LOCATIONS
LAND
07 Nov 19. US Navy Office of Naval Research launches Melbourne office. US Navy Captain James Borghardt, commanding officer for the Office of Naval Research Global, has officially inaugurated the new Melbourne, Australia, office to promote regional science and technology relationships. Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global – charged with providing international science and technology (S&T) solutions for current and future naval challenges – actively engages with the international S&T community around the world.
Officials note that the new office in Australia will be critical to the advancement of US Naval Research Enterprise’s S&T partnerships with research communities in Australia, as well as in other partner nations in the region.
Captain James Borghardt, commanding officer for ONR Global, welcomed the launch, saying, “The opening of the Melbourne office reflects the strong, longstanding S&T relationships ONR Global has with the international community. This office will serve as a regional hub for collaboration with researchers in Australia as well as across the Indo-Pacific region, to share discovery and innovation, which are the essence of scientific advancement.”
Recent collaborative research between Australia and US Naval Research Enterprise scientists have included research projects in quantum technology, nano-technology, human systems and machine learning. (Source: Defence Connect)
05 Nov 19. Australia to begin construction of High Performance Computing Centre. Construction of a ‘next-generation High Performance Computing Centre (HPCC)’ for the Australian defence establishment will begin in November following the award of an AUD57m (USD39.4m) contract by the Australian government to the Hansen Yuncken construction company. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said in a 5 November statement that construction of the facility in the South Australian city of Adelaide is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The HPCC is a 2016 Defence White Paper initiative aimed at establishing centralised, networked, supercomputing capabilities that will support advanced research, development, modelling, and experimentation across the Australian Defence Force. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
05 Nov 19. $193m upgrade for Point Wilson to support munitions import. Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced the $193m upgrade of defence infrastructure at Point Wilson, Victoria, as part of the Point Wilson Waterside Infrastructure Remediation (PWWIR) Project.
Minister Price and senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson announced that a $193m contract had been awarded to CPB Contractors for remediation of waterside infrastructure at Defence’s Explosive Ordnance site.
The objective of the PWWIR project is to remediate the Point Wilson Explosives Area (PWEA) waterside infrastructure in order to enable the recommencement of bulk EO importation operations at the PWEA.
The structure is at the end of its service life and requires an upgrade to improve the safety of operations and functionality. The proposed works include:
- A new wharf and link structure;
- Refurbished jetty piles and new jetty deck;
- Refurbished and new mooring and berthing infrastructure; and
- Upgrade and replacement of the support infrastructure involving electrical, communications, hydraulics and fire services.
Minister Price added, “The broad scope of the project includes remediation of a 2.4 kilometre-long jetty and reconstruction of the wharf. CPB Contractors will act as Defence’s managing contractor and deliver the works through the engagement of sub-contractors.”
The PWWIR project has multiple benefits for both defence and local industry, including:
- Returning PWEA to operational status will contribute to a broad range of Australian Defence Force capabilities;
- PWEA waterside infrastructure is at the end of its service life. The project works are expected to extend the service life of the facility to 2055; and
- The project will generate employment in the region and will provide the opportunity to supply goods and services.
Under the government’s Defence Policy for Industry Participation, CPB has developed a Local Industry Capability Plan that will maximise opportunities for local involvement.
Henderson said that meant the project, which is being fully-funded by the Morrison government, would primarily benefit the local community.
“There will be opportunities for local business, with around 200 workers anticipated to be directly employed by the project over the construction period of two years. It is also great to see that CPB Contractors has committed to maximising opportunities for local industry including suppliers and the construction workforce alike,” she explained.
The 2019 Defence Policy for Industry Participation will provide more opportunity for Australian companies to compete for work with Defence and represents the next step in the Australian government’s multi-faceted defence industry policy agenda.
The policy builds on the Australian Industry Capability Program and Local Industry Capability Plan. The policy introduces a new requirement on tenderers to address Australian industry involvement for all Defence materiel and non-materiel procurements above $4m, and for the procurement of construction services above $7.5m.
