Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces

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Citation :: Commercial Sale of Type 22 Frigates

(Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 17, 2012)

It is the Disposal Services Authority (DSA) intention to invite expressions of interest in tendering for the Type 22 Frigates (HMS Chatham, HMS Campbeltown, HMS Cumberland and HMS Cornwall) for the following:
•Further Use
•Sinking for an Artificial reef
•Recycling

At this stage the DSA does not require interested parties to specify which Vessel/s they wish to bid for.

It is the DSA intention to award at least one vessel to a UK Ship Recycler; this is in part to secure detailed knowledge of the UK’s capacity to recycle vessels. Any decision to award to a UK Ship Recycling company will be made in accordance with transparent and objective evaluation criteria which will be issued at the Invitation to Tender stage.

All interested parties should note that only Bidders that have completed and passed a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the vessels and allowed access to view the vessel.

The vessels are moored at Portsmouth and will be sold from there.

The DSA are planning on hosting viewings 25th February - 15th March 2013.

As previously requested all bidders intending to undertake inspection of the vessels will be required to wear the correct PPE clothing i.e. steel toecap boots, high vis jackets (overalls optional). Please be assured that if you do not have steel toecap boots on arrival you will be refused access to the vessels.

Only Bidders that have received a copy of the ITT will be allowed access to inspect the vessels.

Bidders should not book travel until they have received a copy of the ITT and understood the requirements.

A copy of the PQQ can be down loaded from the bottom of this page or you can e-mail the DSA’s Commercial section requesting a copy at deslcsls-dsa-comrcl-3b@mod.uk

The closing date for returning the PQQ to the DSA and expression of interest is 17.00 GMT Wednesday 23rd January 2013.

-- HMS CUMBERLAND
formally a Warship Frigate F85 was built at Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow UK in 1988 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 23rd September 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013.
All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.

-- HMS CAMPBELTOWN
formally a Warship Frigate F86 was built at Cammell Laird ship yard Birkenhead UK in 1987 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 7th July 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013.
All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.

-- HMS CHATHAM
formally a Warship Frigate F87 was built at Swan Hunters Shipbuilders in Wallsend UK in 1989, and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 20th October 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013.
All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.

-- HMS CORNWALL
formally a Warship, Frigate F99 was built at Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow UK in 1988 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 20th October 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013. All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/141126/uk-to-sell-off-four-type-22-frigates.html

Citation :: AgustaWestland close to Merlin HC3 upgrade deal with UK

AgustaWestland is believed to be close to signing a deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to convert and upgrade a total of 25 AW101 Merlin helicopters currently operated by the Royal Air Force for use by the Royal Navy.

Insiders say the formal signing of the contract is due in the coming days or in early 2014.

Worth a total of £330 million ($540 million), the deal covers the upgrade of the HC3/3A transports to HC4/4A standard for operation by the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force. The modernised helicopters will replace the service's Westland Sea King HC4/4+ aircraft, which are due to retire in 2016.

To be performed at the manufacturer's Yeovil, UK site, the modification work under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme will include the addition of a folding tail and rotor blades, as well an upgrade of its avionics and cockpit to a new standard already used on the navy's enhanced Merlin HM2s.

The marinisation of the helicopters is believed to be a relatively straightforward process and will draw on the design work already performed for the HM2s and the AW101s operated by the Italian navy.

At present, 27 Merlin HC3/3As are listed in the RAF's inventory. It is thought that the MoD is still debating what to do with the two airframes not covered by the MLSP.

If confirmed, the contract will be a second major boost for Yeovil in recent weeks, with the confirmation on 19 December of an order from Norway for 16 search and rescue-configured AW101s.

The MoD declined to comment.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Citation :: Le chef d’état-major des forces britanniques met en garde contre de nouvelles réductions d’effectifs

21 décembre 2013 – 14:02

Le général Sir Nicholas Houghton, le chef d’état-major des forces armées britanniques, n’a pas sa langue dans sa poche. Alors que se prépare une nouvelle révision stratégique de la défense et de la sécurité du Royaume-Uni, doublée d’une revue des dépenses par ministères à l’horizon 2015, soit après les prochaines élections générales, l’officier a tenu à mettre les choses au clair à l’occasion d’une intervention devant un parterre de responsables politiques et d’industriels réunis lors d’un colloque organisé par le Royal United Services Institute à Londres, le 19 décembre.

Premier point, le général Houghton a mis en garde contre une “aversion rampante” visant l’emploi des forces armées, que ce soit dans le monde politique ou au sein de la société. La cause viendrait de la réticence de l’opinion publique à envoyer des troupes sur un théâtre d’opérations extérieur après l’Afghanistan et l’Irak.

“J’ai récemment observé avec une certaine admiration la capacité des forces françaises à fonctionner avec une mentalité de gestion agressive des risques”, a-t-il affirmé. “Nous devons être prudents en tant que société et en tant que militaire de carrière de ne pas perdre nos valeurs de courage car elles sont l’une des choses qui nous maintiennent dans une classe à part”, a-t-il ajouté.

En outre, a encore estimé le général Houghton, “en adoptant une posture stratégique de l’engagement”, le Royaume-Uni peut augmenter son influence sur la scène internationale tout en garantissant sa propre sécurité, l’atteinte de objectifs politiques et sa prospérité”.

Mais pour mener des opérations à l’extérieur et protéger le Royaume-Uni, encore faut-il que les forces britanniques soient en capacité de le faire. Avec des coupes de 8% depuis 2010 dans ses budgets et la réduction drastique de ses effectifs, le général Houghton a exprimé une mise en garde.

Ainsi, comme d’autres, Londres a baissé ses effectifs militaires pour dégager des marges de manoeuvre financières afin d’acquérir de nouveaux matériels toujours plus onéreux. Et, avec l’effet des coupes budgétaires, l’on en arrive aussi à baisser le nombre d’équipements commandés. D’où l’expression d’armée “bonsaï”, qui a été utilisé récemment lors du débat portant sur la Loi de programmation militaire française.

Au Royaume-Uni, ce processus est déjà bien enclenché. “Alors que la technologie a été considérée comme la clé de la supériorité opérationnelle, la main-d’œuvre a été vue comme des frais généraux et les niveaux d’activité ont été réduits”, a ainsi affirmé le général Houghton, pour qui la trajectoire actuelle suivie par la Défense britannique conduit à une “structure de force stratégiquement incohérente”, avec des matériels technologiquement avancés mais avec des ressources humaines, qualifiées et entraînées, ”insuffisantes” pour les mettre en oeuvre.

