11 Apr 24. Former Royal Navy ships transferred to Ukraine’s Navy arrive in Portsmouth for multi-national exercise. Detecting and disabling sea mines will be critical to ensuring the security of the Black Sea in the long-term. Two Ukrainian minehunter ships, recently transferred from the Royal Navy to Ukraine’s navy, have arrived in Portsmouth today ahead of a series of multi-national naval exercises. The arrival of the ships, now named Cherkasy and Chernihiv, marks a significant step in the UK’s work to support the transformation and modernisation of Ukraine’s Navy. Having sailed down from where they were previously based in Scotland, the two ships and their crew will start preparing for their first operational exercises since their transfer to the Ukrainian Navy was fully completed.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK is leading the way in helping Ukraine to modernise its Navy. The transfer of these ships and the excellent training provided by the Royal Navy will have a real long-term impact on Ukraine’s ability to defend its waters. We continue to support Ukraine as they deliver major blows to Putin’s Black Sea Fleet. In doing so, they are securing vital corridors to export grain and other materials, supporting their economy in the face of Russia’s barbaric bombardment.”
The transfer of the vessels to Ukraine’s Navy was announced to coincide with the launch of the Maritime Capability Coalition, which the UK jointly leads with Norway, to provide assistance to Ukraine’s navy – including training, equipment, and infrastructure, to bolster security in the Black Sea region.
Ukraine has sunk or disabled around a third of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since the start of the conflict through a series of precision-guided missile strikes and innovative use of maritime one-way attack drones. With support from the UK, Ukraine’s Black Sea activity has meant, despite ongoing Russian strikes against Odesa oblast, Ukraine has almost certainly exported more grain through its seaports in the first months of 2024 than at any time since the outbreak of the war.
Both ships will now be rebased in Portsmouth, where they will be prepared to take part in Exercise Sea Breeze 24, a joint countermeasure exercise between the Royal Navy, US Navy and Ukrainian Navy. This exercise will improve the ability of Ukraine’s navy to operate alongside NATO nations, increase agility amongst NATO navies, and demonstrates the UK and allies’ shared commitment to security and stability.
Transfer of the ships, previously named Shoreham and Grimsby, began last year – with both taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior 23 and Exercise Sea Breeze 23 in UK waters. Their transfer earlier this year was made possible by a buyer credit facility guarantee provided by the UK government’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance.
The ships are currently not able to enter the Black Sea due to the terms of the Montreux Convention, which restricts passage of military vessels through the Bosporus Strait at times of war. However, they will form a critical capability for Ukraine in its future defence of its coastlines as the UK looks to support the longer-term capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy, while they look to protect commercial shipping by detecting and disabling sea mines.
The UK’s dedication to supporting Ukraine has been unwavering since the illegal full-scale invasion in 2022. As one of the largest military donors to Ukraine, the UK has demonstrated its commitment through substantial military aid, committing more than £7 bn to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine to date. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
11 Apr 24. UK to hold joint military exercises with US and Japan to boost security and strengthen defence ties. The trilateral exercises will build on previous operations between the three countries – underlining the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific. The UK, US and Japan will hold regular trilateral military exercises in the Indo-Pacific from 2025 to boost security in the region and further develop the ability of each country’s armed forces to operate together. The Indo-Pacific is particularly important for the UK due to growing economic ties with countries in the region, and the UK already conducts various exercises in the area – with HMS Spey and HMS Tamar continuously deployed. The trilateral exercises will build on previous operations between the three countries – underlining the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific. Last year, the Prime Minister signed the Atlantic Declaration with US President Joe Biden, and agreed the Hiroshima Accord with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, both of which committed the UK to further increase defence activity with each country – with a particular focus on bolstering collective security and mutual prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “In an increasingly volatile world where we can no longer take peace for granted, it’s critical to stand united with our allies and partners in defence of democracy and freedom.
Conducting joint exercises sends a strong message to anyone who would seek to undermine the rules-based international order – our defence relationships are not limited by distance and we stand ready to respond to any threat around the globe.”
A safe and stable Indo-Pacific is vital to our collective security, allowing free and unhindered trade and travel, and our world-leading partnerships with Japan and the US further emphasise our commitment to the region.
Next year, Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales will be deployed to the region at the head of a Carrier Strike Group, which will conduct a series of operations and exercises with partners and allies – including a port visit in Japan. It follows the successful deployment of her sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, to the region in 2021.
