(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.
Regular and reserve paratroopers have gone back to basics as they train to become the British Army’s global rapid reaction force. Exercise Bruneval Assault has seen C (Bruneval) Company, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment training in the tough environment of Sennybridge in South Wales, focussing on the core infantry skills of fire and manoeuvre and living in the field. The airborne infantry of Colchester-based 2 PARA were joined by a dozen reservists from 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment - 4 PARA. The week-long exercise took into the field the lessons of a package of close quarter marksmanship training, designed to hone the soldiers’ skills with the SA80-A2 assault rifle. As well as practising live fire attacks, the troops tabbed – a fast march carrying equipment – up Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain at 886m (2,907 feet).
Photos by Cpl Reddy RLC. MoD Crown Copyright.
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La Royal Air Force a largué de l’aide humanitaire dans le nord de l’Irak
Posté dans Forces aériennes, Irak par Laurent Lagneau Le 10-08-2014
La progression des jihadistes de l’État islamique dans le nord de l’Irak menace environ 200.000 personnes appartenant aux minorités religieuses du pays, comme les chrétiens et les yazidis. Fuyant les exactions dont elles sont victimes, ces dernières sont ainsi contraintes à l’exode, dans des conditions extrêmement difficiles.
Face aux jihadistes, les combattants kurdes n’ont pas toutes les capacités militaires nécessaires. D’où l’appui aérien fourni par les États-Unis – en particulier l’US Navy, avec son groupe aérien embarqué à bord du porte-avions USS George H. Bush. Depuis le 8 août, les positions de l’EI sont bombardés dans le secteur d’Erbil par des chasseurs bombardiers F/A-18 Hornet (et Super Hornet) ainsi que par des drones américains.
Combien de temps vont durer ces frappes? Nul ne le sait. Le président Obama n’a pas souhaité donner de « calendrier », lors d’une déclaration faite le 9 août. « Je pense que cela va prendre un certain temps », a-t-il dit. « Le calendrier le plus important à mes yeux est celui qui permettra au gouvernement irakien d’être finalisé, car sans gouvernement irakien, il est très difficile pour les Irakiens de lutter contre l’EI. (…) Pour partie, ce que nous faisons en ce moment est de leur préserver un espace pour mener à bien ce travail nécessaire », a-t-il expliqué.
Ces frappes aériennes sont soutenues par la France et le Royaume-Uni. Ces deux pays ont également annoncé leur intention d’envoyer du secours aux réfugiés. « Tous les deux ont exprimé leur soutien à nos actions et sont d’accord pour nous appuyer dans l’assistance humanitaire que nous offrons aux Irakiens qui souffrent le plus », a affirmé le président Obama.
Lors d’un nouvel entretien téléphonique avec Massoud Barzani, le président du Kurdistan irakien, François Hollande a « réaffirmé la volonté de la France de se tenir aux côtés des populations civiles victimes des exactions continues de l’Etat islamique », d’après un communiqué publié le 9 août par l’Élysée. La France va « procéder dans les prochaines heures à de premières livraisons d’équipements de premier secours », a-t-il ajouté.
Le ministre français des Affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, est ainsi parti en Irak, ce dimanche, pour y rencontrer les autorités irakiennes et « superviser à Erbil la livraison d’une importante aide humanitaire française pour répondre aux besoins des déplacés en Irak », a-t-il indiqué via son compte Twitter.
Côté britannique, les choses n’ont pas traîné. Et Philip Hammond, le patron du Foreign Office, n’a pas fait le déplacement en Irak… Ainsi, la Royal Air Force (RAF) a parachuté de l’aide humanitaire aux réfugiés au cours de la nuit dernière.
« Le Royaume-Uni a agi rapidement pour apporter une aide susceptible de sauver des vies aux populations touchées. La nuit dernière, la Royal Air Force a largué avec succès de l’aide humanitaire britannique, dont de l’eau potable et des filtres à eau, sur la montagne », a ainsi affirmé, ce 10 août, Justine Greening, secrétaire d’Etat au développement international.
Pour cette mission, la RAF a mobilisé deux avions de transport C-130 Hercules. Ces derniers ont décollé de la base aérienne de Brize Norton avec des vivres, des tentes, des filtres à eau, des lampes ainsi que des téléphones portables. « On peut s’attendre à des opérations de parachutage en continu, coordonnées avec les Etats-Unis et potentiellement d’autres pays », a expliqué M. Hammond. « Mais nous regardons également de manière plus générale comment aider ces populations à descendre de la montagne et sortir d’une situation qui est totalement inacceptable », a-t-il ajouté.
