NAVY NEWS WEEK 6-2

5 February 2018

RAN frigate seizes $274m of heroin 29 January 2018 By: Staff Writer

Crew members of HMAS Warramunga lay parcels of seized heroin on the flight deck of the Ship during an operation in the Western Indian Ocean. Image via Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence.

In a joint counter-narcotics operation, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) seized 915 kilograms of heroin valued in excess of $274 million. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 aircraft detected a suspicious vessel in the western Indian Ocean on 23 January 2018, which was boarded and investigated by the crew of RAN frigate HMAS Warramunga on 24 January. Over the past two months, Warramunga’s crew has seized and destroyed more than 11.5 tonnes of hashish and over a tonne of heroin, valued in excess of $900 million.* The seizures include:  27-29 December 2018: 8 tonnes of hashish, 69 kilograms of heroin, (three vessels interdicted over this period); 3 January 2018: hashish, 3.5 tonnes; 7 January 2018: heroin, 111 kilograms; and 24 January: heroin, 915 kilograms. Commander of Australian Defence Force personnel in the Middle East Rear Admiral Jaimie Hatcher said the latest operation highlighted the significant contribution both Australia and New Zealand make to maritime security in the region. “Warramunga has now interdicted six vessels carrying illegal narcotics since November," RADM Hatcher said. "This operation highlights the important role played by partner nations, as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), in increasing maritime security in the Middle East and western Indian Ocean." Commanding Officer of HMAS Warramunga, Commander Dugald Clelland said the operation was a team effort between close partners. "The RNZAF P-3 was able to identify the vessel and direct us to a successful boarding resulting in the seizure of a very significant quantity of illegal narcotics," CMDR Clelland said. The illegal drugs were transferred to Warramunga for disposal at sea. This is Warramunga’s third deployment to the Middle East region, and is the 66th rotation of a RAN vessel in the region since 1990. Operation MANITOU is part of the Australian government's contribution to supporting international efforts to promote maritime security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East region. Combined Taskforce 150 is one of three task forces operating under CMF. Australia assumed command Combined Task Force 150 in December 2017. *Note: This calculation is a based on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Illicit Drug Data Report 2015-16 figures for cannabis resin (hashish) at $50 per gram (p215) and heroin at $300,000 per kilogram (p216). Source: https://www.defenceconnect.com.au With all the drugs conficated, it would be interesting to know how much (or how little) of the drug trade is being intercepted.

Navy’s new £3.1bn aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth hit by another leak after mystery sprinkler system sparks flood A wall of water gushed down inside Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth after a mishap with the ship's sprinkler system, coming just a month after The Sun revealed it was leaking 200 litres of water every hour By David Willetts, Defence Editor 30th January 2018, 1:30 am Updated: 30th January 2018, 8:02 am AIRCRAFT carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was hit by another flood when a sprinkler system misfired. Huge water jets were triggered by accident in one of the ship’s main hangars. A wall of water gushed down as bewildered sailors looked on, video obtained by The Sun shows. The system was shut down within minutes and the water was drained without causing any damage, officials confirmed. The mishap came after The Sun revealed last month that the new £3.1billion carrier was leaking 200 litres an hour from a defective propeller seal. The new clanger happened on Sunday while the ship was in her home port of Portsmouth for a training exercise. A source said: “The alarm for flood went around but it was only minor. “No one knows why the sprinkler went off. It certainly is effective — that’s good to know.” Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk Remember that the Sun is a sensation-seeking newspaper, thus read their articles (including this one) with care.

