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

Citation :

UK Navy to Launch its Biggest-Ever Nuclear Submarine

The UK Royal Navy will launch its biggest nuclear submarine, HMS Ambush, worth £1.2bn, at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria on 16 December.
The 291ft-long HMS Ambush has a displacement capacity of 7,400t and its nuclear-powered engine can propel it to cruise at a speed of 20kt whilst accommodating a crew of 98.
HMS Ambush is armed with 38 missiles, a mix of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, to target enemy ships and submarines more than 1,600km away.
The nuclear submarine has a huge nuclear reactor, does not require refuelling and can circumnavigate the globe without surfacing.
The submarine is also fitted with the most advanced sonar and radar, capable of detecting enemy ships from a distance of 3,000nm.
The vessel will be sent for further outfitting, testing and trials after the launch, according to the Press Trust of India.

naval-technology

Citation :

British Harrier bids a final farewell



Tributes were paid to the joint force of Royal Navy and RAF Harrier aircraft today as a spectacular flypast across eastern England marked the aircraft’s retirement after 41 years of service.
A formation of 16 Harriers took to the skies over Lincolnshire, flying over seven RAF bases, Lincoln Cathedral and the towns of Stamford and Oakham.
Brought into service in 1969 and based at RAF Wittering, this British aircraft was designed to take off and land both vertically and on a short runway.
Well known for its role in the Falklands War, the Harrier went on to serve in many other conflicts including in Bosnia and Iraq in the 1990s.
The RAF and Royal Navy Harrier squadrons joined forces in 2000 to form Joint Force Harrier, based at RAF Cottesmore. These combined Harrier squadrons went on to serve in Sierra Leone, the second Gulf War and most recently Afghanistan.
Last year the aircraft celebrated its 40th anniversary as the Harrier squadrons flew home after five years in Afghanistan.
Source and photo: RAF, Cpl Al Crowe, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

Cela ne s'arrange pas chez l'Anglois..............
http://www.corlobe.tk/article22314.html

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UK MoD Announces Final Results of Royal Navy Review

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the final results of the navy review in a written ministerial statement that explains the changes to the Royal Navy's surface fleet.
The MoD has decided to retain Devonport-based warship HMS Ocean to provide the landing platform helicopter capability for the long term and withdraw HMS Illustrious.
HMS Illustrious will be withdrawn from service in 2014 when Ocean rejoins after a planned refit to a fully operational state.
HMS Ocean has been designed to support amphibious landing operations and for roles including training, anti-submarine warfare and a base for anti-terrorist operations.
The final review also affects the navy's amphibious ships, high-readiness ship and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
The UK Government-released white paper aims to deliver the armed force structure required for the future and to address the legacy of unaffordability in the defence budget.

naval-technology

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Britain Launches 2nd Astute-Class Sub


BAE Systems has launched the second of seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines destined for the British Royal Navy.

The 7,400-ton boat, officially named HMS Ambush on Dec. 16, is scheduled to be lowered into the water for fitting out at the company's Barrow-in-Furniss yard early next year, with initial sea trials planned for early 2012.
Ambush was meant to have been rolled out of the production hall yesterday 24 hours ahead of being lowered in the water, but a technical issue with the moving gear has delayed the submarine's removal to the dock.
The first of its class HMS Astute was commissioned into the Royal Navy in August, but the 1 billion-pound boat ran aground off the coast of Scotland in October during trials. The incident caused minor damage.
The government here confirmed in the recently published strategic defense and security review that it would purchase a seventh submarine to complete its fleet of attack submarines. No order has been placed yet, however.
Two vessels, Artful and Audacious, are currently under construction at the BAE yard in northeastern England, and early work is underway on a further two vessels.

defensenews

First RAF personnel to start Rivet Joint conversion in January

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The first UK Royal Air Force personnel to transition from the British Aerospace Nimrod R1 onto the Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft will enter training in January 2011, before going on to support US Air Force operations with the type from later in the year.

To be conducted at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, the training will be delivered to "airborne mission crew and flight deck personnel, along with ground exploitation officers and support personnel," says the UK Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation's Desider publication. "Up to four RAF crews will be trained at Offutt, who will then deploy alongside their USAF colleagues on combined operations worldwide from next summer," it adds.
Three Rivet Joints will enter RAF service from 2014 under what the DE&S has described as "the most complex combined Foreign Military Sales case and cooperative support arrangement that the UK has undertaken with the USAF since World War Two." The acquisition, which survived the nation's recent Strategic Defence and Security Review process, will involve three stored KC-135 tankers being converted to the RC-135W standard by L-3 Communications.

The DE&S says the UK's new assets - which will be dubbed Air Seekers - "will be supported, maintained and upgraded as part of a larger UK/US fleet of 20 aircraft". The USAF currently operates 22 RC-135-series aircraft, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

"It is expected that the UK will take part in the programme until at least 2025, although there are options to extend this period," the DE&S says, while noting that System upgrades will be implemented every four years.