Ainsi, par exemple, les effectifs des forces terrestres britanniques ont été ramenés à 82.000 hommes, soit le niveau le plus bas depuis la guerre des Boers. En contrepartie, il est prévu de recruter entre 20.000 et 30.000 réservistes. Seulement, un récent rapport en diffusion restreinte a affirmé que la British Army “ne réussit pas actuellement à attirer et à recruter suffisamment de personnels de réserve. Les données chiffrées de la réserve pour le premier trimestre sont décevantes. Si cela continue, elle ne réalisera pas ses objectifs de flux de recrutement à la fois pour cette année et l’an prochain”.

Et la Royal Navy – qui atteint dangereusement le seuil critique, selon le général Houghton – ainsi que la Royal Air Force ont aussi subi de fortes réductions d’effectifs, avec en prime une diminution des commandes de nouveaux équipements, voire même des ruptures capacitaires.

“Sans une légère hausse des dépenses militaires lors de la prochaine législature, il ne sera pas possible d’atteindre les structures de forces énoncées dans la revue stratégique de défense et de sécurité de 2010″, a averti le général Houghton.

“Des ressources nationales contraintes combinées à une réserve politique et sociétale sur le bénéfice que peut apporter l’utilisation de la force militaire ne crée pas un environnement favorable pour le financement de la Défense”, a-t-il estimé.

http://www.opex360.com/2013/12/21/le-chef-detat-major-des-forces-britanniques-met-en-garde-contre-de-nouvelles-reductions-deffectifs/

Citation :: Final Type 45 Destroyer Enters UK Royal Navy Service

LONDON — The Royal Navy’s sixth and final Type 45 destroyer has entered service four months ahead of schedule, the Ministry of Defence announced Dec 30.
HMS Duncan’s entry into service marks the end of a 13-year build program to provide Britain with a fleet of anti-air destroyers to replace the old Type 42 vessels, the last of which, HMS Edinburgh, was decommissioned in the summer of 2013.
The 7,500-ton warship was commissioned in September and will be based at Portsmouth along with the other vessels of its class. All of the warships were built by BAE Systems.
The cost of the demonstration and manufacturing phase of the Type 45s was put at £5.5 billion (US $9.1 billion) by the National Audit Office Major Projects Report, published in January of 2013.
The government’s financial watchdog agency is scheduled to publish its report on the progress of major defense projects in 2013 in the coming weeks.
The first of class, HMS Daring, entered service in mid-2009. Originally, the British intended to purchase 12 destroyers but whittled the number down as costs rose and requirements changed.
The entry into service of HMS Duncan brings the Royal Navy’s surface combat fleet up to its full strength of 19 warships — Six Type 45s and 13 Type 23 frigates.
The Type 23s will be gradually replaced by the Type 26 frigate. Design work on that warship is already well advanced and a decision on building the first of the new warships is scheduled for 2016.
The government said it will place a first order with BAE covering eight Type 26s. The MoD remains committed to a fleet of 13 frigates for the time being but the actual number has been clouded slightly by a recent order of three offshore patrol boats capable of operating a Merlin helicopter.
Announcing the OPV order in November, the government said it expects the more capable ships to replace three smaller vessels already in service. It cautioned, though, there wouldn’t be a final decision on the OPVs until the 2015 strategic defense and security review.
That’s left some people wondering whether a future government might retain the smaller, but relatively new, River-class vessels already in service alongside the new, larger OPVs at the expense of a Type 26 frigate or two, at least in the short term.
The first of the new OPVs is scheduled to enter service in 2017.
The OPVs were ordered to help BAE retain shipyard skills as the rundown of the program to build two 65,000-ton aircraft carriers is set to get underway in the next couple of years, leaving a gap until the Type 26 construction work gets underway.
BAE announced the closure of its Portsmouth shipyard and concentration of surface shipbuilding capabilities at two yards on the Clyde in Scotland as part of a wider deal with the government. The company also builds nuclear submarines at Barrow in northwest England.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131230/DEFREG01/312300007/Final-Type-45-Destroyer-Enters-UK-Royal-Navy-Service

Citation :: "HMS Duncan" Royal Navy’s 6th Type 45 Destroyer enters service four months ahead of schedule

The ship was scheduled to enter service in early 2014, but thanks to the hard work of both the ship’s company and industry since her arrival in Portsmouth, HMS Duncan is ready to take up duties now. The 7,500 tonne vessel will now embark on a programme of trials to prepare the ship and her crew for operational deployment.

The ship was scheduled to enter service in early 2014, but thanks to the hard work of both the ship’s company and industry since her arrival in Portsmouth, HMS Duncan is ready to take up duties now. The 7,500 tonne vessel will now embark on a programme of trials to prepare the ship and her crew for operational deployment.

Type 45 Daring class Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer

HMS Duncan is the final Type 45 to enter service with the Royal Navy. Her handover to the Fleet marks the end of a 13-year build programme with BAE Systems to deliver the six ships – Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon, Defender and Duncan.

Armed with the world-leading Sea Viper missile defence system which can neutralise threats up to 70 miles away, the Type 45s are the most powerful air defence destroyers ever used by the Royal Navy.

Measuring in at 152 metres in length, HMS Duncan and her sister ships are longer than 16 double decker buses and as tall as an electricity pylon. Her onboard power plant can supply enough electricity to light a town of 80,000 people.

Minister for Defence, Equipment, Support and Technology, Philip Dunne MP said:

Thanks to the skill and hard work of the Commanding Officer, the ship’s company and their MOD and industry partners, HMS Duncan has entered service four months early. It is testament to the improving control of projects across the Armed Forces and significant dedication across Defence that all six ships of the Type 45 class are now in the hands of the Royal Navy.

The Type 45 programme has provided the Royal Navy with one of the most sophisticated and effective air defence ships available anywhere in the world. We expect these vessels to see decades of service protecting the UK’s interests around the world, including providing humanitarian aid as we saw recently with HMS Daring’s efforts in the Philippines.

http://www.navyrecognition.com

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Citation :: Premier vol d'un avion de combat Tornado équipé de pièces imprimées en 3D

http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2014/01/05/premier-vol-d-un-avion-de-combat-tornado-equipe-de-pieces-imprimees-en-3d_4343149_651865.html

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Citation :: HMS Defender’s mission revealed as ship returns to Portsmouth after tracking Russian vessels

Sailors on board HMS Defender have returned to Portsmouth today after they were deployed before Christmas to track Russian ships near the UK coast.

