LOCATIONS
LAND
09 Jan 24. Construction has begun on a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. The Academy will comprise of a Modern Trade Hall and a Flexible Learning Hub. The Academy will support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices to senior leaders, and forms part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to develop future talent.
It will accelerate the modernisation of Glasgow’s historic shipbuilding industry, upskilling the existing workforce whilst attracting new talent to secure its future for generations to come.
A historic industrial building will be retrofitted to become the Modern Trade Hall, with areas dedicated to each shipbuilding trade, ship-realistic mock up environments and research & technology facilities. Immediately adjacent will be a Flexible Learning Hub, containing more than 30 classrooms, a STEM innovation lab and office facilities.
On completion in the second half of 2024, the Shipbuilding Academy will provide bespoke training for almost 4,500 employees, including nearly 700 apprentices.
These new facilities will also enable a substantial expansion of the successful early careers programmes at BAE Systems, doubling the intake in Glasgow to more than 200 new apprentices each year.
Paul Feely, Academy and Engineering Director, BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said: “This new training facility is an exciting demonstration of our commitment to shipbuilding on the Clyde, allowing us to further support thousands of highly skilled jobs in Scotland.
“Our investment in Glasgow will help us to deliver the national endeavour that is the Type 26 programme and ensure that we can provide navies around the world with a competitive edge in the decades to come.”
Rex Cox, Chief Executive Officer, National Shipbuilding Office, said: “Our work with the UK Shipbuilding Skills Task Force identified the urgent need to invest in shipbuilding skills.
“At the National Shipbuilding Office, we are heartened to see such tangible action being taken in response to our collective call for upskilling the industry and we look forward to the positive impact this academy will have on our national shipbuilding capabilities.”
The Academy in Glasgow is the third dedicated training facility which BAE Systems has created, following similar investments in Samlesbury and Barrow-in-Furness in the North West of England. Together, the facilities support the training and development of BAE Systems’ near 40,000 strong workforce across the UK.
BAE Systems has a long-established tradition of recruiting and training apprentices and graduates and almost doubled its investment in education, skills and early careers activities to £180 m over the past two years.
Construction of a modern shipbuilding hall in Govan is also underway and, together with a range of additional investments in technologies and equipment, it forms part of an overall £300m investment in the two sites in Glasgow over the next five years.
These investments will greatly enhance productivity of the shipyards to support the delivery of the eight Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy and potential future orders.
BAE Systems has also announced that it is recruiting almost 300 apprentices and graduates to join its Naval Ships business in Glasgow in 2024. The closing date for apprentice applications is 28 February 2024. There are multiple graduate intakes throughout the year, including January, June and September. Find out more and apply: baesystems.com/earlycareers
Additionally there are thousands of roles available across the UK for experienced professionals. Find out more and apply: baesystems.com/experiencedprofessionals
MARITIME
09 Jan 24. Brazil commissions second Riachuelo-class SSK. The Brazilian Navy’s Submarine Development Program (Programa de Desenvolvimento de Submarinos: PROSUB) is to reach a new milestone on 12 January with the Submarines Force Command commissioning the second Riachuelo-class conventional attack submarine (SSK), S Humaitá (S41), at the Itaguaí Naval Complex (CNI), the navy told Janes. New facilities for the Submarines Force Command at the Madeira Island Submarines Base (BSIM) will also be inaugurated on 12 January, the navy told Janes. S Humaitá was launched on 11 December 2020 at CNI in the State of Rio de Janeiro and joins first-of-class S Riachuelo (S40), which was commissioned in September 2022. Another two submarines, S Tonelero (S42) and S Angostura (S43) are under construction at CNI by Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN) for delivery in 2025 and 2026, respectively, the navy told Janes. (Source: Janes)
AIR
10 Jan 24. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is proud to announce the successful delivery of the first two Slovakian F-16 Block 70 jets. These advanced aircraft represent not only a leap in technology but also a firm commitment to enhancing Slovakia’s national security. OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, emphasized the significance of this delivery: “The delivery of the first two F-16 Block 70 jets to Slovakia signifies a crucial starting point in bolstering the country’s defense capabilities. We are proud to be part of this endeavor and are committed to delivering a total of 14 jets to Slovakia.” Sanchez continued: “The integration of this proven platform will allow the Slovak Air Force to effectively safeguard its borders and partner with allies across Europe, NATO, and the world. We stand committed to our mission of advancing 21st Century Security through cost-effective operations and strategic partnerships, ensuring the safety and well-being of U.S. allies.” These F-16 Block 70 jets, proudly manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina, are a testament to advanced engineering and technology. With a current backlog of 135 jets, the production line serves as a cornerstone of national security, offering state-of-the-art F-16 fighter jet capabilities to allies worldwide. Furthermore, Bulgaria has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for an additional eight jets for its fleet. Once the agreement is finalized, the backlog will increase by eight. Deliveries for Slovakia will continue through 2025, and the first group of jets, known as a ferry cell, is expected to arrive in Slovakia mid-2024.
