International Naval News & Discussion

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 02 Aug 2010 18:41

Pyotr Veliky – flagship of the Northern Fleet

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 04 Aug 2010 12:55

Australia funds Thales sonar development

"The FOTA is just one example of these breakthroughs. It is much smaller, lighter and more versatile than previous towed arrays and therefore opens up new possibilities for both vessel design and naval operations."

The Fiber Optic Towed Array involves an electro-optic acoustic sensor that produces laser signals through a thin fiber optic cable.

"The same technology has also been used in the development of rapidly deployable sea-bed surveillance arrays for harbor or ship protection," the company said.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 05 Aug 2010 11:49

US Navy's next-generation destroyer

Vince · Post by **Vince** » 06 Aug 2010 19:55

New Chinese Aircraft-carrier Killer Missile

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 08 Aug 2010 12:47

http://www.helium.com/items/1915068-chi ... percarrier

Excerpt:

US stunned: New Chinese missile capable of sinking every US supercarrier
Terrence Aym

A new 'smart missile' threatens to tip the balance of power towards China, US military analysts say.

The latest generation of the Dong Feng 21D (DF-21D) [Photo] is a supercarrier killer according to experts on China's armaments. The missile can be launched from land and strike an aircraft carrier 900 miles away.

China has 11,200 miles of coastline. That fact coupled with the range and accuracy of the new missile could spell doom for any US or allied carrier fleet.

Patrick Cronin, a senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program that is part of the Washington, DC Center for a New American Security organization admits the DF 21D is designed to kill carriers—specifically US Naval carriers. “The Navy has long had to fear carrier—killing capabilities. The emerging Chinese anti-ship missile capability, and in particular the DF 21D, represents the first post—Cold War capability that is both potentially capable of stopping our naval power projection and deliberately designed for that purpose.”

The new Chinese military's 96166 Unit will be outfitted with DF 21C medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM) and possibly the DF-21D ASBM as well.

For more than a decade Pentagon strategists, analysts and war-gamers have worried about a new super missile that could pierce America's invincible carrier fleet. The carriers maintain the dominant American influence in the East Asian waters and counterbalance the threat of the globally emerging China.

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 08 Aug 2010 14:03

If China uses a nuke on US carriers , won't it be receiving nukes on its cities

Pratik_S · Post by **Pratik_S** » 08 Aug 2010 18:47

Austin wrote:Pyotr Veliky – flagship of the Northern Fleet

Interestingly there is no political outcry for allowing a "Nuclear powered" vessel to be docked in India, there was lot of it when the USN sent their Nuke carrier for exercise a few years back.

jaladipc · Post by **jaladipc** » 08 Aug 2010 19:16

smpratik wrote:
Austin wrote:Pyotr Veliky – flagship of the Northern Fleet
Interestingly there is no political outcry for allowing a "Nuclear powered" vessel to be docked in India, there was lot of it when the USN sent their Nuke carrier for exercise a few years back.

for Yindoos,US of A is a devil which is indirectly sponsoring terrorism in India through pakistan.US can break a deal with Talibans ignoring all the mess they were in now and can leave the region,but it will be us,who will be in deep ship.This leaves a bottom line saying: US will use and throw any nation as long as its very own objectives are achieved.
Hence yindoos are cautious with US,but unfortunately the babus are not

OTOH,USSR acted like a godfather during the 71 which casted a resident evil kind off affection on these yindoos minds.They dont mind sleeping with a russian beauty...hence no outcry

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 18 Aug 2010 15:40

Doubts persist for the reason for the Cheonan sinking.Russia and China still refute the "NoKo torpedo" allegations by SoKo and the US.here are some excerpts from the various experts on the subject in Time mag..

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... topstories

South Korean Probe Unlikely to Settle Dispute over Warship Sinking
By Mark Thompson / Washington Wednesday.

"To me, this challenges the integrity of science," Seung-Hun Lee, a physicist at the University of Virginia tells TIME. "They say they reached these conclusions that have enormous consequences on the political and international stage. As a scientist and scholar, I felt it was my duty to check their conclusion." Lee says bluntly that the government's conclusions are "absurd."

The residues that the governments say were caused by the blast "have nothing to do with the explosion, but are just aluminum hydroxide that can be naturally formed by corrosion when aluminum is exposed to water for a long time," Lee says. He adds that he doesn't know why Seoul and Washington would invent such a scenario to explain the sinking. "That's a political thing that's beyond me," he says.