To meet the new requirements of the policy, successful tenderers will need to provide detailed commitments on how they will utilise and develop Australian industry. These commitments will become contracted deliverables and successful tenders will be required to report on their performance against them.
The policy provides a more consistent approach to the consideration of Australian industry at the national and local levels across Defence procurement. This will assist in addressing the requirements to consider the broader economic benefits of such procurements under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.
Defence will apply the requirements of the policy through a staged implementation process over 2019 to both new projects and new phases of existing projects. This will provide industry with time to become familiar with, and prepare for, the new requirements – further information about the Defence Policy for Industry Participation is available here. https://www.defence.gov.au/SPI/Industry/Industry-Participation.asp (Source: Defence Connect)
MARITIME
07 Nov 19. Pakistan Navy commissions 3,000-ton survey ship Behr Masah. The Pakistan Navy (PN) has commissioned a new 3,000-ton survey ship named PNS Behr Masah. The 80.8m-long vessel, which was built in China by Jiangsu Dajin Heavy Industry, entered service in a ceremony held on 4 November at the Karachi Naval Dockyard, which was also attended by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi.
The contract for the construction of Behr Masah, which is now the largest survey vessel operated by the PN, was signed in mid-2017, with the ship being launched in December 2018. The vessel, which is reportedly capable of operating at sea for 50 days, has been equipped with “state-of-the-art equipment” and is capable of undertaking “hydrographic, oceanographic and geographical surveys as well as seafloor mapping from shallow to ocean depths”, said the PN in a statement published on its Facebook page the same day. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
07 Nov 19. Arleigh Burke-class ship USS Ross returns to fleet after SRA. The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) returned to the fleet after completion of the upgrades. The Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) Detachment Rota completed a 101-day selected restricted availability (SRA) aboard the destroyer. FDRMC Rota supervised the availability of the ship. Navantia was the prime contractor for the work. USS Ross is homeported in Rota, Spain, to support regional security and ballistic missile defence.
FDRMC Commanding Officer captain Gus Vergara said: “The collective dedication and drive of the entire team resulted in on-time delivery of this critical BMD asset to DESRON 60 and the Commander, 6th Fleet.”
The SRA began on 22 July this year and involved the delivery of combat system upgrades, as well as hull, mechanical and electrical work.
The team also performed structural and preservation work on forward and aft gas turbine exhaust stack tops. The work also comprised of full preservation and non-skid replacement on both forward and aft vertical launch systems. During the availability, DDG 71 also received an upgrade to the shipboard video distribution system and enhancements to the Battle Force Tactical Trainer.
FDRMC Officer in Charge commander Luis Socias said: “Many factors, including our cooperation and continuous communication with the prime contractor, facilitated the timely completion of the work.”
USS Ross can perform combat operations in support of carrier battle groups, amphibious assault groups, and surface action groups.
The destroyer is armed with a range of weapons including Harpoon anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine rockets, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and torpedoes. In July, the ship concluded its eighth forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrol prior to the SRA. (Source: naval-technology.com)
06 Nov 19. Russia lays keels of two new diesel-electric submarines. Russia’s Admiralty Shipyards, a subsidiary of United Shipbuilding Corporation, laid keels of two new Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines, Ufa and Magadan, for the Russian Navy’s (VMF’s) Pacific Fleet on 1 November. The boats are being built under a contract for six submarines for the Pacific Fleet signed with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in September 2016. Ufa and Magadan are the third and fourth boats, respectively, of the series. The first submarine of the series, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was laid on 28 July 2017 and launched on 28 March 2019, with delivery to the VMF scheduled for 25 November. The second boat, Volkhov, is planned to be launched in December, while construction of the fifth and sixth submarines is being prepared. The entire series is scheduled to be completed in 2022. With construction taking 28 months, the recently laid Ufa and Magadan are to be delivered in late 2021 and the first half of 2022, respectively.
