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28 Feb 19. Future Acquisitions for the Norwegian Defence Sector 2019-2026. This document gives an overview of future acquisitions for the Norwegian Defence Sector in the period 2019 – 2026. The long-term planning process outlines the continuous development of the Norwegian Defence Sector with respect to organisation, infrastructure (garrisons and bases), personnel (numbers, composition and qualifications) and materiel (existing equipment and new acquisitions). This process is carried out under the direction of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The Long-Term Plan – Materiel forms the basis for all materiel procurements in the short term (4 years), the medium term (8 years) and the long-term perspectives (20 years). Annually, the plan is updated to reflect updates based on changing requirements, available resources and progress in on-going acquisitions.
The Government recognises the vital role the defence industry plays in support of the Armed Forces’ capabilities. This role ranges from the provision and maintenance of military equipment to the delivery of a wide range of support services. The Government’s national strategy for the defence industry was recently revised, and presented as a new White Paper to Parliament (Meld. St. 9 (2015–2016) Nasjonal forsvarsindustriell strategi) and covers the relationship between the Defence Sector and the defence industry.
The main reasons for presenting an updated White Paper are the developments in the security sphere over the recent years, changes in the defence market both nationally and internationally, changes in terms and conditions, the introduction of the EU’s defence and security procurement directive, in addition to an increased focus on preparedness and security of supply.
The new White Paper focuses on national security interests and security of supply as basis for the new policy and strategy. The policy will continue to maintain and develop an internationally competitive Norwegian defence industry in areas of relevance for the Norwegian Defence Sector.
The Norwegian defence industry contributes substantially to our national economic growth, technological and industrial development, export related income and high-tech related employment. The aim of the strategy is to secure good cooperation between the defence sector and the defence industry based on our sector’s need for cost-efficient deliveries of defence equipment and services.
The strategy implies that Norway increasingly should cooperate with other nations on defence procurement. The strategy will also contribute to necessary predictability for Norwegian export companies. The Government upholds the governmental support programme for marketing and industrial cooperation.
A central feature in the annual updating of the Long-Term Plan – Materiel is the preparation and publication of an unclassified overview of long-term materiel requirements. This publication does not examine each planned project in detail but creates opportunities for in-depth discussions between the Defence Sector and industry.
In this way, industry can get an early insight into potential materiel investments. The aim is to maintain highly skilled companies that individually or in cooperation with others, are able to support the needs of the Defence Sector. Having a proven and highly skilled industry is also fundamental for being able to compete in the international defence market that in many ways remains a closed one.
The materiel investment projects are subject to decisions and approval by the MoD and the Parliament. The projects listed in this publication are not approved for implementation. It is emphasized that any project not yet formally approved may subsequently be terminated or changed without any further explanation or liability. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Norwegian Ministry of Defence)
01 Mar 19. Update: air strikes against Daesh. The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.
Summary
- Monday 11 February – Typhoons supported the Syrian Democratic Forces east of Abu Kamal in Syria, striking two Daesh strong-points, including a heavy machine-gun position.
- Tuesday 19 February – Typhoons used a Brimstone 2 missile to destroy a boat used by Daesh on the Euphrates.
Detail
As the Syrian Democratic Forces have continued their operations to clear the last small remaining pocket of Daesh-held territory that has been identified in eastern Syria, Royal Air Force aircraft have maintained daily armed reconnaissance support, delivering air attacks if needed by the SDF on the ground. On Monday 11 February, the SDF encountered two Daesh strong-points on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, across the river from Abu Kamal. These strong-points were directing fire, including from a heavy machine-gun, at close range against the SDF, so assistance was requested from two RAFTyphoon FGR4s, supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker. The Typhoons conducted an accurate simultaneous attack on both strong-points, hitting each with a Paveway IV guided bomb, and successfully eliminated the threat to the SDF.