Attack Submarines Are Getting Quieter and Deadlier Air-independent propulsion is shifting the balance of power at sea January 29, 2018 Robert Farley Over the past decade, air- independent propulsion — or AIP — for submarines has spread rapidly around the world. The technology, which allows conventionally powered submarines to operate without access to outside air, has the potential the shift the balance away from the big nuclear attack submarines, or SSNs, that have dominated undersea warfare since the 1950s, and back towards small conventional boats. In global terms, this might again make submarines the great strategic equalizer; small, cheap weapons that can destroy the expensive warships of the world’s most powerful navies. Does this mean that the United States should invest in these kinds of boats? Probably not. Invention Several navies experimented with AIP during the 20th century. The earliest work began in World War II in the German and Soviet navies, although none of the experiments produced operationally suitable boats. After the war Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union took advantage of German research to produce their own experimental boats, but nuclear propulsion seemed to offer a more fruitful direction for submarine development. In the mid-2000s, converging technological developments enabled several major submarine producers around the world to begin to develop practical AIP systems. France, Germany, Japan, Sweden and China all laid down AIP-capable boats, in some cases exporting those submarines to customers around the world. An illustration of the Chinese S-26 submarine, an oxygen tank for a Sterling cycle AIP system circled in red. China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Corporation graphic

Engineering AIP systems allow conventional submarines to recharge their batteries without surfacing for air, which enables them to remain underwater for extend periods of time and not expose themselves to detection. Three main types of AIP are found in extant diesel-electric submarines: Closed Cycle Steam Turbines Used on French-built submarines, closed cycle steam turbines mimic the energy production process found on nuclear subs — where a nuclear reactor provides heat that turns water into steam — by mixing oxygen and ethanol. This system — dubbed MESMA by the French — is complex, generates a lot of power, but is somewhat less efficient than the alternatives. Stirling Cycle A Stirling cycle engine uses diesel to heat a fluid permanently contained in the engine, which in turn drives a piston and generates electricity. The exhaust is then released into the seawater. This is slightly more efficient, and somewhat less complicated, than the French variant, and is used on Japanese, Swedish and Chinese boats. Fuel Cell Fuel-cell technology is probably the state of the art in AIP. A fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, and has almost no moving parts. They can generate a lot of energy with minimal waste product, and are very quiet. German-built submarines have successfully taken advantage of fuel cell technology, and the French, Russians and Indians are also moving in this direction.

A Japanese ‘Soryu’-class submarine. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force photo