09 Jan 24. Final Tranche of 18 Rafale for Indonesia Comes into Force. Entry into Force of the Final Tranche of 18 Rafale for Indonesia. The final tranche of 18 Rafale for Indonesia came into force today. It follows the entry into force, in September 2022 and August 2023, of the first and second tranches of six and 18 Rafale, thus completing the number of aircraft on order for Indonesia under the contract signed in February 2022 for the acquisition of 42 Rafale.
“In choosing the Rafale, Indonesia has opted for a unique tool for sovereignty and operational independence that will help consolidate its role as a major regional power. This choice also consolidates ambitious industrial and academic cooperations. We are fully committed to making this partnership a success, with a resolutely long-term vision,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,700 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2022, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €6.9bn. The company has 12,700 employees. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/)
05 Jan 24. Royal Navy Wildcats Gunning for their True Potential in 2024. New weaponry and tech will help the Royal Navy’s fleet of Wildcat maritime attack helicopters reach their true potential in 2024 after nearly ten years of front-line operations. The true identity of this small, highly manoeuvrable helicopter is really only starting to reveal itself to the world as it ascends to its rightful place as a snarling maritime attack helicopter bristling with weaponry. In its early phases of life it didn’t really reflect that, seldom did it carry anything that could sink or incapacitate an adversary’s ship or submarine. The Wildcat has now grown its ‘teeth and claws’ with its weapon wings bristling with Martlet missiles for taking out boat swarms or small ships, Sting Ray torpedoes for hitting submarines and, soon, Sea Venom missiles able to take out larger surface targets – corvettes or frigates. Not to mention the Wildcat can wield a .50 calibre machine gun on its door and play host to Royal Marines sniper teams capable of knocking out a drug smuggling speed boat from range. It means Wildcat aviators are getting back to one of their main purposes… war fighting.
“Ultimately our job is to search for find and sink enemy ships if needs be,” said Lieutenant Scott Sunderland, instructor pilot with 825 Naval Air Squadron and part of the Black Cats display team who thrill audiences at air shows with their dynamic flying displays in Wildcats.
“I’ve spent most of my time with Wildcat in a period where we haven’t had any hard kill capability, but our bread and butter as a force is anti-surface warfare.
“We’ve been in this period where we haven’t had any real missiles. We were doing humanitarian aid, hurricane disaster relief, anti-drugs smuggling, counter piracy, all that sort of stuff out in the Gulf.
“We weren’t able to fulfil our primary role but now we’ve got these missiles coming online. The challenge now is readjusting our mind-set as aviators back to proper warfare.
“It absolutely is a really exciting time with these missiles. It’s going to be an absolute game changer.”
The Yeovilton-based Wildcat Maritime Force (WMF), some 400 people and 28 Wildcats under its two squadrons, are those pushing the maritime variant of the helicopter – the HMA2 – into the future.
815 Naval Air Squadron takes care of front-line operational work on Royal Navy ships around the world, while its sister 825 Naval Air Squadron’s business is training and generation.
Commander Alasdair Lang sits above the two as the WMF commander, balancing operational commitments, training, maintenance, future capability or the logistics behind it and ultimately the direction the force is going in.
The former Lynx observer – the Lynx is the Wildcat’s predecessor – allows the commanding officers of each squadron to focus on their own role while overseeing the bigger picture, ensuring what the squadrons offer keeps them at the pinnacle of UK defence.
The HMA2 variant of the helicopter has more than 40,000 flying hours under its belt since it first came into service in 2015, becoming a well-known and respected commodity on the Royal Navy’s global deployments.
The same can be said for the AH-1 variant flown by Commando Helicopter Force’s 847 Naval Air Squadron, which supports Royal Marines operations in its battlefield reconnaissance role and accumulated more than 9,000 flying hours along the way since 2014, including in the Arctic Circle where it has worked in tandem with Apache helicopters to search for and destroy ground targets.
The Wildcat has evolved and developed in its own right, but its heritage from the various generations of Lynx since the 1960s means there’s a huge amount of depth to the design and features.
“We are the end of the beginning,” explains Cdr Lang about where we’re at with the Wildcat. “The initial step was to bring in the helicopter. Now we’re bringing the weapons systems online.
“We’re pretty much at the end of that process. We know as much as we’re probably going to know about the helicopter, and its current configuration and how best to use it.
“The weapons are now really coming up to speed and so I’d look at the next few years as being almost probably the best bit for the force. A sweet spot.”
