Navy News Week 35-2

NAVY NEWS WEEK 35-2

27 August 2018

Russia debates giving up on building helicopter-carrier ships for its Navy Meduza 14:48, 20 august 2018 There‟s some confusion in Russia‟s shipbuilding business about whether or not the country is done trying to build helicopter carriers. Russia‟s industry and trade minister, Denis Manturov, said in an interview with the news agency Interfax on August 20 that these projects, “in a pure sense of the word,” are over, though the Navy will retain a few such ships. (Manturov added that Russia is still discussing the construction of a second aircraft carrier.) Almost immediately after the interview was published, however, a “high-placed source in Russia‟s shipbuilding industry” told RIA Novosti that the Defense Ministry hasn‟t yet made up its mind about the future of helicopter-carrier construction in Russia. In June 2017, Viktor Bursuk, the deputy head of Russia‟s Navy, said the country planned to acquire two helicopter-carrier ships and complete work on a new aircraft carrier before 2025. Moscow wanted to buy two Mistral-class helicopter-carrier ships from France, but the deal fell through in 2015, following the annexation of Crimea. Those vessels, built for Russia, were ultimately sold to Egypt. Source: https://meduza.io

Competition to build cut-price frigates for Royal Navy relaunched Alan Tovey, Industry Editor 20 August 2018 • 1:35pm

A computer-generated image of how the Type 31e ships could look

The competition to build budget frigates for the Royal Navy has been relaunched after it was halted last month, with defence chiefs saying they had received “insufficient compliant bids”. The Ministry of Defence wants to add five Type 31e frigates to the Navy. Priced at £250m per vessel, these are stripped-down ships with fewer capabilities than other frigates in the fleet. Military sources have previously questioned how useful the ships will be, but their duties will include protecting and supporting the Navy‟s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. A notice posted on the website of the Defence Equipment & Support organisation, the body which acquires military equipment for the MoD, revealed that companies interested in building the Type 31e ships had until today to express an interest. There will then be a “short period of early market engagement… to share key elements, including technical and commercial elements”. The MoD said this would generate “feedback which it intends to use to inform the further shaping of its requirements”. Bidders include a consortium led by Babcock which includes Thales, OMT, BMT, Harland and Wolff and Ferguson Marine and is offering a design called "Arrowhead". Merseyside-based shipbuilder Cammell Laird is also offering the “Leander” design from defence giant BAE Systems. Cammell Laird has already flagged its credentials for the project, boasting it has built up a network of 2,000 suppliers to support its bid. Both groups were involved in the aborted previous competition. The MoD said at the time the earlier contest was abandoned that it had not received enough bids to run “an effective and robust competition”, but naval insiders claimed the terms demanded by the MoD for the contract were “too rigid and inflexible”.

The Leander design is being offered by Cammell Laird and BAE Systems Credit: Team Leander

There has also been speculation that none of the bids were able to meet the £250m per ship price tag. Others have suggested that the Government may not have the money for the Type 31e, with the MoD facing a potential £20bn funding gap over the coming decade. Companies interested in building the Type 31e face a demanding schedule, with the first ship set to go into service in 2023 and the last one five years later. Conditions for the contract also warn that potential suppliers must be “in a position to undertake the full Type 31e programme, meeting its full requirement including a £1.25bn cost and building the T31e in a UK shipyard”. It also refers to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, produced by industrialist Sir John Parker two years ago. This aims to spread work around UK shipyards rather than rely on dominant BAE Systems, and also give the UK an economic boost by producing vessels that are attractive to foreign buyers. Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk

China to take part in Russian military drills Russia's Defense Minister has announced that China's military will participate in massive joint military exercises in the country's Far East next month. Sergei Shoigu said on Monday that military units from China and Mongolia will take part in the Vostok-2018 strategic military drills. Russia has held the exercises once every 4 years since 2010. Shoigu said the upcoming drills will be held on an unprecedented scale. The 2 countries have conducted joint naval drills, but it will be the first time for Chinese forces to participate in these exercises. China's Defense Ministry official says the country will dispatch about 3,200 personnel and aircraft. The exercises will coincide with an economic forum in the Far East city of Vladivostok. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend. The moves are seen as part of efforts by the leaders of the 2 countries to highlight their military and economic ties in opposition to the United States. The US recently cancelled an invitation to China for a multi-national naval exercise due to its activities in the South China Sea. Beijing is also in a deepening trade dispute with the US. Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp

