LOCATIONS
LAND
29 May 14. Lord Montgomery officially opened the new British Army Support Command Building, named Montgomery House. Support Command Headquarters is responsible for providing a suitable, sustainable and secure home base from which the Army can deploy on military operations abroad, or on national resilience operations within the UK. It also commands the British Army Garrisons in Nepal and Brunei. Naturally, it is located in Aldershot, the historical Home of the British Army. “It is a pleasure to be here today to mark the opening of a splendid new building. My father would certainly have been appreciative of a building named after him. Support Command Taskings are most certainly something he would certainly have been familiar with.” Lord Montgomery presented General Officer Commanding Commendations to staff on behalf of Major General Nitsch CBE, General Officer Commanding for support throughout the transition from Steele’s Road to Queens Avenue. Recipients of the commendations where, Annemarie Seager, Lynne Hughes, Lieutenant Colonel Eze and Paul Vickers. Today also saw the rededication of memorial plaque, first presented to the Garrison in 1969 by Royal Canadian Legion of Toronto. The plaque marks remembrance to the first 3 Canadian soldiers to be killed on British soil by enemy action during the Second World War. Major General Nitsch CBE and Major Hubbick, representing Canadian Embassy laid wreaths as the last post was played, followed by a minutes silence before Reveille. Major Robert Hubbick added “I am extremely honoured to be here today to mark the continued remembrance within Aldershot of Canadian soldiers. These soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice.”
27 May 14. Pratt & Whitney May Build Engine Center in Turkey. In partnership with the Turkish military, US engine-maker Pratt & Whitney intends to build an engine center in Turkey designed for the F135, Turkish officials said. Turkey’s procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), has said the planned center would lead final assembly of the engines that will power Lockheed Martin’s multinational F-35. The center also will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services. SSM and Pratt & Whitney last week signed a letter of intent for the engine center. The proposed F135 engine center deal requires approval from the US government. Turkey is a member of the Joint Strike Fighter partnership that builds the F-35. Just recently, Ankara officially ordered its first two F-35s. It plans to buy an eventual batch of 100 aircraft. (Source: glstrade.com)
23 May 14. DCNS Technologies Canada Inc. with headquarters in Ottawa, represents the first step towards the creation of Naval Systems Integration Center that was announced by Patrick Boissier, Chairman & CEO, during his November 2013 conferences given in Halifax, Ottawa and Toronto to establish a long-term strategic partnership with Canada. In particular, DCNS Technologies Canada Inc. will lead the design of the Canadian version of FREMM frigate, a contender for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) programme under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). The Canadian shipbuilding industry has embarked on the largest procurement project in its history. Valued at over $35 billion dollars, the NSPS, with its made-in-Canada approach to shipbuilding, will bring over 30 years of economic growth and impact to multiple Canadian sectors through direct and indirect investments. The sustainable strategic partnerships that DCNS is proposing with Canadian industry, will support the most formidable naval defence program ever undertaken in Canada. In line with the country’s new Defence Procurement Strategy, the Canadian shipbuilding and marine industry will benefit directly from the CSC program.
MARITIME
29 May 14. Upgraded HMS Sutherland prepares to float. The UK Royal Navy’s Type 23 Duke-class vessel HMS Sutherland (F81) is preparing to float for the first time in six months, mar