J.J. Suh, a professor and director of Korea Studies at the Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, also doesn't believe the government's story. A 500-lb. torpedo would have generated at least 5,000 lb. per sq. in. of pressure on the Cheonan's hull. "The bottom of the ship does not betray any sign of being exposed to that kind of shock wave," he says. "The rest of the ship doesn't either ... even a florescent light bulb in the exposed cut area survived the explosion intact." Lee and Suh have sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council seeking a new investigation into the sinking because of their belief that the official probe is "riddled with inconsistencies."
(See TIME's photo essay "The Iconography of Kim Jong Il.")

But Eccles is sticking to the investigation's key finding that a North Korean torpedo sank the Cheonan. He was dispatched to South Korea following the sinking to devote his considerable technical expertise — he has a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — to help figure out what happened. "I can tell you conclusively that an explosion that correlates to a 250-kg maritime weapon at a placement that's ideal for breaking this ship occurred in the same place and I think at the same time as not only objective recorded information ashore, but where and when a piece of torpedo — which is a perfect correlation of a North Korean weapon of the exact same size — was found," Eccles told reporters recently.

Seismic, acoustic, physical and visual evidence all indicated that a 500-lb. torpedo broke and sank the Cheonan when it detonated between 6 and 9 m deep and 3 m off the port side, Eccles said. The experts reached that conclusion on Apr. 30, and their belief was bolstered 15 days later when pieces they believe came from the torpedo were pulled from the Yellow Sea near where the Cheonan sank. These were compared with drawings of a North Korean torpedo obtained by an unnamed intelligence source. "I can tell you that down to the size of rivets, every small and large dimension I could measure was the same as the drawing," Eccles said. "The pieces and parts were all the same — this was a perfect match."

Both sides have been arguing over the corrosion found on pieces of the purported torpedo, the meaning of handwriting on one of those pieces, the presence or lack of a water column common to torpedo blasts and whether or not the Cheonan could have run aground and broken apart. Each side sums up its opponent in pretty much the same way. "They're amateurs, and I don't think they're experts" on the type of scientific analysis performed by himself and others, Lee says. Eccles, when asked about the possibility that the Cheonan ran aground — as Lee believes might have happened — said, "The amateurs who think it has something to do with grounding are just that — amateurs."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... z4xCaRK5Zl

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... z4xCaklUJf

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 21 Aug 2010 21:01

BDRM at North Pole

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Aug 2010 22:05

good hardy Russian song. nothing like a cup of tea and a couple ICBMs in the morning!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Aug 2010 22:47

First of the three Kilo 06363 for Baltic Sea Fleet laid link

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 28 Aug 2010 11:49

The Russian navy is back to Cold War patrols trying to snoop and obtain acoustic signatures of the RN's Trident subs using specially fitted Akulas.Report.

Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War
Russian submarines are hunting down British Vanguard boats in a return to Cold War tactics not seen for 25 years, Navy chiefs have warned.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... d-War.html

Excerpt:

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
27 Aug 2010
A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.

British submariners have also reported that they are experiencing the highest number of "contacts" with Russian submarines since 1987.

If the Russians are able to obtain a recording of the unique noise of the boat's propellers it would have serious implications for Britain's nuclear deterrent. Using its sophisticated sonar, the Akula would be able to track Vanguards and potentially sink them before they could launch their Trident D4 missiles.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that, within the past six months, a Russian Akula entered the North Atlantic and attempted to track a Vanguard. The incident has remained secret until now.

It is understood that the Russians stood off Faslane, where the British nuclear force is based, and waited for a Trident-carrying boat to come out for its three-month patrol to provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.

While patrolling in the North Atlantic, there are a limited number of places the Vanguard is permitted to go and it is thought that the Akula attempted to track it on several occasions.

Navy commanders are understood to have ordered a Trafalgar-class hunter-killer submarine to protect the Vanguard. A recording of the Akula was made by the Trafalgar submarine's sonar operators and has been played to The Daily Telegraph.

"The Russians have been playing games with us, the Americans and French in the North Atlantic," a senior Navy commander said.

"We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 28 Aug 2010 12:15

Philip wrote:"The Russians have been playing games with us, the Americans and French in the North Atlantic," a senior Navy commander said.