BLACK SEA (Aug. 18, 2018) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) is underway alongside the Romanian navy corvette ROS Admiral Horia Marcellariu (F 265) in the Black Sea, Aug. 18, 2018. Carney, forward- deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its fifth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan U. Kledzik/Released)

U.S. Navy Reports Second Man-Overboard in Two Weeks The U.S. Navy reported Monday that it is once again engaged in a search and rescue effort for a missing sailor in the Pacific theater, less than two weeks after a marine went missing from the amphib USS Essex in the Sulu Sea. At about 0700 hours local time Sunday, a sailor aboard the cruiser USS Lake Erie failed to report for duty. The crew conducted several extensive searches of the vessel but could not locate the individual, and the ship initiated man-overboard procedures. The Lake Erie was under way in the Eastern Pacific at the time of the incident as part of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group. Vessels and aircraft from the CSG are conducting a SAR operation with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard. The family of the missing sailor has been notified but the Navy has not yet released the individual's identity to the public. On Sunday, the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit identified the marine who went missing from the USS Essex on August 9. The victim, helicopter crew chief Cpl. Jonathan Currier, was deployed with the 13th MEU's Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 aboard the Essex. When he went missing, the Navy launched a search in the Sulu Sea and Surigao Strait. Phillipine and Singaporean authorities supported the effort. The search lasted five days and covered more than 13,000 square nautical miles, with more than 110 sorties and 300 flight hours. It was called off on August 13, and Cpl. Currier was declared deceased on August 17.

USS Lake Erie under way off Hawaii during RIMPAC 2018. Photo: USN

Cpl. Currier was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. “Our hearts go out to the Currier family,” said Col. Chandler Nelms, commanding officer of the 13th MEU. “Cpl. Currier’s loss is felt by our entire [crew], and he will not be forgotten.” Source: MarEx This seems to happen far too often, according to reports in this newsletter.

The LCS 14 Manchester arriving in her homeport San Diego for the first time Photo : Jasper van Raemdonck ©

Singapore Navy launches seventh Littoral Mission Vessel Dauntless The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) on Saturday (Aug 18) launched Dauntless its seventh Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV). The LMV was launched at ST Engineering's Benoi Shipyard by Mrs Heng Hwee Nee, wife of Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat. In a press release, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said the launch of Dauntless was a "significant milestone in the RSN's continued transformation to keep Singapore's waters safe" The LMV programme is progressing well, said MINDEF. Three LMVs - RSS Independence, RSS Sovereignty, and RSS Unity - were commissioned in 2017, while two previously launched LMVs - Justice and Indomitable - will be commissioned later this year, said the ministry. Fortitude, the sixth LMV, is presently undergoing sea trials. Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr Heng said that the LMV's name reflects the RSN's "determined spirit to overcome all adversity without fear", and that the name also captures the attributes of Singapore's founding generation. "The Dauntless spirit will continue to guide the RSN in innovating and constantly improving itself to safeguard Singapore," he said Mr Heng also highlighted the importance of a strong navy to Singapore's defence "Our RSN’s ability to secure and keep these key sea lines of communication open, preserve our right to move freely in waters around the world, as set out by international law, is critical to Singapore’s prosperity and security," he said. Source : channelnewsasia

