(Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 17, 2012)
It is the Disposal Services Authority (DSA) intention to invite expressions of interest in tendering for the Type 22 Frigates (HMS Chatham, HMS Campbeltown, HMS Cumberland and HMS Cornwall) for the following: •Further Use •Sinking for an Artificial reef •Recycling
At this stage the DSA does not require interested parties to specify which Vessel/s they wish to bid for.
It is the DSA intention to award at least one vessel to a UK Ship Recycler; this is in part to secure detailed knowledge of the UK’s capacity to recycle vessels. Any decision to award to a UK Ship Recycling company will be made in accordance with transparent and objective evaluation criteria which will be issued at the Invitation to Tender stage.
All interested parties should note that only Bidders that have completed and passed a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the vessels and allowed access to view the vessel.
The vessels are moored at Portsmouth and will be sold from there.
The DSA are planning on hosting viewings 25th February - 15th March 2013.
As previously requested all bidders intending to undertake inspection of the vessels will be required to wear the correct PPE clothing i.e. steel toecap boots, high vis jackets (overalls optional). Please be assured that if you do not have steel toecap boots on arrival you will be refused access to the vessels.
Only Bidders that have received a copy of the ITT will be allowed access to inspect the vessels.
Bidders should not book travel until they have received a copy of the ITT and understood the requirements.
A copy of the PQQ can be down loaded from the bottom of this page or you can e-mail the DSA’s Commercial section requesting a copy at deslcsls-dsa-comrcl-3b@mod.uk
The closing date for returning the PQQ to the DSA and expression of interest is 17.00 GMT Wednesday 23rd January 2013.
-- HMS CUMBERLAND formally a Warship Frigate F85 was built at Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow UK in 1988 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 23rd September 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013. All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.
-- HMS CAMPBELTOWN formally a Warship Frigate F86 was built at Cammell Laird ship yard Birkenhead UK in 1987 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 7th July 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013. All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.
-- HMS CHATHAM formally a Warship Frigate F87 was built at Swan Hunters Shipbuilders in Wallsend UK in 1989, and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 20th October 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013. All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.
-- HMS CORNWALL formally a Warship, Frigate F99 was built at Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow UK in 1988 and is now lying at HMNB Portsmouth. The vessel ceased service on the 20th October 2011 and is due to be tendered early 2013. All interested parties should beware that only companies that have successfully completed a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be sent an invitation to tender for this vessel.
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Ven 15 Nov 2013 - 1:28
a écrit:
Royal Marines Boarding Skills On Display
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Mer 20 Nov 2013 - 17:29
Citation :
Drones : Londres dit non à un club d'utilisateurs européens
Le 20/11/2013 à 18:27 | Par Guillaume Steuer
Le Royaume-Uni disposera bientôt de dix drones MQ-9 Reaper.
L'Europe de la Défense est un concept qu'ont encore du mal à épouser les décideurs britanniques. Hier, les ministres de la défense (ou leurs représentants) des pays-membres de l'Union européenne se réunissaient à Bruxelles pour un comité directeur décisionnel de l'Agence Européenne de Défense (AED) qui visait entre autres à fédérer les bonnes volontés autour de la création d'une "communauté d'utilisateurs de drones Male (moyenne altitude longue endurance)". Une initiative visant des pays qui utilisent actuellement ce type de systèmes ou qui envisagent d'en mettre en service "dans les cinq années à venir".
Sept nations ont signé une lettre d'intention manifestant leur intention de rejoindre ce groupe : la France, l'Allemagne, la Grèce, l'Espagne, l'Italie, les Pays-Bas et la Pologne. Le Royaume-Uni est aux abonnés absents, alors même que la force aérienne du pays a déjà acquis une solide expérience dans le domaine grâce à ses drones MQ-9 Reaper, qu'elle utilise depuis 2007 en Afghanistan. La flotte totale de Reaper britannique devrait atteindre son format final de 10 vecteurs aériens dans les mois à venir.
Alors que la France monte elle aussi en puissance sur le système Reaper, que l'Italie en est également utilisatrice (mais en version non armée, comme la France) et que l'Allemagne envisageait encore récemment d'acquérir le drone américain, la présence du Royaume-Uni dans ce club d'utilisateurs de drones Male aurait été plus que logique.
Selon l'AED, cette communauté a différents objectifs, dont celui d'échanger de l'information et de faciliter la coopération entre les Etats-membres qui mettent en oeuvre de tels systèmes, mais aussi et surtout "d'identifier les opportunités de coopération" dans les domaines de "l'entraînement, de la logistique et de la maintenance".
Le Royaume-Uni a en revanche signé pour le lancement d'un "programme d'investissement conjoint" destiné à faire mûrir certaines technologies jugées prioritaires comme le "voir et éviter", les systèmes d'atterrissage/décollage automatiques, les architectures de décision, etc. L'étape suivante consistera à se mettre d'accord sur le volume de financement accordé à ces initiatives, qui se veulent complémentaires des projets déjà lancés par la Commission européenne dans ce domaine.
La réunion du 19 novembre a également permis de faire valider par les Etats-membres un document préliminaire (Common Staff Target) posant les bases d'un hypothétique futur drone Male européen. Un objectif qui reste encore très vague en termes de performances et de caractéristiques techniques et qui devra être plus tard confirmé par un "Common Staff Requirement" qui pourrait servir de plateforme à l'émergence d'un vrai programme de drone Male "made in Europe".
