Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces

Rappel du premier message :

Citation :

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

Moins de 200 avions de combat, une nouvelle réduction de 7000 postes, c'est la descente aux enfers pour la RAF, à se demander si le médicament n'est pas pire que la maladie elle-même.

Citation :

British MOD takes delivery of QinetiQ's PACSCAT technology demonstrator



14:13 GMT, August 16, 2010 Following the successful completion of initial manoeuvring and propulsion trials, QinetiQ’s PACSCAT (Partial Air Cushion Supported CATamaran) Innovative Solution Demonstrator Craft (ISDC) was accepted as a trials vessel by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) on 10 August. It will now undergo a series of tough practical evaluation trials through to the end of 2010 at the Royal Marines facilities at Instow, Devon.

QinetiQ was awarded the contract to manage the design and build of the PACSCAT landing craft ISDC in September 2007 and working alongside Griffon Hoverwork Ltd at their base in Hythe, Southampton, has just completed a series of contractor evaluation trials that included spending in excess of 100 hours at sea. The trials saw the team progressively operate the PACSCAT ISDC at unloaded speeds exceeding 30 kts in Sea State 2. An MOD crew were also trained to operate PACSCAT, and operating procedures were endorsed by Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) – the Royal Navy team that provides operational sea training.

"The handover is the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to develop a new type of fast and functional landing craft,” explained Chris Ross, chief naval architect at QinetiQ. “The PACSCAT ISDC is generating interest in the military and commercial sectors where customers are looking to incorporate the innovative partial air cushion concepts into their own future vessels to enable them to benefit from higher speeds, heavier payloads and manoeuvrability.”

The contractor evaluation trials demonstrated that the PACSCAT solution could operate within the required specification. The MOD will now undertake extensive trials – which QinetiQ will oversee – designed to further understand the vessel’s capabilities with vehicles embarked. The trials will test PACSCAT's ability to perform a variety of roles focussed on the potential advantages of low and variable draught (for example in situations where high speed and high payload capacities are required in conjunction with exceptional beaching qualities.) On completion of trials and as part of the Fast Landing Craft Concept Phase, the MOD will conduct a cost and performance-based appraisal of this solution with other options determined in the MOD Fast Landing Craft Design Solutions Study.

The high speed, all aluminium PACSCAT ISDC vessel is 30m long, 7.7m in the beam, has a design vehicle payload of 55 tonnes and an approximate loaded weight of 175 tonnes. It is propelled by twin MJP water jets, driven by Diesel engines manufactured by MTU.

The fast landing craft design requirement is to off-load front line vehicles from Royal Navy amphibious ships to the beach. The Innovative Solution Demonstrator Craft is designed to test at full scale the hydrodynamics of the PACSCAT hull form and to investigate its feasibility to deliver significantly faster speeds than traditional landing craft. The vessel makes use of the PACSCAT concept originated by John Lewthwaite of Independent Maritime Assessment Associates Ltd.

QinetiQ was contracted by the MOD’s Research Acquisition Organisation to manage the procurement of the demonstrator vessel, act as the design authority and manage the all-important safety process and trials programme. QinetiQ then invited competitive bids from companies in the shipbuilding sector to bring a broad mix of experience to the project. Griffon Hoverwork Ltd, the world leaders in hovercraft construction, led the construction team and undertook the fit-out, setting to work and commissioning of the craft. They partnered with Aluminium Shipbuilders Ltd for the hull construction; BMT Nigel Gee Ltd for detailed design; and BMT Marine Projects Ltd for project management support.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/17594/

C'est quoi ce projet de nimrod MR4

Tu en auras une petite idée ici...

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/nimrod_mra4.htm

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/nimrod

http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/news79530.html

http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/nimrodmra4.cfm

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/30/339941/raf-prepares-for-future-with-nimrod-mra4.html

Je ne connaissais pas,merci.