L’aviation américaine a déjà largué de l’aide humanitaire aux populations réfugiées. Ce jour, elles ont ainsi parachuté l’équivalent de 52.000 repas ainsi que des conteneurs d’eau, après en avoir fait de même jeudi et vendredi.
First A400M for the Royal Air Force takes another step
11/8/2014
The first Airbus Defence and Space A400M new generation airlifter for the Royal Air Force has taken another step towards delivery with the start of taxying trials. The aircraft was moved under its own power for the first time on August 10th at the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville, Spain. It is scheduled to be delivered to the RAF in September.
About A400M
The A400M is an all-new military airlifter designed to meet the needs of the world’s Armed Forces in the 21st Century. Thanks to its most advanced technologies, it is able to fly higher, faster and further, while retaining high maneuverability, low speed, and short, soft and rough airfield capabilities. It combines both tactical and strategic/logistic missions. With its cargo hold specifically designed to carry the outsize equipment needed today for both military and humanitarian disaster relief missions, it can bring this material quickly and directly to where it is most needed. Conceived to be highly reliable, dependable, and with a great survivability, the multipurpose A400M can do more with less, implying smaller fleets and less investment from the operator. The A400M is the most cost efficient and versatile airlifter ever conceived and absolutely unique in its capabilities.
About Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military. The new division is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise, the second largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence enterprises. It employs some 40,000 employees generating revenues of approximately €14 billion per year.
Some action shots of CR2 crewed by Army Reserve Soldiers from the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. We would like to thank the combined efforts of SPTA Military Image Group for their photos of the Regiment at work over the weekend.
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La Royal Air Force poursuit ses essais du Lightning II
Voir passer un Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II au-dessus de sa tête quand on fréquente les abords d’Eglin-AFB en Floride, ça n’a rien de très surprenant puisque c’est là qu’une bonne partie des nouveaux avions de combat américains sont stationnés. Sauf que parfois certains de ces avions portent une livrée bien inhabituelle pour un chasseur américain. Et pour cause, la Royal Air Force teste en ce moment même ses propres Lockheed-Martin F-35B aux couleurs britanniques. Bon d’accord en cette triste ère de livrées à basse visibilité il faut avoir de bons yeux pour faire la différence entre un Lightning II américain et un autre britannique, mais les différences existent, et c’est tant mieux. Ce sont donc des personnels de la Royal Air Force et de la Fleet Air Arm qui procèdent actuellement aux essais préliminaires de la version à décollage et atterrissages verticaux du Lightning II. Ces successeurs désignés des Harrier et Sea Harrier ils devront d’ici à 2018 à 2020 embarquer à bord du HMS Queen Elizabeth le nouveau porte-avions de la Royal Navy. Celui-ci est actuellement en phase finale d’assemblage au chantier naval de Rosyth en Écosse. Selon plusieurs journaux britanniques aviateurs et marins britanniques ne seraient pas pleinement satisfaits des essais en cours sur le F-35B. Ses réelles capacités ADAV seraient en effet moins impressionnantes que sur Sea Harrier FA Mk-2. Mais surtout ce que les médias spécialisés anglophones pointent du doigt c’est la formation avancée qui repose sur le tout simulateur. Aucune version biplace du F-35B n’étant en effet envisagée les futurs pilotes devront apprendre à se poser et à décoller à la verticale à partir d’un simple ordinateur et d’une cabine de simulation.
Quoiqu’il en soit voir un F-35 aux couleurs de la RAF a de quoi ravir les passionnés d’aviation. Gageons que les spotters américains doivent s’en donner à cœur joie pour essayer de saisir la bête en vol. Bien entendu l’US Air Force veille et doit tenter de les en empêcher.