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Jeu 21 Nov 2013 - 14:34
Citation :
La réforme de la DGA britannique en difficulté
Le 21/11/2013 à 12:53 | Par Duncan Macrae
Privatiser la DGA ? Inimaginable ? De l’autre côté de la Manche, c’est pourtant ce que le MoD envisage très sérieusement de faire avec l’homologue britannique de la Direction Générale de l’Armement, la DE&S (pour Defence Equipment and Support). En externalisant la gestion des programmes à une nouvelle entité baptisée GOCO, pour government-owned, contractor-operated.
Mais il faut dire que le projet, qui a le soutien du ministre de la Défense, Philip Hammond, a désormais du plomb dans l’aile. En effet les deux candidats en lice pour jouer ce futur rôle de GOCO avaient jusqu’au 15 novembre dernier pour soumettre des documents correspondant à la phase 2 de la procédure de remise d’offres.
Or, le MoD a confirmé hier qu’un des deux candidats s’était retiré après avoir décidé que le projet n’était pas « commercialement viable ». Il s’agit d’un consortium réunissant deux entreprises britannique – Serco et WS Atkins – derrière un chef de file américain, le groupe CH2M Hill. Les médias anglais n’ont pas hésité à souligner que Serco fait actuellement l’objet d’une enquête de la part du bureau de la répression des fraudes SFO, même s’il n’y a pas de lien apparent avec le dossier DE&S.
Le seul candidat restant en lice, le consortium Materiel Acquisition Partners, est mené par un autre géant américain, Bechtel, qui a fait équipe avec le cabinet britannique PricewaterhouseCoopers. Or de nombreuses voix se sont levées pour demander s’il est bien raisonnable de poursuivre une compétition à un seul candidat. L’idée de remettre la gestion des achats d’armements nationaux entre les mains d’un « étranger » provoque également la consternation.
Philip Hammond se trouve donc sous pression, mais le ministre n’en démord pas, au moins pour l’instant, même s’il « regrette » ce retrait de candidature. Le syndicat des fonctionnaires PCS a pour sa part dénoncé le concept GOCO comme un échec en appelant à l’abandon du projet.
La compétition en cours a été lancée au mois d’avril dernier. Le ministre s’était donné un an pour évaluer le modèle GOCO, en comparaison avec un autre projet, DE&S Plus, qui consisterait à réformer en profondeur la structure existante, actuellement basée à Abbey Wood, près de Bristol, avec un effectif d’environ 16 300 personnes. On estime qu’environ la moitié de cet effectif pourrait se trouver sous la responsabilité directe de la future GOCO.
L’objectif principal derrière ce projet de réforme, c’est le concept très britannique de « better value for money », qu’on pourrait traduire par un meilleur rapport coût-bénéfice, ou tout simplement « en avoir plus pour son argent ».
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Jeu 21 Nov 2013 - 16:27
Citation :
Private Tom Emsley, a plumber from Leeds, has become one of a select number of British Army Reservists to become part of one of the country's elite Reaction Forces. Tom, 21, is currently undergoing enhanced parachute training in Kenya with 3rd and 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment on Exercise Askari Storm in preparation for his latest role in 4 PARA.
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Jeu 21 Nov 2013 - 17:52
Citation :
Publiée le 20 nov. 2013
Forty Reservists from the Royal Wessex Yeomanry have been training on the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank at Lulworth Ranges in Dorset, in readiness for their new role as the only Armoured Reinforcement unit in British Army.
In order to fulfil this high-profile role, the training was designed to test the soldiers to the limit and give them vital hands-on experience with Challenger 2 during a Fire and Manoeuvre Exercise (FMX).
With some of the projectiles being blasted across the range travelling in excess of 1,000 metres per second - nearly three times the speed of sound - each run called for supreme levels of concentration and teamwork from the tank crews.
In this video Lance Corporal Rob Stiff, Royal Wessex Yeomanry, tells us why he came back to the Army as a Regular Reservist.
mourad27 Modérateur
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Sam 23 Nov 2013 - 18:05
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Dim 24 Nov 2013 - 17:38
Citation :
Un détachement britannique à Lanvéoc-Poulmic
Du lundi 18 novembre au vendredi 22 novembre 2013, un détachement d’hélicoptères Britanniques du 702 squadron de la RNAS YEOVILTON a opéré sur la base de l’aéronautique navale de Lanvéoc-Poulmic. Composé de trois Lynx MK 8, de quatre équipages et d’un échelon de soutien technique, le détachement de la Royal Navy a effectué des vols de navigation, sur terre et sur mer, ainsi que des missions d’entraînement élémentaire de lutte anti-surface. Avant son départ en patrouille avec l’un des Lynx, un AW 159 WILDCAT de l’escadron d’expérimentation 700W squadron a atterri sur la plateforme de la base de l’aéronautique navale de Lanvéoc-Poulmic le vendredi 22 novembre. Il y a effectué un ravitaillement rotor tournant. Cette manipulation est très technique, puisque l’aéronef reste avec ses moteurs et équipements allumés pendant toute l’opération.
Ce «landaway», déploiement extérieur de la force, concourt à la formation initiale de 3 équipages avant l’obtention de leur qualification opérationnelle pour de potentiels déploiements.
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Mar 26 Nov 2013 - 11:29
Citation :
UK Shows Interest in Buying Another C-17
DUBAI — Britain has added its name to the list of countries vying to get their hands on the last of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs being produced in Long Beach, Calif., ahead of its closure, according to Defence Ministry sources.
The case for buying what would be the Royal Air Force’s ninth C-17 are set to be discussed by UK defense acquisition approval chiefs in the next few days, they said.
The UK has acquired the first eight in a piecemeal fashion since the first four aircraft became operational in 2001 under a lease arrangement.
The upcoming closure of the C-17 assembly line has forced the UK’s hand on deciding whether to buy, as a number of nations are scrambling to purchase machines as white tails and not yet assigned to customers.