Citation :

Honeywell Delivers Upgraded Engines for UK Chinook Fleet T55 Engine Increases Soldier Safety with More Power in Hot Climates 07:08 GMT, August 18, 2010 PHOENIX | Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today it has delivered the first 28 Honeywell T55-L-714A engines and fielding kits for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense (MOD) Chinook helicopters, as part of the $185 million contract awarded last year to upgrade the existing Honeywell engines. The upgraded engines increase power by 17 percent and reduce fuel consumption by nearly 5 percent. "Honeywell's new 714A engine significantly increases power for the Chinooks, a necessity for operating hot and high in Afghanistan," said Paul Vidano, vice president of Militaries and Operators, Honeywell Aerospace. "Increased power and fuel efficiency mean the soldiers can go further, lift more and deliver more troops and ammunition." More than 5,300 T55 engines have been delivered since its launch, with more than seven million hours of global operation. Honeywell has provided engines for the U.K. MOD since they acquired a Chinook fleet more than 20 years ago. Honeywell also provides the inertial navigation system for UK's CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Honeywell's engines are available for both legacy CH-47D and new CH-47F helicopters.

defpro

La fin de la dissuassion nucleaire britannique.
Cela gronde pour le remplacement de la flotte de SNLE britanique ainsi que les missiles qui vont avec.
Source :le portail des SM.

Citation :

Royal Navy's Sea Viper downs target


LONDON, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Sea Viper missile defense system has tested successfully during British Royal Navy operational sea trials in the Mediterranean.

According to "desider -- the magazine for Defense Equipment and Support," the system achieved a direct hit in a salvo firing against a maneuverable, sea-skimming target travelling at hundreds of miles an hour.

The Sea Viper, formerly called the PAAMS, is designed for use by the Royal Navy's new fleet of Type 45 destroyers and is being developed by MBDA, a European company owned by BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica.

Richard Smart, Head of the Defense Ministry's Complex Weapons at Defense Equipment and Support, said after the sea trial "we have overcome a number of significant hurdles and everyone involved is rightly proud of reaching this milestone."

"While there is more work to do, we are well on our way towards the first firing later this year from a Type 45 platform, (the vessel HMS) Dauntless, in support of demonstrating Sea Viper's world class capability on board the Type 45 destroyers."

The publication said key to Sea Viper's capability is the phased-array Sampson radar, which has a range of about 250 miles.

Its onboard position about 98 feet above the water widens its horizon at sea level to enable the system to react to high-speed, low-level, anti-ship missiles.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2010/08/18/Royal-Navys-Sea-Viper-downs-target/UPI-41751282147763/

Citation :

UK MoD Purchases 140 Jackal 2A Vehicles
Released on Friday, August 20, 2010

Jackal keeps proving its worth in Afghanistan

When purchase of the latest batch of Jackal vehicles was announced at Defence Equipment & Support's Defence Vehicle Dynamics event in June 2010 it took the number of Jackal vehicles procured for UK forces to more than 500.

The announcement, by Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Minister Peter Luff, to procure another 140 of the 2A version of the weapons-mounted patrol vehicle at a cost of £45m was another vote of confidence in a vehicle which has enabled British patrols to keep in touch with the enemy, often in the toughest of Afghan terrain. Around 40 of the Jackal 2As are due to be delivered this month.

Jackal is the best known of the high mobility transporter vehicles delivered by Babcock over the last few years. The original contract to produce the vehicles was signed as an Urgent Operational Requirement in 2007. The contract has since delivered with huge success.

Jackal vehicles are produced by Babcock under an alliance with Supacat, the prime contractor and design authority. Supacat is responsible for design, development, prototyping, integration and programme management, while Babcock takes responsibility for detailed production planning, purchasing and manufacture at its Devonport factory.
...

http://www.deagel.com/news/UK-MoD-Purchases-140-Jackal-2A-Vehicles_n000007729.aspx

Citation :

United Kingdom Awards Lockheed Martin $5 Million Order for Desert Hawk III Unmanned Aircraft Systems

DENVER, August 24th, 2010 -- The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $5.1 million contract for additional Desert Hawk III unmanned aircraft vehicles.

Desert Hawk III’s improved payloads maximize target detection and recognition by providing 360-degree -- daytime and nighttime -- coverage in a common turret package. These latest generation payloads also include a Lockheed Martin-developed navigation system that delivers more refined target position information and superior image stability to the troops.

Awarded by the MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organization, the latest contract calls for Lockheed Martin to deliver the Desert Hawk III air vehicles -- which as a result of ongoing obsolescence management and technology advancements in this area feature enhanced 360-degree infrared and 360-degree, 10-times zoom electro optics -- by Fall 2010.

“We are extremely pleased with the enhanced capability that these new payloads bring to Desert Hawk III and the British Army,” said Duncan Robbins, program manager for mini-UAV systems, UK MOD DE&S. “Desert Hawk’s latest enhancements allow it to operate more effectively in difficult conditions and provide our soldiers with greater situational awareness in a very timely manner.”