A further pair of Typhoons patrolled the Euphrates valley on Tuesday 19 February; a boat had been identified as being used by Daesh, and was found by the Typhoons to be moored on the river bank due south of Baghuz Fawqani. A Brimstone 2 missile was employed to deny the terrorists use of the craft, whether to bring in supplies or allow them to set up operations elsewhere. This was the first operational firing of a Brimstone 2 from a Typhoon FGR4, following the aircraft’s recent upgrade.
UK contribution to the fight against Daesh
Campaign against Daesh
Previous update
Coalition aircraft remain available to assist the Iraqi security forces in their operations to prevent Daesh re-establishing any foothold in the country. An important part of this work is the ability to destroy terrorist stockpiles of weapons and other equipment concealed in remote areas of the countryside. On Monday 7 January, two RAF Tornado GR4s delivered an attack with a pair of Paveway IV guided bombs which successfully collapsed the entrance to a cave, fifty-five miles south-east of Kirkuk, where one such stockpile was known to be stored.
In Syria, our aircraft have continued to provide close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces as they clear the ever-diminishing pocket of Daesh territory south of Hajin and north of Abu Kamal. Typhoon FGR4s, armed with Paveway IVs, attacked three buildings six miles north-east of Abu Kamal on Wednesday 9 January; Daesh fighters in the buildings were engaged in a close-quarters firefight with the advancing SDF. A pair of Tornados meanwhile used two Paveway IVs to deal with a truck-bomb facility in the same area. The following day, Typhoons struck a further three buildings, again being used as strong-points by Daesh. A Reaper was also patrolling the area, and its crew conducted two successful engagements with Hellfire missiles on Daesh terrorists, including a pair spotted setting up a firing position on a rooftop.
Tornados gave further assistance to the Iraqi security forces on Saturday 12 January, when they were asked to demolish the entrances to a set of tunnels discovered in the countryside to the south-west of Mosul. Each of the three entrances was successfully struck with a Paveway IV. On Sunday 13 January, Tornados were tasked with the destruction of a building five miles north-east of Abu Kamal where Daesh were known to be storing truck-bombs. The building and its contents was destroyed with a single Paveway; the Tornados then bombed a chokepoint on the nearby main road to prevent Daesh from moving any more truck-bombs into the area.
Tornados delivered similar attacks on Wednesday 16 January, bombing a further truck-bomb facility to the north-east of Abu Kamal, then cratering in two places a road leading towards the SDF locations. One of the Paveways used to crater the road caused a secondary explosion, an indication that Daesh had probably planted a booby-trap at that location. Typhoons also flew support for the SDF, striking a Daesh-held building. On Thursday 17 January, Typhoons attacked through cloud two Daesh positions which the SDF had under close observation – they confirmed both targets had been hit accurately – whilst Tornados bombed six more terrorist strong-points and firing positions.
The SDF encountered a Daesh-held building as they continued their advance on Friday 18 January, and found themselves under heavy fire. Two Typhoons were tasked to assist them, and a single Paveway IV removed the threat with a direct hit on the target. The following day, both Typhoons and Tornados flew close air support for the SDF, and delivered two attacks, striking a terrorist strong-point and eliminating a sniper position.
Two Tornados and two Typhoons provided further assistance to the SDF on Thursday 24 January, as they attacked a Daesh-held area on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, a few miles to the north-east and east of Abu Kamal. The Typhoons hit a group of terrorists fighting in the open, as well as two strong-points from which fire was being directed at the SDF, whilst the Tornados hit four such positions. All of these successful attacks used Paveway IV guided bombs. On Friday 25 January, Typhoon and Tornado flights each accounted for a further Daesh-held building, and on Saturday 26 January, a pair of Tornados struck five positions, all of which had been used by terrorists engaged in firefights with the SDF.
Royal Air Force aircraft have since continued flying armed reconnaissance patrols, on hand to support the SDF if required. Thursday 31 January saw the last operational sorties by Tornado GR4s – a pair flew an uneventful patrol over Syria, recovering safely to RAF Akrotiri at 1400 GMT after a mission lasting 6½ hours.
