LOCATIONS
LAND
22 May 24. Philippines Navy establish new barracks in South China Sea. The National Defence Secretary visited the island, where he urged the need to preserve the West Philippine Sea from China. In a thinly veiled assertion over its exclusive economic zone, the Philippines Navy has announced it will establish new barracks on an island in the South China Sea. The facility will accommodate Navy personnel on Pag-asa Island, Palawan in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), located within the broader waters of the South China Sea. The country’s Defence Chief Gilberto Teodoro underscored the importance of defending the WPS on 16 May 2024, citing its significance for future Fillipino generations. Additionally, a new rural health unit with laboratories and a birthing facility will be built for the island residents.
“The WPS is the hope of the Philippines, so we cannot give up and must fight for it,” he urged.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Coast Guard are known to traverse territories across the Indo Pacific to assert their claim to areas beyond their legal domain. These Chinese services often engage other maritime forces through the use of water cannon, for example. (Source: naval-technology.com)
22 May 24. Teledyne FLIR Defense recently completed a major upgrade to its partner-supported service center capability in Turkey that performs maintenance and repair work on the company’s advanced surveillance and imaging systems. Managed and operated since 2015 by Istanbul-based Periter Arastirma ve Teknoloji A.S., the service center provides essential in-country support for a number of Teledyne FLIR customers and end users, both government and semi-government organizations.
Periter is authorized to service a wide range of Teledyne FLIR Surveillance products, including the Star SAFIRE® 380 series of airborne imaging systems, the Recon® series of hand-held thermal binoculars, as well as the SeaFLIR ® and TacFLIR ® 380 series of imaging and targeting systems.
“This marks a significant milestone for our partnership with Periter, one that will enable world-class, timely maintenance and repairs for essential mission equipment,” said Stan Crawford, Teledyne FLIR Defense senior director for the Middle East, Central Asia & Africa. “The new capital investment will ensure that most customer repair engagements will take place within Turkey and establishes Periter’s service center as one of the most capable centers outside FLIR’s own facilities, both in terms of skilled personnel and equipment.
“Upgrading Periter’s service capacity is a vital part of our global service center network strategy, providing efficient and critical mission support to customers worldwide,” Crawford added.
The recent Periter enhancements include upgrades to infrared and shortwave infrared (SWIR) calibration equipment, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) alignment, and various other advanced measurement and testing procedures.
FLIR Defense operates five prime service centers for its military and public safety Surveillance customers worldwide – two in the United States (Billerica, Mass. and Portland, Ore.), plus locations in West Malling, United Kingdom; Täby, Sweden; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company also partners with expert local service providers at more than 30 regional service centers around the globe, close to customer bases and facilities. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
MARITIME
22 May 24. US Navy LCS programme reaches end of road with USS Pierre. The USS Pierre is the final Littoral Combat Ship to be built for the US Navy, a class that failed to live up to the hype that travelled with its unique twin-design programme. The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme looks as though it will mark 2024 as being the end of the road for the twin-variant warship class, with the now officially named USS Pierre (LCS 38) joining the USS Cleveland as being the final iterations of their respective designs. Taking place at manufacturer Austal’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, on 18 May, the USS Pierre is the 19th and last of the Independence-class LCS vessels, which when conceived in the mid-2000s along with the Freedom-class variant, were intended to offer the US Navy a new multirole warship and fill the gap of the departed Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates (FFG).
However, the vessels have been plagued by issues, to an extent that the US Navy has sought to decommissioned hulls decades ahead of schedule and develop the Constellation-class FFG to add much-needed combat capability to the service’s battleline.
Intended to provide forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence functions, the LCS are thought by the US Navy to be unable to operate in a contested environment such as could be seen in any conflict with China. Delays have also hit the mission modules designed to slot into the LCS warships to enable them to fulfill additional roles, such as mine countermeasure operations, further limiting their usefulness for the US Navy.
The procurement of the LCS programme was planned to see the introduction of 52 vessels split evenly between the two variants, but this was continuously scaled back before settling somewhat on a 32-ship fleet.
However, even this reduced ambition was unable to be met, with the US Navy currently operating 25 LCS (11 Freedom class and 14 Independence class) in its fleet, with at least two Independence class and two Freedom class due to be decommissioned later in 2024, or else sold to foreign buyers.
Earlier this year the final Freedom-class LCS, USS Cleveland (LCS 31), was provided its ship’s crest and will be the last of the 16 Freedom class warships.