Construction of the first boat of the class for the Black Sea Fleet, Novorossiysk, took 49 months (August 2010-September 2014), while Krasnodar took 21 months (February 2014-November 2015), and Rostov-on-Don took 37 months (November 2011-December 2014). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Nov 19. US Navy Christens Expeditionary Fast Transport Newport. The US Navy christened its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport, the future USNS Newport (T-EPF 12), during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony Saturday, November 9, at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
The principal speaker was Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Mrs. Charlotte Marshall, a Newport native, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.
“This ship honors the city of Newport, Rhode Island, and serves as a reminder of the contributions the community has and continues to make to our Navy,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Newport is a Navy town where many officers begin their careers and then return later for strategic training. It is right that a fourth ship will bear the name Newport to continue our long relationship, and provide our commanders high-speed sealift mobility and agility in the fight to defend our nation.”
The first Newport (Gunboat No. 12) was commissioned October 5, 1897. During the Spanish-American War, she received credit for assisting in the capture of nine Spanish vessels. The ship was decommissioned in 1898, but recommissioned in 1900 to serve as a training ship at the Naval Academy and at the Naval Training Station at Newport, R.I., until decommissioning in Boston in 1902.
The second Newport (PF-27) was commissioned Sept. 8, 1944 and decommissioned in September 1945 and loaned to the U.S.S.R. under Lend-Lease and returned to United States custody at Yokosuka, Japan, in November 1949. Recommissioned in July 1950, Newport patrolled off Inchon, Korea, screening during the landings. Decommissioned at Yokosuka in April 1952, she was loaned to Japan in 1953, and commissioned as Kaede (PF-13). She was then reclassified PF-293 and transferred to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force outright in August 1962.
The third Newport (LST-1179) was commissioned on June 7, 1969. Assigned to the Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Newport alternated amphibious training operations along the east coast of the United States with extended deployments to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. She was decommissioned in October 1992, and transferred to the government of Mexico in 2001.
EPF class ships are designed to transport 600 short tons of military cargo 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. The ship is capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams main battle tank (M1A2).
The EPF includes a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive off the ship. EPF’s shallow draft (less than 15 feet) further enhances littoral operations and port access. This makes the EPF an extremely flexible asset for support of a wide range of operations including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport. (Source: US DoD)
06 Nov 19. Japan launches second Soryu-class submarine equipped with lithium-ion batteries. Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has launched the second Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The 84m-long boat, which has been named Toryu (with pennant number SS 512), entered the water on 6 November in a ceremony held at KHI’s facilities in Kobe.
Toryu is also the 12th and final submarine of the Soryu class and the sixth to be built by KHI, with the other six having been built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The boat was laid down in January 2017 and is expected to enter service with the JMSDF in March 2021.
The launch comes after GS Yuasa, a Kyoto-based developer and manufacturer of battery systems, announced in February 2017 that Japan would become the first country in the world to equip SSKs with lithium-ion batteries in place of lead-acid batteries.
At the time the company said the batteries, which store considerably more energy than the lead-acid batteries, would be mounted on the final two Soryu-class boats for the JMSDF: SS 511 (Oryu), and SS 512 (Toryu).
According to Jane’s Fighting Ships, the Soryu class has a beam of 9.1m, a hull draught of 8.4m, and a displacement of 2,947 tonnes when surfaced and of 4,100 tonnes when submerged. The previous boats of the class have been fitted with two Kawasaki 12V 25/25 diesel generators and four Kawasaki Kockums V4-275R Stirling air-independent propulsion (AIP) engines, and use lead-acid batteries for energy storage. Each of the platforms has a top speed of 20kt when submerged and of 12kt when surfaced.