Further work to boost regional security is taking place between the UK and US via the AUKUS programme, which will see the construction of conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines to be delivered to Australia’s navy. The programme is providing a massive boost to the UK’s defence industry, with the Defence Secretary having visited Australia last month where it was confirmed a British business will partner with an Australian company to build the submarines.
An announcement on Monday confirmed for Pillar Two of the AUKUS programme, which focuses on collaboration around the development of advanced new military technologies, that Australia, the UK, and US will consult with other countries, including Japan, to potentially contribute to the programme.
The UK also works closely with Japan as part of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which, along with Italy, will deliver a next-generation fighter jet to enter service from 2035 in a significant capability boost for all countries involved. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
10 Apr 24. Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, has unveiled its latest experiential tool to support individual and collective training. To ensure military and civil resilience teams are ready to face the most demanding and realistic environments, Babcock has developed the Babcock Immersive Training Experience (BITE), launched at IT2EC.
BITE helps to recreate authentic, immersive training experiences to rapidly train personnel to be ready for any situation. With all visual, audio and biometric feeds being monitored from an external control room, the intensity of the experience can be adjusted in real time, bringing learners closer to the realism of front-line operations more than ever before, in a safe and controlled environment.
Using human performance monitoring technology, exercises can be controlled to ensure trainees remain in the Zone of Optimal Learning in line with prescribed training outcomes.
BITE supports rapid analysis of insights to enhance the effectiveness of after-action reviews, allowing learners to fail fast, putting them in control of what they need to do to improve and succeed. It is scalable and adaptable due to its modular configuration, meaning it can be used across live, virtual and constructive environments.
BITE has been developed by Babcock and BeaverFit, who design equipment to enable focused preparation for modern-day tactical operations and exercises.
Tom Newman, CEO for Babcock’s Land sector, said: “Creating immersive training opportunities for defence and resilience environments is vital to help develop high performing individuals and teams who are prepared for the realities of modern conflict and complex national resilience challenges.
“BeaverFit’s custom-made equipment, along with BITE’s use of advanced game engine software to maintain measurement and control of the experience, unlocks the ability to experience the realistic stresses of modern combat and resilience operations, in a safe environment.”
Tom Beaver, Managing Director of BeaverFit, said: “By leveraging our expertise in manufacturing and Babcock’s leadership in training solutions, we’ve developed a unique set up that equips personnel with the skills and readiness needed to navigate the complexities of modern warfare and national resilience.”
The military variant of BITE, Proteus, is on display at IT2EC (9 to 11 April), it can be adapted to any civil operational environment to incorporate a range of training needs, with changes to the look, feel, sounds and aromas.
09 Apr 24. UK seeks Next Generation Red Air pilot training. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking commercial contractors to deliver Next Generation Red Air (NGRA) pilot training for the Royal Air Force (RAF). A tender posted by the ministry in mid-March said the effort is part of a wider modernisation of the UK’s air training infrastructure taking place under Portfolio Mustang, and “is paramount to building and/or keeping maximum combat effectiveness in the air domain”.
“NGRA has an outline objective to provide red air (RA) services to the RAF for a period of up to 15 years from circa 2028,” the MoD said, noting that this represents Project 1 of Portfolio Mustang. (Source: Janes)
08 Apr 24. UK, US navies in mine countermeasure exercise Poseidon’s Chalice. US and UK navies participated in joint mine countermeasure exercise in the Arabian Sea. The Arabian Sea was the site of combined US and UK mine-countermeasure (MCM) exercise Poseidon’s Chalice between 26 February and 16 March 2024. Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay-class landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay, Avenger-class mine countermeasures USS Gladiator (MCM 11) and Avenger-class mine countermeasures USS Sentry (MCM 3) participating in training opportunities in mine warfare and explosive ordinance disposal training alongside a team from Task Force 56 that specialises in this mission type. Mine sweeping equipment was twice deployed to combat moored mines in demonstrations in the Arabian Sea, among other training efforts that included anti-terrorism operations, small boat operations, and an underway replenishment at sea and damage control drill.
“Our collaboration with the Royal Navy, the RFA Cardigan Bay, USS Sentry and US expeditionary mine countermeasures force during this exercise has enabled us to enhance our core mine warfare capabilities and foster a stronger alliance and more effective response to emerging threats,” said USS Gladiator executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Joseph Minnich.