LONDON — BAE Systems is finishing proposals to build a new generation of frigates for the Royal Navy and has begun delivering details of the bid to the British Defence Ministry ahead of a decision expected by the end of the year, company officials said. The Royal Navy is looking to acquire 13 of the Type 26 frigates for a total of roughly £4 billion (US $6.6 billion), with the first of the warships expected to be delivered starting late 2021 to provide what will eventually become the backbone of the fleet out to around 2060. The warships will replace the Royal Navy’s aging Type 23 fleet. “Initial documents to support the business case for Type 26 have been submitted. The process is underway but not finalized yet. We expect that to be complete by the end of the summer,” a BAE spokeswoman said. BAE is concluding a four-year, £150 million assessment phase on the Type 26 this year and hopes to get the development and build phase approved in order to start cutting metal in 2016. The 6,000-ton Type 26 is primarily intended for anti-submarine warfare, but the design gives the Royal Navy the versatility that is essential given its small number of surface combatants — 13 Type 23 frigates and six Type 45 destroyers. “We are planning for a class of 13 ships, but this will be confirmed at the main investment decision, which is expected towards the end of 2014,” an MoD spokeswoman said. BAE’s proposals are based on a 13-ship fleet, but Jeff Searle, the company’s program director, told reporters on June 3 that he “expected a phased commitment” by the MoD. During a parliamentary debate in December, defense procurement minister Philip Dunne said there would be an initial order for eight Type 26s, but the MoD spokeswoman last week would not comment on whether that remained the case. Dunne told Defense News in a recent interview that getting the Type 26 build program under contract was one of his priorities ahead of the general election in May 2015. That’s a view BAE would echo, industry executives said. The Type 26 deal is one of several planned major defense equipment investments that the government is attempting to get approved ahead of the election, a strategic defense review and potentially further defense spending reductions all threatening to impact the sector next year. More immediately, though, is the question of exactly what effect, if any, an upcoming Scottish independence referendum vote might have on naval construction programs here. Opinion polls are showing a majority in favor of remaining part of the UK, but a “yes” vote on Sept. 18 can’t be ruled out. Independence would likely seriously impact the timing of approval and number of hulls for a Type 26 program, which is slated to be built at BAE’s surface warship yards in Glasgow, Scotland. The British government has consistently said Royal Navy warships have to be built in the UK. That point was reiterated Aug. 12 when Britain’s new Defence Secretary Micheal Fallon announced that a £348 million deal with BAE for three ocean-going patrol vessels would continue in Scotland only if voters reject independence. “UK warships are only built in UK shipyards,” Fallon said in a statement. The government options to build surface warships elsewhere appear somewhat limited. BAE is in the throes of closing its other UK surface warship yard at Portsmouth, southern England, as part of a major downsizing in build capacity. That leaves BAE’s nuclear submarine building facility at Barrow-in-Furniss and a small yard run by Babcock International as the only two operations working on naval orders south of the border. Babcock’s Appledore yard in southwest England is building the second of two 90-meter offshore patrol vessels ordered by the Irish Naval Service. BAE is proposing updating its Scottish shipbuilding capabilities, but that also depends on the outcome of the referendum. The favored option is a £200 million investment in the Scotstoun yard on the Clyde and closure of the nearby Govan facility, but a dual-yard approach is also on the table. The BAE spokeswoman said a decision on the investment proposal is expected toward the end of the year, with the update work beginning next year. The first of the new 90-meter patrol vessels will be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2017, with all three warships handed over by the end of 2018. The warships are destined to undertake operations in home waters as well as globally in roles conducted by frigates and other larger vessels such as anti-piracy, counterterrorism and anti-smuggling. The intent to purchase the warships was announced by the British government in November. In part, the patrol vessels are being constructed to fill the gap in work between completion of two aircraft carriers now being built for the Royal Navy and the start of the Type 26 program. Under an earlier business agreement with BAE, the government would have had to pay for shipyard workers to effectively sit around doing nothing until the Type 26 program gathered construction momentum later in the decade. The future of the three relatively new River-class offshore patrol vessels that the new patrol warships will replace will be decided by next year’s strategic defense and security review. Larger than the River-class vessels deployed by the Royal Navy for fisheries protection and other duties in home waters, the new warships will be capable of landing AgustaWestland’s Merlin helicopters and have more room for embarking personnel. BAE said the new warships, adapted from a design already in service with the Brazilian and Thai navies, will have a range of 5,500 nautical miles, be globally deployable and capable of ocean patrol.
Yes or No, £3bn boost for Faslane nuclear submarine base
THE UK Government is pressing ahead with its £3billion blueprint to extend Faslane nuclear submarine base – regardless of the referendum.
The revelation has led to renewed speculation that if there is a Yes vote next month, the Ministry of Defence expects to strike a deal to keep the UK’s nuclear deterrent in Scotland. In the event of a No vote, Faslane will become Britain’s only specialist submarine base with the capacity for 16 vessels by 2022. It will house seven new nuclear-powered Astute Class attack subs, currently being built at a cost of £1bn each, as well as the four Trident-carrying Vanguard Class vessels. Two attack boats, HMS Astute and HMS Ambush, are already based at Faslane after being handed to the Royal Navy by defence contractor BAE Systems.Scotland will also become the sole maintenance home for the submarine fleet, following the closure of Portsmouth dockyard last year and after the Devonport base near Plymouth is scaled down by 2017.
