Armée Britannique/British Armed Forces

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Citation :

Commercial Sale of Type 22 Frigates


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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Latest Voyager arrival completes 'core' fleet for RAF

The ninth Airbus A330 Voyager from the UK’s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme touched down at the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire on 29 May, completing the service’s “core” fleet of the type.

Flown to the RAF’s air transport hub from Airbus Defence & Space’s Getafe modification centre near Madrid, Voyager ZZ338 “will begin operations once transferred to the [UK] military aircraft register”, says the AirTanker consortium responsible for delivering the fleet. The tanker/transport is configured with under-wing hose-and-drogue refuelling pods, plus a centreline fuselage refuelling unit, used to provide support to large “receiver” aircraft.


Crown Copyright

Eight converted Voyagers have now been delivered to Brize Norton for use by the service’s 10 and 101 squadrons, including five three-point tanker/transports and two equipped with under-wing pods only. The ninth – currently unmodified – example is operated by AirTanker and retained on the UK civil aircraft register. All of the aircraft are configured with a 291-seat, single-class passenger cabin, and are capable of carrying a maximum fuel load of 111t.

Since entering use, the UK’s Voyagers have been flown for a combined 9,750h, and have transported more than 172,000 passengers, AirTanker says. In the air-to-air refuelling role the fleet has completed over than 230 sorties and delivered in excess of 400t of fuel, supporting types including the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado GR4s.

“We will continue to work in partnership with the RAF to refine this service,” says AirTanker chief executive Phill Blundell, who describes the completion of core fleet deliveries as “a sizable achievement".

In addition to supporting quick reaction alert activities with Typhoons in the UK and the Falkland Islands, the Voyager fleet is also currently supporting testing of the RAF’s future tactical transport. “ZZ334, a three-point tanker, has completed the military conversion programme and is currently in Spain as part of the UK’s commitment to support the [Airbus] A400M flight test programme,” AirTanker says.

A further five Voyagers will be delivered by the end of 2016. These will be available to support “surge” operations for the UK, but also made available for third-party use under the terms of the FSTA deal, which will run until 2035.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

New deal to protect UK helicopters

BAE Systems has been awarded a £16.7 million ($27.9 million) contract to produce its third-generation common missile warning system (CMWS) equipment for a range of UK military helicopters.

Intended to replace current equipment and also to be installed on new-build helicopters, the system integrates “hostile fire indication, missile warning and data recording capabilities into a single unit”, BAE says. This will provide UK pilots with “enhanced detection [and evasion] of small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, improving their safety and mission effectiveness”, says Bill Staib, the company’s director of threat management solutions.

Platforms protected by BAE’s existing second-generation CMWS and the new-standard system include the British Army’s Boeing/AgustaWestland Apache AH1 attack helicopter and Royal Air Force Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport (below), plus AgustaWestland AW101s and AW159 Wildcats.


Crown Copyright

“This contract will ensure that our armed forces will have around 300 systems in total,” says minister for defence equipment, support and technology Philip Dunne.

BAE has already started delivering its new CMWS equipment to the US Army, which in January 2014 placed a $39 million order for 300 systems. The service plans to eventually acquire around 1,300 aircraft sets to protect its personnel.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

La RAF fait son premier vol sur Airseeker

Le 02/06/2014 à 17h13, par Duncan Macrae


Rivet Joint Airseeker de la RAF © Crown  

Il ne s’agit pas d’un premier vol en tant que tel, mais c’est bien la première fois qu’un Airseeker d’écoute électronique (Sigint) s’envole dans l’espace aérien britannique aux mains d’un equipage de la Royal Air Force. Une étape symbolique importante pour le programme Airseeker, désignation britannique pour le RC-135 Rivet Joint américain, dont trois exemplaires ont été commandés par la RAF pour remplacer les Nimrod R1 déployés au sein du 51 Squadron sur la base de Waddington.

Depuis le retrait de service du Nimrod R1 en juin 2011, les équipes du 51 Squadron s’entraînent à côté de leurs homologues américains au sein du 55th Reconnaissance Wing de l'USAF pour se familiariser avec l’avion et les stations de réception au sol. Un processus qui s'accélère depuis la livraison du premier appareil en novembre 2013.

Les Rivet Joint sont réalisés à partir de cellules de ravitailleurs KC-135 qui subissent un chantier de transformation dans les installations du groupe L-3 à Greenville (Texas). Les trois appareils destinés à la RAF ont été acquis pour environ 650 M£ (800 M€) selon le MoD. Suite à la mise en service de ce premier appareil prévue cette année, les trois Airseeker doivent être pleinement opérationnels d’ici mi-2017.

Ils viendront compléter les capacités ISTAR (renseignement, surveillance, ciblage et reconnaissance) de la RAF déjà fournies par les E-3D Sentry, Sentinel R Mk 1, Shadow R1 et autres MQ-9 Reaper. Le Royaume-Uni devient ainsi le seul pays en dehors des Etats-Unis à mettre en œuvre le Rivet Joint.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/2014/06/02/22805-la-raf-fait-son-premier-vol-sur-airseeker

Citation :

Royal Navy deploys nine Merlin Mk2 helicopters onboard aircraft carrier for ASW exercise



The Royal Navy’s new submarine-hunting helicopters will face their greatest test yet when they head into the Atlantic this June in the biggest exercise of its kind this century. Nine Merlins from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall will join HMS Illustrious to practise skills which were once the mainstay of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier operations at the height of the tensions with the Soviet Union.