The Littoral Combat Ship: a troubled tale of twin designs
The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two separate industry teams. The Independence-variant LCS is led by Austal USA and is recognisable for their unique trimaran design and even-numbered hulls.
The first Independence-class LCS, USS Independence, was commissioned into service in 2010, departing service 11 years later in 2021. The first four LCS, two each of the Freedom and Independence variants, were introduced into service effectively as trial ships, intended to test the platforms and operational concepts ahead of future builds.
According to the US Navy, the Independence variant is an aluminum trimaran design originally built by an industry team led by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for LCS 2 and LCS 4. Currently, Independence variant LCS (LCS 6 and subsequent even-numbered hulls) are constructed by Austal USA in the company’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. (Source: naval-technology.com)
AIR
17 May 24. Indonesia receives final C-130J-30. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has announced that it has received its fifth and final Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules. “The fifth C-130J-30 (with tail number A-1342) has arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta,” the Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on 16 May. Janes has previously reported that the acquisition of the five aircraft was part of a Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) contract with Lockheed Martin. According to the original delivery schedule, four C-130J-30s were to be delivered by October 2023, with the final aircraft to be delivered in January 2024. According to the MoD, three C-130J-30s were delivered in 2023: the first in March 2023 (serial no A-1339), the second aircraft in June 2023 (A-1340), and the third in August 2023 (A-1343). A fourth aircraft (A-1344) was delivered in January 2024. (Source: Janes)
16 May 24. BAE touts long-term relevance of Eurofighter to UK. BAE Systems has touted the continued relevance of the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 to the UK, saying the ‘fourth-generation’ combat aircraft can provide much-needed mass and resilience beyond its projected out-of-service date (OSD). Speaking at the site of the BAE Systems’ Warton production facility in northern England on 14 May, Mike Baulkwill, Combat Air Strategy director at the company, said that, with the international Eurofighter operator base set to fly improved and upgraded variants of the type out into the 2060s, the Royal Air Force (RAF) could retain its own aircraft beyond its current 2040 OSD. “The Typhoon will be relatively enduring, as sometimes you will not want to use your higher-end aircraft [such as the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning and/or Tempest] – the Typhoon and the Typhoon Evolution [along with Eurofighter Evolution, the name being given to the Long-Term Evolution [LTE] mid-life refresh standard aircraft now being developed] is in a good place for that,” Baulkwill said. (Source: Janes)
16 May 24. Military Ospreys Can’t Fly More Than 30 Minutes from Landing Airfield Months After Grounding Lifted. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy V-22 Ospreys were all given the green light to fly again in early March and have been slowly taking to the skies following a tragic crash that killed eight airmen late last year in Japan.
But months after the grounding was lifted, there are still restrictions in place that significantly limit the aircraft’s ability to operate, Military.com has learned.
The services are barred from flying the controversial tiltrotor aircraft more than 30 minutes away from a suitable airfield to divert to in case anything goes wrong. That has caused some of the services, such as the Navy, to continue relying on other aircraft to accomplish tasks that the Osprey would have taken on.
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Cmdr. Beth Teach, a spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, confirmed to Military.com on Thursday that the restriction was handed down by the V-22 Joint Program Office, part of Naval Air Systems Command, and is a requirement that all the services are following.
It was not immediately clear what would constitute a suitable landing zone for the tiltrotor aircraft which, by design, is meant to land quickly like a helicopter in austere conditions.
The Joint Program Office declined to comment to Military.com regarding the restriction.
A spokesperson for the Marine Corps could not provide details on the restriction, but said efforts are underway to return the aircraft to full operations.
“Operational security associated with our forward-deployed Marines and sailors limits our ability to provide details regarding any potential platform restrictions,” Capt. Pedro Caballero, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps, told Military.com when asked whether the restrictions applied to its roughly 350 Ospreys, the vast majority of the military’s fleet.
“The Marine Corps, after a thorough review of all available engineering data and with revisions to the flight manual in place, is now enacting a deliberate plan to return all 17 MV-22 squadrons to full capability,” Caballero said. “The Marine Corps’ three-phased approach begins with a focus on regaining basic flight currency, rebuilding units’ instructor cadres, and achieving proficiency in core and basic skill training for pilots and aircrew.”
Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse, a spokesperson for Air Force Special Operations Command, told Military.com that the service is following the Joint Program Office’s guidance for their return to flight plans but didn’t provide additional details about current flight restrictions.