The Type 45 destroyer began a 700-mile journey from Portsmouth to Scotland on December 19 to meet the Russian task group, as reported in The News at the time.
The Ministry of Defence had refused to comment on the warship’s task, but has today released details.
As the Fleet Ready Escort, HMS Defender was the Royal Navy’s high readiness warship over Christmas and New Year.
The warship sailed through high sea states and storm force winds to ‘welcome’ the group of six vessels, including a 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier, the Royal Navy said.

Due to bad weather, the Russian fleet anchored in the Moray Firth before heading down the east coast of the UK.
Commander Phil Nash, HMS Defender’s commanding officer, said: ‘As a maritime nation the security of the seas around our coastline remain vital to our national interests.
‘This tasking has demonstrated the Royal Navy’s enduring commitment in home waters and readiness to undertake tasking at any time of the year.
‘I am extremely proud of each and every one of my sailors.

‘They have tackled this mission with utter professionalism and dedication to duty, whilst also being separated from their families at short notice over Christmas and new year.’
The Royal Navy today revealed the Russian ships exchanged goodwill messages with HMS Defender on New Year’s Eve as a sign of friendship between the two navies.
Families of those on board yesterday gathered at the Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth to welcome their loved ones home.
HMS Defender’s operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Mark Mason, added: ‘This high readiness tasking demonstrates the Type 45 Destroyer’s flexibility and agility.

‘These highly capable warships are prepared for high end warfighting, but are equally adept at conducting interdiction operations, disaster relief missions and patrolling the nation’s coastline.’
The government minister for international security strategy, Dr Andrew Murrison, said: ‘The UK and Russia enjoy a good relationship, and the deployment of HMS Defender, one of our newest destroyers, as fleet ready escort underlines the Royal Navy’s modern-day utility in UK interests.’

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/hms-defender-s-mission-revealed-as-ship-returns-to-portsmouth-after-tracking-russian-vessels-1-5798005

Citation :: GB budget : L'armée britannique ampute sa "capacité opérationnelle globale" (Gates)

LONDRES, 16 jan 2014 (AFP) -

Les coupes budgétaires touchant l'armée britannique réduisent la capacité militaire du Royaume-Uni qui ne sera plus, de ce fait, "un partenaire à part entière" des Etats-Unis, a estimé jeudi l'ancien secrétaire américain de la Défense, Robert Gates.

Les dépenses militaires britanniques sont amputées d'environ 8% sur cinq ans d'ici à 2015 et, entre 2010 et 2020, 31.000 postes doivent être supprimés, pour faire passer le contingent de 178.000 militaires à 147.000, dans le cadre de la politique de réduction draconienne des dépenses publiques lancée par le Premier ministre conservateur, David Cameron.

"Au vu des réductions assez substantielles en matière de défense au Royaume-Uni, nous constatons que le pays ne disposera plus d'une capacité opérationnelle globale et ne sera plus un partenaire à part entière comme c'était le cas dans le passé", a déclaré Robert Gates sur la BBC Radio 4.

Il a notamment cité l'absence d'un porte-avions opérationnel, une des décisions qui "au bout du compte a des implications", selon l'ancien secrétaire d'Etat à la Défense, un républicain qui occupait ce poste de 2006 à 2011 sous l'administration de George W. Bush et de Barack Obama.

La capacité opérationnelle globale fait référence à la capacité de combattre sur terre, en mer et dans les airs.

Le Royaume-Uni a été l'allié le plus proche des Etats-Unis lors des récents conflits en Afghanistan et en Irak.

Le ministère britannique de la Défense a réagi en expliquant que "le Royaume-Uni, comme les Etats-Unis, doit faire face à des décisions difficiles en matière de dépenses de défense" mais qu'il disposait du "quatrième budget de défense dans le monde et des forces armées les mieux entraînées et les mieux équipées, après les Etats-Unis".

"La construction d'un nouveau porte-avions, le plus grand navire jamais utilisé par la Royal Navy, est quasiment terminée, et la marine va également disposer de destroyer Type 45, de nouvelles frégates de type 26 et de sept nouveaux sous-marins de la gamme Astute", a-t-il également indiqué.

"Sur la décennie à venir, nous avons prévu de dépenser 160 milliards de livres (192 milliards d'euros) en équipements afin de nous assurer que nos forces armées conservent leurs formidables atouts et la capacité à intervenir à travers le monde, y compris en maintenant notre importante présence navale dans la région du Golfe", a conclu le ministère.

L'ampleur des coupes ont suscité des inquiétudes dans les rangs de l'armée et au parti conservateur au pouvoir au sein de la coalition gouvernementale.

http://www.marine-oceans.com/actualites-afp/7050-gb-budget--larmee-britannique-ampute-sa-qcapacite-operationnelle-globaleq-gates

Citation :: La RAF reçoit ses CH-47Mk6 !

Les trois premiers hélicoptères Boeing CH-47MK6 destiné à la Royal Air Force ont été réceptionnés sur la base aérienne de Odiham. La RAF a engagé un contrat de 1,64 milliard de dollars (1 milliard d'euros) par le ministère britannique de la Défense (MOD) pour fournir 14 nouveaux hélicoptères CH-47F «Chinook», désignés «MK6» au sein de la RAF.

Ces trois premiers «Chinook Mk6» sont arrivés directement depuis les installations de Boeing à Philadelphie. Les 11 autres appareils seront livrés d’ici la fin 2015.

Le CH-47 MK6 «Chinook» :

Le CH-47 «Chinook» Mk6 est un dérivé du modèle CH-47F qui dispose d’une nouvelle cellule, d’une nouvelle société avionique, d’un FLIR, d’un nouveau treuil de sauvetage. Le CH-47 MK6 de la RAF disposeront d’un nouveau système de guerre électronique et d’un système de communication intero-pérable doté d’une liaison électronique (Link16). Le Mk6 est comparable au CH-47F, mais se distingue par des équipements d’origine britannique. Les nouveaux hélicoptères seront compatibles avec la flotte de Chinook britannique Chinook existant.