The Royal Navy’s new submarine-hunting helicopters will face their greatest test yet when they head into the Atlantic this June in the biggest exercise of its kind this century. Nine Merlins from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall will join HMS Illustrious to practise skills which were once the mainstay of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier operations at the height of the tensions with the Soviet Union.
Nine Merlin Mk2 helicopters will join HMS Illustrious light aircraft carrier for a large anti-submarine exercise. Picture: Royal Navy

It’s the first time the latest version of the Merlin – the Mk2 – has been tested en masse.

After more than a decade on the front line, the Merlin fleet – based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall – is in the midst of a £750m revamp which will help to keep them at the forefront of naval warfare until the end of the 2020s.

Two of the four Merlin squadrons have already been converted to the improved helicopter – which looks the same outwardly, but inside is a completely new box of tricks – including the first front-line unit, 820 Naval Air Squadron.

The Royal Navy’s new submarine-hunting helicopters will face their greatest test yet when they head into the Atlantic this June in the biggest exercise of its kind this century. Nine Merlins from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall will join HMS Illustrious to practise skills which were once the mainstay of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier operations at the height of the tensions with the Soviet Union.
The AgustaWestland Merlin HM1 is the anti-submarine warfare helicopter of the Royal Navy


Picture: Royal Navy

It will spearhead Deep Blue, with eight new Mk2s due to join the Portsmouth-based carrier, plus one Mk1 – the largest concentration of submarine-hunting helicopters in recent memory, and the largest ever concentration of Merlins at sea.

Nine Merlins on one carrier is a sight no-one has seen – and one no-one involved will ever forget,” said Cdr Ben Franklin, Commander of the Royal Navy’s Maritime Merlin Force.

“We’re looking forward to it big time – the younger guys especially. They’ve heard all the stories about what we did back in the days of the Cold War because, if the balloon goes up, this is what we do.”

A couple of next-generation Merlins from 820 NAS have just returned from a NATO anti-submarine exercise off Norway, Dynamic Mongoose, where they clocked up 60 hours in the skies over the North Sea.

For the first time a Mk2 tracked a boat using both its active ‘dipping sonar’, lowered into the Atlantic to look for boats, and active sonobuoys – which are dropped into the water to do the same.

Dynamic Mongoose was a ‘toe in the water’. Deep Blue is on a far grander scale.

For three Merlins to hunt submarines continuously around the clock – using either their dipping sonar, or passive sonobuoys (‘underwater ears’) listening for them – nine helicopters are needed, hence the size of the operation.

It will also demand the efforts of around 200 personnel, including 18 aircrew – two pilots, one observer and one aircrewman each.

After a week and a half’s training around the UK by day and night, Illustrious and her helicopters will move out into the expanse of the Atlantic for Deep Blue itself, which reaches its climax in mid to late June.

http://www.navyrecognition.com

Citation :

La Grande-Bretagne recevra le premier A400M "tactique"  

Le 10/06/2014 à 10h53, par François Julian


L'A400M lors de ses essais sur piste sommaire à Ablitas en Espagne © Airbus Defence & Space  

La Royal Air Force devrait réceptionner en septembre prochain son premier A400M. Particularité de cet exemplaire, immatriculé MSN 15, il sera le premier A400M à être au standard de performance SOC 1 (Standard Operating Clearance 1), c'est à dire doté des premières capacités de vol tactique  : fonctions basiques d'aérolargage, atterrissage sur terrains sommaires, fonctionnement du système d'autoprotection ou encore compatibilité avec les liaisons de données militaires (liaison 16).

Les trois A400M qui ont été livrés à ce jour par Airbus Defence & Space (2 pour l'armée de l'Air, et  1 pour la Turquie) sont au standard IOC (Inial Operating Clearance), qui limite l'avion à des missions de transport logistique. Les quatre prochains A400M (MSN 10, 11, 12 et 14) que la France devrait réceptionner d'ici l'été, seront également à ce standard intérimaire. Airbus Military et la DGA sont actuellement en discussion sur la manière dont tous ces avions seront portés au standard SOC 1. Un premier chantier de retrofit devrait avoir lieu en 2015, avec une introduction progressive des capacités de vol tactique.

La livraison d'un premier A400M au standard SOC 1 a été rendue possible par la réalisation d'une série d'essais «  militaires  », parmi lesquels les premiers atterrissages sur terrains non préparés menées entre juin et novembre 2013

Cette capacité, aujourd'hui qualifiée par Airbus DS, a fait l'objet d'une campagne d'essais réalisés sur un terrain à Ablitas en Espagne. Des atterrissages et décollage à une masse de 125 tonnes ont été menés sur une piste constituée de graviers. "Il faut démontrer que l'on endommageait pas l'avion, mais aussi que ce dernier n'abimait pas la piste", explique Eric Isorce, le chef des essais en vol de l'A400M. "Nous avons ainsi validé les terrains dont le CBR (ndr  : California Bearing Ratio ou coefficient d'enfoncement) est au minium de 11. Cela correspond à la plupart des terrains sommaires que l'on trouve en Afrique, notamment à Niamey ou à Gao", poursuit Eric Isorce. Les opérations sur ce genre de pistes nécessitent néanmoins l'installation d'un kit de protection spécifique qui réduit le risque de dégât sur le ventre de l'avion et sur les trains atterrissage.