The UK currently has two Nimrod R1s in use, with these assigned to its 51 Sqn at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. The type (above) is scheduled to leave service by 31 March 2011.

Flight International

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Armoured underwear for British Frontline Troops


Pelvic protection for troops in Afghanistan has been introduced to help mitigate the effects of IED blasts, the U.K. MOD has announced on December 17.

The three-tiered system of clothing and armour consists of special protective underwear, and detachable armoured modular trousers. It has been designed to integrate with current kit being used by troops on operations.

Using cutting-edge science and technology developed by the MOD and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the underwear is manufactured from scientifically-tested ballistic silk material that provides an initial level of protection to mitigate against the effects of blasts, including shrapnel.

The MOD has spent £10M on the new armour system to date. It balances protection with the necessary comfort and manoeuvrability for troops to undertake operations, enabling them to wear one or more of the protective layers depending on the task. They are already being worn by troops on operations, with 45,000 pairs delivered to Afghanistan and another 15,000 ready to be issued to deploying troops. A further 60,000 are to be manufactured and delivered to troops early next year

defenseworld

slips blindés de chez victoria´s secret

grace a la crise et astan,les sold en UK

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British Army faces heavy cull of armoured vehicles

By Tim Ripley
29 December 2010

Radical plans to reshape the British Army's armoured and mechanised forces that will involve the early retirement of more than 2,000 armoured vehicles are being prepared as a result of the UK's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

Final touches to the plans are being made by the British Army's HQ Land Forces at Andover in Hampshire and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Equipment Capability branch in London. The core elements, which are intended to help HQ Land Forces meet its target of saving GBP5 billion (USD7.7 billion) over the next five years, include the retirement within 18 months of 1,200 Alvis Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) variants, 1,400 BAE Systems Bulldog and FV430 armoured personnel carriers and 198 BAE Systems Vector mine-protected vehicles.

These vehicles will be placed in long-term storage, put up for sale or scrapped. Hundreds of Warrior infantry fighting vehicles are also going into storage as part of the British Army's cost saving package.

Senior army officers have told Jane's that the proposals, which will be put to government ministers for approval later in January 2011, are the result of the SDSR's focus on the Afghanistan campaign and the recognition that the British Army will not be required over the next five years to participate in any brigade or divisional-sized armoured operations elsewhere in the world. "If we are not going to fight any armoured battles anytime soon, then the logic says we don't need to be trained and equipped to fight one," said a senior British Army officer.

253 of 944 words

http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jdw/jdw101229_2_n.shtml

Solde en France, au USA, en Angleterre, en Allemagne
Aprés les Ex Pacte de Varsovie, c'est les Pays de l'OTAN qui vont inonder le marché de l'occasion

la bulle economique a fait boom,ils vivaient en credit audessus de leurs moyens,attendez vous aussi au meme pas de la part du voisin du nord..

tiens tant qu´on y est,154 Challenger2 out of duty,des AS90 ary aussi..

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SDSR analysis: British Army slims down
By Nick Brown and Jane's Land Desk Editor London Christopher F Foss
21 October 2010


The Challenger 2 main battle tank fleet will be cut by 40 per cent as part of the UK's SDSR. (IHS Jane's/Patrick Allen)

The British Army arguably escaped the heaviest cuts of the three UK services in the new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), but its ability to wage a high-intensity conventional conflict has been reduced and, in personnel terms, the force will be slimmed down by 7,000 personnel to about 95,000 by 2015.

The heavy forces bear the brunt of the SDSR reductions, with the Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT) fleet being cut by 40 per cent and 155 mm AS90 artillery by 35 per cent. However, it is unclear whether the weapon systems will be scrapped or mothballed in storage.

At present, the UK has 385 Challenger 2 MBTs, 38 of which are in long-term storage and 32 in temporary storage. There are 132 active AS90s.

The SDSR also sets out that under current planning assumptions other armoured vehicles such as the Warrior infantry fighting vehicles and Titan and Trojan engineer vehicles will only be required "in smaller numbers than now, but sufficient to conduct operations in high-threat situations". However, the report does not specify exactly what those numbers are, and Jane's understands that those force levels have yet to be finalised.