“The battle-proven Desert Hawk III can operate in high winds, extended altitude and extreme temperatures, making it very effective in areas such as Afghanistan,” said Mark Swymeler, a vice president for Lockheed Martin’s Ship and Aviation Systems line of business. “Unlike some other UAVs, it is extremely quiet and virtually undetectable beyond 150 meters.”

Equipped with steerable, plug-and-play imaging payloads, the Desert Hawk has provided the British Army with greater situational awareness capabilities in Afghanistan since 2006.

The eight-pound Desert Hawk III features an open architecture environment and consists of a light weight, hand-launched, ruggedized air vehicle with snap-on Plug and PlayloadsTM, a portable ground station and a remote video terminal. The snap-on payload capability allows a single operator to swap sensors on the air vehicle in less than one minute to meet immediate and rapidly changing mission requirements.

LockMart

D'aprés le portail des SM ,la Royal Navy louera ou fera venir les F18 des Marines americains pour "garnir" le pont de ses portes avions aux motif qu'il n'y a plus de sous pour en acheter (des avions),des discussions sont en cour avec des officiels Français pour evoquer se probléme....

Perso si cela se trouve l'europe de la défense commencera bel et bien par la Grande Bretagne,si il s'equipe de catapulte les Rafales et hawkeyes Français auront de la place comme tout, sur ces portes avions.

Des rumeurs faisait état d'un projet de groupe aéronavale mixte mais j'ai des doutes les britanniques ont tjrs voulu marcher en solo ...

J'en ai entendu parler aussi mais quand il n'y a plus de sous ,quitte a sauver les meubles .......

Citation :

Astute Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Commissioned by the Royal Navy
Released on Friday, August 27, 2010

UK's most powerful submarine joins the Navy

The UK's most powerful attack submarine, HMS Astute, has been welcomed into the Royal Navy today in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boat's patron, the Duchess of Cornwall.

HMS Astute, which officially becomes 'Her Majesty's Ship' today, is quieter than any of her predecessors, meaning she has the ability to operate covertly and remain undetected in almost all circumstances despite being fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navy's current fleet.

The latest nuclear-powered technology means she will never need to be refuelled and can circumnavigate the world submerged, manufacturing the crew's oxygen from seawater as she goes.

The submarine has the capacity to carry a mix of up to 38 Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, and can target enemy submarines, surface ships and land targets with pinpoint accuracy, while her world-beating sonar system has a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,500km).

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, said:

"The Astute Class is truly next generation - a highly versatile platform, she is capable of contributing across a broad spectrum of maritime operations around the globe, and will play an important role in delivering the fighting power of the Royal Navy for decades to come.

"A highly complex feat of naval engineering, she is at the very cutting-edge of technology, with a suite of sensors and weapons required to pack a powerful punch.

"Today is an important milestone along the road to full operational capability which will follow after a further series of demanding seagoing trials testing the full range of the submarine's capabilities."

Following the successful completion of her first rigorous set of sea trials, which began at the end of 2009, HMS Astute has also now achieved her in-service date, signalling that she has proven her ability to dive, surface and operate across the full range of depth and speed independently of other assets, thereby providing an initial level of capability.

Rear Admiral Simon Lister, Director of Submarines, who oversees the build programme of the class for the MOD, said:

"To my mind Astute is a 7,000-tonne Swiss watch. There is an extraordinary amount of expertise that goes into putting one of these submarines together. There are stages when it's like blacksmithing and there are stages when it's like brain surgery.

"So to see Astute commissioned is momentous not only for the Royal Navy, who have been eagerly anticipating this quantum leap forward in capability, but for the thousands of people around the country who have been involved in the most challenging of engineering projects."

Following the commissioning, HMS Astute will return to sea for further trials before she is declared as operational.

As the base port of all the Royal Navy's submarines from 2016, Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class, including Ambush, Artful and Audacious which are already under construction.

Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness, with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts, including Rolls-Royce, Derby (nuclear plant); Thales UK, Bristol (visual system and Sonar 2076); and Babcock, Strachan & Henshaw, Bristol (weapon handling and discharge system). Astute is affiliated to the Wirral in the North West.

About HMS Astute

She is 97 metres from bow to stern.

She has a beam of 11.2 metres.

She displaces 7,400 tonnes of seawater.

Her cabling and pipework would stretch from Glasgow to Dundee.