While the MoD estimates that around 1,500 military and civilian jobs will be added at Faslane, thousands more jobs will be created as construction begins. A source said: “The blueprints have been drawn up and the transition plans for the new Faslane are now under way. The original facility was designed to hold seven submarines, but under the new plans, a total of 16 will be hosted at any given time. The design plans are currently before the MoD and will effectively double the size of the facility and bring thousands of new jobs to the area. It’s a massive boost for Scotland.” A Royal Navy spokesman said: “HM Naval Base Clyde is the biggest employment site in Scotland, with direct employment of 6,700 military and civilian jobs. “Numbers of personnel at HM Naval Base Clyde are set to increase to an estimated 8,200 by 2022 as it becomes the UK’s Sub- marine Centre of Specialisation. “There are currently six sub- marines and seven mine hunters base-ported at the site. By 2022 we expect that all the Royal Navy’s submarines, and seven mine hunters, will be at Clyde.” In response to the latest developments, the Scottish Government reiterated its plans to remove Trident by 2020 and keep Faslane as Scotland’s main naval base. The SNP has said the country would inherit a share of Royal Navy vessels, as well as investing in an undisclosed number of “new frigates, conventional submarines and maritime patrol aircraft”. A Scottish Conservative spokesman said the investment would be a massive boost for Scotland, but warned: “Unfortunately, all we hear from the Scottish Government is how they can’t get rid of the base quickly enough. As a result, a Yes vote in September would be hugely damaging.”
La Fleet Air Arm (Aéronavale) Britannique est-elle de retour ? (explicité 12 / 07 / 2014)
Le 4 Juillet, date très symbolique pour tout Anglophone
La reine Elisabeth II a baptisé 4 Juillet 2014 le nouveau plus gros navire de la Royal Navy, le porte-avion HMS Queen Elisabeth (à voir sur le site Mer et Marine).
Ce navire, comme son frère qui suivra bientôt le même chemin, est un navire imposant (280 m de long, 70 m de large et 65 000 tonnes).
Le terme fleuron lui est souvent associé.
Certes, c'est un navire puissant. Mais il ne soulève en aucune manière l'admiration, en tout cas pas la mienne.
Il a été baptisé juste le jour de l'Independence Day, ce fameux jour où les USA, aidés par la France, ont proclamé leur indépendance... contre la Grande Bretagne !
Or, le cœur militaire de ce navire, justement, est issu de choix purement US (je veux dire : décidés par le Congrès Américain).
Les avions qui se poseront sur son pont seront Américains de même que les canons qui tenteront de le défendre des agressions à courte distance.
Hors de prix
Le porte-avion Britannique dispose d'une DCA limitée à des canons Phalanx CWIS à courte portée - apparemment inférieure à 6000 m - en plus, bien évidemment, d'un ensemble d'hélicoptères et d'avions.
Les 40 aéronefs embarqués seront soit des hélicoptères, soit une douzaine de Lockheed-Martin F 35 B (celui de l'US Marine Corps).
Oui, vous savez, ces fameux JSF dont le constructeur fait toujours une publicité éhontée mais qui n'a, pour l'instant, rien démontré opérationnellement, presque 15 années après le premier vol du prototype (voir ce post) et qui ont été interdits de vol fin Juin 2014 pour cause d'incendie moteur en plein vol !
Cette interdiction de vol est assortie d'une interdiction de taxiing sur les pistes d'aérodrome, ce qui est une première à ma connaissance et un indice d'une inquiétude réelle du motoriste, comme l'est aussi l'envoi d'une maquette grandeur nature du JSF... (voir cet article d'Aviation Week sur le sujet, ainsi que les commentaires qui y sont attachés).
Or, les F 35, de quelque version qu'il s'agisse, ne sont absolument pas capables de conquérir la suprématie aérienne sur qui que ce soit car ils n'ont aucune des qualités nécessaires pour y parvenir.
Pire encore, les lois de Lanchester, qui prédisent que le succès au combat va plus facilement vers les armées les plus nombreuses, montrent qu'avec 14 avions, les Britanniques ne risquent pas de dissuader grand monde.
En conséquence, il s'agit d'une sorte de gros Mistral, et absolument pas d'un instrument susceptible d'emporter une décision face à un adversaire de haut niveau.
