MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
Apr 08. 56 Squadron RAF: Change of Role. A handover parade took place at RAF Leuchars to mark a change of role for 56 Squadron, which was disbanded as the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). Many of 56 Squadron’s personnel have transferred to 43 Squadron, which has assumed the role of Tornado F3 OCU. The new 56 Squadron is to be based at RAF Waddington with an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) role, flying Sentinel aircraft.
Comment: The change of role for 56 Squadron is part of a phased programme which is seeing the Typhoon replace the Tornado F3. 43 Squadron is expected to disband in April 2010 and 111 Squadron in April 2011. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0817, 28 Apr 08)
30 Apr 08. The Boeing Company and the Australian College of Kuwait have completed a joint vocational training project, satisfying an offset requirement of Kuwait’s purchase of 16 AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters in 2002. The National Offset Company (NOC) and the Kuwait Ministry of Finance announced the milestone Tuesday in Kuwait. Through the offset commitment, Boeing provided technical management and aerospace expertise, including the provisioning, installation and commissioning of specialized aviation and engineering equipment, training, and advanced technology transfer to the school. The specialized equipment includes a 737-200 airplane that will be used as a training platform for aviation maintenance programs; hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel test stands; vertical and knee milling machines; avionic test benches; electrical and hydraulic carts; lathes, grinders, welders and other general equipment. The project also included the construction of an aviation hangar with workshops and training rooms.
25 Apr 08. WFS, the world’s leading developer of through-water and through-ground wireless communication and sensing technology, today announced the company’s UK headquarters had been relocated to a larger facility in Livingston, near Edinburgh in Scotland. Brendan Hyland, Chairman of WFS, commented, “The business has grown strongly over the last 12 months with new business from customers in the Defence, Oil and Environmental sectors. This move to larger facilities accommodates our growing team and greater engineering needs”.
30 Apr 08. The Navy’s newest attack submarine North Carolina will be commissioned Saturday, May 3, during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony at Port of Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C. Designated SSN 777, the fourth submarine of the Virginia-class will bear the name North Carolina to honor the Tar Heel State. The submarine will be the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to bear the name North Carolina. The first was a 74-gun ship-of-the-line that served from 1820 to 1836. The second North Carolina was a Tennessee-class armored cruiser that was built at the Newport News shipyard and served from 1908 to 1921. The third North Carolina was the first of the Navy’s modern battleships, serving from 1940 to 1947, earning 12 battle stars for service during World War II. The battleship now serves in Wilmington, N.C., as a memorial for all North Carolinians who served in World War II.
24 Apr 08. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the re-establishment of the U.S. Fourth Fleet and assigned Rear Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, currently serving as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, as its new commander. Fourth Fleet will be responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South America. U.S. Fourth Fleet will be dual-hatted with the existing commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO), currently located in Mayport, Fla. U.S. Fourth Fleet has been re-established to address the increased role of maritime forces in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of operations, and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to regional partners. Effective July 1, the command will have operational responsibility for U.S. Navy asset