Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces

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Des bâtiments de défense anti-aérienne ... sans missiles anti-aérien
Publié le 14 mars 2009.

Le National Audit Office (NAO), l’équivalent britannique de la Cour des Comptes, a indiqué que les nouveaux destroyers Type 45 de la Royal Navy auraient 2 ans de retard. Le budget prévu a été dépassé de 1,5 milliard de £ pour 6 exemplaires.
Le NAO a aussi indiqué que les navires prendraient au départ la mer sans leur système de missiles anti-aériens à cause de retard dans la mise au point.
Le ministère a indiqué que, après des retards au début du programme, il respectait désormais le calendrier.
Les destroyers sont les chevaux de trait de la Royal Navy, protégeant contre des attaques aériennes les bâtiments plus gros comme les porte-avions, et fournissant un appui feu pour les troupes au sol.
Ils effectuent aussi un large éventail d’autres missions comme les patrouilles anti-pirates et le secours en cas de catastrophe naturelle.
Une flotte vieillissante
Le ministère britannique de la défense avait d’abord prévu d’acheter 12 destroyers Type 45, mais ce chiffre avait été réduit à 8 en 2004, puis à seulement 6 l’an dernier.
Néanmoins, le NAO indique que le programme, qui devait au départ couter 5 milliards de £, couterait au final près de 6,5 milliards de £ (pour un nombre de bâtiments divisé par 2).
Le premier des destroyers, le HMS Daring, qui a été lancé en 2006, ne dispose toujours pas de la totalité de son système de communications. Il ne recevra pas avant 2011 son principal système de missiles anti-aérien, le PAAMS. Celui-ci peut abattre en même temps plusieurs appareils ou missiles ennemis.
Il devra aussi attendre jusqu’en 2014 pour être équipé de la capacité de combat en coopération, qui relie ensemble les systèmes de combat et les senseurs de plusieurs navires, améliorant leur capacité à combattre ensemble.
Le NAO indique que, en raison de ces retards, la Royal Navy devra conserver plus longtemps ses destroyers Type 42 vieillissants, qui avaient été conçus pour la Guerre Froide et que les Type 45 doivent remplacer.

http://www.corlobe.tk/article13114.html

HMS ST ALBANS F 83 - Gibraltar 05/02/10







MERLIN HM 1 - ZH848







Photos de Daniel Gibdan

un AH-MK1 produit par AW ?

la variante british,nommée aussi WAH-64

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Un colonel admet sa responsabilité dans la mort d'un Irakien

Un ex-officier de l'armée britannique a nié lundi avoir eu connaissance de présumées exactions de militaires qu'il commandait en 2003 sur des prisonniers irakiens. Mais il a admis sa responsabilité, en tant que chef, dans la mort d'un civil irakien détenu par ses hommes. Baha Moussa, réceptionniste d'un hôtel, âgé de 26 ans et père de deux enfants, est décédé après avoir été battu à mort par des militaires britanniques durant sa garde à vue le 15 septembre 2003 à Bassorah, ville du sud irakien alors sous contrôle britannique. Interrogé lundi par une commission d'enquête sur sa part de responsabilité dans la mort de Moussa, qui a succombé après 36 heures de garde à vue et souffrait de 93 blessures différentes, le colonel Jorge Mendonca a répondu: "En tant qu'officier commandant l'unité, oui, j'accepte cette responsabilité". Niant en revanche avoir eu connaissances d'exactions de la part de ses hommes, il a expliqué que des officiers pourraient avoir décidé de les lui cacher. "Il existe, bien sûr, une possibilité que, parce que j'avais, je pense, très clairement la réputation de faire les choses correctement, certains officiers puissent avoir pensé que c'était une raison pour me laisser hors du coup sur certaines choses", a-t-il déclaré. Le colonel Mendonca avait été blanchi en février 2007 par un tribunal militaire dans l'affaire Moussa, qui fait l'objet l'objet d'une enquête publique depuis 2008.

http://www.romandie.com/infos/ats/display2.asp?page=20100216033846860172019048000_brf007.xml

Qu'en est-il des millions de civiles tués à cause de cette guerre? Ceux qui sont tués par les soldats de la coalition et ceux qui sont morts parce que la coalition a envahit l'irak et a échoué a y maintenir la paix se comptent par100aines de milliers! voire des millions!

Saddam a été exécuté pour moins que ça! Certes il était un criminel de guerre mais ce n'est pas pour ça qu'il a été executé, Saddam a été executé parce qu'il a perdu la guerre...

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HM Ships Daring and Dauntless, Type 45 Destroyers on maneouvers together for the first time
The Royal Navy’s two newest warships – formidable air defence destroyers HMS Daring and Dauntless – have performed side-by-side at sea for the first time.
The Type 45 destroyers successfully completed a series of complex manoeuvres south of the Isle of Wight (February 15).