Photos : 1 Boeing CH-47 Mk6 «Chinook» de la RAF 2 Cockpit @ Boeing

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2014/01/15/la-raf-recoit-ses-ch-47mk6-854882.html

Citation :: Royal Navy ready to launch ScanEagle operations

The UK Royal Navy is poised to conduct its first operational flights with the Boeing/[url=http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/Insitu ScanEagle.html]Insitu ScanEagle[/url] unmanned air system, as the service continues to evaluate its long-term requirements for such equipment.
“The [[url=http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/Insitu ScanEagle.html]ScanEagle[/url]] system starts real operations from this week, on maritime security patrols in the [Arabian] Gulf and in the Indian Ocean,” says Cdr Bow Wheaton, the RN’s maritime aviation capability desk officer. The activity will involve the service’s Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship Cardigan Bay, he adds, with the first embarked training flights having been conducted recently from the latter.
Delivered by Boeing Defence UK under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated arrangement with the Ministry of Defence, the ScanEagle service provision will deliver up to a maximum of 600 flight hours per month. Capable of operating for up to 12h at a time, the 22kg (48lb) aircraft carries an electro-optical/infrared sensor package to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks up to 40nm (74km) away from its launch vessel.

Noting that the organic capability is expected to be in great demand once available, Wheaton notes: “we are already looking at what goes on beyond March 2015, when this urgent operational requirement deal runs out.”
Speaking during a UAS media facility held at the [url=http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/Royal Air Force.html]Royal Air Force[/url]’s Waddington base in Lincolnshire on 15 January, Wheaton revealed that the RN will later this year perform a trial campaign with an optionally-piloted rotorcraft, ideally from a Type 23 vessel.
Being funded in association with the MoD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the activity will be performed in conjunction with AgustaWestland, which will be supplying an adapted example of the SW-4 light helicopter produced by its Polish subsidiary PZL Swidnik.
Potential applications to be assessed during the demonstration include persistent surveillance, minehunting and hydrographic survey tasks, Wheaton says.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/royal-navy-ready-to-launch-scaneagle-operations-394918/

Citation :: The UK has yet to formally accept delivery of its extra batch of five General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Reaper air vehicles, which will double the Royal Air Force’s fleet of the type for operations inside Afghanistan.

“We are waiting on the delivery of the air vehicles, which are in final acceptance, but all the other elements, such as the training, people and [ground control station] cabins are in place,” says Wg Cdr Damian Killeen, officer commanding the RAF’s 13 Sqn. “We are expecting that they’ll be delivered in the early days of 2014,” he said during a media event at the unit’s Waddington home in Lincolnshire on 15 January.

asset image

Crown Copyright

A fleet of five Reapers operated by the RAF’s 13 and 39 squadrons are currently capable of providing a combined maximum of 36h of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance service per day from Kandahar airfield, with individual sorties lasting up to 16h. The additional aircraft now pending delivery will lift this capacity to 72h.

Used since late 2007, the RAF’s Reaper remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) have now amassed more than 54,000 flight hours in Afghanistan, operating predominantly over Helmand Province in a reconnaissance role. The UK’s only such armed equipment, the type’s remote crews have also to date released some 459 precision-guided weapons.

Now being flown using urgent operational requirement funding, the Reaper fleet is planned to be retained beyond the combat phase of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission, and brought within the MoD’s core equipment budget. The RAF also plans to retain an element of its current 39 Sqn personnel presence at the US Air Force’s Creech AFB in Nevada, in order to sustain its existing RPAS relationship with the service and perform training activities.

“We have every intention of continuing to utilise Reaper beyond Afghanistan,” says RAF Air Vice-Marshal Philip Osborn, director of capability for the UK’s Joint Forces Command. “You will see us plan to bring Reaper more into an expeditionary, rather than deployed mode, and over the next few years we will shift from Reaper into the Scavenger programme, [which] should be capable of doing far more, on a worldwide basis.”

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Citation :: British troops are to benefit from up to £53m of new equipment to help them identify targets more clearly.

The MOD has invested in new night vision and laser equipment that will enable soldiers to spot potential threats earlier and better protect themselves against the enemy during day and night operations.

A state of the art laser light that can illuminate targets from up to 800m away will be provided to all infantry soldiers. Weighing just 244 grams, it fits onto the SA80 rifle to give more accurate firing in low light conditions.

More than 15,000 new lightweight, ergonomic binoculars have been ordered to be used alongside the upgraded laser lights. Designed to be easier to hold, the new models are 50 percent lighter but still offer excellent magnification to give better situational awareness.

Read the full story: http://www.army.mod.uk/news/26019.aspx
Photographer Richard Watt; Crown copyright.

Citation :: RAF takes delivery of first three Chinook HC6s

The UK Royal Air Force has taken delivery of the first three Boeing CH-47 Chinook HC6 helicopters from an order for 14 of the heavy-lift transport type.

Based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, the aircraft arrived on 19 December 2013, says the UK Ministry of Defence. They will enter service with the RAF in early 2014 with the start of training activities, it says. The remainder of the Chinooks "are on schedule to be delivered by the end of 2015", adds the ministry.

Three squadrons flying the CH-47 are stationed at Odiham - 18B Sqn, 27 Sqn and lastly 7 Sqn, which operates in support of UK special forces. Although rumours have suggested the new Chinooks will be allocated to the latter unit, the MoD says "no decisions have yet been finalised regarding which squadrons will receive the new aircraft".

The UK's HC6 derivative of the Chinook is being produced with a Thales-sourced cockpit developed for the modernisation of the RAF's legacy fleet under an effort dubbed Project Julius. This will bring the RAF's previous 44 HC2/2A and HC3-standard aircraft to a common HC4 avionics configuration.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Citation :: Le HMS Ocean va revenir en flotte

crédits : ROYAL NAVY

Le HMS Ocean, qui sera après le désarmement du HMS Illustrious prévu d'ici la fin de l'année le dernier porte-hélicoptères de la Royal Navy, va bientôt sortir d’une importante période de remise à niveau. Quinze mois de travaux débutés fin 2012 à la base navale de Devonport. D’un coût de près de 80 millions d’euros, cet arrêt technique a porté sur la maintenance des parties techniques, notamment l’appareil propulsif, ainsi que la réfection des installations aéronautiques (pont d’envol, hangar, ascenseurs…). Le HMS Ocean a également vu ses systèmes d’armes et de communication rénovés.