Procurement trends The great thing about AIP is that the technologies involved can be retrofitted into older submarines through the insertion of a hull section. Germany has done this with some boats, including a Type 209, and reports suggest Russia has managed to retrofit a Kilo. Sweden has retrofitted four older boats, and Japan at least one. For navies that want to maximize the lethality of their existing sub flotillas, retrofits can be cost effective. However, most navies are more interested in new construction. Germany has four types of SSPs under construction for various navies. Newly constructed Type 209s may also have AIP. Sweden has three classes of boats with AIP; the large Japanese Soryus will have AIP, as will the French Scorpenes, French-built Agosta 90Bs (for Pakistan) and Scorpene-inspired Kalvaris (for India). The new Spanish S-80s have AIP, as do the two small Portuguese Tridente boats. Russia’s troubled Lada class has AIP propulsion, and it is expected that the next diesel-electric class (Amur) will also have it. China’s 15 Type 041 (Yuan) boats have AIP, with another five on the way. Combat implications SSPs can exceed the performance of SSNs under certain conditions. They can take advantage of good endurance and extreme quiet to lay in ambush for approaching enemy vessels, although this requires good intelligence about enemy fleet deployments. They can also conduct short and medium range surveillance of enemy naval forces. In situations that favor small, maneuverable boats — shallow littorals, for example — they can pose a serious combat threat to their larger nuclear cousins. What this means for the United States Should the United States build SSPs? The United States has not built a diesel-electric submarine since 1959. Much of the know-how associated with the construction of nuclear subs is transferable to their conventional cousins, but it would nevertheless involve a significant learning curve. The United States is a global leader in the development of fuel-cell technology, so it is likely that American sub builders would go that route. However, the U.S. Navy is nearly unique for its global focus; it intends to fight in areas distant from U.S. shores. Diesel electrics, even with AIP, have shorter ranges than nuclear boats and therefore require nearby bases. Moreover, cost-consciousness in the U.S. Navy has manifested largely in terms of personnel reductions, meaning that the organization tends to prefer smaller numbers of high-end, expensive platforms to large numbers of inexpensive vessels. Before investing in AIP boats, the U.S. Navy should also take care to rigorously game out future submarine warfare scenarios that involve Undersea Unmanned Vehicles. Autonomous and semi- autonomous drone submarines potentially have many of the advantages of AIP boats, without requiring investment in new submarine designs. All in all, there is no question that AIP-equipped boats pose a threat, under some conditions, to the large nuclear attack submarines that many great navies have come to rely on. However, this does not necessarily mean that the best response for the U.S. Navy is to invest in these conventional subs. They cannot do many of the tasks that the navy requires of its submarine force, and in coming years technology may eclipse many of the advantages that they bring. Source: https://warisboring.com 10 years on, Rs 70,000cr sub project still remains stuck Rajat Pandit | TNN | Jan 30, 2018, 02:53 IST Highlights  The acceptance of necessity for the Rs 70,000cr diesel-electric submarine project called “Project-75 India” is set to expire once again on Feb 6 without “any concrete progress”  The 3rd of the 6 French Scorpene submarines being built under the ongoing “Project-75” at Mazagon Docks will be “launched” into water on Jan 31 NEW DELHI: India is yet to get cracking on its long-pending project to build six advanced stealth submarines, with land- attack cruise missiles and air-independent propulsion for greater underwater endurance, over a decade after the initial approval from the defence ministry. Defence sources, in fact, say the acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the around Rs 70,000 crore ($10.9 billion) diesel-electric submarine project called "Project-75 India" is set to expire once again on February 6 without "any concrete progress" being made to select the Indian shipyard and the foreign collaborator for it. Though the AoN for the project, which was first accorded way back in November 2007, will be extended, it must be remembered that it will take another seven to eight years for the first submarine to roll out after the final contracts are actually inked. This is yet another grim reminder of the sheer lack of long-term defence planning and execution to build military capabilities in tune with the country's expanding strategic objectives. No major "Make in India" project in defence has actually kicked off in the last four years, with at least six mega plans worth over Rs 3.5 lakh crore stuck at different stages, as was first reported by TOI in October last year.

File photo

Saddled with 13 old conventional submarines, only half of them operational at any given time, the Navy however has some reason to cheer this week. The third of the six French Scorpene submarines being built under the ongoing Rs 23,652 crore "Project-75" at Mazagon Docks will be "launched" into water on January 31. The 1,565-tonne submarine, which will be christened INS Karanj, will follow her sisters INS Kalvari, which was commissioned last December, and INS Khanderi. While INS Khanderi is slated for commissioning in mid-2018 after finishing her sea trials, INS Karanj will follow by early-2019. Though all the six Scorpenes were initially to be delivered by 2017 under the contract inked in 2005, the last one is now slated for induction by June 2020. Project-75 India, which has been stuck in general politico-bureaucratic apathy and a series of expert committees and task-forces, of course is yet to be even finalised. Four ship-builders, Naval Group-DCNS (France), ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (Germany), Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau (Russia) and Saab Kockums (Sweden), have responded to the request for information (RFI) issued for the project in July last year. But the RFI to shortlist the Indian "strategic partner" or shipyard is yet to be even issued. Consequently, the "marriage" or the eventual down-selection of the Indian shipyard with the foreign collaborator is still nowhere on the horizon. A worried Navy, in the interim, has pushed for the over Rs 5,000 crore "life extension and refit" of four existing Sindhughosh-class (Russian Kilo) and two Shishumar-class (German HDW) submarines beyond their operational life of 25 years. The first one, INS Sindhukesari, is slated to return from Russia after its ongoing Rs 1,197 crore refit by the end of this year. While the second one, INS Sindhuraj, is also being refitted in Russia, the other four (Sindhuratna, Sindhughosh, Shishumar and Shankush) will undergo the process in Indian shipyards. "It will take four-five years for all the six to complete their refits," said a source. Overall, India needs at least 18 diesel-electric submarines as well as six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and four nuclear-powered submarines with nuclear-tipped missiles (SSBNs). But the Navy is making do with just one new and 13 old conventional submarines, and one SSBN (INS Arihant) and SSN (INS Chakra) each as of now. China, in sharp contrast, has over 56 submarines, which include five advanced JIN-class SSBNs armed with 7,400-km range JL-2 missiles. Pakistan, in addition to its four to five diesel-electric submarines, is now on course to induct eight more stealth submarines from China. Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

