Navy News from Around the World II

[Tango III]

Finland's Patria to Sell FNS Kotka and FNS Oulu to Croatia

The Finnish government on Thursday cleared the sale of FNS Kotka and FNS Oulu to state-controlled arms group Patria and granted an export licence on the Helsinki-class missile boats.

The Finnish Navy, which took delivery of the boats in the mid-1980s, decommissioned the vessels last year and has been trying to sell them since.

Patria said the Croatian Navy had shown interest, adding the boats along with spare parts and services were on the market for eight million euros apiece, double what it would pay the Finnish Navy.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi...&modele=jdc_34


Related news:

Finnish gunboats for control of the Adriatic and NATO missions

Last week, the Defence Ministry signed a deal to purchase two used Finnish rocket gunboats that will be presented to the public on 18 September

Nacional has learned from sources close to the negotiating team that last week, Croatia’s Defence Ministry held a meeting with a Finnish negotiating team in Zagreb, to wrap up the technical details in the purchase of two used Finnish rocket gunboats for the Croatian Navy. Both ships are in the Helsinki class and just over twenty years old. These are the rocket gunboats FNS Kotka 63 and FNS Oulu 62 written off by the Finnish navy some time ago, despite their good condition, due to a need for new vessels.

The signing of the contract worth EUR 8 million for both ships is expected in just under a month, following Finnish Navy Commander, Vice-Admiral Hans Holmström’s official visit to Croatia in early May. The two ships will be presented to the Croatian public on 18 September 2008, the Croatian Navy Day, while in the meantime, Croatian officers and non-commissioned officers will receive a short training programme on the ships during the summer months. The acquisition of the Finnish ships has not only strengthened the Croatian military fleet, but the Croatian Navy can now declare its new capacities within its vying for NATO membership.

Both Finnish warships are capable of engaging in anti-submarine combat. Each is equipped with two submarine seeking sonar devices and each has the capacity to release deep-sea bombs to destroy submarines. This means that with its capacity to engage in anti-submarine combat, Croatia is sure to receive the opportunity to participate in NATO’s maritime operations in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. Such an active engagement by Croatian military vessels in NATO operations could replace the participation of several units of Croatian infantry troops in NATO land-based operations, which is not negligible given the higher risk of casualties for Croatian troops in land-based operations.

With regards to the current technical state of vessels in the Croatian Navy, it must be said that due to their obsoleteness and lack of finances for overhaul, the vessels spend more time at dock than at sail. The most significant problem the Navy faces today is that its three rocket gunboats are tied to the overhaul of the RBS-15 anti-ship rocket which has not been carried out, the overhaul of the German MTU engine on the Croatian gunboat RTOP-21 Šibenik or the Russian engines on the rocket gunboats RTOP-11 and RTOP-12. Furthermore, the navy is lacking is proper anti-air defence. Though both Finnish rocket gunboats are a little over twenty years old, they are in very good condition. This was confirmed for Nacional by a high-ranking officer of the Croatian Navy who recently attended a test run of one of the ships. The six German MTU engines on board, with three on each ship, are in such condition that both ships can sail for several years before requiring any overhaul.

Included the EUR 8m price is an entire series of spare parts, including two spare used MTU engines that have been overhauled and conserved, and auxiliary engines for starting the gunboats. It could also be noted that the two spare MTU engines could immediately be put to use in place of the old engines of the same type on Croatia’s oldest navy gunboat, the RTOP-21 Šibenik, that was launched in 1977. This would put the Šibenik back in order and, with the arrival of the two Finnish gunboats, would strengthen the navy’s ability to sail and training intensity, something that has not been overly active in recent years due to the poor condition of Croatian military vessels.

If one were to compare the total price of the two Finnish gunboats of EUR 8m, including spare parts, with the price of the luxurious yachts recently purchased by Croatian businessmen and athletes, ringing in at more than EUR 10m, then there should be no doubt that this purchase was the best deal for the Croatian Navy in the transition period until new vessels are acquired. The rocket gunboats are fast assault ships, with the possibility of rocket attack against another vessel to distances of up to several dozen kilometres, but cannot play the role of the outer-coastal patrol ships that Croatian needs. However, members of the Croatian navy will now have the opportunity to sail regularly and train together with members of the NATO maritime forces.

Since Croatia will not even receive the prototype of the Croatian outer-coastal patrol ship, this deal is a welcome one. The Poles made a similar deal, buying written-off military ships from the US. Not only was the price tag on those ships reasonable, but the entire construction, design and technology of the ships is well known to members of the Croatian Navy, which makes their handling and sailing much easier, especially in the case of defensive systems such as the anti-air gun Boforc 57 mm with fire management control, the RBS-15 rocket, the two 23 mm double-barrel guns and the like. The length, width, speed and number of crew members on the Finnish rocket gunboats are identical to those of the Croatian rocket gunboat RTOP-21 Šibenik, while Croatia’s two other gunboats are somewhat longer than the Finnish ships. This means that the Croatian Navy offices will not require a long training period to operate the ships.

The Finnish Navy is equivalent in size to that of Croatia. Nacional has learned off the record that the main objective of the upcoming visit by the Finnish Vice-Admiral in early May is to work out details on closer cooperation between the two navies, particularly since Finnish waters are under ice for up to half the year, leaving its members without training opportunities year round. The compatibility and similarity of the Croatian and Finnish vessels will certainly allow for Finnish Navy members to train in Croatia, if necessary.