28 Feb 19. New Swiss defense chief orders second opinion on huge air-defense revamp. Switzerland’s new defense chief, Viola Amherd, has intervened in the course of the multibillion-dollar “Air 2030” program, tasking a former Swiss astronaut with critiquing its underlying premises.
Claude Nicollier, an astrophysicist and former military pilot, has until the end of April to review a 2017 expert report on the $8bn project to buy a new fleet of fighter aircraft and ground-based air-defense gear.
The second opinion is expected to delay the political process for the program. Technical evaluations of contractor offerings will proceed as planned this spring and summer, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Former defense chief Guy Parmelin had planned to present a full program and investment plan for Air 2030 to parliament in February. Government officials still want to subject the proposal to a referendum in 2020.
Replacing the country’s decades-old F/A-18 and F-5 jets will eat up the lion’s share of the program, at roughly $6bn. The rest will go to new, ground-based, air and missile defense weapons.
The envisioned concept of operations dictates that a fleet of 30 or 40 aircraft will intercept those targets outside of the ground weapons’ range. Officials want enough capacity to have four planes in the air at any given time during crises.
Defense ministry spokesman Renato Kalbermatten told Defense News that Nicollier’s scope for critiquing the 2017 expert report is wide open, which means anything from aircraft numbers to cost is open for scrutiny. It is not expected, however, that the review will question the overall need for the program, he said.
Notably, a reassessment of the threats expected to be countered by the modernization program is part of Nicollier’s mandate.
Swiss officials received offers from five aircraft makers on Jan. 25: Airbus with its Eurofighter, Boeing’s F/18 Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, Lockheed Martin’s F-35A and Saab’s Gripen E.
In the ground-based interceptor portion of the program, the Eurosam consortium is expected to offer its SAMP/T; Israel’s Rafael is pitching David’s Sling; and Raytheon wants to sell its Patriot system. The three vendors met with Swiss industry representatives earlier this month in preparation for a requirement to offer offset deals worth 100 percent of the eventual contract.
Those deals are meant to benefit a broad section of Swiss industries, including the country’s famed watchmakers, according to Armasuisse, the country’s defense acquisition office. (Source: Defense News)
28 Feb 19. Poland wants to buy fifth-gen fighters under $49bn modernization program. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced Thursday he signed a military modernization plan document under which the country will spend 185bn zloty (U.S. $49bn) on new weapons and military equipment by 2026.
The acquisition of 32 fifth-generation fighter jets is one of the priority procurements that are to be carried out under the program, the minister said.
“I expect both the chief of the General Staff, and the chief of the Armament Inspectorate to immediately initiate actions to perform this task,” Blaszczak said in a Feb. 28 ministerial statement.
The acquisition aims to help Poland replace its outdated Soviet-era Sukhoi Su-22 and Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft.
Other acquisitions to be financed by the multiyear program include short-range air defense systems, combat helicopters, cybersecurity systems and new submarines for the Polish Navy, according to Blaszczak. For 2019, the Defence Ministry has a budget of close to 44.7bn zloty, an increase of 9 percent compared with a year earlier.(Source: Defense News)
25 Feb 19. Airbus eyes warplane with no German parts after Saudi arms ban – sources. Airbus has decided to redesign the C295 military transport aircraft it builds in Spain to remove German components following Germany’s freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, company sources told Reuters.
Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said earlier this month the company could consider making products free of German parts because of Germany’s “moral superelevation” on arms exports, which was frustrating Britain, France and Spain.
German curbs on arms exports to non-EU or NATO countries have long been a thorn in bilateral co-operation because of the historical objections of the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition.
But in October, Germany decided unilaterally to reject future arms exports licences to Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and to freeze deliveries of already approved equipment.
Existing deals allow Berlin to stop exports of arms that include German parts.
“We are now designing (the German content) out of the plane,” said one source familiar with the plans. Navigational lamps used for landing the planes are built in Germany, with the total German content standing at about four percent, the source said.