China Has a Plan to Find the Navy's Submarines Deep in the Pacific Eugene K. Chow January 29, 2018 Across vast stretches of the ocean, China is building a network of underwater sensors to detect submarines and strengthen its navy as the nation projects power further abroad.

Image: Flickr.

The underwater surveillance network, which has already been deployed, uses a combination of buoys, unmanned submersibles, ships and satellites to gather data on the world’s waterways. The sensors seem innocuous, measuring water temperature, salinity, currents and oxygen levels, but this scientific data is critical for underwater military operations. Submarines rely on sonar to discover, track, and attack targets, but the temperature and salinity of water determines how fast and in which direction sound waves travel. These factors must be taken into account when determining the position of enemy vessels as well as when navigating treacherous areas. For decades, the U.S. Navy has been gathering this type of data around the world’s oceans, and in recent years has turned to unmanned gliders. In 2016 shortly after Trump was elected, China seized a U.S. glider operating in international waters in the South China Sea, sparking an international incident. With the Trump administration growing more confrontational and the U.S. Navy increasing its patrols in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, China has sought to rapidly improve its deep-sea data collection abilities. Last year, China successfully tested a network of twelve underwater gliders that can travel for a month at a time. But unlike American gliders, the Chinese version is capable of transmitting data back in real- time. China has also set the record for the deepest and longest dives with its underwater gliders. “The military can use the temperature and salt-level data from the deep to build a complete, precise model of the physical ocean,” explained Yu Jiancheng, the lead scientist on China’s glider project. “The model will help submarines to avoid dangerous areas and predict the occurrence of deathtrap currents, which might jeopardize a naval operation.” In addition to gliders, China has also built a communications network more than 1,300 feet below the surface of the western Pacific. The deep-sea sensors are continuously feeding data to satellites via solar-powered buoys. The collected information is then transmitted to three intelligence centers where it is analyzed. In the event that Chinese submarines must stay hidden and cannot surface to receive data, they have been equipped with powerful algorithms that can predict water conditions based on the limited information collected from a vessel’s sensors. The Chinese sensor network stretches from the first island chain to the east coast of Africa across the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. This area largely falls under trading routes that China hopes to dramatically expand with its Belt and Road Initiative. But more than just protecting its trade interests, China’s increased maritime activity is aimed at deterring the U.S. Navy. Earlier this month, China revealed that it has embedded two advanced acoustic sensors in the deep ocean near Guam, the largest U.S. military base in the Western Pacific. In addition to scientific research, the powerful acoustic sensors can detect the movement of submarines in the South China Sea and could even intercept communications. According to James Lewis, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, this sensor network is a sign of China’s growing might as a nation. “China has become a great power and is acting like one,” Lewis told the South China Morning Post. “All great powers put sensor arrays at the bottom of the ocean for anti- submarine warfare.” But compared to the capabilities of the U.S. Navy, China still has a long way to go. Yu Yongqiang, a senior scientist with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics who is helping to oversee the installation of China’s underwater sensor network, said that while China has made significant strides in its offensive submarine capabilities, the nation still lags far behind the United States. “We have made just a small step in a long march,” Yu said. Eugene K. Chow writes on foreign policy and military affairs. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, The Week, and The Diplomat. Source: http://nationalinterest.org

