LOCATIONS
23 Jan 07. His Royal Highness The Duke of York visited Rockwell Collins (UK) Ltd. in Reading today to learn more about the company’s latest communications and aviation electronics technology. The Duke of York visited in his role as Special Representative for UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). During the visit he received demonstrations of Rockwell Collins’ airline flight operations and communications management system, the Link-16 beyond-line-of-sight data link system and military GPS capability.
Jan 07. Maritime Composite Training System (MCTS): New Facility. Preview (January 2007) reported that BAE Systems had started to lay the foundations for a new MCTS facility at the Maritime Warfare School, HMS COLLINGWOOD. The new building is to house the operational training requirements for major surface platforms, including Type 45 destroyers. The BAE Systems’ contract, which is for MCTS Phase 1, is valued at about £100m.
Comment: MCTS facilities, which will be found at Devonport as well as at HMS COLLINGWOOD, are outside the scope of the Defence Training Review (Item 3). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0704, 22 Jan 07)
18 Jan 07. Naval Bases: Operating Costs. The Armed Forces’ Minister said (18 Jan 07) that the costs for running HM Naval Bases in 2005/06 were: Clyde – £183m; Devonport – £185m and Portsmouth – £151m. Costs for the two previous financial years were similar. The figures include the general site operating costs as well as utilities, rates, telephone, maintenance and manpower costs.
Comment: The Naval Base Review is not expected to be completed before Spring 2007. An announcement on the future of the Naval Bases is due to be made, by the Defence Secretary, “before the Parliamentary Summer Recess” (which starts on 26 Jul 07). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0704, 22 Jan 07)
23 Jan 07. Navy Announces Intent to Negotiate Infrastructure Projects with Gulfcoast Shipyards. The Navy announced today that it has evaluated proposals and selected projects it intends to fund under Section 2203 of Public Law 109-234, commonly referred to as Katrina Supplemental IV. Katrina Supplemental IV provided that, “not less than $140,000,000 of emergency hurricane relief Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy funds appropriated . . . shall be made available for infrastructure improvements at Gulf Coast shipyards that have existing Navy shipbuilding contracts and that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in calendar year 2005.” The Navy evaluated 18 proposals from seven offerors and intends to enter into negotiations with the following companies:Atlantic Marine in Mobile, Ala.; Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.; Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss., Gulfport, Miss., and New Orleans, La.; Seemanns Composites in Gulfport, Miss.; Swiftships in Morgan City, La.; and Textron Marine and Land Systems in New Orleans, La.
Jan 07. Single Living Accommodation Modernisation (SLAM): Phase II Contract
Babcock International announced (16 Jan 07) that Debut Services, its consortium with Bovis Land Lease, had been selected for the second phase of the Defence Estates’ SLAM project (SLAM II). SLAM II is to deliver accommodation for an additional 7,000 single Service personnel over a period of five years from 2008.
Comment: In March 2001 the then Defence Secretary announced an additional £1,000m of new funding over 10 years, for raising the standard of single living accommodation. Phase I of the project (SLAM I), which started in 2003, saw Debut Services construct and maintain accommodation for 14,000 single Service personnel. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0704, 22 Jan 07)
Jan 07. HMS DAUNTLESS: Launching. HMS DAUNTLESS is to be launched at BAE Systems’ yard at Govan on Tue 23 Jan 07. The ships’ sponsor is Lady Burnell-Nugent, the wife of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet.
Comment: HMS DAUNTLESS is the second of the six Type 45 destroyers which have so far been ordered, at a forecast cost of £6,110m. Ministe