Airbus has received 208 orders for the military transport from 28 countries, with 166 aircraft in operation worldwide. A second company source said a review was underway to see if German-sourced parts could be replaced on other Airbus aircraft that have smaller amounts of German content. No further details were immediately available. But this source said it would be difficult, if not impossible, to redesign the Eurofighter Typhoon, a multinational programme that has about a third German content.
Britain’s BAE Systems, which generates 14 percent of its annual sales from selling Typhoons and other arms to Saudi Arabia, last week warned Germany’s freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia could hit its financial results. The German move has delayed British government efforts to finalise a 10bn pound deal to sell Saudi Arabia 48 new Typhoons.
Airbus estimates that the export freeze on Saudi Arabia is affecting delivery of equipment and parts worth billions of euros. One French supplier, PME Nicolas Industrie, has already cut jobs as a result, according to French media.
Germany’s SPD said this week it wanted to extend the freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia beyond the current March 9 deadline, despite pressure by Britain and France not to do so as it could risk costly compensation claims. Merkel last week declined to say whether the freeze would be extended, but senior conservative lawmakers say they see no immediate progress on loosening the embargo. (Source: Reuters)
25 Feb 19. Germany’s SPD wants to extend Saudi arms export halt despite UK-French pressure. The Social Democrats, junior partners in Germany’s ruling coalition, want to extend a freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia beyond March 9, despite pressure by Britain and France not to do so and a risk of costly compensation claims. Rolf Muetzenich, SPD deputy leader in parliament, said his party would fight to maintain the halt in shipments of already approved weapons deals with Riyadh that Berlin imposed in November over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“We will push to continue the halt in arms exports to Saudi Arabia beyond the March 9 deadline, since the reasons for the imposition of the moratorium have not changed,” Muetzenich wrote in an essay published on Monday in the SPD newspaper Vorwaerts.
The SPD and Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives agreed in November to reject licences for future arms exports to Saudi Arabia, a major buyer, and set a temporary moratorium on deliveries of previously approved kit that lasts till March 9.
Last week, Merkel declined to say whether the freeze would be extended. Britain and France have urged Germany to exempt big defence projects from its moratorium on arms sales to Saudi Arabia or face damage to its commercial credibility. Airbus CEO Tom Enders, whose company builds components for aircraft and missiles affected by the arms freeze, said the SPD’s stance would harm Germany above all.
“Mr. Muetzenich’s and the SPD’s view on foreign and security policy is totally inconsistent, torpedoes Franco-German defence cooperation and isolates Germany in Europe,” he told Reuters.
“GERMANY FIRST”
Concerns about Saudi arms sales and a broader push to revamp arms export guidelines are dividing the coalition, with the left-leaning SPD keen to avoid further losses among German voters who are generally cautious on arms sales.
Norbert Roettgen, a senior foreign policy expert for the conservatives, said Germany would alienate its European partners if it continued to insist on maintaining the arms embargo.
“Europe cannot be built on the principle of ‘Germany First,’” he said. “If we want a European defence union, that also includes European weapons projects for political, economic and military reasons. Exports cannot be decided solely according to German ideas.”
Large European companies, including Airbus and Britain’s BAE Systems have warned the issue could affect their financial performance.
Another senior conservative lawmaker told Reuters he saw no easy way to resolve the dispute, barring progress in ending the Yemen war, which meant Germany could soon be facing millions of euros in compensatory claims from affected companies. As well as the killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Riyadh’s role in the Yemen war has also increased opposition in Germany to arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh leads a coalition battling the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen.