Bâtiment conçu pour la projection de force

Construit à Barrow-in-Furness et mis en service en septembre 1998, le bâtiment mesure 203.4 mètres de long pour 34.4 mètres de large et présente un déplacement de 21.750 tonnes en charge. L’armement du HMS Ocean, dédié à l’autodéfense rapprochée, comprend trois systèmes multi-tubes Phalanx, quatre canons de 20mm télé-opérés et des mitrailleuses. Capable d’atteindre la vitesse de 18 nœuds, il est armé par un équipage de 285 marins, auxquels s’ajoutent 180 hommes pour le groupe aérien embarqué. Celui-ci peut comprendre 12 hélicoptères de la marine (Merlin, Sea King, Lynx) ou de l’armée de terre britannique (Chinook, Apache…) Les hélicoptères de combat Apache ont, notamment, été mis en œuvre lors de l’intervention en Libye, en 2011, au cours de laquelle ils ont été déployés depuis le HMS Ocean pour neutraliser des unités des forces pro-Kadhafi. Une action menée conjointement avec les bâtiments de projection et de commandement de la marine françaises, dont les Gazelle et Tigre ont réalisé 90% des attaques de ce type.

En dehors de ses capacités aéronautiques, le HMS Ocean peut déployer des soldats et du matériel. A cet effet, il dispose de ponts garage pour 40 véhicules et peut héberger 500 hommes de troupe (800 pour une courte période). L’embarquement et le débarquement se fait au moyen de rampes latérales (à quai) et en mer via une rampe arrière débouchant sur un ponton à partir duquel les véhicules et les hommes utilisent des chalands pour faire la navette avec la terre. Il peut s’agir de gros chalands transportés par des bâtiments dotés d’un radier, ou pour les véhicules légers et les hommes des quatre petits chalands de type LCVP embarqués par le HMS Ocean.

En service jusqu’à l’arrivée des nouveaux porte-avions

Tout comme le HMS Illustrious, le dernier des trois anciens porte-aéronefs du type Invincible transformé en porte-hélicoptères en 2011 suite au retrait du service des Harrier, le HMS Ocean devrait être mis en vente dans les toutes prochaines années. Il est en effet peu probable que la Royal Navy conserve ce bâtiment une fois ses deux nouveaux porte-avions mis en service. Le premier, le HMS Queen Elizabeth, doit être mis à flot cette année au chantier Babcock de Rosyth. Prévu pour débuter ses essais en mer en 2016, il ne devrait pas être pleinement opérationnel avant 2020, les premiers appontages et décollages à bord du nouvel avion de combat F-35B étant prévus en 2017/2018.

En attendant que le HMS Queen Elizabeth, puis son sistership le HMS Prince of Wales, soient admis au service actif, le HMS Ocean sera le seul bâtiment de la flotte britannique à pouvoir déployer un groupe aéromobile conséquent. Il demeurera la pierre angulaire des capacités de la force de projection navale britannique, étant au cœur d’un dispositif comprenant également les transports de chalands de débarquement HMS Albion et HMS Bulwark, ainsi que les TCD auxiliaires du type Bay.

Une version dérivée pour l’export

On notera que BAE Systems a développé pour l’export un porte-hélicoptères d’assaut dérivé du HMS Ocean,. Le nouveau concept britannique prévoit l’ajout d’un radier pour l’emport de quatre chalands de débarquement ou deux engins de type Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), s’ajoutant aux Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) sous bossoirs. Plus grand que le HMS Ocean, avec une longueur de 210 mètres et un déplacement atteignant 23.000 tonnes en charge, le Landing Helicopter Dock de BAE Systems dispose de vastes ponts pour l’emport de matériel, soit 2000 m² au total, avec une capacité de plus de 100 véhicules militaires. Le bâtiment peut également accueillir plus de 800 soldats en plus de son équipage de 300 hommes. Le pont d’envol compte six spots d’appontage pour des hélicoptères de type AW101 Merlin, ainsi que deux ascenseurs desservant un hangar pouvant abriter six appareils.

Armé de deux canons de 40mm, deux Phalanx et des mitrailleuses, ce design de LHD, équipé d’un radar Artisan 3D et de lance-leurres, peut servir de bâtiment de commandement pour une opération interarmées et internationale. Il est également conçu pour les opérations humanitaires, grâce à ses capacités amphibies et aériennes, ainsi que ses installations hospitalières. On notera que sa vitesse est plus élevée que celle de son aîné, atteignant 22 nœuds, avec une autonomie de 7000 milles à vitesse économique.

M&M

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Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

Citation :: British paratroopers and their French Foreign Legion counterparts have been training together as they build a closer working relationship.

Colchester-based B Company of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) has been working alongside 2e Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2e REP) at their base on the rugged island of Corsica.

Exercise Blue Legionnaire has seen the 2 units fire each other’s weaponry and practise fighting together in urban areas.

The 2 PARA soldiers earned French parachute wings by jumping from a French C-160 Transall aircraft, while jumps from a Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules earned 2e REP soldiers their British wings.

British paratroopers being instructed by a French legionnaire in how to fit a French parachute [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

As 2e REP has specialist mountain and amphibious troops, 2 PARA soldiers were taught survival and climbing techniques on Corsica’s snow-capped mountains, and, in the Mediterranean Sea, handled assault boats and practised attacking and defending beaches.

Major Adam Wilson, officer commanding B Company, said:

“2 PARA and 2e REP maintain strong links as sister battalions. Exercise Blue Legionnaire has been about us seeing 2e REP on their home turf and learning more about how they operate and live.

“It has been a huge success in developing the understanding, respect and trust between our 2 units, which could prove critical in future operations.

“Corsica itself has been an excellent location that has allowed us to train in the air, on the land and in the sea. As airborne troops, the sea and high mountains are not familiar environments to us, but it has been rewarding to challenge ourselves and learn new skills.”

British and French paratroopers preparing their parachutes ahead of a jump [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

Corporal Chris Hooper added:

“It’s been a very different experience to see how another army does its business. The legionnaires are a very disciplined and professional outfit and we’ve worked well together because we’ve got the same role and mentality.

“It’s been a friendly exercise with a lot of war stories swapped – they did an operational jump in Mali last year and we’ve got a lot to say about Afghanistan.”

The 2-week long training was part of the interim Combined Joint Expeditionary Force – an operational partnership between the British 16 Air Assault Brigade and the French 11e Brigade Parachutiste , which stands at high readiness to deploy on contingency operations ranging from war-fighting to disaster relief.