The purchase of the rocket gunboats was more than necessary, following the complete marginalization of the Croatian Navy, which virtually has no ships capable of sailing in open seas. This is the result of several circumstances, but primarily the fact that for the past decade, no Defence Ministry officials have had any consideration or understanding for the significance of the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean in the security of the European continent, and for Croatia’s future positioning as a maritime country. The main premise all these years has been that upon receiving NATO membership, there would not be any threats from the sea, and so such investments in high military technology were unnecessary. Little thought was given to Croatia’s crucial role in patrolling the Adriatic.

The Adriatic Sea and its control are of strategic importance of the EU, as this is the nearest maritime route from the Far East to Europe. Controlling all the events in the Adriatic Sea is still in the hands of the US and its navy, and it is no secret that the French want European maritime forces to have a greater influence on the Mediterranean. Issues of illegal immigrants, human trafficking, arms smuggling and terrorism are increasingly present on maritime routes and much more serious thought should be given to the Croatian maritime forces than has been the case to date.

-------------------------------------------------------

The RTOP 11 Petar Krešimir IV rocket gunboat has been in poor condition for some time, as one of the M-503 Russian engines is not in working order, and the remaining two are in overhaul due to their number of working hours. Since Croatia’s independence, this ship has never been in function with all three working engines for any length of time. The Swedish-made electronic ship-ship rocket guidance system RBS 15-SAM has been out of order for a long time, and the ship is therefore incompetent for combat.

The RTOP-21 with German MTU engines and Rolls-Royce gas turbine has not been in full combat use since 1991 due to the malfunctioning of those turbines. With the acquisition of the used rocket gunboats, this will partially bridge the problem under the arrival of new military corvettes for the Croatian navy, not expected until 2011.


http://www.nacional.hr/en/articles/view/44993/

[Argo]

There are some misinformations in that text. RTOP-21 Sibenik is in working order... It passed just by my house a couple of days ago and I doubt it was just a short ride, because my house is some 220 kms from Lora in Split, as the crow flies . Engines have been overhauled, new (domestically built)communication system installed, 2 upgraded and overhauled RBS-15 were on board. The same is due for 2 Kralj(king) class gunboats, plus the new MTU engines.

Still, cheers to the Finns for their 2 Helsinkis!

[Gollevainen]

Have a nice service in the warmth of Adriatic Nice to see some finnish combatants to serve in other navies as well..
Anyway, could the Croatian friction post pictures of them as soon as they raise the Croatian ensing, so that I can make up a shipbucket layout of them?

[Tango III]

Dutch commit to Walrus upgrade


The combat management system (CMS) and prime sensors in the Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) four Walrus-class submarines are to be replaced in a service-life extension programme (SLEP) from 2011. Pilkington (now Thales) CK 24 search periscopes - a model introduced in 1958 - will make way for optronic masts and the 2,800-ton vessels' ventilation and air monitoring equipment will also be renewed


http://jni.janes.com/public/jni/index.shtml

[Tango III]

Finland renews its defensive shield and peers overseas

Around 81,000 islands - defined as outcrops of land covering 100 m_ or more - litter Finland's Baltic coastline, the product of glacial erosion during the last ice age followed by post-glacial isostatic rebound. The 50,000 granite outcrops of the republic's southwestern archipelago create a particularly daunting labyrinth for the unwary mariner.

This extraordinary littoral environment poses obvious hazards to navigation and can produce an extremely cluttered radar picture too, but there is tactical advantage to be gained from the region's complex geography. "We can hide in there," says Lieutenant Senior Grade Mikko Lehto, indicating the maze of small islands separated by narrow channels off Turku, one of Finland's busiest sea ports.

"It's harder to find this vessel and harder for an aeroplane to attack us," adds LtSG Lehto, commanding officer of the Hamina-class fast attack craft (FAC), FNS Tornio. "There are always several choices [as to] where we can hide. We only require 3 m [depth] of water." As well as concealment, the islands provide shelter "so we can operate even in bad weather".

The procurement of the four Hamina-class missile platforms, under the Squadron 2000 programme, is one of a trio of major investments by the Finnish Navy as it endeavours to strengthen its sea-going homeland defence capabilities. A mid-life upgrade (MLU) for the two H?meenmaa-class minelayers was completed in 2007 and both ships are undergoing sea acceptance tests ahead of a return to operational service in 2010. Finally, construction of two minehunters has commenced under the MCMV (Mine Countermeasures Vessel) 2010 banner. Three of these 680-ton vessels are intended to be in service by the end of 2014.

Of the three programmes, the introduction of the Aker Finnyards-built Haminas is the most advanced. The last of the 270-ton aluminium-hulled vessels was commissioned in 2006 and all four are based in Upinniemi, home of the Gulf of Finland Naval Command. The squadron is due to become fully operational by the end of 2008.

First-of-class FNS Hamina was commissioned in August 1998 as a prototype vessel with a legacy weapons and combat data system fit that included 40 mm and 23 mm guns and an electro-optronic director. Trials resulted in the improvements seen first in ship two, Tornio, which includes Umkhonto vertical launch surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), RBS 15SF surface-to-surface missiles and a Bofors 57 mm gun, integrated with the Advanced Naval Combat System (ANCS) SQ 2000.