I really like the gentlemanly game these submariners play down there is North Atlantic

vishnu.nv · Post by **vishnu.nv** » 28 Aug 2010 14:16

This could be British Navy propaganda also to escape from the Huge Defence cut they are facing. The ASW Patrol aircrafts are also included in the Defence cut.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Aug 2010 18:13

the aster15 seens to come off the rails pretty fast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TahVQ4bij-A

compare to the essm chasing a banshee drone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1qZANTRNkc

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 28 Aug 2010 20:38

vishnu.nv wrote:This could be British Navy propaganda also to escape from the Huge Defence cut they are facing. The ASW Patrol aircrafts are also included in the Defence cut.

Indeed chopping off Nimrod MRA4 is under review , these selective leaks might be part of PR to save Nimrod MRA4 which is a good ASW aircraft.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 28 Aug 2010 20:42

Kirov saga: how it was started

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 28 Aug 2010 23:18

Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War

A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 29 Aug 2010 03:46

Indian Navy to operate UAVs for a brief period from Porbandar

Amid this the Indian Coast Guard aircraft came out with a daring act, which would not have been possible with the support of other wings of the Indian armed forces, including para-military, to take the barge's picture from all angles. It would not be appropriate to reveal the complete details of the operation here but it had everything from coordination, leadership, dedication and the readiness of the uniformed men to give their life for the nation's cause

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 29 Aug 2010 22:17

A History of DARPA’s Contributions to Antisubmarine Warfare

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 30 Aug 2010 10:50

Singha wrote:the aster15 seens to come off the rails pretty fast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TahVQ4bij-A

compare to the essm chasing a banshee drone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1qZANTRNkc

Thats probably because of the fatter booster of Aster and high energy propellant , the Aster-30 I have read is much faster then Aster-15 which is ~ M 4.5 for Aster-30.

I have seen the Brits wearing white mask in the ops room and now the french too have similar white mask covering their face , I have not seen IN ships or crew in ops room with white mask.

Any reason why they wear those white mask ?

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 30 Aug 2010 18:39

The white masks are supposed to be made of fire resistant material/protective clothing in the event of the ship being hit and fires breaking out.F-1 drivers can also be seen wearing similar gear.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 31 Aug 2010 17:44

Braitain might even axe their new carriers and save Trident instead ,rumours say.

vishnu.nv · Post by **vishnu.nv** » 31 Aug 2010 17:54

both of them? second one was for sure......what about first one?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2010 17:56

I have seen pix from 1980s of RN sailors wearing those flame proof masks..

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 31 Aug 2010 18:00

One of the most capable , modern and best looking SSN is commisioned , should be a generational leap for Royal Navy

UK most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute officially commissioned

HMS Astute is quieter than any of her predecessors, meaning she has the ability to operate covertly and remain undetected in almost all circumstances despite being fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navy’s current fleet.

The latest nuclear powered technology means she will never need to be refuelled and can circumnavigate the world submerged, creating the crew's oxygen from seawater as she sails.

The submarine has the capacity to carry a mix of Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise missiles – and can target enemy submarines, surface ships and land targets with pinpoint accuracy, while her world-beating sonar system is capable of detecting ships and submarines at many hundreds of miles.

“The Astute Class is truly next generation –- a highly versatile platform she is capable of contributing across a broad spectrum of maritime operations around the globe, and will play an important role in delivering the fighting power of the Royal Navy for decades to come. A highly complex feat of naval engineering, she is at the very cutting edge of technology, with a suite of sensors and weapons required to pack a powerful punch”, said Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, First Sea Lord.

“Today is an important milestone along the road to full operational capability which will follow after a further series of demanding seagoing trials testing the full range of the submarine’s capabilities”, he added.

“HMS Astute has today also reached an important milestone on the road to operational handover. Following the successful completion of the first rigorous set of sea trials which began at the end of 2009, she has achieved her In Service Date signalling that she has proven her ability to dive, surface and operate across the full range of depth and speed independently of other assets thereby providing an initial level of capability”.

Rear Admiral Simon Lister, Director Submarines, who oversees the build programme of the class for the MOD, said that “to my mind Astute is a 7,000 tons Swiss watch. There is an extraordinary amount of expertise that goes into putting one of these submarines together. There are stages when it’s like blacksmithing and there are stages when it’s like brain surgery”.

“So to see Astute commissioned is momentous not only for the Royal Navy, who have been eagerly anticipating this quantum leap forward in capability, but for the thousands of people around the country who have been involved in the most challenging of engineering projects”.