The Soryu class is equipped with six 533mm bow tubes that can fire the Japanese-developed Type 89 heavy-weight torpedo. The boats are also capable of deploying the UGM-84C Harpoon medium-range anti-ship missile against surface targets. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Nov 19. RoKN receives third upgraded Chang Bogo-class submarine. South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) handed over Chang Bogo (Type 209/1200)-class submarine Lee Eok Gi to the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) on 31 October after completing an upgrade of the 1,200-tonne boat. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Seoul announced in a 1 November statement that the 56.4 m-long and 6.2 m-wide diesel-electric attack submarine, which first entered service in December 2001, has been retrofitted with a new locally built combat management system, animproved target detection and tracking capability, and a towed-array sonar. Retrofit work started in July 2018.
The retrofit is part of a mid-life upgrade programme for three of the nine Chang Bogo-class submarines under a KRW179bn (USD154m) contract signed in 2014. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Nov 19. Royal Navy’s HMS Forth leaves for mission to safeguard the Falklands. The British Royal Navy’s next-generation patrol ship HMS Forth has left the Portsmouth naval base for a deployment to the Falkland Islands. The long-term deployment of HMS Forth will see the ship act as the guardian of the Falkland Islands and Britain’s South Atlantic territories. HMS Forth is the first in the navy’s fleet of five Batch 2 River-class next-generation patrol vessels. The ship will take over the mission from HMS Clyde, which has offered protection to the Falklands and nearby South Georgia for the past 12 years. Clyde is one of four first-generation River-class ships in service with the British Navy.
HMS Forth commanding officer commander Bob Laverty said: “Today is a momentous day for the River-class. I am extremely proud of my ship’s company for their efforts over the past two years in getting us to this point and grateful to the entire enterprise for their support and perseverance throughout our generation as a first-of-class warship.”
The five new bigger, faster River-class ships can be heavily armed and provide the capability to land and refuel Wildcat and Merlin helicopters. They can accommodate more than 50 troops on missions.
Fishery Protection Squadron head commander Simon Pressdee said: “Forth continues to pave the way for the class. We fully expect her to spend most of her time at sea on operations with only a fraction of the time spent in maintenance, while her crew will rotate to and from the UK.
“The ability to deploy these ships while maintaining a vital work-life balance is what proves so popular with both those who task them – and those who serve on them.”
A team of Royal Navy engineers will be available at East Cove Military Port to support HMS Forth in delivering its mission. Forth’s sister ships include Medway, Trent, Tamar and Spey. (Source: naval-technology.com)
AIR
07 Nov 19. Norway declares F-35A initial operational capability. Key Points:
- Norway declared IOC for its F-35As on 6 November
- It becomes the third European nation to declare initial capability after the UK and Italy
On 6 November Norway declared initial operational capability (IOC) for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) conventional variant, after validating it can operate the aircraft away from its home base of Ørland Main Air Station.
Norway finished several days of transferring F-35As and equipment that are part of a fighter weapon system from Ørland Main Air Station to Rygge Air Station near Oslo as part of its final test prior to declaring IOC. It becomes the third European country to declare IOC after the UK and Italy. Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) spokesman Lars Gjemble said on 6 November that Norway has 15 F-35As and that several of these aircraft participated in the testing at Rygge Air Station. Norway, simultaneously, continued regular F-35A training at Ørland Main Air Station.
Gjemble said that 50 of the 52 planned flights were flown from Rygge Air Station. Norway tested the aircraft, personnel, and weapons in all types of conditions during this deployment, which was the first time Norway’s F-35As operated from a base other than Ørland Main Air Station.
The results from testing were enough for Royal Norwegian Air Force (Luftforsvaret: RNoAF) Chief Major General Tonje Skinnarland to declare IOC. All the F-35s moved to Rygge Air Station for testing will return to Ørland Main Air Station. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Nov 19. Airbus details enhanced C295 configuration. Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has disclosed details of a new variant of the C295 transport and special mission aircraft, with Canada as the launch customer.
Speaking at the Airbus Trade Media Briefing (TMB) in Manching, Germany, Ioannis Papachristofilou, head of marketing, said that the New C295 configuration is built around an enhanced avionics suite as well as other system and performance improvements. It is the standard that is to be delivered to Canada under that country’s Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) programme.