SSBN-X Subs: Congressmen Promote Refresh, Have Sub Bases in Districts Apr 26, 2017 00:57 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff April 25/17: Electric Boat Corporation has been selected by the US Navy to produce 17 ballistic missile tubes for submarines constructed under the Ohio Replacement Program. Valued at $95.6 million, delivery is expected to be completed by December 2023. These upcoming Columbia-class submarines are being produced under the Common Missile Compartment program—joint effort with the UK to use the Trident ballistic missile as primary underwater nuclear deterrent— and will eventually enter service after 2031. Once in service, the vessels will serve as the primary undersea nuclear force for the United States for at least 50 years.

SSBN-X concept

The US Navy needs new SSBN nuclear missile submarines. Their existing Ohio Class boats will begin to retire at a rate of 1 hull per year, beginning in 2027, as they reach the end of their 42-year operational lifetimes. Hence SSBN-X, also known as the Ohio Replacement Program for now. The first step toward recapitalization involved a new Common Missile Compartment and Advanced Launcher for current and future nuclear missiles. The next step involves finalizing a design that can serve effectively to 2080, without destroying the US Navy’s shipbuilding budget in the process. Good luck with that one, but they have to to try. The maintenance of the USA’s nuclear deterrent is too important, in a world where nuclear weapons are proliferating. SSBN-X Background

Trident D5 (larger) and C4 predecessor

The USA aims to begin construction of the new SSBN in 2021, and have the new type enter service with the fleet in 2031. A total of 12 boats would be produced, with the last boat expected to leave service around 2085. That’s a very long lifetime for a submarine, whose hull is alternately squeezed and released by water pressure as it dives and surfaces. Unfortunately, delays in starting the program mean that the USA is likely to end up with just 10 SSBNs from 2029 – 2042. If the Ohio Replacement Program suffers further development delays, this high-risk period will see corresponding extensions. America isn’t alone in their pursuit. At present, Britain, France , India, Russia , and China are all working on new sub-launched ballistic missile systems and/or SSBN submarines. The American SSBN-X will be the end product of intense debate, especially given its aggressive production cost target of FY10$ 4.9 billion. So far, what’s known about the design includes: Basics: The submarines will be about the same length as the Ohio Class at 560 feet, but may be a bit wider. They will be powered by a new-design reactor using 90% enriched uranium. Like the current SSN Seawolf and SSN Virginia Classes, the new reactor won’t need refueling during the submarine’s lifetime. SSBN-X propulsion will be all-electric, which decouples the drive train from the turbines, and the pump-jet propulsor will use shrouded technology taken from the Virginia Class. The usual sail-mounted dive planes will be present, along with X-shaped stern surfaces. One suggested way to save money was to reduce the submarine’s maximum speed from 20 to 15 knots. That would cut maximum power needs sharply, and reduce maximum required diving depth because the submarine won’t require as much space to pull out of a jam dive. The penalty would be poorer evasion of enemy torpedoes if the sub is found. Sensors: SSBN-X is expected to use the horseshoe-shaped Large Aperture Bow Array (LAB) sonar that was developed for the Virginia Block III submarines. The submarines will undoubtedly deploy an array of other sensors, including flank sonars, towed sonar, fiber-optic masts that don’t have to penetrate the ship’s hull, ESM signal recognition and location technologies, etc. The key will be making these sensors upgradeable at low cost. The 65 years from 2015 – 2080 is a huge amount of time in the technology world. If upgrades are too expensive, the entire SSBN force could find itself compromised mid-way through its life.