WILDCAT AND THE DRONES
The weaponry the Wildcat is gaining is one thing, but there are many different strands to the developments, including plans for aircrews to control drones from their helicopters.
That partly relates to work going on to the install the Link 16 system – a messaging network used by NATO to share information between aircraft, ships, vehicles and ground forces.
This will allow Wildcat helicopters to be well-informed on the tactical situation as they establish more of a war fighting role, but it also means that they can control uncrewed systems.
“You’ll be able to sit in the aircraft and send and receive digital messages,” explains Cdr Lang.
“Which means, for instance, if we’re in a role where we’re doing maritime strike, rather than our crews having to talk to someone about the situation, they can effectively just send all of that information digitally.
“The way that we’re developing the kind of human-machine interface for that capability means that you’ll be able to have a sort of series of set messages in it.
“The real advantage of that is if you’re controlling an uncrewed system, so a drone, for instance, you could have, say, 50 preset messages that you’ve loaded in at the start of that mission.
“It opens a whole host of activity across NATO that Wildcat can contribute to which it hasn’t been to date.”
ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL
All of this is a far cry from the Lynx of yesteryear, as you’d expect, but it’s reassuring to hear it from the man with a 26-year engineering career under his belt working first with Lynx and then bringing Wildcat to the front line.
Air Engineering Technician, Chief Petty Officer Pete Rogers, joined the navy in 1997 and worked on various models of Lynx initially, before the Lynx MK9 Alpha, which essentially was a hybrid of Lynx and Wildcat, and now Wildcat itself today.
He’s seen Wildcat through its infancy, deployed around the world – the Gulf, the Caribbean, the United States to name a few – as the Senior Maintenance Rating (SMR), engineers who burden huge responsibility as the main person responsible for keeping the aircraft primed for intensive operations throughout a deployment.
It’s people like CPO Rogers who are the backbone of the success of Wildcat.
Cdr Lang stresses Wildcat is a highly modern and capable system, but it’s pointless without “really capable and qualified crew and maintainers to operate it”.
“It’s a job of enormous responsibility – you’re effectively on your own,” CPO Rogers explains, when asked about his role as a SMR. “You’re a senior rate not an officer and being at the top of the engineering food chain is quite a lonely job.
“You’re maintaining the airworthiness of the aircraft but you’re also trying to deliver operational capability.
“Occasionally when I was away, I had moments where the gravity of what I was doing hit home.
“I remember one time we were doing dawn and dusk flights, looking for drug runners. We’ve been launching our aircraft at 4am for weeks.
“I’m stood out on the bay watching the aircraft go. You couldn’t see very much and the aircraft disappears off and within a quarter of a mile he was lights off down-low off looking for targets.
“We’re doing this everyday and I suddenly think ‘I’m signing for that and been doing it for weeks’. The aircrew are your friends and I’m putting them over the sea every single day. That’s my engineering signature that signs that off.
“You need to be afraid. You need to be scared all the time. You cannot get complacent.”
He adds: “We lost a lot of Lynx in the noughties. It has a massive effect on the force and the people when you lose aircraft and people. I never want to be on the back of that again, I never want to see other flights go through what they went through.”
Certainly, the modern Wildcat is night and day from the Lynx.
“If you think of Lynx as clockwork, Wildcat is digital. The Lynx were literally clockwork. Run by cogs and dials, air and bellows, like old Rover cars,” explains CPO Rogers.
“The Wildcat is a completely digital system. Whereas before our engines would have been controlled by mechanical, feeling the head slow down and spooling the engines up to compensate. This is all done electronically by four computers.
“The avionics suite is Star Wars compared to what the Lynx could do. The camera and the radar as a combination are pretty amazing.”
“Does it look like a Lynx? It would be stupid to deny it doesn’t but it is not a Lynx,” adds Cdr Lang.
“This is a much more modern, much more capable helicopter, but one that benefits from the fact that the Royal Navy was operating the Lynx helicopter and Leonardo was making it and supporting it for 40 odd years.
“All of the benefit of generations of experience – aircrew, maintainers or manufacturer – the Navy has a distilled all of that and basically brought Wildcat into service off the back of all that information and knowledge. Now, we are putting together an exceptional product that is effectively world-beating and has a world-beating anti-surface capability.” (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Royal Navy)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
09 Jan 24. British Army missing recruitment target every year since 2010, Ministry of Defence figures reveal. Army recruitment for other ranks has been below target every year since 2010, according to data released by the Ministry of Defence.
According to the data, Basic Training Starts (BTS) Targets for British Army Other Ranks by financial year were at a shortfall of 22,350 from the 119,530 total target from 2010 to 2023.