Until now, most of the nations with extra C-17s on their shopping list were reckoned to be in the Arabian Gulf region.
A purchase by the British would bring the Royal Air Force close to the 10 C-17s it originally said it needed for its airlift requirements.
Boeing didn’t deny the story, but said in a statement, “our customers prefer to make announcements regarding additional orders on their own time table.” The MoD did not respond to requests for comment.
The cash for the British purchase could come from defense budget underspend. At least one previous C-17 purchase has been funded that way.
The addition of a C-17 would boost Air Force airlift assets following the withdrawal from service last month of its C-130K special forces fleet, meaning some of the remaining C-130J aircraft will have to step in to bridge the capability gap. The UK will receive the first of 22 Airbus A400M airlifters next year.
The C-17 fleet has been stretched by the air bridge demands of Afghanistan and elsewhere. This year, two aircraft were diverted from Britain’s withdrawal effort in Afghanistan to provide assistance to French forces deploying to Mali; last week one of the aircraft was in the Philippines delivering aid to victims of the typhoon.
The British decision on whether to vie for another airlifter comes as Boeing executives hint that the eleventh hour demand for airframes may not be entirely met.
“I’m concerned about which customer is going to get left out in the cold,” Paul Oliver, Boeing Defense Middle East and Africa regional vice president for business development, said at a briefing on the eve of the Dubai Airshow.
Boeing officials in September said that C-17 production would end in 2015. US Air Force production finished this year.
The remaining aircraft are all for international customers. The company is building 13 of the 22 remaining planes on its own dime in anticipation of orders coming through.
The 13 aircraft are “earmarked for three customers,” Oliver said. Some of those aircraft are “being protected for a customer in the [Middle East].”
Boeing officials would not say which countries want the aircraft. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are all said to be interested.
Since Boeing announced it would close the line, existing customers have expressed interest in additional aircraft, Oliver said. That is in addition to the 13 that are earmarked.
Dennis Muilenburg, the president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said a final decision has been made to close the line and dismissed a proposal to buy back the US Air Force’s oldest 20 C-17s in exchange for 20 new, deeply discounted aircraft.
“It’s a firm decision,” he said during a discussion with reporters at the Dubai Airshow. “In this environment, those are the kind of decisions we have to make.”
http://www.defensenews.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
MAATAWI Modérateur
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Mer 27 Nov 2013 - 10:53
Citation :
RAF trains on upgraded Puma helicopter
The RAF has begun training on the Puma Mk2 helicopter after a £260 million upgrade programme.
Pictures released today show crews from 33 and 230 Squadrons carrying out training flights of the upgraded aircraft from their base at RAF Benson in Oxford.
Its engines have been upgraded to give them 35 per cent more power and improved fuel efficiency, meaning they can fly faster and twice as far as the Puma Mk1.
Other changes include state of the art digitised glass cockpits and upgraded LCD instruments.
The Puma Mk2 can fit into a C-17, giving it a global reach, and can be ready to deploy in support of both combat and humanitarian missions in just four hours.
Equipped with improved ballistic protection, it is capable of carrying up to 16 fully equipped troops. Twin cargo doors and low rotor downwash make it ideal for transporting personnel and equipment in and out of confined urban environments.
Puma Force Commander Group Captain Nigel Colman said: “The Puma is a remarkable aircraft and its ability to operate in urban and harsh conditions will see it play a key role in any future deployments. Needless to say the Puma Force are really enjoying getting to grips with the aircraft and are reporting that it is outperforming expectations.”
Minister for Defence, Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne said: “With its greater range, endurance and payload the Puma Mk2 helicopter will give the Royal Air Force significantly enhanced, agile capability in support of combat and humanitarian operations in even the most austere conditions.
“In 2012 we committed to spending £12.1 billion to ensure our helicopter capability remains up to date. The delivery of the Puma Mk2 will further strengthen our world class helicopter fleet which recently saw the introduction of the upgraded Merlin Mk2 and upgraded Chinook Mk4s.”
Seven of the RAF’s fleet of 24 Puma Mk2s have so far been delivered to RAF Benson and the remainder will be handed over during the next two years ahead of the helicopters entering service in 2015.
Almost a third - around £78m - of the upgrade carried out by Eurocopter (UK) has taken place in the UK with companies in Oxford, Oldham, Redditch, Gloucester, Boscombe Down, Basildon, Surrey, Marlow, Cheltenham and Reading contributing to the work. The remainder has taken place Eurocopter (UK)’s plants in France and Romania.