Two Japanese Ships Are Trained with the Patrol Vessel ‘Vigia’ in Spanish Waters August 21, 2018 The Spanish military ship, based in Cádiz, is carrying out surveillance work in the Alboran Sea. August 2, 2018. While many Spaniards begin their summer vacations, the tall patrol vessel „Vigia‟ continues his work within the Maritime Security and Surveillance Command. This is one of the permanent missions of the Spanish Armed Forces, in which this vessel is responsible for conducting surveillance and security operations in the waters of the Alboran Sea. But that day was special for the crew of the „Vigia’, whose front is the captain of corvette Pedro J. Arenas, commander of the P-73 (numeral side of this military vessel). During the day, the patrolman made a „PASSEX’ with a Japanese naval group formed by the school ship „Kashima’ and the destroyer „Takanami’. Friendship and interoperability “The ‘Passex’ are tactical exercises that the navies of third countries propose to the Spanish Navy when their units are scheduled to sail in national waters,” said official sources. The objectives of this training are, on the one hand, to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation and, on the other, to implement common tactical procedures that guarantee the interoperability of ships of different nations. Although these types of exercises are usually habitual, the special thing about the occasion is that, as they explain from Armada, “it is not usual to have the opportunity to do them with Japanese ships due to the great distance that separates us “. In this case, the „Vigía’, which is based in the Cadiz Naval Station of Portales, and the vessels of the Japanese Navy were more than three hours carrying out joint training of radiotelephone communications, visual communications and tactical evolutions. In addition to conducting surveillance in the Alborán Sea within the framework of the permanent operation of Maritime Security and Surveillance, from 1 to 14 August, the high-altitude patrol vessel „Vigía’ contributed to the operation „Sea Guardian‟ of NATO in the Mediterranean, a mission that aims to deter and combat international terrorism. Source: http://www.maritimeherald.com

Japan to deploy fleet of warships to Indian Ocean By Elizabeth Shim Aug. 21, 2018 / 9:06 AM

Japan's maritime self-defense force will deploy three warships (not pictured) to the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. Photo by MC1 Michael Russell/U.S. Navy/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Japan will soon deploy a large helicopter carrier and two escort ships of the nation's maritime self-defense force to the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, according to the Nikkei and Kyodo News. Adm. Yutaka Murakawa, chief of staff for the maritime self-defense force, said Tuesday at a regular press briefing the 814-foot-long Kaga, which can operate multiple helicopters at the same time, will be part of a fleet that includes two other naval vessels. The ships will leave for the South China Sea on Aug. 26, sail through the Strait of Malacca, then travel to the Indian Ocean. The ships will be sailing until Oct. 30, and engage in naval drills with India and the United States. The deployment of the Kaga into maritime areas claimed by China is a sign Tokyo is responding to China's military presence in the South China Sea. "The maritime area from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean is important [for Japan]," Murakawa said. "It is extremely important to understand the navy of each country and deepen solidarity." The Japanese fleet is to make stops in the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. Japan's forces also deployed a similar group of ships, including the helicopter carrier Izumo, to the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean in 2017. Japan's defense ministry has said security cooperation between Japan and India is "vital" for regional stability. U.S. President Donald Trump has encouraged regional powers to work together for a "shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific" at a time when China has been promoting a Beijing-led initiative to grow investment and trade in the region through its "One Belt, One Road" initiative. Source: https://www.upi.com

Thales to provide new minehunting system to U.K. Royal Navy By Stephen Carlson Aug. 21, 2018 / 1:17 PM Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The U.K. Royal Navy has accepted Thales' newest 2093 mine countermeasures sonar after extensive sea trials. The 2093 variable depth sonar has been in Royal Navy and worldwide service since the 1980s. The current version being adopted by the U.K. is a wideband variant expected to be installed on the Sandown-class minesweeping vessels, Thales said in a news release.

Sandown-class minesweeper HMS Grimsby, which conducted trials on the 2093 sonar. Photo courtesy of Thales.