The figures were obtained by shadow defence secretary John Healey, who asked Defence Secretary Grant Shapps: “What were the (a) recruitment targets and (b) actual numbers of people recruited to the Army in each year since 2010?”
‘Committed to supporting defence jobs’
Recruitment issues are affecting all three services.
Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge insisted the Government was “absolutely committed to supporting defence jobs across the piece”.
But he acknowledged to the Commons the recruitment challenges currently facing the Armed Forces, saying: “Obviously we have recruitment challenges in terms of our personnel, but we also have to support British industry and that is why we have the Secretary of State leading in his role as shipbuilding tsar.”
Earlier this month, former defence secretary Ben Wallace warned that the Armed Forces’ recruitment effort was in crisis because the current generation – known as Generation Z – is not signing up to serve.
Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari, Mr Wallace, who stepped down as defence secretary last August, said Britain needed to increase the number of younger people joining the Armed Forces.
The former Army officer said the military had to have money spent on it, but added: “We also need to do some things differently.”
And in December it was revealed that potential officer candidates who failed the Army’s selection process were given a second chance as the service looks to boost its numbers.
To increase officer recruitment, the Army is now accepting people who did not pass the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) to enter Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. (Source: forces.net)
09 Jan 24. Lithuania considers legislation to boost conscription levels.
While Lithuania’s conscription figures remain steady, the Government is still eager to boost its forces by improving existing procedures.
The Lithuanian Government has expressed its intent to “improve existing conscription procedures,” according to a statement made by the Deputy Defence Minister Žilvinas Tomkus.
While releasing a list of conscripts due to enter compulsory military service in 2024, Tomkus outlined the need to “ensure adequate preparation of the armed forces for the defence of the country.”
The Baltic nation is located on Nato’s eastern flank, sharing a border with Russia 185 miles long (297 kilometres). As a member of the military alliance the country is well-supported by the organisation’s Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battalion battle group.
In total, the Lithuanian armed forces comprise around 11,545 active service personnel, according to 2022 Government figures. This excludes 5,381 volunteers and more than 3,500 conscripts that serve for nine months.
Over the past three years, the country’s conscription figures remained steady, with little discernible growth since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – a threat that prompted Europe to give due consideration to their defence, sleepy from years of relative complacency.
In 2022, the Government called up 3,828 conscripts to service in the armed forces. In 2023, there were 3,845 people, 14% of whom were recruited into the professional military service. The number of conscripts in 2024 also came to 3,845 people.
Overall, the 2024 list of conscripts include 27,000 young people who have not acquired basic training and are of conscriptable age from 19 to 23 years inclusive, as well as former students up to and including 26 years of age who have been deferred from the service due to their studies, and who have completed or dropped out of their studies in the previous year (2023).
Of these, conscripts are drafted according to the serial number generated in the conscription list to carry out the conscription procedures, i.e., to submit the data required for the military record, to submit documents justifying a possible deferment of service, and to attend a medical check-up.
Conscripts declared medically fit for military service are called up for service.
Improving existing procedures for 2025
When asked about the Deputy Minister’s comment to improve existing conscription procedures, the Ministry of National Defence told Army Technology that certain changes may be made that could enter into force in 2025, provided Parliament adopts the new amendments to the law.
“One of the most important changes to the law is the invitation for young people to perform compulsory initial military service immediately after leaving school, as well as the call-up of university students and statutory officers.
“Changes to the law also seek to address the situation of young people who are medically unable to perform military service. Some of them would like to undergo compulsory military service, and these amendments to the law, therefore, propose a different format of service to enable such young people to complete compulsory initial military service.
“Another innovation is the differentiation of the period of service: after the adoption of amendments to the law, conscripts would be called up for compulsory initial military service for a period of nine months but depending on the needs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the period of service could be shortened to six months.” (Source: army-technology.com)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
11 Jan 24. Army MG Thomas M. Carden Jr. for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commander, U.S. Northern Command; and vice commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Carden is currently serving as the adjutant general, Georgia National Guard, Marietta, Georgia.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Melvin G. Carter for appointment to the grade of major general. Carter is currently serving as deputy chief, Computer Network Operations, National Security Agency, Office of the Secretary for Information and Security, Fort Meade, Maryland.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Phillip N. Frietze for appointment to the grade of major general. Frietze is currently serving as assistant deputy commandant, Combat Development and Integration; and deputy commanding general, USMC Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Robert C. Fulford for appointment to the grade of major general. Fulford is currently serving as deputy commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Peter D. Huntley for appointment to the grade of major general. Huntley is currently serving as commander, U.S. Special Operations Command South, Homestead, Florida.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Jason L. Morris for appointment to the grade of major general. Morris is currently serving as director, Operations Division, Plans, Policies & Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Julie L. Nethercot for appointment to the grade of major general. Nethercot is currently serving as director, J-5, U.S. Southern Command, Doral, Florida.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Ryan S. Rideout for appointment to the grade of major general. Rideout is currently serving as director, Manpower Management Division, Quantico, Virginia.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG George B. Rowell IV for appointment to the grade of major general. Rowell is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG Daniel L. Shipley for appointment to the grade of major general. Shipley is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. USMC Forces Pacific, Camp Smith, Hawaii.