http://bfbs.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
annabi Général de corps d'armée (ANP)
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Mer 27 Nov 2013 - 22:38
Citation :
Scotland sets timetable for Trident removal
The future basing of the UK's nuclear weapons capability continues to face uncertainty, with the Scottish government setting an aspirational date of 2021 to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland in the case of independence. Currently all the UK's nuclear weapons are based and stored in Scotland, with the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) government pledging to remove them as "a priority" if independence occurs. Although Scottish independence appears likely to be rejected by voters in September 2014, the implication of a 'Yes' vote would be substantial on the nuclear deterrent of one of the world's only eight declared nuclear powers. Scottish independence would see nuclear weapons removed from Scottish territory within the first term of an independent Scottish Parliament, it was claimed in the Scottish government's long-awaited White Paper on Scottish independence, 'Scotland's Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland', published on 26 November. With the first independent Scottish government outlined to take power in 2016, this sets a 2021 timeline for the removal of the UK's Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capability from Scotland. The entire UK submarine force is currently based at HMNB Clyde, with RNAD Coulport responsible for storage and loading of the Royal Navy's Trident SLBMs. The SNP's priority is stated as the "speediest and safest possible transition" of nuclear weapons from Scotland, although it notes that the "detailed process and timetable for removal would be a priority for negotiation between the Scottish government and the Westminster government". The paper also outlines the SNP's vision for a future Scottish Defence Force. The land force element would comprise a headquarters and single combined-arms brigade, initially armed with equipment currently in UK service. This would include six helicopters and two light armoured reconnaissance units, two light artillery units, although no mention is made of any heavy armour capability. Scotland would hope to inherit on independence 2 of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates, a 'command platform', plus 10 smaller patrol and mine vessels. They would be supported by the procurement of about four maritime patrol aircraft, which are planned to enter service by 2021. The combat edge of a Scottish Air Force would be provided by 12 Eurofighter Typhoons, potentially later 16 Typhoons, with transport provided by 6 Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft and a helicopter squadron, all from current Royal Air Force stocks - the SNP hopes. Meanwhile, the White Paper outlines a force strength of 7,500 regular personnel and 2,000 reservists in 2016, rising to 10,000/3,500 in 2021 and 15,000/5,000 in 2026. Manning is likely to be a key issue at first for any future Scottish Defence Force, with the White Paper containing no plans to transfer 'Scottish' units on mass into Scottish hands. Instead it will be down to individual soldiers, the SNP states, to choose their allegiance (although Westminster may take a different view). ANALYSIS The SNP had been challenged to comprehensively outline their vision for defence in an independent Scotland. While the White Paper adds some depth and a fair bit of colour to what was a previously scattergun approach to explaining their policies, the paper falls some way short of providing the level of detail many had hoped to see. For example, although re-iterating plans to spend GBP2.5 billion (USD4.0 billion) on defence each year, no breakdown is provided for how it is envisaged it will be spent beyond claiming about 14% will go towards single use military equipment - nor plans for spending in the future. Likewise, plans to purchase maritime patrol aircraft and new vessels have no published budgets. Little information is available on the specific equipment desired from current UK stocks, or on how they would be operated, for example on what tranche of Typhoons the SNP sees Scotland operating and whether they would require an air-to-ground capability. Significant areas of defence capability, such as air-to-air refuelling or C4ISTAR, seem to have been overlooked. Meanwhile, the timeline for removing nuclear weapons from Scotland appears highly ambitious, despite the SNP citing estimates that Trident could be dismantled in two years. These estimates however, from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), actually claim that dismantling could begin within two years and nuclear weapons could be removed from Scotland within four years. That entire analysis, however, is based on the assumption of disarmament, not relocation - with the issue of where the rest of the UK could safely move its Trident basing and handling capabilities on a permanent basis being a far more complicated affair. The two widely posited alternatives, HMNB Devonport or Milford Haven, are far from ideal, the former being by a large population centre and the second being close to vital UK energy infrastructure. How to draw current personnel into a Scottish force will be a key question for a future Scotland, and this remains unanswered by the White Paper. Furthermore, despite SNP plans to "carry on" the names and identities of the 'Scottish Regiments', it remains unclear how this could occur without the existing structures and personnel serving with them being transferred to Scottish hands completely. On 23 November the UK Parliamentary Scottish Affairs Committee described previously released SNP defence policy as "suffering from a conspiracy of optimism". An accusation that arguably holds true of the new White Paper. For although it may set out a desire for X or Y share of current UK equipment stocks, ultimately it will only been through negotiations with Westminster that any equipment will be devolved to Scotland. Such negotiations, if they occur, are likely to be tough and would see Westminster largely in the driving seat. Further it is envisaged that these negotiations could be entirely completed within only 18 months, which again seems optimistic. Ultimately the document is more of a political manifesto or piece of campaign material than a serious attempt to detail what defence in an independent Scotland would look like. Although it is certainly fair to blame the SNP for this, even had the White Paper comprehensively answered every question asked of it, little would have been accomplished. For ultimately SNP defence policy at this stage is little more than a wish list, for even if Scotland does choose independence it will still largely be Westminster's decision on what happens to defence in Scotland, not Edinburgh's. Meanwhile, although published by the Scottish government, the politics behind the White Paper is entirely a product of the SNP, currently in power in Holyrood. Given that if Scotland does choose independence fresh elections will be held, it's entirely possible that a different party, with completely different defence plans, may form the first government of Scotland - rendering this White Paper further redundant.
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Ven 29 Nov 2013 - 15:14
si ça continu ....bientôt un topic dédié à l'armée écossaise
Citation :
Scottish independence: MoD sinks white paper plan
THE Scottish Government’s plan for joint defence procurement to save the Clyde shipbuilding industry post-independence has been rejected by the Ministry of Defence.