The system has undergone 3 months of trials over the summer onboard the HMS Grimsby minesweeper. It is expected to be installed as the standard countermine system aboard Royal Navy ships, according to Thales. 2093 Wideband is a multi-frequency variable depth sonar system designed to detect mines in all depths of water. The sonar receiver and transmitter are part of a towed array which is lowered below the ship by cable, which allows it to penetrate oceanic temperature layers. Thermal layers can block or interfere with sonar signals, making depth of the system important for some applications. The system is based off the 2193 hull-mounted system that is in use on the Hunt-class minesweeper and other ships. The system is expected to be widely exported to nations in Asia, the Middle East and Europe that already use similar legacy systems. Source: https://www.upi.com

Navy mulls possibility of operating F-35B aboard new amphibious assault ship 2018/08/17 11:53 SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy has put up a public notice of tender for a research project to explore the possibility of operating F-35B stealth aircraft aboard its amphibious landing ship, officials said Friday. Last Friday, the Navy initiated the tender through an electronic defense procurement system of the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration, citing moves by neighboring countries to consider running F-38Bs aboard their warships. The project seeks to study the possible remodeling of the country's 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel to host the F-35B fighter, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the U.S.-made fifth-generation warplane. The research is set to end by Dec. 15. Observers speculated that the Navy might seek to run the F-35B on the Marado warship that is currently under construction and slated to be deployed in 2020. The existing Dokdo ship is seen as capable of operating only transport helicopters because its deck is not made of materials that can withstand high temperatures caused by fighter jet operations. In 2014, Seoul decided to purchase 40 F-35A fighters for deployment from 2018 through 2021 at a cost of 7.3 trillion won (US$6.4 billion). The F- 35A is the fighter's air force variant, while the F-35B and F-35C are for marines and aircraft carrier-based operations, respectively. There has been speculation that Seoul may consider introducing several F-35Bs as it may have to purchase additional warplanes due to a shortage of warplanes that could occur in the coming years with the decommissioning of F-4s and F-5s. Japanese media have reported that Tokyo's Maritime Self-Defense Force is considering purchasing F-35Bs for its large escort ships.

South Korea's new 14,500-ton amphibious assault ship, Marado, is floated at the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. in the southern port city of Busan on May 14, 2018. (Yonhap)

Source: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr

The Dokdo Class: an LHD for the ROK Aug 22, 2018 04:52 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff August 22/18: Retrofit South Korea‟s Navy is funding a research project to explore the possibility of operating F-35Bs aboard its amphibious landing ships. The project aims to devise a feasible and affordable options to remodel the country‟s 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel. Necessary work is likely to include retrofitting the ship with a ski-jump ramp, similarly to the one seen on the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, and adapting the flight deck so that used materials can withstand the high- temperatures caused by fighter jet operations. In 2014, South Korea decided to acquire 40 F-35As at a cost of $6.4 billion, some experts speculate that the country will also opt for a few F-35Bs as means to mitigate the dangers of a future shortage of warplanes caused by decommissioning its ageing fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

ROKS Dokdo

Australia isn‟t the only Pacific Rim country looking to modernize its Navy these days. China‟s rapid shipbuilding program and work on its aircraft carrier project gets a lot of attention – but just to the east, South Korea is fielding its own AEGIS-equipped “air warfare destroyer,” while picking up new capabilities via a new class of amphibious assault LHD ship. Sound familiar? Hobart and Canberra Class, meet the KDX-III King Sejong Class AEGIS destroyer (launched May 2007) and the new “LPH” Dokdo Class LHD (commissioned July 2007). The 199- meter, 18,860-ton Dokdo Class officially has the less aggressive designation of LPH (landing platform, helicopter), but its well deck and amphibious assault capabilities place it within the LHD category… The Dokdo Class/ LPX

Dokdo launches AAV7s

The Dokdo Class can carry up to 720 troops, plus a mix of helicopters, tanks/armored vehicles, and wheeled vehicles. Transport to shore is accomplished via landing ships or LCAC hovercraft. The Dokdo Class is only 2/3 the size of Australia‟s new Canberra Class, and just over 1/3 the size of the USA‟s Wasp Class; but Dokdo is the largest ship in the South Korean Navy. For defense, they will rely on a combat system from the Samsung Thales Corp. joint venture. It will rely on Thales‟ SMART-L long range 3 dimension search radar, with a detection and tracking range of 400 km/ 240 miles. For defensive responses, it can coordinate a SeaRAM guided missile system, 2 Thales “Goalkeeper” 30mm CIWS systems, and various decoying systems. Even so, support from Korea‟s frigate-sized KDX-II destroyers and new KDX-III King Sejong Class AEGIS destroyers will be essential.