The German Economy Ministry said it continued to work with German firms to halt any arms exports to Saudi Arabia, but declined to comment on whether it had already received claims for damages. German media estimate the halt has affected some 1.5bn euros ($1.70bn) worth of arms sales. (Source: glstrade.com/Reuters)
22 Feb 19. Incident Over the Baltic Sea. During a flight over the Baltic Sea in international airspace at the beginning of the week, a Swedish ESM aircraft was courted by a Russian SU 27. The Russian plane flew at a distance of less than 20 meters and the event may be considered remarkable. The Armed Forces have reported the incident to the government. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Swedish Defence Forces)
22 Feb 19. Sweden Summons Russian Ambassador After Baltic Sea Fighter Jet ‘Incident.’ Russia’s ambassador to Sweden has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain why a Russian fighter jet flew within 20 metres off a Swedish aircraft last week, public broadcaster SVT reported. Foreign Ministry press spokeswoman Diana Qudhaib told SVT that the Russian ambassador will meet with the ministry’s head of European security policy on Monday.
“The Foreign Ministry views this incident as serious. The Russian plane acted in an improper and unprofessional manner in a way that jeopardized flight safety,” Qudhaib told the broadcaster.
The incident occurred last Tuesday when a Swedish surveillance plane was on a routine mission over the Baltic Sea. The Swedish aircraft was in international air space between Gotland and the Baltics when a Russian SU-27 fighter jet took off from Kaliningrad and approached the Swedish plane. According to Colonel Anders Persson, the Russian fighter jet pilot behaved aggressively.
“First they passed from the front and they came back and positioned themselves very, very close – closer than usual,” he told news agency TT.
Persson said that the Russian SU-27 was at one point within 20 metres of his plane. He said the “offensive behaviour” was likely a signal from Russia that it did not believe the Swedish plane “should be where we were”.
The Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) reported the incident to the government, and now the Foreign Ministry said it wants answers.
“This took place over international waters and the Swedish plane was fully within its right to fly in the area,” Qudhaib said.
Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist called the incident “unacceptable. This was very unnecessary, provocative and very dangerous,” he told SVT. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/The Local Sweden)
22 Feb 19. UK and Oman Sign Historic Joint Defence Agreement. The UK and Oman have signed a new Joint Defence Agreement (JDA), signifying Britain’s commitment to security in the Gulf for years to come.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has travelled to Oman to sign the agreement, alongside their Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, Badr Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “It is a pleasure to sign this agreement, bringing us even closer to one of our most important partners. This is an historic landmark moment between our two nations and is a significant reinforcement of our mutual security.”
“Gulf security is our security, and it is crucial that we expand our horizons and become a truly global Britain after we leave the European Union.”
The JDA follows the culmination of Exercise Saif Sareea 3, which was held in Oman during October and November 2018. It was the largest exercise by the UK’s military since Saif Sareea 2, 17 years previously, with 5,500 troops travelling to Oman to display their land, air and sea capabilities. The JDA provides a launch pad to deepen defence co-operation, with both nations working together to develop capabilities and promote regional stability.
The UK and Oman have a long-standing and historic relationship, dating back more than 200 years. More recently, the British Joint Logistics Support Base in Duqm opened last year and the Defence Secretary announced during his visit to Saif Sareea 3 that a new joint military training area will be established in the country this year. The UK is committed to the development of Duqm Port and this is part of the UK’s defence commitment to the region to ensure that our operations are agile. Additionally the new Omani-British Joint Training Area will ensure the UK is building a world-class military force alongside Omani counterparts, building on our joint learning from Saif Sareea 3.
The Agreement will ensure that these facilities are available for use long into the future, allowing the UK to maintain a presence in the Region. This includes a new Naval Support Facility in Bahrain and our ongoing cooperation at Al Udeid in Qatar.
It also builds on the Prime Minister’s commitment to the Freedom of Navigation, economic stability and security in the Gulf.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to spending £3bn across the Gulf over the next 10 years.
His Excellency Sayyid Bader bin Saud bin Harib Al-Busaidi, the Omani Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs said:
“This agreement culminates the efforts of both countries’ leaderships to enhance the existing bilateral cooperation and the strategic partnership between them. It is a milestone in the history of both nations.”