ULRM

Weapons: The new CMC/AL assemblies are slated for production in blocks of 4 tubes, allowing the USA and UK to tailor the total number of missile tubes to their final submarine designs. Current American Ohio Class SSBNs have 24 tubes, but SSBN-X currently plans to reduce that to 16 tubes. The Trident II D5 missiles, which are being refurbished and improved, will switch over to the new boats as their initial nuclear weapons. Beyond that, there are questions. Should the new boats have torpedo tubes, in order to protect themselves from enemies under, on, or even above the water? Or should they eliminate that feature and its accompanying space? Sometimes the best defense really is a good offense, but even if the torpedo or missile destroys its enemy, the act of destruction is a beacon to enemy forces as soon as they’re aware of it. Attention is the last thing an SSBN wants, so this is a last resort action. On the other hand, torpedo tubes are useful to keep up SSN training and testing roles, ensuring that American submariners remain proficient enough to be assigned between types. Then there’s the question of non-nuclear payloads in some of the CMC missile tubes. Converted Ohio class SSGNs, for instance, have already replaced nuclear missiles with American special forces, land attack missiles, and UAVs. In a similar and related vein, the Virginia Class Block III fast attack submarine replaced their 12 vertical-launch cruise missile tubes with 2 Common Weapon Launcher (CWL) “six-shooters” derived from the SSGNs’ converted missile tubes. The size of those CWLs allows Virginia Class Block III submarines to launch cruise missiles, UAVs, UUVs, and more from these same tubes. Nuclear missile submarines are a nation’s most strategic assets, because they are its most secure and certain deterrence option. One does not commit them casually, to any purpose. As key trends like cheaper sensors and the Robotic Revolution grind onward, however, the next 40 years will see big changes underwater warfare. SSBNs will need the flexibility to adapt and leverage these changes if they intend to survive. For the USA and Britain, their weapon launchers need to be part of that adaptation. Source: https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com

Trident II D5 Missile: Keeping Up with Changing Times Jan 30, 2018 04:57 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff January 30/18: Contract Modification-Systems Integration General Dynamics Mission Systems received last Thursday an $8.3 million US Navy contract modification for services in support of US Navy and British Royal Navy fire control and weapon control systems on ballistic and guided missile submarines. The agreement also includes missile fire control for the Columbia-class and UK Vanguard-class Common Missile Compartment Program development—the integration of the UGM- 133 Trident II nuclear missile with the common missile compartment program—through first unit UK production, and the delivery of a strategic weapon interface simulator. Work will take place mainly at Pittsfield Massachusetts, as well as other locations across the US and in the UK, with a scheduled completion date set for September 2023. Anticipating further work on submarines for the Navy, General Dynamics plans to invest some $2 billion into its shipyards over the coming years, with $1.7 billion going into its Electric Boat yard in Connecticut—where 12 Columbia subs will be produced. Employment at the firm is also at its highest in 25 years , with 16,200 currently employed at its Electric Boat operation.

Trident II D5 Test Launch

Nuclear tipped missiles were first deployed on board US submarines at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, to deter a Soviet first strike. The deterrence theorists argued that, unlike their land- based cousins, submarine-based nuclear weapons couldn’t be taken out by a surprise first strike, because the submarines were nearly impossible to locate and target. Which meant that Soviet leaders could not hope to destroy all of America’s nuclear weapons before they could be launched against Soviet territory. SLBM/FBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile/ Fleet Ballistic Missile) offered shorter ranges and less accuracy than their land-based ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) counterparts, but the advent of Trident C4 missiles began extending those ranges, and offering other improvements. The C4s were succeeded by larger Trident II D5 missiles, which added precision accuracy and more payload. The year that the Trident II D5 ballistic missile was first deployed, 1990, saw the beginning of the end of the missile’s primary mission. Even as the Soviet Union began to implode, the D5’s performance improvements were making the Trident submarine force the new backbone of the USA’s nuclear deterrent – and of Britain’s as well. To ensure that this capability was maintained at peak readiness and safety, the US Navy undertook a program in 2002 to replace aging components of the Trident II D5 missile called the D5 Life Extension (LE) Program. This article covers D5 LE, as well as support and production contracts associated with the American and British Trident missile fleets. Source: https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com