Toute comparaison avec le Charles de Gaulle - capable, lui, d'imposer sa présence à distance - est donc impossible.
Le groupe aérien n'est pas plus abondant que celui du porte-avions Français, et il ne dispose même pas d'un Hawkeye pour visualiser l'environnement aérien lointain ou volant à basse altitude (pas de catapulte ni de piste oblique).
Donc, nous nous trouvons face à une puissante plate forme anti-sous-marine, un navire apte à envoyer des avions de bombardement à quelques centaines des kilomètres de lui.
Ce n'est pas un navire capable de lutter contre une puissance majeure, même si je suis sûr que les marins britanniques multiplieront les astuces pour en faire un engin efficace.
Cela pouvait impressionner encore dans les années 80, à la fin des guerres coloniales.
Les Britanniques viennent d'acquérir un double Mistral pour le prix de 6 ou 7.
Voilà une dépense ruineuse qui sera totalement inefficace.
La Fleet Air Arm reste donc à son statut actuel de force d'appoint pour les USA, ce qui a commencé lorsque le Royaume Uni a abandonné l'avion TSR 2, vecteur de la RAF et non le la Royal Navy, pour sa force de dissuasion.
Oui, Monsieur Morin, abandonner la dissuasion nucléaire indépendante est un tout.
Maintenant, au moment où Bercy continue de désarmer méthodiquement la France, on constate le démantèlement des puissances militaires en Europe est bien avancé !
Nos gouvernants, nos politiciens et nos syndicalistes n'ont aucune conscience de l'importance de notre Souveraineté Nationale.
_________________ « Je voudrais que les Français renouent avec cette idée simple selon laquelle ce n’est pas seulement un territoire qu’il leur faut défendre (…) mais aussi une façon d’être, une langue, une civilisation. Bref, l’ensemble d’un patrimoine dont nous sommes les héritiers. Et s’ils venaient à oublier ou à refuser cette idée, alors je craindrais beaucoup pour l’avenir de mon pays », plaidait François Léotard, peu suspect de sympathie avec des idées extrêmes.
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First Royal Air Force A400M makes its maiden flight
1/9/2014
The first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter ordered by the Royal Air Force has made its maiden flight, marking a key milestone towards its delivery. The aircraft, known as MSN15, took off from Seville, Spain, at 14:25 local time (GMT+1) on 30 August and landed back on site 5 hours and 5 minutes later.
Edward “Ed” Strongman, Chief Test Pilot Military, who captained the flight, said after landing: “It was very satisfying to conduct this first flight of the first A400M for the Royal Air force. I have no doubt that its combination of true tactical capability with strategic range will be an enormous contributor to future air mobility in the RAF.”
The aircraft is the first of 22 ordered by the UK and will be available for delivery by end September. In RAF service it will be known as the A400M Atlas.
Le contrat des trois nouveaux OPV britanniques signé
BAE Systems s’est vu notifier en août le contrat portant sur la réalisation de trois nouveaux patrouilleurs hauturiers (OPV) destinés à la Royal Navy. Ce programme, d’une valeur de 438 millions d’euros, avait été annoncé en novembre dernier. Son objectif est de soutenir l’activité des chantiers britanniques, notamment les sites de la région de Glasgow, qui auraient été confrontés sans ces bateaux à une longue période de disette. Or, le gouvernement s’est engagé en 2009, au moment de la signature d’un accord visant à profiter de la construction des nouveaux porte-avions de la classe Queen Elizabeth pour consolider l’industrie navale dans le pays, à dédommager financièrement BAE Systems (qui a absorbé à cette occasion VT Group) en cas de creux de charge. En attendant le lancement du programme des 13 nouvelles frégates du type 26, prévu après 2015, l’industriel et le ministère de la Défense se sont donc entendus pour que trois OPV soient commandés.
En contrepartie, BAE Systems a initié un vaste plan de restructuration de se sa branche navale au Royaume-Uni. Celui-ci va donc se traduire la suppression de 1775 postes d’ici 2016, dont 940 à Portsmouth, qui va cesser son activité de construction après la livraison cet été de son dernier projet, un bloc de 6000 tonnes destiné au futur porte-avions HMS Prince of Wales. Quelques 835 postes vont également disparaître dans d'autres sites (Glasgow, Filton et Rosyth), alors que les chantiers de la Clyde ont été désignés comme ceux où se concentrerait, à l'avenir, la construction navale militaire.