That restriction was publicly identified in a House draft text of the national defense authorization bill released this week. The bill details limitations and woes with the Navy’s variant, the CMV-22, and how it’s forcing the sea service to continue to rely more heavily on its aging C-2A Greyhound fleet, lawmakers wrote.
“The committee understands that current CMV-22 operations are limited to flights and missions that stay within 30 minutes of a suitable divert airfield,” according to the House Armed Services Committee document. “This prohibits the use of the CMV-22 for carrier onboard support of deployed aircraft carriers once they have left their homeport.”
The Navy used the Greyhound, which has been in service for 60 years and is slated to be retired by 2026, to fill the gaps when the Ospreys were grounded, but even though the Osprey is flying again, it appears the service is still relying on the planes.
That raised concerns for lawmakers who asked the Navy to provide House Armed Services with a report by Feb. 1, 2025, on how the service will adjust once the C-2A is no longer available.
“With no other option available, the committee supports this interim solution but recognizes it is not a viable long-term solution beyond 2026,” the draft bill said.
News about the Navy’s restrictions and that it affected all variants of the Osprey was first reported by Aviation Week.
All of the services have been cautiously returning to the skies following a Nov. 29 Air Force special operations Osprey crash off the coast of Japan that killed all eight service members on board — the deadliest CV-22 crash in the service’s history — and led to a monthslong, military-wide grounding of the aircraft.
Military.com reported earlier this month that the Air Force had begun conducting flight checks for its Osprey variant, the CV-22. The Marine Corps and the Navy began flying some of their aircraft in March, the same month the Joint Program Office gave the OK to resume operations.
The Osprey Joint Program Office provided few details on what mechanical failure led to the deadly crash and how it planned to fix it.
“We have high confidence that we understand what component failed, and how it failed,” Marine Corps Col. Brian Taylor, the manager of the V-22 program, told reporters in March. “I think what we are still working on is the ‘why.'”
Meanwhile, the Osprey is looking at a makeover that officials hope will keep the aircraft flying until at least 2055 — and beyond.
The Joint Program Office, which oversees the V-22’s development and operations, is looking to replace aging components in the aircraft’s cockpit, as well as test solutions for a mechanical issue that has led to more than a dozen mishaps in its operational lifespan.
“There’s a ton of life left in this platform and there’s a ton of mission left in this platform,” Taylor said last month at the Modern Day Marine Expo in Washington, D.C.
The mechanical issue the program office hopes to address involves a notorious clutch problem, called a “hard clutch engagement,” which contributed to a crash in 2022 that killed five Marines. It is also known to have been involved in at least 15 other V-22 incidents since 2010.
Taylor mentioned that the program office oversaw the disassembly of clutches within the aircraft, including V-22s with 2,000 hours of flight and those with less than a hundred, which “helped us better understand this environment inside of this clutch assembly,” he said.
He added that a new prototype for one of the likely culprits causing this issue — the input quill assembly — will be tested within the next month. That prototype includes 15 design changes, he said.
“When you purchase aircraft over about a 30-year span, you end up with some configuration challenges,” Taylor said. “And that’s what we’re still kind of working through.”
While operations are limited, Taylor said that Ospreys are abundant in the air — and have been for more than two months.
“I haven’t done this math problem, but it’s pretty safe to say that 24 hours a day, there’s a V-22 flying somewhere on the planet … doing our nation’s business,” he said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Military.com)
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
23 May 24. ASC puts new pay offer on the table as unions call for executive’s head. Government-operated submarine builder ASC Pty Ltd has put forward a new pay offer to striking South Australian submarine workers, as unions call for the sacking of the executive.
ASC Pty Ltd, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation, is currently facing protected industrial action from Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) and Electrical Trades Union (ETU) of Australia workers at its Osborne Naval Shipyard.
Around 300 trades and operator support workers providing maintenance and sustainment have been taking industrial action each day for the last three weeks over the pay dispute, reportedly resulting in ongoing stoppages.
Workers in South Australia are protesting against pay discrepancy with Western Australian workers, who allegedly receive around 17 per cent on average more, despite WA ASC workers being trained in South Australia and being reportedly paid more in the process than by those training them.
AMWU SA assistant state secretary Stuart Gordon said around 300 members across the AMWU, AWU and ETU want to see ASC chief executive officer Stuart Whiley removed from his position.
