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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
19 Aug 24. Warship and submarine readiness boost by small British businesses. Small British businesses are to benefit from a new warship and submarine agreement, Defence Minister Maria Eagle has announced today.
- UK SMEs able to bid for work under large new framework.
- More than 180,000 different items requiring delivery around the world.
- Greater Royal Navy fleet readiness to simultaneously support UK economic growth.
The agreement, which will enhance economic growth across the UK, will also boost overall availability of the UK’s warships and submarines. It will see far greater access from the Ministry of Defence directly to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), allowing them to bid for work under a seven-year framework worth up to £850 m.
The Marine Systems Transformation (MaST) programme delivers support and spares to non-combat equipment aboard UK warships and submarines, covering 180,000 different items from propulsion systems to galley equipment.
Across the framework, between a third and half of the suppliers are based outside the south of England with the majority being Midlands or North of England-based, and additional suppliers based in Scotland and Wales.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle said:
The spares and repairs that keep our warships submarines at sea are critical, and this agreement will ensure that more British small businesses – from Southampton to Aberdeen – will be at the heart of supporting the Royal Navy.
By backing our defence industry, we will keep the nation safe and support more than 200,000 jobs.
Today’s changes open the market for 39 companies to bid for work through Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) – the MOD’s procurement arm. Greater warship and submarine availability will be delivered through:
- Improved access to spare parts, both for planned and unplanned maintenance;
- Access to specialist equipment-related technical advice and expertise globally; and
- Reductions in cost without compromising safety or availability.
The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, announced the new agreement on a visit in Birmingham, to Somers Forge – manufacturer of bespoke naval parts and one of several businesses based in the Midlands that can bid for work under the new framework.
The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, announced the new agreement on a visit in Birmingham, to Somers Forge – manufacturer of bespoke naval parts and one of several businesses based in the Midlands that can bid for work under the new framework.
Managing Director of Somers Forge, Samson Folkes said: “Being selected for the MAST framework represents a huge opportunity for our business. We have been a defence supplier since 1912 and are incredibly proud of our heritage supporting the Royal Navy. For Somers Forge, winning contracts through MAST can help us sustain vital jobs and apprenticeships in the Midlands as well as underpin our growth ambitions. MaST allows direct access to SME suppliers to deliver value for money for the taxpayer and to drive economic growth through defence industry organisations of all sizes across the UK.”
Toni Gray, Navy Acquisition, Equipment Support Programmes Director, said: “The MaST frameworks will deliver vital spares, repairs and post design services to support the Royal Navy’s fleet of ships and submarines. The frameworks will widen our market, enable us to contract direct to SMEs, and critically, offer never seen before levels of customer choice to how we sustain our key equipment’s.”
Dr Simon Dakin, DG – Core at DE&S, said: “The MaST frameworks are a game-changer to spares procurement and in service support to Royal Navy warships and submarines. It brings the agility to respond to increasingly uncertain world events and meet a demanding operational schedule while driving value for money in our procurement approach to the goods and services that we just need to deliver repeatably, cost effectively and well.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
20 Aug 24. Could axed Royal Navy frigates be in contention for potential reprieve? A slew of former Royal Navy warships, including recently axed Type 23 frigates, survey ships, or minesweepers, are under consideration for conversion into a harbour training ship.
In what could provide an unexpected reprieve for recently axed UK warships, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a request for information (RfI) for a replacement to the legacy Type 82 destroyer HMS Bristol, which up until 2020 served as a Harbour Training Ship (HTS) at HMNB Portsmouth.
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Additionally, the HTS provided a training facility for a range of other RN and MoD users “which has now fallen by the wayside”, the RfI noted.
The loss of HMS Bristol, which was increasing difficult to maintain in a condition suitable for cadet, youth, and wider training purposes, is yet to be replaced, more than four years after its was withdrawn from the HTS role.
Reports in June 2024 said that HMS Bristol was towed from its mooring at HMNB Portsmouth in preparation for scrapping.
New training ship by 2027 “may be ambitious”
According to the RfI, historically an HTS could provide approximately 30,000 bed nights and 500 Royal Navy cadet and youth courses per annum. The loss of the ability to provide cadets with warship-based residential accommodation was “significant”, the MoD stated, which has “reduced the quality of realism of the… experience which the RN is expected to deliver”.
To this end, Navy Command requires a UK-based ‘Warship Experience’ and residential capability “in close proximity to water-borne activities”, which should be accessible from their home training locations or during residential camps.
The proposed afloat activities that the HTS is expected to provide include an “interactive experience”, incorporating a series of onboard physical challenges, scenario simulators, virtual reality activities, and traditional instructional activities, the RfI noted.
Being procured under Project Powerful, UK Navy Command is seeking return an HTS capability to cadet, youth, and wider training by April 2027, but stating that this timeline “may be ambitious”.