11 Jan 24. USMC BG James B. Wellons for appointment to the grade of major general. Wellons is currently serving as assistant deputy commandant, Programs and Resources, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11 Jan 24. USN Capt. Kevin J. Brown for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Brown is currently serving as commander, USN Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
11 Jan 24. USN Capt. Timothy A. Brown for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Brown is currently serving as assistant chief of staff for Force Logistics, Naval Air Forces/Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego, California.
11 Jan 24. USN Capt. Jorge R. Cuadros for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Cuadros is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, D.C.
11 Jan 24. USN Capt. Michael York for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). York is currently serving as director, Fleet Supply Readiness and Operations, N412, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.
10 Jan 24. Army Col. Michael L. Smith for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Smith is currently serving as director of the Unified Network Task Force, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
05 Jan 24. A U.S. Marine Corps general took command of the Cyber National Mission Force, ushering in a new era of leadership for a military hacking cohort often dispatched to assist foreign governments. Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock succeeded Army Maj. Gen. William Hartman at the helm of the CNMF during a ceremony Jan. 5. Hartman, who led the force since 2019, is taking another post as Cyber Command’s deputy chief. (Source: Defense News)
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Douglas J. Adams for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Adams is currently serving as deputy, Program Executive Office, Undersea Warfare Systems, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Todd F. Cimicata for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Cimicata is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Air Forces/Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego, California.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Frankie J. Clark for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Clark is currently serving as executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain David G. Duff for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Duff is currently serving as commanding officer, USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75), Norfolk, Virginia.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Daniel W. Ettlich for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Ettlich is currently serving as fleet maintenance officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Todd M. Evans for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Evans is currently serving as vice commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Todd A. Figanbaum for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Figanbaum is currently serving as director, Submarine Officer Career Management and Distribution Division (PERS-42), USN Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Bret M. Grabbe for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Grabbe is currently serving as chief of staff, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Brian A. Harding for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Harding is currently serving as information warfare commander, Carrier Strike Group THREE, Bremerton, Washington.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Jeffrey L. Heames for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Heames is currently serving as director, Surface Warfare Officer Career Management and Distribution Division (PERS-41), USN Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain John W. Hewitt for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Hewitt is currently serving as chief of staff, USN Installations Command, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Liam M. Hulin for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Hulin is currently serving as commanding officer, U.S. Special Operations Command Forward, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Marcos A. Jasso for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Jasso is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Matthew J. Kawas for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Kawas is currently serving as principal military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Justin A. Kubu for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Kubu is currently serving as commander, Amphibious Squadron SEVEN, San Diego, California.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Robert E. Loughran Jr. for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Loughran is currently serving as branch head, Carrier Strike Aircraft and Weapons, N98, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Philip S. Miller for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Miller is currently serving as branch head, Carriers, N98, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Brian T. Mutty for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Mutty is currently serving as commanding officer, Surface Warfare Schools Command, Newport, Rhode Island.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Tuan Nguyen for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Nguyen is currently serving as a maritime cooperation and competition director, U.S. SEVENTH Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Cassidy C. Norman for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Norman is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Air Force Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Erin P. Osborne for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Osborne is currently serving as executive assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Bartley A. Randall for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Randall is currently serving as assistant deputy director for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Craig C. Sicola for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Sicola is currently serving as assistant chief of staff for Education, Training, and Planning, Naval Air Forces/Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego, California.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Peter D. Small for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Small is currently serving as project manager, Program Executive Office, Attack Submarines, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Melvin R. Smith Jr. for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Smith is currently serving as executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
09 Jan 24. USN Captain Vincent S. Tionquiao for appointment to the grade of rear admiral (lower half). Tionquiao is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland.
09 Jan 24. USAF LG Alexus G. Grynkewich for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general with assignment as director for Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Grynkewich is currently serving as commander, U.S. USAFs Central Command; commander, Ninth Air Expeditionary Task Force, Air Combat Command; and Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
09 Jan 24. Space Force Col. Chandler P. Atwood for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Atwood is currently serving as the director of intelligence, Space Operations Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.
09 Jan 24. Space Force Col. Matthew S. Cantore for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Cantore is currently serving as the chief, Current Operations Division, United States Space Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.