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Wave-cutting bow section of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth under construction

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Lockheed Martin Awarded $49.5 Million TADS/PNVS AND M-TADS/PNVS Support Contract

AgustaWestland has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $49.5 million sustainment and support contract for the Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (TADS/PNVS) and Modernized TADS/PNVS (M-TADS/PNVS) systems on the U.K. Apache AH Mk-1 aircraft. The contract provides complete post-production services, including spare parts, in-country repair and technical services, as well as integrated logistics, engineering and depot repair support. The effort is part of the overall Integrated Operational Support (IOS) solution for the U.K. Apache fleet provided by AgustaWestland to the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD). Support under the contract will continue through March 2014. “This support contract will provide the necessary services to maintain the M-TADS/PNVS system in support of U.K. Apache operational needs,” said Tom Eldredge, Apache Fire Control International programs director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Our team is in position and is providing a cost-effective support solution that meets the needs of the Soldiers.” For AgustaWestland, the support arrangement is a strategy for TADS/PNVS and M-TADS/PNVS product support that helps enable their overall IOS objective of an integrated performance package designed to optimize system readiness. The AgustaWestland IOS contract enables faster and more efficient technical solutions because the contractor assumes responsibility for total performance of a weapon system. “The Apache is proving itself as one of the great success stories of defense procurement,” said Graham Cole, managing director at AgustaWestland. “The M-TADS/PNVS is making a very real operational difference in theater.” The support contract will support both the legacy TADS/PNVS and Modernized TADS/PNVS through the end of the upgrade and integration process. Support activities will be performed in the U.K. and Orlando, FL.

defpro.com

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Première plongée pour le nouveau sous-marin britannique Astute


Le nouveau sous-marin nucléaire d’attaque britannique, l’Astute, a appareillé mardi de sa base écossaise pour effectuer ses premiers essais de plongée en mer.

La Royal Navy reste discrète sur le programme du sous-marins, mais il effectuera une série d’essais, dont une plongée au large de l’Ecosse.
Le sous-marin avait quitté en novembre dernier le chantier naval de BAE à Barrow, où il a été construit, pour la base navale de Faslane près de Glasgow, qui accueillera tous les SNA de cette classe.
La seule plongée déjà effectuée par l’Astute était une plongée statique, effectuée dans le bassin Devonshire de Barrow.
Lors de son départ de Barrow, seule une partie du gouvernail de l’Astute avait été installée afin d’être certain qu’il ne heurte pas de banc de vase.
Lors du transit de 5 jours vers la base de Faslane, effectué en surface, une série d’essais préliminaires avaient été effectués.
Un porte-parole de la base de Faslane a indiqué : “Je peux confirmer que l’Astute a appareillé pour des essais à la mer. Pendant cette période, il va effectuer une série de différents essais techniques.
“...Ce sera la première qu’il effectuera une plongée libre en mer.”

North West Evening Mail

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RAF's Tucano Fleet to Get VT Support Service
The UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) has awarded VT Group a contract to provide support service to the air force's fleet of Tucano training aircraft.
Under the £35m (US$55m) four-year contract, VT will deliver between 12,000 and 14,500 hours of flying training every year for the RAF's 50 Tucano aircraft.
VT will perform the work at RAF's Linton-on-Ouse base in North Yorkshire where Tucanos are used to train fast jet pilots in preparation for flying the Hawk fast jet trainer.
VT has been providing engineering support and maintenance, flight line services and logistics to the RAF's Tucano fleet since its inception in the air force.
The RAF uses the Tucano aircraft for general aircraft handling, formation flying and low-level navigation.
Powered by Garrett TPE331-12B turboprop engines, the Tucano aircraft has a maximum speed of 300 knots and a maximum altitude of 30,000ft.
VT will begin service delivery in April 2010.

airforce-technology

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British Army Python Mine-Clearance System Proved in Afghanistan



Royal Engineers blast through Taliban IED field with new weapon

The Royal Engineers have fired their latest weapon in the battle against the Taliban for the first time, an exploding hose which punches safe passage through suspected IED belts.

The Python rocket is a trailer-mounted, rocket-propelled mine-clearing system pulled behind the Trojan armoured engineer tank. The Python system fires a snake of high explosives.

The first use of the new equipment, across a suspected IED field in a dry river bed or 'wadi' north of Patrol Base Wahid, as part of Operation MOSHTARAK, shook the ground either side of the detonation, and created a huge cloud several hundred metres high.

Staff Sergeant Mark Eastley, from 30 Armoured Engineer Squadron, said:

"It takes your breath away. You feel the vehicle rock, and in awe of what has just happened. You see the flash, hear the bang, and then feel the shock wave.

"This explosion, although loud, was an act to clear safe passage for British and Afghan soldiers through the belts of roadside bombs that kill civilians and soldiers."

Lieutenant Colonel Matt Bazeley, Commanding Officer of 28 Engineer Regiment, who oversaw the use of Python, said:

"We are clearing this belt of death so that civilians and their families can begin to live without fear of being blown to pieces by a cowardly and dishonorable enemy that is happy to kill indiscriminately."