193 of 778 words

Jane´s

Le Cardigan Bay 30-12-10 à Barcelone
J'aime Bien la Classe Bay
Photos Francis GIBFRAN

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BAE to Support Combat Management System on UK Frigates



The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract to BAE to support the combat management system (CMS) on Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates and fleet auxiliary (RFA) Argus.
The £47m ($72.9m), seven-year contract is part of the joint support solution (JSS) contract awarded to BAE Mission Systems in 2009 to provide a common support framework for the CMS.
The CMS assists a ship's command in detecting and countering threats by managing all relevant external and internal information provided by the ship's radars.
The system integrates the information with the activities of the anti-air weapons systems, and other sensors and weapons.
The JSS extends efficiencies to new CMS deployments on future naval ships, including the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers

naval-technology

Citation :

BAE Systems Submits Proposal To Support 25 Year Flying Training Service To UK Armed Forces

Warton, United Kingdom | BAE Systems has submitted its proposal to support a flying training service to the UK’s armed forces. If successful the BAE Systems led team will be responsible for ensuring a range of aircraft and systems are available to train aircrew in basic, elementary and multi engine fixed wing flying, across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.

Leading a team comprising Gama Group Limited, Babcock Aerospace Limited and Pilatus Aircraft Limited, BAE Systems is well placed to deliver a low risk, innovative aircraft availability service.

The aircraft offered under the BAE Systems proposal is an upgraded Grob 115 with a digital cockpit, and the Pilatus PC21 with a Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer optimised cockpit to ease the transition of pilots onto the Hawk AJT. For multi engine training the Cessna Citation Mustang has been proposed. This aircraft is widely recognised as the emerging multi-engine training aircraft of choice by many operators around the world.

Martin Rushton, Senior Vice President for Training Solutions & Services at BAE Systems said: “Our proposed solution builds upon the success of our existing Hawk availability contracts and, with the strong team we have in place, we can deliver fully supported elementary, basic and multi engine aircrew training for the UK‘s armed forces for 25 years.”

The proposal was provided to Ascent Flight Training who manage the UK MOD’s Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme and is in response to the Fixed Wing Outline Solutions Request for Proposal (RFP). BAE Systems is now supporting any clarifications of the proposal and, following a period of evaluation by Ascent, a further Detailed Solutions RFP is anticipated in March 2011. A selection decision is expected by end 2011 or early 2012.

defpro

Citation :

BAE names platform choices for £1bn training bid

BAE Systems has confirmed its platform offerings for the remaining fixed-wing element of the UK's Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, ahead of submitting a more detailed proposal in March.

If selected for the potentially £1 billion ($1.5 billion), 25-year deal, a BAE-led team would provide a glass cockpit upgrade for the Royal Air Force's current Grob G115 Tutors, plus new fleets of Pilatus PC-21 turboprops (below) and Cessna Citation Mustangs, the company says. These would respectively deliver elementary, basic and multi-engine crew training services for the UK armed services.

"Leading a team comprising Gama Group, Babcock Aerospace and Pilatus Aircraft, BAE Systems is well placed to deliver a low-risk, innovative aircraft availability service," the company claims. It has already built 28 Hawk 128s to deliver the advanced jet trainer (AJT) element of the MFTS programme, with the type to enter operational use late this year.

Pilatus would manufacture the PC-21 with a "Hawk-optimised cockpit to ease the transition of pilots on to the Hawk AJT," BAE says. Meanwhile, the UK company attributes the selection of the Citation Mustang (below) to the type being "widely recognised as the emerging multi-engine training aircraft of choice by many operators around the world".


The BAE-led team faces competition from two other bidders for the fixed-wing deal. Cobham has teamed with CAE and EADS's Cassidian business unit, while Israel's Elbit Systems will also contest the requirement. Details of their respective aircraft proposals have not been disclosed.

A decision on the fixed-wing service will be made in late 2011 or early 2012 by the UK Ministry of Defence's training system partner for MFTS, Lockheed/Babcock joint venture Ascent Flight Training.

Flight International

Citation :

Armed forces face further £1bn in cuts



Ministry of Defence to make extra reductions in addition to those anounced in spending review last year



Typhoons only three years old may have to be scrapped as it will cost too much to update them. Photograph: RAF


The armed forces face the immediate prospect of having to make significant cuts – of well over £1bn a year – on top of those announced in October's defence review, it emerged today.

The Ministry of Defence faces a "nightmare" as it tries to cope with the extra shortfall in this year's planning round, a leading defence analyst said.

The "defence review has not done enough", Michael Clarke, director of the Royal United Services Institute, told a conference in London attended by senior military officers.

The annual gap between commitments and available cash for the armed forces over the next few years could amount to as much as £2bn, a situation Clarke described as unsustainable.

This year's planning round would be a "nightmare", he said. Even with an increase now to bridge the immediate shortfall the military would need more later this decade to meet the objectives laid out in the defence review.

Under the review the current £38bn annual defence budget will be cut by about 7.5% over the next four years. However, the review also laid out plans for a reduced role for the armed forces by 2020. But even that would require a real terms increase in the defence budget in the years following 2015, military chiefs have insisted.

It has also emerged that the RAF is to scrap more than 50 Eurofighter/Typhoon jets which became operational only three years ago at a cost of more than £4.5bn because it cannot afford to update them.