Tornio was commissioned in May 2003, with FNS Hanko following in June 2005. Hamina was retrofitted to operational specifications in the same year and FNS Pori, the final unit, was commissioned in June 2006.

Although their primary roles are patrolling, air and surface surveillance and protection of sea lines of communication in Finnish littoral waters, LtSG Lehto says that the Haminas have a "limited" capability to operate further afield. Maximum design speed is 32 kt and endurance is around 500 n miles at 30 kt. "The most important thing is the size of the vessels," he notes. "They are heavily equipped but small, very flexible, very fast, very light. We are not paying for tons of steel; we are paying for firepower."

http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jd...0625_1_n.shtml

[Tango III]

US. Navy Christens 5th Virginia Class SSN New Hampshire (SSN 778)

The Navy christened its newest Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine "New Hampshire" June 21, at General Dynamics Electric Boat at Groton, Conn.
This christening marks the fourth time the U.S. Navy named a ship after the Granite State. The service awarded the name to the submarine after third-graders from Garrison Elementary School in Dover, N.H., wrote letters to Congress members, the governor and the Secretary of the Navy.
Adm. Kirkland Donald, Naval Nuclear Propulsion director, gave the principal remarks and spoke about the New Hampshire's way ahead.
"There still is a lot of hard work to be done," said Donald. "New Hampshire is entering the fleet during a time of conflict. The missions of this new submarine are vital to victory in this war on terrorism."
Ship sponsor Cheryl McGuinness, a resident of Portsmouth, N.H., christened the boat by breaking a bottle of sparkling champagne over the submarine at the Groton shipyard. Her husband, Tom, died on Sept. 11, 2001. He co-piloted American Airlines Flight 11, an aircraft flowen into the north tower of the World Trade Center that day.
"I'm looking at many heroes," said McGuinness as she spoke to the more than 130 New Hampshire crew members standing before her. "You are all my heroes."
McGuinness added after the ceremony that the New Hampshire symbolizes a new journey of protecting freedom. She says she plans to do all she can to support the New Hampshire and it's crew.
New Hampshire is scheduled to be commissioned in October at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
As the Navy's next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia class will provide the U.S. Navy with the capabilities it requires to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. New Hampshire will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and Special Warfare enhancements that will enable it to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

http://www.marinelink.com/Story/Navy...re-212168.html

[Unicorn]

TOOWOOMBA TO SAIL FOR DUTIES

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Anzac class frigate HMAS Toowoomba will depart her homeport of HMAS Stirling on Sunday, for a four month long deployment. The tour will take Toowoomba and her crew from Australia to Asia and back again, with a number of exercises and port visits in between.

The first stop for Toowoomba is Darwin, which she will use as a base for Exercise Kakadu 08 and Singaroo. The multi-national maritime Exercise Kakadu 08 will be held in waters off northern Australia. Kakadu provides valuable training for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). It is vital in ensuring services can effectively and efficiently work with other regional forces.

“It is always great operating and interacting with other Navies. Singaroo and Kakadu is also an excellent opportunity to showcase northern Australia,” said Commanding Officer Toowoomba Commander Charles Huxtable, RAN.

The second exercise in Toowoomba schedule is Singaroo, a bilateral maritime exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) from 4 to 8 August. Singaroo aims to improve the interoperability of the RAN and the RSN in all aspects of Naval Warfare in order to contribute to effective maritime combined or coalition operations.

“The opportunity to conduct two maritime exercises back to back is a great chance for Toowoomba and her crew to demonstrate that we are professional and capable,” said Commander Huxtable.

Following the two maritime exercises Toowoomba will commence Operation Resolute on 11 August. Resolute will involve domestic maritime security activities in waters off Northern Australia as part of the ADF's contribution to Australian whole-of-government efforts to safeguard Australia’s interests through the conduct of surveillance, response and enforcement activities coordinated by Border Protection Command.

Upon completing Resolute on the 28 September and before coming home, Toowoomba will conduct a Southeast Asian deployment. With port visits to Pusan and Singapore, the deployment will give Toowoomba’s crew the opportunity for rest and relaxation after a long few months. Toowoomba will arrive home at Stirling on 30 October.

ENDS

Unicorn

[Tango III]

Pakistan eyes US frigate as Congress debates transfer bill

Pakistan will acquire an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate if US legislators approve a bill allowing retired US Navy (USN) vessels to be transferred to overseas recipients. Greece, Chile and Peru are also set to receive ex-USN ships under the Naval Vessels Transfer Act 2008, which is currently going through Congress

http://jni.janes.com/public/jni/index.shtml

[Bali]

:Edited:

[Tango III]

Cracks in India's missile shield

The government is known to boast about India's might, but on closer observation one will notice that it is all a veil of deception. India's biggest warships are using defunct missile systems and are not at all ready for battle.

TIMES NOW has gained access to a defence ministry report that reveals that at least four missile systems are malfuctioning.

The warships, which are the pride of the Indian Navy, used to guard thousands of kilometers of India's coastline could find themselves sitting ducks in a battle situation. A Defecne ministry report shows A Defence Ministry report shows that missiles on these ships are not in working condition, putting our coastline in clear and present danger.

India's warships are equipped with various anti ship missiles ranging from the Uran, Klub and others.