All families in the area were contacted to ensure that no civilians came near the blast.

Lt Col Bazeley's team, known as the Manoeuvre Support Group, is made up of a combination of a squadron of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment in Viking armoured personnel carriers, and Royal Engineers bridging and armoured engineer tanks.

Lieutenant Jim Viney, from 26 Engineer Regiment, Commander of the Trojan Troop, said:

"It's not an aggressive tool. It is a tool to save military and civilian lives. It makes the routes safe."

As the weapon fired, a series of rockets lifted the hose out of its barrel, shooting it over the Trojan tank into the air and laying it over a long strip of ground.

Seconds later the hose exploded, creating a flash, followed by a thump and a cloud.

SSgt Eastley added:

"The kit provides a breaching capability. Its primary employment to date will be clearance of known IED areas to provide a safe route."

Also, as part of Operation MOSHTARAK, the Royal Engineers used the Trojan vehicle, which is fitted with a large plough on the front, to clear safe passage through a suspected IED belt to the north west of Showal, the Taliban's 'seat' of governance, earlier in the week.

It was also the first time that the plough had been used on operations in Afghanistan.

Sapper Gwynfor Hughes, the Trojan's driver, said:

"I was confident the kit worked but it was going through the back of my mind - are we going to hit an IED?"

Although the Taliban chose to flee rather than fight, they had seeded areas in and around Showal with deadly home-made explosives to kill and maim British and Afghan soldiers and Afghan civilians.

Vehicle Commander Corporal Michael Baker received his order to move the Trojan vehicle forward and plough through anything that got in his way. He said:

"I thought, this is it. This is a first. The Royal Engineers at the very front of the action."

Still careful to avoid mines, Cpl Baker snaked a mile-long (1.6km) path through the dry river bed in front of Showal up to the edge of the town, and past its deserted bazaar, one of Afghanistan's main heroin trading points:

"We were all locked down, turrets shut, seat belts on," said Cpl Baker.

Commanders hope that the Trojan's rocket system and plough will force the Taliban onto the backfoot. Lt Col Bazeley said:

"It's going to change the dynamic of the campaign. The Taliban are going to have to react to us, not the other way around. We now have the capacity to crack through IED belts. In the past, it was painstaking."

Once the Trojan finds IEDs, the engineers and bomb disposal teams can return to make them safe:

"We'll be back to clear any IEDs found to ensure the area is safer for the locals and reconstruction and development can get underway," said Lt Col Bazeley.

After moving into Showal and linking up with A Company of 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, the column returned to their temporary desert base:

"There was a sigh of relief as soon as we finished the task, and that that part of the op was completed," said Sapper Hughes.

http://www.deagel.com/news/British-Army-Python-Mine-Clearance-System-Proved-in-Afghanistan_n000007098.aspx

LONGBOW LLC Awarded $86 Million to Support and Sustain U.K. Apache Attack Helicopters

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The LONGBOW Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, was recently awarded an $86 million contract from AgustaWestland to support LONGBOW FCR systems on the United Kingdom Apache AH Mk-1 aircraft. "The LONGBOW FCR is an essential element of U.K. Apache operations in Afghanistan," said Jerry Garman, LONGBOW LLC president and director of LONGBOW programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Through this partnership with AgustaWestland, we will ensure the highest operational availability and system reliability at the lowest sustainment cost." The four-year contract includes engineering services, integrated logistics and an in-country repair capability. Support services will continue through March 2014, and will be performed at Wattisham Airfield in the U.K.; Lockheed Martin facilities in Ocala and Orlando, FL; and Northrop Grumman facilities in Baltimore, MD.
The contract is a component of the integrated operational support provided by AgustaWestland to the Ministry of Defence. A formal signing ceremony at the U.K. Apache main operating base at Wattisham Airfield in October marked the launch of this effort.

Aujourd'hui

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The special tail Navy Harrier in full glory and even some February sunshine!

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Royal Navy Introduces New Reconnaissance UUV

Hydroid’s Recce UUV to increase Royal Navy’s mine-countermeasure capabilities

The UK Ministry of Defence announced yesterday that the Royal Navy officially introduced into service its newest submersible asset to improve its mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities: the ‘Recce’ unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). The UUV, manufactured by US-based Hydroid, Inc and based upon the REMUS 600 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), successfully completed trials at the end of last year and has now been handed over to the Royal Navy's Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Unit.
The 3.9-metre long, torpedo-shaped ‘Recce’ UUV, which operates at depths from 30 metres to 200 metres, can be used for reconnaissance operations, hydrographic surveys and environmental monitoring. The fully autonomous device can scan the sea bed for mines for over 20 hours at a time using an advanced navigation system as well as acoustic and bathymetric sensors to detect and indicate the exact location of possible threats. This collected data, including high-resolution imagery, is transmitted to onboard operators for analysis, considerably reducing the risk to naval divers who – as the Ministry explains – traditionally carried out these operations.
Designed and developed by Hydroid with support from the US Office of Naval Research, Recce offers extended endurance and an increased payload compared to its predecessor, the REMUS 100. According to Warship Technology, Recce is equipped with an Edgetech 2200S (850kHz) sidescan sonar, an Imagenex Delta-T (1.7Mhz) multi-beam imaging sonar, an Edgetech 2200S (4-24kHz) sub-bottom profiler sonar, a Kearfott Inertial Navigation Unit, a Teledyne RDI Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler/Doppler Velocity Log, a Niel Brown conductivity and temperature sensor, a Wetlabs FLNTU water clarity sensor, and GPS, WiFi as well as RF communications.