09 Jan 24. Space Force Col. Brian A. Denaro for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Denaro is currently serving as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of the USAF, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
09 Jan 24. USAF Col. Gwendolyn A. Foster for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Foster is currently serving as the director of staff to the Surgeon General, Headquarters United States USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
09 Jan 24. USAF Col. Matthew A. Leard for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Leard is currently serving as a director, Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
09 Jan 24. USAF Col. Jason J. Lennen for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Lennen is currently serving as the command surgeon, USAF District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
09 Jan 24. Space Force Col. Robert J. Schreiner for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Schreiner is currently serving as the commander, Space Base Delta 20, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.
09 Jan 24. Space Force Col. Zachary S. Warakomski for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Warakomski is currently serving as the senior cyber officer, United States Space Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
09 Jan 24. USAF Col. Eveline F. Yao for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Yao is currently serving as the command surgeon and director, Global Patient Movement Operations, United States Transportation Command, Scott USAF Base, Illinois.
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
09 Jan 24. PTC Industries and Nasmyth sign MoU to vertically integrate supply chain solutions from India and provide global solutions to OEMs. PTC Industries (‘PTC’) and Nasmyth are pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration to leverage their capabilities for offering global solutions to defence and aerospace customers in India and globally. The MOU will see Nasmyth and PTC work together in support of the ‘Make in India’ Atamnirbhar Bharat programme leveraging each other’s capabilities. This cooperation will help PTC expand its capabilities to better support Indian customer requirements and successfully execute those projects. The partnership will focus on developing casting, machining, assembly, and thermal precision engineering capabilities in India. The collaboration will help to increase capacity in the market, signal a move towards vertically integrated supply chain solutions in India and in turn provide global solutions to OEM’s looking for suppliers to de-risk their current supply chains while providing capacity growth opportunities. PTC has a state-of-the-art manufacturing campus in Lucknow and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-precision metal components for critical and super-critical operations across the aerospace and defence industries. PTC is currently participating in various programmes requiring components, sub-assemblies and assemblies for various defence Land, Sea and Air platforms and is also working on a number of major projects for the Indian Government and for a growing number of global OEM’s. Nasmyth Asia’s new manufacturing facility in Bangalore, offers turnkey manufacturing and engineering solutions that exceed the highest industry standards offering bespoke machining services including assembly and system integration. Signing the MOU, Tony Upton, CEO of Nasmyth said: “The Nasmyth Asia team based in our newly equipped facility in Bangalore are looking forward to working with the PTC team, assisting them with our engineering know-how on aerospace and aero-engine components. This MOU is a great opportunity for Nasmyth and PTC to offer new solutions to OEM’s through our collaboration in India.”
Sachin Agarwal, Managing Director of PTC Industries Limited, added: “We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Nasmyth as we work together across numerous defence and aerospace projects in India and globally, especially for aero-engine and gas turbine engine applications.”
08 Jan 24. AMFIL Aviation Consulting & Celtic Aerospace Announce Strategic Partnership. Effective immediately, AMFIL Aviation Consulting LLC (AMFIL-www.amfilaviation.com) and Celtic Aerospace & Business Strategies (Celtic Aerospace-www.celticaerospace.com) announce that they have entered into a teaming agreement designed to offer their clients enhanced levels of revenue and growth potential, supported by exceptional business support services and increased international market exposure. AMFIL and Celtic Aerospace share extensive experience in the areas of operational consulting, business-to-business networking, business development and strategy, sales, and supply chain and network development. For both companies, the goal of the teaming arrangement is to combine their experience and expertise to offer elevated levels of support to the international base of aviation clients, and new customers that require their specialized portfolio of services.
David Clark, CEO and President of AMFIL (US Navy-Retired) expresses his motivation for the teaming agreement with Celtic Aerospace, stating; ‘at AMFIL, we strive to develop and support excellence in every aspect of the aerospace and defense industry. Our team of experienced professionals provides unparalleled service and expertise to ensure our client’s success. I firmly believe that adding the experience, skills and expertise of Celtic Aerospace to our Team will enable us to offer enhanced levels of customer-focused market expertise that will serve to improve our capability to meet the expectations of our clients and distribution partners.’
In specific, Clark cites Celtic Aerospace’s proven experience in providing its customers; that include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) specialists, aviation operators, mission equipment manufacturers and distributors, and airport and fixed base operators (FBO) with a diverse range of value-added services including strategy development, business planning, rotary-wing maintenance, repair and overhaul and mission equipment supply services, sales and marketing, corporate communications and media relations, and brand development and management.