Following the Commissioning, HMS Astute will return to sea for further trials of the submarine and her crew before she is declared as operational.

As the base port of all the Navy's submarines from 2016, Faslane will be home to the whole Astute class, which includes Ambush, Artful and Audacious which are already under construction in Barrow-in-Furness by BAE Systems.

HMS Astute was built by BAE in Barrow-in-Furness. She’s 97 metres from bow to stern – almost as long than a football pitch and displaces 7,400 tons of sea water – the equivalent of 65 blue whales.

HMS Astute is the first Royal Navy submarine not to have a traditional periscope instead using electro-optics to capture a 360 image of the surface for subsequent analysis by the Commanding Officer.

She manufactures her own oxygen from sea water as well as drinking water and could theoretically remain submerged for her 25 year life if it weren’t for the need to restock the crew’s food supplies. Faster under the water than on the surface she is capable of speeds in excess of 20 knots although her top speed is classified

HMS Astute 98 crew members are fed by five chefs who, on an average patrol, will serve up 18,000 sausages and 4,200 Weetabix for breakfast.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 01 Sep 2010 16:33

Some reports say that the RN might even use for the interim F-18s as the JSF is delayed and very expensive,but this idea also has its critics.There might be some sharing of resources by Britain and France reg. the carriers.The RN just cannot have both the carriers and their existing number of Trident SSBNs.The message coming out is that the Trident's are most important assets in Britain's defence and have to be retained at any cost.

nits · Post by **nits** » 01 Sep 2010 18:32

Philip wrote:Some reports say that the RN might even use for the interim F-18s as the JSF is delayed and very expensive,but this idea also has its critics.There might be some sharing of resources by Britain and France reg. the carriers.The RN just cannot have both the carriers and their existing number of Trident SSBNs.The message coming out is that the Trident's are most important assets in Britain's defence and have to be retained at any cost.

In a first, Britain & France to share aircraft carriers - Britain and France are getting ready to unveil plans to share aircraft carriers amid pressure on the British military to cut costs, the Times reported on Tuesday.

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 02 Sep 2010 21:03

Submarines to employ new nanotube technology for sonar and stealth

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Sep 2010 10:11

Just as we thought it was an end of missile boat era , A new class of missile boat Project 21631 is laid for Caspian Fleet , looks well armed and designed with semi-stealth profile .

CGI Image of the ship

Appearance of Project 21631 small-size missile ship got abroad

According to the images available, Project 21631 small-size missile ship will be armed with 14UKSK vertical launcher for 8 Kalibr (Onyx) SAM missiles, one 100-mm gun mount A-190M, one 30-mm gun mount AK-630M1-2 Duet, two launchers for MANPADS Gibka, two 14.5-mm and three 7.62-mm machineguns.

It was previously reported that the ship would have following characteristics: length – 74.1 meters, beam – 11 meters, midship height – 6.57 meters, draft – 2.6 meters, displacement – 949 tons, speed – 25 knots.

JTull · Post by **JTull** » 03 Sep 2010 14:32

New submarine in a class of its own

HMS Astute is half submerged, its dark fin looming above the waters of the Clyde.

Even from a distance, the UK's newest and most powerful attack submarine looks formidable - a vessel you would rather not encounter in the murkiness of the ocean depths.

Even if you did, you would be unlikely to know it was there until it was too late. HMS Astute, the first of its class, marks a step change in capability for naval defence in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.

It is the stealthiest sub ever built in the UK, able to sit in waters off the coast undetected, listening to mobile phone conversations or delivering the UK's special forces where needed.

The 39,000 or so acoustic panels which cover its surface mask its sonar signature, meaning it can sneak up on enemy warships and submarines alike, or simply lurk unseen and unheard at depth.

The submarine can carry a mix of up to 38 Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise missiles, able to target enemy submarines, surface ships and land targets, while its sonar system has a range of 3,000 nautical miles.

When we arrive on the jetty at Faslane, the most essential supplies are being loaded onto HMS Astute ahead of its next sea trials.

Box after box of chocolates, rice, and the ingredients for curries and other meals are being hauled on board by crane for the crew of 98, to keep them going through their long days and nights at sea.

HMS Astute itself should never need refuelling over the next 25 years, thanks to the latest nuclear-powered technology which means it can circumnavigate the world submerged.