ROKN Goalkeeper

There has been media speculation that the Dokdo Class is in fact a light aircraft carrier, citing the ability to install a ski jump and operate V/STOL Harriers or STOVL F-35B Lightnings from its deck. America‟s 42,000 ton Wasp Class LHDs are used in this manner, and it would be possible from Australia‟s Canberra Class LHDs as well. The smaller size of the Dokdo Class, however, means that using the ship in this way doesn‟t make much sense. It would get one very few fighters, while sacrificing most of the ship‟s total carrying capacity. Fighter aircraft require a lot of space below-decks, and so does their fuel and weapons storage. South Korea‟s prime focus remains North Korea, and aerial cover for amphibious operations a la Inchon can easily be supported from land bases. Meanwhile, international operations featuring Korean LHDs would need Korean helicopters far more than they‟d need Korean fighters. Circumstances can change; but Korea‟s Ministry of Defence has stated that they have no plans to operate fighter aircraft from these ships, and military logic makes this a believable assertion. This is not to say that offensive fixed wing aircraft will never operate from Dokdo. It‟s just that they‟re far more likely to be UAVs akin to the MQ-9 Reaper, rather than supersonic fighters. LPX: Future Plans for the Class The Dokdo Class ship ROKS Marado was scheduled to enter service by 2010, but its budget was canceled. That budget was restored in 2012, and recent regional tensions are making high-end ships like LHDs and Aegis destroyers more attractive to Korea. Marado commemorates a small southern island that is commonly thought of as both the ending and beginning point of Korea, depending on one‟s perspective. Up to 4 ships of class were originally planned, but doctrine has shifted toward 2-3 “rapid response fleets,” each built around 1 Dokdo Class ship and a number of destroyers. If there‟s a 3rd ship of class, previous plans involved naming it after Baengnyeong Island, which is located in the Yellow Sea near the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL) with North Korea. Source: https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com

Govt buys new navy ship with remaining money after frigate blowout LAURA WALTERS Last updated 14:15, August 22 2018 The Government has announced it will spend $103m on a new navy vessel used for specialist diving operations and seabed surveying. the MV Edda Fonn is expected to be in service by November 2019. The Government has pinched pennies to replace the navy dive and hydrographic vessel after the frigate upgrade cost blowout. On Wednesday, Defence Minister Ron Mark announced the latest in a recent stream of major defence procurements. Next year, the Royal New Zealand Navy would welcome the 85-metre Norwegian-built mulit-role offshore support vessel, the MV Edda Fonn. The ship would be used for the likes of undersea search and rescue, seabed surveillance following earthquakes like the 2016 Kaikoura quake, and removing unexploded mines in the Pacific Islands. The project budget for the purchase, modifications and introduction into service of the dive and hydrographic ship is $103 million. Plans to replace the ageing HMNZS Resolution and HMNZS Manawanui with a single ship, began under the previous Government, and the money was appropriated at the time. Former defence minister Gerry Brownlee likened the planned replacement ship to a "swiss army knife". However, a $148m blowout of the frigate upgrade budget meant some of the money previously marked for the new diving and hydrographic ship had to be redirected to cover the overspend. This meant Mark had to reset his sights on a second-hand vessel, rather than a new build. "The MV Edda Fonn will be a great addition to the Navy," Mark said. "Not only will it meet the Government's needs, it will be in service three years earlier than a newly-built ship would have been." The ship, which was under lease until the end of 2018, would be modified and in service by November 2019. "This vessel will ensure that the current capability gaps for diving and hydrography are filled as quickly as possible, with a proven, well-tested platform," Mark said. "Defence officials have subjected the Edda Fonn to considerable scrutiny ahead of purchase... We have been assured by independent experts that it is in excellent condition, and will handle well in the operations the Defence Force will use it for." The vessel, owned and operated by Norwegian company Østensjø Rederi, was identified as the most suitable option from an initial list of 150 offshore and subsea support vessels considered by defence officials. The modern design and systems of the dive and hydrographic vessel would provide improved capacity, speed, safety, and capability over the previous vessels, Mark said. Some of the new capabilities include a 100- tonne salvage crane, a remotely operated vehicle, and a contemporary dynamic positioning system, aimed at allowing Navy specialist divers to achieve greater levels of effectiveness and safety, in a greater range of conditions. This purchase is the latest in a string of major equipment upgrades for the New Zealand Defence Force. The current upgrade of New Zealand's two frigates was due to be completed in November, at a cost of $639m. And in July, Mark announced the purchase of four Boeing P-8A Poseidons, to replace the ageing P-3K Orions maritime surveillance aircraft, at a cost of $2.3 billion. Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz

Ex Atlasur set to start on August 31 Written by defenceWeb, Wednesday, 22 August 2018 The eleventh Exercise Atlasur is fast approaching and the SA Navy is busy finishing final preparatory work ahead of the three nation naval exercise which starts on August 31. Atlasur is a multinational biennial exercise with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and South Africa taking part and taking turn to host. Argentina will not be part of this year‟s Atlasur headquartered at Simon‟s Town also SA Navy fleet headquarters. The theme of this year‟s Atlasur is “combined we combat illegal trade” and indication of the importance attached by contributing countries to halting illegal trafficking of people as well as the illegal trade in drugs and arms on the high seas. From month-end to September 6 there is an alongside phase in Simon‟s Town harbour followed by two sea phases. The first will be in the False Bay area from September 6 to 9 and the second from September 9 to 14 on the Cape west coast as well as False Bay. A second alongside phase in Simon‟s Town harbour takes place between September 14and 17 after which the second and final sea phase of the exercise is scheduled for both the False Bay and west coast. September 21 sees the conclusion of Ex Atlasur X1. There are five objectives set down for Atlasur. These are to maintain, promote and build on previous operational and tactical co-operation between the Argentinian, Brazilian, Uruguayan and South African joint forces; develop and test joint/combined doctrine and standard operating procedures; exercise interoperability in a multinational simulated environment; test sustainment during a period of high demand; and to promote training of military personnel and provide joint force preparation training to SANDF elements. Source: http://www.defenceweb.co.za Russia develops new vertical take-off fighter for aircraft carrier Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-21 23:21:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia is developing a new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet for aircraft carriers as ordered by President Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said Tuesday. "In the future, all aircraft-carrying vessels will need new planes and various technologies will be used, which enable shortened or simply vertical take-off and landing," Borisov told reporters at the Army-2018 International Military Technical Forum. He said the Russian Defense Ministry began this work last year and normally it will take seven to 10 years before serial production of such aircraft. Borisov said it will be a totally new aircraft and not a modernized version of previous VTOL jets. The former Soviet Union produced VTOL Yak-141 fighters for four aircraft carriers built in the 1970s and 1980s. Two of the carriers were converted into floating hotels, one dismantled, and the last one revamped and sold to the Indian Navy. Yak-141 aircraft were decommissioned in the middle of the 2000s as Russia's sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which is currently being repaired, was designed for traditional aircraft. Russia has announced plans to build another aircraft carrier to supplement Admiral Kuznetsov. Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com

Industry cries foul as Canadian government makes more changes to bid process for $60B warship program The new change has sparked more concerns the process is rigged to favour a bid by Lockheed Martin Canada and British firm BAE, industry sources say The government has once again changed how it will evaluate bids on its $60-billion warship program, prompting more concerns the new process is designed to help out a company linked to Irving Shipbuilding. The move is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the Canadian Surface Combatant, believed to be the largest single defence purchase Canada has ever undertaken.