Officials have said that the MoD has “no intention” of agreeing to a proposal in the Scottish Government’s white paper on independence to build new Type 26 frigates for both Scotland and the rest of the UK on the Clyde. UK ministers have already indicated that the Scotstoun and Govan yards will win the contracts to build the new Type 26 frigates should Scotland reject independence, but signalled their intention to use English yards if Scotland becomes a foreign country. Current EU rules allow for a country to favour a domestic supplier for defence assets but if they allow foreign tenders then they cannot favour an individual country. However, the Scottish Government white paper put forward a proposal where the two countries could order the same specification of ships and keep work on the Clyde in exchange for Scotland continuing to purchase other military equipment from the rest of the UK. The white paper noted: “Joint procurement is in the interests of Scotland and the rest of the UK, preserving the strengths of defence industries around the whole of the UK. “Joint orders would maintain the expected numbers of jobs in the defence industries sector, including shipbuilding, and support companies as they seek to expand their business internationally.” The approach has worked for the UK, most recently with the construction of the new joint strike fighters which will make up the core of the RAF and aircraft carrier squadrons. A senior SNP source has pointed out that the Scottish population share of the MoD’s £160 billion procurement plan for the next decade is £13bn. He also said that Scotland would want to join in the £1bn upgrade of Warrior armoured vehicles in Bedford as an example of how a joint approach could benefit the rest of the UK. He said: “This is exactly how we can keep shipbuilding on the Clyde and work together as friends and partners to support the defence industry across the UK.” He warned that a hard line on shipbuilding from the rest of the UK could see Scotland take its purchasing power “elsewhere”. But an MoD spokesman said the proposal would not be accepted. He pointed out that the UK has not ordered complex warships from abroad since the Second World War and that there are no plans to change this strategy. He said joint procurement projects usually only involved the early design stages and not construction. “The MoD co-operates with other nations on the core design of some vessels however we have no plans to build Type 26 global combat ships overseas. Outside the world wars, the UK has not built a complex warship outside the UK for national security reasons and we have no intention of doing so in future. “Collaborating on design with nations who have sizable fleet requirements allows UK companies to increase export potential and allows the MoD to take advantage of larger economies of scale.” Jim Moohan, the GMB union representative on the Clyde, described the SNP proposal as “desperate.” He said: “It is no substitute for a strategy to maintain shipbuilding jobs in Scotland.” A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland’s Future set outs that Scotland and the rest of the UK would have a concurrent need to procure new frigates, and that there are strong reasons why joint procurement of the vessels would be in the interests of both parties. “However, in an independent Scotland the current Scottish Government is committed to taking forward the procurement of four new frigates – preferably through, joint procurement. “This week we published a 670-page document setting out in great detail how Scotland will become independent and the benefits of taking decisions in Scotland. “We have set out reasonable, common-sense proposals for co-operation in defence and I urge people to read those proposals directly and then make up their own minds on whether this makes sense both for Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
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Sujet: Re: Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces Sam 30 Nov 2013 - 14:08
Citation :
Queen Elizabeth’s all-seeing eye in place as radar is installed
A large black slab now sits atop Britain’s biggest warship as the huge radar antenna was fitted to the superstructure of HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The nation’s future flagship now stands 56 metres (183ft) tall – higher than Nelson’s Column – after the enormous Goliath crane lifted the 8.4-tonne long-range radar into place on top of the carrier’s forward island.
The radar – similar to those fitted on the Type 45 destroyers – safely arrived in Rosyth with its support, the mast cap, from Hengelo in the eastern Netherlands back in September.
Since then feverish work has been going on around Queen Elizabeth to complete her hull (finished earlier this month [NOV] with the addition of her ski ramp).
With the addition of the mast cap and black slab – officially an antenna, despite its size (32m2 or 344ft2) – all of the ship’s main structure blocks are now in place.
The radar, which provides a three dimensional, long-range picture not just of the skies around Queen Elizabeth but also the waters, sits 27 metres (88ft) above the flight deck, 50 metres (164ft) above the sea.
And that’s still not the highest point on Queen Elizabeth. When the communications pole mast is fitted next year it will be 70 metres (230ft) from tip to keel – which is almost as long as a River-class patrol ship.
As for the radar, it can track up to 1,000 contacts up to a range of 400km (250 miles) from the ship.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
annabi Général de corps d'armée (ANP)
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La construction du HMS Queen Elizabeth se poursuit
Le futur porte-avions britannique devrait entrer en service d’ici 2020.
Alors que l’assemblage des grands équipements du HMS Queen Elizabeth continue au port de Rosyth en Ecosse, le futur porte-avions de la Royal Navy vient de recevoir cette semaine son principal radar. Avec un rayon d’action de 400 kilomètres, il sera en mesure de suivre jusqu’à 1000 navires en navigation autour de lui.
Le 10 novembre, le tremplin avait été installé sur le pont d’envol. Cette dernière structure a être assemblée avec la coque pèse 300 tonnes. Elle permet de surélever le pont d’envol de six mètres pour le décollage des avions de chasse. Le F-35 pourra ainsi être mis en oeuvre à bord du HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Long de 284 mètres pour une largeur maximale de 73 mètres, le porte-avions britannique présentera un déplacement de 65 000 tonnes en charge. 1 500 marins pourront être embarqués ainsi que jusqu’à 40 aéronefs. Le bâtiment doit être mis à l’eau l’année prochaine avant de subir plusieurs années d’essais en mer pour une mise en service prévue à la fin de la décennie.
Un soldat condamné à la perpétuité pour le meurtre d'un insurgé afghan
Une cour martiale au Royaume-Uni a condamné vendredi un soldat britannique à la réclusion à perpétuité, assortie d'une période de sûreté de dix ans, pour le meurtre de sang-froid d'un insurgé taliban blessé en 2011 en Afghanistan.
Agé de 39 ans, Alexander Blackman, sergent dans la Royal Marine, a été reconnu coupable d'avoir abattu l'insurgé à bout portant avec un pistolet de 9 mm, dans la province afghane du Helmand (sud). "Prends ça. Dépouille-toi de cette enveloppe mortelle, salaud. T'en ferais autant", avait lancé le soldat à l'Afghan, en paraphrasant Shakespeare, selon une vidéo filmée par la caméra fixée sur le casque d'un autre militaire.
Il s'était ensuite retourné vers ses camarades pour leur dire : "Evidemment, ça reste entre nous les gars. Je viens de violer la Convention de Genève" sur le traitement des prisonniers de guerre, selon ces images présentées pendant le procès.