“Through our partnership, we’ve refined tactics, techniques and procedures making us better equipped to promote a collective commitment to maritime security and stability in the region,” continued Minnich.
The Cardigan Bay serves as the primary vessel for the newly integrated Royal Navy Motor Boat Harrier, an uncrewed 11m boat designed to identify underwater hazards as a component of autonomous mine-hunting activities in the Gulf. This initiative is part of a decade-long strategy to modernize the Navy’s fleet of mine countermeasure vessels.
The Harrier is equipped to function autonomously, executing pre-set missions, or to be controlled remotely from a command center on a ship or land. Armed with side-scan sonar technology, it thoroughly examines the ocean floor for mines, immediately alerting nearby land or sea units to their exact locations. Over the next few years, it is expected to work in conjunction with remotely operated underwater vehicles and a mine sweeping system.
In the last 20 years, leading naval forces have significantly invested in autonomous mine countermeasure technologies to mitigate the dangers and consequences of sea mines on naval missions. The US Navy launched the LCS MM Program, which includes the procurement of 48 Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USV) aimed at performing mine-hunting operations. These uncrewed vessels are designated for Unmanned Mine Sweeping (UMS) and Remote Mine hunting (RMH) tasks. (Source: naval-technology.com)
08 Apr 24. Spatial computing company, Hadean, and 4C Strategies, a leading provider of training readiness and organisational resilience solutions, are set to demonstrate an integration of systems for collective training at IT2EC 2024 in London. The two companies have joined forces to demonstrate an integration of commercial and technical innovation that enables collaboration across, services, and technologies in defence and national governance. Following the MoU signing at I/ITSEC 2023, the teams have worked together to combine the super-orchestration of Hadean’s AI-powered spatial computing with the data-driven UI of 4C Strategies’ Exonaut. The integration between 4C Strategies and Hadean enables Exonaut to incorporate synthetics into its interface, powered by Hadean. This enables the synchronisation between real-time actions controlled by Exonaut and their consequences in the realistic and dynamic simulations – and vice versa. With its data exploitation tool in place, the augmented Exonaut capability supports evidence-based decision-making and ensures lessons learned from exercises are applied to future training for continuous and effective capability development. The demonstration at IT2EC 2024 will specifically showcase how a representative crisis in a NATO partner state can unfold while NATO and adversary forces clash. This scenario effectively stretches the local government emergency services’ resources and simulates densely populated areas, reflecting sentiments through heightened social media, including traffic congestion, panic, and unrest.
4C Strategies UK Military Sales Director, Paul Steel, said: “Collaborating with Hadean demonstrates our commitment to be at the forefront of the evolution of training technologies. By combining data-driven training readiness with world leading Generative AI and Large Language Model capabilities we will redefine the transformation of training. Working together we demonstrate the power of SME collaboration through technological innovation and commercial agility ensuring we are able to help prepare soldiers for current and future conflicts.”
Craig Beddis, Co-Founder & CEO at Hadean, said: “Our collaboration with 4C Strategies turbocharges Exonaut’s proven system with Hadean’s AI-driven spatial computing, delivering unparalleled value to users. Created rapidly, this solution exemplifies how agile SMEs can unite to produce essential capabilities swiftly and innovatively.”
05 Apr 24. Vrgineers to Participate in F-35 Industrial Cooperation Project for Pilot Training. Vrgineers was selected by Lockheed Martin to participate in a pilot training industrial cooperation project for the F-35 as part of the initiative to supply the Czech Republic with two squadrons of 5th Generation jet fighters.
“We are honored to be part of F-35 Industrial Cooperation Programme in Czech Republic and committed to support pilot training with all the technologies and capabilities our Vrgineers team can offer,” says Marek Polcak, co-founder and CEO of Vrgineers.
In this strategic partnership, Vrgineers will be responsible for the development and delivery of unclassified next generation training simulators, specifically tailored to support Czech pilots. While these simulators may not replicate the precise behavior of the training aircraft with 100% accuracy, they are designed to meet certain training procedures and familiarization requirements. This development marks a significant milestone in ensuring the readiness and competence of the Czech Republic’s pilot training programs.
A notable feature of these training simulators is their non-confidential mode, allowing for operation in non-secure environments. This key attribute enhances accessibility by eliminating the need for specialized secured rooms, making the simulators readily available for pilot training.