As noted by Papachristofilou on 6 November, the New C295 features the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics suite that includes 14.1-inch (35.8 cm) touchscreens that are night-vision goggle (NVG) compatible; improved situational awareness with a head-up display (HUD), enhanced synthetic vision system (ESVS), overland weather radar, terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), and a FITS mission system tactical situation window and video feed to the cockpit; a next-generation FITS with larger 24-inch screens and more powerful processors; a gravel deflector on the landing gear to protect the aircraft’s underside during rough-field operations; improved ditching characteristics with a strengthened under-fuselage and escape hatch in the forward upper-fuselage; 50% more electrical power generation; as well as increased aerodynamic performance through vanes and strakes fitted to varying locations on the fuselage.
Papachristofilou said that, while many of these features can be retrofitted (aerodynamic enhancements etc), some can not (the structural enhancements for ditching etc). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
05 Nov 19. RoKA grounds Surion helicopter fleet after ‘preventive landing.’ The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) has suspended flight operations of its Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KUH-1 Surion multirole medium helicopters after one of the rotorcraft was forced to make an unscheduled landing on 4 November. The RoKA was quoted by the Yonhap News Agency as saying in a statement that the platform made a “preventive landing” at a military airbase in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, after unusual signs, including a slight vibration, were detected.
“Although there were no problems in the safety of crew members and the helicopter, we, as a pre-emptive measure, instructed that the type of the helicopter be grounded as of 9pm on Monday [4 November],” said the RoKA, adding that an investigation into the incident has been launched. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
05 Nov 19. Famous Royal Marines commando name revived. A historic unit name synonymous with the commando heroics and bravery of World War Two has been revived for a new era of the Royal Marines. 1 Assault Group Royal Marines – the marines’ amphibious warfare experts – will now be known as 47 Commando Raiding Group, reinvigorating a unit name that not only gives a nod to the past but also to the future of 3 Commando Brigade. The renaming was announced following the 75th anniversary commemorations of one of 47 Commando’s greatest battles during World War Two at Walcheren in the Netherlands.
The battle for the island was vital in freeing the approaches to Antwerp, an important supply port, and 47 Commando played a key role in victory alongside their fellow commandos.
Around 48 hours after landing on Gold Beach on D-Day, 47 Commando were also in action in Port-en-Bessin, carrying out a daring tactical raid, approaching from the rear flank and against extreme odds claiming a vital victory to open up supply lines for the advancing allied forces.
It is that action at Port-en-Bessin that partly inspired the name change, with the Royal Marines now refocusing on tactical raiding and putting their seaborne warfare expertise back at the forefront of the way they fight after concentrating on more conventional warfighting in the recent past.
It puts their small raiding craft at the centre of what they do along with the development of cutting-edge weapons, tactics and strategy for battle. This is all part of the Future Commando Force concept and is why the ‘Raiding Group’ part of the new name holds considerable significance.
Commandant General Royal Marines, Major General Matt Holmes said: “It is with enormous pride that I have been able to announce the renaming of 1 Assault Group Royal Marines to 47 Commando (Raiding Group) Royal Marines.
“This change better captures the future role of this specialist 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines unit, whilst reflecting the esteem in which we hold the forebears given their audacious Commando operations of the past.
“The Commando ethos is incredibly strong and remains the golden thread that runs through the Royal Marines as we accelerate into the future as the Royal Navy’s Commando force.”
47 Commando was dismantled after the war in 1946 but is now revived as 1AGRM is now under the command of 3 Commando Bridge Royal Marines. The new name is more in keeping with the traditions of the brigade.
1AGRM have always had strong links with the 47 Commando Association and was formed in 2001 to look after the landing craft specialisation and assault squadrons.