Depending on location, the new HTS would need to interoperate with shoreside utilities, berthing infrastructure, and shore-based catering, as well as existing naval sporting, recreational, boat, and training facilities if available.
Key constraints identified include the availability of sufficient depth of water and space in the potential locations at which to moor a former warship, and the need to offer a mix of gender-neutral accommodation, with an aspiration for 200-300 beds per night, utiliising “one or more HTS”.
An axed fleet: exploring the options
According to the MoD RfI, the Royal Navy has explored the potential to convert two former warships into the HTS role, these being the former hydrographic survey vessel HMS Echo, and HMS Ramsey, a former Sandown-class mine countermeasure vessel (MCMV) currently languishing as a STOROB unit after being decommissioned in 2021.
When assigned as STOROB, or stories robbery, status, the warship is effectively stripped of parts as and when needed to sustain vessels of the same class that are still operational.
It was thought that HMS Ramsey had been sold to the Romanian Navy, but its current STOROB status could cast this into doubt as parts and components are pulled out to sustain still serving Sandown-class MCMVs.
In either case, HMS Ramsey, which has a glass reinforced plastic hull, was not expected to be suitable for regeneration as the HTS vessel, the RfI noted. Meanwhile, HMS Echo is currently berthed in a non-tidal berth waiting disposal, subjected to being utilised as an HTS option.
The use of HMS Echo could offer a reasonable replacement to HMS Bristol, with a comparable beam (16.8m vs 17m respectively), although is considerably shorter (90.6m vs 155m respectively).
Another option could be either of the two recently axed Type 23 frigates HMS Argyll or HMS Westminster, which were announced to be sold to BAE Systems for use as an apprentice training vessel in the case of Argyll, while Westminster was to be scrapped. It was long thought likely that Westminster was suffering as being in poor materiel condition and was last operational 2022.
HMS Argyll, despite being the oldest serving Type 23 at the time of its departure from Royal Navy service, was also active as recently as 2022, the same year that it began a long-planned life-extension programme to keep it in service through to the latter 2020s.
The potential sale of HMS Argyll to BAE Systems is still ongoing, while, despite having been removed from operational service, the disposal method of HMS Westminster has not been finalised.
Utilising a Type 23 frigate as a new HTS would provide a platform of more comparable size to HMS Bristol, being 133 metres (m) long, featuring a breadth of 16.1m, and able to accommodate more than 200 navy personnel. (Source: naval-technology.com)
USA
22 Aug 24. US Army not sold on new approach to radio acquisition. An Army pilot program testing a new acquisition strategy to purchase radios as a service has seen “mixed results,” according to one official.
The Army kicked off the effort late last year and this spring issued a request for information from industry about the project, which would be a departure from the service’s traditional approach to buying and sustaining radios.
Mark Kitz, the Army’s program executive officer for tactical command, control and communications, said Wednesday the service hasn’t determined how to proceed with the effort.
“I think we’re still struggling with, what are the upfront investments the Army needs to make, and then what’s the return on investment for you, industry, with radio as a service,” he said during a presentation at AFCEA’s TechNet conference in Augusta, Georgia. “I think lukewarm would be my assessment right now.”
The Army initiated the pilot as a cost-effective option for modernizing its hundreds of thousands of radios — an inventory too large to quickly upgrade.
The model would operate like a subscription service in which the Army leases capability when it needs it rather than buying and maintaining radios outright as the service does today.
Vendors would provide a limited number of radios as needed for training and operations and then would upgrade their software to match modernization requirements.
Officials have varying views on the prospects of the program, meanwhile. Army Undersecretary Gabe Camarillo, for example, has said he finds the idea compelling, while Kits said he remains committed to the effort and “believes we’re going to get a strong return on investment.”
“I don’t necessarily see that from the pilot, and so I think that’s going to be a continued conversation with industry,” he said.
Kitz was optimistic, however, about two other “as-a-service” pilots for satellite communications and IT. He said the Army is committed to making the pilot work for SATCOM and expects the service to begin a pilot for IT at the edge over the next 18 months. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
21 Aug 24. USAF scraps $12bn Sentinel systems integration contract. The Air Force is going back to the drawing board for its $12bn systems integration contract for its Sentinel nuclear missile replacement program. Twice now, the Government Accountability Office has told the Air Force to re-evaluate proposals for the Integration Support Contract 2.0 following a pair of sustained protests.
Decision decision number one fell in 2022 and the second came earlier in the summer. Guidehouse successfully protested the Air Force’s choice of incumbent BAE Systems Inc. in the first ruling, while the roles were reversed for the second case.
In the most recent decision, GAO said the Air Force should re-evaluate the entirety of proposals submitted by Guidehouse and BAE. The Air Force only wanted to look at certain sections of the bids.