“The Czech Air Force has many years of experience in the operational deployment of tactical aircraft. The introduction and use of tactical simulators that can be easily packed, transported and assembled to train tactical scenarios and the broad spectrum of missions outside of the main operational base will enable the currency of our pilots even during long-term deployments. New trends of VR and MR enable this requirement, and thanks to the agreed industrial cooperation between LM and Vrgineers as part of the F-35 contract, CzAF will have an opportunity to use such a system,” adds BG Jaroslav Mika, Deputy Director of the Force Development Division of the Ministry of Defence.
Moreover, the simulators are engineered for quick and easy setup and operation. This user-friendly approach ensures that pilots have continuous access to these invaluable training tools, thereby enhancing their preparation for the challenges and missions they will face. This accessibility not only optimizes the training process but also contributes to overall readiness and effectiveness.
05 Apr 24. Czech MoD taps into Thai markets and offers fighter pilot training. The two nations signed an MoU on military and technical co-operation, while the ministers also discussed simulated fighter training for Thai pilots.
Under a new memorandum of understanding (MoU), Czech defence companies will benefit from deeper access to Thai defence markets while the two countries also discussed the possibility of expanding Thai fighter pilot training.
Signed in Bangkok at the end of March 2024, the Czech Minister of Defence Jana Černochová stated “Supporting the Czech defense industry is the goal of every trip abroad, because our companies can offer a wide range of top products and technologies. That’s why I also visited Thailand, which is geographically distant from us, but it makes sense for us to deepen co-operation with this country even more.”
During her trip, Černochová visited the Defence Technology Institute (DTI) – a Thai Government institution specialising in strengthening national defence capabilities through innovative technological solutions.
Since January, DTI has been co-operating with Tatra Trucks, a Czech armoured vehicles manufacturer, and as part of defence co-operation with the republic, Thailand received a prototype of a Tatra multi-purpose vehicle.
“Tatra vehicles are used by the Army of the Czech Republic, but also by the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. They are a top product in their category, which has been tested in a number of demanding environments around the world, and I am glad that Thailand is considering the purchase of more cars,” Černochová attested.
Czech co-operation with Thailand predates this MoU agreement. The Central European nation has trained Thai pilots in their Tactical Simulation Centre, which is part of the Aviation Training Centre of the state enterprise LOM Prague in Pardubice.
In this facility, Thai pilots train on the JAS-39 Gripen multi-role combat aircraft simulator and on the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft simulator. According to GlobalData intelligence, the Royal Thai Air Force operates 11 Saab JAS 39C/D aircraft, acquired between 2011-13 as well as 51 F-16A/B units procured between 1988 and 2005.
Since 2015, a total of 12 of these weekly courses have taken place. LOM Prague is also negotiating the possibility of building a simulation centre directly in the Kingdom. (Source: army-technology.com)
05 Apr 24. Joint Training Exercise between U.S. Naval Special Warfare and Royal Thai Navy Special Warfare Command. From January 28 to February 29, 2024, Sattahip, Thailand, served as the venue for a joint combined exchange training (JCET) session between a West Coast-based U.S. Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Unit and the Royal Thai Navy Special Warfare Command (RTN SWC). The JCET aimed at fostering mutual understanding and enhancing interoperability through a comprehensive training program that included visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) tactics, close-quarters combat, tactical combat casualty care, live weapons ranges and training, airborne water entry training, and mission planning.
The JCET not only concentrated on bolstering U.S. military readiness but also played a significant role in strengthening bilateral relations, contributing to regional stability, and improving interoperability among allies. A U.S. Naval Special Warfare operator emphasized the importance of such exercises, stating they provide opportunities to share knowledge and develop working relationships with partner nations, thereby enhancing integrated special warfare capabilities.
An integral part of the training was a cultural exchange day, organized by the RTN SWC, aimed at deepening the partnership through cultural understanding. According to an NSW operator, this aspect of the program underscored the value of not just focusing on military capabilities but also on building strong cultural bonds between the participants.
The United States and Thailand share a long history of diplomatic relations and security alliance, marked by political, security, and economic cooperation. This enduring partnership underscores a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The JCET is a reflection of this longstanding alliance, highlighting the collaborative spirit and mutual respect between the U.S. Naval Special Warfare community and the Royal Thai Navy Special Warfare Command, both regarded as elite maritime special operations forces within their respective nations. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)