LOCATIONS
08 Jun 07. HRH the Duchess of Cornwall has today named the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful attack submarine, the first-of-class Astute, before it rolls out of the build hall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.
More than 10,000 people have watched the ceremony today in the 25,000m² Devonshire Dock Hall submarine build complex, the largest building of its kind in Europe. Astute will remain on the shiplift overnight before being lowered into the dock tomorrow.
After the naming ceremony the Duchess met members of the submarine crew and the production workforce before taking lunch with more than 400 guests drawn from the employees, suppliers, the MoD, the Royal Navy and local dignitaries.
12 Jun 07. General Dynamics Land Systems is to establish assembly operations for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)vehicles in Anniston and Oxford, Ala., and beginning mid-June will increase employment there by 270. In addition, General Dynamics will invest approx. $2.6m in capital improvements to the facilities. The main production site for assembly of MRAP vehicles will employ 220
new workers in an 80,000 square-foot leased portion of a BR Williams-owned
building in Oxford. A supporting production site in Building 169, on
Anniston Army Depot, will employ 50 new workers. General Dynamics Land Systems
currently employs 240 workers on the depot building Fox and Stryker combat vehicles. The assembly operations are being created to support a $244.5m
work order awarded on April 30 by Force Protection, Inc. to assist
with the production of 1,000 vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. Force Protection and
General Dynamics have formed a joint venture, Force Dynamics, to share in
the
04 Jun 07. Auxiliaries: Early Exit. In a Written Answer (4 Jun 07), the Armed Forces’ Minister said: “Current plans are to dispose of RFA Oakleaf and RFA Brambleleaf before the end of 2007….”.
Comment: On at least four previous occasions (14 Mar 05, 27 Jun 05, 6 Mar 06 & 17 Jul 06) the Minister had confirmed the out of service dates for Brambleleaf as 2009 and Oakleaf as 2010. No explanation was given or apology offered for the MoD’s change of plan. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0723, 11 Jun 07)
08 Jun 07. McTurbine Inc., an engine and component maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility and wholly owned subsidiary of AAI Services Corporation, celebrated its new Corpus Christi facility with a ribbon-cutting and open house on June 4th. The building was dedicated to Director of Operations Joe Guzman, whose oversight of the construction was instrumental to its success. (Source: Shephard)
07 Jun 07. The fourth, and final LSD(A) in the Bay class, RFA Lyme Bay has exceeded expectations in her final stages of testing before embarking on sea trials later this month. MoD and DE&S officials stated that the ship had been presented to an extremely high standard for final inspection and “the best we have seen for a long time”. RFA Lyme Bay was launched and built at Swan Hunter on Tyneside before being brought to the Clyde for completion. The ship has today (Thursday) undergone her final inspection and is now ready to leave the Clyde on her journey to Falmouth and then on to Portland where she will be handed over to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary on 2nd August.
JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
12 June 2007. Jaguar and Land Rover jobs fears. Union leaders have voiced concerns about US carmaker Ford considering putting its British luxury car marques Jaguar and Land Rover up for sale. Dave Osborne, national officer of the Unite union, said its “prime concern” was the job security of workers. Jaguar has about 10,000 staff at sites in Coventry, Birmingham, and Liverpool, while Land Rover employs about 9,000 in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. Ford has been selling assets in a bid to offset falling sales and profits. (Source: BBC)
05 Jun 07. Top US military chief to st