Autre essai spectaculaire réalisé pour la validation du standard SOC 1, celui de l'EDS (Expendables Dispensing Systems), le système d'éjection de leurres infrarouges situé sur les carénages du train atterrissage principal et du caisson central de voilure. Certifié et qualifié en mars dernier, l'EDS a fait l'objet d'essais où il a été asservi au récepteur d'alerte radar (RWR), ce qui permet l’éjection de «  flare  » à la détection d'une menace.

Ce sont seize avions qui devrait être livrés par Airbus DS au standard SOC 1. D'ici mi-2015, le standard SOC 1,5 devrait devenir le nouveau standard de production. Le standard SOC 1,5 devrait notamment introduire sur l'A400M les premières capacités en tant qu'avion ravitailleur.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/2014/06/10/23022-la-grande-bretagne-recevra-le-premier-a400m-tactique

Citation :

Culdrose helicopters on HMS Illustrious off Falmouth



While the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious was anchored off Falmouth on Monday, West Briton reporter Graeme Wilkinson was flown onboard to meet the sailors from RNAS Culdrose

AS we came sweeping in off the Lizard and into Falmouth Bay, there was no mistaking the outline of the huge aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.

I had hitched a ride aboard a Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose Merlin helicopter, courtesy of 814 Naval Air Squadron – the Flying Tigers.

And as our pilot brought us into a hover alongside the veteran warship, the whole of Falmouth Bay, crowned by Pendennis Castle, was laid out before us.


Jumping down onto the flight deck in my survival gear – bulky red immersion suit, lifejacket, air canister, helmet and goggles – it was easy to be totally bewildered by the roar of the rotor blades and down blast of wind.

I was led away by the visored marshals and shown through a watertight door, along a metal corridor and down a steep steel stairway into the dark and relative quiet bowels of the ship.

I am told, in aircraft carrier terms, that Illustrious is not even that big, although it seemed incredible that there were about 900 people onboard. My mission was to find the 250 sailors from Culdrose and learn how they were adapting to life on board.

This had been billed as Culdroses’s biggest operation since the Cold War – to operate nine of the latest Navy helicopters off the aircraft carrier.

Their job is to stop four submarines – one British, two French and one Dutch – from sinking HMS Illustrious, which is known affectionately in the Navy as ‘Lusty’.

The exercise, code-named Deep Blue, will take them out this month deep into the Atlantic Ocean.

For the 250 personnel from Culdrose, it is a test of their abilities to maintain and keep up to three helicopters constantly in the air.

In charge of the force – known as the Merlin Carrier Air Group – is the commanding officer of Culdrose’s 820 Naval Air Squadron, Commander Ross Spooner.

A Helston man, Commander Spooner said: “I’ve certainly not commanded anything like this and that’s why so many people are excited to be taking part.

“As a dedicated anti-submarine operation, the tactics are not different but the challenge has been with nine aircraft and a 250 carrier air group. It has gone far more smoothly than I could have hoped for.”

He said the entire operation was to test the Navy’s ability to defend a carrier ahead of the launch of Illustrious’ replacement later this year, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Lieutenant Commander Steve Hayton, an observer with 824 squadron based at Culdrose, said it was wrong to think of anti-submarine warfare as a relic of the Cold War.

Many countries around the world were now investing in submarines which could be used for surveillance and intelligence gathering, he added.

“This is the first time we’ve ever got nine aircraft on a carrier. Co-ordinating the flying, the engineering and all the support systems is no mean feat,” he said.

“When we took off in formation last week, it was just amazing – just incredible to see.”

Lieutenant Rich Knight, 30, is a pilot with 820 squadron at Culdrose. He said: “I’ve been with the squadron for three years so I’ve been on and off many ships. This is the first time I’ve done something like this in terms of the number of aircraft.

“The Merlin (helicopter), she’s as big as a Chinook and you’ve got to hold her perfectly in place. We do a lot of training. It’s four years before you can fly.

“You don’t have any scope for being a couple of minutes late. It’s all very, very precise and controlled.”

Leading writer Michaela Tough, 25, works in logistics and is also typically based at Culdrose.

She said: “I am in administration and we’ve brought a lot of the other logistics personnel on board. It’s my job to make sure everything runs smoothly and we are integrated into the ship’s company.

“I am in a mess with 23 other girls of which 11 are with MCAG (Merlin Carrier Air Group from Culdrose) so we’re integrating really well with the other females on board which is quite nice.”

Able Seaman Bethany Bryant, 22, an aircraft engineer and technician with 820 squadron, said: “We’ve been busy. My helicopter’s in pieces at the moment which is why we’ve had so much to do.

“Its unusual to have so many aircraft flying. We’re working eight hours on and eight hours off, so you don’t have long to eat, relax and sleep – at best you can get maybe four hours sleep. You get used to it and you don’t have the time to be tired.”