The Uran , which is an anti-ship missile is deployed on some of India's biggest warships like the INS Mysore. The missile in question may have a range of about hundred kilometres, but it cannot be relied upon. Its fire control system is faulty.

The Klub, another anti ship missile with a range of 220 km is fitted on the INS Talwar and the INS Trishul. But this missile too does not perform to its specifications.

The anti aircraft missile Shtil used on the Talwar Class frigates has proved unreliable and inconsistent. In fact former Naval chief. Admiral Madhvendra Singh had refused to take delivery of the Shtil.

Even the Harrier aircraft on the INS Viraat have a lot to complain about. The Sea Eagle missile used by the Harriers do not work well. What makes things worse is the fact that the plant that produced these missiles has been shut down.

The fact that India's battleships are not battle worthy due to their lack of defences is worrysome and leaves a big crack in India's naval defence. That Indian navy is woefully short of firepower and this fact has been brought to the notice of Defence Minister A K Antony and top officers of the armed forces.

When quizzed about the Indian Navy's woeful situation, Defence Minister AK Antony said, "See whenever we import certain things from outside, naturally out of these large imports some portion is sometimes defective. That is why I have repeatedly said don't depend always on foreign suppliers."

Indian Navy is in dire need of an upgrade and the problem is urgent. China has already boosted its presence in the Indian Ocean and the Pakistani threat cannot be ingnored. But with its key missile not fighting fit, kinks are showing up in India's naval armour.

Naval sources confirm TIMES NOW's report on faulty missiles

Sources have revealed that the Uran missile system has been facing problems, which are yet to be rectified. TIMES NOW has now got reactions from a Naval spokesperson on the issue. According to the spokesperson, the reports on the defunct missiles are indeed true and the necessary steps are being taken to rectify the issue.

Here are the spokespersons reactions when questioned about the issue.

On the Uran:
"There have been some amount of problems with the Uran. We want them to be rectified and they are being rectified."

On the KLUB Missile System being defective:
"There were problems with some versions of the klub but all klubs are not problematic."


On the Sea Eagle missile system:

"The sea eagle fired from the harrier has had problems. We are phasing out the missile"

On the Sh-thil missile system:
"While every problem is worrisome, the shtil is not a bad missile"

http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=10616

[Bali]

Wow some one woke up a little late after all the problems have been fixed

[Tango III]

America became a new LHA-6.

Navy Names New Amphibious Assault Ship

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- The Navy's newest class of large-deck amphibious assault ship, LHA 6, will bear the name USS America, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced June 27, while speaking at the USS America Carrier Veterans Association reunion in Jacksonville, Fla.

This ship will inherit a proud tradition, explained Winter. From the American Revolution through the first Gulf War, three warships have sailed with the name America.

"To serve in a ship named after our country adds to the pride one feels in being part of the Navy and adds to the feeling that when America pulls into port, there is no more powerful symbol of the power, the ideals, and the greatness of the United States of America," said Winter.

LHA 6 will be the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name America. The first America, a 74-gun ship-of-the-line, was first built for use by the Continental Navy. However, before having a chance to serve the fledgling U.S. Navy, the ship was presented as a gift to the king of France to show appreciation for his country's service to the new nation.

The second USS America (ID-3006) was used to transport troops during World War I. The third ship to bear the name was a Kitty-Hawk class aircraft carrier (CV 66) in commission 1965-1996. Among other notable accomplishments, the carrier America made three deployments to Vietnam and launched air strikes on Iraq during the opening days of Operation Desert Storm.

The newest America will provide presence and power projection as an integral part of joint and multinational maritime expeditionary forces. The ship will support Marine Corps aviation requirements across a wide spectrum of operations, from small-scale contingency operations as the centerpiece of a forward-deployed expeditionary strike group, to forcible entry missions in a major theater war.

LHA 6 replaces the aging Tarawa-class and represents a conscious decision to increase the aviation capacity of future big deck amphibious ships in order to maximize the Navy's investment in future aircraft.

LHA 6 will have an extended hangar deck with two higher hangar bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance. LHA 6 will also provide increased aviation fuel capacity, stowage for aviation parts and support equipment. LHA 6 will be able to embark and launch the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, cargo and attack helicopters, the AV-8B Harrier and the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant F-35B Lightning II Strike Fighter.

Winter explained the importance of the new America-class amphibious assault ship and the tremendous capability she will bring to the fleet.

"USS America is a wise investment in our nation's security," Winter said, "It will be a ship worthy of her illustrious namesake, and it will continue America's long tradition of peace through strength."

Winter also announced that the sponsor of the ship will be Lynne Pace, wife of former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace.

America is currently under contract at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2012.

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38154

[Unicorn]

Originally Posted by Tango III

America became a new LHA-6.

Navy Names New Amphibious Assault Ship

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- The Navy's newest class of large-deck amphibious assault ship, LHA 6, will bear the name USS America, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced June 27, while speaking at the USS America Carrier Veterans Association reunion in Jacksonville, Fla.

Thats sad, a major come down to have the national namesake carried by an amphibious ship.

You would have thought that America and United States would have been 'no brainers' as my American colleagues would put it, for allocation to aircraft carriers.

Instead we will have to settle for the USS George W Bush and the William J Clinton?

What next? The USS Barrack Obama?