She is the first Royal Navy submarine not to have a traditional periscope, instead using electro-optics to capture a 360-degree image of the surface for subsequent analysis by the commanding officer.

Astute is the first submarine to have an individual bunk for each crew member.

She manufactures her own oxygen from seawater as well as her own drinking water.

She could theoretically remain submerged for her 25-year life, if it were not for the need to restock the crew's food supplies.

She is faster under the water than she is on the surface - capable of speeds in excess of 20 knots (37km/h), although her top speed is classified.

Astute's crew of 98 are fed by five chefs who, on an average patrol, will serve up 18,000 sausages and 4,200 weetabix for breakfast.

deagel

Un beau bébé !

Je ne suis pas un fin connaisseur des SM, mais il me semble que le Baracuda sera meilleur. Toutefois j'avoue que le design de l'Astute est sublime.

Ils seront très similaire mais difficile d'avoir des donnés précises pour la comparaison ( domaine encore sensible !)

Mais ce qui est sûr c'est qu'ils possède/rons la crème de la techno navale ( les submersibles à propulsion nucléaire de dernière génération sont condidéré par de nombreux experts comme les engins les plus complexes jamais construit par l'homme)

Cold war 2.0 ..

Citation :

Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War

Russian submarines are hunting down British Vanguard boats in a return to Cold War tactics not seen for 25 years, Navy chiefs have warned.

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Published: 10:37PM BST 27 Aug 2010



A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.

British submariners have also reported that they are experiencing the highest number of "contacts" with Russian submarines since 1987.

If the Russians are able to obtain a recording of the unique noise of the boat's propellers it would have serious implications for Britain's nuclear deterrent. Using its sophisticated sonar, the Akula would be able to track Vanguards and potentially sink them before they could launch their Trident D4 missiles.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that, within the past six months, a Russian Akula entered the North Atlantic and attempted to track a Vanguard. The incident has remained secret until now.

It is understood that the Russians stood off Faslane, where the British nuclear force is based, and waited for a Trident-carrying boat to come out for its three-month patrol to provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.

While patrolling in the North Atlantic, there are a limited number of places the Vanguard is permitted to go and it is thought that the Akula attempted to track it on several occasions.

Navy commanders are understood to have ordered a Trafalgar-class hunter-killer submarine to protect the Vanguard. A recording of the Akula was made by the Trafalgar submarine's sonar operators and has been played to The Daily Telegraph.

"The Russians have been playing games with us, the Americans and French in the North Atlantic," a senior Navy commander said.

"We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/7969017/Russian-subs-stalk-Trident-in-echo-of-Cold-War.html

Les P3 et autres Altantique vont reprendre du boulot

C'est aujourd'hui que londre devoilera son projet de porte avions Franco ANglais,d'aprés ce que ai pu saisir sur les 3 porte avions (1 français,2anglais) ,un sera toujours de permanence pour les 2 pays cités.
Je suis sceptique sur le choix de londre pour ses porte avions equipés du F35,ou alors ils acheterons du F18 aux americains car je ne vois pas les hawkeyes et Rafales sur un porte avions qui n'est pas equipé pour les recevoirs. .
Ils se passent des choses en haut lieu ..........


Source:le portail des SM.

J'ai édité mon post car je viens de lire que la version a decollage vertical du F35 est abandonné et que la RN recevra des F35 "conventionnel" a la place pour une meilleur integration avec la France et les Etats Unis.
Dans 5 ans,un CVN AMericain sera equipé de F35 (anglais et americains ),F18,Hawkeye (français et americains voir anglais) ,Rafale .

Ce matin dans le portail des sous Marins,la France et la Grande Bretagne discutent du partage de leur marine de guerre pour faire face aux coupes budgetaires......

Exit alors l'indépendance militaire française ! ( j'abuse un peu ). Je veux bien que sa répandent à des impératifs budgétaires .mais c'est quelque part renoncer au caractère souverain de la marine nationale si à chaque opération ou déploiement il faut se coordonner avec les rosbifs... Je ne veux pas le croire ! et pas au détriment de leur industrie de défense ( je pense ici aux chantiers navales français ) !

Je crois que l'heure est venue pour les chantiers navals de faire des alliances,les gouvernement ne peuvent plus financés de nouvelles aquisitions,j'ai du mal a voir ce que seront ces partages pour nos 2 marines de guerre ....

celà se fait déja entre la Belgique et les Pays Bas,commandements partagés,equipages mixtes etc etc