Petty Officer Mark Houlston, 38, originally from Flushing and now of Penryn, is an aircraft engineer and technician.

He said: “It’s our job to fix the helicopters. It’s what we’ve been brought here to do.

“I’ve not worked with this many aircraft before and working with nine aircraft is a whole different animal.

“You don’t get a lot of off-time if you take into account getting everyone fed, sleeping and showering – for us it’s just continuous.”

There was a clear sense of pride and excitement among the Culdrose aviators.

The mechanics who work on the huge Merlins down in the cavernous hanger inside the ship seem to have the worst of it so far, with a punishing eight hours on and eight hours off.

For the aircrews, their test was yet to come with the exercises in the next couple of weeks, but they seemed eager to get started.

Before long the ship had weighed anchor and, with a plume of white smoke, we were steaming out to sea.

As the flight deck gently pitched in the waves, I was able to get the first idea that these 900 people were heading out into the Atlantic. Their true test was just about to begin.

http://www.westbriton.co.uk

Citation :

La réforme des forces armées britanniques sévèrement critiquée

Posté dans Europe par Laurent Lagneau Le 13-06-2014

Le National Audit Office (NAO) est l’équivalent, outre-Manche, de la Cour des comptes française. Dans un rapport qu’il a publié le 11 juin, cet organisme s’est penché sur la façon dont a été conduite la réforme des forces armées britanniques depuis la sortie, en octobre 2010, de la Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

Cette dernière entérinait le principe d’un réduction du 8% du budget de la Défense, ce qui supposait l’abandon plus ou moins assumé de certains capacités, une baisse drastique des effectifs pour financer des équipements modernes, ainsi qu’un recours accru aux externalisations et aux réservistes. Pour vendre ce projet, il était alors avancé que les forces britanniques allaient gagner en réactivité et en muscles.

Cela étant, le NAO n’a pas été tendre avec le gouvernement britannique, qu’il a accusé de s’être lancé dans une réforme sans savoir au préalable si elle était effectivement possible.

Ainsi, par exemple, le plan Army 2020 prévoit de ramener les effectifs de la British Army de 102.000 à 82.000 soldats professionnels, soit le niveau qui était le sien lors de la guerre des Boers. Dans le même temps, il est question de disposer de 30.000 réservistes de plus pour compenser cette réduction de format. L’objectif affiché était d’économiser de 10,6 milliards de livres sur 10 ans.

Seulement, pour le NAO, le compte n’y est pas. En avril 2012, la British Army comptait 19.410 réservistes. Soit un nombre quasiment identique (19.400) constaté deux ans plus tard par l’organisme de contrôle, alors que, parallèlement, les suppressions de postes ont continué. Actuellement, les forces terrestres britanniques disposent de 87.000 soldats professionnels environ et la prochaine.

Un autre problème soulevé par le NAO est le faible taux de recrutement de la British Army. Etant donné que le message envoyé à l’opinion porte sur la réduction des effectifs, les candidats à un engagement ne se bouscule pas. Or, même s’il y a une déflation de postes, il n’en reste pas moins qu’il faut quand même recruter de jeunes soldats (l’on voit rarement des grenadiers voltigeurs de plus de 45 ans…).

Pour 2013-14, l’objectif de la British Army était de recruter 9.715 jeunes. Seulement 6.366 ont signé un contrat d’engagement, ce qui fait un « déficit de 34% » selon le NAO. Mais pour ce dernier, le message contradictoire sur la suppression de postes et la nécessité de recruter n’est pas la seule en cause.

« Le contrat (ndlr, pour le recrutement) confié à Capita (un prestataire extérieur) a fait l’objet d’un certain nombre de difficultés qui ont affecté la performance en matière de recrutement », avance-t-il.

Aussi, le NAO estime que les coupes dans les effectifs ont été « trop précipitées » étant donné, que, selon lui, l’objectif de recruter 11.000 réservistes supplémentaires ne pourra pas être atteint d’ici 2025.

D’ici-là, comme le souligne un éditorialiste du quotidien The Telegraph, « cela veut dire qu’il y aura une décennie au cours de laquelle l’Army sera dangereusement sous-dimensionnée pour répondre à toute menace » sur la sécurité du Royaume-Uni. « Pour ajouter l’insulte à l’injure, il est même possible que les réductions d’effectifs ne puissent pas produire les 10,6 milliards d’économies. Et il est même possible que le ministère (MoD) finisse par dépenser plus que s’il avait maintenu le format de l’Army », poursuit-il.

Par ailleurs, le NAO a mis en garde contre les conséquences d’éventuelles coupes budgétaires supplémentaires sur les programmes d’armement. « Un manque d’équipement pourrait également conduire à des effets plus larges, comme un entraînement inéfficient, une perte d’efficacité ou une réduction des capacités d’intervention », a-t-il dit.

http://www.opex360.com/2014/06/13/la-reforme-des-forces-armees-britanniques-severement-critiquee/  

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The Band of The Life Guards a partagé l’album de HQ London District - The Army in London.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND SOLDIERS CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF THE QUEEN  



  

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MOD plans £7.5m revamp at RAF Marham so new aircraft can land



South-West Norfolk MP Elizabeth Truss has called for local firms to be used where possible for the multi-million project to build three new “landing pads” alongside the existing runway.