“This is a 100 per cent majority no confidence vote. Workers are fed up with Stuart Whiley’s personal self-interest. His massive pay increase (allegedly 31 per cent wage increase of $250,000) has come at the sacrifice of the workforce because for years, ASC has degraded workers’ wages. He should be sacked effective immediately.
“Why is Stuart Whiley paid an eye-watering salary that is north of $1 million from public funds to oversee submarine workers who are not paid their worth despite performing critical work in maintaining Australia’s naval defence system? Workers expect the CEO to address unequal pay experienced by SA tradespeople, but he continues to shirk off his responsibilities.”
The AMWU also alleged that Whiley has not attended a single negotiation meeting despite many requests and is the highest-paid CEO of a federal public entity in Australia.
“It’s quite incredible that his total package is worth $1,084,725, and he oversees a relatively small agency compared to the other public agencies and commissions that have far greater employees and scope,” Gordon said.
“This workforce has secured the future of Australian and South Australian shipbuilding. The workers have done so through their performance and by rallying in their own time to force the government to invest in shipbuilding in Australia, while the CEO has sat back reaping the rewards.
“These workers are needed for the AUKUS arrangement with BAE Systems and ASC to be successful. Unequal pay for work that is vital for our national security is unacceptable.”
The South Australian workers are the only ones in the country able to carry out the Collins’ deep maintenance, otherwise known as a full-cycle docking, which is necessary maintenance to keep the submarines operational.
AMWU, AWU and ETU members have recently rejected the offer by ASC of 6.75 per cent which is around 11 per cent short of parity with their counterparts in Western Australia.
ASC has reportedly presented an offer to the unions and its members that would provide an average increase of 12 per cent at the commencement of the agreement, with further opportunities for the employees to achieve additional increases through arbitration by the Fair Work Commission.
The shipbuilder has publicly stated that it has not threatened its workers with dismissal and is disappointed by recent comments against the executive that are not conducive to bargaining in good faith.
“I have complete trust in my executive team’s ability to undertake these negotiations with the AMWU. This is a normal and acceptable position for a large company such as ours,” managing director and chief executive officer Stuart Whiley said.
“While I do not attend these negotiations, I am fully briefed on the outcomes and will continue to work collaboratively with the executive team towards achieving a mutually beneficial outcome for ASC, the AMWU and its members.”
(Source: Defence Connect)
20 May 24. HMAS Anzac retired as RAN fleet enters long-term restructure process. The future Royal Australian Navy will increase in size but will have to endure a period of gradual decline in the medium-term. The long-serving eponymous lead vessel of the Anzac-class guided missile frigates (FFG) of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has been decommissioned after 28 years in operation in what might be seen as the first major step in a wider restructuring of the RAN surface fleet. Decommissioning HMAS Anzac will pave the way for the long-term investment in enlarging and enhancing the RAN’s fleet, in response to the recommendations made by the Independent Analysis of Navy’s Surface Combatant Fleet, stated the Australian Department of Defence, in an 18 May 2024, release.
With the announcement, it was confirmed that HMAS Anzac would be the first of the Anzac-class FFGs to be retired, followed by its sister ship HMAS Arunta in 2026. With the decommissioning of HMAS Anzac, the RAN has seven vessels of the class still in service. If each of the remaining Anzac’s is expected to service for around 28 years, the last vessel in class, HMAS Perth, could be decommissioned in the 2034 timeframe. In February, the Australian Government announced that it would scrap the planned upgrades to the Anzac class, which are to be replaced by 11 new general-purpose warships able to conduct land and maritime strike, air defence, and maritime security operations.
The acquisition of the new general-purpose frigate was to be accelerated to replace the Anzac-class frigates, meaning the ‘Transition Capability Assurance’ upgrades would no longer be required. The new general-purpose frigates will require smaller crews than the Anzac class, the Australian Government stated.
With the decommissioning of HMAS Anzac, the RAN’s main surface combatant fleet has been reduced to ten frigates and destroyers, the latter type being the Hobart-class guided missile destroyers. Under the restructure of the RAN, the Hobart class will be upgraded with Aegis air defence capabilities.
The restructure also saw the reduction of the UK Type 26-derived Hunter-class frigate acquisition from nine hulls down to six, with the first vessels not expecting to enter service until 2031 at the earliest, potentially running into 2032.
Under original planning, the upgraded Anzac class was expected to begin decommissioning after 2030, and potentially into the 2040s.