La construction des trois nouveaux patrouilleurs, qui doit permettre à BAE Systems de maintenir de l’activité dans ses chantiers mais aussi de préserver les savoir-faire nécessaires à la production des T26, va bénéficier aux installations situées dans la région de Glasgow. BAE Systems y compte deux sites au bord de la Clyde : Govan et Scotsound. Ces derniers débuteront la réalisation de la tête de série en octobre, avec comme objectif de livrer ce bâtiment à la Royal Navy en 2017.
Les futurs OPV ont été présentés en novembre dernier comme une version agrandie et améliorée des unités de la classe River (79.7 mètres, 1800 tonnes en charge). En fait, les nouveaux patrouilleurs britanniques reprendront le design des OPV Amazonas, Apa et Araguari, livrés en 2012 et 2013 au Brésil (ils avaient été initialement commandés par Trinidad et Tobago) et du même type que le Krabi, construit sous licence par la Thaïlande et mis en service en 2012.
Longues de 90.5 mètres pour une largeur de 13.5 mètres, ces unités affichent un déplacement de 2450 tonnes en charge. Capables d’atteindre la vitesse de 24 nœuds et de franchir 5500 milles à 12 nœuds, les bâtiments sont armés par un équipage de 40 (Thaïlande) à 80 marins (Brésil) et peuvent accueillir une quarantaine de passagers. La Royal Navy a opté pour ce design en demandant quelques modifications, notamment l’ajout d’une plateforme capable d’accueillir un hélicoptère du type AW101 Merlin et des espaces de stockage supplémentaires. On ne connait pas encore la nature de l’armement, mais celui-ci sera probablement constitué, à l’instar des OPV brésiliens, d’un canon de 30mm et de deux affûts de 25 mm (la plateforme est également conçue pour accueillir une tourelle de 76mm à l’avant).
Pouvant être déployés outre-mer, les futurs patrouilleurs de la Royal Navy seront essentiellement chargés de la surveillance et de la protection des eaux britanniques, mais aussi, plus largement, de la lutte contre le terrorisme, les trafics illicites et la piraterie dans les zones d’intérêt du pays. Ils remplaceront les trois premiers bâtiments de la classe River, les HMS Tyne, HMS Severn et HMS Mersey, mis en service en 2003 et 2004. La succession de la quatrième unité de ce type, le HMS Clyde, qui a été réalisé plus tard (2007) et avec différentes améliorations, dont une plateforme hélicoptère, n'est pas encore fixée.
M&M
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
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British troops are set to benefit from a new armoured fighting vehicle that will be effective in even the most difficult terrains around the world.
The contract, worth £3.5 billion and placed by the Ministry of Defence, will deliver 589 new vehicles, known as Scout specialist vehicles, that will be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the British Army on the battlefields of the future. The contract will also secure 1,300 jobs across the UK.
Designed by General Dynamics UK, based in Oakdale, south Wales, the new vehicle will give the army enhanced intelligence, surveillance, protection, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, and it will be able to defend itself with a highly effective 40-millimetre cannon.
Technologically advanced and versatile
As the army’s first fully digitised armoured fighting vehicle, the Scout will be effective in even the most difficult terrains.
Speaking on the eve of the NATO Summit, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “Today’s multi-billion-pound contract is fantastic news for our soldiers in providing them with the most technologically advanced and versatile armoured fighting vehicles to overcome future threats.
“This is the biggest single order placed by MOD for armoured vehicles for around 30 years and is an important part of the investment we are making to keep Britain safe.
“It is also excellent news for the supply chain of this state-of-the-art vehicle and will sustain 1,300 engineering jobs across the UK in key defence industries.”
Replacing the army’s existing force of combat vehicle reconnaissance (tracked) vehicles, which have given exemplary service for the past 40 years all over the world, the Scout specialist vehicle will be built in six variants to provide nine different roles: •reconnaissance; including ground-based surveillance and joint fire control specialist capabilities •equipment and support repair; repairing and towing damaged vehicles •equipment and support recovery; recovering damaged vehicles •command and control; providing a mobile battlefield headquarters •protected mobility reconnaissance support, including formation reconnaissance overwatch and engineer reconnaissance; delivering and supporting specialist troops across the battlefield •engineer reconnaissance; carrying specialist engineering equipment and personnel
First squadron equipped by mid-2019
The Chief of the General Staff and head of the British Army, General Sir Peter Wall, said: “The Scout family is a transformational programme that will refresh our armoured capability and ensure the army remains a first-tier manoeuvre force.