Le sergent, très expérimenté et aux états de service impeccables, a reconnu au cours du procès avoir tiré par "colère". Mais il a insisté sur le fait que l'insurgé était alors déjà mort. "Stupide manque de contrôle, absence momentanée de jugement", avait-il avancé pour sa défense.
Mais le médecin légiste a affirmé devant la cour que l'insurgé, bien que grièvement blessé pendant l'attaque d'un hélicoptère Apache, était bien vivant avant qu'Alexander Blackman ne l'achève. "Vous avez trahi et porté atteinte à la réputation des forces armées britanniques" avec ce "meurtre de sang-froid", a tranché le juge.
Head Up Display (HUD) Provides the pilot with flight, navigation, sensor and weapon aiming information. A camera captures the view for simultaneous displays.
Babcock Contracted to Deliver Additional Phalanx Systems
Babcock has been contracted by the UK MoD to deliver four Phalanx 1B kit modifications and undertake two conversions of the land Phalanx Weapons System to its original marinised configuration, to provide naval Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) capability.
Phalanx CIWS – a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20mm Gatling gun system – is the UK’s primary defence for ships against the threat of anti-ship missiles. The Phalanx 1B upgrade incorporates a side-mounted Forward Looking Infra-Red Camera (FLIR) enabling the CIWS to defend the ship against surface targets and slow air targets in addition to anti-ship missiles. The 1B configuration is valuable both in terms of countering the threat from small surface craft in littoral waters, and to counter forthcoming obsolescence issues.
http://www.asdnews.com
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En attendant la mise en service d'un premier A400M au second semestre 2014, c'est sur les moyens étrangers que s'appuie la manoeuvre logistique française vers la République Centrafricaine (RCA) dans le cadre de l'opération Sangaris. La Royal Air Force (RAF) a annoncé ce matin avoir mené le 11 décembre un second vol de C-17 vers Bangui, qui a permis d'acheminer un nouveau lot de matériel au profit des forces françaises.
En l'occurrence, le vol d'hier a essentiellement permis d'amener en RCA deux camions Renault GBC 180 de transport de troupes, explique le MoD britannique dans un communiqué publié ce matin. Le C-17 Globemaster III avait décollé de la base de Brize Norton plus tôt dans la journée avant de se poser à Istres pour récupérer son chargement.
A bord de l'appareil se trouvait également le capitaine Stéphane Quincé, un pilote de l'armée de l'Air actuellement en échange sur C-130 dans la RAF. L'aviateur jouait le rôle d'officier de liaison et de traducteur. Des militaires britanniques du 63 Squadron RAF Regiment (équivalent des CPA français) avaient également pris place dans la soute du C-17.
La semaine dernière, un vol similaire avait permis d'acheminer cinq véhicules blindés, précise le MoD. En l'occurrence quatre VBL (véhicules blindés légers) et un VAB.
Le MoD renonce à externaliser la gestion des programmes d’armement
Le 12/12/2013 à 16:26 | Par Duncan Macrae
Le ministre britannique de la Défense, Philip Hammond, a annoncé l’abandon du projet de confier la gestion des programmes d’armement nationaux à une nouvelle entité « commerciale » baptisée GOCO, pour government-owned, contractor-operated. Une opération qui aurait impliqué la « privatisation » de la DE&S (pour Defence Equipment and Support), version britannique de la Direction Générale de l’Armement. La DE&S est actuellement basée à Abbey Wood, près de Bristol, avec un effectif d’environ 16 300 personnes.
La décision fait suite au désistement d’un des deux candidats déclarés pour constituer la future GOCO dans le cadre d’une compétition lancée au mois d’avril dernier. Le seul candidat restant en lice, le consortium Materiel Acquisition Partners, était mené par géant américain, Bechtel, en partenariat avec le cabinet britannique PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Le syndicat des fonctionnaires (PCS), farouchement opposé au projet, s’est réjoui de la décision du ministre. « Le secteur privé n’a aucun rôle à jouer dans l’achat de matériel de défense, » a déclaré Mark Serwotka, secrétaire général du PCS.
Mais Philip Hammond ne renonce pas pour autant à sa quête de « better value for money ». Le ministre s’était donné un an pour évaluer le modèle GOCO, en comparaison avec un autre projet, DE&S Plus, qui consisterait à réformer en profondeur la structure existante. C’est donc cette deuxième option qui est désormais retenu. Elle passe, elle aussi, par la création d’une nouvelle entité indépendante dont les méthodes de gestion devraient fortement s’inspirer de ce qui se pratique dans le secteur privé.
Le patron de cette nouvelle agence ne sera autre que le dirigeant actuel de DE&S, Bernard Gray. Cet ancien journaliste et homme d'affaires, nommé à la tête de DE&S en janvier 2011, milite depuis longtemps pour la réforme en profondeur des processus d’acquisition d’équipements militaires.
Le II(AC) Squadron de la Royal Air Force sera le cinquième sur Typhoon. Il doit migrer du Tornado GR4 sur Typhoon l'an prochain au retour de son détachement à Kandahar, passant de sa base actuelle de Marham pour rejoindre Lossiemouth, rejoignant un autre squadron de Typhoon. La date formelle de mise en service opérationnelle est le 1er avril 2015, la veille, le II(AC) sera dissout sur Tornado, sur lequel il opère depuis 1989. Les derniers Tornado encore en service devront avoir quitté la RAF en 2019. Le II(AC), créé en 1912 (alors au sein du Royal Flying Corps) est de ce fait un des plus vieux squadrons de la RAF.
Battle-injured UK soldier receives mind-controlled robot arm 12 December 2013
A UK soldier, who had his right arm dismembered by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan three years ago, is now the very first British individual to receive a mind-controlled prosthetic limb.