Anzac-class frigates: Australia’s naval workhorse
In November 1989, the joint Australian/New Zealand frigate project contracted Australian shipbuilders Tenix Defence Systems (now BAE Systems Australia) to construct ten Anzac-class frigates; eight for Australia and two for New Zealand. The first frigate, HMAS Anzac, was commissioned for the RAN in May 1996.
The 3,600 tonne frigates were built at Tenix’s Williamstown yard in Victoria, Australia. The design is based on the Blohm + Voss Meko 200 modular platform which utilises a basic hull and construction concept to provide flexibility in the choice of command and control, weapons, equipment and sensors, depending on national requirements.
The RAN’s Anzac class have been extensively upgraded over their lifetime, adding new anti-submarine and anti-surface weapons capabilities, as well as updated radars. However, the cancellation of the Transition Capability Assurance programme, which would have extended their service life by several years, has brought an end to their upgrade process with the vessels now expected to operate with what capabilities they have until decommissioning.
In cancelling the Transition Capability Assurance programme, the RAN has sought to save the more than A$600m ($401m) assigned for the Anzac upgrade, which was also known as Sea 5014 Phase 1. (Source: naval-technology.com)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
22 May 24. Mr Giles Enticknap MBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Botswana in succession to Ms Sian Price who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Enticknap will take up his appointment during August 2024
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
17 May 24. USN Rear Adm. Jeffrey T. Anderson for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Sixth Fleet; commander, Task Force Six; commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa; and Joint Force Maritime Component commander Europe, Naples, Italy. Anderson is currently serving as director of Operations, J-3, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
17 May 24. USN Rear Adm. Christopher C. French for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as judge advocate general of the USN, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. French is currently serving as deputy judge advocate general of the USN, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17 May 24. USN Rear Adm. Nancy S. Lacore for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as chief of USN Reserve, N095, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Lacore is currently serving as commandant, Naval District Washington, Washington, D.C.
17 May 24. USN Rear Adm. Scott W. Pappano for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as principal military deputy assistant secretary of the USN (Research, Development and Acquisition), Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Pappano is currently serving as program executive officer, Strategic Submarines, Naval District Washington, Washington, D.C.
17 May 24. USAF Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as superintendent, U.S. USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Bauernfeind is currently serving as commander, USAF Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida.
17 May 24. Army Lt. Gen. Sean C. Bernabe for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Europe-Africa, Germany. Bernabe is currently serving as the commanding general, III Corps and Fort Cavazos, Fort Cavazos, Texas.
17 May 24. USAF Maj. Gen. John J. DeGoes for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as surgeon general of the USAF, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. DeGoes is currently serving as deputy surgeon general, Office of the Surgeon General of the USAF, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17 May 24. Army Maj. Gen. Brian S. Eifler for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy chief of staff, G-1, U.S. Army, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Eifler is currently serving as commanding general, 11th Airborne Division/deputy commander, U.S. Alaskan Command, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
17 May 24. USAF Maj. Gen. Thomas K. Hensley for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, Sixteenth USAF, Air Combat Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Hensley is currently serving as deputy commander, Sixteenth USAF, Air Combat Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
17 May 24. USAF Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy chief of staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Tabor is currently serving as director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17 May 24. USAF Brig. Gen. Michael E. Conley for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, USAF Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. Conley is currently serving as director, Operations, USAF Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida.
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
23 May 24. Forcys Limited and SH Defence Sign a MOU at the Defence Leaders CNE in Farnborough (UK). Forcys, a leading global maritime defence company, and SH Defence, part of SH Group, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the integration of Forcys’ advanced solutions into SH Defence’s Cube™ Modular Mission Capability system. The signing took place during the Combined Naval Event (CNE) in Farnborough (UK), with Ioseba Tena, Managing Director of Forcys, and Jimmy Gehring Sales Director of SH Defence, in attendance.
Forcys integrates and brings to the defence market world-changing solutions from leading technology partners Chelsea Technologies, EIVA, Sonardyne, Voyis, and Wavefront Systems. These companies are renowned for their innovative offering in underwater and maritime operations, making them ideal partners for SH Defence’s Cube™ system.
The Cube™ Modular Mission Capability system is the future in Maritime mission modularity. Capable of turning (almost) any platform into a future-proof multi-mission capability using interchangeable modules for all four dimensions of modern warfare.