Extending capabilities, reducing risks

Defence Equipment and Support's Underwater Systems Programme Manager, Phil Jenkin, said: “The system builds on the success of the REMUS technology of smaller, shallow water vehicles, which the Navy has used over the last few years.” Already in 2005 the UK contracted with the US company to supply two of its smaller REMUS 100 UUV’s. Jenkins added: “The new vehicle is not intended to replace the existing systems, but extend the Navy's remote mine hunting capability, boasting improved sonar technology, allowing it to cover larger areas of water and to dive deeper.”
Lauding the close cooperation between Hydroid and the Underwater Systems team, Lieutenant Commander Paul Guiver of the Underwater Warfare Systems Capability Development Group, noted “It is a fine example of using low technological risk, commercial off-the-shelf equipment and it will provide the operational experience to the user that will help to de-risk future MCM capability programmes.” He further explained: “REMUS technology is already used by a dozen navies worldwide. However, the Royal Navy was the first to formally accept unmanned, underwater vehicle systems into service.”
Hydroid was awarded the contract worth GBP5.4 million for development and delivery of two vessels in 2007 after successfully competing against Bluefin Robotics’ Bluefin-12 and Kongsberg Maritime’s HUGIN 1000-MR. The contract has been awarded in conjunction with then-Babcock Design and Technology (today part of Babcock International’s Marine arm) which will provide support in the fields of UK-based training, service and support facilities for a period of five years following the recent acceptance into service.
On the occasion of the introduction into service, Lieutenant Commander Kev Giles, the Royal Navy's Fleet Mine Warfare Capability Manager, summarised: “It is a leap forward from the smaller vehicles [...] which have a shorter range, fewer sensors, and dive to a maximum 30-metre depth. This is why the Royal Navy is very enthusiastic about this. It gives us a look into the future.”

defpro.com

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U.K. AESA Radar Drive Focuses On Typhoon


Developing active, electronically scanned radar—with electronic attack capabilities—is at the heart of a Royal Air Force drive to accelerate the air-to-surface role for the Typhoon aircraft, as the service mulls pulling the Tornado GR4 earlier than planned.

The Defense Ministry is aiming to fly an active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar demonstrator on a Eurofighter Typhoon toward the end of 2013, the culmination of a four-year program which it recently contracted with radar manufacturer Selex Galileo.

The RAF is increasingly focused on fielding only two types of fighter aircraft as soon as it can without undercutting its basic capability. At present, it operates the Harrier, Tornado and Typhoon, with the F-35 due to be introduced in 2017.

Air Marshal Steve Dalton, the chief of the air staff, says he wants to neck down to the Typhoon and the Lockheed Martin F-35 as soon as “practicable.” This includes the provision of a “complex ground attack capability on the Typhoon.” Last week at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Dalton also raised the issue of the remaining fatigue life in the GR4 fleet, given the higher than expected operational utilization.

Present plans call for the Tornado to remain in service at least until 2025, though Dalton indicates this may be brought forward, pending ongoing studies. Reducing more quickly to a two-type fleet offers the attraction of significant support cost-savings, and this is likely to be closely scrutinized as part of a Strategic Defense Review (SDR), due to begin in mid-2010.

Stepping up the Typhoon’s air-to-surface capability would also provide the air force with a backstop should present problems with the F-35 threaten the U.K. in-service date with the type.

The Typhoon technology demonstrator program (TDP) will build on the Advanced Radar Targeting System (ARTS) TDP, for which an AESA demonstrator was flown on a Tornado aircraft. This radar was to have formed the core of the Reforger upgrade for the GR4A, but the program was canceled due to funding constraints.

While acknowledging the ARTS program, the Defense Ministry has been unwilling to discuss it in detail, particularly with regard to electronic attack.

The AESA TDP is a U.K.-only program, despite London’s attempt, along with its other three Typhoon partner countries—Germany, Italy and Spain— to align an AESA radar program for the aircraft. An industry executive from one of the partner states suggests the electronic-attack element of the U.K. work is a reason why the projects are being run in parallel.

The other three countries’ electronic-attack aspirations center on the use of a dedicated platform, which they say can defeat radars over a far higher frequency range than a Typhoon AESA radar.

The Typhoon TDP will employ the swash-plate approach used on the ARTS program to allow the antenna to be repositioned and to counter performance degradation at high off-bore-sight angles. The industry executive says the bandwidths to be used for the TDP radar will be broader as a result of the electronic-attack requirement. The swash-plate approach has already been selected by Saab, which is using the Selex Galileo ES-05 Raven AESA for the Gripen NG.