British and French paratroopers on an assault course [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

British paratroopers training with French army issue GIAT FAMAS assault rifles [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

French paratroopers practise a beach assault [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

French paratroopers storm a beach defended by members of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/paratroopers-strengthen-french-connection

Citation :: Ministry of Defence amasses £4BILLION fleet of 657 military drones for use in deadly warzones

It includes 10 Reaper MQ-9s, which are armed with Hellfire missiles plus laser-guided 500lb bombs and can hover 20,000ft above targets for more than 20 hours

Britain has amassed a force of 657 military drones, the Sunday People can reveal.
The £4billion fleet of unmanned aircraft built to probe deep into the deadliest warzones is one of the largest in the world.
And they include 10 Reaper MQ-9s, which are armed with Hellfire missiles plus laser-guided 500lb bombs and can hover 20,000ft above targets for more than 20 hours.
Drones have been blamed for a series of civilian deaths in Afghanistan in recent years – but top brass claim they have also saved the lives of scores of British troops lives by killing hundreds of Taliban insurgents.
The Afghanistan Reapers are piloted by a two-man crew sitting 3,500 miles away at RAF Waddington, Lincs.
But most drones aren’t armed – they just spy or fly recce missions.

A Freedom of Information request found the biggest number of UK drones are the 324 Black Hornet Nano micro-helicopters, only four inches long and an inch wide (100x25mm). They fly over insurgent strongholds to film and take pictures.

Then there are 222 Desert Hawks, plastic spy-drones with a 4ft 3in wingspan (1.3m). David Cameron held one on a visit to Afghanistan last June.

For tougher operations, 54 Watchkeepers can stay aloft for 17 hours.

Nine more are due in service soon to replace ageing Hermes 450s. By contrast 30 Tarantula Hawks weigh just 20lbs apiece and are used as recce aides by bomb-disposal teams in Afghanistan.

Lastly there are eight ScanEagles, a specialist [url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/ministry of defence]drone[/url] being used in the campaign against Somali pirates.

Drones are likely to make up a third of all RAF working aircraft by 2030 but human rights groups fear they could be used to spy on the innocent public. The MoD declined to comment.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ministry-defence-drones-army-amasses-3036436#.UuBR-fLLTaB

Citation :: Le prince Harry muté à l’état-major des armées

Quatrième dans l’ordre de succession au trône d’Angleterre, le prince Harry va désormais occuper un post en état-major. Le jeune officier a déjà été déployé à deux reprises en Afghanistan où il a participé à de nombreuses missions de combat au cours desquelles les talibans appelaient à le viser expréssement.
Après avoir occupé le poste de copilote-artilleur à bord des hélicoptères Apache de la British Army, il a obtenu en juillet dernier le grade lui permettant d’accéder à cette nouvelle affectation. « Le prince Harry a terminé son détachement auprès du 3e Régiment du Corps aérien de l’armée et va désormais prendre des fonctions d’officier à l’état-major à Londres », a sobrement annoncé le palais de Kensington dans un communiqué. « Dans ses nouvelles responsabilités, il aidera à coordonner des projets significatifs et des commémorations impliquant l’armée à Londres ».
Londres avait tenu secret son premier déploiement en Afghanistan, en décembre 2007, jusqu’à ce que la presse britannique ne le révèle. Dix semaines plus tard, son rapatriement avait été décidé. Son deuxième mandat en Afghanistan avait lui été officialisé dès son déploiement au camp Bastion, dans le sud de l’Afghanistan. Le prince William, frère aîné de Harry a quant à lui quitté l’armée en septembre 2013 pour se consacrer à des actions caritatives. Il a servi durant trois ans comme pilote de Sea King spécialisé dans les missions Search and Rescue sur la base de la Royal Air Force à Anglesey, au Pays de Galles.

http://www.infosdefense.com/le-prince-harry-mute-a-letat-major-des-armees-11176/

Citation :: GB/armée: dernier tour de vis avec 1.500 licenciements

LONDRES, 23 jan 2014 (AFP) -

L'armée britannique, soumise à une cure d'amaigrissement draconienne décidée en 2010, s'apprête à licencier 1.500 personnes lors d'un quatrième tour de vis annoncé comme le dernier, a indiqué jeudi le gouvernement.

Le ministre de la Défense Philip Hammond a qualifié la mesure de "douloureuse" mais a assuré que les troupes pouvaient désormais avoir "l'esprit tranquille" puisque la période de restructuration était "révolue".

Le chef de l'armée britannique, Peter Wall, a confirmé "la fin d'une période de grande incertitude" et assuré que l'institution allait "tout faire pour que les personnes concernées réussissent leur reconversion dans le civil".

En juin dernier, 4.500 personnes avaient déjà perdu leur emploi dans l'armée. Des postes supprimés jeudi, 1.425 proviennent de l'armée de terre, dont environ 350 touchent l'emblématique régiment des ghurkas népalais.

Sont également remerciés 70 médecins et dentistes militaires de la Royal Air Force et une dizaine de personnes dans la Royal Navy.

Décidées en 2010, les coupes budgétaires prévoient que les effectifs de l'armée régulière passent de 102.000 à 82.000 personnes d'ici 2020, tandis que le nombre de réservistes doit gonfler de 19.000 à 30.000.

La Royal Air Force et la Navy doivent chacune perdre 5.000 postes pour employer respectivement 35.000 et 30.000 personnes.

L'ampleur des coupes a suscité des inquiétudes dans les rangs de l'armée et au sein du parti conservateur au pouvoir.

Jeudi dernier, l'ancien secrétaire américain à la Défense, Robert Gates, a également estimé qu'elles réduisaient la capacité militaire du Royaume-Uni qui ne sera plus, de ce fait, "un partenaire à part entière" des Etats-Unis.