Unicorn

[Tango III]

Here is a pics Belgian Navy christen Karel Doorman Class Frigates

Karel Doorman (F827) became-Leopold I (F930)

Willem Van Der Zaan (F829) became-Louise-Marie (F931)

http://kr.blog.yahoo.com/shinecommerce/19137

[Stonewall]

Originally Posted by Tango III

Pakistan eyes US frigate as Congress debates transfer bill

Pakistan will acquire an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate if US legislators approve a bill allowing retired US Navy (USN) vessels to be transferred to overseas recipients. Greece, Chile and Peru are also set to receive ex-USN ships under the Naval Vessels Transfer Act 2008, which is currently going through Congress

http://jni.janes.com/public/jni/index.shtml

from Brazilian's

NOTICIARIONAVAL


S 3052 IS

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3052

To provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign
recipients.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 22, 2008


BILL

To provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign
recipients.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Naval Vessel Transfer Act of
2008'.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF NAVAL VESSELS TO CERTAIN FOREIGN RECIPIENTS.

(a) Transfers by Grant- The President is authorized to transfer
vessels to foreign recipients on a grant basis under section 516 of
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j), as follows:

(1) PAKISTAN- To the Government of Pakistan, the OLIVER
HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigate MCINERNEY (FFG-8).

(2) GREECE- To the Government of Greece, the OSPREY class
minehunter coastal ships OSPREY (MHC-51) and ROBIN (MHC-54).

(3) CHILE- To the Government of Chile, the KAISER class
oiler ANDREW J. HIGGINS (AO-190).

(4) PERU- To the Government of Peru, the NEWPORT class
amphibious tank landing ships FRESNO (LST-1182) and RACINE (LST-1191).

(b) Grants Not Counted in Annual Total of Transferred Excess
Defense Articles- The value of a vessel transferred to a recipient on
a grant basis pursuant to authority provided by subsection (a) shall
not be counted against the aggregate value of excess defense articles
transferred in any fiscal year under section 516 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j).

(c) Costs of Transfers- Any expense incurred by the United
States in connection with a transfer authorized by this section shall
be charged to the recipient (notwithstanding section 516(e) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j(e))).

(d) Repair and Refurbishment in United States Shipyards- To the
maximum extent practicable, the President shall require, as a
condition of the transfer of a vessel under this section, that the
recipient to which the vessel is transferred have such repair or
refurbishment of the vessel as is needed, before the vessel joins the
naval forces of the recipient, performed at a shipyard located in the
United States, including a United States Navy shipyard.

(e) Expiration of Authority- The authority to transfer a vessel
under this section shall expire at the end of the 2-year period
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.

[Tango III]

Bulgaria agrees to buy two corvettes from France, halving order

PARIS July 4 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has provisionally agreed with France to buy two Gowind corvettes, halving an earlier commitment for four vessels that was hit by funding problems, an aide to French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday. Bulgaria and France set up a working group in October to try to reach a final deal by end-2007 for four of the advanced stealth vessels that would have been worth 950 million euros ($1.49 billion). There were reports soon afterwards that Bulgaria had decided on a cheaper solution due to budget difficulties. The French aide said on Friday that Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev had confirmed a provisional order for two vessels, one of which would be built in Bulgaria at the Black Sea port of Varna. Detailed talks will start on Monday in Sofia, Stanishev told reporters after meeting Sarkozy in Paris to sign a strategic partnership agreement between the two European Union states. The Gowind class of light, manoeuvrable corvettes is designed for anti-surface warfare and maritime security and built by French state shipyard DCNS, which is 25-percent owned by defence electronics firm Thales .

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssI...26458720080704



(

[Stonewall]

HMAS Waller’s Capability Upgrades Set for Operational Trials


(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued July 8, 2008)



The Royal Australian Navy is set to benefit from HMAS Waller being the first Collins-class submarine to be fitted with the new Replacement Combat System and Heavyweight Torpedo, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, said today.

The Replacement Combat System and Heavyweight Torpedo capabilities were provided under Projects SEA1439 Phase 4 and SEA1429, and with Initial Operational Release (IOR) now approved, HMAS Waller may commence a period of Naval Operational Test and Evaluation where those capabilities will be fully tested in an operational environment.

“These significant capability upgrades were recently approved for IOR by the Royal Australian Navy and assessed as safe and suitable for operational trials,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

The Minister recently visited HMAS Waller in Hawaii, where its Operational Test and Evaluation activities have included participation in the Rim of the Pacific 2008 (RIMPAC 08) exercise. This exercise is currently being conducted off Hawaii and includes the participation of the United States and eight other Pacific Rim forces.

HMAS Waller represents an important milestone in realising the full capability of the Collins Class submarine and reflects the significant efforts of the prime contractor ASC, the Defence Materiel Organisation, Capability Development Group, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and the Navy including HMAS Waller’s crew.

“The outcome also represents successful engagement with the US Navy and Australian industry and establishes an ongoing framework for the continued development of these capabilities,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“The two projects represent an investment by the Australian Government of approximately $890m and to have both of these complex projects progressing well is a noteworthy achievement,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Installation of these capabilities in further submarines is ongoing and is linked to their docking availabilities.