As part of this move, 539 Assault Squadron will now be called 539 Raiding Squadron, adding further emphasis on the raiding future of the Royal Marines. (Source: U.K. MoD)
01 Nov 19. Russian Naval Aviation to form new combat headquarters. Two new air division headquarters are to be formed by the Russian Naval Aviation in the Kaliningrad and Crimea regions.
The new headquarters, dubbed ‘combat hubs’ by Russian Navy sources, will control air operations in real time over the sensitive Black and Baltic seas. Details of the move were reported in Izvestia newspaper on 30 October, citing senior sources in the Russian Ministry of Defence.
In Crimea, the 2nd Guards Naval Missile-Carrier Division is in the process of standing up at Novofedorivka Air Base near Saky. It will take under command the 43rd Separate Naval Assault Aviation Regiment’s Sukhoi Su-24 strike jets and Su-30SM fighters based at Novofedorivka. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
01 Nov 19. The Senate has unanimously confirmed Navy Vice Adm. Charles Richard to be the next head of U.S. Strategic Command. Richard succeeds Air Force Gen. John Hyten as STRATCOM commander and becomes the second head of the combatant command to come from the Navy since 2004. Hyten has since been confirmed as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Richard is a former deputy commander at STRATCOM who most recently served as the Navy’s head of submarine forces. The confirmation appeared a done deal by the time Richard’s Oct. 24 confirmation hearing wrapped up, with senators providing little in the way of hard questioning. In line with previous nuclear commanders, Richard said he was not in favor of the U.S. adopting a no-first-use policy and called for continued investment in the nuclear force. (Source: glstrade.com/Defense News)
01 Nov 19. MG John E. Shaw, deputy commander, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, to commander, Fourteenth Air Force, Air Force Space Command, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
01 Nov 19. MG Stephen N. Whiting, commander, Fourteenth Air Force, Air Force Space Command, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to deputy commander, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
06 Nov 19. NIOA has announced the appointment of former Labor member for Batman, David Feeney, as a strategic adviser for the company. Feeney will remain based in Melbourne but will provide NIOA with advice on “a range of matters including governance, strategic policy as well with a focus on supporting major programs such as dual tenancy at Benalla, in regional Victoria”.
Feeney served in a range of roles during his 25 years in politics and the union movement, including as a Victorian ALP state secretary (1999-2002), director of strategy in the office of premier Steve Bracks (2002-2005), assistant national ALP secretary (2006-2008), senator for Victoria (2008-2013) and then member for Batman in the House of Representatives (2013-2018). Feeney was appointed a senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in September last year and is a member of the Victorian Defence Council and an occasional lecturer at the Australian Defence College and the Australian War College. The former Labor MP is the fourth strategic adviser to join NIOA, following the appointments of Doreen Chaplin (US), Major General (Ret’d) Gus McLachlan, AO, and Mark Donaldson, VC. (Source: Defence Connect)
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
07 Nov 19. Airbus reshuffles supply chain as former autos executive leaves group. Airbus is seeking a new permanent leader of a $50bn supply chain as Klaus Richter, chief procurement officer, steps down from his post at the Franco-German-led company to “pursue other professional challenges,” industry sources said. The former BMW supply chain leader, who was credited with introducing carmaking strategies at Europe’s largest aerospace group, will be replaced on an interim basis by the company’s operational head in China, Francois Mery, staff have been told.
Airbus (AIR.PA) declined to comment.
Richter, who was said by industry sources to have uneasy relations with then helicopters boss Guillaume Faury after his procurement remit expanded to the whole group with his appointment to the executive committee in 2014, had seen his duties gradually reduced since Faury became CEO in April.
His post was excluded from the executive committee in April, marking a retreat from previous company efforts to emulate the status given to procurement issues at some global car firms.
Analysts say keeping strict control of supply chains and ensuring they are managed in close alignment with decisions on aircraft development is crucial to holding down costs.
Richter’s exit coincides with ongoing industrial problems at a plant in Germany that is responsible for a new high-capacity version of the fast-selling A321neo, but sources close to the company said the move was not connected to the delays.