GAO also offered the Air Force this out – if the solicitation no longer meets the needs of the Air Force, the branch could amend the solicitation and then ask for new proposals.
But the Air Force has taken that recommendation a step further and canceled the contract altogether.
In a brief statement on Sam.gov, the Air Force offered no explanation on why it decided to scrap the contract rather than rework the solicitation. A call into the Air Force has not been returned.
If the Air Force develops a new request for proposals, it will come out under a new solicitation number. In the meantime, BAE continues work on the incumbent contract that is slated to expire at the end of January 2025.
The Integration Support Contract 2.0 would have covered sustainment services for the Minuteman III missile and its retirement. ISC 2.0 also was to support the deployment of its successor system, the Ground-based Strategic Deterrent, which includes the Sentinel missile being built by Northrop Grumman.
ISC 2.0 was to run for 18 years and included services such as cybersecurity, digital engineering, model-based systems engineering and change management.
The Air Force’s push to replace Minuteman III has been troubled.
In June, the Air Force fired Sentinel Systems director Col. Charles Clegg. He “did not follow organizational procedures” and the Air Force had lost confidence in his ability to lead, an Air Force spokesperson told our sibling publication Defense One in June.
Congress also has been pressuring the Air Force for a more thorough review of alternatives before moving ahead with Sentinel. Projected costs for the program are now $131 bn, according to Defense One.
The need to replace the Minuteman III missiles has been a long-standing issue. They were first deployed in 1970 with an expected lifetime of 10 years. (Source: washingtontechnology.com)
21 Aug 24. Cuashub.com said today that DHS calls for LRBAA proposals to address C-UAS challenges. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has issued the Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (LRBAA), calling for research and development proposals to address key security challenges. This announcement is part of DHS’s ongoing efforts to engage the scientific and technical communities in developing innovative solutions for national security.
Within the LRBAA, the “Secure U.S. Borders and Approaches” (BORAP) section includes a focus on C-UAS. The growing threat posed by drones, particularly in border regions, has made the development of effective C-UAS technologies a priority for DHS. Drones are increasingly being used for illicit activities such as smuggling, unauthorised surveillance and potential attacks, making it crucial to advance detection, tracking and neutralisation capabilities.
The BORAP section emphasises the need for air-based technologies that can operate in diverse and challenging environments. This includes developing systems that can seamlessly integrate with existing border security infrastructure, ensuring that they can be deployed rapidly and without disrupting legitimate operations. The focus is not only on the technology itself but also on its practical application in real-world scenarios, where quick and reliable responses to drone threats are essential.
Bringing industry and academia on-board
By opening the LRBAA to industry and academia, DHS is aiming to tap into a wider range of C-UAS expertise and innovation. The goal is to create advanced C-UAS solutions that can enhance border security, adapting to the evolving aerial threat landscape. This initiative reflects DHS’s commitment to staying ahead of emerging challenges and maintaining a robust defence against unauthorised drone activity along the U.S. borders.
The LRBAA program manager, Dusty Lang, highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that the process is designed to allow innovators to gauge DHS’s interest early on, thereby reducing the effort and expense of developing full proposals. This streamlined approach is intended to foster more effective collaborations and accelerate the development of critical security technologies.
https://cuashub.com/en/content/dhs-calls-for-lrbaa-proposals-to-address-c-uas-challenges/?utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_57BncsnUjNuWbNWbmOaQxBcaA1yGqdiU7CxVgIcXjMfpDHBmJVGRL00dNoB3QrbYH0tHD162urshWdpIZFALFGGowVa8HzDEWEyfmaZit9MQy2IY&_hsmi=321239378&utm_content=321239378&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
REST OF THE WORLD
23 Aug 24. Joint Statement – Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period. The Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia; the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom; and the Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense, United States.
Today, AUKUS nations will commence the Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. This is a historic milestone for the AUKUS partnership, which promotes stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
Over the last year, Australian personnel have undergone training provided by the U.S. and the U.K. to understand how to safely operate, maintain, and regulate Australia’s future conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) capability, to be delivered under AUKUS.
Continuing this training, the STMP is a significant step in Australia’s acquisition of SSNs, marking the first time Australian personnel will directly participate in the maintenance of a nuclear-powered submarine in Australia. Building on the success of earlier U.S. SSN visits, Australian personnel will undertake hands-on learning and observe a range of activities during the STMP.
Through this activity, uniformed and civilian personnel from our three nations will work together to transfer knowledge and skills necessary to set us on the trajectory to establish Submarine Rotational Force – West (SRF-West) and accelerate Australia’s efforts to be ‘sovereign ready’ to own and operate its own sovereign SSN capability. SRF-West will involve the rotational presence of one UK Astute class and up to four U.S. Virginia class submarines at HMAS Stirling.