The Defense Ministry has taken the first steps in a quicker move toward a two-type fleet. As part of a package of cuts and reallocation in Planning Round 10, it was announced at the end of 2009 that a squadron of Harriers is to be axed, with another one or two squadrons of Harriers and/or Tornados to be cut as part of the SDR.

British Defense Secretary Bob Ainsworth told Parliament in December: “In line with our current aspirations to reduce to two fast-jet types—the Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter—we will pursue without delay the future capability program Phase 2. This is fundamental to the development of its multirole capability and integration with the latest weapons.”

Selex Galileo in Edinburgh is the focus of the U.K.’s industry expertise in AESA technology, on which it has been working since the 1990s with both company funds and Defense Ministry support.

Bob Mason, Selex Galileo’s senior vice president for sales and marketing for radar, says the U.K. contract was signed “a couple of weeks ago.” The TDP work will cover both air-to-air and air-to-ground modes. Work on the latter will explore high-resolution synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target-indicator modes. Mason says he cannot discuss the question of electronic attack.

The Typhoon partner nations are continuing to try to agree on a road map to integrate an AESA radar on the aircraft, and they now have an industry offer in hand. Mason says that while there is “no dependency” between the U.K. TDP and a four-nation program, elements of the U.K. work could be fed into the partners’ project.

Aviation Week

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First Sea Lord: Royal Navy is prepared and delivering every day