It even creates the crew's oxygen from seawater as it sails, meaning that the air on board is no longer heavy with diesel fumes, as submariners used to complain of older vessels. The only limit to how long it can stay underwater is the amount of food on board, enough for 90 days at sea.

Hi-tech specifications

"She brings a whole new capability for the 21st Century. The technological difference to her predecessors is fantastic, so we have a huge sense of pride serving on her," says the commanding officer of HMS Astute, Commander Andy Coles, who used to command the Trafalgar-class HMS Turbulent, which will be decommissioned next year.

We climb down a steep vertical ladder to enter the control room of HMS Astute.

It is packed full of the latest technology, although much of it is switched off for security reasons while we film inside.

So we see rows of blank screens, one of which is apparently the 21st Century version of the periscope. HMS Astute is the first Royal Navy submarine not to have a traditional periscope, instead using electro-optics to capture a 360-degree image of the surface.

Chief Petty Officer Gavin Clelland, 46, has been in the Navy for 30 years, and is in training for his new role looking after the nuclear reactor.

"We do a lot of simulator training, and we are there to deal with things should they go wrong." If for any reason they do, he says, there is a diesel back-up so that the boat can still make it home to safety.

HMS Astute is the length of a football pitch, just under 100 metres or 323ft long.

Bunk space

Yet while it may be the UK's biggest attack submarine to date, space is still at a premium inside. Even the captain's cabin is hardly luxurious, although at least he has it to himself.

It is the first submarine in which all crew members have their own bunk to sleep in during their "six hours on, six hours off" shift pattern, rather than having to "hot-bunk". Traditionally, two submariners on opposite shifts often had to share the same bunk.

Engineering technician Jamie Bell, 25, shows us his sleeping space. It is one of three bunks stacked from floor to ceiling, in a tiny room barely big enough to squeeze through to the next row.

A small curtain offers each submariner some privacy - vital when more than 20 men share this one room.

Jamie says he has no problem with the six months they may spend at sea without daylight or fresh air, often with no access to communications with their families back at home. The only way to tell the time of day is by the meals being served.

"It's not too bad once you get into a routine," he says. "You just concentrate on your time off, and work hard when you're on duty. It's busy, and then you enjoy the six hours off."

He has never suffered from claustrophobia, he says, "although you do find out at an early stage if you do."

Morale booster

Four meals a day are prepared for the crew, with one at midnight for the night shift, in a kitchen that is just as economical with space.

Chef Mark Laing is one of three going out on the current sea trials.

"We do a roast on a Sunday, and we have theme nights such as Mexican nights. Food is very important for morale on board, and you have to keep changing the menu.

"Everybody wants to be the chef's friend," he smiles. "It's a good job."

The official commissioning of Astute into service last week, overseen by the boat's patron, the Duchess of Cornwall, was also something of a morale boost for a Royal Navy that is likely to face steep cuts as part of the current defence review.

HMS Astute is the first of four in its class, with the initial three now expected to cost £3.9bn, a hefty chunk of the annual £38bn defence budget.

As the base port of all the Navy's submarines from 2016, Faslane will be home to the whole Astute class, which will also include Ambush, Artful and Audacious, already under construction by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness. The Royal Navy would like another three.

Costly contract

Yet HMS Astute's long journey to its berth on the banks of the Clyde has not always run smoothly.

The initial studies for what would become the Astute class were given the go-ahead in 1991, and in 1997 the MoD agreed to place a £2bn order for three submarines.

But technological and programme difficulties left the project running more than four years late and more than £1bn over the original budget, although the work on the four submarines currently guarantees almost 6,000 UK jobs.

The contract has, however, ensured that the know-how for building such a complex attack submarine was not lost to UK industry, as it might well have been without that investment.

BAE Systems had to re-establish the UK's strategic capability to design, build, test and commission nuclear-powered submarines following the 10-year gap between the Vanguard and Astute classes.

As we climb the ladder to leave this billion-pound underwater world, blinking at the daylight outside, the crew are keen to focus on the positives.

"What we have today is a world-beating piece of technology, which gives us a fantastic capability of huge utility to the UK over the next thirty years," says Commander Andy Coles.