“It provides advanced intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities and will be the ‘eyes and ears’ of commanders on the battlefields of the future.
“With digital links to all of our other systems it will be able to fulfil a wide range of combat roles.”
Deliveries of Scout specialist vehicles are planned to start in 2017. The training establishment and first squadron will be equipped by mid-2019 to allow conversion to begin with a brigade ready to deploy from the end of 2020.
http://www.army.mod.uk/news/26536.aspx
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Royal Navy will get second aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales after Nato leaders agree to boost military spending
HMS Prince of Wales is being built but was set to be sold off to save cash But the Prime Minister today announced it will be brought into service The announcement came as leaders pledged to stop cutting defence budgets Carrier was to be mothballed or sold to save money as part of defence cuts
The Royal Navy’s second new aircraft carrier is to be brought into service instead of being sold off.
The unexpected announcement about the 65,000-ton HMS Prince Of Wales was made at the Nato summit in Wales.
The Queen launched the first of the two new vessels, HMS Queen Elizabeth, in July, amid concerns over whether Britain could afford the £6.2billion cost for both carriers.
But the Prime Minister told a press conference at the summit’s conclusion that yesterday’s decision will ensure there is always one carrier available.
‘They are an investment in British security, British prosperity and our place in the world, transforming our ability to project power globally whether independently or with our allies,’ he said.
But the Government still faces criticism because the carriers will not sail with combat jets until at least 2020.
Meanwhile, at the summit the Nato members also pledged to reverse the trend of declining defence budgets. All 28 countries agreed to meet the target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence.
The summit ended with an announcement by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko that a ceasefire agreement had been reached with Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country.
But Mr Cameron said that sanctions against Russia agreed by the European Union last weekend and due to be detailed later today will go ahead, with the possibility of them being withdrawn if the ceasefire holds.
The summit in Newport saw Nato agree to establish a new high-readiness ‘spearhead’ force able to deploy thousands of troops in a matter of days.
The alliance is also preparing to ‘pre-position’ supplies of fuel and ammunition in bases in eastern Europe, in moves designed to counter the threat of Russian aggression and provide reassurance to Nato members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Mr Cameron confirmed that the UK will provide a battle group and a brigade headquarters for the new spearhead force, as well as 3,500 personnel to take part in exercises in eastern Europe between now and the end of 2015 as part of a Nato effort to ensure a persistent presence in the region. Helicopters and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter will be able to operate off the giant aircraft carriers
He said: ‘We will continue our efforts to support Ukraine, including by providing financial assistance to improve their command, control and communication capabilities.
‘Nato members across Europe - particularly in Central and Eastern Europe - have been reassured that this is an Alliance that will meet its treaty obligations to come to the defence of any member under threat.
‘No-one will leave here with any doubt that our collective security is as strong as it has ever been. The Alliance is firmly committed to providing ongoing reassurance to our eastern allies.’
DailyMail
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jf16 General de Division
messages : 41845 Inscrit le : 20/10/2010 Localisation : france Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Quand un garde de Buckingham Palace fait le zouave
Posté dans Europe par Laurent Lagneau Le 07-09-2014
Dans un épisode de Mr Bean, l’acteur Rowan Atkinson multiplie les pitreries autour d’un Grenadier Guard. Ces militaires sont affecté sen temps normal à la garde de Buckingham Palace.
Vêtus d’une tunique rouge et coiffés d’un bonnet en poil d’ours, leur flegme est légendaire. Il leur est strictement interdit de se reposer, de s’asseoir (encore moins de se coucher) pendant leur tour de garde, qui dure 2 heures. Et s’ils ont des fourmis dans les jambes, ils sont autorisés à faire une quinzaine de pas toutes les 10 minutes. En clair, ces gardes royaux doivent rester impassibles et statiques. D’où les facéties de Mr Bean qui auraient fait perdre leur sang-froid à plus d’un
Mais l’un d’eux a attiré l’attention le 20 août dernier, alors qu’il était de service pendant que la reine était en vacances à Balmoral, en Ecosse. En effet, il s’est affranchi du règlement en faisant le « zouave », c’est à dire en esquissant des pas originaux pour un garde. Et le tout devant des touristes visiblement ravis (l’un d’eux a filmé la scène).