Dave McGrath, President of Celtic Aerospace (Canadian Airforce-Retired) echoes Clark’s enthusiasm for the collaboration between their mutual companies. ‘I’ve known David and have been following AMFIL’s activity for several years. I have been impressed with the level of service and support they provide to clients. As we share many similar attributes that can be applied to the success of our clients – each company also brings additional capabilities and resources that augment the other, resulting in a joining of forces that offers competitive advantages to our clients; whether it be fixed or rotary-wing, government and defense, or commercial operations.’
Clark and McGrath encourage organizations that require assistance in growing their aviation business via strategy, sales and marketing – or any other the other services they provide, to contact them to learn how AMFIL and Celtic Aerospace can assist in achieving their business objectives.
– AMFIL is an SBA (Small Business Association) Certified Hub Zone and SDVOSB.
– AMFIL Aviation Consulting LLC is a Veteran-owned business
– Celtic Aerospace & Business Strategies is a Veteran-owned business
PERSONNEL
10 Jan 24. Hiring woes bedevil European nations stocking up on weapons. Recruitment difficulties are bedeviling militaries across Europe as they seek to build up their strengths in the face of Russian aggression, an assertive China and a deteriorating security situation in parts of Africa and the Middle East.
With European countries spending bns of euros to buy additional weapons in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the question becomes whether their armed forces can hire enough people to use them. Tight labor markets and a Generation Z reluctant to enlist are weighing on military recruitment in developed economies, despite increased defense budgets.
In the United Kingdom, four Royal Navy warships could be in line for the axe in part due to insufficient personnel to crew new vessels approaching completion. Meanwhile, the Dutch air force is easing admission requirements for skills training of its soldiers to address a shortage of specialists. And in Germany, military recruitment fell 7% in the first four months of 2023, Der Spiegel reported in August.
On Europe’s eastern flank, Poland has the ambition to build up one of the largest militaries on the continent, and the country has been ordering hundreds of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft and navy vessels. Poland faces similar recruitment challenges as other nations, Ed Arnold, a research fellow for European security at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told Defense News.
“One of the major issues in Poland, which is also evident in other countries, is retention and recruitment of personnel, both in terms of quality and quantity,” Arnold said. “Poland has the ambition to field five heavy divisions and one of the key constraints actually might be that they don’t have enough people to go in the tanks when they arrive.”
Andrew Murrison, British Ministry of Defense’s under secretary for personnel policies, told lawmakers in London the problem is creeping up on many allied nations.
“It is right to point out that right across the western world there is a crisis in retention and recruitment into the armed forces,” he said Jan. 8.
A Royal Navy spokesperson acknowledged recruitment was a significant concern but declined to provide data showing the scale of the problem.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and defense-procurement minister James Cartlidge were both quizzed over media reports that some warships could be phase out early because of personnel and money shortages.
The Times, who reported the possible mothballing of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, and the Daily Telegraph, who reported the potential laying up of two Type 23 frigates, HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll, both quoted unnamed sources saying the moves were in response to a recruitment crisis which required the Navy to switch sailors from the current fleet to crew new Type 26 frigates being built for the service.
No final decision has been made by the government on the fate of the Albion-class warships, Cartlidge told lawmakers. No mention was made of the status of the Type 23 decision.
Decommissioning ships ahead of new ones entering service risks squeezing Britain’s surface combatant fleet amid increasing maritime tension in regions like the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands Royal Air Force has been having a hard time filling specialist jobs, leading officials to relax education prerequisites in hopes of boosting hiring, defense ministry spokesperson Wendy Ryan told Defense News.
“We have significant shortages in a number of fields,” Ryan said. “By relaxing the pre-education requirements and then bringing people up to the right level ourselves, we think we can greatly improve our fill rates. We are going to increase the pool of potential new recruits.”
If the training program is successful, the air force may expand the relaxed admission policy to other job areas including ground-equipment mechanics and munitions engineering, Ryan said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
09 Jan 24. Forcys announced further expansion across its global operations, adding to its team of experts dedicated to equipping navies with the most advanced underwater solutions, and establishing a US entity. We’re committed to working alongside you and your supply chain to elevate your lethality and situational awareness in the critical undersea domain. Counting on a legacy built over five decades, Forcys’ technology offer is trusted by navies worldwide. We provide a unique range of remote, autonomous, and networked control capabilities that deliver integrated underwater intelligence for every mission. In a significant move, Dan Zatezalo joins Forcys as General Manager for Forcys Inc. and Head of Global Sales. Dan was responsible for US DoD sales at sister company Sonardyne Inc. delivering continued growth. At Forcys he will look to instil the same customer led culture. “I’m excited to take on the new role. I cherish the responsibility that comes from supporting our customers at a time when new technology challenges the way we have been acting”. Covering a range of maritime operations including asset protection, littoral strike, mine warfare, submarine rescue, and submarine and anti-submarine warfare, Forcys seeks to transform the underwater domain by enabling increasingly distributed and automated operations. This is made possible by integrating and bringing to market world-changing solutions from leading technology partners Chelsea Technologies, EIVA, Sonardyne, Voyis, and Wavefront Systems.