Australians are now learning, and serving, alongside their shipmates in both the Royal Navy and U. S. Navy’s submarine forces, in their training establishments, gaining the knowledge and experience needed to support and operate future Royal Australian Navy SSNs.
Nuclear stewardship is an absolute priority for AUKUS partners. During the STMP, simulated training exercises will help Australia increase its knowledge and implement a safety culture that ensures the highest level of protection to our people, the public, and the environment.
AUKUS partners are also committed to setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard for the acquisition of a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability for Australia.
Our navies are committed to reinforcing the same guiding principles within Australia that have allowed the United States and United Kingdom to safely operate nuclear-powered ships for nearly 70 years. We are stronger, safer, and more effective when we learn, train, work, and operate together. The STMP, coupled with the continued learning across our three nations, is an opportunity to share critical skills, training, and knowledge, and further improve our interoperability.
The STMP is a foundational activity under the AUKUS partnership that will strengthen our defence capabilities, deter aggression in the region, and uphold the rules-based international order. (Source: U.S. DoD)
19 Aug 24. South Korea cleared to buy ‘up to’ 36 new Apache AH-64E helicopters. In addition, the State Department announced three other Foreign Military Sales approvals, for the Netherlands, Finland and Australia. The US State Department today approved South Korea to purchase “up to” 36 Boeing-made Apache AH-64E helicopters, with an estimated price tag of $3.5bn.
In addition, State announced three other Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approvals: CH-47 and AH-64 Helicopter training for the Netherlands (estimated $305m cost), M1156A1 Precision Guidance Kits and related equipment for Finland (estimated $70m) and FGM-148F Javelin Missiles and related equipment for Australia (estimated $100m).
The announcements, issued in the form of congressional notifications from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), are not final. Quantities and dollar totals often shift during negotiations, and today’s announcements technically tee up an opportunity for lawmakers to block the deals within a 30-day period, though such a step would be unlikely given the countries involved.
The crown jewel of today’s announcement is clearly the Apache buy, although the fact the DSCA announcement specifies “up to 36” implies the actual final buy may be smaller. In addition to the helicopters, the proposed deal includes 76 T700-GE-701D engines and a long list of associated equipment.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to the DSCA announcement. It will “improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations.”
Work will primarily happen at Boeing’s Mesa, Ariz., facility and Lockheed Martin’s Orlando, Fla., facility.
It’s been a busy month for DSCA. On Aug. 13, the agency announced over $20bn in potential weapon sales cleared for Israel, and just last week it said Germany was in line for some $5 bn-worth of Patriot missiles. And at the start of August, DSCA director James Hursch retired, replaced in an acting capacity by Michael F. Miller. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
21 Aug 24. Tunisia advances ties with US with SAFE Archangel boat deal.
The latest US military sale bolsters Tunisia’s role in regional security amid growing challenges in North Africa.
Tunisia is poised to enhance its maritime defence capabilities through a new agreement with the United States.
The agreement will see the delivery of 65-foot (ft) SAFE Archangel boats and related logistical support valued at up to $110m (TD335.5m). The US State Department has given the green light for this foreign military sale, reflecting Tunisia’s importance as a partner in North Africa.
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This latest procurement is part of an ongoing effort to bolster Tunisia’s maritime security forces, building on an earlier deal worth $49.3m. The previous agreement included the delivery of similar boats, global positioning systems, navigation, and communication equipment, as well as training and logistical support. The current sale expands this initiative, emphasising the US’s commitment to strengthening the military capabilities of Tunisia, a non-Nato ally.
Exercise Phoenix Express 2021 commenced in Tunis, Tunisia, with participation from 13 countries, including the US, France, Greece, and Algeria. This North African multinational maritime exercise aimed to boost regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and operational capabilities.
US Naval Forces Africa conducts the drill and involves strategic and tactical exercises to enhance maritime security and address issues such as irregular migration and illicit trafficking.
The 65ft SAFE Archangel boats are designed for maritime operations, making them ideal for search and rescue missions, maritime law enforcement, and ensuring security in Tunisian waters and the broader Mediterranean region. With this purchase, Tunisia aims to boost its naval capacity to address security challenges, from illegal trafficking to counterterrorism operations in an unstable region.
The decision to proceed with this sale shows Tunisia’s importance in US foreign policy, particularly in maintaining stability in North Africa. As Tunisia continues to play a role in regional security and peacekeeping operations across Africa, these boats will enhance their ability to contribute to security objectives alongside the United States and other Western partners.
The principal contractor for this deal is SAFE Boats International, based in Bremerton, Washington. According to GlobalData’s intelligence on the US defence market, the US Navy has previously acquired SAFE Boats International’s Mark VI Light Combat Vessel between 2013 and 2018.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
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