The new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which are currently being developed in the United States, are able to land normally on the current runway, but the RAF base, near Swaffham, will need three landing areas which can withstand high heats, so that the aircraft can also land vertically.

The Ministry of Defence has not yet awarded a contract for the multi-million pound project, and was unable to say if its plans would involve local businesses or create local jobs.

Ms Truss said: “This is excellent news and further illustrates the government’s commitment to RAF Marham. I understand that the design is still being formulated, but with an investment like this, I hope that local expertise can be utilised. It will be great if businesses from Norfolk can benefit from this multi-million pound spend and this is an issue I will be raising with the defence secretary.”

The project will take place before 2018, when the new aircraft is on track to be delivered.

The government is expected to make an initial order of 14 F-35B jets – known as the Lightning II – in the coming months. As well as having a base at RAF Marham, the F-35s will fly from the two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. Three test aircraft have already been delivered and defence secretary Philip Hammond is in negotiations to buy its first batch of fighters.

Mr Hammond has revealed he is in talks with other European nations to make Norfolk an engineering hub for the next generation of fighter jets. An MOD spokesman said he expected the pads to be about 10msq, and they would have to be made out of heat resistant material.

http://www.edp24.co.uk

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Thales remporte un contrat avec la Royal Navy concernant un système anti-navire léger

16 juin 2014


Crédit : Thales

Philip Dunne, secrétaire d’État aux équipements de défense, annonce l’attribution à Thales d’un contrat de 56 millions d’euros (48 millions de livres) par le ministère britannique de la Défense (MoD) pour le développement et la fabrication du système anti-navire léger FASGW(L).

Le contrat couvre le développement, la qualification et l’intégration du système anti-navire léger FASGW(L) (Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon – Light), qui comprend un lanceur à cinq tubes et un système de guidage laser, destiné à équiper l’hélicoptère Agusta Westland AW159 Wildcat. La fourniture d’équipements d’essai déployables fait également partie du contrat.

Le système FASGW(L) utilisera le missile léger multirôle (LMM) de Thales. Ce missile de précision peut être tiré depuis différentes plateformes tactiques terrestres, navales et aériennes. Il permettra à la Royal Navy de disposer de capacités de frappe polyvalentes, à déploiement rapide et haute efficacité pour contrer les menaces que font peser les navires de faible tonnage et les vedettes côtières rapides.

Cette annonce a été faite à l’occasion d’une visite du secrétaire d’État sur le site Thales à Belfast, où le missile LMM et le système FASGW seront produits. Ce contrat significatif permettra de soutenir 60 emplois sur le site, et fournira des opportunités supplémentaires aux partenaires de la chaîne logistique, en Grande-Bretagne mais aussi sur le continent.

Accompagné de Victor Chavez, PDG de Thales UK, et de David Beatty, Vice-Président en charge des systèmes d’armes avancés de Thales UK, Philip Dunne a pu faire le tour des installations, et bénéficier d’explications détaillées sur les technologies, produits et capacités du site de Thales.

Victor Chavez a expliqué à cette occasion : « Environ 450 personnes, sur les 7 500 que compte Thales en Grande-Bretagne, sont basées sur le site de Belfast, et nous sommes fiers de voir que l’entreprise constitue une source importante de haute technologie et d’emplois très qualifiés dans la région. Nous nous félicitons bien sûr de l’attribution de ce contrat qui permettra à la Royal Navy de disposer de capacités de pointe pour contrer les menaces conventionnelles et asymétriques.

« Le LMM est le premier missile léger dans le monde conçu pour être intégré sur des plateformes tactiques aériennes, terrestres et navales, et il suscite un vif intérêt dans le monde grâce à ses capacités. Ce contrat confère une dynamique nouvelle pour nos prospects à l’étranger, dans la mesure où il souligne la confiance du MoD à l’égard de Thales, pour fournir un système d’armes avancé très novateur. »

http://theatrum-belli.org/thales-remporte-un-contrat-avec-la-royal-navy-concernant-un-systeme-anti-navire-leger/

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Royal Navy

Exercise Deep Blue

After a ten day work-up on-board HMS Illustrious around the Cornish coast, the Merlin Carrier Air Group (MCAG) prepare to “Go Deep” as they sail westwards out into the Atlantic in pursuit of Submarines.

Exercise Deep Blue has so far seen the Merlin Mk 2s from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose put through their paces in the South West Approaches, exercising and practicing before they get a sniff at a live target.


  

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The first of the RAF’s fourteen new Chinook helicopters have been unveiled today by the Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, following its entry into service on time.



A Mark 6 Chinook helicopter performing it's first flight checks

During a visit to RAF Odiham in Hampshire, the home of the Chinook force, Philip Hammond also announced a new £115 million agreement with Boeing Defence UK to maintain the engines of the RAF’s increased fleet of 60 Chinooks. A move that will replace five existing support contracts with one arrangement, saving the taxpayer over £20 million.

The first of 14 Chinook Mark 6 helicopters, which were ordered in 2011 as part of a £1 billion programme, have now achieved their entry into service on time and three of the new aircraft have been delivered to the RAF who have commenced training in the UK.