Richter, once seen by some as a potential candidate for CEO, joins a long list of unconnected departures and his exit appears linked to matters of corporate structure and style rather than purely industrial issues, people close to the company said.
“He was one of the last of the ancien regime,” a person with close knowledge of Airbus added.
Richter could not be reached for comment.
Faury has promised renewal and extensive factory modernisation under a broadly new leadership.
Aircraft buyers at back-to-back conferences in Hong Kong said deliveries of the 240-seat A321ACF, a complex new version of the A321neo, are running at least six months late.
The European company has been shielded from cancellations by the grounding of Boeing’s (BA.N) rival 737 MAX but the delays could open the door to compensation, delegates told Reuters at the Airline Economics and Airfinance Journal events.
Airbus last week cut its 2019 delivery goal by 2-3% to 860 jets, but kept profitability targets. It may bring forward some deliveries of high-margin wide-body jets to protect profits. (Source: Reuters)
07 Nov 19. Thales boosts Collins support program. Thales Australia has announced it is recruiting more specialists to join its Collins Class submarine support team in Rockingham, Western Australia. The five specialists will fill technical roles such as system support engineer, senior test and integration technician and field support technical positions to join the 150-strong Thales workforce that is based in WA. Thales Australia’s WA manager Gregg Bohan said the new recruits would join a high performance team providing critical support to the Collins program.
“Thales has been a long-term partner with the RAN on the Collins enterprise, providing sonar systems and integration along with service and support,” Bohan said.
“Our WA team provides engineering analysis, investigation, repairs and replacement of key systems. Delivering an important contribution to Australia’s sovereign capability in underwater systems.”
Last year, Thales won a $230m project to upgrade the Collins Class sensor capabilities of the submarines, with manufacturing and integration work carried out in their underwater systems centre of excellence in Rydalmere, NSW.
Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said at the time that the Collins sonar upgrades continued a 30-year history of support for the Collins program since the original transfer of sonar technology from France in the 1980s that formed the basis of the underwater systems business in Australia.
“It is critical that Australia maintain the highest levels of submarine capability from the Collins fleet until the Future Submarine enters service. The sonar systems are the ‘eyes and ears’ of the submarines, and Thales will bring together the best underwater sensing technology from around the world to ensure the Collins remains a potent force,” Jenkins said in June 2018. (Source: Defence Connect)
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
05 Nov 19. In a surprise pick, Italian shipyard Fincantieri has hired veteran aerospace manager Giuseppe Giordo – who has built his career selling military aircraft – to head up its naval business unit.
The Italian manager will now oversee collaboration with Fincantieri’s regular partner on warship production, Leonardo – the Italian firm where Giordo spent most of his career and was tipped to become CEO before he was pipped to the post and released during a massive cull of managers in 2015.
As Fincantieri seeks to build its naval business and works on its fledgling joint venture with France’s Naval Group, Giordo will bring to the fray his “consolidated, strong and long-term relationships with main industry players,” Fincantieri said in a statement.
Giordo’s entrance into the warship business is the latest step in a three-decade career which started when he joined Leonardo, then known as Finmeccanica, as a young graduate. He rose to become head of the U.S. operation of the firm’s Alenia unit, before becoming boss of the amalgam of Alenia and fellow unit Aermacchi, overseeing the sales of the C-27J cargo aircraft to the United States and the sale of M-346 trainers to customers including Israel. (Source: Defense News)
06 Nov 19. Safran announces new CEO. Olivier Andries will succeed Philippe Petitcolin as CEO of Safran from 1 January 2021, following a one-year transition period beginning on 1 January 2020. Andries has been CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines since June 2015. After executive roles in Airbus and EADS, he joined Safran in March 2008 as executive vice-president for strategy and development. He was then chairman and CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines from 2011-15. On 4 November Safran announced Hervé Bouaziz (vice-president for military engine programmes at Safran Aircraft Engines) as the new president of the Europrop International (EPI) consortium. Safran Aircraft Engines owns 28% of EPI. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
05 Nov 19. BAE Systems, Inc. has named Caitlin Hayden as senior vice president of communications. As a member of the senior leadership team reporting to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tom Arseneault, Caitlin will lead the company’s external and internal communications activities in support of key business campaigns, community investment and employee engagement.