Visitors inspect a model of a BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries CANSEC trade show in Ottawa in May 2018. Photo: Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

Companies have already provided their bids for the surface combatant project to the federal government and Irving, which will construct the vessels. The firms were expecting those to be evaluated using an established process outlined previously, which included one opportunity to fix problems with bids. But on Aug. 13, the government informed the firms a second opportunity would be provided if the companies weren‟t fully compliant in meeting Canada‟s naval requirements, according to industry sources. Jean-François Létourneau of Public Services and Procurement Canada confirmed the new process, but added, “this is an example of how the Government of Canada is developing and applying innovative approaches to improve the results for large, complex defence procurements.” The government has told companies not to comment during the selection process. But the new change has sparked more concerns the process is rigged to favour a bid by Lockheed Martin Canada and British firm BAE, industry sources say. Rival firms claim BAE‟s Type 26 warship won‟t be able to meet Canada‟s needs, so the company, which has been involved in other business ventures with Irving, is being given additional chances to fix up its proposal. BAE and Lockheed Martin have countered that the Type 26 will be more than capable of meeting Canada‟s requirements. Irving declined comment. Létourneau said fairness and transparency have been key factors in the procurement process. “Given the magnitude and importance of this project, every effort is being made to ensure that this procurement is fairly and effectively executed and that bidders have every opportunity to submit high-quality compliant bids that provide good value for money, including significant benefits for Canadian industry,” he said. The project, estimated to cost between $55 billion and $60 billion, will see Irving build 15 warships at its Halifax Shipyard. But the project is seen as a major departure from previous purchases as Irving has a significant role in selecting the winning bidder. That has fuelled industry concerns about favouritism since Irving has worked closely with BAE on other ventures. Those concerns only increased when the parameters of the project were changed earlier. Federal officials had originally stated Canada wanted mature, proven ship designs to cut down on risk. But the government and Irving accepted the BAE design, which at the time was still only on drawing boards. Construction began on BAE‟s Type 26 frigate for Britain‟s Royal Navy in the summer of 2017, but the first ship is not yet completed. New, unproven ships can face challenges as problems are found when the vessel is in the water and operating. Both Irving and Public Services and Procurement Canada have denied any favouritism towards BAE. But even as Irving released the request for proposals for the surface combatant program, it was teamed with BAE to bid on a maintenance program for other new Canadian navy ships, according to federal documents. The two firms were not successful on that contract, but the government reminded Irving it had an obligation to “ensure that the Canadian Surface Combatant competition is conducted in a manner that is free from real or perceived conflicts of interest,” according to February 2017 documents prepared for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. Those documents were obtained by the Conservative Party using the Access to Information law. A number of defence industry representatives acknowledge there is the widespread belief the BAE proposal has the inside track. In addition, several European shipbuilders decided against submitting bids on the Canadian program because of concerns about the fairness of the process. In November, a French- Italian consortium also declined to formally submit a bid and instead offered Canada a fleet of vessels at half the price. The Liberal government rejected the deal. Source: The National Post And the politicians in Canada continue to move the goalposts, creating the gaps for huge corruptions. The arms industry is well known being rife of corruption, as has been shown in many reports on transactions throughout the world. This is starting to look like the Weapon scandal in our country.

How stealthy are the world's subs? There used to be a rough ranking system for people who followed sub warfare. The best diesel submarines are the most quiet when they aren't running their diesel, followed by the best nuclear submarines, followed by crappy and older subs. But over the past couple of decades, submarine technology has gotten so advanced that the engine might not even be the limiting factor. Now, sub hunters look for a lot more than a bit of engine or pump noise under the water.

The Swedish HMS Gotland, a diesel-powered attack submarine that uses a very stealthy Stirling engine for propulsion, sails through San Diego Harbor in 2005.