An RAF Mark 6 Chinook Helicopter takes its's first flight as the new Mark of aircraft at RAF Odiham specifically Number 7 Squadron.The Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Air Staff, who himself is a Chinook pilot, were given a tour of one of the brand new aircraft and shown the upgraded capabilities that the helicopters provide to pilots and crew.

Benefitting from a new Digital Automatic Flight Control System that provides improved handling qualities and aircraft stability, offering increased safety, the Mark 6 is the most advanced heavy-lift helicopter ever operated by the RAF.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

“These state of the art aircraft will provide a significant uplift in helicopter capability operating as the battlefield workhorse of the RAF, supporting the Army on the frontline for decades to come. The 14 new Chinooks will boost our fleet to 60, already the largest in Europe.

“The new aircraft are part of an £11 billion investment to update, replace and support all of the MoD’s helicopter capability over the next decade that will sustain truly world-class Rotary Wing capabilities for the UK Armed Forces.”



Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, said:

“The Chinook Mark 6 represents the pinnacle of the RAF’s heavy lift capability and is the most advanced Chinook helicopter we have ever operated.

A Mark 6 Chinook helicopter performing it's first flight checks



“Chinook has proved itself time and again on operations, most recently in Afghanistan. The new Mark 6 variant will ensure the Chinook fleet is able to continue to play a key role in future operations, wherever they may be.”

The MoD’s Director of Helicopters, Adrian Baguley, who was responsible for delivering the Mark 6 and the engine support contract, said:

“The Chinook Mark 6 has been delivered into service on time less than three years after the MoD signed the main contract with Boeing which is a truly outstanding achievement.

An RAF Chinook on the line at RAF Odiham during the sunrise



“This has been achieved through the excellent work of Defence Equipment & Support working together with our industry suppliers, Boeing, and the Front Line to deliver this exceptional new heavy lift helicopter capability for UK Defence.”

All 14 new aircraft will be delivered to the MoD before the end of 2015 and are on track to be fully operational by early 2017.

Editor: Flight Lieutenant Megan Henderson

Photographs:

An RAF Mark 6 Chinook Helicopter takes its's first flight as the new Mark of aircraft at RAF Odiham specifically Number 7 Squadron.

A Mark 6 Chinook helicopter performing it's first flight checks.

An RAF Chinook on the line at RAF Odiham during the sunrise.

RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2014

http://www.raf.mod.uk

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Royal Navy

The Navy’s new helicopter has paid its first visit to HMS Illustrious – dropping in on the veteran carrier during a submarine hunting exercise off Cornwall.

Wildcat, which will replace the long-serving Lynx on the front line from next year, touched down on Lusty in the middle of Exercise Deep Blue.

Read all about the Wildcat's debut on our website: http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2014/june/17/140617-new-wildcat-illustrious




Image by POA(Phot) Ray Jones
 

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Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier: Will the UK get a pair?



"Madness."

That is how one former head of the Royal Navy described the situation currently facing the UK's huge aircraft carrier programme.

Lord West, a former First Sea Lord, has recently dismissed the Royal Navy's total number of escort ships a "national disgrace."

He was talking to ITV News as we visited Britain's newest aircraft carrier in Rosyth - just days before the Queen goes there to name the ship after herself.

Some facts about the Queen Elizabeth II class aircraft carrier:

   The first HMS Queen Elizabeth was completed 100 years before the launch of the new one
   The Queen Elizabeth Class will fly the F35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, as well as any type of helicopter used by the UK Armed Forces
   Such is the scale and complexity of the Queen Elizabeth Class that personnel have hand-held navigation aids.
   The ships have their own bakery, which can produce 1,000 loaves of bread per day
   The ship's Artisan 3D radar can track a tennis ball travelling at three times the speed of sound




HMS Queen Elizabeth will be floated out of the UK's largest dry dock shortly after she is named - so that work can begin on the construction of the second aircraft carrier.

That ship - HMS Prince of Wales - is costing £3 billion. But despite the cost, the government has yet to decided whether, on completion, it will sail her, sell her or mothball her.

That decision will be taken in the next defence review in 2015.

While Lord West called that "madness" - the Defence Secretary told us it was the legacy of the Labour government which signed the contract in the first place.

Philip Hammond said that meant it was more expensive to stop building HMS Prince of Wales than to build her.

But the ministry of Defence is under pressure to commit to both carriers.

MPs, former commanders and it's believed current commanders have told ministers that one aircraft carrier will leave Britain unprotected for twenty per cent of the year.

Only with two - they say - can Britain ensure it has a carrier strike force available for 365 days of the year.

Since the government scrapped the Harrier jump jets - the country has had aircraft carriers with no aircraft (at least no jets).

That embarrassing episode for this maritime nation will end only after 2018 when ship and jets will be together again on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

But when the Queen leaves Rosyth on July 4th, she might wonder if the ship named after her - will ever be joined at the sea by the ship named after her son.

http://www.itv.com

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Defence Images

Here's one of the first images from yesterday's intercept by RAF Typhoons of multiple Russian aircraft, while policing Baltic airspace for NATO.
It shows the Typhoon jet (bottom) escorting a Flanker SU-27 fighter.