“The signing of this agreement today reaffirms the importance of optimizing the joint military efforts to ensure the security and stability of both friendly countries and pave the way for more cooperation in the field of defence and joint exercises in pursuance of the agreement objectives.” (Source: ASD Network/ U.K. MoD)
24 Feb 19. UK and France denounce German ban on Saudi arms sales. Germany’s ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia threatened to sink the flagship Franco-German treaty on defence and foreign policy co-operation, it has been revealed. Both France and Britain have complained that joint defence and aerospace manufacturing projects are threatened by Germany’s refusal to authorise future arms exports to Saudi Arabia, a large arms buyer. Bruno Le Maire, the French finance minister, warned that the future of joint defence projects between France and Germany, regarded as the cornerstone of deeper European military co-operation, was under threat. “It is useless to produce weapons through improved co-operation between France and Germany if we are unable to export them,” he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. “If you want to be competitive and efficient, we need to be able to export to countries outside Europe. Our hope is that we will come to an agreement with Germany in this crucial point.”
In November Angela Merkel banned any future arms export licences to Saudi Arabia after the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.
The decision was taken without any consultation with Germany’s two key allies, France and Britain, and threatens to block arms sales of jointly manufactured weapons such as the Eurofighter Typhoon which is critical to the French and British arms industry.
Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine revealed that the row threatened to block the Franco-German treaty signed by Mrs Merkel and President Macron in Aachen last month. “French threats were so flagrant that some negotiators for the German government seriously feared toward the end of the year that the entire agreement could crumble because of the dispute,” the magazine reported.
After French pressure and “ultimatums”, a secret annex to the treaty commits Germany not to block exports involving common armaments or defence projects in future. “The parties will not oppose a transfer or export to a third country proposed by one of the co-operating states,” said the secret document, “except on an exceptional basis, where their direct interests or national security are compromised”.
The tensions reflect crucial policy differences between France and Germany and threaten the future of European Union defence co-operation.
Military missions by Germany’s armed forces are controversial and must be authorised by the country’s parliament as a last resort. In stark contrast, France, like Britain, sees its military as a natural instrument of foreign policy to project its power around the world.
The difference in outlook is reflected in arms exports. Germany places restrictive limits on exports of armaments, including components of joint projects such as Eurofighter Typhoons. France, along with Britain, sees arms sales even to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia as justifiable in pursuit of the national interest.
Last week Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, wrote to Heiko Maas, his German counterpart, complaining that Germany’s ban endangered a £5bn order with BAE Systems for 48 Eurofighter Typhoons. BAE works with the German arm of Airbus on production of the Typhoon fighter jets, and a third of components for the aircraft come from Germany.
Der Spiegel magazine reported that the secret Franco-German deal “will do little to resolve the conflict between the two countries on the issue of arms exports. Germany and France are marching in diverging security policy directions. The treaty signed in Aachen could soon turn out to be merely a temporary truce.” (Source: Google/The Times)
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About Lincad
Lincad is a leading expert in the design and manufacture of batteries, chargers and associated products for a range of applications across a number of different sectors. With a heritage spanning more than three decades in the defence and security sectors, Lincad has particular expertise in the development of reliable, ruggedised products with high environmental, thermal and electromagnetic performance. With a dedicated team of engineers and production staff, all product is designed and manufactured in-house at Lincad’s facility in Ash Vale, Surrey. Lincad is ISO 9001 and TickITplus accredited and works closely with its customers to satisfy their power management requirements.
Lincad is also a member of the Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR), the accreditation system for the aerospace, defence and security sectors, and is certified with Cyber Essentials, the government-backed, industry supported scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber attacks. The majority of Lincad’s products contain high energy density lithium-ion technology, but the most suitable technology for each customer requirement is employed, based on Lincad’s extensive knowledge of available electrochemistries. Lincad offers full life cycle product support services that include repairs and upgrades from point of introduction into service, through to disposal at the end of a product’s life. From product inception, through to delivery and in-service product support, Lincad offers the high quality service that customers expect from a recognised British supplier.
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