They search for heat trails created by friction between the water and the hull, listen for bubbles that form in the low pressure zones on the backs of propellers, and search for magnetic signatures given off by some 7 sub components. Though modern submarine hulls are often made out of non-magnetic or low-magnetic materials to reduce this signature, some components are naturally magnetic and electrical currents passing through circuits and motors creates small magnetic fields. Taking a look at these minute details, it's clear why submarine technology is so heavily guarded. If the enemy finds out that your new motor is quieter but makes a magnetic field that is larger than old designs, they'll buy better magnetic anomaly detectors (yes, that's a real name). And if they find out your engine is stealthier than their engine, they'll try to steal it (looking at you, China). So, what's the hierarchy of subs look like right now? At the top are a few kinds of air-independent propulsion systems, meaning that the subs never or very rarely have to surface to let in oxygen during a cruise. There are two major kinds of AIP submarines, those that use diesel or similar fuel and those that use nuclear power. In general, the stealthiest subs are generally acknowledged to be non-nuclear boats when they're running on battery power. Sweden has a sub that fits this bill that is well-regarded across the world and has managed to evade a U.S. carrier group's anti-submarine screen so well that it "killed" a U.S. aircraft carrier during an exercise. China and Russia also have subs in this category and use them for shoreline defense. Just beneath that group is nuclear submarines that generate electricity and then use an electric motor to drive the propeller or the pump jets (pump jets are preferred because they are less likely to create cavitation, more on that in the next paragraph). America's newest submarines fit into this category. They have a small disadvantage against advanced AIP diesel-electric because the nuclear reactors must be continuously cooled using pumps which generate some noise. Many of America's subs were created before pump jets matured and have more traditional propellers. At the right depths and propeller speeds, propellers cause cavitation where the water boils in the low-pressure zone near the propeller despite the low temperatures. The telltale bubbles collapse almost immediately, letting good sonar operators follow the noise directly to the enemy sub. Regardless of whether the sub is using pump jets or conventional propellers, it's less stealthy when the reactors provide power directly to the propeller. U.S. subs are transitioning to only generating power and then using the electrical power to control the engines. China recently claimed to have developed the components necessary for the same upgrade. Another step down for diesel subs is when they have low-capacity batteries. Having a low capacity forces the sub to surface and run its engines more often, making them much more likely to be found via radar or satellite. The oldest diesel subs are also less likely to be designed with sufficiently quiet engines or sound dampening. These older diesel subs are also more likely to be made with steel that can be detected by magnetic anomaly detectors, but at this point, we're only talking about navies like North Korea's. The fact is, however, even at the level of antiquated diesel submarines with direct power going to the engines, small batteries, and little sound dampening, it takes a relatively advanced navy to detect enemy subs. Sub hunters need solid sonar systems and well-trained operators that can distinguish an enemy sub running quiet from the surrounding ocean noise, especially if the sub moves into a noisy patch of ocean like littoral or tidal areas, where the water rushing over rocks and coral hides the acoustic signatures of all but the noisiest submarines. While all truly modern navies can do this, not all ships are capable of hunting even older submarines, so older models still give an asymmetric advantage to a nation. But for modern navies like the U.S. and China, the competing sailors have to use every trick in their toolbox to retain an edge. This is a relatively new development since Chinese subs were known as being laughably loud to U.S. forces just a few years ago. While it's unclear in the unclassified world just how much China has closed the gap, they've made claims that they're actually slightly ahead of the U.S. This seems unlikely, but China has shown off advanced technologies, like pump jets, that could put its tech within striking distance of the U.S.' And its subs have twice threatened U.S. carriers, once surfacing well within torpedo range and once shadowing a U.S. carrier near Japan. The U.S. Navy might have spotted the subs and decided to not risk starting a war by engaging it, but it's also possible that the Chinese subs actually got the jump on them. Meanwhile, the U.S. has completed its own submarine surprise against China. In 2010, the U.S. surfaced three submarines simultaneously, one each near South Korea, The Philippines, and Diego Garcia, all within range of Chinese forces or the Chinese mainland. Between the three boats, they could carry 462 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. So, it seems that in submarine warfare, the advantage still lies with the subs. But modern submariners are still counting on every advantage that their training, scientists, and engineers can give them, because in a small metal tube hundreds of feet underwater is a horrible time to find out you're not as stealthy as you'd hoped. Source: ‘We Are The Mighty’

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