Small team’s delivering for RAF’s large aircraft

With less than 200 personnel, it is small for a Royal Air Force Deployed Operating Base, but the RAF detachment at Trapani, on the Italian island of Sicily, is playing a key role in the UK’s contribution to Operation Ellamy.

It provides most of the same facilities as its larger cousins and hosts the VC10 refuelling aircraft and the E-3D Sentry AWACS aircraft that are both vital capabilities for NATO’s Operation Unified Protector.

Wing Commander Rob Sutton is the man in charge, having just arrived from the UK. His first impression echoes that of many visitors to Trapani:
“I am intensely impressed. For such a small detachment, people’s morale is excellent and they are working hard to support two key assets.”

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Harbour trials of Admiral Gorshkov by August in Russia

Set for induction into the Indian Navy next year, harbour trials of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov are expected to begin by August end in Russia.

These trials are aimed at testing the functioning of all the systems of the warship, senior Navy sources told PTI in Delhi.

The harbour trials will be followed up by sea trials which are expected to start by November where the major systems of the warship including its weapon firing capabilities would be put to test, they said.

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U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman Successfully Test Systems Required to Operate X-47B Unmanned System From an Aircraft Carrier

The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) have successfully completed a demonstration of the ship-based software and systems that will allow the X-47B unmanned air vehicle to operate from the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The test, conducted July 2 in the western Atlantic with the Navy carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69), culminated with several successful launches and recoveries of a manned surrogate aircraft equipped with X-47B precision navigation control software.

"This manned surrogate test event is a significant and critical step toward landing the X-47B on the carrier deck in 2013," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, U.S. Navy, program manager, Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS). "It represents the first end-to-end test of the hardware and software systems that will eventually allow unmanned systems to integrate safely and successfully with all aspects of carrier operations."

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Ministers deny plans to scale back warship fleet

Devonport Naval Base, the base for seven Type 23 frigates, is also home to an amphibious fleet of three warships.
Ministers have scotched rumours of the break-up of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and further cutbacks to warships after being challenged at Westminster.

It follows claims by a well-respected military journal as the Ministry of Defence consider more cuts during a three-month review of spending.

Reports in Jane's Defence Weekly, which would have major implications for the city, said the Royal Navy's surface fleet could be scaled back to just 12 frigates and destroyers from a 19-strong flotilla at present.

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$1Bln in Deals at Maritime Show

Industry and Trade Minister Viktor Khristenko estimated the total value of contracts signed during the Fifth International Maritime Defense Show (IMDS) held in St. Petersburg last week at more than $1 billion.

The IMDS ran from Wednesday through Sunday at Lenexpo.

In total, 409 expositions were presented, mainly by Russian manufacturers and developers, as well as 71 foreign companies from 29 different countries. Russia was represented at the event by large-scale manufacturing companies such as Obyedinennaya Sudostroitelnaya Korporatsiya (United Shipbuilding Corporation; OSK), Rosoboronexport and Rostekhnologii.

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DGA orders third Barracuda

Defence procurement agency DGA has placed an order with DCNS for the third Barracuda-type nuclear-powered attack submarine for the French Navy.

This order comes under the framework programme contract awarded to DCNS in December 2006 calling for the delivery of six next-generation SSNs between 2017 and 2028.

Barracuda-type SSNs will replace the six Rubis-class boats currently in service. The Barracuda weapons payload will include next-generation type F21 heavyweight torpedoes, SM39 anti-ship missiles and MdCN-type naval cruise missiles.

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Passive Sonar Processing Systems to Dutch Submarines

Kongsberg has signed a contract for supply of new Passive Sonar Processing Systems (PSPS) as part of the Sonar Suite Modification Project for the four Walrus class submarines of the Dutch Navy.

The contract was made between the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and KONGSBERG, represented by the Naval Systems & Surveillance division.

The Passive Sonar Processing System (PSPS) is integrating hydrophone data from all the passive sonars aboard into one processing system.

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SELEX Galileo contracted to supply further Grifo radars to Brazillian Air Force

Selex Galileo, a Finmeccanica Company, and Israel’s Aeroeletronica International Ltd, an Elbit Systems Ltd company, have signed a contract for the supply of 11 further Grifo F/BR radars to upgrade Brazilian F-5 planes.

The Grifo has been in service with the Força Aérea Brasiliera during the last 10 years, delivering unrivalled situational awareness and strike capability to its pilots.

The signing of the contract further strengthens the excellent reputation of the Grifo radar which, in all variants, has achieved sales in excess of 450 units, satisfying the most demanding end users such as the Air Forces of Singapore, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Pakistan and South Korea.