08 Jan 24. HENSOLDT AG, specialist for defence electronics, has initiated the upcoming change at the top of the company: The designated CEO Oliver Dörre, previously CEO of Thales Deutschland GmbH, has taken up his work on the Management Board of HENSOLDT AG and is preparing to take over management responsibility from the previous HENSOLDT CEO Thomas Müller, which is scheduled to take place on 1 April 2024. Oliver Dörre holds a degree in computer science and has been CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Thales Germany since 1 January 2021, where he previously worked as VP Sales & Marketing/Key Account Executive of the sales team from the end of 2016 to 2020. Before joining Thales in 2015, he worked at Frequentis AG for around five years, where he held various management positions. As Head of the Defence business unit, he was responsible for international military sales, project and product management as well as development in the Defence sector. From 1988 to 2010, Dörre worked as a general staff officer in the German Air Force, most recently as a policy officer and deputy head of department with the rank of lieutenant colonel i.G. in the planning department of the Ministry of Defence.
09 Jan 24. IFS, the global cloud enterprise software company, today announces that Mark Moffat has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Moffat takes over from Darren Roos who has been appointed as the company’s Chair of the Board. Both appointments are effective immediately. The transition provides great continuity for the business by building on the successful strategy that has seen IFS transform into the leading vendor for Asset & Service Management software. Moffat, Roos and the IFS Executive Team have been working on the transition over the past six months as part of the Board’s succession planning process. Moffat, who was previously IFS Chief Customer Officer, is a well-known and respected technology leader having held several senior positions at PwC before joining IFS.
01 Jan 24. The IWA OutdoorClassics, the world’s leading exhibition for the hunting and target sports industry, is set to welcome a new exhibition director. Effective 1 January 2024, Stefanie Leege will take on the job in the team led by Rebecca Renn, Executive Director Exhibitions, who will continue to have overall responsibility for the show. Leege herself has already spent five years as part of the IWA OutdoorClassics team and has excellent knowledge of the industry, its needs and challenges.
11 Jan 24. Lynred, a leading global provider of high-quality infrared detectors for the aerospace, defense and commercial markets, today announces the appointment of Hervé Bouaziz as executive president and Xavier Caillouet as CEO. Hervé Bouaziz and Xavier Caillouet bring more than 30 years of executive-level high-tech industrial expertise to Lynred. Their decades of experience in aerospace and defense at Safran and Thales, respectively, will usher a new business dynamic within the company. Their objective is to leverage together the company’s technological skills and the €85M ($93.7M) Campus industrial project to increase Lynred’s offering in state-of-the-art infrared detectors, while strengthening its global market competitiveness.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
09 Jan 24. Angeles Equity Partners, LLC, (“Angeles“), a private investment firm focused on value creation through operational transformation, today announced the appointment of robotics and automation executive Craig Ulrich to the Board of Directors of RōBEX LLC (“RōBEX”), a precision integrator of industrial robots. The addition of Ulrich to the RōBEX Board is the latest step to support the company’s strategic plan to accelerate growth in the industrial automation and robotics sector. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
05 Jan 24. General Dynamics (GD.N) said on Friday it had appointed insider Kim Kuryea as its chief financial officer, effective Feb. 15. Kuryea, currently senior vice president of human resources and administration, will succeed Jason Aiken. “Kim is a seasoned finance executive with over 20 years of varied financial experience with the company including CFO of one of the company’s business units, head of the company’s internal audit function and the company’s controller,” CEO Phebe Novakovic said in a statement. (Source: Reuters)
11 Jan 24. Navistar Defense, LLC (Navistar Defense) announced today that Michael Gray has been promoted to the position of Chief Growth Officer (CGO), effective immediately. In this role, Gray will continue to manage the comprehensive growth strategy, as well as identify and pursue new business opportunities, including partnerships, acquisitions, and market expansion. Gray will continue to manage the Government Affairs, Marketing, and Business Development organizations.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
11 Jan 24. New AAD exhibition director. There’s a new person in command and control of the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition set down for 18 to 22 September at Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof in Centurion. Nakedi Phasha is no stranger to AAD, having been part of four – three as the staffer responsible for marketing and communications and one as an exhibitor. She officially took over from previous exhibition director Michelle Nxumalo in November and becomes the third woman in the director’s chair of the 14-year-old exhibition. Leona Redlinghuys was the first to break what is generally termed “the glass ceiling” of men in the top positions at what is regarded as Africa’s premier defence and related sectors exhibition. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)