This agreement follows the successful recent delivery of a Containerised ROTV (Remotely Operated Towed Vehicle) solution to a NATO Navy. In this project, Forcys’ sister company EIVA A/S delivered a ScanFish L ROTV, which was seamlessly integrated into an SH Defence Cube™, demonstrating the potential of this collaborative integration.
“We are excited about the opportunities this MOU brings,” said Ioseba Tena, Managing Director of Forcys. “Integrating our advanced solutions with the Cube™ system will provide operational flexibility and capability to naval forces worldwide. This collaboration underscores our commitment to enhancing maritime defence through innovation and strategic partnerships.”
Jimmy Gehring, Sales Director of SH Defence, echoed this sentiment, stating, “we are proud of the future cooperation with Forcys and look forward to promote our joint efforts to the defence industry.”
The MOU marks a significant step towards a deeper collaboration between Forcys and SH Defence. Both companies are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in naval operations, leveraging their combined expertise to deliver state-of-the-art solutions to defence markets worldwide.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
20 May 24. JFD welcomes Peter Laughton MBE as Head of Military Diving. JFD Limited, part of James Fisher & Sons PLC, the world leading underwater capability provider serving the commercial and defence diving markets, is pleased to welcome Peter Laughton as Head of Military Diving to support the company’s continued growth within both the UK and international defence markets. Peter brings over 32 years of extensive operational experience in the Royal Navy, with a substantial part of his career at sea in frigates, destroyers, and minehunters. His specialisation since 1998 as a Mine Clearance Diving Officer, along with his recent operational command of a 12-nation International Maritime Security Construct and Coalition Task Force SENTINEL, ensures that, as Head of Military Diving, Peter will provide unparalleled expertise and knowledge to enhance JFD’s Defence Diving Product Line. As a member of the Defence Management Team, Peter will be accountable for the general management of our global Defence Diving team and responsible for the further development and implementation of our strategy and delivering mission success to our customers. A key part of Peter’s role will be working closely with our international teams and customers to develop JFD’s Military Diving product portfolio for the future, enhancing our offering in response to the requirements and challenges faced by modern dive teams.
23 May 24. His Majesty King Charles III has been confirmed as SSAFA’s new Patron. As a much-valued supporter, we are delighted and honoured to inform you that King Charles III is our new Patron. The Monarch’s patronage continues SSAFA’s long-standing association with The Royal Family, dating back to its earliest days when the then future queen, Alexandra, Princess of Wales, became the first President of SSFA (The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association), long before the formation of the RAF and SSAFA as it is known today. Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth went on to become joint Patrons of SSAFA – including the dark days of the Second World War – until the King’s death in 1952. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, had an active interest in SSAFA long before joining the Royal Family. She was a SSFA volunteer during the First World War, and frequently attended branch and fundraising events for the charity. On becoming Her Majesty The Queen Mother, she continued as co-Patron, this time with her daughter, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who took on the role upon her ascension to the throne. The Queen continued to honour SSAFA with her Patronage until her death in September 2022.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
23 May 24. Academy Securities, a registered broker-dealer, certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE), and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), today announced the addition of Vice Admiral Collin Green (a U.S. Navy SEAL) to its Advisory Board and Geopolitical Intelligence Group. Prior to retiring, Vice Admiral Collin Green last served as the deputy commander of the United States Special Operations Command. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
22 May 24. BAE Systems, Inc. today announced that former National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Director Betty Sapp has been appointed to its Board of Directors. Sapp joined the NRO, a joint Department of Defense – Intelligence Community organization, in 1997, and in 2012, was named the first woman to serve as director of the agency. After serving as the 18th Director of the NRO for seven years and as a CIA officer for more than 20 years, she retired in 2019. Additionally, she was Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence from 2007-2009. She began her career as a United States Air Force officer, serving 17 years in various roles that included acquisition and financial management assignments on space and satellite programs.
22 May 24. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today announced its board of directors has elected Dr. Heather Wilson to the board, effective today. Wilson served as the 24th Secretary of the U.S. Air Force from 2017 to 2019 and is the president of the University of Texas at El Paso, a 24,000-student research university.]]
22 May 24. TrustPoint, Inc., a venture-backed deep tech company dedicated to developing and providing next-generation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) products and services, welcomes Charles Beames as Executive Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. Beames brings over three decades of aerospace and investment expertise to TrustPoint. In his new role, Beames will lead the TrustPoint board and work closely with the company’s executive team in their mission to deliver solutions that address the evolving needs of GPS customers and stakeholders worldwide. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)