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Maiden voyage of China’s first aircraft carrier delayed a month

China’s first operational aircraft carrier, the ex-Soviet Varyag, will only be ready for its maiden voyage next month, instead of the beginning of last week as planned.

The Hong Kong Commercial Daily said the carrier’s maiden voyage has been put off for a month due to mechanical problems.

"As this is our first aircraft carrier, it's not abnormal that the vessel encounters certain problems. That's why we have never formally announced any timetable for its trial navigation," an unidentified Chinese military official told the paper. He added that the problems the vessel were not serious and will not affect future operations.

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Russian frigate project for Navy likely to be delayed

Already hit by the massive delay in the Gorshkov aircraft carrier delivery, the Indian Navy may be in for another blow.

A top Russian official has said that the first of the new Talwar class frigates, ordered under a $1.1 billion contract in 2006 and set to be delivered by the end of this year, has been delayed.

While Russia has not formally conveyed any delay in the project for construction of three Talwar class frigates to India, concerns have risen after a senior official from the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport publicly stated that a new deadline will have to be drawn. India ordered three of the frigates in 2006, with the first ship to be delivered in 2011.

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New Russian warship unveiled

The corvette Soobrazitelny was shown to the public for the first time at the Fifth International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS-2011) in St. Petersburg.

More than 70 industrial and research companies contributed to the development and construction of the vessel ordered by the Russian Navy.

The corvette carries an impressive array of armaments: an Uran anti-ship missile system, an AK-630M surface-to-air artillery unit, an A-190 automatic artillery system plus multiple torpedo tubes.

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Third frigate joins mothball fleet

Russia to supply Vietnam six submarines in 2014

Russia will supply six submarines to Vietnam in 2014, Oleg Azizov, representative of Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport, has said during a maritime defense show that wrapped up in Saint-Petersburg on July 2.

Vietnam has signed a contract to purchase six Kilo 636-MV class diesel-electric submarines, Azivov was quoted as saying by the VNA newswire. He did not provide more details.

At the Asian-Pacific Security Forum held in Singapore last month, Vietnmese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh had said that Vietnam and Russia have negotiated the delivery of six Kilo-class submarines for the purpose of defense that will only operate in Vietnamese waters.

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BrahMos air variant to be tested before 2012 end: Pillai

India will test the air variant of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile before the end of 2012, a top official of BrahMos Aerospace said today.

"We are going to test the missile from air so that it can be inducted into the Indian Air Force. The testing will be done before the end of 2012," Brahmos Aerospace Chief Executive Officer A Sivathanu Pillai told reporters here.

BrahMos has already been inducted into the Army and the Navy after succesful tests.

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Iran's IRGC to test supersonic missiles at sea: commander

The upgraded missiles will soon be used in the naval phase of the IRGC's ongoing Great Prophet 6 missile drills.
The Aerospace Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iran plans to test-fire new "supersonic surface-to- sea missiles" as part of its war games in the Persian Gulf in the coming days, the English language satellite Press TV reported on Monday.

Hajizadeh said that the new missiles have been designed to target ships and forces at sea, said the report.

"Last year, we achieved (the technology of) new anti-ship missiles that can hit targets with multiple speed of sound," he was quoted as saying.

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A new tender for the Indian Navy

Russia will participate in a new tender on the delivery of six diesel-electric submarines for the Indian Navy, the state-run exporter Rosoboronexport said.

Russia dropped out of the first Indian submarine tender in 2009.

"There is a new tender, with the new requirements, and together with [Russia's] Rubin design bureau we are making a proposal to India for Amur 650 class submarines," Azizov told reporters at IMDS-2011 naval show in St. Petersburg on June 1.

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Taiwan in stealth technology breakthrough: Report

Taiwan has developed a radar-absorbent material in a breakthrough in the island's development of stealth technology, local media reported on Monday.

Tests showed that a navy 50-tonne Seagull-class missile boat painted with the material was not spotted on a radar screen until it could be seen with the naked eye, the United Daily News said. It is the first time Taiwan has developed such material.

The navy declined to comment on the report. It was not immediately clear if the material would be used in the navy's fleet of 10 locally manufactured 171-tonne missile boats, whose design is already intended to reduce radar detection.

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Europe asks Korea to join Eurofighter program

A multination consortium in Europe has invited Korea to join its high-end jet production project in an apparent attempt to win what would be Korea’s biggest arms-procurement deal.

The move came following Seoul’s announcement that it would purchase 60 advanced fighter aircraft in line with its push to shift the country’s military posture from passive defense to proactive deterrence with a projected budget of up to 10 trillion won ($8.96 billion).

“We welcome the Korean industry to participate as EADS’s full member,” Erwin Obermeier, a senior advisor of export projects at EADS, said at the International Conference for Air and Space Power held downtown Seoul last week.