Royal Navy Sea King helicopters land Royal Marines at the start of Operation SILKMAN in Sierra Leone in 2000. The Navy is prepared for the future and is playing a vital role every day in the UK's defence and security, the head of the Royal Navy said yesterday. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, was speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies yesterday, Wednesday 24 February 2010. In his speech entitled 'Delivering Defence Today and Tomorrow: The Maritime Contribution', Admiral Stanhope said he wanted to make some observations that build on the Defence Green Paper, 'Adaptability and Partnership: Issues for the Strategic Defence Review', which was launched earlier this month to set key questions regarding the future of Defence. Admiral Stanhope said that the dilemma which Defence faces is support to the 'Main Effort' in Afghanistan while meeting other standing commitments, at the same time as preparing for an uncertain future against a backdrop of significant public debt. If we are to resolve that dilemma, he said, our Armed Forces need to be much more adaptable and better able to operate alongside others, military and governmental, UK and multi-national, adding: "To my mind, that means, among other things, a continued emphasis on joint operations at every step of our development of military capabilities; doctrine, training, equipment, support, you name it, must be underpinned by the joint piece." His speech focused on how the Royal Navy has unique attributes that make it a vital component in meeting the dilemma: "Maritime forces benefit from unique attributes which allow them to be used, not only operationally to fight on land, sea and in the air, all over the world, but also strategically to contain and prevent conflict from happening in the first place. "Such wide utility is a consequence of the global reach and enduring presence that are the characteristics of such forces. They can deliver a range of effects on behalf of a Government seeking choice in its means of response to a developing threat to UK interests, whether a warship acting alone or as part of a multi-national joint task force. "This country's Naval Service is inherently flexible and able to integrate with our sister Services, allies and other partners. "Maritime forces are constantly engaged in shaping and setting the conditions which facilitate the work of others. "They can also enhance the contribution of others. I firmly believe that maritime forces have a vital role to play in contributing to the delivery of the Defence mission in the unpredictable world of tomorrow." The Admiral gave some examples of how maritime forces contribute to what Defence can do at the strategic and operational levels. In giving these examples he said: "I hope to show you that maritime forces possess the attributes of flexibility and interoperability that are at a premium in Defence thinking and which are the themes underpinning the Green Paper." The first example Admiral Stanhope gave was the response of HMS Illustrious and her air group, along with HMS Ocean and her Amphibious Ready Group, to an urgent request from the UN in 2000 for assistance in bolstering a fast-deteriorating security situation in Sierra Leone. Admiral Stanhope said that the British military intervention there was a success and made the point that all three Services had their part to play in countering this particular insurgency - just as they do in Afghanistan - and all contributed to the ultimate success of the mission. He also said: "A capable Navy with a global presence not only supported the operation, but also shaped it. Maritime power played its part in allowing a relatively small force of ground troops to achieve superiority in critical areas of our choosing. "If you want agile forces, able to be tailored for a specific mission, if you want them to be sustained and supported from a position of security, then maritime forces can make an important contribution. "Where you are operating in territory that has a coast, or is accessible from the sea, the sea control and sea denial that maritime forces deliver are a prerequisite for operational success. "I want to stress that, because it resonates with a similar point made by the Chief of the Air Staff when he spoke here a few weeks ago. He warned that we should guard against the presumption that air superiority is a given. I agree. "Equally, we should not assume that sea control can be easily achieved or maintained, particularly against state adversaries with advanced sub-surface capabilities, or indeed in areas where asymmetric swarm attack by less sophisticated opponents may be the major threat. "To prevail, to establish the sea control needed for success, we will continue to need the ability to meet these sorts of threats with confidence and the right equipment and training." The second example Admiral Stanhope gave yesterday in considering the utility of maritime forces was the Royal Marines landing from the sea into the Al-Faw peninsula of Iraq in 2003 as the spearhead force there. He also spoke about the initial attacks in Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11, when Navy submarines launched cruise missile attacks on Al-Qaeda positions, while delivery of initial entry forces came courtesy of Navy carriers at sea in the Indian Ocean. He said: "You will know by now that the Naval Service has been an enduring presence in Iraq and Afghanistan throughout, where their adaptability is widely recognised. "The Royal Marines are as much at home in the Green Zone as they are in boarding teams in the Gulf; fleet divers are conducting bomb disposal operations alongside their Army engineer colleagues; and the Fleet Air Arm is using its maritime surveillance capabilities to track and target the Taliban, no longer free from detection as they move across the deserts. 40 Commando returns to Afghanistan in a month's time, as does 3 Commando Brigade next year. "The Naval Service commitment endures even in this land-locked country. "In all those examples, there has been and remains an important role for sea-based air power and our versatile amphibious forces. In fact, since the end of the Cold War, these important maritime capabilities have never been more in demand, testament to the enduring utility that these forces bring, whatever role is demanded of them." He also said that when crises demand a response which includes a military contribution, maritime forces will inevitably be intelligence-gathering from the early stages, conducting reconnaissance covertly and improving situational awareness for other forces. He added: "We will usually be the first to arrive and often the last to leave. We can provide a protected sea base from which to operate. We can provide mobile launch platforms for our forces . We can limit the political and military liability of operations by protecting and controlling the maritime flank. "We can integrate with other maritime and littoral forces. We can get land forces where they need to be, and then support them: combat air support, helicopters, logistics, medical, you name it. And we are there to recover those forces too if necessary. "And our presence in the first place, engagement without entanglement, may be a sufficient enough demonstration of intent and deterrence to prevent the need for final engagement." Admiral Stanhope developed his theme on adaptability by talking about the Naval Service's ability and track record in working in partnership with others. He said: "The Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary routinely operate alongside other agencies and partners, both nationally and internationally. It is what navies do. We have direct links with 35 nations in all the UK's main regions of interest, and we operate and exercise with many more, within established alliances like NATO, and beyond. "Our contribution to the EU Naval Force mission to protect World Food Programme shipping from piracy sees us operating alongside navies from India to China, Pakistan to Singapore. You don't see military co-operation like that outside of the maritime domain. "In the Gulf and Caribbean, we work with law enforcement agencies, national and multi-national, to intercept illegal drugs and other smuggling. "HMS Iron Duke and HMS Cumberland, working with our partners, last year intercepted drugs worth more than £70m. "Working in partnerships also has an important domestic dimension for us. The Royal Navy continues to safeguard the integrity of UK Territorial Waters, to provide counter-terrorism support to the Home Office, to protect shipping, ports and offshore energy platforms, undertake inspection and enforcement action on behalf of the Marine and Fisheries Agency, and conduct Search and Rescue operations around our coast. "We are one of many contributors to the concept of UK maritime security, a team game which involves many stakeholders." As regards the future, Admiral Stanhope said that the Naval Service remains committed to change. He added: "We are leveraging technology and innovation to deliver against our growing range of tasks, while preserving and developing the capabilities we will need for tomorrow. "At the same time, we are working with all of our partners, military and non-military, from the UK and further afield, to better understand what they might require of us in the future. Summing up, he said: "The issues, as you can appreciate, involve more than simply making a choice between land forces or carrier-based air power. It's not about tanks versus jet fighters. It is about deciding where the balance of investment should lie, judged against this country's vital national interests, and the ambition this nation sets, both for itself, and for defence and security. "Regardless of where or how we fight, our focus must inevitably always be the same: defence of the realm, security of our people and the protection of the national interest. "In the final analysis, we need to be prepared for whatever the future might throw at us. "The Navy is prepared, and is delivering, every day. I believe that maritime forces also have a vital role to play in delivering this country's defence and security into the future, in delivering choices for the Government, as much as in delivering firepower when required."

defpro

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CVF Construction begins at Royal Navy’s new carriers’ Portsmouth base
February 26, 2010 by Jeffrey Bradford
Filed under: BAE Systems, Syndicated Industry News

Construction begins at Navy's new carriers' Portsmouth base

Steel-cutting on a section of the hull of the first of the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers began at Portsmouth yesterday, Thursday 25 February 2010.

Portsmouth, which will be the future home of both Queen Elizabeth Class carriers, became the fifth UK shipyard to be involved in construction on the programme.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth pushed the button to start the laser cutter. He said:

"Here in Portsmouth work is just beginning but across the country in Devon, Newcastle, Glasgow and Rosyth work is already under way.