"Faux", a répondu le Premier ministre David Cameron qui a souligné que la Grande-Bretagne possédait toujours le quatrième budget de la défense au monde et restait un "acteur de premier plan" dans ce domaine.

http://www.marine-oceans.com/actualites-afp/7103-gbarmee-dernier-tour-de-vis-avec-1500-licenciements

Citation :: British Army wants AH-64E Apache before end of decade

The British Army Air Corps (AAC) expects to replace its current AgustaWestland-Boeing WAH-64D Apache Longbow AH.1 attack helicopter fleet with the latest-variant AH-64E (formerly AH-64D Block III) "by the end of the decade", a senior service official disclosed on 23 January.
Speaking at the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference in London, the deputy commander of the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), Brigadier Neil Sexton, said that, with the AAC's Apache AH.1 helicopters (Block I standard) suffering from obsolescence issues, the army "rather hopes" that the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian will be chosen as its successor, for fielding before 2020.
"The army is absolutely sold on [the Apache's] performance in Afghanistan," Brig Sexton said, adding: "[The Apache AH.1] has an extremely high profile with the public, mainly down to Captain Wales [Prince Harry] in Afghanistan."
As well the proven performance of the AH.1-variant Apache now in service, Brig Sexton noted that the enhanced capabilities of the AH-64E are proving to be highly alluring to the United Kingdom, especially with regard to manned-unmanned teaming. "We are watching very closely what the US is doing with this," he said, adding: "There is a lot of future potential for this with [the British Army's] Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle."
In terms of numbers, Brig Sexton said that he does not expect any AH-64Es to be procured as one-for-one replacements for the Apaches currently in service (67 were purchased, with one lost on operations in Afghanistan), adding "but we don't need that". The most likely scenario will see the most costly systems on the current AH.1 aircraft - the M-TADS (targeting system), the fire control system, and the engines - being refitted into newly built airframes, with the equipment left over providing a ready-made pool of spares.
According to the brigadier, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) expects the acquisition process for the AH-64E to be decided "in the next couple of years", with a contract being signed shortly after. He could not say though whether this process would begin before the next UK general election in 2015. While Brig Sexton said that any procurement decision must be made with the US Army production run in mind, Boeing officials previously told IHS Jane's that programme delays incurred by sequestration were having the unintended consequence of buying the United Kingdom time in making its decision.
"With the US Army staring down the tunnel of sequestration, the new-build of 56 [AH-64E] helicopters has been delayed [634 AH-64Ds will also be remanufactured to AH-64E standard, of which 43 have been done to date]," said David Koopersmith, Vice President Attack Helicopter Programme for Boeing. "The [US Army] production line will not now start until about 2019/2020 and will run through until at least 2026, giving the UK the luxury of some flexibility," Koopersmith said at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) in October 2013.
The MoD is currently undertaking a capability sustainment programme (CSP) to sustain the UK's attack helicopter capability out to 2040 and beyond, but has declined to say when it will report the findings of this study. The AH-64E is understood to be one of a number of options being considered, with others being the procurement of a new helicopter type altogether or even the scrapping of the capability.

http://www.janes.com/article/32844/british-army-wants-ah-64e-apache-before-end-of-decade

Citation :: UK considers 'surrogate' helicopters to reduce pilot training costs

The United Kingdom is looking at introducing a new 'surrogate' helicopter type to train pilots at a lower cost than is currently the case with operational platforms, the deputy commander of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) said on 23 January 2014.
Speaking at the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference in London, Brigadier Neil Sexton revealed that with helicopters accounting for nearly half of the army's running costs, a cheaper training solution is being sought.
He said that "45% of the army's running cost bill [is] taken up by helicopters. We have to reduce those costs to a minimum, and [the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is] looking at surrogate training".
According to Brig Sexton, this plan would see each JHC air station operating about six smaller helicopters specifically for training purposes. These would need to be equipped with a similar human-machine interface as the operational helicopter type, enabling the pilot to transition seamlessly from one to the other. Such an initiative would be separate from the Defence Helicopter Flying School at Shawbury, where initial pilot training is currently conducted, said the brigadier. He added that it is vital that the United Kingdom does this "to maintain our levels of competence, but at a lower cost".
Expanding on this point of competence, Brig Sexton noted that in more than 10 years of continuous operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, JHC has only suffered Category 5 (write-off) damage to seven of its helicopters. The brigadier said this is down to the command's superior environmental training.
While the priority of operations in Afghanistan have made it relatively easy in persuading the army to help JHC in this training by supporting overseas exercises in places such as Morocco, Brig Sexton expects this to become much harder with the ending of combat operations later in 2014.
"We will have a job to persuade the army to take JHC to places around the world to do this training [after Afghanistan], and we are working hard with navy to ensure we can go with them on [future training] deployments," he said.

http://www.janes.com/article/32851/uk-considers-surrogate-helicopters-to-reduce-pilot-training-costs

Citation :: Babcock applies to start UK submarine dismantling

The UK's Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) has taken a step forward after Babcock applied to the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) seeking consent to undertake initial dismantling of decommissioned and defuelled nuclear-powered submarines laid up at the company's Rosyth Royal Dockyard site in Fife.
ONR has now commenced a formal three-month consultation period in which interested parties can comment upon Babcock's application.
The SDP covers the planned dismantling of 27 decommissioned submarines, of which 18 are already laid up at either Rosyth or Devonport, Plymouth. Production of Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) from dismantling work is expected to be ongoing until around 2050.

http://www.janes.com/article/32896/babcock-applies-to-start-uk-submarine-dismantling

Citation :: UK retires ALARM missile

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed the final retirement of the Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile (ALARM), a move which leaves the Royal Air Force (RAF) without a dedicated defence suppression weapon.

Developed by what was British Aerospace Dynamics - later subsumed into MBDA - ALARM was developed under Air Staff Requirement 1228 to provide RAF Tornados with a defence suppression capability. Completing development trials in October 1990, the missile made its operational debut in the 1991 Gulf War, with more than 120 missiles fired as part of Operation 'Granby'.

ALARM was subsequently used in support of NATO's Operation 'Allied Force' over Serbia and Kosovo in 1999.

An ALARM seeker mid-life update, introduced to meet Staff Requirement (Air) 1247, saw an improved anti-radiation homing seeker enter service in the early 2000s. This version of ALARM was employed by Tornado GR.4 aircraft during Operation 'Telic' in 2003.

In a statement to IHS Jane's , the MoD confirmed that "the ALARM missile, used for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences [SEAD], was retired from service at the end of December 2013".

It added: "UK armed forces have a range of capabilities that can be used to counter enemy air defence, including kinetic strikes via long-range cruise missiles, such as Tomahawk and Storm Shadow, and a multitude of highly effective precision air-to-ground weapons.