Si la scène est amusante (et Dieu sait si l’on a besoin, en ce moment, d’un peu de légèreté), elle n’a pas été du goût de ses supérieurs. Le ministère britannique de la Défense (MoD) a annoncé l’ouverture d’une enquête. « Tous ceux qui ne respectent pas les hautes exigences de l’armée doivent s’attendre en retour à des mesures qui s’imposent », a commenté un porte-parole de Buckingham.
LONDON, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- The largest hull sections of Britain's second of two new aircraft carriers have been docked in Scotland, marking the beginning of the ship's assembly.
The two hull sections -- one weighing about 6,700 tons and one weighing at nearly 9,000 tons -- were built by BAE Systems at company facilities in Portsmouth, England, and Glasgow, Scotland and are now in dry dock at Rosyth.
"Every milestone in the carrier program is hugely significant and the recent announcement that HMS PRINCE OF WALES will enter service means there is a real sense of excitement as we start to bring the second ship together," said Ian Booth, managing director at the Aircraft Carrier Alliance. "Everyone working across the Alliance is incredibly proud of the work undertaken so far, in what is currently one of the biggest engineering projects in the country, and we remain focused on delivering both ships to the highest standards."
HMS Prince of Wales is the second Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, which will carry F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters. It will be 920 feet long, have a range of 10,000 nautical miles and a speed of more than 29 knots.
The first carrier of the class is currently being outfitted with systems and is expected to begin sea trials in 2016.
The Aircraft Carrier Alliance responsible for the shipbuilding project is a partnership between BAE Systems, Thales UK, Babcock and the Ministry of Defense.
Le choix d'une propulsion fosile ou nuc dépends de pas mal de parametres .Avec un baril qui va surement monter dans les annees a venir au vu de la rarefaction de ce dernier l'energie nuc devient plus rentable mais la charge en entretien du nuc sur un batiment militaire est enorme aussi. L'avantage du nuc est de moindre ravitaillement en mer.
jf16 General de Division
messages : 41845 Inscrit le : 20/10/2010 Localisation : france Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
As dawn broke on Albania’s Kepi I Pallit peninsula, Royal Marine Commandos and their Albanian counterparts launched a full-scale amphibious assault as part of an annual exercise.
After landing on the beaches at 3am, the men from 40 Commando Royal Marines worked with their colleagues to clear those acting as the enemy, who had adopted guerrilla-style tactics to ensure a tough, realistic fight.
Yet by using their Viking vehicles for protection, and with the Allies working in partnership to provide a plethora of firepower, 40 Commando’s Delta and Alpha Companies soon gained the upper hand.
PHOTOS:
augusta General de Division
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MoD tells General Dynamics to consider Scout vehicle assembling in UK 16 September 2014
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked General Dynamics (GD) to reassess the cost of assembling the new Scout specialist vehicle (SV) platforms within the UK rather than in Spain.
Earlier this month, GD UK received a £3.5bn contract to manufacture and deliver up to 589 vehicles in six variants, along with initial in-service support and training, to the UK Army.
Under the contract terms, the production of the initial batch will take place at the GD European Land Systems plant at Santa Barbara Sistemas in Spain, Defense News reported.
Full-rate production of the remaining vehicles is scheduled to move to the UK's state-owned Defence Support Group (DSG).
However, the full-rate production will have the hull fabricated and painted in Spain, with the remaining process to be completed at DSG.
UK defence equipment, support and technology minister Phillip Dunne told Defense News: "The first 100 vehicles are being assembled in Spain.
"We have an option to assemble the rest in the UK and we have asked General Dynamics to scrub the numbers and look at that.
The original pricing differential meant it was best value for UK taxpayers (for the vehicles to be built in Spain) but we have asked what they can do to scrub that."
DSG would not necessarily undertake Scout vehicle assembly even if the work is moved to the UK, Dunne added.
Royal United Services Institute professorial fellow Trevor Taylor said: "This is an expensive programme, some of the variants cost more than a main battle tank, so you can imagine that any further cost increase as a result of moving assembly to the UK would put the MoD under some stress."
GD UK refused to comment on the government request.
Designed to replace the UK Army's existing combat reconnaissance (tracked) vehicle fleet, the Scout SV is expected to offer enhanced intelligence, surveillance, protection, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as an effective 40mm cannon, for future missions.
Deliveries are scheduled to commence with the Protected Mobility Recce Support version in 2017 and run through to 2025. The first brigade would be ready to be deployed from 2020.
Though the contract includes options for additional purchases, the numbers are not expected to increase unless there is a change in army requirements, according to Dunne.
Mar 18 Déc 2012 - 15:24
Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