The 26-year old Corporal Andrew Garthwaite has been fitted with the thought-controlled biotic robot after a revolutionary six-hour nerve transfer surgery called 'targeted muscle reinnervation' in Vienna and 18 months of physiotherapy at a military rehabilitation centre in Surrey.
Hailed as the future of prosthetic recovery, the operation involved rewiring Garthwaite's nerves, and hooking up the nerve fibres to his chest muscles, while the electrodes positioned on his chest send signals into the bionic arm and allow him to control the prosthesis.
Corporal Garthwaite said that the surgery has made a massive improvement to his life.
Garthwaite said, "I have become a lot more independent and all the normal things I was struggling with have become so much easier.
"I am now able to participate more in the kitchen - simple tasks like making a coffee, baking cakes and opening jars have made a real difference."The latest intelligent upper limb prosthesis can be directed by the mind by centering thoughts on the nerves connected to muscles in the chest, and it reacts naturally to the thoughts.
UK Defence Minister Anna Soubry said that it has been an immense privilege to have witnessed this revolutionary mind-controlled prosthetic in action.
Soubry said, "I am delighted that we were able to fund Corporal Andrew Garthwaite's life-changing surgery and rehabilitation. I am committed to making sure our injured personnel get the best possible medical care and support.
"That is why we committed £6.5 million earlier this year to provide our injured personnel with the most technologically-advanced prosthetics where clinically appropriate."
The UK’s first A400M has entered final assembly at Airbus Military’s San Pablo site in Seville, Spain, ahead of the type’s scheduled delivery to the Royal Air Force from September 2014.
The main fuselage for MSN16 – the European programme’s tenth production aircraft – entered the join-up stage in late November. The nose section for the RAF’s second of 22 examples, MSN17, has also arrived at the site, with its fuselage due to arrive by late this month or early January.
Ordered to replace part of the RAF’s now-retired fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130K tactical transports, the UK’s A400M Atlas airlifters will be flown from the service’s Brize Norton air base in Oxfordshire.
According to Flightglobal’s Ascend Online Fleets database, the UK’s first A400M will carry the service registration ZM400, while its last on-order examples are due to be accepted in 2021. Another three of the type are on option for the nation, which reduced its firm commitment from 25 units as part of a new contract agreement signed in early 2011.
http://www.flightglobal.com
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Royal Navy stands down Sea King training unit Patrick Allen, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly 15 December 2013 The UK Royal Navy (RN) is to deactivate its Westland Sea King (Commando) HC.4 helicopter training unit ahead of the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) transitioning to the AgustaWestland Merlin HC.3/3A in 2014, IHS Jane's was told.
Based at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton, 848 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) is to stand down on 19 December with the graduation of its final student aircrew ahead of the arrival of the first of 25 former Royal Air Force (RAF) Merlin helicopters, according to senior service officials.
As part of this transition process, the RN disbanded 846 NAS in March, leaving 845 NAS to operate the final 11 Sea King HC.4 helicopters out to the type's out-of-service date of March 2016. According to the navy, 846 NAS will reform in September 2014 as the CHF's first Merlin unit, to be followed by 845 NAS in August 2015 (this unit will briefly operate a mixed fleet until the Sea King's retirement).Since 2011, RAF personnel from 28 (Army Cooperation - AC) Squadron have been delivering conversion training to CHF pilots ahead of the handover of assets. In February and March 2014, RAF and RN crews will jointly deploy to the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) 'Clockwork' cold-weather and mountain-warfare training facility, some 260 km inside the Norwegian Arctic Circle.
By early 2014 more than 50% of CHF engineers will have completed their conversion training at RAF Benson. The the first fully qualified CHF crews and aircraft will depart RAF Benson for RNAS Yeovilton in early 2015. By 2016, the CHF will have completed its conversion to the Merlin, with 37 crews operational (down from 43 for the Sea King).
The next phase of the CHF's Merlin programme will see obsolescence issues addressed and maritime capabilities added to the helicopter under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP). With a full maritime capability set to be delivered to the CHF from September 2017 through to March 2022, these upgraded platforms will be designated Merlin HC.4/4A.
First image of UKs future nuclear submarines released
UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has announced a £79m investment into the Successor nuclear deterrent submarines while revealing the first ever image of the vessels to be built by BAE Systems.
The Successor submarines, set to become the largest and most advanced vessels ever operated by the Royal Navy, are expected to replace the current Vanguard Class submarines by 2028 carrying the Trident missiles.
The design and construction of the vessels, said to be one of the most technologically complex undertakings of its kind in the UK history, is already employing about 1000 people in BAE Systems alone, with up to 6000 to be employed in the supply chain when construction reaches its peak.
“The Successor programme is supporting around 2,000 jobs and up to 850 British businesses could benefit from the supply chain as we exploit the most modern technologies, and employ a significant portion of the UK’s engineers, project managers and technicians over the coming years,” said Defence Secretary Philip Hammond during an update on the Successor programme that has been presented to the Parliament today.
Two contracts worth £47m and £32m have been awarded to BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines who are leading the design of the vessels, covering the initial period the project. The submarines are expected to serve between late 2020s and 2060s.
“The Royal Navy has been operating continuous at-sea deterrent patrols for more than 40 years and the Successor submarines will allow us to do so with cutting-edge equipment well into the future,” said Admiral Sir George Zambellas, First Sea Lord.
The boats are designed to be amongst the stealthiest in the world.
http://eandt.theiet.org
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RAF Waddington to remain at the forefront of drone warfare
The Government today confirmed that RAF Waddington’s elite 13 Squadron will remain the spearhead of armed Reaper drones for the foreseeable future.