Defence Minister announces acceptance of Royal Navy's new Offshore Patrol Vessel FORTH 25 Jan 2018 Guto Bebb MP, the recently appointed UK Minister for Defence Procurement, visited BAE Systems’ Clyde shipyards today to announce the formal acceptance of the first River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) by the Ministry of Defence and witness progress on the Type 26 programme as production started on the second hull section of Glasgow, the first of the City Class frigates. Defence Minister Guto Bebb said: “Thanks to the hard work of the Clyde shipyards, HMS Forth is now ready to join the Royal Navy surface fleet and begin the vital task of defending the UK and her interests around the world. “Developing the Type 26 capability is also making great strides forward, reflecting the UK’s commitment to this cutting-edge new warship, which will sustain 4,000 jobs in Scotland and right across the UK.” FORTH will remain at the Scotstoun yard in Glasgow for a short period to complete some additional work requested by the MOD and on departure will be the first complex warship to leave Glasgow since HMS Duncan in 2013. She is expected to be commissioned into Her Majesty’s fleet at her home port of Portsmouth Naval Base this year. Medway, the second of class, was named in October 2017 and is set to depart for sea trials in the first half of this year, while Trent will be formally named in the spring. Tamar and Spey, the last of the River Class OPVs are currently under production at BAE Systems’ Govan yard. Iain Stevenson, BAE Systems Naval Ships Managing Director, said: “It has been a pleasure to welcome the Minister to our facilities today and we were proud to show him around Forth. She is the first of a very special class of ships that we know will provide the Royal Navy and her crew with the flexibility they need to perform their vital operations. “We are equally proud of the progress we are making on Glasgow, which is the first of three contracted next generation City Class Type 26 frigates. We are committed to supporting the Royal Navy through the delivery of these ships plus the five River Class OPVs, while we continue to work with our partner Cammell Laird to bid for the Type 31e contract.“ Manufacture of the first Type 26, Glasgow, began in July 2017 and is progressing well with production starting on the second zone of the ship. The first hull section is already taking shape at the Govan yard and the second houses the main machinery space, aviation stores for embarked helicopters and a recreational area for the ships’ 59 senior rates. During the visit BAE Systems also announced the signing of a £5.6 million contract with General Electric to establish an Electrical Integration and Test Facility in Whetstone, Leicestershire, to enable critical de-risking integration tests for the Type 26 propulsion systems. The agreement, which follows a previous Design Development contract signed in 2016, brings the total committed investment in the facility to around £13 million. With a cutting edge platform design and the ability to adapt to the requirements of different navies, the Type 26 design has been proposed for the Australian Government’s anti-submarine warfare frigate programme and the Canadian Surface Combatant programme. Source: https://www.baesystems.com

UK OPVs: Bridge Over the River Class Jan 30, 2018 04:56 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff January 30/18: First Delivery The British Royal Navy has received its first River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Forth, from manufacturer BAE Systems. In attendance at the handing over ceremony at the firm’s Clyde shipyard in Scotland was the recently appointed Under-secretary of State for Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Guto Bebb MP. HMS Forth will remain at the Scotstoun yard in Glasgow for a short period to complete some additional work requested by the MoD and on departure will be the first complex warship to leave Glasgow since HMS Duncan in 2013. She will be commissioned into service later this year in Portsmouth. During his visit, Bebb also oversaw the progress in the production of the first vessel to be produced under the Type 26/City Class frigate program, the future HMS Glasgow.