-ends-

[Stonewall]

New Portuguese Sub sees daylight

NRP Tridente(S-167) , to be comissioned in 2010

HDW TKMS Synchrolift 2008/07/07
New Class Type U-209PN (in reality they are 214) to be delivered to portugese navy in 2009/2010 + sister NRP ARPAO (S168)
improved side view

http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/...php?lid=679502

[Stonewall]

2008-07-15
Launching of the first Class 209PN Submarine for the Portuguese Navy in Kiel

Hamburg/Kiel, 15.07.2008 On 15th July 2008, the first of two Class 209PN submarines for the Portuguese Navy was launched at Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft – a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems – in Kiel. The submarine was named N.R.P. TRIDENTE by Dr. Alda Taborda, wife of the President of the Portuguese Parliament Dr. Jaima Gama.

The new submarine has a combined diesel-electric and fuel cell propulsion system. Equipped with ultra-modern sensors and an integrated Command and Weapon Control System, it is optimally suited to its future reconnaissance and surveillance tasks.
The contract for the two submarines was signed in 2004 between the Portuguese State and the German Submarine Consortium (GSC).
General Data:
Length overall approx. 68 m
Height approx. 13 m
Displacement approx. 1,850 t
Complement 32

http://www.hdw.de/index_en.php?level...howPressDetail

[Tango III]

The Navy announced the next two Virginia-class attack submarines

The Navy announced today that the next two Virginia-class attack submarines will be named the USS Minnesota and the USS North Dakota.

The selection of Minnesota, designated SSN 783, honors the state’s citizens and their continued support to our nation’s military. Minnesota has a long tradition of honoring its veterans of wars past and present. The state is proud to be home to 46 Medal of Honor recipients that span from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.

This will be the third ship to bear the state name. The first USS Minnesota, a sailing steam frigate, was commissioned in 1857 and served during the Civil War, remaining in service until her decommissioning in 1898. The second Minnesota was commissioned in 1907. On December 16, 1907 she departed Hampton Roads as one of the 16 battleships of the Great White Fleet sent by President Theodore Roosevelt on a voyage around the world. She continued her service through World War I, and was decommissioned in 1921.

The selection of the North Dakota, designated SSN 784, honors the state’s citizens and veterans and their strong military support and heritage from the Frontier Wars through the Cold War and currently the Global War on Terrorism. Seventeen North Dakotans have received the Medal of Honor for actions in combat,including Master Sgt. Woodrow W. Keeble who posthumously received the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony on March 3, 2008. This is the second ship to bear the name North Dakota. The first ship, the Delaware-class battleship USS North Dakota , was in service from 1910 through 1923.

These next-generation attack submarines will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. They will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable them to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

North Dakota and Minnesota will have the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare; special forces delivery and support; and mine delivery and minefield mapping.

The Virginia-class is 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship – reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/...eleaseid=12067

[Tango III]

DDG 1000 Destroyer Program Facing Major Cuts

Indications are growing that the U.S. Navy is poised to forgo further construction of the advanced but very expensive DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers and end the program at two ships.

Those first two destroyers were authorized in the 2007 budget, and shipbuilders General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman will begin construction of each ship this summer. A third ship is in the 2009 budget request, and current plans call for a total of seven Zumwalts.

But the price tag for the ships is staggering: $3.3 billion per copy according to Navy planners, over $5 billion and more by outside estimates. Even at the lower price, they would be the most expensive surface combatants ever built. With the Navy's shipbuilding program considered unaffordable by budget analysts at the Congressional Budget Office and Government Accountability Office (GAO), eliminating five ships could save as much as $25 billion.

On the record, Navy officials are mum about their plans. Service support for the DDG 1000 program has been lukewarm at best, and while publicly supporting the ships, Navy leaders behind the scenes have worked halt further production.

The move still awaits blessing from on high, sources said, including approval from Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the White House.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead "holds his cards real close," said one Congressional source. "But read the body language. He knows he's in trouble with the DDG 1000s. That ship is going to cost anywhere from $1.5 billion to $3 billion more than advertised. And when that happens there's no slush fund. The only billpayer is Navy shipbuilding."

The Navy, said the congressional source, needs to protect other programs such as submarine and littoral combat ships from being cut to pay for potential DDG 1000 cost overruns.

Instead of the big destroyer, the Navy also hopes to protect the CG(X) cruiser, a bigger combatant designed to protect aircraft carrier battle groups and provide ballistic missile defense.

Roughead, the Congressional source said, "has his eyes on the cruiser. He's trying to make sure that ship is a national asset," the source said.

But the cruiser won't be ready to build anytime soon. Navy plans officially call for the first ship to be funded in 2011, but no design has been chosen and leaders admit the CG(X) will be delayed - at least to 2015, some say, and maybe beyond.

In the meantime, the Navy and its shipbuilding partners need more ships to build, and Congress - particularly House Seapower subcommittee chairman Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., who's district includes the sprawling Northrop Grumman Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula - has urged construction of more DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers.

The Navy in past years steadfastly argued against more DDG 51s, but service leaders seemingly have had a change of heart. In March, then-Navy acquisition chief John Thackrah confirmed the service was analyzing the construction of more DDG 51s, and Roughead - in private - seems to have embraced the idea as well.

Northrop's Ingalls yard and the General Dynamics shipyard at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, currently build DDG 51s, the last of which is to be completed in 2013.

A Navy official would not confirm the moves to curtail DDG 1000 production at two ships, but noted the need to protect other shipbuilding programs.

"We need traction and stability in our combatant lines to reach 313 ships, and we should not raid the combatant line to fund other shipbuilding priorities," Lt. Clayton Doss, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said July 14.