The Lincolnshire base began controlling armed drones over Afghanistan from an operational theatre at RAF Waddington earlier this year.
But activists insist the shift from a US base was a major switch in drone policy and quickly criticised by opponents of Britain’s military role in Afghanistan.
However, RAF Waddington opened its doors to the media yesterday to debunk the myth that drones are responsible for killing innocent civilians.
But Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond MP, confirmed that the base will remain at the forefront of drone warfare for years.
“The pods we use at Waddington are the same as the deployable pods we use in Afghanistan,” said Mr. Hammond.
“They are designed in that way so that once people are trained on them, they can use them wherever they are – on operations or here.
“Waddington is planned to be the home of this capability. This base will be the home of the RAF’s Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS), along with Creech air base in America.
“The high end RPAS will be based here for the foreseeable future. These are able to deliver so much additional support to our troops on the ground and have such fantastic endurance they can stay in the air for many, many hours, gathering intelligence and feeding it back.”
The RPAS system was purchased by the Ministry of Defence to provide support for collation forces in Afghanistan.
The Reaper RPAS is operated by a pilot and a sensor operator, supported by a mission intelligence coordinator.
A total of 459 weapons have been fired by RAF Waddington squadron personnel in over 54,000 hours of Reaper RPAS operations in Afghanistan.
Critics insist that the use of unmanned drone weapons increases the risk of civilian casualties but the rules of engagement remain the same for manned aircraft.
Mr. Hammond added: “We get pretty fed-up with it. There is only incident where we are aware of casualties occurring. It is very regrettable but that is the nature of warfare and that can happen with piloted aircraft.
“We have in place very strong safeguards, rules of engagement to try to avoid civilian casualties but you can never guarantee that somebody unintended won’t get hurt. That is the nature of warfare.
“This is a myth busting session. These aircraft are operated in exactly the same way as a manned aircraft it is just that the pilot is sitting on the ground instead of in the aircraft.”
http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk
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First ever Royal Navy drone launched in £30million mission to stop Somali pirates
THE Royal Navy yesterday launched its first drone in an operational theatre as it stepped up its campaign against Somali pirates.
The Scaneagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) was launched from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cardigan Bay in the Gulf and flew to a height of up to 19,500ft.
The UAS was then brought back by a pilot on the ship using remote controls after it had acted as an eye in the sky over the horizon.
The Scaneagle is one of two in a £30million deal with Boeing and each UAS will fly up to 300 hours a month.
The UAS is catapulted off the back of ships and then recovered by flying them back to be caught by a wire extended over the side. It is expected to be used shortly to spot pirates threatening shipping in the Indian Ocean.
Details emerged as Defence Secretary Philip Hammond threw open the RAF’s secret base for controversial drones – RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.
RAF crews here and at the USAF base in Creech, Nevada, fly the Reaper on surveillance and attack missions over Afghanistan.
The 35ft long remotely piloted air system can unleash weapons on insurgents with the trigger being pulled thousands of miles away.
In 54,000 hours of flying over Afghanistan it has fired 459 weapons, usually Hellfire missiles in support of Coalition troops under attack from insurgents.
The drones are controversial and have been branded robot killers.
But Mr Hammond insisted that their crews are subject to the same rules of engagement and legal controls as the pilots of fighter bombers such as Tornados and Typhoons.
He said: “In well over 400 lethal strikes by British UAS’s we know of just one strike where sadly there were civilian casualties.
“But civilian casualties also result from strikes by manned aircraft. Our challenge is not to guarantee that they never happen but to minimise that risk to as low as possible.”
He added: “UAS’s are certainly part of the future. We expect they will be part of the British posture alongside manned aircraft. No-one knows what the balance will be between manned and unmanned systems.”
Mr Hammond also said there are moves to open up European air space to UAS’s with one expert predicting that the market in the UK alone could be worth up to £20billion within six years.
Mr Hammond, who said possible civilian uses include maritime search and rescue and border protection, said he expected progress in UAS’s being licensed to use European air space.
At RAF Waddington the full range of UAS’s used by the military was on display from the Army’s tiny Black Hornet mini helicopter to Watchkeeper which has a 33ft wing span.
The Black Hornet weighs just 16grammes, fits in the palm of a man’s hand and can be put up by soldiers to see what the enemy is up to in their immediate area.
Watchkeeper, which will enter service with the Royal Artillery next year, can stay airborne for 16 hours and relay information to troops on the ground day and night.
Meanwhile the Royal Navy revealed that its Scaneagle has had its first trial in an operational theatre.
Commander Bow Wheaton, 46, from Dorking, said: “It was flown for the first time in theatre today and is due to enter service next month.
“Skippers get an unprecedented situation report from this eye in the sky.
“It lets us look for the enemy before they see us. It could be used to look for pirates, to spot a threat to your ship or to look ahead to a choke point where the enemy may have assembled small craft loaded with explosives. This would let you do something about it or avoid it.
“And at night it would help the skipper decide which lights out there are friendly – otherwise he is just looking at dots on a radar screen.”
The drones provide live video footage of incredible detail to commander son the ground, even letting them see what weapons the enemy are carrying.
One RAF Intelligence Analyst, who would only give his name as Corporal Billy, said: “There have been occasions when we have spotted disturbed earth which has turned out to be where insurgents have planted an improvised explosive device. Finding that is very fulfilling.
“Every time we have fired a missile we have been supporting our guys on the ground who more often than not were under fire. We are helping to save their lives which is just as fulfilling as spotting an IED.”
http://www.express.co.uk
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Mar 18 Déc 2012 - 14:24
Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