River Class

The UK’s forthcoming Ocean Class 90m+ Offshore Patrol Vessels stem from a shipbuilding sector agreement that the UK MoD signed with BAE in November 2013. Britain needed to find an affordable bridge-buy that kept its naval shipyards running in-between completion of existing ships, and delayed construction of the new Type 26 frigates. Rather than paying termination and industrial costs to keep the shipyard idle, the UK government decided to buy 3 OPVs, for delivery by 2017. This would also allow the Royal Navy to retire or gift out the existing River Class OPVs HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey. As of August 2014, the contract for these new open-ocean patrol vessels is complete… For Batch 2 OPVs see the video at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04DbF4HMd6Y The new British OPVs will be built at BAE Systems’ facilities in Glasgow, under a GBP 348 million contract announced on Aug 12/14. That brings the total to GBP 368 million, following a GBP 20 million long-lead parts contract announced on March 12/14. The design based on vessels already sold abroad: Thailand’s HTMS Krabi, and the 3 similar Amazonas Class OPVs that Brazil picked up when Trinidad and Tobago cancelled their deal. The new ships will be larger and more efficient than Britain’s existing River Class OPVs , with more room for embarked personnel, more storage space, and the addition of a flight deck capable of landing the Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin medium-heavy helicopters. The Ocean Class are designed for a maximum speed of 24 knots, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. Sources: UK MoD, “£348 million warship contract delivers Clyde jobs boost” | BAE, “New contract award for Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels” | UK MoD, “£20 million contract for new Royal Navy ships” (March 2014) | UK MoD, “New offshore patrol vessels for Royal Navy” (Nov. 2013). December 9/16: BAE Systems has been contracted by the UK government to build two additional River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy . The $360 million deal adds two more manufacturing and support projects to the five-ship program, bringing the total contract value to $797 million. Work on the two vessels, named Tamar and Spey, will involve more than 100 companies from Britain. The designs build on existing River-class ships with variants already used by the navies of Brazil and Thailand. Source: https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com

Body of Second Iranian Sailor Found The body of the second missing sailor from the Iranian frigate Damavand has been recovered. Amir Basereh, an Iranian Navy commando, was one of six sailors who went over the side when the Damavand grounded at the port of Bandar-e Anzali. Four men were rescued and two went missing, including Basereh and Lieutenant Bijan Zare’. Zare's body was found on January 17.

Now THIS is truly a situation ‘up ship creek’! The Damavand, a newly built 1500 tonne frigate, was approaching its pier at Anzali on January 10 when it went aground on a rocky jetty. The Iranian Navy cited high winds and waves as a causal factor. Initial accounts from official sources suggested that the damage was slight, but on January 28, the vessel foundered and sank.

Breakwaters at Bandar-e Anzali (DigitalGlobe)

The Damavand was a Moudge-class (Wave-class) vessel built at a yard in Bandar-e Anzali and launched in 2014, towards the end of the sanctions period. The Iranian media refers to the design as a destroyer, though its tonnage is in line with that of a modern corvette or light frigate. The class is equipped with a light naval gun, torpedoes, and an indigenously- designed anti-ship missile. One more is in active service and five are under construction. Source: Maritime Executive Canadian coastal defense vessels deploy to West Africa

Photo: Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy coastal defense vessels HMCS Summerside and HMCS Kingston got underway from Halifax on January 26, starting a deployment to West Africa. The two Kingston-class ships will foster relationships with partner navies and take part in exercise Obangame Express 2018, in the Gulf of Guinea, led by US Naval Forces Africa. The exercise will be joined by a detachment of personnel from the Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG) and a Maritime Operations Center mentorship team. Also on board as the ships got underway were exchange officers from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire who joined the ships as part of an exchange program. During their deployment, Summerside and Kingston are scheduled to visit Praia in Cape Verde, Dakar in Senegal, Liberia’s Monrovia port and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. “Building on last year’s very successful deployment to West Africa, the RCN will again deploy to this important part of the world to continue to promote regional maritime security,” RAdm Craig Baines, Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, commented. “In additional, they will conduct national outreach and will support Canadian national interests while working with global partners to mutually build capacity and readiness.” Source: Naval Today

Workhorses of the sea

The Boa Sub C inbound for Rotterdam-Waalhaven - Photo : Willem Holtkamp - http://fotomaker.jalbum.net/FOTOMAKER/ ©