RAF/Crown Copyright 2014  

Citation :

British Army

A soldier defends Patrol Base Sterga 2, which was the last remaining UK base outside of Joint Operating Base Bastion, in Afghanistan.
Photographer Cpl Daniel Wiepen; Crown copyright.



  

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RAF Eurofighters refuel from USAF KC-10

Royal Air Force Eurofighters from 6 and 1(F) Squadrons had the rare opportunity to practise refueling from a U.S. Air Force KC-10 tanker over the North Sea on Jun. 6.

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UK Study Contract Awarded to integrate Brimstone 2 onto Typhoon



We have been awarded an initial study contract, valued at £5 million by the UK Ministry of Defence to evaluate the integration of the MBDA Brimstone 2 air-to-ground precision weapon with the Typhoon aircraft.

Work underway

Work is currently underway at our Warton site in Lancashire to assess the aerodynamic properties of carrying the weapon through a series of wind tunnel tests. Alongside delivering an effective route to Brimstone 2 integration for the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) by 2018, the study is also set to deliver wider benefits through the exploration of a common launcher approach which could also be used for other multiple weapons stores such as SPEAR 3.

Adding to the swing of things

The Brimstone 2 weapon will add to the swing-role capability of the Typhoon aircraft. Brimstone 2 is effective against the most challenging, high speed and manoeuvring targets over land and sea. As a low collateral, close air support weapon it is already combat proven in Afghanistan and Libya by the RAF. The study contract will transition the Dual Mode Brimstone capability that is combat proven on Tornado GR4 to Typhoon utilising the Brimstone 2 missile.

Uncompromising precision

Mark Bowman, Our Chief Test Pilot explains “With a proven track record on RAF Tornados, the Brimstone 2 weapon offers uncompromising precision and a flexible capability that meets the emerging threats of modern warfare. The Typhoon pilot will be able to confidently engage a wide range of target types including fast moving vehicles. When integrated Brimstone 2 will be another significant development step for Typhoon, enhancing the aircraft’s credentials and relevancy going forward.”

Typhoon is already regarded as one of the world’s leading swing role combat aircraft and the programme continues to deliver the latest capabilities to meet the needs of a complex and ever changing environment.

http://www.baesystems.com

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  BAE Systems pour soutenir les Destroyers de Type 45

23 juin 2014 - 11:49 par l'équipe de Shephard News



BAE Systems va gérer le soutien, l'entretien et la mise à niveau de la Type 45 Destroyers de la Royal Navy à la Base navale de Portsmouth en vertu d'un contrat de 70 millions £, a annoncé le 23 juin. Le contrat débutera en juillet 2014 et courir jusqu'en novembre 2016.

Le contrat couvre le support pour les six navires du Type 45 Classe Daring - HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Dragon, HMS Defender, HMS Daring et HMS Duncan - sur toutes les opérations au Royaume-Uni et dans le monde.

L'entretien et le soutien de tous les navires de guerre dans la classe Daring est géré par l'équipe de Type 45 classe Output Management (COM) basé à Portsmouth. L'équipe est composée de personnel de Royal Navy, ministère de la défense et l'industrie, qui travaillent ensemble pour s'assurer que les navires de Type 45 sont disponibles pour répondre à toutes les exigences de la Royal Navy. Il gère également les mises à niveau de la capacité et la fourniture de pièces de rechange et de soutien dans le monde entier. L'équipe de COM offre un point de contact pour le personnel de Type 45 à bord.

Philip Dunne, ministre des équipements de défense et de soutien technique, a déclaré: « ce contrat de 70 millions £ est une bonne nouvelle pour Portsmouth. Il protégera les compétences de près de 100 ingénieurs experts et indique clairement que l'avenir de l'industrie de soutien pour le bateau de la ville est prometteur.

« Nos destroyers de Type 45 les navires plus grands et plus puissants, la marine n'a jamais eu, avec équipement de pointe et systèmes d'armes. Il est essentiel que les navires reçoivent un soutien de première classe et Portsmouth a les compétences nécessaires pour ce faire. Il s'agit d'une autre démonstration de l'engagement de la Royal Navy au chantier naval, qui continuera à jouer un rôle important dans l'avenir de la ville. »

John Hudson, directeur général, maritime, BAE Systems, a ajouté: « nous sommes fiers de continuer notre soutien à la flotte de la Royal Navy. Notre objectif est de s'assurer que les navires sont prêts et disponibles pour être déployées et de poursuivre ce soutien alors qu'ils sont sur les opérations dans le monde. Ce contrat est un excellent exemple de l'industrie et le gouvernement œuvrant en collaboration pour atteindre l'efficience et l'efficacité. »

Les navires de Type 45 sont les destroyers de défense aérienne plus grand et le plus puissant jamais utilisés par la Royal Navy. Les vaisseaux sont capables de contribuer à des opérations maritimes et communes dans le monde entier dans des environnements multi menace et sont conçus pour soutenir la guerre de maintien de la paix ainsi que haute intensité.

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shephardmedia.com%2Fnews%2Fmil-log%2Fbae-systems-support-type-45-destroyers%2F  

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Royal Navy's new eyes in the sky


The Royal Navy's first ever remotely-piloted air system takes flight.

Just 7 months after the Ministry of Defence ordered the system from Boeing Defence UK, footage released today, 22 June, shows ScanEagle taking flight from HMS Somerset in the Gulf.