An MoD spokeswoman said it did not recognise the figures on the immediate defence budget shortfall. However, they were not challenged by senior military personnel present at the conference.

Nick Harvey, the Lib Dem armed forces minister, told the conference Labour had allowed a "massive unfunded liability in defence to build up".

guardian

ou sommes-nous

Les locaux vie et le CO d'une..............aucune idée

Gémini a écrit:

Les locaux vie et le CO d'une..............aucune idée

HMS Astute

Citation :

AgustaWestland Signs Contract for the Second Five Year Period of the IMOS Contract

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) covering the second five year period of the 25-year Integrated Merlin Operational Support (IMOS) contract. The contract for the period 2011 to 2016 is valued at approximately £570 million. The IMOS contract provides a comprehensive availability based support package for the UK MoD's fleet of AW101 Merlin helicopters operated by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. The contract includes payments for achieved flying hours and incentivisation arrangements associated with delivering agreed levels of aircraft serviceability, operational fleet aircraft numbers and Royal Navy AW101 Merlin Training System availability.

Speaking after the signing of the contract Giuseppe Orsi, AgustaWestland's Chief Executive Officer said “This contract continues AgustaWestland's long term commitment to provide efficient and effective support solutions for the UK MoD’s helicopter fleets, whilst delivering through a partnered approach increased aircraft availability and increased value for money to the UK Government." Graham Cole, Managing Director, AgustaWestland added "The IMOS contract signed five years ago took AgustaWestland's Integrated Operational Support to the full availability output level for the first time and working as a single partnered team, AgustaWestland and the Merlin Project Team have delivered major support cost savings while enhancing aircraft availability. We are delighted that our success with IMOS led to AgustaWestland being contracted for Apache IOS and being selected to bid for not just an IOS solution for the new AW159 Lynx Wildcat, but also a through life simulation and training enabling service."

In March 2006 AgustaWestland was awarded the 25-year IMOS contract to increase the availability of Merlin helicopters to the Front Line Commands, while saving the MoD and UK taxpayers around £500m in support costs over the 25 year period of the contract. Under the IMOS contract, AgustaWestland has partnered with Total Support Services (TSS), an alliance between SELEX Galileo, Thales UK, GE and the Defence Support Group (DSG), to support air vehicle avionics and with Lockheed Martin to provide support for the Royal Navy's AW101 Merlin mission system and the Merlin Training System at RNAS Culdrose. The IMOS contract sustains in excess of 1,000 jobs many of which are located at AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil and at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall where the Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility and the Royal Navy’s Merlin Training System are located. AgustaWestland is also providing IOS solutions for the UK MoD’s Sea King and Apache helicopter fleets as well as developing an IOS and training solution for the AW159 Lynx Wildcat, 62 of which are on order for service with the UK’s Royal Navy and Army.

defpro

Citation :

U.K.'s Fox Praises F-35, Citing China Rival



SYDNEY—U.K. Secretary for Defense Liam Fox emphasized Tuesday the importance of the next generation U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to counter China's development of its own stealth jet, after Britain and Australia agreed to strengthen defense cooperation in Asia during talks in Sydney.
"Clearly if we don't have the equipment others have, we would put ourselves at a potential disadvantage," Mr. Fox said in response to questions following the signing of the strategic pact. "That's why we are very committed to the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35, because it does have the sort of fifth generation stealth technology we are ...

online.wsj.com

Une série des images des forces britanniques durant les opérations de Desert Storm

Citation :

RAFs Oldest Aircraft Retire At Cranwell


January 19, 2011 by Marcel van Leeuwen · 1 Comment


The Hawker Siddeley 125 Dominie aircraft, the oldest aircraft in the Royal Air Force (RAF), is to retire from service at the end of January.
Operated by 55 (Reserve) Squadron at RAF Cranwell, the Dominie currently provides training for all rear crew in the RAF. However the cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 and a reduction in the number of Tornado GR4s has resulted in the RAF ceasing any further Weapons System Officer (formerly Navigator) training following graduation of the current course. It has also removed the requirement to train Weapons System Operators in the Sensor Operator role for the next few years.
The HS125 Dominie was originally procured in the 1960s to train Navigators, in particular for the V Force. The aircraft has been in service for over 45 years and over that time has been based at former Royal Air Force bases Stradishall, Finningley and Manby.
Initially 22 aircraft were built, with 55 (Reserve) Squadron operating the last remaining seven aircraft. To commemorate the outstanding service provided by this venerable aircraft the Squadron will fly a number of formations towards the end of the month culminating in a final flypast at RAF Cranwell on 20 January 2011.
Source: RAF Press Release
Photo: M. van Leeuwen ZAPP

Dommage pour la RN.........
http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=115096