Doss noted the program of record remains in place for DDG 1000, and Congress has yet to pass a new defense bill.

"Until the 2009 National Defense Act is signed by the president it is inappropriate to comment," Doss said.

Work on the new Program Objective Memorandum for 2010 - a key budget-planning document - is ongoing, Doss said. "Service inputs are to be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of Defense later this month. While it would be inappropriate to discuss internal budget discussions, it is fair to say that, as one would expect, the Navy is discussing all options to develop the surface ship force for the future that will meet all identified requirements."

Congress already is split on whether to authorize the third DDG 1000, requested in the 2009 budget. Senate authorizers have approved the request, while the House wants to delay the ship. The issue now awaits resolution in conference.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, whose district includes Bath Iron Works, is perhaps the DDG 1000's strongest supporter on Capitol Hill. Aware of faltering Navy support for the ship, she and Sen. John Warner, R-Va., sent a letter July 10 to Navy Secretary Donald Winter urging him to continue support "without restriction," for the ships.

Collins has been trying to beat back the House move to delay the Zumwalts.

"The decision by the House Armed Services Committee to slash funding for the DDG 1000 has triggered a review within the Department of Defense on the future of the new destroyer," she said July 14 in a statement released by her office. "During the past several weeks, I have had extensive discussions with CNO Roughead, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, and Defense Assistant Secretary John Young about the future of the program, which Navy officials have repeatedly testified provides much-needed capabilities."

But Collins also seems to be accepting that additional DDG 1000s won't be built.

"If the Navy is considering changing its shipbuilding requirements, I would expect the CNO to work with me and other members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to ensure a stable, well-funded shipbuilding plan that meets the need for expanded capabilities and keeps our skilled shipbuilding workforce strong."

A scheduled July 10 meeting between England, Winter, Roughead and Young to discuss DDG 1000 was postponed when Young was called to testify before Congress on an Air Force tanker program. Sources on Capitol Hill and the Pentagon said the meeting was to be a discussion of staying "on message," and not getting ahead of official decisions. The meeting has been rescheduled for later this month.

The DDG 1000 issue will get a further airing when Taylor holds a Seapower subcommittee hearing on July 31, and the GAO is at work on another critical review of the program.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...71&c=AME&s=SEA

[J33Nelson]

Why are Portugal's submarines named Type-209 Class when they are really Type-214 Class submarines??

[Get_It]

Originally Posted by J33Nelson

Why are Portugal's submarines named Type-209 Class when they are really Type-214 Class submarines??

Originally HDW's proposal consisted of the U-209-1400 and U-209-1500 with AIP. Later, as the Portuguese Navy introduced changes to the technical demands, HDW presented the U-209PN as their new proposal. Now, we can only assume that they kept the same class name to avoid legal problems or as a bidding tactic.

EDIT: Well, time for assumptions is over, it seems; according to a Portuguese sailor, HDW couldn't change the name nor type on their already existing proposal.

Best regards,

[Tango III]

Israel May Buy Littoral Combat Ships: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said July 16 it has notified Congress of a possible sale of four littoral combat ships (LCS) to Israel valued at up to $1.9 billion.

The LCS is a new generation of fast, maneuverable surface warship designed for coastal waters.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Israel "has requested a possible sale of up to four Littoral Combat Ships (LCS-1 variant)," which is built by Lockheed Martin.

"The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $1.9 billion," the agency said.

It said the proposed sale would not affect the basic military balance in the region.


http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...17&c=MID&s=SEA

[Stonewall]

Non-Subscriber Extract
Portuguese Type 209PN is quick off the mark with harbour trials
By Michael Nitz
17 July 2008



The first of two Type 209PN submarines for the Portuguese Navy was named and launched at ThysssenKrupp Marine Systems' Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft shipyard (HDW) in Kiel, Germany, on 15 July.


Tridente began harbour trials immediately following the ceremony and the 68 m-long boat is due to commence sea trials early in 2009, with delivery to the customer by the end of that year.


A procurement contract for Tridente and sistership Arpao - worth around EUR800 million (USD958 million), including offset agreements - was signed by the Portuguese government and the German Submarine Consortium (consisting of HDW, Nordseewerke and trading house MAN Ferrostaal) in April 2004.


Construction of Arpao is running to schedule, according to HDW, and is expected to start sea trials in early 2010, with delivery later that year. The two units will form the 5th Submarine Squadron based in Lisbon.


The boats will replace three ageing Albacora-class submarines built for Portugal in the 1960s, only one of which - NRP Barracuda - remains in service. It is due to decommission in December 2009, leaving the country temporarily without an underwater capability.


182 of 483 words
© 2008 Jane's Information Group

http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jn...0717_1_n.shtml

[orko_8]

Turkey today selected Type 214 submarines in the new AIP submarine project covering 6 boats, costing 2.5 billion Euro's; 80% of the project will be met from local industry & off-sets.

[Tango III]

DDG 1000 Program Will End At Two Ships

The once-vaunted Zumwalt-class DDG 1000 advanced destroyer program - projected in the late 1990s to produce 32 new ships and subsequently downscaled to a seven-ship class - will instead turn out only two ships, according to highly-placed sources in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill.

Instead of more 1000s, the Navy will continue to build more Arleigh Burke-class DDG 51 destroyers, construction of which had been slated to end in 2012.