The system, which can be launched by a pneumatic catapult from Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, is unarmed and used for real-time intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance only.

Pilots in a specialist team on board the ship plan ScanEagle’s missions and control its flight. Once its mission is over it returns to the ship where the information, gathered by its state-of-the art sensors, is then monitored and analysed.

ScanEagle comes with many features beneficial to the Royal Navy including flying at speeds of up to 80 knots and staying airborne for around 10 hours, covering areas of around 60 miles from launch.



The multi-million-pound capability can also be used both in the day and at night thanks to a high resolution camera which can see in the dark and when there is poor visibility.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

This is the first time we have operated an unmanned air system on maritime operations, heralding a new era of aviation and intelligence-gathering in the Royal Navy.

ScanEagle will play a crucial role in operations and humanitarian missions not only in the Gulf but also on Royal Navy vessels right across the globe, further underlining our commitment to invest in innovative capabilities.



Commander Mike Smith, commanding officer of HMS Somerset, said

ScanEagle provides us with a game-changing, persistent surveillance and reconnaissance capability, supplementing our Lynx aircraft so that it can be held for higher priority missions.

The ability to fly ScanEagle for extremely long periods of time extends the eyes and ears of the ship way beyond that we can currently achieve.

It’s been an exciting project to be involved in and the system’s arrival will fundamentally change the way we operate, making HMS Somerset more effective right across the diverse range of operational roles we can perform; be that counter-piracy, counter-narcotics, disaster relief or war-fighting.

https://www.gov.uk

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J-8 avant le baptême du plus grand bâtiment de guerre d’Europe



Pour la première fois depuis le HMS Illustrious, il y a 41 ans, la Royal Navy va mettre à l’eau un nouveau « porte-aéronefs ». Il s’agit du HMS Queen Elizabeth, qui sera baptisé en grande pompe le 4 juillet par la reine Elizabeth II d’Angleterre. La cérémonie se déroulera au chantier Babcock de Rosyth, en Ecosse, où le bâtiment est assemblé depuis la mise sur cale de son premier bloc, en 2010.



Les premiers blocs du HMS Prince of Wales sont arrivés en Ecosse (© ACA)
Long de 284 mètres pour une largeur maximale de 73 mètres, le HMS Queen Elizabeth présentera un déplacement de 65.000 tonnes en charge. Cet imposant gabarit en fera le plus grand bâtiment de guerre construit jusqu’ici en Europe, surclassant notamment le porte-avions français Charles de Gaulle avec ses 261 mètres de long et 42.500 tonnes à pleine charge. Armé par 1500 marins, le nouveau fleuron de la Royal Navy pourra mettre en œuvre jusqu’à 40 aéronefs, dont des avions à décollage court et appontage vertical F-35B.


Vue des futurs HMS Queen Elizabeth et HMS Prince of Wales (© ACA)
Après sa mise à flot et son achèvement à quai, le HMS Queen Elizabeth devrait débuter ses essais en mer à l’automne 2016, son arrivée à Portsmouth, où il sera basé, étant prévue au cours de l’hiver 2016/2017. Quant aux manœuvres aériennes avec les F-35B, elles sont envisagées à partir de 2017/2018, l’état-major de la flotte britannique estimant que le nouveau porte-avions et son groupe aérien embarqué devraient être pleinement opérationnels autour de 2020.

Sistership du HMS Queen Elizabeth, le HMS Prince of Wales, dont la découpe de la première tôle est intervenue en mai 2011, sera mis sur cale une fois son aîné sorti de la grande forme de Rosyth.

Ces nouveaux porte-avions remplaceront les trois Invincible, de petits porte-aéronefs de 209 mètres de long et 20.700 tonnes de déplacement en charge, mis en service entre 1980 et 1985. Alors que le HMS Invincible et le HMS Ark Royal ont été désarmés en 2005 et 2011, seul le HMS Illustrious, qui ne sert plus aujourd'hui que de porte-hélicoptères, est encore opérationnel. Mais il doit prendre sa retraite d'ici la fin de l'année.


Comparatif entre le HMS Prince of Wales et un Invincible (© ACA)

M&M

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Ajoutée le 25 juin 2014

General Dynamics UK (GDUK) unveiled today the Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV) at the DVD event in Millbrook Proving
Ground in the UK. This is the first of a new generation of armoured vehicles being developed for the British Army.

Citation :

16 Air Assault Brigade

Airborne forces from Britain and France have practised how they would plan and operate together on a joint mission.

Exercise Tears of the Sun, which took place this week in Toulouse, France, is a key interoperability exercise between 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste (11e BP), two units at the forefront of closer military co-operation between Britain and France.

Both brigades provide their armies’ rapid reaction forces, held at high readiness to deploy on operations anywhere in the world. Together, they form the Intermediate Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (I-CJEF) and are capable of tackling operations ranging from disaster relief to war fighting.

Helicopters from Joint Helicopter Command, as well as French aircraft, bolstered the two airborne infantry battlegroups from 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) and 8e Regiment de Parachutistes d’Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa) to provide a potent fighting force that was exercised in a number of different scenarios in the French countryside.


  

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Photos: Cpl Andy Reddy Crown Copyright 2014