies or enhance the warfighting effectiveness should there be a greater threat to our strategic environment,” Lockhart said.
“Our engineers have already proven that the Hunter can accommodate greater than 96 vertical launch missile cells, if asked to do so.
“Let me be clear, the Hunter Class Frigate Program is making strong and tangible progress. We are building the world’s most advanced naval shipyard that’s delivering ship blocks that is sector leading in quality, and we are operating digital twin simulations that are attracting the attention of even the US.”
He also expressed confidence in a resilient workforce of more than 1,500 people involved in the program and building ships in South Australia.
“We consistently exceed Australian industry capability requirements and have expressions of interest from more than 1,750 Australian businesses who want to be part of the program,” Lockhart said.
“We have adapted the design to include leading-edge air defence capabilities and the end result is a ship that still performs at the same speed, endurance, and stealth as originally planned, while maintaining the same length and delivering more than what is required through life margins.
“Last week we completed the preliminary design review, which is a technical assessment that ensures the ship design is operationally effective. In May, the team commenced construction on the first schedule protection block. This block will be capable of being used in the first Hunter frigate.
“We are working on a world-class shipbuilding program that delivers the past and current governments’ commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding. We have built something of which all Australians should be proud.”
Lockhart also stated moves to building a different ship overseas will not deliver Australia capability any sooner.
“There are no ‘off-the-shelf’ warships available ready for Australia to purchase. Why would we as Australians, be ready to trade our jobs for overseas jobs?” he said.
“The ‘trouble’ with the Hunter Class Frigate Program is not the program – it is the lack of understanding and celebration of the exceptional work being done by Australians, for Australians.
“I say this as someone who has chosen to live in this great country and who stands proud of what we are doing.” (Source: Defence Connect)
27 Oct 23. Italy readies quick sale of patrol ships to Indonesia amid China fears. Italy is in talks with Indonesia to sell the Pacific nation two of its new PPA multipurpose patrol vessels, an Italian minister has told Defense News. The ships to be sold would be among those already being built for the Italian navy in order to accelerate delivery, said Italian junior defense minister Matteo Perego di Cremnago.
He added that regional tensions with China meant Indonesia needed new ships rapidly.
“All countries in the region want to increase their fleets rapidly so fast deliveries are needed. Today, you can no longer think of delivering vessels within three years – we need to accelerate programs,” he said.
Italy has ordered seven of the multi-purpose vessels from local shipyard Fincantieri, with six now launched and three already in service with the Italian navy.
Vessel number six, the Ruggiero di Lauria, was launched on Oct. 6 at Fincantieri’s Muggiano yard in Italy.
The two vessels which could be sold to Indonesia would either be among those launched but yet to enter into service, or include the seventh, still-unlaunched vessel. The Italian navy would then order two more to fulfill its own requirement.
“It is not clear which of the vessels would go to Indonesia, that depends on when a contract is signed,” said Perego di Cremnago.
In 2020, Italy agreed to sell Egypt the final two of ten FREMM frigates it was already building for the Italian navy.
Rome decided to divert the two vessels to Egypt, then order two more from Fincantieri to complete the Italian navy’s complement of ships.
“There needs to be a flexibility on the part of companies, so they think, ‘I am already building this vessel, maybe I can divert it to that customer,’” said Perego di Cremnago.
“We did that with the two Fremms for Egypt which were due to go to the Italian navy. We could do the same thing with the PPAs,” he added.
The 143 meter long PPA vessels, which displace around 4,900 tonnes, can be configured in different versions, from disaster relief to full war-fighting. The ships are notable for their “naval cockpit” bridge, which were designed with help from naval aviators to resemble an aircraft’s cockpit and require just two navigators to pilot the vessel.
The talks with Indonesia stem from a tour of the Indo-Pacific region undertaken by one of Italy’s vessels, with stops in the Philippines, India, Singapore and Malaysia.
“The tour showed Italy is increasing operations in the Indo- Pacific, and was also a way to show Italian technological capabilities,” said Perego di Cremnago.
If a deal with Indonesia goes through, Italy will offer the transfer of technology and know-how, he added.
“All countries ask for it and we are ready,” he said.
Fincantieri previously signed to sell six FREMM frigates to Indonesia in2021.
Separately, a pan-European program for a new corvette received a boost this week in Rome when Europe-based defense contracting agency OCCAR signed with manufacturers to launch the program’s first, two year phase.
Fincantieri, Spain’s Navantia, France’s Naval Group and other firms, coordinated by Naviris – a joint venture between Fincantieri and Naval Group – signed up for the European Patrol Corvette program.
The European Defense Fund will contribute €60m ($63m) for the ongoing program phase, with another €27m supplied by member states Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Greece and Norway. (Source: Defense News)
27 Oct 23. U.S.-Australia Technology Safeguards Agreement. On October 26, 2023, the United States and Australia signed the Agreement on Technology Safeguards Associated with U.S. Participation in Space Launches from Australia, or the U.S.-Australia Technology Safeguards Agreement.
The Agreement, upon entry into force, provides the legal and technical framework for U.S. space launches from Australian spaceports while ensuring proper handling of sensitive technology, consistent with our long-standing partnership as members of the Missile Technology Control Regime.
U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation C.S. Eliot Kang and Australian Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd signed the Agreement between the two countries.
This Agreement protects sensitive U.S. technology and sets the standard for how others should use such sensitive technology in the conduct of satellite and rocket launches from foreign locations.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ US State Department)
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