“With her national security expertise and extensive communications experience, Caitlin is well-positioned to drive the global narrative around our broad portfolio of innovative products and services,” said Tom Arseneault, BAE Systems, Inc. President and COO. “Caitlin will be a key voice on our senior leadership team as we support our aerospace and defense customers around the world.”
Most recently, Caitlin served as vice president of communications for the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), leading the organization’s outreach and communications functions, working with AIA member companies, including BAE Systems, to tell the aerospace and defense industry’s story in the U.S. and globally. Caitlin joined AIA from Edelman, where she was executive vice president and media group director in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
Previously, Caitlin spent 15 years in the federal government. She served as a Special Assistant to President Barack Obama, Senior Director for Strategic Communications and Press, and spokesperson for the National Security Council. Prior to her work at the White House, Caitlin served with the Department of State in policy and communications assignments that spanned embassies and offices in Washington, D.C., Afghanistan, Iraq, and the United Kingdom. (Source: ASD Network)
07 Nov 19. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today announced the appointment of Andrew (Andy) Adams to oversee all strategic and operational aspects of its efforts to support Future Vertical Lift (FVL), which will shape the United States military’s helicopter fleet of the future. This appointment emphasizes that Lockheed Martin is bringing the full strength of its portfolio to FVL and demonstrates that the corporation is prepared to support accelerated fielding of these capabilities. Led by the U.S. Army, FVL will create the next generation of rotary wing aircraft that are faster, more maneuverable, more lethal, and more technologically advanced. Andy joins the Rotary and Mission Systems business from Aeronautics, where he was vice president and deputy general manager, F-35 Lightning II program. He has a diverse background in the aerospace industry with 31 years of experience within Lockheed Martin, including 29 with Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works®). Andy brings unique skills to the role based on his deep involvement in the pursuit, capture and execution of highly complex, highly contested capture campaigns. His appointment is effective Nov. 18, 2019.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
07 Nov 19. CAE has announced the appointment of France Hébert to the position of vice-president, Defence and Security for the Canada region. Hébert will be taking on the position on Nov. 4, 2019 and she will report to Marc-Olivier Sabourin, vice-president, Defence and Security, CAE International. Hébert will lead the Defence and Security (D&S) business in Canada, shaping the vision and the operational and commercial strategy for the division, which includes 14 sites across the country. She will strategically position CAE to win large-scale procurement opportunities and continue to protect and maintain our leading position in the military training systems and solutions in Canada with our current programs. As an influential leader, she will be CAE’s representative for D&S Canada with the federal Government and Canadian stakeholders. Over the course of her career, Hébert has held senior positions in strategy, business development and operations. She brings extensive leadership experience with a proven track record on complex, billion-dollar defence and aerospace programs. Through her varied career, she was an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked for three companies playing major roles in Canada, namely: Bombardier, Nortel and General Dynamics Mission Systems – Canada (GDMS-C). (Source: Google/https://www.skiesmag.com/)
07 Nov 19. Brazilian planemaker Embraer appoints ThyssenKrupp executive as CFO. Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA) said on Thursday it has appointed ThyssenKrupp (TKAG.DE) executive Antonio Carlos Garcia as chief financial officer. Garcia replaces Nelson Salgado, who will become vice president for operations, the company said in a securities filing. The appointments are effective January 1, 2020. Garcia has worked for nine years at ThyssenKrupp, where he is currently CFO of its global unit Forged Technologies in Germany. He previously worked for Semens in Brazil. (Source: Reuters)