"Additionally, it is likely that we will work with our international partners on future major operations overseas and will therefore manage all of our capabilities as part of that coalition."

http://www.janes.com

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Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

ils retirent l´ALARM Shocked

a quoi bon garder le Tornado IDS alors
et ben c´est pas avec des Tomahawk ou Storm shadow que tu risque d´eteindre des radars

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Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 A10-na10

HS/ les français doivent aussi songer à cette lacune depuis le ARMAT rien de nouveau c'est un désavantage export pour le rafale

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"La stratégie est comme l'eau qui fuit les hauteurs et qui remplit les creux" SunTzu

Citation :: Work commences on River Class contract

Work is underway on the new £22m contract to support and provide maintenance to the Royal Navy’s River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

Following a successful track record of supporting these Portsmouth based ships for over a decade and after a competitive tender process, BAE Systems was awarded the contract in September, guaranteeing the work for the next five years.

The maintenance contract will provide the Royal Navy with 320 operationally available days per ship per year. This will enable the ships to remain at sea as much as possible to carry out their primary roles of fishery protection, environmental protection, search and rescue and maritime security.

The success of these arrangements will be based on a strong partnering relationship between BAE Systems, Ship’s Staff, the MOD, and A&P Group who play a key role in the maintenance of the ships.

A similar solution is currently used to support two Royal Navy hydrographic vessels, HMS Echo and HMS Enterprise, as well as HMS Clyde based in the Falkland Islands.

Richard Dingley, Fleet Services Director, BAE Systems Maritime Services said: “This contract award is recognition that our support of the River Class OPVs will be a value for money service.

“The Royal Navy can be assured that the high ship availability we have achieved over the last ten years will continue. I am delighted that we have won the contract in competition to deliver this highly regarded service.”

http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_164901/work-commences-on-river-class-contract?baeSessionId=0Q70Sv1RYtJ49GgRXc8wZWQlhf6yb1SF4zS0lMh2jST6dp0dR3Vh%21299132692&_adf.ctrl-state=73go426ha_4&_afrLoop=716243179720000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null

Citation :: Moscou-Londres: un accord de coopération militaire prochainement signé (journal)

LONDRES, 27 janvier - RIA Novosti

La Russie et la Grande-Bretagne entendent signer un accord de coopération dans le domaine de la Défense qui permettra à Londres d'acheter des armements russes et ses technologies, annonce lundi le journal The Telegraph se référant à ses sources dans le ministère de la Défense.

"Les ministres de la Défense s'apprêtent à signer un accord permettant aux sociétés britanniques de travailler sur des projets conjointement avec les spécialistes russes. Les sources au ministère britannique de la Défense ont confirmé que cet accord permettrait aux forces armées d'acheter légalement des équipements russes. Toutefois, l'objectif principal du document est de permettre aux sociétés (travaillant dans la Défense) d'échanger des informations et de s'acheter des composantes", écrit le journal.

"Selon des sources à Moscou, cet accord pourrait être signé au printemps", indique le journal.

L'accord ne concernera que des technologies "non sensibles" et ne permettra pas aux parties de coopérer dans les domaines tels que la défense antimissile. Toutefois, ce document est considéré par Moscou et Londres comme un pas en avant considérable dans les relations entre les deux pays.

http://fr.ria.ru/defense/20140127/200313619.html

ay ayay

Citation :: MoD defends buying back Ark Royal parts for HMS Illustrious

THE Ministry of Defence has justified its decision to buy back parts from a former Royal Navy aircraft carrier.

Spare parts of Ark Royal, which was sold two years ago for £2.9m to a Turkish scrapyard, had to be shipped back to Portsmouth to replace sections of HMS Illustrious.

The sister ship suffered a small fire while on deployment off the coast of Somalia last August.

After the fire, it was realised there were no replacements parts for the damaged radio switchboard and the surrounding cabinet. But it was revealed that Ark Royal, which will be recycled into tin cans, had the same equipment fitted.

The fee for the parts have not been released by the Ministry of Defence.

But Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, has said it would be interesting to see how much it cost them.

‘I think the Ministry of Defence was too quick to get rid of Ark Royal and that is showing now and I would like to know exactly how much they paid for the parts,’ he said.

‘It is embarrassing for them and shows they should have kept Ark Royal in Portsmouth in case something like this happened.

‘Then, they could have sold both her and HMS Illustrious together.’

A spokesman for the MoD said: ‘While the part in question was not one that would routinely need replacing, a small fire meant that we had to get hold of another one, which we did, paying £57,000 less than we would have done if buying new. It is not practical to keep spares of every single item on board a ship and it would not present good value for money to mothball entire ships retired from service to provide spares.’

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk

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Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces - Page 12 Star3

Citation :: Blindés: la France pourrait prêter une vingtaine de VBCI au Royaume-Uni

L’annonce pourrait intervenir vendredi lors du sommet franco-britannique.

C’est parti pour constituer la surprise du sommet franco-britannique de vendredi, au moins pour le volet militaire de la rencontre : l’armée de terre française pourrait prêter une vingtaine de VBCI, le dernier né des blindés d’infanterie de Nexter, a son homologue du Royaume-Uni, selon nos informations. Il s’agirait pour les troupes de sa gracieuse majesté de se familiariser avec un matériel qui, dit-on, ne les a pas laissées indifférentes lors de ses sorties en Afghanistan ou au Mali.
Il y a cinq ans, Londres avait lancé une grande compétition pour renouveler sa flotte de blindés de transport d’infanterie. Le Piranha 5 de l’américain General Dynmics en était sorti vainqueur. Le VBCI avait tenté sa chance, mais pêché par son niveau de protection notamment. Le programme a été annulé depuis, et le blindé de Nexter s’est amélioré.
En prêtant une vingtaine de VBCI (initialement les discussions portaient sur une soixantaine d’exemplaires), Paris prend date dans l’hypothèse où les Britannique relancent un programme d’acquisition, vers 2017 selon l’échéance évoquée. Sans que Nexter soit assuré de signer un contrat évidemment, car Outre Manche, rien ne se fait sans mise en compétition.
S’il se confirme vendredi, le prêt de VBCI aura une signification symbolique importante dans la mesure où les Français testent - en vue d’une acquisition - le drone tactique Watchkeeper anglais. Ce serait un (petit) pas de plus vers l’interopérabilité des deux armées, l’un des buts du traité de Lancaster House qui prévoit la mise sur pied d’un corps expéditionnaire commun d’ici à 2016.

http://www.lesechos.fr/entreprises-secteurs/air-defense/actu/0203272350380-blindes-la-france-pourrait-preter-une-vingtaine-de-vbci-aux-royaume-uni-645879.php

» Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces
» Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces
» Armée norvegienne/Norwegian Armed Forces
» Armée Française / French Armed Forces
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