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Arms deal: Sweden turns up heat

The temperature climbed a few degrees in the arms deal kitchen this week as the Swedish prosecutorial authority directed a seemingly low-key missive to South African counterparts inquiring whether investigations into the defence procurement scandal had been reopened.

The letter, under the signature of Gunnar Stetler, the director of the Swedish National Anti-Corruption Unit, notes that details have come to light of what he describes as an alleged “bribery scheme towards South Africa”, and asks whether in response to the new information, the South African judicial authorities have seen fit to open preliminary investigations.

Speaking to the Tribune on Friday, Stetler said this week’s letter was the first step towards securing co-operation from South African investigators in his inquiries.

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Taiwan deal has wings clipped

The United States is expected to announce soon that it will help Taiwan to upgrade its current F16 fighter aircraft rather than selling it more advanced versions.

Upgrading F16A/B combat planes rather than providing the more advanced F16C/Ds Taiwan wants will generate less heat from Beijing, which opposes any arms sales.

"This will be a compromise deal," said Lin Yu-fang, convener of parliament's defense committee. He has visited Washington twice in the past two years on arms deals.

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No US intention yet to replace P-3C Orions

The United States has so far not hinted at the provision of P3C Orion surveillance aircraft to Pakistan as replacement of the two of three such aircraft destroyed in a terrorist attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi on May 22, it was learnt here on Sunday.

“Two of three P3C Orion aircraft provided to Pakistan by the United States were destroyed in the terrorist attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi on May 22.

However, the United States has so far not conveyed it to Pakistan officially that the replacement of the destroyed planes will be provided,” revealed a source in the Pakistani military on condition of anonymity.

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Indonesia and the South China Sea dispute

In a Foreign Affairs article last year, Robert Kaplan wrote that notwithstanding its continental being, China would eventually expand seaward as a consequence of growing overseas commercial interests and soaring demands for energy imports. It is too early to tell whether China’s seaward turn will create instability in the maritime domain. But one must comprehend the fact that the shift is inevitable.

The recent incidents and tension in the South China Sea (SCS) are but only symptoms of China’s growing maritime assertiveness. The US Energy Information Administration reports that Chinese sources estimated the area to hold as high as 213 billion barrels of oil and 2 quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves. Not to mention its significance for fisheries and international navigation. Given these factors, the tension stemming from the dispute seems natural. It is, however, everyone’s responsibility to prevent the situation from spinning out of control.

True, thus far, China has managed to avoid conflict with its neighbors. It still adheres to the 2002 Declaration of Conduct (DOC) on the South China Sea, deploys mostly paramilitary forces to patrol its coastal waters and economic exclusive zone (EEZ) and has scaled down its rhetoric concerning the threat or use of force.

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Iran: UN sanctions can't slow missile advancements

Iranian defense minister’s comments come amid ten days of war games; Iran recently unveiled underground silos that can carry missiles capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf.

Iran's defense minister says the country's missile development shows that UN sanctions are ineffective and won't hinder defense programs.

Gen. Ahmad Vahidi says Iran's missile program is "indigenous" and has no reliance on foreign countries.

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India all set to test new short-range tactical missile

‘Prahaar' (to strike), a totally new quick-reaction, short-range tactical missile, which will fill the gap for such a battlefield weapon system in India's missile arsenal, is all set to be flight-tested on July 17.

This was stated here on Saturday by Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Director General, Defence Research and Development Organisation, V.K. Saraswat after inaugurating a new facility of Analogic Controls India Ltd. (ACIL) that manufactures electronic systems for mission critical defence and space applications.

Talking to journalists, Dr. Saraswat said the 150 km-range missile would replace unguided rockets and “is going to be an excellent weapon.” It would bridge the gap between Pinaka, a 40-km range multi-barrel rocket system, and the 350-km Prithvi-II, which had been converted into a strategic missile. Unguided rockets of 90-km range had also been imported from Russia.

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Commander Underlines Iran's Naval Power to Safeguard World Interests

A senior Iranian Navy commander said as the country's interests are growing with the expansion of its ties with the other world countries the Navy is ready to safeguard Iran's interests whenever and wherever needed.

Speaking to FNA on Sunday, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Biqam pointed to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei's emphasis on the strategic importance of the Navy, and said this emphasis "signifies the Navy's capabilities as our naval forces will be present to safeguard the Islamic Republic of Iran's interests wherever needed".

Referring to Iran's naval presence and deployment of submarines in high-seas, Biqam said, "The Navy is constantly present in surface, sub-surface and even in the air since the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to have certain interests in the sea."

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