"Before they were first built in the UK in 1901, submarines were condemned as 'underhand, underwater and damned un-English'. But the critics soon changed their minds when the war started."

khukri · Post by **khukri** » 09 Sep 2010 08:44

Further developments on UK carriers:
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... =ASI&s=TOP

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 09 Sep 2010 10:25

Some closeup of Yasen and Borei ( via FLOT.com/artjomh )

Yasen 1
Yasen 2
Yasen 3
Yasen 4

Borei Full Steam Ahead

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Sep 2010 11:06

the peculiar conning tower of the Borei could be a strong ram to break/force her way surfaced through ice floes without sustaining damage.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 09 Sep 2010 11:59

Turkey plans to build 4 German U-214 U-boats.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribun ... _09_08.asp
Turkey, with help from Germany, to become 'submarine manufacturer'

Turkey's Defense Ministry and Navy have been working with Germany in the coproduction of four electric-diesel submarines. The coproduction effort has taken place with Germany's ThyssenKrupp for the Type 214 submarine.

The submarine project was expected to cost about $2.5 billion. Officials said the first platform could be delivered to the Navy in 2015.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 10 Sep 2010 08:00

Navy Dept.’s Work: The Marines will retain amphibious assault capabilities

http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/20 ... pabilities

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 12 Sep 2010 06:00

Russian-French talks on Mistral deadlocked - media

Russian-French talks on Mistral sales aroused many problems, writes Le Figaro on Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, the problems appeared this summer. The source privy to the talks named the situation around Mistral as "very complicated".

Le Figaro underlines that in fact the negotiations were suspended due to a tender for construction of heli-carriers for Russia and that France got a S Korean competitor.

The newspaper also says the tender was announced six months after the talks between Russia and France had started. Reports of the tender even made French president Nicolas Sarkozy send his representative to Kaliningrad for additional information.

Le Figaro says that another charged matter is technology which is to be transferred to Russia along with the ships.

Even without arms, Mistral has electronic systems sometimes made in the U.S. and used for command, data acquisition, and reconnaissance, underlines Le Figaro. The publication says that according to the international rules, Washington has a right to put a veto on export of some American-made devices.

In addition, some Baltic countries along with Georgia and Poland actively protest against Mistral sale to Russia.

Some members of the European Parliament even offered to ratify a resolution in protest against such deal, notes the newspaper. "The US repeatedly said they don't like this Russo-French project. Even in Russia the opposition is quite active. Russian defense shipyards desire to keep work positions making no secret that they'd rather build those ships in Russia", points out Interfax referring to Le Figaro.

As reported by Vzglyad, on Aug 19 defense ministry approved the open tender for procurement of a helicopter carrier for Russian Navy, satisfying requests of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).

Recently, Russian ambassador to France said Russia would find its position on French carrier Mistral by the end of the year.

wig · Post by **wig** » 12 Sep 2010 10:01

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... wn-up.html

Up until now it had been assumed that a similar version of Trident to the current system, which features four submarines armed with nuclear warheads, would get the go-ahead.

The main debate was whether it would be funded from within the Ministry of Defence's £35 billion-a-year budget – as the Treasury is currently demanding – or whether its costs would be ring-fenced as they are currently.

However, it now appears that there is no certainty that a submarine-based system, which provides the ultimate form of independent deterrence, will be approved at all.

A cheaper alternative, possibly based on shorter range cruise missiles or similar weapons, would see nuclear strikes capable of being launched from submarines, surface ships or aircraft.

Supporters of the current system, however, say this would abandon the key "stealth" ability of Trident to strike without being detected.

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister, raised eyebrows last month by saying that the "huge" cost of replacing Trident was hard to justify at a time of retrenchment across the board.

A source close to the replacement programme told The Sunday Telegraph: "The mood music has definitely shifted from having to show savings from within the Trident replacement plan to having to justify it happening at all."

Patrick Mercer, the Conservative MP said: "Colleagues from all sides of the party need to get real. This is about defending ourselves properly, not posturing with Cold war kit.

"Trident has never been used and it is fabulously expensive. The savings would be better spent on an alternative, cheaper system."

Labour would be likely to oppose any plans not to replace Trident in the House of Commons, leaving Mr Cameron vulnerable to a possible damaging defeat if up to 40 Tory MPs were to vote against the government.

This week sees he coalition's "star chamber" – where the major decisions on spending cuts ahead of October's Comprehensive Spending review will take place – begin regular meetings.

George Osborne, the Chancellor, has ordered most Whitehall departments to prepare blueprints for budget cuts of 25 per cent and 40 per cent.

The figures for education and defence, however, are 10 and 20 per cent while health and international developments have had their budgets ring-fenced.