Top U.S. Navy and Pentagon brass met July 22 to make the decision, which means the service will ask Congress to drop the request for the third ship in the 2009 defense budget and forego plans to ask for the remaining four ships.

Each of the two ships now under contract will be built, according to the new decision. That means the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine will build the Zumwalt, DDG 1000, and Northrop Grumman's Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, Miss., will construct the yet-to-be-named DDG 1001.

According to sources, the Navy also considered canceling the second DDG 1000 and building just one, but potentially high cancellation costs led to the decision to keep the ship.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...37&c=AME&s=SEA

[orko_8]

According to sources, the Navy also considered canceling the second DDG 1000 and building just one, but potentially high cancellation costs led to the decision to keep the ship.

A tiny emirate in the middle of a Gulf ordering strategic airlifters, the largest and most modern navy of a superpower considering pounding billions of dollars into just ONE destroyer...

What's next? Austria ordering CVF????

[sealordlawrence]

Originally Posted by orko_8

A tiny emirate in the middle of a Gulf ordering strategic airlifters, the largest and most modern navy of a superpower considering pounding billions of dollars into just ONE destroyer...

What's next? Austria ordering CVF????

I have a theory, my suspicion is that the USN/DoD is planning on using DDG1000 to absorb the development costs for all its fancy new toys. Then when the requirement for the next gen DDG appears it will look suspiciously like DDG1000 just everything will be 'off the shelf'.

[Tango III]

Run Silent, Run Cheap


July 22, 2008: For over a decade, the U.S. Navy has had an internal feud going on over the issue of just how effective non-nuclear submarines would be in wartime. In an attempt to settle the matter, from 2005 to 2007, the United States leased a Swedish sub (Sweden only has five subs in service), and it's crew, to help train American anti-submarine forces. This Swedish boat was a "worst case" scenario, an approach that is preferred for training. The Gotland class Swedish subs involved are small (1,500 tons, 200 feet long) and have a small crew of 25. The Gotland was based in San Diego, along with three dozen civilian technicians to help with maintenance.

For decades, the U.S. Navy has trained against Australian diesel-electric subs, and often came out second. The Gotland has one advantage over the Australian boats, because of its AIP system (which allows it to stay under water, silently, for several weeks at a time). Thus the Gotland is something of a worst case in terms of what American surface ships and submarines might have to face in a future naval war. None of America's most likely naval opponents (China, North Korea or Iran), have AIP boats, but they do have plenty of diesel-electric subs which, in the hands of skilled crews, can be pretty deadly.

It's only a matter of time before China gets lots of AIP boats. Meanwhile, China is rapidly acquiring advanced submarine building capabilities. One new Chinese diesel electric sub design, the Type 39A, or Yuan class, looks just like the Russian Kilo class. In the late 1990s, the Chinese began ordering Russian Kilo class subs, then one of the latest diesel-electric design available. Russia was selling new Kilos for about $200 million each, which is about half the price other Western nations sell similar boats for. The Kilos weigh 2,300 tons (surface displacement), have six torpedo tubes and a crew of 57. They are quiet, and can travel about 700 kilometers under water at a quiet speed of about five kilometers an hour. Kilos carry 18 torpedoes or SS-N-27 anti-ship missiles (with a range of 300 kilometers and launched underwater from the torpedo tubes.) The combination of quietness and cruise missiles makes Kilo very dangerous to American carriers. North Korea and Iran have also bought Kilos.

The Chinese have already built two Yuans, the second one an improvement on the first. These two boats have been at sea to try out the technology that was pilfered from the Russians. A third Yuan is under construction, and it also appears to be a bit different from the first two. The first Yuan appeared to be a copy of the early model Kilo (the model 877), while the second Yuan (referred to as a Type 39B) appeared to copy the late Kilos (model 636). The third Yuan may end up being a further evolution, or Type 39C.

The Type 39, or Song class, also had the teardrop shaped hull, but was based on the predecessor of the Kilo, the Romeo class. The Type 39A was thought to be just an improved Song, but on closer examination, especially by the Russians, it looked like a clone of the Kilos. The Yaun class also have AIP (Air Independent Propulsion), which allows non-nuclear boats to stay underwater for days at a time. China currently has Song class, 12 Kilo class, one Yuan class and 32 Romeo class boats.

Based on the experience with Australian and Swedish subs, the U.S. Navy has been developing new anti-submarine tactics and equipment. In secret, obviously. But now there is another complication. Animal rights groups have succeeded in getting courts to rule that the navy use of their anti-submarine training center near San Diego is illegal, and use of sonar must be limited (because of possible harm to marine animals). The navy keeps fighting the lawsuits, but it now faced with the prospect of abandoning the training site, for one somewhere the lawsuits can't reach. The training site is expensive because it is wired, with under water sensors that enable training or test results to be precisely recorded, and changes made to equipment or tactics. The center also enables sonar operators to get realistic training. There is no opportunity to get trained on the job, as mistakes can get your ship quickly sunk.

Meanwhile, potential enemies build more of their cheaper, and higher quality, diesel-electric boats, and train their crews by having them stalk actual warships (including U.S. ones.) The subs are getting more numerous, while U.S. defenses are limping along because of the sheer technical problems of finding quiet diesel-electric boats in coastal waters, and the inability to train and test enough because of lawsuits.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/hts.../20080722.aspx