"In all, six shipyards across the UK will be involved in the manufacture of the ships' hulls, supporting up to 8,000 jobs in the construction and up to another 3,000 throughout the supply chain.

"The progress already being made to deliver these assets, which will be a cornerstone of future defence policy, is a testament to the skill and professionalism of UK industry."

The steel-cutting which began yesterday is for the first of three blocks that BAE Systems Surface Ships will build for the ships in Portsmouth.

At 70m long and 40m wide, the block will use 6,000 tonnes of steel. It will house space for machinery and supplies as well as switchboards and some accommodation.

"The progress already being made to deliver these assets, which will be a cornerstone of future defence policy, is a testament to the skill and professionalism of UK industry."
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth

BAE Systems' role in the carrier build programme at Portsmouth is in the order of £800m, forming a substantial element of the workload at the naval base, where the company employs over 3,000 people, including around 200 apprentices.

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, said:

"The two ships of the Queen Elizabeth Class will be the largest and most powerful warships ever built for the UK, each equalling four acres [16,000 square metres] from which to project air power anywhere in the world.

"With eighty per cent of the world's land mass within 500 miles [800km] of the ocean, the carriers will provide unparalleled access and flexibility. They are vital joint assets for the future of defence."

Managing Director of BAE Systems Surface Ships, Alan Johnston, said:

"This is a very proud day for our workforce here in Portsmouth and comes on the back of our work on the Clyde, where another large part of the carrier's hull is already taking shape.

"The design and build of ships of this magnitude is a massive engineering feat and a real testament to skills harnessed in our industry across the UK.

"We will continue to work closely with our partners in the Aircraft Carrier Alliance and to invest in the skills of our employees and our facilities not only to deliver the Royal Navy's future flagships, but also to secure the long-term future of the UK's warship building industry."

Construction of the ships is progressing, and a national project that draws on the skills of shipyards throughout the UK is underway.

This includes the shipyards at Glasgow, Rosyth, Newcastle, Devon and Birkenhead, as well as around a further 100 contracts throughout the supply chain.

Some of the sections of the first ship's flight deck, called sponsons, have already been delivered to Rosyth, where the ships will be assembled.

In spring, the first of the blocks of hull are also due to leave for the Scottish shipyard from Appledore in Devon. Many of the key components for the ships, such as the diesel generators and the turbines, have also already been manufactured.

Six shipyards will together construct the nine blocks that make up the hull:

http://www.defenseprocurementnews.com/2010/02/26/cvf-construction-begins-at-royal-navys-new-carriers-portsmouth-base/

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RAF Typhoons are set to travel to Oman for Exercise ‘Magic Carpet’.

Royal Air Force Typhoons from No.XI Squadron, based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, are set to travel to Oman for Exercise ‘Magic Carpet’. The three-week exercise will see the squadron carry out swing-role training missions with the Royal Air Force of Oman’s (RAFO) Jaguar squadrons dropping live ordnance as part of larger Combined Air Operations (COMAO). ‘Red’ forces will be provided by RAFO F-16s and Hawks. Army Forward Air Controllers (FAC) will also be participating as part of their work-up for Operation ‘Herrick’ in Afghanistan. No.XI Squadron will be taking seven aircraft and 15 pilots for the duration of the exercise, and anticipates a busy schedule of both day and night missions.

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_news.asp?ID=1667

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New nuclear sub captain defends £1bn vessel despite technical problems

THE captain of a £1.2billion nuclear submarine being tested in Scotland has defended the vessel amid claims serious flaws were exposed.
Insiders at the Navy's Faslane base, near Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, say the Astute sub's trials offthe west coast of Scotland have been plagued by technical faults.
One said: "There have been problems with Astute. Every time engineers think they have solved one problem, another crops up.
"This has to be sorted out quickly."
But Commander Andy Coles, Astute's captain, yesterday said he expected the trials to identify issues needing further work.
He said: "I am proud of what my crew have achieved as part of Astute's successful sea trials. They have shown the clear potential of this fantastic new platform.
"There has been no major emergency. The crew and I are full of confidence in Astute."
Navy chiefs have still not taken over formal control of the 7675-ton vessel - now nine years in development.
Once commanders are satisfied with the sub, it will be signed over from defence equipment specialists to become HMS Astute.
Work on the sub at Barrowin-Furness, Cumbria, had to be stopped last year when a fire broke out with 20 workers on board.
It emerged that there were problems with the 323ft-long vessel's propulsion system, a fault engineers were unable to fix at the time because of the blaze.
Submarine expert Tim Fish said: "There can be a whole range of issues but diving and surfacing can be the main problems."
Critics say the Astute programme has been one of the most troubled UK defence projects. Due to serious delays and problems in construction, the sub, which has a crew of 98, was launched four years late.
Another Navy source said: "The crew are worried about the problems. They must be fixed without cutting corners."
The Royal Navy's most advanced submarine, described as "more complex than the space shuttle", arrived at its new base on the Clyde in November.
Astute, which weighs 7400 tons, has the latest stealth technology and sonar systems - and carries a deadly array of Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk land missiles.
The huge vessel, which could stay under water for 25 years without running out of fuel, will carry out anti-ship and anti-sub operations, surveil lance and intel l igence gathering plus provide support for land forces.
Astute's huge reserves of power are provided by a pressurised water nuclear reactor that MoD bosses say is capable of powering a city the size of Aberdeen.
Last night, a Navy spokesman said: "Defects must be dealt with by the MoD's Defence Equipment and Support branch."