The Sunday Telegraph also understands that serious consideration is now being given to axing the Royal Navy's £5bn carrier programme, with small cheaper alternatives being proposed.

If the carriers are axed sources have revealed that the £9bn programme to buy the Joint Strike Fighter will either be cut in its entirety or see the numbers of aircraft bought severely reduced.

In an extract from his autobiography his published in The Sunday Telegraph this weekend, General Sir Richard Dannatt, the former chief of the general staff, suggests that the decision to procure two aircraft carriers was, in part, politically motivated.

He adds: "The new Coalition Government has indeed got to address the aircraft carrier issue. There is no doubt that these ships are highly desirable; but the jury is still out on whether they are both essential or affordable."

The RAF will lose the final tranche of Eurofighters as well as the Tornado fleet. Army chiefs have been warned that an armoured brigade will be lost and all troops serving in Germany will return to the UK within five years.

Other changes will include major changes to the Permanent Joint Headquarters, greater funding of Unmanned air vehicles research and development and advances to counter cyber warfare.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 15 Sep 2010 13:02

HMS Astute ,the RN's latest nuclear attack sub causes a stir at the famous romantic isle of Skye in the Scottish Hebrides.It has huge new capabilities whcih are mentioned in this report.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/edito ... -22559936/

The day the Northern Constabulary asked nuclear submarine HMS Astute to 'move along, please'
Sep 14 2010 By Ali Rayden

The Northern Constabulary officer was extremely polite - but there was a bit of a problem.

Drivers on the bridge from the mainland to the Isle of Skye were causing a traffic jam by stopping to gawp at the first of a new class of nuclear submarine sitting in the water by Kyle of Lochalsh.

EXcpts:

One of the key changes in Astute's control room is her view of the outside world.

Instead of a periscope, there's just a sailor sitting with a joystick in front of a screen showing footage gathered from a camera on top of a mast.

Coles, 47, constantly receives messages in an earpiece tuned into the boat's wireless network. If the control room needs him to assess a situation, Astute's technology means this can now be done in seconds.

During an attack simulation, Coles attaches a second earpiece which enables him to listen to what's being said into the headphones everyone wears in the control room.

From spotting the enemy vessel to despatching a torpedo to explode two metres below its hull takes several minutes of interaction between crew members - a drill endlessly rehearsed in all submarines.

At the beginning of a real attack run, Coles would order the mast to be briefly raised, quickly rotated and lowered, after which he and crew would scrutinise the footage.

He would then raise it just once more for a few seconds to make final checks immediately before firing.

"Royal Navy submariners simulate attacks by pretending to fire on ferries around our shores all the time," says Coles.

"The passengers are happily going on holiday unaware that we're busy working out how to sink them."

Astute is a third larger than her T-class hunter killer predecessors and carries 50 per cent more Tomahawk missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, which she can take to anywhere in the world within a fortnight.

One of the frustrations members of the submarine service feel is that they are unable to justify their existence by allowing the public to know details of their work because of its secret nature.

Coles, for example, was awarded an OBE in 2005 while captain of HMS Turbulent - but is unable to tell you exactly what he did to earn it as it was a covert operation.

One of the roles for which Astute has been specifically designed - but about which little is widely known - is the gathering of intelligence.

Boats routinely sit off coastlines, monitoring people's movements or listening to radio communications, before sending the information back to the Navy's operational HQ at Northwood, in north London.

As Astute is the Royal Navy's first 21st century submarine, there's been a huge upgrade in her ability to snoop.

Her sonar is one of the world's most advanced and at least as good as anything the Americans have.

Her thermal imagery can pick out what's written on an enemy warship's metal name board at night.

The crew sometimes test this capability by pointing the equipment at suburban roads miles away and picking out which cars have recently been driven and are still warm.

Astute's 96-metre hull is coated with 39,000 acoustic rubber tiles which make her practically impossible for an enemy to hear.

She's also the first British boat to designed to carry a detachable pod to land special forces in enemy territory, a capability that the SBS and SAS are rumoured to be itching to try out.

A mock-up of the pod and the area it attaches to Astute - just behind the conning tower - is being built at Faslane for the crew and Special Forces troops to practice on.

Coles said: "The crew have had to learn this boat from scratch. We're rewriting the book every day.

"She's a phenomenal boat with amazing state-of-the-art capability that's going to take us forward for the next 25 years.