Daily Record

UK Boeing E 3D Sentery AEW1

Plusieurs responsables militaires britanniques contestent la déposition de Gordon Brown

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A peine Gordon Brown a-t-il fini de témoigner devant la commission Chilcot, répétant que l'intervention était "une bonne décision" et qu'il avait accepté "toutes" les demandes d'argent en vue de la guerre qu'un amiral l'accuse d'avoir "manqué de sincérité" lors de son audition. "Il dissimule des choses", déclare au Times l'amiral Lord Boyce, qui était chef des forces armées au moment de l'invasion de l'Irak en 2003.

Le véritable problème, explique l'amiral Boyce, était que le ministère de la défense "était privé de fonds". "Dire qu'il a donné à l'armée tout ce qu'elle a demandé est tout simplement faux", déclaré également au Daily Telegraph le général Lord Guthrie, chef des forces armées de 1997 à 2001.

M. Brown a bel et bien accepté de financer les besoins "urgents", explique le général de division Tim Cross, qui était le plus haut gradé britannique après l'invasion en Irak. "Mais ce qu'il a refusé, c'est d'accroître le niveau des dépenses de la défense... qui était réduit année après année", dit-il sur la BBC. "Bien joué Monsieur le premier ministre de dire que nous avons eu tout ce que nous voulions. Mais cela ne concerne que la question vraiment mineure des opérations", accuse aussi sur la BBC le général Richard Dannatt, ancien chef d'état-major devenu conseiller pour l'opposition conservatrice.

La presse britannique estime cependant samedi que M. Brown avait réussi à sortir indemne de ses quatres heures d'audition, un exercice risqué à quelques semaines d'élections législatives qui s'annoncent serrées. "Mission accomplie", titre le Guardian. Le Daily Telegraph estime que le dirigeant a "réussi à donner l'impression qu'il soutenait l'invasion de l'Irak mais tout en gardant ses distances" avec une décision qui a été prise par le premier ministre d'alors, Tony Blair, dont le récent passage devant la commission avait été beaucoup plus critiqué.

LEMONDE.FR

Photos de la Première plongée du sous-marin HMS Astute

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Le nouveau sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque de la marine britannique, à l'allure toujours aussi étonnante, a réalisé le 18 février sa première plongée, au large de la base de Falsane, en Ecosse. Cette manoeuvre, qui entre dans le cadre des essais en mer du bâtiment, a été réalisée sous la protection de la frégate HMS Montrose.
Le HMS Astute, premier d'une nouvelle série d'au moins quatre unités (Astute, Ambush, Artful et Audacious), a quitté les chantiers BAE Systems de Barrow-in-Furness en novembre dernier. Il doit réaliser une période d'essais d'au moins 18 mois avant d'entrer en servicePlus gros sous-marins de ce type en Europe, les Astute mesurent 97 mètres de long pour un déplacement de 7400 tonnes en plongée. Capables d'atteindre la vitesse de 29 noeuds et d'opérer durant 90 jours, ils embarqueront 25 armes, avec panachage de torpilles Spearfish, de missiles antinavire Sub Harpoon et de missiles de croisière Tomahawk

meretmarine

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Lockheed Martin Delivers Hawk Mk 2 Flying Training Device for UK Military Flying Training System

| Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has delivered the Hawk-T Mk 2 Flight Training Device (FTD) to Ascent for use in the UK Military Flying Training System at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley, Wales. Ascent is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and VT plc., which was formed in June 2008 to provide military flying training to the UK Armed Forces for the next 25 years. This training device is part of the Ground Based Training Environment element of Ascent's Advanced Jet Training (AJT) service contract and is the first of five key deliveries on the AJT program. Designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support (STS), the flight simulator replicates the Hawk-T Mk 2 aircraft and will provide an initial training capability to allow for early conversion of pilots to the Hawk T Mk 2. It will also be used for syllabus development associated with the training service design and implementation. "The delivery of this simulator is a key milestone for AJT and demonstrates our commitment to the success of the UK's Military Flying Training System program" said Jim Weitzel, vice president of Flight Solutions at Lockheed Martin STS. "MFTS is an exceptional example of using the Private-Public Partnership model as an effective solution for the lowest cost turnkey training." The FTD has been installed and is operational at RAF Valley in a temporary location, pending the completion of the new squadron and training facility currently under construction. Lockheed Martin will deliver six FTDs and other trainers to Ascent for use in the AJT program.

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